Feb 23, 2026 Commission Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER ]

[00:00:04]

WELCOME RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS, AND GUESTS. AS IS OUR NORM, WE WILL START WITH AN INVOCATION OF PLEDGE BEFORE WE OPEN THE MEETING. SO IF YOU'LL JOIN US, PLEASE.

FOR THOSE SERVING OUR NATION, FOR ALL THOSE IN POSITION OF POWER, THAT WE MAY USE OUR LIBERTY AND RESOURCES.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR GRACIOUS WILL.

FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS, FOR EVERYONE, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN LIVE WITH JUSTICE AND PEACE.

FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, FOR OUR SCHOOLS, AND FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, GUIDE US IN THE WORK WE DO, THAT WE MAY NOT DO IT FOR SELF ALONE, AND REMIND US THAT YOU HAVE LINKED OUR LIVES WITH ONE ANOTHER, THAT ALL WE DO AFFECTS, FOR GOOD OR ILL, ALL OTHERS' LIVES. AMEN. AMEN.

PLEASURE, REGENTS, TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

BEFORE WE OPEN THE MEETING, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND WELCOME TWO ADDITIONAL MAYORS IN THE CHAMBERS TONIGHT.

MAYOR COREY BILEN FROM THE CITY OF NEPTUNE BEACH, WELCOME. AND MAYOR CHRIS HOFFMAN FROM JACKSONVILLE BEACH, WELCOME.

THIS MEETING OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, DATED FEBRUARY 23, 2026, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER. DONNA, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER BOWLES? PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER GRANT? PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER KELLY. PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER RING. PRESENT.

MAYOR FORD. PRESENT. OKAY,

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES IS ITEM 1. 1A IS APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING HELD MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES? HEARING NONE, THE MINUTES STAND AS PRESENTED.

AND NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO COURTESY OF THE FLOOR

[2. COURTESY OF FLOOR TO VISITORS ]

BECAUSE THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE, WE'RE STILL GOING TO PROCEED, AND SHE KNOWS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW, SO MAYBE SHE'S WATCHING ON VIDEO. BUT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT A JOINT CHECK TONIGHT.

FROM ALL THREE BEACHES, CITIES, JACKSONVILLE BEACH, NEPTUNE, AND ATLANTIC, TO BAND DIRECTOR RANDY SALINAS. AND I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT HER TITLE IS, BUT WE'LL CALL HER MAJOR FUNDRAISING INDIVIDUAL, DABNEY MCCRARY. AND I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD AS SAYING.

DABNEY MCCRARY GETS THIS CHECK ON BEHALF OF THE FLETCHER BAND BECAUSE OF HER TIRELESS DEDICATION TO PURSUING ME AND THE OTHER TWO MAYORS. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE GRIT THAT COMES ALONG WITH DOING THAT TYPE OF FUNDRAISING DESERVES REWARDS.

SO THIS YEAR, ALL THREE CITIES ARE JOINED TOGETHER. AND IF THE OTHER TWO MAYORS WILL JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. SO, OH, CHECK TWO. THIS ONE IS NEGOTIABLE ONLY AT BANK OF AMERICA. I'M TEASING. SO, MAYORS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ANY SAY IN A COMMENT OR TWO? I CAN JUST SAY AS A.

FORMER MEMBER OF THE FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND. I'M VERY EXCITED. A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, WHEN CLARINETS WERE BRAND NEW.

SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT OUR CITY AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WAY. DABNEY IS A JACKSONVILLE BEACH RESIDENT, BY THE WAY. SO IT'S ONE OF OUR GREAT PRIDES, PRIDE OF THE BEACHES, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO FREQUENTLY. AS FAR AS CITY OF JACKSONVILLE BEACH, THIS IS A LITTLE OUT OF... PROGRAM FOR US, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT AND GLAD TO STAND ALONG THE OTHER BEACHES, CITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE FLETCHER BAND. I'LL JUST ECHO

[00:05:02]

BUT I AM A FLETCHER ALUM. AND SO I AM VERY, VERY PROUD OF WHAT FLETCHER DOES IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND WHAT...

SOME PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS IT ACTUALLY OVERLAPS. SO FLETCHER DOES WORK WITH MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OTHER SCHOOLS. AND SO WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN GOING TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, NOT JUST FLETCHER. OBVIOUSLY FLETCHER JUNIOR OR FLETCHER MIDDLE, BUT MAYPORT MIDDLE. AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR SISTER CITIES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS... ALL THREE CITIES IN UNITY IN SUPPORT OF FLETCHER BAND.

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO DO A $12,500 PRESENTATION, WHICH IS QUITE A NUMBER.

BECAUSE IN PAST YEARS, WE WERE CONTRIBUTING $10,000, I BELIEVE, IN MOST RECENT YEARS, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GO THAT HIGH AS A CITY THIS YEAR. SO, HAVING THE OTHER TWO CITIES CONNECTED, FLETCHER BAND ACTUALLY BENEFITS FROM THIS.

AND SO, DABNEY, WHEN YOU WATCH THIS OR HEAR THIS, SPEND IT WELL, SPEND IT WISELY. WE KNOW YOU WILL. AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND WHAT MR. SALINAS DOES, AND THE ENTIRE BAND. SO CAN YOU JOIN US, MR. SITTINGMAN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE PULLED IT OFF. OKAY. NOW WE GET TO HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR GUESTS. HOW MANY HAVE SIGNED IN, DONNA? FIVE. FIVE. WONDERFUL. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL THE FIRST CONTESTANT. AMY FRANKE. COME ON DOWN. HELLO, GOOD EVENING.

AMY FRANKE. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE. I HAVE JUST A FEW UPDATES TO SHARE, DEFINITELY NOT ALL COMPREHENSIVE, BUT A FEW REALLY FUN THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON. THIS LAST SATURDAY, WE HOSTED THE WEED WRANGLE AT HOWELL PARK, AND I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT. WE HAD 35 VOLUNTEERS SHOW UP FROM THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER KELLY. SHE WAS OUT THERE, PULLING INVASIVE, TUBEROUS BIRD FERNS. THAT'S RIGHT. OH, SUCKERS, HOLD ON.

WE ALSO HAD AN APPEARANCE FROM CITY MANAGER INTERIM, KEVIN, NOT NECESSARILY TO PULL ANYTHING OUT, BUT TO ROOT US ON WITH HIS SWEET PUP. BUT ALL IN ALL, WE'VE REMOVED 50 32-GALLON TRASH CANS WORTH OF INVASIVE MEXICAN PETUNIA, TUBEROUS, SWORD FERN, AND WEDELIA. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME GRATITUDE FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY, AMANDA, ASKEW AND TEAM, SPECIFICALLY CRYSTAL, KIRSTEN, AND TRAVIS.

FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

THEY WERE OUT THERE SUPPLYING US TOOLS, THE GARBAGE BINS, THE TRAILER, TABLES, HAULING THINGS BACK AND FORTH WITH ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. SO THEY REALLY MADE OUR OPERATION SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL. AND WE DO HOPE TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING IN HOWELL PARK IN TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, ON SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH. WE'LL BE BACK. WE ARE PLANTING OVER 300 NATIVE PLANTS IN THE PARK TO ADD BIODIVERSITY, BLOOMS, AND BERRIES FOR OUR LOCAL WILDLIFE.

OF COURSE, FOR ALL OF US TO ENJOY. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT ELSE GOING ON WITH THE ESC.

WE'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT MEETINGS COMING UP WITH THE COMMISSION THAT WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT. AND LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING HERE ON MONDAY, MARCH 2ND, WITH OUR ESC PRIORITY SETTING AND CHAPTER 23 WORKSHOP. SO HOPEFULLY THE PUBLIC WILL COME OUT AND EVERYONE WILL SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS. SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU, MS. FRANKE. ELIZABETH ROSAS. SO I HAVE THREE MINUTES? YOU HAVE FIVE. FIVE MINUTES. FIVE MINUTES? OH, WOW. YES. YOU KNOW, HALF THE ANSWER. I KNOW.

WELL, SO FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WAS ACTUALLY IN THE WEED WRANGLE. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT MORE OFTEN. BECAUSE WE LIVE VERY CLOSE TO HOWELL PARK AND I BROUGHT MY SON, AND IT WAS NOT JUST A GREAT THING TO DO FOR HOWELL PARK.

BUT WE MET SO MANY PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM DIFFERENT GENERATIONS. SO IT WAS, UM, IT WAS A. I ENCOURAGE YOU

[00:10:02]

DESIGNATION THAT HIGHLIGHTS HOW TREES, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED, LARGE AND OLD, ESPECIALLY OAKS, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S CHARACTER. I THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE BENEFITS GO BEYOND CHARACTER TO, YOU KNOW, THE ROOT SYSTEMS, PREVENTING EROSION, LEAVES, ABSORBING HARMFUL GASES, CREATING COOL SHADE, WHICH ALSO AFFECTS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE GROUND. I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT. THE ESC HAS SUGGESTED FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR TREES ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT ARE ABLE TO DO SO. TO BE DESIGNATED AS HERITAGE TREES, SUCH AS HAVING A VISIT FROM A CITY ARBORIST AND POSSIBLY USING TREE FUNDS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT ANY TRIMMING DEEMED NEEDED TO PRESERVE THE HEALTH OF THESE TREES. I THINK SUCH FINANCIAL CARE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE MORE RESIDENTS TO APPLY FOR THIS DESIGNATION, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME RELATED TO THIS TOPIC TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT I BELIEVE THE CITY CAN AND SHOULD DO MORE TO PROTECT OUR BELOVED TREES. A FEW DAYS AGO, YOU ADVERTISED OUT THERE THE PLAYING OF THE LORAX OVER AT ADELE GRANGE.

AND THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN MANY YEARS AGO, BUT SO WISELY SHOWS THE DANGEROUS REPERCUSSIONS OF GIVING INTO SHORT-TERM AND FINANCIAL DESIRES, AND ALLOWING THEM TO OVERSHADOW LONG-TERM EFFECTS. IF YOU KNOW THE BOOK, IF YOU DON'T, YOU SHOULD READ IT. IF YOU KNOW THE BOOK, THE ONCELER COMES IN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, THE BUSINESS, AND ALL THE MONEY THAT THE TRUFFLE, THE TREES CAN BRING HIM. HE KEEPS ON BICKERING UNTIL NO TREES ARE LEFT. IT'S NOT HARD TO SEE. THE SAME THING MIGHT QUIETLY HAPPEN IN ATLANTIC BEACH. NO NEW LOT OR HOUSE IS TORN DOWN TO BUILD A SMALL HOUSE ANYMORE.

AND THEY'RE OFTEN BY BUILDERS WHO DON'T LIVE HERE, WHO JUST SEE OPPORTUNITY, WHO OFTEN SEE TREES AS SOMETHING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. THEY ARE FOCUSED ON SHORT TERM, NOT LONG TERM. I IMPLORE YOU TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO MAKE STRICTER RULES AROUND TREE REMOVAL. HERITAGE TREES SHOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. THEY WILL TAKE AT LEAST A HUNDRED YEARS TO GET BACK TO WHERE THEY ARE, BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY ARE NOT. MAKE BUILDERS BE CREATIVE. IF WE'RE DESIRABLE ENOUGH OF A PLACE TO BUILD, THEN THEY CAN WORK WITH THESE RESTRICTIONS. AS THE CITY, MY HOPE IS THAT THE SHORT-TERM INTEREST OF BUILDERS IS NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITIZENS.

BUILDERS MAY THINK THE RESTRICTIONS ARE FRUSTRATING, AND THEY MAY BE, BUT HOW WE DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON NOT JUST OUR ATLANTIC BEACH, BUT THE ONE THAT OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, AND YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WILL INHERIT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, MS. ROSES.

MIKE KULIK. HELLO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF. MIKE KULIK. I JUST WANT TO OFFER A FEW NOTES HERE TODAY. FIRST, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING AN ENGINEERING STUDY ON SHERRY DRIVE. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY TAKING THIS STEP AND CONTINUING THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN PRIOR TRAFFIC CALMING AND INTERSECTION STUDIES TO DATE.

SOME OF THESE RESULTING AS A RESULT OF CITIZEN PETITIONS. MY NOTES TONIGHT ARE ABOUT SCOPE AND APPROACH. I THINK, AS MENTIONED IN A PREVIOUS COMMISSION MEETING, THE STUDY IS ENDEAVORING TO LOOK AT SEVERAL BLOCKS OF SHERRY, BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE, IT MAY NOT INCLUDE THE FULL CORRIDOR.

OR KEY TERMINAL INTERSECTIONS, ESPECIALLY SHERRY AND ATLANTIC. THAT PARTICULAR INTERSECTION, AS WE ALL KNOW, DETERMINES LARGELY HOW TRAFFIC ENTERS, ACCELERATES, AND MOVES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR.

I JUST MENTIONED THIS SO WE CAN ENDEAVOR TO STUDY THE PROBLEM HOLISTICALLY. I REALIZE I DON'T HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE YET. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN BEEN MADE AVAILABLE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO USE THIS TIME TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE APPROACH IS, THAT WE APPROACH IT WITH DATA. THAT NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN BY A STUDY. WE KNOW THAT. BUT NOT JUST THAT.

RIGHT. TO ALSO INCLUDE MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY INPUT AND COMMON SENSE BEYOND JUST THE DATA. SO, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR, INCLUDING BOTH MAJOR INTERSECTIONS. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A STUDY FOR A PREVIOUS STUDY FOR THE ROUNDABOUT AT FIVE POINTS AS WELL. BUT THAT WE TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND SEE HOW WE CAN BETTER INFORM WHERE AND HOW TRAFFIC CALMING SHOULD BE PLACED AND TO WHAT EXTENT. AND SO I JUST ASK THAT, IF POSSIBLE, THAT SHERRY BE

[00:15:01]

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ATTENTION IN THE MATTER. AND THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. KULIT. ELLEN GOLEMBECK. THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. MY NAME IS ELLEN GOLLENBECK. I CURRENTLY RESIDE AT 375 3RD STREET. I'D LIKE TO SECOND THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY MS. ROSAS ABOUT THE TREES. I THINK IT'S JUST CRITICAL THAT WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAINTAIN OUR BEAUTIFUL TREES, AND THEY'RE INCREDIBLY NECESSARY TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, AND I'M HERE TO ASK THIS COMMISSION. AND THE BOARD MEMBER REVIEW COMMITTEE, THAT YOU CONSIDER THE MAKEUP AND THE COMMUNITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH WHEN APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE VARIOUS VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES HERE. THE NEW 2026 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD NOW CONSISTS OF SIX MEN AND ONE WOMAN, ME, INCLUDING THE ALTERNATE. THIS IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE LAST 2023 CENSUS, IS ACTUALLY 53% FEMALE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DURING THE SELECTION PROCESS, THERE WERE THREE MEN AND THREE WOMEN APPLICANTS, AND THE BOARD MEMBER REVIEW COMMITTEE CHOSE ALL THREE MEN AND NOT ONE OF THE WOMEN.

ADDITIONALLY, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A SECOND ALTERNATE FOR THIS COMMITTEE WAS REQUESTED AND GRANTED. I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE WHY. IT WAS RECOMMENDED AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION THAT THE CDB HAVE TWO ALTERNATES, AS WE HAVE NOT YET, DURING MY TENURE, NOT HAD A QUORUM PRESENT FOR THIS COMMITTEE. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD MEMBER REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS SELECTED, BUT NOT YET APPOINTED, THE SECOND ALTERNATE.

SELECTED, NOT APPOINTED, AS THE PERSON THAT THEY SELECTED IS CURRENTLY NOT EVEN A RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH. THIS PERSON IS ALSO MALE. AND WHY THE BOARD MEMBER REVIEW COMMITTEE WOULD PASS OVER OTHER QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AT THAT TIME? AND TO SELECT A PERSON WHO IS NOT YET A RESIDENT IS A MYSTERY TO ME. I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD MEMBER REVIEW COMMITTEE RECONSIDER THIS SELECTION, SINCE IT HASN'T OFFICIALLY BEEN APPOINTED AS YET. I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES OF THIS CITY REPRESENT AND REFLECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. THIS IS ABOUT A TRUE REFLECTION OF THOSE THAT LIVE AND CARE AND VALUE OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. GOLOMBIK. DOUG CONKEY. SHE'S FROM THE BAND.

FROM THE BAND? YEAH. MAYOR, COUNCIL, COMMISSIONERS, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE. JTB IS A MESS WITH ACCIDENTS, SO JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT IN CASE YOU'RE GOING THAT WAY. I JUST WANTED TO COME BY TONIGHT. AND OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU'VE NOTICED, IT'S BEEN A RATHER WET LAST SPRING, SUMMER, NO HURRICANES RIGHT INTO NOW.

SO WE ARE AT A VERY EXTREME WATER TIME.

THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD HAS DECLARED A PHASE 1 MODERATE WATER SHORTAGE. THIS IS A TEMPORARY PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO PROTECT WATER SOURCES AND MAY BE FOLLOWED BY STRICTER PHASES IF CONDITIONS WORSEN.

