Sep 09, 2024 Regular City Commission Meeting

[00:00:01]

SON I MEAN, I'M GOING TO. OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM WITH CIVIC LIFE IS THAT

[ROLL CALL]

SO YOU HAVE A WHILE TO GET THOSE IN ON THOSE SPECIFIC ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE, BUT WE'LL DO FINE. AND WE WILL BE CALLING THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME SO THAT YOU CAN QUEUE UP AND READY TO SPEAK. SO WE CUT DOWN ON THE LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN SPEAKERS. SO WITH THAT ADMONITION, I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU TAKE THE ROLL, PLEASE? MAYOR RICH HERE. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YEAH. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER COLLINS HERE.

COMMISSIONER GOBI HERE. COMMISSIONER REID HERE. THIS EVENING, THE INVOCATION WILL BE MADE BY PASTOR DARRELL ORMOND. AND AFTER THAT, WILL YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE A LITTLE EARLIER, BUT BRIGHT LINE WAS ACROSS THE TRACKS. LET'S PRAY TOGETHER. FATHER, WE JUST WANT TO TELL YOU WE LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU AND PRAISE YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY AND WHERE WE CAN OPENLY DEBATE ANY ISSUE. I PRAY, LORD, THAT YOU'D GIVE EVERYONE HERE A JUST A SPIRIT OF LOVE AND COOPERATION AND STAY ISSUE ORIENTED. AND FATHER, WE JUST WANT TO ASK YOU, PLEASE ALMIGHTY GOD, TO POUR YOUR SPIRIT OUT UPON US. WE PRAY FOR THE COMMISSIONERS THAT YOU WOULD, DEAR GOD, GIVE THEM WISDOM FROM HEAVEN AND LORD, ALLOW THEM TO SEE ALL THE ISSUES AS THEY DELIBERATE THEIR BUSINESS TONIGHT. AND FATHER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR MIGHTY SON, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THANK YOU FOR HIM DYING ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS. AND LORD, WE JUST WANT TO TELL YOU WE LOVE YOU AND PRAISE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE TOGETHER IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. THANK YOU. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. AS WE DO NORMALLY, WE WILL BEGIN WITH AN ARTS MOMENT. MISS ISABELLA HODGE WILL BE SINGING DANNY BOY. HI, I AM ISABELLA HODGES, AND I GO TO MURRAY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I WILL BE SINGING DANNY BOY.

OH, DANNY BOY, THE PIPES, THE PIPES ARE CALLING FROM GLEN TO GLEN. AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SID.

THE SUMMER'S GONE AND ALL THE ROSES FALLING. IT'S YOU, IT'S. YOU MUST GO. AND I MUST BY NOT COME. BE BACK ON. SUMMER'S IN THE MEADOW OR WHEN THOU IS HUSHED AND WHITE. WITH SNOW. TIS ALL WE FAIR IN SUNSHINE. OR IN SHADOW. O TINY BOY. O TINY BOY, I LOVE YOU SO. BUT WHEN YOU COME

[00:05:19]

YES, YES, HE'S COMING TO BRING US UP AND DOWN. GOOD JOB, GREAT JOB, GREAT JOB, GOOD JOB. IT'S MY SISTER'S FAVORITE SONG. MY FIRST. IRISH BROTHERS WOULD BE VERY HAPPY. DO WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY? NO. OKAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ISABEL. OH, BROTHER. MR. CITY

[PROCLAMATIONS]

[00:10:04]

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN MAKING. OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY MEALS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE. THANK YOU! THANKS. I'M GOING TO DO AN ORANGE TIES OR ANYTHING. THAT'S AN ORANGE BAG AND. THERE'S OUR ORANGE STUFF. THE ORANGE TIES OR SCARVES IS AN ORANGE BAG. OH. HERE WE GO. IN THE BACK. ALSO, WE DON'T TAKE PICTURES. WE USED TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, WILL YOU READ THE THIS EVENING? SECOND PROCLAMATION? OH, THERE THEY ARE. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEM? TREASURE COAST DAY OF PRAYER SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2024. WHEREAS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER HAS BEEN PART OF OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE SINCE IT WAS DECLARED BY THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS IN 1775 AND THE US CONGRESS IN 1952. APPROVED AS A JOINT RESOLUTION THAT THE PRESIDENT SHALL SET ASIDE AND PROCLAIM A SUITABLE DAY EACH YEAR OTHER THAN A SUNDAY, AS A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, ON WHICH THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY TURN TO GOD IN PRAYER AND MEDITATION AT CHURCHES AND OTHER HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND GROUPS, AND AS INDIVIDUALS. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OR. WHEREAS THE TREASURE COAST CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE IS AN ORGANIZATION OF PEOPLE FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE, FROM DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS AND CULTURES, JOINING TOGETHER IN PRAYER FOR VARIOUS GATHERINGS AND DINNERS. AND WHEREAS THE TREASURE COAST CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE SEEKS TO UNITE BUSINESS, CIVIC AND MINISTRY LEADERS TOGETHER IN ONE ACCORD TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE TREASURE COAST. AND WHEREAS THE TREASURE COAST ALLIANCE CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE ESTABLISHED THE TREASURE COAST CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE DAY OF PRAYER TO BE HELD ON THE FOURTH THURSDAY IN SEPTEMBER EVERY YEAR, LEADERS AND RESIDENTS OF THE TREASURE COAST ARE INVITED TO JOIN IN PRAYER IF THEY SO CHOOSE. SEEKING DIVINE GUIDANCE, STRENGTH, PROTECTION AND COMFORT FROM GOD. NOW THEREFORE, I CAMPBELL RICH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF STUART, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2024, AS THE TREASURE COAST DAY OF PRAYER.

