Good afternoon. Today is Thursday, January 8th, 2026. It's 400 p.m. We're in the city chambers, and I call this city commission regular meeting to order. Commissioners present are Commissioner Dval, Commissioner Stokes, Mayor Emerich, Vice Mayor Langden, and
Commissioner Pro. There is a quorum for this meeting. Also present is City Manager Fletcher, city attorney Fawino, Assistant Lady Ker Powell, Board Specialist Linder. We have I believe it's Captain Fussell in the back, and uh
Deputy Chief Hurley. I'm gonna call on Jason Cortez. Will you lead us in the pledge, please? Sir, >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic
for it stands one nation indivisible with all. >> Thank you, sir. >> All right. I'm looking for a motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> All right. We got a motion made by Commissioner Stokes, seconded by Vice
Mayor or Yeah. Langden. >> Whatever. I I'm going to I will get it right before the end of the year. Is that okay? >> You're going >> and to approve the agenda. Anything to
Let's vote. And that passes five to zero. Um, city cler. >> Uh, we do have one e comment, Mr. Mayor. Uh, anonymousness. It is astonishing the propensity with which the city is
wasting money on this rebranding effort. The ideas presented do not make sense for our city. We want to see something that truly gives Northport an identity. I don't know who's coming up with these ideas, but this branding effort really needs to be reconsidered. That is all.
>> Thank you, sir. >> And we're moving on to welcoming of new employees. Uh, city manager. This is your item, sir. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would like to welcome now McDade, our director of human resources to introduce our newest
employee. Good afternoon everyone and happy new year. For the record, Christine McDade, HR director. It's my honor to present to you all of you some of our newest team members. Uh when I call your name, if you'll please stand. So from development services, we have Patty Williams,
administrative services specialist. Lindseay Foster, administrative services specialist. Robert Harelson, code enforcement inspector. From public works, we have Jennifer Fick, customer account specialist. Three,
and I don't believe Jeremy's here, but we have Jeremy Fick, equipment operator, too, as well. From utilities, Richard Morano, planter scheduler. Richard. And finally also from utilities Steve
Slakey Scotta system coordinator SCA on behalf of the city I welcome all of you and wish you much success. Thank you. >> Okay moving on we're going to go downstairs and uh get with the proclamations and recognition.
Commissioners All right. The first item today is I have the utmost privilege and honor to present the key to the city to one of the most deserving families within the city of Northport who I've known for many many
years. I got a quick story that I wanted to tell about Bud and uh it's it's it just amazed me when it happened. I was sitting at my desk working and I got a call from the building department
director and he asked me if I knew Bud Corte. I said, "Yeah, yeah, I know him." And then he asked me, "Um, does he own Northport Aluminum?" And I'm like, "Wait a minute. Is there a problem with permitting or something like that?" He goes, "No." He said he applied for a job
and you used you as a reference. It's the first time that ever happened. But anyways, after Bud was hired, he was always the man that wanted to do things right and do it perfectly. He came on board and there was certain conditions that he had
to fulfill to make sure that he maintained his job. He had to get certified in certain areas. As the years went by, Bud I think completed every certificate that was possible that he could possibly take for the city for his
job because he wanted to make sure that he knew he was doing everything right and to the best of his ability. That's my little story. >> But I do have a few people in the audience that want to come up and say a few things. So, as mayor, I'm invoking
my right. please come on down and say a few things and then we'll go move on to the presentation. I'm going to ditto what the mayor just said. I came to this city at a point where I didn't work with some of the people who were founding predecessors
I mean to this city founding forefathers but I was able to glean from their wisdom from their opinions and Bud would reach out to me when I was in office or even after and he would
give me little hints of various things. Gleaning wisdom from predecessors helps you in decision making if you pay attention. And I always paid attention to Bud. Why? Because he was exactly what the mayor
said. He wanted to do it right. He was always for the good, for the benefit. Uh so I appreciate and honor him today. his family. Thank you for sharing him with
all of us and a special heartfelt thank you for what he has meant to me. Thank you. >> Best thing about Bud was Bud was Bud. Okay. You knew who he was. You knew what he was. You knew you could trust him.
