Hey. Welcome to the Valuchia County Council meeting. The meeting will begin in 10 minutes. Hey, heat. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, Hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, Hey, hey, hey. Hey,
hey, hey. Welcome to the Valuchia County Council meeting. The meeting will begin in 5 minutes. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Baby, hey.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Wonder. Hey, here we go. Let's do it. Welcome to the Valuchia County Council meeting. The meeting will begin in 2
minutes. Okay, welcome. We will call the uh April 21st, 2026 Valuchia County Council meeting to order at 4:01. And in just a minute, I will ask you to stand and we will uh begin a meeting
with uh an invocation and then the pre pledge of allegiance. Um if you are a uh member of a faith group who would like to participate in the invocations, please just send an email. All faith groups are welcome. Send an email to K
green, the letter K green.org, or and she will get you all set up. Uh this morning uh we are fortunate to have re Reverend uh Danny Baxter. He's pastor of uh senior um adults at Stson Baptist
Church in Dan. Pastor Baxter, it's good to be with you today. Let's pray together. Father God, we love you. We thank you for the privilege of uh knowing you and having the opportunity to have a relationship with you. Father, as we gather this afternoon, we pray for your blessings. We pray for your wisdom
and your knowledge. Would you give us uh the words to speak and Father, may every word that is spoken today be edifying and Father, pleasing to you. Thank you for these men and women as they have gathered here today. Pray that you would bless them and their families and father
bless our bless our community. And father, we look forward to what you're going to do in us and through us in the days to come. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> I pledge algiance 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. Thank you and welcome to town. >> You hurting? Are you hurting? >> We'll be out of here by 6:30. >> Chissa, would you call the role, please?
>> Mr. Mr. Santiago >> here. >> Mr. Dempsey >> here. >> Mr. Johansson >> here. >> Mr. Kent >> here. >> Mr. Reinhardt >> here. >> Mr. Robins >> here. >> Here. >> Mr. Brower
>> here. >> Okay, we have a quorum, a full house, and welcome to everyone here. We start our meeting hearing from you the public. Um, you will have when I call your name, you will have three minutes to come forward and talk about anything that
pertains to Valuchia County. Uh, something that we might be able to work on in the future or that we need to know about. Um, uh, the please make sure you have a microphone close to your mouth so that everyone can hear you here and
online. There is a button on the left hand side of the podium that will make it go up and down if you need that. and there's always somebody to help you. Please uh stick to 3 minutes. We have more than an hour's worth of people that
want to speak and this part of our public participation is limited to one hour. So if you can do it in less than three minutes, then you'll reserve time for somebody else. Uh, first up is Jan Albert
and then Gary Singleton and following Gary will be John Nicholson. If you want to get ready, save some time. >> Good afternoon, governing body. Jan Albert, Country Circle East, Port Orange hydraologist and appraiser for 54 years,
continuing the discussion on the proposed creek crossing. So over the half a century, I've qualified as an expert witness on many eminent domain cases, hundreds of them across the US, Canada, and Western Europe. So I'm very
familiar with what is required and why it does not apply in this case. But with the uh the planners want to uh pass this without a bridge plan in place which is dangerous because you need to know the
total cost and the total number of properties that are going to have inverse condemnation. But in addition, you've got uh you're going to end up with basically a backdoor tax because it's not possible
for I've gotten estimates around 15 million and plus. So you can't use a community development district or HOA to pay for something like that. So, the county is going to end up with the infrastructure and then the damage that
is done with the trees and not following House Bill 403, you're going to have major flooding constantly. And so, that will damage all of the infrastructure east of 415. So, it's going to be quite a tax increase for all the citizens of
Valuchia. and you're just paying 43,000 for a basin study, which you're gonna wipe it out in one fell swoop. So, uh, we're trying to fight, the citizens of Southeast Valuchia do not want to see
the destruction of our entire environment there and the, uh, uh, not following of a land use plan. So, uh, we're going to have to we're going to keep fighting. So, thank you. Thank you for your comments. Gary Singleton,
followed by John Nicholson, followed by Cindy Venudi. >> My name is Gary My name is Gary Singleton. I'm a resident of Valuchia County. We, the citizens of Valuchia County, call on every member of this council to honor
your sworn oath, which is to protect and secure our property rights and our quality of life. to protect the single largest financial investment most of us will ever make. To protect us from the self-indulgent greed of one individual and one corporate homebuilder in order
to change the pro-development anti-citizen culture of this Valuchia County government, all you need to do is your sworn duty to serve the citizens of Valuchia County and execute your moral obligation to protect your constituents. To do these things, all you and your
staff need to do is simply honor the Tamoka Farms Village local plan, both its letter and intent. Enforce Chapter 50 to protect the surrounding communities from flooding. Enforce Chapter 72 to protect an irreplaceable natural resource and flood control
system. Comply with the Port Orange Water Settlement Agreement of 2005. Enforce compliance with the outstanding Florida Water Administrative Code. Obey Florida statute 403.814 and most importantly oblige the
applicant to comply with every requirement of a conservation subdivision. No waiverss, no special interpretations, no passes. Neither you nor your staff has the legal right to dismantle the guard rails created to protect the surrounding communities so
that a path is cleared for a single individual and a single corporate builder to exploit an irreplaceable environmental resource for financial gain. Neither you nor your staff has the legal right to approve the destruction of an essential component of this
natural storm water system. a system that tens of thousands of Valuchia County citizens depend on to prevent the flooding of their homes or the right to degrade the quality of life and property values of existing neighborhoods or the right to nullify the hardearned
protections of the Tamoka Farms Village local plan. The only reason government exists is to serve and protect its citizens. All of the aformentioned laws, ordinances, codes, and plans are the tools government officials use to serve and protect their citizens. Both this
council and your staff are obliged to stand with us, the citizens of Valuchia County, not against us, forcing us to fight for what is rightfully ours. John Nicholson and Cindy, if you want to get ready and
then uh Amy Manis, did you want to speak at the end or at the beginning? I have a notice at the beginning. Okay. John Nicholson, Daytona Beachside. Couple of things. One, I've been asking several times for what the core responsibilities that you all believe to
be the core responsibilities. Uh Jeff has agreed to have that uh duplicated so I can see what was discussed at that meeting and when I find out I will let the public know. Uh secondly, uh at a CRA meeting, Midtown CRA meeting, uh it
was brought up that they were going to give away property on the beach side, which is a different CRA, uh to help one of their projects. And then I found out it's the second time they've given away property on the beach side. So I asked the city attorney and the city attorney
says, "Oh, it's okay. As long as they give it away for free, they can give away all your property." I'm sorry. Normally the CRA votes on what they want to do with their CRA and it has not been brought up at any of the CRA meetings on
the beat side. They don't know that their properties are being given away. Now I've asked several times for one of you guys to be on the CRA because it affects you guys as well. The health of the beach side is an economic engine. The more you disarm that and you drive
it down into the dust, the worse it's going to be for you guys. So, I'm asking you to again look into this and make sure that you put somebody on the board. I understand they have to put somebody on the board for you. But if you request it, they would be really hard up not to
give you what you want. You you were on the board for 30 years. You deserve to go back onto the board. Um, you have a new system here, C and E and F, a bunch of little squares. Could you explain that to the public? because I don't know what you did, but and I know they don't.
So, if you look at your uh agendas under C and E, there's like about 25 little squares with two or three letters in it. What does that stand for? I'd like the public would like to know, I believe. And uh lastly, there's some paperwork that you all have that I passed out uh
with the uh gentleman that owns the Dolphins. He has uh property in in Palm Beach. All right. 20 years ago, he built a huge product or project and it took off slowly. Well, now it's full and he's
putting another 10 billion dollars into another project. If you read the article and try to look at where we are at, that's where we are in the next 20 years. All right? So take a look, read it, understand what they're they're
talking about because we need to do things like he's saying if you need to twitch it a little bit like the idea of having two kitchens. It's against the law in Daytona Beach to have two kitchens in a unit in a single unit. But if you're Jewish and you're uh hidic,
you need two kitchens because of the religious purposes. So, I can understand changing our laws because we don't want duplexes, which is a reason why, but for Jewish people, they need it. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Cindy Venudi. >> All right. Uh Cindy Venudi with the Florida Forest Service. Good afternoon, council and uh members of the public. The Florida Forest Service would like to invite all to an upcoming public hearing and workshop that will be held to
discuss and review the Lake George State Forest 10-year resource management plan. The public meeting will be held uh June 4th at 10:30 a.m. at the DeLeon Forestry Station, which is located off of uh US Highway 17 in DeLeon Springs. All are
welcome to attend this meeting and are encouraged to provide comments regarding the Lake George State Forest 10-year management plan. Uh the designated Lake George management plan advisory group committee will then meet at 1 p.m. on this day to review comments from the public hearing and provide
recommendations to the Florida Forest Service to help in preparation of the management plan. If you are interested and are unable to attend on this day um to the public hearing, comments may be submitted to the DeLeon Forestry uh
station or emailed to Florida Forest uh service staff. Emily Marsh emily.marsh uh fdax.gov. Again, that's emily.marshfdax.gov. And um I do have copies of the notice if
anybody here is uh interested in that uh public hearing. All right. Thank you for your time. >> Would you please hand one to our clerk and then also hand one to Michael Ryan in the back if you'd raise your hand so he can get it on our web page? >> Absolutely. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you. Thanks for coming in. Uh Amy Manzi. Okay. Uh, Gail Grenzig. >> Good afternoon. My name is Gail Grenzi. I live in Crestwind Dand. At the last
meeting, Councilman Santiago, you raised the irony of Lake Winn and Met residents opposing the development of a residential crest land and then pointed out that now here we are opposing the development of an industrial truck plaza.
Next, well, this is how I took it. Okay? And if I'm wrong, then please correct. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. We're posing a truck plaza in a FEMA flood zone A on a major flood plane next to sensitive wetlands and adjacent to forest reserve parcels. So I wanted to
thank you for bringing this to our attention so we could at least discuss our perspective. Some might think that our objections are nimiism. It's not. All right. It's about appropriate land use. It's about suitability. About compatibility all in line with a
comprehensive plan. Now FDOT completed a truck study in two 2020 and in that plan they recognized a need for truck parking. You know what? We recognize that need too. As a matter of fact, I have family members who are truckers. So we do recognize that need and FDOT has
planned 540 trucking spots 10 miles east of where this proposed development is. But what FDOT did not recognize is that there is a need in this exact location. They identified other areas. They also identified that it was not suitable next
to retirement homes, which is what we are, a residential area, or in a major flood zone. So, it's like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Just because there's a need does not mean that it fits. Now, we're not opposed to development. That's why it's not nimism.
There is a lot of residential development that is appropriate and compatible going up around us. We're not opposed to that. We haven't spoken about any meetings about that. And I'd like to think that we're good neighbors, but we are objecting to traffic congestion, emergency response times, and
significant environmental issues, including water mitigation, drainage rights doctrines, and unproven developmental design that will impact residential flooding, water flow, and destruction of natural wetlands. You've discussed these issues and the
importance of these in previous meetings. As a matter of fact, in January 2025, Councilman Robbins, you asked a question to staff about the development in flood planes, and the response was that the number one goal was to not have development in flood
planes according to the comprehensive plan. So, we're merely echoing the reports we've read and the sentiments of your county experts and and asking the question, what is the rationale to place a truck plaza in an environmentally sensitive area where there are many other areas that can meet that need?
Thank you so much. Thank you. Uh John, John Malofronte, and you'll be followed by uh uh Betty White. Betty White is here. >> Thank you. Thank you, sir. My name is John Molivani and I'm a resident of
Orman Beach since 1991. I'm a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, chairman of the facilities committee, and member of the finance council. I'm also project manager. I was also project manager for the construction of our light new shop on
Hand Avenue. We have been at that location for 11 years. I'm here to talk about the closure of our entrance from Hand Avenue going east toward Nova Road. When we started planning for our new store, we had to solicit input from our
neighbors and businesses and hear their concerns. We held open meetings for local residents and then asked the city of Orman Beach for approval. We were not given any notice that our entrance from the west would be closed
until the meridian closed it. I made numerous calls to members of our county officers involved in streets and roads and received a call back last week from county engineer Todd Kagir telling me that for safety we were cut off from
a left turn going east on Hand Avenue. When I questioned him, he said people can make a U-turn at the Wellington station entrance and that would come to our shop from there. I asked him if there was an appeal process and he said no.
I'm here with our pastor, Father Justin, and Betty White, a member of our parish council, who will speak to you. We are asking for reconsideration of an entrance from the west on Hand Avenue to our light news shop. Recently, there have been changes because of public
outcry, specifically on A1A and Daytona Beach, which received channel 9 coverage in our city. Orman Beach, where our mayor confessed to hitting one of the new curbs. When the parking spaces on Granada were changed, they were changed
again. Also, the walk across Granada by Rose Villa. I'm not a traffic engineer, but here are some suggestions for consideration. One, remove the meridian from the front of our property west to the end of the mobile home entrance,
allowing a turn in either direction. This has been done on US1 in South Daytona, another five-lane busy street. Install a traffic light. Put another entrance to our property by the retention pond or east by Wellington station. I'm sure other places this has
happened around the state that you didn't look into. Thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you for your comments. Uh Betty White, and you will be followed by Justin Veo. Good afternoon, council members. My name
is Betty White and I'm a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Norman Beach and I currently serve on the parish council. Our parish has grown into a large sprawling community where activities take place every day. The main church serves 2,000 registered
families. We have a social hall, food pantry, like new thrift store, adoration chapel, and the recent addition of a large outdoor meditation garden. All are open to the public. Our like new thrift shop and adoration chapel both front
hand avenue. And I can't tell you whether people use Hand Avenue or Nova, but the Growth West would tell you they probably come from the west. Keep in mind the numbers I'm going to give you don't take into account the food pantry clients that might ride together, walk,
bike ride, or take a bus to the food pantry. But at the food pantry alone, we served over 10,81 families last year. Year to date, we have served 2,93 and if that continues, we will serve
11,612 this year. The food pantry is funded totally by the light new shop and the light new shop had over 35,000 sales last year. We also have 25 outside groups meeting weekly or monthly. It's
not just the parishioners I'm asking for. I'm asking for the larger community. My concern is if there's only one thing to think about today, please think about the emergency responders. and not knowing which way they might want to enter, they may have to go past
the area where they are needed at the light new shop and up to Hand Avenue, encounter a signal light, turn on Nova Road, go down to Division, encounter another signal light, and turn into the parking lot and wind their way back
through to where they are needed, Hand Avenue. Is this a result we want? It's not about being inconvenience. It's about limiting access to the property. I ask you to reconsider the islands while the equipment is still in the area.
Please don't let there be an accident or death because emergency responders were delayed reaching someone in time. Thank you for your attention and the many hours of service you devote to the citizens of Lucia County. >> Thank you very much for your comments.
Justin Vea and you will be followed by Mike Paneottowski. Good afternoon council members and members of the public. I am Father Justin Vaku and I serve as the pastor of Prince of Peace Catholic Church here in our county.
First I want to acknowledge and appreciate the work being done to improve our road our roadways. We we understand these projects are meant to benefit the broader community. However, I am here today as John and Betry
mentioned to insist the need of our entrance need because the newly installed median directly in front of our western church has created a significant and unintented hardship. Our church serves as Betty mentioned
over 2,000 families including 70% of my parish members are seniors and we have daily services, counseling sessions, Catholic charities office, several alcoholic anonymous groups around over 30 active ministries of the
parish throughout throughout the week. So the current median design has made access difficult and in some cases unsafe. Many of our elderly members are forced to take longer, more complicated
routes or make risky turns just to enter to the campus. What was once a simple and safe entrance has become a barrier for the very people we serve. We are not asking to the project to be undone but we are respectfully asking the council
to revisit this specific design design decision. We would greatly appreciate consideration of adjustments and our church is not just a place of worship. It is daily a support system for many in our community. ensuring safe
and practical access. Help us continue to serve those who rely on us. So, thank you for your consideration. Thank you for your time and your service. And again, appreciate your consideration of this request. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh Mike Paneatowski, you'll be followed by Cat Pante and Cat will be followed by Edward Kazas Cusco. Good afternoon. Mike Pittowski to Mocha Farms Village. The last piece of virgin historic oak canopy on Spruce Creek
between the Spruce Creek Flying and a quiet place in the country is about to be developed if you allow it. Creek Crossing, a proposed 125 acre property, will be developed into 111 unit conservation subdivision. There will be internal roadways, storm water
facilities, municipal water, wastewater, reclaimed water for irrigation, among other utilities. The proposal will go before the DRC on April 28th, and if approved, it will be appealed and come before this body. There is a proposed 2,000 ft concrete bridge crossing over
Spruce Creek for this subdivision's only access, and it will be plopped into the creek crossing road, a nondescript culde-sac that currently sees about 20 vehicles a day. That'll peak to about over a thousand during construction and be well over several hundred per day as
it services the 11 the 111 homes in the development. Thousands of historic oaks and specimen trees will be cut down as the lots are bulldozed filled with slab on grade construction shedding its storm water into Spruce Creek, a designated
outstanding Florida waterway even before the half million dollar Spruce Creek wershed study that you commissioned is completed. How is this plan allowed to have storm water outflows directly into Spruce Creek? The developer is asking for a maximum buildable lot waiver, a
public street rightway with waiver, a public street with private bridge waiver, a tree waiver, a wetland impact waiver to build on and destroy three acres of wetlands to install a bridge landing and a pickle ball court. historic and specimen tree waiver to cut
down more than 3,000 old growth oaks among others without even an official accurate count. They're they're allowed being allowed to estimate. Just because a developer asks for these waivers, it does not mean you must grant them. The rules they are asking to wave are the exact rules that must be enforced to
protect this historic piece of land. If it means they cannot build on this land because the waiverss are not granted, so be it. The 4,000 residents around that development will be detrimentally affected if you grant this to them. The developer is asking to create a
community development district to possibly float a bond to pay for their $10 million bridge. There will be more flooding, more ruination of Spruce Creek, more traffic as this development will also require the widening of Tamoka Farms Road with turn and deceleration
lanes among other roadway changes expressly discouraged by our local plan. If you allow these waiverss and the outstanding Florida waterway rules to be ignored, if you allow this to proceed right on the banks of Spruce Creek, and if you allow the Tmoka Farms Village overlay to be violated, what's the point
in having any rules at all? The Tamoka Farms Village overlay enshrined in our comprehensive plan will be broken to develop roadways for the added traffic. You must deny Creek Crossing when it comes before you. The people are depending on you to do your due diligence and your job to protect our
historic lands. Thank you. You uh Cat Pante, you'll be followed by Edward Kascusco, and you'll have to correct me when you get up here. And
>> good evening, council. I'm here today to share an example of another county that has strengthened protections in its conservation lands, public parks, and preserves through a charter amendment requiring voter approval for any sale or disposal. That county is Miami Dade, and
I have provided copies of article 7 and the relevant subsections for your review. Miami Dade's charter amendment is even more stringent than the Elatcha County amendment I am asking you to place on the ballot. It requires voter approval not only for sales but also for leases and it imposes strict building
height limitations. Additionally, there is no provision allowing a supermajority plus one vote of the council to place land on a conservation registry. If land is acquired for conservation as a public park or preserve, it is automatically protected. One line from their policy
stands out. These lands shall be protected from commercial development and exploitation of their natural landscape, flora, and fauna, and their scenic beauty shall be preserved unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. I've been told by the land use attorney who chairs the CRC that the
Elatchua County amendment could potentially face a court challenge. My response is simple. Any law, ordinance, or charter amendment can be challenged. That possibility does not mean it will be overturned. Both of these counties have adopted strong charter protections that have stood the test of time. The
Valuchia Forever program approved by 75.6% of voters deserves the same level of protection as those in Elatcha and Miami Dade counties. These conservation lands were purchased with taxpayer dollars and the public should not only have a voice but a vote if the county ever seeks to sell them. We need these
protections to safeguard against the shifting priorities of future councils, especially in light of recent actions by a sitting council member who has repeatedly undermined the program from the dis over the past several months as well as through public statements and videos in his re-election campaign. I
respectfully ask that you review the materials I have provided over the past two meetings and place the Elatchua amendment on the ballot with a minor modification that all land acquired through Valuchia Forever be automatically protected and placed on the registry. I also ask that you reject the Charter Review Commission's proposed
amendment which leaves the door open for the sale of these protected lands. Thank you for your time and your consideration. >> Thank you, Edward. You'll be followed by Debbie Stillwell. Debbie will be followed by Eric English.
