There you go. Good evening everybody. Welcome to the city of Palaca, Florida agenda, our city commission meeting rather on July 24th, 2025 at 6 pm. I'm calling this meeting to order. We will start with the
invitation by Pastor Malbury followed by the pledge of allegiance from Commissioner Davis. Please stand. Let's pray. Father God, we thank you again for this opportunity to come before your presence. We thank you for
this time of sharing. Pray God for the wisdom that is need to move the city in the right direction. We pray God that you will give wisdom on this council that your people may be blessed. We ask God for your guidance. We need your
directions and all that we undergur to do for your glory. Continue to bless us in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance of the United States of America and to
the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please. Madam clerk. Commissioner Davis, present. Commissioner Campbell,
present. Commissioner Jones, here. Commissioner Borum, present. Present. Mayor Carrera, present. We have quum. Thank you. Um, has everybody had an opportunity to read the
minutes from June 4th, 2025, June 18th, 2025, and June 26, 2025? Make a motion that we accept the approved minutes from June 4th, 18th, and 26 of 2025. Second. We have a motion and second. All in
favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. I have opposition. Okay. Go ahead. I want to say uh opposition June 26. There need to be some corrections. Spoke to the city manager and the clerk uh in reference to
them. I didn't see the corrections recorded and submitted and let the commission know there was a lengthy discussion in reference to cease and dismiss that was not reflected in the minutes as if that conversation did
not happen during that time. So I brought to the attention to the clerk and the city manager and I don't see where any information matter manager and I know it was discussed because it's
on the agenda again tonight. Do you recall, madam minute? Of course I do. Yes. And I did meet with city clerk and asked to have the uh discussion inserted in. I'm looking to see
where that is put in. Maybe not. It is slight. Is there only where it says Commissioner Jones inquired whether a motion could be made to issue a cease and dismiss order representing attorney?
You can make a motion and second and take a vote if you like. I think from what I've heard is that the consensus at least from the commissioners who have been speaking is to send the cease and desist despite the discussion on motion was made regarding peace and desist
action. But what uh Commissioner Jones is saying is that there really should have been much more information in the minutes related to the discussion. I believe uh city clerk is that where you added in information
that's sufficient. So therefore, can we pull it back? She says the madame mayor say and sufficient. I think actually it's sufficient. It wasn't in there at all. And I didn't It wasn't at first. It wasn't correct. And that was us doing the correction
after commissioner Jones made the comment. Then I made certain that the city clerk did at least put in the notes the discussion itself. I feel that's sufficient and okay thank you. I'm also going to pass the gavvel
commissioner. I want to make a motion before we really go into the hog meeting to remand the agenda to remove the blue crab discussion to a future date. We have a jam-packed agenda and I didn't feel that was urgent, but again, I'm making a
motion. We have a motion. Do we have a second? I second. We have a motion and it's been properly second to remove the discussion direction item six of the blue crab festival to a future date. Do we want to have this time certain or as staff sees
fit? I I don't necessarily in the motion have a time certain, but we can move it. Um, whatever the preference of the commission is. I didn't have a time certain. Um, it's a super important thing. The blue crab, I think we need to
put uh a date. I mean, and it need to be very very soon, not to be pushed out too far again. Blue crab normally happens around May every year and we are few months after May now. We still don't
have the designation. So, uh to to push it out further, we need to have do it sooner than later in my opinion. Okay. Our next our next meeting I believe scheduled for August 28th, city clerk. Is that correct?
Yeah, that's correct. Okay. Then I um to um again modify amend my motion um to a date certain of August 28th. Is that friendly to the second? That was We have a motion and proper second.
Commissioner Jones second. Is that friendly? Commission. I say yes. Yes. All right. We have a motion to properly second. We will open this up for discussion should there be any. Yeah. Just a one question. I want to confirm that that means that no action will be taken until August 28th.
Correct. Thank you. Any more discussion? All right. We will call for a vote. All in favor do so by saying yay for the postponement of the blue crab discussion to the August
28th meeting. All in favor say I. I. All oppose do so by saying nay. Nay. Thank you. On to public recognition presentations. speakers are only limited to five
minutes. Please res be respectful of others. Um we're starting with the in in the spotlight employee of the month, Miss Jones. Um madame mayor, commissioners, um I'd just like to recognize our employee of
the month here for the city of Palica for um that has been recognized for the duties that she has been performing. Unfortunately, she already had obligations and will not be present. But I do want to take this opportunity to recognize our finance specialist, one Miss Sherry Roguez.
Thank you. We're going to have a take stock and Shoulder mentoring presentation. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead, Madam Mayor. commissioners. Um, I was given the task to be a liaison between an organization and the city and I was already a mentor with take stock and
children. So, I asked them to do this presentation tonight. Uh, let Miss Serena Martinez give her a presentation. Thank you and good afternoon. Um, madame mayor, commissioner, I would like to present first our vice president of
mission programs for Goodwill. That is who our lead agency is for our nonprofit, Take Stocking Children of Pum County. He's going to share some really great details about what Goodwill has going on. Thank you so much, madame mayor, commissioners. Thank you all so much for allowing us to be here. Uh, as you all
know, along 19, our Goodwill store, uh, have our youth uh, development and in um, program there, take stocking children, which you learn more about today. And then we also have our adult education there where is our eightstep program and just want to con continue to
thank you for the DOC appropriation that we have received there. Um currently right now we have 114 clients that's being served there. Um that have received over 196 certifications. Um that's our adults returning citizens um
re-entry citizens. Um and 80 of them have been employed. So, um that's that's just a quick update just on our adult education that um we are doing over at Goodwill and we'll just appreciate your continued support.
Thank you. And now turning it back to Testock. Um again, my name is Sereni Martinez. I am the TakeTock mentor coordinator for Putham County. Um my role in the program is to recruit mentors to give some time back to our students. Um right now our
lowest enrollment for take stock and children at a palaka high is the smallest. This year it is our biggest grow goal to grow our student enrollment there. Um but we cannot grow our enrollment until we have the mentors to place the students with. So bringing it back uh just the basics our students
must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher. They must show good attendance um and they must show a commitment to college. We are trying to bridge the gap to higher education for underserved youth. So they also have to demonstrate some sort of financial need. Um but again our biggest
goal is to recruit those mentors so that way our students have someone to talk to, someone who encourages and pushes them in that college direction. Um as Chief Taylor mentioned, he is one of our dedicated mentors and we are so grateful to have him involved. Um we do have a we
have Mr. Justin Campbell. He's also one of our mentors and we appreciate again the commitment that the city of Palaka has shown in helping us grow the take stock and children program. Um at the completion of the program the students do receive a 60 credit tuition Florida
prepaid scholarship. So that is the last step for us in making sure that our students are college bo and committed and that we're bridging the gap to higher education for our pun county students. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.
If I may, mayor, just really quickly, I've seen the benefits of this program um for the Putton County School District, and I would implore if there are individuals that um have the time in their schedule to become a mentor that they truly take it into consideration. I think it's been more beneficial to me to
work with my student at Crescent City High School than it is to for me to work with him. Um, but again, I've seen across the board how this program has been very instrumental for our students in this community and would again encourage those that may want to come into it to really look into it as it
will be beneficial to you as well. Go ahead, Commissioner. Again, I want to thank you for the presentation and thank you for having to take stock in in our children. But, uh, I heard when you you mentioned that it was they have to make a minimum of a 2.0.
So, um, I like to also look at those that are just slightly below because we want to make sure that those that have could have an opportunity to be able to improve their grades. If you can have if your program offers something like that,
that would be great to help get some of those ones who may fall just slight slightly below to have an could have an opportunity to also participate. So, just think about that. Does anybody else have any comments?
Thank you. Legislative update from Paul. Are they on? Hello. Yes, I am on. Hi. Hi. How are you? Good. How are you, Miss Jackson?
I am great. All right. May I proceed? Yes, please. Uh, madame mayor, uh, commissioners, thank you uh, so much for the opportunity to come uh, before you.
Again, um I will be uh brief enough so that you can ask uh questions, but this is a very different legislative session. Uh and every legislation session certainly is different. This one
uh was my 26th and I had never seen one like it. So it was very extended. Um as we know that there was some um dissension between uh the governor and the legislature
which u made it very unusual. Um, so I wanted to uh start by uh talking about what what did happen and then to uh talk about what didn't
happen and uh then open it up for questions if you had any. So what did happen? We did finally get a budget passed and uh the governor uh extended
this almost to the deadline. We had to I shouldn't say the governor extended but it was extended almost to the deadline of June 30th uh is basically about the time that the governor uh acted on appropriations. But not withstanding uh
the appropriations, there were some other things that were very important uh that uh provided uh I think uh entree for what we can see next year. Uh one of the things that we really were paying
attention to was uh rural renaissance because that's a direct uh effect on uh Palaca. And although Senator Albritten didn't get everything he wanted in that package, we see that as an opportunity
for uh next session, knowing that we start early next session, we start in January. Uh some other highlights uh particularly for uh this area uh was in the area of transportation
and uh we have provided for you um a summary of Putnham County as a whole. Uh what they received in terms of what uh we asked for uh Palaca asked for uh we did not get
additional funding for uh uh projects that we had requested. However, however, I wanted to and if we could I don't have control of the screen, but uh we also provided for you uh a summary of what
you have done over the last uh three years uh 22, 23, and 24 uh where you uh received well over 20 million uh dollars. uh 24.
Excuse me. I tried to explain that to them. Okay. No, go ahead, Miss Clash. Okay. All right. So, you can see here in 23, which was a big year for us, uh where you received a total of 13
million. Uh 24 you received another 4 million. 22 you received another um I think it was 4 million or so. But the bottom line is that many of those projects are now in progress. uh whether
or not that had some effect on uh what you received for this year, I would say probably uh that you know we want to make sure that those projects are are completed and
we have since we uh ended the session met with the department of uh environmental protection. Uh something else that was unusual this year that didn't happen last year, we had some additional funding of grants that we
could apply for even if things were vetoed or not gotten in the budget. Those funds were not available this year. All of the 400 plus million dollars went directly to line item projects. But that being said, uh
certainly want to commend uh Senator Leak and uh Representative uh Sap who are are new uh to representing Palaca for their uh willingness to to provide uh an opportunity for us to submit. Um
the other thing that I would tell you is that there were many bills that uh we have listed and I won't go through all of them. We pro tried to provide this uh to you so that you can uh read through them to see those that uh directly
affected uh you through um a lot of the county legislation. So um some of those we have them listed as Putnham delegation approved bills. These are ones that uh went before your delegation and were approved. So the good news is
that we are in progress and I think uh the manager will attest to this. You're in progress of spending the money that you got over the these last few years and that's going to be important as we move uh forward to ask for additional uh funding. um you know you came to
Tallahassee uh you uh provided the advocacy necessary and we cannot stop uh because you know you get you didn't get funds for this year that you have and you've gotten so much we got to get those
projects in the ground and moving. Um so I'm going to stop there u because I know you do have a long agenda. We provided a lot of information uh to you uh about the projects, about some of the bills,
but I urge you do not stop um the advocacy because your presence in Tallahassee was welcomed. Uh it was needed and uh we have to go back uh next year. Uh I do want to uh also just
mention because it is in congruent with what we're talking about the governor and our uh new uh newly appointed um um finance officer um former senator uh
Blae and Glacus has said that they are looking at efficiencies, government efficiencies. And so I want to implore you to make sure that that we take that into account. Uh there was an announcement um just uh I guess it was
yesterday uh uh both uh targeting counties and cities. So we want to make sure that we're mindful that we are in a in a in a time of accountability. So while you didn't get additional dollars, uh certainly being accountable for what
you have gotten and being good stewards on what you have gotten is going to be very very important as we move forward uh to uh next session. So the good news is you not now but you know doesn't mean not ever. And so we will go back uh with
those projects and we'll be in in an even better position because you are moving forward on the dollars that you have received. So I will stop there. Uh, Madame Mayor, and answer any questions that you may have. Does anybody have any questions on Miss Ash Jackson?
No. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Thank you. And thank you for the uh opportunity to work with you. It's been a great pleasure and honor for the Becker team. Have a great evening. Bye-bye. All right. Thank you.
On to item D. Jeff Nation's request for lease of W4 terminal building at K Lockan Airport. Mr. Douglas, are you coming up? Five minutes for presentation, please. Good evening, Madame Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Charlie
Douglas. I'm here on behalf of Mr. Jeff Nations, 117 North Second Street. We're here this evening to support your consultant's recommendations regarding W4 hangar at the airport and this lease assessment document that was performed by your consultant. The consultant sent
you two directives. One is to have an executed lease on file where it is accessible when needed. Number two, the consultant recommended that you should ensure the tenant meets the FAA's definitions of aeronautical
use. Last Tuesday, July 15th, we met with Miss Cardi, Miss West, and Mr. McNair. City staff was fully apprised of Mr. Nation's aeronautical uses, and their recommendation from that meeting was to
meet one-on-one with each commissioner. We were successful in meeting with four out of the five commissioners last Friday, July 18th. When Mr. Nations explained his aeronautical uses of W4 hangar, a formal statement of
aeronautical use is also in your agenda packet tonight along with supporting photographs. At this stage, we believe we have addressed all of your questions. So this evening, our ask is for you to make a motion to finalize a lease renewal with
Mr. Nations and time is of the essence because Mr. Nations received a termination of lease letter mandating his departure by July 31st, which is in 7 days.
in the alternative. Alternatively, if you feel any hesitation at all tonight finalizing Mr. Nation's lease renewal because you may have additional questions or concerns, our ask is that you at least resend the termination
letter tonight and agree to a 90-day extension so we can answer any issues, including working with your consultant. I'm here to answer any questions and also Mr. Lee is here to answer any questions about the FAA compliance manual and aeronautical use.
Does anyone have any questions of M. Douglas? Thank you. I do have a public comment cloud that was submitted. Miss Kitchens Kitchens 1027 South 12th Street, Paka, Florida. I just want to say that I thoroughly support Mr. ations retaining
or getting a new lease at the airport. He's been a good friend of the city, including swapping his land with city land so that the city could move their public works facility out there. Mr. Nations deserves to get the lease. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.
Any other discussion? I'd like to move forward with a motion. Okay. Please go ahead. I'd like to move forward that we resend the cease and desist or the termination letter. Do we is this is the presentation. That's all. How are we How are we making uh I'm making a motion.
I know you can make a motion. I'm just asking a question. If it's not accepted, we would be able to entertain it at that time. But I would like presentation. I would like to finish my motion, please. Let Mr. Let Commissioner Campbell finish this motion and then we'll ask um legal what's accepted. I would like to make a
motion that we resend the termination letter and move forth with an extension of the 90 days to allow uh opportunity for staff and Mr. Nations to parties Mr. Nation's party to come up with some
resolutions and is that acceptable Commissioner Campbell if you could kindly make a motion first to have an emergency item added to the agenda and then add this as an emergency item to the agenda. A second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? I
I any nay? Okay, we have two three we have. Okay. And I'll reate my motion. I'd like to move forward that we resend the termination letter and move forward with a 90-day extension allowing staff and
Mr. Nation's parties to come together um and try to come up with a resolution. A second. We have a motion and a second. Um, roll call. All in favor, please. Roll call.
You got a You had a motion in a second. I got a question discussion. Okay. Yes. I think I think we need to have a discussion as opposed to just running into a vote. We received the letter from our city attorney. This has been a long
ongoing thing for quite some time. I didn't hear anything different until just now as it relates to doing anything different. So, uh, I'm not going to vote on anything that I have not heard
anything from a city attorney as it relates to what was already in play in motion. We had a letter of termination for for the uh um I don't know if it was a contract in force already, but it was
a letter of termination for ceasing the system, a noneronautical use. And so that was what was on the table and that's what came from our city attorney and direction from our city manager. So that's what I understood. So, I I'm not
friendly to the uh alternative at this time. So, just vote no. Oh, I I was uh Hey, Commissioner, you can keep your comments to yourself. Say what I said. You can say what you say, but keep your comments to yourself. No, you need to you need to get him
correct. I got the floor. Yes, you do. Okay, but correct him. This not We're not going to correct anybody. We're just going to let you have the floor and keep going. Mayor, you you are the facilitator of this meeting. I am. And I am saying that you have to stop. That was inappropriate. That was
inappropriate. I can't point of order. Please, please stop. Mayor, we're in the middle of a roll call. We were in the middle of roll call in the middle of discussion. Stop, please. I didn't point of order. I didn't offer up discussion point. You finish your discussion. You have the
floor, please. I was I was done with it until that comment uh was made. So, thank you. Thank you. Okay. Go ahead, Commissioner Davis. Um, this is for um the city manager andor um our city attorney. Um,
in light of what was issued, I'd like to understand your feedback at this point of what we're considering if that's appropriate. They will tell us whether it's appropriate. Go ahead, city manager. Well, the only as I'm just going to uh
say that yes, we did issue the notice to terminate the uh usage of the premises based upon uh the usage and in order to bring it into compliance with FAA. Uh however, uh just recently we got more
understanding about how they're using it. I did make a um I was still at the point of recommending that we get an opportunity to verify the usage which we have not had uh since we had this new
information presented. So my recommendation was or my suggestion was that we cannot at the moment issue the lease until we can verify the usage. So that's pretty much where I am as of this moment.
