All right, we'll go ahead and call this meeting to order. This is the city council special meeting for Thursday, October 23rd, 2025. Welcome to our city council meeting in the interest of time efficiency and ensuring that everyone who wishes to address the council is given the opportunity to do so. The
following will apply to all comments made by the public. If you desire to be recognized by the chair, please fill out a request form and present it to the city clerk present in the council chambers. Each speaker shall be allotted three minutes to address the council unless such time is extended by the mayor or by questions from council.
Group shall designate a spokesperson to avoid repetition of comments. Every effort will be made to avoid interrupting speakers. Thank you for participating in your city government. Please silence all electronic devices. And can you all please uh join me in the pledge of allegiance.
To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> And a moment of silence, please. All right. Thank you.
>> And will the clerk please call the role? >> Mayor Robertson >> here. >> Deputy Mayor Gilbert >> here. >> Council member Paul >> here. >> Council member Irvin >> here. >> Council member Fletcher >> here. >> All right. All right, first up, I'm going to go ahead and take uh any comments from the public. Anyone in the
public like to address the council? Uh first, we have Douglas Bergorn. And can we please have your name and address for the record? >> Douglas Bergorn, 301 Connecticut Avenue here in the beautiful cloud. Um I'm here to complain about speeding on Lakeshore,
not automobiles. The police do a great job of keeping the automobile traffic down between 25 and 30 miles an hour. However, I'm talking about the traffic on the sidewalk. I was walking there a few months ago with my four-year-old granddaughter when a guy came by me like
he was standing still. So, I said, "Wait a minute." So, when I go down Lake Shore, I watch what the ebikes, the wheels, the powered wheels, and the other electrical vehicles are doing. I'm doing 25 to 30 and they're passing me on the sidewalk weaving in and out of
people. And then I saw a golf cart and I said golf carts aren't allowed on the sidewalk and there's when I asked the police officer he says we have no guidelines for it. So, I'm asking the council to set guidelines so that people
because somebody's going to get hit. And if you get hit by somebody on 150 pound kid on an ebike or on a wheel, there's going to be damage. And if they hit my granddaughter, they could very easily kill her cuz she's only a peanut. And that's what this is about. It's not
about speeding cars. The police do a great job of it. But park rangers can handle that because they the whole lakefront's a park. So can the uh so can the police. And if they see somebody going, man, they need to stop. And we need to post something up there that says jogging speed only, 5 miles an
hour. No, no golf carts. If you're going to go faster than that, use the street. If a guy's 25 miles an hour on a on a bike, he can ride in the street because nobody's going to pass them because he's doing the speed limit. But that's my concern. It's not my concern for me because I don't own any bike. I don't
have a golf cart and I don't ride one of those crazy wheels because I'm smart enough. But it's for everybody else who was walking down there. And I', like I've said, I've seen them on the onehe things in and out of people going 30 miles an hour. Somebody said, "They don't go that fast. They go 45 miles an
hour if you're crazy enough to do it." So that's I'm just throwing that into front of the council. Been thinking about it. I said, "Fine. Today I can make the meeting. Have at it." Thank you. >> Yes, sir. I appreciate that. And Mr. Berghorn, I know you've been a member of our community for many, many years. Uh, you know, I grew up with your daughter.
I think we met at at Home Depot about six or seven years ago. So, yeah, please tell Jenny I said hi. And um I'll go ahead and talk to the city attorney now. We we did pass. >> So, as you know that recently the council adopted a micro moil micromobility device ordinance that
deals with electric bikes, one wheels, scooters over a certain level. Uh it was recently adopted. I know the police department has been working on it. We revised the city's code enforcement uh citation ordinance to be able to address it. So, there is enforcement in the
works on it, but as you know, the ordinance was only recently adopted and and we're hopeful that we try to start getting some results soon and um certainly know the police department is has really got its eye on this on this issue. >> But we definitely don't allow golf carts on there. >> No, golf carts are not allowed on there.
So, that's and the other aspect there is some new legislation out there that were that just got passed that took effect recently that expands the definition of these devices and prohibitions or the restrictions that the city can put on them. So, we're exploring that to
probably bring back another ordinance that to address that. >> City manager, >> we posted signs. >> Speed buns work. >> They might like that too much. >> You can step over that. >> And we recently posted signs um I believe it was within the last week or
two weeks along multiple locations along the lakefront trying to restrict the electric speeders. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And we are going to start having more officers down there on bicycle. So that's that I think that'll help with the enforcement of that. So thank you sir. I appreciate that. >> May I comment, mayor? >> Yes, sir.
>> Uh and I know um you're a proponent and it worked. We have another person on Lake Shore which is great. Mac is doing a phenomenal job down there. But I I I walked it because I wanted to see what the ordinance signs were and they were on Lake Shore and you're you're correct, city manager. I would really like to extend those signs to uh uh Florida
Avenue because that's a beautiful walking area and there's a lot of people that walk that area too and we have similar issues to that mayor and council. So, I'd like you guys to consider to put some of those signs up for those ordinances too on Florida Avenue. Beautiful walk through, but it
it happens when you give uh passage through that. And it does say bikes can go uh on on the street, but I don't know if they're there or not yet. And I apologize that I did not walk that yet, but I will. But I'd like to see those same signs if I may. And I yield back to you and the council.
