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If you wish to speak to any item on the agenda or during the public comment portion of the meeting, please fill out a speaker card. Each person addressing the board shall have three minutes to complete his or her comments on each agenda item for which he or she has filled out a card. The chair has the
discretion to determine or alter the time limits on any agenda item. The board of county commissioners requests that speakers appearing under the public comment section of the agenda limit their comments or presentations to matters relating to county business that are within the board's control,
authority, and jurisdiction. Good morning again. Welcome to the May 20th regular county commission meeting. We have a quorum. I'll call the meeting to order. We have an imitation today by Reverend Jeffrey Gross with Cocoa Beach
Community Church. Sir, you're recognized. Let us be in the spirit of prayer. Gracious and loving God, we give thanks for this day and for the opportunity to gather in service to our community. Be
present among us as we consider matters that impact the lives of our neighbors, families, and future generations. Grant wisdom and discernment to the commissioners and all who serve in leadership. May their discussions be marked by
collaboration, integrity, and compassion. Yes. Help them to listen with open hearts, speak with honesty, and act with justice. We are grateful for the gifts and diversity of our county. For all
those who live and work here, for those who labor daily to make it a better place, strengthen our unity and inspire us to care for one another with kindness and humility. In a spirit of peace and
shared purpose, we offer this prayer. Amen. Thank you, sir, very much. Commissioner Goodson, for the pledge. Place of rights of and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, commissioners, we do not have minutes for approval. We have two, I should say, I have two resolutions today. We're going to get right to it. The first one is for
National Public Works Week. That's it. Should be about half the audience. They're coming from the right. Okay. All right. Okay. Whereas public works professionals focus
on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to the public health, high quality of life and well-being of the people of Bvard County. And whereas these infrastructure, facilities, and services
could not be provided without the dedication of these first responder public works professionals who are responsible for rebuilding, improving, operating, maintaining, and protecting our nation's transportation, drainage, water supply, water treatment, water quality, and
solid waste systems, public buildings, and other essential facilities. And whereas it is the p in the public interest for the citizens, civic leaders and children in Bvoulevard County to gain knowledge of and maintain an ongoing interest and understanding of
the importance of public works and public works programs in their communities. And whereas the year 2025 marks the 65th annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association and Canadian
Public Works Association. And whereas the Bvard County Public Works Department maintains 1,150 miles of paved roads, 82 miles of dirt roads, 717 mi of sidewalk, 99 mi of
curb and gutter, 952 mi of drainage ditches and swailes, more than 19,000 drainage pipes, 48 bridges, over 65,000 signs, 370 traffic signals, 600 67 street
lights, 190 traffic warning beacons and school zone flashers, and 4.4 million square feet of county buildings while overseeing over 750 active projects. And whereas the Bvard County Solid Waste Management Department handles 4,000 tons
of solid waste daily, disposing of 1.2 2 million tons per year and diverting more than 1 million tons annually through recycling efforts. And whereas the Bvard County Natural Resources Management Department sweeps
more than 6,000 lane miles of curbed streets, maintains 485 storm water treatment facilities, removes millions of pounds of nutrient-rich aquatic vegetation from storm water ponds, and conducts hundreds
of inspections to protect local water quality and ecosystems. And whereas the Bvard County Utility Services Department works to ensure compliance with all federal and and state environmental laws while maintaining and upgrading essential water, sewer, and reuse
systems for the safety and benefit of current and future residents. And whereas we recognize and honor the people, purpose, and presence of these first responder public works professionals and encourage all citizens to celebrate their essential role in
safeguarding health, safety, and quality of life. Now therefore, be it resolved that the board of county commissioners of Bvoulevard County, Florida, does hereby designate the week of May 18 to the 24th, 2025 as National Public Works Week, done ordered and adopted in
regular session this 20th day of May. Is there a motion? Move to approve. So we have a motion by Commissioner Delaney. We have a second by Commissioner Altman. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner
Alman. Yes. Chairman Felner. Yes. Congratulations. Mark, you're recognized. [Applause] Thank you. And uh good morning, commissioners. Uh thank you for your support for the resolution recognizing
National Public Works Week and to Commissioner Felner for sponsoring it. By supporting this resolution, you're honoring the men and women who uh keep our county functioning. I speak today on behalf of the directors of the primary county departments that perform public works functions and the more than 700
employees who serve our community each and every day. Now in its 65th year, this celebration honors the vital infrastructure and services that keep our community safe and functioning. This year's theme, people, purpose, presence, uh reflects the dedicated individuals
who show up daily driven by a shared mission to serve. Our teams manage the daily operations of roads, storm water, wastewater, solid waste, and much more. During emergencies, they're often first on scene and typically the last to leave. Their quiet dedication is why
public works is often called the silent arm of public safety, and President uh George W. Bush formerly recognized public work professionals as first responders back in 2003. Thank you again for your continued support and for recognizing the essential work of public
work professionals across Bvard County. And to those listening here online, if you want to make a difference, visit bvardfl.gov. From mechanics to engineers to scientists to admin staff and everything in between, we are hiring. Thank you. That's great. Good pitch.
I I think we should all uh take a picture with Okay. All right. One, two, three. One, two, three. Perfect. [Applause] Okay. I also have a resolution for EMS.
Chief, anybody you want to bring with you today, okay? Whereas emergency medical professionals and volunteers provide medical care to victims of sudden life-threatening injuries and illness, often under stressful conditions and in
high-risisk situations to save lives. And whereas the 2025 National Emergency Medical Service Week theme, EMS professionals, we care for everyone, reminds us that Bvard County's residents and guests benefit daily from the
knowledge, skill, and judgment of paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, dispatchers, educators, administrators, emergency physicians, emergency nurses, and others who encompass the emergency medical
services system. And whereas emergency medical personnel must rapidly assess, manage, and effectively provide care in unpredictable situations requiring life and death judgments. And whereas Bvard County's EMS teams unselfishly serve on
the front line of health care when responding to man-made, and natural disasters at the local, state, and national levels. And whereas a recognition is due for the emergency medical services system for its accomplishments and contributions to
improve public welfare through health care, medical transportation, in injury prevention, education, disaster response, homeland security, and other initiatives that reduce health care cost and save lives. Now therefore, be it
resolved that the board of county commissioners of Bvard County, Florida, does hereby unanimously proclaim the week of May 18, 2025 through May 24th, 2025 as emergency medical services week unordered and adopted in regular session
this 20th day of May. Is there a motion? We have a motion by Commissioner Atinson. We have a second by Commissioner Goodson. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney, yes. Vice Chair Goodson, yes. Commissioner Atkinson, yes. Commissioner Alman, yes. Chairman
Fner, yes. Congratulations. Thank you. You're recognized, Chief. Thank you. Thank you, chair, commission. Thank you so much for your recognition and support. There really are no words or not enough time for the uh what we owe our men and women that are out there uh
ever since the pandemic. how the world of EMS has changed and continues to change every day within our community, within our nation, uh is just amazing. And the uh the way they have stepped up to the challenge every day and responded
to our folks throughout the county is amazing. And I'm for I'm I'm greatly appreciative of the hard work and dedication that they show up every morning and continue to run those calls. And uh I appreciate uh Director Mark
Bernath's uh plug at the end. And I will say if anybody from public works would like to transition and drive fire trucks with ambulances and and sirens and go in fires, send me an email. We'll take your we'll take your call. But I'd like to
turn it over to EMS Chief Orlando Dominguez for some uh other words. Good morning, commissioners. Well, as we look back to 2024, um, Ver County Fire Rescue, our men and women, responded to, uh, requests for
emergency services more than 80,000 times. Out of those, they transported over 52,000 patients to the hospital. There's no doubt that Bvard Fire Rescue is one of the most progressive EMS systems, not only in the state, but throughout the country. And let me
explain to you just briefly why. Number one, our paramedics and EMTs are now able to administer antibiotics in the field. That's pretty much unheard of to reduce that time to treatment, reduce the mortality rate for septic shock patients. They're working and triing now
ultrasound, point of care ultrasound to be able to detect fluid, blood, and areas that the naked eye can't see. They're able to detect through their assessment if a patient's having a big stroke or a small stroke and taking them to the appropriate facility. They're able to identify what part of the heart
is being affected during a heart attack. And as we're all very familiar with, they're extremely resilient. During the past couple of weeks, we know that we've had to deal with the closure of the second busiest hospital in the uh in the county. And I got to tell you, no one
skipped a beat. They went ahead, jumped in, and did what they had to do to take care of our community. And they're doing an amazing job. So with that and many other more examples, I feel honored and humbled to be part of their team. Also, I want to thank and I want to thank
them. Where where'd he go? Oh, there he is. I want to thank our fire chief for allowing us to continue to be innovative as it pertains to patient care and moving the organization forward. And to all of you for allowing us to do what we enjoy and truly love doing, and that's taking care of our community and our
residents when they need it most. Thank you. All right, commissioners. I think we also need to uh all take a picture with our EMS staff. Thank you. got everybody. One, two,
three. One, two, three. We're going to do one more. Perfect. Thank you. [Applause] Okay, commissioners on consent. We had one item removed just this morning and
that was F8. Just so that you know. Is there anything else anybody wants to take off a consent? F5. F5. Resolution and county deed related to the land donation request from the city of Titusville. Okay. All right. Is there
anything else? Let's do this. Let's uh let's let's vote on the rest of consent. Is there a motion for move to approve consent minus F5? Okay. Is there a second? Second. I have a second. So, I have a motion by Commissioner Delaney. I
have a second by Commissioner Goodson for consent minus F5. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Fner. Yes, we'll we'll show
that passes 5-0. All right, let's go to F5 then. All right. Okay, we did we didn't Sorry. Let's go to the card. Oh, sorry about that. Actually, go ahead, Sander. But let's go
to questions. Do you have questions for staff? No. Okay, let's go to the card then. I think you mentioned you had a card that you took a vote before you heard me. Well, on the rest of Can you just on I want to talk about F17. Uh so this is an allocation
appropriate appropriate up to 20,000 per county commissioner to tourism. And as you're probably following, uh, Bvard's own representative Manique Miller helped sponsor a bill HB7033
um to that would allow putting the the uh bed tax uh to to offset some of the uh property tax up to 75%. And also 25% to public safety.
hugely important. So before you go deciding to spend money on things that might not be might be more of a want than a need when we have you just honored our EMS here, but you don't have
a contract with them since October of last year. Maybe the focus should be on public safety at this point. as quoted by uh a Jacksonville rep, we have a local affordability crisis. And
so when we look at the allocation of these funds, there may be more important places to put them. So I would I would ask that you reconsider that allocation of $100,000 in light of this bill that has been passed by the Senate and the
House and is moving to the governor to sign into law. Thank you. Okay. Commissioner Delaney on F5. Sure. Sorry about that. Uh I would like to make a motion to approve with one
change uh to the deed on paragraph six um line three. It says or public use. I would like to have that language stricken from the document. And um that way if the land is no longer in use by the DAV, it would revert to the county.
If if the DAV doesn't use it, what what's the concern there? I'm just for my own information. I know that lot I worked in North County. I've dropped I've dropped stuff off to the DAV. Is it that you don't want, you know, it to turn into boat storage temporarily for a year while they're deciding what to do
with it? Is that basically I just want to make sure that this property, which is a valuable piece of property, is being used for the intended use and not for other uses. Okay. And I definitely want to make sure that our veterans have use of it. So I I totally approve this
um approve this other than I would really love it to just specifically be used for the veteran services. Okay. Now we do need four votes on this commissioner so that you know. So is there any is there any reason Morris why we can't adopt that with that
amendment? No that amendment would be fine if the board that's your motion commissioner Delaney. Okay. Is there is we have a motion by Commissioner Delaney uh for F5 minus the language um that or other public use. It's got to be for
public use where it reverses to the county. Okay. Is there a second? Second. We have a second by Commissioner Alman. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Felner? Yes. We'll
show that passes 5-0. Thank you very much. Okay. Do we have anyone from the supervisor's office here today? Yes. Okay. We're going to go to your item because I I intend to save you time.
We're going to I'm sorry, commissioners. We're going to go to J4. state your name for the record and uh explain your item uh to us briefly here today. I'm Maria Mayor from Supervisor Elections Office. So this item is that
we had to run the special election to for to for two seats that were open and this department of state will reimburse us for these items and we need the items in advance from the board. Okay. So the request is for
$795,000 for the special election, right? Um are are there question Commissioner Goodson? Yes. How did you uh was there a formula that you used for the 795 or is that just something you So
so this number is actual. There's no formula for this number because the primary special election has already occurred. This number is a pretty exact number. We're probably just about $5,000 below this number at this point. Okay.
Chair question. Yes, sir. Um time the state how much time will it be before the state reimbursees? card say or unfortunately they don't give us a time. So what we have to do is submit the reimbursement request and it's a first come first- serve basis. The positive thing is that I have all the items that
they need. We actually have a 3-in binder full of all the items that they say they need in order to reimburse us. But we're ready to submit that right now for the primary special election. So it will be submitted within this week. Okay. How long they take, I can't really
say how long they will take. Um, we will have to come back here and ask the board once we do the general election, which be held on June 10th, for the same request. It would it be would it be a fair uh statement to say that we likely wouldn't get this reimbursement before
the end of the fiscal? I would say potentially for the primary that we are already requesting now that's possible to get it before the fiscal but once we have to do the request for the general I would say that
probably not okay because the general is on June 10th and part of the requirements are being able to provide everything that we've done for the election also being able to prove that any checks that we wrote to the vendors were cashed by sending confirmations So
maybe not for the June 10th but possibly for this. It is on a first come first- serve basis though. Okay. Uh any other questions? I mean I I think regardless um we have to conduct a special election. Part of the requirements in the language from the department of
state is that we are to ask the board for for the dollar. So we are to submit it to both the board and to submit it to the department of state. All right. Do we have any cards on this item? Okay. All right. Uh in discussion. Is there any discussion on the item? Okay. Is there a motion? So moved. We have a
motion by Commissioner Goodson. We have a second by Commissioner Delaney. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Felner? Yes. We'll show that passes. 5. Thank you for being
here this morning. Um just because we have an order of operations um situation here today. Let's go to J2. So Troy, is is Troy here? Uh Mr. Chair, that would be me to introduce. Oh, you're going to do this for Troy. Okay. Um uh we're requesting the board of county
commissioners approve the economic assistance and interlocal agreement using uh TIFF funding from the city of Titusville not to exceed 2 thou $2,400,000 for the Searstown Mall property. Uh the city of Titusville has already approved it. Uh under the interlocal we have with them the
agreement and the ordinance. Um funds above $500,000 must receive concurrence from the board of county commissioners. Okay. Are there questions for Jim? Commissioner Delaney, just just for the public knowledge, um is this money coming from the tiff? Um from the city
or the county? It's all from the city tiff. Thank you. Okay, I do have four cards. Um Sandra Sullivan So we have an order or two agenda for a reason and skipping around you know it's
hard to have papers ready on this particular issue. The idea is that we ended. Okay, that's the intent moving forward. And this has been moved before because you're about to take a vote on whether to end beds. that money goes
back to the respective parties. So, I sent you guys an email from a spreadsheet that I got from the clerk of courts of all the transactions for NBEDs. It specifies in there how much money has been received into NBEDs from
the city and I don't think there's enough money in there to put 2.4 $2.4 4 million to give from the monies coming from the tiff from the city to this project. It is bad optics. Okay. And
until they're I I looked at the accounting, I looked at their last um uh their financial report and what was unassigned and what was left and it's not enough to cover this. So this the
optics of this does not look right. $2.5 million $2.4 4 million coming out of the tiff portion that is in the Bvard fund but that money whatever is left after you allocate and you pay the fees and
everything and I don't think you fully have done that analysis and the question I have is you know at the at the last meeting they approved another project which is in the city it's up to half a million dollars and it says that we
expect that we're going to have continued money in future years when they approved this at the last NBEDS meeting knowing full well from this commission the intent to end ENB beds. So does does that commitment end or does that money coming out of there? So until
you've done a full fiscal analysis, you have no business voting on this $2.5 million when most years it's only in the last two years that the tiff has reached a million dollars out coming out of the city of Titusville has been small amounts. So, I I put the BS card on
this. Okay. Thank you, Chris Patterson. Chase Patterson, sir. We've got three other cards here. Let's just go first. My name is Jesse, right? And then I have the speakers coming up.
I since Chase didn't come up, uh I don't have a problem with that. Go ahead, sir. Well, you can go if you like. Oh okay. Uh no that you you can you can agree amongst yourselves that's fine sir. Go ahead. My name is Jesse right. I'm the
developer and the sponsor for the project. I do have few pamphlet here. May I approach you to pass it out? Sure. Good morning. This project has been at work for nearly about two and a half years. 22 acre
project with runoff going into the lagoon. We came in and uh we've taken out 12 acres of the 22 acres and we are putting uh retention uh storm water retention there to be able to um take
care of the runoff. The project was evaluated um earlier on by the board and it actually does bring in jobs to the community of about close to about
1,500 people and it will add 28.6 million to the North River County GDP. It does have a hotel but 153 units and I
have the uh GC here to discuss the hotel. It's Cambria Hotel. Uh it does have a assisted living for about 100 seniors, 25 memory care and 75 assisted living. Uh just to remind the board and
the public here, uh some eight years ago or so, Miracle City Mall was demolished. That was a 31 acre project. An amount of 7 million was granted to that project. It was the J C Penney there. And uh so
as the result of this, this project is in two phases. Phase one and phase two as you see in the pamphlet. Uh phase one uh 12 acres. Uh we have 240 unit um apartment complex and also the hotel and the
assisted living with two restaurants in the front. We're going to go into the second phase in about three or four years and at that time we will then uh create a life center there. Uh mainly medical offices and retail. Uh the city
tiff is being used. It's been approved by the city council. It's been approved by the mayor and the city attorney. And and again this is not something we just came up with a couple of days ago out of the sky. This has been at work for nearly about two and a
half years. It's a complex project and I think some of the people that may be opposed to it do not understand the project and it's difficult to explain it in about 3 minutes, but I'll be happy to answer any questions. Are there any questions for Mr. Wright?
No. Okay. Uh Chase Patterson Hi, Chase Patterson. Um, 2787 East Oak Park Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Um, I'm with Patterson Construction Group, the general contractor for uh the ALF, the assisted living facility. I believe that this uh
money obviously that um Titusville had already approved should be allocated to Mr. Wright in this project. um not only for personal interest, but for the fact that we've they that the developer has put about $2 million worth of work into the uh much outdated infrastructure
already. And the addition of the assisted living facility and the hotel would bring in immense tax revenue and create jobs and um you know would be great for the North Bard um area and Titusville, city of Titusville as a
whole. Um thank you. That's all. Question for Mr. Chase. Commissioner Goodson. Do you have the whole contract or just the portion of contract that's being worked on now? Just the just the assisted living
facility. Um, a different contractor is doing the site work as at the moment. Okay. That's all I want to know. Okay. Any other questions for Mr. Chase? No. Okay. Uh, Dale Parsons. Good morning. Uh my name is Dale Parsons. I'm uh the architect for the
Cambria Hotel. Uh 1615 Edgewater Drive in Orlando. Uh I just wanted to make the point that Mr. right in the developing of the concept for the camper hotel 153 units or or room keys um is really
outside of the prototype and that he has really put a lot of emphasis into the community amenities that can be offered. It's going to be a tremendous location for wedding venues, uh meeting groups coming from out of town, family reunions, that type of
thing. um which is totally outside of a normal prototype for a Cambria hotel. The other thing that was uh Mr. Wright alluded to earlier was the infrastructure that has been put in is sensitively designed to be uh not only
pollution abatement which right now it's wallto-wall asphalt prior to Mr. Wright's infrastructure improvements but the retention itself the pollution abatement is all done in a envircape planted areas. It's not just a big body of water with a channel linking fence
around it. It's all integrated into the landscaping which is really quite expensive. U so I think that's a very uh nice attribute towards a project like this in the city of Titusville and I would encourage you to support it. Thank you. Any any questions? No. Okay, that
was the last card. Um are the question any other questions follow? Okay, Commissioner Goodson. Thank you. Chair Morris, will you explain to me or the board what was said in this meeting regarding the uh city tiff funds that
are available? According to the um clerk uh county finance, as of yesterday, the cash balance in city of Titusville's portion of the um TIF trust fund for the North Bard Development District is $4,164,825.
staff Troy Post has assured me that there is existing there are existing funds available within the city portion of the TI tiff to fund this if approved by the county. This has already been approved by city and by the zone board and if this is not approved by the
county the revenues in the city tiff fund will not be recaptured by county general fund. Those will all go back to city of Titusville. Okay, other questions. Okay, we'll move into discussion. Discussion on the item.
Make a motion. Have a motion. I'll second that. Okay, we have a motion to approve by Commissioner Goodson. We have a second by Commissioner Delaney. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson?
Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Fner? Yes. We'll show that approved. Okay. Commissioners, thank you very much. We're going to go to J3. Billy, I'm going to let you uh introduce this one. And we do have one card. So J3 is a request for legislative
intent permission to advertise amendments to chapter 62 article 9 of Boulevard County Code having to deal with signs. Specifically, it's designed to address a specific issue in our code where community development districts are not able to permit for signs in uh
zones zoning other than GML such as PUDS. So basically it falls into a donut hole in air code and this would allow us to address this. It would go back to two advisory boards, building construction advisor advisory committee and planning and uh zoning before it returns to the
board for a final adoption hearing. Okay. Are there are there questions for Billy? I do have one part. Yep. You have a question. Go ahead, Billy. Um in our briefing we kind of talked about the idea when I it's a big sign if it was
just one. Can we add some sort of language that talks about not one single sign not to exceed a certain reasonable size? Absolutely. That's exactly the kind of input we're soliciting at this point. Yep. So, for example, the board could say no single sign bigger than 50
square feet or 75 square ft with a total total amount not exceeding 150 square feet. And I honestly don't know for sure what I would suggest. So that and if this is going to go back to planning and zoning, that's something that they could take up and that board could discuss
that issue. Sure, we can investigate it. I will say, you know, some, you know, one of the CDs, the sign that they're requesting is in the neighborhood of 40 square feet. So that gives you a ballpark of what people are looking for. Yeah, I I I think if you said a maximum
of 75 square feet, we would probably cover everything. Um, okay. Rob Dale. Sir, morning commissioners. My name is Rob Dale. I am the vice chair of the Vier CDD. We are the governmental entity on
the east side of Vieier that represents the 12,000 residents roughly that that live on that side. I'm here to speak in favor of this amendment to uh the code. Uh essentially what we're looking for is something that enables us to be able to
communicate with our residents. Uh we I don't like putting it this way, but for a lot of intents and purposes, we're kind of like a mini city council over where we're at. We have parks. We have the Mark Pylock Dog Park. We have hundreds of acres of nature preserve. We
have 84 lakes. We have a golf course. We have farmers markets. Uh just all sorts of things that we're we're doing over there. And we would like the ability to be able to communicate with our residents. Uh the other thing that we uh
offer uh as part of this uh we we have our master HOA that is part of this that that we'll be able to utilize. uh we will make the offer to the county if the county would ever like to put something up and and and crossuse our our signage
that we're looking to do. Uh I don't believe the location that we're looking to do this is going to impact any homes. Uh at most you the closest home we're looking at is several hundred feet away.
