All right. Good evening. Start February 17th meeting. We'll have the invocation by Mr. Hart pledge of allegiance by Mr. Kennedy and roll call. Please stand. >> Dear heavenly father, we thank you
through your abundant grace and mercy. You've allowed us to come together to conduct this city's business. And father, we pray that you help us to come in with the spirit of unity. Even though we may disagree, let us not disrespect or disengage from one another. but continue to work together as brothers and sisters. We thank you for blessing us with this beautiful part of your
creation that we call Oko. And we pray a special prayer over all our first responders. Watch over them as they watch over us. Carefully give you the praise, the honor, and the glory you do. In your son Jesus name we pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> I aliance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Commissioner Kennedy >> here. >> Commissioner Wilson >> here. >> Mayor Johnson >> here.
>> Commissioner Fner >> here. >> Commissioner Oliver >> here. >> All right. We have a presentation and proclamation. It's monastery education week proclamation 2026 and
Miss Clay is here. So as soon as I read it off then you can come up and we'll do a picture when you get the uh >> proclamation. >> Okay. All righty. Proclamation. Whereas monosur education developed by Dr. Marie
Monasuri is a child- centered approach that promotes independence, curiosity, respect, and a lifelong love of learning. And whereas Monasuri education emphasizes hands-on experimental learning and supports the development of critical thinking, collaboration,
creativity, and responsible citizenship. And whereas innovation monasteries Okcoy provides high quality public monastery education to families in the city of Ocoy fostering an inclusive learning environment that honors the unique
strengths and potential of every child. And whereas innovation monastery Okcoy contributes to the vitality of the Okcoy community by partnering with families and educators to support academic excellence, character development and civic
engagement. And whereas Monasuri Education Week observed February 22nd through February 28th recognizes the lasting impact of Monasuri education and celebrates the educators, students, and families who support this educational
philosophy. Now therefore, be it resolved that the city commission of the city of Okcoy does hereby declare the week of February 22nd, 28, 2026 as Monatory Education Week. In witness thereof, I have here to set my hand and
cause the seal of the city of Ocoy, Florida to be affixed to the 17th day of February, 2026. Rusty Johnson. Mayor, would you like to come up front and we'll >> You guys want to stand up to the back and we'll >> Yeah. Here you go. Wait,
Tim is coming back up. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. Make sure it's on. >> Good evening. Um, I just want to express our gratitude to the city of Okcoy who have been such strong partners with us since 2017 when our school moved from
Winter Garden to the city of Okcoy and we are very very proud to represent um, Montasauri in the city of Okcoy. Our school is the largest public or amongst the largest public Montasuri schools in the entire country. Um and proud residents of Okcoy. Thank you so much
mayor and commission. >> Thank you. >> All right. Oakcoy Middle School renovation project update. >> Fantastic. >> I don't have your names here, so just come up and give us your names. >> We can do that. Hello. Uh, thank you for having us,
commissioners, and thank you to everyone from the city of Okoic. Uh, my name is Andy Orrell. I'm communications for facilities. With us today, we also have Tamara Pelk, who is a senior administration administrator for real estate and planning, Tom Wayne from Huntton Brady Architects, and Freddy
Torres from Wilms Construction. >> Raise that mic up towards you. >> Yeah, probably would be helpful. I apologize for that. >> Thank you. Uh so uh I think we're just going to go ahead and walk through the presentation that we recently did for the community uh back in the middle of January.
This is about the Koi Middle School comprehensive renovation. All right. Thank you again. Tom Wan, project manager with Hunt Brady Architects. Uh we've been working with OCPS for quite a while now on the design of AOE Middle School. Um and we are here
today to provide an update on both the design and the construction. Um so the first question might be what is a comprehensive renovation? So the district every 20 to 25 years looks at a project for not only cosmetic improvements but comprehensive renovations. So that includes compliance
with design standards uh program elements that might be missing or excessive in a school. um upgrading facilities, systems, and finishes that are at the end of their life, as well as deficiencies and life safety and accessibility issues. There we go. Um all right, so the
school's located just to the south of us, um right along South Blueford Avenue and between Lafayette and East Delaware Street. Uh it's about 180,000 square ft of building area, about 20 acre site. Um there are about 1483 student stations in
the school. Um parking, there's 156 spaces and uh there's a queuing for parent pickup and drop off that uh currently has 51 and we're proposing improving that so it could fit 84 spaces. >> Some of the improvements on the site uh include the following. One of the major
improvements is the introduction of a regulation 400 meter track and field which is on the uh the east side of the site. Um and this is a district uh standard that's across all their middle schools. This school did not really have a regulation track so this would be
introducing that new basketball courts and tennis courts. Uh new courtyard design between all the buildings. Um improved site drainage at the fields. Uh uh markings of the parking lot. Building lighting and new covered walkways. Uh this is an image that shows the
courtyard that's between all the buildings right now. It's a pretty harsh environment. A lot of hardscape, not much shading. Uh so we're looking to improve that with some uh shade trees, uh outdoor dining spaces for the cafeteria, and this is a nice secure environment between all the buildings.
This is just a plan illustrating what the uses are of each of the buildings on campus. All right. on the envelope of the building. Uh it's actually in pretty good shape. Um but we are looking at improvements of adding some additional doors at two of the classroom buildings because there is some congestion of
student traffic that occurs. So be uh uh fixing that. Uh a new entry to the administration. So the black and white image on the top, that's what you see when you first arrive on the site. So we're looking at adding a new entry that actually faces where you enter um off of Delaware Street. Uh we'll also be
replacing some of the roofing gutters, downspouts, repainting all the sealants. Um that's at the end of its life. We'll be repainting uh the buildings in a new color scheme that are uh district standard uh colors,
building 200, building 400, which is the cafeteria media center. Uh we're also doing a tremendous amount of work on the interior of the building. So new finishes and ceilings throughout. We'll be replacing a lot of these mobile
um uh sorry mobile walls that are between classrooms with actually hard walls to improve the acoustics uh between the classrooms. There'll be new technology, new plumbing fixtures, signage, furnishings as well. Uh this is an image that'll show the new
reception area when you first arrive um uh to the campus and check in at the reception area. Uh we'll also be remodeling the uh ESSE spaces, classrooms um as well as uh relocating the art uh from building uh 200 to 100 with a new art
patio. Uh the old art building, which is this building here, will actually be repurposed as an agriculture lab. It has a a nice outdoor area that's enclosed with walls that could be used for for gardening projects for the school. Uh in the classroom areas, um on the
inside, there are these uh what were intended as collaborative areas between the classrooms, but there really haven't been functional uh that way. So, we're looking at improving that completely, opening up a little bit further so classes can come together and have a collaborative uh learning space.