Is there anything on this? Did that answer your question, Commissioner Davis? So, just to clarify, so what I hear you're saying is you've received additional information that indicates aeronautical usage, but the city needs to verify that.
That's exactly what I'm saying. And uh I don't want to accept just a statement that's written that says we're doing we're performing aeronautical use. Um I don't think that's prudent. I think it's wise miss to take an opportunity to
verify that whatever usage that is being done aeronautically that it is FAA compliant as well. So um I'm standing in response to the request that I can understand that Commissioner Jones had requested first
floor. Go ahead Commissioner Jones. Um as we all had opportunity to vet what was going on at the airport and there were questions. Okay. And we actually the cease and desist was to get the answers to those questions. We I
think we need to be fair. First of all that was just our last meeting we issued the cease and desist. Yes. And to come right back and pull it that says a lot about us. Okay. So
I want the city manager, the airport director that are subject matter experts give us the feedback on what you have discovered based upon what Mr. Douglas and his group have presented. Uh I received I don't know if everybody else
received correspondence that staff said that they're not ready to accept a new lease at this time. So, I don't think that we should go against staff. And legal is not really saying yay or nay, but I'm only yield and cautious of what
staff says as we usually do here and uh not move forward. And I have to agree with Commissioner Borum. This wasn't a matter that we were going to make a determination today or uh stop the cease and desist that we just
ordered last week. So, we're we're saying go. No, stop. go in the middle of an action and I think that we need to carry it out and after the cease and assist come back to the table. I've met Mr. Douglas as well and again I'm going
stand firm on what we issued so that we get solid information coming back whether it's from the FAA and I think that we need to contact the FAA directly on this matter and stop going with opinions of people who's not going
to make that decision. FAA makes the decision, why don't we write a letter and clarify it's an exterminal which is city property and see what can that be used for? Is this a proper use or not? Get it cut and dry and when we get for
them we can make a solid decision and an informed decision. Okay. So that's that's why I'm on this decision. Commissioner did. Yes. Thank but until and to I think even at that I think we had um some
multiple tenants who were who had put in for W4 as well. So you had a multi-individual who were interested in W4 had um a a flight school who came in way prior to and had an agreement and I
think the commission um uh table that item and we never picked it back up. So we we we got a lot of conflict uh that's going on with for just one terminal. And again,
the aeronautical use um that the flight school would have had, they didn't have an opportunity to even utilize the um the the terminal. So, I think to just open it up to just a uh a competitive uh
process and allow for everybody to be able to who were interested in the the the building to be able to have an opportunity at it as opposed to awarding because if we awarded to one, we could be lo could have a lawsuit by another.
Is am I correct? Yes or no? Correct. Okay. So, when we have these type discussions and conversations, I need for our city attorney to step in and help us out because she's stepped in on a few other um positions that it could
potentially put the city in a liability for a lawsuit. So, we need to really step back and think about what we're doing before we just go and award somebody hastingly. Commissioner Camp, if I may, mayor, operating in complete transparency. I don't know if you all
were familiar what was originally printed in our agenda packet, there was a discrepancy with regards to the recommendation that came from staff and what we received today via email. Hence the reason why I felt compelled to make sure that we cleared that up, allowing
staff the opportunity to clear that discrepancy up because originally the recommendation that was printed in the agenda stated that staff was willing and ready to move forth with a leasing agreement and today we received an email that stated otherwise. Hence the reason
why I wanted to make sure that we did on our end the due diligence, not stating that I am in a position where I don't support staff, but originally from what was in the agenda packet, there was a recommendation that was made and today
that was rescended. Hence the reason why I said to postpone and allow that 90-day extension. Any further discussion? any input from legal or city manager?
Um, putting it out to bid through a competitive bidding process is a mechanism that would allow for the most transparency um, in this particular situation. It is what we do with other facilities that the city owns. We do put it out for a
competitive bidding process. So that is an option for you to move forward that would avoid potential legal liability because it would be a transparent, fair and competitive bidding process. Thank you. Any additional questions? But first things first, we need to have
the facts on still in discussion on the appropriateness of use use of the facility. Right. Yeah. That's what we That's right. Could we hear from Mr. Mr. So, you want to hear from No, go ahead.
You're about to say something. Go ahead. No, no. I I I You want to hear from Mr. I'd like to hear from you. Uh, can you come up, please? And go ahead. Address your question. You will make an airport manager for the city of Pala. So question I have is have
the FAA been contacted and asked about the usage of terminal W4 W4. No sir. Is that a step in this process that should have or or I'm just asking. Uh
well, in my experience with this, there's a couple of different ways you can look at it. Uh but at the end of the day, what you want to do is not expose the sponsor of the airport to some serious liabilities. Um the city attorney mentioned competitive process. You know, that's an option. It's a clean
option. It's a smoother option. At the end of the day, no one can come back and complain about the process. Right now, you got multiple folks interested in one building and it's a mess, right? Okay, it it predates me, predates folks up here, but in my years I've been
in this business, this is this is a classic mess. There's a lot of pieces, there's a lot of things that have been said, committed over the years, and and we just don't have the luxury uh of having those insights. So, we're looking at this from a compliance
standpoint, but also from from a standpoint of, you know, part 13s or part 16 complaints, which is filed through the FAA. We don't need that. Um, I cannot recall any airport manager I know of that would
encourage that. So, if we can address it um amongst ourselves, that would be the preferred route to go. Okay. And I'm going say this and I'll be done. I saw those lease agreements even with
the ski club and prior none of us was here predates all of us prior that's been handled by the city manager not bought the Florida city commission so I know a lot of times commissioners go well that's day-to-day operation it
is until something happened they always now put it on us so now we have to make the decision that should have probably been made prior by administration, not you because you're you're here, but you got to straighten out this mess as you said, right?
Um, but I'm relying on the city manager, airport director, and the attorney, right, to work this mess out. Yes, sir. And and don't kick it over here to us the, you know, and no way we going to be able to save
place to nobody. We want to be fair to Mr. ations, the flight school and our community. So, uh, what I'm saying is let's we made a decision to cease and desist. The letter is out. You got to the 31st. How you going to handle that?
You guys handle it and don't push it back to us at this juncture. I'm done. Commissioner, no. So, Commissioner Davis, I'm sorry. I I just want to say I concur with Commissioner Jones.
Commissioner Forum. Um and I concur with uh Commissioner Jones. And then again, what I thought we were here today to understand was this. We were going to hear the presentations,
but nothing would change as it related to the letter that was in force. that was my understanding and that's what I communicated to individuals who uh reached out to me for uh just conversation around that. So that's I'm
I'm putting on the record for that and so that's what I understood now is am I wrong or no with the letter that was in force was still in force? Yes or yes was the letter in force still in force? Yes or no?
Yes. Yes. at this moment. Yes. Until July, you know, at the moment or is it enforced? It's it's subjective. Yes. Go ahead, Commissioner. Again, I think it's still the reason the motion was made to make this as an
emergency item was because it was stated here, we tend to go with the recommendation of what staff tends to bring to us. However, there was a discrepancy in what was originally put out with regards to a staff report and
what we received on today. That's the reason why I made the motion so that we're able to iron those details out, which essentially goes back to what Commissioner Jones is saying, how is it going to be handled? But I do believe that it was of a great importance for
that discrepancy to be put out at the forefront knowing that staff quote unquote made a recommendation that was put out that was published in the agenda that many people have seen and then today there was a break put in and no true explanation.
Thank you. Any further discussion with that we have a roll call. Roll call. Madame Cler, that was already started, but we we have a motion and a second. So, roll call, please. Would you would you please restate the motion? What the motion was, please?
My motion was to extend the 90 days. Well, go ahead. To extend the to extend the 90 90day extension um that Mr. Mr. Douglas had asked for for the opportunity to staff.
No, that's not the motion. A motion to resend termination letter and allow for a 60 to 90day extension to allow the parties to come up with a resolution. That was the motion and that resolution can be whatever the
resolution is. Yeah. So that was motion as stated. Roll call please, madam cler. Roll call. Commissioner Davis. Nay. Commissioner Campbell. Yay.
Commissioner Jones. Nay. Commissioner Borum. Nay. Mayor Carrera. Yay. Motion fails. So the um cease and desist letter that
takes effect July 31st that's in place will take effect July 31st. Correct. Correct. On to item E. Skate club lease status at K Lock and Airport by Alex Shop. Mr. Chop, good morning. Good afternoon.
Want to take a recess before we uh continue? Uh, for the record, Alex Sharp, uh, PO Box 953, Hollister, Florida, and I'm representing, uh, the Ski Club, uh, Ski Club of Placa as a one of their board
director members today. I wear a lot of different hats, but that's the basis that I'm here for today. Um, I don't know if I have a presentation for you. Uh, we have been in negotiation with staff, uh, talking about the current lease that's in place. We have a lease
with the city of Palaca. Um we've had that lease since 1961 and we have been a good partner with the city of Palaca. We provide uh gun training. Um when I say gun training, there's a college team that uh
at a college level that practices out there. Uh we have national meets. Uh we have local fundraisers. Um we're an integral part of the community here in Putham County in Palaca and uh we've uh
as members I've only been a member for about 10 years. Uh we've invested heavily in the uh parcel of property that the city has so generously allowed us to use. Uh I'd just like to point out to the board members that there was no improvements on this property. This was
a uh for lack of better words, a uh a buffer between the airport and the surrounding property. Uh we've improved it. We've kept it. The city incurs no cost whatsoever in maintaining this property. Um I understand the position.
You've been looking at all the nonprofits. We are a nonprofit, by the way. You've been looking at all the nonprofits, and quite frankly, a dollar a year, that's a great deal. I agree with you 100%. We have no problem. Uh I too received um
a letter from uh the city of Palaca and I did receive an email with a proposed alteration on that. Uh we would like our position and I can't speak to the new proposal that was sent to us. I just received it today. Uh but the position of our board at our last meeting was
that we would respectfully ask ask the city to allow our current lease to run out and we would be happy to sit down and renegotiate another price. Um a lease is a partnership between two entities. It provides security. It's
it's your word as an entity that you're going to agree to these terms and that's that's all I'm here for. So if you have questions, be more than happy to answer them. Anybody have any questions for Mr. Shaw? Go ahead, Commissioner. I'm miss
ahead. Mr. Shaw, you said you guys got a lease from 1960. 1960 out there. 1961. 1961. So about 64 years. It was a vacant piece of land, wooded lot, nothing on
it. So, y'all been paying about $64 for it up to this point. Give or take a few dollars. There's, just to be clarified, there's no one waiting to get in on our property. We don't have anybody vying to take over the ski club. We never we never put it out there. So,
we talking about RFPs right now. Not quite sure you can build on it, but I mean, it is what it is. Um, you had a good idea. Maybe some of our officers could stay out there for security purposes. Uh yes, we we drafted a letter. It should be in your agenda. We tried to address all the ancillary
concerns that were brought up. We want to be a good partner with the city. Yeah. We we're not looking for a fight or and any kind of antagonistic relationship. It might sound like that from your standpoint, but we're not either. You came back and you increased our
lease from a dollar a year to $1,300 a month. I mean, so and the lease isn't over yet. with truck. Well, could you clear one thing up? Put that lease out and tell who signed that lease because I had a hard time finding out I mean figuring out who actually signed that
lease from the city. I think it was Woody Boyington, sir. Um, could you put who who you say it was? I thought it was uh there is not one name that we could allely see that says but it was Alan Bush. It say city manager.
So, I want to hold somebody accountable for that lease. I I wasn't there at the time of that lease. That would have been in 2009, Commissioner, but I I'm sure it was a representative of the city. We got that lease from from y'all. I mean, a copy of it again.
Are you saying the lease is invalid or that it was forged? I'm not quite understanding where I want to know who signed the lease. It's Alan Bush. I think believe it's Mr. Bush based on the era or is that Yeah, based on 1961. That's why I'm saying No, no, that's 2009.
That's 2009. 2009. Okay. Okay. Then it could have been Woody. It could be Elwood. Could say is that could be Woody. But do we do we do uh it's a legal document and do we actually are we bound
to documents like that legal? Yes. This is illegally bound. So who is this? You have Y'all have This is Alan Bush. You think that's Alan Bush? I do. 2009. Well, I'm pretty sure Alan Bush is still around. But I mean we can if you give me a little bit of time I can get
clarification. City attorney is still like yes I did city attorney in here somewhere. Don Holmes. Oh so my my my question is you know I had that question. I want to know who signed the lease. Um it was presented to
us. Um it may not be material. I mean it was notorized commissioner. So I mean those people had to be present when the signatures were made. And was that sometimes it said personally known? don't have an identification from the notary,
but I just I'm going I get your point. I do. I mean, it it was a long time ago and and I I mean it's the lease is coming up and normally at the at the end of the term of a lease, you renegotiate and we're not we're not we're not un uh unopposed to that. We just ask that you
allow us to finish out our lease. It's a nonprofit. We don't make a ton of money out there. And again, I know I said it uh glibly, there's not people lined up that want that property. It's it's a field is what it is. Yeah. I um I'm going to I'm going to
yield and pass to Commissioner Borne because Commissioner Borne actually this was his ass that. All right. Not not that particular one. It it was the um other other deal, but this came up as a learning from Mr. Bale who uh
appreciate here's here here's my issue and concern whatever and generally I think anytime we have a lease uh generally it's commission action on a a lease uh agreement right with the city
if it's money involved don't we have a don't don't right we're we're currently under this lease it has another four years left to the term Right. But my question is generally don't it's a commission action or anything binding the city to an
agreement but there's there's no commission action that I saw and under the documentation. So that's my pause. That's one pause. The other one is uh you know in terms of um use and is it is
it does it meet the use that from our from the um FAA FAA and the individual that yes came out to do that. So the consultant uh did identify the issues with this were not a compliance because of its operation as a ski club.
The only issue in terms of FAA compliance was the failure to have a fair market value rent for uh this property. But it also mentioned that it was not um aeronautical use for that particular
that was not identified as an issue of compliance for the ski club. So then the other piece is uh the as it relates to safety um I don't know how many people shoot around uh airports and different things
of that nature but that's my other concern as it relates to interject on that commissioner. Yes sir. We have not shot an airplane down in 60 years. Nor have No, I'm being I'm not being witty. We have not had any kind of incident with an airplane and shotgun
shells. fac. It could happen. There's a police range off to the uh 100 two or 300 yards where they do shoot much higher caliber. Uh oh, we're talking about the ski club right now. But that
we got one more I guess got one more thing and then you know and then the other piece is my uh certificate of insurance as it relates to that. So is there a certificate of insurance that you guys have that we do, sir. We do carry insurance and we do provide that to the city. I don't know if you have a copy of it on record.
I'm not the president or the treasurer. I'm just a a lowly board member. So, but I mean we we've been operating out based on this lease and and this is my time era. I didn't go back to 1960, but we've been operating out there since 2009 with under many different
commissioners, city managers, and so forth. And there's never been an issue. This is the first time this has arisen. kind of understand what's and we're just asking for a little leeway to, you know, if if we are going to have to increase our rent, I understand the FAA rules. I know more about them now than I should know. If we
are going to have to increase our uh our lease amounts, I would just ask that you give us a little time, which, you know, four years is a drop in the bucket compared to 60 years and we can renegotiate that lease. I I think what I find that gives me a little heartburn is
the city to break the lease, which you would have to do, and then reimpose a higher rent. And I I think that might be an issue. Well, I thank you for your your comment, but again, as a policy maker, for me, uh, you know, just I'm going to respect
your um position and I hope you respect mine as well. I I do, sir. Commissioner Davis, Mr. Sharp. Yes, ma'am. I hear you loudly and clearly. Thank you. This is what I want to say. The city obviously has some issues with past leases.
Okay. So, while we cannot fix the sins of our fathers, we inherited them. And what I want to um ensure is going forward that we handle
leases properly. And that is with a a um realistic term on the lease. No more 54-year leases. Yes, ma'am. No more dollar leases if that does not benefit the city. And and there may be
some instances where they may. I don't know depending on what we get for that $1 lease. But um it is unfortunate that we're here in 2025 having this conversation. But I also think it's um necessary in order to move forward.
