Um, since there's only three of us, um, do you mind doing the, uh, pledge for us, Jeremy? Absolutely. Please stand and face the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I think um Pastor Keith Cape probably thought it was 7:00 tonight. So um I'll just I'll just do an invocation for him.
Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you for all your blessings. Lord, we ask for your your wisdom tonight and your guidance and that you would guide us, Lord, in your will. We thank you in Jesus name. Amen.
All right. Hot mic. Roll call. Commissioner Jackson not present. Commissioner Hutcherson here. Commissioner Tamulti here. Vice Mayor Williams
here. Mayor Capey here. Can I get a uh approval for the agenda? Move to approve the agenda. Second. Motion a second. All in favor? I I motion passes 40.
Any public comments about items that are not on the agenda? All right. Staff reports. Am I on here? Uh yes. Um the uh over the past two
weeks, the staff was busy with um of course the centennial um the air show. We've been working on the budget. Uh we've also been working on updating our fees. Much of that work will be on the commission agenda tonight.
Uh the staff also did CPR, AED, and stop the bleed training. And finally, the city hall sign is working. Yay. Thank you for that, AJ. And just to acknowledge uh uh Jeremy, I
mean Joshua Jackson's uh now here. Um, city attorney, any reports or announcements? Um, nothing tonight. Thank you. All right. City Commission, any reports or announcements? I just appreciate uh all our
residents and businesses that supported the centennial celebration. It was a great great thing for the city and I appreciate all the city staff that did a lot of the hard work up front to
make it happen. And I'm pretty happy that that uh grass and the and the green space actually held up with probably close to 500 people on it that night. So, yep. Everything's going good.
Anybody else? All right, I'll say something real quick. Um Oh, Mr. Capey. Uh I I did the invocation for you, by the way. No, it's 6:30 today. Anyways, um I want
to say thank you to everybody that made the um the centennial celebration a success. It was absolutely amazing. Um I know the city staff uh for one worked very hard on this. Um Kenny from Main Street, she did an amazing job um with
Hot Pink and and all her her um vendors and all her um volunteers, the air show, the pilots, the astronauts. Um this truly was an amazing uh twoe centennial celebration and uh I'm just super proud
to have to been the mayor during this uh amazing celebration. So thank you to everyone who who did all that hard work. All right. I will end the commission meeting for now or
take a a recess to do our community uh CRA meeting. All right, CRA meeting is now in session. Uh item one. Okay, item one, request to approve revised visual improvement program grant
application for the city of Koka Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, CRA. Staff Representative Devin Thally, Deputy Finance Director, CRA. Recommendation approved. [Music] Second. Got a motion and a second. Any public
comment on this item? All right. All in favor? Oh, sorry. Question. Yeah. This is just the requirements for the program, correct? Yes. It's just the requirements to apply
for the actual program. This is an update to the requirements. Mhm. Okay. And we're not approving anybody's grant or anything. No. Just approving the the current which will be current after the vote requirements. Yes. So once you guys vote on this current application, this will be the
one that stands forward. So this will be the one they'll apply to utilize that CBNN's will advertise going forward. Dev. Okay. um everyone comment is it possible just to highlight what's changed just to give folks
don't need to go in detail just high level like the dollar value change or not yes so the there was a few changes so to go over them with you so one of the changes is is we dropped the threshold down to 25,000 as the maximum CRA contribution it was 50,000 in the
previous application um after doing some research with other cities and our population 50,000 was a little excessive for our city 25,000 kind of hits it in the right mark compared to the other ones. Um the other thing to talk about
with this application is that effective October 1st, the beginning of our fiscal year, funding will be available from October 1st to January 1st of that same fiscal year to begin accepting applications. The reason for this is because we have a budget cycle. We
budget a certain money each fiscal year period for this program. And if we extend it too far due to budget constraints and timing scope of the projects that you guys approve, there's not enough time to get it done within that fiscal year, which then results in either requesting to carry it forward or
rebudgeting it entirely if they couldn't start it for some reason. Um the other change to this as well is that it'll be only one grant award per structure. So, this gives a fair opportunity to all of the businesses in our downtown area
to apply based on the 25,000 maximum contribution instead of reiving the same businesses the same grant opportunities. You know, instead of, you know, we can divvy it out a little bit, some give others a chance to apply. Um, you've seen it over the past couple of weeks
and months that we have gotten some interest in the program from a variety of different businesses because they're finally hearing about it. And I think this also makes it very clear on this new application that it is for projects that have not started. There was a really big misconception. People were
applying based on work they've already done which is not eligible. So by revising this whole application, we do also have the mission stated on the purpose of this application because like I mentioned before, people were thinking it could be used for anything and this just revitalizes that to stay within the
parameters of our CRA plan. Florida statues and our budget. Okay. I have one one final question. I'm sorry. I only said I was gonna do one. So, just walk me through because we've shortened the time period so we don't get a a rebudget movement into the next year. Is there uh
can we overcommit money and just anticipating that not all of it will be granted or we're capped out on the commitment side as well as the grant side? Yeah. So, does that make sense? Yeah. So when we budget the grant, you know, portion for this within the CRA budget, it's to be utilized that year
like any other project if it's not used and it has to be rebudgeted or carry forward. What I've experienced this year is that when people apply by having the cut off at July 1st, we've got 3 months until the end of the fiscal year. It's not enough time to get for them to schedule contractors to come out, get
the documents to me, reimburse them in a timely manner because we also have a fiscal year-end period at a finance department level where at some point spending stops before we go into the new budget cycle year. [Music]
So, um, when do these new, uh, rules go into effect? Is that the October 1st? When you guys approve this today, it goes into effect today. Okay. So, commission, I will I will have to just decide now. I will have to rebudget a lot of the
grants that you guys approved this year in October for the new fiscal year. You'll see them again because no one has either started or just the timing issue of approving them. So either we defer this to after we hear these um these
requests that are coming tonight, one for 75,000, another one for 35,000, which if we voted on this, they would just be instantly cut to $25,000 maximum. One would go
Yeah. one one would um this the second item G2 it wouldn't be eligible because it's one grant award per structure and when you say structure you mean the property or the property within itself. Okay. And G2 would be non-compliant if this passes. Mhm.
They they received a $50,000 grant earlier this year that you guys if we and uh Becky might have to listen up if we defer the effective date on this
till look say next week. Would that allow these application hearings to be heard tonight and potentially approved? um that would be in e excess of the 25,000 that's
being that we would be voting on. Yes. I think I think the intent of this is for um applications going forward. Yeah. As opposed thing as opposed to things which are already in process. So yes, I mean would that would that
catch any other ones that are already in process? Are there some higher dollar ones already in process? No, these are the only two pending that you see on this list. I haven't received any other applications. Okay. So, it could it could actually be effective as of tomorrow
or next week, whenever. Okay. Well, let's let's do uh I I would like to make amendment that this new process go into effect on July 18th,
2025. [Music] And that way, nobody's going to try to slip under the wire between now and next week or whatever. But the people that already did their due diligence based on the current rules wouldn't be hampered by that.
So, I'm looking for a second on that motion as an amendment. [Music] I'm going to second it for discussion. Okay. All right. Uh I've got a question for you. So, you already said so one it
means one for structure. Let's just say like we have juice and Java um you know juice and Java has um multiple units or that whole that whole thing. So, are we saying now if
if there's multiple units within a parcel, uh I guess it per parcel that's singly owned, I guess you're saying. Yeah. So, if I can, so for Juice and Java, when you guys approved their grant
back when, it was actually two different grants. So, Juice and Java did part of their side of the building that's facing the parking lot. It was under a different property ID, had different unit number, different owner. The units are actually that are following that same street. Those storefronts you're talking about are part of a condo
association. Differently owned, differently addressed, different properties zoned. Okay. All right. So, I think the reason behind this is basically what we're trying to do is is stretch our CRA grant money so that more people can use it.
Um, you know, I love the the projects that we've that we've already approved and we've been, I think, very generous in them. My only concern is if we if we continue to to give somebody money year after year,
basically we're funding a big portion of that project and it doesn't benefit the whole area as a whole. So if we give people money year after year without even letting them finish the first
project they they started you're starting then you want to give them more money before they even finish the first project. It's just it's almost seems unfair to to other applicants. Yeah. And I to me my concern is it encourages breaking up projects. I know
I'm going to do all this but if I break it out I submit once I break it out submit twice. Break it out. Submit three times a deal. Yeah. So, I love the concept of it. I just And I I would So, we've seconded deferring this so we can consider G2 and G3. But
that's going to be my comments on G2, right? But that doesn't mean we have just cuz I made the motion to defer the new rules that go into effect tomorrow doesn't mean that we have to approve any of the ones that are coming forward to us tonight. or we could approve them at
a reduced amount or not at all or or at the full amount. But this just uh gives us the opportunity to consider those projects at what they're presented as and I apparently historically when when when I was on the commission the last
two years is this didn't get a whole lot of visibility over the last year. So I'm glad it is getting I think there actually is awareness now and we're seeing juicing job, we're seeing point, we're seeing dirty bird. So I think it's going to continue. Epic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I tend to agree and I with
Commissioner Williams that changing the process mid midstream for an applicant is is a little bit uh I would imagine frustrating for them if they've already done the work and collected all the information only to find out that we're changing the application process and
they've got to modify their package. So, I tend to agree that let's let's keep the rules the same for the applicants that are here already and have done the work and then making sure we amend it appropriately to capture the increase in interest. Quick question. Um, but the former ones
that we voted on that were rewarded the 50,000, they're still going to get the 50,000 and all that, right? This is just moving forward um with future applicants. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I just want to make sure that everybody that had we promised money to gets the money we promised them.
Well, they actually haven't got the money yet, have they? But they will. No. So, when you guys agree to approve a grant, you know, they go through the project phase. Then once they're done, they submit all of their invoices, copies of cancel checks, engineer design reports, building permits that have been approved, all for that project scope if
applicable. Uh we go through all of that in our finance department and then it goes to the city manager and the finance director for approval and then that dispersement goes out to them for those funds. But they're but they're committed to the 50 grand already, right? Yes. Okay. Based on the agreement and what you guys approved,
they're they're committed to up to that amount depending on what receipts they bring in and all. Yes. And what what is the delineating what is the point or delineating point where that starts? So if there were a um we we accepted a
grant tonight is that when it's the point that it's accepted and then whatever they do after that you know the receipts they bring in that's basically what they get whatever we've allowed to up to you know x amount of dollars. Correct. Yes. So,
um, by moving this to tomorrow and changing these, uh, from 50,000 to 25,000 tomorrow, it's not going to affect that once we've set in motion a CRA grant. Yes. So, for example, if you guys were
to approve these tonight the way they are, and Commissioner Williams amendment to have it start tomorrow, just be starting tomorrow, any hypothetical applications I got going forward would be bound by those rules. These that you have tonight would be
acceptable based on the old policy. These are the last ones of the old policy. Okay. I understand. So on the last point on under program details, it says funds will be allocated on a first come first- serve basis only one grant award per structure based on the order of request
and available funds. Now is that in perpetuity or is that for one year? Is that for five years? tend, you know, we don't have a specific time frame on that either. I would think that um Becky, correct me
if I'm wrong, that we could um tie that to the ownership of the property. I mean, if the property changes hands, then the future owner could apply for another grant. Even if the previous owner had
gotten a grant, it would be up to you however you wanted it to. But would would that be copathetic? I think under business entity would probably be better. I doubt they wanted to change. I disagree. They could I mean I disagree for this reason unless they changed
completely change the business. Yes. But they could change the ownership every day for the next week. Yeah. And get seven grants entity. So if it was a well they can do that too. Um that's my point. Yeah. You know there's always ways to
circumvent it. So if we catch up to those before to say we limit it to 2 years or 3 years or something like that. Okay. But the CRA isn't going to go much. We've only got believe in 2031, right? Six more years. So
to my suggestion would be we're going to have another CRA meeting. We vote on this and we task our city attorney to come up with some kind of language that would work in the future for either a
change of ownership or a change of business, you know, or or a specific uh term length of time. I say we vote on this as as it is and then we can we can have her figure out the language for the the I'll do that. I I'll bring something
back at the next I'm not sure when the next CRA meeting will be, but Okay. Or I can bring it back to the city commission and just give it to you and then you can but it won't be we won't be deciding on it till the next C official CRA meeting.
Okay. All right. So, I have an amendment. We could call the question on the amendment or do we have public comment? Do you do you guys want to vote? Uh, I guess we'll we'll vote on the we'll have a public comment on the amendment. How's that? Uh, anybody have public comment on
this amended? Yeah. Go ahead, Mark. Mark, this is just the part about making it start tomorrow. Absolutely. Okay. Mark Ranger, 141 St. Corey Avenue, could reach. Uh I think it's uh great that you're considering the fairness by
delaying because some of us uh at at the board sports and ourselves some of us did put a lot of due diligence and effort into meeting all the application. Now obviously you guys can decide whether it's worthy or not but I think it's only fair to at least let us stand up and and have our day here and try to
con convince you. Um one thing comment about your um here's what I'm thinking. I I own a business. I own a property and that property has a tenant and as the property owner, I wouldn't want that tenant to apply for a grant and then
ruin my ability ever to beautify my property after that tenant leaves. So, you got something to think about of is it the business is it the property owner or is it the tenant the business owner? Right now, it doesn't delineate between
the two. You do have to in order I'm familiar with the application and the application has to be signed by the business owner and the property owner. It does. But I guess what I'm saying is I would I would I would say sorry I'm not going to let you beautify the property because maybe I want to be able to do it in the future on my own or a
different tenant. It's it's not going to be simple but just something to think about there. That's why we task Becky the wizard to figure that out. Yeah. Exactly. But I get it. you don't want your tenant taking their ability to apply and they have to get the property owner to, you know, the landlord to sign off or the property owner can apply on
their own. And I'm just thinking to myself, if I'm the property owner, I might hesitate to sign off on my tenant doing an improvement because no, you're going to ruin my grant if it's in perpetuity. I would I would argue the best thing would be to say every fiscal year you're limited, you know, if you're going to limit something like that. But
again, you guys will come up, you're smart, you'll come up with something. Thank you. vote on the amendment. Okay. Um, you guys ready to vote on the amendment? All right. Uh, all in favor of the the amendment that
uh Skip Williams said on this reading. I I I All right. Motion passes. 51. We got to vote on the main motion. 41. 41. 41. Okay.
We have to vote on the main motion. All right. All in favor of the main motion. I I All right. Motion passes. 50. All right. Um Okay. Item item two, request to approve
Dirty Bird's grant in the amount of $35,000. Staff representative Devon Tally, Deputy Finance Director, CRA. Recommendation approved. A motion? Yeah, I make a motion to approve. One second.
