5:30 and I know Deb Gillis is on the way. She sent me a text and said traffic's moving slow by 3. So that was about 17 minutes ago and I figured she'd make it here by now. But I don't think we can blame that
on the aqueduct tonight. But we'll see what happens when we talk to Aaron later on. So, let's see. Uh, uh, why don't we do a roll call, Marne? >> All right. >> Okay. Council member Steve Freriedman has an excused absence this evening. Um,
as you mentioned, we're waiting for Council Member Gillis. Uh, Council Member Anna Richards >> here. Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney >> here. >> And Mayor Don Horton, >> I'm here. >> We have a small quorum. >> Let's see. Uh, Natalie, will you lead us in the pledge of allegiance, please? >> Thank you.
I should aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Sorry, I was adjusting my
>> All right. Thank you. >> All right, council. Uh, let's see. Are there any requests for additions or deletions tonight, Anna? Nope. >> Vice Mayor. >> Nope. >> I have none. >> Deb. >> So, we will. And Deb's not here yet, so
we'll move on. >> She coming. >> Oh, >> there you go. Fantastic. >> Miss Deb, >> I'm here. >> You're here. >> Um, do you have any additions or deletions for tonight? >> Do you want that on, Mike? I'm here.
>> Um, 30 seconds. >> You got it. There was something I wanted. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> It's quite all right. Everybody knows. Spread the word.
>> Yeah. Mr. Mayor. >> Yes. We had discussions uh with council member Gillis and she asked that we delay resolution XI meaning 11 in Latin. Uh a resolution approving work authorization of rate with Avalon
Gardens for the completion of planting project at Founders Park. So if you without objection we'd like to have that removed. >> Is there any objection from council to delay that or do you want to delay it to another meeting? >> Just the next meeting. One >> excuse me. >> Yes the next meeting. >> To the next meeting. Is there any
objection to that? >> Can I ask why? >> Just out of curiosity. >> Because I need to figure out what we're really doing out here and >> Okay. >> As far. Okay. >> Yeah. It's part of the planting plan and >> All right. No objection. Okay. We'll uh
pull that. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. Very good. Um let's see. Uh let's move on to reports and presentations. And I think we've got Peter Fresa that's going to come out and
put him on the spot for Seotes Beach. >> Welcome, Peter. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, this is just going to be a brief introduction to a presentation we have this evening. As you likely know, we are in the process of designing a Seaot Beach restoration project, which we're super excited
about. We're looking to not only stabilize the shoreline a little more effectively, but also uh this is a habitat creation project looking to revitalize the shoreline there at Seotes Beach. So, we've been working with uh REZ Florida Consulting or RES on the uh design engineering and hopefully the
permitting work. Uh we are into the meat of the design work now. We think it's a great time to bring this before the council, give you an update on how the project's going and of course answer any questions you may have. So we have two uh of our consultants and friends from rees that are joining us virtually
tonight to give this presentation. Uh hopefully we are ready to queue it up. Okay. And I know they're online. So we have Nadia Lockach with RES. Nadia, you may know that name. She's been working on village projects for decades. Um she's going to speak tonight as well as Patrick Sheerer who's also worked with
on village engineering and review projects for years. So with that, I'm going to turn it over to them to uh give you the update. I think Nadia is going to uh kick it off. Thank you. >> Welcome, Nadia. >> Thank you. How are How is everybody tonight?
>> We're great. >> Okay, good. Okay, I'm sharing my screen. Please let me know uh when you see a full-sized presentation. Do you all see a full-size presentation yet? >> Yes, we can. Okay, wonderful. I'll get started then.
Uh, good evening, Mr. Mayor and esteemed council members. My name is Nadia Lock, as Peter mentioned, and I'm joined by the engineer of record doing the design, uh, Patrick Shear. Uh, together we're pleased to provide you with this update on where we are with the Seotes Beach
Shoreline Restoration Project that Pete introduced. So, um, we have a brief, uh, we have a brief presentation. Uh we're going to provide you some context for the project, um where we are to date, present you with some concept ideas, and seek your input, and then we'll let you
know uh what is necessary to finish the project up. As you guys know, more than anyone, there have been several storms that have impacted Seio's Beach and eroded the beach, even co causing a road collapse. Several assessments have been conducted
by various agencies. uh DOT raised the road, installed articulated concrete blocks and rip wrap to protect the road from washing away. Um but it's still vulnerable to storm events. And at the end of October last
year, the village hired REZ, that's us, to design a shoreline stabilization solution for you. So I mentioned the several studies but essentially the conclusions uh are that the beach remains eroded by hurricanes uh and remains vulnerable to severe
weather events such as the hurricanes and you guys have seen many of those um and even after DOT has installed those articulated flocks that you that's an embankment for the road but it doesn't necessarily stabilize the shoreline and as the shoreline continues to erode uh
the road becomes vulnerable again. um a nature-based or a hybrid solution was stated as a desirable fix uh to the problem through several of those reports. So last year, as Peter mentioned, um we were hired to conduct a feasibility study for both the Sea Oats
Beach and Ans Beach with the focus on uh identifying what it would take to install an artificial reef. Uh we determined uh that the area was really too shallow to meet the the permit criteria for an artificial reef. So the conclusion was that a breakwater was the
more appropriate solution. Um so um that that will slow down the wave action, control erosion, entrap sand, provide habitat for marine species such as coral and vegetation and ultimately a shoreline protection project.
Um so there's the village have been busy uh applied for uh Florida resilient grant during last year's cycle. learned that the project is is potentially eligible for funding in year three. So that would be in two more years. Uh, additionally, Representative Moon Mooney
and Senator Rodriguez have supported uh a request for a $300,000 appropriation. Um, last year we completed all the baseline surveys and the data review and this year we have focused on site analysis, wave attenuation models, and developing a concept plan that we'll
show you tonight. your staff have met with uh several of the the um the homeowners association and the near nearshore water regulation committee. Uh and then also there have been communication with DOT to seek programming uh funding and project
support. So now I'm going to ask Patrick to discuss the proposed solution and we're here to answer any questions you have. >> Thank you Nadia. That was some great background on the site, purpose of the project and the conditions at the site. And so engineering wise, we have been uh
we collected baometric data. Oh, your your slideshow went away, Nadia, if you want to keep it. There you go. Okay. We've collected baometric data for the site and previously Nadia showed the seaggrass survey that was performed last year. Those have been guiding drivers uh
for the design as well as aesthetics. So what you're looking at here is a plan view of the site. The black lines are actually the proposed breakwater structures. And we're looking at a combination of two different wave attenuation devices is what they're
generically known as. And they're one of them is called reef arches. One of them is called wave attenuation devices. And it's in short form that's called WADS. And basically based on the the uh basically on the wave modeling uh we
determined and the the bimemetry for the site that structures about 5 or 6 ft in size are going to be necessary for the wave action that's at the site and the depths of water that we want to place the breakwaters in. And so we're looking
at placing these a bit offshore just waterward of mean low water so that these structures will always be wet and their their feet will always be in the water and there's a bit of a sandbar at the site. And we're looking at placing them on the water side of that sandbar
but just inside the seaggrass polygons. And this is the first or second cut of the design. So as we get more seaggrass data as another uh survey is performed we can update this to avoid the seaggrass and per public input and
basically the structures we've shaped them to be about 70 ft long because there's a permitting requirement every 75 ft you need gaps for sea turtles, manatees, wildlife to be able to flush through as as well as water. And that's
what preserves access for the shoreline. And we've we've made the gaps. We're doing a pilot project for this. The north side of the project is a bit different than the south side of the project. And the north side, we have a bit of a staggered offset where we still have gaps, but when the waves come
perpendicular to the shore, there's total protection. And on the south side of the project, we're using where the gaps are, we're using the different type of structure, the wads, which are a bit bigger, and we're placing them a little bit deeper offshore to create more of a
gate barrier. And we're we're performing a wave model. After we get the, you know, the council comments, we will update this plan accordingly and we will run it through a wave model with University of South Florida uh professors that we're working with. And that will help us determine sand
accumulation and wave dampening. And that's the whole point of the project. And then to to make the aesthetics work out, we want to make sure that we're creating something that's pleasing and promotes habitat. So, Nadia, if you want to go to the next slide, that that's a
cross-section showing a bit of a visual out there. If you've walked on the waterfront side of the guard rail, you've seen the articulated concrete blocks. And basically, we're trying to create an offshore protection. That is the first line of defense before those
uh articulated concrete blocks that FDOT has recently built in there. And those have become vegetated, which is nice. It helps promote the habitat at the shoreline. But our features will be about 50 or 70 ft offshore from the toe slope of that. And that's where they
will actually be settled 1 to 2 ft into the sand. We'll press them down to make sure that they preset so they won't sink afterwards and so that they will be uh mostly fitting within the viewshed. So, and you can see how the existing
seaggrass is waterward of our project area. And that's where we're working to avoid the seaggrass as much as possible or totally if possible. It could be unlikely because seaggrass moves around. So, what we've mapped now can change next year, but we've we've catered the
project to the site, what's there, and the neighborhoods and the access here. And we're hoping to accumulate sand behind these. And that's one of the benefits of the living shorelines and the wave dampening. If you want to go to the next slide, Nadia.