BEWARE, DUVAL COUNTY IS ONE OF THOSE, ALONG WITH BAKER, BRADFORD, MARION COUNTY, SALATUA, AND AS I'M FINDING OUT, MY HOME COUNTY OF CLAY COUNTY IS GOING TO FALL UNDER A MODERATE WATER SHORTAGE. THIS IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL OVER THE PAST YEAR, WITH COUNTYWIDE TOTALS AT OR BELOW 40 INCHES IN ALL COUNTIES. IN FACT, FOR DUVAL FOR JANUARY, YOU WERE 1.45 INCHES BELOW, AND FOR THE PRIOR 12 MONTHS, 12 INCHES BELOW RAINFALL. SOME GROUNDWATER MONITORING SITES IN MARION AND DUVAL ARE AT OR BELOW THE 15TH PERCENTILE. I HAD TO ASK A MATHEMATICIAN TO EXPLAIN THAT TO ME TODAY, AND THAT MEANS IF YOU HAVE A MEASURED TIME, 85% OF THE TIME, THE WATER IS ABOVE THAT LEVEL. SO THESE WELLS ARE PRETTY LOW. THE THREE-MONTH PRECIPITATION FORECAST FORECASTS A PERSISTENT DROUGHT TO CONTINUE. REDUCED RIVER FLOWS AND INCREASED WATER RESOURCE STRESS IS BEING ENCOUNTERED, AND PORTIONS OF THE REGION ARE CLASSIFIED IN EXTREME DROUGHT. IF YOU SEE THE NOAA REPORTS THAT I'M SURE YOUR FIRE MARSHALS BRING TO YOU, THERE'S NOTHING BUT A RED BLOB OVER MOST OF

[00:20:01]

WASTEFUL AND UNNECESSARY WATER USE IS PROHIBITED. RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND PROPERTY MANAGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PREPARE FOR EXTENDED DRY CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS.

SECTORS THAT THIS INCLUDES ARE PUBLIC SUPPLY, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AGRICULTURAL, LANDSCAPE, RECREATION, AND AESTHETIC USES.

OBVIOUSLY, JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WE'RE GOING TO BE PEOPLE, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOURSELVES, ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO REPLACE PLANTS THAT WERE CRUSHED DURING THE VERY COLD, HARSH.

WINTER WE HAVE. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PLANT THINGS AND THEY'RE GOING TO WATER. THEY'RE GOING TO WATER THE YARDS. THINGS I MIGHT RECOMMEND ARE WE HAVE, I'VE SHARED SOME DATA WITH SARAH AND I'M SURE SHE'LL GET YOU THE INFORMATION AS I WILL.

FLORIDA FUNDING LANDSCAPING HELPS SAVE WATER AND STILL PRODUCES BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.

FLORIDA WATER STAR. I RECOMMEND THAT. THAT IS LIKE GOING TO, YOU ORDER A SANDWICH FROM A SHOP AND YOU CAN MAKE IT YOUR WAY. YOU CAN REPLACE CERTAIN THINGS INSIDE THE HOUSE OR OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. AND SAVE SOME WATER THAT WAY. AND YOU SAVE MONEY. WATER ONLY WHEN NEEDED. AND I LEARNED WHEN I WAS A KID, ON THE CD, YOU HEAR THE WORD 10-4, BETWEEN 10 A.M. AND 4 A.M. IS FORBIDDEN TO WATER. SO FOR UTILITIES, THEY PLAY A PART IN THIS. AND YOU HAVE A UTILITY. REVIEW AND FULLY IMPLEMENT YOUR EXISTING WATER CONSERVATION PLANS. A CONDITION OF THAT PERMIT WAS THE CONSERVATION ELEMENT. DUST IT OFF AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN IMPLEMENT EVEN... MORE WATER CONSERVATION. THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. EVALUATE ADDITIONAL DEMAND MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO REDUCE SYSTEM-WIDE WATER USE. OBVIOUSLY, EVERYBODY PLAYS A PART, PERSON, GOVERNMENT, AND WE'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR NATURE TO HELP.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE TO PRESERVE THE AQUIFER BELOW US TO GET US THROUGH AND PRESERVE THAT CHEAP WATER. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU DO IN THE SERVICE TO YOUR CITIZENS. AND I WILL SAY, YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE IS REALLY A CHAMPION IN THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARDS YOU HAVE. SO IT'S, I SEE THE TREES YOU'RE GOING TO PROTECT HERE. SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. I'M ALWAYS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU, MR. CONKEY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MA'AM. WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE COURTESY OF THE FLOOR. BUT I, WE HAVE A NEW GUEST IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE. FIRST OF ALL, MAYOR HOFFMAN, I KNOW YOU REACHED OUT TO COREY. SO, MICHELLE, WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR COMING ON A SPUR OF THE MOMENT. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE MAYOR AND WITH YOU, IS WE'RE GOING TO PUNT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. WHILE WE DO ANOTHER PIECE OF OUR AGENDA AND SEE IF WE CAN RETRIEVE THE NEPTUNE BEACH MAYOR. OKAY? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE

[3. CITY MANAGER REPORTS ]

MR. HOGENKAMP. THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD, CITY COMMISSION.

FIRST... IN MY REPORTS IS TO ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE 90-DAY CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL BY CONSENSUS. DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS? NO QUESTION. OKAY.

USUALLY IN THE FALL, WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE APPRECIATION DINNER, AND WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO IT IN THE SPRING, AND THIS CALENDAR PRETTY WELL COVERS SPRING. SO DO WE HAVE...

PROPOSED DATE FOR THAT? BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO COMBINE THE ESC AWARDS AND ALL THE OTHER AWARDS. DO WE HAVE A DATE FOR THAT PARTY? I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT DATE. I'M AWARE OF THAT DISCUSSION AND I'LL REPORT TO THE CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS TOMORROW. OKAY, FINE. OKAY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. SO, AS SUBMITTED, DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS AS IT IS RIGHT NOW? OKAY, YOU HAVE YOUR CALENDAR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'LL CONTINUE WITH THE OTHER ITEMS ON MY REPORT, STARTING WITH THE REMOTE MEETING ATTENDANCE. A COMMITTEE MEMBER HAS ASKED TO ATTEND A MEETING REMOTELY, WHICH IS PROMPTING THIS BEING ON MY REPORT. SO, TO PROVIDE CLARITY ON REMOTE ATTENDANCE OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND OF CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS, WE'RE WORKING ON A STANDARDIZED POLICY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WE WELCOME YOUR PRELIMINARY INPUT IN THE MEANTIME. TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DRAFT THAT WE BRING TO YOU ALIGNS WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF REMOTE, BOTH COMMISSION AND BOARDING COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION.

WELL, WE WENT ALL THROUGH THAT AND DURING COVID, I MEAN, WE WERE 100% ON ZOOM DURING COVID. AND I THINK WE HAD A FEW PEOPLE OUT SICK WITH IT THAT ZOOMED IN. AM I

[00:25:03]

FROM STAFF'S STANDPOINT, WE REALLY AREN'T CONCERNED WITH WHERE YOU LAND, BUT WE HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE A POLICY GUIDING US AS AN ORGANIZATION, BOTH THE STAFF WORKING WITH COMMITTEES, AND YOU ALL PROBABLY WANT A POLICY FOR YOURSELVES AS WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE. THAT'LL BE YOUR CALL, ULTIMATELY. SURE.

COMMISSIONER RING? I KNOW I SPOKE WITH INTERIM CITY MANAGER REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR POLICY DRAFT. IT WOULD BE MY BELIEF THAT WE ENCOURAGE IN-PERSON MEETINGS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

WITH ONE EVERY MONTH, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND, YOU KNOW, 12 A YEAR. ON OCCASION, IF YOU WOULD NEED TO ZOOM IN, THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT. BUT ON OCCASION, IT SHOULDN'T REPLACE BEING IN PERSON EVERY SINGLE MEETING.

SO I HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS. BEING THE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M THE ELDER HERE. I MAY BE CLOSE TO BEING. WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME? I'M LOOKING AT YOU, COMMISSIONER. I'M CONFUSED.

BUT I REALLY BELIEVE STRONGLY IN PARTICIPATION.

BY BEING HERE ON THE DAIS. AND I GAVE THE EXAMPLE TO CITY MANAGER EARLIER TODAY ABOUT A COMMITTEE THAT DID THEIR BUSINESS LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT. ONE OF THE MEMBERS WAS NOT THERE AND WAS ZOOMING IN. AND IT WAS SO DISCONNECTED FOR ME. BECAUSE WHEN I TALK TO YOU, THE FIVE OF US, WHEN WE'RE TALKING, I'M ALL EYEBALL TO EYEBALL.

AND SO I AM NOT AT ALL IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING ZOOM OR TEAMS MEETINGS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TRUE EXCEPTION. AND LET'S FORGET ABOUT PANDEMICS OR HURRICANES WHERE WE CAN'T EVEN MEET HERE. THOSE ARE PRESCRIBED BY FLORIDA STATUTE, I BELIEVE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. AND OR WOULD BE IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAD THE RECENT ONE. MR. BOLL, REFRESH MY MEMORY. THE ONE THAT WE ALLOWED YOU TO ZOOM IN ON, AND WHAT WERE WE VOTING ON THAT MEETING? WAS THAT FOR THE MILLAGE? MILLAGE RATE, I BELIEVE. YEAH, THAT WAS MILLAGE. YEAH. AND I FELT LIKE THAT WAS PRETTY IMPORTANT, AND YOU COULD NOT ATTEND PHYSICALLY THAT MEETING, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO I HOPE THIS COMMISSION, AS WE DELIBERATE OVER WHAT THE CITY MANAGER BRINGS BACK, I HOPE WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT IS THE TRUE EXCEPTION. AND NOT AN ALLOWANCE THAT WE TURN THIS INTO A ZOOM MEETING CHAMBER.

SO, OKAY. SO YOU'LL BRING THAT BACK TO US. YES, YES. AND I GUESS I'D LIKE TO REITERATE THAT THIS ISSUE ARISING NOW IS THE OUTCOME OF A COMMITTEE MEMBER ASKING THE STAFF IF HE OR SHE CAN ATTEND REMOTELY.

AND I THINK WE NEED A POLICY GUIDANCE RATHER THAN SOME ARBITRARY DECISION ON MY PART. SO, AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD TO US, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BRING THE CITY'S RECOMMENDATION. I'M GOING TO AT LEAST GO ON RECORD THAT FOR COMMITTEES AND BOARDS, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF ANY ALLOWANCES FOR ZOOM MEETINGS. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALTERNATES. THE ISSUE ALWAYS, OR THE ISSUE OFTEN, IS, WOULD WE POTENTIALLY NOT BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM? BUT WE REALLY NEED MEMBERS THAT ARE ENGAGED. AND THE COMMITTEES CAN OPERATE WITHOUT A COMMITTEE MEMBER ON A GIVEN MEETING OR TWO, BUT IF THAT MEMBER CAN'T COME ON A SOMEWHAT REGULAR BASIS, THEN THAT COMMITTEE MEMBER PROBABLY OUGHT TO SELECT A DIFFERENT THING TO WORK ON INTO THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

YES, MA'AM. A PERSON WHO WOULD PARTICIPATE ON ZOOM WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE COUNTED IN THE QUORUM. AND IS THAT

[00:30:01]

OKAY, SO. IT NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED IN PERSON.

ALL RIGHT. YEAH, IF I MAY, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT'S BEING SAID HERE, THERE ARE PRETTY RIGOROUS REQUIREMENTS PER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

FOR PROMULGATED GUIDELINES AS TO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO TELEPHONICALLY PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING.

LIKE THE CITY CLERK SAID, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM ALREADY PRESENT. SO THOSE THINGS YOU SAW DURING COVID, THOSE WOULDN'T APPLY TODAY.

THERE IS SOME RELIEF AVAILABLE, BUT UNDER VERY STRICT CIRCUMSTANCES. AND ANY POLICY WE BRING WILL HAVE TO CONFORM TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S MANUAL. AND PART OF THAT WILL BE THAT Y'ALL WILL HAVE TO VOTE ON, EVEN ALLOWING THE PERSON TO TELEPHONICALLY PARTICIPATE ON EVERY SINGLE TIME. EACH TIME? YES, EVERY SINGLE TIME.

GOOD. SO I'M JUST SAYING, SO YOU WILL HAVE THAT AT A MINIMUM. GOOD. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ITEM 3C, MARCH 2ND COMMISSION WORKSHOP LOGISTICS. WE ARE FINALIZING THE AGENDAS FOR THE MARCH 2ND WORKSHOPS, FOR YOUR WORKSHOPS, INCLUDING THE ESC PRIORITIES.

SETTING SESSION AND THE TREE PROTECTION CODE WORKSHOP. AND DUE TO THE STRICT ONE-HOUR TIME LIMIT FOR EACH SESSION, THE STAFF IS SUGGESTING HOLDING PUBLIC COMMENT UNTIL MARCH THE 9TH, UNTIL YOUR REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING ON MARCH THE 9TH. THIS ALLOWS FOR AN EFFICIENT, DISCUSSION-FOCUSED ENVIRONMENT.

WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT ON THIS PLAN, WHICH I'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE MAYOR BEFORE. WE PUBLISHED THE AGENDA ON FEBRUARY 26TH OF THE MARCH 2ND.

WORKSHOPS. ANY COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? OKAY, GOOD. I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE. WE CERTAINLY WELCOME ANY CITIZEN TO ATTEND AND LISTEN DIRECTLY, BUT THERE WILL NOT BE AN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THAT WORKSHOP. IT'LL, YOU KNOW, TRANSITION TO THE NEXT MEETING THAT WE HAVE. BUT I REALLY ASKED THE COMMISSIONERS TO STUDY THE THE REVISIONS AND THE PROPOSED OR THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO CHAPTER 23 IN ADVANCE. WE SHOULD NOT BE THERE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IDENTIFIED IN THE BODY OF THEIR WORK. WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS DELIBERATING WHETHER WE THINK WE SHOULD DO WHAT IS BEING SUGGESTED, WHETHER WE SHOULD DO MORE OR LESS. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, NOT LEARNING ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE DOCUMENT.

SO, OK. BACK TO YOU, MR. HOGENKAMP. THANK YOU. 3D, THE SAFETY, TRAFFIC, AND PARKING COMMITTEE. STAFF IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS BY DRAFTING CORRESPONDING ORDINANCES AND POLICIES. AND WE ASPIRE TO BRING THIS FORWARD FOR YOUR REVIEW AT THE APRIL 10TH MEETING AT THE LATEST. IT SEEMS THAT THERE MIGHT BE A BUDGETARY IMPACT, WITH THE AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ONE-TIME SPECIAL MARKING THE PARKING SPOTS. SO WE NEED TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THAT. WE HAVE THE STRIPING MACHINE, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE WORK AWAY FROM OTHER JOBS. THERE IS A BUDGETARY IMPACT, FOR SURE.

AND WE WOULD INCORPORATE ANY PATH FORWARD INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE BRING TO YOU.

ALSO, THE DELICATE REMOVAL OF... OBSTACLES OR DECORATIONS IN PRIVATE PROPERTY, THAT'S STILL A PRETTY, THAT'S A TRICKY LINE TO WHY EVERYBODY'S CRINGING.

BUT DO WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO ENFORCE THAT? WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT. THAT'S GOING TO BE A FUN ONE. YEAH. SO GET READY. THANK YOU. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON 3D. 3E IS EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE FOR THE WATER PLANT GENERATOR.

PURSUANT TO MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CITY COMMISSION ON THIS MATTER AND TO SECTION 2-338, I AUTHORIZED A $26,754 EXPENDITURE TO RING POWER FOR AN EMERGENCY CONTROL PANEL UPGRADE ON OUR GENERATOR, WHICH HAD BECOME INOPERABLE.

UPON REINSTALLATION, SO WE WERE WITHOUT REDUNDANCY AND THIS ACTION WAS NECESSARY TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH. AND IT IS MY OBLIGATION TO REPORT THIS TO THE CITY COMMISSION, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING AND TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO, AS IS CUSTOMARY, ARE WE GOING TO BRING BACK A RESOLUTION? THAT IS NOT CUSTOMARY. I'M DELIGHTED TO DO THAT

[00:35:02]

THAT'S TRUE. I'VE WRITTEN THIS CHECK ALREADY. THAT'S WHAT'S DIFFERENT. OKAY. LET IT BE RECORDED HERE THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALREADY SPENT THE MONEY. DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD BE CONSISTENT AND JUST BRING BACK A RESOLUTION POST-EVENT AT THE NEXT MEETING? I MEAN, CERTAINLY TO RATIFY IT. I DO THINK, THOUGH, THAT THIS, AGAIN, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR ONE. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN BUDGETED AND APPROVED PRIOR. IS THAT RIGHT? NO, THIS HADN'T BEEN. THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY. OH, IT WAS AN EMERGENCY. I'M SORRY. OKAY. I THINK A RATIFICATION WOULD BE IN PROPER ORDER. YEAH. SO CAN YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN NEXT MEETING? WELL, YOU KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS VOTE TO GIVE THE SEWER GUY WHATEVER HE NEEDS.

WE KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE VOTE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE THAT ONE DOWN SINCE THE HORSE IS OUT OF THE BARN. BUT THANK YOU FOR GETTING THAT DONE. WHETHER IT'S A WATER PLANT OR SEWER PLANT, THOSE TWO ARE KIND OF CRITICAL. THANKS. AND IT'S THE REPORTING OF THAT, AFTER THE FACT, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ALSO ON THE LIST TO CHECK OFF. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE JUST DONE. AND FINALLY, ON 3F. INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE FIRE LINE EXTENSION INTO NEPTUNE BEACH, THE AGREEMENT THAT FACILITATES POTABLE WATER SERVICE FOR FIRE PROTECTION TO A NEPTUNE BEACH REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL AT YOUR NEXT MEETING. JUST AN UPDATE ON THAT. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? YES, COMMISSIONER. I HATE TO BE THIS SQUEAKY WHEEL TONIGHT, BUT I'VE HEARD THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL UNHAPPY WITH THAT PROPOSAL. HAS ANYBODY ELSE HEARD THAT, OR IS THAT JUST ME? I WOULD ASSUME THAT THERE ARE MANY OF OUR CITIZENS THAT WOULD LIKE US NOT TO DO THAT.