in building me 400, which is media, dining, and music. Um, we'll be updating um updating all the finishes. As we said before, we're going to be completely gutting the kitchen and doing doing a whole new kitchen with serving lines. Um, the music suite as well. U, this school actually doesn't have a vocal
room, so we're actually doing an addition on this building to add a new vocal room, uh, as well as the other accessory spaces that go along with that. Uh the gymnasium also was found to be missing some program elements and had some excessive program elements. So
we're repurposing some of those spaces to conform with the district requirements for middle schools and building systems. So it's getting all new mechanical systems throughout the entire campus, plumbing systems, fire alarm technology, lighting, emergency generator, lightning
protection, uh security systems as well as well as new kitchen equipment. Uh the district requires that any major renovation or new construction project meet sustainability goals. So this project is looking um at the uh green globes uh certification program and is
designed to achieve two green globes. Uh some of the things that contribute to that include high efficiency mechanical equipment, a light colored roof for reflectance of the solar energy uh energy star equipment and water saving fixtures. and I turn over to Freddy Torres to talk
about uh schedule. >> All right. Good evening. Just uh my name's Freddy Torres. I'm a senior project manager for Williams company and I'll be the on-site project manager for this uh construction project. Um I'll start with just some of the stats uh for the project and then move into the
schedule. Uh so I guess starting the construction budget currently is around 62.5 million. And just to reiterate a couple of the stats that uh Tom already mentioned, student stations, it's a little over 1,200. Uh the the project size is a little over 179,000 square ft
and it's sitting on 20 acres. And right now the scheduled completion or substantial completion for the project is in the spring of 2028. So I'm going to start with uh kind of just an overall view and progressively get into more detail on what the schedule is. This first one here is an
overall view of the project. Uh looking to get uh portables installed here starting as soon as this month. The portals the portables themselves actually won't start rolling in until the beginning of March, but we're looking to get the site prepped um here within the next uh couple weeks. Once
those portables are completed at the beginning of summer, we can start the main construction. And as I mentioned, the the goal or the schedule right now is to show us completing in the spring of 2028 with a final completion in the summer of 2028. Oh, I think we skipped a couple. All
right. Uh there was another schedule slide in there, but this one really goes into the the graphic representation of how we're going to be building the project. So, as soon as those portables are completed in phase one, we can then start the main construction, which would be phase two, which we jump into
building one. Uh currently that's building three but it's the administration building. Um we have coordinated with the school right now to make sure that we keep that uh kind of sallyport entrance the main reception open for the first start of construction so that we kind of don't affect a lot of
the student pickup and drop off while we start construction. But we would be renovating all of building one uh first starting this summer uh going through the end of the year and then jumping into building uh three which is the other classroom building which uh the
big part of that is prioritizing the classroom building so that we can quickly uh by the next uh spring of 2027 start removing those portables and get into the construction of the athletic fields and the renovation of the parking areas as well. Uh the final phases would
be buildings four and five and uh starting in 2027 uh looking to complete in 2028 as I mentioned with the kitchen primarily that work going on over the summer of 2027 and then the uh gymnasium work as well as the new administration
or the new uh additions to building 4 happening uh over the uh summer of 2027 through the spring of 2028. Uh we'd also be taking advantage as much as possible of those summers. So as you can see here shaded in blue, we'd be pushing to get the bus loop completed over that first
summer so that we could uh minimize our impact to the the bus routes. Um and I think that's it for that slide. Here you'll just see where the portables are intended to go. Um so they are all
on the east side. Uh there's 26 portables in total. It would be one of the few times that we are uh impacting Lakeshore Drive. It is our push to make sure we're impacting that uh that Lakeshore Drive as minimal as possible. So, roughly for a few weeks in March, we
would be delivering uh the portables, installing them. Um and then really would not be affecting that Lakeshore Drive until the following uh spring and summer uh while we then install the tracks. Uh there's a there is a retaining wall that goes into the track
area as well, but uh that is right now the push to uh have as much minimal as impact as possible on the east side of the project. And lastly here I'm showing the uh the staging area. Uh right now we're scheduled to install our construction
trailer, our parking, our construction layown all in the south side of the school over by the bus loop. this way minimizing the impact to any uh parent and school uh student pickup or drop off. Um with that also just minimizing
or impact in general to the school. You know uh there'd be a worked on many renovation projects and active campus projects. So there's a lot of things we put in place as far as fencing double barriers that may separate all of the workers from the student and
administration. Uh, additionally, every worker on our project goes through a safety orientation understanding what's going on in the project as well as uh a moment where we can ensure that everybody is uh JA badged as required uh on the project
and believe is the last slide. So if we have any questions or time for >> Is there anything that we can answer for you or any questions? >> I'm I've got some citizens. cuz I'm going to let them come up. >> Okay.
>> So, we'll let them also be at the mic also. So, >> then then you can answer when they get through. We'll let you have see if you got the answers. >> Excellent. >> All right. We'll start off with um Justin Johnson. Scared of cat.
>> Gathy, you for how y'all doing? >> I watched the zoo. I was part of the zoom meeting the other night. >> Oh, fantastic. Um, I really am impressed with everything you're doing for the students. >> Tell Jared, >> I'm sorry, Kathy SS. >> Yeah, >> thank you, mayor and commissioners. Um,
I watched the Zoom meeting. Um, I'm impressed with what you're doing for the students and the faculty. I think it's absolutely wonderful. My question is during this whole presentation, the comment was made that rigorous review is made by St. John's River Water
Management. >> That's all that was said. What does St. John's River Modern Water Management tell you that you need to do to remediate these these storm water issues we have on Lakeshore Drive? >> Great question and thank you for bringing it up. Uh part of the research
that uh we do when we start these projects is to uh take our plants to places like the St. John River uh management district as well as the Wakiva Recharge Zone and we let them review what it is that we're doing and then they cut back to us and say, "Okay,
you are doing what we need you to do to make sure that this is going to be functional for not only your property but for all of the surrounding properties. Uh but they also tell us if we need to do anything to improve by what we're doing. Fortunately with what we've presented to them, they are both entities have been impressed and happy
with what it is that we are proposing to do because uh according to them the soundness of the design was vetted and approved. Uh the proposed storm water retention design has been assessed and shown to have no deletarious impact impact on septic systems on neighboring
properties regardless of their septic systems are considered non-compliant to FD regulations and the improvements now planned greatly help the drainage conditions to the surrounding properties by further capturing attenuation storm water runoff to below the conditions
existing before the school existed and more so than the current system in place. So, >> which means what? >> Which means that we are going to improve the situation from what it is now. >> Elaborate on that if you would please. I've lived there since 1985.
>> You got Hello. >> Speaking in the mic here. >> I've lived in this property since 1985. >> Miss Robertson, Mr. Jansen there not quite as long. You've been there for what? Five years now? Four years. Okay. We have had our foundation eroded
because of so much standing water from runoff from the school. Patty's property has been flooded. Her foundation was eroded because of so much water coming off of the school property. During this whole process, St. John's require whatever. Nobody came down and asked anybody, "Do you have any issues down
here?" The current dry pond overflows. South Lake Shore Drive during a storm event looks like a river. After a storm event, we have standing water in our road that has effluent coming from all the septic tanks or drain fields, not
septic tanks, but the drain fields. And it sits there for weeks. So that's my question. You're saying that you're doing this and you're doing that, but nobody has asked what's going on. Are you having any issues? What can we do? Years ago, St. John's or excuse
me, the school board back when we had a previous engineer put a Yeah. French drain on the back of the property. Never maintained it. I bet you couldn't find those inlets now if you tried. That was just a band-aid effect to appease us because we were having
issues. But it's never been maintained. And like I said, I don't think you could find and it's now if you tried. So being somebody that has gone through the expense of replacing flooring in my home three times because of the water coming off of that property, okay, these other neighbors experiencing the same issues.
