fire. It's non assessment. We can say what we want. City council meeting to order. Today is Monday, May the 11th, 2026. Join me as we stand for the invocation and the pledge of allegiance. Heavenly Father, we thank you. We love
you, Lord God. We thank you for your love toward us, toward this city, toward this community. Father, give us wisdom, Lord. Uh, and as we make decisions to help to lead and guide the the growth and the protection and all that needs to take place here in this city. We're
thankful, Lord, for our staff and all the first responders and God, all those that make this such an awesome city. So, Father, we just ask your blessing on tonight's meeting and we h give it in your hands in Jesus name we pray. Amen. >> Amen.
>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> That's good to be back. I thought I was
taking my last breath here a week or two ago. Not really, but it it was kind of nasty. >> I thank Amy for covering for me and I'll kept the wheels rolling. All right, we will start with a uh we
got two proclamations. I want to do one. I'm just going to read the one that I've already presented to the uh the National Day of Prayer Committee. We've already done this and so I just want to read it for the record and then we'll move to the second one. Whereas uh annually the
president of the United States issues a proclamation designating the first Thursday of May as national day of prayer and whereas our spiritual lives profound connection with God and form how each one of us approaches our relationship with one another and with the world we live in. Whereas we are all
called upon to love one another and to build on one another to realize the gifts and talents that each of us have been given. And whereas it is my prayer that each one of us reflects upon our place in the world and our relationship to one another that we center ourselves
on genuine love for one another that we actively seek and bring forth truth peace in ourselves and one another and that we turn our hearts away from division and toward unity of the spirit. And whereas it is my prayer that each of us activates love, kindness, justice, humility in all that we do, and that we
seek truth and reconciliation with one another, and that we work to reform those aspects of lives that harm others and limit others from fulfilling their calling to realize the gifts that they they were also given. As for I Bob Campbell by I Bob Ke mayor of the city
of Phoenix Springs Florida do hereby and encourage residents employers in Phoenix Springs to join me on May 7th 126 and observing the national day of prayer. Thank you. We were we did have to move it into the Methodist church due to rain
but it was full house seemed to be very successful. So that went real well. All right. Secondly here I want to read this and then we want to present this act proclamation to our new clerk. All right. Whereas the office of municipal clerk is one of the oldest
positions in the local government serving as a cornerstone of democracy by ensuring transparency accountability and accessibility in municipal operations. And whereas the municipal clerk provides a professional link between the citizens and their government, providing ex
sectional service while upholding the highest standards of inter integrity. And whereas the municipal clerk have pledged to be ever mindful of their neutrality and impartiality, rendering equal service to all. And whereas the municipal clerk plays a vital role in
fostering civic engagement, maintaining accurate records, and supporting the city council and res residents with dedication and professionalism. And whereas municipal clerk continually strive to improve the administration of the affairs of the office of the municipal clerk through participation
educational program, seminars, workshops, annual meetings, and their state and province and county and international professional organizations. And whereas is most appropriate that we recognize the accomplish of the municipal clerk whose expertise and commitments enhance the
quality of life for all residents. Now therefore I count by mayor of city green do hereby and proclaim May 3rd through 9 2026 municipal clerk's week. And so we would like to present this to our new clerk. And if the council will gather
we'll take a photo of that. Make sure I don't have this upside down. Right. >> All right. Thank you. >> Sorry I didn't have you a holder for that, but uh >> I usually get our clerk to do that for
me. We ready? >> Mayor, if we can have one more presentation if that's all right. >> Can we have one more presentation? >> Uh, fire chief, if if Chief Sheffield will come up here, you can give a update on the burn ban.
>> All right. Okay. Awesome. >> I thought you were pulling one on me in there. I'll do that next time. >> Good afternoon, council. >> So, late uh February, uh the fire council, which consists of all the fire chiefs in
Walton County, a emergency management director and also um our forestry department, uh been watching the weather and looking at how bad the drought was uh in our area and it continued to get worse and worse, especially in
midappril. So, we all decided together that it would be time to go ahead and start initiating the process of implementing a fire burn. Um, we did that and went through the process, got approval from the sheriff and also the county commissioners. So, we put it in place on April the 20th. Uh, since April
the 20th to today, the city has had four fires, vegetation fires inside the city limits. Um, as the weather got better, especially last late last week and into the weekend, Friday, we said we'll wait until Monday to make a decision on if
we're going to lift it or not. So, we did get enough rain. We lift it uh this morning, and right now the we don't have a fire band, but we still watching everything to make sure that uh we can get more rain. We ask everybody that's going to burn, please be cautious. any
clarity to anybody that may want to burn what they should do? >> If anybody wants to burn, we ask you have a water supply and some tools so you can make sure you can extinguish it. Don't walk away from the fire. Stay with your fire at all times. If you see it's getting out of hand, please dial 911 early.
>> Thank you, Chief. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Okay. Okay. This time we will move to the consent agenda and we would entertain a motion to approve as written or if you have anything need pulled off please let us know at this time.
>> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All right. I have a motion to second >> and I have a request to remove. >> All right. >> Items D and E. >> Okay. All right. D1 E1. Right. >> Yes. >> D1 E1.
All right. uh we can mayor if everybody's comfortable we'll just make those 4 C uh 10 and 11. So 3D1 will become 4 C 10 and then 3 E1
would become 4 C11. >> Motion to approve with those modifications. >> Second motion and second. Any other question? All in favor say I. I >> I >> I
>> I >> I motion carries. >> All right. Um Okay. With the regular agenda. Uh we're looking for a motion to approve with additions. Or are there any other additions?
>> There is none. Mayor motion to approve with the additions. >> Second. >> Motion. Second. Leave off the other day. >> Dan again. Dan. >> Yes, sir. Your turn. >> Yes sir. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> I
>> I >> I carried. Thank you very much. >> Okay. We are Okay. Ready to give it to Kobe 4C1. Is that correct? >> Yes sir. Uh council, our next council meeting is scheduled for May 25th, which
is Memorial Day. Uh the city's closed for the federal holiday and so looking for direction on our next meeting. Um if if the council wants to reschedule, we can do that. Uh staff's prepared to cancel that meeting. That's why we have a pretty long list here. Uh and prepared to take anything uh we need to the first
meeting in June. As always, if we do cancel, if special meeting needs to occur, then I would reach out uh to do that. But our recommendation is to cancel it unless council wishes to reschedule. >> Motion to cancel the May 25th meeting. >> Second. >> I have a motion. Second question
one. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Eyes carried. Thank you very much. W go to 42. >> Thank you mayor. If we could Mr. Wallace who can come up and present on this item. >> All right. Good evening council.
>> Mr. Wallace. This is 2023 SD-04s to Bay Springs Town Homes that have been under construction uh just behind Zachby's off of Bill Hallway Road. Um they are developing 112 lots consisting of town homes. There will be
eight eight town homes per building um for a total of 112. What they are asking tonight is acceptance of the water and sewer utilities. the city would be taking responsibility for those. The HOA would maintain
responsibility of the roadway and the storm water systems. Um, part of their reasoning for maintaining control of that roadway is because they're going to get a heavy volume of traffic between where Chick-fil-A is and where Zach is. We've already seen it occurring. Um,
we've seen damage occur because of that traffic that's going through there. So, this will give the HOA better ability to maintain their roadway in a way that they would like to um rather than have the city dictate traffic flows through
that neighborhood. Um so, what I would like to see is a motion to approve the acceptance of the water and sewer infrastructure within the subdivision. >> So, moved. Second. >> All right. Motion second. Questions?
Anyone? >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Eyes. Carry. Thank you very much, Chris. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks, sir. >> Chris, mayor, I think your mic is off. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> How about that?
>> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Uh 4C4 4C3, the historic district design standards guidelines. So, council, we brought this last time. Y'all asked us to identify and remove references to you know shall must things
that uh would then constitute a requirement of someone looking to do something historic district. So Mr. Wallace I work with him Mr. Walls with went through here looked at all those uh references of Shallon must um you will see strike and underline the ones that we felt could be changed need to be
changed and then there are still some references in here to Shaon Must. Uh most of those from a must perspective it refers to our LDC which is still true today. You still have to follow the land development code. Uh the other reference to shall kind of fall most of those will
probably remain to fall on page eight but page 16 of the document in reference to um tax credits federal tax credits. We can't dictate the historic rehabilitation tax credit. So those that language stayed that's federal mandate not ours. So um again anything you see
change is underlined strike through and highlighted. So just look and see what the council wishes to do with the document with those changes. >> Sir, you looking for um just staff direction on what to do with the document? >> Well, I think at the last meeting the council wanted us to make the changes, bring it back. Uh I think you know
staff's looked at this from our last conversation with the council was looking at this more of a guideline rather than a requirement. Um and so that's ultimately what we're here to do is to get it approved as a guideline that Mr. Wallace can provide applicants or someone looking to do something district um and it is a guideline for them to review and say this these are
some of the applicable things that our code allows. >> Motion to approve >> as a guideline. >> A second. All right. Have a motion and a second. Questions comments? >> I just have a comment. >> Go ahead. Um, I just wanted to I'm not
quite sure why we're would add it as a guideline to me. I'm not sure that it just doesn't add more confusion and another layer out there. It's it's fine um uh for people if if we wanted to put it on our website. I just don't think we
should adopt it either way one way or the other. So, I just don't see the value. I see more of confusion uh brought with it. Um, so I I I don't I don't want to see us adopt it either way.
>> Go ahead, >> Mr. Mayor. I I can understand why the council woman's feels the way she does, but the CRA put forth some some time, money, and effort on this a while back. At the very least, um it it goes down that it's not an actual waste of money
at this point, but rather to show a finished product to provide to people if they wanted to say what what would I be looking for? What what could I do that would kind of conform to the rest of what's what's around me? But the biggest thing is just not to waste the time, the
money, or the effort with it. >> Sure. Go ahead, Dan. I think it's a good document. I don't think it's a waste of time and money. >> I don't think it needs to be an ordinance or an official uh adoption. Uh
we started off saying that this was a document of some good suggestions and those suggestions are there. They're they can be public for everybody to see and go by them if they wish. If they
don't, they're not mandated to do so. So based on that, I don't see why it needs to be an official document. It's a good suggestion and it's headed in the right direction, but we don't need to mandate it as being a document, an official document.
>> And that's not the motion, correct? >> No, it's not. It's just to publish it. So it's giving him he's looking for more than just staff direction at this point. he's looking for. Do you approve of us being able to to publish this on the website? So, realistically, that's all my motion's got.
>> The actual motion would be to adopt this document as the suggested guidelines to which planning is authorized to publish and hand out, but to not mandate their use. >> So, B, so what I hear everyone saying then this is just a resource that we're
going to offer to the public. We're not adopting anything. Correct. And I would be okay with that. Thank you. >> And I and the reason that I asked last time and I'll say again today um to put a little finer point on why I'm asking the council to officially make this decision is
six, seven years from now, whether it's Mr. Wallace or another planner hands this document out, somebody comes in says, "Well, I did all this and my neighbor didn't do it." And comes for the council. Why didn't my neighbor have to do it? Well, those aren't guidelines. a wider plan or
handed out to us. Well, it's a suggestion. Well, where is that? And then nobody up in here at this DAS is sitting here and they go back through the minutes. Well, y'all talked about it, but you never adopted. So, what gave that person the authority to do it? By us memorializing that we are
not making this a mandate, but we are giving staff the ability to hand it out just as a suggestion. It is never going to be unclear in the future what this is versus what it is not. That's why I'm looking for something that the clerk can memorialize. It can be text searched in
minutes. I think we've all looked back 20, 30 years ago and it's just not quite there. The minutes and then we go to scratching our heads about what they did. This resolves that. We've spent way too much time on this document that if it just is out there and by the way, it's a public record right now. Somebody
requests what are the historic district guidelines or if you were to say defunct springs historic district design standards. If somebody sends our clerk that request, she gets that. She has to send that document out. She's not going to send that document out with any kind of
clarification of this wasn't adopted necessarily. If they just said just send me the document. So this document exists. We just need something in our official records to say what it means to the city since we created it. That's all. But I completely agree that this
should not be adopted as a mandate at this point in time. Mayor. Yes, sir. I'm sorry. >> So, we had had a conversation about incentivizing people following these guidelines. So, is that going to be a future part of the conversation? Because
if we if we don't adopt it, the next best thing we can do, there's no point in having them if they're not going to accomplish preserving our historic structures in in the town. So, if if we're willing to have that conversation about, you know,
incentivizing people to keep their house up, following those guidelines as best as they best they can, and we'll get years into the future with these buildings still standing and still having that historic uh beauty that we just put into our city
slogan. Uh so, you know, if if we're going to have that as part of the conversation and we can see our way to uh find ways to incentivize people to do that, then we're accomplishing something which I think was the intent of these things in the first place. So, I'm I'm
willing to do that. If we're not willing to consider um incentivizing it, I will consider withdrawing my second. >> Okay. Yes, sir. Well, let let me comment. You kind of appeared to me like
this was a a instrument of being able for somebody to sort of streamline their project if they weren't going to be contentious or going into something a little bit off the beaten path. In other words, when they see these guidelines, we can rock and roll. Don't have to come
in here and pick through every little ordinance. But I think with it with this thing here, it's it's not going to be real deep. I don't think it's going to be the general um what we kind of expectations of the historic district, but that's the way I
see it. And and if they don't want to if they do want to go beyond that, then they'll have to come in and and request it if it's beyond those guidelines. But I think this was something that they could follow this and not have to involve the council or dig down deep into planning or anything of that nature
because it's it's kind of a a lightweight uh it's not an ordinance, not a code. But if you stay in these lanes, you can sail right on through. But if you go outside these lanes, you're probably going to have to come in. We're going to
have to ch it may be challenged. Go ahead. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. U I I agree with Councilman Harrison's thought process there. Um I do want to draw attention to page uh seven of the document, six and seven, but in particular seven. Um
Jesse, do you mind scrolling down to to page seven on the document for me? It's uh section three, 1.3. There we go. So, right there, number uh D, uh the CRA has these assistance programs and they're they're listed
here. I believe that we're in the process of of going through and and revising some of them. >> So, I would encourage my fellow council members that when we act as a CRA board that we follow through on these because these will be in the guidelines. And I again I
I agree with Councilman Harrison that we we need to incentivize people to do the right thing. It's much easier to incentivize them to do the right thing than to write a bunch of rules telling them, "No, this is what you can't do." So, I want to see us follow through and improve these, strengthen these these
grant programs that are listed under the CRA, but I also want to call attention to see, if you'll scroll up a little bit for me, Jesse, uh, we list the Main Street program. So, I want to see continued support for our main street program because that also brings about additional tax benefits and credits that
people can apply for when it comes to historic preservation. So, I agree. We we need these. I like the idea of the this document being one central place where people can go and get information. A lot of this information that's here, I
actually had to go out and study and learn on my own separately. And so it's nice to see it one cohesive document that can be referenced and handed out to people. So I see a lot of benefit in it, but I I agree with Councilman Harrison. We need to strengthen the incentives to do the right thing and to preserve our
our heritage and history. >> Mayor, if I could go >> ahead. >> And and I think we all agree trying to make this an ordinance and and trying to enforce these things and require people to do them would be an absolute nightmare. uh we don't have the staff uh
to to do that certainly but incentivizing and and possibly CR that that's a good good suggestion um there but thank you. >> Okay. So have you withdrawn your second? >> No. >> Okay. All right. All right. Any comments
from the public? >> Yes, ma'am. >> U Melinda Henderson, resident in the historic district. The guidelines are important. At this point, I think they need only to be at the policy level for Mr. Wallace. And as he uses them with
the public, he's going to come up with suggestions to change them. That would be almost impossible if they were at the ordinance level. But over time, uh, he can perfect those because he can see where the rubs come and what needs to be
in there. But it will give him a place to start which he requested. >> Yeah. Thank you. Anyone else? >> All in favor say I. >> Mayor. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Um, so
if we pass this, will will we have to vote on any changes that makes this more stringent than a suggestion? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> No. >> Yeah. This is not an ordinance. It is not a resolution. It is not binding. In
fact, the motion says it does not. >> Okay. >> Are you good? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Eyes. Carrie. Thank you very much. All right. We'll go to 4C4. >> Thank you, mayor. Uh, council. You know,
we budgeted this year to have a street pavement evaluation conducted and then for our our engineer three notch group to put together an action plan for the city. And so I'll let uh I'll let Mr. TJ, his last name is escaping me at the moment. So if he come up and uh present
it to us, we can go from there. >> Yeah. So excuse me, fix this right. TJ Kelly with Three Notch Group and here with Chase Gunner, Three Notch Group as well. Yeah. So uh you know, one of the things that Kobe wanted us to do was a pavement evaluation throughout the city. I think 83 center line miles. And so
we're able to do that and came up with a report and uh kind of had a little back and forth with Kobe about what we really wanted to show. And so what the data shows uh you know that's why we came up with a five-year plan action plan. So in those five years and you'll see we got some maps saying because of the PCI
which is the pavement condition index. This a scoring based on uh the roads, every single road was driven and uh I guess analyze using not just AI but also a real person behind the scenes looking at it. So every mile was given a PCI or
score and then based on those scores from top to bottom that's how we came up with okay these are your priorities based on data. Now you know that data that priority may be different for different reasons for you as the council but just based on the data okay this is what we see as the most important uh
streets to be resurfaced or you know rebuilt or whatever. So that's what kind of what we have that's a a fast thing but in the you'll see in there um we didn't really have a set I know that Kobe kind of wanted to use this for I guess budgeting purposes in the future.