And so here's an example of the reef arches projects. Uh one of the pilots for this was installed in the Indian River Lagoon at the Marine Resources Council, which is the clearing house for, you know, water quality and Indian River Lagoon improvement. And this
example project has shown 16 in of sediment accretion sand being deposited inside of you know shoreward of these structures because of the lower wave energy especially during boat wakes on the weekends and storms. This helps
provide a little bit of a catchment behind there where the sand gets trapped. And there's also been new seaggrass growth in the perimeter of this project. And if you want to go to the next slide, that'll be an example of a successful WADS deployment. And this was at an FDOT site on the West Coast
over by Tampa. The Sunshine Skyway has been a really big hit recently. FDOT was actually able to get uh seaggrass mitigation for this project. And these wads were actually deployed in 8 ft deep of water based on how much seaggrass
they wanted to uh accrete behind these by making a very low wave energy environment. And so those are two successful deployments and we're learning from those projects and catering them to this site what our knowledge of you know other living
shoreline projects we've done and using these technologies and adapting it to this site and we want to get the village council input. And if I go to our next slide, I think that'll tie into that. And then the public input. So yeah, we've had the public engagement. Peter
and staff have done a great job at already reaching out and getting a perspective from the HOAs in the village. And uh I think we can go to the next slide which talks about timeline, but we are taking everyone's comments
into account. And here's a list of a lot of those, you know, comments that were initially brought up. And these are driving factors in the way we've made our design catered to the sea life, the fish, marine life at the site. We want to enhance the site, make it better, and work with what's there to uh make a
amenity for the public and the residents. Uh sarasm accumulation, sarasm was brought up. How much of a problem could it be? We're likely to see some trapping from these devices and we're going to learn more as the project evolves and we do some of the wave
modeling. It can help predict where's that going to end up. But we think it's going to be less getting to the resident shoreline and more getting trapped around these features and uh that's what we know right now. And we're avoiding creating navigation impacts by keeping
it nearshore. And the next steps yeah you can go to next steps. Thank you Nadia. And so the next steps here we are with village council today seeking your input and comments and blessing to move forward with this design and we'll be working towards a 60% design and we will
have two public engagement meetings uh tenatively for April and May and then we will go to 100% design and we will integrate the comments along the way. So, and then funding will be the big, you know, it's always the big step and
there is some FDOT funding request ongoing currently. Uh, so hopefully protecting US1 being a main benefit of the project can help draw uh a large source of funding for the project hopefully. If you want to go to the next
slide and then we'll go into permitting in October. So, that's good to keep the project moving along and getting everybody's input along the way. This is the last slide really. So here's all the benefits of shoreline protection. If you're newer to these
projects, uh they can provide a great amenity for the local community, which is the main thing that I look at. Habitat is the driving factor of our design and erosion control. And this is being used as a pilot with the wave
modeling. We've structured the layout. It's it's not on this slide, but we can go back if you have any questions. But we've structured it to be a pilot so the village can learn with your unique layout and exposure to large waves, how can we help accrete sand in areas that
we would like sand to accumulate and then protect the shoreline and structures and learn uh to help protect the neighboring properties. But that's all I have on this. Uh, I think we can go to any questions. And that's a
picture of the Palm Bay deployment of the reef arches at the Indian River Lagoon Marine Resources Council House. So, it's been a big hit. As well as the Sunshine Skyway project. Those have been both really good projects that we're catapulting off of and using what
they've learned from those projects and integrating it to this site. So, thank you for your time today and we'll go to any questions. Council, any questions? Anna, Vice Mayor, Deb, >> when you spoke of the sargasm, do you
have an anticipation that it just catches on the the structures in the water and then sinks there? Is that what you're anticipating? Well, given the different wave directions that this site is exposed to,
a number of things can happen, but it's likely for more of it to get trapped around the structures than was bypassing this beach originally. So, we don't we can't really put numbers on it at this time, but as a as far analysis, we expect more to get trapped
in this area and less to get flown to the residents. But as you know it can be an unlimited supply from mother nature. So we we can't say you know any great benefits but we are studying that and that is one intent to make it at least
manageable however we can you know >> and and it might have been in one of the pictures that you showed. It's um a little difficult to see that from our council seats. Um it will this increase the the width of the existing beach for
turtle nesting? That is the intent. Yes. So that is what those two pilot projects I've showed. They did demonstrate sand accumulation and then over time varieties of storms come from different direction and
there's not a lot of sand available you know in Marada but from the seab bottom. Yes. But not from other beaches blowing around. But over time yes we do expect more is going to get trapped behind it. >> Yes. because that used to be uh >> and increase the width of that nearshore
area, right? >> It used to be a lot more turtles than it is now. But okay, that's it. >> Yeah, I'd like to add to that though. Um it you know we what we're envisioning is um you know in doing this project, installing it and monitoring it. And it
may be that the the accretion isn't sufficient to completely restore it to the degree that sea turtles could could nest right away. Um so if that occurs, if it doesn't occur to that degree, um a beach manourishment project could be
done behind this because it would um if you did a beach tree nourishment project right now, it's going to wash away. It's it's it's not going to be a long-term solution. that after these structures are in place um the village has would have an option to to do something like
that and and feel more confident that that would be a more um sustainable solution for the sea turtles. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> All right. Uh Peter, this may be a question for you. It could be for them. But um since this parallels a a US1 part
partly a federal highway and because we're restoring Turtle Beach, are there federal dollars that we can maybe get uh have impact this project as well rather than just getting state funding and then uh of course the funding that we're
going to have to come up with as well. >> So yes, good question. There is federal funding and we've already applied. So, we've actually already applied for a federal appropriation as well. >> Fantastic. >> Yeah, we just did that within the past two weeks. So, yeah, we're looking at all options with this.
>> I think that's awesome. I'm looking forward to bringing that replenishing that beach and maybe the next after that we can start looking at some of those others on lower Makumbi that have been depleted through the years. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. Thanks. And that's been done through Jimenez's office who is
supportive of this project. >> Thank you, Peter. >> Sure. Anything else, council? >> I had one more comment. I had one more comment. >> Deb has one more comment. >> I promise. >> But wait, there's more. >> Um, so, uh, we have previous councils
has worked on that beach a long time and, uh, we tried to get something put in place. So, it's really nice to see that we're actually making headway on it and I wanted to thank the staff for that. >> Thank you, Deb. All right, we've got a
presentation now from uh, the FKA. Mr. Cutler, Aaron. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor and council members. Um, Aaron Cutler. I'm the construction management consultant for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. And let's see. Okay, we got it up. I'm going
to go to the map. There it is. Okay. So, um, just to give you guys the update for this month, um, we're plugging along. I know um we appreciate everybody's patience with the traffic. It's been back um backed up
quite a bit here recently. Um just I'll give you the numbers first and then I'll talk a little bit more about the traffic. So we have got 30,143 ft installed of steel open cut transmission main as of last night. You
know the project total is 34,000 ft. So we've got a significant amount of our pipe in the ground now. Um, we're currently working right between Coconut Row and Low Street, just north of Ocean Boulevard. That's where our end of pipe is. Obviously, our traffic control and
our MOT zone extends north and south of that. Um, but one of the things we noticed, you know, we were all gearing up to get out of that school zone. We did it um end of January, early February, but once we crossed over the
Tavern Bridge, it seems like the traffic has has not, you know, gotten any better. It's actually gotten worse. Um since I want to say President's Day week, um the 18th of February, um there was a lot of people that came into the Keys through that weekend. We had some
emergency meetings with Monroe County Sheriff's Office, uh Captain Cano, Sergeant Johnson, Spencer Bryan. They've all been a really big help, but we've basically put officers at every intersection and they've been given the
liberty. You know, FK's helping to fund this, but basically every key intersection that um they can man and be out of your cars and help with the traffic situation, they've been deployed to do so. Um we've been meeting with schools and law enforcement weekly. Uh
we've taken several measures just to help with the situation, including the maximum amount of time that you can put on a light to keep the north southbound going. Um we've put closures on the old highway cuz a lot of what's happening like what happened last year, a lot of
the local traffic goes old highway and then tries to squeeze back in and that ends up um backing it up. We've also instituted some work um uh directives and requirements with our contractor so that anytime, you know, they're laying the pipe at night, but during the day
they have to back fill, compact, and pave. So, there's work going on 24 hours a day. And as you can imagine, I mean, they're restricted to like a 12t lane for that work. So, they have to get dump trucks, materials, all of that stuff to put the road back together. And getting
it in and out of traffic is almost impossible. So, we've put another kind of a um you know provision in in that they've been able to adhere to so far, but to try not to bring in trucks after that 2:30 p.m. that critical time when
schools let out. Um so, for the most part, they've been able to comply with that. I know I was reviewing it again today and it's really bad still. You know, we're in that time of year in March, spring break. the volume of traffic that's down here is is just it's tough with the ongoing construction
project. So, um but I want the public to know and and certainly the council and the mayor that we're meeting with law enforcement. We're meeting with schools. We've instituted a lot of things that have came up as a result of those meetings to help the situation, but it's going to be bad probably till we get
through spring break. Um we're hoping that we reach Julip Road end of April. Um, the one thing I'm gonna I want to show you guys something on the slide here with the traffic. This is kind of uh you guys could look at that later, but um what we're looking
at here is the daytime at Ocean Boulevard. And I know it's it's it's a little bit technical with the drawing, but I think this might be helpful. Um, we're required to uh have one northbound lane as we're moving past Ocean and
Coconut Row and and Low and all those side streets. During the daytime, we're going to keep that northbound lane and then our zone will basically move up um every week up through that zone. Now, we're currently, you know, we're paving
as close to our pipe as we can to to just move it and hopefully get as far enough away from that ocean light as soon as we can during the day. And that will help with the school traffic and the drop off and pickup times. The thing that um it won't quite help with is this
is the nighttime at that intersection. You know, we have to send traffic because they're laying the pipe at night and they take that whole northbound lane. they take all of it. So the southbound becomes one way northbound, one way southbound and that's going to have to remain there cuz we need that to
get traffic over. So that will remain there until we reach the end on Julip Road. So for the next 5 weeks at night, which but the traffic's not as bad at night, but a lot of people use that plaza there with the Windixie um and the hospital. But just to let everybody know
that that's going to be the case for the next um you know five weeks until we can reach Julip. Now when we reach Julip end of April if everything goes as planned we're done with the mainline pipe. We have to come back and make connections. So there'll be spot
throughout the zone but it won't be like what we're seeing now. So we're there's a light at the end of the tunnel. That's kind of really what I want to say. So that's that's all I had tonight. And I wanted to open it up to you guys if you have any questions for me. >> Council, any questions? Anna, Vice
Mayor, Deb, >> which direction are you going when this 34,000 is finished? >> So, the the current plan that's being designed is near um Indian Key Field area, right? It's um mile marker 72. Yeah. South of this. >> Yes, ma'am.
>> Okay. Well, Erin, I know that people are getting a little bit weary about it and the traffic has gotten a little bit worse, but uh we still need to have a water pipe and I know that y'all are doing everything you can and we appreciate what you're doing. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate everybody's patience.
>> We appreciate you. >> Okay. >> All right. Moving on. Let's see. Uh Natalie, I think you have a presentation for the Alamra Youth Council, right? >> Yes, sir. I do. >> Let's get her done. Welcome.
