a Florida City Commission meeting on September 25th, 2025 at 6 PM. I'm calling this meeting to order. We'll start with the invocation by Commissioner Campbell and the pledge of Commissioner. Is Mr. Is he there?
Pastor Moberry there? Sorry. Um invocation passed by Pastor Malberry. Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Boron. Well then, Father, here we are again in your presence, thanking you once again for the opportunity to come together. Pray God, you're blessed upon this
constituents on tonight, God, that you would give the wisdom that is necessary to lead, guide, and direct God every question, every answer. You know, all things as it pertains to uh the moving this city in the right direction. We pray God for your wisdom now
upon the heads of these thy leadership that you have provided. We thank you and give you glory for him now in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Please join me in the pledge to the flag of America and to the republic for which
it stands one nation with all. Roll call, please. Madame clerk, present. Present. Davis,
Jones. Here. Present. We have Corin. Thank you. Um approval of minutes for August 27, 2025 commission budget workshop, August 28th, 2025 regular meeting and September 3rd, 2025
budget workshop meeting. Motion to approve minutes items A through C as printed. Second. We have a motion, a second. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. We'll move on to public recognition
presentations. In the spotlight, employee of the month, Miss Jones. Um, good good evening, um, Madame Mayor, commissioners. Um, I just like to take this opportunity um to say thank you all for allowing us to move forward. This is
our third year into the employee of the month um in the spotlight that we've been recognizing employees and as we move into um our 2526 fiscal year. We're not only going to it has um actually birthed a new so we will be doing
employee of the month on two of the months and on the third we will be recognizing a department. So it has increased. thanks for the input of the commission as well as staff members. So that way we'll get to encompass a lot of more people and recognize what the departments are doing as well as the
individuals. Um so again I'd like to say thank you all for funding and allowing us to move this forward for our third year as we move into our fiscal year of 2526. And for the month of September, we would like to take this opportunity to recognize our employee of the month, Mr.
Eugene Cobbs from our sanitation department. You got on the wrong shirt, buddy. Okay. Sorry about that. go next too to add. Yeah. Um I'm Chandler, City of Palaca, sanitation superintendent. I would like
to take this moment to recognize Mr. Cobbs. Uh he actually started back here, I think, in August of uh 2018. Uh he started out as a residential rear loader driver uh for some time. Uh he advanced up into our commercial front
loader and he is the one now that's running one of the most important trucks we have around here is the the commercial uh clamshell truck which keeps this city beautified on a daily basis. Uh me and Mr. Cobbs have been known each other for a long time. Uh not only on the job but off the job but on
the job. over the years he has increased his ability to you know to think I mean more customerfriendly uh he's just been doing an outstanding job uh recently he completed the uh leadership course that we had for the city employees and he has been applying
that on the job on a daily basis so I I truly do thank him so much for what he's been doing and I'm quite sure a lot of people see him out in that truck you know on a daily and he's been running it by himself because the other truck has been down so he's a double duty man. He's out there trying to keep everyone happy, which is kind of hard to do
sometimes, but that's our job. We're going to keep at it each and every day. So, um I am very proud to tell him thank you and thank all of you for being here. Thank you so much, Jean. On behalf of the sanitation department and the guys that I work with, we thank
you all for being here to hear and uh just give thanks to everybody for what you've done and what you're going to do for the sanitation department. Thank you. Thank you. On to city manager and administrative reports. I'm going to get a brief update on the city county joint
meeting. We did meet um Chief Shaw, Attorney West, and I with uh Chair Commission Wilkinson, County Administrator Terry Suggs, Deputy Administrator Julie Yan Young, Deputy County Operations Manager Jr. Grimes, and and we met to kind of
discuss potential agenda items for a future joint meeting. The things that the commission, our city commission submitted in advance were some topics, economic development, tourism, TDC information, tourist development council, and shared services. We did
come up with some proposed meeting dates that I'm going to give now for the commission to consider and come back with their thoughts. Tuesday, um, November 18th at 3, Tuesday, December 9th at 3, and Tuesday, January 13th at
3. one of those three options. Um, and it will be held at the at the um, county commission chambers. If I may, just you said November the 18th. November the 18th. November the 9th. December the 9th.
December 9th. Thank you. Yes. And January the 13th. So, one of those three choices depending on how it works for the majority obviously was also going to be shared with the county commissioners. Um but some of the discussion was having a presentation from the chamber about economic
development tourism the TDC council at the joint at this joint meeting workshop. Um and then also another topic was for the county administration to give as well as the city an overview of what we provide to the community from
both the city and county perspective and then a discussion about the opportunities to share services provided by each of us. We also talked about and clearly this was the message at the legislative um
collaboration we went to with Senator Leak was very clear that in the future they wanted to see more collaboration between the county and the city. So we talked about legislative priorities in the future obviously too late for this upcoming session but for future legislative sessions is that we try to
work together on some of those shared priorities instead of submitting them individually from each county and city. Um and then again there was a brief discussion about urban city boundaries utility rates for people beyond city city boundaries. Apparently
in the past there was a user rate. We're trying to research that a little further. Um, but those kind of things came up as future discussions. So, I think the key is that we need to find a date and maybe bring forward some of the items to discuss in the future, but
maybe more of a workshop type of overview at this first um time that we do get together. The other thing I wanted to mention and this is not in regards to this specifically but that maybe it would be helpful at this point or at some point in the agenda to come
up with commissioner community reports. All of us participate on other boards and it'd be helpful to share that information with all of us. I mean it would be a brief presentation maybe during this period of the agenda city manager and administrative reports. By the time we get to commissioner comments
at the end of the meeting, the audience has fled and the commissioners are ready to follow right behind them. So, it might be helpful to have that on the agenda earlier in the agenda and provide that information not just to the commissioners but to the community at large. Um, that's all I have. Is there
any questions? Mayor, it's not a question, but I support that your last statement with regards to bringing commissioner statements up closer or whe the the proper terminology or term that you use. I think that would definitely be something. Um, we actually
saw the benefits of that when we changed the uh staff reports to being at the beginning and I think we have more of a pack house at the beginning of the meeting versus the the latter part of the meeting. So, I support that. Thank you. Thank you. Well, I I support that as well. Um, but
you know, I think sometime when we say we want to have meeting efficiencies and different things of that nature, I'm I would uh support that as long as it doesn't really extend the meeting out. Sometime we have packed agendas and um to have some of us on multiple boards.
So if if you want to really hear it or you want to get a a a a summary of it from each one of the boards that we we operate from or participate on. So however the board
is willing to do that just consider um staff time and the community as well. So I'll be happy to type up summaries from the boards that I'm on. Yeah. And I think when I when I suggested I'm suggesting a brief synopsis, I'm not suggesting a long draw. would have to be brief for all of us to get it done and fit it into the
agenda and not extend our evening. You have to really consider the number of boards and then because sometimes you just can't really just say just a couple two or three lines. Some things require a little bit of uh education around explaining what that board does or what
that particular thing from that board u provides. So we can play it by ear. I just you know for the sake of efficiency. So here's the opportunity to take in consideration that would make this time more efficiency effective. Um we do have two meetings per month
generally and I guess we could make a recommendation that two share at one meeting if they have anything or three share at another so that it is not um everyone having to share at the same time. So probably giving up between the two meetings of the month having each
commissioner having that opportunity to present what it is that they have done on the respective boards. Reasonable recommendation. Thank you. On to the city of Palaka financial report for the 11th. We need a date.
Oh. Oh, you want us to make that decision about the date for the meeting the joint meeting by by Okay. So, what's the drop dead date? Because you say we got November. We're in November and December, January. So, do we have to make it right now? we can't have time to
I was thinking that we would bring it back simply because also there are two of us not present physically but if you have I'm fine with any of them but I would just make the recommendation on the 18th um for some they may be traveling to um NLC okay um the national league conference so
that is on that starts on the 18th so okay well that eliminates that one that we've shared put a placeholder on the first meeting in October for that decision to be made by the board. Yes, please. And could possibly we email those dates
to folks? We'll do it. Thank you. Thank you. So they can see them, Miss Pia. Everyone can hear me? Okay. And the these are the unodudited results of operations for the period
ending August 31st, 2025. On your screen is the summary of for the overall budget or budget to actuals. Please note the annual budget has been divided equally into 12 periods for the purpose of this
presentation. Actual cash flows may not may not follow this linear pattern of receipt or expenditure. Certain special revenue funds that are not part of the budget process are excluded from this report. The report also includes a comparison with the previous fiscal
year's results through the same period. This feature will provide the reader with additional insight into all the funds operations. This report represents the completion of 91% of the 2025 fiscal year. The general fund revenues year to
date are 16,120,236 and that represents 67% of the budgeted amounts for fiscal year 2025. General fund year-toate expenditures are $16,111,583 and that represents 67% of budgeted
amounts. Their general fund encumbrances are $1,39,360 and these are excluded from expenditures. Incumbrances are a function of budget used to track and manage future expenditures by reserving funds for specific commitments before
they're actually paid. General fund cash and investments are 19.4 4 million and PALA's reserve general fund balance is budgeted at 23.3% which exceeds best practice guidance by 6.6%.