Motion and a second. Any public comment on the approval of the Dirty Birds Grant in the amount of 35,000? Come on, Mark. [Music] So, Mark Ranger representing Dirty Birds. Um, I did send you guys all an
email today. Uh, and this is obviously a hot topic. Um, trying to come back for a second ask. Um, over the years, the funds do not get depleted. They've not been taken. I'm glad to see as a business owner, I'm glad to see more businesses step up and do it. Um, but to
date, uh, the funds are there. We completed all the work for the first grant. Um, we did not we are not intentionally dividing properties with the intent of trying to get multiple grants. Um, and I think as as I explained in our meal, we have we have had a hardship. Um, we're over now we're
up to about a million dollars in developing this property and we're not we haven't changed an inch on the building as far as the structure. We just it's just decoration really. But it's all because of this nightmare issue we've had with the uh storm water that we were told when we went into this by
the city that we won't have to deal with storm water. Certainly that's been done previously only to find out it wasn't done. The storm water task has been almost a4 million $200,000. We didn't we didn't moan and cry and call lawyers. We just buckled up and we're getting the
work done. We are running out of funds. We do want to bring this last phase. We were hoping to be open for the air show. We were hoping to be open for the 4th of July. We're, you know, we we were thinking spring break. We're trying to get open by Labor Day and we're we're not rich business owners. We're local
business owners and we're trying to to get it done and and we could use the the grant money. It's for a specific new thing and that is to get the palm trees in and the pavers down. And I did explain that it will benefit the city. Uh our contractor will on our as part of our project and our cost will pay to
bring the pavers to the property line which they don't go. Now, it it looks unfinished and the city's going to need to do something about that. And I know there's talk about maybe we could bury some electrical power while we're doing that, too. So, I just ask you guys, I know optics at first, but sometimes you dig into things and you go, you know,
this is not unreasonable. Mayor, can I ask a question? Yeah, go ahead. Mark, what was remind me what was the value of the first grant that you are intend to submit for? 50k was 90 something,000 at first. Yeah, it was for 50 and that and we did the cost
of the that was for all the tikis. The cost on that was about 138 total. And you guys, that money was well spent. It really was. It's not like we're sitting around keeping loads of money in our pocket going, "Hey, we're getting the sucker city to pay for this." We're not.
We're trying to get this project done. And we do aim high. And I think you can see that we're using that money to a good purpose that when you when you look at what we've got there that how gorgeous it's looking and it's it's going to be iconic. It's really going to be something. It's just not a money grab. I just want
to tell you that we really could use it. You did an amazing job. I absolutely love I love everything you did over there. I'm super excited about it and it in my opinion it was money very well spent for the city. Um, so I I
appreciate you and I honestly I think you've done better than just about anybody around here without trying to put anybody else down, but it's the you're spot on with it's just so amazing. So, thank you. Thank you. And and we could not have
done all of that without that grant. It did bring the other pieces around the top. It was spent that my grant money did make we had a we had a plan A. If we get the grant, we can do all of this. And if we don't get the grant, it's going to be down. It won't be as awesome. It'll be nice. But
in my opinion, that was the best that was the best use of of $50,000 in a city that that I've seen in a long time. So, I'm just for 35 more, we can really show you something. Okay. Thank you. All right. I just wanted to ask um Devin um real quick.
Um, so are we are we are we able to to have people ask for money before this fiscal year is even over for the next year before it's even started? That kind of seems premature.
No. So the cuto off for based on the old application was July 1st, but then what happened was is we canled the meeting in the beginning of July and these people, these two applicants had submitted in late June. So, I was obligated to bring them forward based on our application for you guys to hear, which is why we're
at this meeting. But that's why I set a new threshold that I've compared to other cities that also have fiscal year budgets where it's October 1st to January 1st. gives them enough time, couple months to apply, couple months to come to you guys, you know, over course
of multiple CRA board meetings for your approval, enough time, you know, for legal to approve agreements, and then enough time for the remainder of the fiscal year for the project to get going, to get started, and to even finish before the end of the fiscal year and submit for reimbursement.
Epic Board Sports are they we're not talking about them right now, but is it um so this is for them for next year? Yeah, essentially I'll have to rebudget because we're going into August and that's not 2 months isn't a long time for them to do the project, get
reimbursed and for have adequate overview over the documents they're going to submit. It's too much of a time constraint. Okay. And so after these two today, no one else will be able to apply until after No, applications are closed. October 1st, people can reapply.
So, okay. So, these ones are are too special for to apply. Okay, sounds good. Get it in before midnight, too. Right. Thanks for clearing that up. Thanks for Thanks for clearing that up. Question for Deon. Yeah, go ahead. That's I think I'm done.
So Devon on this page it says uh install pavers and turf. Okay, $53,000. And then it says install palm trees and irrigation $17,000.
So, if you get receipts toward this, their $35,000 matching grant that have nothing to do with pavers and turf or palm trees and irrigation, you'll deny those. Not eligible. They get kicked back. So,
it's based on I I just want people to know that, you know, there's a potential that they'll spend less and our matching will be less. Yes. One one more uh thing. So we have a next going forward we have $100,000 allocated
for our CRA grant money right for the next year. So it it varies. I do a comparison with other cities and what we've done and you know I compare it to two fiscal years prior and then that's how I set the amount. But it comes to you guys for approval at the budget cycle by line
item. So you'll see how much we allocate for and that obviously will be separate from the ones that I'm rebudgeting. So you'll see line items for the rebudgeted specific to each applicant based on the agreements approved here at this fiscal year. And then you'll see a single line item with a bulk sum of money for new
applicants that apply. So these two will draw from the the 25 money that rolls into 26. What I'm getting at though is we pretty much in the budget right now I think we we've put about 100,000 or maybe Hannah you would know. um,000 for for that
because what I'm getting at is it's we're going to depreciate 70 something% 75% of next year's budget tonight. That's what I'm saying is they're pulling from 25 budget because we haven't committed 100%. We haven't
committed the entire 25 amount. They're pulling from that bucket of money. Although they won't spend it in 25, that money will roll forward into 26 in addition to the 100K. So the two applicants tonight won't draw from 26. Okay. Sorry Deon if I'm taking off.
No, that's correct. All right. Full 100,000 would still be available for new applicants beyond the vote. Okay. All right. Um, any other comment on this one?
Um, I I have one comment and um Mr. Granger alluded to it and it has to do with the art show and power on the east end of um Minutemen. We have a we basically put our stage up there every year for the art show and we've always
got to run power down there. It's it's it's very convoluted and and there's problems. But if it were to run along that uh sidewalk along there, you see on the structure they they they put in that wood structure almost like a fence or a
the wall and uh just below that and run it out to the corner would be beneficial. I talked I did talk to Mark about that potentially um before they put the pavers in that we run that power down for the uh for the art show.
Um it's something we've had we have power um right here on the corner um you know for Friday fest for the band down here for the small band but this is for a a big stage you know like a a 30ft stage that's as wide as a street right so that would be a separate city project
and a separate city budget item. Yeah. So, it would be needed to be acted on before Mark starts laying pavers. So, we need to talk to the city manager about that and bring that back before he
starts laying pavers. And I think he wants to start laying pavers as soon as possible. I'm not sure what his time frame is. Well, he wants to get the place open. [Music] Yeah. All right.
Okay. That's that's that's true as well. So what um as far as Devon, if I can ask you a question, what was our um budgeted amount for the CRA grants this year in fiscal year 25? So our budget amount for fiscal year 25
was 330,000 for that and that includes both a carry forward amount from the previous year and then along with what was newly budgeted for fiscal year 25. Um, and I can list like the money, dollar amounts
of each application if you don't mind. So, we did 25,000 for Coastal Market this year. That was actually closed out and done. The project started this year. It closed out this year. They were reimbursed this year like it normally would go according to plan. We had 30,000 for the condo association on the
store unit fronts next to Juice and Java. We had a separate grant for the side of the building of Juice and Java that faces their parking lot structure. We had 50,000 for Dirty Birds that was previously approved this year. 50,000 for the Point Place Church that was previously approved. 10,000 for the
catal catalyst shop. And then there is a side 25,000 for Main Street that was approved at a commission meeting way early on in the fiscal year to come from these funds. And that the the what was it? the
what's his name that I'm trying to think of the um the other one for 50,000 what was it Eric no that was that was a year before that was the year before that was the 70 from 23 yeah okay but I mean the takeaway there is in 23
there wasn't a whole lot of funds exhausted so that a significant amount rolled forward but this year we're getting a lot of applicants okay I the only thing the only thing I see about this Grant and I'll just say it is I mean I love the project. I love I love
Mark. I love I love all the guys that are involved with that. Um it's just to to put 50,000 out. Okay, cool. Um, but then to do another 35,000 before that project's finished and then to try to
it's it's like we're trying to give them more money than we're trying to give everybody else and we're trying to like squeeze it in and give them a, you know, a bro deal kind of thing. And I I just I want to be fair to everybody and that's that's just the way I feel about this.
So, um, I'm just I'm not going to approve this. Um but um I understand it's it's a great project. So I'm just telling you guys how I feel about it. Um I'm ready to uh to call. I I want to have another question. I have another question. Yeah. And this is long-term and and from
the past. So we've given out CRA money, CRA grant money to various grants over the last um 10 years probably, right? We started it at least 10 years ago, maybe maybe a little longer. Initially, it was a
couple hundred, $1,000 here and there. Um, the CRA generates hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and um, and that's it's only gotten more every year. It's increased every year since the CRA has been uh, active.
Um, we did use a lot of the CRA money for this project for for city hall actually for the green space. It wasn't for city hall. Let me clarify that because it can't be it's got to be for green space or for beautifification of an area and that's all it can be used for. It can't be used for anything else. This isn't
city money that that you know our city money from our budget that's that's being used. It's CRA money. It's a different it's a different pot of money that can only be used for certain things. And this is then and these CRA
grants are basically all we have left. I don't know what else we can use it for. um with respect to uh any city property because we don't have any more city property that needs
improvement in the CRA zone, do we? The only property is the parking garage. There 300,000 in the budget to fix the parking garage. Yeah, we a lot of that CRM money is held in reserve for future repairs to the parking garage which we
get to bank at the at the closure of the CRA. Well, absolutely. And and that that'll helped uh basically the parking garage is close to it's funding itself at this point. Correct. And if we down the road decide to change
the um uh price on on for parking, um that'll be it'll be that much better. My I guess my point is, you know, we're going to down for the next 6 years, we're going to have a lot of money available for grants and um hopefully at
25,000 we'll use it all up. But can we we can continue? Will we hold that money at the end of 6 years and will it be sitting in an account where it can go to grants or or what happens to it? No, it's no, but we can hold the money that
we put for parking garage maintenance. No, we can't hold the money. You can't you can't hold money for grants after the closure of the CRA. But if we have money in the city coffers for maintenance on the garage, I think we
could hold that money. Another question for you, Devin. Um, so isn't Minute Man to Fourth Street North part of the CRA um area? Yeah, it's within the boundary lines
because I would I mean, honestly, Bvard Avenue looks very rundown. I would love to spend some of that CRA money on redoing the sidewalks or or pavers between the sidewalks and the road to make the sidewalks bigger for the ebikers and bicycers and also remove
some of that blight because it's so there's there's lots of money that we could spend the CRA money on um and make the city a better place. I just feel like you know we we just haven't really taken the initiative to to tackle some of that stuff. So, uh, uh, that's,
so my suggestion would be to get with our city manager and city staff and come up with some concepts and some, uh, potential pricing for that kind of stuff and bring it back to a future CRA meeting. Awesome. And then I would also to uh
Commissioner Tumulti's point um about the the the power going out to uh the east end of Minute Man for for potential use in the future. Um I would ask the city manager
if you could work with uh Mark and conduit's cheap. You don't have to actually run the wire, but if we can get our city staff to figure out where that would need to run from and to. Uh you don't have to put the you don't have the
budget to put in the junction box. You don't have to put the connection on the other end. You just get the conduit down before they lay the before they lay the pavers. And Brad's about to jump out of his seat to tell me I'm all messed up.
So, come on up, Brad. Skip, you're absolutely right. I was just wanted to see if I could do a walk through with you and the owners to see where we need to lay this. Absolutely. With our city electrician, too. So, yeah. Yeah. Daryl and Daryl.
Yeah. I mean, basically, conduit gray, you know, UL NEC approved conduit. Get it down before he lays the pavers. then we don't have to pull the pavers up and put them back down and and Kenny as well. Okay. So,
can I set up a meeting with you? Yeah. Yeah, we'll we'll work that out. Thanks, Brad. Okay. Can the commission give a head nod to that? Absolutely. Head nod. Head nod. Okay. All right. Let's vote. All right. Let's let's call this vote. All in favor of giving uh Dirty Birds the grant amount of 35,000. Um so,
should they use it all? Um [Music] signify by saying signify by saying I I all opposed. I motion passes three to two.
Congratulations, Mark. All right. Okay. Item three, request to approve a commercial visual improvement program grant in the amount of $40,000 to Epic Ward Sports LLC located at 358 North
Orlando Avenue, Cocoa Beach, Florida, 32931. Staff representative Devin Thally, Deputy Finance Director, CRA. Recommendation approve. Move to approve as read. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any
public comment? Any commission comment? Yeah, just same thing where they're showing, you know, repair and update the front facade. Uh, install impact windows and doors. It
says already purchased. So, Devon, if they already purchased those, we're only paying for the install, not for the not for the uh windows and doors. Um, I have Jennifer here from Epic Board Sports. she can come up to speak to that
because I've talked to her at length about how this is for reimbursement for after the fixtures and improvements are done. So, they're very right. But you're you're you're astute enough not to pay them for their
windows and doors that they already purchased. No, they are not reimbursable. And then remove and replace asphalt lot and apron and the the road sign. So, whatever they submit has to fall into those categories.
Yes. They can't come up with They can't come up with other great ideas and say, "Here's our receipts." No. Okay. [Music] All right. Any other commission comment?
All right. All in favor? I signify by I. I. All opposed? Motion passes 50. All right. The commission will reconvene. Oh, wait. You know, we take a fivem
minute recess for for Skippy Boy here. this meeting in order tonight. All right. Thank you. All right. H1. Yeah. Okay. H1. Um staff is requesting that
the city commission set a proposed millage rate of 6.1644 for the fiscal period 2026. Staff representative Hannah. Um finance director AJ Hudson, interim city manager. Recommendation approve.
