--------- Third 2025 DRC meeting to order. We'll start with roll call. Community development is present. Police. Andrew King. Public works. Dale Smith. Fired. Jeremy Holderville. Building. John Hansen. All right. The first item on the agenda is MDP 244ian Town Center Hotel. Second
submittal. I'm the project manager on this. Uh the applicant is here in attendance. They received comments from the development review committee. Uh, one thing I would like to point out is is that the uh, plan calls for a 137 room hotel. The existing development
agreement for the Fidian Town Center caps the hotel room at 120. So, I've sent out an amendment to the DRC to review. Uh, that amendment would have to be approved by the city council in in a future public hearing. But the applicant is here, applicant is here. They've
received their comments. And if you have anything to say to the DRC, now is your opportunity. Absolutely. Any questions for the uh applicant in regards to this? All right. Hearing none. All right. Thank you everyone. Absolutely. Community development has
nothing further. Police? No comments. Public works. No comments. All right. Fire. No comments. Thank you. And building. out and everything. Thanks. All right. Thank you, gentlemen. We'll look forward to the recent amendment. All right. Next item is uh CSP 25424203
Hogs Head Construction Site Plan and June and so on is the project map. 10 square ft for office and um 30,724 square ft of not enclosed storage storage structure with the outdoor
storage area of um 1.73 acres. The applicant is here for any questions and comments. All right, the applicant is here. Do you have any questions, comments for the DRC? Gar Ritter, Ritter Civil, 460 Pine Craftoft Lane. Um, no questions. I know
there was one comment from fire uh to discuss a FDC location. Um, we can don't know if we need to discuss that now or over the phone later. We we can discuss over the phone later. Okay. I did have a question. Um, you did have one hybrid provided for that entire property. Was that accurate?
Yeah, we we have uh fireflow cals. We didn't submit them. They're part of the uh the development down the street. So, we'll include those. We'll show you the demonstrate that we have the needed fireflow. All right. Thank you. But uh yeah, if there's any other questions. Um
all right. Any additional questions or comments for the applicant? It says uh excuse me, basically road improvements by let's say by others. When when would that take place? I mean that road's if
you even call it a road sort of. So to the west down the street there's the uh this there's a 16acre parcel 4301 Hogs Head that we're working on right now. We just had our precon a couple weeks ago. Uh we're starting construction soon. Um the roadway improvements. Uh I don't know if we have
a schedule yet. Um but it's uh it's it's uh forthcoming. Okay. Okay. Okay. Uh anything else for the applicant? Any other comments or questions? Okay. Community development has nothing
further. Police. No. No comments. Public works. You got my comments. So that's enough. Yeah. Fire. No other comments. Thank you. Building. Nothing further. All right. We will await the resubmittal. Thank you. The next item is Adam Retail Plaza CSP
2526. Amir Hus is the project manager. Good morning everyone. So this is a uh CSP submitt for um a res submittal second submitt for um Adam retail plaza. It's uh the feature land use is commercial. Zoning is is in the mixeduse downtown zoning district. It consists of
um the new buildings uh retail buildings that that will total up to 17,244 square ft. Um staff and applicant are available for further comments and questions. Hello. And the applicant is here. And I just uh noticed I have a question for
you. It says hookah retail. Is that like a smoke shop? Yes, it is. Okay. That requires a special exception in the mixeduse downtown. It's not a permitted use by right. Good morning. My name is Al Terrani with Terrani Consulting Engineering, 622
Peachwood Drive, Alto Spring, Florida 32714. We received the second review comments and um totally every time this is the this is going to be the third subal we we try to
comply with the first one and then the new comments come in I'm just going to go some of these comments that it's just we need to discuss further number one the title plan said construction site plans without the pro plans
I mean this is a comment that it has to be plan not plans grammar. I before I started this job I got a copy of Wawwa which is next and the car wash rush place. I have a copy in here. This
is Cycl plans. This is WA approved plans. I mean this is your comment number one. Comment number two, parking plan was provided on sheet C7 if you want to put it there. It says parking data issued in parking
plans. Again, looked at the other sites. I mean, this is just wording. I've done the projects in Orange County and different places. Never had comments like this. Number three,
asking for the accessible parking handicap. We provided three handicap parkings. The comment is that all of them has to be parking accessible for the van.
I'm reading you the code. It says where van parking is provided per percent to a state and federal requirements for every six parking spaces or fraction thereafter required by table 5.1.5
J accessible parking at least one shall be van accessible. I have only three handicap parking required but I provided two van accessible so it meets the code so I don't know what that comment is
comment number four require outside parking I have provided outside parking if you look at there is parking number 31 37 and 59 12 foot wide is for loading accessible
so it is Okay, number seven. Comment number seven is the most I mean I don't know what to say. It's just it it happened on the first one, the first run around that I need to have a turning lane to this new business
because it is 35 miles per hour speed limit. Number one on the front 441 is not city of Apaka. It's Department of Transportation FD. So I cannot just they are not require any turning lane. There is no
turning lane to the car wash place. There is no turning lane to Wawa. I don't understand why am I required to have turning lane when there is no rightway and and that's on 441. There is no rightway. None of the
businesses have turning lane. Why am I supposed to have on the old Dixie Highway sign? It's 25 miles per hour. I responded to the comments previously. is 25 miles per hour, not 35.
25 miles per hour. Where does Okay, that's all I needed to see because I was looking at I responded on the last one. You showed me the picture. You never that it was 25 an hour on the comment response. I wrote it is 25 regarding regarding the 441. You if you
can provide a letter from FOT that then it would be fine. You need to provide a letter from FOD. Dale, isn't the turn lane at the discretion of the city engineer? Well, if the left turn lane is at the discretion of the city engineer and the
right turn lane, it is 30, you know, it's got to be greater than 35 miles an hour. And Vlad and I have spent some time talking about this and it really doesn't make sense in between Wawwa and the vision to come out and put in a right turn lane, you know, on this on
this particular road. So, you know, one, it's not required for the right turn lane and it'll wave the requirement for a left turn lane. Can you imagine what the cost is going to be to build a turn lane on 441? I have to There is no rightway. I have to just
No, I understand. I'm just I'm just making my point. Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, going further to the other comments, number eight came up to be that the site
cannot have it automotive services, no tire shop. The guy had tire shop for a long time. We had pre-application meeting and we stated, we show a plan that it is tire shop. We went on the first review. Every building was marked
up what it's going to be and we were told that the tire shop cannot be facing 441 has to be on the side. We revised the plan made it to work on the side and now in this review we're getting that you
cannot have service it I I mean I looked at the table correctly. Yes, you cannot have you need a special exception. Now it's coming up that hookah launch also is a special exception again. These are the things
that should be brought up much earlier. Uh next door there is car wash place. I look at the table it says a special exception. I looked at the documents. I don't see no DRC approval on that.
Um, number nine is telling that I have to have zero setback to bring the building close to 441. I looked at Wawa. I looked at the car wash and I tried because it's property
here, property here, tried to match the setback and I put 25 ft setbacks, 25 foot setback. And this did not come up on the first review either. Now he's coming up changing everything. I can't just keep changing plans.
All right, let me um couple things before we go on a little bit more, sir. Is is that the land development code that we're working under was adopted in 2019. Wawa was built prior to that. The other developments were built prior to that. The car wash received a special
exception a couple years back. Um it per our city attorney, it is the responsibility of the applicant also to look at the code. staff does review the code, but sometimes things get overlooked and it is your responsibility as an applicant to review the code as well, too. So, it was properly pointed
out to you that the building has to be put towards the street that's in the zoning district that you're in. Tire shop's not a permitted use. And the hookah lounge is not a permitted use as well. It's a smoke shop. But the 25 foot setback also it says that has to be compatible with the
adjacent surrounding area. If you look at the setback T, there's a table in the code and it talks about build two lines and the set back to the street. It says basically you have to have retail buildings up against the street in the mixeduse downtown zoning district.
That's what it says in the code and it says it shall be done. You can apply for a variance. You have a right to as a property owner. U but you have to have some type of hardship. I guess we have to further discuss that and we'd be happy to sit down with you offline and discuss that if you'd like.
Definitely with us. Absolutely. Absolutely. We'd like to do that because we have to just either we have to finish this project and build a nice area for you or we have to just leave it as it is like this which is a bunch of trailer
and you know ugly sight. So this is what you have right now. Yeah, I understand. I know what's we're trying to build a nice place for your downtown. So did you have any other questions on the comments like from the other departments other than planning and zoning like
I I had a question from the fire department was talking about the sprinkler system. I thought the building less than 7500 square feet does not require a sprinkler system and we adjusted the building to make sure all of them under 7500. So
I'm sorry. Yes. Yes, they are. l from here. I can't see it from here, but it was just a question. I I thought we had all under 7,500 separated. That'd be fine. I mean, that wasn't big.
I appreciate it. Yeah, that'd be that'd be fine. Yeah, that's not a big issue. Thank you. All right. Uh, please contact us. We'll set up a meeting with you guys, meet offline, talk about your project. I
think these are kind of easy fixes. I think the buildings could be shifted. You can put the parking back behind it. code does allow you to do a parking study uh within the mix within anywhere city compare like uses. So there are solutions I think that we can help you get this thing going on it.
Who would contact I tried to send email your project manager air I sent the emails and it keep returning. Yeah because what happened was it was blocked so I contacted so so the IT department unblocked so some reason like the IT department said your uh emails were rerouting through
Belgium. So that's why they were blocking your emails. So then I told them to unblock your email cuz I knew it was you and I confirmed that. So then from now on like uh the emails you'll be able to receive perfectly fine. You're requesting a meeting. Yeah.
So uh what I will do is I will send you a uh preapp meeting link uh similar to what we had in the previous meeting that we had and then you'll just fill out the form and then we'll set up a Zoom meeting. I'll I'll send it to you after the meeting. Okay.
Okay. Community development has nothing further on this and police. No comments. Public works. Just what I had written. Okay. Fire. Anything additional? No other comments. Thank you. All right. Building. Nothing. Thanks. All right. Thank you, gentlemen. We'll look forward to our meeting with you.
Okay. Next one. Wolf Lake Ranch phase 2 first middle. Jean Sanchez. Good morning. This is the third phase for Wolf Lake Ranch. I'm sorry it's a little Is this correct? I think you all are
familiar um with phases one and two for Wolf Lake Ranch, but this one this phase three is actually west of Bon Pines Road, north of Bonan Road. Um this is for 42 units. I think I just have a few
housekeeping comments from planning and um let me see here. I don't think I received any comments from uh public works. It looks like you guys have no comments on the
MDP, but I'm assuming it'll be I posted them on Monday, I thought. Okay. You posted it. Okay. Okay. On the Okay, I'll double check. Open gap. I actually issued the comments yesterday.
It's a little bit delayed. Apologies to the applicant for that, but um I didn't see any comments. So, I'll double check today and reissue it if I see anything. All right, applicants here. Josh, you got anything to Okay. All right. Any questions for the
applicant? All right. Community Development has nothing further than what uh Miss Sanchez discussed. Police, no comments. Uh public works. Josh, I've got a written copy. I'll go ahead and give them to you after the meeting. Fire, no comments. Thank you.
