Keep it there. Perfect. What do you see? That's So, Father, we just come to you in the precious name of Jesus and for the stuff that's on the agenda for the land development and the codes and all the stuff with the ordinance and the
approvals and the decisions that has to be made tonight. We just thank you that you will give us that wisdom and we can say pledge allegiance to the flag and we just want to thank all those that serve you, serve the community and serve one
another in Jesus name. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America to the stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mad cler roll, please.
>> Mayor John >> here. >> Vice Mayor Chris Mayer >> here. >> Councilman Robert Huard >> here. Councilwoman Lisa Burke >> here. >> Councilwoman Christine Sullivan >> here. >> City Attorney Nancy Meyer >> here. >> City Manager Andrew Butterfield
>> here. >> Okay, first up we got a proclamation. If I can have Dr. Charles Boothby come forward. So proclamation and recognition of Dr. Charles Boothby for his services as a medical director to the city of Port Richie Fire Department. Whereas the city of Port Richie recognizes the exceptional contributions of Dr. Charles
Boothby who dedicated over 30 years of exemplary service as a medical director of the Port Richie Fire Department beginning his tenure in 1993. And whereas Dr. Dr. Booby has played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of medical care provided by our department, ensuring that our firefighters and paramedics are equipped with the best knowledge and tools available. And
whereas under Dr. Booby's leadership, the fire department has successfully gone from advanced basic life support BLS services with Narcan and Epipans to full ALS advanced life support services, significantly improving our emergency response capabilities and ultimately enhancing our service delivery as well as the health and safety of our
community. And whereas Dr. Dr. Boothby's commitment to excellence, professionalism, and compassion has left an indelible mark on our department and the lives of those we serve. And whereas Dr. Booby prepares to retire from his esteemed position on January 1st, 2026, we wish to honor him for his remarkable legacy of service and profound impact he
has made over the decades. Now, therefore, I honor Hoover Mayor City Port Richie on behalf of the city of Port Richie do hereby proclaim this day in honor of Dr. Charles Boothby expressing our deepest gratitude for his decades of dedication, leadership, and compassion. We celebrate his achieve achievements and wish him the very best
in his future endeavors. Dated this 9th day of December, 2025, John Coover, Mayor. Congratulations. Any thanks to this gentleman right here, Chief Paul Castry. He's been very aggressive in providing increase in the
services rendered to to Port Rusty residents. So nice. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Appreciate you, >> Gary. You guys want to take a picture? Solid gold for all your >> say.
All right, everyone hold. One, two, three. One more. Okay. >> And then we've we've got uh we've got employee recognition thing coming up on Thursday, but uh Sean Carr is not going to be able to be there, so we're going to go ahead and present his to him
tonight. One thing we value here very much is experience. And so we appreciate people who stay in the game as hard as it might be. And tonight we have two. Tonight, Captain David Wood is here to get his 10-year pin. So if you could Wow. Awesome.
This certificate is presented as a token of our sincere gratitude for your hard work, dedication, and excellent service to the city of Port Richie, David Wood, Captain and Firefighter. On behalf of myself, the staff, the city council, and members of the community, we extend the highest appreciation for your service on
this day of December 11th, December 9th, we're a little early, 2025. And in my arthritic handwriting, signed Andrew Butterfield, interim city manager. So yes, sir. >> One, two, three. One more. >> Shave a little bit of this off for me.
Thanks so much. Thank you, sir. I appreciate >> appreciate it. >> And uh now an even bigger number if uh Sean Carr on call firefighter could come forward. Sir, thank you for all you've done and
continue to do. I appreciate it. So I'll read this uh city of Port Richie certificate of appreciation for 25 years of service. This certificate is presented as a token of our sincere gratitude for your hard work, dedication and excellent service to the city of Port Richie. Sean Carr on call
firefighter and on behalf of myself, the staff, the city council and members of the community. We extend the highest appreciation for your service on this day of December 9th, 2025. Signed by myself. And again, thank you so much. We can get another picture. Appreciate all you've done and continue to do.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks again. Thank you for coming in. >> Thank you. have enough hands. Appreciate >> I'll be your mic stand. >> Yeah, appreciate it. >> Okay. Uh we have no minutes to approve
tonight. So, moving on to comments from general public. Um since we got some new people here, I just want to read this disclaimer. Public participation is encouraged. If you are addressing the council, step to the podium and state your name and address for the record. Please limit your general comments to three minutes. For comments on action items, please limit comments to three
minutes on the current topic. Please limit your conversations while sitting in the audience during council business and silence your cell phones so as not to interfere with everyone's ability to hear the comments of both the public and the council. And with that, I have just one signed up, Danny Fields. Welcome. >> Well, my name's Danny Fields. My address
is 8114 Leo Kid. I just want to again thank you guys for your service. I mean, I can't uh thank the police and the fire department for all their service and what they do. You know, that's called servant leaders, and they they lead.
They got leaders in command, you know, that's over them, but they lead with integrity. They lead with with truth. They lead as a team. And I see that with the fire department as well as the police department and us here to better
our community and each other. So, I just want to thank you for that. But we did do some events that here in the city and I got to be a part of with you guys. Uh, you know, stuff here on the 5th and then on the 6th, uh, somebody cares and the
police and the fire department, the city putting on events, which we will grow and we're learning and we're getting out there. But the feedback on uh waterfront park at 81 ost road, the toys that was given out I again the police they served
and give the toys out and they was in the blue tent and the fire department was in the red tent. But the toys they give to some of the kids this it just touched my heart, you know. And then we had uh you know Tom uh senior uh
playing you know being Santa Claus and so but you know this little girl she come up and she didn't even see it. She's like mom I I want a Barbie doll. Well the Barbie doll she got was bigger than she was. It was like a that big. That's the kind of toys that they got
from the toys or tots or from the community and Walmarts and whoever donated and skateboards and helmets and all that. So that really represented the season. It represented the city. It represented the fire department and the
police and and the community around and you and your family. So that's how we're getting on the map. You know, these things will grow. people are are are getting involved and it might seem like it's little, but it's getting bigger and
then we're continue to to do these things. So, I just want to thank again the city, the police, the fire department, the faith-based church, somebody cares. Look, we even had uh a tent set up which saved the city some money through Christine Fpatrick and and
and Troy Peterson got it from uh uh Troy Stevenson which is also with the Republican party and stuff and I don't want to bring politics on parties here because we're we're here to just represent the community but if you see what we're doing we're partnering
together for the better. So I'd like to say thank you for your servitude and your servant leadership. Every one of you is going to be blessed in Jesus name. Thanks. >> Thanks Dan. That's all I have. Anyone else like to speak?
>> Okay. See now we'll bring it back to council city manager. Pastor Mr. Butterfield for his comments. >> Uh thanks Mr. Mayor. Uh, first I'd like to uh thank the uh staff and volunteers who helped put on some of the holiday events down at the park and here at city
hall over the weekend that uh certain leader Fields referenced. A lot of hard work went into that. And uh the city hall is the uh most dressed up of the holidays that it's ever been. And uh so I I think that we're determined to build on that as uh as
next year comes before we know it. I've got some finance things to to update on and I'd asked the finance director to help me uh on a couple of things. The FY24 audit uh that our auditor has been very delinquent on getting us. Uh he finally got them uh on
the horn and uh is getting a weekly update from them and we expect in the next two weeks have our FY24 audit um presented to us. Um, we've contacted the JLAC there, the joint legislative group that uh is highly desirable of seeing
our audit and they understand that uh we've done everything we can to put in their hands and we'll get it to them very soon. So, those are just some of the a couple things I have mentioned in the past, wanted to follow up on. Uh, we're looking to hire a new auditing company. Um, the old company hasn't shown any interest. I think you realize
they've been so delinquent that uh uh they're not going to ask for a renewal. So you'll see that here shortly. The uh uh trying to hire the new audit form uh firm, sorry. Um A continues to uh progress. There's been uh some growing
pains, but uh we're working through that as a staff. And uh the DOCO is a program. I might ask for your help, Adam, but there's a a way we might be able to save people money every month instead of having to pay a credit card
fee when they pay their utility bills. Can you fill me in? >> Yeah. So, it's just a payment platform. The platform we have right now doesn't accept uh anything except credit cards. Charges everybody 3%. The only thing we offer that's free is we do a you bring in a check to us. We debit your account
once a month. The stock is a payment platform that you can go in and you can pay your bill, but you can do it through your a check. It's free, absolutely free to the user and it doesn't cost anything to do that way. So, you don't have to come in and we don't have to AC it, but you can do it yourself. And if you do pay with a card, uh it's not a gigantic
savings, but it's only a 2.95% instead of a 3% uh fee for that. So, but um they do offer other services which we may uh garner and it may lower that fee a little bit for us if we do a little more business with them. This is just kind of help save some money on the consumer
side whenever they're or customer side when they're trying to pay their bills and stuff like that. >> People from having to drive in to city hall if they can do it online at home, >> right? Yeah. So, and I know the the mayor has been trying to push for to get rid of those charges. This is one way to
get it to where it's a little more costefficient for the customer. >> We're taking steps looking for things like this to take the burden off people. So, um, anything else on, uh, on finance? >> Um,
uh, no. Um, we do, uh, we have, uh, kind of switch banks. I I brought that up a little bit. We were at ANC. Um, so I think it's important too to let you know or let the citizens know, you know, we sit up here every every two week or yeah, every two weeks and talk about spending money, but we do on the back
end try to save us money. So, one of the things we we noticed, we were spending about $35,000 a year in in bank fees. Um, so we kind of we looked around, got us a bank uh that I used back in another city that I worked in. It's a privately
owned bank. It's a bank of trust. Um, so what they do uh for us right now, so we're about 85% uh fully um doing business with them. So the first month that we were with them, it cost us 41 bucks, not 3,000. And then
the next month, I think we're at right at like 98 bucks and that's processing all our checks and everything else for us and stuff like that. So, it's going to be a significant savings. I want to save around $30,000 at the end of the year. So, and we've gone to um um uh AC.
So, normally what we do is we deposit the checks at the bank. The bank would charge us to to capture them and to to u scan them for us. We do that in-house now. It saved us a lot of money on that aspect of it. um where the PNC bank was charging us uh uh 25 bucks to do that
just to have the machine. They charged us $900 for the machine. Um we actually got a second machine from this bank for free and I think they they charge us a very small fee to do that uh uh processing for us. So we've this bank has been a really good thing. And another thing they offered us and
because they're they're small and all that kind of stuff. When we were talking about uh uh financing for this firet truck was a million dollars. the place that we financed it through was at 4.75% I do believe which roughly was about $150,000 in interest. Um I went to this
bank the guy I we're in the Rotary Club together and the owner of the bank and he said if you move your business over or some of your business we'll I'll give it to you at 4%. So we could have financed it for 4% and saved ourselves about $20,000 um in the grand scheme of things in a 5year loan. So, we have the
option if we need to buy something or finance something, we can probably uh talk our way into getting a better deal in it than trying to go through conventional financing that way. So, it's a we need to diversify. We only had one bank, so this is a better deal for us. >> Just wanted to give you a glimpse of the
doing always looking for ways to save again just saving somebody from having to come in here and spending their gas and their time and uh just giving people options. >> I'd like to just give him a hand. Thank you, Adam. We need more folks like you thinking
outside the box, saving us money like that. I really want to commend you on that. Great >> team Andy. >> No, no, nothing. >> No, no, no. It's >> his department. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. Right there.
>> My boss. >> Just real quick for you on the JAC. I know that uh in the email I got they were the committee was expected to meet yesterday, December 8th. >> We've been in contact with them. my hope because like I said that meeting was to to discuss sanctions against >> so I haven't been able to get on the
phone with anybody. I did email them but I did call the auditor general today for the state of Florida who who we um uh are required to turn our thing to them. He didn't feel like we were I don't want to quote him because he didn't say yes or no to it but he's he said we're in good shape just email them again and just kind of give them the rundown on
it. And so that's what I did today. I copied the city manager on I emailed him again today. We haven't received anything and as far as I what he was telling me they haven't been into uh on a board meeting so we should be fine especially with our our you know proof and keeping uh them up to date what's
going on. So I don't think we're going to get fine but right now it's it's looking okay. >> I think they don't we're not hiding we're communicating and uh and I think >> and we do have proof that we we we started the process. We did all we can to it. I mean, we have the emails and I um I think uh our uh city attorney is
going to work up a a letter to send to our auditors, too, just even if they're working on it now just to let them know. I sent her all the emails. We've been in contact with them and they just have just kind of failed at uh giving us what we need. So >> yeah, this this whole situation really unfortunately again, but hopefully that uh the state
has good graces on understanding that you know we're kind of tied until our auditors come back with the >> I think keeping in contact with them helped us. >> Yeah, we had make sure we overcommunicate obviously so we get that cleared away. Uh, another thing, some of the funding we were uh allocated this uh
summer from the state uh was the water main project and uh just an update it's out to bid right now and uh the uh priorities as has been discussed before are mallet is it November is that the third one south
>> BMS and then Green and Betty >> Green and Betty >> mostly Green Street and then Betty Green is >> yeah under that Um, uh, I emailed or I actually emailed you yesterday the, uh,
the, uh, attorney search, uh, uh, returned, the three, uh, returns that we got. And, uh, I wouldn't want to dive too deep into that tonight. I want to give everybody a chance to read it and everything, but I, uh, wanted to bring it up in case you had questions because I think the the important thing to do
would be to figure out how you want to do that. Do you want to do interviews? Do you want to judge based on the packets alone? and uh do you want to hold a special meeting or can I wait till January 13th that sort of thing? So just wanted to get a a date on the calendar really to and how you might
want to go about >> your your contract expires >> January 25th >> 25th. So, if we were to wait till the June, I think that'd probably be okay. >> You guys, >> it would depend on your selection,
right? If you um go with the firm that's not mine, I can't guarantee you'll have someone here on the 25th, but I can stay the 25th that that they need more time to get here. So, I think the availability for your 20 that the next means 26th, I think. I think um I'll my contract ends before your second January meeting.
>> We have you guys don't you guys have a monthto-month thing we But as I'm saying, we could continue if that's needed or whomever you pick might be available. So just keep that in mind. That would be the only >> um if that whomever you pick may not be available that quickly, right? >> Um but I'm sure they try to. >> So we can put it at the top of the
agenda on the 13th of January, first normal meeting of the month, and uh gives us everybody time to read through and ask questions. >> Yes. >> Okay. You want to do something earlier or >> that should be fine.
>> What day is that? the 13th be the second Tuesday, right? >> Second Tuesday in January. >> Just a regular council meeting. >> Regular meeting. >> That's fine. >> Okay. >> Um just uh just to give everybody a heads up the uh >> Sorry,
>> I'm not here on the 13th. >> Not even remote. >> Remote? Yes. >> Okay. So, you attend can't be here. >> Just some food for thought. the event at Waterfront Park. Uh we were uh ready, but there's um there's whereas there's
been parking accessibility in the past, that's no longer there because of the development. So the next big event that we have scheduled is the uh fireworks in late June. So uh just something for the the staff to brainstorm, but we may need
to take some action on on a parking plan for uh any big event that's at Waterfront Park where you can't park in the park. So, um, again, we we were prepared prepared, excuse me, we were prepared for, uh, for that over the, uh, over the weekend events, but a big
event, we we'll have to come up with a plan. >> Um, the marker has been placed in the river, sir, thanks to the fire department. So, something I know you were after. And >> where the pier was that? >> Yep.
>> Yeah. So, the marker there >> that was discussed. >> Yeah. Uh just FYI, the county just announced they're having a Pasco County workshop regarding homelessness on December 16th for anybody who's interested. And uh
Councilman Hovers brought up uh in the past the uh idea of a splash pad in one of the parks I think for Waterfront Park. And uh there's a citizen volunteer with expertise in pursuing things like that. Uh who's volunteered to give his
time and he has no financial interest in a splash bag company or anything like that. So, I just wanted to see if I could get a consensus that I could ask this uh citizen volunteer civilian to help us uh price and find uh find good
quotes and things like that. So, is that something that I can pursue? >> His name's Ed KM. He ran a Pasco Tourism for 10 years before Adam did and he's worked in other municipalities that have splash pad so he's got a lot of experience with that.
