Um, so I'd like to call to order the Town of Lake Placid Community Redevelopment Agency meeting. It's 5:30 5:31 p.m. on Monday, July 20th, 2026.
At this time, I have the pleasure of introducing David Mullins from Lake View Christian Church for the invocation. If everybody would please stand. Will you pray with me? Almighty God, whom we serve, who has set
all things in order, who has placed individuals in positions of authority to carry out your will and your justice. Lord, we invite you into this time. We ask that you will move in this gathering tonight, that you will guide and lead
the decisions that are made here, Lord. that you would give wisdom to those who lead as well as those who discuss, that you would create opportunities for coming together on issues rather than dividing apart, so that all we do here
tonight might be to the glory of your kingdom and to the furtherance of this Lake Placid community. We ask all of this in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ, our savior. Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen. And at this time I'd like to invite up
John Murphy who's pettic class third petty third class 81 to87 and he served in Ireland, Korea and the Middle East. Mr. Murphy, if you would lead us with the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, sir, and thank you for your service.
>> Eva, would you please take the role? Mayor Charles >> here. >> Council member Royce >> here. >> Council member Hayes >> here. >> Council member Sat >> here. >> Council member Eberhart >> here. >> And just a reminder for those who may not realize at the last um town council
meeting we had two of the community members who had asked to step off of the CRA and the decision was made to just hold those positions open till after the budget. So, the CRA membership is
intact, all five members. Um, I'll now open it up to any public comments on non-aggenda items for the CR meeting. Ken Leblanc 120 yesterday, Lane. Um, so I just want to say [clears throat] the reason I got off of the board was I
can't I can't talk to anybody on the board except for one hour every two months and say my few minutes as far as trying to influence, you know, the revitalization of our downtown utilizing CRA funds and stuff like that. So I felt that it would be better if I got off the
board and I could talk to all you guys, you know, in between and for longer time frames and discuss revitalization of our downtown. Um, and one thing I want to throw out there, the Main Street program, um, I think we slightly considered it maybe a year ago or so,
but um, the deadline to submit for it is six weeks from now. I think that, um, the T and I think it's probably a town council thing, not a CRA thing, but I think, um, the town council should consider that as a possibility. I think the main street program is very helpful
in trying to revitalize a historic downtown. It's got a framework where you bring people in to organize, to get groups together. I think one of the problems we had on the CRA was we didn't have enough town staff to to work the money and spend money and stuff like
that. And uh it's just, you know, too much of a of a big thing to to do with the staff that we have. But if you had a Main Street program, they would be able to help bring things to you, do the leg work, bring things to you, and then you guys can decide and vote on it, whether
it be from the CRA or from the town council perspective of different projects. Um, so um, you know, the Florida Main Street Program has a whole organization. Many towns in in Florida are part of the Main Street program, do great things with the help of the Main
Street program. And I just think it's worthwhile for the town of Lake Placida to consider it. And like I said, six weeks from now is when the deadline is to submit your application. And then I think a month or two later they choose because the state of Florida only allows a few people every year to join the
organization because I'm sure it's it's a process for them too. So um anyways, I just want to throw that out there. Uh I think September 1st is the deadline. This is something you guys might want to consider. >> Thank you. Any other public comments?
Seeing none, uh we'll move on to ex uh item three, the consent agenda. The chair will take a motion approving the agenda. >> Move approval of the consent agenda as presented. >> Second. >> Have a motion. Have a second. Any
comments from the dis >> out to the audience? Seeing none, bring it back. Clerk, please take the role. >> Council member Roy. Yes. >> Council member Sap. >> Yes. >> Council member Hayes. >> Yes. >> Council member Ebart. >> Yes.
>> Thank you. Um, no presentations or citizens on the agenda. Moving on to the action item, uh, project review and update. And I think this is where Eva and the chief are going to tag team each other. >> So, we keep improving on our
presentation hopefully. Um, so we added another sheet that kind of breaks you down all the uh financials and then along with the project list itself. And if you have any questions um you can ask me, Alan, Rachel, Chief.
>> It was hard to hear what you were saying. >> Yeah, I said you can ask any questions. Um Allan and Chief and and Rachel, too. So, Madame Mayor, would this be the appropriate time to make some comments on individual projects? >> Absolutely. Kind of want to keep it fl
and let me just give a quick update for the gazebo project. We have gone out with an RFP for the railing system. So, that's in place. And then in the um town council agenda, there will be discussion on the exercise equip equipment. So, as
we've been talking about new benches for Deain Park and that, you know, we we're really trying to nail down where will the exercise equipment go so we can determine where the the benches go. There's 25 benches in the park today. Don't think that all of them need to be
um they all need to be replaced, but maybe not 25, something less. And then picnic tables. So, it's kind of waiting to hear where that's going to end up so then we can continue on with the gazebo and the um and the benches in the park. But go ahead.
>> If if it's okay with you, madame mayor, I just on four or five of these projects, I just have a question andor a comment >> and uh I'll go through them. The first one is the Dow Hall irrigation project uh uh 26 2026-14.
First, let me say I appreciate town staff for Mr. key for for the notes. It makes it much easier to follow. I would hope that I know that we've kind of put off the irrigation while we're figuring out what exactly to do at by Centennial Park. I would suggest we still go
forward and think we're going to need an irrigation well at some stage. I hope staff will look into how do we go to a corner and what will a you know a two or three inch well you know we start thinking about how do we put the well and pump in and then adjust the actual
sprinkler system later if if or at least think about the options number two can >> can would it be fair to maybe we can respond to some of them that's absolutely I mean maybe we do that is we can respond to any um Allan I know we've talked about the time where the wells
going to go with, you know, future playground equipment. So, that's kind of like the whole scheme of what goes in first, right? Do we put in the well, the irrigation, and then where will the equipment go? But why don't you go ahead and respond on the status of that? >> That that's exactly right. We were holding off because we were waiting to
put a playground structure in place and depended on where that was will determine the entire layout of the rest of the irrigation. As far as getting prices for having a well drilled, we can we that's something we can look into. I wasn't sure if there was a well at the
building uh the 300 D hall building or if that had sprinklers off of city water. I'm not sure. >> It's city water at the the water into the building is town water, >> right? I didn't know if there if that building itself had irrigation outside.
Harry was always at that building. I haven't inspected it. If that one had a well, potentially we could tap into that. If it does not, we would need a well drilled. So, we can come back on that one pretty fast with the well because a well can go
anywhere, the sprinkler, the irrigation, then be something different. So, we'll take that one on. >> And Madame Mayor, I understand I just I want us to move forward so that when we're ready to do stuff, then a well and maybe a pump and motor are already in place and then it's a couple zones.
Um, my second one is we're going to talk about the building um later tonight and this may be effective, but I would think with no matter what scenario we have, whether or not we lease it to someone or we decide to do something, I think
project 2026-017, the addition of a patio, we ought to just scrap that plan and not move forward there. there's no reason for the CRA to spend money. Again, my just my opinion. Um >> well well well we can we can talk about
that because that's what this meeting is for. I mean we can have that quick discussion and we can even make motions um to do that right Eva? >> Yes I have it under the action agenda. >> Yeah. So this is under the action
agenda. any changes to this budget, we can have that discussion. We can have motions and we can move forward. So, >> well, I will well then in that case to do it right, I'll make a motion that we discontinue project CRA-2026-07 Dell Hall patio for the reasons I
stated. No matter what we end up doing, we should not be investing significant dollars into adding a patio at that property at this time. Second. >> So, we have a motion, we have a second, and um we have that pulled up on the
screen. That's $20,000 that was um allocated to that. Any other comments from the dis out to the audience, bring it back. >> Mayor, can I just ask one question? Yes. So, that $20,000 that we're removing,
we're putting in back into uncatategories because this is part of the 597,000. So, we just want to put on hold till we reallocate it. >> That would be my intention. Yes. >> And if you need me to make that part of the motion, I'm sorry, I didn't think about that.
>> Or do you want to maybe put it into irrigation so we keep it both at the Dell Hall property? Maybe we want to add it to the irrigation in case we need it there. >> I'm happy to put it aside and hopefully one day Allan will come back and he may say we need a few extra thousand dollars
to do the irrigation and then we know we have it. I just didn't want and I I didn't I don't presume that anyone would have moved forward with that. I just didn't want anyone to says we're supposed to build a patio, let's build a patio and then we've spent money unnecessarily. >> I would I would propose that we have a
separate line item for unallocated money to cover if we have an overrun or something new comes up. Um, for example, um, there's money, uh, that was left over from the Waldo ALIFF paving that could go into this same unallocated
fund. >> And I believe we have that today, right? We have a unallocated, a small amount. >> So there was a line that said unatategorized, but that's not part of the budget. The budget was 597,000. Okay. You had moved 100,000 from
Hillrest. Then we reallocated some of that to the storm water and then we reallocated I forgot what the other one was and we had 5,000 5,000 left from that 100,000 re just sitting there part of the budget. So it's not so much going to go into the uncatategorized version.
It's just going to sit there with no project at this point. Um you'll go through all this during the budget process too and and be able to reallocate those. CRAAS are are pretty stringent to make sure that we're following that that we have projects to go with them.
>> So that's it'd be nice to have a line item that we knew what was available that was unallocated. >> Yeah. So right well we do and uncatategorized. I had it on the report that this was not part of the budget was
34,000. What you have in your budget on this sheet is 5,000 left from what you budgeted of $597,000. So you budgeted 597,000 but we had an uncatategorized
>> in our accounting system that we now so when we go through the budget process this time it's going to get lined out in ADG and so it'll be easier to do that. >> Okay. Okay. I see it now. I see it now on whatever page that is where you have
um remaining reserves 34,000. >> Yeah. So 34,000 is part of Yeah. >> Okay. So then this would just go to add on to that 34,000 and then the same thing with the Waldo Aliff. >> So if you want to move it move it to the uncatategorized that's that's fine and
>> let's stay with one because Waldo ALF there's still some I think costs coming in for striping and that. So, let's not assume that where it's at is completed. >> Okay. >> Correct, Alan? >> We've already paid for the striping. Okay.
>> They they weren't able to do it before. They are returning, I believe, next week. >> Currently, they're actually scheduled for Friday the 24th to do the striping. >> I sorry, part Friday the 24th. Uh, I had
that rescheduled because that was the day of the Cladium Festival. So, so we'll stay right now with the Dell Hall patio and council member Royce is this is one that when Harry first got some preliminary bids, it was like 40
$60,000. That's why it's just kind of been sitting there because the original estimate was a lot low than some of the bids coming in. So, just >> I I just want to make sure we spend zero staff time dealing with a patio for that building at this stage. >> Okay. So, any other comments from the
DIS? on this on this >> on this. Yeah, we're going to take them one at a time. So, you have we have a motion and we have a second. >> Yes. >> On on >> out to the audience. Bring it back. Eva, please take the role. >> Council member Royce. >> Yes.
>> Council member Sat. >> Yes. >> Council member Hayes. >> Yes. >> Council member Everheart. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. Next item. >> Um I'm just as a as a comment, I appreciate Mr. Kefir's comments on uh 019 tree landscaping. That's something
I'm assuming we're just holding off on until the irrigation issues settled. That's fine. Um I want to make sure that my understanding we go down to the bottom of the next page uh 2026-001DT park benches. I think the CRA border
council gave the mayor the authority to this talks about someone has to make some decisions about benches or what we're going to do. We gave the mayor the authority to solely pick that so we can move on. Correct.
>> Yes. >> Okay. I just want to make sure that >> along with staff. Yeah. Okay. Um just one up I mean somebody had made the comment well let's do what Sebring did. So we called up to Sebring with all those nice white benches in the circle. Well, they took their old benches that were green and painted them white. So,
these benches are are old, but they're $3,000 a piece. So, you know, we're finding out how expensive variety of benches are. But, yes, that's in our hands, and that'll be the timing with where we're going with the exercise. >> Just want to make sure that you all
could settle that. Okay. Um then on project I'm sorry uh project 2026009DT streetscape there was a question as to you know buying light bulbs and there's
two options and I would suggest that we authorize the expenditure of $1,455 for 17 bulbs if that's the issue of whether we buy half of them or all of them. Let's let's change all of them in that park and move forward. Just my comment.