Building, nothing. Thanks. All right. Thank you. All right. Next one is Crossroads of Kelly Park phase 3B construction site plan. Genius project management. Uh phase 3B of the Crossroads
development. This is on the most north the most northwestern most area of the crossroads plan. This is I think it's 106 units. Um clearing and grading of this entire development actually already
occurred. I didn't have any comments but I do know that I think public works had some comments they issued. Um, and I had a little bit of a weird thing happen with the portal yesterday and I reissued the comments this morning. So, I'm hoping that you receive it. If you
haven't, please send me an email letting me know. Um, it wouldn't issue the entire comments for me, but I know all the comments we had were on the um actual messages. Okay. All right. Uh, applicant is here. Do you have any questions for the DRC on the
comments that you received? Good morning. My name is Katherine Lambert from Polos and Bennett, 2602 East Livingston Street, Orlando, Florida. Um, so were there any because I don't see I just see D e comments. So were there any fire comments or transportation comments or anything like that? No comments.
No comments. Okay, I'm just verifying. So, uh, I just wanted to go over a couple of the comments we received from DE for number two about the on street parking stall should be larger than 6.5 ft wide. Um, it's actually eight feet wide with the gutter and this is the
same that's been consistent throughout all the plans and it's approved on the MDP, but the dimension showed it being six and a half feet. Yeah, the curb. I realized it's probably just a drafting error. Okay, so just show that it's 8 ft with the curb. Okay, no problem. Um, and then
number three, show the communication and power utilities and the 10 foot utility easement. We don't typically show those because we don't design these elements. I know, but in your typical cross-section, I want you to start showing where those utilities are. When I'm getting the rightway permits in, I'm
surprising some of the people by saying, "You're not in my right of way. You're in these utility easements that have been set aside." I'm not asking you to design them. I'm just showing you to show this is their corridor in the crosssection. So, don't show like an exact location.
Just show like you can you can show two little circles. Okay. If you want to put not to scale or anything, you can you'll put communications. Okay. Okay. And you can use the word future if you want to. Wonderful.
Um number six about the walls. Um so the walls are permitted separately with the building department. Um so we don't What What are you asking? Like what type of note are you asking about the What I'm asking is I want to see a design of the wall. The gentleman to my
right's going to permit them. But most of these walls have got a geog grid behind them. And the problems that we see is sometimes we see storm water pipes laid under the geog grid, which means if they've got to be maintained in the future, the geog grid's going to be torn up, the wall will fall down. We
want to get an easement covering the width of that geogrid, a non-obstructive easement, so somebody can't come in, put a swimming pool in their backyard, and tear up the geogrid and have the wall fall down. So easement for the width of the tiebacks. That's correct. So that's why we need to
see the structural details on that. Okay. So you're you're wanting full wall plans now with the whatever whatever it takes to come up with the width of that geog grid. If you want to give me a 20ft easement, I'm sure that would cover the geog, but I'm sure that cover too much
of the backyard. Okay. And what about the note concerning the forces of the wall effect on the storm pipe? What which note is that? It's the second part of number six. It says you will need a note concerning how the forces of the wall affect the storm pipe. Oh, because the storm water pipe looks
like it's about three or four feet from the bottom of the wall. So, are you putting extra load on the stormwater pipe that wouldn't be there? Yeah, we we saw that. what you were talking about. So if we lower it, then it won't be in the way of the tiebacks. You're gonna what? You're gonna lower the storm water pipe?
Yeah. Yeah. Don't get too deep because there Yeah, there is a there because of the forces of the tiebacks is what you're saying. Okay. Okay. Um I I'll email you just for like a specific note of what you're looking for
on the plans. Um for number 11, provide the master utility plan. So, we've already got an approved and uh permitted MUP. So, nothing's changed from that. Okay. I don't have a copy of that plan. I would like to see it so I could check
it against this current plan. Okay. And the water and reclaim are too close to the right ofway line number 12. Try to place them between the sidewalk and the curb. So, we have trees in between the sidewalk and the curb. You know what I've seen, and this may be a drafting thing, you need to look at it. It looks like those lines are
touching the right of way, which so if they're within with the width of the pipe, if they're within the rightway, then because we have that 10-ft utility easement. Okay. So, but like I said, the utility easement we sort of was setting aside for the communication utilities, but we
can talk about that. Okay. Okay. If there are no other comments, those were the comments that I had questions about. Thank you all very much. Absolutely. You know, community development has nothing further. Police, anything additional? No comments. Public works, anything?
Nothing additional. Fire, no comments. Thank you. Building, I don't everything. Thanks. All right. Thank you. Okay. Down to discussion. Uh, got some holidays coming up towards the end of the month, 24th of December. Uh, we
won't have a DRC. There'll be a short staff that day. Um, and there'll be no items scheduled for that meeting. And then the 31st, New Year's Eve, we won't schedule anything as well because I know there'll be people on leave that day. So, anything else for discussion?
All right, we're journed. Part: 2
Call the December 3rd city council meeting in order. Commissioner Smith, you give us the prayer pledge in fact of the day, please sir. Our father, as we come this day to give you thanks. Thank you, Father, for this opportunity to serve the servants of
your city. We ask Lord you continue to lead us, guide us and direct us in the way you have us to go. That all that we shall say and do be pleasing and acceptable in your sight. These blessing we ask in our son Jesus name. Amen. Amen. 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. Today on December the 6th, 1865, the 13th amendment of the United States Constitution officially ending
institution of slavery is ratified. As stated in the amendment, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude except as punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
With these words, the single greatest chain wrought by the Civil War was officially noted in the Constitution. The ratification came eight months after the end of the war, but it represented the culmination of the struggle against slavery. Fact of the day.
All right, let me read the decorum statement. Welcome to the public meeting of the city council of the city of Apka. Please turn off all cell phones or set them to silent. The city council permits and encourages input and comments by members of the public on all matters which may come before the council for
action. If you wish to address the council this afternoon, please make sure you have filled out a card with your contact information and have presented it to the clerk. When called upon, please proceed to the podium and speak clearly into the microphone stating your name, address of record, organization of
any and direct your comments to the city council and not to individual commissioners, staff or members of the public. The council and the city staff encourages constructive criticism. However, personal attacks are prohibited. Please observe general rules of decorum and civility. Speakers and
members of the audience shall refrain from rude or derogatory remarks, shouting disruptions, reflections as to integrity, slander, abusive comments, profanity, vulgarities, and statements as to personalities. Any violation of these provisions may result in the
issuance of verbal warnings, including warning for trespass. If violations persist after such warnings, violators may be removed from the council chambers. All right, Susan coming Nikki Magcguire, Naomi Kitz. Good evening, commissioners, vice mayor,
mayor, everyone in their rightful place. Just want to give a quick Thanksgiving recap on behalf of Naomi Kids. All right, first I want to say thank you to our contributors. Um, we had Miss Angel, Miss Brook, Mr. Ricardo, Miss
Tahhira, of course, Vice Mayor. Thank you once again for helping us with this event. One heart for women and children and Naomi kids was the main one. Also, Vital aspect. So for any one of you here, if you're looking for CPR training
for yourself or your business, please contact Vital aspect. She is a former APD detective. So please support local. Each on the screen you have the b what each family got in their baskets. So
every item there went per family and then it was customized based on the family sizes. You do not see any meat but you do see a gift card because the families were given a gift card to purchase their meat. These are some of
the baskets we package and we do appreciate everyone who helped us during 2025. So, just a quick glance at 2026. We greatly we will greatly appreciate volunteers and donations to make a child smile. We will be having our summer camp
mentoring program for 10 weeks during the summer or back to school clothes shopping, Thanksgiving baskets, Christmas for the kids. We doing it this year on December 20th and our year round mentoring workshops. Remember Naomi stands for never alone. overcoming many
issues and we can do it better together. All right. So, thank you to everyone. Please continue to pray for us and donate your time, talent, and financial assistance. The contact information is on the screen. You can reach us at 407883-5585.
If you want to learn more of any one of our programs that we provide to the community or if you want to help whether it's just your time, your talent because we do accept speakers to come out and speak to the kids or financial
assistance is also a great help. Thank you and if I do if you do not see me again, have a merry Christmas everyone. Susan, my name is Dr. Jim. I'm elected orange so water conservation district 2
supervisor. I did miss the last meeting which was unfortunate. I'm glad to be here today. Um, Orange and Water Conservation District 2 had a event, a
fundraiser on November 7th. Um, and I'm happy to report that the city of COE supported it. uh including uh Koe Police Heath Agburn and here on the de uh
Commissioner Neesa supported and stopped by and Commissioner Smith supported it. And in regard to Commissioner Smith, I want to thank you. We facilitated a soil
donation to Kelly Park K through8 which was delivered yesterday. uh Radley has a copy of the uh picture uh that was provided by Jennifer at Kelly Park. So, thank you, Commissioner
Smith. And in my minute and a half left, I'm hoping that in the future, next year, we can do even more. Um, I believe the first time I was here, it was mentioned that I was the first
representative of the Orange and Witter Conservation District that stopped by to see y'all. And it's been an honor to come here and join you. And I hope to do a lot more next year. I'm going to put
my name in as the chair as a possibility to be chair and appointed. And I hope that I have that opportunity. It's my goal to build relationships and that's why I come here. This is why I come to
city of Akoi meetings. This is why I'm joining the friends of Lake Aapka uh etc. And uh please continue to support Orange Suan Conservation District. Um, and let
me leave you with one thought. What we do today is our children's tomorrow. Thank you for your time and God bless you all. Bill Aerosmith. Thank you, sir.
I think I got two. I think I got two. Bill. Good afternoon, mayor and commissioners. Bill Aerosmith, 12943 Lake Dora Circle, Tavaris, as you see that I've handed out to you
there. In September of 1966, Marine Corpal Roger Griffin, a lifelong resident of Apopka, lost his life in Quang Tree, Vietnam. He left behind his wife Marilyn and nine-month-old daughter Cindy
for and forgiving his life. He was awarded a Purple Heart. For the past two years, I've been trying to honor him by having a street named after him and have been told the timing was not right. Earlier this year, upon learning of the
all-inclusive park that was coming to Apopka at the Fields of Fame, I thought this would be a wonderful idea to name the park after Roger. The mayor did not think it was the right time due to the ongoing lack of
discourse on this commission. I contact the commissioner of Velasquez in June and was assured by her that she would be happy to present this to the commission. Five months later, I am again being told
by her that due to the political climate, this would not be a good time. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a political issue. It's an opportunity to do the right thing and honor Roger and our community for his ultimate
sacrifice. I would ask that you bring this to a vote and approve this request. Thank you. Thank you, Bill. Ramon, please. Good afternoon. I'm Ramon Ples, board chair, Reimagine Communities, a
nonprofit 501c3 organization based right here in Apanka. Uh, making an impact in families. We're uh changing the game on literacy and truly inspiring not only just a city but a community Orange and also Orange County and abroad. Uh today
I have come to invite you all to our annual um Christmas give back in the park happening next Thursday uh December the 11th at 5:30 at Kitlin Nelson Park. Um one I want to thank uh Commissioner Nela for being able to help secure the
park for us. uh Vice Mayor Velasquez for donating to help us with the toys um this year. This is an event that's in a collaboration with different organizations um because Reimagine Communities truly believes in partnership um and those organizations
are the Creative Hub of Apaka, Pity Fitness, um Pity Fitness, Josie House of Health, Advent Health, City National Bank of Florida, Randall, Promise Seeds, Eggs Up Grill, Apaka,
and Halls on Fifth. With the support of those organizations, we are doing this event uh to give to uh to be able to provide uh gifts, food and additional items uh to for family members. We currently have over a 100 student
registered so far from schools across Apaka. However, we still need additional support. And how can you support? I'm glad everybody asked. How can you support? buy one. We're looking for sponsorships to continue this um to
support this event. We're looking at donations of toys uh for this event. We're planning on giving food out to the families that are in need at this event. So, there's different ways that you can uh support this event. You can also
start also the best way possible is to share the event on all of your social media pages. Continue to spread the information. You can give it at three locations of your donations which is Halls on Fifth, Eggs Upgrilla Apaka, and
Pity Fitness. You can contact us if you would like to support by sponsoring, donating, or volunteering your time. Registration is free. However, we have limited spots and currently you just heard I say we have over a hundred
students registered so far. So, we we know that registration will end soon. So, if you can continue, we just never know with the support of our community and additional sponsors, donations, and additional gifts, we may be able to open
it just a little while longer. Again, I'm Ramon Pleas with uh Reimagine Communities, an organization that's truly trying to make an impact in literacy. Thank you so much, Rod Olsen. Ronald and 3156 Rolling Hills Lane Apka
mayor commissioners. Uh I wanted to recognize the Apka Police Department in particular Mark Kaser who coordinates the shop with a cop program. Yesterday was the second day. They're continuing through the week. There's 150 children in this community that are going to have
a Christmas because of this program. Awesome job, gentlemen and ladies. Thank you. Um, how many positions are open right now in the city? Last year in April, it was 82 open. It was 62 in uh in July. What's the count now? Anyone have that?
