##VIDEO ID:qayJFP3tJfs## e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e I should been there scam County Redevelopment agency January 
9th 2025 9:00 a.m. called order please   turn your cell phone to vibrate silence or 
the offsetting board of County Commission   allows any person to speak regarding item 
on the agenda the speaker is limited two   minutes unless otherwise determined 
by the chairman is there proof of   publication the c meeting was published in 
the scambi county sunpress on January 3rd 2025 thank you are there any speakers for public 
forum uh not to my knowledge sir Technical and   public service all excuse me I have one for 
your um approval recommendation concerning   community redevelop redevelopment agency meeting 
minutes December 12th 2024 Mr chairman I move the   technical Public Service consent agenda thank 
you second thank you please vote pass unanimous   thank you so much budget and finance uh we 
have three uh for your approval first one is   recommendation concerning residential Improvement 
grant program funding and lean agreements second   one is recommendation concerning residential 
roof program funding and lean agreements   the third one is recommendation concerning 
cancellation of residential rehab grant program leans chair a motion so moves all three thank you 
second please vote passes unanimous thank you so   much anything El no discussions no discussion 
items if there are no discussion items uh we   will um ajarn this meeting and turn it over to 
the chairman Mr chairman thank you commissioner   May uh we'll go ahead and move into morning 
agenda review if that's okay with everyone and   I think we can go through this pretty quickly 
it's a short agenda tonight um my goal is to   get out before tomorrow tonight so we'll see 
well if it is you're taking us to Waffle House   all right um commissioner may you got an 
invitation tonight yes sir uh Pastor Fred   young who's over the MLK commemoration pastor 
of Mount canyan Baptist Church will be here   okay correct uh commissioner off you mind 
doing the pledge tonight I would be honored   to okay thank you uh proclamations 
Jose do we have who's doing which ones who's doing Mr Riley's retirement oh okay 
all right I talked about Warrington volunteer fire department okay all right so those are 
resolved all right any discussion on the um public hearings tonight we have we have 
three different ones that came up is there   any any issues with those all right we can move 
on uh clerk anything that we need to know about   the report okay thank you uh gmr last time horse 
was kind of fun um it's ton not going to be as fun then we have the the um the adoption of 
the 545 we have a small scale map Amendment   that's 546 to review and adopt we have 
a transmittal hearing for daap to review   and transmit first of two public hearings 
that's number four item number five same   first of two public hearings um then we have 
a they have then we have an approval or daap   change then we have the final plat uh for Bella 
for growth at Bella Tera and we do have our   consent agenda as well for January 26 and with a 
possibility of some changes on the consent agenda   for February the six but we know more as today 
proceeds okay thank you horse any questions okay   moving on to since we got through gmr uh let's go 
through County Administration report Mr chairman   there's seven items on the technical Public 
Service consent agenda if there's anyone that   like to hold an item we can hold and discuss 
this morning anything that needs pulled or   we're going to have to discuss tonight for any 
the Commissioners okay all right there 27 items   on the Budget Finance consent agenda and if 
there's anything we'd like to discuss this   morning we can do that um hopefully everyone's 
reviewed that I I didn't have anything I think   they're pretty cut I do on the I do have one on 
the um Sheriff's Memorial when it was revised did   you see that it needs to be Chang commissioner 
hoffberger did you what was the intent that you   wanted to give because it was changed when it 
was updated on the on the how much did you want   to give to the sheriff more um I think we did 
500 okay all right so then that's the same um   car three is just a discussion of ol8 I it if the 
board's okay tonight what I would like to do is   after the clerk's report is to move uh Olaf f up 
is everyone okay with that and I know last meeting   we had close to 70 speakers um if if we get that 
many I'll probably go down to two minutes because   that's what extended it but obviously I want to 
get the public the opportunity to speak my intent   on The ola8 Tonight is to have the speaker speak 
and then each one of the biders is 10 minutes okay   is everyone okay with that 10 minutes sound good 
I think we gave him 15 minutes last time didn't we   10 10 it was okay I think 10's okay if everyone 
on the board agrees okay so that'll That's How   we'll deal with that tonight and then um okay so 
then we'll go after that in the consent agenda   and finish up the rest of the meeting what's the 
protocol Mr chairman tonight you said you going   after the clerk's report you're going to go after 
the clerk's report before we go into the consent   will'll bring up the all of eight discussion the 
only thing I would just say because the growth   management is time sensitive you may want to catch 
growth management oh we can do that okay do that   and then do the all of f yeah just because they've 
been advertised at certain times yep you're right   good good good catch all right I have no issue 
with that all right we're at the clerk's report I   mean the the I'm sorry growth management growth 
management yeah we're done with C do you have   anything for legal tonight do you want to bring 
up KN me that there are two items on the county   attorney's report that I can certainly answer any 
questions about I did get a little bit of feedback   from one of the Commissioners on the technology 
policy I can certainly take any more input from   anyone else is that something we need we're going 
to discuss who who brought it up um commissioner   hoffberger has indicated some interest in further 
loosening up language regarding social media posts   that have to to do with County Business um if 
that's the board's intent I can certainly make   some edits we could do that during the day today 
if you wish or we can bring that back at the   next meeting in January totally up to the board I 
I'd like to discuss it this morning if we can um   commissioner hofberger can you share with us what 
you would like yes so under the it's pretty the   bottom of the second page maintaining personal 
social media accounts but shall not post any   comment relating to County Business I just want 
to make sure that we can still reply to things and   that if we want to p&j put something out there we 
want to share it and give our opinion we should be   able to do that on our personal page especially as 
it relates to the county I don't think we should   be able to put out confidential information or 
information that's not readily available but I do   believe that we should be able to give our opinion 
on information and communicate with the public via   Facebook or other social media platforms I I don't 
have an issue with that I I think the policy is   something we're just bringing back from what was 
there before um this policy was in effect Allison   for how long from 2009 to 2019 the the County 
Commission did govern itself or did have at   least in place a policy that was specific to the 
board uh about use of Technology uh in May of 2019   it was repealed in its entirety the board itself 
has not had a policy in place since May of 2019   um I did we did make some tweaks in December based 
on some feedback that we had gotten from a couple   of you all um and these are certainly easy enough 
changes this is other than the existing Florida   law it's totally up to the board's discretion the 
extent to which it wants to have a policy we can   certainly make edits based on the feedback from 
District 4 during the day today that's easy enough   and we can bring it to you all tonight and you 
could vote on it or if you all want to think on   it and discuss it some more that's fine as well 
there go ahead sorry there's also the segment   about being discouraged from using text messaging 
I feel like when this was rolled out in 2009 we   didn't text as much as we do and with the ease 
of communication I'm not sure that that's still valid and I again it's a public records nightmare 
but we also want to move businesses forward as   quickly as possible I so you saying you for 
or against that I'm not sure what you're I   think it needs some revamping um that we were 
discouraged from using text messages to conduct   County Business probably isn't the best best way 
to be efficient you have a comment Madam attorney   it seems it seems like that at least for a few of 
you you've got two different things going on one   is the world of courtesy and etiquette and the 
other one is the public records challenges that   this poses I mean we can try to further Define 
you know that during board meetings and during   Workshops the board is encouraged you know to 
stay off of electronic devices and engage with   the speakers and for purposes of public records 
if you're doing things on your devices you're   responsible for their retention is that maybe 
hitting the mark on what you guys are after my I   don't want to be phone police I can tell you that 
I think but I do think policies are there for a   reason um I've been in so many different things 
in my life where you had to check your phone in   even to go into the tank and do boardroom to vote 
for people for their promotions um it's there for   the protection um so there's not influence that's 
why it's there um but I'm not going to I I'm not   going to go up here and say Ashley if you're 
on your phone please get off that's not what   I'm going to do I don't think we I think it's 
just having a principle that we know that we   have a guiding guiding principles on how we should 
conduct ourselves and my guy like you saying he's   just a guiding principle I mean you know a lock 
is for a honest person I mean we're in we're in   meeting to 12:30 last meeting there in 2025 no 
one's going to be detached from their phone but   small children those type of things you for 8 nine 
hours you know I'm a small business owner I run a   lot of stuff I'm not going to be detached from my 
phone and I'm not going to violate any laws any   rules and if I do then I'll be held accountable 
I mean but to say in 2025 that'd be like telling   entire staff I mean what's good for us is good 
for them we're going to say everybody turn off   their phones no staff no Communications you know 
that would be challenging uh for me and I think in   2025 you know there could be that be a little bit 
of an overreach in telling someone that they can   use their phone I think um but I mean the spirit 
of the of the policy to me makes sense but uh of   the entire thing that that that we presented you 
know other than you know someone being able to   utilize their phone I get that and I understand 
if your wife or your kid or your grandmother is   sick and you need to have comms that's obvious I 
can't imagine an organization in 2025 not having a   social media policy I mean every everywhere I go 
I mean I know that we had one and it it's there   just just set ground rules and so I have however 
you want to tweak it uh that it's reasonable I'm   fine with that you know I mean we get news on 
social media before we would get it reported by   the news media you know I mean I you know I had 
a car accident in my you're not opposed to have   no guiding principal policy I don't I don't have a 
problem with guiding principal but I I I certainly   don't want to be prohibited from having access 
you know to the world for 8 hours and that's my   concern and I would second that I want to make 
sure that we're able to communicate with the   community without restrictions absolutely and I 
agree with Ashley okay if uh Alison can we can you   work within those boundaries sure would you like 
to see it back this evening with some changes it   doesn't seem like there needs to be that much 
tweaking does it I would can we get C can we   move on from that tonight sure I can distribute 
it during the day and we can update the backup   before the meeting tonight if that's okay thank 
you so much sure thank you all right um I know we   didn't have a cow today and I'd like to talk 
about the cow how we're going to go forward   with it um I I here's my suggestion that we have 
and this is just starting point right that we   have 10 cows a year we don't have one in July 
and December and that each commissioner brings   up what they want so you it goes 1 2 3 4 five 
so if you want whatever you want to talk storm   water if you want to talk whatever the topic is 
if a commissioner does have a topic then it would   come back to whoever the chair is or the board to 
bring up an idea for that for that topic oh yeah   I want to do them in the morning does everyone you 
have a comment on that is that okay you okay with   I mean that's just something I came up with I'm 
not saying that but it was just some a starting   point I know we all have different issues about 
it I've had a lot of positive feedback about it   you know and I also think some of the stuff 
that if we if it's a if we get to where we   don't have a topic that we want to talk about we 
have all these committees man that can give us   some information oversight you know and yep yeah 
so um any any comment or is that a good plan to   move forward so if that's I guess commissioner uh 
if we just do it by numbers commissioner stroberg   you would have the first Topic in February um if 
you don't have one I got about 10 but but were   you willing to take that on I appreciate that 
okay um is there anything to add to the agenda   tonight I guess I forgot to do that commissioner 
Barry no commissioner May so we're just bringing   the um technology policy back tonight or is it 
coming back out of future I'm okay if if Alison   can manage it okay you don't have anything to add 
no strober okay uh I have one question did did the   buus center group give a modified contract I got 
the contract from Tri West do we have anything uh   to update on that for tonight because I'd like 
to review it before the meeting if if we have anything is the answer no I have not yet 
received anything from that group but I   would expect that we probably would get 
something today in writing from them I   don't want to get out ahead of sir if 
you have some information I'll I mean   it's going to be a for me I think we're going 
to have a pretty good discussion about this sir thank you Mr chairman will dway I represent 
the bu Town Center um the principles are meeting   at 11 o' you want to have the benefit of this 
meeting um to then have a discussion and we do   expect that um they'll make be a decision made 
at that time well the clock's ticking I um I   hope everyone had a chance to read the contract 
that came in yesterday from Tri West there was   some significant um modifications in there so 
um I guess we can talk about and Mike that's   why I mean to me I mean we have a few moments I 
mean because I'm not willing to stay here like I   did last Thursday I mean at some point we need 
to call the vote I'm not going to be here in   perpetuity for something we've done for 12 years 
just to make sure we're managing expectations and   so like me I've been very clear I moved it up 
for you so you would you could get to bed early   tonight commissioner I'm not going to bed early 
I'm just not going to stay here uh but but but   the reality of it is you know the expectations of 
the five of us to get along I mean even they just   said well this group is meeting at 11 well people 
will have it that we were not making the decision   where they're not making decisions as well I mean 
because they don't have a for sure answer today   and so for me it's what the intended purpose of 
this deal was was to create high wage paying jobs   and the other thing for me is that we get the best 
Roi like any other investor who put their money   down and so if those I think if those messages can 
be conveyed in a public form people know exactly   what their points are because they may be hitting 
points that are not important to either of us and   you know so me those are my two points I mean 
highest dollar and job creation other than that   I mean I I don't know what else other than the DBZ 
plan that they have to follow but uh I certainly   would uh hope that we can convey that in in a 
public form this morning so we don't have to have   our citizens or our staff or us have to be here 
you know I mean we beat the horse I mean everybody   knows I mean where we are so that's where I am 
and I'm certainly going to pay uh respect to   my colleague to the right and to the new colleague 
who represents that district and and to where they   come from so that's where I am I have two points 
there just two talking points that I've had since   the beginning of this no I respect that Mr May and 
and uh I will tell you this I um I agree with you   I think the decision space for the last month I 
know we all been lobbied hard at least I'm sure   you all have as well as I have by these folks and 
uh I set my parameters the same um so those two   that you had jobs price uh I had a little bit 
more interest in the interest money the down   payment because I think the county shouldn't be 
on the hook forever like we have and so um those   are some of the factors and then you know the 
timeline I is is kind of important to me as well   um I think that's something that we can't just 
you know and of course we're just going to let   these folks try to fin tune the contract I mean 
we know that but I think for me we got two really   good bids and it's a good situation for us to 
be in I went back I know I I I kind of have a   boring life but I went back and watched DCTV 4 
and listened to what all of us said on the board   that night not once but twice just so I could see 
where where we were um I thought it was a hearty   discussion and um I hope tonight we can move 
forward I really do so I don't know if anyone   else has any other comments about it but I agree 
with what you said Allison last time you broke   down the contracts and put them in a matrix could 
you do that this time but also leave a column for   notes so we can take notes on job expectations and 
the growth and anything to do with the dpz plan I   was planning to do that but I was kind of waiting 
to see if I was getting an updated from one of the   parties we can certainly distribute that during 
the day today and the my plea to you all is just   these are proposals that are one-sided that are 
coming in my only ask of you is please don't   just accept any of those as they are because 
they each contain certain Provisions that are   either problematic or illegal or are not in your 
favor so we would want the opportunity to try to   negotiate some of that language subsequent to your 
vote if if if it's illegal or problematic will you   identify that tonight Alice we've tried to note 
some of those things previously like the county   can't pay in my opinion we're not supposed to pay 
dock stamps that has remained some those are small   things but there are bigger things too like from a 
policy perspective are you really wanting to do a   development agreement for the long-term planning 
of the site maybe you do maybe you don't I I   mean there are just a lot of details that I just 
don't want you to accept holistically what's been   proposed they are the one-sided proposals right no 
no I appreciate now cuz you and I have really not   talked since last year um does it benefit you to 
get outside Council that does development of this   scale in terms of legal help or Consulting help 
to negotiate these deals or you feel comfortable   enough that you can negotiate this deal I mean 
I think we can cover it but the board certainly   can do as it wishes well of course but I'm just 
asking you do you need help or you at this point   I don't see anything contentious enough that we 
would need that but if the board prefers that they   certainly can do that you know commissioner it's 
funny you ask that cuz I had that down the back   of my mind too and I don't think if we can't 
get there tonight we probably need to come up   with a a way ahead plan get outside Council get 
mediation something I don't know what the right   answer is but I do think um that should be I hope 
we get somewhere tonight but I if not I think we   should consider some of those options and there 
are certainly professions other than lawyers that   you know can deal with these sorts of things I 
have one other thing someone just laser focus   on this I mean because this has been something 
and and obviously no disrespect to your office   Al it's just that someone has a laser focus and 
take this across the finish line and I think at   some point we got to get this out of politics and 
get it this into practicality of implementing a   a a a a deal a development deal that's going to 
work and get it out of politics so that's my goal   tonight well I mean I ideally the vote tonight 
would be to to ask that you know to enter into   negotiating the contract and if we're you know 
if it becomes apparent that we're unsuccessful   in getting there then you know the board can 
then have that discussion I mean we're best   case scenario we're still weeks or months away 
from a contract coming back to the board but you   know we can if if we enter into the conversation 
and that doesn't seem to be going especially well   which is always possible then that's a then that's 
a discussion I think the board could take up you   know in two weeks four weeks six weeks and say 
look you know right now it we're not getting   there maybe we do need some help at that time hey 
Steve you mentioned something I I that triggered   my brain I was going to ask I what if we do get 
there tonight I would like to set a timeline to   fine-tune the contract like 60 days do you think 
that's unreasonable no that's cuz I'd like I just   am throwing it out as a it's been unreasonably 
it's been unreasonable previously but you know   I'm I'm you know always optimistic that's why we 
that's why we show up every day here so um you   know it's uh you know you know the the previous 
attempts we've not been able to get there in 6   months but um you know with a with a good partner 
and um and there have been you know there have   been quite there has already been quite a bit of 
back and forth about some terms and things that   we can't accept so hopefully uh you know hopefully 
60 days is reasonable 60 days 90 days but um you   know I think within I think within 30 days we'll 
have a really good idea as to whether we're going   to be able to bring a product back I think that's 
reasonable you know I think so too and and for me   um I think we got two good bids and if we can't 
get there with one I would like to move forward   with the second whoever it is the other thing 
I don't know how it's going to go down tonight   um but I this is a big deal for the county and I 
think it's a big deal for everyone on the board   um I we we'll see where we end up but hopefully 
uh it'll it'll go in a way that the board looks   United either way Mr chairman that's my goal for 
us to have a United board yeah uh and united front   and I agree with you I don't obviously we need to 
pick someone and I'm going to I'm willing to pick   someone probably like this morning candidly um 
so I can I I can make that vote but certainly I   don't want to alienate anyone because as you just 
said if the deal doesn't work with the first group   I don't want to make the second group so angry 
that they're not coming to the table to do the   deal because once the negotiation starts we don't 
know what's going to happen sure I mean all type   of things happen when lawyers get involved 
you know and so um that's the deal may work   it may not but I just don't want to alienate you 
know either group at all I I want to know that   we had a fair process and we respect whoever I 
mean I don't is it down to two or is it still   three I going to ask did Ryan Bell come back with 
anything I have not heard from Mr Bell and I have   no Communications from him since the last board 
meeting but he had withdrawn his application I I   don't know if maybe the administrators has heard 
from Mr Bell okay so it looks like we have two   and well he did call me and he said he I think 
he's he's got an adjustment to his offer too   okay well he has not withdrawn I can I can confirm 
that he's not withdrawn okay I he's the only one   I haven't talked to since the last meeting so I 
didn't know so if some of you have you know more   than than I would well he had been lobbying he 
said he's just going to let his speak for itself   okay all right well Madame attorney I think what 
you're hearing from the board is we want a short   shortest timeline to try to get something so that 
however it goes we don't alienate the other party   if we can't get there so if if if if Madam 
counsel is doing an analysis I think it would   be um analysis of three and not two to bring us 
back the metrics yes that's request of commission   hobber all right yes correct thank you all right 
I unless there's anything else is there anything   we need to cover before we meet for public forum 
at 4:30 all right this meeting is adjourned thank youall e --------- ##VIDEO ID:nS94GG5uDIk## your eyes are thanks Rich I got AIC was the s all good to good to see you again are we good okay leave it there at 30 
will let me know good good evening everyone   ple uh we're going to call the board of County 
Commissioners regular meeting January 9th 2025   to order uh please turn your cell phones to 
vibrate silence or off setting the board of   County Commissioners allows any person to speak 
regarding an item on the agenda the speaker is   limited to 3 minutes uh right now we'll keep 
it at 3 minutes we're under 30 speakers last   time we had 70 but if we get too many more we 
may have to decrease that to 2 minutes because   it was a little bit excessive but I will allow 3 
minutes at this time unless otherwise determined   by the chairperson to allow sufficient time PR 
speaker speakers shall refrain from the abusive   or profane remarks disruptive Outburst protests 
or other conduct which interferes with the worldly   conduct of the meeting upon completion of the 