>> Thank you. >> Didn't know if I should. You are going for it. I'm Annie Onscard or I'm sorry, good evening, mayor and council. I'm Annie Onsgard, the Founders Park assistant director and staff liaison to the Alamra
Youth Council. Um, so for those of you who may not already know, uh, the Alamra Youth Council is our youth leadership program led by myself and Jane Gillette, who is our youth council coordinator. She's not present this evening. Um, the youth council serves as an advisory
board to the village council and gives local youth a voice in government, particularly on initiatives that impact the youth in our community. The committee consists of 10 awesome students from Coral Shores and we meet about once a month throughout the school year to discuss
key issues among local youth, plan recreation and community service activities and participate in leadership and skill building opportunities. So this evening, I'm happy to introduce our chair, Miss Natalie Goodwin, and she'll be providing you the update on our
recent activities. Hello. Sorry. We the Isa Marada Youth Council held five meetings the last 12 months. During the past year, the committee continued its mission to give students and young people a voice in the community as a citizens advisory
committee to the village council. By accurately representing the youth island Marada, we seek to put forward the needs and concerns of young people in order to make the community a better place for everyone. During the past year, committee members received annual
training on Florida's government and the sunshine law regarding government meetings and reviewed and discussed the Florida League of Cities video city government 101 to further our understanding of local government. We discussed key issues affecting youth in
Islam Marada which continue to include a lack of recreational activities for teen ages 12 to 17. The committee collaborated with staff to create and expand teen events at Founders Park. We successfully planned and executed a carnival themed teen night out event.
The group is currently planning another teen night out movie night to be held in May. The youth council also created and hosted the community spirit a south winds event encouraging community members to decorate the holiday tree on display while serving hot chocolate and
good cheer during the fire department Santa stop as part of community Santa parade. Youth Council reviewed and considered participating in the Florida League of Cities youth council contest, including the annual video competition and the
council to college scholarship contest. We continued promoting youth and student volunteerism and community service. Committee members assisted parks and recreation department staff at several events at Founders Park, including trunk or treat Halloween party, holiday fest
booth and parade, beats on the bay music series, and island fest. Members also plan to attend the upcoming Springfest egg hunt event on April 4th. We participated in discussions with guest speakers including fire chief Terry Ael
and Councilwoman Anna Richards regarding village current events and government procedures while also increasing our understanding of the village charter. We also met with environmental resources manager Pete Fresa and sustainability coordinator Alyssa Panzer to learn more
about sustainability and resiliency initiatives in the village. Each season, the youth council commits to developing and implementing at least one environmental community service project. This past year, the group collaborated with the parks department environmental
resources manager Pete Fresa and grants coordinator Alysa Panzer on the following community projects. Number one was the mangrove restoration project at Founders Park Breakwater. The youth council supported and promoted the reopening of the breakwater as a nature
viewing as part of the initiative to restore the living shoreline. Number two is the butterfly garden restoration at Founders Park. The youth council is currently working on restoring the butterfly garden as part of a community initiative resulting from the recent
Founders Park master plan study. The project includes removing non-native plants, adding butterfly attractors, installing educational signage, and placing benches for the community to learn and enjoy the space. Last but not least is a two good too good to go app
initiative. The youth council is working on a pitch to local businesses, encouraging them to utilize the app to help reduce food waste by discounting overproduced menu items, allowing residents and students to access quality food at a reduced price. For each
project, members typically create a campaign or short video to highlight the project's success and promote it across the villages media platforms. Here is our breakwater promotional video. Perfect. >> We're the Mara Youth Council and we're
excited to share our mangrove planting project at Founders Park in Island Marada. A breakwater is made typically out of stones, concrete or other materials. Our brick water is made out of stone as you can see and it's used to deflect the impact of incoming waves during things like hurricanes and other
storms. You may ask why do mangroves matter? Mangoes matter because they protect the environment from erosion. They also absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release oxygen. And lastly, they improve water quality by filtering out pollutants and keeping our water clear and clean. Protecting and restoring
these mangroves means better fishing, recreation, and protection and storms for the rest of Marada as a whole. This project is so significant that it actually affects the whole community and is a community effort in itself. You can help by learning more about mangroves, helping with conservation efforts, and helping protect our local environment by
reducing pollution and taking care in the things that you do. The breakwater is more than just a structure. It's an educational resource to show everyone what's going on in Florida Keys. Finally, the members recently discussed and solicited input from local teens
regarding access to Founders Park at no charge. By motion and vote, the youth council was all in favor to recommend that the Isa Marada Village approve free access to Founders Park for Coral Shores High School students with proof of
student ID in an effort to support youth community wellness. If approved, park staff could implement this immediately. This concludes my report and I'm very happy to answer any questions. >> She's cute as a button. >> Thank you. Thank you so much, Natalie.
>> Council, are there any questions for Natalie? >> Great job. Great job. >> Good job. Thank you so much. >> Good job. I want to know where you can I can buy some of that enthusiasm. Is it for sale? >> Thank you, >> Natalie. Y'all are doing a wonderful job
and thank you for your participation in Alamra government. We really appreciate you guys. Thank you very much. >> Of course. Thank you. >> All right. Moving on. Let's see. Mayor and Council communication. Anna, do you have anything you want to talk about?
>> No. You do, but you don't. Okay. Deb, >> vice mayor. So, I just want to give a quick little report on a trip that uh I made with Judy Hall and a few of the other uh members of the Alamada Chamber uh and some from the Keargo Chamber. We were
able last Friday to visit the EAA reservoir. For those that don't know, that's the Everglades agricultural area. That um is a $17,000 $17,000 acre project that uh is a joint
project between the state of Florida and the Army Corps of Engineers. That is just an amazing project. It is uh uh when this when this project is done, there'll be almost a 30foot um uh deep
reservoir that will catch water as it's coming out of the Everglades. Uh spill the water into an absorption area that will get rid of the remainder of any pollutants that are in there and track that water down through the Everglades
like it's supposed to flow naturally. So um I you know this thing is so big you can you can fit about four and a3 maradas inside this. You could actually uh combine perimeter covers uh the area that would be from central DC through
the Arlington National Cemetery and all the way to the state line of Maryland. If you look at that on a map it's it's an incredible feat that they're pulling off. And um I I I just think that any chance that anybody in Alamra gets to
take a chance to go up there and tour that facility and see the work that they're doing is it's just amazing. And I hope that I think we've got a photo up here of those folks that were on the tour. Um you'll see uh kind of over on
the on the right side you'll see uh u uh let's see you'll see uh Jonathan Lindback and Carrie and and Judy Hall is in the photo and Craig and Rob Stober myself and again some of the folks in the red shirts are from the Kelargo Chamber. The rest of those folks were
from the mainland. And um uh where you're standing on the back of us, hopefully in about a year and a half, we'll take the same photo and see a uh almost 40ft uh wall there that they're building and utilizing all the material
that's on that site in order to build this uh this entire structure that will hold the water as it's being filtered out and and brought out. So, uh, stay tuned for two more years and we'll be looking at a larger thing. But I want to thank Judy for putting this together
because it it it just shows what the federal government and the state government can do to help clean our water as it comes in. So, um, that's all I got. It's awesome. Yes, Anna. >> Um, on behalf of Upper Keys Rotary, I just want to give a big shout out. Thank
you to Maria and Annie and the rest of the park staff for everything they did for a gigantic nautical market, which will equate to well over a couple hundred,000 given out to the students this year for local scholarships. So, big thank you to you guys.
>> Yeah, it's hard work for them as it is for the Upper Keys Rotary Club. They uh they all work together in concert and it's an awesome event for the for the community and our graduating youth. So, thank you all very much, too. Okay.
Anything else? Nope. Moving on then to village attorney and village manager. Uh Ron, do you have anything to talk about? You do. Well, we we do have an update on the uh Florida Department of Transportation state fiscal year 27 ride
share funding opportunity. As you know, over the past few years, we've had a match program with FDOT for ride share. Uh they tend to do things very early. and others, we have to in advance asked for funds for a couple years from now. Uh, a wrench got thrown into it when the
county basically abolished their transit department because they were going to be the recipient of the grant that we were going to be involved with. So, we've had Alyssa, who's here to answer any questions, who is our grant person on staff, talking with DOT to just try to make sure we meet all deadlines that we want to get in line for the future
funding. Uh so that's basically just the DOT portion that we're trying to make sure that we're in line assuming that this council and future councils want to continue it because this this is a over a year away but we they have deadlines they put on us and so we want to make sure we bring it to you to make sure
that we are you know in track on track for the deadline and like I said Lisa is here who's been having those conversations if you have any questions. >> Council any questions? Sorry, ter council. Any questions? >> So, so the the grant application that
we're turning in would be for June of 27, right? And >> yeah, about that. >> Well, yeah, give or take. >> Give or take >> because the money fluctuates a little bit, right? >> Sorry. Um,
and we need to in in if we're when we apply, we need to know what we need to do in order to qualify for that that whether that's just changing the kind of vehicles, whether we're
increasing or changing the the way the service operates. Um, and that is what's due. I thought it was May, but she Well, she expressed to me that it was in a couple weeks. Is that right?
>> Well, the the fiscal year starts June 1st of 2027, but the application deadline is what we're talking about, right? Trying to submit it. For example, we've had discussions uh usually when your application, you have to talk about how you going to enhance the current service. So, we're looking at does that mean adding another card to change the
hours, etc. Uh they're not requiring it. They're recommending it is my understanding. So basically we're just trying to get into the deadline of the application. >> They're not requiring what? I'm sorry to interrupt you. >> They're not requiring enhancements. That is, you know, in other words, they're not saying you must add more cars, etc.
What they're saying is they would love it if we did, but we're not sure yet. And on a separate parallel track, just to be clear, we are also looking at trying to do some type of multi-passenger on call because that has implications. Let's just say >> there's actually a robo bus here. a buses, trolley, but that's a separate
situation than the ride share. But we also want to look at multi-passenger transportation, but that's a that's a we are looking into that funding, but that's not I want to make clear that's not what this is talking about. This is the the ride share program like the one passenger or two passenger.
>> So, what are you just saying that are you asking to be able to put out an RFP with this or are you telling us about the application coming up? to apply. >> I understand we have to apply, but what I'm asking him is, is that what he's
asking us? Do we want to apply or are he asking to put out an RFP for the service? Because we don't I don't think we know what the service is yet. >> To be clear, this we're not talking about the R any type of RFP or RFQ, etc. This is solely to apply for the the
future grant with DOT regardless of who our current or future ride share partner may be. We want the funding no matter what that the decision on the who the right share partner is up to the council. But for this particular thing, it's only for the application with DOT for the funding.
>> That was what I was trying to clarify >> and I don't think we need to take a vote unless John thinks from a legal standpoint we do. I think just get direction that that I think everybody I talked to individually would say we like to get the funding. Now the question of who and who what and where is a separate issue.
