[ CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:03]
          OKAY. WELCOME, RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS AND GUESTS. AS IS CUSTOMARY, WE'LL START WITH AN INVOCATION AND A PLEDGE BEFORE WE OPEN THE MEETING. 
          IF YOU'LL JOIN ME, PLEASE. 
          DEAR LORD, WE GATHER TONIGHT TO ASK FOR WISDOM, CLARITY AND DISCERNMENT AS WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          GRANT OUR COMMISSION MEMBERS THE INSIGHT TO MAKE FAIR DECISIONS AND THE STRENGTH TO SERVE ALL CITIZENS WITH INTEGRITY AND COMPASSION. 
          MAY OUR DISCUSSIONS BE GUIDED BY RESPECT, AND MAY OUR COLLECTIVE WORK FOSTER PEACE, SAFETY, PROSPERITY FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY. 
          AMEN. 
          I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE 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. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GRANT. 
          FOR THOSE WHO JUST CAME IN, WE'LL STILL TAKE A FEW MORE SIGN INS. 
          YEAH, THESE WILL BE THE LAST SPEAKER CARDS WE'LL TAKE, BUT GO AHEAD AND FILL THOSE OUT. 
          AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN THIS. SO THIS CITY COMMISSION MEETING OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, DATED SEPTEMBER 28, 2026, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER. 
          DONNA, CAN YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER BOWL. 
          PRESENT. 
          COMMISSIONER GRANT. 
          PRESENT. 
          COMMISSIONER KELLY. 
          PRESENT. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. 
          PRESENT. 
          MAYOR FORD. 
          PRESENT. 
          THANK YOU, DONNA. 
          BEFORE WE GET INTO THE AGENDA, I'M GOING TO ASK, WOULD ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS OBJECT IF I BRING ITEM 10A FORWARD RIGHT AFTER 3A? THAT'S THE FEDERAL DUNE WALKOVER PROJECT. I THINK WE HAVE SOME GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT. PROBABLY NOT WAIT TWO HOURS TO HEAR US SPEAK ON IT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND WE'LL INSERT THAT RIGHT AFTER 3A. SO IF YOU ARE HERE SPEAKING ABOUT WALKOVERS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING TO HEAR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS ON IT. WE'LL DO THAT FAIRLY SOON. 
          OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS MINUTES. THIS IS 
          [ 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM 1A, APPROVED MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2026. 
          ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES? HEARING NONE. THE MINUTES STAND AS PRESENTED. 
          WE'LL MOVE DIRECTLY TO 
          [2. COURTESY OF FLOOR TO VISITORS  ]
COURTESY OF THE FLOOR TO VISITORS. DONNA, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE NOW? PROBABLY 12 PEOPLE. OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. WE'LL OBSERVE THREE MINUTES. AND SOME OF YOU ARE NEW, SO UNDERSTAND THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. 
          AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON THE MILLAGE RATE OR THE BUDGET, YOU GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK THEN. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU HOLD YOUR COMMENTS UNTIL WE GET TO THOSE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. THAT'S ALSO PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES. 
          AT THREE MINUTES AND PROBABLY FIVE SECONDS, I'LL PROBABLY GAVEL YOU IF YOU CONTINUE. 
          NOTHING UNTOWARD INTENDED. 
          IT'S JUST THAT'S OUR, OUR PROTOCOL. 
          BUT THE THING THAT I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE TO DO IS MAKE SURE YOU DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSION, TO THE DAIS. SO YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING TO THE AUDIENCE BEHIND YOU AND YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR APPLAUSE. AND I PROMISE YOU I WON'T TOLERATE BOOZE EITHER. 
          SO WE'LL BE RESPECTFUL. 
          ANYWAYS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR FIRST CONTESTANT, SUSAN SNEED. 
          HI, I'M SUSAN SNEED. I LIVE AT 261 BEACH AVENUE FOR 32 YEARS AND I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME PROBLEMS THAT MY NEIGHBORS AND I SEE IN AB AND SPECIFICALLY ON BEACH AVENUE. I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL AND A FEW PICTURES. 
          I COMMEND YOU ON THE FIVE FOOT WIDE SOD BLOCKS. 
          THEY'RE VERY NICE, BUT NONE OF THEM OR ANY OF THE RECREATION AREAS GET THE DAILY PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC OF BEACH AVENUE. WE NEED HELP AESTHETICALLY. 
          ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS IS EXTREMELY. I TOLD HIM I WOULD REPRESENT THAT WE ARE UGLY AND OVERGROWN. MANY OF THE ROAD SIGNS ARE HIDDEN BY UNMAINTAINED LANDSCAPING. 
          THE CITY DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. 
          THIS IS ON. MOST OF THIS LANDSCAPING IS 
          [00:05:02]
ON CITY PROPERTY. 
          EVEN THOUGH THE CITY HAS ALLOWED RESIDENTS TO PUT TREES AND BUSHES AND WHATEVER. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. 
          WE NEED HELP. 
          THE CITY MAINTAINS FRASER PARK, WHICH I NEVER SEE ANY TRAFFIC ON. WE HAVE STREET LICENSED GOLF CARTS STILL DRIVING NORTH TO SOUTH. THIS IS DANGEROUS. 
          WE HAVE CARS SPEEDING, GOING 35 MILES AN HOUR AND RUNNING THROUGH STOP SIGNS ON THE WEEKENDS TO FIND BEACH ACCESS PARKING. 
          WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. POSSIBLY A NO THROUGH TRAFFIC ON BEACH AVENUE. 
          A FEW LANDSCAPE PLANTERS COULD ATTRACTIVELY PROMOTE THIS AND IMPROVE THE AESTHETICS OF OF BEACH AVENUE AS WELL AS THE ROAD SAFETY. WE ALL KNOW THAT DRIVING AND PARKING, WHAT A PARKING AND DRIVING NIGHTMARE IS ON OUR NARROW STREETS. WE NOW HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS BUILDING CURBS AT ROAD'S EDGE THAT ONLY MAKE THE STREETS MORE NARROW. 
          ARE THESE CURBS PERMITTED? IF NOT, ALL PROPERTY OWNERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD CURBS AT THEIR OWN ROAD'S EDGE. 
          WHAT A NIGHTMARE THAT WILL BE. SECOND STREET BETWEEN OCEAN AND BEACH IS AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH A CURB. 
          THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO USE SOME OF THE AVAILABLE FOOTAGE OF 15FT 10 INCHES FOR LEGITIMATE PARKING OFF THE ROAD. PERMEABLE BRICKS LIKE THE CITY PUT IN ON 3RD AVENUE BETWEEN RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER OF OCEAN WOULD BE WONDERFUL ON SECOND STREET AND KEEP THE TRUCKS OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. 
          THIRD STREET BETWEEN OCEAN AND BEACH ALSO HAS A CURB THAT MOST OF US HIT CONSTANTLY. 
          I HAVE A NEW CAR. I'M NOT HITTING IT ANYMORE. I HAVE TO BACK OUT OF THIRD STREET HALF THE TIME IF SOMEBODY'S PULLING IN. 
          THIRD STREET MEASURES 14FT WIDE AND WE'VE ALLOWED A CURB ON THE NORTH SIDE. 
          THANK YOU, MS. SNEED. 
          WATER DRAINAGE ON BEACH AVENUE IS HORRIBLE. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          OH, WE'RE OVER TIME, BUT THANK YOU. 
          WE'RE LISTENING. 
          THANK YOU. LISA HAROLD. 
          LISA HAROLD. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING I SPOKE ABOUT AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, AND IT'S REGARDING HIRING FREEZE AND THE CITY'S BUDGET. 
          I'VE SPENT SOME TIME REVIEWING THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS AND LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          TONIGHT, WE'RE ADOPTING A PROPOSED $57.8 MILLION BUDGET WHERE THE GENERAL FUND IS APPROXIMATELY AT 21.95 MILLION. THE MILLAGE RATE HOPEFULLY WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED AT 2.7499 MILLS. 
          AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET ACTUALLY REDUCES THE CITY'S WORKFORCE BY THREE FULL TIME POSITIONS. 
          SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS BEING PRESENTED AS A LEAN BUDGET AND I UNDERSTAND THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDED SURROUNDING AMENDMENT 3 AND THE POTENTIAL FUTURE LOSS OF REVENUE. BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHY I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH THIS HIRING FREEZE. 
          THE COMMISSION VOTED TO PAUSE HIRING THROUGH NOVEMBER 15, WITH AN EXCEPTION FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR POSITION. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER WHO HAS TOLD US HE NEEDS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, AND WE HAVE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME DISCUSSING WHETHER THAT SUPPORT SHOULD COME IN THE FORM OF A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OR AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. MY CONCERN IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE STAFFING DECISIONS BASED SIMPLY ON A BLANKET FREEZE. 
          WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT EACH POSITION BASED ON ITS NECESSITY, ITS COST, AND THE IMPACT ON OUR CITY. 
          THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS TELL US THAT THE CITY IS ALREADY MAKING REDUCTIONS AND PLANNING FOR ADDITIONAL ATTRITION. 
          THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE WE DO HAVE AND THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE CITY HAVE THE SUPPORT NECESSARY TO DO THEIR JOBS EFFECTIVELY. 
          AT THE LAST MEETING, I ASKED WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2017 WHEN THE COMMISSION DETERMINED THAT A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER POSITION WAS NECESSARY AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY. I THINK THAT QUESTION STILL DESERVES AN ANSWER. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. 
          THANK YOU. MS. BRINKLEY HAROLD. 
          [00:10:08]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF. I'M BRINKLEY HAROLD. I'VE ONLY LIVED HERE 54 YEARS, AND WHAT THE LADY A COUPLE PLACES BACK SAID ABOUT BEACH AVENUE, I ABSOLUTELY CONCUR WITH. 
          I'M UP AND DOWN THAT STREET DAILY ON MY BIKE AND ALL THOSE SIGNS, SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN PLACED IN THE WRONG PLACE AND OTHERS BEHIND BUSHES. SO, I FULLY SUPPORT EVERYTHING SHE SAID. 
          I HOPE, I HOPE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. 
          ALSO FROM LAST MEETING. 
          KUDOS TO ALL OF Y' ALL THAT WERE PROPONENTS OF THIS HIRING FREEZE. IT'S ONLY FOR 45 DAYS. 
          I CAN STAND ON MY HEAD FOR 45 DAYS. WE CERTAINLY CAN GO WITH A COUPLE OF UNFILLED POSITIONS FOR 45 DAYS. SO KUDOS TO THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT VOTED FOR THAT. 
          SO LET ME, LET ME TELL A LITTLE STORY HERE REAL QUICK. 
          AND THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE STORIES THAT BEGINS, NO SHIT, GUYS. YOU AIN'T GOING TO BELIEVE THIS OR. 
          AND IT DOESN'T BELIEVE ONCE UPON A TIME. BUT IT'S ABOUT A LEMONADE STAND. KID GOES TO HIS PARENTS, WANTS TO OPEN UP A LEMONADE STAND. 
          HE SAID, THEY SAY, HOW MUCH YOU WANT? HE SAID, $10. SO HE GOES OUT AND HE SPENDS $9 BUYING LEMONADE. HAD LEMONS AND SUGAR AND CUPS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT HE ONLY SPENT $9. 
          SO HE'S WONDERING, WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT OTHER DOLLAR? DO I GIVE IT BACK TO MY PARENTS? AND HIS FRIEND SAID, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. YOU NEED TO KEEP THAT DOLLAR AND DON'T TELL YOUR PARENTS YOU ONLY SPENT $9. OH, BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT. 
          YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD I DO WITH THAT DOLLAR? WELL, BECAUSE NEXT YEAR, AND THIS IS KIND OF LIKE THE MILLAGE RATE, BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU GO TO ASK YOUR PARENTS TO OPEN UP A LEMONADE STAND, THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO GIVE YOU $9 BECAUSE YOU ONLY SPENT $9 BECAUSE YOU GAVE THEM A DOLLAR BACK. 
          WELL, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE MILLAGE RATE, OKAY? EVERY YEAR, THE MILLAGE RATE STAYS THE SAME OVER AND OVER AND OVER BECAUSE IT GIVES THE CITY MORE MONEY TO SPEND AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE RATHER THAN PULLING THINGS BACK AND ONLY SPENDING WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO SPEND. SO THAT'S A KIND OF NEAT LITTLE STORY THAT I CAME ACROSS. 
          AND I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE TOWARDS THE MILLAGE RATE, WHICH, OF COURSE, LATER ON DURING 8C, I WILL GET UP AND TALK MORE ABOUT THE MILLAGE RATE AND ADD MORE FACT TO THAT, HOPEFULLY FOR EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT AND TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO WITH NOT INCREASING OUR TAXES THIS YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, MR. HAROLD. 
          CAN I SAVE MY 36 SECONDS FOR LATER? NO. MS. REEDS. 
          I ALWAYS HATE TO CHALLENGE MY FRIEND BRINKLEY, BUT I FIGURED IT WAS 48 DAYS, NOT 45. BUT MAYBE MY MATH DIFFERENT THAN HIS. 
          BUT ANYWAY, WITH THAT SAID, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START OFF ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR TAKING OVER, STEPPING UP AND TAKING OVER TOWN CENTER PARKING, THE PAID PARKING, AND 18TH AND 17TH. 
          I THINK THAT WAS A WONDERFUL MOVE. SMART. I'VE ALREADY REGISTERED. 
          I PUT IN THE WRONG TAG NUMBER. THEY NOTIFIED ME RIGHT AWAY. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW MY TAG. 
          BUT THEY WERE VERY EASY TO DO. IT WAS THE MISTAKE WAS ON MY END. 
          BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT MOVE. ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW IN THE PAST THAT WE DID IS WE PROVIDED OUR ENFORCEMENT, PARKING ENFORCEMENT GUY A HANDHELD TO DO EVERYTHING. 
          AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU APPROVE, EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY DON'T LIKE LICENSE PLATE WRITERS AND READERS AND STUFF TO APPROVE THAT ON THAT CAR BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM EASIER MAKING THOSE ROUTES THAN IT IS. THE HANDHELD IS REALLY FOR TICKET PEOPLE THAT WALK AN AREA. SO I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, REAL QUICK, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON ANOTHER THINGS. IS THE ON 9 A OPERATING BUDGET FOR WHAT I HEARD AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE NUMBERS, HOW HIGH THEY ARE AND NO CUTS DISAPPOINTED OUR CITY MANAGER. 
          ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN A CRISIS NOW WITH AMENDMENT THREE. I SEE THE CITY. I ALSO SEE THAT THE CITY PUT OUT ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE ABOUT AMENDMENT 3. 
          I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO LOOK AT THAT AND READ IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE. I HAD NOT MADE UP MY MIND UNTIL I SAW THIS BUDGET. AND I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THREE TO SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR CITY THAT TAXPAYERS CAN'T KEEP BEING THE BANK. 
          SO PLEASE, TONIGHT, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT, MAYBE IT'LL CHANGE TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW. THE LAST THING IS I'M NOT SURE ON WHY COMMISSIONER KELLY WANTS TO RECONSIDER THE HIRING FREEZE, ESPECIALLY WHAT WE'RE FACING. 
          THERE'S SOME REASON THAT SOMEBODY GOT TO HER ATTENTION OR SHE DECIDED THAT SHE DIDN'T LIKE HER POSITIVE VOTE. AND THAT'S FINE. 
          BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR 48 DAYS. WHAT'S 
          [00:15:01]
IT'S GOT TO HURT. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT AFTER THAT IT'S NOT A. WE'RE NOT IN A CRISIS WITH ANYTHING. 
          I THINK IF I WAS WRONG, IT DID NOT INCLUDE A DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING. I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH DEBATE BACK AND FORTH, BUT I KNOW IT DID THE TWO JOBS IS BEING ADVERTISED IN THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. IT DID INCLUDE THOSE, AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT, BUT WE SHOULD BE RUSHED TO JUST FILL BODIES. WE CAN WAIT 48 DAYS IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN A CRISIS. 
          JUST CALM DOWN AND LET'S GET TO THIS BUDGET AND LET'S REDUCE THE BUDGET TONIGHT, HOPEFULLY. AND I'LL TAKE A BILLY'S RATE REDUCTION TOO, IF POSSIBLE. THANKS. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR REEVES. 
          STEVE ABRAS. YEAH. 
          MR. MAYOR, MR. CITY MANAGER AND COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS STEVE ABRAS. 
          I'M A RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH, BUT I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHER IN LAW AND SISTER WHO RESIDE AT 1393 BEACH AVENUE. THE DUNES AT 14TH STREET ARE CURRENTLY HEALTHY AND PERFORMING EXACTLY AS INTENDED, PROTECTING OUR PROPERTIES AND COMMUNITIES FROM STORMS. MOTHER NATURE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING. 
          THESE DUNES HAVE PROVEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THEY DO WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNED TO DO. BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY FUNCTIONING WELL, AN ELEVATED WALKOVER IS UNNECESSARY. INSTALLING ONE WOULD CREATE A GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON THE DUNES. 
          EXCUSE ME, I LOST MY PHONE. 
          ON THE DUNES, THEN LEAVING. 
          THEN LEAVING THEM UNDISTURBED. 
          THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE WOULD SIT ONLY SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE CURRENT DUNE HEIGHT. AS THE DUNES CONTINUE TO GROW NATURALLY COULD INTERFERE WITH THAT GROWTH. WHY DISRUPT A SYSTEM THAT HAS REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED ITS EFFECTIVENESS? STORMWATER HAS NEVER BROKEN THROUGH OUR NATURAL DUNE ACCESS. 
          DURING HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS, MAN MADE WALKOVERS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, BUT OUR NATURAL DUNE ACCESS HAS NOT. WHEN THOSE WALKOVERS HAVE FAILED AND CAUTION TAPE GOES UP, IT IS OUR ACCESS THAT PEOPLE RELY ON TO REACH THE BEACH. 
          THERE IS ALREADY A WALKOVER AT 13TH STREET. 
          SPECIFICALLY TO AVOID THE NEED FOR INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE WALKOVERS. 
          BUILDING A PERMANENT ELEVATED PUBLIC STRUCTURE WOULD UNDERMINE THAT COOPERATIVE APPROACH AND ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE OCEANFRONT PROPERTY OWNERS TO SEEK THEIR OWN PRIVATE WALKOVERS. THOSE PRIVATE STRUCTURES FALL UNDER STATE JURISDICTION, NOT CITY CONTROL. 
          AND ONCE THIS PATTERN BEGINS, IT WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP. 
          INDIVIDUAL WALKOVERS EVERY 50FT OR SO, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE LOTS WOULD BE COMPLETELY. WOULD COMPLETELY TRANSFORM AND INDUSTRIALIZE THE LOOK OF OUR SMALL BEACH, DESTROYING THE OPEN, UNCLUTTERED FEEL OF OUR LITTLE BEACH TOWN. 
          THIS IS NOT THE FUTURE OUR COMMUNITY WANTS OR DESERVES. 
          PUBLIC FUNDS REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT THE WALKOVER, MAINTAIN IT OVER TIME, AND POTENTIALLY REBUILD IT AFTER STORMS WOULD NOT BE MONEY WELL SPENT. THESE ONGOING COSTS ARE DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY AND FAR LESS INTRUSIVE OPTIONS EXIST WHEN THE CURRENT ACCESS IS ALREADY WELL CARED FOR BY THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS WALKOVER. WE BELIEVE IT'S AN INAPPROPRIATE USE OF FUNDS WHEN OTHER BEACH ACCESSES ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE CITY COMMISSION REJECT THE PROPOSED ELEVATED DUNE WALKOVER AT 14TH STREET ACCESS AND EITHER PRESERVE THE EXISTING HEALTHY DUNES OR, IF IMPROVEMENTS ARE REQUIRED, ADOPT THE LOWER IMPACT MOBIMAT ALTERNATIVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MR. ALIS RUCKUS. 
          COMMISSIONER, CITY MANAGER. 
          I'M JUST GOING TO GO ON A LITTLE BIT OF A TIRADE TONIGHT ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE OF FINANCES. WE DID A LITTLE HISTORY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. 
          WELL, LET ME TAKE US ALL BACK A LITTLE FURTHER. ON 2007, 2008, OUR FIRST ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OR DEPUTY ASSIST, A DEPUTY MANAGER WAS HIRED. 
          HIS NAME WAS DAVID THOMPSON. 
          HE WAS THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF. THE REASON HE WAS HIRED IS HE WAS HIRED AS A GRANT WRITER. HE BROUGHT IN OVER $500,000 
          [00:20:02]
IN THOSE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, WELL EXCEEDING HIS SALARY. 
          GOOD. A GOOD HIRE. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          IN MY OPINION. OKAY, THEN. 
          FROM 2012, WHEN DAVID LEFT AND WENT TO TENNESSEE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A CITY MANAGER UNTIL 2017. 