THANK YOU AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE TREASURE COAST CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE. I'M HOPEFUL IT IS. YOU ARE CHERI WAY. I AM CHERI WAY. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR HAVING ME COME AND RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION FROM YOU. WE ARE HAVING A. THIS IS OUR THIRD ANNUAL TREASURE COAST CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE DAY OF PRAYER IS GOING TO BE HELD THIS YEAR ON SEPTEMBER THE 26TH AT 6 P.M. IN THE FENN CENTER IN FORT PIERCE. ALL ARE INVITED TO COME.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PRAISE, WORSHIP, PRAYER AND SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE, WE DO HAVE TICKETS. THEY ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE BECAUSE WE ARE A 501 C3, AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, TREASURE COAST, IT'S TCC ALLIANCE.COM OR TREASURE COAST CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE.COM. THANK YOU. I HOPE TO SEE SOME OF YOU THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK. YOU GOOD JOB CHERI. LONG SERVICE AWARDS. OUR FIRST SERVICE AWARD. UNFORTUNATELY

[PRESENTATIONS]

CONGRATULATIONS, MR. DURAN. AND FOR FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. STEVEN. VANIA COME ON NOW. COME ON DOWN, YOU. SPEECH NOT SO INTERESTED. WE'LL GO STAND. ALL THESE PEOPLE CAME OUT JUST FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. AND NOW WE HAVE THE CITY'S OWN.

[00:15:06]

BUT I, I HOPE THOSE OF YOU ESPECIALLY WHO ARE LOCAL, WHO LIVE HERE WILL BEAR WITH ME THROUGH THIS, IT WAS ABOUT 5 OR 6 YEARS OF MY LIFE, KIND OF DEDICATED FOR THE CITY TO, ADVOCATE ON OUR BEHALF FOR THE RIVER, REALLY? IN A WAY, THIS IS KIND OF A TED TALK FOR TONIGHT, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY AND KEEP THAT BRIEF. AS BRIEF AS I CAN, IT'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE TECHNICAL INVOLVED JUST TO SHOW AND HOPEFULLY GET KIND OF AN APPRECIATION OF WHAT STAFF HAD TO GO THROUGH THE IMMENSE EFFORT THAT AGENCIES LIKE THE ARMY CORPS, THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, SO MANY PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS A REAL THING. SO SOME OF THE SLIDES IN HERE ARE KIND OF MY OWN, SOME I'VE SORT OF STOLEN FROM THE ARMY CORPS BECAUSE REALLY, I DON'T WANT TO SUPPLANT ANYTHING I SAY FOR THEIR WORK. AND HOW THEY POSITIONED EVERYTHING FOR US. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE FUTURE OF LAKE REGULATION. LAKE SCHEDULE LAKE FLOWS FROM OKEECHOBEE. AND HOW MUCH IN THE WAY OF DISCHARGES WE'RE GOING TO GET. AND WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SEE. SO FOR 5 TO 6 YEARS, CITY STAFF MARTIN COUNTY STAFF, CONSULTANTS FROM MORE THAN 50 JURISDICTIONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA, IN SOME CASES, YOU KNOW, BATTLED A LITTLE BIT IN WHO WAS GOING TO WIN AND PRIORITY IN OTHER CASES, REALLY COLLABORATION AND HOW TO IMPROVE THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE SYSTEM AND HOW TO ADVOCATE TO THE ARMY CORPS WHAT THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. SO, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THIS WHOLE AREA EAST AND WEST, THESE CANALS THAT SOME OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH AND OF COURSE, THE SOUTHERN PART OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE IN PARTICULAR, HOW DO WE MANAGE THE OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY? AND WE BEING REALLY THE ARMY CORPS AND THEIR WATER MANAGERS WITH THE DISTRICT, SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE USED. THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR TONIGHT'S PURPOSES, TO KNOW WHERE THE 308 IS. THAT'S WHERE PORT MAYACA IS. YOU MIGHT SEE THAT IN THE NEWS A LOT, WHENEVER THERE'S ALGAE GROWING ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE, THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT PORT MAYACA. IF THE CITY IS THE SOUTH FORK OF THE SAINT LUCIE RIVER, AND THAT'S WHERE DISCHARGES COME TO US, IT'S ALSO WHERE BASIN FLOW FROM THIS PART OF MARTIN COUNTY. THE WESTERN PART OF MARTIN COUNTY, AND SAINT LUCIE. SOME OF THAT BASIN DISCHARGE GOES THROUGH THE CANAL, EVEN IF THE LAKE IS CLOSED. THE LAKE STRUCTURE. BUT THIS IS JUST A REFERENCE POINT FOR THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION. THE S 308 AND THE S80. THESE ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT STRUCTURES THAT HOLD BACK WATER FROM THE LAKE FOR US AND HOW THOSE ARE MANAGED ARE CRITICAL TO WHETHER OR NOT WE GET DISCHARGES AND WHAT THE QUALITY OF WATER IS HERE. AGAIN, NOTHING YOU HAVE TO SUPER PAY ATTENTION TO ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS IS GOING TO GET A LITTLE TECHNICAL, BUT WHAT WAS LAWS? LAWS WAS A REGULATION SCHEDULE. THAT WAS CREATED AFTER CONGRESS MANDATED THE ARMY CORPS GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD BETWEEN 1998 AND 2002, THERE WERE SUBSTANTIAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THOSE YEARS, OTHERS MAY NOT. BUT THERE WERE SUBSTANTIAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS, IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE VOLUME OF RELEASES TO THE ESTUARIES, THEY ALSO FELT LIKE

