--------- I want to call this city council meeting to order. This is Monday, January the 26th, 2026. And I ask you to stand for the invocation. Pledge allegiance. Hallelujah. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love towards us. We love
you, Lord. We ask you God for your blessings on this meeting, on this city, our citizens, Lord, our council, our staff, all the professionals that here to help us Lord that we would better our community, Father God. And we just thank you, Lord, for helping us to be good
stewards over it. We ask this all in Jesus name. 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. >> All right. And I do have uh one proclamation uh I want to read to the council and to the u everyone here in the chamber. And this has to do with Arbor Day, which
by the way on Friday the 16th, we um we had celebrated with a tree planting down the lakeyard, which uh the u uh the name signed to that particular tree was Francis
Linghouse Campbell uh Jones. She was just about to turn 108 years old before she passed away here recently. Um, but anyway, it was a very real honor to be able to have her represent the
tree that we planted which is over there not too far from uh down the down from the Circle Drive in Hover. All right. Whereas in 1872, Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set
aside for the planting of trees. And whereas Florida Arbor Day was established in 1886, recording it as one of the first Arbor Day holidays to be celebrated in the United States. And whereas Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and
the world. And whereas trees can reduce the erosion of our precious top soil by wind, water, cut, heating, and cooling cost, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce life-giving oxygen, provide habitats for wildlife. And
whereas trees are a renewable resource, giving up paper, wood for homes, fuel for fires, countless other wood products. And whereas trees in our community increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautifi be beautify
our community. And whereas trees wherever they're planted are a source of joy and spiritual renewal. And whereas the city defunct has been named a tree city USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. And this is the 12th year
Definiac Springs has received this national recognition. Now therefore, I bounce by virtue of the authority best vested in me as mayor of the city of Funiac Springs, Florida to hereby proclaim Friday, January the 16th, 2026
as Arbor Day in the city of Func Springs, Florida. And I urge all citizens to celebrate Arbor Day and to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands. And further, I urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this
and future generations. Thank you very much. All right, we'll get right to our consent agenda. We would entertain a motion to approve as written. If you want something moved to the regular agenda, this would be the
time to share that. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> I I have something to remove before we vote. >> Okay. >> E1, could we just put that? I have a just a statement to make. >> E1. >> Yes. >> Okay. I'll amend my motion.
>> Thank you. We have a second. >> All right. Cob, where we want to put that? >> Um, mayor, would you be comfortable putting it under USC2? >> That' be fine. Okay. >> All right. C2. And that will be the
fire department radios. Okay. All right. Anything else? Okay. for with the uh the amendments. U I'd ask for a um
a vote to see who's starting. Dan >> I >> I >> I >> All right. >> eyes carry. Thank you very much. Thank you, Dan. All right. Now, we're going to go to the regular agenda. If we uh >> I have an ad. >> We do have one ad already. What's uh >> Yeah.
>> What's your ad? Um, I would ask my fellow council members if we could add an item to discuss compliance with our city agenda rules. >> Compliance with city to our like >> add discussion and a motion for
compliance about our city agendas. >> Okay. >> Second. >> All right. He takes three to add something to the agenda at this time. So, um, all in favor say I. >> I.
>> Are we voting on just this individual ad or the whole regular agenda? Mayor, >> no, just add just this add. Uh, now, of course, the reason for this is because some people feel like a they're a little illprepared to to deal with it being
added the last minute, but three councilmen can add it to the agenda. Can Can I clarify why I'm asking for it? >> Go ahead. >> Um, I was briefed on Thursday afternoon, late afternoon, but there's been four things, four to four or five things
added since I've had my briefing uh Thursday afternoon. >> Um, and we already have a set of rules in place. I just want to follow them because I don't think it's fair. So, that's why I'm asking, can we just talk about that tonight so we can be
compliant and everybody knows what rules to follow? Okay, we have a motion, second, and a single vote. That' be a yay or nay. B. >> I >> I
>> I carry. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And so to clarify, uh, you're just wanting to discuss our policy on the >> Yes. >> things to the agenda. >> Yeah. Okay. Where are we going to put that, Kobe? >> Um,
>> you want to put it under C. Make it C3. >> Yeah, that's that'd be fine if everybody else is comfortable with that. >> Where? >> C3. >> Has to be under me. C3. >> C3.
>> Just discussing uh agenda policy. All right. Anything else as far as being added or deleted? Okay. >> Motion to approve as amended. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion. Second. All in favor say I.
>> I. I. >> I. >> All right. Eyes carry. Thank you very much. All right. So, um I'll go ahead. This thing I've got here, this was a an offer that was made on a
little point 22 acres um on off of North 83. I don't know if you know where Graham Property and they also have a little concrete business of some sort. I can't remember the name of it, but uh anyway, I
contacted them about I don't know, God, months ago, and I said, you know, uh cuz I noticed they were using the property temporarily back there. I said, you guys might want to make an offer on that to the city. I was done through a
note. That was not me seeing anybody face to face. And then sometime there later, they sent me a uh uh email uh saying that they would they had offered $29,000.
And after a period of time, I went back and I sent them a message that I don't think 29 29,000 is going to show much interest. Um this property does have uh some pavement on it. it. The only
thing it has on the highway frontage is a little probably less than 30 feet of u street access. So, it's not really a highway front property. It would be for them because that would be added to them. Uh but anyway, and so I had
recommended I said, you know, might want to come back with like a number of 40,000 or so. And uh but this is what they sent. And um so I wanted to put it in front of you guys to see what you want to accept it or not.
>> What how much are they? >> 35,000. It's a dot 228 dot 22 less than a quarter of an ech question. >> Is that strip that um goes out to 83 is
that is that the entry driveway or is that plan to use? >> It would be for anybody but them. You know, right now they own the two little buildings out front. >> I gota >> But if someone else buys it, they're only going to get that little tiny strip. >> So,
>> is Cali in the house? >> So, if so, >> Cali, >> I don't see her. >> So, if if if they bought this property, will that be their entry to their business instead of on the adjacent city
lot as their entry? Uh, it could be part of their entry. Um, but they've got they've got they have their own they got enough room. >> That's what that's what I'm wondering. >> Yeah, they got >> So they already they already enter somewhere. >> I'm just saying that would be if
somebody else bought it besides them. >> Yeah, >> that's all they did. >> I got you. >> They have their they have their own entrance in the front there off of 83 or whatever that is. Is that 83? >> No. >> Would you say 83? >> What is that road? >> 83. 83.
>> But that entrance allows them to the back of the building. >> Yeah. They just put their big heavy equipment back there in the back. >> But really and truly, there's hardly any room back there. >> Yeah. >> Dan, >> um, it sounds awful cheap to me. I
appreciate you initiating this. you know, we need, you know, we need to liquidate some of these properties that we're not using, but um for the size of that property, uh it kind of sounds like that's residential rates and this is commercial, which would probably be
double that. >> Well, I think what makes it worth quite a bit is it's got a lot of pavement on, you know, >> not just that, but you got access right off 83. >> Yeah. Uh yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So, I wanna one thing this was,
you're right, this was added. This was one of the things that got added after the fact. But what I wanted to raise a concern about was I got a lot of phone calls this afternoon when people found out. They said, "How come I couldn't bid on that? I didn't even know y'all were selling that." >> Um, so I want to put that out there.
Plus, I don't I don't know what the market value is for that. I don't want to get see us get in a situation where we're unloading properties again, number one, without offering it to everybody in the public. Um, and without knowing how much it's really worth. Um,
and I know that we're doing that, but um, when we dispose of stuff without being transparent, fair, and equal, I I just I don't want those phone calls, you know, where people are calling to say, "I I would have bid on that if I would have known that." that's what you were
doing. I'm also concerned about the timing >> and the uh >> policy. >> You know, it was funny Mr. Hamilton just brought me I was thinking, you know, we just went out and paid four close to $45,000 for a parking study. This is
already a parking lot that we've got right there for events if we needed parking for uh the community when we have huge events. You know, we had talked about and I had called Mr. Hamilton and even Mr. Irvin today to say, "Hey, did that
get incorporated into the parking study that we just did?" Because, you know, we had mentioned this before. I had asked what what's the is it reasonable to think that we could park on the fairgrounds for parking when
we needed over uh parking issues? Could we use the community center to park people when we had I didn't even realize that that parking was available. So, I want to just be cognizant of the fact that we're hurting for parking spaces and to me that's a good use of that
space if you know I just realized too that the school board had just was using it all this time inside of there. I didn't realize they were the armory part. Yeah. Which is right there next door to it. And then we're talking about
the firehouse. So, and for me, I just don't think I can support this. Number one, because I don't know what the true value is of that property. Two, other people in the community didn't have the opportunity to um bid on
us selling it. And at a minimum, I would just ask that we remove it until we figure out what we're going to do. I'm I'm hoping that others will >> Is what you just said a motion? >> Um, do you need a motion to see if we're
going to take this? I was just commenting just >> Well, no, you know, first I would have to have a motion before we went any further with it. You know, I mean, we can talk about it, but u um yeah, that's I'm good with that. The uh
there is people can make an offer. Uh certainly you don't have to accept any offers. It can things can go out for bid. U there's advantages both ways. Uh when you go out for bid then you kind of give yourself a a tight window as to
when they got to respond to that bid bid timing. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. And where with a uh some offers, I mean we we were offered $3 million for the old city hall. There was no bid. we were offered three million and uh I believe
we kind of got very close to it if we didn't have such a stubborn city council back then. But uh anyway, that's uh a little bit of the difference between a bid and an offer. U >> I just want to see it.
>> I told him I said >> at least to throw 40 out there, you know, >> I'm thinking more like 50 or 60. >> Yeah. >> Commercial rates. But does it have another value to us with that all that property now that we're considering? That's my thing. I
don't think I want to unload it right now is my whole point. I mean, here we just had the meeting before this and we didn't make a lot of progress. We did decide little chunks of what we're going to do, but I don't want to see us get rid of it at all right at this moment. Not saying in in the near future we
wouldn't decide that, but we don't have all the facts on the table. Well, considering our our workshop we just we just had, we don't know the value of this. There's not a whole lot of comps in that area. Um, but as far as paving that thing, if it was paid from just
dirt, that was a good bit of work and expense back whenever that was done. If it were repaid today, that So, it's not a it's not a vacant lot. I mean, as far as it's vacant, but it's improved. >> Yeah. Substantially >> uh with the paving. So I I personally
would like to have a better idea of its value and that discussion in the last hour kind of this falls right in that category of let's see what we have in value on on the other hand from their perspective there their business there that is established they can benefit
from it we can see where it can help them u and the question goes back to have we evaluated enough with our future uses and those types of things but um I think it's timely to you know maybe maybe think about and and look at the value at least, you know, of it. >> Yeah, that's fine.
>> Dan, >> would it be appropriate to make a motion at this point or >> Certainly. >> I'd like to make a motion that we decline this offer. >> Okay. >> Second. >> All right. Uh,
any comments from the public? Donna Arnold, that 30 foot that goes out to Highway 83, that's a standard easement size. That's how you would get back. So, another business or anything could use that. So, that will increase the value. I do believe that city
property right there that those your two pieces are contiguous right there. That adds value to you >> as that, too. Whatever you wanted to do with that piece of property, that little piece would add value to it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh,
>> is that right there? That red square piece on the map. >> That's it. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> Donald Graham, local businessman. You know, when we come up here to uh witness a council meeting, the curtain is up. >> So, you know, us citizens expect our
council to be prepared. you know when you dealing with business you know sometime you hesitate or you don't you don't have the wrong wrong answers or the size of residential commercial you make you'll blunder so you know it seem like every time I'm
up here well I'm not prepared I don't have this and I don't have that you got to be prepared when you're making a business deal so thank you >> thank you yeah I don't know when these guys got it but we had had it come in on Thursday.
Um, but that that's neither here. We got a motion on the floor. Um, any other comments? >> Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. >> So, I I agree. I think that the the price is low and I agree with rejecting the offer. I think that it should probably be selling for more like
$50,000. I do I do agree with that. Um, I I do just want to make a comment. This seems to come up on a fairly regular basis. Anytime someone from the public approaches us with an offer, immediately people cry,
"That's not fair." The city hasn't done anything out of sunshine. We've simply had an offer made to us. We're in a public meeting. We're considering it and debating and discussing it. and and I just have a real issue with anybody that wants to say that somehow we're not
being transparent or we're not uh doing things on the up and up when it comes to receiving an offer for a piece of property that we own. I I have a fundamental disagreement with that. Um if someone wants to make us an offer and and someone makes an offer and we accept it and they beat someone else to the
punch on that, then you know what? Hustle harder. >> All right. Anyone else? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. I >> I Carrie. Thank you very much. All right. And now we will go to um
uh Amy on the fire department radios. >> Um I just needed to make a statement. So I was absent a year ago last year on one of the meetings and the police chief I think or maybe it was the fire uh there
was a big variance. These radios are like five and five $5,500 a piece, but our police chief got them for like half that price, but our fire department was paying double. And I'm wondering, is there any way that uh
>> we could be more competitive? >> Well, I'm not sure because they're very specific radios to our very specific public safety towers, but the sheriff gets them at a different rate, the state patrol gets them at a different rate. Uh, but they're all connected by channels to and I'm wondering is there
any way we can get these at the lower prices like what the police chief? >> He has a completely different system. >> He has a completely different system. >> Are we not all on the same is our police and our fire not on that same radio station? No, they they have
>> our fire department not >> they have Motorola Turbo and our fire department is dispatched by Walton County and Walton County is on the SLE state law enforcement radio system. >> So is there only one vendor to and and it might just be a comment. I just know that
>> so so those those radios and that's why I didn't want to go completely to that system because of the cost of those individual radios. >> Yeah, they're pricey. They are. Um, but no, that's that's about the the average rate right now for what those radios are worth.
>> And they were I mean they were in a different county, too. I knew they were that pricey. But I also know that >> if you know who to call >> and the problem is is there's one vendor that operates that system right now. And and
>> and that's the only one that we're >> for that system. Yes. >> Okay. We're crippled to the price that Motion to approve. >> Um, second. >> Sorry. >> Go ahead, Dan. >> Is this a budgeted item, Kobe? >> Yes, sir. It is.
>> Thank you. >> Can we Can we please make part of that motion that the motion is to approve the purchase of three radios in the amount of $23,878.90? >> I amend my motion. >> I amend my second. >> Okay. And and I note that for the record
because the quote in your package said quote is good for 30 calendar days and the date of the quote was November 14th. >> So we're well over 60 calendar days out at this point. So I just don't want there to be some confusion because that
may have gone up. They may also have gone down. So it's not to exceed that number. >> Okay. Any other comment from anyone? >> Oh yeah. Go ahead. Come on. >> This is Donna Arnold. More of a question, but this is to purchase radios
for the fire department. >> Shouldn't that be approved after we decide if we're keeping them or not? >> Well, that fire department's going to operate. >> We'll let Walton County pay for it. >> So, you don't want our firefighters having radios? >> Oh, no. I do. My son's a firefighter. I just want if Walton County is going to
take it over. >> So, you want him to have proper equipment? >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. >> This is just in case they'll be there one way or the other. >> But if if we're going to I mean, we haven't decided to keep them. I see saving the county the money if we decide to go the other way.
>> Walton County can pay for it. Okay. >> They're telling us all that. If we're going to keep them, yeah, I think they need to go ahead and be approved. >> Okay. Well, we'll let council decide that. >> But no, but that I mean that was my question. He's the one who said, "Did I not want him to have it?" No, I guarantee you one of them is my kid. I want him to have whatever he needs.
>> Okay. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. She just brought something to the forefront of my mind. Can we ask the chief to come back up here because I need to know a technical uh >> police chief. I'm fire chief. >> Fire chief. I don't mean I'm not excluding you, fire chief. I just But I
want to know something. How is our fire station on that other radio station or what happens to our radio station if the that these radios are going to be attached to I'm I'm inferring from you there's two
radio towers. >> Yep. So we we have our own city radio system >> and if our fire if we do unload if if we eliminate the fire over to somebody else and not under our control what radio systems do they go under? Which tower do
they operate off of? >> So Walton County Sheriff's Office, Fire Rescue, Argon Liberty operate under the state law enforcement radio system. That's the radios that you're purchasing here.
uh we have our Moto Turbo. So the reason because we we have explored the option of of getting them on our system. Um but the problem is is they're interoperability with those other departments that they work with regularly. >> Okay. So it's only the police that's on
that special. Okay. >> And so we do have a way we can when we have a critical incident, we can patch our two radio systems together, but it takes a an extra step. It's not a difficult step, but it patches them where we can talk to each other, but >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Day-to-day operation, it wouldn't be the way to go. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> All right. Eyes carry. Thank you very much. All right. And now with the
discussion on the agenda policy, Amy. >> Okay. I I brought this because I shared a portion of it when I asked you to add it. Our policy says the deadline is Tuesday at noon and that's on our front website page. But again, my briefing is
on Thursday and and things get added. So, five things have been added since Thursday afternoon, and I'm concerned, how do we operate so that we comply with our own policy? And and I don't have to be surprised that five
things have been added Monday when I get here to the because my schedule is busy. I don't have time to check every 10 minutes or to call Kobe. Has anything been added since? And it was funny because on Thursday, Kobe can attest to this that I specifically said, Kobe, how
many things are you going to add between now and Monday and we chuckled and he said, I'm I don't anticipate any, but yet there have been. So, and I understand emergencies come up and we're going to have that, but can we do like we just did tonight, add them at this
meeting instead of or wait until the next agenda? >> Well, sure. But well, let's also let's also fill out the forms completely. We're all guilty of that. We're all guilty of putting in a oneline form. So, let's make sure we all fill out the forms. Like, if we're going to follow the rules, let's follow the rules.
>> But, I think there needs to be flexibility. >> Well, I don't know what what I don't know who's not following that rule, but if I'm breaking a rule, >> we have all been guilty of submitting agenda that have one line. >> I'm good with that. >> So, what's good for the goose, good for the gander.
>> Yeah. I just wanted >> I think both situations need to be addressed. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Because we have gotten lax you know uh waiting till Thursday Friday getting things on the agenda and the way
it used to be you would call it in or write it in or mail it in on Tuesday. It had to be in print by Wednesday. That's the way it was. I don't know u Raphael what is the general rule that you have you try to follow as far as timing on
getting this on the agenda. >> Well mayor um whenever any council member wants to get something on the agenda I am normally very lenient on um you know as long as we're within the our general rule of 48 hours. >> Yeah. Well, I mean that's respectful to
them, but it's not respectful to the policy, you know. Uh, so that's what she's talking about. Um, and I it's whatever you guys want, you know. I'm I I just want to but if we're going to have a policy, let's let's try
to stick as close to it as we can, you know, and if we need to adjust policy, this is the we'll probably need to bring it up probably the next time we get together. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, cuz I know that you're meeting with Kobe
usually one to three days before this meeting >> and so you're probably already past the date for the time you tell Kobe you want it on there. Uh I know that's difficult because you like to sit down and talk
with him before you put it on the agenda, but um Kobe, what are your thoughts and what's what's the very latest you think that these things ought to come to you? So the way we've we've uh proceeded I know since in the last two years and pretty much since I've been the clerk
when I was clerk uh we try to have the public and staff on Tuesdays. Um and then we have we sent out dre draft agendas on Wednesdays. Um and I start my council meetings on Thursdays. We send out the final on Thursday night. And then I also have two or three on a
Friday. Uh and then you know we've always given that courtesy of those council members on a Friday to add things on Friday because our code says that agendas must be published no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting. So we always latest on Friday by five even though that's beyond 48 but I don't
expect anyone to work on Saturday or Sunday. Well, I think you based on her bringing this thing up, you guys probably need to vote on what you just >> So, well, so you do have an adopted
written policy 7.42 of the city policies policy manual. Submission of items. All agenda titles must be given to the clerk by 12:00 p.m. Wednesday prior to the meeting. All reports, communications, ordinances, resolution, and contract documents, or other matters to be
considered at a council meeting must be delivered to the clerk by 12 p.m. Thursday. The city clerk shall arrange an agenda list with all attachments that will be submitted to the council by 5:00 p. p.m. Thursday, the week before the meeting, and then publication has to be between then and Friday. So, the
council's entitled to an agenda 5:00 p. p.m. Thursday, based on the written policy. And the only deviation that I now I know Kobe has announced that staff's position was they adopted an internal staff policy >> to make it on Tuesday and do the same
for public comments which is not what this refers to. So with that being said, in fact the only thing the policy references for public submissions is how they go about doing and it's always for the next council meeting. And of course, we ask that if the league will be given
that same Thursday at 12 simply because if you hand me 10 things to review Wednesday at 5 and I have two items of my own, it's going to be difficult to get all that in. And we have had that, but typically we can make that happen. And I believe the council did vote to approve that once.