Um, so really I guess that you know what this shows is just those different streets for what we think is an action plan for 2027 and then 2028 and all and so forth. So a five-year plan. So does that uh fair enough Kobe? >> Yeah, we can. So if you'll stay there.
So um we we started out when TJ and his team put it together took the results. As part of this process, we also received uh mapping data for sidewalks, um storm drains and curbing uh city striping of streets. We have all that as well. Um and so the goal of all this was
to understand, you know, where are our most important areas that need attention? Um and then how do we tackle that? How do we bite that off every year moving forward? And so started out as a three-year plan. It didn't take very long to look at that and to tell that was a little too much at one time to to bite off. And so we put it into a five-year um you will see in the action
plans and we can we'll show one now. So Jesse, if you'll go to page 24 of the PDF or yeah of your PDF um you'll see the first year and 27 and every year has a map. It's got the roads highlighted, tells you what the roads are. And then the next page on 25, it takes those and
it puts it on a on a table. um what they are from where one end to the other what their PCI was based on the data um how long the road is estimated cost recommended action based off of the the overlook and the delivery method so the
estimated cost we also then ask TJ them to include okay we're talking about it we want to see the full picture what are we really dealing with if we were to go all out and have to contract it out every bit of it and so that cost is showing you design core of the road um CI of the project and actual
construction of it. And that's I think that's three notches recommendation is every road we do you need to core it first. You need to make sure there's actually a base there that's worth milling over or you need to replace the base. So um that's how we got here. Um you know another thing staff we're working on also implemented part of this
is a form that every year we before we go into budget public it'll generate in public works Mr. Anderson will take that form and he will put the project on there. He'll identify things that public works knows needs to be done or added street lights, um signage, does this street have sidewalks? Does it need
sidewalks? Is it a gap? And then that form will be given out to police, fire, utilities, and community development to understand what else is occurring around the street. Do we have a speeding issue? Do we have do we have a lack of fire hydrants? Do we need to upgrade the water line? Um is there development coming that's going to impact this? And should we delay this until that's done
or is that impact going to require turn lines XYZ? Um, and so that'll happen every year as we go forward before we come into budget. But ultimately, like we talked about this whole the whole reason for this is we can't fix a problem if we don't know what the problems are. So that's why we did this. Um, I think it's a very good plan. And
so also we're asking the council to do is to adopt this and then we will through the budget cycle. We will figure out determine you what can we do? What should is there something delay for some reason unknown to us at this moment? Um, and then the next step after that we've all talked about is for us to go engage the county to speak with the county on
their ability to assist us in these projects from a paving perspective. Um, and then you we work from there. >> Okay. >> Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. >> Um, can I ask can we have someone in the audience that's on Twin Lakes Drive and I see that on this page that's on the
Would you please tell us what the average PCI means? It's 64.3 on this page. Yeah, I'll let Jason speak on that. >> Okay, thank you. >> Hey, so basically um when it drops that low, it's it uh requires a little bit
more extensive patching um some localized areas of base rehabilitation and um and stuff to that effect. Um if it stays in the around in the yellow, it's not as extensive as as that. So >> say that again, please. What the yellow? >> It's higher like in the 70s and the
yellow and stuff. Um it's it's pretty much just localized patching and resurfacing. Um it drops that low, you have areas of base failure where you need to have some reconstruction of the base and some some stretches of >> Okay. So the orange is more higher priority or more labor intensive than
the yellows. Okay. >> The roads in roads in worse shape. Yes, ma'am. >> Hey, Jesse, will you go to page uh 11 of the PDF? >> Thank you. 11. Yeah. So, this is explaining the the PCI and how the values work and what they mean. So, as you scroll down, you'll see
the different uh categories and it kind of better explain what they are. >> In that red, which is lost, that's where you have complete base failure. The red portion you saw in that in >> how many of our streets did you find that were in the red? Well, the red was
more it wasn't it was more localized areas. So, it wasn't like extensive from point A to point B a whole mile. It was really and the data we can pull those out for each one of these we have. We actually put that in the cost estimate. So, we know that uh for any road that
had a loss section usually 20 10 to 20 foot in length on a roadway where it was you could you know the base was actually gone. Uh we actually put that in the estimate for each of these action on the action plan. So it wasn't a long stream of areas. In fact, overall, I mean, it's
I think it was 80. What was the average 83 maybe? >> 83. >> Yeah, 83 overall as a city. So the streets aren't in horrible shape. There's just, you know, just areas that from maintenance reasons that, you know, that's after time, the more traffic on it, the worse it'll get. So
>> let's see, uh, for an example. So attached to this packet is also this is a broken up section, but there's a big map that shows kind of the the route that the vehicle took and what it all looks like. So um Jesse, take us to page uh 43 on the
PDIA. So this is Twin Lakes Drive and and you see the other Lake View and things Sydney sections of it, but you'll see along Twin Lakes Drive, most of it is yellow and orange and then you have one section of red or two sections of red looks like uh near Harison Drive. So
that's what I think TJ's referring to. There are localized areas that add up to the one mile that has been lost. >> What's the star? What is the star right below that harvest? >> Uh go to go to page 40. >> Poles.
>> So this this will show that and scroll down to the bottom. >> Potholes. >> Yeah, they'll have and it tells you so extent the extent of the pothole as well. So, one is a major pothole, meaning it's probably penetrate the base and it's a it's a big problem.
>> Yeah. And the potholes is good. I mean, you know, as a city, you can go in and now, you know, most of the time you get calls about, okay, there's a pothole over here, here, now this should have picked up every pothole and the city can go off say, okay, we've done that pothole, done that pole. Kind of a checklist. So, easy to for maintenance
reasons. Really good. Now, if you cord a particular road with the heavy UPS and the FedEx and if they're coming like all day long, >> are we putting down when we're doing the potholes, are we only just filling in if
it was only, you know, the asphalt was only this thick and to begin with. It's and should have been maybe a deeper core. >> Yeah. Potholes like if you're if you're attacking the potholes as a city, that's something that you know you guys on maintenance will do individually. But if it's part of an in action plan, so on
this those two potholes on uh Twin Lakes, we're going to address those in the design in the actual reconstruction of the project. So it won't it won't be just filling in I mean we'll be some some definitely uh some mitigation there to make it work in the future. So does
that make sense? Kind of two different >> Yeah. And and Twin Lakes uh Twin Lakes Drive might have not have been a good example. I just wanted the audience members that were from that street to understand what was going on there. But >> right, >> uh potholes in general, I'm just
curious, >> right? >> Uh >> yeah, if it's in the action plan or if if those potholes fall in one of our I guess I guess our recommendation for an action plan. Yeah. It'll be addressed during the design whenever y'all as a city want to, you know, do that street,
whichever street that is. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Okay. So, what were you needing? >> Uh, I think we're I mean we're looking for adoption of the uh five-year action plan. Okay. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion second. Any
other questions or comments? Any from the public? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Eyes carry. Thank you guys. Now done a great job. >> Yeah. Yeah.
All right, Kobe, we will go to 4C5. >> Thank you, mayor. Uh council, um our wastewater permit is coming up for renewal May 15th of 2027. Uh we we have to have the renewal submitted to D changes. You know, D is probably going
to have comments that has to be corrected, but we have to have it submitted 180 days prior to uh expiration. And so, um Randall's been working with Kyle Jacobs for this to renew our permit. The permits renew every 10 years. So, our last renewal is
in 2017. Um, and I spoke with I called Freeport. You know, Freeport manages operates their own plants. Uh, I spoke to the operator down there and they also have a third party perform their permit renewals. Major reason is because it requires an engineer to sign and seal that permit renewal with the state. And
so, obviously, we do not have that on staff. Um, nor do we have staff that operate the plant. Um, and then looking at the proposal given to us, the number of hours it's going to take for the permit renewal, we currently don't have a staff member, even if they did know how to do it, that has that amount of time on hand to do it. So, we're asking
that the council approved this out of scope task order uh to Jacobs in the amount of 27,36 and we would take this out of 25% capacity fees of the sewer budget. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> Motion second. Questions, uh, comments?
>> I just have a few comments. Mhm. >> Um, I actually was talking with Kobe about this because I was curious how much did we pay in 2017 and who did it in 2017. Did we ever discover the answers? >> Jacobs. Jacobs did it in 2017. The cost of that I don't know assuming that they
even charged. I I think we operate a little different back in 2017. Um, it's not free now. Let me just put it that way. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any comments from the public? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I.
>> I. >> I. >> All right. Eyes carry. Thank you very much. Kobe. We'll go to five C6. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, Florence, it's the discussion direction on Florence Park fence and the parking lot. So, we can take these as two separate uh things if
that's okay. The first one is the fence uh staff. You know, we brought to the council a few weeks back. Um, three quotes on the fence. Those quotes are still good today. Um, the council asked about warranties, so we reached out. uh one one individual has a his own warranty and then the two other quotes
use the same material manufacturer so they have the same warranty which is attached here end um and so again the council allocated $30,000 to it and so we're just looking for the council to approve uh one of these quotes uh for us to uh get the fence and get it installed. So our recommendation is
approval of the quote from Howie's Welding in the amount of $30,000. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. All right, we have a motion. Second question, comment. >> And that motion is for staff's recommendation. >> Yes, Dan. >> You just answered my question.
>> Anyone else? Public. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Eyes carry. Thank you very much. >> And then if we could take the second part of this, mayor. Yeah. Council staff. Uh, after reviewing this and
speak with Mr. Anderson, uh, Jesse. Yeah, there it is. You'll see uh the blue is the fence layout. Um the the parking lot that's currently there along Clay Street. Um you'll see the red staff. We would like to extend the parking lot uh south there by one more
lot and one space and then run along Clay Street to put in uh approximately three to four two to three um parallel parking spaces. To do that there is a tree that would have to be removed. I've drove by the tree. Is a tree alive? Yes, the tree is pretty scraggly because it
is in sand is that area does not grow grass and doesn't get a lot of sunshine because of the trees and so effectively we would like to remove the tree and then pave down clay to put in those parallel parking. Uh speaking of Mr. Anderson uh from his mapping it out and doing the math roughly about $3,000 in
asphalt cost for us to do that and we do have that in our streets and stormwater budget. >> So it's up to the council if you would like us to do that or not. Motion to approve the uh parking lot extension. >> Second. >> Kobe, just curious where you cut the red
off just beyond the fence line. Why not come clear down to that building? Is ours, isn't it? The >> It is. Um we do. >> Why not come clear down to that building? >> It's uh I mean it's up to y'all. We could do that. Um we do have a parking lot there on Elisaur um there as well
for the people who use mostly for the hut for the boys and girls scout there on the corner of Elisaur and 11th. Um I think the most reason was we were trying to kind of stick with the fence keep keep it beside the fence rather out in the open. Um, but if if council wants to
extend it, we can do that. But that is that's that's kind of our thought process was to stay as close as possible to the >> what what do you what are you thinking the parking quantity or the the maximum with that improvement? >> Probably looking at the you get one there to the south of the existing lot.
Um, and then from the distance he's showing at least three. Probably you could possibly get four. >> All right. But I'm talking about total of the whole place. So between that addition of five and then your existing uh parks roughly five now. So uh 10
total with two of those at a minimum right now being ADA. >> Okay. And reason I'm going to even mention this uh is that you know if you have a real small park you don't want to have a real big parking lot. >> Correct. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So that's my thoughts on it. Yeah. The only thing the reason the main reason is right now there there are times you'll go out there and you'll see parking under the trees all the way close down to the city building. You'll see some there and toward the corner of clay and 11th. Um so you'll see a lot of those parking spaces will fill up. So
they will go through there. So >> just trying to put them on a designated surface rather than on grass and dirt. >> But again, if that council doesn't want to do it at all, then we'll go out there and we'll start we'll find a way to deter them from happening. >> Did you give a motion on that either?