Uh there's a wall of vegetation in between. So, I don't think you're going to get any resident complaints about it. I think it's I think it's a fairly pragmatic uh uh solution to change the code, help people out. Thank you. I'm here if anybody would have any
additional questions. Any questions for Mr. Dale? Okay, that was our only card. We'll go into discussions. Any discussion on the item? Is there a motion on the item? Second. Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Goodson. We have a second by Commissioner Alman. Clerk will call
the role. Commissioner Delaney, yes. Vice Chair Goodson, yes. Commissioner Atkinson, yes. Commissioner Alman, yes. Chairman Felner, yes. Thank you for that. Commissioners, let's go to J5. I see Adam making his way to the box here.
You recognize, sir? Good morning, commissioners. Item J5 is to construct an access taxi way and infrastructure improvements to a site that was purchased utilizing FDOT funds in 2020. Um the estimated project cost
is 1.2 million. It is an 8020 matching grant and no general funds are required for it. And I'd be happy to answer any questions. Any questions for Adam? Do you have a question? Oh, Commissioner
Atinson. Um, Adam, I just wanted to ask you, so, um, I know this came to us pretty late, and I know that, um, staff hasn't had a whole bunch of time to really get the details, um, that I feel like we need. Um, but I also know that
there's a time frame that we're working towards. Correct. Yes. Can you explain that to me? So, the we we we were issu we were sent this grant last Friday. So, our time frame to have it executed is by
the end of June. And being that this is the last board meeting, we we had to bring it to to this meeting. Got it. May I continue? Yes. So, um another question because for me, community input is going to be a big deal for this thing.
um if we accept this grant money, which I would like to do, um and we decide that maybe we can't um do it in the best interest of the community or for whatever reason, perhaps we think this isn't going to be
right for our our community. Can we give that money back? Yes. I know that sounds crazy, but I don't want Are we committing ourselves by taking that money? We we can give the money back through I believe it's a termination agreement. Okay. I think I'm good. Thank you. Any other
questions for Adam? Okay, we don't have any cards on this item. Is there discussion on the item? Is there a motion? I make a motion. Second. Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Atinson. We have a second by Commissioner Delaney. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes.
Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Fner? Yes. All right, commissioners. We're going to go to G comments. We have four cards. Brent Wenberg,
sir. Um, hello. Good to be here. Uh nothing people put in their mouth when they eat is toxic. How is it after the food is digested and comes out of your body? It is all toxic. In a septic
tank, the high pH ammonia and the low pH gastric acid are reacting together. When these two chemicals leave the septic tank and go into the calcium carbonate drain field, the gastric acid reacts with a
high pH calcium carbonate, releasing dissolved oxygen into the pee and poop, speeding up the reaction and creating harmless calcium chloride salt. So, a good septic tank drain fills not hurting any.
What we have now is a statewide fake chemistry, fake media, and a government hellbent on falsely accusing people for financial gain. Now, how do we turn this ship around? I mean, all your development
is our historic lagoon before they even removed the shell on the shore. I remember vividly 60 years ago the foam blowing across US1. Well, now that foam's on the beach turning our sand to liquid.
So, I'm getting too old to do the work. I can tell you some of the things I've done. I catched a muck all built up in a corner last fall and I put calcium carbonate sand in and it made it where the plants could absorb the nutrients and I got searass growing for miles.
um working at the fish fish clinging tables. Um Sebastian used to be trout capital of the world and I fished three months and I haven't caught one single speckled trout. So I the catfish are overwhelmed
the fish cleaning tables and I release blue crabs to run the catfish off. Well, this should be done statewide when you get it's an obvious imbalance. I mean, for all intentional purposes, a
speckled trout is extinct in Sebastian, but Okay. Well, I'm glad y'all got your ear. I'd love to be able to come up here and say what I got to say. Thank you, sir. Mark Gunter.
Good morning, commissioners. I've got a pamphlet here. Can I hand out just for Yep. [Music] [Music] What I'm here to to speak about is some of the restoration work that's being
done at the Malibar Scrub Sanctuary, particularly the west side. Now, that parcel that I'm actually want to talk about, I don't want to talk about the east, but the west. That's this little yellow finger up here.
Okay, that is on the that is split by Brier Creek Road. Okay, to the north of Brier Creek there's 6.3 acres and below is approximately about 8 acres. If you were to draw a line directly across from
Cameron straight across. Now the bottom side has been complete. They've already took the trees, mowed it down, put the fire break in, and I didn't think they were going to hop the street and do the west side, which is just six acres. Now,
we all know that for the scrub jays to be successful, they need 22 to 24 acres per family. That's what it takes. That's a requirement. We also know the reason that they take the trees down is because of the Cooper
Hawk and they have dimensions and that's all stated in the in the F FWC optimal thousand foot perimeter all the way down to 300 foot. And if you took these guidelines that are that in their
documents, the 300 foot, it does the math doesn't add up for the parcels that they that they're that they're destroying. So, they've already done, like I said, they've already done the very east side of Brier Creek and they're already jumped across the
street. I didn't think they were going to do that small 6.3. If you look at the back section there, you can see I have a a picture of that. It's six 6.3 acres and they're going to destroy that, bring it down for just the the
scrubj. So, I don't know how that adds up. I mean, why not, you know, who's the oversight? Who looks at this and says, "Does this make sense to really remove all these trees for six acres? You're
not going to put a family of scrub jays in there and expect them to survive. You're still going to have the big trees. You're still going to have the predator, the the birds of prey, the hawks, the owls. So, scrub jays aren't going to survive. The same thing could
be said for what they already completed is that little 8 acre section. And all you have to do is go down there and park and see what I'm talking about. It's It's not pretty. It really truly isn't.
Okay. Thank Thank you, [Music] sir. Christina Fleming, I think next after you is John Do. Right. Okay. Good morning, commissioners. Christina Fleming, District 3.
I stand before you not just as a concerned citizen, but as someone deeply invested in the safety and well-being of our community. In 2024, Bvard County Fire Rescue experienced a staggering loss of 100 firefighters, approximately 20% of our workforce. This exodus is
primarily due to the low starting pay, which hovers around $15 per hour, but that includes a Medicare supplement, so it's really $13.11 if we don't get that Medicare supplement. This is significantly below neighboring counties. Consequently,
remaining personnel are overworked, leading to burnout and diminished service quality. The mandatory overtime is out of control. And despite what some people have said, it is not just from sick leave usage. It is being used for all approved codes and the 90 vacancies
that we have. I do believe it's 92 now. While the commission has approved a motion to explore increasing the fire assessment fee, this measure alone is insufficient. A comprehensive, aggressive approach is needed, one that includes competitive wages, improved work life balance, and strategic
recruitment efforts. Without these, we risk falling further behind as neighboring counties continue to attract and retain top talent. The current situation is unsustainable. We are still short. Fire departments across the state are graduating classes of 25 or more, while
we had six. Six. This disparity highlights a critical gap in our training and staffing capabilities. I urge you to act decisively. Implement the proposed fire assessment increase of the 37% since
that's your maximum. We could have had more, but that's okay. We still have more things to choose from. I'm good with that. Pick the 37% all the way to the top. The motto on our trucks right now is providing care for a better tomorrow. We need to implement that in
all of our life. Provide the care for our future. We're overworked at home. It's causing issues with marriages. There's kids that are losing their wives. They're getting their children taken away from them. They're getting overworked at
work. That's a safety issue for not only them, but it's a safety issue for you. It's a safety issue for your constituents. We're dr we're downing vehicles right now. Right now, there's an engine that has two people on it. That's it. Two. My referendum that I voted in 1998 says I have to have three.
Now there's two. That's less service that I'm paying for. They're supposed um our firefighters, residents, and visitors deserve more than just the minimum. They deserve a future where they can thrive and so does our community. So, just take that into consideration today, ladies
and gentlemen. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Christina. [Applause] Lieutenant. Good morning, commissioners. My name is John Do. I come to you today because we currently have a private ambulance
company that is now transporting patients to local hospitals in the county. So with that said, I respectfully submit and strongly urge this board not to pursue the privatization of EMS services in Bvard County. While outsourcing outsourcing
EMS may offer short-term financial relief, the long-term consequences both operationally and fiscally are well documented and overwhelmingly negative. Bvard County does not need to reinvent the wheel. Municipalities and counties across Florida have already demonstrated
that privatization fails to meet the standard of care, accountability, and responsiveness that our residents deserve. Private EMS providers are driven by profit, often resulting in longer response times, fewer available units, and reduced services, and lower revenue in rural areas. By contrast,
Bvoulevard County Fire Rescue based EMS model delivered by highly trained firefighter paramedics ensures countywide integrated response through a dual role system capable of handling medical, fire, and technical emergencies. This model prioritizes patient care and not profit margins, and
is accountable to the public, not shareholders. We are already witnessing the strain caused by private EMS providers in our county. Coastal Health Systems, a private provider responsible for interfacility transports, consistently fails to meet demand. Bvard County Fire Rescue is frequently forced
to fill the gap, removing ALS units from their designated run areas and compromising emergency response readiness. This is not sustainable and it illustrates in real time how privatization can weaken a system rather than striken it. Further EMS chief
Orlando Dominguez has de demonstrated that a county operated BLS transport system can and does work. The framework is in place and needs to be staffed and fully funded. Leveraging the experience integrated and commitment of trusted BCFR employees to grow and operate our
EMS system is far superior than funding funneling public dollars into private corporations that lacks local accountability. Florida counties such as Citrus, Leon, Sumpter, Orange, and Marian have all privatized EMS and have reversed courses. Cities such as Orlando
in 2012 took back EMS services. Their experiences reveal the same pattern. Initial con cost promises gave way to service breakdown, workforce instability, and a greater taxpayer burden as public systems are rebuilt under crisises. Recognizing these issues once back under full public control,
these departments reported improved response times and patient better patient outcomes. Bvard County can and should learn from these failures. Privatization is not a solution. It's a proven mistake. Instead, we are we are exploring responsibility and s and a sustainable option, a proposed 1- cent
sales tax. While this is in its early stages, the initiative would provide dedicated funding to offset the burden on property owners while eliminating fire assessment and impact fees and ensures the long-term sustainability of fire and EMS services without sacrificing sacrificing quality or
public control. Public safety is a core responsibility of government, not a business venture. The residents of Bvoulevard County deserve a reliable, resilient, and locally managed fire and EMS system built on professionals and public trust. I urge the commission to reject EMS privatization and invest in
proven, accountable, and community focused model that Bvoulevard County Fire Rescue has built and continues to lead with distinction. Thank you. Thank you, sir. All right, commissioners. Um, let's go to J1. I think we can do that one fairly
quick if you don't mind. Sorry. Ian's making his way to the box here. Ian, you're recognized. Thank you, Commissioner. Good morning. Item J1 is a request for approval and
the board to authorize the chair to execute a professional services agreement with the conservation fund charitable trust for a term of five years, an annual fee of $75,000 a year, and a contingency on purchases. This was uh done at the RFP that was done was
through purchasing at the board's discretion or direction on March 12th of 2024 to seek qualified applicants to provide the services. Staff is available for questions. Okay, questions for Ian. We also have so
you know uh Rebecca Perry from the conservation fund here for questions. Okay, questions have discussion. Okay. Um I don't have any card. Uh Miss Perry is just going to be available for questions. So with that, let's just go into discussion
then. Commissioner Delini. Thank you. Um, I had originally asked for this to be pulled from the consent um during my briefing and it was it was mainly because I was um just a bit uncomfortable with spending $75,000 a year for up to five
years um for real estate services. And so, um, as I talked to staff more about this and asked them, you know, what process we went through to pick the, um, to pick
this company and, um, more about that, I found out there was only two bids and that it was only out for a couple weeks. And I was wondering what um, how was this advertised? How broadly was it advertised? Um, did we truly go and
solicit? And I don't know if um I just feel like there's got to be somebody that is willing to do this for a commission a 3.5 commission on um you know a on what
what did we approve not we but the last board approved 3 million is that what what was approved Ian? Yes, Commissioner. Yeah. So, um you know, that's quite a bit of money for uh land acquisition, and I just feel like there's got to be a company out there
who is um who who has either gone through this process or who understands um the Division of State Lands. And um yeah, I just I just feel like we
should put this back out and see if there's somebody else and and try to solicit more broadly to see if we can um save the taxpayers at 75,000 per year. Uh okay. In discussion, Commissioner Goodson. Ian, can you tell us how long
you put it out, how you put it out, who do you put it out to, and how many responses says they're not interested? So the the process was through the purchasing department through procurement. Uh it was out for I believe 21 days. Uh it went out through
I believe vendor link as well as we provided I believe five agencies to potentially reach out to and solicit. Uh and as the commissioner stated we had two responses. Um one of those responses was not very uh responsive. Uh and so
the conservation fund trust was deemed the best to move forward with. Uh as for the cost itself, if I could just speak to that real quickly, if it takes the agency, well, they don't have five years. Once the funds were bonded, uh uh timeline
started of three years to expend funds. We have about two years left. I would have a concern about trying to go back out for another procurement with that short time frame. Um, I will say that if they are able to spend the three million or purchase three mill million dollars
worth of properties within one year, that would be about $180,000 that go to them with the contingency. Um, I will say that back in 2010 or so when we last did this, there was no contingency, but the annual fee
was about $280,000. Um, just to be clear, you're saying that there's only two years left. If if I understand the the math correctly, once you bond the funds, you have three years to expend. We're now a year into having the funds bonded. So, that leaves two
years to expend the funds. So, so we've got two years left. Correct. Sir, we could we just alter this that instead of it being five years, it's two years. Well, I I think the idea for doing five years was with the anticipation that the board might at some time contemplate
bonding additional funds that are authorized. And so, this would allow us to have an agency in place to start moving as quickly as possible without having to go back out for another solicitation. However, there is language in the agreement that if those additional
dollars are bonded, that contingency fee does reduce as more dollars are bonded and put out and purchased. Okay. It almost seems to suggest that by adopting this for five years that, you know, the board needs to approve the
next round of um bond funding maybe before it's ready to do so. Yes. Mike just mentioned something to me that I also want to make the board aware of, which is that if there are no funds available, so if we're in year two and
all the $3 million has been spent and there's no additional dollars, the annual fee is suspended. Commissioner, does that answer any of your concerns? If they if they if they got to spend the money in two years, right, the current the current bond money bund and
after they're done doing that, that essentially puts puts an end to I mean, correct, unless or authorizes the bonding of additional funds within that 5-year period. But the So if we say they run
out of the time to to spend the money, would it be as simple as a board vote to start that time limit over again? I would have to defer to Kathy, but I don't think it is that simple. I think that that time limit is not a board
initiated time limit. I believe it is by the federal government, either through the IRS or another factor. Yes, that is a a federal requirement that we spend the funds within a certain period of time. And so what happens if we don't? Then we we've got an arbitrage
problem and we could um have to forfeit the funds. So the funds would go back. Well, we sold bonds. We sold non uh non-exempt bonds to shareholders. And so we said that we were going to expend it for a 20
year period and then we were now saying we're not going to do that. Um I just think that there would be a a a problem. It could be a stain on Bvard County if we do not spend the funds like we said we were going to when we sold the bonds.
Okay. Um, if if the board um supports this, I I would like to make a compromise. I'm still not comfortable with this, but um if we could change it to two years. I'm happy to compromise. I will
uh I will do that with you. Okay. You you go ahead. That's your motion. Yes. Okay. All right. I'll second that. Okay. Uh clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney, yes. Vice Chair Goodson, no. Commissioner Atkinson, yes.
Commissioner Alman, yes. Chairman Fner, yes. I'll show that passes 41. Okay. Thank you for that, Commissioners. We'll go back to the H items. Um, I have I have a request for a break.
Want to take uh can can we take we'll take until 10:15. Can we do that? Okay. All right. Thanks everybody. [Music] [Music]
[Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat.
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seats. We'll get started. We're going to We're going to start, sir. All right. We're getting started. Y All right. Uh Mark, you're recognized on H1. H1, everybody. Good morning again,
board. Uh H1 is a petition of AK to portion of three public utility easements. Two of which are uh required to be able to uh remove an encroachment uh required for final um permit um finalization. Uh both the side lot uh
line easements. The rear is um not needed for that. U so this is requesting up to the three uh public utility easements. Uh the wall was built without a uh permit and uh is in code enforcement. I understand that one of
the neighbors may be here to talk on this. Actually, I have three cards on this item. Uh but first, are there questions for Mark? Any questions for Mark? Not yet. All right, let's go to the cards. Um
Albert Wilson, was there a third? Good morning, commissioners. My name is Albert Wilson and I am a resident of Bvard County. I've been here since 1977 and uh it's a beautiful county and I want to help keep it that way. Uh I've
been called to uh come up before you uh by my brother. Uh I say brother because we feel like we're brothers. We've known each other for several years. I spent time at his home. And the reason why he asked me to come up is because he is
having medical problems and he's asked me to talk on his behalf. Okay. So anyway, uh in 2020 when the barrens is he's this is the uh gentleman that's talking about this wall. He and his wife were looking
to purchase a home in Bvard County. They visited many homes and they fell in love with the view at this home in Diana Shores on Merit Island. Uh this was the main reason why
they purchased this home and for about 4 and a half years they've had one of the most beautiful views in the county. They are at their retirement age. Then came a 7 to 8ft wall and we lost
our picturesque view and the wall has some drain pipes that push water on our property. We have many soft spots on our property. These are notes that he's listed for me to talk to you about. The reasons that I
said 7 to 8t wall is because some dirt was hauled in to put at the bottom of the wall to make it an appearance that it wasn't as high. uh or try to lower the structure. Um you know, it reminds me of
the uh cookies that my my mom used to make and we couldn't grab any of those cookies or we'd be punished. We'd have consequences. And uh so I got to the point where I'd rather just go grab one of those cookies and
suffer the consequences. And I think that that has been done here. I mean, where is the contractor? Why isn't the contractor being recommended? You know, why does a person just feel like they're able to just
build a structure and block a beautiful view on our island? Um my wife and I find it offens offensive that anybody builds a structure without properly getting the permits and clearing with the local
authorities. Um if and the other thing is that he mentioned was if we allow this if we allow anybody to just come and build a seven or 8ft wall uh next to our properties or uh what's going to be next a 10ft wall or 20 foot? What is our
island going to look like as a result of all this? Thank you so much for listening. Have a wonderful day. You too and thank you for all you do. Thank you. Thank you. Uh Stephen Baron, he he spoke on my behalf. Thank you very much. Okay.
You'll you'll wave. Uh Anna Polo. Hi. Good morning. Um I am the other neighbor on the other side uh where there's also a wall and I support the petition to vacate because I don't want
that wall taken down. because it would just open everything up between the two houses and on my side of the property. That's what keeps us that's what gives me my privacy at my house, my pool area, my my back of my
house. Um, without that wall there, it would be wide open and both houses would be, you know, I really don't want that. And I'm trying to sell my house to top it off and that would just not be a good thing. So, I would really appreciate if
we just didn't take my wall down like this side of the wall. I don't really care what happens on the other side or with the rest of the, you know. All right. Uh, can I I'm sorry. Commissioner Goodson has a question for you. May I ask you a question, ma'am? Yes, sir. Um,
I rode out there and looked at the house and you it's hard to see the wall because the wall goes I guess southwest to south, you know, toward the canal. But down the whole street there's fences of some sort, right? Is that correct? And there, you know, PVC plastic fences.
Yeah. Privacy fences. My privacy fences around my house as well. So, the view would only be restricted if this gentleman looked right or left. As far as looking at the canal, the view is still there for him. Correct. He could see the h the canal is there and he
could see the houses along the canal. Right. But as far as looking left or right out of his back porch to see you in your pool, he wouldn't be able to. Correct. He can't see me in my pool. Correct. I didn't think so. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Kimberly Edwards.