>> The uh >> I don't know if we need a motion, but >> the the problem with that is we can't buy light bulbs with CRA money. That would have to come out of town funds. >> Okay. So, that's just something we're going to have to put as an action item as a budget adjustment at a later
meeting then. Okay. Thank you. Um then, um project 2026003, John's Park lighting. Um, I think Mr. Ke, I think these are his words, but it was just some conjecture as to what we
can or can't do there. I would suggest that my recollection is the Smoke family donated that property. It's going to be a park. Nothing you're talking about doing deletes or negates that purpose of that. And I think we need to move forward with doing the lighting, the
things you suggested. Again, I think we just we want to move forward with that. So, I'm just saying if there was any confusion or you need authorization from us, let's don't waste any more time trying to do the history on it. Let's just move forward. >> Yeah. Let me just add to that. I did
circle back and talk to Bert Harris, uh, who is going to give me the file, but he basically said the same thing. It was donated as a park, keep it as a park. Anything we want to do park related would certainly be fine. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Um, my next project is 2026004
Park Street sidewalk. Went down there and walked that area. Um, I think we ought to again move forward with fixing or expanding the sidewalk system from North Maine eastward towards the chamber. It looks like it'll be
problematic from North Main westward westward towards the historical society. Perhaps the sidewalk in front of the Masonic Lodge could be either repaired or hopefully maybe made a foot or two wider, fixed. I think once we get to
that alleyway, I think it's going to be impossible to put a sidewalk on either side of Park Street down there. I would suggest that our staff look into do we just go out in the actual roadway and stripe or mark on the roadway that this
is a pedestrian walkway and we do the best we can there but not attempt to build a sidewalk on a hill [snorts] and a conversation I've had with some folks today they mentioned matter of fact we may even want to address the conditions on either side of park with railings but
I think we need to especially from north main eastward there's some sidewalk walks on the north side of the road that could be fixed or enhanced and we could have that there. Just comments. >> Um >> actually it must be that seat because the person who sat there before had said
the same thing and I think we were going to do that is you know it's that last area unfortunately just before you hit the museum that cars park there. And my comment was why don't we just stripe it no parking and they use that as the walkway and then [snorts] get into the
um the by the Masonic lodge the sidewalk. So that's something that >> perfect >> we'll just pick back up on and we'll get that done. >> My next thing is Stewart uh 2020606 Stewart Park electrical. I think we've
been working on some of those upgrades. I'll remind staff that many years ago we [snorts] talked about enhancing Steuart Avenue to the west of Steuart Park and I would encourage I I would hope that staff would look into, you know, what it
may take to string lighting over Stewart Avenue. I I still believe that would be a great place to be able to close off Steuart Avenue for everything from food truck rallies to yard sales to caladium festivals and and we make sure when
we're doing our electrical upgrades that something would support going and someone figuring out how many poles we have to put in to kind of have that overhead lighting sort of like they've done up in around the Sebring circle now. So I just wanted to mention that to think about and then I think my final um
If I may comment on that one. The electrical upgrades would have already been completed. If we want to go back and add lighting, that might have to be a separate project. >> Okay. Thank you. Um then Taylor Park sidewalk.
Um again, I I like the comments I assume by Mr. Kefir, but um I think we probably need to think long-term a multi-year project of improving or replacing sidewalks in that neighborhood.
There is no developer that we can go back to to say maintain it. I mean, it's it's our situation now, I think. And I would just think that that Allan or others are just going to have to figure out where can we put sidewalks that will
remain in good shape and be functional and where will people just cross them and park on them and almost immediately destroy them. And I hope we don't, you know, we're either going to have to take that into account when we engineer them or think about what we're doing or we're
going to have to avoid those spots if if the residents there are going to park on them, drive over them on a daily basis and all that. But and I and um so
I also agree on so that was on 20 2610 on 202611 Taylor Park irrigation Mr. Kefir is recommending we move that to um to the different fund or probably by Centennial Park and if we have to
establish a few trees in there we do so with water. So I would also you know be supportive of that kind of action. Thank you for getting uh Waldo Alof done and thank you for the time madam mayor. Just wanted to comment on those projects.
>> I I appreciate that very much. Thank you for the comments. Um other discussion from the dis on those or any thing additional recognizing that what's not on here when we go through the budget process we'll also be able to whether we dive into
some more and make a decision or other things that we want you know it's all going to be about here's a list of things we want to get done now how do we get the funding for those things >> and I understand there's been a myriad of very good reasons why we've kind of fallen behind but since we expended less than 10% of
>> the CRA's budget as we go into the next fiscal year. I'm assuming we're going to, you know, we're then going to have seven or $800,000 worth of projects and so we need to move forward on several of them. You know, >> that'll be a good problem to have,
right? >> Okay. Again, thank you for the comments. Um, any comments out to the audience? Okay, seeing none, I'll bring it back. And at this time, we'll just open it up
to um any other general comments from the CRA board members. Seeing none, uh back to the audience. Seeing none, bring it back. And at this Eva, anything from you? We're all good.
>> So, at this point, I'll go ahead and close the CRA meeting. It's 5:56 p.m. This meeting is adjourned. And because we're able to do that pretty fast, no need for a break, we'll just move right on into uh the
town council meeting. Um so it's 5:57 on July 20th. I will call to order the town of Lake Placid Town Council meeting. Uh, we earlier had the invocation in the pledge, so we'll just move right into
roll call. Eva, if you please take the role. >> Mayor Charles >> here. >> Council member Royce >> here. >> Council member Hayes >> here. >> Council member Sat >> here. >> Council member Everheart >> here. >> Thank you. Um, at this time I wanted to
give a few updates on different activities including preparing for the upcoming budget season. Later in this meeting, we will discuss the millage rate for the 2026 27 budget. Setting the millage rate tonight gives us the framework we need
for our first town budget workshop which is on July 30th. Second, this year we're going to moving to a new budget format. The goal is to make the process more efficient and more strategic. Instead of reviewing every single line item by every department,
we'll begin with an executive level summary built around key assumptions that affect all departments such as salary adjustments, benefit insurance increases, utility cost changes, IT costs, town insurance, and other townwide budget drivers. We'll also
include a headcount assumptions showing our current authorized positions and any proposed staffing changes for the coming year. This allows council to make decisions on the assumptions that shape the entire budget rather than spending time on individual line items that are
influenced by these assumptions. Third, you'll see a budget presented at a gross level with administration shown as its own department. In past years, many administration costs were prrated across all departments, which makes it
difficult to see the true costs of operations. This year, we'll keep administration at its full gross amount and show a single clear transfer line for the portion allocated to enterprise departments. This improves transparencies and accountability for
both council and staff. And last, capital projects will be shown in a separate capital section with funding sources clearly identified, whether capital reserves, grants, or pending applications such as FEMA, RIFF,
block grants, or recreation grants. Separating capital from operations also allows us to easily transfer this to the town's CIP program in the 10-year capital planning report, ensuring those documents are updated, approved, and
submitted at the same time as the annual budget. Now, I want to give a brief update on the communication to effective customers on water main breaks. Our review of the robocall system showed several issues, including hang-ups, unanswered calls,
outdated contact information, calls going to property owners instead of tenants, and some technical delivery failures. We're addressing all of these areas. The reviews given us a clear picture of what needs improvement, and our goal is
accurate contact information for all water and sewer customers. The system also supports text messaging and we're evaluating that option as an additional communication method going forward. I also want to give a brief update on
our open positions. We currently have open positions in sanitation meter reader and code compliance. Not code compliance is the utility the compliance uh what's the technical compliance
>> just a compliance position. compliance position. It's in the waters and the utility um area, the wastewater and the water. The compliance position, those recruitments are underway. The position um
and we have the position of the senior director of public utilities posted. This role oversees Allen and Brandon's area, roads, parks, sanitation, cemetery, water, and wastewater. Applications have been light so far, but we're continuing to keep that posting
open until we have a strong candidate pool. In addition, the town administrator position remains open. Applications continue to come in, but at this time, we don't have a candidate pool strong enough to move forward into the interview
um phase. So that position will remain open while we continue recruiting and evaluating applicants. I want to acknowledge that our departmental directors and their staff have been outstanding and because of their strength and professionalism,
the town's operations remain fully covered. The chief is serving as interim town administrator and between his support and the workload I'm able to take over, the town's responsibilities are being met. We'll continue to move through the recruitment process
carefully to ensure we bring forward the right candidates for these key leadership roles. Additionally, I'm pleased to announce that the town has launched a summer intern program. We have four uh interns, one college and three high
school students, each working 20 hours per week. They're gaining experience in several areas including the town clerk's office, customer service, parks and recreation, accounting, meter reading, and we even have one helping here in the
audio and video booth. Nicholas, you stand up and the shy one out there in the corner. So, he came in. He says, "I can help here." And so, there he is. And we thank you for that. Finally, a reminder that the caladium
festival is this weekend. Public works and our horiculture team have been extremely busy preparing the town for the thousands of visitors who will be here. I want to thank you [snorts] for your hard work and dedication. Uh this concludes my mayor update report and we
can move on to the next agenda item uh regarding the town of Lake Placid 100year anniversary. So, I put this item on um just to get a save the date on everybody's calendar. So, June 6th,
2027, it's a Saturday, thank goodness, is our actual 100year anniversary for the town. So, I want everybody to put that as a save the day. That'll allow me to start reaching out to dignitaries to try to get, you know, early on on their
calendar. Um I know quite a few months ago there was a small committee that started working on some things and that kind of fell through the cracks. So I'll take lead and working with the historical society, the chamber when the new um director is announced and others
um on what type of activities we can do not only for the actual celebration day of June 6, that's Saturday. My idea, I'd like to start as early as like a Wednesday with a kickoff of events and and that we have different events that could take place. I've got a lot of
ideas. I've been brainstormed with others. You're going to see some requests for some budget dollars and then we'll work out for donations and that. So, this is just a brief update to let you put that date on the calendar and that we're going to be working on it
and we'll give periodic reports on it as we um get more detailed information. Thank you. Um, now we'll move on to public comments on non-aggenda items for the town council meeting.
Um, seeing none, we'll move on to approval of the agenda and I'll take a motion for that. >> Make a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any other comments from the dis?
Seeing none, out to the audience. Bring it back. Eva, please take the role. >> Council member Hayes, >> yes. >> Council member Everheart, >> yes. >> Council member Sap, >> yes. >> Council member Royce, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Thank you. Um, next up is
public hearings and we have three and this will be the first reading for all three of these. So then since this is a public hearing, I would like to declare that we are now this public hearing is
now open and I'll ask Dana to go ahead and take us through the text amendments. >> Thank you very much. So we will go ahead and read the short title into the record. Mayor, would you mind if I do that or would you like to do that? >> I'll go ahead and read that in. Thank
you. >> Okay, let me get to it here. >> [clears throat] >> And so it'll be this short title without the revisions line, >> right? Okay. So, first we have ordinance number 2026-04,
an ordinance of the town of Lake Placid, Florida, amending chapter 154, zoning article 4, District Regulations, section 154-18, providing for the addition of a new
subsection related to the regulation of temporary shelter permits, providing for severability, inclusion in code, conflicts, and an effective date. >> Thank you, Mayor Dana Redell, town planner for the record. So, as
mentioned, the text amendment that we have before us now is a result of Florida statute changes that require us to allow people to live in temporary shelters for up to 36 months after a state of emergency. We took a glance at
Highlands County's regulations as they implemented this and several other jurisdictions and we put our our heads together and we came up with something that we felt was a little bit more
um conducive to being able to actually meet the requirements of the application. So what you'll see and we also work with the local planning agency that the local planning agency did recommend changes and their changes are here in red. Initially we were asking
for an inspection report at the time of application but as you all know when hurricanes hit it's almost impossible to be able to produce some of those documents. So, uh, we moved that requirement down that it's still a requirement to have that, but for the
first 3 months, you have a certain amount of flexibility that we automatically have to issue you this permit because the state says we have to issue it, right? But um we're going to give you some time to comply with some of the requirements of the permit. And
after 3 months, you're either going to comply or you're going to show us proof why you can't comply. And then after that, we'll check in every six months to make sure that things are moving along, that a good faith effort and an earnest effort is truly being made to repair
your home. And hopefully your house is finished within those three years. Um, otherwise you will have to remove the the travel trailer or whatever mechanism you use to live in as a temporary shelter, but tents are not allowed.
