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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=wX7QZVXSTNM

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Okay, you know Clay's coming. >> Yeah, [clears throat] four or five minutes before we really start any business. Anyway, so I'm going to go ahead and call this uh city council meeting to order. Today is Monday, July the 27th,

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2026. And if you would stand with me for the invocation and we'll follow the pledge of allegiance. [clears throat] Heavenly Father, we thank you. We love you, Lord. We thank you for your love towards us. We ask for your guidance, Lord, your leadership tonight and everything that we do, the

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way we conduct ourselves, and the way that we respond to any request uh made to us as a council. So, Father, we give you the glory and praise for all that you do for us. And it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. >> Amen.

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>> 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. [snorts] >> All right, we're going to start off with

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a little presentation here, the employee of the month. And so, uh, Kobe, if you want to invite the employee of the month up. >> Yeah. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, council, the employee of the quarter this time is Miss Dian Brooks. Uh, Miss Brooks is the

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[clears throat] utilities administrative assistant. She is, uh, she's she's one of those people. You can ask her for anything, help with anything, and she's more than willing to do it. Um, and she's willing to do it the right way. So, we appreciate her very much. Ask her to come up. [applause]

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Okay. All right. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Oh, you got it. All right. I'm looking for that thing. >> All right. Hold up high enough now. We can see that. >> All right. Smile.

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>> One more time. >> Mhm. >> Thank you. >> All right. Congratulations. >> [applause] [clears throat] >> All righty. We will move right to the consent agenda. And if we would entertain a motion to approve as written or if you want something pulled off,

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it's the time to >> let us know. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion is second. Any questions? All in well we're aware where uh are you Harris? >> All right, Mr. Glenn. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I.

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>> I. I. >> I. >> Eyes carry. Thank you very much. >> And Goby. We go to the regular agenda. Are there any additions or deletions? >> No sir. >> All right. We entertain a motion to >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and second. Any questions, comments about the

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regular agenda? All in favor say I. >> I. I >> I >> I [clears throat] >> I >> eyes carry. Thank you very much. All right. On the regular agenda at 4C1. This is the renewal. Kobe, if you want to take that.

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>> Okay, mayor. Uh council, this is our emergency medical services interlocal agreement with Walton County Commissioners. Uh it's currently active. Uh and it goes until September 30th of 2027. Uh but a part of the agreement is we must notify them one year in advance

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of our intent to renew. And so staff's just asking for council to uh agree or h have me send a letter to the county administrator of our intent to renew this interlocal agreement. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All right. Motion second. Any questions? Go right ahead. >> Um Kobe, could you help me? Th this

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contract had a bunch of measurable standards within it. So for example, it had >> uh 90% of the call responses have to be within 9 minutes. It says if something exceeds 20 minutes, it's got to be a written explanation. Um, and there were

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some a whole bunch of other metrics in there. Who measures those and how can we review those? Could you get those for us? >> Yeah, I'm the chief keeps track of all that already. Um, in terms of uh response timing, we put that in my monthly report. I think right now it's

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around 4 minutes and 13 seconds, 4 minutes 20 seconds, give or take. Um, but yeah, the chief keeps up with all that and then we put that in there as well. Yeah, we we have >> because there was a lot of uh compliance issues in that one little section, too. So, if he could send us uh details, I

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don't know if all of the metrics get included in your monthly report or just a few of them, but if he could just the ones that are specific to this contract. >> Okay, we can do that. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Just quick question, mayor. Just that

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you mentioned that. So, that's is that has been in past interals on this as well. Those those compliance measures. I'm not sure about prior to this one, which this one would have went effective uh in 2022. So, I'm not sure. I We have to go back and look at once prior to 2022.

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>> Yeah. Okay. >> Anyone else? All in favor say I. I >> I >> I >> I >> I carried. Thank you very much. And Kobe will go to 4C2. >> Thank you, mayor. This is RFP 20262AP

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terminal apron expansion award. Uh so we as you all know we bid out Garver assisted us in that bidding as part of their contract. Um the apron expansion around the new terminal. Um so we bid that out. Uh we had four responsive biders that all were had qualified bids.

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Uh in that you'll see attached the letter of recommendation for award from Garver based on the information submitted by the respondents. Uh and in that they recommend the city council award to CW Roberts Contracting Incorporated in the amount of $567,540.

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Um if we award that then we will go back get CW Roberts work on an agreement bring that to the council for a separate approval. Uh in the meantime we are finishing up and Andre has been working with Liberty Partners closely to finish up uh with the FAA to get our grant agreement. So I won't bring you back a

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construction agreement till we get the grant as well. So, but at this time we're looking to award it to CF Roberts Contracting in the amount of $567,540. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> I have a motion. Second questions, comments. >> Yeah, I hated we creek couldn't get in

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there, but this is a federal, so we couldn't alter anything. All right. >> Um, and I know I'm pretty certain this has been done, but just for for the record, they CW Roberts is aware of the time constraints. Uh concerning the grant deadlines and construction

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deadlines, [snorts] >> uh they will be this grant's a little different. This is this is the separate $1.1 million uh federal it was a community project grant that Congressman Dunn secured for the city. So it was his essentially appropriations that got passed to the FAA as a grant. Um so the

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time frames are a little different. They're not they're not the 1231 deadline we're dealing with the runaway. Okay. But they will have their own deadlines and they'll be aware of those. Gotcha. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Anyone else? All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> I. >> I.

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>> Eyes carry. Thank you so much. All right. We'll go to 43. 4C3. Thank you, mayor. Uh can request to purchase sprayfield sprinkler nozzles. So we were as staff we were working going through the uh sewer budget. Uh we were going to budget these in next fiscal year, but

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when we got to looking at where we're at this year compared to what we had budgeted, you all recall a few weeks ago, probably two, three months ago at this point, um we had foregone two projects that we set out to do this year, which was some slip lining of existing pipes and then some manhole rehabilitations. Those those were in the

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total about $147,000. And so instead, we purchased the bypass pump to go to lift station 9 that we talked about. um we purchased some material for the effluent line and then uh that left us around $38,000 of that money we budgeted that we then didn't have a use for particularly. So instead

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of carrying that over in the next year, we decided to go ahead and get it done now. So we would like to buy 37 sprinkler heads uh in the amount of $30,000. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All right. Motion second. Questions, comment?

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Many one? All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I. I. I >> eyes carry. Thank you very much. And Kobe, we'll go to 4C4. >> Uh, similar concept. These are altitude valves. These go on the water wells, particularly on uh the tower at well

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one. The tower at well 10, which is Koi Burgess. Well 10, well one is downtown. Um, these altitude valves, we were going to budget those going into next year. Again, we had uh roughly $30,000 we had expected to gain in water 25% capacity this year. We're actually around

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280,000, but we're not going to go above what we budgeted. Uh, and then the other things, there's some things staff were able to move money around, particularly like education and training. We had budgeted for a potential CDL to be earned there. That didn't happen. CDL are expensive. So, we move some of that around. Um, so we're moving things

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around to go and get it done this year rather than do carry that off in the next year, have to wait a few more months. So, the funds are there. We'll make those internal amendments. Um, and that's what we're asking for is approval of two altitude valves in the amount of $42,000. >> Motion to approve. Second. >> All right. There's been a motion.

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Second. Questions, comments? >> Just a comment. I noticed on the agenda form that you made a mention of the these could increase our water capacity and potentially reduce our ISO rating.

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Is that on the Didn't I see that? >> Somebody I don't know who did the turned into form. [snorts] Um, yeah. Altitude valve valves provide more storage capacity for wells one and 10 which will decrease ISO numbers. >> Yeah. So I mean it could play into it.

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Kyle's here has a question but it it helps regulate the level within the tank within the towers which also helps keep pressure in the system. >> Yeah. >> So we currently have them now they're getting to end of useful life and so it's time for replacement. >> Yeah. Well I think that's a good thing if that's the case. That's all I'm

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saying. That's good job. Anyone [laughter] else? >> All in favor say I. >> I. I >> I >> I >> I >> eyes carry. Thank you very much. Now we go to 4C5. >> Thank you, mayor. Uh council, that we need to set the tenative millage rate

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and the public hearing dates for the budget for fiscal year 27. Um I'm not sure do we which one do we need to do first? >> So we'll need to set the um we need to go and set the tenant millage first. We'll do the >> All right. So we'll start with that. The first two um attachments you'll see in

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the packet. We'll start with the first one there. This is something that Danielle put together for us to visualize. You'll see on the far left on the top section. Don't worry about the bottom one there. Um it says proposed millillage. It ranges from six all the way down to five. It shows you the gross

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taxable value. That is what was certified by the property appraisers office. Adalorum. That was what you would collect at that millage rate. If you were to collect 100% of that gross taxable value, you cannot budget 100%. State law requires you to do a 5% discount. So we budget 95% of the

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expected uh at that millage rate you'll see what the CRA distribution would be and then you see what the city would retain of the advorum taxes and so we are currently at 5.5 mills which would do which would have a collection to the

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city or retain of 1,441,298. Um staff at the current at this current moment we recommend roll back. Roll back is 5.4888. Uh that would the city would retain $1,438,362. So effectively a $3,000 uh difference

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from our current mill rate of 5.5. >> Motion to set the millage rate at 5.4888 >> for discussion. Second need to make as part of that motion. It needs to be clear that that is the roll back rate you were >> and that is the current roll back rate

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that we're collecting. >> All right. Uh, go ahead. >> Um, Kobe, I need to I need to figure out and clear this up. I know we discussed I know I tried to lower the amount of 95% to the CRA down to a another level, but

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>> correct. >> When we set this tonight, does that eliminate us from doing that? >> Sorry. >> In a future meeting? >> No. I mean, we still have to come back and do a final. So, what I'll say is Jesse, we scroll down to the next page. So, the next attachment here, and you can zoom in just a little bit. We'll focus on the yellow highlighted numbers.

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Um the the yellow highlight this is the same form we had attached to the last agenda I believe that the councilwoman's item was. And so this is shows you the breakdown of the CRA rate across the top. And so yes effectively if the rate were to change from 95% down that would

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change the roll back rate. So you see those yellow lines and you can zoom in a little more Jesse particularly on that or Michael on that particular section. So you see in the green here, you see where it says 5.4888 on the far left, that's roll back. And then as you reduce the tiff, the roll

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back reduces. >> So effectively, if you set the the roll back tonight and then for some reason the next two meetings the council were to change the tiff rate, your roll back is no longer 5.488. You would need to come back and readress that. >> And you can always go down. That's my one admonishment. You can never you do

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not want to go up, but you can go down. Go ahead. >> Okay. Sorry. I I didn't quite follow I mean I'm I'm I'm digesting what you got what you said, but the green column 5.488 and then the next column it says 90%

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tiff and then 85% tiff 80% tiff. Okay, you see those? >> But it's all 5.488 mill rate all the way across. So >> yeah, across >> that remains the same. So all we're going to be changing is the amount that we distribute to the CRA.