Well, then I read in the newspaper, the mayor's little article in the newspaper talks about, "Oh, wow. We saved we were able to lower the millillage because we didn't fill positions. We saved money on salaries. Is that why our backflow preventers aren't taken care of? Is that why our water meters aren't taken care
of? Is there what other preventative and deferred maintenance projects are are not being done because of this shortage of staff? We have to look at safety and life safety. I presented to you three different occasions and today is the fourth. We need to do an audit of all
320 miles in this community, the roadways, the sidewalks to ensure safety, the fact that we have children because of a poor poor management of uh the realer fees, the uh development fees not being used. We've got kids walking
on the in the ditches and along the road on Kelly Park to go to the Kelly Park School. That's unforgivable. Um, we need to do that complete audit. We need to have a plan. I look for a motion today for one of you to move that we're going to audit by the end of January all sidewalks in this community
to protect our 66,000 residents. And we're going to have a plan in place that by the end of April, they're all going to be fixed. We shouldn't have another fall. Speaking to staffing, I looked up did some research uh and came to the
conclusion there's of the five top reasons why positions aren't filled. Three, the city owns. One, are we competitive? Our b our wages and our benefits. Don't know the answer to that question. You guys should know it. Two,
poor hiring process. What's our hiring process like? Why are we not able to fill these positions? And then third, leadership, workplace culture. What's it like? Why can't we fill these positions?
It doesn't make any sense. We need to do a better job. Work isn't being done. Issues are coming up. We have safety, life safety issues not being taken care of because they don't have adequate staff. And they, oh, well, some of them are part-time positions. Well, those part-time positions are just as essential as the full-time ones. Thank
you. Christine Moore. Good afternoon. Christine Moore, 141 South Central. Uh, I wanted to talk to you about some information I got yesterday at the Orange County uh, BCC meeting that uh, I thought that should
come to your attention and and uh, one was the uh, directors of Orange County utilities are offering to the city of Apakka to take 2 million gallons of sewage a day down on the McCormack Road
uh, facility. And uh I know we've had challenges here with meeting some of the needs for your new development. And so I'm hoping um that your staff I'm I'm willing to go, Mayor Nelson willing to go. We could negotiate uh that issue to take 2 million extra gallons of sewage
today. And then uh on Golden Gem, I was able to talk yesterday also to uh Brett Blackadar, the uh executive deputy director of public works. And I'm a little bit concerned about we received I don't know if you've seen it but from your staff another offer uh for you to
take a portion of that road. And I need to go back through the history to tell you why I'm a little bit concerned. The first offer from the city to the county was a basically you would take it over. There would be no money passed. that that meeting uh our board because it
came from you the BCC approved that it came back to you and then Commissioner Nest you probably remember well you asked for 750,000 I heard that meeting I went back to staff talked to them give the give the city 750,000 we voted on that it came back here and
then you wanted more money so this latest offer was to take less of the golden gem road and the remuneration was in the 500,000 range. I I'm having a hard time understanding how we could go from 0 to
750,000 to 7 a.5 million now back to 500,000. So, we want to collaborate with you, whatever that looks like, get staff together if you need me at that meeting to negotiate, but RBCC is not going to vote on that till we hear from you what you would like that deal to look like.
So I hopefully you can get back with me soon because I know that is of supreme interest to everyone that that golden gem road gets taken care of. Thank you. Albert McKimmy Albert McI 3603 Golden Gem Road there's
an adage that knowledge is power therefore who holds the balance of power on this bias. If we are not available to get access to information that the commissioners and the staff
have, you seem to forget that you represent us. If we can't bring to your attention the discrepancies that we feel there are because we don't get access to informations, how can you represent us? continuously things are placed on the
agenda with two or three days prior notice. Now that means that if I apply for public records, I can't get the information I require before it comes here. So I'm denied the knowledge to make a reasoned
uh to to to what we what we're looking at. Here's the first thing that that I that I would suggest. Why are we continuously putting the agendas out only just two or three days before? You guys know there's the
ability to bring emergency resolutions before the city. So that most of the things that that are required urgently could be put in an agenda at the last minute. But why is it not possible to give us the agenda today for a meeting that's happening in two weeks time? That
way I can go and research what I need to know to to bring a reason argument before you guys. It continuously happens that we that this happens. Uh today we've got the roads for Kelly Park. Most
of you aren't aware of what the pioneering agreement is. Most of us haven't seen a copy of the the current documents and I can't get a copy before today's meeting. So again, I'm at a disadvantage because you guys hold the balance of power. You represent us, but you're not representing us if we can't
get the information with we need. Is that it? Okay. Anybody else? All right. Thank you. All right. Uh set of minutes we need to get approved from 11:19. Anybody need to pull change or amend? If not, look for a motion to
approve. Okay. [clears throat] moved. Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, we good. Second. Okay. Got a motion by Commissioner Velasquez, second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. Bradley, any
changes to the agenda? Uh, no changes. All right. Proclamation. Need to read the proclamation for the general election. Need to put my glasses on. It's small print here. Um, mayor's proclamation March 10th, 2026.
the general city general election city of Apakka, Florida. Whereas, in accordance with the provisions of the charter and ordinances of the city of Apakka, Florida, an election shall be held on March 10th, 2026, at which election there shall be elected a mayor and a commissioner for seat one and a
commissioner for seat 2. And where is the term of office of mayor, commissioner seat one and commissioner seat two will expire at 12:00 p.m. on April 28, 2026. It is therefore necessary that a mayor, a commissioner for seat one and a
commissioner for seat 2 be elected at an election of the city of Apakka, Florida. Now therefore, I, Brian Nelson, mayor of the city of Apopka, Florida, as required by law, do hereby proclaim and pronounce that an election will be held in the city of Apopka, Florida, on Tuesday,
March 10th, 2026 from 7:00 a.m. until 7 p.m. for the purpose of electing a mayor, a commissioner for seat 1, and a commissioner for seat 2. Early voting will be available at the Apakka Community Center 519th South Central
Avenue, Apakka, Florida 3273 from Monday, February 23rd, 2026 through Sunday, March 8, 2026. In addition, early voting will also be available at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, 119 West
Kayley Street, Orlando, Florida, from Monday, March 2nd, 2026 through Friday, March 6th, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Only the voters of the city of Apopka residing within the city limits and who are properly registered with the Orange
County Supervisor of Elections or who will be properly registered through February 9th, 2026 may vote in this election. Candidates for set office must qualify with the city clerk be beginning at 12 p.m. on Monday, December the 15th,
200 15 and ending at 12 p.m. on Friday, December 19th, 2025 at city hall, 120 East Main Street, Aopka, Florida. The voting day precincts. Precinct 9104
is the Apakka Community Center, 519th South Central Avenue, Apka, Florida. And precinct 9204 will be at the Northwest Recreational Facility 37 3710 Jason Dwelli of Popka,
Florida. I, Brian Nelson, mayor, hereby appoint the canvasing board for settle selection as follows. The canvasing board will be city commissioner Naughty Anderson, seat three. Uh we have city clerk Susan Bone and an open seat to be announced at a later date. In the event
it becomes necessary to have a runoff election. This will be held on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 from 7:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Precinct 9104, Apakka Community Center, 519 South Central Avenue, Aopka, Florida, and
Precinct 9204 Southwest Recreation, 3710 Jason Dwelli, Apakka, Florida. In witness hereof, I have induced up my hand and caused the seal of the city of Apakka, Florida to be affixed and attested by the city clerk of Apakka this the 3rd day of December 2025.
Okay. All right. Consent agendas. We have seven consent agenda items. Anybody from the public or from the das need to have any of them pulled? If not, look for a motion to approve. Some got a motion by Commissioner Anderson. [clears throat]
Second, second by Commissioner Velasquez. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimous. Next up, award for negotiated contract RFQ 2025-8-232. Thank you, mayor, commissioners. Bland
Sherman, finance director. Before you is again to award a negotiated contract for RFQ 2025 AH232 for the facility needs assessment for the new law enforcement training facility to ADG Architects Design Group.
Staff advertised the RFQ for services um on September 7, 2025. We received the E bids on October 16th, 2025. We had six respondents and the scoring between those six respondents were a large gap.
ADG actually had 98.33 and the lowest score was 66.33 and the other ones were in the 77 range. So at this time just need authorization to staff to negotiate the cost within the appropriate budget and award the contract for the facility needs
assessment for the new law enforcement training facility to ADG. Any questions for Blanch? I just have a quick one. Um, and I I asked these yesterday. The U budgeting for this is kind of coming out of two buckets. Correct. For the training facility.
Correct. Yes. But for the plan for the for the needs assessment as well. Isn't there a prata amount that'll come? I guess explain to us how this is going to get paid for. Okay. We did incorporate a h 100,000 in the police um budget for this um needs
assessment. Okay. So, this won't come out of impact fees at all. It wasn't impact fees that I can recall. It was out of the regular budget. Okay. I'll let you know if that's different, but that's what I recall. Do you feel that this could come out of impact fees,
a portion of para amount? I have to double check. It could. It could, but again, this is almost like a study before you start the actual construction and stuff like that. So, I think it's a kind of gray area with that one. Okay. I mean, anything we can use impact fees for, I think, is is beneficial to
the residents. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions for Blanch? Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? If not, we'll close the public hearing. Look for a motion to approve the RFQ2025-8-232 regarding the facility needs assessment for new law enforcement training
facility to architects design group. So, got a motion by Commissioner Smith. Second. Second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries now. Thank you very much. Thank you. Second amendment to the roadway funding agreement for Kelly Park Road interchange. Cliff Shepard.
Yes, mayor and council. As you know, the roadway funding agreement has also been known as the pioneering agreement. Uh we are at the stage now of entering into a contract and I'm going to discuss that in a minute. Uh but then the the part that this amendment addresses is who will be on the list of contractors that
is approved. We've been asked to add to the list of approved contractors a company called RCS because apparently there's been some good experiences with the company. They've been low bidder in a number of jobs and they do quality work. So question was asked, how do we get to add them to this contract that
was assigned, you know, many months ago, more than a year ago and and and go forward? Well, the way is to amend the contract. That's what this amendment does. It adds to the lift of approved contractors that can be used for this road construction. RCS construction company of Central Florida as a
qualified construction company that's been vetted by the Galvans and apparently most of the pioneers are well familiar with and all like the work and and think there would not only be low bidder but also be the best uh party to complete this work. There's an unanswered question that we don't need to answer today but we do need to answer
and that is who is going to be the party to the contract as the contracting party. It could be the city. It could be a designated contracting party. That hasn't been decided yet. And that's not before you today. What is is whether or not we will be able to add RCS to the list. So, with that, I'll answer any questions.
