##VIDEO ID:Dgsdip4QUfw## That's what. The Disney Pictures tell. Me? I now call to order the regular session meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Tarpon Springs on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. City Clerk Roll call, please. Vice Mayor Coleus here. Commissioner Eisner here. Commissioner Collins here. Commissioner DiDonato here first, item one on tonight's agenda is the oath of office. Special presentation for City Manager Charles Rudd, City clerk will be doing the presentation. Go. If you could raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, I say your name, Charles Rudd. Do solemnly swear or affirm. Do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support. That I will support, protect and uphold, protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States, and of the State of Florida, and of the State of Florida and the charter and laws, and the charter and laws of the City of Tarpon Springs, of the city of Tarpon Springs, that I am duly qualified, that I am duly qualified to hold the office. To hold the office. A city manager, a city manager. That I will faithfully perform. That I will faithfully perform the duties of that office. The duties of that office which I am now about to enter, which I am now about to enter. Good evening everyone. I just want to thank you all for coming here tonight for this. Historic night as we welcome in and, the new city manager, Mr. Rudd. And we got a lot of good things ahead as I came in this afternoon just to pick up some items. We had Mr. Rudd inside already going around from Department. Department meeting everyone. And so, we're just very thankful to have him here today and look towards a bright future. We know with everything going on around the country, with Florida specifically in these southeastern states, that there's a lot going on. But with the leadership, we still have in place and with the department heads we have and the great staff, this is going to be a great transition. And we'll give Mr. Rudd a time to settle in and get his, managing style going. So we got a few items that we want to present. First we got the name tag. Here you go, sir. Thank you. And then we have the city of Tarpon Springs emblem patch where you can put inside your, your pocket when you wear your suits and stuff. And it'll go. We also have a nice lapel tie together. Then the most important thing. Is the key to the city. The key? Now, I tell everybody, when we give them the key to the city, to the ribbon cuttings and some other events, I said that key will open up every door in Tarpon Springs but the mayor's office. So don't even think about it. But no, it's great to have you, sir. Would you like to say a couple words? I'm. I'm thrilled to be here. I thank you for the reception. And my wife, Valeria, and I are very excited to become a part of this community and look forward to making a difference here. Thank you. Thank We're going to go back to our seats and open up for public comments. Thank you. Are there any public comments on this item? Good evening. Board members and acting Mayor Panagioti, I again want to welcome our new city manager to Tarpon Springs. We have a beautiful community. We are a community of love, and we're hoping that you can bring it back into the community and bring Harmony back with us here. One thing I will tell you, you will not state any in Tarpon Springs. Our restaurants have become a little bit flooded, but pretty soon, hopefully they'll be back up our Greek bakeries with the bread and everything. It's really good, especially with salami and feta cheese, and we have a lot going on. Epiphany Halloween Christmas is beautiful and I'm looking forward with your guidance to bring Tarpon back to the beauty that we had. And I want to thank the police department, the fire department and the city for the outstanding job they have been doing with all the devastation that we have here, and we always say, Saint Nicholas takes care of tarpon. He did. We're alive. We haven't lost a lot of people, but these are things that we've lost in our homes. So we hope that you and your wife enjoy our community. There's a lot to go on all the time, and we welcome you with open arms. And we hope to break bread with you for a long friendship. Thank you. Are there any other public comments? It are there any zoom comments? If anyone online would like to make a public comment on this item, please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. And we do not have any raised hands at this time. Thank you, Commissioner. Comments. Commissioner Eisner, thank you, thank you, vice Mayor, first of all, welcome, all. I did want to start off by apologizing, many of you know, and many of you don't know, about ten days ago, I tore the tendon in my foot, so I can't stand to applaud anybody. And I'm having a little bit of trouble getting around. So, I just wanted to let let people know that from the start. But that's not my point. My point was, this town saw a really, really bad, storm. And this storm has caused a lot of people heartache. So in that light, I would like to do a little bit of levity and saying, City Manager Rudd, I didn't know how you were going to possibly make Our Town better, but we really kind of brought you in on a low bar right now, so I don't know if we could you know, I don't know how you could mess up. You've got to get us out of this, Mark did do an excellent job, and I want to thank Mark. So some of you don't know this, but Mark doesn't sleep. He works and takes calls on Friday night. Saturday, Saturday afternoon. He'll even take a call. He's walking out of the hockey game and he's on break and he's calling me back. So I want you to know he's an amazing man. And regardless of whatever experience you've had with him, as far as I've had with him, he's been amazing and always there for you. And the city comes first with him, so I do want to thank you because I didn't thank you at the last one. I think I did, but you know, I could I could smooch it up a little bit. So, the other thing is, I do want to apologize to everybody in town, I've gone through Hurricane Irene and Sandy. There's a lot of things that are about to come about. Secondary damages, people losing jobs, people losing homes, historic centers that may not be able to, rebuild, we're going to go through a whole lot of nuances for this town that hasn't seen anything like this in 40 years. So, we need to show some tolerance. We need to be kinder to one another. I'd like to see some of the comments on Facebook disappear, and if you have nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself. There are people that are this close from the breaking point and they don't know what to do. I'm just going to share with you. FEMA only pays you 80% of the loss. So I do want to if anybody needs any sort of restoration advice, not as a commissioner, since I have a bad leg, I take calls from anybody and I'd be happy to advise because it's the unknown and I don't want you to fall for fraud. That is widespread in all disasters. So that's what I want to say. And I just can't welcome you enough. Charlie. Welcome, you know, you you came at a tough time, but, so you don't have any honeymoon, you got to jump right in and start working. So I know you have, you've got all our support, you've got the support of the community. You've got the support of the of the former city manager. So you've got all the tools you and a great, staff of, of, department heads. So I think you got all the tools you need to be successful, and we're going to help you any way we can. So thank you. All I, too, will welcome you, sir. Glad to have you here. Glad you're safe. It is a tough time to come in, but welcome. We're all in this together, and we're for you. And we'll work with you and happy to have you, Mark, hats off to you, buddy. I know you're hiding back there, but thanks for everything you've done, holding your head up high and continuing to do your job. Appreciate it, as to all our citizens, as Commissioner Eisner said, we all know it's probably the worst that any of us have ever seen. I've been here a long time myself, and I was born here. Never, ever, ever seen it. So we are asking for everyone's patience. I I know, thanks to a political sign in my yard, my whole neighborhood knows that I'm on the commission. And I've heard from half of them already, we they they will get to your trash. They will get it off the street. We just don't know exactly when yet. So I just wanted to say that we appreciate your your pain and your patience. Just God bless tarpon and our country. Amen I want to thank you, Mr. Rudd, for choosing Tarpon Springs. As you can see, there's a there's a lot of residents here, a lot of people here to see this, the oath and give you support. And that's what we are as a community here. We're here to support one another. And this community has welcomed you with open arms. And, you're going to fit right in. So thank you so much and looking forward to working together. Thank you, now we are moving on to, tonight's invocation will be given by Reverend Christina Gris, director of Mission and Ministry from Advent Health. Please stand and remain standing for Pledge of Allegiance. Let's pray. Holy God, first I want to pray for a special blessing for our new city manager as he begins this journey of helping right now, Tarpon Springs recover from a storm. But as he begins his journey of guiding the city, may you. May you bless him greatly. I also want to pray for all the residents of this city that have been affected in many different ways by this storm. May your presence and your spirit be with them. May you comfort be with them as they grieve. Losses and may your guidance be with them as they navigate through really complex and messy ways of recovering from this storm. I want to also want to pray for the leaders, the men and women that lead and serve this city. Bless them with your protection, with your wisdom, with your strength, with your courage. Bless them also with peace as they navigate the journey of service through all highs and lows. May your present your spirit be here tonight in this meeting for all the discussions and decisions that will be made as I pray in your loving name, Amen. One nation under God. Item number two is proclamation for National Arts and Humanities Month, Miss Diane Wood, cultural and civic services director. Can you and your staff please come up? Got the whole gang here. It's normally. Now, first, before we start, I mean, Miss Wood and her staff do so many things in this community to help bring out just all the all the different arts and programs that come mixed together and some of our most historic buildings, we also got the new beer and wine beverages that you can purchase here. So we're watching plays. And so that's what we want to do. We want to bring people out to enjoy the arts here in Tarpon Springs. We are known for that. And we need to build in every way we can. And her staff has done a great job. And in building each and every year, and they're bringing more people to town from all different parts of the Tampa Bay area. And even in the seasons, they're people are coming here because they like our scene, they like our town, and they like what we provide for, for the arts. So here we go. City of Tarpon Springs, Florida. Proclamation. Whereas the month of October has been recognized as National Arts and Humanities Month, and Whereas the City of Tarpon Springs is fortunate to offer through Tarpon Arts stimulating, engaging and educational events, high quality live performances and visual arts that celebrate the unique culture and heritage of Tarpon Springs and the state of Florida. At Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, the Cultural Center, 1883. Safford House Museum and the Heritage Museum. And Whereas, National Arts and Humanities Month is an opportunity for everyone to promote the crucial role of the arts and humanities in promoting well-being, connecting cultures, highlighting inequities, and making our communities healthier and stronger. And whereas the city of Tarpon Springs calls upon our community members to celebrate and promote the arts and culture, and to specifically encourage greater participation by all community members and arts and humanities programs. And Whereas, the Board of Commissioners commends the work by our Cultural and Civic Services Director Diane Wood and staff Brandon Brock, Megan McIntyre, Laura Amedee, Gabrielle Castaldi, Debbie Pearn, Olga Cassidy, and Susan Wills. We extend appreciation for the vital role our cultural and civic Services Department and ministers in the daily operations of our city. Now, therefore, I, Panagiotis Kolias, by virtue of the authority vested in me as the acting mayor of the City of Tarpon Springs, Florida, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2024 as National Arts and Humanities Month. Here you go, Miss Wood. Thank you. Thank you very much. And thank you to the commissioners and welcome to our new city manager. And I have to commend my wonderful staff. I couldn't do it with them. We are a small group, but we're mighty. And for a city of 26,000 people, we have to be very proud in Tarpon Springs. Because who else can boast that we have two museums, two performing arts centers, and you know, we do uplift people with our live entertainment. And, you know, we've got our first show on Sunday and it's sold out and it was really glad to see that, actually, we had nobody that was turning back their tickets. They're turning in their tickets because they want to be uplifted. And I'm happy to say that, you know, all of our venues were okay in the storm. And so, you know, if you need to come over to the Heritage Museum and cool off and get a bottle of water, please do, because I also want to recognize our our library, because the library is part of the arts and culture of our city, and they do a great job uplifting people too. So thank you so much for this recognition, and we're really proud to serve the city of Tarpon Springs. Thank you. Thank you. Agenda item three is hurricane update with, Fire Chief Scott Young. Good evening. Fire chief Scott young. I just want to give you a brief update on where we're at and what happened with the storm. So the we started prepping for the storm on Tuesday, Monday. Tuesday, the former city manager, Mark Lacourse, signed a declaration of state of emergency for the city that went into effect immediately, and again today, this morning, the new city manager, Mr. Rudd, signed the extension for this, state of emergency. We have to do these every seven days until a period that we feel we are comfortable with and managing this situation. So he has hit the ground running, this morning I was in his office about 830. He had me over just to give him a briefing on what we were at and what we were doing. And then this afternoon, Mr. Rudd and myself drove around the city so he could get a lay of the land and what was affected. And, we went to quite a few areas throughout the town to see what what was going on. So he's he's been pretty much up to par. What's what's what we're doing. Our city emergency operations center was staffed, full staff activation at 7:00 on Thursday morning, we had all of our essential people in and ready to go as we waited for the events to unfold, we started seeing major effects in the city starting that evening on Thursday. And they went throughout the night into Friday, we saw a major flooding throughout the city, unseen to anybody today, we saw a lot of flooding on Dodecanese. If you've been down Dodecanese, which please try to stay away as much as you can. They are very busy down there, most of the businesses are emptying out. They've all been