Good evening. I'd like to call to order the board of commissioners regular workshop meeting. Today is Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025. It is 6 pm. City clerk, would you call the role, please? >> Mayor Brooks >> here. >> Vice Mayor Kerr
>> here. >> Commissioner Taglerini >> here. >> Commissioner McGee >> here. >> Commissioner Gabbay >> here. >> All are present. >> Public comment. Public participation is encouraged. If you are addressing the commission, step to the to podium and
state your name and address for the record and the organization or group you represent. Please limit your comments to five minutes and do not include any topic on the agenda. Public comment on agenda items will be allowed when they come up. If you would like someone at
the city to follow up on a comment or question made at the meeting, you may fill out a comment card with the contact information and give it to the city manager. Comment cards are available at the back table in the commission chambers. Completing a comment card is not mandatory. Do we have any public
comment? I didn't touch it. I promise. >> Can you guys hear me? Okay. All right. So, Captain Dylan Huard from Hubard's Marina. Uh, our address is 170 John's Pass Boardwalk. I came here tonight to talk to you guys a little bit about the John's Pass Village
Association. Uh we used to be and once were a very strong association of the John's Pass businesses made up of owners, managers, we had quarterly meetings, we had a website presence, we had social media presence, we had pretty consistent uh kind of unison and unity
and it was a really strong relationship among the businesses and I think it paired really well with the city and city staff and city leadership. Unfortunately, the John's Pass Village Association has been sort of defunct as of late and recently some of the John's Pass Village businesses have tried to
come together. Most recently around Final Friday, we were having final Friday meetings kind of these informal gatherings and unfortunately lost a little bit of esteem there with the Hurricanes. Now, behind the Hurricanes, we've tried once again to bring John's past businesses and owners and managers
together. And we've had two very successful meetings. Uh we're trying to hold them monthly. We've had the uh pleasure of some of the city leadership and city staff attend these meetings and we're trying to form uh another John's Pass Village Association. Uh the
conversation was what does that look like? How does that function? And a lot of the business owners are running businesses and are busy and and it's very tricky to run a nonprofit. So, we've already had experience with that with Final Friday when we try to start a nonprofit to try to raise funds for the
bell tower and it ended up being very expensive and very timeconuming to have someone do the logistics of all of that sort of thing. So the conversation came up and the idea was raised that instead of starting a nonprofit and a business association and trying to do this all
ourselves behind closed doors in John's pass to work with the city and make it some sort of city committee. Uh so that way city staff, city leadership could be involved and be a part of the conversation and it would not only cement John's pass business uh unity and
communication, but also open that communication to the city, to the city staff, to the city leadership, and promote better cooperation, communication, and improvement moving forward. So I'm here tonight to ask you to add this to your workshop uh upcoming
in November. so that way more of the Johns Pass villages businesses can attend and speak to you on this subject and show their support for this moving forward. At the last meeting, we probably had about 35 to 40 business owners. It was all unanimously
uh approved, I guess you could say, informally to move forward with this idea. But obviously, we need your support, your buyin, and uh the city staff along with you. So hopefully we can have the conversation moving forward in November and I look forward to working with you guys to set this up.
>> Thank you for your time. Oh >> also, while I have a little bit more time, wanted to also support I saw on the agenda tonight the idea of having a town hall surrounding that property and the future use of that property. heard today's uh conversations with the mayor
went really well and it was very positive and I look forward to those town hall opportunities to not only discuss that property but also how we can improve the John's Pass Jetty that was once such a vibrant tourist destination, local destination and
fishing mecca for our city and some sort of path forward in the future on that. So, I look forward to that town hall and I applaud you guys for taking the effort to have community conversations about this and open your doors and really sit down and try to hash out these difficult
conversations. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have any additional public comment? With no additional public comment, we will move to presentations and begin with item A, the presentations from
lobbyists. Our first presenter is Capitol City. >> Mayor and Commission, I'd like to say as well, just out of respect for everybody's time, we'd like to limit the these presentations to 10 minutes each.
>> Thank you. Uh good evening. Uh my name is Elise Strumgo and we're here to represent Capitol City Consulting today. Thank you for having us. Uh we appreciate this opportunity to present in front of you today. Uh just a little bit about us. Uh we are a we're a public affairs firm and
uh we also provide consulting services. Uh we are we have an extremely talented team. I will say uh we were founded in 2002. Um we have 27 full-time lobbyists and six of them are attorneys. So uh we're
proud to say that over the years we've been able to uh assist over 350 clients and provide over $2.5 billion in state appropriations uh for our clients. And we are very active and we do a lot of work uh throughout the state. Uh our
ownership team is here on the screen for you. Nick ISI is one of the owners and then Ron Leface is the other owner. Ron is Tallahassee based and Nick also works throughout the state. Uh he extends his reach out to the federal level as well. I'll step aside here and let Caroline
introduce uh the state team. >> Good evening, mayor, commissioners, and staff. My name is Caroline Frasier. Some of you may recognize me. I am coming from Senator Ed Hooper's office. I just joined Capitol City right after the end
of the most recent legislative session and I'm very fortunate to carry that appropriations experience over into this role and hopefully we'll have the opportunity to work with you and represent you on that front along with myself. Our state team would include Andrew Ketell. Andrew has a lot of
experience in environmental pro protection. He was the legislative affairs director for the Department of Environmental Protection as well as served in many roles with the Rick Scott administration. >> And so in in addition to that state team, we understand that you all do need
that state work, but you also get some local uh local services as well. Justin Day is my partner in the Tampa office, and Justin, he's done a great deal of work in the Bay Area. He's also worked as a campaign consultant. As for me, uh I am an Air Force veteran. I've been
working in government, I would say, for about 20 years or so. Been in the bay for a decade. And most recently, I served as a deputy administrator on the mayor's team for the city of Tampa. Uh in terms of the firm, we are
statewide. Um we have office again in Tampa. We're in Tallahassee, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and we just recently opened the Palm Beach office. For us, you know, we're we're dogged in what we do. We work tirelessly for our clients um to
make sure that we move the needle and move the agenda forward for you. And so, we want to help make sure that we protect your interest and advance uh the needs uh for the organization. And again, I think that uh we do an excellent job securing those state appropriations for our clients. And so
I'll let Caroline speak a little bit to that process and dig into the details for you. >> Yes. Because it's not just about telling you how good we are at doing our job. It's about showing you how good we are at doing our job. So with state appropriations, Capital City Consulting, I'm proud to say, remains a top advocate
for clients when it comes to accessing and securing those state funding opportunities. During the most recent legislative session, Capital City acquired over $157 million in state appropriations. and that was post veto. A lot of that is the work that we're not
just doing with the state legislature, with the appropriation chairs of the subcommittees, the full appropriations committee, but also what we're doing in the governor's office to ensure that any funding that we are advocating for on behalf of our clients is protected from vetos.
So, our services and expertise really range from kind of all over the place. And one of the things that I think is so unique about our firm and is wonderful is our network is wide and we all come from varying backgrounds. We have individuals like myself who have worked in the appropriations office. We have
individuals who have worked in the governor's office among many administrations. So if there is something that Andrew and I on a state level, you come to us and you say, "Hey, I really need help with this particular issue." And it's something that we're going to be transparent with you and tell you it's maybe something that's not
our wheelhouse. We have a huge network that we can tap into of lobbyists all across the state who probably have hands-on experience with it that can help you firsthand. So these are some of our city clients just to show you the experience that we have. City of Lakew Worth Beach, Town of
St. Lucy Village, Hillsboro Beach, City of Panama City, and City of Venice. So, the process to secure state appropriations, as I have learned firsthand, is quite complex and can be intimidating to anyone who is trying to
attempt to understand it. But this is the way that we do things hands-on at Capitol City. First and foremost, it's about building that delegation and that legislative support, meeting with members who are representing you on a state level and making sure that they understand the issues that are important
to the city. Next, we demonstrate statewide importance of the funding requests. For example, tourism. Everyone loves tourism in the state of Florida, especially when you are a beach community here, as in MadiRaa Beach. So, you want to make sure that you're demonstrating to those legislators on a
state level the importance of it, not just for your city immediately, but for the entire state. Then we have constant advocacy. This is meeting with the appropriation subcommittee chairs, the full appropriations committee chairs, all of the members on those committees, as well as committee staff, making sure
that they fully understand the issues and understand the importance of getting the funding. Next, we have strategic support of our appropriations priorities by community members, stakeholders, and key legislative members. Again, emphasizing the importance of the project, why it needs to be fully
funded, and then protecting it from that veto. meeting with the governor's office of policy and budget and executive office during all key stages of the budget process. So, not just on the back end, but on the front end as well. When you first bring us the issue, we're going to go we're going to sit down with the governor and his staff and say,
"Hey, this is an issue that's very important to Madiraa Beach. It's important to us and we need to fund it." So, then here comes our plan of action. And this is in general, it's not just state appropriations. First and foremost, if we were to represent you
and be so lucky to do so, we would want to meet with you immediately. I think it's important to hit the ground running. I started in July and I have hit the ground running since I started with Capital City. It's important to note that no two clients are the same. So, we would want to meet with you
individually to understand what the issues are that are unique to you um and what we can do as a firm to help you with those needs and goals. Next, we're going to assess who are our political allies, who are our potential opponents, what are our strengths and weaknesses,
as well as what relationships do we really need to work on fostering together to achieve those goals. And then comes strategic planning. So that is the actual lobbying, monitoring, coalition building, reporting, and facilitating those meetings with those key decision makers. And of course,
implementation, making it happen. There is an everchanging political landscape and as I'm sure you all saw with the last legislative session, things are not always what they appear they will be. Sometimes you think going into a session it's going to be a smooth and easy
process and it turns out being the complete opposite. So we are aware of those because we have such a boots on the ground operation in Tallahassee and I myself am based out of the Tampa office but I'm full-time in Tallahassee during committee weeks and session. So, we understand that there's an everchanging political landscape. We're
going to be the first to know. We're going to relay that information to you, and we're going to be able to make quick and effective decisions. So, our approach and commitment to you, we are a 247 firm. I have noticed that that if you call me at 10 o'clock at
night, I am going to answer at 10 o'clock at night. Uh, if you call me at 7 a.m. 6 a.m., 5:00 a.m. in the morning, I'm going to answer you at 56 7 a.m. We are 247 always available to you, holidays included. And we have a
bipartisan reach. We have trusted relationships across the House, Senate, and Executive Leadership. We are a nonpartisan firm, so we are happy to cross the aisle when it's necessary to achieve whatever our goals are. We also do strategic road mapping. As I just mentioned, each client, they're not the
same. Everyone's different. Everyone has different goals, has different backgrounds. We like to be accommodating of that and help you with achieving those specific goals. And we also believe in fast focused execution. So if you come to us with an issue, I can guarantee you we are going to have a
resolution for you very quickly. Our focus is simple. Keep you informed, open doors with decision makers, and achieve meaningful results for the city of MadiRaa Beach. So with that, do we have any questions? questions.
>> Thank you for your presentation. I I see that you have some cities here that sound like uh islands, but uh what expertise and or experience can you bring to a barrier island city such as ours? >> Yeah. Um so Andrew Ketchel, who I
mentioned would be on your state team, he is actually the individual who represents a few of those cities. So, he'll be working him and I hands-on uh to help with whatever your goals are that you need to reach uh during this legislative session. I being fairly new
to the firm, will admit to you that I do not already represent a city. We believe in full transparency and honesty here at our firm. Uh but I will be working very closely with Andrew who does have that hands-on experience already to ensure that we do everything in our power to achieve your goals.
>> Thank you. Do does Andrew or do any of your lobbyists who represent work from beach? Do they live on or near a barrier or island? >> Uh Andrew is in Tallahassee. He's based in Tallahassee. So he is not. Um I myself I used to live in Penllis County.
I was in Palm Harbor until recently I moved to Odessa. Uh but I'm very familiar with the area. I'm born and raised in the Tampa Bay area. I grew up in Citrus County. Uh and then moved to Penllis County when I started working for Senator Hooper. So very familiar with the area.
>> And uh finally, do how available would our representative be or the person working for us to to acquaint themselves with our city city staffs to find out specifically what our needs might be? >> So you're looking at the person who's going to do that. That is me. I will be
available to you 247. I think that is the beautiful thing about being somebody who's based out of Tampa, but also has the connections in Tallahassee and travels back and forth. I'm able to be here at your call. If you need me to come to a meeting, if you need me to give a presentation, if you need to
reach me by phone, email, text message, I'm fully accessible to you 247. Happy to be here and then happy to relay whatever that message to Tallahassee when I travel up there. >> Great. Thank you. >> Of course. >> Um, thank you for your presentation.
>> Um, a lot of information was thrown at at us right at the beginning. tried to take a few notes. Um, you have 27 lobbyists and then after that 350 clients, is that correct?
>> Yes. Over 350 clients across all 27. >> And how large is how many people in your firm? >> There's 27 full-time lobbyists. >> 27. Okay. I'm just trying to No, that's okay. It's a lot. >> What is I It sounds like you do very
well with appropriations. Um, however, how do you how familiar are you and have you argued about uh resilience uh for the coastal communities? >> Yeah, I'm very familiar having worked in the appropriation space um and working
with Senator Hooper who obviously represents part of Penllis County. We're very familiar with the issues. Um, and that is one of the first things that I would want to do is sit down with you and even better understand the issues from your own opinions and experiences having lived here because obviously I've
never lived in Madiraa Beach and each city is very different and has their own unique needs and desires and so I would really want to hit the ground running with each and every single one of you if we were to be selected to represent you so that I can better understand from your own experiences what we need to be
doing on a state level to support you here. >> Great. Thank you. Yep. Absolutely. >> So, I have a few questions. >> Okay. >> Do you currently um represent any clients that lobby the city of Madira Beach? >> No, ma'am.
>> Can you give me an example of a city that you represent? I know you listed some, but one that you would see is similar to us and why? I would say, wait, is there one from the list that you would pick that
liquor? I I would say city of Lakeworth Beach. And if I'm correct, and I can double check on this and get back to you, but I'm pretty positive that's one of Andrew's clients. Why do you think they're like us? >> Why do I think I'm I'm like you? >> No, that they are like us.
>> Um I'm sorry. Would you repeat that one more time? >> Why do you think they are like us? >> They are like you. >> Why would they be similar to Madiraa Beach? >> I think they're a similar a comparable size. >> Okay. Um two more questions. Um do you currently represent any clients that
would conflict with the city of Madira Beach? So, anytime we're onboarding a client, we have a very thorough conflict check that we go through, which we send out to all of the members of our firm. They double check their list of clientele with our list of clientele and ensure that there's no crossover or a conflict.
>> Awesome. And my last question is, um, how would you communicate with us? >> That's honestly customized to you. It's whatever your preference is. I'm a completely adaptable person. Uh, so if you're somebody who likes an overcommunicator, I will be an
overcommunicator and eventually you're going to call me and be like, "Caroline, please stop." Uh, but that is completely up to you. We have some clients who honestly want to be left alone and then we have other clients who want kind of the handholding, the extra attention, and we're happy to accommodate both of
those. So, it's really up to you. >> Okay. Would you attend our our commission meetings? And if so, how often would you expect that you might? that that is completely up to you as well. Uh again, that's the beautiful thing about me being based in Tampa is I'm fully accessible to come here
whenever you need me. So, if you need me here, you just let me know and I'll be here. >> Thank you. >> Of course. Commissioners, >> no questions, but thank you. Thank you guys. >> Of course, >> um how how do you think having a
lobbyist could benefit Madura Beach? I think it's extremely beneficial, especially as somebody who's been in that appropriation space and has seen, you know, the question of, well, who's the lobbyist that's working on this project? I think a lot of times it provides clarity because it gives almost
a point of contact for the legislative member to reach out to. Um, it also helps create access for you guys. If there is a member that maybe you've had difficulty getting in touch with or having a scheduled meeting time with, we have what I like to think is kind of an
open door policy with most of our legislators where we can get you in the door immediately. Um, especially Senator Hooper. If you need Senator Hooper, I've got him on speed dial, so you just let me know. >> Thank you. >> Of course. Do we have any public
comment? with no public comment. Thank you very much for the presentation. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, next on the presentation is Ballard Partners. One second. Pull up our poweroint. Is that right? Okay. Great success. Um,
madame mayor, um, commissioners, uh, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to present this evening. Uh, my name is Todd Jasco. I'm with, uh, Ballard Partners. Uh, I am a partner in the Tallahassee and Tampa Bay offices and I'm the managing partner of our
Sarasota office. Um, I've had the pleasure of working with Ballard Partners for almost 10 years now. Uh, January would be my 10 year anniversary. Uh, and I've seen the the firm grow exponentially since uh I've started. Um, we um have offices throughout uh
Florida. Um, I mentioned in Tampa and uh Sarasota. We also have offices uh in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and Miami. Uh, and our headquarters is in Tallahassee. Uh the firm was started in 1998 by the namesake of the firm, Brian Ballard. Uh and since then we've grown
um really exponentially. Uh we have a very robust federal practice. We have offices outside of um DC and uh globally. Um by revenue now we are the biggest lobbying firm in the United States of America. So something that we take great pride in. Um but that said,
our bread and butter is state advocacy and uh we are a Florida first firm. Um little bit about us. I don't know what happened here. Um yeah, it's working. Okay. My my screen looks a little bit different. Um I talked about our firm, our personnel, um
our Florida team. Um you know, not folks in in DC. Um we are comprised of 25 u full-time lobbyists. We do have support staff. Um incredible expertise across the board. We have former legislators. We have former gubanatorial chiefs of staff. Uh we have former cabinet
secretaries. Um my background, I'm not a former elected official. Uh but I've been working in politics for over 30 years now. Um all over the uh really the Tampa Bay region. I grew up in Sarasota, lived in Tampa for almost 30 years. Um I started in the 94 elections. I was on
Bob Dole's campaign staff when he ran for president. I was on Jeb Bush's campaign staff when he ran for governor. and a lot of activity was in here in Penelis County doing field work and working with a lot of the volunteers. So, I know I know Penelis very well. Um,
appropriations were we're good at it. Um, we uh are successful because we help our clients get success. Um last year um we um were able to garner approximately $350 million um for our clients um across the board in appropriations. Um
for local governments um a little over 36 million and you see it's about 20 local governments that we represent. We certainly don't have the most local government clients of Tallahassee firms, but that's by design. Um we only really go after things when it makes sense. Um,
first and foremost, it has to geographically make sense. We have to have an office that's close by. Um, because I think that it's really crucial that you have someone that is there that can contextualize the asks, that understands the lay of the land. Um, you know, I'm that person. Um, I will be an
integral part of your team and I serve in that capacity for other um, city clients that we have such as the city of Sarasota, city of Bradon. Um, the next slide is about understanding local government. You know, certainly we have expertise on a host of issues that affect local government, but I'd actually instead of
talking about other local governments, I'd kind of like to talk about your local government, the city of Madiraa Beach. Um, some exciting stuff going on. When I came over over the causeway, I made a point to look at the four and a half acres you just purchased. Um, that's really exciting and that's part of the reason I really like to work with
y'all is because, uh, I love working on things that are exciting and tangible. I mean, that could be a transformational project. um at least that could be something that's a signature su sense of place when you come into the city that uh is the first thing they see. So um that's really exciting. Um I know that
other issues um you know you have going on with the um refurbishing of the the um the groins uh something that's been going on for a long time and uh you know um I just heard a presentation the other night from Penllis County. I know that the county is is looking at uh the
financial um feasibility of continuing with the beach reneurship program and how that affects uh working with the army corps. I know that that's something that is of importance to the city. And then certainly um I understand um some of the hiccups maybe of the dredging
projects uh with John's Pass and uh you know if we were to come in hopefully we can um hope to work to kind of work on a clean slate and regain some trust um that might have been damaged with some of the permitting issues there. Um so looking forward to that challenge and
that opportunity. Um how we work um much like you heard before um it's very bespoke. Um during session um almost all of our local government clients uh we have you know weekly calls with them. Um one thing that we do is do we do written reports before session um mid session
and after session. When we work we're usually working with staff um but uh the reports are certainly great deliverables to share with the board. Um so they can see kind of firsthand you know what we're working on and issues that have affect the city. Um I've put together kind of a timeline. I think you probably
know the legislative like committee schedule. We're in it. There's there's four more meetings left. Um internally, we kind of look at the the end of this month to kind of finalize legislative asks um to make sure that they're properly positioned um ahead of the
House appropriations deadline coming up in November 21st. So, that's kind of the hard deadline um that we have in front of us. Um, looking ahead, um, I did see actually on a recent agenda that you've already started, uh, an appropriation worksheet. Um, I actually have that
right here with me. Um, so look, those are, um, the fire department training center and, um, the roadway, um, you know, elevation and drainage. Those are, you know, great, um, appropriate local government appropriations requests. So we would, you know, welcome the opportunity to work on those and
certainly learn a little bit more about like what the asks are and help you flush them out and develop message points around those. Um, you know, we know that um certain things are going to happen this session because uh committees have already started obviously property taxes um I just did a
memo um last yesterday or I'm sorry today to the city of Treasure Island. um last night they um retained us as their state lobbying firm and that would be something that I think would offer synergies for the city of Madura Beach. Obviously your your own um independent
municipalities, but uh you know, you all do share um the same state representative and state senator. Um Senator Diggley was at last night's meeting, too. So um you know, he's aware that we're on board and he's you know, looking forward to working with us at Treasure Island. Um I don't think that's my alarm. I think that's someone else's
alarm. Um, so there's a whole host of uh issues that uh we're ready to dive in for on behalf of the city of Madiraa Beach. And then um in terms of appropriations, I said that you you already have a good head start on your ask for that this session, which is great. Um I see my friends from Grant
Works and Kimley Horn here. Um and I see the item about uh grants. Um and that's great. I'm assuming that y'all are looking to kind of dig in on grants. Um there's a lot of money out there and uh we want to help you get that money. Um certainly, you know, we've been successful working with clients for, you
know, the Department of Emergency Management um you know, hazard mitigation dollars, Department of Dues Resiliency Florida dollars. Um the four and a half acres that I just passed, I mean, depending upon what you do with it, if it becomes public space, that might be something that's eligible for
FERTAP dollars um from the Department of Environmental Protection. So, um, we don't we don't do grant writing, but we certainly, you know, make you aware of those opportunities and then we lobby for those dollars to bring them back home. Um, so, um, you know, we you've got some good firms that you're talking
to today and some good people. Um, I respect that you have a decision to make and, uh, I respectfully ask that, uh, you know, please, uh, consider us that nobody's going to work harder and, uh, appreciate the opportunity to present to you this evening. >> Happy to answer any questions. We'll start at let's start at this end.
Commissioner comments, questions. >> Um yes, just a quick question. Um >> I know Rice mayor has talked about grants pretty often and and we are in favor of tapping into as many grants or as much out there as
possible. And I know as a lobbyist you would be helping us with maybe a grant writer. Um so if there are let's say two opportunities if there's one opportunity one
opportunity for let's say Madura Beach and Treasure Island how would you decide which city to support? >> Sure. So I think fortunately it's not an an eitheror question. I mean the the grant applications open um you know our
job is to let our clients know that like these opportunities are open um we don't write the grants so that would be something that understood yeah that staff does but um look um you know depending upon the grant there's different procedures some of them a lot of them open up after session um some of
them have like a ranking um some of them have applications that are continually going on um we don't really look at it as a competition between different cities. Um there's a lot of money out there. I would say like, you know, it's refreshing that if a city has a grant
writer on staff that they can attack those. Sometimes unfortunately, you know, we alert our local government clients about grant opportunities and like really don't even get a response um because they don't have the bandwidth to even respond to them. Um you know, that's that's unfortunate. So, I'm
guessing by the the the agenda today, you're going to make sure that that's not the case. Thank you. >> Thank you. After the hurricanes, we were pretty devastated, all the coastal communities.
Working with you directly, how quickly would you be for the citizens of Mader Beach as far as communicating with us as far as getting the money? >> So, I I don't know if I have final say on getting the money, but um uh you
know, that's really the legislaturator's call. um you know, we're good at what we do. I think um you know, in terms of um direct member appropriations, right? Um that's going to be decided this session. Um that's every session. Um you know,
good good good results start first and foremost with good asks, right? So, you know, we'd work with you to make sure that like we're asking for um good things. You know, these are these are good legitimate buckets that you have right here. Uh public safety, you know, infrastructure, uh road projects. I
mean, those are things that get funded. So, um, you know, it's a question of like what's the right amount. Um, you know, obviously you have a great legislative delegation and your or state senator, Senator Sigley, Representative Jenie, um, are great people to to work and they're going to be, you know, are
tremendous advocates for the city. Um, in terms of the other stuff, the grants and everything, that's that's a year- round process. I mean, grant applications open at different times. Um I am constantly sending that out to um our contacts usually you know staff um and you know they anything we can do to
help um you know sometimes we've set up meetings with agencies like D or DEM to kind of better understand like the criteria that they're looking for. Um some of the grant applications that have like a ranking process we've you know traveled up to Tallahassee to participate in those meetings when
they've ranked applications so so we can better position um you know the things. It really depends on the actual brand. Um but um in terms of that on the money um in terms of the communication um you know the way that we work um I'm here all the time. Um you know it's I think
not feasible to do this from Tallahassee. Um you have to have boots on the ground and you have to be able to be accessible all the time. Um, you know, I I partner um with our folks in Tallahassee um so that we have local
like, you know, 247 response at the local level and we also have 247 um capacity in Tallahassee to make sure that when committee meetings are happening and and there's only, you know, moments notice that we have somebody that's in the room right there. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure.
>> So, I'm going to ask you the same questions I asked the last firm. Do you represent any clients that lobby the city of Madira Beach? >> I don't believe so. >> Can you give me an example of a city you represent that is similar to us and why?
>> Sure. Um the city of Sarasota um they were um not to the same degree that the city of Madura Beach was um impacted by the hurricanes, but they u Milton the eye of Milton went over downtown Sarasota. um they have a lot of um beach
um in the city limits. So, they're dealing with a lot of the same issues u resiliency, they're dealing with mitigation. Um we were able to get them I think a little over $7 million this session on um water projects on resiliency projects. Um, one of them for
three and a half million was um to fortify um a lot of the um infrastructure along the coastline that was destroyed um by hurricanes and Milton. So um they're facing similar situations and we've had great success I think.
>> So do you represent any clients that would conflict with our city? >> I I don't believe so. No. >> And then the last thing is communication. Um you spoke briefly about reports but what is what would be your uh form of communication? How often?