We're we hear over and over and over that Falaca is at a place to move forward with appropriate and sustainable growth. So to that point, these kinds of items will come up. Yes, ma'am. And we recognize again they're
inherited, but just because they're inherited does not mean we're going to continue moving forward accordingly. Now that we know better, we're going to do better. It's unfortunate. Um I will venture to say that we are not going to
make any decision that puts a city um liable you know breaking leases or doing things like that. Um but please note four years is a long time especially since it's already been in place. So I I want to
correct that statement, but at the end of the day, you have a lease signed by whomever signed it. You have the certificate of insurance. And I've also noted that in um u pre
documentation that I reviewed that the FAA even approved the ski club to be there. If I'm seeing that that's been a few years ago, 1986 again. That's right. 1986. That was Alan Bush again, by the way. Again, again,
neither here nor there. Documentation is in place. And while I don't agree, I have to honor the law. Yes. So, thank you very much. I just want to put that on the record. And I do appreciate those comments, ma'am. And we we fully understand that that should you allow us to complete our
lease that there will be a change in those terms and that those lease amounts. And we have no hesitation on that. It's just this is catching us off guard. On that we can agree there will be a change. Thank you ma'am. Um just for the record I need to clarify my previous statement. Alan Bush was the
author of the 1986 letter in 2009. Don Holmes was the city manager that signed this lease. Okay. That was done on home signature. He's here. We can bring him in. Bring him in. No, let's not do that. We know we've got because what's not there is a certificate from a notary that's that's
there is that's notorizing Don home signature or whoever that city manager. It's not that's what it is. Look look at the name up there says David Robson. Yeah that doesn't look like
and the second person is Terry Finch. Their signatures was witness and both of them were represented of a ski club. there's no nobody you're right not you're right a signature of any representative well I I I think and and in my other job
uh a lot of times when we have uh contracts go out we'll make the parties that were giving the contract notoriize their signatures and then when it goes back to the entity we don't and I'm just using as an example sir we don't generally the head of the uh agency that's receiving the the services
doesn't have to be notorized they're the if if they the city drafted this contract am I not correct. They were the author of it and drafted it. Again, we don't know. We don't I'm pretty sure it looks like Don's drafting. So, I just want direct legal to actually
verify that contract as best you can. A little better than just say contract that we're going to honor it for the next four years. So, I I mean, it's easily ascertainable. I mean, if there is an issue with it, I mean, I'm sure staff can Miss West can find out from Mr. Holmes himself.
All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you guys. Well, the only other thing I the only other thing that I had I seen I think in the letter or what have you, but um I thought that the uh FAA or whoever came
in, they did the approval prior to the letter that was sent out by Mr. um the Bush Bush the Bush letter. So it it when they came out and did the
approval prior to Bush's Bush's letter. So that's what I thought I seen in in the write up. Now if if if that's not the case, I can I can go with that and complete the contract. I can do that.
But if that is not the case with that because I'm voting on a conditional that would be a conditional vote based on what's in in the write up. Nothing changed. That's what I understood that what I seen in the write up. This is the research that I've been able
to locate with the files that I have. Okay. I got one other correction then I'm going to let it go. Go ahead. I don't believe that Donald Holmes was the city manager in 2009. You would know better than I. No, I I mean we
one of Pardon me. I No, I think they can research that. We'll find out. For sure. But this is why we in these situations about the thoroughess. We need to have that to make good decisions up here. That's all I'll say. Thank you. I will say I was going to remain quiet,
but this falls just like the last one. What is the city manager going to do? Miss city manager. Okay. So, as it is related to the ski club, that's the question. Yes, correct.
Okay. Um, what I am going to do is what I've already started doing. Uh, I did consult with the lease assessment consultant to determine if the, uh, letters exchange that I saw between FAA
and the city manager were valid. Uh the consultant said they appear to be valid. He did also mention that at some point we should you know look back into it and make sure that it still is valid but basically valid but it is valid to the
point that what we should be concerned about is the rent. The fair market value of the rent that is the concern for that particular lease. There is a lease. The issue is revenue diversion. Revenue diversion means that the airport should
be receiving more money than they are for the usage of the premises. And for that reason, the approach that we took was to look at the fair market value of the acreage. Took 2% that came out to 40,000. 2% of that um made us u come up
with the number of 1,333. My intent would be to I want to meet with legal once more to determine if there is an opportunity to negotiate rental amount with the ski club. And
also I would not be really interested in trying to pursue 100% of the amount uh calculated considering that they're coming from zero and they have operated or or dollar that they've operated with a dollar lease for such a long period of
time. So that is where I am and I will be concluding that very soon. If go ahead candle and I'll say this if you revert back to the letter that was sent to the ski uh the ski club and I'm reading verbatim. Okay.
FAA regulations require a fair market return on all new leases. That's point number one. The lease was paid in full
in 2009. Point number two, there's really we tied our hands even with what we sent them that the first the first part of it is on all new
leases. They're still within a lease. So, there's really nothing from what we sent them that we can do until this lease is up and there's a negotiation for a new lease. Exactly. Thank you.
Any further discussion? Anyway, I will pursue uh moving forward with legal as council. Correct. And I will be as so again and I'm going to say this and I know we have a lengthy meeting. what conversations is going to happen from tonight that should not have already
occurred. There was a letter sent out to them on the 8th of July, which was a couple of weeks ago, that clearly states that it FAA stated that it's on all new leases. I don't understand what conversation can happen between today
and the future, near future, the next four years that is going to change what has been documented by city staff. All right. Thank you, Commissioner. I just want to say that's the point I
was trying to make when I was talking to Mr. Sharp like 15 minutes ago. We have what we have in place and all we can do is in four years make sure we appropriately follow a lease process for the city.
And so, yes. And so, in three years, we need to start that process and not wait till the last minute. Um, I have a public request for public comment from Miss Kitchens. Allegra Kitchens, 1027 South Till Street, Black, Florida. As a former
commissioner, but especially as an individual citizen, I have an issue with the city commission getting information at the very last minute at the beginning of the meeting that the public is not can't get hold of. I don't know about the other public, but I I copy these agendas and I look at them, but I'm not privy to the information you all got.
Apparently, you weren't very privy to it either. I have an issue with that. The other thing is four years left on the lease. As Mr. Campbell said, they can't do anything for four years. That shouldn't even be discussed tonight. The other thing is the season letter. I find it very interesting that the the the
city's wells, the spray field, the potable water, uh the public works, new public works, which will be at the airport, and the Moody Road Fire Station are not compatible with air airport uses. Was there a letter sent from you all to the city of Palata? You're not in
compliance. The Skate Club is in compliance. Letter in the packet says you're in compliance. The other thing that I find slightly amusing, I had to check it with a policeman because I I know guns. I'm very familiar with them. Don't know shotguns so much. So, when I hear people say shotguns are going to
shoot down a plane, I'm thinking, I want to get me a shotgun. However, I was I don't think shotguns have that kind of a range. So, I asked one of our policemen and he said absolutely not. There's no way you can shoot down a plane with a shotgun. So, I just wanted to point that out. And
good lord. Thank you. Okay. No, no applause, please. Whether it's merited or not. Um, we're going to go on to city manager and administrative reports, administrative leave policy,
Ms. Jones. Madame Mayor, commissioners, um before you in the packet is a policy that um we've generated at current the city of Palica's um personnel policy likes um any um direction as far as administrative leave for g all of the
general employees. Although the police and fire operate under different guidelines um that they have um for us to put a staff on administrative leave. We wanted to put clear guidelines as to whether it would be leave or unpaid leave and how to proceed with that. So all staff would be created um created
equally um if that should arise. So before you is a document for you all to review and if there are any changes um or just suggestions to add in that you may see that's not listed um and then just get back to me and I'll change it all and it'll come back before you on
the next commission meeting in August um for your adoption. Thank you. Any questions, Miss Jones? Thank you. Airport operations updated. Is there more? Okay. Are we at airport operations
update? Yes. All right. So, uh I'll make it very brief and to the point. Mainly just informing where we are with all three circumstances. Um we already know with the um W4 we had issued on July 2nd the
notice of termination and we understand where we are with that uh with the ski club because it was deemed FAA compliant. Our goal was to make certain that the rental uh rate was adjusted to market value. Uh also we will follow up
uh commissioner as noted that the letter said new and if it is indeed new then that says that we should you know wait until the uh term ends to move forward. So we will confirm that just letting you know that uh we have met with both
parties and they are both here on July 10th. The most the other portion is with the uh skydiver RV situation. Uh July 10th, I we held a meeting where I brought the city attorney, airport manager, fire marshall, and code
enforcement together to address the concern. And what we did find out is there were a lot of uh violations there after code enforcement went out there and uh the city itself have begun to clear up and clean up all of those uh
things that were there at the airport. We have made significant progress. We have a timeline. uh timeline is by August 10th that everything will be um removed that should not be there. Uh we're also working with the the tenant
as well related to um the number of days that the RV can stay on site because the agreement says that they can only be there three days and what we have been discovering it appears that they have been just staying and you know for lengths of time. So, we're dealing with
that as well. And that's pretty much the airport operations update. Thank you. Any questions? I would have loved to hear it from the airport manager. Of course. Me, too. That's exactly what I want to say. I'm I'm I'm not heard it. I'm not sure. Yeah.
Mr. McNair, could you please Well, she already gave it, but the point I wanted to make is in the future, as with all departments, I would expect to hear from the department manager, not the city manager. Thank you. And uh he may actually have come let's come on up if you have
anything for them. Yeah, why not? Because it might be something you have to say that I didn't remember. That's really good news. Yes. You know, you know, the the RVs and all that, you know, um we've noticed that that
customer has started responding to the visit. So, I think that's a plus. Um you know the the campus at the airport you know a lot of these things are just old practices that that we are coming across and this is not punitive. This is
really a matter of just cleaning up the community and the campus. You know we get some very uh unique individuals have unique customers come in and we trying to put our best foot forward. So when they touch down in Palaca you know we want that first impression to be the the
best. So you know this is really where all this is coming from. Uh but we are making progress. Okay. Thank you. Okay. As it relates to splash pad I don't know if I have anyone prepared
other than myself to talk about it. Okay. So for the splashpad um update is that uh we do have an engineer firm working on the feasibility study uh looking at two possible other sites. Uh we did have the town hall
meeting. We did also as requested by the commissioners conducted an additional survey and with a additional survey we had 1,557 responses and so essentially we're still
in the midst of completing that process. Uh we are also legal may want to give an update on the pilo boat house. Well, no. I I also have some folks that have submitted public comment and I want if anybody has any questions.
Yeah. Uh splash pad. Any discussion questions of Miss Make sure is this rendering the one that we're taking in consideration. Yes, sir. And that's 1,00 square feet. Uh Mr. Joe is here. He can at least
speak to that rendering if you're like Mr. That is the rendering that we're looking to go with. And remember, it it doesn't have the the gating around it and everything else, but that's about almost very accurate to the size it's going to be with the additional decking on the
outside. That'll be surrounded with uh a fence, benches, uh shaved spots, water fountains, things of that nature. So, that's a very basic drawing of it. And it's just under 1,000 square foot of splash pad area, and you're pushing
almost 2,000 square foot of total area. kind of basic to me really is but go ahead Davis. Um I have some comments and questions about
the splash pad. So, in our last meeting, I asked um for some information that I have not seen yet. And I asked for information on cost um maintenance, how much water, just a lot of
information because I'm not confident that the information we're look we've been provided so far provides us with the detailed information to first of all determine if we can even afford this splash pad and secondly um
um the location And I I see based on what's coming up next on the agenda, it looks like there's been some movement towards I I'm I'm going to assume, but I'll hear later that it's towards making a a
location that was previously not acceptable because we had that space lease that potential some negotiations to make it available. I'm making that assumption, but I'll wait for the next um um statement. um um item. And again,
just with following up with the surveys, um I did read them all. I read the comments, but what's interesting to me is while they provide the information they provide, and I know I have not interviewed
everybody in this city, but I have done a very large cross-section personally, and the feedback I'm getting is not consistent with what we're what I'm seeing in this survey. So
again, I'm just going to be clear that we have parks and recreation that exists today. We have, let me ask this, are there any backlogs of maintenance items in the
city of Palaca? No. Okay. So no requests that have not been done. So, and to that point then, um I guess the question is as I drive around our city and see opportunity for some
maintenance, apparently what I hear you saying is it hasn't been requested or logged. Would that be accurate? Yes, ma'am. Okay. So I'm going to go back then then that confirms my premise that if that's
the case and this is the condition in which we're maintaining our current assets under parks and recreation and I'm not taking this out on staff at this point. The point I really want to drive is I'm just not opposed to something new
when we're not maintaining what we currently have. That's that's it. The third major point I want to make about the splash pad is my understanding and correct me if I'm wrong is that we are moving forward with
getting all of this information because it was approved in a prior budget this budget for this year the year we're currently in I'm saying in this current year well I'm sorry you're right current budget current year budget it was approved
yes again when I look at best practices for understanding what we want to do and what we want to consider in a budget. Unless a number is arbitrary, I don't see how we could even have a budgeted amount when we don't even know how much
it costs or how much to maintain it or even what the scope of work is for this splash pad. So, that's very concerning to me. And while I recognize I am um started in this position in January, so
I didn't vote on that budget, but I do have a problem with adding things to the budget randomly as placeholders and then saying we can take action on that placeholder with future
um um estimates and costs and all of that. So it could be a moot point. The point I really want to make is I personally do not believe the city is ready to add anything new that is not required for
infrastructure or anything that supports our city being um strong foundationally. I'm good for pretty. And the fourth thing I want to say is I moved from a city that is very successful with their
splash pad. But the things that make it success successful is it is also a town that has a lot of extra money to do it. And it was they did not put the splash pad down so that the people will come.
They prepared everything so the splash pad would be a welcome addition. and sustainable and they could afford it. So that's what I got to say about the splash pad and I want to say that so in lie of getting the information requested that truly
shows us how much this costs how much to maintain it what percentage of our budget we're trying to do this and what are we not doing to make this happen. Thank you. Anybody else have any further points?
Um, and I do concur with Commissioner Davis. I've always been apprehensive about this, the location, but also about the cost and the cost of maintenance. We have other parks that still don't have restrooms um and other features that we need to address and to then grass. Well,
grass, yeah, but I mean a lot of things. The point is that we have existing recreational areas that we haven't fully addressed the maintenance and needs of. So, I have, you know, we're going to use uh this level of money to do that and we
don't even know the end cost. I agree. Go ahead. Well, I just got a little quick comment, but I think um we we got here by I think it was like 2017 2018 we had approved uh for the pad. It was at that time it was like $83,000 at
the time. So it got um somehow stalled and and here where we are today. And again during that time we we we did select the location of down on the riverfront. So that was during the 2017
2018 time period I think. So that's the Michael Red little bit of history to add additionally to what Commissioner Borne has stated. It was also supposed to be in conjunction with a civic organization that had brought it to us for consideration as well.
Thank you. Um I do have some public re public um comment cards, excuse me. Allegro Kitchens, Allegro Kitchens, 1027 South Street, Quilt Street, Palatin, Florida. Uh, I have a a problem with my commissioners
not being told the full story on a lot of things. If somebody wants something from the public, they give you all the they give you all the the the how good it is, but they don't give you the other side. I want to give you the other side right now because I've done extensive research on these splash pads. So, let
me share some information with you. This precise number of splash pads currently being shut down across the United States is not definitively reported in the available search researches. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 60 splash pads associated outbreaks of waterbornne
diseases occurred between 97 and 2022 and 23 states. Waterbornne illnesses caused from inadequate disinfection can lead to spread of germs including cryptosperidium which cause the majority of outbreaks. Nigleria polari a braine
eating amoeba which also cause deaths associated with splash pads according to the CDC. To ensure safe water quality at a splash pad, regular inspections of the water and equipment are essential. This includes monitoring chlorine and pH levels, ensuring proper filtration, and
checking for leaks and other issues. Regular cleaning and disinfection of the splash pad surface and equipment are also cru crucial to to prevent the spread of germs. And one of the things that must be done is regular testing. Test chlorine and pH levels every two to
four hours while the splash pad is open to the public. You all may not be aware that the state of Florida Department of Health has strict regulations about what you can and can't do with a splash pad, including checking it every two to four hours. Certain fencing is for children under five. They must be accompanied by
parents. They must have they must wear swim shoes, all kinds of stuff that you were not told and you should have been told that. And here's something more interesting. during the public health officials between 97 and 2002 reported outbreaks in splash pads. Let me skip a
Okay, the 60 outbreaks were associated with splash pads resulted in 5,384 cases, 84 emergency department visits, 68 hospitalizations, and outbreak ideology was LA was was laboratory
confirmed for 33% of the 399 outbreaks. And it lists the various types of disease bacteria including the brain eating amoeba which I just found out about today. All kinds of diarrhea. You who have children in daycare are familiar with shagela and gardia and all those things. This is at splash pads.