public comment period discussion is Li limited   to the board members and questions raised by 
the board thank you uh commissioner may you   have invocation tonight chairman is it our goal 
to be out of here before midnight well i' I'd   like to be out here by tomorrow but if we need 
to go to waa house we can okay if we stay past   eight I'll if we stay past eight I'll stay as 
long as that is the goal um Mr chairman thank   you so much uh it is an honor uh to have uh 
the Pastor Fred young uh who's also our MLK   commemoration chairman for the parade this year 
for the montin Luther King celebration and also   the pastor of the mount Canan Baptist Church 
where uh my predecessor Marie young husband   uh was the founding pastor and Fred young is a 
part of commissioner Marie Young's family and   continues to do the ministry uh in District 3 uh 
along with uh commissioner young and it's an honor   to Welcome to the podium for our invocation uh 
my friend uh nephew of commissioner Marie young   uh pastor of the mount Canyon Baptist Church 
Pastor young please stand and join me in the prayer Eternal God our Father uh again we 
thank you for allowing us to see a new year   and therefore we ask your blessing upon this 
County Commission I pray oh God that you would   give them your Divine wisdom your grace and your 
guidance as they make decision not only tonight   in this uh board meeting but even in in in other 
meeting that will come on later throughout the   year I pray oh God that you'll give them ears to 
hear uh the concern of the Cen of of this County   and that you continue to bless uh the entire 
staff of this County oh God and and we pray   for a blessed and prosper Year and that you will 
continue to keep us and protect this County oh God   in a mighty way and I pray this in jesus' name we 
pray amen amen amen thank you Pastor y thank you sirag of the United States of 
America and to the Republic for   which it stands one nation under God 
indivisible with liy and justice for all okay gentlemen and ladies is there anything 
to add to the agenda tonight commissioner if I   could Mr chairman the edits to the policy that 
we discussed this morning we did I think hand   the um track changes of that out hard copy later 
this afternoon so hope did everyone get that okay   all right any items for to add to the agenda 
commissioner bar no May No Sir Mr chairman uh   commission strober no sir no sir okay thank 
you uh we'll move on to commissioner's form   commissioner burry oops thank you Mr chairman 
um two things I want to discuss tonight neither   neither of which are uh great news there 
two folks passed uh very recently that U   that meant a lot to Escambia County meant a lot 
to uh to District 5 and and certainly meant a   lot to me um first I want to recognize that uh 
and thoughts and prayers going out to uh Gail   Weaver she was principal at Northview uh for many 
many years from the Inception of the school um   she lost her husband a number of years ago uh 
but she lost her son this week uh so Toby was   uh to was a young man that um I first met when 
Northview won a State Championship in 2012 um the   way championship rings are funded uh you know 
you don't know these things until you have a   reason to know but uh you know comes through the 
school and through the capacity that the school   has to how what kind of rings they're going to 
get how many rings they'll be uh that they'll   be getting um at that was North View's first state 
championship and um the county actually uh helped   in um helped in the procurement of some rings and 
and aided towards the uh towards the purchase of   uh towards the purchase of those rings and I met 
Toby at the ceremony uh you know he was the the   Super Fan for the football team and uh I said he 
he passed away earlier this week and just a tragic   tragic circumstance he was a a big Auburn Tigers 
fan as well as a big Atlanta Braves fan but loved   Sports and loved his family and uh you know loved 
that brat North View Community and they loved him   um the second would be a little more closer 
personally I the the love that comes out from a   number of us certainly myself but towards uh Tony 
and Bonita Jacobs and they lost uh they lost their   son earlier this week and um again a very young 
man and and goes out to Daman Dana their family   and all the friends that uh the friends that the 
Jacobs have here just a a tragic circumstance   after a long fight um I know Daman was not well 
for a period of time and but he fought and fought   and made trips and trips with uh you know with 
his mother and his father and um just the you know   keeping Dana and Bonita and Tony in our prayers 
and just a tragic circumstance to uh uh to lose   a child especially to uh you know to also see the 
you know see an extended fight like Damen had for   a number of years but thank you commissioner 
May thank you Mr chairman and certainly um   Steve I want to say I see Ashton here and 
Tony and Bonita Jacobs are our dear friends   of ours I mean through Fred L and um Damian 
uh most of us have had a Damian uh at some   point in our life and uh to um hear the loss 
of Damian uh it's very sad and uh certainly our   prayers and thoughts are with Tony and and 
Bonita quite frankly was with both of them   uh on New Year's Eve and I consider Bonita and 
and Tony dear friends of yours as well as dear   friends of mine and I know that they'll be having 
the ceremonies uh this weekend and we certainly   uh would would know that we'd be there I also want 
to thank Robbie Freeman and and Robbie's here and   uh many people don't know Harold Hodes and there 
are some guys that worked in our facilities and   our department uh who really gave their life and 
uh this Saturday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church   at 11:00 uh Harold Hodes will be laid to rest a 
a a true uh is scami County employee uh probably   most people don't know Harold's name uh but 
just did great work um throughout our facilities   department and and did a great job I certainly 
want to thank U Pastor Fred young uh not only for   doing the invocation uh doing this MLK celebration 
but Reviving uh the parade uh that's important   and so without your help and commissioner Marie 
young uh that um celebration would have probably   died and so I certainly want to thank you again 
Pastor young for being here and the work that   you're doing in District 3 at Mount Kanan uh also 
this past weekend uh I attended uh the funeral at   St Joseph's Catholic Church for Mrs laa etler 
uh former School Board member uh uh certainly   a fixture uh at the Boys and Girls Club in the 
Englewood Community uh Dr Edler uh was just a   great social worker uh and just a great friend of 
this family uh and a great friend of uh District 3   uh in the Englewood in the Shany town community 
and finally uh to my friends uh Doug Ballwin   many of us know Doug Ballwin for praying for the 
Seattle Seahawks we know his father uh for being a   a top law enforcement officers and unfortunately 
uh kadesia Kesha who I've known since she she   was born uh lost her life with one of our local 
rappers TC Blanco uh two days ago uh in a tragic   car accident uh that was unfortunate and probably 
unnecessary uh our prayers and thoughts are uh   with the Ballwin uh family as they go through this 
tragic time so again uh I wish I had better news   tonight but unfortunately uh it's pretty sad uh in 
the amount of deaths that we've had so thank you   Mr chairman thank you commissioner man sorry about 
that commissioner strober well I got a little bit   of good news um um let's see I wanted to say 
happy birthday he's a friend of everybody here   on the Das and probably a lot of folks out there 
Dave hawkin's birthday is today I don't see him   are you out there Dave I just want to say happy 
birthday to him I don't know how old Dave is we   just know he's old um the other thing is I wanted 
share something that I I got to do uh while I was   on Christmas vacation my G allowed me to do this 
so we were um driving through SEI Valley I planned   it all along I wanted to go there I acted like 
I it was a new thing but I wanted to go to the   Reagan Museum and Library so I got to go there I 
um I'd seen it on TV I saw it one time uh a few   years ago our daughter got married and we were in 
SE Valley back when I was selling aircraft and uh   a friend of mine from the um Sheriff's Department 
there retired took me flying Gina was in the back   seat so we flew over um the Reagan Museum and I 
I saw the aircraft snow sticking out and I just   I wanted to go there I've always wanted to go 
there so we finally got to go there and uh it   interesting enough when we when we were in there 
um we were in front of Reagan shaking the hands of   uh President Carter they were shaking hands we 
were in there the moment we got a notice on our   phone that President Carter had passed away so 
that was odd in in an odd way I guess I don't know   what way it was I just thought it was weird that 
we were standing right there it's a big poster big   photograph of the two of them anyway if you get 
a chance to go down there I got lots of bling I   love uh this kind of stuff Gina let me buy as much 
as I wanted to right honey and uh coins and they   got all kinds of great stuff and a lot of history 
there um I got his uh uh his diary uh his journal   he basically journaled everything that happened to 
him while he was in the the White House which I'm   eager to to read um so I would encourage everybody 
to go to the Reagan Library Museum everybody   thank you thank you um today is National Law 
Enforcement day so to those of you that protect   service thank you thank you for keeping our 
community safe earlier this week um thank you earlier this week I was able to tend the 
swearing in for um Sheriff chip Simmons which   was historic the only sheriff in Escambia County 
who's ever ran un opposed so thank you um so much   to that department that serves and protects us 
also I want to do a shout out to Joy Blackman and   everyone in engineering and Roads Department we um 
are working on getting about six roads in District   4 resurfaced so I know that the people who live 
along those roads will be extremely happy to hear   that we also received grants to cover the sidewalk 
on Olive Road so thank you Don Christian for   heading that up and then last night we were able 
to attend the delegation meeting there was a few   of us there and I want to thank Michelle salsman 
Alex andr and Don gates for putting that on being   available to us being engaged hearing what we 
were asking for and I know that they're going to   take that back and really work to get those funds 
for our community so I wanted to make sure that   we thank them as well well thank you commissioner 
hoffberger um I know we hav't met since Christmas   and the holidays New Year's but you know over the 
Christmas holidays I got my own present and it was   a present that all the citizens of the county got 
too so you know I was I was a little bored and so   I like in the Navy we used to have a blue jacket 
manual scambi County puts out the annual report   and it says all the beautiful things that we do 
for the county for the citizens of scambi County   and we're doing remarkable things we really are so 
I have this by my bedside to look at it sometimes   when people don't think we're doing good stuff but 
we really are and you should read all the great   and wonderful things the staff in the county are 
doing I think it's it's good job Wes and uh the   staff needs to Pat themselves on the back for that 
so thanks for making my Christmas great second   thing I want to thank the governor yesterday he 
gave us another 495,000 for the easement which   we've had this before for acquisition for property 
around NAS Pensacola we've had this it helps with   the nasp compatibility utilization study um we're 
getting a lot of love out there from the federal   side the state side and the county so those 
are all very positive things and the defense   network Coalition is doing just wonderful job I uh 
commissioner oper mentioned two things that um I   agree the sheriff's soaring in ceremony on Monday 
was great but wasn't just was a special day for   him but if you listen to what he said he thanked 
the county I think three times thanked us for what   we've done funding him for cameras uh working with 
the County Administrator uh I know his contracts   that maybe he trying to rub her back West but he 
did say a lot of nice things to us and I thought   that was meaningful and then um and then on Monday 
I don't know some of you may know you probably all   got invited they're doing the ground baking for 
the memorial Foundation over on Leonard Street   so uh that's on Monday afternoon so that's a big 
deal for the for the deputies we've lost in the   county the delegation meeting last night I agree 
with commissioner Hoffer you stole a couple things   I was going to say but that was really good and 
I know may Hayward was there and um I thought it   was very intentive and there was a lot of great 
things that were asked for and we'll see what we   come back with and Lumen I'm surprised I'm going 
to miss you this year for the MLK holiday and the   parade and the prayer breakfast but last 2 years I 
I've been to several of these things and you know   it's it's it's a holiday for everybody and soon 
as you go to see some of this stuff and you see   the unity and um just just the love I love the 
prayer breakfast personally and I won't be able   to go there this year because I'm I'm going to be 
out of town but but U I'll you could cancel the   inauguration and be here well I have I have 
other plans but but I I'll keep you in mind   commissioner may but anyway that'll be a big day 
for us next weekend are you still doing your uh   your celebration yeah you're living the dream yep 
we we're still doing it so it's a great weekend   and that's why I was so um um complimentary of of 
of Pastor young because we knew that the parade   was almost canceled until he took it up him and 
commissioner young and so the celebration is   still going to go forward because of the work that 
Pastor young past speak for the who's the guest   speaker for the breakfast you know Pastor Marcel 
Davis of adoration Baptist Church oh I know that   guy the biker right he lives in your he lives 
in your District I know I didn't know he's this   bigger okay that's good all right well that's all 
I have uh can I get a motion to adopt the agenda   Mr chairman C can I just and and and and I had a 
note to say this I just want to compliment uh West   Marino uh I I've shown up at the mayor's state of 
the city and the sheriff state of law enforcement   and and Wes you did it without any hoop law and 
present it what I believe uh is great work that   we're doing and you didn't do it at a Podium uh 
you did it quietly and presented it to the citizen   so I want to personally thank you Wes for getting 
that information out and not trying to make a big   hoop law about it but just literally presenting 
it so I appreciate that thank you commissioner   may we have a great staff and I appreciate every 
one of them y to you and the staff so thanks with   that I'll move the agenda Mr chairman okay 
is there a second I make a second please vote oh how are we V here the agenda passes 5 Z I was looking 
at something else here okay thank you   uh let's move on to proclamations 
do I have a motion to adopt and   ratify the proclamations I made 
a motion okay second okay please vote okay all right uh with the fire 
firefighters the volunteer firefighters   from warington uh fire department come up and 
fire uh I don't see oh come on up fire chief Harris so before I read the Proclamation 
which will have some of the stuff I think   um the citizens in the county should know these 
gentlemen have been volunteering at the warington   fire department for how long 50 years yeah 50 
years and and they still met and and as you can   see they're not as young as they were in their 
other days but the county has taking over that   fire department and we appreciate that we have a 
a paid paid fire fire department out there now but   their years of service help the people on the 
in Warrington and around that area saved a lot   of lives saved a lot of fires and we're going to 
recognize them through a proclamation but we're   also going to honor them by putting a plaque 
outside of that fire department to recognize   their service and um I thank you gentlemen 
and I'll read this Proclamation and if any   of you want to speak okay whereas es scambi County 
recognizes the dedicated and unwavering service of   the Warrington volunteer fire fire department 
that contributes of its members to the rich   history of the local community community and 
whereas Warrington is named after Captain Lewis   Warrington who served as Secretary of the Navy 
from 1844 to 1846 and is one of three men Naval   committee who visited Pensacola in 1826 in search 
of the site for the Navy Yard which became the   current Naval Air Station and whereas in 1914 
the N Navy Yard converted the nation's first   Naval Air Station with the citizens of Warrington 
becoming its first employees and several of them   contributing to the growth of the New Warrington 
Community which continued to bloom through the   1940s and whereas by the time of World War II 
ended Warrington was no longer a village but a   town with new sites for homes and businesses and 
newly established Chamber of Commerce and Civics   clubs and sponsored the incorporation of the 
Warrington voluntary Fire Department in 1947   and whereas the original stations was located on 
14 South 2 Street and with a substation located   at the western edge of Warrington first due on 
rinse Avenue in the Beach Haven community emergenc   calls were dispatched from warington cabstand 
located on South Navy Boulevard until the county   assumed the responsibilities in the 1970s with 
the 911 system whereas both fire stations were   Consolidated to the present day location at 20 
North Navy Boulevard in 1991 and in 2008 the   Warrington volunteer fire department merged 
into a scamby County fire rescue with Career   Staffing starting on June 20th 2013 whereas the 
Warrington voluntary fire department has enjoyed   the continuing continuing and enthusiastic support 
from the entire community and the recognition of   the steadfast leadership of its past fire chief 
Jack Weston C frinkle Jeff malor Eddie Henderson   Charlie virgin Randy Bron John Dosh Scott Meeks 
Mike Miller Jim Rush rushing and Mike Aaron now   for now therefore be it proclaimed that the board 
of County Commissioners on behalf of the citizens   of es scambi County Florida Express gratitude for 
the committed and diligence of the Warrington V   ter fire department to the public safety of 
the community be it further Proclaim that the   border of County Commission acknowledges and shows 
appreciation to the past and current board members   of the Warrington volunteer fire department and 
for the donation of the fire station Building   located at 20 North Navy Boulevard for the 
continuation of fire rescue duties border of   County commissioners of scambi County Florida 
Michael ker chair District 2 Ashley hoffberger   Vice chair District 4 Steve stroberg District 
One Lumen May District 3 Steve Barry District   5 thank you gentlemen for your long Service 
couldn't be couldn't be more grateful for it do any of you want to say a few words Chief Ferris come on hey when we came out to 
Dollar Kat you were giving me a hard time   partner I just want to say just want to 
say thank the board for this presentation   and uh we appreciate it and it was hard at time 
but we carried it through and thank you again   thank you thank you gentlemen thanks again hey 
we're going to get a photo Chief Harris actually   you were instrumental with this with me do you 
want to say anything okay thank you all right   come on hey Mike yes sir the speaker lives 
in District three but he works in District to and when we get the plaque we'll have you guys 
come out and take some POS thank you thank you all that's a part of the job that makes it 
so rewarding honestly okay uh that's it   for Proclamation okay so let's move 
on to the clerk's office receive the   proof of Publications for the public 
hearing on the agenda and the board's   weekly meeting schedule Mr chairman the 
clerk's office has received all proofs okay uh uh we oh yeah uh let's move 
on to public hearing item 531 move   to wave the reading if that notice 
okay you got motion second uh please vote have to do okay okay public hearing 5.32 uh 
uh adoption of mwood subdivision Street lighting   Municipal service benefits un ordinance Steven 
Hall director Finance put this in we have four   items do we have a motion mov so we moving to 
move the 5:31 public hearing so Mr chairman the   motion and the second was to wave the reading of 
the legal notices so we need to do the we need a   motion 531 I I'll move 531 Mr chairman that 
was my motion yes I'll move 531 I still have   to read it though right for the record Alon 
is that correct yes that's correct I second   so okay so 531 public hearing of adoption ledstone 
subdivision Street lighting municipality service   benefit un ordinance uh was presented by 
stepen Hall um there are four items and   um and no speakers I moved it okay is there 
is there a second okay motion second please vote all right now we'll move 
to 532 sorry about that y'all   uh public hearing do adopt the M hold on 
hold on I'm sorry let the C's office see   the vote because we use the machine yeah 
that's it's the machine slower than we   are right gentlemen I'm missing votes for 
commissioner May and commissioner stroberg sorry we may do a hand vote here in a 
minute if we can't get you have mine now we recently last meeting started going back   to electronic voting um it's it 
ain't work in 12 years so it's good I'm just going to send back 
send it back out to every okay please vote that's where we're on okay it passes 0 as move on to 
532 public hearing to adopt the   madin wood subdivision Street lighting 
Municipal service benefits un Ordinance   do I have a motion to move this so 
moved there second okay please vote speakers okay all right we're going to move to 53 
hold on yeah I thought I it was 533 but 534 public   hearing to adopt the Bell viw Point subdivision 
Street lighting I'm sorry Mr chairman she hasn't   doesn't have the results from the 532 yet can we 
do a if this is going to be the SL should we just   do a hand vote okay let's do a hand vote okay 
motion passes 5 Z we'll try but if we can't get   this up it's just it's it's too time consuming 
okay 534 public hearing to adopt the Bell View   Point subdivision Street lighting Municipal 
Street benefit or do we have a motion to move   that forward so moved is there a second all right 
please vote motion passes 5 Z okay let's move on   to the clerk and comp trollers report short 
report um the October investment report the   public officials bond for chip Simmons sheriff 
and also minutes and reports for your approval   thank you okay uh we do have a speaker on item 
number two Adam BL please come up Andrew BL I'm sorry well my knowledge on this thing doesn't 
seem to be very good but I'm sure that since   y'all didn't discuss it this morning I would 
love for y'all to discuss it tonight it says   a bond of $25,000 for Sher s Simmons so what can 
you please explain that or can he explain why he   has to have a bond of 25,000 and I mean how come 
the County won't Bond him why does he have to get   the Western Shirley company to bond him public 
official bonds are required by state law it's   set by the board of County Commissioners I have 
a bond every constitutional officer has a bond   every elected has a bond it's something that's 
required it does look very low um but it's set   with purpose and this is the requirement well 
I mean that's the question I've got is if it's   really requires a bond a $25,000 Bond seems to 
be very small I mean seem like they would have an   insurance policy that would cover more than that 
there is other insurance with the county there's   layered insurance but this is an official Bond a 
little bit different in what it does and this is   the only required coverage for a bond but there 
is Insurance um the county is also self-insured   and does have additional policies so this is so 
what's the cost of this Bond oh it's minimal if   it's $400 I'd be surprised it's $400 $400 it's 
this is not an expensive Bond but it's required   yes sir you can call me okay thank you madam clerk 
for the comments uh can we do I have a motion to   move the clerk's report we'll move a second all 
right please vote I think we'll just raise our   hand tonight all right let's move on to the growth 
management thank you horse yes sir for tonight we   have uh reson in case z22 24-21 from MDR PK to 
Comm PK the planning board made a recommendation   for approval uh Horus we have one speaker on 
that item it's Miss Meredith Bush I think she's com May at Bush 125 East in tendencia I'm 
the attorney for the applicant happy to   take any questions we would just ask that you 
approve the resoning I don't see any comments   or questions all right um do we have a 
motion to move yeah I move to approve   the planning board's recommendation to 
reone the subject property from medium   to commercial all right please vote all 
right motion passes 5 Z the next item   is the is the approval for the official 
zoning map uh there's no speakers move to 545 okay please vote motion passes 5 Z proceed course at 546 546 is to to review 
and adopt a small scale map Amendment 20 24-4   to review and adopt okay no speakers move to 
546 please vote motion passes 5 Z 547 horse   547 this is to review and transmit uh the uh daap 
Amendment OSP 2024 d03 to review and transmit okay   no speakers Mr chairman I move the 547 second all 
right please vote okay motion passes uh 5 or 548   548 again this is to this is to 
to to review and transmit chapter   11 Coastal management element of the 
scamman county comprehensive plan to   review and transmit uh horse we have one 
speaker Mr Andrew blur and this is just   the first of two public so it'll it'll 
come back correct it come back yes sir okay okay I didn't want y'all rubber stamping 
this this is the first of two public hearings   whatever and I have no knowledge of what 
this is doing Coastal management element   I'm very concerned about Coastal or whatever 