And that's on page 27 of the packet. The enterprise funds does not have a requirement but it is still budgeted. Our airport funds revenues year-to- date are $2,264,971 and that represents 44% of budgeted
amounts. Airport expenses year to date are 2,86,168 and that represents 40% of budgeted amounts. ARPA fund revenues and expenditures year-to- date are $384,744 and that represents 25% of budget
amounts. The Better Place Plan fund revenues year to date are 3,623,161 and that represents 24% of budgeted amounts. Better Place Fund expenditures year to date are 3,67,563 and that represents 24% of budgeted
amounts. The golf course fund revenues year to date are 5,17 $75 and that represents 60% of budgeted amounts. Go golf course revenue expenses year to date are $182,30
and that represents $104% of budgeted amounts. The sanitation fund revenues year to date are 3,326,480 and that represents 83% of budgeted amounts. Sanitation fund expenses year to date are $2,880,923
and that represents 72% of budget amounts. Utility fund revenues year-to- date are 11,292,953. That represents 43% of budget amounts. Utility fund expenses year-to- date are 11,287,220
representing 43% of budget amounts. Our tax increment fund revenues year to date are 931,14 representing 43% of budgeted amounts. TIFF expenses year-to- date $334,392 and that represents 15% of budgeted
amounts. And that concludes my monthly report. Thank you. Any questions of Miss Pier? Any Miss Commissioner Davis still there? Commissioner Jones. Any questions? Thank you. Thank you.
Palaka Gas Authority Board of Dire Directors. Miss K. Uh as requested by the m the board of commissioners I am attending uh the meetings with the palaka gas authority board. The last uh meeting was
September 11th. Um the important thing was that the financial report for July was provided. The motion uh for the budget for the next fiscal year was presented and approved. Additionally, a
new employee as a meter reader uh was approved uh for the next fiscal year. Uh they are also looking at uh proposals from Civic Plus to upgrade their website so that it is ADA compliant. However,
they did request two more additional quotes. uh they have budgeted more gas detectors and uh they're looking at a request from a development to provide natural gas services. All in all, the um
Palaca Gas Authority Board is moving forward and developing even more revenue streams. Any question? Thank you. Thank you. Any questions? Thank you. on to um Willis Water Treatment Plant taken off consent
agenda. Sean, good evening, Madame Mayor, Commissioners. Uh tonight, this is good news for us again. Uh I applied to have us removed from the consent order now that we are passing all our water tests and we're looking good. Um came back
from D. They approved it. So we are now entered into an inind project. Instead of paying all the fines that we acrewed over the years, we turn around, we spend $125% of that into equipment for the plant instead. So instead of uh I
believe the number was just over $5,000, we're spending just over seven. We're getting a new turbidity meter. That's to help regulate the particles in the water so we can see what's going on with them. Uh, we're getting pushto talk radios for during the storm so I can communicate with everybody at the wells along as
other departments. Uh, we're getting a hawk DR900 handheld testing meter. This is so when we're out at the hydrant or the wells or even in the front yard, we can test it right there. We don't have to send it out. We don't have to wait for it. We'll have results now.
And then an arc flash suit. And that's for my mechanic when he's in there working on these 680 volts, 1000 volts. He needs to have this flash. That's for his own protection. So, I got the purchase orders put through today. They should go through as soon as we can show that we are using this equipment and it
is in, they will sign papers and we'll be off consent, which means we are no longer under the thumb anymore. Thank you. That's awesome. Great. Great job. Thank you. I think also it's to be noted is we no
longer have to put that uh line in the bills, right? That's correct. That's been removed. That will be removed after this is done. After this is lifted. Okay. Thank you. That's wonderful. City manager update. Oh. Um, okay. So, yes, I just want to
give an update about the completion of our new phone system that is completed and the fact that we are finally in the midst of separation of our servers. as you know that's a project that we've tried to get implemented maybe for two
three years the police and so this is finally in the midst of being done uh I did attach a timeline uh letting you understand what has been completed um and our next steps and that started this Monday that we started receiving uh the
equipment to hopefully complete the uh service separation and this will bring us in line uh the chief of police could explain better why this was necessary this particular project separation of server. Sure. Good evening everyone. The
importance for the separation of service it brings us into compliance with our sieges uh compliance with FDLE. In order for us to move forward and continue to uh operate in uh a successful manner and
accurate manner, we needed to be able to separate both uh the service, the city servers or city portion from the police portion that as it has existed for a number of years here at the city. And uh I will say the work was being done at the police department just the other day
and from what I understand they did successfully separated. Now we are finally I know this project has been on the agenda uh for everyone uh for the list for it to complete for a number of different years and it's finally uh come to fruition and it's been completed.
Yes. Thank you so much and we would like to commend uh our leazison for how well he has worked with uh inspired technology and the city and this is what allowed us to finally complete an assignment that is critical to um our
data with our police department to say thank you and our assistant acting assistant uh city manager I'm asking if he has a report. At this time, I I don't have anything
actually to report on. I have been working tirelessly with all of the department heads and other members of the city not only to get caught up and have an understanding of what they're doing in all uh respective areas but to be able to assist them to facilitate
them to achieve their uh whatever project they have to move forward so that we don't halt uh what we're doing in the city that the ship keeps moving. So, I I will say I've been very successful with that and I've been very appreciative with uh all the assistance, all the information that I've been provided. Uh it's been a little while
since I've been back to school, but I've been walking around with a notebook uh for the last week and a half. I've taken more notes. Uh and don't get me wrong, this is something that I do love. I love uh being able to get educated and receive more information. That's something that I've always loved
throughout my life, but never knew it at this pace. Um, and I I'm I I'm proud to say that I've been here for a long time. Um, but I've got a better grasp on what the city does uh in its entirety um just this
last week than I've ever had. And it's uh nice to know that all of our departments is working tirelessly and getting a tremendous amount of work done. So, the opportunity to spend time with them has been uh beautiful and I've I've enjoyed it. Um, other than that, if you have any questions, I'm willing to
answer any questions you may have. Well, I still got some on the um, city manager reports. Uh, but I'll wait till you finish before I make my I I have nothing further. Thank you. Okay. Well, uh, I want to, you know, thank you guys for everything you're doing the past few weeks or what have
you. But, uh, we're doing a lot of really, really good things in the city and then we also have challenges as well. So, uh, basically what I like to see at some point to be able to get, uh, given the current situation with, um, the current structure, reporting
structure we have right now, like the request updates on, you know, all of the non-compliance related, uh, issues that we have at the airport and any new updates since the time the, you know, these issues uh, came up, concerns were, you know, brought to the commission's
attention. So, anything as it relates to whether it's the um ski club with the with the lead birdshot. I know you sent an email out. Yes. Uh with that and so and we were supposed to been getting an update from uh the email you sent. You said they you had
spoke with Florida Ral Water Protection Agency. Yes. So, we need to continue to stay okay. a breast of these things and we want to also keep the community uh up to date as to what we're doing because we don't we certainly don't want to get hit broadsided with anything um
presenting to the comm the community as well as the current litigation thing that we have. We want to stay a breast of what's happening. I haven't heard anything since uh we did the mediation. So, okay, these kind of things need to really stay
before us to to to keep us in line with what's happening cuz we have a lot of different moving parts right now. So, anything that we've been provided way past and then now with the current let's get everything up to date, get the
commission up to date on all these things and then we want to make sure that we put some statements together for the community. Yes, Miss Carter, if I may. Um, let me talk about the uh, commissioner, we we noticed there was some things that we could do as far
as a little bit better as far as sharing information and speaking with that this week. We identified some different things. You all are familiar with the department head reports you get on a weekly basis. Um, we've established something slightly different. And I think Miss Cardi reached out to all of you um and identified that we'll be
having uh the attorney legal provided a report on Monday for you guys. And our our intention is not to overload you with all the reports on one day. So we want to spread them out through the week so you have a time a little bit amount of time to uh read and and uh digest the
information and then if you have any questions you'll be able to get back with us. But you'll see the uh attorney's report at the beginning of the week on Monday. You'll see the city manager and assistant city acting sis city manager on Wednesday and you'll see the department heads on Friday and uh
that is the ability to make sure we gather as much information and get as much information to you as possible uh so that you can be kept up to date and familiar with what what's going on in our respective areas. Yes, I seen that. But the thing what we often don't you know we need to provide
the guidance. So if we don't give you guidance then we don't whatever report you give us that will be the report. So with with a little bit of guidance provided that those specific things need to be provided so that we have what we need. Understood. That's what I was asking. Yes. Understood.
And you will be receiving an update um by Monday on some of the outstanding matters that we're working on right now. Thank you for guidance. Thank you. I have a question and this was more so when we transitioned over to
the Microsoft 360 there was a initial ask if there would have been a drive that we would be able to go to to receive or to for reports that were given that they would be put in a drive of sorts. Um is that still an option?
email is fine, but I think having that option because I sit um often on the computer and when I go into the Microsoft there's different options and it's a little easier to navigate if we were to have a specific drive. Um is that still an option?
That can easily be an option. I will work with Mr. Williams and we'll set that up and I think that's just another way to be able to access we have that one drive you could that would be great because we certainly all get a lot of emails from Right. I'll follow up. That would be great. Thank you.
Great idea. Thank you. Thank you. Any further questions? I'm going to open the floor to public comments. These are public comments for items not specifically mentioned or listed in the agenda. The speaker is limited to three minutes. No action will be taken on
these items. Please be respectful and give us your name and your city or town of residence. Is there anybody here for public comment on general items not list specific in the agenda? Seeing no close public comment. Um on to consent agenda. Are there any items to be pulled from
the consent agenda? I want to pull um it is uh C because I believe that there's an amendment to the original application
that was presented just for the record. Okay. Anything else? No, ma'am. Do you have anything, Commissioner Bar? Yes. Um Nope. I'll make a motion that we accept the consent agenda excluding item C um for consideration.
