[00:00:01] >> WELCOME RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS AND GUESTS. [CALL TO ORDER] BEFORE WE OPEN THE MEETING, WE HAVE A TRADITION TO START WITH AN INVOCATION AND A PLEDGE. IF YOU'LL JOIN ME, PLEASE. >> HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT HUMBLY, LORD, IN A TIME WHERE OUR COUNTRY IS AT ODDS IN POLITICS, IN OUR HOMES, AND OUR SCHOOLS, AND IN OUR GOVERNMENT LORD. AND WE PRAY FOR GUIDANCE, LORD, WE PRAY FOR GRACE FOR YOUR ME THAT'S BOUNDLESS LORD. AND BRINGING IT RIGHT BACK HERE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LORD. WE PRAY FOR YOUR GUIDANCE HERE AND YOUR WISDOM HERE OVER TONIGHT'S MEETING. LORD, MAY YOU BE WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. MAY YOU BE WITH COMMISSIONER BOLE AS HE MAKES HIS WAY HOME SAFELY, LORD AND MAY YOU JUST SPEAK THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, LORD, THAT WE WOULD HAVE RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE, FATHER AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE INSIGHT FROM OUR CITIZENS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, FATHER. AND WE PRAY ALL THESE THINGS IN YOUR SON'S NAME. AMEN. >> AMEN. >> >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THIS CITY COMMISSION MEETING OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH DATED SEPTEMBER 22ND 2025, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> HEAR FROM ZOOM. >> [LAUGHTER] >> COMMISSIONER GRANT. >> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER KELLY. >> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER RING. >> PRESENT. >> MAYOR FORD. >> PRESENT. >> BEFORE WE GET INTO THE AGENDA, HOUSEKEEPING ITEM, SINCE THIS IS UNIQUE. CAN WE HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CITY BUSINESS TODAY? I'D LIKE TO HAVE APPROVAL FROM THIS COMMISSION TO ALLOW A VOTING MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION TO JOIN US VIA ZOOM. THANK YOU FOR SIGNING ON COMMISSIONER BOLE. BUT WE'LL ACTUALLY, AS OPPOSED TO JUST DOING CONSENSUS, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THAT. IF I COULD RECEIVE A MOTION IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION. >> I MOVE WE INCLUDE COMMISSIONER BOLE VIA ZOOM ON THIS COMMISSION MEETING. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE, YOU ARE OFFICIAL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANKS. I APPRECIATE YOU LET ME BE IN ON THE MEETING. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. THANKS. [1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] >> OPENING THIS AGENDA, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. SPECIFICALLY, ITEM 1A, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP DATED SEPTEMBER 3RD 2025. DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS? HEARING NONE, THE MINUTES STAND AS PRESENTED. ITEM 1B, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2025. ANY CORRECTIONS TO THESE MINUTES? YES. >> I BROUGHT UP DURING THE, LET ME GET THE EXACT NUMBER, 9A ACTION ON ORDINANCES WHEN WE WERE HAVING OUR FIRST READING ON THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE, A DISCUSSION ON THE ROLLBACK. THERE WASN'T MUCH SAID, BUT IT IS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL. >> OKAY. >> WHAT WOULD THE AMENDMENT BE? >> THAT COMMISSIONER RING BROUGHT UP POSSIBLE ROLLBACK AND A DISCUSSION ON THAT, WHICH INVOLVED THE FIRE SERVICES AND THE I THINK IT WAS 750,000. I WAS ASKING FOR THE NUMBER. >> ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT. >> CAN WE PUT THAT IN THERE? >> IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE REST OF THEM WOULD NEED TO VOTE ON THAT. >> YEAH, WE'LL VOTE ON IT. >> WE CAN VOTE ON THAT, AND I WOULDN'T ASK THAT THE COMMISSION BE PART OF IT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO BROUGHT THAT UP AND THEN, IT DIED. BUT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MENTIONED THAT I DID ATTEMPT TO PUT THAT. >> ALL I WAS SAYING WAS THAT ONCE YOU MENTIONED WHAT YOU WANT THE AMENDMENT TO BE, THEN THEY WILL VOTE. >> I SEE. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS AMENDED? >> I'M SORRY. COULD YOU BE MORE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? >> WHEN 9A WAS BROUGHT UP, [00:05:02] WHICH WAS THE MILLAGE RATE. I BROUGHT UP IN THE DISCUSSION, THE POSSIBLE CHANGE TO A ROLLBACK RATE. IT'S NOT MENTIONED IN THE MINUTES AT ALL THAT I DID BRING UP THAT DISCUSSION. >> OKAY. >> SHE DID, SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT. >> DO WE DO WE NOT RECORD EVERYTHING EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT? >> NO. >> NO. OKAY. WELL, THAT MAY BE. >> TYPICALLY, IT'S THE ACTION ITEMS AND MAYBE SOME SUMMARIZED COMMENTARY DONNER, I THINK, IS WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING. WHAT THIS WOULD BE A SIMPLE AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE THAT COMMENTARY ALONG WITH THAT ITEM, I THINK. >> WELL, RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S COMMISSIONER GRANT'S REQUEST FOR DATA. COMMISSIONER BOLE AGREEING TO AN E MAIL TO STAFF, BUT WHERE IT SAYS DISCUSSION ENSUED. THERE'S NO COMMISSIONER RING BROUGHT UP DISCUSSION ABOUT ROLLBACK. >> THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO THE MINUTES TO INCLUDE THAT COMMENT. >> ACTUALLY, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RING TO MAKE THAT CORRECTION. >> I MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE 9A OR A DISCUSSION WITH COMMISSIONER RING BRINGING UP ROLLBACK, POSSIBLE ROLLBACK DISCUSSION UNDER 9A. >> DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WE'VE APPROVED ITEM 1B, MOVING TO COURTESY OF THE FLOOR. [2. COURTESY OF FLOOR TO VISITORS] LET'S SEE, WAS THERE ANYTHING? WE'RE ON TRACK. THIS IS ITEM 2 ON THE AGENDA. BEFORE WE GET INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO DO A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'LL READ THIS AND THEN I'LL COME DOWN AND JOIN YOU, EUGENIA. NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH. WHEREAS SERVICE DOGS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF DISABILITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, HEARING LOSS, MOBILITY CHALLENGES AND PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS AND WHEREAS THESE REMARKABLE ANIMALS PERFORM A VARIETY OF TASKS THAT ENABLE THEIR HUMAN PARTNERS TO LIVE MORE INDEPENDENT AND FULFILLING LIVES, SUCH AS GUIDING THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, ALERTING THE HEARING IMPAIRED, RETRIEVING ITEMS FOR THOSE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES AND PROVIDING VITAL SUPPORT TO VETERANS AND OTHERS WITH PTSD AND WHEREAS THE TRAINING OF A SERVICE DOG IS A LONG AND RIGOROUS PROCESS, REQUIRING DEDICATION FROM TRAINERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND THE DOGS THEMSELVES AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH RECOGNIZES THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT SERVICE DOGS HAVE ON THE LIVES OF THEIR HANDLERS, ENHANCING THEIR SAFETY, INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE ROLES AND RIGHTS OF SERVICE DOGS AND THEIR HANDLERS AND TO FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO RELY ON THE ASSISTANCE OF SERVICE DOGS. NOW, THEREFORE, I CURTIS FORD, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER AS NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND CALL UPON ALL RESIDENTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CELEBRATE THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SERVICE DOGS AND THEIR HANDLERS. LET US TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THESE EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT TRAIN THEM AND TO COMMIT TO ENSURE A WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY FOR ALL. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH TO BE A FIXED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025. I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS TO EUGENIA MCCALL, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME AT THE LECTERN AND WE'LL ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR SERVICE DOG. >> RECOGNIZING THEM. MAC IS ACTUALLY A THERAPY DOG. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THERAPY DOGS AND SERVICE DOGS. >> MAY I INTRODUCE MAC? THIS IS BIG MAC. YOU ARE SUCH A KIND DOG, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU IN MY HOUSE. >> [LAUGHTER] >> WILL YOU ACCEPT THIS EUGENIA, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH? I PRESENT YOU WITH THIS PROCLAMATION AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANY WORDS? >> NO. NOTHING MORE THAN MY HUSBAND AND I, MOODY MCCALL, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN TRAINING SERVICE DOGS FOR CANINE COMPANIONS. MAC IS ONE OF 11 THAT WE'VE TRAINED AND HE WAS RELEASED DUE TO ALLERGIES AND I NOW USE HIM AS A THERAPY DOG OUT AT MAYO CLINIC. [00:10:04] IF YOU SEE US AROUND TOWN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> NOW, A REGULAR COURTESY OF FULLER TO VISITORS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SIGNED IN? >> THIRTEEN. >> THIRTEEN. WE WILL MOVE RIGHT ALONG. YOU CAN SPEAK ON ANYTHING YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON. HOPEFULLY, IT ACTUALLY PERTAINS TO THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND OUR CITIZENS. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS. WE HAVE A LIGHT SYSTEM AND A BUZZER. SORRY. BUT WHEN YOU HIT THREE MINUTES, THE BUZZER WILL GO OFF. I WILL BE PATIENT BY ABOUT 5 SECONDS BEFORE I GABBLE YOU BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO STICK WITH THE AGENDA. BUT WE WELCOME ALL SPEAKERS. LET'S GO AHEAD AND KICK OFF WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER. >> REBECCA. HERE WE GO. >> BEFORE YOU INTRODUCE THE FIRST SPEAKER, IF YOUR INTENT IS TO SPEAK ON THE ORDINANCE REGARDING THE BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE AN OPEN COMMENTS DURING THAT PORTION, SO YOU WOULD SAVE THAT UNTIL THEN. >> GO AHEAD. >> REBECCA JANSEN. >> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD AND ATLANTIC BEACH COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS BECKY JANSEN AND I SPEAK AS A FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND PARENT AND ALSO AN ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY TEACHER. I WOULD LIKE TO SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED IN THE PAST. YOUR SUPPORT HAS PLAYED AN INVALUABLE ROLE IN SUSTAINING A PROGRAM THAT ONLY ENRICHES THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO GIVES BACK TO THE ENTIRE BEACHES COMMUNITY. THE FLETCHER BAND IS A VISIBLE AND ACTIVE PART OF OUR CULTURE IN OUR BEACH COMMUNITY. FROM MARCHING IN LOCAL PARADES AND PERFORMING AT COMMUNITY EVENTS TO REPRESENTING FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL AT FOOTBALL GAMES AND COMPETITIONS, OUR STUDENTS PROUDLY SHARE THEIR MUSIC BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. THESE EXPERIENCES ALLOW THEM TO CONNECT AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THEM. THE IMPACT OF MUSIC EDUCATION ON STUDENTS IS PROFOUND. PARTICIPATION IN BAND BUILDS DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP AND CONFIDENCE. THOSE SKILLS CARRY INTO EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE. STUDIES CONSISTENTLY SHOW THAT STUDENTS INVOLVED IN MUSIC PROGRAMS HAVE HIGHER ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, STRONGER SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND GREATER LONG TERM SUCCESS. FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS AT FLETCHER BAND, THE PROGRAM IS A PLACE WHERE THEY FIND BELONGING, PURPOSE AND A LIFELONG APPRECIATION FOR THE ARTS. MY SON INCLUDED. YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT HELPS MAKE THESE OPPORTUNITIES POSSIBLE. WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WAY YOU INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS AND IN TURN STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY WE ALL SHARE. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR STUDENTS AND FOR INVESTING IN THEIR FUTURES. YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. JANSEN. >> MICHELLE FORCIERS. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE COST OF KEEPING FLETCHER BAND ALIVE AND THRIVING. NOW I WANT YOU TO HEAR THE IMPACT IT HAS ON YOUR ATLANTIC BEACH YOUTH IN THEIR OWN WORDS. WE'VE ASKED MEMBERS TO WRITE ABOUT WHAT OUR PROGRAM HAS GIVEN THEM AND HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES. I'VE BEEN IN COLIC ART FOR THREE YEARS NOW AND HONESTLY, IT'S BEEN THE BEST PART OF MY HIGH SCHOOL FOR ME. WHEN I FIRST JOINED, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT IT QUICKLY BECAME CLEAR THAT IT IS MORE THAN AN EXTRACURRICULAR. IT WAS LIKE HAVING A SECOND FAMILY, DANIEL PEARSON, 12TH GRADE ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT. IT TAUGHT ME TO HAVE PATIENCE WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, TO ALWAYS GIVE RESPECT TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE, TO ALWAYS LEND A HELPING HAND WHEN NEEDED AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE, VICTORIA, WASHINGTON, 11TH GRADE. THE BAND PROVIDES A SENSE OF BELONGING, CAMARADERIE, JESSE VINCENT, TENTH GRADE, ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT. I HOPE TO BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE. I WANT PEOPLE AROUND ME TO FEEL WELCOME IN A PLACE THEY'VE NEVER KNEW THEY BELONGED, FLETCHER BAND PROGRAM. EMMA DOWNE, 12TH GRADE BAND CAPTAIN. NOTHING IS MORE SATISFYING THAN KNOWING THAT OUR HARD WORK AS A TEAM HAS PAID OFF. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM AND WILL ALWAYS BE [00:15:03] A DUNCAN YOUTH FLETCHER PRIOR TO THE BEACHES MARCHING SENATOR BAND MEMBER, MIA PEREZ, CLASS OF 25 ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT. THE COMMUNITY IS WHAT'S KEPT ME IN BAND. IT IS WHAT WILL KEEP ME PLAYING MUSIC FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. ALL IN ALL, BAND IS THE BEST DECISION I'VE EVER MADE AND WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. AUDREY PUNIT CLASS OF 25 BAND LIEUTENANT. I'VE MADE GREAT FRIENDS, LIFELONG MEMORIES ALONG THE WAY. NOT ONLY HAVE I LEARNED THE TRUE DEFINITION OF TEAMWORK, DEDICATION AND HARD WORK, BUT I ALSO LEARNED THAT YOU MUST PUT YOUR ALL EFFORT INTO WHAT YOU LOVE, MALKAI GERALD LEVIN FRED, ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT. THE FEELING OF PERFORMING ON THE FIELD IS SO AMAZING AND I LIVE FOR IT. KNOWING YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY ARE THERE SANDS CHEERING YOU ON BRIANNA PHILLIPS, 12TH GRADE, BAND LIEUTENANT, ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT. THESE AREN'T ISOLATED STORIES. IF THEY WERE HERE INSTEAD OF REHEARSAL RIGHT NOW, THE STUDENTS WOULD LINE UP TO TELL YOU THAT BAND HAS GIVEN THEM A PLACE TO BELONG, BUILT THEIR CONFIDENCE AND KEPT THEM ENGAGED IN SCHOOL. EVERY YEAR, FLETCHER BAND HAS ALSO SENT STUDENTS TO A COLLEGE LEVEL MUSIC PROGRAM AND THESE OPPORTUNITIES COME WITH SCHOLARSHIP MONEY. THEY USE ALL THEIR SKILLS THEY LEARNED IN BAND TO SUCCEED IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THEIR FIRST JOBS. FOR A NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BAND IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE TRAVELED OUTSIDE OF JACKSONVILLE, PERFORMED IN LARGE AUDIENCE OR ENVISIONED A DIFFERENT FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES. THIS IS WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THE VALUE OF ATLANTIC BEACH GETS OUT. OUR FLETCHER BAND PROGRAM IS NOT ABOUT HOW MANY CONCERTS OR PERFORMANCES ARE SCHEDULED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. IT'S ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT OUR YOUTH PARTICIPATES IN. IT'S LEADERSHIP TRAINING, MENTORSHIP, SAFE AND CONSTRUCTIVE TIME AFTER SCHOOL. IT'S A LAUNCHING PAD FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND CAREER. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP ATLANTIC BEACH HAS GIVEN US IN THE PAST AND WE HOPE YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SEE FLETCHER BAND AS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR CITY'S YOUNG PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, MS. FOCIER. >> DABNEY MCCREARY. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS DABNEY MCCLARY, AND I'M ONE OF THE FUND RAISING COORDINATORS FOR THE FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND. I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND, AND WHY YOU SO OFTEN SEE OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS OUT FUND RAISING. PEOPLE ARE SOMETIMES SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT WHILE TAX DOLLARS COVER THE SCHOOL DAY ITSELF, THERE IS LITTLE TO NO FUNDING FOR THE ARTS PROGRAMS. THAT MEANS THAT THE BAND LIKE EVERY OTHER ACTIVITY, MUST FIND ITS OWN WAY TO PAY FOR STAFF, INSTRUMENTS, UNIFORMS, BUSES, MUSIC, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MAKES THE PROGRAM POSSIBLE. IF YOU PICTURE THE FOOTBALL TEAM, WHICH WE'RE ALL SENATORS FANS, THAT PROGRAM HAS ABOUT 65 PLAYERS AND HAS TO COVER COSTS OUTSIDE OF THE TAXPAYER FUNDED SCHOOL BUDGET FOR PART TIME ASSISTANT COACHES, UNIFORMS, FACILITIES, AND EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS TRAVEL FOR SEVERAL AWAY GAMES EACH FALL. LUCKILY, THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT BENEFITS FROM THE TICKET SALES AT THE GATE FOR HOME GAMES. SIMILARLY, THE BAND HAS MORE THAN 80 MUSICIANS AND COLOR GUARD MEMBERS WHO TRAVEL TO ALL OF THOSE SAME AWAY GAMES THAT THE FOOTBALL TEAM GOES TO AND TO SATURDAY COMPETITIONS, ALMOST TWICE AS MANY EVENTS IN THE FALL. IN ADDITION TO PAYING FOR SCHOOL BUSES, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU ARE WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN YOU KNOW AND DO NOT GET PAID FOR BY THE SCHOOL, THEY GET PAID FOR OUT OF THE BAND BOOSTER BUDGET, THERE ARE ALSO PART TIME ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS, EQUIPMENT, AND INSTRUMENTS TO MAINTAIN, AND MUSIC AND DRILL TO PURCHASE EACH YEAR. BUT ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE PAID FOR WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE TICKET SALES FROM THE HOME GAMES. THE BAND'S ONLY INCOME COMES FROM STUDENT FEES, CONCESSIONS, GRANTS, AND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER FUND RAISING. MORE THAN HALF OF OUR FUND RAISERS ARE FOCUSED ON STUDENT FEES SO THAT NO STUDENT IS PREVENTED FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE BAND FOR LACK OF FUNDS. ANOTHER DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE BAND DOESN'T STOP IN NOVEMBER LIKE FOOTBALL DOES. WHEN FOOTBALL SEASON ENDS, BAND CONTINUES. THEY REHEARSE AND PERFORM THROUGH MAY CONCERTS, FESTIVALS, PARADES, AND MORE COMPETITIONS FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE BAND UMBRELLA, WHICH MEANS MONTHS OF EXTRA INSTRUCTION, TRANSPORTATION, EQUIPMENT, AND MANY MORE COSTS LONG AFTER THE LAST FOOTBALL GAME ENDS. THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT ATLANTIC BEACH GETS LITTLE BENEFIT FROM THIS EFFORT. I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU NOT TO DEFINE BENEFIT AS ONLY THE ENTERTAINMENT OR THE PERFORMANCES THAT HAPPEN WITHIN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH. IN REALITY, ATLANTIC BEACH STUDENTS LOG THOUSANDS OF HOURS IN THE BAND PROGRAM EACH YEAR. FAMILIES HERE ATTEND OUR FREE CONCERTS, WHICH ARE HELD AT FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE FACILITIES THERE AND ENJOY OUR HALFTIME SHOWS. IN ADDITION TO THE TYPICAL MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND MENTORING THAT THE KIDS DO EVERY YEAR. THIS LAST YEAR, SPECIFICALLY, STAFF AND STUDENTS FROM FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND STEPPED UP IN A MAJOR WAY TO SUPPORT THE MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND AFTER THEY LOST THEIR BAND DIRECTOR MID YEAR. THEY TRAVELED TO MAYPORT MIDDLE ON MANY AFTERNOONS TO HELP AT REHEARSAL. IN THE END, THE MAYPORT BAND WAS ABLE TO MARCH AT THE ATLANTIC BEACH CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING INSTEAD OF THE FLETCHER BAND. WE HANDED THAT OPPORTUNITY OFF TO THEM SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE EXPERIENCE. THEY WERE ABLE TO PLAY AT MAYPORT FOOTBALL GAMES, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AT [00:20:01] A FLORIDA BAND MASTERS ASSOCIATION CONCERT FESTIVAL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS. IN FACT, RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND, MAYPORT MIDDLE BAND STUDENTS ARE AT FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL AT REHEARSAL WITH OUR INSTRUCTORS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. IS IT MS. MCCLARY? >> MCCLARY. >> MCCLARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> STEPHANIE TREFRY. >> HELLO. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE TREFRY. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FRIENDS OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY. I'M JUST HERE TO SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE ATLANTIC BEACH ARK COMMITTEE FOR THE $10,000 GRANT THAT WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT OUR SCHOOL. WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN OUR STUDENTS AND IN OUR FUTURE EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. THESE FUNDS WILL HAVE A MEANINGFUL AND MEASURABLE IMPACT AT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY. THIS GRANT WILL BE USED TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE OUR STEM CURRICULUM, WHICH WE PILOTED JUST LAST YEAR AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO EXPAND THAT PILOT INTO A FULLY DEVELOPED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES HANDS ON DISCOVERY BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH, AND THAT'S FOR ALL STUDENTS AT ABE. ADDITIONALLY, A PORTION OF THE FUNDS WILL GO TOWARDS SUPPORTING OUR ARTS PROGRAMMING, HELPING US ENSURE THAT THE CLASSROOM HAS THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO PROVIDE A CREATIVE AND WELL ROUNDED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND WE'RE THRILLED TO SHARE THAT A PORTION OF THE GRANT WILL ALSO HELP OUR ROBOTICS TEAM BY COVERING THE COST OF LEGO KITS AND COMPETITION ENTRANCE FEES. THIS SUPPORT WILL ALLOW US TO BUILD INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM, GIVE MORE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE SURE THAT FINANCES ARE NOT A BARRIER FOR ANY STUDENT WHO WANTS TO GET INVOLVED. WE ARE COMMITTED TO USING THIS GRANT WITH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TO MEASURE SUCCESS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH OUR FAST SCIENCE TEST SCORES, AS WELL AS COLLECT FEEDBACK THROUGH SURVEYS, AND WE'RE GOING TO DOCUMENT PROGRESS THROUGH OUR PRE AND POST PROGRAM OBSERVATIONS. THESE DATA POINTS WILL HELP US CONTINUALLY IMPROVE AND ENSURE THAT THE FUNDING IS REALLY MAKING A TRUE DIFFERENCE. MID YEAR, I WILL ALSO RETURN HERE TO PRESENT A PROGRESS UPDATE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU INFORMED ON HOW THE FUNDS ARE BEING UTILIZED AND THE OUTCOMES WE ARE SEEING. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR SCHOOL, OUR STUDENTS, AND THE POWER OF STRONG PUBLIC EDUCATION. YOUR SUPPORT IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED, AND WE WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MS. TREFRY. >> MARLENA VINCENT. >> AS MARLENA COMES UP, I WANT TO GO BACK AND RE CLARIFY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION IN OUR ORDINANCE REVIEW OR ORDINANCE DECISION ON OUR BUDGET. THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MILLAGE RATE SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MILLAGE RATE, MAKE SURE YOU COME UP DURING THIS PORTION DURING COURTESY OF THE FLOOR. GO AHEAD, MARLENA. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M MARLENA VINCENT. I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH. THE VINCENT FAMILY HAS HAD THE PRESENCE IN ATLANTIC BEACH SINCE 1979, SO WE'RE ON OUR THIRD GENERATION HERE. ANYBODY WHO'S LIVED HERE LONG ENOUGH KNOWS THE GYM THAT ATLANTIC BEACH IS. IN THE LAST 11 YEARS, I'VE STOOD HERE MULTIPLE TIMES TO SPEAK UP ON COMMUNITY ISSUES AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS PERSONALLY INVESTED COUNTLESS HOURS IN OUR SCHOOLS, IT COMES TO SURPRISE TO HEAR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS NOT PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN ATLANTIC BEACH, IT DOES NOT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY. FLETCHER HIGH AND MAYPORT MIDDLE ARE OUR OWN SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, THEY AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY. IN REGARDS TO THE FLETCHER BAND PROGRAM, THERE ARE MANY BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGH MUSICAL ARTS, OUR YOUNG RESIDENTS GAIN CONFIDENCE IN A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THROUGH HARD WORK. AS DABNEY MENTIONED, WHEN MAYPORT MIDDLE WAS WITHOUT A BAND DIRECTOR, THE FLETCHER BAND STEPPED UP AND PROVIDED SUPPORT AND CONTINUED TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM, TAKING PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND EXHIBITING LEADERSHIP. THESE ARE QUALITIES CARRIED ON FROM ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY'S LEADER AND MEET PROGRAM. COMMUNITY DOESN'T JUST END BECAUSE YOU STEP OUT OF ATLANTIC BEACH BOUNDARIES. THAT IS THE REASON WE SEE SO MANY KIDS COME BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY AS ADULTS TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES HERE. MY FAMILY INCLUDED. MUSIC IS ENRICHING AND BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. JUST SHOW UP TO A FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME OR ONE OF THE BAND CONCERTS, AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THE FAMILIES AND THE CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT IN THE BAND ALSO GET TO ENJOY THESE EVENTS AND ARE ENRICHED BY THEM. COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [00:25:01] >> THANK YOU, MS. VINCENT. >> MELISSA BALAGER. >> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS MELISSA BALAGER. I'M A RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH, AND MY SON IS A FRESHMAN AT FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL IN THE FLETCHER HIGH BAND. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION OF NOT GIVING THE GRANT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND AS THE HIGH SCHOOL DOES NOT SIT IN ATLANTIC BEACH, WHICH I UNDERSTAND, A MAJORITY OF THE CHILDREN IN THAT BUILDING LIVE IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH. I'M ALSO A NATIVE OF JACKSONVILLE. I WORK AT THE BEACH. WE LIVE AT THE BEACH, AND MY SON ATTENDS SCHOOL AT THE BEACH. I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH IS ONE OF THE FOUR CITIES WITHIN THE BEACH AREA BUT TO US, THE BEACH IS A COMMUNITY OF ITSELF, NOT OF THE CITIES THEMSELVES. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS, THE FLETCHER HIGH BAND HAS EMBRACED MY SON AND HAS MADE HIS TRANSITION FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL AN EASY ONE, WHICH IF ANYONE REMEMBERS, WHICH WE PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO, HIGH SCHOOL IS HARD AND IS GOING IN AS A 14-YEAR-OLD WITH A BUNCH OF 17 AND 18 YEAR OLDS IN A BUILDING AS WELL CAN BE INTIMIDATING. I'M THANKFUL THAT HE HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A COMMUNITY THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE SAME CLASSES EVERY DAY, THEY SEE EACH OTHER IN THE HALLWAY, AND THEY KNOW THEY'VE GOT EACH OTHER'S BACKS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT BAND IS. IT'S A COMMUNITY OF FRIENDS AND PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT POUR INTO OUR KIDS DAILY. BAND KIDS ARE SOME OF THE FIRST KIDS AT SCHOOL IN THE MORNING AND SOME OF THE VERY LAST TO LEAVE THE BUILDING BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK, JUST LIKE THE SPORTS TEAMS. THEY ARE THE LAST ONES TO LEAVE THE BUILDING AFTER THE FOOTBALL GAME, AND ON SATURDAY MORNINGS IN OCTOBER, THEY GET UP EARLY TO COMPETE IN COMPETITIONS. THESE KIDS ARE FULLY DEDICATED TO THE ARTS THEY PARTICIPATE IN. NOT ONLY DO THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS AS PART OF THE BAND PROGRAM, THEY ALSO GO TO SCHOOL FULL TIME, AND AS PEOPLE WHO WORK, I'M SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT GOING TO SCHOOL FULL TIME AND DOING BAND, WHICH IS ALMOST LIKE HAVING A SECOND PART TIME JOB IS A LOT. MY SON WILL TELL YOU THAT JOINING THE BAND WAS NOT ACTUALLY SOMETHING HE WAS THINKING OF DOING WHEN HE STARTED HIGH SCHOOL. BUT WE MENTIONED IT TO HIM, AND HE SAID, "YEAH, MAYBE I'LL CHECK IT OUT," AND THEN HE RAN WITH IT. HE HAS NEVER PLAYED A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT A DAY IN HIS LIFE. HE PLAYED BASEBALL, HE DID THEATER. HE NEVER ONCE PICKED UP A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, BUT HE WASN'T TURNED AWAY, AND HE WASN'T TOLD HE COULDN'T DO IT. ALSO, AS A MOM, WHO RAISED HER CHILD ALONE FOR NINE YEARS AS A SINGLE PARENT, THERE WERE TIMES THAT I KNEW WE COULDN'T AFFORD CERTAIN THINGS, AND THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE COULDN'T DO, AND THERE WERE SEASONS THAT HE DIDN'T PLAY BASEBALL BECAUSE HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT. BUT NOT ONCE, HAS THE FLETCHER HIGH BAND EVER TURNED A STUDENT AWAY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD IT. IT COST A LOT OF MONEY TO RUN THE FLETCHER BAND. THEY GO TO COMPETITIONS, THEY PERFORM AT FOOTBALL GAMES, TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM AWAY GAMES IS EXPENSIVE. I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW AS YOU PUT GAS IN YOUR CAR EVERY WEEK AND IMAGINE PUTTING IT INTO A SCHOOL BUS AND TRANSPORTING 100 PLUS PEOPLE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN. IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY, AND WE COULD DO MORE FUNDRAISERS AND WE COULD MAKE MORE MONEY OURSELVES, WHICH WOULD BE AWESOME. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE BAND SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY. THE BAND IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THIS GRANT IS FOR. IT IS TO SUPPORT AND BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I ASK FOR YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING THE FLETCHER HIGH BAND A PORTION OF THE GRANT MONEY THAT WILL HELP THAT ONE KID OR 100 KIDS WHO WANT TO BE IN THE BAND NEXT SEASON, WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF COMMUNITY AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S UNIQUE PRECISELY ON TIME. THANK YOU, MS. BALAGER. >> NITCH READS. >>BEFORE YOU SPEAK, MAYOR, I WAS IN ERROR. I WAS JUST POINTED OUT, LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT AGENDAS, SO YOU MAY SPEAK NOW OR LATER IF YOU SO CHOOSE ON THE MILITARY. >> WELL, I'M GOING TO YIELD MY TIME BACK TO ANOTHER CITIZEN WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT. IT'S PROBABLY NO SURPRISE WHY I'M BACK UP HERE. I WAS HERE AT THE LAST MEETING. I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT ONLY TWO PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT THE MILITARY RATE AND THE BUDGET. THERE WAS ONLY THREE CITIZENS HERE, WHICH IS A SHAME THAT ONLY THREE RESIDENTS SHOWED UP FOR THAT IMPORTANT MEETING. DURING MY TERM AS MAYOR, I WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE. IT WASN'T EASY. BUT I WAS ABLE TO DO IT. THE WAY I DID IT WAS THE LAST MEETING, JUST LIKE YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT. I STEPPED AWAY FROM THE CHAIR. I TURNED IT OVER TO THE PRO TERM AT THAT TIME WAS JOHN STENSON. GOD BLESS YOU. I MADE THE MOTION TO CHANGE THE MILLAGE RATE, AND WE DEBATED. THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE DEBATED. THAT'S HEALTHY. DEBATING IS HEALTHY. WHAT I'M HOPING TONIGHT IS I'M HOPING THAT ONE OF YOU WILL STEP UP TO THE PLATE ONE MORE TIME, OR TWO MORE TIMES AND STEP UP, MAKE A MOTION TO GO TO THE ROBACK RATE. THEN I HOPE ONE OF YOU WILL GIVE THE SECOND. [00:30:02] THE REASON I SAY FOR THAT IS I THINK FOR THE TRANSPARENCY OF US AS TAXPAYERS IN ATLANTIC BEACH, WE DESERVE TO LISTEN TO YOU AND DEBATE THAT, WHY YOU DON'T SUPPORT IT. WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW IS YOU SAY WHAT YOU SUPPORT, BUT NOT WHY YOU WON'T SUPPORT THE ROBACK. THEREFORE, I THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY AND YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME, TONIGHT WOULD BE THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. IF IT DOESN'T PASS, IT DOESN'T BUT YOU OPENED IT UP SO CITIZENS CAN SEE HOW YOU FEEL. TWO YEARS AGO, MAYOR FORD WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE. THE NEXT YEAR HE WASN'T. THIS YEAR, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE'S ABLE TO UNLESS HE STEPS UP AND ASK FOR THE MILLAGE TO GO BACK TO THE ROBACK. BUT WITH THAT SAID, I'VE SEEN SEVERAL THINGS I HEAR THAT IF WE DO THAT, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GET $37 OR $27, AND ONE PERSON SAYS 100. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BUY? A MEAL, WHATEVER. IT'S NOT THE POINT WHAT I'M GETTING BACK. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS. IT'S NOT THE POINT. IT'S FEELING THE LOVE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT TO GIVE ME BACK TO $37. MAYBE I'LL TAKE THAT 37, AND I'LL GIVE IT TO THE BAND. MAYBE I'LL GIVE IT TO AB ELEMENTARY. MAYBE I'LL GIVE IT TO BEAM, BUT IT'S MY MONEY, AND MY CHOICE. DON'T TELL ME ALL YOU'RE GETTING BACK IS 30 SOMETHING DOLLAR, BECAUSE IT'S MY MONEY. DON'T SPEND MY MONEY. I DON'T HAVE TAXPAYERS TO GO TO AT THE END OF THE MONTH. WHEN MY FUNDS GO DOWN, THEY'RE DOWN. BUT ANYWAY, PLEASE TONIGHT, AT LEAST CONSIDER IT FOR OPEN DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR READS. >> STEPHANIE GLAVEN. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND A MOM TO A SON WHO'S ON THE MAYPORT ROBOTICS TEAM. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THEM. TODAY, OUR ROBOTICS CLUB HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF RECEIVING YOUR GUYS OR SUPPORT THROUGH THESE GRANTS IN THE PAST, AND I CAN'T OVERSTATE HOW IMPACTFUL THAT HAS TRULY BEEN. WITH THE SUPPORT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OUR STUDENTS FROM A SMALL LOCAL TEAM ALL THE WAY UP TO COMPETING AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. THESE EXPERIENCES CHANGE LIVES. THEY OPEN DOORS FOR OUR STUDENTS, GIVING THEM THE CHANCE TO SEE THEIR HARD WORK, CREATIVITY, AND TEAMWORK CAN TAKE THEM FURTHER THAN THEY EVER IMAGINE. BUT THE IMPACT DOESN'T STOP WITH THE STUDENTS. THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BRING BACK WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND INVEST IT INTO OUR COMMUNITY. THEY MENTOR YOUNGER KIDS, THEY INSPIRE THEIR PEERS, AND THEY CARRY THEM WITH A SENSE OF PRIDE IN REPRESENTING ATLANTIC BEACH ON A GLOBAL STAGE. MY MAYPORT ROBOTICS CLUB, WORLD CHAMPIONS SUN INCLUDED, WHEN OUR KIDS SUCCEED, OUR COMMUNITY SUCCEEDS. AS YOU PREPARE TO VOTE TONIGHT TO FINALIZE THE BUDGET THAT INCLUDES THESE GRANTS, I ALSO WANT TO RAISE AN IMPORTANT POINT. SCHOOL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR APPLIED IN GOOD FAITH AND MET ALL OF THE STATED QUALIFICATIONS DURING THEIR SUBMISSION PROCESS. IT ALSO FEELS DEEPLY UNFAIR TO CHANGE THE QUALIFICATIONS AFTER THE FACT, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY GROUPS FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES EXACTLY AS THEY WERE GIVEN. REMOVING SCHOOL PROGRAMS FROM ELIGIBILITY NOW WOULD MEAN CLOSING THE DOOR ON OPPORTUNITIES OUR STUDENTS HAVE RIGHTFULLY EARNED THROUGH BOTH THEIR HARD WORK AND THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE GRANT PROCESS. ATLANTIC BEACH HAS ALWAYS SHOWN ITSELF TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES FAIRNESS, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, ITS YOUTH. TONIGHT, I URGE YOU, PLEASE KEEP OUR SCHOOL PROGRAMS ELIGIBLE FOR THESE GRANTS. WE KEEP INVESTING IN OUR KIDS, BECAUSE WHEN WE GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO THRIVE, THEY TURN AROUND AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER PROUDER AND MORE CONNECTED THAN EVER. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU, MISS GLAVIN. >> ANDREW CRANE. >> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I JUST FIRST WANT TO START AND SAY, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN BIG IMPROVEMENT WITH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. I KNOW SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE ACTUALLY DRIVEN OVER INTO OUR AREA, EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND, SEEN THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE MADE, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT AND YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH. THERE'S CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS. THERE'S ALSO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY THE EMAILS THAT ARE BEING SENT OUT AND THE WEBSITE BEING UPDATED, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT FEELS A BIT LOST ON HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THEIR VOICES BEING HEARD AND HOW THIS CAN ACTUALLY BE EXPEDITED. [00:35:01] WHILE THIS SMELL HAS DISSIPATED SIGNIFICANTLY, IT STILL HASN'T GONE COMPLETELY. JUST YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND 9:00 I WAS OUTSIDE, AND YOU COULD STILL SMELL A FAINT SMELL OF IT. YOU COULD ACTUALLY SMELL SOME CHLORINE THAT WAS MIXED IN WITH IT, WHICH HAPPENS ON OCCASIONS WHERE THERE'S OBVIOUSLY WELL, I SHOULDN'T SAY CHLORINE, SOME CHEMICAL ODOR THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST TO MASK THE SMELL SO THEN WE DON'T SMELL IT, BUT THEN SOMETIMES THAT ALSO HAS ADVERSE EFFECTS AS WELL. THEN ALSO THIS MORNING, AGAIN I BELIEVE 6:30, I WAS COMING BACK FROM A WALK WITH MY DOGS. YOU COULD SMELL IT AGAIN. I KNOW THAT TIME ISN'T TYPICALLY WHENEVER PEOPLE ARE OUTDOORS. HOWEVER, IT STILL IS A BIT ANNOYING. AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE THE CHANGE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE MADE AND HOPEFULLY THE CONTINUED CHANGES GOING FORWARD. I DO HOPE THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO OR HOPEFULLY EVEN SOONER, THE SMELL IS JUST COMPLETELY GONE. I DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU GUYS FOR HEARING US OUT. >> THANK YOU, MR. CRANE. >> SARAH BORN. >> GOOD EVENING, SARAH BORN. I LIVE AT EIGHTH STREET IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH. I HAVE SOME ESC UPDATES, AND THEN A COUPLE PERSONAL COMMENTS. FIRST, I'M A PROUD GRANDMA OF A SURFACE DOG. IT HAS LITERALLY CHANGED MY DAUGHTER'S LIFE TO HAVE ONE, SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT ABILITY FOR HER TO HAVE IT. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR COMING TO OUR AUGUST 27TH MEETING, WHICH FOCUSED SOLELY ON CHAPTER 23 PROPOSED REVISIONS. WE ACTUALLY GOT IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, SO THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO YOU FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER AFTER STAFF HAS REVIEWED THEM. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY AND I'VE SENT YOU ALL SEVERAL MOTIONS TO CONSIDER, WHICH I THINK SOMETIMES GOES THROUGH STAFF FIRST AND THEN COMES TO YOU. ONE, WE HAVE PROPOSED A 25/26 WORK PLAN. IN THAT IS OUR CHARGE ACTUALLY FROM THE CITY MANAGER TO COME TO YOU WITH A SUGGESTED MARSH PILOT FOR THE 26/27 BUDGET. I WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE RESILIENT FIRST COST COLLABORATIVE JUST PASSED AN ACTION PLAN, AND I'LL EMAIL YOU ALL, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT I THINK WE CAN PIGGYBACK ON AND NOT PAY FOR. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE MARSH. SECOND, WE SENT 25/26 TREE FUND ACTION SPENDING PLAN. YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY HEARD THE HISTORIC CORRIDOR, THAT'LL COME WITH CHAPTER 23. WE HAVE SENT THREE INCENTIVES FOR MATURE TREES, SO EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR APPROVAL OF THOSE HOPEFULLY. I ALSO WANTED TO REPORT OUT ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, FIRST FLORIDA FRIENDLY SPEAKER SERIES WE HAD 30 PLUS PEOPLE COME IN PERSON, TEN PEOPLE TO ATTEND LIVESTREAM, HUGE ACCOLADE. TO AMY FRANKIE, AN ESE MEMBER, BUT ALSO LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS. THEN TEN PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR A FREE YARD REVIEW FOR UFIFS, THAT'S GREAT. THE NEXT PART 2 OF THAT FLORIDA FRIENDLY SERIES IS ABOUT OUTSMARTING PESTS AND PROTECTING THE REST OF YOUR TREES IN LARD. THAT'S ON OCTOBER 2SEC. THEN WE'RE HAVING A TREE TRICKS AND TREES GIVEAWAY ON OCTOBER 26TH, WHICH IS A SUNDAY. FINALLY, THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE HEARD THREE APPEALS RECENTLY, AND THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE'S ROLE IS ONLY TO VERIFY WHETHER THE STAFF IMPLEMENTED THE ORDINANCE INTERPRETED CORRECTLY, AND THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE DENIED ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THE STAFF WERE EXCELLENT AT INTERPRETING THE ORDINANCE. BUT I DID WALK AWAY SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE OF THAT. I DID WALK AWAY, AND JUST WE HAVE TO GET OUT AHEAD ON EDUCATION. I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US. ON 9C I'M GOING TO BE REALLY QUICK. YES, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT ESC UNANIMOUSLY URGES YOU TO WAIT BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION UNTIL THE MASTER STORMWATER PLAN. THEN MY QUESTION ON THAT IS, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. ONE, IS IT GOING TO BE RETROACTIVE AND THEN CAN PEOPLE REAPPLY AND REMOVE CURRENT RETENTION. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GAINED AS FAR AS. >> THANK. >> THANK YOU, MISS BOARD. >> MICHAEL MAN GANEY. >> MY NAME IS MICHAEL MAN GANEY, AND MY WIFE AND 10-YEAR-OLD SON HAD COME UP PREVIOUSLY TO DISCUSS THE ODOR ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO COME UP AND SHARE MY COMMENTS HERE. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT LINKE BEACH SINCE 2009. I'M A NATIVE OF THE BEACHES AREA AND GREW UP IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. [00:40:03] HISTORICALLY, SELFISH DRIVE WAS AN AREA OF HOME TO MANY LOW INCOME UNDER PRIVILEGED FAMILIES, THESE CONCERNS OFTEN WENT UNHEARD. WHILE THEY TOO ENDURED THE ODORS FROM THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, MANY DID NOT COMPLAIN, BELIEVING THAT THEIR VOICES DIDN'T MATTER. YET, DESPITE BEING UNDERPRIVILEGED, THEIR TAX BURDEN WAS THE SAME AS A MORE AFFLUENT BEACH RESIDENTS. TODAY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS GROWING AND DIVERSIFIED ME DIVERSIFYING WITH MANY YOUNG FAMILIES CHOOSING TO MAKE THEIR HOMES HERE. WHILE WE LOVE OUR CITY, THE ISSUES WE'VE BEEN FACING IN NEGLECT SURROUNDING THE ODOR ISSUE MUST STOP. THE ENGINEERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST ASSESSMENT AND THE PRELIMINARY ACTION PLAN DATED AUGUST 21ST, MR. GIL FLORES, STEVEN TROY, AND STEVE SWAN, ARE ALL THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT I'VE BEEN EMAILING FOR YEARS. EVEN BACK TO 2010, I SENT AN EMAIL OUT ON THIS ISSUE, AND IT'S BEEN DEFLECTED. UNTIL NOW, THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN ANY RESOLUTION. THERE'S SOME KEY QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN UNANSWERED. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THE THIRD PARTY ENGINEERING COMPANY WHICH COMPLETED THE SEPTEMBER 16TH ASSESSMENT IS THAT WAS POSTED. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS OF THAT ASSESSMENT ARE. MY BOYS PLAY SOCCER, AND I OFTEN GO TO JACK'S BEACH TO SUNSHINE PARK, AND THEY HAVE A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE PARK. IT'S NOTHING LIKE WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED HERE. YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL, THEN THEY'RE AN EYESORE, BUT I HAVE TO WONDER WHAT THEY'RE DOING DIFFERENTLY, AND WHY WE CAN'T DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR HAVE THE CONTROLS TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE OUTREACH THE JA MENTIONED IN THE LAST MEETING IF IT'S NOT OCCURRED, OR WHEN WE EXPECT IT TO OCCUR. I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT A TIMELINE FOR THE ACTION ITEMS ON THAT LIST. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE THAT. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME, IT'S STILL NOT CLEAR IS WHO EXACTLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SOLVING THIS. IT SEEMS LIKE IF WE DON'T NAME THE PEOPLE OR THE PERSON, IT'S JUST A HOT POTATO THAT NOBODY WANTS TO DEAL WITH. IT JUST KEEPS GETTING PASSED AROUND. I DON'T KNOW WHO OVERSEES THE OPERATIONS AT THE PLANT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO IT IS AND HOW WE GOT HERE? IT STILL JUST TROUBLES ME HOW WE ENDED UP IN THIS SITUATION. WHILE THERE'S SOME IMPROVEMENT, THE STILL EXIST. >> MR. MAN GANEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. YOU MAY WANT TO STICK AROUND AND YOU MAY HEAR MORE ON THIS DURING THE MEETING. >> BRINKLEY HAROLD. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M BRINKLEY HAROLD. I LIVE ON 6TH STREET. I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF OF THE OTHER ORDINANCES. COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS A TOWN HALL MEETING OVER AT DONNER PARK. I BROUGHT UP SOME POINTS ABOUT THE FOUR WAY INTERSECTION AT AHERN STREET AND EAST COAST DRIVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING 42 EAST COAST. WELL, THE LOUNGE THERE HAS NOW OPENED. IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTION OF ALL OF ATLANTIC BEACH TO INCLUDE UP AND DOWN MAYPORT ROAD, ATLANTIC BOULEVARD. IT'S NOT A FOUR WAY STOP. MR. KILLINGSWORTH EXPRESSED AT THAT TOWN HALL THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM. HE WAS GOING TO LOOK INTO IT MORE CLOSELY. BUT IT'S NOW BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND NOW THAT LOUNGE IS OPEN, AND PEOPLE ARE CROSSING THE STREET VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS, AND IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THERE. NOW, IRONICALLY, NOBODY PAYS ATTENTION TO PUBLIC WORKS UNTIL THEY GO IN THEIR BATHROOM AND THEY EXPECT THE WATER TO COME ON TOILET FLUSH. PUBLIC WORKS IT AND PART OF IT. PUBLIC UTILITIES. BUT PUBLIC WORKS AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE, THEY ARE THE FACE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH. EVERYBODY SEES WHAT'S GOING ON UP AND DOWN THE STREETS, AND THEY SEE THE POLICE CARS, AND THEY SEE THE PUBLIC WORKS TRUCKS GOING AROUND AND ABOUT. THEY REALLY ARE THE PUBLIC FACE OF THE CITY. IT'S NOT THE CITY MANAGER, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN CITY HALL DOING THAT GREAT BUSINESS. IT'S REALLY PUBLIC WORKS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WELL, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AS SOON AS THERE'S A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT THAT INTERSECTION, AND PART OF THAT INTERSECTION, LOOKING IN THREE DIFFERENT OF THE FOUR DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS IS A BLIND INTERSECTION. [00:45:01] EVERYBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO BLAME PUBLIC WORKS FOR NOT HAVING MADE IT A FOUR WAY STOP. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BLAME THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR NOT ENFORCING BETTER TRAFFIC THERE, AND IT'S WAY PAST TIME TO BE PROACTIVE AND TURN THAT INTO A FOUR WAY STOP AND PROPERLY MARK THE CROSSWALKS AT THAT INTERSECTION. SOMEBODY COULD SAY, WELL, IN A YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO REDO THAT WHOLE STREET ANYWAY, SO LET'S JUST WAIT. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL TIL SOMEBODY GETS HURT THERE. IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING TO PAINT SOME LINES. NOW, WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT, PUBLIC WORKS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB RENEWING ALL THE WHITE STRIPES ON ALL THE PARKING SPOTS. I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 125 OR 150 OF THEM AT BEACHES TOWN CENTER ON THE ATLANTIC BEACH SIDE. WELL, WHAT THEY REALLY NEED TO DO IS BUY SOME YELLOW PAINT AND PAINT TWO BLOCKS FROM ATLANTIC BOULEVARD COMING DOWN OCEAN TO AHERN AND ONE BLOCK FURTHER TO FIRST STREET, AND THE SAME THING ON EAST COAST. YOU CANNOT EVEN TELL THAT THERE WERE EVER LINES THERE. IT'S ABOUT 450 FEET ON ONE STREET AND 450 FEET ON THE OTHER STREET, A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE, REAL EASY TO DO, AND EVERYBODY WILL SEE IT, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE PUBLIC FACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MR. HAROLD. >> OSCARSON. >> IS BUDGET. MILLAGE OR BUDGET. >> BUDGET. >> THAT'S IT THEN. >> IF WE DIDN'T MISS ANYBODY, THEN I'LL CLOSE COURTESY OF THE FLOOR, AND WE'LL MOVE TO CITY MANAGER REPORTS, MR. KILLINGSWORTH. [3. CITY MANAGER REPORTS] >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR GOOD EVENING, COMMISSION. WHILE YOU'RE DOING. HOLD ON. COMMISSIONER BOLE, CAN YOU STILL HEAR EVERYTHING OKAY? >> YES, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'LL HAVE BEFORE YOU THE 90 DAY CALENDAR. I WILL POINT OUT THAT ON OCTOBER 18, WE HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING AT A DEL GRANGE. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ON SEPTEMBER 25 AT 2:00 P.M ON THURSDAY, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS PLAYGROUND ENHANCEMENTS FOR DONNER PARK. HERE IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS. IT'S ON THE 90 DAY CALENDAR. THAT IS PART OF THE PROCESS FOR THE ITEM THAT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA RIGHT AFTER THIS. WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE 90 DAY CALENDAR. >> COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THAT APPROVAL? >> YES. >> YOU HAVE YOUR CALENDAR. >> WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, ANSWER ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, TROY, IF YOU CAN COME UP. TROY IS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC UTILITIES. IF YOU CAN GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S BEING DONE OUT AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN. >> TROY STEVENS, UTILITIES DIRECTOR. WE HAVE MADE STRIDES IMPROVEMENTS. WE'RE NOT THERE YET. WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. ONE OF THE JOBS THAT WE WANT TO DO, WHAT'S BEEN CALLED TO DO IS COVER THE SCREENS. THE INFLUENCE SCREENS WHERE LARGE SOURCE OF THIS ODOR IS COMING FROM. THAT COULD TAKE A LITTLE WHILE. WE'VE GOT TO FIND A MANUFACTURER THAT CAN SELL SOME SCREENS THAT WILL COVER THOSE OPENINGS, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. >> IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS? >> SURE. >> WHAT IS A WHILE? IS IT A MONTH, SIX MONTHS, A YEAR? >> WE'VE BEEN GIVEN SIX MONTHS TO GET THIS DONE, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY TRY TO GET THIS DONE. >> WELL, AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE IF YOU NEED OUR HELP IN ADVOCACY TO GET IT DONE FASTER, YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU HAVE A CONSISTENT APPROACH FROM THIS COMMISSION TO SAY, LET'S GO FASTER. WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHILE YOU'RE ANALYZING THIS, IS THERE A DIFFERENT COST IF WE GO FASTER? DO YOU NEED US TO APPROPRIATE IN THE BUDGET MONEY THAT ISN'T APPROPRIATED? WE JUST NEED YOUR DIRECTION ON THAT. >> I'VE LOOKED FOR WAYS TO COVER THOSE EFFICIENTLY. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE DUMPSTERS OUT THERE ON SIDE OF THE ROAD, GOT THESE BLACK COVERS ON THEM. I'VE REACHED OUT TO THAT COMPANY TO SEE IF I COULD GET THOSE FABRICATED FOR THOSE SCREENS IS WHAT I'VE DONE. THERE'S OTHER ALTERNATIVES, I'M SURE. IT'S ALSO AN ALTERNATIVE TO CLOSE THE WHOLE INFLUENCE STRUCTURE UP. [00:50:01] BUT THEN YOU CREATE A BAD ATMOSPHERE FOR THE OPERATORS TO GO IN IT. THERE'S ALTERNATIVES. IT'S JUST WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO. I'VE ASKED A THIRD COMPANY HAYWARD INDUSTRIAL WHO WORKED WITH JA, IF THEY HAD ANY IDEAS AS WELL, AND ONE OF THEIR IDEAS WAS TO COVER THE WHOLE INFLUENCE SCREENS UP. THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO DO THIS. >> THANKS. YES. COMMISSIONER RING. >> AS THE CITIZEN MENTIONED EARLIER. SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN THE SEAT, I HAVE BROUGHT, I HAD HEARD THIS BEING BROUGHT UP FOR DECADES. WHY ARE WE JUST NOW LOOKING INTO THE SCREENS? >> THE SCREENS WERE COVERED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THEY WERE COVERED, BUT THEY WERE COVERED WITH STAIN STEEL LIDS, VERY HEAVY. WHEN THEY WERE CLOSED, THEY WERE CREATING A CORROSIVE ATMOSPHERE, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY DOING MORE DAMAGE. WE OPENED THEM BACK UP. WE TOOK THOSE SCREENS OFF. >> WE DID HAVE SCREENS? >> WE DID HAVE COVERS ON THE SCREENS. WE DID. >> JEA SUGGEST THAT YOU COVER THEM BACK UP? >> DO WHAT? >> YOU SAID YOU DISCUSSED SOMETHING WITH JEA, AND THAT WAS THE SUGGESTION? >> JA WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN. IT WASN'T JA. IT WAS HAYWARD COMPANY. >> HAYWARD? >> HAYWARD THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR JA. >> OKAY. >> BUT THEY DIDN'T TELL ME TO TAKE THE LIDS OFF. >> OKAY. >> WE DID THAT BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THAT WAS BEING CAUSING WITH THEM BEING CLOSED. >> IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT OUR WASTEWATER PLANTS THAN THE OTHER BEACHES? >> IT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS. JACK'S BEACH IS RUNNING A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN WE ARE. >> SHOULD WE START RUNNING THAT PROCESS? >> NO. I DON'T THINK SO. IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE ALL THE TANKS OVER THERE. THAT'S NOT DOABLE. >> YEAH, SINCE THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IS THAT PARTLY A FUNCTION OF THIS IS AN OLDER PLANT THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT'S A NEWER PLANT THAT THEY HAVE? IS THAT PART OF IT? >> THEIR PLANT IS ABOUT THE SAME. WE REMODELED OUR PLANT 14 YEARS AGO WITH A NEW SYSTEM. HONESTLY, OUR PLANT IS ABOUT 14-YEARS-OLD. >> WHAT'S GOOD ENOUGH? >> WHAT IS AN OPERATION, AND SAME AS JACK'S BEACH. THEY DID ABOUT THE SAME TIME. >> OKAY. >> HOLD ON, COMMISSIONER GRANT. >> THANKS FOR BEING HERE, TROY. BUT I THINK THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, MAYBE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED IT, THERE WAS TALKING ABOUT CLEANING OUT A TANK AND THAT WE HAD, BECAUSE WE WERE USING ONE THAT WE WEREN'T PREVIOUSLY IN USE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, AND THAT WE'VE NOW. I MEAN, I WANT TO SAY THE LAST MEETING, BILL, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE WERE GOING TO, THIS WAS A MONDAY, OF COURSE, OUR MEETING AND THEN THAT FRIDAY, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THEN THINGS SHOULD HAVE BE A LOT BETTER, AND NOW I'M HEARING A DIFFERENT REASON FOR THE SMELL. JUST SEEMS LIKE EVERY TWO WEEKS, WE HEAR SOMETHING NEW ABOUT, WELL, NOW WE THINK THIS IS IT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. LOOK, I GET YOU SOMETIMES THAT'S A VET. THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE THERE TO SEE WHICH ONE IS REALLY CAUSING THINGS TRIAGE. BUT I MEAN, DO WE THINK THE SCREENS ARE? WHAT HAPPENED? HOW DO WE GET BACK, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE MANY CITIZENS COMING BEFORE US TWO MONTHS AGO OR WHATEVER IT WAS OR THREE MONTHS AGO, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SMELL. WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE THEN THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO DAMPEN THINGS DOWN? >> WE'VE HAD PERIODIC ODOR COMPLAINTS TO THE PAST. I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN DOCUMENTED. THIS GENTLEMAN SAID HE'S BEEN GOES BACK TO 2010, SO WE CAN'T SAY THREE MONTHS AGO. >> WELL, SOMETHING HAPPENED SOME EVENT HAPPENED THAT CAUSED IT TO GET REALLY BAD. WHATEVER THAT WAS. >>THAT WAS THIS EVENT OF RETROFITTING. >> YEAH. WHEN WE RETROFITTED THE HEAD WORKS, AND PUT ALL THIS WASTE WATER IN THAT TANK. WE DIDN'T GET IT ALL OUT, AND IT WENT SEPTIC IS WHAT REALLY GOT THE BALL ROLLING. RIGHT HERE, WHY WE'RE HERE NOW. >> WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT TANK TODAY? >> IT'S IN GOOD SHAPE. >> IT IS. >> WE SUCKED IT OUT. THERE IS STILL A LITTLE SLUDGE IN THE BOTTOM, BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT'S THE CAUSE OF THE ODORS NOW. >> LET ME I WANT TO JUST COMMENT SO WE MAYBE SPEED THIS UP BECAUSE WE GOT A BIG AGENDA TONIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WE HAVE ALWAYS, AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, WE'VE HAD INTERMITTENT ODOR PROBLEMS, IT BECAME PUNCTUATED RECENTLY WITH THE EVENT OF RETROFITTING THE ONE TANK OR MULTIPLE. I HEARD THE CITIZENS EARLIER. I THINK WE NOW HAVE CITIZENS THAT AREN'T GOING TO ACCEPT THAT. ARE WE BACK TO YOUR POINT TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE THIS MOST RECENT EVENT? [00:55:02] MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS STILL GOING ON. BUT WHAT I THINK WE'RE HEARING FROM CITIZENS IS LET'S NOT GO BACK TO STATUS QUO, WHICH ACCEPTS SOME ODOR ON A REGULAR OR INTERMITTENT BASIS. OUR CITIZENS ARE ASKING US, AND IT'S YOUR DECISION AS TO WHETHER WE SOLUTION TO A ZERO TOLERANCE. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADING IF WE CAN GET THERE SHORT OF IT BEING A MULTI MEGA MILLION DOLLAR SOLUTION. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE ASKING FOR AS WE CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT EACH ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENT, IS HOW DO WE GET IT A LITTLE BETTER? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON. SINCE I'VE GOT THE FLOOR FOR THE MOMENT, I'LL GIVE IT UP IN A SECOND, WHAT MY ASK IS THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING, IS THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE OPTIONS, EVEN IF IT'S OPTIONS THAT YOU DON'T RECOMMEND, BUT OPTIONS. THEN IF YOU CAN PUT ANY PRICE TAG ON IT, WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT A LONG TERM SOLUTION TO ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ODOR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? >> THAT'S FAIR. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER? >> I JUST WANTED TO SAY SO THE ENGINEER THAT WE HAD OUT, HE CAME OUT AND INSPECTED THE PLANT. THE PURPOSE OF WHICH WAS TO REVIEW THE PLANT. DRAFT UP A PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD GENERATE A STUDY, WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY THINGS THAT CAN BE EITHER FIXED OR RETROFITTED OR PROCESSES CHANGED FROM SMALL IMPROVEMENTS TO BASICALLY HE GAVE SOME OPTIONS. HE SAID, YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO HEAR THESE OPTIONS, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE MULTI MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. BUT WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON IS HIS PROPOSAL FOR HIM. WHEN WE GET HIS PROPOSAL, THEN WE'LL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD HIRE HIM AND HAVE HIM AUGMENT WHAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED. THE PLAN IS TO HAVE A LIST OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE FROM SMALL AND SHORT TERM TO LARGE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT LONG TERM. >> THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION. I'VE HEARD FROM A FEW RESIDENTS. I'VE HEARD FROM THE RESIDENTS HERE TONIGHT, AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE DEFINITELY BETTER THAN WE WERE A WEEK OR TWO OR CERTAINLY THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO, BUT WE STILL HAVE IT AND WE HEARD THAT TONIGHT. MY QUESTION IS, TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, DO YOU BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE A BETTER REPORT CARD EVEN THAN TODAY? >> I DON'T WANT TO LIE TO YOU. I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU. I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SCREENS COVERED BY THEN. IF THE ODOR'S COMING FROM THE SCREENS, THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU NO. >> THEN SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION IS, DO YOU BELIEVE WE'LL BE BACK TO THE PRE-EVENT ODORS THAT ARE INTERMITTENT THAT WE HAD FOR YEARS? >> I THINK WE'RE THERE NOW. >> YOU THINK WE'RE THERE NOW? >> I THINK WE'RE THERE NOW. >> I'LL DO SOME DISCUSSION WITH CITIZENS AND TRY TO GET THEIR INTAKE. BUT THAT'S WHY I THINK AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE REALLY NEED TO HEAR A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT SOLUTIONS, AND I'M HEARING THE STUDY. >> OKAY. >> BUT THEN WE NEED TO HEAR WHEN WOULD THE STUDY BE COMPLETED? DO YOU NEED US TO APPROPRIATE AND THEN PUT OUT AN RFP? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT'S THE PROCESS? BECAUSE WE STARTED SOMETHING AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. WE ARE POSTING THIS EVENT ONLINE ON OUR WEBSITE, AND WE'RE POSTING UPDATES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE'RE GIVING ENOUGH I HEARD THAT MAYBE WE'RE NOT, THAT WE NEED THERE COULD BE A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENCY. I WOULD ASK DIG DEEP, AND LET'S MAKE SURE WE POST SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME WE POST ON THAT, WHICH I THINK WE AGREED TO DO WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY. WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING, AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS JUST ONE OF MY PET THINGS. IF WE HAVE NOTHING, I STILL THINK WE SHOULD POST AND SAY WE HAVE NO NEW UPDATES, BUT THIS IS THE POST FOR WEDNESDAY, WHATEVER DATE OF THE YEAR. BUT YES, COMMISSIONER. >> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT RELYING ON THE SAME OLD PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HIRED AN OUTSIDE ENGINEER TO PUT A FRESH EYES ON IT. >> THANK YOU. >> WELL, I DO WANT TO MAKE WE HAVEN'T HIRED HIM YET. HE'S WRITING A PROPOSAL FOR US TO HIRE HIM. >> OKAY. >> WE'VE ENGAGED HIS INTEREST? >> YES, WE HAVE. >> YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THEN LASTLY, MAYOR, YOU MAY REMEMBER, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST TIME THE COMMISSION BY CONSENSUS AGREED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO THE AWARDS AS PART OF THE BOARD MEMBER RECOGNITION NIGHT. WE TRADITIONALLY DO THOSE IN THE FALL. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS PUSH THEM TO THE SPRING. THAT WAY THE AWARDS CAN FIT A CALENDAR YEAR NEATLY. [01:00:04] THEN WE RECOGNIZE, AND DO THE AWARDS IN THE SPRING. IF THERE'S AGREEMENT WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PLAN THAT ROUTE. >> DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THAT? >> THAT'S FINE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO A THUMBS UP, COMMISSIONER. >> CAN SEE IT THERE. >> THANK YOU. YOU HAVE YOUR CONSENSUS ON THAT. >> THAT, MR. MAYOR, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT HAS COMPLETED. >> THANK YOU. LET'S GO TO ITEM 4 ON THE AGENDA. [4. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS] REPORTS AND REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS. STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER BOLE. WHAT'S YOUR REQUEST? >> REAL QUICK. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSION'S APPROVAL FOR LETTING ME PARTICIPATE, WHAT I THINK ARE TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VOTES THAT WE'LL MAKE THIS YEAR. I RARELY MISS COMMISSION MEETINGS. I COUNT ONE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I AM HERE IN WASHINGTON, WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OR I WOULD BE SITTING THERE BY MY FAVORITE CITY CLERK. I DO WANT TO THANK CITY ATTORNEY, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY CLERK FOR HELPING ME RESEARCH THAT THIS HAS MADE POSSIBLE. AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL. THE VOTES TONIGHT REALLY SHAPE THE CITY AND VALIDATES OUR WORK THIS SUMMER ON THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER GRANT. >> YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. THIS PAST WEEKEND, MYSELF, AND THE MAYOR PARTICIPATE IN THE OPENING CEREMONIES OF THE ABAA LITTLE LEAGUE FALL SEASON, THE OPENING CEREMONIES. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR INCLUDING US. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE, IT'S A GREAT ENVIRONMENT. I HUNG AROUND FOR 2.5 HOURS JUST HANGING OUT AND VISITING MY FRIENDS AND HAVING COKES AND HOT DOGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. IT'S A REALLY COOL THING I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VISIT THAT. THAT'S ALL. WE'LL SAVE THE REST OF IT. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER KELLY. >> I WAS NEARLY ON THE ZOOM CALL MYSELF, BUT I MADE IT IN TIME. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT BEFORE THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, THERE IS THE FALLEN HEROES MONUMENT DEDICATION AT VET PARK. IT'S NOT VETERANS DAY, IT'S NOT MEMORIAL DAY, BUT IT'S ANOTHER ADDITION TO OUR PARK AND OUR SUPPORT FOR VETERANS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER RING. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I ATTENDED THE FALL FESTIVAL THIS PAST SATURDAY. IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. THERE WERE CARS LINED UP ALL THE WAY DOWN DUTTON ISLAND, AND WEST, TONS OF FUN FOR THE KIDS, AND FOR FAMILIES IN GENERAL. I DO WANT TO THANK FLETCHER BAND, HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS AND MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT AND SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS. >> I THINK WE ALL DO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND I THOUGHT THAT WHAT WE SHARED AS FAR AS THE COMMISSION WENT WAS A GRANT MATCH. JUST THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO GIVE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES AS WELL, JACK'S BEACH, AND OBVIOUSLY NEPTUNE BEACH AS WELL. THEN WE HAVE THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, NOT TO JUST LOBBY US, BUT TO LOBBY ALL OF THE CITIES FOR MORE MONEY. I DID HAVE A QUESTION TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THAT. WITH OUR GRANT MATCH, THAT WAS JUST FOR FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL, CORRECT? THEN WE DECIDE ON AN ALLOCATION FOR MID-POINT, KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH? ARE WE GIVING THEM NOTHING? >> NO. MY UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT THE COMMISSION DID WAS THE COMMISSION DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD ALLOCATE $20,000 FOR THE SCHOOLS. THEY TOOK $10,000 FROM THE $75,000 THAT AREN'T [INAUDIBLE] OUT. THEN MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION, AND THEY APPROPRIATED A NEW $10,000. THAT $20,000, YOU HAVEN'T DECIDED WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE $20,000 IS INCLUSIVE OF THE FLETCHER AMOUNT, SO THERE'S A TOTAL OF $20,000 THAT RIGHT NOW IS IN THE BUDGET FOR SCHOOLS. IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMISSION WANTED TO HAVE THE SCHOOLS COME BACK AND PRESENT. NOW, WHETHER WE DO THAT AS PART OF A WORKSHOP OR WHETHER WE DO THAT AS PART OF A COMMISSION MEETING, I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE COMMISSION. >> THAT WAS JUST THE TWO SCHOOLS, FLETCHER MIDDLE? >> NO, THERE'S THREE. >> IF I MAY ADD SOME COLOR TO THIS, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ARC COMMITTEE FOR SCHOOLS, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL NOW BE ADMINISTERED DIRECTLY BY THE CITY COMMISSION. [01:05:03] BUT THEY BELIEVED THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO PRIOR NOTIFICATION, AND THAT WAS ALREADY ON THEIR AGENDA THAT THEY SHOULD FULFILL THAT PROCESS AND GO AHEAD AND INTERVIEW AND RANK AND SO ON. THEY'VE GIVEN US THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT JUST LIKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE THINGS THAT THEY STILL CONTROL, IT IS UP TO THIS COMMISSION TO APPROVE OR MODIFY THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT I HAVE A SOLUTION. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE PUT THE FINAL DISCUSSION OF HOW WE BREAK THAT UP, THAT 20,000, PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR TWO MEETINGS FROM TODAY? I THINK WE COULD DO THAT REASONABLY. >> IT GOING TO BE THE SECOND MEETING AND [OVERLAPPING]. >> PUT IT ON AND NOT ON THE ACTUAL MEETING, BUT THAT WE DO A WORKSHOP. I KNOW COMMISSIONER RING, THIS ALWAYS HURTS, BUT A 5:00 WORKSHOP BEFORE THE 6:00 MEETING, WE COULD KNOCK THAT OUT AND HAVE EACH OF THE PRESENTERS PRESENT, AND THEN BE PREPARED TO VOTE ON HOW WE ALLOCATE THOSE MONIES DURING THAT ACTUAL MEETING. WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD AGREE TO? >> WOULD IT TAKE US AN HOUR TO DO THAT? >> IT MIGHT NOT. I UNDERSTAND. >> IF THEY'RE PRESENTING. >> WELL, THEY'RE PRESENTING. LET'S HAVE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY CLERK LOOK AT THAT. IT MIGHT TAKE MORE THAN A HALF HOUR, BUT LESS THAN AN HOUR. BUT WE COULD ALWAYS RUN INTO THE BEGINNING OF OUR REGULAR MEETING TO FULFILL THAT. BUT I THINK WHAT THIS WOULD DO IT WOULD SHOW THAT WE HONOR WHAT WE PUT OUT. TO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER, IF WE WANT TO CHANGE WHAT WE DO NEXT YEAR, WE'LL CHANGE IN ADVANCE OF PUTTING OUT THE REQUIREMENTS. BUT FOR THIS YEAR, WE WOULD BE HONORING, WE WOULD BE LISTENING TO THEM, AND WE WOULD BE MAKING DECISIONS, AND WE'VE ALREADY AGREED, UNLESS WE AMEND THE BUDGET, AND THAT CERTAINLY COULD BE DONE, BUT WE'VE ALREADY AGREED TO ALLOCATE 20,000. THE FINAL POINT I'LL MAKE HERE IS, AS MUCH AS I'M TRYING TO CONTAIN CERTAIN ITEMS ON THE BUDGET, THIS END RESULT, IF WE STICK WITH IT IS ACTUALLY A $10,000 INCREASE OVER THE 75,000 THAT WE ORIGINALLY. WAIT. IS THAT RIGHT? $10,000 INCREASE BECAUSE WE TOOK 10 OUT OF THE ARC DECISIONING, WHICH TOOK THEM DOWN TO 65, BUT WE ADDED BACK 20 FOR THE COMMISSION TO ALLOCATE. THAT'S A NET INCREASE OF 10,000. BUT IF THAT'S OKAY, LET'S ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER TO BUILD THAT INTO A WORKSHOP JUST PRIOR TO THE TWO MEETINGS FROM NOW. WHO'S NEXT? RING, MR. COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU DONE? >> YES. >> I WANT TO ADD TO IT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, I SPOKE TO MAYOR BELEN WITH NEPTUNE BEACH TODAY, AND SHE'S COMMITTED THAT NEPTUNE BEACH WILL MATCH OUR 5,000 FOR THE FLETCHER BAND. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE BEACH, AND THEY WILL BE BRINGING IT UP AT THEIR COUNCIL MEETING. I HOPE THEY'LL DO THAT AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, BUT THAT'S UP TO THEM. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A FAVORABLE CLIMATE TO GET YET ANOTHER CITY TO MATCH THE 5,000. THE MESSAGE THAT SHOULD GO OUT TO THE PARENTS OF THE FLETCHER BAND MEMBERS AND CERTAINLY THE PARENTS IN OUR CITY IN ATLANTIC BEACH IS THAT WE DO SUPPORT THE FLETCHER BAND AND OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. BUT I THINK MORE JUST AS IMPORTANTLY IS GETTING A CONSOLIDATED ALL THREE BEACH COMMUNITY SUPPORT REALLY WAS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO. I HOPE THAT WE SUCCEED WITH ALL THREE BEACHES, BUT ALSO, I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE TO PUT OUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS AS A MATCHING GRANT, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE EVERYBODY ENGAGED AND NOT JUST ATLANTIC BEACH WITH OUR BUDGET. SECOND THING IS, I HEARD ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF EAST COAST AND AHERN, AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT BEFORE. IS THIS A FUNCTION OF TRYING TO HOLD OFF UNTIL WE DO THE STREET WORK, AND IF IT'S NOT, CAN WE GET SOME STRIPES AND SIGNS OUT THERE? HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSION WITH POLICE CHIEF, AND IS IT AGREED THAT THAT IS THE PROPER SOLUTION? >> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S AGREED THAT IT'S THE PROPER SOLUTION. I'M HESITANT TO SAY THIS BECAUSE AS SOON AS I SAY IT, SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I THINK THERE IS A PERCEIVED PROBLEM THERE, WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT. BUT I'LL HAVE THE CHIEF AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR GET OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE. >> THANK YOU. THEN THE LAST COMMENT, VERY BRIEF IS, [01:10:02] IT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE FALLEN HEROES MONUMENT. BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT SEEN IT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST INSTALLED, IT IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. IT'S IMPRESSIVE. I'M SO PROUD OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH FOR SPEARHEADING THIS AT VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, AND SO I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL COME OUT FOR THE DEDICATION, AND THAT IS WHAT DATE? DO YOU REMEMBER? >> ELEVENTH AT 09. >> OCTOBER 11, MAKE IT A DATE. IN FACT, I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE OUR CITIZENS, AND I'LL BE SPREADING THE WORD TO HAVE EVEN MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAVE THERE ON VETERANS DAY. COMMISSIONER, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? > NO COMMENT. >> THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ALONG ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT BUSINESS LEFT TO BE DONE. WE'RE ON ITEM 6, CONSENT AGENDA. WELL, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A WAYWARD COMMISSIONER WHO NEEDED TO SEE SOMEBODY. WELL, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE WHILE WE'RE WAITING. YES. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO YOU CAN STILL VOTE. [LAUGHTER] IT'S UP TO YOU IF YOU WANT TO. >> HE HAD THE CALL OF NATURE, SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. ITEM 6, CONSENT AGENDA, [6. CONSENT AGENDA] ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COMMISSION AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION IN THE FORM LISTED BELOW. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON THESE ITEMS. APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-73. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO REMOVE THIS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? >> NO. >> I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOVE WE ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS LISTED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THAT WAS A FOUR. DO WE CALL ONE AS AN ABSTAIN VOTE OR? >> FOUR ZERO. >> YES 4-0. ANYWAYS, MOVING TO ITEM 8A, RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-77. [8.A. RESOLUTION NO. 25-77] A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING RENEWAL OF ALL LIABILITY INSURANCES AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE WITH THE PREFERRED GOVERNMENTAL INSURANCE TRUST FOR 2025-2026 AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTS. MR. KILLINGTON. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS IS OUR ANNUAL INSURANCE FOR PROPERTY CRIME, GENERAL LIABILITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT LIABILITY, PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY, AUTO LIABILITY, AS WELL AS WORKERS' COMPENSATION. THIS YEAR, THE TOTAL PREMIUM, INCLUDING THE BROKER FEE THAT IS $1,004,137.39, WHICH REPRESENTS A 4.1% DECREASE. WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-77. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> I MOVE WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-77. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. DISCUSSION? >> I'M JUST WONDERING IF I CAN ASK, THAT THE DEADLY WEAPONS PROTECTION, WHO'S ELIGIBLE FOR THAT? IF TROY GETS SHOT ON HIS WAY TO THE SEWER, THAT HE'S COVERED. >> I'M SORRY TO SAY IT'S ONLY FOR OUR POLICE FOR OUR SWORN OFFICERS. >> IT WAS NOT CLEAR IN THE DESCRIPTION. THE TERRORISM ONE, HOW DO WE DECIDE IF IT WAS A TERRORISM EVENT? >> THAT'S WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE. >> I'M ASSUMING IT'S DEFINED IN THE POLICY, AND WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT DEFINITION. >> JUST FOREGO. THEN THERE'S ONE FOR DRONE DAMAGE? >> YES. >> HE HAS A DRONE. >> WE HAVE A DRONE, BUT WE DON'T USE IT. >> WE USE IT. >> WE ABSOLUTELY DO, AND IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT TO GET RECERTIFIED EVERY YEAR. OUR DRONE OPERATOR JUST RETIRED AS GOING PART-TIME. HE HAD TO JUMP THROUGH THE HOOPS TO GET RECERTIFIED, AND WE USE IT FOR OUR BUILDING INSPECTIONS. >> WELL, THAT'S GOOD. I JUST THOUGHT THOSE WERE ODD. >> WELL, WE HAVE A GREAT BROKER. I HAVE TO JUST GIVE THEM A SHOUT-OUT. THEY REALLY WENT TO BAD FOR US THIS YEAR. WE WERE EXPECTING A 10% INCREASE, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE DOWN. [01:15:03] THAT AND OUR WORKERS' COMP, WE'VE KEPT REALLY LOW. OUR EXPERIENCE MODE WAS LOWER THAN THEY'VE EVER SEEN ACROSS THE STATE. OUR SAFETY COMMITTEE AND OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE REALLY DONE A FABULOUS JOB. >> BUT DOES THAT MEAN WE STILL GET GOOD SERVICE, OR ARE THEY STINGY ABOUT GRANTING US LEVERAGE? >> WE'RE THRILLED WITH OUR WORKERS COMP COVERAGE, THRILLED. YES. >> I WILL ADD THE CITY MANAGER FOR NEPTUNE BEACH AND THE RISK MANAGER FOR NEPTUNE BEACH CAME AND SAT IN ON OUR SAFETY MEETING, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO EMULATE WHAT WE'RE DOING, SO THAT THEY HELP REDUCE THEIR ROADS. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR. SIGNIFY WITH AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES, UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. ITEM 8C, RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-78-8B. THANK YOU. RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-78, [8.B. RESOLUTION NO. 25-78] A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF THE LASER FISH DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UPGRADE FROM MCCI IN THE AMOUNT OF $48,224.97 WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 BUDGET, ACCOUNT NUMBER 001-1011-516-4600. AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND IS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. KILLINGTON. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. LASER FISH IS THE CITY'S PRIMARY DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. ALL OF OUR PUBLIC RECORDS, EVERYTHING, IT'S RECORDED THERE. YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT YOU GAVE SOME FUNDING TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO BETTER MANAGE. ONE OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO UPGRADE OUR LASER FISH SYSTEM SO THAT IT BETTER INTEGRATES WITH OUR INCOMING ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO GO IN FEBRUARY. THE UPDATED VERSION AND THAT VERSION TALKED BETTER TO EACH OTHER. I THINK IT GIVES THE CLERK'S OFFICE SOME OTHER ENHANCEMENTS THAT THEY MIGHT LIKE TOO. IN THE EVENT, THE COST OF THE UPGRADE IS $48,224.97, AND IT IS CURRENTLY BUDGETED. STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 25-78. >> I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> I MOVE WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-78 AS READ. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ITEM 8C, RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-75, [8.C. RESOLUTION NO. 25-75, Public Hearing on Adoption of Resolution No. 24-75 for the Millage Rate] PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-75 FOR THE MILITARY RATE. THIS IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, LEVYING THE AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2026, STATING THE PERCENTAGE BY WHICH THE MILLAGE TO BE LEVIED EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK RATE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. KILLINGTON. >> WHERE I WAS GETTING THIS ONE. WE PILED SEVEN WORKSHOPS IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET. AS WE STATED AT EACH WORKSHOP, THE BUDGET IS BUILT ON THE 2.8410 NUMBER. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WE END UP WITH A SMALL SURPLUS. THE BUDGET IS ABOUT $800,000 LESS THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. WITH THAT STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 25-75. >> AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. BEFORE WE CALL OUR FIRST PERSON, LET ME JUST STATE HERE AT THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 2.6312. THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED IS 2.8410. THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED IS 7.97% MORE THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE, AND AS A PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES PER SECTION 200.065 SUB-PARAGRAPH 2C, FLORIDA STATUTES. THE PURPOSE FOR ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATE OF 2.8410 IS TO [01:20:01] MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SERVICES AT ANTICIPATED AND PROPOSED COST AND TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE. AT THIS TIME, WOULD YOU CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER? >> I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING. >> WELL, THAT'S OKAY. WE'LL ENTERTAIN. >> SURE. >> GO AHEAD. COME ON UP. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HI. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE MILITARY AND THE ROLLBACK FOR YEARS AND YEARS. THIS COMMISSION MAKEUP HAS BEEN MOST RECEPTIVE TO MY COMMENTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF THREE YEARS. THE PREVIOUS, NOT SO MUCH. BUT WE LIVE IN AN ERA HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH OF EVER-RISING PROPERTY VALUES. JUST BECAUSE OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE BEING PUSHED UP AND UP BY ALL THE OTHER FORCES AT PLAY DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR TAXES NEED TO GO UP AND UP EVERY YEAR. AT SOME POINT, YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO PUT A STOP TO INCREASING OUR PROPERTY TAXES. YOU GOT TO DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE. THAT'S WHY I WANT TO CONTINUE TO URGE YOU NOT TO RAISE OUR TAXES. DO NOT VOTE FOR THE STATED RATE OF 2.84, BUT INSTEAD GO TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, WHICH IS NOT AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES. THERE'S ABOUT 2.5 MILLION OTHER DOLLARS THAT HAVE FIGURED INTO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, MILLION AND A HALF OR TWO MILLION THEREABOUTS THAT CAME FROM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES, AND THE OTHER 750,000 SAVINGS FROM THE FIRE SERVICES REDUCTION. THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A REDUCTION IN ANY CITY SERVICES OR ANYTHING. BUT WITH SOME OF THAT SAVINGS, GIVE THE MONEY BACK TO THE TAXPAYER FOR A CHANGE. YOU DID IT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. IT'S PRETTY EASY TO DO, AND NOTHING BAD HAPPENED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AGAIN, I CERTAINLY WANT TO URGE YOU TO RETURN A LITTLE BIT OF SAVINGS TO THE TAXPAYER AND EVENTUALLY VOTE FOR THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 2.6312. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. MR. HAROLD. NEXT SPEAKER. I THINK, SARAH, SHE'S LOOKING TO GO IF SHE COULD. >> GOT MY HAIR. SEABORN, EIGHTH STREET IN ATLANTIC BEACH. FIRST, I WANT TO ACTUALLY COMMEND YOU ALL AND STAFF FOR DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB, I THINK, IN STEWARDING OUR LIMITED RESOURCES TO VITAL PROJECTS. IT'S NOT EASY, AND WE HAVE SOME BIG PROJECTS. NO ONE LIKES TO PAY MORE TAXES. I CERTAINLY DON'T. BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE A FEW POINTS. I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO ONLY HEAR NO INCREASE, ETC. I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT OF THE COST OF INACTION AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. I THINK WE'RE EXPERIENCING THAT ON OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE WHERE WE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND NOW WE'RE PAYING MORE FOR IT. PLUS, THE COST OF INFLATION, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, TARIFFS, ETC HAVE ALL ADDED TO INCREASE COSTS, WHICH MEANS FEWER VITAL PROJECTS LIKE OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, GETTING FIXED AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED. MAYBE HAS A LOT OF BIG PROJECTS TO IMPLEMENT AND STAY AHEAD OF, SUCH AS FLOODING. A FEW DOLLARS, AND I KNOW A FEW DOLLARS ARE PRECIOUS, AND I DO NOT MEAN TO BELITTLE THAT. I KNOW A LOT OF US ARE ON FIXED INCOME, A LOT OF US ARE SENIORS. BUT A FEW DOLLARS FROM EACH OF US BENEFIT ALL OF US AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL. I THINK ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTING MORE AND MORE SERVICES, NOT LESS. ALSO, TWO OTHER POINTS. DUVAL COUNTY IS CONSIDERING 1/8 MILLAGE RATE ROLLBACK. SOMEONE TOTALLY CAN CORRECT ME ON THIS, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT 40% OF OUR DOLLARS GO TO DUVAL COUNTY, SO I THINK WE WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT ROLLBACK. I THINK THE AVERAGE, AGAIN, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT THE AVERAGE AB RESIDENT WOULD GET ABOUT $4 A MONTH BACK FROM THAT ROLLBACK. IT'S CUTTING THE COST OF THE INCREASE A LITTLE BIT. I ATTENDED MOST OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS. [01:25:03] I SAW ALL THE PROJECTS WE COULDN'T GET TO. I'VE WATCHED THAT HAPPEN OVER THE YEARS. I'D LIKE TO STAY ON TOP OF OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS TRY TO GET AHEAD OF POTENTIALLY BAD WEATHER, ETC. ALSO, JACK SPEECH LITERALLY JUST PASSED THEIR BUDGET WITHOUT CHANGING THEIR MILITARY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. BORN. MAYOR REEVES, YOU ALREADY SPOKE. >> I SAID EARLIER, IT'S UPTO YOU GUYS. >> YOU'RE GOOD. THANK YOU. THEN I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. I'M DONE. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION. >> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-75 FOR THE MILLAGE RATE. >> THE MILLAGE RATE AS PRESENTED. >> AS PRESENTED. >> 2.8410. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. NOW WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. >> IF I CAN START. I MOLLED OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE. I DID HAVE A DISCUSSION THAT I WANTED TO START TWO WEEKS AGO REGARDING THIS. I THINK WE'VE ADDED A BUILDING TECHNICIAN. WE'VE ADDED AN ARBORIST. THOSE ARE TWO IN PERPETUITY POSITIONS TO OUR CITY BUDGET. WE'VE ALSO ADDED IN THE PAST YEAR AN HR POSITION, A DEPUTY HR DIRECTOR, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR PART-TIME. WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT, INCREASING OUR PAY AS COMMISSIONERS. THERE'S A LOT THAT'S GOING UP. MR. HAROLD IS NOT WRONG IN STATING THAT OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP, AND WITH THAT, EVEN IF KEEPING OUR MILITARY THE SAME OUR CITIZENS WILL CONTINUE TO PAY MORE AND MORE. AS I LOOKED OVER THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT OUR COMMISSION APPROVED THROUGH CONSENSUS AT THE LAST MEETING. I TRIED TO FIND THE ONES THAT I WOULD CUT OUT IF WE DID THE ROLLBACK, AND I JUST COULDN'T. I COULDN'T FIND THAT. THEN TONIGHT, LISTENING TO WHAT IS THAT? FIVE PARENTS COME IN AND SHARE FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND, ASKING FOR MORE MONEY. I HAVEN'T FOUND THE MONEY TREE. I'M NOT THINKING WE'RE SHAKING OUR CITIZENS DRY OF THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE. I KNOW NONE OF US BELIEVE ME, I'M A PUBLIC SERVANT, AND SO IS MY HUSBAND. WE DON'T HAVE THAT DOUGH JUST LYING AROUND. BUT FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM CITIZENS, I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS MONEY IS IMPORTANT. I CAN'T FIND THE CUT. I'M LOOKING FOR THE FAT. NOW, I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE BUILDING TECHNICIAN. I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE ABOUT THE ARBORIST POSITIONS. I THOSE POSITIONS I'M STILL ON THE FENCE WITH. BUT IN ANY CASE, AT SOME POINT, I SUPPOSE I HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR IF IT'S WORTH THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. BUT THAT'S JUST MY TAKE ON IT AS FAR AS THE ROLLBACK GOES. LOOKING AT THAT ROLLBACK IS $715,000 CUT. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE CITY MANAGER GAVE ME EARLY, 715,000. >> SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY. >> SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY. THEN, THE FIRE SERVICES, I DID THINK ABOUT THAT AS WELL. IF WE ARE STILL IN NEGOTIATION WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET THAT BACK, AND THAT MAYBE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT A ROLLBACK RATE, BUT THAT'S WHERE MY THOUGHT IS. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> MAY I COMMENT, IF I MAY? >> YES. GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. I'VE GOT JUST ONE POINT TO MAKE. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE SUMMER. I THINK WE'VE WORKSHOPPED THIS. BUT TAKE A LOOK AT OUR SISTER CITY. THE CITY THAT'S COMING AND ASKING US FOR WATER PRESSURE FOR FIRE. I HAVE ONE WORD, INFRASTRUCTURE. I THINK EVERY PENNY THAT WE SPEND ON INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS ONGOING. I THINK COMMISSIONER RING MADE AN EXCELLENT POINT ABOUT THE WASTEWATER PLANT, ETC. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE SITTING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM US, A CITY AND GO BACK AND LOOK THAT DID NOT INVEST IN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, [01:30:03] AND THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT NOW IN SPADES. I WOULD JUST SUPPORT THAT. I SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE DOING, ESPECIALLY HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS, AND I KNOW WE WENT AROUND AND AROUND ON A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS. BUT FROM WHAT I HEAR, OUR CITIZENS THEY DO WANT THE SERVICES, AND I THINK WE OWE THEM THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BOLE. COMMISSIONER GRAHAM. GO AHEAD, COUNSEL. >> WE DIDN'T JUST PULL THIS OUT OF THIN AIR. BEFORE IT EVEN GOT TO THE COMMISSIONERS, IT HAD BEEN THROUGH ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND MR. KILLING IS NO EASY PUSHOVER. THEY HAD TO JUSTIFY EVERY LITTLE THING THAT THEY ASKED FOR. HE SAID NO TO A NUMBER OF THINGS. THEN IT CAME TO US, AND WE SAW, WE GAVE EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EVERY LAST THING WE WERE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON. NOT EVEN INCLUDING THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE SALARIES COST, PARTICULARLY FOR POLICE, HOW MUCH MORE CONCRETE COSTS FOR THE PROJECTS WE NEED TO DO. EVERYTHING COSTS MORE. EVEN IF WE WERE DOING IT, IF WE HADN'T MADE ANY PROGRESS, WE WOULD STILL NEED AN INCREASE JUST TO REMAIN EVEN. I TOTALLY AGREE ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND NOT FORGETTING THAT WE BOUGHT A WHOLE BUILDING. WE GOT A BUILDING TECHNICIAN TO GO WITH IT TO EXPAND THE PROGRAMS FOR OUR CITIZENS, AND THEY SEEM TO WANT THAT. I'M NOT SURE. I AGREE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO CUT IF WE WITHDRAW BACK. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER GRANT. >> THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH ALL THE COMMENTS MADE THUS FAR BY MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE. THAT WE DO NEED TO SPEND ON THOSE. I THINK THE PREMISE FOR POTENTIALLY ROLLING BACK THE MILLAGE RATE CAME WHEN WE SECURED THE $750,000 FROM THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS NOT IN HAND, BUT WE ARE AT SOME POINT IN NEAR FUTURE GOING TO START BENEFITING FROM THAT. THAT WAS REALLY THE PREMISE, I THINK, FOR CONSIDERING IT. BILL, TELL ME THE UTILITIES IS ON A SEPARATE ACCOUNT. HOW MUCH MONEY DO THEY HAVE IN RESERVES? >> EACH FUND THERE'S A WATER FUND AND A SEWER FUND. I'M ON A BALLPARK AND THEN BRITAINY CAN TELL ME I'M WRONG, BUT WE'RE RIGHT AROUND $7.5 MILLION IN EACH ONE OF THOSE. >> JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT'S NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND. THAT'S A SEPARATE FUND FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. IF THERE'S ANY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR THE WATER PLANT, THE MONEY IS THERE. STILL HAS TO COME THROUGH US FOR APPROVAL, BUT THE MONEY IS THERE, SO THERE WOULDN'T BE NEED ANY NUMBER SMITHING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. THE MONEY'S THERE, AND THAT ACCOUNT GROWS EVERY YEAR. GROWING MORE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DID SO MUCH MAINTENANCE ON THAT WATER PLANT THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN THE SEWER PLANT. THERE ARE FUNDS THERE. LASTLY, JUST WHAT BOTHERS ME IS PEOPLE KEEP CONTINUING TO SAY, WE HAVE THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATE. WELL, WE DO IN THE CITY. HOWEVER, THE MILLAGE RATE ALONE DOESN'T DETERMINE OUR TAX. WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST MEDIAN TAX ASSESSED VALUES IN THE CITY. SINCE WE'RE COMPARING, LET'S DO THAT. THE MEDIAN TAX ASSESSED VALUE IN ATLANTIC BEACH IS AROUND $435,000 AS OF 24 FULL YEAR 25 FISCAL YEAR. JACK'S BEACH IS 285. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BECAUSE THEIR MILLAGE RATES EXACTLY THE SAME AS OURS. THAT MEANS WE'RE PAYING 52% MORE PER HOUSEHOLD IN PROPERTY TAXES. LET THAT SINK IN FOR A MINUTE. 52% MORE THAN OUR NEIGHBOR DOWN A1A. DON'T ANYBODY TELL ME, WE HAVE THE LOWEST TAX IN THE CITY. THAT'S AN INACCURATE STATEMENT. I WILL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE YOU ON THAT UNTIL I'M NO LONGER IN THIS SEAT. I THINK MOVING FORWARD, LIKE I SAID, I'M ALL FOR THOSE THINGS. I'M ALL FOR PEOPLE GETTING CLA INCREASES, ETC. [01:35:04] BUT MOVING FORWARD, I THINK WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE JUDICIAL WITH OUR DOLLARS BECAUSE OUR ASSESSED VALUES IN THIS CITY CONTINUE TO GO UP AT AN ALARMING RATE. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, JACK'S BEACH GONE UP 15%. ATLANTIC BEACH, 20%. WE CONTINUE TO OUTPACE OUR NEIGHBORS IN ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH EVEN DOES BRING MORE MONEY TO THE COFFERS IF THE MILLAGE RATE STAYS THE SAME. BUT I THINK IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO STRONGLY CONSIDER REINING IN OUR MILLAGE RATE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> I GUESS I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I HEAR BOTH SIDES ON THIS ARGUMENT. I ACTUALLY MADE THE ARGUMENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IF NOT NOW, WHEN? IF YOU CAN'T LOWER THE MILLAGE RATE WHEN YOU'RE FLUSH WITH CASH, WITH INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES, WHEN ARE YOU EVER GOING TO DO IT? EVERYBODY AGREED, AND WE PASSED A ROLLBACK. I'M IN A REAL DILEMMA TODAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN RELIEF WHEN IT'S JUSTIFIED, AND THERE'S SOME VALUE IN THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD. THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS I HAVE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE INCREASED COSTS AND SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. THANK YOU, THOUGH, COMMISSIONER, FOR CLARIFYING THAT WE HAVE ENTERPRISE FUNDS FOR THE SEWER PROJECTS AND SO ON THAT REALLY ARE NOT ANY WAY TIED TO THE GENERAL FUND. BUT I'M GOING TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE TONIGHT. I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. THIS VOTE TO HOLD THE MILLAGE RATE AT THE CURRENT RATE REQUIRES NOT A MAJORITY A SUPER MAJORITY, WHICH MEANS THAT FOUR OF YOU MUST VOTE FOR THIS MOTION FOR IT TO PASS. IF IT'S THREE TO TWO OR LESS, THEN WE WOULD GO TO THE NEXT THING. I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN MYSELF FURTHER AFTER THE VOTE, BUT I MAY SUPPORT A REDUCTION. IT MAY NOT BE TO THE ROLLBACK, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE. I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW MY VOTE'S GOING TO BE NAY ON THIS MOTION. BUT IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'M GOING TO CALL THE VOTE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS. DONNA. >> COMMISSIONER GRANT? >> NAY. >> COMMISSIONER KELLY. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER RING. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> AYE. >> MAYOR FORD. >> NAY. >> AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE CITY'S COUNSEL, MR. GABRIEL. WOULD YOU ADVISE US ON NEXT STEP? >> THAT MOTION FAILED. NOW YOU'RE IN A POSTURE. YOU ARE DUTY-BOUND TO APPROVE A BALANCED BUDGET OBVIOUSLY, BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER. RIGHT NOW, THIS IS JUST A DEAD VOTE, AND SO SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A MOVEMENT TO ANOTHER MILLAGE RATE WITH A SECOND, AND THEN YOU'D HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WHEN YOU DECIDE ON WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, YOU'LL HAVE TO READ FOR THE STATUTE. YOU'LL HAVE TO READ THE SAME TEMPLATE WE READ EARLIER, BUT WITH THE NEW MILEAGE THAT YOU WOULD PROPOSE. >> SURE. >> I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE PERHAPS A DISCUSSION, AND THEN YOU CAN GO FROM [OVERLAPPING] >> I'M GOING TO CALL ON CITY MANAGER TO GIVE US THE OPTIONS NEXT. >> FOR A SIMPLE MAJORITY, THE RANGE IS BASICALLY THE ROLLBACK RATE, WHICH WOULD BE 2.6312 THROUGH 2.7499. ANYTHING IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS CAN BE APPROVED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY. >> I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE HIGHER OF THE TWO NUMBERS? >> THE HIGHER OF THE TWO NUMBER WAS 2.7499, WHICH REPRESENTS A $280,000 CUT. >> TO BE CLEAR, AND I FEEL COMPELLED TO EXPLAIN, THAT'S STILL A RAISE IN ACTUAL PROPERTY TAXES, SO IT IS HIGHER THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE. AGAIN, MY DEFINITION OF ROLLBACK IS THAT RATE WHICH IS REVENUE NEUTRAL YEAR OVER YEAR. THIS WOULD NOT BE REVENUE-NEUTRAL. IT STILL WOULD BRING IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS, BUT IT WOULD BE, STATE THAT NUMBER AGAIN? IT WOULD BE 200, AND HOW MUCH? >> THE CUT? IN DOLLARS WOULD BE $280,313. >> I'M GOING TO GO LONG AND ASK YOU, CAN YOU TELL US IF WE DON'T PASS THIS AND WE END UP TALKING ABOUT A ROLLBACK, WHAT CUT WOULD THAT BE? THAT'S 650? >> THAT $645,551. [01:40:01] >> ANY FURTHER ELABORATION ON THIS? >> IF YOU TAKE A CHOICE IN BETWEEN THOSE NUMBERS, I DON'T HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT. [LAUGHTER] >> I GOT YOU. >> IF YOU TAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN THOSE NUMBERS, I HAVE A PREDETERMINED PATH. >> I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE THAT THING, WHICH WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, AND THAT IS LISTENING TO OUR CITIZENS. I'VE HEARD FROM MORE THAN A FEW, NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING, THAT WANT US TO HOLD THE LINE. IF WE TOOK THE HIGHER OF THE TWO NUMBERS, THE 2.749, THAT ONLY REQUIRES A MAJORITY VOTE. THREE IN FAVOR WOULD PASS THAT. IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS THE ROLLBACK RATE, BUT IT IS ALSO NOT AS IMPACTFUL AGAINST THE ALREADY DISCUSSED AND DECIDED BUDGET. I HOPE SOMEBODY CONSIDERS THAT FOR A MOTION. BUT AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION. >> DID YOU SAY IT WAS THE 2.7499 THAT WOULD TAKE A THREE-VOTE? >> THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE CAN GO WITH THE MAJORITY VOTE IS 2.7499. >> THEN THE 2.8 ROLL OR THE CURRENT RATE, LEAVING IT THE SAME DOES TAKE FOUR VOTES? >> YES. >> THAT JUST FAILED? >> JUST SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR OPTIONS, IF SOMEONE ON THE PREVAILING SIDE WANTED TO, THEY COULD RECONSIDER THAT AS WELL. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW ALL YOUR OPTIONS ON THE TAKE. >> THEN THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 2.6312, THAT TAKES THREE VOTES? >> CORRECT. >> THEN WHAT WAS THE NUMBER AGAIN FOR THE 2.7499 THAT WOULD BE CUT? DID YOU SAY TWO? >> $280,313. >> THEN THE ROLLBACK WAS 645,000? >> $645,551. >> YOU SAID YOU ALREADY HAVE A PLAN FOR BOTH OF THOSE? >> I RECOMMENDED CUTS AT BOTH OF THOSE LEVELS. >> AT BOTH OF THEM? >> IF YOU GO THAT PATH, MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO STAY AT 2.8, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT IF YOU TAKE EITHER ONE OF THOSE PATHS, I HAVE RECOMMENDED CUTS. MY RECOMMENDATION IS NOT REALLY TONIGHT TO DEBATE THE CUTS. JUST LET THE BUDGET GET PASSED WITH THOSE CUTS, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND DO IT, HAVE A DEBATE. MAYBE WHEN YOU DO THE SCHOOLS AND ALLOCATE THE SCHOOLS, WE CAN HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN VERSUS WHAT YOU WANT TO TAKE OUT. WE CAN AMEND THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME. >> MAYOR. >> YES. >> I LIKE THE THOUGHT OF GOING POTENTIALLY TO THE ROLLBACK. BUT BEFORE I CONSIDER IT, I THINK I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF I KNEW HOW THE CITY MANAGER IS PLANNING TO ACCOMMODATE THEM WITH CUTS. BECAUSE, AS I MENTIONED IN MY COMMENTARY, I THOUGHT THE MAJOR PREMISE FOR CONSIDERING THE ROLLBACK WAS THE MONEY WE WERE GETTING BACK FROM THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. BUT IF OUTSIDE OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE IN TERMS OF CUTS. >> FOR WHICH SCENARIO? >> BOTH. >> BRITTANY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND DRIVE THE SPREADSHEET, PLEASE. >> JUST TO CLARIFY, THESE WOULD BE YOUR CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IF WE VOTED ON ONE OF THESE LEVELS TONIGHT, WE COULD ALWAYS COME BACK AND ADJUST THE BUDGET IF WE DON'T AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. >> CORRECT. THE BUDGET IS AMENDABLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO WE COULD DO IT AT ANY POINT. >> JUST TO PIGGYBACK IF IT'S NOT. SO WHAT'S SET IN STONE TONIGHT AND CAN'T BE CHANGES IN [INAUDIBLE] OBVIOUSLY, BUT THE BUDGET COULD BE AMENDED IN THE FUTURE. >> FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU. >> I'LL GO THROUGH THE BIG ITEMS ON HERE. IN TERMS OF THE ROLLBACK TO 640, [01:45:03] I ENDED UP WITH 655 BECAUSE THE PROJECTS DON'T LINE UP EXACTLY. BUT THE BIG TWO PROJECTS THAT COME OUT IS THE PLAZA DRIVE RECONSTRUCTION, THAT'S $250,000, AND THEN I TOOK OUT THE $100,000 FOR THE POUND CENTER LIGHT REPLACEMENT. THOSE TWO PROJECTS ARE REALLY THE BIG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SCENARIOS. THE REST OF THEM, IF WE CAN GO THROUGH, ARE THEY THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN, BRITTANY? >> YES. >> IF WE CAN GO THROUGH, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE 2.6 THAT THE PLAZA DRIVE RECONSTRUCTION COMES OUT, ISLAND TREE REMOVAL COMES OUT, WHAT IS THAT? THE [INAUDIBLE] BEACH CABANA, CONVERTING THAT TO PARKING COMES OUT, BOUNCING OF STREET LIGHTS COME OUT, DITCH MAINTENANCE. NOW, WE HAVE DITCH MAINTENANCE IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW. THIS WAS AN ADDITIONAL $50,000. SO THIS WOULD COME OUT. THE TENNIS AND BASKETBALL RESURFACING WOULD COME OUT. TILING THE RESTROOMS AT DUTTON ISLAND AND DONNER PARK WOULD COME OUT. THE FAIRWAY VILLAGE ZERO SCAPING AND SIGN ENTRANCE FEATURES WOULD COME OUT. THEN THE FLETCHER BAND CAME OUT BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID THE $20,000. THAT ONE IS OUT IN I THINK BOTH SCENARIOS. THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS THE PLAZA DRIVE RECONSTRUCTION AT $250,000 AND THE TOWN CENTER AT $100,000. >> COMMISSIONER RING. >> WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT UNDER F IS THE FULL ROLLBACK RATE OF 2.64 OR 2.6312, AND THEN IN COLUMN E WOULD BE THE 2.7499. >> CAN YOU SHOW BOTH OF THEM, BRITTANY? >> NEXT TO EACH OTHER. E IS 2.7499 AND F IS 2.6312, THE FULL ROLLBACK. CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THE FIRE SERVICES, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE SAVED WHEN WE DIDN'T FULLY PAY FOR THE 1.5, OR GIVE THAT OVER TO COJ? >> THE IMPACT ON THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR IS BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS NOT TIED TO THE SAME CALENDAR AS OUR BUDGET, A THIRD OF THAT $750,000 ACTUALLY REDUCED THIS YEAR'S EXPENDITURES, AND TWO-THIRDS OF IT IS FOR NEXT YEAR'S EXPENDITURES. ABOUT $500,000 IS WHAT WE SAVED NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF FIRE. BUT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, WHERE WE GAVE A 17% PAY RAISE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND WE CHANGED THE CALCULATION TO THEIR DEFINED BENEFIT FROM 2.5% PER YEAR OF THEIR SALARY TO 3% PER YEAR OF THEIR SALARY. THAT CHANGED THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PORTION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PENSION FUND BY 600 AND SOME ODD THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT DECISION WIPED OUT THE BENEFIT THAT WE GOT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. >> I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON SOMETHING. >> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-75 USING THE MILLAGE RATE OF 2.7499. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION? >> WHERE'S BRUCE? >> I'M RIGHT HERE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE, COMMENTS. DISCUSSION. >> NO, I UNDERSTAND. I'M STUCK ON WHAT WE WENT THROUGH ON THE BUDGET THIS SUMMER, INCLUDING PLAZA. I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE, AS YOU KNOW, TO BEACHES TOWN CENTER. WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THE LIGHT POSTS OFF FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS THAT I KNOW OF, AND NOW WE HAVE NEPTUNE BEACH WHO'S WEIGHING IN TO DO THE SAME THING THAT WE ARE. I GUESS I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM. I THINK THAT ALL THE PROJECTS, IN FACT, MOST OF THE PROJECTS THAT BILL JUST LISTED THERE, I'M A PROPONENT OF. I'M BACK AT HOLDING THE RATE THIS YEAR. THANKS. >> YES, COMMISSIONER. >> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, BILL. IT'S NOT IN THE SEAT, BUT MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE CAN ANSWER. THE REVENUE THAT WE GET FROM THE PARKING METERS, I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY FOR [01:50:03] IMPROVEMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF WHETHER IT'S SIDEWALKS, WHATNOT. I THOUGHT THAT MONEY WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY WITH THE TOWN CENTER AREA. CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT FOR ME? >> IT'S ABOUT $69,000 THAT GOES TOWARDS MAINTENANCE AT THE TOWN CENTER AREA. THE STREET LIGHTS AREN'T PART OF OUR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AT THE TOWN CENTER. SO WHAT I'LL SAY IS, ULTIMATELY THE DECISION ON WHAT TO FUND IS THE COMMISSIONS, BUT IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDED CUTS, IF YOU GO TO THE 2.6, THE TOWN CENTER LIGHTS ARE ONE OF MY RECOMMENDED CUTS. IF YOU GO TO 2.7, THE TOWN CENTER LIGHTS ARE STILL IN THE BUDGET. PLAZA IS OUT EITHER WAY. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE, YOU GOT THAT PIECE? >> YES, SIR. I HEARD. >> AT THE CURRENT MOTION, THEY STAY IN, ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATION. >> RECOMMENDATION, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS 2.749. >> THE TOWN CENTER LIGHTS WOULD STILL BE IN THE VOTE. >> THANK YOU. >> FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, DONNA, ROLL CALL THE VOTE. >> YES, SIR. >> I'M SORRY. WE NEEDED TO OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN. >> BEFORE YOU DO, IF WE COULD JUST STATE THE NEW STATEMENT WITH THE REVISED NUMBERS? NOW, THE ROLLBACK RATE IS STILL 2.6. WHO'S GOT? >> I'M RIGHT HERE WITH YOU. >> WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT BEFORE WE LISTEN TO THE FIRST PERSON, HERE AT ATLANTIC BEACH, THE REVISED RATE OF 2.7499 IS BEING RECOMMENDED, THE MILLAGE RATE. I'M SORRY. LET'S GET THAT STRAIGHT. I STILL HAVE TO STATE THAT? >> YEAH. >> HERE AT ATLANTIC BEACH, THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 2.6312. THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED IN THIS MOTION IS 2.7499. THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED IS 4.51% MORE THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE AND IS A PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES PER SECTION 200.065, SUBPARAGRAPH 2C, FLORIDA STATUTES. THE PURPOSE FOR ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATE OF 2.7499 IS TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SERVICES AT ANTICIPATED AND PROPOSED COST, AND TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE. NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS TO SPEAK ON THIS? PUBLIC? >> NO. I'M MEETING. >> I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYBODY OUT. DOES ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENT? HEARING NONE, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES, COMMISSIONER. >> WHAT WILL BE THE LONG-TERM COST OF DELAYING THE PLAZA DRIVE REBUILDING? BECAUSE IF IT TAKES LONGER, WE SPEND MORE TIME DEALING AROUND INSTEAD OF FIXING IT. IS IT GOING TO COST MORE THAN 250? >> PROBABLY. EVERY YEAR, WE DELAY THE COST. MY EXPERIENCE IS THE COST OF ASPHALT, THE COST OF LABOR, THE COST OF EVERYTHING. THE SUBBASE MAY FURTHER BE ERODED AWAY. >> RICK CARPER, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. THE $250,000, THERE IS A STALKING HORSE. IT IS A GOOD ENGINEERING ESTIMATE, BUT I'M GETTING CORE SAMPLES DONE ANY TIME NOW. ONCE WE HAVE CORE SAMPLES, THEN I WILL ACTUALLY HAVE AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS DONE TO DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE STREET. IT COULD BE MORE THAN TWO, IT COULD BE LESS THAN 250, BUT I PUT THAT IN THERE ASSUMING BASED PRIMARILY ON THE CONDITION OF THE EASTBOUND LANE BETWEEN SAILFISH WEST AND NAUTICAL, THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEED A TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THAT ROAD. >> IF WE WAIT LONGER, DO WE HAVE TO FIX MORE? >> ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL HAVE TO FIX MORE, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE IMPACT TO PEOPLE DRIVING THAT ROAD. RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN FEEL IT TRYING TO STEER YOU TO THE RIGHT AS YOU COME DOWN THAT ROAD. THE ROAD IS NOT GOING TO STAY THE SAME, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE. >> IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENT, I'LL GIVE THE FINAL ONE, AND THAT IS WHAT CITY MANAGER EXPLAINED TONIGHT THAT WE NEED TO ALWAYS REMEMBER IS THIS COMMISSION HAS [01:55:03] THE POWER TO AMEND THE BUDGET AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST THAT'S THE WAY WE SHOULD DO BUSINESS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THIS NO MATTER WHAT WE PASS TONIGHT, AND IF WE SO CHOOSE, SOMEBODY CAN MOVE TO AMEND THE BUDGET, AND IF IT PASSES, THEN THE BUDGET WILL BE AMENDED. WE COULD RECONSIDER. THE POINT IS THAT MAY BE A VALID CONCERN, AND THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE REMOVED, NOT THAT. I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT I THINK YOU TOOK WHAT WAS CLEARLY OBVIOUS AND EASILY EXPLAINABLE TOO LARGE NUMBERS TO GET TO THE NUMBER THAT WOULD MEET THE SEVEN THE 42.7499? >> CORRECT. LIKE I SAID, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN COME BACK AND CHANGE THE RECOMMENDED CUTS, BUT IT WILL BE A REDUCTION IN TOTAL AVAILABLE INCOME OF $280,000. >> DONNA, ARE YOU READY TO DO A ROLL CALL. >> MR. KELLY. >> NAH. >> MR. RING. >> AYE. >> MR. BOOL? >> NAH. >> MR. GRANT? >> AYE. >> MAYOR FORD. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-75 PASSES WITH THE SECOND OPTION. WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 9 ORDINANCES 9A. [9.A. Public Hearing and Final Reading on adoption of Ordinance No. 20-25-180, establishing the Operating Budget for fiscal year 2025/2026.] THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING ON ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-25-180, ESTABLISHING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, 26, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026. WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. DONNA? >> WE HAVE ANNE OSCARS. >> I AM VICE CHAIR OF THE ART SPREAD CULTURE COMMITTEE. CURRENTLY THE LONGEST TENURED MEMBER ON THAT COMMITTEE BEEN THERE SINCE 2020. A FULL DISCLOSURE. I AM ALSO THE PARENT OF TWO BOYS AT MAYPORT MIDDLE. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF HERE, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, I'M SPEAKING FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMMITTEE. I WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, THE APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR THE RC GRANTS. THE CITY OF AB CONTRIBUTION AWARDS, CULTURAL ARTS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 26, APPLICATION GUIDELINE PACKAGE FOR SCHOOLS. THERE IS A SEPARATE ONE JUST FOR SCHOOLS AND ANOTHER ONE FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS. THE CITY COMMISSION HAS ALLOCATED FUNDING TO SUPPORT ARTISTIC RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL PROGRAMS, EVENTS OR PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF ATLANTIC BEACH. APPLICATIONS ARE INVITED FROM ELIGIBLE DEVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PROVIDING EXTRACURRICULAR, EXTRA MORAL PROGRAMS, ARTS, CULTURAL, RECREATION ACTIVITIES, EVENTS THAT SERVE THE RESIDENTS. I READ THIS TO CLARIFY THAT THERE'S BEEN THIS DISCUSSION UP, SHOULD SCHOOLS BE FUNDED? I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE PURPOSE OF OUR COMMITTEE AND OUR GRANT MECHANISM, WHICH IS TO FUND ARTS AND RE PROGRAMMING. MAYBE THIS COMMISSION WASN'T THE ONE WHO PUT OUT THIS ORDINANCE. THIS IS BASED ON THREE ORDINANCES. YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO HEAR THAT SINCE I'VE STARTED, SCHOOLS USED TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR 15,500 PER SCHOOL. 2023, WE CHANGED THAT TO 10,000, EVEN THOUGH THE RC BUDGET WENT UP. BACK IN 2018, 1920, WE GAVE OVER 30,002 SCHOOLS. AND NOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CHAIR WILL BE PRESENTING IS TO GIVE 10,000 TO ABE, 10,000 TO MAYPORT, AND 5,000 TO FLETCHER. WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE 5,000 WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 20,000. THAT'S WHY THAT'S SEPARATE. THE THREE SCHOOLS THAT APPLIED HAPPEN TO BE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDER SCHOOLS. IF WE DON'T CONSIDER THE ARC RECOMMENDATION AND IF WE DISREGARD THE MERIT OF THE ACTUAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS, [02:00:05] IT UNDERMINES ALL CALLS FOR APPLICATIONS OR PROPOSALS ISSUED BY THE CITY. IF YOU WANT TO CUT OFF THE SCHOOLS, GO AHEAD, BUT I WOULD URGE YOU TO DO IT NEXT YEAR, ALLOWING THE SCHOOLS TO FIND TRANSITIONAL FUNDING OR BRIDGING NOW. >> NEXT. BRINKLEY HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. >> HELLO AGAIN. >> HELLO. >> WHAT Y'ALL JUST DID BY PASSING A REDUCED MILEAGE RATE IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE LISTENING TO PEOPLE LIKE ME AND MAJOR MAYOR REEVES AND OTHER CITIZENS THAT YOU TALKED TO ON A DAILY BASIS IN AND OUT. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING UP WITH SOME COMPROMISE ON VARIOUS DIFFERENT LEGISLATION. WHAT Y'ALL JUST DID WAS QUITE ADMIRABLE. I HAVE TO HAND IT TO THOSE OF YOU THAT VOTED FOR THAT. TO MOVE FORWARD ABOUT THE PARTICULAR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS, SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T RAISE EARLIER IS THAT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WHEN I WAS ONE OF MY SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, I SAID, 11 CLICKS. THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES WHENEVER I GO ONTO MY COMPUTER AND I TRY TO GET TO THE COMMISSION AGENDA. 11 CLICKS. WELL, PRETTY QUICKLY, THE IT GUYS AND MR. HOGAN CAMP, THEY GOT SOME RESOLUTION, THEY GOT IT DOWN TO, I THINK, TWO CLICKS. WELL, NOW THE CITY'S WEBSITE HAS GONE THROUGH A COMPLETE, BIG CHANGE, AND I SAT OVER HERE AND IT TOOK ME ON MY PHONE AND MY PHONES PRETTY FAST. IT STILL TOOK ME SIX CLICKS TO GET TO THE AGENDA, AND I STILL CAN'T FIND THE BUDGET ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. THAT LEADS ME INTO THE PARTICULAR PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING ON THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE AT NUMBER 9A. I DO NOT KNOW, BUT I CAN ONLY ASK RHETORICAL QUESTIONS. MAYBE ONE OF ALL WILL ASK THE QUESTION YOURSELVES. I CAN'T TELL WHAT THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE COLA INCREASES FOR THIS YEAR. NOW, JUST TO ADD, I CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS. LAST YEAR, THE CPI AND INFLATION WAS AT 2.4, 2.5%. BUT YET THE COLA THAT WAS ENACTED WAS 5%. WE GAVE CITY EMPLOYEES TWICE AS MUCH AS WHAT THE RATE OF INFLATION WAS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS THIS YEAR, BUT THE CPI INFLATION RATE, AND THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THE INFLATION COMES OFF THE CPI, AS YOU KNOW, IS SOMEWHERE UNDER 3% THIS YEAR. TODAY'S SEPTEMBER 22ND, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE RELEASED ABOUT OCTOBER 10TH IS WHAT'S NORMALLY, AND THEY'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE ABOUT 2.6 OR 2.7%. REALLY, THE NUMBER THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IT IS IS, WHAT IS THE COLA INCREASE FOR THE CITY'S EMPLOYEES? NOW, AGAIN, THE POLICE UNION IS A WHOLE SEPARATE THING. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES. MAYBE ONE OF ALL WILL ASK THAT QUESTION AS FAR AS WELL, WHERE CAN SOME OF THE BUDGET BE TRIMMED? AS A RETIREE, I'M ONLY GETTING WHATEVER THAT CPI FIGURE IS. A COUPLE OF Y'ALL GETTING SOCIAL SECURITY, MILITARY RETIREMENT, AND YOU'RE ONLY GETTING AN INCREASE BASED UPON THE CPI. THAT'S RELEASED ABOUT OCTOBER 10TH. I HOPE ONE OF YOU WILL ASK THAT QUESTION. FOR GOD'S SAKE, I HOPE MR. HOGAN CAMP AND IT FOLKS CAN FIX THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR THE OLDER GUYS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. HAROLD. NEXT. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. WHERE ARE WE AT HERE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? AT THIS POINT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION. BUT THIS WOULD BE ON A AD BUDGET. >> I THINK WE NEED AN AMENDMENT. YOU'LL NEED TO AMEND A BUDGET TO $57, 616, 034. >> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? >> $57,616, 034? >> THAT'S RIGHT. QUESTION, COUNSEL, DO YOU WANT THIS TO BE FIRST A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT AND THEN THEN A MOTION TO PASS THAT AMENDED BUDGET. >> I THINK IN LIGHT OF THE MILLAGE THAT HAS BEEN REDUCED, THIS IS A COMMENSURATE BUDGET REDUCTION, IS THAT RIGHT? YOU CAN JUST ENTERTAIN NO MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, SO I THINK YOU CAN JUST ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS POINT FOR THE 57,616,034. [02:05:04] >> THEY'RE ALSO WANT TO THE CUTS AS RECOMMENDS ARE MADE. >> WITH THE CUTS RECOMMENDED BY THE MOTION. >> ONE MOTION. I WOULD JUST SUE ONE MOTION THAT WRAPS THAT AMENDED NUMBER. IT'S ONLY AMENDED TO THE EXTENT THAT, WE HAD A MILEAGE AMENDMENT. IT WOULD BE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET OF 57,616,034, ALONG WITH THE RECOMMENDED CUTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER. >> I'LL DO IT. I MOVE WE AMEND THE ORDINANCE. WHAT NUMBER IS IT? 20-25-180 AN OPERATING BUDGET OF 57,616,034? >> YES. >> COMMISERATE BUDGET DELETIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY MANAGER. >> WE HAVE A MOTION. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION. HEARING NONE, DONNA, CAN YOU DO A ROLL CALL? >> SURE. COMMISSIONER BREEN. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER GRANT. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER KILLINGS? >> AYE. >> MAYOR FORD. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. BUDGET PASSES. MOVING NOW TO ITEM 9B, [9.B. ORDINANCE NO. 5-25-72, Public Hearing and Final Reading] ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-72, PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER TWO, ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE 2, CITY COMMISSION, SECTION 2-20 SALARY OF MEMBERS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, PROVIDING FOR THE ANNUAL SALARIES OF THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS, PROVIDING FOR A PERIODIC REVIEW OF SAID SALARIES, PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION AND CODIFICATION, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MR. KILLINGSWORTH. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I SEEM TO BLOSSOM MY AGENDA. >> YOU WANT TO LOOK AT. >> I HAVE THE ITEM. IT'S THE ACTUAL AGENDA PIECE. ORDINANCE 5-25-72 IS THE COMMISSION PAY RAISES THAT WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY IN THE PAST. THE SALARIES ARE BASED OFF BENCHMARKS AGAINST AVERAGE CITY COMMISSION SALARIES IN NORTHEAST, FLORIDA, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE REPORT. THE COMMISSION APPROVED THIS ORDINANCE ON THE FIRST READ IN SEPTEMBER 8TH OF 2025. STAFF CONSIDERS RECOMMENDS APPROVING ORDINANCE 5-25-72. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED IN TO SPEAK? >> NO, SIR. >> HEARING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOTION, WE ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-72. >> TAKEN. >> WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> JUST ONE. I DID BRING UP LAST TIME. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS STEPHEN WENT INTO THE MINUTES, EITHER, BUT WAITING UNTIL NEXT OCTOBER, SO AT LEAST TWO OF THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS WOULDN'T BENEFIT FROM THIS. WAS IT IN THE MEETINGS, DONNA? MEETING MINUTES. >> BUT I COULD HAVE SWORN I DID BRING IT UP. THAT'S JUST AGAIN WHERE WE DID ROLL BACK A TAD, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I VOTED NO ON THAT. THE MAYOR SEAT AND SEAT 5 ON HERE WOULD BE TWO OF THE FIVE THAT WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT AMENDMENT TO THIS. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO FALL FLAT. >> YOU'RE OFFERING A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? >> I AM. >> TO DO WHAT? >> TO DEFER THE INCREASE UNTIL NEXT OCTOBER, WHICH WOULD ALSO MAYBE HELP SOME OF THE MONEY, THE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE HAD TO FOREGO BECAUSE OF THE MINI ROLLBACK. >> COMMISSIONER GRANT? IT'S YOUR MOTION? >> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO COMMISSIONER RING, I THINK WE'RE SPLITTING HAIRS. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LARGE SUM OF MONEY HERE. [02:10:03] NO MATTER HOW WE DO THIS OR IMPLEMENT THIS, WE'RE GOING TO, NONE OF US ALL, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF WE WERE ALL UP HERE AT THE SAME TIME AND SO, I DON'T KNOW. IT SEEMS LIKE A HARD ONE TO CRACK HERE. >> GO AHEAD, BRUCE. >> HOLD ON. EXCUSE ME. I'LL RUN THE MEETING. >> SORRY. >> GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO JUMP IN. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO TELL. THIS HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE. I THINK I BROUGHT THIS UP THE FIRST YEAR I WAS HERE, FIVE YEARS AGO. WE'VE DONE THE SURVEYS. WE KNOW. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RUN FOR OFFICE. I THINK I MENTIONED LAST TIME. THERE'S TWO OF US THAT WERE UNOPPOSED. IT MAY NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BENEFIT EITHER TRANSPORTATION, BABYSITTING, WHATEVER IT IS. IT'S AN INCENTIVE, WITH THAT EXTRA MONEY, GIVE IT TO BEAM OR DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RUN FOR OFFICE HERE, AND THIS IS WAY LONG OVERDUE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. SLIGHTLY OUT OF ORDER. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FOR A SECOND BEFORE WE ENTERTAINED THE DISCUSSION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT AMENDMENT? THE AMENDMENT WAS [OVERLAPPING]. >> I SECOND. >> WELL, YOU SECONDED THE ACTUAL MOTION. >> I DID NOT SECOND THE FRIENDLY. >> IF I CAN PUT US IN THE RIGHT POSTURE HERE. I THINK THERE WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE ACTUAL BILL ITSELF. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> HOWEVER, I THINK COMMISSIONER RING WAS POTENTIALLY PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT. >> SHE WAS. [OVERLAPPING] >> WHAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD TAKE THAT AS I MEAN, IF THAT'S STILL ON THE FLOOR, THAT WOULD BE HER PROPOSING THAT AMENDMENT, THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A SECOND DISCUSSION, AND THEN WE'LL GO ON THE BILL EITHER AS AMENDED OR NOT. >> WE'RE A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER. WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION, BUT DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION? >> JUST TO REITERATE THAT AMENDMENT, THE WAY I'LL INTERPRET IT IS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT COMMISSIONER RING IS PROPOSING THAT THIS BILL HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST OF 26. THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTOOD. >> THAT'S RIGHT. THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR PAY OR MEASLY PAY RAISE TO COVER SOME OF THOSE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE JUST LOST IN THE ROLLBACK. >> DO I HEAR A SECOND? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION FAILS, AND WE'LL GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL. >> MAYOR, MAY I SAY THAT DONNA TO OUR CITY CLERK, BECAUSE THE LAST TIME I DID BRING THIS UP IN SEPTEMBER 8TH, THAT ALSO DIDN'T MAKE OUR MEETING MINUTES. CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS ONE MAKES OUR MEETING MINUTES, PLEASE? >> YES. WE'RE GOING TO SHOW IT AS A MOTION THAT DIED FOR LACK OF A SECOND. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THE ORIGINAL MOTION. LET'S RESTATE, WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION? IT WAS YOU, COMMISSIONER. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER KELLY, AND SO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? HEARING NONE. A DONNA, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS AS WELL? >> COMMISSIONER BOLE? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER GRANT? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER KELLY? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER RING? >> NAY. >> MAYOR FORD? >> AYE. THANK YOU. MOVING TO ITEM 9B, ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-72, PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING. OH, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME STRAIGHT, AS OFTEN OCCURS. OKAY, 9C, ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-257. [9.C. ORDINANCE NO. 90-25-257, Public Hearing and First Reading] COMMISSIONER BOLE, WHERE WERE YOU ON THAT? YOU WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. >> I ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION, MAYOR AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'VE GOT BILL THERE TO HELP YOU. >> OH, NO. BILL WAS NOT THE ONE, IT WAS COUNCIL. ANYWAYS, BACK TO 9C, ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-257, PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, COUNTY OF DUVAL, STATE OF FLORIDA, AMENDING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, SPECIFICALLY AMENDING SECTION 24-89 STORMWATER DRAINAGE STORAGE, AND TREATMENT REQUIRED TO REDUCE THE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL STORMWATER STORAGE, PROVIDING FOR RECREATION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, MR. KILLINGSWORTH. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'M GOING TO ASK OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DIRECTOR TO COME UP AND PRESENT THE REPORT. [02:15:02] >> HI, GOOD EVENING. AMANDA ASKEW, THE NEIGHBORHOODS DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SUBJECT FOR A WHILE NOW. WE STARTED BACK WHEN WE UPDATED THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IN 2024. THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE ON-SITE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS. AS A RESULT, IT'S GONE BACK AND FORTH. IT'S COME TO COMMISSION. ULTIMATELY, STAFF HAD WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL WE UPDATED OUR STORMWATER MASTER PLAN. BUT STAFF WAS DIRECTED BY COMMISSION TO LOOK AT A WAY TO INITIATE SOME REDUCTION OR CHANGES TO RELIEF OPTIONS. THE PROPOSED CHANGE THAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A RELIEF OPTION. THAT WOULD REQUIRE ON-SITE STORMWATER STORAGE ONLY FOR NEW IMPROVEMENTS OR IMPERVIOUS AREA THAT EXCEED THE 35% LOT COVERAGE. THIS DID GO BEFORE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR DISCUSSION IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REMOVE THIS REQUIREMENT ALTOGETHER. BUT WHAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGE THE CODE. THE CODE RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY STATES, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING MORE THAN 400 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS THAT YOU'RE ADDING, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE ONSITE STORMWATER. THE PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD JUST REQUIRE ANYTHING IN EXCESS OF 35% IMPERVIOUS OR LOT COVERAGE TO PROVIDE STORMWATER FOR THAT INCREASE ONLY. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ON-SITE STORMWATER. >> MAYOR, IS IT OKAY IF I ASK HER A QUESTION? >> IT'S JUST A CLARIFICATION WHAT THE CDB DID OR DIDN'T APPROVE. THE CDBS REJECTED THIS FOUR SEPARATE TIMES. WHAT EXACTLY IS THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO GET RID OF JUST THIS SECTION 24-89(C) OR ALL OF 24-89? >> JUST 24-89(C), WHICH IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR ON-SITE STORMWATER FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO HAVE ANY ON-SITE STORE. >> NO MATTER WHAT THE OCCURRENCE, NEW BUILD REVISION? >> CORRECT. >> THANK YOU. >> MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ON THIS BEFORE. I AM AN UNABASHED BELIEVER IN ON-SITE STORAGE. IT'S WHAT KEEPS US FROM HAVING TO SPEND MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON ADDITIONAL STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. IF THE COMMISSION DID GO WITH THE CDBS' RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT IN TOTAL, WE WOULD END UP WITH PONS AND JANSEN AND HOWELL PARK JUST TO SOLVE THE ADDITIONAL RUNOFF COMING. I HAD MY STAFF GO BACK AND LOOK AT A FULL YEAR 2024 PERMITS. THE AMOUNT OF ONSITE STORAGE REQUIRED JUST IN THAT ONE YEAR AND 41 PERMITS WAS 90,000 CUBIC FEET OF WATER. JUST TO PUT THAT IN A LITTLE BETTER SCOPE. THAT'S A BASKETBALL COURT, 17 FEET FULL OR EIGHT QUARTER-ACRE LOTS, 1 FOOT. THAT'S HOW MUCH STORAGE WAS ADDED LAST YEAR. OVER THE TIME WE'VE DONE THIS ON AVERAGE, I SUSPECT THE NUMBER HAS BEEN INCREASING BECAUSE THE SIZE OF THE BUILDINGS HAS BEEN INCREASING. WE CHANGED OUR PROCEDURES IN 2019 TO MAKE IT CHARGE FOR THE TOTAL IMPERVIOUS ON A LOT, RATHER THAN JUST THE INCREASE IN THE IMPERVIOUS. THE ON-SITE STORAGE REQUIREMENT, ESPECIALLY IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH IN A CORE CITY IS KEEPING NEIGHBORS FRIENDLY TO NEIGHBORS, I THINK, IN A BIG PART OF IT. JUST I WANT TO THIS KEEPS GETTING TIED UP. YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, BUT THE 45% IMPERVIOUS LIMIT IS NOT A STORMWATER THING, THAT'S A ZONING CODE. IT IMPACTS STORMWATER, REALLY ONLY WHEN THERE'S A SMALL LOT AND THEY TRY TO FILL IT. STAFF NEVER TELLS PEOPLE HOW TO DO ON-SITE STORAGE. WE JUST GIVE THEM A VOLUME. HERE'S YOUR NUMBER. PICK A WAY TO MEET IT. WE RECENTLY PUT OUT A THREE-PAGE FLYER ON OUR CITY WEBSITE THAT GIVES PEOPLE THAT GIVES THEM THE BACKGROUND, BUT IT GIVES THEM OPTIONS, TELLS THEM, HERE'S ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU COULD USE TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT. [02:20:01] WE'VE HAD TWO STORMWATER MASTER PLAN UPDATES. ONE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN UPDATE THAT RECOMMENDED THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE CITY THEN IMPLEMENTED 2003, 2004. SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD TWO STORMWATER MASTER PLAN UPDATES THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THE REQUIREMENT AND SAID, THIS IS DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. IT'S REDUCING RUNOFF. THE LAST ONE SAID IS THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS OF CONTROLLING STORMWATER RUNOFF AT ITS SOURCE. AS AMANDA SAID, WE HAVE A STORMWATER MASTER PLAN BUDGETED FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR. WE STAFF STRONGLY RECOMMEND MAKE THIS A SPECIFIC TASK ITEM, TELL THEM, EVALUATE OUR ONSITE STORAGE REQUIREMENT, AND LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES. WHAT OTHER ALTERNATIVES DO WE HAVE TO REQUIRING THIS AT THE LOT LEVEL? A BIG COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SYSTEM IS WE'RE ONE OF THE VERY FEW CITIES THAT DO THIS ON THE LOT LEVEL. IF YOU'RE A LARGER DEVELOPMENT, THE ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT CONTROLS IT. IF YOU ARE ADDING IN THEIR CASE, THEY HAVE THRESHOLDS, 04,000 SQUARE FEET OF DRIVING SPACE OR 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS SPACE. WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSES THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO TRIPPING THAT THRESHOLD. NOW, SOME OF THEM, LIKE I SAID, ARE VERY CLOSE, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY HAD TO TELL ANYBODY TO GO GET WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ERP. THAT WE ARE TELLING PROBABLY REMEMBER THE NEW REDESIGN, REBUILD OF THE STORAGE UNITS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MAYPORT ROAD. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A WATER MANAGE DISTRICT PERMIT BEFORE THEY CAN COME TO THE CITY FOR BUILDING PERMIT. ANYWAY. >> MR. CARPER, I'D LIKE TO WRAP IT UP SO WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD. YOU'RE ADVOCATING THAT WE MAKE NO CHANGE IN THE CODE. >> ABSOLUTELY, YES. I'M ADVOCATING, LEAVE IT AS IT IS UNTIL WE GET THE NEW STUDY COMPLETED. >> THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY TO SPEAK? >> NO, SIR. >> I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW. >> THERE'S NO POINT OF ORDERS FROM THE AUDIENCE. SORRY. >> THE ONLY THING I HAD ON BRINKLEY HAROLD'S THING WAS FOR COURTESY OF THE FLOOR. IF YOU'RE ALLOWING THEM TO STILL SPEAK THAT'S UP TO YOU, BUT AS FAR AS SPEAKER FORMS, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING CHECKED ON HIS OTHER THAN COURTESY. >> I'LL HEAR HIM. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? >> MY FORM [INAUDIBLE] >> DURING COURTESY. >> EIGHT DIFFERENT ITEMS. >> THAT'S OKAY. LOOK, WE'RE AN OPEN CITY. PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M BRINKLEY HAROLD, 266 STREET. I AM ABSOLUTELY FOR THIS ORDINANCE WHICH REMOVES THAT FINAL TRIGGER. IF YOU REMEMBER OVER MONTHS AND MONTHS OF AGONIZING ABOUT THE CHANGES TO CHAPTER 24, IT STARTED WITH THREE TRIGGERS THAT THE CDB VOTED ON MULTIPLE TIMES TO REMOVE ALL THE TRIGGERS AND IRONICALLY, THE STAFF KEPT LEAVING THIS TRIGGER IN THERE. THEN FINALLY, THE CDB HAS VOTED MANY OTHER TIMES, A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL TIMES, AND I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE THE CDB IN SUPPORT OF REMOVING THIS FINAL TRIGGER ALSO. THIS PARTICULAR TRIGGER UNFAIRLY AFFECTS MOST OF THE RESIDENTS IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH. IT'S NOT THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH THAT HAS STORMWATER RUNOFF. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE WATER HITS ON THE PUBLIC STREETS. IT BEGINS ON ALL THE NUMBERED STREETS IN BEACH AVENUE, AND THE WATER RUNS DOWN THE STREET. IT RUNS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. I WATCHED DURING A BIG STORM, THE WATER SIX INCHES DEEP, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH WAS DESIGNED TO DRAIN DOWN THE STREETS FROM BEACH AVENUE, DOWN THE NUMBERED STREETS TO OCEAN, TO EAST COAST, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SHERRY, AND THEN INTO SHERMAN CREEK. ABOUT 20-ISH YEARS AGO. THEY DID A REDO ON MOST OF THE NUMBERED STREETS BETWEEN EAST COAST AND SHERRY. THEY INVERTED THE STREETS, PUT SOME NUMBER OF STORM DRAINS IN THERE TO FURTHER ALLEVIATE OR IMPROVE THE MOVEMENT OF WATER TO SHERMAN CREEK. REALLY, THE PROBLEM ISN'T WITH RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, IT'S WITH WATER THAT FALLS ON THE PAVED PUBLIC STREETS. [02:25:02] AGAIN, I HOPE YOU VOTE TO REMOVE THIS LAST FINAL TRIGGER. AS CITIZENS COMMITTEE, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, NOT A COMMITTEE HAS VOTED. WAS IT THREE TIMES OR FOUR TO HAVE IT REMOVED, AND IT'S COME BEFORE, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY KEEPS WANTING TO REFER BACK TO THE NEXT STORMWATER STUDY. WELL, IS THAT GOING TO COST US 200,000 OR 250,000, OR WAS IT 400,000? MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE LAST NUMBER THAT WAS QUOTED. BUT THERE'S NO ASSURANCE THAT STUDY'S EVEN GOING TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE I WENT BACK AND I READ THROUGH THE 2017 STUDY. I FORGET THE NUMBER OF PAGES, 110, 120 PAGES. I WENT THROUGH THAT, AND THEY MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I DON'T SEE WHERE ANY OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE COME TO FRUITION. WE DON'T NEED A NEW STUDY. WE JUST NEED SOMEBODY TO GET THE DUST OFF THE OLD STUDY AND REALLY PAY ATTENTION. BUT FOR THE HERE AND NOW, PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH REMOVES THAT FINAL TRIGGER. IF THINGS CHANGE A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW WITH A NEW STUDY, IT CAN BE READDRESSED. BUT FOR NOW, SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH THAT HAVE AN UNFAIR BURDEN PLACED ON THEM BY THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY. AN UNFAIR THING PLACED UPON THEM BY THE REMAINING TRIGGER IN CHAPTER 24. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. HAROLD. >> NO, SIR. I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL MOVE ON. LET ME GET BACK TO WHERE I'M AT HERE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-257. BUT I DO THINK I WANT AN AMENDMENT ON IT. BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE. BUT I'LL DO THIS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP. >> NO, YOU CAN MOVE THIS ORDINANCE AS AMENDED BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE ASKING TO BE AMENDED. I THINK THE PROPER POSTURE IS TO GO AHEAD IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE BUDGET ONE. LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE IT, GET A SECOND, AND THEN IF ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. THANK YOU. PLEASE. GO AHEAD. >> I MOVED THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-257. >> YES. WE HAVE A MOTION IN SECOND, AND NOW WE CAN OPEN UP DISCUSSION. >> BE IF I MAY. >> YES. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, MR. KILLINGSWORTH. I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT. >> YES. >> MISS AMANDA. >> THE SECOND PORTION THERE, IT SAYS, PROJECTS INCLUDING TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION OR MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT DEFINED AS A LEVEL 3 ALTERATION IN THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE. THIS, IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, WAS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH. IN PARTICULAR, WHAT ALL OF THOSE RENOVATIONS WOULD INCLUDE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO REDO YOUR KITCHEN, WHY WOULD YOU HAVE TO DO ON-SITE WATER STORM? >> A KITCHEN REMODEL WOULD NOT BE DEFINED AS A LEVEL 3 ALTERATION IN THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE. THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE DOES GET SPECIFICALLY INTO IT, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, IT'S BASICALLY TAKING EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE STUDS AND REDEVELOPING IT FROM THERE. IF YOU BASICALLY LEFT THE FRAME OF YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR ROOF, THEN YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEVEL 3 ALTERATION, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE ONSITE STORMWATER. >> BUT YOU WOULDN'T BE IMPACTING YOUR FOOTPRINT. YOU WOULD BE GOING PAST THE 45 OR MAKING ANY MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE? >> CORRECT. IT'S IN HERE THAT WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE ON-SITE STORMWATER REGARDLESS OF YOUR LOT COVERAGE. >> I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S TRIPPING ME UP. I DON'T THINK I REMEMBER. I REMEMBER THE TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION, BUT THE MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT DEFINED AS LEVEL 3 ALTERATION IN THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE. IF THE FOOTPRINT STAYS THE SAME, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WOULD NEED TO TRIGGER ON-SITE STORMWATER. TO BE HONEST, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH OVER MONTHS WITH THIS, AND I WAS VERY MUCH SO UP FOUR, REMOVING THE TRIGGER ALTOGETHER. THE COMPROMISE FROM MYSELF WAS TO GO TO 35 IMPERVIOUS, JUST SO STRANGE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A 45:55 RATIO. WHY IS THAT, NOT JUST WHAT WE HOLD TO? I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS COMING FROM IN THAT ARGUMENT AND WHY THEY VOTED IT. WHAT WAS IT? 5:2. >> THEY VOTED TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT ALTOGETHER. >> ALTOGETHER. >> THIS ENTIRE SECTION, THE 2489C1. >> THREE TIMES? >> YES. >> YES. >> ONE MORE QUESTION. IN THE MINUTES IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, [02:30:03] IT DOES SAY ASK YOU NOTED A POTENTIAL ISSUE. THIS WAS ON PAGE 105. IT SAYS, DIRECTOR AMANDA ASK YOU PRESENTED PROPOSED CHANGES TO STORMWATER REGULATION. SHE EXPLAINED THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, BUT THE COMMISSION FELT REMOVING ONSITE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS ENTIRELY BEFORE THE STORMWATER STUDY WAS COMPLETED WAS PREMATURE. THE PROPOSED COMPROMISE WOULD DELETE THE 400 SQUARE FOOT TRIGGER AND ADD A TRIGGER FOR ANYTHING OVER 35% IMPERVIOUS, REQUIRING ON-SITE STORMWATER FOR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 35% AND 45%. THIS IS THE PART I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT. ASK YOU NOTED A POTENTIAL ISSUE, IF YOU COME IN AND YOU HAVE YOUR WANTING TO ADD A SHED AND THE SHED IS 100 SQUARE FEET, YOU TECHNICALLY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT 100 SQUARE FEET. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT? >> THE WAY THE CODE IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED BEFORE YOU, IF YOU ARE AT 35%, I DON'T NEED THEM SOMETIMES. >> NO. >> I DIDN'T TELL HER TO SAY THAT, CELINE. I WAS THINKING IT. [LAUGHTER]. >> IF THE CODE CHANGES TO HOW IT WOULD BE WRITTEN OR IT'S PROPOSED TONIGHT, IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY AT 35% LOT COVERAGE, AND YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING. LET'S JUST SAY IT IS A 100 SQUARE FOOT SHED, AND THAT WOULD PUT YOU AT 36% LOT COVERAGE. YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE ON-SITE STORMWATER FOR THAT NET INCREASE, WHATEVER THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE IS THAT BROUGHT YOU OVER THE 35% SQUARE LOT COVERAGE. >> WELL, AND I GUESS WHAT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION WHEN YOU WERE DISCUSSING THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, SHOULD WE JUST TAKE OUT THE TRIGGER? BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I READ IT THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY FOR TAKING OUT THE TRIGGER ALTOGETHER? >> NO, I'M NOT FOR TAKING OUT THE TRIGGER. STAFF ULTIMATELY WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE ALL THE TRIGGERS IN PLACE AND HAVE ON-SITE STORMWATER. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY COMMISSION AS A STOPGAP UNTIL WE GET THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN UPDATED. >> IF YOU PUT IN A 100 SQUARE FOOT SHED, WOULD THAT TRIGGER ON-SITE STORMWATER RETENTION? >> UNDER THE CURRENT CODE, NO, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE LESS THAN THE 400 SQUARE FOOT TRIGGER. BUT UNDER THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE, YES, THAT WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE ONSITE STORMWATER FOR THAT 100 SQUARES. >> IS THAT WHY THE STAFF RECOMMENDED 400 SQUARE FEET? I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, NOW I WANT TO JUST REMOVE IT ALTOGETHER. BECAUSE YOU LISTED THAT THERE, AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT, SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT TO ME. NOW I'M READY TO JUST GET RID OF THAT TRIGGER ALTOGETHER BECAUSE THAT'S RIDICULOUS. THAT'S A 10 BY 10 SHED. >> PREVIOUSLY, PRIOR TO 2004, THE CODE TRIGGER WAS 250 SQUARE FEET. IN 2004, THE CODE WAS UPDATED TO THE TRIGGER OF 400 SQUARE FEET. >> WHICH IS SUCH A MINUTE. THE THING IS IS IF WE'RE AT THE 45, AND THIS IS NOT JUST MY ARGUMENT. >> COMMISSIONER. LET ME JUST SAY THIS. YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE GOOD, BUT SHE'S JUST GIVING INFORMATION. MAKE YOUR FINAL ARGUMENT, MAKE YOUR MOTION, AND WE CAN MOVE ON. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR HER. >> THANK YOU, AMANDA. WERE YOU TRYING TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT? >> I THINK I DO. I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-257 TO COMPLETELY REMOVE SECTION 24-89C. >> SECOND. >> THAT'S A BIG CHANGE FROM THIS. LET ME GET A CLARIFICATION, AND WE CAN GO TO COUNSEL FOR EDIFICATION ON THAT. BUT ARE YOU TRYING TO REMOVE THE CAVEAT THAT WAS INSTALLED IN RED THAT SAID PROJECTS, INCLUDING TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION OR MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT, SHALL PROVIDE ON-SITE STORAGE, OR ARE YOU TRYING TO REMOVE THAT SO THAT YOU HAVE CLEARLY REMOVED THE TRIGGER THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY 400 SQUARE FEET? ARE YOU TRYING TO REMOVE THAT OR COMPLETELY REMOVE SECTION 24-89? >> JUST TO REMOVE SECTION 24-89C, JUST AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD HAS BROUGHT UP. THAT IS BECAUSE THAT ONE CAVEAT THAT WAS SHARED BY NEIGHBORHOOD DIRECTOR, ABOUT WELL, IF WE EVEN HAVE 35%, [02:35:04] IF YOU PUT IN A 10 BY 10 SHED, YOU'D STILL HAVE TO HAVE AN ONSITE STORMWATER RETENTION. WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN HAD IT NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP BY HER. >> IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR. I THINK YOU MAY BE MISUNDERSTANDING. IF YOU'RE AT 35% OR LOWER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO, AS LONG AS YOU STAY UNDERNEATH THAT, YOU CAN DO IT, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T SCRAPE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW. IF YOU AT 35%, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T SCRAPE THE BUILDING OR TAKE IT BACK TO THE STUDS, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. IF YOU GO ABOVE THAT 35-45, THEN YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE ON-SITE STORAGE. WHAT DIRECTOR ASKEW WAS REFERRING TO IS, IF YOU GO 35-40 BECAUSE YOU ADDED AN ADDITION TO YOUR HOUSE. YOU HAVE TO MITIGATE THAT. IF YOU GO AND ADD A SHED AND THAT TAKES YOU OVER 35, YOU'LL HAVE TO MITIGATE THAT. WHAT SHE'S REFERRING TO IS PREVIOUSLY, WE HAD A DE MINIMIS STANDARD IN THERE. IF YOU WERE DOING LESS THAN 400 SQUARE FEET, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. THAT GOT TAKEN OUT WHEN THE COMMISSION MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE THE THRESHOLD 35%. ANYTHING UNDER 35% DOESN'T HAVE TO DO SOMETHING UNLESS THEY SCRAPE OR MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT, AND ANYTHING OVER 45% DOES WITHOUT ANY DE MINIMIS. >> I GUESS IT'S VERY ONEROUS ON THE HOMEOWNER. 45%, 55%, THAT'S OUR RATIO. EVEN PUTTING THE 35% WASN'T REALLY FOUR. BUT NOW THE THOUGHT THAT YOU COULD PUT IN A 10 BY 10, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO PUT IN A DITCH IN YOUR YARD THAT'S THE SIZE OF [OVERLAPPING]. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IN A DITCH. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS. THE OTHER IS, IF THAT'S YOUR CONCERN, THEN PUT THE DE MINIMIS STANDARD BACK IN THERE. >> MAYOR, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU. >> YES. COMMISSIONER BOLE, GO AHEAD. >> JUST A POINT. NUMBER 1, ARE WE TRYING TO MAKE ATLANTIC SAFER OR LESS SAFE? THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER THAT WE'VE HEARD TO TONIGHT IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, WHICH I'D LIKE TO CALL BACK TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. >> HOLD ON. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ALLOW THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THINKING THIS MEETING WOULD BE OVER, AND I COULD GO TO THE MEN'S ROOM. IT'S NOT OVER. YOU'LL HONOR ME ON THAT FIVE MINUTES. COMMISSIONER BOLE, ARE YOU READY? >> YES, SIR. >> THANK YOU. YOU CAN GO AHEAD. >> MY POINT IS, LET'S GET A PROFESSIONAL UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS A MAJOR IMPACT ON OUR CITY. AGAIN, ARE WE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE SAFE, LESS SAFE? WHICH WAY ARE WE TRYING TO GO? LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE'VE GOT A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER ON THE STAFF THAT HAS STUDIED THIS PROBLEM. WHY ARE WE GOING TO GET A STORMWATER REPORT IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW IT COMING UP? I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO TELL ME SOME OF THE OUTCOMES OF SOME OF THESE ACTIONS. THANK YOU. >> I THINK HE'S ALREADY DONE THAT. I THINK WE'RE CLEAR THAT HE BELIEVES THIS IS DETRIMENTAL. >> NO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. I THINK THAT HE COULD ADD SOME MORE ANALYSIS OF THIS BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING A WIDE RANGE HERE. WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE. >> PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. I'M NOT GOING TO SET A TIME LIMIT, BUT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. >> I GUESS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO ADDRESS, I THIS DE MINIMIS REQUIREMENT? WHEN THE ORDINANCE WAS FIRST PUT IN PLACE 2003/4, THERE WAS NO DE MINIMIS REQUIREMENT. THE CITY ADDED THE 400 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENTS SOMETIME FOR 2008 OR 2009. IT WAS BASED ON MY CALCULATION THAT 400 SQUARE FEET GAVE YOU 250 CUBIC FEET OF STORAGE, PLUS OR MINUS. THAT WAS A GOOD NUMBER FOR SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO CALCULATE, TO BE ABLE TO FIND HOW TO DO THAT. AFTER I RETIRED, IT WENT TO 250, CAME BACK TO 400. BUT A DE MINIMIS REQUIREMENT IF IT'S NOT THERE, IT MAKES LIFE FOR STAFF VERY HARD WHEN THEY'RE REVIEWING PLANS. TO ADDRESS MR. HAROLD'S COMMENT ABOUT THE WATERS ALL IN THE STREET. NO, IT'S NOT. WHERE DOES THAT WATER COME FROM? MOST OF THAT WATER CAME OFF OF THE PROPERTIES. OUR ON-SITE STORAGE REQUIREMENT REQUIRES THAT THEIR OVERFLOW RUNS TO THE STREET. THEY HAVE TO WATER FROM THE ONSITE STORAGE HAS TO GET TO THE STREET EVENTUALLY. [02:40:07] >> YES. COMMISSIONER, GO AHEAD. >> RICK, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP MR. HAROLD'S COMMENTS, ARE YOU DISPUTING THE FACT THAT WATER FLOWS FROM BEACH A, WHICH IS HIGHER IN ELEVATION THAN THE NUMBERED STREETS IN OLD AT LLANKE BEACH, BECAUSE WATER IS DOING THAT? >> NO, I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT. I'M JUST SAYING THAT THE PAVEMENT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT AREA THAT IS PAVEMENT, IT'S SMALL COMPARED TO THE PERCENTAGE AREA THAT'S HOUSES RESIDENTIAL. WELL, A HOUSE ROOF IS JUST AS IMPERVIOUS AS THAT PAVEMENT. >> I GET THAT. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IS THAT I THINK WE HAVE MORE OF A WATER PROBLEM COMING FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE SUBDIVISION INTO OLD ATLANTIC BEACH, I.E, THE BEACHFRONT, BEACH A, EAST COAST. WHY IS THE HOMEOWNER IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WATER? I MEAN, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AS A CITY. JUST MY OPINION, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AS A CITY TO CURB THAT SOMEHOW. I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. >> ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS EARLY ON WAS TO LOOK AT MODIFYING OUR ON-SITE STORAGE REQUIREMENT BY ZONES FOR THE CITY. HAVE A TAILORED STANDARD FOR WEST OF MAYPORT ROAD, HAVE A DIFFERENT STANDARD FOR PEOPLE LIVING UP ON THE DUNE. THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCLUDE AS A TASK IN THE STUDY. THE SCOPE FOR THE STUDY HASN'T BEEN WRITTEN, SO WE CAN ADD ANYTHING WE WANT. THEY WILL DO WHAT WE TELL THEM WE'RE GOING TO PAY THEM TO DO. >> GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER. >> HAVE WE POSITED THAT PERHAPS WE COULD DO IT BY BASIN? >> THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. ZONE SPACES. YES. >> I THINK TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER BOLE, THE CITY HAS PREVIOUSLY DECIDED, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED TO MANAGE STORMWATER, BUT THE CITY HAS DECIDED THAT THE CITIZENS WOULD DO THAT MANAGEMENT WITH ONSITE STORAGE. WE GET THAT. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT WE'VE HAD, I THINK, AT LEAST TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CDB TO COMPLETELY STRIKE THIS PORTION OF THE CODE. THERE ARE SOME SMART PEOPLE. >> THEY'RE NOT ENGINEERS. >> THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT, WHICH IS WHY I'VE SAID IT PREVIOUSLY THAT I'M WILLING TO CONSIDER WAITING FOR A NEW STORMWATER STUDY, BUT LOOKING FOR WHAT WOULD BE REASONABLE RELIEF. I STILL HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, AND I APOLOGIZE TO MR. KILLINGSWORTH, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ON THIS. BUT I'M GOING TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE YOU GUYS CONTINUE WITH YOUR DISCUSSION. BUT IF WE ACCEPTED THIS, NOTWITHSTANDING THE PORTION THAT'S BEEN ADDED TO MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT, TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION, AND SO ON. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT, WE'VE ACTUALLY ELIMINATED THE RELIEF THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE CODE, WHAT YOU CALL DE MINIMIS, WHICH IS NOT MORE THAN 400 SQUARE FEET UP TO 45% LOT COVERAGE. IS THAT CORRECT? >> YOU HAVE NO DEMINIMUS. >> IF WE WERE TO NOT COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THIS SECTION OF THE CODE, BUT SIMPLY MODIFY TO ANYTHING LESS THAN 35% DOES NOT HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ONSITE STORAGE, WE STILL WILL HAVE GIVEN UP THE DEMINIMUS RELIEF OF 400 SQUARE FEET. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT TO THE POINT I THINK COMMISSIONER RING IS DISCUSSING, ALTHOUGH YOU DIDN'T HIT THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY. BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY IN AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE RELIEF AT 35%, AND I HEAR YOUR ARGUMENT. I HEAR THE ARGUMENT FROM ANYBODY AND FROM ENGINEERS THAT ALL PROPERTIES PRODUCE STORMWATER RUNOFF DURING THE MAJOR STORMS. BUT EVEN A SAND LOT PRODUCES STORMWATER RUNOFF DURING MAJOR STORMS. HERE'S MY FINAL POINT ON THIS. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION GOING IN AT 35% LOT COVERAGE, AND KNOCK-DOWN REBUILDS AND REMODELS. I REALLY DON'T THINK THIS IS ONEROUS WHEN I HEAR COMMISSIONER BOLE TALK ABOUT SAFETY AND PROTECTING THE CITIZENS AND SO ON. [02:45:01] I DON'T THINK THIS IS A BIG ISSUE TO GIVE RELIEF AT 35% OR LESS IN THIS PERIOD WHERE WE'RE WAITING FOR A COMPLETE STORMWATER STUDY, BUT I HOPE SOMEBODY WILL AMEND THIS TO ELIMINATE COMPLETELY THE ADDITIONAL RED INK OF PROJECTS INCLUDING TOTAL RECONSTRUCTION OR MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT ALTERATION SHALL PROVIDE ON SITE STORAGE, BECAUSE THE POINT HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT OUT BY COMMISSIONER RING, THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO A MAJOR REMODEL, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS CLARIFIED BY AMANDA ASK YOU THAT IF YOU TOOK IT DOWN TO THE STUDS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ONSITE STORMWATER RETENTION, EVEN IF YOUR FOOTPRINT DIDN'T INCREASE. ALL I'M SAYING IS, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET RIGHT WITH THE CITIZENS AND BALANCE OUT OUR DESIRE TO PROTECT WITH THEIR DESIRE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES WITHOUT EXCESS GOVERNMENT REGULATION. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THAT, COMMISSIONER GRANT. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU CAN SIT DOWN, RICK. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. MY POSITION FOR A LONG TIME EVER SINCE I BEGAN RUNNING FOR THIS OFFICE IS I ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A STORMWATER ISSUE, OF COURSE, BUT MY POSITION HAS BEEN FOR THE CITY TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND NOT PUSH THE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS TO OUR CITIZENS. I THINK SOME REASONABLE ASK ARE APPROPRIATE, BUT I THINK THUS FAR, SINCE WE CAME UP WITH STORMWATER RETENTION, I THINK WE'VE BEEN UNREASONABLE WITH THE CITIZENS IN ATLANTA BEACH. A COUPLE OF THINGS, EVEN THIS ORDINANCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ALREADY HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. COMMISSIONER RING TALKED ABOUT IF YOU BUILD A 100 FOOT ADDITION AND NOW YOU'RE OVER 35%. BEFORE, IF WE LEFT IT AT 400, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO IT. NOW THEY WOULD BE. ANOTHER UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE WITH THE LEVEL 3 ALTERATION, WHICH THERE ARE MANY LEVEL 3 ALTERATIONS THAT DO NOT INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE OF YOUR PROPERTY, YET ANOTHER GOT YOU. YOU GOT TO PROVIDE STORMWATER FOR YOUR ENTIRE PROPERTY. THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH THE COMMUNITY. FURTHERMORE, IT'S CONFUSING. THE CONFUSION THAT I'VE SEEN HERE JUST IN THIS DISCUSSION SHOULD BE THE RED FLAG THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. EVEN THE STUDY YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE CONCENTRATED THAT STUDY ON AREAS OF A TOWN THAT HAD, OPTICALLY A BIGGER ISSUE WITH THEIR STORM WATER RUNOFF AND THEIR ACCUMULATION. WE TOOK THE MOST, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? THE MOST IMPAIRED PART OF TOWN, AND THEN DECIDED TO APPLY THAT TO THE ENTIRE CITY. THAT IS EGREGIOUS IN MY BOOK. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WAS FAIR TO ANYBODY IF THERE ARE SECTIONS OF TOWN THAT NEED HELP, AND THEREFORE IT, FINE. BUT I JUST THINK THAT THAT WAS A BIG OVERREACH. ANOTHER BIG OVERREACH IS THE CALCULATION. RICK, YOU TALK ABOUT ENGINEERS. WE GOT ENGINEERS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY THAT HAVE REBUKED THE NUMBERS THAT STAFF HAS COME UP WITH OVER AND OVER, AND WE'VE DISMISSED THEM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS POINT OUT THINGS THAT WERE UNREASONABLE, SUCH AS THE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS. TYPICAL STORAGE REQUIREMENTS ON A 75 BY 125 LOT AT 45% COVERAGE IS 22,500 GALLONS OF WATER. OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH IN FERDINA BEACH, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIMILAR TOPOGRAPHY, LAND AROUND US, CREEKS COMING IN THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE IS 2,950 GALLONS OF RETENTION. GOOD LORD. WE'RE LIKE 90% HIGHER THAN THAT. WHY IS THAT? HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS? IT'S JUST UNTENABLE. WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT, WE NEED TO HAVE A STUDY. WE NEED NO STUDY. I LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING BACK TO THE OLD STUDY AND VETTING OUT WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE. WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE ANY OF THEM? OR HAVE WE? I DON'T KNOW. MY RECOMMENDATION, BASED ON THE ACCUMULATIVE INFORMATION THAT I'VE GARNERED OVER THE MONTHS I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS, [02:50:01] IS TO FOLLOW THE CDBS RECOMMENDATIONS AND GET RID OF 24-89 UNTIL WE CAN BE PROVEN OTHERWISE THAT WE NEED IT. MAYBE THE COMPROMISE DOWN THE ROAD IS, OKAY, THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS THAT NEED IT BECAUSE THEY'VE OVER DEVELOPED THEIR AREA, IE OLD ATLANTIC BEACH. THEN WE CAN GO BY BASINS OR WHATEVER IT WAS WE DISCUSSED. BUT UNTIL WE GET SOME EMPIRICAL DATA, SOME UNBIASED DATA THAT'S COMING FROM OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE STAFF. I THINK WE REMOVE IT. THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. >> THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT THAT'S NOT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. LET'S GO BACK TO THE MOVER OF THAT MOTION. DID YOU HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? >> I HAD NONE. JUST TO REITERATE, MY MOTION IS TO REMOVE SECTION 24-89C1 ALTOGETHER. >> WAS THAT YOUR ORIGINAL MOTION? >> NO. MY ORIGINAL WAS WHY [OVERLAPPING]. >> YOU'RE MAKING AN AMENDMENT. >> THAT'S TRUE. >> GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR AMENDMENT AGAIN, AND WE'LL SEE IF YOU'VE GOT A SECOND. >> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-257, AMENDING THE REMOVAL OF SECTION 24-89C. >> DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 24-89 AND 24-89 C. >> LOOK YOU HAVE THIS PAGE. >> TO BE CLEAR, 24-89 IN GENERAL IS STORMWATER DREAM ALL OF SORE WATER. WHICH I THINK FROM WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING HERE, YOU WOULD WANT TO REMOVE JUST THE ONSITE STORAGE PORTION, WHICH IS C. THAT WOULD BE C1 THROUGH SEVEN, I THINK. I BELIEVE IN LIGHT OF WHAT I'VE HEARD, THOSE THAT ARE OF THAT. THAT WANT TO GET RID OF 224-89C. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> C. WOULDN'T ONE THROUGH SEVEN ALSO NEED TO BE REMOVED? >> C REMOVES ALL SEVEN. >>YEAH. C. >> C. YEAH. I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH THAT. THANK YOU. >> ARE YOU SECONDING THE MOTION? >> YES. NOW WE CAN OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON THAT. COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> YES, SIR. I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THIS. THANKS. >> UNDERSTOOD. IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I'M GOING TO COMMENT. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE CDB. WHILE THEY I BELIEVE IT WAS A 52 VOTE, IF I HEARD CORRECTLY TO ELIMINATE ALL OF THAT CODE REGARDING ON SITE STORMWATER. I BELIEVE THEY WERE UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE REQUESTS, AND THERE'S TWO ISSUES AT HAND. ONE IS, DO WE COMPLETELY GO AWAY FROM INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES DOING ON SITE STORMWATER RETENTION? NUMBER 2, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES IF WE COMPLETELY GO AWAY FROM IT, AND THEN WE DECIDE TO RETURN TO IT. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MEANTIME WITH PEOPLE THAT ALREADY HAVE ON SITE STORMWATER RETENTION, AND DO THEY START FILLING IN THEIR SWALES AND SO ON. I HEAR THAT, AND I BELIEVE SOME OF THE CDB MEMBERS UNDERSTAND THAT OR HEAR THAT. THE QUESTION IS, DO WE GIVE THEM TRUE RELIEF TO THE 24-89C IN EACH OF THE SUB PARAGRAPHS AS THIS MOTION IS REQUESTING? THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE TO PUT BACK IN IF YOU DO SOMETHING WITH A HOUSE THAT DOES NOT INCREASE THE FOOTPRINT, YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. THE POINT IS, THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT 35% OR LESS SHOULD BE REGULATED FOR ONSITE STORMWATER. MY ONLY QUESTION IS, AND I THINK I'VE ANSWERED IT ALREADY, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THIS BILL, MR. KILLINGSWORTH, IS, IF THAT WAS ELIMINATED, WE WOULD STILL, IN FACT, HAVE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ON 35.01 AND ABOVE, IS THAT CORRECT? REGARDLESS OF 400 FEET OR ANYTHING ELSE. IF WE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED SUBPARAGRAPH C ON SITE STEWARD. WAIT A SECOND. NO. >> NO. THERE WILL BE NO ON SITE STEW. >> THAT WOULD BE COMPLETE. BUT THAT'S THE MOTION AND THE SECOND. I GOT IT. [02:55:01] NOW IS THE TIME TO SPEAK UP. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL. >> COMMISSIONER GRANT? >> AYE. >> MR. KELLY? >> NAY. >> MR. RING? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> AYE. >> MAYOR BOARD. >> AYE. >> MOTION PASSES. YOU'VE PASSED THE AMENDMENT. NOW. I'M SORRY. NOW YOU WANT TO MOVE THE BILL AS AMENDED. I THINK WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND. >> WE ALREADY HAVE THAT MOTION SECOND, SO AGAIN, WE'LL GO THROUGH A ROLL CALL ON THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER KELLY. >> NAY. >> MR. REIN. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. >> NAY. >> COMMISSIONER GRANT? >> AYE. >> MAYOR FORD. >> AYE. NOW, THE MOTION PASSES, AND WE'LL MOVE TO THE I THINK IT'S THE FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA. ITEM 9D, ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-258, [9.D. ORDINANCE NO. 90-25-258, Public Hearing and First Reading] PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, COUNTY OF DUVAL, STATE OF FLORIDA, HEREBY AMENDING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AS ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-24 D 253, INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS TO. THIS ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY AMENDING SECTION 24-161, OFF STREET PARKING AND LOADING, PROVIDING FOR RECORDATION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. LLINGSWOR. >> I'M GOING TO ASK THE DIRECTOR TO COME UP AGAIN. >> HI, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, AMANDA ASK YOU. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD HAD A DISCUSSION FOLLOWING A VARIANCE HEARING THAT THEY HAD. THE DISCUSSION WAS REGARDING SHARED PARKING, SPECIFICALLY SHARED PARKING ON THE SAME PARCEL. CURRENTLY, OUR CODE ALLOWS OFFSITE PARKING SHARED. YOU DO HAVE TO PROVE THAT YOU OPERATE AT DIFFERENT HOURS AND YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM. THEIR PROPOSED CHANGE IS TO ALLOW SHARED PARKING ON THE SAME PARCEL. THE SAME THING, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU HAVE OPPOSITE HOURS AND THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN AGREEMENT. WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 24 SECTION 161 G3 THAT ALLOWS ONSITE AND OFFSITE SHARED PARKING. AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SEPARATE TIME PERIODS, AND WE DO REQUIRE IT TO BE RECORDED AND AN AGREEMENT SUBMITTED TO THE CITY. THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. DONNA. ASSUMING WE WE HAVE ONE PERSON. [LAUGHTER] MR. HAROLD, CAN WE GET RELIEF AT THIS TIME? >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THANK YOU. THEN I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 90-25-258. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND DISCUSSION. >> I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. BILL, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME. WE'RE GIVEN CREDIT FOR THE ONSITE PARKING. ARE WE FOR WHEN IT'S WE HAVE USE IN THE DAY VERSUS USE IN THE NIGHT? ARE WE TAKING AWAY ANY AVAILABLE PARKING TO THEM OUTSIDE OF THAT THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR? WE'RE NOT. JUST ONE TO RECTIFY THAT BECAUSE I THINK ONE DRAFT OF THIS DID, AND I THINK WE PULLED IT BACK OUT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> THE ONLY THING THAT HAPPENED WAS YOU TOOK THE SAME LANGUAGE AND AND MADE IT FOR ON SITE SHARED PARKING AND OFFSITE SHARED PARKING. YOU MADE THE LANGUAGE THE SAME WAS FOR BOTH OF THEM. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS TOO, DONNA. THANK YOU'RE STARTING WITH. >> COMMISIONER RING. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER BRANT? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER KELLY? [03:00:01] >> AYE. >> THEREFORE. >> AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW AT ITEM 11, CITY ATTORNEY, YOUR COMMENTS. >> DO YOU WANT MY FULL PRESENTATION TONIGHT OR. [LAUGHTER]. >> THE ABBREVIATED. >> NO COMMENTS. CITY CLERK? >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BOLE. [12. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER] >> FIRST OF ALL, HOW ABOUT THE JAGUARS? SECOND, I LEARNED SOMETHING BY BEING ON THE OTHER END OF A ZOOM CALL. I AM GUILTY OF THIS IS THAT YOU CAN HEAR YOU GUYS ON THE MICROPHONES WHEN YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN HEAR YOU GUYS. THAT'S MY TIP OF THE DAY. BUT I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION, AND I LEARNED A LOT TODAY. THANKS. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GRANT? >> NOTHING. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER KELLY. >> NOTHING. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER REIN. >> JUST DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE DONNER PARK PLAYGROUND ENHANCEMENT MEETING THIS THURSDAY AT 2:00 P.M. THERE'S ALSO A SURVEY. >> THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER. >> NOTHING. >> I'LL FINISH UP WITH NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY'S FOCUS TONIGHT. THIS WAS A TOUGH ONE. BUT IF THERE IS NO FURTHER CITY BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BOLE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.