>> Yes, sir. >> I I saw consensus, so we'll work on adding additional signage. >> Would anyone else in the audience like to address the council? >> Sorry, I didn't fill out any paperwork. Um, all here as you >> can get your name and address, sir, please.
>> Carl Robinson, 8 Virginia, St. Cloud. >> Thank you. As you know, I was here um a couple meetings ago, talked about the same thing the brother was talking about. Ladies, girl power, you got it done. Thank you. You've done the city a big service. You've saved lives,
millions of dollars. Thank you both. That's all. Are you out there in poisoning traffic? >> No. >> No. >> No. I'm glad it's getting done. That's uh maybe the uh the lady sitting in the
lawn chairs down there can tell people slow down. >> They're not there in Saturdays. >> All right, we'll go ahead and go to council action. This discussion of resolution 2025155R regarding interlocal agreement for lobbyist services. Uh will the clerk please read item
number one? >> Resolution number 2025-155R, a resolution of the city council of the city of St. Cloud approving an interlocal agreement with the city of St. Cloud, Ocelola County and the city of CMI and OciOla County School Board and Ociala legislative effort for the acquisition of lobbying services to
promote represent and protect these interests which collectively affect the impact of interest of the parties and authorizing the mayor to execute the agreement and providing an effective date. >> City manager. >> Thank you. Mayor, city council. At the last city council meeting, we were
requested to have a special meeting this evening to discuss this contract. Um, the city has partnered with Olay for many years and they have provided additional legislative support on our requests at the state. This last year,
the Olay project was um did receive funding thanks to Olay's additional support. So the Olay contract just I think the best way that we can describe it is it gives additional support to our requests. Um because at that point it's not just the city of St. Cloud
requesting it. It's it's showing that the city of Oyola County and the Ocula um school district also support the request. So this past year, um, our project was the fire rescue boat that was the Olay project and and we did receive state funding thanks to
Representative Stark as well as, um, Miss Arrington and and our Olay and our city lobbyist. Also, Mr. New Street is here um available to ask any answer any questions um that the board may have. >> All right. Would Mr. New Street like to
come up and speak to the council? Thank you, mayor. Thank you, city manager. John New Street, uh volunteer executive director for the Ocul legislative effort, 1425 East Vine Street, CMI, Florida. Uh again, just here to uh to be available for any
questions and clarification. uh Olay has delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to this community in support of the asks of our lo excuse me local governments and uh as much as I'm the executive director uh the the work is
done by the board of directors which is the county manager the two city managers and the superintendent who all take their priorities and directives from you our elected officials uh and again u we don't win all the battles it's politics but having the extra
support from the team that Olay hires uh certainly doesn't hurt, but I would contend helps immensely for the work that is done by our state delegation in Tallahassee. Again, there's five members of our delegation. That adds and and
pluses and minuses after redistricting each uh each 10 years. Uh but those five are only five of 160. And so it's a lot of work to get done with limited resources out of Tallahassee. And so Olay is just a feather in the cap in a sense.
>> All right. Uh, anyone in council have any questions for Mr. New Street? >> If I may, mayor. >> Uh, we talked after I I I brought this up to to our board. Um, and I've been with OA. I've been termed for this is my third year, but been there twice and
I've learned a lot. We've done a lot and and trying to spend taxpayer money the best way possible. >> Uh it's great meetings and it's uh things get done, but we kind of book our stuff prior and then double meetings.
I'd like to see us more as a team go after appointments prior, meetings during, and then appointments after. And if everyone comes early, but I'd like to do it like as a team. Uh I know it used to be a banquet that OA sponsored and all the uh Congress came there and that
was good and that's no longer allowed through the through the statues. Um I would resend and and really would like to stay with Olay and stay a part of Olay. I would just like to see our focus being uh unified as St. Cloud is uh just
as big or as big a as CMI and Aso County and getting to be bigger. I would just like to see it more um of a team effort and it probably is and I probably wasn't involved but I would love to see us to do prior meetings during meetings because we all spend three or four days up there which is great but and usually
during session which is tough >> so I if that's possible but once we talk I understand our mission and our goals and you gave me the numbers and I'm a numbers guy so I think uh >> we have run millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars county which has benefited St. Cloud. I yel back to you,
mayor. That's the only question I had. >> All right. Yeah, deputy mayor, I agree. Uh I think supplemental uh representation is uh helpful in in achieving the the the success of let during legislative session. I agree. I think there needs to be more
communication between the um Olay lobbyists with our lobbyist prior to let us going up for the trip. >> Um and also on the back end, the reporting. So, if we can we can kind of follow up on both of those two things, I'd be in support of this.
