##VIDEO ID:37Y7J9rgIBw## Mr Mayor said to go ahead without him he had to run to his office to grab a different copy of a resolution okay he he'll be back in five minutes start all right sounds good let's see you didn't have to ch I want to call this uh city council meeting to order this is uh Monday December the 9th 2024 and if you'll stand we'll do the invocation follow the pledge of Le Heavenly Father we we love you we thank you Lord for your love towards us God we just ask Lord for your guidance here with each one of us tonight we thank you that you love this people you love this city and Lord help us to be good stewards over uh all that needs to be done with the the city government and so we look to you for your anointing on this meeting and on each one of us thank you for your guidance and it's in Jesus name we pray amen amen I PL Ali to the flag the United States of America and to the rep for it stands one nation God indivisible liberty and justice for all okay I'm we going to begin with the uh state of the city been scratching on this to the last minute so hopefully uh it's all readable all right I'm pleased to report to the citizens of our city our business owners and the vast number of you who do business here that this past year punc Springs with the support of our Council has seen some major steps forward to the Improvement and expansion of func Springs there's been an extremely positive transformation in our staff leadership this past year that has brought Clarity unity and a great anticipation among our staff throughout the city we along with the voting public are and will always look to make adjustments to better serve you our citizens the FC Springs a full service City that provides water sewer sanitation garbage pickup Police Department fire department streets department facility maintenance the cemetery and the only airport in Walton County we strive to in improve every department and every Service as we are able with our Police Department def phex Springs police participated in the annual law enforcement torch run for the Special Olympics Florida Drug Enforcement Administration National Drug takeback day and join Walton Correctional Institution in mocks in mock Escape training K9 arson and mercy competed in the 2024 Emerald Coast K9 Clash held on egland Air Force Base K9 arson and his Handler office Taylor took home the first place trophy for for the narcotics detects we are proud of the hard work put in by our K9s and their handlers the second get hooked on fishing not drugs Youth Fishing Tournament was held in December our fire fire department as we reflect on the accomplish of the func Springs Fire Department through 2024 it is clear that our commitment to enhancing Community safety and service has driven us toward remarkable achievements this year has been characterized by advancements and training Community engagement steadfast dedication to improving our emergency response capabilities one of the most significant Milestones was the successful launch of the advanced life support ALS program this initiative marks a pivotal step uh forward in providing higher levels of emergency medical care with our trained paramedics equipped to handle critical situations we are able to deliver life-saving interventions more effectively the imple implementation of this program not only enhances our operational capacity but also and reinforces our commitment to the health and safety of our community moreover the FC Spring Fire Department was honored to receive the firefighter Grant award which enabled us to acquire new firefighter turnout gear for our team this funding is crucial as it ensures our firefighters are equipped with the latest protective gear significantly enhancing their safety on the front lines our Personnel safety is a top priority and this grant has allowed us to invest directly in the well-being of those who serve in our continuous efforts to improve training and operation efficiency we were proud to receive lexal online training program Award of Excellence this recognition not only highlights our commitment to the ongoing education but also reflects the effectiveness of our training programs and preparing our team for the diverse challenges they face the ability to access comp comprehensive training resource online ensures that our firefighters our emergency responders are well prepared and knowledgeable about the best practices in Emergency Management Community engagement remained at the Forefront of our operations this year we proudly offered Advanced life support and basic life safety CPR classes providing essential training that empowers our residents with life-saving skills these programs are designated to foster a culture of preparation ation without within our community ensuring that the citizens are equipped to respond effectively in emergencies we also conduct smoke detector installations as part of our community outreach initiative by providing this vital service we aim to enhance the fire safety awareness and protect households from the dangers of fire this year 2024 has edly been a year of growth development and achievement for the PHX Spring Fire Department our initiatives reflect our unwavering commitment to the serving our Community with Excellence as we look ahead 2025 we remain dedicated in enhancing our services improving safe measures fostering a stronger relationship with the residents we are privileged to serve together we will continue to build a safer and healthier Community for All In Our IT department they've continued to to require all registered users and I'll make a comment about that I had in some of the departments were involved in with the Le of cities and legal Mayors they were uh uh they were telling how bad we need to get in these programs for all of our staff and uh I said we've been doing that for over a year you know so we're Jesse we're way ahead I know he's back there so and so all city meetings are now streamed on YouTube before Kobe Townson only the city council and special Council meetings were being live streamed the city has two audio devices that can be used in house to comply with Ada standards by live streaming Ada accessibility is easier to use since the meeting has been live streamed there have been approximately 10,000 views in our financing building department as many as you know our audits from the state are due June 30th each year even though our 22 reports were turned in considerably late uh during the 23 audit we we kept constant contact with state which avoided penalties the past audit of 23 was complete Leed much closer to the due date and with unmodified opinion there's been a change in leadership with Danielle McDaniel at the interim Finance director who has brought considerable improvements to this department we have since hired full-time Finance director Steven Raj I'm excited to see what Stephen and Danielle and the team take our finance department this coming year and in Grants this is more on the Liberty U partners side in March Congressman Dunn Neil Dunn announced a community Project funding Federal appropriation to the amount of 1.1 million for the airport apron infrastructure project around our new terminal this project will provide safety aircraft taxi and parking space and meet the growing demands for point-to-point air Mobility we are very grateful for all the support we have received from Congressman dun and are proud of what he has done for us in Washington at the state level in April representative Shane abot announced the award of 300,000 from the Northwest Florida Water Management District for the design and Engineering of the affluent Force main replacement project this project was a priority of Representative Adam Abbott during 2024 legislation and the Water Management District offered their financial assistance toward the project we appreciate all the representative that does for the city of Phan Springs while in talahasse and for our tremendous part parip with the Waste Management District in July govern Governor Ronda santz announced the city's application was approved for an award for the job growth Grant fund uh at Florida Department of Commerce that $3 million Grant will provide for the construction of Hangar 181 1920 along the taxi way and access road at the Southeastern part of the airport the project is designed to attract several High wage high skill jobs over the next 10 years including jobs in advance air Mobility government dentes has been very supportive PC Springs airport and we thank we're thankful for his commitment to the rural economic development in addition to the US Department of Transportation reconnecting communities pilot program planning Grant last year the city recently received a safe streets and roads for for all grant that will continue to help the city provide our disadvantaged communities with easy Pedestrian by access to the area's key location the these projects will also help connect our underserved minority populations with our Historic downtown and many commercial employment and recreational resources that the FC has to offer under city planning our planning department has been very busy this past year with some considerable growth here in defunc on top of zoning and land use cleanup some of the projects uh have recently been completed are under construction are they or they have approved plans here's a list we have La last stop Brew which is a new open business downtown Sweet Southern count restaurant is a new open business downtown V Vietnamese cuisine a new open business downtown uh sunstop gas station 331 South is completed in open sud stop car wash 331 South which is completed in open Delon restaurant on South 331 which is completed and open uh sefco gas station us 331 this is the one that's right across from Lowe's which should open by the end of this week Aspen Dental 331 South that's over there next to Del Taco it is under construction Wendy's restaurant uh 331 South which is under construction right across from uh Chick-fil-A the wine shop I think it's got a another name it's right there on us 90 and 8th Street uh right downtown it is under construction Bas Springs phase one it's off of the bill holay drive and for y'all that don't know the the driveway that runs behind McDonald's and waterburger and zby that's Bill Holloway let me put in the plug for Bill Holloway he is one fantastic man passed away in 2013 uh and that street was named after him uh Heather Lane Tow houses that's out here on Walton Road that is they have started some construction there veterans Lodge on County Road 280b they've gotten all their plans approved I did speak to them they hope to start moving dirt uh certainly by January maybe even before the month of December is out and uh we have I guess I can show them to the public but they got a lot of their uh design and pictures is Cliff in the house there he is U and uh so this may be something we can share I'm not sure I'll make sure that the council get to see it and maybe we can give it to the public but they've got Clinic Chapel Lodge and a b tech training center something else Cliff that's it yeah it's pretty gorgeous and anyway so I'm looking very excited for that to start going vertical take five oil chain is this one that they're building across from the Walmart on 331 South on the east side of the road and there's a freestanding ER which is AA that will be built right at the corner of I 10 and 331 just north of I 10 next to the sepco and so that is our list of improvements uh underway that I have right now there may be some I've missed but uh that's the best I can give you today uh making everyone aware the FD improvements of the city that with improvements we are normally inconvenience during this process especially in relation to travel through and around our city Florida Department transportation has been engaged in adding uh an additional turn lane from us990 331 South upgrading signal lights in intersection of 331 in Wind Dixie uh installing new lights at the North and South ramps on I 10 uh the paving of North 9th Street and Highway 83 North and they recently added new lights near the Chick-fil-A on South 331 of course that was at the cost of the developer and uh and they're also made some big improvements at the intersection uh at the new Seth Co at the expense of the developer um so please be patient it should all be complete in the next few months I know that they were hoping to have everything done by the the middle of 2025 I think that they the rate they're moving they should be able to do that our maintenance crws they rebuilt uh one of our docks over there in Chipley park down the lakeyard that's the one that's just south of the Shak building uh they've helped uh the had to remove a bunch of equipment and help prepare for the Florence Park to be erected they've assisted in a new park installation they've uh installed the zigzag lights on BWI Avenue this is not just for Christmas this for year round have been very attractive this RGB lighting which updated still post courtesy of the community reinvestment agency and preparation for the 2024 Christmas reflection season began in September and this was with the repainting of the entire Ampitheater adding update stage lighting with the upgrades to the stage area it has become the choice place to find Santa especially for photo opportunities and a little bit of warmth all right and now under our water and sewer department this they've overseen the II smoke test for the large portion of our sew system this II test will rever reveal where unwanted inflow and infiltration storm water seeps into our sewer system this not only Robs a great deal of our sewer capacity but it creates an unnecessary expense U treating storm water as if it were raw sewage we did receive a grant from the Northwest Florida Management District that will cover design engineering for a new affluent line to our spring fields which is desperately needed at our airport uh you've heard me mention some of this in the grants but we were able to purchase five acres off of huckle road to access the south side of the East West Runway where we expect to see commercial industrial growth the new terminal complex is at least 90% complete with an estimated date for occupany by the end of January 2025 as reported the airport has continued to get funded through grants arer dollars and to expand improve our operation we're excited to see a vibrant Hub activity bring Economic Development emergency travel convenience to aircraft owners and frequent users throughout this County I want to express my gratitude to our council members for going to extra mile to see these improvements not only addressed but to give our manager and our staff the resources needed to give get them accomplished I'm so very thankful for our staff our contractors engineers Consultants attorneys and many more who have come alongside of us there have been a great there have been great strides uh made this past fisical year with a bright future in sight I believe the state of the city is very good and it's getting better better every month we thank all of our citizens for your patience your cooperation and look forward to a Prosper prosperous future with you all right and as um what we try to do is to any any proclamations we do we try to bring it to a city council meeting following and we just recently did one for the National American Indian Heritage whereas a history and culture of our great nation have been significantly influenced by American Indians and IND indigenous people and whereas the contributions of American Indians have enhanced the freedom prosperity and greatness of American today and whereas their Customs Traditions are respected and celebrated as part of the rich Legacy throughout United States and whereas Native American awareness week began in 1976 in recognition and expanded by Congress and and approved by President George Bush in August 1990 designation the month of November as National American Indian Heritage re month whereas an honor of the National American Indian Heritage Month Community celebrations as well as numerous cultural art artistic educational historic activities have been planned now therefore I Bob Campbell by virtue of the authority vested me as mayor of City Spring Florida do Proclaim November as National American Indian Heritage Month then city of hean Spring Florida and urge all of our citizens to observe and to celebrate this month with appropriate programs ceremonies and activities right thank you very much at this time we're going to invite Matt Al Alam Alam Alam uh you got a little something here you want mayor council am I on here yeah just turned up yeah Matt algarin for the record a LG a r i n I appreciate the opportunity to be here today just wanted to take a minute of your time this evening to acknowledge uh councilman Todd bebom for his service on the TDC Council he served us well and provided lots of valuable insight it and um you know friendship to me so I appreciate that so I really just want to be able to present him with this plaque if he can come join me down at front please or I can come back there whichever easier for you all you want to do it right here in front of this why don't you come back here do pleasure there in front of that emblem all right thank you so much congratulations Tod thank you yeah that that's a very very very important Ally punc so we thank you Todd for your service there and uh all right we are going to go to the consent agenda and uh we would entertain a motion to approve if there are some things on here or anything on here that needs to be pulled off moved to the regular agenda please let me know at this time Mr Mayor I would like to uh to move the threee bism Bravo I would like to move that to the regular agenda I just have a comment on that fully support it but I have a comment so for the sake of a following procedure we probably need to move that off the consent and this is which one uh 3 EB which is the annual Black History Parade all right got you all right we're gonna motion to approve second with those changes yes with changes we just have one move right yes sir okay I have a motion a second any other question uh and now where are we well it should be Josh but Amy's not here or I'm sorry Josh is not here okay we go Amy all in favor say I I I I I I SC thank where we want to take this to Mayor we'll just place it under 4B one um yeah yeah it's it's coming up no it was about the consent agenda well on the consent agenda we usually don't involve the public but uh this is coming up in just a minute just a few seconds if you want to wait okay well another thing should have been pulled off for regular is all well the council's the only one who can pull it not the consent concern with go ahead and let her put comments on the right yeah go ahead um Mr beerbom councilman beerbom pulled off EB um EC is also the same exact date that would be effectively shutting down all of downtown that morning that was all okay so that's why was want to suggest pulling that off EC as well for discussion um is this one also run through downtown or something can I make a motion to reopen and put it on the regular agenda just for the record let's do a motion to um reconsider three 3 e1c strengthen ddes 5K to be placed on the regular agenda I make that motion oh second all right have motion second this is just for us to bring it up put it it'll go into the same one under 4 B okay all in fav I I all I I I carried good enough okay see we are at um 4 a mayor yeah we at the regular agenda we ask for a motion this will be with two additions motion to approve with those additions second all right have a motion second any questions all in favor to say I I I I I Carri thank you very much now I'm going go to city manager with uh 4 C1 okay mayor we will go back back to 4 B1 and 4 B2 so the first it P so we'll start with uh the 12th annual Black History Parade special event 4 B1 so I I'll make a motion to approve this uh special event permit so we can have discussion okay did you give a second yes sir okay all right so the the concern I had was that this is the the event times are extremely Broad and we we know this is a parade and the parade happen and and occurs in a very small window so my my question is can we narrow that window down because we do have some businesses downtown that services that serve the medical needs of people and so shutting down all those blocks for that extended amount of time is a concern so can we just have that narrowed down to the actual time that they plan to run the parade and I think I think as a council we probably ought to address parades in general in a separate separate session but just it's overly broad right now just for the public sake we clarify the hours they were asking I believe it was 8:30 to 12 yeah like 48:30 to 12 okay yeah that's um what do you think is reasonable H hour what's the day of the week Saturday February 15 2025 is it Saturday usually is now the one Saturday so to clarify the lineup is at 8:30 and that usually occurs uh east of 11th Street I believe and then uh the parade is actually 10 to 12 is the actual parade time right and typically the the parade moves through and by by 10:30 it's it's complete so I just would like to see that that window shrunk down to like 9:45 to 10:30 you know give them give them time for the parade to occur and then that point it once there the Parade's finished it can be opened back up instead of closing it down at 8:00 a.m. and closing you know not opening it again till 12 because we're we're not talking about one single block like