Any questions for Cliff? I just have a couple questions and it's not specific to to this amendment. I think it's it's somewhat straightforward of kind of what's being asked and and it and so I understand that. It's more so updates on the actual Pioneer Agreement itself. I know we were discussing and had asked about updates on the actual
acquisition of the rightaways. So, I was hoping to get some type of update on that since we're discussing what one is closed. Uh the RJR, which uh was closed a couple of weeks ago, a green buyer, I just got an email on that yesterday from the uh attorney who's
doing the closing and she said that all of the work that was necessary now to set a closing date has been done. easements and so forth that have been done title work and there was apparently some prior title work they wanted to get a copy of because that would save the party some money if they could essentially start from the prior title
work and bring it forward. Um, and so I expect but don't know that the schedule would have the closing probably complete by the end of next week. And that's and then there's a third. The third one I have a meeting with them tomorrow. They're represented by council. Uh I
think that they've been called lovingly the dentists um by the parties. They've been uh represented and not until tomorrow will I know whether they're willing to negotiate or fight. We had made an offer. They have never said no. They
have never said yes. They have said we have concerns about the configuration of the road. We've asked them what are the concerns. We don't have an answer. I expect I'll get some of that tomorrow and perhaps an offer that will resolve it, but then I will know. Those are the three that I'm aware of and that's where they stand.
Okay. So, shouldn't have to hopefully we'll not have to do any type of eminent domain then. Hope so. That's the tomorrow's is the only one that's that's still out there. Okay. Understood. the um I don't know if you can only I think you can answer this. So the attorney's cost
your fees that are associated with this agreement in itself should be being charged to kind of the that pool of funds. I know that's not that's what I'm saying. I don't think it's you. Okay. So I don't know if that's finance director that can answer that and I know that we discussed this yesterday of I'm getting an affirmative head nod of we're
going to kind of take a deeper dive into what your bills look like and then what we can extrapolate out and charge to that fund to kind of get this going. So, I just wanted to make sure um that all made sense. And then the I don't know if this is a you question either. The total amount that's being paid for the Kelly Park Road itself by the developers, I
want to say maxes out at 20 million. Uh with the catch, yes, it's 20 million, but only if an additional five gets added to the pot and the extra five is dependent upon additional properties being added to the to the group of pioneers. As I understand it, at least
as of today, no extra property has been added. Uh I understand or have heard that that there are some property being considered or that may be going through the process. It has to be under the agreement. It has to be annexed, brought in and otherwise if it does, it can be brought in and become part of the
pioneering agreement. And that would amass potentially up to another $5 million. So it is at 15 and change. Uh it could get to 20 and change depending on additional property being added to the agreement. Okay. And then my final question on this
is that there's a provision within the the Pioneer Agreement that basically states that if this road costs more than what we're expecting, we as a city need to be providing the parties of the Pioneer Agreement some type of proof that hey, this isn't going to be 20 or 25 million, whatever it's going to be, whatever the number is going to be,
which again obviously we know that construction we actually had that discussion. Oh. Uh and there's already been collected I want to say 9.7 or so million in impact fees. Okay. And the question and and the reason that discussion was important is because the impact fees could be used to
cover any additional funding but only with the agreement of the pioneers. Uh we had a meeting when I say we I mean staff, the mayor and I and the pioneers several weeks ago. The result of that meeting was we told the pioneers they need to get on the same page with how
they wanted to work it out because that impact fees also serve as a way for them to get back the money that they put in to the to the pool to get the 15 million to start with. So if we start using that impact fee money to come cover any shortfalls, there's the potential that
the pioneers don't get their money back or not as fast as they would or whatever. So they took our quue, they went and talked, and then each one of separately written an email or a letter to the city saying, "We're okay with the city using the impact fees to cover any
shortage if it becomes necessary to do so, and we're we're all good with it internally amongst ourselves." So that's my understanding. Mr. Benata here, he he might be able to tell you something different. Maybe the mayor has additional information, but that's my current understanding. So, no separate agreement needs to be made or amendment
to that. As long as you're comfortable with what's been provided. Well, comforted is is a difficult word. If we were starting all over again, I would probably not have this agreement read this way, but that's where we are. I'm as comfortable as I can be. Okay. Okay. Understood. Thank you. That
those are my questions. I appreciate it. Any other questions for Well, you just mentioned that there were emails forwarded to you from the developers with Actually, they were forwarded through the city meetings that you had. Yeah, they were sent to the city and I got copies. Okay. So, with those emails, can those
emails be shared with each of the commissioners? All right. I I don't know who would I be asking for that. That would be you. Okay. Just so that I can see where um the pioneering agreement. So, yes. Okay. Any other questions for Cliff?
Let me just ask uh did [clears throat] we previously set in motion should we are not able to negotiate a price with the the last land owner that we can go ahead and process in? Yes, [clears throat] we we've done the things that we need to do. We all have passed a resolution so we can
immediately begin a lawsuit. Uh the offer's been made. I suspect it'll be rejected officially tomorrow because there's been so much talk around, well, we don't like the way the road is, but no suggestion of exactly how they want it to be changed. And I can't change the
road. That's going to be up to the pioneers to figure that out. Um, configurationalize that. And so I I was going to at the best I would have been a conduit. Hey, they like they they say they don't like this. What do we What do you want to do about it? Um, so I maybe I'll hear that tomorrow. Maybe I'll just
hear, well, we just want a lot more money. I don't I don't know. And then in terms of the procedure, once I have a number, because I know where the money's coming from and it's not my pocket and it's not Mayor Nelson's pocket, we then send it to the pioneers and say, "Do you think this is a reasonable number to
pay? What do you want us to do?" And we have to get their sign off because I'm not spending my own money or even the city's money at this point. It's the money that they contributed of which uh purchasing a rideway was a part of the reason for having the money. Any
other questions for Cliff? Is that the only parcel that's holding up the expansion? Yes. And I again I call it the densest parcel because it's just sticks in my brain that that's what we've been calling it, but it actually has an address. Um, but they've been represented by a train named Christy
Wilson for several months and we have not made any progress. But they finally did on their initiation after we tried to get them to meet with us for a while say, "Okay, we don't want to meet now." But we tried to get them to meet throughout November. They said their first day available date was literally tomorrow.
Okay. Will you give us a um an update after tomorrow? Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Okay. Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? And Joe, if you'll come down after, that'd be great. Thank you.
[clears throat] Albert McK3 Golden Jamro. Just some observations. I've been really happy with the way the developers have handled things. uh in the Kelly Park area. I'm not so happy with the way the city have handled things. They've not been forthcoming with information and there's a lot of questions that I have that remain
unanswered. One of the questions that I'm looking at just now and my recollection was that during the Pioneer Green workshop, we were speaking about sums of somewhere about $65 million in impact fees to come in to do the roads
right about there. Again, from my recollection, there were $20 million that were going to be uh unaccounted for in that and that $20 million was going to allow for the work to be done in Golden Gem Road and to be done in FA
Road. So my question is now with the delays that have the developers have faced with the uh inability to to go forward on Kelly Park Road, is that going to significantly increase the costs to Kelly Park Road? And if it
does, how's that going to affect the work that we require to do on Golden Gem Road? Way back, I asked you what rehabilitation of Golden Gem Road meant. [snorts] Nobody's ever come up with the answer to that. So, we now have Golden
Gem Road, which has reared its head again today uh to discuss who's going to take over, how it's going to be funded, or what's going to be done. Remember, Golden Gem Road, as I've continuously said, doesn't come in two parts. It's not as simple as a north and south part. There's three parts to Golden Gem Road.
There's an area in front of my property and uh in front of the city's property for the retention ponds that are substandard in as much as they don't have any subbase in them. And that will have to be dealt with because you can't
bring up the north part of the Golden Gem Road to standard and leave that area in between the north and south part without subbase. So, at some point or other, we're going to have to discuss how we deal with that that small section. It's only five or six hundred
yards in length, but at some point or other, that needs to have subbase because it's like a chain. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Golden Gem is only going to be any good if the whole of the road is capable of
being serviceable. And my recollection is that we last spoke we were speaking about $15 million to upgrade Golden Gem Road. If we only had 20 million surplus from the impact fees that means there's not enough money
to do it FA road. Rod Olson, 3156 Rolling Hills Lane. Uh, two questions come up. One, in the initial pioneering agreement, was my understanding that no certificates of occupancy would be issued until a Kelly Park road was brought up to standards
and yet we have development opening and there's been no improvements on Kelly Park other than the immediate entrance into the uh, developments. And the other thing that concerns me is to have one of the commissioners raise the fact that we have information that the mayor has or administration has and the attorney has,
but you don't and you're the ones making the decision. Thank you. Anybody else? Joe, you want to just come up if anything that you want to share? Joe Benady from Wild Oaks. Good afternoon all. uh Joe Beninati,
BKave, Texas, West Palm Beach, Florida, and representing Wild Oaks. And I wanted to make myself available to you all if there are any questions about the Kelly Park Road project. Um but I thought
maybe I'd make a few comments about the project in advance um for the benefit of of the public as well. Um Cliff, I'll echo your comment about semicomfortable. Um, I think we have all gotten to this point through a um, fairly torturous
route. Um but the good news is that um we are now fully funded with uh firm bids in our hands and a potential to sign a fixedpric contract for what will amount to a
four-lane road with a beautifully designed and planted easement um with um 10-ft sidewalks. um I know they're super important to the public as well as to wild oaks and um I think all new modern
21st century signals. So it it will be a piece of infrastructure that we as a community should all be incredibly proud of. It will um I think enhance economic activity. I think it will pro improve um public safety and
it's been a long time coming to reach this point. As far as uh the dollars um we all of the um pioneers have agreed um to the allocation of the funds as Cliff
has described. Um, that means that we currently have on hand funds that exceed the total budget and the total budget also has about $1.75 million of contingency in it. Um, I
could say that our experience working with RCS and they've built tens of millions of dollars of infrastructure for Wild Oaks, including two miles of roads that uh we have not never received a material change order from them. And um
they've been among the most honorable contractors that I've ever worked with in my 35 year career. So um they participated in a very um strictlyrun bidding process uh that Pulos Bennett um
led. They're the engineer of record and um to describe strictly run what Pulos Bennett did is create a data room. All of the biders and there were national, regional and local companies that bid on
this had access to the same information and they had access to the engineer of record to ask questions during the bidding process and then there was a bid deadline and they submitted their bids on the same dates and um RCS was the
winner. Um, we have to amend this agreement because when we signed the pioneering agreement, there were other pre-approved vendors that had also earned a solid track record in Apopka for site work, but um so we wanted to
give them the opportunity to bid on this project. We didn't know RCS at the time. So that is why this short amendment exists um to allow them onto the um Kelly Park Road project. So with that, a couple of other comments
that I would make. I heard something about um road namings. I don't mean to stick my nose in the middle of something that I know nothing about except to say that our marketing team has had on my list of things to do to give them some ideas for names of roads and certainly,
you know, honoring members of the community that uh the public um or the commission may think um is helpful. Um I' I'd be open-minded um to that and I'd impress my marketing people um as well
by doing that. Um, as relates to Golden Gem, um, we are very encouraged to see the city and the county making some progress on that. Um, as the some of, um, the commissioners certainly know,
but, some of the public may already know, we've um, already contributed thousands of linear feet of rightway um, for the expansion of the the Golden Gem Road. So eventually we would love to see that road um built as well.