>> So you're just trying to build a consensus amongst council to go on forward and and continue to make >> specifically on the DOT portion of the grant. >> Right. Right. >> I I Anna, you're good with that? >> Uh Deb. >> Yes. >> Vice Mayor. >> Well, we're I think you've got a
consensus on on the these four anyway to move forward. Thank you, Alyssa. >> Thank you. >> Um John, I think you're bringing up the the next item, please. >> Yeah, Jamie wasn't feeling well, so she asked me to um uh step in. I guess I'm
the relief pitcher. Uh so, uh um I know the this was the the most recent 60-day um time period for the uh performance review for for the village manager for Ron. uh the um uh all five of you have
uh completed it, some written, some uh some oral. Um and uh so I don't know if there's any if there were any discussion points or if you had any questions. Um otherwise, Jamie has uh um has the input from uh from all five of you.
>> Okay. Uh Deb, do you have anything you want to say about the evaluation? >> Um no. Uh, I'm pleased with Ron's service with us and he and I had a discussion about the things that I think we still need to do. >> Very good.
>> Um, so no, I I don't know. Do is this the meeting where we would say yes, we want to just >> extend or if if we didn't want to if we had to call that out tonight,
>> which I don't think is happening, but >> yeah, I would say only if you didn't want to. I would that we would want to get direction. Yeah. >> Very good. All right. >> Anna Anna, anything you want to talk about? >> No, I'm good. >> You're good. Okay. Vice Mayor. >> No, he talks to me more than he wants
to, I'm sure. So, >> I think I think that's the same thing. We communicate on a daily basis. And I I personally think Ron is is an asset to the village and I think he's doing a wonderful job. And we all keep pulling him in 12 directions. And he's Look, his
hair hasn't changed a bit since he's come to work with it. So, we're thankful. >> And he still has hair. >> Very good. He still has hair, right? We can't get grayer, but we can follow it out, right? >> Okay. Very good. Ron, do you have
anything to say to us? >> Well, yeah. Thank you for the input. And uh I did meet either individually or you actually all of you uh and I got some good constructive criticism. Nobody's perfect and I understand that I need to do some things better. Uh but I do think that we have made a lot of progress
especially with the interaction with our citizens. We've been I think much more transparent. We've involved them in the baseball committee, the citizens budget review committee. Uh we've had more input from people. So I want to continue that. The newsletter has been wellreceived. And the input I've gotten from the community is that they think
we're on the right track. And that's the most important thing to me is not what I do personally, but what the village is doing because we all represent the village. And I'm certainly open to the public as far as anything we could do better. And um I appreciate uh your support. >> I want to thank you. And before you walk
out, Aaron, I just wanted to mention Aaron, one of our lobbyists is here. We we have not for years had lobbyists show up to our meetings and they they come in yearly and and want to renew their contract, but we don't see them. And now we've got Aaron and we've got Kate and
we've got our lobbyist firm that is working with us very well and and uh having a a meeting with us and the public every Friday. And if you read the newsletter, you're more than welcome to to come in and listen to what's happening during this legislative session. And um and we're thankful for
Aaron, you being on board, and Kate and and certainly for our lobbyists now stepping up to the plate and doing what we pay them to do and to be communicative with us. So, thank you, Aaron. Thank you for being here. >> I know she that's why I wanted to catch
her before she left. >> All right. Very good. All right. Uh moving on. We're going to have a discussion regarding our favorite topic, the baseball license agreement. So, Ron, you want to kick that off, please?
>> Well, as I was speaking about challenges, uh this has certainly been one I started in April of last year and immediately started working on trying to get a baseball license agreement put together. We've had numerous meetings. We've set up the, as I mentioned, the citizens baseball committee. Couple of members are actually here in the
audience. We've had parks and recreation committee members uh meeting with us. We've had obviously a lot of village council meetings and workshops and I mean hours and hours and hours. A lot of community input which we hadn't had in the past truthfully and I think we've really come a long way as far as that.
On uh January 8th we brought to you a proposed agreement and I think it was a I think a good agreement. It passed five to nothing on January 8th and I think you heard the community input. It was a compromise. Nobody got exactly what they wanted. uh whether you want a turf or
grass or where you want the buildings to be. Uh we did have some requests the school board they agreed to removing the second building that we realized we probably didn't have to have. They could use the existing building on first baseline as an example. So we passed on January 8th. The next day I I sent it to
the school board uh uh by email. We can verify that. Didn't hear anything back. And then uh about a month later the school board had a retreat in Key West uh which we were not invited to. we had no input on and they on their own uh
made major changes to our January 8th agreement. Um they a lot of red lines they was sent not to me but to John Quick and then they expected that the attorneys to work out the agreement and that's the way the schoolboard does it. I said that's not the way we do it and
that uh yeah we have to do things in sunshine. We have to do things publicly with obviously council's approval. So, at that point, I went to the school board on February 24th. I wasn't invited. I just wanted to, you know, present our position. And my position was that we own the field. We, the
village, own the field. They're going to come up with the money, you know, $6 million. So, it's a landlord tenant situation. We're the landlord. We require, as I mentioned, I've I've written leases and attorney. Always put in there, the tenant needs to have our written permission before making any improvements or renovations. That's a
standard clause. And I think hopefully they understood that. Uh at that point we're kind of at impass. Uh at that I had not spoken directly to superintendent tierney about any negotiations in the interlocal agreement. It says that the school superintendent and the village manager
are authorized to negotiate back and forth. So we had a call a week ago last Friday and on the call was John Quick and myself, the superintendent and his legal counsel and we went through all the differences. We tried to resolve where we're apart and we we we tried to get something in writing. The problem
was when we got the actual written document from their attorney, their attorneys prepared it. There was for example u I insisted that no no matter what it's non-negotiable we must have oversight and control on the ball field that the ball field the drainage the type of system we have to have you know
control on that and they agreed except the written document we got back said the exact opposite. It was a clerical error but that kind of started the roll down the road of not having an agreement. Uh so despite what you might have heard on the street, uh there's no compromise. There's no agreements. I've
made no agreements since that point. And so if you hear that there's some backroom deal or something, it's just not true. U I've tried to move it along. So, for tonight's purposes on the table, and I pass out to some of the interested parties, what I asked John to do today, and thank you for doing it. We took I
call it the 50 version, the January 8th version that the is the official position currently of village council that we that you passed on a 50 vote and we took that document and then we had had John compare that with what's on the agenda tonight. I've been trying to watch their meeting, but they're meeting
the exact same time in Marathon. And so this document, which I'll have on our website tomorrow because it just got done today, we're showing in the red what the school district at tonight's meeting is going to be looking at. So in the red where it's underlined, they've added that's their language. If it's
stricken through, they're striking our language. That's their proposal. Once again, our official position as of tonight until otherwise is the the version you passed January 8th. And until I'm directed to change that, I'm not authorized to make any agreements. I'm only authorized to negotiate and
bring it back to you. So once again, uh there's no backroom deal. There's no nothing other than the the approve approvement of the uh the January 8th one. The school district, we have um informally requested that they not take any action tonight because I think it would make it even more confusing if
they pass something their version. And I'd rather see where the differences are because now the public is able to see our version and their latest version because there's two or three things out there. There's a redline version, then there's a a tyranny Ron version, then there's another version. And to make it
simple, we have two versions. We have the vill's official position January 8th, and we have the one that's on their agenda tonight. I think it's confusing talking about any other versions, and there's no agreement at this point. I know that several members have individually talked to schoolboard members, and uh we've asked them
informally if they'd like to meet in public on a joint workshop, and they have uh politely declined. And so that's kind of where we are. Uh there may be some places, once again, we have we own the field. They have the $6 million. And so we want to see if we can reach a an
agreement. We've had a great relationship for 25 years with the school board and we'd like to continue that. But at this point, unfortunately, I can't say that we've reached any consensus and and what and anything I do, I bring to the council. Uh they have a different procedure where their attorneys negotiate it. I'll just send
it to them and they they say yes or no with really not a lot of interaction and we don't obviously do it that way. So that's the update. I'll be happy to answer any questions. I know there's some people in the public that want to talk, but once again to clarify, there's no agreement on the on the table other than the 50 vote that you took on January 8th.
>> Thank you, Ron. Um I I think if it's okay before we take public comment, I'd like for everybody to know where I stand. And I see Sharon's got her microphone on already, too. So, I know she's ready to go, but I I um we we had
a 50- vote and and we went through this with our public and with our citizens and with our voters and it's just like you said, um not everybody got what they wanted, but everybody was satisfied with the outcome of this and and and thank to
the committee and those folks and and Jaime's hard work. Jamie has worked tirelessly on this on this uh uh thing and and I'm thankful for that along with your side Ron and and Sharon you have been intimately involved in this but for
the school board to take uh a an owner tenant agreement and to change 16 out of the 19 pages not including the signature pages but there is a change on 16 out of the 19 pages is not trying to negotiate
It's trying to buffalo their way through this contract and and and I personally don't think that's right. But Sharon, take it on. Go for it. >> Oh, this is fun. You're ready. >> Now that I had my surgery, I'm going to get up on my soap box
>> cuz I can I can move my leg now. I have been involved in this for quite some time before you came around, Ron. And um I'm very happy that after u reaching out to Richie Russell and Tony Hammond who are the baseball people, we were able to
sit down and negotiate what everybody wanted and it's Jamie Engles and I are like inseparable now. We work almost every day. Captain Ed and Sandy care about the environment and we should. Uh Cheryl Colulbertson brought out that the baseball field's not ADA compliant and
it has to be. So there's something we overlooked. Um Alina Davis, Elizabeth Jolan, everybody has showed such great care and concern. I am myself. I don't even want to talk about this. I think this is rude. I think we as the owners
of this property, we want what's best for the kids. We already know what the school board did down in Key West to that field. It's public knowledge. They shorted the field. I don't want that to happen to our kids here. nor do I want to ignore the residents who this is a
park. It is not Coral Shores High School. So, there's this fine line we have to balance between what's best for the kids and what's right for the citizens. Now, Ron, you did leave something out that I was there last Friday, which is fine. And I asked our
attorney who I admire greatly and everybody who doesn't know John, he might live in Miami, but his heart is in Al Marada. and I appreciate you. >> Okay. Well, I app I appreciate you. I appreciate you greatly. And I asked him
point blank point blank, is this a good deal for the village? Can I ask you what you replied to me? >> Go ahead. >> I said no. I didn't think it was. >> Okay. So, that should be enough. I say we stand by our 50 vote. We stand with
the residents and our children. And this is 40 years. Some of you guys might still be on council, but but but I don't think this affects generation after generation. And if we're not smart enough to stand up for
our kids and our residents, I don't know why any of us were up here. So, I say 50 vote stands. I don't even want to talk about this. >> Get off my soap box. >> Thank you, Sharon. Deb, your mic's on. Will you go for it? So, I think the 50 vote should stand,
but I also think that uh what they did was crazy. I mean, and I will back you up. I asked John that same basic question at a different time and he gave me the same answer. No, I don't think so. >> You ask me the same question, I'll give you the same.