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>> Not not necessarily. I think so. Let's try to we're going to do this in three parts. First direct answer to your first question. >> Okay. >> No, you are not set at the 95% to the CRA whatever you do. I don't care if you

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go to 10 mills or you go to one mill today. Go to the current rate the roll back. Nothing you do today sets the CRA's percentage. That's not what this motion is. This motion is only to set the tenative military. >> However,

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when local governments elect to go to the roll back rate, that is something we are required to notify the state we're doing. It may seem odd that okay, we're choosing to lower the tax rate, but we have to tell them we elected to go to the roll back rate. So, by doing that,

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if the council's intent is we want to go to 5.4888 4888 mills and we don't care if that's the roll back rate or not. That's just the rate we're setting. We're going to say that. We're also going to say that's the roll back rate. The significance Mr. But Mr. Townson is recommending is that the

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council impose the roll back rate. That's what he's saying. What he has provided for you here under the trim form calculations. If you go to the middle line, the roll back DR420 line 16, which is the fifth line on that sheet, which has the yellow

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highlighting that he's got there, because the interplay between the amount of money the city gets and not your roll back rate changes. So, we could technically roll our millage rate back even further based on that. So, to use your motion as the example, which is not

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on the floor, but your motion of 75%. The tenative millage is 5.48888. If you want to actually impose the actual roll back rate, the actual roll back rate if you also later reduce the CRA to 75% is 4.6982.

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We can always come back and do that, but what you can't do is go back up. So, what I would say is don't plan to go to 55287, which is the 55 mil 95% later. If there's ever thought you need to go up,

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go ahead and set it at 55 today. If you are intent on going to at least 54888, do that right now. >> Clay, clarification. So are you from what you just explained are we setting two millage rates one for the the city

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government and one for the >> No there there is only there is only one millage rate but the roll back rate >> is going to affect the >> so because the roll back rate is the actual dollars received relative to last year's budget based on this year's taxable values.

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>> The mathematical equation with the CRA is what makes the change here. So if you end up because taxable values have increased, if you scale it back 25% or excuse me 20% from 95 to 75, that's additional money that generates into as

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it shows right there on the sheet into general revenue. Because of that, you can actually go much lower on your roll back rate and still generate the exact same amount of money you had last year. But it's important to remember the roll back rate is just the millage rate needed to acquire the same amount of

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Avalor revenue you did the year prior. It's nothing magical about it. It's just saying what was last year. >> Didn't the state force the cities to do this >> to to go to >> No, you're not. You're never required to go to the roll back rate, but you are required to report your roll back rate.

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And as part of every budget year, we are required to report what percentage our budget mill rate is relative to the roll back rate. Is it an increase? Is it a decrease or otherwise? That's what the announcement we have to make at all the budget meetings. But we are not required

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to go to the roll back rate. >> Is that clear as mud? >> Yes. Thank you. [laughter] >> Okay. Anyone else? >> All in favor say I. >> I. [clears throat] >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Eyes carry.

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>> Okay, mayor. The next one would be uh council, based on the scheduling of the school board and the county commission, we're looking at public hearing dates. Uh the first public hearing date would be September 10th at 50:01 p.m. The second public hearing date would be

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September 21st at 5:01 p.m. here at city hall. Um so effectively looking for a motion to to set those public hearing dates. >> Second. I have a motion to second. Uh any questions, comments? Many one. All in favor say I.

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>> I. I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Eyes carry. Thank you very much. >> And these do meet not only that, but they also meet advertising requirements that Miss McDaniel will take care of. >> Okay. All right. You good with that? All right. We'll go to our attorney on

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the 5A1. >> 5A1 is the second reading of the finance director ordinance. I need a motion to hold second reading. Conduct public hearing and to adopt. So moved. >> Second. >> Motion. Second qu with question. >> Go ahead. >> Uh Clay, I don't know if it was

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intentional or not, but section 7 that 259J, I think it's the very last paragraph of the entire document. >> It said it states that um by either the director performs duties prescribed by either city manager or city council.

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And I'm just curious what happens when we disagree >> and there's a there's a might be a conflict for that person because that was what I think we're trying to avoid. So I just wanted to make sure was that intentional or >> it it was quite intentional. The version that Mr. Townson I looked over when I

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got Mr. Townson's changes. I'll tell him Kobe I was quite surprised he'd left that in the way it was originally written. He hadn't edited it and the way it was originally written just said prescribed by the city council. So I called Kobe I said Kobe I took the

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liberty of giving you a little extra responsibility here. I added you in. Understand this is not all the duties A through I. These are if there is a special project, special task or special assignment to be done. Basically what

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we're saying is we're going to hire you to do everything in here but there may be something we need you to do beyond that. For instance, nowhere in here I'll give you a great example. Nowhere in here does it say the finance director shall be responsible for compiling all documents needed to respond to the joint

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legislative auditing committee if the legislature sends us a nasty. That's who you want doing that because that's who you want compiling those documents so Kobe can rely on them. We [snorts] get that. That's going to be that person's number one priority because you have a tight turnaround. So

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this is saying that from time to time certain scenarios may arise where additional duties are assigned to your finance director. Kobe can assign those duties or if this council by a majority vote assigns them, that can too. Frankly, I don't see it being a

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conflicting scenario because ultimately you're not going to be able to tell based on the way this written them to not do one of their other duties. This is only if something special arises. And I do think it is important to preserve the opportunity for the council to be

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able to delegate those tasks in a public meeting if need be. Um, for instance, if we get another grand jury, we're going to want to make sure the council's accountable. So, no, it was actually added in. It was intentional to give Kobe that authority, too, because from time to time, I think he's going to be the one giving that more times than not.

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But, I could see this council doing it once in a while. Just not very common. But, if your finance director sitting right here and this council says, "Hey, we really need these additional documents [snorts] for next week or next meeting." Well, don't you want to be able to say

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it right here at the dis or do you want to wait tell Kobe after the meeting go tell them to me it's just a functional thing it's always been there >> and my my thing was not for for that particular purpose because I would agree with what you just said mine was what

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happens when the city finance director disagrees with the city manager who is his who's that person's superior um you know and maybe some of us have been given different direction and then it causes a I'm trying to

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>> none none of you can individually give it. It would only be a majority vote of the council to do it. Now, should the finance director have a disagreement regarding what the city manager is doing, honestly, everybody up here is entitled to the same information.

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You're never going to stop a finance director from sitting up here and saying what they think or what they want. I mean, you want them to be honest with you, and if they do disagree, they have to have that recourse. But in terms of their job, that section doesn't deal with whether they're disagreeing. This

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deals with when you give them additional duties. But I did feel like it wasn't reasonable to get not let Kobe have that authority. So, the only additional duty would come from the council. So, that's why I chose to add it in in that sense. >> Anything else? Okay. All right. All

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represent. >> Well, I don't need to make sure no public comment. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Public hearing. >> I thought I revolve them. Second. Any public comment or questions on that? >> Thank you. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> I. >> I.

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>> Thank you, mayor. Yeah. Ordinance number 994, an ordinance of the city of Phoenix Springs repealing and replacing ordinances 534, 560, 576, 870, 877, 891, 904, and 989, thereby amending in its

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entirety chapter 2 administration, article 2 officers and employees, division 4, director of finance of the code of ordinances, and providing for conflict, severability, and an effective date. Thank you, mayor. That is now adopted. >> Thank you. Now, if you'll just move on to 582. 5 A2. This is second reading of

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the licenses, permits, and taxations, otherwise known as the occupational license chapter. I need a motion to hold second reading, conduct public hearing, and to adopt. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I have a motion and second. Questions, comments from anyone.

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All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Nay. >> I carry. Go right ahead. Ordinance number 995 of the city of Deviank Springs, Florida. An ordinance of the city of Vienn Springs, Florida, amending ordinances 410 and 630 in part, thereby

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amending chapter 12, article 1 of the code of ordinances to provide for updated terminology, clarified applicability, modernized administration of business tax receipts and enforcement provisions providing for cotification, severability, conflicts, and an effective date. To be clear, this is a

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cleanup that still operates under our existing model. So, mayor, that is now adopted. If we can go ahead, I'll move right along. Yeah, we do have resolution 2026-10, if adopted, that establishes the business tax receipt fee schedule. That's one of the big things this did

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was take those numbers out of the ordinance into this so it's more easily updated. But I do need a motion to adopt the resolution. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I have a motion, a second. Questions, comments? [sighs] >> Question. Just just for [clears throat]

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clarification, you know, as a council, how how do we answer this? And I'm not really hung up on this. Yeah, it's been brought up before. Um I think maybe you brought it up. Let's let's have about the flat rate. The difference between small

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businesses versus >> big box >> big big box stores for example, $75, you know. So, I wonder if a small business owner that might make, you know, a few thousand dollar a month is paying the same fee as a

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multi-million dollar corporation. Um, how do we justify that same fee to that small business owners a as a as a council? Because I, you know, are are we trying to just tax everybody to death?