Is that part of our >> I say is that I mean as we get we're waiting on Tampa Bay >> I was thinking the same thing >> come back with that plan. >> Well yeah this will give us the footprint as far as the location and everything. They can help us with that. We need to do our due diligence on like
the budget and kind of what we want and then the position and how that works into what we have is what the region would do. That's what that's what she told me when I talked to her on the phone. >> Yeah. that probably the estimates he would provide or get or whatever would be I mean they'd need to know where it
was going I would assume >> and and when we get that stuff we decide on something we give that to them she says just figure out what you want let us let them know and then they could work it in to where we want it and make it make it fit >> so it would be part of the whole project plan >> right >> okay I just want to make sure we're not
carton horseing kind of thing here >> no it's it's like the docks that mix the splash pad and then the brasser bark kind of is what they wanted to tie in next year, try to get started next year. >> Well, I mean, obviously there's no charge, so by all means, get information
is always good. It's free. >> Wanted to make sure it was uh he had the blessing. >> Yeah. Any objections to that? >> No. >> Okay. >> And then the last thing I had prepared to talk about was setting dates for workshops. Unfortunately, I was out sick and missed the town hall meeting, but I understand there was discussion about
something you had come to me about, sir, the uh about holding a workshop. a workshop regarding waterfront development. >> I mentioned this at the last meeting. Um I talked about and there's a lot of moving parts of this because there's a
lot of people involved. Friday uh the 23rd of January at 3 p.m. Um I have Pasco EDC commissioners. I've got tourism. I've got the program director. Um I've got a gentleman that's
got three television shows. is a world international designer architect as well as other people like Margaritavville and uh Pasco Tourism would like to do a presentation on nuts and bolts and how we can help our business people and develop the waterfront park or uh
waterfront overlay district. >> Where would this be? >> Here. >> Here. >> So be an announced meeting. So you know place we can talk and all that stuff without having any issues. Well, it's yeah, it's I'm going to like do formal
introductions and um we're kind of they're all working on how they want to present this to you guys because it's important for you guys to get all the nuts and bolts on how this works. It's basically common sense and it's pretty simple for us. We just need to know how it works. >> So, you proposed a workshop so it would
be decisional, but it' be >> information. We all need to be on the same page. >> Yeah, we'd have our planner there. she could bring the uh the waterfront district plan. >> So, this has nothing to do with the folks that are doing the conceptual
stuff for us right now with um >> the way finding. >> No, the lady we met with in here, the two girls we met with in here that are doing all that except for parks. >> That's that's just for parks parks master plan. So, yeah, separate separate initi. Yeah, so far more people are actually
calling me. >> I'm here on that day. That's great. >> And and Chopper Davis and EDC from Newport Richie will be here as well. They're all really excited about it. >> So, Friday the 23rd, that afternoon workshop. You >> guys have a time nailed down yet?
>> 3 o'clock. >> 3 o'clock. Okay. >> Are we calling it a town hall or just a workshop? >> Workshop. Workshop. So we'll pencil that in on the counter and advertise that. >> Ashley will post that
>> for the public to see >> and then uh we'll try to get >> um so any objections to having a workshop on 23rd by consensus. We'll do that. >> We'll get that on social media too then if that's Thank you guys. Appreciate it. >> That's all I had sir.
>> Okay. Uh next up is Council. Uh I'll start obviously with the um event committee just finished up with the uh um holidays on the bayou. We had lit up lipsy hall here on Friday night and um I read to
the kids and then we had the Grinch movie and then uh on Saturday, Sunday we had a market in the park and then obviously the um concert from 4:00 to 7:00. Um the weather was not very cooperative and so we uh we did have to deal with that and and got cut short kind of at the end. Um but it's a good
event. um look forward to building on that going forward. Uh our next event which we what we're going to talk about we just set a meeting for the 18th. Is that right Ashley? >> Yeah. >> Thursday. >> Um to kind of close that out and then begin discussions about the next event which our next uh city event would be
the seafood festivaling tournament um sometime in the spring. So we got to figure out what date that'll be. So we'll try to hash out those details on on the 18th and start preparing for that. So, um, that's all I had from that. I do is before I jump to that, we
do have several folks that want to be put on committees and I'll come to that if there's any other updates from the board's committees. >> I don't think CC met, right? So, >> no, they met but it wasn't there was no audio on the YouTube video and I was not available for that meeting. Okay.
>> And I did not get an update to council. >> I attended and had some notes I could cover if you'd like. >> Yeah, go ahead. Okay. Uh the CAC met uh last week and talked about uh resurrecting an initiative called meet your neighbors and the suggestion was uh
getting a boat ride and meet either meeting at a local restaurant before or after or boat the boat ride. Uh they talked about maybe like a sunset kind of tour uh and just just having a chance to meet their neighbors and everybody would
buy their own tickets. Um, let's see. Some new local businessmen showed up. Uh, Roelio and Patrick. They live on Epide and they've got a marina that they're uh they're operating now.
So, they they spoke for a little bit and the discussion on the about 100 foot wall at El Bzar Park. Uh they're still looking for painters, artists, and they got some good advice that they need to clear seal it as soon as it's uh painted
so it will last. They may uh the council approved $2,000 for supplies, which uh could partly go toward paying professional artists. Uh if they need more money, they may come to the council and ask. But there they also mentioned
somebody had uh had a potential donor to donate funds to beautify the park. And then the teachers needs fulfillment drive um is ongoing and uh we've had at least one teacher apply for some some of those.
>> Just one. >> Yeah. So, and then they expressed an interest in uh they're going to try to find out when the traditional Pasco cleanup day is and then we would have a city matching date and uh try to uh try to help clean up uh the waterfront or
road sides, whatever, and uh kind of join in and deconlict with what the county's doing. We think it's in March, but they're trying to know that date. That's all I had this m. >> Okay. Any other boards committees? Okay. So, we've got several here um that
wants to be part of the board committee. So, I'll start with the um the CAC. Um we've got Janet um is Slart Paris. >> She has a hyphen name. Janet Parisy. Um
>> um lives over Murray Palm. She'd like to be considered as a member. Um looks like she was a member a few years ago and she needed to resign, but now she's got some time back. She'd like to get back involved. Is there a motion? >> Make a motion. I make a motion to add Janet Freezy back onto
>> Okay. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Motion second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? Seeing put to vote on favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Um next up we'll move to the event committee. Um I
have uh asked some folks that um have kind of been involved and helped. Um the first one was Christina Fitzpatrick. She actually used to be uh a county commissioner for um district 4 Pasco and uh she if you drove by 19 on Sunday, she's the one that donated the LED truck
out there to help advertise. Um now she's very resourceful and um asked her if she'd be interested in joining committee, she would. So if I get a motion for her, we'd like to add her. >> Motion to approve her for >> How many How many seats are available on that committee? >> Three. And we got three folks here to
>> We have four, don't we? >> Three. >> You got Elena McDonald, >> Lori. >> Your wife is up for historic committee. >> Historic committee, not the event committee. >> Oh, she lied to me. I thought
>> Yeah, it says historic committee. Um, is there a motion for Christina Patrick? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Motion to second. Any for discussion? and public comment. Anyone put a vote on favor 65 saying I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Welcome Christina.
>> Um, next one is Atlanta McDonald. She actually works for Hits 106. We had um Steve on there from 106. Um, but he found out he's not going to be able to dedicate enough time to it and so he obviously resigned. And so, um, Atlanta
reached out to me, uh, yesterday, day before, asking about the events, and I got talking to her and, um, asked her if she'd be interested in taking Steve's place and she said she would. And so, >> I've worked with her before. She's she's great. Full energy. >> Yeah. And I think it'd be good to have that, uh, that, um, that resource on
there as well with the radio and whatnot. And she has connections for um, sponsorships and other things. So, she'll be very vital. So, if I get a motion to add. >> Motion to approve Atlanta McDonald. >> Second. Okay. Motion second for discussion. Any public comment? Seeing none, put a vote on favor signify by
saying I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. And then finally, you're probably familiar with this lady. This is Amanda Hoover. My wife is actually interested in helping out with the event committee. She's kind of been working in in behind the scenes on things and and she would uh she'd like to step up and be a part of the
committee. >> Motion to add Amanda Hoover to the event. >> Okay. Motion second. Um just before we vote, obviously there's obviously she's my wife. Um I I researched with the attorney and through the ethics there's there's no reason for me to abstain. I can vote on this for a committee. It's not a planning zoning type function or
whatever. Um the only thing is just make public aware obviously is that we would be on the same committee. Um and so we would not be able to talk because sunshine law about things that would come before the >> I do have something to say. >> We will not hold that against our >> but I I I can I can assure you that my
my wife does not like to talk about city business with me. Um and so um I actually excited about her join a committee so we can actually talk a little bit about city business. She she would allow me to do that. So she would be an ear or she would have to listen at that point. So have a motion second. Any further discussion?
>> Any public comment? See I put a vote on favor signify saying I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Welcome Amanda. >> And finally we have moving on to this and that's a full committee now we have. Um that's awesome. >> Congratulations. >> Yeah. Yeah. the little work we got
there. Um, historic committee, uh, we got a message from Lori Hubard that would like to become involved in helping, uh, City Port Richie with the historic aspect of it. And so, >> motion add Laura Hubard to the start committee. >> Okay. Motion second. You don't want to
second that, Bob. Just kidding. >> Um, and so, same thing. Obviously, there's no need for you to stayain. It's not something that do you're not committ to worry about that. You guys can talk about historic stuff, I guess, when when you're home. She knows, you know, we know a lot of history. So, she'd be a great asset. We don't talk about city business. I mentioned she smacks me that
doesn't happen. >> So, I feel that. Any public comment. >> Okay. Bring back for vote. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Oppose. Motion carries. Welcome Laurel. >> Um on the historic committee, if we could get a meeting plan, I know we've
we had enough to actually have a meeting and we haven't had one yet. So, if we can get the chair to call that. Um yeah, I'll reach out to all the committees and see when they want to schedule. >> Yeah. Cool. Okay. Moving on to the consent agenda. I
need a motion for to approve. >> Approve the consent agenda. >> Second. Okay. Motion second. Any fur discussion? Any public comment? See put to vote. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Okay. Next up, we have three public hearings. Start
with item number two. Second reading of ordinance number 25-737 land development code amendment definitions for special needs and senior housing uses and off- streetet parking requirements. I will pass it to Miss Meer for reading. >> Thank you. Ordinance number 25737 and or Port Florida amending the land
development code amending section 101-11 definitions to add definitions for assisted living facility an independent senior living and to revise definitions for community residential home group home and nursing or convolescent home amending section 127-94 off streetet parking to update and reduce the minimum
parking requirements for residential care and senior housing facilities providing for conflict severability codification and an effective date. If you remember, this was brought before the council on November 25th um with our your planner was here and she explained all this to you. Obviously, you can see
she's not here today. Um but hopefully all your questions were answered. If you need to answer them, I'll do my best or we can try to call her on the phone if need be. Um, but if you remember from that presentation, this um brought your code up to up to current times with the
words being used and um it was very limited previously and also um made the parking less strenuous for those that want to have these facilities. >> Okay. So, I'm going to open the public hearing uh for this orders number 25-737. I do not have any signups, but
any public like to speak? Six. Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing and open up to council for a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve ordinance 25737. >> Do I need to expand on that? >> Second. >> Okay. Motion second. Any further
discussion? >> All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Uh, next up is item number three, second reading of ordinance number 25-738, certified recovery residences. pass Miss Meer to read. >> Thank you. Ordinance number 25-738, an
ordinance of the city of Port Richie, Florida, creating article 8, certified recovery residences of chapter 103, administration and enforcement of the land development code of the city of Port Richie code of ordinances concerning the review and approval of certified recovery residences, making related findings, providing for
codification, providing for severability, and providing for effect. >> Okay. Now I open the public hearing. I have no signups. They'd like to speak. Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing and bring back council for a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve 25738. >> Second.
>> Motion second. Any further discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. And final public hearing number four, second reading of ordinance number 25-739, amends section 105-167 of the land development code. I'll pass it to Miss Meyer to read.
>> Thank you. Ordinance number 25-739, an ordinance of the city of Port Richie, Florida, amending section 105-167, article 2, chapter 105 of the land development code of the city of Port Richie code of ordinances regarding plat and replat approvals, making related findings, providing for severability, providing for codification, and
providing for an effective date. >> Okay, that I'll open the public hearing. I don't have any signups again. Is there anybody like to speak? See, I'll close the public hearing back to council for a motion to approve. Motion to approve ordinance 25739.
>> Second. >> Okay. Motion to second. Any further discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. And that concludes our public hearings. Uh next up is item number five, council business, approval of resolution number 25-40 amending the core requirement for
the Port Richie events committee. I'll pass that to Mr. Butterfield for introduction. >> The uh events committee. Yes. So, uh we just it's a administrative change trying to make it easier for a
quorum. We haven't had a full slate until tonight uh since the origin of the committee. So, uh it may uh not be as critical as it's been, but uh when people are busy and we can only have somebody there,
it's better to give us flexible. So, I recommend Yeah. >> Yeah. We actually did this for the CAC um basically with a with a larger committee instead of uh setting that quorum at five which is what it was. We uh adopted that CAC will adopt this as well so that if we do have a lower
number of membership and we have vacant seats that we our quorum is based on the actual members that are on the committee at the time. So that is there motion and discussion. Motion to approve
resolution 25-40. >> Second. Motion second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? Seeing none, I put a vote. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Next up is item number six, approval of resolution
number 2525-41 to extend the time for board and committee members to complete their mandatory ethics training. I'll pass it to Mr. Butterfield for introduction. >> Uh yes, sir. Thanks. we uh recorded the training and so uh anybody that wasn't able to make it can now uh come in and
watch the uh the training and uh get all the Germaine information they just miss out on the lunch. So um just uh we're offering a 60 to 90 day uh time frame now instead of uh the
original 60 we're recommending 90. >> Okay. Open up motion discussion. Motion to approve resolution 2541. >> A second with a comment. This we're bringing up the committees. I know Christina brought up a point of of
bringing committees and and joining making one committee making two committees into one. So we could being it's a small town, we have all these committees and joining them together sometimes might help uh staff them better. Is that going to be coming up on the agenda anytime soon? Have we thought
about that? >> I think that idea was just squashed. >> Was it squashed? >> Oh, we had just had so many people joining too. So, I mean, let's change it. >> I mean, we should we should always look to see if there's um committees that
make sense to to kind of roll together. Um I know that for example in the past they took the annexation board uh and added it to the planning and zoning can merge that. Um if there if there's if council thinks there's a couple committees that we need to look at
>> it again. >> I thought it was a good idea but you know we're staffed right now with them but that's all. >> Okay so we got a motion second. Any further discussion any public comment? See I put the vote. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I opposed. Motion carries. Uh, next up,
item number seven, approval of resolution number 25-42, electing not to exempt property under live local act property tax exemption. Um, we heard about this last week and I think it's probably draft drafted. So, I'll pass that to Miss Meyer for introduction and >> um, >> sure. Um, we talked about this last time
we were here. This was adopted last year um, by the council. It was in place at that time. um and it has to be adopted per Florida statute by January of the coming year for you to elect to um not exempt the properties that would
qualify. If you do not um elect to not exempt, then if you do have a development that meets the criteria, which is very specific about certain numbers of homes and the the um value of the apartments and the value of those apartments, um then those um properties
would be exempt from property tax. Um so my consensus from you all last time was you wanted to um elect to opt out and a passage of this resolution allows you to do that for the next year. >> Yeah. And so a little more color obviously live local I explained last time but just to reiterate so there's
there's a middle tier. Uh there's a lower tier as well. The lower tier is not something you can opt out of, but the middle tier based on metrics for the for the county, at least countywide, is if we have enough of that middle tier um affordable housing, they will allow you to to opt out of that uh tax exemption.
And that's what this is all about. So, if we had a developer came in that they wanted and it qualified for that middle tier um process, if we did not have this in place, they could seek a tax exemption. I think up for 35 years or something. That's a long time. So
>> talk about eliminating property tax on homestead now. So >> how would that fall under this would be like an apartment complex >> rentals? Yeah. >> Okay. >> Which wouldn't qualif >> approval of resol. Would you like a motion? >> Motion.
>> Approval of resolution 25-42 electing not to exempt property under the local property tax exemption. >> Okay. Is there a second? >> Second. Got a motion. Second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? See how to put to the vote. All in favor signify by saying I.
>> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. And just so you guys know, this this will come back next year as well. Every year we qualify with this qualify. >> As long as Pasco qualifies, if they have enough already, then then you can do this. Of course, less has changed. I know there's there's always live local
stuff going on in legislature every year. So, um, next up is item number eight, discussion on cancellation of the December 23rd, 2025 city council meeting. Um, passes, Mr. better feel for introduction. Let you >> Yes, sir. Just what it says. Uh we've gotten all the business on this agenda
and uh we can cancel uh we won't miss out on any important business. Nothing they can't wait till January or was done today and that give you guys a chance to take a break and uh and helps the staff be able to take a vacation as well.