Hello. We are the owners of the property and the walls on both sides were put up to replace dilapitated fences and the wall is only six feet high and our side is all concrete. So, we couldn't have
put wood I dirt or whatever to raise it up. It's only 6 ft high. The end of the wall closest to the canal still has the original chain link, which is what the wall replaced for a good 6ft section. So, we
are not obstructing any view. We have no greenery or whatever at that end. We actually have a table. It's the neighbor that complained we were obstructing his view that has all the greenery on his side. Um, so we have put in a lot of
expense and a lot of stress to meet the requirements for this vacate and we have done what was necessary and I really hope that you go ahead and approve it because we did follow the rules. We did
not get a permit when the wall was built because we thought we were replacing an existing fence. And the wall on the other side, Kathy's husband actually paid for half of it. So, it's not just
our wall. And it is for the privacy. On a canal, you don't get a lot of privacy except on the sides because your back is all open to people driving by and houses across the way. So, that's the only privacy we have. So a if the vacate gets
approved, then we go forward and get the permit for the walls. And I understand we're a step behind and our apologies for that. But we are doing everything we can to rectify that. And the other thing is that wall has been up for four years. It wasn't just put up. It was put up
four years ago, a like a month before the barren purchased the property. So it was there when they moved in. Thank you, Commissioner. Do you have a question for your constituent? Okay. Okay. Thank you. No questions. Okay,
that's the end of the card. Can I submit some photos in regard to that? You did put in a card. I'm sorry. It's okay. You said the other gentleman was speaking on your behalf. Okay. Okay.
proving that the wall was not gone all the way back to the wall for the last two years. Okay. And it's been that he keeps building and building and building. The property is 100% concrete throughout the whole property. All his
water is draining on my property and making my property soft. And it's just been over and over the same thing. I tried to talk to him. We tried to work out an agreement, but he feels that whatever is on his side,
and when she says six foot, I took a picture for the building department of myself with the wall going up 2 feet higher than me. It's about 7 and 1/2 ft. It's not six foot. There's no way. Thank you. Okay, sir. Okay. Are there
any follow-up questions based on that, Commissioner Goodson? Uh, no. I'd just like to make a motion to approve the vacating of the easements on either side of the house, but the easement along the back on the waterfront stays. Okay, we are we clear on the motion by
Commissioner Goodson. Okay. And we have a second by Commissioner Atinson. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Felner? Yes. And we'll show that approved. Okay,
commissioners, we're going to go on to H2. Mark, you're recognized. H2 is a petition to vacate a portion of a public drainage easement. The property is located uh in Melbourne, west of North Wickham Road in South Aurora in District 5 uh seeking to vacate a
portion of the public uh drainage easement lying on the north side of uh to allow a shed to be built uh on top of an easement. Uh in this particular case, there's a plat note that requires the HOA to replace the pipe under the shed
if it were to fail. And so by um vacating the public easement, uh we have no concerns. Okay. Uh any questions for Mark on this one? We don't have any cards on this one. Is there discussion? Commissioner Alman, this
your district, sir. Second. We have a motion to approve by Commissioner Alman. We have a second by Commissioner Delaney. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes.
Chairman Felner? Yes. We'll show that approved. Okay. We're going to go to uh H3. Gentlemen, you're recognized. Good morning, commissioners. Um, item H3 is the final approval for the fire assessment rate adjustment. Um, on April
22nd of 2025, the board approved a public hearing for final consideration of the fire assessment adjustment. For this public hearing, the department has met all statutory requirements for notification for public notifications. Fire rescue is requesting
consideration for two actions this morning. And uh both actions would need a motion and a vote if so approved by the board. Action one would be to approve an adjustment up to 37% to the current fire assessment rates. Those funds would be then effective in fiscal
year 2025 2026. Second action we're asking the board to consider is to authorize the chair to sign the attached proposed fire assessment rate resolution at attachment one. And that rate resolution has been coordinated with the county attorney's office. I'll turn it over to the chief
then now for the specifics of the fire assessment. In the uh agenda report, you will see table one has uh noted as option one is your up to 37% option and that also includes the general fund revenue
requirement to match that fire assessment commitment. Option two would represent anything that the board may choose and it's notated at 0% on the table. 37% increase would capture capital and infrastructure requirements and address
future station and crew needs not identified in the previous 7-year plan. Accounts for inflation losses from year 2021 to 2025 and covers exhausted non-reoccurring ARPA funds. The option includes a 6% annual inflation rate for
capital and infrastructure. adjustments would use the current approved fire assessment methodology with annual increases equal to CPI rate or 3% whichever is less. This option provides the county's proposed one-year contract including subsequent increases for three
years thereafter with step CPI and aggressive additional wage adjustments. Um, also during this uh last 20 days, we sent out the mailer and we received 369
uh calls, emails, and letters from the community. Of that, 70% were in favor, 10% uh were indifferent, and 20% were against the fire assessment increase. All right. Questions for Chief or uh
Colonel Wallace? Commissioner Atinson, just just very quickly. So, we're talking total 25 million increase with the general fund. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you. Other
questions? Okay. We'll go to the cards. We have 26 cards. If anyone wants to wave in support, uh, now now would be the time. Okay. Thomas Boyd. Hello. Um, I bought my house about
11 years ago for $130,000 because when I retired, I knew what I could afford and what I couldn't afford. So, I set a budget. The county decided somewhere along the line that my $130,000 house is now
$330,000 house. So I've got to pay $277 for the fire assessment and they're wanting to raise it another $102. So a total of $379. Money needs to come from somewhere other than homeowners. I don't know where you plan on getting the money, but
we homeowners are tapped out. I don't get a 37% pay raise every year. I'm done. I have a 24-hour uh care son that I have to take care of. If I'm not there to support him, then he goes into a home
because I'm his only provider. Um there's other ways of getting money besides taxing the homeowners. Why don't you text these video arcades that are popping up all over the county? I know the sheriff knows where they're at because I've seen
sheriff department cars parked outside doing their paperwork. Um, take take the money away from public libraries. We don't need 20 public libraries in this county. Almost 20. I think there's 17. Once we buy our house, that's what
the that's what the taxes should be. It shouldn't go by whatever somebody says that it's worth. My house is $130,000 house until I decide to sell it for more, which I won't. So, that's all I've
got. Thank you, sir. [Applause] Cheryl Ward. Hi everybody. My name is Cheryl Ward. I am a mother, a wife, and a business owner. I'm also a daughter. My
husband, Miles Ward, right there, he uh is a deputy with the sheriff's department, and he was previously a firefighter. I wholly support entirely that firefighters need increased raises and they need good equipment and firehouses. Um, and I also didn't let
you know that I'm an attorney. Um, I'm an attorney. I primarily practice elder law. I'm on the board of Helping Seniors of Bard. The seniors are important to our population and I'm sure you guys have heard of the saying, you can't take blood from Iraq. Um, unfortunately they
a lot of them are on fixed incomes and they can't afford this increase. Where else can we find funds um impact fees? I know that Katie Delaney looked proposed the idea to um see whether those should
be raised and I am aware as you guys are that um we have one of the lowest uh impact fees and assessments. I think out of 22 counties we're on the 20th right now. So, we are now looking at taxing our residents
before seeing where we can get money from elsewhere. Impact fees may be another source to generate the revenue that the firefighters need. Um, and just like I'm here advocating for our seniors, they do need these resources. They do need firefighters 100%. But
where can we get the money from? We are now just doing a survey to assess where we can get the money from, but we're we're already voting to take blood from rock. That doesn't make sense. I propose that what you guys do is hold off until we can see what the results are from the
impact survey. See if we can get money from business owners as we've heard from developers that are coming from South Florida, Miami, wherever. We're putting their interests above the residents. I I went to uh middle school here at Delora. I went to high school at Satellite High.
I feel very comfortable speaking on behalf of the community. Don't stick it to us first. I'm also a homeowner. I got the notice in the mail and I like I said I fully support but let's see where else we can generate money from. So I propose we hold off see where else we can get it
from perhaps from impact fees which should raise just like you know the assessments to the residents should raise see where we can collect money and then reassess how much do we really need to increase to meet our goal. I I understand it's a $5 million deficit that may or may not be accurate. how
much from what I read I I I it appears like we may be able to increase 10 million from impact fees where the residents don't even have to be impacted. So that that's all I have to say. Thank you very much and um I hope we can hold off until we get more
information to make a better decision for our community. Thank you. Uh Christy Haw Thompson. Hi, I'm Christy Hos Thompson and I thank the board of county board of uh Bvard County Board of County Commissioners for
giving me the opportunity to speak on the proposal Bvard County Fire Service special assessment rate. I will start off by saying I do believe that our fire department should be paid for their services. I do support them and I thank
them for their services. My objection is on the way this letter is going about funding our firefighters. On the second paragraphs, second sentence states, the fire services special assessment assessment is an existing
nonadvarium assess assessment that is annually assessed. Definition nonad valorum assessment role means a role prepared by a local government and certified to the tax collectors for collection. Key
characteristic of the nonad bolarium is the assessment amount remains constant regardless of the changes in property values. On the second paragraph four sentence states also proposed is an
annual increase to the fire services special assessment equal to the consumer price index CPI or 3% whichever is less. Definition: Consumer Price Index, CPI,
is a statistical measurement of how prices for a basket of goods and services change over time for urban consumers. It's a key indicator of inflation and is used to analyze the economy. The CPI is calculated and issue
to analyze the economy. The CPI is calculated by averaging price changes with weights that reflect their importance in consumer spending. The basket includes items like food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and
utilities. According to the definitions of non-ad valorum and consumer price index, neither one of them have anything to do with the appraisal of my property's values of today's market which is changing daily up and then
down. The purpose the proposed increase is 37% not 3%. This is an unacceptable as your letter states it is can go up annually. The last sentence in this letter states, "Pursuant to the chapter
197 Florida statutes, we are required to notify you that failure to pay the assessment will cause a tax certific certificate to be issued against your property and may result in loss of
title. This is a threat and intimidation since this is not a bill and it is still in planning stages. Respectively submitted Christy M. Hos Thompson. Thank you. Thank you. Kelly Gibson.
Good morning, commissioners. I'm Kelly Gibson. and I reside in Port St. John. I understand the need for our county to pay comparable wages wage rates to maintain our county fire rescue fire operations employees. It is my understanding the county lost approximately 100 employees last year
and is on track to lose an additional 100 this year. With that said, I also understand the county makes an investment in new employees with the cost of training and maintaining the employees various certifications. Upon receipt of the notice for today's
hearing, I reached out to the Bvard County Fire Rescue via phone and was informed the assessment will fund more staff, trucks, and better equipment to meet the growing demands within Bvard County. I also had the opportunity to speak with Tom Klene, the deputy chief
of Bvard County Fire Rescue Fire Operations. the upon receipt of the letter uh reading through it and then seeing the agenda item today nowhere in the letter except with then the calculation of the increase does it
indicate 37%. It refers in various uh sentences there that um this is on an annual basis going forward. Proposed is the annual increase equal to the consumer price index or 3% whichever is less for each fiscal year
thereafter. The rate will increase by CPI or 3% whichever is less. The amount of the fire services special assessment to be applied against each parcel will be based upon the property use code designated by the property appraiser and square footage ranges which as has been
mentioned previously that goes up and down. Uh currently the proposed increase for me is the 37%. So uh that is not doable for me not on my income. I want to take this
opportunity to request each of you to review the budget and to propose other avenues that can make the situation a win-win for both the county fire rescue, fire operations, and the taxpayers. Thank you for your time.
[Applause] Thank you. Ben P Christina. Did I say that right? Yes. Ben Christina. I live in 5287 Mansford Place. I'm a constituent of Kim
actually. Okay. So, commissioners, um, uh, this increase here that I, the letter that I got is completely unacceptable. Just because our houses have appraised in value, it doesn't mean that I can just simply reach into the walls of my house and grab money out of
it. That's not how that works. between the tariffs, inflation, uh we've got also pressures on all sides and uh um uh on top of that uh from what I understand from the letter, which I briefly read because I'm a regular
person. I got things going on. Um it sounds like they want to increase our taxes every single year after that. Beyond unacceptable. Uh, and uh, and just to make it clear, the rest of us don't get
automatic raises. I actually have to work really hard to get a raise or even take a chance and switch jobs. And I mean, I don't have all the answers here uh, for what to do about the fire department. And I didn't know that the fire department was in trouble
till I just heard that here. Okay. But that's not my job. My job is to write software. My job is not to come here and take time off work and complain about this and be stuck here, but here I am. And thankfully, I'm in a better
financial situation than a lot of people who spoke before me. Uh, you know, I had no idea that some people just simply can't even afford it. At least I have a good salary, but I shouldn't be have to pay this anyway.
Um the when I when I bought my house, I bought it at at a much lower uh rate in in uh in 2016. Um just because my house is worth a lot of money now doesn't mean that uh that gain is
realized. I I would um I would also like to mention that uh I'm not sure where the chief got the 20% from. that 20% people are are against this. I I don't think that's true. Uh many people, everybody at nobody at work wants this
tax increase, but none of them are here because they all have uh projects to meet. They all have deadlines to meet. They all all have kids to meet. And I actually had to take time off to come here to do this. Uh but there is
literally nobody that I know who who is for this increase. So, uh, the lady over there earlier spoke, uh, about the constituents during G. Well, I'm those constit one of those constituents, and I say don't increase our taxes. Thank you,
[Applause] Bruce Fletcher. My name is Bruce Fletcher. I live at 26A VIP Island Grant and uh I want to thank you for having the meeting and listen to everybody and I want to commend the fire
department for everything they've do. We we certainly know that they need money and that the money needs to come from somewhere. I don't know if the tax is the right way to do it or not, but what I am concerned about is that I haven't heard any
proposals as to where the money goes other than a general general statement. And on VIP Island, we're very inadequately covered for fire protection. We It's an island has no access by road. The fire department
didn't even have a boat until just the last couple of years. And that boat is nothing more than a fishing boat with two Harbor Freight pumps on it. We maintain equipment on the island ourselves that we paid for. And my concern is is that the money would never
we'd never see any of it. We'd get we'd get a tax. We'd have a rate increase. And again, we would we would continue to be in the same situation we're in right now. We are the first responders on the island. we pay when we are have bought and paid for equipment ourselves, which is minimal, but we've done more than
what the what the county has done to help protect us on the island. Um, we just want to know that some of that money is going to go to help improve our situation. And not only is it a health and welfare situation, I myself have been cancelled by insurance four times
in the last year. Number one reason was fire protection. So, we would just like to see that some of that money, wherever it comes from, I don't know where is the best way to go, but some of that money can go to the
outlying areas that are that are hard to take care of that we can get something to help us inhouse protect ourselves because we're the first ones to get there. And I just like to thank you for everything and let you know that we're all for the fire department getting what
they need. And I know that the fire department does as much as they can. We have a great re re um communications line and we communicate back and forth with them. They call us when they get a call on something. They will call us. We'll check it out. We we work together
really well. I know that their problem is they're restricted on their their money and who is who's controlling that money. So if they don't have it, they can't do it. So the money needs to be there somewhere. I'm just don't know if this is the right way or not. I don't I I can't make that decision. I just know
that money's needed. It's needed in many places and we're one of them and we'd like to see something improved. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Pauline Burke. Good morning. I'm Pauline
Burke. I moved to this county in 2018. I lived solely on social security. This is a fabulously wealthy county. It has
utterly exploded with businesses and new homes. I do not understand comprehend why the fire department has not been
allocated better funds. These people save lives, your lives, our lives. Why hasn't the county seen to it without this assessment to fund the men and
women in our fire department? This is disgraceful. I don't believe we should have this special assessment. I think you need to dig into your pockets and come up with this money with all of the
new building, the new businesses that are going into this county that make it great. We need to make our fire department great. You should not tax us individually.
Most of us are barely making it. I think you should not pass this now, but sit back and reassess where this money can come from within the
funds that you have. Thank you very much. [Applause] Will Bird Bright. After her, we'll have Pat
Reamer. Good morning. My name is Will Burbrite. Um, I lived in Bvard County. In fact, I went to elementary, junior high, high school, and college in Bvard County and then of course state
universities. [Music] This is a terrible thing that so many people are going to be affected by raising the taxes each year to take care of something that
should be taken care of in each city. And we have all these businesses as this woman just spoke before me. Impact fees, all these big buildings going up, all these apartments and homes, impact
fees will make a difference if we just use that as the avenue in which to take care of our fire department. They're precious. My husband's a retired fireman.
I'm a retired state employee in the Department of Corrections. My son is a retired deputy sheriff. So, we've all served this county. But we need, as a lady said before me, to dig in and find out a
better way other than raising the taxes. Too many people will be hurt. Thank you. after uh Miss Rmmer is going to be Jim Schilling. Hi, my name is Pat Rymer. I'm a resident of
Scotsmore. I have no problem with the one-time current proposed 37% special assessment. What I do have a problem with however is the proposed annual increase um equal to the consumer price index or
3% whichever is less. The increase is in is in essence a perpetual tax with the commission takes until the commission takes further action. The commission should do their job and
review the budget needs annually and determine what the fire services assessment needs to be. Not a perpetual increase and assessment. That's unreasonable and I know my income will
not be going up by even 1 to 3% for the next however many years. So, I I understand the need for the 3% 37% special assessment. I have no problem with that. But the annual increase that
is not reviewed or determined why it's needed is unacceptable. Thank you. Thank you, Jim Schilling. Okay, we'll have Clawudette afterward. Go ahead, sir. My
name is Jim Schilling. I'm from Satellite Beach, South Patrick Shores, north of Satellite Beach in the county. You can call this whatever you want to call it, but in my legal definition, it's based on the use of the property, the size of the
property, and the value of the property. And I will pay it as a property tax. And that's what this is. The state limits it to 3% a year. I don't you have to call it something else to go to 37%. And I don't agree with doing that.
I think it should come from the impact fees on all the new construction. I have a limited income and a lot of that goes to help. My son-in-law was severely injured in army combat. I can't afford
this. Y'all really need to call it what it is. It is a property tax. And if you call it anything else, you have to call it something else to be able to get it past the 3%. And I'm not for it. I'm for the
firefighters. And I think if you go to the increase in impact fees, you can cover. Any [Applause] questions. Hello, I'm Cuadet Bish
district 2 and I'm retired and I'm from North Merit Island. I moved up here because in that area because it was such a beautiful country atmosphere. You are developing it like
crazy. Uh we only have one way in, one way out on Courtney. The traffic is horrendous almost all day long. The bridge goes up. We don't get off. The problem is if we have a fire out there, who's going to help us? We
have one fire station out there that has suffered from black mold. The guys have had to live in mobile homes and that stuff. When are we getting our new fire station? I heard it's on plan. It's supposed to be on Courtney and Hall. The dirt's still there. Nothing has
happened. You have development all over the place. Go after the developers. They're the ones that are making the money and they have the money to pay. You have not increased the developers fees for years. Go after them and not the taxpayers.
We're on fixed incomes. We need the services. We don't get it out on the island and that stuff. Please stop um forgetting about us. Thank you. [Applause]
Uh, Georgia Bicknel. After Georgia will be Mark Door. Good morning. I'm Georgia Bicknull and I've lived in the county since 1968. I currently live at 4455 Rayurn Road in North
Coco and I am on a limited income now. I've retired from federal service after 35 and a half years and I have only my social security my retirement and a small TSP account.
I have 4.91 acres. If this is a property tax, it's going to hurt me. I have seen taxes go up every year since I bought the property back in 1981. Can you please find another way other
than our property taxes? Thank you. Mark door. Okay. Andrea Turner. Good morning. My name is Andrea Turner. I've been a resident here in Bvard
County for 11 years now. And our taxes do nothing but go up. And when I saw that this rate assessment was going to possibly go up 37% next year, we're going to be retired and be on a fixed income. And this will definitely
uh hinder our retirement. You're looking at people that are of average income. They cannot afford a 37% increase. And I know that in the future since we have unlimited resources there that uh we're
just asking for another way for you to find and fund this tax assessment. And I was going to suggest maybe you could get it from um having the developers pay for these tax increases instead of the average citizen that lives in Bvard
County because we're not all wealthy. and thank you for your time and hearing my voice. You uh Sandra King and then Anthony
Balsanto Zantio will be next. Hi, I'm Sandra King and I live in Verona in Titusville, new subdivision. And uh when we we were one of the first houses to build in there and they told
us there were going to be,00 houses in that development which is right on Gryom Road off across from the municipal airport. And uh why couldn't that money come from impact
fees from all those houses every week when we're seeing people come from all these different states and buying houses in Verona? Why can't they come from there? I just it just my husband isn't even ret
he's 72 and he's not even retired because he you know he he loves his job at the space center. Crazy I know. But anyway, um he I feel like are you not retiring because you think we're not going to make it because things are going to be
keep going up and up and up and and I know he's worried about it and we're going to be on a fixed income and it's like so many. Are we going to be able to survive? Are we going to have to sell our house because Oh, and then what
house would you buy? you know, because everything is going up. So, um, with more and more development happening and more and even all of these, um, apartment buildings that are popping up
everywhere, why can't the impact fees from that be part of where we're getting the money instead of raising our taxes and hurting people that are trying to retire and that are already retired and are on fixed incomes. Thank you.
[Applause] you're Anthony. Yes, sir. All right. Morning, commissioners, honorable chairs. Appreciate the time. Um, I don't think there's anyone in this room who would not like more money. I think you can ask everyone here. If everyone would
like a little more money, we'd all say yes. But the homeowners are strained. We're feeling it on all sides. Prices are going up. Walmart just announced price increases. Everybody's hearing about tariffs. We're seeing cost of
services go up in the county. We're seeing materials go up in the county. Even if you try and do it yourself and you go to Home Depot, the prices have gone up. We're strained. It's not an endless resource. But when you look around the county and you see the
explosions that have happened in the last 10 years and you see the amount of money that flows through this county, not just in retail, but in we're talking large corporations coming here, we're seeing other things, corporate income
taxes. There's so many different funding mechanisms through the county. We hear impact fees, but we've also seen years ago a half cent sales tax incentive put with the Indian River Lagoon for that project restoration. There are many different funding mechanisms. The
homeowner should be the mechanism of last resort, not the first hit. Appreciate your time. Thank you. I believe it's Syoi and I appreciate your Well, I think it's phonetically spelled. So, good job.