So with that I um will just open it up for any questions that you all have. Any questions for Joe? Well, appreciate you coming up. Well, I got one quick question real quick. Sure. Um and thank you for being here today. I do appreciate it and and kind of giving some background obviously. So, in the
provision of the the um pioneer agreement, it does state if there's any kind of leftover funds and the president was alluding to this as well, it would go to FE golden gem and things of that nature. From what you're seeing, the numbers that are coming in and being an expert in the industry, do you feel that there will be leftover funds for Golden
Gym to be improved or it's like, hey, it's been a long time. There's going to be an expensive Kelly Park road. It is what it is right now. Expectations, right? Sure. right now. Um, we've delivered over to Cliff a form of a a fixed price contract that, um, we hope that Cliff's
firm can use as a starting point. Um, and the reason we supplied that to Cliff is that when we first met RCS, they were represented by Holland and Knight, a large law firm. We were represented by Lounge. The lawyers haggled over that contract
for maybe three months and sent a big old bill to RCS and to Wild Oaks. In the couple of years that we've been working together, we've never had to refer to that contract. Um we've only, you know, communicated with each other as
gentlemen and gentle ladies. So, um, the reason I delivered it over to Cliff is a, it should save some money to start with a good form. And the second thing is that it is a fixedpric contract. So, we have a budget for the project that
includes the fixedpric contract. And then on top of that budget, we've added a contingency of about $1.8 million. So, if things were to all work out as planned, there could be up to $1.8 8 million that could be um redirected
over that. Okay. Yes. Thank you. All right. Any other questions for Joe? Thank you. Thanks, Joe. Appreciate you coming up. All right. With that with that, I need a motion to approve the second amendment to the roadway funding agreement for Kelly Park Road interchange.
Got a motion by Commissioner Anderson, second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. Next up, ordinance number 3121. Ordinance number 31:21, an ordinance of the city of Apopka,
Florida, amending the future land use element of the Apopka comprehensive plan of the city of Apakka, changing the future land use designation from residential medium to mixed use for property located at 155 MA Street owned
by Magic Magic Houses LLC comprising of.27 27 acres more or less providing for severability complex and an effective date. Good afternoon. This is Jun Planner at the community development department. This item is a continuous of the future
land use amendment presented at city council meeting on October 1st. The applicant has requested a change of future land use of the property located 155 MA street from residential medium to mixed use. The current future land use allows a maximum 10 dwelling unit per
acre and the requested zoning allows 15 dwelling units per acre. The staff recommend um I'm sorry the DRC has recommended approval and the planning commission has anonymously recommended approval. Staff recommendation has not been changed. The
recommended motion is to accept the first reading of ordinance number 3121 and hold it over for the second reading and adoption. Um staff is available to answer any question and public is here to make a presentation and to answer any questions
questions for Jim. So I guess I still I guess I don't have any questions. I still stand with the community. A lot of different um residents around that area reached out to me in regards to this. They do not want town homes in that community. Um it's not uh if you look around the area,
there's no other town homes in the area and it will also decrease the property values in that area further. So I don't think it's in the best interest of that community. They don't want it there and I understand the developers will make more money by putting, you know, making it more, you know, properties in that area or town homes, but it's not
conducive to that area. So I don't support it. I don't think it's a good idea. Any other questions? My concern was that it was continued, continued, continued. But what was the purpose of continuing? Was it that they went out to the
community? I mean, did they go to the community and speak with the residents? Well, let's let's the applic to the applicant, let's any other questions for for June?
Okay. Okay. Any other questions for June? If not, we'll have the applicant come forward then. [clears throat] Good afternoon. My name is Omar Gawad, True Engineering, 3957 Blacktail Court, CMI, Florida. I represent uh Magic
Houses LLC, the developer for this property. Um I'm sure the council um knows the property now and they know I'm sure they've seen the um the plans that we submitted, conceptual plans. Um the
staff uh planning staff has u recommended approval. The uh DRC recommended approval. Um I'm going to get right into the issues of this. Um, in 2004,
City of Apka has entered into a JP agreement with Orange County, October 26, 2004. The proposed smallcale future land use amendment request for a change from residential medium to mixed use is
consistent with the terms of the JPEG GPA second amendment. [clears throat] Uh the when we applied for this um for this application there were eight questions and items to be covered and um
we have met or the developer has met every one of those eight items. Um is it consistent with the goals and objectives and policies of the comprehensive plan and other um adopted city plans? Yes, it
is. Is any conflict with the provisions of the uh LDC land development code? No. City has no objection. Addresses a demonstrated community need. Yes, absolutely. There is a community
need for this. City has staff has no objection. Is it required to change conditions? Um no. City has no objection. Is it compatible with the uh compatible with the existing and proposed uses
surrounding the subject [clears throat] land? Yes, it is. City staff has no objection. Um would result in a logic and orderly development pattern. Yes, staff has no objection.
Um would not result in a significant adverse impact on the natural environment. No. staff has no objection. Um would result in a development that is adequately served by a public utilities.
Absolutely. Staff has no objection. Utilities are available, roads are available. Um we have provided a solution to the storm water. Um everything is checks. It meets all the
comprehensive plan. um uh uh provisions. The city of Apopka has given this to the developers. So I don't think it's um um advisable to take it back. Um the lot
is too small. That could be an argument. the lot is that's the whole idea of the comprehensive plan into the downtown of uh city of Apakka like any other downtown uh Okoi, Orlando, Sanford, uh Winter Garden, they all have been
through this and they have developed it very nicely and now it's becoming an attraction. So this is just the future of the city, downtown city of Papka if you see it that way and you allowed it. So let's do
it. So today I'd like to share with you a small short video if possible. Oh, can you see? Yeah. Um, so this is I'm
sorry. So this this is u just to show the quality of the development uh for magic houses uh LLC in Apatka. Uh these are the qualities that they're bringing into to the city. Um the community is
very happy with it. They have already uh raised the bar uh in in the city. Uh the city by allowing this today they will have three times the tax base. So instead of having one single
family home on this property, now you have three single f three uh multif family into paying taxes to the city. Obviously increases the tax base and it helps uh everybody. The city goes into the future. Downtown Apka becomes um on
on the map. So to wrap this up and not take too much of your time, we are asking to accept um uh the first reading uh of ordinance number 3121
and hold it over to second reading and adoption. Thank you for your times. Any questions for the applicant? I have a question. Was there a was there a community meeting? Yes, of course. There was a community meeting and it was attended. It was very positive and um they loved
they met at one of the houses that was finished in Apopka and u they showed them the quality of that proposed uh quality for the town homes and it was very positive and we everything is documented uh to the city staff.
Okay. So, I have a few questions. So, you referenced that the lot was too small for one house, correct? No, no, I didn't say the lot was too small for you. I said I said I said it could be an argument that is the lot too small. No, it's not too small. It's not too small for one house.
No, no, it's it's okay for one house and the lot cannot be lot split. So therefore, you cannot lot split. So because the lot is small, we're recommending to put three families on a small lot that really is conducive to really one home. the idea of the
comprehensive plan that you have adopted and you have entered into an agreement with Orange County for in downtown. This is downtown district. This is not a normal uh zoning area. The zoning allows it for mixed use. The comprehensive plan allows it. The whole idea is to develop
small lots like this to allow an urbanization of the city like just like what what happened with all the other cities around you in Florida, center Florida. So they had the same issues, quote unquote smaller lots, um that yes can take one single family, but the
comprehensive plan allows it as a vision for the future to see a different product in the city downtown of city of Pap. The concern here is that we will not if this project was introduced in another area in a popup, we would not allow town
three town homes to pop up in the middle of residential a residential community. It's not comparative to the other homes in the area. There's no other three town homes in that area on that street. So, I just don't think it's fair or to that community to put three town homes. It's almost like a quilt. Just going to throw
three town homes in surrounded by single family homes. So, it's not conducive to what's currently in the area right now. Well, this this area is um is a um is a downtown zoning. Are there any other town homes in the area on that street? No, but that will be the the vision of
your own planning staff, but they're currently single family. I just um the residents I spoke to do not feel that it should go there. They feel like it should look like the other. We want that community to start looking like other communities. And if we allow developers to come in because they will
make more money if they sell three town homes instead of one property. So ideally our job is to make sure that we are protecting the community, protecting the value in that community and throwing in three town homes is not in the best interest of the community. Probably the developers will make more money but that is not in the best interest of the
community and it's been brought to my attention by several residents that we will not allow that. Our staff not agree to that in other communities and I would have to agree to that. I do not think that we should put three town homes in the middle of single family single family um other single family um homes. The surrounding properties are also have
the same zoning and the the plan zoning but that's what's not going on right there now. They're single family houses and we're agreeing to throw three town homes in there. But that's just my one vote, my one opinion and other residents in the area and I'm here to represent the community and they have asked me to speak on speak on it and they do not want three town homes thrown in into
their community. Okay, any other questions? Uh I I read a summary of the community meeting and it states that only one person showed up at the meeting. So we have we have advertised according to the uh requirements of the application.
We have advertised we've sent letters 30 letters. Um one of those letters went to the city uh also. So the city had a chance to attend those meetings. Um but the fact that one person showed up doesn't mean that they're uh they had a
chance to voice their opinion. So the people that you spoke to and I'm here to represent them. I'm sorry. I'm here to represent them. They reached out to me as their representative to represent them. So I'm their voice. My point is I uh the the the community meeting was there to allow those people
to attend to voice their opinion as well, but nobody showed up. Like and the only reason why I brought it up because when you was asked was the community meeting held, you said yes and everybody was pleased. And so it made it appear that there was a group of people there when it was actually only one
person there. Yes. One person. That's misleading. True. No. Well, no, the one I said one person attended. Correct. So again, the opportunity was there. The advertisement was there. We send the letters according to the requirements. We have advertised in the newspaper and the but the fact
that one person showed up does not mean that we did not do what supposed to do. All right. Any other questions for the applicant? I know we had one other speaker card, mayor and council parties.
Um, I'm Francina Borin. I live at 1484 Elderton Drive. Apakka. I'm here on behalf of residents who oppose the construction of three town homes at MA on MA Board Street Fifth
Street. The request by applicant for ordinance 3121 shows a total disregard for the residents living on historical MA board street.
MA Board Street and that with three town homes takes away from the single home dwellings that are currently in that location. Walling out or blocking out
current residents with a with three town homes is to me an eyes sore for what is there now that people call their homes. Those homes were built in the [singing] mid80s,
I believe it was. Those same homes on that street or that corridor was one of the reasons that the city of Apache was sued in the 19 early 1980s for discriminating against black people living in the community. So, as black people, we've been running all our
lives. um three town homes times two to three vehicles each unit is going to create a traffic clutter. Uh this is not small scale.
It is the beginning of gentrification of a very quaint historical community. If Mildre A was living today and she was able to come, she would come and say the same thing that she would not agree to
three town homes walling her out of her home, which the house is still there today. Uh where she was born, the house where she was born was built there in 1914, I think it was. And she would let you know that the street is named in her
honor. Um, right now in this, you know, I don't disagree with neighborhood improvements and development, but be more considerate and compassionate of the people who live there.