>> The meeting happy to be done with us after >> except for me. I got candy. >> And and I if you guys want to meet, I'm more than happy to read the night before the night before Christmas. >> Motion to cancel the meeting. >> Yeah. >> Is there a second?
>> In favor? >> I got second with Bob. Okay. So, any further discussion? Any public comment? Seeing none to put the vote on favor signify saying I. >> I oppose. Motion carries. Uh next up is item number nine. accept bid from Ground Associates for auditing services. I'll
pass it to Mr. Butterfield for induction. >> Thanks, Mr. Mayor. I touched on this earlier. We uh uh are going to let go the uh the end of the contract with the New York firm that we have been using. Uh we put this out for bid. We only got one reply, but uh the good news is it's
financially in line with what we expected year one 34,000 and it goes up a thousand each year over a fiveyear period. So, um, this would be a, uh, Florida based firm, uh, which would be a little little easier to reach out and,
uh, grab if they go silent like our, uh, current auditor. So, uh, I think one of the reasons we uh, we got more calls, but one of the reasons we didn't get more bids was because we weren't able to show them our most
recent audit. I think some auditing firms get scared off if they they might think there's a big problem. It's not the only problem isn't with us, it's with our auditors. So, it might explain why we didn't get more bids. So, do you have anything ter Adam? Unless you think
I got it. >> It's a it's a good price. >> What's our fair price? Uh we pay uh right now our last one was 315, but we uh had to pay an extra $5,000 for a uh single audit, which we'll have to also do a single audit next year. Um so it's
right in line of where we're at. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. Motion second. Any further discussion? >> Any public comment? Seeing none, put to vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Uh, next up is item number 10, discussion and
consideration of the interlocal agreement with Pasco County and the city of Port Richie for solid waste disposal and resource recovery. I'll pass that to Mr. Butterfield for induction. >> All right. Thanks, Mayor. Uh, there, if you saw in the packet, there was a uh uh interlocal agreement with the county
from 1987. It worked well. All the bonds are paid off and now the county and they were kind enough to come down and uh and talk to us this week and uh tell us all what's going on. But they're taking out more bonds. They're doing a $250 million expansion project reflecting the growth of the county and the the attending
growth in uh solid waste. Uh this would uh it's just with a couple of modern updates. It essentially is the same interlocal agreement that was agreed to in the 80s. The county is the lead agency. They own the uh the dumps or more appropriate terminology nowadays is
the waste energy plant that they run and they're expanding. So, uh, this would just keep us, uh, operations normal and how solid waste is handled from the city to the county sites. >> Okay. Open up questions.
>> Yeah, I've got questions. So, Andy, this does not mean they're taking over our residential trash service. This is only for the dump out there on whatever Hayes Road, wherever that is, >> right? the uh all all the haulers uh are covered by uh this city and county
agreement. >> So explain when you say haulers I'm trying to understand >> uh trash haulers. >> I mean like I said we're not directing some cities have a franchise hauler >> agreement >> where exactly where only waste pro or only waste management is allowed to
you're only allowed to contract with them. Uh which is another issue that might come up someday but not today. Uh that's not what this not at all. >> No, this is uh just uh agreement with that the city uh is uh
the haulers that take up city trash are allowed to go to the county county >> wastard residential trash there which is why they built us on our tax. >> It's just a continued agreement of what we've already got in place. >> Yep. And like I said the previous ILA which was very similar to this and Nancy can speak to it. Uh but it it lasted
well for 38 years. I think Nancy, they they tweaked a couple of things, but essentially it's the same relationship between the two. The municipality and the and the >> cost their taxpayers any more than what it's costing right now. Same thing. >> No. >> No. The county could the county could
change for the agreement. They could change what what they're charging, but this agreement doesn't make that happen. Gotcha. >> This really just extends what you've already had and and honestly, the county needs it to get the rest of the money to finish what they're doing. Um, so it doesn't should you shouldn't notice any difference on on the dayto-day.
>> Yeah. And if if we were to not do this, then we would no longer access to the dump and we'd have to find a place to take our trash. >> Motion to approve the interlocal agreement with Pasco County and the city of Port Richie for solid waste disposal and resource recovery. >> Second. Have motion. I have Bob on a
second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? See put the vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Uh, next up is item number 11, employment agreement for consultant to the city manager. I'll pass it to Mr. Butterfield for induction.
>> Uh, okay sir. Uh, so uh, Mr. King is due to arrive January 5th and uh, this I was asked to uh, start an LLC and be available for as little as two weeks, but this covers out to two months if for
some reason there's a project Don wants me to work on. U, but it ensures a good turnover. uh between myself and the incoming city manager. Uh so it it covers compensation and the the change in my status to an independent contractor. And so
>> yeah, as as I explained last meeting with with the numbers and everything well within our budget number, um this allows for um Andy to be available when Don starts for a good transition. So as he's he gets ramped up, um there's going to be a good turnover. Obviously, when when Andy got here, he had just under a
week with with Matt, which probably wasn't enough time, I'm sure, to >> I could have used more. >> Yeah. So, it's um and obviously it's up to the city manager at that point of how long that goes, but it go um it's uh it ends on February 28th or earlier depending on the city manager's need for
for Andy. So, I think it provides flexibility um for all parties. And it's basically just paying him at the same rate we were paying him um before. Motion to approve the agreement with Andrew Brotherfield to provide short-term consulting services.
>> Okay. Second. Got a motion. Second. Any further discussion? >> I am a little uh disappointed you didn't use the ABC uh consulting services. >> You looked it up and it was taken. >> I had to go to my middle name. >> So, because it's Andrew Butterfield, I said it should be ABC for Andrew
Butterfield City Management Services, but he didn't like >> Andrew Butterfield Consulting. ABC anything but he he went another way so we we can't fault him for that. So uh any further discussion any public comment seem to put vote all in favor
signify by saying I >> I >> opposed. Motion carried. >> Okay. And next up is item number 12 Florida Department of Financial Services grant agreement. I pass that back to Mr. Butterfield for introduction. >> Uh let's see. This is u the city
received notice have been awarded 800,000 in grant funds appropriated through the general appropriations act on notification that this is a uh annual >> payment we do annual payment on this
I think this is just a >> I'm sorry guard on this one >> sorry yes what is question. She has to pay $216,000 a year until we get the appropriation. Sorry. >> This is just a regular annual annual payment. >> Yes.
>> Or that and the it authorizes the mayor to be the signatory. >> I didn't study this one as hard as others, >> but uh that's all I have. Okay. Okay. Is it open up for motion or discussion?
Motion to allow Mayor Hoover to sign the grant agreement with the Florida Department of Financial Services for the acquisition of a new fire engine. >> Second motion second. Any fur discussion? Any public comment? Seeing none to vote on favor by saying I
>> opposed. Motion carries. Uh and finally, number 13, fluid 20 demo patrol boat purchase request to pass Mr. Butterfield for induction. >> Uh yes, sir. This uh will sound familiar as because it was talked about back in August, September. Uh the uh desire for
the city of Port Richie Fire Department to have a uh dedicated marine patrol boat purpose-built for uh water rescues, etc. Uh as you've read, since 2020, the fire department's responded over 120 water rescue incidents, including 15
incidents so far this year. Um there's been discussion by council on the uh need as a waterfront community for uh for water rescue and this uh uh is a kind of a one of a kind because I think it was was it a demo model chief? >> Yes sir.
>> And so uh we're able to get it for I believe it was 20,000 under its normal sale price. >> It was like 35,000 less plus >> 35,000 less >> plus the floor that we added. So, it's like 30 grand less >> and it's up in uh North Carolina.
>> North Carolina. So, to save on the delivery fee, also the chief said he could drive up and tow it back. So, for about a tenth the price that they would charge us to deliver it. So, >> thank you. >> It's a 23 footer. >> 23 footer.
Um again it was budgeted uh but uh um uh it was budgeted for 100,000 and we found it for 105,000. So you've got resources in your budget. Do
you think you can reallocate and cover the delta? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, sir. >> That's all I have. But chief and cab, >> you've already had this conversation, right? >> Yeah. We've already talked about the other boat that sufficed with water
rescue at all. And this boat does suffice for water rescue, right? >> It's purposely built. It's specifically built for this purpose. They use them in all the major ports and if you go and look at at the design of this boat and you look at the border rescues and all,
just go watch um uh some of the TV shows when they this is the type of boat that the Coast Guard uses and there's a reason why they use it. Uh um >> I've seen them in several municipalities. Yes. >> Well, I've also seen them on dock blocks
or float. Yeah. Dock blocks basically floating docks for easy access, easy equip. I know trailers and you can put launch pretty easy. >> It's interesting because that's what I would like to do in the end. >> And I think we need to get it's a nominal fee, but you're cutting down a lot. Explain the dock.
>> It's a floating dock. You you drive it up on floats. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. and go. >> It's ready. It's always ready. >> It's not sitting in the water, >> but it's not in the water. >> It's ready to roll anytime. >> Yeah. >> We just need to run power and and have water to it so they can maintain it right there. And if they want to trailer
it in, clean it, put that's fine. But if they have an emergency call, >> jump in it and go instead of hoping there's availability at the ramp and launching it. It's going to save several minutes and that could be crucial in a rescue. >> So, this is not a shared boat with the police department. This is not right. It's really that stuff. This is all
water rescue. Yeah, it's it's what it's designed for. I mean, law enforcement can use it. It's not my vote. It's the community's vote. It's it's your vote. So, if they need it for something, of course, they can use it. It's there for >> our action for the day. I can come get it. >> Sir, I think you'll be impressed with
the way it performs. >> And the drone, they have to get the drone system. You can use the drone system and find people fast with that boat. >> Motion to approve the purchase of the Marine Patrol 23 demo boat uh in the 110 340. Second. >> I'll second.
>> Can I Can I make a >> Yeah. What's this? I got a motion, a second. Do you want >> Let me tell this has nothing to do with votes, but it has something to do with with the uh way we pay for Here. You get Look at that. I'll explain it. We had this conversation during budget time about
>> our Oh, you don't need it. There you go. >> And I'll give this to you. >> So, if you look if you look at this, this this explains last year's budget. And when we when we did the name address. I'm just kidding.
>> Thompson. >> So, we talked about this at budget time. So, last year when we were doing the budget, we had we hadn't expended half of what we had in the uh penny for Pasco. But I did mention that if we expended everything we were supposed to have, we would have a shortfall, which we'd have to go into our reserves for.
Also, we I also explained that what we budgeted this year was also over what we normally bring in. If you look at this, last year we only brought in $668,000 in revenue. We spent $1.3 million. Uh
yeah, we spent $1.3 million, which left us a shortfall of $636,816. We had $1.4 million in reserves. You take that $636,000 out of reserves, that leaves you with $7 and
>> $791,535. This year in our budget, we we only going to collect supposedly 600 or $740,000. We budgeted $1.7 million to expend out a penny for Pasco. So, if we're going to buy this boat, you guys right now, we
have to take out $250,000 before we even decide to purchase a boat. But I want to make it clear. We take out the $ 250,000, which we can clearly do by the fact that we're probably not going to spend the $200,000 we have budgeted to purchase property. And also, there's $70,000 in there that we put in there to redo the car. So, if
we take that out, that's $270,000. With what we have, you can purchase the boat, but that will deplete everything in in the reserves. There won't be anything else. So, if you're going to do that, you have we have to cut tonight. Part of this has to be we cut $250,000
off of this so that we have just enough money to cover what we have and then you you we buy the boat. But just understand next year our but whatever we get from the state $740,000 give or take. We were supposed to collect 600 $74,000 last fiscal year. We only collected 668.
So there's a chance we want to hit that 740 mark because there's been a lot of of uh appeals and stuff like that. That's why we went from 760 original budget to 740,000. So just to be clear, so if when we spend this, next year's budget is going to be
740. We have we use this money to offset the equipment and stuff mostly for police and fire, but we buy the the cars and everything else. But inside this until we get our appropriations, Penny for Pasco has to pay $216,000 for the fire truck that's coming out next year's budget, $100,000 for uh the body cam
footage or body cams for the police. That's $300,000 out of that $740,000. Plus, we agreed that we would purchase vehicles for have a have a uh free car rotation policy for the police. That last year was about $250,000. If we go
to get two, let's say $150,000. So, there's and then that's only going to leave you a couple hundred,000 to purchase any type of other equipment for utilities and for police and fire. This isn't saying don't buy the boat. What I'm saying is uh exactly what I was
telling you in the budget at the budget meeting when I said, "Hey, this is not something we probably can afford, but right now we are overexpended in this department right now." So, if we're going to purchase a boat, we need to cut out $250,000 because we don't have an extra $250,000 to spend what we have in this budget
this year. Again, take out the land acquisition for $200,000 and that $70,000, that's $270,000. You have enough money to buy the boat, but that's that's it. And then the rest of, you know, but I will stand up here when we try to buy other things and say the exact same thing. You know that we have
no rainy day money left in there. $1.4 million we've spent in the last two years of our reserves. >> How much did you save us at the bank? >> We had one we had 1.4 million after we close out this year. Um we're taking out um 682,44.
It's going to leave us $791,000. Uh 791,535 in there. So, and then >> the poor Richie Mr. King. >> Yeah. Hey, Adam, you mentioned this $250,000. They both purchased 105. So,
>> well, what I'm I'm saying is is we're $250,000 expended. We have $250,000 more budgeted than we actually have funds for. >> Oh, I see. >> And so, we budgeted that because at the time of budget, we didn't spend half of what we had. So, we still had what we consider carry forward. We don't have
any carry forward anymore. So, we actually deducted that. So, to buy this boat, we do need to as a council at some point, yeah, you don't have to do it at night. I would prefer you to do it at night. We cut out, we make an adjustment, cut out that $250,000. So, let's say we don't do it land acquisition and we don't do the the cars. That's 270,000. That leaves you
enough money in the reserves and in our budget to to purchase whatever we need to purchase. I >> think you and the city manager is going to have to with staff cut back on like police cars and utility. >> We're not buying any police cars this year. Um,
>> that's good. Well, I'm any equipment you're going to have to prioritize and eliminate. >> If you could tell me about this, the 200,000 land acquisition in the fire. Is that for the new fire station? >> No, that's just what we put in there for land acquisition. >> For the for the fire station, I'm ass
for anything. We put it in there. So, we cannot buy the fire station with CRA money. This would be the only place we could purchase the land from. Obviously, we're not going to get land for a fire station for $200,000. So what we we have to look forward to is that anything when it comes to the land purchase for the
new fire station, it has to come out a penny for Pasco at one some shape because we cannot afford that out of the general fund. So when you buy all that, it's going to it's going to shore that up. So the $200,000 we have in there was to help offset some of that cost that we were going to do with with the CRA purchases. So offset that cost a little
bit. So that's what we did. And there's always been land acquisition in there. You could do that because the general fund doesn't have enough leeway to purchase land out of the general fund. So this would be the only way if we bought land as a city that we can control as a city, not control it as a CRA, which is totally different.
>> Well, we're not Go ahead. >> We're not buying any more police cars this year, right? We're in December right now. >> Correct. >> Right. I heard before we voted on this, I heard we've already budgeted for this. That's what I heard when I start when I held my hand. We've already budgeted for this. Um, so you're you're telling us
that for us to be able to pull this off and make it work, we're not going to be able to spend $200,000 on real estate this year. >> Correct. >> I'm okay with that. >> Because this is safe. That's safety over land.