y'all sometimes give up our Coastal Waters and   I want to make sure that y'all not doing this I 
I have no review of this um chapter 11 do y'all   have that available on the internet did I can 
see that or scambia county has that available you give me a copy of it thank you okay 
no further speakers on movement chairman   okay there a second second okay please 
vote 545 548 excuse me passes 5 Z we   have one uh Andre on 54949 again this is 
to adopt an ordinance amending the daap   assignment to review I mean to adopt 
and we have one speaker it's Mrs Bush May Bush 125 East inen again attorney for the 
applicant it's an opt out from the sector plan   we would just ask that you approve and adopt the 
ordinance opting us out of the sector plan okay   are you good with this yes Mr chairman I move to 
549 second okay please vote motion passes 5 Z okay   uh horse run gmr2 yes yes so we have our uh final 
PL action items uh recommendation approval conning   the final plat for Grove at bellara final plat 
approval and we have no speakers board okay second   the second please vote gmr action item one passes 
5 the next item is recommendation concerning a   final plat for Blue Angel station uh there's 
no speakers I know this is in my district but   I support it if you support it I'll move it you 
support it thank you I I move the item second okay   please vote passes 5 gmr number 23 the next item 
is the consent agend uh the consent agenda for   January 26 I'm sorry January 22 and also February 
the 6 in which the February 6 agenda will be   moving to uh post act to be moved to um I'm sorry 
I'm sorry number three I do apologize I'm moving   too quickly I'm will slow down slow down yes 
sir um thank you drew recommendation concerning   the adoption of the scam County I a agreement to 
interlocal agreement thank you there's no speakers   board move the item move to approve the item 
second please vote item 2-3 passes 5 gmr 3 consent   agenda gmr January 26 I mean sorry January 22 with 
a modification to the February 6th um resoning   case to be moved to March the 6 2025 February the 
6 modification okay y'all there's no speakers on   that either I move the consent agenda with the 
amendment to the February 6th meeting being moved   to March second okay please vote item passes 5 Z 
all right Wes I'm going to move up Alla eight at   this point so board uh last meeting obviously we 
we had O8 later I'd like to move that up and then   we'll can continue after we have that discussion 
with the rest of the County Administration Port   how i' like to run this how many speakers do we 
have tonight Jose for the Ola eight we have 30   so an hour and a half two hours an hour and a I 
think I think I'm going to do two minutes to just   because we have so many speakers and then for each 
one of the developers we'll limit it to 10 minutes   tonight is the board okay with that recommendation 
okay who's our first Speaker Mr chairman yeah I   basically what I'm looking at I think we can 
get through consent one and two fairly quickly   in a matter of minutes actually Mr chairman 
I would support that because there are some   people who are not here for outline field 8 that 
if it's consent that they could go okay let's go   W all right there are eight items on the technical 
Public Service consent agenda there are no changes   hold car 1-6 for speaker I I move the balance of 
the uh car-1 second oh yeah that's good only one   please vote all right passes 5 Z so let's go ahead 
Larry Larry common Canon Larry Canon speak on car 1-6 all right there are 27 items on the Budget 
Finance consent agenda so do we need to move six   in yeah we have to vote on six I need a motion so 
so I I move item c-16 second please vote okay item   passes 5 Z 27 items on the Budget Finance consent 
agenda drop C 2-4 recommendation concerning the   fdp agreement for the carpenter Creek hydrologic 
restoration storm water Improvement project FD   is request to make some additional amendments 
to the agreement I I I'll move the balance with   a question Wes there's no problem with that 
correct no D has just requested to make a few   more amendments to that agreement we'll bring 
it back probably to the next meeting so next   meeting we'll get it because that's Carpenter 
Creek is pretty important in my district so   it'll be it'll be brought back so I I'll move 
the item with expectation that this will be   brought back at the next meeting a second just 
for a comment on that commissioner May that was   actually a good discussion point last night at 
the de delegation meeting the Estuary is also   looking for the acquisition of the property we 
got I think you know this but we have 6 million   in Restore for that so it looks like that's 
moving forward so it should be a positive you   know no thank you for your leadership last 
night I I left early but thank you for your   leadership long meetings don't go well with me 
so do we have a motion on one6 the motion stands   for for the remainder of the agenda for CR2 
yeah we didn't have any speakers on six has   been dropped so all the other items I'm moving 
in the affirmative is there a second second okay   please vote okay now I think we can get to O 
absolutely that that I know that took a few   extra minutes but we didn't have any real other 
speakers in on O8 after outline fi8 all we have   is discussion in the legal right County report 
yeah County admin County attorney thank you   yeah County attorney all right let's start with 
our first off eight speaker Cecilia Campbell 2 minutes see how thankful the staff is 
now they get to leave because you did   all that yeah think you're gonna get out before midnight cilia cample um resident of bua um first 
of all I'd like to I'd like to say comment on our   last meeting um I'm sure that everyone who was 
here really wanted to they were eager to move   forward and make a decision on olfa uh at our 
last meeting but perhaps if we had taken the   advice of Jacqueline Rogers then um we would 
have had a clearer mind uh going forward I   wanted to clear up a little confusion at the last 
meeting when um I know that Miss hoffberger said   oh look at your folks they're all upset 
well the only thing that we were really   upset about it was not making a decision on one 
of the developers it was the thought that one   person could step up here and throw something out 
about Triumph money and that everyone would be in   a tail spin and we were not freaking out about 
making a decision on one person we were freaking   out because we felt like y'all had come we had 
been led to believe by commissioner Culler and   the whole board back you know way way back in 
December before that that we were going to um   eliminate the idea of selling the whole or deeing 
the whole everything we were so upset because we   thought you were about to deed everything to pedc 
in Florida West that was and is I will walk away   from here tonight fully satisfied that the years 
and years that we have put into these meetings   would be fine as long as one developer following 
the DPC design to their very best ability if   they one developer is chosen it doesn't have to be 
tonight but that is all we care about we just want   y'all to do what you promised as men and women 
of integrity and following through on what you   told your people you were going to do a long long 
time ago thank you thank you Miss Campbell uh John Kells and Richie F he's on deck my name is John Kellis I live in nature trail 
uh been doing this for so many years now there   are more new faces that I'm facing than you are 
because we've been the same people coming back   and back over a turnover that you've had cuz and 
we still have not had a decision or a course to go   we have heard I guess you can't hear anything 
new from us my vocabulary has been reduced to   RFP infrastructure traffic uh it's just the same 
things that we talk about when I think my 80 years   most of it has been here uh it's it feels like 
it when I was a younger man sitting in a cockpit   on the aircraft carrier and Kaboom you got let 
off in shot off in the middle of the night and   pouring down rain it was an important job you 
had decisions to make and you couldn't dilly   dally you had to make a Doone decision and you 
didn't have a lot of options it's the same thing   here it's about time that we make a decision and I 
would like to be a shorter older Baler version of   Mr Coler right now and say all right guys this 
is it I've looked things over and I recommend   that we start negotiating with the hammer group 
everybody vote on it at least do something thank   you John thank you I think I think we're going to 
get to something tonight we'll see Richie you're up Richie font a scambia county taxpayer I like 
what everybody says return of investment we need   to get back at least what we spent for tax 
taxpayers money on this project as well as   all the money we've lost we're 0 for four 0 for 
five right let's get the most we can I know you   guys say jobs give it to a developer let them 
deal with light industrial and PDC and Florida   West because how well did that promise go out at 
St we're going to have highp paying local jobs   what did our taxpayers pay for low-paying foreign 
jobs you can't get a guarantee you're going to get   that they tell you will but they won't so go 
for the return on investment the highest pay   and let them deal with it if you need anything 
else to level the playing field bring in a third   party that specializes in contract negotiations 
select the developer bring in that help look at   the contract if you don't like it you can 
always go to another developer but settle   it with one developer bring in somebody else 
so they can't say you guys are biased you're   picking bring it in a third party okay and then 
make the decision out here in the light you know   the Bible says men love Darkness love Darkness 
rather than light because their deeds are evil   do it out here I don't know if anybody's gotten 
a text message telling them how to vote but it's   time for us to see you vote and your vote's going 
to tell us you say you always follow the lead of   the commission that District your vote tonight 
will show us whether you follow the lead or not   let's see how honest you guys are with your words 
all thank you very much uh Sharon gber is next and uh good evening Sharon goar I'm a District 
5 resident since 2000 and been involved with   Pensacola Ice Sports since for 12 years now as 
several of you have heard me say before all of   our amateur and um skating and hockey programs 
have been at capacity we operate with weight list   and we've been begging for ice for years um the 
lack of and reducing amounts of of ice at the base   Center continue to force us to take money to other 
communities and discontinue program such as our   Special Olympics um and adaptive skating we feel 
that the ol8 property offers a great opportunity   for our community Sports facility with ice um and 
Not only would this benefit our local residents   but it would um serve to bring in people from 
all over the southeast and Nationwide right now   our closest rinks are Birmingham Columbus Georgia 
and Jacksonville and that's what we consider home   um then just for a point of information we have 
six days of ice and days doesn't mean full days   it means two and a half hours for six days this 
month March gives us two hours of ice it's really   hard to promote a program in that situation if 
with the right developer at ol8 we could see Ice   Sports become a reality in other community Sports 
such as maybe even a swimming pool and allow us to   grow these programs um we're hopeful that you'll 
make a decision this this evening and that you'll   select a developer that will hold true to the dpz 
master plan and um allow us to move forward and we   look forward to conversations with whoever that 
developer might be we have spoken with Mr Hammer   he is very familiar with Ice Sports realizes 
what this could bring to the community so if   he's chosen we hope we can um take that next step 
forward in talking with him thank you thank you   Teresa Blackwell I thought oh yeah you are 
there before I get started Z3 Commerce allows   recreational facilities like that so good evening 
Teresa Blackwell and um you know first I just want   to commend you commissioner kler for bringing some 
urgency to this uh so and also rest in peace Jimmy   Carter before I get going okay so we have a great 
master plan for ol8 and we need to focus on what   matters now selling the whole site to one of 
the three developers will put us on the right   path the county put out an RFQ in 2022 which 
I sent emails about to you and the master plan   is an integral part of it it was cancelled a few 
months later for lack of response and it's posted   at at the group I moderate bua ol f8 strong 
on Facebook so that RFQ included a weighted   weighted set of criteria for judging those who 
apply commissioner Barry so anyway residential   retail development experience was one of the 
criteria light industrial commercial development   experience another use of local businesses and 
workers another key personnel Financial capability   so there are several points uh that come up 
frequently one of those is live local that   can be handled two ways one which the county 
attorney mentioned and then also the County's   required to do an ordinance on live local and 
you can just put in there that Master plans   are exempt that's what other counties are doing 
um for puds do not be held hostage by Triumph   funds do not give any control or deed to the pedc 
commissioner May Wherever You Are do not every   dollar of the profit from the sale must go back 
to the districts for infrastructure and uh let's   see what else do I have time for dpz Teresa 
can you WRA up your thoughts almost finished   skipped a lot dpz codesign is at the top of their 
field their plan has the answers to many of our   questions and fears the plan was thoughtfully 
created and is our Guiding Light going forward   thank you Teresa Keith Bo you're next and will 
oh actually I'll come back to will Keith you're up thank you commissioner uh stroberg for 
attending multiple meetings and being invested   as you are with the group uh I think what uh 
I've noticed was last month what it's going to   come down to is the people are wanting to have 
assurances and a timeline and that's where it   got hung up at the end of the the meeting last 
month but it got missed or omitted somehow but   Fred Hammer came up here with his ini initial plan 
he had a timeline he had a a fail sa fail safe he   said we're going to get this done in this period 
of time uh and we're going to get this done in   this period of time he had it all out there but 
by the end of the meeting it midnight everybody   had forgotten that we do have a timeline and 
that's what we're looking at right now can we   have an assured timeline uh I think I have just 
enough time time to finish this is from the dpz   the ol ofate master plan provides the balance 
for the highest and best economic use of the   property with use that enhance the quality of 
life for those who live or work in Bula while   maximizing the creation of jobs with wages higher 
than uh the county medium that's the objective um   and with commissioner strob Berger I believe 
should take the lead when we first when we   decide what the motion is going to be I he has I'm 
speaking for myself but I'm sure he has everyone's   confidence uh thank you thank you Keith uh Reina 
Smith you're up next and coling Carbones on Deck I didn't know you spell your name like that Regina 
hi I'm Regina Smith um from waron um I'm trying   to find out how much green space is going to be 
allowed in this development because I'm watching   all of the development go down um Highway 90 
and it looks like a lot of strip malls and it   looks like just wherever the money lands 
that things are happening and right now   I'm concerned because technolog is moving 
on but people are being left behind and they   just have to follow the road as it goes 
and children are losing their identity   they're going to drugs or suicide so we 
need to have opportunities green spaces   um better Gardens and things to replace some 
of the Farmland that's missing and uh placing   fruit trees and into our landscape and uh a lot 
of opportunities that we just don't see anywhere   and um I'm just um trying to find out how well 
you can really plan instead of just managing   at your own Wills thank you thank you Miss 
Smith uh Colleen caran is she here thank you Colleen Zachary Campbell's on Deck good evening everyone my name is Colleen 
Carbone I'm a resident of Escambia County prito   key I'm a native Floridian which is um not very 
common I've spoke to the board before about um   our need for Ice Sports in Escambia County and the 
reason why mentioned that I'm a native Floridian   is because um my daughter skates she's been 
skating for four years she's actually been able   to do one competition with our limited ice that we 
have here um but as a native Floridian from South   Florida there is more ice in South Florida than 
there is in Escambia County I spend a lot of money   in South Florida on Ice there are three um big 
brand new two of them brand new ice plexes in the   Coral Springs boa Raton and Fort Lauderdale area 
the one that Fort Lauderdale just came up about   four months ago and the reason why I mentioned 
this with Olf is because when there a decision   is made to do something with that property we 
as greater Pensacola Figure Skating club and   the parents that are involved in it would like for 
you to use um pick somebody a developer that will   put an Ice Sports facility in that place um it's 
tourism dollars it is it is going to bring people   from all over the southeast District I emailed 
my county commissioner today and put a graphic   up that shows all the ice sports facilities away 
from here it will cause tourism it will bring in   money um and you want to be a part of that 
you want to have that money in this District   you don't want to pay for the Ice Sports with tax 
dollars you want a private entity to pay for that   Ice Sports facility and then reap the benefits 
thank you for your time thank you ma'am uh Zachary Campell John Mo's on Deck Zachary Campbell I live on Frank Rita Road um 
graduate of Tate High School in 1971 we took uh   Civics in high school when I was there played 
baseball there too um and one of the things   that uh I remember is what Abraham Lincoln said 
government by the people of the people for the   people the good thing that happened was a survey 
was put out for us those folks who live in bu   about what we would like to see and we 
we filled all that out we went through   the process and there's a there's walking 
amenities there's stuff for the community   and there's stuff for the county there as 
well and it was a win-win the way we saw   it and what we what we reaped from that was the 
dpz plan that is government of the people we've   also discovered that elections have consequences 
and there's been I think you would agree there's   been in a Awakening in America uh from the 
voters there's there's they picked up on a   disconnect between their representatives and 
themselves and so what what I think this is   going to help bring about is more transparency 
between your constituents and us um by way of   of disclosure Frank reer was my grandfather 
and I own land that borders o f8 so here we   are once again uh the same I can't say anything 
new about you but the one thing I remember when   I first started voting in 1971 was there was a 
tug AAR between the downtown crowd and the folks   who don't live downtown well here we are again and 
what we want to see is government for the people   for the people who filled out the survey with the 
dpz plan thank you thank you Mr Mr Campbell John Moore and Daniel ceden is next I think I'm 
getting that right good evening John Moore   appears there's a opportunity for Progress 
tonight on lf8 the community has advocated   for and seen through to the completion of 
Master Plan by world renowned planners dpz   codesign certain local Business Leaders financial 
industry Executives and bureaucrats have recently   begun assembling alliances to Lobby this board 
Bo to deed over nearly half of taxpayer owned   ol8 to pedc The Crusade to acquire the people's 
property has come to a head since September over   the months we have heard a rising Crescendo 
of reasons presented explaining why it is   imperative that this transaction should occur 
there have been protestations before this board   news articles blog posts live interviews and 
social media entries seemingly on a weekly basis   promoting the arrangement while some condemning or 
belittling Escambia residents who have the goal to   speak up and disapproval citizens who advocate 
for the ol f8 master plan have been maligned by   media personalities and mocked by some of the most 
powerful people in this area and the organizations   they represent an attempt to delegitimize efforts 
to have the olfa master plan respected it is a sad   day when oligarchs use their influence and power 
to denigrate and subjugate the people who live in   their Shadows the people are in opposition to 
this campaign for varying reasons but our most   stringent argument is that it would effectively 
dute our voting power it will remove our voices   regard ing events and activities that will shape 
the character of our community for decades to come   bu's most sincere desire was and is a thriving 
and vibrant town center and to maintain a   relative semblance of The Agrarian character and 
charm that for so many generations has been the   Hallmark of our area thankfully representative 
form of government prevailed in August we are   com comforted that we now have a commissioner who 
will hear and is acting upon our voices however   this process moves forward tonight we are asking 
that you make every effort to ensure the ol f8   master plan is protected honored and enshrined 
in any and all future transactions involving ol   f8 please show customary difference and respect 
to the commissioner whose district is directly   impacted by these decisions allow him to present 
his thoughts and Arguments for whats is best for   the scambia county and his district before making 
any other motions on this item thank you thank you   John Daniel seden if I'm saying there I don't know 
if I'm saying your name right okay thanks and Rob   erens is up uh next uh good evening and thank 
you for your time Dan cedrin I am the chairman   of the Emerald Coast ice hockey uh Association 
which is the adult recreational League here in   Pensacola operating out of the Pensacola Baye 
Center we currently have a registration that's   limited to 120 players I could easily double 
that but we don't have the ice time to support   it right now a full-time Ice Sports Complex is 
needed in this area uh you would not believe   how popular it could be not only for the local 
citizens and I'm local I mean from as far away   as buuy to Panama City we have people coming to 
play in our league so it is a very popular sport   not only that public skate sessions are extremely 
po uh big you may not think of it here in Florida   with all these great beaches and fishing and all 
the wonderful activities you have for tourists   and for the local residents my uh military career 
I was fortunate enough to be stationed in Hawaii   for 4 years you would not believe how busy the 
ice rink in Hawaii was if you don't think that   that's a place that could compete with this as 
far as outdoor activities beaches that type of   thing everybody love to get out of the heat go 
to this go to the ice rink or have their birthday   party there it also talks about bringing in um 
competitions from out of the area we can bring   in uh players from Tennessee from Kentucky from 
Alabama you name it uh Louisiana to come down here   for tournaments that's bringing in tourism dollars 
uh that's bringing in money to the economy here   bottom line is we look forward to working with 
any any uh Builder that wants to uh build an ice   Sports Complex here in the scambia county we think 
it's a win-win for everybody thank you thank you   um Rob I just realized you're with um buit Center 
so I'm going to move on I'm kind of compiling   those you guys the developers teams together 
Jennifer burkart are you out there oh thank you Jennifer I am the secretary of the north Florida 
Youth Hockey League um I am also the team manager   for two of our house leagues I'm a hockey 
parent and I'm a figure skating parent as   well as a County resident um I'm here for a very 
simple reason I just want you to consider um a   sports complex that includes ice um we have 230 
registered kids right now um I know that doesn't   sound significant to you um but we can't grow 
because we have nowhere to go um my 40 kids that I   represent will share one sheet of ice one for one 
and a half hours between February 17th and March   12th that's it um we traveled to Dallas Nashville 
Huntsville Savannah Jacksonville Columbus uh and   we take all of our Revenue all of our money over 
there with us um so uh very simply I just want   to be here to represent those 230 Little voices 
that can't come here today and ask you to consider   them thank you ma'am for your comments um Carlos 
Villa is Carlos here and then Wesley Carter's on Deck okay thank you guys so much for for meeting 
with me um yeah so I new to the area uh I am a   person who moved from up North I originally grew 
up in Connecticut I went to college in Vermont and   I moved down here my parents moved down here in 
201 21 we are one of many uh people who are moving   down here from up North and a lot of those people 
who are moving from up North are hockey families   um so speaking with the Ice Sports people um I 
do want to point out so the closest rank from   Pensacola is 245 miles away other than the Bay 
Center Bay Center Ice is very limited I coach   I'm the head coach of the auu hockey team here 
uh in petola we got a big tournament coming up   in uh next weekend very excited um I do want to 
point out we I know everybody cares you know what   money is it going to bring in you know who likes 
hockey down here I want to point out that uh in   Southern Florida there's an entire Youth Hockey 
League that is running from Orlando Tampa uh St   Petersburg Miami Fort Lauderdale there's a league 
down there that that is running successfully tons   of kids are playing hockey in the State of Florida 
USA Hockey actually stated that Florida had the   biggest increase of hockey players in any state in 