we do for other special events permits we're talking about multiple blocks here being closed down so we're really just talking about the actual street closure now what about people parking um I because if someone is pulling in yeah the lineup might be at 8:30 but if they're pulling in and and parking they could get stuck there for 15 20 minutes is that reasonable I think so okay because the risk of not having the closure in advance we get the benefit of being open but we get the downside of someone could be blocked in for a little while during the parade itself I think that's the way I think that's the way it's actually functioned in in practicality for years now yeah the only probably only place that somebody would be in inide for any length time would be at a restaurant most everybody else are in and out of the other businesses uh we just need to come up with the time frame so we're talking about Baldwin correct because I recall paring in one of those one year and so it comes clear down to here past the post office but they're all in the right away you know they're all off of the side of the road so are we just concerned of Baldwin itself like between a certain block radius yeah I think the concern is the central about three block areas between uh last stop and probably the theater correct yeah n yeah I mean it's only 20 30 minutes through that area right again as long as as a we don't run into an issue with people having complaints or or trying to get out I'm I'm okay with that um but I'm hoping there's someone here that can speak on this and maybe get some comment I read it I read the request well I mean anyone represen the par well I read the request they asked for Rolling barricades through the parade cleaning it up as the parade went it was in the request to the record state your name Trent Hatcher resident thank you Trent yeah well the roling is really quick um so what are we thinking it starts at 10 you say come ahead yeah I'm the person that brote the request um this is no different than the request of the last three years and I don't know if you recall if there were any problems I've been at all the parades of the last few years and there haven't been any problems I know last year we were parked more on the side of Baldwin we weren't sitting there in the middle of the road of Baldwin so all the floats had to go to the side along with the cars so I mean I myself saw no problems whatsoever with people being backed up or any kind of problem at all with that so was there a specific complaint about that well it was more for the emergence uh because they have to shut their street down for four or five hours versus maybe two hours oh well I mean there are more people that come out for that parade that probably would ordinarily shop at the merchants on that day at least that was my impression there's lots of people there that would ordinarily not be there so again I'm I'm not oppos to the activity I'm just wanting technical clarification on are we shutting the street down for four hours and not just one street but you're talking four and a half almost five blocks is what's requested or are we actually requesting a rolling shutdown as the prade occurs which again I want to clarify that's the way it's occurred in the past and I'm completely fine with that I support that but the way the application reads are we shutting it down from 8 to 12 all those blocks or are we doing a rolling closure as the parade occurs it lists hours but it does also list rolling but it does list both it lists hours but it does stay let's make it clear that the road closure will be rolling in the special event permit is granted for that period of time yeah as long as make that part of the motion we're fine I would make that the motion then that the you know for clar that thead closures are there's already a motion so I'll my motion to include that language got sorry second okay okay uh any other comments no as I said this is not different I I wrote the thing I based it off of the exact applications that have been approved by the council the last three or four years so yeah yeah I've been in that parade for at least 10 years you're probably going to be in it again too so we just haven't gotten to the we meet Thursday we haven't asked you we haven't decided who's asking you yet but pencil it in so all right but you hear that you understand what their language is on that the change in the that what does rolling mean that once the I mean other words that period is covered but only for what you need in it so the rolling would now words let's just say you got done by 11 o' yeah then you can open Streets back up up not but if we don't put that part in there you can't open Streets back up to yeah well then put that in there yeah yeah okay that's okay so right uh any other questions on the motion all in favor say I I I I I Carrie thank you very much thank you ma'am thank you okay goe where are we we're on um the that next strengthen strides y 4 B2 okay motion to approve strengthen strides 5K run special event second all right and what was the issue on that I'm assuming from the comment that the event on the same day but that event is on Circle Drive compared to Black History Parade which is on balln Avenue of the relatively same amount of time and same morning time it's not I Lisa sorl for the record there's no issue with either one of them it's just your literally shutting down the entire circle during that exact timing of the black history period And The Stride race which was previously scheduled but had to be postponed to this date so if we could you know try to figure something out for those of us who live right around there with the traffic because we're essentially GNA I mean I know the parade is rolling and they're really quick but you have a ton of traffic coming in that morning for this so that was all my concern was was the timing okay I'm trying to see the picture painted here of this activity so it is around the lakeyard um it will wrap into the histor district a little bit but it looks like it begins at the amphitheater and will end at the amphitheater um with it going off of the Circle Drive looks like First Street I could be wrong no going off goes around the his district and it will come back down uh East Live Oak and then back around the circle so again it's the same time frame I think is is a concern and the same amount of hours that Circle would be shut down for is that something that can be a rolling language too to allow people to um to Traverse on Circle Drive or there's just nothing that people can no one can Traverse on Circle Drive at that time is that what we're saying but here's the thing to keep in mind about Circle Drive there's there's multiple Alleyways there's multiple streets servicing all of that that entire area around C Circle Drive I think the concern some folks get into is that it also goes on Crescent so the frontage uh residences would be a little bit more impacted but I believe that they cross the road uh with vehicles between Runners so again it's running down the alley and the front row but that's honestly I I really don't see that as an issue with the baldwi traffic I see it more of an issue in and of itself see so they come around Circle then they and then come back on Crescent so you have some people on Circle and Crescent at the same time same time what's the time frame Kobe you have it open uh yes ma'am so set up registration starts at 7 and races from 800 to 10:30 and awards and clean up from 10:30 to 12 it's G to be done early yeah before the before the the B parade about 30 minutes of yeah very low the alley should be cleared by that can Jesse pull up the map so everyone can see it Jesse will you please pull the map um which would be only agenda it would actually be item on the consent 3 EC it's under the consent agenda Jesse consent agenda there you go right there go to planning department click that special events see strength and strides please scroll down to see the map page number I think it's nine there right there okay that's good thank you well most of the time when we have I mean of course you know Christmas Reflections let you know that we are used to things being blocked off and U A lot of people they get used to going to 90 or to Bruce Avenue get around town um I don't know how big a problem that would be um I don't see it being a real stickler only thing like what Tony said is where the people that actually are on the circle that can't go go front or backwards for a period of time that's the only issue I see and doesn't matter what what time we do it that's going to still be there have we done this one before not that I know of now um Ford dunac has had other races here and it's had similar paths don't people move between the runners and the Riders when they're get coming in and out of side streets usually only if we have a patrolman county or city patrolman stage of that intersection at the county when it it's in the county line they have um Highway Patrol and Sheriff's and the Cs all down within the city we use cones that they put out and signs and we've tried to confine them to one side of the road um except for in one or two places where we can't help you know so but you know we're at uh 6:30 7 o'clock in the morning and so we don't have much traffic then we're done by 10: so okay it looks like a standard 5K route that you have marked on the pavement I just don't remember us using Crescent Street that much and the ones we used to do but I don't see a a huge problem here I see a little problem we had police City policemen stationed at the major intersection so that when they were coming you know they could stop the traffic and then after they passed he still in the room ke you still in the room I don't know if you can see this map here uh and uh what Tony had talked about is those that actually live on Circle Drive they would be blocked on both the front and back uh for a short period of time first I've ever seen this so um just depending on the event how many participants and all that we probably need to coordinate with them and figure out what resources that we would need to do it safely um of course we don't necessarily do it for free um there's fee that we got to pay officers to be out there for time and I'm not exactly sure how long the event's going to be I was trying to glance on it in the hallway but um I would need some more time to digest it and see exactly what concerns and what what we have and what we're trying to accomplish so yeah sounds like a great cause but um now get this a lot a lot different than the one we used to do uh with uh it looks like they're going one way on Circle and coming back on Crescent is that yeah that they could confine to one side of the road but I think it's still need the city police intersection yeah normally normally with like Triathlon and stuff it's a mixture between as she said the county the city um C W Emergency Management um at the minor intersections we got 1 volunteers that are and triathon volunteers that are flagging traffic the major intersections is where we have trol car sitting so um it just depends how many volunteers what they can coordinate and what what they're able to accomplish so um I have to sitting together and form a plan operation plan February when 15th 15th go ahead the application only requests closure of Circle Drive and that there will be volunteers at the intersections for Crescent Park plateau and eastoke Avenue uh this this is in a separate area yes it's adjacent to what we approved previously for the the History Parade but again I'm I'm not seeing where this is an issue yeah well based on what they're saying there they got it covered so I mean I I know years and years ago we had um it put forward to the council that you know if if one event is approved within the city then somehow no other events can be approved within the city I I just don't believe that like I think if there's going to be events within the city we can all work together and figure it out and I think it's great that everybody's wanting to come together and enjoy the city on that day yeah because most people if you were a spectator you could see both of these right right but anyway Council what do you want to do there's a motion on the table okay all right uh any other questions any other comments yes sir I just got one um if you want if these two organizations want to coordinate at about 10:30 they're going to be having the awards in the what is it the uh Park as the parades coming through so you got the amphitheater with the wards MH and the parades coming through at the same time about 10:30 maybe they could wait for the awards until the parades come through I don't know yeah I'm thinking of a loud speaker here's talking about him going to both events so you got the awards going on Amphitheater and then the prey coming through at the same time okay then now why you're still there now we got a representative parade right she still here okay well all right I was gonna see if we that sounded reasonable to her she's the one that scheduled into this right rescheduled or I have no idea request it's res yeah okay um all right is the motion to approve right yeah all in favor say I I I I I ni car all right we'll just uh let everybody get their heads together and work it out Lord Mercy okay KOB you good yes sir all right so we're going to the back to uh uh C1 or C1 right yes sir okay thank you mayor um if Council recall um earlier this year uh we did receive an award of $300,000 from the Northwest Florida Water Management District for the effent U line and so we've been working with the district and they have come back with a grant agreement for that $300,000 we've asked them to designate that to design the project um this is a no match Grant with an expiration date of September 30th 2026 so we're seeking approval of the agreement um and so we can use those funds to to pay for design of the project motion to approve second I have motion second questions comments anyone all in favor say I I I I all I Carrie thank you very much we'll go to C2 thank you mayor C2 is well five pump repair well five is off of Walton Road back in late September the pump uh did become inoperable due to what we all believe the lightning strike uh since then we had been diverting water working to get together and working with the insurance company and so we did take in quotes um of the quotes the lowest bid we ever see was $447 um there's two things two caveats to this um Jacobs did a preliminary testing some from Meg testing and they believe it was hit by lightning um we can't be sure of that an insurance company will not process a claim until we pull it out of the water and tested officially so we do need to approve a quote to have that pulled and worked on if it is it does come be found that it was lightning failure uh the city would be responsible for $1,000 deductible through insurance and then insurance would cover the rest if it is not due to lightning the city would be on the hook for the full $ 44,700 we do have that money in line in line item in the water fund and so we have adequate funds um this is over the spending threshold myself and the bid but I do believe it meets requirements section 311 exemption from competitive bidding subsection two of the policy um and so we request approval of the quote from Donald Smith Company in amount of $ 44,700 so moved second I have a motion second questions comments from anyone all in favor say I I all right all all right nice Carrie thank you very much we'll go C3 okay C3 uh this is the RFQ to go out and find a firm to update the city's Land Development code if Council will recall we did budget 50,000 to begin that process this this fiscal year with the hope to budget another 50,000 next year to complete it um so in all the we have $100,000 budget if approved a later date and so we're asking for approval of the RFQ we issue this early January hope to have bids back by mid-February and have some bids to the council late February early March at which point we would then enter negotiations with the firm and bring back a contract at that time so we're asking for approval RFQ so moved second all right have a m a second questions comments from anyone yes sir Dan Coen would you mind if I ask Council a question about this um the um City of Freeport uh not that long ago I believe you were instrumental uh Mr Atkinson in helping them develop their Land Development code and it was a good one it was a good one um is there any way we could save ourselves that $100,000 by taking a really good strong look at theirs and see if that would be compatible and applicable to our city and save us 100 Grand that's up to the council when we worked on the Free Port Land Development code that was late 05 early 06 when we made those major evisions and we make major evisions every single year down there the had 86 pages of revisions this past summer okay so it's an ongoing process but it's up to the council ours is in desperate need of revision but I'm here to help the council however they want could we learn something from Freeport and maybe steal some ideas if it's going to save us some money I think the difference we have there is we have a few different districts free ports a very different city in terms of How It's laid out geographically so I don't know that it's Apples to Apples but we'll do whatever the council says I'm sure Mr Wallace will be glad to I know communicates with our planner down there all the time in report thank thank you so mayor we have a a good relationship with Freeport however this is not the kind of thing that it's just plug and playay and and we are Dunc Springs and we need to do a Land Development code that's appropriate to us that meets our needs and that is specific to us this also includes a future land use map look they have to look at the land uses they have to recommend whether there's going to be additional districts there's going to recommendations in terms of map modifications so this is unfortunately not the kind of thing I love the idea of saving money but this is not uh an apt uh comparison yes ma'am I I like the idea of saving money as well but does Freeport have a historical district or we we don't have the same thing it's different they do have a Marina District which is part of their Marina yeah that Marina area along the creek is um is it traditional area and we have the area just back from that is the historic yeah downtown area Shipyard Jackson but they don't have anything like our downtown district at all it's not nothing at all uh they used to have some things that were similar to what was here at City Hall but they do not have anything like our downtown also they they've got a lot more um Highway Frontage than we do it's a little bit different character than what we have there's a higher speed you know five Lane wide area ours is a very different character on 331 at least for the sections north of I 10 all right any other comment all in favor say I I I I hi I Carrie thank you very much KOB we go to C4 okay thank you mayor uh mayor for rec call city council uh had motion for uh legal and myself to bring back a resolution to the effect that would designate city council as Community free development agency and so I believe legal has provided that to all of you and so we are bringing that forth it's up to the council they wish to discuss um or table the item due to council member absent but that is totally up to the city council and I present presented you the most barebones version of a resolution that checks off the three or four most important things that have to be said so that should we wish to expand or otherwise modify the membership of that in the future consist with Florida statute you could do so in supplemental resolutions but it is to the council's discretion mayor I'm sorry go ahead I I do not like the idea of the council taking it over and also if we do I certainly wouldn't want to do any kind of consideration of that without uh being short one member since we'd be committing them to be in that seat uh as a CRA member I think that uh we should be talking about how do we work together with the CRA and maintain some Independence so that we get what was intended by a prior Council uh an independent ra that can function somewhat autonomously there is oversight but I think we have failed to provide enough uh guidance we attempted to do that with a meeting uh that meeting didn't have the full intent of what was and what was planned uh that meeting was intended to discuss future projects not just one Labyrinth project and also discuss future funding and how we would be looking at that I think definitely at a bare minimum this needs additional time for uh discussion and public input information but definitely we should you know be very cautious in terms of overturning such a large program that was put together by prior Council uh however we do need to provide more guidance and be more involved uh but they are independent am I I make a motion just for discussion on the particular item especially a lot of people have come out and and and I have a lot of uh mixed feelings too from our last meeting so I'm going to make a motion for discussion what would be the motion a motion just for discussion the motion you can have the discussion but you need a motion to approve or deny go into actual merits and without a motion the public can comment they can come to the okay so I'm gonna make a motion so that we can include the Public's comments well you're gonna well what is the motion U tell you what uh let's make a