>> Good afternoon. Uh I'm Ed Costrisco. It's like sneezing. Any case, uh I'm here regarding the uh proposed 247 truck plaza. I live in Crest Windland. Uh unfortunately, I happen to be the house that's going to be right behind this
proposed uh truck plaza. I'm 74 years old. I'm retired. I don't want to move again. And as you know, there's going to be uh 599 homes built in Crestwood to land. And it's only partially occupied. Now, uh, my biggest problem, well,
there's two, is the noise. Obviously, I already hear I4 noise. I don't want to hear tractor trailers going up and down. And as you know, East New York Avenue is a dead end. So, there will be a plaza there that all the tractor trailers will
have to come down East New York to the intersection of 44. And we all we will be having generating a lot of traffic ourselves as will uh Lake Winnipeet Drive folks. Uh the other thing that uh I want to talk about is uh that since
this is basically a retirement community uh we have a lot of elder people and uh we also bike down East New York to get to Lake Winnipeet and it's a two-lane road and there's not much room on the
side for having all these tractor trailers there. Uh I imagine also the uh uh so so the noise and the traffic is really a major concern. The uh other thing is the fact is that since uh we're not even a third built out in Crestwind
to land since there going to be 599 homes, there's going to be a lot of traffic. If this truck plaza goes in, I question whether or not anyone would want to buy a house there. I if I knew that a truck plaza was going in there, I wouldn't buy there at all. I would have
gone elsewhere. I love Crestwind as we have great neighbors and uh I'm hoping that you will at least go down and visit uh East New York Avenue and see the uh two-lane road and that it's a dead end. I know there's Gail made an incredible
speech about all the other concerns we have, pollution, so forth, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of the pollution as well. Uh, so I thank you very much for your time and I I oppose the uh construction of this truck plaza and I hope you all do too. Thank you. Thank you, Edward.
Debbie Stillwell followed by Eric English followed by Sophie Marsh. >> Hi, my name is Debbie Stillwell and I live at 1218 Crestwin Boulevard in Dand. I am speaking to you today because there
is an application with the planning department from a developer requesting a special exception to build a truck plaza at the end of New York Avenue just west of I4 off Route 44. I know that the decision to approve or deny the request initially rests with the PLDRC, but it
is possible it may come before you as a deciding body. So to my county council, I wish to go on record letting you know that I oppose this request. I am not against development. If I were, I would not have bought a home in the new Creswind land active adult community
that sits at approximately the same location. What I am against is a development that doesn't make sense. The parcels of the land upon which they wish to build happened to be at the dead end portion of New York Avenue that was unfortunately created when the FDOT
reconfigured the access points for I4 and Route 44. To get to this potential truck plaza, trucks and cars will have to exit I4, decelerate, then accelerate, then decelerate again to turn on to New York Avenue.
They will then be on a narrow two-lane road with very little shoulder space and have to wind their way to the proposed plaza. That doesn't sound like the most optimal way to get to a destination. It also means that the traffic will pass by the quiet secluded entrance of our
neighborhood at all times of the day and night, creating congestion, noise, and safety issues. It just doesn't make sense. What also doesn't make sense is that this truck plaza was not proposed by a traffic authority who did a study
and identified this as a prime location for a service center. In fact, in 2016 and in 2018, the Valuchia County Council at that time issued resolutions opposing truck plazas along the I-4 corridor.
Rather, this is being proposed by a landowner hoping to capitalize on their investment. And again, I am not against somebody wanting to wanting a return on their investment. There already exists a gas station on the property, so I can see how it might make sense to them to
build upon that. But surely there must be a less impactful way than a huge, busy, noisy truck plaza to give them that return. There must be a way to develop something upon their land that would contribute to and enhance the
surrounding areas and benefit all of us. Now, that would make sense. Thank you for your time. Thank you. And you must be Eric English. You'll be followed by Sophie Marsh. All right. Good evening, council. I'm
going to make this brief. Um, by virtue of the blue shirt, you know I'm here. So instead of rehashing all the other concerns that you've all heard about and there are others to follow, I'm sure I
echo Debbie in saying that regardless of what the PLDRC is going to do in terms of their disposition, it will come to you on appeal. If not by us, by them, that I'm sure. So with that in mind, I'm going to ask
you just to think about a couple of things. Is it appropriate to put a development of this nature in this location? You've already heard about the water issues, the wetland issues, the egress issues,
and all of those things. All of those things are amazingly valid arguments and points to be made. The underlying question is, is it appropriate? I took it upon myself to locate all 15
locations of this franchise in the states of Florida and Georgia. Not a single one of them is located anywhere near, let alone adjacent to any
type of residential area, whether that be a neighborhood of homes, apartment complexes, condominium complexes, government housing, or trailer parks. Also, if you look at the exits that
these are located on, they are configured to handle that. If you look at the intersection of I4 and 44, you will see that egress cannot handle what that volume is anticipated to be. It's
barely capable of handling what is now. You add a bunch of otr o, sorry, I'm speaking my wife's language. Tractor trailers, car haulers, all those other things. You add that to the mix, 44 is
going to be a nightmare. And just on a personal note, that's the exit. That's the first exit off of 95 coming in into Dand, your county seat where it is marked historic downtown
Dand. As a resident of Lucia County, I don't think it's appropriate for someone else's first impression for that to be that visual on the right hand side. So my challenge to you is consider the
appropriateness of a development of that nature in that location. Thank you. >> Thank you Sophie Marsh followed by Susan Lambert followed by Susie Holmes. >> Good afternoon. I'm Sophie Marsh,
secretary of the Spruce Creek Flyin board of directors. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today concerning the Creek Crossing development. Creek Crossing is presented as a conservation development, yet it definely conflicts with both the spirit and the letter of protections this
council has put in place. First, Spruce Creek runs through this site. It's an outstanding Florida water, a designation reserved for waterways worthy of the highest level of protection. Development near these waters should meet the strictest standards, not seek exceptions. Second, this property lies
within the ECO which exists to protect wetlands and environmentally sensitive lands in Valuchia County. Despite this, the applicant is proposing the destruction of 2.8 acres of wetlands, not as a last resort, but to place the entry road in a location to create more
building lots. Even more concerning, the applicant is asking for a waiver to allow that impact, ignoring the code's directive to avoid wetland impacts for the creation of new residential lots. In addition, they requested three waiverss to the tree surveys requirement stating
an area of very high tree density which would be too impractical to count. Conservation areas should be understood and not estimated. A conservation subdivision requires 60% of the land to remain as open space for conservation allowing 40% of the land to
be developed. However, the way that requirement is being applied in this case is deeply concerning. The applicant is attempting to count storm water retention ponds toward that conservation requirement area that require clear cutting of trees, excavating the natural
habitat, and fundamentally altering the landscape and habitat corridors. These are not preserved natural areas. They are engineered infrastructure. A retention pond is designed to manage runoff from development. It does not function as an intact habitat. It does not replace wetlands and it does not
provide the same ecological value as an undisturbed land. Calling those areas conservation stretches that term beyond recognition. If cleared and es excavated, storm water systems can be counted toward conservation open space.
Then the entire purpose of requiring 60% of preservation is undermined. It creates a loophole where development is simply being relabeled as conservation. and loopholes are violations of current land code regulations. And it makes me question, is conservation land truly
being preserved, or is it being redefined to make this project fit the code? Finally, their plan places a pickleball court directly over a wetland, an impervious surface where the land is meant to absorb, filter, and protect water resources. That is not
conservation. It's contradiction. This proposal sets a dangerous precedent by waving wetland protections, relaxing environmental survey requirements, and allowing development features in areas that are meant to be preserved. Over time, decisions like this erode the very
protections that residents rely on to safeguard our water quality, manage flooding, and preserve natural areas of Lucia County. Please require alterations to this plan that would fully avoid wetland impacts and truly reflect conservation principles. Thank you so much for your time.
>> Susan Lambert and you'll be followed by Susie Holmes. >> Thank you for your time today. I'm here to talk about the pickle ball courts that are proposed in the Creek Crossing development project and the fact that they are being built on top of wetlands
and also right next to existing homes. That is even more imperial imper impermeable or impervious surfaces in the project and placing them on top of wetlands is even worse. There are multiple sources which say pickle ball
courts should be a minimum of 500 ft from homes because of the sharp noise of the ball hitting the hard paddle which is highly annoying and and a nuisance. Disputes around pickle ball noise have arisen in hundreds of locations across the country. Hillsboro County, Florida
is considering banning pickle ball courts. There are lawsuits pending in Apollo Beach, Boca Raton, and many other areas in Florida. In May of 2022, the mayor of Missionwoods, Kansas, filed a lawsuit against the Mission Hills Country Club for noise levels coming
from pickle ball courts on the converted tennis courts. In Birmingham, Michigan, neighbors of the Birmingham Country Club mounted a campaign to halt conversion of tennis courts to pickle ball courts across the street from them. Just in August of 2025, the city of Winter Park,
Florida, approved regulation to make the minimum distance 150 ft from pickle ball courts to any homes, up from the 20t that they prior was the prior regulation. I have many more examples, but in every case, the residents near the park said
the noise was unbearable and disrupting to their lives. The pickleball courts in Creek Creek Crossing will be less than 100 ft from existing homes. A retired engineer and Carnegie Melon University professor recently co-authored a pickle
ball noise level study. They found that pickle ball racket noise when it connects with the ball 100 feet, the noise measured 100 feet from the court was at 70 dB. It's also at a high pitch, 1,200 hertz, which is roughly the same
frequency as noise from a garbage truck that's backing up. Human ears are very efficient at detecting the frequencies at 1,00 to,200 hertz. So it sounds remarkably loud right in that range.
These courts will be not only noisy, but there are also lights that will be shining until late at night within 100 ft of the existing homes. Channel 9 just did a story on the lights on pickleboard courts last night.
In addition to the issues with light and noise pollution from the proposed pickle ball courts, it appears that the developer is pushing to see how many parts of the Valuchia County land use code they can bypass by requesting multiple waiverss. It appears that they
are trying to fill this little section of land with as much as they can, ruining as much of it as they can, violating as many land use codes that they can. >> Thank you. >> Only to erode and undermine the integrity of this rules.
>> Thank you, >> Susie Holmes, followed by Paul Holmes. >> Hi, thank you. I'm Susie Holmes. from Spruce Creek Vine and I'm here to speak against the Creek Crossing wetland waiver. In my opinion, the waiver that
impacts 2.8 acres of wetland should be denied. The waiver is misleading and does not meet the criteria for an exemption and goes against the rules of our Valuchia County land code. I have a transcript here from fe the February
11th meeting which is similar to the transcript or the uh quotes that somebody else mentioned from a January meeting where Danny Robbins asked Clay Irving uh he specifically asks him uh and he's
the county growth management director at the time about how the county goes about minimizing the impact on wetlands. Clay responds and this is a direct quote from that meeting that is our number one priority. So Clay tells him that it's the number one priority to avoid
wetlands. And then Klay goes on to say that the wetlands can only be impacted and his quote is the only way if it is the only way to access the property. The current plans are not the only way that
the that this property can be accessed. If you see the diagram here, the the um with only a slight curve to the south, you could completely avoid impacting these wetlands. I also have a some
quotes from the environmental review staff here at Valuchia that they sent in March to the developer and they have not changed these plans at all. And the quote out of the letter is, "The proposed plan conflicts with the council
directive to not impact wetlands for the creation of new residential lots." Also, like other people have mentioned, in this same wetland where they have the road going through that's unnecessary, they're going to put the pickle ball courts right here, a big piece of
concrete um slab that the water will run off. And the existing homes that people were talking about are right here adjacent to where they're going to put their pickle ball court. These homes are inside of Spruce Creek. This is where Creek Crossing wants to put their pickle
ball court. The developer also refers to the wetland in the waiver as average to low grade. I think that this is very incorrect. There's a map that shows Paul will show and when he speaks that shows that that
this wetland is immediately adjacent to a tributary that runs into Spruce Creek. Also by calling it average to low is misleading because aerial maps show that until 2020 this was a very active wetland but in 2020 someone started
altering the wetlands and it has been consistently mowed. I was told by the environmental staff for Valuchia County that if they would stop mowing this wetland, it would be it would go back to normal. Lastly, I just want to show one more thing. >> Yeah, it's we need to let Paul go.
>> I didn't >> number two. >> Hi guys. Hello everybody. Thank you for letting me uh speak. I'm Paul Holmes, the president of the Spruce Creek Property Owners Association. And I just want to go over with uh you a couple of things I've already said before. Um, Spruce Creek has hired a team of
lawyers, civil engineers, and city planners and ecologists to help us with this uh, protection of our rights. Uh, we're 1,600 homes. That's 3,000 people that live adjacent to this. It's one mile of our border that's being affected. We're we're being affected
about as much as anybody in Valuchia County. Uh, I'd like to talk about the five requests that I had given to you before. Um I'm happy to say that Luxer and I uh and I should say our team is getting along very well. Uh we have a navigation agreement and uh our
engineers have met and gone over the hurricane swailes that we think are very important to protecting our property. The Evans Engineering that is Luxer pre-development drainage pattern exhibit right here. That's what that's titled. This is from their engineering company.
This is Luxer that put this out. It's hard to see here unless you have it. Do you have it on your boards there too? Okay. If you see the blue uh the the smaller line, that is a tributary that leads directly from this water protected water W2B that we're trying to protect
with the pickle ball court. It shows on Evans Engineering that it leads from that waterway. It's a Spruce Creek tributary. It's an outstanding Florida waterway and they're trying to pave it over.
I'd like to go on to number three here. Remember that's Evans Engineering. That's their engineers telling you all that. Uh here's another engineering drawing that's done by our engineer and also uh Evans. And basically it cuts
down. The basic rule of a conservation development is a 60/40 split. I think we all know what that means. It's 60% conservation, 40% uh that they're allowed to build on. In this case, it's 50 acres maximum. They are trying to build 70 acres on the 50 acres maximum.
It's here. We've got it in engineering plans. They're trying to overextend by 40%. Everybody knows that's the first rule that you can't violate. And somehow they're putting in some weasly words about uh the trees that they knock down.
The 3,000 trees that they're going to knock down in these waterways, these two ponds here don't count toward conservation uh or towards their building. I don't know how you knock down 3,000 trees in a conservation development and you don't
count it, but that's what they're trying to do. And please hold the uh staff accountable. They have to pay attention to this rule. That's a no-go starter right there. They're 40% over on their building. And uh if the development
doesn't fit, don't vote for it. Thank you for your comments. Uh >> Amy Manzi, you ready or you want to go at the end of the meeting? Okay. Uh Mary Dickinson. >> Mary Dickinson, Marsh Road.
Recently, we were in here and the ground movement on our road from all the dump trucks and everything have moved the ground and the sidewalk is starting to go and I was going to block it off so
people wouldn't walk on it and end up getting their legs cut off when the cement goes down and they're in the hole. So the cops were called and they came out and tried to intimidate me and
threatened me with going to jail. I told them, I will take and take that fence down if you guarantee me you are going to be responsible if people get hurt because this commission has done nothing
to combat the problems that you created on our substandard road. And also if you want to know the easement is 5 foot. And how I know is I am a retired owner broker of a real
estate. And in real estate you better know easements. And the easement on Marsh Road is the state easement of five foot. Now, officer uh Lieutenant uh Lieutenant
Yuse came out like a gang buster with another cop that was there and threatened me with jail and threatened my little dogs. They were going to take my three little dogs away. I don't know where that came from. They figured at 75
years old they could intimidate me. Well, I've been in business, many different businesses, and worked for companies all over the world, and I will not be intimidated by any police officer. Maybe the man that they beat up
in jail and the man that was over the jail was going to report it to the state like he was supposed to. And the county wanted to cover that up and make it disappear. And the man did his job. and for doing his job, the sh the county
fired him. Now, recently the county has settled and I think it was the sum of $800,000. Now, let's move on to the 360 acres that Valuchia County has bought for this
little fantasy park. And Mr. Dempsey on his website has said about uh toilet the tap water. There's three wells in this county. Three. And you are overbuilding
this county and you need a moratorum now and no more building. And the county is not allowed to be in business. Thank you. >> Thank you Brian Stillwell. Good afternoon. My name is Brian Stillwell and I'm a resident of Crest Windand.
Um, in the uh April 7th meeting, you mentioned our blue shirts in our neighborhood. Gave me a chance to give some thoughts to that conversation and uh share some things with you. You know, you serve in a role like a board of directors, right? You make policy
decisions. You also make decisions on single plots of land all the time. And these decisions affect the people all around this land for decades, sometimes permanently. Councilman
Santiago, I promise we're not picking on you. Um, but you said these are hard decisions, and I couldn't agree with you more. They should be because the decisions you make are lasting. So the real question becomes along with statutes, technical compliance. How do
you apply judgment and common sense to decisions? I think there's good news. It's in the ordinances, the codes, and the decisions that have been made before. So I'm going to give you some examples. I'm going to start with one that's very clear. We have adult entertainment
businesses in Felia County, but none of them are next to schools. Why? Because proximity matters. and no amount of mitigation could make those two a school and that type of business next to each other acceptable.
Our own Valuchia County code requires separation between industrial construction and intensive commercial businesses and residential communities. For the same reason, some uses are simply incompatible and the harm is
predictable. These are not complicated ideas. And that brings us here. You would never place a major truck plaza next to an existing 55 plus residential community on a dead-end single lane road ever.
Why? Because they're fundamentally incompatible with one another. There's no mutual benefit, only permanent impact. traffic congestion, safety risks, noise, and a fundamental change to the character of a
community that sits near the gateway entrance to historic downtown Dand. No sales pitch can make changes or change these impacts. These impacts are just simply self-evident. So, let me be clear. We
respect truck drivers. They are essential. Everything in here was probably delivered by a semi, but they deserve safe, accessible services. But location matters and proximity matters.