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No. But, uh, not not at all. But I I question the sense of fairness in in a a a store like Walmart, for example, that generates millions of dollars in sales a year versus somebody

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struggling to keep the doors open uh in in a small business. And not that $75 would break the bank with anybody. I'm not saying that. I'm talking about the appearance of of equity and fairness uh between these. So, you know, just just that that's my concern and question, I

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guess, is how do we how do we address that? >> So, so I'll give you the simplest answer that's probably also going to be unsatisfactory, but it is the simplest answer. Florida statute when home rule went into effect amended so that cities lost the

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ability to do gross sales or net income percentage-based calculation on these fees. So when we lost that the question becomes how do you impose something that is not a flat rate if you are not looking at that now you can do graduated

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or per unit basis if a business has multi- um multi-units things of that nature you see places doing number of employees the reason number of employees has fallen out of vogue over the last 20 years has been because you typically

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want people to employ and so the bottom line is one method around that's we're going to employ less FTEES. We're going to put them on contract. We're going to find other ways to avoid it and then avoid paying your taxes. So, unfortunately, the direct answer to that question is that the state legislature

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limits us to very limited increases and what is effectively under chapter 205 a flat rate tax model. Now, do some places break down different flat rate taxes based on bu business size in terms of

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the size they're building and things of that nature? Yes, that does. Um, I think the answer to that question is if you talk about your big box store, yeah, Lowe's and Walmart are your two biggest. But

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does that mean that a business that happens to have a large warehouse attached to it or a lumber yard attached to it pay more than somebody that's actually generating more revenue? Those are questions and um you know if a restaurant moves into a bigger spacing this we had and I'll defer to

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Councilman Beerbomb and I think Councilman SCR on the code landers review committee about the time this came up. I know Mr. Sean was the question was if a restaurant moves into a bigger space and fills a vacant space, are they going to pay more taxes because they have more square footage even if they have the same number of tables they

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did before? And then do we get into regulating each business based on number of desks, number of tables? The simple fact is the flat rate was proposed as a statutoily consistent and legally adoptable model. The other part is we are limited right now and how much we

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can change this because the old rules under chapter 205 really hold our feet to the fire by not changing this too much. That's the other big problem we found. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I I think for me as someone that has

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worked on this and this has been something that I' I've wanted to address since I got elected to to the council. The way that I interpret it is um as I grow my business personally, I'm not penalized for growing my business. And

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that that's just the simple way that I look at it. I pay the same rate as Walmart. Um, but if you actually look at uh price per square foot, a lot of your businesses downtown on Bowwin Avenue actually punch well above the price per

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square foot in revenue generated and tax dollars generated than Walmart does. Simple math is, you know, Walmart spreads that amount out over hundreds of thousands square feet where we spread that out over a couple thousand square feet. So, it's just it's just really

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simple for me. I pay the same rate as everybody else and I don't get penalized if I grow my business next year and we suddenly take on contracts and and it and our business explodes. We pay the same rate. So, it's it's a it's a way of not penalizing me or anybody else for

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growing their business is the way I look at it. >> Anybody else? [snorts] >> All in favor say I. >> I. [clears throat] >> I. I >> nay >> eyes carry. Thank you very much.

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Anything else you got there, Clay? >> No, sir. Mayor. >> All right. Thank you very much. All right. Uh request to be on the agenda. We got Kim Winnberg on the uplighting of trees in Chipley Park. >> Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you

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for uh listening to our beautifification and tree board items tonight. Um the first one uh that we have is uplighting the trees for Chipley Park. Uh we're really excited about this because we feel like it's going to make a a nice big impact uh on what the park looks

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like in the evenings. So uh the reason we went through with the uh uplighting trees, we felt like we got more bang for our buck for lighting the area in terms of safety as opposed to, you know, something that might be on a pathway that's only lighting that one little

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area. And of course, we are the beautifification and tree board and it is quite beautiful. Uh so uh the board walked the lakeyard uh twice actually identified uh all of the trees. We've got roughly eight is what we're hoping uh because it's going to be a little bit

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about when uh with your approval uh when staff gets out there and determines, okay, this tree we thought needed three, might need four now um to get the full effect. So, um, we tried to pick the some of our nicest specimens, uh, of

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oaks to light up and, uh, we would love for your questions and, uh, help us get this off the ground. >> Mayor, >> yes, sir. Good. Right. >> Did, were you privy to Trent Hatcher's, uh, his email that he sent to all the

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council members? >> Um, he had some good ideas on he likes the idea. He you know where he lives. He lives right there on the circle. >> Um he had some ideas like uh the colors not to be confused with certain seasons

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like Christmas. Uh are the colors going to be where you can change them? Uh there's different types of uh bulbs that he mentioned. Um, did did everybody read this email >> that that's in the lights that we uh or

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that uh Andrew found for us? You can change seasonally. So, if you want to do pink for Valentine's Day, red and green for Christmas, uh green for St. Patrick's Day. >> And you wouldn't have to rering it? >> Nope. Flip a switch.

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[snorts] >> They're individual units that tie together one power source. Andrew and we're going to build metal rings to go around the bottom of the tree and mount them to them. That way when the guys come around and mow, they don't run them over. >> So, >> can we confirm that they're dark sky condition of compliant?

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>> We can find out. I heard [clears throat] somebody say something. >> They don't not the airport, this regular. So we signed on to the MEIPA and joint land use agreement back 13 14 years ago and actually adopted that into our comp

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plan. So we aren't optional optional participants like Freeport is. We are mandatory. So we just need to make sure any uplighting is dark sky component. >> We can give a Chris that >> I think it's a grand idea.

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>> Very pretty. Uh, do you you thinking there's going to maybe three plus for a tree? >> You think there'll be three plus lights for a tree? >> And I think in the link that you guys sent, Andrew had sent a photo that he

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had lit up at his house. How many did you have on your tree? >> Okay. >> Three. Okay. Okay. Looks good. >> Mr. Mayor, >> go right ahead. [snorts] So, I was um present for one of the tree board uh

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discussions about uh this idea and I shared the concerns that that Clay brought up uh that this may not be compatible with the dark skies initiative that we're required to comply with. Um, additionally, as someone that knows about purchasing this type of

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lighting equipment, um, I worry that the what we're purchasing may not stand the test of time. I'd hate for it to be another, uh, issue like we have with the um, the string lights on on Baldwin. So, I'm just worried that

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we're going to buy a a fixture that may not last us more than 24 months and then we're looking at replacements. So, [clears throat] just wondering, do we need to figure out is this the is this the appropriate fixture both from a compliance standpoint as well as a longevity

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standpoint? >> Mayor, do you have any sharing? I thought I just wondered if you guys might want to hear from Andrew since he has some experience with these lights. >> So, these are the same lights that we use for Christmas reflections in some of

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the displays. I think they've got a three-year warranty on them. So, if we have any issues, it's either three or five. I'll have to go back and look, but it's they're very good quality. That's who Jubilee and all them buy the lights from.

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>> You have a question for him? Uh, I got a question for um both of you, I guess. Um, instead of just getting the whole thing at one time, are we going to get uh Did you mention that we're just going to do a few trees as a test to see how it works

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or are you going to do it all or >> I wouldn't call it a test, but we picked lights. Most of them are on the west side of the lake. Um, I think we had one or two. >> They're kind of spread out. >> Yeah. I mean, there's a couple that are kind of close over by the Presbyterian

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Church and then it kind of spreads out and they're a little bit further apart on the other side because the bigger oaks are over there. >> And the goal is to continue this all the way around the lake. >> Yeah, we would like to add more. This is just what we have allocated to our budget for the year.

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>> So, this is kind of a test and not the end product. >> Correct. >> Gotcha. And >> um are these going to be lit all year long? >> Mhm. So, and being lit all year long, they're going to have a three-year warranty. So, we're >> may have to replace them and consider

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this in our budget. Every three years three years, they're under warranty for three years. So, if anything happens in that three years, then free ones, we won't have to be buying them again. >> How long do will they last normally then beyond the warranty? I'm just trying to think of, you know,

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replacement and >> I mean to to say that they're going to last seven years. I mean, it's hard for me to I you know, I can only go by what they warranty and they may last us 10 years. I don't know until, you know, we run them. >> And I I would say, Councilwoman, this is

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also a um this this is a city bec tree board initiative. So, this is the money you allocate to them every year. So, effectively, this is not something way if if camp runs if they tree board don't have money, we don't do the uplighting unless council at that point had to take it over, right? So, this is something

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you've kind of y'all y'all allocate 5,000 directly and then anything they raise dollar for dollar um y'all y'all give them the green light to spend on projects they identified. >> Oh, okay. And because it's for beautifification, can the CRA absorb a portion of it or not?

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>> No, I I wouldn't see how. No, not from a general maintenance. >> What if it fell under safety? Because it's going to We know we've got a homeless population down there. >> Yeah, I think I mean for $3,000 we're stretching it. We're stretching it pretty far there. for three grand. So, >> I can tell you this, you're going to

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spend a lot more than $3,000 defending a grand jury investigation into CRA misuse of funds or even pay the auditor to inspect it than just not asking a question. >> Okay. >> Now, if this 300,000, we might have a

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different conversation, but >> not at 3,000. >> Okay. We never do. We didn't get a motion to move. >> We don't necessarily need one unless unless for some reason the council objects to the idea, but the tree board has given allocated the money. So, it's under my spend authority.

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>> First off, I I love the idea. Um there's got to be some hard wiring done though, or is there power already to this? >> There's already power. We're going to use the existing Christmas reflections power grid that's out there. Gotcha. >> We're just going to tap into it. >> Yeah. Okay. So, it just flashed through my mind. So, solar is not a feasible

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option probably because of the shade, is it? Okay. >> Do we have a motion on the floor? >> No, there was a I don't guess there's a request yet. >> It's again, it's not unless for some reason there's an objection and we need other than that, it's not necessary. Try board just brought it as what they like

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to do and if council's okay with it, they can move forward. It's under my spin authority. >> No objection from me. >> Yeah. My last question on the aesthetics. Uh I like the idea of, you know, picking the the attractive trees. Uh, being that there may be several in

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one area and none on the other or very few in the other, is that going to look a little odd, do you think? >> We think we've got them spaced out pretty well. There's probably going to be, would you say, one or two? Might be one or two more on the west side than

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the east side. >> Presbyterian area. >> They're relatively well spaced out. We tried to make sure that it wasn't lopsided >> and it's hard. It'd be very difficult for anybody to see the whole picture at one time anyway. You know what I'm saying? You might have to be up in a

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drone to see the difference. But uh anyway, yeah, I'm excited about it. I'm I'm hoping we can get this done. >> Me, too. We're all excited about it. [laughter] >> All right. Is there anything else we need, Kobe? >> Uh that's it for that item. >> Okay.

