All right. Good evening everybody and welcome. Today is Tuesday, December 2nd. The time is now 6 p.m. and the city of Williston city council meeting come to order. Miss Wright, would you please call
Goodman? >> I here. Council >> President H. She's absent. Vice President Cox >> here. >> Council member Jones >> here. >> Council member Martin here. >> Council member Rikio, >> City Manager Sue Bodette
>> here. >> Attorney Kirstston Belaloo >> here. >> City Clerk Patricia Wright, I am here. And all other staff. >> Thank you. >> All right. Open in prayer and pledge of allegiance to the flag. Mayor Charles
Good. technology. There we are. Lord, we come you tonight as a group of citizens gathering together to try to do the work of our city. Lord, I ask you to be with each
person that has chosen to take the time out of their life to attend this meeting and to be involved in their city. And Lord, especially I ask you to be as we enter into this holiday season with the fire department
and the police department and all of the children, Lord, that will be there at that Christmas parade. Lord, we just ask that we have this holiday season without incident, without hurt, without anybody being seriously hurt.
And I ask you to be with this council, Lord, to help them to get the wisdom that you would give them to make the best decisions for our community that they can. In your name, amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. All righty. Item one, addition,
deletions, changes, and approval of the agenda. Hearing none, I would um move that we approve the >> second. >> All right, we have a first
and a second. Any discussion? All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Those opposed. All right. Pass 4 zero. All right. Item two, public participation. This is your first of two
opportunities to address the council. At this time, anyone in the audience can come to the podium and speak for five minutes on any topic other than what is on the agenda tonight. Please state your name and res. Just a reminder, the council does not have
>> Yes. My name is Tim 25 State Street. Um, got a couple questions. Uh, last meeting I was here a couple weeks ago, I said, uh, Jonathan had a pay reduction, but my other qu my question is, uh, did Donald
get one? And if not, why not? Because I think he deserves a serious pay reduction. more than anybody really. And uh and then uh another question I got uh
what's the city going to do about over here? Ry's over here with the drains and the awning is still tore up after a year later. I mean that's our some people's place of business. They already got a problem in the back with no parking lot. Orersonson ain't been back there in
three weeks. people them people losing money and if I was them I'd be really upset with the city not pushing the issue of rivers in control of making these people put some iron through the fire because to be honest with you Wilbur um if it was costing him money he'd be
over here doing something get it fixed because I mean it's not fair to the businesses that park on the back side of the chain link fence they're not going to walk around to come get a haircut or go to the fabric place you know what I'm or anything else. They want to they want
to be convenient just like everybody else. And uh the other thing is uh it's like ask the question what does it take or do so a citizens initiative or a charter
amendment can happen? What does it take? I'm just kind of curious. All right. >> Can I make a come up here and talk about it or something? >> Okay. Thank you.
Hi, my name is Rosado 491 Northwest for Terrorist Punishment. I want to check second his uh comment about the businesses here. I understand that somebody said it would cost $85,000 to fix those three
uh homes. Yeah, that's ridiculous. I mean, I could get a uh probably a metal melter and put it to those three things and straighten them up for maybe $6,000.
But I talk and that's probably why I talked to them and Yeah. because I do business with them and they're my neighbors. >> Yeah. And uh Yeah, it's a problem. I mean that looks awful you know and a city you know like this mayor Gutman I
mean we should respond to them and help them they they were told that when they opened the business that two months maybe at the moment and still there the second thing I want to mention is uh I'm very concerned about the tax that we
have on the drinking water uh there was a meeting a long time ago uh when the uh country landing states were being built and we were told that the drinking water
was highly proportionately measured against the sewage. So the more water you use, the higher you pay the sewage. And the sewage is very expensive, more expensive than the water. And I don't people with me that's taxing
us on the water, drinking water because I have only one other member in my family. So we don't use that much. We don't in other words, we don't release a lot of biological oxygen demand. So I think uh
>> would you >> I want to go I want to go down on the record uh that we need to look at that tax and maybe >> sir if you would address us. >> Oh I'm sorry. Right. >> Uh I would like to for you to consider
getting revenue from somewhere else other than from our drinking water and don't tie the sewage uh cost to the drinking water. maybe set
up a a straight line cost maybe $40 per family and then you know you pay for all the water you want to use but I think we've been taxed by taking the the drinking water
and adjusting it the sewage the drinking water in such a way that the more water you use the higher the sewage go is about I think it's about maybe half and half. In other words, but it
goes arithmetic proportional up. So if you use more water, you use double, which is not correct. That doesn't mean that because I'm using more water, it's because I'm using or putting more waste
in the sewage system. So I think that is a tax addressing you but I am addressing also the people who need to get up and say that you know >> but we need you to address the council. >> Yeah. We want that tax to be taken away the water tax
and I I encourage the people here present because for some of us uh we have a homeowners association and we have the president here Mr. Roberts and they want us to keep the grass as green as your shirt. and it takes a lot
of water to do that. Uh, Mr. President, so please consider that. Thank you very much. >> I need to make a comment on this just because I don't know that people know. Um, number one, it's not a tax is based on the consumption of the water. And
when we first started the water, the sewage charges for the sewer. Uh we we did an analysis on how much water not sewage how much water was used by an average household of four people and it was supposed it was based 8,000 gallons
of water a month and we exempted the first 5,000 gallons of water in the sewage. So, when you got your sewer, when you look at the the usage, you're not getting bill for the first 5,000 gallons
of water on the sewer. So, you're not getting paid. You're not paying more. You're actually paying less than 5,000 gallons because we know that part of it does go in the ground or in a pool or somewhere on a sprinkler that's not down
the drain and into the sewer system. So that first 5,000 gallons of water is exempted from the sewer charge and it it's been that way ever since we passed it. Started charge most people don't realize that but that is the case.
>> Yes sir. Another option >> you can get for Country Lane estates. You can get an irrigation meter that none of that water gets charged to the sewer.
All you have to do is put in an irrigation meter and you you will only pay for the water. You will not pay for the sewer attached to that water. It is I can't tell you the cost you can
give with the city. You did with somebody that is more fluent in knowledge on that. But I did it years ago and I have never regretted it. You should not be drinking the water from the irrigation. But it with
especially in a home in a place that has home owners association that wants to have their property kept well and good. Uh I believe that Mr. Barber at the time he was dealing with them
suggested to them that they put in irrigation meters and they said no, they did not want the extra cost. So at the time of construction that could have been done but Lar Home decided they did not want to
bear that cost and raise the price of their unit. Okay. Anybody else? Okay. Item three. Okay.
and please state your name. >> Who do I need to get a hold of in the city? We ident I've identified a potential lethal issue. We had a water man break today. City fixed it. It was out there. But in the process, the water
leak filled up the power box. not street light junction box, the main power box in front of the house. And it filled every damn duct drain all the way down and around the corner. So, every one of the of our underground conduits
for electrical got water in it if it didn't if it hadn't drained out. We found out some way to plug that off where it doesn't where the water meter where busted water line doesn't fill that faucet. And that's what I thought it was separate issue, but one mechanics out there fixing the water line told me
that no, we opened it up cuz water was running out of it. Now that that box was hot. The rest of them, I think, are dead because there's nothing to them other than the main power feed from the main transfer box. So, you could have had a lot of
sparkling water as some of them call it. >> And that's in country lane. >> Country lane. >> What address, sir? um or right street. >> It was across the street from me, 500 North, probably 510 um Northwest Fifth
Avenue, but it ran all the way down around the curb and was coming out through risers at electric, but it was also coming out at the bottom of the hill. It was coming out that splice box for the street lights. I mean, it was running out. It wasn't just trickling.
It it was running a stream of water out into the street. So, we'll need to see. I don't know who to talk to about it or >> electric crew sitting here. >> Okay. So, we can maybe hook up afterwards, but that that can be a ser I mean, you can blow a transformer, you can do a lot of damage. You put
sparkling, water, electricity or water, electricity, get sparkling. >> All right. Thank you. >> Can I just um just uh It's all right. I I just want to sort of make an public service announcement that we a feel free to call up here anytime and report
something dangerous because I think that should be the first thing that happens and two we now have a customer service form. Oh, good. Excellent. I figured um we have a customer service form that you can fill out as well um for anybody that has you know a concern. Obviously
emergency should just be an emergency call. But um if it's something that's not an emergency, we now have a customer service form and you either go online or you call up here or come up here that you can actually physically fill out. You will get a copy of it. It gets submitted so that we're going to try and
streamline the customer service process a little bit. Get a little faster response. >> Probably have to come back up. >> Yeah. Sorry. Called in Saturday, but I got a text this morning from Rob,
the vice president of the HOA asking about it, but I I got drawings of all of them. When I went out there to watch that is when we found out that it was coming out of power boxes and there's conduit riser broke off or street light might be repaired. But
anyway, it looked like we had busted water lines, but when we started walking it down and getting up in there and looking, it was filling the electric conduit and running down from one up. So it ran up through every box and back
down and down to the next box and up and down the next box. They're down at the corner where it dead ended and then it was running out of there pretty damn good. But um it was called in Saturday and they were out there this morning early. I mean nobody knew and I was out
of town till yesterday afternoon. So I didn't find out about this morning but >> anyway >> it was called in. >> Do you have any idea what caused the water main break? Okay. Anybody else? >> All right.
Item three is an agenda. Can I get a motion for >> make a motion we approve agenda second? >> We have a motion. We got a first. We got a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, we'll vote. All in favor
say I. >> I. >> Those opposed. 4 I. >> Okay. Updates. staff, board council's updates. City Manager Suedette. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President.
All right. First and foremost, um wanted to let you guys know I attended the Levy County uh board of county commissioners meeting this morning. And as I was walking in, I was greeted by Mary Ellen Harper, the county manager, to let me know that uh Tisha Whitehurst gave her notice yesterday. She is no longer going
to be employed with the county as of next Friday. And uh Mary Ellen has decided she's going to move the position to Bronson. So the um office that they rent from us for a dollar a year or whatever it is um
will be vacant by the end of this month in the event that we want to put somebody out there. Um maybe the chamber. I think Latricia told me today that the chamber used to be out there um or CFCA or whatever we want to do. Like I said, that um office will be vacant by the end of the year.
