[6. ADDING INVOCATIONS TO THE COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA (RC): ORDINANCE No. 2509-2023; AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA AMENDING THE STUART CITY CODE, CHAPTER 2, ADMINISTRATION AMENDING ARTICLE II DIVISION 2; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY OF THE PARTS HEREOF; PROVIDING FOR READING BY TITLE ONLY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. RESOLUTION No. 07-2023; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ADOPTING A POLICY REGARDING INVOCATIONS AT THE OPENING OF ITS MEETINGS; MAKING FINDINGS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

AND WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM FIVE IF WE COULD HAVE DONE IT.

LET'S SEE. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2509-2023.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE STUART CITY CODE.

CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION AMENDING ARTICLE TWO, DIVISION TWO PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY OF PARTS HEREOF, PROVIDING FOR READING BY TITLE ONLY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

IT ALSO INCLUDES RESOLUTION NUMBER 072023, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A POLICY REGARDING INVOCATIONS AT THE OPENING OF ITS MEETINGS, MAKING FINDINGS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

THIS IS A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCES AND AS SUCH IS NOT A QUASI JUDICIAL BUT IS A LEGISLATIVE MATTER OF THE COMMISSION.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND BEFORE WE GET TO ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OR PUBLIC COMMENT, JUST I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW THINGS. ONE IS I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT FROM BASED ON SOME OF THE EMAILS OR SEVERAL OF THE EMAILS I'VE RECEIVED AN INVOCATION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

AND, AND IF WE VOTE TO APPROVE IT OR DON'T VOTE TO APPROVE IT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING AWAY. THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITION TO OUR AGENDA. AND THERE'S BEEN SOME, I THINK, SOME MISCOMMUNICATION OUT THERE REGARDING THAT, BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE EMAIL ME AND CONTACT ME SAYING, YOU'RE TAKING SOMETHING AWAY. BUT I PERSONALLY, OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE MET WITH BETWEEN 30 AND 35 PEOPLE PROBABLY 35 HOURS OF

[00:20:07]

CONVERSATION, EITHER IN PERSON OR ON THE PHONE AND DISCUSSING THIS.

I'VE MET WITH ACTUALLY A COUPLE PASTORS, AND I SEE ONE OF THEM IN THE ROOM TONIGHT.

AND IT WAS A VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME READING EMAILS.

I READ EVERY EMAIL THAT CAME IN.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE EMAILS I WOULD SAY WERE PRO INVOCATION.

THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE NOT WHEN I WILL SAY WHEN I'M SPEAKING WITH CITY RESIDENTS, PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

THE MAJORITY OF CITY RESIDENTS I SPOKE TO WERE AGAINST THE INVOCATION.

AND SO BUT NOW THAT'S NOT EVERYBODY.

THAT'S JUST AN UNSCIENTIFIC POLL.

I'VE HEARD THE PROS AND CONS.

I, I EVEN YOU KNOW, I EVEN REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS.

AND AGAIN, I'VE SAID THIS FROM THE BEGINNING. I'VE BEEN IN FAVOR OF A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER OR BE PUT ON HER AGENDA.

AND BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL OF THE PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT OF ALL FAITHS.

OUR EMPLOYEES AND PEOPLE THAT COME BEFORE US AND WHETHER OR NOT A PRAYER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING IS COMPELLING SOMEBODY.

AND THIS IS THAT'S BEEN A KEY WORD IN THAT I'VE COMPELLING SOMEONE TO PARTICIPATE IN A PRAYER THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT SINGLED OUT IN THAT COMMISSIONER A COMMISSIONER OR STAFF MEMBER OR MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC DOES NOT PENALIZE THEM FOR PEOPLE'S BELIEFS OR LACK OF BELIEFS.

SO ON THAT NOTE, THAT'S JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I WANTED TO MAKE IN THE BEGINNING.

AND IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS, MOTIONS MOTION TO APPROVE.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS TO APPROVE A SECOND.

OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND.

ANY COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS BEFORE I GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? OH, OKAY. CAN I HELP YOU? SO, YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU.

MAYOR THAT THIS IS NOT SOME THIS WHOLE IDEA.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT PREMISE IT CAME UPON BECAUSE I HAD BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE WITH WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THE COMMISSION AND I BROUGHT IT UP AGAIN EVEN RECENTLY, I THINK WHEN COMMISSIONER COLLINS SAID SOMETHING AND THEN I WENT BACK AND I RECONSIDERED AND I THOUGHT ABOUT EVERYBODY AND ALL THIS WAS OFFENDED.

WHO'S NOT OFFENDED? BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD PRAYER ON THE COMMISSION IN A LONG TIME.

AND SOMEHOW A LOT OF THE MESSAGES THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE EMAILS WAS THAT WE WERE TAKING PRAYER OFF OF OUR COMMISSION.

WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A MOMENT OF SILENCE BY THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.

AND SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TAKING AWAY PRAYER FROM OUR COMMISSION.

THAT BEING SAID, AND I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE CONGRESS AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SOME PEOPLE PRAY AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T.

AND IT'S A MATTER OF YOUR SERIOUSNESS AND YOUR FAITH AND YOUR WORKS AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT COMBINED OR NOT, DEPENDING ON BELIEF.

AND I THINK WE DIDN'T I MENTIONED THIS LIKE 4 OR 5 WEEKS, MAYBE THREE WEEKS, 4 OR 5, THREE MEETINGS AGO WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP, THAT I'D LOVE TO HAVE EVERYBODY HAVE SOME TYPE OF A UNANIMOUS APPROACH.

BUT SINCE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS DISCOURSE AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE REALLY LEAN ON BASED ON PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OR PEOPLE WHO I THINK PEOPLE WHO COME BEFORE US ARE GOING TO BE COMING BEFORE US, WHETHER OR NOT THEY LIVE IN THE CITY OR NOT.

BUT I JUST I JUST HOPE THAT OUR DISCOURSE TONIGHT WILL BE CIVIL AND THAT WILL HEAR FROM FOLKS AND THAT WILL CONSIDER AMONG OURSELVES AND THAT I THINK IT NOT ROBBERY EITHER WAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IS GOING TO BE OFFENSIVE OR NOT OFFENSIVE, ADDING IT ON OR NOT HAVING IT.

AND I DON'T IT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE STATE AND WITH THE COUNTY, AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE A HARM.

I JUST DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT IT HAS BECOME ALMOST LIKE A I'VE GOT TO HAVE IT TYPE OF THING AND IT. TO ME IT HAS BECOME SUCH AN AWFUL DISTRACTION AND WILL PROBABLY BE AN AWFUL DISTRACTION DEPENDING ON THE WAY WE VOTE TONIGHT.

AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THIS RESOLVED AND GET IT CONSIDERED IF WE DO GET IT

[00:25:05]

CONSIDERED SINCE THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR.

I WAS GOING TO LOOK BACK THROUGH.

I'VE TALKED TO MR. MARTEL ABOUT THIS, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEWHERE IN ONE OF THESE THREE CLAUSES THAT WE HAVE, IF WE DO ADOPT THIS.

OKAY. I DIDN'T HAVE AMENDMENT A HERE.

ATTACHMENT A, IF WE DO HAVE THAT THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT IF WE CAN SAY SOMETHING THAT WHERE IF WE DO HAVE AN INVOCATION THAT WE.

IF IF YEAR BY YEAR, IF EACH MAYOR WHO'S ON, IF THEY COULD DECIDE ON A MANNER OF HOW TO DO IT, WHETHER THEY HAVE, THEY CONTINUE TO CALL ON THE PERSON TO THE MINISTER TO PRAY, OR WHETHER THEY CAN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

I THINK BY PRACTICE, THE COUNTY COMMISSION HAS HAD BOTH THE.

DEPENDS ON WHO'S CHAIRING THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

IF THEY ASK FOR THE MINISTER.

I KNOW THAT REVEREND BROSIUS GOES TO A LOT OF THE MEETINGS OF BOTH MPO AND COUNTY COMMISSION, BUT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME TIMES WHEN THE COUNTY HAS NOT ASKED FOR SOMEONE TO COME. DEPENDING ON WHO IS CHAIRING THE COUNTY AT THE TIME.

BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE LEFT UP TO US, OR IF WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT SPECIFICALLY IN AN ORDINANCE.

MR. MARTEL. IT'S A POLICY DECISION THAT THE BOARD CAN MAKE.

RIGHT NOW, THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR IS TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE, WHICH INCLUDES THE RESOLUTION PROCESS.

OKAY. IF THE BOARD HAVE VOTED AFFIRMATIVELY, IT WOULD IN FACT INCLUDE THE RESOLUTION PROCESS YOU'RE DISCUSSING.

HOWEVER, DURING THE DELIBERATION, THE BOARD CAN MODIFY IT AS IT SEES FIT.

OKAY. WOULD YOU VOTE FOR IT IF WE INCLUDED THAT? BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW WE CAN COUNT TO THREE. WE'RE NOT COUNTING YET.

MY SUGGESTION IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO LEAN THAT DIRECTION, THAT WE ELIMINATE THE RESOLUTION ALTOGETHER AND THEN MAKE THE ASTERISK NEXT TO THE INVOCATION.

SAY SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF THE INVOCATION WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE CITY.

THE SEATED MAYOR. AS FAR AS WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO, THE FORM OF INVOCATION.

INVOCATION? YEAH. JUST ELIMINATE THE WHOLE POLICY ITSELF.

WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? BECAUSE WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS, WHATEVER MAYOR IS SEATED CAN CHOOSE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT AS IT RELATES TO INVOCATION. SO THEN THAT WHOLE PROCEDURE AND THE RESOLUTION IS FOR NAUGHT.

I THINK THEY DO THAT AT THE AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

WELL, THE COUNTY, THE PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE IS, IS PRETTY MUCH THE COUNTY'S.

YEAH. BUT I'M SAYING THAT I'VE SEEN I THINK MR. MORTEL HAD ASKED FOR A LIST OF THE TIMES WHEN THE COUNTY COMMISSION HAD AN INVOCATION.

AND IT SHOWS THAT MARKEDLY THERE ARE SOME PERIODS WHERE THE COUNTY JUST HAD AN INVOCATION AND DID NOT HAVE A MINISTER HERE THAT DAY.

RIGHT. I MEAN, SO I'VE GOT I GOT THAT LIST.

AND SO THERE IS MULTIPLE TIMES IN THERE WHERE THERE'S MOMENTS OF SILENCE AND MULTIPLE TIMES IN THERE WHERE IT'S THE SAME PASTOR GIVING THE INVOCATION.

AND THAT'S MAINLY DUE TO FINDING PARTICIPANTS TO COME AND GIVE THE INVOCATION.

AND I'LL JUST FINISH OFF BY SAYING, I REALLY, HONESTLY THINK THAT THIS IS MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

I THINK THAT I THINK THAT WE KNOW, I KNOW, I THINK THAT WHAT WE, I THINK THAT I, I WISH THAT WE COULD HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH AND, AND JUST DONE SOMETHING, WHICH IS IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INVOCATION, LET'S HAVE IT AND LET'S CONTINUE OUR MEETINGS LIKE THAT.

THE STATE DOES IT, THE CONGRESS DOES IT.

LIKE I SAID, I WISH THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE A BIG ISSUE OUT OF THIS.

AND I'VE LISTENED. I JUST READ SOMETHING FROM PETER UPTON.

I READ FROM LOTS OF OTHERS, SOME FOR, SOME AGAINST.

AND THERE'S SO MUCH IN THE DISCOURSE.

BUT RIGHT NOW I THINK THAT IT'S BECOME A SIDESHOW CIRCUS AND WE JUST NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE GOOD MEETINGS AND HAVE THEM IN GOOD ORDER AND HAVE GOOD BLESSINGS ON THEM. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

OKAY, SO WHY DON'T I GO TO PUBLIC? WE HAVE A WE HAVE A MOTION.

CAN I MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS END OVER HERE? YOU CAN GO FIRST. WELL GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER RICH.

I MEAN, I MEAN, COULD YOU ASK COMMISSIONER CLARKE WHETHER SHE WANTS TO INCLUDE THAT ELEMENT BECAUSE THAT IS A VERY VALUABLE.

YES, YES. I MEAN, THERE THERE MAY BE SOME FUTURE MAYORS WHO ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE HAVING TO PRESIDE OVER AN INVOCATION.

I THAT I THINK THAT MR. MR. THE CITY MANAGER, GAVE US A WAY THAT IF WE ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION, THIS RESOLUTION, WE CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THERE, THAT THE FORMAT OF THE INVOCATION.

NO, NO, HE SAID THE OPPOSITE, IN FACT.

I MEAN, THE RESOLUTION IS VERY DETAILED ON THE PROCEDURE.

AND I MEAN, SO IT PUTS WORK.

[00:30:01]

SO WE ADDED IN THERE. WELL, NO, HE SAYS, I'M SAYING ELIMINATE THE PROCEDURE AND MAKE THE FOOTNOTE TO THE INVOCATION THAT THE MAYOR.

SO WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR WITH THE THE WAY THE COUNTY DOES IT IS EXACTLY THE WAY WE HAVE IT WRITTEN RIGHT NOW. WHAT YOU'RE I'M I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU.

THAT'S OKAY. IT WOULD BE BASICALLY THROWING THAT RESOLUTION AWAY.

THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS HOW THE COUNTY DOES IT. THOSE MOMENTS OF SILENCE THAT HAPPEN IN THE COUNTY IS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT SOMEBODY TO GIVE AN INVOCATION THAT DAY. IT'S NOT THAT THE CHAIRPERSON IS DECIDING HOW THEY FEEL THAT DAY AND IF THERE WILL BE INVOCATION OR NOT.

SO WE ARE FOLLOWING WHAT THE COUNTY DOES.

WELL, I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO WANT TO HAVE THE OPTION THERE THAT ON THE YEAR WHEN A MAYOR COMES IN, IF THE MAYOR CAN SAY IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE USE THIS FORMAT OR JUST HAVE A A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I.

DO WE NEED A MOTION? WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION.

WE HAVE A MOTION. WE WOULD HAVE TO REJECT THAT.

WE VOTE NO ON THAT IN ORDER TO EITHER VOTE ON THE MOTION OR AMEND THE MOTION.

WELL THAT'S WHAT THAT'S NOT WHAT MR. DIAS HAS SAID. SO I'M JUST THE MOTION IS TO INCLUDE THE RESOLUTION AS SET FORTH IN THE COUNTY. IF THE MOVER AND THE SECONDER AMENDED THE MOTION TO CHANGE IT, YOU COULD CHANGE IT. OTHERWISE, AS YOU POINT OUT, YOU WOULD VOTE ON IT AND ADDRESS IT.

WHY WOULD WE MAKE IT UP TO THE MAYOR THOUGH? WHY WOULD, WHY WOULD, WHY WOULD WE GO FROM A POLICY THAT IS DISCRETIONARY? ON HOW THE MAYOR FEELS AT THE TIME.

THAT SEEMS VERY STRANGE. IT'S EITHER POLICY, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ADOPTING OR WE'RE NOT.

I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THAT BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, THEN, THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP. BECAUSE CREATING AN IDEA ON THE FLY HERE WITH.

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THE COUNTY DOES, THOUGH IT.

MAYBE IT WAS A CONFUSION AND PRESUMING HOW THE COUNTY DOES IT.

WE ARE DOING. WE ARE RECOMMENDING WHAT THE COUNTY DOES. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENT BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO SO SO LET ME LET ME JUST MAKE THIS CLEAR THEN. SO I HAD MADE A MOTION.

NO, YOU HAD SECONDED IT.

NO. CHRIS. OH. CHRIS. OKAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. YOU MADE A MOTION AND I SECONDED IT SO THAT I CAN SECOND.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, GOOD. SO THEN I'M NOT.

I MEAN, THEORETICALLY, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE IF MAYOR MCDONALD SAID, I DON'T WANT TO DO PRAYER, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO PRAYER.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO IT.

IF HE'S PRESIDING THAT YEAR, AND HE COULD JUST CALL FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, INSTEAD OF ASKING THE MINISTER TO COME TO EACH OF THE MEETINGS.

RIGHT. THAT WE WOULD JUST DO MOMENTS OF SILENCE FOR THAT YEAR.

THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.

SO THAT WE HAVE A BALANCE IN BETWEEN.

THAT ONE PERSON SHOULD DICTATE THE POLICY THAT YEAR.

BUT THE MAYOR SHOULD DICTATE IF WE PRAY ALL YEAR, THAT'S BECAUSE THE MAYOR IS IN CHARGE.

THE THE MAYOR WOULD BE THE PERSON IN CHARGE.

I MEAN, I, YEAH, IF WE PUT IT IN HERE, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'D HAVE TO VOTE ON EACH YEAR.

THEY WOULD ON THEIR CHOICE, SAY, THIS IS HOW I'M GOING TO RUN THE MEETING WITH AN INVOCATION OR WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW THE, THE BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO VOTE ON NOW IS IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INVOCATION. SEE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN MADE WAY TOO COMPLICATED.

SO DO WE WANT TO PRAY AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETINGS OR NOT? IT WE THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH DIFFERENT DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, AND I AGREE WITH YOU. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THIS COMPLICATED. AND THIS IS ANOTHER LAYER OF COMPLEXITY. THE MAYOR HAS MADE CLEAR THAT HE WOULD RATHER HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

WE CAN PASS THIS. THIS NOT REALLY AN ORDINANCE ANYMORE.

WE WOULD SCRAP THE RESOLUTION AND THEN THE MAYOR, HYPOTHETICALLY, YOU COULD SAY, I DON'T WANT TO PRAY THEN.

SO WE WE WOULD BE PASSING A RESOLUTION AROUND INVOCATION AND THEN NOT PRAYING BECAUSE IT'S AT HIS DISCRETION THIS YEAR TO NOT PRAY.

IT JUST SEEMS VERY. DO WE WANT TO? IT SHOULDN'T BE COMPLEX. DO WE WANT TO PRAY AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETINGS? DO WE THINK THAT WILL BENEFIT THE CITY OR NOT? IT SHOULDN'T BE. DOES IT OFFEND CERTAIN PEOPLE? DO WE STAND? DO WE SIT UP? WHAT DO WE. IT'S JUST.

DO WE WANT TO DO WHAT? THE COUNTY. WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD.

WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

WHAT THE SENATE. YOU KNOW WHAT CONGRESS IS.

DO WE WANT TO DO THAT OR NOT? DO WE WANT TO BE OUR LEGACY TO BE THAT WE BROUGHT PRAYER BACK FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, JUST HISTORICALLY. I'M.

SORRY. YOU'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

PLEASE SIT DOWN, SIR. SO.

SO I THINK THIS ADDS FROM THIS IS THIS IS WHAT I HEARD.

I CAN'T VERIFY THIS THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT I THINK IT GIVES A LITTLE EXTRA CONTEXT IS WE STOPPED PRAYING IN THE 60S BECAUSE

[00:35:07]

PASTORS COULDN'T AGREE.

WHO WOULD GIVE THE INVOCATION? TO ME, THAT'S CRIMINAL THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE SO WHOLESOME. I FEEL LIKE FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COULDN'T AGREE ON WHO WAS GOING TO DO IT. SO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S SOME CONFUSION AROUND IF WE'RE TAKING PRAYER AWAY OR WE'RE ADDING IT, I WOULD SAY FROM WHAT I'M OBSERVING, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE I WANT IT, I DO GENUINELY THINK PEOPLE WANT TO SEE PRAYER HAPPEN IN THE CITY COMMISSION.

I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF THE CITY IN TERMS OF OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE A HUGE ASSET FOR OUR COMMISSION TO BE LED BY PASTORS FROM ALLIANCE AND EASTER, AND PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THIS CITY CAN HELP LEAD OUR MEETINGS.

I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.

AND IT'S, LIKE I SAID, A VERY SIMPLE DECISION.

DO WE WANT TO VOTE FOR PRAYER OR NOT? AND ANYTHING THAT MAKES IT MORE COMPLEX, IT'S A BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN ORDINANCE.

DAVE DID A GREAT JOB. HE LEANED HEAVILY ON THE COUNTIES.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT ANY HARDER THAN THAT.

SO. THAT'S MY COMMENT.

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. I WAS JUST TRYING TO BALANCE THE TWO AND GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY.

BUT LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. ALL RIGHT.

THEN WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND WE'VE GOT A SECOND.

SO GO AHEAD. I HAVE COMMENT.

OKAY. OH I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU I THOUGHT YOU HAD MADE YOUR COMMENT EARLIER.

SO I ACTUALLY DID. I, I DIDN'T MAKE A COMMENT.

