At this time, we'll have the invocation by Dr. Ricky Rivers. Oh, dear heavenly father, oh dear gracious Lord, Father God, we come before you tonight as a city in need of wisdom, your peace, and your healing. Lord, you know the hurts, the
frustration, and the division amongst us. But you also know the potential for hope, for justice, and for reconciliation that rests within this community. Father, quiet our tempers and calm our tongues. Teach us to listen as
much as we speak and to seek understanding more than victory. Remind us that we are neighbors before we are opponents and that every decision we make affects the lives of your children. Bless our mayor, our commissioners, and every
citizen here. Grant us the courage to lead with integrity, humility to admit that when we're wrong, and compassion to work for the good of all. Lord, let unity rise where there is division has lived too long. May this meeting be a
step towards building not just a stronger city but a more caring one. In Jesus holy name we pray. Amen. Algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under
God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. before our public commentary. Thank you. We will have a presentation from the Panhandle Runners Club. Ask Mr. Benji if he will come now to uh introduce the
group. Good evening. Um yes, we actually we have some uh representation here from the Panin Runners Club. the club reached out to the city and um offered a donation toward a bench that
will be installed um at the rails to trails project. So um these uh these gentlemen these young ladies are here today to present the check to the officially present the donation to the uh to the city commission. So I would
like to ask you mayor maybe to come forward and officially accept this check. Just a real quick comment. U panhandle runners and community, running community, walking community. So excited about your trail and we're
excited about future additions to it also. So, we wanted to give people a little place to sit down and rest for a couple minutes if need be. But anyway, we uh want to thank you for getting it
together and look forward to the future. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Gary Beck. My name is Captain Gary Wayne Beck. I live at 2601 Beach Street. Gentlemen, the last time I stepped in front of this
council, I was a very desperate man asking y'all to get me in touch with the sheriff. During the meantime, they didn't get me in touch with the sheriff. They got me in touch with Major Baldwin. The problem with that is I'd been trying to get in touch with Major Baldwin since last April, which I was following the the Department of Law Enforcement's
instructions. Then when I got in touch with Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Baldwin had been fed so much information by the corruption in this town that he had no idea was about to happen. What ended up happening was the sheriff's department showed up with the code enforcement and I ended up pinned in my house. They cut
their way onto my property. They took all of my personal belongings. They took down my tiki bar. They took up my deck. They took all of my rocks. They took my flowers. They took everything I had while I was pinned in my home. And the gentleman that did it is the very same
code enforcement officer that's responsible for crushing all the homes. Over 54 homes now. And we got strong armed extortion as you seen with Miss Cindy at 108 Heather Drive. $42,600 for one day's labor. and this lady is
disabled. Had I not been sitting in that commission meeting, nobody would even know this lady exists. This coincides with a federal case that I found filed against the the uh Bay County. This lady right here was a lawyer on Panama City Beach when I filed it. But I suffer from
a dyslexia and the fact that the 14th Judicial is is corrupt and they they messed up every filing that I had. And now I'm faced with the fact that I'm banned from speaking at Panama City because I was exposed to the fact that they're stealing properties. This is the
quasi judicial in conjunction with the code enforcement that's going out finding anything they can and crushing people's homes, their most valuable possessions. They're crushing and taking it. And then they're splitting the profits up between themselves and the merchandise that they're taking off of
people's properties. Be it the the the copper, be it the the vehicles. You know, I've got one lady where she heard the code enforcement officers arguing over who's going to get to keep her dead husband's truck. This classifies nothing short of strong armed extortion against
the people. And they had me pinned with a sheriff's officer at each window. During the meantime, they said, "Come out." I said, "I have a hard time trusting a sheriff's officer that don't recognize capital felonies that's being carried out against the people such as the manufacturer of methamphetamines.
The sheriffs didn't show up. There was a guy stole two pistols off the gun showroom floor and the sheriffs didn't show up and they telling me it didn't happen and I can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. During the meantime, the same code enforcement officer crushed my uncle's home with all my
mama's stuff in it. Now I'm out there. All sweat equity that I put into my home, they just destroyed. They just took my tile. They took my Eastwing drywall hammers. They took my DeWalt grinders. They took everything I had
while I was pinned. Thank you, Jared Parker. Good evening, Commission. Jared Parker. place. Um I want to bring up um a couple of things. Um one would be the 18th Street plot hole across from Marco's
Pizza. There's a pothole right there. Also on um the byway, which is right there where near where I live. Um there's weeds all up on the fence um near the um retention pond.
And um there's a water leak across from um Doc's tire. It looks like it may become a um uh a pothole or something. So that needs to
be fixed as well. The other thing that I want to talk about that's very concerning to me is one of your supporters, mayor. That'd be Tony Bostik. He made a post on his page that is very disturbing.
It needs to be admonished. Mayor, I'm going to read it to you. Here you go, boy. And then this is his person that he follows. Black people were all in Charlie Kirk's
head, rentree. Another typical cracker. All I know is another racist bastard is dead and it's well deserved as far as I'm concerned. I'm not worried about Trump
and these crackers. F him and them. I'm completely unbothered. This is very concerning. This needs to be admonished. This type of behavior is unacceptable.
It's hate. Hate speech 100%. It needs to be admonished. And if you still consider him a supporter and a friend, then you're complicit as well. Mayor, thank you.
James Finch. James Finch, 410 East Second Street. Also glad to see y'all take a donation from about that park bench. I've been trying to give y'all one on the uh audit here for about four three or four months. And this is my last time I'm going to try and do it. If y'all are not
done the audit, I told y'all I talked to Jim uh Jim Moody's son, Jame uh Moody. Anyway, Jim Moody's son is helped y'all the uh auditing stuff during the corruption. if it would if he would audit the
sports park in this building and just do the construction on both of them or what all the rebuild construction he was talking said 20 or $25,000 I would donate to the that to the city for y'all to do the audit that everybody
wants to see in that way you know Mr. Vo was worried about me suing the city and then donating some city to them. The reason I sued the city is because I couldn't get any answers from any of y'all. And it took me several months to do that. If I hadn't sued the city,
Vicky Gain would still be here and they wouldn't be going to uh hearings tomorrow for depositions. I had to do that to get anything. I'm taking a deposition of the third person that rigged the stuff with Vicki Gainor that y'all all interviewed with two months
ago. So, I'm going through about $20,000 for me to get where y'all were at in one day. But, I will do the money 20 $25,000 with the one that y'all pick and have it done. And I'd like for y'all to do that instead of look at me like I've got two
heads. At least somebody make a motion to do it and then all y'all can vote against it. But at least give the citizens the Noah the knowledge that at least y'all didn't want it or at least y'all would say something about it because I've been coming up here for on this corruption stuff for two two or
three years and absolutely nothing's been done until the last two or three months and so it's time to do something. The audit Mr. Work said I'd hate to spend that money and and find out nothing. Hell, that's exactly what you want to do
is spend the money and find out it was perfectly good. That's a home run. You want the audit to show you that something's wrong or something's great. That's all it's going to show. And it showed the change orders and show how the chronology of them, who who brought
them to the city, who signed them, and how many they were. It's not a big deal, but why I would love for y'all to do that. Tell me if y'all want to do it or not. Take the donation. or either vote for it and show these people you don't want it.
But I don't have two heads. I want an answer. Thank you, Commission Tinder. All right. So, there's a motion to accept the offer to pay for an audit with Jay
Moody for 25,000 focusing on the construction of the building. Is there a second for that? Can we discuss a second for purpose of discussion? All right. There's a second.
All right. Discussion. my my feeling and I I think I want to be clear because I I I hope I could sum this up and possibly get it taken care of.
Is everything you're asking for, Mr. Finch, able to be done in a public records request? Because you you just stated that it's it's easy. It's and it's all public information. if there was any way we could bundle it
up as a public records request, have that have that approved by the outside source and let Mr. Finch take it take it to him and and and then it then give us the findings. I mean, that that wouldn't
involve any donations to the city. Um um it would it would it would be an out it would be an approved outside source, but it would be a a personal undertaking on his part. And as long as it's everything that that you're asking for because
we're basically we're basically um windowing up two projects, right? This this one and the sports complex. Is that possible? Um and we could provide all the pay request
and all the change orders. Is that the main thing you're wanting, Mr. bench. Yeah. The soup to nuts. Give it give it all to him in the form of a public records request. Let him go and take it to take it to Mr. Moody and and and he
could bring back his findings in public commentary or I'll give him all the time in the world in my report if we could. I I I really think he's he he wants answers. He's an esteemed citizen and let's let's give him let's give him the time, but let him do it on an outside
source so we're not dealing with a donation to the city or anything like that cuz he himself said he would want to go cut the deal with Moody. So I I'd rather you cut the deal cuz I think
cuz I know when people want to pay when people want the city to to to pay for something, they kind of run the price tag up a little bit. You you are bound by state state law and how you procure audit services. So you do need to be very careful. You can't just accept the offer as it's
vain. Okay. Well, I think that would that would uh Miss Tinder if Yes. Sorry. And I think we owe it to I think we owe it to ourselves.
Have this done and be done with it. I don't think there's any reservation from the commission to do an audit. I think in previous dialogue from what I recall, we could not identify what we were actually auditing. So for example, what Mr. defens stated is something very
specific which is building sports complex. In previous com in previous conver in previous conversations we have uh talked about is wanting to hide anything or hold anything back from citizens because it's
as we all know it's public record. So we can't hide public records from citizens. So, um, so as you're communicating with citizens, let them know that none of us are reluctant to open the books to let anyone see anything. Again, I think it's identifying what is it that we're trying to audit. Previously, we said, "Hey,
let's audit everything. What is everything? Is there a particular thing that we're looking for that we need to uh hone in on?" I mean, we've also just hired a procurement person that we could also put on. I'm assuming we could ask them to go back and review things to see
did we follow the procurement policy. I mean, we just hired someone for that. I don't know what the the salary is for that, but it's probably around the price of what we would actually pay for the audit to actually get those things done. So, I think we're putting things in place for that. But again, I don't think
anyone is reluctant to do an audit. It's just what are we trying to audit? My my concern is this, and this is where I need the city attorney's advice. Yeah, if an individual is suing the city and now they want to do an audit, what
kind of legal liability or what kind of concerns does that make us if we accept a donation from him to do an audit for the city? I'm not concerned about his identity as a person who is suing the city. That part doesn't bother me at all. The
procurement of these services bothers me. He is making a donation. He's offering a gift with with very specific strings attached. You can accept the money. You cannot accept the money with the string that it only goes to one particular accountant because you you the audit committee have to draft a
procurement document and you have certain standards by which to award that procurement document. It may be Jay it may not be but you can't accept the gift knowing that it's only it's going to be on that specific condition because of the way state law requires you to procure audit services. That is my concern
because you're required to put it out for bid. That's correct. Right. But if we did everything in a public records request and he took it and he approve, you know, he approved the public records request, got got it, got it, you know, got everything, he
could go and take it and bring back the findings. I mean, that would be no different than what citizens do every day. They make a public records request and then they come and tell us what they find in the public record. Um, but what we're voting on is whether or not to receive a donation for
I would like to ask Miss Tinder to resend her motion or or to to amend her motion to exactly what I said cuz I'm looking out at Mr. Finch and he's shaking his head agreeably and I think that would be a and we talked to city
attorney. Would that not not be a way where everybody's okay with this? But now, do we need an actual motion for him to do a public records request? Well, yeah, that's what I'm saying. If it's a public records request, he can just go do that and we don't have to approve the public records request.