positions to account. >> Correct. >> You want everybody to be in so >> it is it is so I just wanted to let you guys know to think about that because like I said by the end of this um month we'll have an empty building we can do whatever we want with and obviously we've been talking about needing office
space in this building so it's probably good timing. Uh second, I attended this afternoon. I attended the Levy County workshop on um future land use, which was very well attended. There were dozens and dozens of people there. Um two things that we
focused on was strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for Levy County. And again, this is specific to future land use. And then we did a um exercise where they gave us we were all in different tables. They gave us a map and we had to identify um areas that we
did not want growth in Levy County, areas that we thought we needed economic development in Levy County, uh areas that needed infrastructure in Levy County, and areas where we thought growth was coming Lee County. So, um there was a lot of conversation. Probably the one of the most interesting
things I heard in the room today was um I heard probably three or four times that people in Ly County do not want a hospital. That's the first time I've ever heard that. That was very interesting. So I I don't know. I said, you know, we used to have >> again this is this is county people. These were not, you know, municipalities
necessarily, but anyway, it was just interesting conversation. So there is, if anybody wants to attend, they're having the exact same workshop number two, Monday evening at six o'clock in the cafeteria. Um, so we'll be going over the exact same thing again. So all the meetings that they're doing are
going to be duplicated. Uh the third thing I wanted to mention is that I received an email yesterday um from somebody representing Southeastern Grocerers uh regarding Wind Dixiey's grand opening celebration on Saturday morning at 7:30 in the morning. 7:30
morning nice and early. Um she would like to invite members of the council. She does want the mayor to attend and um speak if you can speak on Saturday morning. So I said that I would pass that along. And then uh the last thing I wanted was
to kind of end on a happy note. I received an email yesterday from a resident that I wanted to um share with everybody. It says, "Good morning, Miss Bodet. My name is R. Joseph Hatton and my wife's name is Cecilia W. King. We are new to Willist except for a brief
stay in 2008 through through 2009. We retired in 1995 to Cedar Key, Florida and because of the storms in the Gulf of Mexico, we moved to a property in Willist, then relo relocated to Penllis County to care for an elderly relative. After her passing, we relocated to wonderful Willist once again in June of
this year. Forward to today, when I was about to enter city hall to inquire about a stuck water shut off valve at St. Barnabas Church, my wife is a volunteer administrator there. I parked beside a city truck. The young man and I exited our vehicles at the same time and he smiled at me and said, "What are you
up to this morning, sir?" I informed him that I was attempting what I attemp was attempting to accomplish. He then replied, "No need to go in, sir. I know where you're talking about and I'll meet you there." I was immediately surprised. He got into his truck and I followed him to the church property. We had enlisted the service of somebody to repair some
leaky water valves. He removed a tool from the back of his truck and attempted to open the water valve to no avail. He then sourced a larger tool and quickly was able to open and close the valve for future access. I thanked him and his social skills were unsurpassed to any municipal employee I encountered for some time. His actions, politeness, and
delightful courteousness were unprecedented in a similar former transactions with any former municipal exchanges. We are so pleased to be a part of Willis and proud to call this our hometown. Folks like Nate with his sincere mannerisms are a tremendous asset to any municipality. Hopefully,
you may consider acknowledging his values in some way and relate our appreciation for his kind and considerate mannerisms. Sincerely, R. Joseph Hatton and Cecilia W. King. So, I thought that was a lovely email to get yesterday for our employee Nate. And
that is everything I Oh, sorry, one more thing. I just want to let you know that this afternoon I submitted the $500,000 EDA grant for the airport. um everything uh got taken care of and I think I sent over the um the letter from Career Source saying that they were going to be
paying for their 80,000 like they um had promised. So that grant has now been submitted to EDA and that's all I have. >> Okay, Chief Rose, >> I just have a question. uh the meeting
you attended today about the growth in Levy County that it wasn't for municipalities like Willist. >> No, I mean it was but I'm saying the majority of the people that were there were Levy County residents. They weren't from the city of Willist. So that's why I'm saying when I say they didn't want a hospital. I I don't know all the
residents in in Willist. I'm not saying there were weren't, but it it tended to be mostly county people. People I saw at the BOCC meetings for a long time. >> Right. Right. Okay. I just want to clarify that because I was kind of wondering if there was some mention of growth in Willist. Did anybody mention
anything about cuz my concern is Willist. So was there any discussion in that meeting about the city of Willist and what develop development what growth we want here? >> Sure. There was a there was a lot of it it was actually really interesting. I was sitting next to a woman who had
relocated to uh University Oaks in Bronson from Key West. I don't know how long she'd lived here, but she was relatively new. And you know, she was saying, "I don't want any more growth in Levy County." [laughter] And I was sitting next to um
county commissioner uh Charlie Kennedy, and he was like, "You do realize that you're one of the people who is creating this growth. You just moved here yourself." So, I mean it, you know, but yes, there was a lot of conversation around the municipalities because Levy County, again, I'm sitting next to Charlie County, was saying their they
feel like their biggest asset is their density. they want to keep their whatever it is 10 10 acres you have to have to move into Levy County um to stop people from you know moving here and they were saying we feel like people should move more to the municipalities cuz they're the ones that have all of
the resources so it's just interesting to hear you know but they did feel like the growth was coming from north of of Willist that was a kind of common thread is that they felt like it was coming like from Gainesville and coming from you know Ocala in bleeding into to
Willist But yeah, I mean so far I mean all of these I think there's six meetings. >> I started to say this is the second meeting that they've had. I actually went to the first one uh because actually the first one nobody from Willist went. And I was asked if anybody was going to attend the second one and I
didn't know if they were or not. So I went and I said if there's another council member there I'll just leave. Um but there wasn't and so I stayed. Um, and we talked about GIS mapping of utilities and where they were and where they weren't. I think they've been to
Williston since then and talked with Sue about that. Yep. >> Um, I did represent Willist then and told them we had the water and sewer GIS mapped and we're working on some of the others that Wright Pierce have been doing that for us. Um, what they're doing is they're going through all the
elements of their comp plan. That's what it is. And the future land use is just a kind of an overall thing. And then they're going to start through the individual elements of the comp plan. And they all the meetings are at 1:00 in in the afternoon and nobody can really go at 1:00 in the afternoon. So I did
ask if they could have one in the evening and they have set this next one at 6:00. So hopefully there'll be more people at that one um who will put their two cents in. I think it's very beneficial. Yes, we
definitely need to be represented there or things are going to go. They talked about when I was there, they talked about industrial lands. They talked about commercial lands. They talked about they they like Sue said, they don't want them in the county. They want them to move to the municipalities because they don't want any more
individual package sewer plants or water plants that when they get abandoned, they have to take them over cuz the two they are running right now are costing them an arm and a leg. And they really don't have anybody who knows how to run them. They've had to hire people who can run the two that have been abandoned at
subdivisions. I think University Oaks is one of them that they've had to take over and I can't remember where the where the second one >> the golf course in Chief. >> There you go. Yes. Yes, that's very true. I have I know people that live there. Uh so they're not wanting to have their own water plants and sewer plants.
They're wanting them to come close to to Chief and where whoever's got water and sewer. Uh and they were very excited that we have gas. They're very excited that we have electric. I told them electric can't go except in new places where there's no other development yet
uh that we might could get there. But uh the gas and I reminded them how they did water and sewer with a grant from the county and like all a lot of the East Williston water and sewer that we have. They got the grant and they put it there
and they deeded it to us and I told them they were welcome to do that anytime they wanted to you know um you know speaking just for me not for the whole council of course but >> well that's great news that that was my biggest question was they asked if the
city of Willist was mentioned uh >> we need to be there every time yes somebody >> so we if we can get those dates out so the citizens can know when it is so we can go uh so their voices could be heard and they can represent us on what they feel we need in our city. Uh I'm not
against uh growing or annexation to make the city uh a little bit bigger. Uh when we do that, I think it takes a lot of the strain off of our citizens that have been here currently and it puts a little bit of that strain back on the ones that's moving here. Uh which would solve
a lot of our problems when we talk about finances and and how we're going to do different things. In order to do that, we got to grow. We got to have revenue. We got to have tax base coming in. We've got to address our utilities and our waters and those things of that nature. So, we can take some of that burden off
of our citizens that are currently here. >> Right. >> The ones that are moving in should be the ones that that are requiring more of our resources and they should be the ones that's paying for it, not our citizens that are already here. Exactly. >> So, I think if we start working in that direction, I think it'll make things a
lot better for us. >> That's all I have. Okay. Chief Seagull. >> Well, good evening uh everyone. So, I took a little road trip today. Went up and uh spoke to the uh House Committee
on the upcoming bill um or bills that are on property taxes. Where do I start? >> Thank you so much for being there on our behalf, >> Mr. Mayor, [clears throat] in your own
words, we have nothing on smok and mirrors. >> Nothing. >> Yeah, they got it all. >> They got it all. >> So, so we are amateurs. Um, there are two things being excluded on
the property tax. That's a carve out for police department and a carveout for public education. Having said that, that doesn't mean you got to have a police department. That was stated today.
Um, [clears throat] how do we go forward with this? So, so let me let me give you a rundown on some of the things I learned real quick is, um, there's several sections to this to this House bill. We went over four parts today. Um, there's one one section that
just eliminates property taxes except for the carve out for PD and uh or I let me rephrase that. It's not just PD. It's law enforcement as a whole and school board. Now, in one section of this House bill, if you're over 65,
you don't have to pay that car out. Okay? So, just so you understand how that's working. um it it moves up. Dispatchers are not included. First responders as a whole, meaning firefighters and emergency medical services are not included in these
carveouts at this time. Parks and recreation streets are not included. Um the the as it was presented today, they basically told us that um you're just going to have to figure out what you want to pay for.
Um some of the things they went over, you know, I I'll give you one example. Miami Dade Fire Rescue um when this hits them, they're going to be in a deficit of $21 million that they've got to make up somewhere.
Now, you say, "Oh, well, they can do an assessment." No, they can't. Only EMS assessments can be done in impoverished counties like Levy County. There's only I have no idea. >> 17 counties, I think, in the in the
state that can have an EMS assessment. >> You can have a fire assessment. That's different. So, so today a big question asking these these people, how do we pay for this? And I mean, I can go on for a long time. Um, just to
give you a heads up, our animal shelter, no property tax money. Can't use it. Where do you get the money for the animal shelter? >> Excuse me. Did you say that the animal shelter is not taxable, but the fire department is
>> the the fire department? You can use the assessment for the animal shelter. Give me just a second. You can't use a property tax >> if the bill passes. >> If the bill is passing, >> I one way or another it >> when you let the the the folks out of the asylum and tell them that they can
vote to not have to pay a bill, >> they're going to vote not to pay a bill. It's just that simple. So, we got into how do we pay for this? You know, that was a question that was
asked over and over and over. Well, there's multiple ways you can pay for it. You can create an MSTU to pay for your parks and streets and animal shelters. >> What is that?
>> A municipal services taxing unit. Um, you can create those to pay for it. And that's what you're going to have to that's what you're going to have to do. You can take your fire assessments and take them to the maximum to pay for
your fire departments. You can take your EMS assessments and take them to the maximum and to pay for your EMS services. as long as you have an EMS assessment. Elatchua County can't have one because they're not in the same boat that we are
financially in Levy County. You know, to give you an example of our Levy County EMS, currently $6 million of their $15 million EMS budget comes from property taxes. So, we
will we all of us will have to make up that $6 million to keep the ambulances driving up and down the streets. So then if we go and we turn around and we say, "Okay, well, we can't afford to have a a fire department. We're going to
turn it over to the county." The county is going to turn around and implement their fire assessment inside your city limits. But now, because they're trying to provide the same services that you are, that fire assessment that they're currently paying $337 a year for is now going to probably go
to $6 or $700 a year. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And it doesn't matter how much money you make or how much property you own. If you make $10,000 a year, you'll pay the same amount in somebody who has or if you have a $100,000 home, you're going
to pay exactly the same amount as somebody has a million dollar. >> That is correct. Okay, >> that is correct. Now, another thing they said, well, you could put you can put types of sales tax in place. >> And and one of our representatives from Miami Dade said, "What? We're going to tax the people?" I've looked at this.
We're going to have to put a 30 cent per dollar sales tax. Oh gosh. to make up the deficit. So then we're hitting the most impoverished people in our communities because everybody has to pay the sales tax.
If they go out and buy anything, they have to pay the sales tax. U now nothing nothing has passed yet, but it's coming. I would strongly advise the council to
start looking at other ways to pay your bills. It it's there there's no easy answers. I made the comment to them. If if you're telling me to come in and raise the assessments, you're telling me to rob Peter to pay Paul because that's and and
every one of them look they look like the little bobbleheads up there. Yep. That's what we're telling you. This is a political move from the get-go. >> Yeah. >> Everybody wants to go out and say, "Oh, look, we did away with property taxes." Y >> but they don't want to tell you how to pay for any of the services.
It's It's going to be a wild ride, folks. Um it will if it passes, which it's going to pass up in the House, it's going to pass in the House. It'll be on a referendum in November. and then it'll be a one-minute
implementation from there. But to give you a little more insight on the police department, I didn't get a chance to tell Mike everything outside earlier tonight. A little more insight. So, we approve his budget for 2627. Okay. Now, he's got to have this budget
to get it. We approve his budget for 2627. It comes in and it goes goes through for 2728. We don't have to give him anymore. All we got to give him is what he got in 26 27. We just can't lower it
unless we eliminate the police department, which there's no way we can do. But like I said, it does not pay for dispatchers. It does not pay for ambulances. It does not pay for firefighters on the the carve out. Now, that may
change because there was a lot of that was a big discussion in there. But still, we've got to look at a way to pay for our streets, parks, infrastructure rebuilds. So, I I would strongly advise
to start looking right now. You want to be ahead of the curve. the the city the city of Trenton. Okay, >> to give you an an example, the city of Trenton is closing down their police
department and their fire department so they can pave roads because they know they won't get the property tax next year. And that's what they >> Well, February 1st they're supposed to close the doors is what I was told today.