I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY COMMISSIONER COUNCIL THAT I DISAGREE WITH MOST OF THE STATEMENTS YOU JUST MADE.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW UNCOMFORTABLE SUCH AN EVENT CAN HAPPEN. SO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES I WOULD ASK FOR CIVILITY FOR EVERYBODY.

I INTERRUPT MORE THAN ANYBODY, BUT FOR US TO ALL SHOW EACH OTHER RESPECT, JUST AS HUMAN BEINGS WITH DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT WORLDVIEWS, PLEASE. SO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT I USE TO MAKE DECISIONS UP HERE ARE NORMALLY PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. AND THAT IS, ARE WE PROVIDING THE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE? ARE WE TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS OF STUART? AND ARE WE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY? BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT.

THE QUESTION OF ADDING AN INVOCATION DOES NOT FIT INTO ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES.

SO WHAT IS MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE WHEN I HAVE DECISIONS LIKE THIS, AND THAT THE BASIS OF MY DECISIONS IS WHICH WOULD PROVIDE MORE FREEDOM? FREEDOM OF CHOICE. FREEDOM OF BELIEF, AND FREEDOM OF BEHAVIOR.

WHICH DECISION WOULD REQUIRE THAT WE AS THE GOVERNMENT, AS YOUR GOVERNMENT BE LESS HEAVY HANDED? WHY SHOULD WE SUDDENLY START REQUIRING PEOPLE TO PRAY? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.

THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO PRAY CAN DO IT ANYWHERE, ANYTIME YOU WANT. WHY DO YOU WANT THIS? TO PUT THIS INTO LAW, WE HAVE TO PUT THIS INTO OUR CHARTER, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO COME BEFORE THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES MUST ENGAGE IN A SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR, WHICH THEY MAY WELL FIND OBJECTIONABLE.

AND MANY PEOPLE I HAVE SPOKEN TO DO FIND IT OBJECTIONABLE.

THAT IS NOT FAIR TO THEM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN COME TO ASK YOUR GOVERNMENT TO HELP YOU.

AND I DON'T GET IT. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN.

YOU SAY, OH, THEY PRAY IN THE LEGISLATURE.

THEY PLAY IN THE CONGRESS.

THEY DO. YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GO ON THE FLOOR OF THE LEGISLATURE.

YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GO ON THE FLOOR OF THE CONGRESS, THAT THOSE ARE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHO ACCEPTED THAT DUTY AND UNDERSTOOD THAT INVOCATION WAS PART OF THAT.

THAT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THERE'S FIVE OF US HERE.

THE REST OF YOU ARE THE CITIZENS, AND YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE HERE.

AND HERE'S THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU START IMPOSING REQUIREMENTS, IT'S NOT JUST THAT YOU HAVE TO PRAY, IT'S HOW YOU PRAY.

DID YOU READ THE ARTICLE IN THE STUART NEWS THAT SOMEONE WAS CRITICALLY CRITICIZED BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T CLOSE HER EYES? REALLY? I HEARD ANOTHER COMMISSIONER WAS SUBJECT TO HARSH CRITICISM BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH HE PRAYS WITH HIS FAMILY.

AT THE LAST MEETING, I WAS ACCUSED, AND THIS IS A QUOTE.

[00:40:04]

I WROTE IT DOWN OF POSSESSING A DEMONIC EVIL DARKNESS.

REALLY, THE LAST EMAIL WE GOT, WE GOT DURING THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

IT SAYS, YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL.

NO I DON'T. I SIMPLY DISAGREE WITH YOU AND THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME BAD.

YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE DOESN'T STAND DURING THE INVOCATION, ARE THEY GOING TO WORRY? HAVE A LEGITIMATE WORRY THAT COMMISSIONER COLLINS IS GOING TO HOLD THAT AGAINST THEM.

I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE AN UNREASONABLE CONCERN.

THESE DEMANDS, THESE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONFORMITY IS NOT WHO WE ARE.

THESE PETTY DIFFERENCES BECOME SIGNIFICANT DIVISIONS, AND THAT IS NOT WHO WE ARE.

AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID AT THE LAST MEETING AND SOME OF THESE EMAILS. THE LACK OF DECORUM, THE LACK OF CIVILITY AND THE INTOLERANCE IS HURTFUL, TO SAY THE LEAST, AND JUST CONVINCES ME THAT IT HAS NO PLACE IN THIS MEETING. I THINK COMMISSIONER COLLINS CAME UP WITH THE PERFECT SOLUTION, PROBABLY INADVERTENTLY, AT THE LAST MEETING, HE CHOSE DURING HIS COMMENTS TO PRAY.

AND HE CAN DO THAT EVERY SINGLE MEETING AND ANY COMMISSIONER CAN PARTICIPATE AND PARTICIPATE IN IF THEY WANT OR NOT.

AND ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE CAN SHARE THAT MOMENT WITH HIM.

AND THOSE WHO CHOOSE NOT TO DON'T HAVE TO.

WE HAVE THE MAYOR'S REQUEST FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, AND THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE CAN ALSO DO THAT. DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT START TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT STUDY.

LET'S NOT START TELLING PEOPLE WHAT BOOKS THEY CAN READ.

LET'S NOT START DEMANDING OF THE CITIZENS OF STUART WHO COME TO THEIR CITY HALL THAT THEY MUST PARTICIPATE IN A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE ALMOST 40 PEOPLE HERE.

THREE MINUTES EACH. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

PLEASE REMIND EVERYBODY OF CIVILITY.

AND AS I SAID IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ALL THREE MINUTES IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO. SO LET'S SEE.

I'M GOING TO CALL THE FIRST PERSON FOLLOWED BY THE PERSON AFTER HIM SO THAT PERSON CAN BE READY TO GO. AND THEN I'LL KEEP DOING THAT AFTER THROUGHOUT THE EVENING SO THAT WE CAN BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.

PASTOR DARRELL ORMOND FOLLOWED BY SHARON MCMAHON.

MITCHELL. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS.

I'M DOCTOR DARRELL ORMOND, THE PASTOR AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF STUART, 201 WEST OCEAN BOULEVARD, STUART, FLORIDA 34994.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIBERTY, WE TALK ABOUT WE NEED TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF OUR HISTORY. GEORGE WASHINGTON, FOUNDING FATHER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN HIS FIELD JOURNALS, SAID MONDAY MORNING.

OH, ETERNAL AND EVERLASTING GOD, WASH AWAY MY SIN IN THE IMMACULATE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND PURGE MY HEART BY THY HOLY SPIRIT.

MONDAY EVENING. BE MERCIFUL TO ME, O GOD, AND PARDON ME FOR JESUS CHRIST'S SAKE.

THOU GAVE US THY SON. TO DIE FOR ME, AND HAS GIVEN ME ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

THURSDAY EVENING. MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN BY THE DEATH AND PASSION.

AND SO INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MYSELF, BOTH SOUL AND BODY.

IN THE NAME OF THY SON, JESUS CHRIST.

JOHN JAY, THE FIRST SUPREME COURT JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES AND ONE OF THE MAIN FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION, DECLARED.

PROVIDENCE HAS GIVEN TO OUR PEOPLE THE CHOICE OF THEIR RULERS, AND IT IS THE DUTY AS WELL AS THE PRIVILEGE AND THE INTEREST OF A CHRISTIAN NATION TO SELECT AND PREFER CHRISTIANS FOR THEIR RULERS.

WE SEE THAT THE US SUPREME COURT OF 1892, IN CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY VERSUS THE US, RULED OUR LAWS AND OUR INSTITUTIONS MUST NECESSARILY BE BASED UPON AND EMBODY THE TEACHINGS OF THE REDEEMER OF MANKIND.

[00:45:01]

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT IT SHOULD BE OTHERWISE.

AND IN THIS SENSE AND TO THIS EXTENT, OUR CIVILIZATION AND OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE EMPHATICALLY CHRISTIAN.

THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION.

THIS WAS AND HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY FOR OVER 200 YEARS A CHRISTIAN NATION.

THE WHOLE IDEA OF THIS BEING POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE, INCONSEQUENTIAL WHEN WE SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE DON'T WANT TO IMPOSE ON PEOPLE WHAT WE ARE IMPOSING ON THE VAST CITIZENSHIP, A NEW HISTORY IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION, THIS CHRISTIAN NATION FOUNDED AS A CHRISTIAN NATION. THE LIBERTIES WE ENJOY HERE.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME REHAB SEVERAL YEARS AGO FROM A LADY WHO HAD JUST IMMIGRATED HERE FROM RUSSIA, A RUSSIAN CITIZEN.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CHRIST WITH HER.

I BEGAN TO TALK TO HER ABOUT JESUS AND SHE WHISPERED TO ME AS IF THE KGB WAS LISTENING.

I TOO AM A CHRISTIAN. I SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHISPER HERE, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES.

AND I SAID, HOW DID YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN? SHE SAID, OUR NATION, THE NATION OF RUSSIA, HAS SPENT DECADES.

THANK YOU. LET ME JUST FINISH THIS ONE ILLUSTRATION.

DECADES. AND THEY HAVE IMPOSED AND SPENT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO TEACH THAT THERE IS NO GOD. PLEASE. WE GOT 40 PEOPLE AND EVERYBODY.

I CAN'T LET EVERYBODY GO.

SO. OKAY. I'M SORRY. BUT.

AND SO SHE SAID, IF THERE IS NO GOD, WHY WASTE THE MONEY AND TIME? THANK YOU. SHARON MCMAHON MITCHELL FOLLOWED BY MIKE MOLATE.

HI, I'M SHARON MCMAHON MITCHELL.

OUR FAMILY RESIDENTS. 57 SOUTH SEWALL'S POINT ROAD OF STUART.

OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN IN MARTIN COUNTY FOR FIVE GENERATIONS.

WE HAVE LIVED AT THIS RESIDENCE FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS.

MY GRANDPARENTS. TO SHOW YOU HOW FAR BACK THAT WE GO WHEN YOU GO INTO FERNHILL, LOOK ON THE VERY FIRST ROW AND YOU SEE THE HUGE GRANITE STONES.

THAT'S OUR FAMILY PLOT.

WE'RE ON THE FIRST ROW.

THAT'S HOW FAR WE GO. I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY ELSE AROUND HERE WHO GOES BACK THAT FAR.

AND ALL OF OUR FAMILY, WE ARE ALL CHRISTIAN.

WE ALL STAND FOR CHRISTIAN VALUES.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THE FIRST AROUND HERE.

OF THE MANY TO HAVE A POM POM WIG AND HAIR SALON.

MY GRANDFATHER OWNED WALTON'S FLOWER FARM.

WE ALSO. NOW TO CURRENT DATE WE OWNED LIVING WATERS LANDSCAPE.

WE HAD OUR CHRISTIAN SYMBOL ON ALL OF OUR VEHICLES.

NOW OUR FAMILY IS HALF OWNER OF CODE RED ROOFERS.

WE HAVE CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS ON ALL OF OUR VEHICLES.

NOT ONLY THAT, WE ADVERTISE ON SECULAR RADIO WITH OUR CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS AND OUR CHRISTIAN LOGOS. WE GET MANY BUSINESSES AND MANY SUPPORTS FROM OUR LOCAL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE WE STAND FOR CHRISTIAN VALUES AND THE CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS BOARD AND ALL INVOLVED NEED TO HAVE CHRISTIAN VALUES AND PRAY AND SEEK GOD'S WISDOM.

GOD'S ADVICE FOR ALL THAT WE DO IN EVERY ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.

AND THAT'S COMING FROM THE FOUNDING FOREFATHERS OF OUR FAMILY.

OKAY. MIKE FOLLOWED BY TODD MOZINGO.

THANK YOU. MIKE. 2341 SOUTHEAST LONGHORN AVENUE, PORT SAINT LUCIE. LIKE PROBABLY HALF OF THIS ROOM.

I'M A PASTOR HERE IN MARTIN COUNTY, AND I ACTUALLY THREW OUT EVERYTHING THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS WE DID THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH WAS A PLEDGE TO AMERICA THAT ALL OF US PARTICIPATE IN UNDER GOD.

AND NOBODY IS CONCERNED ABOUT COMPELLED SPEECH IN THAT.

AND I DO WANT TO MAKE AN ASIDE TO ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN ATTACKED, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH ME OR NOT.

MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU.

BECAUSE CIVILITY AND DEBATE ARE PART OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

AND THIS IS A SOCIAL CONTRACT GOING ON RIGHT NOW,

[00:50:03]

WHICH I APPRECIATE. AND IT COMES WITH DEBATE, IT COMES WITH OPINIONS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF US ARE A COMMUNITY.

MY OTHER PART THAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS THERE WAS ACTUALLY A SOLUTION, GIVEN WHERE MR. COLLINS HAD PRAYED IN THE COMMENTS AND NOT TO CALL OUT, BUT I FEEL THAT ACTUALLY UNDERCUTS THE ARGUMENT, BECAUSE FOR MR. COLLINS TO MAKE THE INVOCATION DURING THE COMMENTS, IF THAT'S OKAY, WELL, THAT'S MORE OF A COMPELLED SPEECH.

TIME OR COERCION OF PRAYER, THEN, WOULD BE AN INVOCATION, BECAUSE AN INVOCATION WOULD HAPPEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.

SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TIME TO SKIP THAT AND MOVE IN.

IF YOU UNDERSTAND MY, MY MEANING.

SO TO ROUND IT OUT. AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE, YOU ARE HERE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, UNLESS IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THEN YOUR JOB IS TO TELL YOUR PEOPLE IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THIS ISN'T A CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT.

SO NOW IT COMES DOWN TO THE VOICES AND THE PASSIONATE VOICES.

NOW, SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, I HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, THEY DON'T WANT IT. FAIR ENOUGH.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT ARE THE PASSIONATE VOICES THAT ARE HERE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CARE ENOUGH TO BE HERE, CARE ENOUGH TO REACH OUT, TO LET YOU KNOW HOW THEY FEEL, AND THEN VOTE THAT WAY.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TODD MOZINGO FOLLOWED BY JAN MOZINGO.

HEY, I'M TODD MOZINGO 2800 FAIRWAY WEST, AND I NORMALLY DON'T WRITE DOWN WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY, BUT I FELT IT IMPORTANT TONIGHT.

I WANT TO START WITH A QUESTION THAT MAY SEEM TACKY OR ATTACKING, BUT I ASSURE YOU IT'S NOT.

IT'S A SERIOUS QUESTION. I WANT TO KNOW, HOW WERE YOU ELECTED? WHAT WAS THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE? BECAUSE YOU WERE ELECTED BY A PROCESS AND PROCEDURE THAT WE ALL AGREE ON.

THAT PROCESS AND PROCEDURE LOOKS LIKE THIS.

YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO RUN FOR ELECTION AND LISTEN.

THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP TO VOTE DECIDE IF YOU'RE ELECTED.

THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO DID NOT VOTE.

THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT DID NOT WANT YOU TO BE ELECTED, BUT BASED ON THE MAJORITY THAT SHOWED UP TO VOTE, YOU WERE ELECTED. AND PLEASE KNOW, I RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL CITY VOTE WE'RE TAKING.

BUT RESPECTFULLY, THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN IN OUR CITY.

IT'S BEEN PUT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR NEWSPAPER.

IT'S PLASTERED ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND THAT'S PROOF. THERE'S PROOF THAT PEOPLE KNOW ALL ABOUT IT BY THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN COMMENTS, BOTH PRO AND CON AND EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND AT THESE MEETINGS, THEREFORE, THE PEOPLE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE THEIR VOTE. BUT PLEASE NOTICE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP TO VOTE ON THIS TOPIC WANT PRAYER.

THERE ARE INDEED PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT IT, BUT THERE IN THE VAST MINORITY.

BUT IF YOU REPRESENT EVERYONE, THOSE WHO WANT TO PRAY AND THOSE WHO DON'T.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN PEOPLE WHO ALSO THAT YOU REPRESENT SAY, HEY, I DON'T WANT PRAYER BEFORE THE MEETING? YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE WE SHOULD HAVE TO DO WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WE REPRESENT WANT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO SHOWED UP IN VOTE AND EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND MEDIA IN MEETINGS WANTED VOTE, PRAYER.

IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS TO MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN STUART DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD. AND HERE'S MY FINAL COMMENT.

LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THE PRAYER IN THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING REALLY SURPRISING THAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT PRAYER. THEY DID NOT MAKE ALL OF THE STUDENTS READ THE BIBLE IN SCHOOL, NOR DID THEY MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE TEACHERS ARE CHRISTIANS.

THEY SIMPLY LISTENED TO A PRAYER.

IN OTHER WORDS, JUST BECAUSE WE PRAYED, IT DIDN'T MEAN ANYONE WAS FORCED TO PUT GOD IN OUR SCHOOL IN A GOVERNMENT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT DIDN'T EVEN MEAN THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAD TO LISTEN TO THE PRAYER, JOIN IN THE PRAYER, OR EVEN BELIEVE IN PRAYER.

IT WAS SIMPLY WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WANTED.

SO THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SYSTEM STARTS WITH PRAYER.

FINALLY, PLEASE STOP TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT OFFENDING THE MINORITY OF PEOPLE. BECAUSE IF YOU MAKE THE DECISION NOT TO HAVE PRAYER, YOU HAVE OFFENDED THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE.

YOU'RE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, BUT EVERY DECISION YOU MADE IS BASED ON WHAT THE MAJORITY WANTS BECAUSE YOU REPRESENT THEM. IF YOU DECIDE THAT YOU DO NOT WANT WHAT IS BEST, IF YOU DECIDE ON WHAT IS BEST FOR US, THEN YOU'RE A DICTATORSHIP, NOT A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

PLEASE ALLOW PRE MEETING PRAYER.

THANK YOU AGAIN MOZINGO FOLLOWED BY BESSIE MARINER.

WOW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH THAT.

THANK YOU. WE WE WANT THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR TO BE HERE.

AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE LOVE YOU ALL.

WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU.

[00:55:01]

WE PRAY TO GOD FOR YOU.

AND WE SIMPLY WANT TO EXPRESS OUR BELIEFS, THE BELIEFS OF THE FOUNDATION OF THIS COUNTRY IS THAT WE WILL SEEK GOD FOR WISDOM IN WHAT WE DO.

IT'S WHO WE ARE. IT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.

AND YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE.

WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.

IF PRAYER MEANS NOTHING TO YOU, CLOSE YOUR EYES.

STEP OUT OF THE ROOM. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PARTICIPATE.

IF PRAYER MEANS NOTHING TO YOU, THEN IT'S GOING TO GO NOWHERE AND DO NOTHING.

BUT FOR US, IT DOES. SO LET US PRAY TO OUR GOD OUT LOUD NOT TO TAKE FIVE SECONDS HERE AND PRAY SILENTLY. LET US PRAY OUT LOUD, JUST LIKE WE SPEAK OUT LOUD AT THE MEETINGS.

THERE'S A REASON WE DO THAT.

LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, TWO WEEKS AGO, 70 PEOPLE FILLED THIS ROOM AND PROBABLY 40 OF THEM SPOKE BECAUSE THEY WANTED PRAYER.

AND THEY ASKED VERY NICELY AND KINDLY.

AND I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED.

I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WHEN I GET FEEDBACK OR I HEAR PEOPLE THAT OVERHEAR YOUR COMMENTS OR NEWSPAPER COMMENTS THAT SAY THAT WE WERE RUDE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT.

WE'RE LOVING, PASSIONATE PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU WANT US TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT, BE THAT TO US TO BE RESPECTFUL OF WHAT WE SAY, OKAY, WE MATTER HERE. THERE'S CHURCHES ALL OVER MARTIN COUNTY IN THE TREASURE COAST THAT ARE ALWAYS PRAYING FOR THIS TERRITORY.

WE PRAY FOR THIS TERRITORY, PEOPLE.

WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY BEFORE WE EVER PLANTED OUR CHURCH HERE TEN YEARS AGO.

AND WE'VE BEEN HERE MUCH LONGER IN CHURCHES.

WE STAKED OUT THE TERRITORY.

WE PUT PRAYERS ON ALL FOUR CORNERS.

WE DRIVE THROUGH THE COUNTY, WE DO PRAYER WALKS.

WE PASSIONATELY. IN OUR CHURCH, WE SEE MIRACLES EVERY WEEK.

WE SEE PEOPLE HEALED OF CANCER.

WE SEE ROTATOR CUFFS HEALED AND AND SURGERIES CANCELED.

THAT'S WHAT OUR GOD DOES.

SO IF WE WANT TO SEEK HIS WISDOM IN THE MEETING, I'M ASKING YOU. I'M BEGGING YOU.