>> Yeah, it's really up to the client. Um I think most of um our local government clients during session um want to do weekly um you know calls, teams calls. Um I think that that's really important. It's really difficult to do written reports during session because like by
the time you hit send like it's like really like outdated, right? things happen so quickly outside of session. Um it's it's really um you know sometimes it's every other week, sometimes it's once a month, sometimes it's whenever. Um I talk to our clients a lot. So like
you know I've never had anyone in my 30 years say like Todd like we never hear from you. It's usually the opposite. Like um you know we overcommunicate and make sure our clients like know exactly what's going on. Um I just did a kind of a session recap um session preview for
the city of Sarasota, you know, spoke and it was a good opportunity to educate the board members. Again, you know, we we communicate mostly with staff on a day-to-day basis, but that that's always a great opportunity to just um interact with um the commission and just, you know, better understand their concerns.
Um >> yeah, >> thank you. >> Okay. Sure. >> Commissioners May I call you Todd? >> Sure. >> Okay. Um, sounds like you uh have a have a huge company. Um, I would imagine that's
across the whole entire country. Is that correct? >> What's that, sir? >> You you followed partners. Um, you had $350 million. I would imagine that's national. >> That's just Florida. That's just Florida last. is Florida from last session from
all of our clients together in Florida that were seeking appropriations from the Florida legislature. >> Okay. So you that's great. >> And when you said 36 million for local government, how do you distinguish the two? >> So a lot of our um clients aren't public
sector clients. They're they're private sector clients that are looking for appropriation. So we just kind of um I can go back. Um >> so the difference would be business versus government. city government. >> Yeah. What I what I did was the 350 is like for like all of our clients. I mean
we have um in excess of 350 clients at the state level. Um we we only have I think about 20 local government clients. Um so um okay thanks thanks yeah for clearing that up. Um
and you know appropriations every of course appropriations is very important but do you get involved in um more legislative issues as well? >> Sure. Again it's it's really depends um different different local governments um
dive into the policy um to different degrees. um you know uh a lot of them most of them um at least will have like a like a one-pager of their um legislative priorities um policy-wise um there's a lot of similarities you know
uh protect home rule um uh you know there's a lot of concern right now about the impacts of property taxes um you know uh a lot of the um policy usually mirrors like what the Florida League of
Cities prioritizes and we work, you know, closely with the Florida League of Cities. Um, you know, we do sometimes weigh in on policy matters. Um, you know, I always, the advice I always give to our clients is that it really doesn't move the needle um to say like us too.
Like if the League of Cities opposes something, it's kind of a given that the city of Madiraa Beach would oppose it. However, I think the the best way to be effective is to be able to illustrate if there's a piece of legislation that maybe um disproportionately affects the
city or there's unintended consequences of how it affects a city. So, it's always good to articulate like hey um this is like um you know particularly burdensome to the city of Adira Beach because of this. um that usually opens
the door to if not you know um passing or killing the legislation maybe adding language that addresses the specific concerns of the city. So that's kind of the the way we approach the policy angles. >> Okay. And you would be our representative? >> I would be one of them. Um the gentleman
that um is going to be working with me at the um city of Treasure Island um his name is Brady Benford. Um I think should we uh be fortunate to um win this business, uh it would probably make sense for uh him to also be part of the team here too because you know we're
already going to be talking to the um kind of the same legislators over there. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Yes. Thank you sir. >> I guess the benefit of being last is all my questions have been answered. Thank you >> again. Thank you very much. >> Do we have any public comment? With no public comment, we will move to
the next. Thank you very much. presentation is shoemaker >> trying to clear their slate form here. All right, I have not run a PowerPoint in a while, so let's see if I can do this.
Look at that. It's like riding a bike. All right, good evening everybody. Mayor, commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to be here. Uh I am Alan Suski and I am the executive vice president Shoemaker Adviserss. Uh I manage our Tallahassee practice and I've
been doing that for about five years. Prior to that I had my own practice. Um I have been privileged there's a little bit of a typo on the slide that I did not catch. Um I've actually been uh representing MadiRaa Beach since 2015, not 2017. Um and so I I think uh I think
that's important to note. Uh I got started I've been working in penelis politics for close to 20 years. Uh I had the privilege of working for uh Congressman Bill Young uh when he was uh the representative for this area in Congress from 2006 to 2008 while I was
on active duty in the US Army. Uh when I finished my service in the army, I uh I moved on and went to work for a local company here in Penllis County doing government affairs and then from there started my uh kind of this contract consulting business that we're we're all in. And so I've been doing this here in
Penelis County for a long time. Had the privilege of of knowing a lot about the beach communities, the inland communities, and all the all the interesting things north of Mton, south of Mton, all the differences that we all know make up Penllis County. Um uh for from the Shoemaker perspective, I would
tell you um it's a it's a it's a large law practice. I am not an attorney. Uh I manage the lobbying practice for the law firm. Uh we have about 20 lobbyists that are not attorneys at the firm. It's it's a wholly owned subsidiary of the law firm. So, we're a little separate, but we have kind of all the back office
support of the law firm and have that legal support uh and administrative support if we ever need it. Uh we have a number of former elected officials uh from the Tampa Bay area on our team, a couple of former county commissioners, uh former uh former governor, member of
Congress, folks like that uh who serve with us. Uh like I said, I lead the Tallahassee practice and you know, going forward, I know you all have a have a decision to make. uh on on where you're going to go from here, but I would tell you that um going forward, I would be the main point of contact for the city and would look forward to working with
you all and the city staff uh on on all the projects that Madera Beach needs. Uh so this would be the this would be the team. I think many of you have met Jim Taylor uh who is on our team. Jim is the former in-house lobbyist for Hillsboro County uh and was a
legislative aid prior to that. He has a lot of experience with local government. Understands the inner workings of of municipal government uh and can be and is is a great lobbyist and is uh and is a great human being overall. Has a house here in Treasure Island just down the road uh family home and so he's very
familiar with the area and is over here uh quite often. I live in Tallahassee uh but I am down here at least once a month if not twice a month depending on the time of year committee week session all the sort of things that we have to do. travel around the state for uh the other business that that lobbyists uh all you
all know we do. And so uh you can see there uh I have worked on over $200 million in appropriations uh state appropriations since I've been doing this job. $50 million alone last session. Uh we have about 60 clients at the firm. So about 20 lobbyists and
about 60 clients. Um, so let's talk about uh appropriations requests, member requests. So, as you can see, like I said, about $50 million last year for our firm. That's not just me, that's the firm. We do everything as a team. Everything is we're big on teamwork. And so, I would not uh be the
one to take credit for any individual issue uh on this screen or on any other screen you're going to see. Uh I lead the team and I lead a few clients, but we have a broad team with a lot of expertise. And so, uh, you know, I think you've got a lot of great firms who are here today talking to you and telling
you what they can do. Frankly, any of them can get a member project done. Uh, we all know the process. We all know how it works. Uh, it is a very common practice in Tallahassee. As you could hear from the previous speakers, people do a lot of them. Uh, it's not, frankly, it's not rocket science. Um, but it is
an area that, uh, you would be well served by any of the firms that are here today. I I just happen to think we would be the best fit for the city, uh, for for a number of reasons. Uh some other successes outside of outside of the area. I know we've talked a lot about uh grants. I know
Commissioner Kerr and and Clinton and I had a long conversation about grants uh a couple weeks ago. Um as you can see, Jackson County uh over $4.5 million for a workforce housing program. That was a job growth grant uh through the governor, the city of Pensacola. Uh $7
million for workforce housing. Uh some additional money for Jackson County, which is a small rural county in the panhandle. uh Sarasota airport over 21 and a half million dollars for a new terminal there. So we've worked on small projects um in the hundreds of thousands of dollar range all the way up to those
large 21.5 million dollar projects. Uh so and and everything in between. Uh the city of Pensacola, that was a a huge uh huge win for the city of Pensacola. city staff worked really hard on the hurricane salary recovery grants and you can see there uh close to $50 million uh
in those grants were secured for uh for a various different recovery uh areas. Okay, so Madera Beach specifically um we have uh a little bit of an advantage to most of the people in the room that we already represent you. So we know a little bit about what's going on here and what's currently going on
with the property that you just purchased. So, you know, being your current representative, we went we had conversations with Senator Diggley, uh, Chair Cheney, uh, I spoke directly with Governor DeSantis' chief of staff, uh, his deputy chief of staff who is over a number of these grant programs and
talked about exactly what it is, uh, the city has now or is getting ready to purchase and some different things that you might want to do with that property after you go through the process of some citizen engagement and some other things. And here are some areas that we that we talked about. Obviously, legislative directed funding we've
already talked about. Uh there are FDOT grants for city entrance and green space beautifification. Uh D grants, the the uh the grants that that Todd mentioned earlier. Uh working waterfront grants. I think the the gentleman from Hubard Marina mentioned that earlier or mentioned the marina earlier. Uh you
know, depending on what you do with that property, if there is an education component for commercial fishing, there is actually a large pot of money in Tallahassee that could go towards uh one of those, you know, some of those projects. Uh resiliency grants. I think uh you've talked a lot about or know a lot about. There are leftover funds for
CDBG uh mitigation. The governor's office has kind of they're actually the ones who told me about that and said that might be something that we uh you know that we could could uh consider here. Um Florida Forever we talked about for the purchase of the property, but obviously uh you all are moving forward
with buying it. So that that might present some challenges. Um you know there there could be a path for for the state to purchase it from the city. It would be a very winding uh complicated path. I I don't know that you would want to pursue it, but it might be something that we could have a conversation with a
delegation about. Um I I noticed somebody mentioned Penelis County Sheriff and the Board of County Commissioners and different things that could be done on the property in cooperation with them. We have great relationships with both of those entities. Uh I would be more than happy to uh to talk with them uh about that.
Um other than that, resiliency improvements in general. uh the resiliency grants, there are uh obviously, you know, hundreds of millions of dollars flowing through the state to do things like raising roads, undergrounding utilities, wastewater treatment, all the things that the city needs, those are in Tallahassee and um
we would be more than happy to help you uh work on those on those projects. Um, probably the last issue I would mention specific to you all, uh, uh, the city manager brought up the tourist development tax. That has been a fight in Tallahassee for many, many years. Uh,
I know that the city pays a high cost in, uh, law enforcement and fire and police and fire, uh, for the number of tourists that are here. You all are one of the largest, uh, uh, you know, tax bases for the TDT tax in the county. And
I think that I I'm not telling you anyone has agreed to this. I want to be very very clear about that. But I do think that there's a path to have a conversation with your delegation about trying to uh add fire and police to the authorized use list. Lifeguards are already listed. That was done many many
years ago for Panama City Beach for a very specific purpose. The big spring break parties that they have up there and some of the other things. Um it would be a tough fight. And the reason it would be a tough fight is because when you open that Pandora's box with that much money, the hotel years, you know, they don't want to pull from advertising and then you have 20 other
people who have a great idea other than uh other than fire and police who are going to want their idea added to. So there would there would have to be a lot of negotiation and again a very kind of winding path on how we get there. But I do think your delegation uh and and others do realize that the taxpayers of
Madiraa Beach are paying a cost for the visitors that are here. those taxes are being collected by the county and not necessarily going towards uh those those uses. And so I think we could have a conversation about it. Again, I'm not I don't get a vote uh in the Florida House or the Florida Senate, thankfully. Uh
but I definitely think it's a conversation that uh that we could have. Um these are some of the folks I mentioned earlier, uh many of which we've already talked to about uh about all of the projects that I went through earlier. Uh Jason is the chief of staff to the governor. Um, obviously, you
know, everyone I think everyone here knows Senator Hooper. He will be the appropriations chairman for at least one more year. Uh, he has three more year, three more sessions in the Senate. Uh, and we will see what he does from there. Senator Diggley and I have worked together for more than 20 years in Penelis politics. Uh, long before he was
ever elected to office. Uh, we work with obviously Representative Cheney quite a bit. uh Cody Frell, the deputy chief of staff to the governor, is the the person who's over uh D commerce and a number of those other agencies. So, when you talk about grants, uh oh, all right, I'm out
of time. Uh he's the person who uh who manages all of that. And this is just a little bit of a of a you know, of a of an outline on coordination, development, uh reporting, and and just a year- round partnership. >> There you go.
>> Commissioners, we'll start at that end. I think your your presentation was very complete and detailed. And just to confirm, uh the gentleman Jim Taylor living in Treasure Island, he'd be available for to meet with our local city employees and and staff to discuss
our specific needs. >> Yeah, Commissioner, I would say so Jim lives in Tampa. Um he has a he has a house in Treasure Island. They're over here a lot. But I would also say um I'm here fairly often. Like I said, you know, if we're not in session or committee weeks, uh I am down here quite a bit uh at least once a month, if not
every other week for for different events, uh and meetings. Uh I would be more than happy to take a more active role in meeting with the staff. I know I think it was last week, uh the city manager and and the vice mayor and I were on we're on a Zoom for an hour almost going through um the property and some different things and some other
thing, you know, some things that the city cares about. I would be happy to do that anytime. I mean, we can always jump on that and talk about it, but Jim is certainly available and local while I'm in Tallahassee, but I'm also down here quite a bit. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Alan. >> Um,
thank you for touching on all that. We we thank you for uh jumping on that Zoom call. I did appreciate that. um with um Andrew Laughlin's not here today, but with a clarion with our finance team, uh
he was able to get me some information. And just to touch on real quick, public safety, I selected I selected cities from 3,500 to 4,500 >> residents, >> right? And out of that, MadiRaa Beach
spends more than any any city than except for Highland Beach and Palm Beach in the whole state of Florida. Um, so I'm looking I would be looking for a commitment on going after those those
TDT funds. Um because um we're we're paying a tremendous amount for public safety and it's all coming on the backs of the residents. So, um I didn't want to get specific, but I >> I'm just passionate about that. So, um thanks for touching on that. >> Yeah. And Commissioner, I would tell you
that um again, I want to be very upfront. I'm I'm a very uh transparent, usually too blunt sometimes kind of person. Um that it's going to be a fight. I don't want to gloss that over. There are a lot of vested interests who are not going to want to see. Again, not necessarily that they'll disagree with you on the fire and police. They just
don't want other people coming in with amendments. When you open that statute up, then that that vehicle, that legislative vehicle can be amended with other things. So, they're going to fight that. However, my conversation specifically with Senator Sigley two days ago was that, you know, this being
born on the backs of the citizens of Madiraa Beach is not the right answer. And that that part he said, he goes, "That that is something that I think um you know, we should talk more about." So, I think I think there's an opening and a conversation, but a lot of work to do. >> Of of course. Of course. Um, I just want to go on record that if we were to
continue to retain your services that that is a fight that you'd be willing to have. >> I'm happy to have it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, I ask my same questions. >> Do you represent any client and I'll combine the two because I think these could be put together. >> Sure. >> Do you represent any clients that
currently lobby the city or that lobby the city of Madira Beach directly? And do you represent any clients that conflict with the city? >> Not to my knowledge. an example of another city that you're representing at this time that's similar to us and why?
>> Yeah, so I think you know the city of St. Beach obviously just down the road very similar um you know Gulport obviously just down the road but I would also say not similar in size but we also represent uh the city of Pensacola and it's a coastal city a lot of the same
issues a lot of the um of the tourism traffic that we talked about earlier with the TDT issue. So again, size is very different. Uh but I think some of the same problems uh on the policy side that you all face and on the resiliency side uh that that you all are dealing with and the working waterfront and the
other things that they have in the city of Pensacola. It's very small port um compared to the rest of the state, but they have a lot of those things. So even outside of Penllis, I think we've been very successful in working with your panhandle delegation uh to to be successful for the city of Pensacola. >> And then how would you see communicating
with us? how often and the attendance of meetings. >> Yeah, mayor, I think I would give the same answer Caroline gave on the on the kind of cadence of the meetings, the battle rhythm as I call it. Um, every client's different. If you say, "I want a weekly conference call," then we'll do a weekly conference call. Um, some
clients don't want that. So, I think we would set that up and then like I said, as long as we're not in, you know, session or committee weeks, which which all of us in this room will be up in Tallahassee for those u for the most part. Uh, you know, I would say we can be we can be here for as many of them as you would like. Um, we can set up we can
say we're going to be at one a month. We can we can stipulate whatever you'd like to stipulate and either Jim or I would be here. I'll make my best effort to be here, but if something happens and Jim needs to be here, um, you know, we can we can we can work through that. So, happy to happy to be more engaged and in person here at the city. Thank you for
the presentation, commissioners. >> No comment, but thank you, Alan. >> Yeah, thank you. >> All right, so mayor's asking how often would you be here? And of course, u she asked the same question from other team. >> Um would that be I mean as far as as far
as your the check that we would have to write to you, would that be extra? >> No, >> it'd be included in the total proposal that you'd give us. >> Correct. >> Yeah. Yeah, we'd be happy to structure. Yeah, our our time here at the city is not in addition to our our monthly retainer.
>> So, so you know, from my perspective, I I really um like to see to get some some attention from our lobbyists. >> Um you showed us a breakdown of all the opportunities that we can tap into and
that was really really nice. Um, so what I would be looking forward to a a lobbyist team that can bring possibilities, opportunities to this city, let's say once a month and uh and
explain to us where we can tap into. Um so um you know I I I really feel that uh you know the the winning team um needs
to be a lot more connected with us and uh in terms of educa educating us and and talking to us about the possibilities. >> Yeah. And commissioner I'll do you one better. I think um you know one of the things that we would do in fact I mentioned it earlier I've already kind
of started the process but those folks in the governor's office that I mentioned have already agreed to sit down with the city staff and go through what the city needs what is what's because I don't know anything I'm not I'm I'm I've been doing this 20 years but there's still a thousand things that I don't know about in Tallahassee um
like like anybody else that does this I'm not perfect but I think knowing the people who do know all the answers I think what we could also do is is periodically you obviously don't want overburden them. But I think we could grab, you know, a Cody Ferrell or someone at D and have a very focused
conversation about, okay, this is the city's needs. How can we find an innovative approach? And that was, like I said, Cody, when I talked to Cody about it earlier, he said, well, there might be some leftover CDBG grants that we could look at. The working waterfront would be a great idea if now you all have to do something that fits in that
bucket, but as you look to develop, you know, let's talk about that property specifically. as you look to develop that, you know, we can work with not only not only with your lobbyists, with us, but we can actually facilitate sitting down with the people who are going to make the decisions on the grants and let it be their idea to tell you you should apply for this because if
because here's, you know, here's how we're going to kind of we're not going to go outside the lines. We're going to do anything illegal, but you know, there's obviously some flexibility in the requirements and we would have the experts either on, you know, it'd probably be on the phone because I live in Tallahassee unless you want to come to Tallahassee, which I would recommend you do during session and committee
weeks. I would recommend the, you know, the the council in some in some form with the city manager, come up and have some meetings and, uh, you know, be in the rooms with those folks, sit down across, you know, from the conference table from each other and talk about the challenges. >> I'm in Tallahassee once a year. So,
>> I've been going there for like 35 years. >> So, that's that's certainly something that we have we have somewhat discussed and I think probably we'll be excited to do that. So, um just just uh want to state that we, you know, we write that check every month
>> and we are responsible to a residents, you know, where that money goes and how we benefit from the check that we write. So, we need to be able to answer to them. >> Um you know, with with a smile. >> Yeah. Well, Commissioner, I can tell you
that um you know, I mentioned earlier we've been representing the city since 2015. I would also say that the city of Madiraa Beach was my very first municipal client. Um I didn't have any cities uh prior to MadiRaa Beach and it's something I'm I'm very proud of and always have been. So um I would look forward to to some more interaction as
well. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have any public comment? Thank you very much for the presentation. >> Next is Gray Robinson. Is there anyone here for Gray Robinson? Then we will move on to R.J. Meyers.
Good >> commissioners. It's always good to see all of you. Most of you I know and see you at events uh around the barrier islands. Some of you literally everywhere. Um it's always good to be in Madiraa Beach. Thank you so much for having me tonight. I'm looking forward
to chatting with you. My name is R.J. Myers and I'm the president of Meyers Consulting Group. Uh I started working in the legislative process in 2008 at the Agency for Workforce Innovation, what would later uh be known as or now known as the Department of Commerce. Later on, I would go to work for someone
who I know you all know well, uh former city commissioner, mayor, state representative, and now your county commissioner, Kathleen Peters. um working for a former local government official, I came to know the how difficult the job is you do every single
day. Um I know that there is a uh I know there's a disconnect with Tallahassee. Um I know there is. It is my hope that I can position you um in a strong position so that when a an item of conflict comes up with a member of our delegation that
they that they'll pick up the phone and they'll call you. I want you to have that relationship. Uh so working for Representative Peters, I was able to form relationships with a number of folks, uh nonprofit leaders,
um public officials, city managers, staffers from all around the county. Many of them are still very good friends of mine to this day. Um when I started lobbying, many of them trusted me to go to Tallahassee and to bring home um dollars for them for
programming, infrastructure, etc. And um as you can see, I had a lot of success doing that. Well, Madira Beach, uh that's what we're here for. So, this is just a handful of projects that I worked on for you guys over the years when I was at a previous firm. Um, I did want to focus on one project specifically
specifically because I know it is an area of interest to all of you and that's the John's Pass dredging project. Uh, I think we submitted that project two or three times and it was vetoed as many times. um when at the time I was at a meeting with your then city manager
Bob Daniels and uh newly elected representative Cheney and um I'm going to tell you the story and for those of you that know representative Cheney knows that when she locks in on something you better get out of her way but uh we gave her a menu of options and projects that we wanted to work on. The
John's Pass project was not in there and she's like she says R.J. why is that why is that not why is that not on your list? I said, "Obviously, Representative, it's been we got to deliver something. You know, we you know, the governor keeps veto it. We don't know what's going on." And she says, "No, no, no. You don't understand. That is my number one issue. That's the
project I'm going to run." And so, the rest is really history. Um, and you know, Representative Cheney has always been a good partner and a good communicator and um make sure like she's always allowed me to walk lock step with her and so when she's talking to person A, I'm talking to person B at the governor's office and we're able to
crisscross. And anyway, like I said, the rest is history. we were able to bring that project home and um so you'll know why this this project is so she's so passionate and ardent about this project and why she wants to see it come to fruition and get started.
I'm not going to bore you with talking about these folks. You know them. They know you. It is my job to make sure that you have access to them when you need them. Um I just want to talk for a few minutes about the Florida budget. This year the governor passed a nearly $115 billion dollar b signed a nearly$15
billion dollar budget after vetos. Uh a few weeks ago I know that Todd mentioned this. You you guys discussed some items on your CIP list that you want to try to pursue in Tallahassee this next year. These are the pots that typically where uh government projects will come out of.
So um the general government pot is typically where capital projects for public facilities will come out of. So, a few years ago, I had some success getting $2 million for the St. Pete Beach fire station. So, the uh public works, fire department trade facility would likely come out of that pot. The
agriculture pot, that is where your water funds come from. Storm water, wastewater, the dredging project came out of this pot. So, the area 9 sunset sunset cove drainage project would come from here. But I saw the way that they were kind of listed and this has happened before when when we've submitted where you submit a road
project and a water um a drainage project allin one. So instead of doing that, I would just submit to you that maybe we bifurcate them. Let's ask for the road money out of the road fund. Let's ask for the water money out of the road water fund to uh maximize the dollars that we are bringing home every
single year. As your lobbyist, the job doesn't end. This is obviously a year- round gig. Um, so I just want to talk to you for a few minutes about grants. There are dozens and dozens of grants and a lot of people have mentioned those. So I'm just going to give a a handful of uh some ideas obviously knowing you've purchased the
property down the road and things that maybe we can use them for and other things around the the city. So, the resilient uh resilient Florida grant fund um this is for uh largecale capital projects that allow you to harden your community, make your community more
resilient to uh flooding, sea level rise, hurricanes, you name it. The legislature is statutoily obligated to put a hundred million dollars into this pot every single year. If you are not applying, you're missing out. There are other cities in this county that are cleaning up in this pot of money.
Not all grants are created equal. The coastal partnership init initiative, this is um this is smallcale uh capital projects. So I when after the hurricane last year, I had a number of communities that asked me um about like dune crossovers, you know, habitat restoration and money for dunes
themselves. Um I think they cap this each project at like 50 $60,000, but still that's if it ends up being the quarter of a cost of a project, it's worth worth pursuing that money. CDBG. I know this has been talked about a lot. There are a number of pots. There are
really three primary criteria. I think it has to be uh either you're removing blight a lowincome community or an area of concern and something that a uh local government cannot immediately fund themselves. I think with all the damage that's been done up and down the
beaches, that's that's certainly worth a conversation. You know, obviously we can go to the agencies. We can talk with uh some of these folks to see how we can maybe frame it and word it. um hopefully to set you up for success. And then I actually put this one on here. I just thought it was funny. I was
just doing a little bit of research. The Land and Water Conservation Fund. It can be used for land acquisition. It can be used to develop properties. And by the way, you can combine money from a lot of grants, too. Um I don't know exactly what you're going to use the space for um on the causeway, but um I was saying
if you were going to install a kayak launch, you could probably get money out of this pot. I think the last time the city of Madira Beach applied was 1979. So just for reference, um I do want to say thank you. Um you know, it's been said we obviously all have the ability
to um to get you into the offices you need to and to uh we have the access that you need. I think the question that you have to ask yourself is who's going to make Madira Beach a priority? I think I'm the smallest firm here. Pretty sure I am. And I know a lot of these guys, a lot of good people. Uh, but I I can tell
you it took me 15 minutes to get here tonight. If you need someone to show up to a commission meeting, I don't need a three-week heads up. I don't need a three-day heads up. Just call me that afternoon. I'll be here. I mean, I could be here quick. Just got to throw a suit on. Um, I know your community and I have worked
with your community for almost two decades. I know the hard work you do. Um, I think it's important to work with someone that's local and not only cares about you, but is also involved. My wife and I do date nights up and down your beaches uh up and down the beaches multiple
times a month. I know Madira Beach, you guys have the best sushi joint in all of Penllis County. I don't know if you know that or not, but Pete's rules. Uh when we go to the beach, we park right over here, right across Gulf Boulevard. My mother-in-law thinks John lives in Chicago thinks John's Pass is the
neatest thing that she's ever been to. And I I know we talked about that. She um it really is. There's so many gyms here in um in Madiraa Beach and just for what you know I took my friend's kids to church by the sea a few years ago and five years later they still ask if the
chicken church is still there and it's just it's a really sweet endearing thing but um every single one of you will have access to me whenever you want. I know most of you and most of you have my number but just call me. Let's get coffee. Let's go get lunch. Let's get a
cocktail. Let's go to dinner. I I have the capacity to work with you guys. I feel like I have uh I've certainly shown that I can be available and that I can be here for you. But um thank you very much for the opportunity to chat with you guys tonight. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.
>> Thank you, Commissioner. Comments, questions? Well, I see a lot of passion in your voice and I do see you out there pretty often and uh I know you're very connected not just to the cities nearby
but also to our elected officials. Um I think that's all I want to say. Thank you >> commissioner again. >> Hello R.J. U how many people are are working with you currently on your team? >> Just me.