>> Worth some advice for us to set uh adjust this policy. Does it need to be everything be done by noon on Thursday? Well, not well. I think it's probably we could take this uh this policy Mr. Atinson is referring to. I'll be honest with you, I don't know I've ever seen
this. I can't find the attach, but let us take it bring back some edits to it and then >> I would be perfectly fine with that. I just want to be consistent on what we're doing and what we expect. I just it's hard for me to see things on Monday
>> or get a phone call and say, "Well, this is on the agenda. How come you didn't? You know, I didn't know. I get it. I didn't >> And I've been guilty of adding things when I meet with Kobe. So, if I don't meet with you until Thursday, >> I know my coun council people aren't going to see it and
>> at least until unless coincidentally you meet with him on Friday. >> If you bring something up that's urgent, Kobe can add it Friday if he wants to. >> Or why can't we just do like >> But it needs to be urgent. >> Yeah. >> Really urgent. And and most cases are
there's things we're running out of time on. For example, we've got a we found out we got a bid or let's just say Tim comes in and says, "I got to have a sign off on this to to apply for this grant or whatever >> and our next meeting is going to be too
late." Those are good times to for Kobe. I can do it as well, but Kobe can jump in and add that. But that should be that should be the reason. It shouldn't be because just one of us thinks it's important. >> So he can just use that as direction,
right? We don't have to make a motion. >> Your thoughts on that thought? >> I I completely agree. I think that there should be there should be a little bit of executive uh leniency there that if if one of us gets approached by a citizen or if we find out certain
information that needs to be applied, we we should have some flexibility there. Uh but I also completely agree. I don't like being blindsided, but but I will say this. I don't check my email one day a week and have a conversation with Kobe and then think that I'm locked in until
I get to the to this room on Monday night. I might not check my my email every five minutes and I'm not asking anybody to check their email every five minutes, but I do check my email a couple times a day. Typically first thing when I wake up and normally when I'm laying in bed before I go to sleep.
So, this idea that we only check our email on the day we meet with Kobe and then we're locked in. I I don't ascribe to that. I I check my email and and work through the weekend. I Clay can attest. I've called him many a time on a weekend because I saw something added to the agenda. That's just we we signed up for
this. >> We signed up for being prepared for the meetings when we show up here Monday at 5:00. there. Well, on on preparation, you know, we have all added things late
probably, but we you know, I tell you what, the the last time, you know, since I've been on this council, it it it's been it's been a brush fire and we it's been it's been a lot of things for us to to deal with and have to be thrown at last minute. We all understand that.
But, you know, when they do come on late, you know, I typically meet, you know, sometimes Wednesdays with with Kobe, well, sometimes by Thursday it's changed. I try to be prepared when soon as I see the agenda, which usually comes out on Wednesday evening, I start doing
my homework. I start clicking on the links, making my notes, preparing. Then, well, sometimes by the next day, it it'll change. Well, that's not a big deal, right? So, I can do it through Thursday, I can do some more work. But if it comes in late on a Friday that leaves because I mean there's life,
you know, and we did sign up for this, but there is life that that kind of kind of is is part of this whole breathing process. And you know, on a weekend, we don't have access to city hall personnel, staff, Kobe. I'm not going to
bother those folks over the weekend to prepare for a meeting Monday. And Monday mornings, again, there's life. there's not always convenient to handle things on Monday. Kobe's he's burning he's burning it up Mondays just prepare for the council meeting that night. So, it's
hard to get in with him without feeling like, you know, we're we're kind of putting a big burden on him. So, it would help us to have deadlines. County has deadlines for their agendas. We just have to we have to we just have to bump it up. We have to bump it up and be more prepared and get these things on there
so we have time to reasonably uh prepare for these things. And there will be last minute additions still emergencies. Yeah. >> Okay. So any of us can put anything on the agenda uh within the normal time restraints. Um
but for these emergency situations like you're talking about um when we have our meeting and you say is there anything you'd like to add or s add or subtract uh from the regular agenda
and then one of the council members wants to put something on, >> then it requires >> at least three votes. But it doesn't otherwise if it's an emergency situation and even if uh if I may may not consider
it >> convince him or convince me. >> Okay. >> That's all you got to do if it's an emergency. >> Kobe or you? >> Yep. >> Okay. So, we don't need to do do a three vote.
Not necessarily, but if somebody just wants to press it, our policy allows for three council members to put something on the agenda at the last minute, but it has to be voted on >> like we did tonight to add this topic. >> Okay.
>> But if you convince me or you convince Kobe that it's critical or or timing is critical, then we can do it. Put it under our name. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, uh, you know, I'll work with
you guys any way you want it. I just need you guys to come to agreement. That's all. And I think it Kobe probably ought to just tell us because he's going to be as lenient as he can and then let's just roll with it. Whatever Kobe
does, he's one that he's the one puts the finishing touches on this thing every every two weeks. Doesn't matter. >> Is he gonna Kobe? Are you going to find that policy? Does it say what we have to attach as support for the agenda item? Because >> Mr. Beerbot would like something. He's
looking for something that may be absent. >> When we look through it to make changes, what we can add language in there if it's not already there. >> I mean, you could put something, for example, you could say public works and that's all you put on the agenda. My god, public works covers so many things.
be more specific, you know, and uh or don't just say uh you know, Graham Avenue. My god, there so many things could be attached to Graham, you know, let us know because they're trying to prepare themselves
to make a good decision on what you're bringing, but they can't do it with that little teeny piece of information. >> So, and it might be attached because I know I've done it before, and I'll give you a perfect example. When I brought forward who I wanted to appoint for the
CRA position, I didn't put Mr. Loar's I didn't put his name down there. I just put C appointment. That's all I put. >> I didn't put anything else attached to it. I didn't write it. I didn't put his uh resume behind there. And I don't know if that's what you're referring to or
not. I just want to accommodate >> been good, but that's never I don't think I've ever >> want to accommodate whatever it is that he's looking for. >> Never been a problem. >> Okay. >> Maybe he can share it. problem whenever you know you you mention the street name or or something of that nature or park
or whatever and uh we don't know if somebody's worried about getting injured over there or you're talking about you know God knows what you could be talking about with that address and I've seen them I've seen address come in they they put a street address on there Lord have
mercy there's no no telling how many people live on that street no telling how many problems public works has had with that Well, and a lot of times I just call Kobe or or the clerk and I say, "Will you just add the CRA appointment?" That's all I say, you know, and they do the rest of the magic for me. I don't
>> trust me. I don't think that's a problem. >> Okay. >> Okay. Well, you'all understand. You understand what I'm saying? You understand what I'm saying, Dan, about identifying a little bit more. Yes, sir. >> About what you because you're asking them to make a decision on something only, you know. >> Okay.
>> You know what I'm saying? I'm pretty if I wanted to add something at on the night of the meeting like I've done before, I explain why I want to add it. >> Yeah. >> And >> but see they >> and and y'all added it. It wasn't a problem.
>> In most cases, you can, but they may have said, I'd like to get a little more information before we cover that, you know, >> and you don't want to put them on an embarrassing spot. That's why we're trying to get heads up on this, you know. >> Yes, sir. >> Don't want to catch anybody off guard.
Okay, y'all ready to move on? >> Move on. >> All right. Okay, let's go to um D1. >> D1 Kobe. >> Thank you, mayor. I believe Kyle's here. >> Good evening, council. Good evening,
Mayor. >> Good evening. >> All right. I'm going to present to y'all November's and December's uh monthly report. Um, all right. For the water, um, all of your permits, you're at 100% compliance.
Um, for the total of the three months, you produced 142 million gallons. In October, you did 50. In November, you did 46, and in December, you did 45 million. Uh, the wastewater plant, you're at 100%
compliance. on your wastewater treatment for October and November you're right at around 40% capacity. Um October we did about 18 million. November we did a little less about uh 16 million a little bit lower.
Um for bioolids um we ended up doing 12 loads of liquid hall sludge due to installing new fan press. But once we got the fan press installed you can see that we went down in no uh bit a little bit in November and a little bit in December. uh down to five loads um of
dry sludge. Um historically since the fan press has been installed in November, we've produced uh 522,845 gallons of liquid hold sludge. So that is pressed that's gone through the press. So that's quite a bit. Um SCADA
um we actually had a meeting with SCADA last week for the training. We uh did the training. Hydra service provided the training to us and to the city staff that was there. Randall and then your IT department was there as well and they also while we were doing that did some
of the cyber security training for inside of the city too. So we help coordinate with all that as well. >> Uh Kyle, real quick. >> Yes, sir. >> That that excludes Station 9 though, correct? >> Yes, sir. >> Let's just clarify that. >> It it does exclude until the building is removed. they'd have the panel, it's
installed or they they have it built, but once the uh building is removed, I didn't want them to put it put it there and charge the city an install fee when we'd have to come back in a month or so and remove it. Um so I'm coordinating with that. So that's the only one that's
left, but it's built. So perfect. >> All right. for um projects and repairs and replacements. Obviously, SCADA and then the fan press. Um we ended up installing a new check valve with a grit tower. It failed. Um so we replaced it. Um the influent pumps
we completed um some of the electrical u obviously electrical components don't last forever. They go out so we ended up and installing new uh new starters at some of the pumps there. Um still working on the new SCADA panel or not lift station panels. Um, we've installed
one at Magnolia Lakes. They came today and they're working on the one at Hidden Lakes today. Um, I have on order uh list station 22, 26, 28, and 31. Um, so those are going to be the next ones. It takes a little bit of time to build them. Um,
so I'm ordered four of them and likelihood hopefully I can get one at least one or two a month and be able to get it completed. Um the wells we ended up uh the city actually had a contractor come out and redo all the roofs at the wells. Um we
helped kind of coordinate all that and then we've also been monitoring it too with some of the little bit of rain that we've had. We had like massive rain events yet but so far we ain't have any leaks so that that's a good thing. Um the clarifier drive at plant two went
out. Um we ended up replacing it. Everything's fine actually went out today too but we had another one on shelf. So, we put another motor on it. >> Go ahead. >> Yes, sir. >> So, do we have both of those um plants
down there? I I forget what the technical term is. The the two big round things, >> the SPRS. >> Yes. >> Yes, sir. >> Are both of those online and operational now? At one point, we're down to just one. >> Yeah, they've been operational ever since I've been here. I got it back online a couple of months after I was
here. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Really honestly without just the CBOD loadings that you have coming in now, you have to have two plants. I can't just run on one anymore. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yes, sir. And other than that, um that
was, you know, that was essentially all the activities that we got accomplished for November and December, the holidays and things like that, but we're really gearing up for the lift station replacements. That's our number one goal. So, >> any questions? >> Motion to approve. >> A question. I'm just curious. When when
did the new fan press come online? >> It got delivered right around mid October. We had to we had to install it, you know. >> Yeah. >> Run all the piping and everything, but I believe right around the first week of November. We were operational if I'm I believe it
was November 2nd actually, if I'm not mistaken. >> Do we have any idea how how much we're saving on average in the number of loads that of of the dry >> one on a typical day-to-day basis? If I run eight hours a day running the fan press, I get around 16 to 18,000 gallons
of press sludge and where we were liquid hauling and liquid hauling is 5,000 gallons per tanker truck. So each one of them bins that gets hauled off now is equal to four or five liquid hall trucks. So essentially each we were doing three
to four liquid hall loads two to three times a week. Um, just a little quick math. Um, you're saving roughly around $1,000 a day or a little less by having the fan press. >> Awesome. >> Thank you.
>> You want to >> Yeah, go ahead. >> So, when the when our sewage treatment plant gets to be 50% capacity, that's when all the bells and whistles go off. >> What do you mean bells and whistles? There's a there's a safety uh policy put
in not by us but I think by EPA that says that when you get to a certain capacity >> typically that's around 75%. >> Okay. And we are at >> you're right around 40%. >> So and what would you just a ballpark
figure between the 40% and the 75%. Um, as far as the growth of this town goes, how many years have we got that we can kind of not worry about going into panic mode?
>> I'm not an engineer, >> right? >> Um, just for the um, it's hard to say really honestly. I know really what you have on the books right now for potential that's already been accounted for for your impact fees and all of that
for the next couple of years. I believe y'all have already allocated around 600,000 gallons per day. >> Um, and that's just what y'all already approved. So that 600,000 a day is going
to put you somewhere in the ballpark of pretty close to that 60 70%. So the planning stages is now and me me and Kobe Kobe's done a wonderful job of organizing the task force meetings and we've really honed in on where we're going to go forward with that. So there
is talks on there's always talks especially in the water and wastewater business of >> you know fixing the infrastructure and then additional growth. Is there a plan? That's >> that's what the the sewer master plan again. That's that's what those master
plans are for. We just need to get them. I just need to get my hands on. >> And we did and we did last Friday um go around with anchor or three notch group on the water side and went and we spent probably four or five hours with them an going over everything. They're very very
detailed which is good. It was almost like I had a regulator there. you know, they were catching some things that regulators don't even catch, but they were very impressed with how the system is operating and they and they said, you know, honestly, as cities compared, you are actually in pretty good shape for
the water system. We hadn't done the waste work, just water. >> One of the biggest lessons I've learned since I've been the short time that I've been here is that I don't think anybody here anticipated how long it would take to complete this airport project. it it
went way beyond I think what we were hoping it would be and I don't want to get in a situation like that as far as our our water treatment plant. >> No, I I think you you're in good hands with Mr. Townsen. He's got a good plan in place and we're going to work together to make sure the city can grow
with the potential or grow with the city. Anyway, you're welcome. Sorry. >> So, you just put something on record and I want I want to clarify it because Mayor Clay, you can help me with this. Previously, the councils were advised
that at 50% when we reach 50 50% or 51% capacity, that's when by the statute I believe >> by D reg >> by D okay D regulation, we have to start planning for a new plant. It's not 75%, it's 50%. Is that correct?
That's what we've been told previously. >> I've heard I've heard 50, but I just I was just clarifying. >> I can I can go I can go back. Yeah, I can go back and look. >> We have to be then we have to have planning in place to D. We have to be under design and permitting when we hit 75 is what we've
>> that I may I may have misspoken. My apologies. Well, I I just want I want some clarification on that because previous councils actually signed a contract and spent over $100,000 on engineering for a new wastewater treatment plant that we ended up not going with because
we're at 38%. >> So, I I want us to be eyes wide open on this, not 75. If it's 75, great. If it's 50, I think we just need to be aware of that. Great. I'm I'm happy that we're at 38%. But we've the council previous councils have already been down this
road once before and spent six figures on it. So I I really want to be to be clear on that. >> Yeah. And if you if you'd like I can coordinate with D and get >> something in writing. Yeah. Something in writing from D. >> That'd be fine. >> Yeah.
>> Absolutely. I can do that very much. The the other comment I want to make is I personally don't think it's it's fair or accurate to ask our plant operator what they think about the future of the plant. They're they're there to operate
the plant. Um, if we really want to know as a council what that outlook looks like, the correct place to look for that is from our community development uh director and he can tell us how many
lots we have out, you know, how many uh like ECRs we have, all of that type of stuff. That's that's the correct place to look for where's our future capacity and and in and that future planning. It's not asking the operator each day. Chris Wallace. >> Correct. It is not asking the plan
operator each day where if he thinks we we need a new plan. It it's it's in the community development department is where he is the one that tells us, hey, you've you had a development come in and they've bought up X number amount of capacity and this is where you're
sitting. That's that's the real answer, not not the operator. >> That's good information. >> Yeah. And I'd have to agree with them. >> Thank you. >> Motion to approve. I don't think you have to. >> Yeah, I was just doing my report. Do y'all have any more questions? >> Yeah.
>> Thank y'all. Y'all have a good night. >> All right, we're going to go to the uh fiscal year 2027 budget meeting schedule. >> Thank you, mayor. Uh council, just u hopefully by next meeting. U my intention is to have bring back a budget calendar, budget schedule for this
fiscal year coming for our process. um didn't have time to get this time, but my question to all you is there some is do you all have any dates or conflicts that I need to take into consideration? If it's personal, we can talk about that outside of this, but that maybe out there you're aware of so I can take consideration we're putting this
calendar together. >> Just get that emailed into you real quick. >> That's fine. You can do that or Yeah, that's great. So again, that was all was a quick one. There's any discussion, that's fine. But that's my intention. I
I just wanted to say I think that the quantity and the quality of meetings that we had last year was appropriate. We had probably the most I think I've ever had in my tenure last year. >> It was. >> And so I think that you can't you can't argue
that there wasn't transparency because every time you turned around we were having a budget discussion and a budget meeting >> and they they occurred all throughout the year. So there was ample opportunity for input. >> When did that start? Well, by resolution that was passed at at my request back in
2020, they should start in March. We should have our first discussion in March. >> We're early. We just had it yesterday or the day before, didn't we? >> We did, but I I did I did want to remind the council on why we picked March because there there was a lot of deliberation as to to when we picked
March originally and that resolution was passed back in 2020. And it was because staff at the time advised us that if you go any earlier than that, that is the halfway point of the year, the fiscal year. If you go any earlier than that, they're just guessing. So the numbers
aren't very good at that point. So March, per staff's recommendation, March was the earliest. Now, my intent with that when that that got originally passed was not so much for us to have numbers, but it was for us to have open discussion about what our priorities are
and to say this is what we want included in the budget. This is, you know, this is what we're prioritizing. If it's, you know, CIP list type of things, whatever the case may be, or if it's, hey, I want to make sure that this sidewalk repair over here on street X gets included, that's the time to start bringing that
kind of stuff to the table. Because what I've seen in the past has been you get to August, September, and all of a sudden it's like, "Oh, hey, by the way, I forgot about this project over here, and I wanted to really make sure that we got it in there." Well, the cat's already out of the bag at that point,
and it's it's almost impossible to throw an extra $50,000 somewhere for a project, as an example. So that's the whole intent of having those those March meetings is to to get the thoughts going about what you want to see prioritized in in the upcoming budget.
>> Does everybody agree with that? >> Yeah, we he's going to get you your schedules out. But like I say, if you think of anything, we're going to be out of town. >> Okay. Well, I've got a airline tickets and everything already booked for Honduras, so that's going to be in
April. >> Yeah. Make sure they get it. >> Okay. We have to get the exact dates. We'll figure it out. >> I don't think everybody needs to pour in your dates right at this moment. >> We'll get it figured out. >> Okay, let's move on to the enrichment center logo.
>> Thank you, mayor. Um, so council, a few months back, we talked about this. Y'all initially, uh, you know, approved of dropping the word senior from the, uh, from the title. Uh, then we we had some ideas. We went back to the drawing table. Um, we had someone u assist the
city and I'm sorry they look elongated. That's not, trust me, they're they're perfectly fine looking, but uh someone provide these to us um to the city. So, and we and we liked them. So, Miss Blo um looked at both of these. He ultimately recommended the first one.
You see the round one to go up back up again. It looks normal if it wasn't uh pulled up like this. So, u it's round just like our city seal. And then the other part of that was to bring back, you know, other logos that have been approved. And so this further down the
packet are those previously approved branding and logos the city did it looks like back in 20 uh approved on 7 of 2022. So um that's the request is to approve that
logo as recommended by Miss Balo. >> Make a motion to approve that first one. >> I have a motion and second questions. We were just given two choices, right? >> Correct. >> Okay. So, we need to decide which which one of those two >> recommended
>> the one that Susan >> and that's what they were voting on the one that she recommended. Okay. >> Can you put that one on the screen? The one that >> Yeah, Jesse, please go back to the first one. >> But you got to realize it is round and >> Yeah. >> Thank you.
>> Yeah. Our system doesn't use do photos very well for some reason. Any comments about that that vote or that motion? Come on. >> Oh, you like it. Okay. Okay. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Sus. I didn't see you back there. I'm sorry. I apologize.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> Carrie. Thank you very much. Thank you, Susan. >> Thank you. >> All right. Let's go to DFS. Tourism presentation. >> Thank you, Mayor. uh council uh you know
a while back now I guess probably 10 months or so ago we had a workshop on tourism uh we took that information went and had a table talk some good feedback from members of the public who attended so ultimately um just for you to kind of go through and see some of that feedback things that you know we will work with
over time uh we're looking at things for the city events working with tourism but ultimately the the main conversation out of this or kind of direction is u is on page go page page nine of the PDF slogan. So we kind of we talked about was looking
at the city and a slogan, a branding tagline. Some the city currently doesn't have one. So these are some of the ideas that came out of that. Um so ultimately we can have a conversation on that. If the council says, "Hey, go out do some more surveying, bring it back, then we're comfortable with that as well. Um but I think we continue to move forward
with trying to figure that out one way or another." So that's ultimately what we're looking for. >> Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. Uh Kobe, how does this incorporate into this Rapalis uh five-year strategic plan that we're putting together?