And placing a truck plaza next to an established existing 55 plus community is not acceptable by any measure of Thank you. >> Thank you. We have uh we have three speakers left
which is 9 minutes and we've got six minutes uh till 506. So if anybody can cut it short uh Adam Duby you are first and then Teresa Corbett and Michelle u if there's any time is she in here
okay I would love to cut it short but it might not happen this time. Uh normally uh my name is Adam Doby. Thank you, council, for hearing me. Um, I've come up here a couple times to speak on Valuchia forever and today, wouldn't you know it, uh, Creek Crossing has made my
point even more apparent. So, I'm here to speak about Creek Crossing and this luxur develop developer from out of this area. Um, I have a very unique approach and and view on this because I just built a million-dollar house in Quiet
Place, place I grew up 40 years ago, and I own a piece of property and a house in the flyin. So, I see it from both angles. This is dumb no matter where you look at it. And again, we can say a lot of this stuff to appease developers and we've got to move forward, but at a certain point, we have to have common
sense. That sign you had back there was fantastic. Stop reszoning. It is insane that we are trying to appease one guy that owns the property to give money to a development company outside of this area. There's a lot more of us. We're
not asking to take his property. We're not coming in their eminent domain. We're just saying don't pander to one dude that by the way bought the property knowing he would have to mutilate the property. He'd have to tear down the wetlands. The the numbers don't make sense. This wasn't a surprise where he's
trying to say, "Hey, trying to save my butt and put my kids through school." No, this is this is obvious. This is a a three, five, 10 year plan. It's genius. But he came in here, bought the property contingent upon development, and I guarantee he sat behind there somewhere and said, "We're going to wear him
down." and all I have to do is make sure my attorneys steamroll the council and we win. Guess what? He's right. It's not right or wrong. It's whoever has the best attorney. This is insane to even entertain this idea. Now, again, I've said it before. I'm in construction. I'm
not against development. Let them build 10acre lots like everybody else here probably would. It's not it's not over complicating something that doesn't need to be complicated. In quiet place, we're starting to flood. It has never
flooded. And again, you hear a lot of uh stories about growing up. It didn't flood. I grew up there. I can say this now. I'm nervous that my brand new house might flood. In the flying, I'll tell you something that nobody else has brought up. Put 111 outsiders right
under that flight path. I guarantee you they're going to complain and they're going to try to shut the airport down without a doubt. And you're going to lose one of the the jewels of this town. It's like shutting down the racetrack because oh, it's too loud or bike week. the nonsense that I hear. Stop pandering to again one dude. I said it before. You
got about 100 people in the room. 95 of them will not want this. The only five that want it, the developer, the banker, the builder, and then a couple people that want to be liked because I want to be part of the group. But we're not saying take this guy's land. We're just saying play by the rules. Don't pander to him and cater to him because you know
what? New York ran out of land a hundred years ago. Mother nature is going to stop our development and resoning at a certain point. Right now, we have the opportunity to have what everybody else wishes they had. Thank you very much, guys. Thank you, Teresa Corbett.
>> Thank you. And good afternoon, chairman and council members. Uh my name is Terry Corbett. I'm a New Simrna Beach resident and I'm also a small business owner in New Simra Beach with a beachfront property. Um we are I'm here to talk about a permitted coastal restoration and seaw wall project um that we've
started. were permitted with the city, state, and the county. Right now, our county uh permit is conditional at this time, and that's what I want to speak about. Um, this project is a direct response of significant storm damage that we suffered in 2022 with the hurricanes and in 2024. Um, like many
others in our community, we experienced major erosion, loss of shoreline. We've already invested over $50,000 of our money in emergency repairs, including sand placement, dune restoration to stabilize the area. We are right off the Third Avenue beach ramp which causes
undue erosion effect on our property. Um the county is asking us for 115% of this in a performance guarantee. And I'd like to point out that the county's own code section 72-1053 states provided flexibility in cases
involving major stam damages caused by natural disaster. The county has applied this exemption in the past yet is now being applied inconsistently. It appears that this flexibility was pre previously tied to state emergency orders and when
those orders expired, the exemption was no longer applied. However, the county's code itself does not tie this provision with any state or federal mandate. The language stands on its own and allows for discretion based solely on the existence of major storm damage, which
clearly adheres to our situation. Additionally, the same section of code allows for contribution to a dune restoration uh project in lie of repairing your dune. We want to repair our dune, but we do not want to be responsible for the third avenue
easement 10-ft property because when the water washes up, I don't want to be responsible for covering the coina rock that we are placing there and paying for for the county under a land use permit that they signed for us. So, just in conclusion, because I know you guys are
pressed on time, we're simply asking for a reasonable and consistent application of the code, which clearly states in the Boon Dune and restoration uh codes. We're not asking to avoid responsibility. We're asking for fairness, consistency, and ability to complete our project that's already
protecting our shoreline. We have to finish by May 1st, which is turtle nesting season. and code 721053 gives the county the authority to wave this requirement. I respectfully thank you for your time and consideration and your service to our community. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh council, we have one more speaker and 45 seconds left. Uh Michelle, make it happen. We've missed you. It's good to see you walking.
I come here a little emotional today because I want people to know what great people that surround me. I know I come in here in a pretty negative attitude at times, but when the government kind of gets you, well, I'm the proof that the
science and the government has lied. The only people that really haven't turned their backs on me besides you lose your family, friends, and everything else, your job, your identity. Valuchia County listened to me.
And it takes a lot to come up here because I'm full of vinegar to let you know how much I appreciate you because you let me take the three minutes that you don't have to tell you how much I appreciate you and your staff being able
to give me a safe place to live when my government, my freedom movements, my organizations all stood there and allowed me to not have a place to stay without you, it wouldn't have been possible. And I want Valuchia County to
know that I'm vaccine injured by Fizer and I was on Governor DeSantis round table. I've been abandoned by him, Ashley Moody, the attorney general. Now I have been used as a prop for political gains. And
my life is worth more than that because I'm going to be a grandmother in September. And I'm fighting for my life. I will continue to fight for future generations. your children and more. I found places that can actually do the spike testing that I have to go overseas. I've been working diligently
to help future generations so they don't have to have a shortened life like I do. Without you, it wouldn't be possible. And I want the people of Lucia County know that you make a difference because nobody else in the state of Florida did.
Well, Corey Mills did. He helped me with my um disability and Medicare, which if it wasn't for him, I would have lost my insurance. I would have lost everything because I couldn't afford $20,000 a month to keep me alive. And that's
different. Several different infusions and medications. Not too many people come up here and tell you thank you. I don't have too many people I can thank, but I can thank you. And I want it on the record. Just so you know, I have a prosay going. I am going
against the state of Florida, against the federal grand jury. I've had documentations the whole time that was deleted. There was fraud and I'm a whistleblower. So, I'll be working on many different levels putting things in through the three-letter agencies I already have through the FBI. And I am a
whistleblower. I will be fighting for people's lives from now on. And until I take my last breath, my last breath, I promise to do that for everyone. But I want everyone here to know that Valuchia County did something for me that my government didn't. So you should be
proud of him. Thank you. >> Thank you. U county staff Brad Burbal, Carmen Hall, I don't know if they're in here, but that's to you. Thank you, Michelle.
>> Okay. Well, that was Mr. >> Chairman. >> Yes. >> If I if I may, I'd like to >> Councilman Santiago. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> Called out. >> Thank you, sir. Oh, yeah. No, it's not that. I'll address that later in comments. We have plenty of time. You all usually stay till the end, so I appreciate that. But I think um I wanted
to make a comment uh I think on behalf of myself and maybe the rest of the colleagues regarding the two development projects that were discussed today. There was a lot of intensity and passion about this Spruce Creek thing and the Flying Jay. I think for the I think you all know but the general public may not
know that those projects are not before us yet. We we we are not in posture right now to opine on it or to make any uh direction on it. So for the general public that's hearing that out there and you all are learning a lot more about the process. Everybody including you all
have their time in due process as it comes along through this process if that makes sense. So all of your comments are certainly being heard but for the general public we're not talking about that yet because I don't even know I know you said pander but I don't even know who owns that land. I have no idea.
I learned about Flying Jay from you uh the last time you spoke about it. I learned about the Spruce Creek thing from you all. So, it's not before this body. I have no details on it. I don't think my colleagues have any details on it either. So, there's no pandering. There's no information other than what you're sharing until it gets submitted
to us for us to do a evaluation and hear from you all and make a decision. So, thank you. I get it. No, I get it. But there's no pandering. I want to make sure of that. Okay. I don't even know about it. >> Okay. That takes us to item one, approval of the agenda. Is there a
motion to approve the agenda? Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion to approve by Councilman Robbins and second was by Vice Chair Reinhardt. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed?
And uh okay. Uh item two, consent agenda. Uh, does I can see there is any councilman have an item on the consent agenda they
would like to pull for a vote? I'll do that first. Uh, Councilman Robbins or Councilman Dempsey? Not for a vote. Okay. Okay. Uh, Councilman Robbins, you have an item you would like discussed? >> No, sir. If there is no items, motion to
approve consent agendas, uh, presented >> and second. Okay, we have a motion to approve the agenda by Councilman Robbins. Is there a second to that motion, second by Vice Chair uh Reinhardt? Uh Councilman Dempsey, you
have an item you'd like to hear? >> Just a comment on >> Okay. >> D Delta Echo. Delta Andy >> D. And yeah. >> Okay. And uh I would like uh just to hear more on uh item S too, not for a vote, but
but let's hear those before we vote because we do have uh members of the public who would like to comment. Let me see. We've got three three D's and one E.
So, uh you can see why we just One of the D's is a no. >> Yes. >> Okay. E. Oh, it sure is. E. Okay. You can see why initial public participation, why we try and keep it at three minutes because we ran out of
time. Council voted to make an exception for Michelle Udder. Um, I'm glad they did. So, please, uh, stick to your three minutes. These are all the comments on item D. Uh, first up we have Dr. Wendy
Anderson. >> Good evening, Councilmen. I'm Wendy Anderson. I live in District 1 and just wanted to share a couple of thoughts with you about um the review of the work plan for the coming year. Item number five on the work plan is to review the
criteria utilized to define and where appropriate um use the no item number six sorry conducted an annual evaluation of the primary site ranking criteria and and the forest and farmlands site ranking criteria. wanted to speak about that because um we have several criteria
that are used 19 criteria that are used um to look at properties um to evaluate properties and I think the Valuchia Forever board does a very very fine job of of reviewing the information that staff provides to them on that. There are a couple of elements that I think are probably worth some some deeper
consideration this year to ensure that we use our Valuchia forever dollars as judiciously as possible. At the last meeting, you all approved to continue the the right to use bond funding to purchase properties um you know in um in
a fair time frame to be able to secure those and I think that that's a a great thing that we can do to use bonds. I'm I'm really glad you all approved that. But that also opens up the possibility that we might be purchasing properties that are maybe um marginal lands that
may not have the the qualities that we really want for the long term. So two points I would like to ask that either the Valuchia Forever board or staff or this or this governing body um consider are one the cost of restoration. One of
the things that we do with Valuchia forever dollars is um is actually buy lands that aren't in perfect condition that need to be restored. But we need to look at the cost of restoring pastures, the cost of restoring wetlands that have been heavily degraded, or perhaps the
cost of paying for the fines that are currently attached to already degraded wetlands on purch on properties we're looking to purchase. We need to be very careful before we approve those properties. Um, and another key point is that um, a lot of the properties that
are in the in the bucket for you all to um, to put on the priority list um, in your next item are actually adjacent to the St. John's River or other major rivers. They are not just flood planes, but areas that are regularly underwater
and perhaps in the very near future will be permanently underwater. And I want us to consider whether or not it is a good use of our taxpayer dollars to be purchasing properties that will be forever flooded. And um and so just think about that as you look at these
properties. I don't want to, you know, throw any properties under the bus. I'm all in favor of conservation and want to do the best we can, but knowing that our dollars are limited, knowing that we're now, you know, committed to going out to bond some of these purchases, I would really like to see us be very careful
about not purchasing properties that really aren't at risk of development because they're in they're underwater. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you, uh, Katherine Pante. Katherine, um I just want to reiterate
what Dr. Wendy said on the one item the as far as the Blue Shrever board, they need to be made aware that there are wetland violations on the property and what the fines are when it goes through to the ranking. And now I got my own little thing to address here. I want to
correct the record of Aluchia County is ranked number two in the state. It is actually ranked number 19 in the state for conservation with 37% of land in conservation. This data was compiled by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory as of January 2026. This includes local,
state, federal, and private. I will submit a copy of this data into the public record as well as one for each council member. >> Thank you. And on item E, Amy Munzy, >> I know you have already said that you're going to pass these items. that's on
your consent agenda. But but because we've heard some things about um Valuchia forever funds shouldn't be spent on wetlands because they don't do anything and they're not going to be developed and so they're not useful lands. I wanted to bring up uh the property that is classified there as
Lake Winona Road. It shows as 60% wetlands. Wetlands are not useless land. Um the program for Valuchia Forever is not about stopping development. It's about protecting land. And this particular piece of property is going
for a working forest and farmlands easement. So that means they continue to have the land management responsibility. They continue to pay taxes and that's a win for us as citizens. Um the fact that it's 60% wetlands means that it's a
water recharge area. This falls in a basin management action plan and because of that water recharge is really essential to us in Deleon Springs. So, um I just wanted to point that out because it's a very important acquisition. Um we're requesting that you would u move this forward for
acquisition in the A group. Um and it also abuts the heart island conservation area. So, it's a very important parcel for us in Deleon Springs. Thank you. >> Stay right there. >> You've got item O as well. >> Okay. Uh item O. I just want to speak in
favor of that again from this DAS. We have heard derogatory statements about paved trails and I think we need to understand that FDOT started the sun trail program that's shared use non-motorized trail program to make up for the fact that they had paved over
communities like ours and destroyed our small town character. And so they came up with a sunrail program. They fund it at the billions of dollars level. And pave trails are important because you've got people who are handicapped. They can't get out on dirt trails. Uh you got people who are pushing strollers. So
paved trails all over this county, all over the state are essential. Um and they are used by hundreds of thousands of people. This is part of the river to see loop, which is a 260 mile loop. And these two sections are essential to getting that connected. These two parts
have been missing for a very long time. And it's going to connect the rest of what you call the spring to spring trail, which is actually a portion of the river to sea loop. So, it's very important to get these two sections done and paved trails are great for all of us. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And I'm gonna scratch uh item S, but Don Dempsey for comments. >> Yeah, just on uh I guess D& can be combined. It's uh I just wanted to uh reiterate that I'm in favor of Lucia Forever and even the conservation
easements even though that was not on the ballot. And uh I just wanted to highlight that I support uh the program and what it stands for. I uh am not in favor of overdevelopment. I like what Valia Forever attempts to do by limiting development. However,
I am concerned about what the conservation easement contracts call for. Sometimes I ask that we when staff is reviewing this list and that when staff is going over these the list that we're be uh given today and and e that we've already voted on as well as future
ones of what our plan and goals should be in the future. We need to be mindful that what the what was on the ballot was just for purchases. The bond issue that Miss Anderson complimented us on, it was already on the ballot. That's what people voted
for. People did not vote for partnerships or linking up with the state or the federal government. They voted for actual purchases either through the millillage or up to a $60 million in bond. That was what was on the ballot. So, this is nothing new. I'm
glad that we are continuing to buy these lands. I prefer that we stay focused on Valuchia County and only Valuchia County purchasing and owning these properties with no preeemption through partnerships. any like our pastor says, anything with two heads is a monster. When you start
getting more and more partners involved and as generational heirs come down, we could have as many as two and then descendants of the property grtors, they could have 20 kids or grandkids. And now all of a sudden we got 22 partners calling the shots on any type of
modifications to these things. That's what I'm asking staff to be mindful of and remember this stuff. I equate this to kind of like homeowners insurance. Everybody has homeowners insurance, but nobody's read the policies. And nobody ever reads the
policies until disaster strikes. You may go 60 years with no issue, and you think, "Oh, I got the good hands people behind me. They're great. They got my back." Until your roof's blown off by a tornado. And your adjuster says, "Well, page 400, subsection J,
says you're denied because it happened on a Tuesday and you're not covered on Tuesdays." Okay. I ask every one of you guys and staff to read the contracts on these conservation easements because like I've said before and I'll say it again, the
devil's in the detail. What happens when we run out of renewable energy and we need solar? What does the contract say we can and can't do? Flooding. Mr. Dovy, I can't talk to you. Flooding. What are we allowed to do or not do with
these lands once flooding occurs? We can't use it for conservation e we can't use conservation easements for anything to affect hydrarology. We can't use it for certain things. What happens when we run out of uh freshwater aquifer? When our
aquifer dries up, are we going to have all drink potable reuse? I ask everybody, staff and the public, read the contracts. I want to make sure that when staff puts out these recommendations with the conservation easements that they attach the contract
for the public to read and that's what I'm asking. Please read this stuff. Don't believe all this election year propaganda that you're hearing that I'm against Felia forever and I'm against conservation ements. I'm not. That's why I voted for all this today. But please
don't be the homeowner that gets denied coverage after disaster strikes. I don't want future council members 50 years from now having a disaster looming, no fresh water, no energy, flooding, how do we control the flooding? And have their hands tied
because they can't use a third of the county in the way they'd like to because of this contract that was signed 50 years ago. Thank you guys. >> Thank you. And just um that's the end of comments. We're going to we're going to vote on the entire consent agenda, but
just to let everybody here and in the public know what we're uh voting on, there is a list of properties on Valuchia forever. Um but we're not voting to approve all of these properties. We're voting for the Valuchia for well actually for staff now
to pursue these properties that are approved uh by willing sellers. And if it goes any further, um it'll come back to the council to to vote on and and we'll hear from it again. But um it it sometimes
gets confusing. So So he wants to speak >> an item. I can't tell if it's a S or a Z. It must be an S because we don't have a Z. Is it S? >> Okay, come come on up and and speak. >> That's John Nicholson on 2F. I didn't
realize I was supposed to put an F on that. It just consent agenda. So, uh, with regard to that, I thought, uh, Miss Lewis was going to give a presentation. I'm from Daytona Beach and we're going through the resoning. Right now, we are under the 2010
zoning, right? that's about 16 years too late. Um, we are under a lawsuit. So, I wanted to hear from her how she's going to do this because it depends on how the lawsuit comes in. I was told it would be coming in on March 20th. Well, it's
after March 20th. So, I don't know how this is going to go, but whatever happens, I want you to realize that one, it's under the 2010. We have grown by 50%. Our city grew 50% and they're not
going to include the new residents in this resoning, which doesn't make sense to me. 30,000 people will not be considered when they do this zoning. Now, the ACLU sued because it was all race-based. All right. They divided our uh black
Midtown area into four zones and then said, "Well, we can't find a black zone anywhere, so we have to divide the beat side into three zones." doesn't make sense to me. If you did not divide Midtown into four zone, four different
zones, you would have your black zone. So, secondly, if you by demand, the mayor wanted the black college, 4,000 voters to be divided into two so that they could have an additional
black member on the commission. So 23% of our voters are black and 70% of our commission is black. It doesn't make sense to continue that system because all the courts have said you cannot use
race alone to do your zoning. So I was waiting for Lisa to say what she's going to do because I believe if we screw it up again, ACLU will give us a third lawsuit. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, that concludes all the comments from
item two of the consent agenda. It does not. We're going to need a time limit on when they can turn in. Katherine Pante, you already spoke once. >> Oh, something important.