>> Exactly. Exactly. Um I do think we need to be a little bit open-minded going forward. not 16 pages of changes, but you know, there's going to be something in there that we probably need to negotiate and work through. We need to
be open-minded to that. Um, but yeah, at this point, we're not even close. >> Well, thank you, Dan. Uh, uh, Anna. >> Sure. So, I guess the most frustrating part about this whole thing is that
we've all spent hours upon hours dealing with this, talking to everybody, reading everything, and the village, the residents, the baseball coaches, staff from Coral Shores, everybody has been intimately
involved, but the school board, which is mind-blowing to me. So the school board to me just seems to be doing their own thing and not caring what everybody else thinks and wants. >> So the fact that they went off and had a meeting, a little retreat, whatever you
want to call it, and did this is just crazy to me. And the fact that we have all said, you know, I'll make myself available. Let's meet. Let's let's get this over with and get it moving forward. If there's a couple words we need to change to make things whatever
that like that's fine, but I mean to hand me a book of 16 pages of changes is crazy. Just so I don't even know. >> Yep. >> They got to do something.
>> Thank you, Anna. I I you know it it it came to my attention that that they have not once taken our agreement and had a discussion at their meeting that every time they've had a discussion about this licensing agreement it's been under
their terms under their changes and under their ideas and and no public discussion about our original that we voted 50 and how can you not at least start off with the base document and then have a discussion from mayor
>> before we voted for this, before we even voted 50 for this, >> um, we all invited them to have a public workshop with us and to come here and and to be open to the public and to this day, none of them will do that. Now, I
understand that that they operate in the government world completely different to me. they're policy makers and they don't like getting in the weeds with this thing, but we get in the mud with it and and and we don't mind it and uh um
because we we have to get a document that's acceptable to the public. So, I I think that number one, we do need to listen to the public and number two, they need to listen to us and they need to they need to start off with this document and then sit down and and and
talk to us and not send their guy, their construction guy here. >> They need to be here with us because they're the ones that are going to make the decision on this. >> Right. >> They're forgetting it's about the kids. >> Yeah. Right. >> And I think the school board is supposed to be there for the kids. You're not
being there for the kids right now. That's and that's what this document does. It's it's a generational document. It it's it's not the kids that are playing here. It's their kids and even their grandkids in a 40-year document and and and we're looking to the future
and and and they're not. So, that's where I stand. So, um Mary, you want to open it up to public comment if we can. Let's just stick to this this licensing agreement for now and then we'll open it up to public comment after that. So Marne, are there anyone to sign up on
that? >> Well, there are several folks signed up for public comment, but I'm assuming that this is the subject they would like. >> Let's just talk about this subject for now. So we we can just do it that way. Um I see a hand up. Sum Miller, your hand is up. You're more than welcome to
comment. Please try to keep it to three minutes if you can. We're all passionate about this, but please do. Sum Miller, lower Makumbi, Grandma to the left fielder, Andy Conn. >> There you go. >> And I've been watching their game. They
are playing right now as we speak at Founders Park and they're playing one of the largest schools in Miami Dade County and we are one of the smallest schools around and it's in now in the second
inning. 0 0. Um, Coral Shores had three men on in the first inning, wasn't able to score, and they haven't had anybody on yet. They beat Coral Shores 15 to nothing in their
first game in Dade County, >> South Dade. And um what I have to say is that we have dozens of kids that put their hearts and soul into doing the best they
can possibly do and coaches that devote sign significant time and energy to helping the players be better on the field and off the field. We need to provide the best playing field and facilities now and for the next 40
years. And we need to be certain that the funds are available for all that time via the agreement we develop. Now, the schoolboard version of the license and use agreement allows us little oversight on our own property to asssure
that our kids are getting what our tax dollars should guarantee. Not just these kids today, but for the next 40 years. Our version of the agreement addresses who pays for replacement costs, approval of the quality of the field service. The
school board seems to think they should have total control, forgetting it is forgetting it is our field, our kids, our funding, whether via the schoolboard tax or village tax. We are the taxpayers
and we deserve the very best for our children. Thank you. Thank you so much, Sue. Uh Sandy Basiglia, uh Jamie, if I if I can, I'm going to save you to the last because you're gonna be the icing on the cake anyways. So, please I got
you. I see you, Cheryl. Sandy, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um Sandy Bagglia, resident of Alam Marada, an advocate for all of our children. I just wanted to thank the village for um all of the time and energy you have spent in trying to
get this right and also for your advocacy to try to meet with the school board or and so forth and just have some talks together. I'm sorry that they have not taken you all up on that. And I wanted to mention in terms of what Anna
Richards me mentioned about the retreat that they had to discuss this topic um it was publicly noticed but it was held in Key West. And generally speaking the protocol has always been that if you discuss a topic in a certain area of the
Keys, you discuss it in that area of the Keys so that you know people have access to um going to the meeting in person if they so desire. and that was not followed which was a big disappointment as well. So though they had a retreat it
was noticed legally but it was in Key West and we're um you know 180 miles round trip from that. Thank you. >> Thank you Sandy and that's a good point. I you bring it up is you if you look at
the three levels of of a of a meeting you you've got you've got your meeting you've got a workshop and then you've got a retreat. It's a retreat is normally very informal and there's nothing informal about what we're dealing with on here. So, uh, it s certainly should have been up here, but at the same time, it should have been a
meeting with us. Um, Captain Ed, you had your hand up. If you could, let's do this topic on three minutes, too. So, we've got a lot of people. >> I This is information. >> Thank you. >> Let me tell you what it is. >> Thank you. >> I think you need the five.
>> Yes, sir. Um, for the record, I am Captain Ed Davidson, chairman of the IRS 501c3, Florida Keys Citizens Coalition, former four years Keyswide elected member of the school board. I've lived among them. I know how they do their business. uh dozens of crucial island of
40-year safeguards for Founders Park, many of which were the result of major citizen uh involvement, multiple public discussions, all this the way it should be done, and extensive public input from taxpayer owners of the park have been
deceptively altered and or deleted outright from the school board's baseball license counter proposal. The only way to find out all these changes is to set printouts side by each and compare them page by page and paragraph
by paragraph which took me from 8 in the evening to 4 in the morning the first time I did that which is why I'm here to share these are just quotes of stuff uh not not not opinions. So uh and and I'm only quote about a third of the of the
changes. Uh, I'm going to give you the documentation of of the rest of it, but the public also needs to hear uh a bit of this. The limit for the past 25 years of schools usage formally started at 2:30 in the afternoon. That's been deleted by the school board and extended
to the whole day, disenfranchising morning and midday use by local families that they've had all these 25 years with publicly stated intentions to dramatically expand multiports school system use year round. The additional related requirement that
in the event lency requires postseason use of the field after May 31st or pre-season use prior to January 1st, all costs in utilities, maintenance, and operations during that extended use shall be solely the responsibility of the Lency. That was in what you voted
for. It's been deleted. Although they've publicly stated they intend to do exactly that they intend to expand their use. Um, further deletions. Under no circumstances shall the cost of removal, recycling or replacement of the
playing surface or improvements revert to the license village of Alam Marada deleted. Deleted from what you voted for. Uh, totally rejected by the school board. Lensur shall have the right to approve the contractor. Uh, oh no. Uh, the
license source shall have the right to review and approve all major construction materials, field systems, product specifications. Deleted this. This is purposeful and deliberate and arrogant as hell. Uh, and credible new demand. Campers
lences shall have sole discretion to determine when the improvements are in need of modification, renovation, or replacement. That leaves the village with no say about safety or quality for 40 years.
With respect to Alamra's serious stuff, guys, with respect to Alamra's landlord authority to insist on changes to schoolboard ballfield proposals, quote, the lease shall make best efforts to incorporate such changes or revisions as
inserted by the school board. Best efforts. Gosh, I hope nobody has a hernia, but trying to Oh, wait a minute. There's more. In the event that the Lency does not wholly accept license requested revisions and recommendations, the school board demands a mediator to
negotiate away your rights. It gets worse. In the event lensur objects and recommends changes to submittals, lensur shall be solely responsible for all cost, fees, and expenses associated with
making the changes. You're going to be build by the contractor um at change order rates by a contractor you never approved in accordance with plans that were developed out of the sunshine by facilities director Pat Lefir run meetings at which the public was not
welcome um and about which no public notices were advertised and documenting which only three sets of minutes have been produced for freedom of information action u covering the past five years of planning for a $6 million project.
>> Thank you, Catman. We've got many more people we want to talk about and you're exactly right. That's why we mentioned the 16 out of the >> I will give you a print copy of there. There's like three times as many and they're substantive. >> Thank you. Uh Ron, you had something an
interruption that's a little unusual, but um the school board, >> these are the guys who are supposed to go where the >> they're talking right now about live. >> I know it's unusual. Can we maybe listen a little bit on it? >> I I I don't think it's necessary.
>> Public meeting with all 10. >> Let them talk about it. They need to come to us. It's not us. I don't want to interrupt our meeting with their >> You want an update on this? >> Uh let's see. Okay. Um
>> huh. >> Elizabeth had her hand up. Let's go to Elizabeth first. Elizabeth Jolan Islander resident. Uh first, thank you very much for the jobs you're doing here. Well done all around council. We really appreciate it. Um on this subject, um I have a question and I
know it's not back and forth, but I wonder under which under is there an agreement in place right now under which we are allowing the school board and to use the field? Like what are we working under now? That's a question. And then additionally, I wonder if if there could be some very clear direction from your
council to Ron as to how to move this forward in a very clear and and and uh concise way because the time wasted. >> Please stop. >> Captain Ed, >> can we please this room bounces no
matter who's talking and how quiet they are, it really bounces around. And Elizabeth got the floor right now and I want to respect that. So, >> um, >> thank you. So the the the first question was what relationship are we working under? What agreement are we working
under currently? I think it's relevant for everyone. The second comment would be can this council give direction to Ron in a very clear manner as to how to move forward because the time wasted here between Ron and John
and you all and Jamie is astounding. But um it seems like there could be a a very clear direction about how to move this forward without all the back and forth. Thanks. Thanks again. >> Thank you, Elizabeth. >> Come on up.