I have a big concern. How much added impervious area are you adding to this project? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I could I could address a couple of those points. Um I'm not a civil engineer, but we do have civil engineering on our team. Um AFCON is our
civil engineer that work through all of the drainage design for the property. Um and also has uh responded to a lot of these comments that have already been brought up um that uh that Andy just spoke to. So, as I understand when the
uh water management district is reviewing, they are looking at the middle school site, um you mentioned that there may be issues on Lakeshore Drive. If there's issues on Lakeshore Drive, that is likely outside of the scope of the permit for the water management district for this site. Now,
with that said, we understand that there's been existing um drainage from the property onto neighboring properties. the design that's in place and that's been submitted and approved by the water management district uh helps to resolve that. So we are
introducing new ponds where the athletic uh track is uh there's new drainage pipe and there's new retaining walls so that the water that is accumulating on the school property is not going off onto adjacent property. being captured by the storm design system, the ponds that are
on site and it is perking into the ground on site, not going onto neighboring properties. Um, the civil engineer also further an um did an analysis of the septic tanks which we understand um may not have been uh
either uh uh uh permitted or approved originally when everything was first constructed. But they did do analysis of that and look to make sure that the storm water that was collecting our ponds would not impact
the septic tanks and cause the issues that you say have been having. >> Have you been down Lake Shore Drive? >> I have. Yes. >> Do you see how high that property is back behind those houses on South Lake Shore Drive? Yes, sir. >> Correct. >> So the pond's collected and I agree with that.
>> The water goes down. It comes out to the lowest point. Where do you think that is? the properties along South Lake Lakeshore Drive. >> So, right now there's a big hill from the from the middle school site and it bms down like this. >> So, what's changing? Instead of a hill, there's going to be a wall. So, the water that's falling on there is being
captured on site, not rolling down onto the adjacent population. >> Sinks down and comes out. Sir, >> it collects in the ponds on the other side of the wall and is piped to the storm system that will is designed to outfall into Stark Lake once it uh reaches capacity >> which the city is now spending tons of
money to bring Stark Lake back to its original condition and now you're saying you got to add more runoff to it. >> And next question is the traffic was trash. How much traffic is going to be allowed down say South Lake Lakeshore Drive? I've been told none unless it's emergency vehicles. My next question is
that's great, but if that is not the case and we end up with traffic, who do we call and complain to to get it to stop? >> Well, breaking things here. And first off, thank you so much for all of your questions. I know that we've been >> speaking. I apologize. I can't hear you.
>> Thank you so much for uh coming to us with these issues. who have been really been a lot of fun communicating with you and your neighbors throughout this process trying to keep you informed as to what's been going on with this. As far as traffic down that road, uh I'm not sure what else to tell you other
than the fact that we I am personally guarantee you that other than during the building of this project and in cases of emergency, that road is that gate is not going to be opened up to any sort of traffic >> after construction's completed. After construction is completed, it's going to
be kept shut unless there is an emergency where we have to have emergency vehicles enter the campus. >> Your phone number and address before >> Sure, please. >> I am actually I've been emailing with you and with um
>> Hey, thank you. Yes. >> So, this is my phone number, this is my email, my QR code. >> All right. Please feel free to reach out to me with anything that you need because we are honestly want to be the best possible neighbors that we can be. And we appreciate you coming out and helping us be that. >> And you talked about septic tanks not
being FDA approved. >> Got to talk into the mic. >> Drainage into the roads doesn't come from the septic tanks. It comes from the drain fields. So it doesn't really make any difference what type of a septic tank you have. It's the drain field that percolates out to the street. And the standing water does affect our drain
fields. Our yards get saturated with it. Um, >> yeah, just that the the storm water design and the improvements are an improvement for what there is from what there is today. >> We'll see. >> Thank you. >> Yep. No problem. Do you want to take this with you? >> Let me ask you real quick before I bring
the next guy. What about if you put the uh you uh cover the bottom of the retention pond like we have to do with some of our ponds on the lake or the sewer going to them. that way it helps stop that water from going down underneath.
>> Uh we could certainly review that with civil engineer to see if that could be currently in the design or not. I don't have the answer for that, but we could certainly look into that. >> There's a number of things we need to do. I here you are. I'm going to say this anyway. You're spending $62.5 million when we should be getting a new
school, middle school up on the north side of town where they have the land, which y'all not doing, but that's another story. But instead, you're taking every inch of that property and making it something where it does have water and problems on it. So, there is a way to put that pond and we need to work
with that with our staff and your staff and somebody to make sure we do put a liner in that pond >> because it will it will seep. I don't know if our the our drainage guys back there in the back, but it will seep underneath. Not trying to get you guys
in it, but I'm just So that's one of the things we can look at and maybe you guys can look at because you're not going to have to spend 160 70 million to build a new building. So maybe that's part of some of the fix that helps these >> these families out. >> Definitely. We'll bring that up with the rest of the team and we appreciate
working with you and your partnership. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Uh Justin Jansen, >> how's it go? >> Hey, thank you. live at 207 South Lake Shore Drive. You had our my house up there a couple times. Are you all increasing the retention area for the
ponds? >> Yes. >> Okay. Just want to make it known, bring it up that we've all had issues down there, so won't take any more time. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Patricia Robinson. Hey, how's it going?
>> Hi. Good. Um, I'm Patricia Robertson. I live at 220 South Lake Shore Drive. My parents built the house in 1976 when we had Orange Grove across the street from us. Um, we purchased the house from them in 97, I believe. Uh, we
did not have a water issue until the middle school was rebuilt. And so the water issue that we are experiencing started with Orange County Public School. That's why we are very lery that this issue is going to be resolved. Uh
we are all concerned that it's going to get worse. Um I if it does, I don't know what we're going to do. We've spent thousands and thousands of dollars new drain fields, trying new uh French drains, trying to
waterproof our house. I can't even tell you how many floors we've replaced over the years because of the we're downhill and I'm way downhill because I live on the lake. So the retention pond that was there and built there whenever the middle school was rebuilt did nothing
except overflow and come down into our yards and our houses. So the that's the main uh number two the traffic we that road cannot support dump trucks cannot support multiple vehicles.