motion to uh table there's nothing to reconsider you've not taken any official action other than what it's already been fulfilled you can't I mean at this point all you did was um ask us to bring you something and I know that was a formal motion but to reconsider it you can't undo what we've already brought you so a motion to continue would perhaps be right with the understanding that that would limit the discussion same way with taable uh yeah I'll do a motion to uh deny the resolution to designate the city council was the community re development agency Board second for discussion okay I already have a motion second you want to go ahead I I would like to I think last week uh I I was a big proponent clay go go in the back room you said you could do it in 10 minutes bring back a resolution actually said I could I'm really glad that you didn't I'm really glad that you didn't because um I don't know how it went so sideway my whole goal was really to limit the funding which wouldn't even occur until 2026 that was my main goal since then I've learned so much just based on some research talking to folks and I agree with some of what uh councilman Valley just said I don't want to become the CRA board um they they've made Leaps and Bounds on what they've done I don't I think we're just rushing into this way too quickly uh what's the hurry um but I was a big opponent of that but since then I've I've gone back to the founding documents of what the original intent for the city was and I was surprised by the um documentation that was there and the five goals that sat in that CRA and you know what whether we like it or not they're doing exactly what they were designed to do so um I I do think we need to um revisit this I don't think we should be so Hasty to take over as the board um the board that is in place right now they're doing a great job they're doing exactly what it is that they were designed to do so um I do want to revisit the funding mechanism because uh that that that was my main goal I don't know how it went sideways I don't know why I even agreed to ask the City attorney to do what we asked him to do but I was a part of it I have since educated myself more so uh than I knew before so Mr well you guys have saved me a lot of lot of words I I have I have a little head cold uh tonight but I think the gist of it is I to felt very rushed into that we were talking percentage that's where I believe the conversation was going to go at the last council meeting it very quickly turned to taking over the board um mention of dissolving the board all those things and I was I was shocked um and and there was that shocking all you know from from back in the early 2000s but um but I didn't know I I kind of reeled from that and I thought about it and I've been working on it ever since that that meeting to try to prepare for this because I didn't know how it was going to go one of my biggest problems is we haven't approached we we I I don't see the CRA as solely responsible for any failures whatsoever I think we take responsibility for that as well if we have not communicated as we well as as well as we should have with each individual board member and with that CRA as a whole then then we're part of the problem and but we also have the resp responsibility be part of this solution and and I think the C can do much better and work effectively for this city as can we I doubt seriously myself I'm I'm pretty busy and I know the rest of you are too most you all are still working right I'm I'm supposed to be retired but I'm not and so to take on additional responsibility of of running the CRA I don't do things lightly I spend a lot of time preparing for these meetings I don't want walk into a meeting unprepared CRA would be no different I feel like I would have to be schooled in that and educated in that because I was a former educator so I believe our board members on the CRA face the same thing I think they should get some training and some information on how to do their job and I think that's what we've been seeing I think we've been seeing a learning curve with the CRA and we have certainly seen since Josh Iran was hired in 2022 some improvement on his part he's told me things you know uh in the last year or so that two years ago he he didn't know right but but he's learning we all learn and and the day we stopped learning is the day we're not breathing anymore and uh so I just think in the resolution and and I know um I I don't feel I wouldn't feel comfortable not going forward with this we just received this a few minutes ago and the public has not as far as I know it's not it was not an attachment on the agenda and uh I just don't feel good about us moving forward with a resolution that the public has not seen we have not heard from the CRA um uh Mr irvan or or the the board uh to have this this conversation we've had one public Workshop since I've been on city council a joint workshop with the c one and and we're talking about doing something totally different uh and and I think we we we owe the volunteer board and the people that have put heart and soul in it as as good as they knew how right and good as they had known how um we we I think we owe them to to let's all grow together and and make this thing work for us because that's what it was designed to do in the first place and I think we have a responsibility try to make it work okay very good uh yeah we're starting opening for public comment uh I I was hoping we would we would wait on this I was concerned about us rushing to any kind of decisions because I think there a lot of things to consider and you got to play these things out as to what's it going to look like six months down the road or even six weeks down the road and you know who you g to offend uh and if you mess it up too bad how you gonna stand it back up all those different things only thing I would ask our attorney and he knows I've asked him of these questions on two or three occasions is to help give us guidelines and they we cannot direct the C but you need to tell us what we can do you know because we want to communicate with them but we don't want to dictate to them and you need to tell us how we can do that I I think you've already taken the first step in that mayor I think the joint Workshop the council and CRA had the uh previous ly is a great start I think that's probably a very beneficial approach to scheduling at least one or two of those a year and just make that a commitment that we're going to have routine coordination there between the two boards because it's not always the same thing for Mr Irvin Mr Townson to talk it's not always the same thing for Mr Townson to go to their meeting or Mr Irvin to come to our meeting having those two boards in the same room is when you can have those opportunities okay um go right I just want to say that I I would say that we need to do a couple of workshops fairly early on very quickly so that we can get our input the council's input to the CRA board and so that they can also give us feedback and concerns and their priorities and understand where they're headed because it's going to be relevant and this is not this is absolutely not you know meant to you know kind of give push back or anything I'm just saying it's going to be relevant to what we fund what we pursue and and how we look at some of the funding questions in terms of some of the percentage that we've discussed there are big ideas that have come out of their last meeting which I think are fantastic um and I think that if some of those were being pursued we would look at funding one way uh if those weren't be able to be done for whatever reason whether be cooperation at higher levels or with other entities you know we we have to you know reevaluate at that point but that I don't think that's a reflection of uh poor performance on their part it's just a a simple statement of you know the funding and the growth of the city are causing us to have to make some tough decisions either we can do a fire station because we get cooperation uh from all the tax and entities uh and and we leave that money at the CRA if they can't we got to do something we've got to figure that out because if if those are possibilities I we don't even have to have a discussion about uh you know possible you know additional cost to Citizens because of you know fire services and we don't even have to have that meeting but the sooner we get those issues resolved the better uh and understanding getting those things locked in is very important in terms of how we look at it long term M clear the motion wants to deny that's right the council Tak so I'm just if public has any comments I just give you I just have a little bit I I I listened to the workshop and I just want to clarify what this board has done in the last two years because there was a lot of talk about losing the focus on blight from everybody that was there there was talk about having come to Jesus meetings there was talk talk about Nob brainers and the first year that Josh was on this as the exact and it was a short fiscal year for him 14 awards for blight $4 4,24 second year 2023 24 29 Awards 94,000 two blooded properties acquired 30,000 that's all and you know just a comment this is my personal comment represent the council is I think that I saw you know because I I've been running up down these roads for 74 years not driving I didn't drive my first the 16 well yeah I did but anyway uh uh there are a lot of structures that are just falling apart and you know and I think that's what we've got to talk about is what can we do for those who can't afford to participate and to get reimbursed and so there some things that uh I think that we had in our Mind's Eye to see some significant changes in some structures that are falling apart versus they just some that look really bad and it all needs to be taken care of but I I would love to see us hit those those ones that are actually falling down especially along our main corridors uh you know so and that particular interest in Grants versus paybacks was brought up in their meetings two meetings ago it's a new program they're looking into yeah and one of the councilmen talked about it at the workshop yeah so that's in the works by this board I think Mr valle's Right we you know we have a couple of workshops that we can put all this on the floor and see how we can accomplish it yeah because it's tough to go to somebody's house and it's their home and tell them you need to clean this place up they don't just say okay bring the dumpster over it's very hard but we got do it and and these are volunteers doing it yeah understand yes ma'am I thank you for listening to my opinion in the last meeting that it would be uh hard for you to accept the CRA responsibilities in addition to yours but I'd like to go back to the main problem and that was you need some more money you just can't get it off of that table or should not get it off of that table or out of that pocket we need to spend some time thinking about how we can get more money from age on I have said we've got to increase our city limits I don't know how we have not marketed our elves to those who should be in the city limits but are not but are utilizing our services services like water and so on we've got to do that we've got to look at some other ways that we can increase uh the pot that we have there are so many tiny houses around that have um what do you call it home that exemption that aren't paying anything but those that are bigger that could afford to pay something even an increase in the tax base you're not tapping them they're out there in those other subdivisions why can't we entice them to come in why can't we look at other ways that we could be earning some more money thank you because I sympathize with the fact that you need it yeah okay now we have a motion on the floor I got a com oh yeah go right ahead okay uh I want to I want to throw out a few accolades to some unsung heroes that some of y'all may not really know them or what their background is in reference to our C CRA board members I'm going to start off with ryal HRI Hendricks uh he has been at the Forefront of the revitalization of uh downtown uh def springs for years now and has done a phenomenal job he's got this City's uh best interest at heart C Kathy Mosley is the vice chair she's been a member of the CRA since May of 2019 and has a long and is a longstanding member with the piac Springs business professional association and is highly respected and is a highly respected pillar of our community uh you've got uh Susan Blanka who has been a member of the CRA uh going on five years now she's got a lot of experience with the CRA um she's also the director of the um Senior Center on College uh but more importantly she is the heart and soul of the Life Enhancement senior set sener she brings a lot to the table um I would even describe her as somebody who's constantly in tune with what's going on with the city government and the County government she keeps her fingers on the pulse uh she's a valuable asset somebody else that's a valuable asset that's a brand new member is Lenny Hatcher uh she's the newest member of the CRA and she comes from the private sector she's retired from uh air gas as a project manager and has the reputation of being a problem solver with critical thinking skills she and her husband Trent have both uh both picked defc Springs as their new home and bring a lot uh to our city they bought a home on the circle they've already been involved in multiple volunteer projects uh her husband's a commercial airline pilot for FedEx and as I have been with him when he's given very valuable uh suggestions and advice uh to some people out there at our um airport and to Kobe um so I think that's pretty much it last but not least is um is Josh Iran uh he he's the quarterback of the team he's um he's endured a lot and he's made sure that we don't end up like pan Panama City CRA where half of them go to jail and he knows the Florida Statutes inside and out and he doesn't always do exactly what people might want him to do but he's kind of like clay his job is to keep us out of jail you know you can count on him to do the right thing he's got a master's in Business Administration he's Young he's energetic he's got his eye on the ball you got the all you got the All-American dream team right here already in place thank you thank you all right I had a big old long speech how about how about pronouncing your last name backo everybody does it it's okay so I had a big old long speech but since you got had a change of heart and realize how sideways that meeting really did go for us it was shocking I'm going to just come along with just a couple of things that I have here because um you know that Workshop was really a total ambush of the CRA it was just an ambush none we have followed all the rules we were never told by anyone that things were going sideways that we were not you know we were following everything clay said everything our master plan said I do believe I have here that clay you do say that these guys can actually make suggestions the appointees can talk to the council members can talk to their appointees there's a lot of opportunity instead of us playing Team C 5 and team city council 5 we need to be team defunc at 10 we could do amazing things doing it that way um I will have to say this one of the things my speech was in life when you see someone drowning the right thing to do would be to throw them a life jacket not take the boat and instead of just trying to take this thing over you know we can work together as a team there's a lot of ways to do that um the workshop really did put a scar on the CRA and the board members that served um I think we were all totally shocked to hear how unhappy you were and what you did is you came in unprepared you know after doing research after talking to a few of you you realize that we are doing what we're supposed to do to the best of our ability now add these you you five with us we can do all kinds of things okay we the CRA needs to stay here we've got good things Josh and everyone on board is looking forward to doing many many things in our community Through the CRA but let's play as a team yeah yeah thank you very much you as well did you just shoot me a kiss nops what was that oh my God thank you very much all right any other comments all in favor say I motion to deny correct yeah I motion to deny I I all right so the eyes carry and uh so the motion is or the uh resolution is denied all right thank you very much Kobe we are now at C5 yes mayor Mr Mayor before we jump in this one I'm going to recuse myself from this one since it includes councilman that'll be the next one this is the TPO discussion oh I'm sorry can I help you with this one yes please do thank you mayor uh Council Valley brought my attention that the transportation planning organization has a meeting coming up and would uh need to take some some input from the council for projects forward so councilman if you wouldn't mind yes thank you Kobe so um actually this the first meeting I'll actually be chairing again because we we skipped a couple meetings at the TPO but with this one what I want to make sure is that we we had a discussion previously about some of the road safety issues that we've run into with the construction going on but um since this meeting is coming up I just wanted to know if there was anything else that the council member excuse me that the council members would like uh discussed included we've got finally have a representative at the citizens advisory uh meeting as well so we have opportunities for that person to bring forward items uh that might be of local concern uh or any items that that you think that I need to start introducing back to staff this is my chance to talk to staff and I would love the board's input in terms of what you've seen what you're worried about I know um it this isn't you're only going to be able to deal you know in this short amount of time with things that you're seeing right now uh but that's okay we can we can deal with other ones later but again I just want an opportunity since this meeting coming up to get your input anything that you would like to address anything you'd like to discuss with staff at the TPO or even with planning I just your input would be uh very appreciated yeah I'm not real clear on what has what is moving forward you know because I mean you brought a lot of things to us and you know whether it be the P or the uh smart streets and all the different what what is is there one of those things being held up or being reconsidered no actually I'm very excited and I'm looking forward to next week's next week's meeting is it upcoming meeting uh at the Chipley office uh I forget exactly which day it is and that one I'm looking forward to seeing uh our our funding being as part of that list for the design on the on the path that goes all the way across the entire city on adjacent to 9B Baldwin and liveo so that one we we feel I feel good about I think we're in good place since they announced the design uh intention so that one I feel good about you know the bridge is something that we if if something comes up and that pedestrian bridge is something that the council wants to push uh or if you want me to push uh you know the the study on the realignment for 331 did not work out uh because of the big hole that's back there uh I'm not so sure that's not going to come back one day um but you know for now that's off the table we've got the safety improvements on sure you talking about realignment are you talking about the one we were talking about coming from 83 through the park yeah yes yeah that one that one is off the table um because of the wetlands issues um unfortunately that means that folks are still going to be a to deal with that dog leg at 83 and 90 that slows you down every morning and every afternoon so we're stuck with that one for now um but if there's something along there that you say say hey that's still a problem what else can we do I can I can take that to staff and we can try to have them look at some options definitely a problem it is a problem um unfortunately I don't see a really good solution because anything that we do there could put too much on Second Street in terms of pressure but maybe it is that we look on you know that Landfill Road and trying to create an alternate but um pushing priorities whether it be the safety improvements on 90 that road diet uh pedestrian bridge um the path is moving forward so I feel good about that one I don't we to push too hard there uh it could be that we want to discuss lighting because you know Street lighting is a way to improve safety where we can't do the road repairs is it that we want to look at um you know some of the things that uh our grant department was looking at like Transportation alternatives for connections down from that path that we're talking about here on liveo to the to west of Elementary is it um anything else anything else that you're seeing that we need to address or it may just be just a bad intersection that we just need to point out and get comments back from do again we're talking about the ones already here with the construction but what else do you might have again this is a chance to talk because we don't get to talk otherwise about this yeah it's true so when do you meet it is Thursday wow but again this is just a good opportunity to at least get you thinking about it next time we have a meeting which will be probably February or January we can we can you