Good afternoon. Oh, we haven't. So, we will have well attended. I'm calling to order this regular meeting of the Steuart City Commission. Let me get my mic here for the 8th of September, 2025.
Roll call, please. Mayor Rich, here. Vice Mayor Collins here. Commissioner Clark here. Do Reed here. And this afternoon, our invitation, we're all glad to see him back, will be
provided by Chaplain Edah. And after his invocation, we are going to have in recognition and acknowledgement of the events of September 11th of so many years ago, we're going to have an honor guard by the police. And then will you lead us in
the pledge of allegiance after? Yes, sir. Thank you. Please stand. Mr. Mayor, council members, c city officers, but most importantly the citizens of Steuart, it it's just a
honor and privilege to be able to come and invite the presence of the Almighty into these proceedings. Excuse me. I have a frog in my throat and I don't remember eating one. But it's always good to go before the Lord and have him oversee what we've got
going on here. So, let's go to him. Our God and our father, great creator of the universe. You bless us in ways be beyond our imagination. This great nation, you've given us the best on the in the world.
You give us the privilege of living here. We don't even understand all the blessings we have until we've been around in other parts of the world and realize how difficult other people have it. We thank you that you've honored us with being able to be
citizens of this great nation. Lord, we ask you to continue to prosper and develop this beautiful city of Stewart. You guide and direct our city council and our mayor, the officers. You guide them in the direction you'll have them
go, not in the direction we want to go. Lord, show us what you'll have us do. And let us be a shining example for the Treasure Coast. Bless us in all that we do. Father, I ask now upon this city and upon its citizens, the ironic blessing.
May the Lord bless us and keep us. May he make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. May he turn his countenance towards us and in the grace and the love of his son Jesus may he bring us peace. Amen.
Color guard present the colors. If you'll now join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all. If we could just hold the the color, the honor guard right there for a moment. I just take a photo and also want to take a moment to just recognize Lieutenant Shine who's here in the center of the room. Lieutenant Shine has
announced his retirement from the police department after just over 22 years of dedicated service. And Lieutenant Shine is a get it done kind of boss. and he has served honorably with the Steuart Police Department for his 22 years and we salute his service
and this will be his last meeting likely that he's going to attend as a Steuart Police officer. So, uh, thank you, Lieutenant Shine, and we wish you the best in retirement. Thank you. Thank you. I might I also mention that Lieutenant
Shine is a proud retired US Marine 20 years of Marine service. So, here's a man that has dedicated his whole life to this country and we don't have enough of them around anymore.
Thank you, LT. Appreciate you, my brother. Miss Ford, I'm sorry. Hold on. We have a Miss Ford. Would you like to do your song while the color guard is up here? You want to come to the lectern please?
This is Miss Leila Ford there. That's perfect. Good afternoon everyone. Um, my name is Leila Ford and I will be singing Opportunities by Annieow. [Music] I turn my face towards the warm night
sky. And I am not afraid of a thousand eyes when there's above 500 smiles. [Music]
Oh, I used to think, what wouldn't I give for a moment like this? This moment, this gift.
And now look at me and this opportunity. It's standing right in front of me. And one thing I know, it's only part luck. And so I'm putting on my best under the spotlight, the start of my
life. Big dreams becoming real tonight. So look at me and this opportunity. You're witnessing my moment. You see honor guard retire the colors.
Please be seated. [Music] Okay, we can accomplish that. has there. Is there one here for She's checking on it real quick. Thank you, Miss Ford. That was very
good. Thank you. Um, okay. We can go ahead. Mr. Bagot, can you read our first proclamation of the evening, please, for us? Absolutely.
Whereas on September 11th, 2001, the United States suffered a devastating terrorist attack resulting in the loss of nearly 3,000 innocent lives and forever changing our nation. And whereas we honor the courage and sacrifice of first responders,
emergency personnel, and ordinary citizens who acted with extraordinary heroism in the face of unimaginable tragedy. And whereas Patriot Day and the National Day of Service and Remembrance have been designated to commemorate the victims and to promote unity,
reflection, and acts of service in their memory. And whereas the city of Stewart encourages all residents to pause in remembrance, reflect on the strength and resilience of our nation and engage in acts of kindness and community service to in tribute to those we lost.
Now therefore, I, Campbell Rich, mayor of the city of Stewart, do hereby proclaim September 11th, 2025 as Patriot Day and day of service and remembrance and encourage citizens to engage in service on this day and the days surrounding to honor and commemorate the
sacrifices made that day. And accepting this proclamation in recognition of Patriot Day and day of service of remembrance is our own chief chief Z and Chief Felicion. Would you like to say something? Neither
of you, two gentlemen. Just just briefly from the uh the police side of things, we want to say thank you for this for recognizing, you know, the tragedy of that day. And we want to thank the the commission. We also want to thank the community for their support of police work that is done in this city
and, you know, that allows us to ensure the safety of our residents and the roadways in our city. So, we appreciate it. Thank you. I agree. I appreciate um obviously on behalf of the fire department, just the support from you guys year round is is a
huge thing. This is an honor for us to receive this today on on behalf of all of police and fire. So, thank you. 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. Yeah. 8. Tell tell the public. It's not Saturday either. Thursday. Thursday. Thursday.
Yes. This Thursday we're doing um police and fire 911 memorial walk on the Roosevelt Bridge. So join us. Thank you. [Applause] Okay, Mr. Bagot, item number
proclamation number two for this afternoon. Whereas September 17th, 2025 marks the 238th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America by 39 brave patriots. And whereas it is fitting and
proper to accord official recognition to this enduring document in this memorable anniversary and to patriotic celebrations and educational events which will commemorate the occasion. And whereas public law 915 signed by
President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 designates September 17th through September 23rd of each year as Constitution Week. Now therefore, I, Campbell Rich, mayor of the city of Stewart, Florida, do hereby proclaim the week September 17 through the 23rd, 2025
as Constitution Week. And accepting this proclamation in recognition of Constitution Week is Kathy McCartney of the Hal Patio chapter of the Daughters of the American Res Revolution. Good afternoon, Miss McCartney.
Good afternoon. My name is Kathy McCartney and I'm the regent of Hal Patio Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Hal Patio chapter, thank you for the opportunity to accept this petition proclamation from the city of
Stewart acknowledging September the 17th through the 23rd as Constitution Week. The United States Constitution, America's most important document, stands as a testament to the tenacity of Americans throughout history to maintain
their liberties, freedoms, and inalienable rights. And Constitution Week is celebrated annually during the week of September the 17th through the 23rd to commemorate its history, importance, and bring attention to how
it serves still to us today. The celebration of Constitution was started by the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1955, D petitioned Congress to set aside September the 17th through the 23rd
annually to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week. The resolution, as you stated late earlier, was later adopted by the US Congress and signed into public law on August 2nd, 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The DAR has also erected a structure that is built in tribute to the Constitution of the United States. DAR Constitution Hall, which is a performing arts center opened in 1929. The aims of Constitution Week
celebration are to emphasize citizens responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution. Inform people that const that the Constitution is the basis for America's great heritage and the foundation of our
way of life. encouraged the study of historical events which led to the framing of the constitution in September 1787. Constitution week is a great time to learn more about this important document
and celebrate the freedoms it gave us. And also I know that the city of Steuart I thank you for allowing on September the 18th we will be reading and how patio will be attending as well the constitution at the Blake Library at
3:00 and I hope that the citizens of Martin County as well as Steuart attend. One last thing I want to educate you about because I'm a teacher retired bells across America which is another event that we that is uh is an annual
celebration of signing the US constitution. Participants gather to ring bells much as the church bells of Philadelphia rang out when the con US constitution was first signed at 400 pm on September the 17th 1787.
Consider the city, maybe the fire department, whatever. Consider organizing a group to ring bells on September the 17th for one minute at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time to herald the beginning of the commemorative week. And
I thank you for allowing Hal Patty. We have a group of us to accept that. I can see you are you you are accompanied by many of your members. So, ladies, would you all like to come down, please, and get your picture taken?
Of course, they're not shy at all. Cheer cheer. The gang's all here. Beverly. Beverly, get in the middle. Just a couple more and then um you can jump up with your thumbs up a couple times. You're one of those photographers, huh?
Thank you. Okay, Mr. Bagot, our third proclamation for the evening. Whereas hunger and poverty remain issues of grave concern in the United States, the state of Florida, and on the Treasure Coast, with 250,000 children,
adults, seniors, and veterans experiencing food insecurity on a weekly basis. And whereas the city of Stewart is committed to taking steps to raise awareness about the need to end hunger in every part of our city and to provide additional resources that the citizens
of Stewart need. And whereas the city of Stewart is committed to working with the Treasure Coast Food Bank in mobilizing people about the role and importance of food banks and other hunger relief organizations in addressing hunger and bringing attention to the need to devote
more resources and attention to hunger issues. And whereas food banks and hunger relief organizations across the country, including the Treasure Coast Food Bank, coordinated hunger action day on September 9th, 2025, and will
continue to host numerous events throughout the month of September to shed light on this important issue and encourage involvement in in efforts to end hunger in their local community. Now therefore, I, Campbell Rich, mayor of the city of Stewart, do hereby proclaim
the month of September 2025 as hunger action month. And accepting this proclamation this afternoon in recognition of hunger action month is Mr. Rufus Bird. He's the director of the community investment at the Treasure Coast Food Bank. Is Mr.
Bird? Oh, there he is. Good afternoon, everyone. Mr. Bird, I don't think you and I have ever met. No, we haven't. But it's a pleasure to meet you all. Yeah. Thank you. Could would you like to make a few remarks?
Yes. Uh my name is Rufus Bird and on behalf of the Treasure Coast Food Bank, the president and CEO Judith Cruz, our dedicated staff, volunteers, partners, and board of directors. We just want to thank the focus and the support we get
from this wonderful city. Um, as we all know, we have probably good friends, neighbors who are going through some tough times. Um, but it takes, you know, great communities, great people to solve those problems. And we thank you.
Thank you. Clay, you have a new title. I could just get the commissioners to smile. We shouldn't even be in the photo. Photoshop that out. They can't They can't drop us out.
Okay. One, two, three. One, two, three. Maybe. There you go. Thank you. Thank you. Tell Rob. Tell Rob run everybody. Say hello. Jessica Jessica. And finally, Mr. Beagot, our last
proclamation of the afternoon. Whereas the Bible is a fundamental part of the American heritage and is the basis of our inalienable rights and it serves as the foundations of our laws, our national character, and our system of values. And whereas President Ulissiz
Srant stated, "Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties." And President Abraham Lincoln called the Bible the best gift God has given man. And historians credit President George Washington with identifying the United States as one nation under God. And
whereas the year 1990 was proclaimed by a joint congressional resolution and presidential proclamation as the international year of Bible reading. and Bible reading week has been celebrated annually thereafter. And whereas the Bible is the foundation for many
blessings that we enjoy in the United States of America. Now therefore, I, Campbell Rich, mayor of the city of Stewart, do hereby proclaim October 2nd through the 6th, 2025 as 25th annual Bible reading marathon.
And just to read the last paragraph there, Mr. Bagot. In honor in honor of this week, the 25th annual Bible reading marathon celebrates the freedoms of our nation at the band shell in Memorial Park with 90 hour
continuous uh read through of the entire Bible lifting up the word of God, the word that created our nation and continues to strengthen our nation. Okay. and accepting this proclamation in recognition
of the upcoming annual Bible reading marathon. 90 hours. Really? That's Wow. Our pastors Eddie and Joanne Rodriguez and Dr. Julie Bjornson. [Applause]
They said I should speak first. So, but wow. But anyway, I want to thank you for this proclamation. This event is really special. Could you pull the microphone a bit closer to me? I'll start over. Thank you. Okay. Good evening. Thank you for supporting our Bible reading marathon
for 25 years with your proclamation. This event is very special to me. Several years ago, while in Canada, I was in a head-on collision with a snow plow during a white out snowstorm. The plow was unaware the road had been blocked. I had one of those supernatural out-of body
experiences. I don't know if I was dead, but I distinctly remember being pushed back into my body. It was real. The first thing I heard when I was airvacked home was, "Arise, shine, the light is come." I didn't know that was a Bible verse at that time. Through my healing
journey, the Bible became alive. The Bible says, "Faith without works is dead." So, I constantly challenged myself as I was learning to walk and talk again. I did not return to my practice but became more involved in my small community. I learned healing takes putting God
first and support and the support of a community, not a single doctor's office. I think sometimes Americans take the blessings we have for granted. I know I did. I learned Canada's socialism is not God-based. They have no constitution
protection, no authority, no rights, no way to protest. The Bible, God's authority on earth that we read each year, is the foundation of our freedoms, our constitution, and our unalienable rights. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. We are one nation
under God, by the people, and for the people. Helping to establish this Bible reading marathon is my thank you gift to God for my life, for my healing journey, and for our nation. God will heal our land. And we when we humble ourselves
and listen and obey, God's love never fails. Dwight Eisenhower said, I'm sorry, I'm just a little long. There is nothing wrong with America that faith in God, love of freedom, intelligence, and the energy of her citizens cannot cure.
I love God. I love the Bible. And I love our country. I am grateful for everyone who has supported the Bible reading marathon these 25 years. especially this county, this city of Stewart comm um count commissioners with this
proclamation. May the city of Stewart continue to be a light in our present national struggles against darkness. Please come and share the Bible with us. Now I at the end of them, can I say one thing about 911? Thank you, Dr.
Thank you, Dr. I cry. And um thank you so much um to the mayor and the council for once again presenting us with a proclamation. Um this is the silver jubilee 25 years of the Bible reading marathon. It is the
longestr running continuous annual Bible reading marathon in the nation. And it was founded we want to give honor to pastors Jean and Donna Hilton who began it. And Julie was one of the beginning team here. She's been here all 25 years.
And so, um, uh, we are very grateful, um, for what this does in the community. It is October 2nd through October 6. We begin reading at 6:00 p.m. on October 6th. And once we start reading, we do not stop. We I'm sorry,
October 6th. I'm sorry. We begin reading at 6:00 on October 2nd. What did I say? On October 2nd. And once we start reading, we do not stop. It is continuously read day and night 24/7 rain or shine um with volunteers in 15minute increments 365
15inute increments that people from all over the community volunteer to come and give their time to step up to read God's word over our nation and um and it is such a privilege because it brings hope and peace and love to the community. Every year we've been in had the
privilege of when pastor Donna and Jean we thank them for passing the baton of eight years ago. We also we are also praying that pastor Donna will be here for this year as well to celebrate the 25th year. And um we have seen in the past eight years just um the presence of
God move miraculously during this week. uh we see people come and it says that God's word Jesus says that he is the word and it said that God he says that he is the truth the way and the life and we do truly see life come to people as they step up and hear God's word and
pass by and it's such a joyous occasion throughout that week and we watch so many lives be blessed and touched and changed and so we invite everyone to come out everyone come out call 561-6700469 um and um come out and read. I It's an
experience that you'll never forget. And so, God bless you all and thank you for your support. Thank you. I just want to say everything my wife said I'm in agreement with. Thank you. Can Can I ask a question?
Can Can I ask a question? Well, she wants to say one more thing. We make special arrangements for callins when people are housebound. We have calls from out of the state. We have military that are on duty that call in from around the world.
So don't feel that because of limitations you might not be able to participate. C can I ask a question? How do you volunteer to be a reader? Sign up right here. Paul I think that the mayor it would be good
if the mayor volunteered. will be representing the city card in front of our table. The card in front of our table. Yes. I've done it every year, right? Except Yes. Thank you. Not for the even even before I was on the commission. 561-670469. Yes.
We have flyers. We can more than happy to give them to you for a small price. It's simple and powerful. So, please give us a call and if you have any questions, um, we can answer them for you. That's a different certificate. That's what I thought. What said
Thank you. My 30 seconds is I will be setting up my 911 display this Thursday from 8 to 6 pm at the Palm City Skate Park corner of Martin Downs and Map Road. I've done this for 20 years. Last year, the county
actually gave me a designated corner for as long as I wanted it. People come, they cry, and I cry with them. The many signs I put up, and I put over 50 signs remind people terrorist attacks continue after 9/11. Many say
they had forgotten. We must not forget the World Trade Center 911 terrorist attacks lasting only two hours. Four terrorists, four terrorist flights, thousands died instantly. 343 brave New
York City firemen died that day. Over 370 New York firefighters have died since then from toxic dust related illnesses. Please pray for New York firemen during this time.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Julie. So before we begin the service awards, I just want to have you make note we have to make an addition to the presentations. So this will actually be 7A and it is a Florida Department of
Transportation presentation regarding the rehab for the railroad bridge. So we have to add that in as a matter of timely compliance. So if you want to make note. But before we begin the service awards, I have one we
overlooked. And Miss Ford, Leila Ford, will you come please accept your certificate of appreciation? [Applause] Thank you mother.
[Applause] Okay. We haven't had too many of these recently, but this meeting and the next one, there's quite a few. So I'm happy to recognize for five years of service
in utilities and engineering Dylan Sperry Khalis is Mr. Khalis here. No for 15 years of service in public works. Kenneth Miller. Would you like to say anything?
No. Okay. Happy to be here at all. You can defer to Milton if you want. Oh, yes. That's a good idea. Thank you. Congratulations. I don't know.
and for 20 years of service in utilities and engineering. Wow, you get the fancy gold seal and ribbon. Bruce Belland Baland. [Applause]
Congratulations, sir. Come on up. Come on. Yep. Go miss together. Go on over. [Laughter]
Thank you, Miss [Applause] So little Okay, I got my steps in. Um,
well, we're privileged to have with us, and I thank her for taking the time and making an effort, is Martin Countyy's own supervisor of elections, Vicky Davis. Well, thank you, Mayor. Can you all hear me? Mayor,
um, thank you for the opportunity to share a little bit of time this afternoon and some information with you. So, Mayor Rich, Vice Mayor Collins, commissioners, um, Mr. Mortell, Mr. Bagot, and Clerk Kendall, thank you for the opportunity
to be here. Um, we've presented you with a packet of information and what we're doing is visiting with our municipalities as a part of highlighting our centennial, our hundred years in Martin
County. So, in the back of your packet, you have celebrating 100 years of democracy in action. And just wanted to point out some highlights. If you can take out your your little report and turn to page
three, um you'll see a historic century in elections. And then the next uh couple of pages, four and five are the seven gatekeepers of democracy in
Martin County. And the first registar of elections was Mr. Wade Hampton Earl. And I have to go back a little bit because in 1925 um the city of Stewart actually registered all of voters and we have
those uh registration written handwritten um logs at at the elections office. So um you'll see through the years I make number seven. My predecessor was Peggy Robbins who
served for 27 almost 28 years and I've been fortunate enough to serve the voters of Martin County and residents of Martin County. This is my 21st year. So, um if you look continue on through the
book, you will booklet, you will see on pages eight and nine our um primary and general election turnout of 2024. And if you look to the very right under the general election
page, um you'll see that in 2024 we had 116,000 registered voters. 99,481 turned out for the general election,
making it an 85.2% 2% turnout in Martin County, which equates to Martin County having the 10th highest turnout in the state of Florida. So, thank you for everyone who came out and voted.
Yeah, that's amazing. It is, isn't it? you look at the rest of the country especially and about seven seven of the six of the of the counties that were ahead of us in that lineup of 10 were very very small counties. The
two larger counties than Martin were Valuchia and St. John's. So we had a really great turnout. Um if you turn to page 10, you'll see our budget is included in here. And I know we're um
ours is tentative. It hasn't been finalized, but we are going to be replacing our equip our voting equipment. We've had it for almost 20 years. In 2008, Governor um Chris Charlie Christ was governor. He
basically mandated that the state of Florida would be a paper a paper state. in in Martin County at that time, we had electronic touchscreen equipment. So when I came into office, I had approached our board of county
commissioners, county administrator, asked if the dollars that were left over in in my budget on an annual basis could go into an equipment replacement account. So you'll see the amount that we have in our equipment replacement
account. We don't have I don't have to go back before the board of county commissioners to ask for additional funding because the money is there. Um it more than covers what we need to update our equipment.