Uh, so that highlighted the local planning agency's changes. I was going to scroll down and show you the clean version, but you have that in your packet. So, I'm going to scroll up in the packet and show you the motions. I'm going to turn it back over to the mayor and I would just ask that if you
do make one of these motions that you include first reading. So it would be move to approve ordinance 2026-04 upon first reading. That's missing from that language there. >> Madame Mayor, move to approve ordinance
20264 on first reading with the revisions as provided by LPA. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion. We have a second. Comments from the dis. [clears throat] Seeing none, out to the audience. Seeing none, bring it back.
Clerk, please take the role. >> Council member Royce, >> yes. >> Council member Sap, >> yes. >> Council member Hayes, >> yes. >> Council member Evart, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Thank you. We'll move on to the next text amendment. If you can stroll that up and I'll read that in for
the record. Um, the second ordinance is ordinance number 2026-05, an ordinance for the town of Lake Placid, Florida, amending chapter 152, language and definitions. Section 152-4,
definition of terms and chapter 154, zoning, article 3, supplemental regulations. Section 154-16 providing for amendments relating to lot frontage and setback requirements on through lots and corner lots providing
for severability inclusion and code conflicts and an effective date. And I'll turn it back over to Dana. >> Thank you very much again. Dana Redell, town planner for the record. Um I'm just looking over to see we have someone in the audience who's actually
experienced this issue. Um, and I'm not making this change for them. Right. This is a long-standing issue, but it did come up earlier this year, and it comes up every time that I'm required to make uh in um a judgment on what the setbacks
are on a corner lot. Essentially, there was a contradiction in the code where it says here for lot frontage that all yards of a lot adjacent to a street shall be considered frontage and yard shall be provided as required. So basically what that was saying was if
you have a front yard setback requirement of 25 ft, if you were on a corner lot, it also would require a 25 ft setback. But then in this other section of the code, it specifically says that if you're on a corner lot that
you would have to do 20 feet for the rear portion of the lot within 50 feet of the rear lot line and at least 12 feet for the remainder of the lot to the front building line. And I think that's just completely um
difficult for any person to truly understand. Any person who's actually looking to construct onto their home or build an addition or add an accessory structure or anything of that nature. It makes it almost impossible for them to be able to truly understand what that means. If it's difficult for me, if it's
difficult for you, it's difficult for the average person who's out there. So because the most the least restrictive setback in that initial regulation was 12 feet, I'm
proposing to reduce the setback on a corner lot to 12 feet. I'm also proposing to offer a little flexibility when it comes to through lots when they're on an alleyway if the alleyway is 15t or less, which you'll see a lot of this uh south of Inner Lake. We have
these alleyways that aren't actually constructed. They're just paper alleyways, but they have to be treated like a street. Um because technically they could be built to that and that's what they're platted as. So
when we were treating them as streets, when people wanted to put accessory structures there, they would have to meet a 25- foot setback as opposed to only meeting a six or eight foot setback. So they, and I don't want this to be confusing,
this does not give anyone the right to use the alley. It just gives them a right to put some structures a little bit closer to the alley than they initially would have been allowed under the previous code. So that essentially
summarizes the amendments that I'm proposing for through lots, double lots, and corner lots. I'm available for any questions, but at this time I'll turn it back over to the mayor. And I would ask the same thing that if a motion is made, we would include upon first reading.
>> Is there a motion? Madame Mayor, I'll make a motion that we appro we we approve ordinance 20265 on first reading as presented. >> Second. [clears throat] >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any
comments from the dis. >> I have a question. >> Yes. >> Where you mentioned the alleyway. >> Is there going to be any problem in the future? Sometimes we vacate alleyways to make sure that the vacate because today we're we're allowing that because of
there's an alleyway but if there's a vac in the future. So how do you handle that? >> Uh no that just would offer additional flexibility in the future if an alleyway was vacated because that property owner would receive traditionally unless there's another interpretation
um they would receive half of that alleyway. So they would have more land than they initially started with. >> Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Uh, out to the audience. Any questions? Please state your name and address for the record. >> Ken Leblanc 120 lane. Yeah, I ran into
this exact problem and I appreciate that you guys are dealing with it because if you have a lot that's 50 or 60 foot wide, you take on the side road 25T and the front road 25. Well, that side road you add 7 and 1/2 ft to that, now you're 32 and a half. Take that off of 50, you only got 18 feet left to build a house.
Not even, you know. Um, so this fixes a problem that we have that definitely affects properties in the downtown. There's a lot of property downtown in that region that's not actually developed yet. So this problem is going to come up continuously in the future as those lots get developed. So I appreciate that you guys are solving
this problem like this. Yeah. >> Thank you. Any other comments from the audience? Bring it back. Eva, please take the role. >> Council member Roy. >> Yes. >> Council member Sack. >> Yes. >> Council member Hayes. >> Yes. >> Council member Eberhart. Yes.
>> Motion passes. Thank you. Um, and the third ordinance 2026-06, if we can bring it up, and I'll go ahead and read that into the record. Ordinance number 2026-06, an ordinance of the town of Lake Placid,
Florida, amending chapter 152, language and definitions, and chapter 154, zoning, article 4, district regulations, section 154-18. Providing for the addition of new
subsections related to home occupations. providing for severability, inclusion in code, conflicts, and an effective date. And I'll turn it back over to Dana. >> Thank you. Good evening again, Dana Redell, town planner for the record. So,
what we're looking at is again another Florida statute change and preeemption. And these are becoming very, very popular in legislation that the state is taking control of a lot of things that we used to be able to be in full control of at the local level. But the state
came in and they said, "Look, uh, we're going to basically essentially from everything that I'd seen, a lot of the homebased occupations had much more stringent requirements like you could only do a homebased occupation if it was inside within 800
square feet of your home and you couldn't have any additional parking and things like that." Um, so when the state came in and created these preeemptions, we just didn't have any teeth to enforce it. So when you have a code enforcement
issue, you cite our local code. We couldn't site state code or Florida statute as a violation of our code and implement that through code enforcement. So, we mostly just took the language from
the Florida statute and implemented it with some tweaks and some changes, very minor. But the local planning agency wanted to make sure that we weren't taking away rights that people already had to be able to park certain trucks,
trailers, and vehicles. and those rights to park some of those things were already incorporated in section 161-12. It's also important to note that with Senate Bill 180, we can't uh currently implement regulations that are stronger
than our current code, but we can relax them or include Florida statute provisions. So with that, they just wanted to offer that additional layer of protection to say that we are not strengthening the code. We are making
sure that everyone has the same rights that they had before in addition to being able to run a home occupation. So with that, I'm available for any questions. I'll turn it back over to the mayor. And again, if you make a motion,
I would ask that you include upon first reading. Thank you, Dana. I'll entertain a motion, please. >> No, I I actually, if it's okay to ask a question. >> Sure. Um, Mr. Dell, let me go to page
35. Uh, number four E. 4E says that the homebased business may not conduct retail transactions at a structure other than the residential dwelling. I'm assuming that means you can't have a different building there. But if I owned
Ray's gifts, I could still go to the Saturday market and do other business. >> Sure. >> In my business other than at my home. This doesn't say I can only I can only do business at my home. If I had raised
salon, I could go cut hair somewhere else other than just at my home. Correct. >> Yes, that's actually a really good question. That's exactly the intent of this. It's to say if you had raised gifts, you could sell them inside your home so long as you met all the other requirements. You could use a shed out
back to store some of your overflow merchandise, but when you actually make the sale, it needs to be in your home. But if you have like a traveling business or a mobile business, this would not pertain to that. Okay, that's what I thought. I just want to make sure. Thank you. >> I had a question on that very same line
item. Um, so, uh, I was thinking of the place on Main Street that used to have the fruit stand next to the house. >> So, according to this, that would not be allowed. >> Actually, that property has a
grandfathered zoning. Yeah. So, it's been abandoned for over 180 days and it already is not allowed. >> Okay. And now I would hope this does not include lemonade stands. >> That's interesting. >> They're not a structure. >> That's just exactly what I was going to bring up. How about lemonade stands?
>> Because I would hope not because they're not really a structure. >> I think code enforcement can use their judgment there. >> Okay. [clears throat] I think if someone did have a lemonade stand outside every single day, it might
be a different story than kids putting one up on the weekend. But >> yeah, >> madam mayor, I make a motion that we approve ordinance 2026 on first reading >> as presented. >> Second.
>> We have a motion. We have a second. Any comments from the dis. Seeing none, out to the audience. >> Seeing none, bring it back. Clerk, please take the role. >> Council member Royce. >> Yes. >> Council member Sap. >> Yes. >> Council member Hayes.
>> Yes. >> Council member Ever. Yes. Thank you. >> Um, thank you. At this point, I'm going to close the public hearings on these items. And I I would like to make a comment to
Dana. And then also up here, Mike Durham is on vacation and we have Cara Groves with us. and Carara and Dana have been working close on not just these text amendments, but there's going to be a series coming forward of different text amendments um that they're working on so
that we can just um clean up our code. So, I appreciate the work that you've done. Okay, moving on to the action items. Um is the first is the consideration of the proposed 202627
millillage rate and I'll go ahead and turn that over to Eva. >> So council, I uh sent out the breakdown of the proposed we just gave some examples of um different millage rates.
Um in the packet you saw that the laws have changed and our roll back rate is now set a threshold on who has to vote. You have to unanimous um if you're going to go any higher than the roll back rate which at this year is 2.8377
and I gave you within the packet what those thresholds would be on each millage rate example that we presented. if you have any questions. >> So, Madame Mayor, thank you staff for the chart. That's very, very helpful.
Um, my initial thought process is that we for the purposes of publishing a number that we utilize 3.3, but I understand there's been a lot of discussion around 3.5. And so I'm very interested to hear what the mayor or Eva
or Rachel, you know, I I I think those are the two realistic options or somewhere in between 3.3 and 3.5. 3.3 would be just less than a 10% reduction in the millage rate. Um the difference
33 and 35 is basically 75 grand in um tax revenue. So, I I guess I'd be interested to hear from staff whether or not garnering that extra 75,000 is important and whether we should publish a rate of
35 and then hope to go down during our budget discussions. >> Yeah, just that was I was going to remind you that if you set it a little higher, you can always come down. You just can't go up. >> I I would like to see us set it a little higher to set it at 3.5
um just for that reason. I think that quite possibly 3.3 would be enough, but if we set it at 3.3 and then we find it's not enough, then we're toast. So, I I' I'd like to see us set it at 3.5 so we have that opportunity and then
hopefully we will come back off it after we finish the budgeting process. And looking at you take the um the current revenue and uh inflation is running was but between 2.7 and 2.8% is
projected at 2.7 to 2.8. So if we went to the 3.3 and added actually working backwards, the 3 point 2.7% uh we had would put us at the 3.3, but just being cautious
uh because we have a lot of things coming up. We have um air conditioners that are ready to fail. Um we haven't gone through the whole budget. I would like to just out of an abundance of caution put it at the full 3.65 65 and work it back.
>> I agree. I move that we uh set the fiscal year 2026 2027 mill rate of 3.65 mills to initiate the budget process in the truth and millillage process. Okay. Second.
>> We have a motion. We have a second. Um, and you had asked staff and myself for some comments. So, I'll go ahead and make those uh taken into account everything that you've said is our plan is going to and and we're working on that budget, right? We're missing
capitalizable maintenance on a lot of things. So, we're going to have to build up some reserves. But, however we end up, we're going to come back with a couple budgets for you. We're going to say, "Okay, it's a 3.65, 65 which is the motion. We're going to come back at 3.65. we'll probably come back something less
and we're going to make decisions of okay these are the things right to either move on or to move off and and that's why I said there's going to be a different type of budget presentation so that you'll see what those inflationary costs for insuranceances for health care
um you'll see what we're proposing for salary increases and those a lot of those are not really flexible because we're being controlled by somebody else they're they're telling us what these costs are going to And then you'll see the series of things that we need to get done and we'll be able to
make those decisions of do we stay at a 365 that's the motion on the table are we able to bring it down to a 3.5 or something else. So to your point we can't go up whatever we decide today we can't go up but during the budget process that we approve we can reduce
it. I want to make a note also, they're still way under what the other municipalities in the county are doing for different reasons. We don't support a fire department, which is very expensive. We don't have a resource officer in the schools, which is also
expensive. But a more recent example of having a little extra in there is a garbage truck. It's 25 to $30,000 just >> just like that. And everyone's wondering where it's going to come from. And we have to keep this equipment going if we're going to keep it. So we can't handicap ourselves and we'll discuss all
this later. >> Let me but but on any of the enterprise it wouldn't be from this fund. They have to stand alone. So those are the things we're going to be and we're going to be bringing back is rate changes for sanitation right um utilities.