Okay. Any other questions, comments? Any comments from the public? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Carrie. Thank you very much. All right. Now, we'll go to 4C
7. >> Thank you, mayor. Give me uh one second. I uh uh Gary was something. Um I'm going to call him in if that's okay. I apologize. Council Berbomb and I talked about this having I didn't know how long it was going to be before we
got to that point, so I wasn't real sure. >> Dial him up right here. >> Yes, sir. Give me one second. >> Is it because he's going to update us on something? >> He is. >> Can we chat before we call him? >> Sure, we can. That's Yeah, if they want to.
Yeah, >> because I' I've lost confidence in their ability to fulfill our needs and I was actually, you know, want to discuss maybe get terminating our contract with them. Um, thinking to myself, you know, Northwest
Florida's looking for a CFO. Did Kobe, were you able to find out how many applicants they received? >> Again, like we talked about, I have not reached out yet. I was waiting for them to finish their process before we reach them about their >> You know, we're looking for a CFO. They're looking for a CFO. How many
applicants did they get down there for their and and you know, Kobe and I have been chatting a couple times this week about that in reference to, you know, maybe whoever's applying for that one could potentially, you know, be interested in this one, but they wouldn't know about ours because ours
hasn't been advertised. And what Kobe, you did find out is uh the renewals for those app uh indeeds and the places where we're advertising expire after 30 days. So I've kind of lost confidence
that they've even maybe after the first 30 days they never got renewed and they would just been sitting there because we've gotten nothing after that first update. And I just my mind keeps wandering about, you know, how is it that Northwest Florida is getting good
applicants potentially? What we don't we don't know. >> Todd, >> uh, Mr. Mayor, could Kobe um kind of for everybody's edification, I'm sure everyone's got this through our our weekly meetings with him, but Kobe, can you share the um status on what you
obtained from Lyon County because I know that was a request at the at the last meeting was to retrieve the information from Lyon County, but can you share share with that what your your observations were on it? >> So, we so we did so finally Leyon County did get us our public records request reached out to they got that today. Um,
so, uh, Miss Chance went through and gave it to me. I think that they provide to us seven, I believe they had seven or eight. Um, and of those, one person for me going through there, uh, had local government experience for about a year
and a half worth with a city in Florida. The rest of them all came from private sector. I believe one lady worked for Indian tribe, couple tribes. Um, but that was the extent of their pool. They sent us today. >> So, you're you're saying that >> and we did provide that to Gary today. You're saying that all seven based on
what you saw wouldn't even meet our qualifications >> for me and Miss Chance reviewed. No. >> So, did they reject all theirs? Did they reject all of them? >> We just got them today. So, we haven't had time to reach back out to them. So, I'm not sure if they hired one of them or not. That's just we just got it today because they had to redact and all that.
So, >> so they gave us all of them regardless of who? >> That was our record. >> Not. >> But they did fill the position. Correct. >> Again, I'm I'm assuming they did. We We just got date. So, I'm not I haven't asked them to see if any of those if the ones they sent us was one of those selected or not. >> And do you have access to the Northwest
Florida? Because my thing is what was their deadline to to cut off? I think they've already cut off their deadline for applications, but I'm curious how many applicants they got. And >> I don't again I'd have to I just haven't I >> I understand. >> Personally, I was wait for the finish.
>> I understand. I just want to share what you and I spoke with with everybody and you know that just >> bells and whistles. >> Anyway, I'd like to make a motion to terminate our contract with this agency. I don't I don't have confidence that that they're going to help us. I think
we just need to help ourselves. >> A second. >> Okay, you got a motion second. Any comments? Yes, sir. Um, I I I certainly have some frustrations as well. Um, seeing the the
email response that I read left me with more questions than than answers. And and I certainly had that same thought process of why was it only put out there once and not renewed? If we're still seeking applicants and we had gone through several rounds with with
applicants, why was it not automatically renewed? Um, so I I guess in my mind, Mr. Mayor, if I could ask our city attorney to maybe kind of give us a brief on if we terminate, are we just paying them
the money and that's it? Do we have any recourse because we felt like it they they did not render full services? Like where where do we stand with that? >> That would be my question. >> And then can we just add Kobe's told me that the the ads were only good for 30 days. So that's four almost nearly four
months that nothing's been advertised until I said something and and Clay and Mr. Josh looked up on the other ones that for four potential months we've had no advertisements out there for this job. That's why potentially we've got no applicants. >> How's the fee? And I can pull up one up.
>> Yeah. So the fee proposal I mean we can cancel it at any time. The fee proposal and that's to pull up the metrics. They're broken into thirds. I mean certainly I don't know that we have gotten to the point where we owe them more than that initial advertising and we can raise that issue. The council
would like us to discuss with them our concerns about the advertising process being woefully underperformed from what we p from what we did. We certainly can. We have made one of those payments have we not? >> Correct. So the uh the payments were
like was in thirds a third paid upon the completion of the advertising process. third paid upon the completion of the semi-finalist interviews and then the third paid upon start date of the director. >> So, so bottom line is they're probably not gonna voluntarily give us back the first third. If you want us to make a
demand of it saying they failed to perform, we can explore those options. But certainly before we pay them the next twothirds of the contract, I think we're at that point. >> Can Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. I I would like to share. I would like part of our I'd like a refund
because I don't feel like we've got what they did. And and here's why. That first round of folks that they sent to us, none of them even met the minimum qualifications, but yet they still vetted them, spent time doing things,
and then sending us the list. And then um uh >> we will be glad to make if the council passes that motion to terminate, we'll be glad to not only dispute any additional pr-rated fees, which is typically what you would see them ask for, as well as asking for a
reimbursement. Um my recommendation would be would be prata towards the number of months they've been on service counter to the amount of advertising they actually did. So, you've been doing work for 4 months, then we advertised for 30 days in that window. >> We'll give you a quarter of that third.
We're not going to give you the full third. >> My other comment was, and I don't remember if this is something that Kobe and I looked at together or if I just read it, but they're advertising in the state of Georgia for our Florida finance director. And I asked Kobe, I said, "Why
are they advertising in these two floor in these two Georgia places? their Georgia membership uh organizations for I didn't understand that. It didn't make any common sense to me. So, >> Glenn, >> well, I have some of the same same
frustrations with them, but you know, we we have to be realistic and objective here. We advertised this job and didn't successfully find a candidate either for a lot longer than four months. We're go we're two years in without a finance
director. Danielle served as our interim um what twice we and uh Kobe is now serving as the interim because Danielle just didn't want to do and understandably so. She didn't want the responsibility of it any
longer. She's still with the city uh as our accountant. She has done a wonderful job. Uh they they uh both of them have done a wonderful job. Kobe checks every purchase order that comes through this city. It doesn't matter if it's five bucks, he's checking it and we get a
financial report from him. So I I think you know if we had trouble for over a year finding qualified candidate that candidates that meet our qualification uh requirements.
Um I I hesitate to terminate somebody that was working under the same conditions. uh you know and I understand he he might could have done a better job to advertise. I have some of those same issues and same same concerns but um we
have some things to discuss here uh in relation to this position. Um you know qualifications miss Barry Bomb I think you kind of made a point earlier in in this conversation about those qualifications. I don't remember exactly word for word what you said, but it was
it was alluding to the fact maybe maybe that's part of our problem. And and so I had this long thing here prepared to to read. I don't want to bore anybody, but I I I would just say that um two years
without a finance director and this man carrying the liability and responsibility of that and that's not what he was hired to do. And so we have a tremendous responsibility to take that off of him
as quickly as as as we can do so. And we we we've discussed whether it was the qualifications or whether it was the hiring process, who hires the city manager, city council, whatever. I don't know. But whatever it is, you know, we had this conversation uh last time we
talked about this and I stressed the same thing. Whatever it is, we have to identify it. It's obviously a problem. Uh, Councilwoman Hein mentioned 90 some odd candidate or financial uh, manager positions opened in Florida at that particular time and they were getting
applicants and and and I don't know if they were filling in positions or not. Um, but Tallahassee is a good example tonight. I mean, if if we if we had the same experience requirements, for example, of for city manager, that man wouldn't be sitting in that chair right now. That's great. And is he qualified
for this job? He absolutely is qualified for this job and he's growing every single day and he's doing a tremendous job for this city. So it is not unreasonable to think that we can't find somebody with less experience that is
completely capable of doing this job and running with it and do an excellent job for this city. So I think we need to take a hard look and discussion tonight to get this resolved as soon as possible. And I'm going to ask a Clay a question eventually during this conversation. Uh because we have to get
this moving forward one way or the other. Get somebody in place here. We're putting him at risk. We're putting the city at risk and we're not being successful at filling the position. Two years. Two years in one of the probably the most important
job. Sorry, Kobe, but as far as liability goes and getting in trouble with the state and what have you and all this grant money, all this stuff we're handling and juggling, this man carry a tremendous load and it's entirely unfair to him both personally and professionally. So, we need to remedy
it. >> Amy, >> um I would like to propose that if we did terminate this contract that we use those monies. Have y'all ever heard of those temporary services where you can hire a professional and we pay the temp service and they have the actual
professional that they, you know, like a a CFO, you can rent a CFO from a professional temporary agency and or a professional service a professional staff member like through the auditors. Um, I had this conversation with our
auditors a while back and that could be a potential. Sometimes they actually have a staffing service such as that that they could lease us a member why we do this longterm process. But I just want to throw that out there because if
we did terminate, we could use those monies towards leasing. And I would love to see the auditors, you know, a a professional from one of their teams, uh, be leased back to us that could sit here in in that spot as if they were the
employee, but they wouldn't be our employee. They would be the >> employment agency. >> Yes, sir. Anyway, that's just a a suggested solution to the problem temporarily. >> Okay. Well, one thing that of course we want
the highest quality of person we can get, but at the same time, as Glenn said, we're we're we're going without, completely going without. And u um I keep hearing most of you saying that, you know, we might be asking too much on
our qualifications. I'm not sure. So, but anyway, what's working what's going on now is not working too well. So, we need to make a shift here somehow. >> Mayor, so
if we're going to continue our discussion, um I've got some uh my two cents to throw in here. But if we're just going to go by the motion on the floor to terminate these
services, are we going to go forward with that or are we going to continue discussion? probably need to address that motion at present time if some we need to do that motion. >> Okay. All right. Well, we could do that. Uh you want to wait till then, Dan? And
uh we do have a motion on the floor. Is there any comments from the public in regards to um uh cutting loose this hiring group we have or this >> searching group we have? >> Kim Winterberg, local resident. Uh, I'm
just sitting here thinking if any one of you had hired me to list your home, I'm a real estate broker for those who don't know, and I only put it on for 30 days and just kind of forgot about it and didn't really do what you hired me to do. And then I came back later and said, "Well, it was really overpriced anyway.
That was really the reason why it didn't sell." That's that's two problems, but you can get rid of one of them. >> There's a lot of real estate brokers out there. there's other head hunters out there who can do a really good job no matter what the job description looks
like which I think collectively we all agree should be adjusted anyway my two cents. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Anyone else >> when whenever they're done? >> Okay, we good. All right. >> So, do we need to amend the motion to
>> Well, we got a motion. I mean to include what Clay said about not having to pay phase two and three. >> We're going to send those notices. We know they have a performed phase two and three. We'll send a notice to them that they're being terminated and our intention that um we don't believe any
additional proration of services are warranted and asking for a prorund from some of the services ended and we'll see where we go from there. We won't pay another dime until it comes back before you. Do you need any other language in your motion in regards to that? >> I don't think so. >> Okay.
>> All in favor say I. >> I I just I would like to have a little bit more discussion on this because I'm >> okay. >> I'm I'm 50/50 on it. >> Um >> I my father-in-law is a professional head hunter. Um and when he was here, we had a we had a whole discussion about it.
>> Um he he expressed to me his reservations about the way the current u offer was structured. He said he would never have made such an offer. Um he places people in very high positions on a reg on a daily basis and he actually
runs his own firm and was very successful in two other firms. So um I also have another family member that does this professionally as well. They gave pretty much the same same take on it that they wouldn't have done it for what their fixed contract price. It's typically a percentage of the placement
salary. It's typically how most of the industry does it. Was that the biggest thing about the offer he saw? That was probably >> um the the other feedback I got was just making sure that that salary was appropriate and that more than likely we were on the bottom end of for what we
were demanding. Um, and so we could either we could either up our our price our our salary range or we could adjust the the qualifications and then that would allow some people to come in that would then meet our salary range and meet the
requirements. So, um, I I'm I'm wanting a little more discussion because I'm 50/50 on on the motion. I understand that we we're not happy with the the current performance, but at the same time, do we do we give them one more final chance? I
I don't know what the right answer there is. So, that's why I was hoping for a little more discussion among my fellow council members to to kind of see where we where we are. >> Okay. >> So, are we moving forward with the vote we started to take or are we going to
call a timeout? >> We will move forward. I just uh go ahead Amy >> Kobe, while we're chatting, can somebody look up what Northwest Florida's paying their CFO? Uh what what what is on there? >> I just pulled it up on it does not list it.
>> Have to go to their salary makeup. >> Yeah. On their just a r just a range because >> I think ours is topped at 125. Is that correct? >> 109. >> And I agree with what you're saying. It usually is a percentage of >> 109. >> 109. Oh,
>> and is that with is that with an adjustment Kobe from when we did the budget the new budget that we're in right now? What are we at 26? We've budgeted at the top of the range for the last two years that >> but it's always state it's always been capped there right so it should have if somebody was sitting there it would have
>> most likely assuming you hired someone at the very top of the range uh that I'm assuming >> finance directors within the executive pay upgrade which I believe goes from 72 to 109 and so we budgeted the max for the last two years so the council have flexibility >> so so we could up that to what we well I
guess we didn't give give anything in the one year so it would just be one year adjustment There it is. There, Mr. >> Um, Leon, the one from Leyon County is still open. It shows the application deadline uh being May 21st.