[00:20:04]

ANYBODY WHO WAS HERE WHO WAS AT THAT LOCATION AT THAT TIME ALSO REMEMBERS THE SMELL, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FORGET THAT, IT IS AWFUL. IT IS DEATH ON THE RIVER. AND THIS IS WHAT REALLY STARTED OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS GOING INTO LOATHSOME. THIS WAS THIS WAS SORT OF THE PINNACLE MOMENT FOR THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA IN PARTICULAR. SO WORD OR THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, CONGRESSMAN, MASS AND OTHER CONGRESS MEMBERS FROM FLORIDA IN PARTICULAR REALLY ADVOCATED AT THIS TIME TO UPDATE THE LAW SCHEDULE. THEY REALIZED THAT UNDER THE CURRENT SCHEDULE AT THE TIME, THAT NOTHING WOULD EVER CHANGE. WE WOULD CONTINUE TO GET DISASTROUS DISCHARGES UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENED. SO THAT'S WHERE WATER CAME UP. THE 2018 VERSION REQUIRED THAT A NEW SCHEDULE BE BUILT OR DEVELOPED, I SHOULD SAY, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO COINCIDE IN 2022, ESTIMATED AT THE TIME WHEN THE HERBERT HOOVER DIKE WAS GOING TO BE COMPLETED, AND THAT COMPLETION ON THE SOUTHERN PART, ESPECIALLY OF THE LAKE, WOULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW THE ARMY CORPS TO HOLD MORE WATER BACK AND CHANGE THE REGULATION SCHEDULE SO WE DON'T GET AS MANY DISCHARGES AS AS OFTEN AS WE DO. AND I AND I WANT TO CAVEAT THIS IS TO SAY, AS A STAFF MEMBER OR SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE DATA, THE SCIENCE, THE MODELING THAT WE HAVE TODAY, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE GOING TO GO AND WALK INTO. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THIS NEW SCHEDULE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH NEW STRUCTURES COMING ONLINE, LIKE THE RESERVOIR THAT'S STILL YEARS AWAY, 2030, IT WASN'T GOING TO CONTEMPLATE ANY OF THAT. THIS WAS LITERALLY JUST UNDER CURRENT CONDITIONS, SOMETHING WE POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS. COULD WE UPDATE THAT SCHEDULE? AND I WAS JUST SHOCKED BY THE RESULTS. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH WHAT THOSE RESULTS WERE, SO I'M GOING TO SKIP THIS KIND OF STUFF, BUT THIS IS JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO KNOW, THESE ARE SOME OF THE RESOURCES YOU CAN GO TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE HERBERT HOOVER DIKE, THE REASON ALL THIS CAME INTO BEING AND ULTIMATELY SOMETHING PEOPLE MIGHT BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH FROM LAWS. THE MAJOR PROJECT PURPOSES OF LOATHSOME IS FLOOD CONTROL, WATER SUPPLY, NAVIGATION AND RECREATION. AND THE PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES. AND REALLY WHERE WE FALL IN MOST IN OUR IN OUR INTERESTS ARE IN THIS LAST PART. AND THE PRESERVATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, AND BASICALLY THE PROTECTION OF OUR RIVER, AND SO THE CORPS IN, IN, IN CHANGING THE WAY THAT THEY DID BUSINESS THIS TIME AND THIS IS WHAT MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE AT THE TIME IT WAS COLONEL KELLY. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK COLONEL KELLY, WHEREVER HE IS, FOR HAVING THE TRUST IN HIS CIVILIAN STAFF, HAVING THE TRUST IN THE STAKEHOLDERS TO COLLABORATE AND NOT ALWAYS BE KIND OF WORKING AT ADVERSELY TO ONE ANOTHER, BUT TO ACTUALLY WORK IN, IN, IN THAT LIGHT. SO THE PROJECT DELIVERY TEAM WAS BASICALLY 50 STAKEHOLDER AGENCIES. WE GOT TOGETHER THROUGH THIS FIVE PLUS YEAR PROCESS. WE HAD MANY SCOPING MEETINGS. WE HAD OVER 22,000 COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF, DURING THAT PROCESS THAT HELPED SUPPORT KIND OF THE THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. BUT THIS IS WHERE THE REAL WORK BEGAN, THIS WAS THE PROCESS. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE PDT MOSTLY IN THE PLANNING, ASPECT EARLY ON 2019, 2021, 22. SO THOSE FOUR YEARS, WHAT WERE WE LOOKING AT? THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, THIS ENTIRE AREA FROM THE KISSIMMEE CHAIN, FROM ORLANDO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE EVERGLADES, THIS ENTIRE NATURAL WATER SYSTEM, THE LAKE, LAKE OKEECHOBEE BEING THE SECOND LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE LARGEST, OBVIOUSLY, IN FLORIDA. THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT GOES THROUGH THIS SYSTEM AFFECTS BASICALLY MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA, CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY CERTAINLY MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES ALONG THE CALOOSAHATCHEE ON THE WEST COAS, SO IT'S A HUGE STUDY AREA. IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS. THIS WAS JUST THE FIRST FIVE OF TEN MAJOR STEPS THAT WE TOOK IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN AND SHOW YOU WHY IT TAKES SO LONG TO GO THROUGH THIS

