he's a president of the historic Property association and he is with the uh historic survey he's the lead on that I don't know that he wants to really give some talk to us but he he's here to answer
questions PA would you come up thank you John I'm going to mess with his microphone but I'm Paul Weaver 5 Milton Street and I'm president as John said of historic property Associates there's an eror of a mission
John you forgot about the Hastings spers and they did a wonderful job converting that old high school to very I think a very very similar idea here this a very I think uh sort of serendipitous that this project got started paralleling
what you're trying to do here and air company uh about 30 years ago did the original uh historic building survey Crescent City and did the national register nomination and so we're updating it and
I think it's very timely your blue ribon committee is also known as many of them as the historical society and we've already met with them and this project was num Runo this was really a very very
uh uh important priority um so we're as I said we're updating the the survey really going to focus on this building I think because it's so important to the community as it stands right now part of it is a
contributing building in the historic district but we want to update that and make sure that the entire property is again and our speakers have said what money and grants are important Rick uh
you know knows the state grant program very very well I've worked with it my partner Miss Jenny Wolf uh has served on the state Grant committee so part of one of the things we want to do uh is support you in any way with ideas about
future funding and I again I think the historic status of this building is an important hook not only for grants for charitable donations that's another possibility and I've also done a lot of my work and I've actually worked longer
than Rick Gonzalez I have to confess but uh and sort of creative ways of bringing funding to this I've done a number of schools adapted use that the uh South Jacksonville Elementary School
uh and also students as far north is uh as Richmond Virginia so we're here to support your efforts it's very exciting I think it's a great project not only is it historically significant I told the air committee that I'm working with the setting of Crescent City is just
incredible it really here attractive so I'm here if you got any questions for me about the work we're doing but I'm very very supportive of your efforts and again we're here to help you in any way so thank you very much okay I know there are others who would
like to speak and this is your opportunity people have I'm going to go ahead I do have some speakers we had public comment at the end but I'll go ahead and move it to the beginning um since others have had an opportunity to speak I thinking fairness to them um
that's okay commission commissioner did you have something need to say no I think if that's okay with you Mr nle pardon is that okay with you if I go ahead and other speaker go ahead
okay so um there's a hank um Kura I probably didn't that correctly if you would please state your name your address if you will good evening honorable mayor and vice mayor and Commissioners and City
management my name is Hank kicho I live at 512 Lemon Avenue over on Lake Stella I'm also a retired army colonel and U when I was in the army they used to tell us when you brief a general officer need to be brief you need to be bright and you need to be gone so I'll try to do
that tonight but uh tonight I represent co-president of the Crescent City Plum players our theater group of performers here in the city and I speak to implore you to pursue and deliver the Crescent City Cultural and Civic Center
initiative as laid out by the Blue Ribbon committee our theater group is nearly 10 years old we hold a 501 SE uh nonprofit status we're a voting member of the city pres City downtown partnership group and
our goals are to entertain and to educate and to make life better for the citizens in our area by bringing joy and laughter to the Greater Community we' worked with the putton county school district already and we produced shows at the Miller Middle School auditorium
already and uh we agree with the blue ribbon committee that there's very little FF and E that will be required to adapt the mid-century historic Auditorium into a quality performance venue when uh we personally uh our group
has already invested $2,500 we cleaned all the seats in there cleaned all the rugs in there and we got the rescue back to snu there are three main things that our theater group will do to strongly support the initiative first we will
lead the way in developing and managing the performance art center piece of this and second by what we do we naturally attract visitors and we contribute to the economic Vitality of the city and the restaurants in the area and thirdly we will eagerly share
in the opportunity to help defay the overall expenses of the entire Civic and Cultural Center I'm not sure where that last utility report came from with the electrical cost but in the blue rivon committee book that it said that the school district is currently spending
$75,000 to maintain that facility of which 50,000 was property and liability insurance and 10,000 was cutting the grass and taking care of the buildings and the rest of the utilities so but anyway regardless of what it is we represent one tenant that uh that will
be there and um if you take as an example us doing one show a quarter we usually have a 100 people in the audience each night usually a Friday Saturday night sometimes a a matina we charge $30 it comes to $24
for four four shows a year and we have plans we got put back with Co and we lost a lot of our uh players but uh so we are re rebuilding our team but we have plans for comedy nights and improv and shows if we have that performance
art center there's just an endless amount of ideas that our our crew has to go in there and but the key is whatever we make we'd be more than willing to share and take our burden of utilities and expenses so uh we know this issue is
like giving you all a bag of feathers and telling you to make a duck but we just went you citizens we have faith in you we wholeheartedly support the preservation acquisition and adaption of the historic preses City
school property so thank you very much hello ladies and gentlemen I'm Pat Maiden I live at 202 Oleander Avenue from 1948 to 1955 I went to school at that beautiful building and
at that time the school was the Hub of the town everything happened there or at Miller's Grocery Store or People's Bank and it was busy and and booming if we
pass out this opportunity to turn that into the Hub of our Historic downtown we will still be looking at wther Park and Mount Dora and saying golly why didn't we do it um here we are in the most
beautiful physical setting imaginable U prettier than them even and please please give us this wonderful opportunity to turn pres City downtown not the grocery store plazas but into a real
town again thank you my name is Michael Frank I'm at 83 Lake sh Drive CES City Florida um thank you for the opportunity to voice my opinion I total support of this effort to convert
M school to a city center that would just be a vibrant element in our community to rebuild back what we used to have and what used to be here before I got here 10 years ago so for those that don't know me I'm a retired
architect and I've been here 10 years and I've done at least a dozen different projects pro bono for the city and I'm willing to do whatever Design interior design space planning site planning that
the city may need Pro so you don't have [Applause] to go $200 per hour for beautiful consultant like this but I do that and I would work with whoever the Blue Ribbon committee who
I've been in attendance with almost threw up their generation and so uh I don't want to take up too much more time so I'm just leave at that I totally support this and I'll do whatever it takes and I think we should capture this positive energy that
we have in this room as you can see most everyone is wearing blue and that was to support the blue ribon committee that's why we're in Blue tonight so you can see the solidarity we have here I think everyone stood up when asked so thank
you and good luck on Kevin Jordan 34 sou me I didn't get the about wearing blue I'm too which doesn't help I want to thank the city commission for pointing to the blue committee um
for the second or so of its of its term um of all the communties that I served on over the years coming from an academic background I think I can safely say that this committee has worked with more focus and dedication than any other
committee I've ever served with um the level of their of their effort and the the productivity that they managed to to muster in that brick of a report is is humbly to say the least um
I think the the operative word here is opportunity what we have and what you have before you is an opportunity to revitalize the town from within from downtown instead of waiting for externally funded developers to chip
away and outline agricultural properties which they can pick up and develop cheaply we can redefine the city's own character and from my background as a biology Professor I would recommend we take a good look at ecotourism which is a very
quickly growing new sector of Industry uh in the state um it used to be when I started out that ecotourism was associated with with hippies and kayaks and little ill with binoculars and things like that but in answer to that I
I would simply say Bass Pro Shops that's ecotourism that's Century ecotourism and it's coming our way so I think the opportunity here is for us to get in front of that and to anticipate
that and try to guide that as a new mission for the city around this multi-purpose Civic Center um that's presenting itself to you um I I would point out to those concerned about cost that it's wise to be concerned about CA
we don't want to be foolish about this we don't want to run into something that that that defeats us um but I think a preliminary look at the cost figure shows that if all we did was move the Crescent City offices to that site we'd
be halfway to covering those costs um with with very little additional effort the amount of money that we're putting into these buildings Here Comes very close to 50% of the carrying cost of that whole facility and that doesn't take into consideration renovation so
that would be a point out the importance of the concept of Partnerships and we heard Jr mention that I'm very wisely the more Partners you can bring in to a multi- agency effort the more resources you muster and
the more money you can connect with uh as a grantman from a university background the way to get grants is Partnerships the more Partners you have in your Consortium the more funding agencies are likely to award those grants to the point where you can really