>> Same thing with utilities. So the cemetery, the water, the wastewater and the sanitation those have to be standalone revenue that they generate. So that would be a whole different one. This would be based on um you know the operation cost and the capital
>> AC unit is another good example we thought it was going to be. >> So we need to start high Joy I appreciate you making that comment. >> So >> so why I picked the AC as an example there are what eight or nine units in this nine units in this building >> six to go.
>> So and they're all the same age two failed unexpectedly. So I'm thinking the rain other ones are just who knows when. >> So madame mayor if I might I I understand your all's thought process. I
appreciate that. I think we owe it to our taxpayers to reduce the millage rate at least some bit. [clears throat] I can see I can see that I not going to be able to count to three on 3.3. So 3.5 would be the number that I'd be supportive of. And that number produces
basically a4 million dollars more than the roll back rate from last year. And so I just think we ought to be able to put together a budget with an additional quarter million dollars from last year. So if I vote no in a minute, it's just because I want us to take some action
that forces us to lower the mill rate for >> I think the other thing we need to keep in mind is Eva that the Highlands County has increased the property values like 6.8%. So that's
going to be additional revenue coming in. >> 6.67. >> What is it? >> It was 6.67 67 was the increase in >> So that's just to let you know that's going to be increase in revenue coming into >> and and I think the point you're making madame mayor is even with a reduction
from 365 to 3.5 the increase the average increase of property values will outpace any reduction we put in the military. So we have to be honest with folks we aren't going to
lower their tax bill. We're just talking about lowering the taxable rate, >> right? The up the advalor >> the millage rate. So, I just wanted to explain why I'll vote no on Councilwoman Nebard's motion.
>> So, we have a motion in 3.65 and a second. Any other comments from the council on that? Out to the audience. Any comments, sir? Um, please state your name and address for the record. Jack Jack Conley, 607 Sunset Point
Drive. Uh, I'm not an accountant, so I might be asking a dumb question here, but the uh the dollar amounts in the increase over roll back rate. Is that the additional revenue that would be uh
coming in based upon these these different proposed millage rates? >> Yes. Okay. And >> based on last year, >> okay, but that doesn't include the 6.67%. Uh >> I believe it does. [clears throat] >> That is in the calculation.
>> Yeah, that is okay. Thank you. >> Any other comments from the audience? Um seeing none, bring it back. And and again on this motion, it has to be unanimous to pass. Unanimous is the four council members. So, clerk, please take
the role. >> Council member Sat, >> yes. >> Council member Everheart, >> yes. >> Council member Hayes, >> we're voting on 3.65. Is that I'll go with that. Yes. Just to give us flexibility. Yes. >> Council member Royce.
>> Yes. To be a team player in this deal. But I hope it's not a signal that >> I can assure you it's not >> since we need a unanimous vote. I don't want to prolong it, but I hope we'll really work towards 3.5 or less. Thank
you. >> Is that the staff direction? >> We have plenty of time to discuss this and I don't see why we couldn't get it back even close where it is right now, but we need to have some parameters to work with and if we set ourselves handicapped at the start, we can't go anywhere or do anything. So, we have
plenty of time to discuss this. >> Okay. Uh motion passes and we'll move on to uh the next item is the the vein park exercise equipment and I think Bill Brantley is going to come up and give us an update on that. I think uh Jessica
from uh Advent Health is she here too? Oh, perfect. We haven't met. Uh that's good that the Advent Health um sponsors are also here. How are you? >> Good. How are you? >> We haven't We've talked on the phone. We
haven't met in person yet. >> Good to meet everybody tonight. >> Yeah, exactly. So, I guess you have it in your packet as far as the wellness trail. Um I guess it's uh tells creation as far as the uh letters that it spells out as far as eight different stations.
I think they decided to relocate the stations actually on the spokes themselves versus on the outer instead of on the outer wheel. And I think all those will be close to um lights. I think it was kind of the point of going up the up the spokes to make sure they're close to all the lights. Um I
think do you want to speak? I know we're waiting as far as some other details on the equipment itself. >> Of course. Thank you for having me. So this came to our board about two months ago. Justin Evans, administrator of Advent Health Lake Placid, had said the
chamber was looking at potentially partnering with the city or the town of Lake Placid to do a walking trail. The foundation itself at Advent Health has one of these behind the hospital in Sebring. Um it's in the shape of a cancer ribbon. It's really beautiful if
you haven't had the chance to go by there and look at that. And then in the back of the hospital there at Wula campus is also a really nice trail. And so when he brought this to the foundation board, they were really excited about potentially partnering with the town to make that happen. I believe this was already laid out in
some format before we got pulled in. And so we really will just act as a funding facility for this. Um what we have put on all of our campuses is a creation life signage. So I had asked if you had any signage ordinances that you need to adhere to before we would move forward
with a board approval. So that's what we are here today to ask. Um and Dana Redell has already looked at uh the signs and has uh confirmed that there's no violation to any of our signed ordinances on um the signs that you're proposing.
>> Very good. >> Is there any questions from the council as far as on this? >> So the exercise stations are going to be interior to the walk path around Deain Park, not on the outside, right? Yes, ma'am. They would be set on the
inset of the park. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And that'll be space as far as with the Chamber of Commerce making sure it doesn't impede any of festivals or any events that are there. We'll put them off to the side to where a lot of those folks um we use for access getting cars and equipment and tents and stuff in and
out. So, we'll make sure that that's compatible with all the festivals. Um, one other thing as far as obviously since the CRO was earlier, um, with what we have now, we usually anywhere have anywhere from four to eight to 10 cars parked on the south side of the circle.
So, obviously parking is going to be kind of an issue. U, we're hoping people use this. Obviously, it's going to increase the parking issue as far as that goes. Um, I did speak to the engineering department for the county today. That is a county maintained road. They will not allow any kind of backup parking onto um I guess it's west inner
lake as far as that goes. The only way for that to be possible if the town actually took over maintenance of the road itself then they could do consistent parking like they have on Inner Lake and Maine as far as backing onto the road. But the county will not allow any backup parking on on that road currently.
So what we had talked I think one of the prior meetings talked about maybe paving a couple of those areas where people parked today right and so they're saying no only if we take over responsibility >> correct in their LDR they do not allow backup parking on any of their roads
obviously it's historical as far as in Lake Main Street in their lake um but the town would have to take it over to be able to do that and especially if the dog park obviously more people are going up there we really need to look through as far as the uh future parking of that area. >> And I, you know, they mentioned, well,
can't they just park at the library and we'll just put no parking signs all around the whole circle? Well, nobody wants that. Nobody wants to see no parking signs. So, just something to think about. >> What was their response? Can't they park at the library? [clears throat] >> No, they could park at the library, but most people don't. It's easy. You know,
they're historically they park right there. They they pull up next to those picnic tables and to get them not to park there would be multiple um no parking signs. on the rightway which I I think would detract from the circle itself. >> Okay. Any comments on the exercise
equipment um from the DAS? I what what I would just ask is work with Allen and because the pad that you're putting in is pretty sizable, right? It's like an 8ft pad with four feet wing walls or something like that. So just work with Allan and his folks so
we know exactly where they're going, where we might have sprinklers that might need to be relocated or impact. >> And we can work around the sprinklers as far as that goes. We won't we won't try to, you know, we can shift it one way or the other. Um, so like you said, we'll have the sprinkler layout as far as we don't get those.
>> Will you be point on this bill? >> I can be. >> Okay. You got that, Alan? Chief, anything from your end? We're good. Okay. Um, any comments from the audience on this
Kendall Blanc 120? Yes, she just want to say it's a really good idea. So, I'm really glad they're doing this. I go to the park multiple times a week. There's a running club now that meets at the park and runs through town and I think this is going to get phenomenally used. So, I think it's a really good idea. So,
I'm really glad you guys are doing this. I I really wish you could do the parking like Bill's talking about because he's right, people park all around it. But but he's also right, you can't put no parking signs there because, you know, during the festivals and stuff, that's all our overflow parking, you know. So, um I wish it was a solution to that.
It's probably just going to be dead grass, you know. But, um but I wish we could do that, but anyways, I just think it's a great idea. Yeah, >> sir. If you can state your name and address for the record, please. >> Yeah, Victor Tavarez, 135 Alderman
Drive. I just have a question. Are we putting anything for like the children as well there or just equipment? >> Um, so it in the park itself, so right now there is a um a joint use of the playground behind the basketball courts.
um that playground is open for the children. It's being used quite a bit when school isn't in session. So, so this park is not as much a children's playground, >> but more, you know, a relaxation, a walking and now the exercise equipment.
Um although there is a lot of discussion of having music in the park and some other activities to take advantage of that beautiful gazebo. >> That would be great to have music. Absolutely. having music like I know you mentioned something about Sebring Circle but it would be nice to have music as well. >> Thank you.
Any other comments? >> Yep. Thank you. Uh and like you mentioned earlier as far as Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce is having the Clayton Festival this weekend. Um obviously we're still looking for volunteers for the information booth. It'd be fantastic to have council members there because obviously who knows more about Lake Placid. So if you
would want to volunteer, we have several shifts that are available. They're four-hour shifts or anything that you can do to help out. We appreciate it. >> Perfect. >> Be there. >> I know you'll be there. >> I'll sign up. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. And and Jessica, thank you. And thank the Advent Hospital
Foundation. >> Um, okay. Moving on is um I think Allan and um and and Bill, I know you've delegated this one to Bert, but this is the FDOT uh landscaping project. So, what's being passed out to us is the
complete broad landscape plans for the audience. We're going to pull up some subsections. So, you'll be able to see that um some of the areas that FDOT and this is the the medium landscaping um design plan from FDOT that Allen's
going to take us through. And there's a couple um areas that we don't agree with. So, we need council's input and and approval. >> Alan Keef for public works director for the record. So as you know uh FDOT has awarded us a
grant in order to uh do the US 27 landscaping along the corridor only in the medians not the rightaways. They had proposed uh the overall scope of the plan to be just about to the hospital
that is beyond where we currently maintain on that map. That would be the furthest north point is 21. Town hall is at number 17. That is our current limit for uh
maintaining the rightway and median. They are proposing well I'm proposing that we reduce the scope not only to 17 but further up more towards 13. That would be Lake View Road where Raceway is at. That's where our current limit is.
That's where our irrigation goes up to. Anything beyond that point heading north, the speed limit increases. Uh I have concerns with for safety for our employees being out in the median for an extended period of time.
There's about two, if you want to go to the other sections, uh it's only really eliminating two areas uh with the foliage there. Uh that would be just north in between raceway and the
railroad tracks. We would be eliminating that portion and then further up just north on the opposite side of the railroad tracks. Now, keep in mind this would be something that we could always extend in a future project. Uh we'll already have
to go to a future project in order to do our uh writeaways. Um see, uh the other thing is just uh being able to maintain everything that we have out there. uh having enough employees and manpower to keep up with
everything out there has been challenging. And if we extend it, it might, you know, it'll be even more that we'll have to either hire more employees or just try to manage our time. >> Ellen, I don't think the median in that
area from South Lake View Road north is very wide, is it? Could it even sustain um any vegetation in there? >> It could. I don't know the exact measurements, but I know we have narrow ones throughout town. Uh namely in front
of say Publix and Wawa area. Those are very narrow. As long as a mower can fit on it, we can generally maintain it. But >> no, we maintain the side of the road, right? It's just the median that you're >> that you're concerned about.
>> Yes. This would be uh the areas I don't believe this would include any kind of curbing. This would just be eliminating some the plants that they proposed and an extension of the irrigation. So anything by reducing the scope of the
project that allows us to put more money towards the south end towards uh on the other map it was number one the starting point it would be WW lumber or where south main comes out the 27 So, what we're trying to do is
get some some more uh the funding to go towards either plants or irrigation, the main line going all the way to the southern point instead of say starting at Wendy's area or most. So, Madame Mayor, let me because I I
hate to disagree, Mr. Kefir, but I want to make sure I understood what he just said. FDOT is appropriated >> [clears throat] >> a certain budget for median um landscaping. Have they committed to
the town that if the town recommended cutting off at 13 or 14 that they would spend that same amount of money on one through 14 that they were planning on spending through 1 through 21?
