##VIDEO ID:ZmHwRpEDAQc## 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 welcome to the city of Palaca Community Development agency meeting um December 9th 2024 5:00 p.m. we're going to call the meeting to order with an invocation by Pastor malberry and the Pledge of Allegiance leaded led by Miss Jackson good evening everyone father again thank you for all your many blessings we thank you for how you blessed us throughout this day you brought us uh through this day we give you praise Glory and Honor now pray God that you will give guidance and wisdom this board members God that you will show them how to do what because we looking to you and weing to carry amen amen to the 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 Miss CR please am Madam clerk sorry gotta get used to the name change thank you so much commissioner Tammy mccal not present for the record commissioner Justin Campbell present commissioner will Jones is connecting to audio so if I may I'll call him present he's on the zoom commissioner Rufus Forum present Miss Teresa Jackson present commissioner Walton pisier present mayor Robbie C pres you have a quorum in the chambers Madam mayor thank you welcome commissioner Pala to the Community Development agency board glad to be here thank you has everybody had an opportunity to read the minutes from October 14th 2024 yes motion to approve mayor second have a motion and second all in favor I any opposition thank you I'm going to open the floor up to public comments three minutes please um just give your name in city or town of residents and please keep it professional and polite Cheryl Roach Cheryl roach um patka I received in the mail a guide To Living in a historic district it's a threefold flyer from the city specifically from the planning department it talks about what homeowners need to do to obtain a COA I was struck by one paragraph about the aims of the guide it talks about understanding the benefits responsibilities and processes of living in a historic district it speaks of preserving Our Heritage and the unique living experience of our historic districts it struck me that the 17 gas lights on the street corners of my neighborhood have been dim for years they are lit once a year by neighborhood donations for the month of December these lamps are a major character factor of the Southside and are being severely neglected I have reached out to the board of directors at the palaska gas authority to get some clarification on the maintenance repair upkeep and cost of the lamps I have not heard back from them this year the donation fee for the monthly cost of one lamp was $30 using basic math the yearly ballp part cost is around 6 for 17 lamps I requested a report on the current tip funds for the South historic district I did not receive it understandably so I do know that Miss hardi was out of town my recollection is around 100K um that is in the South historic district give or take not sure with maybe 20K spent again give or take not sure regardless I am positive that there are funds in the South historic district tip funds to get these lamps lit in 202 5 I implore the CRA board to take their responsibility of improving the historic district as seriously as the city's expectations of the residents I am acutely aware that this should apply Citywide I do not want to remind the board again that this is a CRA meeting and improving and preserving the Integrity of the historic districts is what your goal should be that means spending tip fun fing in the appropriate districts to help Revitalize the neighborhoods thank you thank you so everybody else here for public comment seeing no more Clos public comment and move on to regular business discussion directional lmer Art Center rental yes excuse me prior says moving on I know it was public comment um generally in our uh other meetings we are awarded the opportunity to respond or get some guidance I would like to do some follow-ups with regards to um some of the points that Miss roach brought to us to see if we are able to get some type of resolution at least to the information that she requested and definitely bring something back to to uh the CRA in the future with regards to what it would take in order for us to get those lights or the gas lights working appropriately throughout the year and not having to deal with citizens coming out of their pockets to do something that should be done by the city I mean historically I'll just give you a little piece of history on this because I was the president of the sou historic neighborhood association when the lights went off um they were historically before that paid for by the city and the gas Authority that ended up being a substantial cost that was ended um we then started to fund it twice a year during the 4th of July Memorial Day holiday period and then Thanksgiving Christmas New Year's period the association I'm talking about with Association funds we also had an adopt a light program where um private citizens that lived in the neighhood could adopt a light I think we have to really check the C plan this is a recurring utility cost and I am not sure that CR monies can be allowed for that purpose but we will have to check into that as commissioner Campbell said but that was a little history on it I appreciate you may thank you and um mayor commissioner I will make sure and review the budget to uh let you be aware of funds that are available for that cost and even if we can take in some things in consideration I know mayor stated that it was an adop alite maybe there there are things we possibly can do in support that will probably help offset but I would love for us to have the um option of what can we do um and what can we support as we move forth again when you're in the historic district I remember lights being um the the lamps being lit and I think it does add to the Aesthetics of those neighborhoods and I would love to see that it's something that is year round and not just during the holiday special holiday season there's also been discussion in the past about converting or getting new I should say in this case um light post