I'M IMPLORING YOU. LET'S DO WHAT THE OTHER GOVERNMENT MEETINGS DO.

THEY START WITH PRAYER.

I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE NEED PRAYER BACK IN OUR IN OUR CITY, IN OUR SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR CHILDREN ARE OUT OF CONTROL.

WE DEAL WITH YOUTH GROUPS, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE COMING IN WITH, THE TRAFFICKING, THE CUTTING, THE DRUGS, THE HOPELESSNESS, THE DESPAIR. JUST A FEW, YOU KNOW, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS MOCKED THE LAST TIME THAT I SAID, THIS FEELS LIKE CHURCH.

YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WHEN WHEN I STARTED TO SAY PASTOR COLLINS, WHEN PASTOR COLLINS PRAYED, IT BROUGHT PEACE.

IT BROUGHT UNITY TO THE ROOM.

AND THAT'S WHY IT FEELS LIKE CHURCH HERE.

IT FELT LIKE THAT LAST LAST TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE WERE HERE.

THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING.

WE DON'T RIOT. WE DON'T DO UGLY, VULGAR, VULGAR THINGS WE DON'T DO TO GRAFFITI. WE'RE KIND. SO LISTEN TO US.

THANK YOU. OKAY. BESSIE MARINER, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY S WAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED A JEWISH KID.

MY MOTHER WAS JEWISH. MY FATHER WAS CATHOLIC.

I WENT ON FROM THERE INTO WHAT'S CALLED NEW AGE RELIGION.

AND FROM THERE I FOUND OUT.

I CONTINUED TO SEEK AND I FOUND THE MESSIAH.

HIS NAME IS YESHUA, AND SO I HAVE.

I CALL MYSELF A MESSIANIC BAPTIST, WHICH MEANS I'M A LITTLE JEWISH, I'M A LITTLE PENTECOSTAL, AND I'M A BAPTIST.

AND I LOVE BELIEVERS OF ALL KINDS OF ALL KINDS.

AND I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE THAT, YES, THERE IS GOD. AND YES, GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS.

HE HEARS PRAYERS OF ALL KINDS.

AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD, THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER.

BUT IF YOU DO BELIEVE THAT CREATES SOMETHING CALLED FAITH AND THAT OPENS GOD TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING, OFTEN IN UNSEEN REALMS, WHICH CAN AFFECT OUR CITY, OUR COUNTY AND I LIVE, BY THE WAY. I'M 33, 16 NORTHEAST HOLLY CREEK DRIVE, JENSEN BEACH. BUT GOD DOES HEAR WHETHER WE BELIEVE HIM OR NOT.

HE HEARS THE CRY THAT THE PRAYERS OF THOSE THAT BELIEVE AND HE DOES THINGS.

HE ACTUALLY DOES THINGS.

WHY IS OUR COUNTY A WONDERFUL PLACE? MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE TRENCHES PRAYING FOR STEWART MARTIN COUNTY.

THEY'RE OUT THERE, AS JAN WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, JUST PRAYING OVER THIS WHOLE AREA.

WHY DID THE HURRICANES NOT COME HERE? WHY WAS DORIAN SOMETHING? HELL, I HURT FOR BAHAMAS, BUT SOMETHING HELD DORIAN OFF THE COAST AND MATTHEW AND IRMA. I'VE SEEN IT FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST, LIKE, SIX YEARS. BECAUSE PEOPLE PRAY AND IT'S BECAUSE GOD LOVES STUART MARTIN COUNTY AND

[01:00:03]

THE TREASURE COAST. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE.

WELL, ONE MORE THING. PRAYER IS LIKE CHICKEN SOUP AS MY MOTHER WOULD MAKE WONDERFUL CHICKEN SOUP. IT DOESN'T HURT.

SHERRY S WAY FOLLOWED BY OGA A A A A BODY ABADIE.

ABADIE. MY NAME IS SHERRY WAY.

I LIVE AT 2950 SOUTH EAST OCEAN BOULEVARD.

STEWART 34996. AND I AM A RESIDENT, A CITY IN THE CITY OF STEWART.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT.

WELL, I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT PRAYER.

BUT FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THE SKATE PARK AND I'M GOING TO BE, I'M GOING TO BE 74 IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT I WOULDN'T MIND GOING OUT THERE AND PUTTING MY FEET TO THOSE TO THOSE BOARDS FOR ONCE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

ELBOW PADS. HEY, I REMEMBER THE FOUR WHEEL SKATE KEY SKATE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD SOME PRACTICE.

ANYHOW THERE ARE MANY FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL MEETINGS THAT BEGIN WITH PRAYER, AND THEY DO SO FOR A REASON BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT GOD IS THERE TO UNDERGIRD THEIR MEETINGS AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AND GIVE THEM WISDOM.

THERE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A LOT OF POSITIVE COMMUNITY RESPONSE FOR PRAYER IN THESE MEETINGS HERE AT THE CITY OF STUART COMMISSION MEETINGS.

AND I, TOO, AM A PROPONENT THAT WE VOTE FOR THAT.

AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, I WOULD PRAY IT IS YOUR YOUR HEART TO RESPOND TO THIS. YOU'VE BEEN READING THE LETTERS AND LISTENING TO THE EMAILS, THAT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE.

BUT I HOPE THAT YOU LISTEN TO ALL OF US AS WELL.

WE ARE PASSIONATE. WE ARE CHRISTIANS.

WE DO LOVE OUR GOD, AND WE WANT TO SEE THE BEST THAT CAN HAPPEN FOR THIS CITY.

WE LIVE HERE. WE PLAY HERE.

WE GO TO DINNER TOGETHER.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN.

I LOVE IT. I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE OF THE STREET VENUES TO COME BACK.

I LOVE TO GO SHOP THERE AND I GO OUT THERE AND I PRAY WITH PEOPLE ON THE STREET AS THEY BRING THEIR BOOTHS, AND THEY APPRECIATE IT.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT YOUR VOTE IS A YES FOR PRAYER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OLGA.

BETTY. FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH EARL.

THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. HE DIED FOR ME.

AND HE ROSE AGAIN. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE.

THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS WELL AS FRIENDS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

I THANK MY GOD AND ALL MY REMEMBRANCE AND THOUGHTS OF YOU, OUR LEADERS HERE IN MARTIN COUNTY, OUR COMMUNITY.

IT IS MY PLEASURE AND IS WITH GREAT JOY TO ENCOURAGE AND MOTIVATE YOU, ALL OF YOU TO EMBRACE BEING IN SYNC WITH THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.

TO ACCESS THE THRONE ROOM OF HEAVEN AS A PERFECT CONDUIT OF DELEGATING ORDER AND PRIORITIES AND IMPLEMENTING LAWS THAT OUR CITY WOULD BE GOVERNED WITH DIVINE DIRECTION.

THAT'S OUR HEART'S DESIRE.

THOSE OF US THAT ARE HERE TODAY, GOD IS PERFECT IN ALL OF HIS WAYS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND FRIENDS, UNDOUBTEDLY WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS OUR FOUNDING FATHERS AND FOREFATHERS DID.

AND WHAT A BETTER WAY THAN RIGHT HERE IN THE COURTROOM TO SEEK COUNSEL AND ASK, SEEK AND FIND THAT HIS DOOR OPENS.

FATHER, I PRAY FOR THESE IN LEADERSHIP HERE IN THE CITY OF STUART, AS WELL AS THE CHURCH MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.

I PRAY THAT YOU INSTRUCT EACH WITH WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND THAT YOU, LORD, WOULD DIRECT THEIR STEPS.

LEADERS THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THAT HIS ELECT ANGELS ALSO WARRING ANGELS AND KEPT THIS WAR ROOM AND ALL OF MARTIN COUNTY WITH FAVOR, BLESSINGS AND DIVINE DIRECTION.

LET'S JUST FOLLOW SUIT.

IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. ELIZABETH EARLE, FOLLOWED BY JAMES BROSIOUS.

ELIZABETH EARLE. ELIZABETH PRINCE.

SO I DON'T THINK SHE'S HERE.

SO WE'LL GO TO JAMES BROSIUS.

JAMES BROSIUS, 1153 SOUTHEAST MADISON AVENUE, STUART, FLORIDA. I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED TONIGHT BECAUSE I DISCOVERED,

[01:05:07]

YOU KNOW, WHEN PASTOR 49 YEARS.

I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN I PRAY AND IN CHURCH, EVERYBODY LISTENS TO ME.

EVERYBODY CLOSES THEIR EYES.

EVERYBODY STANDS WHEN I TELL THEM TO.

TO STAND FOR MUSIC AIN'T SO.

I MEAN, EVEN IN CHURCH, PEOPLE HAVE GREAT FREEDOM TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. AND SO THE PRAYERS ARE NOT TO FORCE ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING.

SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN PRAYER MEETINGS WHERE I PRAYED FOR THE CITY COMMISSION OR SCHOOL BOARD OR WHATEVER.

HAVE I EVER CURSED ANYBODY? HAVE I EVER CAUSED HARM? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

I HOPE NOT. I, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BLESS.

WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE. WE WANT TO BUILD UP, NOT FORCE ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING.

AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND TELL THE CONGREGATION THEY BETTER LISTEN TO ME THIS SUNDAY OR ELSE. SO I'M FOR IT.

OF COURSE. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU, REVEREND BRUCE.

BILL SMITHSON, FOLLOWED BY JOANNE GILLESPIE.

GILLESPIE. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS BILL SMITHSON.

I'M AT SIX THREE, ONE FIVE SOUTHEAST AMES WAY, HOBE SOUND, FLORIDA. AND I FEEL I BELONG HERE BECAUSE I SPEND A LOT OF MONEY HERE.

SO YOU GET A LOT OF MY TAX REVENUE.

ANYWAY, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS MORE.

SO COMMISSIONER COLLINS AND HIS COMMENT.

TIME TO CONDUCT A PRAYER AT THE LAST COMMISSIONERS MEETING ON JANUARY 9TH.

IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A CONSTITUENT OFFER AN INVOCATION WISHING GOOD SPEED PRIOR TO THE START OF A PUBLIC MEETING.

HOWEVER, IT'S QUITE ANOTHER FOR A PUBLIC SERVANT SWORN TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, USE A COMMISSIONERS CHAIR AS A PULPIT TO OFFER A PRAYER AS IF TO A CONGREGATION. NOW MY FEELING IS THAT I'M YOUR CONSTITUENT.

YOU ARE NOT MY PASTOR.

OKAY. I THOUGHT THAT WAS PROBABLY A FIRST FOR ANY COMMISSIONER, WHETHER ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

ET CETERA. TO HAVE DONE THAT.

I BELIEVE THIS WAS A FIRST AMENDMENT.

I FOUND THIS TO BE AN ACT OF ALMOST A LITTLE BIT OF DEFIANT ARROGANCE THERE, BUT BUT CERTAINLY AN ABUSE OF POSITION AND IN STRICT VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION, FIRST AMENDMENT, ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE.

IT WAS HIGHLY DISRESPECTFUL TO THE RICH DIVERSITY WE SHARE AS RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO VISIT THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

WE ARE A COMMUNITY, DIVERSE AND RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS.

IDEOLOGY, RACE, ETHNICITY, AGE, GENDER, AND YES, SOCIAL. SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

CITY AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE NONPARTIZAN AND NOT INFLICT THEIR PERSONAL POLITICAL VIEWS AND RELIGIOUS CREED AND DOGMA ON THEIR CONSTITUENTS. THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF LIVING IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY.

UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION, WE ARE FREE TO EXPRESS IN PRACTICE VARYING RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS IDEOLOGY, FREE FROM GOVERNMENT, FAVORING ONE PRACTICE OR IDEOLOGY OVER ANOTHER.

IT'S CALLED RESPECT. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO SPOKE HERE IN FAVOR OF RELIGIOUS INVOCATIONS AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I GUESS THIS MEETING TOO, WERE FROM A FEW OF THE LOCAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.

I DID NOT HEAR ANYONE SPEAK IN FAVOR OF SUCH INVOCATIONS FROM OUR JEWISH.

FROM OUR AN ISLAMIC. FROM OUR HUMANIST BRETHREN, OR FROM THE MANY AND VARIED EASTERN RELIGIONS, ALL OF WHOM ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY.

SOME SAID WE ARE A SMALL MINORITY TRYING TO IMPOSE OUR WILL ON THE MAJORITY OF THE RELIGIOUS. THIS COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER STATS SHOW THAT OVER 55%, MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL AMERICAN POPULATION TO INCLUDE CHRISTIANS.

JEWS. ALL RIGHT. STRONGLY SUPPORT THAT.

THE AFFAIRS OF GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH REMAIN SEPARATE.

THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF THE MANY AND VARIED DENOMINATIONS WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN, JEWISH, MUSLIM, EASTERN RELIGIONS AND NON-RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES.

THE STUART BOARD GOT IT RIGHT.

THANK YOU. BY ADHERING TO THE MOMENT.

JOANNE GILLESPIE, FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH BECK.

JOANNE. OH, THERE YOU ARE. THANK YOU. WELCOME.

HELLO AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING US TO COMMENT.

MY NAME IS JOANNE GILLESPIE.

10593 SOUTHWEST WATERWAY WATERWAY LANE IN PORT SAINT LUCIE.

EXCUSE ME. A LITTLE BIT OF BRONCHITIS HERE.

I AM PRESIDENT OF HUMANISTS OF THE TREASURE COAST.

I AM HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE RESOLUTION.

[01:10:02]

OH SEVEN 2023. HUMANISTS OF THE TREASURE COAST, BY THE WAY, IS LOCATED IN STUART.

OUR COMMUNITY IS ON THE TREASURE COAST, ARE BECOMING MORE DIVERSE IN MANY WAYS RACIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY.

WE EACH ENJOY THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION GUARANTEED TO US BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION, OR TO HAVE NO RELIGION AS SOME OF US CHOOSE.

THE RELIGIOUS ARE FREE TO WORSHIP IN THEIR TEMPLES, CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, AND CERTAINLY WITHIN THEIR HOMES, AMONG THEIR LOVED ONES.

BUT THAT FREEDOM DOES NOT EXTEND TO THE SPREADING OF RELIGION IN OUR SECULAR GOVERNMENT, WHERE WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF ALL THE PEOPLE.

THERE IS NO NEED TO FORCE ANYONE'S RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

THE CONCEPT PRESENTED IN THE RESOLUTION STATES THAT ALL RELIGIONS WILL BE INVITED TO PROVIDE INVOCATIONS, WHICH SEEMS TO BE INCLUDED TO MODIFY ANY OPPOSITION.

SO THE MORE VOCAL CHRISTIAN SECTOR IN THIS COMMUNITY CAN WIELD ITS INFLUENCE ON THE PUBLIC, WHETHER IT WANTS IT OR NOT.

RIGHT NOW, ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH CENTER'S MOST RECENT REPORT, 10% OF ADULTS IN THE TREASURE COAST IDENTIFY AS ATHEIST, A PART OF THE 25% WHO OVERALL IDENTIFY AS NON-RELIGIOUS.

AND THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN GROWING. NO MATTER WHAT STUDY YOU QUOTE.

AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, HOW DO THEY FIT INTO THIS RELIGIOUS, THIS RELIGIOSITY THAT YOU PROPOSE? SHOULD THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT RELIGIOUS? TALK ABOUT DISCRIMINATION.

THE LEGAL REFERENCES MADE IN THE PREAMBLE, ATTEMPTING TO SPELL OUT THE ARGUMENTS FOR WHY THIS IS ALL CONSTITUTIONAL MAKING ITS CASE GIVES NO THOUGHT OF HOW BEST THIS COMMISSION CAN SERVE THE LARGER COMMUNITY AND WO.

IT WILL BE WHEN MEMBERS OF THE SATANIC TEMPLE ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS A 501 C THREE AND DEMAND EQUAL TIME AND EQUAL TREATMENT, WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO.

BASED ON THE LEGALITIES PRESENTED IN THIS PREAMBLE, I RECOMMEND NO INVOCATION AT ALL, PARTICULARLY WITH ANY SPECIFIC RELIGIOSITY ALLOWED. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO ENSURE INCLUSIVITY OF ALL.

RATHER CONTINUE WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU MA'AM. I'M SORRY.

AND THAT'S JOSEPH BECK, FOLLOWED BY JENNY STARTS.

I THINK IT STARTS, MR. BECK. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOEL BECK.

I LIVE AT 106 40 SOUTHWEST HARBOR DRIVE IN PORT SAINT LUCIE.

OUR ORGANIZATION, HUMANISTS OF THE TREASURE COAST.

I FOUNDED THAT ORGANIZATION HERE IN STUART.

AND OUR MAIN ADDRESS IS AT 850 NORTHEAST FEDERAL HIGHWAY AT THE NEXUS BUILDING.

I ALSO HAD SOME PREPARED, SOME PREPARED REMARKS.

I'M PUTTING THEM ASIDE.

THIS HAS BEEN JUST A VERY, VERY INTERESTING MEETING.

AND I CAN TRULY SAY MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE SINCERELY ATTEMPTING TO TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING. HOWEVER, YOU SEE WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS.

THIS IS A VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL ISSUE, I CAN TELL.

I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS JUST ONE ASPECT OF, OF, OF THE INVOCATION ISSUE.

PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR PRAYER AND INVOCATIONS, AND I HEAR PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, WE WANT TO SEE CHRISTIAN VALUES PROMOTED. I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR TO SAY WHAT YOU AND I WOULD CALL POSITIVE CHRISTIAN VALUES. DOCTOR PAUL KURTZ CALLED UNIVERSAL VALUES OR THE COMMON MORAL DECENCIES.

THEY'RE SHARED BY THE CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE BIBLE.

THEY'RE SHARED BY THE JEWS OUT OF THE TORAH.

THEY'RE SHARED BY THE KORAN.

THE MUSLIM FOLKS, ALL THESE RELIGIONS TALK ABOUT PEACE IN REALITY.

CAN YOU THINK OF ONE COUNTRY, OF ONE VERY, VERY RELIGIOUS COUNTRY THAT YOU WANT TO LIVE IN? CAN YOU THINK OF ONE SUPER RELIGIOUS COUNTRY THAT YOU WOULD FIND PEACE THAT'S PRACTICING LOVE? THE GOLDEN RULE. IT'S NOT THE CASE.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO ARGUE POINT OF VIEW.

OUR EGOS BECOME INVOLVED.

AND WHEN WE CLAIM THAT WE ARE NOW SPEAKING FOR THE ALMIGHTY, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO BE TO BE CORDIAL TO PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH YOU.

SO ALL I'M SAYING, MY FRIENDS, IS I REALLY KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT JOB. SOMEBODY ONCE SAID, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

YOU FOLKS HAVE HAD YOU FOLKS HAVE HAD A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

EVERYBODY COULD PRAY TO THEIR HEART'S CONTENT, TO WHOEVER THEY WISH TO, OR THEY COULD BE THINKING ABOUT THEIR GROCERY LIST. IT WAS A PRIVATE MATTER. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE IN THAT REGARD, AND I SINCERELY WISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND MY FRIENDS HERE, ALL THE BEST. AND JUST MAKING IT THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. JENNY STARTS FOLLOWED BY MARY HUTCHINSON.

[01:15:02]

HI, MY NAME IS JENNY STARTS AND I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

INSTEAD, I REALIZED THAT SOMEBODY HAD SPOKE EARLIER.

THEY SAID THAT THIS CHAMBER FILLED UP WITH PEACE WHEN COMMISSIONER COLLINS PRAYED LAST TIME. SO I'M GOING TO USE MY TIME TO PRAY.

HEAVENLY FATHER, I JUST ASK THAT YOU WOULD FILL THIS PLACE WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT.

LORD, I AM BROKENHEARTED.

I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW YOU'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW.

THIS ANTICHRIST SPIRIT.

IT JUST HAS TO LEAVE. IT HAS TO LEAVE THIS CITY.

AND FATHER GOD, THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHO ARE OFFENDED BY PRAYER. I JUST ASK THAT THIS MOTIVATES THE PEOPLE THAT DO KNOW YOU TO START KNOCKING ON EVERY DOOR IN THIS CITY AND SHARING THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THERE IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH IN THIS WORLD.

THERE IS A HEAVEN AND THERE IS A HELL, AND ETERNITY IS A VERY LONG TIME.

SO I ASK THAT THE HEARTS THAT ARE HARDENED TO BE MADE SOFT BECAUSE FARTHER INTELLIGENCE IS NOTHING. AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, ANYBODY HERE WHO IS SAYING THAT YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP US SAFE, THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT YOUR JOB IS.