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>> All right. Thank you. All right. So, uh, all right. So, we got the tree donation policy. >> Yes. So, we just have an updated tree donation policy. Um, just clarifying a few things that were in the last one that you guys approved. Um, we've

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eliminated Laurel Oaks and things of that nature from the list. uh and just made it a clear process for uh our citizens to be able to make a donation, who to contact, uh and what the process is. >> Go ahead. >> Um I liked it. Um but I did have a

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couple questions or concerns and I just thought I'm just going to tell you what they are. You don't have to answer them right away or whatever. I might have just missed over it, but is there a process for um if a donation is denied or rejected? And then if that's

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the case, is there a criteria? Um does it go before the council or be is it just a staff thing? >> It wouldn't go before the council. We did have uh a section in there that just addressed um that it was um at staff and uh and

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board. >> Yeah. And it said other factors deemed relevant. And I just thought that language might have been too broad if somebody was >> want to. >> So from a donation perspective, council, we kind of really be looking at three types of donations. One, if they were to donate monetarily and they wanted to put that directly towards something to do

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with the trees, things of that nature. um if they were to donate the physical trees to the city which has occurred before we would donate we would plant those or if they were to plant their own trees in the city right ofway the only way they're allowed to plant in the city right away as they follow this and then it becomes property of the city

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>> yeah and and I did read that and then um do the donors if somebody was rejected who sends them a do you send them a letter that says we appreciate what you're doing but we reject >> I mean I would presume that some you know the the staff members that are

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receiving the applications would >> give a response. So city said we would so we did we had something very similar a few months ago with an individual uh and Chris Trron as part of code enforcement. He sent the letter you know saying hey these are concern to the tree board tree board denied it and for v for

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various reasons he understood he made the corrections and brought them back >> and I've never been to one of their board meetings. So I really appreciate y'all educating me. And then I just had two more. Um, it seems like there's a $95 fee in the policy, but if you ever

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want to change that, does that mean you got to redo your whole policy to get us to change that fee? >> I don't know that I'm the one to answer that question. >> Okay, that was just one of them. And then the last one was, um, should there be standards on you're there's discussion in here about markers? I'm

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assuming that's what's on in the ground for the tree or whatever. I just wondered if there was a um standard on reviewing um how long can those stay before they're allowed to be removed or >> relocated.

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>> I don't know that they would I don't know that there would they would be removed. Would they >> so >> and I don't know all of our markers that are there have they have stayed there for all the years? >> Yeah. Particularly a part of um um Arbor Day. they usually will go in and be

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permanent, but to the point of the dollar amount, it's the current cost of it change. So, in that effectively, we're saying it's cost, right? Whatever the whatever the cost is to have it made, that's what the applicant would pay you cover cost. Um, in terms of the donation, this would fall if you were to

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do some sort of dedication, things of that nature, it would effectively fall under the city's memorial policy, which I'm working on. I know I got some comments back. I've been putting those in. So, it would effectively fall under that and make sure it complies with everything that once that's adopted, that's what we go with. So maybe maybe we could just change that language to

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scratch the $95 and just say if that's what your intention is at cost or at the city's cost then you wouldn't have to change it every time you wanted to do it. >> Okay, >> Mr. Mayor. >> Mr. Mayor, >> go ahead. >> So I I kind of want to carry that thought a little further. I heard from

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some members of the public and there's a concern that uh allowing markers then turns into a spot to do memorials and then all of a sudden we have a proliferation of you know different additional things that get then placed

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around the tree. And apparently that's occurring right now um with with some of the trees that are already marked where there's additional things being placed on the tree by by people affiliated with the marker. And I you know I tend to agree with with what was expressed of

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you know it's one thing to to place a marker at the base of the tree but for it to then kind of evolve into you know additional things being placed around the tree as a memorial I think is maybe a little too far. So, can we can we

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modify this to say that we will not, you know, that the only the only thing permissible at the base of the tree is the marker and they're not allowed to put, you know, additional things around the tree. Um, is that something that the council would consider because I agree.

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I think the lakeyard, you know, especially where a lot of this is going to be donated, we need to preserve the lakeyard as it is. And you know, we need to be we need to be thoughtful as well about in the future there could come a point where there's no more trees

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available for marking and what do we do then? >> As far as your recommendation goes, I don't have a problem with that. >> Anybody else? >> What is What are some of the current ones that exist? Like I've never walked the lakeyard to look at like markers. I don't even know what

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>> it's it's discreet and it shows who was uh >> who that tree is in honor for, >> but we do and it's ground level so the mowers can go over it. Um it's like this this big. >> But we do have some trees right now that have additional things placed around

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them. >> And it almost kind of needs to be a little bit like the cemetery where there needs to be some guidelines around that. >> Yeah. Then that adds quite a bit of maintenance uh time, you know, to

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weeding around those things. You can't mow around the tree well, that kind of stuff. So that's what really looking ahead that's that could be a problem. We have how many people mowing grass in the city? Uh Kobe >> full staff we'd be at what nine >> nine people and that that's a lot of

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grass. You throw the cemetery in there and and around all the monuments. So it is something to consider. You know it because those guys doing it it's just that much more time to take care of that lakeyard around those other objects. For sure. the granite monuments, you know, that's that's been going for a long

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time, you know, >> because they're they're they're relatively small, right? Yeah. For these trees. Yeah. >> Mayor, >> let me ask Todd, what example of other things besides the little monuments that >> there were flags being placed out there and and like little

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>> flags. Flowers. >> Flowers. That's right. Little little flower. >> Yes. Like they do at the >> like they do at the cemetery. Right. So, to me, it needs to just be the the city place marker and and nothing else. It doesn't need to be acceptable to place additional items there.

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>> I got you. >> Yes, sir. >> So, it looks like you're getting the green light, unless I'm missing something. How soon can we look forward to seeing this actually these trees lit up? Uh, I was told, unless Andrew corrects

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me, that it would take a couple of weeks before, uh, the lights would come in and it would take him a couple of weeks to install. >> What can say one more thing? Uh, because I remember a while back, you know, we talked about new trees, you know, and we

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have the policy, we've cut down trees, we replace them with two or three more than was taken out, that kind of stuff. pretty soon you won't even be able to see the lake. >> Well, no, I'm talking about citywide in general, but uh you know, cuz we're Tree USA city, so we have to replace these

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things to keep that designation. And and of course, a canopy is important to reduce heat and and and erosion and storm water runoff and all that kind of stuff. So, we've always had a problem with personnel, right? And the tree board doesn't have money to fund this

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kind of thing. So when you plant a tree, Mark Goodchild can he's he's talked about this uh who is on the board. He's resident forester, right? That uh that's on the on the tree board. They have to be pruned, selectively pruned within the first four or five years of their life

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to ensure the aesthetic appearance you want out of that species and the strength, the trunk trink strength of those trees to withstand the hurricanes and that kind of thing. And if they're not trimmed at the appropriate time, it affects their development and tree girth

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and everything else. So, but we don't have the staff to do that. So, my question is something for you to start thinking about. Maybe is there a group, a volunteer group, u you know, master gardeners or garden club or uh anybody that we could entail with maybe some

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supervision to have a day to hit all these newly planted trees and and and prune them. You know, I would think two to three times in a fiveyear period would be ample to make sure that they get a great start. >> And wouldn't it be great if somebody videoed that

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>> for staff training? If what >> if someone videoed that for staff training. >> Oh, >> just a thought. >> Absolutely. Just something to think about, you know, because if we're going to invest in all these and people donate and we buy trees as well, right, to to plant them, we want to ensure that they're going to be there for a long

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time. >> Now, did you you getting what you need for your application policy? >> I would based on the conversation, I'd say let's uh don't make any action. We'll break we'll make changes and be back on a consent agenda. >> Sure. Okay. And one other very small

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thing, uh we also have in here the discretion where if a a citizen wants to put a tree in the lakeyard and there's just not an appropriate place, we have filled it up, Mr. Cosen, and the staff would have the discretion to put it in

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another one of our parks. Um, so we've tried to meet their needs and we are uh working on rolling out the the uh match that the city provides up to $5,000 for if someone will donate a tree. Then we

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would as a city donate equal. So hopefully we just are overrun with people who want to donate. >> I got some big old fat cactus plants. You got to play. [laughter] >> I'm just kidding. Go ahead. >> Heard probably. Kim, is there a uh certain number of trees that can go into

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Chipley Park? Like, are you going to cap it at a certain I mean, >> I don't think I don't think there's a capped amount. Um, you know, we do lose a couple every year at least. >> Um, at least um >> from storms or from >> Yeah, we've had a couple from lightning

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just in the last month. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Unless you have a flooded lake and then you lose about dozen of them in a year. >> And the board has also talked about doing more colorful things like bushes

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and aelas and things of that nature so it isn't all just trees, but that's for another day. >> Thank you guys very much. >> Miss Mandy >> Melinda Henderson um resident. I don't think you have to worry about the number of trees. We've been looking at Robert

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Daniel's slides with the workshop series over the past year. We used to have trees everywhere. I think Eloise wiped out a bunch. And you look at those slides, there are trees everywhere. We

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don't see that anymore. So, there can't be >> too many. >> Probably not. Well, thank you very much. Okay. Um there we are at the citizen comments. So we'll open the floor for

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any citizen comments. Uh give you three minutes and uh state your name and who represent the organization that as well. >> Um Melinda Henderson for Defunia along with our other co-sponsors the CRA and

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the University of West Florida Historic Trust. We're through with our 12 workshops and some of you all were speakers and uh I appreciate that and I'm getting the report that's about that thick just for

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$4,500 ready to send in. So I wanted to let you know that. And we have two pages worth of unique positive comments from the participants. So I think it was probably worth it. Oh, yeah. Great. Thank you so

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much. Anyone else? All right. We'll close the floor for citizen comments. Uh Clay, you got anything else? >> No, sir. Mayor. >> All right. We'll go to number nine uh with Councilman Harrison on the uh direct city manager.