FOR ONE OF TWO OR THREE REASONS, ONE REASON BEING RISK.

TO THE CITY, BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGER DRIVER FOR SOME OF OUR CITIZENS IS THAT'S HELPING OUR NEIGHBORING CITY TO DEVELOP THE KMART PLAZA, AND THEY'RE AGAINST ANY AND ALL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT IMPACTS TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY, AND SO ON. SO WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THAT, AND YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON THAT WHEN WE COME BACK.

BUT IF I MAY TAG ON TO YOUR POINT, I HAVE LOOKED AT THE PRELIMINARY DRAFTS OF THE DOCUMENT THAT ULTIMATELY WILL BE PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION. MY CONCERN IS THAT IN ANY AGREEMENT AND THIS IS AN ILA, BUT IT'S A CONTRACT FOR ALL INTENT AND PURPOSES.

AND SO ANY CONTRACT IS GOING TO HAVE SOME RISK. I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE. AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A FABULOUS CITY ATTORNEY, AND HE IS REALLY GOOD.

AT RISK. AVOIDANCE, BUT THERE'S STILL RISK. AND WHAT SO FAR HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IS DOES NOT COMPENSATE THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH FOR TAKING RISK. NOW, WE HEARD PREVIOUSLY, AND WE HEARD A PASSION. WE HAD QUITE A DISCUSSION ON THIS.

AND I REMEMBER A PASSION STATEMENT BY THE CITY MANAGER OF NEPTUNE BEACH THAT NEIGHBORS DO THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE NEIGHBORS. AND WE DON'T ALWAYS DO THINGS FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, AND WE ALL CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

RIGHT NOW, AS A CITY, WE SHARE POLICE AND FIRE WITH THE CITY OF NEPTUNE BEACH, WHEN NECESSARY, ON THE POLICE SIDE. WE SHARE, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER. WE CERTAINLY SHARE THE JOINT OWNERSHIP, IF YOU WILL, OF BEECH'S TOWN CENTER. AND SO I UNDERSTAND DOING SOMETHING WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF MAJOR MONETARY GAIN.

BUT WHAT I'M PUTTING OUT HERE TONIGHT IS, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS. BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WHEN THE DOCUMENT COMES BACK IS, SHOULD THERE BE SOMETHING? AND HERE'S THE I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT WITH THIS FINAL POINT. THE AGREEMENT THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AND WILL BE PRESENTED WILL HAVE NO INCOME TO THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH EVER BECAUSE IT IS ONLY FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION. WE ARE NOT SELLING WATER TO THE CITY OF NEPTUNE BEACH OR TO THE DEVELOPER, SO WE WILL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION. ARE WE OKAY, AND WILL WE BE OKAY? IF ONE DAY DOWN THE ROAD THERE IS A MALFUNCTION ON OUR SIDE OF ATLANTIC BOULEVARD, OR EVEN

[00:40:01]

BUT ALSO, WE'VE NOW BEEN TWO YEARS IN THE DISCUSSION WHERE WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY. WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE A CITY ENGINEER.

INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE REVIEW OF AND THE ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOW DISCUSSING. SO DID WE SPEND OUR MONEY ON THOSE PEOPLE IN SALARIES AND SO ON? SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE. MORE TO BE DISCUSSED WHEN WE GET THE FINAL DOCUMENT, BUT I'M NOT YET CONVINCED THAT THE DOCUMENT, WITHOUT FEES OR A NOMINAL FEE, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD... APPROVED, BUT WE'LL SEE. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

BEFORE I WRAP UP MY REPORT, I'VE GOTTEN INFORMATION THAT MAYOR BILEN IS UNABLE TO COME BACK, AND I'D LIKE TO INDULGE YOU FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED THAT WE CAN PHOTOSHOP, MAYOR BILEN. CAN WE? REALLY? OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS, WHAT WAS THAT? COURTESY OF THE FLOOR, YEAH, THAT WAS ITEM TWO ON THE AGENDA, SO WE'RE GOING TO REOPEN ITEM TWO FOR A QUICK PHOTO. AND, UM, NO, I WAS, I WAS, UH, INSTEAD OF MICHELLE. THANKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. OI SAVED HIS REAR. WE HAVE REAL CHECKS. THAT'S A BETTER ONE. THANKS. REAL CHECK NUMBER? THIS ISN'T MINE. I'LL TAKE YOUR REAL CHECK NUMBER.

IT CAME FROM THE CITY MANAGER. WE ALREADY KNOW HOW IT WORKS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR HOFFMAN.

OKAY. IF I MAY WRAP UP, BYE.

FIRST, I APOLOGIZE. MAYOR FORD TOOK CREDIT FOR FLETCHER NOT BEING INVITED TO THEIR OWN PARTY. ACTUALLY, IT'S MY FAULT, AND I'M TERRIBLY SORRY. I JUST MESSED THAT UP.

AND FINALLY, I'LL SAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE END OF MY REPORT, EXCEPT FOR. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, ADAM THORNTON, WHO ALL OF YOU HAVEN'T MET YET.

HE'S BEEN WITH US FOR A COUPLE MONTHS. HE COMES FROM THE DAYTONA AREA WITH A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE BOTH DOWN THERE. AND IN TENNESSEE, DOING THIS SAME SORT OF WORK HE DOES FOR US, MANAGING OUR STREETS AND STORMWATER AND BUILDINGS. AND HE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND I ASKED HIM TO LET Y'ALL SEE HIS FACE. AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND GET TO KNOW HIM ALONG THE WAY.

WELCOME. THANKS FOR COMING TONIGHT. THAT'S IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. HOGAN CAMP. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX, OUR CONSENT AGENDA. AND BEFORE I READ ALL OF THEM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A REQUEST TO MOVE. ABOUT FOUR FIRST. DID I MISS FOUR? YEAH, FOUR. OH,

[4. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS ]

SO FIRST OF ALL, BOB, THANKS FOR COMING TONIGHT. APPRECIATE IT. OUR HR DIRECTOR. I WANT TO COVER A FEW THINGS QUICKLY.

I'VE BEEN ASKED SOME QUESTIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, PHASE ONE, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, IS ADVERTISING. WE TOOK A LOOK

[00:45:01]

LINKEDIN, GOVERNMENT JOBS, FLORIDA AND NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, LOCAL AND REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS, SPEECHES LEADER, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. SO WE HAVE HAD APPLICANTS COME THROUGH THE ADVERTISING PROCESS. SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE PHASE ONE. I WAS ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE TIMELINE. SO NOTIONAL TIMELINE, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE PUBLISHING THIS. ANY COMMENTS OR INTERJECTION WOULD BE WELCOME. NOW, THROUGH APRIL 1ST, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ADVERTISING PHASE.

IF WE NEED, AND PROBABLY, AND YOU'LL SEE A RESOLUTION HERE LATER TONIGHT, SELECT A SEARCH FIRM BY 1 APRIL. WE'VE GOT OUR RFP.

WE'VE GOTTEN THE INPUTS FROM EVERYONE. 15 MAY TO 15 JUNE, THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE PROCEEDS THROUGH THE APPLICANTS. 30 JUNE, FOUR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO HR FOR SCREENING. AND JULY, COMMISSION INTERVIEWS AND SELECTIONS. YOU? THAT'S JUST A NOTIONAL TIMELINE THAT WE CAME UP WITH. AGAIN, WE'LL PUBLISH THAT, AND ANYTHING, ANY INPUTS WOULD BE WELCOME. I'LL MOVE ON TO MY OTHER TWO THINGS, IF THAT'S FINE.

BEFORE YOU DO, I'VE GOT QUESTIONS. SO WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT ASSESSING AND BUDGETING FOR ADVERTISING, ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT JUST ADVERTISING FOR CANDIDATES, OR ARE YOU ALSO TALKING ABOUT ADVERTISING THE RFP? FOR THE SEARCH FIRM. OKAY, SO WE'RE GOOD ON THAT. THAT'S $1,700. YEAH, OKAY. AND SO I JUST WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT DILIGENCE WITH BOB. BUT I WOULD THINK THAT FIRST WE WANT TO, BEFORE WE WORRY ABOUT THAT, WE WANT TO SELECT A SEARCH FIRM.

IN FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT WE KIND OF AGREED ON IS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PREPARED… TO PUT TOGETHER OUR CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT WE ALSO WANTED TO ACTUALLY SELECT A SEARCH FIRM BEFORE WE DO THAT.

FOR THEIR INPUT, WHETHER WE TAKE THEIR INPUT OR NOT, WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT. SO WE MIGHT AS WELL GET THEIR INPUT AS TO WHAT THEY THINK OR HOW THEY THINK WE SHOULD PROCEED ON THAT. RIGHT NOW. WE'VE AGREED THAT WE WILL LIKELY PROCEED WITH ONE CANDIDATE PER DISTRICT AND ONE AT LARGE, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE BY YOUR VOTE. IF YOU FOLLOW THE TIMELINE, IN FACT, WE SAY THE SEARCH COMMITTEE, THE RP GOES OUT ON APRIL, AND THEN THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE IS NOT UNTIL AFTER THAT, ON THE 15TH, THE 15TH OF JUNE. OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL TAKE INPUT FROM ANYONE, BUT I FELT THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS TO LOOK AT THE APPLICANTS. I THINK SO.

AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT ONE FROM EACH DISTRICT AND ONE AT LARGE. AND SO THAT'S WHY THE SEQUENCE THERE. SO, YES, AND MAYOR, JUST TO SPEAK TO YOUR RP. VERY INTERESTING.

AND I WISH MAYOR HOFFMAN WAS STILL HERE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LOCAL CITIES, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE SEARCH FIRMS, THEY'VE COME UP WITH A COUPLE CITY MANAGERS THAT HAVEN'T QUITE WORKED OUT. AND I CAN POINT TO THREE CITIES WITHIN 50 MILES OF HERE IF YOU LOOK AROUND. SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN WHO AND THEIR RESULTS. AND AGAIN, I THINK I HEARD THAT WE WANT TO HAVE CITIZEN INTERACTION.

DOWN THE LINE. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. THAT AFTER WE GET THE RESULTS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.

BECAUSE WE, I THINK WE DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE DID LAST TIME.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. AND I THINK THIS, I THINK THIS DOES IT.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A NOTIONAL TIMELINE AND OBVIOUSLY ANY INPUTS. EXACTLY.

BUT YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, THOUGH. YOU HAVE TO PICK THE RIGHT SEARCH FIRM BECAUSE THEIR JOB IS IS. YEAH. OK, HERE, ATLANTIC BEACH. HERE'S YOUR, HERE'S YOUR CANDIDATES. AND THEY'RE MAKING THEIR MONEY.

AND HANDING YOU A LIST, OKAY? SO WE HAVE TO DO OUR OWN HOMEWORK. I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM. MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE A BONUS FOR PICKING THE RIGHT ONE.

YEAH, WE'LL JUST LOOK AROUND AT SOME OF OUR OTHER CITIES.

YEAH, COMMISSIONER.

WITH THAT SEARCH FIRM, WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL 1ST? IF THAT RFP IS READY TO GO DRAFT, WHY WAIT ANY LONGER? AND HERE'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS. THE $1,700 FOR SENDING OUT TO LINKEDIN AND BEACHES LEADER, COULD WE NOT JUST SAVE THAT MONEY THERE? HIRING A NATIONAL SEARCH FIRM IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. AND WHEN YOU LIST ALL OF THOSE ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE CANDIDACY, I'M BROUGHT BACK TO 2023. OUR NET WAS NOT CAST OUT FAR ENOUGH. AND THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT, I THOUGHT, OF OUR COMMISSION. WANTING

[00:50:03]

SO WE CAN EXACTLY TALK ABOUT THAT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, PUSHING THROUGH THE, BUT WE HAVE TO DO OUR OWN HOMEWORK ALSO.

AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS FIRST, THEN, COMMISSIONER BULL, DO WE REALLY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL 1ST? WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT ON RESOLUTION 26.33. I WOULD HATE TO, YOU KNOW, PRE-BILL. I'M HOLDING A COUPLE THINGS, TOO, TILL WE GET TO THE RESOLUTION. YEAH, BUT ANYWAY, LET ME, I'LL MOVE ON. OKAY, LET'S SAY ANY QUESTIONS. AGAIN, NOTIONAL TIMELINE AND SOME IDEAS.

NUMBER TWO, I'M GLAD TO SEE MY AIRWING BROTHER HERE TONIGHT. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT.

WE HAVE A NATIONAL POW MIA MEMORIAL OUT AT CECIL FIELD HERE IN JACKSONVILLE. IT'S A BIG DEAL. I WAS LUCKY TO BE OUT THERE ON FRIDAY, GOT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. IT'S KIND OF FUN. IF YOU'RE GOING DOWN I-10 AND YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE, THERE'S A CHAPEL CALLED THE CHAPEL OF THE HIGH SPEED PASS.

I KIND OF LOVE THAT. BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME AIRCRAFT THAT WE'VE DONATED AND PULLED OUT THERE. AGAIN, A NATIONAL STOP. I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF IT.

LAST ON MY LIST IS I'VE GOT SOME GOOD FEEDBACK ON THE ARBORIST. SO THAT'S GOOD FOR ME. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

GOOD, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KELLY. LAST TIME I COMMENTED ON THE TOURING MARSH OAKS, AND I KNOW WE'VE RAISED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF OFFICES, BUT ALSO I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN. WE WERE GOING TO PUT ONE THERE.

IS THAT STILL IN PROGRESS? YES. YES. YES. WE HAVE FUNDING AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROPOSAL, A PRESENTATION, I THINK, AT THE NEXT MEETING, INCLUDING A POTENTIAL DONATION AGREEMENT.

AND STAY TUNED, OKAY? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. IT BEING PLANTING SEASON AND ALL, IF EVER, YEAH. I WANTED TO THANK JORDAN AND KEVIN. I RAISED THE QUESTION ABOUT SUMMER VACATION CAMP FOR KIDS IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND I THINK THEY'VE COME UP WITH SOME ACTIVITIES TO KEEP THE LITTLE DARLINGS OFF THE STREETS AND OFF THEIR E-BIKES. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT'S GOING TO WORK, BUT, HEY, WE CAN WORK ON THAT. SO, ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.

THANK YOU. OKAY. COMMISSIONER RAIN. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE LEGISLATION SESSION THAT'S STILL IN PROGRESS. SUMMARY FOR THIS PAST WEEK SEVEN. THE BIG ONE WAS HOUSE BILL 203, WHICH WAS THE ELIMINATION OF NON-SCHOOL PROPERTY FOR HOMESTEADS. THAT'S THE PROPERTY TAX. IT DID PASS IN-HOUSE AND WILL BE KICKED OFF TO THE SENATE. LAST I HEARD, SENATE HASN'T... HAD A BROTHER BILL OR SISTER BILL IN THAT, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, WHAT SENATE WILL DO WITH IT.

BUT I DID ATTEND BEACHES WATCH THIS MONTH, EARLIER THIS MONTH, WHERE OUR THREE CITY MANAGERS HERE AT THE BEACHES ALL PRESENTED ON PROPERTY TAXES AND HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT OUR BEACHES. AND I WANTED TO LET CITIZENS KNOW IT WOULD GREATLY AFFECT OUR BEACHES. OUR I'VE HAD THE LOREM, THAT COUNTS FOR 48%. MR. HOGENKAMP, WHAT'S THAT? IT'S MORE 40-ISH, I THINK. YEAH, 40%. AND THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE BILL WOULD NOT AFFECT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS SOME MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE ROTARY PEACE POLL. THERE ARE SOME HUBBUB THAT CAME UP.

THANK YOU. EARLIER TODAY, OR AND YESTERDAY, TO MULTIPLE ARTICLES IN WHICH THEY GAVE MISINFORMATION. THE JOURNALISTS DID NOT DO THEIR JOB. FOR ONE, THEY CALL THEM PEACE PIPES, AND THEY ARE NOT PEACE PIPES.

THEY ARE PEACE POLES. BUT I, ALONG WITH ALL THE CITY COMMISSIONERS HERE, WERE FORWARDED AN EMAIL RESPONSE FROM MAYOR HOFFMAN, WHO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST.

VERY APROPOS, DIRECTLY TO THE

[00:55:01]

AND NEPTUNE BEACH, TOO, AS FAR AS PUSHING LEGISLATION.

UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON THAT AND JUST CONTINUE TO.

IT'S IT'S SERIOUS, AND THEN, UM, I THINK THAT'S IT. OH WELL, JUST ONE MORE THING. SORRY ABOUT THAT. UH, MAYOR, UH, THE TREES. WHAT MORE CAN WE DO? WEST FIRST STREET THAT WAS TAKEN DOWN. UM, THE THOUGHT CROSSED MY MIND, WITH THAT PROPERTY ABUTTING INTO PRESERVE. IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD HAVE, AS A CITY, SOMEHOW PURCHASED THE LOT, MADE IT PART OF THE PRESERVE? ARE THERE OTHER TREES, LARGE OAK TREES, 250-YEAR-OLD TREES? I KNOW WE HAD A CITIZEN JUST SHARE THAT. SHE MADE THREE OF HER TREES, HERITAGE TREES, AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE BEFORE US IN THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.

BUT WE HAVE TO BE FORWARD-THINKING ON THIS. NOT JUST LEGISLATION-WISE, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO IN PRESERVATION AND PREVENTION.