>> Partnerships are at the heart of what makes Valuchia Forever program truly successful. Protecting our natural lands isn't something any one group can do alone. It takes collaboration between local government, environmental organizations, private land orders, land owners, and a community. Through strong partnerships, we are able to pull
resources, share expertise, and make smarter, more sustainable decisions about conservation. These collaborations help expand the reach of the program, ensuring that more critical habitats, water resources, and green spaces are preserved for future generations. Equally important, partnerships build
trust and shared responsibility. When communities and organizations work together, conservation becomes more than policy. It becomes a collective commitment. That's how we ensure Valuchia Countyy's natural beauty and ecological health are protected, not just for today, but decades to come. In
short, partnerships turn vision into action and action into lasting impact. And lastly, they were not meant to build solar farms on. Conservation land stays in conservation. Thank you. >> Okay, council. Item two, consent agenda. All in favor, please say I. I. Any
opposed? Consent agenda has passed seven to zero. That was a chore. Item three, recognition of the 2026 Citizens Academy, which is all over to our left
sitting there. And Dana is going to introduce this. >> Good evening, chair, council members. here this evening to present to you the individuals who completed the 2026 Citizens Academy. This year we actually moved Citizens Academy from a fall to a
winter start and that worked out much better for us. Um we still had 12 sessions in person and virtual. Um they were kicked off by the county manager and the CFO here live in the chambers and then um were virtual for some. We
had some in-person on Thursdays, field trips on Saturdays. They got to see the fire training center, the emergency operations center, the marine science center, beach safety, the airport, deerry hall, and the landfill. This evening is their final session. They get
to sit through a county council meeting. Um I'd like to take a minute to thank um co-f facilitators Nicole Deno and Casey Hansel who um helped to take them through the journey through Valuchia. And at this time, I'd like to present to you the participants of the 2026
Citizens Academy. If they can come up and be recognized and get a photo with council here. There she is. Okay, we're gonna make two rows. Okay. Did you notice Chris
This looks good. >> Got it. >> All right. >> Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you all. >> Yes. >> You need to take this class next time. >> One day. >> It's on my agenda.
>> I bet it is. I want to see your daytimer. Okay. Okay. And we don't need a vote on that. Okay. We'll begin item four, which is an award of uh agreement to CFB Outdoor,
Inc. for beach maintenance services. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. We have a motion to approve by Councilman Robbins and the second I believe was Vice Chair Reinhardt and uh
I'm waiting to see if the other two council members come back quick. Um I do have a question for you. I think you you you know what it is and it's really this is this is strictly for uh
clarification um get back to on the good grief. How many pages are in this thing? only 70 >> maybe
>> um you usually you sent an email and and answered this. Usually there's always the the cost of of each bid and it was just unusual that this one didn't have them. Um you provided that. I appreciate that. I'm not questioning you about
that. um CFB Outdoors who got the contract was not the lowest but they were I think the second to lowest but we've worked with them for many years and I think the price is what 20% of the of the weight
of accepting Yes sir that's correct um this was not a straight bid like you would normally see on a construction project for instance where the low bidder lowest responsive responsible bidder gets it this was a case where price was a component of the overall selection. There was a selection
committee. In this case, it was 20% of the overall selection criteria. Uh we had them submit an operations plan. It was experience. There was um also uh equipment list and things like that that we asked them to provide and the scoring criteria was based on a combination of
those things as well. Okay. Uh, my real question is, thank you for providing that. Their bid, um, I don't see it here, but I I'm not going to waste time trying to get to it. Their bid was a million something. Um, but the
contract is for over 4 million. Explain again why. And it, you explained this afternoon that that was for units. One of them was units of there was like 4,000 units of grading um uh beach
approaches which is a lot but it takes that many. Um but if you do four times that many it it's it's like it's a whole lot. So I'm I'm just trying to figure out where we got from 1 million to 4 million on the
contract. >> Yes, sir. So the contractors paid on their unit prices. So, we developed a schedule of values based on our experience uh with this contract previously. Uh a set of unit prices and asked the contractor to fill in what
their unit prices would be for, as you said, grading beach ramps, uh emptying trash cans, uh equipment uh by the hour, and we have to give them a certain amount of units to so that we can total it up and create an applesto apples comparison amongst all the different
contractors so we can score them based on their price. That was that the estimated annual expenditure on this contract doesn't match that because first of all uh these things as you mentioned are highly variable on the beach. It's dependent on weather. It's dependent on the amount of people that visit the beach. It could be dependent
on FEMA reimburseable uh inc incidents which I don't want to go into uh and use the word the h word but um long story short um the schedule of values in this bid is developed so we can compare their prices their contracts
based on those prices the actual quantities will be bid out based on how we actually use them. So if they have to do a bunch of ramp gradings they're going to get paid at that unit price. Um so on and so forth. If we need equipment to move debris around, they're going to get paid at that unit price.
>> But their their bid included 7,600 ramp gradings. >> You you expect to see four times that much, >> which would be fine with me. I want to see our whole beach graded so people can
can get to it. But >> Jessica Fentress, coastal director for Luchia County. One of the examples in this contract is I believe this is the first time since I've been here in 10 years that I have three derelic vessels on the beach at one time. This would be a case where we haven't used derelic
vessel removal services at this scale previously where at this in this in the next three months we probably will be removing all three vessels if they can't come into compliance with the laws. Uh following the 22 hurricanes we had a significant amount of debris wash onto our beach. We couldn't account for that.
couldn't estimate how much garbage just came in from the ocean. Uh the intent of the solicitation was to create unit prices. We have the mechanisms in place, GE GPS systems to track the services that are being provided to go directly to the invoices. This is creating unit
prices. This is based on the past three years of service and we're only estimating about a $200,000 increase from the prior year. >> Okay. I was going to Don't Don't go away. I was going to get to that assuming that that was probably a huge
question on price was after hurricanes you've got bulk debris pickup and non-rine bulk pickup. I said the h word, didn't I? >> Yeah, >> I didn't I didn't mean to. We're not participating this year. >> Oh, definitely not.
>> But that is a huge question mark. Uh but I I was really asking about the the ramp um grading 7,600. Do do you expect more than that? >> You have 38 ramps. You have 365 days a
year. And right now we're doing multiple multiple times a day ramp grading on pretty much every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the moment because we're in a drought and we haven't had a lot of rain. uh there's a very good chance we could be pretty darn close to that if not higher especially with the SAM project in New Sim at the moment.
>> Okay. I again I hope that we we do. Um so my final question is the the con their bid was 1,4601. The contract that you're asking us to approve today is is over 4 million. Do
you you will use that as do you have to or are you going to use every penny of it? >> Well, to be clear, we're not asking to approve uh an amount of $4.5 million. That's what we estimate might be spent on this contract utilizing the unit
prices in this contract for one year >> based on past. Correct. So in our budget is where the council would approve the money that's allocated towards beach maintenance and and of course these are used across multiple other divisions including environmental this contract I should say across environmental and
beach safety. So the the amount that that the council when it comes to budget for beach maintenance would be in there. This is what we estimate we would use. That doesn't mean we're going to use all four and a half million of it. It could be less depending on variables and
conditions and things like that. We just that's what we estimated we would spend on this unit price contract, >> especially since we're not participating in any storms this year. >> Correct. And it's not like we're handing them $4.5 million and walking away. No, as Jessica said, we have a very uh robust system for measuring what work
they do and how they bill us and checking to make sure they're >> I appreciate that because I think it needs to be clear to the public when they compare numbers. Uh, Vice Chair Reinhardt. >> Thank you, Chair Ben. You had answered this question once before um or during
the agenda update, but for the information that can get shared with the individuals that asked me about it originally about the trash cans. >> So, they are now supplying them, whereas before we were, so that's something we don't have to worry about. In the event of an event, we're going to leave it at
that without saying the h word. Do they are we still responsible for taking them up until the conclusion of that event or do they come out and do it? >> Yes, sir. We've never been the ones to pull the trash cans. They have pulled them at our direction previously. >> So, they're still doing that. Yes, sir.
>> Which is good. And then in the event that we have um I hate using that word event even too, but we had a significant event that happened a few weeks ago and there was a lot of trash that was left on the beach. Do they come out and assist? Is that all okay? And that would
still exist as well. >> So I don't want to put that to the test. I'm sorry. >> They don't assist. They do it. >> They actually do it. Okay. >> They are really your maintenance crew. >> Okay. >> Or a good portion. >> I hope they don't have to do it again. >> By the way, 38 time 365 is over 13,000
gradings uh right there. So if we do it every day and there's 38 of them, you're already at 13,000 grading. So just uh again like they're they're explaining for they're giving you an amount to give you size of what could be spent on that
contract. >> It won't be that number. It hopefully will be under that number. >> Whether and I'm sure we're not going to have one of those H events, so it'll probably be quite a bit less. >> I like your attitude, George. Good. >> Got to be positive. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Chair.
>> Okay. Thank you very much. Any other any other questions for staff? Any comments? All in favor of the award of agreement to CFB Outdoors, uh, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? And approve seven to zero,
which brings us to item five, contract with TNK Construction LLC for the Tamoka Farms Road Landfill Southeast area. Motion to approve. >> There was a motion to approve this by Councilman Robbins. Second was uh by
David Santiago. You gonna risk saying anything? >> I just want to say good news. This pro this bid came in well under our expected budget. >> It did. >> Yes. So we are excited about that. >> Notice that. >> Uh and I'm appreciative of that chairman. I'll just add put my name up
there. But it's still almost $28 million. >> Yes, sir. >> It's expensive to store garbage. Um, okay. Any other uh questions for Ben? Any comments? All in favor of approving
the contract, please say I. >> Any opposed? Contract is approved. Seven to zero. Item six, contract amendment number two with Sterns, Conrad, and Schmidt Consulting Engineers uh for the Tamoka Farms Road landfill
southeast expansion areas. >> Who's I didn't hear the motion. Motion to approve by Councilman Robbins, second by Councilman Santiago. Questions for Ben. Anything you wanted to say? >> This is the group that'll be making sure that what gets built gets built per plan
and and does what it's supposed to do. >> Okay. >> Still a lot of money at 1.5 million almost >> to oversee. >> Okay. Um, no questions, no comments. All in favor say I. >> I.
>> Any opposed? Item six is approved. 7 to zero. Chop in. >> Item seven. >> You're getting almost as fast as Ted. >> Proposed ordinance 202610,
a settlement threshold. And this is from the uh county attorney's office. >> Yes, sir. Uh this was the item I brought up at the last meeting to bring to you as a proposal. Uh the currently your
ordinance provides uh authorizes a manager to have $125,000 in spending authority. Um we have not kept up with that amount with the settlement authority in light which is
at 50,000. Um, in light of the really large shift uh in the sovereign immunity caps which have been presented to the governor and assuming we'll sign um and to match the spending authority
to avoid confusion, we recommend that these amounts been up be updated. It's been six years since it was last. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion to approve by Vice Chair Reinhardt. Second was by Councilman Robbins. Uh questions for staff.
Actually, you did a good job explaining this last meeting, uh County Attorney Michael Dyer. Uh Councilman Kent, >> it's a lot of money and it's not trash. Um Mike, I've got some hesitation with this
and I'm going to tell you why. Um, I think with the spending caps we've we've had in place, it's it's kept things at a at a certain level. And the other side, these are public meetings. The other side will know what
those spending caps are. And now that they know what they are, they come to play ball and the goal line has been moved. and the taxpayers lose.
That's why I'm not crazy about this idea. So, it it allows uh the purse strings to be opened up by one person and I've, you know, for three years given you very
good um evaluations. It's not it's not this isn't a you issue. This is a human greed issue and the taxpayers are going to get socked with it. So unless I hear something compelling to change me, gentlemen, I'm a hard no on this.
>> Councilman Santiago, >> thank you. You've intrigued me. So I'm gonna, if I may ask you a question, Mr. Chair, um, you think by opposing this that it keeps us at a better negotiating
position? Is that what you're saying? The other side would tell would tell their client, "Here's their maximum amount that they can approve right here. Let's do this and get this thing done." And they would do it. Now, it's going to go from 50 G's
to 125. So, guess what? We're going to see a lot of next year. Shocker. It's not a shocker. It's a It's a human greed thing. It's a That's what it is. And there's reasons why, you know, I
it's before us and, you know, I'm just not I'm not there. I'll just say, you know, I'm interested in your position. Um, but I want to also echo that this is my openness to this is no reflection on George whatsoever because I trust that
gentleman. Um, in in my years of experience, you probably have you have the highest mark. I want you to know that. in all the bodies that I've served. Um, but I kind of see where you're coming from, Troy. So, I'm I'm I'm leaning towards you more for that reason. >> Well, I like what I'm hearing. You know,
keep whispering to me over there like that because I like what I'm hearing from you, David Santiago. But, um, George, I I I mentioned about Mike, but you've had wonderful, glowing reviews from me as well. I'm a fan of both of you professionally. Um, and heck, the
little bit I know about you personally, I'm fans of that as well. I think you're both great. gentlemen. Um, and uh, I would bring you both around my family and I don't bring men around my family that I don't think are great gentlemen. So, it's no reflection. You know, David mentioned you, George. It's no
reflection. This is just this is my way of pumping the brakes and saying I'm not going to let the taxpayers get beat over the head with this club because that is my opinion is is what's going to happen. I could be totally wrong on it, but I
don't think so. No, I I I don't disagree with what you're saying. I think um what we deal with currently right now you have a sovereign immunity cap of $200,000 per person, 300,000 per incident. Most accidents are pretty
limited in number, but if you had uh an incident had a large number of people involved, they're capped at 300. what the legislature just did really was a big increase because they increased the individual cap by 75% starting this
October. So typically when we get a claim and I we'll send you updates uh that are a good um cure to help insomnia uh they always ask the maximum. Do we settle for that? No. But it's
common, you know, initial demand 200,000 because that's the most they can ask for in a tour claim at least. Um, we're just going to have to balance that. Uh, we've had a history of being aggressive and defending claims and I
know Mr. Kent and I have talked about this because I I feel personally if you are quick to settle, you're going to encourage more claims. So, just so you know, this is general, we don't have that practice. So, there may be a case
that we take the trial um and they may have somewhat of a you don't have a crystal ball and you take the risk because the uh settlement demand side we thought was not reasonable. And you may we have a good
track record on it, right? occasionally you may come up with one that jury didn't agree >> right and and chairman if I may just to to follow up with that you know not that we all don't understand it and Don's an attorney but
Jake especially because Jake was a city manager you know he wore that hat got to see it he had to make those decisions my time in Orman Beach and if I shared this with you I apologize but my time in Orman Beach as an elected official you know we had so many shade meetings about the city getting sued And we were right
95% of the time, but 95% of the time they wanted to settle to make it go away because they were afraid of the of of losing in court until finally one day I just sat in that shade meeting and I refused and I said, "We are right." I refused to give the the taxpayer money away. You're hired to fight for the
city. Get out there and do your job. Fight for the city. Enough is enough. We're not settling. They went out there. They fought for the city. They won in court. And I'm it was like you can go back and look at it like we went years without another lawsuit against the city because they were like uh oh
Orman's not just going to open up the purse strings and just dump the money out to you anymore. They're going to go and fight you in court. You and I had that conversation Mike whenever I got elected here and you're not afraid to send your very competent team to fight for this county and that's a wonderful
wonderful thing. I still stand on my concern about us increasing that. It just it'll it allows that money to just flow out of here and the other side knows it. >> Thank you. Uh Don, Jake, Matt, any of the three of you
have questions for staff or ready to comments? >> Question. >> I had a question too. >> Okay. Uh Don, you were up first. Go ahead. >> Mike, um I don't even know if you're allowed to share this with us, but do we
have like an average settlement? Uh that's certainly can certainly come up with that number. I don't have that number up tip my tongue. Okay. >> Um >> what's that? >> Evans. >> I mean taking out the extremes. I mean
if we just carved off the top 10% in the >> typically% you know with um these sovereigny media caps I referenced only are going to apply in tor claims which you know >> right? So if we get slip and fall, auto accident th those kind of cases
um and when we get claims um we have a good idea when we're liable. So then it just becomes a dispute of what's a reasonable amount to compensate that person going over their medicals, what is their prognosis for future pain
and suffering, that type of thing. And so I would say typically in the cases that um in tour cases, you know, when we know we're liable, it's a question of what is the reasonable amount. So you have a good team in place to evaluate
that. We push back. I I would say we're not an easy target, which I think you'd all would agree with that. Um and if there's times where we think settlement's in our best interest, we will come forward with that. comment too about
>> but this this really was prompted you can put this on me was prompted by seeing this sovereign immunity cap change just preparing uh and yeah and if you don't approve it and we keep it as
it is that's fine as well >> okay Jake you had a question as well >> I think you just answered it what what if we don't approve it It's just a two week or one month delay in the settlement, right? >> Yeah, that's right.
>> Thanks. >> Okay. Uh, Vice Chair Reinhardt. >> Thank you, Chair Troy. >> You swayed me. >> You swayed me. >> Mark this down, buddy. So,
>> I will tell you this. >> I was first to whisper in his ear. I will tell you >> just so everyone knows he didn't whisper because I'm sure the violent say, "Oh, what did he say over there?" So if ever he's saying something, all you're going to do is say yell from the crowd, point of order. I'll tell you what anybody says, but there was nothing about that.
>> I said that comment and I knew that someone was going to mention it. >> I will tell you >> in the in the 30 years >> in the 30 years of working for the county, we had an individual attorney who I'll name nameless. George, you and I have had this discussion before. Um,
and the jail. I can tell you right there when you talked about individuals identifying what the cap is, there's your clientele. We had an attorney that absolutely went after the gusto every single time and got used to the fact that the county was going ahead and just
settling because it was easy to do and it would be more cost effective to do. And in some cases it is. It is. Um, however, we had a assistant attorney that told the county attorney, "I'd like to take this individual to court." I
mean, we're talking about historically over the years that this was happening, that that this was transpiring. And when he finally did and won, that attorney know never sued us again. So, yeah. So, in favor of what they
said, um, Troy, take it to court, battle them, >> but there's your clientele. I can tell you that right now. So, That's why I was leaning more towards that way. >> And I would say this isn't about the ordinance, but just about that. I'm assuming the governor is going to sign the sovereign immunity bill. Yeah. It's been attempted
>> numerous years to increase it sometimes more than what they ended up passing this. >> And Troy, you brought up a very valid point though. So, thank you. Thank you, Chair. >> Councilman Dempsey, >> this is the comment part. I used to do insurance defense for one of the biggest
insurance carriers and I've done plaintiffs works over 30 years and uh I'm as I've even noticed within the big company we would have years where we would settle more often and then years where we'd fight more often just trying to create that reputation or reestablish
the reputation of fighting claims and then as a plaintiff's attorney I'm telling you you you knew which insurance companies were going to cut you a check and which ones were going to take you to the wall and make you fight for everything And what I'm afraid of is if we do this increase more than double um
you know basically discretionary settlements on staff's part that we may get that reputation of being a county that just pays out too easily. And I would rather send a message out there to the public that if you're going to take us to task then we're going to fight it.
And uh you know maybe the county next door might have 125,000 something. You know who knows? But I just I'd like to maintain that reputation that we're going to be more inclined to fight a lawsuit than we are just to cut them a check on the you know on the marginal
ones obviously where we're clearly at fault and there's clear liability and clear damages. Um, >> yeah. And that and that's what we're talking about too, just so you know. I mean, we're not >> the sovereign community caps will go up, which will mean we'll have more, but it's not a just so you know, it's not
from our perspective about uh giving out bigger settlements. That's we just realized we're going to have more of them. That's all. >> Well, it's the pain and suffering that's the the biggest open. I mean, paying the medical bills and property damage, that's easy. But >> and you know, Kevin, I mean, Kevin's very
>> Yep. very easy. I know he's good lawyer. >> All right, Don. I like what you're saying, too. >> Councilman Santiago. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that we table this item. Time uncertain. >> Would the first motion motioner withdraw their motion? >> He just did. Oh, good. Um,
>> that cleans it up. >> Uh, okay. That surprises me. The motion is to table time uncertain uh by David Santiago. And who made the second? >> Councilman Robbins made the second.