We hardly our neighborhood we have to stop and let one go after the other because it is an old narrow road. One thing that wasn't mentioned that I want to bring up is privacy because the people living across the street, they're already downhill and now you're
going to have events in their backyard. I mean, obviously it's the school's backyard or the school's property, but it's in their backyard. How what's going to protect them um from the lack of privacy and the
noise having the events from the the new track? Sure. Oh, please. Fantastic. Thank you for bringing that stuff up. Uh the first issue we definitely feel for the neighbors and for this neighborhood, which is one of the reasons that we
wanted to do this project. A, of course, we had to do it because the school needed to be improved because it is over uh 25 years old at this point. But B, we really wanted to make sure that some of the issues that this community has been having with the property are alleviated, especially with the water drainage and
the water runoff. uh and everything that we've done as far as reaching out to uh all of our engineers and everything that with design we honestly I'm and I realize that you have reason to feel le and you have reason to feel the way that you feel but I'm telling you as a fellow
homeowner and someone who has lived in his home for a long time we feel for you and we want to make sure that we uh alleviate as much of the problems as you've been having and we really feel that this is going to be part of the solution to do that. >> I think if the word is feel, >> yeah,
>> it's not very >> um confident. >> Okay. I am confident >> that we will alleviate a lot of these problems. >> Can't get through that. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
>> When you get there, >> also the roads and the privacy. I I'm really concerned about him being in their backyard, being in a neighbor having >> You got time coming in a few minutes. Excuse me. >> Just
what? >> Excuse me. A timeout. Come up here. Come up some more here. >> Can he still just comment? Okay. Powerful teach not on this unless you want me to. >> No, I know that, but I'm asking you. I
didn't This is not open for that. It's open for them right now. You didn't fill out a form for that. >> I will. >> All right. You got three minutes. We got one more. Fill out the form. >> Yes, sir. >> Do you want to respond on the privacy? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Just speaking about the privacy
concerns. So, um, just, you know, the elevation of the field, the height of the field that's out there today, and with the improvements of adding the track, it's relatively the same height. So, the students that are out there on the field today will that can see into the neighboring properties, it'll be essentially the same after the track is
built. There's no difference. >> The field doesn't really get used. >> U, students have access to to that whole area. Um, they may not go back there very often. Uh when the track is built, the there's a small seating area that's
kind of in the middle of the track. It's also far away from the Lakeshore Drive area. So there should not be any reason for parents or students to go to the opposite side of the track. It would be the same as if they were to do it today. So there's no difference in visibility between today and what's when it's
constructed. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and my apologies. My name's Dr. Jim Moyer. I'm the elected Orange and Water Conservation District two supervisor. I'm an elected volunteer. My job basically is to a
volunteer job is to implement land and water resource protection practices. I'm retired. I spent all my time researching this. The experts are saying, and you're talking about doing this once every 20,
25 years, the experts are saying that the extreme weather conditions coming in the next 25 years are have only occurred four times in,200 years. So my question is are you planning for now what you
think is now or you planning for 20 or 25 years in the future? I can name some retention ponds right here in Akoi that were built that are currently inadequate. And that's my fear for the residents here that these retention
ponds once they're built, no matter how good faith you're you're attempting to do, are going to be inadequate in a short period of time. Thank you for your time and God bless you. >> No, please. Thank you. >> All right, that's it for the public
comments. I'm going to bring it back up to the DAS >> commissioners. >> I have something. I'll be happy to go first. Um, I know there's a drainage issue. First of all, I'm going to tell you that I did listen to that Zoom meeting. It was very disappointing to me because I probably
saw less than 10 people on that Zoom meeting and um, I put it out in my newsletter for folks to watch. Um, I'm a proponent of people meeting with people. Zoom isn't always that receptive. I'm sorry. I had trouble getting on. I had
to get someone else in the house to get me on. I'm not saying that other people had the same problem, but I'm a proponent we go out and we meet the neighbors. We meet the residents. We meet the people who are having problems. These are three people, but they're not all of them. I know there was someone on the Zoom meeting who asked a question and that person does not live on lives a
little further down. So, I don't understand why all of a sudden this seemed like a big secret. It came out in a p a letter to us that we're going a card that we're going to have this meeting. And I'm disappointed because I feel the school board as us should be more receptive to our residents who live
around us. Find out what's going on and you're putting all of basically our tax dollars into this and you're not asking. Right now we're finding out about the drainage. I've known about the drainage for years. I've known I've been to Kathy's house. I know the problems she's had. Um I know other residents down
there who've had those problems. This is where when you meet people face to face and not on a Zoom meeting that you learn these things. And this has been going on for a long time. Um, the school is very important to all of us, but when it affects someone's home or the septic
systems that they have, that hits home. We don't, none of us want that crap, excuse me, in our backyard or in the roadway that we have to drive our cars through and have our children or family walk through. I know that Kathy goes out and walks. Other people go out and the
neighbors go out and walk. They shouldn't have to deal with this. And it's because is it because of the school system? Why didn't you not approach the residents? I could get most of the residents down there together for you at a meeting, but it's never been approached to us. And that disappoints
me personally because I believe in doing that. Um I don't know if I really want to say that you're have you actually seen the drainage issues. Have you seen any of this issues that they have been through? If this has been planned for a couple years now, have you seen the issues?
Have you gone door to door to these folks and said, "What are your problems? Show me. You tell us you're going to put a retention pond in. You tell us all these things you're going to do. Once you do them, you're out of there and they're going to deal with the problems." So, I'm I guess I'm
I'm angry because I felt that wasn't enough when that that meeting and that did not appease or make these are my residents. I'm This is my district. It's all of our residents, but it's I represent that district and these are folks that are going to call me and
complain or have concerns. I don't like the word complaint. They have concerns regarding this and you'll be gone. That's that's an issue I have because they're going to deal with that. And I've I think Kathy, your pool was you had issues with your pool because of
this. I'm not saying other neighbors haven't, but um so I mean these are things they're living with that you're going to be gone and they're still going to be living with. And I want to hope that you have appeased them and made this rectified this issue. And again, yes, we have spent a lot. We're spending
a lot of money on the lake. And that's a concern to me is what's going to happen. I mean, we have Unity Park that's supposed to be filtering the water coming into the lake. >> So, I mean, these are things that are concerned to me. >> Sure. No, definitely. We understand your
concern. Uh, we've had three meetings previous to the one that you attended. uh we had a 30% a 60% 100% we will have one meeting once construction uh starts off just so we can keep the community involved. Uh we usually try and do a mix
of uh online as well as live. Uh definitely for the next meeting it will be an inerson meeting uh which we would love to have you and members of the commission uh come out to be a part of. Uh we'll definitely make sure that we keep you informed about when that is happening so you can be a part of it. And we appreciate you sending the
information out to the people in your uh area because anytime we can get the word out to as many people as possible. We want to get as much of the community involved as we possibly can. Uh as far as us not being there, we're going to be there for at least another 25 years. So, if there are any concerns by either you
or by this community, we are definitely there to make sure that we are able to take care of them and make sure that we're the best neighbors that we can possibly be. >> I hope so. I have I I have had a child go to the Akoi Middle School when it first opened. It was I I can't think of
the name what they called it when it was be open for a larger amount of students than what they actually were having occupy the building. And it was a it's a beautiful building. >> It is. We're very fortunate to have the school right here, but they're the
concerns that I've stated and um I'm disappointed there hasn't been, should I say, meetings with these folks when this started. Let's get community involved. I find as a commissioner when I get my folks involved and they're educated, they join in with you. But the only
problem is when you don't have them join in, they become adversaries. >> Oh, this is definitely a great community and there's a lot of energy here. So, we're definitely been happy to work together with the neighbors and conversations. I've actually uh had back and forth with several of the members here about their concerns and we've been
trying to work with them to come up with the best possible solutions that we can. But thank you. >> Hey, please. >> I usually I'm pretty good at solutions. I like to fix things
and this is broken and I don't have any idea what the solution is. So I'll just make a couple observations and uh maybe we I don't know what we can do. Um in my day job I'm a CPA. I'm a certified
construction industry financial professional. So I understand construction and I understand finance and numbers. And what I'm struck by, um, I spent some time on P&Z. You know, you're sovereign.