impacted by at least 3 to 4ft of water, if not more. We had flooding down in the fruit bowl. Banana, pineapple, Shattuck. All of that is, was underwater. If you go down there again, please try to stay away. But you'll see stuff. Households. People's lives are lined up on the sidewalks and just piles of stuff, we also have flooding, out on Riverside Drive, Seabreeze Drive, Chesapeake. And the list goes on. So there's multiple areas that were affected in the city that we're dealing with right now, our first responders, police and fire. We ran over 810 calls within a couple with with that evening between, Thursday and Friday, we ran about 810 calls. So we're extremely busy for all of us, I don't think those numbers have ever come close to being that high for any of us, a part of those we ran five structure fires, five buildings on fire at one time in the city. Never seen that in my whole career, we had another fire this morning over on Shattuck, which I believe is probably, related to the, flooding, so where are we at today? So today we have set our. Yes. Over the weekend, we set up a cooling station and charging station for city residents that are affected by the storm that have no power. So they can get in and out of the heat, extremely hot out there. Humid. As everybody knows. They can go to the community center on 400 Walton to get in and charge their cell phones, any devices they need, or just get out of the heat for a while, we put a request into the state, we have, trailers that started being delivered today at the community center. We'll let you know when they're going to be set up. But these are bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities for these people that are affected, so these trailers will be manned by people from the state to help us out, hopefully we're hoping the last trailer should be here any time. We're hoping to have that up and running sometime tomorrow, but we'll let you know once they are. Right now, the hardest part is getting the damage assessment for homes, all the homes. We are waiting for teams that are coming in that are being deployed to help the building department, we are doing this through with other municipalities, through what they call a 1206 mutual aid agreement, the company will be Hagerty Consulting, and they will come in with their teams to help. They have to go home by home throughout the entire city. Each home takes over 30 minutes to assess, to come up with a conclusion on the damage of that home. It's a time, process that's just going to be painstaking. So be patient with us. It's going to take a while. This is not a sprint. This is going to be a marathon for a while. Our GIS department is trying to give us an overlay of what we have and how many homes are affected. So we have a better handle of where are we at, where we are at, and that will help once we get some of these damage assessments going. Right now we put a request to Red cross is called us and wanted to know what we needed. We have, About four pallets of cleaning supplies and buckets that are going to be coming in, that we can go out and hand out to residents in the affected areas to help them, pallets of water that we will have coming in that we can take out to homeowners to help them with that if they need it. We had a call today, we're getting a community based support. Is coming, and it's on its way for residents with cleaning supplies, food and other items through Senator Scott's office, they're sending a bus down full of stuff that will be here. Probably about the 11th, they were calling us and talking to us today. To see what we needed and some of the things that they're going to be bringing. We still have some power out in the city. When I last checked the sites, we have power out. Still out in Harbor watch. We have power out in point, Alexis. We still have a section of the docks without power. An area on Mears that was. That is without power. It's slowly coming back alive, I don't know the extent of the damage in those areas or why they're taking a little bit longer, but I'm sure Duke is doing everything they thing they can, we have posted a bunch of stuff about the disaster and assistance that you can get, through, our Facebook pages, the city's website, and along with connect Tarpon. Those are all the sites that you can go to connect tarpon is a great source. Everything that we know that we can put out there, we are putting out there for assistance for everybody at this time. Individual assistance. SBA, small business loans, low interest loans that have been activated by FEMA, you can apply for these through disaster assistance.gov using the FEMA app or calling one (800) 621-3362, FEMA assistance is now available also for Pinellas County residents who have experienced damage or losses due to hurricane Helena, and again, you can go to the disaster assistance and call those numbers. They will help you with any housing or anything else that you might need. Once you apply for assistance, calls for any donations and stuff. Please take those to the county so they can get them to the right places, that we in our town that we need, we're looking, currently on. One of the big things will be permitting, and we know that's an issue. So when these people have to start putting homes together, we will be setting up our permitting process. We are looking at that right now to see how we how that's going to be handled. And once we have more information on how that will work, we will get that out to you right away. So everybody can get their permits started. And, when they're able to. So everybody's asking about debris pickup. That is a big issue, right now, we're waiting for the Department of Environmental Protection to send our permitting back, we plan on using the city's landfill site, the yard waste facility, to do that. But we have to get the proper permits to be able to put all the stuff there. We have a contract with Crowder Gulf. Our debris management company, that, that comes out and picks everything up, that will be coming hopefully soon. We're hoping in the next day or two we can maybe start getting trucks out there to get some of this stuff picked up, again, I said something about housing through, FEMA. Just go to those sites and they will help you with any needs you might have, some of the cancellations in town, first Friday is canceled due to staffing of city, resources. The, movies and concerts at the beaches and stuff are canceled right now because of staffing. Sunset beach took a big hit out there, due to sand, bathroom was damaged severely. We have some trees leaning out, leaning over out there on the power lines that have to be removed, we anticipate opening around October 7th, but that is subject to change depending on how things get done. So we'll let you know about that, again, use the Facebook pages, the police, fire and city Facebook pages for information city website and connect Tarpon. Connect Tarpon is a great site. You can just log into and you'll see a little section there for hurricanes, and they'll give you a bunch of information, or you can call our offices if you have more, the last thing I'd like to do is reach, just a shout out to the staff. As the person that's in charge of the EOC and running things and everything else, this staff over here made my job that much easier. It was a stressful time for all of us, many of us were up for over 40 hours straight without any sleep, trying to make sure we put the city back together, that's that's a big kudos to them. Without them, I wouldn't be able to do what I had to do. But I want to make sure they're recognized for that. So with that, I can answer any questions that you may have and or get information to you as we can find it. Thank you. We're going to go to public comments right now. Are there any public comments on this item? Please come up. And I would ask as we know, there's a lot of questions that they can't be asked. You know, there's the website as fire chief has mentioned and other resources that will get you those answers. But to have several questions answered at once is going to be difficult right now. So thank you. Please. Okay, my name is Diana Beatrice. I'm at 124 Athens Street, and, I just I don't have any questions. I just want to tell the Tarpon Springs Police Department the fire department and the paramedics. Thank you very much. I was one of the 810 callers, and I was very fortunate because I live off Dodecanese on Athens Street, and mine was a minor situation. But the fire department and paramedics were out so quickly and helped me and advised me on what to do. And I'm so thankful for this and I, I can't. I've never been in a situation like this before and, I can't believe how quick you guys came out. And I just want to thank you. And I want people to realize we're all frustrated. We're all going through a lot, but we also need to think about the other people and what jobs they have. And they're all trying to help us. And, thank you again to the fire department. The paramedics and of course, the police department. I thank God I didn't need you guys. You know, just two out of the three were good. But, thank you all. And, that's all I wanted to say. No questions. I'll be patient. Thank you. Ma'am. Good evening. Katie Taylor, 1991 Douglas Lane, Tarpon Springs. I was going to ask. I sent an email to Tommy, probably haven't seen it yet. Also kind of just forwarded it to Megan. Just to give you a heads up. Rose cemetery association. Rose Cemetery is, as you know, is one of the oldest African American cemeteries in Pinellas County. And it took a hit with a lot of tree limbs, a lot of debris. And we work on volunteer basis. So right now we've got people volunteering to come and help us pull up a lot of the debris and fallen tree branches. I was going to ask, is it possible for a dumpster to be put out there for the volunteers to put the debris in, and then you can pick it up after we finish it, because we're putting piles out there now, between now and Friday. So I just wanted to ask, I know you're probably busy. You haven't seen it, but we will look into see what we can do for that. Thank you very much. On my list. Thanks Next speaker, please. Nervous? Here, guys. My name is Lisa Rucker. I am one of the owners of WeatherTech electric. We've been serving the Tarpon Springs community for 41 years now, and I just wanted to come here tonight to let everybody know that we are a Duke subcontractor. And we've been certified by Duke Energy to self inspect. So anybody who is without power that may be there, the lower level, received storm surge, but their upper level did not. We can go in, to their homes. We can turn off lockout breakers for lower levels, so that their power can be restored for the upper level living areas. And safe things off. Because, of course, the most important thing is that people are safe and we're not having situations like we did have on Shaddock Street this morning. But that we are available and our guys have been working 16 hours a day since Wednesday. They worked all day Saturday and Sunday as well. As a matter of fact, they're still out working now. So we have been taking care of the Chesapeake mobile home park communities we've been out there for, I don't know, four days now. And also Island Club is Island Club of Tarpon Springs. There are more than 50 units there that are without power, we will be replacing all of their switchgear next week and hopefully get them with power by the end of next week. So, just wanted to let you know that we are available. We're here. Thank you, ma'am, for your services. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Hello, everyone. My name is John Kurowski. I own the marketplace at Tarpon Springs. It's the indoor flea market that we have over at 1943 North Pinellas Ave. We want to extend all of our resources that we can as well to the small businesses or any of the businesses in downtown. We drove through there today and very devastating. We can accommodate up to 30 of those businesses inside of our facility at no cost for a certain amount of time. They can advertise their businesses and by us, we currently average around 1500 to 2000 customers that come into us every weekend. Currently, we're letting the electric trucks that are out here helping park in our parking lot. We've got a full lot. So with that, if anyone down at the sponge docks or any other business affected needs a space, they need to just contact us and we will get them set up. They can advertise Facebook, whatever they need. We will be there. I'm from Chicago, so I'm used to six foot of snow. I've never seen anything like this. The police, the fire, everyone has jumped in. We'd like to do whatever we can. We have a staff, we have a facility. So if we can help, please just reach out. Thank you guys. Thank you sir. Thank you. Are there any other public comments? It are there any zoom comments? If anyone online like to make a public comment, please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. And we do not have any raised hands at this time. Thank you sir, Commissioner. Comments. Commissioner Eisner, thank you, would you do me a favor and explain to the audience and the residents what a state of emergency is? A state of emergency is put in place for the city to be able to function in an emergency situation, it kind of overrides some of the ordinances and stuff that we can do some of the resolutions. It just gives us a little bit more leeway to move freely and do our jobs without too much. What's the right word? Red tape, maybe. I guess whatever it is to say, this helps us do our job a little bit more effectively. So it allows the city manager to make decisions. It allows the city manager to make decisions that he normally wouldn't be able to make, regarding money purchases, decisions to make things happen, order things, whatever we need. Okay? I just wanted everybody to know what that was, the rest of my comments are just. I want to thank the police department. I mean, I saw them carrying people through the streets, the fire department were carrying people and saving people, and it was really a. You know, I'm blessed to be here in Tarpon Springs, and I know everybody else is. So I want to thank you and the staff because the staff did, you know, the heavy legwork and the lifting, I also wanted to bring up a sore subject, which was this is a unfortunately, a good lesson to not be putting e-bikes, Teslas or any of these vehicles inside unattended, if you're going to leave a vehicle around, please feel free to leave it outside so it doesn't set your house on fire, but that's all I wanted to say on that, all residents that were affected, whether you have insurance or not, FEMA has an (800) 621-3362 number that you can apply for. It's free and you can be anywhere from 3 to 6 different, applications that you can be possibly available to get money. There will be plenty of secondary damages that come and just please be try to be tolerable to other people. The young lady spoke about, water. This is not plain water. It's salt water, all power cords or power outlets that were in salt water should be not only checked, but possibly even replaced. They're going to be possibly bad. If they're working now, they may not be working down the road and they cause secondary fires. This happened in Katrina and Irene and Sandy and all that stuff. I don't want to recommend this as a retired restoration company. So you could select your own, but some of the products that are out there are MMR, milgo vinegar, and everything needs to be rewashed with fresh water. Salt water is corrosive. It will eat even the cement walls that it's been on. So you do need to rewash everything, and that's pretty much it. Thank