Okay. Good evening. Hannah Juman, finance director. Uh the presentation tied to this agenda item is to set the maximum proposed mil millage rate for fiscal year 2026. [Music]
Okay. Forformational purposes the term millillage it refers to the tax rate that's applied to the taxable value um of real estate for the advalorum property taxes. The presentation today it'll cover two proposed rates. It will
cover a rolled packet of 5.6945 and a current rate of 6 uh 1644. We'll also discuss the total and real estate taxable values evaluating the differences between the current rate and the roll back rate along with the impact
it has on the taxpayer. [Music] There are three steps in setting the millillage rate. First one being what we're doing tonight, setting the proposed millillage. These are
requirements that are provided by the truth and millillage process that are held by the state. Um what that provides is that the rate would have to be set before August 3rd. Tonight we would adopt or I'm sorry tonight the
commission will set the proposed millage rate of 6.1644 in this meeting. [Music] The next steps two and three are the tenative millillage and the final millillage. Florida statute requires two public hearings. The first hearing is
set for September 4th and the second budget hearing is set for September 18th. That will be when the final millillage is adopted. [Music]
Okay, as previously stated, the roll back rate is 5.6945, which requires majority vote, and the current rate of 6.1644 requires a commission 41 vote. The roll back millage rate brings in the same dollar amount received in the prior
fiscal year. One mil equals $1 per thousand of taxable value. A millage of 6.1644 is equal to $616 for each thousand of taxable real
property just for educational purposes. Cocoa Beach taxable values. The property appraiser provided that the total taxable value of Cocoa Beach real estate is 3.2 billion. This is a 4.11 increase percent increase
from prior year's taxable value and the taxable values for the prior year is listed right below at 3.1 [Music] for the CRA. The funds collected through the tax increment funding or tiff funding are
used to implement the CRA's mission of reinvesting to the designated zone funding projects aimed at revitalization and beautifification. [Music] This is what Tim alluded to earlier as well with um the grant funding that we
receive and it being used back for the facade grant and for other purposes then if it's solely the CRA. [Music] The next slide demonstrates the effect
on the homesteaded taxpayer at the rolled back rate of 5.69. 6945. Um, for a taxable value of $300,000, the monthly amount in taxes would be $142.
So, this is just to show how it actually breaks out um based upon those taxable values. [Music] Below um the chart below, it shows the city's taxable value with a $3.2 2
billion figure that was shown in the previous slide. With that actual value amount at the millage rate of 5.6945, it would allow for a budget of 17.8 million with a $1 million allocation
towards the CRA projects and 16.8 million going towards the general fund. [Music] Similarly, on this next slide, it shows the effect on the homesteaded taxpayer, but at the current millage rate of
6.1644. This would allow for a budget of 19.2 million with a $1 million contribution to the CRA, allowing for $18.1 million contribution towards the general fund.
The difference in budget between the current rate and the roll back rate is 1.4 million. [Music] The next slide shown here, it shows the monthly and annual impact to the taxpayer when evaluating the current
rate 6.1644 compared to the rolled back rate of 5.694. 6945. The annual difference on a $350,000 taxable value with homestead exemption
would be $144 annually or just $12 per month. You misspoke. You said a $350,000 property and you meant to say $300,000. No, $350,000 with a homesteaded exemption. Oh, okay. Okay. Sorry. After the homestead?
Yes. after the homestead exemption is is there. Forgive me. Okay. Okay. The last slide that we have here shows how Cocoa Beach compares to our neighboring local governments in Bvard County. Um, Satellite Beach, who's most
comparative to us populationwise, they have a proposed millage rate of 7.9. These are the proposed values for this current upcoming year fiscal year 26 that we were provided with
West Melbourne their rate is 1.81 81, but it's mostly commercialized and not not residents. That is why they have that rate. Cape Canaveral doesn't have the same city services. So for other cities, it's
difficult to compare to Cocoa Beach because of all of the facilities that we have, because of the coastline that we have, because of the volume of tourists of 2.5 million that we receive each year. Those all make impacts for us because with a smaller population group
through advorum taxes we're having to support the cost of our high volume of tourism. So just to point out between Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral, it comes up every cycle is Cape Canaveral is like you close to half of what we pay, but
they also have a tax for their sheriff's department who's their police force and their fire department and their EMS on top of that, which is a fair chunk of our budget. So that's basically why
theirs are so theirs is comparatively lower. Mhm. Not not to mention in the re the recent years the the growth of the the hotel industry over there producing uh way more tax revenue over the last 3
years than they've ever had. So um we don't have that luxury of of increasing our tax base. Does the commission have any questions in regards to setting our max rate? And this is just to clarify the maximum rate
that we're setting. I'll move that uh set the uh millage rate at this meeting at the current rate which is 6.1644%. Yeah. 6.1644 mills.
Make a motion. Current millage rate is what I made the motion for. I got a motion in a second. You guys want to comment? Where we hold steady current mill rate. Thank you sir.
Uh where we hold steady at the current millillage rate we are effectively taking advantage of the increase in property values within the city both business and residential. Right? Absolutely. Um, do the increase in property values within the city
effectively drive an increase in the um the cost of providing city services in any meaningful way? [Music] Yes. Okay. So, could you walk me through a little bit of where increasing property values drive cost of running the city?
Well, increasing the property values generates more revenue for the city. When there's more revenue that's created for the city, there's other services that can be offered or the the revenues are used go to go back to the city to maintain our facilities properly to uh
continue the services that are already offered and to also grow, expand, complete projects. There's a number of items that those funds are used to support. One of the key pieces of that is
we have uh increases to the city payroll. Okay. So that increase in the property values that comes in as an increase in property taxes helps us to have the funding for our
city employees. So that my goal has always been to keep our city employees in their, you know, uh, pay grades and their position descriptions at a level above the average for Bvard County so we can retain
our experienced good employees and be able to attract replacements for employees as they, you know, retire out or leave for other jobs. So, so that's where that's where I see most of the additional funding going to
plus you know gas well gas has been pretty steady but there's other things that the city has to buy for to maintain the fleet you know vehicles to maintain our equipment
uh the capital projects to replace equipment that's getting beyond on economical repair and those replacements cost more than they used to. Yeah, all that extra principle that a
understand inflation uh agree with the principle of making sure we are better than competitive with our city employees and I also we've got to be careful not to assume that we don't have city employees that retire and new entry- level folks coming in. So, um it's not
static and it's just not continuously growing up. But I guess the key point was we've got to make sure that we understand that a growth in property prices isn't a growth in in and of itself. There's no relationship to the
outlay that the city has to support and provide services. There is certainly inflation, right? And we've got to recognize that. But our residents also bear that. and our residents don't necessarily get quote millage increases from their job. Where we see two to four
in two to 4% increase in income growth, we see closer to 5% in cost of living growth. We've got to remember that we add whatever increase even if it's small, it's a growth in effective cost of living increase to our residents. And
so I just want to be balanced that just because we have increased uh property prices doesn't increase the outlay from the city inherently. Let me I think let me just real quick I think I can I think I can explain this
in the simplest of terms. Um so for example I'm not I'm not for raising taxes either. I've said this before. I honestly don't think I'll ever vote to to go beyond our current millage rate, but um it's as easy as you go to the
grocery store. Last year, you paid $3 for for um a box of cereal. The tax sales tax was 7%. This year, you you go to the grocery store, it's $4. Sales tax is 7%. the tax didn't really change, but
the value of that or the cost of that that goods went up. So, not only does it go up for, okay, we're raising, we're not raising taxes, we're keeping the military the same, right? And yes, we're taking in more revenue, but everything we do, whether it's the city goes and
buys, let's just say, a box of cereal, they're still buying that box of cereal, it's gone up. Uh they're still paying the employees more. So, we're not saying that, well, because your value of your property is more, we want to take more of your money. We're just saying, let's
just keep this tax rate the same so that we can pay for the increase of everything else around us. Otherwise, we don't. And let me just one more uh point real quick. Um, we we had a year where we had former accountants and other things happening
where it put us in a really weird spot here. Um, and I think we all know, uh, we need to build our reserves back up. And I do think if we keep this, um, this rate, the the main goal should be to to put our reserves back where where they
need to be. Um, not not give not to to cut, but to put us back in a in a safe spot where we need to be. So, uh, that's that's the reason why I would go for this is because I want to make sure that our our reserves are where they need to be moving forward because we've been
depleting them without really realizing it. So, a couple comments. I'm encouraged that I might have some support. I've been the commissioner that pushed back on taxes every single year. I don't support this because this is a tax rate is a tax increase of a percent. It's not
unique to Cocoa Beach. Every single city on here has got the cost. What you're referring to is inflation cost. And I have a problem when taxes are exceeding inflation. If inflation's 3%, we're asking residents to pay 8% more. And it's record. We have record high
property valuations. We're doing exactly what the county was asking us to do at lifeguards. They had record high um tourist collections and they wanted us to take on a cost of the lifeguards. We're doing this direct. So I don't support it. If anyone's interested, I got real u charts attached to this
agenda. I won't bore you with the details cuz I suspect how this is going to vote. [Music] Any any other anything you want to say? Well, I I agree that um uh the issue here is inflation and the and the value
of properties have gone up. We also have sold a lot of homes in Cocoa Beach. Okay. So those homes that are selling that were under a homestead and were had assessed value of 200,000 are now assessed at a million dollars because
they had a value of close to a million dollars or you know over the last five or six years. Um but due to Homestead they kept their assessed value through the property appraiser down and could only increase at 3% per year. The assessed value could only increase at 3%
per year. Um, and Skip, you're and and I've had my house for uh 15 or so years. You've been you've lived at your same house for I'm not sure how many 20 some years, 30 38 years. Um, you know, so, you know, if you were
to sell your house, all of a sudden, we've got more money in in the coffers, not because of the millage rate, um, but because of the assessed value changes when someone buys a house. So that's in that's uh incorporated into the the
numbers and um and that we're talking about as well. Um as far as that increase when you say oh it was an 8% increase because even though we kept our millillage the same it has a lot to do with the the homes that were sold this
year which increased the um I'm not sure the term the gross taxable value tax gross or yeah total taxable value of the property in Cooka Beach. Um if you you know were to take the average uh what is what is the average um
assessed value of a home in Cook Beach? Roughly three 300 something. Okay. So you're so your numbers are right on with the 300. So um if we maintain our uh current millage rate at 6.1644
then it increases approximately $140 little like $11 a month basically uh $12 a month actually for um for our average homeowner in taxes. Now when you look at you say
oh well that's that's a 8% increase Mr. Dumpy. I said, "Well, yeah, it is for the city of Cocoa Beach, but if you actually looked at your full tax bill, your full tax bill hasn't really changed much in the last 10 years." Um, and and
I did I had a presentation I gave at a previous meeting where I showed everybody's the value of everybody's property and that it only went up a certain percentage, but that was the total total um taxes per year only went up 1% per year over over the last 10 years. was
the one that paid just about the most. Yeah. So, um you know, if you you you look at that and you say, "Wow, our our taxes aren't going down." I I was trying to come up with an analogy of it and it's like um it's like going to when you use a grocery store. So, you So, the
cost of um uh pineapples go up 10%. You know, they were they were $10, now they're $11. But your final and you buy you bought a pineapple every day, but your grocery bill stays the same. You're buying all the same products because some of the other products went down. And that's
what's happening with our our overall property taxes. The county's millage rates are going down due to the uh influx of development and population in West Boulevard County. And um and that's
why our overall taxes are actually going staying the same or or adjusted appropriately in that respect. Go ahead. Just a real quick and we did don't forget we did also vote to increase the city manager's uh wages uh 80,000 more
than we were paying the previous year. So uh up to so keep that in mind as well. So, I'm in my 18th year as a commissioner
sitting up here setting mill rates and doing budget battles and I we can check the records, but I've always
or almost always voted for the current millage rate. Okay? And [Music] probably 10 of those years I lost out to commissions that raised the millage rate
from the current millage rate. And I made all my arguments. It's all public record. Um so I believe we need a healthy city financially. I believe we need to uh attract
qualified employees that will be dedicated to the long term of this city and to maintain the um employees that we have now. And I realize that the price of things goes up. I mean, if you look at a firet truck
that we bought 15 years ago and the one that does the same thing now and the price went up, you know, 45%. So, it takes money to run the city to provide the services that everybody
expects out of this city. uh the the the um I don't want to use the word tax, but the word the burden that the tourism from uh not just our city but from the cruise
industry, from people driving for Orlando and all that that that burden. Unfortunately, we end up having to bear that burden to keep our residents safe. So all those folks that come into our city don't get to just run a muck and
and trash the place. It's extra work for public works to go up and down the streets. I I'm up early. I go to work early. And if I'm late for work at at leaving going down A1A at 5:45 in the morning instead of 5:30, I'm already
seeing public works trucks out there, you know, picking up trash after a weekend on the sidewalks and on the side of the road. And I I I would it would be hard for me to believe that that was our city residents that were throwing their trash and their beer cans out of their car
before they pull out of their parking space so they won't get caught with an open container even though they're driving home under the influence. Um, I I just uh I can't do anything about that burden, but that's an additional cost
that's basically burdened onto this city to keep the people that live here and work here in a safe environment. And we got to pay a little extra for it. We do, but I support the the current mill rate.
[Music] Any public comment? AJ's got one. Go ahead. You know, I I would just say that um uh we have a city of just over 11,000
people. Um we have over a 100 [Music] police and firefighter, certified police and firefighters. Uh we have three and a half square miles. Uh we have a small city that is very very busy. Uh we have
to we have to be ready to deal with the peak loads that come with the events that we have. Some of the events we we um uh create ourselves. Um some of them uh come from uh a launch
uh from spring break uh from snowbirds that come down in the wintertime. weekends uh week uh weekends in the summertime. We have to be ready. We have to have sufficient public safety personnel to deal with all of that uh to
be ready for the peak loads and to deal with uh the issues. We have we have six miles of beach and uh on that beach on the weekend and we've all seen it. We hear from residents how unhappy they are on a Sunday afternoon when the beach is
trashed. But the problem is the the landfill is closed on Sunday and in and I think you know from a tourist standpoint the quality of tourists that we get they come here with good intentions uh but they bring their
disposables to the beach and at the end of the day at 4:00 um they start putting their their trash into the receptacles and it starts to spill over and then once it spills over, then they're throwing it on the ground
next to the next to the trash because they're trying to do the right thing. But that's what that's what we're dealing with in a in a small city like this on a barrier island uh on the ocean. We have the the corrosion issues
that uh that go along with living in paradise. Uh, so the the reason the reason our property tax our property values are so high is because you all made this city really nice. Uh, and you ought to be proud of that. But it's it
it's kind of a double double-edged sword. Okay. Um, Janice, thank you, Hannah. [Music] Good evening, Janice Scott. I love this subject. Every year for 20
years, we have talked about this. Um, business is booming in Cocoa Beach. I mean, just had the fabulous weekend of the air show. Um, the county commissioner for our district, he loves to say, "Aren't your businesses booming?