>> Just you? >> Yes, sir. >> And you're going to have the ability to reach out there and grab all those grants? Yes, sir. >> Hopefully. >> Well, I can Well, so what I do typically every year that I was working with you, I would always organize I I would always put together a very comprehensive list of all the grants that were available.
Um there have been some city managers that work with you guys that are that have been gung-ho about it. Some maybe not so much, but I will always make sure that you the information is available. I'll work with Megan and your public works department, find out what it is you need. And I, you know, look, I I'll go out there and I'll I'll make sure I
organize all that. I know you have some uh grant folks that you're working with, so I don't know exactly what that relationship is like, but whoever I have to work with to obviously to make you guys successful, I'm perfectly willing to do that. I want to do that. Okay, that actually answered my second
question about communicating with our Madar Beach team or the commissioners and the city staff as well. Um, I think that's also very important. >> Yes, sir. 100%. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, sir. >> So, my questions, do you represent any
clients or businesses that conflict with us or that lobby the city of Mader Beach? >> No, ma'am. Um, can you give me an example of a city that you represent that's similar to Madira Beach and why? >> So, I do not represent any cities
anymore. It would just be Madera Beach would be my first, but I'll tell you, I've worked with all the cities up all over Penelis County, but I'll tell you up and down the beaches. I I actually just going to push back on that question because um uh as someone that lives in Penelis County, I know that you guys are all unique. You have your own thing and
and for me personally um you know, when I go to St. Pete Beach. There's like I've got the things that I like that are cool there. And I'll tell you like every time well now it's probably it's gonna be demolished, but the Thunderbird uh every time I pull into I'm pulling into to Treasure Island, like the Thunderbird
always stuck out to me, especially at nighttime and it kind of takes me back to college. But, you know, uh and Mad Deere Beach has got its own stuff that's special to me. So, I I don't know that I would necessarily I don't I don't represent anyone, so I don't necessarily have something to immediately equate that to. >> Thank you. And I don't need to ask you
the communication question because you already answered it. Thank you for the presentation, Vice Mayor. >> Thank you, R.J. >> and thanks for having coffee with me the other day. >> Yeah, always. >> So, >> um just one quick question. I know you're here and you're very accessible.
What is your um calendar look like as far as Tallahassee? >> I mean, I'll be in Tallahassee for legislative session. Um I mean so probably during the if your if your question is like am I might might I be available like during maybe commission meetings? I mean during session probably not.
>> No during Oh during session I would expect you to be in Tallahass. >> I am going to be in Tallahassee. Yes sir. >> Okay. Um I really don't have any other questions at this time. Sorry we had a good conversation over coffee. Thank you
>> R.J. We chatted the other day. You answered almost all my questions and what you didn't was answered already. Thank you for your presentation. >> Great. Thank you. >> Do we have any public comment? With no public comment, thank you very much for the presentation. >> And that is the end of our lobbyist
presentations. Does the commission have anything they'd like to discuss about the presentations we received? Personally, I just like to let that settle and process that. Maybe go back and watch us again on this
section on YouTube again um and form opinions. >> Okay. >> Y agree. >> All righty. Then next on the agenda is presentation from Grant Works. >> I of course forgot my glasses in the car. with. >> Do you want to borrow mine?
>> I think that's >> I loan you mine. >> Look at all these glasses ready for you. >> Here we go. >> What's What's your prescription? >> We all have a pair. It's just readers. >> I know. I know. >> We feel your pain.
>> Make sure you got this. >> All right. Well, mayor, commissioners, Chief Bel, and others, thank you for the opportunity to be here today. Uh, my name is Rick Faircloth. I'm the senior vice president of state and local government services for Grant Works. Um,
fifth generation, one-time Penelis County resident, graduate from Eard College up the road in St. Pete. This area is near and dear to me. I've got a lot of family memories. Um, so it's uh it's an honor to to to be here today. Thank you.
wanted to just briefly touch on our relationship with MadiRaa Beach. Um we had visited uh with you all um about a year ago and uh those conversations were productive but it wasn't until recently that we uh we actually executed a
contract. So um as you can see on August 13th uh we executed a contract that was it was through a piggyback vehicle. We we have a contract with Penllis County uh that um flows down to the 24 incorporated municipalities. So um for
disaster recovery and emergency management and grant management. So we executed that contract and uh shortly thereafter about six days we got our first task order. We held a kickoff meeting and as you can see within about three weeks actually two weeks uh we
submitted the first grant application and that was under the resiliency uh Florida fund. So, world record time for a turnaround for a grant application and uh we're looking forward to getting some good news from the state on that grant application.
A little bit about grant works. Historically, uh we've been doing grant um helping client communities navigate grant-f funed programs for 46 years. We've helped over 725 uh city, county, and state governments
um across a wide spectrum of things that make a difference in your community. So from water, wastewater management, environmental protection, coastal restoration, community development, disaster recovery, resilience, infrastructure projects, mainstream development, the universe of grant
possibilities are under one roof with Grant Works. um our core competencies. I'm not going to read them all, but as you can see, we really start with the whole life cycle. Um so from grant research and writing through grant administration, compliance and monitoring, financial management, reporting, um all the way through
closeout. This is sort of a visual representation of of our of our capabilities. We we actually have entire departments at Grant Works dedicated to all the functional elements through the grant life cycle. And why that's important is
because we can either do turnkey services for the city or we can help augment your staff with technical expertise if and when you need it and only when you need it. Um so whether it's 2CFR 200 compliance for a construction project procurement where
you got to get an engineer on board. Uh it could be draw request reviews, environmental, data speaking, labor compliance monitoring, um financial management, you name it, all under one roof and available at your disposal. From a sort of a big picture performance
metrics, this just gives you an illustration of the of the type of experience we have. We've we've we have over 90 grant managers. That's not our entire group, but that's grant project managers. We've helped clients secure over nine billion dollars and that
actually that number is probably up to 10 now. Uh we've we've managed or supported up to 15 billion in state and federal grant programs. Um I mentioned you know hundreds and hundreds of clients. Um we we also have a um a
customizable grant program management tool called GW2020 that I'll show you in a little bit. Really helps simplify the complexity of of grant administration. It's one thing to fill out, you know, to help you with the application, but then when you get the grant, there's a
tremendous responsibility on the city to administer that grant in accordance with federal regulations and reporting requirements. And and we've got some tools and expertise to help you with that. Just a little highlight on our on our Florida presence. We're across the
state. That that map unfortunately is is a little bit dated. We've we've probably got double that. Um, now we're currently supporting about four billion in in grant funded programs just in the state of Florida. So, in terms of depth and breadth of experience, uh, we're we feel
like we're a great partner for you all. Um, we do have an office in Tallahassee. So, if we needed to work with uh, one of your lobbyists or Florida Commerce or D or FD, uh, we we've got that capabilities. But we also have about
eight folks in the greater Tampa Bay area on the ground. So, this would be your dedicated team. Again, I'm Rick Faircloth. With me today is Holly Miller. Uh, Holly's our vice president of Florida State and Local Government Services. She's also logged in many, many years in the Tampa Bay
region, formerly with Tiko People's Gas as a Gov Affairs and legislative affairs uh, professional. Um, but we have Katie Smith also who leads our grant solutions and strategies group. She was uh formerly with Florida Commerce. Incredible person, incredibly talented,
and uh a lot of other talented folks that I I won't drill down into in the interest of time. So, I kind of want to walk you through sort of what our vision would be in a collaboration. I mean, I that the goal here is to explore and capture the the
greatest amount of grant universe possibilities as we can, right? Um so the first the first step that we would do is we would meet with your team and understand your priorities. Uh and then we we would look at your capital plans, your budget information because a lot of
the grants that we pursue will have a match requirement, funding match requirement. So we want to understand the the budgets that we have to work with. Um and what are your focus areas and then we go in once we understand your timelines, your priorities, your financial uh capabilities for match,
then we we get our people to work and we research what is that universe of possibilities. And then we get up a list together of grants that fit your your unique objectives and needs and timelines. And then we do a pres-scoring analysis to see what is the fit for eligibility.
What is the probability for success? The last thing we want to do is have you go down a rabbit hole and spend time and money and precious resources for a grant that you really had no business pursuing or had very little chances of getting success. Right? Time is money. Time is precious. Resources are precious. So, we
help you uh sort of get that prescoring look to help with the decision-making process. Once you once we collectively work together to shore up the grant strategy that's tailored for your community's needs, then we go to work and we help apply for those grants. We
build compelling grant applications um that would target your needs uh and then secure those grants and then should you wish, we can help you track and administer those grants. And one of the uh the great things about a lot of the
grants that we pursue is we can build in the administrative costs of those grants into the grant itself. So it's a win-win. The community is net neutral on the grant administration cost. You can use that money for your consulting partners to get help or you could use it
to fund your in-house staff. And and to that end, we do training and capacity building. So, one of the things that we like to do for our client communities is help lift them up, right? And help teach them the art and science of grant writing, but also grant administration.
So, this is a little snapshot of sort of the process that we go through um once we've identified a particular grant of interest. So, we we have a kickoff meeting. We make sure that there's complete alignment on and on the scope um and the timelines and the
deliverables and the documentation that's required. Then we move into the phase of of gathering all the data and documentation. Then we develop the application uh the narrative, the budgets and then we go through the final review and QAQC process before it gets
finalized and submitted. And then we're around um you know sometimes funding agencies are peculiar or picky uh and they may come back with technical questions and we're always there to support uh th those those that process so we get you to the finish line.
So this this this slide really addresses grant management. So we've gone to finding the grants that suit your community's needs, helping you through the application process. We secure the funding. Now what? A lot of these grants are complex with their federal funding
requirements. So we help try to simplify that complexity. We provide you technical assistance. We always say we start with the end in mind, right? Begin with the end in mind. So from day one, there's always a focus on audit readiness. The last thing that we want our client communities to go through uh
is a is a clawback of federal funds. So we we do not we are very serious about setting it up right from the beginning right data management file management um and and making sure that we've got clear line of sight on all of our financial
reporting obligations our milestone deliverables and that there's a central system of record that houses all this information so five years down the road if you're on a new PM at the city uh you don't have to sweat it figuring out where that information is stored.
I'll just be brief on this. Um, one of the things that we have is for our client communities is a grant management portal. It's built on the Quickbase platform. It's super customizable, rapidly deployable, and it simplifies the complexity. We can build in
automation to help you uh drive compliance. So, we can send ticklers to your public works group if they need to uh have a financial report that needs to go in. somebody from for fire chief if if he's got a safer grant and and he's got another report that he needs to see.
We can build all that compliance in the tool and it just sends these reminders to the designated people. It also can create an executive dashboard for you all and for your community. So you can manage a single grant using this tool, but you can do it at the portfolio level. So any any any of your
constituents calls up and say, "Well, hey, what's the status with my drainage project?" we can bring it right up there in real time and know exactly where it is. So, in closing, um 250 plus grant professionals, this is this is our core business. This is what we do. Been doing
it for 46 years. Uh we've helped client communities secure and manage over 2500 projects largely in the infrastructure and public facility space. uh we've got a our own unique GW202020 grant management platform that we think would be a great fit for the city of Madiraa
Beach. Um and we'd love the opportunity to continue working with you. So, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Do we have any public comment? So, um my question for you would be um obviously economies of scale and and it
sounds like you've got a lovely um uh package program to work. If you're representing so many of these towns in the area, how do you not have conflict of of interest? We're all going to be looking for the same grants. How do you ensure
that we're prioritized and and the resources are allocated to our little town versus a bigger, more preferable town to your organization? >> Great question. Thank you for that actually. So our our sweet spot frankly
is is small local communities. We're not, you know, out there in, you know, Miami doing this type of work. So we we are selective with our client base. uh we don't take on more than we can handle. It's it's one-on-one. The people
that you I showed on the slide are the people that you would be working with on a regular basis. There's no bait and switch. Um so we ma we manage we've been doing this for 46 years. So we understand how to scale and prioritize our clients. And as in terms of of
competing interests, we really we really haven't encountered that. I mean a lot of our programs, each client is is different as R.J. said. I mean, um, yes, there might be a time where two cities want to compete for the same grant, but we put everything, our heart and soul into making the best grant possible for
that application, and so I don't, it hasn't been a problem for us. >> Do we have any additional public comment, commissioners, questions? >> You mentioned something about a an an app for that we we could check the status of a of a grant that we're going.
Is there some training for us to understand how to use that? Yes, absolutely. And that would be part of our process if you wanted to use it. Like we use it to manage our grants. We're managing thousands of grants uh on our own with that tool. And if you
wanted to have access to that, yes, we would make that. >> But maybe we could have a some a city employee that would be at least someone on staff that >> 100%. And it's it's web based, cloud-based uh credentials, super secure, and we would provide access and
training uh to the level that you all wanted. >> And you showed a list of of people working are they are they nearby if if we wanted to say, "Hey, can we set up a meeting with our uh I don't know, public works to talk see talk discuss things?" How how much in advance do we need to let you know that we want to talk to
somebody? >> I mean, they're all excuse me, they're all Florida based, so it would not it I mean, it could be a day's notice. I mean, same day is a possibility depending on the criticality of the need. >> Thank you. >> Thank you,
>> Vice Mayor. >> I'll make it brief. Um, is there a grant to get grant works? That's a great question also and and that's kind of what I was suggesting with um the the grants that you pursue.
Not from the application process, but frankly the grant application is is the the smallest cost, right? It's the administration costs of these grants that are that that are taxing on on city city revenues. But if we get you if if
you get a $10 million or $20 million grant for a a lift station or a water man or what whatever you you need um depending on the federal program, it most likely would come from federal programs. There is a you know multi-year administrative obligation for those
funds. Labor compliance monitoring, financial management reporting, and those are those depending on the program, those can be very intensive efforts. and we can fold all of those costs typically into those grants. >> That's really what I'm asking. >> Um,
you sat here very nicely tonight and sat through a lot of presentations from our uh potential lobbyists. Um, you're going after grants and they're going after grants. How do you coordinate that? >> Typically,
we are the we're the grant practitioners. So, in our universe, we're the ones that work. We're we're roll up our sleeves. We're in your offices. We're in your communities uh helping you put together the most compelling grant applications as you possibly >> is there any duplication of efforts.
You're not going out and seeing our state representatives. >> No, we do not. We're not lobbyists. So, we would work in partnership and in collaboration with your lobbyists, right? We're we're additional piece to that that process. >> Great. That's my understanding. Um, as
far as understanding the city priorities, I would imagine you've done some of that is or or not. Can you correct me on that or >> No, we have. >> And what does that look like? Does that come in, you have a half a day with each director, you ride around town, you sit with the city manager? I mean, as far as
the BOC, we have not had any any um contact as far as I know. No, we yeah, our we our experience was originally basically limited to Robin Gomez >> and a little bit with Megan Powers and then uh when Chief Belulk came in and
took over, we've been interfacing uh with the chief the last >> month or two. Um so we haven't had a lot of exposure or integration. Um but when I I wanted to show you because of that I wanted to show you we got a grant application done in two weeks for you.
>> Yeah. No, that's that's that's great. Um, now I think it would be very important for you to meet um and not just uh over a table, but actually go out with a half a day and spend some time with the directors of each of the
departments. I'd personally like to do a one-on-one because my priorities might not be the same as the mayor's priorities. We may may have a lot of the same ones. I may have I may touch on something that Commissioner Taglerini
wouldn't have or vice versa. Um, but just to get a feel of where my vision might be or where uh, Commissioner Taglerini or anyone else here on the board, their vision might be along with the director. Directors live
it. I mean, public works, >> I really say spend as much time with public works because they're they're really getting things done. Um, and you should be on a on a um be able to contact each other quickly as
needed and understand what the priorities of the city are. So, >> you would all have our bat phone, as we like to say. >> That's what that's wonderful. That's what I want to hear. Thank you so much for your presentation, >> commissioners. First of all, uh Rick and Holly, uh
thank you very much. Uh Commissioner and Taglerini actually had the same questions that I was about ready to say, but just so I'm just going to comment real quick. I think that grant portal tool is a pretty
interesting tool to uh become more familiar with. You know, I think that's an excellent tool to communicate with everyone out there that what is going on right now. And um and so you also supply like uh you could actually educate the
commissioners on on >> Absolutely. We have a we have a presentation deck dedicated exclusively to walk our client communities through that and its capabilities. Yeah, >> I think it's fantastic and uh thank you very much. >> Thank you. So, um, to write a grant and having
some sort of a confidence that it's not time wasted, would you be coordinating that with our lobbyists before you apply? >> Not always. It depends on the grant. I mean, like I don't see us interfacing on federal grants necessarily. Like, we
would do that on our own. um at the state level possibly, but you know the the the grant process is pretty formulaic and you you know the eligibility criteria is right there. You just have to study it and understand the context and what your client can use. Is
there a low to moderate income component to the grant? Um is there a matching funds? Is there an environmental p? It it just depends. So not all of it is hyper complex if you do it on a daily basis and we do. So you wouldn't necessarily need a lobbyist then to get
us a particular grant. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Well, my questions got answered. I'll steal Commissioner Tagalini's statement when you go last. Everybody else takes your questions. Great presentation. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you very much. >> Next on the agenda is presentation from Kimley Horn. And I believe you're going to do it in order of grant services and then strategic planning. >> That is right. >> Addison. Is this I told her I could see it. I I lied.
Couldn't see it. Okay. Hello everyone. I am Joe Croer. I didn't think I'd have to pull this out, but I'm a sixth generation Fidian and my family's been in I can prove it. I can prove it. U my family's been in Penelis for about a hundred years. So I I also understand the context very well. I work
in St. Pete down the street with with Hannah and Madison. So um my background is in in public policy and project funding. I spent most of my life here was in Tallahassee for about 15 years and then came back. Um, the firm that I
belong to is is a very large firm. We have about 10,000 people and 1,800 folks in Florida, but we are an engineering firm at our core. So, that's one of our separators here is while I'm our funding expert and I'm I'm our national funding expert. We have a lot of folks who know how to make projects happen. That is at
the core of it. We can make sure that things are constructable, things make sense, and we of course have really strong relationships um with all the different agencies. So, of the 3.3 billion or so that we've had awarded nationwide, I was involved in about half of those and that's over the last five
years and about 300 million in Florida. So, we have a lot of great experience that we'd like to help share with you. Here are a few just national examples that I'd like to talk about that are all a little bit different. These are transportation focused. Um, that is that
is my specialty and what I really have had the most success with and what I enjoy. We've had projects in Minnesota connecting two states with ports that were in trouble. We've worked with tribes. We've um come up with projects in Arizona where all that we had was the RFP proposal and we were able to get
them about $30 million um to a very successful project in Charlotte that is going to bridge a community that needed some connections over a railroad. Moving back to Florida, we've worked with about 60 different local governments in the state. You can see
there is a little dot for Madira Beach there that we added after we helped Andrew and Marcy with a um a technical assistance grant with the Department of Commerce recently. We have a lot of really great examples. These are all projects that I was involved in
directly. We had um a school that were helping get built in St. John's County in a small community that they were awarded about $10 million. We've done many safe streets and roads for all projects. We're helping Longboat Key with um some resiliency improvements and
Boton Beach also with resiliency improvements. It's a project that is was really interesting. They were they're a smaller community and they needed a lot of money for a problem that didn't really seem that important. You know, we get a lot of those. It I have a lot of people who could come up to me and say,
"Well, it's a really expensive project, so we need the grant." But you also have to make the case that it's important at the state level or at the federal level depending on where you're applying to make that make sense to them. We have a lot of different examples of of methodologies that we can help you
with. I know that there's been some discussions about different funds that you can look at and what your options are. So, I don't want to get too much into um what the options are for your specific projects, but I know that we have examples helping with with libraries, with schools, with parks and
wreck. Um, there were some good discussions about the working waterfront opportunity. That is great. I was actually texting Cody Frell in the back of the room and showed him his picture and he thought it was funny. We went to grad school together. Um, we have while we're not lobbyists, we we have a lot of those connections whether we're working
with FDOT, whether we're working with the county, whether we're working with the governor's office, there's a lot of overlap there, and we can help connect a lot of those dots and and help things make sense and provide some context before we get too far down the road. I know there was a question of how do you know basically whether you should go
after the grant or not and whether you need lobbyists. There is a lot of overlap and there's a lot of things that we can it's not in our interest to go after grants that we don't think are successful. We don't want to waste your money and we like to have the awarded numbers to. We don't like to um just go
after something to for the for the for the effort. I I thought I had a a ringer here that I noticed that there was 34 resilient Florida awards in Penelis County so far and Madur didn't have any, but it sounds like you just you just submitted one. So hopefully you do get some money from
that program. It is a really good program. Uh I think we can look at FRDAP and a few others. Coastal Partnership, he nailed it. It is $60,000 is the cap. So part of our our process is just looking at what makes the most sense and if you can stack those. There's a lot of the time whether you can you can match
state funding with state funding. can match federal funding with state funding. There's a lot of different ways you can go. What we're being asked by a lot of our clients right now is what can we expect and what is happening and what is changing. And we work a lot with the
funding agencies. We've done dozens of debriefs with agencies like US DOT and understand that they're a little bit in the dark, but they share with us as much as they can. And we have the advantage of having people like the previous executive director of of FHWA, FRA, the
Puerto Rico district or state secretary is on our team. We have a lot of folks who can help advise and provide policy judgments with the USOT grants. These are usually pretty big scale. We were actually talking with Marcy a few months ago about some of the options for uh for one
of your bridges and understanding that how competitive the pool is and what we can do to help separate that if if one of the federal grants was sought. So we have a ton of success with raise with or now called build um with infra with safe streets and we'd like to help see where
those those gaps can be filled and what we what we can do. There's the Bay Area has been really successful and we've seen a lot of funding coming to Penllis County and Hillsboro County, but certainly not as much the coast as as we'd like to see. Uh we're it took us
probably 20 minutes to get over get over here from the office. It's it's not it's not a a long journey and we certainly understand the context here and some of the options. We also wanted to just mention a couple of the other programs. I know that every agency pretty much has
their own grants and they're all different in their own ways. So, it's part of our job to understand what they're looking for, what the nuances are, what that process is. Like with that EDA grant, economic development administration grant in St. John's. They it was very much of just we would get a
text from the administrator in Atlanta of like, oh, just change this. And they all work a little bit differently and some are more formal than others. So, we've we've been there and can help navigate that. some of our approach. We want to make sure that we are as you discussed and this is the benefit of me going last uh
very much engaged in understanding what you're looking for. So we know that everyone's priorities are going to be different. We want to make sure that we're balancing those and helping you find those priorities uh with with the options that you have. Be very compelling with the applications we put
together. We we have the the benefit of of me with my background in policy and planning to be able to translate some of what the engineers are saying so the reviewers can appreciate the complexities of the projects but also understand the the public's aspect and
why the project is really necessary and what the background is. Um mixing those grants together and figuring out how we can stack and helping reduce your match as much as we can. working as an extension of staff. We know that there are a lot of needs and there's there's
ways that we can help fill those roles as much as possible and knowing what the funders are looking for. I think you've seen something pretty similar to this, but this is the process that we like to use from when you're thinking about applying for a grant to all the way at closeout. We can help
with any of those steps. We have a lot of experience. We have folks who worked for Sarasota County as their grant manager. We have Collier County grant managers. We have folks who have been working in Panelis County um doing major grant administration. I know I've mostly been talking about grant writing, but we
have a lot of that in house as well. Um Joe's Creek, if you've heard of that project in in um in Penelis County, we've been able to help them win about 20 million in grants and are administering those and look just applied to some large um other federal pots called HMGP and hope that we can
bring that project to fruition with a little bit more funding and work that all the way through. And then my second to last slide, we do have a few different software solutions to help whether you're looking at grants or helping to manage the grants or helping get some input from the public on on
their priorities or where projects are. I think we might have used one of these on on one of Hannah's projects with you, but SMARTs would be the main grant managing tool that we have and we could share how that works with you, but it's really about showing what's happening right now and uh who who is all involved
and what the roles are and what is needed. grant source. I have a slide for that. So, that is a tool that we we had about 400 interns set up a few years ago and we have a few folks that are maintaining it now, but really swept every funding source and went state by state and
funder by funder to build a tool that we can search through opportunities and help be as efficient as possible when looking for projects if they're a little bit out of the box or it's something that we don't normally see. And that is all I've got. Thank you. Do we have any public
comment? Commissioners, questions, comments, please. >> Thanks for your presentation. Um, I I'm I'm a retired Pine Hills County school teacher and grants come in all the time for teachers. Uh, and I learned over the years that the teachers who got the
grants were the teachers who knew how to write grants or the teachers who knew what a grant was. I've observed in our city and you said once Madiraa Beach was the only one that didn't get this and I I've come to realize that there's a dis
a gap between I don't know what I don't know >> and I know everything about grants. What specific strategy would you implement to bridge that gap between I have things I need but I don't know anything about grants and I know all about grants. What
would you do to to bridge that gap? So, my mother was a Panelis County school teacher and she taught me how to write grants. >> Do I know her? Did she write me a grant? >> Just kidding. >> It was a while ago. She retired as well, but Wendy Croer, same last name. Um, we
my first role was at a state agency and it was when Governor Scott cut all the funding to that agency and we immediately needed to learn everything there was to know about grants as quickly as possible if we wanted to continue being state employees. And that was a really good starting point for me.
I think that you can exhaust yourself looking at all of the options that there are from foundations to which we we've helped with foundation grants and we've won those. We've gotten grants from uh from the senators and representatives through appropriations. We've we've done
the federal, we've done the state. And I think our role is to help guide where your focus should be because you can really exhaust yourself trying to find all the different options. and and we have a pretty good feel because a lot of them will say any municipality in the southeast can apply for this, but you'd
know if you've talked to them that they're really looking for someone in this area or with this market or with a bank within 36 miles or things like that. So, we we can help navigate that and and make it a little bit easier. >> Thank you.