Thank you. Um anyway, um I moved here uh because of divorce. Um um um this is the only place I um I came from the north. um the only place I uh
my money could buy after a divorce, a long divorce, and I didn't keep a lot of money because of uh paying lawyers. Um and being with my ex-husband for 33 years, he decide to keep the money and
it was really hard to get away from this divorce. I finally divorced and I moved to Florida. Um, not having a lot of money, I had to move to a HOA and I thought the taxes would be uh low uh
because the exit owner had uh he was paying 400 something but when I had to pay it was uh uh 500 and the next year was uh over,000 and then uh more than uh
I think it was about 15 around 15 uh00 Um I have I am retired. When I divorced I was I was already uh 66 years old. Now um almost 66. Now I'm six almost 68. Um
the HOA uh tried to raise the price uh for the third year. Um right now I pay $481. Um um um they are trying to raise for over 500 which is a lot. I have a
fixed income. I only make $1,000 over um I have to pay Medicare and I have to keep a car because otherwise I can eat. I have to use a car. Um um I have to pay tax. I have to pay home insurance, car
insurance. I have to eat. I can't re rent rent a room to um hire my income because um uh it's not allowed. [Music] Um it's a lot of bills. Um I don't I'm
sorry to tell a lot of people are having problems. Um, and I cannot afford another place because this place is the HOA is the lowest price I can I could
find. Um, I'm having hard time with bills and um, this month um, my this month my car broke. I have um, a light on my car, engine light.
um to bring to the shop. They charge um where I live, they didn't charge for each code. Here they charge $135 for each code. I don't know how many codes. Looks like I have more than two codes. And then I don't know what I
have to fix on my car. I came I drove here with the lights on. Um I can afford more. I can definitely afford more. I don't I I I live here for 45 years in my mistake from how I can
speak but I cannot write well in order to keep a good job. So if I get a job like uh two years ago I was trying to uh I was not retired yet so I was trying to leave with the little amount that was
left and but I we appreciate all of that ma'am. We have a lot of cards. I'm sorry. We still have I just want to say that I can afford I I understand. I This really got me on surprise. And if you if you stop by AutoZone or possibly Discount Auto, they'll come out and read
codes for you. They used to do that. I've been checking everywhere. Well, I that I'm a car guy. They uh they used they used to do that. So So check on that. Okay. That might save you some money. All right. And please consider
not to race because I can't afford I I would be out of home. All of our costs are going up here too. We're we're trying to find a better way. Please believe me. Uh BC Schubert. I say that
right? And after BC then we'll have Stefan Glista or Grista. Thank you for your service. 57year resident of this beautiful county, disabled Army veteran.
Um I think the 37% is the part that's really hanging everybody up. If you could find a way to mitigate that, say 7 8% per year for the next five years with a cut off, I think it would go down very
smoothly. But the 37% just a nonsecutor. Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir, very much. After Stefan, we're going to have John Orzek. Good morning. Um, my name is Stephan
Glista, 11540 Dragon Point, Merit Island. I uh appreciate the chief summary of where the money was spent. I think that should have been in the letter that was sent out. That would have been helpful. Uh, I have a question about uh station 64. Uh, cost was
estimated for the re repair and updating of 2.6 6 million 2021 went to 7.5 million to 2025. Uh you said a 6% increase on is going to be budget is is projected for the basis of this uh
aotment. Why is it a factor of three different and the contractor is not publicly known? And I asked the county attorney, is it uh knowable for us who is the contractor on station
64, does the $5 million overrun? Does the board Can you say who was the contractor that had a $5 million overrun? Sir, I'll tell you what. We've got Let's let us get through. I think we got about seven or eight more cards and then we'll
have uh the chief and Colonel Wallace speak to the the cost there. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. And so uh my question would be u on the cost containment. I understand engines are more expensive. All this stuff's more expensive. But this needs to be discussed of what
you're going to do to stop a factor of three overrun. And if your impact if you cannot estimate your impact fees if they're being then you need to increase the fire department's impact fee by a factor for three. If that's as good as we are at projecting what it's going to be worth and I move I would ask one of
the councils this fire department says but they have no standing on impact fees that has to come. Okay. The homeowner has standing. So this request is coming not from the fire department. They can't make this request. So all these homeowners are up here saying and I'm asking one council member to come forward and say we're going to increase
the percent of the impact fee for the fire department by a factor three because that's what our history shows we need. Thank you for your time. Thank you sir. Is it Mr. Orzac? Good morning. John Orzac Boulevard County. Everything's
been said what I was going to say but I think you're right. We need to increase impact fees. It's ridiculous putting all this onto homeowners. You got increased property taxes every year. You get increased homeowners insurance every year. Increased HOA fees. Not maybe not
every year, but continuously. It's just the money has to be found from someplace else other than taxes. And I I just don't see how you can continue to do this and chase people out of the county that can't afford it. You got people here that are young, buy a house, they
got a mortgage, and the following year they get their insurance. They get their mortgage payment is up $500 more because their insurance went up. And now this is another one that we're adding to it. And it just has to happen. I think you guys got to find someplace else. Well, it's
increase in sales, property taxes, but definitely impact taxes. Or maybe we got to bring Elon Mus down here and find out what's wrong. Find out what's wrong with the ball. Thank you, Philip Cohen.
Hi, thank you, commissioners. Uh, I'm Philip Cohen. I've lived on Merit Island since 1976. Um, the costs of living in this county are just going outrageous. I I think you've heard pretty much from everybody and I feel the same way that these
increases shouldn't go on the backs of the homeowners or the property owners. Um there's many different ways whether it be impact fees, whether it be part of the sales tax out of the general fund, these short-term Airbnb rentals that are popping up in all of our neighborhoods,
which nobody really likes. Um, and a lot of people are getting away with doing that outside of the the the rules and regulations of the county. But bottom line is, um, I'm entering my retirement years now, and the same thing, you know, my income is not going to be going up 3%
every year. These guys are asking for six, 27, 37% increases. We need to find a different way to fund the fire assessments. These things started, I think, around 2007, 2009. And when they
first started putting the assessments outside of the fire in the general fund on our taxes, I thought it would be for two or three years and then it would go away. Hasn't gone away and it keeps going up every single year. And it's to
the point where the fire assessment alone is more than what my tax bill used to be on my property. And it's just out of control. And I urge you guys to look at different ways to fund. The fire department needs some help, but it
shouldn't be on the backs of the property owners and the homeowners, especially when the majority of us in the counter county now are starting to enter our retirement ages. There's nothing we can do. You can't draw blood from a stone. Thank you for your time.
Thank you, Sandra Solomon. and she'll be followed by Lorraine de Monty. Sandra Sullivan, South Patrick Shores. So, we all know Bvard County has a fiscal crisis and that crisis extends
well beyond our fire and EMS. uh you have as a county commission been irresponsible and kicked the can down the road on impact fees for 25 years. I've been coming before this county
commission for six years with that resounding message. Now, I'm glad you're gone out for a study, but there's no assurance you're going to approve it no more than what they did in 2016. We don't know. There's been no fiscal analysis of what that is anticipated to
bring in that would offset this. And the 37% is just part of the story because as we well known there is a 5545 split between fire and EMS. What you're not talking about is the
intention for the general fund side. So this isn't the end of the tax. Okay. So you've discussed taking that out of the fire control MSTU which is only unincorporated for that 45%. Which is going to put the burden on
unincorporated residents and not sharing it equity equitably with city residents. But there is aside from impact fees there is another revenue source rather than putting all the burden on we the people because we see what you do.
There's always enough money for we the pe we the money special interest. There always is just like we saw $2.4 million today. I came and complained about the $1.7 million for a study for Space
Florida or $1.2 million for Bright Line for the quad arms that they are responsible for or 10 million to Bright Line or 30 million to Driftwood and on and on. or how about giving away $8 to$10 million uh to of the Sarno land.
There's plenty of special interest money that you give away. What we need to do is tax space by state statute. They are exempted on only the land value and not the improvement value. I've been coming here before
this. The big secret sh Florida. Okay, there there this county is in a fiscal crisis from a $2.2 billion deficit in transportation that matches your entire budget for the
county. It isn't just fire. How are you going to climb yourself out of this hole? Oh, I know. Miss Atinson's came to a meeting the last month or this earlier this month and proposed, let's do away with the 3% tax cap. Let's keep putting it on we the people. Let's keep putting
it on we the people rather than equitably looking at the sources that should be paying which is the special interests and stop giving money to the special interests while you're putting more taxation on us.
[Applause] Lorraine, are you Lorraine? Okay. How do you how do you say your last name, ma'am? Okay. Lorraine Deontany. Deontany. Okay. And um I'm from Miko and
a Bvard County resident since 1977 also. Um so I received this letter and um I don't recall seeing this in recent years. Um so my proposed uh increase is
going up by $153 plus. So, my total assessment will be $569.65. So, I thought, "Wow, that's a whole lot." Um, I think I need to probably put something on social media, try and get my other uh nearby residents
rallied up, come to the meeting. Um, that that's a lot of money. So, in the social media post, I was seeing people come back. Well, mine's only going to $47. And I'm like, what? That doesn't seem equitable. Um, so I I started looking into it a little bit deeper and of course it says it's based upon square
footage um is the metrics used to I guess come up with this number that they've come up with and um similar um so the square footage doesn't take into effect the construction materials doesn't take into
effect the age of the home. It's uh really no better than a Zillow's estimate. Um, so I don't know how that's going to be equitable to other people. So I feel like I'm I'm carrying a little bit more of the burden than than my neighbors around me. Um, I looked into when this
initially started, this special assessment, um, which seems like it would be something that would be temporary, but apparently it isn't. Um, so I went back and I looked at all my previous tax bills to see what I was paying. And uh starting in 2007, I paid uh
$212. And then for the next 10 years, I paid $266.81. And then in 2018, it crept up. And then it has crept up every year since then. I don't remember getting this letter every year that that went up. And it's a special assessment. Why
was it going up? And nobody ever stopped it. And now we have the proposal for the 3% automatic or CPI. So I felt coming all the way up here from Miko would um might be a waste of my time because I feel like it's
probably a foregone conclusion that you're already going to pass it. And I'm challenging you to prove me wrong. Put this on hold. Do a deep dive on the budget. find somewhere else to get the money because we're tired of being
nickeled and dime to death and there's already a fire control MSTU in place that is attached to the value of a property and not the square footage of our property. So, I think this is a little clever lever that has been used to uh extract money from us taxpayers
um without having to uphold that save our homes uh cap. So, please hold off and uh investigate other ways. Thank you, Jackie Busimi. No.
Okay. Stephen Thompson and then Regina Harris. Good morning, council members. I appreciate your time and I thank all these people for their time. I'd like to say um I'm opposed to this increase. I
hate to protest, but um for fire special services, another valuable people to have around. My family has lived in um Bvard County for over 50 years since the 70s and I am um disabled on fixed income
and um year after year my taxes go up and last five years the tax bill has increased potentially. I don't doubt the fire services need this money. All I'm saying is need to find a better way to get the cash. If it's alleviate a park
or whatever it takes, impact fees, it should be done. And uh thank you very much for your time. Thank you, sir. Regina Harris. Hi, I'm Regina Harris. I live on VIP Island in Southern Bard. As you can see,
we have a few of us here. Um, we have a great relationship with Bvard County Fire Rescue. They they try to support us as much as they can, but their hands are tied. And um, we have a new fireboat two years ago that they
bought. It's a fishing boat with two, as Bruce said, two Harbor Freight pumps on it. And, uh, we don't have 247 fire coverage. We, if we have an issue, we have take care of it ourselves.
Um, if a friend of ours said, "If a fire if a pickup truck drove up to your house with fire engine on the side and a shovel, would you consider that fire services?" So, there's the analogy to
what we have. Um, a special assessment, a one-time assessment. We're all for getting them more money, but or I'm all for getting them more money, but this continual assessment that's not really an assessment
um is really something that I think we need to find a better way as everyone else has said to to achieve that goal. Thanks. [Applause]
Okay, that is there anyone else who wants to speak who didn't put in a card? We had a lot of cards to make sure that we didn't miss anyone. Okay, commissioners, that's the last of the cards. Um, Chief, before we go into
discussion, are there any items maybe you could address that you heard earlier? Um, I think we had a question about uh cost overrun on a station. Yeah, I'll uh I'll say I appreciate everybody's I think there's an undertone of of uh
support for the fire department in everybody's message. Um but the station 64 issue specifically, it's not currently, it's in the projected plan. It's not currently uh we don't currently have a builder for that project. Um, so
when we started in 2021, price per square foot for a fire station was around $200 a square foot. Our last fire station, station 49 that we built was $600 a square foot. So, uh, just like our fire trucks have gone from
a half a million dollars to a million dollars. You know, everything has gone up tremendously. Just, you know, the same reason everyone is here today, the everything has gone up. Um and also there was a redesign in station 64. So station 64 sits on Spessert Holland.
Lessons we learned from the hurricanes that happened on the west coast uh was a year or two ago. Um this would be a station that would be a two-story station. Um and if a cat 3 or greater hurricane was coming in, we would literally open the bay doors. No
electronics, no power. Uh nothing would be on that first floor. And uh for all purposes, we would let the ocean flow into the river and the fire station would still stay there. So um lessons learned, trying to do the right thing for the community and allow those
firefighters to stay on Spessert Holland, that South Melbourne Beach area, uh when we do rebuild that firehouse. Question, Chief, the um station in Vieira, the new it's relatively new, right? Yes, sir. Okay. Can you explain
to the board or either tell the board who bought the seven recliner chairs that are unbelievably like TV chairs with your emblem on them? Mhm. Who bought those? Who bought those? And what was the cost of those? Uh, off the top of my head, I'm not sure. You could get
it for the board? Yes, sir. I could get it for you. And what was the purpose of buying those chairs? Was are they for relaxation or meditating or what? Uh, well, to sit to sit in the afternoons. I mean, the guys and girls, they have dedicated work times. They have things they have to do during the day, but they
do live there 24 hours a day. Okay. I I didn't know. There must be a reason. It's their house. Uh, and those chairs, they're not uh um you know, up until not that long ago, we had furniture called cargo furniture, and it was very uncomfortable. So, this was a nice uh
upgrade for the guys and girls, and it's special fire department uh furniture that lasts longer than a regular um you know, department store chair. Okay. Now, thank you, Chief. I have one other
question for Jim. Okay. for Jim. May I could you tell me, sir, if you took every trailer, every house, every business in Bvard County last year, do you have the number of new buildings that would be? Do you know the number? No, I do not know that
number, sir. Okay. Then would you say right now could you tell us on an average what is the impact fee per house per trailer per business or I know it might depend on square footage I guess but does anybody have a number there's a n I pulled it up for
you guys there's a number of different ones um for if you combine EMS and fire rescue together for single family home it's right around n just under $90 multifamily it's about $80 a unit Um, and then there's a couple other
calculations between $50 and $70 depending on what type of multifamilies they are. If you were going to raise the impact fees, and I would propose that I would assume that's on new construction. Correct. Correct. Okay. Then could you get back to the board and tell us how
many units, you know, you don't you I know there's no way to be exact, but how many units would you need and what would the increase in impact fees be uh that would need to get the money that we're proposing with the uh fire assessment fee? And another thing that everybody
needs to realize, and you keep saying don't impact, don't fe don't charge the people. Don't put it on the back of the people. But if you know anything about a developer building a house or selling a hamburger, if he has a fee that's raised, he's going to pass it on to you
to to people. It's just part of it. Um um may get myself in trouble here, Commissioner. Um the we're looking at special impact fee about $14 million a year. Our current impact fees are 380 somewhere in that neck of the woods for fire rescue.
380,000. So 14 million divided by 389,000 that would be the percentage increase. Yes. Yes sir. Which probably would of course everybody the developers are going to yell you're killing construction and and there are state
requirements on how that's part we're doing the study now. The study will come back next year. But there are state requirements on how and how much you can raise impact fees. You can use the impact fees for infrastructure but you can't use them for operational costs like firefighter salaries. Oh, well that doesn't help then, does it? It would
help with some of the equipment and uh you know capital costs but not with the salaries, right? And Morris, if I may, uh those fees can all be used for new equipment like new emerging equipment for the new new service areas. Impact fees are related to capac uh capacity increases.
Gotcha. Okay. So, you'd have to have you'd almost have to have both. Yes. If you're going to fund it properly down the line, you'd have to have the the variance and then impact fees. Correct. That's the way I see it. Yeah. All right. All right.
Other follow-up questions for staff. Okay. We're in We're in discussion. Can I Can I ask a quick question? Well, sir, we're we're we're in discussion. Okay. I'm sorry. In discussion, Commissioner
Delaney. in discussion. I just wanted to address some of the stuff that um was being said and thank you so much everybody for coming down and and sharing with us your thoughts and feelings about this. Um and just know that this is
um I know how hard and how heavy this has weighed on me. Um, I I have spent pretty much every day of my life since I've been elected to go through this budget and tear it apart. Our our staff,
Keith and Jill, I talked to them a lot to try I I looked through every single thing you could possibly look through. And um the fact of the matter is is that for
the past decades um millage rates have been rolled back over and over and over again. And um while property values have gone up, that's why your taxes keep going up even though the millage rates keep going down and down and down. But that's why things
haven't been um keeping up because the mill rate keeps going down and our growth has exceeded um that amount of money. And so because impact fees haven't been updated in all that time, the people have bared the
brunt of that growth. And so we are working like like it was said, we are working on getting an impact fee study. Unfortunately, the state makes us do an impact fee study before we go forward and um look into raising those impact
fees. Um but that process has started. Um and uh like our county manager said, um it'll it'll take, you know, a little bit of time for that to come back.
Um I just want to say something. Um the $2.4 $4 million that was allocated before that we voted on that was not county money. That did not come from county dollars. And so I just want to
make sure that people know that um that that money would not have come back to us if we would have not approved that. Um it would have gone back to the city of Titusville. So it wouldn't have helped this situation. It was just we were basically just a another check
check and balance for the city of Titusville for that money. Um I just want to share my heart a little bit about this because I know that people in my district are going to be affected. I'm going to be affected. Um you know I'm a I'm a mom of three.
You know like I we're not independently wealthy. Um, so it's uh really important, but I know that, you know, for me, I live in Canaval Groves and um
every time there's a fire out back, I call up one of these people in the yellow shirts around here and I say to them, "Do I need to get my horses in a horse trailer or you guys got this?" And they they tell me thankfully they got it.
Um, so I I uh completely understand um the hardship that this is going to be on some families and some people. Uh some of the things that are
changing over the next year um the state has just hopefully if Governor Dantis signs it has just allowed us to use some of those tourism dollars 25% of the tourism dollars on public safety. I personally I I would have to get board
approval but I personally would like to use that to the fullest. I would also like to look into um a seeing what we can do with a sales tax. And we can only have so many sales
tax um so many pennies. And so, um we would have to look into and get, you know, public input on what do we want our penny sales tax to look like? Can we even fund public safety out of it? Um what would that look like for Sorrel?
because we have to balance all these needs of the community and you know we have to decide as a community what we want to fund out of those sales taxes. We can't just make as many as we want. This the state puts a
lot of restrictions on us. And so what I would love to see is the state to not restrict our dollars so much um so that we could move things around like a normal budget. But it's just um when we have uh items on our budget, that money
can only be used in that pot for that specific thing. And so there's only very little um and it's very strange that I always talk in millions now. I never thought that I would be speaking in millions. um but where
there's only so much money to go around um that's not already allocated in a particular spot and so um while this is a large increase and I I I understand that our fire department is
in a situation right now because that can has been kicked for so long well I just got elected in November so um that that can has been kicked for so long that here we are and
um right now we're down about vacant 100 firefighters and we're about to lose we're on track to lose the same amount this year. And so if we don't do something right now, we are going to be put in a situation where ambulances
won't come because there's no firefighters, because there's no paramedics. And what I would like to see is this for board is for this to not be a forever thing for us to commit to the
community that we will look at these other funding sources that are coming available hopefully once governor DSantis signs them in July. So if you guys want to put all this energy into also emailing our our great governor and telling him please sign these bills so that our county government can fund
itself properly, that would be really helpful. Um, but I would like to see this be a temporary thing. Um, but you know, again, that's a board decision. We I can't imagine that we wouldn't do
everything in our power to um alleviate the struggle of added taxes. Um, but for right now, we have to stop the bleed.
And so, um, I just wanted to kind of share my heart on this a bit and, uh, put that out there for everybody. Thank you, Commissioner Atinson. I saw you reach for your light. Yeah. You're after. Many
of you have not been here very often. Um, I was also just elected in November. I often sit very quiet because I do a lot of thinking. But for those of you who don't know, I am the one who made the motion for the
37% increase. I'm also one of the ones who voted against a 50% increase and a 70 or 75% increase that was motioned were made up
here. So, we are doing our best to mind your tax dollars and your pockets because it's my pocket, too. I work two jobs. It's very important to me that we spend your tax dollars wisely, but I can
promise you that 50 and 75% is unacceptable. Commissioner Goodson, I have no comment. Um, Commissioner Atkins said it correctly. Okay. Is there any other
discussion on the item? Commissioner Alman. Well, I I um really appreciate everyone who came up here and spoke. It's important that u government officials are held accountable that we
have to face you face to face the vote to hear what you have to say. And I think it's important that property owners, I'm a property owner, pay a lot of taxes um are heard out and and they need to advocate for for their taxes to
stay low. I mean, this what makes this country great. We just can't unilaterally increase fees. So, I applaud you and and I agree with the effort. Although just this morning I was talking
to a family member of a firefighter who gets up and drives to Palm Beach County two or three times a week and saves lives, runs on equipment that's much more modern and has more paramedics and
EMTs per run and can say and communicate how they save lives because they have that extra support. Bvard County has phenomenal fire department, the best training in the in the state of Florida
and the rest of the state knows that and that's why they're hiring our people. I talked to another individual who had numerous friends whose family members were firefighters and they drive to Orlando every day. As the commissioner said, we're
down a 100 positions and we're getting to a point where, and this is what keeps me up at night, is a time when an ambulance does not respond and somebody dies or has a life long condition that
could have been prevented because of the inability to get paramedics to that uh call quick enough. or a structure that burns down because we couldn't get a pumper there in time. And when we start seeing those response
times to those structural fires increase, you start looking at insurance companies that then reassess what you pay in property tax and u insurance, fire insurance fees. And we know how expensive insurance costs are. And and
this may cost us more and I say us because it affects me as much as anyone else more in the short run, but it in the long run it may save us money. So, my heart goes out to you and I appreciate you being here, but I I think
that uh I think we need this and probably a little bit more if we're going to really really provide that basic life safety service, which is the most basic of all things that we
provide. Commissioner Atkins is right. There was there was controversy here the last meeting and there were even firefighters that got mad because we did not raise the rate higher which I supported but this commission voted 32
to to be very careful and they were looking after after your interest. So it's it's kind of a thankless job isn't it? you get people up both sides are angry which um which happens a lot but um so I don't want you to think your
voices are not heard and I don't want you to think that um that you didn't have an impact because you do and um but we we are in a very serious public crisis at this point it's a life safety
crisis I've been involved in public service for quite a long time and I think this is probably one of the most crit critical, maybe the most critical life safety issue I've ever seen. We throw on top of that a hospital closes, which increases response times
and takes more of our our paramedic and EMT resources and transport resources. So, it's a life safe life a life-threatening situation. I think we're going to have to have to do something here. And um it's not an easy thing. is
something that's enjoyable. But but we must we we must provide the public safety for uh I've been in homes. I've had family members who had first responders. I've seen the professional professionalism of these firefighter
paramedic EMTs. I've watched them watch them save lives or attempt to save lives. And I know how difficult their job is. And um this is uh what we're facing right now. It's it's a public public emergency.