With that, I'm going to um turn it over for just a minute to Carrie Anderson. I think most of you know Kerry. K's been with the office it will be 20 years on Halloween. Curi, my previous chief deputy, Debbie Dent,
and I think most of you know Debbie. Remember Debbie? She retired after 35 years after the November general election. And Kiri has been promoted up to chief deputy. So, I want Kiri to
cover pages 12, 13. And um some of the pages in in the report. K. Vicki, Vicki, I just had a question about the machines. Forgive me. Uh, no, that's fine. How would you characterize the update and what you're going to be we're going to be using?
It's for the voting equipment. It's the same type of equipment. It's just instead of what we currently have are DS200's. We're just upgrading to the 300s. New version of the same thing. It same thing. Thank you.
Yep. Same company, ESNS, which is Election Systems and Software out of Omaha. Um, the state of Florida has only certified two companies, either Dominion or ES ESNS. We've been ESNS since 2002.
Yeah, let's not do Dominion. Yeah. Okay, Carrie. Good afternoon, commissioners. Krie Anderson with the Supervisor of Elections Office. I'll just quickly highlight for you some of the pages in our book that Miss Davis asked me to share. If you turn to page 12 in your
book, you're going to look at our milestones in schools and civic engagement. As you know, our supervisor of elections was a school board member for eight years prior to being elected supervisor of elections. So, our passion with our schools is something that we hold dear, and we have a wonderful
working relationship with our Martin County School Board that allows us to go into our schools to provide educational outreach programs to our students. As many of you know, Florida law says at the age of 16 and 17, a person can pre-register to vote. You can't cast a vote, but by pre-registering, you're
eligible to work the polls on election day. Those students even receive an excused absence because they're participating in the process. And what we found, they have a true love for the process and elections, but if they stay local, they continue to work the polls on election day. and our voters
overwhelmingly comment how they love seeing our seasonal work workers as well as our young workers working the polls together. If you notice, you see our middle school contest. We have a Chick-fil-A contest with our middle school students where they come up with a nonpartisan piece. That artwork is
displayed in Chick-fil-A with their election information as well as our election dates and contact information. Just a reminder to the public, elections are coming, but the students can participate in a nonpartisan way. Our winner receives Chick-fil-A gift certificates. The cow comes in the
patriotic costume to the classroom and it encourages a civic education lesson for those teachers in those classrooms. And our middle school students love it. Our I voted sticker, as you all know, for the last two election cycles. Our supervisor of elections has allowed our
elementary school students to design our future voter sticker and our high school students design our I voted sticker. and it's been very wellreceived in our community. So, we will have that contest again this year and in January we will announce the winning sticker for our
2026 election cycle as well as our color me patriotic art contest which is sponsored by attorney Leser and he gives our student a monetary prize of $200. That artwork becomes the sole property of the elections office. It's on display
in our office. So whenever you come in to see your elections office, whether casting a vote, coming in on a tour or our supervisor of elections keeps an open door policy because you have questions, you can see our students displaying what uh what elections mean
to them in a nonpartisan way hanging on our wall. On page 13, we are just highlighting some of our partnerships with our sheriff's department and county by using their message boards as well as the city. We use those traffic boards just to remind our voters of early voting dates, reminding them if you
haven't registered what the registration deadlines are, as well as office tours, inviting our public, come in. Come in and see your elections office, get your questions answered, have a firsthand tour so that you know what we do to secure your vote. If you flip your page
to page 14, we also highlight our adopt a precincts. And the D ladies who were here earlier who accepted their proclamation are actually individuals who adopt a polling precinct. By adopting a precinct, you agree to assign workers to work the polls. And the
monies you would have individually earned, you sign a waiver that they go back to your group. So, it's a great way to serve your community while earning non uh earning non-restricted dollars to go back to your organization. And our election workers, they are the heartbeat
of the process. In your packet, we have information about becoming election workers. We encourage you share that with individuals you know who want to serve in our community. We're always looking for more gatekeepers of the process so we can always use additional election workers. And on page 15, you
see the 2026 election dates. We're getting that information out to the public. We want to remind them if you are registered to vote, check your status. Has your name changed? Has your address changed? Would you like to change your party? Do you need to update your signature? Be election ready in
2026. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. And congratulations on your new position. Yes. Carrie does an awesome job. She does. Yes. Um, so Kiri covered dates with you. You have it in front of you for the upcoming primary election and general
election of 26. There's also the book closing dates for both of those elections. It's really, really important for our voters to be aware of book closing, especially for a primary election because of the fact that the state of Florida is a closed primary
state. So, we really try to get that information out there. And as Kiri said, thank you for your traffic message boards that you allow us to use during during the election cycle. We so appreciate that. Um,
one legislative item that passed this past session has to do Yes. Has to do with your driver's license. I think it was a legislative It was legislation. Yeah. Um, if you renew your driver's
license now, you're going to be issued a driver's license with a different number than what you currently may have. So, we're encouraging voters if you renew your driver's license or receive a new
driver's license, update that information with the office. It's not going to um it's it's not going to hold you back from voting. However, it could affect you your request to vote by mail because
we are required to verify that information and it can also a affect any petitions, initiative petitions that a voter may sign. So, we're really getting that information out. And I just wanted to
remind everyone too that if you do vote by mail, you have to renew your request after every election cycle. December 31st, a request is expuned from the system and um you have to request again
the state of Florida does not just blanketly um mail out vote by mails. You had a question. I was about to ask the mayor if I could speak. Certainly. Oh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to say I encourage everyone
to visit the um voting to visit uh the election office, the election voting. It you were so instrumental in your staff for someone like myself who was a new candidate, new to the process, the behind the scenes, how the machinery works, and all of the young people involved was just amazing.
And I encourage everyone before election to go and visit your polling station. Thank you so much. Thank you, Commissioner. And mentioning uh candidate training, we have training dates coming up. They're included in your packet. The first one is going to
be Tuesday, October the 14th at the elections office from 10:00 a.m. to noon. And then we'll have one each month um January, February, and March as well. So those dates are included. They're on our website. As Kerry said, I have an
open door policy. If anybody has any questions at any time, please don't hesitate to come by or give us a call. Commissioner Clark, thank you, Mayor. Um, I'm so glad that and congratulations, um, Miss Anderson.
Uh, I'm so glad that you mentioned the intersection of the schools and the elections department and Mrs. Davis's service. I want to say just two words. Public servant.
If you ever know know or don't know why you would or are involved in this process, follow I guess what Miss Jo is saying, go talk to Vicki. Vicki is truly a public servant, not just for elections
information, but just for the type of service that she's provided to the community. And I think that we need to have a Vicky Davis day one of these days sometime soon. and we just appreciate the all that you're doing and the legacy
that you're leaving behind for others to serve us, to continue to serve us in the election office and to continue doing a good job for our local community as well as for the state of Florida. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. I agree. I think we should do a Vicky
Davis cookies and lemonade day. It it takes a team truly. And our our my office is small. I make number 10 of employees and Kiri does a yman's job of getting the election workers lined up because of course we have to really ramp
it up during election season. We have to bring in temporary staff um to help with the phones to provide information and um and then our pole workers are are as Kerry said essential to the election
process. I cannot I cannot fulfill my obligation as a constitutional officer without the help of each and every one of the pole workers. So, but your support is is truly um I'm honored to have your support. Thank you for your
kind words. We appreciate it. I will take that back to the office to staff. The entire team. It's a team. Absolutely. So, thank you for your time and anything that we can provide you at any time, please know we're available.
Thank you for Thank you. Pleasure, Miss Davis. Thank you. Thank you. We weren't trying to bribe you or anything, Commissioner Clark. I'm just going,
Mr. Mortell. Uh um 7A cook is so that who's going to up here he is do. Okay the three of you could just introduce yourselves please. All right good good afternoon. Good
evening. My name is Lance that way up there. Huh? Yeah. Hey good evening. My name is Lance Jones and I'm here with the Florida Department of Transportation and I have Chris with HDR and I have Lisa Stone with Kimberly Horn and we're happy today with um
Sir, you're going to have to speak up. I said we're here today to present the Basco Bridge rehab of County Road 707 Dixie Highway. And to be clear that it's it's not the railroad bridge, but it's the the old Rose the old Roosevelt Bridge. Okay. Sorry. Bridge.
And the project limits are along the old Roosevelt bridge. And the bridge number is 8900003. It's in the city of Stewart and County of Martin. And the project management number is 455087-2. Okay.
Go to the next slide, please. And I will pass it on to Lisa to go over the agenda. Thank you. Thank you for having us here today. Um we are going to go over the project location also uh the proposed improvements uh the environment impacts and we have
an upcoming public meeting which is why we're here to talk to all of you today. Also we're going to discuss the schedule and the cost of the project and also provide Lance's contact information. Next slide please. So as mentioned this is adjacent to the
railroad bridge. It is 08 miles of a project. It is the Dixie Highway County Road 707 or as locals call it the old Roosevelt Bridge. So this is rehabbing the project or the the bridge.
Next slide please. So a little bit of history. This is actually the third bridge that has been there in in this exact place. Uh back in 93 the northbound bridge was removed and the southbound bridge was made birectional.
In 96 a major bridge rehab was take did take place. A lot of the electrical and mechanical systems were um were replaced and then in 2002 2006 the fender systems were replaced and in 2013 the steel
bridge received a facelift with some fresh paint. I'm gonna have Chris discuss some of the proposed improvements that's going to happen. Okay. So, on this slide, you'll see some of the several key improvements were proposing for the rehab. Um, first, the
existing sidewalk. It's made up of a T-grid grading, has open spaces. We're going to replace that with a solid aluminum plate with a state-of-the-art uh friction coating. Um it's going to make it safer and more comfortable for pedestrians. Um we're also um improving
the maintenance access. Um right now it's a manhole and a ladder down into the pier at the south rest pier. Um but we're going to um provide a stairway down on the outside of the Basco Pier and and cut into the side of the pier
face. um providing a more reliable and safer access point for maintenance personnel. Um for the bridge steel, the painting, um we're gonna provide a new three coat uh inorganic zinc coating that it's going to provide significant
uh corrosion resistance and extend the service life of the structural steel. And then finally, we're addressing the bridgeg's operating system. So, the mechanical electrical systems. We're going to uh renovate the electrical controls and we're going to be replacing
the span locks for the movable span part um among other mechanical repairs um throughout. Um these upgrades, while mostly invisible to the public, um are critical to ensuring the span operates safely and reliably into the future.
Next slide, please. that comes from Pierce. I said that um we're also focusing on the fender system. Um the part that protects the the bridge pierce. Um there's some deterior components that we're going to be replacing out, mostly timber. Um and
in that will ensure that the bridge remains well protected from for you know any type of small vessel collisions. Um on the deck itself, we've identified some um uh failed welds that hold the grading in place to the stringers. Um,
and we're also um going to be filling um the the roadway grid deck with a concrete lightweight concrete fill to provide a better um bicycle path for on both sides. Um it'll improve the the rideability for bicyclists. We're going to repair those welds, those cracked
welds as well. Um um for the sanitary um improvements that for the tender house facilities, the existing bathroom currently has a marine burner system which is outdated and less environmentally uh friendly. So um we're going to be connecting it to the city of
Stewart's pump station and um it'll make the facility more sustainable for the tender um but also more pleasant for operators and people maintenance personnel that use it. Um and lastly, we'll be um sealing the concrete deck for the approaches and the removal span
back uh the back span of the move span. Um right now most of the corrosion stems from what we think is runoff from boat trailer traffic um uh which carries a lot of salts and contaminants onto the deck. Sealing it will provide a layer of protection um that significantly reduces
the deterioration and extends the life of that deck of the the bridge and its deck structure. Um all right, next slide please. All right, so in summary, um so the aerial image highlights the locations of the repairs. Um together these measures will extend the service
life of the bridge by addressing, you know, the critical repairs and imple and implementing protective systems. Many of those mechanical and electrical upgrades will not be visible to the public, but they are essential for the continued safe and reliable operation of the movable span. At the same time, user
focused enhancements such as upgrading the sidewalk and improving bicycle ridability on the shoulders will improve this the experience for pedestrians and cyclists. Uh, finally, improved access for the maintenance personnel will help ensure long-term functionality and
reliability. I'm sorry, how how are you improving it for bicycles? Could you just explain that? For bicyclists, we're we're planning to uh provide a um a concrete fill in the open grid deck on the shoulders because currently on the
movable span, the the draw span that is all like open grading. Okay. So, what we're proposing is like a 4 foot wide strip on both leaves on both sides. Oh, okay. So, you know, instead of people riding on the sidewalk, they can ride in the
roadway since a shared use path. The sidewalk is so narrow. You really That's right. It's okay. Well, you're not widening the sidewalk, are you? No, you can't do that. No, we're just replacing the police. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Real quick, we just finished our firm assisted with the Jupiter US1
bridge um replacement and now that a lot of them the grades are filled, so we don't have to retrofit it. So, this will be good for the bicyclists. Real quick, and I'll wrap it up, but we are protecting the environment with the construction and the rehab out there. Um you we've got the small tooth uh sawfish
out there, sea turtle, manatee. So we will be taking the appropriate measures so uh there are no impacts. Next slide. So the construction is going to actually be in two phases. The first phase we are
going to close the bridge for two to three months and that's when they will be painting and filling in the grading. Um and that will allow uh that to be closed, work gets done faster and the detour will be via US1. Uh the second
phase will be take place over two months and that will consist of doing some of the sidewalk work that Chris was discussing as well as peer improvements. The um some of the fishing may be intermittently interrupted, but we will
work with the public so they're notified of everything. And uh there will be no the bridge to marine traffic. No, definitely not. I was just going to finish up that there is no boat traffic. No, you're good. Yes. Um so, so no boat traffic will be
interrupted by this. All right. All right. Next slide, please. So again, most of this is the detour. If you see the orange, uh when we do need to close the bridge, it will be going over US1.
Um, and we will be notifying folks of this. We will have um all of this uh you know at a website so people can look at it. They'll be aware of it in advance. Next, one of the biggest things and I don't think they're still here. Well, some of them are. So, we will be
coordinating with the um fire and rescue police uh to so they're aware of what when the closures are in order for them to change the routes if needed. We will also have a public information meeting prior to the construction for this
project. And I'm about to tell you about a public meeting we're having next week that hopefully all of you got an invitation for. Next slide. So the benefits of the bridge is we will be extending the bridge's life as well as keeping marine traffic flowing
flowing and also improving the bridge for all users. Next, the virtual meeting. We have two formats. We have one virtual and one in person. The in-person one is right here at the Flaggler and it'll be on September 17th. Then there's also an option if you can't make it to the
inerson, we have a virtual one on September 16th. The exact same information will be presented and any comments are welcome throughout. We also send it out to appointed officials. Uh look at an area. Normally we do about 500 feet from the area. We went above
and beyond that because you're just going to get a bunch of sea turtles and marine life for sending out the invitation. So we went north and south of there and we also um are getting the word out such as you know with telling all of you and the Martin NPO is aware as well. Uh and there's a project
website if you look there if you want to either do take a screenshot with your Q with the QR code with your phone or you can go to the link provided. Next slide. So, the design completion, which is what
we're in now, will be completed in early next year. As mentioned, the construction will begin in the fall of 2026, completed spring of 2028, and the approximate cost is 11 million for the rehab. Next,
here's Lance's contact information, his email. Note, there is a one. I guess there's another Lance Jones out there somewhere at DOT, so he's one. and also his phone number if you need to get a hold of him. Next slide. DOT always likes to provide their safety
message of the month and this month it is the heat stroke prevention because it does feel like it lately. So join the US Department of Transportation's safety administration for the once you park stop look lock heat stroke prevention campaign. Hot car deaths are the leading
cause of non-crash vehicle related deaths for children 14 and younger. As temperatures rise around the country, it's essential for parents and caregivers to to uh stop, look, and lock. And with that, we will take any questions you may have.
Any questions of these presenters? I just was I wrote down the date for the public meeting. I hope all of you did get the uh invitation. So, you should have gotten an email invitation. We got the invitation just for the public. How long is that supposed to
last? So, if we could back up, I think I've got it on there as it begins fall of 2026 and spring of 2028. So, about a year and a half, right? Spring, help me. Yeah. Year and a half, right? Am I doing my math right? Yes.
Long time. Well, it's not the closure. The closure isn't that long. There's just intermittent times of closure. Mr. mortal that wouldn't affect the boat. That is always taken into account any special events. It's not during peak hours usually and and obviously uh the
contractor would work with any major events. We had to deal with the same thing on the Jupiter US1 project as well. Okay. Because we run the trolley back and forth and do things right more active. The bridge becomes a little bit active that weekend. Okay.
Yes. Thank you. Lens number one. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Comments by city commissioners. Commissioner Reed, do you have any comments?
Yeah, this was for Mike. I know we've talked about the halfsent sales tax. Um, someone had asked about Papa Creek if there was an update. I know the board's priority was, I believe, Pleton Creek, um the trail head on US1,
um and just conservation. So, I can I mean, I can respond to you. Uh it's the way we're going to try to do Pleton Creek was uh kind of a globalist approach in that there's
um aation, there's uh these uh impeller type things that can um move water and silts. There's the dredging of Pleatton Creek and there's the um trimming of the mangroves to it. So, we're trying to
work with um D and as the county does, they I think the county's presentation a couple weeks ago was that they get $4 for every dollar out of the halfsent sales tax by using grant money and other things as matches. And we just um
recently hired a firm to assist us with the grants. And so, we'll be trying and and it is true that Pton Creek is prioritized. The problem with it is it's not going to be overnight because there's a lot of moving parts to it and in order to and unfortunately it's also
an enormous project because there's a lot of silt in the bottom of it. Trimming the mangroves is a lot as well. So in order to utilize those funds the best way we need to get matching grants through D and we'll have to play their schedules. But as those get published and those come out, I will update you
guys accordingly because we'll need resolutions to authorize us to apply for them. And then uh as it relates to other items, we've been just trying to identify uh projects and um property as
well still that's in it and we'll be bringing all those back to you as well. time frame for Papa Creek realistically. Realistically, if we had it completely funded right now, it would take two years from we don't even have it funded. Even start an initiative, what are we
looking if the D published something next month to do a 5050 matching grant and we applied for it by December, they'd probably have responses out in February or March, but they haven't done that yet. No. So that would be I mean we could start hiring
consultants, but the problem with it is is we'd lose in the long run. So it's just it's a it's a grant cycle and like I said, we just hired this grant company literally three weeks ago. So they'll probably be coming back to us with different grants or different
proposals or time frames and as soon as they do, I'll bring it back to you. Okay. And then uh another thing I'm going to probably mention it every meeting. I'd like to see emails online from the city. Um also I want to bring up something as well and I don't know
how we can address this Mike or how we can accomplish it but from a chair perspective and I understand the chair signs important documents on the board's behalf but I want to give three examples. The first one would have been the Bright Line lease on my inauguration
day. I had no clue that that was even signed. Um the second one, uh there was a lean release that was signed by a chair prior to me being here without any public scrutiny and then as well as uh a grant extension that was signed that
nobody would know about. So how do we accomplish something like that where if the chair is signing documents is that in like could it be a consent agenda? So, the Bright Line the Bright Line lease was voted on by the board at the prior
meeting and so that has a resolution that's tied to it authorizing the signature. The grant extension was voted on by the CRA and authorized it as well and there's a resolution tied to that as well. The re the lean
release is state law. And what happens is and if a person pays off a recorded lean like right now we have a lot of them coming due recently because about eight years ago a lot of people did the sign up and save for their uh to hook up
to the sewer systems. And so as they satisfy the outstanding lean that's recorded on their house to pay for the sewer, once that's satisfied, they have to um the mayor has to sign off on the lean
because it's satisfied in full. The lean release that you're talking about that was signed by Mayor McDonald, um the only reason I know about it is because there was some accusation that I had like illegally reduced the code enforcement lean. It actually had nothing to do with me. It was the
building official that had addressed it. And Mr. McDonald didn't have anything to do with the actual lean itself. What happened was the building official had set a fine for whatever activity had taken place and it was recorded as a
lean against that property. If someone comes in and pays that amount off in full, then we have to sign the lean release. It's been paid in full. Yeah. So my my comment really wasn't like to get into the details. It was more so how can I know as a public
official and the public know what documents are being signed. I understand we authorize them but the document itself whether it's the signature page um they are in the agenda item not for everything that we just discussed on the bright line wasn't even on the
agenda packet. The but the lease wasn't the authorization for it. Yes, but the actual lease was not. Um I I don't remember if it I don't know if it was shared with everybody in advance or what it was. It wasn't done, but you weren't on the board yet.