>> I'll make it quick again. tried to um do you see a relationship with Kim Lee Horn with their grants and grant works as being mutually exclusive or duplicative? I think that we can we can work together
in in whatever role that you all would would like us to. I think that we both have have similar functions depending on on what you're seeking. I know that we have our resumes uh at least like the types of grants and the the types of
grant admin that we do I think are pretty similar and that we could we could either complement each other or work one or the other. >> Okay. Because in in my mind's eye and I I I look at Kimley Horn as an engineering firm >> with an ability to get the projects that
they're familiar with and and get them funded. Mhm. >> Um where I look at grant works as being more I guess less on the less on the utilities construction side of the
house. I don't know what those grants would look like because most of what we're what we need is for roads and storm water and um resiliency undergrounding that sort of thing. Um, so you would you would be
saying that that's where your expertise is because you'd be involved in that type of construction. Is that am I hearing am I understanding that correct? >> We do have about 80 people in our St. Pete office that have varying backgrounds in storm water, underground
utilities, mechanical, electrical, plumbing. All of those things we have experts in. My team specializes in particularly finding the funding for whatever whatever you need though. So we have a team of across the state of about 12 who focus only on project funding at
the state and federal levels that work independently of of the engineers and planners for the most part. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I don't have any questions but thank you very much. I have the same question as vice mayor
Kerr and so we'll have two separate contracts with Kimberly Horn >> for grant writing as well as let's say civil engineering and let's say in the next year or so we
decide to go with another firm as far as civil engineering and not Kimberly Horn >> what sort of a relationship would we have from that point on? >> I think we're all still very connected and there's times where having multiple
firms is really helpful. If you have one program that opens and it has a short deadline and you need 10 grants written and we can separate those and work together as a team to get them all done. There's times that that has certainly happened. Um I think that we can still certainly be your bridge to the
engineers or bring the engineers in to to whatever you need. We all we all sit together and um are very interconnected with what we do and go through all the same types of trainings and weekly meetings and those kinds of things. >> All right. Thank you.
>> So, um when I look at what was provided to us in our packet, unless I'm missing it, there's no reference to cost. >> I think that we just included rates for an hourly. Yeah, we just included hourly rates
which are probably the same as the strategic plan. >> Oh, okay. So, there's nothing in here that specifies grant services in our package. It just has the strategic planning >> and we can provide that if if needed. I it's >> so if you could clarify it. I mean, for us to be able to make a for me to make a
decision on anything, I need to understand what we're looking at cost associated for what we going to have what we're going to have would be beneficial. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Anything further? Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> And now we're going to have uh Kimley Horn present strategic planning. I can go grab my Sorry, we had the presentation pulled up on the staff laptop over there. All right. So, I know you all received
the scope in the agenda packet, but I did want to give kind of a brief presentation on what is included in that scope. As you probably saw, it was maybe a little bit more robust than maybe you were originally expecting, but we did talk to the acting city manager in Marcy
a few weeks ago. And through our process of the master plan, we really wanted to provide something to you that we really think is going to be helpful and work. I know I was at the commission workshop a few weeks ago and I heard you all talking like, let's just get stuff done. So, we really want to make sure we're
providing a strategic plan that is going to work and help you get stuff done. So, I'm going to go into a little bit of overview of kind of the goals of what this strategic plan would be. Um, what some of the components would be and what the end result for you would be. So, as
talking to city staff in knowing the city, knowing what the community members want through the master plan, we really feel like this kind of is an extension of the master plan. It's really putting into implementation the projects and strategies that are identified in there
and moving them forward and really thinking about how are we going to get these done. And I think it's really important that the strategic plan you put together aligns with the master plan and your other city documents like your comprehensive plan and your land development code. Otherwise, you could
run into slowdowns or confusions down the road and you're going to have to realign. So, I think that's really important as you're thinking about this moving forward that those two align. And we also want to make sure that we're measuring progress and, you know,
holding the city accountable for achieving these programs and strategies and projects that are identified in this strategic plan. So, our overall approach is kind of broken into these four main components. will have an engagement phase looking at
external and internal engagement. I think we have a pretty good handle on the external engagement. From our experience with the master plan, we already understand what the community members and business owners needs and concerns and opportunities are. So, it's
really just reaffirming those um you know priorities and and what they want to see and also maintaining transparency and making sure we have them involved in the strategic plan. As for the internal engagement, we had, you know, some of this in the master plan, but I think
it's really important to meet more in depth with the city departments and really understand what their short-term, midterm, long-term priority projects are and how that would um filter into the strategic plan. And this kind of goes
into the next uh component of the policy and procedure diagnostic where we're really really looking at are there ways to create efficiencies, save time and achieve those priorities that the departments want. And I think
the next phase is where our experience is really beneficial to you all as we have created strategic plans for multiple cities across Florida and across the country where we can bring our experience and lessons learned is in these um next two components where we
can look at tradeoffs of different projects or strategies that we're implementing. And I'll use this example. As we heard through the master plan, safety on streets was a big concern. So one way you can create safer streets is
by lowering speed limits. I'm not saying we would do this. This is just an example. But if we lower speed limits for all city streets, it could create unintended consequences like increased travel times. And that might not be a trade-off we want to do. So we really want to look at is that trade-off really
worth it or is there a compromise where we can look at maybe not all city streets need to reduce speed limits but maybe it's just certain ones where there's safety issues or are the most dangerous streets. So really looking a little bit more in depth of what these strategies and actions are and how it
can affect the community because there could be unintended consequences. And from there, we'll put together an integrated list of strategies that aligns with city department goals, your goals, and as well as the community goals. Because at the end of the day, we
want this to be successful. We want to, you know, save your time, your dollars, and make sure we're putting together a list of actions that work. So the final outcome would essentially be a strategic action plan table and
summary document where we're identifying these projects and strategies any applicable funding sources. I think this is really important where you know we do have grants on our team. So this is an added benefit. that you wouldn't have to have a separate contract for Joe or
Madison to come to these meetings as we're putting together this list and we can identify where there are grant opportunities. If city funding isn't able to cover it, we can find that delta and figure out where can grants come into play or are there other are there other partnerships with other agencies
like FDOT forward Penllis or Penelis County where you can find those matching funds as well? And we'll also identify timing for the implementation of these priority projects and make sure that it aligns with budget grant cycles and and
staff priorities as well. So that's the summary of what is included in the scope of work that we presented to you in the packet. So I'll leave it open to any questions. Do we have any public comment,
commissioners, questions, comments? >> I don't know that we've had a time yet that we've sat down to actually go over the master plan. Um so it's difficult for me to say okay um we've adopted I don't know you know we
haven't had taken that measure yet to adopt the master plan that was presented and if so um then we need to determine that like you said and I guess that's all part of this is determine a timeline for each of the measures to get where we're going to get go. Is that the way
I'm understanding this? Yeah, I think the master plan will produce some of the projects or strategies. I think there might even be some priorities that might not be included in the master plan that the city departments would want to include. So, it's not just taking the
master plan um recommendations or projects. it it will be um outside as well >> because I would think that creating that list of goals and setting timelines for each of those goals is
step one and that's what the master plan is supposed to kind of outline for us. This this is after a year or more of that process to determine what the community wants the city of Mader Beach to look
like decades from now. How do we get there? And then we have the short-term projects road infrastructure and elevation and undergrounding. So I don't know I haven't read the master plan in depth yet so I can't say all those were
touched on. Um, so I'm just I'm just trying to absorb how I know we need to strategic plan to to to align the strategic priorities as you have listed there. Um,
I guess that's all part of this. I'm >> Yeah. So the master plan has I I believe we have over, you know, a hundred different strategies and programs and you're just not going to be able to do them all at once. So the strategic plan will really look at what do you want to
do and what can you do in the next one, two, three, five years. It's a smaller time period that we're looking at because we know, you know, funding programs change, new funding becomes available. So, we really want to narrow it to a more short-term vision that you
can, you know, accomplish, you know, quickly, but also if there are grant opportunities that could lead to the future, identifying those as well. I know you all have the piece of property that you would like to develop on. So, part of that could go into the strategic
plan where it's like we are looking for grant funding for, you know, this project that is more of a short term. Um, so it is a smaller list of more focused action items so we can have a little bit more attention to those and
understand how are we actually going to fund it because if we can't fund it, it's not it's not going to get done. >> Okay. I mean, but that's kind of where I'm I'm a little lost. I'm looking through the the tasks that are laid out here and
just trying to get a I I don't really see it, maybe I'm just overlooking it, where we're going to set those short-term goals on where, you know, where are we going to try to get to in the next five years and what and how do we get there? >> Yeah. And that would be conducted
through the community work session that we identified in the scope of work. So that's where we kind of identify what would the community commission staff members feel are those one, two, three, fiveyear priorities and then we can begin to dive into the funding piece and
that will ultimately guide what we can do when we can do it. So the first step will be to understand even what those priorities are and then finding the funding. >> Okay, I'm good. comments, questions?
>> No, I don't have anything. >> I can understand that this strategic planning and the whole master plan can be confusing as far as timelines, what's priority, things in that nature. So, I think we probably at some point need to
u have a workshop to set goals. you know what's phase one what's phase two what's phase three how are we going to allocate monies to whatever phase so I can understand how it can be complicated but uh we need to
have a little workshop I think to simplify it >> actually sorry I do have a question real quick um with the strate strategic planning uh with the community I think it's very important um do you plan on um
attending the um some of the workshops in the near future also. >> Yeah. Yeah. We can attend um city commission workshops. I think the workshop we have identified in the scope would include community members, commission and staff members as well. So
we identified one of those. >> Okay. Thank you. >> To conduct for >> Mayor if I could one more I'm sorry just for my clarification. What what will come first the strategic planning or the master plan or will it come all at once or >> so the master plan is on track to be
adopted November December time frame. >> So we've already contracted you for that. >> Yes. So we're wrapping that up. So this would come after that is adopted. >> Okay. So, we talked about doing strategic planning in in great part
because we sit up here and talk about projects and city staff goes out and they do all of the leg work and spend whether it's $10 or $20,000 on drawings and then the projects go nowhere. And so my push for wanting strategic planning
was to make a plan so that we're not wasting taxpayer dollars on projects that get pushed to the wayside. and a strategic planning strategic planning has not been done in this city in quite a number of years. And so that's why
we're getting presentations um in person and then some in the packet so that we can start making a decision who we want to use for strategic planning. We're working we're workshopping it today and then we'll probably workshop it again in
November. will adopt our master plan before we ever actually have a strategic plan session. But we need to choose that company so that we can have it scheduled and get it done and not spend another six months or or even four months
deciding and having staff waste their time. Because the thing that's frustrating, and I said this, I believe in our last meeting. The thing that's super frustrating to me is that over the years, I've sat in the audience and watch staff bring presentations to
different boards and the board of commissioners would allow the staff to do all this work and and never mind if they spent money on drawings. That's nothing. They spent their I mean, it is something. Don't don't quote me wrong, but they spent their time staff time and
lots of staff time for us or and I say us being commission's present and past to just go, "Oh, yeah, we don't want we we don't want to do that." So, a strategic plan will lay out a plan of how we're going to accomplish what the
city's setting forward. And my hope and envision would be that when the plan is set that the next set of commissioners or the next board that sits up here would follow that plan that's been adopted with the community's
input. >> They'll have a blueprint move forward. Yes. Can I can I ask is it is it common or normal for Kimley Horn to do the master plan and the strategic plan for the same city? Is that common? I think this this situation is usually well it's a little unique because usually what
happens is a city will issue a separate RFP RFQ for a strategic plan but what you all have done with the master plan by identifying goals and objectives that is usually a part of a strategic plan. So, you kind of already did part of it,
which is why we kind of when we were looking at the scope and hearing you all, it's like, oh, we really just need to get to that implementation piece and really find out more the inner workings of the city departments. That's that piece that's missing. But we already know what the goals are of the
community. Um, we had extensive outreach. So that's where it's like we can provide that time and cost saving is by going jumping directly into this because those goals and objectives will be adopted soon. >> It sounds like you'd have an advantage
for the strategic plan having already done the master plan. >> Correct. We would be able to hit the ground running. Um I think we Madison and I have been here um in the community for almost a year and a half, you know, talking to community members, talking to you all, talking to staff. So we already have a little of understanding of some
opportunities that would be included in the strategic plan. And I do want to reiterate, I know funding is not infinite that we priced this scope kind of menu style. So we want we can scale it to your needs. So we want to be
cognizant of that. So if you really want us just to be there to conduct a community workshop and then um provide a summary of that to like we can do that at that scale. But we really wanted to show you all the scope of work that we feel is really going to get you what you
need and that's what's included in the scope tonight. >> Thank you. >> Anything further? >> Thank you, Hannah. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Next on the agenda is the S Renee
Narlock Recruit Firm. And I hope I said that correctly. >> Good evening, Madame Mayor and Commissioners. Renee Norlock, Norlock and Associates. I too am out of Tallahassee. All of Tallahassee is here tonight. Um, very nice to be here with you. We've been selected to do the uh
actually two two searches for the city of MadiRaa Beach uh city manager search which we will work very closely with you on uh and the building official uh recruitment. So thank you for the opportunity to work with you. I wanted to come down tonight just introduce myself and let you know we've already
hit the start button. Uh we uh have been working uh with Megan Megan P. I learned there's two different ones. So, make him pee um to get this thing started in the last um several weeks and uh we're on go. So, um I I just want you to know
we're underway here. I did uh look at a timeline this morning. I was going to bring it to you and hand it out to you and it just boggled my mind to tell you the truth. We're coming into the holidays and we'll talk about that in a little bit. But, uh you will get a timeline soon and very soon we'll have the milestones of the search so you know
what we're doing and what to expect as we go. Excuse me. as well as the uh dates associated with that so you know that we're making progress as we go. Um just a real quick a little bit about us. I've been doing this for way too many years uh and opened my own firm about 13
14 years ago in Tallahassee. We service clients nationwide. Most of it's this side of the Rockies. Uh I have a sister company I call her um on the West Coast that does searches out there. So we kind of help one another. But a lot of recruitment work, a lot of recruitment work in Florida. I too am a native of
Florida. I don't know. I'm maybe fourth generation. I haven't I thought about it when he mentioned that earlier. Um but um I I know the state. I've done a lot of recruitment in the state of Florida. I've got great staff in Tallahassee and we really look forward to working with you and having a successful search here.
Both of those searches. Um I I looked at what our current searches are. They're just a variety of things. We've got a county attorney. We've got um police chief that we're doing, two public works directors, uh different different organizations, a human resources director, a transportation engineer. So,
you can see it's a myriad, but I wanted to point out that this is the only city manager search that we're currently working on. And and that's probably a good thing. These kinds of searches, meaning ones that elected officials hire the position, um they take a lot more work. It's kind of two searches in one.
There's just a lot of dynamics going on here to make sure that it moves forward. We've got a good process. everybody feels good about it and and we keep it on the straight and narrow. We can't go sideways on this once we get started. So, we're looking forward to doing that. I I want to mention to you a couple of
searches that we've done in the neighborhood. I guess city of Deneden is one. Uh we placed the city manager there. I'm going to say probably eight or nine years ago. It's been a while. Since then, we've done several searches for them. Most recently, we did their parks and director search was which was a lot of fun. Um and then also St. Pete
Beach. Uh the most recent hire in St. P Beach's city manager. We did that search. Uh great search. It was an interesting time uh that we had to do that and shortly after they hired her, two hurricanes came. So, uh she got she got her um baptism by fire in Florida,
right? Um so, what's our next step here? I'm going to be reaching out to Megan and get on your calendars. I would like to schedule a time to talk with each of you indiv individually by phone soon uh in the next few days if possible um
because I just need to hear from each of you. There are so many questions I have uh relative to what we need to be looking for and what I'm doing is building what I call the target for the ideal candidate and we're going to shoot for the ideal candidate. We shoot for
the moon and we hit it. So um that's what we're going to do here. Um during those conversations, I'll be asking all kinds of questions. I want to understand what the management style is that's going to best fit this organization. I want to talk about the culture. I want to talk about the staff. I want to talk
about morale. I want to talk about um salary. Where are we going to be in the salary range? What are your thoughts about that? Um qualifications. Uh I'll talk to you about the recruitment process itself, how we get from point A to point B. also spend some
time talking about the interview process and what that structure will look like. Um, I don't tell you what to do through this. I ask you what is it you would like to see rolled into this process and to the interview process specifically because I want it to be a process that
you're happy with, that you feel like it best served you, it best served your community. Other questions, other things we'll talk about is the timeline. I mentioned we're running up against the holidays. So, what I did this morning when I saw the timeline, I said, "You know what? I'm going to come here and talk with you tonight. I'm going to then
work with staff to see what your schedules look like over the next two months because it's holiday time. You may be taking off. We need everybody here for these meetings, right? When we recommend candidates and when we do when we do interviews and a selection of a city manager, we need all of you to be here. So, we're going to look at your
calendar first and then we'll put together a timeline, a draft timeline that we'll talk to you about whenever we give you a call." Um, we also will talk to you about opportunities for the new city manager here, challenges for the new city manager here. Will we have any internal candidates? If we do, that's great. If I'll I'll walk you through
what we do in that regard. If we don't, that's okay, too. Um, and then again, the ideal candidate. A couple of things I want to mention. Um, I love the discussions here tonight about grants and about strategic plans. This is all very exciting to me because these are
the questions I'm going to get from candidates. Do they have a strategic plan? No. But they're working on one. I think the timing honestly couldn't be better for that and for us to do a recruitment of a city manager because I don't know a city manager candidate that
is not going to want to have a strategic plan. That's just that's just the truth. Uh I've been doing this a really long time and that's a really important road mapap to what the city does. The other thing I want to mention real quick and I'm going to stop and let you ask me some questions. um is the ICM I don't
know if you know this but the national conference is here Tampa next week toward the end of the week. So I'm going to do something kind of out of the ordinary here. I'm going to just start blasting all these people who are going to be there and tell them to come over
here and visit MadiRaa Beach while they're there at the conference because I'm going to be reaching out to them soon about a city manager opportunity here. So again, the timing on those things are is really good. So, I just wanted to let you know that I had noticed those two things. Um, so I'm
going to take a break here and answer questions for you. >> Do we have any public comment commissioners, questions, comments? >> Well, um, choosing a city manager is just the the the most and the biggest
decision in my opinion that we can make. >> Yes, sir. So, we're extremely anxious to um find that wonderful person that fits this town, its character, and
how kind this person would be to our citizens and professional. >> So, um that's as far as a city manager. But as far as a building official, how come we don't have anyone yet? It's been a while. Um, I was just, um,
as a matter of fact, at the same time that I was hired by the city for the city manager search, I was also hired to do the building official search. So, I've had it all of like two weeks. So, that would be why I don't have anybody for you yet. Um, I I I knew the history
that it's been quite some time. And I'll just tell you, building officials, I can say safely, by far, are the most difficult positions to recruit. They just are. There's only so many of them. They need to be they need to be
certified and licensed in the state of Florida. And it's a very competitive field. I mean, they not long ago, they were getting signing bonuses in some places to come work for them. and and there's just such competition. There's a
lot of cities that share a building official with one another. Some of those really small, they share them. There's um actually firms who have billing officials that work for that firm. They con the private sector firm will
contract for billing official services. Um it's a tall order, but to answer your question, the reason you don't have one from me yet is we are just kicking that off also. And during our call about the city manager, our one-on ones that's
that I'm scheduling, I will ask you about that position, too. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Hello. >> Hi. >> I'm looking forward to uh talking with you on the phone here in the next couple days. Um I have plenty of questions for
you and I'll just save those for our phone call. But real quick, how extensive is your background check once we have candidates that we want to hire? How far back does that go? And how extensive is it? >> Um, so anything that's a serious um
criminal offense such as a felony goes back as far as records are concerned. Misdemeanors go back about seven years. But the I think the better answer to that question is we do what's called a level one background. We don't do fingerprinting. We don't do drug
testing. We do criminal, civil, DMV records. We're looking for DUIs and such. Um, we do education verifications. Uh, we check sexual predator databases to make sure no one's in there. We verify social security numbers are real.
Um, there's several items. There's probably about 12 or so items in there that we check. But then what we do is we hand that off to HR and we say, "Okay, here's our level one background. These things have cleared already. You don't need to check these, but anything that
you do as a city for onboarding a new hire, whether that be drug testing or um or fingerprinting or whatever, your HR function within the city will take over that and do that internally.
>> Okay. Thank you, >> commissioners. >> Um thank you for coming out and presenting. I look forward I'm encouraged that you're going to reach out to each one of us individually and I look forward to that. Um the city manager position here Mader
Beach has has had shortterm success. I'll say um we've had a lot of turnover. Um as far I don't I haven't read the um announcement thoroughly. Um, however, uh, tenure
seems to be something that would interest me. Um, where a city manager that's here for many years is is appreciated and and and tenured. Um, however, for whatever reason, if it's
short term, I'd like, you know, I'm not that familiar with tenure. I've never worked in the public sphere. Um but um it's just something that I'd like to have that discussion on. >> Sure.
>> So um I don't know if that's going to be a challenge in finding the right candidate for MadiRaa Beach that we have had quite the turnover. >> Yes, sir. I I think MadiRaa Beach has all the right stuff to do some great things. And I think finding the right
people that it fits them not only from a personal perspective of someplace they want to live and be um but also from a professional perspective. It fits their career goals. It makes sense. There's got to be a real connection to the community when they come in, right? Um
they they've and some of them may be from here for all we know. We're going to throw a net far and wide. We're going to go nationwide on this because you never know. St. Pete Beach is an example of that. I reached out nationwide, found out that the person who actually got the job in St. Pete Beach is from Lakeland,
went to St. Pete Beach when she was young and went to USF and her husband was from California. They went out there and she had a great career out there and they were coming back here in five years anyway to St. Pete Beach. I just got to her five years early and it all worked
out. So, I'm throwing a net nationwide and it and it needs to make sense, right? It needs to make sense. There's some connection here. Maybe people are coming back because they're from here or they have kids that are going to college here and they want to trail them or they have elderly parents here. There just
needs to be some connection of what what makes it a good fit for them too, not only for you. Um, and that's where you start working behind the scenes to create that tenure on the front end. Right? if it's a good fit, if it's what
they really want to do from a professional standpoint, if it fits their personal goals, their family goals, if this is the right part of the country for them for all the right reasons, that helps to keep everybody together, right? Longer term, I don't I
wouldn't expect a manager, a city manager candidate, I bring you to be here, I'm gonna say any less than seven years. Five to seven years is a good run for anybody. And it really comes down to what we want them to do as your city manager. You know, do we want them what
the strategic plan comes to mind again? What is the goal for the next five years for this city, right? Um and this manager candidate may be the right person for that goal. But you may then have to look at the right person for the next goal for the city, right? But not
because of anything other than the timing of what the needs of the city are. What I look for is a city manager who can carry you through several phases as a city, right? But you got to be moving forward as a city. So, so to your point, we're gonna we're gonna stop
that. >> Great. Thank you. Sure. >> Renee, you gave us during our interview, our meeting a a rough timeline uh for from start to finish. Uh do you anticipate that the holidays are going to extend that? Is that is that what
you're >> is that the seed you're planting? >> I'm trying to split those holidays as best I can without >> um without affecting the quality of the process, right? >> Um let me just say recruitments in Florida are hard. Okay, I'm a native
Florida. If I wasn't, I don't know that I would do recruitments in Florida, but I care about my state. And the reason they're hard is because sunshine. If anybody applies for your job as city manager, that's public record. Okay? and their bosses, their commission, wherever they
are, can find out immediately. So they're anyone applying for this job who is currently employed, which most of our candidates are, are taking a risk even applying for the job, not knowing if they're going to be a finalist, not knowing if they're going to get it. Okay, we're handcuffed a bit. But that
said, um I work on that timeline from that perspective more than anything. I want a short window from the time we recommend candidates to the time we interview because I don't want candidates exposed at their current employer for two months. Okay? If they if they're if they're on the hook for
two months waiting for us to interview, their current employer is going to be looking for their replacement. Okay? Whether they're leave or not. So, we don't want to do that. So, so we're trying to split this. I think we're going to be good on the timeline.
I I think we'll get probably sometime in January we'll know who our city manager is. That's what I think. I don't know if that helps you. Um I think the interim uh chief and I were talking about it earlier today and I I think he kind of exhald a little bit on that. So
um but I do think that's that's probably where we'll end up. >> But if we can expedite it, we will. >> Thank you. We we don't want to we won't want to limit quality. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Sure. Well, thank you for coming tonight and speaking and I definitely am looking
forward to our phone call. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. >> Next on the agenda is human resources director, >> mayor commission, this is is discussion for the uh HR
director position. try to have a discussion, get a a perspective on what everybody is thinking on this position. And just for full transparency, Rene's firm will actually do this. They could do this search as well for an HR
director. I believe she's currently doing that for somebody local. But yeah, I'll hand it over to the board. Commission comments, questions. >> Well, you've you've done a lot of work on this. Why don't you go first? >> Well, I I can definitely go first. I
honestly need to re refresh um exactly on what we had here. Um my my basic point is um as far as the HR specialist I don't know that having one dedicated
HR director not having any other not not connected with finance or for a city as small as ours. My fear is that they're going to be sitting on their hands. I think I've used that term
before. Um the research that I had is similar cities of our size. Um many of them have combined that with a finance role. Um and that's why I wanted to
bring that infold with um a conversation of where we are with our our having a finance director or outsourcing that um I believe based on some research that I've
done is that when a clarion was brought on that was the same time we made some changes with our HR Um, and I'm still trying to research that and understand where we are and how
we got here. Um, I just had some additional information pulled together that I asked to be shared with the rest with the mayor and the rest of the commission um about where we are
as far as in our personnel and the trajectory we've been going on over the past 10 years. and we basically have doubled our
personnel expenses since 2019 based on the information that uh Andrew Laughlin was able to pull together for me. Um I don't know if you received that yet. If you didn't, I expect that you will soon. It was just a quick Excel
spreadsheet. Um, I'm just concerned about adding additional positions at this point. You know, adding an HR director, adding a public information officer, which is
the next section at at some point a city of 4,000, which their revenue stream may or may not be disrupted in the next year or so. it concerns me. Um,
and I'll start the discussion in that way. So, please chime in. If you like, I can also provide some numbers from neighboring cities. Um, these were provided to me by Andrew Laughafaugh, our finance director. So,
in the city of St. Pete Beach, they have 159 FTEES. Um, the HR director is a single position at $114,000. Finance director is a single position for $163,000. And there is another HR generalist at
62,500. Uh the town of Bair, they have a finance director with a budgeted salary of 104,000 which is a separate position, a HR director at a 105,000 which is a separate position and they have 75
FTEEs. And as far as FTEES go in Madiraa Beach, we have 82. And um in conversations with the mayor, she actually brought up a really valid point that whether they're FTEEs or part- timerrs, you have to add them in because a part-timer is going to require just as
much onboarding. And if there are benefits available to a part-timer, that's going to take up time as well. So, >> and we have 91 physical bodies. Physical positions in this city is 91. And >> that includes the board.
>> It does, but we still take work We take work from HR. HR has to work on us also. So we are employees that take up time because anyone sitting here who takes health insurance takes the time of HR. Your paychecks take the time of HR.