Second. We have a motion and second. Nobody else is on Zoom. All in favor? I I Okay. Any opposition? Thank you. Um, see, mayor, the reason that I pulled this is because I believe that there has been a
slight amendment to the original plan that was originally submitted um by Mr. Deputy. And I think it's vital that that be noted um because as first there may have been some safety concerns but I do believe that it has been worked out
based on conversations that I've had but I think the commission should be a breast of the change um that came as a recommendation. Cruz. Yep. I have copies of the updated map um for Mr. Deputy's event
or Thank you. And Miss Cruz, just for the sake of um explanation for the community at large, could you just kind of give us synopsis of that change of originally what it was and what it is now? Absolutely. So, originally we were going
to say I wanted the event to go all the way up St. Johns to um 11th Street. Yes. Um and they were concerned about Ninth Street because that's a state road. So um meeting with
um Nukem and Mr. Williams, we came up with another idea. Um so instead of going all the way up to 11th, we're going to stop at 9th and then we're going to go um down the side streets of 6th, 7th, and 8th and stop at Oak.
Okay. Any questions? Since there are no questions, I'm going to open the floor up to public comment. Is there anybody here for public comment on this? I do. Oh, go ahead. Go ahead, Commissioner Jones. Sorry. Go ahead. Yeah. It can you put a copy of that uh
route up on the uh screen maybe because that explanation did not did not do it for me. I mean, you say you're going to stop at 9inth Street, take and then you just said take a side road. I mean, that's not really a clear direction. Could you tell me exactly?
Well, we'll give you more information because at at this point, it's it's not possible to put the map up. It would have needed submission in advance for anyway, it can't be done. So, we'll try to clarify that with further information. Go ahead, Chief Shaw. Commissioner Jones, I'm going to do my
best to uh describe it to you so that you understand. Um, we're going to go on St. John's. Uh the map is going to push from uh 6th, if I'm correct, to 9inth Street, and then it's going to go both north and south off of St. John's uh on
the side roads all the way up at 7th, 8th, uh 6th, 7th, and eth or just seventh and eighth. 67th, and 8th. So you'll see it go over to uh on the side roads from 678 go down to Oak going
south all the way up on each one of the side roads and then on going closer to the Reed Street access but not all the way on uh to the north on all three streets as well.
Did that help Commissioner Jones? Uh no. So, so you're you're saying just giving landmark. So, on Sixth Street, it would go down by First Baptist Church.
No, sir. So, we're going to go we're going to travel west up towards the police department. So, we're going to go from Sixth Street to 9th Street on St. John's. Sixth and 9th. Yes. Yep. And then when we go south, we're only going to go over to Oak Street, which is one block over. You're not
going to go all the way past Oak. You're gonna go up to Oak Street. They're going to have the opportunity to utilize those that street not only on sixth but on seventh and on eth. Okay. And then when you
I'm sorry. Go ahead. So you're not going you're not going past 9th. So on 8th you're going to turn back to St. John's Avenue. So yes on we're going we're going to go up to ninth and it's going to block at ninth. We're blocking ninth off. So, you
have the ability to go up and down St. John's Avenue, but you also have the ability to turn, which is on the side streets of 8th Street on St. John's, uh, and be able to go north and south, one block each way. I was too pedestrian. I'm just
I thought I thought the the reason for it is because you couldn't block off Ninth Street. Is that what that was originally said? We're not we're not blocking Ninth Street. We're blocking St. John's at Ninth Street. Nice street will remain open to float.
St. John, I got I got you. I got you. I got you. Okay. All right. Thank you. Now, that cleared it up. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Is there anybody here for public comment on this item?
Seeing none, we'll close public comment. Do we have a motion? Motion to approve. Second. Have a motion to second. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. Do we want to take a recess since it's on here? No, I don't either, but I'm
just asking. It's a auditor selection committee. Miss Pierre, can everyone hear me? Yes. Okay. So, you were provided the staff report.
So, I'm just going to go through that um to hopefully educate everyone in the audience. So, staff is initiating discussion regarding the auditor selection committee process as noted in Florida statutes 218.39.
So, on June 26, this is the background. So on June 26, 2014, the city commission passed and adopted resolution number 2014-10-91 to establish the audit committee to assist the city commission in the
selection of an auditor to conduct the annual financial audit required by section 21839 Florida statute. As a result of this process, on March 26, 2020, the city commission passed and adopted a
resolution approving the final ranking and recommendation of the audit committee for the selection of HCT certified public accountants and consultants LLC as the city's auditor from fiscal year 2020 to 2022 with two
one-year renewal options. In accordance with Florida statutes, the audit committee conducted the bid and selection process and negotiated the contract with the selected audit firm. The fisc year 2023 24 audit is the final
year of the city's contract with HCT, certified public accountant and consultants to conduct the annual financial audits in accordance with chapter 21839. Each local government, prior to entering into a written contract for audit services, must use auditor selection
procedures when selecting an auditor to conduct the annual financial audit. Resolutions 2016-12-60 and 2014-91 authorize each commissioner to appoint members of the audit committee or elect
to serve on the city of Palaca audit committee. This is the project analysis. Attached are the audit selection and auditors selection committee guidance prepared by the state of Florida auditor general. These guidelines are effective
for audits of fiscal years ending September 30th, 2021 and thereafter and must be followed whenever selection of an auditor occurs to understand its responsibilities with regarding to establishing an auditor selection committee and to understand the
responsibilities of the auditor selection committee. This information is being provided now for the city commission to review in preparation for a future meeting should the city commission direct that audit services be bid.
So, I will also note um just it's not part of this, but just so you're aware this current fiscal year that we're in 2024-25, it would be wise to extend HCT's contract. Um keeping in mind that it
takes a process to go through to set up an auditor selection committee, select the auditor, and then the audit to begin. Um, normally in during this season we have the interim audit but we can't get started because we we don't
have an auditor. So I would just um as a discussion point um it would be wise to extend HCT's contract. Okay. So part of your packet includes the auditor selection committee guidelines. I would just like to
highlight some of the responsibilities of the auditor um selection committee. Um, okay. Question. And just for sake of trying to move along, I think it's important if this is coming back to the commission at a later time that we move forward with making
the decision based on what you have stated um in this season. Um, it would not be wise for us to make a change due to everything that we would have to do to select. So, mayor, if you would entertain a motion, I will make one now. Okay. Go ahead. I'll make a motion that
we move forth with the recommendation as provided by our chief financial officer to extend um the services of HCT um for this auditing season. Is there an end date to that that we
need to provide? It will be for just it will be for this fiscal year. For the for this fiscal year. Right. Thank you. Thank you. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. All in favor? I
I Any opposition? Thank you. Nay. Nay. We got one. Nay. Okay. Yes. Sorry. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. I would like to direct you to the guidance that was provided specifically.
Oh, no. Wait. Okay. just a brief commentary. Um I think we really need to look at all of the things that we have coming forth. Uh the commission keep being put in um very tight time frame situations and you're
putting things in front of us in in a in an emergency manner. being in finance and knowing how these things work, looking at all the contracts. Please get all of the contracts that we have that's out with whatever that we
need to continue to uh update or renew before. So, we know these things way in advance. We keep getting the same thing dropped on us in emergency situ situations. So, thank you. And
I would like to speak Go ahead, Commissioner Jones. I I that's why I voted negative on that. Uh I personally was not pleased with the auditors um and the timelines as well.
And we knew it's we knew that this was coming up and we need for uh the Florida stat excuse me Florida statute we actually had to uh have a comm a committee and I have never been
asked about appointing someone on the on the board. No one ever asked me that in my last four years. So, I think that, you know, we need to try to get it right and there's another physical year. We
have time and I don't think and I know Commissioner Camel wanted to go ahead and move it forward and sometime we just move stuff too fast and um again I had reservations about that auditor even when they presented the way they
presented it really was not professional. He rushed us through uh their their PowerPoint presentation was garbage, lack of better terms. Um and you know,
we couldn't hear him half of the time. Uh it wasn't it wasn't to the point where he said, "Hey, well um you know, excuse me because you know, I'm in the middle of something else." It's almost like we was taking being second fiddle. Um and and I didn't like that. I mean I think we should take in consideration
the service that we were rendered uh not just because we had to have or we have to have a auditor uh ready on standby. So I think that we we can consider and we can see what our options are even
though it may be uh tough to get someone but can we try and we always take an answer without actually doing our own research on it. Uh Commissioner Borum is in finance. Uh
he's probably the only one on the on the board. Maybe Commissioner Davis have some experience in finance, but uh when you look at it, when you start talking about the finance, we really need to be on top of things and we really need somebody who's actually fine toing our stuff and giving paying attention to
detail to our stuff. I felt like our stuff was just being pushed through. Thank you, Mr. Bora. Um, yes. I I think I might have uh voted in haste on that, but is
there a way I can reclaim my mine only? Uh, you can make a motion for reconsideration. Um, they made the motion. I made the motion. I would have to make the motion for reconsideration. Well, I'm sorry. I I misspoke, not you.