>> All in favor of tableabling this motion to a time uncertain, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. Item seven is tabled. Item eight is a quasi judicial hearing uh on a
proposed vacation in Seville. Does anyone have any exparte to declare? >> None for me. >> I do not have any. >> None. >> Has anybody ever been to Seville? >> Uh once. No, I'm just kidding. Motion to approve. Second. >> I've been there many times. >> Uh motion. Who made the motion?
>> Danny. Councilman Robbins makes a motion to approve. And the second was by Vice Chair Reinhardt. And uh any questions for Tad? >> All in favor say I.
>> I. >> Any opposed? Vacation is approved seven to zero. Tad, you didn't even say one word that time. Item nine, community services program mini budget workshop. We have a motion
to approve. Approve. You guys worked hard on this. >> Brad, before you start, I don't know if was Carmen in the room when Michelle came in. Good. >> We behind the wall. your staff worked and this staff over here. It's that was
a two-year process to get to that. Thank you. And it wasn't because y'all were slow. It's because there's a lot of regulations and a lot of limitations. So, well done. >> There is. And um she's very happy where she's at. So, I was glad to hear that. And uh
>> I did not pay her. I told her community services was presenting today. So, I didn't say cue Michelle u but uh it was uh very nice indeed. So, um, I'm Brad Burbal, the director of community services, here to talk a little bit about our budget. Um, you know, I I
think the council's asked for a a disciplined look at discretionary general fund use, and that's what you're going to get from us today is you're going to get the answers um with the data where exactly we spend all of the discretionary money in our department. Um, a lot of you will probably be s,
well, some of you may be surprised to learn that that is $20 million out of $160 million budget. Um, there is about a $36 million general fund contribution to my department. Um, but those are for
mand the 16 million is for mandatory items. So that would be like Medicaid, some of our ADM, the health department. So 20.3 is really where um council has the authority. Um to run our department, it costs about 16 cents per day per
citizen. Um we have over 19 funds that fund our department. So it's uh between voter approved sir taxes, dedicated millages like the library, federal grants, impact fees um and earned revenue. We have been in a posture of fiscal
restraint for over 10 years in this department. Um if you look at the 10-year growth rate of the department is less than 1% and the average annual inflationary percentage is 4.5 over the same 10 years. Um so we've been in the
um Donna as the leader of this department has been in the same posture as I continue to operate the department. Um the dollar and general fund contribution from this council that you approve leverages $449 in services um
and deliverables for our community. So when we get federal dollars, you know, I I was jokingly told George and Suzanne we should be called the department of leverage because that's what we do with our funding is we leverage it with other people's funding. Um, so in terms of
library system, you know, Scott's team at veteran services who's bringing benefits over four almost half a billion dollars since they've been in business and benefits for our veterans they brought to this community that is being circulated in this community. Last year there three of the five divisions in my
department took cuts. It's about $700,000. Um we're in a similar posture as we prepare this year to recommend um u cuts. Uh if you look at say uh if you look at uh similar uh departments
um in coastal communities, we've done a comparison and benchmarking and I'll share those counties with you. Um but the national average for a department that provides the services that we do is um8 to 1.2 2 persons uh per thousand
people. We operate at 0.58. So we are a lean machine and I've addressed the rest. So this is just an example of what you're looking at in the department. Over the last two years, the department's general fund contribution has declined 1.7%
while CPI rose 2.9%. So it's a 4.6% 6% gap that we've absorbed through efficiencies over the last um two years that I've been in this seat. Um over 10 years um the general fund growth trails inflation as well. So
I think that this side represents the fiscal restraint that you will see in my department under Georgia's leadership. Um, and I think that it paints a good picture as as we are continuing to do less with more. And I think that is our
motto in this government. And who did it as Carmen um basically and these were not uh one-offs. These are planned reductions and due to administrative um realignment being able to push more of the time of our team
onto the grant section. um and UFIFAS extension also working with us to take some cuts. So who had the largest cut at 11%. So you can see there um you know who was making cuts and these were not just one-off
things. These were plan cuts to really um find efficiencies in our department um outsource when it made sense as we've done in some of our community assistance work. But I think that what you will see as this kind of austerity posture um is
this is what exactly what you would expect to see if you have a department that's standing in an austerity posture is that we are operating at or below uh every benchmark in terms of uh other counties and for this benchmarking
process we used seminal lee Sarasota and manatee so similar population counties um coastal mostly that we did benchmarking against. So as you can see uh the library is um despite having more branches we operate
more efficiently than Brevard um many of these. So you're looking at our you know per capita expenditure for libraries is 45. The national median is 46 and the Florida average is 48 to 55 of those. um parks and recreation.
We've, you know, I thank these people that work in the field every time I go out and meet with them because they are doing work at 17% below the national average. We're providing service to our community at 17% less than what the national median
is. So human and human and community services, you know, 3224 per capita. National medians 55 to 75. And in Florida, it ranges from 40 to 60 when our peer counties are looked at.
Veteran services. This is one where we um want to be below average because it's a cost per um contact point. Um so that's what we're looking at. These guys spend an hour with folks, so I could see why it would be an elevated cost of 2717.
But think again, last year Scott and his team um brought back new benefits that they helped secure $16 million to our veterans in this community. So I would just say that uh being lean is not aspirational in our department.
Uh it is um what we do. It is an assessment that's earned. I think the fiscal discipline story of this department is that Valuchia taxpayers get core cur core services at the lowest per capita cost among comparable Florida counties. That's the
headline today. I hit the wrong button. So, we'll start going um we're starting in the resource stewardship division. The only portion of the budget and resource stewardship division uh that's general fund
contribution is through the University of Florida IUS extension. Our contribution to extension. So as you know um that usfus is a program area. It's part of the land grant institution that was introduced by President
Lincoln. So, uh, I say that, um, starting with President Lincoln because many of the programs that we are implementing at the ground level are Republican or I'm sorry, conservative programs that were adopted by
conservative Congress, reauthorized by a conservative Congress, and uh, continue to be refunded by conservative um, you know, leaders in our nation and at the state level because these state and federal grants that we're leveraging, of course,
um from those folks. So um UFIS extension really is the R&D arm of our a industry which is over hund00 million impact in this community and they're helping our fern growers or other horicultural folks when they find bugs
that are now a newly introduced bug from you know South America. How do we get rid of it? How do we um protect our livelihood essentially? So they took 11% cut last year. UF um in increased their contribution despite
that. But the the um general fund contribution to UFIS is $864 whereas the UF contribution is close to $2 million. So we have a $2.8 million operation at the fairgrounds that is jointly funded by us and the university system. I will
say that Ephus has really come through for us um in terms of some projects and I'll get to those in just a second. Uh you can see that their largest uh expense in operating is that fixed cost of electricity. So what are we doing
about that fixed cost is in the next phase of the fairgrounds improvements as we're adding solar panels to the fairgrounds to reduce this fixed cost that will continue to go up for us um where we can. So, those are the kinds of things that we look at every day to try
to become more efficient and save uh me money as a taxpayer and everyone else uh that's a taxpayer. So, they also train a lot of volunteers. We're a force multiplying um division or department. So, they have the master gardener volunteers. You've probably
seen them at our libraries or any place you've ever been. I think most importantly, and this is where they've really delivered for us, is you know, uh, UF completed the master the fairgrounds master plan, saving us hundreds of thousands of dollars. Um, they led and coordinated our save the
loop pilot program. So thankful to that. They continue to secure grants and and contracts. This is not well known, but faculty at our off-campus branch at the University of Fairgrounds go through the same tenure and promotion process that faculty on campus do. They've got to
write publications. They have to secure grants and contracts and so and and teach classes. So, those are the things that they're doing for our community. And the force multiplier and the master gardener program represents five bodies that help us do that.
Next is the library system um which serves uh nearly half a little over half of the population with library cards. If you haven't encountered our library staff at community events giving out library cards, it's a a really a sight
to see. Look for the blue shirts. Um the over two million items circulated. Um and I think Lucinda told me today she pulled the numbers 140,000 visits to our libraries a month. um this year. So 140,000 people are visiting our 14
branches. Um they're a community resource hub and I'll give you an example why why that's the case, but this gives you a snapshot of our circulation. Um and we do a kind of a secret shopper survey for folks who've used the library afterwards. Um randomly
selected, so it's uh you know a a statistically valid survey. Nine out of 10 people who respond to that survey say they would recommend our library system to others. We have 187 FTEES
um in the department mostly people on the ground doing the work to help our citizens. Um you know this supports a a 14 branch system that serve that um helps us have a distributed service system. We are all of the time moving
people around providing coverage from one library to another. So our team is crossrained so that we can do that. So the 23 million is a dedicated millillage in the library system. Um the total expense is offset by $612,000 in
department revenue. I will tell you with your leadership and help last year by increasing the cost of people to have a library card from outside of our county from 50 to 100 and now it's charging for-profit businesses for meeting rooms
and uh seasonal library cards for folks who may be visiting. We have signific significant I say significant over 10% increased our revenue in those categories. So we continue to look for things to diversify our revenue.
I think this is the most important thing and it it tracks with doing more with less is that we've had a uh 30% reduction in the millillage over the last five or six years. So you will continue to see us getting more
efficient using technology um and finding ways through priv private partnerships um to stretch our taxpayers dollars as it should be. Our largest um expense is collection materials. Um I won't go
into it today but I think um we have a really grassroots informed collection uh development system where people are we get thousands of emails a year from uh residents asking for different things and we track that and look at when we have multiple and then we buy those
products for our collection. We also know which branches will circulate that product more than others and so we move it there so we're not buying one for every library. One of the things that Lucinda and I have worked on since I've been in this seat is really how do we make this
community asset even more of a community asset. And I think that aligning with the the Florida chambers, you know, being on being on your reading level at third grade, I think for this council, the most important thing to understand is that if you're not on reading level at third
grade, you're more likely to seek government assistance during your lifetime. We have 57% of the kids on third grade le reading level in our county. So, we have made a concerted effort to increase that and Lucinda serves on the early learning coalition's board and and council member uh Troy's
place. So, thank you for that. And she has aligned our work with with them. Um but also we do a lot of workforce readiness. So, people who are looking for jobs um you know can come. We had 120,000 adults last year receive
technology training. How do we use the library system? They're really a resource hub. Is that what I call them? They're community engaged. I've worked in other counties where the library was the library. Don't ask for nothing else. Um and I think we are the exact opposite. It's always what
can we do to help other county departments? what can we do to extend the reach of the county? Um is we they're multi-ervice delivery platforms. So um 11 separate county and community partners use them and I'm not going to read them to you here but interestingly
you know you can buy votran bus passes. You can pay your water bill um uh for the county at the library system. You can check out a sewing machine and pots and pans. So uh baking pans. So,
I think the library system is um a jewel and many of the uh the patrons believe that as well. And the friends of the library system, they contribute a lot to our operations each year in terms of um all of our summer programs. They're the
ones paying for things outside of normal operations, speakers, clowns, entertainment for children. So, um they're a good partner to us. Community assistance is the next division. Um, one of the things that we understand
is 47% of our people are living from paycheck to paycheck. Um, and that's just the nature of our economy. These are the people that we're helping and they're working. 36% of them are working. They have a working uh person in their household. We are in a unique
situation in Valuchia County where if you look at counties across the nation where about 16% of their population are seniors. We're at about 26% seniors. Um and so we have a much more vulnerable population that needs crisis assistance. We are not providing long-term
assistance here. We're providing crisis assistance to people um who are experiencing experiencing a crisis and their budget's 2.7 million. So next of that 2.7 million how do we
break it down? You can see here in this slide. Um but the most important thing is that they are infrastructure for receiving these state and federal grants. They manage over $32 million and state and federal grants on average getting those out the door. CDBG home
when we bring all of these things to you we're making sure and the agenda items to say state federal grant funds. State federal grant funds. um you know the these are entitlements and and what that means is that we're entitled to these programs based on what our taxpayers put
into the system. So if we don't want them, they will just go to another community. They're not going back into the reserves uh in DC. Um so one point I I want to make very clear is if it wasn't for Carmen and her team, we would
have never been eligible to receive the DR funding, the CDBG DR funding. It was because we had the infrastructure and the track record of uh having a good track record with HUD that we even considered for that 400 million $360 million allocation. Um it would have
went to the state as it had done in the past. And when it goes to the state, you know what? They have to use 70% of the dollars on housing. So because of our leadership in this area, we were able to reallocate and your leadership and and wanting to spend it on infrastructure.
um and housing. I think the um that's a kudos to Carmen and her team. This is the the look again that we are moving a lot of the staff time in this. So you have a $2.5 million budget. Um
you know I think 30 something staff 44 FTEES 34 right now. Um this department is very we have some positions that are grant funded. So when co we ramped up to 68 employees when we've distributed that money it comes back down and so those
are the things that we're try to be flexible um and respons relevant responsive and flexible in this division. So the children and families advisory board um this is a discretionary council in the past has said this is a priority
to us. Um it is of course discretionary. I want to be very transparent about that. Um but I want to say that it's discretionary funds but it's managed exceptionally well because we have performance-based contracts uh in place that we've done since this council has
been seated. Um, it's a cost reimburseable grant. So, they're not getting a lump sum. They're, you know, getting reimbursed based on desk audits each month and then yearly audits. Um, they're now competitive. You know, in
the past, they have, um, it's been the same agencies. I think that, um, there was no competition. We've introduced competition back into the system, which I think is good. Um, but this is, you know,
this is prevention and I'll show you just some some data and why we do this. The sheriff uses this model at um his teen center. It's a preventionbased model. I'm sure David you're familiar with prevention based funding for juvenile justice or other systems is
that it is um you know allowing us to prevent the intervention at the front end and prevention is cost less than the more costly intervention on the other end. These people don't go away that are being served um if this money is cut. They just show up downstream in a
costlier intervention. So you're looking at youth development, the Boys and Girls Club, um in combination, these individuals, um leverage our dollars. We're providing a small gap, but we're looking at the
different categories. Um you're looking at a significant I think almost $20 million in funds that we're leveraging with these partners who are using ours to leverage with 24 million rather. Sorry, here it is. Uh so 24 million in
match dollars that's committed by these and one of the metrics I did ask because I know this council likes to see this is you know what percentage of that is private versus government and it's it's pretty close to um I think the 30 uh or 40%. Um
what we're providing to individuals are um summer camp scholarships. These are for working families who have to qualify based on your income that allows the parent to continue to work over the summer while we provide a scholarship that they're at camp for seven weeks. Water safety. This was an important
council priority. But why is this important? So, if you look at, you know, our $500,000 investment in youth development um with the Boys and Girls Club, uh that serves $184 youth. It's $478 to keep that kid
in camp. It's $95,000 for youth to be detained in the the criminal justice system. So, if just five out of the 1100 kids that we help don't go down the wrong path, we have made our investment back. the same for senior services. You
know, we provide service to 247 seniors. This is things like a ramp to build to get into your house now uh through our partners. So, that's a it's $103,000 and we pay a portion of this. We actually pay the whole portion of their Medicaid contribution to the nursing
homes um out of it. So, that's um our burden here in the general fund. And so we have just if you were you know to help the you know 100 seniors I'm sorry five seniors
three seniors and that's all I was there's a reason I was a social scientist. Um so the just if you were to help three seniors um we would make our $247,000 investment if we've kept them in their home. That is
the goal of this program. Um, family support. Again, I'm not going to do the math on the rest of them, but you can see here kind of, you know, what the alternative cost is downstream if we're not helping with the prevention end. There's a reason why we adopted this
model. It's a researchbased model that's supported in the um evidence-based practice. Alcohol, drug, and mental health. I think that um this one is mandated It is a mandated um we are there is a mandate
to provide 25% locally. Uh in previous councils they have provided uh significantly more than the mandated uh amount. And so you know this is something that we will come back to you as part of the budget process or need
direction today on what you would like in terms of um having the full picture in front of you which will return next month. uh which will have the full picture rather um on you know what are we looking at in terms of um what the previous councils have provided to these
providers because the need is there I will say that we're talking about suicide rates were very high um drug addiction opioid deaths we're in the top five in all of those categories in our community and we've continued to be in
the top five so you know based on that previous councils have provided more Um but we understand the reality given property tax reform. So the the key here is that 25% locally um leverages $13 million in funding from
the state and federal level. Parks, recreation, and culture. Everyone loves Tim Bailey. He does a a a lot of good for our community um for a very reasonable price. But if you're looking at the operations, this is what his team manages. Um 43 facilities and 147 miles
of trails. Programming, they provide programming to our community. These are some of the programs with over 100,000 participants each year. You're looking at the unrestricted revenue. Uh and Bailey shop is about $10 million to run our park
system. Uh again, significantly lower than um many other uh parks and wreck facilities even in our county. Um in terms of the cost per capita, they do produce um significant revenue.
We try to make specialty programs costneutral as much as possible. B. Um Tim has been excellent as developing partnerships, has been the keystone of our success in parks and wreck and why we've kept that number down. As these groups either operate
operate and maintain something for us for a dollar a year, we will we will provide them with support as needed. uh in terms of capital, if for example, you know, council member Reinhardt has asked us to work with the BMX shop to um get a
design in place where we could maybe expand, but they continue to operate for a dollar a year. Um so those are kind of some of the things that we do in the park system to keep our costs low. Tim's team is about a hundred folks heavily concentrated on the operations
and maintenance side. What is the the largest operating expenses of course is maintenance of buildings and grounds. Veteran services is the last division that I'll present to you, $1.26 million. This is um the smallest division budget
in the department and took a 7.1% cut um this year. So, you know, they Scott and his team are constantly looking for ways and one of the things that we did this year is implement technology uh that had allowed us to eliminate two positions um
or eliminate two positions. This is the this is the uh the org chart of veteran services. We have four locations. They see over 16,000 folks per year. The technology that we're implementing is we're really ahead of the curve. The
Rand Corporation does a study every 5 years for the VA and really there's two segments of the veteran population that we're serving now and it's the Vietnam vets, the older generation that wants to come in the office and then the Desert Storm post desert storm or war on terror folks who are still working and want to
have an online appointment and our system will allow us to do that now and schedule online as well. This is their program areas. I'm sure you're all familiar. We like to talk about our veterans and um Scott's team does a really good job of engaging the
50,000 residents that call Valuchia County home. Largest expense again is the technology expense, but that again was offset by the reduction in force. What are their impact? Um you know the I
I misspoke earlier. I said 16. Um it was $21 million in new benefits that they brought to our veterans in this community. Um we have a reputation of having a stellar team. Uh when we share the veteran standown information with you, you will understand people came
from the second I think highest county population that visited our our veteran standown was from Highlands County. That's a pretty far drive. Um, so I think over 15 counties represented, about 15 um, counties came to our
veteran standown. So they provide home visits when necessary, but looking at our $1.26 million investment in general fund, um, the return on that is $16.7. When you look at the benefits that they're bringing back as economic development is what it
really is. what are we doing to make ourselves more efficient? Um, you know, we have actions across all departments have realized $1.3 million to date and savings. And here's just a list of some
of those savings and efficiencies that we've looked at. Um, you know, I think this is the question that you that elected officials ask us. Have you looked for efficiencies? Yeah, we've looked we've looked for them. we continue to look for them uh and to
capitalize them or find partners who will work with us um to help us realize efficiencies. Uh we have some slated for next year as well. Um I think the the this department's commitment to delivering core services
at the lowest sustainable per capita cost while preserving the the federal, state, and and private leverage is documented throughout this presentation. and we're here to take any direction that you have on uh our budget. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh for questions, uh
Councilman Johansson. >> Thank you, sir. And and thank you very much, Brad. Um in one of your first slides, uh it showed an overall decrease in budget. Um was that at the same service level or did you drop service
level, uh to get to your current budget? It's actually 18% increase in service. So we did the in the calculation. So it's through technology we're able to increase our service levels. >> Got it. And and you're still trending in that direction.