Why do you need money from us?" So, um I I have a little bit of heartburn about not rolling back because by your own admission, the property values that have lost their or no longer are homesteaded,
they bring in more money. So, all these places that the income is increasing, why are the residents never getting a break? One of the things that I never see um surveyed here is who is using the recreational facilities. I see a thing
on the agenda for tennis. I love tennis. That's great, but we're pay we're always paying a million,2 million, three million here and there. We have a lobbyist $48,000. What has he done for us? I think you
ought to fire him and save $24,000 just to start. Um, it's really difficult to see you talk about how much you care about the residents, but they never get a break. It's always there's always a
reason why they can't get a break. You ought to lower the millillage at least ask the staff, take a 2% cut out of your budget proposal and see where that gets us. lobby yourselves to the legislature for
TDC to pay for the lifeguards. You don't need to pay a lobbyist to do that. Apparently, they didn't do that this past legislative session that just ended. But to constantly say, "Oh, and there was a proposal, excuse me, uh to one of the former commissioners, um that
we need to look forward to make sure that we get all of these um capital improvements paid for." Well, I think people who live here, who move here in the next few years should be paying as for those improvements. What are you going to do when all of these capital
improvements are paid off? What are you going to how are you going to keep that millet? You'll find a way. I know because it just seems to be the state of affairs. Are you going to lower it to three mills because oh, now the fire station, the garage, the police station,
and city hall are paid for. We get to pay for them. Why don't you give us a break? Thank you. Thank you, Dennis. Any other public comment? Any other commission comment? Yeah, I've got a I've got a comment.
Um, first of all, a roll back rate is a dollar amount. So, the dollar amount that we received last year in advorum taxes. Um, whatever the number that is is what we would get this year if we did the roll back, the exact dollar amount.
Now by doing that um your tax is going to change uh because your assessed value is going to change. So that's there's there's a it's not everybody's going to get that because some some people are buying a
house and and it's just going to it's just going to go up on some properties. um you made a comment about um I lost my train of thought on this. Um that that you come up to all these budget meetings and and I made this
comment at the beginning of this um beginning of this meeting to a couple of folks that the budget is one of the biggest deals that we have. And Skip, you you've seen this every year. No one comes to a budget meeting. you do, Janice, but you're the only one that
comes to every budget meeting as well as the commissioners uh over the last 15 or actually maybe 25 years or more. Um, but we've got tennis folks here, we've got uh CRA folks, we've got uh short-term rental folks, we've got everybody else,
more people for each one of those than the total that's here for the budget. Um, so that's that's I guess how much they care about it because in in essence we're talking about $100 a year if we
keep the current um millage rate. So it's relatively insignificant. Uh what's significant is the the services that we get here in Cocoa Beach and that we maintain those. Um, another thing you you mentioned was that uh we want our
future residents to pay for these facilities and that's exactly right. But by by spending3 to4 million out of our reserves to fund the city hall um
depleted our reserves and it and it reduced the amount that future residents of Cocoa Beach will pay for city hall. That makes sense, doesn't it? It's it's because it's true. And and
that's that's my my point on this. And in addition to that, we we spent reserves that were earning more money than what we got out of it by spending it or we could have got from a loan, right?
Yes. That's a fact. Yeah. So, so that's So, anyway, that's where we are with that. and and I I think we should uh since we're we're done with public comment, we're ready to go with a vote on this comment.
Go ahead, you guys. So, just to be clear, roll back, it's absolutely I can afford it. I don't want to challenge you on your financials. I don't think you should be challenging me on financials. Of course, I can afford 144. It's about the principle. I mean, you're literally asking a $60 million
budget to challenge $1 million, $1.4 million. That's 2%. If you can't challenge 2% in any negotiation, you probably shouldn't be. So, it's not the dollar amount. It's insignificant. I agree. 140, but it's the principle of it. So, I know that's how going how this
is going to go. So, I'm not going to be labor long-winded point, but I'd like to hear Josh's point because it sounds like there might be second commissioner that has a conservative responsible approach. So, I'll I'll offer a uh a bit of a metaphor, but if you're underwater and
you're drowning, an inch underwater, 10 ft underwater doesn't make a doesn't a bit of difference. But if we've got residents who are seeing cost of living increases outpace income, year after year after year, a little bit more,
what's a little bit more? Well, that's farther underwater, right? So, every time our residents, and I agree, we've got some residents that are really well, and that's awesome. And I love that. I would like all of our residents to be at that same level. Folks are in different spots. Um
it's not just the little more that the that the advorum increase due to our property value increases adds. It's what it adds on top of the already falling behind to the cost of living adjustments that we see every year. And it has
outpaced income. And I I don't know for everybody else, it's outpaced my income drastically, right? Um there's been some relief, but it's not been enough. And so for the residents who are falling behind, I think it matters a lot more. Um, I look at this
and I take Commissioner Hutcherson's point, um, in terms of what it means to the city, consistently overachieving, not just setting to adjust for inflation and the cost of expenditure, but continuing to grow the city budget and its expenditure, not
meet inflation, but go beyond that. We we've got to account for that as a commission, right? So, it's not just meeting inflation, and I I agree with many of the principles the other commissioners are saying. We want to take care of our employees. They are incredible value to us. It's the, you
know, if you take care of them and they stay, we win, right? You don't have to retrain. You don't have to hope you get as good as you did last time. But we can account for that by looking at the cost of living increase and making sure we're
addressing that. We can even go over the inflation increases that we're seeing that would drive the the the impact to their personal budgets and make sure we're addressing that better than any other city. But that's not what we're doing by simply capturing the rise in in
the property values. To Commissioner Tumulti's point, we have seen significant turnover in properties. We we just lost an incredible family, right? They're moving back to Texas because they can't afford the reassessment on their house that this
that the that the county put on because they decided they built a we're incredible children from our school, our school nurse and just an incredible family. They can't afford to live here, right? And so I think about those kind
of situations and I know it doesn't hit everybody, but as a commission we've got to be careful to balance our approach and where we've been consistently capturing the increase in property value that's driven in part because we have the best place in the world to live. And
I agree with the city manager. doing a great job has its own cost, but we've seen many other things driving the cost of property increases, right? The sale, the cash value, the over asking price. Those kinds of things
drive property values as well. And it's not just resident demand, but it's it's a number of other factors that are artificially inflating the the property values that residents get no benefit unless you sell and leave, right? You only pay the cost.
Can I um can I ask that the difference and this might make it easier for these guys the difference between the roll back and the proposed mill rate um I mean can we pretty much is it is it safe to say or is it is it possible that that we could say that
pretty much all of that could potentially go towards our reserves the difference or I mean if if I vote for this that's what I would like to see at least at least the difference go back into the resident Hang on. That's a budget. I know, but I'm just saying. Hang on. So,
you can't make her commit to that. No, I'm just saying, is it reasonable to think that the proposed rate and the roll back rate, it's $1.4 million or 4.11%. Um, in our next budget workshop on August 19th, what would be presented to the commission at that time is a
balanced at whatever rate is decided here tonight um budget showing the allocations for how everything is. Um we're evaluating at this time all of the department's requests. We're looking at through everything and that's going to be part of the presentation um on the
19th showing the overview of how we plan to have our budget structured for fiscal year 26 because if we reasonably if we can reasonably do the roll back then we could reasonably put that extra money towards our reserves. I get that. But I don't think that's
what's going to happen. We're just We just said how everything costs more to operate the city. If it was as simple as the excess gets put in reserves. I don't think that's and and none of these issues are unique to Koko Beach. I get it. This is the greatest place. I don't ever want to leave here, but it's and I
don't I don't ever cross the causeway, but um this isn't unique. I mean, how how are cities cutting their budgets? If if of course we won't have the best employees, they won't have the best employees. Their cost of gas is going up. Their cost of fuel is going up. So I don't buy those generic everything's
more expensive because we're basically three times what inflation rate is. So inflation yeah 3% we're asking residents to pay 9 or 8 and a half% if the increase rate it doesn't only go towards personnel services. It also goes to capital projects. It goes to the
operating cost of the city. It helped support some of the items that we showed to you guys in budget workshop one um where everything was itemized and the directors had the opportunity to speak to each project that they requested. Um it's fleet vehicles. It's a number of
things that are that it takes to have um the city run as a whole. So there are a number of things. The other thing um to kind of echo on what AJ stated earlier is something that makes our budget incredibly unique is that with just over 11,000 residents that we're supporting
the high volume of tourism which is unusual and it's not the same volume of tourism that's seen in Satellite Beach or in our neighboring communities. So I feel like coming into the city evaluating the budget that we have that our residents are having to support the
cost of these tourists because of the volume. We have um a lot of city staff. We have public safety officers, fire, PD that have to offer their services every weekend, every day to the tourists. We have folks that come in through the
port. Um you know a lot of I guess from Orlando this is the closest beach as well. So, with the high number of tourists that come here every weekend, it's a lot of services that the city has to provide. I understand. My basic question was, is
it is it feasible to think that that's that's something that could possibly be budgeted in? I'm not saying that I'm not I'm not holding you to it. I'm saying I'm hoping if I vote for this tonight that that's a serious consideration. There'll be money that goes into the reserves. I want to see at least this.
But that's that's my I don't know. Why do we think that that would come out now? We needed reserves to operate last year. So it's not like we're all of a sudden going to be running cheaper this year. I get it. There's some fluctuations on capital. We depleted reserves. We didn't add to that building.
The best practice is to have two to three months of operating costs in reserves. Agreed. Okay. And if we're comp if we don't have that now, then we need to build that back
because when we uh our past practice was before hurricane season, we had Crowder Gulch on contract ready to go in case we had a storm come through here.
Agreed. And we voted to raise We pay for that ahead of time so that when the storm came through, they were here within 48 hours picking up debris. Right. Okay. And that cost and having the FEMA people
follow them around and estimate the volume of the stuff they put in their trucks and weigh in their trucks at the dump and all that. There was a cost involved with that. And then we had to wait two two and a half sometimes 3
years to get that money back that we spent out of our reserves. So yes, I agree. Reserves are a big issue, but that's part of the budget process. That's not We're supposed to be setting the maximum millage rate
tonight. Yes. And I'm expressing my my reasoning why I'm going to vote for this because I'm hoping that you know and I I love you Hannah. I think you do an amazing job and I think you really do care about the city and I think you really do care about what we want. So I'm just expressing my opinion that I'm
going to vote for this with you knowing the reason why I'm voting for this. I think the I think the statement that was just made was very salient. Residents are paying for tourists. I think the city has got to look really
hard at how we ensure that tourists pay for tourists. We're not doing that. We've got to fix that. And it should not be continuing to increase the cost on residents to pay for tourists to come visit.
Great point. Um, in the past there's been reluctance to raise parking fees uh considerable amount. Y and that needs to happen. We need to and we're going to look look into that down the road here. We're going to we're going to talk about that
at some point, but right now I want to keep this item uh in the forefront, not get in the weeds anymore. Okay. I think we have three votes to vote on this. I suggest we Oh, we need four. Uh we need four for the final vote.
We need four to set this majority roll back post militaryrate. Yeah. Um I do want to state that the city is looking into increasing our revenues in other areas outside of advorum taxes. Um as you guys know I am a newcomer to the finance team here with city. Um in that
doing so I've been evaluating different practices that we currently have. We're looking at different studies right now under development services. We're looking at an impact fee study um to have that completed as you all are aware um to see if that is a feasible revenue
source for the city along with increasing our rates for parking where tourists would bear the burden of those rates that we'll see later on tonight. Um with a number of other items, there's also other revenues that are happening for us in different departments. For
example, like leisure services, their auditorium is booked out for the next 3 months with some of the improvements that have been made by the city. We're now seeing revenue trickle in to show that it was worth the expense that went into it. We're seeing a return to come
back to the city. So, we are looking at other revenue sources seeing that in the future years to come, we don't want to continue the burden on residents. Okay. So we don't get four. If we don't get four
for this vote, then we vote for the roll back rate. I suppose if you if you don't get three for that, then that don't go through either. Yeah. What? So what do we do in any event that Why don't we just make do the first? All right. Let's let's do this one. Um current current millage rate. All in
favor signify by I. I. Is this a roll call? Roll call then. Roll call. Okay. Sorry. Commissioner Jackson. No. Commissioner Hutcherson. No. Commissioner Tumulti, yes. Vice Mayor Williams, yes.
Mayor Capezy, yes. So, it fails Becky and Karen and Michael cuz we didn't have four to one. Correct. Okay. Now, like I said, if if if for some if
somehow we could get a a pretty solid acknowledgement that the difference could be put would be put as as much as possible to go towards um reserves. Could we get there?
You're talking hypotheticals now. Do we want to increase reserves? Of course I do. I want I'm probably the most fiscally responsible one up here. I want to have that reserve solid. So, I don't want to sound like I don't want reserves, but I don't know how you can get that commitment. I just want to
manage the cost side, not keep raising revenue, whatever it comes down to. All right. All right. We could sit here and propose numbers all night long and never get a passing vote. Okay. So,
I'm going to make a suggestion. Nice round number. 6.0000 6.0000. We don't have the math. It's probably comes out to $9 a month increase on a $300,000 or
$350,000 house. Okay. So, I'll go with I'd like to make it's significant. It's it's significantly less than that. Okay. Um, I want to make a motion that we go with a maximum millage rate of 6.0000
and I'm looking for a second. Second. Okay. You guys want to vote? Any public comment on this second? Okay. All in favor? I got a roll call.
Commissioner Jackson I. Commissioner Harterson. Hi, Commissioner Tamulti. Hi, Vice Mayor Williams. Hi, Mayor Capzy. Hi, Eureka. Yes.
All right. Yes, we dropped it down. Oh, so you voted to raise taxes. Okay. You could have been here next about that. Okay. And next is um item two, confirm
times and dates to set the tenative and final millage and adopt the budget for fiscal year 2026. September 4th, 2025 7 p.m. first public hearing and vote to approve tenative millage and budget. September 18, 2025 7
p.m. Second public hearing and vote to approve final mill and budget. Both meetings will be held at city hall 2 south Orlando Avenue Cocoa Beach staff representative Hannah Juman finance director AJ Hudson interim city manager recommendation
approved. Move to approve. Second motion in a second. Any public comment on this? Okay. Commission comment. Okay. All in favor? I I
All opposed. Motion passes. 50. Um, okay. This is the consent agenda. Item one, approve the June 19, 2025 commission meeting minutes. Staff representative, city clerk department recommendation approved. Item two, planning board appointer, replacing Mr.