You knew he was there early hours in the morning over at Old World restaurant for the 5Ks. I mean, I think he was probably the first one there, the last one to go. San Pedro's church, the Boys and Girls Club. I mean, every place and anywhere you went, Bud was there doing something,
putting in some windows, doing something or other, he was just the guy that did it all behind the scenes a lot of times, but he was there. And you hear stories of so many individuals that were having problems with uh
permitting and things like that and Bud helped take care of those things. We won't even say how. All right. We won't talk about that. But anyway, uh you know, if if we had more Budc Cortes in Northport, we wouldn't have any
problems. Okay? It'd be all done. It'd be all done right. Thank you, Jim. In 1988, I was uh enrolled at Manatee Community College. That's how old this story is.
It's now State College of Florida. And um I was enrolled, but my biggest problem is that I didn't have book money. And um when when you make $100 a week, finding $500 for book money was
virtually impossible. And so when Bud Corte found out about that, he said, "Well, I may have a solution." And he brought me before the board of directors at um the early bird kowanas club. And see, they had already given out all of
the money for scholarships that year. And they had given them to Venice High School, Northport kids because there wasn't a school here. And here I was, a college, a young college student in need. And they broke all of their rules.
And with Bud's help, they gave me that $500 that would allow me to stay in college. And that was like my first real experience with Bud. My secondish real experience with Bud and Wanda is I
worked around the corner from their Northport aluminum business on Trot Circle and um if you can't afford your book money, you certainly can't afford child care. So I kept our daughter our
daughter in the drawer, the desk drawer in the in the bottom. And um you know I never shut the door or anything but that's where I kept Cheyenne because you know I could see her as I would report. And then one day, um, Wanda had
come in and, uh, Cheyenne was old enough to be in the Johnny jump up and this kid would just bounce all over the place all day long, um, self-contained. And Wanda must have gone to Bud and said, "Hey, can we take this kid during the day?"
because they Bud and Wanda set up a mini nursery at Northport Aluminum and just made our kid the the like mascot and maybe she helped sell some jobs too. I have no idea. But this kid got so much
love um from the Corte family. Angel, their daughter would come after school and babysit Cheyenne. And um my little aside, my tiny little aside that you might not even know is that Angel had taken it upon herself to take Cheyenne
to like let's say J C Penneyy's photo department and got all these pictures of Cheyenne. And that's how you start realizing, you know, as a mom, you're not, you know, like I should have done that. But they cut off her foot right in
the photo. And I was like, you know, and I learned how to do photography. I could I could do better photos. But this family had wrapped their arms around us and showed so much love. When you fast forward to just
slightly a couple of weeks later, not weeks, months later, um there was an opportunity for me to join Kowanas just like Bud. And the only way I knew how to say thank you back to the community every single week for that book money
that they gave was to become a Kanian. And so that was literally about 32 years ago. And um when they we started with the city of the children's closet, I was giving away Cheyenne's diapers to other parents in need because the Corte family
had showed me how to give um freely and and and and so compassionately. So, and that's what they did with the entire community. They never said no to any organization that came through the door and asked for help. and they're the ones
that helped rebuild and build the scout house. And today, kids are flourishing in there because of Bud, Wanda, and the people that they uh care about. So, thank you very, very much. We love you.
>> Yeah. To our family, they became known as mama and papa. And since my daughter has walked in late, I I have another little story to tell. On one of their babysitting trips that I found out when I got home from work one afternoon,
Shai had got out of her Johnny jump up. She was a little bit older and she had gotten into the cabinet and was snacking on the dog biscuits. So, so every year she gets a stocking full of dog biscuits. So, but
she's here now and I had to embarrass her. But Jason and Wanda, would you please join me up here? It's my honor to present you with the key to the city for everything that not only Bud did, but you have done as well
and your whole family. It is much appreciated. He would thoroughly have enjoyed this if he Yeah. >> Would you like to say a few words? >> Um I don't know if I can, but um everything that Bud did, he did it out
of the kindness of his heart, he I can only imagine that in his early years as he was coming to Northport, um things didn't go always go the way that he wanted them to. So I think
everything he did in the last 44 years here in Northport was to make amends for what he couldn't do in his earlier years. And he enjoyed everything that he did. He mowed the lawn on two houses down
from me for 15 years that it sat empty because he didn't want to drive by and see the grass at all. 15 years. Hurricane Ian came, wiped it out, and then he could no longer mow it because
he just couldn't do it anymore. Everything he did, he did it with goodness in his heart. And I know that there isn't everybody in Northport that thinks he was a good man or that he did everything right. But everything he set out to do for the people, he did it with
a good heart. and he well the day that he ended up in the hospital we have a neighbor and we share our wellwater he broke the pipe he was out there fixing the pipe because a neighbor was due due down so that the neighbor would be able to use the water
when he got here and that's what we were doing the afternoon before he ended up with the ambulance and going to the hospital so he always was thinking of other people he just did so if there's anything I can tell you you don't have
to be paid for everything you do. And doing something just because it feels good will get you a lot farther than complaining and being ugly. And that was Bud. That That was Bud. He That was Bud.