You don't go through any standard processes that any other project in this city that affects our residents goes through. You haven't gone, you haven't had the formal meetings with
our citizens, P&Z, open to the public. you haven't had a site plan review that comes to us. And typically what happens and u I know the construction and the architect the PM know this. You come to those meetings and you bring your
engineer. Sometimes it's a lawyer. Um but it's never like this. Never. No matter what, if they're building a gas station or an apartment complex or a retail store, the
conversation is never like this. Um, you have been questioned with some very specific questions that have very quantifiable answers. Should have quantifiable
answers. Runoff rate, flood rates, water flow rate, etc. We we see every project come this way and your answers are all qualitative. Well, what is the engineering on the
watershed? Well, it was rigorous. That doesn't mean anything as Mrs. SS pointed out. And I don't know what we can do to get in your way, but I'm for whatever it is to be honest
because this just doesn't meet a public standard of accountability and I I believe your spokesperson PR office, >> correct? Yes. >> To look at someone and say, "We feel for you."
I'm sorry that struck me as inappropriate. There's quantifiable tangible answers that should be given by qualified experts to us and to the residents. And it seems like that hasn't happened. The
discussions, the Zoom meetings, clearly they weren't good enough. And clearly the people that live in the city around the school don't have the information that they should have. I don't know what you can do to do that. If you can release an engineering
report, if somehow there needs to be involvement with our group, I don't know. I have no idea what the solution is. But I want you to hear this is really, really, really bad. And your answers with
respect are really, really, really bad. And that's my comment. >> I appreciate your words, Commissioner Kennedy. Uh just to follow up on what you mentioned, we have had the engineers at our, like I said, three previous community meetings, fourth that we just
had. So, we've had them there to be able to answer these questions. Uh I was told that we were just doing an update on the project, so I did not bring our engineer, and I apologize for that. >> Fair enough. Thank you for the answer. I appreciate that. I respect that.
Commissioner Fen, >> uh, your project in general looks very nice. It's it's, uh, it's going to enhance the cosmetics of the school. Unfortunately, uh, OCPS has, uh,
dedicated what, $62 million to this project, somewhere in that neighborhood, and it isn't doing a thing to increase the educational value to our students. If OCPS really wants to address the
educational problems that we're all facing, they might want to look at filling the vacancies of the teachers that we're experiencing nationwide, but particularly here in Central Florida,
they can't get teachers and they're substituting people that are not qualified to be teachers. And this is a disservice to our children. We also need to increase the capacity of our schools. We're overflowing. People are are grasping at straws trying to
find other places such as charter schools, private schools, or whatever to put their children in. Uh, education in this country has gone down the drain. Sorry. And I know that you have nothing to do with that, but that's just my two
cents that I wanted to add. and good luck with your project. You're facing a lot of uh problems that you have to overcome. >> I appreciate that. Thank you, >> Commissioner. I actually wasn't going to make any comments at all about this particular
project. Um but but I feel I am compelled to make a few comments about this. Uh the comments that I have is mostly just for the record. um the day you had the um the meeting, the Zoom meeting, I actually met with
the school board member that that that day and we talked about uh the school and we talked about some some other um issues we're having with overflowing and and the and the lack of another middle school in our city. This project is
going to cost $62.5 million. It cost between $55 million and $100 million to build a new K8 or K K through8 which which is what we desperately need. So you're taking this money this 65 62.5 million to spend on
renovations which is needed based on uh some type of algorithm that was created say okay when it hits 25 years then we have to come back and do the new standards. I get that and I understand that and I understand those things have to be be done because of compliance issues. I do. But when we look at it in
its totality, we have uh over 55,000 residents in our in our city. We have kids, we have uh three elementary schools, we have one high school, one middle school, and um I know that the numbers the school board used the
numbers of the charter schools to try to balance out the numbers of our public schools to try to keep them below a standard so it doesn't trigger a new school. You've owned land up to 20 20 uh acres or more on Ingram Road for years that's been plotted for a new school
that can cost between 55 and $100 million to build. So now why don't we just take that money, build a new school, go to to the old school over here, move those students from that school to this new school. It's been done before because before Okoy High School was was there. All we had was
West Orange High School and all those students that lived in Okoy and Wintergard went to West Orange High School and they were not overcrowded. But we still built Okcoy High School and we separated those kids from OKOY and Winter Garden. Now I don't see the
problem with taking those kids from Okoy Middle School, move them to a brand new school, then work on the issue that we have to work on this school year. I'm not saying close it down. What I'm saying is work on the drainage, this the storm water drainage issues. Take away some of the impervious land that you're you're you're covering that that's
causing some of this problem and then do it right for the neighbors. Take half of those students and put them back into the school after we renovated it. Now, we've actually taken that money and put it to a a good purpose. So, that's just my that's just my comments. It was just for the record, but again, that may be a
simple solution. I may be crazy. I don't know. But I'm just saying that it just seems to make sense because it's been done in the past. >> No, I appreciate >> and that money could be used for a new school for us. >> No, that's a great point. Thank you, Commissioner. I will definitely pass that along to people much smarter than me.
>> I will I will say that as you're not the people that we we should be saying things, we say them to them, but we don't ever hear from them. But I will tell you that I was here years and years ago back when my son played baseball back on that back
field back there. Some of the problems then were the same thing, but nobody ever corrected them. That's that's been 40 well 50 50 something years ago, 45 years ago. That's never got straightened out. The problem we got is is just what they've said. The sovereignty doesn't
give us any, as they might say, hammer or to do anything with the county. And the major problem we got is who we have elected to to respond to us. Melissa Bird is our commissioner. Guess what? We ain't heard a word out of her. Never do
we hear anything out of her. So it it it upsets me that we sit here and these citizens bring this to us, we have to answer to them also. And it what we can't tell them the how we going to fix it because it all comes down to what
that school board that county school board over there does. We can't have any it's not going to listen to us. And that's the problem. And he's exactly right about the school. We have 400 maybe 500 kids on every morning sitting down here on the road trying to
go somewhere to get in. They got the gates locked to keep them out of the school until the exact time the school bell rings. Safety factors all over the place. You think we get any help out of them? No. They have the whole back place back there where they come into the offices. That could be where the kids
go. But instead, which is another issue altogether. But these kids are all running up and down the street going across the street going to the doughnut shop. Anywhere. Of course, the donut people like it. But you know, but we have they they care nothing about what
goes on with the children here, which I think is a it's just devastating to look at what they think, but they're sitting in that orange tower. I think it's still harder kind of amber looking down there and uh and that's where they they don't come
out here. They don't look at what we've got. You going to put portables out there and spend the money on that then take them out again and all that and do that? Just like I said, there's 15 acres sitting up on the anger road in a great place that would be for a school. Instead of spending 62.5 million where
we can get a track in the back and redo a few of the rooms that's supposed to be state-of-the-art school is what we were told. That school when they did that was supposed to be the state of the art. Well, I don't know what art they're talking about, but it's not the one I'm talking about for education. But I don't
I'm not blame I'm not trying to get on to you guys. I know you get sent out to do the you know and but I'm telling you somebody's got to wake up and I I personally think we need to send a letter down to school board and also send it won't do any good but the Melissa Bird should have been in our
city especially tonight when you're coming she should have been here too. So I think we need to let them know and you can tell her for us I won't be voting for them. That's what I I hear that all the time when I'm running for office. Well, if you ain't doing that I ain't voting for you. So, I got to say it.