And one of the requirements from the state of Florida is if you have children in diapers, you got to make sure that those diapers don't leak. Your splash pad must be maintained out every two hours. And that means you've got to hire somebody on duty full time. You don't have the full value of what this is going to cost. Digging the hole and
putting it in is one thing. You have to have proper drainage water, no standing water, and a bunch a whole bunch of stuff that that your staff has not told you. You need to be fully informed on everything before you make a decision. Thank you. Thank you, Pam Garris.
Thank you. Good evening, Pam Garris, 412 Mahulland Park. Uh the recent drownings illustrate the dangers on our riverfront. Drowning is not the only danger to children and adults. 15oot alligators have been known to roam the riverfront park. Children, pets, and
adults are known to attract alligators for a food source. Why then should we use precious taxes from citizens and grant funds to build a splash pad in such an area? There is already a splash pad maintained by the county at Triangle Park. Why duplicate this facility? the
cost to build and maintain it. The county incurred a $40,000 water bill to source city water for their splash pad. They decided to drill a well. The use of city water is expensive and rates are slated to rise again. Our city could make a lot of improvements with that
kind of money. Couldn't the adults and children of the area be better served with the building of a state-of-the-art inclusive playground with the funds? Everyone seems to build a splash pad these days. Couldn't Palaka set a high bar for the care and concern of its citizens and children? The city of
Paris, Tennessee will complete such a playground this Labor Day. What a great use of public funds to include our handicapped children in the recreation facilities of our city. Palatka is poised to bloom into a truly great, improved, clean, impressive city for all
of Florida to take note. We need to think outside the box to make this city blossom. I implore I implore you the city commissioners and mayor Korea to rethink this great expenditure of precious funds. Make this city bloom please.
Thank you. Any further discussion? I know it's on the I know it's on the agenda for um an update, but I think uh ultimately a decision has to be made so that if this is something that we are
going to move forward with or that we're not that we don't continue to put staff in a situation that would allow them to be able to focus on something else within this city. Um so I don't know how we want to address this. This has have
been something um that has been a conversations for a part of the conversation for years. Um and it's literally us running around in circles. So I want us to either move forward or say we're not so that we would be able
to have our staff focus on things that we are looking to do and not hopeful that will not come to fruition. Okay, that's fine. You may. Um we are in the midst of the engineering uh company that is doing the
feasibility study. The intent is that they will be completed around August 15th. So at least um by the next agenda all of the some of the uh questions that Commissioner Davis have been asking will
be in a better position to respond. I would like to be given an opportunity to gather everything that we can get together as requested and presented for decision for the next agenda. And just to piggy back off of
Commissioner what Commissioner Davis and this is just a learning opportunity for us as we move forward. If there are requests that has not been fulfilled um at the request of a commissioner, especially via a meeting, I would make
the recommendation that it does not appear on the agenda um until we get the necessary documentation. That's good. That would allow us to make a sound decision versus getting bits and pieces. Okay. So, you should
I'll take that into consideration. I understand. And I will not put it as an update until we have everything completed. Thank you. Just question. Um the engineer, yes, was doing the work. Mhm. What's the cost associated?
It's not too much. Is Carlos here? Okay. And we say anything else. Good afternoon. Carlos Dominguez, project manager. Um the cost associated with the feasibility study they're doing is around $4,000. That's it. And I think the majority of the question that you're
asking is going to be responded in the next commissioner meeting because actually the engineer firm it's coming to present like the full the full picture of the project the cost everything maintenance everything. So the next commissioner meeting they're ready to present that. They're not done yet. That's why they're not here but they're not done. We're just giving an
update right now. Okay. Well, we've already made a commitment to pay for that. So at this point it makes sense. Yeah. I know. No, I agree. I agree. It's it's an additional cost added to the or deducted from the amount we have whichever way you want to view it. And it was so part of the due diligence
request. So we will have come to some consensus and conclusion at the next meeting on this topic. Right. Okay. On to June 2025 financial report. Uh I would like to introduce our new finance director, Miss Chantel Pere. and
uh she's coming to us all the way from the villages and other cities homestead. So, welcome. This is her first time here. Thank you. Thank you. Happy to be here. Um and I'll keep it short and sweet. Um
so the first part okay to the first page the other way please Karen where the writing and audited results okay thank you yeah you can start there um so this was prepared for your reading pleasure um to I just want to point out
a few things. There are some um highlights I wanted to point out. We are 9 months into the fiscal year. 75% of the fiscal year has been completed. Um the general the first paragraph is basically about the general fund. Um there's 13 million that represents 56%
of budgeted amounts for fiscal year 2025. We have expenditures from the general fund year to date of 12,859,858 representing 54% of budgeted amounts. Um then I go into incumbrances. We have a,27,000
in incumbrances. And in the second paragraph we go into the other funds, the airport fund, ARPA fund, and the better place plan funds. Um and the third paragraph I go into the um golf course fund and sanitation
funds. Um you can go to the uh the graph the colorful section. Okay, we can start there. Yep. So our um starting from the far left the total citywide revenues are 78 million. We
have um actuals of 29 million. Our expenditures for our actuals are 28 million and the net results are 976,000. Then just looking on the far right, um
the airport fund total revenues of 1.9 million. We have the total expenditures at 1.7 million and net results of 249,000. and go to the next page. So this is just more in detail of about
the general fund and you can move to page three. So the better place fund is presented on the left hand side. Total revenues of 1.7 million, the total expenses of 2.3 million and we have net results of
569,000 uh negative 569,000. Then we have our sanitation fund total revenues of 2.7 million and total expenditures of 2.3 million. Net results of 329,000.
You can go to the next page. We have our utility fund total revenues of 8.7 million and then total expenditures of 9 million net results of -244,000. And on the far right, the tax increment
fund, we have total revenues of 900, the actuals of 931,000 and its total expenditures of 239,000. net results of 691,000. And this just gives you a breakdown of your year-to-ate revenue. So, your
largest amount is obviously property tax and your special assessments and your contributions and reimbursements. And you can go to the next page. Next page is our um pie chart showing actuals
versus year-to- date for revenues. So yeah, I'm I guess I would want more direction from you all as to what you would like to know. Um so I'm being that this is the first time I'm just kind of hodge podge right now. So yes.
Oh, go ahead. Commissioner Davis. Yeah. I didn't know if Miss Shant you finished. Uh yes. Yes, I'm finished. Okay. Go ahead, M. Yeah. Um thank you. Welcome aboard. Thank you. Um and since you're new and you asked
the question. Yes. So, one of the things that would be very helpful, the first um page that you went over with the narrative, it would be very helpful to just have that in a clear um PowerPoint,
you know, with just the numbers, not necessarily the narrative. Okay, I'm just going to give my feedback and I'll yield to my other commissioners. Okay. Um the other thing that would be very helpful is the graph where you show actual
um revenues and actual expenses. Yes, it would be great to see that in comparison because this isn't really giving okay much information. So actuals versus expected would be very helpful in a um
graph. You said that makes sense. Actuals versus expected. Yes. Expenses. No, no, no. Actual revenue versus expected revenue. Um when I look at the first page on um
the first page of this section under um the citywide budget 9 months year-to- date total citywide budget and actuals. Okay. So obviously revenues we are budgeted for 78 million
correct a little bit more than 78 million but we've realized 20 million almost 30,000 30 million correct yes it would be very helpful on that graph if I could see
that information the breakdown of that the the breakdown okay on that one graph that shows the revenues where you show the majority of revenue coming from uh tax property tax property taxes. Okay. Right.
How much were we expecting from property taxes versus how much we have? That's what I'm saying. That would be a better update to provide to us. Absolutely. And and and since I've already looked at it, then my question is are we on track for meeting what we have
allocated? And if not, what is the plan to achieve that or what will what will we what will we we be changing? And that I know you're new and so that might be for Miss Cardi, but that's the question I have overall. Okay, that's a great question,
Commissioner Davis. Miss Cardi, I don't know if you want me to answer. I can we you know we have met about it and we looked at the fact that we're actualizing as you stated here 55% of uh our revenues and you know 54% of
expenses. So even though we're not completely on track we are the the good thing about it is that the revenues and the expenses are operating related to each other in a positive manner. So, uh, for instance, at 78 million and we're at
75% of the way. So, if we did it in a linear fashion, we would think that we would be recognizing at this stage of the game 75% of 78 million, but we are not. We are actualizing 29 million, which is about
55%. Now there is a reason for that because included in that 78 million is at least when we looked the other day about 30 million of that was was grants. Correct. Right. So to the extent that we are now
just now starting a lot of the grants that were included as $30 million in that 78 78 million. So we we are not if 30 million is included in and it is in the 78 million 75% of 30 million you
know would be uh you know a higher number you know it would be like you know everybody know what I'm saying but it would be like 22 million so we have not actualized in this year year to date 22 million in grants. So we are at this
point as I'm working with our new finance director those are some of the things that we were dealing with and say so we're going to start doing different kind of reports one of the things that she is going to do for instance that you were asking as you see where we have budget actual we're going to put each
fund and she's already going to start on it but we're going to put each fund on its own separate paper and then you'll have budget you still have budget actual there but you'll get another column that identify what the difference is between budget actual. So those are some of the
improvements that are coming and it'll be separated per page per fund. I appreciate it. Um and the information you just provided, that's the information we're looking for
at each of these meetings or at least each month. that detailed information. The reports that we receive are too cumbersome. Um, and as I think about reports and we display on this monitor
for our um, public, this is meaningless. They can't see those small numbers. So again, my final request is going to be as it has been for all reports is to do a presentation so that the information is clear in
summary form that the presenters can speak to because this is not adding value to anyone who is trying to understand what we're doing. So thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Bor. Yes. And again, thank you, Miss Chantel,
for joining our city of Palaca. And I wish you well in your career. Any way I can help you, I certainly will. But um again, I like to see things in more like a executive summary kind of thing. I think that's what we're looking for. We're not looking at like super details.
We're looking at the important things like the um reserve amount, you know, all of those different key things that we know that the city is operating like we think it should be and where and we can get to the detail based on looking
at things like if it's a bar chart or if it's a any kind of graph that we can see different changes and or whatever with some explanation in there. I mean, that's what I mean, at least I would like to see some more more executive type uh reports. Um, but again, I think
uh Commissioner Davis had mentioned a while back about the uh operational uh audit, which we we we hoped that we we're going to go ahead and get. We've approved it a while back. That's the thing that's really going to tell us how we are truly performing in the city. we
can see um the numbers um with with the other reports but the operational audit will tell the full scale and scope of things. So I don't know where Miss Cardi is with that with the operational article. We we're in the midst of uh we prepared the RFP. We had to we looked at the
engagement letter that we did receive. It was not appropriate for what our needs are. So uh because it was still more financial audit based. So therefore we did prepare the RFP for operational audit and we have identified CPAs and
we're sending it out when for that. when you say as soon as we can. We we were working on it last week. It's not easy. Okay. Well, it's not easy. Okay. And we have and we are actually working on it. Okay. We just been asking for for a
little while. Okay. Thank appreciate it. Thank you. Any more questions, discussion? I'm going to move on to public comments. Thank you, Miss P. I'm going to open the floor to public comments for any items not specifically on the agenda.
um limit your comments to three minutes. Please provide your name and city or town of residence and please be respectful and considerate of everybody and um not be be considerate respective. Um is there anybody here for public
comments on items not on the agenda? One minute. Hi, my name is um Kathy Moon. My address is 156 Rolling Sands Drive in Palm Coast, Florida. Obviously, I don't live here, but I'm here tonight as a co-leader of a bipartisan group in the
community called 50501 Putham County, and we wanted to speak. Several of our members are here. We just wanted to show our support for the consent agenda, item G. Um, we feel that access to affordable health care is critically important to healthy and thriving communities. So,
we're glad to see that uh that you're taking that agenda item up and and to do a resolution. So, we just want to show our support. Thank you, Melissa Ray. Good evening, commissioners. Good evening. My name is Melissa Ray. I'm at 108
Barber Lane, Palaka, Florida. How are y'all doing? Good. How are you? A little warm and tense in here. Let's smile a little. So, I'm the executive director with an EMI project. Um, some of you are familiar with me and my husband and the organization and the work that we've
done in the community for the last 12 years. Um, of which we've really done with absolutely zero funding from the county or the city. We haven't made many requests whatsoever. But the reason I'm here tonight is because from the work we've done with
the transitional housing, um the recovery school, and now most recently the recovery cafe, we have become aware of a grant that we can receive to really help the community. Um we are able to
receive a $40,000 grant if we come up with only $2500 to pay our annual dues into the recovery cafe network. The recovery cafe is a national model. It was started in Seattle, Washington, and it is for
people in recovery. So, we have a lot of recovery in the community. Now, this group is specifically for people who have at least 24 hours clean and sober. And so, it's a safe place for people who are looking to maintain long-term recovery. Um, there are places for
people who need recovery, who are new in recovery, who are struggling in recovery, but this is for sustainable recovery. And so the grant that we're looking at would be a sustainability grant, which would give us the funding we need to make sure that we're able to keep this recovery cafe in the
community. My ask is only for $1,000. I asked the county for $1,000 a couple months ago. I'm asking the city for a,000 and I'm willing to pay 500 out of my own pocket. $2,500 to receive a $40,000 grant I think is pretty much a no-brainer. Thank you.
Any questions? No, we it's not a question answer opportunity. Thank you. Okay. Well, thank you. Y'all have a great night. Thank you, Jeremy Alexander. Jeremy Alexander, 134 Timberlane, Balaca, Florida. Just want to say first and foremost, thank you, Madame Mayor.
Thank you commissioners and thank you staff for continuing to work through these issues of I think one of the commissioners said we are where we are and trying to find win-wins for our community, for our citizens and for honestly all of Palatka. Uh in the
particular case earlier in regards to W4 airport, um madame manager presented our client with a winwinwin just before this meeting tonight and we weren't able to communicate. Uh, but I'm pleased to share to everybody, including Madame Manager, that he's in full support of
your proposal. So, I'm confident we can meet our July 31st deadline. Look forward to doing that as soon as tomorrow. So, thank you. Okay, thank you. Well, let us finish public comment, please. Is there anybody else here for public comment for items not specifically listed on the agenda?
Not specifically listed on the agenda. Seeing none, we'll close public comment. I'm sorry. Come on. You need to fill out a yellow card, too, when you have a chance. Right afterwards, please. Just your name and city, town of residence. Okay. My name is Louis Rodriguez. I live
at 108 Francis Road. And it seems to me um this new building in um I'm not opposing into the expansions of schools, but at Kelly Smith School um there seems to be a conflict of interest and I
believe that um it's being overlooked. I've done a little bit of research myself and it states that you know if you serving in a board member or any kind of meeting where there is directly or indirectly there should be no
conflict of interest especially if you represent any kind of realy company and so that's all I like to say I like to keep it short and simple I like to bring it straight forward because when the when the school try to present it
case first of Well, they was discrepancies that they didn't even know what was going on as to going into people's properties. There was no list of utilities right of ways of what the future land use is or is going to be.
And also there was nothing mentioned about, you know, they only mentioned about the 5.5 acres, but they did not mention about the 54.19 acres that is adjacent to it. If you look at the meeting and and I I I'm
pretty fired up for the simple reason being that I felt like my intelligence was being um you know my intelligence was was was being attacked and it was very evident at the end of that minute meeting. If you go back to that minute
meeting, you will see how at the end the city planner um I had asked him for some information requesting, hey, he never served um the city clerk with the paperwork. Paperwork disappeared. Now, this is my first time dealing with this.
I didn't want to get involved with this, but it's important that people's properties rights are being preserved. And what I am seeing here is that in that area there is a demograph I'm sure they did a demographic survey knowing that everybody in that area it's very
elderly and they're to the last days. So you know it annexation it's not voluntary. Annexation is by is taken directly from the you know by force because based on the city's needs. And
so I I ask that you guys look into this. I appreciate every single one of you here today that have governed yourself accordingly. I'm intrigued on every single one of you and that's all I like to say. I mean, it's my first time, my second time to one of these meetings.
Never been involved in any kind of community, but I love this city. The city, I've been here 5 years. It's a beautiful city. It's beautiful people here, you know, and it's it's not a very high violent crime area. And in in our area, you know, we like to stay in county lines because there is no
violence in our area. So, what's going to happen here is I I've been seeing, you know, um multiple highways being built and what's going to happen here is there's going to be an implosion. I lived in multiple cities, big and small. You have to finish up. I'm sorry.