>> How quickly how quickly they forget your name. >> No, Joe, I didn't forget your name. What's up? >> I've just got a couple of quick comments. First of all, by the school board refusing to meet with people in public, that's got to stay say something
right in itself. The second thing is we've had a lot of complaints about our field and what how bad a shape it's been in. The school board has been responsible for that. Even right now, it's not in as good a shape as what they promised it was going to be. We look at
the changes that they did, the missteps they did down in Key West. We don't want to put up with any of that. I implore you to stick to your guns, stick to our agreement, and make sure that we get the best thing possible. Thank you. >> Thank you, Joe. Cheryl Calverson.
>> I got a name of a good surgeon. Cheryl >> Cheryl Culbert, Venetian Shores. Uh, I want you to promote this day in history because I'm going to agree with two things. One was Sue Miller and the other one was Nancy Reagan. Just say no. It's the answer from Nancy Reagan. But more importantly, I implore you to look
at this. As a landlord, I would not re-engage this tenant. He has been a poor tenant at best. Has failed to perform at all times. And you you're lucky that you've ins you have insurance because of the failure that I see. The most important thing I can tell you
looking at this contract and having been over here for the last four years, I'm sorry I didn't bring it in, but I my husband and I could not get down on the field. He was in a wheelchair. I want you to look at section small eye um
number uh six and it says standards of contra of construction. And Mayor Horton, you and I discussed this yesterday, but it said comply with number six, comply with all
applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and procedures of all applicable governmental authorities. That includes Florida accessibility. That includes my ability to get a wheelchair down there without killing myself or hurting somebody or anybody else. Wheelchair, walker, anything else.
That field is not compliant. It's inexcusable. This is a park. Everybody here should be able to use the park. And that includes going to the ball games which we used to enjoy until we couldn't get down there. And you shouldn't have to hurt yourself on the stands because there is no handrails on the stands to get upstairs.
Just say no to the school board. >> Thank you, Cheryl. Yeah. No, I you know uh rest assured that when this when this plan whenever the submit submitt is made when the application is made our planning department will review it for
for storm water management for the engineering on that our building department will look at it as it relates to the Florida building code and the Florida accessibility code and the ANIE standards and all of those things and they have not made an application yet.
Uh I have told them because I sit on their construction advisory board uh for the school board uh as John Dick's appointee and I have told them that they are going to have to go seek approvals through uh the village through South Florida Water Management District uh
because of the size of this property. Uh they have yet to do that as well. So, uh, and there's we can't do a plan review on this until they make an application to do a plan review. And rest assured that our planning department will make sure that they meet
all the provisions of of our village code and our building department will make sure it meets all the provisions of Florida Building Code and um, you know, those other state and local regulatory agencies that have to oversee that. So,
they've got some busy work to do, but I think first they need to understand that there has to be an owner tenant agreement before they do that. So, thank you. >> Uh, who else? Elena, please. >> Alina Davis, village of Island Marada
resident. I want to thank all of you for sticking to your guns. It is so important that we take that 50-0 vote forward and make sure that the school board does not try to shimmy their way around um what we vote what you all
voted for and we represent and we approve of that. From what I'm reading, the latest version from the school board takes away our right to approve the contractor and the right to review and approve all major construction materials, field
systems, and product specifications. If you remember, Pat Lefir stood here and said that the existing baseball field would be in pristine condition at the beginning of the baseball season. Nothing has been done. the outfield has
not had any improvements that I'm aware of. One item that I believe is being ignored is the liability for injuries during this interim period while there is no license agreement. If a child gets
hurt while playing baseball, who is responsible? Is there a hold harmless signed by each child's parents that will indemnify the village or are we open to a lawsuit? This agreement has a possible 40-year
life. So, it will impact not just the boys playing baseball now, but their children and grandchildren. So, it is extremely important that we get it right this time. Please remember that this is our park. We bought it and we need to
protect it. We are the landlords and the school board wants to rent it. The landlord makes the rules and has ultimate authority as to what is done on the landlord's property. It's as simple as that.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you, Elena. >> Anybody else? Well, certainly Jamie, please put the icing on the cake for us, would you? >> Okay, icing on the cake. Jamie Engel,
Venetian Shores. I want to explain something important in very simple terms. The village of Island Marada owns P founders Park. That means the village is the landlord. The school district is the tenant asking permission to build and use a baseball field on village
property for the next 40 years. On January 8th, this council voted unanimously five to nothing to approve a baseball field license agreement. That agreement was carefully written to protect the park, protect the village, and protect the community for the long
term. It ensures that the village would continue to have oversight and approval over the design and construction of any improvements at the field. The next day, January 9th, that approval agreement was sent to the school district. Since then, the school board has held three
meetings. In these meetings, the agreement approved by this council has not been placed on the agenda. It has not been discussed publicly and it has not been voted on. Then that that means the document this council approved has been sitting with the school district
for weeks without any public discussion. There's another piece of information that makes this even more important. The school district has already signed a design build contract with a construction company called Keystar. And I gave John a copy of that contract because I don't think John had seen it
previously. A design build contract means the contractor does not just build the project. The contractor also designs it. In other words, the contractor is responsible for developing the final plans, the buildings, the layout of the field, the structures, and many of the
decisions about how the project will ultimately look. This project is currently estimated at about $6.2 million. So once the license agreement is signed, the contractor will be the one controlling the design process unless the village clearly keeps approval authority. That is exactly why
the January 8th agreement was written the way it was. The village version requires that all plans, the early designs, the detailed plans, the final construction drawings come back to the village for approval. That language ensures that the land owner, the
village, maintains oversight of what is built on our park and those protections. If those protections are weakened or removed, then the village loses its ability to guide what ultimately gets built at Founders Park. And remember,
this agreement is not for 5 years. It's for 40 years. 40 years means this decision affects not just today's baseball players, but their children and their grandchildren. It affects the families who come to the park to watch games, the residents who walk the paths,
the grandparents who toss the ball with their grandkids, and the community members who simply enjoy the open space and breeze that makes Founders Park so special. The agreement this council approved on January 8th protects all of that. It protects the park, it protects
the village, and it protects the community. Changing it now would remove protections that the council already determined were necessary. So tonight, I respectfully ask you to stand by your unanimous vote. Do not weaken the agreement that you already approved. The village did its
job. The village acted responsibly. The village protected the park and the community. Now the most important thing we can do is hold the line because when we make a 40-year decision for a public park, we shouldn't lower the protections
after we've already put them in place. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jimmy. And can I say one more thing just I I they the school district has already signed way back when an agreement with KStar. They have paid them. They have written change orders
and I have all the documents I'm happy to share. And so the the meeting on January 27th that the school board actually had they approved the final design plan. So the point that Captain Ed brought up earlier in their new version of the con of the agreement they
sent to us, if we want to make any changes to those plans, we will be responsible. And the last change order that was made, which was for the first baseline building that's over there. There is a bill here for uh change order
$46,1253 and that was for professional services for the subcontractor contractor fee and on-site estimated labor. That was just the change order for the design team. That had nothing to do with the amount of money was going to be put into that
building. So, if that's an example, almost $50,000, then we would end up getting stuck. If we don't keep to our guns with what you guys all approved, we any change we make, changing the concession stand
design, doing something, it could cost us a minimum of $50,000, and I don't think the village has that money or wants to spend that money on it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Amy. Uh, okay. I don't see any other public
comment, so why don't we go back to a little bit of discussion here or whatever. Do you want to close with anything, Vice Mayor? >> No, I'm standing 5. >> Anna, >> I mean, I think it's out of our hands. I think
we need to let John and go talk to them and figure out what what they're going to do because they need to come back to us. Deb, >> I'm just going to say I think that John and and Ron both understand our desires
and that it's it's got to be negotiated out that way. >> I I think it's pretty sad. I need I think everybody I think everybody agrees that we want the best for the the the the kids in the upper in the upper keys area coming out of Coraurs to play at
the best field. We want what's best best for the the public to have and and and for the citizens of Alamada to have their their land protected. Um, one thing that upset me was looking at this also at this amortization schedule. This
this building they have they have no they haven't added in any depreciation on that building as well. So they start off with a certain number and they work it try to work it through 40 years. But in 40 years, government doesn't the government property doesn't do like
residential property where it appreciates through the years. It has a depreciable value and we would all depreciate something of ours that would be like that if if we owned it. So, uh they are working off of a a set number and then they want to advertise it
across and not depreciate the value of that. And the minute we step on that, even we step on that field, the minute we step on that field, we start depreciating that the value of that grass because it it wears out. And that's why it has to be replaced every 10 years. I I I'm I'm glad to know we're
all on the same page and this community is all on the same page. It's not an us against them thing. It is really truly what we believe is what the right thing to do and and and um we're sticking to our guns and we're more than welcome. we
will welcome them to come here and meet with us uh in a public forum um and and talk about this stuff, but we at this point it's 50 and we're sticking to our guns on that. So,
>> John, please just to um just come out. Just wanted to confirm whether council would like us to reiterate the request for a a joint public meeting with the base document to be discussed as as the one that the village approved back in January. >> That's the base document. And I believe
I'm seeing nodding heads that there's there's a consensus to we're working with our document. They're more than welcome to come and talk about our document, not their document, not something that's punches of pages of red lines. We'll talk about our document and
and we'll talk about with the public what their concerns are about this document so that we can let them know that we're not we're not trying to pull anything over on them. It's it's an owner tenant agreement that we'd like to stick with and >> we're we've got a consensus. Yes.
>> Yeah. Ron and I can reach out to them and reiterate that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, that was good. Okay. Um, >> well, can I ask John a question real quick? Elizabeth Jolan had a good point. What are we operating on right now if we
don't have an agreement, if something does happen? That is a good point. >> So, we um under Florida law, if you continue operating under the agreement that's existing, the there's there's a body of law that says you continue operating under that agreement. So, we would continue falling under that. We've
been recognizing it and they've been recognizing it. So, that would be we would fall under that. Thank you. >> So, there's an assumption that it continued on. Okay. Very good. All right. Uh we'll open it up to public comment now. So, Marne, will you Are there any more public comment?
>> Well, let me uh go over some of the names. First up, we have uh Annie Osgard. I think she would actually like to speak. >> Woohoo. >> All right. Good evening again. Annie Onsgard, uh, Founders Park assistant
director, and I just wanted to provide a brief update, um, that we launched our new admission policies and fees for the use of Founders Park, and we also launched our new recreation management system, RecTrack. Um, Frank, if you can
put up the QR. Okay, maybe not. Well, if you stop over at the park office and you'll see it at many of our facilities, we have launched the new app. So, um it's our one-stop shop for everything uh parks and recck services.