YOUR JOB IS TO REALLY WEIGH HEAVILY THINGS THAT DO REALLY AFFECT THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN. AND JESUS LOVED CHILDREN, AND HE SAID TO HAVE THEM COME TO HIM.

AND I REALLY JUST DON'T THINK WE COULD DO MUCH WITHOUT WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT.

AND I DO PRAY FOR UNITY.

I PRAY FOR UNITY FOR ALL OF YOU.

COMMISSIONERS. AND LORD, HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN IS SOMEBODY JUST ATTACK A COMMISSIONER BY NAME.

WHAT I'VE SEEN IS SOMEBODY STAND UP HERE AND ATTACK SOMEBODY SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T PRAY BECAUSE THEY'RE REPRESENTATIVE.

AND SO, FATHER GOD, I JUST PRAY RIGHT NOW, HOWEVER THIS GOES DOWN TONIGHT THAT THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE AND THEY PRAY FOR THEIR THREE MINUTES IN THE VERY BEGINNING, EVERY SINGLE TIME, FATHER, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A TOWN.

I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A COUNTY THAT DOESN'T NEED YOU.

AND I DO BELIEVE, AND MAYBE I'M JUST SO SILLY, FATHER, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU BRING A PERFECT PEACE TO CITY, AND I NEED THAT IN THIS CITY.

AND I ASK THAT YOU FORGIVE US FOR US EVER SHUTTING YOU OUT OF THIS FOREVER REPLACING YOU WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

LORD, FORGIVE YOUR PEOPLE.

BLESS US. GOD, WE JUST WE WE NEED SO MUCH FROM YOU, LORD. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SUCH A BROKEN WORLD.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN DECEIVED.

TAKE THE BLINDERS OFF THEIR EYES IN JESUS NAME.

THANK YOU, LORD MARY HUTCHINSON, FOLLOWED BY JACKIE VITALE.

WELCOME, MARY. THANK YOU.

WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU.

I DO HAVE SOMETHING PREPARED, BUT A COMMENT WAS MADE EARLIER THAT ACTUALLY REALLY GOT TO MY HEART.

A COMMENT WAS MADE THAT GOD KEPT DORIAN OFF THE SHORES OF STEWART.

I HAVE FRIENDS IN THE BAHAMAS.

MY FRIENDS DIED IN THE BAHAMAS BECAUSE DORIAN.

AND FOR YOU GUYS TO SAY THAT GOD KEPT DORIAN OFF OUR SHORES, I. THAT JUST EATS ME TO THE CORE BECAUSE I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO DIED FROM THAT HURRICANE IN THE BAHAMAS.

SO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. MARY HUTCHINSON, SAINT LUCY, CRESCENT CITY OF STEWART.

ON MY ON ON MY WAY TO WORK.

THERE'S OFTEN A CHURCH THAT HAS IT ON HIS MARQUEE.

HATE IS NOT WELCOMED HERE.

HATE IS NOT WELCOMED IN THE CITY OF STEWART.

BUT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING THERE WAS A TONE OF HATE AND SOME OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS AGAINST THOSE OF US THAT FEEL THAT THE CITY SHOULD SHOULD KEEP THE MOMENT OF SILENCE AND NOT HAVE THE PUBLIC PRAYER AT A COMMISSION MEETING.

I DID SPEAK AT THE FIRST TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS WHEN THIS ITEM WAS ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA. SO, YOU KNOW, MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS, IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING TO WITNESS THE CURRENT DECLINE IN COMMISSION MEETINGS BY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ACCEPTING OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH THEM.

ONE COMMISSIONERS EVEN RESORTED TO CALLING HIS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS COWARDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. REALLY? IS THIS WHAT OUR CITY HAS BECOME? WE ALL LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHERE WE ENJOY THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND SPEECH. JUST BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE A STRONG FAITH LIKE OTHERS DOES NOT MAKE ME A BAD PERSON. ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME, I DON'T THINK YOU'D CALL ME A BAD PERSON OR THE DEVIL. AS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS IN THE LAST MEETING SAID.

A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT VIEWS AND BELIEFS ARE WHAT MAKES FOR A WONDERFUL

[01:20:02]

COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.

BUT THIS REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER, WHICH DOES NOT MEAN. WHICH DOES NOT SEEM TO BE FOLLOWED BY SOME PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

RELIGION CAN BE VERY DIVISIVE.

DIVISIVE, AS IT WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE LAST MEETING IN THIS MEETING.

IT DOES NOT ALWAYS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND PEOPLE ARE NOT ACCEPTING OF OTHER PEOPLE.

LET'S STOP THE HATE AND BE UNDERSTANDING OF ALL PEOPLE, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR FAITH OR NO FAITH.

BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, HETEROSEXUAL, HOMOSEXUAL, CIS OR TRANS. PLEASE, LET'S GET THE HATE OUT OF THE CITY.

STEWART. AND ACCEPT EVERYBODY.

AND PLEASE KEEP THE MOMENT OF SILENCE AND NOT HAVE PUBLIC PRAYER AT OUR MEETINGS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JACKIE VITALE FOLLOWED BY RENEE BORG.

I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.

JACKIE, WELCOME. HI. JACKIE VITALE, 38, SOUTHEAST SEMINOLE.

I'M A CITY OF STEWART RESIDENT.

I THINK THAT ALL OF YOU ARE VERY SMART AND VERY THOUGHTFUL, AND YOU CLEARLY CARE ABOUT THE CITY OF STEWART BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT IF YOU THINK THAT AN INVOCATION BEFORE OUR CITY MEETINGS IS THE RIGHT CHOICE.

MAKE THAT VOTE. I TRUST YOU TO VOTE IN THE WAY THAT YOU SEE FIT.

IT'S TOTALLY ABOUT VOTING YOUR CONSCIENCE RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S HOW REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY WORKS. YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE. AND I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE ON TO OTHER MATTERS.

I FEEL THAT WE HAVE A HOUSING STOCK CRISIS.

I FEEL THAT WE'VE GOT A SERIOUS TRAFFIC ISSUE AND TRANSIT ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON.

WE'VE GOT ONGOING RIVER AND WATER QUALITY ISSUES.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT YOU ALL NEED TO DO, AND I THINK THAT IT'S PERHAPS POSSIBLE THAT FOR SOME OF YOU, YOU WANT TO JUST MOVE ON TO THOSE ISSUES AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE HILL THAT YOU WANT TO DIE ON, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO KIND OF VOTE TO MOVE ON.

AND WHAT I THINK IS THAT IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL BE SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT IS GOING TO COMPLETELY DERAIL YOUR WORK FOR THE NEXT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BECOME A COMMON THING FOR PEOPLE TO COME UP AND CALL YOU DEMONS AND YELL AND SCREAM AND TALK ABOUT EVIL.

AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A DISTRACTION.

I BELIEVE YOU CALLED IT AN AWFUL SIDESHOW, AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW, WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH REALLY IMPORTANT WORK FOR US TO BE DOING HERE IN THE CITY OF STUART. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT.

THANK YOU. JACKIE. RENEE BORG, I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY FOLLOWED BY AMBER D'ANGELO. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. A LITTLE NERVOUS HERE.

I NEVER REALLY SPOKE, BUT I'M JUST HERE WITH JUST THIS IS FOR OUR.

I JUST WANT THIS VOTE FOR GOD.

IT'S HE'S THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S I'M HERE FOR FOR FOR THIS, THIS MATTER. AND I, I FEEL THAT I WANT THIS AS A GREEN LIGHT.

IT'S JUST YEAH. SO I WOULD LIKE I SAY YES TO THIS JUST ON MY BEHALF.

AND I JUST STAND HERE BECAUSE GOD HAS YOU KNOW, HE'S DONE MANY THINGS FOR ME.

SO I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU GUYS THAT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AMBER D'ANGELO, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN RUIZ.

WELCOME, AMBER. AMBER D'ANGELO 1153 SOUTHWEST STREET, PALM CITY, FLORIDA. LIKE MANY PEOPLE HERE, I HAD SOMETHING PREPARED AND THEN I REWROTE IT AND NOW I'M JUST GONNA WING IT BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I LIKE WHAT I WROTE.

SO FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE PERSON STANDING OR SITTING UP THERE. AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK TO MAKE THE CITY AS AWESOME AS IT IS.

I KNOW YOU ALL ARE IN A VERY TOUGH POSITION, ESPECIALLY WITH MATTERS LIKE THESE.

AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM ALL, ALL SIDES OF IT.

AND TO COMMISSIONER RICH, I'M REALLY SORRY THAT PEOPLE WERE AWFUL TO YOU AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH EMAILS OR THROUGH HOW THEY SPOKE TO YOU AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF OF THEM.

I'M SORRY. I AM FOR PRAYER.

I MEAN, I CAN'T, I CAN'T HELP IT.

IT'S LIKE, WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, IN ME, YOU KNOW, GOD HAS HELPED ME SO MUCH THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE LIFE.

[01:25:04]

AND. TODAY I PRAYED FOR MY SON'S PEDIATRICIAN, THE PEDIATRIC NURSE. YOU KNOW, SHE.

I SAID, HOW ARE YOU DOING? SHE SAID, WELL, SHE'S LIKE, I GOT LIKE A LUMP ON MY BREAST AND I FEEL LIKE I'M.

SO I'M A LITTLE SCARED ABOUT THAT. SO I WAS BEFORE SHE LEFT, I SAID, HEY, DO YOU, DO YOU WANT ME TO PRAY WITH YOU? LIKE SHE'S LIKE, YEAH.

AND WE PRAYED AND SHE TOLD ME SHE'S LIKE, I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. AND SO I I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THE MOST PRAYER CHANGES THINGS.

AT THE VERY LEAST, IT DOES BRING PEACE.

AND I, THAT'S WHAT I WANT FOR OUR CITY.

YOU KNOW, I WANT CHANGE AND I DO WANT PEACE.

AND WE SEE, WE'VE SEEN THE DECLINE IN OUR COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND. IT'S GOTTEN BETTER IN SOME WAYS, BUT IT HAS DECLINED IN OTHER WAYS.

AND I THINK THAT CORRELATES WITH HOW WE'VE TAKEN THINGS OUT OF GODLY THINGS OUT OF OUR, OUR COUNTRY, OUT OF, YOU KNOW, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND, AND PRAYER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I WOULD SAY IT'S A GOOD THING TO BRING IT TO THIS MEETING.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SUSAN RUIZ, FOLLOWED BY AMY MARIE MANERI, MANERI MANERI, I THINK.

SUSAN, WELCOME. HI, I'M SUSAN RUIZ 211 SOUTHWEST WENATCHEE, WINNACHEE DRIVE, STUART, FLORIDA 34994.

I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1963JD PARKER ELEMENTARY ALL THE WAY TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAD PRAYER IN SCHOOLS.

WE HAD THE PLEDGE. IT'S GREAT TO DO THE PLEDGE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. MY MOM WAS AN ORDAINED MINISTER, SO I WAS THAT REBELLIOUS CHILD.

ALL THE STUFF YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND I WAS BAPTIZED AT NINE, BUT.

AND I KEPT AT 13, I, YOU KNOW, SO HE, HE CAME BACK AT 51. AND WE LIVED OUT SOUTHWEST KANSAS AVENUE IN 1969 WITH CHICKENS, GOATS, ALL THAT STUFF.

BULL. AND MY MOM STARTED PRAYING FOR A CHURCH TO BE BUILT ON SOUTHWEST OLD KANSAS AVENUE.

AND SHE DIED IN 95. SO SHE PRAYED FROM 69 TO 95 AND REVIVAL 95.

SHE PRAYED FOR A CHURCH AND REVIVAL.

AND THAT'S WHERE I GO TO CHURCH NOW.

AND HE, I AS IF IT WASN'T FOR GOD, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE MADE IT PAST 30.

I'M 65 NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. AMY MARIE FOLLOWED.

PARDON ME MHAIRI, THANK YOU.

FOLLOWED BY AN. ECHO, I THINK.

HI, I AM AMY MARIE MHAIRI, 1800 SOUTH WEST BELGRAVE AND STUART.

I CAN I CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF IT.

TRULY. I WAS AGNOSTIC DRUG DEALER IN ALABAMA AT ONE POINT IN TIME WHO GOD SEVERELY DELIVERED FROM ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO WHERE I.

I HAVE SEEN HIS WORK AND HIS REDEMPTION, AND I KNOW HIS LOVE, AND I KNOW HIS POWER, AND I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND, AND I SEE IT EVERY WEEK AT OUR CHURCH.

AND I SAY THAT NOT TO TO SAY THAT I SEE BOTH SIDES OF IT, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHO I WAS OR WHAT STAGE I WAS IN MY LIFE, THE RULES OF THIS COUNTRY, THE FOUNDATIONS THAT IT STOOD ON, NEVER CHANGED. RIGHT. LIKE WE ARE FREEDOM OF RELIGION, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO PRACTICE.

NOT THE FREEDOM FROM IT.

THERE IS PEACE WHEN IT COMES ABOUT.

WE DO SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

AND THAT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER I WAS AGNOSTIC OR WHETHER I WAS A BELIEVER, BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE DID AS AMERICANS, AS AMERICANS, WE OPEN UP BEFORE OUR MEETINGS AND STUFF AS A PRAYER, AS WE SAY PRAYER BEFOREHAND.

AND WHETHER NO MATTER WHERE I WAS IN MY LIFE, NO MATTER MY HATRED TOWARDS GOD OR THE LOSS THAT I WAS OR HOW I WAS FOUND AND REDEEMED BY THAT, THAT NEVER CHANGED.

AND SO MY ENCOURAGEMENT IS WE'RE NOT GOING OFF FEELINGS.

YEAH. I'M SORRY THAT YOU WERE HURT.

I'M SORRY THAT Y'ALL HEAR BAD THINGS FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

[01:30:01]

BECAUSE I'M SURE EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL GET IT. BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE WHAT OUR FOUNDATION IS. IT DOESN'T CHANGE HOW WE HAVE OPERATED FOR 200 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, SINCE THE 1960S, MAYBE FOR STEWART, BUT THERE'S PRECEDENT TO SET WAY BEFORE THAT.

AND SO I WOULD SAY I KNOW ABOUT THE MINORITY AND I TRULY BELIEVE AND HOPE FOR THEM BECAUSE I WAS THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT IT IS ABOUT WHO IS SHOWING UP AND IT IS ABOUT WHO YOU ARE REPRESENTING.

AND IT IS ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TO DO.

PAST FEELINGS, OFFENSES GOING CRAZY IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GET OFFENDED BY OUR FLAG AND THEY'RE OFFENDED TO SAY ONE NATION UNDER GOD. SO AT ONE POINT, IF THIS IS OUR STATUTE THAT WE'RE SETTING AS A PRECEDENT NOW OF WE DON'T WANT TO OFFEND PEOPLE BASED ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, NOT WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT IS WE WHO WE ARE FOR THE 200 YEARS THAT WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE THAT ONE NATION UNDER GOD OFFENDS THEM TO.

IS THIS THE PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SET ON THAT AS WELL? SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

MAY PEACE BE ON YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

THANK YOU. AND LIMB, JACOB, FOLLOWED BY MARGARET BRUMFIELD.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNE AND I'M ACTUALLY NEW TO FLORIDA.

I MOVED HERE FROM CHICAGO SIX MONTHS AGO.

THE LORD ACTUALLY CALLED ME TO THE TREASURE COAST.

SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.

I WROTE SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY, AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, BUT I WANT TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF STUART.

I REALLY, REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

I KNOW PUBLIC SERVICE.

I WAS IN IT FOR 20 YEARS AND I CAN ATTEST TO THE CHALLENGES AND I KNOW THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC SERVICE.

SO I WORKED FOR A U.S.

MEMBER OF CONGRESS. AND YES, WE DID PRAY ON THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FLOOR. SO WHEN I WAS PRAYING ABOUT WHAT TO SAY TONIGHT, THESE VERSES KEPT COMING TO MIND IN MATTHEW 1032 AND 33.

WHOEVER ACKNOWLEDGES ME, ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE OTHERS.

I WILL ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.

BUT WHOEVER DISOWNS ME BEFORE OTHERS, I WILL DISOWN BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.

SO HONESTLY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS EVEN AN ISSUE JUST TO SAY A PRAYER.

AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE LIKE SOME OF MY PREDECESSORS WHO HAVE BEEN YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY OR BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO THIS IN LOVE. WE'RE CHRISTIANS. WE WANT TO WALK IN LOVE. AND I APOLOGIZE IF ANYTHING WAS DONE NOT IN LOVE.

THAT IS NOT OUR INTENTION.

WE WANT TO LOVE YOU AND WE DO PRAY FOR YOU, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

BUT THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT COME TO MIND.

HOW CAN THE CREATED AND THE LORD CREATED EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.

WE ARE ALL CREATED. HOW CAN THE CREATED SAY TO THEIR CREATOR, WE DO NOT WANT TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AS PART OF OUR MEETINGS.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WHY WOULD YOU WATER DOWN THE PRAYER PART TO NOT EVEN ADDRESS YOUR VOICE? JUST SAY YOU KNOW GOD OUT LOUD.

WHY IS THAT OFFENSIVE? I HONESTLY AM SPEAKING.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, I REALLY DON'T.

AND WHO ARE WE ALL GOING TO STAND BEFORE ONE DAY, MEN OR GOD? SO I DON'T MEAN TO DISRESPECT YOU WITH THESE QUESTIONS.

THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.

I REALLY BELIEVE IN GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS CREATED BY GOD.

GOD IS GOD CREATED GOVERNMENT.

AND I THANK YOU FOR EACH OF YOU.

AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I DO WANT TO SEE PRAYER.

WE NEED GOD. WE NEED HIS COUNSEL.

WE NEED HIS WISDOM. WE NEED HIS DISCERNMENT TO DO THE AFFAIRS OF THIS, OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY AND STEWARD.

WE WANT TO KEEP IT YOU KNOW, GOD FIRST AND FOREMOST.

AND THAT IS MY, MY HUMBLE OPINION AND I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.

GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU.

MARGARET BRUMFIELD, FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH CRANE.

RIGHT HERE. MARGARET. PARDON? I BELIEVE MARGARET GAVE HER PUBLIC COMMENT.

OH. DID SHE? OKAY. UNLESS SHE COMES FORWARD, I'M NOT SURE.

ELIZABETH CRANE, FOLLOWED BY NATALIE EVANS.

MARGARET IS ONLINE. I DON'T KNOW.

STILL. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH CRANE.

I LIVE AT 6900 SOUTHEAST BURNETT AVENUE, STUART, FLORIDA. I HAVE LIVED THERE SINCE IT WAS A DIRT ROAD.

I WAS NOT A FLORIDA GIRL.

I WAS FROM ILLINOIS. HAD A HARD TIME ADJUSTING.

BUT I HAVE REALLY GROWN TO LOVE FLORIDA AND THE PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY STUART.

THERE ISN'T A TOWN LIKE IT.

IT'S FANTASTIC. SO I DO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS JUST THIS IDEA OF A CREATOR, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THAT'S HOW I SEE IT. IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.

I WAS TAUGHT EVOLUTION.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS BROUGHT UP.

[01:35:01]

I ALSO EXPERIENCED PRAYER IN SCHOOL AND THEN IT BEING TAKEN OUT AND SEEING IT GO TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, IN A HANDBASKET.

I'VE SEEN THAT, I EXPERIENCED IT, I'VE LIVED IT.

WHEN DARWIN WROTE THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION, WHICH YOU HAVE TO LOOK UP THE ENTIRE TITLE, THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION, THROUGH THE PROCESS OF NATURAL SELECTION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE FAVORED RACES.

SO THERE WERE SOME RACES THAT WERE FAVORED AND SOME THAT WEREN'T.

HE WAS A HUMANIST, SO HE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ONE BLOOD, THAT WE ARE CREATED EQUAL.

AND I CAN SAY ONE THING THAT PROVES WE HAVE A CREATOR.

DNA INFORMATION COMES FROM A MIND.

IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN.

SO PLEASE. IT SAYS WHEN WE INVOKE, IT MEANS TO APPEAL.

WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE.

WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPEAL TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE A CREATOR, AND WE WILL HONOR HIM WITH OUR WORDS AND OUR LIFE.

AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

THANK YOU. NATALIE EVANS, FOLLOWED BY RICK EVANS.

WELCOME. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS NATALIE EVANS.

I LIVE AT TWO NINE, FIVE ZERO SOUTHEAST OCEAN AND STEWART AND YES, I'M A RESIDENT OF STEWART.