          THE ENTIRE TIME, OUR POPULATION BASE STAYED ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME. 12,000, 13,000. ACTUALLY. 
          IN 2007, IT WAS 13,9. 
          BUT IT DIDN'T CHANGE HARDLY AT ALL. KEVIN, I BELIEVE WHEN YOU WERE HIRED, YOUR PRIMARY DUTIES WERE IT AND COMMUNICATION. 
          THEY PROBABLY HAD. YOU PROBABLY HAD A LOT OF OTHER THINGS TO DO, BUT THOSE WERE KEY THINGS. 
          WE NOW HAVE A COMPLETE IT DIVISION. 
          DO WE NEED SOMEBODY FOR COMMUNICATIONS? PROBABLY. BUT TO HIRE AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. MY THOUGHTS, I THINK, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS MILLAGE AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH AMENDMENT THREE, I THINK YOU NEED TO PUT DOWN THE EXACT DUTIES THAT YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU WITH, DETERMINE WHAT THAT POSITION ENTAILS. 
          CERTAINLY COMMUNICATIONS, IF THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO GO. BUT DO WE NEED TO HIRE AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO BE A COMMUNICATIONS PERSON? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK MR. GRANT HAD. COMMISSIONER GRANT HAD A GREAT IDEA. GIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO OUR MANAGER THAT WE THINK WE CAN DO. 
          I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE A TOTAL OF FOR A COMMUNICATIONS PERSON AND AN ASSISTANT MANAGER, BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. AND THEN LET MR. HOGENCAMP DO WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO WITH THAT. 
          BUT THEN AFTER THAT, SORRY, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOUR ASSISTANT MANAGER OR YOUR COMMUNICATIONS PERSON NEEDS TO DO. AND THEN YOU NEED TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF SALARY YOU NEED FOR THEM. AGAIN, NOTHING AGAINST YOU, MR. HOGAN CAMP, BUT I THINK OUR BUDGET JUST NEEDS TO BE TOO LEAN TO JUST GO ABOUT HIRING. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE HIRING PHRASE. THANK YOU, MS. RAUCUS. 
          AMY PALMER. HI. 
          GOOD EVENING. I'M AMY PALMER REPRESENTING THE ESC TONIGHT. I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK ON AND THE PASSAGE OF THE LANDMARK TREE ORDINANCE EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS PHASE ONE OF IMPROVEMENTS TO CHAPTER 23. 
          NEXT PHASE TWO WILL, WE HOPE, COME BEFORE YOU IN OCTOBER. 
          AND THESE ARE THE OVERALL UPDATES TO CHAPTER 23 THAT THE ESC HAS WORKED ON FOR OVER TWO YEARS, MOST RECENTLY THROUGH AN ESC LIAISON TO STAFF. AND THIS GAVE OUR NEW CITY ARBORIST THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THESE RECOMMENDED CHANGES AND WEIGH IN ON THEM HIMSELF. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, WE PROPOSE AN ONGOING PHASE THREE MOVING FORWARD, IN WHICH THE ESC COULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BASED ON CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS TO CHAPTER 23, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF HOW THE REVISED ASPECTS OF CHAPTER 23 ARE GOING, AS WELL AS RESEARCHING BEST PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PALMER. GREG BUS. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, CITY MANAGER. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF. 
          I'M GREG BUS. I LIVE AT 4211 STREET. SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE 11 STREET WALKOVER, WHICH IS VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE 14TH STREET WALKOVER. 
          I WILL NOT REPEAT ALL THE COMMENTS MADE ON THE 14TH WALKOVER BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME. AND I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL RECEPTIVE PEOPLE AND LISTEN CLOSELY TO ALL OF THOSE REALLY OUTSTANDING DISCUSSION ITEMS. I WILL CALL OUT A COUPLE OF PARTICULAR ITEMS ON THE 11TH STREET WALKOVER JUST TO KEEP IN MIND AS YOU HAVE YOUR DISCUSSION. 
          FIRST OF ALL, THAT WALKOVER IS PROPOSED TO BE 18 AND A HALF FEET AT BASE LEVEL. THAT'S REALLY TALL. YOU ADD A FOUR FOOT WALKWAY FENCE ON EITHER SIDE. 
          NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 22 AND A HALF FEET. THAT IS A BIG, BIG STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE A COMPLETE EYESORE. AND WE ALL LOVE THIS PLACE BECAUSE OF OUR COOL LITTLE DOWNTOWN, OUR TREE CANOPY, OUR COOL PRISTINE BEACHES. 
          THERE'S NO NEED FOR ANOTHER EYESORE ON THE 11TH STREET ACCESS. 
          WE ALSO HAVE AN ALREADY EXISTING MUCH LOWER ACCESS ON 10TH STREET AND ALREADY EXISTING MUCH LOWER ACCESS ON 12TH STREET, SO PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THOSE WALKOVERS IF THEY NEED TO. IN THE CASE OF THE 11TH STREET WALKOVER, PUTTING ANOTHER WALK OVER THERE JUST ADDS AN EYESORE THAT'S UNNECESSARY. 
          AND AGAIN, MOBY MAT WOULD 
          [00:25:01]
WORK IF WE FEEL THE ABSOLUTE NEED TO STABILIZE THAT. 
          BUT A GIANT WALKOVER 22 AND A HALF FEET HIGH JUST IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH OUR PRISTINE BEACHES AND THE BEAUTY OF OUR TOWN THAT WE ALL LOVE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I'LL GIVE MY MINUTE AND A HALF BACK. THANK YOU, MR. MICHAEL MISIANO. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, THANKS FOR HEARING US ONCE AGAIN. 
          I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE 14TH STREET ACCESS AGAIN. 
          AND I WON'T REPEAT, I'LL TRY NOT TO REPEAT WHAT I SAID LAST TIME, BUT JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I. 
          THE DUNE, I MEAN THAT'S THE MOST DYNAMIC PART OF THE CITY RIGHT OUT THERE. 
          IT CHANGES ALL THE TIME. AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS PLACING A FIXED BRIDGE AT A LOCATION THAT CHANGES EVERY STORM. IT CHANGES. 
          AND IT'S NOT JUST THE NATURAL PROCESSES, BUT WE'VE ALSO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT APPROACHES. 
          THE DUNE TODAY COMPARED TO WHAT IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. 
          THEY BUILT IT DIFFERENT EVEN THAN THE LAST TIME IT WAS DONE. AND IF WE HAD PUT, WE HAD A FIXED STRUCTURE IN THE WAY, THEY WOULD BE BURYING IT. 
          IN FACT, WE HAVE PLACES, THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES RIGHT NOW THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF WALKOVERS RIGHT NOW OUT THERE THAT ARE BURIED UNDER THE DUNES. 
          I MEAN, I TOOK THE LAST HURRICANE LIKE FOUR YEARS AGO OR SOMETHING. I TOOK PICTURES WHERE IT WAS LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE AN ARCHITECTURAL DIG WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS THING IS COMING BACK FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE DUNE WHERE THE OLD WALKWAY WAS AND IT WAS GOT BURIED. 
          SO WHATEVER WE'RE DOING NOW, A FIXED STRUCTURE IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT, IF WE HAD A PROBLEM, I WOULD COMPLETELY, I'D BE WITH THE IDEA OF DOING IT, BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. SECONDLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT ACCESS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, OUR ACCESS AT 14TH STREET, I DON'T THINK THERE'S. 
          NOT THAT I'VE SEEN, I'VE BEEN FOR 30 YEAR RESIDENT, 35 YEAR RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH, 25 YEARS ON 14TH STREET AT OCEAN BOULEVARD. AND I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN THAT THE CITY SPEND A DIME THERE, MAYBE A BIKE RACK OR TWO OVER THE YEARS, BUT IT'S. 
          THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE IF WE PUT A STRUCTURE THERE AND IT'S GOING TO BECOME A LINE ITEM ON THE THING. 
          BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE RESIDENTS, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AXIS, MOW THE GRASS, TAKE CARE OF IT, IRRIGATE WITH THEIR OWN IRRIGATION MONEY AND DO MAINTAIN THAT ACCESS. AND THEY DON'T BLOCK IT BY THE WAY, LIKE WE'VE HEARD SOME AREAS, PEOPLE DOING THAT, TRYING TO BLOCK THE PUBLIC, THEY DON'T DO THAT. BUT I THINK IF WE PUT A STRUCTURE THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT A LINE ITEM ON THE BUDGET, MAINTAINING THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE ISSUES, THERE'S NO DOUBT. 
          AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE OTHER THINGS MORE IMPORTANT TO SPEND MONEY ON, ESPECIALLY IF AMENDMENT 3 PASSES. I KNOW WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER RING BROUGHT UP LAST MEETING ABOUT SOME ITEMS OF CONCERN THAT MIGHT GET DROPPED. I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BE A COST THAT WOULD COST SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ANY KIND OF MONEY. 
          BUT THANKS FOR LISTENING. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MESSIANO. 
          TERRY COOK, GOOD EVENING GENTLE PEOPLE. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND LISTENING HERE ALSO TO TALK ABOUT THE 14TH STREET WALKOVERS. I SENT YOU ALL A LETTER THIS MORNING AND I INCLUDED SOME PHOTOGRAPHS. 
          HOPEFULLY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM. THE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE DEPICTING WHAT THE DUNE LOOKED LIKE LAST JANUARY WHEN THE SECONDARY DUNE CLOSEST TO THE OCEAN WAS SEEDED WITH THE SEA OATS COMPARED TO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY. AND THOSE SEA OATS HAVE GROWN SO WELL AND THEY REALLY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF MAINTAINING THAT DUNE. 
          AS I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OTHER DUNE, THE OTHER ACCESSES, ONES THAT HAVE A WALKOVER VERSUS OURS THAT DOES NOT. WHEN I SAY OURS, OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC, BUT JUST FOR EASE, THE 14TH STREET ACCESS, AS I LOOK NORTH FROM THE ACCESS THAT HAS A STRUCTURE, THE COATS AREN'T DOING SO WELL, PARTICULARLY AT 12TH STREET VERSUS THE ONES AT 14TH STREET WHERE IF YOU LOOK NORTH ON THE ACCESS, THE COATS HAVE REALLY, REALLY GROWN. AND THEN ON SATURDAY I WAS OUT WALKING WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE STROLLER AND SAID, HEY, LET'S GO DOWN THE BEACH. 
          AND WE WALKED OVER THE BEACH ACCESS AT 12TH STREET AND WE COULD NOT GET THROUGH. 12TH STREET HAS A ZIGZAG WHICH IS WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR THE 14TH STREET. SO YOU GO UP AND OVER, YOU GO DOWN, TURN AROUND AND COME BACK 180 DEGREES. 
          WE COULD NOT GET THROUGH THE 90 DEGREE TURN BECAUSE OF THE BUILDUP OF SAND ON THAT CORNER. SO HERE I AM WITH A STROLLER 
          [00:30:01]
WITH A 25 POUND BABY IN THERE, PEOPLE WHO ARE DRAGGING THEIR BEACH CARTS, THEIR FISHING CARTS DOWN THERE TO MAKE THOSE TURNS ON THOSE ZIGZAGS AND IS REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT. IT'S SO MUCH EASIER JUST TO WALK UP AND OVER OUR BEAUTIFUL CHARMING BEACH ACCESS. 
          WE JUST WANT TO KEEP 14TH STREET NATURAL. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. SARAH BOREN, GOOD EVENING. SARAH BOREN, 3888 STREET. 
          I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET LATER IN THE AGENDA. BUT SO AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE DG MARKET. 
          I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND JUST A COMMENT ABOUT THE WALKOVERS. 
          SO I PASSED OUT KIND OF A POWERPOINT I DID ON THE DG MARKET PROPOSAL AND I WENT TO THE NORMANDY AVENUE LOCATION AND I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE EAST PLAKA BUT DON SCOTT POSTED SOME PHOTOS SO I KIND OF PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE. 
          AND AT LEAST AT THE NORMANDY AVENUE LOCATION THERE OF THE 15 AISLES AT THAT LOCATION, ONLY 2/3 OF ONE AISLE HAD FRESH PRODUCE AND IT WAS LIMITED AND FAIRLY EMPTY. AND YOU KNOW, I WENT THERE PURPOSELY AROUND MIDDAY 1:30 AND THEY WERE RESTOCKING BUT THEY HAD NOT PLANNED. 
          I ASKED THE GENTLEMAN AND HE HAD NOT PLANNED TO RESTOCK THAT DAY ON THE FRESH PRODUCE. SO JUST LOOKING THROUGH, YOU CAN SEE SOME PICTURES. 
          SO THE OTHER THING THAT I NOTICED WAS I WENT TO PUBLIX AFTERWARDS AND IN SOME INSTANCES FOR SURE THE PRICES WERE CHEAPER AT DG MARKET BUT OFTEN TIMES THEY WEREN'T. 
          THEY WERE SIMILAR OR PUBLIX WAS ACTUALLY CHEAPER, WHICH IS KIND OF SURPRISING. 
          BY QUESTIONS AROUND THE LOCATION INCLUDE. 
          AND TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT FOR OR AGAINST THIS. 
          I JUST HAVE GENUINE QUESTIONS. I'M A BIG POINT. 
          WHAT? I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF IF THE COMMUNITY REALLY WANTS IT, GREAT. I JUST WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. 
          SO WHY THIS LOCATION? THERE ARE PLENTY OF VACANT RETAIL SPACES IN THE AREA AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE PAN AM PLAZA AND THE REEF SHOPPING PLAZA. THE NORMANDY LOCATIONS IN THE RETAIL SHOPPING CENTER THE DISTANCE IS FARTHER FOR AB RESIDENTS TO THE PROPOSED LOCATION THAN TO ALDI. I PUT THE MAPS DOWN BELOW. 
          THE LOCATION IS NOT LOCATED IN WITHIN THE AB BOUNDARY. 
          AND THEN THE CITY MAY NEED THE LAND IN THE FUTURE NEARBY BY THE WATER PLANT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ATTRACTION TO SELL THE LAND TO REDUCE DEBT. 
          BUT IS THERE? IF THERE'S NO RECURRING COST TO KEEPING THE LAND, WHY GIVE IT UP? I'M ALSO HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PACE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO DEB STORE ON EASTSIDE, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE TO INCENTIVIZE A LARGER GROCERY STORE. OH, I'M OUT OF TIME. 
          WHERE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS. WHY SO FAST? AND THEN I LISTED OTHER RISKS AND DRAWBACKS THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT AND THEN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMP PLAN. AND I HAD POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AT THE END. 
          SORRY I TOOK TOO LONG. THANK YOU. MS. BOURNE. WENDY CRAVEN. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. HELLO EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS WENDY CRAVEN AND I LIVE AT 250 BEACH AVENUE AND FIRST KEVIN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COORDINATING AND TRIMMING IT AROUND THE WRONG WAY SIGN BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD. 
          IT HELPED BUT DRIVERS STILL ONLY SPOT IT FROM ABOUT FIVE FEET AWAY. SO WE NEED TO JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARANCE IN THAT AREA AND I'M SURE THAT WILL GET DONE BECAUSE YOUR CREW IS AWESOME. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ADDRESS CRITICAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, TRAFFIC CIRCULATION AND DRAINAGE ISSUES IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH. 
          SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN 1 AND 6. FIRST, TRAFFIC ON THE ROADWAY WIDTH ON 3RD STREET IS ONLY 14FT WIDE. 
          TWO STANDARD VEHICLES NEED 15 TO 16FT JUST TO PASS WITH THEIR MIRRORS. 
          WITH THE NEW CURBS IN PLACE, EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND CARS CANNOT PASS EACH OTHER. RESIDENTS ARE FORCED TO MOUNT THE CURB AND I PERSONALLY CRUSHED MY RIMS AND HAD A FLAT TIRE. WHEN YOU 
          [00:35:03]
ADD BEACHGOERS, WAGONS, CHILDREN, DOGS, CYCLISTS SHARING THE NARROW 14FT, THERE IS ZERO ROOM FOR ERROR. 
          PREMIER COASTAL COMMUNITIES FACING THESE EXACT HISTORIC CONSTRAINTS LIKE PALM BEACH, CARMEL BY THE SEA AND LAGOON BEACH, RESOLVED THIS BY CONVERTING SUBSTANDARD 14 TO 16 FOOT BEACH ACCESS ROADS INTO DESIGNATED ONE WAY STREETS. IT ELIMINATES HEAD ON STANDOFFS, PROTECTS WALKERS, AND PRESERVES CLEAR ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES. 
          SECOND, ACUTE SIGHT LINE HAZARDS AT 3RD STREET AND BEACH. 
          INCOMING DRIVERS CANNOT SEE THE ONE WAY SIGNS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT UP ON BEACH AVENUE BECAUSE IT'S BURIED IN OVERGROWN FOLIAGE, CAUSING DRIVERS TO TURN ILLEGALLY INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. 
          AT THAT SAME CORNER, OVERGROWTH EXTENDS DIRECTLY PAST THE PROPERTY LINES INTO THE STREET, COMPLETELY BLINDING DRIVERS TO ONCOMING CYCLISTS AND RUNNERS. WE NEED CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ISSUE A PRIORITY TRIMMING OR A PRIORITY TRIMMING NOTICE. 
          ALSO THE SOUTH FACING YIELD SIGN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THIRD. IT REALLY MAKES NO OPERATIONAL SENSE BECAUSE IT'S A ONE WAY STREET. WHY DO YOU HAVE A YIELD SIGN FACING SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE COMING DOWN THAT DAY? THIRD CURBING AND DRAINAGE AT 250. 
          EVERY HEAVY RAIN FLOOD, EVERY, EVERY HEAVY RAIN FLOODS OUR GARAGE. WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS. WE'VE DONE TWO RESTORATIONS OF OUR DRIVEWAY WITH, YOU KNOW, INCREASED LEVERAGE THERE. 
          BUT NOW OUR NEIGHBOR HAS PUT UP A MATCHING CURB THAT MATCHES THE THIRD STREET CURVE AND HE'S PUT IT UP ON SECOND. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE, EVEN MORE WATER RUNNING DOWN BEACH AVENUE. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT IS PERMITTED AND ACCEPTABLE. 
          IF IT IS, WE'D LIKE TO PUT UP A CURB. THANK YOU, MS. KRING AS WELL. 
          SO JUST LET US KNOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SUSAN KING. 
          I'VE ALREADY BEEN. SUSAN KING. DIFFERENT SUSAN. 
          OH, I WAS JUST HANDED THIS ONE WASN'T RIGHT. SUSAN KING. OKAY. 
          YES, THAT'S SUSAN TAYLOR. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SUSAN KING. 
          I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. 
          BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT, SPEAKING AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF FEEDING NORTHEAST FLORIDA, WE ARE THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK COVERING 12 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME. 
          I WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT BEAM FOR A TIME. SO FOOD INSECURITY HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSUMING FOR ME FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. WE SEE FOOD INSECURITY EVERY DAY, AND IT IS NOT SIMPLY WHETHER SOMEBODY CAN AFFORD GROCERIES. 
          IT IS WHETHER THEY CAN REASONABLY GET TO THEM. 
          HUNGER HAS MANY, MANY CAUSES, AND MAYPORT HAS A REAL GAP IN GROCERY ACCESS. IN FACT, AS DIRECTOR AT BEAM, I BUILT THE PANTRY ON MAYPORT ROAD. 
          BUT WHEN FOOD LION CLOSED IN 2012 AND THEN TERRY'S COUNTRY STORE CLOSED, A TRIP OF SEVERAL MILES FOR GROCERY BECAME REALLY DIFFICULT FOR AN OLDER ADULT, A FAMILY WITHOUT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. IT WAS REALLY A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR THEM. SO IN DG MARKETS OFFERS PRODUCE, DAIRY, EGGS, FROZEN FOODS, GROCERY STAPLES THAT WOULD BE, I BELIEVE, A MEANINGFUL ADDITION TO WHAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ALONG THIS CORRIDOR. 
          I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH DOLLAR GENERAL. WHEN THE SHOOTINGS OCCURRED OVER ON KINGS ROAD IN 2023, THE CORPORATE GROUP REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ASSIST FAMILIES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD? BECAUSE AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, DOLLAR STORES TEND TO BE THE ONLY FOOD SUPPORT IN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES. DG MARKET IS NOT A TYPICAL DOLLAR GENERAL STORE. 
          IN THE 12 COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DG MARKETS AND THEY ARE A MINI GROCERY STORE. AND YES, OFTEN THEIR PRICES ARE HIGHER, BUT IF YOU IMAGINE THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON SMALL MARGINS WITH MUCH LESS POPULATION TO SUPPORT THEM, IT'S THE INEVITABLE. BUT IT DOES PUT PRODUCE PROTEINS AND THINGS AVAILABLE IN COMMUNITIES. 