Okay. And that'll be all. That's all I wanted to say. Thank you. Thank you. Does anybody want to respond to either of these public comments? Go ahead. The gentleman that just spoke, I I
really want to get an understanding of Yes. Uh the gentleman is referring to the last planning board meeting where there was an application by the Putnham County School Board to voluntarily annex uh a piece of property to expand Kelly
Smith School. Um I do believe the item is on the agenda uh later on. So, you will be hearing a little bit more from the attorney representing the school board on the the voluntary annexation process, but that is what the uh public
comment was with respect to. Thank you. Thank you. Excuse me. Commissioner Jones, I'm sorry, what did you say? Are you going to address the conflict that he's talking about? We are all going I'm going to open up public
comment when we get to that item on the agenda again. And I I think then we could probably address it when we have more information. I to be completely honest, I am not aware of a conflict of interest. Um I talked to all of our planning board members. We do have a planning board
member that is a realtor, but he does not have a direct or indirect uh pecuniary gain that is associated with this annexation. I do not believe there is any conflict of interest. Excuse me, sir. When we get to this item, there'll be an opportunity for
public comment again and you may be able to come up at that time. Thank you. Thank you. On to discussion direction. Blue Crab Festival. Mayor, I preface this conversation as
um just with respect to it being something that we've talked about extensively that we not rehash or talked about what we've already talked about numerous and just really kind of dive into the dive into the recommendation of staff
please. Yes. Uh I would like to add some is Mr. Eddie cut right around. I didn't see him, but he's he's out there. He's okay. So, we can move forward with uh just giving a summary.
Uh I don't even know. I mean, Eddie cut affairs director. Uh the blue crab. Hold on. We had a town hall meeting with the blue crab and had about 27 community members showed up. Uh the
consistence in that blue in that town hall meeting was more like bringing the blue crab back to local organizations to kind of run the blue crab. Uh we we had a survey uh a survey done and that same consensus said the same thing. Um
I really to be totally honest with y'all and transparent. What do you want to know? I mean, we just need to know. Do y'all want us to kind of move forward with this? Let me finish this first. Commission, do you want to know if we need to move forward or do are we trying to get direction from y'all to either do a RFP or something?
Direction discussion is what we're trying to seek finally. There's a recommendation that came who came up with this recommendation. So, let me May I now go for just in in response to you asking that the person come up? I brought someone up, but then
that was Mr. Not right. But basically, we did give an understanding of us having had the afteraction meeting and uh the various meetings and the town hall meeting and what the recommendations were between all parties
and uh we identified areas for improvement. you know, like you said, don't talk about everything, but the centralized information booth, volunteer coordination, law enforcement, um, you know, restaurant maintenance, uh, collaboration, enhanced waste
management, and then we also, uh, wanted to discuss further about securing branded materials from the promoter and web domain. But the actual recommendation that was made by staff after all of this effort and it was comprehending or you know adding
everything together. Uh our recommendation is that the blue craft festival should be managed for at least one more year by implementing the following strategies. Hire a part-time event coordinator to assist with the blue craft festival not to exceed like
10 or 12 hours per week. This is the recommendation. uh prepare the RFP using the information gathered during and after the event, focusing on focus on involving the volunteers from the community. Um work
closely with individuals who had been involved for 15 to 20 years. Also, especially during the period when it was deemed successful. At that time, it had 250,000 participants that would come to the parade or to the festival. Power
promoter, local is prefer is preferred but with experience and marketing, vendor acquisition and events similar to the blue crab festival and uh develop a schedule which ensures that the city of Palaka will have a successful blue crab
festival at an affordable price for the attendees. So that in a nutshell is the best that staff can recommend and that's it. Commissioner Davis. So, Commissioner, who wants to go first? Commissioner Davis.
Um, the staff's recommendation is in direct conflict with all of the feedback we received and I believe in communic or com um discussion that we had previously. Um, so I do want to say that
I'm also going to say that the city of Pekka should not be in the business of having and holding and being responsible for festivals. It was clear that we are not to send out
an RFP, that if this festival moves forward, it would be with local volunteers from the community. And I would also venture to say for me, I would like to see us pause for a year
to do it properly and for someone to own this and to come up and do it right instead of trying to piece something together because I believe there's also an opportunity for the city to re I'm sorry for in terms of direction that
this we give um whoever is going to lead this effort. for the opportunity to even rebrand it or make it what the community wants it to be in terms of a festival that's appropriate for the citizens and people of Palaca first. And yes, we
would like people to come in and visit, but I'd like to see us treat our citizens and our public better than we're trying to lay out for visitors, if that makes sense. Um, so yeah, I I was
taken aback when I saw the staff's recommendations based on prior conversation and feedback from the public. I was as well and I've said this several times. We have other festivals that are totally run by the community. we don't
give the funding to I feel that we have to be consistent and and since we don't we can't afford to do that and I think we need to give this back to the community like they've had it in the past however whatever it becomes it may not be what it's been for the last three
or four years but that's okay um I think it just has to go back to the community and let them kind of figure it out should we be as supportive we can through the permitting process absolutely but I think Again, it shouldn't be coming out of the city coffers. It shouldn't be treated any
differently than any other festival in this community. And we have several. Anybody else have any comments. And with that said, what is the direction we want to give staff to move forward with this process so that we can wrap this up and head towards another
blue crab in the future? And for clarity site, moving forward means do not issue an RFP. That's what moving forward means. Well, that's the opinion of Commission Davis and I. We haven't heard from anybody else. Okay. Thank you. So, we're not there
yet. Okay. Yes. Public. We're not there yet. Oh, no. I know there's public comment. I do know that. I have it right here. I I I just we as the city decided to bring this
festival back. I think that we have a responsibility to properly close out as stated or how do we move forward? But
I do believe that if we're looking to exchange it and make it back to a community festival that we should have some due diligence in the transition
of it happening. How does it look? To be determined. Taking a year off. Okay. But in that time frame, what do we do? Because I just feel like now we had a bad year or bad two years, if we want to
look at it that way, and we're just saying, "Nope, cut it." And we're aborting what we as a city decided to bring back. Um, if we do it, if we don't, I'm of I'm
okay. But I'm a tad bit concerned of recommendations that have come before us or that have come to us and it's not very much vetted um by the city staff. And I say that and
not to put Mr. Cutright in the forefront, but he didn't even know what he was coming up here to talk about um this evening. And if this was something that was brought before in meetings or discussed, I believe that this there should have been a better
presentation as to what you all were bringing to us because I don't believe that the conversation even in the two comments that have been made by the commissioners are any different than what has been given to you in the past
three, four or five different meetings or conversations that we've had with um in meetings, workshops, the conversation has not changed and you all are putting the buck back on us to give you the same
direction that we have given you prior on multiple occasions. Okay. If I might go ahead. So the only thing that we're trying to understand is are we going to have the blue crab festival
you know following the same method that we've done before like you know I because we just and if we are the one to just completely make the decision then what I'm bringing to you is everything that we've done thus far and yes we did get information from the community that
they would like to take it back but I also thought that um we had gotten from the commissioners and we didn't get a clear like all five saying they don't want it. We, you know, we have two that say don't do it. We have two or three that say do it. So, we just want to
understand for real what do we do? And we and if we aren't going to get clear direction, then I'll make the direction and I'll my decision will just be simple that we do not do it until whenever. I mean, we just don't do it.
commission. And that's the problem. I mean, we have done all this work. We have had all these meetings. We've had how many town hall meetings? Two. Two town hall meetings. We brought all the information that we can possibly give you. We told you the areas that we
personally identified for improvement. And then we, you know, listening to you speak on the DAS, we really got mixed message. And the mixed message was, you know, that uh that you want to go forward with the blue crab. You want to
have the blue crab because you've invested so much in bringing it to where it is now. And so that's why all we were asking for is either yes or no. If you say don't go forward, then we will not. And if I'm wrong for asking, I just didn't know that I was wrong. I thought
I am supposed to bring it to you and ask. And that's what I did. I'm just asking for clarity. Do I go forward or do I not? And if we don't go forward, that is fine. Commissioner, we just was just not clear. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Davis.
Miss Cardi, I appreciate your comments. I will say I am prepared to make a recommendation to of and a decision tonight again if that's
the direction we take here. Yeah, I'm personally ready to do that. Um, a couple of things I heard you say that are a little bit concerning to me, maybe they're a lot concerning, is that you said you're getting unclear
direction or mixed messages. So, and you said this is a staff recommendation. So, I'm not I'm not confident. I don't hear the confidence that the recom of who the recommendation is for now. Even though
it says staff recommendation, um I do agree with Commissioner Campbell that we have staff standing to represent something that um I think is putting him on the spot. And
two, I said appears I don't know it appears to me. And the other part is that I think we were very clear from the deas of what the direction was. Now side conversations
that's between you and the person you had the conversation but I will say this when the time is ready right mayor I am prepared to make a motion. That's what I have. Commissioner Borum.
Well, I I can tell you for sure I was clear with my position as it related to the blue crab festival because we had put so much uh investment in it because again it had um failed a couple years
and then then we had co and then we reinvested back and wanted to give the people something that they had lost. We invested the monies 150. We dropped it down to 75 the next
year and 50 the next year and 50 last year and and this is where we are now. So here again I want to give the people something that they look forward to every year. People pre-plan for these type things. And now
we have drug our feet after the afteraction report should have been happen and we've been asking for that. We were clear on what we were supposed to be communicating and giving direction. Now somehow things got all
muddled but long story short I don't think not for one minute that we should stop the blue crab. Now again, I agree with if we want to turn it back over to the community, if it want to be communitydriven and we're not going to
let the community down and other people who come from out of town to our city for the blue crab, that's all I I want. I want to make sure that we continue those things, but in good spirit, making sure that things happen that the
community is looking for. And I and I think that the whole thing got um twisted and turned up. I I think people might have uh exaggerated a few things as it related to the Blue Crab Festival.
Yes, it wasn't perfect, but again, I think we should move forward with what we currently have right now and do the best we can and then move and just transition it easily. But I think the people need to have something to do.
That's just my position. Any further discussion or comments? Commissioner Jones. Um, excuse me. Excuse me. I agree with Commissioner Borne. We asked for that after action
and actually wanted to ask some questions and I think the first question, what where did we go wrong? Uh, and I think it was the negotiations at the beginning. Uh,
I don't think is a finger we could point at one particular person or group. Um, we did allow the vendor to have way too much control and we didn't control it. Uh, I think
somebody called and said, uh, is the dog wagging the tail or the tail wagging the dog? So in that case we were being waged by the tail. And I think that we should accept the challenge, regroup
and stand up like we can as leaders here in this town and bring that festival back. Put in the resources that we did in the past because how are we going to expect the $150,000 festival with 50,000? that
was unrealistic and set up for failure in the beginning. Okay. So, uh we could talk about handing it off and I agree with Commissioner Kim on that. If we hand it off, let's hand it off in good standing that we did a good job. We want to hand off a good
product. Not saying we failed or it failed and we just end something off because I do believe as well that it wasn't a success because other people did not want it to be successful as well. There are some
people that did not want it to be successful in our hands anyway. So yes, and and and so I would be a proponent to say, hey, let's let's try to go back to the drawing board and see because did we really finance what we could have financed it in? Did we do what we did
years before? Cuz I remember we put 150,000 in to get some money back just to feed that program or seed money, excuse me. And then this year we did kind of handicap the promoter. So let's get somebody who know how to do
this job. Like we always say, subject matter experts who know how to promote and and do these big festivals and and and invest back into our city. It's our city and get the people where they want. That's my that's my Well, Commissioner Davis had had already
signal. Commissioner Davis, go ahead. I'll yield. No, that's fine. I didn't I I was listening I was um so aside from whatever happened in the past I have a simple question to refocus us. I'm not sure any place that I've seen
and then when I chose to run for this position that one of the requ one of the responsibilities of the commission the city was to put on festivals. So I I do want to just make this statement and I want to put it in
perspective. My other question is I want to get back to consistency. We can see that we have inherited things due to inconsistent business practices
that have yielded a mess. What is the difference between the blue crab festival, the Aelia festival, the dattle festival, any other festival that we have? Why is the blue crab different?
And finally, how can we make a decision to continue using um funds from our citizens, right? to do something that we clearly hear
they want to put back in the community and not have the city responsible for. And the other part I'd like to again just understand better because the comment was made that we we we did this or didn't do that. We went out for RFP
to bid. We did not do anything except have a contractor who was supposed to carry out what she should have carried out. according to that contract. So, we don't do festivals. We go out to bid, we put
money in. So, I again, I just want to be clear that we don't do festivals. I'd like to see the city be consistent. I would like to understand why or how it's perceived that the blue crab
festival is different. Barring understanding that at some point a shift occurred and the city did take it over. But why is that different? And finally, I want to say
yes, it was not successful this year. I think there was some feedback on the year before. What is the real driver to going to the extremes of using funds from the city for the city to own this
and it doesn't own any other festival to revive it? What are we trying to revive when there's opportunity obviously to do something differently? And of course I I want to just think you know you do the same thing and expect a different result. We know what that
leads to. So, I need some understanding, but I want to be clear. Aside from all the feelings, aside from everything else, aside from prior successes, why is this festival different? And I'm a proponent of ensuring that we're consistent
because I'm also going to say consistency sake, if we're going to do the blue crab, then we should do every other festival, too, and give money. But that's not what I want to do. Thank you, Commissioner. I I think I want to bring clarity because I think that I think a lot of
what you said um and we're mixing and tangling a lot of different individual festivals. Um we brought in and I heard the mayor say the different festivals, but we as a commission decided that when there was no longer
blue crab, the substance of what blue crab, we decided to bring that on. the Aelia Festival. We never had our hands in the Aelia Festival. We never had our hands in any of the other festivals. But I will say we as a city do festivals.
Hippity Hop is a festival. Junth, on lack of better words, those are festivals. So we essentially we do festivals, but to the magnitude of what the blue crab is, it's a little bit different. But we do festivals. And I made the recommendation
even at the LA a couple of meetings ago that if we are going to do or continue what Mr. Cut right and his team is doing that we take in consideration bringing on a chart time or an event coordinator
because those two falls up under the festival. So if we don't decide to do one festival, we don't decide to do any festival. And so I think that we were mixing up festivals that were started by organizations
that are still in operation versus this is something as a commission we decided to bring on. So yes, we as a city do put on festivals. It may not be to the magnitude of what the blue crab is um or
has been, but we are in that business um whether we want to be or not. So I again proposed that we did and you actually stated that the area that you came from actually had a if I remember correctly an person that is brought on to handle
or help with an event or help with events or to that magnitude. But I think that as a city, I think that we have an opportunity to create or recreate something that we can give back to the
city um and make it a community um type deal. But to say that we are not in the event planning business, that's a slap in the face to our citizens. And I say it this way.
As a city, we are to do or we should be putting our citizens in situations or atmospheres that allow us to interact um and become a more unified
front or effort and interact with our community and our cities. I mean citizens in our community. Blue Crab, Aelia Festival, Hippity Hop, June, the Junth, all of those are opportunity for us as a city to bring individuals in our
city together and even on the outside. Um, but for us to say that we're not in the event planning business, I think that that's not true. As much as we try to separate government from when you look at other cities, there are events that
see how it happens. There may be organizations that work with the city or but there are opportunities that I believe some of what you said there's a big difference between a festival and a date. one day event for one thing.
Having volunteered in all of these also blue crab was done by an organization or various organizations actually for many years up until um the plaque young professionals being the last organization and then the pandemic and then the city did take it on. The other
thing about events and festivals, if they aren't self- sustaining within a couple of years, you have to question the validity of the of that festival or the or the way it's set up. And I think that for the blue crab, we have learned qui quickly that it's a continuous money
pit, frankly, the way it's been done. It really has to be rethought. I don't agree. We have so many things in the city that we need to address with our tax dollars that we aren't or will come up shortly and to put this kind of tax
dollar money into one event is extreme. And I agree with Commissioner Davis. I've said it again and again, but consistency. If we give to one, we have to give to all. Um, how can we just There is no real difference. They're they're festivals. They're multi-day.
And to say that Blue Crab is special in some way, to me that's not the case. But that's not what I was saying. What I was saying was the opportunity for us to make sure as we transition this festival that we do
so in a manner. I didn't say we had to put money into it. I said that we transition this. If we are looking to transition this back to the community, what would be the downside for having staff coordinate the opportunity to
transition this back into the community? If you have individuals who are interested, because again, we have the blueprint regardless of for the last couple of years, we have the blueprint. Why can't we not pass that blueprint on to whomever? But we orchestrate a
meeting or a couple meetings that just like any other cit driven uh citizen-driven board that would allow us to transition. I never not once said that we had to put money into this. What I did say is that
if we are going to look to transition to transition this, I would want us to have a hand in the transition because we are the ones that I and I'll say I was one of the ones who voted to make sure that we bring this festival back again. If we
don't want to put any funding to it, still allow us the opportunity to transition it. Go ahead, Commissioner Davis. Yeah, thanks. Um, Commissioner Campbell, you brought up a good point. Um, one of the things I want to do is I
want to provide some clarification and definitions to what I'm saying. You're right. Technically, everything could be considered a festival. How I distinguish the two is that we have festivals which are the Well,
I'm talking about the multi-day events versus some of the other events you mentioned. I consider those recreation events that fall under our department, our city department. Um,
you know, so they are charged with work to do with these recreation events for our city and that's what I think Hippity Hoppity and all the other things you referenced. So I don't think of them in the same category. In addition, they have a
budget that's been established with direction according to how their department operates. So, I do want to separate those two things. Um, so to that point, I'm categorizing a certain event and
these are multi-day and I am lumping blue crab with a festival and all that to distinguish so that we don't muddy the water when we're trying to make a decision on how to handle blue crab. So, I do want to make that clarification.