Matt Char to serve a term ending November 2028, seat 2, Commissioner Jackson. Item three, adopt resolution 2025-12, a resolution of the city of Cocoa Beach, Florida, authorizing application for the
acquisition of federal surplus property located at 3750 Ocean Beach Boulevard for public park and recreational purposes and providing an effective date. Staff Representative Brad Kzo, public works and water reclamation director. Recommendation adopt item
four, adopt resolution 2025-13, a resolution of the city commission of the city of Cocoa Beach, Florida, adopting Cocoa Beach Centennial Square usage fees and providing for an effective date. Staff Representative AJ Hudson, interim city manager, recommendation approved.
Move to approve the consent agenda as read. Second. [Applause] Motion and second. All in favor? I I motion passes 50 J. Uh okay.
Okay. Item K, unfinished business. Um item one, adopt ordinance 1698 on second reading. An ordinance of the city of Koka Beach, Florida, amending chapter 26.5, vacation rentals of the code of ordinances of the city of Cocoa Beach, revising provisions as to occupancy to
prevent the use of vacation rentals as party houses and to not include infants under two years of age in the occupant count and providing for conflicts, codifications, ever building an effective date. Staff Representative Dave Dicki, development services director. Recommendation approve.
Move to approve ordinance 1698 on second reading as read. Second. I've got a couple concerns about this one and just seeing if you guys maybe would agree. Um, hypotheticals. What if what if they need
a a repair man there? They have another truck that comes in to fix something. There's no way somebody's going to fix something within 15 minutes. So, there's a I've got a problem with the 15minute rule there. Then those repair trucks need to have a
logo. Even if they got to go get a 8 by10 and tape it onto the side of their car so the code enforcement will know that they're somebody working, it's not just somebody with a pickup truck pretending like they're a construction worker. So, it's worth code enforcement or police will make a call on that like,
"Oh, yeah. You don't live here. Okay. And then where do we get the under two Dave if you wouldn't mind? The under the under two um age limit. What I was thinking I mean there's a lot of families that have
you know four kids each if they have two families that come in. Um I right now the way the ordinance is written um you could have an infant that's 3 days old and it would be count counted as a resident. Um the two years from what I understand under Airbnb they
do not count them. Um that's where the two years came from. So I was wonder and different I don't know policy that would Yes. I mean can it be like Denny's were under under 12 eat free or is that you guys are you are you okay with that? I mean
just say like you have a you know you got some kids over for a birthday party and now you all the kids can't come. I'm just I'm just trying to think of fair scenarios for people for families that are trying to come here and and visit. You're suggesting raising the 2 to 12?
Yeah. To 12 years old cuz they're not adults. They're not throwing house parties. They're throwing birthday parties at that age. You're throwing birthday parties. I mean, that's the way I see it. I'm trying to I'm trying to be family friendly here still. So, I mean, so correct me if I'm wrong. This is just aligning with what Airbnb
classifies. Yes. That's where the two came from. So to me, I think that's a a good precedence to follow. We've heard the comments from the chief of the enforcement and and these are done on a complaint basis.
So if there aren't complaints, nobody's going to go counting heads. [Music] Okay. So nobody really agrees with me on on either one of those. Okay. Uh any uh public comment on this? All right. Any other commission comment?
All in favor of this ordinance? I broke up. Commissioner Jackson, I. Commissioner Hutcherson, I. Commissioner Tumulti, I. Vice Mayor Williams, I. Mayor Capzy, I.
Okay. Item two, appoint a member of the Space Coast League of Cities Committee. Space Coast League of Cities meet second Monday at 6:30 p.m. at hosting city. Space Coast League of Cities Intergovernmental Committee second Monday 5:45 p.m. at hosting city 2025
voting delegate apparently was Tim Tamultte 2024 voting delegate Carolyn Wallace Commissioner Hutcherson has alternate delegate representative city commission so so Tim is is it something that's just you can't make it anymore
had too many obligations on on Mondays and I on Mondays make it okay so looking for a volunteer free dinner [Music] Oh,
I vote for the may I I the mayor. Did we get a second on this or we don't we don't need a second? I guess we got to have consensus at least from the commission. Agree. I I consent that our mayor will do it.
[Laughter] I'm already the I second that. I'm already on the TPO board. I go to I go to the TPO board every month, too. you guys and and I do ribbon cutings and I I I have a lot of stuff going. You got you've got a vice mayor for that. You can delegate it to the vice mayor.
So the vice mayor would want to go to the to these when I I'll take over your art show obligations. I'm not going to nominate anybody. But unfortunately alterate. I cannot. No, you can put you go you do it as a voting member and I'll be your alternate.
You actually to go? No. Unless it's in Cocoa Beach. I'm going to the next. I'm going to the next one. I went to those for 10 years. Got to do all the boards now. I'm on the show.
All I favor. You work the least out of all of us. Retirement is is a lot of work. Okay. I'll be the alternate. [Music] I'm You know what? I'll give it a shot
and if and if it doesn't work out, just be like Tim and I'll be like, "Guys, I can't do it." All right. So, I'll I'll do it. And if I can't if I if I don't feel like I'm doing the city justice, then I will step down and have somebody else do it that's that's better at it. But if I make an obligation, I will do
my best to try to to try to make it. All in favor? Nod your heads. We don't have to vote, do we? Okay. We all head. All right. All right. Next. Put me on another one. Next, Becky. Okay, new business. Um, item one,
approve the renewal of the USA contract is revised following negotiations between the city and USA Florida. The updated agreement includes a 10-year term in exchange for USATA Florida committing to a one-time capital investment of $1,150,000
to renovate the six existing tennis courts. Staff representative AJ Hudson, interim city manager. Recommendation consider. Move to approve. Second. Okay. Um, the USA, United States Tennis
Association of Florida has put forth a proposed amendment to their contract. Uh, the contract that they have now. Uh, the inception was in 2017. The contract provided for up to two
extensions. The current contract will expire on 11:30 2026. [Music] The USDA proposes a contract extension. Uh we have uh representatives from the
US here and I will defer to them to explain their proposal. But before I do that, um I just want to cover what the obligations that the city has uh uh for the current contract.
The city provides phone, water, and sewer service. We maintain the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. We provide 10 paved courts and two clay courts.
We're responsible for resurfacing up to 10 paved courts. We mow the areas around around the courts. We repair andor replace the lights, the netting, and the fencing. We do structural maintenance and carry the
insurance on the tennis pro shop building. Uh, and we're responsible for the repair and replacement of the clay court watering system. The current obligations of the USDA in
in the contract as it exists today is to manage and operate the tennis facility and provide tennis services. They provide a minimum of three certified tennis coaches. They provide accommodation and access to the general
public. They provide court space for practice and match play for Cocoa Beach schools. They pay the city $12,000 a year and uh the contract says that they're to pay 10% of net profits, but they're a
nonprofit. So that's Benil. So with that with that background, I'll turn it over to uh the USA representative to explain what their uh proposal is. Real quick, AJ2, that was you're you were stating
our previous uh obligations, correct? Not everyone's moving forward, right? Okay. [Music] Hello. My name is Laura Bowen. I think I've been here before, so I know most of you. I'm the executive director at USA
Florida. Just a few clarifications, and thank you for going through that. U Mr. Hudson, we actually replace the nets and we provide $3,000 per year in clay resurfacing material. We do that every year. Um, and we also cover both phone and electrical bills at the location. I
sign off on those myself. So, um, I just want to make sure that we're on the same page on what we currently cover. In terms of the proposal that we've made, I think you all know that we have really struggled with the courts and the conditions of the front six courts. They were really cracked and in disrepair
prior to the hurricane that came through in 2022. Uh, we did try to work with the city to actually repair those courts and rebuild them. I did watch the working meeting that you had when Scott presented to you and you asked some really good questions. So, I wanted to answer them
for you today. You asked about the location of the light poles and how those locations like why there was an issue with that, why they needed to be removed. Um, you could certainly look it up and I think a lot of you are engineers, but uh, the location of the light poles being on the periphery is
really important for light coverage, which is a safety issue when players play at night and we do have a lot of dark spots on the courts. Um, I think Scott explained to you that the the repurposing of the lights on top of the current poles isn't really ideal for safety. And then a lot of the old
infrastructure in Florida did put light bulbs on the courts, like in between the courts. And in order to accommodate people running to the courts, if you watch tennis, a lot of times they'll run to the side of the alleys, particularly if they're playing doubles. And it really is a a safety hazard. So they're
padded for that reason. That's sort of the, you know, the the poor man solution, so to speak. Uh but in ideal cases, there they should be on the periphery. So, uh, we've worked with several facilities to improve that over the years and, uh, we did, uh, come up
with a proposal from Musco to actually do that for you all here. You also asked a question about why the courts needed to be completely redone in the surface that you currently have. Scott did a very good job of explaining that because you're in a coastal area, you have a lot
of like material underneath is very soft. Uh, so again, I'm not an engineer. many of you are. But what'll happen is that, you know, over time those will just continue to crack. So you can resurface it cheaper and what'll happen is those cracks will return very very
quickly. So the vendors that we work with, what they'll do is they'll put more of a crushed concrete underneath that will stabilize that and so you won't need to resurface them as frequently. So we took this to our board and initially we were going to ask for $1 million maximum spend. They discussed
it at length and what we did was we took these prices to them and we added a little bit of a contingency fund there which we did agree that would be used to cap off the electrical units that you have once the light poles are removed. So we did agree to absor absorb that and
we also will absorb any other overages that come up as a contingency fund while we do the renovations. So I think included in our packet the two quotes that we got um that would be at our expense obviously to work with them and then certainly in terms of what we're
paying now over a 10-year period that would equate to about $120,000 at our current fee. So clearly this is a better option for you all as a city to take a million dollars off of the plate. We are asking for the city to remove the current light poles and I know there's a cost with that and I think Mr. Hudson
has gotten a quote for that. we did help secure that for you all. So, uh that is the ask of the city. And then we also asked that the fencing be replaced and I'm not sure if you guys have a quote for that yet or not. So, this certainly has been um a journey for us. I think we've been trying to do this for four
years now and we hope that we can get it done so that our players can actually have have a safe courts that they can use and that they can, you know, feel good about going out there and playing without having the courts being being cracked going forward. So, I'm happy to answer any questions that you guys have.
Yeah. So, you you you want us to remove the light poles, but you're also asking us to put the light poles back as well. Pay for that. All of that. So, you guys just have to remove the current light poles. We take care of the lighting system. You actually get a new electrical box, which
has been an issue at the facility for quite some time. You get the new electrical box and must go the contractor provides a 20 year 25 year maintenance-free warranty. you will not have to do anything with the new lighting system for 25 years. They maintain it.
And why exclude the fence? So, I think initially, like I said, a million dollars is a lot of money, and I think initially we had discussed with the city that the city was willing to do that. Again, I know you have changes in your city staff, but I think that was on the city's radar previously.
Okay. AJ, do you know what the obligation would be to us um as a city to try to meet their requirements? My my one concern is I believe also um after you build it, you want us to maintain it, right? Um
I mean currently we like I said we maintain the clay courts and we also maintain the nets and the windcreens. And the expected lifespan of a court that that you have redone would be about five six years. Yeah, it's a little over 5 years. So certainly, you know,
depending on how things go, you wouldn't need to do this type of expense. It would be more of like a standard resurfacing. And we have grants for that. So arguably, you could get a grant from us to do that. And you're talking about doing you're going to take care of six of the 10
courts. So we would be responsible to take care of another four of those. We already did those actually previously. That's that's how uh we worked with the city prior. Okay. So, and then the agreement would be obviously in five or six years or so
when they need to be reservices that would be on the expense of the city. You could apply for a grant to do that work and we likely would award it. Okay. But it wouldn't be this magnitude of capital investment cracks or something just restriping and
repainting. I support this. I think it's a no-brainer. The the revenue that we're giving up for a massive they're experts. They know exactly what to do. It's a great amenity that I think we can have some competitive talent here. So, I support it. So, I I love what you guys do. I mean, and there's I mean, some people think
that that I'm against you guys, but I'm I'm not at all. Uh I'm for the residents and and the reason why previously I wasn't as excited is because I wanted you to be more inclusive. the one should have more uh more staff and more more um
well I wanted pickle ball too but I don't think you guys are going to agree to that. I cuz pickle so my my my only concern about all of this cuz you've added you've added the extra instructors and the staff and all that and that's that's what we wanted and that's good faith. Um I I wish that we were more
inclusive to the entire community and I know pickle ball and so my only qual on this whole thing is that for 10 years we're absolutely never going to allow people to play pickle ball there. So but we got pickle ball court. We got three pickle ball courts. Yeah. So anyways, but I want to say is
you know I appreciate what you guys are doing and and I like it. I just as long as is a is a good opportunity for us to get the grants to to continue to maintain this to your standards. Um, I think this this seems like a good deal. Um, it now if we had to absorb the cost
to maintain it further in the future, I'm not as excited about it because I just don't want to I just don't want to set us for a 10-year contract cuz it's a long time, you know, for something that doesn't last 10 years. I totally agree. And and that's why I wanted to clarify on the clay courts that we maintain those. So, we will
continue to do that. That's $3,000 in terms of the material that we put down every year. And certainly I think um our board wouldn't have agreed to a $1 million investment. This we this is unprecedented for us. So they really want to be here and they want to make sure that the facility is at the highest
level. I think that um we have increased the grants that we have available. So I'm fairly confident that you would get a resurfacing grant and would cover the cost when you get to that point. And then of course for hurricanes and those kind of things. I know previously we tried to give a grant for that. it it
really didn't happen within the timing that we needed it to, but that certainly is something that we continue to offer as well. And I I do want that to be recognized that you do have an opportunity. Should you have a storm and your fencing is damaged, we do give grant money to help with that as well.
I don't want I don't want to make a dime off of this and I but um but I don't want it to cost the residents either. So um as long as this as long as this is a net zero thing, um I'm I'm all for it. Any other public comment? Thank you. All
right. Any commission comment which you said was well said. I I think uh tennis is well regarded in our community. State your name and address and you have three minutes and what kind of tennis racket you use.