count on them so we need to control this as a as a one party effort we're not asking the city to expect to do this in a vacuum or by itself but with surrounding institutions quite County School District uh local colleges and
universities the town of Waka um perhaps even V proops who knows there are plenty of parties available that I think could had a stake in this game and that's the way to look at this and I think the cost will take care of themselves with the continued effort of the blue R committee
and its Associated professionals thank you very much for your com hello um I'm Dr G Gman my business is the ceston City Animal Health center5 Lake Road Drive um and I just first of all I want to thank everyone I just
found out about this thing just a couple days ago and I have to say it's quite impressive when I first found out about it I was so excited as it relates to my organization that I'm associated with the purple plum playoffs and um one of the things that makes me really excited is that just like this project we're in
sort of a we're in a very early embryonic stage of redeveloping our purple plum Playhouse a community theater that we really set up to try to promote the Arts and the fact that all of a sudden this gigantic facility that might very well be something that we can
potentially use um in partnership with you all in partnership with the community a facility that as Hank had already mentioned we have used we we' put on several shows and um it's very exciting to think that at the really early nebulous sort of embryonic stage
of this potential project hopefully it can happen um we're doing the same thing and Hank talked about it and he kind of took everything that I was going to say we didn't really coordinate very well so but I I want to just add a little bit as it relates to the Purple Plum Playhouse and how it can be as um you were just
saying a partner I think a potential serious Revenue producing partnership and the reason why I say this this is not just a pipe dream this is a dream of mine it's been way for years dream of ours at the purple plum Playhouse I think and I don't know if you all think this is exciting but I think it's very exciting and if you all do think it's
exciting I want to use this moment to also encourage all of yall to think about joining us in the purple plum Playhouse because the purple plum playhous can be a driver of some of the economic concerns that we're having about this and Hank alluded to it a little bit but we're I'm talking about
potentially you imagine a theatrical company that's working with the community to do improv nights every month or something we're talking about regular not just quarterly shows but something bigger like traditional theater shows there's four sort
of I guess you know I guess I would put legs to the table of the Purple Plum playhouse that I think could be good economic drivers in the area because there's not a lot is there a ton of stuff to do around here is it just me there's not a lot to do all the way down here we're 25 miles from the booming
cultural center of black so so you know I think we have sort of a a cap audience down here um that could potentially find great excitement in the opportunity to be a part of the audience that is in that
theater watching The Purple Plum players and being a part of the Purple Plum players producing things which could be comedy nights I mean excuse me improv nights we could potentially partnership up with the theater group in the high school and the local schools to do education do actor workshops improv
practice have any of youall ever heard of Whose Line is in anyway doing Whose Line is in anyway there like once a month or something you know who knows this is just stuff that I think we were talking about and thinking about doing before I ever heard of this project just for the record and we were looking for other places to sort of produce our
produce our product and put it out there and this would be the ideal place we're familiar with the place and second leg of it would be um we have a completely done basically episode that's tailored a skit episode a complete original concept
skit is very much tailored after um Saturday Night Live it's called Comedy Night Live we are going to produce that we are going to put it out there we're just struggling to find actors and people and really find the moment and I feel like the moment is coming very soon and I think you guys going to be really impressed with the show that we have
together um that will be something that I'm quite sure with the way my mind is working and our right a team is working that we can produce regularly a great skit show thirdly um I think that it would be really great for us to produce Maybe even like a little sitcom I we have some ideas for an actual regular
live produced sitcom imagine that that would be so unique this is not anything that's really being done in Community Theaters I'm talking about something new and revolutionary and something that you all can be very excited about and all of you are welcome to participating and I would encourage you to consider thinking about joining the purple pum just for
the record and then the last one is traditional theater shows theatrical shows all of which in my opinion could produce a steady stream of great cultural experience for this community that I think that Community would support wholeheartedly would be something fun even kids could go to we have a large enough theater and a large
enough set of seats to for it to be a good income producer to help offset or defray some of these very cost that we were talking about so anyway please contact us if you want to join and thank you all everyone [Music] my name is Kitty Miller and I live in
Georgetown 1541 County Road 309 um I represent the South puam Christian Service Center that's located now at 301 Cyprus Avenue in Cresent City uh we were occupants of the school we
were very happy there and we would love to be able to go back here again so the center definitely supports this effort thank you I have a I guess You' already are good okay I just want to make sure um at this time we have anybody else that
would like to come forward please if you would um just get in line Elizabeth Gomez 19 Cedar Street and um I just wanted to tell everybody that I came here two years ago and um I see a
lot of faces I love you all and I had a group of people at my house when I was here for four months and it was the dream of Charlotte Preston and I know mayor G talk to you about this I have no idea I don't know who these people were
but it was C Georgia in the SW grav you already have the purple plum wants to do it it was a little town just like ours dying and it was a town full of murals and they started this one Grady um
School place and now they multi-millionaires now they hold four or five shows a year and the town depends on this place so you already got all of them they they are all volunteers they do historical plays they do children's
plays and they already telling you they willing to you know give it their old I've been your volunteer for two years of present City I'm willing to give my old to for whatever it takes thank you hello everyone I'm anel Duke at
404 North Lake Street here in this beautiful city prent city I'm so happy I came back home I grew up here graduated from milon Bernie High School where we s had a class big celebration this past
weekend my point and coming forward is to talk about what a beautiful city we have here I don't have to uh sell you guys on anything because if you live here Vis here once you know I came back after Trav around the world I'm not
going to talk too much about that UNESCO designing program for girls and uh women throughout Africa South America Etc that was a means of getting out of christas city but I I long to come back home and
I did in 2012 got very much involved with the community everything that you see here a Phil rol Gallery they build a brand do um Memorial Highway they build a brand off kiosk that we just just recently installed in the um Park we've
been getting a lot of comments about that I'm going to seg to something someone said about uh plays being here Well a true Testament to that is last year it was so hot for juneth which we
do every year and our city manager then say why you consider calling the school board maybe they'll let you use the school sure enough no hesitation they gave us a school and many people who came there was a big funeral or
something going on that day uh where those who wish to come couldn't come but we had a great turnout they want to know are we going to be doing this often light went off in the head everybody I guess was thinking about the same thing so my point is saying that is
I think it's a great idea for the pro overall project I know many great things to go Happ happen in that building I remember being there growing up I had to go to another school but it was okay I'm back I'm back now so I just want to say thank you all very much and thank you
for your support and your input that you've done all you guys I know and that's part of the pessa Historic Society I'm very proud thank you thank you good evening uh fine ladies and your
gentlemen it's always a pleasure to be with you and U I'm going to be brief because we've heard from um a lot of great people great ideas I'm fairly new to ceston City three years I've had the fortune
opportunity to live in a variety of uh of communities and and I've seen great changes we know that in the future with the four laning at 17 from the south contining to the north
that it's going to change here in our fine City and with that with the increased traffic um the main strip here is is going to be heavily used the school
itself has been Community Center um for years we've heard about it tonight I think it's very important that we maintain that Community Center just think of the beauty of the
site next to the water trees it's near Central the great historic buildings and those extor buildings deserve to be saved they bring great
value to us it's a it's a place that can continue to serve government Civic and cultural events here as well as entertainment and I think it's Finly
important we heard from John N tonight the presentation on how the blue ribon committee has spent a great deal of time looking into this on your behalf on the
city's behalf and as you as was reported tonight there was a high assessment and that was studied and that assessment was greatly reduced also in doing the Deep research
you heard from commissioner Lori well that there are many complications with this property that for the for someone else to own it would be there are many handicaps it's difficult the
city is the Natural Choice here so with the and of course uh with Barb sh's great work we we saw a realistic evaluation um as