>> This is I'm just coming into is that 200,000 talking about the land that we plan on getting for the water plant or is that a separate issue? No, no. We were planning on using CRA funds for the water plant. >> So, we can use CRA for the water plant. This 200,000 was just something separate
for another >> us jumping out there playing. >> We can reappropriate to uh and just not buy land with that those funds this fiscal year. >> I just want to clarify for the water plan sake because we're in the middle of that design and you know the properties
that are adjacent there. We have to >> water is a plant you could buy with CRA funds. the CRA. >> This is this is if we want to go forward with anything else. But and and that's that's the thing. So $1.4 million, it's our slush fund. We're not going to have that going forward anymore. What I'm
saying about the land acquisition is off the top of my head when you look at the budget, those are things that probably won't happen. The reason why we didn't spend the whole $1.5 million last year is because we saved it on land acquisition and we had some money that was appropriated here for the uh for the acoustics and stuff like that that we
didn't use. So it was, you know, roughly $250,000 that we we saved last year. And that's why we only went 1.3 instead of 1.5. So that's where we we saved those things. So we >> we saw last year with the flooding and there's guys out there running around trying to save people. It could have been a lot worse than it was, you know,
and we didn't have the equipment to do that. So I mean, I would be all for saying, "Okay, we're going to hold back on spending money for speculative real estate >> and and spend money on uh the right boat for these guys to be able to save lives." I want to be clear. We're not We're not saying we're going to take that out so we can buy the boat. That's
not what we're saying at all. >> We're just not going to say so we have enough money to buy that to balance the budget. >> I understand. Yeah. >> We take that out. So you guys uh make them >> with that with that $200,000 land. Is it 200 or 250? >> I say it's 200. No, it's 200. And then we have the 70,000 for the cars that we
were going to trade in out here that we never took out of the budget either. So there's $270,000. We can cut those out of the budget and that'll balance it with what we have as far as what's in the bank >> and that will cover this this boat purchase. >> Give you a comfort level. We'll still have reserves in case >> No, there's not going to be any reserves
if we if we spend. The only two things I see in this budget that we will not spend is the land acquisition and the vehicles. The rest of it is equipment. It's uh vehicles for outside. It's those things. Now, we can go through that budget at some point and say, "Okay, let's take that out." But if we take out
the land and the the cars, that's just going to budget or balance it. That's everything. That's that's everything in the bank and that's what we're going to receive. If we receive that, >> you say we're we're at zero. >> We're zero. >> We're at zero. And if we need something else or whatever, then we got to no no
more no police cams or no this or no that or >> because we're even right now. No extra, >> right? We we take that out and we we purchase everything that's left into that into the budget like we did last year. We're at zero and we're going to start next year with whatever the county
says or the state says we're going to collect in in penny for Pasco, which is >> well, it's it's somewhat concerning to be at that point and only be in December. So, we're we're two months in fiscal year. >> Well, we haven't spent uh right now. We've the only thing that we've really
spent out of this budget so far is for the dredging study. Um, so we're we're only a couple hundred,000 in right now, but again, a lot of the stuff that we purchased as far as the equipment and stuff we purchased towards, you know, March, April, kind of towards the end of the year and stuff like that. And that's where most of that that's why when we
come for the budget, I was like, hey, we have enough carry forward to move us forward. That's why we did this $1.7 million budget. But when we spent when we closed out the year, we bought all that equipment and things that we had budgeted in there, and that's where we're at. The only two things that we didn't purchase was again the the remodeling here for the acoustics and
the land purchasing. And that's the only thing that saved us from saved us $250,000 or $280,000 last year. Now again, my job is not to tell you to do it, don't do it, whatever. I'm just giving you the lay of land. That's my job. So my thing is is you buy it. Well, well, first off, you got to take out that because we're not balanced right
now, which is illegal. So you got to budget that. We don't have to do that tonight, but it would be clear if you'd say, "Hey, make a motion to cut out this and this." And we do that and then you can you can buy the boat. But I just wanted to kind of let you know where we're at. There's no that $1.4 $4 million we were talking about before is
half of that's gone now and then in this budget year the rest of it's going to be gone. >> So he's telling us to balance the budget. We need to >> 250 grand for that. >> We need to take out the property acquisition and we need to take out the cars >> uh the the yeah the cars for the city
hall it was 70,000 and then uh the land acquisition of 200,000 >> those out and then brings us to here. >> Yeah, we're balanced at that point based off of what we expect to get >> early in December. But what he's not saying there's no money in there right now, but he's saying by the time we get through the year we have spent all that
money. So >> after this purchase he would have spent it. >> It won't be zero now, but because like in March they'll order stuff for the fire department and in May they'll order stuff for So the money's still sitting in there, but but it's all accounted for. >> Yeah. So everything is budgeted right
now. If we spent everything in there, >> we budget we're okay. >> Well, if we spend right now, if we spend everything we're budgeted, we going to owe $250,000. So you have to reduce that 250,000 >> then that fixes that, >> right? >> Which means come January we'll have one quarter behind us and we owe you a financial update. Are we on glide path?
Are we doing in each area so we can bring that to you? >> So basically what he's saying is if we were to continue with this we need to take out those two things >> those two things >> acquisition thing and the and the vehicles. >> If we take that out then we can go ahead
then we can move forward and do the vote first. >> All right. What? Where's Is there no contingency left? >> That That's what I'm saying. The contingency is being ate up by our budget this year. That's what I'm saying. We We ate up $600,000 in contingency last year. Um and then this year with the 1.7 million, we only
brought in we're only expected to bring in 740,000. So that difference of that is what's what's eating into the contingency. We take out 250,000. That's balancing us because that will let us use what we expect to get from the county for penny for Pasco plus what's in the bank. What what did you what did you budget
for contingency for this fiscal year? >> The carry forward that was there in um in the uh uh in January or March when we did it. So we didn't we didn't spend half our budget in March just like we're not going to have half of it spent in March this year. So when I did that I said, "Okay, this is what we're going to
carry forward." But we were we had already overbudgeted what we were planning on getting. And again, we were planning on getting 704,000. We only collected 668,000. So there's a $30,000 deficit right there. and then everything else got ate up into that. So that's, you know, that's kind of where we're at and that's that's kind of the lay of the
land I wanted to give you tonight. So after this budget year, if we keep with what we're doing, then next year they will be no contingencies. It'll be just what we're getting from the state and that's it. But also what helps us in this truck, >> huh? >> Well, the fire truck, we're going to get that back. So that gets delivered.
>> Whatever we pay So yeah, so whatever we pay out of this year, we'll get $200,000 of that back. Yes. And then what if we pay one in next fiscal year, we'll get that back once the appropriations come. Yeah. So that'd be 400,000 bucks. But also what helps eat or helps
sol it solvent is the fact that we get $80,000 a year in interest, but once we move that money out, that's all going to lower down to absolutely nothing. So So that's just kind of where we're at. Okay. >> Any other questions on that? >> So So what is Are you recommending not to purchase it or you
>> I don't I'm not recommending anything. I'm giving you what's there and what's not there. I mean, that's it. So, I I don't uh I don't think it's a >> If we purchase it, we need to cut the real estate and cut the $75,000 for the >> for us here. >> Well, as far as water plant real estate,
we're have to >> That has nothing to do with it. >> Has nothing to do. >> That is nothing to do with it. >> That's already a separate thing. If you if we if we just >> but fire if we if we if we want to do something with fire department as far as a new fire station or whatever that is a reality that is cutting into that if we
need to acquire something for that >> correct because even >> more than that anyway >> what I'm saying is is even if you eat into that so like right now so we have 700,000 left in our bank if we cut the this back down to let's say 800,000 bucks the
thing is is at some point we're going to have to buy purchase some land I'm going to tell you it Doesn't matter if you raise your your or your uh your um um your trim uh point a point and a half, you're still not going to have money in the general fund to purchase land anywhere. So, this is where the land for
the police the fire department is going to come from. So, once it's and that's what I'm saying. So, right now there's only $700,000 in contingencies. We have this $200,000 uh and that was supposed to kind of just placeholder to go and move do that. So everything that has to be done with the land for the fire
department going forward has to come out of this. So once we deplete this, purchasing land and um getting supply or getting equipment for the fire and the police department is going to be a very very tight tight situation going forward because you only got $700,000. Right now we've been moving with about a million.
>> Well, Chief, what do you think? You're I mean this is both this is both land and vote and vote. Well, I don't think first of all, I have a lot of questions as to why this would come up now. So, when we did the budget back in Sep, you had your time to talk. I never said a word. So, so we passed a
budget back in September, a balanced budget. The vote was included in that budget. We had discussions during that and you, Mr. Mayor, you you'll remember this. You you were asking comments. Well, um, where could the money come from? Where could the money come from? He said, well, we don't have it. But then the next seven sentences were we have money here and we have money there
and we have money here and we have money from Nicks Park and oh yeah and we have that money over there. All those conversations came up. It's all on video. We got it all. Um it was a balanced budget that we passed. So where this unbalanced budget thing came from I'm unaware of at the end of the day.
The other things he's talking about is the purchase of land acquisition for the fire station. We're we're not there yet. We're talking about something that could be four years from now, three years from now, six years from now. So, we're we're not have to purchase and who's to say we even have to purchase land? The city has
land. So, we may not even have to purchase land. So, all of those are um things thrown in to uh confuse the mix, so to speak. Um I think that's way he put the cart in front of the horse. Um at this point, again, we had uh this
isn't a mystery. Um, since the day I got here, um, if you look back in 2020 when I came here, um, I brought up things that the fire department needs. I'm not a dreamer. I said, "Hey, we need a ladder truck." When you look at what NFPA and what the city protects, a lot of it's two and three stories and
higher. I I never asked for a ladder truck. Why? Because we can't house one. We don't need one right at the moment. We don't have a place to put it. But sooner or later, when we get to that point, we get the bigger station and you know what? It'll be a hit protect. We'll uh you know as a fire truck retires, we'll replace that with a ladder truck. But again, those are years down the
road. People asked me when I first came here, chief, what do we need a brush truck for? Because >> brush fire >> since I was 18 years old, I've been a fireman on the west side of Basco County. Started right here in Port Richie. And I look at the problems and
the um wildland urban interface that we have here. Last year, we've had some of the biggest brush fires we have ever had. Before that, the storms, the hurricanes, people were asking me, "Well, Gary, why do you need a rescue boat? That little boat, the killer motor on the back." I'll tell you why. Because
I've lived here my whole life when I watched this area flood with just heavy storms, never mind hurricanes. And I can tell you that last year, 2024, council, everything I brought to council, I've been honest about, straightforward about, penny pinched
about. The brush truck should have cost us $250 something thousand. We got that truck and built it ourselves and saved 180 grand at least. And you know what? That thing came to use during the during the storms, during the uh the brush fires. Fast forward, everything that I
had brought to council, those storms in 2024 were the hardest hit Port Richie ever had, right? Is anybody in disagreement with it? >> I was there. >> We handled everything ourselves for the first time in history. So, not only was the biggest storm that this fire
department in this city has ever faced because of the tools that I was asking for, we've handled it all ourselves. I called for help three times. You know how much I got? >> No. >> Because everybody else was just as overwhelmed as we were, but we handled it oursel for the first time. It wasn't
for those tools that you guys gave me. I can also tell you that when it comes to that, this is it. This is the last tool I need from here on out. Big big tool. This is the last thing I need from here on out. It's just going to be replacement when when it gets older. Replacement, you know, at a certain point in time. I don't need anything
else. Everything here will be from this point forward will be fit for that. This is the last request. So, >> am I allowed to talk? >> I mean, we're talking about, you know, again, land acquisition that we're not there yet, but Sure. >> So, I will let me clarify because you
said some offthe cuff things that aren't true. at our at our budget meeting there was a whole slide three or four slides that was dedicated to penny for Pasco and I if you guys remember correctly I told y'all this exact thing was going to happen happen so that was it so if you go back and look at those slides which I
can bring back to you I said if we keep on the pace we're on we're going to eat into our uh reserves and if what we have next year is going to eat into it too and we're going to be back at zero. So again, this isn't, you know, me waving a flag and saying, "Hey, this is something new. This was what I told you was going to happen." And when you build a budget,
yes, we budget it. We we we balance it, but we balance it based off of money that we had and spent in March and February and March. So when we when you do that, that's what you do. Now, going past, if you go into past exactly what you're supposed to do, you forecast and things like that, what we've saved and
not spent out a penny for Pasco, I could I could have said in February and March that, hey, we we can make this happen because we're not spending as much. But we did. We spent $1.3 million, which is more than we spent out of that that uh fund in the last several years. So, going when we did our budget, yes, it
was balanced. It was balanced because we were expecting not to spend $1.3 million over a $ 1.5 million budget cuz we kind of knew in my mind I'm like we've been floating on this way where we don't spend it all and but we did. So this is where we're at. But again, if you go back and watch those videos, Mr.
Peliccastry, it there's there's a whole section on there in this topic where this exact same thing I told I said was going to happen will happen. And here we are going to be at zero. And again, this has nothing to do with me telling you not to buy a boat or not wanting to purchase a boat. What I'm telling you is right now we don't have we don't have enough money to cover what we have
budgeted right now in this thing. Take out those items, get it balanced back, buy what you want. Just know that going forward there's going to be no there's no there's no contingency there whatsoever. >> Are there any other budget can be removed later so we run into this
problem again? >> Well, again, that's what I >> other >> Well, that's what I said. We could sit down and look at it and see. I mean, off the top of my head, to balance it, those are the things that again, we haven't we haven't purchased land. So, that that's absolutely something we can take out of the $70,000 for the cars that we put in
there. We could take that out of those were those were pipe dreams. But, and I want to I want to be very very clear on this, and you can go back and listen, no one approved this boat. We kept it in the budget. When I when we had the same argument, no one said, "Oh, we're going to buy a boat." That was never said. The mayor said, "Let's just keep it in the
budget and we'll talk about it." This was never a conversation I can remember having since then until I looked at the uh thing and it was on there. So that's what made me look at it and say, "Okay, but I'm still closing out last year." And Penny for Pasco is one of those things that is almost done and we're at
$1.3 million. So we spent more than I expected us to spend and the, you know, we looked at it, but again, nothing here is a surprise because I said it back in March at the two meetings that we had. I gave the same slides to that >> effect. So then, okay, let's say we do
that. Let's say we take it, we get the vote, and then because I'm not sure this the timeline. So when is the next time we will see money in the penny for Pasco fund, >> next next year, >> next October, >> next October.
>> And see, one of the things too is we when you a budget is a budget. We don't we don't get all of our tax money up front. We don't get all of our utility money up front. So when we when we spend these monies like right now we've only collected two months worth of of penny for Pasco money in this fiscal year which is you know roughly 80,000 bucks.
So when we we move forward which we can move money around and that's what we've been doing that's why right now there's still $1.4 million because that $600,000 we used out of money in our bank. So, what we're going to do once we close out this year is we'll go through there and move those monies out of our investment accounts into our cash account and then
decide what we want to do with it then, which is really just replenished in our checking account cuz that's where that money came from. So, but again, no surprise here. This has all happened. And I'm not saying one way or the other. And I'm not telling you to purchase a boat or not purchase a boat. That's not my job to tell you that. What I'm telling you is the the the realization
that, you know, when I got here a year ago, we were sitting on $1.4 million because we weren't spending money out of there like we are right now. So now we we spent the money but again buy the boat but everything that comes after that is we're going to be very very tight and there's not going to be any cushion. So chief
understanding that let's say we move forward we purchase the boat and then something comes up whatever are you prepared to to to not have to you know move forward with whatever else that might come up I guess is it >> one way or the other we're going to survive and make
>> I mean you got utilities too please I was wondering is there any creative financing we can do possibly maybe like a loan or something uh with maybe a a big down payment of some kind and finance us over a few years. >> Well, so again with that conversation
that we had in about the budget, about this boat and about the way to pay for it, I I was under the understanding that we were, you know, and I I threw this out there even with that is, hey, save $50,000 this year, save 50, but I also talked about getting some kind of grant out there. I thought we were looking for
that, but also uh and I think Mr. Mayor also uh we went back and forth on this is when we get the $200,000 back from them, buy the boat with that. And I thought that that's those were the kind of conversations we were going to have. And we left that budget with that boat in there. Not saying we're going to buy a boat, but we're going to have a
discussion on >> we were even talking about that um exhaustion, but that we could possibly get that $800,000 quicker, but we can't. And so that's that's that was >> But you did find this boat for even less than what we thought the boat was going to be.