There's so 91 bodies work in this city. Um I feel very strongly that we need a HR person. When we got rid of HR was the last city manager. he chose to get rid of HR and fold it into his office >> because we had a we had a part-time HR
director at that time. >> I disagreed at that time that we didn't need HR and I disagree today. HR is a specialized service and when you don't have someone sitting in that chair that is trained and certified in HR, you do
not have someone to make sure that you're following all of the acronyms that the state makes your choir follow. There are a lot of duties. I mean HR handles recruitment and staffing, employee relations, classification,
compensation and benefits, policy and compliance, training and development, performance management, risk management and safety. They do budget and administrative duties that pertain to HR and their strategic and executive support. There are a lot of things that
HR should be doing in our city. And this is no slight on any of the individuals in the city that are performing HR duties. But it isn't like we have one person who's doing HR. We have the duties of HR spread out across the city.
And it should not be that way. HR should be central. I shared with chief today that I could list a dozen things that have happened over the last year that would have been
handled differently had we had a certified HR employee in that position. Not that I'm saying anybody did anything intentionally wrong, but it's a different employee. And when you have a
city that is the size of ours, we should have somebody sitting there taking care of the employees. And that is that is my my opinion. >> Payroll and insurance, I believe, are being taken care of by someone other than HR. >> They should not be taken care of by
someone other than HR. That is a duty that should be >> and that is that is a major duty of the person that's doing that. Now, so if you're taking that position from that person, what are they going to be doing? that person is already overloaded with work.
>> That person already has more on their plate and would gladly hand over the HR work that is being done in that office to an HR director so that they could focus on the work that they're doing and that they're responsible for.
Just for some information, the the fire department, we are handling HR some aspects of it. Say for onboarding uh benefits packages, explaining to new hires what it is. When open enrollments happening, we're having to explain to them the the new uh programs that are
available. uh the rec center, they have their own separate type of internal HR uh I guess not department but somebody who handles that because now they have licensing, they have child care, they their certifications that have to be met
and then Megan Powers and Karen Pollson both kind of take little bits of it and Megan Powers does the majority but Karen does have an aspect in that and so we have at least a minimum of four people splitting this one position.
>> And I feel like if we if we can't have one if we're trying to give one individual two or three different jobs, they're only going to be so good at each one. If we we're getting away from what we're trying or we're going right back to what we're trying to get away from is
tasking one individual individual with one or two even three different jobs and you you'll they'll never be great at all three of them. So, I feel like if we just focus on a singular HR person, I feel like that's going to be the best
benefit for us. >> Mayor, I've um for what it's worth, I've I've listened to a couple of the many of the civil service committees uh discussions and they've been recommending >> Yes. >> this a civil service >> an isolated prison. The only possible
alternative would be a uh like we do with our libraries uh interlocal >> agree >> uh agreement for to share someone. But based on what I've heard even just tonight that there's a few people doing
it, I think we could justify uh a separate in a separate person for that position. A good example of what an HR uh director would have done is when we did the compensation study. That is something that a certified
educated person that's been educated in HR, they do that. They do compensation and job job description studies. So that would have been something that we could have completed internally >> and we paid for it separately. >> And we paid for it separately. Yes. And
it's something that quite frankly should be done on a rolling regular basis. Um looking at the compensation and making sure we're in line and making sure that our job title or our job descriptions match what the individuals are doing um at at any given time. And that is what
HR does or one of the duties. >> No, I also uh also agree with um with the mayor about this. We do need a full-time HR certified HR representative here in our city. Uh that way also it
allows just like uh the chief said, it allows the people to do their job more efficiently and we go back to having a certified HR person. I think in the town that we
have here, 91 employees, I think we should have one and I think be the best benefit. So definitely >> I agree. It's a very important position to stand on its own. You divide that up,
you're lessening the importance of the work and the attention. >> Yes, sir. Good evening. By Fitzgerald, finance department uh with the Clarion. Um I have the privilege of being at many many municipalities. I'm currently the
interim finance director for city of North Miami Beach. I drove up here this morning because Mr. Laughlin asked me to be here tonight. The best practice is a fully staffed HR department with at least one the HR director. And for uh
internal controls, payroll is over in the finance accounting department. So your HR person is doing HR to include the collection of time sheets, but does not do the payroll. That's typically an accounting function when you have a large enough staff.
In 2019, we had personnel costs of 4.8 million. 2025 that's 9.6 million. This is a small community. >> So did you um drill that down to what it
is? Because I believe we had a lot of uh payroll that was FRS this year that we won't have again next year is my understanding. So there's some numbers there that aren't where we did catchups and things like that.
>> This is personnel. This is um Andrew provided it. I'm sure you probably have a copy. Um it just continues to to steadily go up. Last year it was 7.3 million. Uh the year before that it was 6.3.
I'm just saying that it's the burden is kind of getting out of hand as far as personnel. >> Well, my question is have we been understaffed? >> Right. Are we doing the best possible
job we can for for the the 91 employees and for the people of the residents of our city? >> I I guess I just have to um do more research on the what exactly an HR director is going to do
all their roles. They're not, as it was mentioned, they're not going to be doing payroll. Um, how much time does it take to um to provide uh the information on what insurance
you have a right to uh onboarding new personnel? Um Megan, you're walking up. I mean, if you're plea, please please uh educate me because, you know, a 40hour work week um
full-time, is it is that something that Madar Beach needs? >> Uh, personally, I do. Um I have been in this position for about two years, and something that I've really wanted to get off the ground is digitizing our files and I have not been able to do that
because I have too much work on myself. Um, so I think if we have a dedicated HR person, they can help move us into the future like digitizing our stuff, doing um the safety meetings, um, making sure that all of our employees are doing what they need to do. So I think there's
definitely some projects in addition to the daily work. >> Thank you, >> thank you, Megan. I think I think when people talk about um when when you listen to the people and and there are a few people who we
hear talk about staffing and that we're overstaffed and we're overspending and we're over this and we're over that. I've said it many times and I'll continue to say it. We don't staff for 4,000. We staff for over three and a half million that come here and visit our city. And so um I agree with
Commissioner Taglerini. Is it that we've all that we've been understaffed for so long? I know we had been um I know that the community development department was understaffed for a very long time. Our permit department has been understaffed. So across the board, our public works
department has been understaffed. Recreation um has been understaffed. So we have those those issues. I spend a lot of time in the city and around the employees and
I don't witness waste in people's time and if we're going to sit and have a I mean this discussion is about HR and and the need for an HR director having a conversation about being overstaffed or
spending too much money. That conversation should have been during budget, not today. We just approved a budget with a with a staff of 91 people and there was no discussion about wages then. And I'm not saying that we
I'm not saying that I would be opposed to having that discussion to dissect it and dig into it, but we do have 91 positions in this city and 91 bodies that need to be properly
trained and properly onboarded when we bring them on. And we have positions that do change often. It's a lot of work to onboard someone. Um, fire should not be doing HR. recreation should not be doing HR. We should have it centralized
>> and and one of the job jobs of HR is for employees to go to if they have an internal issue. >> That is correct. >> That and that person should not be related to any other department. >> Exactly. The open door policy you know for HR should be um should always be
there for you know the employees you know definitely. So, have we provided uh enough feedback to to move forward or do we need to spa stay specifically >> um >> I believe discussion right here and then possibly at the regular meeting have a
vote to actually move start to move forward get a job description together decide if um using a firm to hire or do it u do it ourselves through our website and Indeed. So, we would just need direction at that point. >> Okay,
>> I'm good with that. >> Thank you. Yes. Next on the agenda is it's listed as public public information officer but this was intended to be communications manager >> which is a more broad position. So this
is a similar position to the HR position something that was expressed that was needed in the city uh communications >> manager >> manager and not the same as a PIO right >> to so at this point we just request the
board's discussion on this what they're expecting from this position and then at the regular meeting vote we'll come up with the job description for this as Do we have any public comment? Commissioners, do you have any comments or questions?
Commissioners, >> I I don't remember discussing this. Have we? >> We have discussed it a couple times. Um I can tell you where it comes from. It comes from when in our time, my time being here and going through the
hurricane, um the communications and getting information out to the community was challenging. So, we've talked many times about different ways to communicate. Um the communications manager would serve
as the primary coordinator and facilitator for all municipal communication efforts. So where now we have communication is being handled by multiple people within the city. It would be one person
so that the information that gets sent out across all social media platforms going out in the mail everything that gets done would be in unison harmonized together. The same message sending out
the same flow of message. Um, I borrowed a description from another municipality and um, I will ask I will send it to chief so that he can send it out to everybody for our next meeting. But
a communications manager would also serve as a as a public information officer, but communication manager encompasses a lot more duties than just being the PIO. Um >> would they also be responsible for the website for our website? they'd be
they'd be responsible for all social media website um anything that we deemed in the in the um description, but but in my mind from all of the different descriptions that I've read for municipalities, yes, they would take
over everything, which would alleviate some of the tasks that directors are doing now where they're having to be the ones um doing social media posts and all of that. you'd have somebody else a for instance.
Um we had the fireworks show, right? And it rained and we got a post onto social media about the delay and to check back there.
But then things got happening and got busy and people had other responsibilities. So when it was determined that we were going to have the fireworks, another post didn't get made. >> And that's not a slide on anybody at the
city. It's a example of when one person has too many responsibilities, things slip and it's not because that person doesn't do a great job or or doesn't intend to do the best job. It's
things start rolling. So this person's responsibility would be that And and is that a full-time job? >> I believe it is. Now, we can we can debate that, but I believe it is. When you look at all of the things that a communications director would do or
communications manager would do, >> it makes sense on the surface to me. I'd like to see those job descriptions and potential salaries. >> I will share what I have with um the chief so that he can share it with everybody
for our next workshop. Thanks. >> Wouldn't that decision be the city manager's job? >> I know we >> he would hire that person. The city manager would hire that person. We wouldn't >> and we have it on the budget. The budget
has a a a hold place for this position. It was added. We voted in the budget to add it. So there is there there is a line item for this position on the budget. I believe it's line item at $65,000 a year,
but there is a line item there for it. Any additional comments? Next on the agenda is the Aclarian Finance Director. >> All right. I guess um at the direction of the board they were asking for discussion on whether a full-time
finance director was needed in house or if uh the clarion um contract is going to continue to move forward. >> Yeah, I think I brought this up. Um I
think with the most recent um contract we're up over $13,000 for consulting services um basically uh
contracting it out to a Clarion. Um I I don't know, you know, we still have um all the staff in the accounting department. We have um what five in that department.
Um, I believe I don't know how how many hours how much the consultant is providing for that $103,000 versus if we I know if we got a a finance director, it would be more than
that, but would would we be getting a higher level of service, I guess, is what my concern is. Um my belief is that um when we went into to a contract with a clarion
um we were maybe one uh you know a clarion was was quite young at the time and I believe this contract was a little bit more important at the time but with the with the last
iteration I believe a clarion has 12 um municipalities. I have no idea how many um businesses they have, but I'm just concerned of the level of of time and service
versus it's I think when we started out we were around $80,000. Um and now we're up over a hundred. I'm just I'm just con concerned about that. And you know, and I I I mentioned
before, it weighs heavy on me that um the residents voted they wanted a finance director. So, we're getting closer to closer suspending the money for a finance director,
but having city staff do all the accounting, um, the weekly accounting. Now, I think what we're paying for is the expertise and a level of of
knowledge in the in the financial world that we would lack without a finance director. I mean, that's that's really what we're paying for. I'm just concerned that this is this is something that um
you know I the level of value versus what we're paying for it. Um on in addition we're we pay a subscription fee for the software. Now that's totally separate. We'd have to have software whether we
use the same software or not. But um and then Andrew is not here. You could you could speak to it. How many how many businesses do you have now? Has your has your staff changed in relation to has your businesses grown over the last five
years that you you've been I I think it's been five. >> Uh yes, sir. We signed I believe in 2020 with the city in a part-time capacity as interim finance director with the intent to you know help hire a finance director specifically. I'd say we have over 50
governments in seven states and Andrew Laughlin is the president and CEO majority stockholder. I'm the minority. Um it's my understand that you know Andrew is here consistency consistently and has maintained a high level of uh of
delivery. I do agree that he could also be probably getting thin if that's where you're going to go with that. So 100% I think Andrew would say it if he was here. Our philosophy is to help the city find a good finance director and while
we're here, you know, train your people. uh bring in the best practices and I think if you look at the audit findings that's that's a good indicator. Um if you're getting a clean audit then things are running smoothly from an
outside independent uh party. The chief quoted some uh market survey uh city of St. Pete Beach at 163,000 base salary with a 40% benefit package will put them at 230,000.
So at 103,000 it's less than half to what St. Pete Beach is paying. But it is a fair statement about can we maintain that. I think that's you know a separate conversation. But the values here I'm in an interim capacity down in uh South Florida and
they're getting ready to go to Tallahassee for third-year strike. They brought a clarion in to do a turnaround. Uh they've just posted a finance director. So, we're there to help turn them around, make them a better organization, and clean up their audit
findings, get them solvent, and then hopefully stay on board a little bit with the new finance director, uh, you know, to set them up for success. Lastly, I would just share with you, again, it's a very valid point. My experience being in the industry that
for a very long time, when you hire a finance director, that individual typically doesn't possess 100% of the skills. They may be strong at budgeting. They may be strong at payroll. It depends their vertical
they went through. So the advantage of having an aclarian in this example or the next firm is just in time delivery. So they bring you the skills that you need. And so what Andrew may not be showing you is that there are many other
Clar employees that are billing to this project, but you're not being build more than the 8,600 more a month. Case in point me. So I've done budgets here for the last two or three years. I've met with the chief personally, Megan personally. So you are getting a lot
more than just that fixed contract right there. And we're we're we're we can leverage and bring 40 employees in if needed. So I would say the challenge is I think the value is there and once the performance drops then it'd be a valid
question but our mission is to help you find a full-time finance director. I'm a big advocate of a full-time finance director like your building official. Uh that's why Clarion is gainfully employed. There's no quality finance directors for $120,000.
>> You know I guess what comes to mind is um and I guess it's a a sensitive question. Have we have we noticed that the ball's been dropped in some way that we might not that might not happen if we had a full-time finance director? >> Well, I I just bring up the point, you
know, it we're now up over $100,000. We started not too many years ago was it was 80. Um I'm not here every day. My understanding is Andrew comes in once a week for a few
hours, not necessarily dedicated to the city function at that time, but he's available. Um, you know, this is nothing personal. I like Andrew. I mean, I'm I'm I'm trying to look out for the city. What would I
do if this money is coming out of my pocket, which it it is. It's it's it's all the residents money and how how is it how is it been best spent. Um, you know, I I I guess it it's
it bothers me that the a the price is is increasing as rapidly as it is and I I believe that the city staff is doing all the work. Prove me wrong. I don't know. You're You're talking about budgets. Well, budgets and numbers in, numbers out. The
software should be able to basically spit out a a budget. There shouldn't be that much labor involved. We're >> to put in a wish list on where next year is going to be. We're going to go to the
directors and we're going to have them provide data for us. Um, I would think. And then you're going to have somebody doing data entry. Is that a clarion doing data entry or is that someone on city staff doing data entry
at some point? I'm just trying to figure out what that >> So the what that value is. >> It's a great question. One thing that you don't see is Andrew Laughlin as your finance director is in the workflow in your ERP software. So, any purchase
order, uh, uh, check requests, invoice approval, anything that's any dollar that goes out, even if Andrew is not here, he's working somewhere and he's in the system. You can pull an audit log, an audit trail, there's not a, correct me if I'm wrong, if there's any city directors in here, uh, there's no checks
that go out the door that Andrew hasn't signed off on 100%. So, we've got a a webbased technology solution here that allows your your any of your directors to be virtual anymore. So, the presence of being here 5 days, this is the new
world. Um, you can be virtual. It is a valid point. You know, we're here 100% to help you find that finance director. We'll help with the interviews. We know accounting very well. That's our goal is to help you get there. So, >> that's that's the first I've heard that.
>> Well, well, 100%. Um, that's why we were hired to help run your shop and help you find a finance director. >> Anyone else have any comments? >> Commissioner, are you are you suggesting that we that we hire a finance director in addition to the current finance staff
we have and keep them? Well, no. A finance director would be in lie of >> so we'd have to >> aclarian. Now, how would that look? I have no idea the hours spent by Patrick and Karen and whoever's in the
>> Yeah, I can I can answer that. So, it's it's a finance director or a a substitute, an independent contractor, which happens to be a clarion, just like a city attorney is not a staff employee. Um, you still need your employees, uh, your W2 staff that are here. The the
amount of compliance and regulation and statutory reporting and Gazsb's, I mean, it's amazing, you know, the auditors when they come here, the opportunity to really um, put some bad stuff into, you know, into the press. And it's a very
clean shop here. In fact, MadiRaa is one of our models that we share this organization and and what it's done in five years. When we like Andrew and I speak on the circuit in Florida for GFOA, we're keynote speakers. Um, so
you'll need your four or five staff and you need a finance director. You will get an upside of having them here five days, but it doesn't mean they're giving you five days of work. Like we all know in our jobs, we've got to go to training, we've got to go to this, there's there's shop talk. When you get
Andrew here, you're getting Andrew here, as well as all the other employees behind. So, until there's a drop in service, um I don't think there's a problem. However, I would encourage you to be in the marketplace, you've got a recruiter, if you find a good finance
director, let's get them interviewed. >> Do we have any public comment? So, commissioners, do you have any comments? >> Yes, I do. So, if we were to get a finance director and pay him $200,000 a year and then maintain the existing
staff, now we have raised our cost >> and does that 200,000 include benefits or is it 200,000 base plus benefits? So there so now we're paying 103,000 no benefits.
So when you add benefits, that's going to increase that exponentially. >> Yeah. The city of St. Pete Beach finance director, we helped hire that one um is 163,000 plus 65,000 in perks for $229,000
fully burdened salary. So that's your that's your peer for your HR director or recruiter. Treasure Island just got a new one that that person left. Um, it's a vicious cycle like the building official and um,
so we're here to support and help you find that right person. >> So, so if we were to get a finance director, we would have to let two employees go. >> So, I I do not make any sense. >> Yeah. based off of my knowledge of the
finance department and I did shadow with every employee in the finance department. If you if you're if your idea is to get rid of Andrew, we still have to have a Clarion because we still have to have a finance software.
Now, you could go buy another finance software if you wanted, but you're still going to buy a finance software. So, that fee every month is going to continue. you still need the three employees that are in the finance department, even if you brought in somebody full-time because that person's
going to do what Andrew is doing now that you don't see because he's not here. So, it's it's a it's a trade-off. Do you want somebody who is sitting in this desk every day that will pay twice as much money as we're paying Andrew or do
you want to continue with the $100,000 a year cost savings of having Andrew? >> Well, that's why the numbers that's why I wanted to have the conversation. >> Yeah, for sure. For sure. And um you know I don't
understand don't know exactly what Andrew is is doing and are we missing out on other things that a finance director would be doing if he was here full-time if he you know
I'm I'm not saying that we need to go in that direction. I want to have the conversation to determine whether we need to go in that direction. What what things are are not being done because we don't have a full-time director. Um
I don't know the answer to that. >> Yeah, I can answer that. Um I'm very proud of the city's counting staff, Patrick Cade and and Karen Pollson and others. Um when Andrew comes in, you know what's going on. This is what I'm seeing out in the marketplace. This is
the latest audit changes. This is the latest Gazsby. They have no idea. Have they been to training? Have they been going out on the road? I'm not I I don't know. I'm not here 100% of the time. The complement of the team is incredible. So Patrick Ke is a gifted accounting
manager. Accounting managers and below do debits and credits. They put their heads down and they key the stuff in. Your finance directors are up. They're dealing with auditors. They're dealing with bankers. They're dealing with investment. uh you know
the purchase of the land. Can we can can we pay it by cash? Are we going to go out and get a a bond? You know, Andrew, what's the debt structure? So that's what Andrew provides. That's what a clearing providing you. And then he orally communicates to his team,
especially when he's here on Wednesdays and he's here a full day for a staff meeting and then stays here for the night, right? So he's here all day plus the night and Patrick and them execute and as far as I know the audits have been clean here in the last three or four years the software we've gone from
an outdated software to top shelf web base and I think I think that you know proof is in the pudding I think it's it's running well >> good thank you all right let's move on >> thank you next on the agenda is private
parking lot signage Um, do you want me to speak on this because my idea? >> Marcy, if you could share your uh what you learned earlier about the ordinance, whatnot. I feel like this would just kind of take care of itself.
>> Oh, good. >> So, with regards to the um the parking lot signage, I think I believe you had it on the agenda. So, can you tell me specifically kind of what you were hoping to have answered? >> So, what I what I was wanting to have answered is a huge complaint in the
community is the private lots. And when you watch the social media pages of the visitors who come to the city, they don't recognize when they park in the private lot that it's a private lot. So, I would like and what I wanted to find out whether or not we even could. I
understand that there is a statute that says that you have to do this type of signage and our private lots aren't currently doing that. However, I'd like to know if the city could take it one step beyond and require private lots to
put a 4 foot by 4 foot sign or 3 foot by 3 ft sign or whatever would be reasonable that the commission would agree on and that would be legal for us to require that says this is not a city parking lot. plain block letters that
speak to every person and require them to put it at each entrance and exit to that lot. So that when a visitor comes to town and they're driving around, they they drive right past the city parking and they end up in this parking lot and they think, "Oh, this is a great lot. I
can park. I'll be away from everything." And they pull in and they park and they don't realize that they're going to pay $20 an hour. And then they're angry. And the thing that I've consistently heard and seen over and over is I had no idea
it wasn't a city lot. That was my request. Okay. So, with that, the Florida statute does have specific guidelines for what the private uh lot owners have to put up for their sign. It has to be the sign has to be
recognizable as you come in the entrance. It has to be legible and it has to include certain things such as what is the penalty if I if I don't pay for parking, who do I call, who do I reach out to? So, it defines stuff like that, but what it doesn't do is address what you're asking for. If we wanted to
require that, that would obviously be something we'd have to add to the code. So, we could definitely work towards defining that so that it's more clear if we want them to do it. If we wanted to be proactive and work within our existing code and find a way for us to sign Excuse me. We possibly could do
that. So, that may be a quick way to kind of get them signed and it may be something we do if we can do it on their property, if I can figure out adjacent to the rideway on the property line, how we could proactively go ahead and maybe sign them until we can get it such that they're required to do it. So, that
would be that would be my my goal. And with the requirement for them, we would set I mean, we'd have to set size letters. I think that would be critical is to really define what they have to what they have to do to really draw it to people's attention. >> I think we're in such a situation where
um I mean you know people do come here it's very frustrating. It's frustrating for residents to hear it. It's frustrating for the visitors for it to happen to them. And you know I think about people are probably still going to park there. You're not going to make everyone happy. There's still going to be people who don't like that they had
to pay that much. However, I think that um if we would be proactive in getting enforcing some type of signage, whether it's that if we can do it and just do it, that would be great and easy, or if we can pass an ordinance or whatever, so
that we can require that they do it. I mean, we have to do something. The private lots aren't going to go away. And they charge dynamic pricing. >> Yes. and that dynamic pricing is what's really really challenging. So,
>> agreed. And >> I' I'd mean I'd love the commission's thoughts on that. I'd love to know your thoughts, attorney Tras's thoughts on on what we can and can't do staying legally within the law. >> So, we did have Katherine Yonan started today. Um she's um coming in as a senior
planner part-time. She has experience in Treasure Island, so she's been working in the um barrier islands. but she literally today was telling a story about one of their interactions with one of the private um parking and kind of some iterations they went through legally. So I am looking forward to sitting down with her and learning a
little bit more about exactly what that process was, what they learned from it and it went through the courts. So I think she'll have a lot to say about this topic. So it's one of the things I'll also speak with her about having had that experience. Great. >> Do we have any public comment?
Um, hello Christina Pascusi uh 14072 West Parsley. Um, I would just like to thank the mayor for bringing this up. As a resident in Madiraa Beach, this parking is an embarrassment to all of us. I have family and friends who come
into town. We tell everybody go to John's Pass and invariably they park in some spot that they think is to do with the the city and then get a fee and just horrible experiences for people. So for
all of us residents, this is huge. It's absolutely huge. And I think social media is is making it very clear. If you can do something, if we could legally shut down those folks, that would be wonderful. I'm sorry. I'm sure it's somebody's vacation home in the bald Maldes, but for the rest of us, it's
really annoying and it it's not even a fair amount of nobody minds paying for parking to come to John's Pass, but the crazy prices that they're charging is unreasonable and unethical. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any additional public comment,
commissioners comments? the the company that has the most of the lots is has an F minus rating for Consumer Reports and they uh they also put on their sign public parking and it's lettered in a way so that it looks like it's a municipality.
>> It's almost like a bait and switch. So, anything we can do to to to make it clear, no, it's not city parking >> would be great. >> Thank you for bringing this putting this on the agenda. I think everyone would agree. If you're gonna find a complaint about John's Pass, it's going to be the
parking and it's not the city parking, >> right? >> So, we don't need the bad press, >> right? >> No, definitely. It definitely gives more uh clarification to our visitors and and the residents alike. You know, we have so many complaints about people thinking
that that is city parking when it's actually not. even um they believe that the county parking is a city parking and if we can just get clarification on all of the parking and then that would be a great idea. So, thanks for bringing that
up. >> Thank you, Commissioner. >> I think once we tell them to put up a sign that means we have automatically accepted that that's a permitted slashapproved
parking lot. So, number one, if they're operating a business, they should have a BTR business. >> I believe they all do. >> If they do, I I would like to see if they have an
approval from this town to operate as a parking lot. >> I believe they all do. I don't believe we have any currently. Do we Marcy? Are you aware? >> To to my knowledge, that particular company does have BTRs for their for all their locations. Now,
>> I haven't gone back and revisited all the locations. Most of them were pre me, so I wasn't really around for that, but we could definitely >> revisit all of them and make sure they're compliant. But I do know that Lisa drove around and took pictures of the signage to make sure they at least had the signage up. That's required by
Florida statute. So, I I do know we were reviewing it to that level of detail to make sure that they are properly licensed. >> Thank you, >> Marcy. Do they need to list the rates in a way that can be seen on the way into the parking lot? >> So, the Florida statute does state that
they have to dis describe the pricing, but when you read their signs, it does say dynamic. So, it does not specifically tell the exact value. It simply acknowledges it's dynamic. I would have to get with Tom and see if there's any way to make it more specific, but they describe it as
dynamic. >> Thank you, >> Attorney Tras. Would we be able to I mean, is that legal for us to create a ordinance or to make them replace a certain size sign
with certain size lettering that says certain words? We currently have a provision in our occupational license BTR provisions of the code that requires um everyone that is issued a BTR has to comply with all state law. So that would
include this sign regulation. The problem is is that all it says the code says is that if you don't do that, you don't get a BTR. So now we've got parking lots that are operating without a BTR and the sign that they want in
their parking lot. So what are we going to do from there? Well, you can bring them to code enforcement and cite them for failing to have a BTR, but I think that you have a code provision that says the fine is like $25. So as a cost of doing business, I don't
really think it's going to go anywhere there. But that provision of the code says that the board of commissioners has the opportunity to revoke a BTR if they
don't follow the law. And you also have the ability in that section of the code to um require them to meet state law. So now it becomes a
board of commissioners action and a formal hearing before you to push it that direction. I don't really want to see you be doing that. Um you need to focus on your legislative
um policy, your the direction that you want to give city staff and the city manager and so forth. I think the better approach would be to amend our code to make a specific code provision that requires them to follow that state
statute specifically by number um and have them obviously place that sign on their property or many signs depending upon how many entrances that they have and then if they don't comply with it then bring it to the special
magistrate for something more than $25. um you know, the special magistrate can find up to $250 a day for the first violation. And if it's a repeat violation, then it's up to $500 a day. So that will hit them in the pocketbook. So more than likely that will get their
attention. But as for the size of the sign, you have sign code regulations. So we're we don't want to require them to violate the sign code by having it super big, for example. It's going to be whatever the sign code allows them to
do, but they just have to get the proper information and lettering on that sign. So, >> so we could require them to whatever our sign code says the sign can be size to have a sign that says whatever this is not a city parking lot.