          [00:40:01]
SO WHEN DOLLAR GENERAL CAME TO US AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO? THEY ENDED UP PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR US FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS SO THAT WE COULD DO MOBILE PANTRIES IN THE NEWTOWN AREA. 
          THEY NEVER WAVERED IN THEIR SUPPORT. THEY CAME TO US ROUTINELY AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO AND HOW CAN WE HELP? AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, I DEAL WITH A LOT OF CORPORATE PARTNERS AND I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HAD ANY THAT WERE AS ALTRUISTIC AND GENUINE IN THEIR CONCERN FOR THAT COMMUNITY. 
          SO THAT WAS AUGUST OF 23. 
          IN SEPTEMBER OF 23, THEY HAD DONE THE REMODELING. THEY WERE PREPARED TO OPEN. 
          AND WE WENT TO THEM FROM COMMUNITY INPUT AND SAID, THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE GRIEVING AND THEY ARE NOT READY TO HAVE THOSE DOORS OPENED. 
          THEY LEFT THE DOORS CLOSED. 
          THEY DIDN'T OPEN AGAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER OF 24 AFTER THEY HAD DONE A COMPLETE REMODEL. 
          BECAUSE THEY ALSO HEARD THAT THERE WAS NO PRODUCE AND THERE WAS NO ABILITY FOR FRESH FOOD IN THE EXISTING STORE. MS. KING, THANK YOU FOR SHARING. 
          I'M SORRY I KIND OF PIGEONHOLED THIS INTO COURTESY OF THE FLOOR, BUT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND STAYING A FEW MINUTES, WE'LL GET TO AN AGENDA ITEM AND I'D LIKE TO CALL YOU BACK, IF I MAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. 
          OKAY. OKAY, THEN WE'LL CLOSE. 
          COURTESY OF FLORIDA 
          [3. CITY MANAGER REPORTS   ]
TO VISITORS. 
          CITY MANAGER REPORTS, MR. HOGAN CAMP. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSION, COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING THE 90 DAY CALENDAR BY CONSENSUS. 
          OKAY. LAST I SEE, IT'S BEEN UPDATED, SO. 
          THANK YOU. YEAH. 
          THANKSGIVING OFF FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. 
          I AGREE. WE SHOULD ADOPT IT. OH, OKAY. 
          THAT'S NOT ON THERE YET. 
          HOWEVER, YOU WANT TO ADOPT IT AS AMENDED. 
          ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT? OH, NO, THANKSGIVING'S LISTED THERE. 
          YEAH, THIS TIME. OH, I'M, I'M SORRY. 
          I WAS ADDRESSING. THERE'S A POTENTIAL A MEETING CHANGE IN NOVEMBER. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSING. 
          NO, NO, THE GOOD FRIDAYS ARE RIGHT OFF. YEAH. OKAY. 
          DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THE AGENDA OR ON THE CALENDAR? OKAY, YOU HAVE YOUR CALENDAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE CITY MANAGER'S COMMUNITY MESSAGE IS. 
          THERE'S A HARD COPY AT THE DOOR. IT'S POSTED ONLINE ON THE CITY MANAGER'S PAGE OF THE WEBSITE. THERE ARE LINKS ONLINE THAT AREN'T ON THE HARD COPY. 
          AND HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THAT REPORT WHICH PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES UNDERWAY AT CITY HALL. THE FIRST ITEM I HAVE THAT'S ACTUALLY LISTED ON THE AGENDA IS THE DG MARKET. THE DEVELOPER IS REVIEWING THE PROPOSED PURCHASE AGREEMENT. 
          THE MATTER MAY BE PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION. THAT IS, IF IT GIVES BACK TO THE CITY IN TIME AT THE COMMISSION'S OCT. 12 MEETING. 
          MAYOR FORD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CALL. MS. KING? YES. 
          MS. KING, IF YOU WOULD REJOIN US ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. 
          SO SORRY ABOUT THAT. A LITTLE DISJOINTED, THAT HAPPENS. 
          AND BEFORE YOU GO ON, I'VE BEEN HOPING TO GET SOME, SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE. 
          AND THERE'S A FEW OTHERS I'M NOT GOING TO NAME NAMES TO TONIGHT, BUT WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM, HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT MEETING. BECAUSE TO THE POINTS RAISED BY A FORMER CITIZEN SPEAKING TODAY, WE DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT THE PITFALLS ARE AND RISK. BUT I JUST APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME. 
          SUSAN FROM EUROPE, I THINK. 
          THANK YOU FOR RUSHING BACK JUST TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THIS COMMISSION. 
          BUT CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE FINISHING UP WITH? SO, SUSAN, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR SO MANY YEARS, BUT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH FEEDING OUR HUNGRY AND ARE AND DEALING WITH FOOD INSECURITY FOR SO LONG, I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW FAR BACK. 
          WELL, WHAT I REALLY WANT TO STRESS IS THAT HAVING HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, I, I TRUST THAT WHAT THEY SAY THEY'LL DO, THEY WILL DO. 
          AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE DOLLAR STORES THAT DON'T HAVE SHELVES WITH FRESH FOOD IS REALLY AN INDICATION OF THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY. 
          I MEAN, EVEN THE STORE THAT THEY, THAT THEY HELD FOR US, THE ONE IN KINGS ROAD, NO LONGER HAS AS MUCH SHELF SPACE. THEY PUT IN 16FT OF SHELF SPACE, BUT THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T NECESSARILY SUPPORT IT. 
          THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE HERE. 
          BUT AS AN ORGANIZATION, AS A CORPORATION, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT MY EXPERIENCE SAYS THAT YOU CAN TRUST THEM. I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO ASK AS A BODY, AS YOU'RE NEGOTIATING, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT, IS TO SAY WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE A COMMITMENT 
          [00:45:02]
TO WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE. BECAUSE IT'S VERY EASY TO SELL A PROPERTY AND HAVE SOMEBODY DECIDE THAT IT DOESN'T WANT TO BE. 
          THEY DON'T WANT TO BE A DG MARKET ANYMORE. 
          MAYBE THEY WANT TO BE A DOLLAR STORE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE HERE. 
          BUT I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE AROUND INTENT, AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. 
          BUT THE INTERESTING THING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DATA ABOUT THIS, IS THAT WHEN YOU BRING, WHEN YOU BRING IN A SMALL RETAILER LIKE THIS, IN A MARKET WHERE THERE ARE OTHER LOCAL SMALL RETAIL OPERATIONS, THINK ABOUT A TERRY STORE. IF YOU BROUGHT A DG MARKET IN OR SOMETHING SIMILAR, IT WOULD TAKE AWAY BUSINESS FROM THAT ENTITY, FROM THE SMALLER ENTITY. 
          BUT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHERE THERE IS NO GROCERY STORE. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN FIGHTING THE FIGHT ABOUT GETTING GROCERY STORES INTO COMMUNITY FOR SO MANY YEARS. AND IF IT DOESN'T MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE, IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. 
          AND IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN, WHAT, 14 YEARS SINCE WE HAVE HAD FOOD LION, IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THERE ARE MASSIVE INCENTIVES, WHICH THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE HAS BEEN FORCED TO DO. AND IT'S, AND IS OFTEN LOST THAT BET. 
          SO I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT SITUATION FOR A DG MARKET. 
          IT'S NOT TOO RURAL, SO THAT PEOPLE STILL CAN'T GET THERE LIKE A LOT OF THE AREAS THAT WE SERVE, IT'S STILL WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE MAYPORT AREA TO ACCESS FRESH FOOD AT A. 
          NOT A CHEAP PRICE, BUT AT A PRICE THAT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IT'S THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR THEM. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR SUSAN? I HAVE TO SAY THAT I WASN'T CRAZY ABOUT THIS IDEA BECAUSE IT'S NOT EVEN IN ATLANTIC BEACH. 
          BUT JOYCE FREEMAN SUPPORTS YOUR POSITION, AND I RESPECT HER OPINION VERY MUCH. 
          ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, MS. KING. 
          I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. KING. WERE THERE ANY OTHER GROCERY STORES THAT WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU OTHER THAN DG? BECAUSE AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PROPOSALS FROM ALDI'S OR PUBLIX OR TRADER JOE'S OR HARRIS TEETER OR ANYONE. 
          JUST DG MARKET PUT IN A PROPOSAL TEST. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER GROCERY STORES THAT WORK WITH YOU? I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER GROCERY CHAINS THAT CAN ACTUALLY WORK ON A FOOTPRINT THAT SMALL. 
          YEAH, AT 1.25 ACRES AND, YOU KNOW, AT, YOU KNOW, 8 TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET, THAT'S VERY SMALL IN COMPARISON. AND THE MAYPORT AREA, I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO DO SOME ASSEMBLY TO GET A SITE BIG ENOUGH TO PUT IN A FULL SIZE GROCERY STORE. 
          AND I AM REALLY FAMILIAR WITH FEEDING NORTH EASTER. 
          YOUR NONPROFIT. DO YOU TAKE OVER ALL OF DUVAL? DO YOU SPAN OUTSIDE? WHAT ARE THE AREAS THAT YOU ACTUALLY PROVIDE? SO WE SERVE 12 COUNTIES. 
          WE GO ALL THE WAY TO LEVY COUNTY. WE ARE THE SIZE OF NEW JERSEY. OH, WOW. 
          WITH A POPULATION OF OVER 2 MILLION. AND SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU WORK WITH DG MARKET, YOU DON'T JUST MEAN IN DUVAL COUNTY? NO, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM IN THE COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE, AND THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS TERRIBLY EFFECTIVE. BECAUSE IF YOU IMAGINE THE TRANSPORTATION DISTANCE IS A BIG PROBLEM. 
          IT'S NOT THE CONCEPT OF THE STORE. I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT, BUT IF PEOPLE CAN'T GET THERE FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE'S NOT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. 
          IF THEY LACK TRANSPORTATION, IT'S A PROBLEM ANYWHERE. 
          MAYPORT IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT'S NOT TOO FAR AND YOU'RE NOT COMPETING WITH SMALLER STORES. RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. 
          THAT'S INTERESTING. YES, GO AHEAD. NO, MY MIND'S SORT OF. 
          OKAY. COMMISSIONER GRANT. 
          YEAH. 
          I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK. AND I MADE THE SAME, YOU KNOW, INITIAL ANALYSIS, TOO, WHEN COMPARING PRICING. 
          RIGHT. 
          LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, DOZEN EGGS, GALLON OF MILK, THINGS OF THAT NATURE AGAINST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEIR PRICING VERSUS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MAJOR BRANDS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I WAS SOON TOLD, WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY A FAIR COMPARISON BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE LARGER FOOTPRINT THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIES OF SCALE. AND I WAS TOLD THE, THE FAIR COMPARISON IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT COST FOR THEM TO BUY THAT FROM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONVENIENCE STORES, WHETHER IT'S CIRCLE K OR GATE. THAT'S THE COMPARISON WE SHOULD BE MAKING NOT WITH THE ALDI'S AND PUBLIXES OF THE WORLD. 
          AND IN THAT CASE, DG MARKET IS A BETTER BUY. IS THAT A FAIR ANALYSIS? ABSOLUTELY. 
          IT'S GOING TO COST YOU LESS THAN A MINUTE MARKET. YEAH. 
          OR A DOLLAR STORE. OKAY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. SO MAYPORT ROAD HAS REALLY BEEN DEVELOPED HEAVILY WITH ALL THOSE NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES. 
          [00:50:02]
AND I AGREE THAT THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT, THAT NEED ACCESS, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT THE PROPOSAL HAS DONE A SURVEY OF WHO THEIR CUSTOMERS COULD BE. 
          I MEAN, ARE THERE ENOUGH CUSTOMERS IN NEED OF DOLLAR GENERAL TO SUPPORT IT AND TO MAKE OUR INVESTMENT WORTHWHILE? AND I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT YET. 
          WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DO DISTRIBUTIONS AT ST. 
          JOHN'S CATHOLIC CHURCH MONTHLY. WE ALSO DO DISTRIBUTIONS OUT OF THE AMERICAN LEGION FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY, AND WE TURN PEOPLE AWAY ALMOST EVERY TIME. 
          THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE HAS SWELLED 20 TO 25% OVER THE HIGHS OF COVID THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY. THESE ARE ECONOMIC PRESSURES ON FAMILIES, WORKING FAMILIES WHO ABSOLUTELY HIT A SPEED BUMP IN LIFE. SOMETIMES THEY NEED IT CHRONICALLY, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST OCCASIONALLY. 
          BUT THIS ISSUE IS NOT GOING AWAY. MY GROCERY BILL ISN'T GOING DOWN. MY UTILITY BILLS AREN'T GOING DOWN. 
          AND FOR FAMILIES THAT LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, IT IS TRULY A STRUGGLE. SO, YES, THERE IS A MARKET THERE. 
          THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO THOSE DISTRIBUTIONS ON BICYCLES, NOT NECESSARILY AMERICAN LEGION, BUT AT ST. 
          JOHN'S AND IF YOU TALK TO JEFF WINKLER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT BEAM, HE WILL SHARE THE SAME STORIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING THERE. 
          LISTEN, FEEDING NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND BEAM ARE NOT GOING AWAY. THERE IS STILL A PLACE FOR CHARITABLE FOOD. 
          IT'S AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE, BUT WE NEED A MORE DIGNIFIED OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T NEED IT ALL THE TIME BUT HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THERE. I MEAN, REALLY AND TRULY, WATCH SOMEBODY TAKE THREE OR FOUR BAGS OF GROCERIES FROM A CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION AND TRY TO CARRY THEM HOME ON A BIKE OR A SENIOR WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE THEIR WAY SIX BLOCKS TO WHERE THEY'RE LIVING. IT IS, IT'S, IT'S UNNECESSARY. 
          WHEN WE DO HAVE AN OPTION OF SOMETHING LIKE A DG MARKET. AND I WILL ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE A VERY GOOD PARTNER IN THIS WORK AND A CONSCIENTIOUS AND CARING ORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW. 
          THANK YOU. MY OPINION, I HAVE AN OBSERVATION, BUT I'LL LET YOU RESPOND IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE MILITARY DON'T NEED IT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THE COMMISSARY. 
          BUT THE COMMISSARY IS OPEN TILL 5:00 CLOCK TWO DAYS A WEEK AND 6:00 CLOCK THE REST OF THE DAYS. I BELIEVE 6:00PM YES. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO THAT'S A LIMITATION. I BELIEVE THE DG MARKET IS OPEN TILL 10. 
          I WANT TO SAY 10 O' CLOCK AT NIGHT. IT'S JUST ANOTHER OPTION. 
          AND THIS IS. AND WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE MILITARY COMPONENT WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT. 
          I DON'T KNOW THE STUDIES ON THAT, BUT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT POPULATION. 
          IT MAY BE A LOT OF THE OLDER CITIZENS THAT HAVE BEEN IN OUR GENERAL VICINITY FOR MANY DECADES. WE SERVE HUNDREDS OF ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY OUT OF THAT AMERICAN LEGION. AND IT IS. 
          THE COMMISSARY IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE. MY DAD WAS CAREER NAVY. WE SHOPPED AT COMMISSARIES FOREVER. 
          MY PARENTS LIVE HERE. I STILL TAG ALONG TO THE COMMISSARY WITH THEM. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE LOWER PRICED AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE MORE THAN PUBLIC'S. 
          I MEAN, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE GREAT DEAL THAT IT WAS ONCE UPON A TIME. 
          AND IT'S NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR EVERYONE. YES. OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, MS. KING. OKAY, MR. HOGAN CAMP, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. CONTINUING WITH MY REPORT, I'M UPDATING YOU ON THE PROPOSED UTILITY RATE INCREASE. 
          THE CITY WILL SOON CONSIDER INCREASING WATER AND SEWER RATES 3%, THE FIRST HIKE SINCE 2020. AN ORDINANCE INSTITUTING THE NEW RATE STRUCTURE SCHEDULED FOR FIRST READING AT THE OCT. 26 COMMISSION MEETING AND THE SECOND READING ALONG WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE NOV. 
          THE CITY OF JACKSON BEACH IS COORDINATING THIS JOINT MEETING OF THE THREE BEACHES CITY COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS AND THE NORTH FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO PRESENT THE RECENTLY COMPLETED E BIKE STUDY. WE ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS AND TO ATTEND THAT MEETING, STAY IN TUNE WITH THIS ISSUE. 
          WE'LL COME BACK WITH LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS. 
          EVENTUALLY, AFTER HAVING A GOOD BEACHES WIDE COMMUNITY DISCUSSION, WE ARE CONTINUING WITH AMENDMENT 3 EDUCATION. 
          [00:55:02]
BEACHES WATCH WILL HOST A COMMUNITY MEETING TO HELP VOTERS BETTER UNDERSTAND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 3. 
          THAT'S AT 7PM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH AT BEACHES MUSEUM CHAPEL IN JACK'S BEACH. 
          THE CITY HAS PUBLISHED A COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION LANDING PAGE AND IS UTILIZING ITS OTHER COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORMS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS TO HELP INFORM THEM. THIS, OF COURSE, ADDRESSES THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND POTENTIAL FISCAL IMPACTS OF AMENDMENT 3, WHICH APPEARS ON THE NOV. 3 STATEWIDE BALLOT. 
          UPCOMING EVENTS IN ATLANTIC BEACH OTHER THAN THE MEETINGS I MENTIONED OCTOBER 17TH FAMILY FUN DAY AND CAMP OUT UNDER THE STARS AT JACK RUSSELL PARK. OCTOBER 30TH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HOST A NOT SO SCARY HAUNTED HOUSE AND WE WILL HAVE A MULTI DEPARTMENT TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT AGAIN AT JACK RUSSELL PARK. WE DID THIS THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO AND THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE CITY HALL PARKING LOT. 
          AND ON NOVEMBER 11TH, THAT'S THE VETERANS DAY CEREMONY AT BEACHES VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK. 
          THAT'S AT 9AM FOLLOWED BY THE MARSH OAKS COMMUNITY CENTER AND COMMUNITY GARDEN, RIBBON CUTTING AND RECEPTION IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD. AND ON NOVEMBER 21ST IS THE ATLANTIC BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL AT JACK RUSSELL PARK. 
          HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR FOLLOW UP ON ANY ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO FOLLOW UP ON. THANKS. 
          THANK YOU, MR. HOGAN CAMP. BEFORE WE GO ON 
          [10.A. Federal Dune Walkovers Project ]
TO COMMISSIONER REPORTS, I'M GOING TO DOUBLE BACK TO WHERE WE SKIPPED ON THE FEDERAL DUNE WALKOVER PROJECT, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY ITEM 10A. I NEEDED MR. SWAN TO JOIN US, SO MR. SWAN, COULD YOU COME TALK TO US PLEASE? SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ALL SEEN THIS. THIS IS THE SCHEMATICS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, ON EACH OF THE PROPOSED DUNE WALKOVERS. 
          THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH. AND SO WHAT? I THINK THERE'S SEVEN IN TOTAL. SEVEN IN TOTAL. 
          SO I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO MR. SWAN. I THINK SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM. 
          SO WE'RE GETTING NEAR TO PULLING THE TRIGGER AND EXECUTING ON THIS. I'LL JUST SET THE STAGE THAT I'VE HEARD THIS IS ME AND YOU MAY HAVE YOUR OWN EXAMPLES, BUT I'VE HEARD MOSTLY FROM PEOPLE ON 14TH STREET, PROBABLY 12, 14 DIFFERENT FAMILIES. I'VE ONLY HEARD DON'T DO IT. 
          I'VE NOT HEARD ANYBODY SAY LET'S DO IT. THAT'S ON 14TH. I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE ON 11TH. 
          ONE IN PARTICULAR SPOKE TODAY DON'T DO IT FOR THE REASONS STATED. AND ONE OR ACTUALLY ANOTHER ONE SAID DON'T DO IT. AND THEN ONE SAID YES. 
          BUT THEN IF I GO DOWN TO THE END OF THE BEACH CLOSER TO TOWN CENTER, IT SEEMS TO BE MORE OF AN APPETITE FOR HAVING IT AND SO I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL RESIDENTS SAYING, LET'S DO ONE AT SECOND STREET OR LET'S DO ONE AT. I THINK FOURTH IS ON YOUR AGENDA. SO WHAT I WANTED TO KIND OF START THIS IS I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS SO WE CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED RECOMMENDATION BACK. 
          BUT THERE WAS A STUDY DONE BY THE ESC, AND I THINK WE MIGHT CALL AMY, IF NECESSARY, TO TALK ON THAT. OR THERE WAS NOT A STUDY, BUT A PROPOSAL OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION. 
          SO THAT'S A CONSIDERATION. 
          BUT THE THING. 