ALONG WITH MY FELLOW ELECTED OFFICIALS, ARE STILL WONDERING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

BUT I AM VERY HAPPY, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER BULL, WITH THE ARBORIST. AND I THINK THAT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

BUT I'M OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING THIS WEDNESDAY'S ESC PRIORITIES MEETING AT 5 WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THEIR ACTUAL MEETING AT 6 P.M. THAT'S ALL, MAYOR. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER.

YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. A COUPLE THINGS. BEECH'S TOWN CENTER AGENCY MET THIS PAST TUESDAY AND UPDATED ON A FEW THINGS.

THE EMPLOYEE PARKING PLAN, THE BUGGY COMPANY, BEACH BUGGY AND TRI-BRIDGE HAVE NEVER FORMALIZED THAT AGREEMENT.

IN FACT, JUST PRIOR TO OUR MEETING, THERE WAS A MERCHANT'S MEETING, AND ONE OF THE MERCHANTS, OF COURSE, BROUGHT BACK FEEDBACK. THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGER REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESSES DOWN THERE SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE PURCHASING PARKING FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, THAT THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS IN STORE IN OTHER AREAS TO PUT THEIR PARKING, SO THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THAT SOLUTION. MANY OTHERS JOINED IN. SO I THINK THE URGENCY OR THE CONCERN OF EMPLOYEES PARKING IS... IS SORT OF FALLING TO THE WAYSIDE, AT LEAST FOR NOW. WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE FORMER RAGTIME PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED AND GENERATES MORE, MORE EMPLOYEES FOR THAT AREA. BUT UNTIL FOR NOW, NOTHING. THE I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WAS THE STREET LAMPS. YES. I KNOW, CITY MANAGER, YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, BRUCE IS ON POINT FOR THAT WITH THE BPCA. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND GET SOME THINGS MOVING THERE. THE AGENCY GOLF TOURNAMENT IS MARCH LANDING MAY 4TH. SO, ANY MERCHANTS, ANY SPONSORSHIP. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ALL THESE THINGS.

SO IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THAT TOURNAMENT AND SPONSORING OR PLAYING, PLEASE LET THEM KNOW. IT'LL BE ON THE WEBSITE. A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. SO I'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH TO SOME TEMPORARY HOUSING NEAR THE TOWN CENTER AND TAKING CARE OF MY PUPS THAT HAVE BEEN AT MY BROTHER-IN-LAW'S PLACE OFF MAYPORT. AND SO. A COUPLE OF TIMES I DID, YOU KNOW, PLUGGED IN DIRECTIONS. THE DIRECTIONS,

[01:00:01]

BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THAT ROUTE'S GOING TO BECOME MORE FAVORABLE ONCE THE DOT DOES THEIR WORK ON MAYPORT AND REDUCES LANES.

AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS ARE SORT OF PILE UP THAT WE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT CALMING SHERRY TRAFFIC. HOW WE DO IT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TIME.

BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO JUST, OTHER THAN WHAT'S JUST BEING SHOWN ON DATA RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE A STRONG EFFORT TO DO SOMETHING. MET WITH SARAH. AT UH, SARAH BOURNE, UH, THIS WEEK, THIS WEEK, YEAH, UM, LAST WEEK, SORRY, UM. AND WE HAD SOME GOOD, GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR UPCOMING PRIORITIES MEETING, AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SHARING ALL THOSE. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IMPOSING A LOT OF THINGS AND ASKING A LOT OF FOLKS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR TREES AND WHATNOT.

UM, BUT THE CITY, I MEAN, WE COULD BE DOING A LOT MORE, PROTECTING OUR OWN TREES THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE TREES ON PLAZA THAT BORDER THE PARK, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED MORE ABOUT ROOT DAMAGE THAN I THOUGHT I'D EVER KNOW IN MY LIFE.

BUT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, CARS PARKING ON THOSE TREES ON PLAZA IS NOT CONDUCIVE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THOSE TREES. AND THOSE TREES ARE ONLY 25 YEARS OLD. THEY LOOK PRETTY GOOD. SO, AND THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO GET BIGGER. SO, WE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PARKING UP HERE DURING VARIOUS EVENTS IS A SENSITIVE SUBJECT, BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DISPLACED IN THAT MANY CARS.

TO PROTECT THE ROOTS OF THOSE TREES. AND IF YOU WANTED TO, THERE'S ACTUALLY DEVICES YOU CAN PUT IN IN BETWEEN ROOT SYSTEMS TO PROTECT THE ROOTS WITHOUT THEM BEING COMPACTED AND STILL DRIVE NEAR THOSE ROOT SYSTEMS. AND THEN, LASTLY, NEXT WEEK, I'VE SAID IT ONCE, THE EPSON TOUR. IT'S THE WOMEN'S GOLF TOUR. JUST BELOW THE MAIN LPGA TOUR, THEY'LL BE AT ATLANTIC BEACH COUNTRY CLUB NEXT WEEK. IT'S A FUN EVENT. IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE TO BE THERE, TO GO THERE, TAKE YOUR KIDS, EXPOSE THEM TO SOME REALLY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS. THESE YOUNG LADIES WORK VERY HARD AT THEIR CRAFT, AND THEY REALLY ARE AMAZING TO WATCH. SO TRY TO COME UP THERE FOR THAT.

THAT'S ALL NEXT WEEK'S PRACTICE ROUND START, MONDAY, THE 2ND, AND THEN ALL THROUGH NEXT WEEK. SATURDAY, THE 7TH. SO TAKE A LOOK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER RING FOR BRINGING UP THE ROTARY PEACE POLL BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF BEACHES OR JACKSONVILLE OCEANSIDE ROTARY FOR 30 YEARS, AND I TOOK GREAT EXCEPTION TO THE ARTICLE THAT WAS WRITTEN AND I ADDED TO THE COMMUNICATION BY MAYOR HOFFMAN. THE THAT PEACE BOWL, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, GO SEE IT. IT'S RIGHT OVER HERE, NEXT TO THE RACQUETBALL COURTS AND ADJACENT TO THE SKATE PARK. AND IT IS WHAT, AGAIN, IS UNIQUE AND NICE ABOUT THAT IS ALL THREE BEACHES DID THE SAME THING. SO WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE BETTER AND BETTER AS A SINGLE COMMUNITY, AS OPPOSED TO THREE SEPARATE ENTITIES, SO I SUPPORT THAT.

BUT THE REPORTER DID GET ALL OF HER FACTS WRONG. AND AND DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE MISSION, AND I ENCOURAGED HER ALSO TO ATTEND OUR NEXT ROTARY MEETING SO THAT WE MIGHT INFORM HER BETTER. BECAUSE THAT IS THE WHOLE IDEA OF HAVING A PEACE POLL IN SEVEN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

IS TO GET PEOPLE TO START COMMUNICATING AND TALKING AND SOLVING OUR PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER.

SO ANYWAYS, ENOUGH ON THAT. I DON'T USUALLY RESPOND TO CITIZEN COMMENTS, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MS. GOLOMBEK AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING. AND I TAKE IT TO HEART ON THE BALANCE WHEN WE ONLY HAVE ONE FEMALE LEFT ON THE CDB. I'LL PAY ATTENTION TO THAT COMMENT.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO COMMENT THAT THE PERSON IN QUESTION THAT WAS ADDED AS A SECOND ALTERNATE IN WAITING.

BECAUSE HE DOES NOT CURRENTLY RESIDE IN ATLANTIC BEACH IS A LONG-TERM ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT WHO KNOCKED DOWN HIS HOME. IS IN THE PROCESS OF REBUILDING IT, AND IT'S EXPECTED TO BE CO'D IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. AND AT THAT TIME, HE IS ELIGIBLE TO SERVE. BUT THE REQUEST WAS

[01:05:03]

AND THEN I WANT TO JUST COMMENT BRIEFLY ON E-BIKES. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT E-BIKES BECAUSE WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT E-BIKES ARE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. THEY'RE CERTAINLY A RISK, AND WE HAVE THE DEATH OF A… A YOUNG BOY IN ST.

JOHN'S COUNTY JUST ONE WEEK AGO. SO IT'S ON MY MIND, AND I DISCUSS IT FREQUENTLY WITH THE CITY MANAGER. I HAVE ASKED MR. HOGAN CAMP, IF HE CAN WORK WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND PERHAPS EVEN ENGAGE THE CITY OF NEPTUNE BEACH, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE KIND OF THESE, I DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM GANGS. THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN, BUT WE HAVE THESE GANGS OR THESE GROUPS OF E-BIKERS. THAT AT CERTAIN HOURS OF THE DAY, THEY OWN THE STREET. AND THEY WILL PASS VEHICLES, EVEN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WEAVING IN AND OUT AND POPPING WHEELIES, AND SO ON. AND SO THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, BUT I WANT TO RESTATE IT AGAIN. THE CITY'S CURRENT POLICY IS, IF A POLICE OFFICER OBSERVES THIS AND TRIES TO APPREHEND THE CULPRIT, IF THAT CULPRIT RUNS, WE'RE NOT CHASING BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS CHASE A YOUNGSTER INTO A VEHICLE AND KILL HIM THAT WAY. LET THEIR PARENTS KILL THEM, BUT NOT US. AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE MORE AND MORE DIALOGUE.

AND I THINK COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF NEPTUNE BEACH WOULD BE IN ORDER ON THIS. AND DOING MUCH LIKE YOU DO WHEN YOU DO A DUI, CHECKPOINT OR WHATEVER, IF WE'RE DOING IT AT THE SAME TIME AND WE'RE WATCHING THE KEY AREAS THAT THEY GO THROUGH, LIKE BEECHERTOWN CENTER, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CATCH ENOUGH OF THEM AND WRITE SOME TICKETS OR CARRY THEM HOME TO THEIR PARENTS. AND SO...

WE'RE ON IT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. AND CITY MANAGER, I HOPE YOU'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT WITH THE POLICE CHIEF.

INDEED, I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD STORY TO TELL IN TERMS OF WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND IS PLANNING TO DO. AND EXPECT A REALLY GOOD REPORT ON THAT AT THE MARCH 9TH MEETING. YEAH, VERY GOOD. I WANT TO FINISH UP ON THE HERITAGE TREES BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG DEAL. WHEN I CAME INTO MY POSITION THREE YEARS AGO, I REALLY WASN'T. WELL-VERSED ON TREES AND WHAT THE LAWS WERE, AND SO ON. AND I WILL ALWAYS STATE THAT I PRETTY MUCH START MY THINKING FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, NOT FROM THE SIDE OF COMMUNITY RIGHTS. BUT I, BEING MAYOR, I HAVE TO BE BALANCED. AND SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE DO THAT ARE CLEARLY ON THE SIDE OF FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY RIGHTS. SO I ASKED, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHETHER IT WAS ACTUALLY AT A COMMISSION MEETING OR WHETHER I ASKED YOU ONE-ON-ONE. THAT WE DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AS TO ORDINANCES THAT EXIST IN OTHER CITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT ARE TOUGHER THAN OURS, AND THEN MAYBE ENGAGE CITY ATTORNEY AS TO HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DEFEND? IS IT GOING TO COST US TO DEFEND? ARE WE GOING TO END UP PAYING AND SO ON? SO, IN THE MEANTIME… AMY PALMER WITH THE ESC ENGAGED AN ARBORIST, PARDON ME, A CITY OFFICIAL IN, OR A COUNTY OFFICIAL ACTUALLY IN ALACHUA COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PRETTY STRINGENT TREE CODE. AND WAS ACTUALLY RECOMMENDING THAT WE BRING HIM TO A MEETING TO PRESENT. AND WE MAY DO THAT, BUT IN CONSULTATION WITH CITY MANAGER HOGAN CAMP, HE AGREED TO REACH OUT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL. AND HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT YET? NO, I HAVE RESEARCHED THEIR ORDINANCE. AND IF I MAY, COMMISSIONER RING EARLIER POSED IT LIKE THIS. WHAT MORE CAN WE DO? WE'RE GOING TO LAY OUT A LOT OF WHAT MORE WE CAN DO AT THE MARCH 2ND WORKSHOP. YEAH.

OKAY. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT.

BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL LISTENING

[01:10:02]

WE CAN'T REPLACE A TREE OF THAT SIZE IN ONE LIFETIME.

WE CAN'T REPLACE IT IN TWO LIFETIMES. WE CANNOT REPLACE IT IN THREE LIFETIMES. SO WE REALLY HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL ON THAT, AND THERE ARE WAYS. I THINK IF I HEARD CORRECTLY FROM, IT MAY HAVE BEEN AMY TONIGHT, BUT AMY FRANKE, BUT I GUESS THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS, WE SHOULD AT LEAST LOOK AT, AND I'M NOT AGREEING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF A SUPER TOUGH ORDINANCE, BUT WE SHOULD LOOK AT, DO WE PUT FRICTION INTO THE PROCESS, ENOUGH FRICTION THAT WE GET SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION AND TRY TO GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER OUTCOME ON THESE MAGNIFICENT OLD GROWTH OAK TREES? AND I'M REAL FOCUSED ON OAK TREES, I SHOULD SAY, LIVE OAKS. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND A 400-YEAR-OLD WATER OAK.

SO ANYWAYS, MORE TO COME ON THAT, BUT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE THE LET'S SEE. WE NEED NO,

[6. CONSENT AGENDA ]

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. ITEM 6A, APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-24. 6.B APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-25 6.C APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-26 6.D APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-27 6.E APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-28 6.G APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-31 6.H APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-32 6.I APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 26-34 AND 6J. APPROVE RESOLUTION NO.

26-35. DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF, I BELIEVE IT'S 26-30.

CORRECT. SECOND. WE'LL TAKE THE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BOLL, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER KELLY. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

[6.F. Approve Resolution No. 26-30. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH ROADWAY ASSET SERVICES, LLC TO PERFORM A PAVEMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,102; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND AS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]

AND SO NOW WE'LL MOVE BACK TO... 266F, WHICH IS APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-30, WHICH I BETTER GET. ANYBODY GOT THAT HANDY? YEAH. RESOLUTION. I GOT IT HERE. YOU GOT IT? I GOT IT ALL OVER THE PLACE. OKAY, THANKS. OKAY, RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-30, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH ROADWAY ASSET SERVICES, LLC, TO PERFORM A PAVEMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT.

IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,102, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH, AND IS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2630. SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. DISCUSSION? SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHETHER WE'RE WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR $80,000? WE'RE NOT EXACTLY LIKE THE LAND OF OF POTHOLES.

SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT BENEFIT ARE WE GETTING FROM THIS THAT WE COULDN'T JUST DO BY DRIVING AROUND? IF I, IF I MAY, I'LL JUST THE FIRST STAB. AND MR. THORNTON, IF NEEDED, CAN CAN FURTHER ADDRESS YOU, BECAUSE THIS IS HIS, THIS IS HIS BAILIWICK. FIRST, THIS IS. ENABLES US TO USE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO OBJECTIVELY REVIEW THE STATE OF OUR ROADS AND SIDEWALKS, BY THE WAY, AND COME UP WITH OUR RESURFACING LISTS AND OUR IMPROVEMENT LISTS, EVEN FOR SIDEWALKS. THIS COST IS SPREAD OUT OVER FIVE YEARS, OR AT LEAST IT'S FIVE YEARS WORTH OF USE OF THE SOFTWARE. OH, THAT'S DIFFERENT. YES. AND SO WE DIDN'T REALLY SELL IT AS WELL AS WE COULD HAVE IN THE STAFF REPORT. AND IF YOU HAVE MORE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, MR. THORNTON CAN ANSWER THEM.

MR. THORNTON, WOULD YOU JOIN US, PLEASE? SO I ACTUALLY HAVE

[01:15:04]

OKAY. SO THE REPORT I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT WAS ALREADY A LITTLE BIT DATED. THAT'S RIGHT.

SINCE MR. THORNTON'S BEEN HERE AND EVEN THE YEAR OR TWO BEFORE, FRANKLY, IT WAS AN ASSESSMENT BY OUR TEAM AND PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH THEY RIDE THE STREETS.

AND ALSO, WE TOOK RESIDENT FEEDBACK INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL. SO NEXT QUESTION IS, DID WE PUT OUT AN RFP TO SELECT THIS FIRM? WE DID NOT. THIS IS SOFTWARE, WHICH IT'S SPECIALIZED FOR THIS. THIS IS WHAT OUR PEERS WHO ARE DOING THIS WELL, ARE USING. SO WE WEREN'T REQUIRED TO UNDER OUR PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AND DID NOT BE CONVINCED. WE CAN'T GET ANYTHING CLOSE TO AS GOOD A DEAL AS THIS.

THANK YOU. THIS IS A PIGGYBACK.

THAT'S RIGHT. WHAT ARE WE PIGGYBACKING ON? YOU KNOW WHOSE CONTRACT WE'RE PIGGYBACKING? I DON'T. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE ARE PIGGYBACKING OFF OF SOMEBODY. SO IT IS THE USE OF THE PIGGYBACK THAT ALLOWS US TO SKIP THE RFP. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

YEAH. SO I'M GOING TO VOTE IN APPROVAL OF THIS TONIGHT.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THIS. FIRST OF ALL, I'M A VOTING MEMBER OF THE TPO OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA, AND THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A COMPANY. YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH IT OR MAY NOT BE, BUT THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A COMPANY THAT DOES THESE KIND OF ANALYTICS AND SO ON.

THEY'RE STATE-OF-THE-ART, AND I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED TO AT LEAST INTRODUCE THAT NAME FOR RESEARCH. BUT WE SHOULD ENGAGE THE TPO MORE, NOT JUST ON THAT, BUT OTHER THINGS.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF VERY GOOD THINGS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA. BUT MY QUESTION NOW IS NOW UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A FIVE-YEAR. DEAL WITH THE SOFTWARE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US HOW THAT LOOKS? HOW DO YOU USE THE SOFTWARE? IS IT USING SATELLITE IMAGERY ON OUR ROADS? IT'S GOING TO DO A ROAD-BY-ROAD SCAN, LASER SCAN. IT'LL READ IT.