that were electric versus gas and had the lights that looked like the bulbs that look like gas that was another con consideration for more permanent situation okay well I'll follow up research will just be needed so my question would be what was the $6,000 was that to be lit for the entire year if it just may I or not that was a question she normally no um and I think let's research it and we'll come back with the amount the numbers that we need to have yeah let's we'll get the numbers from the gas Authority okay hopefully we can work out something thank you in their regard um on to regular business discussion Direction L Center rental is that you Mr cut right or is that you m c cut right yeah if you could come up and you know consistent with us trying to adhere to guidance that we're receiving from the Commissioners um that's probably why this is here so Eddie k f director 1900 Napoleon Street uh I know this came on about because thear M contract orou has expired several years ago and we have had several uh private entities want to look at try to inv in uh being the least holder of that building uh I know the the River City players one of their organization chairman is interested in doing it Miss Janetta slatter had also expressed interest a couple months ago to try to also lease the building out so with different people asking about the building we thought it' be best to put it back out the bid make sure we be fair before we go into that and at the same time we wanted input from the Commissioners as well okay so are we bringing this to the C though for because this should that be C it's in the C oh it's in the C District yeah that the only reason why we have we so we should have voice our opinion now I guess oppos in correct I just wasn't sure if this was even the entity to but that's fine everybody um commissioner Campbell do you have some thoughts I'm just going down the line it's not personal why not um I believe in the past we have had or we've tried to correct um quite a few things where we had um individuals or organizations within some of our facilities without the proper umou and or leases so I think it's proper to bring it back before us and I also believe that we were also trying to make sure that we utilize our building for the best and better use um so again in order for us to be TR fair and transparent I love some of the work that the artarts um Lama Arts has going there but I think in order for us to be fair and knowing that they've been operating um under just basically nothing um for us to properly put it back out there and allow others who have um because I know it was brought to us before that out of eight weeks throughout the year um River City players U utilize it and so there were some uh recent conversations and dialogue with regards to utilization of the facility so there may be an opportunity of Partnerships with not only um who housed there now but other individuals that may be able to bring a little bit more life outside of the eight weeks or the couple of weeks that has being utilized outside of the River City players commissioner B yes I concur with u commissioner camell in that regard because again we did hear some of that from the last um I think the CRA meeting that we just had last week so uh the utilization of that facility uh if it can be very well coordinated between various groups who who could potentially maximize the use without any you know scheduling conflicts that would be great but uh we certainly would like to make sure that we bring some life to that facility and that whoever utilize that facility um again the owners will be up on them to kind of Main maintain that it won't be something that the city would continue to uh have expenditures around so that's what I have commission pel here any thoughts I'm just still taking it off okay that's what I but I didn't want to I'm taking it in bear with me a little bit longer and I'll I'll get with you okay Miss Jackson I concur I feel putting it out for bid and and seeing you know giving others opportunities and collaborating together would be the the best dire okay all right um and the Arts Council of Greater Paca is the umbrella agency of the Arts in in the county in the city um of Paca and so they have been working that's why River City operates they are River City players is River City paying anything for the use and paying the utilities because I know the outs Council pays all the utilities they that they one from the conversation that happened the other night in the meeting they stated that they pay a fee to legalize it they give a fee uh and consistently there's some question with it's questionable about that and also I had conversation with Mr Kevin scer uh so it's some it's some conversation and some answers that we need to get with that definitively but they do pay some type of rent and they they sule but again when we're talking about whoever has the primary lease of the building covering a lot of cost there's a lot of cost to that building it's still our building it is a historic building listed on the national register I think the city has some obligation in terms of Maintenance at least for the exterior if we're going to require a tenant to cover utilities and some interior things that's fine kind of like a condo Arrangement but I I think the city can't negate their responsibility as well thanks for the guidance and we'll move forward thank you commissioner Jones here I'm sorry commissioner Jones what's your thoughts see when you're in Zoom land it's hard to REM you up there go ahead Rich yeah um I agree with what everyone says but what I also would like to see is those leases we're going to have to do something as far as the leases Citywide so for consistency I think that uh we need to task Mr cutri Miss cardi to bring all of the leases that are current throughout the city to us for review and if we have uniform uh rental or lease agreements that would be best because we're having people come or organizations come with different amounts of leases that they're paying for different or sometimes the same square footage and we need to make