>> Now, this is this is Leyon County. This isn't >> But the salary range for them is 110 to 176. >> Yeah. >> I mean, that's Leyon, though. That is >> and that's the one we were talking about earlier today. Is that correct? I just want to make sure that that's the same. that that tells us if they've renewed
their application that they didn't tire out of the batch of the group that they had, right? >> So, they they rejected all of those that they received. >> Todd, what what more do you want to >> I just kind of want to I want to hear
from a couple of the council members. >> I've always said that our range should be higher. Um my thing is is do we have the flexibility to >> Glenn? >> Well the upper end of our range you know
typically you would base an offer based on how much experience someone has but Tallahassee we we can't really compare the Tallahassee to this. They're at $176,000 a year. I mean we're not we're not Tallahassee. Um and but that gives us an idea of what these people that's
the kind of job they're going after. So if they come here, they know there's going to be a lower salary, but they could reasonably expect lower requirements as well. >> You see what I'm saying? So we're looking for somebody with all the experience we're asking for >> and they've got those eight years of
experience and what have you. >> They've been making, you know, a good bit of money unless they just want to locate to the world's most beautiful beaches, you know, and that's a different motivation. But if we're looking at simply dollars and cents, but I I did want to ask back to the motion
and Sumpter. Um, how many did they start in November or December of 25 with this search? >> We started I think the first advertisement went out in November because the first round closed at the 1 of January. >> Okay. Okay. So they have they so they
re-up two additional times after that or how many times did they revertise or did they at all? I know they did. We we I I remember increasing, you know, give them another 30 days this last time. >> I mean, I have to go back to the email I
sent out. Um, >> and I can just say I talked to upstairs before our meeting this evening and there's not been any verification that they ever up re-up the advertisement after the first 30 days. And so I think
>> that spoke volumes to me anyway. Um, but could I just add, uh, there might be other things that we could offer besides cash, like, you know, if it if I was going for something like that and they couldn't afford it, I would want more in vacation time. You know, okay, you know,
you're going to cap me at I only going to earn what is it that someone earns in the executive level, Kobe, their first year here, >> every employee at the city earns four hours per pay period of vacation. So 108 hours a year >> of vacation, six. So, if someone came in
here and said, "Look, you can't pay me much, but you could put in my bank on day one five weeks of vacation time." Is that something that we would negotiate? Is that a negotiating item? >> This type of Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> So, there might be other other options
then, >> Mr. Bone. >> So, I'm I'm all for that 100%. And that's what we did with the EDA um in in retaining uh Mr. JJ. we we sweeten the pot through not just monetary we offered him other benefits as well to to close
the deal. So I am 100% all for that. I my thought process at the moment and and this is again where I'm wanting to have some dialogue is while I'm certainly not happy with Sumpter, I'm very disappointed in the fact that it's maybe only been
advertised once or twice and we've been with them for this long. If we were to make some changes tonight to both the compensation and either the requirements and then go back to Sumpter and say, "This is your one and only shot to get
this right, to revertise, to continue to advertise it and get it done for us. We're we're stepping to the plate. We expect you to step to the plate and give them a a very stern notice that this is it or we're going to come after them for everything." To me, that that's that's a an alternate path here. I don't know if
that's the right one. That's why I'm I'm wanting some dialogue here because to me to just chunk something out and then we sit here after that motion and then make a bunch of changes then who who it's going to be back on us
to revertise and do all that. And to Councilman Harrison's point, we've already done that once and didn't get anywhere. So, I'm trying to I'm trying to bring it all together into into one package. Go ahead. >> Um, just briefly, I I wanted to talk
about the advertising in Georgia comment too because there's I I know that there are some people that are driving to Walton County from Andalusia, Alabama currently to work every day because of the house cost of housing. They're just
comfortable where they are. So I can see that they might be trying to hit some markets in those areas because we may be able to attract someone from there. I also understand that though in that same comment that we are looking for Florida experience but if we can't get it then
at some point we are going to have to look at what to do whether it's with a temporary employment agency whether it's continue with this head hunter thing whether we we've been going at it for two years but we do have to come up with something very soon or at least that's my feeling
that's that's where I'm at as far as something I I can go with them or without him I I I would rather I do agree with Councilman Beerbomb though if we change the the um incentive for the position for the for the applicants.
It it might help. I am I although I am disappointed the fact that I looked up and saw no job advertisements at 1.2. So I can still go either way with this. >> Mr. Mayor. Yeah. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm jumping ahead. >> I just got to say real quick. I'm I'm
not dead set either either way about Sumpter either. I can go either way. My my concern is if if we do terminate their services, then we're we're still right back to where >> uh there's obviously uh a reason why we're not we're not
getting qualified applicants. We have had 55 roughly 55 applicants for this job o over these two two years and and not a single one of them met all of our qualifications. Not a single one. And so that tells me I mean we can we can we
can say it's Sumpter's fault because they didn't reup it. But we have to we have to look a little deeper than that I believe. So either way y'all want to go as far as Sumpter goes. I I'm I'm okay. But we just we need to change something. We have to get somebody hired.
>> Uh come on. >> Hang on. Make >> Yeah. Go ahead. So, what if I'm I'm just going to throw this out there and see if this sticks. It's my understanding that another municipality here in in Malton County,
and obviously it's Freeport. I mean, they're the only other ones that have a have staff, they're paying approximately 115 for their CFO. We're we're topping out at 105 or is it 109? >> 109. >> 109. Okay.
>> So, we're not far off. my the thought the the number that came into my head was why don't we advertise the top end of the salary range at 125 and let's see what what kind of uh bite we get at that if if we can take that range go to 125 and then the other thing is I I think
that we need to have a serious conversation you you were just driving the point home of 55 applicants and no one met the the qualifications maybe then there needs to be a tweak because I can tell you that looking through those 55 applicants there were people I was willing to interview and at least have a
discussion with them and see based on the interview, are they capable of doing the job? You know, because from my perspective, and this was this was brought to to my attention by staff, we have some wonderful staff that are there. So, it's not like they're coming
in with nobody that can keep keep the day-to-day running. There's staff there, Miss Danielle, Miss Beth, they all do a fantastic job. Um, so maybe we need to we need to look at our requirements and and tweak them. I'm not saying we lower
our standards, but we could certainly adjust things to where we can actually have some interviews with some people and and ascertain whether they're capable of doing the job. >> Okay, mayor. >> Yeah, let her go. I'll get back to you. >> Naen Bacon, uh, Definiac Springs residents. I'm very familiar with the
Florida League of Cities. So, I just went on to their website and looked at uh the Florida City jobs uh and our position is advertised and it is advertised in for uh review of resumeumés until May 29th.
Um, so I I think our our applications are maybe coming in, but from a general standpoint, what I'm hearing is that uh there's the concern about the qualifications that we're we're asking for as well as the salary cap is is our
consultant not someone that we can uh consult about about those issues and have recommendations. That's all I had to say. Mhm. Thank you. >> Can I just respond to what she said because she wasn't here at the last meeting and what we've discovered is the
vendor that we hired to vet all these people failed to renew those uh >> advertisement placements that you just read. It was until we brought it up at the last meeting and said these haven't been out there. They're not being
advertised for us to get anyone. So, I'm happy to hear that they they have since renewed those. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, I I think Todd brings up a very good point. I think that uh but I think you're going to have to adjust on both ends. A little bit on salary >> and a little bit on the requirements. I
think one of the things that I don't have these list requirements in front of me, but they had to have so many years of city experience. I think it's way over the ask is way too big there. Um, and so I think that if we do some reduction on
something like that, maybe go to the 120, 125, um, give it one more shot and if they can't do it, then uh, we'll start all over. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I'm not for keeping Sumpter on, but I am
willing to look at I would like to see our local uh, job descriptions. Let's look at Freeports. Let's look at uh Northwest Florida College. Let's look at these local ones that are uh you never see, you know, you got the county's got a
CFO, the school's got a CFO, and they just replaced theirs when their lady retired here just in the past uh few years. So, can we get all the local ones? Kobe, can you get staff to get us all of their job descriptions so that we can do what?
>> Compare. >> Yeah. the majority is suggesting. >> Yeah. Well, I guess we need to deal with this motion. It's on floor. >> Mayor, I think >> I'm sorry. Go ahead. Something. >> Go ahead. >> So, um, if we're going to deal with the
motion on the floor now, I'm ready to move forward with that, but we've all got some good ideas. I got I don't have the amount of uh bullet points that Glenn does, but I've got I've got six bullet points that would
really help us. And it's we seem to be looking for one thing that's causing us this problem when I actually believe it's a combination of things. It's not just one thing. But to go forward, we need to decide what we're going to do
with Sumpter. And my feeling on that is uh he dropped the ball on us. We asked him to do something and he just dropped the ball. And after 30 days, he just said, you know, and quit until he got his hand caught in the cookie jar last
meeting when we brought it to the public's attention. And he's like, "Oh, okay. I'll readvertise now." That's sketchy. So, I'm kind of thinking that we need to cut our losses. Uh because that's not how a professional head
hunter operates. A professional oper uh a professional head hunter operates like mi the example Miss Winterberg gave on a realtor. >> That's how professionals do. >> So I have my doubts about this guy and I
think to give him another chance after he's already shown his colors is just asking for more of the same. But I am excited about every point that
every council member has made. There's been good points on how we can move forward on that >> and we need to discuss that in detail. But I would I would ask you council members to please let's not give the guy
that dropped the ball on us another chance and let's move forward on this and talk about what we need to do to get this uh get this problem resolved. >> Okay, Glenn, do you have anything? Well, I'm just I'm just thinking, um, Kobe,
does his does his email give you a satisfactory explanation for his advertising or what have you, or do we do we need to hear him um give his reasoning or viewpoint now uh before we make this decision?
to I'm just, you know, the email I didn't get a lot out of it, you know, as far as clear clear uh explanation as to, you know, why we haven't had more candidates. But again, I have a real I have a real
concern with judging him, but you know, if if he's not getting a lot of candidates, part of it could is definitely advertising, but I mean, has he has he clearly said that he did has not from from November, December when he first started, has he consistently been
advertising or has there been a substantial gap in advertising? Can he tell us that or can you tell us that? I mean they I mean based on our conversation what they sent over there there was some that had lapsed that didn't get renewed immediately. Uh I know Miss Chance reached out to uh the
league and some other ones about it as well. Um so I mean I think there was laps in there. They have now an email today showing where all they've sent. I mean, the email we shared with y'all and then another one today reiterating um
where some of those had went to um and that they're all they're back out for third round now. Um so, >> so how much of a lapse do you think we were talking about there in lack of advertisers association that I referenced our last
meeting? >> Yeah, >> it got activate got reactivated two days after our last meeting. >> Okay. the now you can still go down there and scroll and I just did >> our last one said it expired March 30th.
So we're effectively 30 days out on that and I don't know how much longer we would have been if we hadn't brought it up at the last meeting. >> Right. Okay. >> And Kobe, you said that their first advertisement was in November >> from November to the 1 of January. >> What did you mean when you just said
that they went three rounds? Because if they're if they expire after 30 days and we've got November, December, January, February, March, April, and now May. And if they've only done three, that leaves three that they were lapsed for. >> Well, because you had you had the you had the first ended in January, then
they put together the the packet. They had, I think, 20some in it that we brought forward that they did those preliminary interviews with two or three candidates that we talked about here in the meeting that y'all denied. We went back out. Um and then a few weeks last pulled up I think it was in March we
brought forward I think they had a few more you know go back it was three or four handful of them um that we denied and we said we'll give 30 days to April. So that's the three they're talking referring to the one end in January the one that we brought back in March and then the third has been reissued as of
today April April 29th is the email um that I'm getting. So >> and how how far apart were those three notifications to us? I I go again. We >> Okay, no worries. >> Yeah, I mean I think y'all seen those those in late January and we put it back
out and we came again in March. So, it was probably a few weeks in between each one. >> Well, let's deal with this motion on the floor. Um, we've got a motion in second. Um, y'all recall what the motion is, right? >> All in favor say I.
>> Motion is to terminate something. I >> I >> I >> I >> I carry. All right, we'll move on to some new ground. >> So, is this are we going to talk about
is this where we talk about possible solutions? >> Do we put that on the agenda for a workshop or the next meeting? It's okay. >> Or a special meeting because we canceled our next meeting >> finance. >> Yeah, we we probably ought to do because I mean everybody needs to go back and
rethink this through and we could do a hopefully a fairly short special meeting. Uh because we would >> if we could just give bullet points. May uh mayor uh just and and not go into a dissertation.
uh just point out our bullet points so that our council members will have something to think about between now and when we do make the decision. >> Yeah. >> Do you want the manager to give you options as to who we would >> I'm I'm talking about I'd like to hear >> Well, I understand we lay the groundwork
as to what parameters we're going to have whether it be for description or salary or whatever. Uh, do you guys want to uh him to bring you some options as to who we would use as ad hunter? Here's the deal on that.
Okay, we all have different opinions. HR normally handles this. Mhm. >> We wouldn't need a head hunter if we had a properly staffed HR. >> And I brought up an >> We're not going to solve the HR problem right now, don't we? >> Okay. But the HR the problems that we
created for HR is why they can't do this. >> Okay. Well, >> yeah. Certainly your opinion. Go ahead. >> I agree. So, I heard your comment, Todd, and I'd like to
just give you let you know where I'm coming from on this. Um, when we went through the budget process last year, we cut staff positions >> and one of the positions that uh HR was
just a a twoperson operation. And when it was a twoerson operation, she was able to cover our advertising. Now it's taken everything she can do just to take care of day-to-day city business. And one of the things we need
to visit as we go through the ver through the budget process is to restore the position that she lost. And that's why that's why I say if we were properly staffed
HR we wouldn't have to hire a head hunter. Just my opinion. But when when the manpower in that office was cut 50 uh was was cut in half. She just didn't have time to do the the head hunting.
>> Yeah. Well, he's going to have to bring you some options. >> Okay. Now, >> it doesn't have to be all head hunters. >> It can be in house. It could be whatever. You know, >> are we going over those options tonight or we shelfing it? >> I would say shuff it until you have a special meeting. We'll be here all night.
>> Okay. >> I agree, Mr. Mayor. We've been here two years. I mean, and >> I know you guys enjoy this. >> And I'm not I know >> you guys really enjoy it. I wish y'all turned that camera off. We probably would be here near as long every night. >> May I finish?
Go ahead. >> Good. >> Two years. And if that man turns in his resignation, where are we? If Danielle turns in her resignation, where are we? >> That's what we better think about. I'm not saying they are, but they're tired.