IT'S GOING TO PUT THOSE DATA INTO FIVE-YEAR MARKS FOR US, LET US KNOW WHAT THE WORST ROAD IS ACCORDING TO THEIR STANDARDS, AND WHAT THE BEST ROADS ARE.

AND IT CAN ALSO DO IT ON A 15-YEAR. REBUILD ROAD CYCLE IS HOW YOU TYPICALLY WOULD GO ABOUT IT. SO I'M A LAY PERSON. I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE HERE. SO WE GOT ALL THESE ROADS. ARE WE USING THE SOFTWARE EVERY YEAR TO RE-IDENTIFY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR ROADS? OR, BASED ON WHAT OUR KNOWLEDGE WAS FROM LAST YEAR, DO WE USE THE SOFTWARE NEXT YEAR TO JUST DOUBLE CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE WORST OF THE ROADS? HOW DOES THIS WORK? YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ON A 15 YEAR CYCLE. HAVING MUCH MONEY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GET THROUGH COMMISSION AND EVERYTHING. UM, THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE JUST GO DOWN THE LIST, RIGHT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE EMERGENCIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY'RE GOING TO POP UP. THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC, BUT WE HAVE A LIST OF WHAT OUR BEST ROAD IS RIGHT NOW AND WHAT OUR WORST ROADS ARE. SO AS YOU, I MEAN, I'VE USED THE SOFTWARE BEFORE.

UM, DID YOU USE THAT IN DAYTONA? UM, NO, WE DID NOT USE THE SOFTWARE IN DAYTONA, BUT IN MY 17 YEARS IN SIGNAL MOUNTAIN, WE DID USE SOFTWARE. OKAY. AND IT WAS FANTASTIC, HONESTLY. SO, YES, COMMISSIONER. SO I AM VERY INTERESTED IN THE SIDEWALK PART OF IT.

AND I THINK AFTER YOU DO THE SURVEY OF THE SIDEWALKS, WHICH PROBABLY IS A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN THE ROADS. AND THERE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE STREET SIGNS, TOO. SO WE'LL HAVE A FULL INVENTORY OF THE STREET SIGNS. SO YOU COULD USE AN ELECTRIC BIKE TO DO THAT. BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CONNECTIVITY PLAN, WHICH DOES INCLUDE SIDEWALKS.

SO PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO REVIEW. THE CONNECTIVITY PLAN AND UPDATE THE CONDITION OF WHICH SIDEWALK SHOULD BE NEXT. YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF DATA FROM IT. IT'S GOING TO BE SOME EYE-OPENING STUFF FOR US. AND THEN THE SIGNS IS REALLY A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO IN PUBLIC WORKS. IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S EXPENSIVE. SO MY FINAL QUESTION IS, HOW DOES THIS SOFTWARE INTERFACE WITH THE NEED TO UNDERSTAND SUBTERRANEAN UTILITIES? THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE. THANK YOU. CAN REPLACE SIMULTANEOUS TO THE EXPENDITURE ON THE ASPHALT AND THE BASE.

WELL, MAN, THE SOFTWARE IS NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY GIVE US THAT, BUT IT WILL BE UPLOADED INTO GIS, WHICH SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE SAME MODEL, RIGHT? IT'S AN OVERLAP OF GIS, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE EVERYTHING UNDER THE ROAD. OH, THIS ROAD

[01:20:01]

SO YOUR PUBLIC WORKS, AND YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG...

RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. PUBLIC UTILITIES TO ENSURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING IN SYNC? WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP SO FAR, YES, SIR. OKAY. I GIVE HIM ANY MONEY HE WANTS. YEAH, NO, I WAS OVER. YOU HAVEN'T EARNED THAT. I WAS OVER PUBLIC UTILITIES AND DAYTONA. YES. AS WELL. OH, OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING. PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PARKS. SO I HAVE MULTIPLE HATS DOWN THERE.

WELL, I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE THROUGH THE COMMISSION, ALL OF US. IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON SOMETHING, WHEN YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A DECAYING INFRASTRUCTURE, I.E. PIPES IN THE GROUND, WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO AS A MAYOR AND AS A COMMISSIONER IS I DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON ROADS. THAT WE THEN HAVE TO TEAR UP FIVE YEARS LATER TO REPLACE THE SEWER SYSTEM.

ABSOLUTELY AGREE. YEAH, THANK YOU. OKAY, THANKS. THANKS, HANS. SORRY. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S IT, OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION IN SECOND ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE AYE OPPOSED MOTION

[8.A. RESOLUTION NO. 26-29 ]

AWARDING BID 2526-06 SHERRY DRIVE WATER MAIN EXTENSION PHASE 2 PROJECT TO AMERICAN CIVIL CONSTRUCTION, INC.

IN THE AMOUNT OF $851,187.85, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH, AND IS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION IN PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

MR. HOGENKAMP. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S IN YOUR STAFF REPORT. THIS IS THE SECOND PHASE OF THE EXTENSION TO NAS MAYPORT TO PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO THE BASE AND AN EMERGENCY SOURCE OF POTABLE WATER TO EITHER PARTY. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO PROVIDING BETTER WATER SERVICE TO THE PROPERTIES ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF WONDERWOOD AND MAYPORT, BETTER FIRE PROTECTION AT ANCHOR ACADEMY, AND BETTER WATER SERVICE AND FIRE PROTECTION FOR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING THE CHICKEN AND PICKLE THAT'S PLANNED ON MAYPORT ROAD. NORTH OF WONDERWOOD, UP TO THE SECURITY GATE. 75% OF THE PROJECT COST WILL BE REIMBURSED VIA DEFENSE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2629.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION.

SECOND. DISCUSSION? YEAH, I HAVE SOME. YES. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. YEAH, IT IS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAYPORT NAVAL BASE, THEY HAVE THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE, AND WE HAVE THINGS THEY DON'T HAVE. THIS IS A...

THIS IS A LANDMARK, I THINK, FOR OUR CITY. YOU KNOW, I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.

YEP. OKAY. IF I MAY, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THAT HAVING STEVE SWAN ON STAFF, THE CITY ENGINEER, IS HOW WE'RE HERE TODAY.

FRANKLY, HIS RESOURCEFULNESS, HIS EXPERTISE, THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT... I WOULDN'T HAVE LANDED HERE OTHERWISE. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

[8.B. RESOLUTION NO. 26-33 ]

ITEM 8B, RESOLUTION 26-33, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS IN RFP. FOR EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM SERVICES FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF A CITY MANAGER, PROVIDING FOR AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

COMMISSIONER RING. MAKE A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2633. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION? YES, SIR.

AS YOU NOTICE, KEVIN'S NOT INVOLVED IN THE REPORT, SO MAYBE I'LL RATTLE ON FOR JUST A SECOND. AND I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RING.

THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, SPEED UP THE RFP PROCESS, BUT I WOULD. I WOULD SAY THIS, AS WE WERE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT IT, AND I WAS LOOKING.

STATISTICALLY, ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRMS, LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, THEY HAVE BEEN MIXED RESULTS.

THE INTERESTING THING, AT LEAST IT'S A STATISTIC I'D LIKE TO SEE, IS THE PERCENTAGE OF CITY MANAGERS THAT ARE STILL IN THEIR POSITION AFTER FIVE YEARS. THAT'S IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I BELIEVE IT'S 4.7 YEARS, AN AVERAGE CITY MANAGER STAYS IN HIS CHAIR. I THINK. WE HAVE AGREED, OR AT LEAST THE DISCUSSION I'VE HEARD, THAT WE WANT A GUY THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE OR GAL FOR A WHILE. RIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THE COMPANY THAT WE PICK.

WE CAN COME BACK AND SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE RESULTS AND

[01:25:01]

SO. IN SUPPORT OF THE POINT ABOUT THE DATE, I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER RING, IF YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE IT UP THAT MUCH ANYWAYS. BECAUSE TYPICALLY, YOU WOULD ALLOW AT LEAST 30 DAYS FOR RESPONDENTS ON THE RFP. AND SO TODAY BEING THE 23RD, LET'S SAY IT GETS OUT THE DOOR ON THE 25TH.

COULD YOU WORK WITH THE HR DEPARTMENT TO GET IT OUT TOMORROW? WELL, SIR, BUT I... I REMEMBER I WAS LOOKING AT TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS.

BASICALLY, I CALLED IT A MONTH, BUT WHATEVER WE SAY. WELL, THE POINT IS WE NEED TO ALLOW AT LEAST 30 DAYS. SO IF WE WENT FROM THE 25TH TO THE 25TH OF APRIL. MARCH. MARCH. YEAH, UP TO MARCH. AND THEN WHAT WAS THE DATE? WE HAVE APRIL 8TH IS THE PROPOSAL DUE DATE. SO WE COULD MOVE THAT UP A WEEK OR A WEEK AND A HALF. IN THE RFP. RFP, MAYOR, THERE IS AN RFP TIMELINE, AND IT SAYS RFP WILL BE ISSUED FEBRUARY 26TH. AND THEN THE DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS, MARCH 30TH, THE PROPOSAL DUE DATE IS APRIL. THIS IS ON PAGE. YEAH, I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 14. WELL, THIS IN THE ACTUAL AGENDA TO SAME DATES. IT IS THE SAME DATES. OH, THEY ARE. SO I THINK MAYBE THE BEST THING TO DO IS JUST REPLACE THE DATE ON THE PROPOSAL DUE DATE.

TO BE 30 DAYS FROM POSTING IT. WOULD THAT MAKE SENSE? AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE. YES, COMMISSIONER. I'VE GOT TO SAY THE LAST TIME, WHICH IS ALL WE CAN REMEMBER IN RECENT MEMORY, IS. IT TOOK A LOT MORE THAN 30 DAYS TO GET A GOOD SELECTION OF SUBMISSIONS. WELL, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE SEARCH.

OKAY, NEVER MIND. NO, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THE CANDIDATES. WE NEED MORE THAN 30 DAYS ON THAT. DELAY THAT. SO DO I HAVE? I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION. I ASSUME THAT IS PART OF THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION ON THE DATES. SO YOU WERE JUST SHOWING IT TO ME. SO WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO CHANGE THAT TO JUST BEING 30 DAYS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW.

WE DON'T HAVE TO. IF WE AGREE THAT, THIS CAN GO OUT ON THE 26TH. BUT AGAIN, WHY ARE WE GOING TO APRIL 8TH IF WE GET THIS OUT ON THE 26TH? THAT'S YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE IT COULD BE DONE IN 30 DAYS.

YEAH. YEAH. AGAIN, I PICK TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE GO OUT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT. SO THAT COMMISSION MEETING WOULD BE THE 23RD. IS THAT RIGHT? OF MARCH? OR APRIL 13TH. THOSE ARE OUR TWO PICKS. OKAY. TO HAVE THEM AT A MEETING. WELL, BUT YOU'VE GOT THE EVALUATION.

THAT'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED HERE AS APRIL 13TH. RIGHT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROPOSAL DUE DATE, WHICH YOU WOULD WANT IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.

OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. SO IF I DON'T HEAR AN AMENDED MOTION, THEN CAN I SAY ONE THING? PARDON? BOB, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND MAYBE ENTER INTO THIS JUST A LITTLE BIT AND EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO THROUGH HR AND ALL THIS. YES.

I'M BOB BLANCO, THE DIRECTOR OF HR. PART OF THIS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, I DON'T DO PROCUREMENT. PATTY DOES. SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN HER TIME FRAME, TOO.

AND CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO IN THE RFP THAT ARE IN HERE. AS FAR AS TIME FOR QUESTIONS, THEY HAVE TO RESPOND BACK TO PATTY. AND THEN WE GET ANSWERS, AND THEN SHE HAS TO POST THOSE FOR ALL THE BIDDERS. AND A WALKTHROUGH. I MEAN, IT'S CUSTOMARY TO HAVE FIRMS, IF THEY WANT TO COME OUT AND MEET WITH EITHER ME OR BRUCE, OR EVEN THE WHOLE COMMISSION.

SO, I MEAN, ALL THAT'S KIND OF BUILT IN TO THE TIMELINE, IN ADDITION TO THE ADVERTISING OF IT, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE FIRMS AMPLE TIME TO READ THROUGH THE PACKET AND SEE WHAT'S REQUIRED AND ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN PUT TOGETHER THEIR PROPOSAL. I KIND OF GO BACK TO JIM HANSEN WHEN HE SAID, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T RUSH. SO I THINK THIS IS A NOT RUSHED TIMELINE. IF YOU WANT TO DO APRIL 1ST OR 2ND, CERTAINLY WE COULD DO THAT. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT ONE WEEK IS GOING TO HELP OR HINDER THAT

[01:30:04]

ON PAGE 14 ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, IT SAYS THE INTERIM, AND INTERIM IS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. CITY MANAGER MAY SUBMIT A RECOMMENDED FIRM OR SHORT LIST. THAT SHOULD BE STRICKEN.

THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER IS, IN FACT, POTENTIALLY A CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION. I AGREE.

NOT FOR THE RFP, NOT FOR THE SELECTING. NO. SO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, WHICH IS MR. HOCKENKAMP, SHOULD NOT BE IN ANY WAY INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION OF A SEARCH FIRM THROUGH AN RFP OR THE SELECTION OF A SHORT LIST OF CANDIDATES.

I MEAN. I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD PUT YOURSELF ON THE SHORT LIST IF THAT HAPPENED, BUT I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE DO THAT. I'M STILL REMOVED FROM THIS PROCESS. THAT WASN'T THE INTENT THERE. WHAT PAGE OF THE PACKET ARE WE ON? 14.

PAGE 14. PAGE 183 OF THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE.

SO I WOULD LIKE THAT. I WOULD LIKE SOMEBODY TO MOVE TO AMEND THAT. I MOVE THAT WE AMEND REMOVING THE. INTERIM CITY MANAGER THIS IS A A MOTION TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS MOTION WITH REMOVAL OF INTERIM ON PAGE 14, WHICH IS ACTUALLY PAGE 183 OF 220 OF THIS AGENDA, PARAGRAPH TWO. SO DO WE DO WE REPLACE INTERIM CITY MANAGER WITH ANOTHER PERSON, OR DO WE STRIKE THE WHOLE SENTENCE? I THINK THAT WOULD BE ADVISABLE, JUST STRIKE THE WHOLE THING, WELL, REPLACE, OR REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER PERSON. THANK YOU.

I'LL VOLUNTEER FOR THAT IF WE NEED TO. I DON'T KNOW. THE LAST TIME, IT TOOK YOU AN EXTRA TWO WEEKS TO GET IT DONE. MAYOR, I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD GO BACK IN TIME TO THE LAST CITY MANAGER SELECTION. WE ALL WERE HERE. WELL, HOW ABOUT WE MAKE IT DONNA, BECAUSE SHE CONTROLS THE AGENDA.

BUT WE CAN PUT DONNA IN THERE.

BUT REMEMBER, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS A VALUE PROPOSITION. WE WANT A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK AND GIVE US THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT. THERE ARE FIRMS THAT. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT HAVE COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE STATISTICS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. SO I'M OKAY WITH IT.

SO HERE'S WHAT IT CURRENTLY SAYS. INTERIM CITY MANAGER MAY SUBMIT A RECOMMENDED FIRM OR SHORTLIST. RECOMMENDATION IS RECOMMENDATION. IT WOULD STILL COME BACK TO THIS BODY FOR A VOTE, WHICH MEANS THAT ANYBODY THAT WAS NOT SHORTLISTED SHOULD STILL BE OF RECORD. IS THAT CORRECT? OR WOULD THAT BE KEPT OUT OF THE RECORD BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN SHORTLISTED? IN THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN HERE, IT'S... IT KIND OF LEAVES IT OPEN-ENDED TO.

THEY MAY RECOMMEND A SHORTLIST, AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO ACCEPT THAT OR REJECT IT.

AND EVERY VENDOR THAT ACTUALLY SUBMITS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT SHORTLISTED, WILL BE A PUBLIC RECORD. YOU COULD TURN TO THAT VENDOR IF YOU SO, PLEASE. SO YOU WON'T BE HAMSTRUNG FROM GOING TO ANOTHER VENDOR IF YOU NEEDED TO. AND, MAYOR, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER NETWORKS, RIGHT, WITH OTHER CITY MANAGERS. I KNOW HE MEETS WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS, DOES THE HOMEWORK BECAUSE I INTEND TO DO THE HOMEWORK, BUT WE WANT THE BEST POSSIBLE FIRM, YOU KNOW, AND THE BEST RESULT. AND I TELL YOU, IF YOU CALLED UP FERNANDINA BEACH, FOR INSTANCE, AND YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT A CITY MANAGER.

THAT LASTED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FROM A FROM A REPUTABLE SEARCH FIRM, RIGHT? I WOULD TAKE THAT ONE OFF THE LIST PERSONALLY, JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.

OKAY. SO, MAYOR. YES. AND CAN I JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT IT NOT BE SOMEONE WHO, NO OFFENSE, THIS H.R. DIRECTOR WOULD BE INVOLVED IN HIRING POSSIBLY THEIR BOSS.