Correct. That's why you didn't get it that day and it was signed that day. I know, but it was two weeks before the meeting. Two weeks before that was when it was voted on. It wasn't the fact that it was signed that day was because it didn't get printed and circulated until that day, but the commission had voted
on it at the prior meeting. Like tonight, you guys are going to vote on a road closure for the Christmas parade. Well, it won't be until the end of the week that the FD paperwork or whatever comes with that goes across the mayor's
desk and the mayor would sign that resolution and sign those documents. It might be on the exact same day as the September 22nd meeting, but that doesn't mean that it happened on the 22nd. It happened at the meeting. It still doesn't address what I'm getting at. What I'm getting at is I
would like to know about things that are signed just more in detail. For example, at the last meeting, it was mentioned about a deadline in December, but if I would have had the grant extension, I personally would have known it was the end of January 26. But if I didn't ask
for that document, I would have never have known. Does that make sense? So I understand we authorize we authorize just vote no. Well, it's not about that. I would like to see it and I think the public might. Right. But I mean, if it's not attached, vote no. Well, I'm asking for it to be attached. It is. That's what that's I'm saying you it's
our intention to be attached. It was not attached. What isn't? What wasn't the signature page was not attached? What? Um the the grant extension. It wasn't in the agenda packet which last meeting you brought up the grant extension. We didn't. I did, but we didn't. There was no agenda item.
There was no way to attach it because we it was it was like it was a surprise. We're going to talk about the grant today. It wasn't on the agenda. If it had been on the agenda and staff had presented something to you, it was it was signed this year by the chair, right? And I didn't know it existed. But the
grant extension was an agenda item that you guys voted on that was extended and had you looked at that agenda item, it would have been there and it had the deadline of January January 31st. It was on the agenda packet. I don't know. I just my opinion what I'm looking for is and I don't know if you
need a consensus from the board, but anything that gets signed. By the way, it is always our intention for it to be attached. If it's not there, don't authorize the mayor to sign it. If it's not attached, vote no. I don't think the details were there, but but they are there. And if they're not, just vote. I don't think that that's what if you
just take Bright Line for instance, I think what he's trying to say is yes, the previous board, the commissioners approved it. Yes, it was signed. You had new commissioners coming on board at like 3:00. That document was signed sometime between 9 and 2:30. The new board commissioners should have been
notified that we there was a document signed. Had you been at the meeting? You would have been. But on top of that, even if the new board wanted to unravel that, you couldn't undo the vote that told the mayor to sign it. That happened the meeting before the meter the mayor was
instructed to sign it. No matter what, that meeting occurred and that vote occurred. We understand that. But what we're saying is on that particular day, new commissioners came on board and a document was signed that was a pretty important document and we weren't notified. I think that's just a level of transparency for new commissioners to
know that. So you want to every time the mayor is going to sign a document, you guys want to review it? I'm not sure how to do that. The agenda packet. That's all. But it was if you look at the items, excuse me, if you look at the items today, okay, that
is the exact document I will sign if we approve it. Okay. But it's right there. I took the bright line as an example. The bright line, the exact document I signed. You did, but we were not on the commission at the time is what we're saying. That document was signed the day we weren't we were sworn in. That's all
we're saying. But that was just a timing thing because that's when it came back from Bright Line and everybody. It was not a surprise. It was voting. It was not a surprise if you had already been on the commission. But if you It was not a surprise if you had been on the commission already and you knew that that had passed and that's at some point
he was going to sign it. It's just a matter of transparency. I think that's and I think for without a doubt that if staff inadvertently left a document or didn't have it there, the commission shouldn't do it. I mean, I it's our intention to always have the document attached for your review and if it's not
there, vote no. I think what he's saying is that's a document we would be voting on so we would know it would be there and we would know that the Right. Right. He's talking about just as an example, Bright Line, which wasn't something we No, he's not. He's not saying the Bright Line. He didn't think it was attached to the
agenda ever to even the prior commission. Well, I don't know about the prior commission. I was on the commission, but that's what he's saying. And he's saying the same thing about the grant extension. What What uh I I know you don't remember in particular, but this grant extension was on
It would have been the CRA board because it had to be part of the uh but uh it has to be part of the CDBG grant. Yeah. I don't know. I'm just I don't know. I'm asking for something simple, but I'm not saying anything was done
with ill intent. What I'm saying is if documents get signed by the chair, if it was easy to see in an agenda packet, whether it's consent agenda, it just be I can tell you we don't give documents to the chair to sign that haven't been before the board other than lean satisfactions
for for clarification. Are you looking for maybe on so like for example to have that included this well I can use I can use the grant extension for example this document the entire document the signature page because it's not a resolution like what Mayor Rich was trying to pull up on his
iPad. This is a different document where it was drafted and there would have been a justification letter to follow up with it. Where is that justification letter? You're telling me it's a CRA agenda package? That's not that's not what happened. You're misreading that document. That document granted the
extension in 24 for one year into 25 for one year said in the event that there's another request it has to be former it has to do this and it has to have the supporting documentation. We haven't done that. Well, it didn't happen. I I mean it
shows that it was No, it says that language paragraph three is from the last extension and it says in the event you have another request past January 31st of 2026, you will need to show a justification letter and you will need to show
where's the justification. It hasn't. We never requested it. We haven't done a justification justification letter was in the CRA agenda packet. Then the first one didn't have a a justification letter outlining all the things. All it said was they asked for an extension still, right? It was, but you have to send it to Florida
Commerce and they have to approve it. I can't I can't have the debates with you. If you want to come see me like before the meeting or off of a separate time, I'm happy to pull it. Otherwise, I would have. Yeah. Because I I but I don't I don't have it with me because I wasn't prepared to have this conversation, but I'm happy to to present it all to you
and give it to you. But that grant extension was approved. And in the grant extension, they added language that said, "We're granting, we're accepting this grant. We're going to give you an extension for a year. You're on everything's going forward, but if you
request any more grant extensions, you're going to need to do a grant uh justification letter, supporting documents. It's going to have to be approved by the secretary from the state of Florida and all this other stuff." But we haven't applied for anymore. Even the first one? No,
you did do the first one. First one didn't have all the criteria in it as the second one. The same exact again. I don't know. I have not I'm not No, I know. Part of it. I don't It's not on the agenda. I have no idea. So, I'm We could after the meeting. I'm happy to go pull it up. You can chime in. You're the one that
emailed it to me. I I I don't I mean, I can go pull the document and read it, but yeah, but there was an extension two. So, what I'm getting at those those signed extensions I don't believe were in the agenda packet. may be authorizing
for it, but the actual signature page I don't think existed. It's it's always our intention to include the signature page and if it's not there, it's because a photo copy didn't make it on or there's something that it isn't there because we hadn't received it yet. Just like during the
the budget cycle this year, there were numbers we didn't have from the state yet. We still move forward with it and we tell you we don't have this document yet, but it's coming. But it's always our intention to include the document. Not saying it was bad intention. And I feel like that's the direction you're going. No, I'm just tell I'm going by.
You're saying you would like the documents attached and I'm telling you that it's always the intention that they be attached. And out of the three examples you gave, they were in two of them. It's just that one of them is a lean release and lean releases are generally signed
by the mayor no matter what because by state law, if the person paid off the lean, I fully understand there's no discretion. I fully understand it, but it wasn't in the agenda packet. That's all. And lean releases, you want lean releases to be in the agenda package moving forward. Anything the chair signs, I think, should be in an agenda packet.
Well, then what's the pleasure of the board? I'm happy to add that. That's my comment. But as that is my entire comment, releases is the only thing that's not because they're already by state law have to be signed. If it's paid in full,
we have to sign it. Now, I don't I'm fine with it and we'll add them and it's going to list everybody that paid off their their sewer lean and we can add it to the agendas and we'll wait two weeks to have them signed. I mean, I that's no problem if the that's the pleasure of the board.
That was literally I mean we had this what is it uh 25minut discussion over this and that was my comment. It's not a 25minute discussion. The board has always authorized the mayor to sign all the paychecks of all the employees and all the leans as they
become due. What you're asking is from this point forward to have that be an agenda item documents. Yes. Now you're bringing in paychecks is another thing they sign. Come on, Mike. That's not what I'm getting at. But okay, I'm done with my comments. Thank you, Mike. Yeah, I think we should have that discussion. Okay, we are going to
temporarily adjourn this meeting in order to attend to a mandatory budget meeting. So, this meeting is adjourned and I'm calling to order the special commission meeting tenative mill and
tenative budget of the Steuart city commission for the 8th of September, 2025. A few minutes late. Roll call, please. Mayor Rich, here. Vice Mayor Collins here. Commissioner Clark here. Commissioner Dobby here. Commissioner Reed
here. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. And we're going right to comments by city commissioners. Commissioner Reid, do you have any comments regarding the budget meeting? Uh, sure. Jolie, I know um in the city commission budget uh it's 25,500 aids to
other government. What was that for? Just a moment, sir. If this is this is comments by commission if it's comments from commissioners if we could I'll wait. Yeah, it's generally right separate from
the matter at hand. Commissioner Gobi, do you have any? No, I don't. Commissioner Clark, no. Mr. Vice Mayor, I have none. Mr. Mortell, uh, first I need to uh address some
matters. By for law, two public hearings must be held to ultimately adopt the final millage rates and annual budget for the city of Steuart, Florida. The purpose of tonight's first public hearing or tenative is to hear public comments regarding the proposed millage rates and budget, amend the budget if
necessary, and to tentatively adopt the millage rate and city budget for the fiscal year 2026. The first public hearing has been advertised via the notice of proposed property taxes mailed by the property appraisers office. Now,
um in response to uh Commissioner Reed's question, I I don't know uh what the $25,000 specifically is that was budgeted that was proposed to Jolie, but I do want to make a comment on the budget as a whole.
I'm I'm assuming it's probably a carryover from last year as it relates to the uh BDB board that we'd always give $25,000 to the BDB. No, sir. That could be a carryover. He's saying no. But I haven't. But I'm assuming Well, just real
quickly, if I comment, assuming it was, it wouldn't be us giving the money to the BDB anyway. It would just be a budgeting of money that could be available to give to other agencies. That would still require
commission action and approval and a resolution unless it was specifically authorized by the board to do so. and he can no I present the budget at this point if you guys are interested to hear the whole budget or if you don't want to but we've adjusted the budget to
rebudget the four additional employees and the balance was then reduced down and it then results in a millage rate of 4.9 instead of five. So, it's a reduction in the millage rate and then
the difference is obviously addressed by way of the four employees. Okay. You have any additional comments and and Jolie's here and ready to go through. We need a motion I'm sorry for the approval of the agenda. Oh, sorry. Yes. Okay.
So, move second. We have a motion by the vice mayor and a second by commissioner clerk. Do we have any public comment on this item? Seeing none, all in favor? I I motion passes. Do comments from the
public on non-aggenda related items? Do we have any madam clerk? I do not have any. I wouldn't. Okay. Can't imagine. Okay. Moving on to commission action. So, do we need a motion, Mr. Morton? We need a the attorney to read the
tenative millillage resolution. Resolution number 87-2025, a resolution of the city commission of the city of Steuart, Florida, adopting the tenative millage rate for fiscal year 2026, providing an effective date and for other purposes.
And may may I make Yes, Commissioner Clark. It's going to Are you going to read further of the resolution? No, I was just commenting that this is what I was talking about the Can I make a motion before we start the discussion? Yes. I may I make a motion that we
approve resolution number 87-2025. Second. We have a motion by Commissioner Clark and a second by the vice mayor. Is there any public comment on this first item as regards the budget? Madame clerk, I have no comments. Mayor, see none questions or comments by the
commissioners? Mr. um Bleoli, do we have to vote? Actually, if I could if I could just briefly. All right. The city of Stewart, Florida rolled back rate for fiscal year 2026 is 4.7014
mills as was advertised on the notice um sent out by the tax collector or property appraiser. The city is proposing a millage rate for the fiscal year of 2026 which exceeds the roll back by 4.22%. The city is proposing a millage rate of
4.9 mills which is a reduction from last year's millage rate of 5.0 mills. The purpose for the uh increase from the rolled back rate to the 4.9 rate is to fund current operations and accommodate normal increases in the cost of those
operations. Um and now uh we can go forward um with any discussion by the board as it relates to the actual millage rate of 4.9%. Okay. Just for the public, Mr. Bleoli
um again just give us the total of our budget and then give us the difference in what it was at 4 75 and what is it at 4.9 now just for the public and then also any potential for that difference in number adding the
four um jobs that we discussed we'd add the last time and how much potentially the total cut in in in jobs or salary would be if you if you haven't
fig figured it out like that you don't have to just give me whatever just give the public whatever summary you have all right u let me try and go this first of all I don't want to ignore commissioner Reed's question sir u the city manager was absolutely correct in the statement that the budget is a
budget and even though it is a lot more zeros than at home it is still a document that we adopt which the city staff unlike and I say this every time so I hope at some point it sticks right the repetition it sticks unlike the federal government and those
governments above us we're required to adopt a balanced budget we also cannot spend any money not appropriated by the city commission so and in all my time at the city uh the mayor just participated in selecting our external auditors every year we are
audited by outside CPA firms who look at our financial records look at our books And one of the test is has the city staff exceeded what was budgeted by the city commission? And we've never exceeded what was appropriated for us. Um now in past years where we had a
hurricane, the commission adopted the bud. They amended the budget to give us more money because of the hurricane. But essentially we are tied to the amount of the budget that you adopt. However, as we did this year, there are always budgeted items that we wind up not spending or whatever. Just because it's
in the budget doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be spent. The commission can take action at any time to amend the budget or not release a pay a payment. As you know, we we took action to not give one of the items that was identified in the budget to one of those
external governments. So, your $25,000 question, I I don't want to shoot from the hip if I don't have to. Sum it up. It's a budget. It's a balanced budget and it's just a line item appropriating it but not actually spending it. Well, you haven't spent it yet. you're just giving me the authorization to cut
the check. Should you not stop me? Right. If you don't stop me from cutting it and I get an invoice for it, I'm going to cut the check for it. So, that was an appropriation to Steuart Housing Authority, Florida Inland Navigational District, and the Shared Services Network with Martin County. That's what made up the 25,000 in that account that
you asked for. So, the itemized detail I provided to you separately. As I as I said before, we adopt a line item budget for the public, but those itemization details are available to you internally on the on the network. Um, so here's how we got here. So, at
the last meeting, u the city and I'm hoping to answer your question as well, Commissioner Clark. So, the city manager presented the balance budget at 4.75 mills and at that budget, we were at 47 million. So we had gone as high as 49
million during the pro during the budget process and then we came down to 47 million by cutting the millage and making various adjustments to operating capital personnel all those all those cuts that we discussed on the the list of one through four cuts and adjustments
to the budget and then at the last budget we said okay here we are budgeted and balanced we'd like to add for firefighters and what does the millillage equal for that Jolie and I said 48733 was exactly the number. However, to
Commissioner Gio's point, Commissioner Reed's point, you know, I've been really been put to task in this budget by the commission. One of those revenue projections I had made that the state had not released yet. They released between that meeting and this meeting and it came in lower than what I had
projected. So, I had to reduce that revenue. So, again, we had to rebudget, rebalance, all this stuff. And then, of course, they released the last number I needed on Friday. But the agenda item's already attached. So we'll come back to that one later. Right number h that that one came in on mark. So I
was okay on that one. But the one that came in lower. So I actually wound up having to just I we got so close to 4.9 mills. It was like 4.899. I just said 4.9 mills. So that's how I arrived at the 4.9 mills. And that is what has brought general fund in at the 47
million 934180. How much lower was it? Do what sir? How much lower were the funds coming in from like $23,000, you know? Oh, the number they gave me. Yes. Oh, like $300,000. It was lower because uh it was how much?
300,000. It was it was like communication service tax. I thought it was going to be at 14. It came in at like 12. And so I was like, okay. But you know, with all the change. Um so these are very small, but I'll I'll upsize them. So this is the summary
of all funds here. Let me get over here and make this bigger for everyone. So that that's where the funds wound up being. Uh this is just to show that the revenues and expense is what we call appropriation in this budget. So to Commissioner Reed's point, the
appropriation is an authorization of spend. The expense is when we actually cut the check. So we haven't actually cut it, but on the bean counter side, we always call it revenues and expenses. So that this budget now is reflected at 4.9 mills. uh the four additional
proposed tax bills. So, everyone saw that and said, "Okay, the highest we can go is five mills and here's what your bill would be at five." Now, we will advertise in the newspaper and on our website that we are actually proposing 4.9 mills. And then, should that make it
all the way through the September 22nd meeting, then that is the millillage that will appear on everyone's final tax bill, it will be less than the five mills advertised on that proposed tax that went out from the property appraisers's office. Um along with that uh the city
commission city manager and I were discussing tonight's presentation and so to get to this 47 million we now have released out on so I I provided these reports that show
where the revenues fell and so you can see here uh the tail of the tape basically you know we've been uh at 48 oh this This is the older one. I'm sorry. It's 49. I I sent you out the correct number. I bought the old one.
This was 49 and now we're Last year was 48 and now this year is 47. So it's actually a a nice glide path down and this is where that broke out and so uh we're on that. What we've also provided and this is now available to the public
is the city's tentative budget in total here. So basically this is a detail for all the things you'd want to know. our budget process, uh, where we've gone, our all fund revenues and appropriations, where they fall. These are interactive graphs for the public
and the commission at large to follow and drill into the detail. We provide these numbers and their history here of where they came from, how they went. These are those by revenue account numbers that everyone's always interested in getting to,
as well as the appropriations by category. So just about any question you want can be answered here, including uh let's say if you want to go to the budget message that we transmit what we've done here and we discussed the 4.9 mills in this year's budget. If you're a
non-native English speaker, you can actually go right here and say, "Well, my native language is Spanish and so I would like to see the city's budget in Spanish." This website automatically translates the whole budget into Spanish for you. So, it's it's very useful to
the public and everything's here. Uh, this is the same website that we that will be presented for um consideration of the budget presentation award that we've talked about before. And in discussing the the the presentation tonight and how we got to the 4.9 mills,
the city manager asked me to clarify something and we were speaking to that a moment ago. In this process, I had made a reference during one of the workshops that in changing the dental rate, it had moved a particular department that has one employee in it by $3.7ome
cents and I had to rebalance that that department. Well, that same $3 goes throughout the entire budget to every department. And so it's considered employees. And so when I put a number across the budget to make the health insurance premium the correct number that we're
going to pay Sigma and the correct number that we're going to pay trio for our property casualty liability insurance and those other numbers for employee merits, back to Commissioner Reed's point is just because it's in the budget doesn't mean it's going to be paid. It's it's a number that needs to
be calculated, but there's no guarantee that it's going to actually be be dispersed or paid from the city. So, it's only an appropriation to do so. And usually, it's for my benefit to make the numbers work. So, if they say we have to cut a million dollar premium for
insurance, I apply a percentage to employees that makes that number reach the million dollars that's necessary. So I no one can go to any of the reports that we provide and look at some department and say this department's budget went up so they must have you
know had an increase or in these you know in this particular budget no one can go to their budget look and say oh this must be where we eliminated positions in the budget. It's it's not that zeroed in on things. Do you understand what I'm saying? So there's percentages
that that have been applied to make the numbers work. So just because you see an increase in a particular department's budget doesn't mean that there was a raise. And certainly in things such as a merit increase in the union contracts, they still actually have to have their performance review and do well on their
performance review to even receive the money that was budgeted by that person. So I hope that clarifies some of the questions that are going around like, oh, I saw this went up or I saw that went down. It's it's a very, you know, over 200 people, 27
departments, eight funds, all coming together to make a contiguous document that balances in both ways from the minutia of number of safety boots to the big stuff of buying a firetruck. So that that's how this went together. If that didn't answer any of your questions, I'm
open to any more of them at this moment. All right. Any other questions of Julie? No. Thank you as always. You explained it. Yes, ma'am. I think we can proceed to roll call, please. Yeah. Public Did we take public comment on this? Public comment.