>> Absolutely. I I that was great >> and that's why he is loved by me. >> And we're having a celebration at Scout House uh on Saturday. He missed his 85th birthday with the family. So, we're going to celebrate his birthday and have
a party because that's what Bud wanted. >> What time? >> Uh 11:00 >> 11 to 1. >> 11. And we're going to have food at the scout house. Yes. And >> it's a party because you wanted a party. >> Yep. He wanted a party. >> Okay.
>> Thank you. Thank you everybody. >> We just down on Perfect. >> Okay. We're going to move on to proclamations. It's about nurses. >> Whereas certified registered nurse anestheticish, that's not an easy word
to say, are advanced practice registered nurses providing anesthesia care to patients in the United States for more than 150 years. CRNAs are among the nation's most trusted profession and
whereas legislation passed by the Congress in 1986 made nurse anesthetist an anesthesiologists the first nursing specialty to be accorded direct reimbursement rights by
Medicare and whereas CRNAs are the primary anesthesia providers in rural communities ities and continue to be the primary providers of anesthesia care to US military personnel. And whereas CRNAs
practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered from traditional hospital surgical sites and obstetric obstetrical delivery rooms to critical access hospitals from ambulatory
surgical centers to the offices of dentists, podiatrists, opthalmologists, pain management specialists and more. And whereas CRNAs are qualified to make independent judgments regarding all
aspects of anesthesia care based upon their education, training and lensure. And whereas CRNAs are trusted anesthesia experts caring for patients safely and compassionately delivering specialized cost-effective
care to all patients from newborns to seniors for every type of procedure in all types of facilities. And whereas CRNA's experience in critical care nursing in addition to anesthesia care provides the training
and education to address unique health health care challenges to some of our sickest patients including veterans. And whereas the period of January 18th through January 24th, 2026
has been designated as National CRNA week. Now, we therefore, the city commission of the city of Northport, Florida, do hereby proclaim January 18th through January 24th, 2026
as National Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesius Week. Is there anyone here representing the nurses? >> Rebecca Fleetwood in the audience. We'll see that she gets it.
Whereas March 5th, 2015, the city of Northport, Florida, proudly declared itself a Purple Heart city through file number 14-0781, pledging to honor the service and sacrifice of those wounded or killed in
combat. And whereas for nearly a decade, this honorable designation has stood as a testament to our community's respect, yet it calls for meaningful and visible expression to educate our more than 90,000 residents and visitors about the
profound legacy of the Purple Heart, our nation's oldest military decoration. And whereas the city of Northport has been selected as the permanent home for the Van of Valor, a mobile memorial that
recently completed a 280day, 27,16 milei pilgrimage across all 48 contiguous United States, conducting 312 interviews with Purple Heart recipients
and gold star families, and memorializing ing over 400 fallen heroes. And whereas the Van of Valor serves as a rolling archive of American history, a tangible connection to the
National Purple Heart Trail, a readymade educational center, and the physical embodiment of the sacrifice our Purple Heart City designation was created to honor. And whereas the arrival and
permanent establishment of the Van of Valor in Northport provides a historic opportunity to transform a decade old pledge into a living active legacy of remembrance, education, and community
pride. And whereas aligning this project with our Purple Heart City status will enhance our community's role in the national commemorative landscape, especially as our nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
Now therefore, we the city commission of the city of Northport, Florida, do hereby proclaim January 8th, 2026 as city of Northport, city of Northport as a Purple Heart city.
Is there anyone here? Aha. I thought there might be. Wow. >> Thank you so much. >> Say say some words to us. >> All right. Well, thank you. Thank you. Let me just get my papers in order.
>> Good afternoon, mayor, commissioners, city staff, and my neighbors and friends here in Northport. Thank you for having us here today. My name is Lauren Wallace, and alongside my husband, Kevin, I am a co-founder of the Vanna of Valor Project. Standing before you in
this chamber with our van, although we couldn't drive it up the stairs, our mobile memorial, our rolling archive is now officially home. This fills our heart with gratitude that's hard to put into words. This moment is a culmination of a journey far greater than 27,000
miles we drove. That journey wasn't about the miles. It was about the 312 conversations, the stories shared with Purple Heart recipients and gold star families. It was about ensuring over 400 heroes are remembered. The Van of Valor
became a living room on wheels for the bravest among us. A place where sacrifice was honored not as an abstract concept, but as a personal story, a name, and a family's love. We drove so that their stories wouldn't be left behind.