the country particularly I'd think due to the of   the two pro teams that we have here in the State 
of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and   the Florida Panthers um I want to point out that 
this location in particular is very beneficial due   to the fact that it's very close to I 10 uh it's 
right off the highway which will attract people   from around the surrounding areas like Alabama 
um you know buuy out there as well as people   from Panama City dtin the Panhandle there are no 
rinks in the panhandle of Florida this would be   the only rink of the panhandle of Florida hence 
why you would get so many people coming in from   in areas as well as the benefits from tourism 
with the hotels that are around that area they   would benefit from hosting tournaments um I think 
it's very important just to know that hockey's   here to stay it's growing it's a massively 
growing game in the United States of America   and I think it's very important that we take 
that into consideration in building a facility   for these kids thank you thank you Carlos um is 
Wesley Carter out there uh David bear you're up next hope you're all doing well I'm Wes Carter 
um I'm a resident in cantonement um I'm a native   of Pensacola I'm a real estate agent and I'm 
a proud coach of the psca junior ice flyers I   actually coached with Carlos who was just up here 
um I represent the other side of the spectrum um   we are in fact a rooted hockey Community here 
there's a there's not a lot of hockey coaches   you're going to find around here that talk and 
sound like me I was born here and I I I coach   here I grew up playing here and now I've got the 
opportunity to coach my son um and and there are   more who are like me we are a hockey Community 
whether a lot of people realize that or not and   the one thing that we have struggled with since 
1996 is ice time I think that there's a real   opportunity here at the ol8 for tourism dollars 
to be brought in through an Ice Sports fa facility   as Carlos said the nearest ice rink that has ice 
year round is around 240 Mi away from here we are   not just a randomly located hockey community on 
the map we are a hockey Community with the most   beautiful beaches in the entire world I do think 
that there's a real opportunity to draw players   here not just in hockey but figure skating and 
the general public from all over the country   to our location so just if you would consider 
when thinking about a developer the importance   and the potential of an ice facility at 
ol8 thank you thank you Mr Carter uh David bear welcome David thank you thank you 
Commissioners uh uh thank you for the   opportunity to speak to you tonight uh special 
thanks to commissioner stroberg for taking a   tour of my W house uh yesterday and seeing how 
light Industrial Development can coexist within   a residential neighborhood I'm not here tonight to 
try to persuade you to make a decision one way or   another I'm uh I'm here speaking tonight to talk 
and give you facts to help you make your decision   regarding this project uh you require facts uh 
and here are some that I think are important   to you the county does not have a Triumph Grant 
its application has moved through the process but   there is not an approved term sheet and there is 
no Grant award agreement Triumph Gulf Coast is an   available resource to help local governments with 
public infrastructure projects for construction   exp excuse me expansion maintenance which are 
shown to enhance economic recovery diversification   enhancement disproportionately affected counties 
the information can be found in Florida statute   28881 7 the Florida legislature created the 
live local act to address the state's growing   affordable housing crisis by incentivizing the 
development of Workforce housing near employment   centers the law aims to encourage private 
investment in affordable housing through tax   breaks streamlined permitting and land use reforms 
to make housing more accessible for residents with   limited interference by local municipalities and 
governments this information can be found Florida   statute 16604 one51 the time to consider these 
two issues is prior to selling the land not have   to you cannot usurp Florida law that preempts 
the county the dpz master plan calls for among   other things light industrial heavy commercial 
development uh these types of development do not   include smoke stacks and the like uh we have these 
all over the county and in neighborhoods without   disruptions or complaints can you finalize sure 
uh anyway I no one here in support of job creation   has requested to abandon or amend the dpz master 
plan uh what we ask is just consider the facts uh   when you make your decision tonight do not base 
It On Emotion or misinformation thank you for   your David so the initial the numbers that we got 
I don't know if we got them from Florida West or   what you know the $516 million for Triumph that's 
never been approved talked about or preliminarily   in place is that not the Triumph request there 
was a request there was an application for $14.2   million it was a pre-application it was uh moved 
forward to an application the application was   scored and approved by the Triumph board and then 
the Triumph staff it moves to the next stage which   is term sheet negotiations a term sheet has been 
uh developed it is on the Triumph website but it   has not been discussed at a Triumph board meeting 
because at that point you guys were in negotiation   with private developers and because Triumph funds 
cannot be used for private infrastructure only   public infrastructure the Triumph staff uh just 
put it on hold waiting for the county to make a   decision on what it wanted to do whether or not 
it would be uh still eligible for those funds   so for clarification for me it has not moved to 
the full board it did go through the board at the   application stage there's two more steps before 
it's actually approved for funding so and so   in that pre-ablation was it based on acreage 
and jobs I mean was there a number of jobs   and a a amount of Acure that was a part of the 
application yes I can't recall the number of   Acres but it was 338 jobs that were tied to the 
$4.2 million but you don't remember the specific   amount of acreage that was tied to it I don't 
recall but it is a certain number of acreage   I would assume it it is because it's for the 
project it was a $56 million project the utility   alone were the Triumph funds were going to pay for 
the road and the utilities to get in from 9mile   road to Frank Rita Road uh and the County's use 
of the value $1.8 million the value of the land   uh was going to be part of the match and then 
$40 million worth of capital expenditures in   the development for the creation of those 338 
jobs were uh the the match to get up to a $56   million project so it would all be contingent 
that we can create 300 plus jobs rather not   we get the money so if and I'm just like you and 
I'm not talked but I mean if we were going to get   those tra funds it would be contingent if we're 
going to look at $4 million at least 300 plus jobs   correct is that correct for those $4.2 million 
it was 338 jobs at a certain pay rate which is a   minimum of 115% of the area average wage I hope 
it's more than 60,000 but yeah yeah thanks Dave   I appreciate it just that point of clarification 
for me I see some people Raising Cane PDC we pay   the county $600,000 I appreciate your comments so 
I the clarification I think was useful for me we   pay pedc quite a bit of money to you know Florida 
West to you know get jobs for us so I appreciate   the followup on that and I mean we pay do we pay 
Florida West do we pay PC directly I think we paid   Florida West it's 600,000 600,000 for job creation 
I mean I don't know what the actual number Stefan   knows I mean but that's what I was told so I 
don't know Stephan what is the number I don't know good evening Commissioners uh we uh 
have uh an interlocal agreement with the   c of Pensacola But ultimately we fund the 
pens pedc and it is $600,000 a year County   so we fund pedc and they fund Florida West so 
how much City put in 150,000 so it's 750 okay   thanks all right so we don't fund Florida 
West we fund PDC okay correct thanks all   right thank you um Andrew blur are you still 
here I thought oh you're back okay come on up your County Commissioners wipe me out this 
morning you said that you were going to have   the oil8 before you did the county am report did 
you not say that this morning did yall not say   that this afternoon that y'all were going to do 
the olfa before you did the county administrative   report but guess commissioner CER and I don't 
even know what I want to call Marino but he   says oh let's push it through and count agree 
on that the chair has the authority to move the   agenda in the interest of time who did I did 
it but you this morning you got the backing   of the other four County Commission so tonight 
you just did it on your own well because there   was no speakers there was one speaker I was 
going to speak on several items in the county   attorney's report but I thought I had two and a 
half hours to write him up and take him out there   well thank you we I think we know your yeah we 
still do we haven't done that yet no I'm talking   administr the county administrator's report yeah 
well I got another one out there for after the   County administrator's report I mean the county 
attorney's report I guess I need to talk to her   too all right I'll stting my time now you got 44 
seconds well you did me dirty and West Marino did   even worse so I'm going to spend it on this 
here I want the sandbags put back inms I want   the County Commissioners to to to respond to me 
when I call their secretaries they won't do that   they won't call me back how come strob Berger 
you won't call me back you want to be a one one term you want to be one term right I can do that 
I can try I have never got a call from you not one   time you're never in the office but I guarantee 
your office has received it You' got an email Mr   for your comments you your time's up on this isue 
it's not we had we had we had dialogue dialogue   you said over here dialog Andrew I'll give you 
my card and I'll have you come to the office and   we can talk okay we're we're not going to be 
disrupted tonight our next speaker is Christy albar hello my name is Christy alberon I'm a bua 
district one resident military wife mother and   skate director for the greater Pensacola Figure 
Skating club as a resident and mother I can say   there's nothing here for our youth there's no 
activities after school programs there's nothing   I don't think I have to explain to everyone that 
when our kids get bored they tend to get into   trouble it's why it's one of the reasons why I'm 
a huge advocate for ACT extracurricular activities   whether that's art music Athletics or a sport 
that combines all three like figure skating does   skating is not a seasonal sport we have a saying 
in figure skating if you don't use it you lose it   so year round ice rank would not only benefit 
our already existing skaters which include   approximately 500 figure skaters and youth and 
hockey skaters combined it would also greatly   benefit our community as well I propose ol8 would 
make the perfect location for a year round ice   rink kids could come skate after school they 
could learn not only a skill but life lessons   like how to fall down and get back up skating is 
not only a physical activity but artistic as well   and offers a way for kids to express themselves 
kids could hold birthday parties and schools   could go on field trips together at the ice rink 
and families would have an activity to do things   together on the weekends a year-round ice rink 
would also provide many employment opportunities   for our community it's the perfect place for 
teenagers to get their first job along with many   other higher paying salary positions or for the 
many coaches like myself we could earn an actual   living wage as a parent of a competitive figure 
skater I want my daughter and all of our skaters   to have the same opportunities I was afforded 
when I was growing up to skate no matter the   time of year to practice do shows competitions 
and the ability to pursue my dream right now here   in Escambia County that is just not possible 
so I urge you to please consider a developer   a developer who will support a year-round ice 
facility for ol8 and the positive impact Ice   Sports will have on our community thank you 
thank you Chrissy uh Larry DS you're up next junior let's do it Larry D Junior Plumbing LLC 
because feal matters I'm not quite as good as   Andrew about uh getting all riled up but I can a 
little bit uh I think y'all should do what I've   been telling y'all to do with this for however 
many years why don't y'all just auction it off   and y'all get out of it why why y'all even 
in it you know a few few dollars from Triumph   or whoever forget all that let them spend it 
somewhere else stop manipulating real estate   that's what you're doing just let one of 
these just just let them have it all and   if they're and if if a skating ice skating 
you know figure skating is profitable then   they'll put one there otherwise it seems Mighty 
expensive you know for for some kids to do some   skating you know maybe we ought to send them to 
trade school maybe that would be more appropriate   out there on that property a trade school let's 
teach them how to work you know any any kid can   play you know I mean we we need we need a little 
bit more than what we're getting here and y'all   whatever y'all do with it whatever hand y'all 
have in it just in general you know you can   only mess it up worse at least at least let these 
contractors or these developers let let them do   it if it's going to be messed up let them do it 
auction it off do a silent auction whoever bids   the highest get out of the real estate business 
limited government oh no you don't try to cut me   off got 47 46 45 anyways stretching out anyways 
what I'm saying is as y'all know this is not   limited government this that this this is how 
you how you do it right here this is how you get   something that is unsustainable which is what our 
whole country is right now it's unsustainable and   stop getting those damn Co shots thank you Larry 
Todd Thompson you're up and then Joe Snider's on Deck uh thank you Mr chairman Todd Thompson 
president CEO of the greater Pensacola Chamber   of Commerce and again I'm heartened by the 
comments I heard this morning and at previous   meetings about the emphasis on jobs it's been 
the position of our board of directors that   uh we maintain that Focus uh that we look as 
Mr Bose said for good clean high-paying jobs   that are above the the county median uh this 
is a unique opportunity and uh don't want to   lose this opportunity uh this is a unique piece 
of land and a unique location and we want to   make sure that uh we uh maximize potential 
for jobs again good clean high-paying jobs   for our citizens and uh to continue to be able to 
grow our economy uh thank you again uh delivered   a letter this morning I hope you all got to see 
uh reiterating our stance and uh we look forward   to uh seeing the job growth and creation out at 
olfa thank you thanks Tod uh Joe Snider is Joe   out there okay thanks Joe come on up and Dave 
you're up next Dave hoaxing you're after him first off good evening and it must be something 
very important very passionate for me to come   up and miss the uh beginning of Notre Dame in 
the semi-final game this evening but there's   no other place I'd rather be here than or be 
than here tonight my name is joose s I live in   Huntington Creek the neighborhood right next to 
the equestrian center I'm a Thrice graduate of   the University of West Florida a 21-year veteran 
of the scambi County School District so needless   to say I have blood Sweat and Tears in the scambia 
county in the scambia county also uh heavy heart   and uh uh empty wallet um in a scambi county but 
one thing I would like to address is that I know   we have heard a lot of quantitative information 
over the past years I guess at this point but   I would like to speak on some qualitative 
information when my wife and I moved into   Huntington Creek in 2016 we were purchased one 
of the first model homes in that subdivision so   needless to say we were pretty much by ourselves 
we did notice that a gentleman would constantly   be driving around the neighborhood I struck 
up a conversation one day with that gentleman   and it happened to be the developer Fred hemmer 
since then we have maintained a good professional   relationship I sat on the transition board for 
the neighborhood I was a first HOA president and   I can guarantee you that if Fred Hammer does get 
ol f8 he will follow through with his promises he   doesn't just talk the talk he walks the walk he 
is very into helping Escambia County it kind of   reminds me a little bit when people would give 
Mr stoter some much backlash and we're just so   lucky to still have him around I feel the same 
way about Fred hemmer we need a town center we   need places to eat we shouldn't have to go 15 20 
minutes to have a good meal to have good shopping   we really need need a good town center and I 
believe Fred Hammer is the man for the job so   please consider him heavily when you hopefully 
vote on this even thank you Joe Dave Hox you're next uh Karen Thompson's on Deck happy birthday 
David oh yeah happy birthday Dave I'm sorry thanks   yeah you feel young today or 50 how old you 
50 let's say 50 okay something like that um   well first of all thank you all Commissioners for 
the amount of time you're putting into analyzing   all of8 this is a major major decision for our 
County and I know you each have spent a lot of   time in it so I'm Dave Hawking my wife Mary and 
I own cat count 987 news radio 932 923 just that   was a test uh ESPN 1330 and playlist 945 we're 
here to serve our community and um support our   community so in Economic Development which to 
me is jobs bringing good jobs to our community   to put money in people's pockets to increase our 
wealth uh Mary and I have invested over $770,000   in the last 15 years in support private support 
of Economic Development you guys put a lot more   into it than we do but we have skin in the 
game too so my uh ask tonight has to do with   the importance of public ownership of the 271 
Acres uh that has been designated the dpz plan   for job growth the benefit of public ownership 
is number one we can use millions of dollars over   other people's money uh PDC has already um got the 
preliminary Grant as you know step one uh for $14   million and our Economic Development people think 
we can double that it's great when we bring money   into our County because that too increases our 
wealth and also if you continue to on the land   as the county which is what I advocate uh you 
have the ability to use it for job incentives   whereas if we're bringing in a a company 
that wants to put 20 phds to work U you   might give them that land Less expensively 
Santa Rosa County has been very successful   in doing that sort of thing so my ask 
tonight is hold back to 271 acres for   County ownership as well as however much 
acreage is needed for the boulevard that   goes from the south to the north thanks very 
much thank you Dave Karen Thompson are you out there you're not Karen 
Thompson yeah noten put name downen you have to sign up I mean she's not 
going to speak tonight why didn't you sign up   tonight I don't know it was an error I'll give 
you a minute no signed up at believe he on the list come up and speak you had 
two minutes we'll just my name I   okay sen so come speak Karen we're going to 
use your time commiss it's okay yeah Peter Bolton good evening Commissioners my name is Peter 
Bolton I live in Bula uh at the pedc meeting last   month commissioner Barry stated deeing ol f8 is 
off the table and will be not deeding the property   to bedc multiple Witnesses heard that that morning 
they're all here tonight too but that very night   at the marathon meeting he brought it up again 
for consideration the voters have lost all faith   in commissioner Barry's word we just can't believe 
you and I thanked you for doing that in an earlier   meeting but then you changed your tune in a later 
meeting Mr chairman I'm me I didn't say that I   said if the majority of the board wanted to do 
something whatever you said it was off the table   so we're going back and forth here we have 
people in this meeting that heard what you   said at both meetings so moving forward it was 
an issue about the cell phone policy and I see   we have another missing commissioner here tonight 
that's that's a later topic let's stand off of you   Peter Well it directly relates to this because 
it was publicly admitted by that commissioner   he's directly communicating with Mr Barry um 
Mr bear and that's inappropriate as well if   there are Communications at this public meeting 
regarding this topic they should be made public   and not have to go through a monthlong request 
for open records I don't know that it's it's   inappropriate and it undermines our trust in 
the board if if you can't go three hours one   night a month without your phone you shouldn't 
be representing us olfa belongs to the county   thus it belongs to us the people the V voters the 
commission is tasked to oversee adherence to the   master plan pedc is not going to do that and the 
commission the voters lose all control why would   we gift an asset and surrender control and receive 
zero compensation pedc claims millions in assets   yet still owes the county $2.5 million Peter 
finalize your thoughts please the last project   the tech Park it's just a park there's no Tech 
it's a failure we need better thank you and we   need this to go to a private developer not an 
economic development commission thank you Peter   thank you all right Mr chairman I would normally 
respond to a speaker but since I was specifically named I spent quite a bit of uh quite a bit 
of or made quite a bit of effort at the last   board meeting to try to have the board make 
a decision to enter into negotiations with   private developer and I'm not just going to 
abjectly let someone say something that's   not true I said what I said in the PC meeting 
that's true that's the same sentiment that I   had in the board meeting that we when we had 
our discussion so that's just incorrect okay   thank you for your comments commissioner bar 
all right at this point um I'm down to just   the speakers that are with the developers 
so I I got for um bu Center I got Chad and   nashton for um or what am I saying for TR 
West I got Chad nashton for bu Center I   got Rob Brian and will and then of course 
Ryan bill you I you're going to speak too um well that's why can you we're going to give 
you 10 minutes you you want to do it together   is is that reasonable who speaks is that okay 
okay so let's start with you TR West if that's   okay and um you got 10 minutes and however you 
want to break up the time I don't Mr chairman   just point of clarification the last speaker and I 
was out there taking care of some that was special   I don't represent him so he can be very clear 
about that I don't represent people with that   ideology so I just wanted to be clear the last 
speaker oh okay thanks all right thank thank you   and um Chad welcome tonight I know I know there's 
glad to see again see Mr tering one second here please are you doing a PowerPoint or something 
yes sir can I pull the PowerPoint can is got it okay opener Peter can you help okay he's our it so 
all right oh there you go okay go ahead sorry Mr   chairman Commissioners thank you very much uh my 
name is Chad Henderson I'm representing Catalyst   Wilson uh development team we uh appreciate the 
time to to come back before you uh in present   what we feel is uh you know our capabilities uh 
and our experience uh to to move ol f8 forward   some of these things I'm going to share with you 
that I've mentioned before but I do think it's   it's important to to reiterate them you know we 
truly believe that this is way more than a real   estate transaction uh this is a partner selection 
we understand the gravity of the decision and   how much has gone on to get to this point there 
have been many people before us up here working   on this very project over a decade of effort from 
Community leaders to get here what this is about   in our opinion is to create true alignment 
a trusted partnership and ultimately desired   outcomes that's what this is about there are three 
major facets that we shared with you last time   that we felt were very important uh one of those 
start it was kind of grounded with job creation   that's where this started was job creation and 
creating an e District that would be meaningful uh   that would be unified and intentional about going 
out to find great employers to come here to come   to Escambia County that will take all of us that 
will take the county that will take Florida West   that will take pedc that will take business and 
Community leaders to be a United voice again from   a partnership perspective of getting the right 
jobs to scambia County and we have to believe   if we do well to curate what we what we call 
the Beating Heart of Bula that will only help   the job creation element a mixed use District 
a retail node where people can spend time and   money there making memories with family that's 
what we would do we would create experiences we   understand the dpz the dpz plan and we would 
work within them we would be very purposeful   about creating a mix of uses that are only 
National that not only National tendency but   Regional as well as local flavor to create a 
sense of place a place that bu can be proud   of and a place that bu can take Park of there is 
already a community out there that Community is   is is one that is growing and so olfa absolutely 
needs to serve that community and that growing   community and give those goods and services and 
create places where they can make memories have   human connectivity walkability and experiences a 
mixed use District the heart of bua is extremely   important finally we want to talk about uh 
we talked about stewardship about you being   a steward of this property and how choosing the 
right developer now means everything one developer   I've said it before and commissioner strober has 