I WANT TO FIRST THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

IT CAN'T BE EASY. ALL THE EMAILS, AND CERTAINLY I WAS HERE FOR THE LAST MEETING AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A SPECTRUM OF MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE.

AND TO COMMISSIONER RICH, LIKE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID BEFORE ME I'M HORRIFIED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S EVER ANY ATTACKS ON ANY PUBLIC SERVANT. AND FOR THAT, I JUST FEEL VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I JUST GOT TO PUT MY GLASSES ON.

SORRY. BASICALLY, MY HOPE IS THAT YOU WILL ENACT PRAYER AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR HUMBLE MEETINGS HERE IN STUART.

PUBLIC OPINION AT THE LAST THREE MEETINGS WERE REPRESENTED BY NEARLY 54 PEOPLE FOR PRAYER SIX PEOPLE AGAINST IT BASED ON MY ROUGH NUMBERS THAT I COULD PULL TOGETHER, THAT'S 90%, FOUR AND 10% WHO WERE AGAINST PUBLIC OPINION IS WHEN THERE IS A LARGE CONSENSUS EXPRESSED BY A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS THE PUBLIC OPINION.

THE PEOPLE THAT WHO SHOWED UP FOR THIS MEETING 90% WERE FOR PRAYER.

AS YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERING OPINIONS.

ANY SUBJECT THAT COMES UP THAT YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THERE'S GOING TO BE A DISSENTING VOTE. BASICALLY EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO AGREE ON PRAYER HERE, YOU WILL NOT LIKELY FIND TWO PEOPLE WHO AGREE ON EVERYTHING EVERY SINGLE ISSUE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS. I JUST WANT TO PETITION YOU TO FOLLOW THE VAST MAJORITY OF PUBLIC OPINION ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

AND I WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT WHAT JORDAN SHOW PRESENTED TONIGHT, I THINK IS AMAZING WITH THE SKATE PARK.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO.

THANK YOU. HEY, MR. MAYOR.

YEAH. MAY I ASK THAT YOU REMIND THE SPEAKERS THAT THEY MAY NOT ADDRESS COMMISSIONERS INDIVIDUALLY OR REFER TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY? OKAY. PLEASE DON'T ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS INDIVIDUALLY.

THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR RULES, SO THANK YOU.

RICK EVANS, FOLLOWED BY BLAINE ALBRIGHT.

VERY GOOD. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS RICK EVANS. MY ADDRESS IS 2950 SOUTHEAST OCEAN BOULEVARD IN STUART.

MY FAMILY MOVED HERE BACK IN 1959.

I WAS A YEAR OLD. I GOT THE PRIVILEGE OF GROWING UP HERE, GOING TO THE BEACHES, RIDING MY BIKE IN EVERY LITTLE NOOK AND CRANNY. THAT IS STUART AND I LOVE THE PLACE.

I MOVED BACK HERE 17 YEARS AGO, ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO NOW, TO PLANT A CHURCH, AND I GOT TO PASTOR IT FOR 15 YEARS.

AND I WORK WITH ANOTHER CHURCH, REVIVED CHURCH.

AND THE LAST FEW DAYS, MY WIFE, WHO STOLE SOME OF MY MATERIAL JUST NOW, LAST TWO DAYS, BOTH OF US, WE'VE SPENT SOME TIME WATCHING THE LAST MEETINGS, AND SO WE COULD BE REALLY CAUGHT UP ON ON WHAT'S BEEN THE PROCESS.

AND, AND WE'VE WATCHED ENOUGH MEETINGS THAT I JUST CAME TO ENJOY WATCHING THEM.

I ENJOYED WATCHING HOW YOU GUYS DO WHAT YOU DO.

I DON'T LIKE CONTROVERSY.

WHO DOES? BUT I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE ENGAGE IN PUBLIC DEBATE AND WE COME TO CONCLUSIONS AND DECISIONS. I LOVE WATCHING THAT, AND I LOVE THE DEMONSTRATION OF DEMOCRACY IN

[01:40:04]

ACTION IN THIS PLACE. I LOVE HOW YOU COME TOGETHER AND YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE YOU DISCUSS, YOU SHARE YOUR OPINIONS. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CAMPAIGNED, YOU SHARED WHO YOU WERE, YOU SHARED YOUR BELIEFS, AND YOU WERE VOTED INTO OFFICE BECAUSE OF YOUR BELIEFS.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR OUR CORE BELIEFS.

WE WERE YOU WERE PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU BELIEVED, AND YOU ROSE UP CONFIDENCE IN PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU STATED.

AND, AND SO HERE YOU ARE.

AND YOU COME TOGETHER AND YOU DISCUSS, AND THEN YOU VOTE ON THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US IN THIS CITY.

HOW MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD JUST WOULD DREAM OF THAT, RIGHT? TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WHERE THEY COULD GO AND BE HEARD? IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYWHERE.

PEOPLE ONLY DREAM OF IT.

AND OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT A DICTATOR OR A KING DOESN'T WIN.

EVER. IN OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THE PEOPLE WIN.

WE LEFT A MONARCHY, SO IT WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE THAT WE SHOULD DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM ONE PARTY RULE OR MONARCHY OR DICTATORSHIP AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

YOU ARE REPRESENTATIVES SO THAT OUR VOICES CAN BE HEARD.

THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY FOR OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE AND TO SUCCEED IS THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO RESPECT THE DECISION OF THE MANY OVER THE FEW, AND THAT IS NOT POPULAR.

BUT IT HAS TO BE. AS YOU VOTE HERE, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO LOSE.

SOMEBODY IS NOT GOING TO GET WHAT THEY WANT.

BUT THAT IS OUR GOVERNMENT AND THAT'S HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON THAT.

ISN'T THAT HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS ON HOW TO LEAD OUR CITY? YOU VOTE, YOU MAKE DECISIONS, SOME WIN AND SOME LOSE.

IT DOESN'T SEEM DEEPLY CONSIDERATE.

THANK YOU SIR. I'M SORRY. YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP. AMEN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. BLAINE.

BLAINE ALBRIGHT, FOLLOWED BY MIKE DITERLIZZI.

GOOD EVENING. I HOPE YOU'LL VOTE YES TONIGHT.

I SENSE THAT THERE IS A FEELING THAT A YES VOTE WILL BE SOME SORT OF CONCESSION TO RELIGIOUS ACTIVISM. AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID A FEW TIMES TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT A YES VOTE WILL NOT BE A VOTE OF RELIGIOUS ACTIVISM, BUT RATHER A CORRECTION OF PREVIOUS ACTIVISM, BECAUSE WHENEVER IT GOT REMOVED, AT SOME POINT IT DID.

WE CAN LOOK AT FEDERAL AND STATE AND COUNTY, AND WE OPEN OUR MEETINGS WITH PRAYER.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S THIS BODY OF YOUR PREDECESSORS AT SOME POINT THAT BROKE PRECEDENT. YOU KNOW, WHERE I STAND.

AS A PASTOR, I WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY WITH YOU, TO PRAY FOR YOU TO SEEK GOD'S BLESSING FOR OUR CITY.

I WANT TO DO THAT. I DO THAT PRIVATELY.

I WANT TO DO THAT PUBLICLY TOO.

I KNOW OF THIS MEETING.

I MEAN, ACTUALLY IT HAS BEEN, IT'S THIS MEETING HAS BEEN KIND OF ON PAR WITH THE LAST ONE, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE TAME.

BUT I KNOW EMOTIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH AND I, IT'S MY PRAYER THAT YOU DON'T FEEL PERSONALLY ATTACKED TONIGHT. YOU DON'T FEEL JUDGED.

YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DEFEND YOUR PERSONAL FAITH.

I WROTE SEVERAL OF YOU A NOTE AFTER THE LAST MEETING.

JUST TO, JUST TO KIND OF AGREE WITH THAT IDEA THAT I HOPE YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO THAT A CERTAIN COMMISSIONER CITED ARTICLE SIX OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW THERE SHOULDN'T BE A LITMUS TEST, THERE SHOULDN'T BE A RELIGIOUS TEST FOR SOMEBODY IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

AND I, I AGREE WITH THAT.

AND SO I I HOPE THAT YOU DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO DO THAT AGAIN TONIGHT.

I'M SORRY THAT YOU FELT THAT WAY.

I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THAT ALREADY TONIGHT.

WE DON'T ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT. CHRISTIANS WE DON'T, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT. BUT I DO FEEL LIKE APPROVING THIS MOTION WILL BE FOR THE GOOD. IT WILL BE FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

IT'LL BE FOR THE CITY'S GOOD. I BELIEVE IT'LL BE FOR YOUR PERSONAL GOOD.

BUT IF YOU DON'T VOTE YES TONIGHT.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AND I BELIEVE THE REST OF THE CHRISTIANS IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL STILL SUPPORT YOU. WE'LL STILL LOVE YOU.

WE'LL STILL PRAY FOR YOU.

AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO HONOR YOU BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR BIBLE COMMANDS US TO DO.

THANK YOU. MR. TEACHER LINDSAY, FOLLOWED BY AMY PRITCHARD AND AND MR. EAZI, JUST WELCOME FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND AMY AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ALL HERE TODAY. JUST BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE TO ASK GOD FOR GUIDANCE, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK HIM FOR WISDOM AND LISTENING HEARTS. I BROUGHT PRAYER BACK TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION WHEN I GOT ELECTED IN 2000. THEY DID NOT PRAY.

AND I ASKED IF WE COULD PRAY, AND THEY SAID,

[01:45:02]

IF YOU WANT TO PRAY, PRAY. AND I GUESS SOME PEOPLE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

SO WE RESEARCHED THE LAW AND THE LAW BASICALLY SAID YOU COULD HAVE PASTOR COME IN AND PRAY AND REVEREND BROSIUS AND I THINK TODD MOZINGO AND DARRELL ORMAN BUT THERE WAS ONE FROM GRACE PLACE. YEAH.

REGARDLESS. RICK. ADDISON.

THEY CAME. ONE OF THEM CAME EVERY TUESDAY.

WHEN? WHEN ONE COULDN'T APPEAR ON TUESDAY, WE DID A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

AND TO THIS DAY I BROUGHT.

WHEN I GOT ELECTED TO SCHOOL BOARD IN 2012, THEY DIDN'T PRAY EITHER, AND I BROUGHT PRAYER BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.

WE DO THE SAME, SAME THING IF.

IF A PASTOR DOESN'T SHOW UP TO PRAY, THEN WE DO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IS WHEN WE WERE TOTALLY INCLUSIVE OF ANY RELIGION THAT WANTED TO COME. WE'VE HAD MUSLIM PASTORS COME IN OR WHATEVER YOU CALL THEM.

WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD RABBIS COME IN, WE'VE HAD CATHOLICS COME IN JUST CHRISTIAN, NONDENOMINATIONAL. BUT EVEN AT SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY, HUMANISTS CAME IN AND THEY DIDN'T PRAY, BUT THEY CAME UP AND GAVE THEIR THREE MINUTES OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO SAY.

AND MOST OF IT WAS PEACE AND LOVE.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT GOD IS ABOUT.

AND, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO, I GOT COVID AND I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND I WAS THERE FOR TWO WEEKS. THEY WERE ABOUT TO PUT ME ON A RESPIRATOR, AND I ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT I WAS GOING TO DIE.

AND I ACCEPTED. THE WORST PART ABOUT IT FOR ME WAS THAT I COULDN'T SAY GOODBYE TO MY WIFE. I COULDN'T HOLD HER AND MY CHILDREN, I'M SORRY.

GOD CAME TO ME. AND YOU KNOW, GOD TALKS TO YOU IN YOUR MIND AND YOUR IN YOUR SOUL, IN YOUR HEART.

BUT GOD LITERALLY GRABBED ME BY THE SHOULDER AND SAID, I'VE GOT THIS. AND HE HELD ME, AND I KNEW I WAS NOT ALONE.

AND WHETHER YOU BELIEVE OR NOT, GOD LOVES YOU.

WE LOVE YOU. LISTEN, I DO THE SAME THING YOU ALL DO.

I REGULATE, I GOVERN FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND I GOVERN FOR OUR STUDENTS.

18,000 STUDENTS. WE LOVE OUR STUDENTS.

WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S SAID OR EVERYTHING ANYTHING THAT'S DONE. BUT WE LOVE OUR STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND THOSE STUDENTS ARE YOUR STUDENTS AND AND PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE STUDENTS.

BUT. WHAT I HAVE FOUND THAT THE PRAYER IN OUR BOARD MEETING WAS NOT ABOUT RELIGION.

IT WAS ABOUT ASKING GOD FOR GUIDANCE, ASKING GOD TO HELP US MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE. AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR NOT, THE GLORY OF IT IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRAY WITH THEM. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRAY FOR THEM.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF.

YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO STAND THERE AND LISTEN TO IT.

BUT I WANT TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BE THE BEST THEY POSSIBLY CAN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND IF GOD AND I KNOW GOD COULD MAKE IT A BETTER COMMUNITY AND HAS MADE IT A BETTER COMMUNITY, I JUST ASK GOD TO TOUCH YOUR HEARTS AND ASK YOU TO SUPPORT PRAYER IN OUR SCHOOL, PRAYER IN OUR DISTRICT, IN OUR IN OUR CITY CITY BOARD MEETINGS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M NEVER ON THIS SIDE.

THANK YOU. SOUNDS LIKE AMY PRITCHARD, FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN MCCLAIN.

GOOD EVENING. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY LISTENING.

AND LIKE MR. DECKER. LIZZIE, I, TOO WELCOME THE PRAYER.

I APPRECIATE IT AT OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.

AND JUST A SMALL LITTLE ANECDOTE.

WHEN I WAS ELECTED, A GENTLEMAN IN THIS AUDIENCE DID AN INVOCATION AT OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND CALLED ME OUT FOR MY FAITH.

I WAS APPALLED. I WAS HEARTBROKEN, BUT I REALIZED I HAD GOD.

HE WAS GOING TO CATCH ME AND HE WAS GOING TO TELL ME.

AND HE DID. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

NOT EVERYBODY THINKS LIKE YOU DO.

NOT EVERYBODY BELIEVES LIKE YOU DO.

BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT GOD DOES LOVE ALL OF US, NO MATTER WHAT WE BELIEVE.

AND THAT'S THE PART THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT.

HE LOVES ALL OF US. NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY, WHAT WE DO, HE LOVES US. AND ONE MORE THING SOMEBODY SAID, AND I HOPE THAT I MISUNDERSTOOD, THAT THIS SUBJECT OF GOD WAS PETTY.

IT'S THE FARTHEST THING FROM PETTY.

AND I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT.

THANK YOU. JOHNATHAN MCCLAIN, FOLLOWED BY DREW REICHMAN.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU AGAIN TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S POSSIBLE SOME OF THE REALLY NEGATIVE COMMENTS DID NOT COME FROM THE TRUE BODY OF CHRIST.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

[01:50:03]

SO JUST A THOUGHT. I EXHORT THEREFORE, THAT FIRST OF ALL, FIRST OF ALL, SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, GIVING OF THANKS BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, FOR KINGS AND FOR ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE LISTEN TO WHAT THE PRAYER IS, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND HONESTY.

FOR THIS IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OUR SAVIOR, WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED AND TO COME UNTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.

THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PRAY.

THOMAS JEFFERSON, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, ACTUALLY, MARCH THE 4TH, 1801. ALMIGHTY GOD, WHO HAS GIVEN US THIS GOOD LAND FOR OUR HERITAGE, WE HUMBLY BESEECH THEE THAT WE MAY ALWAYS PROVE OURSELVES A PEOPLE MINDFUL OF THY FAVOR, AND GLAD TO DO THY WILL.

BLESS OUR LAND WITH HONORABLE MINISTRY, SOUND LEARNING, PURE MANNERS. SAVE US FROM VIOLENCE, DISCORD AND CONFUSION, FROM PRIDE AND ARROGANCE, AND FROM EVERY EVIL WAY.

DEFEND OUR LIBERTIES AND FASHION INTO ONE UNITED PEOPLE.

THE MULTITUDE BROUGHT HITHER OUT OF MANY KINDREDS AND TONGUES.

ENDOW WITH THY SPIRIT OF WISDOM THOSE WHOM IN THY NAME WE ENTRUST WITH THE AUTHORITY OF GOVERNMENT, THAT THERE MAY BE JUSTICE AND PEACE AT HOME, AND THAT THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO THY LAW WE MAY SHOW FORTH THY PRAISE AMONG THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH IN TIME OF PROSPERITY.

FILL OUR HEARTS WITH THANKFULNESS, AND IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE SUFFER NOT OUR TRUST IN THEE TO FAIL.

ALL OF WHICH WE ASK THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.

AMEN. I WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN WE PRAY AS PASTORS, AT LEAST I, AS A PASTOR, AM GLAD THAT I CAN PRAY IN JESUS NAME BECAUSE HE IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR.

AND INCIDENTALLY, THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.

I UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S NOT CLERGY AVAILABLE.

SO I'M GOING TO SAY THIS UP 18 PLUS YEARS, ACTUALLY CLOSE TO 20 YEARS.

PASTOR IN THE CITY. AND NOW I'M IN THE COUNTY BUILDING IN THE COUNTY.

BUT WE ARE HERE WHEN WE PULL PERMITS.

WE PAID THE CITY. WE PAID THE COUNTY.

IF YOU OPEN THE BORDER TO INCLUDE THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE CITY SITS, YOU WILL HAVE MANY MORE CANDIDATES AVAILABLE FOR PRAYER AND INCIDENTALLY, SILENCE. AMEN. PEOPLE CAN PRAY.

HOWEVER, JESUS SAID WHEN HE WAS ASKED, HOW SHOULD WE PRAY? HE SAID, WHEN YOU PRAY, SAY, SAY OUR FATHER, YOU. REICHMAN, FOLLOWED BY BRANDON COOPER.

MY NAME IS DREW REICHMAN.

I HAVE PROPERTY HERE IN STUART, BUT I DON'T LIVE HERE.

I'M SORRY FOR STANDING UP THE OTHER DAY A FEW MINUTES AGO.

I FEEL LIKE I'M AT CHURCH.

I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A CHURCH.

HALLELUJAH. AMEN. BUT IT'S NOT.

THIS IS A GOVERNMENT BODY.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE HERE FOR, IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

YOU'RE NOT HERE TO PRAY.

YOU'RE NOT HERE TO PREACH.

LET THEM SPEAK. THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT A GOVERNMENT.

IT'S NOT ABOUT PRAYING HERE.

IF YOU WANT TO PRAY, YOU GO TO CHURCH AND PRAY.

PLEASE ADDRESS THE BOARD.

PLEASE, SIR. SORRY. OKAY.

SORRY. YOU GO TO CHURCH AND PRAY.

THAT'S WHERE IT IS. AND IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

I'M AN UNABASHED ATHEIST.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN IT.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN SPIRITS.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOST STORIES.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN SUPERNATURAL BEINGS.

BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE DOING IT.

MY WHOLE FAMILY BELIEVES IN ALL OF IT.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S THE GIST OF IT.

YOU'RE A GOVERNMENT BODY.

YOU'RE NOT A PRAYING BODY.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. BRANDON COOPER FOLLOWED BY DOCTOR JULIE K BORCH-JOHNSEN BJORNSSON.

HELLO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'M BRANDON COOPER 920 SOUTHEAST FLAMINGO AVENUE IN CITY OF STUART.

YEAH FIRST I ALONG WITH OTHERS.

I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR ANYONE THAT HAS CAUSED ANYONE TO FEEL THREATENED OR FEEL I DON'T KNOW, TO FOR SOMEONE TO CALL SOMEONE OUT FOR HOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, OPENING AND CLOSING THEIR EYES OR PRAYING AND, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT PRAYING TO THEMSELVES OR WHATEVER.

[01:55:02]

I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST IT REALLY IT HURT ME THIS WEEK AND IT JUST UPSET ME.

AND I'M I'M SORRY FOR STAFF, FOR COMMISSIONERS ANYONE THAT THAT'S HAPPENED TO. THAT'S NOT THE HEART OF THE GOD I SERVE.

AND YEAH, SO I JUST, I JUST WANT TO LEAD WITH THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ALSO HOPE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, A, A FEW, YOU KNOW, WON'T IMPACT YOUR, YOUR DECISION ON THIS I THINK THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW COMMISSIONER CLARK, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT'S KIND OF CRAZY. AND IT SEEMED LIKE THE FIRST, FIRST VOTE SEEMED LIKE IT WAS KIND OF A SHOO IN.

AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER VOTE.

AND YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I DIDN'T SHOW UP OR ANYTHING.