A direct dollar amount was never discussed as far as committing to the exact amount. They just said that would allow us to put more funding towards the south end. >> I mean, my understanding was, and I don't remember the exact, but there was a couple million dollar budget when the project was done
>> to rellandscape. And I guess what I I want to make sure that while FDOT is doing that, one of the themes of our community is having this enhanced landscaping. And I hate to forego the state's investment in
additional landscaping even if we aren't the ones that maintain it. And so if we have a current maintenance contract that determines we may only want to commit to maintaining a certain
part or we would say to the state of Florida, yes, we're now going to I'm making it up, but we're now going to maintain another half a mile or 3/4 of a mile. Our contract will need to be expanded, which would then allow us to to get additional personnel. I just want
to make sure that we aren't kind of taking the state of Florida off the hook for uh landscaping investment that they would that they would normally have. >> Yeah. Let's break it down to
we maintain it, right? So, this isn't them maintaining it. We maintain the home medium >> by by contract. But I mean I mean we have a contract with them to maintain. >> We just renewed the contract. just renewed it. >> Probably some things we should have looked in like fuel increases and other
but it was just renewed. >> But our our maintenance contract specifies that we're maintaining from a certain location and I and to me this is kind of two different things. Number one, if their
landscaping investment goes beyond the boundaries of what our maintenance agreement calls for, then one of I mean just because they landscape it, I don't think our contract says we now have to maintain to the end of their landscaping. >> The engineering team that originally
created this probably did not know our maintenance boundaries. >> My point still stands. I the only way we should consider limiting it is if in fact the state of Florida said I'm making up the number but we're going to
invest a man and a half or$2 million in landscaping enhancements and we're going to do it with what other the recommended thing is. I just don't want them to cut back and say, "Hey, it's a great opportunity for us to take a half a million dollars of landscaping that that
would be conducive to making our area nicer as you're coming into our town because all of this area is within within the town limits. The town limits now sit well north of 21, you know. So,
I just I hate to see us miss out. um we don't have the capacity even that we had a few years ago with keep lake plastic beautiful and other things to be making these kinds of investments and so we have to take advantage of the opportunity that FDOT is making these
investments on our behalf. So I'm just going to I don't know what what you all are going to recommend but I think we should until we've had more conversation with them we should continue to have the landscaping as far north as possible.
I'd like to add uh I am in talks with them as far as the actual irrigation plan because they haven't provided one yet. They intend to run reclaim water the entire length of the main line. I am requesting that they uh have use at
least one possibly two wells to break the system in half. Uh that way we have like a default. Uh if if one system fails, we can you revert to the well like we currently have now. They uh my concern is if we go that
distance uh they may not be able to design the landscaping the uh sorry not landscape the irrigation as we would like it to have a backup system and then we would have the irrigation mainline.
I don't know that you can keep pressure for essentially two miles. >> But if I might, Madam Mayor, I'm not Allan. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but really that should be part of their engineering process to make sure that whatever landscaping they
invest public funds in to is able to be irrigated and whether they're using graywater or whether there's a need to put in irrigation well and facilities. I mean, that should be part of the plan that they put together to make their investment in in the thing. And and I
guess again, you're in a way making the point is that while the state of Florida, which has inconvenienced us now for several years, is investing in landscaping, let's get a full let's get a full suite of landscaping done as far
north as possible. And again, if it if it now means that, and I'm making up the number, if we've now increased our the part we're asked to take care of by 20%. Then we, you know, we work towards amending the contract we have for them
for maintaining the median. Um, I mean, I know we're I presume I don't know. I presume we're already maintaining the side of the roads well north of the railroad trestle >> up the town hall,
>> right? And so, um, and I think to Miss Hayes's point, in the area immediately under the trestle, there's going to be some area that maybe there's a little bit of grass, but for a ways there, there's not going to be any significant landscaping other than some grass. So,
I'm I I am I won't belabor it, but I'm I'm not in favor of us recommending limiting it down to 13. >> I notice how they're trying to, and I think it's a good thing, they're extending the left turn lanes um as you go north on 27, left turn on Lake June
and and some of the other left turn lanes on the way up, which is limiting the amount and the width of the median in those areas. But I I would like to see it. I'm sorry, Alan, but I would I would like to see it come at least uh to
um where the road is and the name's gone. Um to where we turned down for the cemetery because that's just north of Town Hall and I'd like to have it maintained in front of town hall anyway. You would think I in in my in my big wish list, I'd like it to go all the way
to the new proposed hope we get a traffic light at Advent Health. So at um Amazon and Advent help, but I think that might be a a pipe dream there. But maybe >> I would just like to say again this we
don't only just have one bite at this apple. They said if we want to come back with a a second or even tertiary project in the future, it's always on the table. Again, I understand you're trying to get everything we can while we can. Um and
that's that's quite all right. My main concern is just being in the middle of that long and having that much to take care of with our limited staff. >> And the final thing, Madam M, I just have I just I'm I'm concerned that we will have a hard time getting the state
of Florida many years down the road to say, "Okay, let's come back and now invest another half a million dollars in landscaping and irrigation." And this is the opportunity while this project is open. to Miss Hayes Point. 21 is basically the point she described.
That's where the new traffic light across from the in from the intersection of the hospital. And I think that that is kind of now I mean I know our town limits go much further north, but when you hit the hospital, you hit Amazon, you're now well within the town. And so
I I would rather you all renegotiate your maintenance contract with the state >> than us limiting it down to 13. >> And yeah, exactly. Now you we don't have the staff to do all this. But then there's the alternative to contract out.
Of course, you have to add it into the budget every year, but we don't have to use 100% town staff. >> Right. >> Right. >> It's just additional costs either way. Right. So you do town staff or you outsource it. Alan, was there any
changes to the south end from where where we are today? So they're going all the way to number one. Is that where we have landscaping today? >> I want to say there was about eight or 10 trees being removed, the dead trees uh between one, two, three, and four. I
think they're waiting for our comments to decide whether they should do more at the south end or if they're going to continue with their original plan. So today we have landscaping all the way to one. I think what I heard you say yes is we go up to 13 today, but on the south
end we go all the way to one. >> Yes. 1 through 13 is what we currently have and there is landscaping the I would say the entire way with the exception of a few islands. >> Okay. So council member Royce to your point is yes. The state is recommending
from 14 on to 21 for landscaping. They're they're recommending to do it. >> Sorry, >> just the entire scope of the project is from 1 to 21, >> but today our landscaping goes on the south on the north end all the way to
where >> uh 13 >> basically >> to 13. So, so they're adding on 14 through 21. Yes. >> Is what? >> So, so they're adding on a significant portion. I know there's a couple and your point is a good one. We'll go back
and negotiate hard. Um, Chief, did you have any comments regarding um, safety? I mean, because it does get narrow, right? So, that's the tradeoff of our employees sitting on a motor on a mower with the traffic is just starting
to hit whether we like it or not. 65 and and on, right? And so, I know that there was concerns with the group on, you know, >> maybe we have to use a different piece of equipment or purchase a different piece of equipment. It doesn't have such a wide range. This would be maintaining
plants, not just the grass. So, >> I'm sorry, I can't hear you now. >> You'd be out there with say chain chainsaws, loppers, weed eaters. Uh there's a lot that you can't just get another large piece of equipment for. >> Yeah. Ultimately, when we go further
north, we'll need some larger tractors to maintain more of the middle without uh landscaping and the rightways, but at least I didn't count the total amount, probably at least four or five more islands that we would be adding to these
trees that we would actually have to physically go out there and walk. >> Well, I think we need more information to start with, but we can also subcontract that out, consider it once we figure out who's paying for what and move down. is deteriorally right now to make this decision. I think
>> I'm happy to see that the saw pel meadow is crossed out. Those are a beast. >> U just to just to clarify right now we maintain up to 17. Correct.
>> We maintain up to 17 but the landscaping in the middle stops around 13. >> It's just grasp from that point on. And again, just a the only concern I would have is the safety of our our people out there at the increased speeds.
That that would put them in harm's way out there if they're out there for extended period times with the additional landscaping that's out there. And if I'm not mistaken, when we looked at the contract for the landscaping, the landscape agreement that we made with
them was for us to maintain up to 17. Correct. >> 17 and some decimal points. Yes. Yes. Okay. >> But isn't I guess and I'm you guys know better than I >> I didn't realize that the speed limit
changed at 13 or 14 and went from 45 to 55. I thought it was 55 that >> it actually goes from 45 to 50 and then from 50 to 55 in there as well. >> There's two changes in there increasing speeds and you'll be up to 55 before you
hit 17. Um, just from running traffic out there for as long as I did, the majority of the traffic is traveling between 65 and 70 miles an hour when it gets there. Um, we pull people over there. We don't stop them unless they're more than 20 over
most of the time. >> Thank you. >> Because there's so much going on there. >> But yeah, >> does the does the does the new traffic light tend to slow them down any at all? Thinking that it might be might it slows
them down and it it uh breaks the packs up so you have less cars coming through at any one given time. But like I said, it's still a concern with a person on a lawn mower verse a car. The car is going to win every time. That guy on the lawn mower is not going to survive. >> Yeah.
>> So, it's it's a it's a real concern of mine. >> So, I think we've got the direction we need. We'll continue to work with them and and when we have better information, then we'll bring it back with >> a decision with them on the final design. >> They're wait they're waiting on our
notes. Uh they they're trying to move it along as fast as possible because we're already behind the ball about two months on this. Uh they have to have their plans in. I believe they need time to do it, but I want to say October. And the earliest they'd be starting I heard
around March of next year. Well, I would just suggest that this is something, Miss Kefir, that you and the chief and the mayor need to sit down with the appropriate people and make sure you understand what the options are. I just I just I hate while the state of Florida
is making transportation enhancements and doing things. I would hate for them to say, "Okay, this is the way to cut back the landscaping by a half a million dollars and not put additional landscaping." because that is sort of our motif for the town is that
additional, you know, landscaping that we have that other communities don't. >> Okay. A and we've got um keep Lake Placid Beautiful working with us, too. >> Yeah. But they have no they have no significant funds to I mean they they do
some stuff, but unless I'm wrong, keep Lake Plastic Beautiful doesn't have thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to invest. And and I don't want to be the one to say Lake Plast Beautiful has run its course. Um we were very active in the
past and and thank goodness for the town because we used to before these festivals, we'd have tree parties. We'd have 10, 15 people out there. I'd call everyone I know and we trim trees in Main Street, Interlake and and the Circle. We don't have to do that anymore. The town's doing a fantastic job now. They have staff to do that. So
we're just not quite as active. We're still going to keep keep Lake Plastic Beautiful Case. there's grants that are available, but we don't really have the manpower of people to go out and do things. We we can advise, but that's reason I kind of pawn things off on Bert. You know, he's been in it. He's done this thing way more than I have.
>> Okay. >> Thanks, Alan. Then, Chief. >> Um, next item. Um, sit tight Allen. It's um a budget amendment for the sanitation department.
>> Shifting gears, I'm uh requesting a budget amendment in the amount of $26,845.81. Uh this is uh these are necessary repairs to the number one garbage truck, uh the braking system. Uh these repairs are required to restore full compliance
with the FDOT uh road safety standards. We took it uh for oil change and transmission and to have the brakes checked and the the brakes uh were significantly worn due to the vehicle
being over 12 years old. >> You need 26,000. >> 26,000. Yes. I make a motion we amend the sanitation budget by up to $26,000. >> Sorry, it's $26,845 >> up to I'm sorry, up to $27,000.
>> I'll second that. But is this in addition to what we discussed a couple months ago? Is this a different truck than the transmission problem? >> Different truck. >> This is great. >> Yeah, we have to do it. >> Okay, we have a motion. We have a second. Any other comments from the dis
out to the audience? Seeing none, bring it back. Clerk, please take the role. >> Council member Royce, >> yes. >> Council member Sap, >> yes. >> Council member Hayes, >> yes. >> Council member Ebart, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Thank you, Alan. >> Thank you. >> Um, next up is um approval and
acceptance of D agreement number NF130, town of Lake Placid, septic to sewer. And this is sometimes called the 319 grant, you know, for those in the loop that went over it. I think uh chief do you have this one or Rachel?
>> Okay, please. Again, we applied for this grant. We have been before LPA on this already. They have recommended acceptance. Um this is a match grant, but our match is uh already made through staff time, so it really will not cost us any more than
the time we've already attributed to it. Um trying to This would uh [snorts] help us with the septic to sewer conversions and would uh convert approximately 33 private parcels from
septic tanks to central sewer which would continue our septic to sewer conversion. I move to approve and accept Florida D grant agreement number NF130 for the town of Lake Placid septic to sewer
project in the amount of $495,000. Dedicate the required 26,500 matching funds via project management salary allocations and authorize a town's authorized representative to sign all related contract documents, amendments, and change orders.
>> Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any other comments from the dis? >> Yes, I have two things. First of all, it says that um the owners will own the pumps. Uh that has to be corrected
because there was a resolution in September of 2023 where the town will own the grinder pumps, maintain them, and replace them if needed. So that has to be amended in the documents. And then the second thing is that it
specifies it will be a grinder pump. Um and one of the recent loop rack meetings, utility meetings, I brought forth there is a better alternative. It's called a step system where you ret if you if the existing tank is good, you
can retain the tank. So then instead of only 100 gallons of reserve, you have your full thousand gallons of reserve. it. Uh I can hand out to you the advantages of the step system, but the conclusion at the loop
meeting is that they were in favor of using a step system rather than a grinder pump. Um there, let me just if I can hand out these packets to you. Okay. Um the first one is that um I did
research and it is acceptable for the 319 grant. uh at one time it was thought they were not acceptable and they are indeed acceptable. So I will pass down the line uh back documentation. Oh, all right.
Thank you. The uh Okay. And then the second the second packet of is is that it's a comparison of actually it's a it's a comparison of the gravity system the step system and
the E1 system for um resiliency and um you know we worry about hurricane power outages but with I'm also concerned about this era of um cyber warfare or maybe the whole grid going down for who knows when. So, the next
packet uh compares the three systems. >> Can I can I jump in here? Um, are we I'm afraid we're moving away from the actual grant to proposing something different because I understand this grant went to Lupre and Lupre approved bringing it forward,
>> but Lupre also approved the step system and I object to having this grant written to be only for grinder pumps and not allowing for the other system. So, if the wording of the grant was changed to allow
um either a grinder or a step system, and the beauty of the step system is it saves money because you do not destroy your septic tank. >> So, so where in the actual grant language is the requirement and and I guess that's where we're going to need to
>> secure advice of the attorney on our ability to change a D standard language grant. Okay. Um, if I can find find the line item somewhere. Well, here. Let me while while I'm doing
that, here is the third packet or excuse me. Oh, those are extras. Those are extras. Um, let me find the wording. Rachel, what's the date of this grant that needs to be signed? Is there is it time
sensitive? >> Okay, the first one. >> So, hang on. I just want to make sure on the It's not time sensitive. >> When? >> By what date? >> So, it's been awarded. We need to determine to accept it. Okay. And
there's no by this date or that award expires. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, it Okay. On page uh 86 of the grant, um it says specifically to abandon the septic systems.
Um let's see where else was there. Um page 87. abandonic systems in two places. Um page 67 under budget narrative, it specifies
um a an E1 grinder pump or similar and that's also where it says that the pump station ownership will transfer to the property owner, which is incorrect. So, Miss E Missart, your point is you're in favor of accepting the grant
conditioned on making a few acceptance changes that we that >> exactly >> we would our utility would be able to utilize these other systems. >> Exactly. So, it's a change on ownership and a change to allow the alternate system.
>> Okay. If if I might ask a question. So, I agree with you. Wonderful. If if D says no, we have this is our standard language. We're not changing any language. Would you then be opposed to accepting the grant or is would your
counter motion be we accept the grant based on doing this? Our legal rep our our legal talks them and says we want to change language in a couple of paragraphs hopefully >> and and if they aren't willing to make those changes and it comes back for us
for further consideration. Is that what we're talking about doing? >> Right. So, for now, I would I would not accept it for now as is written. I would rather have um go to the D and ask for the changes.
I'm afraid if we accept it now, there's no incentive to make any changes. And one of them is actually flat out wrong where they own the system. >> Can I ask another question? Have have the 33 properties already been identified or is
this just we know this is the I mean have we identified 33 properties that this we haven't have we >> no no what what the intent here was to accept this and then kick it to the loop to come back with and how to
>> if I can add in there there is an area in town where they have identified properties >> agree there's areas in town there's areas does in town. I've heard Southtown. I've heard Lake June Road. I've heard different >> No, this was this was like in in town.
Um they've identified the properties and the owners. >> I think Jack, right, they had a list of who my understanding is they haven't that Loop didn't come. These are the addresses we want to do. It was like, yep, we have different opportunities. Um
and I have not heard Rachel, right? Have you heard the these are the 33 homes except for you know there's different possibilities. My only point was that needs to come from that should come from Lupre. These are the 33 addresses that
we would want to do at one point for approval. >> Jack check my memory. We were given a list of properties which owners they are how many had already paid in the um availability fees. How many were owners? How many were rentals? Correct. So they
looked at the ones downtown, >> right? >> And it looked at like about 17, >> but only five was really eligible because the rest of them was commercial properties. So we need to look at other areas and that's why it's going back to loop wreck to get to identify 33 or
more. >> Okay. >> So 33 was the minimum amount. >> We're a little in the weeds, too. Houses that are pre-1970 have sand bottom tanks for the most part. And I don't know that you could put a pump in a sand bottom tank which would >> this well first of all the tank first of
all the tank has to be in good condition. And then there the uh this also has a means where you can put the the pump just outside the tank and it takes the somewhat clarified water from the tank and pumps it.
>> I'm in the business. >> Yeah. >> I have a house. I would just soon have an E1 system and get rid of my whole tank. I never have to pump it out. I don't have sledge to deal with. I don't have a lid collapsing or problem in the future when I have a system in the ground. It's just a pump. That's all I have to worry about. I've lived in town
in my house for over 15 years. We've had some serious hurricanes come through. And the longest time I was without power was around nine or 10 days and I have a lift pump right now at my place. I had a little generator. We hooked it up and and it worked fine. I had no problem
with it. And the the the next longest time was four days, which was not an issue. Um, the town when we were talking this originally had a solution for power outages and pumps. The step system is great. I don't
want it at my house. And I don't know right now if there's a time to be discussing all this or not. We're kind of get down in the weeds a little bit, but it's it's not as simple as just putting a pump in the tank and making it work. So, there's way more to it than that. And I understand what you're saying, and I don't mind making the adjustment, but right now, people own
their own systems in the ground. I own my system. on my lift pump. I have to maintain it, keep it up, and it costs a lot of money to do that. I have no problem owning my own pump. I almost feel like it's out of the government's reach to provide me and pay for a pump
for something that I'm utilizing. It's not fair to the community for them to have to pay for a pump on my property for something I'm using. It should be my pump. I should maintain it. It's just a different perspective on government >> freebies. >> I I understand. And I if I recall when
the this was passed that same discussion I think you were in that discussion maybe and but it passed that the town will own the pump. So >> and that's a different issue but the step system and the E1 pump is a they're all different issues [snorts] and it might not be as simple as just putting a step system in
>> and it's going to depend on how the houses are and what kind of tanks they have. There's so many factors that play into that that it's it sounds simple but it's not. >> Okay. I >> I think what she's trying to say is let's give does the does the grant here give us the opportunity to have a step
system or a grinder pump or maybe even a gravity system depending >> not gravity all I'm asking is that there's an alternative that if a step system works or a grinder pump not I don't like the idea of just saying this is it a grinder pump period
>> okay so you're just hoping that it would give us flexibility correct Okay. >> Well, I would guess then maybe the amendment to the motion would be that we instruct legal staff to return, you know, that we accept the grant
conditioned on the changes to the to the language that Miss Everheart's outlined. And then if D says no then they have to legal comes back to us and says DP D I know it's not this simplistic but
they're saying take it or leave it then we have another conversation whether to take it or leave it you know and I think this is something missard if you want to try this you know on your two very exacting points let's send it back and to say we want to accept it but we call
your attention to these two things we want that flex fibility and see if they say fine. I see Miss Groves nodding like that seems to be something that legal could attempt to do. I hope that's what she's doing down there. >> Yes. Yes. So, I think the the technical
language we'd want to use here is under a 319H grant, which I do see that here in the application. Um, is there an allowance for the STEP system? and can we based off of what we've submitted have that in place because I do see that
language about you know a similar system is allowed. Um so we would want to say based on a 319 age grant um if you could authorize legal to go back to FT on that issue to address whether the step system
can be put in place of the grinders >> and and then the other issue was the ownership. >> Oh right. Yes. So that's is that in the resolution? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's in there. I have it underlined. I don't know what page it is. >> It's the very last page.
>> Okay. And then sub and then dependent on the determination made on the first issue to authorize an updated resolution amending the language in section.
No, no, they would have to it had to amend the grant that says the um under on page eight on page 87 of the grant. It says the pump station ownership will transfer to the property owner. >> It's 87 under budget narrative.
>> Oh, excuse me. >> Page 87 at page 80. Okay. Yeah. Page 87 of the packet and page >> two of five of on the grant >> of attachment three. Right. >> Can I have attachment three?
>> It's about in the middle of the page. Budget narrative. It's the last sentence. >> Yeah, I just had that up. Okay. But it is attachment three of the grant. >> Yes. >> I just think it's important that we get either this grant or grant like this because I've always said from the very
beginning that we can have this wonderful, lovely system in place and if none of our people can afford to hook up to it, then where are we? So, I think this is just really an important grant to have if we can possibly get it to read the way it makes good sense in
proper proper language for us. I think the question I would ask to us staff is on this exhibit. Am I reading the right one? Yeah. Is are those words that we put in there when we applied for the grant? So,
they're just kind of throwing back at us. >> No, that contract was provided by um the state. So, they gave us that contract. We did not create that. >> Okay. >> So, did you amend your motion? >> I didn't make a motion. Oh, I think we
have a motion. >> We have a motion, but it's not amended. >> Y'all can do whatever you want to with it. It doesn't matter to me. I just We need to not let this grant get away from us. >> Exactly. >> My perspective, Madam Mayor, is that I'm willing to give Miss Everheart's idea a
chance, but I will vote ultimately to accept the grant, however, whatever we need to do. But I just I don't want to say, "Well, we're we're going to turn down a half a million dollars and be able to put people on the system over that language." So,
>> yeah, I I I agree. I we I would go for the grant if give this a chance. >> Yeah. >> Well, actually, one is a correction. >> So, if we get a motion to that effect, I I think what we can do is work with
Cara, go back to D And hopefully by the next meeting we'll be able to bring back any update. >> You have a motion already, right? >> Yes. But it sounds like it's off the table now. We have a motion in a second. But >> no, there's not. Oh, >> no. No. >> Second.
>> We either amend it or he pulls his motion. One or the other. >> There is a motion in a second. There is a motion in a second. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It's still on the table. >> I'll make a I will make a motion to amend Mr. >> Well, wait. First, we have a motion in a second. >> He has a motion in a second. Oh, I thought we had a motion in a second.
>> Yeah, but it was to accept the grant. >> It was to accept it. So, unless um council members amends his motion, >> someone else can make a motion to amend his motion though, right? >> No, >> that be a two motion vote. >> Not until you >> You have to have a vote on his motion.
If he doesn't amend his own motion, >> vote on the one. >> Let's do a quick vote on that then. >> Quick vote on my motion and we can start over again >> on the original mo on your original motion. You want to vote? Okay. So, so any more comments on the original motion from the dis out to the audience?
Bring it back. Eva, take the role. >> Council member S. >> Yes. >> Council member Hayes. >> Yes. >> Council member Everheart. >> Not Not on the original motion. No. >> Council member Royce. >> No. >> Mayor >> Charles.
>> No. >> Motion fail. >> Now we're cleared. >> Yeah. >> So now you can amend. >> Okay. Thank you. Motion fails. >> I will make a motion that we accept the grant
contingent upon the two items as I really wish Miss Everheart would make this motion since I'm going to withdraw the motion. I'll let her make the motion since it's her deal. I would I'll make a motion that uh we uh have legal review uh the two
issues at hand with the DP and return to us a decision whether we can change the ownership of the pumps and whether we can allow for an alternate um technology. >> Yes. And those two issues have been
stated on the record so as as we've discussed here. So I think that's sufficient. >> Can I ask a question before there's a second or not? >> Um my concern is as I understand Miss Everheart's motion is that if D says yes, her motion didn't say accept the
grant. It said her motion said go talk to D. [snorts] I would hope you would strengthen your motion, Miss Everheart, to say if D says sure, that we can accept it under those terms without having additional >> Okay. All right. Yes. Yes. That's good.