Any other discussion on the item? Is there a motion on the item? Motion approval. And that's uh is that option one, sir? 37%. Yes. I think it's 37. 37. Okay. So,
we have Can I have a question? I have a question about that. Is that um with the 3% increase every year or just the 37%. That's Thank you. That's that's how that's how it's written. Uh opt option one is
um can can we amend that? Is that is that a question? Yeah, Mr. Mr. Chair, the option one includes the 3% CPI or whatever is less CPI or 3% whatever is less. Excuse me.
Is there a friendly amendment to um not include the annual increase of 3% or CPI? Are you asking me? No, I I that's for staff. Go ahead.
Somebody somebody answered the issue of 3% where does that put us next year? Um if it's if it's not in there so simply the board would take it up next year to Yes, sir. When when we calculated out for the three-year option
on option one, we included that as part of our calculus in in years two and three. So if you read the uh in the agenda it says you know contract uh aggressive contract for years two and three that was part of the core um funds that would be available for years two
and three. So if if we do uh just no CPI then uh we would have to go back and reook at the calcul calculations to see where we would be and what funds would be available then for for those for those out years. So, for the for the contract that we're hoping to get done
with fire, right? And we're I mean, we'd all like to get to a three-year contract. That's what we're hoping for by That's what we're hoping for by October. Uh we'd have to revisit things. We would have to do recalculations to see what funds would be available. Yes,
sir. is can I uh change my can I can we do it so that it's the 3% for only those three years would that make the math work well it's also it's whatever is less so up
until just a few years ago and Jill would know the numbers better than me but up until a few years ago it was never 3% a lot of years we were in the 1.8 8 1.9 2%. So the 3% is is the cap. Okay. Yes, ma'am. And if you did it capped it at three years, then that
would be outside the current contract or the contract period we're trying to get to. Yes. Okay. So that would the calculations would be good is what I guess what I'm trying to we would have to go back and work on the seven-year uh capital and equipment side to rework that plan.
I if there wasn't the three years beyond if there wasn't the 3% beyond the three years. Correct. We'd have to reook at that in year four in three years down the road. Y Okay. Um could I uh suggest a friendly amendment to only include the
CPI rate or 3% whichever is less for just the three years? There hasn't been a second yet, right? So there's not a motion pending. So you can just make that as a motion when the chair is ready to entertain a motion. I'll second the motion.
Okay. Your motion is for the 37% with I'm second. Did we second? Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. I'm sorry. Okay. Commissioner, she she was asking about amendment. Okay. He has a motion for option one. Second. Yes. Okay. Commissioner, I think we're ready to
vote. All right. We have a motion for option one by Commissioner Goodson. We have a second by Commissioner Alman. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney, yes. Vice Chair Goodson, yes. Commissioner Atkinson, yes. Commissioner Altman, yes. Chairman
Felner, yes. We'll show that passes 5-0. Commissioners, we're going to take a fiveminut break and when we come back, we have a couple of items. Um, we we need to pick up the pace a little bit. Heat.
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[Music] We're going We're going to be on uh H4.
H4. Thank you very much. Yep. Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll take your conversation outside, please. We're going to get We're going to get started. Ladies, ladies and gentlemen, we're
going we're going to get restarted. Morris, you're recognized on H4. Thank you. Um, so this is the uh district 3 commissioners item as directed by the board at um a prior meeting. I believe your April 20 meeting. Um I prepared an ordinance that
would have the effect of dissolving the north boulevard development district while also honoring the commitments and obligations of a contractual nature of the district. It would recapture for the general fund the annual tax increment
payments that are transferred from the general fund into the north boulevard development district uh trust fund. One of the commitments that would be honored as an example was what was approved earlier today, the Searstown Mall redevelopment project. that would
be paid out of funds that exist within the city portion of that trust fund, but otherwise it would provide for termination of the interlocal agreement between Bard County and Titusville relating to the district. And I'm happy to answer any questions about the ordinance. All right, questions for
Morris on the ordinance? Commissioner Atinson, just a clarification about where that 3 million um will go. So that will return to the general fund and the board is given direction to use that um in developing the budget to fund
the general fund side of Bvard County Fire Rescue needs. Other questions from Morris? We've got eight cards, I think. So if we don't have any questions, we'll go to the cards. Jesse, right? afternoon. Now, um commissioners, we're
almost my request is uh please do not throw this baby with the bath with the bathwater. Killing the inbat is the same thing as killing the dreams of the entrepreneurs. These are the entrepreneurs that actually make
businesses. They bring jobs to the communities. They create revenues for the city. And killing this board is almost like killing all those dreams. Businesses need incentive. Without the incentive, they cannot they
cannot start. I give you an example. Back in 2010, I purchased a property in Jackson, Mississippi. 37 acre property, 327,000 square feet. The reason I
purchased it because President Obama at that time wanted to give incentive to the businesses in South Jackson, Mississippi. This property is located at I20 and I-55, the largest outdoor mall that that actually
existed. The incentive that he promised did not work out. We were not able to get the businesses in. I paid $2.5 million for the property. I ended up losing it at about a million. So my request to the
board to the commissioners is that leave the board the way it is. You can always kill the project as they come along and take a look at them deeply. See if this is really makes sense or it doesn't. We're building multiple projects and this is the picture of the
Camber Yacht. As you see here, we're bringing businesses there. And I'm really talking to you on behalf of those businesses that are coming online in about two or three years. And if we can if you cannot give them the incentive to start out, how are
they going to survive in in an economy that we're in right now? And it's not going to get any better. So that is my that is my request and thank you so much for your time.
Thank you, sir. Bart cages. Good afternoon. My name is Bart Gchens, chair of the zone. So, tax problems, economic development seems to be a cure. During our last meeting, I expressed my concern about an economic
iron curtain, which starts at the beach line north to the county line. It reminded me of an entity that runs parallel to the beach line. It carries passengers through the through our county, but it doesn't have plans and
may or may not stop in this county in the future. Local and state representatives have expressed their frustration with this entity for ignoring this county and our leaders. This is exactly how North Bard B the
business community and prospect of relocating or expanding companies and corporations felt about North Bard before the zone was created. The county seat residents felt ignored and neglected and the perception was all our money flowed south bypassing the county
seat. I heard a commissioner state that we seem to be doing fine and that North Bard is back on our feet. Truth be told, we are just starting to stand up. I love dollar stores and car washes, but don't
confuse these businesses or new residential subdivisions as economic growth and good paying jobs and careers we so badly need. I offer to each of you my personal invitation to visit district 1 and
district two with me and I'll happily provide you with a tour to see our districts in person to see the need for continued economic development to address just some of the infrastructure needs. My fear is that without the zone and the creation of good jobs over the
next few years, we will once again see the reemergence of that economic iron curtain. Without job creation and a tax base to support an aging infrastructure, North Bard could be soon be in the same shape of disrepair and neglect as is
currently the case with I95 in the north end of the county. I ask for your consideration to find a way to keep the zone in operation for a finite period or to find a way to provide some type of badly needed economic relief in North
Bard. I thank you for your time and service. God bless our fire rescue first responders. God bless you and God bless Bard County. Thank you, Sandra Sullivan. After Sandra will be Robert Jordan.
Okay. See if we can speed this up a little. Sandra Sullivan, South Patrick Shores. This binder is from the Bvard Coalition. It's filled with a lot of facts about NBEDS and a lot of the controversies including when it was
first started. Um, right in the initial documentation is the intent to do bonds, but you can't do bonds unless a special district is formed by referendum. So, the whole thing from the beginning is a lot of
stink. Um, I'm looking at a budget from three months ago. Balance forward was $10.6 million. Currently, that number is 5.766 million.
pertaining to the um the city portion and I do records requests to the clerk of courts. Uh the total coming in from the city portion from 2013 to present to 2024 was $5.8
million and the available budget according to their financials as of their last meeting was $461,000. North Enbeds was presented and sold to Bvard County as an enterprise zone, but never was because you have to get state
approval for that. And in the documentation with regard to fire, it was said that um Bvard County does not use general fund millage rate to fund public safety and MSTU is in place for county
residents to pay for public safety services. That is a lie because you had a 2004 uh lawsuit that required you to do it not from the fire MSTU. So, NBEDs, the good, bad, and
ugly. Last meeting we had uh uh former commissioner Robin Fiser and lobbyists come here and speak. Um and in response to that there have been some concerning changes
including that the the fund funding is not going to the general fund. Now it's not until it says all contractual obligations and commitments of NBEDs have been done uh and costs associated and contractual obligations which
doesn't sound like this going to happen sooner than later. what happened to the discussions of it going to fire rescue. So, and then the asset management is being done by the county manager and not through the economic development department and asset management. And
then the final thing is I did records requests for the tax increment uh documents from the clerk of courts and compared it to the the um uh financials and nbeds was overpaid by $6.5 million over and above the tiff and
I think that money is due back. I think we need doge we need to doge and beds. Thank you Robert Jordan. Uh, Mayor Connors will be after Robert.
Thanks. Commissioners, Robert Jordan, 1605 White Drive. You have the power in your hands to help out your fellow citizens or handicap them. To help us out of this hole that has been in the making for a very long time. We all know it takes years for
anything to improve. It takes time to nurture ideas and plans to consider the push back from distractors and to always in your mind just do the right thing for the people in this county. The right thing, in my humble opinion,
is to allow the board to continue his dedicated efforts to help his fellow man to bring those who want a better life, a better housing, better services, better opportunities to live their life to the fullest. I've been serving for a very
long time. chairman of the school board, president and chairman of Vieira Charter School, chairman of Parish Medical Center board of directors, council member, vice mayor of the city of Titusville, and president and CEO of my own company. I and we on the board
volunteer for the opportunity to help others meet their dreams and wishes, to afford homes, and hopefully to keep their taxes lower. We need our first responders. We need our fire, health care workers, and we need our security.
We need economic development. We need better schooling with a reputation for excellence for pushing our kids to the highest potential. We need a reputation in North River to being uh equipped to stand strong and stand together. Our
preamble simply states that we the people, our states and states the governments intended to serve the citizens. The preamble also lists the goals of the constitution which include forming a more perfect union which
reflects the goal of unity and cooperation among the states and I will argue among the district and this county. Establishing justice which creates a system of fairness and equality for all and ensuring domestic
tranquility that ensure peace, order and stability within the county which includes this county providing for the common defense. Promoting the general welfare which means to foster the
well-being and prosperity of society as a whole. its citizens specifically and securing the blessings of liberty which means to guarantee and protect the benefits of freedom not just for the current generation but the
future generations as well. My words are simple and direct and I respect your position and respect that you have the power. I also respect that hard work, focused approaches to challenges, consistent
processes, little bit more time, and accountability will always rule at the end of the day. Our board, as you know, are not paid. For years, we have dedicated ourselves to doing the right and legal things to promote growth and
prosperity. We're only as strong as our weakest link. And I submit to you that Northard with all its challenges is the weakest link and we deserve and hope that you will support us. All right. Thank you, sir. Much mayor Connors after
uh after the mayor, we'll have Holly Carver. Honorable chair count uh commissioners. Sorry, I'm used to saying council members. Uh, I stand before you not just as a resident of North Bard, but as a duly elected mayor and spokesperson for
the city of Titusville. And yes, we've had our challenges, but we are moving forward. I'm excited about what the future has. Uh, but unfortunately, in terms of some of the challenges that are out of our control, Enterprise Florida doesn't exist. Texas is spending
billions of dollars to steal space away from us. This is Bvard County's only incentive. We need to have the opportunity to attract and retain what we have there and to grow on it because while it is called the North Boulevard
Economic Development Zone, the investments that are made in North Bard ripple out throughout the entire county. We can change the name. That's fine. But I would humbly submit to you that the city of Titusville would love to be partners and continue our relationship
as we look to grow Bvard County so that we have economic development so that we can pay firefighters so that we can work on infrastructure. These things go hand in hand. And while I understand the challenges sitting up there looking at budgets trying to figure out where you can cut, how you going to balance it?
Are we putting the burden on our residents? You know, I'm a big fan of just trying to get more revenue and I think we can do that through economic development and that will come. But we got to work on it every day. It's like working out. But guess what guys, I don't work out. I
just try to do economic development. Yes. The one day I went to the Y, I ended up on the board and now I raise money for them. But um I appreciate your guys' time. I know somebody else went over, so I won't take up much more, but I appreciate everything that you guys do for our
county and our community. And like I said, we're here to be a partner. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Holly, after Holly is gonna be Edna Wilson. Hi, Holly Carver, 5095 South Washington Avenue in Titusville. I've lived in
Bvard County for over 35 years and worked most of my career in nonprofit, government relations, economic development, um even as a legislative aid to the commission office. So, got the inside scoop on all of the the ways that you have to manage money in the
budget. Um, in that I I now serve as a um work as a commercial real estate broker and our mission with my partner is to improve our community. We've tackled a lot of blighted properties in the north end of the county and help bring in new business and development and some of those clients have used zone
funding. Um, for the past several years now, we've started to see some consistent growth and positive changes, but I agree with Mr. etchings that were just starting to get our feet under us. Large companies have opened and relocated and thousands of jobs and headquarters that but for the zone
funding would likely not be in North Bard. So the funding that you're talking about possibly transferring would not even have been there if the zone hadn't incentivized those businesses to come in. Um we've seen blighted properties replaced with new development. The first project of the zone was the re the
redevelopment of Miracle City Mall. And I know that since 1981, many many years before that happened, we had tried multiple times to get developers or someone to come in and invest and redevelop that property. And without that public private partnership, it would not have happened. Um, that also
was a huge environmental project like Mr. Wright mentioned, that was 32 acres that went directly into the lagoon with all the toxins every time it rained. It's now got a complex storm water capture system, a mile of underground pipe, 12 baffle boxes, and it went from being about a $4 million property on the
tax roles to now in the multi-millions on the tax ro that's creating future tax revenue coming in. Um the public private partnership in what I've seen in my career is that it's an effective machine. uh new new development,
commercial development increases the value, increases tax revenue, and improves infrastructure, creates jobs, the need for housing, creates new revenue, new impact fees. It's just a cycle of of development in that process. The return is solid. I've heard all
morning that we do have a revenue problem, which is not new. The zone is a proven long-term revenue generator that will continue to multiply tax revenue in the long term and will pay for itself many times over. So instead of dismantling that progress and what we've seen happening in the north end of the
county where we live and and raise our families and please don't dissolve the zone, let's come up with another solution um and at least keep it active in some way that so that we can create that legacy for going future. Thank you.
After Edna is going to be Robin Fischer. My name is Edna Wilson. I live at 14 2415 Dit and I am a little nervous. This is my first time speaking to you guys. So I do serve on the zone board and I'm very excited to do that. I wanted to tell you a story because I thought that's my best I have a story. And so
lived in Titusville my whole life. Never lived anywhere else but um my daughter wanted to open a little indoor play place. And so we looked all over Titusville, everywhere for a decent place for little toddlers to come and play. And we ended up in Titus Landing because it was the only decent place
that there was. It wasn't there wasn't mold going up the walls. It was beautiful. It was well done. And the day that they handed me the keys, I thought, "This is InBez right here." And now we have four employees that we get to hire. I get to
have people come into our little play place and they spend money at firehouse. They spend money at the movie theater, at Salsas, and I look around just go, "Thank you, Mr. Fischer, for really charging this, right?" And Holly was right there with him the whole time. And I thought, "This is what we do." And I think it's so
shortsighted to dissolve a board like this that creates jobs, that creates revenue because you pour money into that and then you end up having more tax base, right? you end up people moving here and you have all these great companies that are having people move and they buy houses and they pay taxes
and I just hate to cut off this little tiny revenue source that might actually be a really big revenue source for our entire county and so thank you so much for what you do. It is not an easy job. It's been a real eye openener to sit here and I really appreciate how hard
you guys work. Thank you so much. Thank you, Robin. Chairman, County Commission Robin Fischer, 1625 Garden Street. Uh, I think a lot of people have said uh what I wanted to say and have already said, but
like to tell you a story. Um actually um playing football in my old days that and Mr. Goodson probably remember that maybe you Rob. Um it made football made me a better player. And I
say uh and it made me a better uh commissioner is what I'm trying to say. And why did it make me a better commissioner? Because I can remember going to FSU, Mr. Goodson's uh favorite uh school. And I remember going to Tennessee and Alabama and all these other universities and we always met in
the middle of the field before the game and we shook hands as players and as coaches did the same thing. And at the end of the game, we also met in the middle and we shook hands again. And what I found out is you didn't go to the right end zone because you were playing
an away game or you didn't go to the make the other team go to the left end zone. You just always played in the middle and met in the middle. And that's why I think I was a better commissioner because I always ended up in the middle on these items that were very important to the community. And I think the middle
is not a bad place to be. Matter of fact, I think it's a it's where we ought to be in government all over uh in in in Tallahassee and in Washington DC for that matter. So I think I talked to some of you and I mentioned last time that
compromising and not getting rid of the zone is really what I think is the right thing to do. And I think it's uh uh could could be done. And if I was in your shoes and I had a chance to come up with a compromise for the community and you got 150 something thousand people
that live in the north end, one is I probably would change the rules and the business plan that the zone has to something that make sure that this board, not the previous board or the board when I was on that the you're funding things that you think is important to to this board. The next
thing I would do is I would take the allocation from 90% to 40%. Because that would match the city of Titusville allocation. Then the next thing I would I would do is I would u also take that additional dollars and if you could put
it in general fund and help the uh firefighters, then I would do that. And the next thing I would do if it's possibly um um I would um make sure that uh um we are basically spending money where
you want us to spend money uh and we're doing meeting those kind of goals. So uh that's that I think that's a compromise. I think it makes sense. And um the zone does have some reserve dollars and I would also ask the board to u the the
zone board to send back half of those reserve dollars. So where do we end up? We're we're compromising. We're in the middle. We've uh we've gotten half the dollars back, sir. We've uh making we're sure they're spending money on the game plan that you guys put together. And at
the same time, you uh you reduce the allocation, so you got 50% more dollars coming back to the general fund for the county. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Sorry for the old I have a question, Robin. Okay, Mr. Chair. May I? Yes. I want to clarify one thing. When he met us in the middle of the field, usually
he was fighting. It's not shaking hands. Okay, let's get that straight. Okay, Robin, why wouldn't you form a CRA? If this gets voted away today, why would you not go with a CRA in Titusville? Well, because one is you can't expand a CRA the same um Titusville has a CRA in
the downtown. You can't expand it to the same area that um you know like a CRA from. First of all, I'm not sure this board would form another CRA. There be three votes for that, but you can't put it at the same level at the same distance that the zone is. Zone basically goes from 528 to Scotsmore. So
that's and and Titusville, the county, you know, if you form a CRA in Titusville, I think all the dollars would go to Titusville and have to stay in Titusville and you can't fund other North uh you know, North Boulevard projects. And remember, the Bzone also funds your district uh space uh out of
space Florida. That's not my district. My district ends before it gets there. That's Delane Representative Delaney's. No, sir. Cuz when I was a commissioner, one of the things I did was expand the zone. And so it did district two which would be that's that's what Blue Origin is is is actually your district sir.
Thank you. I get blamed for a lot of stuff then. Thank you. Now the other may I have one other question sir? Sir the other question 2001 you are aware of the fact that you funded meaning you meaning u inbeds funded $400,000 to to the great outdoors for our sprinkler system. Have
you corrected that 2001 $394,000 for a sprinkler system. Is that economic development? was before the zone. Sir, I think the zone was formed in 2011. I think it was Well, maybe I'm wrong on my date, but you did fun with the date, but I think the point is that
they I think the the zone was was had a had a business plan put in place and that business plan put in place was established by the um zone zone board and the current county commission. And one of the things that that that
business plan had was that golf course or sprinkler was one of the eligible things that both that was available in the business plan. So that's why one of my suggestion was that I might think it might be important in the future that previous boards might have had a
business plan that doesn't match up with today's business plan of this board. And so changing it if you don't want those type of things to be funded that you know create a business allow the zone board to come back with a plan that's can be approved by this board. Thank you
sir. Thank you chair. Okay. Any more questions for me? Okay. Thank you Robin. We appreciate it. Okay. Okay commissioners. That was the last card. Uh discussion on the item. I um
Okay. I would like the opportunity for our board to discuss um the possibilities of um you doing some of the things that have been mentioned um you know like reducing the percentage from 90 to 40%
giving back half of um half of the reserves I I think that that is a fair compromise and what I would ask is that you know while I support our firefighters 100%
% I have more constituents than just firefighters and this getting rid of this will dramatically hurt my community. And so I'm asking that we can
come up with some kind of compromise. Other discussion on the item? Commissioner Alman? Yeah, I I agree with that. I I uh maybe maybe a compromise is something we should look at for it's better than
doing away with completely. I um but I I I know when we heard this before there was public input that you know we created and be we created the north of our economic development zone after losing shuttle
and it's worked and uh we've responded and we don't need anymore. But we just found out that under the president's proposed budget, they're cutting the Aremis program after three launches. Artemis
generates 1.7 billion economic output supported by 11,500 jobs. Most of that impact will be felt here in Bvoulevard County. I even read one account that said that the cut in Artemis may have a bigger impact on
Bvoulevard County than the loss of the shuttle. So, here we go again. We're not done. And and I I um I think Doge is a good thing because I believe in competition and I'm I'm not going to debate whether we should have Artemis or
Starship. I think we need both. We have to have multiple launch vehicles and I'm hopeful that Artemis can survive. But I'm also excited about Starship. But we're competing with Texas. I love Texas. I went to college in Texas. It's a great
place. But I love Florida more. And this is where we should have our our launch center. And we really are competing with them. And we must to be to be competitive, we must have economic development. We must have good fire
service. We must have good infrastructure. We must have good education. Because these entrepreneurs are going to look at those communities that are vibrant, that can attract young
engineers and good jobs, that can support a very risky, very risky industry. I mean, we we're in good times now, but a couple of explosions, they could be over. We all know that well here being on the Space Coast.