SO PERHAPS THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THE CITY CLERK WHO'S DIRECTLY UNDER U.S. RECEIVE THE APPLICANTS OR THE APPLICATIONS AND BE THAT OTHER PERSON. CITY MANAGER INTERIM SINCE KEVIN PUT HIS NAME IN THE HAT. SO SO, MADAM CLERK, ARE YOU UP FOR THAT CHALLENGE? IT MAY ONLY BE A FEW, BUT IT COULD BE MORE. AND THE CHALLENGE, THE QUESTION IS, WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE CHARGE THAT YOU WOULD TAKE? THE APPLICANTS? AND YOU WOULD

[01:35:02]

WELL, ACTUALLY, NO. AND OUR PROCUREMENT.

TO NARROW IT DOWN. NOT REALLY.

I WAS NOT. I THANK YOU, AND I THANK YOUR STAFF FOR ASSISTING.

BUT LET'S DISPATCH WITH THIS, AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT ON IT. SO, IF YOU COULD, RESTATE THE MOTION TO JUST ELIMINATE THAT PORTION OF PARAGRAPH 2 ON PAGE 14.

JUST THAT SENTENCE, RIGHT? TAKE THAT SENTENCE OUT. MAKE A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2633 AND ELIMINATE PARAGRAPH AND SECOND SENTENCE, PARAGRAPH FIVE. THAT'S THE SECOND SENTENCE? WHICH ONE IS IT? LET ME REPHRASE IT FOR YOU, MAYBE. THE CONCEPT WOULD BE THAT THE ONLY DESIGNATED SHORTLISTER WILL BE YOU. SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SHOULD BE...

BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVITY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID, I THINK JUST LEAVE IT TO THE COMMISSION AS THE COMMITTEE TO BE THE ONE TO SHORTLIST IT. DON'T LEAVE IT IN ANYONE ELSE'S HANDS, I THINK, INCLUDING MYSELF. IF WE'RE PICKING THEM, DO WE NEED A SHORTLIST? NO, WE MAY NOT. I MEAN, YOU MAY ONLY GET THREE, WHICH IS A SHORTLIST, RIGHT? SO, COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT? I'M GOOD WITH THAT. AND WE WILL UPDATE NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND DONNA, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR MINUTES WILL NOW REFLECT? I THOUGHT SO.

IF THAT MEANS HE'S GOING TO REWORD SOMETHING? WE'RE GOING TO. OKAY. YEAH. SO HERE'S THE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND THERE'S A PROPOSED AMENDMENT. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO STRIKE THE ONE SENTENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF SECTION TWO ON PAGE. 14, WHICH IS PAGE 183 OF 220 PAGE AGENDA PACKET. AND THAT IS TO ELIMINATE THE PART THAT SAYS. THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER MAY SUBMIT A RECOMMENDED FIRM OR A SHORTLIST, OR A COMBINATION OF A RECOMMENDED FIRM. AND THE SHORTLIST TO THE CITY COMMISSION AND THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL MAKE THE FINAL WORD. SO WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ELIMINATES THAT SENTENCE. SO REALLY, WHAT IT DOES IS IT LEAVES IT FULLY TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO DEAL WITH THAT.

WHETHER YOU DECIDE TO SHORTLIST IT OR NOT, THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR CALL.

SO I THINK THAT, I THINK, CAPTURES IT. IS THAT YOUR MOTION? WHAT HE SAID. OKAY. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION. AND FIRST, YES, COMMISSIONER? AS THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMING IN FROM RFP, WHO'S COLLECTING THEM? THE PROCUREMENT MANAGER. SO PATTY? THAT'S PATTY. AND, I MEAN, AS A COMMISSIONER, DO WE FEEL THAT THAT'S A THAT'S AN OKAY THING TO DO? OR COULD THERE NOT JUST, I MEAN, IT WOULDN'T BE MORE WORK ON THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE SO MUCH.

YOU WOULDN'T BE SIFTING THROUGH THEM. YOU WOULD JUST BE THE ONE COLLECTING THEM. I THINK WE SHOULD MAINTAIN THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE NOW. ALL THE PROCUREMENTS GO THROUGH HER. RIGHT. SO I AGREE.

I THINK PATTY HAS TO FOLLOW HER PROCEDURES AND OPEN THEM.

YEAH. YEAH. THEY'RE HEADING ON WEDNESDAYS. LIKE SHE DOES, ALL THE AGREE. I'D LIKE TO COMMENT. COMMISSIONER, THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

IT'S A VALID QUESTION, AND I ALREADY WRANGLED WITH IT.

I HAVE THE SAME CONCERN, EXCEPT IT IS PATTY'S BAILIWICK, AND SHE KNOWS HOW TO BE COMPLIANT AND SO ON. I'M NOT CONCERNED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT PATTY WILL GET US ALL THE APPLICANTS, AND I REALLY, QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE DOZENS OF APPLICANTS. I THINK BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, WE REALLY WILL HAVE A SHORT LIST. BUT SINCE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC, I'M MORE INTERESTED, AND THIS IS NOT TO BE DECIDED TONIGHT, BUT I'M MORE INTERESTED. THAT WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE APPLICANTS RESPONDING TO THE RFP, THAT THOSE APPLICATIONS DO NOT GO TO HR, WHETHER IT'S PATTY OR ANYONE ELSE IN HR, THAT THOSE APPLICATIONS, AND WE CAN

[01:40:02]

YES. WHERE IN HERE DOES IT ACTUALLY SAY? THAT WE WILL BE, WE MAKE THE SELECTION. RIGHT HERE. THE PARAGRAPH YOU JUST ELIMINATE, OR THE SENTENCE YOU JUST ELIMINATED, ENDED IN. THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL MAKE THE FINAL AWARD. RIGHT. AND BEFORE THAT, BEFORE THE STRIKEOUT, WE HAVE THE SENTENCE, THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW AND RANK ALL PROPOSALS RECEIVED AND ESTABLISH A LIST OF SELECTED PROPOSERS DEEMED TO BE THE MOST QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE REQUESTED BASED ON THE CRITERIA SET. SO THAT'S THE SHORT LIST. SURE, BUT THEN... AND THEN IT SAID, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP...

THE LAST THREE WORDS OF THE LAST... YEAH, THAT LITTLE ONE. THE CITY COMMISSION SHOULD MAKE A FINAL AWARD. I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THAT. TO BE CLEAR, THAT IS THE LAW. THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT. BUT IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, LET'S SAY THAT.

YEAH, LET'S... YEAH. OKAY, NOW, SINCE DONNA IS THE DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS, TELL DONNA WHAT WE JUST SAID, BECAUSE SHE'S GOT TO WRITE THE MINUTES. SO I'LL TAKE A STAB AT THIS. SENTENCE THAT WE WERE EXCAVATING, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO KEEP THE LAST FOUR WORDS OF IT. WE BASICALLY ARE GOING TO SAY...

IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION AS THE COMMITTEE WILL MAKE THE FINAL AWARD. THAT'S REALLY REITERATING THE LAW, THOUGH.

YES. YEAH, IT'S FOLLOWING THE LAW. SO, DONNA, THE CITY COMMISSION. YES. SHE'S GOT IT DOWN HERE. OKAY. SO THAT IS, I KNOW YOU JUST SAID IT, COMMISSIONER BULL, THAT IS YOUR AMENDMENT. FROM THE AMENDMENT.

FROM THE AMENDMENT. BUT SO IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE JUST ON THE AMENDMENT. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY. WAIT A SECOND. WE DIDN'T GET A SECOND.

SECOND, THE AMENDMENT. YOU'RE SECONDING? OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND NOW. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY.

THAT CARRIES. NOW WE CAN VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-33 AS AMENDED. I MAKE A PROPOSAL TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 26-33 AS AMENDED. SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE. AYE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A TONGUE TWISTER

[8.C. RESOLUTION NO. 26-36]

OKAY. ITEM 8C RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-36. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A RENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE ATLANTIC BEACH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, KNOWN AS ABAA, FOR THE USE OF BASEBALL FACILITIES AT JACK RUSSELL PARK, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE FUTURE AMENDMENTS TO ENSURE THE AGREEMENT REMAINS ADJUSTED TO COMMUNITY NEEDS, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

MR. HOGAN-KAMP. THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR PARTNERS FROM ABAA ARE HERE, AND I'D LIKE, WHEN I'M DONE MAKING SOME REMARKS, LIKE TO INDULGE YOU, TO ALLOW THEM TO COME ADDRESS THE QUESTION.

PLEASE PROCEED. THE CITY AND ABAA, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT, HAVE MAINTAINED A PARTNERSHIP SINCE AT LEAST 1989. ABAA PROVIDES YOUTH BASEBALL PROGRAMMING TO ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS. THAT'S IN LIEU OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH STAFF. OFFERING THAT PROGRAMMING. ABAA OFFERS SPRING AND FALL LEAGUES FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 12. THE CITY PROVIDES THE FACILITIES AND SUPPORT AT THE PARK. ABAA MANAGES LEAGUE OPERATIONS AND FIELD MAINTENANCE. ABAA IS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION. NO BOARD MEMBERS OR COACHES ARE COMPENSATED. PER ABAA, ABOUT 45% OF PARTICIPANTS RESIDE WITHIN THE 3-2-2-3-3 ZIP CODE, WHICH INCLUDES ATLANTIC BEACH AND THE MAYPORT AREA OF JACKSONVILLE. AND DUE TO THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS, PARTICIPATION HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY IN RECENT YEARS. THE PARTIES LAST ENTERED INTO A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT IN 2021 AND HAVE CONTINUED OPERATIONS UNDER THOSE TERMS POST-EXPIRATION. CITY STAFF AND ABA LEADERSHIP HAVE WORKED COOPERATIVELY IN RECENT MONTHS TO RECONCILE HISTORICAL COMPLIANCE MATTERS AND NEGOTIATE A NEW AGREEMENT, AND THUS, HERE WE ARE TONIGHT. THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE FUTURE AMENDMENTS AS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE AGREEMENT REMAINS ADJUSTED TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.

THE ONLY CONTRACTUAL DIVIDE BETWEEN THE CITY STAFF AND THE ABAA CONCERNS. SUNDAY PLAY DURING THE ATLANTIC BEACH FARMERS MARKET. AS BOTH ACTIVITIES SHARE LIMITED SPACE, THE CITY MUST BALANCE HIGH-TRAFFIC COMMUNITY EVENTS

[01:45:02]

IN 2021, THE CITY MOVED THE FARMERS MARKET TO SUNDAY, SPECIFICALLY TO ACCOMMODATE ABAA PLAY. ABAA AND THE FARMERS MARKET HAVE BOTH EXPANDED SINCE THEN. AND IN 2025, THE COMMISSION DESIGNATED ITSELF AS THE ARBITER OF THIS PARTICULAR MATTER. TO FORMALLY RESOLVE THE SCHEDULING CONFLICT. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AND IN DOING SO, SELECT ONE OF THREE OPTIONS IN TERMS OF OUR AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE NOT QUITE ON THE SAME PAGE ON.

OPTION ONE WOULD BE TO RESTRICT MORNING TRAVEL PLAY. THAT'S THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT THE CONTRACT STATE. RENTER HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE FARMER'S MARKET OPERATES FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

ON SUNDAYS, AND, ACCORDINGLY, ACCESS TO THE FACILITIES AND BASEBALL FIELDS BY TEAMS OUTSIDE OF ATLANTIC BEACH'S JURISDICTION.

FOR EXAMPLE, TRAVEL OR ALL-STAR TEAMS IS PROHIBITED PRIOR TO 1.30 P.M. ON SUNDAYS.

ABAA WOULD LIKE THAT STATEMENT NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT. SO THOSE ARE TWO OPTIONS. THE THIRD IS IN E. HYBRID THAT YOU MIGHT DECIDE ON. I'VE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF MAKING THIS SIMPLE, I HAVE SOME RECOMMENDED MOTIONS ACCORDINGLY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FARMERS MARKET, THE FUTURE OF THE FARMERS MARKET, WHERE WE EXPECT TO HAVE A NEW OPERATOR. JULY 1ST. WE DON'T KNOW, FRANKLY, AT THIS POINT, WHETHER THE FARM FARMER'S MARKET WILL MAINTAIN THE SAME HOURS OR EVEN BE HELD ON THE SAME DAY OR AT THE SAME PARK. WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER ALL PROPOSALS OBJECTIVELY. SO SOME OF THE SUNDAY MORNING CONFLICT COULD BE MITIGATED IF INDEED THERE ARE CHANGES IN THE FARMER'S MARKET, BUT THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND AGAIN, IF YOUR BLESSING, AT ANY POINT, WHETHER IT'S BEFORE OR AFTER, YOU ASK ME QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE FOR ABAA TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.

OKAY. SO I THINK LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND FOLLOW THE NORM.

LET'S GET A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-36, OPTION ONE. SECOND. OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. NOW WE'LL OPEN IT UP, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON WHO WANTS TO SPEAK, COACH? NO. OKAY.

KELLY HAMPTON, PRESIDENT, ABA. SO I GUESS I WOULD SAY, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, GO AHEAD AND ASK ME.

BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, OUR POSITION WAS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING THERE BE NO RESTRICTION ON OUR PLAY ON SUNDAYS. THE ALL-STAR PROGRAM IS THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE PLAYING ON SUNDAYS. SO WE HAVE THE REG BALL PROGRAM, WHICH IS EVERY KID. AND THEY PLAY EACH WEEKNIGHT, AND THEN THEY PLAY ON SATURDAYS. AND OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL KNOW SATURDAYS IS THE FLIGHT OF DAY. SO THEY ALL PLAY THEN. AND THE ONES WHO TAKE THE EXTRA CHALLENGE OF BECOMING AN ALL-STAR, THEY HAVE BASICALLY ONE DAY THAT THEY CAN GET GAMES AND PRACTICES IN. SUNDAY, GIVEN THAT THE REST OF THE WEEK IS TAKEN UP WITH OUR REGULAR REC BALL PLAYERS.

NOW, ALL THESE REC BALL PLAYERS ARE STRIVING TO BE ALL-STARS, AND THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PERFECT THEIR SKILLS, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET USED TO PLAYING OTHER HIGH-QUALITY TEAMS, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED THAT TIME ON SUNDAY.

SIMPLY PUT, FROM 1.30, WHICH IS, I GUESS, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH, AS I READ IT, WOULD ALLOW THEM TO PRACTICE PRIOR TO 1.30, BUT THEN THEY COULD PLAY GAMES AGAINST, SAY, JACKSONVILLE BEACH OR FORT CAROLINE. TEAMS THAT WE THAT WE COMMONLY GO AGAINST AND PLAY AFTER 1.30, THAT WOULD ONLY ALLOW FOR ONE SET OF TEAMS, REALLY TO GET GAMES IN. YOUR FASTEST GAME THAT'S PLAYED IS AN 8U MACHINE PITCH GAME, WHICH IS AN HOUR AND A HALF.

SO YOU PUT THAT AT STARTING AT 1.30, NOW YOU'RE AT 3 O'CLOCK FOR THE SECOND GAME TO START, AND THEY TYPICALLY PLAY TWO AT A TIME, TWO ON A DOUBLE HEADER. SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A 15-MINUTE BREAK.

[01:50:01]

NOW, THERE ARE THE ALL-STAR TEAMS. YOU START WITH 6U, WHICH IS THEIR T-BALL TEAM.

THAT WOULD TAKE ALL THOSE T-BALLERS, WHICH THERE'S 100 OF THEM. AND THEIR T-BALLERS ARE THE ONES MEETING ON SUNDAYS AT 10 TO 2. BECAUSE I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WE'RE NOT BLOCKING. OPTION 1 DOESN'T BLOCK KIDS OUT OF BASEBALL ALL DAY. JUST ON SUNDAYS FROM 10 TO 2, WHICH HONESTLY, I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE AT CHURCH. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BRING THAT UP TOO MUCH. BUT WITH THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN, TRULY. ISN'T CHURCH.

BUT THE CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET THAT IS BELOVED. AND ALL OF US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE TO HEAR, NOT JUST BASEBALL PARENTS AND BASEBALLERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS AND THE MERCHANTS. WHO HAVE NOW CATERED. FROM SATURDAYS TO SUNDAYS, FROM 10 TO 2, AT THE LEAST BUSIEST HOURS.

AND SO, TO BE FAIR, TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, THAT BASEBALL HAS IT WHENEVER THEY WANT, IT'S NOT FAIR. IT'S ALSO NOT FAIR FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN JACK RUSSELL AREA AND WHO HAVE A HEAVY AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THERE. AND THEN LINED UP CARS AND EVERYTHING ELSE OFF OF PLAZA. AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT MOSTLY BASEBALL. I'M SURE IT'S PROBABLY FARMER'S MARKET, TOO. EXCUSE ME. AND THEN WE HAVE TO... WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE. SO THERE HAS TO BE A GIVE AND TAKE. THERE HAS TO BE A COMPROMISE. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE, WHAT, FOUR HOURS. FOUR HOURS.

RIGHT. LET'S PUT THEM IN CHURCH. AND I UNDERSTAND IT.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE THESE CHILDREN AND THESE PARENTS WHO HAVE MADE THIS EXTRA COMMITMENT. AND THEY REALIZE THAT THAT FARMER'S MARKET IS THERE. AND MOST OF THEM FREQUENT IT WHEN THEY GET HERE. YOU KNOW, THE PARENTS BRING THE KIDS.

THEY DROP THEM AT THE PRACTICE OR, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT THEM OVER THERE TO GET READY TO DO THEIR GAME. AND THEY GO ON TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.

NOW, SINCE, MOST, SINCE ALL OF OURS KNOW ABOUT THIS FARMER MARKET.

BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE LIVING THIS, THEY MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS, AND MOST OF THEM WILL RIDE TOGETHER. A LOT OF THEM RIDE BIKES, STUFF LIKE THAT. WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING A CAR.