I'm I'm good either way. I'm just was worried about the legal liability cuz I thought taking the donation. I had just given it some thought and and just thinking that it's it's no when you isolate something like that, it's no more than a a public records request. It
could be done in the form of a public records request. Now, it doesn't have to be done in the form of an audit, per se, but we could give him everything we got on on on those two projects and and then
we can we can we can let him take it and I'm okay with I'm okay with the the company he's taken it to or or or however it's it'll be public. It'll be public records request. It'll be public commentary or a report on on on on the
return. So, mayor, is it all right if I ask Mr. Finch a question? Yes. Which which one would you prefer? Don't mind. Sorry. The documents on this building, the contracts on this building, and the sports park, the two items. I don't care
about the water department, the water bills, anything. All those I was planning on letting paying Jay Moody because he had worked for y'all. He's never worked for me. It was somebody y'all hired and I'll still get him to do it. You know what I'm talking about? I'll take all the stuff and I'll get him
to do it for me and he can write out the findings for me and I'll bring them up to the commission meeting here. So, you you would prefer to do the public records request route. Uh, I would rather y'all do the audit and and then work for you. But, but it don't
look like I can get that done. But if he he says I can get all the stuff, then that's I have the ability to get it all done, you know. Right. So, yeah, as a public records request, we can't. That's right. But we cannot withhold that from you because it's a public records request. That's true. That's true. But, you know,
I wanted to do that and I wanted a third person to be involved in it really. You know, I didn't want to just come up here, you know. I mean, I can do it. My people can do it. We go through audits all year long, every year. But do the public request. You got a procurement
guy now that can help us get all the stuff, box it up, and I need it separate. I need the sports park, you know, separate from this building, and then we can take it from there. And then I'll bring it back and I'll come and communicate with a city manager as we
going, you know, and and then bring it to y'all in a written form. Got it. It's not required that you put that in writing, but if you would provide a email address so they can follow back up with you. Yes. You know, whatever they want to do, but I mean, I'll do what you know, Pat,
I'll do that and we'll get it done and then I'll I'll get a auditor or a audit firm that does it, you know, for a living, you know, whatever. And and I'll pay for it. Thank you. All right. Now, there's still a motion on the floor.
Okay. Pass. Well, ma'am, I I I would um I I would I can resend my second or you could resend the motion. It looks like we've solved what we need to do with the public records request. I'll resend mine.
All right. Thank you, Rich Walker. We still dealing with that issue there. Uh you're not discussing it at all. You're finished. We're finished. Yes, sir. Okay. Um a long time ago, I made a a mention in
the public commentary that the city manager, previous city manager, uh was doing the best she could. Some citizens took exception to that. What they called me was not very nice.
They assumed something that was incorrect. I could have been facitious in that comment, but I wasn't facitious. But I want to caveat with that comment. City manager was doing the best she
could. It's too bad it wasn't good enough. End of subject. End of critical claim or disdain by the citizens of this town. United States government runs under a
condition of a republic. It runs under with uh elected officials. Runs under legislative executive legislative branch is all elected. And Haven's government runs particularly
the same. However, it has a legislative branch. None of them are elected. legislative branch tells you, makes laws and everything like that, tells you how high your grass can grow and almost gets
to the point of telling you when to go to the bathroom. You have permission. I'm getting a little tired of this. Legislative branch in Linhaven are not citizens of Linhaven. Sometimes they're not American.
They don't pay taxes for Linhaven. But Jay, tell us how to live. He noted, "Please don't tell me how to live. Tell me what I can do. Don't tell me what I can't do. I'm getting tired of this." City manager of previous
existence said this, "If you don't get along with the government of Lin Haven, then leave." Pretty hard subject. Pretty hard threat. Guess what? We haven't left. Guess what? He has
Cory Langford. Good evening, Cory Langford. Just wanted to uh come up and and uh tell y'all thank y'all for the work. I watched the pre-commission meeting on Friday or I listened to it one, I can't remember. Um, and I mentioned something, you know,
I think it was the last commission meeting. It seemed like the the tail was wagging the dog sometimes, but on Friday, y'all came through. Y'all made a direction of what we needed to do as the city as far as the millage rate was
concerned. Thank you. Thank you for doing that. Mr. Pero, thank you for chair. I'd like to to thank Mr. Perno for the for the resolution with with Mr. Finch back here. Um, that's the type of creative thinking, whether it's making
cuts to the budget to ensure that our taxes aren't unfairly raised, uh, whether it's deriving solutions through either conversation or whatever. I think that's really the goal, uh, through all of this. If we can we can solve a problem with just sitting down and
talking about it and talking through it, then let's do that. Um, the, uh, and there was something else I was going to talk about. Oh, the the commission meeting. I think we we kind of talked briefly about moving the commission meetings to 5:30. One thing I want to uh
to uh ask that y'all consider um we had a a commission meeting, I believe it was two or three ago and uh there were some city staff here that was here to like extremely late. There was a lot of discussion items on the agenda and they
were they were towards uh the discussion items were towards the top. Um, I feel like that if if we kind of do that a little bit more intelligently, if if we have some uh some business that needs to get done that requires staff here, let's get that done up up front and let's cut
them loose. Um, and then we can have the discussion items, you know, all throughout the night. I'll be here till midnight uh if if we need to be. U but just something to think about going forward. Appreciate it. Additional public commentary
on Boston. Good uh good evening and good afternoon there commissioners. Mayor got a couple things I want to address too. Number one, Miss Parker, you can have the opinion that you want.
But see, the first amendment applies to me as well as it does to you. And what I reposted was, since you stalked my page and you always got a comment, I posted a a reposted a comment from someone else.
Now, nobody has a problem when you get up here and espouse all the craziness that you do. So, I'm going to do what I'm going to do. I'm going to say what I'm going to say, and I stand on it 10 toes down. Mr. Mayor,
what I say, I hope doesn't impact you. But what I say, I stand on. And I do I do not attempt to impose my view, my opinion, or my anything else
on you. If you happen to agree, you happen to agree. If you happen to disagree, you happen to disagree. From time to time, we do have disagreements. And this is how men, this is how Americans, this is how patriots get things done, through discussion.
If you ever feel that I step over that line, please do not hesitate to let me know. And for anybody else that's supporting Miss Parker, you couldn't shut me up by threatening me to turn me into the local authorities and to the federal
government. You will never shut me up. I have the same right under the First Amendment as you, and I will exercise that right to the day I draw my last breath. You can rest assured that no, you do not scare me. You do not intimidate me. You do not cause me to
take a second look. But whatever your plan is, you might as well get the house in order because I seem to be living rentree in your head as well. Thank you, public commentary. Yes, sir. George Hans, Rhode Island
Avenue. I had a water problem, but I talked to the commissions there about Miss Tinder and it was taken care of the way it should have been done, and I appreciate that. Mr. Walker comes up and talk about the citizens of Lyn Haven. I've been a citizen of Lyn Haven long before he did. Nobody tell me what to do. Nobody tell me how to do. I do what
I do because that's the way I was raised. I don't complain for other people. I complain for myself. Except for that water meter issue with the 50% $50 need to be 25 at least seeing citiz. Thank you for your time.
Additional public commentary. All right. This time moving on to the mayor's report. Again, thank you to the Panhandle Runners Club for their uh donation of the bench for our uh Rails of Trails. Very popular feature um here
in the city of Lin Haven. I've even talked to seen some people on the trail that ride their bikes from Panama City to come to our trail every day um and then ride back. So, very popular feature here um in the city of Linhaven.
Uh, thank you staff for the um the very moving 911 ceremony um that was put on. Uh heard nothing but good remarks from all who attended and so thank you all um for that uh for that 9/11 ceremony.
Also had a chance to go to Anchorage Children's Home annual lunchon. Thanks to the staff that was able to attend. Uh that was my way of trying to give you a free lunch, I guess. So, um thank you all that were that were able to attend. I thought it was important for us to see
the work that Anchorage is doing in our community. Um because we do have families in Linhaven um that they support and help as well. And it was uh very very touching to hear um the testimonies of the students um and now those who have become adults that have
been impacted by Anchorage and how it's continuing to be a blessing to their lives and to their famil family's lives. And so uh Anchorage Children's Home um does a lot of good work in our community and so if you're not familiar with it, I would you know encourage you to uh look into it. Also had a meeting with Mr.
Lightfoot and Mrs. Timmons and preparing for our meeting with Representative Griffiths and also for the upcoming legislative session this year. It starts in January and they're already having their committee meetings um as of now.