Uh, you know, I see many homes newly built that's been on the market now for months and months. and poor people who live in the area. If you're improving the area,
you're not improving it for the poor people. Many of the poor people too poor to even pay attention. No one can afford a half a million dollar house, which most are going for. They starting at 350 up to
450. The ones on 10th Street. Thank you. Albert Mckame 3603 Golden Gem Road. I don't have an opinion on what we should or we shouldn't vote for, but I like to ask questions. The question that I wanted to put to you is if we don't
follow the guidelines of the comprehensive plan, does it leave the city open to lawsuits? Because if it does, if you choose to do this to one, then all it's going to do is encourage everyone else who gets a refusal to do the same. What's the point of having a
comprehensive plan? What's the point of a having community development make recommendations if we're not going to follow them? If [clears throat] only one person turned up at that meeting, does that mean only one person had an objection? You can skew facts any way you like. But
here's the real fact. When you guys have meetings here to discuss community development or comprehensive plans, how many people actually turn up? Five or six. If people haven't got the common sense to turn up at the time you're working on
comprehensive plans, it's too late now because we already have have a comprehensive plan that we're supposed to follow. And by not following it, you leave the city exposed to lawsuits. Anybody else? Okay. The applicant wants to come back up. Are you you good?
I'm good. Okay. All right. We'll close public hearing and look for a motion from the council. [snorts] I move to deny the applicant request for the change of zoning for
ordinance number ordinance number 3121 first reading. Okay. Got a motion by Commissioner Anderson to deny support ordinance number 3121 and second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor? I.
All opposed? No. Motion carries 4 to1 with Commissioner Nesta in opposition. Okay. Next up, ordinance number 3143, certified recovery residence. Cliff.
Ordinance number 3143, an ordinance of the city of Apaka, Florida, relating to the land development code, amending part three, article 4, section 4.2, subsections 4.2.2 and 4.2.3,
establishing a process for the review of reasonable accommodation requests for certified recovery residences pursuant to Florida statute section 397.487 487 providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and an effective date.
Council and mayor, uh, as you recall, I brought this issue up previously that you would be seeing an ordinance like this one for, uh, how the certified recovery residents will be permitted within the city of Apka, how they will be reviewed and handled. Um, we have
done a similar ordinance for the I don't know what is it 15 cities or so we represent now. Um, and they're all going through the same process because the deadline is January 6th established by the wonderful folks in Tallahassee. Um, once again, as I said then I repeat,
this is them telling you how to run your city. Um, and you have no real option here but to comply. Your option in terms of how to comply is in determining where within the city these things would be permitted as of right by zoning and how
that would go. And that's where your staff jumped in. We we provide the framework of the ordinance and then the city staff uh through the planning department goes through and decides based on their matrix where they think it fits. That's what this ordinance represents. Uh I would again point out
the deadline is January 6th. So, I'm hoping that with just minor tweaks, if at all, this can get through first reading because it needs to get through second reading and get adopted by that deadline of January 6th. Okay. Any questions for Cliff? Anybody from the public wish to speak on
this one? Hold on. We You asked, are we first and or the public first? You're first. Okay. Questions? Yeah. Yeah. So, you did present this November 5th to us. [clears throat] So, you're saying you tweaked it as in
Explain that again. Yeah. So, the framework is going to be we have to do this, but the city's going to kind of determine where these recovery homes are going. That's what the city did. That's what this ordinance tells you. There's a chart within it. I'm going to pull it up
so I can look at at the same time. I don't know how to do it on here if I can even do that. But, um, within the ordinance itself, it tells you uh the general provisions confidential. Let's see. What does it
say here? Okay. It tells you um the procedure uh to how to apply if you're going to try to put one of these homes in. It tells you uh the how that goes through development review committee. Um, it
tells you that within 60 days uh after receiving a completed application, the DRC, city's DRC reviews the request for reasonable accommodation and makes a determination consistent with FHA andor ADA, American with Disabilities Act guidelines considering the following.
And then it goes through these are, by the way, things that are mandated by the statute in terms of what our level of review is. Uh once the review is complete, the city makes a determination through its DRC uh to approve the reasonable accommodation to allow that
residence in a location as permitted by zoning uh or to not. And if it doesn't, if the answer is to not, it has to be justified in a way that uh doesn't run a foul of the statute. So there's not a fee associated with it. And there's an appeals process. an appeal. One of the
things that we uh each city had to determine was at least at the staff level initially is who would be the appellet body if the decision of the DRC was to deny for example an application. Uh and this was to come back before city
council. We always recommend that and the reason is we figure before anybody's going to get sued the people who are actually elected should have an opportunity to weigh in. And so that's why that's where an appeals process is. So ultimately that's what this does and
uh I'm happy to answer any other questions I can but most of this is mandated by Tallahassee and it just with us given the deadline of January 6th. Any other questions for cliff? No. Not right now. All right. Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one?
Not we'll close the public hearing. Oh, I'm sorry. I just know uh Christine Moore 141 South Central we've dealt with this issue. I had certain neighborhoods in the county that these types of homes seemed to attract and what happened was um we had
a policy that you could they had to be a certain distance apart so you didn't overload that many all in one neighborhood. And so I don't know if I'd be allowed to ask Mr. Shepherd a question, but I was curious if there's any way to limit the number or is it just by zoning because certainly certain
neighborhoods ended up taking the brunt and what we're talking about is um it was particularly over on Lee Road in Kingswood Manor and we were just getting so many group homes in there, it was impacting the quality of life for the residents. So, I was curious if the
legislature left us any way to limit them in these certain zoning areas. Not Not in that not in that way. Um the the the things that we're allowed to review whether the applicant has established they are protected. So if they're a recovery at
residence by definition they are protected. Um and it goes through what qualifies physical mental impairment uh regard as having such an impairment and a record of having such impairment. Then uh whether the accommodation that they're asking for i.e. to be whatever neighborhood they want to be in is
reasonable. Now, you can make an argument perhaps because lawyers fight over what's reasonable and make a lot of money doing so uh about whether it's reasonable to have three or four in a neighborhood. And so perhaps that's where your staff went in in concluding that. But there's nothing specific in the statute that would say, oh, you can
limit to one every, you know, three miles or five miles. There's nothing like that. It's basically whether it's a reasonable accommodation. And reasonleness is where lawyers make money trying to figure it out. All right. Thank you. [snorts] Anybody else? Okay, not we'll close the
public hearing. Look for motion to approve ordinance number 3143. So move. Got a motion by Commissioner Smith. Second. Second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. Next up, ordinance number 3144. And Rob,
you got Glenn pulled up. Okay, good. All right. 3144. Ordinance 3144, an ordinance of the city council of the city of Apopka, Florida, amending chapter 54, retirement systems, article 2, general employees retirement system
by amending section 54-23, contributions to provide for an increase in member contribution rate. Amending section 54-24, benefits, amounts, and eligibility to provide an increase in the retirement benefit multiplier.
Amending section 54-32 minimum distribution of benefits to adjust the required minimum distribution age providing for codification providing for severability providing for conflicts and setting an effective date.
So Frank are you up and then you can pull up this is the Glenn is our pension attorney. He's works out he's out of Tallahassee so he just should be zooming in. Yeah. So, good afternoon. Frank Mega.
I'm with Hine Consulting. We are the pension plan administrator for the city of Apakka general employees pension plan. Um, so this amendment uh just to give you a a little bit of history here. Um, uh, the membership is ones that drive benefit enhancement or requests
for benefit enhancements. Um, ultimately it's uh at the respect of the commission to consider, the city to consider any benefit enhancements. So, the pension board cannot make any enhancement changes. So over the last 12 to 18 months um the membership has shown interest in doing a benefit enhancement
of some type. Uh there was a lot of ideas thrown out there and the pension board did do um what's called a benefit impact study and part of that study includes a lot of options and what are those costs of those options and the cost to the city. Um and uh ultimately
uh the pension board uh recommended a few options uh to be presented to the membership um to be considered to then present to the uh commission for consideration. So, as part of that process, I worked um our firm worked
with uh HR, city HR, and doing an online um kind of voting of what those enhancements were. And the two enhancements at the time were uh incre increasing the benefit multiplier from 2.75% which it is currently to 3%. uh or
adding a provision of what's uh referred to as kind of a 30 years accredited service regardless of age and being able to retire under normal retirement uh non-reduced um circumstances. Both of those options uh were presented with the membership uh increasing their
contributions from currently 4.9% to 5.5%. So um after that uh survey went out there was I believe approximately 187 active uh general employees that participated in that. I think there's about 260 active uh completely. So it
was a very good turnout and it was overwhelmingly 185 to2 in favor of what's in the amendment to increase the benefit multiplier from 2.75% to 3%. Um so there is an impact study that goes along with that. So obviously there's
cost to any benefit in um increase and this cost is being shared both by the city and the membership by increasing that multiplier. So I'll be happy to answer any questions uh that you may have or that I can't answer or if Glenn who is the plan attorney wanted to add anything additional today.
Glenn, are you you there? Yes. Can you hear me? Yes. Yes. Anything you want to add before we open up for questions? No, I'm just uh here if anybody has any questions. You turn off one of your devices. You've got reverberation.
Come, come back. Think he had two devices going at the same time. Did we lose him? Did you want to add anything, Glenn? No, I don't have anything to add. Okay. All right. Any questions for Frank
or for the pitch attorney? Well, I have I have attended preh previous meetings. When was the last time that they even had an increase? I may I don't have that historical, but I believe this was introduced probably
10 or 12 years ago. Um so yeah, if maybe John John Hansen, building official. I've been on the pension board for I think about 12 years now. We've never had an increase. Um, police and fire have had a couple of each. I know they get it's
different for them, but yeah, we we've never had an increase. Okay. Yeah. Any other questions for Frank or So I I just have a in reference to the total amount of change or contribution that's going to be coming. It's what
we're estimating I guess is 240,000 from the city of Apka and then 82,500 in totality from the general employees. Is that correct? That would be prrated for this year based upon uh it being approved after the second reading which is about a
third of a fourth of the year in you know a quarter in. So this would be what would be the prrated for this coming year. Uh the line above that that change um all the way to the right is what would be estimated based upon the 2024 annual valuation from the actuary. So
this is all based upon 2024 um end of fiscal year which was the last annual valuation that is on file. Okay. And then will that that's going to continue to increase though year-over-year. Correct. That's not a fixed cost. uh it's not fixed but uh I can't really answer increase or
decrease. It's all there's a lot of factors that go into that. Um you know I can't speak on behalf of that from an actuarial perspective but every year the valuation will do what was your market value what what did you earn? What did you lose? How many employees? What's the salary rates? How much contributions are putting in and then they would decide
that at the time it's provided to the board. The board's approved and then finance uh takes a role in that from a budgetary perspective for the next following year. And is that and that's reconciled every year. Every year and and that's correct. So from that from I guess and the annualized number for that the
additional cost of the employees is about $250 a month. Is that an excuse not a month a year? Is that is that an accurate number blanch? Because yesterday when we spoke we had 442 general employees if that's correct. So the 825 if you divided that
by that well I did the 110 since that's an annualized number. Yeah. If you did the 110. Yeah. Okay. And that's budgeted staffing. Okay. Understood. And then the 240 that we would be paying or 320 moving forward. What do we have that budgeted on the city side already
for this or where would that come out of? Not yet. And as we spoke during our briefing u we come back for the second reading. I would at that time if it's approved I will propose to you either I come back it with a budget amendment for this or I show you that we can absorb
this through vacancies and attrition and not necessarily have to move it because of the vacancy. Okay. Okay. And then there was a a reference to um that there was a decision made between either doing I guess the multiplier or at 30 years of service regardless of age
they would be able to realize a full um 100%. is that are are I guess why do those have to be mutually exclusive? Uh they they don't it just costs more money to do both. So uh when the benefit impact study was done there was several
factors included and one of them was combining it the cost is very very high lot higher than this. So typically when you do this from a fire and police perspective, uh unions are involved. There's negotiations, right? Uh with the city, this is the membership. So uh you got to take into account just what is
the appetite of the commission and what would be something that is mutually beneficial that could be proposed uh that would hopefully be um considered and accepted. Okay. So understood. And obviously we have quite a bit of employees here. So, I'm interested to see hopefully some of
you will speak or give a head nod or a note to this to kind of give some feedback of where this needs to go and how this needs to go. So, I appreciate you all being here as well. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions for Frank? John want anything you want to add or you you good
the 6% that's going up of course will be before taxes. I mean, and I just think this is a heck of a deal for the employees. I mean, we've been wanting this for since the last administration. I mean, it's been a long time and it's put on, put away, put away, put away, put away, put away. Now,
it's out there. Let's get it done. And I just want to say I'm definitely in support of it. I know that our, you know, our employees work hard for the city. We appreciate what you guys do. We want to make sure that we actually retain good employees. So, I'm definitely in favor of of the increase. Absolutely. [cough] So, [clears throat]
city employees, everybody good? If you're good, raise your hand just so we don't Okay. [laughter] Okay. So, anybody against? All right. Okay. That's Anybody else want to speak from? Sure.