AND I BELIEVE SOME AGNOSTICS OR ATHEISTS, OTHERS CAME.

AND I KNOW THERE WAS A VOTE CHANGED BASED ON THAT.

AND SO THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER. AND THAT'S WHY MORE PEOPLE CAME OUT. AND PEOPLE ARE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CHRISTIANS, OBVIOUSLY.

AND IN THIS ROOM TODAY VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.

AND SO I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT THAT TONE IS BROUGHT INTO THE ROOM.

AND I, I, I TRY AND EMPATHIZE WITH YOU THERE JUST, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR OR SOMETHING.

YOU HAVE TO DO THIS SO OFTEN AND TO, TO NOT HAVE THESE BELIEFS, BUT YET TO SIT THERE, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR EYES OPEN AND TO YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S TOUGH.

AND SO I, I DON'T ENVY THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW, I KIND OF LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, BUT YEAH, I START OFF THIS MORNING WITH JUST SEEING THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE COME UP ACTUALLY OVER HELEN'S HOUSE.

SHE'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS, THIS BEAUTY AND JUST SEEING THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING.

THIS, THIS CREATOR BEHIND THAT AND ALL THAT GOES INTO IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING WE HAD THE SKATE PARK MEETING BEFORE THIS AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, JORDAN WAS TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EVEN THE PHYSICS OF SKATING AND EVERYTHING. AND SO THERE'S JUST THERE'S SO MUCH OF GOD.

AND AS A, YOU KNOW, AS A CREATOR THAT, THAT IT'S HARD TO, TO KIND OF LOOK PAST YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE INVOCATION BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER MEETINGS. I STATED LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, WHAT BETTER WAY TO START WITH AND I THINK AGNOSTICS, ATHEISTS WOULD AGREE TO THAT.

THE FRUIT OF PRAYER THAT WE'RE SEEKING WITH WISDOM, COMPASSION, LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR.

SO I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS. OKAY. DOCTOR BORNSTEIN.

FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIE FULLER.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. JULIE BJORNSON.

STUART, FLORIDA. VOTE YES.

WHY DO I PRAY? BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE BIBLE, THE FOUNDATION OF OUR COUNTRY IS TRUE BECAUSE I BELIEVE. BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, AND BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS THE HISTORY OF THE LAST 6000 YEARS, AND BECAUSE BIBLE PROPHECY TELLS US WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MANKIND IN THE FUTURE.

WE BELIEVERS EXIST TO HONOR GOD.

WE SHARE REDEMPTION FROM DESTRUCTION.

WE ARE ANCHORED IN JESUS, THE GOSPEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY, SO WE CAN RESIST FEAR OF THE COMING DESTRUCTION.

THE WORLD IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS.

THERE IS EVIDENCE OF AN ANCIENT WORLD MEGALITHS, PETROGLYPHS, PYRAMIDS, GIANT BONES.

THIS IS KNOWN HISTORY.

THE EVIL THAT CREATED THIS FALLEN WORLD IS AGAIN ON OUR EARTH TO DESTROY MANKIND AND DRAW MAN AWAY FROM GOD.

LUCIFER OR SATAN IS IN CONTROL SINCE THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

HE IS A MASTER OF DECEIT AND LYING WONDERS.

AND MANKIND WILL FAINT WITH FEAR AT THE COMING DESTRUCTION.

BUT THE BIBLE GIVES US FAITH.

THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, I SAID, MAN IS NOT ALONE ON THIS PLANET.

SAYING SATAN'S EVIL MYSTERY RELIGIONS, SOCIETIES AND OCCULT FORCES ARE TAKING OVER.

THEIR AGENDA INCLUDES AI, INTELLIGENCE AND GENDER, TRANSGENDER AND TRANSHUMANISM, ROBOTICS, EUGENICS AND STERILIZATION.

WEAPONIZED WEAPONIZING OUR FOOD, AIR, SOIL, WATER AND SEED SUPPLY, DESTROYING OUR HUMAN DNA, PLUS DESTROYING OUR MORALS AND ETHICS.

EVERYTHING IS NON-HUMAN.

UFOS ARE REAL, ETS ARE REAL.

GENETIC MODIFICATION IS REAL.

FETAL AND HUMAN ABDUCTIONS ARE REAL.

THE COMING RELEASE OF EVIL, OF FALLEN ANGELS FROM BELOW IS REAL.

GIANTS ARE REAL ON OUR PLANET NOW.

THE RECENT SECRET TRANSPORT OF A DEAD GIANT OVER 1,000 POUNDS FROM AFGHANISTAN IS EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE BACK.

THIS PRESENT AND EVIL COMING EVIL DARKNESS IS ENCROACHING EVERYWHERE.

WHEN OUR. WHEN OVER 7000 5G SATELLITES ARE ACTIVATED, THEY WILL. MANY WILL NOT SURVIVE, AND THOSE THAT DO WILL HAVE EVERY BREATH

[02:00:01]

MONITORED. THERE WILL BE NO PLACE TO HIDE.

AND WITH THE COMING PERVASIVE MIND CONTROL.

WE PRAY FOR GOD'S PROTECTION.

WE PRAY FOR GOD'S DIRECTION.

WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO REPRESENT US.

WE ARE HUMANS, NOT ROBOTS.

WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY DOOR TO HEAVEN.

WE BELIEVE IN SALVATION.

WE BELIEVE THE SOON COMING RAPTURE.

ONCE THE RAPTURE HAPPENS, WE ARE GONE.

AND SO IS GOD'S RESTRAINT ON EVIL.

IF YOU ARE STILL HERE, YOU WILL HAVE TO ENDURE THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THIS PLANET, CLEARLY EXPLAINED IN REVELATION.

SO I PRAY, I PRAY ALL BLINDERS WILL BE GONE AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE EVIL OF THE COMING TECHNOLOGICAL NON-HUMAN AGENDA.

I PRAY YOU WILL REPRESENT US.

MAY GOD BLESS YOUR DECISION TODAY WHETHER YOU PRAY OR DON'T.

EVIL IS COMING. THANK YOU CHRISTY FOR.

FOLLOWED BY CARLA HARP.

HI, I'M KRISTY FULLER.

I'VE LIVED IN STUART SINCE 1982 AND I AM A CITY RESIDENT.

THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE CAME UP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND I KIND OF DUG INTO THAT TO SEE WHERE WE WERE, BECAUSE I REMEMBERED SOMETHING THAT VICTOR HANSON, WHO IS A HISTORIAN, SAID THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE BECAME TWISTED FROM ITS ORIGINAL INTENT.

THE STATEMENT WAS MADE TO PROTECT THE CHURCHES FROM GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL, NOT TO TAKE GOD OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

THINK ABOUT IT. GOD WAS EVERYWHERE IN OUR FOUNDING AND ALL OF OUR MONUMENTS, OUR PREAMBLES BILL OF RIGHTS, AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WITHIN OUR COURTS.

SO AS MUCH AS THE WORLD WOULD LIKE TO TAKE GOD OUT, IT WAS THE BASIS OF OUR FOUNDING.

AS YOU KNOW, I AM IN FAVOR OF INVOCATION.

I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU ARE CONSERVATIVE AND YOU NEED TO HOLD ON TO THOSE OLD SCHOOL FUNDAMENTAL VALUES. WE NEED THEM RIGHT NOW.

OUR COUNTRY IS IN A LOT OF TROUBLE, AND SO WE NEED TO PULL BACK ON THOSE.

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE MAJORITY AND THE CITY'S WELL-BEING.

THIS IS VERY SIMPLE. IT'S NOT A COMPLICATED ISSUE.

IT'S NOT POLITICAL FOR THE GREATER GOOD, YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING.

THIS WILL BE HUGE FOR THE COMMISSION TO BE HUMBLE AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY OF STEWART THAT YOU SUPPORT WHAT THE MAJORITY WANTS.

THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE YOU VOTED FOR PRAYER.

IT'S REALLY NOT COMPLICATED.

COMPLICATED. AND IF IT IS, THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.

OUR COMMUNITY. OOPS, SORRY.

HOLD ON. OUR COMMUNITY IS A FAITH BASED COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THE FIRST BUILDINGS ERECTED HERE WERE CHURCHES.

EAST STEWART HAS A LONG STANDING HISTORY FOUNDED BY HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO WENT TO CHURCH AND PRAYED. WHAT A WIN TO HAVE THOSE COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM EAST STEWART AND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS COMING IN TO PRAY AND LEAD OUR COMMISSION THROUGH PRAYER.

WE HAVE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PEOPLE.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST CHRISTIAN PEOPLE.

WE CAN MAKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MUSLIMS, CAN COME IN WHATEVER.

WE ARE A COUNTRY OF FREEDOM, OF RELIGION.

PLEASE DON'T MAKE IT ANY MORE COMPLICATED AND POLITICAL THAN THAT.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WOULDN'T WANT WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT PRAYED OVER YOU. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO WHAT IN YOUR HEART YOU KNOW IS RIGHT AND VOTE FOR INVOCATION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. CARLA HARP FOLLOWED BY LAURA GIOVI.

I'M CARLA HARP. I LIVE AT 1800 SOUTHEAST SAINT LUCIE BOULEVARD IN STUART, AND I JUST STARTED A PART TIME BUSINESS IN STUART.

AND MY HUSBAND IS PASTOR OF STUART ALLIANCE.

I WONDER IF YOU HAVE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE FACT THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON.

WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY HAVE SAT AT COUNTLESS GOVERNMENTAL MEETINGS THAT BEGAN IN PRAYER. THEY PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.

THIS COUNTRY, ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

AND BOTH OF THEM LAID THEIR HAND ON THE SAME BIBLE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S WHEN THEY WERE SWORN INTO OFFICE. AND I FIND IT SHOCKING THAT THIS BOARD OR THE CITY OF STUART WOULD THINK THAT WE'RE SO INTELLIGENT OR SO BEYOND NEEDING DIRECTION, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO DO THE SAME THING, THAT THE LEADERS OF OUR COUNTRY, OUR NATION, OUR STATE, OUR CITIES, THAT WE, FOR SOME REASON RIGHT HERE. WE DON'T NEED THAT.

AND I HAVE A FRIEND THAT I LOVE DEARLY THAT'S ATHEIST.

HE BELIEVES WHEN HE DIES, HE'S GOING TO BE DEAD IN THE GROUND.

I'M A CHRISTIAN. I KNOW THAT WHEN I DIE, ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WITH THE LORD, I'LL LIVE FOR ETERNITY WITH MY SAVIOR AND MY LORD. BUT WHEN I PRAY FOR BRIAN, HE KNOWS IT'S COMING FROM MY HEART BECAUSE I LOVE HIM AND I CARE. SO WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN PRAYER, THEN YOU WANT DIRECTION FOR YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THIS CITY UNDER GOD.

IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD AND YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN PRAYER,

[02:05:02]

WHAT GOES IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER? AND UNLESS YOU REALLY, DEEP DOWN IN YOUR SPIRIT, MAYBE THINK, WHAT IF THEY'RE RIGHT? MAYBE. WHAT IF GOD DOES MAKE US DO SOMETHING WE DON'T WANT TO DO? I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT.

I DON'T CARE WHAT PARTY YOU ARE.

YOU LOOK DOWN OVER THE WHOLE LIST OF PRESIDENTS WHO LAID THEIR HAND ON THE HOLY BIBLE, THE HOLY BIBLE, AND WERE SWORN INTO OFFICE FOR THIS COUNTRY.

SO WHO ARE WE TO SAY THAT WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT? BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU WITH ONE LAST THING.

JESUS LOVES YOU. HE IS NOT HIS WILL THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD TURN AND LIVE. SO NO MATTER WHAT THE VOTE IS, GOD IS IN CONTROL. YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY GAIL GOLDIE, LAURA JACOBY, SOUTHEAST OCEAN BOULEVARD, STUART 34996.

FIRST, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS, THE STAFF AND THE THE THE ATTORNEY AND THE THE. I'M SORRY.

EVERYONE FORGETS ME. CITY MANAGER FORGETS YOU.

BUT DAVID, YOU'RE VERY IMPORTANT.

WE JUST FORGET YOUR TITLE.

IT'S ALL THE THINGS WE ASK YOU TO DO THAT ARE IMPORTANT. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS BRIEF. EVERYONE HAS SAID REALLY GREAT THINGS. THE REALITY HERE IS, IS THAT THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING IN THIS WORLD.

STUART HAS SO MANY THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH.

WE'D LIKE TO GO FORWARD.

DO WE REALLY NOT THINK THAT A LITTLE PRAYER BEFORE THE EACH COMMISSION STATEMENT, A LITTLE PRAYER TO GOD WOULDN'T BE HELPFUL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GAIL GOLDIE, FOLLOWED BY NATHAN JOYNER.

I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

I KNOW IT'S GETTING LATE.

IT'S WAY PAST YOUR DINNER TIME.

I HOPE YOUR WIVES AND YOUR HUSBANDS ARE KEEPING YOUR DINNERS WARM FOR YOU.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID BY ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND WHO THEY ARE.

I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS THAT MANY VOICES OF THOSE IN THIS ROOM DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY. HOWEVER, THEY ARE MARTIN COUNTY RESIDENTS.

I ASK YOU, OUR CITY RESIDENTS, NOT MARTIN COUNTY RESIDENTS.

OF COURSE THEY ARE. SO MARTIN COUNTY RESIDENTS, WHETHER A CITY RESIDENT OR NOT, SHOULD BE LISTENED TO BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THE DECISIONS MADE IN THIS ROOM ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM AND SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO YOU.

I WILL ALSO REMIND YOU MANY IN THIS ROOM SHOP, DINE AND WORK IN THE CITY.

THEY SUPPORT OUR LOVELY CITY AGAIN.

OUR VOICES ARE IMPORTANT AND NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

LOOK AROUND THE ROOM. BOTH CITY AND COUNTY RESIDENTS TOOK THE TIME TO COME HEAR.

WHAT THE CITY DOES IS IMPORTANT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? STEWART IS THE COUNTY SEAT.

THEY ARE INVESTED IN THE CITY.

THE CITY IS IMPORTANT TO BOTH RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS OF THE CITY.

I PRAY YOU LET GOD INTO YOUR HEART AND MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NATHAN JOYNER, FOLLOWED BY FRANK MCCRYSTAL.

HELLO AGAIN. I LIVE AT TWO, EIGHT, EIGHT SIX SOUTH WEST 96TH STREET, STUART, FLORIDA 34997.

AND I JUST HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAYING SOME THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOVERNMENT BUILDING.

YOU KNOW, GOD DOESN'T BELONG HERE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND I JUST, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, I DISAGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE I, I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY SAID, THIS IS NOT A CHURCH.

AND, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

AND THEY SAY THAT PRAYER DOESN'T BELONG HERE BECAUSE OUR JOBS HERE AS COMMISSIONERS IS TO RUN, TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT.

AND IT'S, IT'S TRUE. WE ARE HERE, RIGHT, TO GET GOVERNMENT WORK DONE.

THAT'S TRUE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOUR RIGHTS OR YOUR BELIEFS ARE SOMEHOW NOT VALID HERE. I MEAN, YOU GUYS EXPRESSED THEM ALL THE TIME. AND JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE SERVING DOESN'T MEAN THOSE ARE IN NULL DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T EXPRESS THEM. YOU'RE CERTAINLY FREE TO EXERCISE PRAYER AND EXPRESS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

NOW EXPRESSING THEM IS NOT THE SAME AS SAYING, OH, YOU HAVE TO EXPRESS THEM.

OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

YOU'RE PRECLUDED FROM DOING THAT BECAUSE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS.

YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

THAT'S NOT HOW OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS.

AND SOME HAVE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PRAYER SHOULD BE FOR CHURCH AND, AND FOR HOME.

AND THAT'S NOT TRUE EITHER BECAUSE THIS IS A PUBLIC PLACE, JUST LIKE I CAN GO PLAY IN A PARK OR PRAY IN A PARK, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRAY HERE AND I CAN.

RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S ANOTHER DIFFERENCE TOO,

[02:10:01]

IS THAT YOU KNOW, PRAYING IS PRAYING UP HERE AND INVITING A COMMUNITY LEADER WHO REPRESENTS US AS WELL TO PRAY IS THE SAME AS YOU GUYS REPRESENTING US.

AND THAT'S HOW I SEE IT. IT'S A REPRESENTATIVE THING.

IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, FORCING ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING.

THE PASTORS ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES.

AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT YOUR VOICES SHOULD BE SQUASHED OR YOUR BELIEFS AND THEY AND THEY'RE NOT. AND YOU KNOW, TO SAY THAT THIS THAT GOD DOESN'T BELONG HERE, THAT HIS NAME SHOULD NEVER BE MENTIONED LIKE HE'S, YOU KNOW, A SAURON OR SOMETHING FROM LORD OF THE RINGS, LIKE THE MAN THAT SHOULDN'T BE MENTIONED. LIKE, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST SO SILLY, RIGHT? OF COURSE HE CAN BE MENTIONED HERE.

THIS IS THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A PUBLIC PLACE.

WE HAVE PUBLIC DISCOURSE.

PRAYER IS NOT AN INFRINGEMENT ON RIGHTS.

WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO PRAY.

AND, AND ALSO YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, OUR CONSTITUTION, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, YOU GUYS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PUT IN, YOU KNOW, AN ESTABLISHED RELIGION, BUT HAVING AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW A REPRESENTATIVE TO COME UP AND PRAY, THAT'S NOT AN ESTABLISHMENT OF A RELIGION. THAT'S JUST ALLOWING OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO COME IN AND REPRESENT WHAT WE WANT. THAT'S PRAYER.

AND SO I THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

AND I OWN MY TIME. THANK YOU.

FRANK MCCRYSTAL. FOLLOWED BY ALTHEA STOUDEMIRE.

I THINK FORGET ABOUT DINNER.

IT'S PAST MY BEDTIME. MINE TOO.

DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.

PLEASE SHOW US THE PLANS YOU HAVE FOR US.

WE REALLY HAVE MADE IT TOO COMPLICATED.

WHAT THE COUNTY CAME UP WITH WAS SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE.

AND A COUPLE OF THE HUMANISTS SPOKE HERE TONIGHT.

AND I'VE LISTENED TO THEM NUMEROUS TIMES AT THE COUNTY AND AT THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY'RE PRAYING TO, BUT IT'S THE GOD OF THE SUN OR MOTHER EARTH OR MY FAVORITE IS HE ENDED ACTUALLY AT THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

IT WAS MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.

I DON'T CARE. AND THE CHRISTIANS IN THE ROOM DIDN'T LIKE TAR AND FEATHER THE GUY.

SO THE COUNTY CAME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN.

AND IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED, SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.

KEEP IT SHORT. WHEN THE PROVERBIAL FECAL MATTER STARTS HITTING THE SPINNING BLADES, THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN A FOXHOLE.

ALTHEA. FOLLOWED BY HELEN MCBRIDE.

WELCOME. ALTHEA. THE LAST AGENDA ITEM.

GOOD EVENING. ALTHEA. I AM TIRED.

1724, SOUTH WEST. DIANA.

STUART. CAN'T HEAR YOU.

YOU CAN'T HEAR ME. ALTHEA WILEY, 1724.

SOUTHWEST. DIANA. TRACE.

STUART. PUT THE PUT THE MIC TOWARDS.

OH, WOW. I'M SORRY. I GUESS IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE TOOK A TURN OR WHAT, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS JUST SITTING HERE LISTENING AND THINKING ABOUT PRAYER.

PRAYER IS ONE REASON I'M HERE.

PRAYER IS ONE REASON THAT I STARTED COMING BEFORE YOU ALL BECAUSE I PRAYED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE QUOTING SCRIPTURES AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, SCRIPTURE ALSO SAID WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS THERE IS LIBERTY, THERE IS FREEDOM. AND ONE THING I'VE LEARNED THAT GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION AND.

AND I HOPE I CAN SAY THIS.

I'M ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE MANAGER.

I'M ABLE TO COME UP HERE BEFORE YOU ALL.

I'M ABLE TO SPEAK WITH CHIEF AND BE WITH YOU ALL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT BELIEF YOU ARE.

THAT'S REALLY NOT MY CONCERN.

MY CONCERN IS THAT I SHOW YOU RESPECT.

AND AS A BELIEVER OF GOD, AS A CHRISTIAN, IS THAT I SHOW YOU LOVE AND THAT I FORGIVE YOU. NOW, WE.

I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE A LITTLE AFTER FOUR.

THERE'S STILL MURDERERS OUT THERE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SOLVED.