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>> Okay. Um, [clears throat] in a prior budget meeting, I think it was, um, I brought up the feasibility, you know, of of of us looking at, uh, our city 911 dispatch. Um, which, you know, I discussed

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whether, you know, is it a duplication of services? Um, you know, I feel like we need more information about that. Is is a substantial cost to the city. Um and you know I think uh personnel

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roughly $415,000 in personnel cost. Um that's six pe six dispatch and one supervisor. Um and and I don't know that's right um entirely on the dot number but there's

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some there's some other cost associated with it of which I am not totally familiar with. Um the only thing I see broken down in the proposed budget is uh education and training per year is $5,550. Uh uniforms

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small amount $600. 911 communications, I'm not sure what that is, $11,28. So, so you know, if you you add those things, we're we're we're we're pushing um I'm not a mathematician, but you

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know, we're up 425 or so, uh 430 maybe. And I don't know what other costs are associated with us running our dispatch. I don't know if there's software cost. Um maybe so there's a there is a uh uh

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IT maintenance and service uh on the proposed budget of $120,160. I don't know if any portion of that is for dispatch or uh if that's police overall and all the computers and softwares and the car and and at the

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station. I'm not I'm not sure what that entails. So, I guess we, you know, personally, you know, would like to see more information on what numbers we're talking about here, but but in the meantime, um

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uh you know, is we when we were looking at the fire department, we we all agreed I I don't remember if we voted or we just all agreed unanimously to give Kobe direction to go meet with the sheriff's

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department and see what them taking over the fire protection would look like. And so I think it's reasonable that we take a a hard look at at this and and direct Kobe to uh seek information from the

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sheriff's department as to what you know they they provide 911 dispatch statutoily anyway. And so I I I would like the council to have information as to what it would look like if we have to

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buy additional radio, what what that cost would look like, what whatever there would be. I I have no idea. But I just feel like with all these these hard conversations we're having about budget and and fire assessment and all these things, we're trying to juggle so much

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right now with a lot up in the air about what's going to happen in November with the referendum on the property tax thing on on the ballot in November. So we're so we would be wise, I think, to have some insurance going into November. And

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so I think we, you know, to be fiscally responsible here. I think we we have an obligation, that's just my opinion, and I'm not speaking for everyone. I just I just feel like we I have an obligation. We have an obligation to look at this hard and see whether it is a duplication

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of services that we can still not jeopardize any life. We can still have fast response times uh or whatever and save nearly a half million dollars a year. And that, you know, I I' I'd be the first. You remember the conversation we talked

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last year about, you know, potentially having to lay people off? That is a conversation that this guy does not like to have, whether it's six people or whether it's 25 or 30 people or whether it's one person. But, you know, we're having these hard conversations. So, I

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would simply ask first um if the council and and I know this has to be unanimous. Would it would be willing to send Kobe to to do that? Um Clay, is there anything special or Kobe is there anything special that I you need direction to do? Uh information that you

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would be looking to gather? >> I think you'd include sending the chief since he's technically over the police department along with Mr. Townson to get >> Well, I would love for the chief to go. I don't know that we can direct him as a as a elected official, but um I think

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that would be great. U >> All right. [clears throat] >> I didn't hear that. What was that? >> He said, "Let's see if it gets a second, then he'll speak." But I think honestly, you probably need to let him go ahead and talk. Now, I think, you know, you can't direct him as an independent elected official, but I think given the

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charter's placement him over the police department, um we would want him to be involved in any of that. That's the one distinction between the fire department and the police department. >> It's not a difference to him. >> Let me go. Can I just share some thoughts because you know when this was brought up last week I [snorts] said you

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know I started thinking about all the infrastructure that we just invested in and um you know to switch over it's to me it's not costfree because another entity is not going to take on that responsibility for less money in my

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opinion you know for less than we can uh run it and I think that was demonstrated to me anyway through what we did with the fire department. Um there's personnel, technology, uh that all that would have to be integrated and our

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system is on a different tower than the countywide. We also have a different CAD system than the sheriff's office. So the software that when somebody calls 911, our dispatchers at the city use something a certain software, but the

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sheriff uses something different. That means everybody would have to be either cross-trained to use both systems or somebody would have to give up and go to the new. So that would cost I know that smart cop they used in um South Florida County where I was at and that thing is

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upwards of $2 million for that entire system depending on what packages you get. So it's it's considerable. And remember I was sharing that the fire station those radios that they use are five $5,500. But I remember we invested

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some for the city dis uh for the city police, but they're half that cost because of the system that we maintain and the towers that we maintain for for that. So I don't see where there's going to be a significant cost savings. Um and

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I I I don't want to go and try to push that out onto somebody else's responsibility. I'm hoping that we could keep that in house. Dan. >> Um, Sheriff Atkinson has done a lot of very innovative things over the years. And if

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I'm remembering correctly, back in 2007, uh, the dispatch system that the Definiac Springs Police Department has was his baby. He was the city marshal then and he's the one that created this system. Mhm. >> And

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uh our city marshall has built on that system and it's been a lot more cost effective as Amy mentioned um than um what the county's got. Uh the next thing is has anybody [clears throat]

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other other than me personally visited and looked at the dispatch center? Have any of y'all been in there? >> You mean for the city? >> For the city. Not lately, but I've been in there. >> It's It's pretty high-tech. >> And uh as far as the the money that he's

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used, he's gotten a lot of bang for his buck. Um and if it let's just say hypothetically, if the county did take it over, we're still paying for it whether we uh because everybody that lives in the city pays county tax taxes, too.

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>> So, it's just like we're still going to pay for it. So, it just doesn't come out of our budget, but we still the taxpayers, you know, still pay for it. >> Yeah. Anyone else?

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>> Um, we hadn't got a motion yet, Evan. >> No. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> Well, so I think it I think what he's asking about is not to make the change, but to get an education, [clears throat] >> just information. >> The same road we went down with the fire department.

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>> Yeah. Get an education. Yeah, go ahead. >> Well, if anybody else would like to speak, I don't want to go ahead of anybody without y'all having your say first. >> You you good? >> You So, I am very intimately familiar with

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the workings of that dispatch center. I know a lot of the information. However, the last time I offered up information about the inner workings of the sheriff's office, it was from a biased perspective according to a lot of people. So, I I don't see anything wrong with collecting information and letting

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it go that route. Uh I've spoken to Chief Hurley about this several times and I've tried to obtain his buy in on it because I feel that that's very important. Um and get him to communicate with Lieutenant Hall up there and just

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to see if the two of them could work in the same sandbox. Um but Chief Hurley from my talks with him wants to maintain his own dispatch center. I am aware of two things that may impact that in the future. One is whether or not a bill will pass or not that state legislative

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uh areas dealing with a uh trying to consolidate PAPs like they did last year or and then the second one is the tax referendum. Um obviously it it boils down to a numbers game behind this dice in the end. So, if there's no will to to

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go and and look and explore the information, then I'm going to stay out of it and we'll just wait and see what legislation comes through. Um because I I do want to support Chief Hurley and his efforts and and then just see. But I don't see anything wrong with obtaining

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information. I would suggest like Clay said and send the chief and uh Mr. towns and up there together though so that they could both look and talk and collaborate and see if it's a good fit for him or not. And the radios, as far as radios go,

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there's a whole separate um there's a lot more information than what's been delivered at this DAS that you would want to know about a lot more information about that because it's it's evolved a lot over time. >> Josh, what was the first thing that you said that was concerning? I didn't quite hear your reason. You said there's two

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reasons >> for Yeah, you >> going forward. Oh, the state legislative bills. So, one was there was a bill last year that failed in legislation to consolidate PAPs underneath the sheriff's in each county. >> That's what I didn't hear. >> It's my understanding that legislation

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is going back up again this year, but like me and the chief have spoken, that bill may or may not pass. And the second thing was the referendum coming up again. and whether or not that will or will not pass. I mean, both of them could impact these discussions like you

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said, Councilman, but again, I think there's more information that would need to be obtained and I really would like to have his buy in on this if if we ever talk about >> Go right ahead. Now, we're going to get >> So, on you know, uh, Councilwoman

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Heavlin on the, you know, this is this is still there's a difference. Um, you mentioned the sheriff's department taking it on for less money. Um, we don't we don't pay the sheriff's department anything for something they

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statutoily have are required to do anyway. >> [snorts] >> They they are the >> sorry I'm trying to >> they are the um they are the ones that have to do it and so and you know the

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radio cost or towers what I mean I get the investment. I I I appreciate it and they're expensive and the fire department $5,000 a piece for the radios. I I get it. That's expensive. It's not $500,000 a year expensive. and and and that's that's kind of my

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point. And the fire department, you know, they the sheriff's department dispatches directly to the fire department through through those radios. And they the fire department was not a duplicated service.

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They're not we're not duplicating service to to to to fire department with 911 calls. You see, so the the the police department is a is a different thing is what I'm trying to say. It we are duplicating

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a service to the tune of nearly a half million dollars a year that the fire department is doing without without it cost the city any additional money other than for radios. Am am I correct on that? >> Thank you. that chief go.

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>> Go ahead, chief. >> So, by statute, the county commission is in charge of 911 services for the county, which they contract out to the sheriff's office. Dispatching is not nothing to do with the county commission. Dispatching is something

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we've taken on as a city. Okay. So, 911, yes, that is that is by statute. What's not by statute is our dispatch services. So, um we went down this road with the fire department. We ended up with a lot of disgruntled employees,

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a lot of nervous employees, a lot of just chaos that we don't need from our citizens, our employees, our co-workers, just in general. What I would ask is, Mr. Harrison, you come to my office. You

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had an invite last week. hadn't seen or heard from you since, but let me sit down and explain to you and show you on paper what we do, our side first. That way you can have a better understanding of what our services provide, what we

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provide to this city, and how we fund it. And I will show you exactly how much cheaper we can do it than giving it out to another entity. It's not the It's not the cost of 911. 911 at this point is

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costing the city zero as of Monday. No, today. Sorry. Yeah, we went live today. My bad. My day is starting to go there. So, today we just started geofencing with 911 system. So, if you call 911 within the city limits, it automatically rings the Walton County Sheriff's Office

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and the Defin Springs Police Department simultaneously where we both answer the phone and there's no longer a lapse in time to get somebody emergency help. So, that's something we fixed at zero cost. The sheriff's office is now paying for our 911 communication side on that. So

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that 11,000 you saw, it's going to be gone this next year. There's a lot of things that we have done and put in place over the seven years that has cost us doing some quick math $530,000 that that we've invested through mostly

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through grant through the state that we're just pissing away at that point. you you just throw it away. Throw it out the door. Everybody knows that once you give something away to buy that back, as the mayor said at that last meeting, well, we could try it for a couple years

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and then we could bring it back. You're going to pay double that to put it back. You're going to be over a million dollars to even try to bring it back through the door. There's a reason that the sheriff when he was the city marshall wanted dispatch at the police department. He saw the growth of this police department. He saw the growth of

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this city. That's infrastructure that we got. we got to hold on to that we we need. I can I can pull the numbers for you. I can show you where every dime goes. But give me that respect to come talk to me and let me explain to you. >> Let me let me stop you right there.

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>> Okay. >> Okay. In in our meeting >> Mhm. >> you had three officers here present. >> Mhm. >> They were sitting here for you cuz you were absent. >> Mhm. >> And I asked for this information. >> Mhm. And the only message I got was your

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officer walking up here at the end of the meeting and giving me the direct message in front of the entire council that you would meet with me Monday morning. >> I presented this to our council. >> You were not here. I presented this to our council to consider and discuss. I

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didn't intend to have a private conversation with something that I presented before this council to consider. I asked for information and I'm asking you now for information of the budget breakdown for dispatch entirely what the personnel

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cost is, what the software cost is per year, what the equipment cost is and any other related cost to dispatch. >> Yep. There will be presentation >> and I want to look at it. So don't disrespect me at the podium by telling me I didn't bother to show up and come

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talk to you. >> Do you are we clear? I'm not gonna be disrespected by you. >> I'm not gonna be disrespected or anyone else and have the city manager come and do what my charter. Look, I talked with Kobe about this, James. Listen, I'm not arguing with you.