well um so we thank thank you for hearing us we thank you for everyone coming out tonight speaking and um we sincerely hope that you allow us to continue to provide this
great facility for our community thank you have any other speakers anybody else like to get us two more speakers I have two more speakers Watson out of Gerald
Watson mix stre just just a tidbit and U when I was listening to particular theater guys and and talking about um this other gentleman talking about how we should take we can be a nucleus for
our own development um I think one thing we need to look at is the U the the trickle down the economic benefit uh establishing as a facility because you know we have a facility with there's
events going on and what have you that's what is that going to do the rest all our restaurants are are going to see more business uh our gas stations our stores and so I think we have to uh look at the broader
uh economic benefit and potential of of what that will generate as as part of our assessment and U any anything I can do to be of supportive and any of that effort more than glad to
do so okay yes anybody else please step [Music] forward I'm the Lan L 200 Paradise Lane prent City out of the county in the county but not in the city um I've lived here 20 years and not
plan to say anything but years ago the historical society was started with about probably about 12 15 members with the help of Sheree register and her mother's historical facts and with the
help of Danny Miller who in from orando whose family has been here forever and was a very big part of Crescent City uh he I little historical Society has grown from that many to even people relatives
and Friends of Danny down in Orlando it is grown in Sharice spent so much time we worked a lot of us together taking the part that we were able to go through Mr bowling and go through the uh
building there turned several rooms there into a activity room a meeting room a museum that is phenomenal if and if you did not get a chance to go there and this happen you should go uh the history of this town I'm not from here
and someone asked us when we first moved here why are you interested in history of presentent city and I said we're interested because anywhere we go interested in the city of the town here people that we have met that have joined Historical Society have given programs
that were phenomenal Mr Lee here I bought his book last month it's about the Revolutionary war with the women that worked in that um the building we had a garden there we had Christmas parties there we had meetings every month our commissioner
has been part of it a big part of it and it's grown so much and right now we're meeting at the Women's Club the Women's Club also has done so much in this community and they use the facility there I was once a member and we had
added for uh women in art and music it was phenomenal see the auditorium there with people coming from all walks of the world to see what the women and music and art did I was so impressed because
I'm not very talented anything but these women that came in with their art and their music was just amazing I I support this very much so and I really want to thank our commissioners and also Denny and Shere and some of the other members
who are here part of the Historical Society But continuing with this even though we had to stop using the building we continued and the fact that on meeting nights I think it's the second Tuesday of the mon
first today but anyway uh the room at the Woman's Club is full and everybody is so you know excited about it and I just hope that this ENT will take place and not most people will be able to help with it in any way they can
thank you speakers ask if you count for yes sir please if you could um need kind of limit our our time at this point good even everybody my name is danelon um I'm the owner of cier fness gym 2620 17
building5 and I just found out this about um the plans and I'm in favor of it um I'm never been here before so it's my first time speaking this and I'm in very favor because of the opportunities that's going to happen um I speak to the younger crowd that we need some more
variety and just hearing the in this opportunities about what's going to happen and may open the doors about more events happening um we need something like this the kids and everybody else growing up they're they're born this is something that would definitely open and
everybody agrees with it too so that's my St behind thank you did you okay want to close before the commission start some discussion right want to give you short statement
then I'm going to ask Charlie Douglas to come back up here uh and we're going to talk about the contract Pro just a little bit but I want to make a short statement the the Blue Ribbon committee
is not asking the city to commit to an unfordable car of action tonight we're only asking that the proposed contract terms of the city's offer to the Putman County D District the approved so that
we can present that to the school board with that done my helper is here thank you the contract will be presented to both parties for approval with a contract approval of the
blue ribon committee being working on a recommendation of [Music] reabilitation and repurpose the operation of the community Cultural Center without imposing financial burden
on the city's taxpayers I will say it again we are confident you will you will approve the city's the contract offer will be a vote of approval will be the easiest decision
of consequences you will ever make now I want to close with a kind of a personal statement then I know you have questions of me I love to read and James mention is one of my
favorites he says knowledge of the past gives men and women the courage to face the future this property was originally for everyone in that it was a place for the
study of the Christian Bible the scoffield Bible the first Study Bible much of it written in Crescent City this property became a place for that
study through the Gilbert family and their Foundation later on it it became a place for some of us then it became a place for all of
us then it was put to rest where it is now so now let it become a place for all of us again not just Crescent City but the fruit Peninsula the county the state and
even those from the whole world who come through to see this building being repurposed and how history can can be put on display and cherished
education can be promoted Recreation for all government house and business opportunities in place an example of how such buildings can be
repurposed and become a central part of who we are all of this in Partnership with the school district now I want to say one word about partnership that's not a
cliche what I'm going to say I learned some of it from Mr bowling and he's sitting right behind me a partnership is like a marriage the city the district the school district would do nothing that
would hurt the city the city would do nothing that would harm the district that's what I mean when we're talking of of parip it's not just a cliche it's
something it's two government agencies working together working for each other they report to the same tax payers that you do they have their issues and we have our issues so that that will be the the
essence of the negotiation when they start thank you okay I I know you that question me so why don't we go [Music] there um no just at some point I think
it's important that we question answer I think it's also important that we talk to each other I think I think so too um [Music] yes commissioner B ahead
um first of all I just want to say uh I'd like to thank the the the blue rib committee for all the work that they've done uh but I also think at the same time um I think it's time um to really
Sunset the blue R committee and replace it now don't don't get don't start throwing I hope you don't have any Tomatoes or anything like that um to replace it's time to Sunset it and
replace it with a private buyer uh which in turn could once the property is bought they could rant to a 501 C3 and and operate it as the community
center and they could do that so much better than the city really could do it and I don't know if this makes sense to yall but I was very happy to see all of these people here tonight I know they're committed to get the
center um the city's committed we we've given you the money to uh you know do the appraisal we've given you the $120,000 so that RN can go ahead and and finalize what their vision and all that
is and we will certainly support you for this the the private buyer or fire1 C3 fire um to to move move ahead with this idea but I don't think the city at this
time kind can just go on with the with the uh BRC I think we we've spent our our time there now it's time to suggesting
that we turn this over to a like a foundation you can make a foundation yeah that's that's a I mean and I and again you know this would be your everyone's Foundation um well that would be the
next part of the next step for the committee we would we would certainly take that into consideration because if people want to donate they can't donate to the city they can't donate to the city they have
to donate to a a foundation or free SE so we would certainly take that into consideration and it would be high prior um I'm not sure what I'm going to ask everybody um that
just we need to have our discussion I know there's a lot of there's a lot of thoughts in here in the room um but if y'all will just hold it for right now go ahead I was just to say that you know the the idea is that the school district is interested in transferring the
property to the school district is interested in transferring property to a government not to a nonprofit I think that's something that's caused problems in the past if I'm not mistaken Mr B might be able to speak to that but they more
likely would give it to a government like us a local government than anyone else um it kind of makes more sense to Tass I believe um as well as other things I mean we certainly I think a 501c3 supporting the development of a
community center would be helpful but um I think the city needs to be the people that own this um at least get started with it and then work with Partners to develop it like we've discussed I think it would so first of all um I want to thank
my fellow commission members for bringing us this far um we have established the blue revent committee or I think as a task force um we've committed City funds and federal armor
funds that have brought us a long way and I have to say I have never seen such a turnout with so much positive energy so many offers of expertise to be donated at no cost and
enthusiasm from some people who I consider to be um very knowledgeable about Cent City and some of the wisest people in town um to