S McKenna, 3432 Rock Springs. Mamboick Drive, Rock Springs Ridge. Uh, I work up and down the state with uh, public works guys all over the place and the hardest roles to fill are these guys. Your fire guys, your police guys get good pay, they get good pensions and the unions do
that. These guys don't get that. So, personally, me as a taxpayer, give them what they need. Keep them. Thank you. All right, Cliff. I uh and Glenn, I I brought it forward when obviously I'm in the the general employee um pool. So I I
I asked about whether I should vote on this and and I guess question to you is I I think Glenn would agree I should probably recuse myself from the vote since I'm a part of this. Well, I haven't checked and I will say
that that's certainly a safe path that it's justified. they can find a justification in the statute. But if you want to have just a little bit of education, the usual carve out because if you'll think about this, you all vote on whether you have salary increases because that is required because somebody's got to do the vote. You'd all
have to recuse yourselves. And so there's a carve out typically when it comes to your salary and your benefits. But having said that, if that's the path that you feel comfortable doing under the circumstances, there's other part of the statute when there hasn't been an inquiry in advance to the commission on
ethics that says if you believe you may have a conflict, you can declare it and then you fill out the form just like anyone else. Sure. Okay. Thank you, Cliff. All right. Anybody else? If not, look for a motion to approve ordinance number 3144. Got a motion by Commissioner Anderson,
second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor? I and with one abstension, Mayor Nelson. Okay. Next up, ordinance number 3148. [applause] Now, fix those potholes, guys. [laughter]
Okay, I'll read this. I'll read the ordinance. Ordinance number 3148, an ordinance of the city council of the city of Aapka, Florida, amending chapter 54, retirement systems, article 4,
police officers retirement system by amending section 54-134, minimum distribution of benefits to adjust the required minimum distribution age, providing for codification, providing for severability, providing for complex, and setting an effective
date. Right. So, Frank Mega again, plan administrator for the uh police plan as well. So, um the just to make sure we're doing please. Yeah. So, this is a change. This is
driven by a secure act 2.0. So, this is something that was signed I believe um end of 2022. Uh there are a lot of uh governmental plan kind of um regulation changes that have to take place, but nothing is really pressing. You have until 2027 to do some of these things.
Uh but one of them is a required minimum distribution age uh from that perspective. So this is a no impact to the plan. It is required by both federal and state statutes to do that. Um and I'll turn it over to Glenn and if he has anything to add on that.
No, just it's just a technical amendment. It's uh something that has to be done eventually. Anyway, yeah, I have a question. So, it changes the age from 7 and a half to 73 and however we're not required to
do this in 2027. Correct. So, you want to not required to make the amendment. Uh the plan's required to operate in this manner. Um that is that that 2027 date is just the date the uh
federal government requires governmental plans to actually incorporate the change into their plan document. Uh the plan's already required to operate in accordance with this. Did you did you catch it? So uh basically Glenn so Glenn
it's just hard to hear. I'll I'll kind of reiterate what you just said. So the plan has to operate in this method right now. So the 2027 rule is just to make sure it's in the plan documents and amended. And so any amendment that's done here, those are all updated in the plan documents and then those are all provided to uh each active employee as
part of an summary plan description or I kind of given away my age cliffnotes versions of all of all the amendments. Uh so the plan is operating and must operate under these since 2023. Um but the from a um perspective of a commission and getting this in the
amendment, it's got to be done by 2027. So, they've already been operating since 2023 with this current. Okay. I just want to make sure we're not affecting the current. Okay. Correct. Somebody retiring like, "Oh, you can't retire me." Okay. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions for Frank on this one? No.
Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? Not to close the public hearing. Look for a motion to approve ordinance number 3148, first reading, and hold over for a second reading and adoption. Got a motion by Commissioner Smith, second by Commissioner Velasquez. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion
carries unanimously. Next up, ordinance number 3149. Ordinance number 3149, an ordinance of the city council of the city of Apakka, Florida, amending chapter 54, retirement systems, article 3, firefighters retirement system by
amending section 54-81 minimum distribution of benefits to adjust the required minimum distribution age, providing for codification, providing for severability, providing for complex, and setting an effective date. Frank.
Afternoon again. Frank Mega, uh, plan administrator for the firefighters pension plan. Uh, this is an exact duplicate of what we just discussed on the police plan. Uh, nothing changes. There's no impact. It's just updating the amendments um as Glenn had put um to be in line for the Secure Act 2.0 that
passed um December 31st, 2022. And the plan is operating within these realms today. Any questions for Frank? Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? close public hearing. Just, you know, while you're here, I just and while Glenn's here, I just want to, you know,
uh, to thank our our team, uh, finance and and Frank and Glenn and, you know, we've really worked hard to keep get our our plan and really solvent in a solvent position. Uh, several years ago, we reduced the rate of return on our plans
from 7.25% 25% down to seven, which basically then puts more money from the city into the plans to make sure they're they're more solvent that we have got the ability to pay not a claim, but to pay for a retirement. And then just last year, we we have now because, you know,
we're a lot of the national actuarials are saying, hey, maybe even seven is a little too high. So what we're going to do over the next five years, we're going to reduce that that rate of return from 7% down to 6.75 so that we know that we have adequate
reserves to pay the the employees as they retire because the last thing you want to do is, you know, be a Detroit and have, you know, 40%, you know, funded pension plan with no way to pay, you know, people that that that's their li that's how they they they survive. So, I want to thank the team for for
really working hard to get us in a position where we're on all of our plans we're above 90% funded. Um, we're doing which is which is a really high number. Frank, any I mean in of the ones you've seen. Yeah. Um, so funding varies, you know.
Um, 90% is very very good. I would say average is in the high 70s, even 80. Um, so be very happy where you are. Um, but yeah, I echo everything you just said as well. Do do we have a a few months ago there was like an overpayment underpayment uh issue? Is there any update of what
happened with that or was there a res resolution because there was attorneys here that we didn't even know that were kind of representing that. What happened with that? I can honestly don't I can speak I don't know. So I'm in a third party administrator. I'm a TPA. So we're completely independent and hired by the
boards. Uh empower is um uh they're your they have a lot of roles within the pension plan. So, they're the ones ultimately are the actuary and the custodian and responsible for that. I can only say that um I believe there was some legal uh from an attorney
perspectives just being spoken with behind the scenes. Uh I can't share anything additional because I just don't know. We we we've hired an attorney to look at the the underfunded um pension plans or not pension plans, pension pension errors, I guess would be the appropriate
term. Um I just I talked to him today. I think within the next couple of weeks we should have, you know, a good feel for where we are in and hopefully this doesn't come to a lawsuit with empower but but that will definitely we we want
to have all the information from. So we'll probably have an update for you in in a couple of weeks from our our pension plan not pin pension plan attorney but our pension pen pension plan litigate litigator I guess. So
that's hired by the the board effectively. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Understood. Thank you. Okay. All right. Thanks. Thank you. All right. Next up, city council report. Commissioner Neesto, why don't you get a start?
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Got Yeah. Need a motion to approve ordinance number 3149. So, got a motion by Commissioner Velasquez. Second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. Commissioner Nester, why don't you get us started?
Absolutely. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Um, obviously this week we're doing Shop with the Cops, so that's been very fun. And we're obviously getting to the holiday season where it's multiple events every night, which is really fun to do and just see um a lot of kids enjoying their time, families coming together. So, it's just
cool to see a great time. Um, just the consistent reminder of my office hours every Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. here at City Hall. Uh, you can either make an appointment or come on in. Um, 30 minute sessions there. And if you're not uh comfortable coming into city hall, I'm happy to make accommodations otherwise to meet you
wherever and whenever uh makes the most sense for you. Otherwise, that's it. Thank you, Commissioner Smith. I just want to say I attended the shop for the cops uh last night. It was great to see parents and their kids there uh receiving those toys and the police
department is doing a great job and they even did a random act of kindness as well. Uh that went over well. So, uh, there to be commended for a job well done. Uh, I won't be with you the rest of the week. Uh, I have other obligations I have to attend to. And,
uh, just want to say as the Christmas holidays are coming about, uh, let's not remember we still need to give. There's still people that are in need that need some assistance. And so, we'll be doing some things as well. It's all cool. All right. Commissioner Blas.
Uh, few things. Um, first I just want to kind of outline and say uh a great job with Vali here because I have the email that we I believe the email was
from Marcia Olter regarding the Hawthon Oaks Pond flooding and [clears throat] um she sent the last email really praising everything that you've done, all the work that you've done to eliminate the flooding and she actually sent the email thanking
Commissioner Nester and uh Valddemir for all the work that uh actually that he has done over and above to kind of finally resolve the issue that was uh there at the flooding. So I just you know I got the email from her and I was
copied. So I just wanted to kind of bring uh bring attention to that. Um also I had um the finance director we were as we know that uh I had a constituent calling regarding the
uh public media boxes that we have all over the city and there was an issue where there was no revenue uh posted for uh 2024 and 2025. But we found some
revenue that was posted for 2025 and that was the 14,000. But we don't have anything for 2024. And then the contract, the question was how long the contract uh that we have with those uh public media boxes. And
that goes to 2027. To what date? 2027. 2027. And that revenue runs a year in the rears. So, and we're reaching out to them. That revenue that we got in 2025 is actually
for their year of 2024. Oh, so it's 2024 to 2025. Yeah. It runs like from June of 2023 to July of 2024. And we got that in 2025. So the question is after 2027 those media
uh the public media so uh boxes really serve no purpose. They don't really bring us much revenue and I think uh as the constituent said and I do agree with them is that it's sort of an eyesaw around the city having those boxes.
Well, I I would disagree in that when you have all the the glued on um invitations or for sales and all that is it. No. Yeah. Would you rather have that or have a
clean box that they they have to maintain? So, I you know, obviously it'll come up. We'll and we'll discuss it at times. I'm I'm looking at the revenue from 2020 till now and we really haven't made it. It's not a big money maker. The
question is do it it's either money maker or money loser because if we've got to go out and clean up those boxes every every three months boxes were put there when we agreed to this. No, they're over they're over they're over the the the telephone boxes.