can bring me something else but again I want it on your radar the more the more we talk about it the more it stays front of house the better it is long term in terms of getting these things done well we've got a lot of ideas some of them didn't pan out too well I don't know if they you for example when we were trying to expand Bruce Avenue over to West that one is still on the list it is yes sir okay that one is not off off the table because there's you know there's quite a bit of apartment housing fix can go in on 19th Street it'd be nice to have thare through there where people walk and ride uh to 3:31 um and not have to go all the way up 19th Street you know to the tracks uh that one that one is still on the list it is okay yes sir so we can either if this the council wish that that one gets you know pushed a little bit harder than another one we can do that um those are all those are all part of that discussion whether it be Lighting on dorsy I know Mr Graham there had had brought up many times um you know we can talk about those things now that one's not a TPO infrastructure but it does attach to you know it's connection to 90 you know maybe we do the the the lighting along 90 and it would support you know uh Anthony M Johnson trail with providing lighting there would offset Lighting in the other are so again uh I know we actually have some uh water issues still at um near the cemetery there at 90 at actually Pastor Johnson's former business his wife still operates it and we do still get water from the road there at the end of dorus what's the name of the street there Runs Out in 90 Norwood Norwood is that a county or city road both I think correct it goes it runs north a little bit which is in the city limit and then then it will turn into County I believe weed some requests for lighting out there as well but to light the whole thing we'd have to work with the county okay but if there's none I'll just proceed as is but if you have anything sure yeah the pedestrian bridge to to me is a is a huge thing because I've seen people nearly turn over wheelchairs trying to get across that bridge because it's sloped you know and it's very narrow they have to go stay against the guard rail you know Crossing 331 there with all the people and to develop 19th Street all that kind of stuff there's going to be I believe more and more people on on scooters wheelchairs on at the way down 26th Street yeah so there's been going to be considerable housing added to West PC it's it's very dangerous people can stumble off that narrow sidewalk right out in front of a car we we've decided to pursue a cdbg grant on the new sidewalk on 20 uh we might start a conversation with do about well we get people down to 990 how do we get them across so we can start talking about that if the council desired as well that's the only on that I'm thinking of you know I'm I'm just stuck on this uh 83 to 331 intersection that to me that is just a no-brainer we I know it's going to be tough going through that Ling in there but God we need it I I think that would have been life altering for a lot of folks that live on the North side of town well U I'll take the I'll take the pedestrian bridge and and if everyone's okay with it I'd like to begin the conversation about what we do at the end of the sidewalk once we bring it down yeah and everything out bog one the trail that that's already in motion that's all part of that funding that I'm looking forward to seeing the release on yeah you can do that you don't need a motion or do you no sorry just just Direction discussion can I mention also you're the chair of that is that correct yes sir he is only chair if I'm not mistaken from Walton County ever that organization Sarah Commander chaired it uh she had it for one year but otherwise it's coming on 20 years yeah but what but the good news is that we're have a rotation now it's a an agreement so now at least someone from Walton County will be part of that process at least uh Vice chair and every other year yeah that's great appreciate you all righty okay mayor move on Sir uh this is 4 C6 um go ahead and so I I will recuse myself from this item okay this is a task order from duberry to provide bidf services and CI services in relation to the 280b water and sewer utility project the city did receive a $500,000 legislative appropriation a few years back for this particular project infrastructure and so I know Cliff is here representing the veterans Lodge and developer and so through this and speaking with legal we are asking for approval of the task order this is above my spend Authority um this this will be paid out a capacity impact fees and then the city um would be responsible for $500,000 of the project is what we received in let appropriation and developer will be responsible for any cost above that that amount any motion approve yes sir we're ask for motion to approve the 280b task order with those stipulations yes sir thank you second all right we have a motion second questions anyone comments all in favor say I I all I I Carrie thank you very much Kobe we'll go to uh let's see I guess we'll go to Liberty Partners yes sir all right we'll go to Liberty Partners on D1 good evening mayor good we're going to keep this short hopefully um we're here to talk about your 2025 legislative appropriation priorities you all have in your packet your updated CIP which I know Kobe and staff have C through multiple times you also have your major funding request list from last year and basically it's just a list of items that you took off the CIP that were the most important to look for funding whether it was Appropriations or grants or something similar so what we're asking you all to do is do the same this year uh going into the legislative session Tim's going to talk a little bit about um the process and then uh we'll give you a recommendation that we think yall should look at just want to quickly level said uh you know we saw some of this last session with a kind of a reduction in total member projects with the new house Speaker Danny Perez he's made very clear from the onset uh that we're going to see a reduction in member Pro special member projects uh he cited some of the number where um those projects have increased from 174 million in 2019 to 1.3 billion this last year so uh he's made some other changes uh he changed the name of the Appropriations Committee to the budget committee which he said was you know maybe it a little bit seemed like a simple change but it was actually a philosophical shift U that of recent years the legislature has been a little too willing to spend taxpayer dollars without enough oversight so um you know we we anticipated that so we know that the projects that we put forth are going to have to be well vetted uh any projects that you're able to also point to a match you know for example the effluent line uh and other projects I think are going to be better received so um that's just what we wanted to offer now we've got U some some upcoming deadlines uh we just received notification that the Walton County legislative delegation will be held on Thursday January the 9th uh at 5:30 um you know mayor you and I met with representative abbid earlier today and you said that will likely be in Freeport so uh so we know that that's when the delegation will uh will meet and that's an opportunity for for y'all to present your proposals to the delegation at that time U and then the internal deadline of Representative Abbott is February 7th to have these requests to him February 14th to have uh his office to have them submitted and then February 28th to have them published uh one other little thing that's worth noting is the attestation process May or you may recall all the information that you submit uh you've got to test you know attest that that information is accurate uh those forms are due on March the 7th just a few days after the start of the legislative session on on March the 4th so that's kind of what we're all ramping up for so appreciate this opportunity to walk through your priorities and then in terms of timing Concepts obviously the legislative session ends on May 3rd or second excuse me but we won't know about the budget until usually mid June it'll be a July one budget so we'll know if something gets vetoed so really um arguably from an appropriation standpoint we won't know whether or not you were awarded anything until July one let's just look at it uh that way we did um as Tim mentioned we had a a conversation with representative Abbott today about a whole host of items and um mayor he reflected on his comments to you about the focus really he believes and again keep in mind that your house member and your Senator are the ones that put these in you can ask for whatever you want but they have to agree to it and they have to be the ones that seek the funding and um his suggestion was uh you were effluent line effluent line effluent line um and I think the I think the the suggestion was um one project is good two three don't do it so his um his goal at least and I'm sure that Senator Trumble will follow his lead is really to try to stay very focused and the good news is you all are doing um well at seeking Appropriations funding but also seeking grant funding so this isn't your only thing you're depending on it's it's great if we can do it but we think that um seeking appropriation for your effluent line furthering that process would make sense uh you've got your 300,000 or so um seed money and it's an argument we think we can make and I think your representative can make as well what will of the council there I'd say we submit for the influent line well I think it was one of the three everybody give with that sir okay let's have a motion on that off recognize that so moved second all right we have a motion to Second any uh questions comments I know the public probably think what's an influence well that's you know we have uh at our treatment plant we treat raw sewage and then it goes through an abluent line to our spray Fields about four miles away and it has been greatly damaged over the last several years and uh we're not going to get any help from D or USDA or probably any of the rest of them until we fix that problem so that's why it's a priority you know and uh uh it's going to take about 9 million to do it but we got to start chomping away at it so that's just a little bit of explanation of what we're talking about okay any other comment all in favor say I I I I I I security and Mr Mayor we'll work with Kobe then in terms of amounts and again suggestion that representative Abbot made was less than a million dollars so it may be one of those 500 or $700,000 sweet spots but we'll work with Kobe on what makes thank you so much you got it appreciate you all right Mr Kobe here I we're going back to Mr Wallace now uh on 4 d excuse me 4 E1 Mr W yes sir thank you good evening Council I'm bringing uh before the council tonight a review of the final plan for a free standing emergency room that's located just south of the new sethco on Highway 331 this is a single story building approximately 11,000 square ft located on 9 Acres if you've had a chance to look at the plans they will be accessing this through the private Frontage Road that was installed during the sefco development so they are extending that further south and then turning to the West uh to accommodate future development um to the west side of this building here so what I'm asking for tonight is approval of the the final plan and permission to issue a development order once all of the capacity and impact fees are paid so second I have a motion of second questions comments anyone all in favor say I I I I I is carry thank you Mr Wallace and U going to go back to you and this is a small scale Amendment therefore that is is a quasa Judicial proceeding mayor anyone wishing to speak on item 5 A1 2025 ssa2 which is Jonathan Nation behalf of Barry catch requesting a flume Amendment on US Highway 331 South just north of Myrtle Avenue needs to be sworn at this time that includes staff the applicant and any other person wishing to speak ask question or provide any other testimony on this stand raise your right hand now be please repeat after me I do hear by swear or affirm I do hear by swear or firm that the testimony I present that the testimony I present will be the truth will be the truth the whole truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth nothing but the truth thank you mayor staff and the audience are sworn okay okay this is uh Barry cat's request to amend The Flume for property located on 331 South just north of Myrtle Avenue um if you look at the the staff report that was provided the Zoning for this property is currently in irely C2 commercial the for whatever reason the future land use map which is the last page of that report um the southern half is designated as commercial the northern half is designated as low density residential so they are requesting an amendment to go ahead and uh amend the map to include that northern half as commercial um it does AB but a low density residential on the north and east side so any development would require a 20 foot landscape buffer um with a fence to help Shield any impacts it might have on that adjoining property um probably more concerned about the property to the east I could see the property to the north at some point uh becoming commercial but because of the the designation that exists today any development will require that buffer on those two sides so I am requesting U permission to hold the first reading of the ordinance for Mr Catz so moov I have a motion second any questions comments uh no what Mr W what's the uh the cool toac behind it is that residential or what what is it back there it is residential but it was never subdivided per se so there's there are a couple structures that are located more along I guess it would be 13th Street but there's really nothing that backs up along that Colac that would be impacted by this any future commercial development that's a private or is that a public uh I believe it's a public Street it looks like um on the exhibit that the current land use like you mentioned that parcel to the north and then there's another one just beyond it that looks like that one's also C2 it's cut off part of it it's right at exhibit a at the very top well the ordinance or uh I was looking exhibit too um I think it's the other direction you talking top of it yeah yeah there's a up there close to Orange there's a C2 is the other one yeah the one before I don't think it's GNA show it scroll down go back a little bit Jesse no other way yeah it's not going to show it other way it's not going to show it other way it's not on there but there's a C2 right outside so it looks like it's split where we have a mix of c2s and and yeah low density residential and and then um I mean we're getting yeah that's that's pretty far south yeah okay okay so motion a second any other comments yes sir um this bar I'm a resident of on 12th a and guava I was met with a senior citizen Liv on 13th um that's a heavily residential area as we know there are a house located here there's a nice print store in here very good I use all the time Google Maps actually takes you when you come into my neighborhood for M outs well not very well developed street but it is a residential street I just just like suggest you look very very carefully before you change change that into non-residential because I I I'm worri about about the impact that'll have on the rest of the neighborhood these houses are sary houses that are being um lot Renovations going some of those houses along 13th there's been wonderful a new a new um Barn put in a historic house over here over here on 13th has also been really renovated but just should be very very when to change these okay for commercial reason and I know that the that argument was presented the C C2 that we talked about it's just about couple hundred yards north of this one was that those lots are attached to 331 not really attached to uh 13th Street and that these people are going to be coming in and out of a highly trafficked commercial Highway and for that to be residential is a little bit dangerous you know and so well at the moment you come out 331 up Park up burlock up Bru um but I I think uh at the moment old three are very accessible to the neighborhood I don't really think it's a very pleasant tree lined area all the way down except one that one car wash place stuck down there so I think the develop of that area something planning look very careful at in terms of making sure we maintain at least some trees along the area too yeah it's the ENT of the city we don't want to have another strip yeah I understand thank you very much anyone else all right all in favor say I I I I I I car thank you very much okay so this is a ordinance number to be determined it's an ordinance adopting a small scale land use map Amendment of the city defunc Springs comprehensive plan changing the land use classifications repealing all ordinances in Conflict here with providing for severability and conflicts providing for codification and providing for an effective dat thank you very much okay and this will be back on our next meeting January the 13th okay okay thank you Council thank you all right Mr Cliff um to talk to us about the the rideway there on Circle Drive and mayor I'm going to recuse myself from this one okay thank you mayor thank for thank you for the opportunity to be here pass these out real so I'm here tonight represent representing Continental uh Pacific development uh you guys might know they purchased the old hospital site they also purchased two adjacent residential buildings uh one just to the north and one that's a little bit to the West uh the proposed to do a development includes a total of 11 units um as part of the project uh they intend to basically rehabilitate uh and completely uh redo the old hospital building and each of those two residential units that are in pretty bad disrepair and have been for a long time uh we had a preapplication meeting with Chris Wallace and uh laid out kind of just a general plan on what it is we wanted to do and uh as part of our plan we would like to put in four parallel parking spaces on uh East liveo as part of our project uh we're required to have a total of 11 spaces we can easily fit 13 without the parallel parking on East live uh but if you look at the photos that are on the second page of what I handed out uh the section that's along East live right now has really a uh like a 22 foot travel lane and then it's got like five or six feet of uh broken concrete and recycled asphalt and all sorts of other stuff before you get to the curb and so as part of our um development plan we would like to put in parallel parking right there uh that would not just be for this development it would be public parking and so anybody could use it at any time but the front of the old hospital site if you stand in the road on East live o and look at the old hospital site it really needs to be dressed up uh there's a lot of concrete uh that's poured out in front there that needs to be removed the sidewalks need to be replaced and and we would be proposing to redo the Landscaping all the way across that Frontage as well and so um we could fit 13 spaces on our site without a problem uh we can fit uh 11 by just double loading uh the uh residential parcel to the north but uh Mr Wallace indicated that before we moved forward with submitting our project and our plans that I should come to the council and ask for the council's blessing to do improvements within the city rer and so that's our that's our request and that's what we're proposing is to put in four parallel spaces uh and redo the curve and redo the sidewalks uh within the city rway and that would include some Landscaping as well so that's that's generally what I'm asking for and so I'll be happy to answer any kind of questions that you might have good I have a lot of questions on this I don't think I was on the council at the time this was an originally approved so for example if you're asking for a RightWay nothing's approved at this time appr okay sorry for okay all right so you're asking for a RightWay and what is the purpose of getting of the RightWay we're not asking for the rideway okay so did I miss something sorry yeah we're not we don't want to own your R away we don't want I thought that's what the request was on the am I missing something hold on man we're not asking for any right away from theity discussion over request for right away dedication yeah all we're asking to do is build parallel parking in the city's rideway it'll be continue to be the Public's rideway the city's rideway it's not anything that they're asking to take ownership okay I'll come back to that for a minute but let you know how you said you got 13 you can accommodate 13 yes ma'am all right so here's what I see so is that a the little square with the X in it is that a covered part working spot uh it is right now that's existing right okay so you got this building you got nine units with six parking spaces behind it then you got up over here another unit building where you've got three yep but this little roadway where you got the four cars parked that's that's existing right is that like a driveway or something of that house that you access through Circle Okay so how am I going to move if I'm one of these owners if I live in here if I purchase in here and the guy that owns I'm assuming that this guy this new homeowner is going to have the