me development is the city's job planning and development that is the job of the city that is the effort that we have evant on with this school property the Miller Middle School site
is a classic Redevelopment project and just to remind ourselves as a commission Redevelopment involves revitalization of an underused area for purposes of community and economic development that may include repurposing existing
buildings renovating or adding two existing buildings and adaptive reuse of historic structures in addition to possibly creating new structures or New Uses of land we are talking about 12.77% people here have mentioned it ABS
our Central business district and anything that we do there has the potential to either disadvantage or to help Revitalize that business district um
I I think we've come to a great point and we have a great opportunity to fulfill our responsibility as City in we development this is um something that is very common for
local governments to do either as the c or as the city and that is to take possession of properties so that the city can make sure that it guides and does the proper planning um I've mentioned I don't know
if commissioner Mo was on the commission then but I have made a point almost every year that I've been on the commission to go to the Redevelopment conference and take the nearly weekl long courses and this is now what cities
do and what the blueban committee has proposed is generally the classic way that cities do it they take possession of the land and they guide it it doesn't mean they keep it it doesn't mean they
pay for it in the long term um so it seems to me um it's not yet right for turning this over to private Foundation I I don't know of a private Foundation um I don't know that we're
yet in posture to do that I think that is a potential step down the road and as well we aren't just talking about a community center we're talking about a complex of uses um that would have to be occupied
by several different groups and potentially could even involve commercial uses which um I'm not sure that a private Foundation is I don't I can't think of anyone that would step forward to do
that without charging us money at this point what we have is free help and offers of more free help and um according to the reports that we had um we have the potential cooperation
of the Pam County School District they are about to have a workshop on this issue I believe on March 4th so um I will just remind yall that what we had at that site um we've
had plays at the auditorium um we have a gymnasium we had a archives and History Center there that um was a tremendous draw for people people who came to town for the first time would go there and
say wow um this is really amazing um I want to know more about this I want to know more about that I want to stay here and eat at the restaurant so um I think we're on the right path and um I just wanted to share with y'all what we're
what we're doing has a lot of President um I don't know if you saw the email that I shared with pictures of the Del Beach um what is it called it's called the it's called Del old Square schools right old SCH so that um my
husband and I were in Del Beach a couple of weeks ago and we had to walk through this property to get to the tennis event we were going to and I I just couldn't believe it it's six acres in the middle of town um it includes Cornell art
museum we have the potential to have a history museum right in the middle of our historic district an Amphitheater it has um a theater and an outdoor theater one of the pictures that I sent um and I believe Mr Gonzalez Used this as a as an
example one of the pictures is of an outdor theater it has a park uh and a vintage gym and um it's been beautifully restored it's right in the middle of town it's obviously well used there are performances there it's obviously been a
part of the revitalization and I just wanted to mention I sent you the link that says about um the got that right you look at the history of it yes I did how it was acquired it is now this manage it how
much it was to manage manage it and how many dollars of C money they had to do to subsidize it okay so um but essentially then that's St Beach we're PR city um but essentially they set up a
task force they have volunteer help um they provided direction to the city council and basically a road mapap and a feasibility study and they have found the funding it is still
owned I Believe by the city of do Beach and I think that's the pattern and I must say um I was very happy to hear from our the architect with the RG Mr Gonzalez that our buildings have big balls I think that is very encouraging um because when we started out we really
didn't know so I think that's a good thing um but I think that we are following a um a conventional path that has been effective before
um we have a lot of enthusiasm I would call this um a catalyst and I would hope that we would move forward we are not committed to spend any money at this St and I I think that is key to understand
we don't have to make any commitments um until we go through 180 day due diligence period And I would assume that we're going to use that for further study and figure out the funding um but what we're what we're
doing is is the way that successful projects have taken placek um I just want to ask I want to ask a question please we're dealing with a situation and I've made some notes here because I've been struggling with this over and
over and over again I feel like right now we're dealing with a situation um a financial decision that's being pushed onto the commission right now rather than put it to a public vote and I've said this all along um that I felt like that with something like this
we have a financial responsibility to make sure that we're stable that the city's stable um and with that I'm just going to ask how many of you actually if you would stand
up pay taxes here in prent City ta taxes not not not County taxes not that you live in the county but that you I'm just I'm just asking just indulge me I'm I'm one of those
persons re please re ask the question stand please stand up please stand up if you actually pay Cresent city taxes not count taxes but that you either live in the city or you have property in the
city okay thank you I just I just wanted to I just wanted us to kind of get an idea because we have about 1,700 residents in C vote and we have 900 voters we have over
900 voters and and so this represents a good portion but it's not everyone and this isn't undertaking that that that we're
going to um have to to figure out and from our side and and commissioner Harris and commissioner West mayor mayor commissioner may I speak to that can I can I
finish so so we've we've got when you're sitting on this side um and I didn't know it because I've sat on your side and I've been in support of a lot of things but when you come over here and you actually have to make it work um it's it's it's not quite as easy
and we bear the burden on our shoulders and if we put the burden of this on our residents then ultimately we're responsible for that and and that's what um that's why I have some concerns that we're not willing to take it to
the voters and let the voters and let them speak to us and tell us we want you to acquire this it matters to this community and we're willing to if it all else fails and there's no grant money let's be realistic you're all watching
the news right now if there's no dollars out there that we're willing to Tony up and help pay for that and I understand what you're saying with the Arts they're so important we want the Arts we absolutely want the Arts I'm at every
Festival we can have here because it brings joy to our community okay we want the Historical Society we want them to have a home we want our Christian service center we want them to have a home because they serve needs in this
community but all of that comes with a big price and what a lot of us a lot of don't realize is often times we're hanging on by a thread here at the city we can't even
carpet right now and so I'm I'm concerned that we're taking this on and how we got to the point from an advisory committee which I thank you all so much for the time and effort you put into it from an advisory committee to having a
contract in front of us with an attorney that we never even approved of I'm not sure how all of that happened without the commission's approval because at the end of the day again we're the ones that
are going to have to answer to the people um I think you have a good point about having more input from a broader segment of the Town um I'm not opposed to a vote about this but what I would
like us to consider is it would be premature to have any kind of a vote the Blue Ribbon committee or I prefer to think of them as the task force um is not done with its work I don't really see the point of having a vote
when you don't you haven't completed the next steps of where potential funding would come from and I did finish with that because I think that when you go to when you go to the voters you're going to have to tell them you're going to have to have that plan it's going to have to be a plan in place just like the
school board did with the bond referendum and Mr new you helped with that correct say it again with the bond with a school bond you helped with that correct and they had a plan so they had it laid out and people knew how much that was going to cost right so what I'm
saying is RG Architects has not finished their report and by the way I believe when Mr Gonzalez was introduced as on the historical commission I believe that is the state historical commission that
is issues Grant funds is that not correct and he has told us that there are still Grant funds so I guess what I'm saying is we've gotten to a great point we have Community enthusiasm we
have um task force members who are willing to continue the study and we're not being asked to commit money we're being asked to do due diligence and figure out how
we could do this and to me I think that's a reasonable point to be at nobody has asked us to commit money and we're not being asked to write a check at this point other than if we were in a
contract um with the school district that is our diligence period that requires nothing um but $100 and I don't somehow I see that saying oh no we have to go to the voters when all these
people here have said they want to help we we need to let this effort I've sat here with you for four years yes okay we don't have finances in front of us we don't have a plan in
front of us we're looking at you're they're asking us right now and I'm sorry I please know people if anybody I hope you know that I want what's best for this city but we don't have any of
that in front of us and then you're saying it's okay to go to a contract we don't even know how to pay for it can I say something at this point yes sir all right the contract that we're going to