>> So Rapellis is going to help the mission statement of the city, the vision statement, u things like that. That's that is not the same as the slogan. So we're talking about a slogan or tagline. We're talking about you were to see the city seal on on the website or it would have something underneath it that says identifies the city. Um this not
something Raft Talis would create. It could be a part of a priority item created out of the plan, but it's not something they're going to particularly be involved in. >> Okay. So, that being said, shouldn't we wait until we figure out what that bigger picture our vision is going to be and our statement's going to be before
we come up with >> Sure. >> a marketing tool? I I mean, that's just the way I work, you know. >> I That's fine. I just if if there's any any of them that anybody likes uh or you know, we can we can always put out more survey. I didn't particularly expect all y'all to pick the city tagline tonight.
Um, it was more so if you see it, think about it. If if you if you were looking for any more input or not. >> Well, yeah. I I would like to take your advice, Kobe, and let's maybe just put out a couple of these in maybe some Facebook polls, >> okay?
>> And just see, you know, I think my my concern here is just like we've seen with some other other public input in the past, you know, there's only four or five people that show up to these things. And then based on that voting, we then kind of make a
decision and we go and then all of a sudden, you know, when it is exposed to the larger population, all of a sudden we then get input. So I really want to try to uh engage the public on this for for slogan ideas. So maybe we take those slogans that are here and maybe do three
at a time and put them out as Facebook polls. And I really want to see a whole lot more than two or three votes for for a slogan before we >> we make a decision. Like I would rather see like a thousand. >> Yeah. >> And how do you get how do you get your
survey people? >> I'm guessing the lady that does public relations for us. >> Christy and Denise would work together to put out >> Yeah. But I mean, how do they are they city residents? Are they countywide? You know what I'm saying? It's like how do we target into
>> I mean we would have a hard time putting in some sort of requirement that you have to fill this you like a way to filter them out. you'd ultimately ask that question. You just ask the the optional question or the required question where are you a resident of the city? It'll say yes or no. >> You could also put it in our water bill.
Scan this QR code. Look at our latest good idea. >> There there's there's tons of different ways. Facebook, there's water bills. There's >> I just want to make sure there's a criteria because I agree with what you're I mean I I don't necessarily disagree with what you're saying and I just want to make sure it's >> you know four people coming to a public
meeting but those four people that come they don't live in the city either necessarily. You know what I'm saying? So, I I I value everybody's got great ideas, but I'd really like to concentrate on >> they need some skin in the game. >> Yeah. >> You know, >> citizen of the city.
>> Okay. That was it. Just following up on something we've done. So, we'll continue to move forward. >> All right. You got this discussion direction on the public hearing. >> Thank you, mayor. So, I just want to be I just council, I know the last meeting we had that conversation. Uh y'all had two motions. one to send me to the
sheriff's office, one to send me to the board of county commissioners. Um, and I just want to be clear, um, that we didn't set a meeting. We did not set a public hearing, and that is perfectly fine. But I want to make sure we're all on the same page because we're getting into deadline windows in which you'll have the ability not to at some point.
So ultimately um between if if you if we are interested in having potentially doing the study for fire assessment going into fiscal year 27 um between today and February second decision needs to be made to hold a public hearing or not or if you don't do it tonight then we're not going to go any further. Um
but between those dates fe January 26 February 2nd uh we have to set a public hearing if you're going to do it. The reason for that is we have to begin advertising February 4th. We have to do it four consecutive weeks. Our paper here runs on Wednesdays. So, it's every Wednesday for four straight weeks. So, that would allow you to have the public
hearing between February 25th and February 30th. Again, I'm not advocating whether you have or you don't. I just want to make sure everyone's clear of the deadlines. So, that way we don't get to we get after the county meeting on February 10th. And on February 12th, you know, we talk about we want to have one, it's too late at that point. I just want
to make sure we're all on the same page. I'm not in favor uh for this or to spend the $40,000 until we've made a decision on where we're headed. So, that's my take on
ahead. I'm concerned that we won't have a decision made um if you know there there is a there is a tight window here and just because we set a date for a first hearing doesn't mean that once we
decide something later that that could just you know it just just been a hearing set there's just been a date set. uh but if we don't set this and and uh and move ahead with it, we don't know what the outcome of these conversations
are going to be, but there won't be a conversation if we miss this deadline um to set a hearing. So, and we spent a lot of time talking about it and I've made a lot of effort personally to make sure that I've have
been objective as I can be. I've brought information hoping that everyone else would be objective about it, but we got ourselves into this timeline. It's been brought up and brought up and brought up and we discussed it. We kicked it and we've kicked it and something has to get
in motion. This deadline doesn't change. That April 4th is is is there. That's it. So, that's why I'm in favor of setting a date for a first hearing. Um, and then we can, you know, if if the conversation down the road leads to
where that's unnecessary, we don't have to we don't have to pursue it after that point. >> I was just going to say it just for me it just means we won't have it for this year. Doesn't mean we can't do it next year. You know,
I I hear what you're saying. Well, I think it's going to be a long process if we do in fact keep going down the road of an assessment and decide to keep the fire department. There's a lot of marketing to get that across to the public and it
takes it takes time um to do that and you know we've operated here under you know talked about this for a a year or we talked about this last year and now we have this sense of urgency and um
people want to get this thing resolved. Our firemen want it resolved, our employees want it resolved, we all want it resolved. It's just sucking the oxygen from planet Earth. And uh I just I just want us to get it get it
observed, get it get it resolved rather. >> Mayor, >> go ahead. Um, I was a little bit encouraged by your optimism when you said after um, Shane Abbott
gets the green light on City of Defunia that the properties at Harperson Field belong to you and that would open the door to a lot of grants. So, I'm hoping that we we don't need a fire assessment because I'm kind of optimistic on some of the things you
said there. Um, on the same on the same token, I just don't know if that's optimism, if that if it equals realism. So, I'm kind of torn between this. I I
want to have your optimism. I just don't know how realistic it is. >> Well, I I would say that you know the five and 10 year plan and the projection of those numbers
is not realistic either because they project the covering of building new fire department on our dollar. They cover purchasing of a new fire engine on our dollar. the purchasing of a ladder truck on our
dollar, not anticipating and being optimistic that like other communities throughout this state getting money to pay for those things. So when we factor in those types of things as re, you know, costs that we're going to incur,
we don't we don't know that any more than we know what's going to happen with the the the reduction in property taxes. So, you know, I think to an extent we have to be optimistic. You know, our problem is we haven't decided ever decided. You made a motion one time,
council one, about keeping the fire department. And at the time, I voted against it because I wanted more information. Had that vote passed, we'd be figuring out how to fund our fire department. You see? So, it is just that
simple at some point. It is that simple. But we've been trying to figure it out. Um, and I I think I think uh I think setting a hearing is is first step. It doesn't mean we're doing a fire assessment. It means we're
thinking about how we might have to pay for it if we do decide to keep the fire department. We're past due and thinking about that. So go ahead. >> Um I do want to keep the fire department. You're right. I have made
that. What I don't want to do is spend $40,000 just to turn it over to the county. What I want to do is we can spend that same 40,000 once we decide this year whenever it comes, you know, after Shane does his piece, after we get
Reptelis, after we figure out the the moving pieces and parts. Uh I think we were waiting for one more piece of information from Mr. Townsen to bring back to us. I'm okay with that. and doing this process can still happen. I just don't want to put the cart before
the horse and do it right now before we uh before we have to. I mean, I'm totally fine and the people are going to come forward. If they see that we're say we're going to keep our fire department and we've got to find extra funding sources to do it with, then it just happens next year. That's all. We're I I
know that it's just a big step to take in advance. To me, it's just putting the cart before the horse. So, I'm okay with the fire assessment once we decide, yes, for sure, we're keeping it. And that's what this residents uh clearly desired
for us to do. >> Kobe. Kobe, >> I'm sorry. Mayor, >> um what's the deadline on us starting this?
>> So the resolution of intent has to be adopted no later than March 1st. So based on the timelines of advertisement, we have to start advertising because our paper runs on Wednesday. >> Starting when? >> February 4th.
And that's going to be >> before our next council before our next council meeting. So it's either you're saying we need to decide this tonight. >> It's either between today the 26th or February 2nd because we need to have it to the paper either by February 2nd or first thing on the 3rd on a Tuesday morning which Gary would be so willing
to include that. Um >> so what we're going to be doing is having conversation about how we're going to do this. For example, I'm concerned about keeping keeping an assessment down for the citizens.
Todd's wanting to keep it down for the business people. If we can come together on those two, I think we might have a a fair assessment. And but you won't you would not get to that point until you have a consultant
on board that does a study. >> And how much is that going to cost? $40,000 >> from >> for another study. >> Phase one, two, and then mailings. >> We can't do that ourselves. >> If you get that far to mailings, >> is there any way we can do that ourselves without spending $40,000? >> You have to have a consultant hired to
perform that that analysis. >> That's mandatory. >> Yes. >> Wow. >> Yes, ma'am. Mr. Mayor, there's not >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Okay, we got to wait for the motion. >> Oh, >> well, it seems like there's a study, Mayor. Yeah,
>> there's a study for everything and that's just that's just part of it. And and that's, you know, that's the thing. It's hard to argue against studies. When I go back to that last council meeting and I brought up the impact study, that was money wasted and
no impact fees were uh imposed and here we are talking about potentially finding a way to save our fire department and money is a problem. So, you know, I'm going to put it on record. I'm making a motion that we set a hearing
date tonight and we can all be on record for where that stands. set a hearing and advertise. That would be the motion. I >> I'll second it for a discussion if that's what we're waiting on. >> I now can I speak? >> I'm in favor of a fire assessment. Let
me just put that on the record. What I'm not in favor of is doing it in advance of us saying as a council, we are keeping our fire department. What I don't want to do is spend $40,000 on an assessment that's going to be charged to our city residents and then turn around
and give it to the county because then everybody's stuck for the the forever for that assessment. So that is the only reason. Now, I am all for us doing the assessment and for us to do the study, but not until we as a whole up here say
we are keeping our fire department because it is a funding source. And I'm all for that funding source. And I will vote to approve that funding source and whatever we have to do, but not in advance of saying we're going to keep the fire department. Don Arnold, I have done more research
since we were here last time. Every group of citizens pays a fire assessment except the citizens of Definiac Springs. Now, I know that they're taxed at a higher rate for enhanced services, but they don't pay a fire assessment. If we turn over our fire department to Walton
County Fire Rescue, they will be required to pay a fire assessment fee unless the city's going to increase funding or whatever. And I think it would be better if I were a city council member in my opinion to set the amount
that you charge to them other than letting the county do that. That's just an idea. But we are the citizens inside the city are the only people who do not pay one. So you can decide to charge it.
You can decide how to spend it or you can let somebody else do that to your people. Now on the uh the assessment you're talking about the approach when they approached us it was are you going to save basically a million dollars if you
have allow the assessment to take place that would be an additional $500,000. >> So they said that you will save the 900 or whatever it is the city will save if you give them if they have an assessment and they get paid that too. >> No no assessment at all.
>> No assessment. >> No assessment. So, they're saying they can do it for half the cost that you do it >> with no assessment. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Y >> I have another question just because people ask me that all the time because they hear me complaining, but um do we
have any idea where the additional funds that we save will be used >> that we save? >> Yeah, the 900. >> Trust me, we're behind eightball right now. >> Yeah. Well, I've gathered that from the meetings, but somebody asked me, so I said I would ask, but
>> and it's not just the fire department all over the city. >> The there will be an a fire assessment. They cannot charge everybody in Walton County a fire assessment. I don't see. And then not one for this additional area that they're going to take over.
>> That would become a conflict in >> Well, they're going to get a million dollars a year from us. >> Mhm. But that's not enough to cover it. If it was, you wouldn't be where you're at. >> Yeah. >> So, >> but you know, Freeport's paying an assessment, but no million dollars a year. >> Yeah. They're paying the assessment and
we all know, we don't know what happened with that Freeport deal. Somebody had something going on. >> Yeah. And mayor, just a Sorry. Go ahead. >> And they would get a million dollars from the proposal they gave us individually >> plus the CRA. you spend city taxpayer
dollars to renovate, build whatever the case ends up being the fire department building for them. So, you know, that that's an expenditure of city city taxpayer dollars that's
going to go for them to have a fire station that we have not found a way to provide for our own men. And so that's that's a that's a problem. Kobe, I'd like to ask that the date that what date
do you have that on the agenda to the request? Remember our our council said go and find out if there's any money the county can give us since our taxpayers are paying county taxes as well >> and comment was made that nobody's ever
asked for that, right? So we decided to send you to do that. What date is that that we would have that? >> February 10th. >> The 10th. Two weeks from tonight or tomorrow. >> Yeah, two weeks from tomorrow. >> Two weeks from tomorrow. >> I think it was supposed to be tomorrow, but they actually moved it from the
south end to the north end, which postponed it again and didn't an additional two weeks. >> Exactly. So, that goes back to my point. When exactly are we going to decide this? And because I I know employees are wondering if they're going to get a raise this year and we're behind in
doing the work on this. Um and you know it's just it's just time we move it forward. We owe that to to the public. Uh we owe it to our fire department in in my my view. >> Mayor Mike. >> Yeah. Honorable mayor, thank you for the time to speak. You know, it's a rare
occasion that I agree with Councilwoman Amy H. It's a rare occasion. It might snow tonight, >> but she's right on point. But I want to ask the uh the director of the city uh the city manager, what about that $1
million? Was that coming from the BCC or uh our sheriff? >> Are you referring to the million that we would pay or the million we would save? >> Uh the the million that we would save? >> Oh, I I can't answer that. I know the sheriff's office represented us that it would cost a million dollars a year for
them to provide that service for the city. How they going to make it the difference? I'm not perfect. I'm not pretty. >> So, that'll come out of the sheriff's budget. >> Correct. >> Okay. All right. So, uh when you going to speak with the sheriff or the BBC BCC? >> Both. >> Okay. All right. So, couldn't you uh
maybe negotiate that they release that m million dollars to the city and put it in our budget? Put it in our coffin. >> That's the request I'm going to ask. I'm gonna ask one of them for a term sheet to perform the service. I'm gonna go ask Board of County Commissioners for additional funding to the city. I think
there's a minimum we ask for and there's a maximum. The maximum would to my in my mind would equate to the savings which we've been presented. >> Right. Right. Right. Right. That's that's that's so the question was and you know when I go around these little small cities like the city of Gracefield and they just build a state-of-the-art
fire department and Gracefield three times smaller smaller than Phoenix Springs. So the revenue >> uh generation stuff like that. Uh I just it's just way I hear that uh the city could qualify for food stamps. I mean is
it that bad? I mean I just I can't see it. It's just something missing in some of these uh council meetings and uh as a city resident and also a city city businessman that have businesses here in the fat just something something ain't
right. Something ain't right with this. I'm telling you, >> we got the best fire department in the state of Florida, in the city. >> Uh, we got to fight. We got to keep the fight. Keep hope alive. >> Thank you, >> mayor. To clarify real quick. Um,
>> on the, uh, assessment topic. So, the city is essentially its own fire district. That's what we are, our own fire district. So, if this were to occur, um, we would still maintain that fire district. Therefore, the assessment is up to the council regardless um whether whether you retain fire
department or you contract that service out. The assessments the city's control to have whether you the city council can leverage one um and then levy one and then provide that money to the board of county commissioners um to give to the sheriff's office for operations. Um the city cannot leverage one leverage levy
one at all or you just ask board of county commissioners to include us in their assessment. But that's still the control of the city. It's our fire district just the same as garbage. Hey, I just wanted to clarify something real quick. Um, so just like if we were
to take our fire department and say, "Hey, we want to fix it." We have to go get permission from the taxing authorities, meaning we have to go to the county, too, and get their permission. If the county wanted to get us to redo the fire department first, it has to get past the CRA board, which I
don't see happening. But if it did, I would have to come back to you guys to get permission from the taxing authorities to fix that building, which means you still have another opportunity to say, "Nah, you guys can handle it. It's yours now." So, I just wanted to clarify that you do have opportunities
to stop that from happening. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. Can I just point out one more time that if five of us vote to eliminate the fire department, we save $1.9 million and we have the county doesn't have any
part of that whatsoever. But here we're talking about we could save 1.9 it. Why? That's why I have such a hard time because buyer beware. I don't how can somebody do it for a million less than what it's actually costing us to
operate? And I just want to point out one other piece of factual information. Every sheriff in the state of Florida operates under statute Florida statute 30. Okay? And he is the only constitutional officer that has the authority when public safety budgets are
not funded at their required level. They can petition the governor and ask the governor force them to give us more money. So, what I foresee in year two or three when it's a hardship, they saved us a million dollars in year one, but he can come back and say, "You owe me $5
million in year two." That's a potential possibility. >> That's not how that works. >> And this is my legislative opinion. I'm not asking for a legal advice. Um, >> well, I'm telling you legally, that's not how it works. You don't have to worry. my sheriff that I worked for for
12 years used that constitutional authority and won against the the county commission and they did have to fund it. So >> no, that is true. He can go back he can appeal to the governor and every sheriff that's ever appealed a county budget determination to the governor of the
state of Florida has succeeded. Every single one. But you doesn't mean he gets to come back because the state of Florida's constitution's clear. You can't impair contracts. So, chapter 30, the Florida Constitution, if the city has a contract that says we're
contracting with party X to do it for amount Y, that cannot be overridden by the governor. Now, in terms of going to the county for whatever the budget, he's got that right every single year, just like every other sheriff in the state does. But, we will not be subject to the
governor telling us to pay more for fire service. That's not how that works. My point is the city is then uncovered by police services. I want to maintain police I'm sorry, fire services for our city residents.
>> Okay, Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. Let her in. I'll I'll go right to you. >> U Melinda Henderson, resident of the city. I just have two questions I don't understand. Could we go ahead and set the meeting for the hearing and if we
don't need it, then cancel it. That'll give us a safety. >> The second question is, is there anybody we can petition that to get the fire department off the CIP? Is there any legal way that we can do that so that >> off the CIP?
>> Uh, but we have to wait so many years. >> Correct. That's statuto. >> Well, can we petition to get that changed in any way? >> I highly doubt you're going to see a change in CRA statute that makes that more flexible. depending that made it more
>> just trying. >> So, back to the hearing date and setting it and and you know, you've just mentioned us paying $1.9, right? So, if if we're if we're going to pay
the county or the sheriff's department a million dollars, where would that come from? out of the what fund? The general fund. Correct. Which we're having trouble with as it is. And so why
would we not consider a fire assessment to help cover that million dollars even if it goes even if the decision is made for the county to take over the fire department? Why in the world would we not initiate a fire assessment process to help relieve that million-dollar
pressure on our general fund? And and and would it have to be as high as we were talking about in the past meetings? Probably not, because it's a million dollars we're looking at instead of two, right, to cover. So, I don't see the harm in setting this hearing date and
and moving moving this ball forward. Uh either way, I don't want to see a million dollars come out of general fund if we're giving up our fire department. I don't want to come out of the general fund, right, anymore. Some will have to even if we keep it, right, but we can
handle as much as as possible with a fire assessment if we keep it or if it if it goes to the county. And that's why I see no harm in setting this date. And I do have a motion on the floor. >> Yes. So,
we asked staff to prepare a five and a 10-year plan. Our fire chief and our our city manager prepared a five and 10 year plan. And I've heard now at at two meetings this the stats and the data in that plan
be dismissed out of hand and say, "Well, you know, we're we think we're going to get an appropriation. We think we're going to get a grant. We think we're going to get a hope and a prayer and it's all going to get funded." What I want to understand is if we set this meeting and we spend this $40,000,
if it's my understanding that whoever we hire, they don't get to account for us hoping that we get an assessment or hoping or not, I'm sorry, not an assessment, an appropriation or a grant. They have to budget on on real hard
numbers much like what our staff's already done. So what happens when this this study comes back and it's either aligning with staff or it's more what then are we we going to dismiss it then and say no that's that's not the
numbers we were looking for if if we're if we're going to believe and pay $40,000 we're going to commit to the numbers that are there and we're going to implement them. We don't get to just say, "No, I don't
like those numbers." >> Yeah. And I don't know about the the projections he showed a week or so ago. >> Well, and I I want to point that out. If you go pull up that spreadsheet, it's available for everybody. Scroll over there to 2050. Scroll over to 2050.