um has uh helped me coin the phrase of one throat   to choke of having one developer out there to 
wake up with their ass on fire every excuse me   for every day to to go after it and make and and 
make something happen and to move the Needle and   to move the needle in the direction that we all 
want it to go this is more than just an upfront   purchase price I'll show you examples in a bit 
how the certainly purchase price is is important   but it's not the only thing we'll share with you 
why we think that is very important so this is   a fiduciary your fiduciary of a the broader 
community of Northwest Florida because this   property is so unique a developer with a right 
access to institutional Capital with National and   Regional relationships and local relationships 
have the right team to significant talent and   meaningful expertise and experience to bring a 
outcome that we all desire not just a sale of   a property I want to share with you quickly just 
through a couple of case studies um touch on again   East Chase my partner jwa did in Montgomery I'm 
going to give you example here uh you know almost   1820 years ago this was a hay field this parcel 
was a hay field and now accounts for almost 28% of   Montgomery's operating budget almost $50 million 
a year a year 4500 jobs of a quarter billion   dollar investment that is way more investment than 
just infrastructure and Land Development this is   vertical vertical construction with relationships 
vertical development cap capitalizing working   within users and creating spaces and places for 
them to create jobs and create experiences for   the community Redstone Gateway this is really 
important there is optionality in what we're   talking through certainly there is a pathway 
for a one developer to privately develop the   entire property there are other Pathways that 
would lead to a public private partnership as   an example this is redstone Gateway another one 
of my partners developers in Huntsville Alabama   that's 468 Acres that is owned by the United 
States government they did not buy this 468 Acres   they were selected as the master developer 
to bring infrastructure to bring jobs they   have created almost 8,700 jobs in over a half a 
billion dollar development on this publicly owned site I'm going to give you a local example here 
with the Hindustan Health Center a project that   Catalyst based here in Pensacola Florida developed 
a $51 million project this project is on a ground   lease we have talked to you individually about 
what a subordinated ground lease means if there is   a public private partnership some of those grounds 
and lands have to remain public the only way to go   vertical on that is to enter into a long-term 
ground lease the ability to get investors and   lenders involved in creating those spaces and 
places is an act it's a niche at Catalyst we   have over $1.8 billion of assets that we have 
done we've we've we've Acquired and developed   across 28 21 states over half of that has been 
on subordinated ground leases we did it right   here in Pensacola on the third and fourth floor 
we recruited an Inpatient Rehab Hospital operator   from out of Market that's 120 new jobs also very 
involved in downtown with the East Garden District   curating spaces and place spaces in ground floor 
activation that creates walkability in human   connectivity again where people would want to come 
spend time and money developing one exit down the   the road from ol8 uh the ransley station which is 
roughly 60 Acres of of a mix of uses uh that serve   the community uh I'm a graduate of pineforest 
high school and so this this area is near and   dear to me uh and this is a legacy opportunity for 
me as well um I I talked about being a a platform   an integrated platform with both catalysts and 
us so we're we're not Outsourcing I'm not up   here talking on behalf of myself personally and 
bringing in a company uh down the street is our   home office with over 30 full-time employees that 
live here 20 more that live uh in other states but   these are capital markets Personnel folks involved 
in strategy development construction Finance   accounting Asset Management things that would 
be very pivotal to have a successful project on   olfa jwa has over 200 employees and uh very much 
match up uh with Catalyst and creating uh um a   vertically integrated partnership to go uh execute 
at olfa while we have a vast amount of residential   experience we are grounded in commercial retail 
and Healthcare vertical development we are not   land developing in selling to subev or selling 
to BU Builders we have capital and institution   of capital to create on our own accord and to 
build this to work with users to recruit users   we have capital and to build and to create these 
places we have a track record of working with a   significant amount of institutional Capital we 
have a local local presence as I mentioned down   here in in downtown Pensacola with Catalyst and we 
have a relationship throughout Northwest Florida   and beyond that would be a creative to this um 
to this development you know we get it we want it   we have the capacity we have the relationships to 
execute on this project now my final minute I want   to chat through a little bit about more about from 
a purchase price perspective um last time I was up   here I was asked was asked if we had any more gas 
in the tank and we matched the price which we did   we we are not interested in going and coming and 
going and coming in front of a public forum um   and giving back an offers we think this is this 
is way too big of an opportunity what we would   humbly ask is that we're engaged in negotiation 
we believe we can bring Great Value to this and if   that if our number is not the number maybe there 
there is a number we have more gas in take that   we can get to we're aware of the other two offers 
and we're comfortable with that range if there's   true value between us as partners but to go back 
and to come here go back go back and and all the   while just come up with with numbers there's so 
much optionality that can happen this property   you need a partner you need a partner that has 
experience that has access to Capital that gets   it that wants it that has the capacity 
and relationships to do it thank you Mr   chairman thanks Chad yes commission Chad yes sir 
quickly two things for me um because I Lally this   is developed into something that initially was 
not this this was a job creation project period   and that's how it was uh presented U and accepted 
uh but I certainly accept where it has developed   from what's your ceiling price and what's your 
job maximum job commitment well mean so and   and those are like the only two questions 
I've ever asked anybody I mean what's the   maximum price and what is your commitment to 
how many jobs Mr commissioner I commissioner   may I very much appreciate and respect your 
your question last time you asked me that   um I I match the price and I said what's going to 
happen when somebody comes in $500,000 more F uh   the reality is is that we believe we bring Great 
Value and we believe we can get to a market price   however if this is a complete it comes a bidding 
war and price is the only thing that this board   you know values that then I'm not sure reason I 
say jobs Chad because it's not for me just to be   anym it's jobs I'm answering your first question 
is that we do have gas in the tank uh and that's   why we would ask that if we were engaged and if 
there was a number uh that folks could recognize   our value as a platform and as a developer uh we 
would work towards that number we understand the   range of where the offers are currently and we're 
not scared of that range we feel but we can work   now but it all there is optionality through 
this on how this property gets developed and   what why Triumph dollars are important is that 
because they are their grant funding overall is   a extremely low cost of capital if you perform 
the cost of capital is zero that is a creative   for a developer and a partnership to go recruit 
that can be passed along to the users to the jobs   creation so I mentioned earlier commissioner May 
East Chase had 4500 jobs at three 300 roughly uh   30 Acres uh the project in Huntsville is 468 
jobs as it currently says it's at 8700 jobs   uh we feel that we can create thousands of 
jobs on this site and create the right jobs   uh with the ecosystem uh of our partners and our 
Network coupled with the resources of the county   we feel that we have a very strong unified voice 
to go recruit the right types of jobs to come to olfa thank you sir thanks Chad I do do and I I 
have no problem asking questions I was um I like   that I didn't know if we want to get all the 
presentations and have people come it's up to   you you want to ask as we go okay that's fine I 
just because if we do that and then we give more   time I don't want to people say um yeah you're 
good now those are good questions and um when we   get to discussion I'll talk more about it uh 
Ryan Bell would you like to go next sure sir well good evening Commissioners I'm asking 
for the opportunity tonight to get to work   my offer is 45 million for the full 540 Acres of 
outlying field 8 closing period in 8 months with   a due diligence period of 6 months after which my 
100,000 earnest money deposit is non-refundable   my attorney trip May Garden and I have done 
our best to make this a mutually beneficial   contct contract with clear commitment to the 
dpz master plan I believe in the dpz master plan and I believe in the community of Bula 
nearby neighboring community of cantonement   I went to Tate high school and graduated in 
2006 Tate shares an agricultural and equestrian   Community with an award-winning 4 Age program 
in FFA I drove by there the other today and I   saw that there's more cows and in speaking with 
community members there is continuing a education   in agriculture and equestrian training um so I 
believe in this for the 50,000 residents of Bula   but I also believe in this in the over 300,000 
residents of escandia County and that is why I   have engaged with stakeholders like Mr Eddie Todd 
a community leader in Belmont devillers and an   architect as well as John rby with Development 
Center to make sure that there are internships   and training programs to those underserved in 
our community and can have the same opportunity   for the types of jobs I'll bring to the olfa 
field so tonight I'm excited to announce who   some of my partners are so the architect team 
that I'm working with is dag and I've mentioned   that before so tonight I have John Shang he's a 
designer with dag um and I also have with white   construction who's on the construction team 
um Mr Chad Pippen he's a VP with that firm   and he's also here tonight um so these two teams 
have extensive experience in doing developments   like this and I want to start with dag dag has 
worked on a dpz design before and implemented it   in Rosemary Beach so I want to show a picture of 
that and this is a community that has walkability   and you can see the bikes bike ability there it 
shops and restaurants uh beautiful Aesthetics um   um Dak has also worked on a Town Center 
development that is very similar to what   dpz has designed for The Bu area in builtmore um 
and that is located in Asheville North Carolina   beautiful design um so a little bit about dag 
they have over a hundred employees uh and can   do any type of scale um especially a scale of 
this size of this 540 Acres so I want to talk   a little bit about White Construction and 
the development that they've done um over   their history and they have built uh 6 million 
Acres of residential they have built 3 million   Acres of manufacturing and they've built over 5 
million Acres excuse me square feet square feet   not Acres of um retail space uh so I just want 
to scroll through a little bit and show some of   the condos they've built um but mainly want to 
focus on some of the retail space that they've built beautiful residential design retail space 
for companies like Porsche they've built over   60 World F World Whole Food Markets excuse me and 
they've also built um award-winning retail this is   the Army Navy Exchange in El Paso beautiful design 
there and then also some of their manufacturing space and one company such company was Dell Corporation so in closing I'm confident and 
committed to the dpz master plan my investors   are committed to the dpz master plan architect 
team is committed to the dpz master plan White   Construction is also committed to the dpz 
master plan we can all accomplish these   goals of the dpz master plan we will do so 
in a way that is right for this development   right for the residents of bua and right 
for the residents of Escambia County as a whole so one thing I want to emphasize is 
both of my competitors are in a position   where they have multiple projects this would 
be my life's work this would be my singular   Focus to execute this project and to bring the 
shops and the restaurants and the jobs that this   community is looking for that you as a board and 
Commissioners are looking for and this would be um   something that I put my full focus and my full 
attention to thank you thank you Ryan actually   I've been to that Army Navy Exchange you know 
pass back in 11 it is nice um I appreciate the   granularity we got it late in the day I don't 
know if everyone was able to look at some of   the stuff that I hate when we get this stuff 
late in the day because I like to read through   things and all over them but I I realize it's a 
competitive environment what we're dealing with   right now uh any questions or should we move on 
to okay um Chad and or I who's speaking for you   guys tonight is it Brian or or or will or uh 
Rob I don't know you have three people on the list all seven of you or okay all right who's up first I'll kick it off thank you um Mr 
chair thank you I'd first like to make   sure um before I begin any of my narrative 
um we're committ commers given any of the   printed material including the comparisons yes 
legal put together a document for us to look at   the landscape form if you don't mind versus 
portrait form that's we'll get it that's a differentiating all right I see the clock 
has started first of all thank you all of   you Commissioners just again always for 
providing your public service that you do   on a day-to-day basis and uh to say it's daily 
is a perhaps a disservice it's nightly sometimes   obviously going to midnight uh and because of 
that actually because of the the last memorable   meeting we are intentionally going to be brief 
um although we've been given a 10-minute Alex I also want to especially thank you individually 
Commissioners for figuring out a way to insert   us into your busy schedule so that we could 
have productive sessions conversations and   what I would call really um Q&A sessions 
with you individually that allowed us to   best facilitate and finalize our offer that is 
before you tonight I'd also like to thank um   I'll turn around for this but I'd like to 
thank those that are here tonight the the   Bula stakeholders those that are here and as 
well as viewing on TV those Bula people that   have not just in the past several weeks but for 
years been Vigilant and doing what they can as   stakeholders to help them formulate a predictable 
and positive outcome i' like to thank those that   attended the Tuesday night meeting certainly 
Teresa Blackwell thank you for facilitating   and hosting that event admittedly I had a godson 
in from California and couldn't make that meeting   all right as I said we've elected to be brief 
we will not be presenting any new graphics um   you have seen that show but most importantly I 
do want to take this opportunity to highlight   what I think is one of the strongest assets of 
this team certainly um Metro development they are   a nationally known Development Group with 22 years 
of depth of experience of building communities so   I do think that's a differentiation that I would 
be remiss if I didn't point that out and as many   of you have gotten to meet Rob one of the the 
founding owners who has helped earn that company   the Stellar National reputation um he's a humble 
man um he could he could maybe take some lessons   from charismatic Ashton Hayward he uh someone 
that you have to almost pull out the accolades   and the and the trophies that he so quietly almost 
forces you to discover and identify Rob has a deep   history also with members of this team this is not 
a group that saw an opportunity and just happen   to get together Chad horn and Rob have been bus 
had their business Alliance dates back um to 2002   when the company was formed and then we've got 
Fred hemmer and Chad horn who have a 35e history   together beginning business alliances 30 years ago 
I myself have be um be joined Fred hammer and Chad   in the development sphere or sector nine years 
ago we know one another we know what we do we   know what we believe in again the the way I like 
to describe Metro Development Group because of   their depth of Community Development experience 
and their proven capacity and the Legacy that   spans 22 years it's not an overstatement to 
describe them as the dpz in community building   they have we want to talk about jobs that's the 
statistics are staggering thousands and thousands   and thousands of jobs have been created because 
of their successful community building and plac   making Rob and his team they know how to make 
Town centers they know how to make those hubs   that draw people and generate growth not only 
residents business owners but also jobs so finally   um I am going to hand it over now to uh Mr will 
dunway I certainly we're here to answer questions   but um at this point I invite you to take a look 
at the handouts um as someone that has sat in a   similar chair on the city council I know that 
these decisions are sometimes best um made if   information is distilled um to some very basic 
bullet points that's what we we have done for   you thank you so much thanks Brian will thank you 
Mr chairman will onway representing uh Bula Town   Center uh Metro himmer Group um Commissioners the 
um the principles have sold your sold themselves   on the project uh their qualifications and what 
we'd like to leave you with as you're um going   to deliberate and make hopefully a uh decision on 
a partner for this uh evening is to focus on what   has been our Focus throughout the negotiations 
with you for over a year and that is getting to   an agreement a signed written purchase and sale 
agreement and that is what this new term sheet   is trying to lay out for you and provide you the 
guidance now it is very clear that during the last   year the project changed as did the makeup of the 
board we recognize that we're still here working   it but more importantly we're here with the focus 
and the details to get you to a signed agreement   with our team and that comes in from the term 
sheet that you have there so beyond the the price   we get to the issue of the deposits which we've 
heard you say over and over again we want to see   more and we want to see it detailed in in when you 
are going to see agreements what we are proposing   is that within 30 days well within five days of 
an executed uh purchase and sale agreement you   get the non-refundable um depos the first deposit 
within 5 days of the BCC approval of an initial   site plan which we are committed to providing to 
you in 90 days in 30 days from when you uh approve   then we're committed to providing you with a 
detailed timeline of the entire project which its   key timelines its key deliverables and negotiating 
having negotiated that with your staff ultimately   leading to a Master development agreement which 
will incorporate and we have already indicated   to you at the last last meeting the dpz will 
be engaged to be and they will be engaged by   the developer to be the master planner for this 
making the recommendations on how this uh Master   development plan should be implemented now we've 
gone through that because we know the details of   working with your Land Development code we know 
how this works to actually get something built and   we know that it's going to take the partnership 
between the developer and the county and we need   and your staff needs because quite frankly we were 
not able to get across the Finish Line the last   time you said go and negotiate because in working 
with staff staff did not know exactly what it was   we needed to do to get there recall that when you 
approved it we were not dealing with the entire   540 Acres we were only dealing with a portion 
and so we know and we have heard very clearly   from you at both the long meeting and uh that we 
had last and in our private conversations we know   what it is we know what you're saying I think 
staff has heard that also and we are committed   to getting there with this detailed outline of 
deliverables with key dates on when they will   be approved when they will be submitted and 
commitment to you to work together the final   commitment being that Within 60 days of a vote 
if you approve this project and this team for   um negotiation then we will uh are committed to 
working with staff and having that signed purchase   and sale agreement not an option agreement but a 
purchase and sale agreement uh within 60 days it   is very clear that your focus has been two things 
jobs and price but you can't get there unless you   have a clear path on how we come together to get 
an approvals and while a negotiation we hope you   make tonight will be favorable to the bua town 
center we know that there is more negotiation   forward but we are here to negotiate a purchase 
and sale agreement a signed contract that you can   show constituents we have it done and we have 
a timeline to get this thing over the Finish   Line That's the commitment that this team has 
and we're available for any question question   thank you okay thank you well board I'm going to 
ask if we could have conversation find out what   what's important to each commissioner for a little 
bit we've had some great briefs um the the board's   in a great position tonight this is tough I went 
back and looked at the videos twice to listen to   what my fellow colleagues wanted because we can't 
talk right I've told you both what I thought was   important to me and I'll highlight that after I 
hear some of the things here but I'd like to I'd   like to start it open for discussion I don't care 
who goes first is there anyone that would like to   lead sure Mr chairman um I'm really of the same 
mindset that I was in December you know I the   purchase price is important it's important to a 
degree but there's you know there's Al a larger   uh there's also a larger picture it's going to 
be the you know the revenue that comes off the   property in in perpetuity um after it's developed 
I think it is the I think it is the selection of   a of a development partner and uh you know I 
think it's important as part of the part of   the presentation that uh that Chad made where 
he was discussing the East Chase project is   one thing you know uh you know 4,500 jobs on 33 
on 330 Acres that's that's that's a substantial   amount of job density that's uh you know that's 
that's a good number um but I think the Redstone   Arsenal piece where it's you know it is a larger 
job number but it's also important to show that   that uh jwa and Wilson and and and Chad with some 
other projects I think they also have the ability   to work with economic development and job growth 
on portions that uh uh that are still publicly   owned that are still owned by the government and 
um you know I don't think that I don't think any   uh eventual mix of that is off the table as far as 
what might potentially happen there I think that   there's you know there's the capacity for uh for 
part of the property you know to to be privately   owned I think there's a capacity for part of the 
property to be uh publicly owned if there's you   know if there's a re if there's a reason to do 
so I mean if we can we can put that into uh you   know into a purchase and sale agreement and it is 
you know it it is a big decision to to enter into   negotiations with somebody but the much much in 
my opinion the much much bigger decision is going   to be as we actually bring a contract back to the 
board because the the the devil is going to be in   the details the top number can be whatever but if 
we're never if if we're going to tie the property   up in contract terms that are not advantageous 
to the board we're not going to realize that   top number regardless and when if and when we're 
able to bring a contract back to the board I think   that's that's you know talk about one of the most 
important decisions in you know uh you know in   your in your public service or and you know it's 
it's a huge decision for the county overall and   it's hard to think that very early on you'd have 
a decision that would have you know that would   have decades long impact but for you know for a 
couple of new colleagues I mean I think it will   but it's it's really going to be when that 
contract comes back to the board that's the   point in time that we have to be 100% confident 
that we're entering into a contract that will be   closed and that will be developed in the way that 
the majority of the board wants it if we were to   enter into negotiations with somebody and again be 
unable to get to terms that come back to the board   then we enter into contract negotiations with 
somebody else the the it is important the action   that we take tonight but it's really important 
when the when the contract is going to come back   to us so I you know I would like for the board to 
enter into you know discussions with uh with triw   or you know jwa companies and and uh Catalyst to 
see if we could to see if we could get to that   point um but I'm certainly I that that's that's 
just my opinion well I'll wait and see what my   colleagues you know Steve you brought that up and 
I listened to that and I I do think whatever we   go we need to put some pretty good parameters on 
the contract quickly so um because I think all   three of the folks here tonight are qualified 
to do the job um I agree with that I I think   that we can get to a contract I hope with whoever 
whoever prevails um but I I hear you CH May thank   you Mr chairman and and I'm I I've certainly not 
been remiss or or quiet and and yielding to my   colleagues to my right and to my left and I I'm 