present even though it's incomplete stays that the city does not take possession until the finances are in
place the city has no Financial Risk whatsoever I think you're not looking at how long would that take okay we don't know but it'll it'll take some time it'll take 6 months might
take a year might take longer and and in the partnership Arrangement the the district school district would like to transfer the property but the city can't afford to
take it until the finances are in place so that's the partnership we're talking about and we're asking the district to to agree to that so the city has no Financial Risk whatsoever okay so I rather than a
contract I think that we should I think we're put the apartment for the horse I think that a memorandum of understanding with the school district um we've never done that they don't know that we're interested formally in the property I
guess you met you've met with them [Music] worksh and um if we could do you know Dawn ma' yes ready to finish work and I
understand that and please know I mean and we know we we know we can get it done okay and I'm sure you can I I am absolutely positive you can but I don't
think that we um we have got to be we have to be vigilant in making sure that we the devil's in the details and that we have worked out everything we can and and to enter into a contract a sale contract knowing that we
don't have that figured out yet um down the road we don't perform and nothing happens to the satisfaction of the city the city does
okay the city has no risk at this point the only risk you have is what we will negotiate with the district okay Mr I'm gonna I'm gonna ask Don for some Don's
in an awkward spot because we don't even have we we thank you Mr Douglas for your willingness but we haven't entered into an agreement with you um has he where is he it doesn't matter proo we have we the
commission let me finish we the commission have not entered into a formal agreement with him to represent our interest okay you might of the Blue Ribbon committee um I'm not sure how that happened without it coming for us
you would have taken heads off I'm sorry why are you because you were because I just know and that's I'm trying I'm trying to use as a model that we could be that we could be are you saying you don't want
him represent I'm not saying that I'm not saying that I'm saying that we the commission has not entered into an agreement with him to represent us we we were not part of the talk to to enter
the agreement kind of blindsiding and so Dawn Dawn is our he's our attorney he's the school district's attorney he can't represent both we know that I can't I can't represent either that's that wasn't that wasn't intended
to be a funny remark my remark was intended to be very serious and that because of conflict that interest or excuse me ethical conflict considerations in this transaction Mr bowling and I have already discussed that school districts
already discussed it if this goes forward I'll sit on the sidelines from both sides because it wouldn't be fair to either client for me to be involved in you know in this uh so that's we we I think
you're I was contacted by the clerk I think before we before we came tonight and I said look if you if you like I won't even come tonight because uh I'm not going to make any statement about Pros or cons of deal going forward or
the concept that wouldn't be appropriate um but further I won't I won't be involved on either side in terms of the contractual s of this thing because it wouldn't be appropriate either um school district will have to get someone to represent them in this transaction and I
think you would too and I'm not saying who would or wouldn't or who's who's you know I just that's not my place to say but you understand all I absolutely understand I absolutely that's what I'm saying is we currently right now haven't even contracted with an attorney to
represent us so to go into even I would never send I would never send a city manager anybody in there to negotiate a sell without legal representation I know Mr Douglas is here and he is offered to do a pro Bona but I think the commission
um that's something that the commission would have to have to approve and it's you want us to authorize an interim city manager now an interim city manager we we respect Michael BR but
he's an interim city manager and for him to make any decisions to to U move forward you know once we get a new manager and kind of stick that manager let me let me address a problem I I
thought long and hard about the three people to negotiate for the city over the years and here's the reason I came to this conclusion the three people over
the years I've been involved in contracts and I look back maybe eight some were with the school board some are with the central Florida firm Cooperative but most was in my business and of those
eight uh contract discussions two of them went much more smoothly because they had a bridge I'm going to explain what I mean by a a bridge let's say the three of us
negotiate with the scho board and we come up with a decision we think that the city Commission would accept at that point it would go to the mayor and the mayor would make would
have a choice of two choices she would say well I think maybe this the fly I'll take it before the commission but she can also say I don't think this will work you need to go back and negotiate some
more when we we both sides know that's going to be the process somehow the negotiators work faster they work more diligently it seems that way that's been my
experience and in the end they come up with a definitive contract don't you think that makes a lot of sense so so this is not in favor of against the concept or the terms or
anything of that nature um as I indicated before representing both parties I have to be very careful that what I say that might benefit one doesn't hurt the other that's why I'm out however I still represent the city when it comes to matters of Sunshine Law
and delegation of authorities so what I am going to say is this it was acknowledged by Mr nuol Who Knows by The way that he is my great personal admiration and and I hold him in high esteem he knows that uh I'll say it out
loud publicly but I've said it before privately um but the committee that has been formed is a is a sunshine Committee in my opinion I've voiced that to the mayor and others uh Florida sunshine or floral
public records law which is the commonly called the Sunshine law says that if anybody body any body body meaning group appointed or designated by this body has any function at all other than a pure
fact finding and when you read the AG opinions they consider fact finding nothing more than gathering information and regurgitating it no uh no uh selection no filtering no ranking or
prioritization none of that at that because if they do then that at that point it's a it's a sunshine committee their meetings have to be published the public has to have notice of the meeting and no two members of that committee can communicate except in a
public meeting now if two members of that committee are on this negotiating team you're going to have to do those negotiations in a public publicly noticed meeting because that's going to be communication between two members of the committee and that's going to be a
sunshine issue which I would advise my client the school board as well so you can delegate someone to go negotiate I agree but it can't be two members of this committee that's that's already acknowledged to be a sunshine committee
next the process that that Mr nuo mentioned it implies that you would be delegated authority by the rest of the commission to make a kind of a threshold decision of whether an off offer goes to full commission and they have the ability to
do that but they're going they would have to do that they would have to vote to put you in a position of of casting the initial um I guess approval or disapproval of whatever the committee comes back with otherwise it's got to come back to the full the full
commission so with those two caveats as to procedures I would simply say you can in fact should you want to uh authorize someone to go negotiate and Mr brart could be one Mr newo could be one they're not members of the same
committee he's Mr Bart's your city manager Mr new's a member of your committee but you can't have and Mr Douglas if he's going to be the attorney for that committee he would not be and he's not a member of the committee I don't know if he is or he isn't but if he's not a member of that committee but he's acting as their attorney he would he would be someone who could be
involved in that because he's not a member of the committee working as their legal counsel um but you can't have two members of the committee doing it m it can't be Mr uh lri and Mr newold and and Mr brart and Mr Douglas at that point
that's going to be a sunshine violation and I would advise the school district not participate in that okay couple things um I do think that your point is very well taken that um well first of all I want to say um I
cannot F the blue women committee um for their enthusiasm I mean they are volunteers and they are very enthusiastic um I do think that maybe the formalities and technicalities were overlooked I I do think it might as well
taken that we have not entered into a relationship or authorized um this wonderful attorney Mr Douglas who is willing to help us I think that is a very important step um and I understand um somewhat
commissioner Burton raising a concern about an interim um city manager negotiating for us although um he's been doing a great job on everything else so far but um I do think that that is a very important step that anyone who
negotiates for us particularly an attorney come be proposed to us and that we accept that I think that is very important um but I'm a little bit um I don't know
I just uh I would like to see us move forward because we have offers of help and we are not committing ourselves to spend a dime we I think we aren't there yet we don't know what costs our R
hasn't even finished they hav't finished right and we we have so much potential um I think we at least need to go forward and see um I've heard about quite a few offers of help some of them quite
valuable um I think we owe it to ourselves to see whether those will come through and without spending um and and commissioner dito I I apologize to you but you have schooled
does in in details and so that's why I as an example and so didn't mean that as [Music] offensive I just hope I don't take your head [Music] off gu I'm going to amend what I'm going
to ask you to do I'm gonna ask you to vote on the concept of the contract you're not voting on the contract because it's not complete but just the cont I'm ask Charlie to come up and talk
