##VIDEO ID:ROZrPah50G8## e e e this is a test of the city of Paka audio system e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e good evening everybody Welcome to the city commission meeting January 6 2025 we're stting this meeting at 7:30 p.m. I'm calling the meeting to order we'll start with the invocation led by Chaplan malberry and then the Pledge of Allegiance led by commissioner Bor good evening everyone father in the name of Jesus here we are again in your presence thanking you for another day thanking you for your loving kindness in tender Mercy we pray God your blessings upon you people even now dear God as we seek to please you in all that we do pray for the wisdom that is necessary to lead and guide this committee thank you for those who have coming in AB board and we give you praise for their work sake bless even now God I pray in Jesus name amen amen pleas alance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for which it stands a nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all Madam city clerk could we please have the roll call commissioner Tammy mcle excuse for the record yes uh and if that is appropriate um mayor and commission we finish roll call First that yes please commissioner Justin Campbell Senor present commissioner will Jones present commissioner Rufus boram present mayor Robbie CA present goad you have you have a quorum in the chambers Madam mayor thank you uh commissioner Tammy mcco could not be here tonight and she did ask that I read this statement honorable mayor Commissioners interim city managers City staff and citizens it has been one of the greatest honors of my life to be elected and reelected by our citizens to serve our city of Paka as commissioner for group one over these past eight years as someone who grew up here and loves this community immensely I have always been inspired by the strength resilience and promise of our great city today it is with mixed emotions that I shift forward from the office of Palaca City Commissioner be assured I wholeheartedly welcome and salute Miss Annie Henderson Davis as she steps into this important role and assume the awesome responsibility of legislating on behalf of Palaca although my strict Physicians orders precluded me from personally attending this evening swearing in ceremony I extend my heartfelt congratulations and sincere support to commissioner Davis and wish her great success in her imminent term May the entire commission continue to build upon the foundation of growth and opportunity that makes Paka a city of unlimited potential in conclusion I have complete confidence that our newly elected commissioner will serve with integrity and vision to the citizens of Paka thank you for allowing me to serve you these eight passers I remain committed to the progress of our community and look forward to supporting our bright future in every positive way possible with warm regards this is from our commissioner Tammy M MCO outgoing city of Paka commissioner group one for the years of 2016 to 2024 thank you and a thank you um to commissioner MCO for all her wonderful years of service and sacrifice to this community and we also want her to recover and be well soon yes thank you thank you um I'm going to open the floor to public comments I'm going to open up to public comments General and also specific to agenda item is there anybody here for public comment seeing n will close public comment and move right along on the agenda to the swearing in ceremony we're going to start with the administration of the oath of office to The Honorable commissioner will Jones conducted by Alicia R Washington circuit court judge and first African-American administrative judge of putam County and if you both come up here and stand right in front of the de and I will flip this I'm excited I hear I'm squaring in a local celebrity around here can I call him slurve too can I call him that too all right right ready you want to read which one I put on you raise your right hand put the left got it all right all right so I'm going to uh read the oath of office I'll have you repeat after me and it says oath of office St of fla County plum you don't have to say that I just wanted to be official all right I Willie slurve Jones I Willie Jones do solemnly swear or affirm do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support that I will support protect and defend protect and defend the Constitution and government the Constitution and government of the United States of the United States and of the State of Florida and of the State of Florida and the charter and ordinances and the charter and ordinances of the city of Paka of the city of Paka that I am duly qualified that I am duly qualified to hold office to hold office under the Constitution under the constitution of the State of the State and that I will well and I will well and Faithfully perform and Faithfully perform the duties the duties of Palaca City Commissioner group three of Palaca City Commissioner group three on which I am now about to enter on which I am now about to enter and don't mess it up oh I'm sorry so help me I'm sorry so help me not all right I I get my family up can I please have my immediate family up running this way we're going to now ask Mr over to come up and present the election certificate election certificate sorry congratulations on being reelected that's the one thing about election sometimes we welcome brand new people and other times we welcome back people so I just want to say congratulations you were elected on the 5th of November your term starts today and it will go all the way through the 7th Day of January 2029 so congratulations do the other one got a few Accent on a few I see coming up here good evening I would like to say turn on the mic please good evening I would like to say a few words you know I'm a man of a few words don't speak a lot uh and I stand before you today humble and proud that my city elected me to be reelected as a City Commissioner I want to thank each and every one of you citizens here in Paca that voted people that couldn't even