>> Listen, we're not far apart. We got needs for I mean, we're sitting here for a couple reasons. One of them is our fire. warns our police. That's what we do over here. We'll make sure you guys can save us and and Adam has to make sure we have enough money in the bank to do it. We're only off by a little bit of money here. We're actually, this is
bringing to the forefront the bigger problem that we are actually out of budget by another hundred and some grand. And if we just say, "Hey, we're going to drop the 200 grand for real estate right now. We're not going to buy new cars to run around in here, the 75 grand, we're solved. Problem solved. We're not supposed to collect money and
store money. We're not like we're not like a for-profit. We're supposed to expense what we get into the community to make the community better. And that's what we're doing right now. I >> I do believe though, and I don't know if this extends to our uh other funds, but we do have ordinance that says we're supposed to keep 30% of uh in in
reserves. We're supposed to have 30%. I don't know if that resolves >> 30% penny for Pasco or is that 30% in reserve overall? >> Well, 30 Well, we keep 30% overall in all the all of them right now. So, even with this $1.4 million, we were still at the 30%. So when we talked about those reserves, we were we were above where we
needed to be. Um especially in Penny for Pasco because we only collect, you know, $700,000 a year. So we had $1.4 million. So we were way above that. Um and again, this this is just to to state where we are financially. And to save $1.4 $4 million again is is going to be a
situation especially when we're cutting out another 80 grand a year in in interest that we were garning from the uh from the investments or the uh reserves. >> Let me ask this question. We have a we have a new city manager coming out of January 5th. Um
is there is there a need to I mean obviously this is out there. It could be sold to somebody else I guess. Are we got a contract on or what's what's >> No. So, I spoke to the gentleman today. Uh, if they don't hear about RPO today, they're giving it to another organization. >> Okay. So, it's gone if we if we don't
move forward. >> Yeah. The the the gentleman from >> And this is $145,000. >> Probably higher. We added a flare, you'll see on there, an infrared device for us to be able to search for people um out on the water. Um, we added a jack plate, so it would probably be, you
know, probably 140 150 in that area um for the extras that we got on it. But the base model is probably about 125 to 130,000. But you would be not getting a flare device on your Do we have a place to store this boat? >> It' be at the fire station under a
cover. >> So it wouldn't be out in the sun getting smoked. >> Not like the current one, though. >> Yeah. That I've had multiple tenant or residents come to me and they're like, "Look at that." You know, I mean, it's just And I'm like, "I didn't buy that boat to start with." you know, >> feels me to see that, but there's no
other way to do it to keep it to where it's when it's ready. And >> is there is there any intent to to surplus any of the other boats that we have? >> So, what will happen is the current current fire boat that was given to us by Firehouse Subs, uh, when that runs its course, it get or gets to the point
where it's just costing us too much money, it'll just be liquidated and done. The pump will come off of that and be be relocated onto this boat, which I might put it on this boat anyway. We got may get something out of that and that old police boat that we're not using. Can we surplus that and try to get some
>> police boats different? That's police fire. >> Well, not not the new police boat, not the old police boat that supposedly reason we bought the new police boat because the other police boat wasn't any good. >> So I don't know why >> one that was purchased two years ago. You mean? >> No, that's No, that's the new one. I'm talking about the old old one. The one
we still have that old supposed to need a new engine for. So >> over a dozen years ago. I mean, I think >> those don't bring a lot of >> I think there's Well, no, but every little bit, right? If they need something that, you know, we're that tight that we should probably start thinking about
uh making a path to to resolve that if we want to move forward on this. I mean, I think this is I think this is a great asset. I think that um you know, while we may not use it every day, um it's those times when you need to use it that you have it. Um I mean, we've obviously
survived 100 years without it. Um but uh it can only help going forward. So I you know I'm not opposed to to um giving the fire department tools they need to to make them better. They're already great, right? Um we heard about that tonight. So but you know I don't like putting us in a in a position where we you know
something comes up and we actually need to do something we can't because we made this this is just an opportunity cost type thing, right? We spent it now we make the adjustments in the budget. We there are no options later. So, I think we need to be as we if we move forward on this, I think we need to be looking at those options to try to to cut some
other things that we could possibly as much as we could to kind of shore this up. Again, I think I think there's light at the end of the tunnel. Um, obviously, we're going to get $800,000 for the firetruck um once that's uh delivered and that will >> resolve a lot of problems. >> Is there anything that could come off that boat?
>> You could pull your flare off, but your >> It's not that big a difference. couple,000 >> and it's a critical rescue. >> Yeah. 4,000 >> $4,470. Um, >> but you already got a break on the boat and you're going to go up and get it, which is a
>> Yeah. So, the travel we took $4,000 off just on travel to >> another thousand. They wanted to wrap the boat and we're like, we don't need to wrap the boat. We'll be right back when we get back. >> Yeah. Um, we've been working with this company for so where we came to this so you guys don't think we just kneejerk
the boat. Um, we've been working with Fluid Marine probably about two and a half years now. Fluid Marine provides all the the boats for SpaceX. Um, a lot of patrol boats, harbor patrol boats. Um, they got on our radar because of a
few reasons. The first thing is, um, you know, I've heard about, you know, it's an inflatable. Uh, it's an inflatable, but it's got Hyperlon inflatable, which is a strong PVC type inflatable. So, that the other side of this is this boat comes with a 5year warranty on those
inflatables. Um, most inflatables will only have about a year warranty. Uh, where we're getting a 5year warranty um on this system. The uh and it's a purpose-filled boat that this company doesn't build boats just for pleasure. The guys that are designing these boats are past marine patrol officers,
>> past military guys, past water rescue guys that says, "Hey, we need to do this. Um, we need to do that." Um, I didn't I thought it was going to be out of our price range to see what fluid. Um, and then he called me and he said, 'Hey, I've got a demo boat. The problem is it's black and gray. And we said, 'Well, a guy doesn't care or a girl
doesn't care when they're drowning if the boat's black or gray. And he goes, "Well, if you want to come take a look at it, um, my owner is agreeing to give it to you guys at a a really good price." And, uh, so Chief went up there to, uh, North Carolina, take a look at it, make sure it fits our needs, um, and
it's ready to go. After speaking with him today, if we give a PO for this boat, this boat will be in service in January. >> We have to operate this boat. >> All all of our captains and all of our drivers are both certified. So 247 we have somebody I'll mandatory over
time somebody if I have to, but we never had got to that point because spotlight on it. >> It does. So that's another thing we added to it was a So it has a spotlight, but we also added a remote search um on it. We added a jack plate. Um >> what is a jack plate? A jack lifts your motor up.
>> Lift the motor up for super shallow water. >> Yes. Allows us to get to really >> raises it up. Is it automatic? It's automatic. No. >> Yeah. >> So, we added a jack plate cuz we need a jack plate for all four coast. >> So, they're holding the boat tonight and then tomorrow if we tell them yes or no. They're going to add the jack plate, add
the flare, add the remote search light, >> and change the lights from blue to red. >> Change the lights from blue to red and put our fire rescue decals on it and we'll pick it up. >> I see the bid ends at November 29th, but they extended it. >> Yeah, they extended it. Yeah, we we've been working with them. Um they've been really good to us. >> They've been really good. Yeah, I I was
really surprised they've kind of even hold off >> this long especially with about this price that's already out there about now they're they're selling it. Um so, you know, >> I mean I think I think we just we tighten it up. We tighten up what we're doing. Okay. Um you know, you understand
where we are. You know what I'm saying? So it's not like next month you're going to come and say, "Oh my god, I got gold covered this thing in my jig or whatever." Like, you know what I'm saying? and then we're going to start yard sales over the fire department, you know. So, I I think we just we we make a motion to kill the $200,000 that we've got in the budget right now.
>> We got a motion and second off floor already. So, we're good >> for the real estate, right? >> We're talking about >> $75,000 for the car thing, whatever that is. So, Adam is saying, "Okay, we had a balanced budget. Now, we know leaving out of here. We're tight. We got to stay tight." You know, >> we were good coming in. >> So, we got a motion to approve the
purchase of the boat and I think Bob the second was >> No, it was like Chris. Okay, at least I'm about close on that one. So, at least we got a second. So, we got that. So, after we action this, we'll come back and we'll fix the the budget right
after that. So, is there any other discussion on the vote? Any public comment? Okay. See, I had one more thing. You know, I want to thank you guys. Obviously, I know you guys work hard trying to get the best price and and that's that's part of the reason that, you know, I'm I'm definitely with you on
this. I know you've done your due diligence and and you guys you always do. Um, and we want to make sure you have the right tools. Um, and don't take this this long discussion, um, that we don't want to try to help you because, you know, at the end of the day, we gota we gota we're accountable taxpayers as
well and and you know that and you guys do a good job of that. So, this good discussion it sets a sets up for us going forward that we know that, you know, we are a little iffy, right? And so, we need to do our due diligence and we can do that. there's there's there's
there's other places we can streamline things to uh to make sure we're good. So, and I think like I said, light inner tunnel, we do have the 800,000 coming in. Um so, I think all things that shore up and we'll we'll have the good tool at a good price. So, um I'll put a vote to get done something else. >> I was going to say if we were always
having all kinds of money sit in the bank, we'd all not be doing our jobs. We'd be sitting here and we'd be neutered on this council. And that's not we're here to do. We're here to put money into the community and and plant places where it's going to help us have a better lifestyle here, but also increase the quality of lifestyle we have here. And that's done through our
police and our fire. So, >> yeah. So, all in favor say by saying I >> I opposed. Motion carries. >> Also suggest everybody to visit our house. You guys haven't visited it, you guys shouldn't take you got grandchild or a child, take them with you. It's
it's great. Took my grandkids and it was an amazing tour. Yeah, >> it was an amazing tour. >> Okay. Uh, next >> budget. >> Oh, yes. So, so the budget thing. So, um, how do you want us to You need a
motion for to move the um >> take out the >> motion to remove the land acquisition money and the vehicle vehicle line items. >> There you go. >> Okay. Second motion second. Any further discussion on that? Any public comment?
See I put the vote all in favor signify by saying I >> I oppose. Motion carries. Anything else moneywise we need to address. Okay Adam, thank you for that. >> Yeah, I know it's a tough job you have and it probably but we appreciate you
looking out for that and like I said as long as we long as we can find it's always good to get to yes, right and see make everybody happy. And so >> I never gave a no. >> Oh and and and and you all should and and and I want to you know I want to bring staff together here. Everybody has a role, right? You guys have a role to
keep public safety. He has a role to keep money in our pocket, right? So, in you know, this is good discussion. Nobody should be mad at anybody. Everybody's doing their job, doing it well. So, you all need to kumbaya and we appreciate all you, right? And you guys got your vote. So, >> we we can't do it without each other.
The reality is we all need each other. >> Okay, Mayor. I'll get with Adam. And uh if there's other hard choices that we're going to need to take this year, the the more heads up you have on it, the better. >> Yeah, I'd be commenting through the budget so we can um >> we'll uh
>> like I said, we'll have a quarter first quarter will be behind us shortly. >> I don't think this will be the first conversation we have. Everything's tight this year. It's just it's just tight. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Next up, old business. Any discussion? Old business.
Wow. Okay. Um, any comments from the mayor, city council? I'll start my right this time with uh council myself. >> I have nothing. >> I flip over here to council. I'll >> flip back over here to council.
>> Yeah, I got uh uh something I wanted to bring up to you guys. Uh I was going to have a welcoming party for Mr. King. Um he's out of the country right now. as soon as he comes back, he was going to get it with me on a date, but the catch
is Mike Lo would like to host it and basically just him and his wife can go have dinner on us and then afterwards maybe an hour or so of a greet and meet a meet and greet for the citizens and business owners to to meet him and welcome him to the city. And I just wanted to know what you guys thought
about that, how you wanted to do it. um something like that with council present and that we probably need to have a public uh meeting scheduled somewhere um we could probably have it at catches I would assume >> as long as anyone can come. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Which goal is inviting res meet and
greet for the residents if they want a meeting and >> how much notice do you have to give? >> It's no there's no time frame. This is reasonable. >> So we got plenty. I mean he's not starting what what date were you proposing? Well, I don't know. He's gonna get with me when he gets back in
the country. But he thought I mean asked him about it. He thought that Thank you. That's great. >> Is it before he starts or >> No, it'll probably be after. Okay. Sometime in January. Like I said, it's it'll be probably maybe the second or third week of January possibly. And I
just want to know like like Mike Low would like to host it. And I don't know if they're going to offer him dinner, if we're going to pay for the dinner for him and his wife. I don't see a big deal that I'll pay for. I don't give a crap, but it'd be nice to welcome him. Do you guys want to have maybe our derves in the meeting afterwards or just nothing?
Maybe water just >> Well, so obviously there's there's there's ethics involved in gifts and stuff like that that we all have to consider. So, I mean, it's one thing to have a a meet and greet. Um, but when you start talking about people giving food and all that, um, you know, you
know that some people going to say, "Well, what's catches? What do they want out of this?" Right? So, it's >> And if I may interrupt, didn't Matt have a meet and greet when he started? Was it just here? >> So, we had a meet and greet during the candidate stuff where before and we made a decision after that he started. So, >> I thought I thought there was something
after he started but process. Okay. >> No, I knew there was something. I was trying to think we could kind of mimic that, but I guess we missed that window. >> I think it's a great idea, but I think we need to get his feet in the fire and get him working. >> Well, this Well, yeah, he you've already
been working. I mean, this is when >> something later, right? March. That's what I'm saying. April, >> it could be Yeah, it could be February. I don't know. I'm just saying give it a little bit of >> And you know, just to make sure that >> to meet meet the city manager, right? >> Well, we would we could have a a event
here at city hall. Um, and obviously if I think if um catches want to donate something catering here to city hall, is that is that an issue? >> All right. We need to do something with Andy leaves. >> Sure. Yeah, >> for sure. >> Um, we we need details. We need we need
need details of what Mr. King's comfortable with. He may not want a certain setup in another location. He may prefer something here like a town hall thing. I think we need to find out what he prefers and then once the details are determined, then we can find out. >> Yeah, let's run the city at that point. >> What's that? >> Let him make the decision.
>> Yeah. No, let's let's obviously let's get started. Um, and then we can um and and and maybe we do it in conjunction with Andy leaving and him um coming in. We we schedule something here or somewhere else. Again, we talk about the details and work it out from a legal perspective, but uh set something up
where we invite everybody in to meet meet new city manager, say goodbye to Andy. >> You okay with something like that, Bob? Something here. Maybe >> I mean the city furnishing them dinner. I don't see any ethics problem with that. But >> there's always ethics. That's why I
think what we need is a convers whether it's you you speaking to him, me speaking to him, someone like once he's here, let's figure out what that looks like and and put those pieces together and then bring that back and say we've looked at this and here's of options that we he likes, he wants, he's
comfortable with, and council is in a place that they can. >> So that's that's why I talked to her about this first. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I think it's a great idea. Obviously something we need to do. Um we just got to figure out how to do it. Okay, >> let's talk to him. >> He's out of town right now and I'll I'll touch base with him. He's going to call
me when he gets back anyway. >> We'll go next. Like I said, time it's been up there. It's not rush, but obviously, you know, people would probably like to meet him. >> Yeah, we have the opportunity to I think it'd be a good idea%. >> Yeah, normally we would through the hiring process, we'd have had something
like that for all the candidates, but this house we a little different. So, um we need to definitely do that for the residents for sure. Any other? >> Yeah. So, I was uh wanting to know where my reimbursement check was for my imo training. I've been working on that
since October. Andy told me that you know that you can stay there. It's covered. Don't worry about it. And I'm like, well, okay. I said, I plan on staying there an extra night, so I'll cover that, but um they'll cover for like the first night and second night. And I found out they only cover me for
the second night. So, I'm like, all right. You know, the second night and for gas. So Andy wrote wrote a check or had Adam write a check for me and then you told him not to pay me. >> Yeah. >> No, I was going to let me just address that. So because we have this supposed
meeting um so there's there's rules on what uh on our travel policy on how >> Okay, that's fine. But he told me that I get reimbured. >> And so and so I was asked to sign checks that day and that had to be one of them. And so I didn't sign the check because obviously there was some issues with
that whole process. And so, um, you know, and and what I spec specifically said is is I didn't want to sign the check. Um, and then you have those things out there that shouldn't have happened. Um, and so that come back on you. So, out of respect for you, I told them to talk to you to work that thing
out because what the last thing I want you to do is have an expensive c expense report out there that doesn't follow the rules that I signed. Um, and so that's what that is. I, you know, obviously I want you to be reimbured for your expenses or whatever, but there's there's policy that has to be followed. Um, and staying overnight in Tampa, how
what's the range, Adam? Is it >> 50 miles? 50 miles. >> Yeah. So, >> yeah. If you're if you're within that, you there there's no path to that. So, um, >> I would have stayed at the Days In >> which is right across the street. I went to Waffle House, which I like Waffle House, but the Days In probably been
nicer in Embassy. So, I'm out 800 bucks and I would have stayed at the the Days across the street for half that much money. >> Well, with >> if I would have known. But I was told no, if you stay there where the the event's going to be, I'd get reimbured. >> Just to make sure I'm hearing you correctly. So you're saying you would
have you you've changed your travel plans differently if you known you would had to pay for it as opposed to city. Is that what you're saying? >> They told Yeah. They said if I stayed in the embassy suites >> where the event was >> going to say somewhere that cost less >> I would get I'd get I was going to get >> right. So because you thought the city
was paying for you stood you stay for the first night and I paid over $300 for the second night. But I thought being at where the event was if it was convenient and he told me that I should stay where it is because the city would reimburse me. >> So I didn't even contemplate going
anywhere else because I was told that. >> Okay. Well, >> but if I was told differently, >> right, >> then I might have thought about well maybe I'll stay at the if there's a hotel across the street the days in, I would have looked at that maybe at that time >> and then I might have stayed there. But
I wanted to go there the first night because driving 40 miles in rush hour traffic Tampa sucks. It was my convenience to stay there before the event and it was my there to stay after event because I had events in Tampa that day. So that's on me. That's fine. But I
was told I was going to get reimbursed for that that night. I was the city manager told me to do that. If he would have told me that I'm not covered that there's event, maybe things would have been different. I wasn't told that. >> Is that I look with all due respect,
sir, I have no recollection of talking about specific hotels. My mistake I believe was I was under the impression that this training there was like evening stuff. So I could uh >> I haven't heard you tell me that though. So
>> Okay, >> let me clarify. I was >> I was in there when y'all were talking about it. Yes, you were on the phone with him or whatever the case may be. That's why when the request originally came through, I wrote the check because it was it was that way and that's what I
told the mayor when he questioned me about it was well Andy told him that he could do that. But he is exactly correct. There is there's a rules and procedures when it comes to that. How much we pay you for dinner, how you can get paid for dinner, I can get paid for lunch and get on. Um I told him on the
phone the mayor I was like well I did it because I I you know we were talking about the uh the hotel and everything was okay but he is exactly right. The the law the legal legality is you don't get a hotel till you're 50 miles away. That's why I recut the check because
really you should have just been paid for travel. But you had things on there like uh the >> $58 dinner was another thing. It's a 33 I think $33 for Orlando. So I mean there was that's what and again I just as and when I come up here and sign checks >> I wasn't expecting to get paid for any of that. I was only getting getting
reimbured what I told I was going to get reimbured for nothing more >> nothing less. That's all. >> Right. So that there >> and I made my plans based on what I was told. You know my fellow councilman when the city tells you something is need to verify for yourself whether or not that's true or not.