Oh, did we? Yes, we did. We asked for public comment on this. Oh, on the board. Yeah. Yes, we did. Ask for it one more time. I don't have any. Going once. Going twice. Commissioner go. Yes. Commissioner Clark. Yes.
Mayor Rich? No. Vice Mayor Collins? Yes. Commissioner Reid? I have a question. Actually, point of order. Would I say that? Uh, once we start the vote, we have to we have to conclude the vote.
City attorney, what's your opinion? I think the mayor's right. Um, they closed the conversation and then started voting. Do you not have to provide public comment on a motion though or no? I asked for public comment right after a motion and a second were made. Okay. Yes.
Did you get that? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Motion passes. Mr. Bag, will you read item two for our consideration, please? Resolution number 88-2025. A resolution of the city commission of the city of Steuart, Florida, approving the fiscal year 2025 to 26 nod Aadalarum
assessment role for fire protection services, facilities, and programs, directing certification of the assessment role to Martin County Tax Collector, and providing an effective date. Mr. Mayor, for purposes of this um item
number two, I wanted to ask Well, I'll I'll I'll ask for a motion to um to approve resolution number 88-2025. You asking for a motion or making a motion? Make a motion. And it's been seconded. So, I can now ask a question.
We have a motion by Commissioner Clark and a second by Commissioner Gob. Is there any public comment? I ask a question. Hold on. Hold on. Is there any public comment, Madam Clerk? We have no public comment now. Seeing none. Okay. Questions or comments by the commission?
Okay. For those who haven't read the agenda item or or see it, I just want to Yeah. for that. That also and in light of the comment that was made earlier, I just want to um check with the
city attorney and the city manager if they're comfortable if all the attachments were attached to this item. Would you like to ask respond to that question specifically, but first begin your explanation of
I'm comfortable with the items that are attached, but you'd have to ask the city attorney to to if I could add, this is actually right on the head, Commissioner Reed. There's a document attached to this that I need to sign that I can't sign until this meeting. You approve it at this
meeting. So, I will probably sign that document tomorrow when the city clerk gets it to me. So then I don't I don't know when you would see the document that I've signed unless does the signed version get attached not you know oh no no sir I'm just saying we we
actually have a point in in case right here that I will wind up signing this document probably tomorrow. So then I don't know if you're saying like a document repository where my signed version would go. It would be in laser fish under the resolution. Right. It would be in laser fish that you have access to
access to that unless I come we can provide that to anyone who asks for it. Yeah, you you can you can get that commissioner. I was told I have to come down to city hall to get access to laser fish. No, you Yeah. Well, you can get access to it to to just look through it. You probably do, but you couldn't set up a VPN or anything or
I don't I don't know. Maybe that's an idea. problem with it is is there's a lot of other records on laser fish that include social security numbers of employees, addresses of police officers, and so if someone was just given open access to it, they could stumble into
records that are confidential. Yeah, I'd imagine it can limit that stuff for like HR. We you don't know until you see the document. Like it has to be reviewed by the city attorney before it goes out is where it really comes down to. We don't we don't have it that you're on laser
fish. the city attorney would be sitting there with me on laser fish. What they were saying to you is well honestly someone would probably be sitting with you. It'd be what would you be looking for? I was just just making a statement, right? But yes, that would be the appropriate way to do it. Okay,
Mr. Mayor, if I may comment, Mr. Bagot. Um, to go back what was mentioned before, a lot of times contracts are attached to the agenda in a proposed or um not final form because we're required
10 days earlier to have it attached to the agenda. A lot of the resolutions will have uh uh either the mayor or the city manager signing this the document subject to the approval and final approval of the city attorney. A lot of
times I'm negotiating continuous terms and amendments to the agreement um before it's finalized that I'm comfortable with certain language. Sometimes that happens uh shortly before the meeting and sometimes it might even happen after the meeting. The mayor does
not sign the contracts because normally our meetings go very late at night. They don't sign them. The mayor does not sign the documents that night. It's the next time the mayor is available and the document is finalized. I I still sometimes negotiate back and forth on documents to get a final version with
another lawyer uh on on certain contracts, but I will say as Mary just mentioned that once um the document is finalized, it's always attached to the resolution and saved in our records in laser fish. So um if if when you're
going back like if you go back 6 months from from today and go back to a resolution that was a uh approving a particular contract that contract will be saved with the resolution in our in our documents in our records. Okay. Um going going back into the uh
number two it's called nonadvalum assessment role and um in 2014 the uh city commission was in a budget cycle and it was just after coming out of the recession and there was some discussion
about raising a millage rate and it was evaluate to to help offset the cost of public safety because public safety obviously costs more than 100% of the advalorum and it It was determined that if we increased the millage rate by a
one mil millage point, a full mill, that 65% of the parcels at the time would pay less than $100 a year in taxes and would not be impacted at all by the millage rate increase. And since the millage rate increase was solely for the
purposes of generating funds for fire safety or to offset those costs, um we hired bond counsel and they assisted us in issuing bonds to purchase some fire
equipment. And in so doing, we were also able to adopt a fire assessment. And the fire assessment had a flat rate per parcel of I think $123 per property parcel. And then the way
the balance of the assessment was set up is it was actually done what amounts to be two years in a rears. It uses last year's assessed value of the property on the
parcel to do the calculation of the value for the assessment. and the property appraisers valuation from last year's would actually be the year before's. So that's how the valuation is done. And Jolie, I don't remember the
percentage that's applied to the the two-tier system, right, is a 10835. $18.35 is the flat amount of tier one. And then tier 2 is a $130 for every $5,000 of
market improvement value. And as I always say, this is Commissioner Crossoff's everyone needs some skin in the game comment. So there are a number of exempted properties for for example, City of Stewart's assessed
value is higher than Jupiter Islands, but we have over $800 million worth of exemptions on our assessed value, which actually makes our taxable value less than Jupiter Island. And so a large number of those properties, including
some very highly assessed properties in Stewart, pay nearly hardly any taxes because of their various exemptions. And so the fire assessment is a way to collect funds from those properties and payers who are, you know, either
completely exempt or somewhat exempt. So you have to and to the manager's point to keep people from being able to challenge this year's assessment, it's actually based on what was your tax bill two years ago essentially. So we look at that parcel and for every parcel whether
it's 5t wide or 5,000 ft wide, you pay the 10835 and then on that market improvement value which the property appraiser provides, you pay you divide that by 5,000 and then multiply that by $130. And that's how the fire assessment is calculated.
And the rate did remain the same this year. We have not changed the rate. The rate has been the same since it went into effect in 2014. Um and as a result uh that's why it's considered a nonvol advalorum assessment. that assessment is in place
and what the commission is uh voting on is that we collect that $1 $18.35 per parcel and $1.30 30 cents for every $5,000 in value of the assessed value as
and and believe it or not to validate the whole thing. The uh bond council back in 2014 actually had it go in front of a circuit judge and had a bunch of notice. This judge did an actual trial and then had a date a 30-day appeal and
all sorts of uh different methods to uh notice it and address it. Mr. Vice Mayor, there's been no change since last year in this. Correct. Correct. Those are same same rate as like I said
2014. We've held it steady at the rate. It's not adorum. So it's a it's a specific amount, right? Okay. Any other questions? Ability to change the nonorum rate.
Sure. Sure. The commission has the cancel. No, I'm talking about to an extent, right? There's a ceiling by which Yeah. Well, we had to demonstrate in the trial a relationship between the cost. We we had to we had to demonstrate a
nexus between the cost of providing public safety or fire services and the number of properties in the city, which is where the $108.35 came in. We also had to create the formula and make a reasonable way to
value the structure because essentially what is happening here is we're charging $130 for every five $5,000 of market value for the structure on top of the real estate because that's really what the
fire is providing the service for is to building not burning down. But the cost of fire safety goes up. Well, so, so here's the very interesting point. At the time that 10835 was established and the$130, the intent was to collect 23% of the fire department
budget to help alleviate the burden on ablam taxes. So that 23% of the fire department budget was on a $5 million budget back in 2014. The fire department budget now is around 12 million and we've never changed the rate. So what we're collecting now is
it's certainly not 23% of the fire department budget today. In the future, it's probably the avenue you're gonna need to look at. Yes, I think so too. I mean, these are people who obviously have great exemptions on their property, but a fire would still put them in jeopardy. Well, right. And that's where we
addressed it in 2014. Pay the going rate for the fire the cost of safety. Question. Yes. Commissioner Clark. Do we have a schedule with the Miller Bryant and Olive people to up to or we have to ask we have to do it set in stone and we've never brought
back an increase. Now I will say it it's based upon 5% of the market value. So all of the same people didn't pay the amount that people were paying for the second tier.
whatever your property was appraised at in 2014, I'm pretty confident to say that every single property in the city of Stewart has gone up since then to a higher number. So the second tier has had an increase. It's just a significant
it's not a very big number as it applies to that market value. So it's not a huge increase to the the overall budgeting amount. Thank you. Yes, sir. Does that answer your question? Comments or question? No, I mean I'm just thinking for future
ways to raise that because each year the cost of providing the safety goes up and that would have to go to referendum. It was not referendum but it was a series of of hearings. The because it's called the uniform collection method.
The there's a number of prescri just like trim how we have to have two meetings. There would be a number of prescribed advertisements and hearings. you'd have to advertise the the thing. So now what happens is each year as people repparsel their properties, if they do splits or combines or whatever
that they receive a letter from Bryant Miller Olive, our bond council welcoming them to the fire assessment. You know, here I just spoke to someone on the phone today that said, "Ah, I just bought a I have the fire assessment." So, um, you know, when the originally
the finance department sent out 9,000 letters to all the parcels advertising this and we had a series of public hearings and the commission decided on that 23% number out of a an array of numbers, you know, 50% 10% and they
settled on that 23 in the middle at that time. And yes, to the to the manager's point, tier one hasn't changed. And even though tier 2 hasn't changed because of property value increases, it does incrementally move up slowly each year. Commissioner Reid,
is there Jolie, is there any way like because we're talking about it now um for people that utilize the fire rescue services or police? I guess like I pay property taxes and I probably won't really utilize the services. So if we,
you know, went across the board to all city residents, it's almost like, yes, I'm paying for it. I look at as being punished, though, but how can you go after people that utilize services more than others? Like for the So as it relates to the fire service,
the fire department is not actually charged for picking you up. It's a charge for them being available. the one IOS or ISO rating and the insurability isn't based upon the fact that they
actually picked you up. It's based upon the fact that they're available to in the event lightning strikes your house and sets it on fire, they can come spray it with hose. It's kind of like car insurance. We pay it hoping not to have a claim. If you're unlucky enough to be a household without a fire hydrant or a
fire service line near your property, you almost can't get homeowners insurance. So, the fact that if you have that fire insurance and that fire line and the in and the hydrant close enough to your house to be reached, our ISO1 rating actually reduces most homeowners
property insurance because most of the insurance companies participate in that ISO rating. So, there was a government, I apologize, I can't name the city, but they started doing a pay for fire service. And what happened was people who didn't pay, they didn't answer their fire call, but the fire department had
to go watch it anyway to keep the collateral damage down because their neighbors had paid the fire assessment still there basically. Yeah. The fire was still rolling out. Like even if it wasn't for a fire, what if it's for just I guess any services? Our assisted living facilities pay a
disproportionately low amount of fire based upon the disproportionately high number of calls that go to them. But you can't you can't go after something like that. I honestly we've never gone down that path, but Vince and I have talked about it this year a couple of times just because of that
911 more than I probably will in my lifetime. Well, also you got that right. Maybe even in a year. Well, Commissioner Reid, also to your point, the industry standard Bryant Miller Olive, our bond council, did an excellent job of pulling together a lot of resources and data, kind of like impact fee calculations
and like police, you couldn't they couldn't prove that police provided an and um an implied benefit and a value across the board, right? So police really they they couldn't prove that just having police in the neighborhood made everything better, but they could
prove that having fire service and fire response had an implied value to everyone. So that's why we didn't start doing like a police assessment and a street sweeping assessment and everything. So fire is the only one that they could really apply that logic to. And I was just thinking like strategically because like if if some
property owners only pay fire one and fire two if you went across the board that means it's coming towards people that already pay an astronomical amount of property taxes and some people if they don't have it it's like where's the the fairness I guess you could say we all it's not fair
correct it's not fair that's what I'm getting at we all live in a community why you know well it's not fair but unfortunately and not not to be a you know a message or a statement of any type. The person who probably owns the multi-million dollar mansion that has
fire suppression systems and gate, you know, with cameras, they're never calling the police. They're never calling the fire, but they pay enough in property taxes to cover the people who are all exempt. Yeah. And don't pay. So that that kind of a distribution of tax payment already
takes place as we've seen in those. So the higher valued properties are already subsidizing the lower valued properties that don't contribute as much in taxes even though they still call for the same service. Yeah. So we kind of rely on them to cover the gap so to speak.
Yes. In lie of doing a millage increase that wouldn't make them pay anymore. We came up with the fire assessment. Yeah. No, I understand. Yes, sir. I was going to ask our city manager if from our discussion today, it would it be worth it um either before
the year ends or in the new year before we start another budget um budget meetings and stuff if Bryant Miller and Olive could come and talk to us about uh some of these standards and these ways of um
I can I can ask them to do that. It would be very unlikely that you'd be um in a position to increase the fire assessment in the same year that you decreased the ad valorum. Yes. Yes. But I'm happy to schedule a meeting for
them to come sometime next spring. I mean, I can have them come in November, but I don't know if it matters because it's going to be so far away from when the budget cycle is. It's probably be better to have them come in like April or May so that it's tied. Yeah. Yes. That's what I was saying. I apologize. They always offer to come
to this meeting, but it's it's like we read the resolution and we haven't changed the rate since 2014. So, I I didn't invite them to be here tonight, so in the spring we're looking at the We'll set up early April or May. Yep. We'll set up them. They're they're happy to come.
Thank you. Okay. Roll call, please. Commissioner Reid, yes. Commissioner Col or Commissioner Clark, yes. Vice Mayor Collins, yes. Mayor Rich, yes. Commissioner Gio. Yes.
Uh Mr. Bagot, could you read item number three for our consideration, please? Resolution number 89-2025, a resolution of the city commission of the city of Steuart, Florida, adopting the tenative budgets of the city of Steuart, Florida for fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2025 and ending
September 30th, 2026, providing an effective date and and for other purposes. Um and and the way this plays out is number one was the commission adopting the tenative millage rate. It wasn't the budget. It was actually just
the millage rate of 4.9. The word tenative is because we have to have a final budget hearing which is going to be September 22nd. In a minute I'm going to read that. The number two was the city commission adopting the nonadvelorum
assessment role for the fire services. And now item number three is the commission adopting the tenative budget that Jolie um has up on the screen that followed the direction of the board and
uh used the 4.9 millage rate instead of the 4.75 at the last workshop and included the adding of the four employees. And obviously as uh he pointed out he had received two sets of numbers from the state since then. One of them was Friday, so it was too late
to make it to the um agenda item, but it did make it in here because he can update those numbers. And um the other one was in time. Mr. Mayor, Commission, I'd like to make a resolution to uh adopt uh resolution number 89 2025.
We have a motion by Commissioner Jobi. Second. And I'll give it to the vice mayor. A second by the vice mayor. Is there any public comment on this final budget item? clerk, if I could just say in in closing comments. I'm just I
public comment. Okay. All right. Mr. Martell, uh the final public hearing to adopt the fiscal year 2026 mill rate and the final budget is scheduled for Monday, September 22nd, 2025 at 5:15 p.m. here at city hall. The address is 121
Southwest Flaggler Avenue, Stewart, Florida. Okay. comments or questions by vote. What didn't you roll? I know they don't. Okay, we'll go right to roll call. That's fine. Well, you told me.
Yeah. Commissioner Clark. Yes. Vice Mayor Collins? Yes. Commissioner Gobi? Yes. Commissioner Reid? Yes. Mayor Rich? Yes. This u this same information that the manager is required to read that because the state of Florida gets our
minutes and all that. This same information will appear in the paper and we shouldn't have any changes between the 22nd and now we can adjourn the special meeting. See no other items for our consideration. We will adjourn this special budget meeting. We will
reconvene the regular commission meeting at 6:15. Mike, that's on a Wednesday. Got it. Sorry. Madam clerk. onion. Sometimes Okay, I'm calling the regular city
commission meeting back to order. Comments. We have a few less attendees. What? And we Commissioner Reid, did you finish with your comments? Yes, I think I was finished. Thank you. Commissioner Gobi, do you have any comments? Yes. Okay. And this would be directed at
the city manager, Mr. Mortell. And it's just in preparation of the September 22nd meeting coming up where there will be Guardian and the Hamiltons regarding the CDGB grant. I happen to see two reports. One was the presence of asbestous and one was lead paint. I did
the I did see the report that showed the removal of the asbestous, but I couldn't find one that shows the removal of the lead paint. And if you could get that to me, I'd appreciate it. I don't know that there was any because they didn't remove any walls or anything like that. So, I don't think there was
an actual removal. Abestice has to be removed. That paint can be left in place. That's not what the report said though. The report said it needed to be removed and I didn't see anything to follow up on that. I'll ask. Thank you. Okay. Okay.
My next I really do not like to address Mr. Not so friendly neighbor. I hate to give him any notoriety because I don't really care what he says. It's just an opinion, but I really resent when he does halftruths and lies. So, in his Sunday attack on the city of Stewart
commissioners, he uh claims that the uh city of Stewart commissioners have included a raise for themselves in the new budget. And I was assured by the city manager that that would be something that would have to come before the commissioners to have a raise. and
um and that we are basically overpaid for two monthly meetings that we attend. We make more money than we should. We make 43,000 a year. I cannot speak for the other commissioners, but at the beginning of the budget process, I did notify Mr.