BECAUSE, LET'S FACE IT, LET'S SAY THEY LIVE ON SAN PABLO. THE MAJORITY, AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THEM. RIGHT HERE. AND IF YOU GO OUT THERE ON A SUNDAY, YOU'LL SEE THEM ALL PULLING UP ON BIKES AND COMING IN ON GOLF CARTS, GETTING DROPPED OFF AND THAT SORT OF THING.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN THE DAY TO ACCOMMODATE THE SEAT, SO ACCOMMODATE 18S THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE ALL STARS. AND WHAT ABOUT DONNER PARK? ARE YOU ABLE TO SUBSET OUT TO DONNER PARK? WELL, WE COULD, IF DONNER PARK WAS IN, WAS IN ANY WAY PLAYABLE. IT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT OPTION. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAD I PROPOSED TO ALLOW US TO FIX UP DONNER PARK.

HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD TO PUT THE BRAKES ON THAT. I HAD DONORS READY TO PUT MONEY IN. WHEN WAS THAT? I WANTED TO START FIXING IT UP.

I WAS MOVING TO DO IT LATE DECEMBER, EARLY JANUARY. AND I BELIEVE I MADE THAT PROPOSAL AROUND NOVEMBER, EARLY NOVEMBER. YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, THIS TIME, THIS CONVERSATION CAME UP AND THIS WAS MY BIG PUSH. IS DONNER PARK, WHICH WOULD HELP LESSEN THE TRAFFIC

[01:55:02]

GREAT. AND. YOU KNOW, I HAD PUT IT ON MY PRIORITY LIST LAST YEAR AND PUSHED THAT DONNER PARK WOULD HAVE MORE RENOVATIONS. I KNOW RECENTLY WE HAVE THE LIGHTS COMING UP ON THAT. RIGHT. SO I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THAT PROPOSAL, KELLY. AND I COULD HAVE HELPED PUSH THAT ALONG AS MUCH AS MY ONE VOTE COULD ON THIS COMMISSION. YES. I MEAN, SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS I WAS DISAPPOINTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, I ADJUSTED. AND WE ARE USING IT FOR PRACTICE, BUT IT IS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IT IS A VERY UNEVEN FIELD. IT DOESN'T DRAIN. IT'S NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF VERY WELL AT ALL. THE GRASS IS, THERE'S JUST WEEDS EVERYWHERE.

SO I WANTED TO COMPLETELY REDO IT AND HAVE IT GAME READY. IF IT WAS THAT WAY, I'M NOT NECESSARILY SO. IF I MAY REDUCE, SO THAT EVEN IF WE DECIDED TODAY, THAT'S A NEXT-YEAR FIELD.

THAT'S NOT A TODAY FIELD.

YEAH, AT LEAST NEXT SEASON.

COMMISSIONER, IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME ONE SECOND, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP THE PASTOR FOR A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I'M NATHAN LOHAN. I LIVE AT 730 PARADISE LANE, ONE OF JESSICA'S CONSTITUENTS AND PASTOR AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF THE BEACHES AND VICE PRESIDENT OF ABAA AS WELL. AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO LEGISLATE PEOPLE TO GO TO CHURCH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT. WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT WHAT MY POINT WAS, AND I WASN'T LOOKING TO LEGISLATE THAT. MAYBE THE FARMER'S MARKET VENDORS SHOULD GO TO CHURCH, TOO. RIGHT? WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER. WE HAVE 730 SERVICE. I THINK IT'S MORE THAN FOUR HOURS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 10 TO 2, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE FIELD SPACE, REALLY, THE PARK OPENS UP AT 8. AND SO RESTRICTING GAMES UNTIL 130 IS OPPOSITE OF WHAT THIS COMMISSION DECIDED A YEAR AGO.

IT'D BE A COMPLETE REVERSAL, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE CITY AND ABAA STOOD OPPOSED A YEAR AGO. AND THIS WOULD BE A REVERSAL BACK TO ALLOWING OPEN PLAY ALL DAY ON SUNDAY AND A STARK 180 ALL OF A SUDDEN. AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD CATCH US BY SURPRISE. I THINK THERE'S MAYBE SOME MORE INTERESTING COMPROMISES THAT THAT COULD BE SAID WHEN 30 FEELS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ALL OR NOTHING. WE HEARD THE CITY MANAGER SAY THERE MAY NOT EVEN BE A FARMER'S MARKET AT JACK RUSSELL COME JULY. AND SO NOW YOU'VE RESTRICTED BASEBALL FOR WHAT PURPOSE? IT MAY BE AT ANOTHER PARK. IT MAY BE OPERATING DURING DIFFERENT HOURS. AND SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS BEING UP IN THE AIR AND AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF. ANYONE.

DURING PRETTY MUCH BACK HALF OF DECEMBER, EARLY OF JANUARY, LOOKED AT JACK RUSSELL AND NOTICED THE TRAFFIC IMPACT WAS THE SAME AS IT IS DURING BASEBALL SEASON. SO THERE'S NOT A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE BASEBALL WASN'T GOING ON.

DURING THAT TIME. AND THEN DURING THE 2025 YEAR, IF I WENT AND LOOKED AT GAMES THAT WERE ACTUALLY PLAYED BEFORE, I THINK I'VE LOOKED AT NOON OR ONE O'CLOCK BEFORE ONE O'CLOCK. I THINK THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 13 GAMES THAT OCCURRED BEFORE NOON ON A SUNDAY. SO WE'RE NOT TALKING GIANT CONFLICTS. WE DON'T.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO TAKE SEVERE ADVANTAGE OF A SITUATION. I WAS GOING TO SAY, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, IT'S NOT AS IF YOU GIVE US THE GO-AHEAD, ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE SCHEDULED EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY. IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE THE OPTION. IF WE NEED TO USE IT, WE CAN USE THAT.

BUT GENERALLY, IT'S PRACTICES AND THEN PLAYING AROUND NOON OR SO.

BUT A HANDFUL OF GAMES, ESPECIALLY T-BALL, I'D LIKE TO PLAY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, HERE AND THERE. NOW, THEY DON'T DO IT EVERY WEEK, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS, AGAIN, IF IT'S OPENED UP TO US AGAIN THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO STACK THE SCHEDULE UP, IT WON'T BE LIKE A SATURDAY GOING ON OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE. IT JUST MAY BE HERE AND THERE.

COMMISSIONER GRANT. YEAH, THANK YOU, PASTOR NATHAN. FOR THOSE COMMENTS. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE RECORD, MY POSITION ON THIS IS PRETTY CLEAR. ABAA IS, IN MY MIND, PROVIDING MUCH MORE TO THIS COMMUNITY IN THE SERVICE OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS. THAN AS MUCH AS I LIKE THE FARMER'S MARKET. I THINK ABAA DESERVES

[02:00:04]

BUT I'M NOT FOR SHUTTING DOWN ALL-STAR PLAY ON SUNDAY. TO ACCOMMODATE A FARMER'S MARKET.

TO ME, YOU'RE GOING TO FILL UP THIS ROOM NEXT WEEK IF WE DO THAT. WE SAW THIS. WE'VE SEEN THIS RECORD PLAY OUT. IT'S ALREADY BEEN CUT. AND SO I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE BACK HERE.

I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN. KEVIN, WHAT IS OPTION TWO? BECAUSE YOU KIND OF RAN, YOU SAID ONE, AND THEN I DIDN'T HEAR TWO, AND THEN THE EXPLANATION, I TRIED TO FIND MY APOLOGIES.

OPTION TWO. NO RESTRICTIONS.

OKAY. OKAY. SO THEN OPTION ONE IS OKAY. SO I'D BE IN FAVOR OF OPTION TWO. AND IF THERE'S A HYBRID OUT THERE, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE MORE THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. BECAUSE TO GUT THE ALL-STAR, I MEAN, IMAGINE WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO TO THESE KIDS. THAT'S WHAT DRIVES COMPETITIVENESS, DRIVES SPORT. AND IF YOU REMOVE THE ALL-STARS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIMIT SUNDAY PLAY.

FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, GUYS.

IF YOU LIMIT SUNDAY PLAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT ALL-STAR. SOME OF THE DIVISIONS ARE GOING TO LOSE THEIR ALL-STAR TEAM BECAUSE THEY JUST HAVE NO PLACE TO PLAY. NOW, AGAIN, DIRTY LAUNDRY, BUT SHAME ON US FOR NOT EMPHASIZING DONNER PARK A YEAR AGO TO GIVE THESE GUYS MORE ROOM TO PLAY ALL-STAR.

COMMISSIONER, I DID HEAVILY.

BUT WE DIDN'T DO IT. WE DID.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS COMMISSION. I'M TALKING ABOUT US AS A CITY, NOT MOBILIZING AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'VE HESITATED TO TAKE CARE OF DONNER PARK'S BASEBALL FIELD BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S, I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THERE'S SOME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE STAFF. BUT, I MEAN, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SMARTEST THING TO DO, AND WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE TALKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. BUT HERE WE ARE INSTEAD TAKING THE POSITION WE SHOULD RESTRICT PARKING OR PLAY TO A, B, A, A, AND B. I THINK IT'S DISGRACEFUL. YES, PASTOR? I THINK THERE PROBABLY IS A HYBRID SOLUTION. I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE AN ALL, EITHER, OR, RIGHT? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO PLAY A ZERO-SUM GAME, NECESSARILY. YOU KNOW, SUNDAYS ARE MOSTLY IMPORTANT FOR THE ALL-STAR TEAMS DURING THE RECREATION SEASON, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE DAY. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS APPROXIMATELY OF A SPRING RECREATION SEASON, AND TWO AND A HALF MONTHS APPROXIMATELY.

OF A FALL RECREATION SEASON.

AND SO IF WE COULD HAVE OPEN PLAY DURING THE RECREATIONAL SEASON ON SUNDAYS. AND THAT BEGINS WHEN? THAT BEGINS THIS FRIDAY. THAT'S NEAT. SO A LOT OF THE NIGHT TO START FROM.

OKAY. DEPENDING RAIN OUTS.

EXACTLY. RIGHT? AS SCHEDULED, IT WOULD BE DONE. YEAH, AS SCHEDULED, WE WOULD BE FINISHED MIDDLE OF APRIL. AND SO I THINK THERE'S HYBRID AVAILABLE TO ALLOW FULL ACCESS. TO JACK RUSSELL DURING THE RECREATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY. AND THEN GO TO A MORE RESTRICTIVE SUNDAY.

SO THAT'S WHY KEVIN PUT AN OPTION THREE THAT WAS BLANK, TO ALLOW FOR SOME CREATIVE THINKING AND SOLUTIONS. SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE FARMER'S MARKET, TOO. MY DAUGHTER HAS PUT A BOOTH THERE AND WE ENJOY IT.

ALL THE BASEBALL FAMILIES, WE ACTUALLY LOVE THE FARMER'S MARKET. IT GIVES KIDS AND FAMILIES SOMEPLACE TO GO AND SOMETHING TO DO. AND SO WE'RE NOT AGAINST THE FARMER'S MARKET.

WE JUST... PASTOR, IF YOU GUYS WILL STAY FOR A SECOND. CITY MANAGER, WHERE DO WE STAND WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET? THE MANAGER OF THE CURRENT AGREEMENT...

HAS HOW MANY VENDORS? AND HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO OUR EXPERIENCE LAST YEAR, WHEN WE HAD THE EXCESSIVE TRAFFIC AND PARKING ON THE RIGHTS WAY? THE FARMERS MARKET IS LIMITED TO, IT'S EITHER 50 OR 55 VENDORS WHEN THAT NUMBER HAD CLIMBED CLOSE TO 75.

OKAY. SO WE'VE ALREADY CORRECTED A LOT OF WHAT WAS THE REAL EXCESS AND THE REAL PROBLEM. WELL. THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE MANAGEMENT BY STAFF THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MOVING CITY CARS OUT OF THE PARKING LOT ON FRIDAYS. WE ARE GOING TO, AS WE LOOK AT THE NEW FARMER'S MARKET AGREEMENT, IF IT'S AT RUSSELL PARK, I FANCY THE

[02:05:02]

IT'S STAFF'S JOB TO DO OUR PART IN THIS PARTNERSHIP. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVEN'T PUT OUT THE RFP FOR THE NEW WHOEVER'S GOING TO BE THE NEW MANAGING GROUP OVER THE FARMER'S MARKET.

BECAUSE WE WANT TO ACTUALLY PUT THIS TO BED OR ATTEMPT TO. SO YOU SAID 50 VENDORS, RIGHT? YES, I SAID, 50 OR 55. I'M AFRAID, I DON'T KNOW. WELL, OKAY, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, MOST RECENTLY, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT, OR DOES THAT LEAK UP TO 60 OR 65? NO, I'VE MADE A POINT OF DOING SOME QUALITY CONTROL.

SO BEFORE WE MOVE, AND I'M GOING TO CALL ON YOU IN A SECOND, COMMISSIONER, BUT BEFORE WE MOVE TOO FAR ALONG, FIRST OF ALL, YOUR OFFER TO LIMIT IT TO SPRING AND FALL. BY FALL, WE WILL KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET, WHETHER IT'S EVEN HAPPENING IN JACK RUSSELL. SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE TWO-AND-A-HALF MONTHS OF SPRING ALL-STAR BASEBALL.

YES. I THINK IT'S ALSO, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH KEVIN AND WITH STAFF.

WE'RE HAVING REALLY GOOD MEETINGS. EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL. I THINK WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO REHASH THIS IN SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, OR IN TWO YEARS. HOLD ON.

COMMISSIONER RING? WELL, MY QUESTION WAS WITH THE TIMELINE. SO THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY NEED IT AVAILABLE COME THIS WEEKEND, ALL THE WAY THROUGH MAY. AND WE DON'T HAVE AN RFP OUT FOR THE MARKET. SO HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY? OR DO WE JUST WRITE IT OUT LIKE WE HAVE THIS LAST YEAR, WITH THE SAME, YOU KNOW, CONGESTION AT JACK RUSSELL, THE ISSUES AT DONNER? IF I MAY, A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THAT. THE OPTION A VERSUS B, IT'S NOT A MONUMENTAL DECISION IN THAT IF YOU SELECT OPTION B, THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S SPECIFICALLY WHATEVER NUMBER OF FOLKS FROM OTHER PARKS WHO COME AND PARK HERE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING, THE DIFFERENCE IS. AND WE AGREE ON THAT. SO THAT'S, OKAY. SO I'M ACKNOWLEDGING CANDIDLY THAT. THAT'S NOT A GAME CHANGER, AND WE'RE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OPTION B AND ADMINISTER THAT IF YOU SELECT IT. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT TO ANSWER SOMETHING THAT ONE OF YOU BROUGHT UP, IF INDEED THE FARMERS MARKET IS. IF THERE'S NO CONFLICT ANYMORE, THEN THEN I'LL EXERCISE MY AUTHORITY TO AMEND THIS AGREEMENT.

YOU'LL BE GLAD TO DO IT, TO NOT HAVE THAT RESTRICTION, TO BE CLEAR. YEAH. SO HOLD ON.

SO YOU WERE RAISING YOUR HAND.

DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? YES. AND I APOLOGIZE, COMMISSIONER. YOU ACTUALLY HAD YOUR HAND UP FIRST. GO AHEAD.

YEAH. WHAT I HEAR FROM FROM BOTH THREE POINTS OF VIEW HERE IS THERE MAY BE A HYBRID SOLUTION HERE. OK, THAT THE CITY MANAGER CAN CAN DELVE INTO. THE ONE THING IS, I DON'T WANT TO PUT OUR POLICE ON ANY ISSUES ON THAT DAY.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN TRAFFIC, SO. BUT I THINK THERE'S ROOM TO WORK OUT ON BOTH SIDES, AND FLEXIBILITY ON OUR SIDE AND FLEXIBILITY ON YOU GUYS TO SIT DOWN. I TRUST OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO WORK THAT THROUGH SO THAT BOTH SIDES, I THINK THERE'S AN INTERIM SOLUTION. WE COULD PUT THIS RESOLUTION AND BRING IT UP NEXT WEEK WITH A WITH A HYBRID, YOU KNOW, OR. LIKE I SAID, THERE'S PROS AND CONS ON BOTH SIDES. I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE BASEBALL PROGRAM. I THINK WE ALL DO. I JUST THINK THERE'S AN OPTION C OR THREE. SO I APOLOGIZE. WHO MOVED ON THIS? I DID. THIS WAS YOURS, AND WHO'S SECOND? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YES, COMMISSIONER. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT. IF WE'RE GOING TO START GETTING THE SEMANTICS OF WHO'S COMING TO THE PARK, PLAYERS, TEAMS, I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, THE FARMER'S MARKET IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY USED BY RESIDENTS OF ATLANTIC BEACH. SO LET'S JUST, I THINK THAT ARGUMENT, IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS WITH ME. WE ALSO NEED TO

[02:10:01]

BUT THIS PARTNER WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP US WITH JUST PARKING FOR THEIR VENDORS. THEIR VENDORS TAKE UP 50 PLUS SPOTS.

THINK ABOUT THAT. AND THEIR TRAILERS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE HAULING. OKAY, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HOPEFULLY GET THEM OFF SITE. THAT NEVER HAPPENED.

AND WHEN THE AGREEMENT WAS STRUCK, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO ONLY CHARGE $20 PER VENDOR.

NOW THEY'RE UP TO $40. THEY WENT FROM $30 TO $40 EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE'VE GOT STAFF SPENDING. WE'RE USING STAFF TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS TO SET UP FOR THEM THAT WE'RE NOT ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED FOR.