It it is possible possible for another to make the motion for reconsideration, but you are correct, Commissioner Campbell, that it is the person who made the motion originally. But if anyone who voted in affirmative for that motion may
also make a motion for reconsideration. The people that cannot are the motion that voted nay. Right. So, in that regard, I would like to uh make a motion for reconsideration
um of my vote for the selection. Generally, when a motion for reconsideration because I'm the one who really got to Well, I know that's generally though, Commissioner, but I'm I'm speaking because I'm the one who really have to make the motion. You
can't make the motion. So in dealing with making the motion generally um motion for reconsideration is only taken in consideration if there was some missing information or a person missed information that was regarding to a vote. I believe that there was
everything that was present was present at the time of the vote and the time to change only came after the commentary of commissioner uh commissioner Jones which is completely fine. Um, but again, even with the giving of the reconsideration
of the vote, if I was to take that into consideration, there would still be um there would be no way to go in a different direction based on the information that was provided.
Commissioner Laura, uh I think we're taking the the consideration or the dialogue from the city attorney which you know normally from the prevailing side uh whatever the
prevailing side is and it was a whatever unanimous almost unanimous vote. So my thing is anyone from the prevailing side would be able to make a motion um for a a reversal in in my opinion I
think and is that the case can anyone from the prevailing side not someone who voted nay okay so that's why I would like to make a reconsideration motion for the vote that I made to for that
selection We have a motion on the table. Do we have a second? I second. We have a motion to second. Any further discussion? I do have a question. Um, with that all that said, if we don't
have a contract with the current auditors for this time period while we are searching or putting out to bid for another, what what is the consequences of that? Thank you for presenting that question. Um the consequences would be we would
have new auditors keeping in mind that I am new and most of our the finance staff is new as well. Part of the audit process involves teaching the auditors the processes and procedures here at the
city. So, it would make our work um uh it's already hard when you're trying to learn, but then to have to teach the auditor something that you're just learning about. I'm talking about institutional knowledge, which HCT has.
They've been um preparing the audit for the past four years. They have the history. They have um the knowledge. they've worked with several um finance directors that were um within this working with the city. So that seat of
finance director has changed for several years. So that puts us in a place where um I would prefer if possible to keep the auditors for an additional year that would give us time to gain all the institutional knowledge from them, work
with them to um address any complaints or concerns that the um commissioners may have. we can gather all of your concerns and address them with HCT and let them know we need to do better and I'm willing to work with them. Um I uh I
consider that they're the fact that they've been our auditor for so many years makes them valuable to the city. um in spite of some of the things that you've mentioned today, I'm hopeful that they can address and and make the changes needed um because I more than
likely they will apply for the for the our new RSP that will be going out. Um so this will give them a chance to show us what they can do. Um and I just hope that we can value that their institutional knowledge and history with the city. And what do we estimate a timeline would
be for the whole process of sending out the RFP, etc., etc. to find a new auditor or a new juror. That process is about a couple months um at least six
months at the most. A couple January. Okay. January. By January, we would have we should have the auditor. However, um ideally the audit itself should begin now. We should be we should start submitting um
reports. we should start, you know, they should start conducting what we call the interim audit and and that has not happened. So that puts us behind um the eightball um and we were hoping to submit and apply for the uh award that
the GFO has. We were hoping to submit that. So if we are delayed in that process, then we we could possibly miss the deadline um for the GFOA um award. Thank you. Any other questions? All in favor
for what? For the motion that you made in a second. I I opposed. Nay. Nay. So what? Motion fails. Okay. Hey. Okay. So, can I go back to
the Yes. Well, so we now have the original motion that was approved. Correct, Miss West. Correct. So now you can go back and finish. Yes. Go back to where you were, please. Okay. Back to the guidance. So I wanted
to direct you to page three, which lists the responsibilities of the auditor selection committee. There's a section labeled legal requirements. So just so you're aware, when we appoint the members of the
committee, they would be responsible for the following um steps. Establishing the factors used for the evaluation of audit services to be provided by an audit firm. The public announcement of an RFP. Provision of interested firms with the
RFP. Evaluation of proposals provided by qualified firms. the ranking and recommendation in order of preference of no fewer than three firms deemed to be the most highly qualified to perform the required services. If fewer than three
firms respond to the RFP, the committee shall recommend such firms as it deems to be the most highly qualified. So the these will be the legal requirements of the auditor selection committee. So we would appoint the
committee members and set a date um firm dates that would have to be publicly noticed. Um so each of the meetings would be open to the public. Um and that's how we would proceed and someone from the commission would have to be the
chair of the committee. Um you have the option of appointing an advisory um member. um your the finance director could be an advisory um member or someone else that you feel has the the
knowledge of finances or has a history of understanding financial statements. What I would like to add if I may uh one of the reasons why this is coming to you now as you remember we did have a finance director on board and this
assignment was given at that time but that person was not able to stay with us as a result it was reassigned to the new finance director. So that's another reason for you know it's happening and uh we even started the process of the
RFP under the prior uh finance director and this finance director continued and identified the uh requirement that we needed to meet. Thank you. I didn't want you to think that we hadn't tried. We did.
Thank you. Commissioner B. Um does that does that member uh have to be a um an employee of the city or you can select um the members cannot be employees of the city. Okay. So it can be someone that's a finance
director at another organization. Um it can be someone that retired that used to work here. Um you know someone that has a knowledge of um financial statements. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions?
And so we do you need direction from us specifically moving forward? Well, I think I think what the finance director is requesting that we be allowed to go through the process for the uh audit what is it called? Audit committee.
Audit selection committee. Yeah, audit selection committee. And while that process will happen for a period of maybe two, three months, knowing that we do have a requirement per state law to try to have the audit completed by March 31, we would like to
continue with the existing um audit team that we have, identify the concerns that the commissioners have have stated, require as much from them as we can, but this allows that you have an entire new team in the finance department. I think
there's only one person there that was not with us. All the members in finance are new. Well, we did vote to continue the contract for the uh that was already approved. So that that part is going. So I think it's the rest of the process.
And so again for the commission, do we want obviously to give the finance director the ability to move on with the RFP process as it stands? And what do you need from Wait, wait, we need clarity. Go ahead. Clarify. Okay. Just um so you're aware, the purpose of today was to have the
discussion so that at our next um commission meeting, you could have your whether you want to be part of the committee or you have someone that you would like to appoint. Okay. And that's what I was kind of asking the next steps direction. We did approve
the contract for a year with the current and I would like to express my interest to be on the as in advisory capacity. Okay. Thank you. And if all the commissioners can get um their concerns about
the current company we have on contract that would be great and um we'll go from there and make some decisions about who we want for representation. Thank you. Thank you.
Moving on to public hearings. Second reading. Adopt ordinance 20255 fee schedule and ordinance of the city of Kaka Flower and amending the Palaca Municipal Code and amending appendix A fee schedule of the municipal code of the city of Palaca as it pertains to
fees and other charges related to chapter 34 fire prevention and protections. Chapter 46 offenses and miscellaneous provisions. Chapter 50, parks and recreation. Chapter 82, Traffic and Vehicles. Chapter 86, utilities. And chapter 95,
administrative fees, providing for conflicts, servability, effective date, and scrivenness errors. Do we have a motion? So move. Second. We have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? All in favor?
I. Any opposition? Thank you. On to the second public hearing, adopting of the millage rate and budget for fiscal year 2025 2026. Um, do you have the script? I have the script.
City Pala Bo Palaka Board of Count. Uh, well script September 10th. No, it's September 25th, 2025. First second public hearing 6 pm fiscal year 2025 2026 millig and budgets introduction to public hearing for the city of palaca
fiscal year 2025 2026 tentative mill and budget the city of palaca commission commissioners convenes the public hearing on the city of palaca fiscal year 2025 2026 proposed millage rate and tentative budget as required by federal
statutes chapters 129 and 200 and as advertised in the truth and millage crim notices If anyone in the audience is here for the purpose of contesting their assessment, a petition for adjustment with the value adjustment board should be filed by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, September
10th. Is that still correct? 2025. So, I believe you may be reading the old um because you stated that it was the tenative budget and this is the final budget. The final budget. Let me pull it up. It's my fault for reading it on paper
and not pulling it up. My my apologies. screen. It's not I don't have it. Mayor, I haven't. You want to give it to me? I don't Thank you. Thank you.