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>> Calm down, guys. >> I'm I'm fine. >> I I'm I'm I'm not I'm not arguing with you about it. I discussed this with Kobe. I would love for you to go. You should go. In fact, he when I first talked to him, Chief Early, >> when I first talked to him, I said, "Can

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we get James to go?" And he thought it would be beneficial for both of you to >> And yet, nobody has reached out to me. >> Well, that's what I brought up tonight. Okay? I'm not trying to pull anything on you or disrespect you. >> Let me let me explain. >> I'm trying to be look at something as

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hard as we should look at to be fiscally responsible. We spent a year doing that. over the fire department. This is not unreasonable. All I'm asking for is un information, but I'm certainly not asking to be disrespectful. >> I'm not disrespecting you, Mr. Harrison. I'm asking you to come and let's sit

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down and I'll explain to you exactly like I did with Mr. Cosen to explain him how everything works so you have a better vantage point and a better opinion of how things actually are, not just what somebody told us how they work.

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That that that's all I'm asking. And I'm asking for that information and I'm in Tennessee council >> on top of a mountain and when I come off a mountain my phone is blowing up that that that's where I was and that's why I instructed my lieutenant to say hey tell him to come see me Monday morning and we

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can continue this conversation. But now what we're doing is I've got all my employees most likely watching this and I'm going to go back again for the second time this month and have to put out fires for the next two to three days because they're worried about losing

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their job. Well, we can we can just like at that meeting it was brought up, well, we can just switch them back to a job in the city. Two of them just came from a department in the city just transferred over here from there. They don't want to come back. like let's have these conversations and

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educate oursel before we bring it out into the public and and Kobe Mr. towns in the city manager position has nothing to do with the police department but >> by our charter Clay correct me if I'm wrong I'm in charge of this police department by our charter >> yes

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>> which is our constitution I should be at the table when these conversations are happened and so if you'll think back to the CRA meeting I think it was CR the meeting we had previous in the week I at the end of it said I will not be here Thursday if you have any questions about the budget

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stuff please contact I don't know if you heard it or not, but I did say that I'm asking to be a part of a conversation that controls my department and is part of my chartered responsibilities. That's all I'm asking for is that respect >> and and all I'm asking for is

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information. Education, as you just said, I'm asking for us to be educated. >> Let's have some one-on-one >> study group and and I will I will explain everything on my side so then you can have a better educated opinion on where we need to do. That's all I'm

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asking. Not trying to disrespect anybody. >> Well, one thing about the last meeting that this all came up, we were dealing with general the general fund budget. >> I I I completely get it. >> And so, it had to be t, you know, please involved in that. You know,

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>> 100%. I I totally agree with it. But if we're going to sit here and look at all this, I've brought y'all for the last six months ways and ideas to save money in the city. >> Yeah. We're still buying non-ethanol gas today at a ex at a higher rate. >> Yeah. >> We're not doing other things. We're

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looking at giving away the farm and we're not looking at certain things. >> Yeah. >> That's not the fix all is gas. I I get it. That is not going to fix our whole problem. >> Yeah. >> But there's little pieces here and there that we can make up some difference, guys. >> Yeah. I understand. And and the drama

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that goes on at PD after this conversation >> Yeah. >> is is tough. We we're going to have a lot of drama come at the end of budget whenever we can't give raises. >> Yeah, I'm trying to I'm trying to figure out ways we can >> Well, I appreciate that money and everything. >> I know you have brought several things up. I appreciate it.

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>> Well, >> and we just want you to know we're feeling everything out. We don't have an answer yet. >> I I I will gladly look at any avenue you want for the police department to save money. I think I have time after time shown you where I try to save money with this department and and just get free

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stuff and try to do the best I can. >> Yeah. >> But let's at least have that conversation about things, guys. >> Yeah. >> That's all I'm asking. >> Okay. >> I don't hear a second. So, I don't believe this is going anywhere anyway, but I'll be glad to meet with any one of Greg. You ever have a problem getting a

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hold of me on the phone? >> M. You ever have problem? >> Nobody has a problem getting a hold of me on the phone. I'm probably one of the easiest politicians to get a hold of. >> Well, don't be afraid of us getting educated. >> No, I'm not afraid. I welcome it. I welcome it. But I I need to be part of

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that conversation. >> I want to educate you on our side of it. >> You want to be the educator? >> No, I can learn, too. >> I I I grew up in a whole family full of educators. My I'm the black sheep of the family. The rest of my family is nothing but educator. >> I know that feeling real well. >> Trust [laughter] me, I know how to be

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educated. And I am educated. I got a college degree in this stuff. I I I know. >> Okay. Well, let's just, you know, >> Well, don't be afraid of education. >> Not afraid. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Mayor. If I could, Chief Early. >> Yes, sir. >> Look,

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>> I do want to hear from you, but I I want our council to to hear. As you you know, I I research everything. It's not like I don't educate myself. I am an educator. I I spent my life being an educator, >> and I know what education is about, and that's all I'm asking for is

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information. not just information from the sheriff department but information from you as well and I put that out there in that last meeting and you have my phone number as well. >> So I h I haven't heard from you either. So you know if if you had some information to help me all I'm ask we

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operate as a council. This council is responsible for the budget and you you're right you do a lot of things to save money and and you are very creative at doing that. I I get that we're talking a lot of money and and I don't I

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don't mean to I advocated for 652 teachers in our school district through the WCA who >> I'm all about >> and I appreciate it. >> I I I am all about the people that get the work done. I please I I appreciate your officer. I appre appreciate dispatch. I appreciate everybody that

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contributes to this city and I appreciate you. And I'm not trying to look for any one-sided thing without your input. I value your input. I want your input, but I want that input to this council so we can consider it. We when we went last year, we got we got

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information from uh we heard from Chief Hurley up here at the uh Chief Hurley, Chief uh Chief Sheffield at the podium about the fire department and and what have you. And we brought information back from the sheriff's department as to what it would look like if they took over the fire department. I'm just

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simply asking for the same same thing. That's all. I that's that's it. I don't mean to upset you. I don't mean to upset your employees. >> But I the employees will be upset. I assure you that. I >> I know how you love your people in your department. I respect that. I I I truly do and I respect you. But I I I want to

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have the information for this council. We we we've got hard we don't there's so much in the air. We don't know what what's up. And these all employees need a raises. We've got over 120 employees in this city that all need raises. >> Oh, yeah. >> And and and and you know, that's all I'm

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looking at. That's all I'm looking >> and and that's funny. I'm just asking for let's have these conversations before we come out and just throw it out there and and create chaos and havoc because that's that's what it ultimately is creating within my department. Morale

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will be shot. I will have to spend time and time of talking to them individually and like this is you just relax just relax just relax. I'm telling you that that's that's the problem that I have with some of this. >> I appreciate that. But we went through it for over a year with the fire department. Those employees are going

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through the same thing. >> Yeah. >> The very same thing. >> Why why drag another department through it, you know? >> Well, because it's a half million dollars. >> Yeah. Well, I once again there's guarantee there's a half million somewhere that we can find. >> I guarantee there's other places. Let's go ahead and put that in. >> Okay. Well,

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>> hey, chief. >> I I found you half a a million that you could do through the CRA. We didn't have a meeting today. That That's the frustration that I'm dealing with. I I'm I'm trying to come up with ways to make this work for everybody on this dis. No matter what opinion you have, I'm trying

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to I'm doing my best. And that's all I'm asking. Let's work together as a dam team and and move this ball forward down the thing that this city for years has just been stagnant because we're kicking a can. And it ain't just because any individual council member it's it's

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decades of just stagnation. We've got to figure out how to take this and move it to the end zone. >> Yeah. >> And I am I'm 100% will be there with you pushing you across that line if I can. >> I'm sure you will. And of course you realize and and a lot of people just don't understand that we're under

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sunshine. >> Yeah. >> And we can only have these conversations in >> But I can talk to any individual just like you, Mayor. You can talk to any individual >> by yourself. I'm I have the same privilege. >> Yes. >> And I don't think any one of you have a problem with talking to me. I I respect

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every one of you. I love every one of you. >> I grew up with every one of you. >> Just come see me and let's have some conversations. Yeah. That's all I'm asking. If you want me to come to you, let me know. Okay. Thank you, Chief.

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>> All right. [laughter] By the way, we don't have a motion on the floor. I was asking for council to direct Kobe. If that, you know, doesn't work, we'll do a motion.

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>> Yeah. But he need a motion, Clay, to have uh >> this is information gathering. No, I don't think you do, but I mean I think I mean ultimately based on what just happened I I think I'm you're almost better off to have the motion because the council's taking an official action

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that it would like to get the motion and I don't want to put Mr. Townson in a spot if he chooses to go get this information at the council's direction that you now have the city marshall saying we're outside the charter. >> So council saying they want this information for budgetary purposes. I do

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believe the chief should be included. I said that earlier. I don't disagree with it's under the chief, but since you can't direct him, let's just go ahead and have it as a motion. The council doesn't want to get it. They don't want have to get it. >> Okay. But that covers Mr. Townson's obligations.

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>> All right. So, do we have a motion? >> I'll make a motion. Um, I'll make a motion to direct uh the city manager to uh speak with the Walton County Sheriff's Office uh concerning uh 911

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dispatch and the operation of the sheriff's department. Um excluding I I don't know how to word this, excluding uh city dispatch. I don't know. just just talk with what it would look like uh >> to obtain information and to include the

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city marshall in that discussion is yes I think the appropriate motion >> and and and uh Chief Hurley attend uh if he is so willing >> that's asking him to include him that's sufficient

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>> we have a motion is there a second I I don't have a problem with the information. I just want the chief's buy in in this. So, >> get it this way. >> I don't and I don't think that we will. >> I'm sorry. >> What was that?

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>> I don't believe we'll get the chief's buy in. >> So, I'll keep working in a different way. >> Okay. All right. Well, it'll fail for like a second. >> Okay. Well, may I say something? Yes, sir.

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>> Not one of us, not one elected official sitting up here has to ask permission to get information. You remember back when I went and got information when we were wondering what are we going to do with the fire

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department? Everybody has the right to get information. The re if this would have gone to a vote, the reason I would not be in favor of it at this point is because I saw how it tore this city

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apart on the fire department and they went after the fire department. Guns blazing, it appeared. And I'm fixing to say I told you so, Chief.