[00:25:05]

THIS IS JUST FOR RECORD. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IN DETAIL TONIGHT, BUT WE HAD A EVALUATION INITIAL ARRAY OF PLANS THAT WE HAD TO ASSESS IN THE AMOUNT OF MATH THAT WENT INTO THIS. THIS IS WHY I WANT PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE BACK IN 2008, WHEN WE HAD MODELS, IT WOULD TAKE COMPUTERS A FEW DAYS TO PUMP OUT A HANDFUL OF MODELS, COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY HAS COME SO FAR IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WHAT USED TO TAKE MODELING AND SIMULATION OF A COMPLEX SYSTEM LIKE THIS DAYS TO PUMP OUT JUST A FEW RUNS. THE ARMY CORPS AND THEIR MODELING TEAM, WHICH ARE JUST FANTASTIC. I COULDN'T I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS PARETO ANALYSIS. THEY PUMPED OUT OVER 120,000 SIMULATIONS IN A MATTER OF DAYS, AND WEEKS, FROM A SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE, THE MORE DATA THAT YOU CAN GET, THE MORE CONFIDENT THE HIGHER THE CONFIDENCE LEVEL IN THE OUTPUTS THAT YOU GET. AND THAT'S SO CRITICAL. IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE WERE TO FLIP A COIN 5055 TIMES, YOU MIGHT GET HEADS FOUR TIMES AND YOU MIGHT THINK, WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS 5050. WELL, THE ANSWER IS IF WE FLIP THE COIN 50,000 OR 100,000 TIMES, OUR RESULTS WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH CLOSER TO THAT 5050. AND THAT'S THE IDEA OF HOW HOW THE SCIENCE WORKS. SO IN THIS CASE, WE COULDN'T EVEN COMPARE TO 2008, WHAT WE DID IN THESE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS WITH LOATHSOME SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THIS REASON, THE AMOUNT OF MODELING THAT THAT THE ARMY CORPS WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE, THE AMOUNT OF DATA THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ASSESS, JUST COMPLETELY DWARFS ANYTHING THAT WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY. SO MY POINT ABOUT THAT IS, IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT LOATHSOME, THE VALIDITY OF IT, THE POTENTIAL FOR IT, THE DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN THIS COULD NOT BE HIGHER, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS. I JUST AGAIN HAVE THIS FOR RECORD IN CASE ANYBODY WANTS TO GO THROUGH LATER ON. THE ARMY CORPS HAS DONE ALL OF THIS TO SHOW HOW PARETO ANALYSIS WORKS. IT SHOWS AND ESTABLISHES HOW, CORRELATIVE RELATIONSHIPS OCCUR IN THIS CASE, MINIMIZE COST, MINIMIZE RISK OF FAILURE AND X Y AXIS. HOW DO YOU COMPARE THESE TWO? WELL, IN THIS CASE THE LOWEST NUMBER IS THE BEST NUMBER. THAT'S THE LOWEST COST.

THE LOWEST RISK OF FAILURE. WHEN WE WERE DOING CORRELATION ANALYSIS, THINGS LIKE THESE ALTERNATES TWO, SEVEN, FOUR AND ONE, THEY WOULD BE THROWN OUT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EVEN ANYWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. SIX AND THREE WOULD BE REALLY GOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, THREE WOULD BE REALLY GOOD ON MINIMIZING COST, BUT A LITTLE BIT TOO HIGH ON FAILURE.