          I THINK THE THING THAT I'VE TAKEN AWAY FROM ALL OF MY STUDIES IS IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WALKOVERS WHEN YOU HAVE MORE AND MORE USAGE BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY TRAFFIC AND MORE IMPACT ON THE DUNES. AND I THINK WE PROBABLY DO HAVE MORE USAGE THE CLOSER WE ARE TO TOWN CENTER BECAUSE PEOPLE FILTER INTO THE BEACH, GET A PARKING SPOT, AND CROSS THE DUNES. SO I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, MR. SWAN, IF YOU THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN WALKOVERS THAT ARE NOT GETTING THE SAME FOOT TRAFFIC, THEREFORE NOT AS CRITICAL FOR A STRUCTURED WALKOVER. 
          AND THEN THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO HEAR TONIGHT IS, DO WE LOOK AT DOING THE MOBY MATS? I THINK, AREN'T WE DOING MOBY MATS AT ONE, A LITTLE BIT AT AHORN, A LITTLE BIT AT AHORN? IS THAT A PARTIAL SOLUTION WHERE WE DON'T WANT THE SUPERSTRUCTURE, BUT WE WANT EASIER ACCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR HANDICAP? BUT I'M GONNA LET YOU GO AHEAD AND START OFF AND TELL US WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD. 
          WELL, WITH MOBY MATS OVER THE DUNES, THE MAINTENANCE WOULD BE A 
          [01:00:01]
NIGHTMARE BECAUSE THEY LUMP WITH SAND. 
          THEY FILL UP WITH SAND, PICK THEM UP EVERY NIGHT. WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO MAINTAIN SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UNDERSTOOD. 
          OKAY. AND I APOLOGIZE. I LOST MY VOICE OVER THE WEEKENDS. 
          UNDERSTOOD. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTION IS? WELL, THE QUESTION THEN IS YOU'VE GOT A PROJECT OF SEVEN. 
          THERE'S A COUPLE OF ANSWERS YOU MIGHT GIVE US IS DO WE ALLEVIATE CONCERNS WITH MODIFICATIONS OF CONSTRUCTION? DO WE ALLEVIATE CONCERNS BY PUSHING OFF ON ONE OR TWO OF THEM AND DOING THEM ELSEWHERE WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CONCERN? I'LL LET YOU HAVE THE FLOOR ON THAT. 
          WELL, I DON'T DO POLICY. 
          THAT'S YOU GUYS. I KNOW, RIGHT? SO I WAS DIRECTED. 
          UNFAIR OF ME. SO WE WENT AND GOT THE MONEY, WE DID THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, AND HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. 
          THAT BEING SAID, WE DO NOT. 
          THIS MONEY IS, EXCEPT FOR THE WALKOVERS, IS 100 FEDERALLY FUNDED THANKS TO CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD AND BEING ADMINISTERED THROUGH A NOAA GRANT, AND WE HAVE NOT SIGNED THAT GRANT WITH NOAH YET, BUT WE. 
          WE WILL PROBABLY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. CAN I CHANGE THE GRANT AT THIS POINT? I DON'T KNOW. 
          MAYBE. 
          WE'LL SEE. I HAVEN'T ASKED THEM. I WAS KIND OF WAITING FOR GUIDANCE FROM YOU ALL, WHAT YOU ALL WANTED TO DO. 
          ONE OF THE WALKOVERS, FIFTH STREET, THAT'S PARTIALLY FUNDED BY A FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COASTAL PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE GRANT. THAT'S 50-50 MATCH. 
          SO WE WERE ABLE TO ADD THAT ONE TO IT. SO THAT'S THE SEVENTH WALKOVER. 
          THE OTHER SIX ARE 100% FEDERALLY FUNDED. SO IF THE WALKOVERS GO IN WHERE THEY ARE PLANNED RIGHT NOW, THEN EVERY BEACH ACCESS THAT IS NOT A VEHICLE ACCESS WOULD HAVE A DUNE WALK OVER, EXCEPT FOR SECOND STREET. 
          SO IF YOU WANT TO MOVE 14TH OR SOMETHING TO SECOND STREET, THAT COULD HAPPEN. IF YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE 14TH, YOU CAN ELIMINATE 14TH. IF YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE 13TH, 6TH, WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO. 
          WE CAN ALL TALK TO THE GRANT ADMINISTRATOR AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. OKAY. VERY GOOD. 
          COMMISSIONERS. WELL, I'M SORRY, I MEAN, DROP. I DID WANT TO SAY THAT. 
          YEAH. YOUR OBSERVATION THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHERE THERE'S MORE PARKING, YOU GET MORE BEACH TRAFFIC, BUT WITH LIKE 11TH STREET, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM LAKESIDE AND SELVA LAKES USE 11TH STREET. JUST LIKE I LIVE ON 3RD STREET. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM BEHIND THE SCHOOL, COME DOWN THROUGH THE SCHOOL AND USE THIRD STREET. SO IT'S NOT JUST PARKING, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THE ACCESS TO THE OTHER RESIDENTS. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. DO YOU HAVE PICTURES OF WHAT? THE STRUCTURES. 
          I HEARD THE CITIZENS MENTION THIS, THAT THEY SAW SUPERSTRUCTURES. I HAVE NOT SEEN THESE PHOTOS. NO, THERE'S NO PHOTOS YET. 
          BUT WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS, IS FOLLOW THE KIND OF THE CATTLE TRAIL THROUGH THE DUNES TO KEEP THEM AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. 
          LIKE AT 14TH STREET, THE DECK IS AT, I BELIEVE, 18FT. 
          THE TOP OF THE DUNE IS AT 19FT. SO IT'S FOOT LOWER. 
          OF COURSE, THE RAILS WOULD STICK UP 36 INCHES ABOVE THAT OR 42 INCHES. 
          SO WITH THE CITIZENS WHO ARE SPEAKING. THEY ARE. WHERE DID THEY GET THOSE DIMENSIONS? I HAVE NO IDEA. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL TO KIND OF CLARIFY MAYBE SOME MISCOMMUNICATION. 
          BUT HOW DO THEY KNOW? WERE THEY NOTIFIED AT ALL ABOUT 14TH AND 11TH STREET DUNE WALKOVERS, OR HAS IT JUST BEEN WORD OF MOUTH? WE HAD PUBLIC WORK. 
          PUBLIC WORKS ASKED ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT MAINTAINS THE BEACH ACCESS IS TO CONTACT EACH OF THE HOMEOWNERS ALONG THE OCEANFRONT AND TALK TO THEM. AND THEY DID THAT AT EVERY ONE OF THE ACCESSES, I BELIEVE. ALL THE ACCESSES AND IT'S JUST 11TH AND 14TH THAT WE HEAR CITIZENS, IS THAT WE'RE HEARING BACK FROM CITIZENS. IS THAT BECAUSE THE OTHER WALKOVERS WEREN'T NOTIFIED? I DON'T BELIEVE SO. I DON'T KNOW. 
          I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT. OKAY. YES, COMMISSIONER. 
          YEAH, STEVE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. SO I GUESS THE PREMISE WAS TO JUST MAKE, TRY TO GET ALL THE DUNES TO HAVE A WALKOVER. THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE DIRECTION I TOOK FROM CITY MANAGEMENT. 
          THAT WAS THE INITIAL PREMISE. 
          CORRECT. AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IF WE DON'T PUT WALKOVERS AT 14TH AND 11TH OR WHEREVER SOME OTHER CONCERNS LIE, WHAT'S TO BECOME OF THOSE DUNES? I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE IN DANGER OF WITH THE COATS THERE? IT DOES SEEM LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE LONG TERM, WHEREAS A WALKOVER MAY NOT BE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST OPTION. 
          I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? WELL, I THINK RIGHT NOW, IF THINGS ARE GOT TO REMEMBER, THE BEACH IS A VERY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT. 
          SURE. YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR WE HAVE 20 FOOT DUNES, ANOTHER YEAR WE MIGHT HAVE ZERO FOOT DUNES. 
          SO YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. IF WE HAVE A SEVERE HURRICANE THAT, THAT REALLY DESTROYS A LOT OF THE DUNES, WE'LL HAVE THE WALK OVER THERE AND THE CORPS CAN BUILD UP, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS CAN BUILD UP THE SAND UNDERNEATH IT. NEXT TIME THEY 
          [01:05:02]
REDO THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID BACK IN 2024 WHEN THEY FILLED IN UNDERNEATH THE WALKOVERS THAT EXISTED WHEN THEY REBUILT THE SAND DUNE. 
          BUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IN A STABLE ENVIRONMENT, WALKOVER IS MORE FOR EASE OF ACCESS TO PEOPLE TO THE BEACH THAN IT IS FOR, IN MY OPINION, AT LEAST FOR THE HEALTH OF THE DUNE. 
          BECAUSE OUR DUNES ARE PRETTY HEALTHY COMPARED TO WHAT THEY WERE MANY YEARS AGO FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. 
          I JUST HAVE A FOLLOW UP. SO YOU MENTIONED THAT DURING A HURRICANE, THE CORE COULD JUST THROW SAND UNDERNEATH THE, THE WALKWAYS. 
          BUT I KEEP HEARING THAT THE WALKWAYS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO KIND OF, EXCUSE ME, FALL APART IF YOU WILL, OR BREAK UP, BREAK AWAY. 
          AND SO CHANCES ARE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THOSE EITHER DURING A STORM OR AN EVENT LIKE THAT. CHANCES ARE WE WOULD. I MEAN, ONE OF THE WORST STORMS WE HAD IN RECENT MEMORY WOULD BE PROBABLY HURRICANE MATTHEW IN 2016. 
          TOOK AWAY MOST OF THE SAND DUNES. IT DIDN'T DESTROY THE ENDS OF SOME OF THE WALKOVERS. THE WALKOVERS THEMSELVES ARE DESIGNED BY STATE STATUTE TO BE EXPENDABLE IN 100 YEAR STORM, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG STORM. A GLANCING CAT 1 HURRICANE WOULD PROBABLY NOT DESTROY ONE OF THE WALKOVERS. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. SO REGARDING THE FEDERAL GRANT, THERE'S NO. 
          THIS IS A FEDERAL GRANT FOR SPECIFIED WALKOVERS THAT WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED. SO THERE'S NO ABSORBING THIS MONEY? CORRECT. YES. WE HAVE TO UTILIZE IT FOR WALKOVERS OR TRY TO SEND IT BACK. 
          WELL, WE WOULDN'T SEND IT BACK. IT'S A REIMBURSABLE GRANT. WE WOULD JUST SAY THAT AGAIN. 
          IT'S A REIMBURSABLE GRANT. 
          WE SPEND THE MONEY AND WE SEND THEM A BILL. RIGHT. 
          OKAY. AND THEN WHEN YOU SUBMITTED THE GRANT, DID YOU WERE THERE SPECIFICATIONS OF WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE? CAN WE ALTER THE DESIGN? I JUST WONDER ABOUT THE DESIGN. 
          I REALLY NEED TO SEE IT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW COMPARED TO WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. 
          AND MAYBE SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION WITH CITIZENS IS MAYBE IT'S MISINFORMATION OR NO INFORMATION GOING OUT BECAUSE. WHICH WOULD UPSET A LOT OF CITIZENS IN GENERAL. I WOULD SAY TAKE A LOOK AT 12TH STREET. 
          OKAY. THE 12TH STREET DUNE WALKOVER IS DIMENSIONALLY, IS GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S NOT ADA COMPLIANT, BUT IT IS ACCESSIBLE. 
          SOMEONE WANTED TO PUSH A CHAIR OVER THERE OR HAD, YOU KNOW, NEEDED A CANE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OUR ONLY ADA COMPLIANT WALKOVERS ARE AHERN AND. 
          YEAH. 10TH STREET. AND 10TH STREET. 
          YEAH. SO ARE THEY ALL GOING TO BE UNIFORMED? SO THEY'RE ALL HAVING THE SAME DESIGN. 
          ALL SET, SEVEN OF THE WALKOVERS. 
          HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING? IT'S ABOUT A MILLION. IT'S A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT TOTAL. 
          WHO'S GOING TO MAKE THAT CALL TO RUTHERFORD? WELL, IT'S NOT. 
          I DON'T BELIEVE THE CALL WOULD BE TO HIM. THE CALL WOULD BE TO NOAH TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FLEXIBILITY WE HAVE WITH MOVING THINGS AROUND. 
          AND DO WE CHOOSE OUR OWN ARCHITECTS, AND ENGINEERS. 
          YEAH. THEN WE'LL PUT THE PROJECT OUT TO BUSINESS. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THERE IS WIGGLE ROOM IN THE DESIGN. THERE'S WIGGLE ROOM IN THE DESIGN. SURE. 
          ARE THERE ANY OF THE SEVEN WALKOVERS THAT ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF REBUILDING OR, YOU KNOW, RECONFIGURING ANYWAY, SO. 
          WELL, FOR THESE, THERE'S NOT WALKOVERS THERE EXCEPT THAT SIX, WHICH IS BURIED AND YOU KNOW, WAY BELOW. 
          YEAH, THAT ONE'S BURIED. AND THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE I HEARD FROM CITIZENS AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT THEY'RE NOT WELL KEPT. WE JUST VOTED ON A $184,000 A YEAR LANDSCAPING DEAL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HELP US WITH THOSE BEACH ACCESSES. 
          WELL, WHEN THEY'RE SAYING NOT WELL KEPT IS WHEN WE HAVE NORTHEASTERS, A LOT OF TIMES IT BLOWS THE SAND ON THE DUNES. AND SO THE PUBLIC WORKS WILL GENERALLY WAIT UNTIL THE WIND STOPS BLOWING AND THEN THEY'LL SHOVEL THE SAND OFF THE WALK OVER. YES, COMMISSIONER GRANT. SO AGAIN, WE'RE ALL. 
          WE'RE. AGAIN, THE PREMISE IS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THE WALKOVERS TO GIVE US ACCESS. IS THERE OTHER WAYS TO PROVIDE ACCESS OTHER THAN MOBY MATS? I MEAN, BECAUSE I PICTURE, OKAY, WE GOT A WOODEN WALKWAY TAKING YOU JUST OVER THE DUNE, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU GET THERE, YOU'RE STILL GOT ACROSS THE SAND AND WHATNOT. 
          I MEAN, IS THERE ANY KIND OF. 
          ANY KIND OF CHAIRS, YOU KNOW, LIKE DIFFERENT CHAIRS THAT. 
          WHAT'S THAT? WE HAVE THEM. 
          YEAH. SO I MEAN, IS THERE ANY KIND OF WAY TO DELIVER SOME OF THOSE CHAIRS THAT, YOU KNOW. AND I'VE SEEN THEM, YOU KNOW, WALK OVER THE SAND A LOT BETTER THAN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING A. 
          YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK FOR, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE ACCESS, WHICH I'M ALL ABOUT ACCESS. 
          OKAY. 
          MY AUNT WAS HUGE IN THE GEORGIA ARCHITECT OR OUR DESIGN COMMUNITY AND GETTING 80 REGULATIONS THROUGHOUT 
          [01:10:01]
THAT STATE. SO I'M ALL ABOUT THAT. 
          BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE MIGHT. 
          WE MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY TO PROVIDE THE ACCESS WHERE WE COULD BE DOING SOME, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING DIFFERENT. 
          I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD HERE. WELL, BEAR IN MIND THAT WE. 
          WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING MORE THAN 10FT SEAWARD OF THE VEGETATION LINE. I MEAN, WE REALLY CAN'T EVEN HAVE A MOBY MAT FARTHER THAN 10FT PAST THE VEGETATION LINE. SO I GET THAT AT 800 IT'S A LITTLE BIT FARTHER. 
          SO I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ACROSS MOST OF THE SOFT SAND. ACROSS. 
          NO, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THAT, BUT I'M ASKING, YOU KNOW, A CHAIR WITH SOME SORT OF CHAIR DEVICE. 
          WELL, WE HAVE. WOULD BE ABLE TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW. 
          WELL, WE HAVE CHAIRS NOW. I MEAN, PEOPLE CAN CALL AND THEY CAN ASK FOR A CHAIR TO BE LEFT AT, SAY, THE THIRD STREET ACCESS. 
          OKAY. 
          AND SAID YOU WILL LEAVE IT THERE FOR THEM AND IT'S GOT FAT WHEELS AND THEY CAN. 
          THEY CAN KIND OF PUSH IT OVER THE SAND, BUT THERE'S NO WAY THEY COULD PUSH IT OVER A SANDING DUNE. THAT JUST WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE. 
          SO IN THAT CASE, THE ONLY ACCESSES. I CAN THINK SO 19TH STREET IS JUST A STRAIGHT SHOT DOWN. DOES IT HAVE TO GET UP OVER THE DUNE LINE. 
          NO, THAT'S A VEHICULAR ACCESS. YEAH. SO THAT ONE IS A GOOD ONE FOR THOSE. 
          DO WE USE THOSE AT 19TH STREET? MOPEY MATS? NO, NOT THE MOBY MATS. 
          THE CHAIRS. I DON'T. NO, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF DOWN A PRETTY GOOD BIT OF A HILL, BUT I THINK PEOPLE. 
          YEAH. WILL USE THEM THERE. 
          THAT'D BE ONE. 
          SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU. 
          AND I'M SORRY, I DID NOT INTEND TO SET YOU UP. I THINK, TO BE CLEAR, STEVE IS SIMPLY TRYING TO EXECUTE ON THE FUNDING THAT WE GAVE HIM, AND SO IT'S NOT UP TO HIM TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO DIFFERENT. 
          MY ONLY QUESTION AT THIS POINT IS, I KNOW YOU HAVE A WINDOW BASED ON SEA TURTLE SEASON OR WHATEVER, AND SO CAN WE HUNT ON THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING TWO WEEKS FROM NOW AND LET YOU SEE IF THIS IS NOT NOAH. WHO IS THIS AGAIN? THIS IS NOAH. SO CAN YOU REACH OUT TO YOUR CONNECTIONS AT NOAA AND SEE WHETHER THEY'LL ENTERTAIN A TWEAK OR A SHIFT? WE COULD. 
          WOULD YOU DO THAT? OH, WE COULD PUT THEM ALL OFF UNTIL NEXT YEAR. AND A YEAR FROM NOW. WELL, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO DO THAT, BUT HERE'S A QUESTION. 
          CAN YOU TAKE THIS AND DO WE. 
          IS THIS ACTUALLY EVEN A GRANT? IT'S AN APPROPRIATION. 
          APPROPRIATION THAT'S MANAGED LIKE. 
          JUST LIKE A GRANT. YEAH. SO IT'S NOT A REAL GRANT. 
          IT'S AN APPROPRIATION. 
          BUT CAN YOU SPEND THIS, LIKE, 2/3 IN ONE YEAR AND THE FINAL THIRD IN A SUBSEQUENT YEAR? I BELIEVE SO. NO, IT'S JUST CHANGING THE SCHEDULE. 
          YEAH. WE COULD PROBABLY DO SO IF WE NEEDED TO. IF. 
          IF YOU NEED TO MOVE SOONER, THEN WE COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION TO PAUSE ON ONE OR TWO WALKOVERS AND LET MR. SWAN GO AHEAD AND BUILD THE FIVE. THAT THERE'S NO. 
          SEEMINGLY NO OBJECTION. YOU COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THEN, QUITE FRANKLY, I KNOW WE HAD A CHANGE IN OCEANFRONT OWNERSHIP AT SECOND STREET, SO YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THAT ONE BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS OWNER DIDN'T WANT ONE. 
          WELL, YOU REALLY COULDN'T SEE THE WALK. YOU COULDN'T HEAR CPX. YOU COULDN'T FIND IT. 
          YOU COULDN'T FIND IT WAS BURIED. BUT ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW THE STORY THERE, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO ENTERTAIN THAT ONE. 
          BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU EITHER AT THE NEXT MEETING OR IN BETWEEN. 
          SURE. BUT I THINK. I THINK THAT GIVES ME ENOUGH SOLACE TO SAY THIS COMMISSION PROBABLY OUGHT TO, AT LEAST FOR NOW, JUST LISTEN TO OUR CITIZENS. 
          I'M ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. AND THIS IS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS. IF I HAVE 14 PEOPLE ON ONE OF THE WALKOVERS THAT SAYS WE DON'T WANT IT, AND WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF MANAGING THAT LOCATION FOR DECADES, WHY WOULD I FORCE IT? I HAD NOT. 
          I HAD ZERO PEOPLE SAY THEY DIDN'T WANT IT. NOW, AT THE OTHER ONE ON 11TH, THAT DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT, WE COULD PUNT ON THAT. FOR NOW, BOTH OF THOSE. 
          THEY'RE PARKING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. 
          BUT GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 11TH AND THEN DOWN TO 14TH, NOT SO CRITICAL. 
          AND SO WE COULD. 
          WE COULD, ONE, MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG RIGHT NOW BY DOING THIS, AND NUMBER TWO, SAY TO THE CITIZENS, WE'RE LISTENING, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE ON THAT ISSUE, IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS WOULD BE THE AGREEMENT NEXT YEAR OR FIVE YEARS FROM NOW OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW, BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE LISTENING AND SAYING, WE DIDN'T. WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN THE DETAILS OF THESE THINGS UNLESS YOU LET US KNOW. 