>> Yes. Our our under George do do more with less. That is our motto. >> Yeah. You say under George's leadership then you roll your eyes. I'm >> I roll my eyes. >> George's leadership. Oh, he's making us cut more. Um, just kidding. Do do you
see the library going to a um a more digital format as the years go on? I mean, am I going to be able to grab a book? When do I stop coming to the library because I can't grab a book anymore? >> Yeah, I think that, you know, if if you're using a digital subscription,
you're still visiting the library because it's a library software. Uh I thought we would see that but the numbers actually bear out that we are um seeing increased populations and that's actually the Pew Foundation has
done some research and it will show the use of the library system when there's an economic downturn significantly increases um and I think you will you have 47% of your families living paycheck to paycheck they don't have a lot of discretionary funds and one of the
places they can go is the library Right. All right. Um I think my last question it's more of a comment. I'll I'll wait for Oh. Um you you mentioned that uh the ADM is a a
mandated amount and we sometimes go go above or or or stick with a mandated amount. But you said that we were um it's been top five and we're still top five. Um so so tell me is the money
we're throwing at the problem above and beyond the mandated helping? >> We've asked our service to providers to provide that information. So it will be part of the disc larger discussion that's this council has. >> Yeah. If the if the dollar spent is a is something saved or someone saved, I'm
all for it. But if we're just throwing more money at the problem, say we gave more then um >> I would say I would say yes. I've looked at the data that they're reporting and I think but the overall number is has stabilized on some of these. You know,
we do the the county health improvement plan every so many years and that's really the snapshot that we use. We're seeing some some stabilization in some areas, some increases really in the well, not in the past two years. Drug
overdoses when Dr. fulturous game areas told you we've decreased from like 400 to 200 over the last couple years. Something some drastic change like that. Is is there is there any um is there any
good science that that for the mental health perspective that CO's going to have a longlasting effect on the on the percentage of people that had to go through that for one reason or another and and are are you
>> permanently mentally >> youth and seniors you see elevated in those two vulnerable kind of populations. um was what the research is bearing out. It's still early when you look at kind of long-term effects of CO, but the earlier studies will tell you
>> those populations. >> All right, that's all the questions I have. I'll wait for comments, sir. >> Councilman Kent, >> chairman, mine are just all comments, so we'll wait for Reinhardt. >> Vice Chair Reinhardt. >> Thank you, Chair. Just really basic questions. I mean >> you talked about the solar panels at the
at the farm or at the uh a center where exactly is that? >> So when the when the consultants th this design will come back to you preliminary discussions when the consultants >> sneaking behind the curtain here. >> Yeah. When the consultants came back to
us at UF, they said, um, number one, you have a warehouse in the middle of the field as the highlight of your fairgrounds, Hester Dowy buildings. Yeah. >> And the site is 99.9% shadeless. >> So people who can't be in the sun will
never come out here. Uh what so the the goal is to initially initial discussions um is do sort of a um the air conditioners at the Hester Darity building are failing. So we're going to move them to the other side.
>> Um we are going to add some some paver some permeable pavers on that side of the building with almost like a leanto. that lean to will provide significant um area to provide the solar panels to power the Hester Dowy is the majority of
that $60,000 bill. >> I was going to say that that's where the majority of the power is coming from. What and the expense thereof. Okay. Thank you. Um >> going to the library. What's our busiest library? >> It's waffles between Port or uh Port
Orange and Orman. >> Port Orange and Orman. >> And monthly they're competing. >> Really? Daytona isn't up there. Huh? >> No, sir. >> It's close. >> It's close. >> They're close. >> Okay. I was just curious on that. And then on
>> Well, I will say adding to this, we're actually working on a dashboard that's alive. It's a feature of a software that we have. Yeah. >> Um and you will be able to see in real time like how many visits were at this library today, how many things were checked out. It it'll be super cool. And I'm glad you brought that up because the reason why I asked that we get asked the
question oftent times you have our constituents that say that you know what's your busiest library and they're going to go to one that's not. So I'm just saying. So I'm glad you brought that up. So if you have that on the dashboard that could prevent that kind of like uh determining traffic, right? >> So
>> and and that's actually part of our new ser software that we have for veteran affairs. When veterans come, they need a walk-in appointment. Yeah. They'll be able to see the wait time at all four offices and can go where they want to go. He's a rockstar anyway. So all your group are by the way and it is evident
that your mindset is do more with less. The last question I have um on slide nine-9 there was an asterk next to indigent cremations. >> What is that in reference? >> Mandated cost is what it means. Okay. I didn't see the Okay.
>> Sorry. >> All right. That's all I had. Thank you. Can you go to uh page 18? I believe it is. This is the most uh shocking.
>> Which one was it, sir? >> From page 18, a security assistance population served with budget. >> I pass community assistance >> showing the percentages of our >> that one right there. That's a wow slide
when you look at 47% of Valuchia households cannot make ends meet. This is brief comment and then I have a series of questions that are not gotcha questions. I want everybody in this room and the public to understand what not
only you're going through but every staff member as we look at the budget this year knowing that we have to cut it back anticipating that there's going to be some kind of reduction in property taxes. Now, you're you've been proactive and you're already backing up. This is
wise because the legislature knows people are hurting. There's other things that we can do too, like bring in jobs that pay more, but um this is the this is what's causing it. If you go back two pages, so I want to ask you
some questions. >> Yes, sir. Um, if there's anything that we're doing that's redundant that we're doing, the school board's doing, the state's doing it, we need to get out of it and somebody and let the other two do it. I don't know if that's true or not, but I I want to know on workforce
development on on uh page 16, >> um, third grade reading, kindergarten reading, third grade reading. Why isn't the school board doing that? They have a bigger budget than we do. >> They So, we're doing it for summer. That's when we most of these programs happen to prevent that. >> They have summer school. Why don't they
do it? >> I I'm not sure. I think summer school's remedial. Um I'm not sure. But that this is a summer act program and activity mostly summer program and activity. Um okay. >> And kids that are not in school um are
using the library system. >> Please understand this is not a attack. I want the I want the public to understand and I want to understand too that a lot of times there seems to be redundancy that school board does something then we turn around and do it and then there's a estate program on the
the one I started with on page 18 50% 54% majority of senior residents are financially v vulnerable do you have any idea or maybe Jake does how many vets are included in that >> I Um, page 22.
The title of the slide is uh let's look look at 21. Children and family advisory board. Never mind. Skip that. Go to uh >> 22. Um, youth development services for seniors. >> Are we are you doing all of that
in-house or is part of it done through nonprofits? >> This this is nonprofits. So, they're uh contractors for services is what they are. They just happen to be a nonprofit business um just like any other business that we contract for services.
>> And as you know, I've been hard on let's not give taxpayer money to nonprofits. In this case, it's a nonprofit providing a service that we would have to create a another department for maybe or increased uh employees to provide
services to seniors, seniors or family support with retirement and benefits. So >> that is correct. that the county actually um about 20 years ago it was about the first Bush era that well Bush 2 first term um a lot of governments
moved to faith b using faith-based organizations to deliver services and that took it out of the hands of the county the reason why we do these things is again as a prevention model it is saving taxpayer money down it's not it's prevention money upfront that is going
to save the money to taxpayers money in the long term Okay. The latest property tax cut proposal yesterday, what started with um we got to cut expenses. You might have to cut expenses 50%. It was said and then we're going to have to
rate find taxes somewhere else because nobody has a proposal for how do you pay for roads? How do you pay for the services that you're taking care of with 54% of the population of seniors can't live uh week to week? Um, so before we
all vote on that, I want everybody to understand what you're looking at, what staff is looking at that it's going to have to be cut when I hate property taxes, but I hate not having an ambulance when I call for it worse. Um, so on the alcohol,
drug and mental health use of property taxes and unrestricted uh revenue, Mike, is there any or Russ? Is there any possibility of the money we're getting from uh what's the drug fund? >> Opioid opioid settlement
>> the opioid to pay for any of that. >> I don't know specifically earmarked for those types of settlements that the money comes to. So it goes through the the board and it gets earmarked for certain programs. We'd have to look at that, Mr. Chair. >> So it can't replace and there's a term for that. It's
>> a planting. So >> planting, right? It's it's that uh we if we're already doing it, we can't go back and put that money towards that. So you know, it's sort of like impact fees. You got to do for new capacity or
new issues. Uh similar theory that way. So, um, we are looking at ways, uh, some of that money does go to certain things in those areas, but it's usually new programs that we're adding or new things we're doing to combat,
uh, uh, drug issues. For instance, we never used to have Narcan. Now, Narcan is standard and in almost all of our in all of our safety vehicles. So, >> okay. Again, I'm hoping the public keeps in mind,
well, Which of these things do you want to cut? On page 27, it's park recreation and culture operations. There's trails. We have a vigorous trail program. I've always supported it. Do are we going to have to stop building trails or stop maintaining trails? That's one of the
things you're looking at. Well, right. I mean, you're exactly right. Or do we maintain them to the level? You know, you've got 147 miles more on the way that, you know, they all have to be maintained. asphalt has to be maintained and uh it has uh maybe a 15 20 year
life. Well, we've got trails now that we're already to the point where we resurfacing trails. So, you will uh have to maintain that summary of operations for I guess this is summer programming. Echo Ranger
program, Red Hot Chili Steppers. >> That's not the band you want to come to the Ocean Center, is it? No, this is all we can afford though. >> All those >> we can get them to perform. >> I can hear >> I can hear the argument from John. Is
that a core government responsibility? If we're cutting 50% of the budget, will all that be cut? Is that something you're you have to look at? I >> I think everything is on the table when you're talking the amount of dollars that's being proposed. And so that would be, you know, staff working with
>> you're talking in the most egregious and I don't again I don't want to be I am say the sky is falling or anything yet cuz it's not we don't know yet. But in some of those proposals that are out there in their most egregious forms, you would be talking uh not worrying about
the programs, you'll be talking about do we have a parks system at all. >> Yeah. Because remember, you know, in some of these proposals, they talk about, well, areas will have to be held harmless. Well, when those areas are held harmless, and there's 60 to 70% of
the existing costs now, uh, and some of the numbers you're talking about, that that'll mean the other areas just won't exist, and that's going to be a problem. So, that's why there'll have to be uh alternatives that will have to come
around. So, we'll see how it shakes out. But I I I just, you know, uh a huge portion of as we've illustrated through these uh budgets uh are uh they do a lot of very important
things and they supplement and they work with as he said they're preventative so that we don't have even more costs in in >> exactly >> in in those uh protective areas. So uh I think this has been a very good exercise to go through all that and and all the
areas are certainly working towards ways that they can u they can save uh uh you mentioned about the libraries uh maybe you know schools could do some of the uh other parts of it. Well remember also homeschoolers and a lot of other people
are using our library too. So, a lot of the community is out there doing alternative things. Um, and so again, that'll be another difficult challenge. >> Homeschoolers pay property tax, too. >> Oh, absolutely. But I'm just saying and and that's what and and we have that for
them. I I don't know if they can go to the school library or not. That I'm not familiar with that. But I'm just saying, you know, we do provide that the afterchool programs. I know when when I moved to the community uh back in uh gez 1989
uh my family took uh my then very young kids to the library and that's how we actually met people in the community and uh and they started their reading adventure right there in 1989 in our library. >> Well, it's you know when I say cutting
we might have to cut spending five 50%. That's probably is I hope that's the most egregious thing that we're But we we don't know. They're they're not telling us and they're certainly not telling us what the alternative is except for the one yesterday is raise sales tax and raise some real estate
fees. So, we're going to trade one tax for for another. But the the fact is, Brad, that your big chunk of your group is helping the people on that first slide that I looked at that are that are already hurting week to week, and you're still looking at that. How are we going
to cut veterans back anymore? We got to cut services back that are helping people um uh survive. Last question on this is a parks, recreation, and cultural use of property taxes. Um
uh where is there he is? Um you're you do an excellent job for us. It's it's one of the things I enjoy most when I have a question that goes to you
because you always find an answer on the operating grants and aids. Is that all non-general fund money? That's $5,860,000. >> Yeah, that's non-general fund dollars that you're talking. >> So that's money you're bringing in. >> Let me ask let me I I got to um go back
to one thing that you asked before. The recreation programs that you mentioned. Um so with the exception of summer, all of our programs are self-supporting. So whatever the fee is to participate in that program offsets the expense
>> 100% >> 100%. >> Wonderful. >> But not but not summer. But not summer >> CFO standing behind you. >> You're talking about >> I think think we might have had a misunderstanding of the question. You're
talking about the $5,860,799 that column. >> Well, right now yes. that this table is completely what is being uh funded from general fund or the municipal service district. So these are all this is the the summary of what is property tax or
other unrestricted revenues some small state revenues that we get >> uh that 10,137 uh,47 $789 the total in the bottom uh corner that is the net calculation. All of the stuff that you see up here is all
>> I'm just trying to find out if >> or MSD funded. >> If all of that is general funds because 5,860,000 says it's from grants and aids. I was hoping that money was >> the label here is for operating expenditures. And then in the state
chart of accounts, there's personnel, there's operating, there's capital, and then there's a little category called grants and aids. because this table was already getting too big, we combined the small grants and aid numbers into operating. So, if we have a in the in the state chart of accounts, if we have
a contract with a nonprofit or we have a contract with the state, um oftentimes those will get coded as grants and aids as opposed to an operating expenditure. >> Okay? >> So, it's just a way to combine stuff together. The vast majority of that is
going to actually just be categorized as operating spending. MSD. >> He he was whispering if I want to mention MSD. Yeah, I've said that before that this is general fund and MSD. In fact, some of the numbers you see here,
the operating numbers are actually inflated a little bit because we're adding two funds together. So, when the uh general fund budgets for the gross cost of doing work, the MSD fund will budget to reimburse part of it. So, I'll
have an operating expense in the MSD and a reimbursement in the general fund. We added that together here to show you the full gross picture, but that internal reimbursement of $1.1 million that's right next to that, that offsets part of the operating number that's right next to it. >> Okay. Thank you. So, it's $10 million
basically of general fund >> and MSD >> money and MSD. And if we get property tax reductions, they got to find more cuts in parks, recreation, and culture. Well, I'll say I'll say um overall, you
remember what started this? We had a workshop and the general fund use of property taxes and unrestricted revenues was approximately $330 million for all services, public safety services, services that are administrative uh
required services and actually I made a mistake general fund and law enforcement because when I started this analysis, if we get into a situation with a large homestead uh reduction, that's going to end up pushing the sheriff back into the
general fund budget. So I have to talk about these things together at this point. So the 330 million is between the general fund and law enforcement. If you add those pieces together and the the pieces that were not either mandated through the state protection of
law enforcement or a required in the constitution funding of the court system or the Medicaid contributions. There's so many things that we're required to do. You take that out of the picture. you take public safety out of the picture because this council has broadly said public safety is a core service. So we we we're not going through that in
this workshop series. And then there's of course the core administrative services that you have to have. You have to have a payroll function. You have to have an HR department. You set that stuff aside and this is the series of what we were looking at. Those things that are not core administration, public safety or required. Those items totaled
roughly $60 million. The total impact if we were to lose all homestead property taxes was $110 million. So you have a $50 million gap that would have to come back to public safety core administration or have to be
made up by revenue other places. And that's not even addressing the fact that that $60 million, as you've seen in the series of presentations, is not fluff. its important public safety programs, uh, um, and other public welfare programs,
>> um, the beach, the everything you've seen. >> Yeah, you're making my point. >> You got a lot of work ahead. I hope you don't lose any hair over all of this. >> But I'm glad that you're here and that you have the understanding that you you
do of what we're uh what we're dealing with and what we're looking at. Okay. Uh, Councilman Santiago, to approve and accept the report. Move to the next agenda item. >> Okay. Was >> I appreciate I I was waiting on just a couple comments. >> Comment.
>> Uh Jake, were you done? >> I can make my comments in private to the staff. >> Thank you. >> Uh Troy K. >> Yeah. Thank you, Chairman. Uh Dr. Burba. So, a little over three years ago when this
council was seated um in January, one of the things that I I brought up was making sure we were efficient and effective. And I have to ask you like, do you know what happened to you tonight? >> No. >> You you Roy Hobbed this thing.
>> What does that mean? >> You know who Roy Hobbs is? >> Oh, the bowler. >> No, not a bowler. No, that that's a good movie, too. >> That's a good movie, too. That's That's Roy Mson. >> Okay. >> That's Roy Mson Kingpin. This is This is You Roy hobbed
this thing from The Natural. So, your homework assignment for me tonight is watch The Natural. >> Okay. The guy was in a slump and and listen, I'm a fan of yours, but things have been kind of rough for a couple months, I think, for you. You Roy Hobbed
this thing tonight. You were efficient and effective, and you knocked it out of the park. Do you know who Carl Malone is? >> Yes, >> I do. >> Do you Do you know what what basketball team he played for?
>> Was the Utah Jazz. >> Do you know his nickname? >> No. >> The mailman. >> Okay. >> And why was he called the mailman? >> Cuz he always delivered. >> Because he always delivered. And honestly, I feel like that's going to be your new nickname for me is is, you know, Dr. Brad Mailman Burba because
you're delivering tonight under budget and you know you talk about you know Tim Bailey and you mentioned it was a slide earlier it was the uh benchmark how we compare and I felt like your math wasn't mathing on that. It's like a second slide or something.
>> And not to call you out on it, but >> please >> you mentioned that we were like 17% below the national and when you look at it, >> uh, no, keep going. Go, go ahead. >> There it is. >> Here we go. How we compare on parks and recreation,
>> I was like maybe 17% compared to the Florida pure average, but like >> 17% of the total, I should >> Oh, okay. Much better. cuz I was like, we're like like 400 to 500% savings compared to the national average under Tim Bailey's wonderful leadership.
But that library piece that you mentioned because someone asked about, you know, the the most utilized library, which by the way is the Orman Beach branch, uh an inc an an in the number one utilized library in the system, I believe, is Orman Beach >> mostly. >> And um but you said two things that I
did not know. I had no idea you could check out a sewing machine. Nor did I know that you could check out pots and pans. So for Lucinda, I have a I have a a request for you is send this council five more things we didn't know you could check out. And I'm going to tell you why.
Because we go to community events and we have different things where we're talking to our constituents and I want to be able to tell them that. I had no idea you could check out pots and pans or a sewing machine and or probably a unicycle is what you're going to send us, you know, in the future. I I just
don't know. Um, that's it for my comments. It was a Brad, you're back on. You're back on, man. You're you're you're on track. So, anybody wants to know where to put their money, put it on Brad Burbon now, the mailman. >> Okay. Any other comments?
Then we have uh Can I get We have >> I second I second David's motion. >> Okay. Councilman Santiago made a motion to approve the report and uh Troy Kent made the second. All in favor say I.