Mortell that if annual raises for the commissioners were included each year that I wanted to forgo any such raise for myself. I just think that, you know, if you're doing a budget and other people might be affected, you certainly shouldn't be benefiting from any raise. Mr. Mortell did assure me that commissioner raises were something that
would have to be voted on. Again, I cannot speak to any of the other commissioners because the not so friendly neighbor included of all the benefits that we receive as city employees. Um, I do not avail myself of the medical, etc. parts of benefits that
are paid to city employees. I don't need them. I have my own. There would be no reason to have the city pay that kind of money. That's not necessary. Um, I do participate in the F FRS investment program and that's only due to misinformation I received on the timing
of the issue required to opt out of that program. Um, the other thing is that if I want Mr. Not always not so always right, he can contact the city human resources department and speak to Miss Johnson and she will certainly confirm all of what I
just said. Um the other information that he provided was that he said that I in a statement during the budget the last budget meeting saying that there would be no cuts. He just didn't finish the sentence. I said there would be no cuts to services that people would still
have, you know, a park might be mowed, maybe it's mowed a day later, but there would be no cuts to those services. I was not referring to the fact that there would be no cuts to jobs within the city. And of course I keep stating it because people tend to forget even at 5%
millage rate if we had left it at five there were still cuts that need to be made in the um for the city in the regards to jobs a lot of them hopefully through attrition. So um again I I just
I hate giving him any sort of notice but he does lie or he misrepresents the truth and it really bothers me. The other thing he said is that we're overpaid for only attending two meetings a month. Well, shame on Mr. Nobody. Having been a commissioner himself, he's
well aware that every commissioner spends them more than two meetings a month on city business. It isn't just about coming to the meetings. We answer emails. We meet with constituents. There's a lot involved. Maybe he should have been more focused on keeping his job as a commissioner when he was a
commissioner. Just saying. That's all I have to say. Thank you, Commissioner Clark. Yes. Thank you. Um, September is of course we have hunger month, which we had someone come here
today from Treasure Coast, but I think also September especially, I think yesterday, September the 7th was grandparents day. And um we have one particular grandparent here in the city of Stewart. I don't think she's here
tonight, but Helen McBride who always comes to our city council meetings and um is a great um source of um inspiration uh to me as a as a grandmother and as somebody who has been
a part of our community for a long time. And I just wanted to commend Helen for uh coming out to our meetings and participating in the city of Stewart. And if we're ever going to give a grandparent award, uh it would be Helen McBride for all her time coming here to
the city of Stewart. So, thank you Helen. Um, the other thing is that I I um I received some uh note about aven flu possibly coming from wild um animals such as wild ducks, but I want to um
bring that up with the city manager some more and find out about uh what happens in our parks or in locations along our waterways and just try to see if there's something that uh we can consider and
look at if anything is needed to to um to deal with those animals or feeding them or what impact it may have. I don't know if it's something that Fish and Wildlife looks into or something that our city manager could look into, but I'll talk to him about it. But I just
want to say that I received that um note from one of our um residents in the city when we uh had our meeting earlier on at the very beginning. Uh I think our police our fire chief I'm always mixing
him up with the police chief. Our fire chief Felicion mentioned that there will be a a walk at uh is it 9 or 8:15? 9:00. 8:15. 8:15. That's what I thought. 8:00. 8:00
at the um at the Roosevelt Bridge on September 11th with our um uh first responders participating and for the community to come out and participate. So, I'd like to encourage people to do that.
And then something which I started I don't know I'm just going to say six or seven years ago but it could be more than that for our constitution day reading of the constitution within the city of Stewart. Um this is coordinated
by our Stewart recreation department and Jessica Thorp and the other people in the team there have been doing a very good job. And this year, we're not going to be at the 10th Street Recreation Center. We're going to be at the Morgate, I mean at the Armstrong the
Blake Library, the Armstrong room in the in the Blake Library, and that's going to be at 300 p.m. on September 17th. Um, even if you haven't signed up to read, but you can still sign up to read, but even if you haven't, please come out to the event and there may be a chance
for you to still read if we come there and assemble and we can find a spot for you. But please come out as a member of the public, as an organization, um church, social, civic group, whatever it is that you um belong to. Please come
out and participate as we read the entire constitution. And we usually have special um areas for people to read, especially our city attorney, Mortell. He we usually give him the tough the
city manager Mortell. We usually give him the tough ones to read. But um uh it's been it's been interesting the participation that we've had. So please come out and sign up if you can come out
and participate with that. Um that is all I have to say. Again, it's hurricane season. Milton has not been busy at all, but he we'll we'll get busy. We'll get busy. Well, hurricane wise, he's
extremely busy doing other things. He's hanging out, man. Yeah, he's busy doing other things. Somehow you made them cuts, man. But it but it's hurricane season. As hurricane season comes and we have all the flooding and all the extra stuff. and I just know that um we're looking
forward to making sure that everything goes well if we ever have to deal with a hurricane situation. I just want to be beforehand commend that department, our public works department for always
working hard in our city to do the best to make sure that things debris is cleaned up and things are done well. So, those of us, please help each other prepare for hurricane season. And if you ever have any questions about things in
your backyard or on your um people have asked me this because we gave up those um alleyways and and throughways and the city doesn't necessarily come by there and cut down big trees or even FPL. But
if you have those issues, please come out, ask Milton public works department. He'll give you help or he'll get give you the information for FPL or anybody else who can help you. Um because sometime those are the things that
affect um our uh system when we have um uh burnouts during the the thing is because of a tree that has gotten to the line. So, please prepare for hurricane season.
Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Yes. So, with regard to Haney Creek, I I just wanted to uh bring that back up. We discussed
previously that parcel going into conservation and the process with referendum. But in a previous when Commissioner Reid was
not here in a previous meeting, we had demonstrated in in the agenda packet the plans from Tim Vulkers that were in there that showed off of Baker Road trail heading versus what would be a
more expensive and and technical approach bringing in fill dirt and various things uh on US1. one. So, what I wanted to request is revisiting trail heading Handy Creek, not off of US1, but
diving into a little more depth off of Baker and uh because it would be far less expensive and it's a separate issue from the referendum and conservation, but it's something that we've prioritized with the half cent sales tax
money and actually going going ahead and moving forward with that with that um money. So, I'd like to discuss that on a future agenda. Okay. And then just just for clarification, um
Commissioner Clark, are you uh sort of hinting at exterminating these ducks? Just don't feed them and don't go near them. Just worried about the ducks. No, I just know that uh the the neighborhood where this was occurring, somebody called me
and asked me about the potential for aven flu and like a rabid duck. Yeah. So, I don't know if it's fish and wildlife or if it's it is fish and wildlife. Okay. Yeah. So, maybe they could call fish and wildlife then. We should send Milton in
cavalry since he's not doing anything any No, it's not. I didn't say that. It's just that we're talking about hurricane some kind of like suit we can send you in with Okay. Okay. Sorry. I'm done. Does that say you work hard?
Is it like the monies or something? Does that Okay. I have no comments. Uh Mr. Martell, do you have any comments? I do. Uh, first, um, I want to announce Ben Hoggarth, who's been with the city, um,
in community services, has accepted a job in Sunny Isles, Florida. And this is likely going to be Ben's last city commission meeting that he'll be officially employed. I think he's going to leave just prior to the September 22nd meeting. I miss you, Ben. He will still stay in touch with us and
just, you know, assist with any river things that he can. Um, it's funny because we were talking about the budget tonight and uh, the city of Stewart is 6.5 square miles and its assessed value is $3.4 billion. And when Ben was telling me he was going
to Sunny Isles, I out of curiosity pulled it up on the screen. Sunny Isles is 1.7 square miles, so roughly a third of the size of Stewart and 17.7 billion assessment. So roughly
five times the the value which you know gives you the disparities and when we talk about millage rates and what's generated by it five mills at a $3.4 billion valuation and then when you take the $3.4 four billion dollar valuation
and say 60% of the parcels are exempt from the assessment and then you take somewhere like Sunny Isles that 90% of the homes are vacation condos assessed at multi-million dollars and their their
millage rate is $1.8 8 mills, but it generates $34 million a year in ad valorum taxes. And our 4.9 mills generates roughly 15 to 17 depending if the CRA is
involved or not, but half of the value, which is crazy. But this is really about Ben. So unfortunate to see him going. He's going to be going to somewhere really nice. Most of those are at home, so they're not Yeah. So they're not homesteaded either. So Right. There's Right. And so that
makes a big difference as well. Um in the agenda tonight, agenda item number four uh or presentation number four, the city partnered with the Treasure Coast Food Bank and we will be serving as um the uh reception agency I guess for lack
of a better description where they people can drop off uh food for those donations from September 8th until October 17th. The locations will be the city hall, city hall annex, uh, customer service department, and public safety
building on Martin Luther King Boulevard. I also wanted to mention that our regular CRB or community redevelopment board meeting uh is being held on September 15th rather than September 2nd. Um, and the subject of
that will be the um C Coast Bank building. However, the agenda for the city commission will already have been published and go out to the city commissioners on the Friday before the CRB meeting.
So, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. The agenda will be out for six days before the meeting actually occurs. Why wouldn't we move that item to the appropriate Well, it's because it was all scheduled and noticed. I will I'm I will be giving
you the whatever comments or whatever comes from the CRB meeting. I will email them to you as responses. I'm just telling you that the CRB comments are not going to be in the agenda because the agenda's on September 15th and normally the meeting would have been on
September 2nd and it would have aligned but because it's on the 15th it's not going to align. But I will be providing the updates or whatever recommendations but it just seems like a little bit of a You look as a board for that information from your advisory board on the
particular topic so that you can have that time to talk to people and marinate and for it to be not very many days later. That doesn't give this board a lot of time to really dig in and consider what that
board discussed. Is it possible to move that to the next commission meeting to make sure that we have that time. I mean, the the applicant is was was informed of these dates and has advertise the dates. And I mean, I I can
ask them. Is there a legal issue, Lee, if we did that? Well, one of the problems I see is, as Mr. Martell said, it's already been advertised. So, I there'd be a cost and to get another advertisement out. I
mean, people might show up expecting that item, but it but legally we could advertise it if we so chose to go that path. Well, so right now it's not it's not an agenda item for tonight. So, I couldn't
have the board vote to continue it without giving notice to the C Coast Bank applicant. For me to give notice to the C Coast Bank applicant for the board to continue it would be the September 22nd meeting. You guys could technically continue it on the September 22nd
meeting if you so choose. We give you direction before having to see it and continue it though. Well, it's it's already advertised and you know like I haven't done the agenda for it, but they've already sent out the mailing to everybody within 300 ft and
they've sent out the um the blue advertisements on the properties. And again, it's it's not that unusual to have meetings the week after an advisory board
meeting. I understand exactly what you're saying, but in other communities and in the city of Stewart, that has happened hundreds of times in the past. I the board has the ultimate authority and on the 22nd. You guys can address it
however you want. Um I'm not in a position I mean and again I can because of your comments I'll call them tomorrow and see how they feel about it or what they want to do but I I don't and then I won't have the pleasure of the board in front of me but I can get back to you
and if they voluntarily withdrew it then they could do it because they're the applicant. But in terms of authority we that's something we have the authority to do versus um well so not not tonight moving forward. Do we have the authority to do that? I I I think Mr. Mortell's right that we
would have to go to the 22nd and then if you want to continue it as you if you don't recall or don't know already this is a resolution for a continuous use conditional use I'm sorry and so we only have one reading it's not an ordinance or a reasonzoning where we'll have two or that would probably solve the problem
if it was a right first and second reading ordinance but this is not by ordinance by resolution so we only have one hearing right but we only we're required to have one hearing but nothing prevents you from continuing the hearing to the next, you know, commission meeting. Okay. If you feel you need the time,
understand consider it. I understand. And I will reject to them either way. Um, and they could always request a continuence themselves, but would raised an address at the next meeting. Mhm. I'm going to reiterate that the 9/11
memorial walk for the Steuart firefighters begins at Shepherd's Park at 8:00 a.m. Um, and then also tomorrow night, uh, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., There will be a forum hosted by the Martin County
Taxpayers Association uh and uh Representative Toby Overdorf will be present to discuss the advorum taxes and any proposals for the committees for the modifications for the advorum taxes that will take place at J.
Michaels Tavern and Grill which is in the same plaza as PA Barbecue on the north side of the Roosevelt Bridge. The address is 715 Northwest Federal Highway, Stewart, Florida. Um, September 18th, Constitution reading at
Blake Library at 3 PM. And then, uh, Commissioner Gobi mentioned it. Um, but I was also going to ask for direction on the Hamilton matter. Um, the Hamiltons did not respond back to staff. I learned on Friday that they had emailed uh the
commission on September 2nd and September 4th. They also did not respond to Florida Commerce. Florida Commerce sent an email on Friday giving them till today to respond. Um, they didn't respond as of 5:00 today. So, I didn't
know if the commission wanted me to move forward with the presentation on the 22nd or wanted me to postpone it until such time as we hear from the Hamiltons. It's your call. Commissioner Reed, did you have a chance to talk to them? Uh, they I I see they responded on the 6 to all of us as well. Mike, you were in
that email. Yeah, I haven't gotten to that yet. Um, and I was gonna address your comment, Vice Mayor Collins, as far as development. Um, in my op, if you wanted my opinion on how to address that, that would be in the land development code for like application purposes, like if
it comes in front of an advisory board for conditional usage or zoning or whatnot. You know, you could probably, and Mike or Lee might be able to correct us, but you could always add language that it had to be a certain time frame in between coming in front of an advisory board before it comes in front of the SE city commission, and that
would solve that. Yeah, we we could put that we could amend the code, but we can't do it before. Do it right now. But to fix it for the future then. Yeah, because like I agree, sometimes it is very timeconrained
to talk to the community or or whatnot. I mean, I personally posted it on my government Facebook page and disabled comments and let people, you know, send in the comments basically. Um, but yeah, that's my suggestion for the land
development code to fix that. Um, thank you, Commissioner Reed. So, Mr. Mart, you're asking Oh, so the Hamilton's he's asking I found they're not communicating with staff.
I really don't know where that leaves us. Um, I certainly wouldn't want to have that richer in the email. I wouldn't want those people to appear before us without them speaking with staff in detail prior. Yeah.
Sean, was there an issue with the 22nd because that's what we talked about. Um, they they didn't really see it and and as far as Florida Commerce, I mean, they didn't even respond to my last two emails, by the way. So, um, they don't respond to me. We need to get resolution on it, though. So, yeah. I mean, I have no problem if it
comes in front of the board on the 22nd. Well, I just don't want I mean I Guardian's prepared to move forward. The city of Stewart will put on the whole show. I just don't want the Hamiltons to feel like we did something behind their
back or without their involvement because the agenda is due tomorrow. Correct. They did respond though to your emails and I and I'm looking at it, but the there's nowhere in the response does it mention the scope of services and whether they agree on it. I mean, the whole point us last time
postponing it till the 22nd, taking it off at tonight's meeting and putting it to the 22nd and so that you don't run out of time. I'll it's on the 22nd. I just wanted to make sure from the board unless unless you think there's an issue, Commissioner Reid, because you No, I mean that also does bring up though, I know there's been two
extensions. What stops us from even applying for a third extension with Florida Commerce? Nothing. They did send an email. They did. I saw you kind of inferred that we need a pretty good reason to extend. Yeah, that's that was my
Well, I did a public record request to find out why the first extension was done and the second extension was done. So, I'm waiting for that. One of them was one of them was due to the hurricanes and essentially it was not a change in any scope of services or in any money. It was just to complete
the projects and to get the projects done in time. Yeah. In this one, if we applied to Florida Commerce for an extension, they'd say, "Well, what do you need it for?" And we'd say, "Well, because the Hamiltons haven't responded to our request for a scope of services in 3 months." Well, I know it's so late on the public
record, so that'll probably come through. It was um it was submitted completed August 29th. Check and see if there's a Just Voya email. Maybe it was his response or the city's response to his public records request.
August 29th. Let's see. Uh 29th. We'll forward it again. Yeah, I have no email on the 29th for it. I'm I'm not comfortable with them coming
before us without having spoken to staff. One of the things I raised spoken and or emailed with staff in detail because Mr. Martell and Mr. Bagot are much more familiar with the specific legal and financial obligations
the city possesses. Mike's point out of time. Well, then the Hamiltons need to to respond to the city at the last they did respond. You were tagged in the email,
but they didn't respond to the issues. They continue to talk about a different issue. or the last meeting, one of the things I said that was making it complicated for the city is it's now been over a year since the city had been in the Hamilton's house. The contract that the Hamilton signed
said that nobody is allowed to have a third party do any work during the project while it's being done by the CDBG group and Mr. Hamilton was doing extensive renovations during the time frame. So, in order for us to sign the
scope of services, one thing I raised last meeting was we still need to we need to have Antonio, the city's representative of Guardian, go into the Hamilton's house and do an inspection. And that was my concern about your guys's comments about not wanting to use
Guardian because that's who we're using. And in the email he sent on Saturday, Mr. Hamilton said, "Mr. Mortell, as you know, the CDBG program requires a mandatory or follow-up site inspection prior to bid submission. The CDBG document signed by Patriot states.
Please see the attached. The bid estimates must be based on work write up provided by the city. Contractor shall take before pictures and document working conditions in all areas, etc. in the immediate era of construction. I we totally agree. So you got in between now and the 22nd to get
respond to us when we try to coordinate it and meet with him and we've we wanted for we want I'd like to go there months ago. Antonio has not allowed to go in his house. We hired an engineer too. Yeah. Was an engineer. It took him four months to respond on
the engineer. He wouldn't agree to engine any engineer that the city suggested because it was outside of the scope of the grant. We said pick whatever engineer you want. We just want anybody to do an engineering report. But the engineering report has all sorts of
stuff that's completely unrelated to the grant. Correct. That really doesn't matter to me. What I'd like to do is have Guardian go into their house, inspect the windows, inspect the sophets, the painting, and the roof.
Well, you can't send Guardian in until you have a consensus on what the scope of services is. I can't get a consensus because Mr. Hamilton will only speak to Mr. Reid or Commissioner Reid. So, my my recommendation would be maybe we have
Commissioner Reid coordinated. I mean, I don't know. I I've never had this happen before, but he won't return the calls of the Well, I know part of it was I remember the Panol, the CRA director said that Guardian wouldn't have anything to do with it, and they were completely removed from it. They're not doing the construction.
I understand that, Mike. They understand that but they are the construction supervisor an engineer then why' the city hire an engineer then if you want guardian to go after the fact what was hiring an engineer Hamilton's cut their ceiling out in
expanding their house and cut their walls out and Patriot expressed concerns so the building official for the city of Stewart said before anybody goes forward and does any more work here we need to have an engineer check the structural integrity of this house and that's when
we found the beams that were replaced by Mr. Hamilton underneath the house and the truss work done in the attic by Mr. Hamilton. We didn't know that before that. Yeah. And then, you know, they were told they could pick their own contractor, but that's not how the procurement process works.