          AND, BY GOLLY, YOU LET ME KNOW. SO. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. SWAN. YES, I WAS GONNA SAY, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, LET'S NOT FIX IT. 
          YEAH. SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GIVE DIRECTION 
          [01:15:01]
TO THE CITY MANAGER TO ADMINISTER THIS ON FIVE OUT OF THE SEVEN WALKOVERS, WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE, AT THIS TIME, 11TH AND 14TH, AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT COULD BE BROUGHT BACK IN THE FUTURE BASED ON. 
          OR THIS COULD BE READDRESSED IN THE FUTURE BASED ON YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH NOA. YEAH, I WILL. I'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH NOAH ABOUT. 
          ABOUT SCHEDULE AND ABOUT MOVING WALKOVERS TO POTENTIALLY DIFFERENT ACCESS. 
          YEAH. ARE YOU TABLING 10A? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? 10A IS. 
          I'M NOT. NO. I WOULD LIKE A MOTION, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE IT. 
          NO, NO, I'M JUST SAYING. ARE WE. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? IF SOMEBODY MAKES IT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT AS STATED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ACCESS POINTS AT 14TH AND 11TH STREET. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SWAN. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND DISCUSSION. MAYOR, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. 
          DIDN'T YOU SAY 14TH, NOT 11TH? OR DID YOU WANT BOTH? BECAUSE YOU HAVE OBJECTION AT BOTH? I DIDN'T HAVE ANY REAL OBJECTION AT ANY OF THE OTHERS. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE OTHERS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHERS ARE AWARE. ARE THEY. 
          WERE THEY MADE AWARE? THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK STEVE SWAN ABOUT HOW THEY WERE NOTIFIED. 11TH AND 14TH. I'LL LET CITY MANAGER HOGAN CAMP ADDRESS IT. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. YES, THERE'S NO MISINFORMATION. 
          WE HAVE EMBRACED THE RESIDENTS TO COME HAVE A VOICE AT CITY HALL AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER NOT BUILDING DOOM WALKOVERS OVER SOME ACCESSES TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TIMELINE AND MAYOR FORD BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE. 
          IN APRIL OF 25, WE STARTED INITIAL PUBLIC OUTREACH ON THESE PROJECTS, IDENTIFIED THOSE LOCATIONS THAT WE ULTIMATE ULTIMATELY LANDED ON. WE PROMOTED IT IN OUR NEWSLETTER ON OUR WEBSITE, ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          PRESUMABLY THE CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS ENGAGED THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND WE HAD ANNOUNCEMENTS ISSUED ENCOURAGING PUBLIC INPUT IN APRIL. I'VE SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH THE COMMISSION AND WITH MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE ROOM AND POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. BETWEEN APRIL 21ST AND 28TH, WE GOT ENDORSEMENTS FROM THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS DISABLED SERVICES, SEA TURTLE PATROL, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE, OUR RECREATION COMMITTEE AND COASTAL ENGINEERS. 
          ON APRIL 28TH OF 25, THIS COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THESE LOCATIONS AND A $1.08 MILLION FEDERAL FUNDING REQUEST. WE SECURED THAT FUNDING LATER THIS YEAR. 
          AND THE ENGAGEMENT MOST RECENTLY BETWEEN OUR STAFF AND SOME RESIDENTS HAS BEEN AS RESIDENTS KNEW THAT THIS PROJECT WAS FORTHCOMING. 
          WE'VE HAD SOME DIALOGUE WITH RESIDENTS. SO BETWEEN THE CITY COMMISSION AND OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORTS EARLIER, WE'VE ENGAGED. YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS. I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE THAT 11TH AND 14TH STREET RESIDENTS WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES NOTIFIED. 
          IS THAT THE REASON WHY WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE OTHER FIVE? NO. 
          AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY WAS NOTIFIED IN APRIL OF 2025 AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE HERE NOW IN SEPTEMBER. NO, THEY'RE HERE NOW BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THIS PROJECT IS IMMINENT AND CAME. 
          AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO ADVOCATE THEIR POINT OF VIEW. 
          THEY'RE BEING HEARD. AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO SUGGESTION OF MISINFORMATION. 
          I'M JUST MAKING SURE BECAUSE THERE IT IS. INTERESTING THAT 14TH AND 11TH ARE HERE, BUT THE OTHER FIVE. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING OUT CITIZENS. 
          THE OTHER FIVE WALKOVERS. 
          YEAH. 
          AND JUST TO RESTATE, I KNOW FOURTH IS AN EXAMPLE. I HAD THREE PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME THAT SAID THEY WANTED TO HAVE A WALK OVER THERE. 
          SO I'M LIKE OKAY. 
          THEY WANT IT AND THE OTHER PEOPLE DON'T. SO I'M KIND OF PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT. I'M AWAKE. 
          MAYOR FORD, I TOLD YOU I WOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC AT ITS MOST RECENT MEETING. 
          AT LEAST A TREE SUBCOMMITTEE DID. AND, AND MOST OF THE ESC MEMBERS WERE THERE. 
          I THINK THEY HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION. I HAD THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING THAT I'VE SHARED WITH THE COMMISSION. 
          THE COMMITTEE DID NOT ARRIVE AT A CONCLUSION. 
          THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME OR INFORMATION TO TAKE A DEFINITIVE POSITION. AND OF COURSE, THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS HERE HAVE. IF SHE 
          [01:20:03]
HAS ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT. 
          DO YOU WANT TO ADD. OH, MAYOR, DO YOU MIND? YES, PLEASE COME ON UP, AMY. 
          YES. 
          AS KEVIN MENTIONED, WE DID NOT REALLY COME TO A CONSENSUS. 
          THIS WAS A NEW BUSINESS ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND WE DID DISCUSS IT FOR AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR. 
          SORRY. AND REALLY, IT TURNED OUT TO BE A MORE COMPLICATED ISSUE THAN WE REALIZED. 
          DID NOT REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH, BUT THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THAT CAME OUT AND A LOT OF OUR DISCUSSION KIND OF MIRRORED THE QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL WERE ASKING. 
          BUT AS FAR AS THE ACCESS AT 14TH STREET, I THINK THAT WE WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT IT WAS PERHAPS TOO SMALL AND WOULD HURT THE CHARACTER OF THAT PARTICULAR PART OF OLD ATLANTIC BEACH TO HAVE ONE OF THESE BIG STRUCTURES THERE. ALSO, IT SEEMED AS IF THERE WOULD NOT BE A BREACH OF SEAWATER, IT WOULD NOT BE AS LIKELY THERE. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THESE IS FOR SAFETY FROM THE STORMS. AND ENVIRONMENTALLY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR IF THESE ARE BETTER FOR THE DUNES OR NOT, BUT IT DOES SEEM AS IF ACCESS IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN. JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET TO THE BEACH, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL MANNER OF REASONS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE USED TO RENOURISH OUR BEACHES. 
          SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          SO IT WAS KIND OF A WIDE RANGING DISCUSSION. 
          AND SORRY, WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AMY. 
          I'LL MAKE A FINAL COMMENT ON THAT. I. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STATE IT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE WHAT, TO A TOTAL OF 19 ACCESSES, IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT'S 20. STEVE, IS IT 20 OR 19? HOW MANY ACCESSES DO WE HAVE? I THINK IT'S 20. 
          WELL, NO, OKAY. 
          IT'S ROUGHLY 20. 
          AND SO UNLIKE, IS IT 22? BUT ANYWAYS, BETTER THAN MANY COASTAL CITIES ALONG FLORIDA. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO BE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT IS WHAT IS THE RIGHT PROPORTION OF EACH OF THESE THINGS. EXAMPLE IS HOW MANY ACCESSES SHOULD HAVE WHEELCHAIR ACCESS, HOW MANY OF THEM SHOULD HAVE HANDICAPPED PARKING, AND CERTAINLY MANY SHOULD. 
          THIS IS ALL ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE TO THE BEACH. 
          BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN ALL OF THEM. AND THEN WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, AND THE FOOT TRAFFIC IS NOT SO MUCH. 
          SO WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, BUT YOU NEED THE WALK OVER TO KEEP THE DUNE FROM BEING DESTROYED BY PEOPLE, NOT SO MUCH. 
          UNLESS IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. 
          IF IT'S A HERD, AND THEN PROBABLY SO. SO I THINK ALL OF US NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDERSTANDING. 
          BUT FOR TODAY, I'D BE DELIGHTED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND PUNT ON 14TH AND 11TH AND REVISIT THEM APPROPRIATELY. AND IF THERE IS SOMEBODY OUT THERE THAT HAS A PASSION ABOUT 11TH AND THEY LISTEN TO THIS VIDEO, PLEASE CALL ME THE MAYOR AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE CAN REVISIT THIS ASSUMING. AND MR. SWAN, I DIDN'T ASK YOU EARLIER, BUT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY PUT THE RFP OUT AND GET THE BIDS, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY CERTAIN THAT THE FUNDING WOULD COVER ALL SEVEN WALKOVERS. THAT'S CORRECT. BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE ENOUGH CUSHION IN THE FUNDING TO COVER EVERYTHING. 
          SO YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME WE CAN DO EIGHT? WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          APPRECIATE IT. SO IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL CALL THE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          [4. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS ]
SO THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS. 
          RAISE YOUR HAND. WELL DONE. OKAY, WE'RE BACK ON TRACK. 
          OKAY. 
          WE'LL MOVE TO COMMISSIONER REPORTS. 
          LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH YES. THANKS. YEAH. 
          SO, COMMISSIONER BOLE. OKAY. 
          HEY, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO LET ME PHONE IN TO VIDEO IN IT. 
          IT. IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE I GOT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM WHERE WHEN YOU SIT BACK AND YOU KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I THINK THAT I'M GOING TO GO OFF THE RAILS FOR A MINUTE. DON, WILL YOU PUT FIVE MINUTES THERE? OKAY, THANKS. 
          ACCORDING TO 2.19. MR. 
          [01:25:02]
SAVITRA. 
          HEY, MAYBE BECAUSE I'M A POLICY GEEK, BUT I BROUGHT UP THE CITY CHARTER THREE TIMES DURING THAT MEETING. RIGHT. I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW. 
          YOU KNOW, AND I GO BACK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG LIEUTENANT, I WOULD. I FOUND OUT THAT IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, YOU BRING A SOLUTION. 
          YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, JUST DRINK PROBLEMS. SO WHEN I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE CITY CHARTER, I WAS GOING BACK AND I'VE TALKED TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, I'VE TALKED TO OTHER, OTHER PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. I, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND OR I DIDN'T. 
          AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAYBE PUT IN A WORKSHOP OR TAIL ON PART OF THE WORKSHOP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER DAY, KIND OF A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 101. OUR CITY CHARTER IS A STRONG CITY MANAGER, WEAK COMMISSION. 
          THAT'S WHY WE'RE BUILT. 
          ONE WAY TO LOOK AT THAT IS TO USE THE FEDERAL MODEL, WHICH OURS IS BASED ON. A CITY COMMISSION IS A LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. AND WHAT ARE WE CHARGED TO DO? POLICIES, PROCEDURES, RIGHT? PASS RESOLUTIONS, PASS THE BUDGET, GIVE GUIDANCE AND GOALS. 
          THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE DO. 
          THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THIS CITY, IN LOOKING AT THE FEDERAL MODEL, IS THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO EXECUTE PLANS AND RESEARCH GOALS, FUNCTIONALITY AND CARRY OUT, I MENTIONED THE LAST TIME, CARRY OUT THE PLAN OF THE DAY FOR THE CITY AND THE CONSTITUENTS. THE JUDICIARY IS TO SOME EXTENT OUR CITY ATTORNEY. 
          SO WE TECHNICALLY ARE NOT THE CITY MANAGER'S BOSS. 
          WE CAN IMPEACH THE CITY MANAGER, RIGHT, BY A MAJORITY VOTE. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE ULTIMATE THAT WE HAVE. 
          BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE CITY MANAGER CAN MAKE MAJOR MOVES WITHIN THE CITY. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TAKE, YOU CAN RANGE FROM PARKING ALL THE WAY OVER TO HIS STAFF ALL THE WAY BECAUSE HE'S EMPOWERED BY THE CITY CHARTER TO DO THAT. OUR CITY MANAGER COULD MOVE THE DEPUTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND MAKE HIM THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, GIVEN THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN I WAS SITTING IN WASHINGTON WATCHING THIS, LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW, I WAS GOING, OKAY, WELL, LET ME REFLECT ON THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE AGAIN. 
          STRONG CITY MANAGER, WEAK COMMISSION, RIGHT? AND GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATH. SO, I RECOMMENDED POST ELECTION THAT MAYBE WE SIT BACK AND REREAD THE CHARTER AND GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT WAY THAT AFFECTS. 
          BECAUSE WE ARE NOT. WHEN YOU GO TO VOTE NEXT TIME YOU'LL SEE MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONER, SEAT ONE, RIGHT? SO WE ALL HAVE EQUAL VOTES. WE ALL, YOU KNOW, BUT WE ARE NOT EQUAL. 
          THE CITY MANAGER AND THE REASON I BRING IT UP, I DID A LITTLE OTHER HOMEWORK. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE MY, MY POLICY GEEK AND I HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS. BUT I TOOK A LOOK AT CITIES THAT HAVE OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT VERSUS CITIES THAT HAVE A STRONG MAYORAL GOVERNMENT. 
          YOU KNOW, I CALL IT EXECUTIVE BRANCH. AND GUESS WHAT? THEY LOSE CITY MANAGERS AT A RATE HIGHER. RIGHT. 
          BECAUSE OF THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE. 
          IT'S MY OPINION THAT HAVING SAT THROUGH, I THINK, BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX CITY MANAGERS, THAT THERE'S A NATURAL FRICTION PUT INTO THE EQUATION THERE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT THINGS FOR A CITY. WE WANT THE BEST FOR OUR CITY. 
          THE MAYOR, COMMISSIONER WANTS BEST FOR OUR CITY. COMMISSIONER GRANT WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITY, AND SO DO WE. 
          BUT WE HAVE TO. 
          THERE'S A FINE LINE THERE WHERE THE CITY MANAGER IS EMPOWERED BY OUR CHARTER TO DO THE RIGHT THING. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TREAD ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT A DARN GOOD CITY MANAGER AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE HIM. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WHEN HE TOOK THAT JOB THAT HE THOUGHT, OH, I'M NOT GOING TO GET THE SAME SUPPORT THAT I GAVE THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY MANAGER BEFORE THAT OR THE CITY MANAGER BEFORE THAT. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, I'M A, YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE CITY CHARTER AND REALLY DISTILL DOWN WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO I KNOW THAT'S CRAZY. IT'S JUST MY POINT OF VIEW. 
          I APPRECIATE. I TALKED TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND I THINK HE, YOU KNOW, HE GAVE ME ONE OF THE ANALOGIES I JUST USED. 
          SO, YEAH, I'M STILL WITHIN TIME. 
          HEY, ONE, I THINK A GOOD NEWS STORY AND AGAIN, PROBABLY WON'T BE AGREED WITH RECENT POLLING ON AMENDMENT 3. I TALKED TO SOMEBODY WHO'S IN STATE POLITICS. 60% IS HARD TO GET IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. 
          RIGHT. BUT THE MATH RIGHT NOW IS, AND I'M SURPRISED THAT THIS IS TRENDING THE OTHER WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY WELL COULD VOTE AGAINST AMENDMENT. SO THANK YOU. 
          AND I'M RIGHT ON TIME. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          COMMISSIONER GRANT, NOTHING TONIGHT. 
          OKAY. COMMISSIONER KELLY. 
          WELL, THANK YOU, 
          [01:30:01]
COMMISSIONER BOLE. 
          THIS ODD CHAIN PREPARED TO READ THE VISION STATEMENT WHICH YOU GUYS WROTE, NOT US. RIGHT. AND WE BUILT A BUDGET TO SUPPORT THAT VISION. 
          AND HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT BUDGET SINCE MAY WITH ALL OF THESE PROFESSIONALS THAT WE'VE HIRED TO DO THE WORK OF OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION. AND I THINK THAT IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO TELL HIM HOW TO DO HIS JOB. IT'S OUR JOB TO GIVE HIM SOME GOALS. 
          I'LL SAVE SOME OF THESE REMARKS FOR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OPENING THE MORATORIUM. 
          SO OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME FIGHTING OR ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL TRAFFIC FLOW, ESPECIALLY ON MAIN STREET. 
          BUT THEN WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SOME WAYS, LIKE FOR FIRST STREET, WHERE THE CITIZENS HAVE COME TOGETHER AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED MORE. 
          AND SO BELVEDERE IS ONE OF THOSE STREETS THAT 10 YEARS AGO HAD SOME FRANKLY UNSAVORY BUILDINGS AND UNRELIABLE RESIDENTS. AND SINCE THEN, ALL OF THOSE HOUSES HAVE BEEN REDEVELOPED. 
          WE'VE GONE FROM TWO CHILDREN TO ABOUT 15 CHILDREN ON THAT ONE BLOCK. 
          AND THEY HAVE USED THE PROCEDURES TO ASK FOR TRAFFIC CALMING. SO I'M HERE TO NAG YOU ABOUT TRAFFIC CALMING. I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED TONIGHT WITH THE DEGREE OF CITIZEN RESEARCH FROM NOT ONLY COMMISSIONER BOLE, BUT ALL YOU GUYS IN SUPPORT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. 
          WE GOT REALLY SMART PEOPLE IN THIS CITY AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. 
          AND THANK YOU, MATT, FOR GETTING RID OF THE TREES GROWING OUT OF THE EAVESDROPS ON THIS BUILDING. OKAY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. I GOT QUITE A FEW EMAILS AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE TOO, ABOUT 11TH STREET AND PARK SIDE WHERE SELVA LAKE SAYS I FORWARDED OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER ALONG WITH AMANDA ASKEW. MAYBE MATT, I'M NOT SURE. AND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS SIDEWALKS ON 11TH STREET. 
          IT MAKES SENSE. THAT AREA IS USED AS A CUT THROUGH TO THE FIVE WAY STOP QUITE OFTEN AND THEY SPEED THROUGH THERE AND IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL WALK IF YOU LIVE IN THAT AREA. SO HEADING TO THE PARK OR HEADING TO CITY HALL OR HEADING TO THE BEACH IF YOU'RE HEADING EAST ON 11TH. 
          IN ANY CASE, I WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL. WHAT WAS THE OTHER THING? IT'S AN INTERESTING INTERPRETATION OF THE CHARTER TO SAY THAT WE ARE HERE WORKING IN TANDEM, COMMISSIONER BOLE, BUT I'M TAKING IT AS AN INTERPRETATION. I BELIEVE THAT THESE RESIDENTS DON'T WANT US TO RUBBER STAMP ANYTHING FOR STAFF AND THAT'S DEMOCRACY. 
          SO I'M GOING TO STAND BY, HOLDING MY STAFF ACCOUNTABLE AND IF THE PEOPLE LIKE IT, THEY'LL VOTE ME IN. AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY WON'T. AND THAT IS THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RING. SO I'LL BRING IT HOME ON REPORTS THERE'S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOMELESSNESS. DO WE HAVE MORE OR LESS. THERE'S A STATE OF FLUX WITH THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE BECAUSE OF THEIR EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP THE CITY. 
          AND SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THIS TO THE CONVERSATION AND I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE IN FACT, I'M GOING TO ASK CITY MANAGER TO ADD A SEGMENT IN THE NEXT AGENDA ON OCTOBER 12 REGARDING THE HOMELESS ISSUES AND HOW TO PROPERLY ADDRESS AND SUPPORT WHERE NECESSARY. 
          AND I'M SPECIFICALLY GOING TO ANSWER AT THAT MEETING THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS BY FORMER MAYOR GLASSER REGARDING THE HOMEWARD BOUND PROGRAM, THE PATH PROGRAM AND THE CO RESPONDER PROGRAM. 
          AND SO TONIGHT I CAN CLEARLY TELL YOU THAT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON BOTH THE HOMEWARD BOUND AND THE PATH PROGRAM AND I'M ASSURED THAT BOTH OF THEM WILL BE FUNDED FOR THE BEACH AND FOR ATLANTIC BEACH COMING UP SHORTLY. 
          SO I'M FINDING GOOD RECOGNITION THAT THEY SHOULD BE AS COUNTY SERVICES. 
          THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP. I HAVEN'T GOT AN ANSWER YET ON CO RESPONDER, BUT I'LL ADDRESS ALL THREE AGAIN IN TWO WEEKS. 
          AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE STAKEHOLDERS, OBVIOUSLY FORMER MAYOR GLASSER WOULD BE ONE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS. I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO JOIN US IF THEY SO CHOOSE AND MAYBE EVEN SPEND AS MUCH AS 30 
          [01:35:01]
MINUTES ON A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT DOES ATLANTIC BEACH DO AND WHAT CAN ATLANTIC BEACH SUPPORT? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ATLANTIC BEACH IS NOT A CITY THAT'S SET UP FOR SUCCESS WITH MENTAL, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ISSUES. WE DON'T HAVE THE FACILITIES. 
          SHOULD WE. THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE, BUT WE DON'T. AND YET WE ARE GETTING SLIGHTLY MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE. 
          I'M NOT GOING TO CALL ON YOU, CHIEF. I'M NOT PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT TONIGHT. I THINK OBSERVATION TELLS ME THAT WE ARE GETTING MORE. 
          IT MAY NOT BE A LOT MORE, MAYBE MEASURED BASED ON THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN THEY COME. I'M NOT SURE. 
          BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. 
          SO ON OCTOBER 12TH. LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. 
          YEAH. 
          CAN I MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ON THAT? YES, SIR. YEAH. SO IT'S ON MY MIND AS WELL. 
          I WAS GOING TO SAVE IT FOR THE CLOSING COMMENTS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE MORE OR THEY'RE JUST VENTURING FURTHER INTO THE CITY. I HAD SOME CONCERN FROM A RESIDENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE PERSON IS, WAS SEEN AROUND 14TH STREET ON, ON A FEW TIMES THIS PAST WEEK WHERE NORMALLY THEY'RE NOT SEEN THERE. AND I DID CALL THE POLICE AND TALK TO THEM AND WE WERE VERY HUMANE AND EMPATHETIC TO THEIR SITUATION. 
          AND I MEAN WE DON'T TRY TO MOVE THEM OR ANYTHING. I MEAN THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN AND CAN'T DO. AND SO BUT YEAH, IT'S LIKE WE WANT TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, A FIVE YEAR OLD OR SIX YEAR OLD WALKING DOWN THE STREET THAT MAY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT SCARED TO SEE. 
          SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, WORRIED ABOUT AND CONCERNED. SO I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. 
          [8.A. RESOLUTION NO. 26-118 ]
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          OKAY, WE'LL CONCLUDE ITEM 4 ON THE AGENDA AND MOVE TO ITEM 8A, RESOLUTION NUMBER 26 118A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND THE COASTAL FLORIDA POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION AMENDING ARTICLES 13 AND 26 OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT, AUTHORIZING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OF THE AGREEMENT AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 
          MR. HOGAN CAMP, THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON THIS TOPIC ARE. WELL, WE WOULD GO WITH BOB BLANCO, OUR DIRECTOR OF HR WOULD PROBABLY BE THE PERSON TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS. 
          BUT THE CITY AND THE PBA ARE PARTIES TO COLLECT A BARGAINING AGREEMENT COVERING EMPLOYEES FOR THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1, 2025 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2028. AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BARGAINING PROCESS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY AND PBA NEGOTIATED REVISIONS TO ARTICLE 13 PERSONAL LEAVE HOURS AND ARTICLE 26 WAGES. 
          WE HAVE A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON THESE ITEMS PENDING YOUR RATIFICATION. 
          THE REVISED SCHEDULE ESTABLISHES THE ENTRY LEVEL SALARY AND THIS INFORMATION, OF COURSE, IS IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET. I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THIS WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026 AND WOULD RESULT IN INCREASED PERSONNEL COSTS FOR BARGAINING UNIT POSITIONS BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST. 
          THE ESTIMATED BASE WAGE INCREASE ORGANIZATION WIDE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS $138,404. THIS IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET IN THE PERSONAL LEAVE SELLBACK PROVISIONS DOES NOT ESTABLISH A FIXED ANNUAL FISCAL OBLIGATION. RATHER, THE CITY RETAINS SOLE DISCRETION EACH YEAR TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUFFICIENT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AND MAY AUTHORIZE ALL NONE OR PRORATED PORTION OF ELIGIBLE REQUESTS. 
          WE WOULD NOT SPEND ADDITIONAL MONEY WITHOUT COMING BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION. 
          WE'RE REQUESTING THAT YOU ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 26118. MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT RESOLUTION 2619. 
          SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE. 
          [8.B. RESOLUTION NO. 26-121 ]
AYE. 
          OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU. ITEM 8B, RESOLUTION NUMBER 26121 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AUTHORIZING A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT CONTINUING THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF LANGTON ASSOCIATES INC. 
          AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF $48,381.12 ALLOCATED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 BUDGET FOR THIS PURPOSE, 
          [01:40:01]
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS AS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 
          MR. HOGAN CAMP. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD. THIS RESOLUTION WOULD APPROVE CONTINUING THE CITY'S GRANT WRITING AND RELATED SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LANGTON ASSOCIATES. TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COMPANY ARE HERE. 
          IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEIR ANNUAL REPORT IS PROVIDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET. THIS STAFF RECOMMENDS CONTINUING THEIR EXCELLENT SERVICES. 
          THE AGREEMENT AMOUNT IS $48,381.12. 
          AND TO CORRECT WHAT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT, WE NEGOTIATED THE SAME FEE AS LAST YEAR RATHER THAN A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. 
          PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND FEEL FREE TO CALL UPON THE LANGTON REPRESENTATIVES IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THEM, INCLUDING ANYTHING PERTAINING TO THEIR ANNUAL REPORT. IT DATES TIP OR SECOND. 
          I KIND OF LIKE TO ASK. CAN I ASK YOU LADIES SOMETHING? YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET A MOTION. 
          MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 26121. 
          SECOND. 
          SORRY. WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          SECOND. OKAY, LADIES, COME ON UP. SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL BUZZING AROUND ABOUT THE RESTRICTED BUDGETS AND I THINK THAT YOUR SERVICES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER BECAUSE ALL THE LOW HANGING FRUIT HAS ALREADY BEEN PLUCKED. 
          SO WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE IN THE GRANT ARENA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FACING? I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN TERMS OF PRIORITIES AND HOW PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED. 
          BUT WE'VE SEEN THOSE CHANGES COME TO FRUITION IN THE PAST YEAR AND WE HAVE ANTICIPATED THEM AND THEN DONE OUR FAIR SHARE OF RESEARCH TO LEAN INTO THE NEW GUIDANCE AND THEN ADVISE OUR CLIENTS ABOUT IT. SO WE DON'T SEE ANY SORT OF RESTRICTION, I WOULD SAY, IN COMPETITIVE GRANT FUNDS COMING DOWN THE PIPE, BUT THEY'RE CERTAINLY DIFFERENT AND THE PRIORITIES ARE DIFFERENT AND WE'VE JUST HAD TO PIVOT IN HOW WE SEEK THOSE FUNDS AND WIN THEM. 
          THANK YOU. I THINK WE'RE SPENDING MONEY TO GET MONEY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE GRANT SEEKERS. 
          FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF? OF COURSE. 
          CHRISTINE LANE WITH LANGTON CONSULTING AND YOUR PARTNER, KRISTEN BENNETT WITH LINKEDIN CONSULTING. THANK YOU. YES. 
          TO FOLLOW UP AS WE'RE LOOKING AT AMENDMENT 3, IT'S POSSIBILITY OF PASSING. DO YOU THINK THE COMPETITION IS GOING TO BE STIFFER WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING GRANTS AFTER, IF IT DOES PASS OR IS YOUR TEAM EVEN LOOKING AT THAT? DO YOU WANT TO TRYING TO THINK OF THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO ANTICIPATE I THINK COMPETITION IS ALREADY STIFF. 
          RIGHT. 
          IT MAY BECOME STIFFER. I THINK A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE CLIENTS THAT WE'RE TALKING WITH OBVIOUSLY ARE STRUGGLING WITH IDENTIFYING MATCHING FUNDS. WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TO IDENTIFY GRANTS THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MATCHES SO THAT OUR CLIENTS CAN CONTINUE TO GO AFTER THEM. 
          FOR YOU ALL, WE DO A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED GRANTS. THEY WILL ALWAYS REQUIRE MATCHING FUNDS. 
          BUT WE ARE WORKING TO BEGIN TO EDUCATE OUR CLIENTS ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO MATCH OTHER IN KIND SOURCES THAT THEY'VE NOT NECESSARILY GONE AFTER IN THE PAST OR UTILIZE RATHER THEY'VE HAD THE CASH AVAILABLE. 
          IT'S THE SIMPLEST AND MOST CLEAN CUT WEIGHTS MATCH GRANTS. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE CLIENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LAND VALUE MATCH FOR PROJECTS AND RECORDING STAFF TIME AND USING THAT AS IN KIND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I GOT OFF TRACK FROM ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION. 
          IT'S HARD TO ANTICIPATE. I THINK POSSIBLY, YES, POSSIBLY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY JUST HAVE TO HALT AND STEP BACK FOR A BIT FROM DOING SOME OF THOSE LARGER PROJECTS THAT GRANTS WOULD HAVE FUNDED IN THE PAST. 
          IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY THAT HAVE JUST BEEN IN FLUX FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. A LOT OF CHANGES, TIMING OF WHEN GRANTS ARE COMING OUT, WHEN GRANTS ARE BEING AWARDED, WHAT KIND OF THINGS ARE BEING PRIORITIZED BY VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS. 
          SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO STAY ON TOP OF, YOU KNOW, THE TRENDS AND SHARING THOSE WITH CLIENTS. 
          BUT WE CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO CLIENTS AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER WHAT YOU NEED. 
          RIGHT. 
          RATHER THAN CHASING MONEY, WE'RE GOING, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY OF OUR CLIENTS COMING UP WITH PROJECTS JUST TO GO 
          [01:45:03]
AFTER GRANT FUNDING. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE NOW AND JUST TRYING TO BE CREATIVE IN FINDING NEW POTENTIAL SOURCES, MAYBE LOOKING INTO FOUNDATION SOURCES A LITTLE MORE SO THAN, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDING. 
          JUST HARD TO SAY. 
          DID YOU SEE ANY REASON, LIKE ANY VARIABLES IN THE ONES THAT WERE NOT. 
          THEY WERE DECLINED THAT WE PUT OUT FOR GRANTS? THERE WERE A FEW PROJECTS YOU HAD LISTED THAT GOT DECLINED. 
          DID YOU SEE WHAT. 
          I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK THAT WAS JUST CONVENTIONAL COMPETITIVENESS. OKAY. 
          JUST LIKE THE MARSH OAKS COMMUNITY GARDEN. AND THERE WERE JUST A FEW, I THINK JUST. YEAH, I BELIEVE THE FEW THAT WERE DECLINED RECENTLY WERE ACTUALLY NATIONAL FOUNDATION. 
          OKAY. SUBMISSIONS AND THOSE TEND TO BE AMONGST THE MOST COMPETITIVE, EVEN MORE SO THAN I WOULD SAY FEDERAL COMPETITIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU. LANGTON. 
          SINCE 2018, AS THE REPORT SAYS HAS SECURED MORE THAN $5 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR THE CITY. WORKING WITH PRIMARILY WITH STEVE SWAN, BUT WITH OTHER KEY STAFF MEMBERS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. 
          WE HAVE $3.9 MILLION PENDING. 
          AND ADDITIONALLY, MR. SWAN AND OUR STAFF HAVE SECURED MILLIONS DOLLARS MORE IN LEGISLATIVE, FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS. I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE EARLIER. THANKS. 
          I THINK THAT PUTS A BOW ON IT. UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. 
          IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE. 
          AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          [8.C.    RESOLUTION NO. 26-110, Public Hearing on Adoption of Resolution No. 26-110  for the Millage Rate ]
ITEM 8C. THIS IS RESOLUTION NUMBER 26, 110. PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 26, 110 FOR THE MILITARY. 
          A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, LEVYING THE AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2026, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2027, STATING THE PERCENTAGE BY WHICH THE MILLAGE TO BE LEVIED EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK RATE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. HOGAN CAMP. THANK YOU. 
          IN THIS REPORT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS BOTH THE BUDGET AND THE MILLAGE RATE, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION THIS RESOLUTION NUMBER 26110. AS THE MAYOR SAID, LEVYING THE AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX RATE AND KEEPING THE SAME RATE AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          AND ADDRESSING OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE KEY STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, INCLUDING NONI PADRAIGAN, OUR DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR, CHIEF GUALO, OF COURSE, BOB BLANCO, OUR HR DIRECTOR, MATT KRUG, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, MR. SWAN, OUR CITY ENGINEER. THIS WILL BE A VERY BRIEF REPORT. 
          WE'VE TALKED AD NAUSEAM ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND AFTERWARDS I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. SO I'VE TRANSMITTED THE UPDATED PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY27 TO YOU AND THE PUBLIC. THIS BALANCED FINANCIAL PLAN MAINTAINS OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, TO FISCAL DISCIPLINE, CORE MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE PRESERVE THE EXISTING MILLAGE RATE OF 2.7499 MILLS, WHICH IS AMONG FLORIDA'S LOWEST MUNICIPAL RATES FOR FULL SERVICE CITIES. THE REVISED GENERAL FUND BUDGET INCORPORATES THE $500,000 AMENDMENT 3 ADJUSTMENT THAT THE COMMISSION ENCOURAGED US TO TO INCORPORATE AT ITS LAST MEETING. IT BRINGS A TOTAL GENERAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES, TRANSFERS AND BALANCES TO $21,000,947. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST GENERAL FUND REDUCTION IN THE 10 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. 
          IT ALSO REDUCES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, OUR FULL TIME EMPLOYEE COUNT, AND IT DOES SO BY THREE EMPLOYEES. THIS BUDGET PROACTIVELY ADDRESSES OUR IMPENDING REVENUE SHIFTS. 
          THAT INCLUDES, BUT ISN'T LIMITED TO THE SUNSETTING OF THE 2030 BETTER JACKSONVILLE PLAN EXPIRATION, THE LEGISLATIVE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PRESSURES THAT SEEM TO BE COME UP IN EVERY CONVERSATION WE HAVE AND, AND OUR INTERLOCAL SERVICE COST SHARING DYNAMICS WITH THE CONSOLIDATED CITY OF JACKSONVILLE. REGARDING 
          [01:50:01]
SECTION THREE OF MY BUDGET TRANSMITTAL LETTER, IT'S MY OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION UPON AGAIN HEARING FROM THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY TO THE CITY CONDUCT A FORMAL MID YEAR BUDGET REVIEW REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF AMENDMENT 3 IN THE NOVEMBER 2026 ELECTION. THAT MEANS THAT THE SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL INTENT OF THIS BUDGETARY STRATEGY TO PUT $500,000 UNDER THE LINE IS IF AMENDMENT 3 FAILS, THE MIDYEAR REVIEW WILL SERVE, IN ADDITION TO ROUTINE MID YEAR FINANCIAL EVALUATION, TO FORMALLY ASSESS WHETHER A PORTION OF OR ALL OF THE $500,000 BUDGETED FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY. 
          AMENDMENT THREE SHALL BE ENCUMBERED. IF APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, THE REVIEW WILL DEFINE THE SPECIFIC CAPITAL PROJECTS OR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES FOR WHICH THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED AND COMMITTED. THIS IS AGAIN SOMETHING THAT WE WILL APPROACH MID YEAR. 
          WHAT TO DO, IF ANYTHING, ABOUT THE $500,000 IF AMENDMENT 3 PASSES, THE RETENTION OF THE STANDALONE LINE ITEM PROVIDES THE CITY WITH A PROACTIVE $500,000 HEAD START TO ABSORB ANTICIPATED LEGISLATIVE REVENUE SHIFTS. THIS STRENGTHENS STRUCTURAL CAPITAL RESERVES HEADING INTO THE FY27 28 BUDGET CYCLE, WHICH OF COURSE IS WHEN, IF AMENDMENT 3 PASSES, WE WOULD FIRST EXPERIENCE BUDGETARY PRESSURES AS A RESULT OF WHAT THE VOTERS DO AT THE POLLS. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY REPORT AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WE HAVE KEY STAFF MEMBERS THAT CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL. 
          I HAVE A MAYOR. UNLESS YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY. DON'T WE NEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST? YEAH, SO WE'LL OPEN UP TO YOU GUYS IN A MINUTE, BUT LET'S OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HERE. 
          I'M SORRY. YES, YES, YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT'S NOT THE TIME FOR THE CITIZENS TO SPEAK YET UNTIL YOU GO THROUGH THE SCRIPT. AH, OKAY, LET'S DO THAT. 
          HERE AT THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 2.5815. THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED IS 2.7499. THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED IS 6.52% MORE THAN THE ROLLED BACK RATE AND IS A PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES PER SECTION 200.0652 C FLORIDA STATUTES. 
          THE PURPOSE FOR ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATE OF 2.7499 IS TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SERVICES AT ANTICIPATED AND PROPOSED COST AND TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE. NOW CAN WE OPEN? YES. HOW LONG DO THEY GET TO SPEAK, MAYOR? THREE MINUTES. 
          SO WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE'LL START WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER, BRINKLEY HAROLD. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. 
          I HOPE YOU LIKE MY LEMONADE STORY EARLIER. THIS IS KIND OF INTERESTING. THIS HANDOUT THAT I SAW WHEN I CAME IN THE DOOR. 
          IN TWO WEEKS, THE BUDGET WENT FROM 56 MILLION4 TWO WEEKS AGO. NOW IT'S AT 57. 8. 
          AN INCREASE OF 1.4 MILLION. 
          WOW. 
          I CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF THE BUDGET. OKAY. IT'S EVEN HIGHER THAN WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT YET WE'VE GOT OTHER REDUCTIONS FROM. 
          WE HAD A $750,000 SAVINGS FROM JFRD, ANOTHER 500,000 SAVINGS ON SOMETHING ELSE THAT I CAN'T PUT MY HAND ON. 
          AND YES, WE DO HAVE THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATE IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA, BUT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST TAXES BECAUSE OF OUR MEDIAN TAX ASSESSED VALUES OF OUR HOMES. SO HAVING THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATE IS A FARCE. 
          WHAT ARE OUR ACTUAL TAXES? SO ENOUGH OF THAT, PAIGE. BUT LET'S REALLY MOVE INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHICKEN LITTLE STORY. 
          THE SKY IS FALLING. THE SKY IS FALLING. NO, THE SKY IS NOT FALLING. 
          IN 2008, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION DOUBLED FROM 25,000 TO 50,000. EVERYBODY CLAIMED THE SKY WAS FALLING. WE HAVE BEEN JUST FINE SINCE 2008. 
          THREE YEARS AGO, THIS COMMISSION VOTED FOR THE FIRST ROLLBACK EVER IN ATLANTIC BEACH HISTORY. 
          AND SOME OF THE NAYSAYERS SAID, OH, THE SKY IS FALLING. NOPE. 
          CITY WAS JUST FINE. TWO YEARS AGO. NOT THE ROLLBACK, BUT AGAIN, A REDUCED MILLAGE RATE. 
          AGAIN, PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEE THE SKY FALLING. NONE OF THAT HAPPENED. WE HAD NO DEGRADATION OF ANY SERVICES. 
          NOT PUBLIC WORKS, NOT PUBLIC UTILITIES, NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          WE HAD NO POLICE REDUCTIONS. 
          WE ALWAYS HAVE. 
          WE STILL HAVE OUTSTANDING POLICE RESPONSE. AND AS FAR AS PUBLIC WORKS GO, IN FACT, 
          [01:55:01]
WE'VE PAVED A RECORD NUMBER OF STREETS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS ON THE HEELS OF A ROLLBACK RATE, A REDUCED RATE. AND LAST YEAR WAS. 
          IT WAS OKAY. OKAY. BUT WITHOUT GOING INTO THE BUDGET THING, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY COMPLICATED BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TRANSFERS OF MONEY BETWEEN ENTERPRISE ACCOUNTS AND BACK AND FORTH AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          IF YOU AS A COMMISSION WANT TO HOLD SPENDING IN CHECK, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF AD VALOREM TAXES GOING INTO THE BUDGET. THE ROLLBACK RATE, ANYTHING OTHER THAN ROLLBACK RATE IS A. IS A TAX INCREASE OF, I THINK THE MAYOR JUST SAID SIX FIGURES POINT SOMETHING PERCENT. 
          YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY. AS AN EXAMPLE, WE'VE GOT $10 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND RESERVES THAT AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE THAT DOWN TO ABOUT 5 MILLION BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 25% AND 50%. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO IN SUMMATION, PLEASE HELP OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR CITIZENS GO WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE. THAT IS NOT A TAX REDUCTION, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT IS NOT A TAX INCREASE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. SARAH. IS THIS WHEN YOU WANT TO SPEAK? OKAY, SARAH BOREN. 