PLA city commission convenes the final public hearing on the city of Palaca fiscal year 2025 2026 millillage rates and final budget as required by Florida statutes chapters 129 and 200 and as as advertised in the truth and millillage trim notices. If anyone in our ordinance
audience is here for the purpose of contesting their assessment, a petition for adjustment with the value adjustment board needed to have been filed by 5:00 PM Wednesday, September 10th, 2025 is stated in the trim notices sent via first class mail by the county's property appraiser to every taxpayer on
the property value assessment room. For those in attendance this evening wishing to address the commission, citizens comments will be taken following the overview of the final budget by the finance director. The finance director, Chantel Pierre, will now present an explanation of the proposed and roll
back millage rates. Miss Pier, mayor and commission, this evening, we will take a few actions related to the adoption of the proposed millage rate and the budget for the fiscal year ending September 30th, 2026. Tonight's hearing is the first of two public
hearings required to be held per Florida statutes prior to the adoption of final millage rate and the budget by a taxing authority. As such, this is the final budget hearing and the final adoption of the millage rates and the budgets will be considered tonight. Florida statutes
requires the name of the taxing authority, the millage rate to be levied, the roll back rate and the percentage change over roll back rate be publicly announced. In addition, one of the requirements of the truth in millillage legislation is to provide information about why proposed millage
rates differ from the roll back millage rates. Roll back millage rate is defined as the millage rate which exclusive of new construction, additions to structures, deletions and property added due to geographic boundary changes will
provide the same ad valorum tax revenue for each taxing authority as was levied during the prior year. The trim process requires that a notice of tax increase be advertised when the current year proposed aggregate millage rate exceeds
the calculated aggregate rolled back millage rate. The aggregate rolled back millage rate is calculated by dividing the prior year adjusted property tax revenue by the current year taxable property value multiplied by 1,000. The current year taxable value does not
include new construction and tax increment CRA values for the fiscal year 202526 budget. The aggregate proposed operating millage for the city of Palaca is 6.400 mills which is 2.57%
greater than the roll back rate of 6.2397 mills. The increase in property tax revenue is essential to fund the appropriations needed to operate the general citywide budget. This is inclusive of personnel costs, operating
costs, capital expenses, as well as grant matches. Mayor and commission, the total final budget for the fiscal year 202526 is $85,592,317. I'm happy to answer any questions
pertain pertaining to the changes or on the budget before you currently. Are there any questions for the members of the commission? I would now like to invite citizens to comment on the fiscal year 2025 2026 proposed millage rates and final budget.
Please come forward to the podium. If you wish to address the commission, fill out a yellow speaker card that can be found in the back of the room. Is there anybody here for public comment? Seeing none, post public comment on this section of this public hearing.
Mayor and commission, the budget document before you, fiscal year 2025 final budget includes appropriations described earlier. Any additional adjustments to this budget can be made by motion at this time. Any adjustments to be made to the budget
document must be made by motion now. Can I make a statement, mayor? I'm sorry. Yes. Go ahead, Commissioner. Um, I know we I know we had thorough discussion about uh
the miller rate and uh I know for sure two commissioners was talking about leaving it the same or rolling it back. And actually a few days ago, it was in the paper that if we leave it the same,
the taxes actually go up. And then uh the paper also ran I think one day ago that county uh dropped their taxes. However, the city raised decide to raise
taxes. Um, and it definitely was not my um, choice or desire to raise taxes on the citizens of Palaka. I wanted to actually either roll back or keep the same, but
once I found out if we keep it the same, it's it's actually raising taxes. So could uh we have a pair expound on when we vote or if we vote to keep the the
the the millage rate the same, is it actually a raise in taxes? Okay. If I understood your question correctly, you're talking about our the
millage rate at 6.4. If we keep it at that rate, the increase is 2.57% which I had stated earlier. If we use the roll back rate of 6.2397
mills, then the taxes would remain the same. Um that was explained in this meeting um and in the prior when we had our um budget hearing, our first budget hearing. But I will state that if you
make changes now that means we would have to make a cut and we don't have the liberty of discussing and going through the budget workshops that we went through. I mean the purpose of the budget workshop is to speak with us to
identify what areas can we cut and how we can be judicious and fair in our cutting. Um so I just hope you understand if you use the roll back right now that means departments um that
provide valuable services to the city of Palaca would be cut. We would have to make cuts and you you would I don't know how you would be part of those cuts. We would just have to make them because the time we're in the 11th hour. This is the
second budget hearing. So I hope um am I making sense or I'm gonna say this? Okay. And just for sake of since Commissioner um Jones brought it up, it was not explained the way that you just
explained it in our previous budget workshops. Um even when we initially had the conversation about the seven point the seven point um meal um and we had as stated the extensive conversation with
regards to and commissioner borne hitted on he's made mention of it several times it wasn't explained like that and I'm not going to say it was your fault but it was not explained to the simplicity of the way that it was just explained.
So I will say that because the reason for not going up and we worked hard being on this day is when we came in the millage rate was 9 I want to say four or 9 9147 something like that and so we worked very hard to bring that millage rate
down um we were in the top around um in Florida and we worked hard and diligently and I think it was to all of us not wanting to raise taxes is in any way. Um, so I will just put that on the
record. Um, that it was not explained to the as as simple as it was just explained. Commissioner Borum. Yes. And and again, you know, I've had extensive conversation with Miss Cardi about the uh
about the fire assessment. Not just the fire assessment, but we the fire assessment was not supposed to been a permanent thing. fire assessment was supposed to get us out of the um borrowing or taking monies from the Palaka Gas Authority at 400,000 and
300,000 you know years uh in the past you know to to balance the budget. So we did go to use the tool that we had which we were supposed to be going off of the um fire fee after three years two or three years we were going to assess it
every year to do that. And so I thought I had made a good effort uh earlier in the year around February, March that we identified some things within the budget that we could do. And so my position is
still the same. We identified those things and you weren't willing to put pull I mean pull some of those things out that we had agreed on. So um my position is still the same. again, anytime your property values goes up and your uh uh uh millet stays flat, it's
going to increase every time. Every time. And so that's what we got to continue to share that. And so my whole thing is when we are increasing the budget, we have to show the citizens that we serve what they're getting for
this additional cost. We have to we we got to be prudent and we got to be fiscally responsible when it comes to stuff like that. So that's why I hold fast on my position when I say that we constantly increasing taxes on people
and we're not trying to do anything to make sure that we are showing them for the services that we got. Some some of it is even in the surveys that we've gotten back from the community. So that's why I hold fast on what I said in the in the past. We that's why we
identified things that we could cut and that when we didn't do that. So again, the county moved in a way where they did cut the taxes. So you mean to tell me we have to increase our taxes? I don't
think we did good enough job as it relates to looking at our line items and and we had identified some things. So that's why I'm holding fast on my position. And just for the sake of accuracy, the county did reduce their tax rate, but
they're now at the millage rate of 8.7418. And their fire tax rate is lesser than ours. It's 1.1 mil. So just to be clear, they reduced it, but it's still significantly more than ours. Um, so just I'm just doing that for the record. Just making
I want to make a statement, too. Go ahead. But I'm talking about where we came from and where we are. And and again, I don't think we have we we we've been um fiscally responsible to the degree to where we we we should have
been from the years where we came from out of those years that we couldn't balance the budget and we spent the money faster than we were really being able to collect. And how can we sustain that if we're only making roughly 4.75
million a year um from Avalorum taxes? 4.8. Yeah. So, and then we got all of the other departments that need funding to be able to we where's the money coming from? It's coming from grants. And so,
if we live by that, if something changes, we're going to be what what what we do. So, we have to be a little bit more fiscally responsible as it relates to keep rolling the dice. Not saying that we should not go and do things to help improve services for our
city, but we should be fiscally responsible in the way that I came to you in February, March time frame to so that we can identify some things so we can provide relief. There was people who sent emails and I forwarded those and then other people
came earlier in the year talking about their fire fee and we see how that is impacting them because they're being assessed. It's assessed value, not actually um the the the homesteaded value which you get deductions on. So,
with that being said, we're really piling it on the the the the almost 4,000 residents keep having to pay all of those for services. And you got to think about
that all of the intergovernmental um entities that operate within in the city limits that don't pay no taxes. And so they're getting the benefit of the few that's care and people are feeling it.
And and and if I may answer, um we are now working aggressively towards next year. Uh we're making some changes even in the budgeting process so that as commissioners are communicating that we're we're going to do our best to try
to make certain that we're following what the majority because that's some of the things we're facing. But it's um the other thing that we're looking at is how can we possibly change the fire assessment itself and we were very close
this year but definitely next year you will see that change. It wasn't just the fire assessment what what we had identified was something outside of the fire assessment. Correct. Correct. Yes. I when I did the analysis
that I did early fire assessment answer my question yes or no did we we we we talked about the fire assessment I didn't I never got that analysis and we also talked about other alternatives because I sent I sent an
email with with options just not fire fee so that's my that's my issue okay so commissioner I'm trying to say that going forward I will do we will do the best we can to try to communicate to all the commissioners
as we think we did but we'll make certain that we do better reduce it even further that has come out of our discussions too is that we start the whole budget workshop process much earlier than and commissioner Campbell's mentioned that and others much earlier than we have
been and then I think it's also imperative that those of us on the commission make every attempt to attend all the budget workshops too give feedback to Go ahead, Miss Pia. So, I've heard all of your concerns tonight and we'll we've been given
notice and we're going to take action with what you've um expressed tonight and we'll take preventative measures um and make sure we express to you as we make cuts um you what the impact will be for those cuts. But however, here we are
and we need to approve a final budget and making any cuts now without going through the budget step by step. Somebody's going to lose services or some department is not going to be able to function. So, at this point, we still need a motion to approve.
Mayor, may I go ahead one last time before we go to the vote? Okay. Motion. Um, I understand everything Miss Pierre said and Miss Cardi, but Commissioner Borum
is right. I mean, we we we requested that. And the problem is when a commissioner is listening to the constituents and they're adamant about why do we have you up there fighting for
us and we keep getting the same results and when we give directives I think that we we deserve the respect to at least have a followup And these these directives were not
given uh uh right at budget time. It was really done prior. Secondly, it is on the city manager to look at every department and see what fat could
be cut from these budgets. And I asked that question to the city manager. Are you going through looking at seeing what you could cut? Because what we don't want is tax hike and we wanted that fire
assessment fee to be adjusted lower. And um I was told it it would. Now we go along with the vote and we may be at a gridlock. Where we go from there? Or we
go for a vote and say, "Hey, listen. Our millage rate, we want the millage rate to roll back." Where do we go from there? Do we we we lose services or do we we may
uh trim the wish list from some of the departments that won't want won't cars for everybody in the department? uh uh or they everybody have 30in screen big screens in their
offices. There's some things that could be cut and I think that we really need to pay attention a little more and I know offices and work workplaces uh need to be where you can enjoy but at some
point someone have to manage those things and my expectation is for those those cuts to been made prior to them actually coming to us. That would have been my desire, but I wanted to say that and I wanted to say how it could be done
without us losing service. We don't need to lose anything from fire and and emergency services, but there's some other areas where we can actually make cuts. Okay.