>> Speaking for Commissioner Bird, I apologize. I did not, like I said, I thought we were just doing an update. I didn't realize that there was going to be the open conversation, so I didn't invite her. So, that's completely on me. I apologize. >> She ought to know it on herself, sir. I all of us up here, we have to keep up with our what's going on and where
they're at in our districts. I have the old city, but each one of us were supposed to be responsible for doing that. And I'm not holding you responsible for it. But we will definitely uh let everyone know that uh what you have said tonight and make sure that they uh understand what has been
said so that uh hopefully we can get some improvements and make everyone a little bit happier. >> I I just believe that they need to take a little more consciousness about what's going to happen up here on that school ground and especially these citizens that stay back there. >> Definitely. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> All right. All right, that staff report. >> Thank you, mayor. I have a couple of items. Um the first one is we'd like to um pull item number six, which is the
approval to award invitation to bid um for the AOY downtown septic sewer connection project. We just want to move it to the March 3rd meeting. we had a uh bid management system error and so we just simply want to move it to the next
u meeting. Um the second item I have is is kind of a an update follow through from um October when you authorized myself and commissioners Wilson and Mayor Johnson to go to Washington DC on
behalf of the coalition for the zip code change. Um we made substantial progress and we were paired with two other cities um who are also in Senate Bills 1455
which only includes municipalities that have been through multiple appeals and been denied unilaterally by the US Postal Service. So, they are recommending a a spring trip that would be March 16th and 17th,
two full days of lobbying. Um, one of the accomplishments we had during the previous trip was we moved it out of committee and Senator Paul is now actually championing the bill. Uh, whereas he was opposed to moving it forward previously and they want to um
try and hotline the bill. So, they're recommending that we come back um 16th and 17th. So, I would just be seeking authorization for you all to agree to to send the three of us again.
And um we would um respectfully request to pay out a contingency. There's currently 107,000 and change in contingency. So, I'm at the uh mercy of the commission. >> That a motion or a consent? >> If they're taking money out of the
budget, not probably will. >> It's under a contingency. >> It's in the budget. >> Huh? >> It's in the budget. >> It's in the budget contingency. The budget. >> I we what we do is take a motion. I think we did a motion last time. >> Mayor, um I I wanted to add one other
thing because we're we're preparing materials right now. And there's going to be um a little website survey that we're going to put together. This is going to be the first of several that we're going to do. But there are a significant number of Acoy residents who
are paying higher insurance premiums for home and auto because of the zip code issue. And um the more we hear from our citizens, the more power it is. Believe it or not, we spent a full day meeting with senator's
office after senator's office and the first thing out of their mouth is do you have specific examples from citizens which you know um with all the other crazy things that are going on both in Tallahassee and Washington, you know,
that that was a great thing to hear. Um, and you know, Senator Paul actually uh was was very empathetic and and a great listener uh when the coalition met with him about this issue and previously he
had been um one of the main holdups for getting it out of committee. So this would have a huge impact to AOY residents um because we are one of only a handful that have so many zip codes. Um and you know instead of the US Postal
Service expanding our zip code over the years they've just expanded everyone else into Akoi. So this this bill would resolve that and unify the AOI zip code. >> Thank you. Sorry, mayor.
>> All right. Let's just just do a motion. >> That's what I said. I told we need a motion. >> I'll make a motion. >> Motion ma made by Commissioner Kennedy. Do I hear a second? >> It's for taking the funds out of the
contingency. Do I hear a second? I second. >> Seconded by Commissioner. >> Absolutely. >> And Commissioner Fner made the second. Any more comments? I I will make one comment about that.
Senator Ran Paul, who I know if you don't know him, he's on he's on the TV a lot, but he didn't even know that he had more than one zip code in that area of that town he lived in, which was kind of strange, I thought,
but that's why he jumped on board. I will say after all these years of this, this is the first glimmer of hope I feel that we got when we were there in October because I'm not one that likes to go traveling like this. But I think it was such a positive situation that we
ran into that I again I had a glimmer of hope speaking to different our different legislative offices and I'm hoping that something can be resolved because this is going on for a long time. >> But it was very reassuring to have so many other cities with us.
>> All right, let's vote. I think we did. >> Did we vote, too? >> Yeah, we we voted. >> Okay. All right, Craig. Any more staff reports? >> No, sir. >> All right. Um, public comments. Dr. Moore
Moyer. I called you Moore. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And thank you for indulging me earlier. My apologies because my PowerPoint was prepared well before I >> Well, I was going to give you a couple more minutes on this.
>> Thank you. Uh, as always, this is my disclaimer. I'm Dr. Jim Warrior. I'm the Orange and Water Conservation District 2 Supervisor, and my comments are from my district and me alone. No one else.
Imagine for just a moment that you're on a big windy hill and on that hill you're walking and it's curvy
and all of a sudden you see flashing lights and you wonder what's going on. Then you see a triple wide mobile home that's going downhill taking up almost the whole entire street.
You know, if that hits you, uh, that's it. Even if it nicks you, your way of life is going to change. Even if you get totally out of the way, it's going to affect you. Well, I'm comparing that to the climate
change. according to the experts and my research. Okay? If you don't go along with my research and the experts, go along to the only person who ever has walked to both the South and the North Pole.
His name is Robert Swan. He says the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. Now, it's going to take all of us to save it. Not just one AOE, not just one
county, not just one state or nation, one world. Save the earth, you're saving life. Our soil is alive. It's living. It died during the dust bowl for example. It can
live and die. Let's keep it alive. The purpose of the orange soil and water and all the soil and water conservations were to assist, guide, educate, implement land and water resource protection practices. And that's why I'm
here. That's why I volunteer. That's our board when we meet. According to US EPA, climate change, or if you want to call it extreme weather conditions, is real and happening all around us. The climate
experts are convinced that Florida is ground zero. And by 2070, they're saying 20% of the agricultural land in in Florida, excuse me, will be gone forever.