And so now you'll have it uh online and available to purchase um and sign up for programs and events. Um so, just wanted to make everybody aware of that and encourage everybody to download the app and use its features. Thank you. Okay. So, next I had um Captain Ed
Davidson. Captain Ed, did you want to speak again? >> No. Okay. Um, Professor Ken Thomas. >> Welcome, Professor. >> Thank you. I'm uh Ken Thomas once again speaking
against the proposed Angller's Reef right-of-way parking, whether presented as a sale, lease, or public parking. Windley K, where I've lived for over 20 years, is the least populated of our four inhabited islands. Often receiving
the least attention and protection, almost treated like an orphan island, where wealthy outsiders try to take advantage. like 15 years ago when a rich outsider tried to develop a dinosaur attraction
in our historic Windy Key State Park. I spoke out against it with the support of the late Keys historian Jerry Wilkinson. I have no doubt if Jerry was here tonight, he would oppose the Anglers Reef rightway proposal. The dinosaur proposal was stopped, but now we face
the same problem. Angller's Reef, mainly non-resident wealthy owners are trying to use our public rightway for overflow parking. The village has bent over backwards to accommodate them. First, they were approved for 52 homes when it
should only have been 45 at the most. Those seven extra units valued at over a million dollars each made the developers a lot of money, but caused the parking problem that they want us to solve. Second, we deeded them a 600 ft rideway
out front for development and a huge privacy wall. Third, their proposed angular parking requiring backing into the road was cited unsafe by our former village engineer and prohibited by code,
but this council changed the code for them the following month. Fourth, besides calling this a top priority project, the village recently waved site plan application fees and deposit. Enough is enough. Following up my comments last month
about legal and financial risks, the Attorney General's office has been made aware of this matter. Please read the March 2nd editorial by the Alamarada Community Alliance opposing any Anglr's Reef right-of-way proposal. Other than Wranglers Reef owners and
their friends, I can't imagine anyone supporting it. Anglers Reef could simply buy or lease adjacent private parking space like everyone else. They've got the money. They offered 500,000 to pay for it. But like the dinosaur developer 15 years ago, taking advantage of
stepchild Windley Key, they want public help. Years from now, people will look back at the angller's reef proposal. I respectfully ask this council not be remembered for approving any type of rightway parking accommodation even if
cloaked as a parking for public that primarily benefits wealthy absentee landlords. Thank you. And again a March 2nd letter was titled they paved paradise to put up a parking lot. I hope
that becomes part of the record. Thank you. >> Thank you professor Morning. Okay, next up would be Joe Wishmeer. >> Yes, Joe Wishmire, Plantation Key mayor and council. In January, I again brought up the afteraction report that we used
to get every month to update the public about ongoing council and staff actions discussed at meetings and progress on those items. The last complete one was on May 6, 2025. We do appreciate the attempt that has been made, but it sure
needs to be a lot more. Again, I'm amazed at the lack of important items to be discussed at this meeting. I will now bring up a few. How about paying overtime to pick up trash on the fills on Sunday? Again, I drove by. We don't own it or manage it, yet we
still have people on Sundays picking up trash in a place where there isn't supposed to be any people. Pulled from the consent. Number two pulled from the consent agenda by Mayor D Horton was the ridiculous amount of money FDOT is paying the village to
maintain 18 miles of right ofway. They're going to pay us $65,000. There's people that pay $200 a month or more just to maintain their small yard. And now what about all the new landscaping they're putting in? Who's
going to take care of all that? That's ridiculous. Number three, Florida Bay Forever's lease was to end March 1st. Despite not even being on last month's agenda, it was brought up and moved to this meeting, but again, it's not even
on the agenda. Four, Windley Key Parking, Anglr's Reef Resort. How can there be permit and site plan applications when the council hasn't approved it, especially when 45 of the 52 homes are vacation rentals? Five.
wastewater. Still not self-sufficient. What happened to the review of edu counts? Some businesses, their counts are grossly inaccurate. Six, environmental standings. How about scarified lot like the one that used to
be beautiful hammock behind CVS done even without a permit? Strategic planning that was directed by council in 2023. Don't you think all these and many more are important enough to be placed on the agenda and discussed? All these items
would also be great on an afteraction report where the charter review committee meets every week discussing many items that have already been voted on and turned down by the public. The comp plan's first draft was turned into
staff in December. Yet no workshops have taken place. While staff has been reviewing and making changes, the public has been kept in the dark. Staff retuned their version back to Able City in February. Still without public input.
While the charter is important, change changes can be made at a public vote. The comp plan is to control overdevelopment and protect our natural resources and environment. Once built on and destroyed, a vote will not undo the
damage. If I could just have a couple more seconds, I would like to talk about Natalie Goodwin. She did an excellent proposal on something that I've brought up a few times about allowing the students to come in. I think she did a
great job and I hope you really consider that and allow students with students IDs to come in. >> Thank you, Joe. They're always welcome. >> Uh Marne, who else? >> Next is Sue Miller.
Sue Miller, lower Matakumbi representing the Marada Community Alliance. Thank you for listening. Um, first of all about the youth council. I thought that uh that demonstrated to all of us how much time and thought our committees particularly
theirs put into helping our community be a better place to live. Thank you to the youth council and to Natalie for the thoughtful ideas and I hope that you will put it on the agenda their request
to make it clear that a um student ID will get them into Founders Park whether or not they're a resident of Alam Marada ride share. We are applying for a grant,
but we need to put it out for an RFP to um do a selection. We have waited and waited for the last five or six years for this service to be put out for bid. Not because we want to end the service, but because competitive bidding is
required by local, state, and federal law. It gives us all an opportunity to provide the best service at the best price. What is with the afteraction report we were promised last month? It's so
important to residents so we know what's happening with the project the staff has been assigned. We approved creative paid parking on Windley Key, but we need to do something to acquire a
company that can do paid parking throughout the village. Where does that stand? The website shows that the condo there submitted a site plan for the parking to Alam Marada. Why would the
condo provide a site plan? They're not the owners of the property. Site plans are only to be submitted by property owners. The review says that the staff is waiting for a license and use
agreement between the condo and the village. I hope that's nothing like the license and use agreement for the baseball field at Founders Park or we might still be talking about this in three years
about the afteraction report. It's tough to know what work is underway. Um what what is with the green turtle hammock? Um what what about the efforts for use
use of the old church island silver and spice the macha property? We we seem to think of those as being important issues, but why aren't they ever on the agenda? the contract for landscaping and
maintenance services. That's $65,000 that they reimburse us to maintain 18 miles of rightway just drives me crazy. And with the new trees and shrubs that they're installing between mile marker
75 and 81 is going to create a whole lot of more work for maintenance. Those sea rape trees are going to be have have to be constantly maintained. Please do better to keep the taxpayers informed about their community and and
what's happening with their tax dollars. Thank you so much. The game is still the game is still close. Two nothing. >> Good deal. All right. Um you know that's been brought up a couple of times, Ron. Um I I does is is
this action item list not in the published agenda >> uh that we publish each each meet before each meeting? >> It is now. I put it in there today. I didn't realize it wasn't. >> Okay. Very good. Because many of the things that are being brought up are
actually on this u action item. And I know that when it comes to the DOT agreement, we we did we are going to have a discussion about that um because we've sent AJ back to do some talking to
DOT and whatnot. So we had that discussion at the last meeting, right? >> Yeah. Okay. All right. So a lot of those things are on there, but um Marne, is there anyone else signed up to speak? >> Um we have Jamie Angel is next. Jamie,
did you want to speak? Good. Okay. Elizabeth Jolan, >> she's gone. >> Elizabeth, >> we wore her out, too. >> Alina Davis. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Quick one. >> Yes, ma'am. If y'all could please respect Elena while she's up here and let's not talk.
It really does bounce around this place. And I'm hard hearing and I can hear y'all back there talking. So, let's let's listen to Elena and then move on. >> Elena Davis, Marada. >> Thank you. Um, regarding freebie or shall we call it ride share, are there
any records with details for ridership or trips per day, which vehicles are in operation, the number of passengers, who are they carrying, is it more than one passenger, or is it like free taxi? So,
if we could get some of those details, maybe that would help us move forward with this ride share program. Thank you. >> Very good. Thank you. >> Next up is Terry Ael. >> Chief,
>> entertain us. You always do. >> It's a first. I actually filled out one of those silly forms. So, >> whatever. >> So, here we go. Got a couple items want to touch base on. Uh, last weekend, middle of the night, your phone did something automatically. Your stove did not. You woke up and the two didn't
match. So, we have daylight savings time. So, what are we supposed to do with daylight savings times? What do we do in conjunction with that? Hangs on your ceiling, one in every bedroom. Change your smoke detector battery. So, please go ahead and get that done. While you're there changing out the battery, look at the bottom of it. There's a date
that's printed on it. If that joker's older than 10 years, run to the hardware store, get yourself a new one, put it up. They do have a life expectancy, and they only last about 7 to 10 years. So, your life may depend on it. So, go ahead and swap it out, change it. Um, that's your public safety comment. Um, now back
to the the the fire department on Founders Park, couple hundred yards over that way on the fan tail of the cruise ship Alam Marada. Alamrada. You guys, some of you will get the reference, others won't. Um, fire department is doing its annual give
back barbecue again. It's on the 21st over at the gazebo on Founders Park. If you're an Ala resident, please come on out. I will be there super stupid early and start cooking. We're doing barbecue, baked beans, corn, uh burgers, dogs, klelaw, and uh there's obviously sodas
and beers and stuff to drink as well. And then the last thing is spring break is next week. Uh so nobody should be in the schools, but if you drive by the schools uh between Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and I believe sometime on Thursday, you will see a high fire
rescue and high high police presence. We are doing training for a god forbid scenario of an active shooter type scenario. So if you see police, you see FWC, you see Coast Guard, you see states attorney's office, you see fire rescue from all over the county, it's training
and we're getting ready for a god forbid it ever happens type scenario. So active shooter training next week at a school. And if anybody wants to volunteer to be a bad guy, be a good guy, or be a victim, hit me up. You all have my number, trust me. So hit me up and we will put uh good use out of you. I
appreciate your time. Thank you. >> Thank you, Chief. Ann and I have done that before a couple of times. Uh, and yeah, it's it's interesting. So, yeah, sign me up, Chief. I'll I'll be there for you. Morning.
>> Terry was blessed. >> Okay, another icing on the cake. Uh, last call. Is there any more public comment? Hearing none, we're going to move on. Uh so John, you want to bring up the consent agenda, please?