No, no, no, no, no. I don't want I don't want to hear from Miss Cardi. I want I want want to go ahead with the with the vote or the motion. Thank you. Thank you. I think we have to finish the script, right? We do, but we have to if there are any adjustments, they should be made now and
approved by motion at this time. If there are no adjustments, no motion needs to be made. So the question is, are there any adjustments at this time? I would like to see Commissioner Jones party off, but I
think it's given everything that has been stated that will be to our benefit to here. Absolutely. So he doesn't agree. Go ahead. What I was going to say is some of the analysis that I had sent to the
commissioners, it gave you the revenue stream for each of the um options for the millillage. Right. If we did go back, I'm going to say it. If we do go back to the roll back, uh, at this moment sitting here, I cannot actually
remember the value of the dollar amount, but there is a possibility if if I had like a twominut window and ran back to my uh screen, I can tell you what the value of the cut back to the 6.2397
rate would be. May we take a quick recess? We can take Can I please do that? Five minute. Thank you. cuz I did send that previously. the moment mo reconvening the meeting. Could we all please be seated? Thank you. Go ahead, Commissioner
Campbell. So, I want the statement to be made before I make I don't want to jump. So, I want the statement that you just made to Go ahead, Miss Pierre. I'm sorry. I want Miss Pierre to make the statement and I have a question with regards to the statement that she's
going to make regarding advertising. Okay. So, there there are constraints and requirements related to trim. If we you made a motion to propose or change the millage rate at this point, we would be required to advertise that. There are
deadlines um for the newspapers. I don't directly work with the newspapers so I don't know what their deadlines are but we would have to readvertise and we would have to meet additionally I was and there are five days left to the
month two of them include weekend days correct so let me ask this question and this question is more so directed to legal if we and I'm just at this point I'm just putting everything out there since since we're having this conversation even
within the jargon of the the script that is being read. Um why would we have to go back readvertise if the two numbers that were consider or the two numbers that are being considered have already been
advertised. It's either the way that it is or the roll um roll back. So it's the meeting date that would have to be advertised with sufficient time. the meeting date for the commission for the special meeting. You would have to call a special meeting. So, for example, if you were to
have a tie vote on the approval, that would fail. We have had emergency meetings called within 24 hours. I believe it's a 24-hour deadline, but you can't advertise in that short a period of time. What? How? We What are we advertising? The meeting. We're advertising the
meeting, not anything else. That's true. So, it's a meeting that has to be advertised, not everything dealing with the budget. Now, it would require some and I'm and I'm just throwing out everything.
I'm throwing out everything because I want us to really take in consideration if there's an opportunity. Again, one of the things and I'm not putting it on Miss Pierre because I believe I understand that she is new. I understand that you were operating in two capacities before and then you were
trying to make sure and a lot of times what we hear is we try to make sure that we go along with staff and I've been a major proponent of trying to make sure that we go with staff's recommendation. However, taking into consideration where
we sit on this day is in the position that we make um as policyh holders, sometimes we have to rattle the fence or we have to shake things up in order for us to tr truly um move in a way that is taking in consideration our
constituents. I can and I and I hope she doesn't mind, but I can think about the alleged kitchens of the community who can't do or won't have the ability to do certain things. I think about my mom. I think about my dad and the properties that surround them. Um, I think about
all of those individuals. When we made the motion or when we took in consideration Commissioner Davis made the statement of taking it to the seven, we knew that we did not want to go past the seven. Exactly. However, in those conversations and again, Commissioner Borne has been a
major proponent of making sure that even with that roll back number that we knew there is a possibility that we can fall within that the lowest number and when I moved forward and I can only speak for me with the consideration of
keeping things at one I mean the 6.4 it was with the assumption that things would remain. I didn't take in consideration that there would be a 2% um fight in keeping something the same. Okay. So, I do want to put that out out there
and I do appreciate Commissioner Jones for having this and I know that it may be frustrating that we are even having this conversation to Miss Pierre, but sometimes that's how the cookies crumble and I think that you all are not seeing some of the things that we are seeing when it comes down to how this
commission is functioning. And if we have the ability to clear some of that up and tell our own story that we're truly taken into consideration, um those the Allegens, the Brenda Campbell, the J all of those individuals that are that lives within these communities that are
faced with the reality of 2% may not be enough a lot for some, but that's a lot for a lot of people. Um so that's just what I wanted to say. Okay. But but too commissioner it's it's it's compounded. We we got other taxing
authorities too. We got to think about that. We got other taxing authorities and then we got to look in the consideration. We were number 11th highest in the state city of Paka out of 411 cities. We have right now St. John's
County tax structure is lower than ours lower than ours. They're number 28 in the state out of 4 or 67 counties. So, but we're as a county, Putnham County,
we're number uh no no St. John's County way down on the lower end of spectrum in terms of high we are number Putnham County I think is around 18 to 20 something. So in this state,
so we we got we got to do a little more work here in in trying to make sure that we are taking care of the people who help make the services available to us because what you're doing is pricing people out.
We're 20 about 22 almost 22% 22 millals total in the in the city, county, and other taxing authorities. That's the problem. So the question now remains that even if we want to take in consideration the
roll back rate and this is a strong if and I'm putting everything out there because when I walk away from this day is I want to feel confident that I put everything out. So if a citizen was to come and ask me I feel completely comfortable with stating my position and
what transpired. So if we were to say tonight we want to take in consideration the roll back that gives us Friday to put it in the newspaper which will meet a deadline of the 24 hours by Monday which will essentially give more time because of
the weekend which if citizens want to be a part of that meeting. So at the m minimum a meeting can be called a special meeting only to address this even on Tuesday even Tuesday and and I I gave I said Monday just to
give grace but there's still an opportunity which gives Cardi I'm sorry miss yeah the black Daily News only publishes on Wednesdays Thursdays and Saturdays it will meet the deadline for the Saturday and then it would give still 24
hours if we have the meeting on t on on on Tuesday. So, it still meets the qualification of the deadline, but I would strongly like to take this into consideration. Um, even though it may put a little fire or may make somebody feel some kind of way, I prefer to have
all the chips on the table and say, "Hey, let's do this and stay where we are." versus not even having the opportunity to take this in consideration and give grace and give some relief to our citizens. Because again when you think about it maybe and Miss Pierre and I'm not saying this
because I'm feel that you're getting acclimated to the system I mean to our city very fast. I always say you've been baptized by fire because you came in and you've handled it extremely well. But we see on a day-to-day basis when you go
into these different parts, if you were just to go a half a mile up the road, you're going to hit one of the most what we would consider some of the impoverished areas where those individuals can't afford to hike. We already had people who were stretching on our doors, knocking on our doors,
inboxing us, calling us saying what the current tax is. So again, I um I know we're on strip and if we can take uh if we if everyone is done, I'd like to make a motion. And just one last thing and I and we
have gotten the roll up from Florida League of Cities. Uh they have a thing right now talking about taxes and I think that's why Governor Desanders really want to do away with property taxes. They want to do away with the property taxes because they don't feel
like uh local governments are really managing the dollars that well. And that's why Doge and everything else is working to make sure they come in and and comb through some of the stuff that most municipalities
um um operate their um cities. But anyway, so I put together something from this Florida League of Cities and I was going to share this with in a uh upcoming um forum, but here's what we got. It shows how the tax dollar work and I think uh
the um city attorney and you also got it as well, uh city. So this is the kind of thing that we need to be sharing with the community so they know how the tax dollar is working and who's hitting them up for money they might not even know how their tax structure work. So that's
what I want to share with the rest of the uh commission. So please share that with the rest of the commission so they know how the rest of this this stuff works and also that new report that we're doing at the first of the month. I just got a problem with the six point. Okay.
If mayor I don't know. Yeah. And I at this point too and I think as much as we we don't want to postpone things and we need to get things done, it may be helpful to do this and also Commissioner Davis will be back at that point in time. So I'll make a motion that we Is it a motion or
continuence or something? There needs to be a motion because we are making an adjustment of sorts. I'll make a motion that we take in consideration the roll back rate of 6.23 79 which is 2.57%
lesser than the 6.4 millillage rate. Second. Is that the appropriate motion? I'm just not sure. I thought we making a motion to kind of uh I don't know how that one fits in the script. I thought you were making a motion to postpone to allow us to
advertise to next week, but if we're postponing, we only put ourselves back in the same position if we have a meeting. So, I guess my and let me talk this out. Sure. I think my motion was to take into consideration the roll back rate. So
when we do come to this meeting, we're either saying yes to the roll back rate or no to the current rate. Yeah, I think the probably the appropriate motion would be to postpone it to a date certain. Um so we can advertise for that and you would have
the full commission's body to vote on on that issue. If you have this pending motion right now and it gets seconded and approved at this stage, you won't have an opportunity to that at this special meeting. I didn't know what to say.