certain that we're we're we're doing the right things um and there's a matter of subon as well that we need to address um we lease it to to an organization and then they sub Le it and there's a uh liability stuff that we need to have ironed out and and I haven't seen any of that so um before I wanted to go back out on the street so I agree with that but all those other uh details we also need to have them ironed out before we get entities coming in and say hey yeah we've been using it at this cost and they still want to use it at the same cost or no cost and uh you know it's it's time for uh an evaluation of all of them and we actually agreed to that um at one point but we I don't think we received the information that we requested as commission if I'm if I stand to be corrected thank you commissioner Jones did you want to say something commissioner Bor no I mean I I concur with um commissioner Jones with with this statement as it relates but I'm not I think we did that ask for the um I guess if he was alluding to all the leases that we had in the city I think we did ask for that at one point and I think it's supposed to been some um staff supposed to been Gathering those and providing those to the city me U to the to the board um and I like the other point that uh commissioner Jones made as well you know when you lease it out to the primary lease uh leasy they um they they owe suas and that's uh something that you know we need to make a a policy as it relates to it could terminate that and that need to be known upfront because again utilization of our um public facilities um should not be taken for granted we agree I want to bring some clarification to the information that was requested the information that was requested we did receive we were supposed to work shop it in order for us to dive a little bit deeper so I don't wanted to make it appear as if staff did not provide us with the information that they that we requested we just did not move forth with setting a date to Workshop it so that we would properly be able to vet this and move forth so with that said if we're looking for direction I'll make the request that we do set a workshop okay so that we won't be sending going back and forth with regards to this so that we'll know you'll know what you desire of us so as you go out and get that information you'll know what to bring back to us because I do believe outside of what commissioner Jones and commissioner borm has stated there may be some other things that we have not taken in consideration at this time um so I would just make the recommendation that we get with sunny to see what dates may be available for CRA to come in because additionally there are some other information or some other things that we possibly could put into that Workshop um to make it just more um fruitful for us as we move forth so I would make that recommendation that we look forward to doing a uh Workshop so that we are able to give direction um as we move forth with looking into these leases and not all of those properties are in the CRA either correct so it would be for this particular meeting it will be solely for those that are in the CRA District got it thank you for guidance okay thank you yeah F okay go ahead commissioner Bor well I I I just thank God got you got a talk to get it off just use the remote it works okay but anyway just so you know all of the remotes work for all of them so if you end up with somebody else's remote it still will work okay don't worry go ahead commission we good but but yeah so if we if we did we receive those in email we did I like to have those prior to the workshop if at all possible so and kind of get familiar with some of those uh contracts prior to coming into the workshop thank you thank you okay any further discussion on this on the leases okay thank you is just a public comment on this particular topic that you want to make okay please come up and fill out a yellow card oh I just kitchen stand for7 South 12 Street black Florida I just wanted to tell you a couple of things about Del number one the Arts Council of Greater Paca wanted to change their name several years ago and the city because they were he want them to do it and the Arts Council very graciously stay instead of saying greater Arts Council of County they kept the greater Arts Council of Taca to accommodate the city and because they were leasing the building there has been multiple discussions on the sub lease at previous meetings maybe two or three years ago I think maybe when Don Holmes was still the City attorney it's in the record so that is available the other thing when you set out the RFP for that building you must have the City attorney check the reverter Clause the melon family and their wisdom thank God for the melon family when they deed the property to the city of P of ver Claus if the if the building ever stops being used for public city public use it will revert back to the melon family no question no nothing do not pass go do not collect $200 so before you go out and rent to a private walk entity you need to make sure that it's going be used for public use by the city of even if the city is subing it or relasing it or whatever so I just want to tell you that have Janes West look at that reverter Clause before you sent out the RFP thank you thank you thank you any other public comment on this topic okay we will move on to the next agenda item update acceptance C project one native position miss Connie yes uh my desire was to give an update that uh we have been we impar on the search we've had at least 10 to 12 uh applications maybe more but those that were relevant we did schedule interviews the uh competition was very intense the uh two individuals were very very highly qualified and it was very difficult uh we finally settled on um offering the position to miss Christ been aala Crane odm and we wanted you to just see the kind of background that she's bringing uh to the table um she seemed to be the individual that would work well with our staff and with the stage of where the CRA is at the moment uh we did have other individual which would