And if the D agrees to those changes, um, we I move then that we accept the grant. >> Second. >> Do you have that? >> I do. >> We have a motion. We have a second. >> Any other comments from the dis?
>> Yes. I just I went through this years ago with this whole thought process and I don't think the town should be in the pump management business for 2500 residents of the town. I think we're setting ourselves up for a long-term pain. We're going to fall utility and they'll be able to take care of it. Homeowners should be responsible for
their own pumps, their own waste, and I don't think the town's getting that part of it. We're already taking it off the property. They should get it to the street just like the I guess garbage cans fall in the same thing. Roll it to the street and the town from there. I just I guess it was made years ago and I
can't undo that, but I'm not comfortable with that. And it hurts me to think the town has to take care of that many pumps for that many people who should be responsible for their own waste. We're already dealing with it, processing it. I I I think it's a lot to ask of the town for that. And I think we're setting the town up for a burden. And that was
my argument before. And I there were so many arguments, yelling, screaming going on. I think everyone's just tired of dealing with it years ago. But we're here again. And I I know we're stuck with this on paper. We can always change it and get back away from it now. We need to be thinking about what we're setting the town up to do in the future and future councils. Just want to get
put that out there. My perception of the motion was that the EP will say yes, either the town can own them or the public, the individual can own them. That language, I mean, we're not saying they're going to be publicly
or privately owned. We are going to clarify whether or not they can be publicly and or privately owned. To your point, Mr. Sap, we can make that determination later. I think what Miss Eberhart is saying is let's don't be in violation of our own rules that are
currently in code. And so I think what we're going to ask legal to do is say yes, they can either be publicly or privately owned and still be eligible for the grant. We can we can have your discussion which I probably support at another day.
>> Right. At a later date that can come up for discussion. Any other comments from the dis out to the audience? Please state your name and address for the record. Jack Conley, 607 Sunset Point Drive.
back in the late 1990s when uh grinder pumps were kind of just coming into play in in Florida. Apparently, the uh Florida D commissioned a
group to uh make recommendations on grinder pumps. One of their recommendations was that either the the utility or the city should own the pumps. Now, I don't know
whether that was ever, you know, passed into law or not, but that was their recommendation back then. And the reason was is because individuals, especially lowincome individuals, are not going to be able to
pay for the pump when it goes bad. These A1 grinder pumps last approximately 10 years and they have to be replaced. So, I was told originally when I talked to the the people at uh that are the the uh
sales representatives for A1 pumps that they run about $6,000. Now, we're hearing a price of I don't know 3500 or something like that. But in either case, a lot of people in the city of Lake Placid are not going to be able to afford to replace those. So, what's
going to happen then? The other thing is you talked about the um hurricanes and the power outages and uh I think Mr. Sap you said the longest you were ever without power for the for was about eight eight days or
something like that. and and since I've been here, I think about four days was the longest I've been out without power. A lot of people have um portable generators
for their houses, but from what I've seen, most of them are 110 volt generators. I know that's what mine is, right? And these these A1 grinder pumps are 220 volt. So,
a lot of the people who think they have a generator and and maybe could power that, you know, during an outage aren't going to be able to. Also, talking about the uh the step system where the uh
you use a sewage pump rather than a sewage grinder pump, right? the uh in in Sebring uh west of the hospital the the
develop the newer development out there they've had this system using putting grinder pumps I'm sorry regular sewage pumps in their lift station in their septic tanks and
can I have another minute >> a I'll give you 15 seconds to wrap it up, please. >> Okay. Uh those people there have I've had apparently no problem with it. They seem to be very uh satisfied with them from the people that I've talked to in the audience in the uh in the office
there. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other comments from the audience? Sharon Hudson. Um, I think that this is just my opinion. I've been in the septic business for 28 years. You first of all have to know if those tanks that you're
abandoning or holding and putting a grinder pump in is a solid bottom. That's number one. You've got to decide that. Secondly, I think that it's the responsibility of the homeowner for the simple fact that they would have to
maintain it. They do not take care of things. They don't care how they use their system. You're going to spend your time replacing pumps that they are deliberately destroying.
That's going to run into money if they're responsible for it. Those pumps run what about $400 to do? I think about now maybe five at the most. If they're responsible for that, they're going to maintain it and they're going
to take care of it. The town cannot afford to maintain these pumps and keep replacing them and replace them. That's just my opinion. So, if they're responsible for it, they'll take care of it. >> Yes, ma'am. It it was put in the ordinance that if
they dis if they abused the system then the town would stop paying for it. It was >> But how are you going to know? >> Yeah, that's subjective. >> Items like if I can getting longwinded here, but >> to your point about the town uh
gentleman sitting down that >> they can't afford to put a pump in. They have to maintain their sewer, their septic system. And the systems last usually 10 to 15 years. Some go 20. The old systems used to go 50 with the rock, but people put in chamber systems now.
They're cheaper and they don't last as long. Some last if you get 15 years, you're lucky to last that long. Those systems are 7 to$10,000 depending how big the house is right now. Less than a pump would be to maintain. Um, I see it as a homeowner's responsibility. You're responsible for your sewer, your septic
system right now, and you should be responsible for your pump. Sharon Shar and I are in the same business. We think the same and we've seen it. People don't take care of things that aren't theirs. They put junk down the system and it's you have the same houses in the same county. You go to the same places, bump out usually year after year after year,
rental houses usually. I've seen the same thing. The town does not need to get in this business and we're out way off track here. But >> [snorts] >> uh >> so make point. Thank you. >> That's just my opinion. Thank you. >> Appreciate the comments. Anybody else from the audience?
Uh, bring it back. Eva, please take the role. >> Council member Everheart, >> yes. >> Council member Royce, >> yes. >> Council member Hayes, >> yes. >> Council member Sap, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Thank you. Uh, the last item on the agenda is the request for
information responses for the future use of 151 Dal Hall Boulevard. Uh, sometimes referred to as the Dhal Boulevard and Bsentennial Park. Um, as everybody recalls, uh, we went out with an RFI
over a month ago, um, of what would the future use of that, uh, facility be? We received two, uh, responses back. One's from a new profit, a nonprofit called 33852 connect, and the other's from the Boys
and Girls Club of Highlands County who had previously come and expressed interest. Um, we ended up taking the RFI. We took the contract from the Boys and Girls Club along with their proposal and the 33852. We did some analysis and in your packet
is a comparison with risks um exposure overview of the two um proposals uh that came forward. And at this point is we're going to need direction from council about which direction you want to go uh
with the RFIs. Uh chief, anything additional you wanted to add to it? >> Not yet. >> So, so what we can do is you know this this chart in front of you is kind of the decision matrix uh that kind of
consolidates it all. Um, at this point we do have a representative from 3385 um to connect here and we had a representative from Boys and Girls Club also. Janice who's ca came uh previously
um is out of the area and wasn't able to attend um and somebody did represent but it looks like they might have left. >> That was that was Bob Duncan. Okay. >> Um he's on the board also. Um >> unfortunately I didn't recognize him when I came in. >> Okay. He usually has a golf hat on and I
didn't I didn't but anyway that's who that was but yeah he obviously he couldn't stay that long but [snorts] so I I guess to the council any comments on the different proposals any direction
and you want to give us is where we should go next um if you want you know the one representative that's here for any questions are available for any questions unfortunately the other isn't. But she previously had come to council and presented.
>> I can't agree to a 5-year contract. I I recommend we list a property for sale and see what we get. And if 3352 [snorts] connect can utilize a property during the interim, if it takes six months or a year or two years, I think
the property should be available to sell. Um, we have more properties coming up. The police station will be coming up for sale before too long. Possibly the fire station in a few more years. It's been going for a long time. The town is not in the business of holding properties. We need to get these off the
rolls and >> have to maintain them, take care of them. >> Is your thinking the building and the park or just the building? >> Only the building. We need to keep the park 100%. Yes. The the the park is dear to me and I think we need playgrounds and it's a very good location for a playground there. the building itself we
need to sever and enlist and not put another nickel into it. [snorts] >> Um I I had a conversation with another board member Cindy Bowser who I know from the club and uh she's a I said a
board member. My the thing that really jumped out at me with the Boys and Girls Club contract was exhibit D and there's 16 items on exhibit D and it's like starts out you know electricity town will pay water town will pay sewer town
pays garbage town pays telephone town pays and and I and that's only not number five. We keep going all the way down to number 10 is town pays [snorts] and and they're going to give us a a lease agreement for $5. Well, her comeback with that was, but we're
providing the service to the town for the um for the education of our youth. And that's that's in essence, not her words, but in [snorts] essence, that's what we would pay for having that
opportunity for our youth. So, in that in that in that context, it makes sense. However, um I don't like the fact that we bought this building with town money and then we're going to lease it for $5 a year. Yes, for the youth of the town,
but but I keep going back to the idea that we [snorts] have more people in the town than just the youth. And yes, we have to do something for the youth, but we also have to do something for the middle-aged folks and and the and the senior demographic. and I don't think we
should we would be doing a good service by tying that building up for just that use. Then her comeback was well this is essentially the same contract that they have with Avon Park and they're in Avon Park and they said Avon Park uses the
building when they are not there but it was my understanding and when I met privately with the what's her name Janet Janice >> when I met privately with her as well she I asked her that specifically she said oh no we could not use it so um for
that reason I'm I'm just reticent about I I love the program Boys and Girls Club. I love But I just think that that really ties us up with that with that house and with that building and I don't think it's fair for to the town. >> There was another note on there also
about them restricting the use of playground on certain times and that's probably when the other kids be using it when they're not in school. It just it doesn't make sense to tie that up >> and the summertime because I mean that that was my concern and and when we spoke with her I said
>> we can't take town property. We're going to invest in playground equipment and have it close 7 to 7 all during the summer. >> Yeah, that was the other thing that that was of great concern that they were going to not allow general use of the of
the park either. So, if we had to take one or the other, I would go with the 33852 because we had more options. So, but I don't I mean, it says that we're not going to make a decision tonight and I don't think we should, but because we don't have representatives from both
here, so >> we can, >> but I don't think we should. >> No, we I mean, we can. >> So, >> because it says we weren't going to do it on the agenda. Um, so I know that this is on not on for an action agenda
item. I know that council also to some extent wants to move it forward. What I did not realize this is in a CRA area or no? >> Yes, >> it is. Okay. Has this been brought through CRA and put in any development
plan for allocation or anything? So I I think I have a solution to this problem. But um if it has not been put on a CRA plan, we will need to legal will need to look at that because there's another statute
that deals with the disposition of CRA property and it requires to some extent it may require actual bidding on this issue. Um so what I saw in this packet is we have a lease from the Boys and Girls Club and we do not have a lease
from connect. So the motion I think that would meet legal sufficiency here is to direct staff because we would need to do this anyway to invite 33852 connect to prepare and submit a proposed [snorts] lease agreement and in consistent with the terms in their RFI response for
review by town attorney and future council consideration and then extend that same invitation to the Boys and Girls Club to update or refine based on the objections raised here. and then town attorney has to um bring this back
as a properly noticed item under the potential CRA issue here. That would be my recommendation as of right now. >> I apologize, Madam Mayor. Why is a CRA have a consideration? So apparently when
a property is in a CRA area, the CRA there's [clears throat] a state statute that it releg uh regulates to some extent disposition whether it's a lease or the sale of that property. Um and it may have to go and be a decision
initially allocated under a CRA plan >> even if the CRA did not have any investment in that public property >> because it's in the area. >> Okay. Thank you. >> But we did have investment. Well, yeah. So, I mean, take Miss Scr.
I'll share my perspective. I'm I am not at all interested in the lease proposed by the Boys and Girls Club. It is not a serious offer in my mind. And I'm sort of with Mr. Sappin that I don't think long term
we should [clears throat] have ownership just to kind of break even on a building. But I think that we could do two things at one time. I would be interested in given whatever we need to do legally inviting 3852 connect to offer a
potential lease and getting into a one-year lease at the kind of terms they're suggesting and at the same time starting the process of discovery of figuring out what is the property worth what are we going to do long term because I think if we said let's move
that property it'd take us six eight nine months to start that process process. Anyways, I think we can do two things at one time. We can see whether or not the folks with 3852 connect are making a meaningful impact on the community, whether or not they're going
to be interested in being a potential um bidder on the property long term. So I think we need to take whatever action we can to um move forward with 3852 connect and start the process of now of staff looking at what would the ramifications
of a sale be where would we utilize you know where would we use the money if we got from the proceeds I think we need to do both those things simultaneously. Thank you. Well, and if we if we allow come to an agreement with 33852
uh and they come with a with a formidable lease that we can deal with and the CRA would approve, then we can if it's a one-year lease, we can take a look at it and see if does this does this size of a facility and type of a facility fill a need for our town?