Okay, please repeat it. Miss West or Commissioner Jones can hear you. Commissioner Jones, can you hear me now? Yes, ma'am. I can hear you. Okay. So, we were basically uh Commissioner Campbell and I were kind of talking this out. Uh I'm not sure how
his particular motion would fit into this script. My recommendation was to make a motion for postponement of this agenda item to a date certain. So you would have the full commission body here in attendance to vote on that. The way you were structuring your motion now, if
that were to get approved now, you would not be able to reconsider that motion on your date. Do you see what I'm saying? Yes, I do. Okay. So I do. I will make the motion to
um table until a time certain which would be the 30th or the 29th. Tuesday the 30th. Tuesday the 30th. September the 30th. The public hearing to be re recessed. The hearing is to be recessed. That's terms.
Okay. Thank you. I'll make the motion that we recess. Thank you. um until the 30th. Second. Motion is second. All in favor?
I. Any opposition? Thank you. So, may I ask a question before we deviate too much. So, when we come back to that particular meeting, never mind. Never mind.
Never mind. I I want to know I I I understand what's going to transpire. So I So when we go into this meeting, we're going to talk. We already know what the 6.4 is. We already know how that works.
So will we be focusing on the the cuts that are made or how does that work? You want to answer or have city manager? Okay. Uh basically the revenue would be reduced by the impact of going to the
lower rate. That's number one. Um I I had I I know where we can have a tentative cut by making that change. So the amount that we're going to reduce the overall budget will be the 118,000
which is the reduction from the 6.4 down to the 6.39. And then you will also be informed what line item is going to be cut by that 118,000. So you'll have a whole new budget, but
it will identify it for you. The one line. Okay. What's that mean? Alert. Amber alert. That mean your time is time. Okay.
So there will be two lines impacted. A revenue stream the Avalor line will be less. It'll be the 4615232 that's on here. And then there will be a budget line expenditure that'll also be reduced. So we're recessing in hopes of all five
of us being here to have that discussion, but it's not us and the decision. It's still not 100% that everyone will be here. Correct. Yes. Can I send it to you? Can I have the finance director also send it to you tomorrow so you have time to look at it,
know it? No, I'm good. But I just want to make sure because we we're holding off for one person, which I think is very much valid. But again, for those of us that are here, can we be here on th I mean, can we be here on Tuesday?
I I didn't know it was really in my mind a choice. I mean, it is a choice. I mean that's the choice but I mean I I made a commitment to to be here on this commission as needed. So for me I I put it in my calendar I can be at night.
Madame Mayor could I speak? Go ahead commissioner Jones. So this is a question to the attorney. So, just to say Miss Pierre complete her script
and there's a motion go on the floor and it doesn't pass. Where are we then? Are you talking about t on Tuesday? No, I'm talking about no. If we wouldn't have done if you guys wouldn't ask for
recess, if we would have went to vote, what would have happened? Can I just speak into that? I'm looking at the trim requirements right now. What we're trying to do here is the final budget hearing. At the final budget hearing, we have to vote on the millage rate. If
because we don't have a full um we want to vote with the full all the members of the commission here and present. What we're doing is um recessing recessed the hearing basically. So the taxing at a authority recesses the hearing because
of circumstances beyond its control. In this case, all the commissioners are not present. Um so we would run an ad in the newspaper to announce the new date and we would be basically continue this this hearing with the goal of voting on the
millage rate whether it's the roll back rate or the 6.4 mills. Okay. My question was, if we wouldn't have did the recess, what would have happened if you had a two two tie?
The motion would have failed. So then what would what would have been the process to get the budget would so would have been in the same place, but it wouldn't have been you would need to entertain. You still need to pass a budget uh and you still
need to adopt a military. So, a motion still would need to be entertained to establish the military and adopt the final budget, just not the exact amount that was proposed in the motion that had just failed. Okay. So,
so what I what I believe I heard was the city manager come back and said, "Well, I it was a line item I saw for hundred and some odd dollarsund and something thousand dollars and um I don't know what line item it is. don't
need to at this point. But so you're saying the equivalent of taxing the 4,000 something taxpayers that we have, homeowners, what have you that we have in the city,
it it only equals up to like $100,000. The reduction between the 6.400 400 and the 62397 which is the roll back rate. The difference is18,567.
And for a tax payer, how would that what would be the benefit approximately? 2.5. Wasn't it like um but didn't we have 4,900? How much would they save? Oh um how many was it? Wasn't it 4,900? I believe taxpayers.
Yes. So, how much would they actually save? Put it into the 118 567. What is it? Like five into $29.50 annually, right? Yeah. Approximately. I'm just using rough
numbers here. Yeah. So, it' be $30 less. Every dollar counts. Every dollar counts. There's a difference that can make, right? And it does show that the commissioners are doing their best to utilize the roll back as opposed to and that's the lowest possible. What the
roll back does is it puts us right in the same position that we are now. Zero impact of change. Yeah. But and I just I just go back to the other thing that we talked about. You remember we identified about $700
and something thousands, right? I'm just I just want to just put that on the record that we identified that, right? And I did send it out, Commissioner, but everyone did not respond back. You you were the only one that identified that. I sent it out to
everyone. you sent you sent it out, but you need to communicate to them as it relates to Okay. Uh is it would it be would it be um a a problem if we look to help save
taxpayers monies and we've identified some line items that could potentially save dollars? I I I really seriously doubt that we would have had a commission to say no. Well, I guess that's my point. we send it out, we get hundreds of emails.
So that's my that's my point. So we work better and we learn and we learn and we know that when things come out that should require or that you desire a response to that we may take some additional steps to pick up the
phone just to make sure that it was received. This is a learning opportunity for us all not solely. So that's a learning opportunity. Okay. Thank you. Any further discussion or can we move on on to the second reading? adopt
ordinance number 202531 and ordinance number 202533 and runs for the city of Paka and it's for property parcel number 1610260000002400 013 and um yes and yes go ahead
mayor commissioners um after the board the school board meeting yesterday, the school board decided to withdraw the application for the annexation. So, um we are, you know, we are withdrawing the
the item from the agenda, this one and the next one, which is the reasoning. So, can I ask a question because I just don't like what I'm seeing on social media with regards to some of
these stories that have been painted of this commission. And I just want to make it make it clear that the school board came to the city, correct? We did not go to them asking to annex. So those who
are saying that they are afraid of the city coming into their respective neighborhoods, that is definitely not the intent of this commission. And I just want to make that unequivocally clear that we didn't go knocking on the door asking
for annexations that the rule annexations are voluntary into the state. We don't go solicit annexation. It's a voluntary annexation and they came to the city to annex in order to get utility services into the new uh parcel
that they own. Right. But but to Commissioner Campbell's point, I think so the city really needs to um put out some statement around that particular thing because again when when we have um
community members um put out statements and different things of that nature like the the city is imposing on their will. They already say that we have the highest uh tax structure, but we got to show them and we're going to have to
share this with the community what they're getting for the 6.4 mills that they are taxed and then as well as the the fire fee which is the 2.46 what they're getting for that. They don't get that from the county. They don't get it
from other taxing authorities. So, I think we need to be able to at least show that or put a story out there when we have stories out there against the city. In that regard, I think we need to have something to say, okay, well, hey,
here's here's how this really works or whatever. From from that standpoint, I would say what what I can tell you commissioners is that u the school board did come to the city with a voluntary annexation in order to get water and
sewer services. We know that. But the community who tends to get their news from a source that's I I don't know what has happened this past week, but it seemed like the city of Palaca has been under attack. And
it's it's I when we say telling our own story, that's why we have a public information officer to tell our story. Um, and again, I'm not really one that feed into I've been in this position 10 years and I've I'm never been one to
feed in to uh the rhetoric that goes on on social media, but it's becoming to a point where when others realize the attacks and just to hear or to see other elected officials talk about a entity or
talk about us, it's not a good look to It's not a good look at And I feel that if we can tell our story to clear up some of this mis mis understanding understanding misinterpretation of this commission and just hearing how
some of the business owners in this community have labeled us certain things. Um it's very disheartening to know that there are other leaders that see these things and if you see these things you can't reach out and say hey what's really going on
and so that's why I say when we have these things palaka the city of Palaka has to tell our own story and we have to not say go tick for tat but there are some things we definitely need to address as a city to talk about the things that we this commission has
accomplished over the last couple of years. Um, and it's just we have to tell our story and we did not necessarily have someone who can solely dedicate that time because you all are pulled in so many different directions. But now that we have someone in that position,
Palaka needs to start telling our story. Palaca needs to be at the forefront of how we want to be viewed and not how we're going to be perceived or viewed by another entity that is writing a story to sell news. And so we have to start
telling our story a little bit better because some of the stuff that I'm being sent some of the stuff that I'm seeing with regards to this commission is far from the truth. and then sit and to sit silent. That means that you know it's whoever
continued to put stories out and there's no um not just um to combat that but you tell like Commissioner Cameron say you tell you tell your truth. We got to promote the city of Pala and all the the the wonderful things that we've done
since been on the commission. I mean, we've I mean, it's been a lot of successes and it's been a lot of challenges, but as those challenges come, yeah, you deal with them and address them as as they come. You can't. So, that's what we do. So, we got to tell our story
and just to even with the previous administration and currently with mayor, we've established some we've established and we've done a lot not only um on the local level, but when we go to Tallahassee, when we go to different places, they know the city of Palaca to
be a uniform. They know we're coming with not just our commission, but with our staff as well. And that speaks volumes to when we're walking through uh the Capitol building, how they can recognize who the city of Palaca is. All of those things come with work, come
with dedication, and it comes with the heart of have a heart for this community and the people within this community. So again, I'm going to urge city staff, public information officer to let's start telling our story.