Okay. But but they're so they're reducing their staff so they can get the the property tax money to do infrastructure rebuild in the city. It's it's going to be it. I strongly recommend you start looking at other ways to do what you need to do. Parks
and wrecks going to be a big one. Animal control is going to be a big one. You know, if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them for you the best I can. Um, I've given you a pretty brief
rundown of what happened up there. Um, it was raining when I left. It was raining when I come back. I was hoping for sunshine, but I didn't get any. Um, >> again, Lamar, I'd like to thank you and Jimmy for going up there and doing that on our behalf. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> They wanted representation from a small
city, and they chose Willist. We were happy to do it. Mr. Eric, >> yes, Americ 225. Okay. Remember we was having a fire assessment and I asked about that 1 cent sales tax and it brought brought in actually $11 million
because a half cent goes to the state, but a half a cent brought in 5.5. Is there any um Have y'all thought about doing any some kind of sales tax or maybe a fuel tax as
just in Willist? Maybe the county maybe the county needs to get together with the county commission and and bring something up on fuel. Everybody's got to have it and eventually all the counties are going to have to put it on. And I mean we got to pay for it. We all got to
pay for it. You know what I'm saying? And I mean cuz if not y'all going bankrupt. >> Yeah, >> there's going to be some jobs. >> We decide counties could do that. >> That'll be >> I mean I'm I'm just asking like a regular question. I mean it should be to
me I mean it's been concerning to me because as a citizen and I drive around and I work out I work out in the in the public. Um, I'm telling you, we're in the we're we're we're in the start of a recession and we've been in the start of a recession for all year. That people
just ain't throwing houses up, the interest rates still high, they're afraid to make they're afraid to make a commitment and you can't blame them. And uh and the way things are being run with um with a lot of things uh you mean
most people's going to vote for this to be gone and you really can't blame them. But I think a fuel some kind of fuel assessment and um some kind of uh one cent sales tax or something or two cent or whatever
something's going to have to happen to make this work because otherwise there's going to be a whole lot of people out of work. >> Y >> I mean just trying to ask a question. >> Thank you. I know the last time you brought this up, we looked it up and we we were told and I don't didn't do the
research myself, but we were told that only counties could do that, not cities. So, that's why we can't do it. The county has to do it. And they do give us a portion for something, uh, but we have no control over what they do. We could actually go to them and ask them to do
it, I guess. But I I just wanted to to give y'all one more comment real quick just to tell you what the atmosphere was like there. Um, so we there there was the coalition of small counties was there, Lefayet counties like that,
counties with 10 to 15,000 people in them, >> right? Their comment was >> comment, >> well, if they've only got 15,000 people, maybe they don't need to be a county. >> I couldn't believe he I couldn't believe he said that. >> Wow.
>> Total indifference. >> Wow. Who elected them? [laughter] >> Mr. Steagel, you got anything? >> Mr. Danny, Mr. Mills? Miss Kim?
>> No. >> No. No. No. No. No. Anybody? All right. All right. Council. >> Yep. I will I will address something that transpired over the last couple weeks
and I just want to talk about it with my council members because this is the only place that we can talk about it and get a couple of questions answered and get some clarification from staff. So, um this is regarding the Christmas lights which I love. I used to come back every
year after Christmas because I was a short part-time resident here in Florida for a lot of years for horses and I would roll in and it would be around January 1 and city would be all lit up. So I promise I'm not a Scrooge and I'm not a Grinch but um some people were
walking in Heritage Park uh in early November. They walk every Sunday morning with their dogs and they reached out to me and said, "There's some weird wiring situations happening out here and there are a lot of trench little trenches dug all over the park with wires in them. They haven't been filled in like we
can't really see them in the low light." Um, and I said, "Please send me some pictures. I really don't know what you're talking about, but I will ask and find out what's going on." I forwarded the pictures to Sue on November 16th, I think a Monday. She immediately forwarded those on to Jonathan for
clarification of what was going on. She then was able to speak to Jonathan. My concern that I expressed in the email was that um this was not to code and also just not a safe situation. And so
Jonathan assured her that everything was to code. It was safe. Told her that this is how we've been doing everything for many, many, many years. She conveyed that back to me. Jonathan then reached out to me a few days later, said he wanted to talk to me because I did ask in my second email that he, you know,
that he give me an explanation of what I was looking at so that a resident if they asked me what I was seeing, what they were seeing, I could give them an educated answer. Um, and unfortunately between me being out of town, holidays, we were not able to communicate. And I came back on Monday, yesterday, and as I
got out of my truck on the other side of the median and the parking lot over there and walked to the city hall, I encountered indoor electrical boxes um that were lying in the dirt. One of them was actually shoved into a bush um with
electrical wires coming out of them. No GFCI uh outlet ground fault. [sighs] Um circuit. Uh thank you. Thank you. There we go. Um sorry, I know what it is. I'm just stuttering up here. Um
and so I came in and said to Sue, I'm really concerned because it does not look like that is to code. Um so could you please just double and triple check that everything is safe. My main concern is [snorts] the safety obviously of any of our residents and god forbid we should start a fire or anything like
that. So um Sue said I will talk to the building inspector or Mr. Miller and just make sure that everything is okay. And as it turns out our building inspector was just outside the office when the meeting ended. Um I was not there for that for that. I was there
for, you know, just a regularly scheduled meeting and we were able to look at it and I would love for you to come and tell us what you saw, Mr. Staxs, if you are willing. Um, and why there are concerns over what happened and there have been a lot of half
stories that have gone around and I would just like to have Mr. Staxs tell us what he found and then ask a few questions and if you guys have any questions about what happened as well. >> Okay. I found a a code violation, an exist pre-existing uh wiring system that's been used for
many years. Not a failure, not a short. Uh not that anyone uh anyone was le electrocuted, just a failure. Uh code violation. That's all I found. Okay. >> Can you tell me specifically what you found when we when I showed you what I saw?
>> Uh thh wire exposed and an interior box. >> And there wasn't just one, there were multiples of them. Yeah. Um, so and your instructions were they needed to be removed immediately. Like we were standing out there and you said the power needs to be killed >> immediately
>> and they were removed immediately because it was a safety issue. >> Yes. >> And and I would like to state that I don't this is not public comment time. So I appreciate your concerns, but public comment time has passed. At the end of the meeting, you can get up and address this because we're almost at an hour and we haven't even gotten to the
agenda yet. >> We can talk to this issue when we get there. any any public person can talk to this to an issue. >> Okay. >> We just can't cut them off. >> Yeah. Um >> we just can't talk right now until we're ready. >> Yeah. Um, so I
I guess my concern is and the the reason that I'm concerned is that you know again it it comes back to a couple weeks ago, a couple meetings ago, we talked to the staff here as a council and said no
more not to code structures inside anywhere. you know that everything needs to be done by the book and everything needs to be done safely and correctly both to protect the residents, to protect employees, and to protect the city from liability. Um, you know,
somebody could have gotten shocked on those boxes. I'm assuming a kid came up and stuck a penny in it or somebody I mean I somebody left on >> on the dis here an a Google I don't know who this is but equipment you only I mean this is just a Google search only
use approved ullisted or labeled lighting and wiring was the wiring correct? >> No. >> Okay. Um daisy chaining or plugging one relocatable power tap into another is not allowed. They must be plugged directly into a permanently installed receptacle. You have some you have some
latitude in 590 and the NEC on on the holiday lighting. >> You do have some room in that, but the the THHN was a violation. Had to be changed. >> Yeah. >> Extension cords and taps cannot be installed where they could be subject to environmental or physical damage. These wires were dug in about an inch and a
half. They were dangling through shrubbery. Is that an issue? >> Yes. >> Yeah. So, you know, we have a lot [laughter] a lot of unsafe issues. And I guess my concern that I'm addressing here with you guys is we have been told over and thank you. They may have other questions, but I appreciate your time.
Um that we have been told over and I have been told over and over again in the last 24 hours. Well, this is just how we've done it for the last 20 years. This is just how we've done it. And [snorts] I don't feel comfortable with us not doing things correctly simply
because that's how we've done it for 20 years. I'm I'm not okay with that as a standard. Um, you know, I was asked, "How could you do this?" Well, how could I not bring this to somebody's attention? How could I walk by that knowing as little that I know about
electricity? I know you don't take an indoor receptacle and half bury it in sand where the public is going to be walking across it and potentially, you know, I mean, again, the wires were dug in this much. It wouldn't take 2 seconds for somebody to accidentally yank all that up, jerk things apart, and for
there to be a real scene. And I just think that our standards need to be raised. And I'm frustrated by the fact that the defense of this was not, "Oh my gosh, I'm really sorry, a mistake was made. We will rectify it immediately." The defense was this is how we've been doing it for 20 years. And I just
personally feel like that is not acceptable to have that be our defense. I work in an industry. Chief RS works in an industry. Patricia works in an industry. We all of us mayor did. I'm sure many of you that I don't even know about. We are governed by bylaws and rules and regulations that say this is
the way you have to do things. And if I say, well, you know, 20 years ago I did it like this, so it's got to be good enough now. I will get banned from my industry. I will not be able. And same thing, chief can't go around saying, I'm sorry. 20 years ago I followed these laws, and so that's how it's going to be
today. We've got to be up todate. We have got to be responsible for knowing what is correct and doing it right and and making sure that we we dot our eyes and cross our tees and not just say this is and now here we are you know 4 days from light up Williston. It's a big
kurfuffle. I'm sure it will get sorted out because Mr. STAX has given us some advice on how we can move this along quickly and you know I I appreciate that and I appreciate his his wisdom in this situation. But I just think that this is the opportunity to say yet again, which
we said two meetings ago, that it's not acceptable to do things not to code. It's not acceptable to do things the way we did it 20 years ago. It's just it we're going to get sued. Somebody's going to get hurt. We're already facing probably an economic catastrophe coming. We don't need liability created by our
own our own doing. And people are going to make mistakes. I get that. I'm going to make mistakes. But I'm not going to fall off on fall back on well 10 years ago. You know, I was okay, so why wouldn't it be okay now? My first comment is nobody told anybody
about this. We had to hear it through the grapevine. I'm really ticked about that. None of us knew this except through the grapevine. Nobody called to say anything. Nobody sent an email. To me, it's a catastrophe. You're right. It's 4 days. is the light
of Wilston. That's that in itself is unacceptable in my part. It It says right here temporary holiday lighting up to 90 days. You can have a little different set of rules and you're reading from it, but you're not reading all of it. You're reading the cherry.
>> I was I was reading >> I missed my turn now. >> Yep. >> You >> I was reading the part that was not to code. That's all >> you picked. You cherry picked the parts that you wanted. Um, I'm told that they are all on a GFI, that they are all on a breaker, so there
will not be a fire. If that's not right, please tell me. >> They're on GFI. GFI is operating as it should. It should trip. >> And that's exactly what it says here. Um, yes, it needs to be up to code. Yes, they need to be disperate re
receptacles, but we're here now tonight that we do know about it to try to figure out how to fix it so we can have light of Williston, not to say we're not going to have it, which is what I'm hearing. Um, and that's not acceptable. I mean, we're
here, we do this. It's a We don't do it. The chamber pretty much does it. I mean, the parade is theirs and the light of Williston is is ours and the winter wonderland is theirs. So, it's kind of an evolved event. They don't even know about it.
And [clears throat] and we're here, like I said, tonight. My my vision. I'm so glad you're here because help us figure out what to do. >> I'm not an electrician. I'm not a designer. I'm a building official. >> Yes, sir. >> Tell you what the codes are. >> Come up to the counter, please. I mean, podium.
>> I'm the building official. I'm not an electrician. I'm not an electrical engineer. I'm not allowed to design electrical. >> Yes, sir. >> You present to me your design and I can tell you if it's uh code compliant. And I understand part of the problem is finding all the receptacles that we need
if >> I've been working with Mike and Jonathan. I think we have ideas. I think it's going to be fine. >> I hope so. And what I said was just get three blocks done. You don't have to worry about every receptacle in the entire city that's not up to code. If there are others, just do three blocks
at least. So >> everything has to be per the code and safe. And you know, now that I'm exposed to code violations, it's all going to be for the code. >> Yeah. >> For the National Electrical Code 2020. >> Thank you. >> It could have been done without him in
the middle of it. Not Jonathan. >> Hang on, Jonathan. >> So, we've had we've had multiple conversations back and forth. Um, we came up with a game plan so far. Uh Mike Stacks absolutely will speak for it on his behalf for his what he wants to say,
but we've come up with a plan. We're good. We've uh [clears throat] the we pre-ordered all the supplies we need with the anticipation that you all will give us the permission tonight. If you don't, we'll cancel the order. I haven't spent any money. I haven't broke any violations. I haven't done anything
wrong, but I wanted to get them ordered, not wait another 24 hours to then order them to then try to find stock to then get them in in house. If tonight we're granted permission to go ahead and purchase those and get them here, 100% here, uh, we should make our deadline. It's not going to be pretty, but we'll
make our deadline. >> And we essentially need them to make the park functional for every event. >> Absolutely. >> Not just this one. >> Absolutely. >> This one's just the one that's in our face at the moment. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> And I agree, we do want it to be safe. I just don't know that the deadline is so
pressing >> that we couldn't have handled it another way. If we get permission tonight, you have a 99% chance we'll make the deadline. >> And I just want to say I I brought this up November 15th. There there have been there has been two full weeks that this
could have been dealt with and it was not dealt with. So the fact that this is pressing is not because I walked from my truck to the building yesterday. The fact that this is pressing is because it wasn't brought to code when it was brought up. You said yourself that you were out of pocket and you didn't see it
and it was a holiday and we all know where >> okay >> Mr. Bishop has been. >> I I understand that and he needs to then delegate somebody to make sure when this is brought to your attention by a resident and somebody says this is this appears to be not safe and we are
assured that it is we were assured that it was to code. That was the question that I asked prior to Thanksgiving. It was asked and answered somewhere between November 15th and 17th that we were to code. And yes, I did circle the things
that were not to code. And but it's it's the duration of the 90 days for temporary holiday lighting. That's my point. >> I think possibly you and I are reading this differently. >> Well, we obviously are. >> So, my understanding is that for 90
days, you can have temporary lighting, but you still have to follow the things. And again, this is a this is a Google, you know, this this is an AI overview, which I would suggest everybody not believe 100%. But it does state I mean that the things below the temporary holiday lighting. I don't know if it
>> quotes the code though, >> right? That those things still have to they still have to apply. >> The code still applies. This is not an list of exemptions. This is a list. Yeah. So that's what I listed off were the things that were not the three
things that were not to code out there. It wasn't one small little thing that could be fixed in five minutes. There were multiple things that were not to code. I asked over two weeks ago, is this to code? And was told yes. That to me is the problem right now. I
understand that we are pushed up against a deadline. That is not my fault. And and I'm sorry again that you know everybody feels like I'm a Scrooge and I've shut this down, but I asked and was told through Sue that our utility director stated everything was to code.