And so uh we'll be working to get those appropriation uh requests in. Also, we know that we have our um annual uh time that we go um for the delegation at the government building to um make our
request publicly to our representative and our senator also. So, uh Miss Tims was very helpful in providing information for us as to what has changed since the last session, what we can expect um to deal with in this upcoming session as well. Following
that, we met with uh Representative Griffiths um there at his office in the government building. Um very informative meeting. We used all of our time um in meeting with him. Uh very supportive of the um projects that interim city
manager Lightoot presented on behalf of the city and even had some different ideas that uh we could attain some funds um if those projects don't receive the appropriations funding. And as always, he's very uh upfront and forward and
honest about our expectations with some of these appropriations as it relates to how some other cities have fared and trying to get those things as well. So, there'll be a little more follow-up conversation with him um in the coming weeks and months as we uh see those things go through and hopefully make the
budget and then also make it across um the governor's desk. And we also talked about establishing uh a good rapport with the governor's office. I know that's something that has been brought up here um a few times in the past few weeks. And so we did have that conversation
uh with him as well. He is going to work with us. Um him and his staff are going to work with us to um do the things necessary in order to continue to bridge that gap um that is there. uh it was a very enlightening conversation and you
know one of the things he shared with us that you know Mr. Light foot might interpret it differently is that I think the establishment of good relations with the governor's office starts with the five of us here that if we're not on one
accord and not that we're always going to be in agreement, but if we're not together, if we're not unified, then that also sends a signal to um the governor's office. I mean, I was very surprised to hear and see who actually watches our meetings. I mean, so we're
talking to Representative Griffiths and he's able to say, "Hey, yeah, y'all you said this and you said this and you said that in the last meeting, like, okay, you actually watch our meetings." Um, and a lot of people watch our meetings. And so, um, I'm not pointing fingers at any of us that are up here. I'm just
making a blanket statement that it does start with us. And so I think as they see us working together and trying to do what we can to improve um our city um in unity, I think that also sends a good message to uh the governor's office
because his staff watches our meetings also. Um and so that was informative um that out of all the municipalities in Florida that we do have the governor's staff and they watch a lot of municipality meetings. Let me say that they keep up with a lot of meetings, but
Lin Haven is on uh is on their tube as well to watch. So, you know, to to to move forward um in in unity and I'll say um I know I think it was a few months ago um I had a back and forth with commissioner work about some things and
we did talk about it afterwards. Um and the way I try to do things is if I uh do it publicly then I like to address it publicly. And so since those remarks are made publicly, then I thought we should address it publicly. Could I have gone about it a different way? I certainly
could have. Um, and I think afterwards we had a very good conversation. Um, Amy was there, so it was no sunshine violations. City Attorney M was there, so it was no sunshine violations. Um, and I just think I think there was just some uh
I guess misunderstanding or some assumptions on both our ends about things that have happened in the past. So, uh, so hopefully we can continue to work together. I think we have done some great work together and moving the city forward. Obviously, we won't always
agree. Um, and so when we do disagree, um, hopefully we can continue to do it civily, right? I believe that we can disagree without being disagreeable or disrespectful. That's that's what I believe. And so, so yeah, I think, you know, it starts with, you know, with
with all of us. Um, just doing the best that we can for the citizens. And I said this in our strategic planning meeting that in the end for me, it doesn't matter if I'm right or wrong. if it negatively impacts our citizens, then it's really more about us getting along
so that we can move forward together as opposed to, you know, hey, me just being right, you know? Now, although I'm right most of the time, um it it's not in the end, it's not about being right. It's about how do we impact the citizens and how do we impact the community. So, uh
so yeah, let's work together to move forward together. um also heard from some citizens regarding security measures for um the commission meeting. Um and so um we're going to speak with Mr. Lightoot and I know Commissioner Tinder has mentioned
that as well um about increasing our security measures. Um so I've heard that via email. I think all of us received that email as well as have talked to some individuals um publicly or in the public about that. Also, um also I've heard some citizen from citizens
regarding um us wanting us to continue hosting the trunk or treat and the uh Easter egg hunt. I think we all received an email about that. U when I look back at it u when I looked at the budget for it, I think it was around maybe 26,000 for both of those events. Um, but just I
did tell the citizen that I would bring that up and we'll communicate that that is something that um they said they would like for us to keep and there have been other citizens um that haven't emailed us public have not emailed us or maybe contacted us but I have seen you know in my time in Lin Haven going throughout the different stores or
whatever that they also would like for us to um continue the trunk or treat and the the Easter egg hunt. Um, in regards to uh the the budget, um, we did hear you. We were we were listening. Um, so after our meeting, I did get a chance to
meet with the, uh, interim city manager, and he beared and gritted and beared and gritted, but we have gotten the millillage back to uh, 4.05. And so, we had a lot of negotiations between him and I, uh, but we were able
to get the millage back to 4.05. Um I know that's some big cuts in certain areas for the staff and so um hopefully we can continue to but we do believe that with these cuts that it will not uh limit or decrease the quality of service that we have been providing to our
citizens um over the past uh several years. And so let's maximize this opportunity. And also we wanted to um show the state as they are talking about property tax that we're doing our best
to stay within um the limits of what we have to work with um to work within our means. So we're hoping that that is a good show of faith to uh to the state as well um that we are working within the means that we have and what we've been given. So thank you uh Mr. Lightfoot and
Kiki and Miss Hodgeges and others that were that have creatively got us from 4.834 back to 4.05. Um unless you changed since the last time we talked. Okay. All right. So, thank you all so much for that. And
hopefully as again as citizens you can see that we are really doing this to try to make sure that we're taking care of everyone. um because we are aware that we're raising um water rates. Um we are raising storm water and that's because we want those as enterprise funds to be
able to function on their own. Um and so if we can cut back a little bit on some of the things that um we want in our city without cutting our services, then we want to be able to try to do that as well. So again, thank you for those efforts and getting that done. In regards to the 18th Street pothole, I
thought we had covered that up, but now it's it's a pothole again. Um, could we look at possibly getting that road paved? I have heard from several residents uh requests over the past few months and maybe year or so have I have
had several requests about getting that road paved. Um, I know we had casually talked about it in passing over the past few months. It's nothing that I just sat down and said, "Hey, let's look at this." Because I know you were uh the department was driving the truck around and and seeing the density of different
roads. But um I know Miss Parker's come up several times about that particular road and I've been out to look at it and I've talked to citizens about it. So um if we could look at just what it would take to get that paved um that if that road, you know, for for paving. So if we
could try to maybe update the next commission meeting what that might look like in that um in that process and and thank you again uh in city manager for working to get issues resolved, citizen issues resolved. I know Mr. Hinds had reached out to us and I followed up with
uh inram city manager about that um concern and um they worked through it with customer service and and everyone. So thank you all for working for that as well as the other concerns that we receive that we bring to you. So thanks for working on those things. Um that is
my report. Thank you mayor. Uh so first things first, I just want to say a big thank you to the staff that really worked hard to get that mill rate down. Uh you know, you guys probably don't get the recognition you deserve and so I really
truly do appreciate it. We're up here talking about it, but all we do is review it and approve or vote for or against where as the staff do the brunt of the work and it does not go
unnoticed. So thank you very much. Um also wanted to say that um I had a good conversation with HR director about uh the process for finding the permanent city manager. Uh talked about um tiger
team effort and uh creating a team of people to review the the uh the applications and and stuff like that. and had a great conversation um to do the best thing we can to be transparent and to so there's no bias involved. So,
I appreciate that. And um also if since Mr. Hines brought it up, I I would like to see if possible to see um what type of impact we'd have if we did lower the rates to 25 versus 50. Um that would be good to see uh on on that just so that I
have more data on it. Um so that'd be great. and uh appreciate everyone coming out. Um and again, thank you so much for everybody working on this budget. It's been a pretty rigorous budget season, but um it's been good. So, I appreciate it. Thank you.
All right. Thank you, Commissioner Perno. Thank you, Mayor. Um I'm not going to take up much people's time. I don't have much to report. Echo the sentiments of the mayor and and Commissioner Peoples. Uh the the way you all worked the budget. I I really liked how we looked
at it Friday. We figured out a dollar amount and what we needed to cut and how things came through was absolutely wonderful. Um you guys you guys really like worked backward kind of kind of declining budget stuff. You had a dollar
amount and you but you found money. So it's very very commendable of everybody. I just I just think it's a a Kiki um going through the budget. I mean, it's it's been it's been a very open discussion.
It's it's it's it's kind of it's refreshing that we can that we can communicate this way. Um, I know I've had conversations with other department heads and whatnot and um, I just feel I I just I I just feel strongly about this fiscal year and and where we're going
and kind of like uh let you guys let you guys flourish at what you do uh and and and bring bring it home with all the employees and everything. Um, I did go to the 911 ceremony. Um, I was out in the crowd and and and I really
appreciate our our police and our firefighters. Um, um, Chief Chief Ramy, Chief Johnson, thank you for your speeches. Um, you know, I guess things Wayne as years go on, but we we uh we can't there's
certain things you just can't forget and people don't don't don't ever forget where they were on those given days. I did I did mention to interim city manager that I was in the workforce, but he was in school. So, it just kind of kind of hits you,
you know, but it's one of those things. I can't I just can't thank y'all enough. Uh I just hope it's a great football season, parks and recreation, you know, this this is this is like our our new year. It's a new budget year coming up.
So, let's focus it with let's look at it with a with a great attitude and and and uh let's let's uh let's get out there and work for our citizens and that's what you guys do every day. So, thank y'all. Right. Thank you. And I think when you mentioned parks and Rick, there's an
adult flag football league. Are you going to say something else about a little bit later on? Registration. All right. So, registration is open for the adult flag football league. So get your teams, get registered, don't get hurt. All right,
Mission Ward. Uh yes. So, uh I had the privilege of uh filling in for the mayor at the Daughters of the Revolution, uh lunchon they had at the country club and uh um it was actually a phenomenal event. It
was not what I was expecting. Um this is that meeting was probably the or they told me that's the biggest event that they have because they it's a constitution week and they that's one of their big focuses are and um they actually work with schools to try to
make sure um students are well educated on the constitution and it's not just kids either. You'd be surprised how much adults uh don't know much about the constitution. So, they talked about that, showed us some of the activities that they have them do, how to um um
rate them and score them and that. And they did say there was a little bit of a dip when uh co happened. So, that's why they're trying this big push with Constitution. But, I would encourage anybody uh uh wanted to get involved with the daughter revolution uh to do so because it is a pretty neat organization I didn't know a lot about and I learned
a lot about them. So, um I know we're going to be talking about this later, but the the budget cuts with the events. Um I know there's going to be some residents not going to be happy with Halloween and Easter, but um
it's tough. You know, I mean, people don't want the millillage rate increased, but they also want to have all the goodies that go along with it. So, there's a proper balance there, and that's what we're trying to do here. And I think we've done a good job and the staff has done an excellent job. I think
next year um something I've been talking with the interim city manager about and something I've been pushing is starting the budget process earlier because a lot of these conversations we're having and I think is a little too late. We need to have these conversations earlier. So I think next year you're going to see a
big difference in how that works. Um the water meter reread that Mr. Hines brought up and we discussed. I did uh check with all the other municipalities in Bay County to include Bay County to kind of see how they did it. And uh I had a conversation with interm city
manager about it. I'm I'm waiting on getting some data back um on that to see um this is a good option. I think it will be a good option when we get done with it. But I think when you see all these water meters replaced, the reread part um I think for the most part will
go away cuz those will be able to analyze it hour by hour correct when they're all done. So that'll help with that. Um but yeah, I'm definitely open to it and uh just wanted to get some more data on it before I make a final decision. And then the last thing I have
is uh mayor um I don't know when you want to do this, but uh we skipped item four. We could go back to that whenever you like. All right, we can do it now. Um, I just wanted to add an agenda item for discussion and possible approval of
modification of commission meeting times. All right, there's a motion to add to the agenda discussion for the modification of commission meeting times. Is there a second for that? Second.