At 2050, the budget that is currently $2 million, it's $1.9 million is $10 million. And we will have spent by 2050 $1 130 plus million. Of that 130 million, 10 million of it alone is just interest
payments. This isn't just about $40,000. This is about the long-term health and viability of the city. And this idea that somehow because we we look to somebody and say, "Can you
provide a service better and cheaper?" And they say, "Yes." And we go, "Oh, how dare you?" Well, guess what? Waste Management did that with our sanitation and everything's a-ok. Okay. >> Yeah. >> And and I do want to point out this this idea that, oh, well, they're they're
doing it for a million dollars. That that can't be right. They're they're gonna something's not right there. All you got to do is look at the city of Dest. It was in the paper not six months ago. City of Dustin just signed a new contract with Okaloosa County Sheriff's
Office for the uh for 20 it was either 20 or 21 positions. If you take the math per position, they're actually doing doing it cheaper than what we're doing it for here in town. If you take that same number and multiply it out
times the 14 positions that we have here, we'd save money there, too. So, this idea that because someone came in cheaper, therefore, we automatically eliminate them. It goes out the window. There there's there's cold hard facts
behind that. You know, the city of Freeport asked the sheriff what it would take to have dedicated uh patrol officers in Freeport, and there was a number given. Doesn't take but simple math on a calculator to see what cost would be for
us. >> Yes, ma'am. >> In in reference to I have two points, Mr. Mayor. Uh in reference to Mr. Beerbomb's point about the budget 10, you know, whatever out to 2050. First of all, circumstances are going to change
and budget needs are going to change. So to me, that's an estimate based on the facts that we have today. But as those facts change, that spreadsheet's going to change and those values are going to change. So today, yeah, it might be 10 million, but that's not necessarily what it's going to be moving forward. And the
second item is I I uh pull my second withdraw my second on the conversation. >> Yes, sir. I would like to say we have to consider in in those projections we got to project you know consider population
growth as well. Population of this city is supposed to be at 20,000 long before then and and you know you can't dismiss things like that. Those things are going to happen. This population is not going to remain st it's not going to get stagnant. It's not going to you know
cease to to grow. We we we know those things are going to happen. The only thing that we see, this conversation seems to be solid about is is projections that you you're you're betting everything you have on and we don't know those are
going to be factual. Um, so this is all a you know a thing and and again a million dollars why would we not find a way to find that million dollars somewhere other than the general fund? H why are we the only you know we we we
don't think this can be done. We're not the only city in the state of Florida facing this but many cities have figured this out and they're doing the very thing we're talking about and the very thing that we're not unwilling to talk about largely. So you know
this is a this is a discussion and and we we have to compare ourselves to other cities in this state that are successfully doing the very things that we're talking about doing right here. So, we're not the only city that's growing leaps and bounds and have have these problems ahead of us, but that's
that's what we're here for is to figure these problems out, not to go, well, this is too tough. Let's just let's just hand this off and still and still take from our general fund and give a million dollars away and still use CRA money to do something for the county to take it
over. So my whole problem from the very beginning, if you will recall, has been the work has not been done to figure this out. And that is my whole my whole problem with this is I'm confident in in in this council that we can figure it
out, but we have to be willing to do that. I've been willing to listen. I've been listening. We've been talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and no wonder our our things get added on on a Friday to the agenda because we talk this thing to death. We absolutely talk it to death.
It's just time to move it down the road. >> I'll second and >> impact fees can be used for this. I I mean they are for public safety issues. So your point to why that study got done and it's on the shelf. There's a funding source potentially right there for
certain things. I know it doesn't fund everything. It only uh funds certain things, >> but we ought to be exploring that too. That and and that doesn't cost us 40. Well, maybe it does. Maybe we already spent that. I don't know when that study was done or how long they're good for to
use, but uh why are we not collecting that? I know we went adopted preme something called a capacity fee, but if impact fees from the last meeting, what I heard and learned was we still have the ability to collect impact fees. I didn't I didn't realize that. I thought
they were substituted for capacity fees. But >> to to be clear, capacity fees are water and sewer only. And that there are no more water and sewer impact or tap fees. There is a connection fee referred to as the capacity fee. That is the actual
cost of connection to the city system. That is the charge to connect. But there have and continue to be police and fire impact fees. Those had nothing to do with the impact with the capacity fee or the water and sewer. And that's been in effect since roughly 07.
>> So for all the development that we are doing in the past 24 months, Kobe, are we collecting impact fees for everything? >> Absolutely. >> So So we could look at the financials and see all of these impact fees in a in that special revenue fund for because
they're very little. I mean, Miss Danielle came forward and told us what the impact fees were and >> $12,900. That's what we budgeted this year to collect it. >> We every month. So we budget annually for impact fees and they're also the re the one what we collect every month is
in my monthly report. So it's in there the revenues collected and year-to- date collected. >> So how much are the impact fees for all these developments that we're doing? >> It depends. It varies based on the rate of the study. Depends on the size of development, the type of development.
>> How can I get a copy of the impact study that was done that Mr. Harrison is talking about. Would you please email that to me? >> Yes, I'll provide to you at this point. That one cannot be adopted. >> It's well the one he's referring to cannot be adopted. It's well outside. It's right. I've talked to consultant directly. They all remember I did that
shortly after taking over. >> And can you just give me when you email it to me a brief summary of what we would have to do to re >> a new study, hire consult a brand new? >> Exactly that. And tell me how much that old one cost. Like >> I know you said a certain
>> roughly $21,000 about 20 grand, >> but that was payable from impact fees. >> It's paid at impact fees. >> So are we still operating under the old if I go back and look at our ordinances, I can see exactly what we should be charging and collecting.
>> Yeah, it's being under the study the study that was adopted. >> Well, we have an ordinance that says what our impact fees are. They didn't just go away, right? No, they're still being collected off the off the adopt >> off the old >> Yes. >> That's what I'm saying. It's off the old rates. Okay.
>> Off the initial study. Yes. >> Go ahead, Don. >> I I'll say it again. We We have a a real hard number that we can point at when it comes to growth. If you look at the assessed value since 2019,
you see double digit growth years for us. >> And it's actually out of normal. Normal is is anywhere from 3 to 5% and they consider that pretty good. And our average over the last six years is almost 12%.
>> So we have double digit growth and we have a real number that we can point at and say that's growth and that's what it equates to in real dollars and cents. Very easy to look at. It's the money that we send to the CRA because that's 95% of the increase. So that's $1
million. So when I hear people say that growth, future growth is somehow going to offset the millions upon millions of dollars that we need to spend on fire, it doesn't add up. $1 million does not cover the $2 million
that we're spending currently on fire and the $10 million we're projected to spend by 2050. It it doesn't add up. I would be all about growth and agre and in complete agreements with all of you if if those numbers were were more closely aligned, but they're not. We're
still $2 million off. I growth is going to happen. Yes. But when when we're we're budgeting we're budgeting $12,000 a year for impact fees, that's not moving the needle. That's not paying the bills.
there. You know, we're $2 million off on the airport project as well. We're $2 million shy, but we're still hustling to try to figure it out. But that's a oneshot deal. >> But it's still the same same deal. I mean, we were told in this last council
meeting or or whatever it was, runway is going to be 4,200 feet. We've got companies that were banking on 5,000 ft, right? And now we're we're we're $2 million short. We know we're still working on it. Had a lot of conversations in
Tallahassee last week. We it is it is being worked on and that's the whole thing. It is being worked on. This hasn't been worked. How to figure out how to fund the fire department. And again on the hearing date
whether whether the final decision is to turn it to the fire department to the county or we keep it. A fire assessment I think would be wise. It could be a smaller fire assessment if it's turned to the county. But a fire assessment be wise to help come up with that million
dollars rather than you know take a million dollars out of general fund. you know. >> Well, what what if they should say what's the recommendation if the recommendations is $300 per household >> if I'm sorry >> if if the recommendation of the
assessment is $300 per household every year >> if to if we keep it you mean or if if to to to make up the million part of the million dollars that we would pay the county if if they took it. No, I'm talking about if if that's what this
study recommends. >> Well, I mean that that's that's something we'll have to determine at that point. We're we're basing nothing on I mean we're trying to base everything on projections that >> um >> everybody here is including you.
>> Well, absolutely. And that's what we're supposed to but we have to consider everything. But by George, we're not considering everything. >> We're not considering everything. We're considering one side and and I've been trying to look at both sides
and I would appreciate a little more cooperation in doing that with how to keep our fire department aundred-year-old fire department >> 100 years and and and the work has not been done in the past. And I'm not saying
>> I disagree with that. I'm sorry. I' I've long enough. >> That's okay. I didn't I didn't ask for your agreement or disagreement at this point or to interrupt me. It has not been handled and looked at. And as I said before, somebody had to see this coming at some
point. Growth projections, where were they? Where were the growth projections of the past to see that we're going to be at this day sitting here on this particular day talking about this and trying to figure it out and instead we go, let's just hand it over, you know.
So these projections, if we look so far ahead, why has that not been done in the past? >> Mr. Mayor, go ahead. >> So I I I fundamentally disagree with that. When I when I started, I had firefighters come to me and tell me that
they have a two in two out rule and they explained to me what that two in two out rule was and that when Chief Barney went home, they didn't have an adequate coverage because they always counted him as the fourth person. Here we are today in 2026
and they are they are sitting at four on staff at all times and we're about to add a fifth. When they needed a truck, we bought them a truck. So this idea and and again their budget has doubled in six years. Doubled in six years. So this idea that
somehow previous councils didn't do what we were supposed to do. We did. When we were asked to buy a truck, we financed it. We found a way. We bought a truck. We were asked over over the course of several years to add people to the roster. We did.
And here we are today saying, "Where are we going to pay for all this?" Because they're asking for more. They're asking for two new trucks. They're asking for two new fire stations. They're asking for three or four new men. Where are we going to pay for it? Those are conversations we have to have. It's it's our obligation to have them. So, I I
disagree with saying that nobody has done anything about this. Every every council prior to this has answered the call and has said, "Is this what you need? This is what you get. We gave them trucks. We gave them more men. And here we are trying to figure
out how to pay for it." Now, I I've also completely disagree with trying to compare a one-time airport project to a reoccurring expense like the fire department. That is that is the biggest apples and oranges comparison I've ever heard. The the
stuff at the airport is all funded through through completely separate means. And the the difference there is when we get that airport lengthened is generating revenue. The fire department's not a revenue
generating entity. >> Mayor, >> so excuse me. With all that being said, I would draw my second. >> I was going to say, can we get on with the vote? I guess that just took care of that.
>> Well, we can hammer on this for another hour if y'all want to. >> I've got some good news, though. Sheriff Atkinson has said he's not going to let any houses burn down in Definiac Springs if Definiac Springs needs their
help. Argyle, they they've got our back. Liberty, they've got our back. We've got a lot of fire protection right here right now. And uh yeah, we have to work on funding and we're not going to stop, but public
safety as far as our fire department goes, is not on the ropes. They continue to go out there every day, uh do what they're supposed to do. If they're stretched out, we got three other departments to fall back on. They all work together very good. So
that's the good news. >> Thank you, Amy. Can I make a motion? Did that let fail for the lack of a second? >> I'll say it fail for a lack of second. >> I make a motion to keep the fire department. >> I second. >> Respectfully, that's not on your agenda
tonight. >> Yeah. >> So, the public hearing is not about the fire department. >> So, the agenda item that is under the regular agenda under Mr. Townson specifically reads that
discussion slash direction on public hearing for 126 2026. >> You look at the agenda item. It's very clear what's asked for. It does not say there's any vote occurring for against the future of the fire department. So I
would say that >> so just for me to be clear on >> peril what what vote are what rule are we going to violate if we would choose to do so >> you're voting on something that's not on your agenda >> but my question is what rule are we violating >> there's no notice you've not given any
notice this item would be heard tonight for anyone and that is a violation of the sunshine law >> so the motion can't go forward because none of us want to violate a rule. So, you're saying we would be violating the sunshine rule. Is that >> I want to be clear for my legal counsel
on what rule would be violated. >> So, I've gone over I've gone through several. Do you want me to do them again, Councilwoman? >> I I said I needed clarification. >> Okay. >> The clarification to clarify >> that that if we move forward with taking a vote, we
would be in violation, each of us, of violating the sun. I didn't say that, council. >> That's what I heard. So that's why I'm asking for clarification on what rule. >> I'll be glad if you'll listen to explain that one, this item is not on the agenda. >> That's not a rule.
>> The council creates an agenda with items. You have to have an item on an agenda to take action on. That's been this council's practice and it's in its policies and has been for many, many years. I think you'll find that with most every local government board in the state that you don't take action on
things that aren't on an agenda because it deprivives the public of notice >> that but if the council wants to vote on it vote on it I'm telling you I think you're out of bounds to vote on something that was not noticed on this agenda. I think there are people who've
come to these meetings and we've talked about this council and Harrison's exactly right. We have taught this issue to death. But I want to be very clear. There have been people who stood up on both sides of this issue multiple times for the past five, six meetings. And
there is nothing on this agenda tonight that says the city council was voting on whether to keep the fire department. And so I think you're effectively telling all them you don't care to hear about it and you're going to do it outside of the open government notice to the public. But if this council wants to
vote, you've got a motion. You've got a second. Mayor, I'll let you choose if you want them to hear it. You don't have to vote, mayor. So, you're not on the line. >> Mr. Mayor, I'll withdraw my motion because I don't want any of us up here to be in a violation of a sunshine law. >> I'll withdraw my second. >> Okay.
>> Mayor, I will let me do this. Let's take a five minute break. Let everybody cool down minute and we'll continue with the meeting. How about that? >> Could I give you something to think about? There was no call for a second on my motion. It was just silent. No call was
made for a second. Clay, there was no call made for a second at this D. >> I I seconded your motion so we could all talk. >> And then she withdrew it. >> And then I withdrew >> and then Councilman Beerbomb seconded and withdrew. >> Now I do agree. Councilman Harrison.
>> Oh, would you withdrew your >> Yes. And then Councilman Beerbomb withdraw withdrew his second. >> Good. Okay. But I will note the mayor did not officially ask is there another second, but at that point it would have fallen to Councilman Cosen as the only one who could have second. >> It falls for a lack of second and
>> and you did say that. >> You had every opportunity to protest that. >> And then after you did that, I asked for mine. >> Yeah, that's correct. >> And to be clear, I have no problem if that item that you wish to make a motion on is put on the next city council agenda. I just think it's appropriate to
have it list on the agenda what you're voting on so that our employees, our firefighters, our citizens know it's up for discussion. >> Okay, it's 7:00. We're going to take a journ for just about 8 minutes. We're going to call this meeting back to
order. Uh we are now up to item number D6. Kobe about a few weeks ago being >> turn on your mic. >> Thank you. The sale of property over there between 21st and 22nd Street. Um
that was $100,000. Came in just a few dollars under$100,000, but we're going to round up. Um the library project we budgeted that at $465,000. That contract was just under 362,000. So there's another $100,000 that we carried forward from last year to this year. And
then um back in December, a uh the Ryate paid the city $166,000 for uh code enforcement leans against those properties. And so before that 166 the city does we did budget 10,000 in expected revenue this year for code
fines and leans to be paid. So I would say we reduce that out meet our expectation. Um so that would be 155 $156,000. So that effectively is a pool of $356,000 that we need to allocate um to
something. Um, I can I've got a couple things I would recommend and then we can go through the council conversation if that's what you like or we can do it opposite. >> All right, go for it. >> So, the first one um the council here a few months back uh made clear that
whenever the library project is complete to bring forward some of that funding for a fence at Florence Park, um I think let me double check here on this um attachment. Make sure I put in there. Yeah, you'll see in the attachment uh the two options we
discussed in the past uh running along the sidewalk and then running and then circling the playground equipment. Uh those two costs for option A is about 13 to 14,000 and option B is about 23 to 24,000. We've also talked about putting
trying something out underneath the fence to reduce damage, weed eating, things of that nature. So, um I would say the max set to allocate for that would be $30,000 unless this council decides on option tonight. Um if we don't set an option, I'd say allocate
$30,000. We'll bring you back because regardless we have to get quotes on either one of these. Um so that would be my first set aside is $30,000 for Florence Park. The second one back up here, the uh city marshall has his renovation
project. He has 135,000 that he's carried over from last year. Um he indicated last year he need 150,000 for that project based off some estimates and we have 150 in the CIP. So I would suggest we give him another 15 to get to that even 150 for that buildout. And
then lastly um the LDC update. So we have a contract with Kimley Horn for $97,500. Um we budgeted 50,000 last year. We carried that forward this year. Um, next year we will have to do the remaining $47,500.
I recommend we go ahead and set that aside for that project as well. That would effectively leave you with $263,500. Um, my recommendation for that amount at this moment based on where we're at, the conversations we've been having is to put that in the unrestricted fund
balance or reserves um to either one leave permanent to increase balance or two have it there and we go through the budget talks we identify a need for funding at some level. we have some there uh to pull from if needed. So ultimately that's uh what we're looking at. >> Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we
accept those recommendations. >> Second, >> um I disagree. We have little to no money set aside in the event of an emergency. So, I'm I I appreciate you identifying certain pieces and parts, but I don't want to see us
I I want us to see us put it aside in the event of an emergency. >> Are we doing all three of these or four of them, I guess, the the reserve in one vote or we going to
address it individually? >> My motion was for all of them. >> Yes. My motion was follow's recommendation. >> Can we break it down? >> Well, if uh see you did get a second. So, as what the vote does, you know.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah, I I did. But I I would say if I can. >> Yeah. Um, the the park fencing, it sounds like a lot of money, but I have trouble putting a price on children's lives. And
Florence Park is exposed to two streets on a triangular piece of property. Um, with a parking area on Clay Street, kids run between those cars right out into the street. There's a large number of people that frequent that park after
school. mostly dads as it as it turns out. They pick their kids up from school, elementary school, and they go straight to the park in good weather. And there's six school buses that come that leave the middle school going down Clay Street uh every afternoon and that
park is full full of kids. So, that just terrifies me to think about, you know, a child darting between those cars unseen by a car or a bus driver. I just think getting that if it was a lakeyard park I you know down Chipley Park down there by the lake that's that's fine but this
park is fronted by two streets and their kids are 20 feet 20 25 feet maybe I don't know on on the 11th street side and less than that on the clay street side from being in the street leaving that playground. Uh so I think it's important that we get this project done.
and it's been in the in in the making and and been discussed for quite some time now. >> Go ahead, Amy. >> Um >> I'm sorry. I'll get you next then. >> Would would the person who made the motion and second split at least the children piece out from the rest of the
transactions? I' I'd like to hear what the uh some details from the chief and um and I do want to put >> Come on. >> And what was the third one?
>> What was that? >> Toby, what was your third one? >> Um the third one >> LDC rewrite. >> LDC rewrite. And we're going to have to pay that regardless. >> Land development code rewrite. >> Yes, sir. >> Correct. How much? >> 47,500. That would be the remaining
balance on our contract. >> So, we're obligated to pay that anyway. >> Correct. >> Okay. So, what is it you you're wanting some money for? >> First time hearing about this um tonight. I know we've talked about in
the past um you know we've got I want to say 130 125 130 allocated from the sale of the old police department. Um our goals which has been in our 5year plan if you will for the
last three years is to start finishing out some space at our current facility as far as evidence vault. um moving right now. Our criminal investigations division is housed in the metal building which the roof
we've got. It's not leaking today. Can't tell you what happened next week, but we've finally got it kind of stopped leaking, but to actually move them and house them in that building also. Um which is going to require us to build out some of those empty vacant bays that
we have. Um >> are those got floors or no? >> No. No. Yeah. Yeah. They're concrete. >> They're concrete. >> Yeah. So, basically what we need to do is brick in the the exterior walls where the rolls up roll up doors are and build
office space, drop ceilings. So, um I had reached out to Chipola College, I think it was. Um they have a drafting and architecture um school there and was going to have them draw some blueprints for that. Um, I
know Deubberry has come in the past and we had looked at some engineering stuff. Um, but that is the ultimate goal is to to build that out where we're actually under one roof and we actually have um an evidence vault like a police department really should have. Um, right
now we're making do, but um but that's a >> what was the figure Kobe said? >> Mr. Mayor >> 15 156,000 >> M mayor >> what what exactly are you asking for >> for the PD
>> the so you have 135 the CIP that we put on there was 150 from the estimate you got so 15,000 to make up the difference >> okay um which one of those give me a round figure on how many PDs are in the state
>> of I want to say 80 something is >> okay but with the lowest paid department in the state >> and called it number one >> I believe that the Phoenix Springs Police Department is number 16
>> 12 >> 12 number 12 >> is there any way any of this money could uh go to help the officer salary a little bit I mean we're >> it's not a recurring thing it's not recurring revenue this is this is a onetime revenue
Okay. All right. Is out of that 156,000, what would you consider you need now? >> Well, so I I of course >> critical
>> it >> to me. I I think you could have you could get it built out for 150. Um I've talked to some contractors. Oh, this is a million-dollar project. There's no way it's a million dollars. I'm sorry. Like, I'm not I'm not pissing away the city's money like that.