certainly uh take with uh a a a a lot of decision   making what my colleague uh commissioner Barry 
uh because before we were ever elected before   there was any Sunshine uh this was talked about 
uh without this community and quite frankly uh the   developers that were on the initial um origin of 
this are developers who I thought were great who   are great for this community who are proven and 
unfortunately because of politics they were exed   out and uh they did a great deal of work and so I 
I'm on record of saying that Jim cronley probably   uh contributed more to this de development in AR 
Melly uh than anyone else and so I always support   that and so I'm certainly going to give Defence 
uh to commissioner Barry uh and uh because of this   adversely or directly or affects this District but 
it's in a district uh uh commissioner stroberg as   I respect that commissioner BOS I'm certainly 
going to respect commissioner stroberg as we   try to get there this is too major of a project 
uh to have theis iness on the board and so this   is one of the largest projects that we'll probably 
see in our career here it's important uh that we   as a board become supportive because the decision 
tonight is only the beginning of zoning planning   additional dollars uh things that's going to 
still uh take consensus on this board uh to   move this project or it could stay dormant like 
the tech park has stayed for years and so under   my watch I don't want to look back and look 
back at a vacant piece of Po uh uh property   uh that was well-intentioned great ideas but never 
developed uh and so how do we how do we get that   development there and so for me I've been very 
clear I this was an economic development project   for job creation there's no question about it uh 
if anyone goes back and record any of the meetings   that's how it was presented it was uh developed 
into you know maybe a town center maybe housing   maybe residential house in uh maybe Navy Federal 
comes in maybe we have a public park maybe we   have housing maybe we have schools maybe we have 
swimming pools maybe we have ice skating rinks   maybe we have this or maybe we have that but at 
the end of the day for all five districts this   was an opportunity uh to create jobs because we 
were landlocked and Santa Rosa County was beating   us to the Finish Line each and every time because 
we didn't have shovel ready projects that's what   I heard from Florida West that's what I heard from 
pedc we have no land I mean the land in centy it's   uphills it can't be developed we don't have any 
land to develop uh super fund site is contaminated   uh we'd love to create jobs commissioner may but 
we don't have shev ready sites and so for me this   was a a a shev ready site uh that happens uh Mr 
chairman who am I I mean I'm I'm not a developer   I'm not going to try to negotiate it um I think 
all of our developers are able I mean some people   may not even like ber Ranch I tell you what I 
will say this about bu Ranch on on with all three   developers he's the most inclusive for me in my 
district he's reached out to people that support   me he's reached out to people that are going to 
hire people in my district more than any other   developer uh ber Ranch has he's certainly been 
you know even in this era when diversity Equity   inclusion is a bad word he's been inclusive so 
uh I I do I do appreciate that uh for what he has   done and that certainly you know gains value uh 
with me you know at the end of the day we create   jobs highest value you know and certainly you know 
if we have to hear from them in some other way of   what the bottom line number is uh the bottom 
line number is important to me because it's   important to my constituents but more importantly 
job creation and being able to work this is just   not a private project although I'm will tell you 
I'm going to vote for it to all go private whoever   we get to um because I I I don't want to go any 
other way but it is a public private project   of who can work with Florida West who can work 
pedc who can work with creating these jobs and   and so um we'd like to say well you know you know 
they have alarm the reciprocity I mean uh traffic   increase all those things I mean we have to be 
able to understand that citizens are hurting   now Citizens need job today people can't afford 
a house today I I'm I appreciate you know what   people have said the long term 20-y year indirect 
or direct effect on what's going to happen on   our economy but I mean quite frankly I I have a a 
laundry list of people that can't pay a rent today   have a laundry list of people who because of the 
cold can't pay their utilities uh who are making   12 13 14 $15 an hour that can't pay their bills 
and so I'm looking uh for the immediate impact   and so Mr chairman if you ask for Me In God We 
Trust all signed on the dott line you know you   know if there's not a clawback on the job s uh 
if there's not Provisions in which we're going   to receive the money it's going to be difficult 
for me to get there and so that's what I look for   I know that happens in the negotiations uh with 
our attorney uh I talked with her offline today   and she feels reasonably confident that she can 
um negotiate those terms and making and I guess   there's a bail telling me that my time is up but 
we we'll give you 15 give me give yeah give me   Andrew bruler time or maybe Larry DS I don't care 
um but so that's where I am I mean I've been very   clear I mean for me dollars and jobs in respect 
uh to commissioner stroberg or commissioner bage   and commissioner Barry where I am uh and you 
know does a purchase price um probably have   more impact on me than it does commissioner 
Barry or maybe strawberry it probably does uh   but more importantly the immediate jobs and the 
penalties not just a clawback I mean you don't   clawback money uh when people don't meet their 
performance measures uh what's the penalty that's   going to occur if you're telling me that you're 
going to do something and then you don't do it   because I'm an elected official I'm a politician 
the developer walks away and he's going he said   I was going to do it didn't happen so what as 
the elected official I respond to the people and   so if I don't deliver to the people what I tell 
them I'm going to deliver and then they're going   to hold that ac across my head so that's kind of 
where I am and you know you I we were at midnight   last time and I was one of the people that didn't 
think you should make a multi-million dollar deal   uh after the Midnight Hour but tonight Mr chairman 
uh I'm ready to raise my hand and make the vote   and make the best decision after listening to my 
colleagues and listening to what we said and get   the response of those but it's it's dollar it's 
jobs and dollars to me with with clawbacks thank   you very much commissioner May um commissioner St 
do you want to go next or I guess we're just going   down the line I don't really I said whoever could 
go however they want to but so it's been a long   process for everybody but but me and Ashley hasn't 
been a long process for us but I think we've both   been thinking about it a long time um just on the 
sidelines um I before I was elected I I met with   uh commissioner May and commissioner Barry and I 
told them I'd like to get to 50 votes every time   and we can't get to 5 votes every time until we 
start having more discussions and now we're having   cows so I think we're having those discussions 
I don't think we're going to get to a 50 vote   tonight though I wish we could I don't think 
we're going to go wrong we got a problem it's   a good problem for me the problem got easier to 
solve about an hour and a half ago um I don't know   if everyone else is going to agree with me but uh 
I do expect whoever the developer is to work with   the the pedc to develop jobs I don't think either 
anybody is going to have a problem developing jobs   on the on the uh ol f8 property thank you David 
for having me over and kind of giving me the   idea what um light industrial looks like um I've 
seen it but I but I was really surprised when I   got to see your facility on uh Enterprise that 
it was as quiet as it is and it's and it's in   a residential area I'm not advocating for for 
him to move out there I'm just saying I got a   better perspective of what light industrial looks 
like we also talked about um the Triumph money and uh we have 14.2 kind of preliminarily approved I 
think you said it's like a $56 million project so   we only asked for about a quarter of it there's a 
clawback for that too Lumen and that that clawback   is I don't know how what the terms are for that 
but what was it 338 jobs we have to create an in a   given time period otherwise we owe that money 
back but we still have the for we have another   14 million plus the other you know uh well the 
56 minus the 14 million that we will have to pay   on that project you know that's a $56 million um 
Road Improvement infrastructure project that's a   lot of money and we're not guaranteeing any jobs 
over there anymore than we did at the tech Park   when uh when we put infrastructure down there and 
we romanced some folks to come and take a look and   they kind of backed off because it wasn't exactly 
what they wanted but we've got about $1.6 million   in the ground there that got to get changed so 
uh I don't know if there was a clawback for that   Allison do you know at the at the tech Park for 
that so there was a federal Economic Development   grant that was given many years ago go and uh 
there is a clawback the time frames expired on   that I know the Eda I mean the Ed I think even 
the representatives of the federal Economic   Development agency said they didn't really have 
a process for the return of those funds so well   I'm saying even during the clawback period they 
didn't have the process to take the funds back   but we're outside the period now anyway so it 
doesn't make any difference well that's that's   just an example of what we're not doing right 
I think at uh at the tech Park I want to get   things right so I don't think just because I was 
elected that I have any special privileges up here   we still have an equal vote okay um and I still 
would like to get to 50 votes you know I think   another thing I talked to Lumen and I probably 
said the same thing to Ashley I know I've said   it to to uh what's your name commissioner yeah 
and Stephen we I I talked about uh coming up to   the Das and every time we come up here I want to 
shake hands and you know and I want to know what's   going on with you guys and your families and stuff 
because I want it to be that kind of relationship   up here that's what makes this hard because I'm 
developing those kinds of relationships with the   guys that we're working with these developers 
which great folks we're not going to lose on   this we're not losing anything we're going to 
have a the outcome is going to be great and I   don't think these developers are worried about 
Triumph money is anyone worried about Triumph   money do you need that money to develop jobs 
out there and put the infrastructure in the ground I don't think you do either so it's been a long process I know um and 
for the residents I know it's been it seems like   it's been a really long process probably for the 
residents out there but think about where you've   come from I mean that whole 640 acres at one time 
was just for economic development now you've got   nfcu out there we've been talking about a you 
know a town center and some housing and there's   a lot of Green Space a lot of green space and uh 
even a school now Navy federals out there it looks   beautiful they've got 100 acres so I think we're 
getting what we want I think we're doing a great   job you know we're listening the resid presidents 
residents are listening to us my job is to vote   for you um and and representing you but not just 
representing you but I I have to vote also knowing   what I know if you knew what I knew then you 
would vote the way I do and and that's what   I'm doing tonight I'm I'm going to vote um for 
the developer I want want and uh I'm going to be   happy with that I won't be unhappy if I win or if 
I lose but uh I but I like winning I love the win   you know I'm not tired of winning yet so um but 
good look to to all of you guys I just I just want   to thank you it's been an honor to talk to all the 
developers Ryan gave me a call yesterday while I   was driving um and uh I think I'm just humbled by 
the whole experience that I get to I get to work   with these great guys I uh I was telling I was 
me and Gina were talking I was telling her and   I've told some of you guys about the heaviness 
of this job how heavy this job can be and it's   the same heaviness for all of us I I think that 
we're all trying to make the best choice we can   and I mean I I always like I was I was mentioning 
to you guys I I said that I always felt like I was   really good at with pressure got no problem with 
pressure you can apply the pressure you want on   me I brought this with me I used to memorize my 
emergency procedures I had no problem with that   but there's no procedure here for this for me at 
least no one left me in sop saying here's here's   how to vote on this here's how to do this here's 
how to separate yourself from the vote when you're   talking to some friends and you got to make the 
best decision possible I think I'm going to make   the best decision I can possible and I think 
everyone else is going to make the decision that   that that's the best decision for them too that's 
all thank you commissioner hoffberger awesome   thank you um I just appreciate the conversation 
that we've had around this I don't think we all   have to be five votes and I know that um to me 
it's important that we respect where each other   come from and I want to tell you thank you for 
bringing back the cow because that gives us the   ability to have that conversation so thank you 
when it comes to this property the ability to   execute on a vision and create tax dollars on the 
tax role along with the Legacy for our community   is the most important part for me we're going to 
do that by creating jobs and creating something   beautiful um and when it comes to picking a 
partner I want to make sure that we're picking   the partner with experience in similar projects 
um and similar size and that has the team that is   grounded here in our community so for me those 
are the things that are most important thank   commission may grounded in our community picking 
a partner okay well I appreciate all the comments I'm I write a lot of things down I my decision- 
making process is based on the decisions I've   had to make in the Navy that affected people's 
lives every day I'd have to go back in the same   workplace and work with them I'd have to break 
bread with them at lunch some of them didn't get   promoted I um I didn't have that job once or twice 
I had it for about 15 years you don't get in a job   where you manage hundred of people multiple times 
good people just like you developers and not have   to make really really tough decisions sometimes 
I'm dreading this vote because I like yall but I   wrote down the things that mattered to me and I 
thought before a little while ago I knew where I   was going to go but I think the price is is really 
important it's hard to walk away from $75 million   that's a new Firehouse in District 2 we haven't 
we haven't had new Firehouse in District 2 in 30   years it's hard to walk away from that's seven new 
fire Andrew that's your warning Deputy one more   time please take him out that would bring up seven 
firehouses with that kind of money so that's a   factor it's not the only factor for me though it's 
a factor and it should be for everyone here it's   a lot of money initial deposit I asked you that 
because I think that the county deserves if you're   going to play in this game that we shouldn't be at 
risk and you you all went to 100,000 I thank you   for that I mean that from my heart job creation 
I told everyone the same thing and I've heard it   from all the fellow Commissioners that we should 
do everything we can to work with pedc in Florida   West and I know for me I want one developer 
to have the property and to work with them and   that's where I'm at I think I heard commissioner 
may say that as well the timeline for me and I   hope the board will agree with this whoever gets 
it I'd like a contract within 60 days so that we   could bring it up on the March 25th and if not we 
should immediately move on to another bidder I I   I just think that's the right thing to do if 
we can't get a contract these folks have all   been involved worked hard and it's we need you 
you guys need to work with our legal department   to get this done and um if we can't we need to 
give another person a chance I just think that's fair the inspection period is something I looked 
at I've talked to you I I know the thing that we   got here it still says two years for you Chad 
I know you've told me something differently do   you want to just tell me where you're at I think 
you said a year 15 months I'm not really has that   changed we reduced the uh yes sir it has change 
we we reduce the time by 6 months um however uh if   there is a we made that uh that option period of 
six month could come back into play if we entered   into negotiations of a public private partnership 
uh in other words I mean just to have that   optionality you know if that comes uh to fruition 
but to answer your question we reduced it by 6   months yes sir and so uh 60 days um so it's really 
a 14mon uh process Mr chairman Chad why are you   just standing there and yes sir and I'm trying to 
reach consensus listen to my colleagues and I I I   certainly respect and and and canly agree with the 
chairman um in terms of purchase price uh I know   you alluded to a range um and and so given the 
comments that the chairman made I mean is there   is there a ceiling I mean it's unfortunate we're 
sitting here as you said let's not negotiate in   public and I don't want to do that but I mean when 
he's ready to make a decision in terms of of price   and I mean you know and my number one priority 
is jobs uh and then my number two priority is   purchase price but I I I certainly can you know 
we are prepared prepared to my is saying yes we   we we are prepared uh to uh negotiate and we are 
prepared to to raise our raise our price through   negotiations of understanding all the elements of 
the contract uh we're aware of where the other two   contracts are that does uh does not deter us from 
uh entering to it we understand that the purchase   price is important uh but we also understand 
the value uh that we bring to the table that's   focused on outcomes um as we mentioned before 
uh you know a great outcome is More Than This   purchase price every year U to to U you know to 
the county U but to directly answer your question   um uh commissioner may we are um we are certainly 
willing to increase our price but we would like   to do that through negotiating bringing back a 
full-fledged purchase and sales agreement with a   price um that whomever you delegate I assume the 
County Attorney to work with us that you would   accept and if you wouldn't if if you didn't accept 
it then we understand that you would move on to   another party no no and I appreciate that but and 
I take with great empathy uh the chairman and what   a firehouse means in his district in every other 
District so I'm trying to make sure that our our   chairman uh is at a comfortable position with the 
number in so not trying to lock you in to anything   I mean don't say anything that you want you don't 
want to do but you know we got to go with what we   have in front of us that's I'm sorry we have to go 
with what we have in front of us as the proposal   and that's what's putting me in an uncomfortable 
position for my vote right yeah and I'd tell you   it'd be a lot easier for me to go with you you're 
my friends I had a price I could do it wasn't 7   and a half million yeah and that that was just 
that's just too much I can't go in front of the   voter and say I turned down 7 a half million 
I still think why think there's a difference   between you know with with so much optionality 
out there I mean we're talking about you know a   public private partnership in in in place which 
I I think is could be very very very likely you   know given the parameters that's been laid out in 
front of the board um and if that's the case this   is a whole different you know a whole different 
structure give give us again Stone Chase or east   chase what is the annual tax revenue per year from 
that development uh that is of it's between 48 and   around north of 50 million 48 to 50 million 
annually on 330 Acres okay so compared to the   7 and a half million that's yeah in an operating 
budget of 792 I don't want to Discount $75 million   it's a lot of money but 7 $792 million operating 
budget uh I mean it's it's a number where if you   have an outcome uh you're investing in an outcome 
that's all desired you know not based um based in   job creation um which is I think the number one 
factor for this um but we again I I think for   us you know what we're what we'd like to do 
is we'd like to again I mean we just humbly   suggest that we would engage um if there at some 
point there is each one of you have Express that   our platform has value and like you said you 
so if there is a number um that uh that you   can accept you know with our value then why can't 
we negotiate to that number and if we can't get   there then you have two other developers that are 
are readily available to talk to so Chad I mean   so so I mean because listen I don't want to hear 
the midnight I I I see the chairman is going so   in terms of this negotiation I mean you know to 
how we lean I don't know if we negotiate this to   50 million 52 million 47 million or or whatever I 
mean there's a lot of nuances that none of us can   see at this point and none of us are developing 
negotiators I don't do this for a living you guys   do it but I I guess what I I mean for me I see 
where the chairman is and I'm saying you know if   the chairman was to say that the ceiling is what 
we've had you know is the 50 million I mean could   you negotiate from that if it negotiates down if 
it negotiates up I mean the $50 million number I   mean in the right structure and and and I want to 
be clear Chad because I told you if you got the   425 I I was going to be supportive and so I said 
that in the last meeting I certainly understand   exactly where the chair is and trying to land this 
where it can be and so uh when he says you know $7   million is a lot of money for a fire station I 
mean it's a hell of a lot of money for for for   playgrounds and those typee of things and so those 
things are going to these jobs you know are going   to be created and they're going to be long-term 
goals the instant impact in each of our districts   is going to be the immediate cash that we can put 
on the ground to change lives in our community and   so that's going to be critical to me uh for it 
support and I'm just trying to get us to where   we are uh to make others feel comfortable Chad 
that's my that's my that's I have a okay a couple   more comments go ahead one quick comment is though 
I just I I want to reiterate to the board um that   um the numbers in the offer I mean the last thing 
that I ever want to do is to uh is to put a number   out front that I don't fill 1,000% confidence that 
I can execute on uh so these numbers um are are   through financial models that were institutional 
Capital investors and lenders have debt service   coverage requirements there's uh there's minimum 
return thresholds there's all these things uh so   it's not just flippant to go up a numbers are um 
is there can we can we look really hard and can   we come up the answer to that is yes um you know 
I would even suggest uh with um with a thought   process of not trying to drag on the process if 
there's a shorter time period U that uh not 60   days that we could negotiate and see if we could 
come to uh an agreement uh between uh the county   in us uh and then if we can't and then you 
could you know move on to another developer   uh there is U there is absolutely U gas in the 
tank chairman May and we we would love to look   at this holistically um under a PSA agreement 
with all the terms in front of us understanding   you know really would love to have a sit down 
conversation understand the optionality what   if you know how would this be looked at if we did 
keep some public and we did have a public private   partnership how would that valuation be effective 
um those are all very pertinent points and very   viable outcomes that what could take place um it's 
you know I understand you know the headline of of   a of a number um and we are we would work to get 
uh as close to to that number if not Beyond if   the structure makes sense um but um I understand I 
mean I I understand your question and where you're   at and I think you're it's right to ask that uh 
but uh I very much believe in our platform forms   I very much believe in being outcome focused 
um and I do think there's a lot of moving Parts   especially when you're thinking of potentially 
looking at a public private partnership um and   and that's a lot to consider so uh to engage uh 
and negotiate a structure and a partnership within   a PSA of how that could work uh that is a big uh 
a big element to all of this okay can I I add a   couple more comments and we can go back through so 
the other thing I think that the board and thanks   Chad you can stay there if you want on or you can 
sit down um the master plan obviously is something   that we all want the intent of that that's been 
made clear with the dpz and so I started out how   you make a decision if I didn't know any of you 
folks in here which I do and I like a lot of you   I'd get aert and I'm blindfolded and I go through 
the criteria and I made my decision based on   the factors that we went over and some of the 
things that came up you're right I don't know the   negotiating Factor no one on this board knows the 
exact Revenue we're going to get from jobs that   that we don't know that we just know what you've 
historically done and you've done very successful   that I don't know if you you're going to do better 
or worse I I looked up both your portfolios in   depth I set up at night just I think I know you 
guys better than yourself now but I I've looked   at it I know you both are competitive and you both 