That is what they were told. I think you guys should wait until the hearing before you make judgment on how those things happen. But you're saying we can't have a hearing until all of those other Well, and I don't I don't know. But if you're going to decide that what they were told, I would have the commission to make that decision if we're going to
do this by resolution. Normally, the city would have the authority to tell the person, you're going to be kicked out of the program if you don't cooperate. But I don't get the sense that the commission feels that way. And as a result, I'm not doing that. But the
reality of it is is that the scope of services in this case, every time anything came up with the Hamiltons, they would say, "No, we want our own person to put this together." And because we didn't in every response to every email say, "But it still has to go
to procurement." We would say, "Fine, go get your scope of services and tell us what it says." Just like with the Liberty Windows guy, he didn't want to use the people we were suggesting going right out to bid for it. No, I want to get my own person to look at it to decide what I want. Let's have it on the 22nd and we'll pack
a lunch and hash it out. See if we can find clarity. Can Can I I have some concerns. I don't want to I don't want to debate this with them. And I don't want to either, but I have so little I have some concerns. Yes. I have some concerns. I don't know if anyone has noticed that the financial
committee is investigating HUD for a lot of dysfunction and things that are happening within the CGB program and I mean they're really looking into it. So it really concerns me and I think we need to put our house in order and get things done and get it done correctly
before they're here investigating us. So, we have the original scope of services and I wrote a letter to Shipo last week asking them. Shipo's original recommendation was not to replace the windows and to simply put
a sign in the front yard, but because the Hamiltons had been to several meetings and the uh Florida Commerce was saying, "Well, we can pay for the windows to be replaced." I said, "I'm not stepping in front of that. I don't care if those
windows get replaced, but he wants strict adherence to all of these terms and all the contracts. I think we should stick with that. And I've asked Shipo to re-evaluate it. We didn't know that all the walls, four of the windows, and 66%
of the house wasn't historic. And as a result, I'm confident that Shipo is going to respond back and say, "These windows will be fine if that's the path you want to go." So we could literally just go back in, finish the trimmer on
the windows and meet the first scope of services. And then again, as it relates to the ceiling, we had never agreed to the ceiling in the first scope of services. You mentioned that lead paint issue. That's because Mr. Hamilton is
using that lead paint issue to justify the removal of the ceiling, but he removed the ceiling. There's not going to be a report of the removal of it because he did it. And so nobody else did it and they couldn't spray in the insulation because Mr. Hamilton removed
the ceiling. And as a result, they still can't spray in the insulation. And the question is, he wants us to agree to put a new ceiling in. But if we agree to put a new ceiling in and Shipo says it has to be Dade Pine, it could cost as much as the entire contract. And we didn't
remove it. It was a beadboard ceiling that wasn't which is actually not a seal but not going to get into the weeds of I know there was actually a drop ceiling from when it was in office. I agree with the vice mayor but I am concerned because the federal government is looking into their program which has not gone well not just here but in other
places. I'm all for this being the last CD DBG grant we do. I don't think this should prove that we have no business being involved in these kind of things personally and everything I have read to date. I mean, it seems that, you know, the city
was to be the really overseer, but and we are. And I think that when you hear the presentation, you'll see that there's a lot of people that have benefited substantially from these grants and and that in this particular circumstances,
it's not even a house. They filed for a change of use from office to residence and during COVID it expired and they never got the change of use. So the commission is going to be faced with it doesn't qualify for the grant at all anymore because it's still an office. It
was never received as a res. They get the change of use. That's done administratively at the Nope. Isn't it? It expired. No, it requires an inspection and it requires the people to come through and they didn't do it. They never called for it. I mean, I did a change of use and it didn't Yeah. Well, well, I'm telling you right now that
they filed the form and then never followed up on it and expired. I found it when I was getting your public records response. I did one in like 2018 and it was 2017 maybe it was just a piece of paper, right? It's $123. You fill it out. You
get in you get a fire inspection and a building code inspection to make sure it meets whatever building code you're changing the use to and then it's granted. But they never followed up and never got it. So, as a result, when they applied for the residential CDBG grant, it was for an office building. Mike, is it the responsibility of the
homeowner to follow up or the city? Because if they submitted the application then how does it work? Does the city give a response back? I don't I again I haven't pulled the file but it is when they when they applied for the CDBG grant they knew they didn't have a change of
use. Gotcha. Mr. Clark. Yeah. I was going to say that um when we're discussing the CDBG grant um it may not be on the same day when the Hamilton issue is discussed but I know
that there's maybe Pinol could bring back to the commission or just provide information to the commission that shows uh the importance of having the CB CDBG grant in the community and the people
who I think are set for phase two or something. There were other people who had put in applications and there's a first wave and there could be a second wave that needs to benefit from these types of program and I'm absolutely I
don't agree. I I hear what you're saying uh comm vice mayor with regard to the um administration but again I think the information that we're going to receive will help us to either redeem or understand or figure out what Patriot
has been doing what one of the recipients has been doing and um I don't think anybody else should be punished for something that came up with this one particular um recipient of the program. So, let's get it done. Let's
Yep. Let's end this struggle session. This is so brutal talking about the same thing over and over again. If it's really if the programs aren't the problem, then let's just get it done. Yes, sir. Please, please. I have no other comments.
Will will you be able to have guardian or whomever? Guardians prepared to go. My concern was the Hamilton. Okay, good. Okay. Thank you. Can I get a motion for the approval of the agenda? Okay, go ahead, Mr. Mayor. Yes, Commissioner go. Okay. I have an issue with number 12. I
know it's just a DND, but it's not what I had asked for. It stated it's the commissioner code of conduct review, and that was not what I asked for in the meeting and not what I think. So, if I can if I can fill you in on what happened. When Robin Cartwright met with me with
Jenny Sherlock, it was because of some comments that were made by Becky Bruner. Her frustration was that the code of conduct, what was the date of that meeting? Just I don't even know. 23. Um 22.
Okay. 22. Um anyway, she was frustrated that the code of conduct had no teeth, no remedy in it. And I said, "Look, staff isn't in a position to reprimand city commissioners." And as a result
came up, they came up with the idea of this committee to enforce the code of conduct because what else is the committee enforcing? They're not enforcing the the commission on ethics because that's preempted by the state. So if you don't have the code of conduct
and you don't revise the code of conduct, then there can't be a committee to enforce it. So this really falls under the code of conduct. And I know because of 12 people said that there was a post on Facebook that I was not putting the right thing on the agenda.
But the reality of it is if we don't have the code of conduct, there's nothing to enforce. And the code of conduct needs to be amended in order to have the committee. and what is the enforcement that the code of that the committee has in it. That's the that's the document that the committee would be
using for enforcement purposes. But it's my understanding that was Miss Cartright's issue back in 2022. But when we talked at the last meeting, oh, sorry. When we talked at the last meeting, I think that we resolved the
fact that it would be nice to have for transparency in guidance with what Commissioner Reid said that it would be nice to have a committee that could meet with the commissioners on issues. It wasn't about enforcing a code of conduct. So, when I saw that, I I figured I'd just address it today rather than dealing with it during the week. I
was sorry. My great-grandchild was in town for a visit. I wasn't dealing with any of this. I don't have any problem deleting discussion and deliberation of the code of conduct and you guys can to give staff instruction on a committee that you want to meet with the
commissioners but like the board of adjustment like the LPA board or the CRB board because what this committee would just meet with you on dayto-day items or well again I miss Cartwright is here I
think it was something we were going to discuss and deliberate as to what would be the purpose of this committee that item that is not on the agenda. Okay. If when we get to item the D and D item 12, you don't wish to discuss it, we won't talk about it.
Well, and I if you want to add that we add this we add this whatever it is code of this review board that then that needs to go on an agenda. I actually think that the code of conduct
still covers that if that's what they want to have a committee we can talk about. Okay. When it gets to but it was not what was discussed at the last meeting. I just thought there was a misinterpretation of what we were saying. So that's why when you said code of conduct I thought it'd be best to review that.
No, I want to discuss it. I don't want it to be taken off of the agenda. We're going to discuss it. Then we will discuss it. We're going to discuss it. Is it a consent agenda? We're moving the entire agenda right now. Move approval of the con of the agenda as published.
We have a second. We have a motion by Commissioner Clark and a second by the vice mayor. Is there any public comment on this motion for approval agenda? Good evening, commissioners. I wasn't going to make public comment because I was hoping to speak about the agenda item number 12 which is not what I've
been asking for for basically three years. The idea is a committee of people who are not represented on the dis. It is not an LPA. It is not a CRA. It is not a CRB. It is so people like me have a place to go to have a discussion with
people who can determine if there is even a remote consideration that a code of conduct issue even exists. It could be something as simple as, "I'm sorry you feel that way. Here are some resources to go address what your problem is." It could be something as simple as, "Yes, it is a code of conduct
issue and it needs to be addressed by the commission or by human resources." It could be something where yes, it needs to go to the Commission on Ethics. Let us help you fill out that form. It is not to be punitive. It is to help people navigate and find a way to find a resolution to their concerns. It has
been going on since 2022. There are multiple emails between myself, Miss Sherlock, and Mr. Mortell about this. I am really getting fed up with the fact that you keep putting words into my mouth about what I think and what I'm saying. They're written down. We had a whole conversation about it. It was
reiterated in a meeting in an email back about the meeting. There were conversations had between Miss Sherlock, myself, and Mr. Mortell. None of this is new. And every time it's brought up to you, it's brought up so that I am the bad guy saying that it needs to be punitive. And that's not what the discussion is. It is to create an opportunity for people to have a way to
be heard. Because right now a lot of people do not feel like they're being heard. So if there is a way to amend and alleviate some frustration that is existing in the community so that people like me when we have a problem with something that is happening, we are not relegated to three minutes hoping you
hear us. The idea is that people like me can go to other people like me and we can help find a solution so it doesn't get to the point of frustration which is what you're hearing from us when we stand up here for the very limited amount of time that we have. and we can't answer and right and so I would appreciate the
opportunity to have a discussion about it. What is on the agenda now and what was on the agenda before not what I asked for not even close what I asked for because the conversation is being manipulated and managed by one person. So I would appreciate the opportunity to explore the discussion to have a
committee where people can feel heard not just in the three minutes they have to stand in front of you. Thank you. Well, if if you'll stick around, we've determined there's enough freedom within item 12 to talk about that. Yes. So, hang tight. Is there um
any other public comment on this? No. All in favor? Approval of the agenda? I I opposed. Seeing none. Agenda is approved. Do we have any comments from the public? Madame clerk on non-aggenda items. We have no no comment. None. Moving on. Can I get a motion for
approval of the consent calendar? So moved. Second. We have a motion by the vice mayor, a second by Commissioner Clark for approval of the consent calendar as published. Is there any public comment on this item? Madame clerk?
No, I'm sorry. I do not. Seeing none, all in favor? I. Motion passes. Mr. Beckett, item 11, will you please read that for our consideration, please? Sure. Ordinance number 2544-2025,
an ordinance of the city commission of the city of Steuart, Florida, amending the text to section 11.01.02 of the city's land development code by deleting the public hearing requirement for major development projects greater than 50,000 square feet and replacing with a public presentation to the city
commission requirement, providing for conflict, providing for codification, providing for an effective date and for other purposes. Uh just to give a little bit of a history, back in April of this year, the city commission directed the staff to initiate a text amendment because um an
example of such came before the board. And so we had this is the second reading. We had the first reading in the last commission meeting. And in the last commission meeting, uh there was a consensus to uh amend the initial draft of the text amendments.
And so we made some I I met with the director of development here at the city and we went back and and uh if you see what was previously um under section 11.0102 what was previously uh subsection F I
had removed in the first draft. But after your comments and your consensus at the last hearing, we put back in a a notice requirement for the presentation. And so we added language in there that um I think contributes to the intent
originally of this code that that it comes before the board and there is no vote. People are not under a oath and so forth like at a public hearing but they're still required to do the advertising and uh also to show up and have a public uh presentation about the
project. So hopefully the changes that is now um subsection E which was F um it's it's my my opinion and recommendation that that covers what you guys wanted uh the comments you made at the last hearing.
Thank you, Lee. Sure. Mayor, I'd like to move uh ordinance number 20 or 2544 2025. Second. We have a motion by the vice mayor and a second by Commissioner Clark. Is there any public comment on this item? Madame clerk, I have none.
Seeing none, other questions or comments by the commissioners for Mr. Bagot or Mr. Mortell? I have none. Yes, commission. So, so just for clarification, Lee, the only thing it's doing is is we're not voting. Correct. Yeah. Correct.
Okay. There's also not a public hearing. If you look, you know, public hearing, everybody's under oath. The applicant gets to have their time. You guys talk about exparte application or exparte communication. None of that is done. It's just a presentation. Gotcha. Okay. Okay.
I think the initial intent because if you look through the code if the development director finds that they're in compliance, it comes before you as a just so the public's aware. And I think that was the only intention, but it puts you guys in an awkward position of having to vote yes when you might not want to. So, it's just removing the vote. That's
all. Thanks, Lee. So, if we're not voting, should we allow public comment? It actually will just be a presentation, won't it? There won't be a motion in a second. Correct. I mean, I there there's so really there's not a provision for
public comment then at the discretion of the mayor. You could allow public comment for it. So you want people to get up and say don't vote for it. Don't vote for it. Don't vote for there's no vote. We just go we're not voting. So accepted the comments. I think it gets as close as you can to fulfilling the intent of this
originally. Okay. It's as close as you can get. The other option is just it being administrative appro approved and there is no presentation. You know, at least people could hear what's coming, right? And then at that time there can be clarification. Hey, we're not voting but we're having this so that we can
understand what's coming. Just, you know, normally in presentations we don't have public someone in the public spot something that we didn't see, our staff didn't see, which does happen probably. Okay. But we still will not be voting.
No, but you could table it to a date. C. There's a lot of things you can do, but I'm not going to go back and forth. I I don't That was one of the things discussed with the city attorney was um the timing of it. Like I know in the city of Stewart, the historic preservation code we have is that if
someone comes in for a demolition permit for a regular house, they can just get the permit and start knocking the house down that day, the day the permit's issued. But if the house is over 50 years old, the city's code is that they won't issue the permit for 30 days. It's not that we
have any authority to tell them no, but it gives 30 days so that if somebody wants to try and do a grassroots saving of the house or whatever might come up that that happens. This notice hearing is kind of a it's kind of a trap for the
commissioners because right you guys are going to give blame for the approval but you can't really do anything to stop it because technically they would meet code anticipate and I don't know when it would be but let's say we get a um live
local application that is complete and they're entitled and everything's ready to go and it's 100,000 square feet of multif family four-story apartments next door to no matter who it is that doesn't like it and the room is filled with people telling you in public comment for
three and a half hours to vote no and there's no vote and at the end you let it go forward and the permit gets issued and everything happens then those people feel like their public comment was ignored or you have a chair that could reiterate what the land development code says or
city manager and you know I think I don't disagree I'm just making sure that Right. Right. So that's what that's why we brought the ordinance originally. We were rescending it from the books to not even have it come before the commission at all because you didn't have any authority over it. And what happened is
in the '9s when the um financial buildings across from Publix got built. They were built to straight code. and one of the commissioners didn't know they were being built and said from now on anything over 50,000 square feet that's or 30,000 I think it was back
then that was coming forward I want to have a hearing where it's presented to the board and that happened for 30 years but it really it's not a hearing it's a presentation well it was a hearing oh it was and then yeah there was a resolution or the v the commission voted you just had
to vote yes it was weird and so now we were suggesting changing it and when we brought it for the first DND discussion on it, the commission said, "Don't rescend it. Change it to a presentation so that you could still give the notice and do the stuff," which is what we've
done. And then the question really is, how do you handle public comment? And I mean, it's the discretion of the board. You can handle the public comment and have public comment. It just could be rather lengthy and it could be, you know, if if the members of the public
are told that night, you can say whatever you want, but we're going to let it go forward. They could be very frustrated. Could we table the presentation to the next meeting? I mean, I I I don't know the I think that it would be deemed I mean that as Live Local says that
Yeah. Right. I don't think we can make Live Local do the do the presentation, right? Yeah. Yeah, I don't think they can either. I mean, but that's going to be what it is and then we're going to have that conflict to address if one of them comes forward. Okay. So, any other questions to the
staff from the commission or comments? Commissioner Reid, any No, I have none. Thanks. Okay. Roll call, please. Vice Mayor Collins? Yes. Mayor Rich? Yes. Commissioner Clark? Yes. Commissioner Reid? Yes. Commissioner Gobi? Yes.
Okay. we find ourselves back at item 12, a DND on apparently a mis titled item. So, so I and and I by no means mean to to infer that Miss Cartwright was wanting something punitive or was doing anything
of that nature because that wasn't my intent. My intent was that back when the stuff came up in 22, it was violating the code of conduct. And the
code of conduct has no teeth in it by its very nature. So what Robin and Virginia Sherlock were saying to me is, well, you should put together a committee or somebody that can address these issues. the the way to do that
would be to either amend the code of conduct or validate the code of conduct because if you don't follow through on the code of conduct then the committee doesn't have anything to meet and one of the
things we discussed is how do they meet? Well, anytime there's a complaint for violation of the code of conduct, the committee would be called to convene sunshine board like a sunshine board, right? Or the
discretion would be are we just going to have the committee have a standing meeting on the 15th of every month and just have an open call on to what would what what people want to talk about which commissioner or what they're going to raise because appointed because I would assume the
elected officials are the ones that would appoint the committee members but Robin and Virginia wanted it to be somebody a committee that was completely unrelated to the commissioners and so I didn't know how to tie it to the city at all. And David Das was the city manager
at the time. I simply gave him my notes and the the information from the meeting and said, "Look, this is what I've learned." And I assume he met with commissioners and it never went forward. I then became city manager and Miss Cartwright came in the fall and
brought it up again and I said, "Okay, I'll put it on the agenda for the next agenda item." and I presented it to the uh city commission. And one of the things at the time that staff was addressing was a an addition to the code
of conduct as it relates to public records and a thing that everyone would sign. and Commissioner Gio was absent that day. So she obviously wouldn't remember the conversation, but the commission essentially had a consensus that these issues are covered by the commission on
ethics and therefore there was no need to create another layer of bureaucracy or committee because again the whether it's a um minor infraction or a
major infraction Right now, absent an amendment to the code of conduct, there is no remedy for a committee to meet or for a committee to
even evaluate whether or not there was an infraction. So, you have to amend the code of conduct to acknowledge this committee or create this committee. And you know, I'm happy to I don't it doesn't make any
difference to me. It's the board. If you want it or don't want it, I don't even care. I just was creating I was creating the tool to let this conversation happen. Would you permit Robin to just speak without Right. Yeah. Few minutes and just let Can I just also say what I envisioned and Robin, it may be more than you have
or less. I I envisioned a committee of local residents to have access to discuss issues and concerns with the commissioners. Some of that might be something that they may have gone over the code of contact uh conduct and at that point could then go on to the proper authorities for addressing that.
But I think it was more I was going on what Commissioner Reed had said. It's another opportunity to open up a level of transparency to the community that I don't think they have a trust in us and I think that that's important to build on that and that to me was what this
could do. But Robin, please, you you are the person who had the original thoughts of this and and how do you envision and what do you see for this? I'd like to allow Commissioner Clark to make some comments before Right. If it's going to push the flow, you can
go, Miss Cart, right? But I just my comments are mostly for the city manager and the city attorney. All right. So, um I'm We don't have that anymore, right? We don't have that. That was for police. the the state law
preempted it and made it so that we couldn't have it anymore, right? And the citizens would do that with police matters and then some only as it related to city personnel. It did not apply to city commissioners. There's nothing that applied to city commissioners which is why the code of
conduct was created. Right. Okay. And then other some communities have something called uh the same thing with the same police thing whatever or other other people the citizen review board that's still not
related to elected officials. It's but some communities do have the citizen review board. Ours was called the Steuart independent review board. It's sir, right? Which is essentially the same thing. I don't know how many other municipalities still have it because the
state adopted the policeman's bill of rights and then last year preempted the citizen review board as it related to enforcement over police and fire and other uh employees as being double
jeopardy and said that they needed to be preempted and void. This is again a completely different subject. What Miss Cartrite's talking about is an overview of the actions of the commissioners. Okay? They're not um on the the citizens re
review board. It would be the commissioner review board. Okay. One more thing at the state level and I know at the um national level like with Congress and so on a lot of people keep hearing that this or that um person
who is a member of any of these legislative bodies or censured censured censure. In order to censure someone, you guys would need to amend the code of conduct and create the ability for an entity to
censure the city commissioners. Okay. I just wanted to bring those up to kind of clarify that in light of whatever my comments are. I'd love to hear from Miss Robin Courtright. And I just want to note that the three minutes does not apply here. Thank you.