I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF, YOU KNOW. WHO YOU WANT TO PARTNER WITH HERE, IT'S A HEAD SCRATCH TO ME WHY WE'RE PUTTING THESE GUYS IN A DIFFICULT SPOT. NOW, I'M ALL OPEN FOR THE HYBRID. I THINK THE BEST THING TO DO TONIGHT IS TABLE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING AND ALLOW SOME TIME, THOUGHTFUL TIME, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS MOVING FORWARD. I THINK PART OF IT NEEDS TO BE WORKING WITH THESE GUYS. IF THEY GOT A DONOR. LINED UP TO TAKE CARE OF DONNER, WE NEED TO PULL THE TRIGGER ON THAT NOW. SO BY NEXT SEASON, IT'S READY, AND THIS IS LESS OF AN ISSUE, REGARDLESS OF WHO OUR FARMER'S MARKET VENDOR IS. BUT I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD BEST MOVE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING. SO, YES, COMMISSIONER. IS THERE A REASON WHY WE HAVE TO MOVE IT RIGHT NOW OR NEXT MEETING? I MEAN, BECAUSE IF WE'RE WAITING FOR THE RFP. ONLY BECAUSE IF WE'RE WAITING FOR THE RFP TO COME BACK, IT'S A MAJOR PIECE OF THE PUZZLE HERE. NO, THE RFP WASN'T, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RFP FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET, WE WEREN'T EVEN GOING TO PUT THAT OUT UNTIL AFTER WE RESOLVED THIS. SO WE CAN PUNT ON THIS, BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE PUNT? IF YOU PUNT, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE WIDE OPEN ON SUNDAYS, AS WE HAVE BEEN PER THE MEETING LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. I FEEL AS A CITIZEN. IF YOU'RE PUNTING ON THIS, Y'ALL PUT A DEADLINE ON CITY STAFF AND US LAST YEAR.

THAT NEVER GOT CALLED INTO QUESTION OR WAS HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING OR THE MEETING AFTER. AND THEN I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD OVER 26 COMMISSION MEETINGS SINCE IT WAS REQUIRED THAT WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT. AND SO I THINK IF YOU CONTINUE TO PUNT ON THIS, YOU KNOW. OKAY.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'LL STAND ON IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S AGAIN, KEVIN AND I'VE TRIED TO WORK OVER THE YEARS AND YOU AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY. WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO GET A NEW CONTRACT, BUT THEN IT'S THE NEXT YEAR AND I'VE COME BACK AND OKAY, WELL, LET'S DO THIS NEW CONTRACT.

AND THEN IT HAPPENS AND WE'RE.

AND SO THAT'S MY CONCERN IS, I MEAN, WE NEED TO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT UNTIL NEXT WEEK IS OKAY.

RIGHT. CITY MANAGER. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND, IF YOU'RE INCLINED TO TABLE THIS, THAT YOU NOT DO THAT. THAT YOU SELECT OPTION B, AND WE MOVE FORWARD. UH, WE GET THROUGH, UH, SPRING SEASON AND, UH, GO FROM THERE. THAT THAT WOULD BE STAFF'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION, IF IN, UH, IN LIEU OF TAYLOR. SO IF, IF, IF WE WERE TO DO THAT COMMISSIONER RING, IT'S YOUR MOTION. ARE YOU WILLING TO AMEND YOUR MOTION? UH, SURE, UM. I AMEND THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 26 36 TO OPTION 2.

SECOND. OKAY. COUNCIL. IT'S HER MOTION, AND SHE'S AMENDING IT. DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT AND THEN THE MOTION, OR WE CAN VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION? YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION.

SINCE SHE WAS THE MOVER.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YES, COMMISSIONER. SO THE KEY WORD HERE IN THE PRESENTATION IS ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS. AND IN THE DOCUMENTATION, YOU CLAIM THAT. 45% OF THE STUDENTS SERVED ARE FROM ATLANTIC BEACH. AND I AM ALL FOR, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NO WAY OF CONFIRMING THAT THOSE

[02:15:01]

WELL, YOU'RE TALKING TO HIM, SO I'M LIKE, LET'S... WELL, NO, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET A POINT ACROSS IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHILDREN. IT'S NOT ALWAYS ATLANTIC BEACH, KIDS.

OF COURSE NOT, BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PLAY CHILDREN FROM OTHER AREAS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY LEAGUES WORK.

AM I MISSING SOMETHING? THAT'S THE POINT OF ALL-STAR TEAMS. YOU CAN PLAY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE BASEBALL FOR OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PLAY THESE TEAMS FROM ELSEWHERE. YOU'RE CORRECT.

WHEN OTHER TEAMS COME HERE, THEY'RE PLAYING OUR BASEBALL TEAM. WE'RE NOT HAVING TWO TRAVEL TEAMS FROM WHOEVER COME IN AND PLAY. THE ATLANTIC BEACH BREAKERS. OUR GUYS ARE THERE PLAYING AGAINST SOME OTHER TEAM. GIVE HER THIS ONE. SO YOU'RE CORRECT ON THAT. YES, THANK YOU. YES, COMMISSIONER. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. I MEAN, LET'S BE CAREFUL HOW WE CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, USE THE TERM TRAVEL TEAM. SO YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE SENSE THAT THERE ARE TRAVEL TEAMS THAT, YOU KNOW, COACHES LIKE THIS, IT'S THEIR BUSINESS. THAT'S THEIR JOB, OKAY, IS TO HAVE AS MANY TRAVEL TEAMS. AS THEY CAN, AND THEY TRAVEL THE SOUTHEAST OR WHATEVER REGION THEY'RE IN, CHARGING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM KIDS AND PARENTS. IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN VOLLEYBALL OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS IS. THIS IS ANOTHER VOLUNTEER TEAM, VOLUNTEER COACHING TEAM THAT'S COMING FROM, WHETHER IT'S JAX BEACH OR FORT CAROLINE. THESE ARE NOT PAY-TO-PLAY ALL-STAR TEAMS. YES, THERE'S COST TO TRAVEL. AS AN ALL-STAR. AND THEY DO FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, ET CETERA. SO WE'RE NOT LIKE GIVING SPACE TO A TRAVEL TEAM THAT'S EARNING MONEY AS A, YOU KNOW, COACH IS BEING PAID TO COACH THAT TEAM. THAT'S A DIFFERENT MODEL, COMPLETELY.

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS.

OKAY. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG DISTINCTION. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, TOO. IT WAS NOT CLEAR IN THE MATERIAL. NO, IT'S FINE.

BUT WHEN YOU HEAR A TRAVEL TEAM, YOU THINK YOU HAVE A TENDENCY.

YOU KNOW, FORT CAROLINA, I DON'T CARE WHERE THEY PLAY.

BUT IT'S ALL-STAR TEAMS. BUT WE'RE GOING, YOU KNOW, ALL-STAR TEAMS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, GUYS, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO THEIR PARKS TO PLAY, RIGHT? SO WE'RE SWITCHING OUT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE HAVE EIGHT ALL-STAR TEAMS OR SIX. WHAT DID YOU GUYS SAY? EIGHT. SO I GUESS WE'VE GOT FOUR ON SUNDAY. WE'VE GOT FOUR COMING HERE. WE'VE GOT FOUR GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO IT'S A TRADEOFF. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RING.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR BREAKING DOWN BASEBALL. I'M A GIRL, MOM. I HAVE THREE GIRLS, SO WE DO GIRL SCOUTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT, UM... SOLUTION FORWARD, IF WE APPROVE OPTION TWO AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RFP TO THE MARKET, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONGESTION THAT DOES HAPPEN HERE. AND IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIMITING BASEBALL FROM PLAYING ON THE LORD'S DAY, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE FOR THE MARKET. ARE WE MOVING THE MARKET? ARE WE CHANGING THE TIME? I DON'T THINK CHANGING THE TIME FOR THE MARKET, THAT'S WHERE I'M THINKING, FORWARD THINKING ON THAT, IF THIS IS STILL THE ISSUE. SO IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE BASEBALL,

[02:20:02]

AND WHEN I SAY WE, ULTIMATELY, I WILL COME TO Y'ALL WITH OUR RECOMMENDED BEST PROPOSAL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL. AND WE DON'T HAVE A LEASE OR AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CURRENT PERSON? NO, WE ACTUALLY DO NOT HAVE AN AGREEMENT. THEY SIMPLY HAVE A PERMIT. THAT ENABLES THEM TO OPERATE. THAT'S BEEN THE CASE SINCE 2021. AND SO EVEN THE PRICING STRUCTURE FOR THE VENDORS ISN'T IN THERE. IT'S LIKE, A- AND IF I MAY, WHAT DO THEY PAY US? WAS IT $47.25 PER SUNDAY? AFTER TAX, I THINK. AND THEY TAKE IN $40 TIMES 50. HENCE. AND SO THEY'RE- FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LEGITIMATE FARMER'S MARKET. OPERATING AGREEMENT.

COMMISSIONER KELLY, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT ACCOMMODATING FOR-PROFITS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET.

WELL, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD UTILIZE THAT MONEY FROM THE FARMER'S MARKET IF IT'S OVER AT DONNER PARK, TO HELP REPLENISH AND REVISE OR RENOVATE THE BASEBALL FIELD OVER THERE. SO IT COULD BE A TWO-FOR-ONE. YEAH. OKAY. I THINK WE'VE, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING.

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A VOTE. WE HAVE A MOTION THAT WAS AMENDED BY COMMISSIONER RING AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRANT. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? NAY. WE HAVE ONE NAY AND FOUR AYES, SO THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THAT WAS AN EXHAUSTIVE DISCUSSION ON THAT. ALL RIGHT.

I GOT TO FIND WHERE I LEFT OFF HERE. 8D. I'VE BEEN STARING AT IT. ALL RIGHT. BACK TO THE AGENDA. 8D RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-38, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO CONTINUE ALLOWING PAPER SUBMISSIONS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS, AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO IMPLEMENT ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 106.072A, HOW DO YOU SAY THAT PROPERLY? 106.072A2, FLORIDA STATUTES TO PROVIDE AS AN ADDITIONAL OPTION FOR SUBMITTING CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS, AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO PROMULGATE RULES. AND OTHER GUIDANCE RELATED TO THE SYSTEM AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. I MAKE A MOTION TO GO AHEAD. WHERE WAS I? ARE WE TAKING A BREAK? NO, WE HAVE NOT CALLED A RECESS, BUT SINCE WE'RE ABSENT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS.

[8.D. RESOLUTION NO. 26-38]

[02:25:01]

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2638. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION

[8.E. RESOLUTION NO. 26-40 ]

OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

MOVING TO 8E, RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-40, A RESOLUTION APPROVING A RENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND COASTAL KICKS, COASTAL KICKS, AUTHORIZING COASTAL KICKS. TO PROVIDE SOCCER PROGRAMMING AT JACK RUSSELL PARK AND ROSE PARK, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

MR. HOGENKAMP. THANK YOU. THIS IS ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT RATHER THAN WEEKS OR MONTHS AGO. IT'S BEEN IN THE QUEUE TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE SAME TIME AS THE ABAA AGREEMENT. THE TWO AGREEMENTS ARE UNIFORM.

IN EVERY WHICH WAY, BUT LOOSE. THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF THE NUANCES OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THE LEAGUES, PARTICULARLY THE CONCESSION STAND WITH ABAA. AND EVEN DAYS OF THE WEEK ISSUES AND ALL THAT. BUT IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT, IT MIRRORS THE ABAA AGREEMENT, AND WE RECOMMEND APPROVING RESOLUTION NO. 2640. RECOMMEND MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-40. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND DISCUSSION. I HAVE A QUESTION. YES. DOES IT HAVE THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS? IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS? YES. WE HAVE THEIR NUMBERS IN TERMS OF THEIR ROSTER AND CAN REPORT THAT MORE THAN 60% OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

WHO LIVE IN ATLANTIC BEACH, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T REALLY LEGISLATE THAT IN OUR AGREEMENT, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD, OR REQUIRE THAT EVEN IN OUR AGREEMENT WITH ABAA.

RATHER, ABAA HAS AGREED IN THEIR AGREEMENT TO PRIORITIZE ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT REGISTRATION. AND WHETHER WE REQUIRED THAT OF THE SOCCER PROGRAM, I DON'T KNOW. AND I'LL LOOK AT THAT POST-APPROVAL REPORT BACK TO YOU. AND IF I NEED TO AMEND IT ACCORDINGLY, I WILL. NOW, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. WE'RE SERVING ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS. AND SOCCER IS ANOTHER STRONG PROGRAM THAT SHOULD HAVE THE SAME EMPHASIS AND SAME REPORTING, YOU KNOW, THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS TIME, THEY'RE PAYING. WE STILL WERE SACRIFICING USE OF OUR FIELD.

LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SERVING OUR KIDS. AND DO WE KNOW THAT? AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME AS I'M NOT THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON THIS AGREEMENT. AND INDEED, IT IS PRECISELY THE SAME LANGUAGE AS A BASEBALL

[02:30:02]

YEAH, THERE'S A PROVISION IN FOR SECTION FOUR AND UNDER CONDITIONS, WHICH IS KIND OF SIMILAR, WHERE IT CAPS. IT ALSO SAYS THAT THE RENTERS SHALL IN GOOD FAITH OFFER REGISTRATION TO THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND SO FORTH.

I'M JUST HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THIS TO OPEN. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 11, CITY ATTORNEY, YOUR COMMENTS. NO

[12. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER ]

NONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CLOSING COMMENTS, STARTING WITH THE... COMMISSIONER REHM.

I HAVE SAID WAY TOO MUCH TONIGHT. I HAVE NOTHING MORE.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GRANT. YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY THAT I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER KELLY'S CONCERN ABOUT MAKING SURE WE SERVE AS MANY ATLANTIC BEACH KIDS AS WE CAN.

I THINK THE MORE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMS IN ATLANTIC BEACH THAT DO OFFER THESE PROGRAMS TO KIDS, RIGHT? AND SO YOU, I GOT TO BELIEVE IN THE REALM OF OUR REPUTATION AS A CITY, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, CITY MANAGER, I'M GUESSING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE PROVIDING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE THIS MUCH ACTIVITY. FOR, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF KIDS VERSUS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOPPING ON SUNDAY FOR FARMER'S MARKET, CARRIES A LITTLE BIT MORE WEIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER BULL? YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS. ONE THING WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT WAS THE REMOTE MEETING ATTENDANCE. ONE THING I WANT TO WANTED TO MENTION IS YOU ALSO HAVE TO BALANCE THAT WITH INPUT FROM FROM PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE AND NOT MAKE IT A HABIT. I GUESS MY POINT IS, AT LEAST IN BUSINESS, IN THE BUSINESS WORLD THAT I'M IN NOW, A LOT OF BUSINESS IS DONE ONLINE.

THAT USED TO BE FACE TO FACE. I WOULD SAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FOR INSTANCE, WE ACTUALLY DID A STUDY. IT'S NOW DOING OVER 95% OF THEIR MEETINGS, DECISION-MAKING VIA VIDEO. SO I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR. I LOVE LOOKING EYEBALL TO EYEBALL, BUT I THINK THAT I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSION FOR LETTING ME DIAL IN WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AT ANOTHER MEETING. SO NOT TO MAKE IT A HABIT, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO BALANCE THAT WITH THE INPUT THAT THAT EXPERT COULD BE NOT IN THE ROOM. SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT AS WE WORK THROUGH A POLICY. THE OTHER THING, POSITIVE, I THINK THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING ON THE CITY MANAGER SEARCH IS AS TRANSPARENT AS I'VE EVER SEEN. THEY CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING STEP FOR STEP. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A BETTER PRODUCT.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. WELL, SAID.

COMMISSIONER KELLY. ESC'S DOING A COMMUNITY INPUT ON PRIORITIES. PREPARATION FOR OUR MEETING. SO THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO GO AND AND HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

AND STEVE SWAN'S DOING, UM, A MARSH PILOT DISCUSSION, TOO, SO PEOPLE ON ON THE WEST SIDE THAT CARE ABOUT THE MARSH CAN COME AND HEAR WHAT HE'S UP TO AND HAVE HAVE A SAY. AND ALSO I'M A BIRD PERSON, I'VE HAD PARROTS FOREVER AND IT'S MIGRATORY BIRD SEASON. AND SO THAT'S A LIGHTS OUT KIND OF THING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD DO.

THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE. DON'T, DON'T. WE'RE DOING WELL.

SORRY. CITY MANAGER HOGENKAMP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS AND CONSIDERATION. IT'S A RELIEF AND QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ALL OF US, ADMINISTRATIVELY, POLITICALLY, TO.

TO HAVE A WORKING AGREEMENT WITH THE BASEBALL PROGRAM. AND THANKS FOR YOUR GOOD WORK ON THAT TOPIC. I ALREADY CALLED ON YOU. OKAY, I'LL BRING IT HOME. I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY EXCEPT YOU GUYS TOOK CARE OF A LOT OF BUSINESS TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU. I THINK WE ARE ACTING AS A COLLEGIAL GROUP, AND I SO APPRECIATE IT. NOW, COLLEGIAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT EACH PERSON GETS TO SPEAK AT WILL. SO STARTING AT THE NEXT MEETING, YOU WILL RAISE YOUR HAND OR.

CALL MAYOR IF I, OR GIVE ME THE EY, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO WAIT UNTIL I CALL ON YOU. BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH. IT'S LIKE, KELLY SAYS SOMETHING, YOU SAY SOMETHING.

ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK YOU DID, BUT OKAY, WE GOT THAT? BUT I'M SO PROUD OF THIS GROUP

[02:35:04]

THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.