>> Loud and clear. >> And by the way, thank you for volunteering. I knew you said that. That's good. That's >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you very much. That's awesome. >> All right. Can we get a motion on that? >> Well, mayor, if I could clarify a couple points in the agreement. So, the agreement is two years. Uh, it does has,
as you've heard me reference before, it does have a budget appropriation clause in it, which means that annually the council has to budget its its contribution. And the current agreement in front of you has the breakdown at 80,000 from the county, 60,000 from the
school district, 40,000 from the city of CMI, and 30,000 from the city of St. Cloud for a total of $210,000. Again, that's each year. And if I may, just to be clear that the chamber does administrate uh that. So
there's an administrative fee that comes to the chamber to compensate for the time that Cindy Lewis, who's the volunteer secretary for the organization, and I give to Olay to process. So that's been flat for many years. It will not increase whatever changes, but that there is that clause.
So when I say I volunteer, I'm not personally compensated, but there is a compensation for the time given in our efforts. And I believe you said that there's a reimbursement of of any funds not used. >> So all of our costs are fixed. Uh the predominant cost is related to the state
lobbyist and the federal lobbyists that we hire. Uh but it is its own organization. So we have to get DNO uh insurance to protect my board. Uh we we so all of the hard costs once once covered uh what's left is return PR
prata to the um each entity. So, um, so there used to be some reserves accounts which we would kind of roll over, but after the pandemic, uh, and now that we have all four partners back in and we've gotten a federal lobbyist, all those changes, it's cleaner and better to just
give the money back to each entity and start fresh each year. >> Yeah. Yeah. And while we do have a strong lobbying firm, as I said, I think a supplemental firm that they may have relationships that kind of add to it and and help it get across the finish line, it's it's great to have that, but also
that's that, you know, that Olay trip that that you guys go up there and then we all go up there when everybody gets together. you got elected officials from the county, both cities, school board, um you know, that that's the one time I believe throughout the year that everybody gets together and and kind of go back and forth with items and and um
outside of our community, which >> and make no mistake that the fact that all four of our entities are together is is noticed and wellreceived in Tallahassee. That is not common around the state. So, >> yeah. Yes, sir. Thank you, Mayor, if I may follow up. You're right. uh I we get
to more more or less join as a group and it gives us more strength uh to go as a group because we are going as a county in each individual city. I could be wrong, but what I was reading is that if we decide to do this again, it would
become 35, not 30 because of our growth. And in Cassim was 40, we're 30. And I'd like to look at that. But if it is approved, I'd like to prove that also because our growth is such that we're we can't ask for a lot and say, well, because we're little brother, we are no
longer little brother to the city of St. or CMI. we're we're we're equal to or or maybe bigger than in in in the future. So I a fair share is is a payment I agree to. So if the council agrees to that, I I think we
should at least be willing to match what the city of CMI does because I truly believe our numbers show that now. So at the pleasure of council, if we do approve it, I' I'd like to approve the additional funds because of our our statue and our attendance and and our citizens if that's okay. But I don't
know. I just saw it. I read it. Dan. >> Well, if we can clarify for us right now that you mentioned 35,000, City CM is at 40,000. >> Right. >> So, or is your clarification to match it at 40,000? >> I thought you said they voted. >> So, the city of CM approved it this past
week and they reduced their amount from 40 down to 35 because they would like for the city of St. Cloud to match what they offer. >> Okay. That's in information I gathered through reading uh the information and if we want to go forward I believe
that's true because of our size. It may not have been 10 years ago or whenever it happened but if we're going to be in the in the in the in the team then we need to contribute uh with our uh citizens. >> I'm just trying to clarify. So what you're suggesting is that the two-year
contract $30,000 cost to the city be bumped to 35,000. Well, yeah, that I I believe what I read uh attorney is that the the city of CMI wanted to go at 35 because they were at 40 and we're at 30 and they go the these folks are as big as us. If not, we're going to be bigger. So,
>> so again, all we're working on is the agreement that was presented to us, >> you know, through John's good group and >> the agreement that's before you has CM at 40,000, the city of St. Cloud at 30,000, >> right? But but the only time I can talk to you guys is here and I believe the
city wanted to approve it at 35. So this the only time I can talk to the council about it. So yes, I yield back to mayor. But >> I I I I read the information and if I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I think it's going to be that way. >> Mr. New Street, do you want to address that? Did the city of CMI, they've
already voted for theirs at 35. >> So I watched Tuesday night's meeting. I didn't see it come up uh for the city of CMI, but my understanding I'll defer to my board member, Miss Miller, uh for clarification. Mr. Sigerwald told me on we had lunch on Tuesday and he told me that they approved it with the reduction
of 35 for them and because they would like us to also pay 35. >> Okay. Um before we put a motion on the table, I want to ask if anyone in the audience like to speak on this item. >> All right. Can I get a motion? >> I have a motion to approve. Mayor
>> uh at 30 or 35? 35 with if we can use the exception. >> All right, we have a motion from Deputy Mayor Gilbert for to uh approve this agreement for $35,000. >> Second. >> Second from Council Member Urban. Madame Clerk, please call the RO. >> Council member Urban,
>> I. >> Deputy Mayor Gilbert, >> I. >> Council member Fletcher, >> I. >> Council member Paul, >> I. >> Mayor Robertson, >> I. >> Motion carries 5. >> Thank you, John. >> All right. And that is the only item on this agenda. So, we're going to go ahead and adjourn this meeting and we're going to open up the city council workshop
after this.