>> Okay. I got a question. >> Two weeks ago when we had a f when we had a meeting, you didn't bring it up. Ask if it had been taken care of. It was asking on to you. >> But did you have a meeting with Mike Miller, Jonathan
about that outside? >> No, I I emailed the city manager, which is the chain of command. She then turned around and spoke to Jonathan, which is the chain of command. He responded to her and she responded to me. And I
trusted that the information that he gave her and that was then given to me was accurate. I left it at that until I was here yesterday and walked past something that clearly wasn't a code. Went through the chain of command again, asked Sue to look into it. Mr. STAX was
outside her office who clearly is somebody who can also answer that question. And we walked right out the door, looked at it. He answered the question and I left. I followed the chain of command. I did not jump to another person. I did not skip the city manager. And no, I trusted that the
information Jonathan gave Sue and Sue gave me was accurate. >> Okay. So then my question to Sue is, did you meet with Jonathan yesterday to go over to see where we're at that we've got these issues? What time did you leave yesterday?
>> No, I had an appointment last night. So I met with councelor Martin. I met with counselor Rickio. And then I left after that. And then this morning I tried to reach out to Jonathan on my way to work. I forgot that he had an appointment this morning and then I dealt with it the second I came back from the Levy County meeting. I actually went to call an
electrician myself because Mike and I Mike and I talked at about 9:00 last night. I was talking to several people last night including Mike and counselor Martin. >> Which Mike please? >> Sorry, Mike Stacks. And Mike said I kept saying to him, could we solve this with an electrician? And he said absolutely
if you get an electrician they won't what to do. So when I came in this morning I pulled m Mr. face and he's one of our electricians that we work with and I was going to call him but instead I ended up working with Rob because again Jonathan was out and Rob and I got together and talked about what the plan was going to be to make sure that this
was still going to take place on Saturday. So we are working through it. It's just it was a it was a situation yesterday because of the fact that she happened to be here asked again and then like I said I pulled Mike Stacks aside and said let's just go out and talk
about this together. So, in the past, as Miss Jones just said, we didn't know anything about this until today. In the past, we have said the problem is lack of communication. I'm tired of it. >> I understand.
>> I'm tired of us having to find out through people secondhand to do it when it should come from you. >> Okay, I understand. I mean, it did just happen yesterday, though. I mean, it wasn't like it happened weeks ago, >> but you could have two weeks ago sent
out a thing or called each one of us to say, "Hey, we have an issue." >> Okay. I didn't think it was an issue at the time, but I understand what you're saying. Yes. Again, at two weeks ago, I was assured that everything was to code and we were safe. >> Right.
>> It wasn't until yesterday at about 3:30 that we heard otherwise. This just happened, >> right? But 2 weeks ago, you knew about it and didn't tell us. >> Correct. But it wasn't an issue. I was assured that it was not a problem at that point.
>> Okay. Mr. Mayor. >> Uh, yes. My name or me. >> He's at the podium. >> Go ahead. >> My name is Joel Penn. I'm so sorry. >> Street. Um, Mr. President, Vice President, just to clarify, you don't have to accept public comment on this
issue because you haven't made a motion. So, you you can choose to. I'm just clarifying that you are not only if you have a motion are you required to. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I know last meeting we had a meeting about getting permits and called dig it
and everything. I just want to know if >> did anybody call dig it and was there any permits pulled for this behind >> if I may. >> Can I interrupt you Mr. Mayor? >> Let me just get to the bottom of this. Yes, sir.
>> My comment is the same as his. Mr. Stacks. >> Yes. >> Is there anything in the code that says people for holiday lights need to call for a permit? Because we have holiday lights all over the city. >> If it's considered temporary, you're not
If it's considered temporary, >> there's a lot of facets of that to answer that question. >> Yes. >> But you're putting in permits are not required. If you're not landing conductors, not pulling uh conductors, anything outside of 7 ft, something like that, typically it's plugandplay, it's plug in, right? That those are
considered. No permit required. >> Even though a lot of them are done wrong, >> a lot a lot of them could be done wrong. >> My point is violation, not a failure, right? Not a failure. >> Simply a violation is all we have here.
>> We have a violation could have happened to anybody. it. No permit is required to do this, >> right? >> So, while I appreciate councelor Martin's diligence and I think I agree with you,
we need to fix it. Uh, but there there's no mechanism per code in place for an inspector to go out and and in inspect temporary wiring. It is up to our staff to do it correctly. I don't think that's
what the the inspector is saying. My I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but if there is a code violation in the way that the wiring is installed, >> it needs to be fixed so that it is no longer a violation. >> And if it's buried in the ground, it has
to have >> is I am I understanding you? >> If I'm exposed to a violation, it has to be >> you get a permit above your Christmas lights. There's a difference between a permit and a code violation. >> He's saying it needs a permit and I told him he didn't need a permit.
>> My question is every time that anybody's ever put any electricity in the ground, you have to dig and it has to ask for a permit. I mean, am I right? >> It's temporary. >> Am I right, though?
>> Let me read this. Could I read this, Mr. >> To say that you have to have a permit to dig in the ground? No, I mean, you can dig in your backyard if you choose to. I'm not going to, you know, I'm not going to ask you for a permit to uh to bury your dog or something like that, you know. So, to say that every time you
dig, you need a permit. I think the correct statement, right? >> Okay. Mr. Bishop, you do not need a permit until somebody from the outside entity comes in and makes a complaint and the code the building inspector proves there's a
violation of some flavor. At that point, yes, you have to have a you have to have get it back up in code, but even then, you don't technically have to have a permit if you're going to make it permanent. Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir. Yes, we have to have a permit. We're not we're doing a 90-day clause. We're actually doing a 21-day clause if you want to get
technical and they're going to be on the break of dawn and they're going to go off to break a day or break a daylight and break a dawn. That's the only time they're on. And if you read the code, there's a there's a conversation about that whole thing. time, daylight hours, when you going to use it. Do you have a pro pre pre-scheduled maintenance program? Do you have a pres-scheduled
lighting program? Absolutely. So, outside of the box is outside, which I'm which is I absolutely have no issue taking the default for that. We didn't do anything wrong. There is no permit. We don't have to have a permit. I don't have to ask Mike's permission. If you ask me, do I ask Mike's permission? I
talk to Mike a lot cuz it's the right thing to do. On Christmas lights, we don't need to. But they do have to be fired together safely. >> I already said there was a violation and that's on me. >> And he said that and he said it's very important to say that there's a
violation but there's no fault. >> Correct. And and I'm not trying to skirt around that. What I'm saying though there is no there is no permission slips. There is no fee. There is no 81. There is no >> I understand. I think >> and [clears throat] earlier when it was correct when when somebody made the comment there was wires in the bushes in
the code. There is absolutely allowed to have wires in the bushes. You're allowed to have them on there. You're allowed to tie them to tree limbs. If not, nobody would ever tie a tree to a bush, a flower, or or a fence. >> I am not talking about Christmas lights in the bushes. I am >> I'm not either. I'm talking about the extension cords. It's in the It's in the
code. You are allowed to do that. >> You're allowed to have an an interior electric box. >> I didn't say that. >> That's okay. So, that is what was in the bush. It was not an extension cord. It there were there are Christmas lights out there. >> Tomorrow morning, there will be an extension cord with an all weather box
in the bush. Yeah, I appreciate it. >> And it will be up to code, but there still will be a wire and still will be a box in the bush. >> And that's fine. I just want here's my concern and I think we've strayed away from why I brought this up and I just want to make sure that people understand what my concern is. My I feel like my
responsibility is to make sure that this city a the residents of the city are safe that there is no opportunity for anybody to get hurt and b that nobody can sue the city for faulty work. and we had unfortunately faulty work out there.
And when I walked by it and saw it, I brought it to the city manager's attention. My issue is that I asked about this two weeks ago and was told everything was perfectly to code and it was perfectly safe. That was not in fact true and I understand that there are
mistakes that happen and I appreciate that. We all make mistakes. But are you comfortable proceeding ahead with light up Williston even though there is something that is potentially dangerous and potentially could cause liable damage to the city of Willist if we get sued? Are you okay with that? I mean, if
you are, that's fine. Let me know. I will drop this because that's what I've been told. So, you're comfortable with that? >> With the changes they're making? I'm comfortable with it. >> But prior to that, prior but they're obviously bringing it up. >> I'll tell you the same thing. It's been that way for 28 years. So you're comfortable with it being not right just
>> I know that nothing has happened in 28 years. >> Oh wow. Okay. >> I'll just say that way. >> Okay. I'm not comfortable with that as what I've been trying to read for the last 15 minutes. The National Electric Code section 590.3B
permits temporary electrical installations for hallway holiday decorative lighting and similar purposes for a period not to exceed 90 days. and you come to my front yard, you're going to find the same thing. One extension cord off of another one >> and a bush and a and a box in the middle
of the yard. >> So, what I would like to say is right now we're at $6,000 not to exceed eight. I would like for you to give me permission to spend eight. When this is all over and done with and you will have a a final light up Will. It'll go off hopefully
perfectly. We will in July before July I'm going to come back and ask you for another $9,000 so I can get the Williston Horseman's Park up the up to code because if this is going to fail that's going to fail and you going I need another 9 to 12 for the Horseman's Park cuz obviously we can't do Horseman's Park illegal if we can't do
Light Up Willis illegal. So just to be prepared here real soon I'm going to come back and ask for another 9 to 12 for for Light Up Williston because none of those outlets are out there are legal. Benton please correct me if I'm wrong. I can't Where the hell do you go? We'll ask him when he gets back, but I don't believe the contract we have can
force us to make them up updo their lights. But since we have to get insurance on that park for that said week that we're out there, we have to make sure it's up to date. So, I need another 9 to 12 for for forth of July also. >> All right, let's get through this one. We'll talk about >> if we're going to have this conversation and this is going to happen, we might as
well talk about it now. And we'll come back on that one right after first year. and you agree to allow me to inspect everything. Everything's good. >> Inspect everything. >> If y'all have a plan, I'm good with that.
>> He's 100% right. I called him whatever time it was last night. We scheduled at 8:00 a.m. possibly postponed off to 400 p.m. Friday for an inspection to make sure that I can't do anything wrong. >> Perfect. >> Thank you, Mr. Fish. >> Okay. So, we need quickly, please.
>> Sure. I would just like to say that I think we got lost here on what the real issue was with this um debate was the fact that when the utility director and certain other people were questioned if
it was up to code, multiple people were to told that it was up to code. That was 2 weeks ago. So there's no need to bring it up more when you were told by people that it was up to code only to find out that that person lied. So I think that's
the bigger issue than the fact that perhaps Deborah and Mike weren't notified of something that the city manager and people >> can I please finish I please finish it is my time to talk. [laughter] >> Let's take a break.
>> Do not interrupt me. >> We are not going to have this. Nobody interrupts you when you flap your mouth with a bunch of crap. So, please do not interrupt me while I am talking. >> 5 minute break. Arrest me. >> We're in recess for 5 minutes. Thank
you. All right, the time is now 7:20. This meeting is back in order. At this time, our attorney has a few words for everybody to listen to.
All right, this is just a reminder of our decorum policy for members of the public. You can find our decorum policy abbreviated um at the on the last page of your agenda at every meeting under the rules that have been
established by this council. Every member of the council has an opportunity to speak on every issue. You all, each of you were elected for your opinions and you are presented with an unlimited amount of time subject to the chair's uh running of the meeting to voice that
opinion. We're all on the same team. Everyone's going to speak one at a time and when we're finished, we'll move on to the next individual. Each of you are afforded your time. You're entitled to
your time uninterrupted by anyone else. The language that we use with each other is required by our decorum policy and by the ethical standards that everyone on this council agreed to to be respectful,
professional, and at an inside voice tone. Mr. Sure. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We're going to finish up the updates with you. >> Thank you, Vice President Cox. I have a
couple of things that I'd like to say. first is I would like to thank all of our city workers for working so hard trying to bring this Christmas uh event in full. I've seen you out
there. I've watched you uh working hard trying to make this a successful event. And please understand that while there may be differences of opinion, none of them are toward any of our working staff.