>> Um, if I got to wait to find the right person that will put in a bid for it, then that's what we'll do. Um, if not, we'll navigate and we'll figure out how to get a college to do a blueprints for free and we'll we'll, you know, that that's how I like to to operate. >> Okay.
>> Um, we're literally building office space inside a a building that has walls and a roof already. So the the hardest part is going to be the electrical and the AC work. The other is pretty easy.
So um to me I think you can you could come very close to your goal at 150,000. >> How big is that space properly? >> So each bay is 20 foot by 60 foot. So >> okay. >> Can we can we discuss this individually?
Did we make a motion on that or >> Well, we still got a motion on the floor, right? >> Yep. All right. So, >> would you be willing to uh amend your motion to discuss this separately? Because I I I really don't
if we're putting it all in one vote. I think there's some money that could be reallocated or or better spent if we looked at it individually. >> He's only asking for 15. Kobe is for the
difference. He already got the 135 set aside. So, >> okay. Okay. So, that's going to be >> that makes it different. >> It does. It does. So, the Florence part thing since the beginning, Glenn and I have been on board with this. We just
are on board differently on on how to go about doing it. He sees the park uh at different times than I do. Uh I was going uh during the AM hours when it was full of moms and I was talking to him and you know, what do you want? what
would be and what are you concerned about? What would enhance this park? And every one of them said if we could just get a safety barrier, a fence along 11th, just one straight long fence, that's what we would be happy with. And
um you bring up some good points. Uh, the reason I'm I've got a problem with doing an entire 360 is because we really don't know yet how that park there there's no master
plan. We don't have a master plan yet. And that master plan is in progress. It just hasn't been developed yet. and to save money and and to save lives. The most critical part is the um is the one
across uh the one in front of 11th and I'm uh what was the price tag on that, Kobe? >> The the first one's 13 to 14,000. >> Okay. 13,000. Okay. And if and if we could do that,
considering the the the way our finances are in the city, that would be a win. And then once the master plan was completed and we knew where these fences were going to go, we could um we we could always add that later. Would that be something you'd be willing to
compromise on? >> No, sir. I'm sorry. >> Okay. children. >> Well, I don't mean to be uncompromising, but when it comes to a child's life, >> okay, >> you know, I think about if we did if we did that and and and God forbid that
that it happened and and then a child runs out in front of a car on Clay Street and we had a chance to do it. Um, that'd be tough. That'd be tough. >> Mr. Mayor, go ahead. You know, for me, it it's $15,000
roughly to do 180 feet and then it's only another $15,000 to do to, you know, well over double that. So what what you run into is you you might save
15 grand a day by only doing one side, but then the mobilization of then coming back later and paying to do 161 plus 95 plus another 60, you're talking you're talking another three 350 almost 400 ft
for it. It the math doesn't math for me in that respect. >> But we don't >> we're only saving $15,000 by not doing all the sides. But we don't have the have the master plan on how to >> I I really don't think a master plan is going to tell us that we need to change
the fence. >> Okay. >> Go ahead. >> Um Mr. Beerbomb, you had made the motion. Would you alter it to take the park the fence park out into a separate
boat? So, you want to leave the 15 for the PD and the 475 for the LDC rewrite and then the remaining go to reserves. >> Yeah, I'm not in support of any of it being spent or allocated to anything. I
would like to see 100% of it go to reserves and set aside in the event of an emergency. But to Mr. Harrison's point, I'd like to support the fence around the park and if we don't break it out, then I'm
going to have to unfortunately not be able to support the fence. So, I would ask that if y'all could just alter your first and second to separate those two out, then I can support at least one of them. >> Who seconded it?
>> Mr. Harrison. So would you like to amend? >> So would we be taking what out now? >> I'm just saying keep the whole thing as he's just as Mr. Beerbomb said accept his recommendations. I'm saying accept his recommendations but separate out the
the the fencing from everything else. >> Yeah. But it sounds like you're going to vote against it anyway because you don't agree with the 15K going to the PD or the 475 going to the LBC. >> That's right. I think I think 100% should go to reserves,
but I would support the children piece. >> Um, y'all work that out and then I'd like to make a comment or ask a question. >> Well, may take a vote to get it to work out
>> on on the on the police department thing. Um, or can I not do that? right for a second. >> Yeah. >> I just have a question about if if that $15,000 if if we do that um how because
that that money has been rolled over for a little bit, right? Because you haven't had a chief has had enough to to do the project. So, do we foresee that happening in the next year? the the pro the work on that police department
building if we allocate this money is it will it be rolled over or we're going to get it done? >> Well, uh you know that's that's been the the question. Um we kind of had a when who was it here? It wasn't Andre. It was
>> Zack. >> Zach. Yep. He's going to project manager it and that's kind of what we needed and we're going to roll with it. Well, less than a week later he he resigned. So that kind of put us on stand still there. But you know if it's something that that y'all are willing to you know
I'll I'll start steamrolling it and you know of course it's government so there's a lot of red tape and we got to get bids. We got to get all this stuff. I can't just go and hire me a contra a crew and you know so you know but I think we can I think I can put something together fairly quick and get things going. That's if we're serious about
doing it. So, and and the thing is if we don't get 100% of it built up because we don't have the money, at least we're moving the ball down the field. And that's that's always been my goal is is keep the ball moving at least. So, um whether it's we get the evidence side knocked out first and then go to the next one and just phase it out like
that. I'm fine with that, too. >> Are you doing one or two? >> So, right now we've got it's basically two and a half. um half of one of them is is already off a space that um Chelco Southland had made. What we're wanting
to do is take that half and make an evidence vault out of that that's right there on site. And then the next bay, turn that into patrol. The next bay, turn that into investigations. So, um we had reached out to St. Joe. They um where our patrol is working at
currently. they were willing to help out and do a um a grant for a training room. Um that way we could house, you know, other law enforcement agencies to come and do training. If y'all wanted to do training, whoever wanted to use it as a training facility, we could use it for
that, too. So, um but we needed to get the other going first. So, as far as I know, that's still on the table. We just need to reapproach them and we can get a grant to build that out. So, um, but yeah, if we're serious about moving forward, I can definitely make that a priority.
>> With 150,000, what do you know for sure you can get done? >> Well, you know, that that's the whole thing. You know, of course, we've got to get bids and and people like that. Um, and I I've talked to some contractors that say, "Oh, it's a million dollars." And
I've had some says, "Not for a little over 100,000. I can knock this out." Right. But again, >> you're when when you get those capital closed, are you talking about the whole project or just >> the whole project? Yes. >> So, >> what I'm asking you if you the evidence room, you know, you could get that part
done, right? >> Easy. Yeah. >> Yeah. And then maybe at least maybe half the other. >> Mhm. I feel comfortable that as long as Clay keeps me in line and I'm not violating any rules by >> Yeah. I'm just hoping you can get better deals completed
>> and not have it all partial. >> Yeah. No, I I definitely I I think we need to if we're going to do it, let's let's let's make sure it gets done. So, >> not not halfway do it. So, um >> we're we're still putting $263,000
into reserves. It's not like we're blowing all this on lotto tickets. Yeah. Um, >> well, you got a motion, a second. >> Well, I got a another question if you don't mind about Florence Park. Go >> ahead. >> Um,
different people in the community specialize in different things. Um, and uh, I am so sorry to ask you this, Kim, >> but uh, interest.
>> Yeah. What what is he want? You need Kim to answer a question. >> Kim's done a lot of heavy lifting and done a lot of point work. >> And I'd like to I value her opinion. >> Okay. >> And um there >> you don't have to come up, but if you're
willing >> um >> you need to I'm willing. >> You've got a vision for Florence Park and you've done a lot of good things to really upgrade it and it's appreciated and you're not finished. Um, I understand that you've got a hand in the
master plan that you hope for it to be like one day. If we go 360, is that going to in inhibit anything that uh that you've got in mind as far as the the master plan or what would you recommend? We've already taken your recommendation on the fence, which was
really good. >> Well, I I don't think it's going to inhibit much. My original thought was that we really only needed it on 11th Street, but once I heard Mr. Harrison say that the buses go down clay and I guess I was I know buses are I mean
there's cars too but I was just thinking in terms of and I don't know how far out our master plan is from you know our board doesn't have that as a priority right now so it may be several year several years down the road. Um I I would certainly want to see
you know at least those two on Clay and and 11th. Um I don't know if it's necessary to have that one on the the south side. Um but certainly those two streets um if that would you know save a
little bit and maybe not inhibit what might happen in the future that our board would represent to you. You all get to decide. Um I but I don't think it would be a a a terrible idea but I think that the two would be important. clay
and uh at least you know past like around where the the parking is and just on the other side of it like the the visual shows. >> Is that something um Councilman Harrison would support? >> How tall is
>> how how tall is the fence that we've got quoted on? >> It's five or six feet. It's whatever standard. >> Okay. >> I think it's the thing I think it's also key. The fence is isn't like it can't be taken down and repurposed. So, if you were to expand it, you would just take and move it. It's not It's not um It's
metal. It's got to be put together so it can be taken apart. You wouldn't throw it away. >> Would a shorter fence be cheaper? >> I mean, you've got to go buy standard playground fences. So, whatever whatever the standard for playground fence is, five or six feet.
>> Well, all our parks are fenced except Chipley Park. They're all fenced. Um this this Clay, you know the problem with Clay Street, we've talked about this way back last year. Um we know that
needs to be redone. That that road is horrible. But the worst part of it is it's narrow. It's too narrow. So there's cars all the time approaching that stop sign headed on Clay towards 11th Street. If there's two cars meeting or a school
bus at a car, the car going towards plateau is literally running their tires at the end of the parking lot across there. So, there's barely room for two goodsized vehicles to pass there with
much clearance on the edge of the pavement on either side of that street all the way down it. So, it it is extremely dangerous on on that side. Um, and you know, the water fountain is over in the corner. Um, if you could you
bring that map. Um, scroll down to that map uh of the triangular fence. >> Raphael or whoever's doing that. I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. Um, going down >> one more. >> Okay. in in that lower right hand
corner, there's picnic tables under those trees. Um, and there's a water fountain. The only water fountain on the playground is right there in that corner. So, children that leave the playground to go to the water fountain or the picnic tables,
they're just a few short steps if that o end is open from being out in the street. The toddler gets out there very quickly. you know, two or three year old, four year old, they can run out there chasing each other, playing tag or whatever. Uh, so the p because of the picnic table, of course, yes, picnic
tables can be moved out in the hot sun, but they're in a good spot right there. And because people will use the park, that's the whole that's the whole idea. They're comfortable there. They are using the heck out of this park. And I think we just got to protect them. Um, and the water fountain being there. So
that's that's the reason I'm you know I'm thinking u you know it's good to keep them in there. I mean school playgrounds they're they're fence they don't want those little rascals to get away you know um >> okay >> Arnold.
>> Yes ma'am. >> Um is this something that CRA could help with fencing the park even the 15 towards the fire department's repairs? Thank you. All right, we want to call for a vote.
>> She asked a question. >> The answer is a public comment. >> Rob's in the room. >> I'm not going to try to answer that. Um, but I'm sure it's a
>> pretty good point you just brought up. >> Cubby, you want to try take a look at that? We'll let CRA come to us. >> Um, yeah, of course. There's always a way to do it. I'm pretty sure though because that's city property, that would be another thing we have to go to the
county clay to get permission >> because we're doing an improvement on city property. It's not part of our direct plan. >> I mean, I can see that under streetscapes would be something we can put under that. Um, but again, I think I still have to go to the county, which I'm willing to put on our meeting Wednesday. We have a meeting Wednesday.
I'll put it on there right now. But you have to tell me that that's what you're going to want us to do. And then if you have an estimate of what whatever estimate you got for pricing, I can take that with me to them and see if they want me to to go for it. If they do, then I'll go to the county. I'll go there. Same meeting. Kobes there. If I
can get on there. Y'all got to tell us what you want to do. It's one of those situations where we got to communicate. >> I think we came here with way too few engineers, >> architects on this particular item. >> No comment. Um,
okay. Who made the motion? >> I did. Mr. Harrison. >> So, let's let's roll with a motion or either make some changes. I'm just going to throw it at you. All in favor say I. >> I.
>> I. >> Nay. >> All right. >> This is Florence Park, right? >> Yeah. >> That was the whole That's the whole thing. >> That was the whole thing. >> Yes. >> All right, let's move on. We're going to number seven. Kobe.
>> Thank you, mayor. Uh, council RFQ 20252 AP. Uh, the apron terminal airport terminal apron expansion design CI. Uh, on December 19th, staff issued those uh that bid documentation. Uh we received
bids back on January 22nd. We received one bid from Garver Engineering. Um the clerk's done looked at all the forms required and they did meet all of the bid requirements. Um so ultimately what we're asking for is to award to Garver Engineering. That does
not obligate us anything, but we will have to go back work within Garver on a contract what that cost will look like, bring that back to council um for for approval or disapproval. Motion to award. >> Hold on. Before we do a motion, I need a
few things. So, this was a single bid scenario, Mr. Townsen. >> Correct. And how long was this advertised? >> It got advertised. >> Putting him on the spot, but I do apologize because there are federal and state dollars that could be implicated.
>> It was advertised on 1222 in the uh the proper papers. No, I'm sorry. Hold on. 1224. >> 1224. How long did the advertisement run? It ran our policy on 1224. It ran one time. >> And the bids were due how far after that?
>> Bids were due on January 22nd, so 30 days. >> Were there any other interested individuals that attend attended any pre- bid or other conferences of the city? >> Uh, no, just Garver Engineering attended the pre- bid, which was I believe on uh
whenever our last council meeting was. >> That's good enough. So, the bidder is the only one who attended the pre-bid. Do you believe that the award of this is timesensitive, Mr. Townson? >> I do. >> Do you believe rebidding is likely to procure any additional services different than the individual that did
bid at this time? >> No. >> Do you believe the individual is qualified based on your review of the documents? >> Yes. >> Do you believe that a rebid would procure any more qualified firm or individual? >> No. >> Based on that, we need a motion to award and task staff to negotiate.
>> So moved. >> Second. All right. I have a motion. Second. Comments, questions. >> I do. >> Go ahead. >> Is this costing the city any money? >> So, you other than what you've already paid to advertise? No. You're now
talking about entering into a contract that will negotiate their rates. That contract would ultimately thereafter cost money. Yes. Are we obligated to if if if we vote yes on this, are we obligating
city funds? No. >> No, sir. So, an RFQ is a two-step process. The RFQ is a request for qualifications. As you know, what that means is we score and evaluate the proposal solely on the proposal and the qualifications therein. They don't tell
us a price. You then pick. So, if there had been, let's say, three firms, you rank them one, two, three. you go to firm one and negotiate. If firm one and you can't reach terms, you must go to firm two. So on and so forth. So there's no money being obligated at this point in time. You will have to vote on the
official contract that shows what their rates would be for this project before they are under contract. And let's say that the council decides to go forward >> tonight. Then we have to have another vote
>> to decide if if we're going to actually do this. >> You you have voted to award to them and then ultimately it's up to council to determine if you come to terms on the cost. >> Okay. So at that time is the city on the hook for anything financially? >> No. Well, yes sir. They would be on the
hook after at that point in time. Correct, Mr. Towns? >> Correct. If you award once you sign prove the contract, we're on the hook for whatever that cost is. >> Okay. So, how much is We don't know. >> We don't know. >> We haven't negotiated. That's what you have to do next. >> Okay. So, if we're going to be on the hook for
that, what is this building? What What is it that you want to build out at the airport? >> This is the C CPF grant or CFP grant uh from the federal government, Congressman Dunn submitted on city's behalf uh that we received in 2024. Uh this is to build
or expand the apron around the new terminal. So asphalt, it's asphalt. >> Okay. So this isn't involving city money if it's a grant, right? >> So the grant is $1.1 million is what it would be. The city has a 5% match to that grant. The that match will come
from ARPA interest. So I worked with Miss McDaniel. Um and so we have earned enough interest on ARPA dollars that we will take it's $55,000 is our match. we'll take that out of the ARPA interest to pay our match portion >> and it's not going to cost the city anything.
>> So at this moment um that's part of the going back to contract is working with Liberty Partners and Garver if selective awarded uh to look at the timelines that we have on both the um >> the timeline. So the timeline is by uh we'll have a contract back within the
next few days hopefully or by at least by our next meeting at the latest. Um we would looking at design based on Garver's proposal um coming back I believe in middle of March uh bidding out construction and having that back due and hopefully awards approved in mid
April. >> Okay. We have dumped a lot of time, energy, and money into this airport, and we're still coming up $2 million short. I think we need to focus on completing everything on this deadline.
I think our staff at the city is maxed out on uh the projects that we've tasked y'all with. Um we need to finish what we started. That's just my opinion.
And just to clarify that this 1.1 million is not related or attached to the runway expansion project nor the hanger development project. This is a standalone siloed project. Um we did have that conversation Tim and I and Jennifer and staff about the potential
of moving those funds. That's not something we seem to be a viable option with the deadlines given to us. So that's why we're moving forward um with this original intention. >> Yes, ma'am. So we got a million dollars from >> Congressman Dunn. >> Congressman Dunn. So that's the grant
money. >> So that money that's been in the project this whole time. So I'm getting confused, Mr. Cosen, with what it is that you're trying to put forward because that I mean, if I'm not mistaken, hasn't that million dollars been around for a bit? >> Well, so we don't have it. We don't have
it. It's just been awarded. >> Yeah, but it's been awarded. So >> it's just been awarded. We don't have a a contract. The next question is, is the 55,000 that it will cost us coming out of general fund or airport reserves? >> It is coming out of ARPA money is in the
airport fund. And the match, the $55,000 match is coming from interest we earned on the ARPA money >> inside of the airport fund and not the general fund. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> So, you good with that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> We still have to bring a contract back
before we any any formal approvals or obligation of dollars. Okay. All right. We did get a motion to second, right? >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Any other comment? >> All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> I. That's carried. Thank you much.
>> All right. Now, we'll bring up Mr. Wallace, I guess, with the mayor. Can I make >> Yeah, you certainly can. Come on. >> Just uh thank the council for that motion. Um we want to keep this project moving. Uh we need to pivot pretty quickly, so we'll be working uh with
Kobe on that. Um, we have drafted correspondence for the mayor to sign with regards to FAA to ensure that these funds uh aren't lost. Um, I think, you know, we feel good about the timeline um that we've got laid out right now uh to
once again make sure that uh those funds aren't lost. Those were very we're the city was very fortunate to receive those funds from Congressman Dunn's office. As you may be aware, he's not seeking reelection this year. So, I I think it's imperative that we utilize uh his staff
uh to continue to be a conduit uh through the FAA uh to ensure that these projects are finished uh and in a timely manner. So, we just want to continue to to support staff uh in those efforts. So, >> thank you, Tim. >> Thank you.
>> All right. Okay. Now, we'll go to the community development director, uh Mr. Wallace. >> Look at you, mayor. Getting that title right. Yeah. Sticking to you, huh? >> I know. The planning department. >> Thank you, council.
I heard I was called on earlier >> and I >> Yeah, >> I thought I had time to run to the restroom, so I apologize. Maybe too much information there for everybody, but um so this is a request from Habitat for Humanity. It's a nine lot subdivision
located on Van Avenue and Third Street. And our engineering firm has reviewed this. They've approved everything except for the two conditions that I've outlined um on the summary page here. Those will
be corrected. But Habitat is on a very tight timeline here. And I feel like we can do a conditional approval to get this approved tonight so they can move forward, make those minor changes that they have to make to the plans. So
we're not holding them up any any longer than they have been. >> Chris, um, council knows Chris, I'm not a fan of conditional approvals, but this warrants can you tell us what it is that the timeline they're dealing with. So that way if we run into anyone else who's asking who don't meet some very specific urgent request, there's a
reason why we're doing this. >> Yeah. Well, I mean, one of the things and and Mr. Warner and uh Miss Jones are both here representing Habitat for Humanity. They have a grant that is currently pending
and they need a development order in order for that grant to kick in. Otherwise they will lose that additional funding that they have allocated to themselves. >> Motion to approve with the conditions to be uh impacting the
second. >> Yep. >> I have a motion second. Comments, questions from anyone. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Eyes carry. Thank you very much, Mr.
Wallace. >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh got anything, Clay? >> No, sir. >> All right. This time we'll open the floor for citizen comments and uh you
will please come state your name or organization in three minutes or less. You're welcome. Yes, Honorable Mayor Don Graham, East Side resident, and we talking about parks and public
safety. Uh, you know, I've been sounding the uh alarm about public safety and the need of parks and um slowing speeders down on the east side. Uh the east side is a lower lower um wage
uh area, you know, it's not a I would say more of a middle class, you know, but you know, it's a concerns. It's absolute concerns, you know. I listen to everybody talking about the concerns with the uh kids and people on the uh
west end and I'm concerned about that too citywide. But it's time out, man. You start looking into people that looks like me, you know, people over on the east side, they got concerns. And I've been telling
you and asking, requesting for a park, not for over there at the cemetery. I don't want my kids to be going across Highway 9 at the railroad track from South Norwood back to the historic district of Dorsy. That's a lot of kids,
black, white, expanded. Not only just black, y'all can say a little bit of everything. And not one time over a period of time I heard anybody talk about the east side of the Dorsy area.