Uh public discussion. All right. No discussion. If you call the role. War. Yes. Commissioner Perno. Yes. Commissioner Peebles. Yes. Commissioner Tinder. Yes. Mayor Nelson.
Yes. Motion passed. And we'll make that for agenda item number 19. All right. And oh, and is that it? That was it. Okay. And thanks for going to that uh event for me. I do look forward to going
to the Daughters of American Revolution um event since I've been doing my ancestry. Um over the past few years, I've found several patriots in my family. Um so I'm making applications to the Sons of the American Revolution. And so it's always neat to go and talk with them, want to learn more about the
process, uh but also to see um how they uh celebrate history. So it is always good to go and uh meet and eat with them. Always have a delicious lunch. So, um, enjoy that as well. So, thank you for that.
And Commissioner Tinder, they have a whole lot to add at this point. If is uh are we still going to have um conversation with the finance with Kiki? Uh, yes. So on the agenda, we do have
the uh finance report, which is what you used to be the warrants list. And then so yes, there's still that's still part of the interim city manager report. So that'll come up. Uh okay. All right. I've always been thinking about ways to save money and
so I I have another thought on uh saving a little bit of money or or rerouting it or whatever. Um, I appreciate all the hard work finance committee has done putting this together. Uh, you all know I'm not a numbers person, so this is
like mindboggling and, um, the fact that they've done it and, um, it started out so bleak and it's turning out much much better than we thought. Um, my appreciation goes out to our
firefighters and our police officers and all the people that represent our city and um, I really think that's all I have. Mayor. All right. Thank you, Mr. Lightfoot. Yeah. So, discussion of the budget. So,
after Friday's meeting, go back and and look at budget. We also met with our insurance broker to reallocate the insurance cost across the appropriate enterprise funds to get that out of the general fund so much. Um, but special thanks to staff. Um, some called as soon
as the meeting was over with volunteer budget cuts. Some wouldn't answer the phone when we called because they knew budget cuts were coming. Uh, but regardless, um, appreciation definitely goes to all the staff for all the help they put in in getting this budget where it is so that we do not increase the millillage.
October 5th, the splash pad will be closed for the season. Last commission meeting, I discussed in my report an emergency repair at low station 26. However, that came in under $35,000, so it didn't come before the commission, but the emergency repair is completed and that station is back up and running.
The sun shades are being installed at the sports complex playground. Um the metal detectors that everyone talked about, Chief Ramy has had his staff getting prices on different um ways we could go with that. So, we're looking at possibly purchasing that within the next
budget or River is also looking at potential grants to fund that. Um, the special events and the the special events application, the ordinance, we have had a lot of people reach out after we discuss cutting back on the Fourth of July or Easter egg
hunt. Um, so one thing we want to look at is our special event application. We've actually had a few citizens who want to bring their own event to take the place of it, whether it's a community Easter egg hunt or a trunk or treat. Um, so we will be working on the special event application and ordinance
to bring that before you all so we can possibly revamp that. Uh, and the 18th Street paving and the water meter uh fee we will look at before next meeting and bring back something to commission to to discuss.
Right. Uh, Commissioner Tinder or does anyone have any questions about the warrant list? All right. Yes. Yes. I'm sorry. I can't see her, so I didn't know she was up. Okay. Um,
you hear me? Okay, Kiki, go ahead. Okay, great. All right. Uh, one of the questions and the thoughts that I had is, um, what kind of charges are are we
making? I mean, for the city on debris pickup and stuff from what kind of charges do we collect money for doing that? I assume we don't do it for free. Mr. Tender, the um the answer to that, we charge the monthly garbage bill to
our residents. We include one one weekly pickup of yard debris less than two cubic yards. Anything above that is a special pickup and that is in the fee schedule. Some of those prices were updated the last time fee schedule was updated, but all of the prices for the
special pickups is in our fee schedule and I can email you the page directly so it's easier to find. Okay. Now, on uh Kiki's cart though, does does she have a figure? Does she know how much we've actually made picking up the picking up debris? And
what what happens I'm real curious what happens to those funds? Where are they spent? They are in the sanitation department. It is part of your monthly bill that you pay for your either your cans or your dumpsters. We do not have a separate
line item that specifically says debris pickup. So it would be in um in the actual sanitation revenue section of the budget as the interim city manager said once a week which is included in your
sanitation bill. Okay. And and what do we those funds though when we collect them? They go to the they support the sanitation department. They pay the salaries and the operating costs of the sanitation department.
Really? Okay. All right. Well, that one's a bomb. I was hoping we could use those fees somewhere else. Do we have any idea at all what kind of fees we do collect for the sanitation department?
Absolutely. One moment, please. And and let me ask you, I'm going to tell you why a little bit why I'm asking this. I had a resident tell me they have a commercial company that does their landscaping and they throw their their leftovers and
garbage out in their front yard and then the city picks them up for free and you know they're charging the person to do all that work. I'm just curious if you know there's any money that can be uh rung out of there. So, as the interim
city manager said that there is a limit, I believe he said two cubic yards. Anything over and above that would not be picked up. The san the sanitation can revenue or budgeting $2.2 million and the dumpster
revenue $662,000. Special services cans and trash is $71,000 for a grand total of $2.9 million in the sanitation department. That answer your question, Commissioner?
I think so. Yeah, I was more Yeah, I think I was curious on the 71,000 hoping we could have that money. Um, I guess you got to pay your Okay, I think that's all I had. Thank you. Thank you.
All right. Any other questions? Right. So, uh, we're going to do that during the actual public hearing. So, the budget public budget workshop, final budget, we'll do that during the public hearing if you'll make your
statements then. Anything else in city manager? Right. City attorney. Right. Could you give us an update on the city manager search? sort of how that process is working. I uh would refer to the email you got
from Mr. Holton earlier this week. Um the position has been posted. I think applications are coming in. Invitations have been sent to uh certain department heads to be on an evaluation committee. Um when the application period closes,
right now it is um being posted for 30 days unless you direct us to extend that. Um, so that's our current plan and I have nothing further beyond that to report. I know there were some concerns expressed about um, potential internal
applicants being having access to that information. In response to that, um, from the very beginning, I feel like we've been, or at least I've been clear in the materials I've given you and the advice I've given you that if Chris or Jennifer were interested in the job, we needed to keep them out of it. Um, and
we have tried very hard to insulate them from the process. So, to my knowledge, I'm not here at city hall every day, but to my knowledge, Dro is taking care to shield Jennifer and Chris from the city manager search process and any information that is received.
Okay. Any other questions for the city attorney? Mayor, to elaborate on that, Jennifer nor have access to see the the applicants coming in and Kelair. We both have keelair profiles because we hired
people before and dealt with the hiring of staff, but we do not have access to to that job posting there to see the applicants. Okay. Is it Mayor, may I ask a question? Yes. Uh, is is it possible to have a
uh whatever uh uh attorney just said, is it possible to have an additional additional committee to go through all these applicants? So, the commission will go through all of the applications after the the
committee has. So, you will serve as that additional evaluation committee. We'll make recommendations, but ultimately the final decision is yours. You serve as that additional committee. Okay. So, we actually see all the applicants. You will. Their resumes.
You will. Oh, great. Thank you. All right. Any other questions and would ask for the commission to stay a few moments afterwards to speak to the city attorney. Um has some updates for you on some other things that we're
handling internally. Also, uh, all right. So, moving on to our public hearing, 6:34 p.m. Discussion and possible approval to adopt resolution 20250 4472
community redevelopment agency budget for fiscal year 2025 2026. Right. Are there any comments on this? Okay. All right. Is there a motion to adopt this resolution? Motion to approve. Second.
Right. City manager, if you'll call the role. Oh, if you'll also read it for me. Thank you. A resolution of the city of Linhaven of Bay County, Florida, adopting the final community redevelopment agency budget for fiscal year 2025 2026 providing for an effective date.
Thank you. If you'll call the role for this. Commissioner Pero, sorry. Yes. Commissioner Perno. Yes. Commissioner Peoples. Yes. Commissioner Tinder. Yes, Mayor Nelson. Yes. Motion passed. Hearing closes at
6:35. Public hearing 635. Discussion and possible approval to adopt resolution 20259473 to set the final millage rate of 4.05 for purposes of submission of the certificate on the certificate of
taxable value to the property appraisals office pursuant to the trim act. Uh if you read this by title only, please. Before that, mayor. The proposed final millage rate for the city of Linhaven is 4.05 which is 4.2042% higher than the roll back rate of
3.8866. The board finds this millage rate is necessary and appropriate to fund the city's proposed expenditures for fiscal year 2025 2026 and a resolution of the city of Linhaven, Florida, adopting the final levying of advalorum taxes for Bay
County for fiscal year 2025 2026 and providing an effective date. All right. Thank you. Public comments on this. All right. Is there a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. You'll call the role.