They're not just a a box. And keep in mind that I will say this, it is going into the streets. Fun. Yeah. For sidewalks like the first the first one we did, we we finished that little gap between Vic Road and the first neighborhood going
east on Pon can. So it was a nice little chunk of road which was was important. So yes, it's not a lot of money. I agree. But there are boxes underneath though. They they it's a box over a box. It's not a it's not just a a box out there. It's the It's the the traffic light box
with all the their their equipment in there that Well, Vlad's nodding his head. So, yeah, it's it's it's the the We're good. We're good. But anyway, so we'll discuss. And what I've seen a lot of when uh they're having concerts and things,
they would come and paste Yeah. their advertisement over that box and then it it it looks nasty and dirty because then somebody's come and paste something else on top of it. month the stickers and everything else. And so I think having the advertisement there is
a deterrent from them doing that. We'll bring it up. We'll bring it up. Yep. You got it. It's a diff it's a difference of opinion. Sure. Absolutely. Um the Apaka newsletter, we did receive that and there was a question regarding market on fifth which I did verify with our uh
finance and just to remind our public that we do have a contract with market on the 5th and we did hear we did renew their contract with the partnership with the city on September 3rd of this year. So the contract goes from October of 25
to October of 26. And that is the reason why we advertise market on the 5th because we are in we partner with them. That was the other question. Um and being that I heard Mr. Simon McKenna
is he here? So I will address the Rock Springs Ridge um issue after he speaks because obviously he was invited to come. I had init I had emails going back and forth regarding
uh Mr. Simon McKenna had um posted on the next door neighbor asking for residents to come and sign some petitions for you and he had made some claims on the social media that he was in negotiation with you regarding the
purchase of the defunct golf course. And uh when I spoke with at the agenda review, I spoke with our chief administrator, with our finance, with our community uh director, and there seems to be no no
information or no requests from Rock Springs regarding the defunct golf course. So, the messaging that's going on the social media and I have uh neighbors and residents asking me about the golf course and the truth is I have no information for them.
Okay. All right. Commissioner Anderson, in the spirit of the holiday season, if there's any families that are in need of any type of toys or any type of food, um please reach out to my office. There are a lot of organizations that are willing to donate. Um I have a lot of events that's actually um going to be happening
between now and Christmas. So, please just watch my Facebook page, but if you need anything, please, please reach out. And remember, it's the holiday season and just try to be kind and loving to everyone you meet because you never know what someone's going to going through. Thank you, Commissioner Anderson.
All right, Bradley. [snorts] Good afternoon. Uh, just back again with our monthly utilities meter replacement program status update. Um [clears throat] looking at the numbers for the last month, we did drop another percentage of estimated uh
billings uh down to 14%. Remind our goal uh internal goal by end of 2025 is hit 12%. So over this next uh month of December, uh we have two percentage points we're trying to catch up on. Uh, of note, uh, the team over utility
operations has made a drastic impact on our meters that did [snorts] not currently have a flex net equipped onto them. Uh, we did tackle 466 of those in the month of November. Due to the timing of the billings and the readings, a lot of those did not get captured in these
November numbers. So, we do expect that those obviously will get captured in December. It's an even larger decrease in the estimated billings. uh November we processed 1,517 work orders and uh
reduced the no reads uh down to 2,687. Uh just an update on the new uh base station that's uh on the Orange County West Tower. um that was uh placed on the tower a couple weeks ago and actually today I did receive confirmation that
the modem uh for that tower was being installed and we should have readings starting to come in tonight. So that will also help with that uh northwestern coverage area uh on the map. So we're excited to see those uh that tower come
live. When was that tower? The date of that tower. Sorry, the date of that tower. the date uh two weeks ago. Orange County. Yeah, I think it's about two weeks ago. Okay. Uh they were on site uh adding it to the
tower and then today they're back putting the modem and the communication Okay. equipment onto it. Uh in addition, I shared at at some of the at the review agenda reviews um and I did provide a copy just for you all to see. Our utility operations public works
department are working on a formal internal policy uh pursuant to ordinance number 2205 section 2-106. And basically this is um extraordinary expenses that arise from
utility line break or leakage. So, uh, really what this is to help address is if we have contractors that go out in the rightway, the city rightways, and they're doing work, construction work, and they hit one of our service lines. Um, obviously we have to go out and
repair it. There's a cost to that and we are developing a formal internal policy that will run through the city attorney's office to ensure we're aligned with the ordinance and state statutes and any recommended adjustments to ordinance that will help us provide more teeth to recovering some of those
uh costs. Uh we'll bring that back forward to the council. Just wanted to give you a look at what we are doing uh with the team to document when these occur. uh we document the staff that respond, the equipment that's used, the supplies, materials, all those things
that go into that to generate a cost uh of that damage. So again, the the goal is to improve the cost recovery on these incidents and events and uh our team's doing a great job documenting that. So like I said, as we finalize that formal in uh internal policy and get some
review with the city attorney, if we need to make some recommended changes to the ordinance, we'll be back in front of you for that. That's all I have. Thank you, Cliff. Uh [clears throat] much not much way of report, but just uh I wanted to to have
you realize and acknowledge that I believe it was yesterday number of people from the town of Eatenville staff met with staff from Apka uh to try to get some guidance on how we do things here versus how they do things there. And since you all share an
attorney and me, uh they thought that would be a good idea to do. And when I got to the meeting last night, I did not know in advance this was going to occur. Uh but I was told that the meeting was exceptionally uh wellreceived by everybody. They were delighted with the
response from the and the help they got from the people here. And the only one I remember for sure they mentioned was Blanch. I don't know who else was involved, but I do know that they were very very pleased and happy and thought they were treated well and they learned a lot and they they like that they've
established this uh relationship and so I wanted to pass along that to you all and my thanks for participating whoever was involved. You did great. Thank you. Thank you. All right, last up. Okay, so a couple things. But one is so was the
the night or the day after last council meeting I went to Tallahassee uh was asked by the League of Cities to to talk about the property tax and um obviously they're moving forward. They didn't I don't know they I think they listened but um we'll see what tax proposal comes
out of the house. I think that we'll at some point we'll the Senate will take take it up and hopefully it's something that we can we can live with. Obviously reduce, you know, eliminating all homesteaded property tax will will devastate our budgets and I don't you
know so hopefully they can come up with with funding to to replace that. Um so we will you know time will tell. Um obviously session starts in January. So just keep your eyes peeled for um the the House proposal and what what happens
to it in the uh in the Senate. Um, I had a meeting with uh, Mayor Dimmings about a sales tax initiative that they're'll be looking at uh, with like the one they they they tried to get passed in 2022 and and maybe in a
different form kind of like more like the the one that Seol County's got. So, I guess just keep keep your eyes posted and looking for what what that looks like. Yeah. to um to Cliff Shepard's um uh compliment. Yeah, I want to thank our
whole finance team. We had the whole finance team there and Radley Williams with Eatenville and a lot of great conversations. You know, we we obviously we're we do their dispatch, but you know, we're a sister city here in Orange County and we want to make sure that, you know, whatever we can do to help. Obviously, we've got more, you know,
more um more staff that we can, you know, more specialized staff that can help. So they had um they had their parks and wreck um team was there. They had public works was there. Clerk was there. Uh city administ city man city
administrator and who am I missing in finance. So yeah, it was a really good meeting. uh they asked a lot of great questions and so uh I guess we'll have a they're probably going to split out now and look at you know clerk to clerk and finance director to finance director and public works to public
works you know as they need need to drill down on some you know procedures that that maybe they don't have in place or you know policies and so we're going to obviously and HR was another another area they had some concerns about so we you know we said we're we're there to help them any way we can and so we um as
a sister city we want to we want to help where where possible. Um, next up, the the uh chamber annual dinner awards are tomorrow night at 6 pm at Highland Manor. Uh, our firefighter and police officer of the year will be, I think,
given an award. So, that will be a good uh a good opportunity to to um celebrate the the achievements at those departments. Um, obviously, Friday night uh will be our tree lighting ceremony. So everybody come out 6 pm Kitland
Nelson Park. Should be a great time. Uh looking forward to uh a lot of great um we got a lot of great music. Got you know a lot of crafters and all kinds all kind of things to come down and and be a part of. Uh the foliage the 49th annual
Christmas parades Saturday December the 13th uh 10 o'clock. Uh then on the same day at 1 p.m. our we do the Reese across America at not only our Greenwood Edgewood Cemetery but also Bay Ridge Cemetery.
And then we we end the night at um out at the amphitheater with the Silent Nights holiday concert which by UCF and their the orchestra and their um their choir. So really good time. So get there early because it'll be it'll be a packed
house. Uh for New Year's Eve, we got both uh an event going on here on Fifth Street. Uh and also one over at Hurricanes. Uh don't know of anybody else that that will be putting on events that you know we will we will share as that comes
along. So uh look forward to to that. Um, see next up got a got a uh text from from um um Scott Blue from Matthews Hope and Orange County now has given the
approval for the sleeper bus. So u I'm going be reaching out to some of the area churches and whatnot to see what they're looking for is a an area or a spot to put this this um the sleeper bus. Uh one of the things that they need they need is a 50 amp breaker. So, we've
got to make sure we either have that and it might be six months before we get the sleeper bus, but it it's it's on its way. And so, we just want to make sure we've got the the location. So, if you've got any locations that that people um that would make sense, you know, feel free to give us a call
because we got to get with Duke Energy uh to to make sure we've got the the power uh needed to to to run the sleeper bus. And then last, uh, and certainly not least, I always like end on a good note, and I know Commissioner Velasquez had brought it up, but I just, yeah, was
pretty nice. Uh, compliments don't always come as as often as you'd like. But, uh, the one from Marcia Usler was really pretty neat. And I just couple things I highlighted in her her email. It says, you know, complete solution to the significant problems with our neighborhood storm water runoff. This is
right on Old Dixie. Uh she met with two storm water guys at SA Popk and watched as the water in front pond brushed and they loosened the clog in the well head. Uh our pond continue to drain and is now at a level that is back to normal. I realize that many of your efforts were
off the clock. Your efforts were to investigate were investigative dogged and tenacious on our behalf. Thank you Vladimir and your team for caring for making this time and putting in the extra effort. So with that,
uh, may be before you close, I just, excuse me, like for us to consider, um, Commissioner Harrison brought up, uh, in reference to Corporal James Roger Griffin, uh, in naming the, uh, Alisa Park. And then, if I heard correctly,
uh, from Wild Oaks, they said they was willing to name a street, uh, there in his honor. And so I just like for us to consider uh one or the other. If Wild Oak doesn't do that, then we consider doing all the schools. Commissioner, I perfectly happy with
that. My only Yes. If we're going to do this for and listen, I I I commend Commissioner Anderson for Commissioner Aerosmith for bringing this forward, but Commissioner
Smith deserves recognition. And I if we're going to give anybody recognition, he he didn't ask for it, but I'm saying we got to give him recognition first before we give, you know, Roger Griffith. Well, Mayor, if you remember my either
first and second year on commission, I asked that we name a road Yes. after Commissioner Aeros Smith and not sure what happened, but anyway, uh I I don't see a problem with us if Wild Oaks is
willing to do both. Okay, we will we will we will look around. I Bobby will come up with some some ideas. I think too we should probably let the um residents give us names and then we figure out who because I because well do
how do we choose who we give a street to? you know. Yeah, we don't really have them. Yeah. So, I think it would be best if we open up where we have like a maybe give 30 days so the different residents can submit names and then whoever name is you know and then kind of look at different names because what if every week someone come present a name. So, I
want to make sure we have some type of fair process so that way I I understand but you know we've got you know we've got the two commissioners we got you know Billy Dean's got a park after him a building after him. We got um London Williams. We got and both in service as long on city
council as Okay. And I understand what you're saying, but I just want to make sure to open it up for Absolutely. Have a processing. Have a processing. Sure. You got it. And that's fine. After we do these two. [laughter] Oh, one last thing I forgot. Um it's uh Chief Quinn Henry's birthday. So, happy birthday. It is.
What's today? Happy birthday. [laughter] Oh, happy birthday. And she's at work. All right, that's it. Thank you. Thanks, everybody. Who's this?