>> I. >> Any opposed and it's approved seven to zero. Item 10. Item 10 is a county appointment and joint appointment to the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities
Authority. Uh, Vice Chair Matt Reinhardt. >> Yes, sir. Thank you, Chair. The first one, uh, to go with the joint appointment for the city of Daytona Beach, Julie Rand. I'd like to make that nomination. >> Okay. Uh, I'll sec I'll second I'll second
that, chairman. >> Danny already did. Oh, okay. Uh, Vice Chair Reinhardt nominates uh, Julie Ran for the Daytona Beach Valuchi County joint nomination and the second came from uh, Councilman Robbins.
Any questions? All in favor? >> Have a public participation slip. >> Was that on Julie? >> Doesn't matter. We do. This is unusual that a nomination we have public participation, but we welcome it. Jeff her.
Thank you. >> Yeah, I've heard Daytona Beach. I'm currently on the U race and rec board. This isn't about Julie. It's about me. >> Okay. >> And so I've been in constant contact with Mrs. Green's office as to when it was going to be on the agenda to for a reappoint or consideration for a
reappoint. And so then I saw the agenda today and my name is not on there and I'd submitted an application and my term was up actually uh July the 1st of 2025 and it's been that long to
get it on the agenda to either consider me for reappoint or appoint someone in my position. >> Okay. You did not resign. >> No. >> Okay. >> There's another guy or he resigned for health reasons. Okay. And my term
expired July the 1st of 2025. Who who nominated you >> for when? >> I'm not on there. >> Previously, Miss Wheeler nominated him. >> Billy Wheeler. Okay. So, you're all right. Well, what we're voting on right
now doesn't I I'll get to you in a second. Doesn't apply to you. It's the It's the Daytona Beach, Valuchia County joint appointment. But if you want to be considered for appointment, is there is there something he you must already have
a clean hands on him? >> I've been there since for for 15 years. >> He submitted an application in March of 2025. Your application is valid for a year. Um and so unfortunately his year
was up. Um and so his application, because this is April, his application was no longer valid. Okay. Can you send him an application? >> Yes. >> However, this won't come up again for what? Two years.
>> If you appoint someone else or you could hold off on your appointment to the next meeting. >> I would suggest you don't do that to the Daytona one. I think you should go ahead. >> No. >> Okay. Um,
>> you will send him an application. If you would please uh fill that out again, then you can be considered. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you. Thank you for coming in and letting us know. >> Okay. >> What happened? >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, that does not affect this vote
for Julie Rand. Uh, uh, Councilman Johansson, >> I'm running. I'm waiting for the next one. >> Okay. All in favor of Julie Ram, please say I. I. >> Any oppose? She is approved. Seven to zero.
Um, if we move to the next one, I think this is the nomination that that Jeff Hurt is interested in. >> If if I may ask, how how how long did he serve on this board? the gentleman that
>> 15 years, >> you know, I I I don't want to cause any delays, but um you know, and I know he doesn't have an application in place, but I can tell you that I think 15 years is very grateful for the service, but I probably wouldn't support a 15-year person. I'd rather put someone else new
and just kind of rip that band-aid today. >> Okay. Um Jake Johansson. >> Yes. I I was going to say the same thing and and move to approve somebody right now if you're ready for that. >> Did you want to make a nomination?
>> Want to nominate John Reed? >> Jake Johansson nominates uh John Reed. And who was the second? Robins, are there any other nominations? Mr. County Attorney,
is there any reason the chair can't make a nomination? Uh, no. >> I know I can't make a motion. >> Right. I I >> You can make a nomination. >> Anybody can nominate. >> Okay. Uh, I would also like to nominate
Gus Sambrano. And Danny Robbins seconds that one also. Okay. >> How do we do this now? >> Yeah, it uh if
my suggestion would be each of you vote and unless you have another nomination and who do you prefer, Mr. Zambrano or Mr. Reid? I don't know. I'm sure there's other ways. >> Chairman, a way you could do this is um whichever one you wanted to do. Chairman, you could put it up first. Uh
we call you call the question. Um if the first person gets majority votes, it's a done deal. We don't have to do the second one. >> Okay. Don Dempsey. >> Yeah. I was just wondering if we could maybe take George's advice and postpone this for two weeks to give this
gentleman at least a chance to apply. I think that's probably the only equitable thing to do. if you >> I would like to at least have a a look over of his resume as well before we make a decision. I don't know if because I think he said he had an application in
last year, so he he maybe thought he had all his ducks in a row to get considered for this reappoint, but I just don't know if that's fair to him, especially in light of what he's done for our community for the last decade and a half. >> Can I answer to that, Mr. Chair?
>> Uh, yes. Let me let me make it clear. you you would like to make a motion that we table this to the next meeting. >> Okay. Councilman Santiago. >> Thank you. Uh Don, I I don't know the gentleman and and I have I can't even say his name right now, but I but I think this council has been talking
about changing people up on all committees, right? And just trying to get new ideas filtered through. So again, nothing I'm sure he provided an excellent service to us. But with that same concept, if we really still believe
that, let's not drag them along because I think if we believe in the fact that we want to change people up in these committees, let's make that statement right now based on that fundamental. If we feel that we should re I don't want to say recycle, that's a bad word, but you know, get new fresh faces on all our
committees. If that standard still applies to you, I know it does for me, then let's just do it now. not let's not delay the inevitable for him >> and for the potential other applicant. I think um and I support making changes. So that's why I I don't want to delay it for him. What would might be the
inevitable? >> I understand. At least vote on it and then if the majority here believes the way you believe then he's out of luck. Um that's all I just think it maybe should require a vote >> to see if we want to at least give him consideration in two weeks.
>> And chairman, I can help with that. I agree with you, Don. But if no one seconds your motion, >> then there was a vote. >> Like, okay. No, like not another person wanted to do that. I'm just I just wanted you to know that because I am that guy that if it's important to you, it's important to me. But I just want to say if you don't get a second on it,
there was a vote. Everybody said they agreed with David and we talked about getting fresh blood on our our boards because we have a term limit. All of us. We're not up here indefinite. You know, when I was with there was no term limit. I could have stayed there forever, but here there's a term limit. You know, I did 19 years there. That's not happening
here. >> Chairman, may I uh Councilman Robbins? Thank you, Chair. Uh I'm going to go ahead and uh retract my second for for uh Mr. Zombrano. I was under the impression that there was two nominations and that's on me. Uh but with that said, I I keep my second for
Mr. Johansson. And uh county manager, can we still have uh Gus be on this board or attend this without without a nomination? He can't be a member of the board, but he we could certainly assign uh Mr.
Zombrano or somebody on the staff to attend their meetings. >> Perfect. Two birds at one stone. >> Have a vote. >> Let's have a vote on Mr. Johansson. Call the question. >> Gus would not have a vote. >> No, he would not. Or whoever we send would just be uh someone there to
observe and watch and report back. >> Okay. Uh Don, I'm going to get back to you. You made uh a motion that this be tabled to the next meeting. Uh there wasn't a second because I didn't ask for one. Would anybody second that motion?
Okay. All right. Uh then we're back to uh So you removed your second for Gus. All right. So, we have a motion for Gus Sabbrano with no um
uh with no second. Still no second. Okay. Then we have one nomination. John Reed uh uh nominated by uh Vice Chair Reinhardt,
seconded by Danny Robbins. Uh all >> I thought I thought this one was nominated by Jake Johansson. I'm sorry. You did the first one for Daytona Beach. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All in favor uh of John Reed, say I. >> I.
>> Any opposed? And that's a long way to getting John Reed nominated. Item 11, District Five, appointment to the Valuchia Forever Advisory Board. District five.
The only applicant is Miss McCool. >> Move to appoint Miss Mcool of motion is made by David Santiago for Dana Mcool and the second was by Robbins.
Any questions, comments? Jake and Danny are still on the board. Is that old? >> It's not. >> Okay, it's gone. Uh, all in favor of Dana Mcool say I. I. >> Any opposed? >> You sat in here all day for that
>> or all night actually. Um, >> those are for the >> What are these for? >> They're for the end. Public comment at the end. >> Okay. Item 12, appointment of an elected official of the most populous municipality of the county, which would
be what city? >> Deltona. >> Deltona. Would anyone care to make a nomination? >> Yes, sir. Chair, I'll nominate Emma Santiago. >> Mr. Chair, if I may,
>> uh, Councilman Santiago, >> attorneys are telling me I got to refrain from voting this because I have a conflict with this lady. More than just this confict. I have others at home with me. >> What's your conflict, sir? >> She's married to me. >> I said she's married to me. It's
conflict. It's my wife. >> So, I'll be abstaining from the vote. >> Okay. Um, and this is the Tourist and Development Council and the nomination. >> Pardon me, the one you chair. Did you
just make the nomination? Is there a second? >> I was going to say I'll second it. >> Okay. Councilman Robbins makes a second. Vice Chair Reinhardt uh nominates Emma Santiago. Any questions?
>> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? And Emma is approved. Seven to zero. Six to zero. Everybody in the chamber is interested in who you would have voted on.
Okay, that completes the task for today and we will move to public participation and Amy, you have been sitting here all day. Amy Munisi, if you would like to go first.
Amy Munzi, Dillion Springs. You know, I'm always here in front of y'all advocating for Deleion Springs. That's my heart. That's the place I I live and advocate for. Um, and then I'm usually out of here because I have to get back to work. However, I do um usually listen always listen to county council meetings
all the way to the end. It may take me a couple days, but I get to the end of them. And I picked up something at the end of your last county council meeting that I feel needs to be addressed. Um, and it was a comment made by the chairman sort of um telling Jake Johansson, Danny Robbins, David
Santiago, and Matt Reinhardt that perhaps you didn't quite do your homework when it came to um uh an amendment to our constitution over something that did not affect 93% of the population and also was something that
is not even being used in Valuchia County, a technology that's not even being used. And the idea sort of was like, you know, if you guys want to come back and rethink it, you know, you have the opportunity to do that. And I thought that was really disrespectful to y'all because the four of you have done your homework. You did do your homework.
You didn't get on the social media train of hysteria about the poopy water and the black water and all the nonsense that was out there on social media. Instead, you did your homework and you refused to get involved in that. And the reason why you did is because you're
leaders. And I just want to say how much I appreciate the four of you as leaders doing that because there's a lot of hysteria about this out there. And if you really want to think about this issue and you want to talk about poopy water, think about all of us who are on wells and septic systems. I know I have
a well and a septic system. And it's the state of Florida. We also heard people up here say, "I don't trust the science. I don't trust the government." Um, but those of us who are on wells and septic system systems, if you have a well, you trusted the state of Florida to give you a permit for that. It's the Florida
Department of Health and you trusted the science about how a well should be put in. Ours in particular has a 100 foot casing that's pretty deep and we still bring up nasty water filled with iron and sulfur and we have to treat it. Um, and then we have a septic system and
it's far away according to state regulations and according to the science. It's far away that septic system from our well. Um, and theoretically all the poopy water and the black water and the nasty stuff goes into a tank. It's held in that tank and then the poopy water goes on out into
the drain field. And theoretically that percolates down into our aquifer and it's clean by the time it gets there theoretically speaking. But the truth is, especially in a drought like what we have right now, it would be very easy for that water to move in the aquifer and for me at my house and my family to
be pulling up that hopefully clean water into our well. So that's what's really happening for those of us who are on wells and septic systems. And how many of us get our water treated? Some of us do. How many of us get our water tested? Very few of us do. We we trust the
science. I trust my system, my very expensive system. So, we ought to think about that. Thank you for your comments. Proof instead of the social media nonsense and disinformation comments once again, uh John Nicholson, >> John Nicholson, Daytona Beach. Uh one
with regard to hand, my doctor and my eye doctor are down on hand. So when I come back, guess where I go? I hang a left, go right into the um church store. So when I do that, I can see for a block and a half down to the traffic light.
And there's no problem with the ability to make a left-hand turn there. Whenever there's a a a turn at uh uh Nova and there's like five cars coming because they've been sitting at the light, that's the only time you have to wait to get through. Otherwise, it's a very easy turn. So, if they put that back in, it
really would not be uh a hazard, but there are a number of cars that do use that entrance, especially during services on Sunday and Saturday nights. Um, secondly, um I have to agree with Don. I there are things that he says that he caught me at after the last
meeting. You talk for a while and I I ask you to to when you have your meeting to listen because you all know what lawyers are like and how they twist words and how they can look at a word and see something that we don't see. So I'm asking you to listen to him because
he may have seen something that I never thought of. So uh and I know that there are parks in Miami. We had this huge airport like Daytona airport and they turned it over to the city and they turned it into a park and then they
allowed FIU to put a building there, then a second building, then a third, then a fifth, then a stadium. So now you've got a postage stamp. 3 million residents gets to use a postage stamp and the 50,000 kids get to use a 5,000
acre campus. So, I've seen that and now they're another park they're putting in a football stadium for soccer. You've heard about that one, right? So, we do that. We take our parks and we like Daytona Beach did with our parks on the beach and destroy them. So, please
listen and pay attention. Things can happen. Um, when we had this problem with the C cultural arts, Danny made some comments and um, it came across as anti-gay and we had people coming for like the next five meetings saying it was anti-gay. It
really wasn't. It was anti-woke. When he explained the idea, and I saw the picture in the paper about the drag queens teaching the kindergarten kids to read, that was a terrible, terrible image. Uh the idea of having condoms taught in first and second grade, that's
terrible. It really is. So it wasn't anti-gay, it was anti-woke. This there's something that popped up this last week and it's in the paper. We've got to clarify that because I really don't think he's anti-gay. He may be, I don't know, but um it's something
that's got to be clarified because it can't keep coming up. Like Miller Lake and the cultural arts kept coming up, coming up, coming up. It's going to haunt him. And if it haunts him, it's going to haunt you guys as well. Thank you. >> Thank you, Cat Pante. >> Good evening, council.
Ballot language is typically limited to 60 to 75 words, Councilman Dempsey, but that does not justify providing incomplete or potentially misleading explanations from the dis. Stating that specific partnership language is not included in the ballot language can
create confusion for the public. I have reviewed the governing document which is the resolution for Valuchia forever which spans 23 pages and can be found online. Partnership provisions are clearly outlined on pages three and four under section 4B. These details are part
of the framework voters deserve to understand. Public trust depends on transparency. It is not appropriate to minimize or omit relevant information when communicating with constituents or from the disp especially on matters that directly impact public decision-making.
As a skilled defense attorney, you understand how framing and selective emphasis can shape perception. I may be a little more aware of this than most serving over 20 years in law enforcement. Over the past six months, your statements from Nadas and in re-election videos have raised concerns
about whether the Valuchia Forever program is being characterized consistently with its actual provisions. It is difficult to reconcile claims of support with messaging that appears to undermine the program. Thank you,
>> Chris Edge. Hello, Chris Edge, Delon Springs. Um, first I just want to say thank you to everybody, Mr. Recall, Mr. Dyer. Um, thank you. I attended the citizens academy. I learned a lot. I appreciate everything you guys do. I know you hear
a lot from me. Um, you get a lot of grief, not just from me, but from a lot of people. I don't think a lot of people realize the hours and the time that you guys put into all of this. I appreciate it. Um, I didn't plan on speaking today, but I
just got motivated. I was, you know, there's a lady that, you know, accused me of badgering this past week, and it kind of hit me hard. Um, I do it out of love for the county, for Delian Springs. Um, I'm a veteran from
Virginia Beach. Loheed Martin moved me down here in 2019. There was two places I said I would never go. Florida or California. Just you can figure it out why. And here I am in Florida and I fell in love with it. I fell in love with Del Springs. And I have a passion for the
area. I never thought I'd be a history dork, but I'm a history dork now. I fell in love with the neighborhood and the community and the people. Um, so I just I work on the Space Coast. I drive to Bvard County. I have a condo there. I
live there during the week. I come back here on the weekends. I don't have to do that. I could afford to live in a better place, but I come back here. I want to make this place my permanent home. Um, sorry, I'm trying not to get emotional. I just never thought I would feel this
way about a town or a county. I never never in a million years of military. I just, you know, you come and you go and you come and you go and you forget it. So when you hear from me, when I'm harassing you, if I'm badgering you,
it's only out of love for the area. When I see things slipping to the left, and you all know my history with the sheriff, you know, I just it's not it's not out of hate. It's not out of, you know, it's just I want better for the community. I want better for Valuchia County. Um, and I want better for my
family. I want to be able to retire here and be at peace. So, thank you guys. You're appreciated whether you know it or not, especially by me. And um have a good night. >> Thank you. And that concludes uh public comments. We will move to the county
manager's comments. Yes, sir. Mr. Chair, I do have an item. I just want to uh let the council know that we're involved in and working on right now uh because it has a deadline that'll occur before our next meeting. So, it's something I can
handle with the uh other city managers. The uh the federal government has reauthorized the opportunity zone program and uh now states are in a position to nominate eligible census tracks for designation. Uh federal maps have been published. We
have several tracks here in Lucia County that qualify for consideration. Uh why is that important? or the core benefit for an opportunity zone designation is a federal capital gains tax incentive for private investors who improve real property within the
designated track and hold the asset for a defined period up to a full exemption if held for 10 years or more. Uh this program is specifically designed to attract private real estate investment into economically challenged communities leveraging federal tax
policy to do what uh direct uh public spending cannot. So, we intend to submit a letter uh and again we've been coordinating this with the cities. So, because these are all occurring in the cities and and we're really uh trying to help them, but
they're they're the front line of this and then we're the support. But we intend to submit a letter to governor by the May 1st deadline and support of the nomination requests being made by the cities. And I just will point out uh uh one area in particular uh that does have
direct benefit with us is the area there's a new qualifying tract on the beach side in Daytona Beach that includes our ocean center. So private investment in that corridor carries a direct benefit for the county's con convention center in the arena. So just
uh more vibrant area around that neighborhood will help strengthen us and more investment in that area. So, I intend to uh work with the cities and city managers and provide that uh letter of support. And if this council uh had
any questions or any concerns, I just wanted to bring it up now um so that you knew what I was up to. >> Okay. Any concerns from council? I don't believe you need a motion in a second to do that. Just send a letter with with
objection from the >> Yeah. Well, I think the property just it'll come from me. So, um Okay. All right. Good. >> That's all I That's all I have. >> No. Thank you. Have a good night.
>> Okay. County Council, uh today, uh Councilman Santiago is first. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um just on one item uh for our our blue t-shirt folks. So thank you uh for staying till the end and I just wanted to address your concerns and your comments and I I I'll
acknowledge I was I've been sitting here reflecting back on on two weeks ago and I can see where you you would come across with that interpretation and and that was not the intent. So and I started reflecting back a little bit more and and I don't want to rehash that because it was a little bit of a tense
moment in the council um at that time. Some of you may not have been here. It was right to the end, too. It was Yeah, but there was there was a little tension. Let's just say that. But what I would say, um, the Flying Jay, I think is what it was. My or the the the the truck park the truck parking thing.