SIX WOULD BE THE OPPOSITE. FIVE WOULD BE IN KIND OF NESTLED IN THAT AREA. AND THAT'S HOW THE ARMY CORPS SET UP THEIR RELATIONSHIP. AND THE PROBLEM IS IT WASN'T TWO RELATIONSHIPS OR TWO CORRELATIONS. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOZENS 50, 60, AND HOW THEY AND HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP WORKS. SO THIS IS SORT OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SHEET I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO APPRECIATE THE TECHNICAL PROCESS THAT GOES INTO AN ANALYZING THIS. A GREEN COLOR ON THIS SHEET SHOWS A STRONG POSITIVE CORRELATION. A RED SHOWS A STRONG NEGATIVE CORRELATION. SO THE GREENER IT IS, THE MORE POSITIVE A CORRELATION. EASY EXAMPLE IF THE LAKE IS A LOW LEVEL BELOW WHAT WE WOULD CALL A STAGE ENVELOPE WHERE YOU WOULD WANT IT, WATER SUPPLY IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD. THERE'S A STRONG CORRELATION TO THE FACT THAT IT'S, OR I SHOULDN'T SAY THEY'RE FEELING PRETTY GOOD. THEY'RE FEELING CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE'S A STRONG CORRELATION BETWEEN THE LAKE BEING SO LOW AND HOW MUCH WATER SUPPLY CUTBACKS THEY'RE HAVING, CONVERSELY, WHEN THE LAKE IS ABOVE THE STAGE ENVELOPE, WHEN THE LAKE IS TOO HIGH, WHO'S AFFECTED? WE ARE. THERE'S THAT GREEN CORRELATION DOWN THERE, THE DRAFT OR THE ALGAL BLOOM RISK METRIC IS A LOT HIGHER WHEN THE LAKE IS ABOVE THE ENVELOPE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TO START DOING. UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM FROM DAY ONE. WHAT CORRELATES WHAT HAS A RELATIONSHIP, RATHER THAN JUST ASSUMING THIS WAS THE DATA THAT THE ARMY CORPS WAS ABLE TO GIVE US AND SHOW US WHAT ACTUALLY, WORKED HAND IN HAND OR WHAT WORKED AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. SAME THING HERE. WE I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT WE SHOWED IF WE CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE MODELING, WHAT WENT WHAT IMPROVED WHAT WHAT GOT WORSE.

AND THIS IS THE KEY. THIS WAS THE KEY POINT IN THE MODELING THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR US WHEN WE HAD TO BREAK EVERYTHING DOWN AND THE ARMY CORPS IDENTIFIED, THEY WENT DOWN AGAIN FROM 120 000 MODELS, AND THEN THEY DOUBLED THAT IN A SECOND ANALYSIS TO 240,000. SO OVER 360,000 SIMULATIONS WERE DONE. AND WE HAD TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN TO JUST A HANDFUL OF MODELS TO COMPARE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN IN THIS COMPARISON. AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE IS ALL THE OBJECTIVES OF LOATHSOME THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS, WHETHER IT'S WATER SUPPLY OR, FOR US, THE ECOLOGY AND ALGAL BLOOM RISK PLAN CC, WHICH IS

[00:30:01]

BUT ALL THE PLANS, ULTIMATELY SHOWED A BENEFIT THERE NO MATTER WHAT WE DID, SO WE, WE, WE WORKED ON PLAN CC, WE SUPPORTED THAT. THIS IS ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT I MADE REALLY QUICK, BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO SHOW EVERYBODY HOW DRAMATIC OF A DIFFERENCE IN DISCHARGE IS. PLAN CC SHOWED AND PLAN AA HISTORICALLY COMPARED TO ALL THE OTHER PLANS. THE GRAY, THE GRAY BAR AT THE TOP IS CALLED THE EXISTING CONDITION BASELINE. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH. WE WERE DEALING WITH VOLUME WAY OUT HERE TO THE RIGHT, AND A COUPLE OF THE PLANS WOULD HAVE MADE IT EVEN WORSE. THE RED WAS THE WHAT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE IF WE HADN'T CHANGED ANYTHING, BUT THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE COMING ONLINE WOULD HAVE MADE MINOR IMPROVEMENTS ANYWAY, THE BLUE AND THE YELLOW IS WHERE WE WERE AT, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET DISCHARGES DOWN TO, OBVIOUSLY AS CLOSE TO ZERO AS POSSIBLE. AND SO WE SUPPORTED CC OVER AA BECAUSE WE KNEW CC IMPROVED ACROSS THE BOARD CONDITIONS FOR ALMOST EVERY OTHER STAKEHOLDER. WE COULDN'T SELL AA IN THE SENSE THAT THE ARMY CORPS AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN GENUINE FOR US TO REPRESENT THAT BECAUSE AA DIDN'T DO AS WELL FOR OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS CC DID. BUT WE KNEW CC, OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND OTHER AGENCIES COULD GET BEHIND, SO THE AMOUNT OF ACREAG, THOUSANDS OF ACRE PER FEET, OR PER YEAR, I SHOULD SAY THAT WAS ON HERE COMPARATIVELY. IS SOMETIMES A THIRD FROM WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN. SO IT'S AT LEAST HALF LESS ON HERE AND A THIRD. BUT WHAT WAS FINALIZED IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN CC.