>> It's whatever the state statute says. >> So, we can't do anything different than the state statute. >> I would not, you know, suggest advise you to do that. Now you can place on your website and other places throughout the city
um where you have you know active public parking that is not by a private vendor. You can publish that. >> We do that. >> Yeah. But the visitors that come to town, they they don't see that and then they end up in one of these lots with a
$100 bill for parking for >> and and if the sign says that that's what they're going to be charged, then having it say that it's not a city parking lot is not going to get you any more. It's not going to put you in a better position in my mind. It's so long as the rates are known to them and they
what they're going to be exposed to whether it's private or public, then they'll have all that information available. So, and as for placing a sign in the right of way, you have specific provisions that prohibit placing signs in the right of way, and we cannot place
a sign on private property. So, we're kind of caught in a >> hedge 22. Yeah. >> So, that's >> So, Marcy, when she drove around, were the lots compliant with signage or not? >> So, I know we sent the pictures to to Mr. Tras. So, when I viewed them, it
seemed to touch on everything in the Florida statute. Um, so I don't know if you had the same interpretation when you read this the sign pictures, but it seems to me the sign was obvious and legible. So to me that that met the intent and it covered the topics, but
like I did say, it does say dynamic. It doesn't specifically say it's going to be $60 and it's going to go to 100 and then it's going to it doesn't really break it down like that. >> So I'd have to >> So I didn't I didn't read all the wording on the the little picture that I had. Yeah. >> Um, but I'd be happy to do that. So, the
real question to me a couple of days ago was um are they required to have the sign and how do we enforce that under our current code? >> Right. So, >> I would love to figure out if there's anything that we could do to make them miserable.
>> Okay. >> I'll get with >> How is a sign that says we have dynamic pricing any different than having a sign saying we're not going to tell you what you're paying. Right. >> Right. So, it gets down again to I think Tom and I sitting down and going through
the verbiage in the statute. You know how that goes. And making sure that we feel like the sign is meeting the intent because it says the signage must state that the property is not operated by a governmental entity. List the rates for parking charges for violating the rules of the
property owner. So, it says list the pro the charges for violating the property. So, it's kind of worded interestingly. That's why I would say it's probably good that Tom and I kind of sit down and really that vet that and like with the signs, that's why I said we probably have to touch the ordinance to do to do
something if we wanted to initiate that. >> So, I would agree with that. I think that ultimately unfortunately it's not going to really it's it's it's not going to fix the challenge that we have with the visitors who come and park and just don't they
they just don't recognize it. if the signs are there and the size is there and that's and people are missing it and they are they're just missing it and I can I can imagine when you're on vacation you're driving and you you're not you know so if we could look into
that signage and see that it is proper and then whatever we can do to change the ordinances that would make hopefully make them want to comply. Yeah, we can we'll we can discuss with Tom what what our options are. >> Okay, >> that would be >> Do we uh also have signs on our own
parking lots? >> We have tons of signs. >> City parking. >> We have way too many sign. >> Did I do public comment already? I did. >> Yes, >> I did public comment. >> Yes, >> but if you'll stand up, I'll please.
>> Jeff Young, just a thought. Hotel rooms post the maximum amount that they charge for a hotel room. Could you put the same thing on these parking lots where they must post the maximum amount that they charge? They can charge less, but they couldn't charge more than
that posted amount. >> 13301 Golf Lane. suggestion I have. I know you said we have a lot of signs, but maybe the city could do a better job in having signs saying we have $4 an hour parking at city lots that are more prominent because I drive around. I
don't really notice them. Maybe I'm missing them. But, um, you know, maybe that's when they go into a different lot now charging 50, 60, $75. Um, they'll question it and go elsewhere. I don't know. Just a thought.
Thank you. All right. So, Marcy, I does everybody you agree on that? >> No, we need a more investigation what the state allows us to do and what state requires as far as posting what their >> pricing is. Dynamic pricing doesn't mean anything,
>> right? >> It could be changed daily or by the hour or by the day of the week. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Marcy. Next on the agenda is scheduled town hall meeting to discuss 155 to discuss 555th
property and the John's Pass Jetty. >> Mayor and Commission, this is exactly how it's written. uh schedule a date for the town hall where residents will be able to provide their input on the new property purchase and what to do with
the jetty sidewalk or the former jetty sidewalk and options of what we can do down there. Um, Commissioner Tagle Arini was getting a lot of questions uh through email, social media, and I
sent an email out on his behalf kind of to the commission for if you if you guys or if y'all were to receive any questions, send them to me, and I'll try to get them answered in regards to the property. Um, I have
a few a bunch kind of. Um, if you'd like me to read them, I can. Mayor, if you'd like to I that's fine with me as well. >> If I could if I could just ask there's there have two questions I have on this. >> Um I I assume you went to you know for
boundary topographic you went to development right? What why why is elevation certificate NA >> because uh when or Marc you care to answer that one? There was no pro structure on the property.
>> Correct. So the elevation certificate usually helps define for like um your flood insurance company and stuff like that the flood zone the structures in the elevation of the mechanical equipment the finished floor the first living floor. >> So there's no structure there. That's >> there's no structure there. And when you
get the topo survey you get the elevation of the existing ground across the site. So >> thanks. And I notice we don't have an answer to uh what types of return on investment can the city expect from this purchase. I I know there's nothing definitive, but we discussed a few
things. Um >> it all depends on what we decide to to do there. How how's the property going to be developed? So, it was be answered >> that could be decided or discussed at the meeting. Exactly. Okay. >> At the town hall that whether we do a a
you know a bunch of wet slips, extend a marina, have a water park, a restaurant, who knows? You know, we the possibilities are endless with this property. So, I felt like that one was kind of difficult to answer at this point in the game. >> Right. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate this.
>> Absolutely. >> Very helpful. >> Yeah. >> Clint, may I ask to possibly have a a site plan for all the properties that we own on 150th so that uh we can show public,
you know, the >> Do you want actual site plans or just like lots that >> it could also be a Google Earth just just something that we can show and possible acreage. Um because in my mind I think it it
brings a lot of value when you understand that you know we have a lot of properties including this 4.7 acres. So um you know it it's that this 4.7 acres is not just there by itself. It can be incorporated into a bigger
picture and have a bigger impact. So like to discuss that also with the with the um >> so chief did you have I did you have dates to forend >> I did not I would leave it up to the
board. Um, I would I don't imagine we're we're going to move too quickly on on developing this project and, you know, getting designs and what have you, especially if we're trying to get
grant works or whoever to look at different funding sources. So obviously I'd rather have it sooner than later, but you know, it's that the direction of the board. >> Well, you were at the conversations today. The and um conversations today we
had at the DAC shack. It was very positive. >> It was >> um there was not a single negative comment about the purchase of the property. And the question for the attendees was looking for input for how
they envisioned ideas for what what they thought we should do. And not surprising to me, they were all pretty much the same. It was a pretty cons consistent consensus of ideas of what how people
envisioned it. And it was super encouraging um to have so many people come out and be excited and happy and some of those people are here tonight. Um but that they came out and were were hap, you
know, supportive of what the decision was made to purchase the property. And so I am confident we will have a lot of public input and a lot of positive public um interactions making the decision. I would like to do at least
our first public meeting here sooner than later to get so that when we do start having conversations, those conversations with the grant works or Kimley Horn or however that works out
will um guide us with our next conversation with the community in understanding where we could or couldn't get funds. We could use the the meeting today as a springboard if you so to speak because Megan Powers, she sent us
out did a great job with this. Um >> the number one overall recommendation was was docks. >> Yep. >> Number two was green space and number three was pretty pretty vague something beautiful for the entrance of the city. So I think we were we're all in
agreement for that. But those were the top three. So we have um our our November meeting is in on one day >> for November and December. And the way that we currently have November done,
>> it's a voting meeting and then a workshop. >> In years past, we've done workshop then voting meeting so that it was a productive day. >> Um I'd like to recommend that we do that again, that we adjust that so that it's a workshop and then meeting.
>> I agree. The only thing that it would do is make it that first initial regular meeting a little longer because you would have two workshops to >> I think that's okay because I believe that there are a lot of things that we workshop today that we need to workshop again
and then we can vote on it in November. >> I agree. >> Oh yeah. Because just as a mind the 12th if we don't if we don't have a special meeting between now and the 12th we're
not going to vote on a lobbyist until the 12th and all of our appropriation submitts are due the 21st >> one week and two days later. So >> I agree >> when we're talking about So think about
the workshop. What does everybody's schedule look like for doing a workshop for the property and the jetty? And do you see it on a Saturday or do you see it on a weekday? >> I I like Saturday. Saturday mornings >> would be a good time. give everybody an
opportunity but it feel it seems like we might need a week night also for people who can't come on a weekday weekend morning >> right >> so does anybody have recommendations on days >> flexible
>> well like maybe November 1st is Saturday the morning and then November 5th which is a Wednesday people are come to expect us meeting on a Wednesday maybe Wednesday evening the 5th. Just just tossing that out there. Something like that to give people options to come.
>> So, how does that how does November first in the morning work for everyone else? >> Oh, >> I'll be I'll be out of town. >> You'll be out of town >> that week. >> Okay. Well, there's also the ETH. You know, the >> Well, I could say this. >> They're getting too late.
>> We're not We're not That's King of the Beach. >> We're not running that meeting. We're just observers like we would be in any other town hall. So, we don't necessarily have to be in attendance if um staff is who would have to be there
and run it unless unless you you don't want the meeting held unless you can be there. >> And Commissioner Kirk, could you be there on the 5th, the Wednesday night? >> No, I'm I'm away that week. Um >> that whole week. >> Yeah. Um,
the only problem with that is that you're strictly a spectator and you have no input. >> That is correct. And as it should be so that the community is voicing their opinion. >> Yeah. But we're part of the community. >> Yeah. Because I have some ideas.
>> You can have them. You can sit in the audience and have them, but it's a town hall like we do with the That's And that is So, I mean, that's what I'm saying. >> That's fine. But I'm just I'm just saying I won't be available. That's all. If you want to have it,
I would imagine we'd have more than one. >> Yes. >> Would you be available on the 29th, which is next Wednesday? That's a >> No, I'm going to clear my >> It's okay. Yeah. Okay, that's fine.
personal agenda. Okay. >> Most people most people won't come in during the day >> that they'd be working >> during the Right. >> Right. >> So, what about the week the ETH? Are you
>> No, it's I can't react that quickly with the activities I have lined up for the next two weeks. >> Okay. >> So, whether I'm involved or not, but I'm just, you know, I know there's an there's an
urgency, but why is it such an urgency? >> I think the urgency is because the community wants to have some input. We're not making any decisions. The community wants to have input. They want to have a say. That's what we got today. So, I think that would be the it's a just to get things kicked off. We're
going to do more meetings. >> That's fine. But I just won't make it. Just put it on. >> Whatever you want to do. I'm okay either. Yes. Either day.
>> So maybe the fir uh the the 1st and the fifth with the understanding that there's going to be more. >> Let's do the fifth and the ninth because the first is the day after Halloween. >> Correct. The ninth, the Sunday. >> No, I'm I'm sorry. The eighth. The fifth and the eth because the first is the day after Halloween and I'm sitting here
thinking that first that could be problematic. So fifth and eth. >> King of the be beach is the eth. Yes. Thank you, Jay. So, that won't >> That's a It's a night. >> True. >> Tonight. >> Yes, please. >> Good evening. Uh, so I kind of just went
through this with the the concession stand first meeting and trying to get that out to the public and all that. So, we recognize the urgency, but everything that we've said has been within like 10 days to two weeks for us to be able to communicate and advertise and make sure that everything's available. Is I guess
maybe this would be a good opportunity for staff to discuss it and then present a couple dates to you all in the most appropriate way possible. But that way we have an opportunity to make sure that the timing and the facilities and everything are available >> and for the sake of time right now too.
if that works. >> I would agree. But I I have one other thing I wanted to bring up on the property. >> But can I can I address what he just said? I mean, it just >> Yes. Just understanding the urgency and
a daytime and a night time. >> Those those could be the parameters and with the sense of some urgency. Okay. Thanks. Thank you. >> Chief, do you have any input on that? >> Um
It's a hot ticket item. I feel like it should be addressed. Let's there I get it. The holidays are coming up and we're all busy right now, but just sitting on this isn't going to do us any favors. Let's Let's start Let's make a
decision. Let's start moving. >> So, you'll get with us, get us some dates. >> Yep. Yep. I'm just off the top of my head, I was looking at the 15th and the 19th. I don't know what's going on, but that's what I'm going to propose for city staff and we'll work through the details and let the the board know.
>> Okay. >> They sound like good good dates. Something I want to put out there though is one of the you just received a lot of great input, positive input today at your meeting.
you mentioned one of the um negative comments has been why would the city purchase a piece of property that was that was flooded? Well, the whole city was flooded. Now, that being said, we have a barren piece of land
before any building or structures put on there. just let's consider what the elevation is now and is there any any increase of elevation that we would want for that property regardless of what it's developed for and if so have that
relayed to our lobbyists for grants for that type of >> I think that's all part of the discussion I'm I mean the first thing you have to do is decide what you're going to do with it and I I got the comment on there was four feet water on that piece of property. I live where I
can see that piece of property. And in the 10 plus years that I've lived here, it's never flooded until Hela. And when Hela flooded, Hela flooded everything. >> I get that. >> So you can't that is that is such a
fear-mongering statement to say the city bought a piece of property that had four feet of water and flooded. It's got a brand new seaw wall. >> I know it does. It it it doesn't flood. And the whole notion of even discussing
it having four feet last year is quite it's fear-mongering. It's ridiculous. >> It's not ridiculous to plan for the future. >> It is. I'm not saying it's ridiculous not to plan for the future, but to focus on last year's hurricane and saying that we made a bad decision in purchasing a piece of property.
>> You're taking words out of my mouth. That's not what I'm saying. >> What I was what I was told. I'm saying we have a piece of property that has a seaw wall that's at roughly five foot. >> We're going to develop that property. >> Would it would it be the goal of the
city to make that an additional foot or two on that cap? Well, regardless of what building you put on there or buildings you put on there, what regardless of what you would do with that, do we would it if I had a piece of
property and I was in Madira Beach and I was had a clean slate, is that something that I would go to the city for? I mean, that's what I'm doing personally. >> I think that's all part of the discussion and the planning and that that's Marcy's department. So, I think that that's >> to have that discussion.
>> It's a given that that discussion will happen. >> I don't know that it is a given and that's why I'm bringing it up because what what the discussion is going to be is what are we going to use it for? Are we going to put expand the marine? Are we going to regardless of what it is?
Um, but it's a blank slate. Do we want to elevate that blank slate? And if so, do we want our lobbyists to know that as he's looking for appropriations? That's that's >> which is why we want to start start having some discussions so that we have
an idea of where we're headed. >> Okay. >> I get what you're saying, Vice Mayor, but I mean that's you've got to have some direction of where you're going for what you're going to build. >> Any additional comments? >> Nope. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Do we have any public comment? Next on the agenda is the city clerk's performance review. Chief, >> this isn't uh the actual review. This is
more on how you want to review her. And so in the past, I don't believe it's ever been at the deis. It has not. So yeah. has not been um I believe Clara stated a couple meetings
ago it had to be out here. Correct? >> No. >> Yeah. So feel free to to speak on this >> in the meeting, but commissioners just like with the city managers always sat down with the city clerk and you know
because you know got quality time to talk and the feedback on both sides and everything and come up with a plan and whatever they want to do and then they tally the points whatever you know there's a point scale for
>> and that HR or finance I I think it was Karen. She'd add them up and it tells you what your Of course, last couple years was no merit. You know, it got added together. >> Yeah. And this year was tied to your merit increase. >> Yeah. I got the over the board and then
the points added together and divided by five is um what's going to determine whether it's 1%, 2% or 3%. >> Sure. So, I guess the the what's up for debate or discussion is how would you like to
evaluate the city clerk? Do are you is everybody content with the current form? I feel like everybody's had it and no, I haven't received any negative feedback on it. So, feel like that's an easy one there. And then continue with the
private meetings, one-on- ones with her. And then I guess at the next meeting you could discuss it or present the the score. Not sure. >> Yeah. And the document itself is a public record. >> Yeah.
I I I prefer face to face. I feel like it's more productive meeting feedback discussion. >> Yeah. I'm personally not comfortable with the public evaluation of anyone. >> Yeah.
>> I think the only I mean we reviewed the city manager publicly because that was in his contract that was specific to the contract. >> Yeah. >> Um my only question is do we uh we do our individual reviews? Um, does it have to come back here to
the deis for conversation or is it imagine >> individual reviews and it goes to HR? >> Yeah, I would assume it would go to HR. >> Yeah, it's never come back to here. I mean, like I said, it's all public record, but you do how you want to do it.
>> And I don't know how you do the city attorney or the finance director. I think it's the same way. I'm not for sure. >> City attorney, do you have a any input on that? I didn't understand anything Clara just said. Um she wasn't right in front of the microphone.
>> I'm sorry. >> Um >> Yeah. >> Did you want to repeat what you just said? >> Yes. Um it's always, you know, been oneonone and I've never seen it to come back to the public to the podium, but um you can do it how you want to. And um
the document itself is public record. >> Right. >> So you asked me my input. A lot of cities the way they do it is is they have their own private evaluation with whatever the charter official is, city manager, city clerk, city attorney, whatever. Um I can give you an example
what they do in Oldsmar uh for the city manager and the city clerk. And that is is that they have a process of evaluation then they bring it to the city council to determine whether or not that that individual is going to be receiving a increase in their salary.
and that's what's discussed on the deis. So if it's a matter of um Clara just getting what every other employee is going to get um you could adopt a resolution and direct how that evaluation process is going to happen. So, for example, if she receives three
out of the five of you with a a meets expectation, then she should be able to get her um whatever the the other employees are receiving their merit increase, their whatever. So, but there's no legal requirement that you do
anything here. It's just how what what is your preference and do you want to do it in the public and do you want to make the ultimate determination as to how she is going to be paid or her pay is going to be increased? So
>> do you have any thoughts? >> Um I say I'm still with face to face and I don't really feel the need to bring it back. Um, if we have a requirement, if she on the on the back page, if if we
all achieve job requirements that qualifies her for uh same pay raise as anyone else, but I don't know that that needs I I don't feel I need it to be discussed any further. It's public public uh access.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, other than a I don't I don't know that it needs to be discussed in the public at all. Um, it's an job evaluation. If someone's really that interested, they'll have a foil
request. I would imagine as far as the merit increases, um maybe somehow the city manager summarizes those or HR summarizes those and determines what the merit raise is.
So I think the way that they did it is if you got 0 to 8, you got nothing. If you got 9 to 16, you got one. If you got 17 to 26, you got two. If you got 27 to 30, you got three. >> Makes sense? Yeah. So, that was the way they did it
for the uh when the directors reviewed their employees. >> Yeah. >> I have a question for city manager. Does she have a job descript? Do we have a job description for her? >> I I'm sure she does. I have not seen it. I tried to find one. Um she is a charter
officer. So, I would imagine that any job description would come from the board or at least approval of the job description regardless of who writes it. >> I have I have the document in there what my duties and responsibilities are. >> It's in the packet.
>> It's in the packet. >> Okay. >> In the packet. >> Yeah, it's in here. >> What my certifications have to be and all that. >> Yeah, it's >> By the way, congratulations. >> Thank you. eighth eighth year and also
your uh new uh >> my new professional certification that I received on the 7th. It's uh the association started a new level which I'm master certified professional cert uh city clerk been in clerk business for
33 years but as a city clerk for 22 years and um they started a new level which is a Florida professional city clerk certification. It's a 22-month program and I obtained that on the 7th
and the association is coming on November the 12th to do the pin and you know and present the pres um the certifi the certification and so I'm proud of that. >> Congratulations. the level just keeps going up because city clerks are
responsible for staying up on legislation and new laws, elections and contracts and all of this stuff. And I like to use my expertise more in the area of contracts and things like that where my hands were tied a little bit in
the past. But I think going forward it's going to be good and it's going to really help um you know amongst all of us in the director situation trying to you know get a lot more handle on different things and renewals and all of
that. And so there's a lot that I can offer to help the organization and my my staff members, you know, because we're a team. We're a family. We're all here to support one another and I'm proud of that. >> Great. Thank you, Clara. Thank you. So,
next on the agenda is community development ordinance 2025-9 C3 zoning district setbacks. >> Marcy Andrew is walking up right now. So, he'll be presenting on this topic. Um
this was brought to us by um this was at the request of a um developer or property owner I should say to make this text change amendment. So Andrew will give you a little update on the amendment um kind of some of the driving
factors with it but how it also aligns with the what you'll see in the master plan and also some amendments that were already kind of in the works to be proposed but this is specific to their request. Um, and so Andrew will tell you a little bit more about that.
Where did the Where did the agenda package? Well, while he pulls that up, I'll go ahead and just The discussion is the city received a text and land development regulation amendment application requesting a reduction to the front yard and sideyard setbacks in C3 Retail Commercial Zoning District.
The proposed amendment would reduce the front yard setback from 25 ft to 10 feet and the sideyard setback from 10 feet to 5t. The proposed amendment is consistent with the Madera Beach comprehensive plan and Madiraa Beach Town Center special plan. A more detailed staff report will be provided when the application
ordinance 25-9 is formally introduced as proposed ordinance and scheduled for a public hearing before the board of commissioners. >> So, so as shown in the memo and and attached to agenda packet, this was a privately initiated
um text change amendment. Um but um we do we do support it and as shown as the other I item you'll be discussing later with the uh resolution to adopt the the master plan. Um and
definitely something we this so when the C3 zoning district um when G Boulevard was widened it it made a lot of these lots very hard to to uh uh uh redevelop because they lost a lot of their their frontage. um making the the lots and and the
current 25 foot front setback is is kind of unworkable for for these lots making it very difficult where you you would um and that's why there there's a lot of along Gulf Boulevard on the on the on the inland side there's as we see
there's a lot of either like blooded buildings and vacant lots right now. Um, so this this set this amendment is focused more on kind of smaller redevelopment projects and allow for like mixed use. So it's not it's kind of
like the projects especially we talked about in the master plan. We wanted these kind of smaller neighborhood oriented mixeduse projects. So that this this ordinance would would help reduce the uh setbacks for the for the front and the and the side. Um
in the ordinance itself it um shows so it basic it reduces it for the for the smaller lots that are uh have a width of uh less than than 120 ft. Um, and then it but the front yard setback
one that that reduces it all all to 10 feet and and it's in line with some with the front setbacks we we've done for some of the areas down in the John's Pass Village Activity Center. Um, so it
I think it'll be a a big improvement and it and we definitely uh support support this uh tax change amendment. Uh, are there any questions about it? Do we have any public comment? >> Commissioners, questions, comments?
>> Does do any of these reductions and setbacks impact the are there sidewalks uh in front of some of these properties where we're looking to increase or de decrease the setbacks? >> Are the sidewalks usually in in the
state do right ofway on G Boulevard? >> Right. So, it would be in the it would be in the the sidewalks are located in the right of way. So they wouldn't be on the private property themselves. They're typically located. >> So it wouldn't impact any of the sidewalks. >> Correct. It would not impact them. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Comments.
>> And again, this is kind of in line with what the master plan found as far as being one of the the limitations along Gulf Boulevard and doing byite permits and development is the limitation with the setbacks was really um making it very hard to to properly use those
properties. Commissioners, do you have any comments or questions? >> Um, just a couple questions. Um, is this also consistent with buffering requirements? >> It would have it would meet all the other requirements. So, we would still look for the the landscape buffering
would still be um intact and and all the other parking requirements won't be touched. Those would all stay >> But it would be I mean, if you're reducing a setback, then the buffer would need to be reduced to to five. >> Do we have that already >> for the landscape buffering? Did you So, um, let me just pull up the C3
zoning. >> Um, I mean the I think with the landscape buffer isn't only if it's adjacent to residential. >> Um, >> correct. So, this would be front. This would be front buffer >> inside. So, we do Yeah. Front and side
would be touched with with this text change amendment and all the other. So, anything applicable with the the buffering and stuff like that would be enforced accordingly. But to your point, if we needed to to look at the um the adjacent ones, I didn't. >> I'm not sure.
>> And then the other question as far as height, I was trying to just find the maximum height for C3. >> So, the height isn't being touched. That's not included with this uh text change amendment. It's just uh based on the the front and side step setbacks. >> Understood. But if if the building is
going to be 100 feet and you're five feet from the rightway line, that might be you you might want to do some sort of a step back. >> Correct. >> Just a thought, >> right? No. So this would be
>> so I mean the height still the for nonful we have the so the maximum building height if it's a a commercial use just straight commercial use it's 34 feet from designed flood elevation if it's a
multif family or temporary lodging use it's 44t from design flood elevation So that that would the tallest and high right would be four stories over ground one like ground flooror parking or or a dry floodp proof retail
>> it would be from DF right >> correct um the applicant is is not touching the the height it's just it's just focus on the those setbacks >> just have a comment I or actually I agree with the city staff. I mean, we
looked at this before. Correct. And I agree with the city staff. It's going to make it more uh pedestrian pedestrian friendly. And uh yeah, so that's all I have. >> Thank you, Marcy.