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And Chief ran up here and was mad at me and and I [clears throat] said, "You're next. You're going after the fire department now. And you're next." And it's kind of has the appearance as

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though we want to take our public safety and get rid of it. And >> I want to ask for the truth for once. I can't hold this back anymore. I want to ask for the truth because I know for a fact that you went up there at least three times. I know for a fact you sat

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here blaming Councilman Beerbomb for going up there in the beginning of that crap. And you were creating chaos not just for us but with the staff and I'm fed up with that because all it does create problems for me. Oh, you did. You done forgotten everything. I remember Chief Are you

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making this up? I don't know what you're doing. >> Why don't you let me finish talking for once? [snorts] I remember Chief Hurley coming down this aisle and standing in front of that podium and he was saying that what are you going to do? Get rid of me next, Dan. I remember that night. I don't remember it like you said it. I

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remember it like he said it. >> Chief, what did I say to you? I said, "You're next. They're coming after you next." >> I know it got very heated because I had to stop it. Mhm. >> Let me say nobody's going after him. >> Once again, guys, this this is

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>> after everybody cuz it didn't pass. >> This is This is This is what I'm talking about. This is This is where we're not moving the ball. We We We need to move the ball forward. Let's Let's move the ball. I I'm a big enough person. I hope each one of y'all are a big enough person. Let's move this ball down the

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field. Let's figure out how to fix some of our financial issues. I will do anything in my power in in my brain knowledge. I'll even go get more education if I need to to help out with this situation. But no, I I agree and and and I do respect Mr. Harrison for

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saying let's try to look at things. Let's try to look at a lot of things, not just one particular issue. So that that I think this is unproductive is where this is heading at this point, but let's let's get back on the horse and

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ride that, you know. I don't know. Let's just move forward. >> Yeah, I think it u in all honesty, I think emotions has tipped the scales tonight and we're not going to get real reasonable [laughter]

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and uh so my suggestion is let's move on. >> Yeah. So let's fail for like a second, Mr. Harrison. >> Pardon me. >> All right. Yeah.

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>> Okay. So, we're going to move on to executive comments, Mr. Kobe. >> Uh, none, mayor. >> Okay. All right. We'll go to councilman comments and we'll start with >> Okay. My my my first comment is is is on that that lack of a set second from a

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council that all have at some point emphasize what fiscal conservative responsible people you are and we are unwilling to take a hard objective look at something

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that is a that is potentially I will say a duplicated service for a lot of money and and and we keep talking, you know, how foolish we were to, you know, not keep the fire department or or turn not turn the fire department over. We're letting all this

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money go. And and all I'm saying is if is this that is this one of those things that, you know, could make a difference for our city? Could could could get more things done. Talk about moving the ball. We got we got a lot of balls and we're trying to push it with a with

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with a toothpick. Uh it seems like because our hands are tied in so many ways, but you know to be fiscally responsible it's it you know it's it's just ironic that you know

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people would try to label me as somebody who wants to impose taxes like a fair a fire assessment whatever. If if you're going to label me, um, try labeling me at this point as fiscally responsible, fiscally conservative, because that's what I just attempted and couldn't even

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get a second to get information to educate ourselves. And that is sad to me and I am extremely discouraged right now with the future, my future on this council. I'll just tell you straight up

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because I did stick my head out of the door of my house a day till 3:30 and that's when somebody knocked on my door. I work hard on this stuff to try to be objective and I'm in the middle of your your your twos and twos all the time. All the time. And I put the hours in to

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make the right vote the best vote I can make with my conscience. And right now that's not what I'm seeing. I'm 70 years old. I don't have to do this. I will sleep on this though. And you

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might very well be locked into twos and twos from now till eternity. [snorts] >> Uh Dan, >> is this executive comment? >> Yes. >> Legislative executive >> council

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>> council comments. Okay. We all have different ideas on what's best for the city and how to save money. Now, I've got a question to ask y'all collectively. But before I do, I want to reiterate how

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I feel about the CRA. When I ran for office, I ran for infrastructure, transparency, doing the best thing I could possibly do to move this city forward.

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And I did not sign up to be on the CRA. I have been against the CRA from the very beginning. I did not vote to have the CRA when we were down there at the uh

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community center. I didn't vote to uh to be a part of the CRA. I didn't want us to be a part of it. It should be eliminated. They got $5 million sitting in the CIA in the CRA and have wasted I don't know how many

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millions as far as big projects go since its conception. What has the CRA done? What big project can we say they've done? Now sitting right here within grasp with the $5 million that's sitting in

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there is a chance [snorts] to finish the alleyway. That's infrastructure and we owe that to our our business community. When you're trying to figure out a budget

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like me, every month I've got X number of dollars and I have to live within that budget and there's a lot of things I want I can't afford. So, I just have to have postponed gratification and pay for what I can

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this month and maybe next month will be better. Well, I kind of look at that same thing with our seasons, our budget seasons. When we when we took over the CRA, the first thing we did was ask add $100,000

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just for staff, >> just for administrative costs. >> We reduced $100,000. >> It cost We've got people that work for the CRA. When we went over this as far as the CRA budget goes, I believe

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you had like $94,000 for administrative cost >> for Yes. And for fiscal year 26, it was $192,000. We cut $100,000. >> We cut $100,000 from what? >> Personnel. >> The city personnel.

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>> CRA. >> The CRA. >> I think we're trying to blend them, but yes. >> Okay. So, you got how much money more for being on the C for being the director of the CRA? How much money did you get? >> My employment agreement is an annual $30,000 stipen. >> And then Chris got how much?

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>> Chris's is an annual $25,000 stipen. >> And then we got a secretary. >> Correct. >> And then how much more money on top of that? >> That's it. >> That's it. >> 94 $95,000 total to run the agency. $94,000 to run the CRA administratively.

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Okay. That's what I said to begin with. >> You said we added $100,000. We cut $100,000. >> I'm not trying to saying you you said we added We cut $100,000. >> It cost $100,000 just for us to be the CRA on an administrative basis.

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>> It used to be $192,000. >> Okay. It's still $100,000 is what it cost us. >> Agreed. Agreed. >> And that's just administrative fee. Now,

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we can do this without the CRA. And instead of me being a a a thorn in your side on the CRA, I kind of feel like I'm

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being a little bit of a hypocrite making decisions and voting on CRA matters on something that I feel is the parasite on our city. I really think it would be beneficial to

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the CRA board if y'all just didn't have to deal with me. And I set set out on that. You've got three people for a quorum. You can do anything you want to do. I think you're tired of listening to me

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about the CRA and I'm tired of trying to understand how getting in debt is a good thing. Now, I know the CRA's got some good points, but we are putting a ton of money in the CRA

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and I just don't think I'm being beneficial to the CRA board. I don't think I'm I'm I'm being a an attribute. So, you're not the only one that's thinking about stepping aside. I'm

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thinking about stepping aside. Not from my city council views. >> Let me let me interrupt you. Please let me interrupt you. You're going to want me to say this before you say anything more on that front. Pursuant to the attorney general of the state of Florida that once city council has designated itself as the CRA, you are required to

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fill both roles. Um, quoting from the attorney general 2015-05, the authority of public officers to proceed in a particular way under or under specific conditions implies a duty not to proceed in any other manner than that which is authorized by law. Therefore, it appears

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an individual would not be authorized to resign from one office and not the other. meaning if you wish to step off the CRA board, you have that choice, but it would require resignation from this city council. So, be very careful about anything you say because I would not want you to be put in a position that

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you do not understand that the attorney general is saying you don't have the ability to hop off one board without getting off the other. So, that's why I'm pausing you there. I hate to interrupt, but the AG has been very clear. um goes on to say, "Once the governing board is elected to serve as the board of commissioners for the

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community redevelopment agency, the individual members of the governing body of the municip municipality would appear to be bound by such election." And that was a 2015 opinion issued by Pam Bondi as the attorney general of the state of Florida.

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Mayor, I I apologize for neglecting to I had two things that I was going to say during council comments. May I >> go ahead? and it has to do with the CRM CRA meeting and why it was cancelled this afternoon.

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Now, all of our agendas have super important items that we we have to address. And as I said a few minutes ago, you know, I I find myself often being a swing vote on

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on things. And we've the the CRA meetings, you know, I I I understand that, you know, council members might not like the CRA. They might not have signed up for that. Neither did I. And yes, I made the motion for us to take

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over as a board after three CRA board members resigned, two of them in a meeting, a joint meeting that we were having with them at the at the time. And those resignations didn't happen as to anything that we did in that meeting that I recall, but

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nevertheless, they resigned. So if we wanted to see our continue, we had to become the board. So I made that motion and it passed 32 if I'm not mistaken. So, here we are. And I understand that two people didn't vote. We all lose votes occasionally, but that doesn't

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mean that we don't have to support what the council decided, and that's that's the way it that's the way it works. So, we've had, you know, since we took over as as the board of the CRA,

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Councilwoman Heaven, I don't know that you have attended a CRA meeting at all. That's correct. I've asked twice >> that please have them at 5:00 because my aid has passed away and I have a business to run. >> I understand. >> It's hard on me. And I said until end of

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September, I needed to h I couldn't come here before 5:00. I would make arrangements for budget hearings, but I really couldn't come before that. And now that was denied on two occasions. I've requested that and it was denied by

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the council as a group. So, I have [snorts] to do what I have to do. I can't attend until 5:00. >> I understand. And I'm one of those people that open-minded. If we need to look at changing the time so that it could better accommodate your schedule, whatever it

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that's what we have obligation to do, but at um then Mr. Cosen uh called and informed the city manager that he wouldn't be here today. And so, you know, we we're down to, you know, three

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people on super important items. One of which was the CRA budget, you know, and the other items I don't have it in front of me at at this point in time. So, we have a responsibility. I I don't think it's fair, you know, that's missing 40%

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of our board. that's missing 40% of our board for me which is often again that deciding vote to to obtain your input at the CRA meeting and contain and obtain your input at a CRA meeting to help me make the best decision I can make and

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the other two council me or or commissioners on the CRA as well. we all deserve to be able to have the input from the other four uh board members uh or council members if we're talking about a CRA uh I mean a city council

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meeting. So I just I just felt like I needed to say something about the attendance. So I I wrote an email to Kobe. Uh it is public record. Uh you all have is is anyone up here that has not seen that letter? I do have copies.