They're they're carrying a load. Danielle has kept this city in the clean. and she's got us good audits, but people have a breaking point and we we just we just canceled a May meeting, the the next meeting in May. So, how much
longer are we going to expect them to do this? We we have talked this thing to death as far as qualifications. We finally settled on it and now 55 applicants later, we have nobody qualified that has applied for this job. So, it's obvious we have to address
this. This is just so frustrating. Not for me. It's frustrating because we cannot afford to lose either one of those people and we just kick it down the road and talk about it some more and we cancel a meeting and then you know we have to schedule a special meeting and
we bring back this information and that information. If we don't have it by now, we just probably need to step down off the council. >> Mayor. >> Yeah. The quick fix is to hire a professional accounting
service. That's the quick fix. >> I'm not saying that's I'm just saying let's bring some options. >> I don't have the options. >> Mr. Mayor, >> I I agree. We we have we've talked this
to death and we're we're continuing to talk it to death. But I also don't want to just say shove it. we'll talk it at another meeting and then we get to that meeting and we're peppering staff with questions and just like tonight we're we're asking questions of them and because we're asking them on the fly
he's had no time to prepare and provide any sort of answers to us and so then the cycle continues. So I do think that it's prudent at this moment in time to continue this conversation and let's let's get the questions that we want answered out on the table now so that
when we come back to a special meeting which I'm all in favor of. I agree with Councilman Harrison. We need to get this addressed. We need to move with some expediency on it. But just simply saying we'll just take it to the next meeting and we all show up in the next meeting and we pepper Kobe with 20 more
questions that we have and we the cycle will continue. So I think that we need to have some conversation here. Let's flesh out where where we need more information and what we agree and disagree on and then that way we're better prepared for the next meeting.
maybe we could actually take some action at the next meeting. Um, as far as the comments that have been made about staffing, staffing cuts were made because we as a council agreed that we've got to reduce
our reliance on the transfers from the general from the utility fund to the general fund. And that meant at the direction of our city manager that some of those positions would be eliminated because they did an evaluation internally and said that that was a position they could eliminate.
I firmly believe as it was pointed out earlier, we advertised oursel for over a year and didn't get receive any applicants. Then we hired a head hunter and we haven't and we've received 55 applicants. I is is do you know is that
55 that you referenced is that just Sumpter or was that total? >> That's combined. In fact, some some of the applicants that she referred to Sumpter had come through her. >> Gotcha. >> As well when she was advertising the job. So, we passed along some names sort
of like we're asking the other cities to do for us and help us out, you know. the the city managers made me aware of of the request for additional staff and HR and I think that that's a conversation that we can have when we get to the budget meetings for for that.
I don't believe at this moment at this juncture that is where the log jam is when it comes to filling this position. I firmly believe that it is it is a function of our pay scale and our job requirements. >> It's multiple factors. >> Yes, sir. I agree. It is multiple
factors. So that is why I want to continue the conversation. Let's see what we can flesh out here so that when we get to a special meeting, we can we can go from there. I know um Miss Heavlin has has made some requests of some information. I certainly want to
see that. I want to concur with that information when it comes to understanding what everybody else is paying and what their job requirements are are. I want to put my name in the hat of saying yes, I agree. I want to see that information. >> Okay, >> Mr. Mayor, can I add something?
>> Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. >> I don't want to push this down the road either. I want to get this resolved. This was my number one reason for why I'm sitting here in the first place. I wanted somebody for that role. I do want to point out and because I don't know when the 55 started versus, you know, we
did hire somebody in the interim that just didn't work out and I don't know where that one person fell in all of this. I do want to I just >> before the future >> before that okay all right so what I'd like to see is yes a minimum of 125 in salary I know that was at the top range
but for what we're looking for listen when you're somebody that's got those qualifications and you find a job you're there for retirement if your employer takes care of you you don't go job hunting so you know once those people find those jobs they stay at them I'd also like to see for every year of
experience and these are just recommendations for us all to think about that we give them that might be a negotiating tool uh for them starting if the money's not what they were anticipating. I don't know what you all used for the EDA director that you were
talking about, but if you could share those that'd be great. I sat on the committee for finding the auditor. So when when when Pervis Gray was a committee evaluated these people, I can't remember if it was Pervvis Gray or one of the other two finalists, but one
of them that I gave high marks to because I was one of the committee members had a staffing service. So I'm not sure, but we need to go back and look to see who those uh top three uh people were because one of them has uh
uh staffing that we can rent from them. we could have them come here. They could be It's going to cost a premium. I'm not suggesting it's going to not cost a premium, but until we figure this out. Um perhaps that is another uh recommended solution that we could look
towards. But one of those auditors has this staffing firm for just CPA professionals. So, I'd like to do this as soon as possible, too. >> Do you have anything? Why don't we schedule a special meeting next week?
>> Kobe, what is the end of the salary? >> Uh, leave the >> No, not next week. Um, no, sir. Uh, 72 and I I'm just giving you a round number. 72 to 109. >> 109 top. >> So, you were talking about 125 being the
low end. >> Okay. If you're a CPA and you got all those qualifications, you're not going to start less than one and a quarter. It's just like kind of what you said. That's going to be a I mean because they're they're the ones that are doing the
it's worth it. It's like an engineer or any other type of professional that we're looking for. um on on >> sorry um the experience I mean I'm thinking you know if if the eight years
and the five years um is is part of it I don't know I mean would would we consider five five and two five years in local government accounting two years uh experience as chief financial officer I, Mr. Mayor, I think that's where we
need we need to to tweak. >> Yeah, I do too. >> We just we just need to we just need to adjust those numbers so that we're not dropping everybody out because right now it's kind of an all or nothing. >> Yeah. >> Um that I'm I'm 100% striking with you on that one. Um I Miss Heavlin, can you
give me an upper range? If you want to start at 125, what would be your upper? It's going to be similar to the city manager, but it's got to be less than the city manager. They can't make more than the city manager. >> So, the city manager position doesn't fall on the city's pay grade. So, that's solely up to the council.
>> So, that's a negotiating item. So, I I just think it's it's one of those positions that we've got to negotiate it. If you want somebody and you want them there and you never have to want to worry then and we want those types of qualifications because I don't think we should downgrade but I do think we need
to see what Freeport I think we need to look at all the local CFO position job descriptions and then let's write one from that because there's got to be a good mix in there that we can all agree on. >> There are some differences in them too. >> Yeah, I know.
>> Yeah, Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, how about this? So, we we have we have the request to see what what we have locally and then we would like staff to maybe make bring back some definitive recommendations on
pay scale and then I would like to see as it relates to paycale the position hasn't been filled for at least two years. So, what is what is our carry for balance on that to kind of help us understand if we're going to hire another head hunter or whatever we're going to do? Maybe we're going to use
that money to offer an incentive like a onetime bonus or something. I want to be able to understand what that carry forward number is for not having that position filled if it's available. So, you don't have to you don't have to opine on it tonight if you unless you want to. >> Well, I was just going to say we haven't uh so from the prior years, we have not
carried that exact dollar amount forward. So all we would have is what we budgeted this year has been unspent. >> Okay. >> So we have not specifically carried forward that amount. That that difference has been used in the year to reconcile accounts or to go back into the unrestricted fund balance. >> Okay. So if you will just kind of annotate that, but I'm I'm just trying
to kind of bring together what is our request so that we can make some decisions at the next meeting. I think there's some agreement here to to look at the job description and either tweak it or start all over and use another one. But is there any other information request of my fellow council members that we want to see at this next
meeting? >> I think those guys go ahead. >> The longer this drags out and the more different opinions we have, the more outsourcing this to a professional, highly accredited accounting firm looks really good. So
there's there's so many problems that would res that would resolve. And so I'm not going to bore y'all with my list. >> But that is a really good solution. I want y'all to wrap that around your head
and bring us back some suggestions on what this would cost. and and um and and I'm talking about getting some getting some good accounting firms and bring it back and let our expert weigh in on it cuz she knows every one of
them. I bet. >> Well, Dan, we have we we brought in a financial firm two, three years ago and it was just a mess. We thought they were top of the line and we were couldn't wait for them to get gone. So, it's not just just because they they put
professional above their name that they're professional. Uh but >> well, maybe we didn't vet them properly. >> Yeah. Well, that's what we're going to try and do now. Let Let me go to Glenn. I'll go to you, Amy. >> So, on the salary, uh Amy, you're talking 125 at the low end, right? So,
that is 16,000 above our current upper end, right? So using that, if we went up 16 on the low end, we're looking at a range of uh 80 uh
125 to 140 to 145, something like that. Was that something? >> So that is that is in line with some of the other local Walton County CFOs. But if we cannot afford it, which the budget will tell us that, then I think we need to sweeten
that pot through other alternatives like provide that person 6 weeks vacation in their bank because that's worth dollars. But like I said, if you find the right person, they're not going to leave. So it's not like it's at risk for right >> having to pay it out if they get terminated or whatever. So
>> we're gonna have to do it with whatever the budget >> bears. So, I'm thinking 125 is the cash dollar, but then I'm thinking we need to sweeten it to what it really should be to get in line with the other local >> entities with non-cash incentives.
>> Mayor, oh, the last thing I have on this is the Florida accounting standards requirement. >> I still believe I've said it before, these are professional people. They're learners by nature. they have to learn new things every year when something
changes and the standards. >> I think they're capable of getting that um that certification or experience or whatever it in in a very short period of time if they're motivated to do so. So that could be part of their their hiring um their their contract, you know, that
they would have it within a certain amount of time. Um and they have a manual right on on their desk, I mean to to go by. So I I just don't see that as a tripping point. We shouldn't allow it to trip us up. If we can allow these professional people, they're going to get what they need to do the job they're hired to do. If they didn't want the
job, they would not would not have applied for it. >> Yeah. Let me ask Kobe. Uh Kobe, between now, whenever we set this meeting, hopefully we sooner than later. U do we think we could get the information that Amy was talking about from some of our neighboring municipalities?
>> Yeah, we can. Yeah. I I mean, right now I'm thinking Walton County, Freeport, Cresview, Mariana, and Milton. Yeah, >> that's probably your most that's your closest neighbors, you know, side and but so yeah, that wouldn't be hard. I have contacts all those so we we' be able to reach out to them. >> I just wanted to share because I'm with
you, Mr. Cosen, on what you're saying about and he's using the worm word firm. I'm using I don't want a firm. I want a person off of their staff to sit in that chair and work with our staff on a daily basis, 40 hours a week or whatever it
is. um and not their actual firm because I think the mayor's correct with you know the way that that worked with that firm that didn't work out that was had such bad juju here with uh with the city
was because they had to inherit somebody else's work that wasn't right in the first place and then they did it a different way. It was like you could do the task but they didn't use the same methodology and that just messed everybody up and that was problematic.
So I'm suggesting one person from a firm sitting upstairs and we pay the firm. We don't hire that person. We just pay the firm and they just locate their person on our staff for how muchever time we need. >> Does the council agree with that?
>> I want to have discussion on it. >> Yeah. I've got I've got thoughts on it. >> Yeah, I've got thoughts on it. So, it needs to be it needs to be an agenda item or either understood that we would discuss that particular topic. >> All right. Well, hopefully you all will, you know, once he gathers all the
information and get it each one of you before we >> get together and u and then help reduce some of the questions. >> But uh do we want try and set a time? >> Uh yeah, that probably be >> all right.
>> Be the best. Um well we were going to be calling you about something else anyway. So um I mean right now next week um well I mean there's yeah probably next week. Um Monday and Tuesday uh we have nothing. Um the
moment um Wednesday there's nothing on Wednesday. >> Thursday um we've got an event and then we usually don't like to do things on Friday. So, I'd say Wednesday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Thursday next week. It's Monday, >> Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. >> Monday or Tuesday? >> Mhm.
>> Yeah. I've got TPO the afternoon of Thursday. So, I'd probably be scooting to >> What about Tuesday? >> I'm open Monday. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. >> Tuesday. >> I'm Monday, Tuesday. For me, any of us. >> I could do Monday, Tuesday.
>> Uh, not really. Wednesday. Monday, Tuesday would work better for me. >> Let's do a Let's do Tuesday. What do you want to 4:00. >> Councilman Co. >> Tuesday. >> Tuesday. >> Tuesday at 4. >> Everyone's comfortable with that. >> I'm good with that. >> Tuesday at 4. >> Yeah. >> Tuesday the 19th at 4:00. >> Yeah. Yes.
>> And I just know I'll be here for the first hour. Hour 20. It's a regular council meeting. >> I got you. >> Oh, yeah. >> I got you. Okay. >> But it's a workshop, so >> bring your fire extinguisher. We still burning when you leave. We'll be >> I'll pull I'll pull fire alarm on the
way out the door. How about that? >> All right. Thank you very much. Okay, let's move to um >> 4C8 >> 4C8 uh settlement agreement. Kobe, >> thank you, mayor. Uh council uh settlement agreement 656 with the Florida Department of Corrections. So,
uh you're going to it's in there. Mr. Atinson can opine on that a little bit. Um but ultimately, uh over the past few months, a few months back whenever, you know, we all talked about the water loss, the auditors noted, staff started going through those reports trying to figure out where that was coming from, what those numbers were. And so one of
those was uh they they went out and checked the meter at the prison. So we have two large accounts that have very large meters. That's the prison and I believe CW Roberts has the other one. Um and so they went out and looked when that meter was installed in 23 uh it was set to cubic feet not gallons. And so
that's caused an issue on our reports. And so when they corrected the issue, it also came with uh how much to be back paid. And so staff worked with the prison on that. They made adjustments appropriately. So that number figure came out to be about $180,000. And so again, working with the prison,
the prison acknowledged that. They acknowledged they used the water and they're willing to pay that back to the city. And so staff broke it up into three separate um invoices. Um they had done a current month adjustment that the prison has paid. They then had the prior
to fiscal year 26, which is what you see here today in the amount of 144,17151 um that they would pay the city. and then the remaining amount they will pay through the end of this fiscal year on top of their monthly bill. Uh the meter has been corrected. So now they're on correct readings and billings and so was
ours. And so u ultimately just looking for approval settlement agreement for the state to pay us that amount. >> And the reason this is in the form of a settlement agreement is that it is for a service period that goes back to July of 2023. So for the state to be able to satisfy their own standards, we have to do that. They have the authority to do
the current billing adjustments to pay us what the other two, but they need a settlement agreement on a lump sum like this that goes back at this point almost three years. >> Motion to approve settlement agreement number 656. >> Second. >> I have a motion second. Any questions or
comment from anyone? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. I. >> Eyes carry. Thank you very much. And then we'll go to nine. 49 >> 4C9 >> 4C9 >> correct
>> 4C9 >> uh council so uh you know we had our workshop on the 29th about to have Lauram assessment um couldn't obviously take action there so we looking for um we need some direction on the funding percentage rate for the assessment um
exemption policy for governments and institutionally tax exempt in agriculture and also the council is going to do a hardship exemption policy and what that policy will be so only attachment You have the rates provided by Miss Sandra, our consultant from the range the council specified to look at.