you. Commissioner. Commissioner Collins. Two want to. Two want to thank the fire chief. Police chief, all your staffs, all the officers, are our department heads that spent the, sleepless couple sleepless nights at the command center and a special, special thanks to our former city manager for all he's done. I know he he said this was the biggest one he's seen, and he's had his 45 years of experience here in Tarpon. So I have a mr. Gilson question. Can I. Yes, si. So what are we going to do to expedite, permits when people start trying to repair their homes and especially in the historic districts, where they would normally have to go before HPB, they only meet once a mont. How are we going to expedite things? So we've had discussions, chief young, Miss Araya and briefly with the new city manager today, we've had discussions about how to navigate that, we're we're going to present some ideas to the city manager, hopefully, just maybe in the next couple days, HPB is one of them to try to navigate that, especially for the historic stuff, as far as straightforward permitting, we've already actually started that, we anticipated the electric shut off. I think almost everybody's doing, requiring an electrical contractor to certify a house before they can reset the meter. So we've already we've got that paperwork already out online, and we've got no cost permits for that. We're we're looking at some additional no cost permits. I've got a meeting with the city manager tomorrow morning to try to figure out what would be a no cost permit and how we would, implement. Okay. Thank you. That's all I have. Commissioner DiNardo, my colleagues have already covered most of the questions I had, but I want to commend staff as well, I, for one, really appreciate it. I know our citizens do, I know the fire and police were in demand and didn't get a lot of sleep, as well as a lot of our city workers who are out helping to clean up too. So thank you. We appreciate you very much. Thank you. I just want to let the commission know that if you're pushing the buttons, it doesn't reflect on the screen. So I am going to be going to each one of you just in case. Fire Chief, as we talk about the you talked about the large debris, you also suggested, as people have that stuff sitting outside, it's important to have that out there for the FEMA people to be able to assess it. Well, it's out there because people are trying to get it out of their homes. Yes. We've already seen in some places the black mold starting to show up. So we need to get it out as quickly as possible. We always recommend that you contact insurance companies, contact FEMA, make sure you follow their guidelines so you're covered on all your steps, so that's why you're seeing most of the debris. The debris management company will be by with their trucks, just like they did in Irma. Irma was pretty much trees branches. This is a little different. This is household hot household items that they'll be picking up and taking to our our site and then dispersing it from there. So okay, so yes, just the residents to be patient, please, as far as I've gotten a few requests and just maybe for city staff to consider if there's some high water usage for the month, maybe because of, you know, washing items that have been damaged or whatever, please consider, you know, maybe cutting the difference to what their regular meter suggests, usually runs average. So it's just a consideration. And, are we going to try to set up maybe a location in northern County or Tarpon Springs just to have, FEMA representatives to they will more than likely be contacting us at some point. We've already kind of designated the community center if they come, it's really upon them or where they want to go set up. We always put the request in that we want them to come here. We will use the community center when that, if, that, if and when that happens. So that will be our our place for them to come. If we can get them in here, I like the big facilities, so that may happen. Thank you. And I just want to commend staff because, I went briefly by as before, things really picked up, staff. They're like an army. They're they got all these, you know, different positions that are ready to be filled, ready to go. And it was really an amazing thing to see. From what I understand, they they didn't leave there for four days straight that command center. And so, I just want to thank them all. They also left their families too, as well to, to be to be there to look out over the community. And, we truly are blessed to have the staff that we have and, and the care that they have and the, the organizational skills that we have that they were able to come together with, with this EOC and truly watch them was, a great thing to see. So go ahead. I want one thing I forgot to mention that's kind of importan, we did. The police chief put a request in for additional law enforcement, we anticipate probably about 4 to 5 days. We'll start seeing, unlicensed contractors coming into the city. So the resources to keep up with that and watch what's happening, the police chief decided he was going to try to get some more people from the state to come in and help monitor that. So we just ask that everybody, if you're hiring contractors for your work at home, make sure they are licensed contractors, there's some people that are going to come out and try and take advantage of people, and we don't want to see that happening. So I want to make sure I got that out. So there's a link on our Facebook page that you can check for businesses, make sure they're licensed, don't ever pay anybody up front for services. You mind if I please, sir? You know thanks, Scott, for the leadership in the EOC. Mark. Great job as always. Thank you sir, as you walk out, unfortunately in the biggest storm we've ever had to deal with. But as the chief of police, I'm extremely proud of the officers. And thank you all for saying what you do, Scott is as extremely proud as all the firefighters and watching it from the EOC. I think the vice mayor saw what it takes as a team to get the community through this. Our people left their homes and families and are here serving. They had those worries, but they were out there facing the challenges head on and I'm extremely proud of everybody that was in the EOC. I think Scott hit it right on the head with all the department heads that were in there. I know public service is Tommy Tiger worked there. You know what's off getting all our lift stations back online very quickly. That's not an easy task, Tom's Functions public works crews, Tony Mannello and everybody getting all the trees cut out right away before the rains were even stopped and the floods were going down, they were out there clearing our roadways. So the emergency vehicles would have access and stuff getting out there and high waters. We had all the resource. This commission has given us the resources to do our jobs and help protect our citizens. The one thing they don't give us is a napkin to cry in, because that's all I did. Driving around today, Scott and I walked the docks meeting with business owners, going down through our community. It's painful seeing it, so have a heart for those that are affected. It truly devastated. And, Renee and Karen, thank you for all you guys do. Keeping the information flowing. The connect Tarpon springs.com. If you're not on it, get on it now. Tell your friends about it, because I'm tired of hearing people say we're not being told something. We're not being this the information is there. Look it up. It's we'll we'll work with you and get you whatever resources you need. But complaining is not going to help anybody. We are Tarpon Springs, and as one community, we will get through this. Thank you. Love you all and God bless. Tarpon Springs, Pinellas County hit hard. Everybody up through this state all through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, you name it. There's people hurting. But we're very fortunate, aren't we? No loss of life in Tarpon Springs, so at least we have that to be blessed upon and take that to heart. Thank you chief. That was very moving, Commissioner Eisner, please. Yes. Just quick, I know the comment was made, so I wanted to clarify. What do you save? What do you throw out, if it's a expensive item that could be contentious as far as what it i, save it. If it's an inexpensive thing, you can toss it. They're not going to argue with you on small items. They're going to argue with you on expensive items. So that's what you keep, as I saw so many refrigerators and dishwashers and, you know, all of those things being taken down the block commissioner said something about the historical area. If you are living in the historical area, I got calls that some of them, they were built on cinder blocks. They were lifted up and floated off the cinder blocks, and there's almost no way to float them back onto. So their total losses, some of these are going to have big problems. FEMA only pays $250,000 maximum unless you have a private, policy. So all of these things, they're just not going to be worth to do. And then somebody's got to make a decision on whether we can knock them down and redo them, or whether they're worthwhile fixing. So we have, tremendous decisions to make going forward and also tremendous decisions to be made that FEMA overrides us. So, I don't envy any of those people. And we could just try to see about not price gouging. If you have an apartment available, please post it so that somebody can have a place to live in a hot shower until their home is done. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner. Fire chief, any any further comments? No, I think everything was said and I echo what the chief said. So thank you all for your support. Thank you, Fire Chief, for everything. Thank you. We are now going to the consent agenda items. Oh yes. That was a long public comment. We're now going to public comments. We will now discuss, please state your name and address for the record. You will be given four minutes to speak. Your lack is 514. Ashland Avenu. As you've heard from so many people already, a storm. We haven't seen since probably. What was it? The no Name storm in 93. Maybe the Earth is trying to tell us something. Wildfires Storms that accelerate from 1 to 4 within 120 miles. Typhoons Earthquakes. I don't know if you, Some of you remember George Carlin, but back around 75, I remember seeing one of his first online shows, and he was complaining about the hippie dippy hippies saying, save the earth, save the earth. You know what? What? He said there's going to be fine. It's us. We're the ones that are messing things up for ourselves. So as it was mentioned, some people where they're at, they have to decide if they're going to actually rebuild there or just see what they can recover and move on pretty much the way our geography is. We're we're ground zero for these type of things. And as we keep seeing things get worse and worse and worse, it's not going to get any better. Or and what's the future for our town? So let's try to be more cognizant of things, of the earth. Now that I have a couple minutes remaining, I wish to read a couple passages here, the last couple of weeks, there's been a lot of whispers flowing through, and I picked a couple of passages. First one will be Psalm 83. Oh, God, do not keep silent, but do not keep silent. Be not quiet. Oh, God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir. How your foes rear their heads with cunning. They conspire against your people. They plot against those you cherish. Come, they say. Let us destroy them as a nation. That the name of Israel be remembered no more. And with one mind they plot. Together they form an alliance against you. Make them like tumbleweed. Oh my God, like chaff. Before the wind. As fire consumes the forest. Or the flame sets the mountains ablaze. So pursue them with your tempest and verify them with your storm. Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name. Oh Lord, may they ever be ashamed and dismayed. May they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord, that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. And then we go to Zechariah seven eight, and the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah. This is what the Lord Almighty said administer true justice. Show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor in your hearts. Do not think evil of one another, but they refused to pay attention. Stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint, and would not listen to the law, or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his spirit through their earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry, and he's shown it this last weekend. Thank you. Thank you sir. Anita protest, 91 Bayshore Drive, point of historical information in 1921, we were hit with the big storm and it pushed the water at the sponge, at the sponge docks all the way up to Athens Street, where the Cavite Police coffee shop is. And it was so deep that it had a sponge boat in it. So that was the big first storm tarpon ever witnessed. 1921. The newspapers back then had pictures of it. I had a picture. I was looking for it and when my daughter called me from Australia, I told her I couldn't find it. She says, because I took it away from you. So I don't have it. I wanted to bring it, but 1921 we should have realized, but we didn't because we weren't that heavily populated back then. My mother was a little girl and she's telling me we went and played in the water. But that's when we had our first big storm in Tarpon Springs. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Susan Swenson, 327 Manatee Lane. I was an engineer. I am an engineer. And lithium batteries in saltwater just do not go together. They go into thermal runaway. They could either immediately fail and ignite, or it can take them time to do that. I cannot even understand why or how they never went through the proper environmental testing, crash testing, anything else? Your bicycle is at risk. Your car and a battery for a golf cart is about this big. My neighbor is a fireman in Clearwater, and he takes his battery out of his golf cart and puts it high up every time there's an issue. When I was in the Citizen's Academy, I'm sure, the sustainability group didn't really care for my thoughts, but I tend to believe that all this EV push has been political and not at all technical in nature. That's it. Thank you. Ma'am. Next speaker, please. I think you're going to get tired of me. But anyway, Dina Gilchrist, 124 Athens Street, Tarpon Springs. Of course. I just want to say I've been very observant of our commission. The board, everything. The last month or so. And I have to say, right now I'm liking it. You all have different personalities. You're not going to get along. So right now, I think the best thing for Tarpon Springs is for you all to work together. Not arguing, not fighting. No, not anything I have. I'm here. My nephew is the vice mayor. I have to say, I am so, so proud of hi. That night he kept calling to make sure he was walking around the bayou. The Sponge docks area I was stuck. I walked through chest, my the water was up to my chest, I was asleep. I didn't realize it was flooding, so he was making sure the whole time that I was okay. I understand we all have our loved ones that care for us and I have mine. And I want to let you all know that if he's that compassion for me and Tarpon Springs, walking in that storm around, he is great for our city and that's what we need to remember. Who's good for our city because we do love Tarpon Springs. I am a born and raised Tarpon Springs and in the same home on Athens Street. So I'm very proud and I'm very proud of what he has done for our city in the last month that he has been vice Mayor. And I would like for you all to consider that not any other. That's an item that's coming up later, ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other public comments? It are there any zoom comments online? Anyone online would like to make a public comment? Please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. And we do not have any raised hands at this time. Thank you. We're now going to the consent agenda items item for special event 35th Annual Holiday Boat Parade. Item five special event Rotary Club of Tarpon Springs. Fenders for first responders. Car show. Item six satisfaction. Release of liens. Item seven. Award file number 250007. Dash c dash p h. Technology products and services with related solutions utilizing Sourcewell. Contract number 121923. Item eight Award file number 25008. Dash c dash p h Microsoft and software licenses through Sourcewell cooperative contract. Number 121923-SHI. Item nine Award file number 250010-N-H. Single source purchase of software license and maintenance agreement. Item ten Award file number 250013. Dash n Dash h. Geographic Information Systems GIS, ESRI, small municipal and county government enterprise license agreement. Item 11 Alert Florida memorandum of agreement between FDM and the City of Tarpon Springs. Item 12 Award RFP number 240083. Dash p Dash h continuity of Operations Plan c o p. Item 13 approved. State of Florida. Department of state. Division of Library and Information Services. Library construction Grant amendment two four Dash plc. Dash one six. Item 14 increase Award File Number 240001. Dash n Dash p h. Paper products, paper towels and toilet tissue or tissue. Item 15 renewal five renew file number 230171-C-PH. Landscaping materials utilizing the Pinellas County School Board contract number 23-497. Dash 025. Item 16. Award file number 250016. Dash n Dash h. Single source purchase of Aquatec and butcher. Original equipment manufacturer OEM parts and service. Item 17 approved date change for First Friday special event. Commissioners, are there any agenda items that you would like to pull? 17. Commissioner. Colonies. Are there any public comments on consent agenda items? Four through 16. It lacks 514 Ashland Avenue. I'll be a little quick here. Seven. Eight. Nine and ten. All for the. It. Department. If you add up all the money, it's over $700,000. I agree it's all needing to be spent. I just wonder if we need to make sure we have a coordinated plan some way to see if we can maximize these services, either in bundling or some way to anything we can do to reduce any of those costs. And secondly, to that point, I trust our IT department. And now that we've gone through a whole bunch of issues with storms and stuff that some of this, technology we're licensing for can help us to make sure our water systems are safe. Our sewer systems are safe. Our the integrity of our payment systems, because a lot of these are tied in together. And as we know, some of the ways to make us most vulnerable is take out the internet. Lastly, on number 15, which is the kind of mundane landscape materials, and if you actually look into it, part of what we're going to be buying is mulch. Yet you drive by Amir's mango and you got all that tree debris that's over there, and mulch. And instead of buying mulch, maybe we should be finding a way to sell it. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other public comments? It. Are there any zoom comments? If anyone online would like to for public comment, please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. We're moving on, ma'am. And we do not have any raise hands at this time. Thank you. The chair will entertain a motion to approve consent agenda items four through 16. So moved. Second. If there are no further comments or discussion, I had a quick question. Go ahead, I, as many of you know, I've been asking every question from Janina, on these increases, these increases are the same as across the board. It's it just falls into the play of, inflation the way things are. And there's just no two ways about it. There's less, suppliers and more money to spend, and it's just in every, every walk of life. So I just did want to let you know that because I do speak to her every month on those issues. Exactly. So thank you. Thank you. Commissioner, there are no further comments. Roll call please. Commissioner DiDonato. Yes. Commissioner Collins. Yes, Commissioner. Eisner. Yes. Vice mayor. Yes. We are now going to the ordinances, and, now we've got 17 items. No, we we're at 735, though. We got to start the ordinances. Resolutions. So we're now going to the ordinances, resolutions for the public hearings that start at 730, item 19 is resolution 202439, ratification of declaration of state of Emergency. Executive order 2024-02, city Attorney, can you please read the title? Yes. This is an executive order of the city manager of the City of Tarpon Springs, Florida, declaring a state of state of local emergency for tarpon Springs due to the potential tropical cyclone nine and its potential threat of harm to the residents and prosperity of the city. Thank you, City Attorney. Are there any public comments on this item? It are there any zoom comments? If anyone online has any questions on this item, please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. We do not have any raised hands at this time. Thank you sir. Hearing none, the chair will entertain a motion to approve resolution 202439. Ratification of declaration of State of Emergency. Executive order 2024-02. So moved. Second. There are no further comments. Roll call please. Commissioner DiDonato. Yes. Commissioner Koulianos. Yes. Commissioner Eisner. Yes. Vice mayor. Yes. Item 20. Resolution 2024 dash 40. Ratification of declaration of State of Emergency. Executive order 2024. Dash zero three and extension of Declaration of State of Emergency. City attorney, can you please read the title? Sure. I have the right one here, but one second. Thank. You. Not at my agenda. Let me just read it from here. Sorry about a resolution of the Board of, board of commissioners of the City of Tarpon Springs, Florida. Ratifying Executive Order 2024-03 and extending declaration of local state of emergency to October 8th, 2024, and providing for an effective date. Thank you, City Attorney. Are there any public comments on this item? It are there any zoom comments? If anyone online has a question about this item, please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. And we do not have any raised hands at this time. Thank you sir, the chair will entertain a motion to approve resolution 202440. Ratification of declaration of state of Emergency. Executive order 202403 and extension of declaration of State of Emergency. So moved. Second. There are no further comments. Yeah. If I could just in case the public's wondering why we're doing this. Because I think it might be confusing. So as the chief said earlier, the city manager under the powers of the city, has the ability to, declare a local state of emergency, but only lasts under the law for seven days. It expires. So there's a check on it, which requires the commission here to ratify that. So that's sort of a check on the power of the city manager. So that's what what's happening at this point. So they only last for seven days. Thank you. City attorney, if there are no further comments. Roll call please. Commissioner DiDonato. Yes. Commissioner. Colonna. Yes Commissioner. Eisner. Yes. Vice mayor. Yes. Now we are going back to consent. Agenda item 17. Approved date change for First Friday special event. Commissioner Eisner. Well, the question was posed to me, and I just didn't know if there were any residents, I wanted people to give us their feelings. I'm kind of torn between. Is it too soon to have another, merchants, first Friday on the 18th, or do we feel it is best to try to get back to normal as fast as we can? I honestly have been torn. I see the good points, and I see the bad points on both. A bad points, but, I mean, I just see that this could be insensitive. There are people suffering with a loss. So if there's nobody that wants to or anybody that wants to, you know, make comments, I wanted to pull it so that if there was public comments that they could make, because I'd really like to hear what people have to think as well as I'd like to hear what the board had to think as well. If there's no issues, I'm okay with it. Thank you. Commissioner, are there any public comments on this item? All right. Linda Eisner, 1515 Riverside Drive, Tarpon Springs. I think that the first Friday should be delayed for two weeks to give people a chance to digest everything that's happened, the women's club is having an event called, fun Run. It's a it's an event that's going to be at Sponge City. And we decided not to cancel it because to let people out to have a little enjoyment. But I think First Friday is a bigger event that really needs to be postponed for at least two weeks. Thank you. Thank you ma'am. Is there any other public comments? Yes, I'm Sherry Wendt. I live at 1214 Riverside Drive, and I'm president of the Merchants Association, and I do, first of all, really appreciate that, that you're considering letting us, postpone it and having it again, it was a big decision for us to, but we did feel that we shouldn't be having it. Right? Right away, because that seemed like it would be too soon. But two weeks from now, we're hoping that that will be a pleasant occurrence for our residents. And when I was asking, I did go down to the docks. I did see talk to people, and we have talked to our other board members. We've talked to. I've talked to merchants downtown. It seems like the consensus was it will be something to look forward to. It will be something that hopefully will bring us a little joy instead of where we are. And I know it's a rough thought back and forth, but maybe we can make somebody have a have a good feeling for at least an evening. And we also will be, offering, a free booth or tent to any person that has any, any one of our, our merchants that have been, hurt and damaged and shut down because of the storm. And in case they would want to bring any of their inventory in and be able to try to sell it, that may not be the farthest thing at all they would want to do, but we're just trying to figure out if there's anything we anything we can do, we would be happy to help. So I'm hoping that you will say yes. I mean, we would like to see that happen. Thank you. Thank you ma'am. Wendy Cruzado, 616 Palm Avenue I personally if I had the loss that these people in Tarpon Springs have experienced, I think for the city to have any kind of public gathering, I would personally rather see, something where the city, the people that weren't affected could bring items in to support the people that have lost so much, whether it's money or items. I think that would be better, because if I had lost so much, it would be hard for me to see the city celebrating. Well, I have nothing. And I think even for the rest of the people here that maybe don't want to stand up and speak, maybe just a show of hands on who would want it and who wouldn't, would make it fast. Thank you. Thank you ma'a. Are there any other public comments? It are there any zoom comments? Anyone online would like to make a public comment? Please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk and we do have a raise hand. I'll allow the first person in. If you can state your name and address for the record. Everyone hear me. My name is Katie Johnson. I live at 40 West Luther King Junior Drive in Tarpon Springs. And I just want to thank everybody. Fire department, the police department, all of our resident. I, despite our family's loss, I would not want to be in any other city during a disaster like this and a loss for our family. I'm very proud to be a Tarpon Springs, Sponger and a lifelong resident born and raised, as far as First Friday, even though we're going through a lot, it makes no difference to me what the city decides to do for that. It could be and looked at as a bonding experience for many people who need a break from their reality that they're facing, I would not be offended if it continued. I would not be offended if it wasn't continued. I trust that my city to make the best decision for the residents, and that's all I have to say. Thank you very much. Thank you, Miss Johnson. We do not, and we do not have any other raised hands at this time. Thank you. She was also one of those victims who really severely was affected by this storm. So we're really thinking about her too. The chair will entertain a motion to approve date change for First Friday special event. So moved. Second discussion. The only thing I wanted to add. And I know when Jerry was speaking because I spoke with Carol, and I know that there was. You kind of left out a little bit. I know she had said to me that she wanted to also have, a benefit for those that were injured, you know, financially. So, you know, at least to try to see about using some of the funds that you collect, to help the people that have been affected. I know maybe in the merchants who their businesses have been damaged. So I did want to add that, and that made me feel a little better, that we were just not doing this just to, you know, the people that were not affected to just have joy while the others suffer. So I was really impressed. I personally think I'm going to go ahead with it, and those who wish to go and celebrate, fine. Those that wish not to, it's not being done for any disrespect. So that's the way I'd like to say it. Thank you. Yeah. I just think it's important to get people out and about. When we look at, I believe that's either the 17th or 18th, that's about. Yeah, it's about two and a half weeks from now, hopefully morale can be built up and through the community and it's, it's a good thing to see is, one of our normal events is First Fridays. And so just that, that coming up in the next couple of weeks would be good to have people out and about. So I fully support it. There are no further comments. Roll call please. Commissioner DiDonato. Yes, Commissioner. Yes Commissioner. Eisner. Yes. Commissioner. Coleus. Yes. We are now going to special consent agenda item 18. Appointment. All right. We will. If this board would like, we'll take a ten minute, break. We'll start back up again at 8 p.m. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Please don't. I could probably pick you up. Sorry. Thank you. Well, I tried to get it open. Some things. Meaning? Out of recess and back in session at 8 p.m. We are now going to special consent agenda item 18. Appointment of Board of Commissioners. Vacancies. I will now hand it over to the City clerk. Miss Jacobs, who will discuss the process for appointment. Miss Jacobs, thank you, honorable Vice Mayor and commissioners. Due to the resignation of former Mayor Vatikiotis on August 22nd, I was tasked to notice and accept applications for the board to fill the vacant position of mayor Commissioner. According to our charter, the selection must be done prior to the 60 day deadline where the governor would step in and fill that position. The qualifications are listed in our charter section 11, and those are that someone must be a registered voter, shall be a continuous resident of the city for at least one year prior to the final day of qualifying for such office. In this case, it would be a year prior to the date of appointment, and it further states in our code that each person seeking to qualify as a candidate must meet the requirements not only of section 11, but cannot hold another elective or appointive office. We have received eight applications, and the. I'm announcing them in the order that they have been received. We have received an application from David Banther for the seat of mayor or commissioner. We received an application for Chris Alahouzos for mayor. We've received an application from Vasilia commanders for Commissioner, Michael Dixon for Commissioner Peter Delacruz, for mayor or Commissioner Kerry. Route for mayor, Commissioner Spanish Harding for commissioner, and from Panagiotis Kollias for mayor. Both the city manager and the chorus. Former city manager and I had concerns on the application received from former mayor Alahouzos regarding the residency and holding dual office, so we asked both attorneys for legal opinions. Former Mayor Alahouzos verbally stated to me the reasons he was in Greece and had sent emails to the board explaining his residency in Greece in more detail. In those emails, he also confirmed that he currently did hold an office in Limnos as a commissioner, but would be willing to resign that position and return to Tarpon Springs immediately to help. If the Board of Commissioners and the City of Tarpon Springs needed him. Both attorneys stated that based on the information known, they did not believe the former mayor is qualified, and noted that in Tarpon Springs Charter Section 11, it specifically stated A continuous resident for one year prior to the last day of qualifying for such office. The additional concern was that the if former mayor Alahouzos was appointed and qualifications were were challenged, that actions taken by the Board of Commissioners during that appointment may become null and void. Please note both attorneys advise and City Manager former City Manager and I agreed that his name be brought forward and that these issues be deliberated and addressed by the Board of Commissioners during the selection process, both the City Attorney Dickman and I have, concurred on the process, and I will read it to fill the vacancy of city commission in the event of a vacancy on the city Commission, which may be filled by appointment by the Board of Commissioners pursuant to the city charter. Nominations to fill said vacancy shall be solicited at at a regular session. The following nomination selection process shall be used for the selection of the Commissioner. The nomination process shall be explained to the Commission and to the public by the mayor or parliamentarian. The chair opens the floor for nomination. Each member of the Commission, upon recognition by the chair, shall have the right to place a nomination for Commissioner before nominations are closed. When all nominations have been made, the chair will so announce and declare nominations closed. If only one commissioner is nominated, that person will be declared by the chair to be appointed and shall serve until a successor is elected. If more than one nomination has been made, the selection of the Commissioner will be accomplished by a motion. With that said, the Commissioner would first, the commissioners would first have to choose option one or option two. Option one would be to appoint someone who is currently seated to fill the mayor's seat until April 1st of 2025. If this is done, the that person would have to accept that position and give their resignation of their current seat in order to fill the seat for the Commissioner and then at that time and then we would go ahead and swear in the mayor that person who's nominated, in this case, scenario immediately, if that's done, then we would need to appoint someone from the applicants to fill the commission. The commission seat position of that person who just vacated that office or resigned, or they can choose option two, which is to appoint straight from the applications received to fill the mayor's seat until April 1st of 2025. And I don't know if commissioner or if Attorney Dickman has anything additional that I forgot. No, that covers it. The clerk and I met earlier and compared notes and that's that's the process, just to be clear, the reason why it's important that if option one, if you choose someone from the commission, they in my opinion, they need to also not just accept the appointment, but also resign in order to create the vacancy. And the other, the other chair, the other chair. Thank you. City attorney okay, so before the chair opens the floor for nominations, as we discussed, each member of the commission upon recognition by the chair shall have a right to place a nomination for the vacancy before nominations are closed. When all nominations have been made, the chair will announce and declare. Nominations are closed. Are there any public comments on this item? Just a clarification. Are we talking about you're going to make a decision between 1 and 2, or are we talking about filling the seat at this point, sir? At this point, it's the agenda item is as listed. And there's many different options. You have four minutes to speak on it. Okay Your lack is 514 Ashland Avenue. And ■I do need additional time. He's requested now. Mr. Cruzado, as graciously allowed me to. What is the address, please? Was it six something Palm Avenue? Thank you sir. You'll be given six minutes, sir, please. Okay so, we're in this position for a variety of reasons, but at this point, I just would like to maybe refresh the board and explain why I feel like. I'm the choice. You should make, in the last meeting, it was pretty much decided. And agreed on that. Wanted former city leader to serve as mayor. Commissioners agreed it would be best for the seat to be filled by past mayor or former city commissioner until the March election. So if you're going to go first off by. What you stated, then that knocks out most all the candidates just leaves you three me, Mr. Banther Mr. Alahouzos at that point, as you have heard from the clerk, the attorneys basically said that Mr. Alahouzos or former Mayor Alahouzos is ineligible. We know he's been in Greece this time and I find it hard to believe, knowing when I was in Greece last year and walking around Kalymnos, how they have issues with foreigners coming in to buy property and do stuff there. So I find it hard to believe they would elect somebody to their commission who wasn't a resident, just like we qualify residents. So I'm not sure again, how you get two residences. So at that point it leads us to myself and Mr. Banther. As I noted in my application, you know, me. All of you know me. I've been coming up here over ten years. Public comments are on items. In fact, last night I just just wanted to just see how often maybe I came and I went back to 2017 and pulled up out of random August meeting. And there it was. It was about the CRA, and they were talking about mediation, about buying the Sun Sunbeam Motel, and I spoke that night. You've seen me speak about many other issues and the reason why I bring it up, because I know some people think I have baggage because of Anclote Harbor, and I'm adversarial. You've seen me be fair and honest. I speak the truth and you know it. Whether you like to see the truth. But you know I do speak that truth. I feel I have the experience, the knowledge, the temperament, the compassion, the abilities to fill the seat as mayor. And I know you're going to think about wanting to be mayor and vice mayor Cooley has indicated his intention. He put his name in the applications. He stated at the board comments at the last meeting. He would like a chance. We already know Commissioner Koulianos Koulianos is running for mayor. So I would say if you really want to be impartial and nonpolitical, you put somebody in the mayor's seat. That is not going to be the mayor after April 1st, because I tell you, if I'm seated there, I am not going to run for mayor. I have no interest in being mayor. But I think the way best way for you guys to solve how you all want to deal with your own political destiny is. Y'all all run for mayor and then let us decide who is the best choice. Now one last thing I wanted to add, and I indulge your time. At the last couple of meetings, there were talks about legal fees and how we've gotten into all this chaos over the last few years, and I have to admit, I will tell you right here, I've thought about it many a times. If I hadn't gotten that text after Thanksgiving 2020 about the meetings coming up, about Anclote Harbor, and if Carl and I and the rest of the friends said, we're not going to do anything, just let it go. You wouldn't have gotten into all this area, but where did it start before that? I also read the Carlton investigation, and if you read through it, it all started from contacts from Mr. Banther and John Trapani to the city. And lastly, we spent a lot of money and we've been criticized for an investigation. But there's nine people that did not come forth to tell the truth. Whatever the truth was. And you know who those nine people are and one of them is your other choice. And I spoke to them. I have nothing to hide. I've spoken truthfully to all of y'all over these years. So I would say, I know you think well because I sometimes am passionate that I wouldn't be able to handle a meeting, but I've had experience over the years. As I mentioned, I'm president of my condo association. I've been doing that for a couple of years. I'm familiar with meeting structure, and I feel like I can handle, what would be potentially what we would need to deal with over the next few months. I have already thought of a couple ideas as far as how to sometimes deal with some issues that may pop up, and, I just feel like at this point, if you give me a chance, I won't let you down. And I promise that it will be for the best interest of the citizens of Tarpon Springs. Thank you. Hi. Debbie McKinney, 1021 Rose Tree Lane, if we're voting between, putting someone from the outside in the in the mayor position, that would be my preference. I would rather have an outsider come in and work for the next couple months until April 1st. And we have a new election. Is there any way that we could put a stipulation that they would not be allowed to run for mayor if they got the position? Because then I worry about an advantage of them already being in the seat and now running for mayor. So if there's a way we could put a stipulation in there that whoever run, whoever gets the mayor's seat cannot run for mayor, that would be awesome, I think by putting an outsider in the mayor's office seat, then we don't have to go through filling Peter's seat as a commissioner. That's my opinion. Thank you. Thank you. Ma'am. Next speaker, please. Anita, protest, 91 Bayshore Drive. I'm listening to all of this. You have to look at the individual. They're always mentioning David Banther, the therapist, but they lost. You lost. And he and you're going to put someone in that sued the city. That cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars. You've got to think of the background of these people. And I'm not here to tell you who to vote for. But Mr. Banther is an outstanding citizen of this community. Peter lost his second chance as commissioner. I'm telling you, the truth. Let's just get it all out here because I am sick and tired of people blaming people, calling them crooks. They have no proof. It's not true. They stand on their honesty. Look at what they've given to the community, to look at what they've done into the done for the community. You know, people can drop names and say they did this. They did that. But where is the proof? It's not there. Everything was above board. Everything was out front. And the developer won. We've got to get over that and we've got to move ahead. But you've got to stay with the individuals that have really progressed in the city and given a lot. Instead of fighting us all the time. Thank you ma'am. Next speaker, please. Regina Francis, 15 Athens Street, I just want to start off by reminding everybody why we're in this position in the first place, the second time we've had this in less than a year, you know, the reasons for the former mayor's departure, I'm not going to comment on it, but I do want people to know that there was only one days notice given and that not everything that the mayors and the commissioners do is done up here on the dais. Right. So I came to learn later that the mayor signs all the checks for all the bills we have to pay. Just like we have to pay bills. And those bills had those checks had been signed. But at that point they couldn't go out. And because we were in this in between, you know, they just sat there for, you know, a moment because they would have to have to ratify something that somebody else could do it. In the meantime. So, you know, there was there's a lot more that happened. Just just not that we're not seeing. So I just want people to understand, don't forget, you know, the blame gam, I'm not saying that anyone should be playing it, but don't forget who started that, the second thing is, the last time we did this, there was a lot of talk about not badmouthing the applicants because they're all stepping up. Some just want to be mayor. That's just one applicant, but everybody else. And just because they're former commissioners doesn't mean that they deserve it. Or they signed up for it. So, you know, that just didn't seem to be discussed. Again, I think it might be assumed, but I think that we just need mindful of that, that, we're not badmouthing anybody when it comes to, your discussions because we have to comment before you speak, and then I, I've heard I'm not positive it's an appointment to vacancy. I just I'm not sure if there can be a motion that's made that not only if the mayor's seat is filled by someone other than an applicant and somebody has moved on the commission over that, that other vacancy is also filled tonight, because I'm not quite sure if the law is clear on that. So I didn't discuss it with any of the attorneys because trying to keep the bills down. So, I'm not sure how that works, but I just think that that's what everybody assumes is going to happen. And then my personal I just think that David Panther is the best option. And I'll say, you know, we can all do better. We can all change our minds. And David Panther knows I can't look at him because following the rules, you know. So, but I once said you know, you'll never be mayor of this town, so you know, I made a lot of assumptions, we've all done that, and we can all apologize and do better. So I'm trying to do that, at least on my own. And, we need to take accountability for our actions. There was a lot of good that happened during the hurricane, but there's a lot of stuff that could be better. And I think that that should be addressed from the beginning. So it's okay to say that, you know, yeah, maybe we could have done that better. I think we could have all done better. I know I could have. So, while I'm grateful that everyone, nobody died or got really injured, I think it's an opportunity to do better. I'm looking at it for Mr. Rudd. Is an awesome opportunity to come into. Not as a bad thing, fresh start. You know, there's just a good time to make things, different and better. So, now, as far as which position for David, I don't think it matters. You all have one vote. If somebody wants to be mayor that bad, then, you know, have at it. So I don't think David cares, and you know, Peter Delaquis, you know, is my cousin. I love Peter, I think he adds a lot, but I think, David, I think now we need a, you know, we need some young blood. You know, we don't want people loafing around. So, I just think that that would be my choice. Either mayor or commissioner. Thank you. Thank you. Katie Taylor, 1991 Douglas Lane, Tarpon Springs. If you're appointing someone one a person, show