be great exceptional as a CRA manager uh the funds to the Cure man about 80,000 a year and the budget was 55,000 so we were forced to uh go to a CRA coordinator as opposed to a CRA manager um and since this was a new budget new position we really didn't want to go too far beyond budget even to secure Miss Christian I would have to ask that the um Board of Commissioners consider uh extending 5,000 more because um 60,000 is pretty much where we where she say she would able to come on board even though the budget is 55,000 so I did not want to move forward I mean I wanted to bring this input go ahead commission I have a question because she's been very vocal with regards to um this and Jerry verse with the c fund I would love to hear from the citizens at this point if that's something that they're willing to do being that they did in those districts as far as we can make the determination but again we have had several um citizens who have come up um and express their interest in making this position but again that money is from within their District so I think it'll be up to them to help us make the decision if that's something that we're willing to do okay as far as with the moving forth of the $5,000 um yeah if you're asking only should there be an additional $5,000 yes was that what you're asking yes I just wanted to hear again I know that with some of the funding I've been an advocate of of certainly getting a manager for quite a while and um I think uh going with the coordinator at 60,000 for the first year uh and especially if she is qualified as you say and if she is able to um work with staff and make improvements I think it's a good direction and um certainly well worth the additional $5,000 thank you thank you thank you anybody else um I concur as somebody who owns property and both a Central and South Tiff district and has a business there I think we have to invest to get the best person for the job we have to be willing to pay what is the average salary for um this position the coordinator position and six another 5,000 um to secure that person makes perfect sense to me commissioner Boran um uh I'm totally agree with the um having the position or what have you but my only question is I look at the resume and it doesn't show in like Economic Development or anything along those line if we're going to have somebody in uh doing that position um the the experience doesn't doesn't I don't know what the what the job description read but what I'm seeing it doesn't look like I don't know if that lines up with the actual role can I yes go ahead please okay uh so in the um actual interview there were more uh experience brought out that did actually line up and we really are in a position where we have two individuals that are very qualified for the position I don't have a problem with um meeting with both and looking at it one more time because they both the other person has a lot more a lot more of um what you may call project management um uh I think what led us more towards the person that we're presenting is the fact that they seem to be much able much more able to work with staff and with where we are at the moment but we do not have a problem bringing both back in for a final interview she is a has experienced is a grant writer which is key to this position too and key to Economic Development neither can I I didn't see as much experience with the CRA concept and State statue as I would have liked but that can be learned by attending F conferences and trainings um but she certainly is overly qualified if anything else but she does have that Grant and I think that's important to have the grant writing background I think the um as I said the and in the current position uh she was indicating all of the work that she was doing out in the community so but I I'm I would like to follow your lead and if it's okay with the board I'll bring both of the finalists back in I don't mind yeah yes my only concern is that we've had um this has been a position that was on hold for a while and we wanted to make sure that we we want to get people who can really help the city move forward as oppos the running struggling you know trying to make things happen I'm all for the position I'm all for the additional funds okay but we we don't want to be helping this person Al trying to help uh improve our business districts yes sir commissioner Jones go ahead commissioner Jones I wholeheartly agree with commissioner borm I however I would have liked to reviewed these applicants because whether this person come out good or bad it's going to come back on the C board and um when I and I I would I really don't want to give open comments about the applicants on this form due to the fact that um you know probably a future employee and they may feel a certain way about what I say um and I don't think it's this is not a good I'm sorry this is not a good time to be introduced as somebody that's already basically you just telling us you already selected the person um and then give feedback live and that's not a good that's not that's not a good tactic and I I'm not using I shouldn't use the word tactic but that's not a good procedure or process um because I do have some question about the work experience to be honest with you and um looking at the resume you guys say come with a wealth of experience but I'm looking at the job experience and the um the longevity on on such jobs so um that those are things that concern me um and I know we want to have somebody successful coming in um but I just want to at least say my concerns in this form but I haven't only seen one resume so one resume was presented in this packet so I don't know what the other person look like uh and you're saying to pay more however we don't know what that you know we're coming in and we've been doing this on a lot of jobs and U with the city I think we need to uh the offer and then maybe after a certain period of success or whatever come back in and say okay uh after you hit these benchmarks we will we can give you more or entertain giv more um so that's just my feedback and I I must give it now because I may