about that but I'm also going to ask you to vote on the three people to negotiate but also as Mr Douglas as as a City attorney make that a a formal thing not
and that's your discretion so I don't know if we want to put that all in one motion or how you want handle it but ask Charlie if you will come up I'm GNA put I'm putting where lawyers don't want to gow of the
contract just so that that we all can understand it and thank you thank you well it's a standard I mean it's a standard commercial contract is that correct with some with some requirements addendums at the end that we need to will have to ad
both parties would have to ad but let me ask you a question if I can um what wouldn't we shouldn't we start with some sort of a memorandum of understanding between us and the school district to start these discussions
before we actually enter into an official contract that we know um quite possibly 180 days 160 days we're not going to have um the time for that I'm I'm I'm always hesitant to enter
into a contract when it's kind of like going to buy a car I know commissioner I'm breaking this down in simple terms but it's like going to buy a car not having financy and not even know how much I can even afford to pay for that
car um but I'm going to go ahead and I'm going to sign up for this car and boy I hope it all works out for you hey it's no no you you were I think close but I think it is I know I I knew I wouldn't get there but no I wouldn't
have thought of this if you hadn't brought it up I think it is more like a contract to buy a house contingent on either selling your home or obtaining the financing that's an out for the buyer you don't get the
financing I know I guess I've just never entered into an agreement to buy a house if I didn't know I have the wherewithal to pay for that house that's what I'm saying and and I've got a real estate license so I mean I get it to and so I
just would never enter into buying a house without knowing that I was able to pay for the house and that's all I'm saying is is there anything we can do to slow this down to where we're not entering into a contract that we could enter into some sort of a an
understanding of the school district they don't have it on the market right now I don't know what we're still waiting on r& to get us to get us the [Music] um study and we're how far out are we
from that March is the draft and then late April May is the final okay budget yeah and so we're starting into our budget we also for those of you and commissioner deito I know you're probably very aware of this you and
commissioner Lori both is that um you know we've got the legislature right now legislature has a bill out there where they're looking at homes set exemptions are they're T all exemptions
$100,000 right off the top commercial investment all property they're looking they have a bill for a $100,000 exemption right off the top now that has to go to the voters but chances are it's going to go through the
legislature because it's no skin off their back and they'll send it to the voters with 60% vote and if that happens that'll take effect January 1st of 2027 well do you know what that's going to do to us if that happen and this is what I
want to say yes for that reason it is vital that this not turn into the destroyed property that was depicted on the screen that it become productive we may need even more to make sure that our
downtown is revitalized and producing commercial income and this is a key to it and so what I am saying is no we don't know if we have the money but we have some very good people who have
volunteered to help us try to find that money and again I think we owe it to ourselves to accept free help to find money well great the other thing that's happening though is the the bond okay that we're that we're going to have to
start paying and I forget how that increments up but but it ends up being quite tax proper and you know and that's really going to affect everyone here um in puam
county and um you know and then on top of that I mean it's just a snowball and and I just think that you know it's a snowball coming downhill and we do have to kind of slow our and we just have to
make sure that taking right steps so Mr Douglas with that can you I would like to hear from you that if you were um what would be your recommendation just as a preliminary comment I was contacted by the blue
driven Committee in order to try to help put some words on paper as Mr rubald said this is an incomplete document the whole purpose was to try to get feedback from the commission on what the marching
orders would be so to speak going into the workshop with the school district with that said you the last 20 minutes um I want to be sure that the the
commission and I are on the same page if it is the will of the commission to have me here for for the blue R commission and on behalf of the the city commission going into the school district I don't know Mr to help at least advise the
commission on how to pass the on to me to help go to the district I just want to make sure that I'm with the the proper authority to represent the city commission to go to the district he's G
tell you run go ahead no I was um I would say that uh it would be a matter of as you know the commission has the ability to hire Consultants on an ad hoc
basis in a variety of different fields including attorneys um you do as a matter of fact through your insurance company actually but you know you have liability Assistance or assistance and liability cases through the league with different attorneys I think it's the
same concept I think there's no problem with you entering into what amounts to an agreement call it a contract if you will even though think uh Mr Mr Douglas and forgive me if I say Charlie we known each other for a while
um probably known as Dad longer than Charlotte but u in any event um I think it'd be there's nothing at all wrong with you entering into an agreement with him to provide representation with regard to this particular issue if you know should you choose to do that and
that would authorize him to advise you I'm sure he would anyway but that would that would make him ethically obligated to you know fulfill his duties as an attorney to you and recognizing your interests in regard to the contract and the only question that he
would have to ask is does he think he's got a conflict between representing the interest of the blue rimen committee which he's been advising for some time and representing your interest because they may not be exactly aine now that's
just a a question maybe that's a question for that I that I'm not in a position to answer I'm not I'm not a judge so I wouldn't be answering that question if he feels like I agree with that and you know if you want the blue ring committee to continue forward as the The Entity that meets with the
school district or if the the commission has a different route to go where the commission would prefer someone on the commission itself that the blue Ren committee not move forward that the the commission would design a program to interact with the
school district I would I would feel like I need to know how you want the Blue Ribbon committee to operate if at all from this point forward so I can know who who is my client did you have
[Music] can I say abely yeah I just want to say that um I'm happy to see all of our city um MERS here and I know I'm sitting here as a new member here on the commission and
I'm learning as we are um going through the process and everything I I just want you all know I'm behind the project because I am born in raised CES City too so I've seen what was was happening and everything but I want you all to know
that I think that is a good project because I am a retired educator and I've always thought that I children need something to do so um when we get our how do you say your your duts in a row and every everything you want to do I
just need to hear just a little bit more of how we going to you know we can Finance this and and not be in the hole you understand what I'm saying but I'm all for the project because I think we need something more in this city I do
agreee statement it's all about how I think we put it in our I mean we put it in our master plan the commission um in a perfect world we saw this there's a vision for it we see it it's just we have to go about it I feel the
most responsible and the right way and and so that's I I I get the feeling from all the Commissioners that you know that yes we feel like we can we can see that happening something happening over there but we have to make sure that it's
you I will blame us for messing it up exactly if it messes up and somebody said that to me yesterday they said they want you if something happens guess who's going to be to blame for it when you're not when you're not delivering how would you think that that
how would you suggest that that how do we do that well that's why I'm asking for some advice here because how do we how do we get forward from here legally and and and we we're we're at qumar here because we're trying to figure this all
out because we can't Don can't advise this why do you keep pointing your finger at me okay I break this down into component parts how we move forward commissioner Moore said she wants to know more about how we would pay for it
that we have a task force that we call Blue Ribbon committee ready willing and able to figure out how to pay for it and I think the most common sense thing for us to do is to let them go ahead and do
that work they have done a great job at bringing in um expertise that is not on the blue Ren committee and I think it sounds like they can continue to do that I don't if we
want to have a place for the purle pwn players for kids to have activities and entertainment Mr Aragon who's probably one of the youngest people in the room and runs two very successful businesses um he said we need more for young people
if we want to have a history museum and archives somebody's got to figure out how to pay for all that and these folks are volunteering to do it so the city the city does not take possession until the money is in place I'm not right
exactly but I'm saying we need what I'm saying is um I think we need the continued work of our appointed task force to help us figure out the funding can I make a suggestion so first of all that term you just stated is not in the contract Mr
new um that the city wouldn't take possession till the money's in place as a matter of fact and I'm just sitting here looking at a contract but Charlie has already indicated right up front that the contract wasn't complete so I know there are additional term to be inserted that's contemplated right yes
sir so I'm not it's not fair for me to judge the contract in its present form because the preface the remark was it's it's not complete right correct so from my perspective I'm just going to say you've all indicated a