you who they are. Then you have to believe that person. I'm standing here because I'm concerned about commissioner, vice mayor Coolio's. Two months ago. He declined. He came right over here and he declined. He said he wasn't running for mayor, but then he was appointed vice mayor because that was the seat he was holding. Tonight, your title is acting mayor. So you moved from vice mayor to acting mayor. Okay. But I would I would not recommend that we choose Vice Mayor Coolio's. He's doing a good job as vice mayor, but the mayor position, I'm very concerned because as a person, as as a volunteer that sit on the that volunteered to sit on the board, he he told me right here in this in this arena that, you were the only commissioner that spoke up when I was the when I was being voted in, we had an option to be voted in on the park board. You were the only commissioner that said you have to be careful of people who got their special agendas as to why they want to be on the board. All I'm trying to do is help my I'm born and raised right here in Tarpon, so not only am I trying to help my community just like you, I'm trying to help the city of Tarpon Springs make better choices. When you're looking at diversity, diversity, you don't have it. I don't know, Mr. Banter from a can of peas. I never met the man. Don't know him, but I've heard a lot of good things about him tonight. I would not recommend you being in that position until April. It's very concerning because you're not diverse. You don't have, you don't have that pulling of unity. And I say that because you say it. It's a successful project for a four year project to be on the table that was worked on by a board that my ancestors pictures are hanging over a drainage ditch in Tarpon Springs. And to your out of your own mouth, you said that's a successful project. That's not a successful project, sir. It's not. But I'm concerned about you stepping up as mayor because it's a dangerous position. I'm not sure who's going to get picked tonight, but let's pray to God it's not you. And all due respect to you, I'm not trying to knock you or hurt you. And another thing, it's always at the end of the meetings, like I'm speaking now when I go sit down, you're going to have your comments and you, you, you throw shade back at us and we don't have a we don't have we don't we don't have a chance to snap clap back at you. But that's unfair to us as well, because when we sit down, you shouldn't should you should not be making snide comments to what people like me who's just trying to serve their community. I commend all of you for hard jobs that you're doing, but you're the only one that said I was the person that was up here for my own special agenda and you're. I beg to differ. I'm here. I'm a tarpon knight, born and raised here, and I love my the whole city of Tarpon Springs, not just the black community, not just the Greek community. I love all communities. So thank you. Thank you. Ma'am. Next speaker, pleas. I told you you were going to get tired of me. Constantina. Beatrice, 124 Athens Street. Tarpon Springs, Florida. So right now we are in a devastated time and that goes for all of us in Tarpon born, raised, moved in color, race, whatever you want to be. Black, white, purple, whatever. So you want to bring another person in who has no clue what's going on. And as hard as these people have worked right now, if somebody's coming up here, yes, you do have an agenda. And if you have a personal agenda, you're taking that out and you're stating it. So don't tell us you don't have a personal agenda. We all do, whether it's personal or for our city. It's what we want to get in my opinion, strictly my opinion. I think the first choice is good. I do feel the way you guys stand by. Vice Mayor Coleus might not. He declined it and he decided he might have not wanted to run in April or whatever it is, because he knew the commitment it might have later on. But for five months, come on, you want to sit there and criticize a man that's doing a great job right now? This is personal and that is a personal agenda. Okay, so with that said, I have heard nice things about Mr. Banther. He is the most recent commissioner that has left. So I am my opinion. I do feel Mr. Glass would be a good choice. There's been more harmony in these meetings than ever, and sometimes people don't like to hear the truth, and that's why they criticize people, okay? And that's what's happening right now. We all want a favor. We all want this. Who is us people? Us people is Tarpon Springs. There is no race. So one project is not more important than another project. And Mr. Collins, good luck to you. In April, as everybody is saying. But we're speaking of now, we're speaking of the present. So this is what we need to remember what's best for our citizens, right now. What have we been doing? And everybody's been helping each other. And for the next five months, we're not looking at years. We're looking for the next five months. And so far the last month with this team has been good. It's been a whole team here, not just the commissioners, everybody. So remember that when you're choosing 1 or 2, I mean, this is getting ridiculous. And I'm going to sit up here and say it over and over. And I might sound silly to you guys at a bad mouth, but I was born and raised and I never heard diversity or anything when I was growing up. We were all together and now everybody wants something, some kind of section in Tarpon Springs. God, we're all just citizens. Let's all just and especially during this time, I have nothing else to say but look out for all of us. You guys, right now. Do what you can for all of us. Do what you can for yourselves. Because many of you all are hurting also, not just us. And you know, this personal agendas or criticism or anything. It's ridiculous. It's going to go on and on and on. It doesn't matter who's in mayor, who's in commissioner. There's always going to be somebody who doesn't like somebody. So we need to get over it and look what's best for our city. There's no personal attacks. Thank you. Susan Swenson, once again, three, two, seven Manatee Lane, I actually am going to say I'm going to respect whoever you guys choose, I don't know enough about Banther. I know that Miss Rude did a great job at what she did, so I am open to that. Why I'm up here is because I could not take it. Somebody was up here a few people ago from me, and all I want to say is no one knows the whole story. No one knows what went on here before. No one knows what the previous mayor. I am not going to let somebody stand up here and. And degrade people like Kosta. And what he did or did not do. We're all people. We all have good strengths and we all have weaknesses. But for someone to come up here and go backwards instead of, we've had this hurricane here, let's move forward. Let's be together as a community and stop bashing people from before. And that's all. Thank you ma'am. Next speaker, please. I t are there any zoom comments? If anyone online has a public comment, please raise your hand and you'll be allowed into talk. And we do not have any raised hands at this time. Thank you. The chair now opens the floor for nominations. We're going to start with Commissioner Eisner, I nominate the vice mayor. For mayor. Thank you sir, Commissioner Collins. Can I state my, some reasons why I'm coming up to my conclusion? Sure. Okay Thank you. You know, I've been giving this, a great deal of thought, you know, and oftentimes I, I go back to trying to be clinical and in being clinical, I look at, the vice, you know, we had a mayor resign, which we, I don't think we've ever had in, in Tarpon. We had a mayor resign, and we had a vice mayor in place. The vice mayor takes the gavel, and that's the procedure. Now, the fact that we have the charter that says that we choose somebody, I'm looking at how would had this have been if this happened a year ago? This had happened a year ago, Craig Lunt would. Was the vice mayor. He would have received the gavel. I don't think there would have been any conversation about who would have hold that gavel till the next election, I think David Banther was a vice mayor, and I don't remember who was mayor during his term. But if that mayor had have resigned, I'm certain that he would have taken the gavel and everyone would expected him to take it till the next election. So this isn't a personality thing. This isn't about who it's clinical, we have a vice mayor and the purpose is for him to take over. If the mayor can no longer handle the, to be in place, we've got several months till an election, and the people will decide at that time. So I think the most rational and clinical way of handling this is to leave the vice mayor in place as the, the interim mayor until there is an election, you know, we just went through a hurricane, and we need continuity. We need, some kind of form of consistency, what I'd like to see by the end of the night is that we have the vice mayor stays in in with the gavel. We have. I'd like to just get this thing wrapped up tonight so we can move on as a as a community and move on as a board and have a really healthy board. So we have the vice mayor hold the gavel. We, fill the commission seat. And I think the best candidate, with the most experience that can step in is David Banther. And then, final piece of the puzzle is somebody has got to get moved over to vice mayor. And since I'm going to be vice mayor in November, I should be moved over now and then. We have a solid board and we move forward and we get to April, and then things happen and go that direction. So that's my choice. That vice mayor. Yes Hold the gavel until April. Thank you. Commissioner. Commissioner DiDonato well, I, I have a difference of opinion, based on many, many things. I, I applaud the effort that our acting mayor has done. I'm going back to, a year or two years, even three. And I want to see us get back to functioning in a peaceful, good manner and a positive manner, I think, there's an unfair advantage. If we were to put, Mr. Koulianos in a seat as he's a declared candidate for the seat, I think there's still somewhat of a conflict as well, because you are declared to run for your seat, commission seat. And Mr. Commissioner Eisner is not, not declared. So I don't know what he's doing, but three of you have some some piece of the pie here, and I'm the only one that does it. And I just think it's better for us to, to just do something direct and to bring some hopefully continuity and progress towards the city and some peacefulness, and I strongly feel as, as the previous, as a previous commissioner with the most experience, recent experience that I would I would support David Banther as acting mayor through through the elections process. Did you want can I didn't know that we were going to go through a speech. I just gave a I have something I would like to say also, unless you want to speak. Sure. You'll you'll call, I'm only going to nominate myself for mayor. And then afterwards for an appointment for commissioner. We'll we'll have that discussion. But I'm not. I'll give you many reasons, you know, I was part of this whole initial, you know, election three years ago in which, you know, so much was done, but at the same time, I've been here, not going anywhere. I've shown that we can run the meetings in a professional and efficient manner. As far as running for office. The day I told you guys I was resigning, we knew what happened or not running for mayor, we knew what happened. But that was a signal to me. And like I said at the first meeting, which I ran, I don't think we should hide our true ambitions. And I haven't hid them ever since we had that opportunity in which I could be transparent to run the meetings for another 6 or 7 months. I can do at 200%, as well as being able to connect to the residents in which, I believe I have a better connection with an overall majority of people from the community. Not saying these commissioners don't have great outreach, but I provide a little different perspective as well as connection with the residents. I'm well versed in all the topics for the community, and so I'm only going to support myself from there. So Commissioner Eisner, thank you. Vice mayor, a couple of things we said that I need to clarify, we don't have a rule that states who could run or not in the future. I have excuse me, I have, Commissioner. Right here who stated that he. And I'm not saying this in a negative way, but you said you would not run, and then you ran. So we don't have a rule about that. So that rule, we could adopt that rule, but we don't have that. So that's out of the question. There was a comment made that only the mayor can sign checks. That's not true either. We do have a backup to signing checks. Nobody has done more battle up here with vice Mayor Kulas than I. But the thing that you need to understand is we're both fighting for the best in tarpon. I know that Commissioner Koulianos said he was feisty and that Commissioner Koulianos was once feisty. I am still feisty, and I will fight people up here to what I think is best to keep this town with no agenda. I, my agenda is the people that put me in office. What I've said is what I've kept so, I personally think that there was an eye opener when our mayor resigned. I was very, I was going to definitely scrutinize how Commissioner, vice mayor runs the meetings. I think he's done an excellent job. I think that he has not done favoritism. He runs an excellent meeting. Everything has been fine. And dandy, there's been no battles up here since then, and I don't think you can hold him liable for stating that. That he doesn't want to right now. Run for a mayoral seat in April. That has nothing to do with now to then. From now to then, we need to stabilize this board, especially with the hurricane that just hit us. So I am going to put my whole heart behind, vice. I keep calling the commissioners vice mayor. Okay And he's done an excellent job, I didn't know if he how he was going to handle the gavel, but I am pleased with it, and I'm supporting that. What he decides to do down the road, I will then decide if he wants to run for mayor. As commissioner just stated, or I want to run for Miami mayor, or if I want to run for mayor, we could always decide that we have till the end of November. Nobody has to say anything right now. Okay, but that's a different story we're talking about right now. Now I also did not want to bring up, I'm up here doing transparency. And that's what a lot of the people up here are to try to do is transparency. So I was the one who read all of the emails that were public record without my opinion. I just read the public record, and I was hoping that I wouldn't have to reread some of that public record. But we have a situation where I have to read these a couple of them, because this is a letter, you know, I heard somebody get up and say they were not found guilty. Well, that's true, but it was an incomplete, report because there were many people, as was said, that did not respond to the special counsel. And had I known that, I probably wouldn't have even voted with the people that didn't speak with it, why would I have voted to pay 160,000 if the people's names that were on it weren't going to speak? So This is a letter from the special counsel to Mr. Mantha, and it says we represent Tarpon Springs and conducting an investigation regarding the Anclote project. I call you on September 8th 23, but we've not heard back from you. If you're amiable, I'd like to talk to you concerning the project. You may contact me directly. Dear Mr. Schwartz, I decline. Advise your client to focus on the multiple pending lawsuits, not a personally orchestrated