not have another opportunity to give it so thank you commissioner I want us to be mindful of and I'm gonna ask this question is with respect this position will be reporting to who uh it will as the organizational chart is now it's the city manager so I want us to be mindful of reviewing things that falls up under the day-to-day operation so of us reviewing again this call is to be made by the city manager because it is a part of the day-to-day operation so I don't want our say to be convoluted or water down the process if we've entrusted our city manager to bring bring forth a candidate that she feels is qualified for this position because again that does not that hire does not fall up under the guidelines or the structure of the city so I want and I wish um that we had legal here just to make sure that we had this she's here she's up on Zoom oh good okay good and I just want us to make sure that there is a thin line but I don't want us to jeopardize the Integrity of process because we want to look into to ourselves but that's not a part of our position as legislators and not administrators I I concur with commissioner Campbell commissioner see you um I've had some experience and at this level I don't know if it's the same as it is at the County Commission but when I served there prior uh in 2012 to 16 we hired a county attorney and I requested the uh um um capes me County Administrator to um irregardless of of his degree and how educated he may be um did would he have a working relationship with the board and just because Mr Campbell or commissioner borm or you like him and I can say pick him apart or her apart whatever I'm just throwing a scenario out there I think if uh if this protocol at this level that the whole board should meet with this these people individually and get a feel for what they know or don't know and we may come away or may walk away with a whole different perspective just my thoughts thank you we aren't the hiring entity though for this position it is the city manager that is the hiring entity they report to the city manager not to this board I understand that but they got to have a working relationship here and if well I think yeah I'm trusting again as commissioner Campbell said the city manager to ensure that this person will be able to work with this board as well as the other staff involved Miss West no that that's actually quite right uh commissioner Campbell um appropriately stated this this is a hire that is for the city manager exclusively to decide um as you know the city commission has the exclusive ability to hire the city manager and so you're deferring to her to make a good hiring decision in a good fit personality-wise for the board but it is her decision uh but your input is always welcome so I'm sure she would be welcome to um any insight that you may have on the the candidates presented but it is a hiring decision for the city manager thank you commissioner Bor so so the so this is just uh giving us just a a previe what the city manri selected selection and presenting that to the board just to say hey here's we we've selected that we think that would be the best for this particular role right so at this stage uh we have interviewed um like I mentioned and we do really have we have two candidates but one in particular we were actually pursuing which is the one we put in the packet um but uh we still would like to look back at the other individual just because the the project management skills are so much higher but as it relates to which one we felt would work better with the city with the personality with the stage that the CRA is in the fact that it's never had the uh the young lady fitted better so I want you to be aware and we will finalize this uh this call we will we'll really determine which one and let you know the final thank you and to the the piece where we had talked about prior to the moving forward was that um do we have um some Milestones U that we would like for this individual to be trying to hit those marks and I thought that's what we was going to be getting back and then the the cleaning up of the the job description enroll as it related to the other um position that we have which is the grants administrator or what have our project manager um because there are some overlapping things there so if we got all of those things cleaned up before we you know move forward I don't I don't I'm all for it but I just want to make sure that we're okay we're moving forward in the right direction so as it relates to the grants project grants manager you know that's for the city as a whole and those uh positions have been filled now because we were in a very detrimental situation with two vital uh positions uh managing almost 60 you know it's a lot of money 61 projects so we could not afford to keep that empty so we are making enormous amount of progress in the grants and projects area but as relates to the CRA portion by bringing this person on board it this person will be able to take some of those projects away from the individual that's managing the city as a whole because now even this morning we all met and said okay these are the projects that are under CRA the new person would be taking these over additionally that person will be intimately involved with the consultant that is now uh determine that new that's the assessment for the expanded CRA District so uh we we need the person in but I still appreciate your comments I appreciate the comments particularly as we look at uh the individual we've put here you don't see that level of the projects that she did handle and so I'll get more of that information and we'll even bring them back in just for one more interview I just feel like that's kind of pred no I trust I mean think we need I think we don't need that okay she's explain she have explained it and and and what I what I understand is sounds sounds good so again we we don't need to be the dead horse but at the same time the level of detail that that was described is really what at least I wanted to know and understand okay that focuses the c three SE Tiff districts in the C and the CRA