Um, yes, it's important that cities have recreation for their citizens for a quality of life, but again, um, and I hear you. I hear you're saying hand off, hand off.
I'm just not a proponent of something not being defined by the people who are going to own it. As a citizen, can we make recommendations of what it needs to look like? Again, I just don't believe the city should be in the business of
telling whoever is going to do this what it looks like. I think that's part of their job to define what this festival is and the scope of it. And so again, that that's the only point I want to make. Thanks.
Thank you. Any further comments? How do we want to proceed then? Because staff needs direction. Oh. Uh yeah, I mean thank you for everything that you all have shared tonight and uh legal how would they move forward with giving us and and there's a
reason why I brought Mr. Cut right up. And we also have public Mr. Cut right. Exactly. I brought Mr. Cut right up because he's my primary person with this effort and so he would know even some details that I might forget. So that's the reason.
Well, let him if he has something to say, please. He's standing. He's been patiently standing here. No, I'm here for the serve the commission, but I just wanted to add I think one commissioner made a point about the money we gave. We also did gave Janetta upward of about 30 plus,000 in staff
support. So, that made the total number around 80 some thousand dollars of Exactly. That was just this past year, too. I voted no on that. So did I. But it doesn't matter now. But that that's I mean a matter the money matter.
If we talking about giving giving away concern well that's my concern. I've been stating that. Okay. We do have people here for public comment. Miss Kens, you all know that blue started about almost 30 years ago by a small group of people that wanted to have a used boat show downtown to bring people down to
shop in downtown. Over the years it grew a big newspaper. Regardless of all that, blue crab is not the goose that laid the golden age and it's not the golden cal. Some of you folks act like that. You don't have blue crabies going to drop and blow away. Blue crab is nothing but
another. Yes, it lasts three days. Why is it on Memorial? Why is why is blue crab on Memorial Day weekend? Because the original people that formed it wanted to have more people at the Memorial Day parade honoring our veterans. So they had it Memorial Day weekend. And why the about the blue crab
volunteers dropping it? They came to the city. Some of y'all weren't on the commission when they appeared at the city. They pleaded with you, let us have one year off so we can re regroup and do a really good festival. And they said, "Oh no, we have to have blue crab. We cannot let you off." Well, they couldn't
do it. Then you all took it over and then you hired Miss Salier and the rest is history. And but the thing that gets me the most, you have workshops and I'm going to suggest stop wasting our time with workshops. I read your agenda packet. Everything in that workshop said
don't do the blue crab festival. Let it stop for a year. The city don't do it. And yet I hear oh we want to do what the citizens want. If you're not going to listen to the citizens input, don't waste our time with with workshops and don't waste your time. Y'all have other things to do and so do we. Your workshops said don't take the don't take
blue crab over. The city doesn't do it. Let it go for a year. What am I hearing? Oh, we have to do it. Have to do it. No, you don't have to do it. And by the way, that 50,000 last year was closer to 88,000 because $38,000 in city fees were forgiven. So, it was closer to $100,000,
she always say, than 50,000. But now I'm here with my tax money. You want to hire a part-time director to direct the Durham Blue Festival and then send an RFP for a promoter? Let me look. I'll give you I got $5 in my purse. I'll give it to you. Let's put
it in the parking lot and burn it. We can spend it faster. I mean, seriously, don't do let blue crab rest for one year. It's got a horrible reputation now, all over the state. People in Jacksonville and all over Florida told me how horrible it is. Let it rest. Hopefully, that bad reputation will go away. Then let the individuals, the
volunteers in the city, which are standing ready, organize it, and get it done for year next year, year after next. Let them have a rest a month, a a year. It's not going to it's not going to kill the city of Palata. Please misuse.
Well, Lra took half my talking points. So, um, uh, so I'm Aaron Hughes and, um, East Palaka, Florida. Uh, I have been involved in the Bluec Festival for the last six years, uh, planning things and I have worked with you guys on events as well, including Hippity Hoppity, which
always makes me laugh when you guys say that. Um, so I was at those workshops and can concur that the citizens did propose to um, you know, that they wanted to be back to a community event. Uh, echoing what Miss Kitchens had said, it did start out as a used boat sale um,
down by the downtown businesses to drive more foot traffic. Um, is the Blue Crab more special than the Ailia Festival? No, not really. Um and and those festivals though uh contribute to what the um comm the chamber and the county commission use for the TDC funds tourism
development council um heads and beds tax. So it does contribute to that having um any event for quality of life draws in foot traffic and people from out of town to come and enjoy. Blue crab should be a spotlight of what uh our community has to offer, what PLA can do
and show and what's available here. I was on staff whenever Miss Sier uh came to Palaka and just doing a walkthrough. She was amazed with the infrastructure and and I've planned and coordinated many events through the city and everybody is really impressed with the infrastructure that we have. We are
catered to a food truck lineup in a particular spot. We have renovated our riverfront to cater towards having festivals and events and improving the quality of life. Um so I would fully support this being uh released back to the community. Uh, essentially I do echo
the sentiments also of Commissioner Campbell that the city may want to have some kind of transition or a thumb on the pulse, you finger on the pulse to know that it is in good hands. Um, this is something that's important to your constituents. Uh, so I hope that you
will support whoever comes next because I know that the support of the city is monumental and to the success of finding other financial efforts and sponsors that go with this. If this matter is leaved off with a sour taste in the mouth of the city, if someone does pick it up, it's going to be even harder to
kind of compensate over that. Um, I've been a part of basically two comebacks at this point in 2019. The event did not happen in 2018, and I was on city staff um in 2022 whenever the city first took this on, which exceeded the original
budget of um $150 to $180,000. So, there is a great risk of the city being the liable party. Um, but I do think that the city needs to support whomever and whatever the next project is, even if they're not the controlling party. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else here for public
comment on this item? Please come up and fill out your card afterward. Thank you, Sam Deputy 917 Carr Street. Uh, I'm going to go from a little diff different, but I do want to thank Jessica Cruz at special events because I know she has been working diligently and
I appreciate how she's working with me on my events, but I want to say that we're not treating everyone the same and and I look at you for that. Uh, we have groups that have to do fundraising to put on events for the city. Uh and yet
you give money and you have given money to blue crab for 20ome years out of the CRA fund. I I distinctly remember that. Uh and so there has been more money put to this than to any other function of
this city. And once again, if you're going to do that, then you should fund every event that comes. And if you're going to hire someone, they should be working with every event. Otherwise, you are not treating your citizens equally
and they are volunteering equally, so they should be treated that way. I'm not sure the city owns blue crab. You allow the permit. That's that's your control. But when I go on Sunbiz, it's inactive.
Uh if you own it, you never claimed it. And you know, it's open for anyone to put that event in. That's how you control those things. And if our city would just follow the special events
policies, everybody would be treated the same, but we're not. And that's where we need to be working on things. The blue crab issues would not have existed if the policy had been
followed. If we need to update that policy, and I believe we do, I have a lot of experience with it, then let's do that. And I do believe our current staff in the events department could do that. So, those are the things that I'm
concerned about. Equal treatment for events that we have in this city. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anybody else here? Public comment and fill out a card later, please. Mr. Vickers,
that's in a minute. Ask your Vicers 207 North 18th Street. I applaud you all what you're doing, but there's a simple way to do this thing. hire a person who had the experience and
invite them here to interview the person and let them decide who you going to get to run this craft roof craft festival based on their experience. Thank you. I have people in place already waiting on list. If you tell me the call, they'll be here
and they could interview. Thank you. With that, we're closing public comment on this item. again. Oh, now she's sitting down. Um, is there any further discussion by the commission?
What is the direction we're providing to city staff so we don't keep going round and round? Do we want to go? Well, I think I know we've provided direction, but here we are again. Right. But again, and to to to Mr.
Vicker's point, there are professional promoters out there. There's a a plethora of them out there. You just have to go ahead and get started way early in the process, but we've kind of spin our wheels a little bit and we we're behind the ball. Um, but the
direction was from each commissioner made statements. So, from that collective effort, if you we need to take a vote, we just need to move forward. Let me ask this and I think this possibly would be a
solution and taking in consideration what was just stated by most both both well that was stated by Mr. Deputy, I would like to see us take in consideration having a line item that is
solely dedicated to funding festivals within the city of Palaka that promote whatever and we can come up with the language. they must apply for the funding and be voted on. Um, kind of how
we do some other stuff, but it will give the opportunity for other festivals that are taking place in the city of Palaka to have opportunity to have funding and the support of the city with their festivals. We
already did and of course that we can't use CRA funds for this anymore because of that ruling. But I'm just saying we had that program. All I'm saying is that program did exist. It could be modified taken in consideration moving it from the CRA funding correct to fund to the
general fund. I think that would allow us to give rest to the blue crab as it has been properly I mean as it has been referred to in the past and it gives whoever the opportunity to come with a
plan and the opportunity to receive funding from whatever festival they decide to bring. Just one last comment and a little bit of a history as it relates to some of the the um festivals. But anyways, u we used to get funding from the TDC.
Usually I think we get 40 some about $40,000 whatever from the TDC to help with that to help get some of the monies that the city put back uh to put into the event to even seed it to make it happen. Um there were also a number of sponsors who
also gave money to help the city recoup some of the money that it had initially invested. And so those were some of the things that happened in past um festivals. So maybe there's a breakdown in that regard. But again, I think um
all of the festivals are important and I think if we uh do a better job working with the community uh if once we do transition and turn it over to the community that we need to have those partners in place to be able to kind of help with promoting those events and
making sure that they happen. And I mean that I this it it'll be a win-win, but we we first need to make sure that we understand a little bit of the history as it relate to previous funding that was no longer um provided.
Go ahead, Commissioner Gates. I'm in agreement with the recommendation Commissioner Campbell made um in along with that the city no longer
um the city treats all festivals. So I want to you help I need help with putting this together. I need a break that the city handles all um festivals.
equally and that we include a line item in our budget for festival sponsorship that will follow. I I agree and I think the way that we can do it is the way that we do our
special events that if we tar it off that event of a certain magnitude whether it's a class how is it broken down into three three classes that if we specify that those grade of events could only the max
that they could potentially receive. If we cap it off that way, I think that'll address what Commissioner Davis was suggesting. Organiza or organizations who are charge of festivals automatically know what they could
reach. Um, and it would give us the leverage of saying that we have given or supported all festivals that have come to us equally. Agreed. And and when I say that, what I'm also putting everything in the
category of is our current process of special events following that process to go through and then it gets here and that we don't create another process. We have an existing process and that process be followed. So I'm good with that. Mr. Cuts,
I was going to call him up. If you want to come up and and provide some information, please do. I really I really truly didn't. But but yes, I I agree with that and I think if you put that in place cuz we do get the conversation from the other promoters and other events people that
ask them why the cities don't help. I think that would ease a lot of tension in this community and and we do the vetting process with the class A, class B, and class C process with different funding added to each one of those classes. I think it'll give a positive feedback. Mayor, if we're ready to entertain a
motion, I'll make it to the best of my We have to add this an emergency. They're seeking direction. Okay. Just double before we go forward. Go ahead. I'll make a motion. Can you What? Can I say something real quick? Um, but we need to talk about the policy
as well because Mr. Deputy did refer to the policy and making sure that we are in alignment with how the policy works. That's going to be a part of I would make the recommendation that we give direction to staff to formulate a
policy a tiered policy class A, class B, and class C with a maximum funding amount um to bring back to the commission for consideration. Also, a proposed budget amount
um as well. Okay. for our first round. And and may I ask Oh, wait. I don't ask the question. Oh, also with the opportunity to have a line for sponsorships. Did that
was that? No, you said that. I I think you covered it when you said the tier and the budget recommendation. That's what it's for recommendation. That's correct. So, yeah.
A second. We have a motion and a second. Roll call. Madam clerk, please. So that's clear. Commissioner Davis, yay. Commissioner Campbell. Yay. Commissioner Jones. Yeah. Commissioner War.
Yes. Mayor Per. Yay. Yay. Who? Mayor. I do want to clarify and make sure that we're on the same page that at this point Blue crab should not blue crab. We're off the table. I just
want to make sure we're all clears and Oh, we haven't voted that yet. I thought we This was the resolution to It asked for direction, but we gave direction in order for organizations. So, do you want us to clearly vote
specifically for the purpose of staff as to the blue crab festival is needed in the form of a motion? Okay. Go ahead, Commissioner Davis. I move that the Blue Crab Festival going forward
follows our special events process and be considered according the motion to second. Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Madam clerk,
Commissioner Davis, yay. Commissioner Campbell, yay. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Borum, yes. Mayor Carrera, yes. Thank you.
Moving on to the consent agenda. Um, I had a request to pull item G. Is there any other items to be pulled? A N and K. A K. A A A N and K.
So A, G, and K. So far, before we go too far, before we go too far, Blue Crab is in line with all other festivals. Are we relinquishing?
Because that that's not really clear. We're relinquishing this the blue crab. Treat it like every other festival. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, they'll they'll they'll apply. They'll apply. Correct. All those who want it, they'll have it. They got it.
Absolutely. Okay. So, and we do have a budget line also that we can build on already. Thank you. Um, no. No, sir. No. No. I'll make a motion that we accept
the consent agenda excluding for pulling items A, G, and K for discussion. A second. A second. Have a motion in a second. Um, all in favor? I, I. Any opposition? Thank you. Item A.
Well, well, I made I would just want somebody to speak to it because there was a request to reinstate a a pension board member. Yeah, pension board member. Well, he sits on the board. Yes. Oh, member.
Yeah. Oh, Mr. Okay. Well, this I I thought there was something different. Okay. No, no problem with that. Okay, that's fine. Motion to motion. Second. Is there anybody here for public comment on that item? Seeing none, we close public comment. We have a motion, a
second. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. Item G, adopt resolution 2025 R89, a res resolution of the city of Palaka Flower in solidarity with the municipalities, organizations, and citizens of Putnham County calling attention to the exploration of enhanced
affordable care act credits ACC in December 2025 and affirming the need for the unified community voice in a grossly underrepresented district. We have somebody here for public comment. Mr. Thompson, come on up. I just spaced.
Sorry, Mr. Tony. Good morning. No, it's still even. Uh, my name is Tom Townsen. Uh, 605 North Thrd Street, Palaca, Florida, and I'm here tonight as vice chair of the Democratic uh Putin County Executive Committee. I want to thank you uh very
much for considering this resolution dealing with the expiration of the AA tax credits. Uh, I do think it'd be good to give a little history of how we got here. Uh listen, we're we're in a time of change for all communities across our
nation. No matter how you see it, good, bad, or indifferent, change is coming. Uh and there are it's going to be very important for us to speak with a common voice being a small rural community like we are. uh the expiration of the tax credits this December.
uh in listening to the debates about the big beautiful bill and it coming uh to take uh Commissioner Jones uh comment, I decided to seek out a subject matter expert and I called the uh director of our hospital because I was worried about
Medicaid cuts to tell you the truth. And uh I was wrong on that. And he was very clear to say for us and for our community and he shared information with me that the um uh biggest issue were the expiration of the tax credits. and he he
uh shared with me a letter uh that the chamber had written in April stating that we have 8,000 citizens here in Putham County whose average premium now is about $63 and that will go up to $750. Well, that's going to have a huge impact
on this community. Uh certainly and and I do want to um thank Mr. Smith. He he uh certainly was someone in control and want to make sure I didn't create a panic with anyone, but it obviously will affect the bottom line of the hospital.
But bigger than that, it's the economic loss to this community. I mean, we're we're talking in hundreds of thousands of dollars. We've listened to much discussion about that. We're literally talking tens of millions of dollars that provide not only health services for our
people, but they provide jobs. They pay our doctors, our nurses, our techs, all kind of people. That money circulates over and over in this community and it's going to go away. But the good news is uh this is timely. We have time. We've
witnessed, we've all witnessed the when people stand up and push back um things can change. So somebody p point no something else. So what I would ask, what I want to thank you for is doing this, but I also
uh want you to go as far as you will and use your network, reach out to these other municipalities as a resolution stands uh states to uh pastors and civic organizations and and they may want to do their own, but this is very important
and raising that voice and letting people know um this is a time that I think we can come together regardless of parties. It's time to put them over parties and talk about why this is or is not good. And it's I think it's pretty clear from everyone I've spoke to, this is going to be a major financial hit to
our community that will affect each and every one of us regardless of your ideologies. Thank you, Mr. Towns. Thank you. Is there anybody else here for public comment on this item? Seeing none, we'll close public comment.