Commissioner Warick, yes. Commissioner Perno, yes. Commissioner Peebles, yes. Commissioner Tender, yes. Mayor Nelson, yes. Motion passed. Discussion and possible approval to adopt resolution 20250
for general fund and enterprise fund budget of 61,858,78 for fiscal year 2026. If you read that by title only, please. A resolution of the city of Linhaven, Florida, adopting the final budget for fiscal year 2025 2026 and providing an
effective date. All right, Miss Kiki, as directed by uh the last meeting, we set the millillage at 4.05, 05 which is the current millillage in this fiscal year. In order to do that we had to cut
of and in my personal opinion a successful budget is one where no one is happy and that's basically what we have with our directors right now. Some examples of the cuts that were made marketing budget took another $40,000.
We removed the rekeying project which was $93,000. We maintained at the exact same staffing level that saved general fund $116,000. The hoses and the thermal imager are
being paid for out of impact fees. The rescue truck has been uh downgraded and will now and saved $140,000 and being paid out of the general fund.
The executive search was removed and as uh the interim city manager mentioned, we did meet with the insurance company and the insurance company, the insurance liability and property taxes have been allocated out
to the enterprise funds. What that nets is uh we're taking $738,000 out of the HR department. We're adding $460,000 to administrative support.
We're adding $101,000 to the water department. We're adding $123,000 to the sewer department. And we're adding $44,000 to the sanitation department. Those are the highlights.
All right. Are there any questions for Miss Kiki regarding the new proposed budget? What was the down what was the downgrade for the the rescue truck? It's a smaller truck with less features
and the fire chief would be able to speak to that more clearly. You like to hear from the fire chief on that? What's that? Would you like to hear from the fire chief? Yes, please. Please come. All right, Chief Johnson, come on down. Mr. Mayor, Commission, downgrade to the
rescue truck as you see that rolls around today is a Ford F550 with a big box on the back. We went back and looked at it after that uh the commission wanted to do the cuts. We're going to look at more of a Ford F250 that's more maneuverable around the city and we can
also use it as a high water vehicle if we need to. And we're going to outfit the back of that truck with a special um box on the back so we can get to all the equipment on the sides and with a pullout tray. So instead of having a bigger truck, we're going to be able to utilize that truck for multiple uses.
Although So this isn't the one we're getting from appropriations. This is this is my mistake. No, sir. This was the the rescue truck that we were trying to replace because the older one's getting but the increased call volume out off Mosley Drive is going to come to the point where we have to staff a rescue
truck out there instead of running that large engine on multiple calls every day. So that's the downgrade to it. We compromise to use that truck and use it as a high water vehicle if we need to during a flood. Okay. Thank you. Yes, sir.
Miss Miss Kiki, if I may. Yes, sir. Um, on Friday's premeating, before we knew about the insurance and everything, we we threw up a number and because when we brought the millillage back, we we we were looking at,
correct me if I'm wrong, $252,000 it was. It was It was what we needed to cut. Yes, sir. We We cut $820,000. I was going to say What? What I was going to ask you, what
was the total that was cut since Friday? Since last Friday, we cut $820,000 from the general fund. The general fund. Some of that was moved into the enterprise funds. Like I explained about the insurance, that's not a total cut, but that was from the
right. Some of it is money spent, but but overall we we we we removed we we passed we surpassed that $252,000. Yes, sir. I do want to make sure you still understand that the debt service payment
will have to come out of the the unassigned fund balance, what you commonly refer to as the reserves. That's still the case. Yeah. All right. Comments from the public. Yes, sir.
Johnny Bashers, 81 Louisiana Avenue. Want to applaud y'all for spending the time necessary to really go over this budget and the city employees and department heads for making the cuts that they did. That said, we're still, as Kiki has mentioned,
you're still spending $2.7 million more in this next coming fiscal year than you're bringing in in revenue per this budget. So, you're still not really balanced on what you're bringing in versus what you're spending. We're looking at what a 20 $30 million bond
possibly in two years or so for the sewer system, the AWT. And that's going to be additional funds. We've got to at some point start paying for everything we're getting. We we've got to quit spending more than we're bringing in
each each year. And I know that's difficult and I know that we're not going to achieve that this year unless well we may the budget may work out as it changes. It's a living document. But we need to work toward not spending more each year than what we bring in in
revenue. However that looks is we're just going to have to figure it out. Um, but I do think that the budget is the most important thing that the commission does each year for the citizens of Glenn Haven. And I'm really glad y'all spent the time this year on it that you did and look forward to next year when you
can spend even more time on it. And the budget revive revisions as they go forward this year will be interesting to me because I will keep those looking at them. The other thing is I don't see in the budget and maybe it is um anything
for the voter the library. Um I don't see anything in there for that. Okay, that's what I thought because the voters said we want to do a partnership with the Northwest Regional. There's nothing in the budget for that. There's 1.1 in
the budget for James Rogers Park that we're spending. We may want to look at that a little more closely and see if we really want to spend that money and go in more debt right there or not. But those are just the things that occur to me at looking at this budget. But I am really happy that y'all spent the time and I'm happy with the budget overall. I
think we'll be in great shape. Thank you. All right. Thank you. And thank you for the feedback from the citizens. That's, you know, we certainly appreciate that um as well. That helps make our job a little easier to know what it is that you all want us to do.
So on that note, uh what I would like to see is um now that this is all passed, I think Mr. Basher brings up some good points. I think there needs to be a re-evaluation of the city's priorities financially. Um and here's where I'm
going with this. Um storm water has been a priority for years. Um, we have a special assessment that funds storm water and I'm y'all know where I'm at on that. All right. But, um, I I think that the the sewer treatment or or the water
treatment facility is now if it's if it's not a uh a higher priority, it's definitely a competing priority. Um, and I think that um, and I've had some conversations with some of you already about this. Um, you all know how I feel about assessments. I don't like them.
But I think assessment, a special assessment, uh, should be kind of like a tourniquet for a wound. It stops the bleeding. Okay? Until we can figure out another mechanism in which to heal whatever it is that we're trying to solve. All right? In this instance,
we're talking about our water treatment plant. Now, you know, I think that um, you know, the funding as as far as these large products pro projects should be doctrinal in nature. It shouldn't be like a a 5-year-old soccer game where, you know, everybody just kind of chases
whatever ball is out there, right? There needs to be there needs to be an established purpose with that. Um, but where I'm going with this is is I think we're we're headed down a road to where either we're going to incur an extremely large amount of debt or we're going to
have to shift our focus from storm water to water treatment facility. We cannot do both at the same time in the form of a special assessment. That decision is coming faster than you all realize or that we that we realize. Um so in that I
think there's some work that needs to be done as far as setting the priorities for the city and that needs to come from the commission down to the staff. This is where we're headed strategically and this may all have came out in the strategic planning work. I I wasn't
there. Okay. But I would like to see, you know, a dedicated uh priority list as far as what we're how we are going to um attack which gator first. All right. Because we got some gators that's close to the boat. We're going to have to
start uh addressing some of them before others. So, thank y'all. Sorry if I respond to that. there. That that's what I was talking about earlier about doing the budget process earlier that me and the interim city manager have been discussing is starting this process earlier so we can establish those
priorities. So, thanks. Also, on the on the library, Miss Hodes and I met with the architects uh two weeks ago, I think it was right before the last commission meeting to look at the senior center about the addition the possibility of an addition onto that for
the Northwest Florida Library Group. they are putting some options together. So no, there is no money in the budget because we don't know which direction we are going yet. We will bring those options back to the commission, make a plan for the future. The sewer plant, we are waiting to hear back from the
county. We've given them a memo for a task order from Rafelis so that we can get a uh the rate study done for the two different scenarios. One expanding our wastewater treatment plant and second becoming a wholesale customer of the of the county. And then as far as the
priority list goes, we do have the the CIP list for every department for water, sewer, storm water, roads, uh parks. So we do have that pri priority list available if anyone wants to publicly. In regards to the rate study, I know we
did not get approved for the appropriation that we requested for that. From my understanding, the county is covering that. No sir, we have money in the budget uh in this proposed budget in water and sewer to cover the rate study. Um the county may be willing to
to pay a portion of it. We don't know yet. Uh but we did put our own funds in this budget to cover that expense. All right. Thank you. Additional public comments regarding uh budget adoption. Yes, sir. Uh yes, mayor.
Yes, ma'am. I I don't I don't want to beat a dead horse to death, but I heard Kiki say something about um the what department was it? The sanitation department giving additional was that accurate?
No, ma'am. The the conversation was we reallocated the insurance expenses from the general fund to the enterprise funds. So, the sanitation department is paying their own portion of the insurance bill as so is the water department and the sewer department.
Gotcha. Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Walker. Good evening. And com previous conversations by the gentleman's here. Um it seems apparent that uh we're spending money that we don't have and
it's going to come come to fruit next year that um I had a conversation uh dealing with the uh sew plant. Um originally the sewer plant was owned by the
Commonwealth Corporation of Southport. It didn't survive. if it couldn't survive. Uh so it sold itself to Bay County. Bay County is finding they can't survive with it either. They can't support it.
They need us to join them. My conversation dealing with what are we going to give up to get this is mentioned that reuse water will disappear. That's interesting
with the budget you're just discussing here, you're giving up a lot of things, Halloween party, etc., etc., and maybe next year, Fourth of July. Uh, it seems as citizens, once again, as Mr. Corey said before, you're reaching in our
pocketbooks. We have to save you again. So I would really consider what the finance committee revealed when they broached the subject of buying or going into the sewer plant.