Um, next on the agenda is resolution 2025-09 adopting an updated MadiRaa Beach master plan and proposed C3C4 zoning amendments. discussion and we have Hannah from Kimley Horn
and uh um um as a discussion item uh we brought um resolution 2025-09 which is adopting an updated Madar Beach master plan. Um and that's also so the resolution's attached um that actual full master plan's
attached in the agenda. That's why the agenda is so so thick tonight. Um and then also attached at the end of the master plan is we we wrote up a draft acknowledgement letter that the board of commissioners you can discuss. It's on
page 277 of your agenda packet. Um because we'll we'll need a acknowledgement letter from um when when this is adopted. And then also uh Kim Lee Horn uh as part of their contract
for the master plan, they did look at the C3 and C4 zoning districts and one of their uh suggest uh suggestions that was shown in it was to reduce the uh the front and side setbacks to what the the applicant um requested.
So if you guys have anything specific, Hannah can speak to that. Um the next step for us Andrew would be so after tonight's meeting and discussion would be >> we we were going to bring it for uh to the plan commission for them to uh uh vote on their recommendation then it
would come to uh the November BOC regular meeting for adoption of the resolution. >> Do we have any public comment commissioners comments? questions. >> Um, I've I've spent some time going through this. Uh, I like it. It's very
detailed. It's long. It's long reaching. It has short-term, long-term uh, medium-range goals, and I can see right where we would pluck a strategic plan right out of it. It's a lot to >> um, I I I couldn't I don't have the uh I don't think I could make any uh adjustments to it. I think it looks
great. >> Vice Mayor I really don't have any questions at this time. >> Commission. >> Yep. >> Great job. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Next on the agenda is noise ordinance
discussion. Okay, so that's mine. So, with um obviously this got brought up for discussion and um where I left it was reviewing um some of the actual cases that we've we've had to try and
figure out with our noise ordinance kind of where the issues are, if we can get some more definitive information from from those complaints. And unfortunately, I have a bit of a skewed result because it's from June uh till September of this year. So, when I reviewed the noise complaints, there was
33 of them. Um, over 50% were related to condos. Um, two were hotels. The rest were like single family homes. There was like no um none of the the uh music venues or anything like that were in
that June to September time frame. Now, that's from the report I got from Penllis County Sheriff's Office. So, if anybody feels like that's off or anything like that, I can revisit the the data they pulled. But basically, all I got was the address the complaint was based from and the resolution. And the
resolution typically was it was addressed on site, no formal action taken. So, most all those were seemed to be one-off calls. There wasn't a ton of repeat offenders. There was one home that got a couple of calls back to back, but it was a I did look for homesteaded
versus non-homesteaded. Just kind of curious if there were maybe rentals or something like that. But there was more calls from homesteaded single family home than the two we got from single family homes that weren't homesteaded. One of them specifically was owned by an LLC. So I'm assuming they probably were
doing nightly. They may do rentals or whatever there. So from that I couldn't really glean a ton of I think helpful data. This time 2024 or a time and frame in 2024 may render something different. So, I was going to get with Corey about that, but I talked to him this evening
and I asked him, I said, you know, when you get a complaint about the bamboo or the hippie or any other venue that you go to, do you get compliance? And he said once he responds to a complaint, it's he said 100% compliance for him. Once he asked them, hey, can you turn it
down? Can you, you know, lower the noise? So, he he says he gets really good responses when he does approach the venues. Now along with the timing of us discussing the noise ordinance, Penelis County has also updated theirs. So I have started kind of reviewing their ordinance. It looks like they've
provided just more definition and clarification which is kind of what Commissioner Tagalini had also thought maybe we do just better clarification. They defined quiet hours and they gave them specific time frames and then they went through and kind of further defined some of the uh where the noises were
coming from and better defined that. They also gave a distance. Um, we have the 50 feet. They have a property line reference in there. So, I think it's going to be I can overlay some of the changes they made and see if those align with maybe some clarification. We can
provide in our code so that it's a little more clear. Maybe things are a little more defined. But we have the Penelis County ordinance as adopted with our ordinance. It's we refer back to theirs. Um, so I have to kind of further
vet the interplay between those. But with the report that I got, I didn't see anything. But like I said, it could be an outlier year because of not having a ton of people here. So that's kind of where my research has taken me thus far.
Just my comment, my thoughts about that are people don't don't suspect that they can report a business for sound violations. Okay. I don't think um and but it also my other other question concern is so you're saying would the in
the food chain is the Pineellis ordinance over the Madira beach ordinance or >> which which does so it sounds like Pineellis says you can it mention a property line right that's a little farther than 50 feet but it's still very
definite >> it's it's definite too and that's one of the conversations I'll need to have with with TR is when you get into the code put in references. Sometimes you have a more restrictive that it's always binding versus a more specific that can be more binding than a restrictive one
if there's a code reference that is more specific and defined that can be enforced versus one that's maybe kind of just there. So that's part of the conversation with Penelis County having redone their noise ordinance. I would need to I need to sit down with Tom and kind of go through what our options are,
right? and what technically what is covered. Just to your point about the question of what technically when does our code override theirs versus when do we have conflicts? How how do we work with that? So that is a conversation I'm going to I'll be having with Tom with their new code. >> Okay. I mean I see your recommendations
here and that's you know I just I'd love to have more conversation about it. So thank you. That's that sounds great. >> Do we have any public comment? Pablo again, 13301 Golf Lane. So, what I'm going to bring up is kind of my experience in the past and also I'm
going to read a blurb from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's website on this issue. And one of the things I'd have Marcy I'd really like her to take a look at is I know Penelis talks about decibels, right? Um, something I'm on
talking here is about plainly audible, which Florida Department of Law Enforcement, that's what they suggest you write your code to. Now, that's what St. Pete Beach, I believe, did because I think, you know, if I could ask Corey, Cy, do you guys have uh decel meters on
every officer's car? Not everybody, but we do have them available. Our code pretty much just has a line of sight. The county does reference ours to enforce. We can measure the 50 line
that >> Yeah. So piggybacking off of that, if the officer doesn't have one, they got to call in one. By then the sound is, you know, things change. Um, so just here's a little blur from their research
paper. The equipment's not readily available for the officer, does not have proper training to operate the equipment. Lack of training may also cause officer to be uncomfortable defending a case in court. There's wording that can be used in nuisancebased code that's upheld by the court standard of plainly audible has
been held to be neither broad nor vague state versus yielding. Um this wording is clear and easily understood by anybody. Subjectivity of it has been removed. The following standard can be used in ordinance to address the sound system is plainly audible. Means any sound that could be detected by a person
using his or her unaded hearing facilities. Um, you know, I'm just going to scroll down a little bit here. Um, you know, there's responsibility would provide the officers proper tools and training. Um,
all too often officers are expected to be able to complete a task, however difficult, without adequate training, no training at all. The measurement of sound is based in scientific fact. There's science without some training very few people understand. Yet, how many times do officers respond to a
noise complaint and do not have the real understanding of what they're measuring, calibration, humidity, wind direction, speed, which can all be disputed in any of these decel um reading me when they're cited for that. So, that's why,
you know, I would really suggest that, you know, we strongly look at using plainly audible, maybe speak with St. beach um to have something that's really enforceable. It's not just going to get thrown out. So, that's my two cents. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. Do we have any additional public comment, commissioners comments, questions? >> You had uh two establishments uh Marcy, you mentioned u just a minute ago, but they were 100% compliant when when asked
to turn it down, right? That's what Yeah. The Cy stated that he's he gets 100% compliance when he asks a a business to turn turn it down >> those two establishments. Yeah. Great. And how many noise complaints again? Not very. It was minimal, right?
>> It it was small. And it was between June of 2025 and the end of September 2025. There were 33 phone calls and like two of them were from hotel motel like I said. The rest of them like 15 were from condos. The rest of them were single
family homes or or public location too like a park >> during vacation time and stuff like that. >> Okay. Thank you. C >> can I ask Deputy Schneider Deputy Schneider. So do do patrolling officers do they ever take it upon themsel when
they hear uh sound that's a noise or music that's they feel is breaking the orderance to or does there always have to be a complaint in order for them to address it? >> They will at night. I mean, after the I think the the ordinances hours are Sunday through Thursday, amplified music
is supposed to stop at 900 pm and then Friday and Saturday it's later. It's 11:00 p.m. And they will they'll address it if you know if they're out on the beach and they can hear something in town or across Gulp, but certainly they will. >> They have the ability to. So, it's shut
down at 9 or 11, but during the hours that's it's allowed. Does that mean that it's allowed to go beyond the 50 ft or beyond the the property line? >> Is it allow Is it supposed to? By code, it's not supposed to. I mean, it says that it shouldn't. You shouldn't, but I
think it's just discretion and you know, what's what's going on? Is anyone complaining about it? I got you. It just And then we talked about environmental issues. I mean, we can stand out here and we can hear the American Legion and that's way more than 50 feet during the day. Yeah.
>> Sometimes if the wind's coming out of the out of the east, you know, and and and we're out on the beach, you know, >> you can hear it come straight through. Just it just depends. I mean, certain conditions can increase enhance the the sound traveling. I'm not the scientist.
I don't know. But and and it it just depends. If we're getting complaints, we'll certainly address it. If the deputies hear it and it's at night time, right, >> and all the lights are out, they certainly would tell them to to quiet down. >> The reason I ask is uh during the time when many people were out of their
homes, FEMA was playing uh putting some of the residents in uh condos across the street from Bam the Bamboo, right? And um they they were hearing it at all hour. Not no not after hours, but it was
a lot for them to live through during that time. And so my my concern would be if there's not supposed to go beyond the property line, uh they should call they should call the the the non-emergency number, right? >> They do. We get a lot of I mean, when it
was busier, we had more more people. People from the condos would call and guests would say, "Hey, it's it's still pretty loud." It's not uncommon for visitors to call and say, "I'm up at night. It's it's still too loud." They will call. They have called. >> Okay. >> So, um I don't know because I mean, you
know, the the the hippie or the or the the former brass captain, we got noise complaints from the condos across the street. We would go we would tell the management, "Hey, got a complaint? Shut it down." If they were uh resistant, we could go to the van and say, "Look, you
guys are violating our ordinance. I will write you, you know, the drummer a ticket and that typically gets them to to to quiet down. It it does. But when we have but we create bars that have open patios that have music and this
goes back to, you know, the the the permitting and we allow these things, but then we complain about the noise they create. So, if we don't want noise, you know, we allow them to create outside stages and and we know they're going to have live bands.
What do you expect is going to happen from the live the live music? >> I know it's I know it's an uncomfortable situation all the way around and and I just want to find the balance as best as possible. >> Thanks. >> Sure.
>> Any additional comments? >> Well, I think at some point we'll have to adopt a new ordinance with the noise um whether we can come up with our own or adopt a Penelis County ordinance. So I think u Marcy is going to analyze
Penelis counties and if it's good we're happy with that we can adopt it. Otherwise we'll do some more studies and have our own and then adopt that. >> I suggest Marcy just carry on the way she's she's doing it and we'll enforce or we get in compliance when people when
the sheriff's ask them to turn it down they turn it down. So just keep moving on. Thank you for the work, Marcy. >> Yes, thank you. >> Next on the agenda is restrictions within the swim zones. >> Okay. Um, if you guys remember,
obviously we had the business that wanted to operate within the swim zone, and so they brought it to the attention of the board, which of course then came to community development to to review what's going on um with our ordinance, what it allows, and then what adjacent communities are doing. So, at the end of
the day, I I reached out to St. Pete Beach, and this last week of reached out to Treasure Island. Technically, neither one of those communities allow for the business as we described it. So, as we discussed
it, the the boat would pull into the swim zone, no motor, you know, very safely and sell the fruit. That based on my research is not happening in other communities. The swim zones are very specific. And in the areas where it does happen, it's very similar to to the
language we had. And I I do want to be clear with it, so bear with me while I just read the sentence in its sentence in its entirety. And this is from section 78-4, restricted swimming areas established. Within the designated restricted areas identified with buoys as prescribed per
Florida statute 327.40, 40. No vessels of any kind with the exception of surfboards, paddle boats, and sailboats shall be allowed to operate within the swim zone areas. However, such vessels shall be allowed to traverse the swim area to reach water outside the
restricted area. So, this is similar to what you're seeing like in St. Pete Beach specifically. They allow because of the businesses that are operating along there, they allow people to be transported. So you can go grab the people who are parasailing, take them through the swim zone directly to where
they're going and then back again. You don't get to pause, stop, do business in there. You are using it just to get from one place to another. So it's similar to how ours is worded as well, but even with that, the paddle boats and such are only allowed in there if they're trying
to get to the unrestricted area. So it's still a pass through. It's not designed to anchor and vend there. So, our code doesn't allow for it. I'm not finding adjacent communities that do. So, I don't know at this time that there's much for us to pursue unless we decide,
you know, down the road that this is something we want to to allow. I think it's going to be a heavier lift than just finding some adjacent communities verbiage to safely adopt. So, I think it's going to be a much heavier lift and much more research if we if we want to open that up. So,
at a glance, that's kind of where I've landed is I I don't know that it's going to be something we can easily do right now based on how other communities are operating as well. We we seem to be in line. >> Do we have any public comment, commissioners, comments, questions?
>> Uh, mayor, I I reached out to both of those cities also. I wrote to their their city manager and their uh mayor. Uh, I got a quick response from Treasure Island. I I mean I specifically mentioned the business, right? And Treasure Island said, "We we we don't
have any understanding with this with this business. We we don't know." It didn't seem like they knew anything about them or if they were there or not. Um uh St. Pete Beach did respond. They actually I'm going to try to reflect this as accurate as I can. They have two
different kinds of swim zones. and swim zone 2 uh two generally 200 feet from shore corresponds with the location of resorts and other commercial uh uses that operate commercial villas or water sport rentals. So this is not like our
swim zone. They have a swim zone one where watercraft operation is restricted to emergencies only. Um and they also have no knowledge of this business. So, I found it sounds like what I found out
is what Marcy was saying. Uh there there are there aren't any parallel businesses. Uh and I just want to go on to say 80% of our beach is not a swim zone or maybe 70%. Uh so that business can go onshore
through 70 70 so percent of our beach and not uh without risking any danger to our our zone one or our swim zones where people are going to be swimming. That was what I found out. >> Thank you Commissioner Taglerini Marcy.
Now I don't see any need to change anything in our code of ordinances. I appreciate you looking into into it and what you found. I don't think we're in a position right now to rewrite anything.
And the intent when we first started the conversation was to follow the other communities and that's what you're doing. >> Correct. >> So, thank you very much. >> I I also want to go on record of saying I went to this the business. It's delightful. >> It is. It's lovely. a wonderful business and it's I I mean it makes sense what
they're doing but they they do have access in front of well 133rd has a big parking lot so there's a lot of people there there's the the caddies there's a ton of people there and also the the municipal beach the county beach they have access to that so there there's
people out there >> thank you next on the agenda is public works public works building location change request I'm sorry. Real quick, good evening. By the way, did we ask for public comment on the swim zone discussion? >> I did.
>> You did? Okay. >> Okay. >> I I can I I can ask again. public if you'd like to have a public comment on the swim zone. Yes. >> Hi, Maryanne Striner 14900 Golf Boulevard. I don't know if it's on the
same topic and that's why I didn't do um a public comment, but I'm very concerned about the swim zones in themselves in that as you said there's so many people swimming in nonswim zones. I've seen boats go through them, jet skis. It's
very dangerous. So, I have requested in the past that all of Madira Beach be a swim zone for the safety of our children and and we have so many guests and it it's just becoming more populated and I've seen jet skis go through swimmers.
It's it's scary to me. So, that's what I wanted to comment on, which wasn't on topic for this, but I wanted to put that on record that we could maybe discuss that in the future. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Hello. >> Hello. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> What a wonderful night. So um what I would like to say is um the topic of this um memorandum is going to be a bit different. Um after many discussions
with the city staff and after um talks about what the zoning may look like for the new property and after hearing several comments made this morning or this afternoon. Um originally the commission approved the uh 3-2 vote for
the approval of the public works building to start design in our current location at 505th Avenue. So, what I would like to propose is that we we proceed with that, that we proceed um due to the timeline with the zoning changes that need to be done with the
neighborhood meetings that we need to accomplish to see what the residents want to see on the new property. Um that would delay us an additional two years. We've already been on hold with this. Um no money has been spent that has been approved by the commission for the
design to start for the building. So, we have the um the engineer Penoni has been on hold since April. So, I um I'm here to answer any questions you all may have about that, but I would like to just proceed with what was originally
approved. >> Do we have any public comment, commissioners, questions, comments? >> I'm just going to say uh real quick, I totally agree with that. I think time time is of the essence. I think that uh
we should go ahead and do that. >> Thank you. >> I'd like to say it was not the commission's decision to put a hold on that. It was staff. >> That is correct. >> So the commission shouldn't have to really,
you know, make a decision to move forward. You had already been forward. You decided to stop and then now you can move forward. >> Full transparency. Once the commission approved the agenda item and the change order to add in additional engineering,
we were then approached by the church, which we then proceeded to be in discussion with the purchase of that property. So, we didn't want to be in a situation where we were coming back to the board to ask for a change order and starting with a potential to move the
building. So, it was placed on hold. The full intention of for looking for property was for the public works building to move. So, we're just bringing this full transparency back around to the board. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you, Maggie. Comments.
>> I was the biggest push back and and with the uh acquisition of the new property per our discussion, I encourage you to move forward um on 505 on the original site. >> Thank you.
just just for clarification where it is now. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Just got it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Megan. Next is public works project update. This is a spreadsheet that um I do update probably once a week if not twice
a week. It is constantly with the city manager, acting city manager. Um we do try to post it as often as possible. This has all of the public works projects listed down to I not sure when this one was updated because unfortunately the package has to go out
by a certain time. So with this you see the first project is the Bokea street end beautifification project. All of the pavers have now been placed. They are all in. Uh we do have two locations that still need the irrigation installed and then the plan is to start the planting
next week. We do have the plants so we do not have to wait for those to be received. So that project should be wrapping up by the very end of October at the latest. >> Will you be planting the grass seeds at the same time? >> We will as soon as they're out of there and cleaning up all of their rocks that
they've put in the grass. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Um I don't if we can go through it line by line if you'd like or um I can just mention that the military court of honor is also finishing up. So, the plan is to have a ribbon cutting
ceremony on Veterans Day. So, if everyone is available, we would like to proceed. Um, Megan Powers has sent an invitation to the American Legion. Um, we the plan is to have someone at every one of the flag polls to raise the flag
at that time. So, if there's anyone else that you all would like us to invite, please let us know. I don't believe we have a time for that, but I believe the only um ongoing event that day was there was a John's Pass merchant meeting at
9:30 a.m. So, we don't want to conflict with that if there's members of that that we would like to invite. Um would you like me to go through it line by line or would you like me just to touch on the John's past judging which is another hot topic? So, um this
morning we held the mandatory pre-bid meeting for that. We had seven different contractors show up to that meeting. Um the plan is to have that bid opening on November 21st and then you all will have a special meeting to approve that
discuss and approve that contract on the 25th. And Clara, I don't remember what time that was set for. Two o'clock. >> 2 o'clock. >> Um with that being said, we do have some minor delays in that with the Penllis County dredging the John's Pass channel
at the same time. So their plan is to be in their November December time frame. Don't have an exact, but we can't dredge at the same time. So um once they have demobilized, our contractor will be mobilizing. So we're looking probably
more at January. Um when the permit and the engineering was originally started, Penllis County permitting was not included in on that. So, we have submitted the permit application to Panelis County and which we also then
forgot to permit ourselves. That's that's not a big deal. But, um the plan is still ongoing. We are looking for some permit modifications. The permit for FD states that all of the
sand that is being dredged out of that location is to be disposed of at the at a class one dump. That would be Panelis County. So, we are trying to see what we can do with that with the FD permit without delaying the project any longer
to see if we can utilize that sand upland to renourished the dunes that we lost at Johns Pass Park or if that isn't allowed because it is Shelly and there are some unsuitable materials to be able to utilize that sand for our projects
whatever it may be or for Penllis County or any of our neighboring cities. but we don't have an answer on that. We sent a follow-up email again to FDP yesterday. Um, but we have not received a response. Um, but we did have a great turnout to
that meeting. Um, but that was one question that did come up from the contractors. So, um, those are really the majority of the hot topic. Obviously, the jetty I missed the jetty sidewalk. We did hear back from a army corps um I
don't know her exact title but she's with one of the programs with army corps. She's giving us what we need and then helping us guide help guide us on what the next steps are. So we are we do have a proposal from an engineer but the
difficult part is to have a proposal on what the permitting is going to look like because as we've all seen permitting with FTP with swift mud with Army Corps can all take a very long time or it could take a couple months. So
having the unknown is we're unsure. So once we get the information back from Army Corps, it may help us guide us on what next steps are because while FD has said if it's above the mean high tide line, we just want to see the permit. It could change by the time we actually get
the drawings. Same thing with um with uh Panelis County. We know that they want us to have a sidewalk agreement. They want to review the plans, but we don't know if we'll have to fully go through the whole entire permitting process when we actually have the design plans. So that is kind of where we are at with all
of that and I can answer any questions you may have. >> Do we have any public comment commissioners questions? >> Is there any issue with the funding with the dredging since it's going into January because I thought it was only until the end of this year.
>> I will have to look at the grant agreement. I'm not sure where we are with where >> I think it got extended. I think it was extended through something the 1.55 state appropriations >> and I think it was extended through July but we can we can it's extended we can
double check that >> please confirm it. That's >> yes the and uh it that was a question that was also asked what our budget is for this because of the hauling and the disposal. Um the disposal cost is going to be quite hefty but again most of the surveying and all
of the documentation we have for this project is three years old. So the sand that was there three years ago is not there currently. So it looks much different down there which is why the contractor is responsible for a pre
construction survey. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. I also wanted to remind uh the board that we have the 1.55 and we probably I don't know have a discussion at some point once we get the
bids back if they do come in over that amount. How are we going to pay for that overage? You know, I mentioned it in a previous meeting, but I just want to keep that in the front of everybody's minds just in case this does come in a little high.
>> Commissioner's comments. Um, we would probably want to look at the scope of work. Um, I'd like to see who established the scope of work, the extent of dredging that is. So that um,
you know, it it may not be the same length. It may have changed. So I think you're going to do that survey, right? >> The contractor that is picked for the project is responsible for a pre-ervey of the site. So the city is not
responsible for that. >> So the contractor is >> if if you if you get the contractor involved in the survey, you've already granted the contract. >> So that's why we host a a a pre- bid
meeting on site to show the contractors and all of the proponents what the site currently looks like. they they're fully aware that the that the dredge is different than what it was and the spec specifications. There's not really any unfortunate way
around it because of the the the length of time has taken with the permitting process. So unless the city wants to go back and spend a I'm sure a pretty considerable amount of money to reservey the area, then possibly that would prompt a change in
the permits that would prompt a change in the specifications for the original scope of service through Aptum. Aptum is who the city contracted for for this work. They they are the ones that put out the specifications. They are the ones that did the permit drawings and that is who
the city the I believe the commission approved to move forward with. Well hopefully the scope of work is reduced you know hope the extent of dredging is is reduced I hope but you you know
you're already granting the contractor the the project and then whatever survey they do if you know if the cost goes down if if it's reduced they're not going to give
you a real value back. >> They can't charge us for something that they didn't do. They can't charge us for more sand dredged than they actually dredged. >> What's the purpose of the survey? >> Well, the purpose of the survey was for the permitting process.
>> But that was done during permitting. >> So, I inherited this project as you are aware. >> Yes. >> So, I was not I was not involved with this project for the past however long it's been going on. This project was
just handed over a month ago whenever the previous administration >> well there was a survey done and I don't want to belabor this mayor I'm sorry you know this survey was done >> and based on the survey you designed and
you permitted the site >> the city designed and permitted the site >> yes >> so now you want the contractor to go and do after you grant them the contract you want them to go and do another survey So yeah, so I I I can't speak to the
specifics of um was that part of the ATP's description for that. So yeah, obviously ideally it doesn't take three years to get a dredging project through, but in this particular case it has altered the the landscape a little bit. So I would suspect that we would get a unit price bid item. We would be able to
compare their survey with the original survey and they would not they would only be paid the unit price for what they bid. So we would expect it to go down. They will understand those expectations and if we have any reason to believe that their survey is not accurate and not not not reflecting what
we suspect, we will do our due diligence to make sure it's properly enforced. But ideally it will come in under because simply it the landscape has changed since then. So this is the best approach to get the project moving, keep it on track and to have them do that survey too. And typically I think it would it's
almost like I think it's a common thing too before the contractor starts because if it's more they definitely want to let you know. So more or less that's why we're going to get a unit price. >> Yeah. >> So that's what we'd hold them to. >> And that's the way it's listed in the bid tabulation as a unit price.
>> Hopefully it'll be within the same cost the 1.55. We'll see about that. And to to your point, if it if it does come back more with the unit price, if we do need to negotiate to get it down to that and still achieve a quality of level of work, we will put that effort
in to do that as well. So we we will not take it just for granted whatever we get. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Anything additional? Good. >> Next on the agenda is recreation recreation management software proposal.
Sorry, I'm taking the wheel here from Tom in the back real quick. All right. Hopefully. All right. All right. Uh good evening, mayor, commissioners. Uh so the first uh of four topics here is a recreation management software proposal. Um over
the past couple of weeks I've been discussing um recreation software with a company called Wreck Technologies. Uh looking for um basically reviewing what we're doing now, also discussing with them and then looking at other
quotes for software uh for the opportunity one to find uh something that's more intuitive and easier to use uh software wise and then also looking at the cost of things. Ours has progressively gone up each year. uh usually at a steady five six% increase.