witch hunt on behalf of the mayor. Now, I'm not going to make a comment on comments like that, but you'd use your own judgment if that is proper. Then there was a record request. Dear Michelle, now that the Anclote report is public, I recall that it is stated that once the investigation was complete, these emails, notes, logs become public record. If so, please see the request below. If not, please advise us when all emails between all members of the Board of Commissioner, employee, partner Agent of Carlton Fields as it relates to investigation, all phone logs between all members of the BOC and employee partner agent of Carlton Fields as it relates to the investigation. All text messages, all written material. ET cetera, et cetera. I know you sent this to our attorney prior, but please send the updated and listen to this city insurance policies that show our coverage limits. So there was a comment made that somebody was suing. This to me is somewhat at least the way I take it, somewhat threatening that they're going to possibly, I don't know, Sue the city. I would recommend the city attorney advise the Board of Commissioners about the consequences of hiding or falsifying documents as it relates to the public record request. So now we're being told that we might be breaking the law since before we even broke the law. If we did, this will be far easier for them to disclose all. Now this will be asked of them via deposition after the suit is filed. Now this if you want to have somebody up here, this is my opinion only. Who would write something like this threatening the city, the board of commissioners. Nobody said anything about him. Nobody said anything. We were doing a fact finding at the time because there were 300 people in here, and they thought something smelled like Limburger cheese. And what we did was we went ahead to clear the air. That's all we did. And if it came back like that, it was fine. If it came back. But if you don't talk to somebody and explain things, then I don't know what to say. It's far easier to disclose it all now because, okay, I understand this might take some time and I'll happily cover the costs, then we had another one. There are two commissioners that I do not know for their benefit. And then he gives his, you know, all the things he's done for the city, which I commend him for. He has done a lot of things for the city. I worked six and a half years in the Board of Adjustments, and he was the vice mayor at the time. I watched the meeting with the new board last night. I know there's probably no one on this board that cares what I think based on past public, baseless, negative comments about myself. But there's some things I'd like to tell you. When I watched the mayor give his speech at the beginning of the meeting asking for board maturity, how is he tired of hearing negative comments, how tired he is of hearing negative comments about the commissioners behavior? I literally started laughing from my point of view, the mayor has been the ringleader from day one as it relates to discord, negativity and using his office to punish what he perceives as his enemies. Each member of the board of Commissioners is responsible for their own actions, but our current state of affairs is a result of the mayor's actions. I have made it public that I am not a fan of Commissioner Eisner. I could write a three page email about him, but he's not worth much energy. As a former commissioner and vice mayor, I've received extensive negative feedback about his behavior in town. I'm going to request that we have a point of order. This is not germane to what we're here for, and I think I think he's trying to go over the nominations. But please, if we can just limit it to the contents of just one four against, we're not a nomination integrity in that nature, pleas. There's there is. The residents have the right to know the decisions that you're choosing. And Commissioner Koulianos is choosing. I have the right to read these. They're public record. City attorney, there's a point of order on the on the table right now regarding, right now, what you're trying to do is you're dealing with the vacancy of the mayor, and you're going as the clerk read, you're going through the process of, you have open the nomination process. The nomination process is still open. It has to be finished. And then you close it. So there's a point of order by commissioner about whether or not, I about 100% sure who you're talking about, but I assume you're talking about somebody that is a has been nominated. I would I would have had. I'm sorry. Just I'm just simply trying to say. And I understand where you're going, I appreciate it. I'm just trying to say that one of the reasons why I did decide to run was this very thing. I, I'm, I'm up to here with criticizing and accusing and without proof of anything and the letters, the letters can be interpreted different ways. And I think you will agree with that, I just want us to move through the process without having to impugn somebody. Okay. Can I can I let me answer you say, let me answer you. It's please, please, everyone. So if we were commissioner, if I just wrap up your comments, I will. If we were discussing just the mayor, I'm done. But Commissioner Giuliani's also put a second comment out there about his second vote. That's the only reason why I'm reading this now, if we want to retract the second comment about who he's going to make that he's nominating you and we can end that fine, and then we want to cover that with who is going to be, our elected, our our commissioner. Then it's fine. But since it was both brought up, I needed to bring it up now. And that's the reason I'm doing it. Yeah. Let me, let me address this real quickly because I realize that a second name was put out there, but there isn't a vacancy for that yet. There has to. That's why we talked about that. So that vacancy has not been created yet. So there's really no reason to talk about that second nomination right now. You'll be reading about the mayor, the mayor appointing the mayor. Okay, Commissioner DiNardo, you want to I just want to clarify something. I said it, and maybe if it wasn't heard, I appreciate what you've done. You've come. As far as I'm concerned. You're growing up there. You're doing quite well. It's not about you, and it's not about John. And it's not, quite frankly, all three of you might be running. And what I'm saying is, let's just take somebody that I feel strongly can handle this job and move on in a positive direction. And this is an example of what I don't want us doing. I it's nothing against any of you up here. I'm not I speak highly of all of you and yes, even you sir. And you sir and you, sir, all three of you. I want us to work together. And to me, the smoothest road to do that is to put some directly in in the mayor's chair, independent of the four of us. That's That's all I'm saying. I'm not saying anything bad about anybody because I. I commend you. It's the second time I've done it. I just think we need to clean this up and move forward. That's point blank. And just, Mr. Vice Mayor, just so I the process is this is under your resolution, your rules. So far, all four of you have put a put a nomination out there, I'll repeat it that you, vice mayor, there are three people nominating you. There's, one other nomination for Mr. Banther. The point is, is that if once you close the nomination, assuming that those are the nominations, if there isn't a unanimous pick, then then it has to be done by motion. Okay. So in other words, there's it's like right now all four of you have put a nomination on on the table. And it's not unanimous. So the rule says if more than one nomination has been made, selection by the commission will be accomplished by motion. So if those nominations stand, then there needs to be a motion. Well, then I'd like to at least have a little discussion with Commissioner DiDonato and hopefully he can reconsider the nomination because we're at where we're at and we do speak about unity. It's not too often where you know, even us three right here to agree in a position right here. So, wholeheartedly, Commissioner DiDonato, I need you to reconsider. That way, we as a commission can move forward whether you know, I've done my role to sit here, I don't have no grand ideas to give the city manager the stress. If you read my application about what we're going to do, it's a simple process right now. We're going to let this guy get his feet. You know, we're going to let him get into his managerial spot and move forward and so, I would ask you to reconsider in case we don't have to go to a vote and do the motions, and that way we can move together as a, as a community. But you talk about not running. I don't have intentions on running for mayor, and everyone knows that. I've actually turned in my final termination report to the city clerk. And closed it out. But as I said, the next day, after I said I wasn't going to run, we all know what happened and, I was in this position, but for seven more months, I can do it. And I do believe I can do it the best. And I do believe that I can run and run these meetings in an efficient manner. And I do think it's someone who's been part of the board from the beginning to finish out this three year term, that some of us are committed to and so I don't plan on using it as a leverage to move forward. I'm going to stay in my seat for I haven't even officially filed for it ye, but that's where I'm going to be. And, I guess we have to ask you one last time, Commissioner DiDonato, if you could reconsider before we have to go to close the nominations, because we're at where we're at, no one knows what the future holds with even Mr. Banther in three weeks. I. With all due respect, I don't believe I need to do that, there can be a motion made in a second and a vote, and I've heard I can coun, but I. I'm stating how I feel. And again, it's not directed toward anyone up here. It's just what I think is the best for us to go forward. And that's all I'm stating. So of course, taking back what I've stated, I can't do that, Mr. Mayor. I but you can count to three too, so I'll make a motion. So before you do that. Yeah. Can we, can we? I just have to close. Okay The nominations have closed, and so now we will entertain a motion. I'd like to make a motion that we appoint, Panayiotis Kollias as the mayor until the next election. I second. There are no further comments or discussion. Roll call please. Mr. Donato, for the reasons I stated, I'm voting no. Mr. Bolanos. Yes, Commissioner Eisner. Yes, vice mayor Julius. Yes And now I will accept the position and resign from Commissioner seat for. So now, city attorney, can you help us with this next step? Yes. And the reason why I asked for that? Because the charter talks about, like what creates a vacancy. And I think the resignation, you stating that you're accepting this position as, as mayor, appointment mayor, you're resigning from seat four. I believe it is. And you could say that verbally here. And also follow up in writing, if you like or verbally is fine, but I just want to make it clear that there is now a vacancy created in your chair. And then I would recommend that you go ahead and now act as mayor. You could take the oath right now. And become mayor. In that way, if you all want to take action on the vacancy, with the nominations that you have, you can do that tonight, you have 60 days to do it, or the or the governor is going to do it, or you could do it tonight. I think we ought to do it tonight. I don't know. All right. If possible, I'd like to take the oath of office, and then we can move into the next point for the commissioner seat. You can raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, I, Panagiotis Gulyas, do solemnly swear or affirm. Do solemnly swear and affirm that I will protect that I will protect, support and uphold, support and uphold the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States, and of the State of Florida, and of the State of Florida and the charter and laws, and the charter and laws of the City of Tarpon Springs, of the city of Tarpon Springs, that I am duly qualified, that I am duly qualified to hold the office of mayor, to hold the office of mayor. That I will faithfully perform. That I will faithfully perform the duties of that office. The duties of that office in which I am now about to enter. In which I am now about to enter. Mr. mayor, if I may. Yes, sir. So I'm reading from. I just want to be crystal clear on all this stuff. So this is section 11 of your charter. It states that in the event of any mayor or commissioner dies, resigns, cease to be qualified, there becomes a vacancy you have vacated seat for became selected to as mayor. So now there is a an officially a vacancy in seat four. You all have, several names that have been put forward to people who are seeking to, to act as commissioner and would fill that seat. Four if you want to act on that, you do so in the same manner that you did for the mayor. Sure. So we'll go ahead and we would open up nominations again. Yes. Okay And so now the chair will open the floor for nominations. Each member of the commission, upon recognition by the chair, shall have the right to place a nomination for the vacancy before nominations are closed. When all nominations have been made, the chair will announce and declare nominations closed. Commissioner Eisner, I nominate Carrie Root and, she ran the charter commission, exquisitely. And she has the experience. The knowledge, and I would hope that you don't want me to continue with these next couple of pages of why I will. I do not wish to go forward, but if we have another, nomination, I will. Yes, sir, Commissioner Ennis, I nominate David Banther. Fitted the position, David is a staunch supporter of our town. He has worked tirelessly. And besides, you know, there's, effectiveness of holding office and David, besides being commissioner, he was vice mayor, but he was instrumental in the beginning of the Citizens Academy. He was instrumental in the, starting of the sustainability committee, David has he's a great family man. He is, he's just he's an outstanding, member of our community and all this stuff about with emails and this, this is really why I want David up here. And, like, I talked about before, I want a coalition of the reasonable. And he's a big piece of that reasonable. So I think with David here, we will have a strong solid board, and that's why I'm supporting him. I'll second that. Oh, there was no motion. You did make a motion. No. That was, So Commissioner Dean now has a nomination and you're putting that nomination for Mr. I support David Banther. Do you want me to make my comment now? Do you want to go ahead, sir? I'm going to go back to just a couple of things. Just to summarize. Finally, I know you have a very tough road ahead. Your actions and resulting in some very costly lawsuits against the city. I would not be surprised at all if Commissioner Eisner and Mayor Vatikiotis aren't able to finish their terms. When all is said and done, you made your bed. Now lay in it. I hope this workshop in May is taken seriously. And it isn't just window dressing by the mayor. You'll get zero accomplished, including your retaliatory plans via the 160,000 that special counsel. If certain commissioners and mayors don't clean up their behavior, I'm fully prepared for the relation that could come from this BOC based as a result of this email, I will leave you with this. The gloves are off. Any retaliation against myself, my family or my business, I will instruct my attorney to go straight to filing a lawsuit against the BOC and also file suit against any commissioners