Uh the 10ear assessable budget along with three examples of hardship exemptions. One is Walton County. Uh the other is Mount Dora, Florida and Groveland, Florida. So looking for direction on those three things so that our consultant can finalize the assessment and then have that for for your first I believe your first reading
of that resolution is in June. >> It'll be the first meeting in June. That's correct. Assuming it's assuming well no we'll do first reading tonight it'll be advertised for adoption for the first meeting in June if you give me enough information >> for the master service ordinance but they will bring a separate assessment resolution >> the resolution will not be done until
that meeting in June >> this be first reading of the ordinance but we I need your input on everything he just said before we move forward >> mayor the first thing was the bracket are we going to discuss these points point by point
>> I would believe we need to start with the rate that's the most prevalent issue to address. >> So the rate if I understood it correctly when we were brainstorming this and kicking around ideas uh I got the opinion that we were all
pretty much satisfied on a 150 rate uh with the possibility in years to come go up to a 75% rate. Okay, refresh my memory. >> I think the council talked about wanted to see the range. I think Councilwoman
Helen asked for the 75% and then you all decided that the 37.8% at a collection similar or the collection of 593 was would be the minimum of the range, but I don't think the council ever decided on on the going up to that 75% rate at any point. >> Okay,
>> that's my recollection. >> And it wasn't me. It was Mr. Beerbomb that wanted to go up, but we just wanted I wanted nothing less than 150. I think we all agreed that that would be the less the least amount that wouldn't do any good. >> And then what would so I remembered that
part correctly. What was the top end? >> We we didn't set one. We just we asked her to put these columns together for us so that we could review it and figure that out today. >> So are we good with uh starting off at the 150?
>> No. No. No. Okay, >> that was that was kind of the the key to the discussion was if we started off at 150 in five years we are going to have to come back and go to something north
of the I would I would easily say if you look at the budget you're at you're going to need to be at a minimum of the 65% rate in five years.
So you're you're going to walk off a cliff in five years to go from $150 a unit to $258 a unit. >> Mr. Mayor, can Mr. Beerbomb, are you suggesting at the 100% rate or funding the 100% of that? Because as Mr.
Harrison pointed out, you know, we're going to have other income coming in. >> That's that's 50%. So, the 65% rate that's on on the screen there generates you $1,26,930 in net revenue. And if you look at the
accessible expenditures that you can apply that money to at year five, the very bottom number of that year five column is $2,228,850. So, that's a 50% funding rate. Mayor. >> So, we're we're only funding half of
at at the 65% rate. We're only funding half of the actual fire department needs. >> Okay? So, we don't need to create a hardship on the citizens. We need to keep this reasonable.
But the way to keep it reasonable and get the fire department into the 21st century with all the bells and whistles as you suggested is when it comes budget time there. We're already budgeting them what? 1.1 1.2
>> 1.9 >> 1.9 >> We don't need to cut their 1.9. This needs to be in addition to >> that's what we're talking about. So, if we if we keep where we're at
on what we're 1.9 to 2 million and add in this 150. >> That's correct. Because if you look, can you scroll to the next screen for me, Jesse? Thank you. >> So, if you look at see the gray bar in the middle of the of this here,
>> correct? >> Just to the right of that is the is the 31 fiscal year 31. >> Okay. Look at that very bottom number down there. $3 million. It jumps a million dollars that year because that year you're now paying for two fire
trucks and a station and additional staff. >> Those aren't mandates. >> They're what staff has said we need. >> They are not mandates. We need to do what we can afford without causing a
hardship on the citizens. >> I agree. But I'm also going to have a a fire department that's properly funded. >> Okay? >> I'm not gonna ask our guys to go run around and not be properly trained, not have the proper equipment, and not have the right fire stations.
>> Okay? We've got >> that's that was the whole core of of the of the argument on this was to properly fund this and to take care of our guys. >> And to begin with, they wouldn't be leaving to go to the county if we were taking care of them.
we need to do something about their per their pay and make it where they want to stay. You never hear about uh people leave. You you very rarely hear people leaving the county and going to the city, but you sure hear a lot of people leaving the city and going to the
county. And we need to make it worth worth their while to stay here. So, it's we're not just talking trucks and and buildings. These are good suggestions. These are not mandates. and we need to work within a framework that we can afford.
>> I don't I don't disagree, but again, I'm not going to set them up for failure. >> And this and they're not they've got good staff. They've got good training. >> Nobody said that they that they're not good staff >> and they're and they've got good training. You keep saying get them up to
the training. We've got well-trained firefighters. They do an excellent job. And if they need additional training, our chief makes sure they get it. So >> So you're saying that they train the same amount or better than what Walton County Fire Rescue does.
>> I don't know what their standards are, but I do know that they they train together. >> I'm I'm not going to get into that that particular subject, but if we're going to have a fire department, which we voted to do, then we need to properly fund that fire
department. And if I remember correctly, when Kobe presented this this budget that is before us, there are raises built into it. No, no. But no one has ever said that we're going to match dollar fordollar what Walton County Fire Rescue is going to pay. We can't we
can't play in that that same arena. They have deeper pockets. >> But we can't set the bar so high we can't afford it either. We need to be within a budget where it's not a hardship to the citizens and we can increase the standings of our fire
department. Now, does that mean we rush out and break ground on a new fire department tomorrow so that we make the 5-year uh goal? No, it doesn't. We don't have to do that. These are suggestions. We need to work within what we can afford and do the best we can with what
we've got. We don't need to make a hardship on the citizens. And that's all I've got. >> Amy, >> I want to remind us all that we get to adjust this every year. Um, these are only suggestions. I agree with you, Mr. Cosen. And we need to be careful because
this is a live living document. So, you know, to have we're going to need two fire trucks. That might be true, but it might also be false because we don't know because each year uh our uh it's going to the growth that happens, the
real growth that happens will be identified and at that time we're going to have to maybe adjust whatever that we're doing. Um and I I think we do need to be careful. I do agree with you there. Mr. Mr. Beerbomb, I'm just curious. Are is from your conversation, are you suggesting that you would like
to see us not start anywhere less than this 60% column or did you have one of these columns that you would be willing to start with? Because I think if we knew that, then maybe we could somehow get to where we need to be. If if there
is a a definite assurance that we're we're not going to just kick the can the next year because we're afraid to increase it and we're worried about hardships. I'm willing to start at 50%.
>> Well, I don't think any of us can guarantee. I mean, you know, we don't know what's going to happen or who's going to be sitting up here at the next >> I think it should be advertised all the way up to 75%. >> So, what's the 50% figure? Is that the one he wanted? 50%. >> You could or 99.
>> I really think that if if we're going to do this correctly, I really think that we need to be at either 60 or 65%. I think that's where we need to be because when you look at our numbers, we need to be funding 50% which is the standard across the panhandle with fire
assessments. We we need to generate a million dollars because we're spending $2 million and by 20 by fiscal year 2031 we're going to be at $3 million. So we need to be generating $1.5 million
which even at the 75% rate doesn't even generate that. But >> and now that we own the fire department and not the state, we qualify for grants and we're not even thinking about that. Glenn, um, >> well, you raised a good point as far as
we can we can look at we look at this every year. I mean, you know, if we go too high, it can hurt people. We we've been funding the fire department the past totally out of general fund, $1.9 million this fiscal year. Um,
you know, we're not looking, as you said, we're looking 50% is pretty much the standard, you know, to try to hit with with this. County is nowhere near 50%. Uh, I don't think on on their coverage. I don't know exactly, but I wouldn't think so. But they're deal they have a lot more money to deal with than we do. Um, so we don't we don't have
that luxury. Uh, you know, I'm I'm more in favor of of getting a reasonable amount here. We know we're going to have partially funded out of general funds. We we just we just have to get a feel for this. This is this is new to us and we're just going to have to evaluate it and see how it goes, what
kind of hardships it creates. We we are uh thinking far enough ahead to to consider hardship u uh exemptions and what have you. So, and there's going to be, you know, other sources of funding that we have yet to talk and have conversations about this summer during
our budget process. Um we have conversations still to have with the county. Um, we have, you know, uh, Councilman Scurs mentioned, uh, the the the penny sales tax for fire and police countywide. There's so many things to talk about. That's not our decision. But
at at some point, do we consider that? I mean, how imp impactful, for example, would that be to have a minimal impact fire assessment on our citizens if there was a penny sales tax for fire and police countywide? It would help both the county and us. So those are
conversations that need to be had. We have some time before we do this final thing. And Clay, you said what month? June or July. >> We would be adopting the ordinance at your first meeting in June along with the resolution if you authorize it tonight. >> Yeah.
But you know, um that that's just me. I hate to go too high. We need to be u we need to be fair to start out with this and and let people get used to it. We don't we're not establishing this range. I'd like to make this clear to the public. We're not establishing a range so that we can start at one point this
year and zoom to the highest max the next year. That's not our intent. Our intent is to keep it as as reasonable as possible for our citizens because that's who we work for. And that's the way that's the way I feel about it anyway. Um and and the way I look at it. So, I
have no intentions of of of trying to look for every way to to increase this assessment every year while failing to look for other alternative funds uh to to fund our fire department. We we can things are going to pop up. You're you're right as far as you know, we
don't have to do these things necessarily on this timeline. They are staff recommended and I in a perfect world we'll be able to do those things. We have no idea what future growth is going to look like. So, there's a lot of variables. So, I just hate to impact our our our citizens
so hard, you know, the first year with with this thing until we get a handle on it and if we find other sources of of revenue of funding, you know, we can we can perhaps go down in the future rather than going up. That's that's the ultimate goal. Um,
go ahead. >> Mr. Harrison, would you share which column that you would be comfortable with? Um I I I think in order to you know get this thing moving in a direction we we decided to include the option B things you know for the future of a fire
department >> uh to do that and this is another good example of future funding that we have no idea whether we can access it and that is matching grant funds. So, if we set this at a at a at a at a rate that allows us to combine with general fund
funding, you know, and we get our fire department funded and we can manage to put back re reserves to to be gr uh grant matching funds for our fire department. I mean, we we we have the potential to hit the lottery to to
reduce these these budgetary amounts every year uh by by possibly getting some of those big ticket items that we're not having to carry uh on on a note for, you know, 10 years or whatever. >> So, what figure would you be? So I I
would I would uh man I would probably be somewhere in that. This is tough. I could settle somewhere between 50 and 60. I I I I just would like to hear some more discussion about it, but that's the range I'm comfortable looking at the
bottom numbers. You know, starting at 50% 785,000 a year, 866 for 55% 947. So at nine, that gets us close to a million, you know, we're looking at another
million roughly, right, out of general fund, whereas we've been carrying 1.9. >> What was that? >> Fund. What was that figure? >> Well, that 60% would get us at 947,000. >> No, I mean to the citizen >> 238. >> Oh, that Yeah, that would be >> 238,
>> which which is a lot higher in my mind that I'd like to see people have to pay. >> Um, so, you know, we just we just have to I think we have to kind of I don't think we have to dive head first. I think we have to kind of, you know, it's like
walking in possibly on springs. We kind of have to take our time. >> Uh, you know, >> Mayor. >> Yes, sir. >> So, as you know, I've been an advocate of not reinventing the wheel. Uh, I believe
the county is currently at 125. Is that true, Kobe? >> They're at 75 a household and then I think commercials 12 cents a square foot. >> Okay. Um, have you heard that they're talking about going up to 150? I have not, but I think the same warning is the
same. We are not Walton County. Our call volumes are different. Our requirements are different. Yeah. So, no, I have not. I haven't engaged in it because it's not. >> No. >> So, we need to decide between opening of
a 238 per year fee to the citizens versus I'm comfortable with 150 and the ability to go up to What's the 65% range? >> 258.
>> And I don't mean next year either. I'm talking about years down the road. That'll give us an option. >> Mr. Mayor, can I clay something? Clay, >> how do we if we make a motion to propose something, how do we do it? So what I'm
hearing is PE some people are comfortable between 150 and 258. Can that be a motion that for a range cuz then she said then later on is when we can set the exact dollar amount kind of like when we're budgeting you can go up to the max and you don't have to
readvertise, you know, with the independent mailers. >> That That's right. So you're going to have to set a rate that's going to go into that advertisement range is gapping in June, July. So that's when it's going to go out. If you want to do a limited range in that, yes, I don't think you can do what you have here from all the
way down at 37% up to 75%. I don't think that's adequate notice. Um, there's been a large amount of discussion about broad notices in terms of ranges being too much for the public to understand, but certainly if you wanted to come in somewhere between 55 and 65% funding,
Mr. there what 218 to 258 you're talking about a what is really a 20% delta between the two effectively I mean $40 you've got something you can work with there and then we would actually set the rate we just need to know that you are
going to set a rate and what it's going to be so we can get the ordinance adoption started so we can then start getting notices and mailers sent >> mayor mayor Yeah. >> So, we had had it came up a little bit last time the workshop and it's came up today. I want make sure what we the
staff provided to everyone was not a suggestion. That was a recommendation to the council. You all asked us to put together a plan to bring back to you on how do we keep the fire department operating at a high level? How do we make sure we have basic equipment? That's what we did. So, this what we presented is not a wish list. This is a
need. If you're saying you want to operate at a high level and you want to maintain coverage for south of I 10, a new fire engine needs to occur. You got a 20. What? What year is that third one? 1999. >> No, the oldest one.
>> So, it's 26 years old. Um, >> we're not going to break the city to do this. We've got to stay within our means. >> Understand? I mean, that's fully up to the council. I'm all I'm saying is what we provided to you was a recommendation to provide basic fire service.