plan and from that they should be able to follow and guide and we gave them the audit findings from PRI years so that they can also focus on that okay we gave them the CR plan so that all could be in line with that plan as well so all of that was in the interviewing process um and lastly because that was part of the discussion an additional 5,000 in funding for the salary is that that is something this board has to make a decision about um raising it from 55 to 60,000 is there anybody who wants to make a motion to do that hi go ahead commissioner Jones I made my point on that and it based upon what I see um there could be some benchmarks and then a potential raise to that point after um again cert certifying uh the work and so that could be 90 days um 60 days 90 days what have you but I definitely would like to have stipulations on it it is the CRA and we have to take care of the CRA uh funds as if there was you know um our funds um and and I agree with uh commissioner palir uh we we could say yeah and I understand this is that hire is of the city manager two is two elements here that I hope that you know we kind of a on the side of caution we're hiring a person that is an integral part of what's going to go on in the C districts but what we don't have is the other piece are they going to be able to work well with the city manager the new city manager which we are going to hire so we don't know that and so um that's that's something to consider because we're filling a lot of positions sort of like the the trail we went through the last time we hired a lot of folk that were not in line with the person that we bought in so I think we need to be cautious we hiring hiring hiring but it's a fit that we're looking for a good fit and I don't know this applicant from Adam however I want to say as a whole no matter who we choose those things need to be considered and you're saying that hopefully that work good with the commission well if you know did you talk to the mayor about it because somebody had to have some input because certainly I haven't even heard of uh an applicant until today and I think that you could at least to excuse me but no what I'm saying you could have at least ran uh the information of both candidates by each commissioner just let us at least have some type of input and no we don't make the her but but again like Mr palis said that's being considerate and thank you that's all I have to say on there I would like um attorney West to really and it may not have to be at this meeting but I really think that we need to have some kind of informational about overstepping our boundaries because I believe that that kind of information or those kind of steps in which could go either way but I believe that this could or something like that could possibly lead into litigation because it the very appearance doesn't look good so I would make that after we get finished with this have that discussion so with Miss West because again when we D Dibble and Dabble into the day-to-day operations then we're overstepping our boundaries as legislators so I just want us to be I want us to air on the side of caution with regards to that so we don't put ourselves in a position to jum jeopardize the Integrity but as far as the request about the 5,000 I don't mind if we do put that clause in there stating that it's a 60 or 90day I don't mind that um just so that it is some skin that is being put in the game um and then that's a compromise but I don't agree with bringing other individuals back especially after this meeting because it could appear um to be some dealings that we don't want to put ourselves in positions to have to deal with so I proceed that we move forth with the applicant that has been presented to us and offer the extension of $5,000 after a 60-day time frame thank you and I I agree with moving power with the candidate as presented um I respect the ability of the interm city manager and other staff who interviewed to make a good decision about the hire Also to clarify since you use the the mayor's title in vain um commissioner Jones I had no input on this whatsoever I know interviews are going on but I did not have any input on either candidate so please just to clarify because I Stay in my Lane that it's not my role I'm a legislator not an administrator it was for cl it was for clarity purposes I want to know and that's why I asked mayor no no worry um any further discussion on this topic just just just a brief one I know commissioner Campbell mentioned about the the 60 what is the um probation ER period normally it's 90 days okay would you would you be friendly to get one you get half of it at the 60-day Mark and the rest of it at okay I don't know if research I'm just saying you I just want to at least you know it doesn't matter and this was a comp you you did the research to determine yeah we did the comp uh for this position was 55 to 59,000 54,000 to 59 so starting at 55 is fine I I'm always willing to compromise but I think it's it's fair to consider if a job is well done to increase that and also for clarity in my weekly U meetings with Commissioners I do try to make sure and bring up the various persons that we're looking at and that was done at this particular position thank you commission you want you want to make your do should we make a motion on that piece of it or just if we're comfortable with that and then up to a Max of 60 um based on performance over I'm fine with 90 days okay so somebody please make a motion I made a motion I'll just make it um amendment to um we move forth with the 55 offering and extension I mean offering a raise of the additional $5,000 after the 90-day probation period second we have a motion a second all in favor I any opposition commissioner Jones Thank you thank you motion pass 5 to one okay financial report Miss card uh the financial report for the one month of ended October 31 2024 uh there are no revenues as of this time um matter fact last week I spoke with um the county and the county was um issuing a final certification a second final certification so until that process is completed uh the