desire to see the project go forward if you thought that it could be paid for get funds right so uh the the way the contract reads right now it just to point out a couple things
that would probably make me feel better if I were going to be advising you about your position and you're not you know you you being it being clear that you had the ability to to to back out there there is
no you could easily add a term that specifically States and I'm sure Charlie easily word it that states that you know the negotiations with be contingent upon you're having financing in place by the time you considered it right now there's
a generic Clause that basically says the time for acceptance and the effectivity of the contract shall be the date when the P School District board members and the city Commission of the city of Paca city of Presa City approved the terms and the sale in the formal recorded and
published meeting so you know it may be hinting it may be getting there but it might make you feel more comfortable if it's specifically stated that you know the contract is contingent upon something you mentioned in likening it to a home deal contingent upon uh you
having terms in place for financing and and meeting the the financial obligations uh prior to approval and then that gives you that out you've talked about the committee Charlie whomever could go ahead and negotiate the best deal they think they can bring
it back to you you either approve it or you don't um and and at least to get you off square one I mean do you understand what I'm saying yes is there something you find objectable about that no I I
just want to um reaffirm that the the the sequence the timing of all this is it the will of the commission for the BRC to continue is it the will of the commission for the BRC to conclude and
that the commission itself move forward if it's the latter then I would want there to be some type of an agreement agreement for that that you all want me in in that role to to help you move forward and if you do I'm happy to help
if you don't then there could be a review of other professionals who would could help in that regard as well I'm not here to try to insert myself or I'm not welcome by any means but please know my willingness to help in and in any way
that we can and if if your decision is the former which is to have the BRC continue forward and let them be the the group that negotiates on your behalf then you know we can continue as we're
here tonight but I just hesitate to give official legal advice to the city commiss understand I think we need two separate things here and if we may need two separate things number one um we said a long time ago that the Blue
Ribbon commission was not necessarily going to negotiate for us they're supposed to be fact finding now sometimes there's fine line between fact finding and some kind of preliminary negotiation but we see them as fact finding and I think that they've been
extremely valuable to us they've been valuable to the school district if the Blue Ribbon committee had not done this work and it has been out hours and hours of professional work no one would know this information about the title issue
and we would be looking at this property being vacant in an illegal mess for Lord knows how many years so they they've done some very important work and it's benefiting both the school district and
us so to me their next job is for us because are we going to do this well I mean I'm saying we remember that we're the ones that have to answer to I know okay but for for SE no no no no we said
they would not nego but for fact finding we have not addressed the funding issue yet they've already just scratched the service and I think that it's in all of our best interests to let them go out there and look into the potential sources of funding I think that is the
best thing that they could do for us right now and by potential sources of funding I also mean Partners who can bring funding to the T now the issue of legal representation we only need if we want to enter into an agreement and I do
think um thank you Don for pointing out that things we would like to have in there are not there um I do see that there are some protective Provisions for the school property um in that agreement it seems to me like an
agreement is of some kind is needed um but I think we need to know more about the funding um and then I would agree with you I think that anyone who represents us should answer to us yes and I'm G put out one more
thing just to try to save time so this isn't a non-starter I've not looked at the title I have no ability to offer any opinion on the status of title and don't intend to but Mr nuo would some link to say and Mr Lorry that the title was basically
not marketable could it easily be made marketable the contract calls for the school district to convey marketable title and to buy title insurance policy assuring marketable title I don't know who represent the school board in this but if you tell me that the title can't
be made marketable but then tell me I got to give you marketable title I'm probably gonna have some pause that's why and all of this and and with murder you know I mean somebody's going to have to help in the school district and determine there's 30 year
there's a 30-year window there um what actually in their title in those titles um is going to fall off and what still holds so somebody's going to have to help them with that I just feel like we are we're putting the cart before the
horse and we still have work love to to be done and if we need to enter into that's what I'm recommending that if we have to enter into an agreement with the school district that um us all get our ducks in the row and and go forward from
there I think that that is that protects everyone I think that protects everyone and if it comes back that that we can't find funding and we have to um figure that out and it has to go to the people then we the commission will have to make
that determination that we take it to the people because they're going to be the ones that are going to have to shoulder the burden of of this and um so that's just that's my recommendation yes Don but the point remains I'm not going
to be able to advise you can't I know they're going to need if you if if um Mr Douglas is going to be able to provide services in that regard he's asked for you know delegation of that Authority and that would seem to be fair that if
he's going to be he's going to be providing advice to the committee and to you then yeah so we we really need unanimity to go before the school board on the concept of accepting the
property that's what we need plus the people to negotiate and the attorney did you well just that when we speak we need to speak to our mics but um I think from the sense of the
commission it seems to me is that we need to put the pedal to the metal to continue pursuing where funding would come from is that what I'm understanding from commissioner Mo for example and so
my recommendation would be I don't know when BRC concludes that I would like to see them continue that work because we don't have a great L on staff and we we need their help we need brc's help to
come up with potential funding and partners um and then we also we also need help if we want to enter into a preliminary memorandum of understanding with the school district obviously we need some legal
assistance and so at that point we would have to ask we would have to have a motion with for Mr Douglas and he would have to represent commit but now I would mean that Mr you
could not talk to the blue committee or um Can Can you provide expertise what commissioner yes as long as the the interests are Aline between City commission Blue Ribbon committee there
would not be a conflict there but if I can't imagine a scenario where the two would conflict committee is the city right yes I I know that the blue ring committee is the city but there's citizens that are that we've
appointed everything we do is for you the city and we and we understand that and we have we have been so grateful and and you know the the admiration and respect that that I have and that we all have for you and for all the members there but please
again when when when one of their rubber hits the road or whatever it's going to be it's going to be our phones that are going to be ringing it's going to be people knocking on our doors and we've got to be able to make sure that we've done um what the people asked us to do
and and so that's where we are so Commissioners um I would like to make a motion okay and do you know we do answers with people um people spoke pretty strongly tonight so I would like to move that we when does the BRC
conclude March 3D okay so they're not concluded right um I would like to move that we extend um the life of the blue ribon committee um for let's see March May
June um to the end of June and so that they can U specifically in addition to the other responsibilities as established they can specifically concentrate on funding and partners that
would make this effort fin second motion a second commission discussion so we're going to June you said well I would this is not easy to do
this is time consuming she's work she asked if it was June so April May well no that would be the end of July because they're extend them three months Beyond March 30th that would give till the end of July and
right and they have to meet in the sunshine they have to make phone calls they have to have meetings it's not something you do [Music] overnight um the only the only concern I have and
this has come up today and I think it's um is we are the commissioner yes and we're asking them to continue to do fact finding but we're not asking them to go out on our behalf and to
represent um their thoughts as our thoughts and you understand what I'm saying I mean I mean you have to be because entered into no I'm talking to you I'm just saying that you know they've already gone and they've met
with the district um and talk to the district they've already got a did you not when you went and talked to the district you didn't talk about negotiations and what they Neti they talked about we were talked about information exchange and possibilities
but that's not negoti Mr Bing let Mr bowling speak yes sir sure I'm here to answer any questions that you have I just heard you I just saw you nod well I know I mean I I've heard a
lot about communication with the district um and the superintendent and myself did meet with commissioner Lori Mr newo um and before I say anything else and and respect has been given where it's due all night so I want to
make sure I do the same um I have a great deal of respect for both gentlemen um as as much as everybody on this commission and everybody else in this room um I fully understand the magnitude of speaking to you tonight about your