Uh the other thing that I wanted to say is that there are times when the people that are in charge don't behave in the way that they
should. And I am as guilty as anybody. It is imperative for us to try to control ourselves, to be able to, as the attorney says, to be able to
disagree without calling names. Uh it is absolutely imperative so the rest of you understand that while we may make mistakes, we're just like
you. We're people and uh I apologize for the things that you just witnessed from this council and uh we hope to do better in the future. But the workers, the people that
are out there preparing for this Christmas event. Your work has been exemplary and you have done a wonderful job and I want to go on record as saying I personally
appreciate all the hard work. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. All right. Item five, new business. A discussion with possible action presentation of interactive sundial. Please forgive me
if I'm say your name wrong. Orin Masonic Lodge Michael Trircle. Okay. Come up to the podium, sir. >> We can get your microphone turned on.
>> In move of the time, there's nothing here that I have pressing. I'd be happy to wave and wait for another day if >> No, sir. Go ahead. >> No, sir. Go ahead and then I'll proceed. Um, honorable mayor, Mr. uh, venerable council members,
my brother, chief of police, Mike Ro, and fellow, I'm here on behalf of Orian Masonic Lodge here in Willist, Florida to make a proposal to the city council to add a feature to one of the parks here in the city, specifically what we
call an inter interactive sundial. Now, I can bring up some slides and some movies and show you if you want to learn a little bit about what this all entails, or I can just run right quick to the end of it and tell you what we'd like to do. So, if I could have the the video, please. >> Unfortunately, the video is not going to
play. >> Okay, >> there's a issue. >> I'll do my best to explain it. >> Okay, >> so uh first of all, let me just talk a little bit about sun dials. My background is uh shipping. I'm a celestial navigator and celestial navigators use the sun a lot. Um so once
you learn the capability of what's happened with the sun would and you can learn to do amazing things of it and because of uh the most important part of celestial navigation is timekeeping. Uh without it you have nothing literally no matter how smart you are with planets and stars and everything else. Time is
the the quintessential piece. So learning that I became obsessed with time and time pieces in general. So, when you put a sund dial into your garden, usually you bought it at Walmart or something like that, and you set it down there, and you go out there and you look at it, and it never is telling you
the time, uh, and after a while, you get completely disinterested because it's just an ornament in the garden. The reason is is because when you have a fixed shadow casting element, it's at the mercy of the sun, not at the mercy of your watch. So basically when the sun
comes at culmination right over your head and passes your line of longitude and now it's going down that's your high noon and that's what it's going to tell you is that the sun's at culmination but it's not going to tell you what's on your watch. Okay. The reason being is
meantime meantime is established at 15° of longitude about 900 miles. So, when you get up north of Tallahassee on night 10 and you're headed west and you hit that central time zone, you got another 900 miles to drive before you're going to get to mountain time zone. Okay,
that's how far it travels and everybody in that zone is on the same time. Problem is is the sun crosses into the zone there in Tallahassee and it's moving constantly, but the guy that's standing on the line in Tallahassee is going to have the same time as the guy that's standing on the line on the other
side, the west end of that time zone. you have to account for this somewhere. So, what we've done is we found a way to rig the sund dial so to speak that you can actually read your watch and tell the time and it's called an interactive sund dial. So, what it what it all
entails is is um the sun moves through the sky and in the meantime it can be as much as 16 minutes shy or 16 minutes in advance. In other words, sometimes you'll be looking at your watch at 12:00 and the sun's hadn't crossed your
meridian yet and then 16 minutes later the sun will hit culmination which is high noon. Other times that you'll hit high noon and it's still 16 minutes to 12. So it it you're trying to make up for that that variation. This the solve is to create a pattern on
the ground and you see it up on your on your uh screens here if you want to take a look at it. The central part of that in the middle, you'll see that there's date markers on there. How this works is is you as a person would go out and stand on that date marker. It can be a
stone. It could be an etched in a concrete. It can be painted on concrete. It can come in any any forms or fashion. And then your body sometimes if it's a if the sun's up way to the north like during the summertime, you might have to stick your hands above your head or something because the shadows are so
short at that at that time of the year. But when you stand there, you literally can follow your shadow out and look at your watch and you're reading the time on your watch and it works all year long. So, we have the ability to do this here with
as masons. Uh we we can make these calculations and lay out the grids and everything to make this work in the park anywhere that you choose. And we have the material to do it with and we have the manpower. It's amazing. >> What we would like to do is find is for
possibly to get a place in one of the parks and let us put it in for you. Um we'll do the labor. We'll do the work. Uh there's nothing to trip over. There's no wires in the ground. It's just stones.
There's [laughter] no lights. Uh and it is it's like a memorial garden. It it lays flat. You can mow across it. There's literally nothing dangerous about it. And I can tell you if you have this features, if you go to number two, please. Yeah. All right. This is uh if
you look at that, this is the most fundamental element that you would have it in in a part. This would be the simplest version of it. Basically, you have marble stones that have the time numbers and then you would have 12 stones that he's standing on there in the middle that have the months of the
year. And basically, whatever month it is, you stand on that stone. And as you see in the picture, his shadow cast out past the numbers and he will be looking at his watch telling the time. So this is how you defeat meantime is following the stones around. So what you do is you become the the shadow casting part of a
sundial is called a nomman. They say nomen. It's spelled g n o m o n but it's it's pronounced nomen. Um you are moving nomen. So you can defeat this no matter where the sun or they call the equation
of time being before or after the your culmination. You can defeat that by moving yourself around. And this is a calculated what they call an analemma based on an analemma a calculated value that will correct your shadow to me time
by standing on the appropriate skip square. Okay. The stipulations is you have to have sunlight. So putting it behind a group of trees is not going to work. You have to have a clear shot to the south because at even when the sun's at its
farthest declination to the north or in the middle of our summer, our summer solstice, uh the sun is still south of us. So we would need a clear line of sight to the south and east and west so that we could get numbers somewhere between say 7:00 in the morning up to 5:00 in the afternoon. After that, the
sun's gone down too low. it becomes tangent to the earth and your shadow becomes infinity. So basically you stand there and you'll see your shadow go for a mile away and it for the purpose of reading the sun dial it's really not helping you. The the effective times are when the sun's got enough altitude to to
get a direct uh shadow off of it and as it goes comes up it it it it gets shorter and shorter and shorter and as it goes down the shadows get longer and longer and longer. So that's kind of the way it works. He's standing there about 3 3:30 in the afternoon. At that point in time where he's at, you see his
shadows quite long. If he was standing there at noon, it would only be a couple feet long. You know, that's why the it's in a parabolic form instead of a a circular half circle or semicircle form. So, we can do this. We already have acquired the marble to do this. We have
marble sitting on ready, set, go. We have pallets of it that we purchased specifically for this. And um we can have them etched and we can uh cement them to uh concrete square stones or circular stones, however you want to do
it, and put them in the ground in the proper places. Probably what we would do is go out and lay a tarp down and stake it and fence it and make sure that we had it absolute accurate, make sure any adjustments before we went down permanently. And once we did that, we'd uh stick holes in the ground, get our
markers and and go with it. If you go to the next slide please. Okay, this is what is possible. What I wanted to show you saw the the the element of forward with just stone in the grass. Okay, but here you see
they've done a whole concrete half circle and made it all squared up and pretty with paper stones and whatnot. So it's not just stones laying on the ground. You you actually have a feature in your park. It can get even prettier than that. If you would advance to the
next please. This is actually a circular uh uh pad that was put down and they [laughter] laid it out and did it in a mosaic. So they have the whole feature. You know, you can put these in a gardens or you know de landscape around them. It
depends on how how fancy you want it. Okay. Now we would work with you if you wanted to do something like this and we could still lay out the elements just like they are. The decorative part would be up to you guys. Whatever you would like to have in your park, you know, and just say, "Well, we'd rather have in a
circle. Okay, here's what we can do for you, you know, we'll do this much of it. We'll provide the expertise. We'll provide this much material, but as far as laying concrete and things like that, we could probably help with that, but we could work something out on it, you know." So, up to now, are there any
questions about that? >> No. >> I've always found sun dials to be fascinating. They are. >> Mr. Mayor, >> I can promise you if you do this it you will see people all all the time over there just because you can't believe it's working. It's it's really cool.
>> [clears throat] >> I just want to encourage the council to consider this in a positive vein because too often our society depends on technology and this would give a chance to expose
the younger members of our technology to something that you don't have to have a watch to do. and it can show them that there are other ways other than having a iPad
to do things. And I think this is a wonderful idea. I wish that you were going to do the bricks inside of it, but I think that I worry about just the stones. Uh will they be cemented down to something or kids just pick them up and
go off with them? >> They would be down like paper stones. They would go down level to the ground. >> Yes. And would they not be attached to anything? Not a piece of concrete in the ground that you glue them to to
stop people from moving them or taking them. >> It it would be the depth of a paper stone just like you'd have in your driveway. >> Okay. So there again, I'm going to say it in a driveway there are many stones around it. >> So very difficult to remove them.
>> Yeah. Yeah. But if we just have stones out there on the ground, if if we dig a post, if you dig a post hole and you pour some sacrete in it and you make a concrete pad where you're going to do it and then you glue these stones to the pad, they become more or less permanent.
Otherwise, children could go out there and move those things all over the place. Someone could say, "Oh man, I'd like to have one of those from their garden and take it away and and we have a constant maintenance problem." So that's why I'm asking you, is it
possible if you do this to get a couple of bags of sacree and put them in the ground and glue these stones to that sack to make them much more difficult for the children >> to move?
>> We prepared to do whatever it takes. >> Okay. That is that is my solution to it. >> It doesn't have to be anything extraordinary. If someone wants to get in there with a backhoe and pick them up, they're going to get them up. But something to stop the children from
wanting to pick them up and move them plain because if it's just a paper, they're going to get moved. It's just a matter of when. Okay. Thank you. That's all I have, >> Mr. Bishop. Thank you, M. >> Yes, sir. I'd like to remind the county
the council that Mason's lodge came here January 22nd, 1890 and they've been a vital part of our community ever since. >> Okay. Wow. >> Um we had spoke at lunch and learn me and you about this. Um fantastic. He's got some beautiful ideas. He's got more
than one idea. Um my word probably doesn't mean a lot today, but I would be honored to help him move this forward and have that in our park. >> Okay. >> And just for the record, we're also brothers. You probably don't know that though. I do. I do. Y >> I just want to ask the size
>> size of it. Is it 20 20 ft 24 ft? >> Actually, if you uh out at the peanut festival, we set one up on a canvas and we would roped it off and uh staked it down and let the kids come out and u use it and see see how it works. We've had
it at the last two pen festivals. It's very popular. Every the kids are all, you know, and we got that on a 20 by 15 canvas. >> Okay. But now we can go bigger. >> Oh, no. I just wondered what the standard size was. >> Yeah. >> We're looking for a space. We have to know how big it is.
>> You have a space in mind. >> A couple of them. Yeah. Here in in Heritage Park, I didn't know if there was some other parks that you would prefer to have it in first. But yes, there's two places in Heritage Park that would work very well. >> Well, Heritage Park is where we have our peanut festival.
>> Yeah, it gets kind of full >> and but it would be an ideal place for the children. You did it on a on a map. >> Mhm. >> During the peanut festival. >> Yes. >> So clearly there is a place in there that the peanut festival doesn't affect.
And that's what I'm trying to ask you about. So you have done this in the park. you know where you were able to do it and not affect the peanut festival and you could convey that to the staff and to the managers of the city.