Thank you for your time and God bless you all. >> Thank you Dr. Mortar. All right, we have one more public David Baronburgg. I know who you. My name's David Baronberg. Um I wrote
something really short on my phone real quick, so let me get through it real quick. I'm really horrible at public speaking, so wish me luck. Um, we all want to protect Florida's water, but the 2025 mandates have created a stark divide for those of us in the Marian Park area, which is Lake Shore to
Bluford. Um, under HB 1379, the city was required to release a 10-year feasibility plan for sewer expansion, a plan that currently leaves our neighborhood off the map because we aren't slated for sewer in the next decade. Hold on a second. We are personally responsible for meeting the new state nitrogen
standards. If a septic tank in Marian Park fails today, we are legally required to install a high-tech nitrogen reducing replacement that costs somewhere between 20 and $40,000. Since many of the homeowners and residents are over 65 and many are on a fixed income, this could seriously harm Marian Park owners. But here's the most frustrating
part. We are completely cut off from the state funding financial help that others are getting. The $10,000 septic upgrade incentive that is strictly limited to homes in the unincorporated Orange County that fall within the Wakiva focus area. Because Marian Park is within Okobee limits, that rebate is not delayed. is unavailable to us regardless
of what the city's 10 plan 10ear plan says. We are caught in a jurisdictional gap where the city's inaction on sewer means we face the highest possible repair costs while our location inside city limits disqualifies us from the county's primary rebate program. I'm asking the city to bridge this gap if
they won't build the sewer. They must work with the county and state to ensure Marian Park residents aren't forced to solve a public environmental crisis with zero access to the financial aid our neighbors just down the road may be receiving. Um, a lot of people don't realize that one inch of rain that falls
in one day equals 543,000 gallons for a 20acre lot. So, for instance, the school, which is just above me, will release a half a million gallons of water into Stark Lake. It also affects our drainage fields, which make them fill up faster and then leak into the
lake. So, once those systems start failing, we're responsible for replacing them. Well, we can't replace them because it's going to cost us too much money and then we can't afford our houses. What's going to happen when those houses are all a sudden left foreclosure because people can't afford to pay for them anymore? Right now, my taxes are $6,600
from my location. My insurance is over $6,000 for my location. Now, I've got to worry about possibly $40,000 more at sometime in the future to pay to replace or upgrade or repair my septic tank. It's unconscionable what's happening to us as a in an area. There's only 78
homes in the American Park area, but we're excluded from that whole process. Thank you. >> Thank you. I just want to make one comment that most of those taxes are not us. >> I know. I know. But it's just the cost overall. It's still going up every year. >> It It is overall. I know. I know what
you're talking about, but I'm just saying we've not raised those. I have a lot of people call me and say, "You've raised the tax." No, we didn't. >> The city was >> county once again. But yeah, Craig, you got comments you
want. Um, I am in the process of scheduling a meeting with Orange County um to talk about several issues that this loosely fits into because there are they receive project money from the
federal government and state that um other local governments benefit from. Yet, we're not in that recipient area. So, um I am in the process of scheduling a meeting. Um it takes a little while to get a meeting um to have that discussion
with them. Um and we have also uh received a grant to do our own resiliency um program here which opens the door for us to try to seek direct state funding. Um and uh we're very
excited about that. We opted into the county's resiliency program last time and we haven't gotten any resiliency money for anything um yet. So um there are a lot of things currently underway
to help try to resolve that um issue that you have. And and just to tag on what the mayor said, um 39 cents on the dollar goes to Orange County Public Schools. Um and then Orange County is levying 4.43
mills to all KOI citizens. And um you know our mil that's almost at our millage rate. We're at 4.95 and we haven't raised ours in 10 years. Um and a lot of people um don't realize that.
Um and we've we've kind of taken issue with the fact that the millillage that the county um collects in our city pays for our proportionate share of the constitutional offices and animal
control and mosquito control. And we are still trying to get that number because that's a pretty big number that they're collecting yet. We don't receive a lot of services. And then even with reclaimed water, for example, we were
given a money grab um last chance option by the county and the commission, you know, uh gracefully ate the cost of the increase that Orange County came up with. Um and we're having to spend millions of dollars designing a
reclaimed system to meet the new demand that they gave us. So, um, we do feel your pain and we are doing something about it right now. Um, it may not happen as quickly as you might like. Um, but we we applied for and received the
resiliency grant. The next step is to add some projects to it. So, within the next year or so, we could actually see some funding come in for for a project like this. So, I want to give you some very good hope because we're in control of it since we're going to we're going
to we're going out on our own and not falling under the county's resiliency program now. Um, and I'd be happy to connect you with some of our staff um after this so that you can stay on top of the efforts that we have ongoing right now. Um, so, um, I know we have,
you know, some our utilities director and assistant director here as well as public works. So, um, I'd be happy to have them meet with you outside. Um, >> okay. >> To give you some information about it. Great. >> We do want to help. appreciate you coming. um spread the word because um
we're going to have to have some very serious conversation about um property taxes in the very near future um due to what's currently happening in the legislature and um >> it's going to be um an interesting time
for us because um the legislature is looking at reducing property taxes um and that's going to actually um require a conversation about what
services citizens are most willing to pay for and and and so on and so forth. That's not really related to what you were saying, but I I'm going to go ahead and just tag on that for the benefit of the public that are here. Um but with respect to the the septic sewer or the
the sewer issue that you're having and um the drainage issues that exist over there, we can try to get some of that money. Um one of the things I will be discussing with my counterpart at the county that's on my agenda that I've already prepared was going to be um
trying to get some of the remaining um hurricane disaster relief money. They got a hu they get a huge chunk of it. >> So, all right. >> I hope that helps. >> I want to make a comment real quick.