          GOOD EVENING, SARAH BOREN, 388-8-8TH ST. I'M HERE JUST TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER SIDE OF ROLLBACK AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE AS IS AS PROPOSED. 
          SO A ROLLBACK SOUNDS LIKE SAVINGS, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A DECISION TO DEFER A BIG BILL, A CHOICE TO SAVE A LITTLE NOW AND PAY MUCH MORE LATER. 
          FOR MANY HOUSEHOLDS, THE DIFFERENCE IS ROUGHLY 27 TO $100 A YEAR ON THE CITY PORTION OF THE TAX BILL. THAT RELIEF IS MEANINGFUL, AND I DO NOT MEAN TO DISMISS IT, BUT THE PROJECTS WE POSTPONE DO NOT DISAPPEAR. 
          THEY INEVITABLY BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE. WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS WITH A FEW OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. 
          THE ADDITIONAL STORAGE TANK AT WATER TREATMENT PLANT 2 WAS LISTED AT 500,000 IN 2022 IN THE CIP, THEN AT 1.5 MILLION IN 2025 AND 2.75 MILLION IN 2026 DRAFT. THE ATLANTIC BOULEVARD WATER MAIN PROJECT ROSE FROM 750,000 TO 1.5 MILLION. THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT FIGURES. THEY SHOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS DEFERRED AND WE, THE TAXPAYERS, END UP PAYING MORE. 
          THE 280,000 SAVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, REVENUE FROM THE 3:2 ROLLBACK VOTE SPREAD ACROSS ROUGHLY 6,000 TAXABLE PARCELS, AMOUNTS TO APPROXIMATELY $47 PER HOUSEHOLD IN A YEAR. WHEN ASSESSED VALUES JUMP BETWEEN 7 AND 9%. THE STORMWATER ROADS AND RESILIENCE PROJECTS, DEFERRED OR UNFUNDED AS A RESULT, CARRY A COMPOUNDING COST THAT WILL BE MEASURED IN MILLIONS, NOT THOUSANDS. 
          AND INFLATION, WAGES, INSURANCE, MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT ALMOST ALWAYS INCREASE AS WELL. WELL, AS WE SAW THIS YEAR, THAT'S THE REAL MATH OF THE ROLLBACKS DECISION. 
          WE ALSO NEED MONEY FOR MATCHING GRANTS CONTINUING. 
          AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY, WE CAN'T GET MORE GRANTS. 
          ATLANTIC BEACH IS BUILT OUT. 
          WE CANNOT DEPEND ON MAJOR NEW DEVELOPMENT TO EXPAND OUR TAX BASE. AND WE ARE A COASTAL CITY WITH AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWING FLOOD RISK. WHEN WE REPEATEDLY ROLL BACK REVENUE, WE DO NOT ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR ROADS, DRAINAGE, PARKS, PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          WE SHIFT THE BILL TO THE FUTURE WHEN IT IS LARGER, MORE URGENT AND HARDER TO AFFORD. THIS IS LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD DECIDING NOT TO CONTRIBUTE A SMALL AMOUNT TO MAINTAIN THE SHARED DRAINAGE DITCH. EVERYONE SAVES A LITTLE AT FIRST, BUT WHEN FLOODING COMES AND MANY HOUSES AND ROADS FLOOD, EVERYONE PAYS. 
          PLEASE CONSIDER NOT ONLY WHEN, WHAT RESIDENTS SAVE THIS YEAR, BUT WHAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE TO PAY WHEN DELAYED PROJECTS BECOME EMERGENCY PROJECTS. DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IS NOT A SAVINGS ACCOUNT. IT IS A GROWING DEBT. 
          IN A COASTAL CITY, POSTPONING INVESTMENT IN RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE IS A CHOICE TO ACCEPT GREATER RISK. THE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE CHOICE IS TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE ALREADY OWN BEFORE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BECOMES A MUCH LARGER BURDEN IN A FEW YEARS AND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. I'LL END THERE. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BOREN. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR HC. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          THEN I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL MOVE BACK TO. LET'S SEE. RECOMMENDED MOTION. 
          MAKE ME MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26110. 
          SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          SECOND. DISCUSSION? I GOT SOME. YES. 
          CITY MANAGER KEVIN. YES, SIR. 
          I NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON A COUPLE THINGS. 
          RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU MENTIONED THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET WAS 210.947 AND THAT WAS. IT WAS REDUCTION. FIRST REDUCTION IN 10 YEARS. 
          CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT 
          [02:00:03]
STATEMENT? YES. LAST YEAR'S GENERAL FUND AMENDED BUDGET WAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THAT AMOUNT WAS. DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION, HOW MUCH MORE? LET'S SEE IF I HAVE THAT FIGURE AND IF SO, AND I'M NOT DOUBTING, BUT IF SO, HOW IS IT THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET IS UP VERSUS LAST YEAR PER MR. BRINKLEY'S COMMENTS, BUT THE GENERAL FUND IS LESS? SO IT'S JUST. WE BORROWED FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL. NO, NO, NO. 
          OKAY. NO, I'M SORRY. 
          THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS. 
          I'M GOING TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION. LAST YEAR'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET WAS 21 MILLION. NO, I DON'T HAVE. 
          THAT AMOUNT WAS ALSO 21.9 MILLION. IT WAS A LITTLE, LITTLE MORE. 
          OKAY, SO THAN THAT. OKAY. 
          $100,000 MORE. 
          SO THE OVERALL BUDGET, OF COURSE INCLUDES MOST NOTABLY THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY CHARTS. RIGHT. 
          IMAGINE THE AQUATIC GARDENS PROJECT, FOR EXAMPLE. IF WE GET A TWO MILLION DOLLAR GRANT, WE JUST INCREASE THE BUDGET. 
          THAT AMOUNT, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL WE ARE. 
          GRANT AND APPROPRIATIONS. 
          THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS YEAR WILL INCREASE THE BUDGET. A MILLION DOLLARS. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE PRIMARY REASON. 
          IT'S ALSO BECAUSE EVERYTHING COSTS MORE, EMPLOYEES COST MORE. RIGHT. 
          AND THE OVERALL BUDGET AMOUNT HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY THE SAME IN RECENT YEARS. 
          WE HAVEN'T HAD THE COMMISSION OF THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFY OVERSPENDING, FRANKLY. 
          HAVING SAID THAT, THOUGH, I KNOW IN MY NEW ROLE HERE, MY EYES ARE WIDE OPEN. WE HAVE A FINANCE DIRECTOR COMING ON BOARD OCTOBER 12, AND HE IS GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH. UNLIKE WHAT WE'VE HAD SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, LET'S FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR TAXPAYER MONEY. 
          I MEAN, IN TERMS OF FRUGALITY, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I BRING TO THE TABLE. 
          THERE'S INDEED, WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WE CUT THE BUDGET. WE'RE GOING TO, I'M PROPOSING TO DO MUCH MORE WITH THAT OFFICE SPENDING LESS MONEY THAN WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT, I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. 
          SO IF IT IS, IF THE GENERAL FUND IS THE SAME AND AT THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE, WE'RE GENERATING 630,000 MORE REVENUE, GIVE OR TAKE. 
          RIGHT. BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS GOING UP. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING THERE WAS A $500,000 PROJECT THAT WAS PAID BY GRANT. KIND OF TO YOUR POINT. YOU KNOW, IF IT GOES UP, IF WE GET A GRANT TO SPEND SOMETHING, IT GOES UP, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY COMES DOWN, TOO, IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF GRANT IN THE BUDGET FOR A DIFFERENT PROJECT. 
          RIGHT. SO ARE WE ACCOUNTING FOR THAT? MAYOR BROUGHT IT UP LAST WEEK AND THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME GOING ABOUT IT. I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND MAYOR FORD, WHAT HE WAS SAYING EXACTLY THERE. 
          AND BARELY REDUCING THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. WE HAVE DONE THAT. IN SPITE OF PENSION LIABILITIES INCREASING BIG TIME. 
          OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE, MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          IF YOU CAN IMAGINE. WE ARE ABLE TO SPEND ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS MORE ON POLICE AND STILL KEEP OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME. 
          WE'VE DONE THAT BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN A VERY CLOSE LOOK AT OUR EXPENDITURES. THIS EXERCISE, AND I REPORTED TO Y'ALL TODAY, THIS $500,000 EXERCISE. IF, IF YOU SEE THE METICULOUSNESS THAT WE WENT IN AND FOLLOWED UP ON THIS COMMISSION'S DIRECTION AND IDENTIFIED $500,000 NOT IN FAT, AND WE'RE REDUCING THAT AT GREAT RISK OF POTENTIALLY REDUCING OUR SERVICES, HOW WELL WE MAINTAIN OUR PARKS. 
          THAT MID YEAR BUDGET EVALUATION, AMONG THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS MAKING SURE WE DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE THERE. 
          WE MAY HAVE MADE SOME MISTAKES. WE MAY BE SAYING TO YOU IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CUT THAT TOO MUCH. 
          SO I THINK MAYOR FORD SAID OR NOT. WELL, LET ME UNPACK A LITTLE BIT OF THIS. SO MY BIG DEAL ON THE PREVIOUS MEETING IS I WANTED A REDUCTION IN GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. 
          THE OTHER TWO OR THE OTHER ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THEY CAN EBB AND FLOW AS STATED BASED ON GRANTS AND RESERVES AND SO ON. SO NOT AS IMPORTANT TO ME AS THE GENERAL FUND. 
          [02:05:02]
SO I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE. 
          IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT REDUCING THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT, BUT IT CLEARLY IS WHEN YOU GO DOWN, NOT UP. AND IN THIS CASE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GOING DOWN BECAUSE WE GOT 636,000 OR 633,000 MORE OF AD VALOREM AND WE'RE ONLY CUTTING 500 FROM WHAT YOU WERE PRESENTED TWO WEEKS AGO. 
          NOW I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT. 
          ALL THAT'S CHANGED HERE IS THIS IS 500,000 LESS ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET THAN WHAT YOU WERE PRESENTED TWO WEEKS AGO. BUT I HAD WANTED AT THAT MEETING TO RETIRE A DEBT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SILVER PRESERVE. 
          IN DISCUSSION WITH MR. HOGAN CAMP. I'M WILLING TO CONCEDE LEAVING THAT DEBT IN PLACE FOR THE MOMENT. 
          AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER RING THAT BROUGHT THE OR. 
          THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY SUGGESTED IT. 
          BUT IT'S A GOOD PLAY IS TO TIE THAT DEBT TO THE SALE OF MAYPORT ROAD BECAUSE THE SALE, THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE OF MAYPORT ROAD IS 875,000. THE CURRENT BALANCE ON THAT DEBT IS UNDER THAT NUMBER. 
          A LITTLE. IT'S A LITTLE UNDER. SO I THINK WE CAN GET TWO FOR ONE ON THIS DEAL BY SHIFTING. 
          AND SO WHAT MR. HOGAN CAMP WENT BACK AND DID IS HE FOUND 500,000 OF REDUCTION. THAT'S REAL. 
          AND TO BALANCE OUT WE. 
          BECAUSE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CURRENT AD VALOREM RATE OF 2.7499, YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THIS. SO HE'S CREATED A $500,000, CALL IT A RESERVE ACCOUNT. WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY TITLE IT? A CAPITAL OUTLAY. 
          AMENDMENT THREE IS WHAT WE'VE TITLED IT. AND I THINK THE BUDGETARY TERM MIGHT BE CALLED PUTTING IT SO. SO THAT WOULD STILL BE WITHIN THE CONTROL OF THIS COMMISSION, LET'S SAY AT MID YEAR. 
          IF THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT COSTS THAT NEED TO BE FUNDED, HE CAN APPEAL TO THIS COMMISSION TO SPEND THAT MONEY. BUT THE COMMISSION HAS THE FINAL SAY AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, COMMISSIONER RING, THE COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUDGET. THE CITY MANAGER PUTS TOGETHER THE PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT WE EXERCISE OUR DUTY TO REVIEW THAT AND OCCASIONALLY, MOSTLY AGREE, BUT OCCASIONALLY TO SAY NO. 
          AND WE ARE TAKING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION JUST LIKE WITH THE MILITARY. SO ANYWAYS, I THINK WE COULD ACCOMPLISH TWO THINGS HERE BY ACCEPTING THIS BUDGET. WE HOLD THE MILLAGE RATE AS IT CURRENTLY IS, SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO MOVE IT UP NEXT YEAR IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES ON AMENDMENT THREE. 
          WE HAVE 500,000 THAT IS ACTUALLY SITTING THERE THAT WE, IF WE DON'T SPEND. WE'VE ALREADY GOT THAT 500 TOWARDS THE MILLION 80,000 THAT WE WOULD NEED IN THE SUBSEQUENT BUDGET YEAR. SO THAT'S A PLUS. 
          WE STILL GO AFTER RETIRING THE DEBT. AND I WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING ABOUT THIS DEBT. THE DEBT IS ACTUALLY BEING PAID THROUGH A SIDE FUND CALLED THE CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS NOT LITERALLY SITTING IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THAT MONEY IS USED TO PAY THE DEBT ON SILVER PRESERVE. 
          THAT MONEY, PREVIOUSLY IN YEARS BEFORE SILVER PRESERVE WAS CREATED, WAS BEING USED TO FUND PROJECTS IN PARKS, COULD BE USED AT JACK RUSSELL OR DUTTON OR DONNER PARK AND SO ON. AND SO ONCE WE PAY OFF THAT DEBT, THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO USING THE CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT FUND TO PAY FOR OTHER THINGS. SO, THERE'S SOME MOVING PARTS HERE THAT COULD REALLY PUT US IN A GOOD POSITION. 
          BUT ONCE WE KNOW THE RESULTS OF NOVEMBER 3RD ON THAT VOTE, THEN WE GET TO MAKE NEW DECISIONS IF IT DOES NOT PASS. MAYOR, WHAT IS THE INTEREST RATE ON SELVA PRESERVE? THAT INTEREST RATE IS 3.55%. THE APPROXIMATE BALANCE IS $864,642. 
          OUR OTHER DEBT SERVICE, THE INTEREST RATE IS 1.693%. 
          THAT'S FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES. AND OUR BALANCE IS $2.67 MILLION. 
          THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK BECAUSE MORE THAN A FEW PEOPLE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH ME. 
          WHY NOT JUST PUT THE MONEY, THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF MAYPORT ROAD INTO AN INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT AND NOT PAY OFF THE DEBT? AND YOU COULD DO THAT. THE REASON FOR CONSIDERATION OF PAYOFF OF THE DEBT IS YOU FREE UP THE CASH FLOW FROM THE CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR SOMETHING ELSE. BUT, BUT THE MORE THE SPREAD WIDENS, IF INTEREST RATES CONTINUE TO RISE, THE MORE THE SPREAD WIDENS BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE PAYING 
          [02:10:01]
AT THE THREE POINT, WHAT? 3.7, SO I'M NOT ASKING THIS COMMISSION TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT TONIGHT. 
          BUT I AM GOING TO ASK WHEN WE HAVE A CONTRACT BEFORE US TO APPROVE ON THE SALE OF MAYPORT ROAD. I AM GOING TO ASK SOMEBODY IF THEY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO TIE THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THAT SALE TO EITHER THE RETIREMENT OF THAT DEBT OR FOR AN INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT THAT WOULD BE SET ASIDE FOR POTENTIAL PAYOFF OF THAT DEBT. 
          THAT WE HAVE A FINANCE DIRECTOR. WHEN WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE US. 
          YES, LET ME ANSWER THAT. 
          FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT SURE THESE CITIZENS ARE COMPLETELY AWARE. SO WE PUT THIS, THIS MORATORIUM ON, ON NEW HIRES THROUGH NOVEMBER 15TH. BUT WE'VE ALREADY HIRED A FINANCE DIRECTOR. 
          RIGHT. WHAT'S THE DATE YOUR FINANCE DIRECTORS? OCTOBER 12TH. OCTOBER 13TH. 
          I'M SORRY. SO LITERALLY IN TWO WEEKS. WE WILL HAVE A FINANCE DIRECTOR THAT ALREADY PRECEDED THE VOTE THAT WE TOOK TWO WEEKS. 
          BUT IS THE DG MARKET BEFORE US ON THE OCTOBER 12TH MEETING? WELL, WE DON'T NEED THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT. 
          IF WE WANTED TO SAY WE WANT TO PUT THE MONEY, WE WANT THE MONEY TO GO TOWARDS DEBT REDUCTION OR AN INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT TO BE SET ASIDE FOR FUTURE DEBT REDUCTION, WE COULD DO EITHER ONE. HOW IS THE CONVENTION FUND THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED? CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT. 
          HOW IS THE MONEY GENERATED? BED TAX. SAY THAT BED TAX. 
          HOTELS. 
          OKAY. OKAY. AND SO WE GET OUR LITTLE PITTANCE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY HOTELS IN ATLANTIC BEACH. 
          BUT WE GET SOME MONEY AND I THINK AT THE PEAK IT WAS, IS MAYBE PUSHING ALMOST 200,000 A YEAR. 
          I DON'T KNOW THAT. YES, COMMISSIONER. 
          YEAH. KEVIN, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA FOR THE MID MIDTERM. RE UP AND TAKE A LOOK. 
          YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY IF WE FACT PASS TONIGHT THAT WE CODIFY THAT AND PUT IT ON THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE. AND THEN AT MIDTERM THEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE ALL BROUGHT UP ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET. I, I HAVEN'T SEEN A MIDTERM REVIEW, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. 
          WE SHOULD DO THAT. YEAH. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, COMMISSIONER, I HAD YOU IN MIND WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS ON THE SHIFT. 
          WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE DID TWO YEARS AGO AND THREE YEARS AGO WITH THE, WHAT I CALL THE A LA CARTE. 
          WHAT DO WE CALL IT? ENHANCEMENTS. 
          ENHANCEMENTS. THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHAT WE DID IN THOSE TWO BUDGETS IS WE TOOK CHUNKS LIKE WE WANTED TO DO A PROJECT. AND WE TOOK, WE DIDN'T PUT IT IN THE BUDGET, BUT THAT WAS ENHANCEMENT NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE AND SO ON. 
          AND I APPRECIATED YOUR, YOUR POINTS ON THAT. BUT THIS IS THE NEXT BEST THING BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT WE WOULD REVISIT AND SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE OR SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR. SO IT GIVES US FLEXIBILITY. 
          BUT IT PAYS VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT IF, IF AMENDMENT 3 PASSES, EVERYTHING, WE NOW NEED TO GO INTO OVERDRIVE ON PREPARING FOR THE ACTUAL RESULTS OF AMENDMENT 3 IN THE 2728 FISCAL YEAR AND THE EFFECTS IN THE 2829 FISCAL YEAR WHEN WE GO TO 250,000 ON THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. 
          YES, SIR. THE ONE THING THIS BUDGET DOES DO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR I THINK I'VE SAT THROUGH SIX PRIORITY SETTING MEETINGS. 
          WHAT'S ON TOP OF THE LIST? STORMWATER, INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, WATER. THESE ARE KEY ELEMENTS THAT THE CITY HAS TO HAVE. 
          I KNOW, HURRICANE BOWL. I'VE HEARD THAT EVERY TIME. 
          BUT I TELL YOU, MONEY IN THE BANK FOR THIS CITY IS A GOOD THING. 
          OKAY. FROM WHERE I'M COMING FROM, INFRASTRUCTURE'S NOT CHEAP. 
          GO LOOK AT OUR FRIENDLY NEXT DOOR CITIES. 
          GO TALK TO NEPTUNE BEACH ABOUT THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT. GO TALK TO JACK SPEECH ABOUT THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          INTERESTING. HEY, WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION. I WANT TO KEEP IT AS GOOD WHEN I CAME HERE WHEN I LEAVE. 
          SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THE MILLAGE RATE TO REMAIN THE SAME. I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION. YES. 
          SO, KEVIN, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN THIS. IT DOES LOOK EXTENSIVE AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          SO YOU KNOW, AND I ACKNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE GENERAL FUND RATE IS THE SAME. IS LAST YEAR ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT LESS SO. BUT THE MILLAGE RATES GENERATING $630,000 MORE, WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING? SO AN AMOUNT LARGER THAN THAN THAT IN ITSELF IS GOING TO THE POLICE TOMORROW, TO BARBARA, AS FAR AS HOW MUCH MORE WE'RE SPENDING ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          [02:15:01]
OKAY. THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR. NOW THAT'S NOT TO SHIFT ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          THAT'S FAIR. I JUST WANT TO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY IT'S ALL THE GENERAL FUNDS THE SAME, BUT WE ARE GENERATING 630, 000 MORE REVENUES. RIGHT. 
          IT'S A TAX INCREASE. WHERE THAT. YEAH, IT'S A TAX INCREASE. 