I have time. Don't disclose it. No. I'm Kathy Granger. Um St. Corey Avenue and Cocoa Beach. um as a 17-year player at our Cocoa Beach um club and the former VP at the Space Coast Tennis League, I just want to attest that the
that facility is a home court to more recreational Space Coast tennis and USA teams um than any other public facility in the county. In addition to recreational play, the Cocoa Beach facility pro provides summer camps for Cocoa Beach kids training,
coaching, and host tournaments that draw players from all over Florida. During the past year, the Fee Avenue, Dodto, and Kowanas public courts have all resurfaced their courts and two of those facilities replaced their lights. While our courts have new lights, they were
installed and propped on top of the old cement light poles and they were designed at the height of traditional stadium lights. Since Milton, our lights are leaning, they're dangerous, and they don't provide adequate lining for night play. The court surfaces are drastically
worn down, have faded paint, cracks, and traffic cones placed over damage to cover hazards. In comparison to the other municipal courts, our courts come in last place. The commissioners and residents approved USA to manage the Cocoa Beach facility and the management
has done an exceptional job increasing staffing, coaching, and programs. They've done everything you have asked while operating um as a nonprofit. If the facility mirror um mirrored the
quality of the staff and the programs that we have currently, we would be one of the best tennis facilities in all of Central Florida. So, I'm begging you to please approve this contract. They're really great people and they're members of our community. Thanks. Thank you, Kathy. Um, and John, you can
attest. I mean, I I I do love that facility as as well. I don't play tennis, but I really do care about it. And John can attest. I've been down there multiple times trying to make sure that, you know, the the mold was taken care of or the roof or the or the shade structures or the or the weeds were
sprayed or the trees were trimmed. So again, um I I want to make sure you guys got the best for what you guys need. Uh all in favor? I. All opposed? Motion passes. 50. Okay. Item two, fiscal year 2025 2026
budget request for CPI increases from June 2020 2017 to the current city attorney agreement for with CPI adjustment for years going forward. Staff representative city attorney Becky Vos recommendation consider.
You should have had to recuse yourself from reading that. I'm I'll move to approve. Second. I got You're excellent. I'm sorry. You're excellent. I'm an excellent. You are You are excellent. Well, thank you.
You really are. I appreciate it. I just did a quick math. From 2017 to now to get to that 315 would be $9,450
increase per year. So, and uh if you want to do the percentage of what 9,450 is against 240,000, it's not it's not a huge percentage or percentage. And um as there's people
in this room that know, AJ in particular, Janice in particular, we had a lot of lawsuits with our former attorneys. And when we
interviewed and hired Becky, she showed us her track record and she says, "I I'll finish all the lawsuits you have now, and you're going to have very few in the future. And over the
eight years, I can't I can't remember maybe more than four." Well, I I definitely keep them down because I get involved in everything at the very beginning so there aren't any missteps or wrong moves or whatever. And
another thing, our law firm does not make its money when the city gets in trouble. And that's the I hate to say that about some other firms, but other firms do make more money if their cities get in trouble and
then they bail hourly for the litigation that they probably should have stopped to begin with. Becky's is on call 24 hours a day. She actually I don't know if you've ever missed a phone call from me. Um Oh, I hope not. You're willing to to and if you did, you
would call back in a minute. Um, we don't have to, it doesn't cost us anything extra if we have questions, which is which is amazing. You know, a lot of times you would have to get build extra for those extra questions or or you'd be afraid to ask. We we have the
ability to ask her um anything that we need to regarding the city without without, you know, thinking that we're going to cost the residents more money. So the the nice thing is we know exactly what we're going to pay and we so to to me I just want to thank you for always
being there and available and and I think you I think you deserve you're going to make me cry. I think you deserve pulling on that thread. The availability is tremendous and on a firm fixed you're exactly right. If you you know you if you're not
firm fixed price you build in hesitancy it will not have to exercise its services. though you've taken on all of the risk for the last seven years of not having, you know, whatever scope gets thrown your way. You have to defend it. Um, so I'm glad you and I think it's just fair to backfill and catch you up
to the CPI. So, thanks for the availability. Appreciate it. And I know we'll support this. Thank you. Yeah, I'm just going to pile on because I think it's worth saying and and agree with everything, but Becky, you've been incredible. um huge help for us and I
think the fact that we have seen such uh cost of living growth such inflation since 2017 and to not have seen any adjustments or you know even even asking it's we have we've got a committed partner here that is just a a wealth of
value for the city. So I I endorse this completely. Okay. Um Karen, after the vote, can you uh record this whole session on a on a CD and send it to Becky so she can listen? She's recording it. And and um on YouTube, too, buddy.
Music background. If I can ask you, Becky, um when you when you initially signed up with that contract, you didn't have a a CPI or or COLA um adjustment. Stupidly, we did not. Okay.
That that was a better lawyer. That was obviously a mistake. But you know, we have year after year our expenses of our law firm just go up dramatically and what we have to pay and I'm not complaining because we've got incredible attorneys
who work for our firm, but we used to be able to hire a really a top graduate from University of Florida Law School for maybe 65,000. The last one we just hired was at 115. Yeah. And you just
it's expensive. It's a coincidence that you know your costs for your business are going up. So are city costs and our employees. Imagine that. Yeah. Same thing. Oh, no. I agree with you. I mean, I'm not obviously I'm making
just about our situation, not yours. I know. Okay. Did I already call public, right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, it's right there. Yeah. It's amazing how it's not tied to the direct. Let's go for the vote on this beach. Getting late. Uh all all in favor?
All opposed? Motion passes 5. Thank you, Becky. Thank you very much. Wow. It's smattering of Okay. All right. Next item. Where we going for dinner after this? Whoa. Whoa. I should probably tell you
you shouldn't have said that. Okay. Next item is adopt ordinance 1699 on first reading an ordinance of the city of Cocoa Beach, Florida adding a new section se a new section 26-14 parking on city-owned or lease property
of article one in general of chapter 26 traffic of the code of ordinances of the city of Koka Beach providing provisions for parking on city-owned or lease property and providing for conflicts codification severability and an effective date. Staff Representative
David Dicki, development service direct development services director. Recommendation approved. E3 is ready. Motion, excuse me. L3. [Music] Second. Motion is second. Any public comment?
Could Could um could somebody explain this uh in layman's terms for the people so that they um know exactly what we're voting on? Come on, Dave. Yes. Or you can do it. Whoever wants to do it. Dave, go ahead. I'm sorry.
Well, this is your your your deal, right, Dave? Yes, I'm involved. Um, yeah. In layman's terms, this, you know, recently when this when this building was constructed, we started looking at the parking around the
building and who should be parking where. And one of the things that we discussed was having employee only parking. And we started going through the code on what the process was to establish that. There's nothing there's nothing in the code that provides policy
for the city to go out and um start designating no parking areas, um employees only, um hours, anything like that. It's blank. So, um, we thought it would probably be a good idea to establish a process,
um, to do that. And so, what this ordinance does, it it, um, provides the city manager with the authority to designate these areas for parking related issues. Um, and it allows the
city manager to designate to get signage and erect signage. Um there's also a penalty clause in there as well. So for violations to the to those um um parking regulations, it's all in there. So it's just basically creating a standard and
creating a process for the city to to uh regulate its cityowned and leased parking areas. And obviously commission would have the ability to override that um for example if they didn't agree with something because then you would just
redo the code. Well, I think the commission always has the ability to uh get what they're interested in getting. Um, and that's uh I don't know if there's anything in the ordinance specifically says that there's an appeal process or the commission can
step in and and direct the uh city manager. But my experience with city managers is the uh if if a city commission wants something that the manager generally provides to make sure that make sure that's Yeah. Not that we would step in on management but if for example as a whole
we wanted to obviously we just change the ordinance. So, so let's say uh AJ down below this building you wanted to designate some spots be it for golf
important people or people that have to be able to come and go in a timely manner like back and forth to public works like Brad you know or something and you wanted to designate those spots with the sign. Okay.
Yes. Okay. But we need to have some way to to bag those when we have special events or stuff where it's not during business hours so that you know as part of the process for setting up for a special event. You could bag those and
then they'd be available for for other people to park in even maybe mark them for some of the vendors or such. I mean the one thing to to consider is the the parking down below. We're a 24-hour operation.
Uh we've got we've got firefighters and and we've got uh uh commu communication officers. We always need parking for park for city vehicles and there's not that many uh down below.
But the communication officers I would think would want to park over on the other side and the fire department people ought to have enough spots in their lot and you could designate those. We have we have uh code officers that work on the weekend. Uh we have uh
they park up on top of the parking garage. No, no, not always. If they can park down below, they'll park down below. We have a lottery for the employees as to who's going to get the spots. No. In fact, you know, I mean, when when I started, they asked me, "Do you want
your own parking spot?" And I said, "No." Uh I don't I don't think the city manager needs to have his own personal parking spot. um the commissioner commissioners used to we used to have parking spots and we got rid of those a long time ago, right? And and there was a city manager
parking spot and but I I would I would suggest that that we go through with this and this is a a great opportunity for the city manager. basically gives him the ability to do that. And I would expect uh as I have experienced in the past that the city manager would speak to each of the
commissioners individually before doing something like that or changing a parking space to get the concurrence from the commission and even though he can do it um he would like the you know the the city's or the commissioner's consent which I expect would happen just
about for everything. So I I think this is a great um just uh verbiage change to uh to make that possible so that we don't have to come to a so we don't have to come to a commission meeting to say oh that should be a public parking and we shouldn't charge anything on that
parking spot and have a big thing about it just do it and yeah I would think that a couple on this side not particularly in the cover parking maybe a couple of the handicap spots but that should be designated for,
you know, people coming to do city business, but then it's only from, you know, 8 to 4:30 or whatever hours you could do city business so that, you know, people aren't camping, you know, so people can use
them at other times. I I think that's probably a great idea, Skip, but I think that's something you should talk to to the city manager about in private and then bring it, you know, he can make that decision and bring it to us and we can go forward with it. I don't know why we're talking about
should be talking about hypothetical. I think we should hire a parking consultant for about $50,000 to try to figure out how we can maximize the use of our parking spots. We also need somebody uh uh to uh make our meetings
more efficient in in that respect too. We can have somebody up here that can uh limit the number of words a a commissioner says uh during a particular uh I could do that but I don't I don't want to be that person. Oh, okay. So, all right. I think was just kidding about the consultant.
Yeah, you guys you guys need to settle down. I'm going to lay the smackdown over here. Hey, we get along better now than we ever talking. I you guys do. I'm proud of you guys. All right. Thank you. All right. Um,
we already had public comment. Um, I'll we thought we did, but if you want to come up and say something else, go ahead, Janice. Oh, I guess because you didn't know what it was and I I was kidding about the consultant. Well, I'm not I'm not going to comment
on that. I'm only going to say that the parking under this brand new city hall is very limited. It's probably a fourth or onethird of what it was in old city hall. So, where was did you all
anticipate since you reviewed the plans for um people to park? When I come here um in the evening for a city commission meeting, you can drive around under the building. It's all city vehicles. And um I'm just curious. I know you
would miss me if I was going around and around. First Street South. Looking for parking. I might park over at the fire department. They probably know my car by now. Thank you. I think you should give the city. Parking garage is free after 7:00. So, commission meetings are at 7.
Thank you. Okay. Any other public comment? All right. All in favor? I. All opposed? Motion passes. 5. All right. Almost too. Going. Okay. Item four, accept the engineers
recommendation of award for the bid submitted by CND Construction, Inc. in the amount of 913,787.30 for bid number CB25-007 ramp road storm water and parking lot improvements allow staff to enter into
contract with CND construction, Inc. This project was awarded grants from FD and Save Our Indian River Lagoon Sorrel. This is a budgeted capital project. Staff representative Morgan Zulki, storm water utility manager. Recommendation approved.
Move to approve as read. Second. Motion and second. Um, is this a is this a 50/50 grant? Are we responsible for half of it or Uh these ones do not have match requirements but uh for grants we have
747 or 740 [Music] oh no I'm thinking 6,000 um for in grants um and then the remaining will be budgeted in most
likely CRA or general fund for the remaining portion. Thank you. Yep, Janice. uh ramp road that's in the uh CRA. So uh what is the CRA going to contribute to this project?
Also, I have a question about if you I guess he has a grant. Uh there's only 200,000 left, right? 1550ish. Yeah. Can Can you use the CRA to pay for that? She she said that. She just said
that. Do what? She said that. Okay. And um I also want Well, this is a bad example, but I did want to ask when you have a capital project or whatever and it comes
in under um say say it's 80,000, it comes in at 60. Where is the 20,000 budgeted go? Is it going to go to the reserve or is it going to go back into the general fund? Thank you. I think you give the extra 20 to the
contractor. It goes back to the reserves. Oh, okay. Good. That was past practice. Hannah's doing a phenomenal job going forward. So, thank you, Hannah. And yeah, Hannah, I'll say I I was nervous
previously since since Hannah's been in here. um we've had some real long talks and and she she's a real go-getter, a real shark um as far as our budget. She really does care about um our residents money and uh we've had a long discussion
and and we we realize that this is your money. This isn't this isn't the city's play fund. So, uh thank you so much, Hannah, for for everything you do. Um I I'm not nervous like I used to be on on the budget. So, um I thank you. And and
I also um Jeremy, you're you're amazing, too. I know that you really No, I'm serious. Like you I know you really dig into it a lot, but I do I do rely on on your um on your double-checking as well. I can give you full confidence coming
from industry that I come from. These two right here got they can hold their own. Yes. And that has not been the case historically in this city. And I really was it's a breath of fresh air. And uh I really was hoping that you would get with her and and uh and and realize that and because I did and and uh I'm very
happy with it. So I'm okay with this. Um any other com uh commission comment on this? All in favor? I I All opposed. Motion passes 50. Next. Okay. Okay. Item five, approve the scope of services for construction engineering and inspection CI of the Ramp Road
parking lot and storm water improvements task order 16 with Jacobs Engineering Group in the amount of $88,827. This is a budgeted item. Staff Representative Morgan Zulki, Stormwater Utility Manager. Recommendation approve.
Move to approve. Second. Motion and second. Any public comment? All right. All in favor? I I All oppose. Motion passes. 50. Uh, next. Um, item six, adopt resolution 2025-11,
a resolution of the city commission of the city of Cocoa Beach, Florida, amending resolution 2023-05, a master resolution for fees relating to parking, making findings, adopting revised fee schedule for parking, requiring posting of fees on website,
and implementation of new fees, and providing for an effective date. Staff Representative Hannah Juman, finance director. Recommendation approve. Any motion? Move to approve. Second.
I second. All right, we got a motion and a second. Um, we got the fees up there. the uh let's get let's get these changes up. Exhibit one parking piece. Can we get that up? Yep. I want to talk about exhibit one.
What? It's the second page of the attachment car or I'm sorry, Michael. There you go. That one. So,
when uh a previous mayor was here [Music] not too long ago, our beach parking was $2 an hour. Then went to within a year to $250 an hour
within a year to $3 an hour. within a year to $4 an hour, within a year to $5 an hour. Uh, and now we're just we're talking about,
you know, bringing it to $6 an hour and it for per day going from I can understand maybe the per day from 20 to 25 because, you know, you could be there 8
hours. Uh, but if you were at the if you were there at $5, you'd be there for 4 hours per hour would be $20. I just, you know, I agree. Are we trying to If you're trying to make it where we
have less tourists and less people to come into Cocoa Beach and less burden on the police, fire and EMS, you're also going to have less people that are going to spend money on their way here, on their way home and at our businesses.