So, I think we need it more than ever. I think we're facing many of the same um challenges. They're different challenges and probably even require economic development and community development even more so because there's so many launch companies out there and there's
so much competition. I've had people tell me, "Yeah, we're going to lose to Texas. They got 22 billion dollars in reserves and they're spending money and they're building new space centers. FAA just gave um Starship 22 launches approved. But we know they really want to come
here. We know what we have is so special and so unique. But but we have to we have to we have to to be competitive and we have to develop what we have and create an atmosphere that makes us competitive or we will lose we will lose some of
these great economic opportunities. And these are jobs 80 to1 $110,000 a year. I mean this is not people making widgets at minimum wage. These are extremely highpaying jobs. Not to mention it's who we are as a community. It's what makes
us who we are and we need to to be. So I support keeping this economic development zone in place. We need it more than ever because we are facing some serious serious challenges and u so I my position hasn't
changed a bit. It's probably even stronger as a result of some of the cuts that we see coming down. Thank you, Commissioner Atinson. I would just like to say that I think um that the going away of Artemis hopefully
will encourage um more private sector uh growth. That's my hope. I would also say that I think we heard uh during our budget presentations that NBEDS actually was getting away from supporting
space. So I am still confident and resolved in this action. if Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Okay. I thought you was reaching for Go ahead, Commissioner Delaney. I think that, you know, not only do we
have to support space, but we also have to diversify because that's that's part of the issue is that um space is the only thing for the most part that um my district has.
And so It's the diversification that we need to support a healthy economy up in North Bard. And in a perfect world, I would I would love to not touch it and to let it, you know, do its thing. It's it's bringing us as a
county far more than $3 million a year. Um, and so I I would like it to not go away, but if I have to make a compromise, you know, I'm open to that and I would hope that
um this board would meet me in the middle. Okay. Commissioner Alman, were you reaching for your light again? Oh, no. I I I I love the example about how I MBB created a place for kids to play. If
you're talking about to be competitive, those are the things that really make a difference. What kind of schools, what kind of recreational facilities, what kind of parks, what how can you raise a family? And these jobs are young, young engineers. Th this is
where we were in the 60s where the average age is 25, 27 uh years old. They are they are family communities. Gosh, I have family here in Vieier. I used to live in Vieier. What a amazing place to go and see all the kids and the family
and the restaurants and the parks. We need to have that countywide. We need that North Boulevard as well if we are going to be competitive. I I I I meet and talk and work with a lot of these young space entrepreneurs and you know they're looking seriously at Wallops in
Virginia. They're looking at New Zealand. They're looking at other countries. They're looking in uh New Mexico. It's this is not a given thing, but I do know we have the edge, but we
could lose that edge very very quickly. So, I I think this is important. I spent a lot of time in Tyville. I work up at the Space Center and I know that community well. And I and it it is not just Tyville. It is still Bvard County.
We're we're one. I can't tell you how many people who work at the space center that live down here and it's it's a rising tide floats all boats and and we have a need up in North Bavard. A serious need. We also know that one area
of the county can absorb that that those needs as well with transportation infrastructure. This is important. This is important for Boulevard as a whole and I think it's exciting what can be what can be done in North Bard and you go to these communities
that are just vibrant and that's what industry is looking for. They're looking for those vibrant communities that have great opportunity and um we learned also a lot when we were battling for the Space Force site and we lost to
Huntsville. Uh Huntsville is an amazing place. Um and I think we do have Star Command now. We have one part of that. But but these are things that we want. It's the kind of growth that we want. It's the kind of growth that's going to protect our quality of life. It's going to protect
our revenue source. It's going to protect our environment. It's economic development works. If we're going to preserve this community, I think we need to have this program. Okay. Appreciate that. Commissioners,
I'd like to make a motion. Okay. To dissolve NBEDS as written. All right. We have Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Atkinson to dissolve ENBZ as it's written. Is there a second?
I'll second. We have a second by Commissioner Goodson. Clerk will call the I have a amendment to the motion, Mr. Chairman. Okay. Um, I'd like to make an amendment to the motion that we don't dissolve in bed, but we restructure it.
We reform it and re restructure it in the in the way that U. Robin Fischer brought to our attention. If I can remember, I think one of the key components was a 40% match requirement. I think that's been spoken about. It's
on the record. Yes, I Yeah, I think we remember. Okay. Okay. Commissioners, you made the motion in the second. Is is anyone amendable to that? I am not simply because if I decided to change the motion, I would
need more time to think about it. So, I'm going to put it forward as is. I would agree with Kim. All right. We have a motion by Commissioner Atinson. We have a second by Commissioner Goodson. The clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney? No. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson?
Yes. Chair Commissioner Alman. No. Chairman Pner. Yes. We'll show that passes 32. Commissioners, we have speak up Bard
item that we're going to go to. Item I1. And I think Rachel's going to help us with some slides. After that, um, we're going to take up Mr. Stewart. Okay. So, try to at least move you up
one slot. Okay. All right. I I So, I won just just real quick. Um, who's going to introduce Jim? Go ahead. All right. Uh, good afternoon, commissioners. Um, uh, this year's submittal period for the speak up was
January 1st to the 30th. We received 77 recommendations from 65 individuals. As you know, we held a workshop on March 3rd. Um, the 77 recommendations, documents, as well as staff analysis and staff recommended actions are part of this agenda item. Uh, we as a staff
spent a sign significant amount of time to review, consider, and respond each recommendations. Um, all the responses were sent to the commission office. They were posted on the county website earlier this month. And in addition, all the individuals that submitted Sears
received an email or notification of that. we've received it and responded with our answers and so we're we're ready you know how the board would like to proceed. I have um many that I would like to pull for discussion.
Okay. Okay. On the I think on the discussion part of that um that's one thing. So let's let's do questions first. We have 11 cards. Um I know people have been waiting a long time. So let's do questions first. Are there qu
are there questions for staff? Okay, Commissioner Atinson. Um, one quick question if I may. So, staff, I know took a whole bunch of time to go through all of this. When you came across items that were not under our jurisdiction, what happened to those things? Yeah, I apologize to the board.
I had a note right here. Um of the 77 um recommendations uh one we uh recommended accept, 18 we recommended accept with revisions. 45 recommended rejections and then 13 were administratively rejected. So uh the example I use is um somebody
spoke about Gleon Park and Indian Harbor Beach that was not in our jurisdiction. So we rejected it and then we sent notification on to the city. There was several uh that recall that had to do with the animal shelter. So we sent that on to the sheriff. So that's what we do with those that we send them wherever they can be dealt with. Okay. Thank you.
Thank you. Any other questions for staff before we go to the cards? Okay. Um and Rachel, I think you're going to have to help with this first one. Jean Higgins. After Miss Higgins is going to be Miss Terry LL
that button. Okay, thank you. Um, and I have copies for you all. And also a um, did I get my blood flowing here? So, are we ready? Okay. You might want to pull the mic down to you a little bit. Sorry.
Having a little trouble. There you go. Thank you. Okay. Hello, county commissioners. Good afternoon. I wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to share my input with the speak up boulevard process and your support of the staff to provide their replies. I know we all love Bvard County and my SER
submission was based on my passion for identifying ways to preserve and protect our natural habitat for today and for future generations. As a board member of Conradina, native plants are a critical component of preserving and protecting our natural
habitat. And I'm trying to get that information out to whomever I can. It was not our intent to imply that the county is not doing LI, but rather to work together to continually improve current LI efforts and offer assistance
and updating them. I spoke with Amanda Elmore yesterday and she shared that it's been at least 10 to 15 years since the last update of some documents and as a lot has changed in the understanding of native plants in that time. So we're going to go through not this whole
presentation because I don't have time for that but um slides two and three are from the April 8th presentation just there for your reference. So, we're going to start here on slide four, which was also in April 8th, but I wanted to
make sure we went over it a little bit more because there is a big difference between Florida friendly landscaping and Florida native plants. Florida native plants are part of Florida friendly, but they provide much more benefit to the
wildlife and the local environment. They sequester water and filter pollutants. um and they support the local wildlife and that's the only thing local wildlife can eat. Um whereas Florida friendly
landscaping, although it does require less water and fertilizer, is really just there for aesthetic value. And I know last time you asked for examples, I do have examples of both of those if we have time later on in Q&A to go into
that. Um the next page is my particular SEIR number 47 which was exactly like 11 other lid sear submissions. So you're pretty much addressing all of them. Here's my citizen recommendation and the staff recommended action which was
basically accept with revisions and to propose potential ordinance changes. So, what I'd like to do is um all of my back and forth with the staff which is on the subsequent pages of this presentation for you can be super summarized into
three areas. One is using more native plants rather than Florida friendly and let's get that into the LI ordinances. Two is to request status on how current LIID is being monitored and three request information on how our LI
ordinances compare throughout other municipalities and the state. What I'd love to also request is a modification to the staff recommended action to request a meeting between appropriate staff and the SEIR submitters to
understand current I see I spelled that wrong. Sorry. current LI practices and opportunities to collaborate. I think that'll save the staff a lot of Q&A back and forth time as we all continue to learn more about this. Thank Thank you
very much. Thank you. Yep. Any questions? We're We got to move on. M I'm sorry. Make this go away, but I know repeat that second one. I'm so sorry. The second um request you gave us a list of four.
This one? Yep. So to request status on how current LI practices are being monitored. Thank you. Yep. Thank you very much. Terry, good afternoon. H I uh submitted a request to ask you to
um direct the waste management department to stop um submitting chemical fragrances uh over our landfill and uh the request uh it was SEIR 2025030 was rejected by the staff which
stated that that what they were doing is required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Now, um, based upon the information that I was able to find, this is not true. Um, so I am requesting again the elimination of
these chemical fragrances. The staff analysis stated that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection requires a remediation plan for offensive odors and that they are mis using a misting system to neutralize the odors using a product called Cheerio
deodorant. I must dispute the response to my complaint that this product does not contain any substances considered hazardous to health. The company discloses that they use a cherry fragrance to mask odors in addition to
odor neutralizers. The chemicals in this fragrance are a known allergen and they are designated as asthma. In other words, they trigger asthma attacks. The pro company also discloses that these
chemicals are known endocrine disruptors which are linked to breast cancers. I don't know when chemical companies started manufacturing and selling chemical fragrances to mask odors, but this is the odor that I am complaining about. According to the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection, if a complaint is received about an offensive odor coming from the landfill, a remediation plan is required. So, my complaint may well be may well justify a
revision of the current strategy being used to manage odors. I personally use uh odor eliminators and odor neutralizers in my home and I have no issue with the county using these sorts of products. I am requesting the
elimination of the chemical fragrance being used to mask the odors as I cannot breathe outside my home when the wind is blowing in my direction. Not only is the fragrance offensive, but it causes allergy and asthma problems and a host
of health issues related to endocrine disruptions. In fairness, I would say that this is only an issue when in rainy season and and apparently from the reports from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, water exasperates problems
with odors. So, it's not a day in day out. And the report that I have from the FTE gives many suggestions for the remediation of odors and they do not they do not require the use of chemical
fragrances. They offer many many ways to solve this problem. Thank you. And I do have a second request. So are you going to call on me again for the second issue? Um or do you want me to go ahead and knock
that out? Question on that. Let's go to his question first and then um I just more maybe of staff. So I I would I would think that I would not disqualify this request because if
we felt that the application of these chemical suppress this odor suppressing or or masking which would be even worse uh chemicals could be ineffective and it was deemed that was being mandated by
the state or the feds or D. We still could incorporate that by let's say hypothetically put it in putting it into our our legislative uh agenda that we could have our lobbyists or we could seek or work with
other counties to to change the law. In other words, it doesn't mean it wouldn't be a part of Bard County government that that we would incorporate your request. It may require us to take it. We may not
be able to do anything legislative from our local ordinance, but it would put into our public policy and we would attempt to change it through working with our state and federal part partners. That's sort of my thought that we should include it, but that maybe the only
thing we can do. Well, may I respond to that or Yeah, I mean I mean it could be the report I have by the FD is is dated, but again out of all the remedies that they
suggest, using a chemical fragrance was not one of them. Yeah, understand. So, it doesn't appear to be a requirement by the FD to use a a a chemical fragrance. They can use odor neutralizers, all these other things, but not that
particular one. Let's go to your other item, Terry. Okay. Uh it's been years since uh I last spoke to the commission about the issue
um regarding the mowing over of the garbage on our um well uh on our rideaways. Um, it's unfortunate the last time I was here and we spoke on it, we thought that we had worked out a solution with uh, keeper of
our beautiful that they were going to be able to get volunteers to pick up all this trash so it wasn't mowed over. And from what I gather, that has failed. And so here we are again facing the fact that we are mowing over garbage that is
then swept away into our storm water system clogging up the baffle boxes and polluting the Indian River Lagoon and the St. John's. Given the expense and efforts being put into saving the Indian River Lagoon, I argue that we can't
afford to continue this practice. I urge the commission to create a task force to find a creative solution to to end this practice and I'd be happy to serve on that and be happy to work with you on the uh chemical problems.
Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Susan Connelly. After Miss Connelly, we'll have uh Alexandra Mott. Hello, commissioners. I'm here to talk on SEIR
2025010 titled department budgets. The submitter is not myself actually. It's Lisa Cullen, the Bvard County Tax Collector. The staff analysis was to reject this sear. My comments right now
are to ask for you to review this sear and vote with accept with revision. Who is Lisa Cullen? What got my attention is Lisa Cullen? Tax collector. one of the most respected
uh people, one of the longest serving elected officers, officials, and outstanding for her experience and integrity. What was Hercere about? Two of the largest issues facing Bvard
County, budget cuts to spending that maintain the 3% cap for the purpose of funding fire departments. Why this is important to me? Because she presented clear actionable items that
can be repeated throughout all government departments with achieved success. The staff recommended that it be rejected based on these things are already being
done. My question though is if things are already being done what she recommended in the way she recommended is it effective why do we still have the problem? I think there also can be some
additional benefits by continuing the review of this sear. The additional benefits could be that the SEIR process itself could be reviewed for its effectiveness and efficiency so
that all submissions have an actionable response with the resolution similar to what Mr. Commissioner Thman was doing. I think another result could be the budget process in its totality could be
reviewed for efficiency and effectiveness while reviewing current fiscal policies of the 3% cap. Thank you for your time. Thank you for this program. Thank
you. Alexander Mott. Good afternoon. I'm T. Alexander Ma. I'm a resident of Vieiraa. A few years ago, I noticed erosion problems along the buffer zones that border the detention pond in my
backyard. Um, the buffer zone abutz my property. I reported the problem to the VRE's Community Development District, the VECD, and the the VECD went to provide natural resources to request assistance in educating our community
about best management practices for storm water pond maintenance, which includes planting vegetation along the pond's literal shelves, to prevent erosion of the shorelines of the buffer zones, and also to filter pollution uh polluted storm water runoff from
entering the St. John's River from our 85, that's 85 detention ponds in my community. Provide natural resources decided to apply for a $50,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection so that they
could create a storm water education program for the VR East residents so they would not object to vegetation being planted along the shorelines of our ponds. My suggestion in the Speak Up Bvard program was for the Bvard Natural
Resources to to form a task force of the entities in Bvard that had already created a stormwater education program so that we could share their resources with um Bard Natural Resources. Um by taking this action, we could save a
$50,000 grant from the state um D. and that um it it didn't appear that asking for that money to create a new storm water education program was a good idea. Provide natural resources declined my
request. However, there is good news here that it appears that um due to the speak up provide program suggestion, the entities that I mentioned to get together to form a task force to share their resources um have agreed to do so for the first time in seven years, which
is when I started this project seven years ago. So, we have an education a storm water education program scheduled for October 18 at the Vieira um in Vieier East at the clubhouse park pavilion and we expect this to launch a
new training program for our community. Um so, um the what I really wanted to so in fact we are saving $50,000 for the state. Um and I have I'm really here to say um two things. Um I'm
a currently a student of um systems management, a very old student of systems management. And this is one incident that saved the state $50,000 because we took a look from a linear perspective to a systems approach in how
we can look at what resources were already available to what we what we can use. So, I want to thank you for the state speak up abroad program for for enlightening this community and for your stellar leadership. Thank you very much. Any questions?
I guess not. I think it's Ashley Lorenzanna. Yes. Did I say that right? Laureno. Laureno. Sorry. Thank you. Thanks. Would you prefer to put them under the Um, I have
two for here. Um, you can also put them up there and then if I have permission to approach, I would like to pass photos. We're going to have John do after and then you can click on whichever one. Yes. Thank you so much. Afterward.
Is that right? Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today on an issue that deeply affects families like mine here in Merit Island. the need for greater inclusivity for our special needs community, specifically through the installation of an ADA accessible
swing in our public parks. I'd like to begin by presenting a series of photographs I've compiled. These images are of Rotary Park in Merit Island. One of the photos highlighted a metal has a metal bracket
highlighted on the photo. I would not be st I'm sorry. You may be wondering if the bracket is there, why isn't there a swing? To come to find out, not only is this any type of bracket, this is a special bracket for an ADA swing that is just sitting
there with a space inside the park. I speak to you as a member of this community, a special needs advocate, yes, and most importantly, a mother to multiple children with special needs. For years, I've searched for a local park in Merit Island that could safely
accommodate my family. My children, like all children, just want to do what their peers can. Swing, slide, climb, and play. When I submitted my concern, I hoped for solutions. What I received were suggestions. Drive 22 miles to
Sandpoint Park or 15 miles to Space Coast Sports Complex or consider what's been done in Melbourne Beach. But what I didn't hear was a plan for Merit Island for the families who live here and need inclusive parks right here in our community. Did you know that right here
in Merit Island there's a private school called Faces? It serves students with autism, cerebral pausy, and Down syndrome. My youngest son is a student there, and yet they had to build their own playground behind the school because no public park could meet their accessibility
needs. As a community, we have the power and the responsibility to change this. All residents, regardless of ability, deserve the chance to enjoy our public park safely, fully, and fully. Parents and caregivers shouldn't have to drive a half an hour away for something as
simple as a swing. How could we expect a child with a physical disability to enjoy the park if they can't use the equipment? Shouldn't we be be ensuring inclusive play for all? Imagine a park where every child, regardless of ability, can swing, slide, and climb together. That world should be our re
reality. But right now, it's not. Many children with disabilities face challenges like poor muscle tone or coordination, making typical playgrounds or activities difficult or impossible. But a swing, just one ADA accessible swing, can offer those children the joy
of movement and play. It's a small gesture that carries an enormous impact. This raises a difficult but necessary question. Should we continue to bring our children to the park while separating out the ones who can participate or as or should we take this
opportunity to do better for everyone by installing one ADA swing? Thank you for your time today. Thank you very much. Now, is it John Doe? Is it you? Well, I don't think you put the rest of your name,
so there I don't know how to take that. Uh 2022502202. All right. Sorry about that. Lieutenant, there was a lot going on. Okay. Good afternoon, commissioners. It's been a long day. You guys are all here and you're all awake and brighteyed. Uh my
SER recommendation 2025020 to identify a sustainable funding source for fire rescue is denied. Came here today with two possible speeches. One that vents years of frustr frustration and another that builds a path forward. I'm choosing the
latter, but I want you to understand where that frustration come from. Commissioner Goodson, in 2014, the 1998 firefighter referendum, a voter approved mandate to ensure two paramedics on every rescue unit was quietly dismantled. The system shifted to one
paramedic and one EMT. At the same time, EMS Chief Dominguez has introduced the pit crew response model inspired by King County's Medic one system, which I've studied in depth. That's where the idea for my SEIR recommendation began. A plan to sustainably fund a high
performance EMS system without burdening residents through regressive property taxes or inconsistent fire assessments. Also, in 2014, then chief of EMS Orlando Dominguez initiated a BLS trial. It showed early promise but it was disbanded due to insufficient funding
and staffing. This was the first of several efforts to implement the BLS transport system that we see today. Basic life support system uh reduces unnecessary ALS transports each time gaining traction. It was it vanished
when funding ran out or staffing shortages prevailed. And here we are again in 2025 finally seeing that this system is gaining support not because of a proactive planning but because of a hospital closure and the worsening crisis in funding and employee retention
now facing Bvard County Fire Rescue. The issue has never been vision, it's been funding. And the urgency cannot be overstated. Every day of delay puts public safety at risk. Lives are on the line and we can no longer afford to wait to secure the resources of our fire rescue system that it desperately needs.
The slow erosion of the system has left AL ALS units overburdened, staffing stretched thin, and public trust weakening. Bvard County Fire Rescue hasn't been fully funded since 2011. Leadership bears responsibility, but more importantly, leadership has the f the power to fix this. As the policy
setting body, the board of county commissioners and the county manager who executes those policy plays a central role, your decisions are integral in building a long-term solution. If this proposal is to move forward, it will need your backing, your leadership, your guidance to reach voters in
2026. Your role is not just important, it is indispensable. The SER recommendation I proposed is not a radical idea. It's matt. modeled after a proven v voter approved system that worked in King County, Washington since 1972. I'm not asking for immediate
change. I'm asking to work collaboratively with staff, municipalities, and the public to shape a ballot ready plan, one that provides reliable service, lowers residents costs, and strengthens our public safety infrastructure. In closing, I ask that we not let this idea die due to process.