vote that actually supported me in ways you wouldn't believe um just by by acts of kindness uh utilizing their resources and even just by their face they couldn't vote in a city election however their face card the people that they know and they put out the word that I was their guy and that that meant a lot to me in this race this race could have went any way my in my favor or against me and uh but I knew that God was on my side I have the spirit of discernment let me tell you something doing this thing I learned a lot about people I learned a lot about myself you know uh perseverance if I had to say one word that could describe it I said perseverance a lot of obstacles that was put in our way through this campaign and uh I want to thank the people that stood by me and stood with me through this campaign and so I know I was going to forget some people so I do have notes Here usually just go top of my head but i r the first GI uh under to God for giving me this opportunity and uh the honor that it is to be up here and work on this di with these other Commissioners um as an if I have to tell you one thing and it's going to be it's humbling experience when you get up here the first four years first two you going to learn and if I would have been defeated I feel i' been disservice to the city because you don't really start working until about your third your third year up here because you got to learn this job learn what you're supposed to do up here uh it's a lot of people that you you try to appease I'm not gonna say please try to appease because you want to do the right thing and when I'm up here uh when I was elected and I took this oath I take this oath seriously and I just want uh everybody that had confidence in me to know that I'm going to do the right thing and I won't embarrass I won embarrass the city oh Jaz I was okay till I looked at you but I will prove to you that you made the right choice as I take this off I promise that I would do my very best to make the most appropriate decisions that we're faced with um to move this city Force forward excuse me I will listen to you and I will continue to be your voice I'd be remiss if I didn't thank a lot of people publicly um and I want to start out my beautiful wife she was out there every day get off of work to support me when I didn't want to go she pushed me and uh she'll tell me sometime I want to slack off my daughter Jordan always say Dad and day you just slacking off and it was a lot of day that I wanted to but honey I really appreciate you standing by me and being that push that I needed so I want to openly acknowledge you in that my family that have also persevered and psychopy for me I want to thank you guys um and the support that you gave me in this endeavor my campaign team team Jones would you please stand up if you were a part of Team Jones just stand up please I have to publicly let people know who you are what Mr Jacob Jacob spell please stand up you been stand up but I need you to stand up uh Mr Jacob spell special thanks to you all you have done Mr SP appreciate it and I want the world I really do my brother Porter Johnson my brother my brother a lot of people in this campaign said man I believe your brother want you to win more than you want my brother was everywhere doing everything possible to help me win thank you some names I want to go ahead and mention that was there when I say there folk I mean um that's allergies that's what that is I I'm talking about people who took their Saturdays their Sunday get off work and signway go door to door we went knocking door to door we did Grassroots because I know this was going to be a hard fight and they did this and these are some of the people that led the charge and I know I'm going forget some people but these are the people that I know was there every day and was my top contributor definely and besides my brother Mr spell I want to go with Miss Mary Norwood Mary Norwood was there with me every day please stand up Mary because you was every day every day going out with me rather is knocking on doors and and Mary Mary had some challenges um but she didn't care she couldn't stand up long but she gonna stand up and she was gonna be out there with me and sometimes she beat me to the spots where we needed to be and I really want to thank you I want to acknowledge you publicly because you're so sweet and what you did to me sister I appreciate you um and I'm G be go I'm be fast all right I'm move fast uh Mr Jeremy Alexander and Alexander family I sincerely thank you Josh Josh was running a race and he still was hey you need anything can I help you hey where are you with this where are you with that and I appreciate that it goes a long way and I can say this publicly that this commission had said we're gonna start uh working harder with the county and I think a new Fresh man in that county that want to bridge the gaps he's what we need to to help us make that transition and make that uh a smooth transition of working with a work relationship all right Mary bats Beverly Allen miss Patricia Brown stand up again every day out there with me again and stay sometime longer than I would stay they all played a v role uh Mrs Miss Daniels Mrs con Daniels would you please stand specially because wiconsin Daniel ran a race for our judge ship here in putam county and wasn't successful but as soon as she got over the situation she joined my team and she then just joined she L my team the night of the election did pole watching and she went and uh we were getting the tally we were getting the tal and miss miss you can sit down and Miss daniels's uh she reminded me of everything that I needed to do a vital part because you know what sometimes in you this race you could you stay so focused you don't see and you miss some of the small things and she was an integral part and I want to thank you for that where's your mother Miss LEL Gordon Miss liel can you walk up here please miss LEL Gordon I must do this discernment tell me this I want tell Miss Li Bell age but miss L Bell Gordon Mr Jacob spell was the two senior