The two items are not mutually inclusive, nor are they mutually exclusive. You addressing the code of conduct has absolutely nothing to do with a citizen panel who is emboldened and encouraged to review what could become before the commission. These are
two parallel tracks. Maybe they intersect, maybe they don't. They are not mutually inclusive or exclusive. Amending the code of conduct so that it has teeth, I think, is a great idea. That needs to be done. Absolutely. But it doesn't address that citizens still need to be heard. Can I interrupt you while you're
talking? Absolutely. Okay. So, when you say has teeth, what what are you saying? So, we'll use the example that brought all of this to light with Commissioner Bruner when she made a public appearance with the Chamber of Commerce, never identifying that she was speaking as a private citizen. She had a moniker and a
bug on the screen that said city of Stewart commissioner and she was speaking about the Canor CPU and all of the things that were happening that had not been discussed publicly at this point. She was advocating for it and talking about the great work that would be done as is her right had the city
commission given her permission. The mayor was supposed to give her permission and when it was questioned about the actions that she was taking and the representation authority that she had for that particular purpose, she did not have it. So when it was brought to the attention of the city attorney and then potentially the city
administrator, the city manager, nothing was done. But when you say teeth, what what is the purpose of having a code of conduct or anything that you have to abide by if nobody is enforcing it? And it doesn't need to be punitive. The other commissioners could have held her accountable. The other commissioners
could have done something to actually make a mention. You know what? That was really a bad idea. We shouldn't have done. have a little bit of concern with this as somebody who was the minority vote is for a period of time especially that that could have hurt me if I was
censored but but censoring somebody doesn't have to be if you're not if you're not violating a code of conducts there well sometimes the the the interpretation of the code of conduct could be leveraged against you as a hammer and if my other commissioners
were not so happy with the way I was behaving I could very well be accused Let's use your example then. Let's use your example because you were in the minority vote. Again, not mutually inclusive, right? Your votes as they were cast were not in violation of any sunshine laws, right?
They weren't in violation of any code of conduct. They weren't in violation of any code of ethics. And people did come to me about your votes. Sometimes my Irish shows and I argue and it gets ugly and Irish. I could be totally accused. We are justice. not mutually inclusive of your
situation were people who had concerns about how you were voting. If somebody had come to a committee like the one that we were presenting and asking for, there could have been a discussion preemptively to say, "These are the things that are violations of the code of conduct. These are violations of code
of ethics. If you're a member of the bar, these are violations of the bar." and to have a discussion to deescalate items before they become personal, which is what is happening with our city and our county commissions because people get frustrated and attacks become personal. And now the the conversation
that should be had is no longer about what should be had. Now we're discussing personalities and we're discussing everything else and we're not discussing what the actual motives and and votes are. So, I understand what you're saying, Commissioner Collins. I would say to you, had a committee like this
existed, people would have had a way instead of going to other commissioners and instead of going to whomever, they could have had an outlet to have a discussion to come up with something that was a little bit more genuine and a little bit more responsible and how they
were reacting to things. That's all this is about is creating an opportunity for people to be heard so that they can react in a responsible way and the conversation doesn't have to be derailed like when everyone's favorite friend and neighbor decides to post things that are untrue. I'll use myself as an example.
There's two things you're saying though which which I'm trying to parcel out. One is people being heard which I totally agree with you. Totally agree with you. Like I I I do think that it would be nice and to some extent that's what these meetings should be if that's how they function. You
know, in theory versus practice, maybe we need to work on that. But the teeth and potentially censoring of commissioners, I Okay, so during the zip, I had ethics complaints filed against me that were bogus. This is a huge pain in
the neck. You know, you you're stressed out about that and be it's this is not fun. My concern would be as political dynamics shift around, you know, humans are humans and all the sudden you have a board that is uh
stacked against you politically and it's being used and weaponized even if that's not the original intent. It's a fair comment. It's a fair question. Absolutely. and all of a sudden you're or or if we appointed these people, right, and and you lose an
election and you know the your opponent comes in and now that guy's being attacked and he's your gal's being attacked. It's just it seems messy to me in terms of teeth. That's my only concern with what where you're going. It's a fair question, but had we had this conversation starting in 2022 when the idea was originally presented, we
wouldn't be having this conversation now. I don't disagree. So, I'm grateful that we're having this conversation. it needs to be had. But again, it is not for the purposes of punishing anybody. And and and no offense, but it's not always about you. It's really it's about people like me
who need an outlet in a space to be heard in a way that you cannot hear us. And if I don't know that what you're doing is fine, right? What what if I'm what if I'm trying to restore my house and I don't know how the permitting process works and I contacted one of you
for help and I didn't feel like you were helping me and I'm totally put off by this. Is it appropriate for me to come in and say, "I'm sorry, Commissioner Clark. You should have been walking me through this process." No. If we had a committee that was staffed with people who actually cared
what happened in this community and care what it looks like optically, they would say, "You know what? Commissioner Clark is not responsible for holding your hand as you go through the permit process. Have you called the permitting office? Here's a number for you to call. Here are all the here's all the paperwork that you need. That is not a
commissioner issue. That is a process issue. And you can you can totally take away the anger that somebody has in that situation because you're providing an outlet to them. I I'm sorry, but the city staff is not doing this appropriately at this point. The caliber of the person who sits in
the seat and they're what we do all the time. I would beg to differ based on my experience and what I've heard from others, but you are welcome to think what you would like about what you do for the community. Right now, your role is to vote on ordinances. It is not your job to operate the daily operations of
what happens. You are not an operating board, right? You are a voting board. Yes. And so that being said, there is no operating board for the city. It is relying upon staff to make those decisions and help people. If people can't get through to somebody, if they don't know who to call, they call you,
as they should. You are their representatives. We are your constituents. That is your job. But there is a point where that job is not your job. There is a point where that job really goes to the permitting office. And then how do you get there? And how do you deescalate a situation where people
don't have this problem and this frustration? So you're saying like a point of contact customer service operator. So I if I could just if I could just comment for a second Clark has had her light on for a while. Okay. So yeah I wrote down ombbudsman here. Is
that something that you're thinking about an ombbudzman type person at? I I went in with the idea that there should just be an opportunity for this committee to exist. For three years I've been trying to have this discussion to create something that creates a way for
this committee to exist. Would you like us recess commissioner Reed? I just wanted to chair. Okay. There. We'll stand in recess. Sure. at 7:30.
Miss Cartwright, would you like to Thank you. I didn't think that's what you guys wanted. I would just like to state I appreciate you hearing me out, but my goal is not to tell you how to form a committee. My
goal is for the express purpose of telling you that you need a committee and you have needed a committee. And I'm not really sure what it looks like. I haven't put that much thought into it. When our meetings were had with Mr. Mortell and we had these email correspondents going back and forth, it wasn't prescriptive. It wasn't to tell
the commission how to set it up. It wasn't to tell you what your code of conduct should say. It was to create an opportunity for people like me. That's it. If you need more detail, I'm happy to put some thought into it. I've thought about different ways it could run. There's no right or wrong way, but ultimately it's your decision. You're
the commission. And and what I communicated to Miss Cartright back then was that what was that? The code of conduct. I didn't have anything to do with the drafting of it, but the drafting of the code of conduct was intentionally left off anything
because the purview of that was under the commission on ethics and because staff doesn't have any authority over the commission. it's the other way around and that the voters again going back to her position which she clearly pointed out were the ones with the authority over the commission and my
concern and I used uh Commissioner Clark as an example back then. And it's ironic that you begin the example tonight, but I said, "What if the committee existed and 52 times somebody filed a complaint against
Commissioner Clark?" And we convene 52 m meetings. And all 52 meetings, the board said Commissioner Clark did nothing wrong. And then the following summer was an election year. And the postcard that went out said Commissioner Clark was
brought before the code of conduct 52 times last year. And I said by its very nature, the inference would be that there was something wrong with that. And I said, my concern was how do we get an agenda item on the code
of conduct because the city has to do the due process side of it? has to get a complaint, has to process a complaint and put it on a notice for an agenda item in advance. And now the agenda item's out there. And there's no response by the commissioner yet because
they don't get to even hear it maybe for another month because this committee first has to hear it. And I don't know if the commissioner goes and defends themsel at that meeting or not. But then after the committee hears it, if the committee unanimously votes, that's
right, that commissioner violated the code of conduct here or there or anywhere, now it escalates to the level of what do we do about it. So then another formal hearing has to happen with the commission where whatever punishment it is or isn't happens. But
my concern was the window before the hearing where the notice of the meeting goes out and it says Commissioner X is accused of violating something and it's a 7-day notice before the meeting. The commission reviews it and says nope, the
commissioner didn't do anything. But the notice had the allegations in it, whatever those are. Because again, there are people that get very frustrated and you know, we got a letter just prior to the 4th of July by a guy
that described camping as taking place on one of the lots on Seminal Street. And there had never been any camping there. And he described the lot as looking like a jungle and and other descriptions. And if you got a complaint that looked like that and it was processed by staff and put on this
agenda and called to order and had all the stuff, the commissioner would be essentially guilty before even addressing it. And that was where we ended up with the I don't know where to go from here thing and I left it with
the city manager and that was kind of it. Can you see that point a little bit? It's kind of so instead of where do we go from here, we're just not going to talk about it. So, yes, I see the point, but I'm not really sure we're still addressing what I'm asking for. You put You put new butts in these seats.
I I understand, but we're making we're we're hypothesizing and we're making a lot of assumptions about what this committee will or won't do and what what communication is going out about this committee that doesn't even exist. The idea of the committee yet again because the intent versus what it ends
up becoming, you should consider that before going down the path of creating it. I have thought about it for three years, Commissioner Collins. Three years. Three very long years. Commissioner Clark. Yeah. Um I hear you, Commissioner. Um
Collins. Oh, brother. What was I going to say? Um uh well while I mentioned embod no I mentioned ombbudsman but this this this idea that um uh Commissioner Collins brought up about
teeth. I the only teeth I see is the ethics complaint. That's what that's what the that's what governs elected official that and the voting booth. That's what governs elected officials.
ethics complaint or like Commissioner um Collins said new seats in the in the thing, but it's a voting booth and the ethics complaint. That's what the teeth is. Having the citizens discuss a problem with a commissioner. I don't
know how that that just caused more festering. I'm not sure. I I I don't know. I I just And I hear you. A couple of things. So you'd rather discussions happen on social media, right? Where there's no possible resolution for any possible resolution.
So there's your that's what's happening right now. So we have more open we need to have more open time with the public where maybe we have time where the public can come in and I with all due respect, commissioners, I would argue any resistance to having any kind of committee to possibly help
facilitate a conversation from a community member to me is a concern. I was with you down in the teeth that but again that is a parallel track. If your code of conduct is is good then your code of conduct is good. Are you abiding by it? And if you're not, what
do you do to hold each other accountable? That's one track, right? That's up to you guys. You guys are responsible for your ethics complaints are already used punitively. If somebody came to me about your situation that you brought up as the example, I would not encourage them to file an
ethics complaint because maybe you like my ideas. No, it has nothing to do with your ideas. I am a by the books person. I am a compliance and regulations person. I am a standard operating procedure person. Well, thank God that you have a high caliber of character, but not everybody does. Well, well, I I can't help that, but I would
Can we allow Commissioner Reid to comment? He's been waiting patiently, and I'm waiting after him. Yes, I see that. Thank you. Clarify it, Robin, because it's not necessarily for punishment. It's for guidance. It's not It's not even again, not about you, right? It's it's more about the public being heard and getting a direction on
where to go. If you're looking for information, Yes. what direction to go in. I'm with you. I'm with that. Now, I don't know if this is something that could be solved with uh by if if an advisory board is necessary. That's where I would ask the city manager to do some research and see what
advisory boards exist throughout the state of Florida to find out what their role and responsibility. I contact I want to I will give you a perfect example and I know you have a comment, Commissioner Joy. I will make this brief. I contacted the Commission on Ethics about something that happened with a previous commissioner
and I got zero assistance. I said, "Is there somebody with whom I could speak because I need help determining if this is even an ethical violation?" Like, is this even something that you will entertain? I was told I can't help you. Right. You have to file which is but which is really
I agree. But if somebody like me wanted to file an ethics complaint, right? Because now we're jumping from zero to 100. If somebody like me wanted to file an ethics complaint, which I tried to do, I could get zero assistance, nobody to help me. So I started asking at a local
level, which is why I consulted with comm with attorney Sherlock about this situation. It is not to be punitive. Thank you, Commissioner Reid, for recognizing that it is to help people recognize if there is a process to follow, how do you follow it? And is it even worthy of following? That's it.
And I can give you some examples as far as the the ethics stuff. Um, I I've had to learn the hard way on everything that I've done since being up here, since getting involved with advisory boards. I learned by doing my own research or by asking questions. But not every citizen
will do that. Um, as far as the the ethics stuff, you can always send in send in a written scenario and they will actually respond if you go on their website, but I know that doesn't solve the problem because if people are told one thing, you either question it further
or you just take their answer and just move along like a good citizen should do apparently. That's not me though. Um, I like to question things. I understand where you're coming from. But you are a good citizen. Well, it's debatable. Um, states. But um no, like I I like to do my own
due diligence. I like to do my own research. Sometimes I involve staff. Sometimes I'll ask city manager, city attorney, and and they can reiterate even the you know the clerk's office and stuff. Um or the development department. I I ask for clarification whether it's from Lou, Jody, anybody. Um and and and
I get where you're coming from. I see the benefit. Um because like I said, it goes back to I've had to navigate everything. Nobody's in my corner when it comes to things. Sure, you might ask a question here or there, but how do you know that information is pointing you in
the right direction? You don't. Um I don't know if that's something where if we as a board could have a workshop once every quarter, a true workshop, not where we sit up here and you're limited to three minutes
because it it really doesn't solve anything. you you cannot get most things out in 3 minutes. Or if hang on, Mike. Or if you send a long email, I can speak on myself personally. I'm I'm busy. I'm not making excuses, but I'm a very busy person, and sometimes it
is hard to to go through emails or phone calls with with full-time jobs. I I can't speak what everyone else does, but I have a full-time career and um I'm not against what you're saying and and I don't think it's necessarily for a punishment because I'm more worried
about Florida ethics than I am some code of conduct that that mean the code of conduct. I mean, I really, you know, I don't see uh the punishment side of it like Vice Mayor Cullen said. I'd be more concerned with the ethics from that perspective. But where you're coming from is more for direction,
clarification, point of contacts. If you have a question, hey, who do I reach out to to solve this issue, whether it's maybe a local or a state issue, I I I don't know. That's part of what she's saying, but she's also saying when there's an issue,
how do you address it? This group is deciding whether or not that issue rises to the level of potentially an ethics. And we don't we don't need to change a single thing in the code right now for you guys to tell me to schedule 12 workshops this year. We'll happily do it or three or one or
50. I mean whatever amount you want. I'm just saying whatever you want. I know. Could we have commissioner Joby? Would like been patient. Okay. Again, everyone's turning to the punitive part of it. And I think it's more about the community and the commissioners feeling open to discuss things with each other. Instead of them
the community standing there for three minutes, they say what they hopefully can say in three minutes. we can't answer them. I mean, it's a frustrating situation. And then gets to the point where people maybe are filing ethics complaints to the state. Maybe if we just had the open dialogue. That's all I
think she's looking for and I'm looking for have that open dialogue where you have five people who have gathered together from the community, maybe take issues from other community members who are finding it frustrating to navigate the city or don't feel that they have access to the commissioners.
Yeah, I I really would like to see that. Again, we have to to structure it how it works. But I think that that would be good. Does am I saying that it's never going to be punitive? Maybe there's an issue where they come before and say, well, we really think this isn't right and you know, can we somehow navigate this change it or whatever? And the end
result might be that you go to the code of conduct, I mean the commission in the state and and do a vi, you know, ethics violation. I don't know. But I think the other 80% or 90% that opens up dialogue between the community and the commissioners can only do us good. It
can only give them a level of more trust toward us because I don't think a lot of the people in the community trust. We have to do an agenda workshop. I'd have to do an agenda. Well, that's why we're deliberating is to get an idea of what we issue that that we ran into when we discussed this before is what's on that
agenda. Are the commissioners just going to show up to this open forum and it's just going to be random people blurting out potential violations of Why are you assuming that the commission's invited to the committee and I'm not I didn't because they were saying that we're making an open forum
have the open forum before us because they would be getting together saying these are the things we'd like to but you were saying slightly different things. You're saying making ourselves as a board available for for people in like a town hall setting. Well, but they would have already gotten together. Robin is saying a committee that doesn't
involve us. Well, I think that her committee would come before the commissioners to say these are the issues we have. That's how I envision after they had them after the committee got them from the public. Yes. But but using Mr. Mortell's example of Commissioner Clark apparently being
egregious 51 or 52 times. 53. 53. Congratulations. 53 was over the ducks. if overdosed. If Commissioner Clark's complaints are all coming from the same person, that is a different conversation. That is not about Commissioner Clark at this point.
That's a personality issue that has to be addressed. And and if there is something that is germanine to that disconnect and dysfunction in that relationship, that's where you identify it. It is not to punish Commissioner Clark for anything. And that's where I think you guys aren't really hearing the
full scope of what this is. This is not about finding a way to make you look bad or to find something wrong. This is a way for that one person who has an issue with Commissioner Clark apparently 53 times to figure out what is really the issue. Is the issue really Commissioner
Clark? Is it really a different process that they have that they have a problem with and Commissioner Clark is just bearing the brunt of it? You're making a lot of assumptions about what's going to come before this commission. We're entertaining. I I understand that but but let's not assume ill intent. Let's assume positive
intent. The goal is, again, I will go back to this. The goal is for people like me who have a concern and don't know where to go, get some help. Because, no offense, the city city staff want to keep their jobs. They're not going to say, "Hey, you know what I
think you should do? I think you need to call this guy." They're not going to do that. And I don't blame them. Make that a committee. Well, so for what it's worth, this conversation came up. biggest issue is the constitution of it. Like right now, if this board voted to rescend the code
of conduct and it just poof, it's gone. Then there would be no basis for the committee to even weigh the behavior of the board. The code of conduct is the basis for the because otherwise it falls under the sole authority of the
commission on ethics. And I remember speaking to Robin in in 22 when the issue with um Becky Bruner came up and there, you know, it it was on video. So we have every single word of every single thing she said. There was no dispute as to what she said. And I
remember her frustration because I said the same thing. Look, the city staff can't do anything about it. The only remedy is for you to go to the commission on ethics. and she wasn't even addressing whether Becky did something right or wrong one
way or the other. As much as she knew that sending all this stuff to Tallahassee and them not really caring about the localess of Steuart that it was going to be kind of a lesson in futility and that it wasn't worth doing because of the
nature of it. and she wanted a a path or a location here that this committee came up. It wasn't like they came in with some sketched out outline of it. It was the idea was the remedy for that would have been okay we there would be a
committee here that would evaluate those issues. But those issues come from the code of conduct because and if the if a committee was created the first thing that would be done is a review of the code of conduct and it would come the
next thing that would happen is here's the committee's recommended changes to the code of conduct. Here's what the committee thinks should happen. And whether you think that'll happen or not, it happened when we created the historic review board for East Stewart. It happens in every situation. That's
what happens because they're going to be looking for clarification. They're going to be looking for instruction. They're going to want to have a series of rules or how to how should I weigh this complaint? I'm just a resident of Stewart. Should I consider this more significant than that or whatever it
might be? And if it's something that falls under the Commission on Ethics, do we not hear it at all or do we hear it on a more local level? And there's all these nuance to it. And I that's a good point. I mean, we do have these other boards. And I know when it came to when it came to the school zone,
Commissioner Reid had his light on. When it came to the school zone, many many people in that neighborhood spoke with Miss Moser. Then they take advantage of the CRB or the LPA. I mean, there are a lot of people Yeah. who have relationships with the city
that allow you to contact with them. I mean, apparently I'm doing this job completely wrong. I talk to people constantly. I call people, they send an email and I call them back and I go to their house and I drag the city manager with me and
people speak here and I get their number and I call them. I am constantly interacting with the people in this town and I I'm sorry you think most people don't trust you, Commissioner Joby, but I don't find that to be the case. Many people who disagree with me even call me
and sometimes to, you know, to strongly disagree with me, but I it sounds like Commissioner Reid is very accessible. He speaks to a great many people. I just I don't I don't have this sense of I mean people call me up and can I dump my
garbage here, Mayor Rich? Again, this is not about you. Well, this is about me. I can tell you I have a list of people who call me about the commission and ask me questions. I'm not elected. So, they're obviously not
coming to all of you every single time. That's my point. If somebody is not comfortable coming to you, they're not comfortable coming to you because they also don't know how to access you or navigate. I'm glad that you're accessible to people. That's amazing. However, 100% of the people are not
coming to you. That's the point. Mayor Rich, may I? Yeah. Uh, Commissioner Reed, what about if we had something like because like our public comment's only three minutes. What if there was another directive where you could fill out a form and have more time allocated? Is it
is it anonymous? Do people feel like they can speak freely and can we can we respond? I think that's part of it too. That is absolutely part of it. But the whole point is that not everybody is coming to you guys for fear of retaliate. I've I've been there. Absolutely. Personally, I can speak.