>> Um, it was not of reference to you all opposing the the truck parking facility. I was making a statement more in the lines of uh making sure that when we get proposals before us that um require us
to be kind of sort of judge and jury that we apply the rules fairly to everyone regardless of whether you're putting a shed or you're putting a 100 homes that we treat everybody fairly. And then I used the reference that
oftent times um people do come here and and and and advocate against let's say a home project that is building up next to them where their home project may have just been there for a year or two and yet they just want to close the door. And and I'm not
criticizing that position that people may have because it's personal to them. But I was trying to describe that our role up here is the judge and jury and we should treat everybody fairly up here without any biases based on the
individuals uh specifics of that and I think you some descriptions were given today. I think the gentleman you did a great job today. I'm sorry I forgot your name. Um yeah um and and and describing right is it compatible? Does it work in the community? Those things have to be taken into consideration across. So, um,
if it came across that way, that was not my intent, then I apologize. But is more for an equal rights to everyone tried to statement whether you were here yesterday or you come in tomorrow. A lot of people love Florida. That's one of our biggest problems and growth is it
it's a big problem for us. And I get the concerns of where many people would say it's over being overdeveloped. Um, the legislature is is battling with that also. And I think some some up here have said, you know, that the legislaturator's taken a lot of our decision rights away. All right. So,
it's it's it's a it's it's the toughest part of this job right now, and I've served for several years. So, but I hope that helps you better. So, and thank you for staying again. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Councilman Dempsey, Councilman Johansson.
>> Yes, sir. Um, uh, for the Creek Crossing folks, I I I've heard everything you've said. I hope you realize, well, at least from from this end, me that other than a conversation I had with um with some
folks from the fly in probably uh two two years ago, um I guess a year and a half ago, I haven't had any conversation with anybody else, including the developer, on on what's
going to happen there. and and um I'm still with David here on the wait and see. There'll be a time for us. Uh but kind of kind of talking about the the whole social media uh um you know
what's going on out there and in developers pockets and things like that. I don't even know who the stinking developer is really. So, um um rest assured, at least from my perspective and probably for the other six is is
that we're waiting. uh uh you've you've done a lot of education on on your side on on what you think and and probably are are pretty spot-on on what the problems are, but I haven't heard from the other side yet and and I don't even
uh know whether they're going to get through the the DRC. Having said that, somebody mentioned regardless of what happens, it's probably going to come to us. either either you're going to challenge it and it's going to come to us or they're going to challenge it if
it doesn't get approved and it's going to come to us. But if you look back at the past for me three years of the kind of decisions we made in uh um in development
um if the things you say are happening are true um uh things seem like from my perspective they're looking good for you. um uh you know I I think that area
has been tried to be developed before uh uh unsuccessfully. So we'll see how it goes, but I'm I'm I'm willing to take a look at the 400page document and ask some important
questions if it ever comes to us. Um second, the Flying J truck p uh plaza. Somebody said something that I I want to just get on the record and make clear. Uh somebody said uh residential next to
industrial doesn't make sense. Um it it might not but but there's a state law out there saying you can build residential and industrial. So it might not make sense to you but it's currently law. It's called the Live
Local Act and it allows people to build in uh industrial areas. So, um just just know that's out there and until it gets changed, uh there will be residential in the vicinity of if not right next to
industrial and we already have it here. Uh, last but not least, um, if we want to discuss it tonight, I I don't know if we actually made the motion and made an effort to talk about term limits for all our boards. I know
we've done it for one, we just kind of chatted about it a little bit for the um, uh, for the racing and wreck. Uh, but if if everybody's kind of going down that route a little bit, I'd like to entertain taking a look at all our
boards and discussing term limits for each one of them. >> Mr. Johansson, if you make a motion to put it on a future agenda, I'll have glad. >> Motion to put that on a future agenda. >> Second. >> Any questions? All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed?
And that's all I have. Sir Chris, did you get all that? Thank you. Uh Troy Ken, >> thank you, Chairman. I have two very brief items this evening. Um chairman, I give you credit. Uh I feel like you've listened to this board when
we've tried to give you direction on how to how to stay efficient and effective. And I have been noticing lately and today tonight was a great example of uh we give ample opportunity for the public to speak. I want to hear from the public
but sometimes we have an item that is ongoing and while the item is ongoing more cards start coming in and I thought maybe uh this council would want to have a discussion. I know in Orand, not trying to organize this board, but I'm just going to tell you I know in Orand
when an agenda item started and the city clerk or county clerk in this case brought the cards over. If you weren't in the room and didn't fill out a card, then you were not talking on that item. I don't know if we want to do that or not, but I'd like to discuss it. I don't want to discuss it. make a motion to put it on the
>> agenda. I I'm going to make a motion now to put that topic um as a discussion item with this council in one of the next uh upcoming meetings, George, at your leisure when you see a lighter agenda. I don't want this one something belored. We have a big agenda. So, you
know, in the next one, two, three, even four meetings. >> Is there a second on that motion? Vice Chair Reinhardt makes that second. Uh any questions, comments, simple requests to
to uh limit when a request can come in once an item is is started. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Chairman, my my second and last item. If you gentlemen have never been over to a
countyowned and run boat ramp called Shell Harbor, which is off of Lake George, you need to go. Um, I had no idea the county owned this boat ramp until right before I got elected. I don't believe any of us can take any
credit for it. If anybody can up here, it would be Chairman Brower and Councilman Robbins. I don't know if you all voted on that or if that was before you. It could have been before you. maybe just before you all got elected. It is beautiful. It is phenomenal. It is
old Florida. There are huge oak trees all around it. The parking lot is impeccable. They have a a two restrooms for men and women. They have a floating dock. They have a huge boat ramp to put your boat in or your kayak in. There's a couple of little resident baby alligators that hang out around that
boat ramp. You then get to shoot across Lake George to either go fishing, nature watch, or go over to Silver Glenn where 35 million gallons of beautiful um pristine spring water come out every single day and have
a great day at Silver Glenn. Here's my beef. Here's my issue. This county spent I don't know. I don't know if it was a million dollars. I don't know if it was $2 million. I don't know if it was $5 million. I don't know. to have this beautiful boat ramp that when you get in
the water and try to go across Lake George, it's six inches deep. So, you got to get out of your boat and push it 50 feet. Do you know who likes to get out of their boat and push it in alligator infested
waters 50 feet? Do you know who? No one. No one likes that. So, we can't have a multi-million dollar facility that the residents of Valuchia County paid for. You can't have that and and and then give them that type of service. It's
sort of like, you know, uh you you red you do a reverse osmosis water plant and your water pipes are 80 years old and it's galvanized uh steel and and you got this water that you're pumping through these rusty pipes. It's like make me a chateau bion and as you're bringing it
to the table, drop it on the floor and drag it. Don't do that. Don't be that guy. So, George, this is my request to say, man, whatever we have to do to dredge 50 feet of that area, I don't care what permission we have to get,
let's get the permission because you're picking up what I'm laying down. Thank you all. Have a good night. >> Put more water in the lake, George. >> That might be easier. Well, >> dredge it.
>> There are right need to look at dredging it because to use it year round. It definitely is influenced by the uh river level. >> Yep. >> And uh I think the original thought back in the day, this goes way back, was uh
was started off as an airboat place because airboat usage u in and around like say Lake Monroe where there was uh a lot of houses and stuff uh you know was frowned upon. And this is is uh in a
very uh uh unpopulated area. So I think there was also that point. But points well taken. I've actually talked to Tim and we'll be looking at take some dredge and put some channel markers and stuff so people can uh use it. >> And George Rectenwald I listen
>> I have been to a dozen boat ramps around Lake George. This is by far, not even close, the best. I don't care if you're private at Half Moon. I don't care if you're public over on the St. John's. This one, when I got
there, it was It's like jaw-dropping beautiful. So, you were involved with that. You own that. It's It is the best of the best that I've ever seen on Lake George. And Valuchia County owns it. We
got to give people the access. Yep. We I think it was clear, right? >> Yes. >> I wasn't sure. >> Okay. Vice Chair Matt Reinhardt. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, just a couple things. Uh, normally I'm not going to talk about where we did, what we did, and how we got there, but it is
important for everyone to know. We did do the NCA NDA uh event um just uh a couple weeks ago uh right after our last meeting. Um, shout out to the CVB. They did a phenomenal job. uh Lori Campbell
Baker and her crew as far as assisting with that and the leg work that her and her staff put forth uh as well as us to get them to come back. I could show you pictures, gentlemen, the thousands and thousands of kids, but all those kids have families and probably the best
behaved group I've ever seen >> and the money that was brought in in addition to hotels booked up all the way down the strip. Um, and nothing but praises on how beautiful things were done uh and how things went. I was asked
the question and so was uh Lori uh one of the first time people that came here said is the weather always this beautiful and of course we said every day 365 days a year it's this gorgeous >> so but kudos to them we thank them for that also another great event I would
love to see more people participate in um I'm not going to use the hword but they they have an hword expo uh that we do um Frank Bruno our former chairman uh heads that up and does a Great job. Phenomenal job. Uh I went to it. Um a
lot of great vendors that are there. They've moved it to the speedway underneath the awning. Uh I know it was at the ocean center. I gave praises to the ocean center for the way it was done. But this is it was beautiful. Um the the weather was perfect. Uh again, all 365 days the weather's like that. So
great job from Frank and and the rest of our county staff that put that together. And then the last event is a little more serious. Um I did the race to stop suicide event uh bringing attention to our 988 u the Florida lifeline for assistance. Um our suicide rate um I
tried to look it up as far as Valuchia County. I can tell you that Valia Countyy's average for suicides is above the state average. Um and I made a comment before about domestic violence. And I know I'm mixing apples and oranges here, but we're number four in the state of Florida for domestic violence. So
these are not numbers that we want to be particularly proud of. We need to take measurements in order to fix that somehow some way. Um the race to stop suicide event was done in order to bring awareness to suicide. And everybody probably here and listening has dealt
with someone uh in their life that has unfortunately uh made that lasting decision for a temporary problem. Um there are 49,000 people just in 2023 that died as a result of suicide. nationwide. That means one every 11
minutes. One every 11 minutes. And I say those numbers to bring emphasis to it. Um Florida itself in the past 20 years has had a 6.9% increase just in the state of Florida. And if our numbers are higher here in Valia County, that's something that we need to address. I
just want to make sure everybody's aware of the 688 number. And if you need help, get it. We do have a mental health issue. Uh I've seen it in my 20 plus 30 plus years in corrections. uh we're doing a great job uh with relation to uh suicide prevention out there uh because
often times those inmates think the doors are are closed in more ways than just one that they think their life is closed and um so kudos to our division of corrections out there because that's probably some of our highest rating comes out of that. So that's all I want to say. I didn't want to end it on a bad
note but uh enjoy your weekend. Thank you. >> Great Councilman Robbins. Thank you, chairman. Uh, a couple quick followups. Um, George and staff, we had a Terry Corbett complain about our seaw
wall. She's under a timeline uh May 1st. Uh, whatever we can do, you know, uh, to maybe make contact with her if we haven't already. I'm sure we have, but the the permit process uh, is is grueling. >> We've been working with her all along. I
mean, uh I think uh um uh Ben and his team already got rid of one roadblock as far as contractors and stuff getting on. Um so we'll continue to work with her, but we are up against uh um
uh laws that are that are in place. So I mean it's I there may be a way for her to continue working. We'll look at that. Uh and again, we've done everything. It's not like we haven't been working with her. >> No, I understand. >> Um she had mentioned if we can check
that 72- uh 1053 flexibility uh requiring that 115% of the performance bond and then to there was some um I couldn't copy it down fast enough, but waiverss that are possible, you know, but yeah, you guys kind of get
it. If I if I could, Mr. Evans, because I do want the council to hear this that she addressed you all this afternoon. Um, there was an exemption the council put in place for some of those requirements that were timed after hurricanes, the two hurricanes that hit.
Those exemptions for the performance bond and the sand replacement expired in August of last summer. It's been that long and we've had probably a dozen permits that have gone in since then who now comply with the code as they existed
before the hurricane. There in lies our problem. Uh the staff doesn't take upon ourselves to wave the fees. That's why the council adopted the resolution for it and it's the equity issue now to try to address Miss Corbett's issues. We've worked with her and her contractor to
keep those numbers as low as we possibly can and to give her the benefit of the doubt in every reasonably way we can to make those costs as minimal as possible and we'll continue that effort with her. >> Miss Concin, uh, with that being said,
is there a way to extend that resolution if she was indeed affected by the storm or should be maybe entitled to that? I know you said it expired, right? you know, if it was affected by that storm and they're still working at two, three years later, it doesn't exempt the
fact that that it happened with a natural disaster. So, if there's a way we can can do that to help these folks, >> yeah, >> you have an ordinance that requires this. It charges uh your environmental director
uh with the opportunity to wave it. And as Miss Concin mentioned, you had waved it as a council because of the storms that's expired. So if somebody's unhappy with the decision of the environmental
management director, they can appeal that to DRC. Um I just learned about this today. >> Sure. >> But Suzanne is right that >> people have been working on it. Um you know, it. Your
staff's enforcing an ordinance that is in place now. >> I I get it. Just if it just know this from from the district rep. Um I'm not too sure about the rest of the council, but if it's with the storm, I'm a benefit of the doubt kind of guy
and and uh this stuff takes time, a lot of time, and a lot of money. And wherever we can help them out, I know you guys are are doing that. So, thank you. she could appeal it and then it goes through the process and eventually get to us and then we decide. >> So, um second, uh Troy, you're
absolutely right about the uh the Shell Harbor. It's a great um great ramp. I'd be even open uh too. I believe George, there was a restaurant up there at one point years ago, was wasn't there? I'm not sure out at that particular but
yes in the general area that was actually part of an old development that didn't uh right >> didn't fully uh build out so and we ended up getting it I think uh from that developer I will say also we have
um yeah I was getting some messages here we did dredge it when it was originally open so it's it needs another maintenance dredging >> yeah you know with it being there at the mouth of the lake that the the the surges and everything that you know, you're right, definitely impacts it. But
to Troy's point, I think it's one of the the most under uh or not known about or underused or underdeveloped parks that we have. And and I'd be open to entertain, you know, um some food trucks up there on the weekends for folks or
camping uh or uh RV hookups. I mean, you cannot beat the view. you cannot beat the environment. Uh Mr. Kent is right. Um so I'm I'm all game for >> and I also they said the engineering
firm U DM DMC uh uh Shalish there has already been tasked to uh go up and make some measurements. So it's already in we're already starting the process. >> It's an awesome location. Y um and uh
lastly, council, there's there's something uh cooking with FWC. Again, I know in years past, we went head-on with them and we won uh when it came to the economic impacts uh of these uh SPZs, the spring protection zones.
There's one down in my district now where the Merit Island National Wildlife Refuge uh and I mainly but FWC may have some involvement in it if they're using any of their data. Um I received several
calls from um Myers Crab Company, some other commercial fishermen that have been fishing down there generationally uh hundred some odd years. Uh but um they're looking at some possible new regulations uh uh that would impact the commercial
uh fishery. It would kill my restaurants uh the seafood restaurants we have left. It would kill our fish camps. Um any other boat our boat places uh dealerships and boat maintenance. I'll keep you guys a breast. I'll keep staff ab breast to that. But uh it may be
something that since the wildlife refuge uh uh is in my district, it might be something we have to get involved in to to keep them from killing our economy uh down there. So uh that's it. Appreciate it. Thank you. Just a couple things real quick. Uh first I want to say that I I
intended the funeral of Roy Johnson. Um Matt and I were both going to go. Matt actually asked for a proclamation to honor his life and he had a conflict because he does a lot of proclamations and um uh I uh went and read the
proclamation in his place. I just want to say that uh Roy Johnson was really well uh respected and honored at that funeral. It was so good to see other public servants there. He was the epitome. He he was the example. He was
somebody that we can all look up to what a true public servant uh looks like. I know from the day I got elected, he came and uh offered encouragement to me. And at his funeral, I've realized that he did that for a whole lot of public
servants. And he was just he's an exceptional man with an exceptional family. And I'm sure that they were pleased to hear how he was honored at his funeral. Roy Johnson uh uh mayor of Holly Hill and then uh when he passed he
was uh served as a city commissioner because he loved his city so much. So I was really glad to um to attend it. Somebody I I think that you did mention core values and I just wanted to clear up something. I I think you I I'm going
to give you the copy that I have, John. Uh but I think you said that the entire council approved of them and I didn't want to put that on them. I don't know that. I know I sent it to staff and they included it in a workshop. We didn't vote on it or discuss it much. So I I
don't want to hang that on them because they might have it's just a list. I sat down and said, "Well, what what do I think our core values are?" they might add some and or take some away. Um um but we're all focused on on core value.
So I will I will give you this list. There's there's 38 of them and four different categories and I probably miss some, but there's there's a lot of things that that we do here that um the public would miss if we weren't we
weren't doing them anymore. Um lastly, Amy, to your comment, uh you said uh you remarked about a constitutional amendment. It was actually a charter amendment for the county on >> Oh, thank you. Thank you for uh for
correcting me. um for toilet to tap. Those of you in blue shirts that don't know what it is, it's the practice of injecting cleanup sewage water into our drinking water because we don't know what to do with the amount of sewage we have anymore or just placing it into the
aquifer. I don't want to drink it. I have a regenerative farm which is an organic farm. I also live in Deleon Springs. We have beautiful water. I'm sorry you have such crappy water, but we have really clean good water where where I live on on our well and I don't want
any city injecting their cleaned up sewage into our aquifer because it's all our water. It's all one water and once you put it in the aquifer, it's in everybody's well. So, yes, I and and two other members here did vote to allow the
citizens of Valuchia County to vote on whether or not they think that's a reasonable practice. Do we think we can clean it up good enough to add it to our drinking water or put it in our wells? My vote is no. Which is why I've worked for two years with a company called
Riovation who instead of forcing homeowners in Deleon Springs to pay spend $40,000 $60,000 to get to a new septic system that removes 40% of the nitrogen. Um, Riovation has an a a a much less
expensive insert that goes into your existing tank that all that cleans up your tank, cleans up your drain field at a fraction of the price of forcing you. Uh, many people in Deleon Springs would just lose their homes if they were forced to completely redo a septic tank
and a drain field. And um and so they are current they it took me two years working with them and going to Tallahassee to even get a permit to te test it. We finally got a permit and Stson University with Dr. Anderson and Dr. Bean are doing an independent test
on on that system to clean up uh uh existing um septic systems. we could clean up the state of Florida for a fraction of the money instead of spending trillions to replace every every septic tank. Um, so,
uh, I'm sorry that you took the fact that I reminded the council of what we can do as disrespect. It's my job as chairman to give information. That's not something that's usually done where somebody brings something up for a
revote. Mr. Kent has done it before and votes that he's taken and came out on top and then wanted it brought back up to have a a revote. It's so rare. That's why I brought it up. No dis no disrespect intended to anybody, but as
chair, it's my job to bring up information that of things that we can do. Three of us voted for it. Four of us uh didn't want the vote. And it would still take a supermajority vote. So, it would take five of us. So, I reminded
them of that and I'll probably do it again because it's really important to me the water that we drink and the quality of it. I don't want to drink cleaned up sewage water. That's why I brought it up. And everybody has asked me, not everybody, several people has asked me about this tie. It's my celebration tie today. Today is my
wife's birthday. She I spent all day here and I don't regret that. I ran for this and I I enjoy being here. She worked with my daughter all day moving cows around and feeding cows. She loves that as well. Her and my daughter are
out eating steak dinners right now. And I'm going to leave at 8:00. I miss dinner and go home. And I'll see you this weekend. We're going to We're not We It just so happens we're both going to the same conference concert on a
beach to enjoy I'm taking Terry there and maybe we'll run into you and your husband there. This meeting is adjourned at 7:59.