people in my camp but they outwork I can I think I can say this outwork everybody on the night of the election miss little bell came out that morning and didn't leave her post she stayed out and we were out standing up said little B let me give you a chair she said no honey I got it I'm holding this sign and she stood out there and walked out at the I can stand up here before you and say that yeah I deserve this it's all in godness people in the city great city of Paka that see the good in me and knowing that I have a passion for the city of bak and I'll be remiss if I didn't say and I'm closing last think it would be my didn't extended family the ladies of Zeta Zeta F beta s Incorporated you want to leave and ladies in blue and white the Zas will show up and they they are there and I thank you guys for all your support the women of Delta Sigma Theta sorority Incorporated Diesel lated and criman cream you can hold your hand up pleas I really thank you guys and the ladies of alpha ala Sor Incorporated Miss flag and the men of Omega sou fire Fraternity Incorporated I really thank you as my extended family for showing up and showing out when needed and when you're called and again I want to thank all of you for coming out and I want to thank all that supported me and reelected me thank you thank you thank you okay we're going to go on to the administrator administration of the oath of office to The Honorable commissioner Annie Henderson Davis conducted by Amar conducted by am jusa circuit court judge and The Holy Bible held by Ronnie Davis husband pinning by Jessica Davis dner got all right I got the hard part I gotta make sure I please raise your right hand I I Annie Henderson Davis Annie Henderson Davis do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support that I will support protect protect and defend the Constitution and defend the Constitution and government of the United States of America and government of the United States of America and of the State of Florida and of the State of Florida and the charter and ordinances and the charter and ordinances of the city of kaka of the city of caka that I am duly qualified to hold office that I am duly qualified to hold office under the constitution of the State under the constitution of the state and that I will well and Faithfully perform and that I will well and Faithfully perform the duties of Paca City Commissioner the duties of Paca City Commissioner group one group one on which I am now about to enter on which I am now about to enter so help me God so help me God congratulations I'm just having a fast Jessica Jess okay stand right here now going to ask Mr over to come and present the certificate as I said elections are time when we welcome back members and then we also welcome new members and I would be remiss if I I wish Tammy was here tonight but to say thank you to her for all that she has done for this community one of the things that she won't mind me saying this is when she was running every afternoon during early voting after she got off school she came and stood within the 100 feet that she stand over by the Chinese restaurant and every day I go over and H and say how do I think you're doing oh I think you're doing fine Tammy you're out here working hard you did a lot of those same things and so I congratulate you I present you with this certificate your term starts today and just like commissioner Jones it will end on the seventh day of January of 2029 congratulations thank I do I would like now let me be clear i' like my Henderson Family my Smith family my Davis Family con okay sorry sorry sorry sorry opportunity to say a few words said a good evening everyone I first want to recognize my late parents OC Henderson and clarea Smith Henderson you know my parents set the example for us to be active in our community to not just talk about things but to do things you want things to be better be part of the solution and I just want to honor them today but ladies and gentlemen my esteemed colleagues friends my family I am so honored and humbl to stand before you this evening as your newly elected City Commissioner this journey would not have been possible without the unwavering support and encouragement of my loved on on especially my husband my daughter my daughter Alex my daughter Jessica My Daughter Alexis my son Justin my sister and brother-in-law y'all my family is amazing um and I'm like um commissioner Jones I don't want to start calling a lot of names because right now I'm so full but to my to my Henderson family I love you all my cousin Warren cousin Sandra cousin Erica thank you guys so much cousin Gina um just my family now I want to talk about my family in loves because you see they're deep the Davis family does not play about me and I am so so grateful but to my brothers-in-law my sisters-in-law my cousins thank you guys so much but I need to give a special thank you to Audrey wise the best campaign manager who kept a sister moving when a sister was taking naps um but I thank you guys so so much I just really want you to know more than anything that this could not have been possible without the support of so many my friends my old neighbors from the north side my new neighbors from the south historic district um my classmates class of 79 Paca high school but I just want you to know and my church family my Mount Taber church family my first lady and classmate Miss teras flag but um I really just want to thank all of you and I want to thank every single voter who entrusted me with this great responsibility I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you throughout the campaign I had the privilege of meeting many of you and listening to your concerns your hopes your aspirations for our city we share a vision of a vibrant inclusive and thriving community and your voices have guided me and my vision for our future and I am committed to work tirelessly to turn that Vision into reality as a City Commissioner I vow and pledge the three things that I can that I have control over and that is in Integrity transparency and accountability