I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHY STAFF HAD ADVOCATED FOR THAT. AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS THIS GRAPH. THIS IS A GRAPH THAT WOULD SHOW THE AMOUNT OF DISCHARGES OVER A PERIOD OF RECORD 30, 40 YEARS THAT WE WOULD GET IN THE WORST MONTHS OF THE YEAR WHEN ALGAL BLOOMS ARE OCCURRING. SO THIS IS WHERE ALL THE BLUE GREEN ALGAE IS OCCURRING WHEN IT'S COMING DOWN THE RIVER. PLAN CC IS WAY DOWN HERE, BUT WHERE WE WERE IS WAY UP HERE. IF LOATHSOME HADN'T HAPPENED AND WE JUST KEPT DOING BUSINESS THE SAME WAY, THE RED IS WHERE WE WOULD BE INSTEAD OF THE BLUE, SO I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROCESS TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO GET THROUGH, BECAUSE WE HAD TO PROVE THROUGH DATA WHAT WAS THE BEST WAY FORWARD FOR THE MOST AMOUNT OF STAKEHOLDERS. AND WHAT YOU GET HERE ESSENTIALLY IS ZERO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GRAPH. AND I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO EXPLAIN THIS GRAPH. ALL THE DISCHARGES TO THE EAST COAST ARE WOULD REPRESENT ON THIS GRAPH, DEPENDING ON THE ELEVATION OF THE LAKE 19FT DOWN TO TEN FEET.

HERE ON THE LEFT SIDE. SO 0000 ALL THE WAY UP BASICALLY TO THE YELLOW LINE. THAT IS WHAT WE ADVOCATED FOR WITH ZERO DISCHARGES EVERYWHERE WE COULD GET IT. AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE GOT WITH THE FINAL LOATHSOME PLAN. I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE, WHAT THE CORPS ENDED UP END UP DOING IS MERGING B AND C TOGETHER. THESE BLUE AND YELLOW LINES TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, WHAT LAWS WAS, WAS A BAR HERE, THIS YELLOW BAR MOVE THAT DOWN A FOOT, A WHOLE FOOT ACROSS THE BAR. AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN GETTING DISCHARGES AT 15FT INSTEAD. BUT EVEN WORSE LAWS ALLOWED THE ARMY CORPS TO STILL DISCHARGE A FOOT BELOW WHERE THAT LINE WOULD HAVE BEEN. SO WE WOULD HAVE BEEN GETTING DISCHARGES AT 14FT. AND SO MY POINT ABOUT THAT IS WHEN I SHOW YOU IN A MOMENT THE GRAPH FOR LOATHSOME, THE NEW PLAN, IT IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE JUST LOOKED AT. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A REFERENCE OF SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF LAWS OR LOATHSOME LAWS, THE PROCESS INVOLVING MORE STAFF, A RIGID RELEASE SCHEDULE IS WHAT LAWS

[00:35:07]

AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE MODELING THAT MAKES ME AS CONFIDENT IT'S MORE OF JUST THE END RESULT SCHEDULE ITSELF. BEN. EXCUSE ME, CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE, I'M GOING TO WRAP IT UP, SIR. YES, SIR. YES. THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE ABOUT HOW LONG THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, BUT. SO. YEAH. YEAH IT'S KIND OF A BAD NIGHT FOR THIS, BUT. YEAH. SO WHAT I'LL SAY IS THIS EVERY THIS THIS GRAPH FROM TOP DOWN IS THE HEIGHT OF THE LAKE FROM THE HIGHEST POINT TO THE LOWEST. IT'S THE FASTEST WAY I CAN EXPLAIN THIS GRAPH. EVERY SINGLE PLACE ON HERE WHERE THIS IS 2008 LAWS. YOU CAN SEE DISCHARGES TO THE SEA EVERY SINGLE PLACE.

THERE'S DISCHARGES TO THE S.A.T. SO WE WERE GETTING DISCHARGES FULL TIME. THE WATER MANAGERS BEFORE COULD DISCHARGE TO US FULL TIME. THAT HAS CHANGED AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE EXACTLY HOW MUCH HERE THIS ENTIRE ZONE D THIS IS HOW MUCH SIMPLER IT IS TO SEE LOATHSOME. HOW MUCH SIMPLER IT IS FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO UNDERSTAND THE REGULATION SCHEDULE EVERYTHING IN BLUE, EVERYTHING UP TO THE YELLOW IS ZERO FOR US NOW. ZERO. SO WE'RE TALKING BETWEEN JUST UNDER 17FT AT THE AT THE EDGES OF THE GRAPH TO THE LOWEST POINT, JUST OVER 16FT. THE LAKE HAS TO GET THAT HIGH IN ELEVATION. AND THE WAY WE MEASURE ELEVATION BEFORE WE START GETTING DISCHARGES, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN LOATHSOME.