community I'm going to say that again it's your community that's your school this is your town these are your taxes um this is your community um and I have some I mean I have lots to say I have
lots of opinions but they're mine okay and and you know my job is what my job is I'm associate uh associate superintendent for support services for the district um which puts me in an opportunity to be in
rooms talking about these type things but make no mistake about it it's not my property and it's not my decision it's a board decision now when we enter those type conversations my personal mission
is to outside of do the best I can number one for the school district and for the students and families of puton County Schools um and to represent the best interest of the board um but but to do my best for students
and communities um but I'm doing all those things to make the best recommendation I can to my superintendent so he can then in turn make a recommendation to the board um so you know if you ask me about my opinions on all these things yes I
have opinions um I think that it's dangerous to leave a school building unattended and just dormant with nothing else support um you know I I I think students deserve brand new schools the worst part
about that is what do you do with the old school when you build a new school um and and you know a good example was pointed out with Central Academy um it's funny thing the school district does not own Central Academy the city of faka
does so it's a big responsibility when you take over those buildings um we did have it at a time and it was the bus dep when it went out of service you know as a school so I don't say all of that to make a point I just um need everyone to
understand that it is a board decision we will take the information that we gather to the board we have a a placeholder um next Tuesday for a workshop but we haven't scheduled a workshop yet so I'm here tonight just to
find out exactly what we need to uh number one go back and talk about as an executive team uh and and then you know maybe have a workshop and and deliver a recommendation to the board our board hadn't heard any of this yet not formally they probably heard bits and
pieces from community members but um they they haven't heard anything formally um so you know I I would ask that you give me some clear Direction here tonight to take back to my board um
number one to my boss my superintendent and then we can again talk as an executive committee and develop a recommendation for the board we let me step back and say it like this I very much want want something
meaningful to happen to Miller Middle School um I I I don't see any good that comes from the roof caving in on on that magnificent facility um it's right in in
downtown Crescent City and again this is your community um and anything we can do to you know help work all of this out and and we we we don't have unlimited funds I mean we can't continue to take care of buildings
that don't house students we're not in the real estate business um we have you know no personal stake in hanging on to it um but with that said it's simply not my bill
so I mean thank you please give us some directions so I can take back at least if we're having a workshop come j thank you you're welcome so right now we have um on the table that you've asked for the blue ribb committee to extend
through the end of June is that correcte I think till July 30th July what you said July July 30th but that would give them an additional three months and for the purpose of fact finding on funding putting together a a
financial plan yes a financial plan that would be it and obviously they can't represent us but because we have agreed but they do need to talk to people and they can talk to people I just don't want them I think that's a good point and just say that it's okay not to use
the full three months they come up with something good well you know they're kind of like condens Serv right now I you know any other discussion mieo hi commissioner Lori hi
commissioner Moore hi commissioner Burton hi mayor Myers I okay so moved um and approved and so now we've got to figure out as far as um who's going to
represent us and Mr Douglas um you said that you were doing this pro bono for the blue Ren committee um is what are you what are you wanting to
what are you willing to do for the city for the city I mean is that something that you want to carry forward with us my fee is we have to know that too my scope of services was very narrowly focused on a purchase and sale agreement
okay just trying to get the ball roll and all that I was agreeable to donating a bucket of hours and you at some point you have to not knowing the future may hold it
right there some reasonable time frame where if I have to involve additional staff to support the services then those kind of considerations come so do we want
um we've got a meeting coming up on May 13th um it sounds to me like you might need to talk to our city manager um I mean commissioner what do you think I Mr Bing would like some
direction and I think if we could um give him some direction but also there looks sounds to me like we're going to have to have um work out some terms of the contract um mayor well to both of those
things I think are very important and I guess um it sounds like you're suggesting that um we could potentially discuss a contract with attorney doulas on the 13th I I think that makes sense I am before
Mr Bing drives back to pla um I am really interested in knowing whether he thinks and what commissioner Lori thinks um whether it would be productive um for that Workshop time to take place
on March 4th which I believe is next Tuesday um I haven't been in any meetings with District staff so I don't know how you would feel about that is it the right time for District staff to present something to the school district
to be an open meeting and and let something be presented um is that I'm wondering is that what he means by Direction they're gonna have to get Council too we're GNA have secure counil represent them I mean a workshop
he's saying it's a workshop talk about that too as far as Workshop this this would be he said they've not been formally briefed so I guess that would be an opportunity to brief them on what is coming forward
right and I guess what I mean by that is are you ready um to let the Blue Ribbon committee to present to our board I don't have anything formal to present to them I don't want to regurgitate someone else's ideas um I mean it's it's really
a matter of this commission giving the Blue Ribbon committee uh I guess the authority to present to our board mayor um do you feel they're the right persons to present or should it be
our attorney or should it be on our we need [Music] [Music] it was it was our plan for Charlie Douglas to make the presentation to the school
board um okay let me hasten to add that you it's the will of the commission if you have a direction that you would like to go we're we're not here to be an abent to that of course okay so it just it seem it seems
to me and I think this is the sense of the commission um that we we've been brought up to speed we've gotten a lot of new information but it's my understanding that the the mayor and commissioner Burton are not
comfortable with the blue ribbon commission presenting something to the school board at this point because we don't have a contract that we feel is I don't feel that way at all no okay well the presentation that they made tonight is very good okay want to
present a contract that's what I'm saying yeah the plan that was planned because the contract is not final and we have not approved a memor contract and that that is a step that needs I think that if
that I mean in in my opinion if they wanted to go um they would have to advertise that would have to be make sure that we've done that correctly they're all going to be there very important that is done correctly and that if they present on our behalf
that right now we are contemplating um entering into either understanding or a contract um to to explore the options of that school I I think I mean I'm
comfortable with that this this Workshop is informational for this right as long as it's as long as as as no no decisions will be made there well I know that but I just want them to understand we haven't agreed to the you
we haven't agreed to the contract we're still going to have to work on securing Council um and we need to do the same and you need to do the same so I would ask that we have more than a week okay
to do that um would you do you do you want to extend that time for your Workshop or do you want to hold the workshop next week I don't that's what I'm saying I'd like to have time to go back and um for us to have representation work I think that's
I think on both sides that's that's the responsible thing to do you saying might not be on the court no sir I'm asking that it not be so we can get representation because we both depend on Mr holes and they're going to have
questions just like we had and they're going to have questions that they're going to have to ask you know based on this so In fairness to them yeah that makes sense to me so right now where we are is on the 13th um
between now and the 13th Mr Douglas if you would um meet with Mr bhart and and you know come up with a contractual agreement um in terms um is that correct
motion for that I get a motion for that March 13th Yeah March 13th regular that's our regular meeting y'all can do that can't you in that amount of time okay so may you want a motion okay so I hope I say this
correctly because I'm kind of hungry so I would move that we authorize Mr realart to um work with Mr Douglas uh to come up with a contract for representation um of the city commission
with respect to the matter of acquisition of the middle middle school property from the Pam County School District and bring that back to us for the meeting on thurs 1 February I'm sorry March yes yes 13th of
March I apologize have a motion second commission we have any further discussion um clerk if you do a roll call for us please commissioner hi commissioner l i
commissioner Moore I commissioner hon hi May Myers hi thank you I think right now that that's where we are and then mras can also come back and and determine what's the best course of action for us if it's
an of you if it's a contract um you know absolutely look for thank you and again thank you everyone in our Blue Ribbon committee um's done a stellar job and we greatly appreciate on behalf of the citizens and and the city thank you for
all that you've done excellent presentation now I want to thank the commission I know all of you well and I know your heart is for the city you don't have personal J this and that that
is what I call a Great Commission and we thank you um I do not I to I move that we the special meeting City commission second all in fav please say thank you all