>> Adam do you recall me talking about days in versus embassy suites? I have no recollection of that. When I when I walk in, >> there wasn't any mention of that. >> Well, you just accused me of it, sir. You told me I'm getting thrown under the bus again by you and I've had about enough of it. >> I don't give a Hold on. I know you
>> We're not Hold on. >> We're going to be the quorum here. Respectful. Okay. >> Okay. I told What you told me was if I stayed where the event was, I'd be covered. That's what you told me.
I was under the impression that there were evening events or or uh something like that. Okay. You you asked me to make the reservation for the class for you. You did. >> I did not make reservations at a hotel. >> No, I did >> because you told me that if I stayed at
the hotel where the event is, I would be covered. >> So, I have no recollection. I I believe you that >> Well, you did and that's why I did it. >> But I didn't discuss whether you say at the day's end of the embassy. suites
and I was I would wave the policy if I had the uh ability to do so because if it's an event with multiple day event where people learn from each other in the afterhour events you claimed taxes which we're not
allowed to pay on on government work and I I just came back to I >> do what? >> So we're tax exempt. So the the there's a couple things, Bob. And so for one, you didn't charge mileage on there, which you're entitled to. And so
>> well, he knew that. >> And so and let me let me go back when I when I brought this up. I said that the event's going to be in Tampa. If you can take advantage of the the Tampa event, it it saves us expenses wise because you don't have to stay there. You you drive down there for the class in the morning.
Um you get out at 4:00 or whatever and you drive back home and you go back down there for the second day. um you chose to stay but you didn't charge mileage. So if you was actually claim your mileage for the two trips that covers most of the one night I believe. I I don't remember what the exact
>> it's was 38.1 miles at 77 mile. So I think the check came out to be like I don't I don't have the check. I gave it to Andy and >> it's in his inbox and and and so on the on the meal um that was I think it was
$58 if I remember correctly. Um it for T I'm not sure what T I think Orlando is 33 but whatever Tampa is but again you don't you don't get that unless you're staying overnight. I wasn't even asking for the meal, >> right? It was on the expension report. That means you're asking >> Well, because I I had it at hotel, >> right? So,
>> I just went on the bill, but >> I made specific all was really and he said, "Well, you you don't get paid for the for the second night. We can't pay for the first. That's fine. Just give them for the second night." I said, "Don't pay me for the meal." Uh I said, "I'm really worried about the the
mileage." But they said, "Well, is covered." I was told at the beginning that's what the conversation was. So based on that, if I stay there, if I I wish I had stayed at the day's end, but I was told and it's convenient for me to stay there, that's why I stayed there.
>> Well, so obviously it's what I what I think needs to happen here. >> Not throwing anybody under the bus. I'm just telling you. I would I would I would work with with city manager and finance on on the trip and and and put down what um expenses are allowed um
based on a policy and and obviously they can look at that, right? Um and I apologize and and I I'll be honest with you, I I don't like being called to sign checks, but when somebody's out, I have to do that. And I can tell you I I you know because I'm not in the day-to-day
operations. I look at every bill. I make sure that it mounts right before I put my name on because the last thing I want to do is something come back on me that I approve something. And so and I and I I saw some some irregularities and I just brought to their attention. So, you know, you're my friend, Bob. You know, I
want you to get paid for your expenses, but we we can only pay what we're we're um able to pay from a policy perspective. Um, and so that's that's all that was. I didn't tell nobody not to pay you. I I basically said talk to you about fixing the expense report because there were some irregularities
on that. That's it. And it's nothing personal. Um, but that's so that's what I would I would suggest you do is reach out to Adam and and work with that. I don't know why that hasn't been resolved as of yet. I guess >> he asked me for the check and
>> it's in his mail. Yeah. You know, which is But he he did come and ask me and I I told him that we had this discussion and there is rules to that and you know again I I was under the understanding that you were given permission that's
why I told him so I was like hey I paid it because of that but he is exactly correct you have to be 50 miles >> you have to be 50 miles right >> and so the only one explained it to me >> yeah so you're you're 50 miles and and I actually when we had this conversation I I said I would print out some information there should be some
information in the envelope that in regards to if it's not then it's sitting on my desk and I will make sure you get it. But so you understand even dinner is only supplied if it's uh after certain hours after there's a lot there's a lot to it. It's just not I'm going to give you a hundred bucks for breakfast,
lunch, and dinner if if breakfast you have to be there at a certain time and there's just a whole lot to it. >> And that completely don't make sense to me. And I understand all that and I appreciate all that. But when I was told something different, obviously you assume that when you're told something
that you know that's that's the way it is. And even when you double you double check that. I even double check that to make sure. And then that's when I found out not the first night just just the night in between is the only night that you're covered. All right. So, I wasn't even contemplating doing anything else. It's
I just wanted to make it convenient. My wife went with me. So, uh lessons learned. >> Well, as far as the breakfast or any type of pdeium, the only thing you put on there was the dinner, which uh from what I gathered after looking it up. The the the conference was over at a at a time and
you could have got home before the the dinner p. But if you own anything else, so anytime you go anywhere, and this is for everybody, you should give a a if you're going to a conference, put that conference in there, it'll tell you when you start, when you, you know, if it provides you lunch, if it doesn't provide you lunch, and then we get your PDM by that. And that's how we do that.
A lot of times people don't do that. >> Well, the event provided lunch and the hotel provided breakfast. >> Okay. Yeah. So that information, so I didn't see any of that, but that information should be included in there. So that when we do do your PDM or whatever, we know how to do that. But your dinner, as far as what I seen on the website, you weren't entitled to a
PDM for dinner because it got over and you got you were. So really the only thing you were entitled to was the was the mileage and and based on >> on the website. >> Well, the registration fee for the class as well for >> we signed up and paid for that and then
he's going to reimburse me for the mileage. >> So he'll all get together and obviously work that out. >> Well, there's a check. I mean, unless there's something else going on, it's it's done and paid for unless we're going to do something else. But we he got paid for I paid him for his mileage. I cut I I avoided the other check and
cut him a check just for what we had. Now is there something different with the PDM or anything? If he has a question on that, we can look at that and talk about that. But >> unless you want to do something about the hotel. Uh other than that, I mean, he's he's good. >> I haven't I haven't seen the policy. I'd have to look at it. I don't know. I don't know if there's any leaning
to spend money to have Nancy look at that. I've never been drafted. >> Yeah, I trust um his interpretation of it. >> I don't know if there's a >> I don't know if the travel policy says that city manager can make exceptions or whatever, then
>> I went to Tallahassee and I could have stayed in a hotel for a couple hundred a night, but I had a deal at a at an RV park for $25 a night and so I saved the city like >> 400 500 bucks. >> I appreciate that. >> You know, so I do look at saving the
city money when I can. I just I do what I'm told. The city manager tells me one thing. I assume that he's he's telling me the correct thing mayor. >> All right. Well, you guys work that out. That's And if you need to bring back to council for some kind of approval, I'd suggest that they only if there's
something in the policy that allows council exceptions or city manager exceptions, they can discuss that. But if that's not there, I think Adam's interpretation is what what stands. >> Okay. >> To look at it. >> Anything else? >> No. And I um did I get you? >> I did.
>> Okay. Where'd I leave off? >> Oh, vice mayor. >> You know, this city is coming a long way. I mean, I've been here for 10 years as as a a homeowner and it has certainly come a long way. The value of real estate has increased. The quality of the
services we're getting increased. You know, the fire department, our chief, you know, we've got all these A+ people in place and it's expensive. It's expensive to get them. It's expensive to get the services that we're getting. So, you know, being somebody who's built multiple businesses over the years,
sometimes you take all your stuff and you put it on there and you're like, it's going to work. It's going to just trust in the system. This is one of those deals. We cannot build a world-class community like this with waterfront development like we're getting ready to see and the mafet center here. And we can't be like a second rate place to live as far as our
police. So, I'm glad we made the decision we did tonight. I know it's tight and it's hard for us, but that's what we're here for. We're here to interpret what we see, make good decisions, wise decisions, and I think tonight we made a wise decision. So, um I'm thankful to be on the council with you guys and serve with you guys. And um
that's all I got to say. >> Okay. Do you have something else? >> Oh, um I I do have one thing and I and and believe me, I I take no pleasure in in bringing this up and I and it it um but I think it it needs to be brought
up. Um we're a team up here. Okay. And when when we're out in the community or on social media or whatever, when when one of us speaks individually, the people that are hearing that are are are
feeling that that's a that's a consensus of council and it's not. That's the consensus of one, right? The decisions we make up here as a body, those are the decisions that actually uh matter. and you know, we want to be we want to be
transparent um and all that. Um but we need to be very careful when we're out in in the public individually and posting on social media that what we're what we're what we're posting is and saying is is the truth. Um, and if if it's something that you have an opinion,
obviously each one of us has our own um uh let's say our our uh our platform or what have you or whatever that when you when you campaign, you you talk about I want to do this, I want to do this, and that's all fine, but you need to make sure that the public understands that um that that's uh that's not necessarily
going to happen. It's something I'm going to advocate for at council to see if we can do this. Okay. So, I want to start with that. And and the reason I brought this up is because I had a very disturbing uh read on on the town hall and I'm I'm going to quote it. There was a post that was um that Christine put
out there with the the renderings from the development and it was very benign. It says the conceptual renderings below were submitted by the developer Ryan Burke during the city council meeting on November 12th, 2025. Mr. Burke noted that the plans to date are only for the former trailer park property adjacent to
Highway 19 and renderings for the former Gildog property will be submitted later today. Perfectly fine post. Okay. It was it was something that was public record. It was submitted to the city. It was put out there. Um you know in in my in my opinion because it's very very early um
you know I I don't want to I don't want to incite because obviously these these plans are just concepts that haven't been brought um and formalized with council. It's just a it's just a vision if you will. Um and so people can read into that more than they should and start you know dialogue. I think there
was there was uh 100 some comments on what 123 comments. Um but anyway that's that's fine. It did come in public records. Nothing wrong with that. Um obviously there's a lot of work that has to be done on this development. It will look like this in the end. I don't know. Um but obviously there's there's a lot of working parts to to to get to
anything like this. Um the only thing that's happened is is they they've they're in the process of clearing the property over there. they've they've purchased. Outside of that, we have no hardcore plans. This is just a vision. Um, so that was fine. Um, had some interesting dialogue in there. But the one thing that that I bring us up for and I and I wanted to ask you about,
Bob, is you had a you had a comment on there and it says, "How does everyone feel about giving in capital letters giving them $4.5 million to start?" And when I read that, I thought I I I cannot believe that I'm seeing this. And I and
I and I unfortunately I can't I can't I can't go out here and refute that post because that'd be a violation of Sunshine Law. Um it's probably somewhat questionable that the comments there um because Councilwoman uh Sullivan made the post and now we've got council
people commenting on it. Um you're this very very uh thin line here. Um but um but the the post itself is really troubling because there's been no ask that we give anybody $4.5 million to start. And so I I wanted to make sure
that the public knows that one that's that's never been an ask. Um what's been asked is is there's a $4.5 million shortfall in their financing of the entire $138 million project. and that they've asked the city if there's any incentives that uh we'd be willing to
help with that $4.5 million. Not stroke them a check for $4.5 million, but there's um there's there's opportunity in the end that that the additional $700 some thousand dollar that development would would generate in
tax income that we can help service some of that debt with with that with those taxes that we're getting on the back end. Um this is um obviously we we need to talk about this at a council level. I I mentioned it I think last time. Um there's policies that uh that uh the
attorney has has brought to us that we can consider. We need to we need to talk about incentives in general about development because like Chris said we we're a growing community. Lots of good things happening. people are wanting to move here and so we need to have something in place so that when
developers ask for incentives that we have a policy that we can go to and say okay here's our policy um here's what we can do you know if you provide so much of this green space or whatever we can we can do this or you know it's it's all it's it makes win-win decision- making and so we can attract and actually
invest in our community at the same time um because at the end when these things happen and they get they get monetized um it's a huge influx of money when you talk about $138 million development down there that's going to rate just our portion at our current millage rate of
almost $700,000 a year year after year after year. Um, >> where do you get those figures from >> math? You you take $130 million times >> firms that that paid a lot of money to do market studies and they do perform charts on that. I just wondered did you
that came from >> real estate property tax? >> It's it's property tax. It's math. And so when you have a a valuation of $138 million times our 6.29 mills, which our current millage rate, it equates to $686,000. That's just simple math. And that's
>> property appraiser. So it's not up to us. >> Well, that's they're projecting I the the people Ryan Burke and his development crew, they've they've they've got people that's working on this. What what's going to cost to build it? And that's the number that they gave us. Now, will that be the number? I
don't know. But but you know, we can only go by what's what's being said, right? But, um, that $130 million is what they're anticipating the value will be on the tax. And so, that's what I'm going by. If it's it's it's still it's
it's a lot of money if it's 100 million. If it's 50 million, I mean, our entire waterfront brings in $50,000 right now. So, you're talking about transformational change to that area based on this one development. And that's not even counting what could
happen as as that starts, right? Um that being said, do we want to do we want to incentivize development or not? >> Well, we'll find out more about that on January. >> It was January. >> The workshop.
>> Okay. This Well, this I'm in the workshop is again I don't know what what the outcome of that will be, what necessary the purpose is. We're going to hear about um some different things or whatever, but this is real life stuff that's happening right now. We have we
have real life people that have t taken almost $8 million of real money and purchased the property and they have they're spending money to draw up these renderings. I mean, this stuff is really happening. Um this workshop that we're going to have in January, we're going to talk and find out about, you know, what
Pasco EDC does, what uh what Sports Coast does and all this. But at the end of the day, what you know, it's it's a learning experience. Great. But I mean, this is stuff that's really happening. Um, whatever happens at that workshop, does does Hooters and catches and get together and they sell their property
and some hotel comes in and buys it and they want to put a margarita bill again? Maybe. But all that's just speculative, right? That's just conversation. This is this is real real stuff that's happening, real money trail that's being invested in our community. And and so
the the ask is is that we look at what do we want to do from an incentive perspective. They've never asked at all to give them $4.5 million start. I've been in the meetings. I've gotten the emails. You pull them from public record. Adam's there. City manager's there. Um yeah,
>> on the um chat page. So this isn't just Bob hearing this. This is just how the public is perceiving it. And this is why I I I believe in transparency. That's why I put the outpost like I put out because good, bad, or ugly. I want
everybody to know what we know. If they came to a meeting and it it came to be in this meeting, then I think that they should be able to see it on any website, you know, just the same as we did. >> But one thing that limits is is if you're putting things out, then yes,
none of the rest of us can respond. So, it better be accurate. >> I understand that. I'm just saying as far as why I put things out, sometimes they're not the greatest. Um, you know, >> but they can find that on watching, >> but they don't and they and they put out there all the time that the transparency is lacking. And so I try to provide just
a little bit more than what they are capable of going. >> You do have to be careful of what you're saying because >> I was very >> none of us can respond. And I and I just want to reiterate that the post that you made is fine. >> Yeah, I worded it very carefully. As I do everything that I post, I make sure
to word it very carefully. But it's not just that Bob may have thought that. On the Port Richie chat page, there was quite a blowup that happened. It was a Tommy G who watches these meetings and I don't know him. Um, but he posted on
there the same thing that I watched a meeting and I heard the mayor say that he was giving the developers $4.5 million. Are we really going to do this? And then that blew up until the moderators shut it down, until the administrators shut it down. >> Yeah. my mic.