They decided that it wasn't productive to go with Bay County. They also said with Tiki backing it up that in five years if you don't have any emergencies within the sewer plant you might make it saving the debt. You're
not making it. You've already had three. So you're going to have to address the issue of next year the budget and what you have now spending money you don't have. I think you got to take a good look at that sewer
uh agreement when you get it. Mayor, on the finance review committee, the the committee itself has not made any recommendations for the county as there are no recommendations to give yet based on numbers or rate studies. So, the finance review committee has no
impact or discussion on on the county. And as far as the emergency conversation, that is, we have been unable the past several fiscal years to have an emergency fund in the sewer department. Mr. Walker is correct. We brought to you all several emergency repairs. No, we did not have an
emergency fund. We had to utilize existing budgeted funds to cover those expenses. Can I add to that, please? Yes. uh based on the guidance of the finance review committee annually when I come to
you with recommendations for adjustments to the water, sewer uh and perhaps sanitation departments, their guidance to me is over the next five years balance
between the five years so that uh revenues equal expenditures. And in those calculations, I do not include emergencies. By definition, I would have no way of judging what that number should be. So, when an emergency
happens, we of course take care of it, make sure we're caring for our uh residents and our taxpayers, and then in the next fiscal year when we make additional adjustments, we will include
those emergencies in the calculations. Got it. So if I'm So for clarity, we plan for emergencies based on what we've experienced the previous fiscal year, but we don't necessarily set aside an emergency fund because we can't determine what those emergencies might
be to put that money aside. We typically don't budget any emergency money. We identify the capital projects that are on the list that the interim city manager referred to. Um, we use historical data to project what utility costs will be, what uh, insurance costs
will be, all of those things. Those are historical numbers. how we project out to the the next year. Again, should we have an emergency like the 33,000 that was just spent on this lift station next year when I come to
you with a recommendation for the sewer plant, I'll add that to the calculation so that I'm getting to that zero balance at the end of five years. Right. And and when we say we don't budget for emergency repairs, we have money in the budget like for sewer for
example is account 531081 and then project number 211035. We have about $70,000 in for an emergency repair. That's one listed. If we have three or four for the year, of course, that would be wiped out and we would have to do some budget transfers
or potential budget resolution to cover those expenses. We don't have the money sitting there for multiple emergencies as Mr. Walker referred. Right. Other public comment. All right. Motion. Motion to approve. Second.
Right. You'll call the role. Mr. War. Yes. Mr. Pero? Yes. Mr. Peeles? Yes. Commissioner Tinder? Yes. Mayor Nelson? Yes. Motion pass. Public hearing closes
656. Send agenda approval of minutes from 9925 and approval of holding one commission meeting at 5:30 p.m. in November on November 12th, 2025 and one commission meeting at 5:30 p.m. in December on
December 9th, 2025. Is there a motion for this? Um, can I um This kind of goes with the agenda item I added. So, can I pull item 12? All right. So, you want to vote on that separately? Yes, please.
All right. So we'll pull item 12 and make that item number 20 and we've adjournment to 21. So I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Second.
Mford, if you call the role. Mr. Ward. Yes. Commissioner Peebles. Yes. Commissioner Perno. Yes. Commissioner Tinder. Yes. Mayor Nelson. Yes. Motion passed. Final reading of ordinance 1183,
smallcale future land use map amendment, SSA 251, Linhaven Public Institution, the Linhaven Mixed Use. All right. Is there any questions for this? Right. If you'll read that for me, please. An ordinance providing for the
adoption pursuant to chapter 163, Florida statutes of a land use change from public institution to mixed use for an approximate.34 plus or minus acres of property located on Wisconsin Avenue parcel number 10275-0000-00
in the city of Linhaven, Bay County, Florida, repealing all ordinances in conflict here and providing an effective date. Right. Is there a motion for this? Motion to approve. We got to find another. No, we're I got you next time. Got you
for the next one. All right. Is there a second for this? I'll second. All right. Comments from the public. Good evening. I just want to say thank you for your time. Sorry. If you'll state your name and address for the record. Uh Will Smith, what was your what was
the last thing you said? The address. 3413 Dragon Ridge. Thank you. Um I just want to say my name is Will Smith and I'm with Bay County Builders. Our company is built on quality, value, and service. And we have the opportunity
to do that here with this ordinance. Um, right now you have a public institutional parcel surrounded by mixed use and it really isn't adding anything to the community and with your help we have the opportunity to add value to the community and its citizens. It's all I have. Thank you.
Right. Thank you. Additional public comments. If you'll call the role. Commissioner Ward. Yes. Commissioner Peebles. Yes. Commissioner Pero. Yes. Commissioner Tinder? Yes. Mayor Nelson. Yes. Motion passed.
Quas Judicial Public Hearing opening at 6:59. Um, Miss Amy, you have testimony in this hearing. Please stand and be sworn. The testimony you give, do you swear the
testimony you give to be the truth or nothing but the truth? Thank you. Uh, and before we start taking testimony, if the commissioners will give us uh your Jennings disclosures, please. I've had none. None. None.
None. I've had none. All right. So, we have discussion and possible approval for development order for Arbor Trace Apartments phase three. Um, any questions for
planning and development? All right. Um, is there a motion for this? Motion to approve. Second. All right. Comments from the public. Right. If you'll call the role. Commissioner Ward. Yes. Commissioner Pero? Yes. Commissioner Peeles? Yes.
Commissioner Tinder? Move. I apologize. I just want to make sure I'm voting on the right thing. This on the corner of Jinx. This is item 14. This is the Arbor Trace apartment space. Yes. This is the one on Jinx. Yes.
And yes for me Nelson. Yes. Motion approved. Yeah. Yeah, I think he tripped over computer or something. All right, hearing closes 701.
[Music] Hearing opens 70:01. Miss Amy. All persons planning to give testimony, please rise and be sworn. You swear affirm the testimony you'll give tonight is truth and nothing but the truth. Thank you.
All right. had a good discussion on this on Friday. Any additional questions for the developer or for our staff? Any disclosures, too? I've had none. None. None. None.
None. Right. Any questions from the commission for staff or developer? All right. Is there a motion for this? Motion to approve. Second. Right. Comments from the public.
Mr. Light, would you call the role? Commissioner Ward? Yes. Commissioner Pero? Yes. Commissioner Peebles? Yes. Commissioner Tinder? Yes. Mayor Nelson? Yes. Motion passed. Hearing closes at 7:02.
discussion and possible approval of the first addendum to agreement with Almega Sports LLC for sports athletic apparel and accessories. Um know Mr. Lightfoot uh gave us some updates on Friday. Um any specific questions for Mr. Justin
regarding this? All right. I think it's going to be pretty cool for the kids to have their their NFL jersey. So that's that's cool. Thanks for looking into this. All right. Is there a motion for this? Motion to approve. Second.
Comments from the community. Yes, sir. You want to be a coach? That's what you're volunteering to do when you come up on this one, man. Uh so along the lines of um you know, creative thinking, right? Fiscally or
whatever. Um, the sports department does an amazing job with our kids here in Linhaven. Um, I I really feel like we need to consider having sponsors um to offset the costs associated with either
entry fees or whatever. So, just kind of curious to hear the the line of thinking um about that. Um, you know, we we had them growing up as kids, you know, played for whatever Ford dealership or or whatever. Um, so how would that work
u as as we go to funding uh not only sports and wreck department, jerseys, etc., right? And Mr. Justin's going to respond to that. Yeah, we do offer sponsorships for every sport. Um, sponsorship for flag football is $2,500. With that, we'll put
advertising out at the field. sponsorships obviously for baseball, our biggest sport. $5,000 for that and we put the names on back of the jersey and a banner at the field. Thank you. And I will say I think in addition to the sports and wreck, I think marketing
also does a good job of securing sponsors for the various u public activities that we have as well. So, okay. All right. Good point, Mr. Langford. Um, any other public comment?
If you'll call the role. Commissioner Ward, yes. Commissioner Pero, yes. Commissioner Peoples, yes. Commissioner Tinder, yes. Mayor Nelson, yes. Motion passes. discussion and possible approval of resolution 20250475
amendment to the fiscal year 2024 2025 budget for the serve pro invoices relating to the August 8th plumbing failure. Uh Mr. Lightoot if you read this for us. A resolution of the city of Linhaven, Florida amending the final budget for
fiscal year 2024 2025 and providing an effective date. And mayor, this resolution will add money to the budget so that we can pay the surf invoice, which is the next item that has been submitted for insurance first. Okay. All right. Um, any additional
questions for Miss Kiki on that? All right. Is there a motion for this? Motion to approve. Second. Comments from the public? Yes, sir. You guys knew this was coming. We told
you. But anyway, according to this program connected to the fire chief and his truck, we are going to take close to a million dollars on one out of our treasury, pay that for the truck, and
then we're going to get it back. Is that correct? So we show a deficit and a plus on the budget. And second of all with the plumbing thing here. Um insurance is going to pay that. We have to pay it up front and
then insurance is going to pay us back. What's wrong with the problem of attacking the contractor this? So the insurance is under the city of Winhaven. So if they decide to pursue the contractor that will be litigation
between them. Thank you very much, sir. And I guess with a followup on his question, I think we did have some discussion regarding what the contractor has done. Yes, sir. The contractor has paid for all expenses related to repairs, which
has included sheetrock repairs, painting, ceiling tiles, uh the baseboards, and the the any electrical that was in the ceiling that was damaged as far as light fixtures or cameras or anything like that. Okay. All right. Thank you.
Any other public comment on this? If you'll call the role. Commissioner Ward, yes. Commissioner Pero, yes. Commissioner Peeles, yes. Commissioner Tinder, yes. Mayor Nelson, yes. Motion passed. And I believe Miss
Hajes mentioned this on Friday, so I just want to reiterate, thank you to all the staff, everyone for your quick response when the flooding took place. That saved us, saved this building, practically saved this building um
because of the quick response. I had a chance to hear that from ServePro when I came that day and they took me through the building. I came that evening and he and he commended and said that was the and he's y'all heard it as well that that was the best response that he's seen um in a situation like that from
the employees and if it were not for that that we would have not necessarily lost the building but would have lost a lot more um you know the infrastructure would still be there but the sheetrock the flooring the carpets all of that stuff would have been messed up and would have had to be replaced and we
wouldn't be sitting here meeting now and so thank you all um for literally rolling up your sleeves and um and getting engaged and getting that done. So, thank you all so much for that that effort um to to take care of our city hall. Um discussion and possible
approval for the payment of services rendered by Serve Pro in the amount of $100,86657 for the restoration services from damages incurred on August 8th, 2025. Right. Is there a motion for this? Motion to approve.
Second. Comments from the public. Okay. Where's the money coming from? Is it uh is insurance paying for any part of this or is this out of the budget? the the previous item we did a budget resolution to add the money to the budget to be able to pay it and then we've submitted this invoice to the
insurance company and expect to be reimbursed excluding our $1,000 deductible. Okay, good news. Right, other comments from the public? If you call the role. Commissioner Ward, yes. Commissioner Pero, yes.