Uh, and I'm here to say that if we going to spend money or save money, whatever, let's let's start first with the fire department and keeping it. But then we got to look in taking care of the east side. And I've discussed, you know, maybe we need to go change the the uh
county, the city charter. Maybe we should have wards, have a council person represent our district, the east district, the west district, north. So you'll know that person we can go to that can understand our concerns. But I I I just feel like we're not even
getting we're not getting here. I don't know is it because of the politics, the money or whatever. Mayor, can you tell me? I mean, like I said, I wish you would this. >> There's a lot more said about the east side than you've been hearing about. >> Okay.
>> And I mean, we used to have one gentleman here dedicated a lot of time >> on the east side. So, um probably probably not enough. You're not hearing anything. >> That's not the case. >> Okay. All right. Well, like I said, I
just, you know, hearing it, talking about it, but I'm all about action, you know, pro proactive. So, I I wish that we can and uh maybe we can change the chart. >> I mean, the thing is if I mean, would you would you rather that citizens from
Dorothy over there >> could come up with an idea rather than one of us? You know what I'm saying? Because we know more better where and what you need. >> Yeah. Well, I done submitted documents over the over the years too as well. >> So, it ain't like I ain't putting no work in. And I'm not going to give up
>> cuz like I said, I represent the east side of the Phoenix Springs. >> And like I said, maybe we need to look in because FX is growing. Yeah. >> Which is a good thing. Money coming in. I'm a businessman. You know, I'm the black Donald Trump >> leader. You know what I'm saying? So,
I'm just saying it is what it is. >> Uh that we going to support it. But if y'all could uh take time to look >> to help us out, we appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else?
>> Okay, we'll close the floor for comments and we will go to Mr. Cosen on the Miley abandonment. >> Point of order, Mr. Mayor. We have had this agenda item on twice and we've denied it twice. I thought we had >> I don't think it's appropriate for it to
be on here. >> Yeah, >> we had a chance to do that when um we were adding and deleting from the agenda earlier in the meeting and I'd called council and asked uh if we could address it and he said yes
>> if there's a motion to reconsider but from the prevailing side that is true. >> And I believe it was a unanimous vote last time if I'm not mistaken. >> I'll defer to the clerk if he knows. Mhm. >> Yeah. Well,
for sure, but >> this, >> but I believe Mr. Cosen voted in favor of the denial. >> So, if he wishes to make a motion to reconsider, he has the right to do so. >> And if it would help, I'll explain why I put it on the agenda.
>> Do it real quick. >> Okay. >> Um, I went over there like some other council members did. I looked at the property. Mr. Miley was not interested in the ditch. He did not want the ditch
to be his responsibility. And um he asked me um when are you going to put me on the agenda? And I said I already have. And he said nobody notified me. Uh it was about my
abandonment and nobody called me and said hey you're on the agenda. You need to make sure you're there. Now, I know that the agenda is uh put out uh on the city website in advance, but sometimes
people who are in the working world um they don't check it every day. And he came up on the agenda. He had no idea. He didn't have a voice. He wasn't able to speak on the subject. So, he called me back and he said, "Would you mind
putting me on the agenda and call me, let me know. I will be there and I said I'll do it. So I called the city council. I said you mind if uh if we put it >> when you say city council do you mean the city manager? >> He's referring to council for the me
>> council not council. >> And again if he wants to make a motion to reconsider the prior vote he has that he has the right to do so under Robert Trolls mayor. >> Okay. >> But I think we do need that motion before we talk about it again. >> Okay. I'd like to make a motion that uh reconsider
>> that we listen >> would it be a motion to reconsider? That's all you can do because it's a public hearing for abandonment that was notice. >> Okay. >> And so that's that's the rub with this is abandonments are public hearings. So to get back into that, we're going to have to reconsider that issue.
>> Make a motion to reconsider. Okay. Here a second. That fails. Relax. >> That's okay. Thank you. >> All right. We go to Mr. Harrison. Uh discussion direction on reopening 13th Street. >> Yes, sir. Thank you.
Um there you go. They're going to bring up a Google map here. I think uh Google Earth and and show us this. This is this is uh referring to South 13th Street off of Bruce uh Avenue. Uh years ago, this
street was opened into the Walton Plaza. Um it was an open street. It's a city street. Uh now along that route, we have the new bank uh community bank, I believe it is. Uh that would be between
13th Street and 331. Um can you put the cursor on? Yeah. >> Okay. and Bruce, go up to Bruce Avenue if you would. >> Up there you go. >> All right. So, there's Bruce. So, you
can come off. So, it's one block off of 331. >> I see it back here. >> That's right. There it is. It runs south and you have that new bank on 331, which has a back door access, you see, to 13th Street. >> So, if you go on down south, keep going.
Scroll up. Um, all right. So, you see a house there. There's two houses there. Actually, those we know they're empty. I don't think anyone's living in either house right now. They're probably up for sale. I'm not sure. Um, but we know those will probably go commercial at some point. Right. So,
>> is that to H&R Block, too? >> Um, it is. That's right. So, >> dirt road. It looks like it's >> a drainage ditch. >> Oh, there's a there's there is a little drive. >> Yeah, there is just a from basically behind pizza block. slopes down going
towards the old Walmart and all the tractors by those are >> Does H&R Block I'm sorry I just want to make sure I understand the picture. Does H&R Block Clay have access to this 13th Street? >> No, they do not. >> They do not. Okay, that's >> No, they that's the that's the Miller
property and that drainage ditch you see there is on the Miller property. So H&R Block only goes about halfway back to 13th Street. >> Okay. So nobody could have gone down there and accessed it from the back. >> No, not from pizza in our block only the
Miller property in the next several in the next two. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So So years ago there was a Marvin's building supply and and home center that moved in the in the end building there and in doing so they
fenced that first uh 13th Street off across there because they were building supply. They they built a lumber yard out there in the parking lot where you see those northernmost cars right there. That was all the lumber yard. So they fenced it off, closed off the street.
Marvin's been gone for years, but this street has still remained closed. There's still a fence there. So my my concern here is we have all this traffic congestion on 331. We have the whole central to east side of town um that can
frequent Bruce Avenue, 13th Street to access Walton Plaza. Now, what's in Walton Plaza? There's doctors, there's a physical therapy place there, there's a gym, there's restaurants, uh access straight on across further
south is Walgreens and AT&T. So elderly people, right, which I guess I'm one of those now. Uh that keeps them out of that traffic, which if most people are like me, they don't like that summer traffic on 331. So this gives
local residents, opens up an easy avenue to that plaza, including the new strip plaza that faces that fronts 331 at the Windixie intersection right there. So all these people, our people right can
access these businesses more easily, more safely. It opens this whole area up for potentially quicker emergency response. Um I have a whole litany here of things that reduce traffic on 331. uh increase
emergency res or or hopefully could decrease emergency response time to that plaza um by adding another entry point to this shopping plaza uh provide south street access to 331 business on on the east side of 331 like community bank um
and and what have you. But main thing is the to to the plaza. So, I don't know if this is something that we need staff to look into or we could do a motion to reopen this. I don't know what entails to reopen this. So, you you guys you're
going to have to help me out with this. I don't mind making a motion, but >> let's let some discussion because I have a few questions put on the record, too. Go ahead. Let's start with Councilwoman. >> Can Can we scroll back right there? I want to see that that orange roof right there. Is that the hardware that you
were talking about? The old hardware store. The one with the orange roof up button up against the parking lot. >> The cursor is now that that whole area. >> It was down in the shopping center. It was contractor supply went in. It was a Martins. >> Oh, okay. So, all right. >> They fence that whole parking lot off.
>> So, my question is, I'm the property owner. How do I get act how do I get permission to cut off my neighbors from coming down my the the public street? Is that 13th a public >> private property private property? >> Well, that's what I'm trying to figure out.
>> So, the the f the fence effectively was at the end of their property >> right there. Right. >> I I will note I did try to go look back um to make sure we had not done anything that would have abandoned that portion just to close off. I cannot find that we did that. You know, somebody else has
better records back when that would have happened. Circa 2003, please let me know. But um I couldn't find where we actually did the full noticed public hearing and abandonment of any portion of that. Um what I can recall is that there used to be speed
bumps on that road because there were a number of families that lived on that road and you had a lot of complaints about the speed of traffic using that as a cut through from Bruce to get in when Walmart was still there and when the shopping centers were there. So what I
would say is it app my recollection is that that was closed at a time when the public that was there found that to be a benefit to their street because you had kids on the street and there was an issue. So what I would say is there's no reason for that fence to be up. Our
position is that is a public roadway. That shopping center was permitted with access onto 13th Street. The council wants to reopen it. The motion would be a motion to reopen it. But I would ask you as part of that motion to ask public
works to look at whether they need to put any slow children at play, speed bumps, stop signs back that have since been removed because there are no I don't know any of those traffic control devices exist. >> I make the motion recommend.
>> Yeah. I'd like to ask uh the city marshall a question if you don't mind. >> Yeah. Well, let me ask one first. Yeah. >> The uh since that's been closed, that street's kind of become a parking lot. >> Drugged in parking lot. Yep. That's been
a drugged den for hon there's been narcotics activity since I've been in law enforcement for 25 years. >> We're going on long before then. >> Yeah. And it it actually made it a lot harder to work when we can't just drive up there. You know, they see you coming down a quarter mile. So,
>> yeah. And uh and I noticed that they have cut them a nice big hole in the fence. >> Yeah. >> And they don't even have to slow down on their bicycle. They can run right through it. >> Yep. >> No, it it is definitely an enforcement impedance. >> Yeah. But anyway, I I just, you know, I
don't have a problem getting opened up, but you're you're going to have your hands full for several weeks trying to get them to clear that road. >> Oh, I can get them cleared by daylight. You know, it's just we we'll call a tow truck to them >> to keep them technically over 24 hours. Yeah. Yeah. That that won't be a
problem. But like I said, we just haven't >> since it's basically a dead end and it's the people at the end down there that's um >> occupying it, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Of course that that's not WAC anymore, but their dad was a good friend of mine. Ed Wac and
>> uh and of course he had a time with them boys. >> So yeah, like you know, I don't know how it work. I don't know if the fence is on the private property or what, but you know, it looks like it switched owners. Um I don't know that owner. I just
looked it up. Um but >> yeah, >> I don't know what permission we need from them or whatever, but >> we don't I mean in terms of to the extent that we can talk to Mr. Shams is the owner. I'm sure you can reach out and get you contact information. >> Yeah, it might if he he'd probably be
good with it. Like I said, you know, um >> Marvin's has been long gone, but no, it would definitely help us and it would help if we have a a bad accident at intersection of Bruce and 331, we can divert traffic that way. That's that's been an issue >> because you can even start Christmas reflections there in 79 11th. So,
>> yeah. Yeah, it really hindered me because I live on that side of town. I used to go through there all the time, >> right? So, >> u So, I'd really like to see it opened up. I just know that you're gonna have your job cut out. Oh, it it'll it'll it'll be busy for a little bit, but it'll also give us a chance to kind of
clean up that area too far for some more enforcement stuff. >> Before the chief's time in the 90s and one of the reasons why they put a fence there because we had a um a big chain supermarket, I think it was Food World. >> It was. >> Yeah, it was Food World. It was Food
World and then we had a pharmacy uh that moved downtown that was at the corner. Eckers and we, you know, we had a couple robberies there, strong armed robberies and uh our police department coming from the Hobson field had to come through 13th Street and I mean it was just, you
know, good timing. We apprehended the subject, you know, from uh robbing it. But we used to get nonstop calls of theft in them markets there. So the city back then in the 90s uh got together and erected a fence because we used to have a lot of
pedestrians with shoplift bam hit through 13th street. So that was one of the reasons. >> But yes, this is a this is a great idea. We can reopen that for the uh time response and the uh absolute the safety of the police officers because that area
right there is infested. >> Yeah. Can they back up that picture just one little? There was a blue border around the concrete parking lot. >> When you started to go in on that house,
there was a blue border that was in front of that parking lot. Can you make that reappear right there? Right there. It's just a >> Is that the property line? What is that blue What is that blue border? Just something >> to be the external streets through the parking lot. How you
>> That's just where the Google vehicle. That's the route. >> Google just routes you around. That's how you drive around the parking lot to get behind the building for deliveries. >> And then just one other question on that fence. Go back on that fence, please. >> That's not what it looks like. >> No, it's that's different. This is This is >> I know. It's like, wait, where's the hole? Right.
>> This is a 22. This photo is from 22. >> Big hole. I'm talking about down the hill a little bit. >> So, did somebody without permission, and when I say permission, I mean without a permit put that fence up because that's a pretty expensive fence. It was done through agreement with the city when
Marvin came in to put their lumber in there. U yeah Mr. >> I'm not going to ask them to take down the whole fence. We just want that one parcel. >> They can leave whatever fencing they want up. But they need >> except for that right there. Okay. Thank you.
>> Yes. Okay. So >> we're going to ask the land owner first before we go spend our time. But if they don't, we'll go in there and remove it and back charge it. Yeah. So, I'd like to make a motion that the city reopen that street and have staff uh
>> evaluate traffic control. >> Evaluate traffic control and speed bumps. I get it. >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Okay. Motion second. >> Yes, ma'am. >> This tells you how old I am. I remember the vote to close that street.
>> Okay. >> And drugs were a part of it. The teenagers were gathering there. And I was hoping that maybe they'd all aged out by now and gone somewhere else. >> Uhhuh. >> Yeah. >> We just put them back in prison. >> Anyone else?
>> Anyone else? >> Yeah. >> Um the part that I wanted to mention, y'all have already covered. So it was about drug traffic, it was shoplifting, it was robberies, and then they put the fence up and it kind of stopped it. Um
if this uh comes back. If this comes back, I re I realize that the people that were doing this in the 90s had timed out, >> but they probably passed the um >> trade secrets.
>> Yeah, trade secrets down to the next generation, you know. So, they're still the generation's still problematic. Um, chief, uh, I'd like to ask the chief if he thinks from a law enforcement point of view if it would be a good idea to
open it. And if he does, um, >> if it looks like it's going to be problematic again, would we close it? >> No, we we uh, >> as good as they were in the 90s, I think we're better in 2020. So, um, no, I don't The problem with the thefts and
stuff is I'm sure the thefts are still occurring there. A lot of corporations just won't prosecute on theft anymore. It's it's disheartening, but back, you know, in the 90s, of course, you steal from somebody, they're going to hold you accountable. Now, they don't. Um, no, I think it's a great thing. I think it'll give us an opportunity to be actually be
a little more proactive. Um, you don't know how many times I've sat in the Pizza Hut parking lot with binoculars, you know, doing surveillance on things, but I can't get down the hill because, you know, so we got to have units parked at the other end or even at the bank. And by the time they pull on the road,
They're going through the hole through the fence running the other way. So we can't and we can't get back on that side. So no, I think it'd be a great thing for us. >> You support >> 100%. >> Okay, that's all. >> Okay. Yes, ma'am. >> I have one more question. Can we recycle that fast? >> Well, it's not ours.
>> Who's Who owns That's what I'm trying to figure out. >> It's the It would have to be the property owner that owns the plaza >> cuz it looks like it goes Oh, the entire >> But once again, that fence does not look like that in current. Yeah, the current status. >> No way. >> Okay. I was trying to >> Yeah, there's been a couple people run into it through the years.
>> And while this is not a quasial proceeding and council members are certainly able to view for themselves, I think the chief would echo the sentiment. Don't go do it. Do not go to that area tonight to go try to look at that. >> All right. >> We need something to do.
>> Only question I have. Mayor's clear. >> Only one question. Only one question. We'll reach out to the property owner. How long do we get a property owner before we just go there and take it out? >> I say give them 30 days. Okay. >> All in favor say I. I >> I >> I
>> I carry. Thank you very much. >> And all right, so we are uh Kobe, what you got? >> Uh real quick, um we issued today the bid documents for the runway project for construction. So those are on the
website today. Uh they're running in the paper on Wednesday and one on Friday. So the official clock will start on the 30th uh or this Friday, which I believe is the 30th. So that's that's out and active. Um, next I'll be at the board of county commissioners on February 10th for the uh items related to the fire
department, uh, Walton Road, and the airport easement on the east side of the airport. And lastly, the finance director. Um, we're going to move I'm going to provide to the consultant any comments I received and then they will proceed with that and then hopefully we'll be back in the next few weeks with some
recommendations. So, >> thank you very much, Dan. be back here in two weeks or is there something happening before then? >> For what? >> No meetings. EJ said any meetings, anything between >> uh February 4th we have our strategic
workshop. >> Got okay. That's it. And that's it >> I believe. So >> that's not bad >> at the moment. >> Oh man, >> Mr. None sir. >> Amy. >> Yes. and time is of the essence, but I'd like to know what I can do to request a
special meeting to keep the fire department and re-evaluate this fire assessment before the timing. >> Talk to your city manager or the mayor. You have the right to do it. They'll call them. >> Kobe, can you I mean, what is the process for that? because time is of the
essence like if February 4th is your meeting date to last you can advertise or whatever. I want to have this >> full discussion on >> um I think it's probably possible we most likely would probably maybe come to look for one of those anyways related to this u the apron expansion project. I
know Tim he's gone now on notice on that. So based on our conversation next few days we may call one of those anyways related to that. So I would say if you're going to do it, you might as well do them on the same day and >> like this week you could call one >> potentially be out of town. >> Minimum 48 hours. >> Minimum 48 hours. >> Okay.
>> But we have February 2nd is the last day in which you're referring to. So yeah, have to happen this week. Monday 6 Monday. >> It's next Monday. >> So yeah. So I would want to have it before like Thursday of this week if we could at least on these two items.
>> I mean that's y'all's direction. We'll set one up. >> Do you need to have one or can one person ask for it? >> Technically takes three council members. >> Three council members can call it. The manager can call it or the mayor can call it. >> My calendar's clear.
>> We just need a third. >> I'm okay with that. >> So there you go. You got >> All right. I'm I'm just going to call it to a vote real quick. >> Okay. >> Go ahead and make motion. I make a motion for a special meeting uh to discuss keeping the fire department and
then whatever that decision is to re-evaluate the fire assessment. Uh >> why don't we let Mr. Townson schedule a special meeting this week to the items he wants so we're not messing up what his agenda might have been for the other issues. >> Can I condition mine that he can just
add to to mine whatever item might come? >> He has authority already. So >> I'm not necessary to make a motion. Do you have any opposition to special meeting this week? >> No. >> Wow. >> Okay. So, we'll be having one. >> The mayor and I work together and get that scheduled. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay.
>> And then um >> I did have >> So, yeah. After five Thursday. >> We need to get that notice out. >> Okay. Unfortunately, I don't I had another thing I wanted to ask or mention, but I'm good, Mr. Mayor. Thank
you. >> All right. Glenn second. >> Did you make a motion? You said I didn't need them. >> No, it's not necessary. Coach got you. >> Okay. >> Um I'm Well, I I'll mention um I think I already mentioned before I went to
Tallahassee Tuesday uh and met with uh Representative Abbott first council or first committee meeting on the harvest and field property turnover. That went well. Unanimous vote. uh went back over there Wednesday and Thursday for rural
county days and a reception on that Wednesday night. Great turnout. Walt County had good representation there. I saw uh Commissioner uh John's uh Curry and Glidewell there. Our economic development alliance was there. Um of
course all our neighboring counties was there. So there's a there's a big movement uh right now in Tallahassee for rural county. So that's pretty exciting. That's all. That's all. All right. We'll call this meeting a journ. Part: 2
your grace and anointing to be on this meeting, Lord, that we can uh do the business for the city. So, give us wisdom and insight and and uh help us to make decisions that'll be lasting and and worthy of our citizens. We ask this
all in Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. >> I pledge algiance 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.
[clears throat] >> Alrighty. Now, this is going to be pretty much all about city own properties. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. But if you want to go ahead and take off with it. >> Okay. Council, um, we a few weeks ago or a while back, I sent out the spreadsheet
with all city owned properties on there that that came off the property approach website and I took that put on a map so we can kind of see where they're at. Um, stuff like that. So the spreadsheet I went through there and I tried to clean up a little bit, make it a little
more clear on description and then change the partial description. So if we were you could filter different things. So, um, ultimately that's what we have. Um, we can kind of go from there if anybody has anything or what we're looking for looking for something specific
related to our properties. Just that map just shows. >> Okay, got Yeah, I couldn't get that link. Didn't open the map, but >> Okay. So, you couldn't get the link to open.