>> So, it's it how we say things here >> um also affects how people in the community are hearing what is going on. So, we think we understand what's happening, but the community thinks they're hearing something different. So,
we need to be very clear here in how we speak as well so that we can communicate to them that these aren't actual assets. I didn't jump in on Tommy's post. I just let that, >> you know, happen because >> because it was too risky for me. >> Yeah. >> I was watching, you know,
>> I saw the post as well and I and I believe me, I want to respond and there's there's very very >> but I didn't want to, you know, I'm like, >> yeah, there's very few times that I'll engage in that because to be honest with you, when you do, doesn't make a difference. Their minds make they they they they think what they want to think.
I can tell you roll the tape because I've never said that. But I do think it's important to let them see what we're seeing as it comes along because we represent the public here and we vote on the on behalf of the public and that's why I want them to see what I
see. So not so that I can engage with them on these platforms, but so that I can read what they're saying and and hear what the residents want for the community. And that's why I think transparency is very important. That's why I work on that all the time. But I
am very careful in how I word it. I went to Andy and made sure that I could do certain things with that, you know, ex with the renderings. Um, and made sure that it was a conceptual design. the the post you made was was was fun. >> I know you say, you know, you wish kind
of that that hadn't happened at this time. But if we can see it, then I think it's important that the community can see it because that's when they come in here, when they start seeing things in the process, then they can start coming in and telling us what they want. And I
think that's very important. I was a just a resident at one point and I would have wanted to see it as much as possible. I watched it all. >> I have watched everything you put out there and in my eyes you have done no fire starting. You've not like thrown
something out there hoping it would catch fire and all none of this stuff. When I saw Bob throw that out there and I love and respect Bob. I really do. But I was like what in the world is that about you know? I didn't even understand what it was for because here's the deal. It's it's almost like taking a shot at
this investor who wants to bring $130 million to our community saying, "Hey, you know, they're trying to fleece us." It was kind of like an accusation. >> Oh, >> that's what I read. >> I was shocked. >> I was shocked. And when I read that, I'm like, "Well, Bob's a councilman. It'd be different if it was coming from one of these folks who are, you know, uh, maybe
community people that don't even live in our city. They live in Pasco County, but it came from a councilman." And I'm thinking to myself, here we are. We've got an investor that has he can choose where he invests his money and what town he puts it. He's got a sitting councilman who's taken a shot at him on social media. That's all. I didn't think it was good and and I love and respect
you, Bob. I mean that. But I thought that was in bad bad taste. You know, it was in bad taste for us. >> Well, it was public knowledge that the mayor had mentioned in CR meeting that he would like to give and we should give $4.5 million a >> Never heard him say that. I've never heard that's what CR money is for.
exactly what he said in the meeting >> in in the in the CRA money is in context of you can provide incentives and and it's actually I mean it's for redevelopment that's what it's it's to redevelopment and what are they doing down there Gildogs they're tearing it down and they're redevelopment Bob so
>> if I can finish one thing we just sat here tonight >> and and and looked at our our fire chief and he wants to invest in a life-saving apparatus that we just went through a horrendous hurricane with that he could have if it had been worse if we had gotten another two feet of water. We'd
have people drowning all over town. You'd been pulling bodies out of the water, you know, and and it could have just been two feet more of water, okay? Where it wasn't six feet. It was it was at ceilings in these places, you know, and so we're we're we're sitting here going back and forth this here. We're trying to figure how we're going to cut to these people are going to bring
700,000 based on based on what you're telling me in the math. And I believe you because I think you're a pretty smart guy and you're not going to come out here and run your mouth if you know what you're talking about. 700 grand a year is going to be lifechanging to us in our budget. It's going to give us plenty of money that we need. And what I don't want to do is take these guys
around back and slap them around a little bit and and and talk crap about it. We should not be doing that. We we should be respecting these investors when they come in here. We should be courting investors, bringing them in here, tell them we're going to respect you. We're going to we're going to do it by the books. We're going to need to help you approve it. But we shouldn't be throwing rocks at them. Not as a
council. We shouldn't be. >> Yeah. And I and I want to I want to also educate here too. When I talk about the $700,000 based on that number, that's just our millage rate. That property is going to be in a CRA and we're going to get 95% of the county portion of it, too. So, let's just say theirs is the
same as ours. You're talking about $1.4 million going into our CRA after this bill. So, this transformational money and and to make a comment like this, Bob, is is is poor taste. And so, again, I love you to death. You're my friend. And I take no pleasure in this at all.
It it it really hurts me to have to have this conversation, but we got we gota, you know, and I can tell you there's people in the community that that don't don't want any development, don't want anything to happen. I get that. And and you you see all kind of stuff the gamut on social media and I and I and I read
it just so I'm aware of what's going on out there. And people people don't understand what they're talking about half the time. And it's, you know, they're not watching the meetings, they're watching social media, and that's where they're getting their information. And that's not necessarily the right information. And when a city
council person states this, I've never said that, Bob. And if you think I've said that, you need to go back and watch those thing. I've always told you that there's a 4.5 million financing gap that they want to address some way incentives. And I can tell you they've never asked for a dime up front. And let
me just go on to say because I see this all the time about how I'm going to take >> that. Huh? Well, >> that you just clear the air right now though because there are people >> I hope they go back and watch this. So >> So if you just clear the air right now
about exactly that that removes that. >> Yeah. And and I also say I have zero >> there >> zero financial interest in this project. >> The only reason that I advocate for this project is not because I have some back-end deal going on because I don't.
is because I was put in place to change this city for the better and this is something transformational that will will happen and at the end of the day I get one vote fellas and gals you know before you decide something even if I
want it it's done deal right so I'm just trying to educate I try to educate the public um it's a it's a it's a big investment and we have the opportunity to have a conversation about do we want to do we want to incentivize that in some way or not, but we need to have a
conversation because they've got an ask out there that uh they want they want some some kind of incentive. Now, could that incentive be we stroke them a $4.5 million check? It could, but that's not what they're asking for. They want some after they have, you
know, $1.4 million a year that they're going to be bringing into our CRA. They want us to help uh with that. And that's what the CRA is for is to continue to redevelop areas. And so we need to look at having a policy to encourage development or have
a policy where we just say we're not helping you at all. You want to invest here, fine. Fine. If you don't, fine. We don't care. But I'm taking a stance as for my personal opinion. I think we ought to look long and hard at what can we do as a city to put a policy in
place. Um, and we can use these guys as uh kind of the the catalyst to to talk about that because they're here knocking on the door with an ask. And you know, I don't want to tell them. >> No, they're not yet. >> So, we got we got to keep that straight.
They're not yet with an ask. >> They they actually they actually are. And and and that's why we've we've talked about we need to get something on the agenda to talk about incentives in general. >> A prospective ask. They're not yet asking for anything, but down the line,
they do plan to come to us. And that's what I'm trying that's what I hope that the residents can get out of that tonight because they have not come here and said, "We want this or we want that." They're saying that at it at at some point in the future, we may be
coming to you needing some kind of concession. >> Well, not exactly true. they actually are asking for and we don't we don't have any policy or anything and so what the ask is is what what can you guys do
for and with and the original ask was um are there ready incentives that the real ask is we have a $4.5 million shortfall um can we get um uh over 75% tax abatement for uh 10 years Adam
>> uh I think it 15 >> 15 years 75%. So basically 75% of those taxes would and again there's you can't there's no you can't do I think tax abatement anymore but what this would be is basically there would be a a financing instrument for that $4.5
million that would be serviced by the additional taxes. And so the original ask was is that we we basically take 75% of that tax increase to service that debt. And so over the time it's not four and a half million it's actually eight million or something like that if you
look at from because there's obviously it's a financing instrument, right? But anyway, >> was that that was presented at a council meeting? That might be the one that I had such a terrible time hearing on the Zoom call. >> It's never been it's never been presented at the council meeting because it's not we we're not at a point where
we can make a decision. It's it's just there's there's an ask out there and they've tossed around some things. Uh we looked at um possibly coming back to see if we could hire a consultant that could help negotiate on our behalf incentive packages or whatever. I mean this things happen this happen all the time. It's
not this is not unheard of. I mean when people come with that kind of money they don't just >> not ask, right? And so the typical way that this is handled when an ask comes about is they just come to us and they ask us to develop a policy rather than
them asking for a particular >> we would normally have a policy that says here's our package or here's our policy on incentives and they'd read through it and they'd see okay well we can give let's say in our policy just hypothetically that if we do certain things or whatever a developer does
certain things we can give up to 50% uh tax rebates or whatever what legal what a legal path is. >> Uh don't use my words because I said there's there's there's a legal construct that you have to follow but obviously that would be in the policy
and they would say okay well we want to do this and the policy basically they check the boxes and that would be what happens. We don't have any of that. Um, right. >> And so that's what we need to talk about. >> How do we want to incentivize development in our CRA district going
forward >> and and what constructs of that do we want to develop in there? Now they they're at the table so they can kind of tell us what what they're looking for or whatever um and to help us maybe do that forward.
>> How does that happen? And this is just for my understanding in the public's as well that it's you said that there is an ask and it's a 75% you know just this is this is happening not in council meetings this happens outside and that's
typical >> so they just come in for meetings with the city manager and you >> and we can't talk about it I can't I can't call Christine hey >> I understand I'm trying I'm not I'm not complaining I'm just trying I want everybody to see right? >> How this happens so that
>> they they'll know right and and myself. >> So, they're engaging the city and and obviously because I'm the mayor, I was invited to those meetings as well and obviously since um this has been going on for a couple years obviously um that they've talking about buying the property. As you see, we've we've we've
changed land regulations to allow for more density to negotiate. And so, that that gave them the comfort level to actually buy the property. and how they're how they're clearing the property and how they're working on plans and conceptual drawings to cover. So, this very fluid situation, but
obviously they can reach out to each individual council member and show it when before you all were here, just so you understand works. I believe they reached out to each one of the city council members except for maybe one. Um, and and talked to them about what they were looking at doing down here and
they, you know, they they feel you out as, you know, how what do you think about this individually so that they know um kind of where they might be if it came to a council decision of where, you know, if they talk to each one of us individually and we say, "Oh, definitely don't want that." Well, they're probably
not going to >> take it further, right? So, >> okay. So eventually it will come to council. Well, no, I'm saying one, we'll either have a policy and we'll work it out via a policy arrangement or they will come
to us with a specific we want this much cash or we want this much in concessions tax-wise. >> Yeah. So, but it'll come before council for a vote. Is that correct? we yeah we need to sit down as a as a council and have an agenda item where we talk about
incentive policies um and and forget the the dollar amounts or whatever but you know I mean we can use that kind of to understand how we draft a policy but it's really irrelevant it's it's just a it's just it's just another developer at the end of the day so we we we sit down
and we develop a policy and we can there's others out there we can we can use to kind of see and then we could say I know what you ask here's what we come up with a council is how we're going to incentivize development. There you go. And they they look through that and they
bring it to us and and make the ask and if it's within our policy it's it's good. If it's not then we don't do it. >> Um so it's more it's really a more of a general conversation. Um because right now we have nothing. >> If I could add Yeah. >> then council would be involved the way this works. I mean obviously the first
step is the policy and what what vision you guys collectively want going forward and how does that look? So a developer can come to to Port Richie and go this is the kind of incentives Port Richie offers and this is how the the framework is. >> So they would have that information. They would then go to the city manager
or if there's a some cities have it like the CRA director might be the person that does that depending on how it's set up. They have that conversation that back and forth but ultimately always it's going to come to either the CRA board or the council depending on how your program is set up. So it's never
something that's going to be done in a back room. A lot of it gets done obviously because they talked to city staff because you'll have a policy that everyone has already agreed to councilwise, but ultimately the final here's the agreement, here's what they want, here's what staff thinks is is the
way it should go. You guys get that vote, nobody else. >> Okay. So, there have been a lot of questions coming to me about this specifically, and I have been saying on a one-on-one basis, there has been no formal ask for anything. That's been my standard
response though formal ask. So to hear tonight that there is kind of an ask I I had to get my head around how that happened so that I can better explain it to people that are asking. >> Well, when you say formal ask, I guess you know they they gave us they sent an
email out to the to myself and some staff members about >> Right. It's fine. I'm just saying it didn't come to me. So, I was aware of a formal ask and then >> there are things going on that you're aware of that I'm not. So, I wasn't wrong. I'm just trying to tell the public I wasn't it. It's not like I'm
trying to mislead anybody and saying, >> not to me, right? >> Council, >> and I know a lot of people are watching these right now. So, that's being explained to me constantly. Yeah. And so when I when I brought it back and again I talked about a couple times, I I I let
you guys know I I think I even read the email at least I I did paraphrase it or whatever >> to say that that was that was going on and we need to get together and talk about incentives in general because >> yeah that was part of it and I and we agreed to that. >> Yeah. >> There was a consensus and they they're
gonna >> work on that. It needs to be >> Yeah. any soon because they they they keep waiting on us to come back with something. >> What I said was that yeah, I thought we came up with a consensus. That was when I was on the Zoom call and Sal had requested that we just let him come up
with something, see what he could come up with and then he was going to present it to us and then we would move forward from there. So, I thought it was in the works. >> It should be and needs to be like I said because these guys are, you know, I mean, if you see today, they're out there with bulldozers. >> I know. Do we do we you can't create a
council for them. You have to can't create a a a committee or anything, right? It's got to be done right here in council. Is that right? >> Well, it's just it's just a policy like any other. >> So, you let staff create the policy basic with attorney and bring for approval. That's a >> put that off on to Don when he gets in
here to come up with a >> I can tell it' be one of the first things he needs to jump in is to start these guys. >> Great job for Don to start on for us. >> Yeah. Well, I think if I may again, I think the the initial thought was and I think and maybe that's happened at the meeting that you're talking about. I don't think I was at that one either.
The initial issue was the the the conversation started. The city doesn't have a policy. >> Someone needs to see that you guys agree you want a policy. You want something that that we're talking about some kind of incentive policy or some other policy on your
>> At that meeting Chris wanted a professional firm to do it. S had requested that we allow them to just come up with something because there's a lot out there and that he would do that bring it back to us. If we aren't satisfied with that then he would hand it off to a firm.
>> That's the consensus that could happen >> and that was that was why you brought forth the the one firm. I had had that before. >> You you'd mentioned it bringing it. Was it brighten great to see? It's a very good idea. >> Good policy. >> Yeah. That we can look at. >> So if if everyone's interested in some a policy like that, then staff can
definitely work some work on something >> similar waterfront community maybe a little bit bigger. Yeah. And and so just so you know, so staff was was asked to take a look at this, went over to the building department to look at, you know, what what they could do from a
policy perspective as far as waving building fees, waving uh impact fees. Um there's lots of different ways to to carve out incentives. Um it could be all be on the back in taxes. >> And I would love to know what other cities are doing as well. I don't want to make these kind of decisions based on
emotion like oh you know emotionally I don't want to give away any money or something. I want to make sure that what we do is what other towns do to create what we want to create here in the city. I don't want to just >> that's exactly what we need to do >> because you know that I want to make sure we know what we're doing.
>> I agree 100% and and and regardless what you hear what so I hope you understand now that there is no >> there's didn't come out of my >> Well, I I was I was on the Zoom. It was the last Zoom meeting I had before I came back into town and and that's what you were saying as you just said CR money that's what it's for fine $4.5
million is is more than what we really have in CRA funds and that that was a number you >> that's if you give it to him back >> well I'm going way back when Matt was is the city manager and he had a lot of concerns and um and and I have a lot of concern too as far as Mr. Burke. Last time I talked to Mr. Burke. I told him
I'm support him 100% on this project and I do not want any more than him to be successful. As successful as he can be is what I'd like >> and where he can benefit the city as much as possible. Um >> well your post contradicts that by the way. So that's >> not really. >> It absolutely does. If I if if if Ryan
Burke was on social media, he wrote that if that's the way it was taken, but that's what you said. >> I never said that. >> You said four. You didn't say 4.5 million. >> 4.5 million is the financing gap that they they want to address. That's what our CRA funds are for. It's under video.