We always knew these stories needed a home. A real home. Not just a parking spot, but a community that would embrace them, learn from them, and keep them alive. Northport, you are that home. When this city first declared itself a
Purple Heart city in 2015, it made a promise. Today, by welcoming the Vanna Valor as your permanent legacy memorial, you are keeping that promise in a most powerful way. You are transforming a title into a living testament. You are giving these stories a place to teach,
to inspire, and to remind us all of the cost of freedom. This is why this proclamation we present today is so meaningful to us. It's not just a document. It's a covenant between city and the legacy of service. It solemnly reaffirms Northport as a Purple
Heart city. It officially designates our van as Northport's Purple Heart Legacy Memorial, an official stop on the National Purple Heart Trail. And most importantly, it commits to action, to signs that welcome visitors to our Purple Heart City, to educational
programs for our children, and to annual days of community remembrance. This is how a community lives its values. On a personal note, Kevin and I began this project out of a simple, simple, profound feeling, gratitude.
It was never political. It was always human. In a world that often feels divided, the stories in this band have a unique power. They speak a language everyone understands. The language of courage,
loss, love, and resilience. They don't see party lines. They see patriots. They don't see divisions. They see shared heritage. By embracing this memorial, Northport is choosing to rally around what unites us. You are choosing to
build your community identity on a solid rock of service and sacrifice. That is the source of pride that no controversy can diminish. So on behalf of Kevin, myself, and every veteran and family whose story travels
with this van, we thank you. Thank you not just for honoring a project, but for adopting a mission. You have given the van of valor a home, and in return, it offers Northport a heart. a heart full of stories, of memory, and of a pride
that can truly bring us all together. We are deeply honored to be part of your community. Thank you. Yes. >> Two. >> Thank you. >> We're not done yet.
>> So, you both might want to stay up. This is a certificate of recognition, is hereby presented to Kevin and Lauren Wallace. Over 280 days, Dr. Kevin P. Wallace, a combat wounded veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star with valor and purple
heart, and Lauren W. Wallace, a historian and anthropologist, have undertaken a national privilege pilgrimage in their van of van of valor. They traveled 48 states to conduct 312
interviews with Purple Heart recipients and gold star families, capturing firsthand accounts of service and sacrifice. The sacred mission to honor American heroes and memorialize over 400 fallen service members embodies the
highest ideals of citizenship, compassion, and patriotic duty. Their work represents a vital contribution to our nation's historical record, ensuring that the personal legacies of our heroes
are preserved for future generations. More than a journey, it is a profound act of grassroots scholarship and dedication that honors our military heritage with both depth and dignity.
The National Pilgrimage will reach its meaningful conclusion on December 18th, 2025, when Navana Valor is officially retired in Northport. By choosing our city as its permanent home, Mr. and Mrs.
Wallace have not only entrusted us with this invaluable archive but has al also symbolically connected Northport to a nationwide network of remembrance and value. So I present this to you and
thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now we need another question. >> Thank you. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you very much. Miss Sturgis, you're up. >> That's why we put you at the end of the votes.
>> We knew you could do it. >> All right. Well, many of you have seen me here before. Um, and the parks and recreation department is proud to recognize once again we have another certified parks and recreation professional. >> As I've explained before, this is a very
um tough test to write, tough test to to be eligible to even write. And to qualify, candidates must meet a lot of specific requirements. Um, this EVA exam evaluates knowledge across key areas including park operations, grounds, facility management, safety, risk
factors, management, leadership styles, planning, and public service. Uh, this achievement reflects a huge dedication from our assistant parks and grounds manager, Tom Brown. Come on down. Thank you. >> Tom's accomplishment aligns with the
city's commitment to staff development, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability in parks and recreation. We congratulate Tom on the significant professional milestone and thank him for his continued service and dedication to the residents of Northport. >> Thank you.
Three, two, one. That's all we got. could be. >> Yeah, we sort of went out of turn. That's all right. Uh, assistant city clerk, we got any uh more public comment? Go public comment. >> All right. Thank you. It's 4:34 and I
adjourn this meeting. Have a great evening everyone.