So uh that was taken into account and then uh with the pricing and everything. So through this discussion uh we've come to a proposal that they have provided for uh three years. Uh if you guys look at the spreadsheet that I have on there, it's also in your packet. Um basically
gives you a cost breakdown for the next three years of how that would roll into place. Um uh $13,170 would be the three-year commitment for the software. And this is for all of our uh programming, rentals, uh athletics, all that. And uh the fitness center, all
those different things that we offer through uh the rec center. Um and then if we were to keep, and if you look down at the the pricing below, if we were to keep what we have now, it's uh 629026 this year, uh the assumption of a 5%. So
we're looking at pro approximately $20,000 over the next three years. So, we would look at about a $7,000 uh savings just off the top there. Uh Recesk was the third option that I looked at. Uh the pricing structure there is different and then there's a lot of additional premium integrations
and all that stuff that kind of stacks up to that. So, um, one of the reasons and and and I got this conversation started, we I was at the recreation, uh, Florida recreation conference a couple months back and and met this group and and kind of got looking at their
software. And it's something that of all the softwares that we've looked at and discussions we've had, this is the first one that I've seen that is starting to utilize AI, which is kind of the the wave. And as much as I love our field, it's very uh late and behind on some stuff like this. So AI is was a big topic of
conversation which is why it's the next two topics uh at the conference. Uh and this was kind of on the forefront of that. So it's something that would help us with scheduling. Uh and then they're implementing a lot of different things that they're looking at. Um one of the other things and I actually I was asked before this if we were going to have
kind of a a a demo of this. So I asked them to provide two or three cities that give us the best idea. So, just to give you an idea, this is what the uh city specific um website would look like. Um
one of the big thing it says get matched to an instructor on the top right there. So, that portion specifically is a um we can change that each each event. If I wanted to put a commission meeting in there, I could, but we can make announcements in that tab. And it's
something that that our current software doesn't offer. And it's something that's a a lot of the things that they do I noticed was very intuitive. So there's a lot of um and then there's a lot of people that were in the software industry that worked with Uber, worked with Airbnb, worked with that kind of stuff. So they're looking for user
integration uh and user ease. And what I've noticed too, especially with our software, is that I'm trying to the easiest way to say this and the nicest way to say this is that the uh older part of our population does not like our website. And just going through this, I
haven't actually used this much, but looking here, if I were to go, all right, we're going to go to this pickle ball class. We're going to view details. And then if it loads, I can add to cart right there. And when you do that, it's it's nice and easy. And then when I go
to I went to this is the other city that we looked at from their facility rental standpoint. They're all listed there. And I click on the this uh what am I looking at? the water park. Something that we liked was a lot of the visuals and this, if you've ever booked an
Airbnb stay, is very similar to the layout and the ease and use and the access to that. So, it's got a lot of photos and then you type in your guest number, pick your date, and do all that stuff. So, from an ease of access standpoint, from a budgetary standpoint,
from uh an intuitive and and kind of moving forward standpoint, it kind of checked all the boxes for us. So, um, it was probably a decision that we could have made without having this conversation, but I wanted to make sure that if we are going to make any bigger changes as far as software, you know,
something that's going to be communicating externally to the public that we were kind of all on the same page and made sure that it was um, useful. The other question that I did get before this is was on the back end. So I had uh we had three meetings, two with one with me, one with my staff, and
one with finance to ensure that everybody was on board with this transition if that's the direction we go. Um and then the the one finance qu question that did come up today was the backend reporting. Uh I got an answer from our rep within the hour and the answer is yes that we are able to run uh
reporting for any GL code, any program, any whatever we want uh custom built into the back end that we will see. So, a lot of ease of access, a lot of information. And then one of the other big things that I left out of that is so we currently use a processor specifically payment wise for civic
wreck and then we use a different one for Aventney, which is our event software. This would merge those two into the same payment processor. So, that would eliminate another vendor. Um, and as far as ease of access and reporting goes, being able to utilize as many similar vendors makes it a lot
easier for staff to be productive and and get the information they need. So, I think I summed that up pretty quickly. I probably left some details out, but if you guys have any questions, I'll happily answer. >> Do we have any public comment? Commissioners questions?
>> No, I think it's a great idea. Um, also I look and see it's um mobile also. So, and >> yeah, so it it it doesn't have an app, but it is uh what did they say? It's it's designed to work specifically on
the mobile on your mobile device, but it isn't an app. So, it's it's web based, but it's more app mobile friendly, I guess. Yes. That's >> okay. >> Yeah. >> Good job. Sounds like what what you want is better and cheaper.
>> Make it so. >> Thank you. >> So, do I understand that this will replace some other software that you're using? >> Yes. Yeah, we currently use we utilize uh civic wreck. Um and to be honest, we do a lot of stuff manually because many
of our users don't like using it. It's just not as >> Sounds great. I'm just trying to get a net difference. >> Yes. Yeah, it it'll it'll replace at least civic wreck. And then we do utilize another software for our afterchool care program that in my discussions with them, it's it's
something again we always hear this, yeah, we're going to develop that. But they've shown me how you can kind of do it through the software, but they've also they've been showing me that they're rolling out meetings where they actually send somebody to the site. They go, "Okay, how how would you use it with this? Sit somebody next to us while
we're doing our dayto-day and how can they develop it?" They are they are a younger company, but they've been able to to answer a lot of these questions quicker and and but yes, it'll it's a one for one replacement right now for what we're using and then it'll be able to hopefully roll in and replace another thing.
>> Great. Thank you. comments? >> No comment. Thank you. >> Do we have any public comment? >> Just quickly, are there any SEC security concerns with installing this on our server? >> So, this is it's all it'll be to answer
that. There's it's all cloud-based stuff. So, it's it's hosted on theirs and yeah, it's >> you just link it through our website. >> It's Yeah, it's essentially just a website. Yes. >> Thank you, Jay. >> Next on the agenda is the Placer AI software proposal.
>> All right. Uh so I'll give you guys a quick update and then I'm going to or a quick presentation. Then I'll show you guys the uh they did run one report for us. So Placer AI software is a uh software that utilizes thirdparty integration with your uh GPS data. So
what they do is it provides use utilizing cell phone data from third parties, not theirs. It tells us based on where we run a geo fence and I and I'm really they're going to hate me for saying it the way that this way because it's I'm simplifying it a lot but basically it'll tell you like if I
wanted to circle the property right now it'll tell us how many people were here on the date selected and there's a ton of other information but anyway so it's it's essentially a geo fencing demographic software for us from a a a recreation standpoint it's a software
that we would utilize uh looking at special event funding, looking at uh park usage, looking at beach usage. Uh it does allow for uh you can drop pens and it'll do traffic reporting. Um so there's a lot of different capabilities for it as far as looking at data that
we're trying to find for these things. Um so myself and Marcy met with them. We've actually um this was budgeted this last year. Um it is so it is in the FY26 budget and then so basically
from an information standpoint I'm looking at this. So we have visitor and resident analytics event an analysis demographics and psychoraphics and then migration and mobility data. So, Commissioner Kerr, a lot of the stuff you've been asking about uh again, you know, the funding of of our of our
services and how many people are coming and stuff like that is this is going to be one of those things that shows us who's coming here, how many people are coming here, when they're coming here, and then I'll give you guys an example. So, they did in our meeting, we asked just quickly, so this is a very rough
drawn, and I'm going to put it up here. It's a very quick rough drawn geoence around John's Bass Village and they did. So to give you an idea, there's the outline that they provided us. It's almost most of or almost all of it,
but not all of it. This was just quick like we didn't he did it and said here and he dropped the points for us and he showed us this area. So to give you an idea from October 1st to September 30th of 2025. So this is
this is inclusive of the storm. So panel visits if you look at that that's 187,000 point or 187.6,000 visitors that are confirmed based on the app data. Then if you go to visitors it
says 1.2 million and then visits is 2.3 million. So they have based on their panel visits and what they've been utilizing and everything they're able to extrapolate those numbers to give us they say within 90% accuracy the number of visitors that they have in that area.
So John's Pass Village in the year following the storm saw approximately 2.3 million visits from 100 or 1.2 million visitors and then it on the right you can kind of see the you see the year-over-year decline
because of storm and whatever else. So this graph right here gives you October 1st is the far left, September 30th is the far right, and that gives you a graph throughout the year. So I can give you kind of an idea of when they were there. The peak that you see there, that
was the seafood festival that was run in March. So that gives you an idea. And they did do those three days for us. And they anticipated it was about 51,000 visitors for those three days. So that kind of gives you this this allows us to look. So we can we can do the whole city and you can decide between visitors, you
can decide between residents and it knows that it doesn't know who you are but it knows that if you that device that it is tracking is here all the time kind of in the same location. It based on its information it assumes that that person's a resident or it assumes that that person works here and it will take
that and separate them specifically. So we can look at the number of people that work here, the number of people that visit, number of people that live here and all that and provide kind of a demographic and of what we're looking at. Um that's great software. Um if you
don't mind, is that something that um you want to have a conversation with Brian Lowak at um visit St. Pete Clearwater? Do they A would they fund it or B do they already use it? So, we have had some
initial conversation about it and it's it's it's tricky the way that they do it because the software company their model rightfully so is they want the cities to have it. Like they don't want us to buy it and then run for Treasure Island like Treasure Island
actually just signed up and has the software. So, they want us running for our community. We can run as many as we want. >> No, I I I want that. I just want I want I want visit I want uh >> bed >> well yeah >> dollars to pay for it. >> Yes. And so looking at the big reason
we're doing this is looking at seafood fest and looking at our softball tournaments that we host and looking at the concession stand that we want to build. This is the type of data that supports what we're looking for in that. >> Right. And then they're they're contributing to these events. >> Yes. >> And they are going to want some sort of
proof >> for the following year. I'm just wondering, you know, it's $12,000, $15,000 a year based on the year. Is that something that they would share in the in the funding for? >> That's a conversation I can have with them and see. Yeah.
>> And then so you all know, they did provide a soul source letter for because a lot of what they do is propri proprietary. Um, so we have that letter and depending on the direction here, we would still have to post it on the website for I forget five, seven days. I'll have to
get that confirmed. But so it wouldn't be an immediate purchase. I would have to purchase or post it and then we would bring it back to the next meeting so I can have that discussion in that. >> Yeah. I just just ask is that something you'll you'll share in or pay for or whatever. You know what data would you want from us? >> Right.
>> Because it's something that would be useful for them, >> right? And then I'll I'll just go to the last two things. So this is the heat map kind of of that information. So that kind of shows you throughout the United States where folks are coming from. Um which to me was pretty, you know, from a data side of things kind of nerd out on that.
It's nice to see where they're coming and that it tells us even for Seafood Fest, we do some targeted marking on social media and this gives us maybe some areas that we can look at between this and data from, you know, flight data and everything where the airports are traveling to. And then this last
one, sorry to real quick. So this last one takes common locations of people that traveled to John's Pest Village. So if you went to John's Best Pest Village and I went to John's Pest Village and then we went to one of these places in commonality, it adds it to the
list. So the number one most common location, it's pretty obvious, but it's saying that over 500,000 people that came to Madira Beach were also in the main terminal at Tampa airport at some point in common with each other.
was that previous map is you identify those people that are in Madira Beach but then at a later date you see where they >> Yes. So from a coming from basically >> from an event sponsorship perspective from a advertising tourism perspective
from >> again this is something >> there's there's plenty of capabilities and that's one thing that I think Marcy and I talked for an hour on like what all these different ways that we can use it from a public safety perspective we can look at you know hey there's fourth of July how many people are at the at
Archeald or wherever. So it's it's something we take a look at but really for us it's special events and then finding funding for other things. I, you know, looking at number 10 on this list, it says of those 2 point whatever million people 172,000 went to Surf Style. Well, if I get an event and I go,
"Hey, 20,000 people came to our event and 3,000 of them went to Slice afterwards. I'm going to go to Slice." I go, "Hey, yeah, let's see if we can have a discussion." So, it's some data that supports everything. We want to make sure that that >> good. So, but yes, I'll have that conversation with them and see where we go.
>> Any other >> any additional comments? Um would any of this software be interactive with citizens? Um I know it's a lot has to do with statistics and so forth and so on. But
for instance, if somebody wants to reserve a court and I don't know if this related to this >> that was the last software. Yes, it will be. >> So whether it's this one or the other one >> so they can just go online and reserve a court. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. Commissioner,
>> uh, you mentioned we had a line item budget in our budget for it. Do we are we within the >> Yeah, we budgeted 20,000 for this for this year. So, >> okay. >> Because we were given a, oddly enough, a previous quote for more. >> Okay. >> I'm just not going to say anything to that. >> Doesn't visit St. Pete Clearwater use
something like this? >> I I thought that I mean, we talked about this like last year. >> They're they were in a um kind of a renaissance of their data. They're really focused on um and rightfully so in the same manner that we should be. It's we've a lot of people guess their
attendance and they've got these scientific guest you know take a picture count people within a certain square all this other stuff different methods. They're trying to drill down and get very much more specific. This is going to be one of their acceptable ones, their acceptable forms of information,
but they're also looking at others. So that that's why they're not in the conf. They're not fully committed to it yet, but I just I I think for us doing the, you know, I'm not comfortable going, "Oh, yeah, there was 150,000 people at Seafood F when there clearly wasn't." And, you know, just not so I want to
make sure we have information to back it up. And >> how many users can um have sign? >> It's unlimited users as far as this goes. So, >> do we have any public comment? Unfortunately, I just heard about this,
but uh I'm apprehensive because I'm not sure who's going to be mining this data besides us and what they're going to use it for. >> Public comment. >> Um I think you guys know who I am. Uh so I think this is sounds like a really
good tourism planning um application here. Um, a couple things come to mind for me is it's probably quite uh complex utilizing it. Uh, so who's going to be the subject matter experts on this? Will they be multiple people or just one? And
if something happens to you, what do we do then? Uh, also this information looks like it's probably tracking cell phone data. How I mean, is that legal? And are we going to get stuck being like Amazon paying out people for the Prime? So,
just a couple of thoughts there to share. >> Thank you. >> So, oddly enough, the the cell phone data was one of the first questions I had because for the longest time it was illegal. Um, this company does not track your data. They purchase the data from companies
that you have opted into on your phone and they will not share that information because they don't want it to get into. He did mention one uh the live 360 app that a lot of people have for their children >> shows locations or shows you know if your spouse or whoever else is one of
their many apps that they opt into. So it'll know your demographics based on what you fed into a third party app that they've purchased from. your name, your number is not affiliated with it at all. So, they could know and I I don't even know that I could drill down to one
individual. Like, if I wanted to show my cell phone data as an example, one, I don't even know if I have an app that is attached to this, and then two, I wouldn't be able to find exactly who I was, if that makes sense. So, it's there's there's plenty of levels of
separation. And I think that, you know, at this point now where they've they've come to a place where they've figured out how to do it legally and not, you know, and I and I've got more information that I'll I'll make sure I share and I can ask that question for if we do a final contract that I can make sure that that's cleared up. And then as
far as the training goes, it literally it's it's an interactive map and you selected it's you drop a pen similar to the way you would drop it on Google Maps and then you create a fence around whether it's one individual property, it's just the rec center or if it's the whole city and and some of that's
already programmed in there. Um and then going through it, it showed some businesses and every that are already kind of opting into it based on their uh what am I trying to say? Their national company. So corporate. There we go. They're corporate organization.
>> Okay. Thank you. Next on the agenda is the MadiRaa Beach Fundamental Irrigation System. >> All right. Uh this a quick update and then I just want to make sure that I'm I'm going in the right direction with you all. So uh due to the storm, we have uh there was an ir prior to the storm
there was irrigation system installed at the school. We have a joint use agreement with the fundamental school for athletic programming. We utilize their soccer fields. Um, well, their fields for all sorts of stuff, but mainly our soccer program. Uh, after the storm, you saw the
portables were on the field. They put down the the rocks and everything else, and then when they removed it, it was just kind of, uh, the contractor that removed it removed everything, which included most of our irrigation system. So, um, we're in the process now of replacing the electric to get the lights back up and then the pump for the
irrigation. And that would be kind of uh the simple plan first and foremost, but then after that, we were looking at replacing the irrigation fully at the school. Um the the county uh as a as a school board is not focused on putting irrigation in
schools. It's not as important, I guess, as far as the athletic side goes. But we're we did it in the first place to improve our programming and we were looking to put it back to to keep that level of of expectation that we offer with our programming. The first time we did it, uh the entire system, which was
the initial pump and some the well and some other stuff was approximately $15,000. Um we've had some discussion with our irrig uh with our insurance company. uh have not gotten a definitive answer as far as the funding is concerned on that.
And then we have basically and we haven't gotten quotes yet, but I just wanted to make sure that if I go that direction and I'm looking forward to putting or looking to put the irrigation system back, go get the quotes and all that stuff. I just wanted to make sure that if it's covered by insurance, then I'm I'm not too concerned. If it's not
covered by insurance, if we are comfortable as a whole moving in that direction to get us back to where we were. So that makes sense. >> Is there any liability to the contractor who took who tore him out? >> They did it under the direction of the
there's there's a there's a lot of I'm not sure, but there's a lot of there's a lot of unknowns at this. I don't want to speak on something that I'm not fully sure about, but okay. There's just it was >> their their intent was getting the school back up and running. They did put the grass back out there. Um it isn't
our property, so there's some There's a lot of question marks, but yeah. >> Okay. Thanks. >> I would think our our insurance company would talk to their insurance company, the contractor's insurance company, and work something out, but they may need
the information. I would imagine the contractors on the school were insured, >> right? >> And there's certificates of insurance that they had to post prior to doing the work. So getting that information to our insurance company, I would at least
think that they somebody should have that discussion, I would think. >> And and we we've had discussion with our insurance company as far as paying for it and it's haven't again haven't got a definitive answer. We're still working towards something. Um I just I don't
want it to go left undone and then the field looks like it did when we first got here. It was mainly dirt at that point, but we'll get through there. >> Comments, questions, >> none for me. Thank you. >> One question
>> and I just thought about it. When that was originally done, was it done on a grant or did the city pay for it out of pocket? >> We paid for it out of pocket knowing that there was an opportunity for essentially the ex increase in revenue based on the programming.
>> Okay. So it was it over time it paid for itself. Um I think at the time we used uh money from the first carnival as I it was it was unplanned revenue and then we had an extra revenue so they just re it
was creative but it it you know it's not something that's there now. So >> Okay. Can you play soccer there if there's no irrigation to water the grass? You can the the reason we did is we started to lose
we you start to lose people when there's less grass. It's you're playing on dirt and then we get we've actually been playing on the one field we have here which has created a huge parking nightmare with as as many it's it's a good problem to have. We've got a lot of little leaguers. We've got our stuff going on. So it's just hasn't been as
>> Yeah. So ideally it's to get back over there. We're playing on one field whereas we could have five or six back at that location. I mean, I personally think you should get the price, but you should also inquire as to whether or not the contractor damaged it and would be responsible for
paying for it or did the contractor remove the irrigation at the direction of the school. >> I mean to just to clarif. >> Yeah. >> Um, next on the agenda is fireworks RFP verbal. >> Okay. So, this last part um I know we
discussed it recently. There is $55,000 in in the FY26 fireworks budget coming up. Um over the last couple years, we've had four dates that we've utilized that. We've earmarked 5,000 for three of those dates and then the remainder of that.
That's a $20,000 increase this year. So the remainder of that we've earmarked towards our Independence Day celebration. So our our intent is to put out an RFP with that in mind. But I'm just this is more to prep the board for
the conversation that a lot of what we've had is and there and there is an email circulating with a lot of the county recreation directors and on the other side of the bay as well as to what's going on and a lot of the feedback we've gotten one it's way more expensive to do fireworks and two it's
one city has it the two I mean it's everybody's 250th for United States but then one city has their 50th anniversary of something the 25th anniversary of the the Blue Jays they've got like five different so everybody's trying to make sure that we're all
communicating with each other as to what's going on but also understanding that there's limited resources as far as the number of vendors that can actually serve that date as well as the cost related to that date. So with that RFP I have gotten some feedback again it's
the 250th so the 4th of July is probably more on the table than it has been in previous years. So, I want to make sure that when we do it, I'm going to receive a bid for the third and for the fourth. And that's specifically just so we have everything covered. Um, I did talk to
our vendor from last year and he was 99% sure that he wouldn't be available on the fourth. So, that's just again it's a preparation for that future conversation. Um, I don't think it's impossible. I just there are a lot of benefits on one side of things having it on the fourth because it's the fourth
and then there's other benefits on the other side that we're the only or one of the only in town that are doing it, whether it's us or Clearwater uh baseball team or whoever else. So, it allows more people to come here. And then again, you and not to throw them under the bus, but the sheriff's office
as well is very thin on the fourth. So, their conversation um especially this year it's a Saturday, I believe. So, that's a big challenge as well as far as doing it. And that's again, we didn't just move it to the third previously just to do it. We did it with with knowledge and conversation
and and resources in mind. Um but again, we want to be cognizant that it is the 250th. So let's you know do our due diligence in that. So I will bring it back just so you all know. But with the breakdown of that, so it's 55,000. It would be 5,000 5,000 5,000 and then
40,000. That something that we're all comfortable with as far as that goes forward. The 5,000 is what we've gotten on the pier for those three events. It's been fantastic. Um, and then the 40,000 would be um we're going to get some noise complaints. So,
>> do we have any public comment? >> Um, commissioners comments. >> All sounds good. >> We looking at a barge or we looking at the new property we just purchased. Probably won't have any buildings on
there yet. I mean, we have the barges donated and people love the barge being out in the water. >> Yeah, I I can I mean, well, yeah, the barge is donated. Well, it wasn't We paid $5,000 for it this last year. >> It had been donated previously, but it
for whatever reason, some people wanted us to pay for it, so we paid for it. Yeah. I don't know. Um it wasn't him. He actually wanted to donate the money back to the city. and I said that doesn't look good either, but whatever. Um, but
I'll I'll look at the at least the I'll get with the fire chief and the fire chief and the fire all the folks and we can look at the the distance and sight lines and everything. >> Barge is still if we have a barge I I that's my way to go. That's I mean we got a really nice park here and that but
if that property is >> we'll see. There's a lot of things that are floating and not floating over there that are really close to the edge. So, we'll have to check it out. Anyway, that's it for >> comments, questions, >> why change a good thing right now, >> right?
>> All right. Thank you, Jay. >> So, um, respond to public comments. The only public comment we had was uh, Dylan Hubard about the John's Pass Village Committee. I would like for us to have that on a workshop so we can discuss it
at our next workshop. And I I made a couple notes very quickly. um on the for our so it for our November meeting we'll have a workshop first and then a voting meeting and December workshop first and then voting right now they're the
opposite on posted online and um do we want to schedule a special meeting specifically to discuss the lobbyist and vote on that prior to our November
meeting. If we don't, we are going to make a decision and be looking at, let me just say this, and I should have brought this up when we were doing the um
discussions, but they were presenting. The current contract that we have is over $30,000 and the commission did not approve it. So that the current contract was entered into in November of 2022
and the commission voted on it. In 2022 to 2023, it re it came to the commission. Term three, which was uh 2023 to 2024,
it did not come to the commission and it was renewed or rolled over into renewal. and then 24 to 25 it did not come to the commission for approval. Anything over $30,000 has to be approved by the commission even if it's a rollover and
that was an oversight of I would assume the previous administration that it didn't come for us to approve it. But at that time when it came, we would have done our own um assessment of the and and evaluation of the firm as to whether or not we were happy or felt like they
had performed and done their job. Now, we can have all that discussion at our at our workshop, but I I mean, how do you feel about do we want to wait until the 11th hour or do we want to try to schedule something sooner? I'd love to
do an evaluation the way we did with the audit company on our own and submit it and have it um have it calculated. But how do we come up with those questions? >> One of the problems we don't even know what any of them are charging. So we
have no idea what any firm that presented tonight is even going to charge us. So, we need to have proposals. Yes. >> From those firms because price could weigh heavily on who we choose. I mean, we spent over $50,000 last year on a
firm that brought us nothing. I'm just say I'm I'm just saying >> there was Yeah, but there were there was special circumstances. Linda Cheney specifically said, "I'm not giving you anything." >> She's not the only legislator in Tallahassee. She's not the only person
that fights for money is all I'm saying. So, I think that that money part of it I I would imagine for us would be a some weighing factor in making a decision. So, I mean, do we
ask the city manager's office to reach out and get cost proposals and then let's >> Yes. >> Yes. >> have another meeting? >> Yes. >> Do we want to wait until our November meeting or >> we evaluate? I' I'd love to do an evaluation the way we did for the audit company.
>> Okay. >> But how do we put together questions? How do we >> I mean, do we just do that on our own? And that doesn't the way it was done with the audit company. We had a specific set of questions and we could
rate each company and we we all each individually came back with a number based on those ratings just similar to the evaluation we just did or doing for the city clerk.
>> Andrew provided us with that. >> Yeah. >> I mean that's the thing. Um, we def I I feel like we need another meeting before our meeting, a special meeting just for that. >> So you're suggesting before the 12th >> if we can
>> before the 12th >> before it. So, so on the 12th we meet actually we meet on the um yes on the 12th and then the 21st I believe is the deadline for appropriations to be submitted. Now,
we've submit those so we can staff can do those. They just will be doing it without the assistance of and and I say that and Shoemaker is our current um that we are paying them currently. So, I'm sure that they would help in any fashion needed to get that paperwork
submitted um and we could stay on that schedule. And not to slow anything down, if you if you do have a special meeting prior to the 12th, that would help iron out any any issues, any questions, anything that
the board would want to know, we would have it by the 12th and you would make your recommendations and then we have nine days at that point. >> I mean, I'm just throwing that out there. It's just something I thought of. Um, I can't be here.
>> Okay. I I I scheduled something between meetings. >> No, I understand. I do the same thing. Um, then we'll just we'll have to y'all will have to move forward. Y'all be in the city manager's office. >> Can we still get a quote?
>> I mean, >> yes. Could you still request the quotes >> and get them out to us so that we can at least be reviewing that? And I mean commissioners may want to uh reach back out to and if we could also get the presentations from each of the companies that presented tonight
>> also uh phone calls also maybe a one-on-one you know so reaching out there >> and so there was the you addressed the Dylan Hubard comment. We did have a a
person comment on the swim zones. I just wanted to say >> I felt like that's something that has been discussed before. >> Yes. So, do you want to workshop that >> or it's been workshopped? >> It's been Well, we've just talked about it. It hasn't been official. Yes. U >> but let's workshop Dylan.
>> I don't know that it's something that we got to have to workshop. We have a lot coming up. >> So, um I would say probably December or January. >> January. >> So, could we put that on for January to workshop? And the other thing I want to say, >> we have all the all the information for
that as well. We have to wait till January >> to talk about the swim zones. Yeah. Yeah. Because we have a lot in November and a lot in December. So, yeah. >> And then we can talk about it in January, >> right? >> That's fine. >> Yep.
>> Okay. The other thing I'd like to bring up is that it is 11:20 almost and this is a workshop that we started at six o'clock. Is there any reason or does anyone have any adverse issue with us starting workshops earlier than 6 PM?
And I will tell you why I say that. City staff has been here since some of them since 700 a.m. this morning. and to sit and have them here. I I think we need to think about our workshops starting at 6:00 when we
know it's going to be long because we're going to talk about a lot of things and expect that city staff or residents are going to come and sit and >> even if we move city staff after public presentations, I think that would that would be >> absolutely >> helpful. Yes.
>> Used to be at 2 o'clock, >> right? it. In the past, they were two o'clock budget meetings or I mean I'm sorry workshops, four o'clock workshops. >> So, I know that there's a lot of people's schedules that have to be coordinated, but I think that that's something we should all be thinking of.
>> Yes, >> there's always a lot of items. >> Do you have anything else? >> Madame Mayor, I would like to thank all the presenters and the residents that stayed with us all evening. >> We know you're worn out. You're tired. We appreciate you staying with us. Thank you very much.
>> You very much. >> It is 11:18 and we are adjourned.