Do we have a motion? Yes. And before I make the motion, I I just want to commend Mr. Townsen for um taking the approach to for something that affects all of our citizens regardless as the party. We have enough
that divides us. But I hope I'm hoping this is one thing we can agree on upon. And it's not just a financial hit, but it will also affect the public health of our community. if our citizens don't have insurance and then they cannot get to the doctor and they cannot see the
doctor that impacts all of us. So again, I just want to thank you for this and um I move that we accept uh resolution 2025-R9. Oh, I'm sorry. What am I saying? Oh, I'm sorry.
No, let's just we can have discussion. You motion we can make the motion and have a second. a motion to second 89. Okay. No, that's fine. That's fine. Commissioner came second. Yes, he did. Discussion. Okay. And and I I too also support um
that uh extension of the tax credit because again, you know, we we have a number about 17,000 people enrolled in Putinham County as it relates to that. And again, we know small businesses drive uh the economy for not just the city of Pala, Putnham County, not the
state of Florida, but around our nation. So, uh and 97% of or 99% of the businesses are small businesses. And so, again, I I share that same sentiment and certainly uh uh agree to extending that.
Thank you. Any other comments? I also concur and thank you again, Mr. the towns and for all your efforts and research. Public comments closed. Does it come up quickly, please? No, I would I would echo just like not to rehash everything that was stated. I
echo the sentiments of Commissioner Davis, Commissioner Forum, and Mayor. Thank you. Um Okay, we have a motion to second. All in favor? I Any opposition?
Thank you. passed unanimously. Mayor, yes, I'm sorry to interrupt. Uh remember, we did have an emergency item and I'm not certain if we addressed it or not. I'd like We'll wait. I'd like the attorney to uh
give us guidance on that, please. Okay. After you're finished with We'll finish with this with the consent agenda and then we'll add it to regular B. We'll put it under regular basis. Anyway, um item K, adopt resolution 2 2025 R96 authorizing
entering into a piggyback contract with Thomas May Construction, Inc. for the public works facility design build contract in the amount of 996,438.96. Um Mr. Bario, our city manager who Yes. I'd like to bring up uh preferably
two. I start out with Mr. Joe and also Mr. Clarification. I thought I thought that we Oh, you pulled it. No, I thought that we spoke briefly about the individual who pulls it. Give us the reason of why. Okay, we did. I'm sorry. So that we could you
Well, I just want to just have them to talk a little bit about that project a little bit. Okay, come up, Mr. Go ahead. And what what what that means for us um yeah well the project we're currently at is um I guess a little a short update
would be uh appropriate here. They have finished the drawings and uh Thomas May in the design build situation has given us numbers that fall within our budgetary restraints. Um therefore we're just trying to get approval to use their
piggyback so we can begin construction. They're talking about as early as um the beginning of August or mid August. Sorry. Just a couple weeks we can get started. So we're just looking for approval to piggyback that uh contract. That's all I want. I just wanted the the
public to be able to hear because this is a million dollars here and we're still moving forward with a public works uh building for our staff and so we have been working on this for quite some time and so we're continuously moving forward. Right. Thank you. Thank you.
I move to approve. Okay. A motion to second. All in favor? I I Thank you very much. Thank you. Do we want to take a recess? I'll make a motion that we accept the emergency item. Okay, that's fine. I didn't know if we
want to take reason, but Okay, go go go ahead. Uh, yes to accept the emergency item. We just finished the consent. We just finished the consent. Yes. Excuse me. So, we have a motion. Do we have a second for emergency?
Second. Motion. You gave a second, didn't you? Give me a second. Okay. Second. Side block conversation which shouldn't have passed. We have a motion to second. Okay. Oh emergency item then we can move forward. Okay. Thank you. I'd like to bring up
Mr. Bryant. Good evening Mayor Commission. Um I asked to add this item to the agenda for tonight. Not to make your night go any longer, but um you have a list station down the street at First Madison. It's one of our biggest list stations. We had a pump go out. We took it in for repair.
Um just this week, I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday, found out that the pump is too damaged to repair. It's not worth repairing, put any more money into it. And um I'm not comfortable letting the station stay with one pump for too long since
it's one of our bigger stations. Um so we have to replace this pump. Um the reason I asked this be added now is there's a lead time for the pump to come in. Um, it's it's looking at maybe 9 to 10 weeks. I didn't want to wait till next month and then order this and wait
another four weeks to that lead time. Add another four weeks to that lead time. So, I'm asking for approval for um 34,000 to replace the pump and the first massive lift station. Yes, sir. So, I get get this thing ordered and and on the way.
Motion to approve. Wait a minute. We've got to finish. We didn't we uh have a motion, a second for the emergency item to be added. didn't take a vote on that and that's my fault. So all in favor of adding an emergency item to the agenda. I Any opposition? Thank you. Okay. Now we can entertain a motion.
All right. Well, motion to approve. Second. Your motion is second. All in favor? Any opposition? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Do we want to take a recess? No. Okay. I
do have a request um with regards to the public hearing. Um previously there are some that could be taken in consideration and voted on together instead of us individually listening as we did the last time. So I would like us
to consider that um the hope of yes the the planning director is going to do exactly that. And again mayor you do have to read the title of the ordinance. However, um for purposes of expediting and transparency, you can
refer to the property identification number rather than reading the entire legal description when it comes to that portion of the title in the ordinance. Okay. But prior to the planning director coming up, we we have I'm sorry, that's to the land use ordinance.
That's to the land use right now. They have um adopt resolution 2025 R93 annual public hearing and annual consideration of nonadalorium assessments to partially fund the cost of continual readiness and availability of fire protection
services. Mr. Lawson, good evening. All the prerequisites to have this hearing have been met. It's publication. I recommend you hold a public hearing and I would request that you call me up after you close the public hearing.
Oh, certainly. Thank you. Is there anybody here for public comment on this item? I know I have one two two people here I think for public comment. Um, Miss Adams, I've been sitting.
My name is Alice Adams. I live at 600 North Third Street, right around the corner. Um I um my husband and I moved into our home here as newlyweds in 1976. I've lived in that home almost 50 years now.
But since we purchased it for such a Okay, we bought the house for $10,000. It was a huge state of disrepair. You we just backed a truck up and shoveled stuff out the back. I mean, it was really bad. But we worked on it our whole lives together. Since we purchased it purchased it such a low price, our
homeowner taxes have been very affordable and have gradually increased 3% a year when you have your homestead exemption. And since the fire assessment began in 2015 2016, my assessment has risen from a little over 300 the first year to now
it is $1,0910 this year. The amount is doubled to what my property taxes are this year as my husband and I are on a retirement income and qualify for the lowincome senior additional homestead after realizing that the fire assessment is based on the improved value of my
home like the market value. Uh, I know the city commission has nothing to do with the valuation of my home, but I look back over the years and the percentage amounts that assessment has written risen sometimes 23% one year, 28% one year, 3%. I have no control over
that and no ex I don't know how to expect what my taxes I consider a tax. My assessment will be as we are on a fixed income and can count on only small cost of living raises. This fire assessment is adding an undue burden on
us. It's almost like having an HOA. You never know what's going to jump up to. At least I know my homeowner taxes will only go up 3% a year. And that's about my cola. When I get my cost of living allowance on my social security and what I'm living on now, that's what it does.
So, if it went up, uh, I would like to consider basing the fire assessment on the assessed value of our home so that we can plan accordingly and can afford it. I'd like to think that when this assessment was first implemented, the long-term effects on residents was not thought out. You guys weren't there. I
don't think anybody was here when this on this committee. Were you? I was here. Okay. All right. I got you. Anyway, um I don't mind paying a fair amount and I understand we have some fiscal responsibility as city residents to help pay the fire department's
operating costs. I'm I'm okay with that. Please consider possibly lowering the tier one and two rates to give homeowners a break or um do like the uh property appraisers office does and give seniors a discount
because I'm not getting any more money and I'm been in my home 50 years. I don't want to move. I'm not planning on selling it. I don't care how what the value of it goes up to. That's not that hurts me actually. Now, every time I do something to my house, I'm thinking, uh
oh, my value is gonna go up, so my fire assessment's going to go up. So, anyway, that that's my Thank you. So, okay. No, no comments, please, from the audience. If anybody else here wants to make a public comment on this item, please come up and fill out a yellow card afterward. Thank you. But please come up.
No, I'm not worried about the governor's already. No, we can't do Yeah, we can't do that. We can't do the the dialogue of that sort. Thank you. Is there anybody else here for public comment on this on the fire assessment? Well, it's not it's on the subject. Um,
I agree with what the lady's saying and this city has a lot of potential. And the reality is is that the city is besides bringing outside workers. It's not really sustaining itself. And the reality is is that you guys have the
power and the authority to make this city sustain itself to alleviate the taxes from the homeowners. I mean, it it's it's a plan that could happen, but you need to bring bring industries in. this this county has to be able to produce something to be able
to sell to other states and cities where the money is coming in because it's not very clear how these people are going to be able to sustain themselves. Um eventually what's going to happen, this is part of the implosion. People are going to be forced out. People who are
on fixed incomes, they're not going to be able to sustain themselves. Not only they're not going to be able to sustain themselves, but there's really no opportunity for these young people besides, you know, you guys are working on it, which I appreciate, but there's no real opport work opportunity. You only have one big
company here, which is Georgia Pacific, you know, and and there's no, from what I know of, I haven't seen too many major technical schools where people can use their skills and trades, you know, to make this city thrive. And that's all I have to say.
Thank you. Is anybody else here for a comment on Miss Kitchens? None of you commissioners were on the board except Mr. Bor when the fire attacks was put on, I don't believe. Um, commission. Well, maybe Mr. Campbell, but the room,
there's three hearings on it. The room was full. City hall was full. The parking lot was full. I'd say estimate rough estimate 300 people protested it and it went through anyway. And one of the requests to the citizen citizens was like Miss Cooper said, uh, Miss Adams, pardon me, was to let us have homestead
for the fire exemption, for the fire fee, but that didn't happen either. Um, I think what bothers me, and right now I can afford the fire fee. Yes, it's way more than my county taxes, but and I too, I'm a senior citizen. I've been in my home for 73 years. But, uh, the thing that bothers me is I see a commission
that has voted for money, a line out of money for festivals and for promotions. is hire a part-time promoter, do festivals, and yet we have to pay a high fire fee to help support the fire department when the fire department used to be paid out of our tax money. Thank you.
Thank you. Does anybody else here have a public comment on the fire assessment fee? Seeing none, we'll close public comment. Discussion. Yes. Well, we want to have Mr. Lawson come back up first. Mr. Lawson, I just would like to follow up with
that. You've engaged with us many, many years ago and uh yes, some of you were here. Um I would say to you, you have an annual assessment resolution that is in your agenda. My recommendation to you is because of how you're working on your
budget, particularly this year. What I would recommend that you do is pass that knowing that you're going to have two budget workshops in the very near future where you can work out what you're going to do with the fire assessment. My my view is I don't care, but I want to make sure you meet your deadlines and that
you're thoughtful about how that process works. I'm happy to to share with your attorney some comments that were uh might be uh uh accepted informationally that I just heard. But for right now, the objective is adopt the annual
resolution knowing that you're having two budget workshops. So you can do this because it's like a water balloon. If you move your assessment down, other things give way in your budget. And that's what you need to do. My only ask to you is the law requires your budgets
be done by the end of September. You don't have that long because the law also requires that the non-avor assessments be certified by midepptember. Everybody has to do it all at the same time. I beg you. I got to tell you I can't we can only do so much.
We need to know by August 29th in order to make the modifications to certify the role. And by the way, the standard that the state puts on you and the people who work for you is that role must merge without error or omission. So we want to be right on that. I'll be happy to
answer any questions. I haven't gone any any detail. I'm not going to respond to any of the quest matters brought here. There are good responses. I'm happy to share with your manager and your attorney so that when you have your workshops, those questions can be answered also. Thank you. Any questions, Mr. Lawson? No.
We both ask. Okay. We're going to have uh Go ahead. Were you going to say something? Excuse me. Um, no. I was just uh confirming that we do have two additional uh budget workshops and by us passing the resolution now, we
also still have the opportunity to give direction to staff to lower it. That's how if we decide that, but we still need to pass this resolution tonight. Understood. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Make a motion that we accept this
resolution. Resolution 25 2025R93. We have a motion. Second. We have a motion in a second. Any further discussion? Yes, I have a little bit of discussion, but I'll let Commissioner uh Commissioner Jones go first. Yes. What's the language?
Well, that same language was used last year at this time stating that we need to go ahead and pass it and we go back and revisit it. We never did. And I feel just like these folk. I am I am a representative of you
and I feel the same crunch and I don't like it. And I was in the audience when they did pass this fire assessment fee and I was against it as well with other 300 people and I said something have to be done.
We can't keep the level of tax for fire assessment fees that we have. And this time, if if we pass this resolution this time, I want to see us come back and make some real changes as far as cuts. We have to cut
it back where people are not feeling the way folk are feeling right now. I'm feeling right now because how can we justify it? We say, "No, I don't want to go into that because we'll open another can of worms." I sir I just feel that when you
come up here we said that last time we didn't get a resolve. We did not take the fire assessment fee back as far as I feel we should be able to. Yeah, we're going to have to make up the difference somewhere else. But we'll just have to do that. But I
don't think the fire assessment fee is the answer. And it is higher in some cases than irregular taxes only. Yes. Okay. No, please. Um, so I wanted to say that to say when we we do this resolution, make sure that we coming
back. It's our it's our responsibility. Make sure this come back for us where we are able to make a a deduction. And just for just for historical record, we did reduce the fire assessment fee last year. Yeah. Um, just so that's
Is it enough? That Well, that may be a question, but it was reduced last year. Is it enough? Well, that may be a question. Go ahead, commission. Okay. Thank you, uh, mayor. But just a little historical perspective. I mean, again, when we when we went with the
fire fee, uh, it was supposedly with the intent to, uh, uh, all just just to create, I guess, a balanced budget. Years before coming on the commission, uh, previous administrations, they was they they they
were strapped. They they didn't have uh 9% but 9.64% in the reserves. That's not even two months reserved. They could not improve infrastructure. Once we looked at some of the things
that was in the toolbox uh and not continue down the same path with four and five water main breaks a month uh uh a month u disruptions, water quality among other things. So what we looked at
and that was the came was kicked up the uh rope for a little bit. We did a little bit of investigating. Other cities had used that to be able to help them fund different things as it related to balancing their budget but not
depending on that. But so here's where we were and here's where we are now. TW prior to 2015 you were not there was no improvement for water lines. zero. Once we implemented the fire fee, that
gave us funding that we had in place to be able to start with improvements. We we we used we utilize the funds started out with the CRAAS, the areas that already had money to be able to start expansion in addition to the funds that
we were bringing in to help with where we are today. over 23 miles about 23 miles of pipe been replaced in our city. Prior to over 100 years, no improvement. Go look at the record.
Okay. So, with that being said, what happened? We had city managers who did not listen to some of the instructions that was given from the das as it relates to let's let's um scale back and not be dependent upon
a a consistent well a high high fire fire fee or whatever. So this is where we are and I I've asked um this the city manager to look into that and and and I don't know where where she's she's at right now. I started early, way early before we got to this point now.
Yes. And so we were supposed to be do um looking at scaling it back a little bit more than what we did last year so that we can provide relief to everybody. But again, the city was not in a very good place. The city was uh in a in in uh
were headed for financial dis um disaster. Previous commission used to borrow $400,000 $300,000 cons taking it from the like a gas authority. Look at it. It's in the
caffer. It's all there. We're in a much better place than where we used to be. And again, we're in a place now where we can kind of scale this thing back a little bit because there's a lot of people taking advantage of the city. a lot of the nonprofits taking 18 uh 1820
properties and different things of that nature off the tax role. That's where you that's where some of the tax money goes is is going to some of the people who are taking nonprofits who are taking this property off the tax role. So I I don't want to continue to
go on and on and on, but that's some of the historical piece. We're working I am a big proponent of helping to scale some of this stuff back because I I I feel the residents pain. Well, ahead, Commissioner. Um,
my perspective may be a little different. I wasn't here historically, but I will say this. Um, at the end of the day, the fire department is going to be funded.
Not funding it is not an option. The question then becomes, where do we fund it from, right? And so if not the fire assessment fee where those dollars are directed
to that department, it will come from the general fund. Now I will say this to Miss Kitchen's point, the onus is on the commission as we adopt
budgets, right? And we have to be more responsible in how we're allocating the revenues because Kitchens made a good point. We just sat here and made this motion to put money in to fund festivals, but
we're also asking to reduce the fire fee. The two don't go together. So again, that onus is on us and um we have to consider that. But one of the other things I want to mention about the fire
fee and as I've been reading and understanding this and the impact on the city, Commissioner Bors made a point. Yes, it has benefited the city overall. It is a viable solution to fund our fire
department using fire assessment fees. there's some part of that um the requirement of it that is static. I think that's level two or what what do you call it? Two, right? No matter what
the dwelling is that needs to be serviced, everybody whether you're a big house or a small house or whatever you are is going to use that amount of resource. where I hear I guess the opportunity is
with tier one which is currently right now um that's where it fluctuates based on the formula that's used to get to the uh assessed value to get that amount.