covered parking yep so if I'm this guy back here how am I going to get through yeah so so because that's problematic for me yeah so we could double stack just like you would any other unit you could double stack two cars in there how is that dve right now I mean it doesn't look that wide so yeah I think existing driveway is probably 10 ft uh but we can certainly make it a little bit wider if we needed to um we're probably going to be rebuilding the majority of the sidewalks and concrete that's out there now and so you can double sack in a uh single family residence just like you do anywhere else so another question these four parking spaces that you're to put on our rideway what happens when we got to tear it up to get to the infrastructure underneath well so we would coordinate it with your utilities um if there was anything that needed to be done we would certainly address it but I'm saying what happens when we discover it's our property we discover we've got a problem we now need to tear up your brand new sidewalk to get to what's below it okay what what happens then so during the design process we would get with Randall and we would get all your utilities located so that if there was something that needed to be relocated we could so sorry cff I'm saying there's going to what happens when the infrastructure is upgraded by the city five years from now after you've already sold the units and I don't I mean I don't think it would be any different than any other city rideway I mean you guys have parallel parking all over the place all we're proposing is the same parallel so so when we do RightWay improvements let's address that because we don't have that come up very often when you authorize RightWay improvements to be done in a private development fashion the first thing they do is they do utility locate and we determine where our utilities are as Mr now is indicting the reason we do that is we determine to that point in time are they going to locate them off of that RightWay outside of that area or not that's a discussion they would then have with the city if there are utilities underneath that area that we' never we'd ever need to get to we would know that upfront however if they are to remain there typically what you would look at the developer and say is this is it you're you're you're taking this risk if we're letting you do this it's going to be yours to repair or yours to replace if you're doing these improvements and we have to tear it up for some reason and that's how it works with almost every one of these scenarios where we continue to have it as our right of way but in most right of way scenarios even if someone else improves it it is still our right of way to maintain so that would be part of the agreement we'd have to reach once we determine what is there or what is not there so how does granting this this use of that to build those four parking spaces how does that affect the Public's use of access to that because there's is are the people that are going to buy these units thinking that that's for their guests and not not public parking first come first serve just like every other parallel space in the city they would be completely public park no difference whatsoever and they would not be able to sign they would not be able to sign them as private or otherwise and just out of curiosity what's the benefit to the City by granting the use of that you you would have additional Downtown parking that you have you know the need for it all all the time there's no parking there now no man' I I can't I can't park there right now your car would be out on the road yeah if you want to park on the road it's 5et wide outside of the pavment outside of the Pavements 5 feet wide yes ma'am there's a picture on the second uh exhibit it shows you exactly what it looks like right now which picture look at the very bottom of the second that's what's there right now that's it's uh it's not concrete like the rest of the roadway is it's looks like recycled asphalt and some other materials we don't know exactly what all it is but is that not the building is that not the hospital yeah the brick building is is a yes ma'am what is that really yeah this is uh is this picture taken from um Circle it is down down and it's going west you're looking West on looking straight west in the picture okay yes ma'am so there's I mean there's half of a parallel parking space there now uh we're asking to put a we're asking to look yeah make it wider your car would be out in the street if you park there right now or at least two or three the street so they're wanting to do the project right they're not wanting to uh peace me it or or you know build something that's not topnotch they're uh a reputable developer and so our first step uh in following Chris Wallace's Direction was to come to the council and ask for the council for your blessing to be able to make some improvements in the RightWay it's still going to come back to you for approval so whatever we whatever we propose to do is still going to come back to you and when it comes back to us what is it called what what is that phase of the project called well it's Continental Pacific development I don't know that they have a name for the project yet um and so sorry I meant what do we call the tech see the final plan what is it the final plan same thing you approved for the hospital today yeah we just really don't want to uh go into designing everything if it's not the council's will to allow us to uh build some additional parking there so um and this is a Chris Wallace's recommendation so we're kind of just following his lead on what he recommended go ahead sorry I still um how many parking spaces are they required to have 11 11 so so there's there's 13 not counting the street parking correct right so here's my concern and I talked with Kobe about this in our our our meeting to go over the agenda items that we'd be studying up on and my concern was that these would be used for the tenants of of of this these units and and I think you know the parking space is seven eight and N although they're there I question if I had a choice of where I parked and it was raining and I could from this side the liveo side of the building I would park in those public spaces I wouldn't park in s eight and N so I I wonder how much these public parking spaces will be occupied by a car that's sitting there by a state home mom or whatever Library patrons don't have access to these parking spaces so that that's my only concern and I I get the gesture of of of the developers spending the money to pay for for these parking spaces I just um would like a little more assurance that they'll be actually available to the public well it's it's in your right of way if they approve it you're not giving them any authority over those spaces it's in your right of way and we control that by ordinance but I'm just saying by convenience where where would you park right I would park closest the building I could park if I were attendant there um so I don't I don't know how that is Ved but it's it's uh yeah I don't I don't think it's a lot different than the parallel parking that you have all through the downtown area if if I live in a house for example that has parallel parking directly out front and my driveway is full my guests are probably going to use the parallel parking that's out front um but that's not designated for my house it's you know kind of first come first serve basis and so this is really no different than that and and that goes back to my point why why do we why do we even need to approve or provide that for us plus to me the city's that's the city's property which means you guys are going to get four spaces for free with no tax no you don't have to pay any taxes on it so it's like why wouldn't I just they would have a substantial cost in building it for sure and no guarantee that it would be there for any of their residents because you guys have events all the time where everything's filled up down there and of course the city could always pass RightWay parking regulations on street parking regulations I know we've talked about that at the code lers Review Committee it's part of our downtown plan about ways to regulate parking in a way to make it more efficient so that would remain within the council's purview well and it's funny because on Circle Drive on the front side of this there's plenty of opportunities right there that where it's probably could use some upgrades as well so it's funny how did you choose that space versus maybe on this side I can tell you exactly how so if you look at the photos that are included in front of you okay if you look at the uh trees that are on Circle Drive there's humongous uh hickories and Live Oaks and magnolia trees that are on Circle Drive but are not on East live o and so there's some tremendous trees out there that we wouldn't even consider um doing anything with as part of the project wh which trees are you talking about yeah there's a photo uh facing both directions on Circle Drive okay just give me a second and you can see the the size of the trunk is like 3T diameter that's not on Circle oh yeah that is circle yes it is okay so one right down there so there's two trees you're talking about two trees yes ma'am we definitely wouldn't want to consider messing what they're doing on live well for one thing it would really clean that ugly mess up I mean they're going to make it real attractive and you don't have parking there now you'll have Park parking after they get done Mr Mar yeah uh you know in in the past with developments that were occurring off of Walton Road you know we we contemplated parking we we contemplated uh to a certain extent the the very thing that this developer is coming to us proactively and offering to help us with that is they're developing additional parking that is free to us um and and that they are trying to do as part of being a good citizen and a good Steward of of that area again if if we have to tear it up because there's a pipe underneath it they bear their cost of fixing it they bear the cost of putting it in to begin with we we always talk about needing parking needing parking needing parking and here we have someone offering to develop it on their dime on our property with with no attachments whatsoever to them um as far as it somehow being a benefit to them it's also a benefit to the to the greater public in that area that's using it during the day we also don't have um we we don't permit if I'm not mistaken overnight parking so it's very it's a very simple Enforcement issue if there if they see that there's a lot of overnight parking because they're using those spaces because that's convenient to them that's a simple discussion between the city Marshall and the city manager to address that issue and I imagine at that point the property manager says hey if you park there and you're there overnight you're going to get your car towed why why would we as a council set a precedence of Turning Away a developer that is trying to do the right thing and actually add to our downtown and add to our our wonderful City by worrying about you know some tenant maybe parking there more than we like or not or don't like it just seems crazy to me to kind of put up a stiff arm over four or five parking spaces when they're technically meeting the minimum requirements Elsewhere on the property already you are correct the ordinance does read that it should be unlawful for any person to park any motor vehicle on any Street sidewalk park or public place for an excess of 24 hours consecutive without a permit from the city council so while it's titled overnight parking it's a 24-hour parking requirement clay yes is it true that we gave a RightWay parking uh to the church there uh across uh you know they're outside of their parking lot so the church on lot the portion that sits on Live Oak there are some diagonal spots there that are outside of their parking lot that someone I just learned that the city provided a right away in exchange for when we have events they'll allow us to use their entire parking lot for City activity is that accurate that predates me i' have 19 they that predates before I was even born so I'd have to look back that oh my God that even predates before my father was the City attorney he did it for 40 plus years so I'd have to look back at that could you please do that I I will gladly look up what that looks like where would we find it because I I looked at it I I could look at the RightWay maps and figure out what that look like I'd like to see what we did for them yeah I had just made a comment to her that I said you know method first methods first bad is they have been extremely good to us providing parking for a lot of events and things that go on and so you know I say more PRI to them you well I I think that's a great example of where we've allowed someone to develop it the exact same thing that they're asking to do now and the city great has greatly benefited from well my my question was what's besides the construction of four spots what's the city's benefit to awarding the I can tell you pretty easy goe looks terrible right now there I mean what what is out there right now looks looks horrible it's not enough to park in it's it's five or five and a half feet of basically uh recycled asphalt on the side of the concrete road that you can't parking I wish I could see it uh cff I can't see it right now but I mean I've parked in that little there is a parking spot yes man' the only thing that's a parking space is the concrete apron that goes all the way up to the hospital mm it's a huge giant section of concrete apron that goes to the hospital you can park there and get entirely off the road but in between that and Circle Drive there's not enough room to parallel park a car without being out in the roadway I I'll add to it the fact that they're going to redo that Curbing and right now I I as someone that was volunteering the other night at Christmas Reflections I literally witnessed multiple people about take out not only their their car tire but the rocker panel because that curbing right there is like 14 inches tall and I've actually my mom has told me before that she's damaged her vehicle making that turn too tight there so there there's tremendous benefit in having a developer come through and fix a lot of the the deficiencies that are there well first off I want to say this is this is a discussion that we did not have at the last council meeting about the CRA and not stiff arming a developer that's trying to help our town I am trying to get clarification on what this means by asking questions which citizens expect me to do and I will continue to do so so what what I want to know is now that you clarified there's ordinances that don't allow 24-hour parking that makes a difference to me but we don't have to make such a step statement Mr bebom about uh that we're giving a developer a difficult time I'm not giving them a difficult time I have accepted this man every time he has stepped to this Podium with Grace and appreciation for what you do for us and I welcome the questions because it gives me an opportunity to explain what it is we're trying to accomplish I'm not an argumentative person I'm an easygo person but when I have questions to ask it's my duty and my responsibility to ask those questions the worst thing we can do is rush through anything without questioning without discussion because those are the things that always come back to bite you those end up being the the very worst decisions you could possibly make when we rush through them sometime so excuse me for you know for haven't Haven to express this I I don't I don't mean to be difficult I truly don't but I'm not hard timing I know who who's developing this I I don't have an issue with that at all I I think it's a great idea to add some parking there I just was concerned somebody Parks a car there and leaves it there for a week three days somebody tenant of that thing is that a problem ordinances will cover that I'm happy I'm good but please allow me the opportunity to discuss and question these things by the way nothing would stop us under that same ordinance under chapter 13 from metering it we yeah I mean we don't do a lot of metered parking right now the city I don't know if we have any left under the city's coffers the way we did but that was put in place in the 60s and there was metered parking in this city for many years that's right that's right and you're right about the curbs I mean it's a horrible area right there that does need Improvement I'm all about it I just I want to make sure we you know people that tend to go to the library have to park on both sides of your Circle Drive and then you've got one on Lane traffic basically sometimes with people coming through there so the additional parking should help you seen it back when there was a full-blown Hospital land Library I'm sure so I'm just trying to clarify that the public that these will actually help the parking problem in that area and not just be occupied by stationary cars that are left there for Days by tenants that's all yes in the other the other thing that requires your approval is for us to rebuild the sidewalks like the sidewalks in that area are in terrible shape and so we would like to repour all the sidewalks as part of the project that's also in your RightWay and so we also can't do that without your um what somebody saying you know giving us the ability to do that and I I like to thank you for articulating that because maybe I wasn't articulating it as well because I too am a very inquisitive person when I don't understand I have to ask multiple questions I do know who this belongs to and who and I applaud it I think it's going to be great for the area uh and it's going to improve that whole entire block right there so you know I don't have a problem per se for the what's going to occur here I just don't know understand why we need to do that or in such a rushed fashion um this was just proposed or I've only seen this since Thursday so for me I think again I think I learned my lesson from a mistake that we made as a group the last council meeting and I just don't want to yeah rush to judgment to um approve or disapprove especially if I don't understand something so thank you I completely understand and uh certainly you guys will have another you know another chance to look at the overall project when we do our official submitt through planning we just wanted to get um your feedback and and look if you guys vote no then then we know what we got to do uh but if you vote Yes then we'd like to incorporate with cleaning up that rideway area because it looks terrible there now if we did say no what would what would be your next how would you accommodate your project because I'd like to see your project move forward but what yeah so um leave that old dirty screen out yeah I mean I mean if if the city says you can't touch our rideway then we're stuck with broken sidewalks we're stuck with broken curb and we're stuck with the recycled asphalt uh that you see outside of the concrete and the condos s would you but but do you need our right do you need a RightWay permission uh you you don't you don't want to ride away you only want our permission to make the repair that's all we're ask no written right of way asking for any city right of the actual just want permission to the actual motion just to be clear would be to allow the developer to improve the city RightWay as part of the plan that has to come back to you so you're giving him permission to include RightWay improvements on the plan he'll be submitting the planning that you'll then ultimately approve and then If you deny that plan he still doesn't get to do it but he cannot include legally RightWay improvements if you don't bless it to do it that's the issue between tonight and the final approval when will we discover what's underneath to know where my to know where the city's infrastructure yeah we'll get with I'm GNA get with Randall and have Randall locate everything so that we can find out exactly where the waterline is it' be before it goes to Planning Commission be the short answer well before that and when you say Planning Commission you're talking about the counties I'm refering to ours our planning board oh our planning board okay okay it's yeah it's still got to go before them and if they approve it then it comes to you guys we got we got infrastructure under every street every sidewalk every parking lot shocked there's any that as this is really nothing we have infrastructure under it I I'm gonna be surprised if we have too much under where that M that old asphalt is because that's not normally what we go back over the top with if we had infrastructure yeah and we haven't submitted yet so we haven't even submitted our official set of plans to Chris through to go through planning we had a pre-application with them and when we showed parallel parking and redoing the sidewalks and redoing the Landscaping he said look before you submit you need to come before the city council and get the city council's uh blessing to do any kind of work in the city RightWay and so we're not asking for to own any of the city RightWay we just want to make improvements so I mean I I said what I what I said I do I do not see a problem with this if our ordinances handled the the parking all I need to know I I don't mind making the motion if I know what to say exactly that covers what we need so all you're looking for if you want to approve it is um to Grant the developer