And I just, you know, I I'm I'm not up for I think we should leave the per hour parking at $5. Hannah, correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't the actual total revenue drop in 24 when
they raised from four to five? This was prior to you, but I asked that same question is what was the drop in revenue and they said the rate went up. They reached saturation and then people weren't parking. I don't know that's true. I don't know if there's analysis that backs up this $6. It seems like it's a random number.
You had CO where we closed the beaches and then we had then we had the anomaly of now everybody co was over. Everybody wanted to come to the beaches. Got it. So the numbers are kind of skewed. I second I agree with with Skip and you the $5 I
think should stay. So it says golf cart parking $3. Okay, that's nominal. How do we get that parking pass on a golf cart if it's not registered? Yeah, you just pay the $3 an hour. What's that? What was the question,
Jeremy? What you What do we pay? How do we Don't you need a license plate or something? Or parking permit for your golf cart? You're going to pay $20 cuz you're a Cocoa Beach resident for your golf cart. I'm talking about the per hour parking golf cart parking only is $3. I didn't even know there was a cost, but number
one, how do you even pay that if you don't have a license plate? And then my third question is the Cocoa Beach. Do you pay by the app and put your number in? Put the number of the spot you're parked in. Yeah. Who they give a ticket to is this question. That's my question.
I I think I would be happy to buy a resident sticker if that's what it takes and put on the golf cart right now. In order to get one on the golf cart, you have to have it registered. I bet I bet they do that for you. That's part of the challenge is to get it registered. And that was the whole idea is we didn't have to spend the cost
of insurance and registration. And then the third point is uh Cocoa Beach teachers. Are we seriously doing that specific of a subsidy? Like why the teachers? I brought I brought that up a month ago
and we got consensus from the commission to to go with that. I'm okay with that. And honestly, I think you should extend that to uh dignitaries from other cities. For example, if you've got a a a mayor or something that wants to come, you know,
in the city to do other ribbon cutings or other stuff, he can park in those spots. I know I go to other cities um to do, you know, ribbon cutings and stuff. And so he has that discretion, right? City manager has that discretion. This is just a blanket exception. And no, I didn't cons
I don't I don't even understand. This is like a the strange situation here. I mean, we just had an one of our early agenda items talking about not having enough money and and we want the tourists to pay for it rather than the
citizens or residents of Cocoa Beach. And now you're talking about, no, these are too high. Matter of fact, we should lower some of these parking fees. It's like, what are you talking about? I I just don't I mean, should we just fire everybody else? you know, half of the staff in Cooka Beach and and you're
asking to subsidize one of them. Let me uh let me just finish what I was going to say on this. So, I I'm would like to leave it at $5 per hour, but I I think that we should do 25 a day for all parking regardless just to make it easier. And if it was me, I think 25 a
day parking permits for for parks and non-p parks and $5 an hour for everything else is what I what I think. But we have a number of businesses that commercial parking. Did we look at what they're charging and are we commensurate
with them? I believe the privately owned lots through Air Garage, they are charging significantly more than what we are charging in our rate. I believe their rate when I researched earlier is between the $30 to $40 range per day. I think I argue we should be matching
that. No, we shouldn't compete with private sector. No, I I I I think I agree solidly and was thinking the same thing when he said it. Commissioner Tumulti is making the point that the folks that are using these parking spaces are not our residents. Our residents are buying
parking passes. And so this doesn't impact our residents, but logically all of our spaces are going to fill up as discount spaces. And then I see those lots regularly packed every time I go buy them on a weekend or anything like
that. I think we should be absolutely not the discount rate. I think we should be matching and when folks are using those lots, filling them completely up. There's a a clear demand signal. So I think we should be matching the rates of the lots. It's not competing with them,
but we are filling all of the spaces up. So we should be collecting that, not providing significant discount. And I would, and I don't know if we can make the change now, but I'd like to see our Cocoa Beach school staff, not just the teachers, administrators, coaches,
things like that. I'd like to change the the annual parking pass to be Cocoa Beach school staff. I know, Jeremy, you push back on that and and I've got a a valid presentation on this. I I suggested that the the city employee, this was 10 years ago, that
city employees got the got the uh same rate at parking stickers. And you know how many of them actually got them? Not very many. Um and how many teachers are going to get them? Well, the ones that want to come to downtown Cocoa Beach and
spend money, uh, those folks are a lot of them don't come down after work, um, you know, to the restaurants and whatnot because, hey, they've got to pay not only got to pay for, you know, high price food and whatnot out down here, but they've also got now pay for
parking. Um, it was just a and and I I that's $30 more dollars per person than you're going to get anyway because they're not going to pay for park. Go ahead, Deon. Uh, if I may, um, we were glad to limit it to the Cocoa Beach teachers because
we did do the research with some other cities and our staff did do the leg work for it. What happened is it opened the door to nurses, military, public safety. Where do we draw the line? We have to verify IDs. We have to check them. We don't know if they're expired. We don't know if they're currently there. And
then it begged the question with what would residents feel about people who are outside of Cocoa Beach getting the discounted rate coming in. It just opened a number of questions we didn't know how to answer and we don't know how to filter it. So limiting it to just our three schools that Commissioner
mentioned in the previous meeting was easier. It narrowed it down for us. If we open it up, we'd have to decide who we're opening up for. Is it retired military, active military? It just it opens the door to so many more things that we'd have to verify. Does our city staff get the special
rate? Our city staff pays the $20 that the residents pay for parking permits. So, I mean, you could argue that I mean, they are city staff, but for the county in our city, I mean, that's the way I see it. You know, they're they're part of the the men and women that make
Yeah, but then what are you going to let every Right. Where do you draw the line? Firefighters in Palm Bay are going to Yes. in our $75 non-resident is for the people that are outside of the Cocoa Beach limits. That's why we've changed it to be very specific cuz the way our parking permits work, it's they pay
different property taxes according to Bvard County Property Appraiser. If they're not actually within city limits, they pay different than the other residents. So, it did open that door as well. So, we had to make sure it was very much labeled for you guys to see it.
So, So, one thing, I know you told me you don't want me to talk too much. We're We're on a We're in a debatable point. Me, too. I don't I don't want to. We're in a debatable point now between the $5 and the $6 per hour for parking. Okay.
Can we agree that we want to bring the rest all the way up to 25 for everything else? Yeah, I agree with that. Okay. May I speak on that? Yes. Go ahead, AJ. Um, you know, I go back um 25 almost almost 30 years of um
going to the beach in Cocoa Beach and over that time when the parking rates were a quarter Yeah. for uh for 30 minutes. Uh and then they started ratcheting up. But when when the
parking rates were next to nothing, the clientele that we got on the beach is clientele that was problematic. And the more we raised our rates, uh the the better the clientele became. And now
when you look on the beach, you see uniformity and order. You see the umbrella stands are all they're nicely lined up. Everything looks orderly. And uh people that's what people want. They want they want to come to a place where
there's order and it's comfortable and safe. Uh and that's what we're getting by having higher rates. You get you get a a better clientele. Um Okay. I didn't get to finish my thought. When you're finished, I'll finish. So,
are you done? AJ, what are you are you finished with your comments? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. Okay. So, you know, I'm I'm thinking that yeah, raise it to $6, but do it from
Fourth Street South, Fourth Street North, you know, different peak areas of the city and then then leave it at $5 down at 13th Street, 14th Street, 15th Street, you know, where we where your
parking officers can tell you they're hardly ever full. So why raise the rate in an area that's hardly ever full? Why not raise the rate in the areas that are always full? Search price. I think I think that
the way the program is on those meters by the number of the meter in the app, they can very well adjust that to where you by the parking space you're in on what street you're on. It'll say that's
$6 an hour. Please pay up. So, this might need a little bit more work before we enact it. Can Can we limit that more towards what really is the the peak areas, which is first to first rather than all I' I would go for six on first to first, but I don't I don't want to raise it higher
than five for the rest. Well, what about second? You're not raising it for the residents. I said for the rest of the city, I said I'm sorry. This is this is exactly what AJ just said. and and it's a it's a problem. It's not just First Street. These folks are going down there as
well. It's it's it's just the cost of doing business. And Cocoa Beach is, you know, upgrading basically. That's the plan. That's what I'd like to see as the plan. If you don't want to see it as a plan, we could drop the rates down to
zero again like they were 30 some years ago and everybody parks for free. And there you have it. But we can't do that. I'm just I I understand. But what but we just had a long conversation on an
agenda item for our budget talking about this and now we're not going to do it. We're talking about going $15 a day for these passes, $5 a day for these passes and but changing the hourly rate or keeping the hourly rate. The hourly rate. Yeah. I I got to agree again with
Commissioner Tamulti. If we are keeping rates so low and and and we we have observations that the the the rates tied directly to the folks that are coming in and the way they treat the
beaches, the way they treat the city. Our residents are therefore effectively subsidizing our parking because they're paying for it in trash cleanup. They're paying for it in in public safety services. They're paying for it elsewhere. else we not matching
and and and I'm okay if if we're looking at hey look the the majority of the folks that are paying premiums on parking first to first or fourth to fourth or I I get it there are there are high demand areas and I'm okay just focusing the
matching to those areas but not collecting what we could be from a parking standpoint and watching commercial lots collecting four times what we're we are asking residents to subsidize this parking through other city services and I just don't think it
makes sense. Go ahead. I would just like to say for the feedback that I've heard from the parking program, from residents, from people visiting, if we're going to change the hourly rate, it's better for it to be a standard across the board. It confuses a lot of people when we tell
them an area is $5 or an area is $6. Plus, we have to change signage that gets involved in all those maintenance costs to do that cuz we have to reference resolution numbers on those signs to show the rate being charged. So, each time you guys change them, we do have to then in turn change the signage, change the website, put the
word out, and it it there may be some confusion between certain streets being six and certain streets being five. So, but you just said Yeah, you just said you're going to have to change the sign because of the resolution numbers going to change. So on the streets on the streets that it's
going to be $5. You can put $5. And on the streets it's going to be $6. It'll be the same resolution. Yes. Until we change them all over to six. Then we got to change the signs again. So depending on how you Yeah. Depending on how you change the street each time you vote. Yeah. The signs would then in turn change and it's
just a little confusing for some people and we call especially if they get a ticket. If we tell them it's really this hour rate or it's this hour rate for different areas, it's not a problem. But there is just more involved in it. I mean, this is all transparent to the residents, right? So, there
doesn't matter. They're costing. Well, except for people that come to visit them that want to go to the beach and you go, "Oh, yeah, but that's $6 an hour to go down there." Oh, can we drive your car cuz you got a sticker? I guess so. Now, you're liable for them on your Personally, I wouldn't mind you want to raise everything up to $40 and 10 bucks
an hour and give give every resident a a free uh a pass. Absolutely. Send it send it to them for free. I think I am totally open to that. I would be as long as the residents could get their passes for free and and the res and the tourists are subsidizing by raising the rates. I'm okay with that. So,
you're a resident for how long? Jeez. Uh 10 seconds. And you could buy you could buy a $20 extra pass and you could buy a $75 extra pass. We have a we have a motion in the second
onen as written. I'd like to move to amend the motion to match our our hourly and daily parking to what the commercial rates are to uh take the Cocoa Beach teachers and
expand that to the employees at the three schools. And before we start changing it, why don't we vote on it as is and find out that ain't going to work? Well, usually we will move, have discussion, find that there's a nuance that we want to agree to, and we will amend it.
We got four or five nuances, and that's what I'm addressing right now. So, you're making an amendment to the motion. Yeah. But then you got to vote on the amendment and the motion. That's how it works. And then if you if if I got something else I wanted to add that I can't add because you get an amendment in your motion. I vote both of those down. Then
we bring up mine, then yours doesn't go. We regularly do this. All right. So that we match hourly and daily parking rates to commercial lots love the idea of commercial uh residence
passes go to zero give back to our residents and the Cocoa Beach those three schools employees at those schools get that $30 rate. Your amendment is the $6 adjusted to match market and teachers expands to staff.
You're not going to change it every time markets change though. Hang on. I'm asking for clarification. You can't tie it to market rate because they can change their parking lot rates during the season, off season, whatever. What's going to make them the most money? So,
are you saying residents get a you got to set a number? Your amendment? Yep. I think if you're going to do that, I think you need to raise that hourly parking to $10. I was saying match the commercial lots with the hourly and daily. There's no commercial lot down at 12th and 13th Street and 9th Street and all
that. So there's nobody to compare it to. All right. I I got something. You know, you you guys So was that an amendment, Josh, or not? Looking for a second mechanically. How do we do that? I don't I don't because now this needs to iterate.
I kind of feel like we need to have this discussion and then we need to bring it back to them to come back to us. I think right now I think we just need to all have a real good a real good powout and an understanding about what what we all want to see and kind of come to an agreement on what we can all agree on
and then we'll we'll hand to them write it up now what we all agree on and no actual votes tonight right you table it till the next meeting that's not the motion the motion to approve it as well then right so we can we can you can motion to pull that off too a
first and a second but Hannah and Deon just got all the accolades from you that they were so awesome and they put this together. They didn't just arbitrarily come up with these numbers. I'm I'm guessing they put significant amount of time into coming
up with this to generate uh revenue for the city and you're changing everything on it. No. As if as if you've done research on it, just these ones and they haven't. And you haven't. So I I don't understand your thought
processes here at all. Okay. Well, you got a motion in in a second. The mayor can call a vote on it and see if she gets three votes as written. Let me let me see. Hannah looks like she might want to say something. So the estimated revenue that we calculated based off of the increased
rates would come up to about $673,000 annually based upon what we have presented here on the um for the resolution. Um the ideology behind it like we stated earlier is that by changing the hourly and daily rates
again it would be an impact to the tourists not to the taxpayer. Um we did not change the rates as you could see to any of the resident rates or to the $75 annual permit rate for those that live outside of the Cocoa Beach limits. So
that was our intent with this um just to make sure that it's not impacting the residents themselves because most residents of course if they are going to the beaches, they're going to the local businesses, they're supporting the community, they have that parking permit and they utilize it. Yep. If I can interject on that, that
parking permit for $20 barely covers the cost of printing those tickets and the and the effort that the city employees have to do to to get them out whether it's in the mail or in person if they come to city hall cuz once in a while they can.
The $20 is, you know, all of a sudden we're going to we're going to absorb that too. I mean that's 20 that's probably close to um $100,000. I said I'd go with that if you guys wanted to raise it up to 40 bucks an hour. Maybe not 100,000. Mike, it was like 50,000.