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We just would >> I had seen >> Oh, you sent an email. There's a there's a hard copy of it. >> And and and this is >> this is and and I know it obsesses. So much planning goes into by staff and city and and the city manager to create

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the agendas and and and the attachments and the city clerk putting all this stuff together for these meetings. The last thing in the world I want to do was do this. But I feel like we got to we got at some point in time we have to address absenteeism at especially CRA meetings because it's not fair. It's not

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fair to put any any any of the rest of us in a position of having to make uh a quality vote for the citizens we represent when we we can't get the input from the other council members. I I or board or commissioners. I value

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everyone's input and I try to weigh it and I hope everybody else does the same. So this is why I did this. I don't Mayor I don't know if this is public. Should I read this or or or not? I just want the public to understand why this me was suddenly canceled. >> Read it.

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>> That's up to you as a public record if it's the email. You >> let let him read it. >> I'll read it. Um I I directed it to to Mr. Townsen. After hearing from and and and um Mr. Atinson, after hearing from you that CRA commissioners Dan Cosen and Amy Heavlin will not be in attendance

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for today's 3:00 meeting, I feel that I must protest my objection to their absence by breaking quorum, meaning I I would not be there. I do not make this decision lightly, but their lack of attendance has been a recurring problem and has a profound impact on decision

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making by the board. The board consists of five members, not three. It is the discussion and input of all members on various agenda items um and the discussion input of all members on various agenda items is necessary in order to make the best and

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most subjective decisions on behalf of our citizens. I regret that this delays important agenda item decisions and places unreasonable time constraints on the city manager and staff to finalize the new budget and pending CRA grant applications. people are waiting and but

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I feel that all five commissioners should be present for this meeting and future meetings and we know sometimes we can't make meetings. I get it but that is why um that meeting was cancelled and again I I hate it. We have so much

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business to do and it it puts the cities in in a in a tight tight schedule now to get these budgets done by deadlines and what have you. So I just felt like I needed to do that and I'm sorry if I you know >> Okay. Um, Kobe, when I called you and told you I

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wasn't going to be able to make it, what's the reason I gave you? >> Exactly. >> Because it was personal. Correct. >> I've got a friend of mine that's recovering from surgery that can't lift. They can't drive. They I help them cook. I help them clean. They're in a bad spot

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right now. And I have not missed one CRA meeting since we started. And I don't think a friend's personal health issues and surgeries need any explanation.

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How many CRAAS have I missed? How many CRA meetings? None. >> I missed one and I get this. >> Mr. C, you just said a minute ago, you don't want to make decisions for the CRA. >> I don't. But

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>> and I'm bringing this to the I'm bringing this to the dis saying y'all don't need me. I find out from counselor I found out from counselor I don't have a choice. Now

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I wanted to get permission before stepping back from the CRA. But today you jumped the you jumped the gun. >> Okay. You assumed? >> I didn't assume anything, Mr. Carson.

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>> I wasn't here for personal reasons and now I felt like it was it was necessary for me to bring this up. I have not missed any CRA meetings and I think it says uh did it say in here uh

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constantly absent? No. I think we've had enough for tonight. [snorts] >> Yes, Amy >> Clay, on that attorney general's opinion, I'd like to ask a question. Since we took over the CRA pre before we

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became the CRA board, that CRA used to meet at 50:01 once a month. >> Five o'clock. Yes, ma'am. Last Wednesday of every month. But since we took it over, somebody maybe it was a group decision, decided we're going to start meeting at 3:00.

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>> The council voted to set the time. >> Can you just please finish what I have to say because um it bothers me. It bothers me because I'm very involved and I always wanted to be involved in that first meeting. I think Mr. Sconurs was in charge and I ended up sitting right

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here because Mr. Cosen was sitting here. So when I came in, I was late and I sat right there and I requested I said through the end of September, I've got a problem and I cannot be here earlier than 501. Could we please change the

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meetings? And as a group, it was decided, no, you couldn't. We were still going to meet at 3:00. And that said to me, well, that forced me out because I cannot be here at 3:00, not even just once a month, uh, to make those meetings. And here we are. It's It's

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impacted you. And And then Kobe, correct me if I'm wrong. I missed the next one. And And I asked you, I said, "Please bring it up. Put it on the agenda. M make a formal uh announcement." And you said you did. Of course, I was absent. Um so I have

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been absent since we took over since I've uh requested. I think that was April is when we when was our first meeting up here. I >> would have been February. It would have February, March. I'm thinking >> the joint meeting was February 11th. >> Uh

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>> the joint >> it was it was April I believe. But anyway, >> it's not that I don't want to be here. There are things in in my professional life and dayto-day that prevents me from being here earlier than 5:00. I would re

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again respectfully request this us as a CRA board to again I don't know why we changed it from 501 to 301 but I would appreciate it going back to 501 so that I could attend. >> Um so and I don't know if that attorney

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general opinion that he was reading from says that uh we can't make that accommodation. The AG opinion is just merely talking about whether or not you can choose to be on one or the other. That's all it's talking about is an opinion issued down

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to the city of Lauderdale Lakes. >> Could somebody educate me why we had to make our CRAAS at 301 versus 501 that it always used to be 501 so that the public could attend to? I mean, there's more people in the public have come to me and said, "Why did they change the meeting times? You know, I have to work or run

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my business until 5:00. I can't get to city hall before that." I can answer >> I can answer plainly if you want to hear it. Um those meetings are the same. The attendance rate is still the same as it was back then. We can all go watch the videos, but more importantly it your

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time schedule is not always the only one. And for a lot of times on special meetings and everything else, it's always been, hey Josh, it's got to be this day this time. And and that's fine. I I went with it. I had to rearrange my whole schedule. Every time I'm here early for any workshop, special meeting,

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whatever, I take PTO every time. So, it's the same thing. It's not always what's my schedule like. It's like what works for best of everybody. Plus, if you look at staff, how many meetings have we sat here over time and drug out just so we can all talk? When

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realistically, Kobe sits down with every one of us that are up here the week before and discusses every bit of this with us before CRA and council meeting alike. So, we should have all the information needed so we can make a decision when we come up here that day. Now, granted, there's always going to be

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pieces of information added to it and dialogue is good, but really to carry out long conversations when we already have the information we needed to obtain to make that vote, we're holding them up, too. And they've got to come back to work the next day. And some of us have

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other jobs next day, too. So, realistically, I and I'm not saying that just to throw it back in that manner either. I'm just trying to explain it as to why then because we could put it ahead of this meeting as of today

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the police chief's positions for to we talked about the CRA and we want to cut it. We want to gut it. I want to take that money like Dr. Henderson said up there the other day and what's in my left pocket can be moved to my right pocket. My right pocket to my left pocket or accomplish the same goals that you want to do. I don't want to get in

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CRA business up here because I do know that those have to stay separate. But what I'm saying is the infrastructure project you were talking about a minute ago can be accomplished with CRA funding. We've already figured that out. The four positions the chief has already he spent a lot of time putting together

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that pamphlet for us last week and he was ready to present it again today to say, "Hey, can we fund these positions?" That would have been today. The CRA's budget would have been approved today so that we can meet the July 30th deadline. But now we've got to go back and fix that again. and the staff members that put all that together. So,

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realistically, again, I take PTO off to be here early on those days. I think that once a month, an hour or whatever can be accommodated to because it is for other things, just not the CRA. >> All right. Well, let me ask this. before

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I walked in here for this uh city council meeting tonight. Uh the young lady that >> Miss Kayla >> sits here, >> Miss Kayla. >> Um she asked me what was convenient for me to have a makeup CRA meeting. And I

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said whatever's convenient for everybody else. So what's that? When do we need to be back here for the CRA meeting? >> We're going to find out tonight um and finalize that. But it'll be a special meeting only for the budget. And when >> within the next three days,

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>> we have a requirement by the bylaws to have something approved by July 30th. That's why it was on the item for today. >> So today's Monday >> and I asked for it to be after 5:00 and I was told it probably wouldn't be. So >> So do we know when we're having our next CRA meeting?

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>> So you got a budget workshop on Wednesday, city council budget workshop on Wednesday at 4. So that really leaves Tuesday and Thursday. So we can do it at 5 o'clock. We can do it at 4:00. >> I'm flexible.

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>> Can we move on around? >> I just need to know an answer. >> Wednesday, we've got a city budget meeting, right? >> Mhm. >> And then Thursday,

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the city budget meeting's at what time? Wednesday. >> Four o'clock. >> Four. And Thursday, we have a CRA budget meeting. Is that what it is? It's either Tuesday or Thursday. We'll have to We'll finalize that later. >> And what time is it going to be? >> Five.

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>> So that you can be here, Amy. >> When he looks, I don't think it's been decided yet. I think that's what the I think that's what that >> was going around and doing. >> The only thing that is scheduled for sure is the Wednesday. >> Wednesday at 4 is the only thing that's

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in granite right now. Right. >> Mhm. Mhm. >> You going to be able to set that time in this before we do this meeting? >> We can make it happen. >> Okay. >> Well, Kobe Kobe, you and Kobe have the authority to do it. So, you tell us. So, [laughter] >> well, I would I'd be glad to. I kind of

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wanted to finish the councilman's comments, but >> I don't know if got much comment left. Uh Todd, >> none, sir. [laughter] >> Nothing more. >> All right, Kobe, back to you. >> No, of time. >> I mean, we can do it. Whatever. Tuesday or Thursday at 5:00. That's fine with

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us. Just going to be >> Tuesday or Thursday at 5:00. Tuesday or Thursday? >> At 5 o'clock. Which one? >> What are we doing? >> What do you like best? >> Tuesday or Thursday? >> This Tuesday. >> Tuesday. >> Yeah. K. >> Are we talking about tomorrow or Thursday? >> Yeah.

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>> Yeah. Yeah. I'd already I told Kayla I'm flexible on the time. She was leaning towards Tuesday and she last I talked to her before I walked in here, it was looking like Tuesday. She said >> we'll make it for Tuesday at 5 unless somebody's got >> do it. >> I am available anytime that there is a meeting.

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>> I will do my best to be back from the southeast board of county commissioners tomorrow 1 p.m. Just >> if we do if we do it on Thursday I might be late. I'll be here but I have to show [clears throat] for >> someone tomorrow. >> I have to Okay,

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>> let's do it tomorrow. >> Do it tomorrow at 5 o'clock. We will see everyone again. All right, >> Mr. Mayor, since I'm last, can I just have to say one thing? >> Yeah, go right ahead. >> Um, >> would you please add to the next time

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with the regular CRA board, please put on there one more time a special request to please reconsider >> Tuesday >> start time, >> a start time of 501, please. >> All right, I think everybody hopefully is clear. Uh

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thank you guys for putting up with us and uh we'll try to do better next go around. Uh this meeting is adjourned.