Because I mean for some of the things that I've talked to 33852 as well and some of the things that they're thinking that this size of facility might might host is like a maybe a birthday party or a sewing
meeting or a a small meeting of some sort. My rotary club, you know, something like that and they're charging an hourly rate to to rent the building. Well, a lot of those small bis small meetings wouldn't fit in this unit.
Wouldn't fit anywhere up here. So, it would be way out of out of scope for them to even think about that. So, maybe we can see if this does fill a need in our community. And then we only have we not only have a one-year um exposure,
but we have $300 a month coming in. And this um I you know again I I appreciate what the Boys and Girls Club do, what their what their mission is and what they do for the community, but I don't think we can afford what they do.
>> And just to briefly address any um timing concern from legal's perspective. So there is a piece of that statute that allows you to do temporary operations. So even if it's not fully in a a CRA plan and they you know not waiting until that next meeting, we can do things temporarily. So that'll be what we come
with next time also on that issue. >> And do we need to work on severing the property now? Going ahead and drawing a line and determining >> where the split is probably where it was originally. >> Is that something >> between the playground and the building? >> Yeah. See, that's one of the simultaneous things listed as a single
piece property right now. It >> was unified a long time ago. >> Is it okay? Okay. Yeah, that should be separate. And actually from my perspective is some of the things that I always felt is we need a community service recreation
department. Right? So when I see this I'm like oh great this is the best of all worlds. This is let somebody else do that community services to fill that void without us having town employees do it. So that's where you know and I I can
already think of a lot of things. I mean the Fourth of July picnic um and actually Margaret Dear the chief and myself and um Sherion we were the committee. >> So and that was three weeks what we pulled together with volunteers and things. So I I personally see a big need
of having somebody partner with the town with the community with the chamber to do a lot of just what you're saying the different age groups. I mean, even with the children, there's a lot of things that we can plan and having somebody else lead that. >> Yeah. With the whole community.
>> With the whole community. >> Yeah. >> I I agree completely. And I think we found that in our walking tour, we need a community center of some sort. Even though it's not run by the town, this would serve that purpose. And um
I'm not I said at least give them a year and see how it goes and then think about selling the building. >> So Carara, how do we move forward? My my concern is the next CRA meeting isn't until two months from now. So I think we
we all have an interest to get some community service activity going. 33852 can fill that need. So, how do we try to move it forward even temporarily with with them if
that's what the the council >> we can add a CRA meeting we can >> okay >> we can especially >> do it at the next meeting >> but we we aren't supposed to make a decision tonight is for discussion only tonight per the agenda >> but we can't until you look at the CRA
situation we can't really do much about it so if we had a CRA meeting next month we can discuss it then Right. Come to some more decisions. >> Yeah. So do that. Yeah. >> Okay. So I think the motion would be to authorize legal to clarify the notice
requirements and the CRA issue and to at the same time look at the um sale and bifurcation of the property and to look specifically at temporary
operation. So that at this next meeting which we are authorizing staff to specially set a CRA meeting at the next town council meeting that the discussion of these issues and an action item will
be placed on these issues. Legal will provide a memorandum on them and 33852 connect will provide a lease. That would be my comprehensive motion. >> Both both parties could present at that
CRA meeting. Right. >> So it would from legal's perspective to offer both the opportunity would be better. >> So I'll move what she said. >> Okay. >> Did you get all that Eva?
>> Second. >> I got the [laughter] And Cara, you're comfortable having the Boys and Girls Club revise what they've submitted in order to come to that. Is that what you had
said earlier to give them a chance to revise and address any of the questions? I just get back to bidding practices now. Is that >> Yes. I I think that they should be provided based because council put the objections on the record why they disagree with it. We can have and
nobody's here from boys club girls club. Um it would have been different I think if they were here but since they are not they can be invited to revamp it based on these objections and determine if that is something that they want to do or not. And I I would like to make sure
that they know that that opportunity is available to them because they somehow didn't know that this was happening tonight. So I I don't want to just shut the door on them. I want them to be able to to uh come back if I mean they realize I I told Cindy what my what my
objections were and and um so I think we should have they should have the opportunity to come back if they want to. >> So we have a motion. We have a second. Any other comments from the dis?
Seeing none, um, out to the audience. >> Uh, does 33852 since you are here tonight want to make any comments real quick? I I'd hate to close this out and she hasn't had a chance to either. >> I mean, um, Margaret Deer from 33852
connect 1504 French Street for the record. Um, yeah, I'm I'm I'm a little befuddled. Um, put a lot of time and and effort, so
it's not like it was a closed bid or a sealed bid, but but I mean, Boys and Girls Club's a a tough nut to crack, but but at any rate, it's it's the will of council. Um, I was asked, um, one of the things about where did I come up with a
number of $300. Um, the average water bill for the town of Lake Placida for an area building like this is about $40 $45. Um, the average electricity bill for the museum is $265 and that building is a lot smaller than
the museum. So, it basically came up with $300. So, it wouldn't cost the town anything. But, um, I'm under no illusion. I know that it is the will of most of the council and I absolutely support selling the building. I'm with you. The the the real estate does not
need to be on the town rolls. But by the same token, the town invested $300,000. It's been sitting there. It has tens of thousand dollars put into it and not a dang soul has walked through that front door. And there are people ready to use it today. And that that's all. But I I
appreciate the consideration. It's is we're all we're all good. I think the CRA thing threw a kink in it. We might have gone a little differently, but we kind of have to wait 30 days now. >> I get it. >> Awesome. >> Okay. Any other comments from the
audience? Bring it back. Eva, please take the role. >> Council, [clears throat] Council Member Hayes, >> yes. >> Council member Sat, >> yes. >> Council member Everheart, >> yes. >> Council member Royce, >> yes. >> Motion passes. So, I have a question. is
the next CRA isn't until two months, but we can do a special one or we can is there any um consideration that the next town meeting is that too aggressive to put this as
CRA topic prior to the next town meeting since we're the CRA members? >> That's up to legal because she's got the biggest part of that. >> I just looked at her and she shook it. I know that you you want to move this forward so we'll get it done. So you would want to have a meeting not with
town not with the council meeting on a separate day at a separate time. >> No. No. So for the August what is it? 11th 13th town council meeting is make the CRA meeting first on that same day. >> Yes. Yes.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> So it'll be August 10th. >> Is that what it >> and I'll do a special um >> August >> publish publish a special meeting only for the topic that is going to be at hand. Yeah. >> Right. >> And then we'll do it right first. >> Yeah.
>> CRA special meeting on August 10th followed by the uh regular town council meeting. Does that work for everybody? >> Cara for you and Eva for you? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay, perfect. Okay, good.
Six minutes to go. 30 minutes overdue, but here we go. Um, so we finished everything for tonight. I think we'll just go around. um around the room and start with Allan. Anything? Rachel, Eva,
>> just a reminder that Thursday, July 30th, is your first budget workshop? >> Okay. >> Just just a reminder. >> Good. >> Is there a is there a budget meeting this Thursday here? >> Yeah, I was going to mention that. >> So, it's the county's
>> budget meeting for Lake Placid is this Thursday here. Um, I think it's six to eight, Eva. I'm pretty certain it's 6 to8. So, I was going to remind So, thank you for bringing that up. >> So, that's the county's budget workshop for the Lake Placid portion of the
budget. >> Chief >> Eva, that's August 3rd, right? >> August 3rd. >> Yeah. Okay. You said July 3rd. >> I'm sorry. >> You said July 3rd. August. >> July 30th. >> 30th. Okay. I thought you said July 30th is the first budget. No, July 30th is
the first budget. August 6 and August 27th. Okay. >> At 5:30 or 6. >> No, it's 6. I think >> August 6th >> at what time? 5:30. >> 5:30. >> All of them are 5:30 on Thursday. >> 5:30 is on Thursdays. >> Make sure I get it in there. Thank you.
>> Yeah. The the 30th of July, the 6th of August, and the 27th of August are the three budget meetings if needed. >> And they're all at 5:30. >> All at 5:30. Here. Perfect. Cara,
anything? Thank you for being here in person. >> Absolutely. >> Chief Councilwoman Neba, >> um I was invited to the uh Habitat for Humanity Women Build and um Sherion was
graciously hosted at the Purple Iris. I was saying at the women's women build event and Sheranne hosted at the purple iris with uh tea and finger sandwiches. But anyway, it's it's a group of women
that u get together uh and build homes if you're not familiar with that. Um and there's a project in Mason's Ridge and Sebring. Um it's mostly for single women. They the the women they don't just get a house. Um, they have to put,
I think, 250 hours of sweat equity into it. Um, Sher, help me out. It's a mortgage, but it's 0% mortgage. >> Yes. >> And, uh, but anyway, I have information if anybody's interested, and you don't have to know how to do anything. They
will teach you how to change a toilet. They will teach you how to do whatever. So, if anybody's interested, I have the information. There was also an article in the news sun on the 17th if anybody wants to check that out. >> Thank you,
Council Member Sap. >> Nothing. >> Councilwoman Hayes, >> I will just add to um Joyce thing. I participated in the women's build when Sheriff Benton had one and the only thing they'd let me use was the hammer.
[laughter] So, >> and then they made a song after that. how good of a how good of a of a builder I am. >> Well, I'm told that there's um a camaraderie built up with the crew and also with and also with the recipient of the home.
>> They're definitely goes on and on. >> Yes. And they laughed at me a lot. Yes. [laughter] I didn't always hit the nail with the hammer either. But at any rate, um Culver Dana's not here. Um do you have any
update on Culver? My understanding is Culvertz has cleared all their permits. >> That was my understanding. >> Now in their hands to time of their build. >> Yeah, I think so. >> Yeah. Y >> I know that people keep saying all they pulled out and it's like those are false rumors. >> Okay.
>> Um and just a question it I seem to recall that we had a light on the flag pole at on on 27 on the big flag pole. Did we do we and was it FDOT that killed it or do we have it now or is it us?
>> There should be two lights, one on each side of the road. Uh it's a sport light up right next to Dollar General and I don't even know what's across the street anymore. A vacant lot. There should be a two operational. If they're not lit,
then I can contact Duke Energy. >> So I really didn't hear what he said. He said there should be two. If they're not operational, let them know. And I think all of us as we go home in the dark tonight will be looking at that flag. >> Okay. [laughter] Well, I'll I'll be going in the dark on Wednesday morning
to Rotary. So, I'll check it on Wednesday morning in the dark. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> No, that's important. Whenever we see something, say something because, you know, lots of times we don't know. Well, >> somebody get that feedback. Thank you, >> council member. Hey, Royce. Madame
Mayor, I already let the mayor know that I'm going to be flying back into the country on August the 17th and will not make our August the 17th meeting. So, if anyone else is going to miss, please let the mayor know. If so, there's quorum issues. I am going to tomorrow hopefully
send Eva a uh calendar invite to share with you all and to make available to the public. On August the 5th at 10:30 in Wula, the Central Florida Regional Planning Council is going to have a program about data centers and they are
bringing in experts from several different perspectives to talk about the pros, the cons, the issues related to them. And I just think it's a good idea for whoever can make that to go. We don't have a specific application now,
but certainly in our county, in our area, one an application [clears throat] may very well come before us. So, I think we all need to educate ourselves to the best fullest extent possible on how that's done. So, if you get a calendar invite coming from Jennifer
Kota Salisbury for August the 5th at 10:30 in Wula, it's part of their H Heartland60 program, but I think she's bringing in some pretty good folks to speak on both sides of the issue. She just wanted you all to be aware. >> Do you know by chance is it going to be
live streamed? >> I do not know the answer to that. >> I think she asked if it was going to be live streamed or available. I don't know. I will ask Jennifer if it's going to be recorded. So if someone wants to see it, uh they had already had some
meetings set up in Wula and that's why it's in Wula and it is not my meeting. I had nothing to do with putting together. We had just talked with her about doing such a thing and she said, "Oh, by the way, we already got one going." So I think, you know, she has some folks coming down from the University of Florida. I know there's members of the
audience that have some expertise in this and are interested in this. So, I just think it'll be a great educational opportunity. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, it's 8:01. I declare this meeting adjourned.