you can expect me to prioritize and Foster and um the needs of our residents for me to advocate for Equitable policies and Foster an environment where every individual feels valued and heard and together we will tackle the challenges and yes we have quite a few and we'll also seize the opportunities in the coming months I will address key issues such as getting a city manager hired working with my colleagues to make that happen and with our city staff someone who is a good fit for the city of Palaca for this time right now we want to enhance Public Safety those are two priorities we have many priorities but we have to be safe and we have to have the right person to lead our city we also uh will also discover how to best move our city forward in a way that serves all citizens I believe an Engaged and informed uh Community is the foundation of effective governance we cannot do it without your input your willingness to share ideas and hold us accountable is vital to our success and together we can build a city that we are all proud to call home once again I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity to serve as your City Commissioner I am excit excited about the journey yeah a little bit scared but it's okay I'll do my homework and the great work that we will accomplish together so let's move forward with hope determination and a shared commitment for the betterment of our city Paca Florida the Jim City and to some of you blip thank you and let's get to work come on up welcome Madame mayor yes may I have the pleasure of adding to the roll call commissioner Annie Henderson Davis you may thank you pres exciting times for p um at this point do we have a motion to adjourn go ahead commissioner I got a comment well we G to have comments just after that well I just want to say to my fellow um Commissioners newly elected and reelected a charge to keep we have a God to glorify a Never Dying soul to save and fit it for the sky to serve the present age my calling to fulfill oh may it all all my Powers engage as we do God's will let's continue to work with that could we have a motion to adjourn and then we'll open it for mayor and commissioner closing comments Madam chair yes I move it we adjourn second we doose the close open the floor for commissioner and may a comments commissioner Campbell already made a comment do you have anything further to say no he doesn't Okay commissioner Jones I have anything for Comm Bor yes uh I want to um certainly thank uh commission mcco um for her eight years of dedicated hard work and service um to this Commission in this community a lot of time people don't understand what our roles are and um again like you heard commissioner Jones stated his first two years he was in learning mode there's no cookbook for this role up here you are elected into an office that a lot of time people don't know what they're doing and people are electing people in the office and not knowing sometimes what they stand for or what they are willing to deliver back to the uh the community but again we've had people who have dedicated their time and made the sacrifices to commit to this community so we want to certainly thank commissioner MCO for the work her presence will be missed on this board again I want to uh thank for commissioner Jones for rejoining this board and again like uh you can see in the audience uh his work spoke for him and he's back on this board ready to put some more work in and I want to uh thank our newly elected um commissioner uh commissioner Miss Annie Davis um looking forward to working with her had great conversations with her she has energy I've seen her um since she's been in Paca came back to Paca she was working um when she first hit the ground back here in Palaca from where where she came from from Atlanta and so she's back here she been putting in the work I've we've we've had numerous uh community events um I didn't know who she was her and her husband you see see one you see the other but she have put in the work and I'm looking forward to working with her um on this board to help try to make this community a better place and that's with all of my fellow Commissioners and Mayors so again we we we ask you guys to stay involved don't just learn about the hearsay stay plugged in be to the meeting if churches uh uh nonprofit organizations whatever it may be individuals if you don't read the newspaper just look at come come be in the meeting or live on Zoom or whatever in Zoom just understand and know what's going on in your city and don't hear all the gossip that you hear out on Facebook and try to render judgment against people who are serving that and so that's what I ask the community we want to want you guys to stay involved and we do our very best to keep you informed so again I want to thank our board members for being here thank you for um your um your elect your election and I thank uh commissioner Joan for his reelection so we're here to work I want to thank commissioner mccal again we don't want to forget that since she wasn't able to be present for her eight years of service it is a full-time commitment people it is kind of described as a part-time position but in fact it takes a lot more time of personal time and a lot of thick skin so uh thank you commissioner mccal I don't know welcome back but thank you commissioner Jones for staying with us I think we'll find out teasing you teasing you you give me a hard time and welcome commissioner Davis our first time I met Miss Davis when she moved we live in the same neighborhood when she moved there she came by my front door so my portra was like hi like who is this woman that just says hi to anybody but I found out who she was and that she's wonderful and that she loves the city as we all do and wants it to be the best it can be so again thank you all we've got a lot of work but we can do it yes and with that congratul okay go I also would like to congratulate you to your seat and I know that you will do a great job and I will be remiss if I wouldn't say uh to commissioner mcco um you you're being thought