A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to addressing the ongoing construction projects within the town, particularly focusing on road closures and resident accessibility. Contractors are currently working on installing water services and drainage on Polo, with the expectation to finish roadwork on Right Way and Old School within three to four weeks. To keep residents informed, the town has shifted from providing weekly construction updates to daily notifications. The Town Manager commended the town clerk for communicating these updates, emphasizing the importance of responsiveness from town officials.

However, concerns were raised about accessibility during road closures, particularly for residents with mobility issues. It was acknowledged that complete road closures made navigation challenging. To mitigate these issues, contractors agreed to create accommodations, such as laying down steel pads or plywood, to facilitate access. Additionally, suggestions were made to notify residents in advance about the level of service they could expect during construction, especially concerning deliveries. A specific concern was raised about scheduling deliveries during ongoing construction, which had previously caused issues for residents.

The discussion also touched on the impact of construction on yard maintenance and other services, with residents unable to access their properties or receive deliveries. The Town Manager noted that construction projects inherently involve some inconvenience but emphasized the need for residents to communicate their needs with the town. A proposal was made to allow yard work on weekends during construction periods to mitigate issues with maintenance, particularly for homeowners whose lawns and pools were not being serviced.

Further addressing the challenges posed by the construction, there was a focus on the implementation of flagmen to assist pedestrians. It was noted that flagmen should ideally accompany individuals walking to their homes for liability reasons, though concerns were raised about the effectiveness of some flagmen. Enhanced communication from Town Hall regarding road closures was deemed necessary, with one individual emphasizing that being informed about road conditions allowed for better planning regarding parking and access.

A proposal to allow landscaping and vendor access on Saturdays for affected residences was discussed to alleviate some of the inconvenience caused by road work. This proposal would not be an open invitation for all vendors but would apply specifically to those impacted by the ongoing construction. Coordination with local law enforcement was suggested to ensure that vendors working late would not receive citations.

The duration of the road closures was reported to last one to two weeks, depending on weather conditions, with construction occurring in “rounds” for water, drainage, and road resurfacing. One participant shared frustrations about the prolonged nature of the construction. To address connectivity issues arising from construction, it was announced that a wireless device providing internet access would be available for residents affected by service interruptions. This device, supporting up to 32 devices at 5G speeds, would be available for borrowing from Town Hall during outages.

Additionally, a ground-penetrating radar company has been contracted to identify utility lines and their depths to prevent damage during construction. This measure aims to improve communication and efficiency, minimizing disruptions and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the ongoing infrastructure improvements.

Following the discussions on construction, the commission addressed financial matters. The town received five different sets of terms from the bank for loans of either $7 million or $6 million, with terms spanning five, seven, ten, or fifteen years. Each loan scenario was detailed, showing the monthly and annual payments along with the total interest. A more conservative approach was suggested, leaning towards the ten or fifteen-year options, based on the increase in millage rates. The group discussed potential prepayment penalties, confirming that there would be none associated with the older term sheet but needed to verify the terms for the ten and fifteen-year options.

In the finance report, it was stated that there were no unusual findings related to the budget, representing 91.6% of the town’s financial standing. The police chief reported on the successful application for a grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement aimed at enhancing school safety. This grant will help assess security weaknesses at the local school, with a plan to address them in collaboration with the school administration.