>> That's just >> No, but I got I've got the list of Yeah. >> So, I guess I'll do a little bit of If it's solid red, um I tried to If it was solid red, that means it's an active partial of the cities. So, either we're, you know, we're actively using it or we lease it and it's being actively
occupied. And if it's not filled in with solid with red, then it's either a vacant lot um or it's not actively being used at this time. And so obviously, you know, you're going to there's a couple little odd and outs
here. That's usually uh utilities. Um whether we have a lift station on it or there's a manhole there or some storm drain. Um and then we have a couple easements that uh kind of random. I don't know the the reason for some of these um but again on the property pages
they show up as being property of the city. Um we have a couple lots that are vacant that again I don't know how we we went about acquiring them or why we have them. Um but up here
near Oakidge Road and Lake Juniper uh at the corn at the end of Ple Drive we own this lot. again. Not really sure why. Um it's 888 acres.
I noticed up there where you just came down from the spray field. It looks as if it's not being used. Uh most of it is. >> Yeah, I should have Yeah, you're correct. I I chose the wrong kind of thing when I did it, but yeah, I mean obviously
Sprayfield, we have about 150 acres or so that are cleared. Not all 150 are currently being, you know, sprayed on actively. >> Uh but we own a total of roughly 380 acres. Uh about 80 or 84 acres are on the north side of Sunrise Road. And just
speaking of that, while [snorts] I'm on my mind, uh, you know, because we've been approached about that property numerous times since they did the, uh, uh, what Trump do with, uh, >> opportunity >> opportunity zone. And of course, that
little square up there on north of the road is outside of the opportunity zone, but there was some stipulations if it were adjoining the property across the highway, it could qualify as opportunity zone. So, just a note.
>> Okay. Um, >> go ahead. >> Um, that uh unused portion of the spray field, we're going to need that for growth as the city grows. Right.
>> Correct. Yeah. Well, I don't think we recommend at all getting rid of that. I'm sure it's already been either it's already been permitted or it's already been ran through D as a usable site. That's probably why we bought city would have bought it. Does that include the the thing the mayor just mentioned the the park across the street?
>> Park across the street >> north north of Sunrise. >> Oh. Oh. Well, so it's it's all one parcel technically by the propert. Okay. Um but yeah, it is it is technically split by Sunrise Road. >> Now whether that has been that particular side of the road has been permitted and or approved, I don't I
don't know. I think we have to go and ask and look at D and look at our permit for the spray field. >> Okay. would Jacobs be able to tell us uh if at the rate the city's growing when you know if we're going to need that piece the one
>> well that'll be part of so part of the sewer master plan um we'll be identifying some of that stuff as well because they'll be looking at growth in the city and upgrading of systems um and they'll be able to to tell us but yeah I definitely um at the moment I don't think that's something we want to mess with right
>> um because those are opportunities but I would Yeah, that'll be identified in the master plan we work who's anchor. >> Do you have a list of properties that we need to look at that are um kind of like that piece you said? I don't even know why we own that. You know, things that
could be put up for sale. That's why we're having this meeting, right? To see what type of properties the city owns that's we really have no plans for and we're looking for opportunities to sell it. Is that what we're doing here?
That could probably be a part of it. Yeah. >> Okay. >> I think that u you know it seems to me I don't know if we ever followed through with it but you know the habitat was looking at a lot of our little derelict lots and that type of thing and mainly
in the city. I don't know if we ever made a deal with them or not. Um, but at one time we were talking about, you know, cutting cutting a real good deal with them because they're all derelic. They were getting no money whatsoever
and uh it's properties that we had had to take over from abandonment and all that kind of stuff. Anyway, I would like to I don't know, you know, Moretta was the one that were working on that. Well, I I remember
right after I came on, we we did an exercise exercise similar to this and we probably put 20 properties out to bid that we deemed not and that we didn't need. >> Um and I think we maybe sold one or two parcels. Uh most of the parcels that we
put out for bid didn't receive a single response. >> No interest. And then [clears throat] there was only one or two that actually received some response and I think we just ended up accepting kind of like the high bid on on one of them, >> maybe two of them. Like it really didn't yield a whole lot. >> Yep.
>> Um I wanted to jump back. I got a lot of education on the spray fields when the council decided originally when Jacobs told us originally that our plant was above 50% capacity and we had to start the process of planting a new plant.
Soil is very very important to a treatment plant and those spray fields are basically sitting on the correct type of soil. So, we don't ever want to let that property go, even the property north of that because >> the the option that was presented to us
that we ultimately ended up selecting and moving forward on was basically converting our current plant into a master pump station and then building a new treatment plant out there on spray fields because we we had at that point we had the room, the capacity to do to
do that on those spray fields. That was the original plan. Um that [clears throat] was probably three or four years ago now. >> Um so we >> just be aware of that that the the type of soil that is underneath our feet is very very critical. So we if anything
though uh the the two pieces of property well I guess it's one piece of property there on Sunrise. We don't ever need to let that go because it's to Kobe's point it's already been tested and verified as the correct soil for our spray fields. >> Yeah. I think you have to go all the way
south of Rock Hill to get some more of it. >> Mhm. >> Yes. On on that Sprayfield property you mentioned a few minutes ago about Opportunity Zone. >> I just forwarded Kobe a email this afternoon that I got from Roy Baker with Opportunity Florida
>> which he got from uh Department of Commerce. So coming up, I think April 1 deadline, [clears throat] um, at some point us, I guess, in the county, whatever, would need to take a look at our, um, what do they call it?
The, u census tracks because there going to be an opportunity for us to expand the current map, uh, if we choose to do so. And up in that area might be a good place to try to do that. um and on some of these properties and what to do with
them in the future. You know, there's always since if we ever see the need to do any annexation, any of these properties that might border the city be on the edge. I haven't looked at the map closely, but if there's any on the edge of city limits that give us that contiguous, you
know, uh, opportunity to to annex, that's something we should probably keep in in mind as we, you know, make determinations on these properties. [clears throat] >> Mayor. >> Yes, sir. So, educate me on when you
said we put these out for bid um versus turning it over to realators to sell for us. That's two different processes. Um the way I if if memory serves me correct, um didn't the city uh used to
have uh kind of like a rotation list on realtors that we worked with? >> We did over year right when I came in. I I think it sort of ended, but like when we uh were buying property around the airport, uh they used a couple of
different realtors. [snorts] >> Okay. >> Um the only realtor I know that we tried to use since then was uh Naylor one time, right? And of course that didn't go very well. Um not that we can't do it, but uh we haven't been doing it uh
not for a long time. >> Yes, [snorts] ma'am. There's been a process whereby the city went out in bulk and said, "Here's all of our properties, citizens." It was a public notice because I bid [clears throat] on one of those properties. I owned a property right beside a vacant piece of
property that the city had. >> I didn't even know about it. I stumbled upon it. It was advertised in the newspaper. So, I placed a bid on a particular piece of property that was >> adjacent to one of my own that I had, a rental property. And um so at one time
they used to go out to bid uh and we just did it recently on that 20th street because we all rejected whatever that property was on 21st Street because we went out to bid. We got a few bids but they were so low we rejected those offers. That was just what a couple that
was just three months ago. >> Okay. So, we do go out to bid for these and uh >> so I'm trying to figure out the what would be the best avenue to for the city to get the most bang for our buck. In other words, don't liquidate these just
to the low bidder or trying to get rid of them, but to make some money to go back into our um expenditures. Mhm. Well, just to comment on that, there's we have never paid commission to to
realtors. That is not a written law. That is just what has been practiced. Uh so some point in time, you know, I know I was real, I'd want to make a little money. Go ahead, Todd. >> So this this topic about engaging with
realtors has come up numerous times. I mean, it mayor can attest it was a it was a hot issue whenever we originally purchased this property and put the old city hall up for sale. Um, you know, we had a realtor that was sitting on on the council at the time. Um,
I agree with the mayor. There's it's not a written rule, but in general, we don't [snorts] the city hasn't paid commissions to realtors. I don't necessarily think we should be in the in the business of doing that going forward. Um, I think that if we're going to do it, we
need to put it out for some sort of competitive procurement process and we need to put some stipulations on it. Like for example, they can't represent both sides of the of the transaction because we've had a problem with that in the past where they were representing
Deiniac and then they were also representing the buyer on the other end and I don't feel like that was in the best interest of the city. Are the procurements usually out of town people? >> Not necessarily. >> In this case, was it? [clears throat]
>> It was. Okay. In as few words as possible, what's the procurement process? we would just need to basically put out a a request for proposals for like realtor services and then select a
realtor much like what the county has done and but we need to negotiate the fees. We and I I am adamant that if we do that we're going to put a stipulation in it. They can't represent both sides because we've been burned in that on that in the past.
Go >> ahead. Amy, >> I want to talk about that because normally typically when a realtor lists a property, if they do have both sides of the transaction, then they do get a fee. But, uh, I'm looking at the agenda. Kobe, I thought you said there was
something already going to be on the agenda, so I didn't add it because I want to have this discussion about utilizing our realtor. I think it should be a case-byase basis. Like, for example, city hall is pretty big. I want to unload that. I mean, we've been sitting on this now. We went out, you
know, we thought we had a deal with the bank, we didn't, then it went out to somebody else and that fell through, too. Right. That's >> maybe one that's been delayed. Yeah. >> Well, I just mean it's just the concept of I spoke with the city manager at my briefing on Thursday. He said it was already going to be on the agenda, but I
don't see it on the agenda. Is that >> No. So, I meant what we talked about was we would talk about it here and then we add it at the regular agenda >> as an item if we want. >> You absolutely did say that. I I apologize. So, uh, I would like to add that on because I want to have that discussion at a place where we could
really vote on it because I think these are all valid things. >> I said let's have the discussion now and we can add it to the agenda. >> Yeah. Okay. So, commissions, both sides. >> I would kind of agree based on a case-byase basis. Uh
because we'd have to pay a fee to a if we were going to if I was a realtor and you were going to tell me, "Look, we're going to list this with you, but you can't represent the buyer in the transaction." Well, you're taking money away, a potential commission away from
them. So, we'd have my guess is going to be that com that realtor is going to say, "Well, you have to guarantee my commission where I represent you only. I'm only representing the seller to sell city hall and I'm going to get 3% no matter
what the what it is because you're telling me or they're going to increase it. I don't know what the going rate is. Is it 6% on >> can we ask Miss Winnterburgger because she's a preer. I see her in the audience [laughter] on what a commercial when you
list a commercial. >> If you want to step up feel free to give us any wisdom you can grant. What's a typical commission on a commercial listing? That's all I'm asking you. >> So, there's really no typical commission. It all depends on what the project is just like any any other job,
right? So, uh the National Association of Realtors last year um put together some new requirements so that it makes it very clear that, you know, here is the list side uh for what it would be. And then uh you as the seller if you're
listing a property can choose to offer uh buyer comp buyer agent compensation or buyer broker compensation technically. Um or you can say we're not offering anything ever or you can say we're not necessarily offering a specific dollar amount but we're open to
negotiation. So let's say you had a um 3% on one side. This is an example. 3% for the listing side. You could say, you know what, we'll pay the buyer broker two, two and a half, 3%, 5%, whatever
you want to offer to incentivize that buyer's agent to come. Or you can say, I'm going to pay you the 3% as the listing broker, but we're not paying for the buyer's agent. That's up to them.
Period. or you can say we're not necessarily advertising a dollar amount, but we would be open to it. Submit an offer and we'll let you know if that amount is acceptable depending on the terms of the offer. Let's say that
buyer's agent brought you a full price offer closed next week. Would you pay them three or three and a half%. Yeah, probably. Right. So, but if it's, you know, like a typical commercial contract that's drawn out for some time or let's say they come in very very low, that may
not be something that you want to pay them the amount that they ask for. So, it it becomes negotiable if you don't put an amount on it. So, there's there's no right way to do this. It's just >> negotiable. >> It's all negotiable. So, if I listed my
if I wanted to sell my PRA my building out on 90 West, >> then I can you're saying what I understand you to say is I could negotiate that with the realtor. >> Absolutely. Yes. >> And so, it's not something standard that y'all just throw out there. Hey, we
>> char's there's no standard. You know, somebody who's been doing it five minutes could charge the same thing or different from somebody who's been doing it for 50 years. >> Oh, that's good. It's you you choose your agent and then you negotiate that price. >> Thank you.
>> May I give a little bit of history? >> Yeah. Go right ahead. >> From um from my personal experience, uh the city um actually did pay broker commissions. Um they actually paid my commission some years past. Um it was about the time that the airport property
was being negotiated and purchased out there. Um during some of that because there were some funds that were being used that had to be uh taken care of very carefully they enlisted the help of an agent and I think she was in Chipley. I used to have
her name I don't remember it now because she was uh so we were as the city we were allowed to hire somebody who had experience with those funds and making sure that it was all handled properly. I don't know if it was a grant. I don't remember that, but it was it was
specific funding that had to be handled in a certain way. She had experience in that and they hired her to do that. Um, prior during this time where all this happened, it was sort of supposed to be a round robin, so to speak.
I do not, [snorts] first of all, I'm not here for me. I don't I don't want any of this. This is truly only because I want the city to get the very most that they can and a fair price for the properties. Um, so I
I I don't want it to be seen like I'm trying to to get in the door. That's not my intent. Um, I look at hiring a realtor like I hire my accountant. I could do it maybe, uh,
but I don't want to. And it's I'm not good at it. It's not what I what is my expertise in. I don't deal with that every day. So, it's an expense, but it's also an investment because I'm gonna end up doing better on my taxes because of it. That's how I view hiring a good
realtor. Um, just like any other um, you know, industry. I I looked up the stats. So, I I I was talking with Mr. Beerbomb earlier today and throwing out vague figures. Um, the National Association of Realtors shows that if you sell a a
property by owner, you typically make about 18% less. And you might think that's biased because it's the National Association of Realtors. If you go outside of the National Association of Realtors, the numbers are as high as 30%. So when you're not being represented by somebody who is a
highquality u individual that knows what they're doing um you know that that number is going to vary but the whole point of hiring a professional in in any industry is so that it will either make you more money or save you money in the long run. Um
that was something else that I had that I was thinking about along those lines. Oh going out for bid. Um, I'm relatively involved in the city stuff with the beautifification board and I attend your meetings and I honestly had no idea that
there was the mobile home park that was for sale on 20th. Um, I didn't know and your people who are looking for properties aren't looking on the city website to find properties. So, if you've only got, you know, one or two people, let's say, who might be
interested, right? that keeps your price down because nobody else knows about it. Sh, don't tell anybody it's for sale and I'm going to bid low. Um, it there's a reason there's multiple offers on properties that are priced right. Um, because they're put out on
the MLS. However you choose to do that, I would encourage you to do that. There are agents I told uh Todd they will just list it for a flat fee, but know that that's just like here's 500 bucks, go put it for or whatever amount. I'm I
don't know what they charge. Um, you know, we'll just put it on the MLS and we don't field any phone calls. It's all up to you. There is that model out there. Um, and then you have, you know, whoever your point person is, but that agent isn't doing anything to market your property to, you know, try to do
any kind of networking or anything else either to try to drive anything in. Um, so if you want to just get it on the MLS at the at the bare minimum, do that and you will have a lot more interest.
>> I just wanted to chat now with my fellow commissioners because uh I do think city hall that we need to mark that one in particular. I don't know about all these other ones. Uh I see uh ones on the agenda tonight that I want to talk about
when it comes up on the regular agenda. But I wasn't hap you all know I shared I wasn't happy when we did the 20th Street deal because one meeting we just rejected all bids and the next meeting we're hurting for money and we sell under market. And I was very
disappointed because whatever we sold it for at that very next meeting was undervalued and they got it for the price that that the seller had purchased it in 1984. Well, in 40 years it had to have appreciated. So I want to be
careful that we don't get see ourselves get to that position. I want city hall marketed right. I would like to get it sold because I think we've all decided maybe that's, you know, I thought that was where the direction that we didn't want to use that. We didn't want to fix
it up for our own use and >> that we wanted to uh get it. I'd like to see that one in particular use a realtor. I think it's a professional. They know how to market it. They know what we're looking for. Um I don't know.
I kind of like where Todd's going because I when somebody represents me, I want their sole undivided attention. [clears throat] But then I think, okay, now look, we've got the attorney who represents several. And I think in the
land of real estate, >> so for you to represent both sides, >> it's not. But but a point of clarity when in the state of Florida, there's really only three ways to represent someone. One is as a non-representative. The second one is as a single agent.
That is what Todd's talking about and what you're talking about where you only represent one party. That's it. Uh and then you have a a transaction broker. A transaction broker doesn't represent both sides. In fact, they represent
neither side. They rep or really because they represent the good of the transaction. So, you know, if I if the city has said you are not to reveal this is our bottom dollar, then that agent would say, "Okay, I can't reveal it." If that buyer says, "Hey, don't reveal that
I'm willing to go up to X dollars," then that agent can't reveal it. Uh then when you are dealing with commercial property over a certain dollar amount, yes, you can still represent both sides, which is a little bit different from the residential, but it it's not that you're representing both sides, you're representing the good of the
transaction. I know that's kind of a finer point, but I wanted to >> Here's my thing. If we if we hire a realtor to sell city hall, my problem is I really want that sell. I want that
agent to go and actually find me a buyer. I'm thinking that's what I'm paying for is for you to go get me the highest paying buyer. And if I just limit you to listing it and selling it, what really is that selling? What what
would that seller the realtor that we >> pluses and minuses for both? >> Yeah. >> What is it? >> Pluses and minuses to go both ways. >> Question too if you keep standing. [laughter] >> Uh now when you do multiple listing and
and I'm sure it's according to whatever percentage is allowed. Um there plenty of room for two realtors. Mhm. >> Uh >> yeah, >> even y'all throwing around 3% a while ago, which I like. >> Well, that's $60,000 on a $2 million
sale, just just for perspective. So 6% that's $120,000. Of course, >> everybody's going to say, "Yeah, $120,000 can be divided." Sure. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and that could vary, I guess, from a real small property to one that's a little bit
larger. So I don't know. And then secondly, um, if we if we go out and try to choose the most what we consider qualified, I thought I like what Amy said. You someone who has a history of hustling.
You [clears throat] know, there's a lot of them I just want to get my name in front of everybody else. >> That way I'm going to get money whether I sit on my duff >> or whatever. [clears throat] But, you know, >> that's right. I would like to put something in there to where we can seek out someone who's got a good track
record of uh going somewhere outside of Walton County. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So, Kim, I don't know if I I'm only speaking from uh a different area, not this area, but does the real the
local realtor board, don't they rank you all by sales in a particular year? And how do we get a copy of that so we can see who the top sellers were >> in a like last year 25 or 24 because I think that'll go to what you're saying they're already ranked by their
>> local the county uh >> yeah but we we can't >> I mean >> the way we're doing the the pro procurement is very much an RFP RFQ right where we're going to invite people. I'm just wondering. So, if I had those statistics, if I knew that Jack
was the number one seller in this county for two years in a row, that's going to tell me something when I get those RFQ, you know, when I we get the people that are interested in our >> I'm I'm not I'm not going to pretend to even be remotely be a lawyer, but I think we need to be careful about
ranking people ahead of time before we >> We didn't rank. I understand. understand that. But if we're if we're publicly stating if we're publicly stating that we're going to use an outside ranking list as some sort of way to inform our decision based on everything I've ever heard Clay talk about that that could
misunderstood what I said. That's I was just sharing with the mayor. There's already a list of who the hustlers are. >> Local hustlers. >> Yes. >> Okay. I got two questions. [clears throat] Um the first one I'm going to call apples versus oranges. Just bear with me
on this story. Um, a long time ago, um, the Florida Highway Patrol whenever they rolled up on an accident, they had certain records companies that they would call because they knew they were a
reputable company. They were Johnny on the spot. They'd answer the phone. They'd get there within uh, as short a time as possible to clear the highway. So they had their favorites who were top-notch people. Legal action came along and all the other record drivers
would say, "Hey, you know, you're pay you're playing favoritism. We want a piece of the pie after that." And they tried to figure out the fairest way to do this. They came up with a plan on a rotation system so that anytime a
trooper rolled up on an accident. The only thing he'd say to dispatchers, "Send me the next record on rotation." That's all he said. Send me the next. Don't know who it is. And I understand that once upon a time, and I think we just said this a few minutes ago, that
the city had a rotation system. >> It sounded like they did. >> Okay. So, um, so is that, so is this what we're talking about now? Uh, >> would it be more fair or advantageous to have some topnotch realators, you know,
people who are interested in doing this to I don't know how we would do it. If we would advertise it, if we'd say, you know, we need some realators to help us with some business. If you're interested and you meet these qualifications, please submit an application. and and
that that way you're not playing favoritism and you've got a system for selecting. So that's question number one. Go ahead, Amy. >> I just want to throw out there for you. I didn't believe that today. I I I wrote
around with Kobe on Thursday. I don't think really there's we're going to do this one time. I don't think there's a need for a rotation because if if we really look at what's really available, what we really might divest ourselves from, there's not that much there. I think we should just identify those and
talk about, do we want to do something with these? Do we not want to do something with these? >> Okay. The second thing is is I was so glad the sale fell through on the city hall because that is such a key location for this city.