permission to include the RightWay improvements proposed on their development you can say soov I'm so moved I would do that I'll make it easy all right all right we have a second second all right have a second any other questions comments from anyone question did Mr Valley leave he he accused himself on this this young lady here oh sorry for the record I love the idea of having the sidewalk improved and things like specifically in that area going to the library is awful suggestion for the entire historic district possibly is doing a time limit of no more than four hours because of what we're putting in here and we want to make sure that our residents and not just the residents of that those cont have use of that could be another potential just a suggestion but I love the idea of upgrading it getting it fixed at the developer cost and not at the city cost now the question is repairs as was stated by several council members if it breaks if there's a crack is that developer going to repair for life when are we everything we do everything we do has to be tested right that's and and so we do the best we can to test if it meets our test and we accept it now if if uh infrastructure is a problem we don't have to fix it you know if we had to break it up to go down there I don't think there's any Junctions underneath that stretch uh normally it may be a run of pipe uh there's all kind of ways of fixing that without tearing up a street or a sidewalk but anyway uh and that could be part of the development plan approval that could be part of the development order just suggestions like like that adding you know things into make sure that the city's not going to be liable it's a great Improvement for that area absolutely thank you anyone else yes yes ma'am I'd like to see 45 degree parking there so we get more spaces I nearly got killed there I and that's going to put you way up way up further off the road I don't know if they got room do all that yeah I was trying to put up a a sign for a concur event to um Reflections and near got killed because the cars werey anyone else all in favor say I I like the concept however I'm concerned that it's a rush since I've seen this I I need to think about this some more so mine's no all right was Carrie thank you very much invol this next yes sirity so is so the rule is when there's only three of us a majority vote got to have a majority vote that's a quorum okay can't can't act with less than two total but if you have three two two two passes all right go ahead with the uh the design Bill yes sir just a quick update on your uh terminal project uh they have completed the polishing of the uh terminal Lobby and it looks absolutely amazing so they've got a pile of people working till 8 o'clock every night for the last week and a half or two weeks uh they're expecting to be pretty close to done with all the floors by the end of this week and uh it really does look amazing so pictures I didn't bring any pictures and there were Footprints uh on it from when I was there earlier today or I would have brought you some but uh anyways uh things are going really well they finished all the tile on the floors of the bathrooms they're getting ready to start the wall tile tomorrow and uh it's coming along great and the polished floors look amazing so they should be done with them by the end of this week and I'll introduce uh Jimmy seart he's the project manager for ddb okay mayor council I appreciate you g me opportunity to be here uh sha Dominguez couldn't make it he had a veteran uh engagement out of state um but I've been with the project since the uh beginning um we're getting a lot accomplished out there we're working seven days a week to make sure that we turn this thing over but you know I'm not the most favorite person on site sometimes because certain things like the polishing the floor I hit the pause button because we still have to turn over a fantastic product and we want to get the project done but we also want to make sure we're turn over something that everybody's proud of um especially us we put a lot into this one so um we're still on schedule to finish by January and um we look forward to uh continue to give you updates on the progress out there it's been herculan effort yeah thank you very much greatly appreciate all right we G up uh I'm hoping we can not have to take a break here but we go up the floor for citizen comments U we give you an opportunity have three minutes state your name you represent an organization please state that as well and so the floor is open again I just have one quick question Lisa Sor representing the dog park task force back in October it was um brought to the council's attention and staff was supposed to bring back two concepts costs regarding the dog park locations because we did have two suggested locations do we have an idea of when those should be got back so uh staff's currently working on I've gotten a rough tra preliminary of of the idea they're working on getting quotes for the fencing it won't be perfect won't be be an estimate um so yes we are working on currently so hopefully after the New Year um within January I can bring that back for for review okay thank you thank you come on young man yes how you doing mayor Donald L Graham local businessman on the east side M Mr M I you know I like the uh the State of Affairs in the city you know I'm a businessman I like to see businesses you know open and and ground being uh moved around but uh all your uh I didn't hear the uh Golden Corral or popey's chicken on the east side of town how you how how you left that out man trust me I hear that one all the time yeah man like man like you know I got a lot of resonance on that East Side you know a lot of them walk and lot of them you know use a city cab and stuff like that so uh we got to look in focus on uh trying to Market and influence uh some people to come to that East sector you agree yeah absolutely yeah yeah don't forget about East sector you know we voting taxpayers know well you know we were obviously we can't dictate to anybody right right right come come here uh but we can certainly try to lay out the you know the red carpet as best we can exactly exactly you know the giil of gal you know to influence them by that Circle lakeyard or you know night life some of the beautifullest women in in the funex Springs to come down y'all can put a proposition together I mean you know the is you I go to everybody say well we trying to get to the fun pra so uh but yeah on the uh and I'm really proud of the State of Affairs uh in the funck you know we all come as a team the councel the people uh the advertisements you know because I speak well of the funck everywhere I go uh so I'm proud of you know being a one of the few minority businesses businessman here in the city right uh and we proud of the fex Springs so we like to keep everything within the city right you know we don't have to Outcast or ask no other City How We Roll yeah you know so uh just wanted to let you know also too that parking now maybe you know speaking of just one thing the city of Dustin got it going on with that that at paid to park in certain areas they got little spaces yeah and that helps the uh the business tourist area you I do a lot of work for down in that way so definitely we got a lot going on what we tring to do we going to get them all in here what's that we're going to H them in here like bun C then we're going to meet her we don't want to meet her before they come yeah well let me ask another thing too you know uh is that still up for sale Old City Hall well it is we're about to talk about it oh you about to talk about it okay ex request I got a group that want to come in and try to you know put something like some uh retail shops man so a little stuff like that I we got plenty of banks but that's just my opinion Donald L Graham thank you stay tuned anyone else all right we're going to close the FL for public comment we're going to go to our City attorney on that very thing that property sale at The Old City Hall you have before you your Fourth Amendment to the real estate purchase and sell agreement wherein CCB is asking for an extension to form due diligence to now extend the contract to June 16 2025 I know Kobe has a few comments he wants to put on and then I'll turn it over to the council to ask questions Mr Townson thank you so yes I've been in contact with the bank spoke with them and as Mr ainon said they're asking for 150-day extension and which uh roughly 60 days to do testing 60 days to provide D for response and 30 days for DS for their review and so um at the end of the day the bank is going to submit any findings uh they have whether clean or not clean to DP uh they they've said they spoke with the agency and if there is nothing come up in the in the environmental test then D will issue a letter of no further action um but if there is something come does come up then the D would take that assessment and review it and so I spoke with the bank told them that I would relay that message to all of you as I've done all week and so that's where we're at with the extension requests and the intent of the bank I will come in I don't the the agreement says dun period extended to perform certain activities as recommended by fdp I can't speak to whether fdp told the bank that or not I'll say that's not what they spoke to Mr Townson and I about they may well have told them something different so it is to the council's discretion is there anything we can do and other words we leave a door open an option to entertain other bill while this is waiting periods going I mean well we guarante other bids but you can't move somebody in first position you execute this extension they are first position motion to approve the extension second I have a second questions comments um I have I have pause well I have pause about the language that you mention I'm not I don't recall that from our previous conversations um also I mean DP had already said that there wasn't anything for them to review but there was there not a did they not issue a letter to that effect was just a conversation so it was a conversation um that had been U had with that to myself and to the company that the bank had employed to do the testing that company did provide a letter to the bank think I think Mr ainson can test that to it that the test that the company completed um did not meet the requirements of De Administrative Code so therefore the agency would not review the assessments is that accurate that's a fair and accurate assessment corre so they would have to perform another they would have the bank would hire the company to do another assessment that would hopefully meet the requirements of administrative code to the department once complete they would provide that theep for assessment and I just just recap a little bit originally it was what six months yes sir Y and now it's a well over Year yes they won't how many how much more 150 to junee so it's more that more than that actually from December oh God it's 180 oh my goodness but this is going to clear up the whole mess right we're going to know one way or the other what contaminants if any are under that oh I don't know about that you can just keep well D says they're going to give keep flipping well the DP is going to give them a report on what they do so they're going to do a testing to DP standards if there is something there DP will say it DP could say it's permanent remediation that doesn't mean they're going to buy the bank unless we agree to indemnify or anything else at that point but at that point we can get out of it we we don't have to accept what the report says if it's a negative but we do know that we're going to well not if they've turned not if they've turned in D I want to be clear they've turned this in and gone through right now this site is not contaminated per D if they go through the additional testing and this expert that is their expert determines it's contaminated for whatever basis reason or otherwise and turns into DP we will now have a contaminated site they walk out of the contract we'll be stuck being the ones to clean it up whether or not they close so that is important to understand this will resolve it but it may not bring this to a conclusion with selling the property and just because let's say that we didn't sell it to the bank and we sell it to another party it doesn't stop somebody from saying hey look you knew this was potentially contaminated based on are we saying that we're not we're in the free and clear just because we have no obligation without an environmental lean placed on the property to disclose otherwise it's up to anybody to run their environmentals and I do want to stress Mr Townson is right the environmental run as part of their due diligence did not comply with Florida Administrative Code that and DP said we have nothing to say about that but their engineer said it's a problem and wants DP to give them clearance had they complied with Administrative Code D might have already given us an answer so it's up to the council though what you do you want to stay in this contract for that period of time Mr Mayor go ahead Clay is it possible I've spoken with some some Realtors you know just about about the situation in general uh is it possible to basically structure this in a way that we would allow them to do their testing the 150 days however we would put a clause in that would allow us to accept backup offers and that if an offer came in for even $1 over the existing amount that we would give the bank the option at that moment in time when that offer comes in to decide whether they're going to close not basically say Okay now's the time to decide close or not and if they choose not to close we can then accept the other offer and move move to a whatever process oh c certainly you can draft a contract to that degree if the bank wants to accept it it's up to them to choose to accept that kind of scenario that that would be the the position I think we should move in is if they want another 150 days almost six months just a few few days shop six months to do additional testing which I again I'm I'm leery of considering that they've already tested this and as I've mentioned before in my previous comments the the testing came back like 0.001% over in in a couple of these scenarios it was it was very very minute amounts I'm not an expert in that but from what I was able to ascertain you're talking you know it was right there at the very edge again we're talking about contamination from a fuel Depot or an oil Depot that was there you know 50s 60s 70s you're talking a long time ago at this point so is is additional testing of this site going to be advantageous to anybody I don't know you know as pointed out just a minute ago it's for them to test they didn't comply with with the with the code the administrative code to begin with you know what's to say that they don't again and then continue to say it's contaminated we're we're still stuck versus if we put the option on the table of we're gonna take backup offers and if someone comes in and says you know I I'm G to offer 1.81 we can then accept that offer and ask the bank okay you're either closing or you're not what what what will it be that at least gives some some options there versus just being on this treadmill of every six months we're testing every six months we're testing yes ma' my my only concern with doing that is let's say somebody else comes back and the bank doesn't want it and we sell to another third party it doesn't stop them later on after they figure out it's contaminated site we're still they're still going to come back on they're not no ma'am we are absolutely not liable if someone buys a property as is there as is contracts written all the time unless there's an environmental lean in place so why didn't we have a contract with the bank as is it is written as is but they were allowed due diligence and they chose to exercise this due diligence I didn't consider that a true as is but they said all they wanted was time to do survey title work and things like that and apparently they also decided to do an environmental assessment we when we listed this we going back the mayor knows this we've gone back on this now 10 plus years mayor we've always S without properties sell is for sale as is don't expect us to move our utilities don't expect us to mess with that Hill the water or any of it that's what we've told everybody but now they said well in due diligence we don't want to do it I think we we've tried to be gracious yeah over the last year in in in accommodating them when they with their requests and I think there's a moment in time where we have to say the grace has run out it's it's not like this property is depreciating as time goes on either you know it's becoming more valuable so with all these extensions and we're still talking about the same price they offered by that time over a year ago you're exactly right there's only one corner lot on 9 and 331 in this County and that is an extremely high traffic corner lot extremely high County that's my concern is that we've been carrying this uh you know rentree basically so I think that's my my big concern here drag it out another six months you know markets go either way it could go up it could flatten out I don't know what it's goingon to do yeah but last same token just continue to act as the banks Bank isn't ideal for me um I just don't know that it's reasonable now that we've talked about it now that it's open in the public it is very apparent that we've got an issue one way or the other you know it's a potential they've done some testing even though it didn't comply with Administrative Code there's still like you said it's borderline on a couple of these little measurements so to me I'm a reasonable buyer that's going to come back to the city and say the first thing I'm going to say is oh I'm concerned because there might be we've talked about it enough it's not like it's a secret that there's a potential not saying that there is I'm just saying there's a potential so what reasonable buyer is going to buy it as is with the potential that they are the ones that's going to have to clean it up and not there's nothing to clean up yeah that's the whole point there is no Cleanup in place right now period and and my my issue is that there's nothing to guarantee that the s's not contaminated that my house isn't contam true I mean nothing is guaranteed to not be contaminated and us sitting up here saying that it's contaminated it's certainly not going to help that if we don't believe it because there's nothing from that well it does not there is no contamination pursuant to state law that is the direct definitive answer the body that oversees this D does not define the site as contaminated period go by that because that's an actual test and that's the only place that they failed to do the testing according to the way that they wanted the testing compl cor but if you don't comply with State Testing the state's not going to declare that but also if you have a contaminated site and you don't follow State Tes and you get a clean test the state's not going to say oh you're clean you have to follow the state's rules if you want to play Within the state's game of environmental concerns do we know what the mistake what what is it that the mistake that they made or whoever they're testing their report did not comport to Florida Administrative Code D said it does not comply therefore we will not accept no guidance they just it was a blanket broad statement very and I don't know that we have all of those documents I mean the engineer for the bank probably would but it says a whole lot the D would reject anything in my opinion SC when was the uh last time the DP tested that site dp's never tested they never tested it yep there's no DP file on this site okay beside whatever emails I guess we have open now okay so they requesting the D to test no they're requesting to do additional testing that will comply with the D and they're saying they will turn in whatever they get the DPP so DP can either say it's now contaminated or give them a letter saying not to worry about it okay do we have any other buyers out there I know it was a gentleman about a year ago we do yes yes yes and uh yeah he was uh definitely offering some uh he was GNA do a much longer right right right two was it 2.5 million or something like that uh no no we've had offers all the way up to three the one the last one that you were talking about a year ago was 1.8 right right right right well you know just 17 goti you got to realize that sometimes you can be stall Stone Walling you know like you know if I was in your position I go ahead and make a move tonight that's just saying Mr M Mary I do want to agree with with Mr Graham as someone that has actually done commercial real estate transaction um I looked I looked at the owner and said I know this this and this about the property here's where I'm at here's where you're at are we going to close and his reply to was can you close in 30 days yes I can and I did so I think it's as simple as that you know I think that's where where we are is this is the property it's as is and we've we've extended numerous times and we've been gracious about that and again I'm I'm I'm in no way disparaging the bank or anybody please don't get me wrong but at some point we have to say okay we're either going to close or not I agree with Mr beerbom I think you've been overly helpful to these people and they keep putting you off thank you