          SO WHERE, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE, IT'S IN OTHER ITEMS. IT'S PENSION LIABILITIES. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOME INSURANCE COST INCREASES. 
          IT'S OUR APPROXIMATE 2 1/2% CITYWIDE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S MUCH, YOU KNOW, FROM 2% TO 6 OR 7 OR 8%, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THE EMPLOYEE MAKES. SO IT'S PAY RAISES AS WELL, IN ADDITION TO LOTS OF. 
          OH, INCREASED COSTS OF. 
          YEAH, WELL, I. OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND THAT MAKES GOOD, YOU KNOW, GOOD SOUND LOGIC AND THE FACT THAT YOU'VE KEPT THE BUDGET BELOW LAST YEAR AND YOU'VE ALLOCATED 500 OF THAT, YOU KNOW, TO WHATEVER AMENDMENT THREE ONE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT, IF IT GOES TO CAPITAL, WHATEVER. SO ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE OPERATING AT $500,000 LESS THAN LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THAT NUMBER. 
          OKAY. THAT SEEMS FAIR SO FAR. THANKS. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          COMMISSIONER, IF I MAY, THROUGH THE MAYOR. TALK ABOUT THE MAYOR. 
          THE MAYOR AND I ACTUALLY SPENT SOME GOOD BIT OF TIME OVER THE PAST WEEK, PARTICULARLY ON THE BELOW THE LINE ITEM, THE $500,000. 
          I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT IT, I TOLD HIM CANDIDLY, AND I'M TELLING YOU IN THE COMMUNITY, FRANKLY, WHEN GODFREY, OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, GETS HERE AND TAKES A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH, NONI AND I AND OUR TEAM, IT'S GONNA BE SCRUTINIZED HEAVILY. 
          WE MAY COME BACK TO YOU HUMBLY AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T DO THIS. RIGHT? OR WE NEED TO DO THIS TO CORRECT IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN, AS BRINKLEY POINTED OUT, MUNICIPAL ACCOUNTING IS INDEED VERY, VERY COMPLICATED. 
          WE WENT THROUGH THIS WITHOUT A FINANCE DIRECTOR OR A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR THAT MATTER. AND YOU ALL CONTINUE TO BE GRACIOUS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          YEP. 
          WE DO HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. 
          AND WE'RE IN DISCUSSION. 
          ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION. 
          OKAY. 
          NOW, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO PASS, WE HAVE TO HAVE FOUR CORRECT AFFIRMATIVE VOTES. 
          SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS. 
          COMMISSIONER GRANT. 
          AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER KELLY. 
          AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. 
          AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER BOLE. 
          AYE. 
          MAYOR FORD. 
          [9.A.  Public Hearing and Final Reading on adoption of Ordinance No. 20-26-184,  establishing the Operating Budget for fiscal year 2026/2027. ]
AYE. THANK YOU. 
          AND WE NOW HAVE A MILLAGE RATE. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NINE. A PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING ON ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026. 
          HOGAN CAMP. STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT YOU ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 184. OKAY. WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          THERE'S NOTHING TO READ ON THIS, SO I'M JUST OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. WHO HAVE WE GOT TO SPEED? I'M WONDERING IF WE NEED TO STATE THE AMOUNT BEFORE WE. WELL, WE CAN DO THAT. 
          LET'S SEE. 
          $57,830,833.75. 
          OKAY, I HAVE ONE SPEAKER. 
          I BELIEVE HE JUST LEFT. NO, MITCH. OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. OH, OKAY. OKAY. 
          THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. WELL, I THINK. I'M SORRY, WE NEED A MOTION. 
          I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 184. 
          SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          SECOND. NOW WE'LL HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. I THINK WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME AND WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. 
          I WANT TO STATE, AGAIN, THE. IT'S PROBABLY THE OBVIOUS, BUT YOU'LL NEVER, EVER IN YOUR CAREER AS BEING A COMMISSIONER DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF CIRCUMSTANCE. 
          IT'LL BE SOMETHING NEW, ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN A SUBSEQUENT YEAR. BUT THE LEGISLATURE MAKING THEIR DECISION OR PUTTING BEFORE THE VOTERS, THE 
          [02:20:01]
REFERENDUM, THAT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION, AND IT WILL POSE SIGNIFICANT HURDLES FOR US, NOT IN THIS BUDGET YEAR THAT WE JUST PASSED OR PASSING AND NOT IN NEXT YEAR, BUT THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR, AND THEN IF IT ULTIMATELY REPEALS AD VALOREM ON HOMESTEAD PROPERTY. SO I'M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. I THINK THE CITY IS GOING TO BE READY FOR IT. 
          I DO THINK IT WOULD BE SO HELPFUL TO HAVE THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME DEEP CONVERSATIONS ON IT. AND SO I'M GOING TO BE BACK TO THE POINT OF SEVERAL OF THE CITIZENS. 
          I'M GOING TO BE ASKING FOR US TO REALLY LOOK AT SERVICES AND WHETHER WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW CITY GOVERNMENT FASTER THAN WE SHOULD BE. 
          BUT THAT'S NOT THIS YEAR. 
          THIS YEAR IS HOLDING ON TO THE 500,000, HOLDING THE MILLAGE RATE, AND THEN SEEING WHAT HAPPENS ON NOVEMBER 3RD. 
          SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT, AND IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, MADAM CLERK, A ROLL CALL. OKAY. 
          THAT ONE NEEDS TO BE. 
          COMMISSIONER KELLY. AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER BOLE. AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER GRANT. AYE. 
          [10.B. Hiring Freeze Reconsideration (Commissioner Kelly)  ]
MAYOR FORT. AYE. 
          UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          THANK YOU, EVERYONE. AND LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 10B, HIRING FREEZE RECONSIDERATION. 
          COMMISSIONER KELLY. SO LAST WEEK, WE WERE ALL A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT WHERE WE WERE HEADED FOR ALL THIS, AND WE DECIDED THAT ONE WAY TO SAVE MONEY WOULD BE TO PUT IN A HIRING FREEZE. 
          BUT OUR CITY MANAGER HAS WRITTEN TO ALL OF US A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT EXPLAINING WHY THAT WAS NOT THE BEST MANAGEMENT STYLE IN SUPPORT OF OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR FLOW OF PERSONNEL POLICIES. SO I WOULD RECOMMEND, I MOVE THAT WE RECONSIDER THAT SEPTEMBER 14TH DECISION TO INSTITUTE A HIRING FEES THROUGH NOVEMBER 2026. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. AND A SECOND. SO IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION. 
          WHO WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THAT? I'LL MAKE A COMMENT. SO I WASN'T TRYING TO ELIMINATE IT. I WAS JUST TRYING TO PUSH THE PAUSE BUTTON ON ALL THE THINGS. 
          AND WE STILL HAVE AMENDMENT THREE THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE OUTCOME OF THAT. I'M ALSO NOT TRYING TO DICTATE MANAGEMENT STYLE. 
          I GET HE NEEDS AN ASSISTANT, BUT I'M ALSO ALSO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, KEVIN, FOR EXAMPLE, TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO FILL THAT POSITION. 
          I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD HIRE SOMEBODY, PROMOTE SOMEBODY INTERNALLY, GIVE THEM A RAISE TO THAT, WHATEVER LEVEL THEY NEED TO BE, AND NOT BACKFILL IT. 
          SO THEN YOU HAVE A WIN WIN BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T INCREASED THE SALARY BURDEN BY 120, 130, WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING, AND YOU ELIMINATE ANOTHER POSITION. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES WHEN YOU HAVE MAJOR CHANGE AT ANY KIND OF, WHETHER IT'S CORPORATION OR GOVERNMENT, TO IMPRINT YOUR OWN, YOU KNOW, STYLE, YOUR OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS ONTO THE ORGANIZATION. 
          I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF CONSTERNATION ABOUT DEDICATING, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO $400,000 OR OVER $400,000. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER SALARY, THE PROPOSED CHIEF OF STAFF SALARY, AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY. $400,000 TO THE EXECUTIVE, YOU KNOW, OFFICE OF THIS CITY, FOR, YOU KNOW, A BUDGET THAT'S, YOU KNOW, 60 MILLION OR 57, 58, WHATEVER IT IS. 
          SO, THAT'S KIND OF MY BACKGROUND FOR WANTING TO PUSH THE PAUSE BUTTON, YOU KNOW, MY PART, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PUSHING THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THE HIRING DOESN'T ELIMINATE THAT POSITION OR, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE, LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE UP IN THE AIR NOW. WE GOT, WE GOT THROUGH TONIGHT. THE MILLAGE IN THE BUDGET, THAT'S BIG. 
          BUT WE STILL HAVE AMENDMENT THREE HANGING OVER US. AND I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST THINK WE'D FEEL BETTER IF WE KNEW THE OUTCOME OF THAT. 
          IF I MAY, LET ME JUST IDENTIFY A COUPLE THINGS. 
          NUMBER ONE, I'VE CONFIRMED TODAY NEPTUNE BEACH HAS A HIRING FREEZE. I CONFIRMED THAT FERNANDINA BEACH. 
          YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THE EXPERT ON FERNANDINA BEACH. FERNANDINA BEACH DOES NOT HAVE A HIRING FREEZE, BUT THEY'VE CHOSEN NOT TO BACKFILL SOME OPEN POSITIONS, WHICH IS MUCH THE SAME AS A HIRING FREEZE. 
          AND TO SOME DEGREE WE COULD RE TERM IT AND SAY CITY MANAGER, DON'T BACKFILL ANY 
          [02:25:02]
POSITIONS. I THINK THAT'S A HIRING FREEZE. OKAY. 
          I AM ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT THE SKY IS NOT FALLING. 
          AND IF WE GO FOR 45 DAYS. IS IT 45 DAYS? THANK YOU. 48 DAYS. THIS CITY WILL NOT. 
          THIS CITY NOT ONLY WILL NOT COME TO AN END, BUT ONCE I CONFIRMED THAT WE ACTUALLY DID ALREADY HIRE THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. OKAY. THAT ONE'S A BIG ONE. 
          THAT'S ALREADY DONE. AND THEN I DID ASK YOU TODAY IF WE HAD ANY PROSPECTS FOR HIRE AT THIS MOMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEER COMBINED. 
          AND WE DON'T TODAY. 
          YES. WE HAVEN'T ADVERTISED THAT POSITION. INDEED. 
          I'VE TAKEN THE POSTURE NOT. 
          YEAH. NOT FILLING IT YET. 
          AND THANK YOU. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE JUST FINE. AND I THINK I JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S A REASONABLE REQUEST UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES TODAY TO JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH AMENDMENT 3. 
          I THINK THE CONVERSE. 
          I REALLY HAVE TO SHARE THAT THERE IS 50-50. 
          WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE AS TO WHETHER THAT THING WILL PASS OR NOT, I HAVE NO IDEA. 
          BUT ONCE WE GET THERE, YOU WILL SUDDENLY HAVE A. 
          WITH A KEEN AWARENESS OF THE DIALOGUE THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE. 
          AND TODAY WE DON'T HAVE THAT KEEN AWARENESS. SO IT INFORMS US 48 DAYS FROM NOW. AND I SAY STAY WITH THE HIRING FREEZE IT UNTIL THEN. 
          BUT YES, WE GOT LOTS OF HANDS UP. YEAH. 
          LET ME GET THE COMMISSIONER. 
          YES. 
          JUST TWO QUICK THINGS, KEVIN. IN YOUR LETTER TODAY, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE POLICE FIRING, DIDN'T YOU MENTION A LIEUTENANT? YES. 
          ALL RIGHT. IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. 
          THIS IS AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR TWO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS. 
          WE HAVE A POSITION BEING ADVERTISED DUE TO A RETIREMENT AND ANY DAY OR WEEK NOW WE WOULD BE ADVERTISING A POLICE OFFICER POSITION AS WELL. 
          OKAY. YES, SIR. THE SECOND HALF OF THE QUESTION AND I'VE PROBABLY TALKED ENOUGH TONIGHT. YEAH. 
          I THINK THE REASON THAT I'M FOR THIS IS. I UNDERSTAND, BUT I GO BACK TO THAT. 
          WE'RE ASKING KEVIN TO DO THREE JOBS OR AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF JOBS RIGHT NOW. AND HE'S DONE. I THINK PHENOMENAL JOB. 
          I THINK KEVIN CAN DO ONE AND A HALF JOBS. GREAT. I DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN DO TWO AND A HALF JOBS CONTINUALLY. 
          SO I GUESS MY BOAT HERE IS TO GIVE HIM THE FLEXIBILITY TO PROJECT. AND WE JUST. 
          LIKE YOU SAID, WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET. 
          I'LL STOP. I WANT HIM TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO MANAGE HIS OWN STAFF. 
          THAT'S IT. I UNDERSTAND, COMMISSIONER. I THINK WE'RE CONFUSING FUNDING. 
          KEVIN'S. THE DEPUTY POSITION THAT'S NEW WITH THE EXISTING CITY POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE OPEN THAT RUN OUR CITY AND BY. BY CUTTING OFF OUR NOSE. 
          BUT I WOULD BE IN FAVOR IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND WAIT TO FUND THAT UNTIL HE RUNS HIMSELF INTO THE GROUND. BUT WE GOT OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE ALREADY FUNDED THAT ARE ALREADY OPEN AND WE NEED TO FILL BECAUSE THEY MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CITIZENS. 
          THE POLICE OFFICER, THE DOG CATCHER, THE STREETS GUY. 
          THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KEEP OUR. THE SWAN SWIMMING UNDERNEATH. 
          THANK YOU. AND ONE SECOND. 
          DID YOU PREVIOUSLY SAY YOU WEREN'T BACKFILLING THE STREETS PERSON? NO. 
          NO, NO. SO YOU NEED THAT PERSON. WE TOOK THAT AT THAT. 
          OKAY. COMMISSIONER RING, ANY INPUT? NO. OKAY. 
          YES, SIR, IF I MAY. I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, TO PLEASE READ MY PLEA TO YOU NOT TO HAVE A HIRING FREEZE. 
          IT'S IS DETAILED. THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FAR, FAR AND WIDE. AND SO I'VE MADE MY CASE. 
          AND. AND I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO PLEASE READ IT CLOSELY AND TO CONSIDER IT. THANK YOU. 
          BEFORE WE CALL THE VOTE. I HAVE READ IT, AND AGAIN, I FIND NO OBJECTION TO 48 DAYS ON A PAUSE. WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE OR INDIVIDUAL. 
          YES. COMMISSIONER RING. AND WE'RE VOTING TO RESEND. 
          NO, WE'RE VOTING TO SEE IF WE. IF YOU'RE EVEN WILLING TO DO. 
          TO RECONSIDER. 
          JUST PURELY THE RECONSIDERATION AND WHATEVER HAPPENS ON THIS DAY. FORMS THE NAMES. 
          COMMISSIONER BOLE. 
          AYE. 
          COMMISSIONER GRANT. 
          NAY. 
          COMMISSIONER KELLY. 
          AYE. 
          MAYOR FORD. 
          NAY. 
          [11. CITY ATTORNEY/CITY CLERK REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS ]
SO MOTION FAILS AND WE MOVE ON TO CITY ATTORNEY, YOUR REPORT. 
          I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT TONIGHT, SIR. 
          MADAM CLERK. 
          [12. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER ]
          [02:30:02]
I HAVE NOTHING. THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          AND COMMISSIONER BOLE. 
          I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY PUT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO WORK. DID TO KIND OF ANSWER COMMISSIONER RING'S QUESTION? DID I MISCHARACTERIZE OUR CITY GOVERNMENT AS FAR AS STRONG CITY MANAGER, WEAK COMMISSION? JUST TELL ME I'M WRONG. 
          I'M NOT GONNA SAY YOU MISCHARACTERIZE ANYTHING. 
          COME ON. 
          YOU CERTAINLY GAVE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND YOUR LENS ON GOVERNMENT, AND I TOTALLY RESPECT THAT, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE ON HERE HAS THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND LENS. 
          BUT NO. I DON'T RECALL YOU SAYING ANYTHING UNTOWARD OR. 
          OKAY. SO IT COULD BE A PERCEPTION OR NOT EVEN A PERCEPTION. IT COULD BE A READING OF WHAT OUR CHART IS AT. 
          RIGHT. THAT CERTAINLY IS A PERSPECTIVE. 
          SURE. 
          I AM HAPPY BY THE WAY. AT THE RIGHT TIME IF YOU GUYS WANT TO DO A, YOU KNOW, IF IT AFTER THE ELECTION TO DO LIKE A TUTORIAL OR WHATEVER. 
          IT'S NEVER HURTS TO GO THROUGH IT. 
          I WOULD LIKE THAT. THAT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          COMMISSIONER GRANT. 
          YEAH. 
          SO TOTALLY RESPECT AND APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER BOLE'S COMMENTS 100%. YOU KNOW, I'LL BE HONEST. I HAVEN'T READ THE CHARTER. 
          THAT'S WHY HE'S HERE. AND IF ANYBODY LISTENING AT HOME, I'M POINTING TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I RAN FOR THIS OFFICE, I RAN ON MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE. 
          AND LOGIC TELLS ME THAT IN MOST CASES WHEN YOU HAVE UNCERTAIN FUTURE WITH REGARD TO YOUR REVENUE, YOU PUSH THE PAUSE BUTTON ON EXPENSES. 
          I RAN ON THAT AND I GOT ELECTED. 
          SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO QUESTION CERTAIN THINGS AND THEY MAY BE. CAN BE INTERPRETED AGAINST THE CHARTER. I MEAN, I CAN LIVE WITH THAT. 
          BUT IF, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THAT I COULDN'T MAKE THAT MOTION LAST WEEK. 
          HE WAS SITTING RIGHT HERE. 
          AND WE ALL VOTED ON IT, YOU KNOW, PAST FOUR TO ONE. SO TO ME, THAT TELLS ME I'M DOING THE RIGHT THING BY JUST QUESTIONING CERTAIN THINGS AT CERTAIN TIMES, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CITY CHARTER HAS TO SAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KELLY. 
          NOTHING FURTHER. 
          COMMISSIONER RING. YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THE LEFT FOOT WORKS BEST IN TANDEM WITH THE RIGHT FOOT. 
          AND I DO UNDERSTAND THIS TYPE OF GOVERNMENT WE'RE IN. IT'S NOT A STRONG CITY MANAGER SO MUCH AS IT'S IN A WEAK COMMISSION. IT IS A CITY MANAGER AND COMMISSION. 
          AND THE PURPOSE OF IT IS THAT THE PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY BUREAUCRACY HAS NO PLACE HERE IN MY OPINION. AND IF I'M WRONG, THEN THE CITIZENS WILL VOTE ME OUT AND THAT'S DEMOCRACY TOO. 
          SO I MEANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION EARLIER IN THE CITY COMMISSION OR REPORTS REGARDING OUR OATH OF OFFICE FOR NOVEMBER. 
          AND I BELIEVE CITY CLERK MIGHT KNOW THAT WHAT DATE? BECAUSE IT'S NOT LISTED ON THE NOVEMBER CALENDAR. IS IT IN DECEMBER? I CAN'T THE FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER, AS LONG AS THE RESULTS ARE SORT OF OKAY. SO IF THE RESULTS OKAY. 
          BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON I REMEMBER IT BEING LATER AND CLOSER TO THANKSGIVING MADE THAT CHANGE IN THE LAST CHARTER. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NOVEMBER 9TH. 
          AND WOULD THAT BE STARTING EARLIER OR WOULD WHAT BE STARTING EARLIER? DO WE NORMALLY DO SOMETHING PRELIMINARY EARLIER IN THE. 
          I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON HOW WE ROLL OUT THE OATH OF OFFICE. WE JUST STARTED AT 6PM WHEN THE COMMISSION MEETING STARTS, WE'RE IN CONTACT. 
          I WAS DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TODAY, AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THE CHANGEOVER WILL OCCUR ON THE FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER. I'M NOT SURE YET WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BOTH COMMISSIONS AT THAT MEETING, IF THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. THAT'S IT. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, CITY MANAGER. NOTHING FURTHER. THANK YOU. 
          OH, GOSH. I GET TO FINISH IT. SO, I LIKE THE EXAMPLE OF SEEING THINGS THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS, AND WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME DIFFERENT LENSES, BUT I THINK I'M REMINDED OF THE SAYING THAT IF YOU REALLY DIG DEEP AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL ARE RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WE CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY WITH MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT LENS, WE'RE PROBABLY MORE ALIKE THAN WE'RE DIFFERENT. 
          AND SO I HOPE THAT, I HOPE THAT WE CAN GO HAVE A BEER TOGETHER AND MOVE ON, BECAUSE IN 48 DAYS, WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT THE LANDSCAPE IS AND WE'RE GOING 
          [02:35:03]
TO MAKE SOME NEW DECISIONS, AND WE'LL BE JUST FINE WITH THAT. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.