know you're comp comptitive let's be honest you   know you are you wouldn't be here if you weren't 
so for me Chad if there wasn't a price difference   in the other things I had every intention to go 
in with you tonight but I can't I can't lose $7   half million I can't say I'll look like the 
stupidest politician on Earth the headlines   will be Board of county commissioner gives up $75 
million they're not going to say the jobs because   we don't know them and I can only go by by what 
I have here as a proposal tonight that's what I   have Mr chairman can I can I interject something 
of course you can so we have Mike we have engaged   in negotiations with that entity for a period 
of time previously I don't know if you remember   the details of the negotiation but we would make 
edits to the contract that came to us that would   be stricken language that would be stricken out as 
unacceptable to the county and the language would   be reinserted when the new proposal came back 
we've G to some degree we've had an opportunity   to negotiate with the entity I don't see how it's 
unreasonable to take an opportunity to negotiate   with another entity like I said we the until 
the offer came in and at during public forum   or whatever time we got the offer the offers were 
the same so I you know I do kind of my job I think   it's a little bit of you know to say you'd be the 
stupidest politician in the world to walk away   from that if the money was sitting on the table 
perhaps money's not sitting on the table to some   degree you have to apply the intangible likelihood 
of the receipt of the money and that's important   so you don't believe that um Bel Center will get 
to an agreement I guess that's what I'm hearing   from you I think that it's possible I I mean I 
that I'd be I mean I'd be it would be unfair of   me to say that I don't think that we could get to 
an agreement it's reasonable of me to think that   it's reasonable of me to say that I don't know 
that we can it's unfair for me to say we won't   I mean I you know we I try to never say always 
and never so sure it's possible but it would be different than the negotiations last 
time that's that's that's my point I mean   you know I said I mean I've said what I've said 
tonight I've said what I said in December and   you know whatever whatever theity commissioner 
stroberg and and all I'm saying Mr chairman is   this simply if if we're going to gain respect and 
and and and I know someone said well we already   did an RFP RFQ we we put out we did if I'm going 
to sell my house I sell real estate you sell real   estate not at this level this is the bottom line 
of what I'm going to take in negotiation it is   simply you know if 50 million is the number that 
we're going to accept that's just the number we're   going to accept go negotiate all the other terms 
this is the term and you go negotiate it you know   what I mean and that's all I was saying when we 
put the rameters we want this many jobs we want   this much money we want this many residential 
that's fair to any developer and so now we're   letting someone else Drive the train I mean 
our bottom line and I'm with you uh uh Co I   want the top dollar but at the same time I'm not 
going to keep moving the needle you know I mean   I'm not going to keep moving the needle need 
but at the same time What is the number that   we want to accept I mean we've had that number 
many times you know I I said in the beginning   it was a $50 million deal some people say it's 
20 million no it's 25 million it's 35 million we   keep moving the needle think at some point we 
make a decision and say you know this is what   we're going to accept in the negotiation we're 
not going to accept anything less we want this   many jobs on this many acreage this much money 
and it's that simple and we tell the experts go   negotiate that deal and if you can't negotiate 
it come back and we'll negotiate with somebody   else even if it's not either one of these guys we 
would with somebody else but I I say all that on   the premise Mike I see where you're going and you 
know 7 million may not mean something to somebody   else but it means something to me jobs certainly 
are more important but the 7 million means a lot   to me as well well I had a number in my head that 
and I'm not going to say what it was but it wasn't   that much and that's that's that's why I it's 
just hard in those situations cuz I I I got to   make a decision on what's on the table now to try 
to get a contract and is what I have well they did   say they would go up um and knowing what it feels 
like to negotiate real estate standing there and   doing a live auction is extremely uncomfortable 
I felt uncomfortable when we did it last time so   I don't want to put any of these guys through that 
um and to me if it's job creation which I think we   all agree is top priority the question really is 
who do we believe is going to provide the highest   paying jobs in the most of them for this piece of 
property if I I appreciate that I agree with that   I don't have a metric to prove those results and 
we won't until we get it buil commissioner strober   waiting patiently hold on let's keep a similar one 
um look I it seemed like a moment ago we already   went in negotiations when I don't think it's fair 
to be doing that anyway right like Ashley's saying   um it's not fair to them uh it's not fair to 
you it's not fair to Ryan I mean um I think I   had probably spoken to all of you and I said 
that the the dollar amount for the property is   not as as important to me as what happens on the 
property and we know the property is it's probably   worth more than what we're talking about you know 
um but I think that you all have the same ability   to create jobs out there I I know I I know that 
you do and $75 million is a tiebreaker for me it   is it's a tiebreaker for me I mean we're asking 
we're asking um Tri West can you do better you   know right here that's that's not fair to do that 
because we're not asking you if you can do better   we shouldn't be doing that we shouldn't be doing 
this um but having said that I'm ready to make a   motion whenever we're done discussing it is there 
any other comments no with that I guess I mean the   sad thing about it is we are negotiating and 
you know I don't think it's in bad faith I I   I think it's not in in in good environment so I am 
I clear from you know from each one of these it's   it's 50 million 42 million 45 and I would ask all 
three the same question are those going once going   twice are those the numbers which clearly you know 
can I follow up a question to that do we want to   set what we want to take and then that's what 
I would have done in set like a number right   so if it's 475 it's 475 I say we at 50 that's 
where we're at and we don't go up anymore and   then if everybody agrees to that we vote from 
there I I'm good with that because I mean the   thing that I said to Mr Henderson was when he 
got to 425 you know that's it and now we're   moving the needle I think we you know sometimes 
you lose in real estate sometimes you win as   strober said we know it's worth more than that 
that's one parameter we can set tonight y set the   parameter I mean andon be in this and we'll decide 
as a board this is our top to and saying when you   put on RFQ and RFP here's the criteria in what 
you want and you know I've been on enough search   committees to understand this I'm not a developer 
but this is the bottom line of what we want we've   never I mean in In fairness and I'm ready to make 
a decision tonight I'm not going to kick this down   the road how many jobs do I want how many acres 
am I going to give up how much money am I going   to take it's simple and you can either meet that 
criteria or not and if we gave that number to Chad   well he didn't even need to show up tonight and 
if we gave that to Fred he didn't need to show up   tonight you know I mean and that's it's what it 
is and then we just hold people accountable and   that's that's my opinion I Ashley that we give 
people the parameters well I mean this is like   all whatever whatever they decide just throw 
some paint up against the wall and if it stick   it sticks but we should I mean it should be more 
of a science than an art in in criteria of what   we expect I mean we're being very judgmental and 
you we're making it more political than it needs   to be I mean it needs to be a real proposal I mean 
like we would do any bid and any procurement that   we do uh with taxpayer dollars and that's not only 
Point L but I'll do whatever you got whatever you   want to do I'm ready to make a decision and I'll 
do whatever y'all want to do I I agree with that   Allison question for you so we pick somebody and 
I we're like hey go negotiate saying they're going   to be responsive how soon of a turnaround could 
we expect from your office is that 30 days 60   days 90 days it it I it's almost impossible for 
me to answer that cuz if we get in it and we're   not agreeing for some reason but I can say we 
have very good relationships with all three of   these groups attorneys they're they're people that 
are work I can work with so I would think 30 to 60   days is a reasonable amount of time to know if 
we're going to be able to get can we set that at   30 I think that was something commissioner Barry 
mentioned earlier was short shortening that time   frame that's all you want I'm good I'm whatever 
you want I don't care so do you want to name it   do that so what are you saying we're going to set 
the criteria and she's going to negotiate whoever   negotiat the criteria so I I would recommend 
that tonight we say hey we're going to take   47 million for it we want a negotiated contract 
within 30 days do you guys agree they say yes and   then from there we pick who we want to go with 
and then we direct Allison to negotiate with   that one person I I think the bar has been set 
at 50 million we have to start at $50 million   I don't want to split the difference between the 
two of them to see who can if if one can afford   the other price M Mr chairman for what all right M 
Mr chairman for whatever it's worth and I you know   may appear to uh have failed again uh advocating 
but the item is on the agenda as it is we have you   know we have proposals that have been made from 
applicants if we're going to 30 days that we would   expect the contract to come back then let's just 
take an action to or the majority of you to take   an action to negotiate with one of the developers 
there's only five of us there's not 15 to manage   if Wes and Allison can't ascertain from at least 
three of us what those handful of figure that are   that are important to us what those figures are 
then we're not going to get there anyway rather   than trying to say well I think the figure should 
be 45 I think it should be 50 I think it we should   have 4,000 jobs on the at least on the 270 Acres 
that's set aside for economic development well I   think we should have you know 3,000 jobs rather 
than doing that if if we're going to it's it's   only 30 if what we're saying is we think we can 
do it in 30 days okay so let's just say it's only   another 30 days let's enter into try to enter into 
negotiations with somebody and bring a contract   back in 30 days even if it's not even if it's not 
my direction rather than trying to go peace meal   with parameters as well I I like that I I like 
having some defini so these guys don't keep living   in limbo too though but Steve uh commissioner H 
or strober you had your light on are we ready to   you ready to entertain a well I guess we all talk 
it's up to you here commissioner May you're saying   that there's not a top end number it doesn't 
matter I'm just I yeah there is there there's   a topend number that matters to me I'm comfortable 
communicating that with Wes and Allison I'll deal   with that during these 30 days I'm comfortable 
doing comfortable expressing the the minutia of   things that are important to me because let me 
tell you it's not just the top number in jobs   that those are worth there's a dozen things that 
are going to be important to me in the contract   and I'm not going to sit up here tonight and 
lay those out on a menu but there are a lot   more than the purchase price the due diligence 
time period or the job creation these are there   there's a lot of other things that are going to 
go into a contract and if you want to make a big   mistake as a board let's enter into a contract 
that we give up the entitlements to the property   that we've that we've given we've allowed somebody 
to encumber the entire property with bad terms of   a contract yeah let's see how you know right the 
ramifications of that are much worse than making a   decision tonight to try with somebody for 30 days 
even if it's not what I want okay then let's just   try with somebody else and see how it goes and I 
respect that and I agree with that commissioner   beer all all I would add and see if you would 
be comfortable I mean if the Top Line what   commissioner stroberg said he he wasn't interested 
in what commissioner harberger said at 47 I mean   at the bottom line the value and not the actual 
cash is $50 million it may be backed out by what   becomes public what becomes private and start that 
as the negotiating uh number and so that's value   it may not be actual cash it may whatever and so 
I'm laying that over to you to get your thoughts   but again you know I'm I'm I'm I'm gonna yield to 
you guys and and try not to be here toight well   I don't know that anybody's I don't know that 
anybody's yielding to my opinion which is fine   but let's actually Steve listening to you and I 
he days let's try to negotiate with somebody and   see how it goes commissioner stroberg you had your 
light on I'd like to make a motion make a motion   you guys ready to hear it I move that we direct 
County staff to begin negotiations with the Bula   Town Center LLC for the 540 Acres of ol8 I'd also 
like to use the dpz master plan as a restrictive   deed in our negotiations do that sound good 30 
days I I think 30 days is too short I think it   because so your motions including the the the 
current dpz plan as a restrictive deed in that yes okay I I don't have a problem with 30 days 
to honestly Ste 30 days too short Allison   I mean given the negotiations it's hard to 
know until we get into it if it's going to   be challenging or not 60 days seems really 
it seems a little more reasonable I think   because the meetings are every two weeks 
I mean that's really tough if you say 30   days but if that's what the board directs 
I'll certainly do my best 60 days is more   reasonable 90 is kind of by then we should 
absolutely know 60 is a good soft spot in my   opinion 60 say 60 okay there's a motion 
on the table and for 60 days is there a second I'll second please 
vote and I can we can we do electronically and if there's discussion um Mr 
chairman I mean for me I just think commissioner   May's coming back to table yeah I mean you 
know it's just a discussion because he's made   a motion in a second for discussion is that I 
I think that we should have set a a limit in   negotiation and allowed for her to negotiate 
without closing the door on any developer at   this point and that's just how feel because 
I don't know if they're going to get there   in 30 days or 60 days I I can agree with the 
maximum number although you know some people   may not agree with it I we got somebody at 42 
45 I mean who negotiates with the terms that   we get then that's fine you know what I mean 
but I mean when we make this decision we say   that we want people to be available I mean no 
one's going to still be available once we make   this decision it's going to start another three 
to five year process of getting a developer to   come in if we can't close this deal the only 
thing and you guys know this and we've been   doing this for two years I've we've had the 
same discussions yeah and for me it's time   to move oh I'm ready to make a vote I mean I 
just I just wanted the parameters so I mean   we make a vote there's an emotion a second unless 
there's not any other comments I'd like to do an eote please vote okay the motion fails can I make a motion 
yeah do you have a second motion or you   motion fails two to three Ash would you like 
to make a motion I'd like to make a motion   that we move forward with negotiating 
with triw development and that we get   a agreed upon contract within 30 days is there 
a what's the contract amount question what was   that what's the contract amount I think that's 
to be negotiated with the terms but not to fall   below the initial offer of 42.5 so so I'm 
I I don't know how it falls but for me I   can't support it and I've told him that I can't 
either I can't vote against you know 50 million   for somebody else and and do that that's going 
to be a tough vote for me oh I I'm just say and   that's fine I second the motion okay is there 
any further discussion at this point on that motion I you have your light on you want to 
say well I mean I I would ask the um um the   the commissioner that that made the motion uh 
to withdraw it to at least ask the question   and until Mr Henderson because I think you've 
been very clear and I've been very clear how   we're going to vote uh before we do that and so 
it's U it's a motion is made there's no more Del   Liberation so actually I think you don't have 
to we can vote but I would ask we can vote but   I can just tell you how it's going end because 
we may be able to get there and and then we're   going to be right back here where we were before 
just is that okay and I get where you just vote   and vote it down and then we'll take no action 
well I don't want to not take an action Chad come up knowing what you know now where are you at uh raise you my price through through 
a negotiation with with with the count I   mean I told you I had gas in the tank 
but I want to do it holistically with   a purchase and sale agreement that I feel 
good about executing on I I'm I'm aware of   where we were where we were before where and 
where the other offers are I I believe we uh   we offer Great Value um and so but I will 
negotiate a price higher than I'm at right   now can you give us a dollar on that that 
would be very helpful can you give us a   Dollar on that that would be very helpful can you 
negotiate up the 50 million TR it' make our life   easier Chad I'm sorry it make our life easier 
I think we could get to the Finish Line maybe but I mean this this this platform I mean 
I'm willing to negotiate a price higher than   42.5 I realize that there is a offer at 50, 45 
and I can tell you that I will be competitive   with those those offer with those offers do a 
negotiation of understanding the entire aspect   of a of a purchase and sales agreement so Mr may 
I will go up in a range of of of higher than I'm   at now U but I'm not going to go higher than 
50 million what can you get to I want to get   to a deal tonight Mr chair so what you're telling 
the citizens right now of Escambia county is that   you're voting on price correct not most qualified 
price I don't that's what you're saying you're   saying that you're voting on price mayor not 
qualifications no I you're saying that the   other part is not qualified and I think you're 
both qualified so I would disagree with that statement well we had a motion in a second 
what what was the number chat he never left   Ashley with a number okay we'll give him a 
second they're in conversation I mean should   we be giving um buet toal Center to come back 
up there and ask I would like to I just like   to we're going to resend our offer at this 
time um and um and move forward with uh the   other party and um if that doesn't work out then 
we'll understand but we are resending our offer   thank you thank you chance sorry about that the 
board want to reconsider the other offer Ashley   you you withdraw your motion presumably withdraw 
motion withdrawn yeah okay all right my second's   withdrawn and yeah whatever yall whatever you want 
to do what is there an appetite to revisit the bu Center I think we should go into some contract 
for 30 days I really think we can to try guys   we were trying to get I was trying to get there 
did Steve you want to try again yeah I I don't   see any I didn't see anything wrong with my own 
um uh move so I don't we just go back to that   I still think 30 days is too short I still 
think it's too short I know it's going to be   rough there's a lot of language we got to fix um 
I'll do 30 if that's what it takes I'm give 60 as   Alison says 60 is fine I think 60 so I'd like to 
make a motion again that we direct County staff   to begin negotiations with the Bula Town Center 
LLC for the 540 Acres of ol8 is there a second   are you including in the motion the the the 
restrictive the dpz master plan being part of   a restrictive deed yes okay so what does that 
mean that means it's kind of our Guiding Light   um it's it try to keep their feet to the fire to 
to to meet the master plan the way we've always   always talked about and I think they're I 
think they understand what we're talking about okay commissioner strober has a motion I I 
have a question on that so if if that is part of   the motion and then they don't agree to Allison 
if they don't agree to that in the contract what   does that mean for us if they don't then I 
would imagine that it falls apart if that's   what the board wants to do that's something we 
had proposed as a way of ensuring because it's a   unique situation where we own the real estate and 
that was one of the steps that we thought could   be done to help protect us with the live local 
preemption floating around out there it's a way to   help protect the future of our own real estate 
um we we can certainly look at other options   if the board directs us to not do that but we 
thought it would be a way to help protect the the   future of the the real estate so that would be a 
non-negotiable and if that was an agree to in the   contract then essentially it would fall apart it 
would be up to the board okay and actually that's   the reason I I thought we should set a number it 
doesn't matter the number is 4245 they didn't even   put that in their proposal that they're going 
to uh be confined to to that plan we don't know   whether they're going to do that plan and then 
we're going to be right back together that's why   in in my opinion to get it out of a a political 
Spectrum we we could have allowed for staff to go   and negotiate with our parameters and bring back 
the person that would live up to what we said   rather than us make a political decision tonight 
and so I wanted to move forward I mean and that's   that's going to be tough because now we're voting 
for them and it's going to come back and they're   going to say there's a Nuance in here that we're 
just not going to support we we can't do that we   can't live with that plan and then they come back 
and so that's why I was making that recommendation   but I mean it's land where it's landed there's a 
Mo Ryan I know you haven't had a chance to talk   we got a motion on the table uh is there a second 
all right I'll second please vote Mr chairman yes   I I offer substitute motions okay what's that 
uh then well we have a motion second you want   to is this we're discussion now what you 
want it's just a substitute motion I can   get a second or or or or or it can be denied 
that with the parameters that we have that the   staff is allowed to negotiate um with all three 
developers and come back with the contract within   the parameters in which we have looking stressed 
over there commission doesn't matter about being   stressed she can negotiate and bring it back I 
think that's what we tried to do last month with   just did wasn't a we never tried no starter 
though we can't do that why you can't within   the parameters she could I think it's virtually 
impossible to send us off to do that without more   direction from you all it's almost impossible 
for us to know what you're wanting what you're   after if you can't figure that out I certainly 
can't guess I I think that you've heard you   know 50 million doll uh the parameters of the 
100,000 deposits 60 days I think that we've   been pretty pretty clear on that and whether 
not these developers can live with that or not there I don't see a problem with going 30 
days and see if we can get there if not we're   going to be in the same boat yeah I mean and so I 
mean that the other guys walked out they wouldn't   give us a number these guys they've been here from 
the beginning it seems like it's political now to   me and I don't want it to be political we got a we 
got a deal on the table that we can try it we've   never had this kind of money on the table I mean 
this you know what I I was told when I first got   in how much we're going to get for the ola8 you 
guys want to know yeah I don't want to even say it   yeah we're in a whole another realm now if we can 
get to a deal it's it's a business decision for me   man so I hey if it goes down it goes down and then 
maybe we can do the contract so did no one wants   to Second it I think you just seconded oh yeah 
okay I'll second okay is there any further discuss   with 30 days 30 days 30 days there you go we had a 
substitute motion can we go back to whether or not   the substitute motion fails for a lack of a second 
and then we can go to the underlying motion I   resented it it failed for a lack of second perfect 
and board if you wouldn't mind can I please get   that motion restated one more time just clearly 
for the record so we can make sure we get it right   in the in the end yeah a motion is to direct the 
county staff to to begin negotiations with Bula   Town Center LLC for the 540 Acres the whole thing 
uh of Olaf 8 and I'd like to use the DPC master   plan as a restricted deed okay and I second it in 
30day so what in 30 it has be negotia in 30 days   what I think it would I think that shows that we 
maybe get to a contract yeah I think I'd like to   do that maybe 45 but I want to either move forward 
so I don't think we're going to get done in 30   days but we can start at 30 days and maybe we see 
the negotiation is moving adequately we can we   can give it another 30 we can report back to you 
at the February 6 board meeting yeah I think we   need to put a timeline on this like this is strug 
out long enough and if we do it we're going to do   it I mean yeah either we make a decision and we 