Commissioner Peoples, yes. Commissioner Tinder, yes. Mayor Nelson, yes. Motion pass. Agenda item number 19. Um, and I'm just paraphrasing this. I believe Miss um CJ
has the full uh title for this. Um, but it's discussion of meeting times for discussion of commission meeting times. Uh, Commissioner Ward. So, the reason I bring this up is because um we had discussed this on Friday about moving
the meeting times in November, December uh having only one meeting, which would be the second Tuesday of the month to 5:30. And I apologize. I originally I thought it was a good idea, but the more I thought about it, I I thought it might um cause
some confusion the residents because now you have one in September that you have to change due to Florida statute, and then we got one in November, one in December. So nine of the 12 meetings would be uh in the evening while the other ones will be in the morning. And
uh you know we're as people we're creatures of habit you know and if meeting times are always the same they they'll expect it. Uh sudden one-offs such as this could lead people to showing up at the wrong time and especially with holiday months already
having a lot of schedule disruptions um consistency becomes even more valuable. So, not only will this make our meetings more predictable for the residents, but it will accommodate the vast majority of residents, especially our working class where the vast majority work during the
day. Um, and uh the reason some of ours are required at 5:00 p.m. because Florida requires it um for two different things. Uh one is for trim hearings which applies to budget adoption and property tax uh hearings and that mandates that
all public hearings related to adoption of the military and budget has to be held after 5:00 p.m. uh if it's held on a weekday. And then zoning and land use hearings applies to reszoning changes to permit uses or large land development changes. um requires two public
hearings, but out of those two public hearings, only one of them has to be after 5:00 PM. So, by having two different meetings, we we normally able to fill in with uh fill that in make or meet that requirement, I should say. And the reason for this is land use decisions directly impact neighborhoods
and property values. Um evening hearings given working residents a realistic chance to participate. So, why does Florida do this? They do this for three different um principal reasons. is accessibility and participation. Uh the Florida legislature recognized that
daytime only meetings exclude many citizens. Uh transparency scheduling meetings when the public can reasonably attend strengthens accountability and equity ensures decisions affecting finances, property, and neighborhoods aren't made without input from those
most effective. But Florida's after 5:00 p.m. requirement ensures working residents, working residents, since most residents work during the day, have a meaningful chance to attend these important meetings. I personally feel that all our meetings are important and feel that all
our meetings should be after 5:00 p.m. And I know that I've been pretty outspoken about this from day one, the first time I got elected and I brought this up. So, I had a conversation with Mr. Lightoot about this of how this would impact city staff and uh he
explained some uh things to me and I took those into consideration and thought about it for a while. And so h after having that discussion I'm willing to make a compromise and um I know Commissioner Tinder was not a fan of the
pre-commission meetings and um this could probably give Commissioner Pero some good golf time since I know he likes to golf. Thank you. Um but um so even though I I don't want to see them go away because I do see the
value in them, um I'm willing to make that compromise and I'm willing to support it to do doing away with it with a couple caveats. one, what I'm already advocating for, that all city commission meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. And two,
we as a commission promise that we'll do our due diligence before the meeting to get all the required information and research to make an educated and informed decision and be prepared when we come to our commission meetings. whether that means having one-on-one sit down with a city
manager um or communicating required parties such as department heads um whatever is required to to prepare before we come to the meeting. That would be my caveats to that. So with that being said, I I would
like to make a motion to have all commission meetings at 5:30 p.m. with a caveat that we all come prepared with the required information we need to make an educated decision. All right. Is there a second for this? I second that motion.
All right. So, my question is based on your caveats, let's say this passes and then we don't do our due diligence and being prepared. What do we do at that point? Do we go back and say we're going to go back to the meetings at 9:30 5:30?
Because that that is one of your caveats. So, if that how long do we give that to see? Wow. I mean, how can you hold someone accountable for that, you know? I mean, you can't find them for it, of course. Um, some of it's objective. It's more of
a a statement just to say make sure that if we do away with pre-commission meetings, because that was part of the reason we I I felt it was important to do the pre-commission meeting was multiple reasons. One of them being that we have all the information and everything we need to make an educated
decision. cuz if you remember at the time there was a lot of times and I know someone's going to bring this up since then, but um we would table stuff quite a bit, right? And I know someone's going to bring up about the RV thing, which I know that one took a while. That's probably not a
good example, but um that's kind of where I'm going with that. I want to go revert back to before where we we used to table stuff constantly, you know, and that's why I think it's important that we come prepared. And the thing I I think I'm going to miss the most of of
doing away with them is, you know, we've always talked about this like, and it's kind of ironic I'm bringing this up now is I even I remember when I brought this up before, I didn't want to have the discussion about it like I did. I would have rather had like one-on- ones with a cup of
coffee with some of the commissioners, you know, and and kind of give them my perspective and they can give me their perspective. But as we know with the Sunshine Law, we can't do that. And that was kind of [Laughter]
that was kind of my idea that we could have candid conversations since we can't have one-on-one conversation because we as we know once we get on this DAS it's a lot more different talking up here during a commission meeting than a pre-commission meeting because it's a little more informal.
Yeah, I agree. I would say to the question on if we feel like people aren't doing their dil due diligence, we can always make a motion to add stuff back or change it later. This is not a um if this were to
pass and it's clearly a bad idea, we can always change it. I get and and as you're probably already figuring out, I'm I'm I'm trying not to put too much of a load on the staff. And I think by doing both of those, it it
puts more of the load on the staff. That's what I said in the beginning, but you know, I'm not trying to be true, but I'm not trying to be right about it, you know, but yeah, we talked about that in the beginning. But yeah, I I agree.
Um especially them having to get us everything so quickly on the turnaround. Um, I know we talked about not tableabling things. I would recommend we table this to the morning meeting to see what those that come to the morning meeting have to say about us switching everything to the
evening. That would be my recommendation. Mayor, the problem does does require uh that your meetings be set by resolution. So, if you do take action tonight, we can bring the resolution back at your next meeting. Okay.
All right. Comments from the public. Oh, I'm sorry, Commissioner Tender. Oh, I I just wanted to say that I've always felt that there's not nearly the participation in the morning and I have people telling me all the time, I have
to be to work by 8:00. I can't um I I think we need to include as many of our constituents as we can. That's all I have to Got it. So, what number are we using to be a
barometer for that? Tonight, we had less than 20 citizens here, and we're talking about the biggest budget item that we're going to discuss that's going to have everybody's that's going to impact everybody, and we had less than 20. I'm not debating, but I'm just asking what numbers are we usually what what are we
really measuring by? My thought has always been that if it's an important topic that people are going to show up for that topic. We had a 12 noon special meeting. Over a hundred people were here. They stayed for two and a half hours because it was an important topic
for them. I'm not saying that these other topics are not important, but again, somebody's at football practice, somebody's at football games tonight, so they're not coming. We're going to have additional sports is going. They're not
coming. And practically, I see the same people. And thank you all for your commitment to coming. I am not uh they tell us in the church not to beat up those who come for those who don't come. So I really do appreciate really do everyone that comes and the input that we have but even you all know that
you're basically the same club every every meeting whether it's the morning or the evening. Uh Mr. Walker is going to come to either one of them, right? He's he's him others you know Miss Parker uh Mr. box can start attending. Jody M, y'all going y'all basically have
perfect attendance at whatever time we have the meeting. We had one meeting at 9:00 and y'all help us lock the doors. So I I think for some of our citizens, it doesn't matter what time we have the meeting. But again, I'm just asking what barometer do we use to say, "Hey, this is the best time to have it based on participation
because again, tonight we're voting on a budget which has been stated as the most important thing that we do as a commission." and less than 20 citizens came to this meeting to vote on this budget. So I think it's not so much about the numbers, it's about the the
availability. So from a pro probability standpoint, you want to be the available at the peak time. And based on I I'm with Mr. Warick or Commissioner Warick here. I brought the numbers up a year
and a half, two years ago. the it's very clear based on the Bureau of Labor statistics that meetings after five o'clock have the highest availability. But what are our numbers here? Like what are our legitimate attendance numbers here?
So for for example, right, that's what I'm saying. It's not about attendance, it's about availability. Okay. And the numbers I brought was the number of people that work at the day shift versus the number of people that worked at night shift. I remember that. M um but again my
question isn't that it's how many people actually come. So if you have a business Mr. Perno has a business he's going to operate his business on the hours based on how many people probably actually come through the door. Not maybe
necessarily the probability. I mean there is the probability but we're counting his too like okay how many people are actually coming through the door at those particular times. So I understand the labor statistics. I think it was a great study and the data that you that we received. But then for
four years I've been counting numbers and like okay what do I see for four years? So right now 7:22 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 and not all of them are citizens and two or three left. So again, seven online. All right, 70 online. So all right, comment,
please. Um, as a retiree, I retired right after the hurricane. So that's why I never came to a commission meeting prior to the hurricane. Never. Not once. Not once. Um, however, I did retire after because I was a therapist in
long-term care. But if we put forth a 5:30 meeting, I think the the public will say, "Okay, yeah, more people can come." Because the people that work, they can't come at 9:00. They can't. And
I think if we start putting out a 5:30 p.m. that people will start saying, "Oh, hey, now they're having meetings, you know, later in the day when I can get off." Especially military people. A lot of military people get off at 300 p.m.
So, I think that would be a caveat to help them come and speak and be able to say, "Oh, okay. Yeah, now we're having regular 5:30 meetings. I need to come." So I think that might be a good suggestion. Thank you.
Right, Mr. Walker. One of my concerns over the years has been the following. The dissemination of a special meeting or a meeting that you you call, okay, we don't get the information. Most people in this town do
not have internet. Most people do not belong to the social media. Okay. what happens there and our marquee which is supposed to be working is not working that well. We don't get the information.