>> Yes. Okay. I got that. Thank you, >> Mr. Bishop. >> I will tell you right off the top of my head if if if I if you just said go pick a place, you can have it uh right here by the pavilion. You got the two Christmas trees on either side of it, one north and one south. the north side
where that about where that Christmas tree is would be an ideal spot. But and that's based on how many trees are not up in the air and you don't have to worry about somebody growing a tree and sticking it in your way at some future point in time and now your sundial is no good because you got this tree up there,
you know, and so to prevent encroachment that would be an ideal spot. Yes, ma'am. I I I would say too this area where the big tree is over here, the artificial tree that we've just put up, >> that is a big open green space that
people don't use for festival areas. There's also a really nice space near the raetball court in John Henry Park and children go there a lot. It's the children's park. >> Mr. Bishop, >> John Henry is absolutely an option. um
depends on what we're going to do in the future. But yes, absolutely that is an option. My thoughts was just this side the horse probably close to 100T cuz there's zero sight line of anything far as shadows were concerned and I also concur on the on the Christmas tree the Christmas tree side there is a little
bit of tree issue that could be had there far far as your shadows are concerned but it could work and that's where my two spots would be. >> Yeah. >> But John Henry is definitely an option. Absolutely. >> Okay. Well, there's a couple other things that I would like to help sell this. Uh what we would ask if we did uh
install one of these is that we uh be allowed one stone that had our Masonic square encompasses on it that show that that's uh who who created it for the video. And also we would want one stone to be a QR. Um, that way if you didn't
know anything about the sund dial, you could come up and scan it and it would tell you all about how it works and how it was built and why it works and uh, learn a little bit off of it at the time. So, that was two added features. Uh, if we do this, we would request that
we have a dedication and I can assure you it would be a big hoop-de-doo. Our Grand Line would come over from Jacksonville, Grandmaster Masons of Florida, and his entourage would come and do a dedication. Our Prince Hallmasons here in uh, Wilston would
also be invited to attend those ceremonies. And um so it it could turn into a a a big news piece uh for the city of Willist as well, you know. >> Awesome. >> I would also like to say if no one's ever seen something like that, it surely
is a respectful site to see. It's actually impressive. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I was just going to say >> come up to the >> Oh, sorry. >> Hi. Um, I was also going to say you could contact the uh Girls and Boys Club. Um, and the Girl Scouts, Boy
Scouts, they would love something like this, especially something local, and you could really turn this into a big event, and it would be good publicity for Wilston. So, I agree. I just want to add I think the Boy Scouts actually eat meat out of their lodge. >> They do. They're there now. As a matter of fact, they're they're down there now.
>> I have one more thing to add before I close this up. I do have a letter uh from the Chamber of Commerce. In fact, it's an endorsement letter for this project. I don't know who I would submit it to to be on the record. >> Miss Right. >> Can I just take it? Can I bring >> The clerk is the keeper of the record.
>> It's cold in here. >> That's why I wore this. >> Gosh, I need I need a jacket. >> So, anyway, we can help you. Uh Carolyn has my name. She's in touch with me a lot on different projects we have
going on. we will be participating in the in the light up the park uh here this Saturday and uh she can always get in touch with me. She's got a direct text. So feel free to call and if you I can meet with you, I can meet people in the park. Whatever it takes to get this
done, uh just let me know and we're all in as soon as you guys give us the green light. >> All right. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. Look forward to it. So council um do we need to vote or we just can agree
>> if you want to move forward with the project then I I think that a vote to move forward with the project would be appropriate. >> Okay. >> Mr. Jones, you have a question. [clears throat] >> I was just going to say let refer it to the utility department. Let them pick a
space and bring it back to us. But we can actually vote on it and do that at the same time. Yeah. Let them bring us a location that they think is good. >> Yes, [snorts] ma'am. I can talk to the appropriate party parties and come back next council meeting if that's what you wish. >> That'll be in two weeks.
>> Do we need to have uh an idea of what we're willing to like just a limit on what we're willing to invest in this? I think it's a great idea. I just didn't know if we should have a limit on what we want to invest >> as as far as invest. I thought that it was all taken care of >> free of charge.
>> Yeah. Okay. Sorry, I misunderstood that there was some assistance needed from the city. Okay. Sorry, misunderstood. >> Okay. >> I move that we move forward with the interactive sundial um as presented by the Orin Masonic Lodge. >> All right. >> I second.
>> All right. We got a first, got a second. Any discussion? >> Nope. All right. See none. All in favor say I. I. >> I. Those opposed. >> All right. It's 300. All right. Item B, resolution 2025-129,
a resolution of the city council of the city of Willist, Florida, approving the 2026 general municipality election date and process and establishing an effective date. City
clerk, Latricia Rat. >> Mr. Vice President, before we move to my item before we adjourned, uh, Mr. Bishop had asked for you all to approve >> Yeah. >> Oh, sorry. >> The amount of money for him to move forward with getting the lights
corrected. >> Actually wrote that down, too, so we wouldn't leave without doing it. >> Yeah. >> Mr. Bishop, can you state the amount of money that you need again? I know you said what? Up to how much? Eight. >> Not to exceed eight. >> Not to exceed eight. And I'll do my best
not to exceed eight or even come close to it. But I need a buffer because if I say six and 6100 >> and you have any idea where we're going to get it? >> I'm going to take it from uh you're not going to like my answer, but I'm going to take it from my my [laughter] uh materials and supplies for now and then
come back and talk about special events, budgets, and talk about other things when we talk about July and when we talk about July. But for now, I'm going to take it out of Mr. Miller's uh uh materials and supplies and we'll re I'll get with Stephen and we'll make that legal and we'll go back and reevaluate
it later. That's the only thing I know to do at this point in time and there is money in this material and supplies to cover it. But >> okay, I I make that motion that we u move forward with improvements to Heritage Park uh up to $8,000
uh to make it legal. >> Yep. >> Code compliant. >> Thank you. All right. So, we have a motion. Do we have >> I second. >> Second. Got a first. Got a second. Any kind of discussion?
>> Oh, thank you. All in favor say I. >> I. That's 30. >> Thank you. >> Okay. The resolution that is in front of you is to approve the dates in the
process of the 2026 April the 7th of 8th. >> 7th 7th there. Yeah. City election. And the seats that are up for election are group D.
I'm sorry that should not be D. It's group E, the mayor's seat, and Miss Deborah. And group E is Alexa's seat. Miss Deborah, what group are you in? >> E. >> E. >> Yes, ma'am.
>> Okay, then Alexa is >> I think she's D. I >> think she's D. Okay. D. >> I think so. >> I always get her mixed up with Darren. >> It's actually in this resolution somewhere. >> Yeah. Group D, group E, and the mayor's seat. >> Yeah, that's it. The qualifying period
starts on January the 19th at noon and ends at noon on Friday, January the 23rd of 2026. So, for all of those that are wanting to run for a seat, again, qualifying
packets will be available at my office on noon, Monday, January the 19th, and you have until Friday, noon, January 26th, to turn it into me to be eligible. I'll just comment that January 19th is
MLK day. So, you won't be here. >> I'll be here. You're going to be here anyway. >> Yes, I was here last year. >> All right. I knew it was a illegal holiday. >> Yes. >> So, I just need approval of the dates and the seats that are up for election, please. >> Okay. Can I have a motion? >> I make a motion that we approve
resolution 2025-129. >> I second the motion. >> All right. We have a first. We have a second. Any other discussion? >> All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. I. All oppose. 30.
All right. All right. C. Resolution 2025-133. A resolution of the city council of the city of Williston, Florida, approving and entering into an agreement to piggyback
contract for grant writing and administrative services. making certain findings in support thereof, authorizing the city council president to execute the piggyback agreement,
repealing all resolutions in conflict, and providing an effective date. City Manager Subdet. >> All right. Thank you very much. So, in uh before you in your packet, this is the agenda item that you asked for. I think it was two meetings ago when Shannon Williams [clears throat]
um came in and presented her firm um to do grant writing for us. Again, would not cost the city anything. She puts her grant writing administration into the grants itself, but this is the piggyback that she um did with Swany River Water Management District.
>> Okay. Yes, ma'am. >> So, the hourly rates that are in here are written into the grant, correct? >> Okay. Yep. Same way Fred Fox does. Yes. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yep. >> Okay. Any other discussion?
No. Then I'll entertain a motion. >> I have a question. >> Yes, sir. Who is currently doing those grants? >> So, obviously we work with Wright Pierce and we still work with Fred Fox. Um, you might not have been at the meeting, but Fred Fox works specifically with CDBG
and FDRAP grants. So, um, Shannon Williams of Gateway Grant Writing, she sort of does all other grants, like she does brick grants and there's a lot of other ones that she works on. So, I was trying to just kind of piece together so we're getting everything. Um, she can also help the police department, the fire departments. So, it's just to kind
of bridge the gap to make sure we're covering everything in terms of grants. >> Okay. I guess what my real question is, who are we replacing? >> Nobody. This is an addition to >> Thank you. >> Okay. He does this. All right, up here in East.
>> We're going to be busy. >> Move approval of resolution 2025-133. >> I second. >> We have a first, we have a second. Any other discussion? >> All right. Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I.
>> I. Those opposed. All right. Passes 300. All right. Resolution 2025-134. Resolution of the city of council of the city of Willis, Florida, approving and entering into an updated
maintenance agreement between the city of Willist and Enterprise Leasing Company of Florida LLC. regarding the Williston Regional Airport utilizing the city council president to
execute the agreement and providing an effective date. Airport manager Bentonsteagle. >> Ready to go. >> You have to step out for >> I can sort of give you an update on this. Um so you will recognize most of
this agreement um from when you previously approved it. Um we sent over the agreement that you all had approved and um Enterprise had some changes that they wanted to make. Um they wanted a different company name which is the company that they operate under for this
specific region. So we updated the company name and then we took out some language that's inapplicable regarding credit card payments and that kind of thing um and retention of those documents. So that is the only change. They just needed the updated uh names of the company and just remove irrelevant
language. >> Okay. Yes, Mr. Jones. >> So, did we get any money from them? I I looked everywhere. I couldn't not see that they paid us that I'm just happy to have the service, don't get me wrong, but I wondered if I missed that
somewhere. I don't I don't believe that there's a a service that we pro or a payment that we receive. What the arrangement is is that they provide the vehicles and then the benefit to the city is that more people are coming to the airport because there's an ability for them to rent cars.
>> That was my understanding also. >> Okay. >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> Well, we going to wait for Mr. Steagle or do you want to
go ahead since the attorney's update? >> You don't need to wait. >> Go ahead. >> All right. I'll entertain a motion. >> Okay. I make a motion that we approve resolution 2025-134. >> Second. >> All right. We have a first. Got a
second. Any other discussion? >> Oh, Miss Mr. Ropes. You didn't commit it. >> Do you have a concern? >> I didn't commit. I was just going to ask uh as far as the
administration of people renting the vehicles out, bringing them back, cleaning of them. Is that on the city's behalf? >> Mhm. >> It is. It is our responsibility. When we passed this agreement the very first time, Benton indicated that it is his
belief that it would not take very much staff time. Um, and it was his opinion that it would be a net benefit to the airport despite the fact that it will take some administration and some cleaning. >> Okay. >> Well, I would just say too, if it's
successful and it is a program that's viable, then maybe next year, I don't how how long do we know how the length of this? I know it says anybody can get out of it anytime they want to. [snorts] >> Oh, there you go. Um, I would just maybe
next time we could ask for a little because if we get lucky, this is going to be the only place in town you can rent a car. I mean, we may have people other than pilots out there wanting to rent a car. They may be really busy. We just don't know. I mean, we need to advertise that this is now a place you
can rent a car in Willist. >> Yes, ma'am. Once we get the cars. Absolutely. >> Exactly. Absolutely. Yeah. Obviously, absolutely. On Facebook, we will advertise it as a thing. Um because when you know >> some of you may know, some of you may not. I actually I bought a car and put
listed it with Turo for a while and there was a lot of um a lot of business that was not pilot related. Um so yeah, there's a big need in the community for it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And we don't currently I'll ask you the question when you weren't here. We don't
currently get anything back, right? Not even $5 or $10 or there's no payment to us >> as as far as the rental cars that we've had in the past. >> The ones were voting on. >> I I don't believe so. >> I mean, if so, I couldn't find it in here. So,
>> no, we're we're taking on a lot of the a lot of the loss in order to get the service of not having to buy the car u and pay for the insurance. So my team will be cleaning the vehicles out uh washing the vehicles upon their return and we we gather the data send it back over to enterprise uh you know whenever
they have a rental come down or you know some I don't >> from my understanding we are not capturing the data to provide to them to rent the vehicle >> um they're they're still going to have to go through enterprise to rent the vehicle. >> Um but on the back on the back side
we're sending them you know the mileage the gas level and all that stuff. Okay, perfect. >> Okay. All right. Anything else, council? I think we've already done a first and a second. Had discussion. All right. All those in favor say I.
>> Yeah, I think we >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I think so. >> Good. >> You can say I again if you want to >> I >> All right. Item E, resolution 2025-135. A resolution of the city council of the
city of Willist, Florida, approving the forum cat trap loaning agreement related to the Williston animal shelter. Authorizing animal authorizing shelter staff to
enter into such um form of agreement on behalf of the city of Williston and provide an effective date. Animal Shelter Manager BJ Bishop. >> Good evening, council. Um, I think you guys have a copy of the agreement in
front of you. We have a lot of people who want to borrow traps from us um so that they can catch the feral cats for us to get them fixed or for them to get them fixed. And a lot of times these traps don't return to us. Um, so we're losing money because of this. So, I
wanted to be able to do a $50 deposit so that we would an incentive to bring our traps back to us. So, that's what this is about. >> Okay, makes sense. It's just like Audi. Put a quarter in the >> Yeah. Yes. [laughter]
Oh, jeez. >> Give me buy your own. You don't have to pay 50 bucks. Chief, if you put a cat trap out at your place, you're going to catch a bunch of dogs. >> That's true. >> They do. You don't have them readily
available at the shelter. You just have to let me know you need one. >> He needs to pay 50 bucks. >> So, [laughter] so basically all they'll do is rent it for 50 bucks. They bring it back. Right. And and there'd be a
time frame that they would bring it back a couple of months, you know, if however long that they said they needed it, if they wanted it for a week or two weeks. Um, and it's on here for them to put the dates in and then they would bring it back to us in that time. And I would call I wouldn't just take their deposit.