Let's keep the door open, begin the necessary groundwork, and show the residents of BVAR County that we are planning boldly, responsibly, and we're using um their safety as the top priority. That's all I got. Thanks for coming to meet with me on your item. Yeah, no problem. I appreciate it, sir. We can
get something worked out. All right, Sandra Sullivan. Sandra Sullivan. Um, so I want to talk about SEIR 10 and first I want to talk about a little background on this speak up bverard. So
this was create this was brought forth by the Bvard Citizens Coalition um that that got that that got a charter uh change and so they implemented this process as a way for citizens as individuals or organized groups of
individuals to submit recommendations for uh efficiency uh enhancement and efficiency of Bvard County government. So um the efficient it was called the citizens efficiency and effectiveness
recommendations. So call that doge. So which is the department of government efficiency. So to that point um and I'll come back to sier 10 we are the uh governor danis a couple of months ago uh
in April he he uh came out with inviting cit uh cities and county leaders across Florida um to join uh Florida's EOG Doge team
with uh his executive order and that team sent letters to local governments asking them to disclose information about their financial health, which I think ties in very well to SER 10. So,
one of my first questions as a conservative board is why is Bvard one of the counties that has not joined Doge given that our ch our charter and let me read from the charter 2.9.10 10 of
Boulevard County's charter is the the board of county commissioners shall develop procedures that will provide a mechanism for individual or an organized group of individuals to submit a formal written recommendation to the
enhancement of the effectiveness and efficiency of county government. So I would I would submit that the Santis's Doge is very in alignment uh
with the speak up and with SER 10. So SEIR 10, how much time do I have? um is about is looking at the fiscal crisis that Bvard County has and looking at the budget and looking at areas that
have increase and finding ways to cut. And I would say, you know, one of the very first areas I would look at are the monies from uh NBEDs uh as one of those categories, but there are several others. Thank you. Thank you. Uh Bill
Hodgej Sarah, you're going to be after him. You know why old people are bent over? So we can see our grandkids. Anyway, I'm here to talk about consent agenda. Um there are sometimes more than two
dozen items of county business are voted on a single meeting under the consent agenda. These consent agenda items are not read out loud. The public has no idea what is being voted on by listening to the meeting or when viewing it on a streaming platforms. I propose the following
changes to the consent agenda. The county manager or the county attorney should read each consent agenda item out loud into the record as done at the local meetings including Titusville and Cocoa Beach. The dollar amount of each action item should be clearly stated
during the consent agenda reading and on the written agenda as well as a total dollar amount of the items being approved under the consent agenda. Fewer items should be placed on the consent agenda as consent agenda items are defined as being routine and
non-controversial nature. Commissioners that are voting no should pull items. Commissioners should more frequently pull items to add visibility and publicly raise a concern that many items do not belong on the consent agenda and should be placed on a regular business
agenda before the meeting. A brief statement could be read out loud at each meeting and placed on the projector that informs the public that background information for each agenda item is available online and on the county website. With a new commission, there's an opportunity to improve the handling
of the consent agenda and make more transparent to the public. These proposed revisions would make a difference to residents and can be implemented immediately. And if you can't do all of them, you at least do some of them. Anyway, thank you Mike's chance. Thank
you, sir. We appreciate you yielding back a minute. Hi, commissioners. Um, I I'm I'm very thankful uh for the SpeakUp Revive workshops. Many important issues are brought up by the public that
you may not have heard of, and the information helps you make the right decisions for the county. My comments that I presented on the March uh 3 workshop, uh, please put the P County
public records online. were not considered in the staff response and that the SEAR rejection I believed is unwarranted. Staff should be looking at to see what more they can put online
instead of justifying why they can't put all the records online. I think saving money by having fewer record requests would be a huge benefit to the county in a time when you are trying to find the budget money. This
would be a benefit for everyone. Residents deserve easy, convenient, and no cost access to their public records. Please put the county records online and make them easy to locate for residents.
I along with many others will keep advocating to put the county records public records online so that the public will be able to have access to their records. There is a lot of support by
the public for this to be done and I thank you for your consideration of this matter. Thank you very much. And then Lynn, I'm not I don't want to butcher your last name. How you you'll tell us when you come up.
Oh, how do I just pick a because I'm gonna want to pick the picture first. Okay. So, I'll just click on there, but I don't need that up yet. Okay. So, what do I do? So, he controls it from the box. So, we can Oh, I can leave that up
there then, I guess. Okay. Hi. Uh, my name is Lynn Moraglia, and I appreciate this time to speak. My uh SEIR was rejected for jurisdiction. Uh Bvard Animal Services is currently managed by the sheriff's
office and it's funded by our county budget. My Seir suggests that the county accept bids from other parties to manage the animal shelter part of the animal services as it'll provide improved
services to the community, better accountability, and an um cost savings and financial efficiency. We have two respected nonprofit organizations that currently run animal shelters in Bvard.
The SPCA in Titusville and the Bvard Humane Society in Coco. If either of these were managing the county shelter in Melbourne while still managing their current shelters, one of the immediate benefits would be expanded housing in
that the lost or stray animals found in the more northern parts of the county uh could stay in a facility up in that area rather than go down to Melbourne. And this would help owners who want to claim their
pets sooner. Sorry. As getting to the Melbourne shelter from the northern part of the county on a workday isn't usually feasible. This would also help reduce the current overcrowding that is experienced at the Melbourne shelter.
When the county shelter in the north was closed, there were no accommodations made to uh handle the increase in intake at the Melbourne shelter. This results in overcrowding and some of the dogs spend
days or weeks in a small area which is in the picture um to eat, sleep and defecate. This is because of the overcrowding. Also, in a contract with either one of these organizations, you could require built-in performance
measures in order to ensure more accurate data, more transparency, and better data analysis. I don't know how to get to the next one. The reason I bring up um accurate
data is because I've shown you some reports that come out now. And what you'll see right at if you look at the top line, beginning animal count under feline, there's a negative number of
cats. That's not possible. Um the the one on the next sheet is shows over that these again negative numbers. Um again not possible in the next sheet which I don't
know how to get to. Um is it this one? No. Um, that'll show you that'll show you that the beginning count for one month does not equal the
previous ending count for the previous month. And that's why I feel that bidding would improve some of the items that I mentioned. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay, that was the end of the
cards. So, Commissioner Delaneie, you said something about pulling something or other items you wanted to discuss. Yes, thank you. The first one um that I wanted to talk about was SER number eight. Um and I'm not going to read the
whole um number, but number eight, and that's the one that has to do with the swing. Um so when I first saw this request I was happy to see that um it had been it had been accepted but then when I looked
into it further and read the whole staff report I realized it was not accepted. It was rejected and that proceeded me to go um and reach out to staff and talk to them about it.
I I spoke at length um with the parks and was troubled with the responses that I was met with. Um I asked if they were willing to reach out to the mom had who had brought this forward. They declined.
Um so I directed my personal staff to reach out to them this mother um to see exactly what she was looking for and what the needs were. Um at that time she explained while there may be some accessible playground equipment in the county, there are no highback swings
within the county, only wheelchair accessible swings and some other um accessible equipment. And while it's great to have those, it doesn't serve the needs that she has. Um, and I just feel
like this is such a small request. Um, when I had asked my staff to briefly look into this type of a swing on a quick Google search, it showed multiple options, most ranging from$1 to $2,000. And that is for a highback swing that
even special needs adults could use. And um I just believe that this is a really small ask um that would greatly benefit not only this mom of five kids um but many other parents in the
community. And I would like to make a motion um to purchase this swing to put at Rotary Park um and accept this year truthfully.
Okay. Discussion on that. Commissioner Goodson. Um Commissioner, do you have a cost on the M on the swing? I don't know if it costs $1 or10,000, but do you know if it's just the swing? Um I just from a
quick search we looked at um they range from $7,800 up to 23,000. Okay. Now Ian commissioner is that with a post set up concreted in ready to swing. That's just for the swing. But
like this like this um like the speaker showed there is currently room right now at Rotary Park with space available. um that that we could put this swing. Okay. All right. I got you. Ian, can you
tell us the cost on buying the swing, installing the swing so everybody can swing? Commissioner, we did a very rough quote to add that type of swing to Rotary Park. Luckily, that space that had housed a tire swing, which had
deteriorated and been removed, could potentially house this type of swing. However, the the playground itself has never been set up for ADA accessibility. So, it would actually be a price tag of probably just under
$17,000 to include a pad as well as the access needed through um sidewalk $17,000. I think I know we need to swing but right now are you not in kind of a a staging area to do these in parks as you
go through this year? We are. One of the things that we're doing is we are as we have the funding availability looking at when we remodel playgrounds when we add or replace playgrounds adding in these type of elements. We don't have the
funding typically to do when whenever anybody comes and has a request to do everything everybody wants. Yeah. We created this process to try and address some of these issues moving forward. Um it it can be a very expensive process.
The idea is to look at doing it at our larger facilities, larger parks, our regional parks first and then branching out. Sir, may I have one more? Go ahead. Okay. On Merit Island or anywhere, what's the nearest ADA swing in
reference to Rotary Park? I'm I'm not sure that if there is any on Merit Island. I don't know, having not looked at any nonp parks related. You had said to me that there are none. I have it in the email. Okay. All right.
So, the nearest one would be I'm sorry, chair. May I? So, the nearest one to Ro Park would be Field of Dreams in Melbourne. No, I actually think the one at um
Hold on. It's in here. I'm gonna Space Coast Community Sports Complex might be the closest. Okay. Okay. Thank you, chair. Thank you, Ian. Thank you. Is that one of these one of the highback seats or is that a wheelchair accessible swing?
I believe it's a glad swing, which would be So, it would not be used for a child with autism that can't fit in a baby seat that needs a back. Correct. Right. Or adults. I mean, this
is this is a small thing that I mean, I I don't I don't have kids with with special needs, but I have friends who have kids with special needs, and I see the the struggle, and the park is one of the few
places that they could go to help their kids blow off some steam. It's good for their um for their disability. the swinging motion. Um, this is something that is a t
tremendous need to this community and I just feel like if we could prioritize a $200,000 floor in Isaac Campbell Park out of nowhere, then we can prioritize one swing at one park. Can I can I ask a
question for uh clarification? Um, it's it's just the swing literally hanging from the current swing set. It's not necessarily ramps and concrete and all of that. Is that correct? Is that what I understand? Yes, just the swing.
I'm sorry. If we're just talking about the swing, the swing itself, how can it be 17,000? Right. Okay. My question to Sorry. If if we're just talking about the swing and it's hanging from the existing fixture and it's not going to have a
concrete pad and a ramp and all of those things, what what what kind of cost are we talking about then? So, Commissioner, the swing itself, I think that was quoted out was either $13 or $1,500. Okay. The issue is that this the sear is
not the process to bring a service request which is what this is. Service requests follow a different process. Okay. Per the board's policy. If I had treated this just as a service request as opposed to trying to treat this as a
generalized system question or issue, it would have had to have been rejected. I understand. Uh Jim. Yeah. Let me jump. Thank you, Mr. Chair. If I can jump in. Um, and I got to do a little bit of my background with transit. I have a, it'll kill me, but I have a kid on the spectrum. I have a good friend that's
disabled, so I'm familiar with this. I've done a lot of stuff with disabilities. Um, we looked at it as a general response. That's why accepting uh, you got to realize there's a bunch of different disabilities that you we just talked about glider versus a highback swing. So, you one solution
isn't going to fit every single park. So, um, parks and wreck already has it in here where they're working on the bigger parks, doing different types of, uh, accessibility. They've gone through the last couple years, we've been putting pads in to make parking spots accessible, paths accessible to them. So, that's where the accept uh, accept
goes. If the board would like to see the swing at the park, uh, we'll have to take the motion we go from there because um, you can't, how do I put this? It would be very difficult to accommodate every single disability at every single park.
I I understand I understand that and I think that's part of a a larger conversation and I grew up with a disabled parent so I you know I have u I'm I'm very empathetic. Um anyways okay
um can we get there on the on the one swing? Uh we have a nearby neighbor. If the board if the board wishes it we'll get it done. I'll go here with you if we can if we could also speed some things up today. Can we do that? Cuz we've we've we still got some things there
today. So, I'll I'll tell you what. Go go go go go ahead with um you want to make that motion? I'd like to make a motion to um accept this year and add a bucket style adaptive swing to Rotary Park. Okay. This this swing and this picture we're going to put at Rotary
Park. We're clear on that. Okay. We're clear. Okay. I will second that. Okay. So, we have a motion by Commissioner Delaney. We have a second by the chair. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney, yes. Vice Chair Goodson, yes. Commissioner Atkinson, yes. Commissioner
Alman, yes. Chairman Fner, yes. All right. Now, on the rest of I1, is is there a motion for or any other discussion on the rest of I1? I'm so sorry. I do have other discussion
items. Um, I I know that we're all trying to get through and get to the next thing, but this is something that the citizens have been looking forward to for months now, and I just really feel like we need to give them their time and have some serious thought and
discussion. They deserve our discussion, and I just feel like we need to do that. Um, one of the next ones is the um, number 10. And that one I just feel like even if even if this particular
questionnaire isn't applicable, I think that something something that we could um I'm looking for ideas on um what we could do to have something that shows the public
that we're looking through the departments and that they're they're justifying some of these purchases. One of the things that I um that I'm pointing to is um the vehicles. So, we have a lot of large
trucks um 2500 and 3500 Silverados. Um those trucks are massive and need you their use is for pulling, you know, huge pieces of equipment. And while I understand we need some trucks that can do that job, I don't think
that I don't know if the need is really there for as many of those vehicles as what is asked for and what we currently have versus say a Colorado. I understand that trucks are are helpful because you can just throw things in the back and
when you're working, you know, um public works or parks or um eels or any of these things, it's it's um ideal to have a truck in those situations. But do we can we get the, you know, $30,000 truck versus the $80,000 truck? And um so that
this is something that I would even if we reject this today, it's something that I would like to bring forward in the future that I'm hopeful that we can talk about as as a board to see what we can come up with to um make sure that all of the tax dollars
are being spent um properly. Okay. Commissioner Alman, sorry. Well, I think we should get cyber trucks. We don't have to charge them. There's less maintenance. They're they're they break down a lot more. I don't know. Elon, if you're listening,
we're taking donations. If we're going to get into these, maybe they burn up a lot. Okay. Maybe they burn up, but I just That's a detail if we're going to get into that. I'm going to give my opinion. So, I like the electric. That's okay. I'll I'll uh um Commissioner, I I
don't disagree with you. Um but I think that's something we would need to talk to all the departments about. I wouldn't make a decision on that today without talking to all of our folks that use those trucks um daily. I'm personally a small car advocate and so it's getting
harder to even buy a small car um these days. So um you know that's that's me. So I don't I don't disagree with you on that concern. Is there sir uh Jim? Thank you Mr. Chair if you indulge me. is departments um and I'm looking at them
out there and I you know department director for a long time um there is a lot of review of equipment budget everything or equipment and different capital items that go in the budget you will see in our budget book that all the trucks are listed all the vehicles with the prices um what you have is I'll pick
on Mark since I see Mark there but he'll have his North Bard program manager saying I need this this and this Mark will sit down with his finance pokes folks decide what they need what they don't need then they send it on up to assistant county manager assistant county manager looks at the budget and then they have to come to the county manager and justify that. And I've been
through the process where we've rejected trucks where we've lowered the prices of them. So, it's a pretty intensive process. You may not see it out in the public, but you're going through a number of levels and and we do take special care in the type of trucks we buy. Um the other example I can tell you, you know, we talk about 4x4s. I've
been out on eel. We weren't pulling anything heavy, but I got my feet wet um for just going through some of the Malibar scrub with the come up above the running board. So yeah, I trust the staff in buying the vehicles they need to do and they're recommending it. And so I think it's a pretty good process right now that we're doing to get it
into the budget. I think that the thing that we're looking for is for things to be more publicly facing because people are wondering why we're raising their their property taxes 37% on the fire assessment. They're they're looking for where is the money and it's it I think
that this is a simple thing that would be a tool for us to use to show people where the money is and why. I think that's probably a future agenda item. Go ahead, Mr. If you want to show the public where you're using your money, maybe we should all be
accountable, right? And then maybe you should answer $92,000 to remodel an office in Daiso. Okay. All right. Well, if you were to look into that. Okay. I didn't spend $92,000. Okay. 90. No. Excuse me. Not even close. Excuse. Oh, Lord. Maybe you shouldn't get your news
from tabloids. Thanks. Okay. Is there anything else on I1? We We do want to take up Mr. Stewart. And then we have the uh contract ahead of us. Is there anything else on I1? Um the next thing was I14 or I'm sorry
uh SER number 14. uh the records and while I understand um you know the I think the word was herculean task um I I I understand that that is a huge task to put all of the records
online and we don't necessarily have the funding or the ability with our servers and things like that. Um, but I I'm asking for um some changes to be made. And for instance, a lowhanging fruit would be to put our policies and our um
our uh administrative orders online. And Logan, I don't know if you could go to that slide to show um what our beach looks like. Back a couple. There we go. So the the slide
the the picture on the left shows what the public puts in um when you when you search for policies. Um the one on the right is what we see internally. And if you could go to the next one, this is the
public facing site that the school board uses. It's right on their website. Um you it's three clicks in and you're at the at all the policies. And I think that this is a simple thing that might even cut down on public record requests that um if we could put our policies and
administrative orders out there for people to learn, it would cut down on um you know knowing how the the government works. And um I have a list and if if it's needed I could come back with an
agenda item, but I have a list of recommendations for changes to our um uh record access for citizens. And um during the budget workshop, I asked about our record requests and how much
um how many requests do we get in, how much uh how much money gets invoiced out, how much money is actually collected from those public record requests, are we charging equitably? Um there's people are really wondering what
is going on with our records and um I think that it is you know the public's entitled to these records and while I understand it takes an immense amount of staff time to produce records. If we could make more records accessible
to the public it would cut down on that. Um and I really feel like we need to uh create performance performance metrics for increased number increasing the number and types of public records
available online. um update on that progress each year in the bud budget uh book. And I think that we need to revise our um administrative order to revert to the 30 minute staff time at no charge to the
citizens versus the current 15 minutes that got changed um right before shortly before uh the board changed over. Um, I think that it's fair that we see the amount of money build to residents and
that we see the money collected from residents because that way we can assure people that we're not overcharging for records to limit their access. Um, soliciting citizen feedback regarding the process because maybe there's a bug that we don't know about
that they're running into. And I think that the the key term there is solicit, which is a key term that got taken out of this very program last year. Um I I just really believe that we need
to go after that citizen input um as much as we can. And I'll move on to the next one. um uh 24 and 60. They both were about uh the the dozing the the community um or
the county, I should say. And I think that um with how the state is already overstepping in many ways in how we operate, I feel like I I'm very torn about giving over that um mechanism
to the state. But I think that we can do a really good job um in house even updating our citizen um budget review committee to task them to DogeE because they pretty much just go
through the budget. It's not it's not um they don't necessarily get down to the nitty-gritty of taking things apart and asking all of the all of those questions like how I mentioned about the trucks. Um the next one and again I'll I can
bring this forward to an agenda item if I have to but this this is um uh suggestions about the consent agenda and um I've gone to many government meetings um across the county and at the state level and it just is
really helpful for for a resident to um when we're hearing the consent agenda um to to get a brief understanding of what that is and to know the dollar amount. And it just helps with the transparency and the accountability of,
you know, how much money is is being um passed with one vote without much word. And so I think that these are um some fair suggestions. It was a lot of uh what the speaker had spoken about
um uh in his suggestions while he was speaking and um I had on here as well uh number 30 the stop the air pollution and I just want to mention that I talked to solid waste about this and I've asked
them to compile some other possible products that are out there and so he has um uh agreed to do that for me and I'm happy to share that with the board and the public um once I get that. And then the next one is uh number 44, a
summit of leaders. Um I I think that this is a great idea not only um to do a summit meeting, but also um maybe even a state of the county meeting. Um that way we can put out to
residents and stakeholders on a yearly basis um what's going on, what what what we've done this year, what are some things that we're going to do in the future, what are some challenges um just to keep that conversation going and to bring more people in um to the
conversation. And then number 58, how many more do you have? This is it. I promise this is it. Okay, we're going to take a three-minute break here as soon as you're as soon as you're done with that. Okay. Um, acknowledging speakers. So, I just really feel like um being somebody who came to government
meetings and you go before a board and then, you know, you a lot of times people are met with nothing um other than thank you. And it's uh I don't know what we can come up
with, but I'm sure we can come up with something that can help residents feel like we have heard them, heard their concerns, and follow up with any um questions they may have. That's it.
All right. Is there anything else on I1 by anyone? All right. We're going to take a three-minut break and then we're going to take up Mr. Stewart's item. [Music] [Music] [Music]
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I think we I think we need to clarify something on I I1. Please, ladies and gentlemen, quickly. Um, I'd like to move to accept the staff recommendations with the exception of SER
2025008, which the board acted on separately. Separate. All right. We have a motion by Commissioner Atinson. We have a second by Commissioner Alman. Clerk will call the role. What were those Sears? I'm sorry.
The number is 2025008. Okay. Thank you. Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Atinson. We have a second by Commissioner Alman. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney.
No. Vice Chair Goodson. Yes. Commissioner Atkinson. Yes. Commissioner Alman. Yes. Chairman Felner. Yes. We'll show that adopted. All right. We're going to go to I3 and then we're going come back to I2
to finish up. Okay. So I3 Morris. All right. This is a request from the applicant, Larry Stewart, who is represented by his attorney, Nathan Malone, today for waiverss from section 62102C, Bvard County Code of Ordinances
to allow for the construction of a house on a property that is located on a county right away, but not a countym. When a property is located, in order to pull a building permit for a single family residence, you must be located on a countymained
road. There is an exception that allows for something called an unpaved road agreement. If you are located on a county rideofway that is not maintained by the county. Um, typically that requires a ride of way of at least 50 feet in width. Mr. Stewart is located on a rideway or his property is located on
a ride ofway that is only 30 feet in width. There are various other requirements of the ordinance and I won't read them all, but they're laid out in the staff report, but there are about four requirements specifically that uh Mr. Stewart has indicated he does not wish to comply with and wishes
the board essentially to waver to wave that whole uh section of the code 62102 C. Are there questions for staff? All right. Um Mr. Stewart. Hello commissioners. So, I'm here because I'm homeless. I've been homeless
for four years. I haven't been able to live with my sons for four years because I've been stuck in a camper because of the atrocious action. It's attempted extortion really um attempted against me from Bvard County. I've read your agenda
briefing prior to this meeting and I don't really believe that you guys are getting all the facts. In 2021, I sold my family's home. Beautiful home. Had a good family. Had my children living with me. part-time as I am divorced. Um, and I bought a piece
of property, five acres, fe simple, in a dirt road community where I was gra where I was raised up in Mims. I was led to believe that I'd be able to build a home on this property. According to Florida State Statute
95.361, roads presumed to be dedicated. The roadway coming to my property because it exists on a plat dedication signed by the chair of the board and the clerk to the board and filed in the county where the plat
exists. It is considered statutoily dedicated. As far as the worry or the concern about it not being countymaintained, there is numerous common law rulings that say that when a
roadway exists on a plat, when a roadway on that plat gets accepted and maintenance begins on that roadway, any other roadway, if it's open and in use, falls under what's called implied consent. It also becomes considered countymaintained.