THERE'S STILL THINGS OUT THERE THAT'S NOT BEING DONE.

GOD DOES NOT NEED ANY ANYBODY TO POUND YOU ON WHAT TO DO.

HE DON'T. WE ALL. WE KNOW THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.

[02:15:01]

AND WE OUGHT TO PRAY. YEAH, WE OUGHT TO PRAY.

BUT I CAN'T FORCE YOU TO PRAY.

I CAN'T FORCE YOU TO DO ANYTHING.

MY THING IS THAT I LOVE YOU, I RESPECT YOU, AND I HONOR YOU, BUT AS I PRAY, I HAVE TO GET OUT AND I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

THAT MEANS THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS HERE IN STUART NOW AS WE'RE IN HERE TALKING ABOUT PRAYING.

WHY DON'T WE JUST GO ON OUT THERE? I WANT TO TURN MY BACK AND HELP THEM FIND A PLACE TO STAY.

THEY'RE GOING TO NEED HOMES. WHY DON'T WE? AFTER WE PRAYED. GET OUT THERE AND HELP THEM.

FEED THEM. WE GOT SITUATIONS THAT NEED OUR ACTIONS.

NOT HERE. WASTING FOUR AND FIVE HOURS DEMANDING OR TRYING TO DICTATE.

YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO. BECAUSE I DON'T CARE IF YOU PRAY.

YOU PRAY WHAT? WHERE'S THE SPIRIT AT? WHERE'S THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD? THANK YOU. Y'ALL HAVE A HELEN MCBRIDE.

HELEN. HELEN? YEP. I WAS LISTENING TO YOU.

IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING. HELEN MCBRIDE AVENUE AND STUART.

I LISTENED TO EVERYONE COMES UP AND, YOU KNOW, UNTIL I WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN I PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, WE NEVER SAID UNDER GOD.

IT WASN'T UNTIL 1954 THAT CONGRESS PUT THAT IN.

SO, I MEAN, THE YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY ALL SAID, HOW YOU GO TO ALL. I WAS GLAD MIKE GOT UP HERE, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO MENTION ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, BECAUSE I WENT TO THEM BEFORE THEY PRAYED UNTIL MIKE CAME ON AND THEY STARTED PRAYING.

AND THE SAME WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.

BUT YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE ARE ALL SAYING THE PRAYER, THE PRAYER. BUT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU CAN'T GO IN ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL WHERE THERE'S PRAYER. BUT YET HERE WE ARE, ALL ARE ADULTS, AND WE BROUGHT UP IN OUR OWN RELIGION, AND WE ALL BELIEVE IN GOD AND WE PRACTICE OUR OWN FAITH. AND. BUT AS I SAID AT ANOTHER MEETING, REMEMBER, YOU TOOK A PLEDGE TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

NOW, IF YOU ALL WANT TO GO OUT TO FLAGLER PARK THE PARKING LOT AND PRAY, I'LL BE RIGHT THERE. BUT I THINK IN ANY PUBLIC BUILDING WE SHOULD DO, WE. AND LIKE MARY SAID, ALL THESE YEARS, AND I'M GOING TO BE HERE 50 YEARS COMING TO MEETINGS IN THIS CITY THIS SUMMER.

WE WE'VE ALWAYS UP HERE AND SAYS, WHAT A GREAT CITY WE ARE.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE ALWAYS GOT ALONG.

WE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WE RESPECT EACH OTHER'S WANTS AND DISLIKES AND LIKES AND WHATEVER RELIGION. AND I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE, PEOPLE UP THERE WHO INVITED ME TO THEIR CHURCH. I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF CHURCHES IN ALL MY YEARS HERE OF ALL DIFFERENT FAITHS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP.

BUT IT DISTURBS ME. IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE ELECTION, ONE PERSON HAS. SUCH MADE SUCH DISHARMONY? HOW MANY MEETINGS HAVE I COME TO? AND I WAS THE ONLY CIVILIAN OR I SHOULDN'T SAY CIVILIAN TAXPAYER, YOU KNOW, SITTING IN THIS AUDIENCE BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY CITY.

I CARE ABOUT GOVERNMENT, BUT I DON'T GET UP HERE AND DICTATE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. I GIVE YOU MY VIEWPOINT.

YOU ALL VOTE. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT.

I FEEL VERY SORRY FOR YOU.

FIVE. WELL, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD SAY, BOY, THIS IS A HARD DECISION, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE, A LOT OF COURAGE.

AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE SAID, HELEN, DON'T GET UP AND SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THE CONSEQUENCES. I'M WILLING TO TAKE THE CONSEQUENCES. AND I, YOU KNOW, I AND I WANT TO DO ONE OTHER THING, THOUGH. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF STUART PAY STUART TAX.

WE ALSO PLAY MARTIN COUNTY TAX.

THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN MARTIN COUNTY PLAY MARTIN COUNTY TAX.

THEY DON'T GIVE ONE RED CENT IN TAXES TO THE CITY OF STUART.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE OF LIVING IN THE CITY OF STUART.

BUT WE WELCOME THE PEOPLE FROM PORT DELANO AND SOUTH POINT AND HOBE SOUND.

AND BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE CITY OF STUART IS.

WE WELCOME EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. PAUL, I'M OUT OF GREEN CARD.

SO HOW MANY DO WE HAVE ANY HANDS UP? WE HAVE THREE CURRENTLY.

LINDA, SAINT JULIAN HAS RETURNED.

I BELIEVE THIS MUST HAVE BEEN THE ITEM THAT SHE WANTED.

OKAY, CAN WE GO WITH HER FIRST, THEN? YES, SIR. SHE'S HOME. I'M WAITING ON

[02:20:01]

HER. HELLO? HELLO, LINDA.

YES, YES. YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS LINDA SAINT JULIEN. MY ADDRESS IS 1653 SOUTHWEST LAREDO STREET, PALM CITY, FLORIDA, 34990.

I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE MEETING SINCE IT STARTED, LIKE AROUND 430. THERE'S JUST BEEN SO MANY THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID THAT I FIND IT JUST A SHAME THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT WAS IT THREE WEEKS AGO OR A MONTH AGO WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP THAT IT'S HAD TO COME TO THIS HOURS AFTER HOURS OF, OF PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE A POINT TO THE COMMISSION.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GET SAID THAT I THINK REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOPIC OF AN INVOCATION.

NO ONE REALLY SHOULD BE TRYING TO FORCE RELIGION ON ANYONE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY THEIR INTENT.

HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THIS WAS MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

I THINK IT'S FAR FROM NOTHING.

I THINK THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL, AND IT HAS SHOWN TO BE A BIG DEAL BY THE COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT AFTER WATCHING THE LAST MEETING AND THIS ONE, TO SEE THE MAJORITY THAT ARE SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU, YOU KNOW, SAY, AN INVOCATION PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE MEETING I THINK THAT THE, THE MAJORITY HAS, HAS SPOKEN.

BUT I AND I ALSO THINK IT'S REALLY SAD THAT THERE IS SO MUCH IGNORANCE ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THAT PEOPLE REALLY SEEM TO THINK THAT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN A GOVERNMENT THING.

IT'S RIDICULOUS. THAT'S NOT WHY THE LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE WAS EVER WRITTEN. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ENGLAND WANTED TO DOMINATE THE RELIGION.

WE DON'T HAVE THE STATE, NAMELY OUR GOVERNMENT, TELLING US WHAT KIND OF RELIGION WE SHOULD HAVE.

BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN A THING OF WHERE YOU COULDN'T HAVE PRAYER OR ANY TOPIC ON, ON, ON FAITHS, OF ANY FAITH.

I REALLY, I REALLY, REALLY HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL VOTE TO AT LEAST BEGIN YOUR MEETINGS WITH A PRAYER, ASKING FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE.

THAT'S IT. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT JESUS CHRIST OR ALLAH OR MUHAMMAD OR ANYTHING. JUST PETITIONING THE, THE, THE GOD OF OF THIS WORLD, OF THE, I MEAN, THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, NOT OF THIS WORLD, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO THE GOD OF THIS WORLD IS.

BUT AS FAR AS A MOMENT OF SILENCE GOES, IF THERE'S ANY, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING MORE LAME THAN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

YOU. LINDA. YOUR TIME'S UP.

PAUL? YES, SIR. THE NEXT WOULD BE MIKE.

MIKE, ARE YOU OKAY? IS SHE UNMUTED YET? YES, SHE SHOULD BE NOW.

MIKE, ARE YOU THERE? I AM, YES, THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

SURE, MICHAEL. 620 SOUTHEAST FIFTH STREET, CITY OF STUART.

RESIDENT. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, I PRAY FOR YOUR GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

DESCEND UPON ME AND OFFER ME STRENGTH AND FORTITUDE AS I SAY THESE WORDS TODAY AS I WAS LEAVING THE CRV MEETING EARLIER AND I HAD TO GET HOME TO WORK, I OVERHEARD SOMEONE SAY ON MY WAY OUT, ARE YOU STAYING TO DEFEND PRAYER? AND THAT REALLY HURT MY HEART.

SIX MONTHS AGO. I BET IF YOU ASKED ANYONE IN THIS MEETING TONIGHT, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE MOMENT OF SILENCE AT THE BEGINNING OF CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS? YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HEARD A PEEP.

THE EXISTING MOMENT OF SILENCE MEETS THIS NEED FOR SHARING TOGETHER IN WHATEVER WAY WE CHOOSE TO DO. IT OFFERS A MOMENT OF CONTEMPLATION.

IT OFFERS PEOPLE A CHANCE TO SAY A PRAYER.

IT OFFERS PEOPLE A CHANCE TO REMEMBER WHY THEY'RE AT THIS GOVERNMENT MEETING IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND NOW? NOW WE HAVE A HOLY WAR ON OUR HANDS.

THAT IS THE EFFECT OF THIS PROPOSED CHANGE.

YOU ARE EITHER WITH PRAYER OR AGAINST IT.

YOU ARE FAITHFUL OR YOU ARE FAITHLESS.

SUDDENLY, THERE'S AN OPEN MARKET ON EVALUATING THE SPIRIT OR THE FAITH OF THE PERSON OR COMMISSIONER IN FRONT OF YOU.

WE'RE STOKING RIGHTEOUSNESS, INDIGNATION, FEAR, AND IRE. WHERE BEFORE SIX MONTHS AGO, PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD BE INDIGNANT OVER A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

[02:25:01]

SOME OF THE WORDS I'VE OVERHEARD DIRECTED AT CERTAIN COMMISSIONERS AND THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ABOUT PEOPLE DOING THEIR BEST TO FULFILL THEIR PATRIOTIC DUTY AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY ARE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'VE WE'VE NAMED IT THEY'RE THEY'RE VILE, COMPLETELY UN-CHRISTLIKE.

AND, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THIS CHANGE WAS INTRODUCED WITH THE IDEA IT COULD OFFER FELLOWSHIP, BUT IT IS BEING SUPPORTED WITH SOME SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FEAR MONGERING.

I CERTAINLY DON'T ASPIRE TO CHANGE ANYONE'S MIND HERE TONIGHT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MORE AND MORE ONCE WE'VE ALL GOT OUR MIND MADE UP, WE PUT UP WALLS AND WE'RE NOT LISTENING TO THE VOICES OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS OR FELLOW AMERICANS OR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.

SO I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT, DESPITE MY VERY REAL FEAR THAT I WILL BE RIDICULED FOR HAVING THE AUDACITY TO SAY THAT PRAYER SHOULD NOT BE STATE MANDATED.

I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT WHAT THE MAJORITY OF US WANT, AND I'VE BEEN TAKING NOTES AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN HERE TONIGHT.

LET'S SEE. I THINK WE HAVE 12 TOTAL THAT OUR CITY OF STUART RESIDENTS AND RIGHT NOW, MYSELF INCLUDED, WE ARE SPLIT 50/50.

SO THE MAJORITY HAS NOT DECIDED YET IN THE CITY OF STUART.

FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF STUART COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T ENVY THE POSITION YOU'VE BEEN PUT IN THIS EVENING, AND MY HOPE IS THAT YOU WILL NOT IMPLEMENT THIS CHANGE WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PROVING TO FOMENT DISCORD AND INCIVILITY.

AND I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT WE ALL REMEMBER THAT SILENCE IS GOLDEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PAUL.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE? YES, SIR, WE DO HAVE ONE.

ONE MORE. HIS NAME IS ONLY A FIRST NAME, JOE.

OKAY. IS HE WAITING FOR HIM TO UNMUTE NOW? DO YOU ACCEPT THAT? THAT'D BE OKAY.

GOOD EVENING. JOE. ARE YOU THERE? YEP. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT, JOE. 620, SOUTHEAST FIFTH STREET.

CITY OF STEWART. STEWART, RESIDENT.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND COMMITMENT TONIGHT TO THE CITY.

IT REALLY IS A LOT. I WILL SAY, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT. PERSONALLY SPEAKING TO A LOT OF FOLKS AROUND TOWN, THE SILENT MAJORITY IS, IN FACT, ACTUALLY HAPPY WITH OUR MOMENT OF SILENCE AS IT IS. IF WE FOLD TO UN-CHRISTLIKE BULLYING MANY TO PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE TOWN, IT WILL ONLY EMBOLDEN THIS MINORITY WHO WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP AND WEAPONIZE RELIGION FOR POLITICAL ENDS.

WE WILL GET TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS THE LAST MONTH AGAIN, EVERY FEW MONTHS AS SOMEONE FINDS A WAY TO SNEAK IN AND INJECT CONTROVERSY, WHAT SHOULD, IN FACT, BE A SACRED MOMENT? AT THE BEGINNING. SO FOLKS ARE ASKING YOU TO, TO BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES PRAY MERELY SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHICH LOOK AT HOW JESUS INSTRUCTED US TO PRAY SOMETHING EXPLICITLY CONDEMNED, HE SAID TO. WHEN YOU PRAY, GO TO YOUR ROOM, CLOSE THE DOOR AND PRAY TO YOUR FATHER. BUT THEY'RE SAYING THAT UNLESS YOU PRAY PERFORMATIVELY IN FRONT OF OTHERS, IT. IT'S ANTI-CHRISTIAN.

IN SHORT YOU KNOW, VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE LISTEN TO THE SILENT MAJORITY IN THIS TOWN AND ALLOW US OUR MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? PAUL. NOT RIGHT NOW, SIR.

NO ONE ELSE. OKAY. THANK YOU, SO I APOLOGIZE.

KAREN LEE HALL. OKAY. IF YOU WOULD UNMUTE HER, PLEASE. PUBLIC COMMENT.

DID SHE SPEAK DURING REGULAR PUBLIC.

SHE KNOWS THE ROPES. MISS RUDGE, YOU'RE.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. YES, IT'S KAREN. I GO BY HALL.

I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT KAREN HALL.

YOST RUNGE. AND I FEEL BAD FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS TOO, THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION.

AND I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH ONE, AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT WE DON'T WANT CERTAIN RELIGION, WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING.

WE JUST WANT. WHEN YOU BEGIN YOUR DELIBERATIONS, WHEN WE BEGIN OUR MEETING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING HIGHER THAN OURSELVES, THAT WE'RE NOT IN CHARGE, THAT SOMEONE ELSE.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.

AND SO FOR US TO JUST BE HUMBLE, THE PRAYER IS A HUMILITY.

THAT'S ALL IT IS, IS THAT YOU GUYS AREN'T IN CHARGE.

IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY. AND THAT YOU NEED TO ASK SOMEONE BIGGER THAN YOURSELVES HOW TO HANDLE THE MONEY THAT THE TAXPAYERS GIVE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT AND WISE THING.

AND SO TO ME, JUST HAVING THE PRAYER IS JUST A SIGN OF HUMILITY.

AND I HOPE THAT WELL, WHATEVER HAPPENS, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

[02:30:03]

GOD'S KING. SO HE'S THE JUDGE.

SO ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

AND TRY TO REMEMBER IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY, AND IT'S NOT YOUR DEAL.

IT'S OURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A. HAND RAISED.

ONE MORE. OKAY. MAGGIE.

MAGGIE. MISS BROMFIELD, SHE DID SAY A PRAYER.

SO, PARDON? GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN THE LAST SECOND TO LAST PERSON THAT SPOKE AND SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, JESUS INSTRUCTED US TO GO INTO OUR CLOSETS AND PRAY.

AND REALLY, THAT COMES TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER.

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PRIOR WALKS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES WITH SEVERAL, SEVERAL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, BOTH THERE AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE, WHO HAVE WALKED THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PRAYING, PRAYING FOR OUR SCHOOL, STOPPING AT STEWART MIDDLE SCHOOL, STOPPING AT THE DIFFERENT CHURCHES, WALKING AROUND TO THE HOSPITALS AND PRAYING.

AND FOR ANYBODY TO BE ACCUSING OUR COMMISSIONERS OF BEING UNGODLY AND DEMANDING FOR THEM TO, TO, TO, TO STATE THEIR RELIGIOUS POSITION, THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT.

THE POINT IS THAT WE PRAY IN OUR CLOSETS, KEEP GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF OUR CHILDREN.

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.

THE HOME AS THE HOME GOES, THERE GOES OUR NATION.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH OUR SOCIETY IS NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HAVING A TWO MINUTE PRAYER IN OUR CITY HALLS. IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PRAYING WITH OUR CHILDREN AT HOME.

LOTS OF US WHO ARE SITTING THERE, WE NEED TO BE AT HOME PRAYING WITH OUR CHILDREN, GETTING THEM READY FOR BED, AND NOT BE SO CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER A MINUTE IS PRAYED BEFORE A MEETING.

SILENCE. GIVE EVERYBODY THE TIME TO PRAY TO WHOMEVER THEY PRAY.

THEY WANT TO PRAY TO. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY TIME.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? PAUL.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER DELIBERATION BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLL? MR. MAYOR? YES, I DO GET A LEGAL CLARIFICATION FROM MR. MARTEL. SO, MR. MARTEL, WE HAVE A SUBSET OF EMPLOYEES OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY UP HERE.

THERE'S SEVEN OF US, AND THERE'S USUALLY AT LEAST TWO STAFF.

LET'S SAY THERE'S NINE IS THE CITY SAY THIS ORDINANCE PASSES.

IS THE CITY ALLOWED TO THE MICROPHONE? OH. I'M SORRY. IS THE CITY LEGALLY ALLOWED TO REQUIRE A SUBSET OF THE EMPLOYEES TO SIT THROUGH A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY? I MEAN, IT'S PHRASED THE THE ANSWER IS NO, NO, NO. AND SO HOW DO THEY IF AN INVOCATION IS IF THE INVOCATION IS TAKING PLACE, THEN HOW DO THEY AVOID HAVING TO ENDURE THAT? WELL, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A POLICY DECISION OF THE BOARD.

BUT IN THE LAST MEETING, THE DISCUSSION WAS WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD TO STAY IN THE ROOM OR WHETHER THEY COULD LEAVE THE ROOM IF THEY FELT THAT THEY WANTED TO.

AND I BELIEVE THE BOARD DID NOT EXERCISE ANY DISCRETION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO I AGAIN, IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S DIRECTION AND OR THE BOARD'S DIRECTION. IF SOMEBODY CHOSE NOT TO COME TO THE INVOCATION AND THE CITY MANAGER IMPLEMENTED SOME FORM OF PUNISHMENT OR REPRIMAND.

OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD HAVE A DISCRIMINATORY ACT OR VIOLATION OF SOME SORT RAISED, BUT I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A CASE BY CASE.

SO IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCE WAS.

SO THE MAYOR WOULD NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE AN ACCOMMODATION OR.

WELL I MEAN THE POLICY WELL THE POLICY ADOPTED, I MEAN, IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ROOM.

SO THE ACCOMMODATION IS THAT THAT IS THERE.

MR. MAYOR? YES. I MOVE TO AMEND THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

THAT THAT THE INVOCATION TAKE NO LONGER THAN ONE MINUTE IN ORDER SO THAT IT DOESN'T TURN INTO A SERMON. WELL, THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE MOTION MAKER TO ACCEPT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO THREE MINUTES.

THAT IS NOT THE CURRENT.

IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON IT CURRENTLY? NO, THERE'S NO TIME SET.

YOU CAN PUT A TIME LIMIT.

WOULD YOU BE WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO VOTE YES ON THIS IF WE MADE IT A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT? NO. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO VOTE YES ON IT IF IT WAS A ONE MINUTE TIME LIMIT? NO. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. I'LL GET THERE.