>> I mean, you cannot ask for a better location. And the guy that came within that close of buying it, his resume and what he specialized in was fast food. And the front runner for the uh I think the front runner for what was going to go on city hall property was something
like a KFC or something. I mean like you know that's the kind of businesses he dealt with. >> And I was really happy when that fell through because that piece of property deserves something. You know that's kind of like our statement when people come
through here going to the beaches. That's the gateway right there to the beaches. Yeah. Well, well, I mentioned Amy a few minutes ago. The delay has been mainly because I've been talking to some realtors and uh and uh on some
other projects that are are kind of hanging in the balance and it was they waiting on about another percent to drop on our our mortgage rates, you know, and they feel like there's going to be several projects pull the trigger. People a lot of them going to get pulled
anyway because that they can't afford to wait. But, uh, this one down here, I know there's been conversations about if as soon as the money gets right, they'd like to make a shot at it, >> which means this is not a sellers market.
>> It's not really, but I also want to say that uh the um I think that you're probably looking at probably a minimum $400 or $500,000 more when the money's right to sell it than to try to sell it right now.
That's my That's my thoughts on Yeah. >> So, two things. I I am in favor of going out for a procurement of realtor services
as long as they kind of meet the stipulations that I laid out previously that I [clears throat] without getting into specifics because I'm friends with with everybody and I don't want to I don't want to get into specifics
um and it's not the person in the room But the city has not been in the best position when a realtor represented both sides. That is my personal opinion in the past. I have direct knowledge of of what what happened and I don't feel like
the city was in the best position in those instances. That's why I have the belief that I have. I do want to say that I'm [clears throat] I'm in support of going out. I do agree with Miss Miss Heavlin in that we don't necessarily have enough to come up with a rotation. We probably
just need to say we're going to procure realtor services for the next year, two years, three years, and then very much like what we do right now with our engineers where we task order them. So we task order them to sell city hall or we task order them to sell the property
over on Live Oak or whatever the case may be. we task order them to sell this property and go about it that way until we we feel like we have and from what I understand that's pretty similar to what the county is doing where they have they basically went out and procured a realtor that represents them for for a
certain amount of time. I I'm I'm I'm okay with that. Um I lost my train of thought on my second thought, but I I I agree we don't have enough to to do a rotation. We just we just need to procure either a year or two years worth of services from a
realtor. But I do have very specific stipulations. I don't think that they need to represent both sides. Um >> are you comfortable to say I I mean I want to support like if whatever we're going to vote on the next at the next meeting, but are are you free to say
what what kind of stipulations are you talking about? Because I don't want you to put out names either. I just want to know what I >> what are what is it that you don't want the that >> representing both sides. representing both sides. >> Okay. >> But when you say that, >> how do we encourage them then to I want
our interest to be represented and they've got to I'm thinking they've got to bring buyers. So what is the tool that we use in order for them because just to market it or list it, that's not going to bring me the us the buyers to figure out, okay, let's sell it to him.
>> But my understanding is that that's that's kind of the function of the RFP. bring us proposals on how you plan to market and represent the city, any properties that might be requested of you to sell. How are you going to do that? What is going to be the mechanics of that? >> How are they going to get us the bi the
highest buyers? >> Correct. No, no different than when the EDA went out for uh to hire a a recruiting firm for that position to replace the director. Right. We we asked firms to give us a proposal. >> Who's going to write that? Okay. the
city manager would would put out an RFP for that and then then we would negotiate very much like what we negotiated the EDA of you know we had we had two or three different proposals that were close we said look all everybody's offering a flat fee blah blah blah blah blah we will you accept
that we could direct him and then see it before we go out to actually put it on the street in case we all have input or something >> yeah I'm I'm fine with that but again I'm I'm going to be I'm going to be a stickler about the representing both sides Can we identify which ones we're
even interested in? That's the one thing I would like to take away to the next meeting is in the next 12 months. Which one which one of these properties listed on this sheet would we really be interested in? >> How about the next three months?
>> In the next three months. >> Yeah. In other words, it doesn't have to drag on. If we if if if we can identify properties like prime example, uh we've got this uh point8 acre piece of land
out here in the middle of nowhere. I don't know what the history is. I don't know why we own it, why we buy it. >> Which one is >> it was the example Kobe used a few minutes ago. >> Yeah. Up there. I think let's just if we can just round back in for a second and then let's go from there. >> At the next meeting, we'll direct we we write an RFQ. We bring it back. Y'all
vet it out. approve that the solicitation of it and then we go through that process and we have a contract. That's one way going we'll do that. I'd agree. I think you need to go through here. We need to look at the ones that y'all are willing to part with. We take the information back. We look at the documents of why we've acquired that property. Is there
something on why we don't need to get rid of it? Um and then we bring those back. Say, okay, of the eight y'all selected, six of them you can't get rid of because of these reasons, right? Um and then we look at one or two ways. Use a realtor on specific properties city hall. And if there's four, you know, two or three other ones that are very minor,
we can look at how we surplus actively. So, cities and counties all the time have active surpluses going on where people can submit bids or whatever. So, we can look at that process rather than having realtor sell a halfacre lot that's probably only worth $5,000, right? So, there's a couple ways to go about it. So, I do think we need to
identify the properties you're willing to get get rid of. We investigate those and bring them back to you and tell you if you can or can't. the meeting after this. Are we going to vote on uh how we're going to pick the realtor?
>> Hope not. >> Okay. We're not we're not there yet. Okay. >> All right. >> I think maybe we should just add something to give him direction on how to prepare this whatever we want to call it with RFQ, RFP, whatever. >> Okay.
>> It's qualifications, right? For the professional services. >> Okay. So, um, everybody knows I'm a subject matter expert person. You know, if it's finances, it's you. If it's business, you know, we got somebody
sitting on the dis. Um, if if it's legal, that's what Clay's for. So, the subject matter expert here is none of us, but there's somebody sitting in this room that is a subject matter expert and I
think they bring a lot to the table and could really, >> but they might want to bid on what we're going to offer out to the public. So, >> she could help us point us into a direction. I'm not saying we pick her. I'm saying she could help us establish the guidelines.
>> I'm saying no because If she >> if I'm a realtor, then she just I don't want to put her in a position because she just got a heads up over me who's her co- >> Okay. Okay. No, no. That's public procurement 101. If she's involved in the creation of the requirements, she
cannot bid on. >> Okay. Okay. Question answered. [clears throat] >> Okay. Was there other than possibly selling property, was there some other issues we need to hit on right away?
>> No, not that I'm aware of. >> Can is there any property on here that any of us have identified that we want to unload? >> Well, let's just we So, >> city hall >> beside city hall. >> So, go through this real quick. All right. So, you know, we have vacant
properties. You've got vacant properties that are also slash utilities. Um, and you've got vacant properties at the airport. I count those out. I don't think we want to get rid of any airport property nor utilities. >> I don't Yeah. >> So, um, >> so what's that leave? >> Scratched that off the list.
>> Yeah, >> I did. If you look right here on the spreadsheet, we filtered them out. >> You did. That's what's left off of the list I had was working from. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So, how many? Um, >> so this is going through these. These are the ones I would um point out to
you. uh is one. Number two, which is again Pearl Drive. I I don't know why. Uh that would take some investigation unless somebody can think of a good reason as to why we need this lot. >> Where is it? >> It's up here near Juniper Lake.
Matter of fact, I don't even know if that's in the city limit, so I have to look at the map. It's not. >> Would you send out your revised list to us and let us >> It's It's all the same list. I just filtered it. So, I just went here. I
just filtered them out. Took took them out. That's all. >> So, Kobe, are those if I can just mark my page. So, are those numbers in your first column A there the same numbers as I will you just read those to me because I can't see unless you blow that up. I
cannot see what >> Yeah. >> numbers they are >> again. Pearl drive is number two. >> Two. Okay. So let me let me So number two um number 21 again I'm just uh >> these are just potentials
>> 21 is this lot here >> which is located where >> corner of west main and 12th near the water tower. >> Oh yeah. See I don't want Okay. All right. Um 32 and 46 >> 32 >> are off of Hill Street
>> and 46 I'm sorry you repeat those >> number two is off Ple Drive number 21 >> 21 got that >> yeah and then this is number 32 >> and number 42 >> 42 >> and is off of Hill Street we bought that property because of complaints of the
runoff that was on there >> and you know we just went ahead to quieten down the fuss we bought it >> 42 says Old Armory Lot. Is that what you meant? Because you first said 46, buddy. >> I'm sorry. Yeah. Yeah. 32 and 46. I'm sorry.
>> And not 42. >> Correct. That be a minute. 32 and 46. >> All right. >> Is Hill Street. >> All right. >> I think that's good. I mean, that's good to know because like if it's something that we aren't going to part with, then we need to look at it for some other use, >> whatever that may be. So So that's
those. Um number 42, 43, and 60. That's Tarverson Field. >> Yes. See, I don't want to get rid of those until we know about the fire. 40. What was it? 42, 43, and >> uh 60. >> 60. >> That would be these three lots here that
are not shaded in. >> Okay. >> And then the armory is 29. >> [snorts] >> um this property down here on 331 South um off of Business Park Road. We do not own the shaded area that the
Professional Products owns that, but we own this 23 acres here. >> Correct. >> Because that all used to be part of the industrial park. >> Correct. So, so we own the non-shaded area. We do not own the shaded area. >> We got a good wet leftovers. >> Yeah, >> that's about 23 acres right there. >> What number is it? This would be number
51. >> 51. >> So where's the city limits around that area? >> Oh, this is well in the city. >> Oh, okay. >> So that's an industrial park. >> That's right behind Lowe's. It's that drive down >> north of Lowe's. >> Well, an industrial park is what we what
the city needs because >> but we don't own that piece that's readed out. Somebody else >> Todd was just saying that was part of the old >> Yeah. If you were to pull up a flood map right now, you wouldn't see hardly any dry land there. angle. >> So that block of wood south to the
interstate between that city property and the interstate is that >> at city limits. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. >> But you kind of see the contour right there. You can tell there's water running right there. >> Very very wet. >> Because that's what feeds over here off Oakland. Um the next one would be 53
which is Berdick and 7th. Uh I'm assuming this the city owns this because of this. I mean, there's a drainage dish that runs down the entire street, but why we own this lot here at the corner, I current I do not know. Um, so that would be something we'd have to look into. >> Berdock is back there behind the
cemetery. Yeah, >> that's the one that runs in front of the fire station. >> Yep. Berdick West runs in front of the fire station. Berdick East. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Goes from goes from uh 83 to First Street. >> Where's the Coke plant? >> Coke plant's right here. >> Yeah.
>> Oh, Berdick's here. the uh building. >> What's there? Nothing. It looks all vacant. >> There's nothing there. >> And when did we acquire it? Do you know? >> I don't know. I have to go. We have to investigate when and why. >> Was that the one at 369? >> Uh 269
269 North 7th Street. >> We were donated some property over there back 2011. Mayor in Collinssworth. Does that sound right? I mean, right. >> Collinssworth. almost. >> No, that's off Berth, I think.
>> Yeah, Berden. Yeah, this is here. So, we own these two lots here at the corner of Berdican 4th and then we own this corner here at the Berd and Cook. I don't recommend we [clears throat] get rid of any of those three. >> Um, but they are vacant and then so that would be the only other one would be
obviously you got Old City Hall which on here is number four. If you're looking at your list, it's number four. And then obviously we have the notorious vacant lot corner of Clay and Plateau that's been vacant for >> Oh, that's over by the >> tennis courts.
>> How big is that lot? >> Yeah, I'd have to I have to Yeah, it's roughly an acre, give or take. >> Yeah, we've talked about pickle ball there. >> Plateau >> for a while, but I don't know what we do with it. >> Blow that back up for a minute, please. Kobe, >> where's where's where's uh that Lacant
Street? I see plateau and crest. Oh, there it is right there. I see it. Okay, I see it. Yep. Thanks. And what number was that? >> Uh, that's number 39. Well, if you click 39, you're going to get the entire lakeyard. Uh, it's multiple parcels. So,
if you look at the map, it's 39D. >> But these are individual parcels though. >> When you look on property appraiser, all four of these parcels are one. When you click the lakeyard, >> how do you how do you carve them out? Are we going to have to have a survey then attached to all of these if we carve that? If we decide, hey, we wanted
to sell this one piece of >> that'd be a realtor question or >> company clay question. >> Yeah, for sure. Because it's when you click website propertial associated which is lakeyard, Florence Park, the vacant lot, the tennis courts.
>> Clay, is there a reason for that that the government does that or is that just coincidental just to make it easier to show what the government owes? the way I believe it was the way the deeds were added in the property appraiser system at the time it was actually done is the best answer I can give you >> I don't believe they're all part of the
actual deed >> I don't either because my goodness we wouldn't have acquired them all at the same time and >> yeah that's something we can figure out if we were to move forward >> yeah that >> no there is I mean on you know the deed that is in the the links off the
property site by the way does not go to the correct deed you have to go to a book define the lakeyard de but those two pieces are separately defined it's really I think was it four total pieces that track with the lake >> correct
>> so um but no I think it was just a convenience when they went through process of putting it on the map >> are there any other ones Kobe that you want us to consider >> I mean only I mean other vacant parcels I mean
>> I I got one the council on Aging. I didn't know we owned that in Tri County. Can What numbers are they? I want to talk about those. >> We own the building that Council on Aging is in. That's 62. >> 62. And the uh Tri County one >> that's 59 which is over by Doctor's
Medical. >> No, it used to be the Canning. >> And you said we don't He said we don't own the vacant lot there beside the area on aging. >> No, the board of county commissioners owns that. The city went in half on the cost. >> The library. Okay.
interest in it because we contributed $50,000 to it. >> Yeah. And we got and we got a I think a 75 ft street runs from 90 all the way up to Bin there. >> I think that's part of the plan for it. The other part of their local was to uh would be continued um management of the
current library when once the new one's built. >> Which building building you say county owns? >> It's not a building. It's this lot right here. So, uh, this is the count, this is the Emerald Coast Council on Aging right here across the >> county owns this lot right here for the
one day future new library. >> That's the only one they bought about three years ago. >> 22. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Where's your strip, mayor, that you're talking about? The uh >> the little one I have >> the little strip that runs up that because we talked about that once before, you and I.
>> That's just it's a it's a it's a city street. >> It's the extension of 12 street. >> Yeah. That would run up right here >> where right there where that tree is. >> Okay. Now, hold on for a minute. Oh, so it runs right through that lot. >> Yeah, it would. >> Well, no, it is. There is no lot. That is the actual street. >> You're looking on the property phraser,
there is a carved out vacant street. >> I'm pretty sure we got that tree on the left side. Is that >> Yeah, that tree basically centers up to. >> Okay. So, whatever map we're looking at just doesn't show that. >> Yeah, this doesn't show the right way. >> Okay. Did anybody else rec recognize anything
that you might be interested in us talking about on what we're going to do with it with a piece of property? >> Which one? Any of them? >> We got a few minutes. Can we talk about that area on aging property? I mean, >> which property >> the council on aging.
>> Yeah, we get a dollar. We get a dollar a year. >> Okay. But that is one talk about a an agency that really looks after people who a lot of have not meals on wheels. >> Um >> do we
think about utilities for the building? >> My purpose is we're in hardship. We're trying to figure how can we maximize our revenue. So I'm not I'm not trying to say let's divest that building. But uh if we're only getting a dollar of rent,
why don't we sell it to do we insure that building? >> They're operating on a on a shoestring budget right now. They're they do a lot of good for the community. Um >> and I don't and I don't know. It's good thing that we can talk about it, but
what costs do we have? Do we pay if we don't have any costs in it? I can see the social benefit like what you're >> talking that's good news. What is it? >> They do pay utilities. >> They [clears throat] don't give those away like we do at some place.
>> What's the name of that? That >> council of aging. >> That's a state entity. The Council on Aging is a state entity. It's not a nonprofit. >> Did you know that? >> No, I didn't. >> Is that not the Emerald Coast Council on
Aging? >> That's correct. >> Okay. But the Council of Aging is different. That's different than the Council on Aging. So are they just >> Well, they just changed the name >> in their name. >> They just changed the name.
>> Well, it was the Walton County >> Long County Advisory >> Council of Citizens. Citizens Advisory Council. And they have a registered DBA that is the Emerald Coast Council on Agent. I think we were blanking on the original name. >> They were prior to last year or a year
and a half ago. They were the Okaloosa Walton council nation. That's correct. Split. So now this council nation only does Walton County. They no longer do Okaloosa. >> I think that's a registered non forprofit. >> The Walton County whatever that title is.
>> Okay. So is Council of Aging a state or is it >> program >> or is it it's a nonprofit? >> This is a not for profofit. >> Okay. And it's so it is not a state. >> No, this doesn't appear to be.
>> They get funding from the >> Now, what he's saying is that entity itself is not, but this program and I'll find it. It's it's a state agency that type that name is a state program. >> Well, we do a little sharing with county
and other agencies. I think uh now where we have our seniors uh isn't that a county building? >> It is correct. >> It's all we don't pay anything. >> No, we we just cover the utilities uh
for the building. They maintain and pay for the insurance. >> Yeah. >> And that's kind of what >> are you talking about? >> Who are you talking about now? >> You talking about life? >> I'm just doing a little comparison there because >> Yeah. >> Okay. See, we're kind of being favored there just like we're doing for who we
talking about the council on aging. >> So, who are you talking about other than council of a >> life enrichment? >> The senior that building is not >> okay. Now, that's a city organization, right? >> Yeah, it is. It is. Now, >> the building belongs to the county, >> correct? >> And so, I'm just comparing. She's
wanting, you know, that she's thinking that we probably ought to get a little bit more out of council on aging, but the county might say, "Well, I think we ought to get a little bit more out of life in Richmond." >> I'm just saying we need to do research on that because to me that was a I
didn't even realize we owned that until I went around Thursday and looked at all these properties with the city manager. Right. >> Uh, and it just piqued my how can we maximize? My goal was to maximize, but I don't want to cut out social policies for I mean, I get it.
Yeah. If we if there's a social reason as to why we [clears throat] contribute. >> All right, we're just about to run out of time here. >> So, mayor, if I think if the council, if everyone's in agreement, um, I don't think there's a need to add agenda item. If everybody's in agreement on direction to bring back um some procurement
documents for realtor services. Is everybody in agreement with that? >> What you got, Mindy? >> Um I would Mindy Henderson, resident of the city, I'd just like to caution you that there are needs for parking on
parcels that are close to Chipley Park and downtown for festivals, events, tourist, main street activities. So, don't cut your nose off despite your face. >> Thank you. >> Having said that, that city lot over
there by the tennis courts, >> they use that all the people use that all the time for uh parades and events here in town. So, that's that's one to hold on to >> for parking. >> Yeah. Not just parking, but the
neighbors in that neighborhood are really, really happy that it's a green space. >> Can I ask one final question real quick? Tri County, what do we use that for now? Especially now that senior life enrichment has uh >> we personally don't I mean Tri count we
don't have we don't have anything attached to them. Um we obviously have agreements with them on the utility side that they help people out with, but I mean the building they just rent the building or they just lease the building. I mean, >> how much do we get in rents? >> I have to actually I've never seen >> they have done that. Phenomenal
improvements. That building was just as shabby as it could be. >> I I would like to see us investigate that code. >> We renewed We did renew the council on aging in 23. >> Yep. Yeah. That's what we figured out. >> We renewed what? >> The Council on Aging lease in 2023.
>> And so that would be easy to figure out how much they're paying us for rent. >> The Council on Aging. Yeah, it's a dollar. It's a dollar. >> Oh, that one. Oh, no. I mean Tri County. >> We have to go back and find that and look in the records and try to find something with Tri County. >> How long was the uh $1 [clears throat]
for if we just redid it in 23? >> How many years? >> I don't know. I'd have to go back and find the old old one. >> Okay. >> But I mean, it's a very small property and they're getting some pretty good use out of it >> for our for our people, you know. >> Well, listen, we're going to uh close
this workshop. We'll have take a fivem minute break, guys, and we'll be right back here. Start. Yeah. >> How's it going, Gary?