I am persona nongrada to be hired within Martin County because of this kind of stuff. So So I am the first to tell you people come to me because they know I there's nothing to retaliate against anymore. I can't get fired from a job I
don't have. But there are a lot of people who do not come to you. I'm glad that you're accessible and I'm glad you feel like you're accessible, but I hate to tell you this, mayor, you are not always gone to. There are people who contact me about some of the stuff that you do. And what do I do with that? I try to guide them in the best way that I
can to act in a responsible way about what is and is not permitted according to the code of conduct and whatever other rules the city has. Take that for what you will, but the whole point is that not everybody in the community is able to be here and is comfortable
speaking to you publicly and even sending you emails because then it's part of public record. So to that point, you can decide to do this, not do this, whatever the case is. The commission would be public record. Committee. Committee. It may or may not. What if somebody sends it? What if there's an
public record? What if someone gave you a transcript is what you're saying and you brought it to the board's attention or whatever. It could be anything. We don't even know what it looks like yet. Again, you're making a lot of assumptions about things. So, if the board has any authority to
make a decision, that is a decision. I don't know what that decision is, but the Florida sunshine law says if the board has been created by the city and has decision-making authority, they're subject to sunshine. A the LPA doesn't pass a development project. They just
discuss and deliberate and give you guys recommendations. They're not actually binding on anything. They're just right recommendations. And that is a sunshine board. So the sunshine creates a a an inherent problem with it. But we
I know that Robin thinks that I ignored her in 22 and didn't address. would like to show you the copious amount of emails where I was ignored, but we can discuss that later. I didn't ignore you. First of all, I didn't have authority to do anything and I still don't. I don't know what to do.
I don't know where to go with it. To me, first, whether people believe it's the code of conduct or not, it is because if you take the code of conduct away, there's nothing for you to violate. So, there's no need for the committee to to meet. Nobody is recommending to take away the
code of conduct. I'm not either, but I'm pointing out that it is related to the code of conduct. My recommendation back then, as it is now, would be if you were going to take further action regarding this committee or however it was going to be, that you amend the code of conduct to create
a committee of five, seven, nine, whatever odd numbered people it is, decide how those people are going to be selected to be on the board, how long their terms are going to be, and when they're going to meet. Then if they're going to only meet when a formal
complaint is filed by someone about a city commissioner, you would then need to create a form to fill out the complaint and say, "What is it that they think the commissioner's doing wrong and violating on the code of conduct?" And that would be the agenda item that's put
together. If it's not for violation of something in the code of conduct and it's for not returning phone calls or it's for not being available or not answering my questions that the code of conduct even could have that language in it. But but how would
the committee even deliberate if there's no spine or no rules for them to apply it to? So you need that code of conduct as the rules. And I'm not against it at all. I honestly don't have any problem with it.
I just it was I I saw the potential for abuse. And the other problem is the reason the SIRB board was essentially removed by the state was cuz some case law came out and said that if a police
officer got in trouble with his supervisor and got suspended for an hour and then six weeks later went in front of the SB board for the same thing because somebody made a public um complaint
about it that the police officer was essentially being subject to a second punishment for that initial transgression, whatever that might be. And as a result, the state passed this regulation to cancel out all these
boards. Again, completely different issue, completely different subject. The city commission is not considered full-time employees of the city of Stewart. They are not city employees to the extent that they don't
fall under the personnel policy and they don't follow pay or whatever it might be but rather the subject or that we the conclusion that was drawn was that they were subject to the voters and the voters had the ability to replace them
by not voting for them. Now, I don't I don't disagree with you at all that there's a lot of times where a resident feels like they don't want to wait until the next election to see a remedy or for
that matter doesn't have the energy to go campaign against somebody over whatever the transgression might be. So, I didn't disagree with you or or uh Miss Sherlock as it related to the idea of putting it together. I just said, "How
do we put it together?" And I said, "No, give it to David and see what he what he does with it." I know that the city manager back then had regular meetings with the city commission and it never got any legs. When you brought it up when I was the city manager last October, I put it on the board and I
probably did it um ineffectively. I didn't I put it on as the code of conduct instead of as a committee to address the issues written in the code of conduct. But the truth is I wasn't trying to mislead it or misguide it. I
just feel like the due process that that the city attorney would have to follow to implement the board would effectively be a punishment even in the situations where the commissioner was found completely absolved by the
board because like you said there's Facebook and social media out there and the day the agenda went out and had a list of five or six agenda items and all five or six agenda items were different individual complaints paints about different individual commissioners that
had didn't call somebody back or told them to go to the wrong department or said that they didn't live in the city of Stewart then doing right well don't know what they're doing whatever it might be that list is going to become the Facebook poster child every single time
and then the commission or the committee's meeting the findings aren't going to matter to the people that were doing the attack of that commissioner on Facebook with that list because when they're found unfounded, that person's not going to go back on Facebook and say, "The person I
don't like was unfounded. They're just going to leave their post about the fact that they were subjected to the committee on it." Now, I bring that up. It's the discretion of the board. You guys give us direction. You have a comment. Yes, I do. I have a comment. I mean, I
don't know why we have to create the committee. I think any citizen can get together and create a committee. Maybe what we do is say, "Okay, that committee can approach us when you have three or four things that you'd like to address and that they approach the city manager
or a commissioner to say, can this be put on the agenda?" But when they come, that particular agenda item is not subject to the three minutes and the non-verbal back and forth. It would open up the dialogue. We can discuss it. And
again, it's not always about something definitely against a commissioner and sending them up to the state for violation of code of conduct. Maybe there's four or five people who have maybe 10 things to address at the city. We haven't created the committee. It doesn't come to under any of our laws or
rules, but a community has the right to get a group together and they have the right to ask us if they can be on the agenda next month and address those issues. Sure. But I don't think that's what she was thinking of, right? If if it if it ma Listen, the amount of
phone calls and emails that I get related to the city and county commission are ridiculous. I am unpaid. At least you get something. So some of the concerns that come to me, again, no offense, Mayor Rich, but not everybody is coming to you. And for the help and guidance, excuse me, if I'm not allowed
to be if I'm not allowed to interrupt you, you made it about you, so I'm addressing you about this point. Okay. The whole point is people are not coming to you exclusively. They are coming to people like me and people like me have concerns independent of what other
people are asking me. You can make a committee. You cannot make a committee. I'm a little concerned in your hesitancy to want to invite the public to have a dialogue and a discussion with anybody about how to be better. That's all this is about. How can somebody feel heard and how can the process be better?
because what you're discussing excuse me what we are doing wrong that's that's different than just being and if somebody truly thinks you're doing something wrong Commissioner Collins that will happen at the voting box you're saying it's not about us but it is the whole point of the whole point of the committee to answer it the whole point of the committee I'll
go back to this again was so if I had a concern and I needed to address something that I had somebody to go to because if I came to any of you when Commissioner uh Bruner made her public statement and I did go to a couple of commissioners. I got zero feedback. So,
what is the point of going to a commissioner to ask for assistance? You did great. Two of those butts are not in these seats. Regardless of that, that had nothing to do with my complaint. You remedied the situation, but that wasn't you were a large part of that. That wasn't her intent. That wasn't my intent.
And I will say though, it's the law is very clear that no individual commissioner has authority over another commissioner. So the only way to create that is for the commission to adopt a document
creating that authority over themselves. And it it it's just a matter of how much authority you create by the other four. Well, you are welcome to do or not do what you'd like. I would like to thank you, Commissioner Gob, for at least giving me this opportunity because this has been three years too long to try to even have this discussion. I'm a little
disappointed at the lack of commitment to your constituents to be totally honest because at the end of the day we are the ones who have the concerns. We vote for you. We pay taxes like you do. The whole purpose of this is so I can direct people to a place that is not my
phone. It is not my house. It is not my email. I am the one fielding a lot of the calls that you're not getting. And there are other people like me. You know if you call Yeah. That is not that is not the point. Yeah. The five of us are the customer service
representatives for the people who are here. That is supposed to be our job. Anytime somebody says to me, I am not comfortable calling a commissioner or calling the city. I will take an anonymous point and I will forward it to you and you can happily answer it however you would choose and I'll be the
conduit, an unpaid conduit to relay this information who has no authority because there is no committee to take that information and get it to the person who's asking. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Mayor Rich, what if what if we just had like an an I mean
you you couldn't have like an anonymous contact on the city website, could you? No, I don't know. You can I mean I don't know. Put it up there if you want, but what do we do with it? What do we do? I I suppose we do right now. We have the You know, we get emails all the time that are fake emails,
right? I don't know. I just But how do you answer I mean, how do you answer that email? They're looking for you answer it. The real question is right now if I got a complaint about from someone and they said Commissioner X is violating
Sunshine or Commissioner X is violating the public records law. I would say the only remedy I can give you is to file a complaint with the Commission on Ethics because that is the only remedy that I can give them. I don't have any other answer than that. And by the way, when
they say it and I answer back like that, and it's Miss Cartrite's not the only person that's ever said something to me in the last 10 years, they get very upset and frustrated and they think that staff is trying to circumvent the
process or whatever it is. And it's not that staff's trying to circumvent the process. It's that that is the remedy currently that exists. And the law is very clear that one commissioner doesn't have authority over another commissioner. And the only way that
would ever happen is if the commission got together and amended that code of conduct and said, "We want to subject ourselves to this authority. We want to create this set of rules and if we violate them, we want this committee or
this person or this board or whatever it is to be able to implement the following remedies for doing so. And that I mean I is I know that that sounds puditive or that I'm trying to make it extreme. It's not. It's just that it would be
if even if it's something as simple as I'd like to have a meeting with a commissioner to talk about an upcoming project and the commissioner won't meet with me. Well, if the code of conduct doesn't say the commissioner has to meet with you, then that committee doesn't have the
authority to say that not meeting with you is doing anything wrong. And so the committee wouldn't be only be able to say, well, it's not in the code of conduct. You can't do anything anyway. So that's where it gets this back and forth and it just and and I agree with
Robin. Most people are afraid to publicly speak. Most people don't feel comfortable coming into a meeting filled with other residents that have other issues and talking about their personal my nextdoor neighbor's trees hanging over my yard. And I know it doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but the
mangroves are falling in my yard. my dogs eating them and things like that. And it it to that person that's a really big deal, but they don't want to come here and have that discussion because it just doesn't seem like it to them and it makes them uncomfortable. People call you vice Mr. Vice.
I I don't want to I don't want to brag on myself, but I try to make myself very accessible Facebook and and I try to answer and people do ask me and even some very petty stuff, right? Yeah. Yeah. I don't I I just don't see
this I see myself as a customer service representative for it's kind of that's my job right I have never I have never turned down if someone asked to meet with me I have never said no to that person ever city clerk
no I'm sorry commissioner Reed has the light on I I totally forgot what I was even going to say at this point yeah I'm at this point I'm just disappointed that we can't have a dialogue with the community I know what I was going to say I was going to ask um can the city manage manager. Maybe we can get a consensus from the board. Can the city manager do
some research and see if there are other boards like what are being discussed to bring back that documentation in an agenda packet just as another D&D discussion because it helps. Are you going back to the first thing you said? So I can I can tell you we did do that
research a little bit and I know that um in Port St. Lucy the board had a ability to censure the rest of the board. So, the Port St. Lucy City Commission adopted a code of conduct and
transferred the authority to censure a board member to the city commission board. So, if you amended the code of conduct, there is you do have the legal authority to do something like that, but you would then have to say I am subjecting myself
to censure from these other commissioners or from a committee. nightmare. I want to be able I want to violently disagree with you and not have to worry that we all need to be able to hash it out. That's that's right. Without fear of
I mean a formal retribution to follow the code. I just want to say that I think that it's very unfortunate that the discussion was strictly about censuring and centering and um
discussion about things that the commissioners are doing wrong and reporting their you know unhappiness with the commissioner or whatever. That's the nature of the board that's being discuss what is what else is there
that that's the nature of this because that's what that's where you pigeonhold this committee into. I did not hear Robin Cartwright say anything else about because she didn't she wasn't given time to explain or she wanted to have a
discussion where this could be um set up where things that could be talked about would be listed. You know, to me it was just like all all you're talking about is that the commissioners are going to be um
when you say what what would could be talked about would be listed. What do you mean? Well, suppose let's just say on a positive note, let's just say that this committee is formed and uh some of the people talk to the committee members and they say, "I have a great idea that
something that could be done for the water." It's fantastic. Yes. Yeah. Well, she could they could bring that up to the committee and I am all for something like this. They could directly people do that all the time. I I would tell people to
please contact me, Sean, or whoever. Yes, please do. That could be possible, Mr. Rich. However, that's not the way it happens, you know. So, you're saying like a town hall kind of a thing. What?
Well, no. Suppose there's a committee. There's a committee formed. I don't care whether it's a private committee that's formed or you guys people anonymously bring forth ideas. It doesn't even have to be anonymous. I mean, like I said, suppose someone has a an idea that wants to just bring it up
to a committee of people who they know come to the commission meetings and are informed about different things and it's great ideas. It's like we're adding another layer of bureaucracy. I'm just saying it could be part of what the committee is doing. To me, all I'm
sitting here hearing is is that this committee is going to be signaling and and directing things toward the commissioners. And I I apologize for creating the direction, but it's because the meetings arose because there was no remedy for
what was being alleged against Commissioner Bruner here and now. The remedy was to have this committee that would evaluate if in fact there was some transgression by the commissioner. There was never a
discussion that the committee was needed to be created so that people could bring forward ideas to say that the commissioners were doing a good job or that they could bring forward ideas of ways to um better ways to pave roads or whatever
it is because I think that they can call the board and say that they can say positive stuff easily because people are receptive to positive comments. It's the negative that people don't feel so comfortable with. I understand that. However, I just think that if there is a committee that the
committee can do good as well as, you know, being there to field all of this stuff and people may, you know, they might have an idea and feel more comfortable speaking to uh the committee and getting direction from the committee on where do I go with this idea or
whatever instead of calling the the city hall here and uh getting an answer. Commissioner clerk, that's all I just think I said it before already and I don't know isn't done right. It seems like people are talking about some role of somebody or some committee
and I mentioned the ombbudsman idea and then now I'm hearing about a possible some type of suggestion box or some suggest some anonymous thing where people can put down their complaints or ideas. I think we get that already
unless I'm not getting the things that other people are getting. But I get a lot of email, a lot of ideas, a lot of suggestions, a lot of complaints, a lot of questions um both by emails and in person. And I try my best to answer
them. If not, I send them to the different departments at least to Mr. mortell and he can respond to it because sometimes there are things that um not sometimes mostly all the times it's staff needs to look into it and and provide a a response because it's
something that is concerning a resident that that the city needs to take care of and we don't personally go out there and take care of something but if it's a public works matter or a a zoning matter or whatever we send it to the departments or the people who are in
charge and they they take care of it. So, but if we need to have a suggestion box or maybe have um some other time for the public, I'm here. I I mean, we want to listen to people and possibly engage them. But I tell you, when you go down
the road of engaging people, it becomes a big terrible thing and it's not it just doesn't work out right. So it would have to be a town hall and people know that they can come. Would it be an advertised town hall? Is it a sorry is
it a gripe session? Is it a venting session? It might be many things. I think that that's very unfortunate that you just can't have a committee where people can go and be in this committee and discuss issues and it's not always about the commissioners did this or the
commissioner didn't do that or whatever and naming commissioners that uh did something wrong. There's a lot of positive things that happen and I think that when you have a committee there are great ideas. You can have business owners on there, residents on there that
have great ideas and yeah, they could call up or they can come in and call you and talk to you about why she's still speaking. We can't have unlimited public comment here, but it doesn't get done. Okay, so obviously this isn't going
anywhere. We're obviously content to have it sit on Facebook in negative or positive ways. I'm just so disappointed that we couldn't be open and find a way for this to happen. It's very sad. I'm not happy about it. I would like Obviously, there are people who don't
want to come before this commission, speak publicly, or even send in an email. But if you have people that are willing to send me an email, forward anonymous or whatever, I will try to handle I don't mean to come across like I'm unwilling. I just don't understand what we're doing. What is the recommendation? To be honest, I really don't understand
what we're even recommending. Create the committee. I'm not against I don't understand what it what is it what is it that we a committee of what it is a committee of concerned citizens who want the ability to come before the commission speak and get feedback that
doesn't happen at the beginning I can tell you though I can tell you the BDB the frustration the frustration before from Miss Cartwright was that there was no remedy I said what difference does it make if she I can't do anything about it even if she violated the code of conduct there's
remedy on the 2022 thing. No, I'm not. I'm just showing you there's no remedy. I this have this committee. They have a meeting and they find that Commissioner Z violated some point of the code of conduct. But if the committee finds that somebody
violated a point in the commission in the in the code of conduct, then so what? out of 10 things that might come from that community committee that comes before us. Out of 10 things, maybe one actually winds up where the advice is, well then you'll have to go because we
can't really monitor each other or admonish each other. Then that might be the suggestion. Go to the code go to the state and file an ethics. 100% is that unless you amend the code of conduct to include teeth because unless you add
something into the code of conduct, 100% of what goes to that committee is going to be referenced that you have to go to the commission on ethics. Well, they're going to go anyway at this point if they have no way. You can add teeth if you guys want, but that's what it is. I at this point I'm frustrated. Obviously, there's an issue here and all
I can do is Robin has left. Hopefully she will email those of us and maybe the remainder of the people who reach out to the mayor and hopefully we can or better define what we're talking about because I don't understand like I my point I'm not just saying that what is the committee for
the committee is forides grievances unfortunately she has left but it was my understanding and what I would like to see is that the committee is a fielding point for people in the community who the one or two or three people that will be on the committee don't have an issue coming before the commissioners to say
these are the issues that we have in the community. Can you address them? I mean that was my vision is that they have the ability to go somewhere because they all don't want to come here. They don't want to go up to that. You don't feel like they can come to you. I feel like they can come to me but
again she mentioned they don't want to send an email maybe to me or maybe they're only sending them to the mayor. But the reality is I'll get some and what I can't handle I'll send on to uh the city manager and and I carbon copy the department that it involves. That's what I'm saying. Where's the problem? And then what is the actual
committee? Well, there's obviously more people who reach out to Robin than they do to us. That is the problem. Do we want them all having to field out to Robin or do we at least want to let her have some people that are not afraid or are more than
willing to come before this commission have a set time and we can say these are the issues and again it would be something where we would have a back and forth. Vice Mayor has just said to her forward them to him. Yeah. He's willing I would think that many of those people
anonymous they will forward. I think it was also an issue. People don't want their name us layer between us. But if you create a committee, it's now a sunshine and their name's going to be so we have to create the committee. Well, then a group of people want Robin
wants us to create a committee. Any group I'm with you to your point that there should be a public the public can make its own committee, but her frustration is that we're not making one. Right. Well, I do agree that if we do make one, it is subject to sunshine. So that defeats the whole purpose. Exactly. That's what I'm saying.
Okay. Is there a motion? No. For a specific item on the next agenda. See none. I think we I'd like to see just some examples to come back. Examples of community committees that might work. It can't be the only I mean
I know I'm not that bright. I didn't think would do that like the like the Chamber of Commerce like the Chamber of Commerce, the Steuart Main Street or the No, they've done it for race relations in some communities. If we're not establishing it, why are we discussing it if it sounds
or the Democratic Environmental Council that asked me to meet with I I'm done for the night. Okay, I have to be honest. See no other items for our consideration. The meeting is adjourned.