don't I I I'm not going to vote for a continuation   of coming back February 6 with commission do 
something El either we do it or we don't I'm sorry   please your comments so uh commissioner hoffberg I 
want to express I appreciate your support earlier   what are your thoughts about this I I can live 
with this as far as entering into negotiations   it would be as a couple of our colleagues have 
indicated you know it's nice to move forward as   a 5 as as 5 when it's possible all we're doing as 
I've mentioned you know I think I've mentioned a   number of times is entering into negotiations 
with somebody it's relatively harmless if we   can't get to terms that are acceptable I can I 
can live with giving it another try with them   what are your thoughts sir okay all right and 
uh you know I I I like will I like Fred I like   Brian I like Chad horn you know it's it's there's 
not there's honestly I appreciate that not not an   issue with any with any of any of that personally 
I you know had a lot of confidence in a couple of   the projects from the other group but that's uh 
that's off that's off the table now so you know I   can well you there there's there's there's value 
in uh there's value in a in a cleal spirit and   uh let's we can give it a shot okay commissioner 
Barry I just want to say and we're in discussion   right now I could have went with tri West in 
a heartbeat if they would have just moved a   little bit but they obviously left the room so I I 
appreciate you let's try one more time and um Fred   and team you better get in nitty-gritty and work 
with our staff so there's a they left the room   because we're trying to negotiate something from a 
DI that's really job though we were trying we were   trying to squeeze them for more money negotiate 
this deal that was fair to them either it's not   fair it's not fair to we had to set a bottom line 
number and say that's what we're going to accept   and if someone wants to give a number then they 
don't give a number and so I that's why I couldn't   support the motion going forward I mean that's 
you we can add the grid lock right now we can   add the grid lock let's let's have a vote we got 
a second any more comments all right please vote   electronically on the motion in the second Mr 
chairman sorry I apologize to keep interrupting   I just wanted to clarify the timeline because 
I've heard 30 and 60 I want to make sure we have right 30 days okay any further questions 
are we good all right let's vote evote please motion passes 5 Z thank you thank you I I um I know that was 
tough for all of us and and um we'll see   where we end up congratulations you got 30 
days uh I'll let you Fred since it's such a   big deal for the county to say something 
quickly yeah I want to thank you I mean   we've been working on this for five or six years 
I know it's been very frustrating for all of you   us people behind us and thank you for your 
patience and we look forward to delivering   don't make us look bad and bring some jobs we 
we don't want to look bad thank you thank you   very much okay uh uh commissioner hoffberg has 
asked him for a five minute recess is that okay   congratulations I think that Comfort break we got 
two yeah we got a discuss got a second discussion item e e e e e e e e e Bard County Commissioner me will 
reconvene we're moving on to the   county attorney's report do we have 
a one more one more discussion item   oh we do yep oh I'm sorry we have one 
more discussion item State par Mutual   card rooms ordinance uh commissioner 
stroberg has asked to have this placed   on the agenda this is about the PO something 
with poker Steve the what's the discussion about uh madam coun do you want to yeah would you 
like to say something about this I can explain   this one okay uh okay so under Florida law there 
is such a thing as a param mutual wagering license   and there is only allowed to be one per every 
100 miles within the State of Florida we have   one it's the former Greyhound track the owners 
of the Greyhound track have over the last since   2021 indicated an interest in moving that facility 
to another location I can't speak for them we'll   dway actually um I believe is representing them 
but anyway our zoning code does not specifically   say where paramutual wagering is allowed there 
are some zoning categories where arguably it may   or may not belong so this would be sending back 
to the planning board an ordinance that could be   created to specify which zoning categories they 
would be allowed in there is a certain property   that is currently under contract by the owners 
of the gound track where they know that they're   interested in moving to and so this would 
help the planning department in resolving   this issue the planning board would have to make 
a recommendation to you all and it would take two   public hearings before you all to establish a 
new zoning designation is Will speaking on this yeah thank you um I appreciate that I'm will onway 
125 East tenia and I do represent um the client   who holds the only license for the paramutual in 
the county um Commissioners we don't believe you   need an ordinance you have thousands of uses 
in Escambia County that are not listed in Your   Land Development code AS permitted uses I'll give 
you one example axe throwing it's not listed as a   permitted use anywhere in your code and let you 
have an axe throwing establishment in commercial   zoning right next to Navy Federal you do not 
have to have an ordinance that says you have   paramutual betting in a particular zoning class 
you have it now they're playing cards tonight   so all we're asking in this case was for your 
development services office to sign a piece of   paper a landan verification certificate which 
says will this is an allowable use in this area   in this District it's commercial it's this 
is where you want paramutual you want it in   a commercial area this is all then we take that 
land use certificate and we take it to the state   and they they allow us to move the permit from 
this location to that location that's what's   holding it up and that's what we're requesting 
you do not need an ordinance to do this simply   direct your development services staff to sign the 
land verification which says paramutual this game   which is only going to be one it's not a slippery 
slope you're not going to have a whole bunch of   bars you're not going to have a whole bunch of 
card chip it's only one license it's a 100 mile   exclusion you're not going to have another one 
there's only one it exists now it's over where in   the location where it was it's moving because the 
dog tracked the whole nine yards but any event all   you need is to tell development services give them 
sign the land use verification letter that's where   we want it you don't need an ordinance I I have 
a question is that verification letter specific   to this piece of property or so it would be yes 
ma'am it it is this we we identify this particular   parcel the parcel that's under contract which 
is with money going hard next week we submitted   this you know almost 60 days ago it's a routine 
function we believe that it is an easy fix the   idea that it's not listed as a permitted use is 
not an impediment to move forward because again   you have thousands of uses that businesses come up 
with that are not listed as permitted uses this is   not an impediment Mr chairman can I Can I Say Yes 
commissioner bar so if and I I'm supportive of the   item if that's the direction that we went um if 
the if the conversation would be you know based   on what Mr dway said if that's if that would be 
part of the discussion of the board I think I'd   be probably maybe more support supportive of 
that just because I think if you have a land   use certification letter that identifies the 
parcel you you know versus changing the code or   expanding the code you I think in my in my opinion 
you reduce the risk of the of the transferability   because once it's identified as a use in in a 
Zone if it goes there that's fantastic but you   know Mr dunway said money goes hard week you know 
money goes hard on contracts semif frequently that   still don't close and if our action would be to ex 
to to change the definitions in the code or change   the code to allow that and then something didn't 
happen with that the contract didn't close even   though money went hard the contract didn't close 
then there's still only one license but instead   of this one parcel being identified it could 
be a different parcel that is zoned the same   that may be in a place that is less desirable to 
the board where if Mr dunway was able to get that   certificate it would be defined to this one use 
and this I mean I think that broadly speaking this   is one of the things that we CH that we struggle 
with in resoning is where the resoning you know   so often we would be supportive of the project 
that's being proposed at the at the parcel but   the resoning that we're giving is not dependent 
upon the project that deal could fall through and   then we'd be stuck with apartments on a piece of 
property so in this case I and you know going to   give a lot of difference to my colleague but I I 
think that there's more I think we're reducing the   risk or mitigating the risk as well as possible 
if we Define the the allowance to the one parcel   in my opinion I don't know enough about this but I 
respect that what you said it sounds reasonable to   me um or is it why don't we review the ordinance 
first why don't we send it back to the planning   board for a review give it give us some time to 
think about decision space you talk about that   all the time I've looked at that area where it's 
at and dog track right uh no it's dog track the   one will move from dog track right is that where 
we'll move to wherever the side is it's at the old   gry contract right yes that's right that's where 
that's where the license is now we're looking at   another piece of property and and commissioner 
Barry is absolutely correct this is a this is   a targeted way of controlling it by just putting 
it on one parcel he's absolutely correct if you   send it back and you change the ordinance and now 
you make permitt it a permitted use in commercial   well as you know there's a lot of commercial 
properties now I mean again my client sent me here   to get this land use verification um uh because 
this is the property that they've identified   you will recall or those of you who are on the 
commission will recall that this is the second   time we've come through we identified a piece of 
property earlier and it turns out that that was   not a good location and we moved on from that okay 
this is a location that you know your staff knows   I think if you ask your staff they would tell 
you this is a more targeted way also of solving   it because you know the parcel you know the use 
if the parcel doesn't close as commissioner Barry   says then we would have to come back to you for 
the next parcel we wouldn't have to do that if you   changed it and made it a permitted use in entire 
zoning okay Mr jwy you have anything to add to that Mr dunaway's request is for a an 
interpretation okay um our Land Development   code for any interpretation on the zoning 
districts any those uses it falls upon on my   department director um what they're trying to say 
is in this one the state does regulate this there   can be only one um and they're asking for that 
interpretation to apply to one specific parcel of   land it it does going in the other direction would 
be as commissioner Barry pointed out opening it up   for all districts with whatever zoning District 
it was to be allowed in this Narrows the focus to   one parel sorry but our director making that 
interpretation creates other issues doesn't it yes it does according to the Land Development 
code of esic County the code says if I make an   interpretation the code says that I got to be it 
cannot be arbitrary or capricious it cannot be S   pafic it would have to apply countywide 
so if I make a formal interpretation it   have to apply countywide what that has the 
tendency to allow for that's that's the land   of code that's a tendency that is this deal 
does not go through there's the opportunity   for this interpretation that I made this is the 
Land Development code to basically go in any other   zoning District because my interpretation cannot 
be arbitrary or sight pafic this is why bringing   it with the with the planning board it can come 
in as an ordinance if there is conditions that   can be placed upon this what the land of V code 
says not my personal opinion I'm understanding   what the code says and what the code says about my 
authority when I make interpretations it cannot be   sight Pacific it applies countywide and that 
mean that basically it come through the site   plan view process and get a development order 
and it may have some other repercussions this   is why the path planning board let it get vetted 
and then but we will follow the desires of this   board like always so knowing that we want to 
keep it sight SU specific what would be your   best solution to that should we create a specific 
Zoning for that site labeled like gaming whatever   the zoning category this zoning category the code 
says that if a use is not listed as a permitted   use and this use is not listed as a permitted 
use the code says that it is prohibited yes it   may be similar to Recreation and I know that Mr 
will dway can attest to this there are string   very very stringent site plan review requirements 
so a clear path with to me but I'm definitely   willing to do what the board says planning board 
they vetted properly he'd be there like we did   in 2021 it went before the planning board it was 
vetted properly Mr Will D way was there there was   a collaborative ordinance that was put forth 
so it'll make it cleaner and possibly because   again if I make sight Pacific interpretations 
I be violating the code and that could cause   other problems if I don't you did it for them 
you have to do it for me too so I that's my   concern according to the regulations of the Land 
Development code that's that's the concern okay   so okay whatever whatever y'all would like to do 
I be if if and you know halfway looking at Steve   what whatever you'd like to do if you want to send 
it back to the planning board then okay Steve you   you Steve stobber you brought it up what what's 
the recommendation yeah that's what I recommend   that we send it back to the planning board for to 
review that uh draft ordinance is that a since it   was just a discussion I we don't need to vote on 
that right well if I mean if we want some action   to happen then we need to vote on it okay can I 
Allison you and I had a conversation I don't think   I repeated that conversation correctly can you 
reiterate it in a way that everybody understands   right so assuming you need to have you you could 
do what you're suggesting commissioner hoffberger   which is create a zoning District that is specific 
for gaming or paramutual wagering I think that   the challenge is is a one based on time which is 
okay if we we do an ordinance that creates that   new zoning category the problem is then we have 
to take this site specific and rezone it to that   category which is probably going to take them 
longer than if you just make an ordinance that   makes it a permitted use under the existing 
zoning which is hli the concern is of course   what your planning director is saying is Well 
then that would open up all other hli is that   what commissioner Barry that's what you wanted the 
ordinance the ordinance that we would be sending   back is for interpretation it's is no the what 
the question what is being requested is to take   the draft ordinance which was created in 2021 when 
this last came up send it to the planning board   and let the planning board make a recommendation 
on whether or not to have you guys have two public   hearings to amend the ordinance the interpretation 
is one that the planning director makes he's made   the interpretation now that we need to amend the 
ordinance this is asking that the planning board   make a recommendation to you all to create an 
amendment to the ordinance of hli and in fact   that ordinance even says in commercial as well 
yeah an amendment to the ordinance it's not a new   zoning category correct but the question that 
commissioner hoffberger is asking is can't we   just have something that would be specific to 
this property called gaming you could create a   new zoning category you could do that and only 
have one property in the whole County that is   gaming zoning you could do that but I think for 
these guys that creates a longer solution and   that may not be ideal for them they're already 
frustrated because the money on their contract   is going hard next week I'm just trying to I and 
I I understand I'm happy to help so what we're   what was brought to us is asking them to 
basically make an amendment to to add this   to the to Commercial and hcli that's what that's 
what's on the table that is the draft that we are   talking about sending back to the planning board 
for them to make a recommendation on that's not   necessarily maybe what you guys want to do but 
that's the question that's more well it appears to   me as if that would be more expedient than trying 
to create a new category if that's the if that's   the intent I'm okay with that my only concerned 
with that is last time they looked at property   it was at right outside of Pensacola Christian 
College and I don't want a gaming facility right   outside of a Christian University so if this deal 
does fall through I don't want them to be able to   take that new ordinance and say okay well this 
is the property and having and having been on   the board at that time as as my dear friend was 
to my left that's why that didn't make it to even   a discussion at our board level so I mean I so 
the guess do we need to vote commissioner bar you   think we do we have a motion to go forward with 
this I mean I mean if what Ellison says is true   you can make it isolated incident that's one thing 
but if you if we listening to what har is saying   and you're making it a precedent where you can do 
gaming I mean I I got people going to be coming   forth with cannabis and gaming and a lot of things 
here in the near future in in in my district and   so well there's only one there's only one gaming 
facility that's allowed within 100 miles there's   no other gaming that's legal in Florida unless 
it's Native American on though correct I'm sorry   unless the Native Americans could put in another 
gaming facility if we open this up correct Allison   or no that would be a totally separate state 
law issue under the gaming compact which the   current the current law would not allow there to 
be more here locally and they would have to they   would have to strike they would have to strike 
an agreement with simol see what you're saying   and we passed this the only one that could occur 
here inam County there can only be one that's so   under Florida law currently there could only be 
one within 100 miles within the State of Florida   I get that there's buuy and atore but within the 
State of Florida Commissioner hoffberger solution   would be the most laser pinpoint you only get this 
one place because we're only going to rezone one   site to gaming that's true but for the current 
applicant that's probably a three or four month   solution well you have a comment I'm sorry one can 
we can we put it as can we put it in the code as   it's being presented you know with the change 
to the ordinance but we put in some language   when we when we put the pits in that it would 
have to come to this board even though they're   allowed could could we add the language that said 
it's that it's a permitted use but it takes the   board approval well those are conditional uses 
and they have to come before the board and get   the board to do a quasi judicial hearing ing to 
give a special permit for pits and I don't know   if you want I don't know if that's where you 
want to go with this I mean it's only one it's   only one possible activity and that would protect 
that would protect the that would protect the the   the concern that commissioner hoffberger raised 
that would protect that because it would give our   board the final Authority as we have over the pit 
licenses that's seems like a reasonable solution   if we if we were to ask the planning board to 
do that that's also not creating a new zoning   category so it could be done in a more expedited 
manner than a new zoning category go ahead JY what   do you think so I just wanted to give youall 
another idea that could possibly solve your   concerns about where they would put this so 
with other Vice type activities okay within   our code of ordinances and our Land Development 
code we have specific measurement requirements   from churches and schools that sort of thing 
could be put in on this that this one like   wherever it would go within the confines of the 
county in that type of zoning would also have to   meet these distance requirements that you could 
then have a little bit of control on that so   that's just a thought what happens if someone else 
puts in an application within two weeks from now   the Florida gaming commission is going to regulate 
that with their distance requ so we're not going   to get anymore the Florida gaming commission they 
got to go through them first so this is the only   one we're going to get period that's correct I I 
like the Restriction IA I mean I'm not miss you   with that does anyone else that's a great solution 
all right I'm good with that does someone want to   make a motion then all right Steve do you want to 
make a motion I did make a motion didn't I we need   to withdraw it we haven't yet late not uh and and 
this is to send it back to the planning board yes   yes okay so I'll make a motion that uh we send 
this uh paramutual card room ordinance back to   the planning board for the uh uh a review of the 
draft with the additional language saying what   else the restrictions for the the conditional use 
or or distance restrictions distance restrictions   distance restrictions with distance restrictions 
to be um recommended by the planning board is that   is that your motion commissioner that's that's 
my motion all right second that motion all right   please vote just hand vote motion passes 5 Z 
thank you everyone all right we're moving along   we only have two more items we're on to the county 
attorney report um Alison you want to talk about   number one number one this is asking you guys to 
accept for purposes of the record this is related   to real estate this is a good outcome on the 
six cases brought against the county related to   the prido Key Beach easements um I can answer any 
questions about it I actually like the result so   you know uh move the county attorney's or move the 
uh county attorney's report all right please hand   vote motion passes 5 Z and the discussion item 
we did distribute to you all this afternoon the   changed edited version of a county commissioner 
technology policy we did loosen up the use of   electronic devices during board meetings simply 
asking that they be silenced during board meetings   we did loosen up the part about if you post on 
your personal social media about County Business   it just means that you need to make sure you 
keep up with those posts and we also changed   with regards to enforcement that any enforcement 
would only be related to intentional violations of   the policy and not accidental is the idea if there 
is any interest in this the board can certainly   vote to to put this in place or you can send us 
back to the drawing board it's totally up to the   any comments from the board members after speaking 
with Allison one thank you for putting this   together but it became extremely apparent that we 
need somebody that is in charge of public records   request because we don't have somebody that is 
dedicated to heading that up oh I I well that's   something else but I love that idea so I I would 
I would like to see that happen along with this   because even Melanie and I had one for District 
4 and I'm like I don't have anything but I'm sure   that the county has something that goes along 
with this and then she checked the portal and   there's nothing that's uploaded so everybody 
thought that they were doing a good job but   no one's actually owning the process because 
people are just helping out are you talking a   hired position just for that I hire somebody move 
somebody over but I think if we're going to be as   transparent as possible which I think was a goal 
of this board we need somebody that's dedicated   to that okay I I see that as a separate item 
I agree with you but on the technology policy   outside the public records request are you okay 
with the tech yeah just wanted to throw that out   there okay I actually I do like that that was one 
of the things uh if since she you brought that up   commissioner oper the public records request 
is a burden that should not in my opinion I   mean I just tell them to just read whatever 
they want on my computer they can have I mean   but you know everywhere I've been and I had all 
kinds of foyer requests in the medical community   I didn't ask doctors to sit and go through their 
stuff um now I get it your phone and things like   that you're the custodian and you're responsible 
to turn that over um but I do like that idea um   any other issues with the technology policy can 
we get this behind us tonight okay is there a motion okay is there a second who made the Motions 
commissioner stobber is there a second I'll second I will second all right 
please hand vote motion passes 5-0 thank you   that concludes my report okay the only thing I 
want to say before we conclude our next meeting   is we agreed before was on Wednesday March 
22nd uh at 9:00 a.m. I thank you guys for   changing that because the acc2 and thank you 
all for the robust meeting tonight I I truly   appreciate professionalism yes commissioner 
M Mike the other thing I'm staff's going to   bring back some back in 30 days and in 
the motion I think it was obvious that   jobs were very important and so I hope that 
you know in the negotiations that nothing's   brought back without the it's been inclusive 
of those jobs and that partnership with the   jobs because I believe we all made that 
clear I mean I I'd heard it loud and clear   as well okay all right any other comments 
before we adjourn all right thank y'all