that are involved. Follow Commissioner Coolio's lead. Clean up your act and start acting like elected officials. And this is the last thing that I want to say here, because I don't want to read the whole thing. Commissioner Koulianos is our future mayor and commissioner Coolio's is our future vice mayor, and are the only voices of reason on this board. The mayor and Commissioner Eisner, which my offer still stands for. His one way ticket back to New York City, which Commissioner Koulianos states, we're all tarpon ites. But to Mr. Banther, I am not a top knight. I am a ticket back. Thank you. I've still not received the ticket, have shown that I have no ability to select the next competent city manager after their unqualified candidate was exposed at the meeting, nobody was exposed. They were. They were ripped apart. The mayor, Commissioner Eisner and the failed candidate can't hold a candle to City Manager Mark licorice for 40 plus years before you start throwing more stones at this man, look at yourselves. Your witch hunt against Mark is personal, and it says, over the last year, I've personally had developers tell me that there's no way they would develop or build in tarpon under the current BOC that is lost consumer revenue. Lost tax revenue. Thank God the mayor's turned out. But what will Commissioner Eisner run for reelection on this? Perhaps I need to throw my hat back in the ring for his seat. I will talk with the city clerk's to wrap this up. You all can go back to court. Why is the mayor still in office? His tenure as mayor is starting to look like his short tenure as city manager. And I read this to you because if this is what Commissioner Koulianos or Commissioner, the commissioners think is someone that would fit in here and be copacetic with all that goes on. We don't have a woman up here, and we don't have a peaceful person woman up here. That's why I am still saying, Carrie Root is my choice. She's neutral. She's handled that. And we all know that because we've all gone up there. She's handled that board amazingly with very different personalities, and I think she'd be a perfect fit up here on the short term. She's and she's not looking to run for office after this. And we should be thankful that we're getting somebody in here without a past. And she's neutral. She's not going to take sides, that that's all I want to say. Thank you. I've gone back and forth between Doctor Root and Mr. Banther, I don't I think Doctor Root's done a great job with the charter revision Committee. I do think they brought out way too many questions, though, for us to review. But we understand there's a lot of, you know, to discuss and go over. This happens every five years. I see Mr. Barrett. Mr. Banther, I believe he can bring some experience to the Commission as well. Some excessive accessibility to the community, that I, I don't believe Doctor Root has at this moment. I believe Doctor Root is well known in the community to has done a great job in in reaching out and being out there, I don't think doctor Root is going to get the votes up here, by the way. I see it and I do want this done tonight. So I'm going to support Mr. Banther. Is there any other comments before nominations are closed? And I know we had some fights and bickering between all of us, even as people coming up here, but, My tone has changed and it'll change for anybody. What? Right. When you're in the chair, I promise you. Any Differences you have with people when. And I know it sounds selfish, but my tone had to change. Being right here because there was a community looking out and expecting us to look out and get work done. And do the business of the day for the citizens of Tarpon Springs. And I have been guilty of, acting certain ways during some agenda items. But I think there is a going to be a continuity with this board moving forward. I'm hoping there's only we're in a spot right now with city manager, with the transition manager, where, it's time to bring agenda items in, get Mr. Rudd going. I think we're in. You know what we call a honeymoon phase? Basically, in which we, let the city manager do their thing. And so I believe our fighting or our differences in the past, you know, are going to be put to the side. There's going to be times where we disagree on items or differences in our opinion towards stuff, but we're going to support certain agenda items in which only a few of us are going to be on that same side. And so, I do want this to move forward. We can't have a commission with just four people. And so I'm going to support Mr. Banther there. No further comments. I'm going to close the floor for nominations. Mr. mayor, you have it, one nomination for Miss Root, three nominations for Mr. Manther. So again, you have to do it by motion, I will say this though, because the city manager and I are both new here, so we're getting to know people. I would, for the record, like to know if Mr. Banther is here and is still agreeable to take the position. Yes. He's nodding his head. Yes. Okay, great. So with that, the chair will entertain a motion. Could I make a motion that we appoint David Banther for seat a Commission? Seat number four. I'll second that. There are no further comments or discussion. Roll call please, Mr. Donato. Yes, Commissioner. Collins. Yes, Commissioner. Eisner, no. Mayor. Yes Okay. Very good. You have, you can what? I would recommend is that Mr. Banther could get with the clerk, and the oath can be administered at any time. It doesn't have to be at a meeting. And then if you want to do something more official or formal at the next meeting, you could do that. But at least at that time you will have five commissioners in in office who will have a working commission. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. City attorney. This is the end of the agenda. The point of order. Go ahead and we entertain, the moving up the vice mayor. So we have a vice mayor. You do you want to do that at the next meeting when you have all five here or no. Will you do it now? Usually the mayor has to be. I'm just clarifying for the attorney. It's done by resolution. I mean, they so. So according I think according to the rules that are in your procedures that nominating and appointing a vice mayor is done with a resolution and there isn't a resolution prepared. Can I make a motion to suspend the rules? Sure. Do I have a second? Second? Okay. Quick, quick comment. So we suspend the rules, or if we don't suspend the rules, when are we going to have the vice mayor? It would be through resolution at the next regular session. Two weeks at your next meeting. I don't like breaking the rules. I really don't. I really do. I. City clerk. That's how it's always done. Yes, ma'am. I do have a question for the attorney, if they discuss it tonight and do the. Can we come back next week with just the ratification of the resolution? Yes, you can, you can do the motion. Take care of the vice mayor. And then we can draft the resolution and have it ratified at the next meeting, and have it prepared them without breaking the rules. It would. Yes, because it would still be by resolution. Yes Okay. So with that said, the chair will entertain a motion to appoint a commissioner as vice mayor from now until, April, April 1st. April 1st. November 2nd. November 2nd. I become vice mayor. This is just to get me to November 2nd. Well, hold on, city clerk. We have to. So it's done once a year. Even though you're going to take office in November by doing this, this would give you until April 1st of 2025. I understand. So can I ask a question if we're doing this up until November 1st, that from now till November 1st, correct? No The current resolution, y'all split the vacancy, right. Split the position if that. So each position had 149 days. Commissioner Colonna's term would have come up on November 3rd until April 1st. Correct. So there's no sense of doing it twice. So this would be that if that's what y'all want to go with that he would serve until April 1st of 2025 like he originally was. It just starts it sooner than the 149 days. Gotcha. Okay, so there was a motion out there. Was it seconded or was it so moved and seconded second. So moved second I so moved it. He seconded. You got that city clerk okay. I'm sorry. So Commissioner Kelly made the motion. Motion. And Commissioner DiNardo moved second. Okay. Got it. Okay And if there's no further discussion, and that's to have Commissioner Kelly fill out the term vice mayor. Okay, if there's no further discussion, roll call, please. Commissioner Donato. Yes Commissioner. Collins. Yes, Commissioner. Eisner. Yes, mayor. Coleus. Yes Okay. And just to be clear, you will. You're directing staff, which will be myself. And the clerk, to draft a resolution ratifying what was just voted upon. Okay. Yes. All right. Great. Thank you. All right. This is the end of the agenda. That concludes the regular session. Agenda. We will now go to board and staff comments. Staff comments. Police Chief Young, I just want to welcome aboard the new city manager, Mr. Rudd. Looking forward to working with you. New mayor, new vice mayor, new commissioner, new board. Looking forward to it. And God bless Tarpon Springs, Florida and the rest of our country. Thank you. Thank you. City Attorney, welcome, Mr. Rudd. I'm glad I'm not the newest person here anymore. Thank you. City manager, Mr. Rudd, I just want to say thank you for the welcome I've received and looking forward to meeting with each of you individually and getting to know you and your your goals in the city, and also with the staff and the boards and committees. I'll be attending those meetings as they come up on the calendar and eventually meeting the organizations out in the community and attending those meetings as well. So thank you, let's not forget transition manager Mark Lucas. Do you have anything you'd like to say, sir? Thank you. Oh. No. We knew you were back there in the corner. All I want to say is congratulations to the decisions tonight. But the one thing I want to say and I've got a pretty cop gut good cop good over the years. Do something. We have a city manager that I'm very proud to pass the torch to. This is a good man, a good individual. He's going to love this community real soon. And I can't think of a better person than I want to pass the torch on. He's going to do great for all of you. He's a great choice, great person. And I want to congratulate him of carrying on for many, many years. And I'll be watching and applauding him because you got a good man and I'm happy to turn the torch over to him. Thank you very much, Charles. Thank you, Mr. Lucas. City clerk, I too, would like to welcome our new city manager, and I look forward to working with you. And I also like to congratulate the appointments. We're now going to board comments. Commissioner Eisner caught me drinking, it's not vodka. I want to welcome Mr. Rudd, I'm thrilled that you accepted this position. Looking forward to working with you and, once again, my condolences to anyone who's lost anything. Better days ahead, I hope and, happy Rosh Hashanah, which is tomorrow. So happy new year. That's what that means. Thank you, sweet ear. Maybe. Thank yo. Commissioner Giuliani's. Yeah. First, I want to, again, wish all those people that were lost so much, that they get their lives back together and, you know, just wish them the best, I also want to thank. I want to welcome the new city manager. I'm excited we get to I get to see you on Thursday, and I hope you have some comfortable shoes because I like to walk around town. So I'd like to take you with me. Mayor Julius, you know, I've said this before, you know, we have a history. You know, his mom, Maria, worked for my mother and father in a gift shop long before you were, you were again, a twinkle in her eye. You know, most people don't know that I was your accountant for many years, and we had a lot of conversations together about your life, and. And do you remember that? I met you the next morning after the election. We went to Copenhagen, had a cup of coffee and we had a nice long talk about life and where you were going and how proud I was of you, you know, you and I still am proud of you, we've had our tussles, but we're both Colombian, so it just goes with the territory. But we get over stuff and we move along, and, I'm really proud. I'm proud of you. Thank you. And I know you're going to do a good job. So thank you for stepping up. It means a lot to me. Thank you so much, Commissioner DiDonato. I too would like to welcome our new city manager and, look forward to meeting with you tomorrow. I again want to stress to, our now mayor that it was nothing to do with him. It was strictly what I felt was right. And fair to all concerned. And that's what I tried to do. And I just want to make that clear, I wish everyone well in your recovery from the storm and assure you that we all stand ready. My number's available, and I'm here for all of you. Thank you. Thank you, we're just, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected from the hurricane. We see the destruction that's left over 400 miles, we've seen what it's done to our town and the record numbers. It's brought, thinking about all the residents. I mean, my neighborhood was pretty much destroyed, you know, and, you know, our house was spared and I. And I say that with guilt because when I look around and I see my neighbors, my, my neighborhood people that I've known for, for decades, and I see their belongings out, you know, I it's tough for me to look at. And so there's this guilt that I see and so, as a community, I'm hoping we can just any way we can to help out one another. I'll find all the all the funds possible, to help the residents through this time. And it is going to be a road, but that's why it's important to try to get people out and about, get the community back open again, and, just really feel for all those residents. I do want to thank this commission for the appointment. It's an absolute honor for me. I'm really in disbelief. It's like if I actually soaked it in, you'd I would be tearing, you know, on stop. And so that's going to come at some point, I'm a hometown kid. I love this community. I'm not going to let you down for these 6 or 7 months, I'm going to keep the commission focused, focus on the issues at hand. We together as a commission and let City Manager Rudd do his thing. That office that mayor's office that's open to anybody. That's not just the mayor's office. That's anyone you want to meet. Someone in there, that's. It's open to anyone. So you just get Ahold of Trish, set everything up, and so we're in this together, I'm hoping we can inspire a new generation of, individuals in the community at some point in the future, because that was one of the reasons that I wanted to try to make a difference in this community. I do believe we'll get there at some point, but I'm very thankful to be working with everyone on this board. There's a lot of wisdom. There's a lot of expertise and guidance that I'll be using from this commission as a whole to help move the meetings in a professional and efficient manner. And I'm absolutely thankful for this opportunity, it's like a dream for me, and I can't thank this board enough because it came from the board. And without your will, it wouldn't have happened. And of course, the will of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I thank you all so much and I'm not going to let you down. And we're going to focus on the issues and, and make sure these next six months are great for the city manager, all of staff and the community and all the employees. So I want to thank you all, this concludes the regular session meeting. Meeting adjourned at 9:22 p.m.