In 2007, you guys actually lost a case on this very issue was case number 05-207-00006251. And the court ruled in favor of the applicant based on that existing uh common law
decision. I should have been when I when I asked about building a home on this roadway that keep in mind two other homes use as their only access to their properties. I should have been given the application to name the roadway based on Bvoulevard County Ordinance
22-313. Although I do have a map that I purchased out of public works's own ready books that show this roadway already named. I was instead directed to 62-102, which is this waiver that you're hearing today. In that waiver, it was supposed
to be approved or denied by the county manager prior to coming to the board. The only way it should have come to the board is if I would have filed a written appeal. That never happened. I was railroaded directly to this board. I've always questioned why that happened. You
know, nobody can't answer that question. And I see I'm out of time, but I still had quite a bit to say. I'm fine with uh yielding him a couple more minutes. Everybody okay with that? All right, sir.
I came before this commission, Commissioner Pritchette namely October 26 of 20121. She tabled my application. Actually, the whole board tabled my application and basically ever since then have refused to take any more
action on this waiver application that I should have never been, you know, forced to comply with in the first place unless I build this road to some county standard that's going to cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars that was not required for either of the two properties on this roadway. It's been
going on for four years. Where is my protection? The other two properties were never required to do any of this. Where is my equal protection of the law? Why am I being required to build something that already exists when other properties weren't required
to? Um, Florida statute 125.022 is very clear on limits on development applications. 60 to 240 days based on your interpretation. There should be a
decision on an application whether it's an approval or denial. It's been 4 and a half years and I'm here still fighting for the same thing to put my family back together in a home. Uh during this process, there was a
takings application that was filed in front of this commission under 62-507. the county manager's office dropped the ball. Didn't schedule that hearing like they were supposed to. Um, one problem that I really have is March of 2023 when my attorney had to come to
this commission after eight or nine months and not getting a decision on a takings claim and beg for the hearing, Commissioner Pritchette sat up there and talked about ignoring my emails to her, pleading her for help, and then laughed and offered $100 to help. This is wrong
and I need this fixed. Thank you. Are there questions for Mr. Stewart? Any questions? Okay. Do you have a card that you're submitting? Is that what you want to do? I do. I had it ready in case I needed to speak. I was um I'll submit
it and give a brief. Okay. Yep. Nathan Malone, 1990 West New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. I'm the attorney for Larry Stewart. Uh Mr. Stewart um spoke and and hit most of the points. He did submit this waiver criteria which our opinion is is not
necessary because this is not a subdivision. This was merely one into two. But when you look at the what he's requesting is just to use the platted right ofway as legal access. This is on page 248 of what's in your agenda packet for today. and he um goes and mentions
the um not injurious because the other two properties use this portion. And then there's also a number of pictures that show this. There's three properties up in the north county. Two of them already use this for their property as their only means of access. This would just be allowing a third. Um this
wouldn't be creating a a precedent um merely because essentially Mr. Stewart would be using this property um as the other two neighboring properties use that are similar. Um and so we would ask the the board to grant the waiver. Thank
you. Commissioner Goodson for a question. Sir, when he purchased the property, did he know the issues he was getting into? that commissioner. I think that's a that's a a loaded question because I think there's he knew that there was an issue with needing a waiver and was led
to believe and I think we can have Mr. Stewart um come up and speak to that if that would be helpful. Um he knew that there would be some issues and they would have to get this but he was he was led to believe that that they were routinely granted. He didn't know that he would run into the issues that he did which I believe were due to because who
the seller of the property was and a he was led to believe by who? I'll let him answer that. So, I was led to believe by Boulevard County staffing um probably namely the public works engineering when I called and I started
the process asking, "Hey, what would I have to do to build a property or to build a home?" I was already under contract and purchasing the property. I'd already sold my family's home. Okay. Had I not purchased the property, I would have lost it. Now, how many times have you sued the
county and lost? So, I've only filed one lawsuit in my entire lifetime. I typically don't believe in lawsuits. You lost that one to the county. Right. Well, I wouldn't necessarily consider it being law based on the grounds of why the judge dismissed the case. And I feel more comfortable letting Well, if you'
have won, you'd be building your house by now, right? Yes, sir. Okay. So, I understand. All right. Thank you, Chair Morris. Uh just a few points I'd like to elaborate on based on the comments that were made. First of all, the board
action specifically back in 2021. It wasn't just to table it. There actually a number of waiverss being required and a lot of the focus has been on the road width the difference between the 50 foot and 30 foot, but there are other requirements of the code section um that Mr. Stewart has indicated he's not
interested in complying with any of them. Primarily constructing a road to county standards within the existing rightway. What the board actually did in 2021 when they tabled it was they did that to give Mr. Stewart time to bring back information so that staff could administratively evaluate the waiver
request. The reason that this came to the board instead of the normal process was that information had never been provided so that staff could sufficiently evaluate the waiver request. Staff was in a position where its only option would be to deny it and the issue was forced to the board for a
decision outside of the normal process. What the board specifically directed or or suggested Mr. Stewart do in order for staff to process that request was table it to give him time to show how the road could be constructed within the 30-foot ride ofway with additional easements of
the rideway including necessary improvements uh road drainage and utilities and this will provide staff the administrative authority to review and approve the plans if appropriate including a waiver of engineering standards that has never happened as recently as a few weeks ago Mr. Maloon indicated that no engineering or design
would ever be forthcoming from Mr. Stewart. So part of the reason we're still here four years later is nothing that was uh requested at the board's action back in 2021 was done. With regard to the other two residents you've heard about that use this as access. Those actually front a county maintained
rightway called Dixie Way. Uh the unmaintained right of way intersects with Dixie Way. They were able to pull building permits based on fronting Dixie Way. They have constructed driveways onto the unmaintained rideway, but they do have legal access to Dixie Way, so they meet the code criteria. And then
finally, with regard to precedents, a big reason we're here on staff just cannot approve this is because there are um hundreds uh potentially thousands of similarly situated properties that if we were to say none of the code applies. Go
do what you want without complying with one single thing within the code, uh it would be very difficult to say no to all of those other very similarly situated properties. I would like to hear um the attorney respond to that. Yeah. So, first um to
to Commissioner Goodson's question, the case was dismissed without prejudice based on a lack of ripeness, which is why we're here this afternoon to kind of get it to a a point where it's ripe and the the court would have subject matter jurisdiction. Um I view the without prejudice um as essentially as a look,
this is a jurisdictional issue. It's not a on the merits issue. Um, second, the the this information has not been required of anybody else. Essentially, what was requested goes outside of what the code requires. Um, and what what's being requested in Mr. Stewart is
outside of the code. I could get into it, but it's in our we have hundreds of paragraphs of allegations that we've alleged in what in the amended complaint um that again was uh dismissed due to a lack of
ripess. Um, so would would love to sit here and essentially litigate the issues, but I think that's why we have the hundreds of pages of complaints and I I think that we'd go well into the evening if I went into all all of those today. I appreciate mindful of the time. I don't know what to do. I appreciate
question. Okay. I think she reached for a light next. Okay. So, Commissioner Atinson and then Commissioner Alman. I'm not sure um which staff this is for, but just if we said yes to this request, are we violating our own
codes? I think it's extremely inconsistent with the code. Yes. I mean, it's different than the waiver, the type of waiver he's asking for is not contemplated in our code. Okay. I could add to that, Commissioner. So, this is not a one-off and it's not peculiar. um
we spent a lot of money on on sorrel and to blatantly uh just uh move forward with an untreated unpermitted uh road I is I think in the face of many of our requirements and uh you know we are meaningable to uh waving certain
requirements but not the entire code. Uh, as was previously stated, uh, there's a 50- foot minimum requirement explicitly in 622956 and as well as exhibit uh 10. Uh, and it says all road types require an
engineering analysis prepared by the engineer record. They are blatantly uh not wanting to follow that. We believe that we can get to a solution, but they have yet in four years provided a single uh piece of information that staff has
requested so that we can evaluate it. Commissioner Alman, I think that answers my questions. I h how long would How long is this road to get to the house? I'm just curious. Approximately 630 ft.
630 ft. Yes. And the the code allows the waiverss as long as it's less than I believe 1,320. So we're under half. Not a not a mathematician, but I think that's about half eighth mile. 660 is a eighth mile, right? So I
think so. Yes. Okay. Have y'all priced it out what it would cost to build the county standards? I believe it was in the tens if not hundreds of thousands. And that was back in 2021. Prices have only gone up since then. So it would likely be in at least the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Do
you pass other privately held properties to get to your house? Get to this lot. Let me You might be a better answer for that. I'm sorry, sir. You said, "Do I pass other privately?" Right. I pass two other properties. When you turn off of
Dixie Way, which is a county maintained dirt road, there are two other 5acre parcels. Both of them use this roadway for their sole means of ingress and egress to their homes. They don't use Dixie Way. One of them is completely fenced off. So to answer your question,
yes, sir. I passed two others. And I did provide some level of engineering. I had a nuclear density test done along this roadway that showed the compaction or an
LBR value. Um, and it met or exceeded the existing requirements as far as can I talk about 30 feet? As far as the issue between 30 and 50 ft, this is a roadway that was platted and accepted in
1937, April of 1937, and has been in use since the mid60s. I've got aerials to to document that maintenance of Dixie Way didn't begin until the 70s. the 30 feet to widen it to 50 feet at my expense. I
would have to have my neighbors agree to sell 10 feet by 600 and some feet, dedicate that back to the county. I don't have the powers of eminent domain. If it needs to be widened to 50 ft, that's on you guys to do that, not me.
So, and to to follow up on that as well, I think if the concern is about emergency vehicles accessing Mr. Stewart's property versus the other two. They're going to use that same road that they access rather than than Dixie Way in doing that. I apologize. That's I can't turn that off. Um so essentially
that these these emergency vehicles would use the same road to access these other two properties. And if that's the concern, they'd also be able to reach Mr. Stewart's [Music] property. Are there other questions or comments?
Now talk talk about his his ability to to vacate. So if he got his neighbors to agree and it could be a drive and then it's not or a driveway and not a road would commission for a second. You know just to address one point um where Mr.
Stewart said that it has to be 50 ft. Staff has said that it can be uh likely built in 30 feet. He just needs to demonstrate how. Uh so that is uh inaccurate. But to your question, um the county can vacate this as a road and he
can have a joint use agreement with his neighbors and consider it a driveway. The permitting uh from St. John's would be less of a requirement. Uh and we would not be uh forced to maintain it as a county road. Uh so also to point out, we have never maintained this road. And
what the county is signing up for if they agree to this is that ultimately the county needs to come in and improve the road because there's uh millings there which is not approved by the board in our code. We would spend about $200,000 and then $10,000 annually which
we don't have. We just spent, you know, a long time uh today talking about money that we don't have. We don't have that money so that he can um basically uh circumvent our code. Sir, what what about that possibility of
of getting the neighbors to to agree with him to take this as a as a drive driveway as opposed to a a county road? Then the county doesn't have an interest in it anymore and that makes things a lot less expensive for us here.
Can't be done. It can't be done. So, he doesn't have the ability to force his neighbors to do these things. I But has it has that is that something that you've approached with them? Yes. And about purchasing land to widen to 50 ft. My neighbors do not agree to that. So I
can't force them to agree to that to be able to vacate. So what is I think his answer is that and and correct me if I'm wrong here. We we've looked into that but however the neighbors have not agreed in any way to do that. Okay. again. Oh, I'm sorry. Isn't there a way
that we can um come come to some kind of agreement that we aren't responsible for the maintenance of this road? Isn't there some kind of contract or something that we could put together that would um make Mr. Stewart liable for for the
road? Not not effectively. We've done that before. We in the past there was a form that property owners would sometimes sign prior to the unpaved road agreement ordinance which uh stated they wouldn't request that the road be maintained but
because the road is countyowned inevitably if not the sometimes in some instances the same people who signed the form would come in and request their district commissioner um do something about the road because potholes you know had formed or it was
too dry or too wet. Um in in other cases it was the successor and interest who purchased from them. Even though that document is recorded of record, they would still request it. But frequently it's actually service providers like waste management, the mail, others that use those roads that make complaints to
the county when there are issues with the lack of maintenance by the private owners along the roadway. What if we um what if we uh came to some kind of agreement where
um this is Mr. Stewart's and we could um come to some kind of agreement where uh say he has to agree to allow those two res those two properties have access and the county to have access. We can't do that because
the way the law of vacation works, the vacated road would go to those abuing property owners uh adjacent to Dixie Way, not to Mr. Stewart. If I could just add though, you know, while we would do that and Mr. uh Stewart had mentioned that, you know, he
he can't get 50 ft when it's a driveway, you know, that wouldn't necessarily be a requirement. So he would be asking his neighbors to come up with a joint use agreement as a driveway maintaining that existing 30 ft. Uh so not expanding it. The requirement for what a driveway is
versus a road is much less less permitting and also the drainage requirements are less for St. John's River Water Management District. I hear you when you say that um agreements haven't worked in the past,
but legally would that protect us if we if we came to some kind of agreement where um we are not going to maintain this portion of the road. Probably not not the type of interest we're talking about.
And if I could just add to that, uh, you know, the board, uh, through many actions over the years, starting back in 1990, uh, we had significantly, uh, less roads that we maintained in the county. And in July 1990 and August 1990, um, we effectively doubled the amount of roads
because the pressure your predecessors had uh, of, as Morris said, too wet, too dry, too something. And, uh, they were not, they didn't meet code at that point. and we are suffering the consequences today not being able to uh bring them up to standards certainly
costing us more to maintain than we do in the past. So it's a cautionary tale even though the board had uh at the time thought that it wouldn't be an impact. It's been a tremendous impact especially to district 1 where we have the most amount of unpaved roads but certainly we
have them across the uh county. I guess the frustration that I'm having is that we have roads like this all over Mims and Scotsmore Better County maintained that you know um we're not talking about a satellite boulevard type of road here. I mean this
is a very short piece of road that has been kept up by the residents of that area for sure. Sorry. So it just it's not everything is the same. This is not the same situation as
hundreds or thousands as I I just don't believe it. I'd have to see that this is the exact same situation as hundreds and thousands of other properties in the in the waist in the um in the curtain just waiting. I feel like it's a
boogeyman and I don't think that it's fair. And when we allow um you know neighborhoods like Sherwood to get passed But here's one family with one house on a 5 acre
lot. It just doesn't make sense. Commissioner Atinson. Um I just want to understand timing. So Mr. Stewart was purchasing the property hadn't purchased it or had when he came to staff and was asking
about this information. Commissioner, he had not uh purchased it. I believe he was under contract. This was uh when he came to the board in October 2021. Um staff had already met with him and my engineering team uh explicitly told him
what was needed uh despite what is being said today. Uh he then purchased it on 123 2021 uh several months later. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may further respond to that, actually his first documented contact with staff
about the issue where all of this was first laid out was December 3 of 2020, which was a year to the day before he closed on the property. Yeah. Commissioner Goodson, I'd like to make a motion to deny the request for the waiver. Second.
Okay. We have a motion by Commissioner Goodson to deny the request for a waiver. We have a second by Commissioner Atkinson. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner Delaney, no. Vice Chair
Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Felner. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. May I clarify just before they leave? My assumption would be that
if they did provide the information necessary for staff to administratively approve the waiver request that they still have that option. Is that Does the board agree with that? Absolutely. Yes. 100%. All right, we're going to
I Kathy, you waited very patiently. Yeah, Mr. Chairman and commissioners, in April, the board uh approved the advertisement of a consultant to conduct a nationwide search for the county manager's position. This solicitation was advertised. The county received
three proposals from the following firms. Colin Benzinger and Associates, DMNA, and Ruff Telus. The selection committee held a public meeting on May 12th to review and discuss the proposals. After the discussion, the
committee scored and ranked each proposal. The committee unanimously ranked Colin Benzinger and Associates as a number one firm. It is requested that the board approve the selection committee's recommendation on the number one ranked firm and authorize the
chairman to execute the professional service contract. The consultant is here if you have any questions. All right. Questions on the item? I have a question. Okay. Commissioner Delaney. on page 15 of the proposal, second
paragraph, they talk about um uh tools um that could be used, but they would be um at a at an additional cost or fee. And I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing that with us, what those tools
may be and what kind of fees we're looking at. Some of our clients um want to have psychological assessments, things like that. Frankly, over the years when we've used those tools, they've validated our
recommend, excuse me, our recommendations. By the way, Colin Benziger, Colin Benzer and Associates, I apologize. Um so, we don't feel that they're worthwhile. They're not a cost-effective ad, shall we say.
However, some clients want to have them and if they do want to have them, then you know, we are quite willing to facilitate their use. However, we don't want to pay for them. So, if you want to use them, we're great with that. Okay.
And so, would that be um even like a DISC assessment? Is that is that one of those tools that you're talking about or would that um you know, we would be willing to look into whatever assessment you wanted to use. I don't think I'm not advocating for that. I'm just wondering
what um what these tools may be. It's frankly it's been so long since we used one that I don't remember the name of it, but it was something like profile something or other that we used and okay we've used management inboxes. We've used MyersBriggs. It just depends on you
know what our client what particular issue our client wants us to address with the tool. And so then we go out and find the right tool. Great. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay. I don't have a card on this one. Is there discussion on the
item? Commissioner Delaney, I just wanted to um I'm I'm not sure who put together the um the contract, but I just want to say thank you because I see a lot of my concerns have been put into the contract. So, whoever did that, I I
appreciate you. Um and uh I I'm in support of this. So, I'd like to make a motion to approve. Okay. Um, we have a motion to approve by Commissioner Delaney. Is there a second? Second. I have a second by Commissioner Altman. Clerk will call the role. Commissioner
Delaney? Yes. Vice Chair Goodson? Yes. Commissioner Atkinson? Yes. Commissioner Alman? Yes. Chairman Fner? Yes. We'll show that approved. Congratulations, sir. We look forward to working with you. Uh there there's just one administrative matter I'd like to mention and that is I understand you're
on break for June and that you'd like to have a man or an administrator on board by the 1st of October. Uh we do like to start our process with one-on-one meetings with each of the commissioners. Would it be possible to do those next Tuesday? Um if not, I mean we can do
virtual meetings, too. I know I'm kind of putting you on the spot, but we can Well, that's okay. Um, we can each contact you with our schedule after this meeting is that we're all agreed. We'll get back to him quickly. I'm not going to be gone the
next Tuesday. So, I think I can make it work, but I can't speak for everybody. Okay. I understand and I appreciate it. Thank you. All right. We'll make it work for the award. All right, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Uh, I have one card on public comment. Sandra Sullivan.
Sandra Sullivan, best to last, right? All right. So, just to the comments that were made on uh on NBEDS, we do still have obviously the EDC tax abatement to incentify those businesses coming here. Uh and I wanted to thank uh you three
that uh voted to end NBEDS. That's a huge deal. So, going back just a little bit on the history, in 2010, a contract was signed between Space Florida and the city at Titusville to provide the site planning and building permits. Uh, I did
a records request uh to try and find out what they they made on those services. And I was quoted like a a $2,500 fee. Remarkably, was not able to get those records. Um, so in on September 26,
2023, after I uh put out this uh information, um the city of Titusville decided to terminate that agreement. And so I did records to Space Florida uh and to the city of Titusville. Turns out
they didn't terminate it. It's still being done. So here's the kind of the question I have. Um, Space Florida is obviously within district 2 in unincorporated. Yeah. And uh, this is in unincorporated Bvard
jurisdiction, not the city of Titusville, which is on the mainland, right? Mainland city in a different district. Why are they providing site planning and building permits to an area within the unincor unincorporated district? And this ties into NBEDs
because you have to understand that NBEDs was created in 2011. In response to that agreement in 2010 and as soon as that NASA agreement was done, they moved Space Florida within ENBED. So today was a huge day that that was taken out. But
there's a second component of this is that that site planning and building permits should return to the county because there's a lot happening. We had seven just in one phase of Blue Origin, $7 million worth of fill brought in and
it is now from the uh the the hydrarology report that was half a million dollar report paid for by the county shows that is no longer in the flood plane shows that that is increasing the flooding in the area. And there's a meeting coming up with
district 2 regarding the increased flooding in the broadacres area and space Florida doesn't want to pay for any of it. This is county responsibility portion. And so I ask you to take the second step because there's liability
here for the county according to your own incorporation study that you that you that the county paid for that this is5 to10 million a year in unfunded liability coming from the increased flooding from space Florida. So I ask
you to take some action on that. Uh, and I thank you again for your vote today on NBEDs. Yay. Okay, commissioners. Uh, quickly in board report and um then Morris, you have something for me. Okay. All right.
Uh, let's just Jim board report. No report, Mr. Chair. Uh, Mr. County Attorney, no report, Mr. Chairman. No, sir. Okay. Commissioner Atinson, just thank you to staff who's been helping me. Okay. Commissioner Alman, no report.
Okay. Commissioner Delaney, no report. All right. Okay. Hold on. Let me read it. Get this right. Um, as authorized by section 286.011 011 PNIN 8 Florida statutes. The Bvard
County Board of County Commissioners will now commence an attorney client session discussing litigation strategy and settlement negotiations in Bvoulevard County Circuit Court. Case number 05-2023-CA-015474-XX XXX-XX. Attending the attorney client
session will be the county commissioners except for Commissioner Altman, the county manager, the county attorney or outside litigation council Alicia Gonzalez and a court reporter. The attorney client session will be held in the county manager's conference room on
the third floor of this building. The estimated length of the session is one hour or less. Hopefully, it's less. I will now entertain a motion to temporarily adjourn and reconvene in the county manager's conference room.
Move to approve. What's that? Motion to approve. Okay. Uh and it Okay, we have a motion. And we have a second. Well, agree. Yep. All right. Um, we're going to see you there in 10 minutes. 2:30. Sharp.
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[Music] Ball hey baby. [Music] [Music]