they either don't have the money or they don't want it well they're a bank so they got the money they may want a discount comment as well well they can make that offer too yeah that wonderful EO branch on baln Avenue I have personal accounts there I use the ATM all the time it's a great great branch that will close they tell me they open the new bank so let's keep that in mind too because that be great hindrance well anyway where we at on this we got we don't have motion second we do have okay Amy made the motion and Tony second for discussion would you consider amending I was just thinking that but no I don't think that I would would according to the conversation that's here I would I would amend it to say uh provide them 60 days so that we can come together and work out some of these details I just don't W to I don't think yeah well I mean it just allows us to get through the holidays it allows us to come back to the table to say and they need to use that 60 days in accordance to how many days are they asking here 150 150 they say 150 but it's going to June in December so correspondents from the the company the bank has enlisted to do the work uh they say should you wish to receive an additional investigation SCSI which is the company can complete additional activities within 60 days of authorization now that's just them completing it within 60 days it would still have to go to D which we unknown of what that would be be stuck there forever yeah I just because I wouldn't vote I would not currently be voting for it and I don't think it would be uh appropriate to to Second it and not vote for it so I'll withdraw my second okay all right there m mayor I I'll make a substitute motion is that appropriate CL well you don't actually have a second on the floor so there's not a motion pending so let's let this one die you can't substitute a non-existent motion La of a second so I I'll make a motion that we allow the bank 150 days for testing but we include a clause that we will accept backup offers and that if we receive a backup offer that exceeds the amount that they offer even by $1 that we will ask the bank to make a decision to close within 30 days I'll second so I have a concern question there so if they find nothing no offers they close everything's good my question is what if they find something um do we we don't have to close with them at that point do we play I mean it's a offer no no no no no if you stay in this contract and we're in a contract we have made an offer to sell they have agreed to our price we are on the look to sell if they come to the table we don't get to back out as a seller at this point if we stay in this contract but they have stipulation that we would be on the hook for any cleanup whatever it might be in very broad terms do we have to accept those terms well that's not part of this extension no but it's part of my concern with the extension if something does come back I don't want to be locked in I'd rather just kill it well that's that will be up to the council but if they say they want to close as is you got to close if they come back in put conditions then you can possibly look at getting out part of the issue I I'm going to be very candid and I know the bank has expressed great displeasure with my comments my job is to protect this city and so I will say this on the record as plainly as I can there is no reason to believe they will not be asking for the same level of indemnification they've not asked for time and again and again come June with or without a letter from DP they're saying D's got to give them a letter saying there are no concerns I I'm not entirely confident D will or won't do that but I will say this we gave gave them a letter that said staff would gladly recommend to this Council take the time to do the testing and agree you're going to close as is at the end of it they did not say yes to that they're saying give us more time to do the testing let us get what we want from fdp then we're going to talk to you at some point they've got to agree to close oh now they can get out of this contract at the end June the 25th and just say it didn't feel right we found somewhere better so council at the end of the day where is the a is that's my concern Mr Mayor go ahead clay if if we take no action tonight contract will expire on its own at this point what is when okay you have that in front of you I think it's I think we're technically at that point right I believe so I'm pulled up we a 30-day time yeah so December 15th will be when it's officially never anything right but so December 15th it dies yeah very nervous about extensions and still being on the hook not being able to get out if we're then on the hook for unknown indefinite cost I withdraw my motion I okay all right thank you very much let's move on they have their option so I will be clear they can come to you and say they'll close as is if they don't their contract will expire before our next meeting just let us know we will certainly let you know when did you say it expires naturally so November 15th was the last extension but we told them we would give them an opportunity our letter to present this back to the council so in essence that is a 30-day extension even though the council did not vote on it so that gets us through today so technically they've got another six days be the way I would treat it thank you typically unless you say it's less than 30 you give people 30 day windows for this type of okay let's see what they do uh Miss Amy you want to go with the uh tour tourist oh yes um first of all Todd thank you for serving nice award I see they gave you so uh but at the last BCC meeting um apparently the board discussed what we had decided a few months ago which was 5 Z we asked that uh Tony serve on that board and um they reached out uh actually somebody reached out after this came up on the board's agenda last week and said that um they would like for us to reconsider that decision and they ask would I serve on that committee and I'm going to tell you my heart swelled because I would think that's an honor and a privilege that they would come back and say uh Hey do you think the city might reconsider and ask her to serve so I just want you to know um I think it's an honor and a privilege and I would serve I didn't ask to serve but um I would I I would if that's the board's desire uh but I leave it up to y'all for a discussion Mr Mayor wait um I I would just like to ask the question because I'm I'm quite perplexed the the BCC meeting I I watched it live and the the statement was made two different times by two different people that uh councilwoman you had expressed interest in serving so is I never asked to Ser not here not here when it came up and not to anybody up at that di so so those statements are not true I don't know who said it so you'd have to say who said it the only one that I know is Miss John's and I've never spoken to her in reference to that John's and I believe uh Miss Vega I think if I remember correctly I spoke to miss Vega I've never spoken to miss John's and she called she contacted me so I didn't realize that's what it was all I'm saying is I voted for Tony when that came up at our board I went back and rewatched it because I'm like hey when do we do this it just if you recall just a about four weeks ago I sat here and I asked you and Kobe I said Hey when's that all come up when we do all that voting again because I didn't want to sit on one of the particular ones that I thought you wanted to sit on at the time and that's the reason I brought that up so I'm okay either way I'm saying I think it's an honor a privilege it kind of reminds me of that scripture where it says the blessings will come hunt you down you don't have to go looking for them so I'm okay either way whatever y'all decide but I did not just to make it clear I did not request or go looking for this uh appointment well this the statement was made in that meeting that you did not receive support from from this Council and I didn't I didn't even have my name in I understand Miss communic that's what's perplexing to me is we had a 5 vote right but then the statement was made very clearly that you would not receive support if nominated and I and I stood ready at the previous meeting to nominate you or anybody that that was interested in representing the city to the TDC where where I have you know as graciously served and and enjoyed my service down there but I also um it it's near and dear to my heart as well after being there for four years having having a relationship with Matt and and the staff um I'm proud of the fact that in those four years the Strategic plan now mentions defenc spring specifically you know I'm proud of the fact that there are specific uh things C out in the Strategic plan that were not there before so I I just want to to be sure that all of those things that support will continue and that what we vote on here as an example for the the amphitheater and the auditorium that as we vote on those things here and we support those things here that they'll be supported on the TDC that that that that will will be reflected you know without ambiguity there at the TDC level just so you know I didn't hear the same thing I had to go back and watch it after I was told hey did you know your name came up at the council meeting I had to go back and wa rewatch the actual meeting I didn't watch it live if you did that's perfect but I did not hear what you just articulated well miss VGA specifically said that you did not receive support and that you would never that's why you would not get the nomination I I don't recall that all what I do recall is when it came up here I voted to support I did not even speak up looking for this I understand as a blessing and tell you I would serve this proudly I will serve the county proudly if that's where I'm chosen to do so so but I I do I do want to understand that that you will also support the Endeavors that we we as a council as a whole vote 5 or even 32 or 41 I don't know that I've never not so I just want to be sure I've never I I hope that I have never you know done something to the contrary of that because I'm here for the citizens I'm here for the community this is our community and I'm going to do the best for the commun so you believe that it's important that the TDC dollars come back to here that that the projects related to tourism here are supported by TDC dollars oh I'm going to be one voice on that and yes I'm always going to represent accordingly you never would look up so I just I was waiting for them to finish I'm JB H I'm and I want to give you some observation from my point of view I I watched that meeting live I went back and watched it twice on video this is absolutely nothing but pure Politics on the on the board of County Commissioners Viewpoint the county is run by partisan government the fiac is not it's a different form of government we have Democrats we have Republicans on the city council and when they that I got a call fact I call it a a very well-known politician uh when that happened and I said this one's going to get me out of my lazy boy because it is politics doesn't have a thing to do with uh uh um the smarts education understanding ability um the breath of the whole idea of representation for Mr Valle it's politics uh the county is uh partisan uh government the city is not I took it as an affront that the city the board of County Commissioners um were challenging the Integrity of the city council ofun act that's where I looked at it and it really made me mad didn't have a thing to do with who was nominated and when of course when when it was made uh when the the chair made the recommendation uh for Amy I wondered was there any communication or was this off off the cup I don't know um but I want you to think about this the Integrity of the style of government what we've had if we want to become partisan with Republicans and Democrats I don't know what the state law is but uh if if it had been possible during the uh Charter if we could have done that I don't know where it's legal or not um you saw what happened on the amendment to school board U partis uh it passed but it didn't get the 60% on the U State referendum so keep that in mind I look at the Integrity of this Council the people of the punc represented by the council you have made a recommendation and I'd recommend that you send that recommendation back because the question was ask what if they send it back what do we do well put the ballpark uh put the ball back in their ballpark let them make the decision I realize the TDC has run by the county but I've never I've never heard um I've been back home 30 years I've never heard the council uh uh nominee for another government body organization or whatever being rejected I don't recall that ever happening before this is politics and i' I'd uh uh recommend that you send the nomination back and put it in their ballpark thank you thank you very much I have to ask the director to come to the podium I have a couple questions May question we don't have motion yeah it's it's um this is the same thing I it it just floored me when I heard that they rejected our our appointee this is our responsibility to choose who we want to represent this city to the TDC and to the and the board of County Commissioners and I believe it is more political than anything else because it doesn't make any sense because there's no more no one that works harder uh for this city other than the four other people sitting here uh but Mr Valley has proven that over and over and over and over again at everything he approaches he does his homework he does his research he does his leg Works he builds his contacts and networks he would do a wonderful job and we chose him all five of us unanimously voted for him to serve in this capacity and they rejected it and then one council member made the comment in in that meeting or one board member made the comment that you know we can count to three now I don't know how you take that but I take that as there's three votes that that can do harm to us if they choose to do so uh and I don't think a comment should be made in a in a county commissioner meeting like that uh so we do understand three we can count to three we're smarter than people give us credit for but we're very rational and uh we we want our our Point T I want to see the point T we sent it's ours it's not their choice as far as who represents us and does our work uh to get us TDC money here so yes let me get some real quick information here on uh how many visitors do South Walton see every year uh a little more than five million okay uh how many that five milon you think comes to the city pun I would menure a good majority probably four of them unless you get a lot on 98 I mean I think they travel through the city I believe they come to the city I believe it's part of our marketing efforts we are actively marketing the city as well so well that's really only information I want to give me I don't want to start start a fire oh certainly but I just wanted to hear hear that number and U and we'll pick this up later probably with the County Commission certainly let me know if you need anything thank you very much yes sir go ahead Mr Mayor I wanna can I just answer something that JB had mentioned I want to make it very clear I had and I said this to Mr beerbom I have had no discussion with any other elected official in reference to this this was a shock to me it was a telephone call to me afterwards that said you better hey it was from somebody to somebody to a third party that called me and said hey you better go look at this do you realize they just said your name so I want to make that very clear I have never talked to anybody in reference to that and I'm going to bow out and I'm going to let since we have a quorum here without my decision y'all you're all GNA have to decide I know that's probably going to be on their meeting tomorrow she's got to vote but she doesn't have to make a motion she doesn't have to wa for a second but you have to vote well I can recuse myself too since it's in reference to me no ma'am you don't have a basis to recuse yourself it doesn't to your special private gain or loss that's fine it has to have a pecuniary benefit or fall into the ethics code do voted conf Mr Mayor go ahead so when I originally ran one of the things that I I talked to a lot of people about as I was running for city council here was our relationship with the county um at the time I saw it as needs Improvement to say the least um I understand the situation that we're in now I understand and the comments that have been made I don't disagree with the comments I and I'll leave I'll leave it at that but in the interest of always improving the relationship with the county I think it's important that we consider wisely our our next our next action um so clay can we what is the requirement it's any elected official statute requires an elected Municipal official um I would like to make a motion that we nominate Chief Hurley as uh as the mayor demonstrated just a moment ago there's over five million visitors to this County and a vast majority of them travel right down this road behind us and right down 331 um and as he and I have had numerous conversations over my last four years of service uh talking about the impact of Tourism as it relates to our city so I would like to nominate him and I know I've already gotten a second but um it I I I don't I don't believe necessarily you know sending it back exactly like it was but maybe this is a good compromise all right go ahead uh so you know this has been a a surprising and and uh it's a painful thing uh but I think it's also a wakeup call to the community in terms of when a Southall and Community Council board member stands at the podium and campaigns uh basically just has a campaign rally right there um I think it's I think it's embarrassing uh that it was allowed to continue um I think it was unnecessary um and uh the wakeup call is y'all need to pay attention um you have a lot of interests that don't represent you that want to tell you what to do and have influence on what how you do things we are still the city of tunc Springs I will represent uh as long as I am allowed to on your behalf and I will uh accept any decision from this board and I will represent your wishes in any position that I serve uh and um I I actually you know still support uh I do support the nomination of Chief early I think that policing and and the issues that we deal with on a weekend basis need to be addressed uh and I think this is a reasonable way to do that yes ma'am I I just think this is a tit for a tat and I don't understand you know here we are saying uh I don't like what they did look I don't want to be anybody's pawn my lips should you know I was surprised of all that my lips was on the discussion board uh especially for something I wasn't looking for so um I will say that Lisa Vega did say that she knew that you wanted to serve on that board and I I said she did she she did ask me and I didn't realize well I mean I didn't realize it was when someone reaches out to me and says you know you really ought to take that spot I I don't use them and have them represent me on on a board's behalf or and I I will accept completely accept you to not know that however if that question comes to me I realize that there is something uh that I need to have further conversation about and I say you know what it may not be what I wanted but I support my other council members and I I take issue with it and I and I know why it happens because you're you know you got your friend that wants to run against me I accept that um but you know I put the city ahead of my friendships to be honest and I didn't like how that was done I don't like how it went down um I have a lot more to say about it but I will I will hold my tongue for this that's just so you know that's not how it went down and it's getting all blown out of proportion and I didn't recognize just so you know I'm not going to have a sit here and you and I go back and forth but you believe what you want to believe I'm telling you what happened and that wasn't the circumstances and when it was asked to me hey I didn't even put two and two together so uh I'm sorry okay I I didn't understand what she said Mr C go ahead uh I'd just like to add to what Mr hilard said because I watched that meeting and I'd like to add to what Mr beerbom said I watched that meeting and I felt it was very insulting when the 3-2 comment was made but I also felt it was very alarming when the comment was made after they nominated Miss Hein that uh the seat that Mr Valley currently holds he might not even be there in March he's got some really stiff competition and to have that come from the Das from the uh the chairman felt like straight politics it didn't feel like any kind of uh movement to be made it felt like them trying to interject themselves into your business and I feel like if five elected intelligent officials came to a decision ision and that decision was this man will be the nominee send it to the uh count to the U commission for a vote and as before they got to the vote she said well hold on before we vote I'd like to say that I I've heard that uh you know there's someone else Amy helin I would like to nominate her and I believe that's when Miss Vega came up and said whatever she said I don't know if you talked to them or not that's that's a that's a moot point in my opinion the the fact that you you you you if he was here and you voted 5 and then they did