Let's start telling our story to the best of our abilities. Putting out visuals, putting out things that you know we have accomplished that I mean just even alone going from the 6.1 I mean the 9.1 mill rate and coming down
to the 6.4 that speaks volumes to the dedication that we've had to make sure that this city is moving forth and when we thrive when we thrive everything around us thrive. Any further discussion? Thank you.
No. Request to annex amend zone 136 Corbett Road City Property adopting ordinance number 202546 202547 202548
for pos 1010 2600 0210 0 01. Mr. Agamo. Yes, commissioners. Uh the three ordinance that is in front of you relate to the same property. It's a city owned property. Uh it's very very
small is like 50 by 50 square ft. Uh for some reason it was left out when the Walmart was annexing to the city. This little city owned land, you know, was left out. So we just trying to square off and and and bring this property into the city
which we own. and we have a lift station there. So, uh we review it was reviewed by the planning board. Uh it meets all the requirement for annexation for the future line use amendment as well for the resoning. So, staff is recommending that commission approve the three
ordinances. Motion to approve. Second. We have a motion second. Anybody here for public comment? Seeing no close public comment. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. on to request to annex amend and reszone
625 South state room 19. Adopt ordinance number 202549 ordinance number 202550 and ordinance number 202551 parcel number 1110 2600 0470
000021 Mr. Agama. Yes, Commissioner. is um the request is for three things is for to annex a piece of property a parcel and get the future line use amendment designation as whether they're reszoning basically what
it is is this uh it's very particular this property is is split I mean is split between the city and the county this is the if you know the it's right on state road 19 is where the side of
the is next to the O'Reilly daily by the parties where the trailer part is and that building is actually parties in the city and parties in the county. Uh the intent of this application that we have in front of you today is for
redevelopment of the site to combine those two parcels into would be like one just over one acre and is to redevelop the the parcel. They will demolish the existing building and the intent is to uh develop with the fast food restaurant
with a drive-thru. Thus is the request. The applicant is here. Applicant present and she might want to say something or you might have some question for her. Please come up to the podium. Anybody has any questions of the applicant or wants to ask any questions and
please give us your name and city or town of residence for the record. Kathleen Hub, Tampa, Florida. Does anybody have any questions? Um, do you go ahead? Do you Oh, okay. Commissioner Jones, you have any questions? Okay.
No, I don't. Thank you. Unless you just want to share something with us. I mean, the miss Yes. Well, we are looking very much forward to this project and this um annexation and reszone would allow it to be possible because right now we are
half city, half county and two different zonings and all the things. So, cleaning it up would allow us to make something nice here. Can you share with the commission what my goal with that site? We are under a strict NDA, so we're not allowed to disclose who the tenant is, but it is a popular fast food
restaurant, so I think everyone would be really happy about it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I I do have one question. Go ahead. This one. What What part of the uh the businesses in the county in the city right now? The front or the back?
Um the back is in the county. The back is in the county. Yes. Okay. How does something like that even happen? I don't know. Both of the way. And that's not a question for you cuz I know you probably like what? Like how does something like that?
kind of we're just going to leave it at that. It keeps keeps us on our toes and tuning and that's what we're trying to clean up right now. We're trying to clean up our service boundary boundaries right now and it's been a talking to hold on just a little while longer. We can use another restaurant so just be patient with us.
Thank you. Thank you. Do we have a motion to approve? Second. A motion is second. Anybody have to public comment on this screen? No. Close public comment. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. Thank you. First reading 300 North Highway 17
annexation plume and reszone. Ordinance 202552. Ordinance 202553. Ordinance 202554 concerning parcel number 37 379 09 2600 060
014. Mr. Agama. Yes. This this request that we have is um to annex approximately 3.8 acres into the city for the purpose of connecting to the city water and sewer uh system
and also to amend the future land use and to get a reasoning. Uh it's an industrial site. Uh there is a development going on already there. you know they're building some storage and industrial buildings and
the owners are requesting you know to add it to the city in order to get the water. We have the applicant here to address the board and any question it has been reviewed by the planning board by staff review the annexation the future lus amendment of whether the
resoning and it meets all the requirements that we have um and we're recommending approval. Thank you. Would you like to come up, sir, or do you have any fine and give your name in town or city of residence, please?
Um, Bill Thornne. Um, Satsuma and Filming Island. Okay. Does anybody have any questions? Mr. Park, Commissioner Jones, do you have any questions? Yes, I do. So, at this property, um, you know, it's cheaper to go ahead
and get water and sewer versus annexing in. Why would you want to annex in getting uh you say um per MAMO he you guys wanted water and sewer so we
can give you that at a premium rate but it'll be cheaper than annexing. So what makes some of that serious? I was told I didn't have a choice. I had to be annexed. Is it contiguous? continue.
Yeah, it is this is well yeah it is an existing enclave. So this annexation will reduce the existing n that is consist of the Florida statute with the intent is to eliminate all enclaves. Okay. And yeah what he's referring to is the
fact that in order to get the water service it needs to add into the city. It's a voluntary annexation. Right. Correct. I think the state law is if you're within a quarter of a mile of city that that's in order to do that. It is adjacent to the city. That's the
reason that this is moving forward. If not, you wouldn't be here. Okay. There is continuity and that's what we we we address you know in the staff review. It is continuous to the city. You know the the existing rail railroad railroad that goes through does not does not stop the continuity.
Okay. Okay. Did that answer your question, Commissioner Jones? Because we asked I think everybody's in favor of squaring up our boundaries as best as we can, but we have these enclaves that we need to tie in at this moment to do that. Correct. Yeah. I I I I wanted to ask that
question due to the fact that people are saying telling me what just what that young man said that he didn't have a choice. Um so you know making people annex in there maybe we could look into that and see hey listen can we sell
people water and sewer without actually um have to deal with their infrastructure have to provide public safety and stuff like that if they didn't want it. So that may be something we should look at for the future and how
we deal with this. What's that? Is it Commissioner Jones? We lost you for it's muffled. Um, okay. Well, thank you. Okay. Yeah. And then too with the with the annexation or squaring off our
boundaries. We got about 90 miles of curbing um throughout our uh city lines or what have you. But um that would also help because we still got a lot of dirt roads in our city within our
city. And so that would kind of also help in that regard with trying to pave our roads that's in there if we get them all annexed in to clean up some of our stuff here. Could we just feel when I bought the property, I went and talked
to people and was told by here in city hall that I would not need to be annexed. And she even sent a letter to the county saying that when I came to get water and sewer after the building's almost done, this is what I was told.
They're they're they're much better at it than than I. I'm just saying and all I was told was that she was wrong. So now I have to go through this whole process now. Okay. It is question. We need to work together to make that a better process for folks and we know that we're it's a work. We are trying but yes definitely
and trying. Man I love the city. I just is like come on you tell me one thing I have it in writing right now. Can you share that? Oh yes because I don't have that. No problem. Okay. We saved that email in the county.
Yeah I did. I you know I was not here so that's where I'm at. Okay. Thank you. Thank you'all. Thank you. Yes, sir. Do we have a motion? Motion to approve. Second. A motion to second. Anybody have for public comment on this item? Oh, come on. Miss Kitchen. Come on up,
Miss Kitchens. Leens Packer, Florida. I have a little bit of input on that. When Terrell Hill became mayor, he wanted to have a uh ordinance drawn up to where you can get city water and sewer and not be required to annex into the city. It never went anywhere. We need to look at that very
closely. Uh, prior to that, either when I was still on the commission, when Terrell first came on to the commission, the Chamber of Commerce appeared before the uh, city commission and they I we thought everybody thought there was an ordinance done. They requested that businesses and industry be allowed to
get city water and sewer without having to annex into the city because these businesses didn't want to annex in and it was prohibiting them from coming to the county because they didn't want to be forced to annex into the city. We thought that several of us thought that was an ordinance that was passed, but it was not. Come to find out it only applied to one business and I think it
would be very advantageous to the city instead forget about the enclaves. The only reason we have enclaves is because people have been forced to come into the city against their will. Uh so I think it would be to the city's advantage if you all work on getting an ordinance to where anybody can get city and water at a higher rate that'll cover the service
than what we get in the city that will pay for the service of the water and sewer and then we won't have many extended the city so we won't have the strain on the other government services. It's win-win for everybody. And of course, businesses like this man won't have to pay the city fire fee, will they? We'll have to pay the county. But thank
you, Miss Kitchens. And in fact, that was one of the discussions we had with the county commission in preparation for a joint meeting, a whole discussion about reinstating having a user fee that's a higher rate than city residents for people that wanted the services outside of the city boundaries. So, we
are definitely working on that. Thank you. Um, Commissioner comments, you're all quiet. I can say because Commissioner Campbell brought it up, I was given the opportunity and honor to
be on First Coast Connect, WJCTV, um, NPR radio. Um, and got to talk all about Paca and all the positive things going on and things we are doing. And I'm sure I missed some, but I think it was a very positive experience and it was a very positive um outcome for the
city. So hopefully we can more opportunities like that. With that said, do we have a motion to adjourn? So move. Okay. Thank you everybody.