about in our prayers and we're going to miss your leadership as well commissioner commissioner you was a great model up here and uh during those two years of learning commissioner mcco actually was a great mentor and I wanted to put that out there in public as well she served eight years and um she was diligent in her work again welcome aboard and thank you Mr C thank you and now with that but Madam chair yes I I do need to say a couple of more thank yous I would be remissed if I did not thank Mary Lawson Brown Miss Brown please stand up and Miss Brown was my mama when I was in school with her kids she has provided me amazing information um on this and guidance on this journey and I thank you personally Miss Brown from the bottom of my heart to my pastor Pastor flag thank you so much for your gu and to judge janusa when I was asked to um identify judge I was like I I don't know I don't know I only know judge janusa who had such a um hardfought race and did it with Grace and dignity and consistency so I just want you to know it's an honor to have you to do this for me thank you I appreciate it okay yes I had one more coming I didn't know Miss Brown was in the audience um but you know I don't know if she's standing up now or she's she's small in Statue but she's big she's she she's a giant but uh uh Miss Miss Brown She dedicated 36 of her years of service to this community um and and can't thank her enough for all the things I don't want to go on and on but I I I do want to just say this and and be done with it but um everywhere Miss Brown went um she took us as we came in in 2015 elected in November of 2014 but came in and she uh everywhere she went whether it was Tallahassee whe DC or whatever around the state and across the country um people know her her footprint her fingerprint is on a lot of things that people don't know and she helped guide this Commission in a lot of different ways and a lot of times you don't have that um uh that mentorship um there's no uh Sunshine about this because basically these things were things that we did to go and take care of City business but not to um go on and on and on but um that young lady she um really she have touched many many hearts and and and and minds and led people she's always saying good better best never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best we're better together and I I and I and I thank her for instilling that in me and again that's how we we're going to make our city much better thank you I just wanted to acknowledge um commissioner mccal um in her role that she has played in this commission um she has said on this diet and she took a lot of veils um she took a lot of losses but she still was dedicated to her role as commissioner um and so I definitely am going to miss her our eye contact um when we are on the diets but again her dedication spoke for her even in the mix of everything that she was faced with she did not let the city of Paca be on the back burner so for that we are eternally grateful for her commitment to this city and I know it's not a good bu it's just a see you later with no further comments we're going to have the closing prayer led by Reverend kle flag please shall we all stand reverence our hearts to almighty God gracious Lord we bow before you on such an auspicious occasion Lord we come with an attitude of gratitude to appreciate the love that is in this room Lord we thank you for our mayor we thank you for each of our commissioners we thank you for our newly elected commissioner we thank you for the administrative staff and the entire staff including chief of the Police Department chief of the fire department our City attorney interim city manager Lord God we need you we need you in front of us to lead us we need you beside us to guide us Lord we need a spirit of consensus and unity in our city we need you God to move upon each of our hearts it's easy to talk it we've got to walk it Lord we want our city to be excellent we want our leaders to lead by precept and example and Lord we are standing on your word your word is settled in heaven the grass wither it the flower fadeth but your word stands forever except you build the house the Workman labor is in vain except you keep the city The Watchman waketh but in vain so dear God lead us guide us direct us instruct us give us Grace for the race and peace for the pathway give us joy for the journey help us dear God as a city as a county as a as a state as a nation as a world to turn to you for you are the source of all of our help and hope God you are the only one that can make us great you're the only one that can grant us perfect peace and jubilant joy and liberating love and gracious Grace and magnificent mercy and Lord we're determined to trust you even when we can't track you so God where we're weak make us strong Lord where we're down Lift us up Heavenly Father don't just unite us reunite us don't just renew us restore us and help us all to walk by faith and not by sight for Lord we love our city all of us have diverse opinions and different ideas but help us God to lay aside differences and pull together so that we can be victorious God we pray a special prayer upon commissioner Tammy mcco Lord meet her at a point of Need For You are the great physician you are burden Bearer and a heavy load sh error and you alone make ways out of no way God even some in this room may be feeble in their bodies but God we know that you are above able thank you Lord for these legislators thank you God for a city of citizens who are willing to run this race with patience now Lord as we go separate ways we're leaving this place but not your presence take care of us all and bring us back together at the appointed time and place that we may continue to seek your face and do your will it's all in Christ Jesus name and we all say it amen God bless you I also want to quickly say thank you to city clerk Sunny France Romero this is her last official City meeting she will be heading to a new job and those are big shoes to fill um with Sunny's departure and we will truly miss her thank you for