>> The recommendation is noted. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And I'm going to say this. I'm going to go ahead and just make a bunch of real mad right now, but the public the public is going to know that fire and rescue we're going to have
it where we paid no assessment whatsoever. They were going to reduce our annual expense by a minimum of $900,000 a year and they would hire our firemen at a higher rate than they're being paid
right now. Their ISO rate is better which equates to lower premiums for all the residents and business owners that have property. Um the public will know that. In other words, when you say, "Well, you're going
to have to shell out a couple hundred dollars a month more than you're or not a month, but a year, but you're expecting." Um, I said, "Was that our only option?" So, just just be prepared to answer those questions because,
uh, it's not it's not hiding back there somewhere saying, "I'm not going to tell anybody." because it's our responsibility to be frugal. And we have got a lot more bigger fish to fry that uh we need money for. And so come budget time, you're
going to see what I'm talking about. And um you can figure out how to give all these people raises and it's not going to happen with a little nickel and dime assessment. Yes, ma'am. Kobe, I appreciate what you just said about the that this wasn't a
suggestion basically that, you know, this was a recommendation, but that being said, what do you do when when growth doesn't happen the way that we expected? You're going to have to we're going to have to stop and pivot >> and look backwards and we might and
we've got to live within our means. So that being said, I think that's what we're trying to articulate is we understand that that's the best case scenario, but at the same time, we also have a dilemma because we can't assess
something so high that everybody's going to file for a hardship. So I think that's what we're Yeah, >> I think that's what he's trying to articulate. >> 100% agree. I just want to make sure that what I g you think what I gave you is something that I don't stand we don't stand behind. We thought then that that was in the best interest of the city. I agree. Growth, some of that growth is
going to dictate some of it, but not all of it. Like part of this is a new engine. That's got to occur. Uh adding at least one additional personnel to get us back to three shifts of five. That needs to occur. Um as growth occurs to do the the building to do the truck, you're going to need to add on three more people to be able to split the
shift. >> And I understand that too. And I I because I feel the same way that what he's what he's trying to articulate. And I don't want you to feel like we're ganging up or or or not taking that seriously. I just think there's so many variables and we're going to have to
take this one step at a time. And you know, we're only going to be able to do what we have the funding sources to do. We and at the same time, we've got to be cautious about what we ask our citizens to bear. though >> because I feel the same way as what he's trying to say and I'm not trying to
discount what that column says after the five years. >> You want Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, I've I've sat back been quiet for a while, but there's a a lot to unpack here. Um,
one thing I've thought about from the very beginning with this, and I mean from the very beginning of this, is that we have systems that impact systems. We have budgets. We only have x amount of revenue coming into this city. Um, and we have to make it all work. So, how
could we make it work? The one thing that came up with this fire assessment is that this assessment is supposed to fund the fire services as they exist. Not just what we want to layer on to it later on. This assessment is to pay for
the fire services inside of the city, not the ALS services we provide, but just the fire services of that component. Um, with that being said, we have aging infrastructure. The one thing we've talked about for months, it actually
from the back to the time whenever I was appointed and then went elected, we have spoken time after time after time again about we have old decrepitated pipes that have to be replaced. And how can we get those replaced? Well, we're going to apply for grants, but then we got to
have match monies. And then will the state have money to to fulfill those grants? Will the federal government will have the money to fulfill those grants? Will we be able to get it all at one time? Will it be several years down the road? How do we accomplish this? Same thing with the fire service. We
know that there are a lot of things that need to be fixed at the fire department and that we're all in agreement that we're going to do it. This council agreed to fund a fire service. I stand behind that. The thing is now we have to figure out how are we going to fund it.
We collect $2.8 million in Avalorum. say it's three. It it it rounded up, but we still pay out $6 million a year in public safety services. Water generates water. Gas generates gas money.
But we don't collect anything for our general fund outside of those avalorum taxes and then sales taxes and different things. How we make it all work with magic in the end. But the thing is at some point it comes to a head. So, if we go too low with this assessment, we
don't have enough money to fund the fire service. We already know the fire service cost us $1.9 million a year. It was scaled back from 2.2, but we need to be at 2.2. Now, the actual cost of the fire service
in that 1.9 is a little bit less than that, but nevertheless, we have to generate revenue to fund that fire service. That's the purpose of this assessment. If not, then why have the assessment? So, we have to minimize the transfers. We've spoken about that time and time
again. At every budget, it comes up. We got to minimize transfers. We need to scale that back because we're pushing over $2 million a year out of water and sewer and gas and putting it into general fund to help add all this back up to make it all work. So, how do we do
it? um the sales tax that could that could possibly help us. That last penny that's there would generate money for public safety. The thing is that's got to go out for referendum. So the citizens still have to vote on this, not just us. They we can't just decide this
on our own. It has to go before the BCC still too and get their buy in on it. And then the citizens have to vote on that. I I fair to say that half of our citizens don't even know about this fire assessment yet until they get the bill.
We all do because we participate in these meetings. Our family does because they see us in these meetings. Our friends do because they see us in these meetings. But how many of the overall citizens actually know about this at this point? They're going to figure it out when they get the bill. But the one
thing I'm going to stand behind, and I'm going to leave it alone there because I think I've hit most of the um high points I wanted to, is we still got to stop transfers. We still got to fund the fire service. We got to find ways to make all this work. The grants for now that we have the fire uh the building and all the grants will help us. It's
only going to help us with equipment. It's not going to help us with personnel services. We're still going to have to fund those positions. We have 300 or we have 112 lots that we approved at Bay Springs to be built down there already. So to say that we're not going to look
at the future would be hypocritical for us because we would wind up in the same place that we are today with the pipes. We've got to look forward to some of that growth. I'm not saying we got to implement it, but we got to prepare for it. We've got to go ahead and start funding and working in that direction.
And if we don't start collecting for it to try to make all these things work at this point, then we're going to be far behind then, too. So, um I think that was it. That's that's all I got. When one last thing, when I vote on this, I'm looking at a fee that's going
to cover the cost of those services. If it's too low, I'm not going to vote for it because we're not helping the problem. We're only making it worse. If it's too I'm not going to vote for it being too high either. So, >> well, what are you comfortable with? I think we have to be around that 50%
marker. The truth is Councilman Beerbomb is probably right. Now, that's not to say that if the growth doesn't come, we can't scale back to Councilman Heftlin's point, but for now, we've got to at least fund the service. We know it cost
us $1.9 million. We're going to collect eight We're going to collect uh $785,000 there. And I I still look forward to that one penny. Don't knock me one bit. I want to sell that on everybody because we're going to have to come up with
something. But um the thing is we that's what we're hoping for, not what we have. This is what we have to look forward to. >> Mr. Mayor, >> Amy, >> can I ask Clay or Kobe? Maybe one of the two can answer this. The county has an assessment and Miss Sandra gave us that
range and theirs was from $75 up to a high of what did she tell us? I believe she said their their rate 75, but the county basically said I know that they have the ability or may in the future go up to 150. >> That was their rate. >> So So they Okay. So their range so that
they don't never have to go back out and advertise. >> I I think they said it's 75, but we reserve the right to go up to 150 in future years. Okay. >> Correct. Do as part of their budget process. Mhm. >> So, I I'd like to make a motion that we
we do it between 50 and 65%. based on the chart that's in the packet because we'll have to put the >> and do >> and those those numbers are >> 199 to >> 199 for dwelling unit 238 to dwelling
unit highend um 13 cent per square foot commercial 2 cent for industrial warehouse >> the high the highend on residence >> the highend on >> was 238 $38 $8. You said 50 to 60,
correct? Council 238 is the high end. Lowend 199. Highend for commercial is 15 cent per square foot. 2 cent for industrial and warehouse. 38 cent for institutional again per square foot.
Lowend would be 13 cent 2 cent and 32 cent respectively on those. Vacant land would be assessed at a high end of $69 per parcel. lowend $58 per person. >> I'll second the motion uh because I want
to hear what the public's got to say. >> And and can I say that my motion includes exempting those three things that we decided last week which was the government's the >> that will that be a separate motion? Okay. >> Set the rate and then we'll come back to the exemption.
>> All right. We got a motion second. Go ahead. Um, I don't know of any cities that fund their fire through 100% through assessments. And so there's going to be a certain amount of transfer, you know, unless we find alternative funding
sources, which again is is possible. It it is entirely possible. Um, so, you know, we don't have to look at fun, you know, 100% here um or getting close to that. I think that's too impactful in a negative way uh to folks. Um you know
that the state is still looking at eliminating property taxes. Um you know if people don't have property taxes to pay then they have a fire assessment to pay that might be relief to them in that way but it it's going to it's going to place another burden on us general fund
wise and and we know that. So that's why those finding those alternative funding sources is going to be vital to us regardless of what we do. Um, but we follow statute, you know, in in in going through this process. We have from the beginning, the public hearings, the we
we've been we've been talking about these dates that all these things have to be done by. So, we're following the law in getting this information out to people. And it's it's a lot like, you know, the you know, the the easement, you know, for the airport um that that we did we didn't get. People, you know,
citizens didn't didn't know they weren't aware of it. Well, you know, we this is going to be advertised and public hearings and all that. What more can we do except doortodoor um you know to let people know what to do? So, we do the
best we can. We do follow letter of the law. Uh Mr. Atkinson sees to that. Um so you know I don't know but we don't need to set a a a starting point uh column here or we just are we okay to do the range
just for clarification right I got that but we don't have to we're not required to set we don't need to set one beginning point >> clay I think that's >> beginning assessment so to what we're looking for tonight I want to be clear what we're doing for
tonight is you can either set a number That is going to be your fixed number. You can set a range. We will do not less than this nor more than this. >> If you ever change either one end of that range, you will have to go back through the full formal advertising and
notification process. What you're doing by setting a range of potential adoption is allowing you at budget time to adopt your resolution that says what that number is. Okay. >> So, we have from tonight until budget to set the actual dollar amount.
>> Pretty close >> between this between that number and that number. >> Very, very, very close. You have the range. If you do the range now, if you are not going to do the range and you want to just say this is the number we're going with, we need to do it now because we've got to publish that actual notice. That's got to be out in July.
>> Yes, ma'am. >> So, we're voting on 19910 to a high point at some time in the future to 338. 23 >> 238. >> I got one thing to add. Um I the last time that we came together on this, the reason why we asked staff to come back
was so that even if we I don't want to say we're going to adopt the low end of this range, but I want the ability to scale back. So with what council was saying, I don't want to lock us in from 50 to 65 right there. I would rather stick to that 75 to 37 to that way we
have that range and then we come back and then actually say which one of these numbers are we going to do because if you want to scale this back later at another budget cycle I want the ability to be able to do that. Am I right on that? >> I understood Mr. Atkinson to say that wasn't the best. >> I I I don't believe that's going to pass
legal muster. The range is so large when you get into this. You're effectively talking about the look. I mean, I understand the county's range doubles the way it does. I'm not privy to and I have never gone back and looked at their actual assessment study in terms of 75
to the 150. But when you look at the number numerical range you're working with here, I think you've just got too broad of a spread is what you're working with. I think it needs to be tighter. But I mean, if the council's direction is no, we want all our flexibility. Advertise it. We'll do what you want.
We'll do our best to defend it in court. I would just tell you the broader of a range you put out there, the greater the risk of challenge the public has is because they're going to say, "Well, how did I actually know what you were going to hit me with?" >> But but can I ask a question or something? >> Hurry, real quick. Go to
>> Clay. I I don't understand how they could challenge us because for right now, we've not set the rate. We're just putting a range from A to B. And I under and just for clarification because you were not here at the meeting. I understood her to say this has already
been challenged and this this methodology and so >> a methodology of setting a range works. But the challenges that have been successful have been to ranges that are too broad. When you present the public too broad of a range and then try to
pick it in there, the public has an opportunity to argue based on vagueness and over breath of what you're presenting. Now, that doesn't mean it can't be. I would just say when I sat here and looked at the ranges that were presented from the low end to the high end here, it felt too broad. That was
just my initial gut when I read it. Now, did I think if we were coming in somewhere between anywhere from even if you started closer to 50 to 75%, I think you're probably more in line with something that's justifiable. Um, but I
will tell you the challenge is if you ever try to go back and move it without doing revertisement, the public says they gave a really big range. You go move it the next year. Well, I didn't realize that there was a really big range and they all said they wanted to
start low and that's all I heard and now the next year it doubles on me. That's where you get the challenge. And am I going to tell you that we can't defend it? No. We will do everything we can to defend it. But I would say that if the idea is to advertise what is covering
37.8% all the way up to 75% of the fire department. If you really want to open up that big, start at the low, go all the way to the 100%. You have the whole thing covered. I mean, if the goal is to give you maximum flexibility, let's roll the dice. I'm not recommending it, but duly
noted counselor, let's proceed. But I don't know um if we want a range that big why we're stopping at the 75% mark >> because we don't want to hurt the public. >> Well, but you're not setting the number. I mean, ultimately, so understand if you
need to go to 100% in two years, you're going to have to go back and change that. You're have to go back and readvertise and go through the whole process again. So, I mean, I guess that's really to the council's point is if you have a tight range, that's the best option. If you do not want a tight
range, you might as well go as wide as you can. >> All right. Somebody want to give us a number? Mr. Mayor, go ahead. >> So, I I understand my coun fellow council members concern about wanting flexibility.
My my suggestion is let's pick the middle of the range, middle of the road range, and let's go with it. If we ever want to go back and lower this, we will throw one heck of a party because to spend roughly 5 to$10,000 to
readvertise it to say, "Hey, guess what everybody, we're lowering it." To me, I will gladly or whoever else is here will probably gladly spend that money to revertise to say we're going lower. So, I think that it's better off instead of trying to cover a very broad range and
then subject us to liability down the road. Let's pick an appropriate range that we feel like is appropriate funding amount that we feel like we need for the fire department. Give ourselves a little bit of room on either side >> and let's go with that. Let's not let's not do the super wide thing. If we need
to go lower later, to me, that's money well spent. The $5 to $10,000 to go send the letters later to say, "Hey, guess what? We're going we're going to lower your taxes." That's money well spent at that point. Amy, >> so so the motion on the floor was for 50% to 60%. Is that correct? >> From 199 to 238 as the as the absolute.
>> That's pretty tight. And you're saying you want to set the range the dollar at >> half halfway at the 55 at the 218. Is that what you're saying? >> Yeah. >> Your range is okay. But the range on the motion is you're you could support.
>> I could I can take it all. Is that 55 to 65%? >> 50 to 600. Give us a motion. >> Public comment. >> They did the motion already. >> There's a not until we have a motion. >> They already did. >> Oh, we do have a motion. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Who made the motion?
>> I did. >> Seconded it. >> Okay. All right. Any public comment? >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. I. >> Eyes carry. Thank you very much. to your three classes if you want to go right to
that. >> Okay. I'd like to make a motion that we exempt the three classes and that we adopt the hardship. >> I need that as a third motion. It's all second. >> That's fine. >> I'll second her motion for uh exempting
the three classes. >> Okay. I got a motion. Second. Questions, comments on that? >> Just to clarify, the three classes are government, institutional, tax exempt, and a exemption. >> Yep. Any comments from the public?