[02:35:08]

I'LL GET THERE. EVERYBODY! ARE YOU DONE? ARE YOU FINISHED? NO, I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT NO ONE IS ASKED TO STAND DURING THE INVOCATION. OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO ON TO COMMISSIONER CLARK NOW. OKAY. THANKS.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR INPUT, AND I, I KNOW THAT THE RULE IS THAT NOBODY SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO ANYBODY, BUT I KNOW WHAT I SAID, AND I THINK I HEARD ECHOED FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE, AND I'LL CALL NAMES NOW, I SHOULDN'T, BUT I HAVE MY GOOD FRIEND WHO MENTIONED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SHOULDN'T BE CONFUSION, IT SHOULDN'T BE NOT COMPLICATED.

AND THAT'S WHAT I MEANT WHEN I SAID MUCH ADO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I MEANT ABOUT THAT.

MAYBE IT WASN'T EXPRESSED RIGHT.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M SPEAKING OF RELIGIOUS OF THIS MATTER IS, IS NOT IMPORTANT. IT IS IMPORTANT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT I MEANT WAS THE IDEA THAT NOW IT'S GOTTEN TO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS AND WE'RE REALLY ALMOST GETTING TO A SIDETRACK TYPE THING.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO. I HAVE TWO ISSUES ON THE ON THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE BY JOSE COMMISSIONER BRUNER AND THEN COMMISSIONER COLLINS AND COMMISSIONER BRUNER.

AND IF YOU JUST GIVE ME SOME TIME, PLEASE.

SO ORDINANCE NUMBER 2509 2023.

AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE ASKED TO HAVE THE MOTION ON.

AND THERE'S A A COMPANION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER OH SEVEN.

WHAT'S THE NUMBER TWO? FIVE OH 2023? HOWEVER IF THAT'S THE ONLY MOTION THAT YOU HAVE ON NOW, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2509, AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE RESOLUTION AND WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION SEPARATELY, THE THE, IF WE, IF IT'S ADOPTED, THE ORDINANCE THAT'S PROFFERED THAT'S PRESENTED TO US HAS IN THE, WHERE IN THE SECTION ONE OF THAT ORDINANCE.

2020 509 2023. SECTION ONE REFERS TO ATTACHMENT A SO IF WE'RE APPROVING IT SEPARATELY, I'D LIKE.

SINCE IT INCLUDES ATTACHMENT A, I'D LIKE TO MAKE MY COMMENTS ON ATTACHMENT A NOW SO THAT IF THEY'RE.

IF THAT'S APPROVED, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE APPROVING.

WE'RE INCLUDING IN ATTACHMENT A EVEN THOUGH AS A TECHNICALITY WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK.

AND IF SUPPOSEDLY IF WE HAD ADOPTED, IT WOULD BE ADOPTED SEPARATELY.

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON IN ATTACHMENT A AND WHAT I OBJECT TO IN ATTACHMENT A AS PREPARED TO US. IT GOES THROUGH A BUNCH OF WHEREFORE CLAUSES THAT.

THAT GIVES ALL THE PREAMBLE WITH REGARD TO CONSTITUTIONALITY AND SO ON.

HOWEVER, ATTACHMENT A IS THE RULES OF PROCEDURE.

IT'S MENTIONED IN THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT THE RESOLUTION.

RIGHT. I'M OKAY. WELL, MAYBE I'M LOOKING I'M, I'M LOOKING AT PAGE AM I, AM I ON THE WRONG I'M ON THE RIGHT DATE.

I'M PRETTY SURE. NO, NO, I'M LOOKING AT.

I'M LOOKING AT. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2509 2023.

WE'RE OUT ON THE ORDINANCE. ARE YOU AT I'M LOOKING AT SECTION ONE, WHICH SAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ADOPT SOMETHING.

CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION TWO, WHICH IS THE ATTACHMENT A THE RESOLUTION NUMBER OR. NO, NO. HOLD ON, HOLD ON.

THIS WILL LET ME LET ME FINISH.

LET ME FINISH. OKAY. ATTACHMENT A IS THE CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE OF CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION DIVISION TWO RULES AND PROCEDURES. SINCE IT FLEW DOWN, I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE ATTACHMENT.

I'LL GIVE MY COMMENTS ON ON THE RESOLUTION IF AND WHEN IT GETS ADOPTED, BUT TECHNICALLY IT'S IT.

SINCE WE'RE IN DISCUSSION, LET ME JUST BRING IT UP BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A IT'S A WRITTEN MATTER.

IT'S A, SO WHAT IT IS IN SECTION FOUR OF THAT, AFTER THE WE'RE FOUR CLAUSES, IT HAS TWO SECTION THREE.

SO THAT'S A TYPOGRAPHICAL THING THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE SECTION THREE.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MY COMMENT WOULD BE ON SECTION FOUR OF THAT.

BUT SINCE WE'RE NOT THERE YET, ALTHOUGH IT'S INCLUDED IN THE ENTIRE THING AND EXCLUDING OUR ENTIRE DISCUSSION, IT'S JUST THAT THEY WOULD BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY IN SECTION FOUR.

AND I THINK SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE COME UP AND SPOKEN ABOUT THIS, INCLUDING MR. DITERLIZZI AND I I'M SORRY, I WASN'T GOING TO MENTION NAMES, BUT I APPRECIATED HIS HISTORY OF HOW HOW THINGS HAPPEN.

BUT IT DOES SAY HE SAID THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT SAYS IT IN THE COUNTY

[02:40:03]

ORDINANCE. IT SAYS WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW THE COUNTY ORDINANCE.

BUT IN SECTION FOUR IT SAYS UNLESS THE SCHEDULE INVOCATION SPEAKER FAILS TO APPEAR, THE INVOCATION SHALL BE VOLUNTARILY DELIVERED BY AN ELIGIBLE MEMBER OF THE CLERGY, AS SPECIFIED BELOW. WELL, WHEN WE'RE RIGHT HERE AT 405 OR 531, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO LOOK AROUND UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO CALL OUT IN THE AUDIENCE AND SAY, IS THERE SOMEBODY? THAT'S WHERE I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIED THAT IF THERE'S NOBODY THERE, THEN YOU CAN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SAID THERE AND PUT THERE, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN NOW, IT'S A KIND OF LIKE JUMP OVER AND INSIDE AND OUT AND YOU CAN'T. COMMISSIONER CLARK, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT IS ON THE RESOLUTION, THOUGH NOT I HEAR YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A VOTE, A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE FOR THE ORDINANCE ONLY COMMISSIONER OR VICE MAYOR BRUNNER. THIS IS BEEN QUITE, QUITE A LOT HERE.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE I VOTED ON THIS.

I'M SURE COMMISSIONER CLARK CAN RELATE TO ME.

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS HERE THAT ARE FOR AND A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT AREN'T.

AND IT BREAKS MY HEART.

AND SOME OF THESE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO THINGS WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT. WHAT ARE THOSE? POLITICS AND RELIGION.

DAMN. AND IT JUST COMES AT US LIKE CRAZY.

BUT. AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO JUSTIFY MY FATHER.

MY GOD. I WILL VOTE ON THIS.

YES. AS AS YOU CAN SEE, I SECONDED IT, BUT I HOPE I DON'T THE ONES THAT ARE, THAT ARE FRIENDS AND THAT I LOVE AND FEEL A GREAT FRIENDSHIP BY BEING HERE IN THE CITY. I'VE REALLY HAVE GOTTEN SO MANY MORE FRIENDS.

I PROBABLY DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT.

I'M VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THIS.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW. NO RUSH.

BREATHE. THAT'S WHAT YOU FEEL YOU KNOW, THAT THAT YOU'RE BEING JUDGED ON.

BUT THE WAY I'VE BEEN BROUGHT UP AND THE WAY I BELIEVE.

IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

AND I DO SOMETIMES FEEL THAT MY FRIENDS THAT HAVE COME TO ME AND THAT AREN'T, I BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL STAY MY FRIENDS.

I HOPE THEY STAY MY FRIENDS, BUT I FEEL SOME OF THIS CHRISTIAN PEOPLE MIGHT NOT STAY MY FRIENDS.

I'VE SEEN IT IN OTHER THINGS THAT HAS COME BEFORE US, AND THAT'S TOUGH. I WANT TO BE THE EXAMPLE.

I WANT TO BE THE EXAMPLE OF WALKING OF THE BIBLE.

I FELT LIKE PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN THEIR TESTIMONIES.

THEY'VE PREACHED, THEY'VE GONE AT IT, BUT THE MAJORITY OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN WITH LOVE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, WHETHER I VOTE FOR IT OR NOT IS LOVE.

ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, I DO KNOW.

I DO KNOW THAT I'VE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.

AND I WANT TO LEAVE HERE FEELING THAT WHETHER YOU'RE FOR ME OR AGAINST ME AND COMMISSIONER COLLINS, SOMETIMES YOU GO A LITTLE TOO FAST FOR ME, AND I THINK IT'S GOTTEN ME IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.

BUT ANYWAY, I'M DONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING, ALL OF YOU AND THE HOURS YOU'VE STAYED HERE.

IT'S AMAZING. AND ON THAT NOTE, MARY, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER. CLARK. COMMISSIONER.

AND THIS IS ONLY ON ORDINANCE 2509-2023.

OKAY. YES. MAYOR MCDONALD.

NO. VICE MAYOR BRUNNER.

YES. COMMISSIONER COLLINS.

YES. COMMISSIONER RICH.

NO. OKAY. RESOLUTION OF PARDON.

RESOLUTION. OKAY. SO NOW WE NEED TO DO A RESOLUTION.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.

ALL RIGHT. SO CAN I MAKE MY COMMENTS FIRST.

YES. GO AHEAD. OKAY. AS A RESOLUTION AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE RED LINING THAT WAS DONE WITH THE THE CURRENT COUNTY THING.

OH 720 2023 AS I STATED, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO ALL THE WRITING WITH REGARD TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, BUT THERE'S TWO SECTION THREE.

SO THAT TYPOGRAPHICAL NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE SECTION FOUR INCLUDE THE OPTION THAT IF THERE'S THE SCHEDULED INVOCATION, SPEAKER FAILS TO APPEAR, THAT THE MEETING WILL CONTINUE WITH A MOMENT

[02:45:05]

OF SILENCE OR WHATEVER.

AND THEN I'D ALSO, THIS WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION THAT TALKS ABOUT PROCEDURE.

SO I REALLY, YOU KNOW, I'D SAY UP TO UP TO THREE MINUTES OR UP TO, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNTY HAS A TIME FRAME.

I THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TIME FRAME AND OF THEIR SPIRITUAL PEOPLE, THEY WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I'M SORRY. IT ACTUALLY IS IN THERE. IT'S UNDER SECTION TWO. OKAY, SO IT'S A THREE MINUTES, UP TO THREE MINUTES. OKAY, SO I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT SOMEWHERE IN MY REVIEW.

SORRY. SO THE UP TO THREE MINUTES IS THERE.

I, I APPRECIATE YOU MR. MR. RICH, BUT SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE TO, TO GET OUR HEARTS AND MINDS AND OUR THOUGHTS CENTERED.

SO I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS A, THIS, THIS IS A, I KNOW I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL REVEREND BROCIUS UP AND ASK HIM WHAT HE DOES, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T NO BECAUSE HE'S MY BUDDY, BUT THAT'S OKAY. NO, I, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S NOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. YES. THERE'S NOT. ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION? COMMISSIONER. YES.

THERE'S A MOTION FOR OH SEVEN 2023 WITH THE WITH THE TWO.

NO. SHE'S MAKING A MOTION.

OKAY. MOTION TO APPROVE.

OKAY. WITH THE TWO CHANGES THAT I'M SUGGESTING BEFORE WE SEEK A SECOND.

SO THE THE SECTIONS ARE RENUMBERING THE SECTIONS BECAUSE THREE IS DOUBLED UP.

NO PROBLEM. SCRIVENER'S ERROR. AND THEN SECTION FOUR.

WOULD THIS SUIT THE LANGUAGE UNLESS THE SCHEDULED INVOCATION SPEAKER FAILS TO APPEAR? COMMA, WHICH WILL RESULT IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

COMMA, THE INVOCATION SHALL BE VOLUNTARILY DELIVERED.

SO. AND THEN CONTINUE ON WITH THE PARAGRAPH.

IS THAT OKAY? THAT'S FINE WITH ME.

THAT'S JUST THE MOTION PART.

THERE'S NO SECOND, RIGHT? UNLESS THE SCHEDULED INVOCATION SPEAKER FAILS TO APPEAR, THE INVOCATION SHALL BE VOLUNTARILY DELIVERED BY AN ELIGIBLE MEMBER, COREY, TO ENSURE SHE WANTS SOMETHING ADDED THERE TO DENOTE THAT IF NO ONE SHOWS UP.

I THINK WE SHOULD ADD THAT, RIGHT? OKAY. SO YOU WANT TO ADD THAT TO YOUR MOTION.

YES. YES. YES. SECOND.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENT? DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.

OR HAVE WE HAD ENOUGH? THANK YOU. OH, BOY. WE DO.

AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

YEAH, MY NAME IS JENNY STARTS. AND I HAD TO LOOK UP BECAUSE IT'S A BUSINESS THAT IS HERE WITH MY HUSBAND IN THE CITY OF STUART.

LET'S SEE WHERE HE WROTE.

OH, HE'S SAYING CONGRATULATIONS.

HE THINKS YOU GUYS MADE A GOOD CHOICE.

730 SOUTHWEST FEDERAL HIGHWAY, STUART, FLORIDA 34994.

AND SHAWNEE STARTS. AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK. I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIRECT IT AT SOMEBODY, BUT I. I PRAY THAT YOUR FRIENDS WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS STAY YOUR FRIENDS.

AND I JUST KIND OF BROKE MY HEART LISTENING TO YOU TALK.

AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT, LIKE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THREE OF YOU.

I REALLY DO, AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD DECISION.

AND LIKE FOR MY KIDS AND STUFF, I JUST.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? AND PLEASE FEEL FREE. EVERYBODY SPEAKS.

PLEASE. IF THE COMMENTS COULD BE LIMITED TO THE RESOLUTION AND THE CONTEXT, I'M GOING TO LIMIT MY COMMENTS TO 10S.

THANK YOU. I VOLUNTEER TO BE HERE FOR EVERY MINUTE TO SAY LESS THAN THREE MINUTE PRAYER.

I HOLD YOU TO THAT. ANYONE ELSE? NO. MY COMMENT IS I HAVE NO.

I HOPE PEOPLE DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF US WANT TO TAKE GOD OUT OF.

THAT'S WITH YOU ALL THE TIME.

NOBODY CAN POSSIBLY TAKE THAT OUT.

I'M PROUD TO SAY I KNOW WHAT MR. DITERLIZZI, AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

I'VE GIVEN A COUPLE OF INVOCATIONS, AND ALL I ASK IS THAT IT'S INCLUSIVE, BUT I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, THE POWER OF PRAYER.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT.

WE ALL PRAY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

I I'M ONE WITH THE UNIVERSE, BUT OTHERS ARE ONE WITH THEIR GOD OR WHATEVER. BUT I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH INVOCATIONS AS LONG AS IT'S INCLUSIVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? I'M JUST GOING TO SAY ONE THING BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION.

YOU KNOW, I AND I USUALLY DO NOT EXPLAIN NECESSARILY EXPLAIN A VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTIONS HERE.

AND I WILL SAY THIS YESTERDAY DURING DURING THE CHURCH I GO TO, WHICH IS TC3. THE LAST PART OF PASTOR GORDON'S SERMON WAS ABOUT HOW,

[02:50:01]

AS A PASTOR, SOMETIMES HE HAS TO MAKE UNPOPULAR DECISIONS.

AND HE ACTUALLY SAID, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHERE HE'S WANTED TO QUIT, AND I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS.

IN FACT, I WENT UP TO HIM AFTERWARDS AND SAID, YOU KNOW THAT. BUT HE ALSO SAID, AND HE.

AND HE SAID IT DURING THE SERMON, AND HE SAID IT TO ME AFTER THE THING, AFTER THE AFTER I SPOKE, AFTER THE SERMON, I SPOKE WITH HIM AND HE SAID, NEVER QUIT. NEVER GIVE UP.

MAINTAIN YOUR FAITH AND DO WHAT'S WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.

AND THERE'S A. WE CAN SIT THERE AND DEBATE BACK AND FORTH, BUT BUT THAT'S. AND HE SAID, JUST MAKE SURE YOU SHOW THE COURAGE AND THAT YOU MAKE. DO YOUR BEST TO MAKE AN IMPACT, A POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT YOU DO. AND I THINK ALL OF US, WHETHER WE AGREE WITH EACH OTHER, WHETHER WE VOTED FOR PRAYER OR AGAINST AN FOR AN INVOCATION OR BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I WASN'T VOTING AGAINST PRAYER, I ACTUALLY I BELIEVE IN PRAYER.

I WAS, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY SHOULD PROBABLY SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IN THE CHURCH WITH PASTOR GORDON, BUT THAN I DO.

BUT BUT HE'S BEEN A HE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A BRIGHT LIGHT IN MY LIFE.

BUT THERE ARE YOU KNOW, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I SPENT 35 PLUS HOURS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS TALKING WITH RESIDENTS, PASTORS, FRIENDS, FAMILY, COWORKERS ABOUT THIS.

AND AND IT'S A CHALLENGING SITUATION.

BUT I WILL SAY ONE LAST THING BEFORE I CALL THE ROLL IS THAT THE ONE THING I WILL SAY IS EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS THERE WAS AFTER THE LAST MEETING, A COUPLE HURTFUL THINGS SAID TO ME PERSONALLY, I SPENT I CAN'T I SPENT MORE TIME IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS TALKING ABOUT GOD AND MY FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY THAN I HAVE IN A LONG TIME.

AND AND I APPRECIATE THE DEBATE.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T MIND.

YOU KNOW, MY WIFE IS THE ONE THAT MINDS ME COMING HOME LATE.

I SIGNED UP FOR THIS AND THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT CAME HERE.

I APPRECIATE THE DIVERSE OPINIONS.

AND MARY, IF YOU'D GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLL FOR THE RESOLUTION, I WILL. RESOLUTION NUMBER 07-2023.

MAYOR MCDONALD. YES. COMMISSIONER.

RICH. NO. COMMISSIONER.

COLLINS. YES. VICE MAYOR BRUNNER YES.

AND COMMISSIONER CLARK.

YES. OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK SO WE CAN USE THE RESTROOM.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RECONVENE THE MEETING.

AND WE GOT ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS INTENTION TO ABANDON A PORTION OF

[5. INTENTION TO ABANDON A PORTION OF S.E. OCEAN AVENUE RIGHT-OF-WAY(ROW) (RC): RESOLUTION No. 08-2023, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA DECLARING PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 36 CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY STUART, FLORIDA, THE INTENTION OF THE COMMISSION TO ABANDON AND TO SET PUBLIC HEARINGS ON FEBRUARY 27, 2023, AND MARCH 27, 2023, AT 5:30 P.M. IN THE CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS TO CONSIDER THE ABANDONMENT OF A 30' WIDE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY WITHIN THE CITY, BEING THE PORTION OF S.E. OCEAN AVENUE. MORE CLEARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A" ATTACHED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

SOUTHEAST OCEAN RIGHT AWAY.

MIKE, CAN YOU READ THE READ THE RESOLUTION? THIS IS RESOLUTION 082023, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, DECLARING PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 36, CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, THE INTENTION OF THE COMMISSION TO ABANDON AND SET AND TO SET PUBLIC HEARINGS ON FEBRUARY 27TH AND MARCH 27TH AT 5:30 P.M.

IN THE CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS TO CONSIDER THE ABANDONMENT OF A 30 FOOT WIDE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY WITHIN THE CITY, BEING THE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST OCEAN AVENUE MORE CLEARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT A ATTACHED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

MR. MAYOR, CAN I MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS INTENTION OF THE CITY TO ABANDON THIS RIGHT OF WAY WHICH IS STATED IN RESOLUTION NUMBER OH EIGHT 2023? YES. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND JUST FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONER'S INFORMATION. IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHEN WE ABANDONED RIGHT OF WAY, FIRST WE HAVE TO DO AN INTENTION.

THEN THERE'S NOTICE AND THEN THERE'S A THERE'S A TWO PART PROCESS.

SO OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLERK SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COLIN. DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? DID YOU HEAR SOMETHING? HELEN, YOU HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.

OKAY. OKAY. MARY, CALL THE ROLL.

CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER COLLINS.

YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK.

YES. MAYOR MCDONALD. YES.

VICE MAYOR BRUNNER. I LOVE HELEN, YES.

COMMISSIONER RICH. THAT'S A WEIRD VOTE, BUT.