>> Yes, we're into the consent portion of the agenda. These items are of routine nature and council members have reviewed these items in advance and sought the advice of staff as they felt necessary. There'll be one vote on the consent items uh which uh today there are six. They're tabs 2 through 7. If anyone would like to pull an item from consent,
he or she should state so now. >> Anyone want to pull any items? Very good. Do I have a motion to approve the uh consent agenda? >> We have public comment on the side. >> Okay, let's do that. Let's have more public comment. >> Thank you.
>> First up is Joe Wishmire. >> You knew that was coming. >> Just a couple of things regarding the consent agenda. I know a lot of times things get put on there that really should be required for discussion. For
example, one of the things, the Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve. Let me repeat that. Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve. Why are we have to install Wi-Fi when people are going there to enjoy the nature preserve?
We've all got our phones if we have absolutely have to do something. I don't understand why we're doing the Wi-Fi thing. So, we don't even know what's going on with the Florida Bay Forever there. And yet, we're talking about doing Wi-Fi. I think that that's a really poor idea and I wish that that
was pulled and not included in a consent agenda. Thank you. >> Is there any more public comment? >> Yes, sir. Sue Miller. >> Sue Miller lower. You hit me at a really bad time. My grandson's batting.
>> Um consent tab six. That is something that really bothers me. You know how often I stand at this microphone objecting to waving competitive bidding, spending significant tax dollars via the consent
agenda, and other budget issues. The procurement policy that you're changing. I didn't even know we had a manual for this. I bet I'm not the only one that didn't know. This manual should be required reading before anyone issues an
RFP, an RFQ, serves on a selection committee, or approves a work authorization. The manual needs significant review and updates. I'm glad it was in the agenda package, and the policies need to be followed. Too often, we ignore competitive bidding
requirements and policies. We need to do better. Thank you very much. He's still batting. >> Oh, he just walked. >> Barney, >> there's no one else.
>> All right. Uh, is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> I'll make a motion to approve a consent agenda. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> All right. Is there any opposition? >> All right. Hearing none, and the motion
passes by unanimous consent. Um, let's move on to eight resolutions. Um, we're on tab 9. Tab eight was uh was deferred. >> Yes. >> Uh, tab 9 is a resolution of the village
council of Alamara Village of Islands, Florida, approving the agreement for professional federal lobbing services between Thornrun Partners and Alamada Village of Islands. Authorizing village officials to implement the terms and conditions of the professional services agreement. Authorizing village manager to expend budget funds. Authorizing village manager to execute the professional services agreement.
Providing for a waiver of competitive bidding. Providing for an effective date. >> Thank you. Ron, you want to discuss this u >> in any way? >> Just that I had a conversation with Mr. Davenport should thorn partners. As you
mentioned earlier, uh we have increased our participation with our state lobbyists. Now we want to step it up with our federal lobbyist. I spoke to Mr. Davenport uh by phone and he has agreed to have a monthly uh call. The difference between state and federal governments is the legislature in
session for 60 days. Congress is pretty much there a lot of times. So we don't need a weekly thing like we do during session for state legislature. I think a monthly call would be good. I individually sent you all or I guess I sent it to you collectively, but you individually are responding. The
suggestion would be to maybe have a monthly call open to the public and the staff as our legislative calls are on the Friday prior to our council meeting. Let's say around 3:00. I'm picking a time. So, it may be like one Friday a
month prior to the council meeting at 3 at 3 p.m. I wouldn't expect them to last longer than 15 or 20 minutes cuz that's what our legislative calls have been doing. But I do think it's good us to stay in touch. Uh he does a lot for us with FQUIP funding. Uh we've also put in some requests for some federal funding
for as you mentioned for Mr. Mayor for transportation dollars, etc. So, we want to kind of get him more activated. uh if you don't ask then they're not you know we need to be more I think uh aggressive as far as what we're asking from the federal government and that's the direction I've gotten individually from you and that's what I think he's willing
to do so I'm recommending that we approve this and that we involve him more in what we want from the federal government >> very good thank you Ron uh Anna did you have something you want to say >> no >> your mic's on um Deb >> yes um first of all I thought in his um
email it suggested said uh noon to 1 or something, but I'm open to a different time frame, but the Friday before I think would be convenient for us to have it at the council meetings than when we talk. Um I do I have worked with them
because of the fact I've been on council for so long. Um and they have done a lot of good work for us up there of getting uh Army Corps money and making sure that we keep in that hold. They also uh proceeded to try to help get the Army
Corps contract uh changed so that we could use some of that funds to help pay for the sewers. Um originally it was current invoices only and he got it that our SRF fund could be um we could use those
invoices to be paid by Army Corps. So he's done a lot of good work for us over the years. >> Thank you, Deb. Yeah, when this first came up, I had the same feeling about our federal lobbyists as I did originally with our state lobbyists that that we never hear from them until it's
time to renew a contract. Uh we've changed that dynamic with our state lobbyists and and we've got a really good communication with them now. Uh I was in Ron's office and um uh got them on the phone and we talked to them and
they agreed to uh have a monthly meeting. They actually agreed to have a weekly meeting, but that was way too much for something going through the feds. So, they agreed to have a monthly meeting with us and bring us up to speed. Uh he did mention how many times you've talked to him, Deb, and and uh uh
gone to Washington and they bringing they're the ones that brought the FQUIP money to the village when the village never had asked for it in the past. I I think it's incumbent upon us to take the bull by the horns where it wasn't before. and and and tell them what we
want and see if we can get it out of the feds just like Peter's doing with this improvement off of US1. I think we should go to them monthly if we've got something on in the back of our mind and see if there's some way that the feds can also help us because we are in an
area that is environmentally sensitive. We're fronted by US1 all the time. So, uh, there's bound to be something that the feds can do to help us and and take the burden off the taxpayers. So, um, uh, with that, do we do I have a motion
to approve the resolution? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Thank you, Deb. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> Thank you, Sharon. Is there any opposition? All right. Hearing none, the motion will uh is approved by unanimous consent. We
can move on. John >> tab 10 is a resolution of the village council of Marta village of islands Florida approving work authorization number two with WSPUSA Inc. for water quality monitoring and canal consulting services authorizing village officials to implement the terms and conditions of work authorization number two
authorizing village manager to expend budgeted funds authorizing the village manager to execute the project agreement for work authorization number two and providing for an effective date. >> Peter. >> Okay. Well, good evening council. So yes, this resolution does approve a work authorization with WSP
uh for the canal monitoring with which does complement our canal restoration work program. So this is a continuation of work that WSP has been doing for us for um a number of years now almost four possibly yeah almost 5 years now. Uh the
canal monitoring is it's essential for our canal restoration program. This is where we get all the data that allows us to evaluate or judge the effectiveness of the canal restoration projects that we are doing. It also allows us to plan for future canal restoration projects um
based on the water quality information we collect which we're collecting in all 63 canals. And then finally, it's also a requirement with uh within the area of critical state concern work program. So Florida Commerce requires us to do the monitoring not only for um the canals
themselves but also for the canal projects that are ongoing. So we do also check the box uh that we need to for the monitoring work with with the state with this work. Um the cost is $81,000. That would bring us through uh 2027. We did
budget for this in this fiscal year. um $81,000 that's within the general fund village manager professional services account and we are recommending uh adoption and approval. Thank you. >> Thank you, Peter. >> All right. Uh is there any public
comment on this morning? >> No, sir. >> All right. Hearing none, it's public comments closed. Uh any questions of Peter or staff? >> Motion to approve. >> You got a motion to approve. Do I have a second? I'll second.
>> Okay. Motion to approve and a second. Uh are there any is there any opposition? Okay. Hearing none. The motion is approved by unanimous consent. Let's move on to ordinances. Tab 11 is an ordinance on second reading. It's an ordinance of Alamra Village, Florida,
amending chapter 66 waterways, article 1 in general, section 66-2, operation of vessels in restricted areas of the village code to modify the Starks wheel ditch uh slow speed/minimum wake zone as further described in exhibit B, providing for severability, providing for inclusion in the code, and providing
for an effective date. >> Thank you so much, Peter. You're it's your show again. >> Yep. Okay. Well, no, thank you, John. So yes, this is the second reading of the ordinance to amend our Stark's wheel ditch slow speed minimum wake zone. As you probably recall from first reading, the reason we are bringing this
amendment up, is because right after the council did approve the ordinance, uh we resumed the permitting, which the final step was with the FWC. And unfortunately, it wasn't until then that they informed us that they wanted us to remove the latitude and longitude
coordinates from both the map and the language in the ordinance. So, in order to comply with that, that's all this amendment does. Um, it does not affect the ability to enforce the zone at all. It does not change where the buoys are
placed or how we manage the zone. This is essentially a technicality we need to comply with. Um, so with a passage of this, we will pass this along to FWC and hopefully have our buoys in place within a month. So, thank you. Any uh happy to
answer any questions we have? >> Thank you, Peter. Sure. >> Uh, Marty, is there any public comment? >> No, sir. >> Oh, there is public comment. You okay, Joe? You didn't sign up, but we're going to let you come. >> No, no, I didn't. And this actually didn't have anything to do with that because this is the last chance I'll
get. As much as I enjoy art, I think the mission statement, the village mission statement, if it's not going to be posted there, it should be somewhere in this room. That was my only comment. Thank you, >> Joe. Okay. Move to approve. >> There's a motion to approve. Is there a second?
>> Wait, wait. Can I ask a question? >> Yes, absolutely. >> Is it done yet? >> Is is it what is it done yet? >> No, it's a there's a motion on the table, so you can still discuss, please. Um, I just wondered why is there a reason that we know why we should remove
the latitude and longitude? I'm just trying to educate. I should have asked that. >> There is a reason. So, the state FWC wanted to remove any ambiguity that would result in putting the coordinates on there because the zone need can only
be in a waterway that is 75 ft or less in width and they're mangroves which are constantly changing and we're kind of right on that 75 ft width. So they're like just remove those numbers, place the buoys in the same spot, and then there's no issues with enforcement. The
buoys are there no matter how much the mangroves encroach or um cut are cut back. The coordinates aren't there, the buoys are there, and you can enforce that. So that's why >> if somebody ran into the mangroves, they'd sue us for being one minute or a second off on our coordinates. It's that
easy. Yeah. >> Okay. There's motion on the table. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. There's a motion and a second. Marty, will you call the role since it's an ordinance, please? >> Yes. I'm sorry. Who made the motion to Richmond? >> Me.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney. >> Yes. >> Council member Ann Richards. >> Yes. >> Council member Deb Gillis. >> Yes. >> And Mayor Don Horton. >> Yes. >> Motion passes 4 Z. >> Very good. >> All right. Are there any other motions?
>> Motion tojourn. Okay. We are ajourned. You can eat your cupcake now. Where is