I would call and say, "Hey, did you forget?" And have them, you know, decide whether they're keeping it or not. The traps run between depends on where you get it from and what size you buy. They can be from $40 to $7580.
So, um I figured the $50 would at least cover us if we need to replace one. >> Okay. >> Yeah, >> it'll do. You go to Tractor Supply. >> All right. Council, any questions?
>> I I do have one one question for BJ, which is that if >> if say somebody um just because I know people are going to ask this question. Um, let's say I had a cat that I wanted to trap and I rented it and I didn't catch the cat disappeared for a while. If I rent it again, would I have like
what is your idea on whether I would pay the $50 again? >> If we give the trap back, if we give the deposit back, then I would want to hold another deposit. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. >> Okay, >> I'll make a motion. >> All right, I'll entertain a motion. >> Sorry. I make a motion that we approve
resolution 2025-135. >> Second. We have a first and a second. Got any other discussion? All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed. All right. 3 0.
>> Thank you. >> All righty. Item F, resolution 2025-136, a resolution of the city council of the city of Willist, Florida, approving the grant agreement between the city of
Williston and the Florida Department of Financial Services for fire equipment, authorizing appropriate parties to sign any documents required to execute such agreement on behalf of the city of Willis, and providing an effective date.
Fire Chief Lamar Steagle want >> tag. I'm in. >> Okay. Uh this is the grants that we talked to you about uh several meetings back that we received from the uh state.
This is a 100% uh paid grant by the state for bunker gear. And the uh all this is is the resolution to go along with it. We've already had to agree to uh everything. I mean, it's one of these
grants that do you want it? Yes or no. And and you you have to go about it. So, we had to already approve that. Yes, we wanted this grant. And >> we're just asking you to bless it. >> We're asking for the blessing for
getting the 100% paid grant. Okay. Free is good. Thank you, sir. >> Always good. >> Council, you got any questions? >> Does this one include the washer part or is that the next one? >> That's the next one. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Okay. If no other questions, I'll take a motion. >> Move approval of resolution 2025-136. I second. >> All right, we got a first. We got a second. Any other discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. All in favor say I.
>> I. Those opposed. All right. Passes 300. All right. Resolution 2025-137. resolution of the city council of the city of Willist, Florida, approving the grant
agreement between the city of Williston and the Florida Department of Financial Services for one self-contained breathing apparatus washer, authorizing appropriate parties to sign any
documents required in such agreement on behalf of the city of Willist and providing an effective date Fire Chief Lamar Steagle. >> Yes, this is uh on the washer extractor for the bunker gear, not for SCBA
washer. This is the one that we also brought to you. It's a 7525 grant. We we have budgeted the 25% already in our budget and 75% will be paid by the state and it's like right at $22,000 washing
machine for our bunker gear. It's a requirement that we have to have it. The other one is 22 years old that we received on our grant and it's wore out. >> That's crazy. So, and it's also stipulates in there that
city council members will have to take turns washing our gear. [laughter] >> How many >> I choose I choose two. >> How many um sets of bunker gear can you wash at a time? >> Uh you could wash up to two sets of
bunker gear. >> Wow. And so when we come back from fires, you know, they if they get pretty dirty and filthy. So duty crews will take on and uh you know, help out and
wash the bunker gear from the people and make sure it's hung up and dry cuz you can't bunker gear has to dry naturally. You can't put it in a dryer. Okay. >> All right. Council, any other
discussions? discussions. >> No, I think this is great. >> All right, I'll entertain a motion. >> I make a motion that we approve resolution 2025-137. >> Second.
>> All right, we have a first got a second. Any other discussion? All right, seeing none. Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. I. >> Those opposed. 30. Okay. H. Resolution 2025-138.
A resolution of the city council of the city of Williston, Florida, approving amendment to to the state of Florida. Department of Transportation Traffic Signal Maintenance and Compensation
Agreement for 2026 authorizing appropriate parties to sign any documents required to execute such amendment on behalf of the city of Willis and provide an effective date you utility director Jonathan Bishop.
>> Thank you, sir. So, if you remember, this is going to be a standard contractor we do every year. This one's a little different. And the reason it's different, we're losing $1,046. So, everybody's gonna freak out when they hear that number. But if you remember in the past meetings we've had, we've talked about two dead meter
sockets. One in Southeast 10th Street and one at Hardies, >> which was the old school zone crossings. I've been there forever. There's nothing there now. But the post and the meter sockets, which are dead, safe, legal, but they've been paying us for 12, 13 years to babysit those dead sockets.
Well, they finally realized they're dead sockets. They're not going to pay us to babysit them no more. So, if you go through the contract, all the prices are the same. Little bit higher, but nothing to get excited about. So, as we lose $1,046, I would I would ask that you remember they've been paying us $1,46
for dead sockets for close to 11 years now for no reason. So, I'm going to call that a clean wash, if that makes any sense. >> Yeah. And if you look at the old contract versus the new contract, it's all spelled right out there in the in the geographical web. It's actually on the
screen. But if you take last years and this year's, you'll see what I'm saying. It actually mates up perfect. So with that being said, I ask that they you pass it. Okay. Council, any questions?
No. All right. I will entertain the motion. Mr. Mayor has something. No, sir. I think it's uh pretty cut and dry, right? >> Yep. All right. I'll entertain a motion. >> Move approval of resolution 2025-138.
>> I second. >> All right. We have a first. Got a second. Any other discussion? All right. Seeing none here. None. All in favor say I. I. I. >> Those opposed. 30.
Thank you. All right. Item six, public participation. This is your second opportunity to address the council. At this time, anyone in the audience can come to the podium and speak for 5 minutes on any topic other than what was
on the agenda. Please state your name and residency. And just a reminder, the council does not have to comment. And when you get up and talk, direct to us, please. >> Uh, I'm Joel Penny. Uh, y'all had
brought something up by Hardies. That meter, uh, y'all were talking about there. Is that hot or anything? I was just asking. >> It's been dead for almost 10 years. It's clean. It's capped. It's safe. It's It's in complant. It's legal.
>> I'm just asking like where the meter goes, there's nothing there. It's just open. >> It's dead. It's capped. It's compliant. It's legal. I promise. >> Okay. All right. [laughter] >> Yes, sir. I'm Hector Rosa from 491 uh northwest
fourth terrace at uh Winston, the uh Lenard place. Uh I just want to remind the council about the lighting. We don't have any street lighting at the Lenard homes.
uh to take that into consideration uh for the future. >> Address that. >> Yeah, I'm I'm happy to provide an update on that. So, as um this council is aware, we sent a demand letter. We've been talking for a long time about what
we were going to do to address these issues. We weren't really getting any traction. I I was about to say not a lot of traction, any traction um with LAR or Armstrong regarding that issue. I am happy to say two attorneys from
LAR/Armstrong have contacted me in the last two days um with an interest in getting all of these issues resolved. They've asked for an extension to the 20th of this month to see if we can get the resolution of these issues um and so I'm cautiously optimistic that this has
gained at least the attention of two separate attorneys. >> Okay. Wonderful. >> Okay. Great. Great news. Okay. Anybody else? All right. Item seven, announcements.
>> Yes, ma'am. Miss Wright. >> Okay. First announcement, Saturday, December the 6th. Parade starts at 6:00 coming down Noble Avenue, ending at Dollar General. And I'm being informed in my left ear
that it's supposed to rain. >> Uhhuh. >> So the ones that are going to be on the city float, you might want to bring your rain jacket. And yes, we do have a spot in the parade. I know some were concerned because I did not fill out an
application, but Carolyn and I have an understanding that the city always participates. So, if you all could meet, I would say around 5:15 or 5:30 at the wonderful police department so one of the gentlemen can take you all up to your
float. That would be very nice. >> I think that's a wonderful idea. >> Thank you. I do too. I think the police chief might be able to assist with that. [laughter] The second thing, well, [laughter] let me just add that I will not be there
because I will be in the parade grounds. So, I'll have to meet you at the float. >> Okay. I have to be there at 5:00. So, I have to be elsewhere. So, I'll come before the parade starts. >> Miss Kim, >> don't leave without me. >> I'm not finished. Mike, >> she was has a question. She had her hand
up. >> Yeah, but she has too close. Um, I am still missing two council members evaluations. Uh, so we can get it on the the uh agenda for the city clerk, please. >> Okay.
>> Now, I'm going to continue with my announcements. >> Okay. Can we please have um Chief Rose move to a different seat? Can we have him what? Nothing. It's with love. It's with love.
>> Yes. Um, Friday, December the 12th, we're having Painting with Santa. So, if anyone has any kids that they would like to bring out the paint with Santa, we would greatly appreciate if you all would come out and participate. It would
be Mr. and Mrs. Santa that will be helping the kids paint ornaments that we will put on a tree that would be at Heritage Park. And it's from 5 to 8. >> And council, >> that's an invitation for us. >> Yes, that's invitation for anyone.
>> I have to paint with Santa. >> Yes. >> And I had one more, but Mike made me forget. [cough and clears throat] So, I'll let him speak now. [laughter] >> Uh, the only announcement I have is that uh yeah, it's supposed to rain Saturday.
Uh I have 75 law enforcement officers coming to assist us with the parade. Uh all of the food and drinks that we normally feed them uh have all been donated free of cost. So um
on the back side of that, I've got to repay the favor to some of these agencies. So we'll be sending officers to assist them with their parades as well. But uh currently as of now we have how many horses? We have five horses coming from the
Maring County Sheriff's Office that will be assisting us and a bike patrol unit that will be here assisting us as well. So we're super excited cuz these are things we haven't had before. So we're super excited to see how it works out.
Cool. >> Oh, okay. My mistake. Mounting unit from OPD, bike patrol for Maring County. Okay, I had them backwards. >> Okay, very good. >> I need some pooper scoopers. >> Yeah, sounds like it.
>> Excuse me, Chief. I I believe you have an animal control officer for that. [laughter] >> You know, Jonathan, you've had enough tonight. I was trying to be nice to you, but [laughter] you want if you want to go there, I'll bring it. >> I'll put in the work order for you. Yeah. Well, that's about to be the only
one you get done. >> So, Chief, did um any more thought to what we had talked about with the police cars that are following? >> December 18th, we will have uh Santa is coming to town. >> Oh, no. That's all. >> So, we'll be riding around with Santa
Claus like we normally do every year. Me and the chief talked about it. So, December 18th, we'll be riding Santa around town. So, what time we starting to >> 5:00 and we'll send out the map and post all that on
>> What about crossing 27 after the parade we had talked about? >> Yeah, we'll take care of that. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> All right. >> We got you covered. >> Good. Anybody else got anything else? Yes, Miss Belute.
>> Thank you. Just a reminder also on December 18th from 4 to 8:00 p.m. is our annual ethics training at uh Folds Walker. So, I'm I'm going to uh tell you the people who have
RSVP. Technically, yesterday was the deadline, but you guys know the people, so I'll I'll give you [laughter] an extension. Um I have Sue, uh Mr. Goodman, Miss Jones, uh Chief Rolls, uh
Benton, Mr. Crocs, Mike Miller, Miss Hines, and Miss Wright. >> I should be on that list. Sorry. Thought I was there. >> Is there anyone else who would like to RSVP whose name they did not hear? >> Do I I believe that we probably need to
remind our pension boards and our CRA and our planning and zoning and board of adjustments because I haven't didn't hear any of their names. >> I was [laughter] I was >> and all they're supposed to be >> surprised that the list was short because it is typically much longer, right? Those people are missing.
>> So, >> and we don't want to lose the Williston room. >> Listen, if we don't bring enough people, I don't know how we're going to have >> rain. We got to have [laughter] the rain. >> Okay. So, >> chairs of the max. >> Um, Miss Martin uh and BJ have you do.
Anybody else? Okay. >> Anybody else? >> I did. All right. >> Yeah. Anybody who does form one needs to be there. >> Yes. I mean, you have to do some form of ethics training. You don't have to do it with us, but ours is much more fun.