Do we have a current motion on this as written in a second? Yes, we do. Okay. Mayor, please call the question and vote on it and see if we get what if we can get the votes for the way it is. I thought we were going to send it back to
We can still we can if it doesn't afraid to vote. If it doesn't go through, we we'll send it back. How's that? That'll work. Great. Okay. So, a no vote is to send it back. No vote is to send it back and and and we have a we have a good discussion right now of what we all can agree on
and and and uh come to agreement with. All right. All in favor? I I all opposed. Name. Okay. So now I think we should have a little
discussion here about what we all think we can agree on and get this passed for in the future. Um let's go one by one then. Okay. What would you like to see Jeremy Hannah? So you may not know this question or the answer with the limit on
the businesses to 10. Is that going to be an impact? Because there are a lot of businesses that have more than 10 employees. Then they just pay 75. It looks like that's red text like that was a new addition on this revision or limited to 10 per business. It used to
be I don't know what pro rates 81 mean. So for the business parking permits that's actually right now currently eight. We've increased it to 10 for that reason because we've gotten some feedback from the businesses that they have more than eight employees and 10 seem to be a good number. I gota so it was eight in the previous
policy. You have straight down currently right now. That was my concern is I didn't want to art it. It It appeared that we were adding this limitation. It used to be unlimited. Now it's going to 10 cuz I think that would be an issue. I I agree with you. Raise the price as high as you can. Make it free for
residents. But I can see Skip's point. So, you know, I'm a construction worker. I work for, you know, maybe $25 an hour. You know, I'm in the trades. I live in
Port St. John. I live in Cocoa. I live in Marin Island. And I surf and the streets. That's the place to go surf. And you got to get there pretty early to get to the free parking at Murki Park at
16th Street. Okay. Otherwise, you either got to buy your $75 permit to be out of the city limits to go surf on the streets or if you're going with a buddy in a different car and you, oh, we're not in my car. We don't have the
sticker. How much are we going to cost us an hour? You know, those people, you know, they they take a surfboard and a bar of wax to the beach, maybe a towel, you know. So, $75 a year to surf is sounds like a
pretty good deal. I don't know. Well, I think that non commercial parking streets should be no more than what they are now. $5 an hour for parking because
you can ask your parking attendants. Those streets are never unless we got a swell. Those streets are never full of cars. Okay? People with stickers or without stickers, paid parking or with sticker parking, they're not full in the crunch
area. Say Second Street to Second Street, you know, raise it. I don't care how high you want to raise it. raise it to what these lots are charging around here, you know, that that's fine with me, too. But I don't know what they're charging, so I can't tell you a number. But, um, and then if you want to raise
it, you know, down uh, you know, other commercial areas, you know, down toward the pier or something or down toward Shepard Park, you know, does this this uh, this does does this even address the parking fees at Shepard Park?
I don't see it on the list. Yeah, it's the $25 per day at parks and the garage. Oh, at parks. That includes Shepard Park. Okay. So, Hannah, can we do we know location spots where we could do exactly what he's describing. I understand the
revenue impact of saying, "Hey, let's put this zone other than I understand the cost of signs and getting out of sync there. Totally get that. But is there a revenue model we could do that in certain zones? See what the There is the passport application that we use. It does give us a breakout by
zone um mostly by which park area it is, what the location is generally speaking, but as Devon stated, it does become a little bit convoluted if there's different rates set for different streets and different areas of the city. Even if the volume of cars and the the
demand is different throughout the city, which it always will be, it creates an issue with the passport application itself charging different rates for different zones, different areas along with signage and confusion to the residents as a whole with what rate are
we charging in what location despite having proper signage in those location lots. Okay. So, what what I like I do like the $6 an hour on the first to first street because they are busy with tourists.
Completely busy with tourists. Um, and the other place like we on First Street North and First Street South, there's parking there's parking lots there that are charging significantly more. I would to to combat some of the the missing
revenue that the of the $1 on the other ones. I really think, like you said, being uniform is is a lot easier. I'd like to see $25 a day on non-p parks and parks and parking garages across the
board and keep the $20 annual resident. Keep everything else the same. The only thing I'd like to see is raise all the all the parking to $25 a day and the $6 for the for the peak areas on First Street. I think that's a good compromise for what everybody kind of wants to do.
But go ahead, Tim. Would you like um I like the $6 per hour parking. Your suggestion to go $25 um for all the parks or for all the uh parking uh facilities, whether it's park parks or
parking garages, $25. Uh I don't think that um having different zones for different um pricing per hour is a good thing. It it is confusing. It's not about the price of the signs. It's about the
confusion it causes with um tourists that come in and that word gets out. It's like, well, I don't know if you go down there, you know, it's $5, but if up here I think it's $6. Well, I'm not sure. Is it First Street? Is it Fourth Street? I don't you know, it's just confusing. Well, let's go to Daytona,
you know, or let's, you know, whatever. Uh, I don't know. So, I don't see compromise. Then, would you say 25 for both these and then keep that at five? I The only thing I would change is the per day at non parks to 25. Yeah. Yes. Everything else the same. 15.
So, would you So, would you could we compromise on $5 for this, but raise everything else to $25? [Music] That way it's uniform if that'll get it through. Um yeah, and we'll see what what happens. I
I think Sure. Would you would you be okay with that? Keep it at five and then put these at 25 each. Revert to five. 25 all day. 25 non-p parks and
and parks. Yes. 25 across the board to make it easy. So that way everything is uniform. All the parking is is uniform at five. All the parking that's day passes is uniform at 25. So I don't I don't know if you guys are talking with the folks that own these parking lots, but knowing folks, it is
unbelievable how much money they make, right? It's insane. And it's variable. And people park there anyway. Like it doesn't confuse them. They pull up, they see what the rates are, they pay it, they park, they go to the beach. And these people are raking in money hand
over fist. So I agree with you. Some folks may say, "I don't like variable parking rates. I'm going to Daytona." I wouldn't be surprised if Daytona's got variable parking rates. Right? People are paying the that what you think they're going to do doesn't matter. What
they actually do matters. Behavior of folks associated with parking. They are paying and they're paying through the nose at the lots and they don't care. They've already packed up the car. They've already gone through the hecticness of getting here. They find a spot and they may mutter about the
rates. They pay it and they go to the beach. I'd really like to see what the rates are associated with the commercial properties and if if we want to limit it to fourth to fourth piece, but people are going to pay. They are paying. They do pay. And let's start making sure our
residents are not subsidizing the tourists that are coming in. Well, I don't want to um I with your recommendations, I don't want to do the the tiered parking. I want everything I want everything across the board, hourly parking the same anywhere you go and and
daily parking the same across the board wherever we go. So, I think that just makes it easier for everybody. We've analyzed it and if it was $600 and some odd thousand projected increase with what we have here, if we only change the per day at non-p parks to $25, it'll
probably go up could potentially go up to $700,000 and they're then everything else stays the same. Have we done any assessment of the pay for lots, commercial lots to see across the city what what they're setting their rates at? you know, the they vary
they they'll vary the rate according to how how they're filling up. Yeah. So, one car comes in, the first one comes in, and they'll charge 15. And then two more come in, they'll charge 20. Yeah. And then a fourth one will come in, they'll charge 25.
And they've got a software package that does that. And they're Or you could do like the pier, they go from $20 to $50 in the same day. Yeah. And people pay it. It's like Amazon. They literally are mining the data. Absolutely exactly what the demand is. My thing is we we don't even have to be
graded. So, it sounds like we might have three votes now on the $6 per hour parking. And the only thing we would change would be the non the per day non-p parks from $20 to $25. I could do that. You want to do that? We'll get this off
the board. We'll get it done. Let's go. All right. Make the motion. Go ahead, Janice. Because this is this is different. Uh so anyways I want then I want to amend a motion to so we got to start with the new motion failed.
Okay. So um listen to all your comments. I think you're pretty much on the right track. I wanted to comment on the $75 a uh parking permit. That's $6.25 a month. [Music]
Who's not going to pay $6.25 a month to come to the wonderful Cocoa Beach? Some people don't. Well, some people don't. And I don't want Commissioner Tumulti to get upset about my observation. However, when you brought that suggestion up about the
teachers, hey, I love teachers, too. I had a lot of great teachers. Um, there was never a motion, a boat to do that. And the the point I'd like to make about that is that in doing a lot of
these things, nobody ever collects the data. How many teachers? How many permits are you talking about? You just made a general statement. Then you said it's four schools. Um you said most of them probably wouldn't want to do it, but the ones that are really devoted to
doing that, maybe they'll pay the $75. It's $6.50 50 cents a month for for a $75 parking uh sticker. Um, you know, you just parking. Thank you for all your comments about what the residents put up with and how
maybe we should get a free parking pass. But I know that AJ fought tooth and nail for the two tiered parking for residents and non-residents just to have this program and to hold it down over the
years that the state and everybody else has come in to take shots at us about it. I wanted to ask one question about uh and I also that the te opening it up to the teachers those comments about other
groups that want to take advantage of it too or even the mayors from out of town give them a note says hey I'm a visiting mayor and I can park for free today I wouldn't go there it just it's going to get exaggerated
um but what is this residential or non-resident parking permit for outside Cocoa Beach city limits. What does that mean? That's the annual pass for That's what you just talked about. The $75 for those that don't live in Cocoa Beach.
For people that don't live in Cocoa Beach. Well, non-residents and non-resident, right? Right. It's just rewarding. Well, it just I mean, I didn't know if there was some special place like you're going to have a little Wasn't that clarification like Harbor?
It was the Sn Harbor folks cuz they say I'm a Cooka Beach resident, but they're technically outside down in Cape in Cape Canaveral. Halfway to Cape Canaveral still have Cocoa Beach addresses, right? Yeah. Anyway. Anyway, thank you. All right. So, what do I got to do here, Skip? Make a motion to go with the way it is,
except you want to change the third line item down from $20 to $25. Okay. So, you made that? No, I didn't make it. You want to make that? You make it. Okay. I make a motion to for everything the same except for the third item down
to go to 25 instead of 20. Can I get a second? Second. All right. I got amendment. Good. Go ahead, Skip. I want I want us with people with the the yearly sticker to be able to park at Cheper Park.
I agree. Amendment. Can we do that? Is it possible for us to I know that the county has something to do with it, but I don't care what it takes. Get with the county and try to make that work. We need to negotiate with the county on
that. Then we need to negotiate with the county. Then I I I've been wanting this since I since Well, you got a thing that says you got a thing right there that you're going to charge people for. Well, where'd it go? This is Karen's.
I like this better. Is this your D? I like this better. Looks tasty. You got one that says parks and right there it says per day at parks and garage. So you pay $25 per day
at parks. That's Shepherd Park, Fisher Park, and the garage. Okay. So if they can ask us to pick up a life, they'll surely give us the right. No, they're going to want us. No, I don't think I don't think with the current commission I don't think they would.
Can we park at What about Fiser Park? Can we park at Fisher Park with their stickers? Right now, we can't city park, right? But we can't park at Shepherd Park even though it's a city park. Behind. So, make a make an amendment that that they do everything in their power to try
to to renegotiate that. No, I I'll withdraw my I'll withdraw my amendment. And you got to pull their hand back on that one. All right. Well, I I still want you guys to try to do that. Um, Becky will figure it out. Okay.
Motion is 20 to 25 is the only 25. Got a motion in a second. See if we can get the motion. I think we're leaving money on the table by not doing search pricing, but also just get this going. We can always go. Sorry, just for the motion. I'm just clarifying because there's been a lot of back and forth.
Exactly as number three goes from $20 to $25. will be $6 per hour or we're saying five six $6 $3 25 20 75 30 40 53 250
everything is okay I just want to make sure for the call the question um I got a motion to second all in favor I all opposed nay thank you motion passes uh 4 to one and
please look into Shepard Park All right some or fee stuff. Oh, you know, actually, hold on real quick. But now we were still on that that subject. Um, we need to look into other parking areas that are in the city that are not
complying um with uh our parking standards as far as um dirt lots. Uh they they are creating a blight in in our downtown area. If they are operating as a business and taking money, they are
a business. If they're not collecting, if they're not paying their property tax and they're operating a business every single day of the of the month, there might be an issue there. I want to make sure that our city is is maintained to a proper standard. And if you're operating
under a nonprofit, but you're pulling a full-on business, um, we need to look into that. Okay. Thank you. Next. Okay. Um, item seven, adopt resolution 2025-14, a resolution of the city commission of
the city of Cocoa Beach, Florida, amending the fees for the various facilities of the Cocoa Beach Golf Course Country Club, making findings, and providing for an effective date. This is a change to the fee structure for Cocoa Beach Country Club facility. Staff Representative Andy Cigara,
leisure services director. Recommendation approve. Move as read. Second. All right. I'm looking at this and a lot of the stuff didn't change, but the Cocoa Beach Country Club auditorium,
there was a bunch of changes and then there's quite then there's changes to the um ball fields and recck center minor changes. No, all of our fees tonight are just for the Cocoa Beach Country Club facility
itself. That's all we're talking about? Yes. Okay. All right. Let's let's go with the increases as they're showing. They're like 50 bucks a whack and a little bit more except for the patio.
Okay, we got a a motion vote on. We got a second. You did? Yeah. Okay. Um, any public comment? All right. All in favor? I I thought you I
All opposed? N. All right. Thought you like that, too. All right. Next. Change them every meeting. Okay. Yeah. So, you All right. Uh, next. Okay. Item 8, adopt resolution 2025-15,
a resolution of the city commission of the city of Cocoa Beach, Florida, establishing and updating a comprehensive schedule of fees for the fire department regarding special events, fire safety inspections, equipment use, training, and related fire services, providing for severability conflicts, and effective
date. Staff representative, fire chief Justin Grimes. Recommendation discuss. Move to approve resolution 202515 on Second motion, a second.
Any public comment? Um, just go for it. You do you want to just come up real quick and explain? No, there isn't any real quick about this. Okay. 12. Hey, look, I know you I know you like to talk, but just just real quick
and changes a summarized. I haven't said a word tonight. you guys have just a summarized like a um an AI summarized version real quick. Okay. All right. In order to maintain a balanced budget and avoid diverting
funds from other critical services, it's essential that the fire department operates with financial self-sufficiency sufficiency uh where appropriate. Updating the fee schedule ensures that the use of these specialized services are paying their fair share and appropriate share of the
costs. So, just as you guys said, like you know, we have all these special events, they cost money, we can't subsidize them, and we haven't updated any of our inspection fees since 2015. Okay. It was a 12 pages. 20 pages of change.
All right. No public comment and no commission comment. All in favor? I I All opposed. Motion passes. 50. Thank you, guys. Thank you. Uh we are adjourned.