funds are not here yet but we will soon have those funds in the CRA Tiff account and year to dat we have only spent uh a total of 13, 5,700 in the downtown district and uh there was um 8,000 spent in the north historic and so the total amount spent on page three 13,780 to thank you any questions about the financial report anyone okay on to the Small Business Development Center good evening Rick Paul Small Business Development Center 1100 greed Street um welcome commissioner pil pill I'm sorry about that it's not a disease yes um I would like to say kudos to the porch festival I thought it was fantastic the band that they had for the finale um the guy that played that guitar an amazing guitar Gibson L6 by the way was uh it's the same guitar that George Benson used it's not the same actual guitar same Ty same type of Gibson L6 and they had a special name for it what one of the sweet sounding guitars I've ever heard in fact I think that was could very well be one of the best bands that's ever been brought into the city a phenomenal um production so kudos to all the porchfest folks um also to the city staff for that fiveyear strategic plan meeting that was H what was it last week or something like that um I think that went very well I think this is I don't know fourth fifth sixth 10th time we've kind of heard the same thing uh but that's consistency and if you go back and look at the notes you'll find that all the the people in the town pretty much want the same thing so I giv I think it gives you a very good leg to go forward it does as to what the demands and what the people are are wanting for here um the website link hopefully to the sbdc I don't know if you have to vote on that or theer is not here um to uh have a link on the city website to the SD remember we're Partners I'm trying to get anybody in the historic district and in the city of Palaca to come to see me so I can help them with our free one-on-one confidential small business management consulting services um it might also be good to have a little blurb in the newsletter that goes out occasionally with the same thing okay I know if you have to vote on that or or what that issue is no um last month I went to the Freda which is Florida rural Economic Development Association meeting uh this one was in Orlando at the world equestrian Village fantastic organization uh based upon rural communities in the State of Florida I spent quite a bit of time talking with the city of Chipley uh Commissioners and a lot of the City commissioners go to these meetings and get up on all the latest things that all the other rural communities are doing and what a fantastic job the city of Chipley did after I believe it was Hurricane Michael pretty much well didn't level their down but pretty close to it that was a category six basically when it landed um so phenomenal job I would highly encourage you to put in your budget to attend next year's uh Rita I believe it will be at World Golf or not World Golf Village World equestrian is that in Okala orala oala right okay um and the more the Commissioners that could go to it and staff the the better because you'll start to network with these people and find out what's working in their communities how they rebuilt and and so forth um coming up I've got some workshops planned I have two dates picked out already for some of them and some of them are uh yet to be determined um the Small Business Development Center in the SBA thanks to Donnie uh Anderson uh we're teaming up to do two Workshops the first one will be uh January 21st it will be with Heidi simos um she's uh the aunt entrepreneur source is going to be mostly about franchising so entrepreneurship and franchising now with that particular one I believe we're 100% virtual uh but we'll still be getting the Flyers out to that I'll be glad to hand those out once I I get the Flyers uh the next one with the sbdc and SBA is going to be concerning small businesses in the IRS I believe that one will be both iners and virtual we haven't worked out the details on that but that's uh February 4th um the Small Business Development Center of St John's County and putham County city of pla are going to join forces and put forth a workshop a series of workshops that's been done in St Augustine for the last three or four years I believe maybe a little longer on how to turn your side hustle into a business this one will be held in Hastings and I figured that was a good intermediate location When anybody from the city or the county could join up with the people over there so we're we're trying to get folks from both counties to come together for that one that will be a series I believe that's going to be like a forn nighter uh but it's I think it's once or twice a week for a week or two uh so that's basically how to start your business type of seminar uh we'll be bringing in Bankers uh and other professionals to talk about that other sbdc uh events coming up customer service uh I believe uh commissioner boram uh we were at your town hall meeting and that came up an individual had a big question about customer service uh and I said that that was a a workshop I was planning on getting to I don't have a date for it I do have the the presenters uh but no date yet so that's to be determined um and also I've got a a good one on marketing coming up it's about using sounds a little funny but AI in marketing marketing and uh it's um it should be a really good U uh workshop and the good news is is that the presenter is also a marketing person in putham county and they're offering a very steep discount uh for fla and putam County folks to come in and start using this service I think it's like $100 a month to start with uh very inexpensive because he's willing and able to provide services to help beef up the businesses that are here that's one of the things that you know we aspire to do uh with that being said are there any questions no have any questions no thank you Madame mayor and Commissioners and have a wonderful evening yes sir thank you is there any further discussion for the board motion to adjourn we have a motion to adjourn second