>> Yes. And so let hold on a minute, Bob. Let me explain because you're not understanding. >> You're you're looking at very one-sided. You're talking about frontend CRA money. What I'm talking about CRA as a as a as a tool. Okay. Right. And so when $1.4 million is deposited into that, that's
>> when they then that's when you start to service that four and a half billion. Make sense? >> So So my point has been it's not necessary. You can get incentives from the state, the county, and the city. He doesn't have to just get it from We don't have to do all that. >> We don't have to do anything. >> No, but we can we can help. And I think
we should help. And I think that if he want would work with some of the neighbors down there in the waterfront, I'm my order. We have successful businesses there. They want to be successful and they want to expand. There's also very powerful people that have decades of success in developing.
>> I don't know. I don't think Ryan Burke has any experience in this. He's learning as he go, he says in in the zoning meeting, that's fine. I I want him to to build the condos there and that five acres is no problem. But I want it to be him to be successful and I want that project to be as valuable as
he can make it. And there's people that can help him do that. And there's people can help him with the project over on the Gildog property where he can actually make more money and we the city can make more money and we can also charge tourism dollars, tax dollars also. So we can get more money
than you're talking about on what he's trying to do. So why would he not be interested in listening to these different options where he can benefit simply by making this project more more valuable? >> Well, I I I can't explain what his business practices. >> I know you can't because you haven't
heard it, >> but you will. And I think it's important that he would listen to some of the people that that can help him with that project. >> He's he's he's he you know, it's up to him if he wants to listen. It is. I I would not understand why someone that doesn't have any experience in
developing and maybe he's got someone he's hiring I guess he's hiring a new contractor. I don't know. But if he's got people that have decades of experience and and and success and they've helped develop Wesley Chapel, Trinity wouldn't be what it
wouldn't be without these people. They're helping put fort Myers back together. They work around the country and they're very successful. They have a lot of interest in this in the businesses down here and the property that's available down here in the waterfront district. And if we create a an atmosphere or a a theme
that it it's well very warm and welcoming as people drive by or they see it and it's easy to market. Pasco County in the state of Florida can market that. That's going to do nothing but benefit him too if he fits into that that he's got the property. He's got the incentive. He wants to build property
and and help the city and benefit from himself. I think you should do it as low risk as possible and with the best value you can get out of it. >> That's what most developers do. And I'd like to see him do that. I'd like to be as successful as possible can. That's my goal. I'm not against them at all.
>> But >> but I don't I don't The city can't weigh the burden. We don't We're fighting over. We're fighting over little things we don't have money for. So I think that I we should let the state and the county come in help with incentives. But there's some developers
that can help him and and put together a project and they can do market studies. They can do perform charts on different scenarios on those properties and show him how he could benefit him. Maybe he's not interested, but maybe he is interested. I think he should listen listen to those people and see what they
have to offer and we can see how we can simply kind of step out of the way and protect the business owners and property owners that are there. Now, that's also my goal. I want them, they're struggling. They shouldn't be struggling where they're at. That property is like gold and they should should not have to
struggle. And they want they want this. >> They want this meeting. >> Somebody's dropped $8 million on it. >> If we if we Bob, if if we just let happen what's happening right now, okay, Brian's not by himself. He's got other people that are very successful business
people. These are not people that are just got their heads in the >> the private investors right now. Okay. But they've got people that have common sense and lots of money. and people with money solve problems. And right now the restaurants you saying are hurting down there, when this thing goes up and it
gets built, their restaurants are going to boom. That whole area is going to boom. So if we instead of us jumping in there saying, "Mr. Burke, you need to go do this or you need to go to that." We should be incentivizing somehow Mr. Burke to get off the ground so we get that whole thing to do. >> Yeah. Yeah. But the things the way
you're saying it, it's like you're like trying to force Mr. Burke's nose to him at all. I'm just I'm just offering suggestion and options that he he he should listen to. But but but he does listen he's probably listening to us right now. He's been in here before. You know he the the the some of the folks that you're talking about he from what I
understand you know he he doesn't want to jump in with those people. He's got his own game plan what he's doing right now. I don't know who are you talking with Bob >> Pascal County and EDC and and commissioners the state of Florida as as developers. I'm talking about major
hotel and >> and condo developers that are interested in >> here's here's the only thing I love the fact you're thinking outside the box but we have >> a bird in hand you know I mean it's like a bird in hand versus two in the bush you know we got a bird in hand we're holding it right there and they're
tearing up the the crappy trailer park right now to to make it leveled out to get it you know conceptually ready to go for a project they're going to present to us >> I think we ought to be supporting them every way we can right now and and and by saying that you're not doing it right. You need to go over here and look at these folks. Who are we to say?
>> I'm not saying I don't know what he's doing. I'm not saying he's doing it wrong. >> I can tell you what he is doing. He dropped $8 million in cash on the bikes. >> They did that in downtown Newport Richie, too. They did more than that. And then to sit there for 5 years empty with with concrete sticking out of the ground cuz happens.
>> Why are we arguing about this? Really? I mean, why are we Why are we arguing about this? >> Here we go again. It was the mayor's turn to talk. We all went, you went around the room. It was your turn. It was your turn. It was the mayor started to talk and then here we go again.
>> Well, I mean, this is something >> I think we're getting it out. Some of the things that are on our heart. I know, but I I understand getting things out, but then I don't understand just dragging everything everything from the back alley in
is not making any progress. You've got to agree with that. >> I I I do. I also I also think that um we need to have understand when we leave this this room that this these things can't continue to happen. Um or or or I want to ask for emotions that nobody
wants to ask for. Okay. Um I'm going to read this email I got sent from Bill Cronin who's the Pasadc. And this is Bob. You sent this email out to to him and others. Says, "Dear sers, my name is Robert Huard and I'm a member of Port
Richie City Council. We are inviting you and/or members of EDC to a workshop scheduled for Friday, January 23rd, 3 p.m. We are also inviting business owners and property owners of the city, Pasco program manager, global architect and designer Paul Def France, and anyone else would like to come. The purpose of
this meeting is to introduce options for developing Port Richie's waterfront district with qualified developers and hotels. This will be led by Pasco Sports Coast. City of Fort Richie Council highly respect your input in this matter and are excited about the possibilities that are present that can benefit
everyone in our county. Thanks Bob P for Richie City Council. Now I don't recall ever discussing about this email going out and you're you're you're basically representing city council on these things that we're going to develop Fort Richie's waterfront with qualified developers and hotels.
>> I had mentioned that to you before I did that though. And and you and you also know, Bob, that that Bill Cronin, who I've met and respect, sent that to me and said, "FYI, I can send my VP, Tom Ryan, who is familiar Ryan Burch's project, I'll be traveling on this day."
I had a conversation with Bill when I was asked by Christina about reach out was pass DC involved in this and they and they were not. And so again, what I what I brought up last meeting is you seem to have this uh this competing
uh vision of of you that you haven't got the council behind. And I'm not saying we wouldn't be behind it, but you're you're kind of going on this side tangent out there in the public and you're speaking and you're sitting council member and people are taking your word. I mean, I had I had Whiskey Joe's call me and say, "This Bob guy
reached out talking about, am I interested in selling my property?" And what? Yes. Did you not did you not did you not reach out No, I all I all I did was No, there was
>> they had talked to their neighbors and I said, "Well, there's a meeting on January 35th. You need to you need to talk." I haven't really I haven't even talked to him. >> So, I'm supposed to meet with him tomorrow. >> Well, all I know is that uh >> there is general manager. >> Yes. >> Marty.
>> Marty Fy, >> right? >> That's the one who called me and said, "This Bob guy reached out to me asking me if I was to sell my property." >> Anything about that? Maybe he lied. I don't know. >> Why not? Tim Lo got upset a phone call you made him. >> What's that? >> Tim Low got up pissed really pissed that
he called me up and he's all pissed off at me >> because I I asked him if he was interested in selling his >> because you called people and said his property was for sale without talking to him. >> I didn't say his property for sale. >> That's what he told me. when I when I when I called >> you didn't you told me >> I was in I was in I was in Anniey's
office when because Andy told me he asked me is catches interested in selling their property and I said I hadn't heard of that talked to Mike and Tim all the time so I I think I called Mike maybe Tim I don't remember who it was one of them um and I said you guys interested in your property well the
intention was is like no but obviously if somebody came with a with an offer we we would entertain it or whatever and I said well cuz I had not heard anything about it and it All stems that you and your your your team of individuals are out there >> no trying to trying to put together a deal.
>> Yeah, I was I was with Ed and Andy and Tim Lo about meeting up with people he already met with. You met with uh >> I don't even know the >> I know you don't at the time. >> Let me finish. >> You make mistakes. >> Let finish. Go ahead, Bob.
>> You're out of line. I got witnesses. >> You're out of line, sir. I went in. Did you not meet with Ed Com and me? >> I met with Ed Com and you and Right. Adam and >> C and and we and we met with some people from Pasco County and some referrals and I brought them to you right from the
get-go. >> I didn't meet with anybody from Pasco County. No, I told you I I introduced you to him later, but at the time and you told me go you want to first you asked me to show her around the property, which I did, but you said ask Mike and Tim Lllo
if they're interested. >> Take her and you you had her in my office for a few minutes and then you took her for a drive around the >> Why Why do you keep taking your mistakes and trying to put them on me? >> Andy, you're out of line, sir. Andy, >> you know this because >> I I know exactly that. I'm telling
>> Ed was Ed was with me the whole time. >> Your your backside by blaming for your mistakes. >> Andy Ed was with me the whole time. >> I went in meeting and you asked me to go talk to Tim if they wanted to have a Zoom meeting, which you set the Zoom meeting up for. >> I did not. I joined a Zoom meeting that
I was invited to. I didn't set up and I did part of it and then I had to jump. >> You you I don't keep saying things that aren't true. forum that >> Ed and maybe the other person set up you you said you were going to set up the Zoom meeting. Maybe she set the Zoom meeting up but you participated.
>> Maybe you keep casting aspersions on me. >> That's not the point. >> I did not set up the Zoom meeting. I joined your request and then I jumped to Tim. >> I can't work. >> Okay. >> No, just let me finish for a minute. Why? >> Because I've been able to see you guys talk. I went over and I talked to Tim
with Ed and I I explained to him what we were doing and and that I talked to Andy about this and if they were interested in meeting these people that were interested in in developing a waterfront property and they >> and they were they're very much interested in developing developing
waterfront property. So Tim says absolutely. So Tim and Mike and Andy and the other person and myself did a Zoom meeting. Well, two days after I talked to Tim, Tim told me, he says, "Yeah, whatever it takes." She says, "I'm willing to either buy a parcel, sell a parcel, provide
parking because we really need to do something. I can't do what I plan to do. So, this would be great." And they're still excited about doing it, especially after talking to everybody. Called me up two days later. And he was pissed. And I've never heard Tim pissed off. He says, he says, "Buy, don't tell people
that my propertyy's for sale." And I asked you about that like like the day after. He says, "I I says, I didn't." And Ed was with me. He knows Ed doesn't know any of these people. I says, "I didn't talk to anybody." I says, "What makes you think these people think your property is for sale?" He
says, "Well, the mayor told him." That's what he told me. >> The the mayor asked him, "Is his property for sale?" Because it was brought to my attention that there was some stuff going on. >> That's what he told me. I didn't sell anything. I didn't tell Whiskey Rivers at the time. This is the reason why I'm
going to ask please stop with with all this whatever's going on. It needs to stop. It needs to stop today because things are spiraling out of control here. And we've got we've got you going off on your tangent. We've got again like I talked about, we got real developers that have bought real
property for real money that are that are actually doing something. And you're you're out trying to to conjure up some other uh construct. That's uh Well, it's not our place to do that. I can't work with you except in here. And in the meetings when I talk to you guys, >> I explain this I I explain this thing
for a couple months and somehow I get interrupted and Chris has told me I really want to see this. I know Lisa wants to see this. Christine's got a lot of interest in it and I've been trying to facilitate. All I'm trying to do is see if the people want to develop this and I know that Pasco County can help
with this and I want to see who else wants is interested in in helping with this project. And that's all I've been doing. I haven't been doing anything underhanded at all. I've been doing my job and that's why I bring it here to the meeting every chance I can get and explain it to you and I told you I got a workshop if I had workshop so you guys
can see all this stuff the last meeting we had the so they can understand what's going on and I haven't been going out trying to sell anything and I never asked anybody to sell their property ever. Well, no. It's what he says he
>> I did tell Marty what I did tell Marty was I said there is a possibility. I mean some people might be interested in that parcel. You you paid a lot of money for parking. Maybe you could recover that money if you're guaranteed parking. I said there's a lot of possibilities. That's one thing I mentioned to him. I didn't say nothing about selling this
property. >> Are you a real estate broker? >> No, I'm not a real estate broker. >> You're a city councilman, right? So why are you out there trying to make real estate deals? >> I'm not trying to make real estate deals. I'm just telling them that there's a lot of possibilities as far as developing this stuff. >> I checked the city on a third of an acre
benefit from it. And I said, "Well, there's a lot of ways." That was one way you could do that. >> Well, let's let's just do this. We don't need to beat the horse to death. We have a workshop. We're going to all hear what these all these people have to say. But please um don't don't comment on Facebook and and and say things that
aren't true. >> I comment probably less than anybody. >> That's true. But >> yeah, >> the ones you do are powerful. If if if I upset Ryan Burke, I apologize, but is it but I mean $4.5 million was mentioned and and that just scared the Jesus out
of me. A lot of people were concerned. >> If anything comes mentioned anything to anybody about being belligerent about anybody. I just especially around Burke because I ultimately want him to be extremely successful and I appreciate his project going on down there. But there's a lot
of ways to do this besides just looking into the city. Maybe he is doing it. I don't know. But I don't know anything. We don't know hardly anything that's going on. >> But at the end of the day, his methodology and how he wants to spend his money and all that is none of your business. None of our business. It only becomes our business when he comes to
the city and ask >> for certain things any land use which he's doing. >> We change the land use for him. He can do exactly Paul. But we ask for help then there's then there's concern of well maybe you could
do this or we could do that. There's alternatives to it and that's all I'm I'm offering. But I'm here because the business people and property owners have been begging this for decades. They've been wanting this to happen and you know how frustrated it is with with what has happened and it's happening. >> No, no, no. We don't want
>> It's happening, Bob. It's happening. It's happening. I don't know where you've been but it's happening. I mean, that property was on the tax row for a million four. It's it's it sold for 8 million almost. It's happening. They're they're bulldozing over there literally
today. >> I watched them. I was over there. >> So, please just have the let's have the workshop again. And I think I think it's all water in the bridge at this point. But, you know, when I saw that comment out there, we already had these conversations, I it just blew my mind. And I wanted to make sure the public
understood that there's no no we're not going to write a $4.5 million check. Matter of fact, the the ass that came in at 75% tax statement over over the course of 15 years. I was like, that's a hard no. That's that council would never pro counsel would never prove that. I would never prove it, but it doesn't
matter to me. Maybe you guys would, but I told him up front. I said the residents of C, they'd never prove that. >> Okay. >> So, it's it's a conversation about what we can do to help if we want to, and we're going to talk >> and I'm behind 100%. And and maybe he's got developers smarter than any of these
people. That's great. I don't know. Maybe he doesn't. Maybe he maybe he'll appreciate some of these people he hasn't met yet. >> Maybe he will. >> But I don't know. >> But not not our role to push that on people. >> No, I'm just I'm not pushing on nothing. I'm just saying it's it's good to listen to people. That's all. >> We're going to we're going to listen to
them on the 23rd and we'll get we'll we'll have that we'll have that public meeting. So So I I apologize that we've we've ran over bit. We really had the conversation because things were and and again, Bob, I just want you to reiterate, you're my friend. Love you to death. This this not something I wanted
to do, but we need to make sure that when we speak, you're you're well intentioned and you have a big heart. >> So, just be careful because we don't want we don't want somebody to take the information like what? And then it spin out of control. >> Like I said, Tim Lo was pissed off at me over nothing and then he was blaming
you. But you said you didn't do nothing either. So, you know what I mean? I'm just asking what I heard if it's true or not. And >> well, you can ask him. >> Yeah. Well, and that's and I heard that and that's and and like like Marty's uh supposed to meet with me. I don't know.
I don't know why he thought I was trying to sell his property because I wasn't. And I mean, I didn't even mention it. So, but see, people sometimes take things out out. We have to be very careful. >> That's exactly right. That's we got to be very careful what we say because we we're elected officials and individually
when we say something people say well I heard that from Bob Hubard he's councilman right >> right >> and so >> well and and I wish that everybody understood some of the conversation that's why I'm bringing it in meeting because it's hard to hard because essentially it's hard to get stuff done
>> it is >> but um like I said we'll have it on the 23rd hopefully everybody will be able to make that >> good and That's all I have. So >> make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Have motion second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I.
All right.