>> It is much more fun. >> And I missed my turn for the updates. >> Yes, go for it. >> So, I have one question and I if you'll let me >> knock it down. Um, I just want to ask Kirsten for an update because so many
people keep asking me about the peso properties that are across the street. Any update that there may be on those properties? >> Yeah, absolutely. So, as you know, there are several peso owned buildings over on that strip over there. So we currently
have the five or six uh buildings total which are moving forward in the foreclosure process. Before just to sort of give you a sense of how the sausage is made before we do any code enforcement process, we have to make
sure that we do a title search so that we don't start investing money into foreclosing and having ownership of a property that's got hundreds of thousands of dollars of other people's leans on it. Um, so those title searches have come back. I've looked at them.
There's one, um, that I have a few, uh, potential concerns on. Uh, I, it's easiest if we do all of them together. So, that one's the one that's been sort of holding us up. Um, we I have a real estate um, attorney who's going to be taking a look at that for me as a favor.
So, no additional charge um, to the city. Um, just to make sure that everything's in line and that we're not getting ourselves into something that we we don't have a sense of. After that, we'll be able to file our petitions. It it'll go to um the circuit court and we'll move forward from there. Um the process can be quite lengthy if he
responds. Historically, in the two prior foreclosures on peso properties, there's been no response. Um so, but anywhere between 4 and 6 months, I would expect um we could get those closed once they're filed. Okay. >> Thank you.
>> Anything else? I just noticed that the um the library the marble is getting repaired on the library. Is this anybody? Yep. Thank you. It looks great. >> Thanks. >> It was completed last week. I went and did a walk through with it. Um signed
off on it is great. >> Yeah, it [snorts and clears throat] looks beautiful. Thank you. >> I don't I'm not part of the inspection program, ma'am. I don't that was through a third party contractor. I don't have nothing to do with the permitting, but I will look into it and come back next week and find out. >> Now, if we could just get the other
building with the awning fixed. >> Got $80,000. >> Well, no. We We know how much we have that the insurance company's already given us. We need to find somebody who can do something with that amount of money. >> It's with the CRA, correct? Last time we >> Yes, ma'am.
>> All right. Let me see if I can get an update from the C. >> They need to work a little faster. It's been months like you said. I agree. the owners, if you will, you've told me about the piece of peso property at the top of the hill and the fact that nobody bid on it. Can are there any updates on that?
>> We're still waiting on the vendor responses. So, we're we're going through and we want to get as many vendor responses as to why they didn't bid on our project as possible. Um but Central Bidding is working with us on that and we are setting in the process of setting up a meeting so that we can go over um
the responses that we do receive and then potentially see if there's any way that we can maybe uh use those responses to toe >> tweak what we have. >> Thank you. Um, how many people have we've got who has
filled out applications for utility director? >> Five. Is that correct, Kim? Let me count in my head. Hold on. >> Take your shoes off. >> I think it's six, sir.
>> Okay. Any low internal? >> Yes, sir. We had two internal. >> Okay. Okay. All right. And then my last one. Um I noticed when reading
the week ending the 24th of November, the week your week update. Um it said possibility about uh some infrastructure projects and then us applying for a loan.
So I had a meeting with Steven Bloom last week and he wants a list um of our current infrastructure projects. So I think when Walt came in a couple weeks ago, he talked about not doing a loan through USDA because there were so many
stipulations and talking to Ca Coast. So C Coast is has agreed that yes, we could apply through them. I think the last correspondence from Justin had said the rate would be between five and six%. Um so we're just looking for from Jonathan, Mike, and Donald a list of the infrastructure projects so that you guys
could prioritize what you want to do if you want to do the the truck or vac truck or whatever it's going to be. So I'm waiting on that list from them right now. >> Okay. Cuz I don't want to see us taking out a whole bunch of different loans. I understand.
>> Vac. Yes. It's one of those things that it'd be nice to have. >> Sure. >> But how much would we use it, >> right? I >> versus what the purchase price is. >> Sure. >> Hey, I like the truck. Not going to deny it. I think it's great. I mean, if
somebody's got 3/4 of a million dollars that they would like to fork over for it. >> Sure. But, you know, we got to look at that as do we do it to where we line up a bunch of projects that we're going to use at one time and then we rent it >> right
>> like we did last well this year early this year. >> Um, and then you know uh Drew from Stark has been very nice thanks to the help of Jonathan for being able to >> let us get that. So, um,
>> and Walt knows that the priority is obviously the Crystal Corell abandonment, the lift station abandonment, that's our priority. And then if you want to tack something on to it, then we would do that. >> It's been talked about as long as I've been on council and probably before me, Deborah could probably tell you as far
as that goes. >> Absolutely. And the squirt truck that we know we've ordered that we have to pay for when it gets here. >> Correct. >> Yeah. So other than that, that's all I got.
Um, mark your calendars. December 16th, >> 15th >> 16th, it says at 6:00 p.m. we have a council meeting. >> Oh, >> this is a second meeting for
>> the fiber. Oh. >> So, >> so it's a public hearing. >> Yeah. >> Not a counseling. >> Do we know what time it is? >> 6:00. >> I have another meeting on that night.
>> Guess y'all can do it without me. >> Woman's Club. So, >> I happen to be the president. I have to be there. [laughter] And it doesn't hurt my feelings to do a second meeting in December because I remember when we started the year out
this year there was a huge agenda cuz we only had one meeting in December. >> I think we had J and K, didn't we? >> Yes, we did. All right. Uh, with that said, anybody else council? Mr. Bishop, my turn to talk a lot. Uh,
Chief Rolls, you were talking about the parade. Do you need any of my utility trucks this year or you think you're going to be okay? Well, that's routine. I'm talking about the side roads. Uh, >> that's fine. Just heads up would be great, please. Um,
couple little things. Uh, there was a comment brought up in last meeting about my whether or not I was using my personal uh, company truck in a proper manner. I pulled the report and I would gladly get email it to any of the council if they
wanted to see it. It is crystal clean perfect, spotless, perfect. The whole time I was out for my surgery, I sat at the house. The only time it moved is when I had a meeting with Miss Sue and immediately afterwards I went home. Never got moved to the following week or I came back and if y'all would like to see it, I'll gladly email it to you.
>> Okay, no problem with it, Mr. B. >> Uh, second note, talking with uh James Hanigan. I probably butchered his name, but talking about the DOT contracts. Halfway through the contract, we realized we've known each other for 20 years. Three years ago, he moved up into
the I got to get my damn glasses. He moved up to um what the hell was it called? Anyways, director I'm so sorry. I hate talking. Y'all know that. Uh be moved up to a director position. So, he's over new
traffic lights, new traffic signals, everything, right? And everything goes through him. He's the guy. And I didn't know that. So, as we were talking, I brought up the crosswalk across the street that we've all been daydreaming for 20 plus years. Always getting the hard nose. Whether we talk about it in Tallahassee or wherever, we always get
the hard nose. Um, he's going to meet me in my office somewhere around January 10th, uh, or whomever you have in the office on January 10th to help us move forward with that at below half cost. And she assures me within a year we can get it put in if we work with them.
>> That would be great. So, I'm going to hang my head on that and say that's been a 20 year daydream of nothing but hard nose and I finally got a man wanting to have a conversation. So, kind of proud of that. So, no, I didn't commit the money. No, I didn't say we'd spend its first dollar without permission. But, I do have someone coming to the table to
have a conversation. So, that's the first time in history and maybe we'll get our crosswalk for light up Willist and Peanut Festival and everything else. And I think that's going to be great. >> Awesome. Thank you, M. That's all I got. >> Thank you. Just one last thing.
I'm going to put a challenge since December is a short month to our city manager to work with Megan and let's find out with this Edmonds program what's going on with it. Can we get the
people out here if we're if we're not doing something right? Let's get it done or whatever. If we're doing everything right and we solve these problems, then maybe we'll have to look at maybe legal action because to me the program and
nothing against Megan. Megan's doing what she's supposed to do just like Selena. And it's I've got our bill and it's weird how it works where my wife went on and looked
at it and it was $275. When I printed it to come down, come off, it went to 552. >> It was weird. I could show it to you. Mhm. Um, so
we started April, Megan, was it? >> May. It was May. Yes, sir. >> It was May. We got to do something because what I don't understand is what I think Megan, correct me if I'm wrong, this
thing is sending out the bills prior to them actually being finished. So when I start the process of billing, I have to lock every customer out of the system so they cannot pay the bill because they can see it as I'm in the system processing it. And Edmonds told me that
that is just something they've always had their system doing. they are looking to possibly have where we can take it off the website uh while we're creating it, but there's no way for them to do that at this time cuz that's why we're
getting all the lovely words of encouragement on Facebook, you know, from residents is because this program is not doing what it should do. And if it's sending out the stuff
prior to the billing totals before they're actually done, that's why we're getting all this stuff. So >> can I ask you just so because I don't go online. So >> I don't either. >> Like my the bill that I get in the mail
will every day of the month. >> Mike, please. >> So sorry. Um I do not go online for my bill. I just get the paper one. Um, so to to so that I understand if if I the bill that I get in the mail may not match every day of the month the bill
that's online. Is that what you're saying? >> Right. Oh, wow. >> So, for instance, like um this is a copy of our bill. The online portal was correct. >> Okay. if you looked at it. But then when she printed it out and it went for uh to
pay this price of 550 250 um it doubled it. >> Okay. >> So we just got to get get control somehow. >> And I can tell you that I get two, one
for a business and one for my house. They were both down considerably. almost scary down considerably, which makes me wonder something like is it going to be twice as much next time? Um, and also
the five I get at the church where I work. Um, they were all down considerably as well. I all seven of them were down. So, it's it's kind of spooky that I makes me wonder how much higher they're going to be next time. So
the situation that happened with the bills was there was an error that happened in the system while I was calculating bills and it just kept recalculating them in the system. Edmonds went in and fixed that. That's why you doubled. Um if you to look the next very next morning it had actually like tripled. So they fixed it. We
immediately like I was we were fix we fixed it. No big deal. Um however with the rates this month they were really low. Um, and I get those from Steven and they were a lot lower than the month before and even the month before that.
So, but remember it all has to do with fuel costs. So, when you see the fuel prices going up, your electric bills are going to reflect that as well. So, as you've known, it's went down. It was 289 the other day. So, if we just keep our
fingers crossed and keep our fuel costs low, then our bills will stay fairly low. And we had some cool days this past month here. >> Correct. Because if we don't use as much electricity, we don't get charged as much. So our cost drops as well.
>> Okay. Thank you. That's all I got. >> Can I just elaborate it for a minute? >> Just to elaborate on that. When when the we more electricity we use, the more fuel we use. So when we talk about keeping our our fuel costs low, that's something we can't technically do. The consumption that's used dictates how
much fuel we use dictates what the bills are. >> So I just as Miss Megan didn't say anything wrong. I just don't want it to be looked at as if we do something to the fuel bill we can get a lower bill. No ma'am we can't or no sir we can't touch the fuel bill. It collates with how much electricity we use
>> and the fuel we're using is natural gas. >> Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am. That's the price that we're looking at is price of natural gas. >> Absolutely. So it's not something that we control. I don't want to get out there if we did better job on the fuel that we can get a lower bill. We don't we can't do that. >> Yeah.
>> So, two things that I've done or in the process of doing is yesterday I emailed Megan and I asked her for a brief synopsis of all of the issues we're having with Edmonds. Um I now have the contact information for the CEO or the owner of Edmonds. I'm planning on
reaching out to him and asking him for assistance to somebody to come here. Um second thing and that was at the suggestion of a member of the council. Another suggestion that I got was to do um either a training workshop, utility bill review, whatever you want to call
it. I haven't even had a chance to talk to Megan about this yet, but um and I take responsibility for this. I should have thought of this earlier because when we did a change over in Bronson, that's what we did is we offered two different workshops, one during the day and one at night um for people to come in and be able to figure out how to read
their bills. Um, so that's something I'm going to work with Megan on. And we'll Sorry, Megan. Um, [laughter] and then we can also do like a PowerPoint presentation for people who can't attend, so for them to be able to understand, you know, how to set up autopay or how to read their bills and
and again, we can also do a utility bill review for people who feel that their bills are still high for whatever reason. So, we are going to we are going to work on that, Megan. >> So, yes, absolutely. >> Anything else? Council >> Mr. Hol.
>> All right. Uh, can I have a motion for >> Vice President Cox? >> Yes, sir. You left me out, sir. >> Oh, sorry, sir. >> This is for updates. So, I wanted to update everybody. Those of you that are
not aware, I've had some uh time off. And the reason I have not been at council meetings is because I've been in the hospital. Uh I'm now the proud owner of a number of pieces of hardware in my heart which
are supposed to make me better. We'll see. But uh I appreciate everybody that reached out and and was praying for me and was wishing good wishes on me. It
was a difficult time. Hopefully it'll be better soon. So that's all I had. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. Glad you're feeling better. >> Y >> I still move we adjourn. >> All right. [laughter] >> I second.
>> We have first. Got a second. Any discussion? Nope. And with that being said, all in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed. The time is now 6:36 p.m. And this meeting