All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> All right. And then lastly, >> hardship >> that we adopt the hardship policy in year one. >> Do you want to go with just Walton counties? Make it simple. >> Is that the one that we had the uh
>> That's what we recommended last meeting. >> That's the one I incorporated in the ordinance. So, you make my life easy if that's what y'all do. >> Let's do that. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Well, there was a big difference. Mount Dora, for example, they
there, let's see, Wall County is a less than or equal um 30% of the 2023. Kobe, you said today that was updated though. >> Well, we would have to update it every year to match the new uh income levels
from HUD. Um, but I think ultimately the what you're talking about is the category. category is what you need to set. So based on what um you know Miss Sandra gave us, give me one second here documents. Let's see. Trying to find it.
>> And I do stand corrected. actually put it where you would adopt this by resolution. So, yes, you're going to I do need the motion tonight either way, but I did pull out the specific verbiage the county uses so that if we do change this after year one, that's right. I remember y'all talk about just a year
one exemption on hardship. So, it's written that the council will adopt a resolution for hardship um opportunities um and that is written in to give you flexibility into the ordinance. >> So, for now, do we mirror the county? I think if you start with that and then we go bring we'll bring a resolution back
that'll give us time to start. But what I would just say is that you want to offer hardship that you want to include let me try it this way that the city would that the city opts to provide the ability for hardship
assistance for qualified applicants. and we'll set the qualification by resolution and then we'll set that policy and come back to you. We don't have to have that today. >> Who made the motion? >> I did, but Mr. Harrison,
>> did you want to Okay. >> Yeah. Well, I'm just, you know, wondering why they set these different percentages. Mount Dors uh less than 50% of the of the income limits, right? And Groveland was at 60%, Walton County at 30%. I
>> I can help a little bit. Okay. because we went through this is um your income limits are often pulled off national averages and what it relates to your areas. Sometimes you do not have localized data per city. So for
instance, you talked about this at your CRA meeting about the grants and the income based grants. We had to change the numbers of what we do wildly different than Crest View about where that income would be because we don't have a localized define springs data set. But we have the countywide data set
and the south end pulls us all much higher. Typically when you see variance within a part of the state, central Florida as opposed to North Florida, um that's a pretty good indication you just have different areas. But when you're both in central Florida, Mount Door,
otherwise it's likely a function of their data set based on their county or their overall area they pull from just being skewed. and they chose to localize it to what they felt was more consistent with their direct
and with their direct population base and I don't know that we have that. Um we would want to try to get better at that and that's why I think it being done by resolution when it said first year is the right way to do it because you can look at it year to year just like you look at the rate. >> Is there a second on the floor?
>> I think there is any one there second. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other comments from anybody? >> Just clarify, you gonna amend it to what Mr. Atkins? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> You mean? >> All in favor say I. >> I'd like to amend mine to what Mr. Atinson said. >> Okay.
>> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Carrie. We got three more things. Do y'all want to take a break or you want to get them over with? >> Let's get them over with. >> Yeah, let's get it over with. >> All right. This is a couple things Amy had pulled off. Uh, one had to do with
animal foul. Mayor, do you want me just while we're all right in this to go ahead and do the public hearing on the the first reading on the ordinance if that's okay? >> I have in front of you what is titled the city of Phoenix Springs master service assessment ordinance before
anybody panics. It doesn't say the word fire in there anywhere. It never should. The reason why is your actual rate is calculated by your study and therefore adopted in resolution in the notice. This gives you the ability to have non-evalorum assessments if as long as
you follow that process. So if we ever had three non-evalorum assessments at the same time, this governs your ability to do it. The biggest things you'll notice different from what you may have seen if you've looked at anyone else's, notably the counties, is that we did not
include anything about the nonuniform method of abalorum assessment. We went the uniform method. We talked about that the very first time we came in. It makes it so much easier for us to administer and keeps us good with tax collector and the property appraiser. So this has to
be advertised for 10 days in a newspaper general circulation before it's public hearing for adoption. That means it will be your first meeting in June is when the ordinance will come up. I have set where the rates, the hardship and every other fixed numerical amount in this
will be done by resolution adopted on an annual basis. That gives you the utmost flexibility of not having to readvertise this getting caught in that ordinance advertising cycle of two readings and then having all the other changes. So this gives you the maximum flexibility.
Um what I'm looking for tonight is a motion to hold first reading and approve advertising for second reading public hearing and adoption. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I motion second. Any comments, question from anyone? All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I.
>> I. >> I. Eyes carry. >> So, mayor, council, bear with me. An ordinance relating to the provision of public services and facilities in the city of Deank Springs, Florida, authorizing the imposition and collection of service assessments against property within the incorporated municipal limits of the city of DEX Springs, Florida, providing certain
definitions and defining the term service assessment, establishing the procedures for imposing service assessments, providing that service assessments constitute a lean on assessed property upon the adoption of the assessment role. providing that the lean for a service assessment collected pursuant to sections 197.3632
and 197.3635 Florida statutes up for perfection shall attach to the property on the prior January 1 the lean date for Avalor taxes providing that a perfected lean shall be equal in rank and dignity with the leans of all state county district and
municipal taxes or muna taxes and assessments and superior in dignity to all other prior leans mortgages titles and claims, providing procedures for collection of service assessments, providing a mechanism for the imposition of assessments of on government property, and providing an effective
date. That ordinance will be at the first regular city council meeting in June for second reading, public hearing, and adoption. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. All right, Amy, we're going to 10D. >> Okay. I pulled this I asked this to be pulled off because I asked Kobe a few
questions on this. I don't have any problems with the resolution itself, but Chief Hurley might have was doing some research, too. So, I'm curious. This was um this was a potential ear finding people collecting money, but we don't
get the money. The money stays with the sheriff's office. So, I was just curious how much money is generated every year that we may be foregoing. And then I said to the chief, would you be able to administer this? would you be able to do it so that we could keep the money? And
I the answer was unknown at the time. So that's the only reason I pulled it off to see if anybody was collected the data. >> Hi Chief. >> Hey. So um obviously if there was a way to make money, I'm all about it. Um looking at at this through my lens, I
don't see it a money maker by no means. Um, I talked to the head of animal control this weekend about positions that are needed for maintaining that. Um, main two being a veterinarian and like a vette. And so
pulled our calls of service. We had 139 uh calls, animal calls year to date. So not every one of those is a vicious dog or a stray cat. Some of it could be a duck got hit in the lakeyard or there's a squirrel in my attic, you know. So 139 total calls, but you could probably say
75 were probably calls reference to a nuisance animal. Um, but if you just quick did the math, you hired a part-time veteran veterinarian for 60,000 and a vette for 35,000, you're at 95,000.
So we're going to have to make a $1,000 per per cat probably. I just I don't I don't see it right now. Um, I I I wish there was a way to figure it out, but I don't I don't see it being a money maker at this point for us at all. >> So, okay. So, was Kobe, were you able to
get a report on how much money they generated uh collected in >> I have not. >> Have you tried or not? Okay. Thank you. >> Talking with um Captain Hugaboom. I don't I think they're probably in the hole. >> They are. >> No worries. >> Tremendous amount of donations and
everything else to help >> offset some of their cost, too. So, but yeah, if if we could figure out how to make money, I would I would ding short. >> That's the only reason I pulled it off. So, I appreciate the research. So, I make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> All right. Second. Any other question, comment? Anyone?
>> All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Eyes carried. Thank you very much. We'll go to 11 E1 or actually 10 E1. >> And this one, Kobe, will you refresh my memory? Was this the one that the you
were using as a negotiating tool for? >> Uh, no, ma'am. >> Okay. So, then I make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> All right. I have a motion to second. Uh, any questions, comments from anyone? >> All in favor say I.
>> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> All right. Eyes carry. Thank you so much. >> And now we'll go to our city attorney on the first reading of the master service assessment. >> Oh, that's one. Yeah. Yeah. Which way did he go? Okay. All right. And uh this
time we open citizen comments. If you uh want to make a comment, please come to the podium, state your name. You represent organization, do that as well. Thank you very much. >> Uh my name is Melinda Henderson. I'm representing Forward Defunia. I have several items for you this evening.
First to report on the sixth annual sprint triathlon. We had 104 pre 154 pre-registered. 114 completed the race. 118 were Florida participants. Of those, 18 were from
Walton County. We're thankful for the small um TDC grant that helped us to defay some of the cost and allowed us to advertise more extensively. And what we put that money into was a videographer so that we can get more pictures out
about not only us but about the city. Uh in addition to the city departments that helped tremendously, I'd like to give se uh special recognition to Councilman Kosen who assumed the role of lifeguard at the last minute. He accomplished two
saves for distressed swimmers. an uh event vendor, a certified lifeguard, assisted one swimmer. Several uh special recognition needs to go to Chief SC uh Sheffield, too, because um he stood by
with his EMT unit to examine the distressed swimmers and when they were brought ashore and later he treated two injuries sustained in the bicycle or the 5K races. Ambassador Hamley did a
parking lot survey later confirmed by regist our a registration that participants were from uh Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington State, Canada, and
France. The tally from registration data revealed that that was accurate. um Miss Bacon, our president and event coordinator, um and David Sharon, the race
coordinator. And I would like to thank the city for the support provided for this event, which was conceived and implemented to supplement the economic vitality of the area. We hope this data shows that we're succeeding.
A more extensive report was given to each of you. Second, I'd like to report on the historic preservation 101 workshop information sessions. Tomorrow evening at from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Shiakwa building, our own Alexander
will talk about Shiakwa, New York with uh archival and current photographs as well as um the Florida Shiakwa, that's us with archival and current photographs and talk about uh her comments will
include a connection between the US Shiakewa movement and the history of our own city. Keep keep going. Don't worry about that. >> We have speakers coming from the Florida Department of State, the Bureau of His
Historic Preservation. Um hopefully in June they'll speak about three things. One, uh what are acceptable building supplies for historic preservation and where do we get them? two grants that support
historic preservation and the cultural arts. And where can we obtain funds to replace the Shiaka Auditorium? They want elected officials and key community representatives among the participants. So, watch out for your
invitation. Finally, we're seeking permission to show a webinar a webinar featuring a speaker from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Stay tuned. All the workshops are free and they stand alone. That is you can attend
one or more and they don't have to be in sequence. So come whenever you can. You'll be welcome. >> Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Anyone else? >> This first time I've ever attended a meeting that everybody was unanimous on
every single vote. Did that actually happen? >> It actually happened. >> Wow. >> But what I really came up to say was uh thank you guys for allowing uh me and some of the others to coordinate the
Cammy Day event. Uh since I know you guys aren't going to be meeting um between now and then. Just a reminder that it's going to be May 30th. Uh, and that will be from 4 to 8 with uh music and um and food trucks and uh thank you
Glenn for your participation and everybody else in the in the community who's been uh kind enough to give. So, thank you guys. And I know we're looking forward to Lakefest, too. >> Yeah. Coming up. Yeah. Thank you so much. All right. Um Clay, anything else? >> No, sir.
>> Kobe, >> uh just real quick, mayor. Um, we issued today we issued the notice proceed to the to the contractor for the runway. So, they'll start mobilizing. Uh, we have a few things left to do on some permits and the gopher tortoises, but other than that, we we have issued no proceed and we're moving forward. So,
we'll continue to keep council updated. Um, the apron design, we are close to 90% design on that. So, we our goal is the first meeting in June to have that here presented to all of you um to adopt that. So, then we can move forward with FAA and getting ready to bid that out as well. Um, Lakefest I won't steal the
Thunder mayor can hit on that if you like. Uh, but we will have public works is having a cleanup uh Wednesday or Thursday. There are some volunteers coming. So, if anybody wants to volunteer with that, they'll be down there to do that as well. Um, and Lakefest obviously is this weekend. The CRA has two two events coming up.
Thursday, we have an event Tivoli from 5 to 6:30 to go over what CRA is about, what what the board's looking to do uh moving forward. And then on the 21st from 3 to 6:30, we have one downtown in the main street office for people to come and go uh that day as well. And
then lastly, uh we talked about I'll be out of office the last week of May for a conference. So if you need something, call the mayor. >> He said he was available so >> or sue me. >> Yeah, he's trying to pay me back. >> That it may.
>> Thank you so much. We'll go to Mr. Dan. >> I'm good. Oh, Mindy slipped out of here. I was gonna wish her a happy birthday, but she's gone. >> All right. Thank you, Dod. >> Uh, my only comment was um I didn't get a chance. It slipped my mind because I was enthralled in the maps um because
I'm that much of a nerd. The paving plan that we adopted tonight, >> the plan, >> the paving plan, the >> roads for the roads. That's something that has been discussed my entire tenure and I'm so happy to see that actually finally coming to fruition. And I as I
was talking with Kobe about it today, um, as he was expounding on how they're going to evaluate roads and make sure that we're covering the utilities and that sort of stuff, that's just good government. That's what we're that's what we're here for. That's just good government and I'm I'm happy to see it finally happening. >> Yeah. >> Thank you.
>> Absolutely. >> Yes, sir. >> Quick question for Clay. Uh, what is the process for um moving forward with that last penny that we have available to us for public safety? County Commission's going to have to be willing to put it on a ballot for adoption. And as we're
already in the month of May, it is highly unlikely you'd be able to get it on this election. So, you're probably two years out. >> Two years. Okay. Thank you, >> Amy. >> Yes. Uh Kobe, will you do me a favor? When you get those job descriptions from the surrounding CFOs, would you please
make sure you get the amount of their budget for the current year so that we know how comparable or off they are from how much money we do, what they're going to do with us? Please, >> Lyn. >> Mayor, I was just going to mention Lakefest, but that's your rodeo.
You You want >> Hey, trust me, I have been leaning back, you know, cuz you know you this thing's got to be taken over. >> Yeah. >> So, uh Christy has done a unbelievable job. >> She's working hard >> of kind of running the show. I'm just I'm mainly just a suggesttor and a phone
caller. That's about all I'm good for. But anyway, but I I'll say this. Uh uh we got some good weather coming up. You know, we've had two years in a row we got delayed. So, I am very excited about the weather. And uh anyway, and if I can
just get Clay over there to throw in a little donation there, we'll be just fine. >> Oh my. >> I thought I was going to catch you before I left here. I said, you know, I better just go ahead and say something. >> You got Sydney. You got Sydney hunting me down. Oh, is that right? Okay.
>> All right. All right. We'll call this meeting a journ.