not respect your decision that's an overwhelming problem to me because what it says is they don't trust you guys as a body to be able to govern our city which is what your interest is so I just want to put that out there that it was it was insulting the 32 thing but it was it was plain as day pure politics and the problem is I have friends on both sides I'm friends with him I'm friends with the guy that's running with him so I it's it's just an ugly thing in politics and I don't think we should be doing that and I think we should go with the original thing that we did which was a - vote send that back to them but if you guys want to send Hurley up there let's try that and if it's tip Fort then whatever but there's a solution it's easy just find it and let's get to that thank you just don't see any place for them to decide who represents us to nominate someone themselves like he just said they did uh and and and turn down who five council members chose unanimously to to support I just don't think we can relinquish that kind of power uh to someone that's representing the interest of the cities that we that we chose that there are powers there are there there are people at Works to have more influence in defunc Springs and they do not live here and we do need to be aware of that we need to be fully aware of that and and we we need to we need to guard against that and and just like we talking earlier with CRA folks we got we have to work together Mr Hillary rais a excellent point about the the board of County Commissioners being partisan this Council being nonpartisan and I am so grateful that's the only reason I'm sitting here right that is the only reason I'm sitting here is because I know that we can work together and and we'll have our differences but we all love this town and this community and we just we we just have to we have to do what we have to do and what our people expect us to do here um so that that's I don't know what else to say play is uh is was this what we did was it just simply a recommendation certainly want an appointment obviously correct it's a recommendation when the when these seats got added the boards LED each of the two cities Freeport in the FC that they task because the statute requires two elected Municipal officials one of whom must come from the most populous municipality so when that went into effect and you looked at where those would be when the North End got included it appeared we were the most populous under one set of data it appeared Freeport was pushing us on another the County's decision was that it would be the fiac and Freeport would have those two municipal seats until someone else became the most populous so they only had three choices pxton Freeport and the fiac but because we're relatively equin size they chose not try to pick who gets the guarantee just go and give it to both of those two and that that time the board of County Commissioners asked the cities to make their recommendations to them which is how councilman beer bomb ended up here originally okay so we got a uh substitute motion table in a second um yes sir come on count sort of a stickler about speaking more than once but I appreciate the second opportunity I'd recommend you just reaffirm your original recommendation uh I didn't rec uh didn't realize it was a a recommendation and I thought was an excellent appointment but nevertheless um I Todd I respect you but I don't agree with your motion because this compromised business on this is should not happen you should reaffirm your original recommendation and put this thing to rest put it back in their Ballpark and let them decide and if they decide something different then you come back and talk about it again yeah thank you very much mayor I'll withdraw my second and suggest that we go ahead with the original appointment okay I withdraw my motion okay all right any need a new motion we do it was tasked back to you to provide a new recommendation yeah I'll make a motion to uh support the original uh nomination and send it back that's Valley for the record it would be to resend the original recommendation is what he the original recation a second all right we have a second uh questions or comments can can you say something about the original 5 well that was the original that was the original vote way we're not we're just referring to that vote Yes it doesn't have to be that today CU he's not here but uh other comments questions yes ma'am do we have any reason to fear that they would retaliate against us if we disagree with them they made that very clear with other comments what they they specifically referenced future cooperation in reference to they threatened us they're going to hold us hostage well well they're going to do it I don't think they're going to hold us hostage because it's their decision at the end of the day I know they count disrespect it's a bad taste it's a bad taste the whole scenario and I feel like the pond and the whole darn thing and I'm not I don't want to be a part of it all right we got a motion any other comments all in favor to say I no all right n all right it's a 22 so it will fail so motion fails 22 so we have to read address another motion yeah anybody what what's our time frame I mean if it fails just goes well they ask you to bring it back I don't know they're going to take it up before the next meeting this month but their next me meeting this month because the timing moves up ahead of yours so they wanted you to come back with it this month the the the mo so the motion that failed due to it being 22 was to resend the original motion so because that fails sending back status quo is not an option sending back councilman B is not an option that leaves I mean be might slap me for saying this I mean it leaves him the mayor councilwoman Evelyn councilman scur I guess he's technically not here councilman Harrison and chief Hurley are the available options you have to nominate there's not been another motion fail all of those are available although I guess counil has already said he was not desirous of serving again so so I said he may hit me but those are the five names available for the city ofc pursue the Florida statute unfortunately due to to my work schedule a 9:00 am meeting um is I pretty much would have to take the the entire day off from my job to accommodate that so mayor what do you what do you think you know I haven't been in this circle as far as giving a whole lot of attention I I I thought you know throwing you back would probably be the right thing to do um what about you I'll sure wherever you want me to but U he can say no but he can't vote against it so he can't even break the tie anymore yeah yeah I want to say I can't show up yeah I mean I I I intend don't talk and I'm not talking about with the torch in the hand but I am planning on talking with the uh commission and I see if we can't have some reason here because uh so so may the reason in Council the reason I bring up the mayor is because there's only one person in the city that can Advocate on behalf of the city without asking permission from the council and that is the mayor this is an advocacy role at the TDC it is a recommendation uh only board so you're only making recommendations to the county but in terms of being a vocal Advocate um again you have you have been in that role for a long time um and um and that is what this job is advocacy for North End tourist development it's about bringing businesses here it's about uh getting access to the funds that are being generated here for tourist development uh I want to see that uh people are serious about some kind of well one we need public input in terms of what kind of Tourism people want to see here what do we really believe people can do here uh what do we think uh our citizens are willing to accept in terms of you know an influx I mean what do we want to see uh and that's that was the first question I want to know I want to know what people want yeah what do we expect um and then I want to be able to actually use those funds when we try to do these projects uh because we're not doing that I'm not sure what could support but I mean she fairly might do it I don't know but it's it's you know it's it's poison the way I mean no matter what we do today it's poison uh you know the that U what was a positive opportunity whatever the will of the council is move on to the next I said what I I said what I think we I'm okay with I'm okay with the mayor I just I don't want to if you don't send them something back they could just go ahead and say fine you passed up your chance to give us a recommendation and they'll make their own decision if that's what you want you can certainly do that if you my advice to the council you've been given an opportunity to make a recommendation they chose to send it back to allow you to consider your recommendation in the light of their comments if you don't take action you're sending a message you don't want to make a recommendation so I would encourage you when you're given the opportunity to make make a recommendation for an appointment go ahead and make it if you don't want it don't they can do it without you but they've given you the chance and so we Ved it was 22 so shouldn't we just move forward we made our choice well no you didn't because it failed to to so you not actually made a recommendation so they can take they can interpret just like we had to interpret what they said and did they can interpret what we said and did now there will not be a recommendation transmitted is all I'm saying so I I honly think we should make a a recommendation of some sort I agree that at this point um you know it won't be me can't be me uh so I I will make a motion to nominate the mayor to the appointment the mayor are you willing to do that I certainly do it um I'm certainly hoping one of you guys would but you know if if I do I I'll put my best look forward but I'm not spring chicken I all right that one fell fora second all right G to try it again no I'll nominate Chief early I'll make a motion to nominate Chief early or either Josh we could we could torture Josh that was the old rule wasn't it if you missed meat when you getting the point but you got whichever one was the most or the least desirous you consider that I'll make a motion to nominate Josh coner second I have a motion to Second questions comments what do you think Don yeah may all right all in favor say I this is a really bad taste in my mouth and I don't like this that we're making a game and a funny of it so my vote's no well there's really nothing funny about it and and we didn't begin this process um this is serious it's about our future and whether we have an impact on it and control it ourselves or somebody else does did you V did not hey i i two two all right I guess they'll just have to pick it that's what they wanted well I guess we can does the council wish to send that as a formal request what's what's the question does the council wish to send that as a formal request they choose it effectively what what's been said yeah I take that motion I'll make a motion for the to defer no I'm not no I can't do that I want to but do we want to wait till our other councilman is present well I mean you've had what now two or three motions fa two that failed two two if you wish to make a motion to ask the County Commission a chance to give you a chance for the full board to vote because the board gridlock 2 to you could possibly make that motion and then Mr towns can certainly communicate that Mr au's still here so he can actually communicate that as well for the county but that would be an option as well to at least you're being responsive I encourage responsiveness okay so moved I have a motion second question anyone all in favor say I no all all hi hi Carri thank you very much let's go to Mr Beer bomb on the code review I'll be brief um we just finished up the chapter 14 nuisance hazards and insanitary conditions that's why it's on the agenda tonight is to provide everybody an opportunity to review it get it in front of all the council members get it in front of the public even though as councilman Valley canest we reviewed this numerous times clay I mean helped me I mean we we probably discussed this over or six meetings it was at least a five Monon process to get this here so so it's been it's been well vetted but again I don't want to um you know just throw it on there and and expect something tonight so this was more of just getting it out there bringing it to the council's level and then you know hopefully uh what I've plan to do is bring it back at the the January meeting so that we can move on in the January meeting uh Mr strong has worked very very hard to accommodate uh all the input that was provided during those meetings I think he's he's done a good job with with accommodating us um this addresses a lot of the issues that we see within the city when it comes to as an example operating a home without utilities and and some of the code enforcement issues that we've we've come up with there that's just one example so I encourage you I believe this this highlighted version shows you all of the the changes that have been made we also cleaned this up so we simplified this and that uh we moved a big portion of this out of this and it's going to go into chapter 18 wasn't it clay yes uh 11 and then there's going to be some 18 which is the Land Development code is 18 the bulk of it's going into 11 11 that's right for code for code enforcement so again but there are some structural issues that go to Land Development code in per right so again kind of holding true to the original intent of that committee which was to kind of clean up the code and move move the code around where it makes sense um and so that's part of this change is taking some that code out we're not getting rid of it we're just simply putting it under a better heading so um I welcome any comments but I know we've been here a long time so and it's technically not for first reading so there's no action to take I would encourage any council members not on the code land ju Review Committee although certainly councilman's Valley beer bomb can do it as well please get one Mr strong if you have questions about specific buildings and the cra's involved but Mr irvan still here you can talk to him there's definitely this creates some overlap and we're deing the new ordinance it ties into blight so if you have questions on this you're welcome to call me call Mr strong talk to Kobe talk to Mr Irvin we'll get you what we've done because there was a lot of effort and time put through review of other model ordinances so any questions you have please let us know all right thank you very much just three quick updates mayor um first the city was awarded the USDA grant that we we applied for a few months back you remember it was for uh fruit trees at and educational information do educational stuff to the tree board for the what we have passed here previously and so um that was $983,000 to the state they're under review now hopefully we will hear something back from them soon if that is the case then that matter will be closed we won't have to move forward we're trying to find funding to replace lead service line in the city so that's great news uh lastly um obviously you all seen the paper I spoke with the paper about the spill at lift station two it was on the front so I feel like we should address that and just kind of give an update at public so um The Spill did happen we've been we provided all the necessary information to d uh we did the proper cleanup as well uh then investigation is still uh within the city Marshall's office I spoke today they're still working on that so that's time that's that's my full update but it is still being looked into so thank you thank you very much want to give you a congratulations on NBA just uh got your master Saturday so congratulations my than I had the same thing Kobe so congratulations and I don't know if we know this or not but our neighbors at chiple got a $295,000 infrastructure for sewer Grant recently and I'm thinking hey is there any more money left and uh maybe we could take their application and if it's still open and available we should kind of mimic it and have our staff do the same better to say yeah we just so happen to have the same consultant so we'll be contacting okay thank you because the neighbor just on the other side of them also was awarded one so please if we could do that and congrats to you Kobe for your weekend ceremony um and happy holidays to everybody because this is our last time that we get to meet together and I want to keep encouraging people come out and see the Christmas lights please enjoy what we have to offer uh everybody I think it's 5 to n 5 to n daily is that correct it's for the :30 5:30 9:30 5:30 to 9:30 sorry I'm stay corrected so just happy holidays everybody thank you Kobe we're very proud of you I've told you that numerous times um a lot of hard hard work with a new job new baby uh buying a house uh I don't know selling a house I don't know selling a house I don't know how you did it all but but we're we're very proud of you and I'm proud to be working with all of you and you know it's it's been a quick year year uh I mean I came on the end of March and I have enjoyed it I've been asked numerous times how things are going and my comment is always positive it's always been that we're we're moving along we're clicking along we've got good leadership we've got council members who are objective and rational and can talk and discuss we might get our blood pressure up sometimes and and I apologize I don't do that very often but it when when I do I always feel bad you can ask my wife she'll tell me I'll I'll pout at home for two or three days but um but I I have absolutely love working with you all and I hope we can continue in the right direction but um we we we have to be passionate about our our city we do and I'm not saying we're not but we have to we have to safeguard against um you know influences that we can that that we might not be aware of and control we do the same thing in development we we try to make sure development follows the guidelines that we want to see take place um when when developers come here so we we have we we can't be controlled and overr ran and steamrolled by developers who want to do things their way they do things our way for our community to preserve our way of life and and and we are doing that so we need to do that all the way around everything we deal with even if it's with the county I don't I don't want to threaten us I don't want us to jeopardize us but um or or or reduce funding to us or anything else but that doesn't look good for our County when when that kind of thing happen so we had to safeguard um but I'm proud of the work you have done proud of the work you've done on TDC um mistletoe Market is taking place downtown uh main those Main Street events there's two Saturdays left uh there's free movies in the theater uh there's live music in the theater Friday night Tim Jackson story tell Christmas uh show um so there's a lot taking place um that that I'm very proud of uh in our town and we have a lot of visitors here but I'd like to wish everybody uh Merry Christmas yeah Merry Christmas to everyone uh also uh like Mr Harrison said there is a lot of opportunities uh right now downtown in town um support your local businesses keep those dollars bouncing in our community uh every chance that you get um and and if you can shop here first U you know we can't get everything here but hey we can get a lot so you know I'd like to see I'd like to see uh that shopping going on in town enjoy Christmas Reflections merry Christmas and I look forward to seeing everyone in the new year thank you so much I'm B just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas uh you know I also agree with a lot of the comments that have been made earlier um being on here for five years I've been a party of many of robust dialogue and um you know the one thing I i' I've always appreciated as a council is we come together we disagree we talk it out we work it out and then we as a body as a whole pursed forward um I'm proud to serve on this council with a wide variety of people as was pointed out from from the podium earlier I think that that's unique I think that that that's something to be proud of and I enjoy coming to these meetings and discussing and having discussion I know we we don't always agree but uh I I do have tremendous amount of respect for all of you I enjoy what I do here and I enjoy serving the people um so again thank you for for your your thoughts and know that they're they're uh considered right um want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas enjoy the the lights the the city workers the public works department um have worked extremely hard this year I was explaining to someone just the other day about how we used to do that with uh prison labor and how we don't see that that labor anymore as a matter of fact we actually cut that out of our budget because they were just funding not funding the positions so the the city workers have stepped up they've done a tremendous job it looks the best it's it's looked in a long time so it hats off to them I think that they've done a great job you're right there's a lot of activity going on downtown proud of all of the activity that's going on downtown and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas thank you thank you very much thank you all Merry Christmas have new year God bless you we're adjourn