I do want to say that to understand the fire assessment fee is in addition to funding the fire department, there are some other benefits to it that we may not be aware of and take for granted. And one of those is when I looked at the
request from the fire department coming up, we need a new fire truck, right? Or am I saying that right? A fire engine fire truck. Yes. Well, we don't have the money to buy a fire truck because they cost millions of dollars. However, that will require the
city to finance to get that. And one of the other benefits of having this fire assessment fee and the way that we do it is we have a guaranteed or or static amount of revenue for our fire department.
Remember, if we fund it from general fund, it's dependent upon property taxes, which we know how much we should get, but it doesn't dictate how much we'll get. And so that goes to the city's creditworthiness for is that that
if that's the right word. It is. It is. So I I do want to make sure we understand everything that happens. When I go around and talk to citizens and even for me, I want to be safe. We want to make sure we have public safety. I
heard don't increase our insurance rates and we want to talk about insurance rates in the state of Florida which is crazy and yes um all of those other items but we have to consider that
while I do hate that in some instances like we heard before the amount has grown and grown and grown the question we have to ask ourselves is how safe do we want to be and what are
the other things we want to do in this city from our fund and I take full responsibility and I am taking it seriously as we're in these budget reviews now to do things that make sense for the city and while we just passed something maybe I don't know if we're
going to have the money we may have to rethink it and I'm open to that but that's the reality of it so again there are some people who some I'm sorry
some cities I guess who abuse this fire um tax right usually with the way they are calculating and assessing homeowners but I will say looking at it and not
the way we're going about it seems very equitable to me based on the formula that's used and how we are calculating the value of what you're assessed on for tier uh one. So, I just want to put that out there as something to think about. I
am in favor of passing this um tonight with the responsibility to carry out what we need to do in reviewing that budget to one allocate dollars appropriately
and at that point seeing if there's an opportunity to decrease possibly tier one but we don't know that and I guess the other question would be what do we want to give up to do it because it's 2025. I know this started
in 2015, 10 years. Times have changed, inflation, all these things happened. It costs more to do things in this day and age, unfortunately. But that's the reality of it. And so I think those are questions we have to ask ourselves as we come back with this budget. Thank you.
I agree. And and concurrently with the historic perspective, the millage rate when the fire was enacted, the millage rate came down significantly. It was almost at the allowed cap of 10 and it's down to 6.4. Correct.
So the again the money has to come from somewhere. So if we reduce the fire assessment fee again how you know do we you know would we have to raise the raise the millage rate or are there other ways we can cut what whatever happens we would have to cut if it's
reduced we have to cut somewhere whether it's what we spend our money on or whether it's raising the millage rate it's just all those things will be part of the discussion in the next upcoming budget workshops in August go ahead commissioner bar no I just there's a lot of identif ified
things that is in our general fund budget that could pro be looked at. Nobody's disputing that. So yeah, so uh there's some low hanging fruit that we can really look at to be able to to address. I agree. But the fire like buying a new fire engine which has to be run several
years in advance is a big piece of money and again that's our public safety at stake. Okay. So we have go ahead. Um and I wanted to in response to uh Commissioner Borum uh we did actually perform the
analysis that he had asked. Uh one of the things that we discovered we have about 3,900 uh parcels that the uh fire assessment is being based upon from my recollection without having it in front of me. And so
if we had a goal that um every parcel is reduced by $200 just using that that would be a decrease of 780,000. So you know and that means that currently with um the 2.41
which is where we started even though last year we reduced it to 2.35. Okay the variable portion not the fixed part. So we would be at about 2.2 million. So let's just say that if we wanted to give every parcel, you know,
owner a reduction in their fire fee assessment, say at the rate of $200, then that would have the impact of lowering the revenue stream and our budget by 780, you know, $800,000. So
that's those are the kinds of analysis that we have already been uh looking at. We've also been looking also at uh where would we get this 780 or $800,000 for it's some low hanging fruit but yes we have combinations of propert. So
here's and then there there's another easy one right there too where people can consolidate there the if you got multiple properties. Okay, you can consolidate those instead of paying the 125 per lot or whatever it is you
consolidate and then we've tried to give out as much education as possible to help in in that regard or what what have you. So, please come in and we can kind of help you uh with those reductions and among other things. So, yes.
Yes, sir. Commissioner Davis, I'm sorry. One other thing I want to mention proactively and hopefully being strategic in what we're doing going forward is there is talk from the governor of eliminating property taxes.
So, again, I want us to be careful. I don't know where it'll go, but again, that is out there. So, understand that is a revenue stream for this city. And I think we have to position ourselves to to not put all our eggs in one basket. And
um so I do just want to remind you of that as well. So I see this also as a proactive approach to at least stabilizing one revenue stream in case we have to look at other things in the future. Thank you. Any further discussion?
Okay. All in favor? I I Any opposition? Thank you. Did I move? Okay. Sorry. Um on to item B, second reading, ordinance 202523, an ordinance of the city of Pala providing that the official zoning map
of the city of Palaca be amended from city of Pala commercial neighborhood. Commission 1A. I can just read the pro the parcel number. Yes. And your burden of proof is for the sake of consistency has been printed up for you. Okay. Posel number
12-10-26-0820-000010-000030. Madame Mayor Commission regrettably I have to ask for a continuence of this item. Um, the ordinance that would change the future line use map is not included in your package and we cannot do the resoning
without the future line use amendment first. No worries, sir. I'll make a motion that we can that we continue this and to do we need to do a time date. Yeah. For the next meeting and I apologize to the August 28th. We have a motion in a second. Anybody
here for public comment on this item? Seeing none and close public comment. All in favor? Sorry, come on up. And you got you've got a slew of cards to fill out. That's okay. This is a reality that's really happening. And so the same way how he just
mentioned public land um future land use. Okay, key words. Same thing needs to happen for Kelly Smith school before they go ahead and move forward with that because this is exactly the issue, right? It's being hidden. And also I
like to make a suggestion as far as the fire tax. Well, we will run this. I'm sorry. No, it's just a little suggestion. You know, it's just strategically it's not right because it's not appropriate. Okay. Not appropate. Okay. No problem. That'll happen. Thank you. Um thank you. Um we have a motion to
second. All in favor? I Any opposition? Thank you. Um ordinance 202524. Um Is it the parcel number? So we've got the um enhance the city of Palaka follow providing the future land
use map of the adopted comprehensive plan be amended with respect to the following parcel of less than 50 acres in size from city residential RH high to RH to city of Palaka conservation district. Um and it's got the whole the whole book not just a parcel number um
for the following property Dick's map of Palaka. And do you want me to read all of this ma'am? Does he have to read that title? The whole book description. No, do not read the legal. Just the Thank you. 42-1027-6850-1416-000083. Yes, madame mayor. Uh, ordinance 20 2025
24 and 202525 relate to the same parcel of land owned by the city. Uh, we are doing some sort of a corrective amendment to it. It requires a future land use amendment and also reszoning. Currently is zone R3
which is high residential density and uh the parcel plays a very important role in the natural drainage of the the area and the region and we felt that it was more appropriate to have it resolve to conservation and that will protect that
this piece of land. So we did review for the uh standard for the future land use amendment and for the resoning and we are recommending approval. The planning board also reviewed these items and they recommended approval as well.
Okay. Thank you. Any questions? Okay. Motion. Motion to approve. Second. What are we approving? C or they will both together. Yes. That's what I want. Just want clarification. Okay. We have a motion, a second. Um, we have uh I'm gonna open
the floor to public comment. Miss Kitchens, you have a card for public comment on this item. We're on item C and D. Yes, please. All I want to say to you is what I said before at the meeting. Uh, and if you
look at your lidar map that's in your your packet, I was stunned when I saw it. I've been telling you all how important Ociel Creek is for draining the whole hill area of Palatka. I about dropped my teeth when I saw this map because Ociel Creek is way bigger than what you see. It goes under Krill Avenue
totally underground and you can see if you look at the dark this if you block this ravine or you allow the development of Florida furniture to block this ravine or you allow it to be developed. The whole hill area is going to flood all the way past Hank Bryan Park. It's going to be a major disaster. That creek
also drains all that 399 acres into the Wilson Cypress area. One minute. It's very vital that you make the LAR map put up. It's a separate document. I just would like this one that's No, I know. I would like for But it's very important if you look at
it's a separate document, but it's very important that you preserve these that you preserve this as a conservation eent for Ocula Creek. I'm not going to speak on the other stuff about all the others because it's all related. So, I'm making a blanket statement about Ocola Creek. I'll also make a blanket statement about changing
the zoning on the cemetery property. That's important also so I don't have to get up and speak again. I know y'all tired of me and I'm tired of me. But but look at that map. That's Ocyola Creek. You block that ravine. You've blocked that. Think about it. What happens when you damn up a river. You don't dam up
Ocola Creek. Do the pass the conservation easement, please. And thank you. Thank you. Anybody else here for public comment on this item? Seeing no opposed public comment. Is there any further discussion? Have a motion and second. All in favor?
Any opposition? Thank you. On to item E, ordinance 2025 26. Um, let's see. Parcel number 42-10 276850 146081
and F is also tied to that as well. That is correct. And and this is a small parcel. It's part of the same parcel, but they have two legal descriptions. And that's the reason you have separate ordinances. But they're both related. 25
uh 26 and 2527 are related to the same parcel. And we also have reviewed this uh against the comp plan and the resing standard. I was reviewed by the planning board. They recommended approval and staff for recommended approval as well.
Thank you. Any questions of Mr. Ao? Is there anybody here for public comment on this item? M. Kitchens has already done that. Yeah. Go ahead. Motion to approve. Second. We have a motion to second. All in favor?
I. Any opposition? Thank you. On to um G. Did I just G? Does it sound familiar? Um my No, I didn't. Okay. On to item number G. I'm sorry. On on to letter G rather. Um, ordinance number 202528
and also ordinance number 202529 property possible number 42-10-27-6850-1510-0000. Mr. Agama. Yes. This basically is a corrective amendment. I was left out a little portion of the the cemetery. It's a little triangle and still has a a zoning
district of R3. So we are correcting this the designation and also changing the future line use amendment. So the both related 202528 and 202529 affect the same parcel of land. Uh we
recommended approval as well as the planning board also recommended approval. Thank you. Any questions of Mr. Glo? I'm going to open the floor to public comment. Is there anybody here for public comment on items 9G and H? Seeing no oppose public comment to the motion.
Motion to approve. Okay, we have a motion to a second. Second. We have a motion second. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. On to 9, ordinance number 2523. And um ordinance number the next 31,
sorry. Um So those are the only two tied together and one and 33 also. There are actually three uh ordinance related to this amendment. Okay. This request is the annexation, the change to the future languages amendment and the
resoning. Okay. And I'll read the possible number 16-10-26-00000024-000013. Go ahead, Mr. Abella. Yeah, this basically is just a a request for annexation, a voluntary annexation request uh by the school board. Uh we have the representative here who might
uh want to answer any question you might have. Uh we have reviewed the annexation. Uh it's consistent with the Florida statute. We also review the future land use amendment and the reasoning. Uh it meets all our criteria standards. Uh planning board uh reviewed
this and recommended approval. And we also rec staff also recognize approval of the three ordinances. Okay. Any questions of Mr. GMA? Would you like the representative to come up? You have any questions of Mr. Holmes?
No. Okay. Thank you. Is anybody here for public comment on this item? Gentleman left. Seeing no public comment, close public comment. Do we have a motion to approve? Question. Move to approve. Let me ask. May I ask for clarity? Okay, go ahead.
Just so that the record reflect, I am a employee of the Putnham County School District. Got it. So, I just want to make sure that's one out there, but two, am I okay to vote on this or do I need to recruit
myself? You you are you are not receiving any sort of direct or indirect cut gain as a result of this particular ordinance. I just wanted and that applies to Commissioner Borum is correct. Yes. I mean I I knew I wasn't receiving any. I just wanted to put that out to clear
out very much appreciated the transparency. Thank you. Mo move to approve. Second. No side. We have a motion. We have a second. All in favor? I. Any opposition? Thank you. Um we're on to um
ordinance 25 34 25 34 2534 um and the possible number is 16-10-26-000000-200-0000 Mr. Agama. Yes. Again, u madame mayor, uh,
ordinance 2534 and 2535 and 2536 are related to the same parcel is a request for a voluntary addexation of a parcel adjacent to the Kelly Beach uh, school and the change to the future
land use to assign a city land use and also a zoning district from the city. Um, planning board reviewed this request, recommended approval. staff also review and provide a technical analysis as part of your package and we
also recommended approval. Thank you. Is there any questions of Mr. Oama on this? How much acreage is that Mr. I mean acres 9.99 9.9 [Music]
Thank you. Is anybody here for public comment on this item? Seeing none, we close public comment. Is there a motion? Motion second. We have a motion to second. All in favor?
I. Any opposition? Thank you. We're on to ordinance number 202537, 2538, 2539 are all tied to the same property possible. And the possible number is 02-10-26-0000-420-0000.
Mr. Okala. Yeah, that is correct. Uh this is basically uh to annex a parcel of land. It's about 16.72 acres. Um the annexing for the purpose of proposing a development, residential
development of the parcel uh and to obtain city water services and sewer. Um we have originally the application was for a townhouse development. Uh it was over 100 170 units I believe. Uh since then
since the planning board meeting the applicant has reviewed and revised the application and now it's going to be a single family home consisting I believe of 79 single family homes. So the density the intensity use has been
greatly reduced. The impact also has been greatly reduced. Uh we we think it's a good project for the city. The applicant is here and he would like maybe make a presentation. I know he has a a PowerPoint presentation but I don't know whe you want to see or not. This is
this is the first reading uh planning board did review and when we took it to the planning board there were some conditions that we attached to the staff recommendation and I want to point it out that those condition has since been met by the applicant. He did submitted
all the documents. Today I received the the revised uh development agreement. I'm going to be reviewing that developer agreement probably you know making some suggestions some changes. So when I bring it back to you for the second reading, you're going to have a final
document. Uh we are recommending approval of the three items that is in front of you today. Okay. And um is does developer want to call and share any more information or does the commission want that to happen? What would you like to do?
No response. Well, I mean he's here and here and that's what I'm thinking. They should we should at least want to hear from and hear from them. Hi, good evening. Give us your name. Matt Lah, Gstream Design Group, 222581A
South, St. Augustine, Florida. I know you guys have had a long night. Um, Lorenza did a great job with the staff report. Uh, we do have a PowerPoint. We can present that at second reading if you'd like. Um, but as he mentioned, uh, this parcel is, uh, directly to the west
of Los has city utilities and we're looking to develop single family homes there. So we we all have a you know Thank you. Thank you. Um any questions? Thank you. I'm going to open the floor to public comment on this item. Is there anybody
here for public comment on these particular ordinances on the property at zero Moody Road? Seeing none, we close public comment. We have a motion. Motion to approve. Second. We have a motion to second. All in favor?
I. Any opposition? Thank you. Commission of comment. Thank you. Anybody Anybody have any comments? Well, I mean or whatever. Commissioner Davis. Okay. Commissioner Campbell.
I I have been very Okay. Commissioner Jones. Commissioner. Okay. Well, just just a quick update. I did have a chance to uh attend the Palaka Housing Authority residents appreciation day. Uh it was a very very
good um event. Um first time ever them having that. Um I know the residents uh over the Pala Housing Authority really appreciate that very nice uh turnout number of vendors and and community. Uh they showed up big and they had a we
commend we wish that everybody come next year if they can make it. Just please see if you can make it. Uh I also attended the north uh side improvement team uh put on by the recreation department with um Mr. Cutright, our director cutright as well as Reno Fails
uh who and we had a pretty decent turnout there in terms of moving forward with from Fifth Street, North Fifth Street on out to uh North 24th Street um as it relates to planting the seed and um improving that community from um that
that area. So um there'll be more to come. We had exceptional 25 students there and um they showed up big and uh again we commended them for for being there some um our future leaders. Uh other than that I want to just thank the staff for a very wonderful job that
everybody always do um and uh the commission for our service. And again that's all I have. Thank you Commissioner Davis. Just a one quick thing I want to say kudos to the staff. If you haven't noticed, our new chairs with cushions
and our new and our new fans, we have fans clock and the clock is correct. Right. So, I do want to thank the staff for all the hard work that you do and so we appreciate you. Thank you.
Oh, yes. And welcome, Miss Pierre. We are very happy to have you. In case you haven't noticed, I know you already hit the ground running. With that said, do we have a motion to adjourn? Okay. Thank you all.
Thank you. It's been fun. Got to go.