I used to watch that marquee. It's very close to my house. When I come out, I look over and see if the marquee says something. No, it doesn't. What my concern is any special meeting that you have should be triggered into this too. Okay. And you worry about that. That
would be your call on dissemination. Thank you. Can I add something? Can I say something to that? Uh the Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the city of Linhaven 98% of citizens have internet. So the majority of people do have internet
and phones. I think a lot of people do watch online. Um but I personally would would want a 5:30 meeting for both of those. I would support that as one of the regulars. Um the people who are the the club, so to speak. I mean, if you want to get up
here and say what you prefer, um I know the 5:30 would work well for me. And I think when Margot was mayor, she actually had the meetings at 6:00, both of them. And there were crowds of people who came and of course it was right after the hurricane, so people wanted to know what was happening and, you know,
um the progress of the city. But I would support a 5:30 meeting. And I'd just like for the others to say what they think as well. I don't know who the club is, but um I prefer the morning meetings. I really do. But it's not about me. Okay. Jamie
makes a good point. The state says that you ought to have 5:00 meetings or meetings after 5 because that's when the most people can attend. So, I have to go with that. I have to say, well, if that's the case, if the state said that, let's do that. The mayor makes a good point that if something's important to people, they're going to show up. It
doesn't matter if it's three in the morning, they're going to show up if it's important to them. If you have a contentious issue come up, such as the RV ordinance, you can have a workshop to handle that ahead of time. I like the idea of not having a pre-commission meeting. As beneficial as they are, I
think they've lent themselves into the perception that the commission's not being transparent, that you're coming to the regular commission meetings with your minds made up, which is reasonable. Y'all talked about it and and made your minds up, but a lot of people don't see those pre-commission meetings. Some
don't know they even exist. And I think that's hurting your the perception. In any event, I am in favor of moving the meetings to 5:30 in the evenings just because if the state says that's when you should do it and get the most attendance, let's do it. For me, it doesn't matter. I'm retired like Mrs.
Parker. I can come anytime or not. But, um, it would be interesting to know how much city staffing takes for those pre-commission meetings. How much dollars and how much time and effort extra on the city employees does that take? Is there a defined number? I mean,
does it take them away from their duties where they have to have overtime to do things? If we move to 5:30, is that going to mean more overtime for the employees that have to come to these 5:30 meetings now, or are you going to shift their day to starting later so
they can attend the meetings at 5:30? Just a few thoughts on that. If I can add one more thing because I feel like I should. Uh, when I ran for office, I ran the numbers and only 12% of the vote was under the age of 40. And
if you look in this room right now, I'm clearly the youngest person here. Okay? I'm only 36. All right? And uh there's a reason for that. It's because most people my age and younger work during the day and a
lot of them work by the hour. So, they cannot sacrifice hours to come here. And so I feel like it's my position to fight for the under 40 because that's at 12% to move it to the night.
So evening you're right. You're the youngest person here. No, it's not. The newsies are younger. Okay. Yeah, they they are. Okay, that's fair. That's fair. They they are. Um so here's my question. We've been doing them at 5:30. Where's
your demographic exactly? No, I mean, we have a 5:30 meeting right now. Where's your demographic? Right. Because we don't have consistency and so they're not showing up. Okay. So, what I'm hearing is if we
switch to 5:30, there's going to be an increase in the demographic showing up. Nope. I said from the beginning, it's by availability, not the actual numbers. Numbers. We got to go by the numbers, not just availability. I think that's not true at all. When you make office hours, you make office hours for the highest peak time. And that's what
we're doing. We're creating office hours. We're not creating revenue. Okay? We're having office hours when we're doing conducting city business. So, you do it in the peak hours. Okay? I don't like when I when I teach my students, I don't have my office hours at 7:30 in the morning or 9:30. I have
them in the afternoon because that's when they're the most available. That's true. And when I count members on Sunday, I don't account the probability. account how many he has come in the door cuz that's it's because at church you have a revenue you have tithes. True. So I know one of the things I talked to
Mr. Lightfoot about was the cost and I think you said very few people are salary that come to the meeting and I like Mr. Langford's uh idea about if we could put things earlier in the agenda for them if there's things they don't
need to be here for. [Music] that's here in the evening, right? Most of those staff are salary minus our IT folks that take care of all of our microphones and all that. We're having a little few difficulties with tonight. Um
it is more of a burn the Friday morning pre-commission every other week basically staff is scheduling handle that it's not creating overtime or it's first Friday it is a lot of to do during the Friday
and like mayor said it does take a quick turn around getting the agenda out so you all can have it Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning to review it Friday meeting. So, is staff okay with us doing 5:30 for both meetings? Staff prefers the morning meetings, but
it is. All right. So, staff prefers morning meetings, but it's up to us. All right. Additional public comment. Mr. Langford, I'm a huge fan of the 5:00 PM meeting, but I'll use the logic though in the
discussion. Mr. Perno, if you have a slow night out at Beefs and you're open until 1000 p.m., maybe the next night you open at 2:00 a.m. and serve until 7 a.m. We will change that. Or let's think
about the the voting voter turnout we had this last election. I think if I remember right, the ballot the the op the voting hours were from like 7 a.m. to 700 p.m. or something crazy. It was a huge window. We had a horrible turnout
overall. Maybe we'll change get with the supervisor of elections and see if we can start voting from 700 p.m. to 7 a.m. better turnout. I agree with Mr. Peoples in saying it's the availability necessarily. I think if
you tonight if we would have had a a 5.2 millillage rate, room probably would have been packed. But again, you guys did the right thing and and made the cuts where they needed to be and that that millage rate came back down. Um, so I don't I don't feel like or maybe
potentially that has some impact tonight. I don't know why people don't come. I don't know. But um I'm going to come up with a a nice club name uh for those of us that are here and get t-shirts and hats. I like it. We'll get a sponsor.
Uh but no, I'm a huge fan of the 5:00 PM meetings. I hope y'all vote this through. I I think it'll be good. Thank y'all. Got it. Now, I guess my other question is as commissioners, how does moving to the 530 help us with
our regular day jobs? Like I'd like to answer. Uh the question is are we having to I mean all of us are making sacrifices. So, we're using the citizens as, hey, they want it at 5:30, but are we also getting
an advantage by having it at 5:30 for our our personal jobs as well? I'm having I'm having a disadvantage cuz I'm I'm not having time with my family that I would otherwise. And that's the most important to me. All right. So, what about your personal job though? Doesn't affect me either way.
Okay. So, you don't have to take off any time to come for the morning? Yeah, I do, but I get a ton of leave. Okay. All right. So, I actually the company I work for is awesome. I remember when I first interviewed for the job, I explained to them that I was a commissioner and that there are going
to be times I'm going to have to take time for that and they worked with me and I work from home. So, I have a lot of flexibility. So, whether it's in the morning or evening, I can make it happen either way. Um, so and and in the end, it's not really about me. It's it's about the
residents. That's how I came with the decision. And you know, going doing a lot of doortodoor talking with people, I I ask them questions like this and I can tell you that the vast majority would prefer an evening meeting as opposed to morning. Um, so are you going to encourage them to
come out? Abs. I always encourage them to come out. Of course. You know, now you know I wish we had more people to come out. I I don't know what it's going to take for me people to come out. I think actually I think Mr. Langford actually answered it. we just need to make the mill rate
at 5.2 and then everybody come out, you know. Uh but it seems like you're right. Whenever there's a contentious issue, then a lot of people come out. And uh I can tell you when we have a contentious issue, when it's a morning meeting, I I I usually get some quite quite a few
grumblings of why are you having the morning? I can't make that. You know, um we've even had that too where we've had certain things and people are like, I had to take time off at work to come here, you know. Um, I'm I'm just I know you can't make everyone happy. I know.
But I think this is going to make as many people as happy as possible. That's how I truly feel about it. All right. Addition of public commentary. Yes. Um, I tend to I I definitely agree with the nighttime
meeting, but I feel like if every if a couple of our commissioners are unsure, then do it for six months and let's look at it again based on the numbers. But I think it has a lot to do with the fact
that the community is starting possibly to feel like we're doing things for them and not just for us. Um, this whole, you know what I'm saying? I know there's got to be people sitting at home and go, "My gosh, they've just talked about nighttime meeting longer than they
talked about the whole yearly budget." Um, you know, to decide whether we even want to put it on uh uh the agenda. So, and I don't think it's not fair to have all the directors what not have to be
there if we're not even discussing anything in their department. But again, if they're on salary, then give them some comp time. I mean, if that's the case, but but this is an exception. Well, lately it hasn't been. It's only 7:30. We have to go till 9:30. Eat us
all dinner. Um, so I think I think we just need to I think we need to start thinking about residents. We need to show them we need to show them in some form that we're trying to do better and make things
better for them. I agree. That's all I have to say. And I remember the last time we had this discussion, we were going from I think it was going back from 4:30 to 5:30 and residents did
come in and say, "Hey, we want a balance. Can you give us one morning and one evening?" Cuz it was discussed in the bringing both in the evening. And residents said, "Can we The compromise was having one in the morning, one in the evening?" Cuz typically the 5:30 was
going to be moved back, I think, to 4:00. And then we moved it back to 5:30 in order to have the balance between one morning and one evening. Um cuz at that time a lot of seniors from the senior center came over and said they prefer
the morning meeting because if there is an issue they want to come and address then they would come to the morning meeting to address that versus coming out at night um to an evening meeting. So uh so that that's what that's what I've heard from citizens over the years.
How many seniors do we see in the morning? Again, it's it's about a contentious issue. So, I think if it's an issue that they want to address, they come out and that's for any topic that we discuss.
Um, any other public comment? All right. Call the vote or you have something said a darn word. And if you look in the past, we've done this. I don't know how many times since I've been a commissioner. Every time we do it, I say, "I don't care what time it
is. Y'all decide. It's not a hill I want to die on." But we'll ask Ben, since you're since we got uh seven brewed coffee coming in, can we get them to bring some good coffee to these evening meetings? Maybe. But I I think we should put them on the
spot because they're going to be open a little later. Wild Root closes at 4. Or maybe our people at Sweet Stacks, they make a good coffee over there. Maybe they'll be the sponsor for the club t-shirts. Maybe we could put it in the budget to get some better coffee the night meetings if we're going to have night
meetings. Right. Any other comments? Right. You'll call the role. Mr. Ward? Yes. Commissioner Tinder? Yes. Commissioner Peebles? Yes. Commissioner Pero? Yes. For coffee? Mayor Nelson.
No motion pass. And then discussion for the 5:30 p.m. meeting November. 5:30 p.m. meeting December. So, I didn't know how this was going to go. That's why I pulled it. So, of course, I'm good with it. So,
pending the approval of the resolution next meeting. I don't think that that item Well, yeah. So, we still have to vote on it. Yeah. Also, because it's one day, one meeting per month instead of two.
Yeah. All right. So, is there a motion for this? Motion to approve. Second. Right. Comments from the public. All right. You'll call the role. Commissioner Ward. Yes. Perno. Yes. Commissioner Peebles. Yes.
Commissioner Tinder. Yes. Mayor Nelson. Yes. Motion passes. Meeting adjourned.