Dave, bear >> Craig. Craig, what was it here? Back you last year, I think it was maybe year four. We papa got $13 million from the county commissioner for a pro project that they had already had there and they just remodeled spent 13 million. They
also just got what was it? 17 million for Okcoy Popka road that we don't get a dime. It's their road. >> Now Popka's got if you go to the north of where uh on Ooy, >> go above where our city limit sign is, you'll see more houses, more apartments,
and more business going in than we've got. But they they they are we tried to get them to give us Oko Aopka Road where when we start wanting to wind it, how much money they give us? What was it, Craig? for the they said they'd give us what >> they want us to take over the road um
including all responsibility for maintaining the rightway and drainage etc into perpetuity. and we asked them if they could because there's there's at least a million half to $2 million worth of drainage improvements that need to be
made now um that our staff has documented and we said well we'll take it over but you need to make those improvements and they said well we can give you what we have budgeted currently for that I was like how much is that
$16,000 >> now That doesn't entail every building that gets built out there that you see construction, commercial, anything you pay impact fees also go to the county for those projects. We don't get that
either. So that's just some of the problems we got here because what's even with what he was talking about the state doing this program where they're going to cut out some of the out of I know who's not going to vote for that citizen when it comes time. But what it does, it affects our budget
because we have to have the money to cover these items that have to be for you to sew for facilities, police departments, fire departments. Some somewhere the money has to come from. That means they don't care if you got to raise the taxes. They're turning right around and causing
I think it's making the citizens get caught in the middle because they're going to be the one voting not to have adore. Then they're going to turn around and make us raise somewhere. They got to add the money. But that's another story, too. But I agree with you. We need to work on that down on the lake to make
our part of the history. Get it fixed for the water on that road. We talk about it coming down Silverstar Road. We also come down those streets, too. >> Yeah. Lafayette's a real mess because of that. >> You got more information than you ever wanted. Did you? Um it's good for you to be informed. I just hope Craig it's okay
that um Miss Bowling and Mr. Hopper are in the back of the room if they connect after the meeting. Craig. >> Absolutely. >> One other quick thing. call the county commissioners. There again is the same thing as it was with the school board. They don't care about us. They don't care about what we do, how we do it, or
what they do for us till election time. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Mayor, I just want to make one quick comment. We we we we're talking about this the um resiliency plan that the county has. I've actually researched this myself. The money comes from t from
actually from DC and it comes as a as a conduit down through the through the state and it lands at the county. It stops at the county. The county is the one that actually they create the policies and how the how we actually look at who gets this help when it comes to a home being over 30 years old with
septic tank. And they they this new planet they've created it literally cuts Okoy out of it. It literally they cut it out like a like a cookie cutter. Cut us out of this thing. But again, you have an opportunity um because these policies are done at the county level and we have
uh county officials, elected officials that's there that should be fighting for us. These mentioned a money grab about a process, a plan we already have in place that we meet all the criteria, but they want us to come and and do these things. But you have an opportunity as citizens uh and it's coming real soon. Next six
months, you have an opportunity to put someone in place and you have a voice in a room, a seat at the table that's going to fight for these projects for the city of Okoy. So you you have those opportunities to think about those things when it comes time to to vote for who you need to vote for that's going to represent you and the issues that you
have with septic tanks and other issues like storm water drainage. All this stuff lands at the county county level. Three decades we have not had a voice at the county. If it lands on on on deaf ears, but we we have an opportunity to speak up now. We want someone that's
going to speak up for us. >> All right. >> All right. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. uh consent agenda. >> Remember when you make whoever who's going to make >> I'll make a motion to pass the consent
agenda and table item six until the March 3rd. >> There you go. All right. Uh >> Commissioner Kennedy made that motion and I have a second from Commissioner Wilson. Any more comments? Let's vote. >> Motion carries unanimously.
All right. All right. First readings, none. Second readings, none. Public hearing, none. Regular agenda, none. Mayor's announcement. They did put it on here where I could read it. I don't remember what. Let me get it.
That way I don't mess up your Let me find it. Well, I knew I had it. There it is. I wrote on it. I'm sorry about that. >> Sorry. March event, Spring into
Conservation, happening on Saturday, March the 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Bill Breeze Park. Featuring educational and sustainability exhibits, wildlife encounters, giveaways, and fun activities.
There will be also a plant giveaway and rain barrel workshop for Okcoy residents. You must register in advance for the rain barrel workshop at okcoy.org. Tip a cop on Wednesday, March the 11th from 5:00 p. p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Texas
Roadhouse at 1150 Blackwood Avenue. Customers can tip your Oakcoy Police Department with all donations benefit Special Olympics Florida. St. Patrick's Day block party will take place Friday, March the 13th from 6:00 p.m. through
900 p.m. in downtown Ocoy. The event will feature live music, food trucks, games, ride, and more. All right, Commissioner Oliver. I I only have one thing tonight and um
this is uh something that was written and I call it I call it a prayer for tomorrow and it goes, "Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of tomorrow, the breath in our lungs, the strength in our bodies, and the opportunity to walk with you
again. As the as the morning light rises, we ask that you that you that your truth raises in us, rising in our hearts. Lord, your word reminds us that faith as it stands alone without action is lifeless. Tomorrow,
I don't want our faith to be spoken only in our words or kept hidden in our thoughts. We ask that you awaken our faith into into movement, into obedience, compassion, and courage. Let our hands reflect what our hearts
believe. Let our choices confirm what our lips confess. Let our life be evidence that you are alive and working in in us. Guide us to leap to see the opportunities you place before us to
serve, to forgive, to encourage, to give, to stand firm in truth, and to walk in love. Even in the small unseen moments, >> let us act in ways that honor you, knowing that no work done in faith is
ever wasted. Holy Spirit, lead us tomorrow. Align our steps with your will. Correct us when we hesitate. Strengthen us when we grow weary and remind and remind us that faith becomes powerful when we le when we live when we
live it out. May our life tomorrow be a living testimony of faith in motion, love and action, obedience flowing from trusting in you. We offer tomorrow to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. >> Amen.
>> That's what I got. >> All right, Commissioner Fner. >> No, I don't have comments. Commissioner Wilson, >> I'm gonna get me a sign right. >> I think we should. You got to get >> put a little poster up. They got the names on the wrong sign.
>> I know the spirit of the moment. You got We know each other. We've known each other for years. >> I'm going to get a post for you. >> But you It's the pressure of the moment. There's going to be the shred event sponsored by the Akoi Police Department on March 14th from 9 to 11:30 at the Akoi Police Department. The first box is
complimentary. There's a suggested donation of $5 for each additional box and that does benefit the Akoi Lions Club and the Akoi Women's Club who are out there working to um help you shred your items on site. It's a great time to bring them every year. We have probably
over a hundred cars, right, Chief? And um like to see that bumped up a little bit because we know we all have papers in our home that need to be destroyed and that's done right there at the police department. And um kind of makes us feel good when we see them going
through the shredder. Um and again uh March 14th 9 to 11:30 at the police department. So come on down and get rid of all your sensitive documents. And we hope we hope to do this twice a year. It's always a wonderful benefit to
the community. And I thank the KOE Police Department for always being so gracious and sponsoring this and being there with us. So um thank you. That's all I have to say. Thank you, ma'am. Commissioner Kennedy, please. >> Uh, I do have a comment tonight.
Um, I'm really looking forward to hearing, uh, and seeing what happens with the code enforcement board for the last meeting. And I think we have coming up in the next few months um, renewals
of the positions of the citizen boards. Yeah. >> And I'd like I think that kind of always kind of ambushes us my my work at the last minute. Um and I would like to see if we
could do a little uh homework ahead of time and really dig in and look at what the mission and the tasks are and the purpose of the boards and maybe make sure that they're fulfilling their purpose. I know uh some of the boards
I've been on um and been a liazison to now uh many of the members many of the chairs of the boards um are not absolutely clear on why they're there and what we want them to be doing and and so I' I'd like us to
maybe if we can put a little working project together and get started before we do the renewals um to clearly review and refine the mission of each board if that's okay. >> Thank you. I think is it the first
meeting in March we do that or is it the second? >> We can we'd have to do it first. >> It's the first meeting in March. All right. >> We can provide you with a list. I >> want to thank everybody for coming tonight. I'm not going to say anything except see you March the 3.