SO AND AGAIN I CAN'T I HAVE TO THANK THE COMMISSION. I HAVE TO THANK MARTIN COUNTY STAFF, CONSULTANTS THAT WE TALKED TO FROM THERE. THANKFULLY THE CITY WE DIDN'T HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES, SO WE DIDN'T GO OUT FOR CONSULTING, WE DIDN'T PAY FOR CONSULTING. WE SPENT $0 AND WE STILL GOT ZERO UP TO 16FT. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS OF STUART, WHETHER WHETHER YOU'RE NEW, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE AREA A LONG TIME TO SEE WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT CAN MAKE BECAUSE OF YOUR ADVOCACY AND BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS, TRUSTING THIS PROCESS, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, WE JUST HAD RECENTLY AND WHY THIS IS COMMEMORATING WHY I'M WHY I'M EVEN TALKING ABOUT IT TONIGHT IS SOMETHING CALLED A RECORD OF DECISION WAS SIGNED BY THE ARMY CORPS BRIGADIER GENERAL THAT I TALKED ABOUT. HE'S THE COMMANDER OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION.

THIS JUST HAPPENED LAST MONTH. THAT'S HOW NEW THIS IS. WE'RE WE'RE LIKE A MONTH INTO IT, THERE WAS A BIOLOGICAL OPINION THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT FINALLY WRAPPED IT UP. WE WERE HOPING THIS WOULD BE DONE A YEAR AGO, IT TOOK AN EXTRA YEAR BECAUSE OF FEDERAL PROCESSES THAT HAVE TO PLAY OUT. AND SO MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON WHY THIS IS CRITICAL. IT'S IMPORTANT. THE TOP ONE RIGHT HERE, AND I TRULY BELIEVE THIS LOATHSOME CAN BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF HARMFUL DISCHARGES TO THE NORTHERN ESTUARIES. IF WE KEEP GOING DOWN THIS PROCESS, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT LOATHSOME IS KIND OF A GREAT PLAN, WE JUST NEED THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO, TO ADD TO IT. AND ONE DAY WE CAN GET THERE, PLAN THE PLAN WILL UNDERGO A SECOND ITERATIVE UPDATE WHEN THE EA RESERVOIR COMES INTO PLAY IN 2030, 20, 31, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THAT E RESERVOIR IS GOING TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR WITHHOLDING EVEN MORE DISCHARGES TO US. SO OUR HOPE IS TO REDUCE WHATEVER WE WOULD GET EVEN FURTHER DOWN. AND THEN COLLABORATION WITH THE ARMY CORPS, AS I SAID BEFORE, AND MARTIN COUNTY WAS ESSENTIAL TO THIS PROCESS. SO PLEASE THANK THEM AS WELL, AND THEN THE FUTURE ADVOCACY GOALS, ONCE WE GET TO THE EA RESERVOIR, SOMETHING THAT REALLY THE EAST COAST NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM EXPERTS IN THE EAST COAST MORE THAN MORE THAN MYSELF. THE MARK PERRY'S OF THE WORLD, AND EVERYBODY HERE ON THE EAST, WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT REMOVING LEGACY POLLUTION AT SOME POINT NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THIS OTHER PART KIND OF A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDER CONTROL, WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT FIXING SOME OF THE OLD THE OLD MESS. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU AGAIN. I APPRECIATE IT TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU BEN. THANK YOU. NOW

[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS]

[00:40:04]

THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE TO DECIDE ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION. SO IF THERE WAS CONSENSUS, I WAS GOING TO SEE IF HE WOULD BE WILLING TO BRING THAT BACK. I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME FUTURE CONVERSATIONS AROUND PARKS ANYWAY, SO THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE. I WILL, JUST AS A MATTER OF COURSE, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, KIND OF UPDATE THE BOARD ON THE PROCESS FOR A CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF ANY TYPE OF REFERENDUM. AND I'LL ALSO PROVIDE THE HISTORY ON THE PARKS. I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME LANGUAGE ALREADY THAT REGARDING PARKS THAT YOU NEED A REFERENDUM, BUT I'LL FILL YOU IN ON THAT. I'LL GET IT. THANK YOU SIR, AND WITH THAT I WAS DONE. THANK YOU SIR. COMMISSIONER REE, WELCOME TO YOUR SECOND MEETING.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? THIS EVENING, MY ONLY COMMENTS WOULD BE THAT I ACTUALLY READ ALL THE EMAILS FROM EVERYBODY THAT SHOWED UP TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU. YOU KEPT ME BUSY BETWEEN 9 AND 12:00 ON THE WEEKEND. THANK YOU. BUT I DID READ THEM ALL. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES, THANK YOU SO, ARE WE GOING TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 15 AND PUT IT UP ON THE CALENDAR, OR DO WE NEED TO. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO. FINE. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT. WE'RE GOING TO PULL ITEM SEVEN FROM CONSENT. CORRECT. I DON'T THERE'S NO OBJECTION. AND ITEM 15, FOR THE SAKE OF THESE, WHICH IS THE FIRST READING, WE WILL MOVE IN FRONT OF ITEM TEN. CORRECT. OKAY. BECAUSE I HAD A MOTION TO THE AGENDA OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER NINE JUST FOR STAFF TO EXPLAIN WHY THE CITY OF STUART IS DOING THIS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FUTURE, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THAT THIS JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK THING HAS GONE AWAY. WE JUST WANT TO JUST EXPLAIN, BECAUSE IT'S IN THE CONSENT. PEOPLE MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW THE REASON AND THE PURPOSE WHY WE'RE TRYING TO THINK AHEAD. JUST IN CASE SOMETHING ELSE COMES UP IN THE FUTURE. SO I'M SURE CITY MANAGER CAN JUST TELL US ABOUT THAT, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF AND THEN I WANTED TO, SAY THAT STAFF IS WORKING ON IN OCTOBER TO HAVE A SERIES OF NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS REGARDING, COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING FACILITY AT 710 SOUTHEAST MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD. AND THERE'S GOING TO BE OCTOBER 1ST, OCTOBER 10TH AND OCTOBER 14TH AND OCTOBER 28TH. THERE ARE LOTS OF FLIERS. THERE'S GOING TO BE INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T SAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE IT. WE'RE IN SEPTEMBER NOW. THIS IS IN OCTOBER, AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, PLEASE, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE 100 PEOPLE COMING HERE AND SAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE CITY HAD VOTED ON THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING. IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, IT IS IN THE EAST STUART AREA. I'M SPEAKING, MR. REED, ABOUT THE EMAILS. I DID RECEIVE A LOT OF EMAILS AND SOMEBODY SAID EAST VILLAGE. AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I THINK THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT EAST STUART. BUT, IT'S THE IT'S THE PROPERTY THAT WE PURCHASED THE OLD GEARY PLAZA, AND WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING SOME THINGS DONE THERE. SO JUST A NOTE TO LET EVERYBODY, KNOW THAT I TOO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS. AND I DIDN'T PROBABLY DIDN'T GET TO RESPOND TO EVERYBODY. AND SOME OF THEM CAME IN LATE AT NIGHT AND I DIDN'T GET TO SEE EVERYTHING. BUT I JUST APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THINGS ARE NOT TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE. IT'S ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME AND WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO BE DONE, I THINK WILL BE DONE IN GOOD AND PROPER ORDER. SO I, I THINK THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, OUR MAYOR, WHO REPLACED OUR OTHER MAYOR, I WAS WITH THIS GENTLEMAN. HE HAD TO GO AND DO A PROCLAMATION AT A

[00:45:07]

[00:50:01]

[COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER]

THE OTHER THING IS THE THERE ARE TWO ITEMS NOW THAT COMMISSIONER COLLINS HAS TALKED ABOUT PULLING NUMBER SEVEN, BUT I WAS ALSO GOING TO ASK, WE HAVE A ZONING IN PROGRESS SCHEDULED ON THE AGENDA, AND I BELIEVE IT'S NUMBER FOUR, 13, 13. AND, I DID GET SOME EMAILS LAST WEEK REGARDING IT, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AS IT RELATED TO THE ZONING AND PROGRESS AS WELL. AND FROM A PURELY DUE PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, I WAS GOING TO ASK THE COMMISSION IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER SCHEDULING A SPECIAL MEETING, MAYBE FOR NEXT MONDAY, BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING THE WAY ZONING AND PROGRESS WORKS. SO THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT DON'T HAVE TO SIT HERE FOR ALL OF THE TRAIN STUFF AND

[00:55:02]

[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

WE'RE MOVING 15 IN FRONT OF TEN. CORRECT YES. AND SEVEN AND NINE. ARE YOU ARE WE PULLING 13? HOW DO YOU GUYS FEEL ABOUT A SPECIAL MEETING? OKAY, SO, MR. MAYOR, I, I, I CRIED DURING DANNY BOYS, MY SISTER'S FAVORITE SONG, AND I JUST. ANYHOW, MY SON IS AWAY AS A PILOT IN THE US ARMY, AND I'VE PLANNED TO BE AWAY IN SEPTEMBER IN GERMANY, SO I WILL NOT BE HERE FOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 20TH.

I'LL BE BACK ON SEPTEMBER 20TH. I'M GOING TO SEE MY SON. SO, THAT'S IT, I WILL. I'M LEAVING TOMORROW MORNING. I'LL GET THERE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH. I'M LEAVING TOMORROW EVENING. ACTUALLY, IT DOESN'T MATTER. SO, I WON'T BE HERE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF ITEMS. I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD ISSUES WHERE COMMISSIONERS HAVEN'T BEEN AT A MEETING, AND THEY ASKED TO READ ONE ITEM.

WHEN THEY COME BACK ON THE DAIS, BUT, I, I WON'T DO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ALL OF US CAN'T BE AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING AT TIMES. BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IF THERE'S NO BIG REASON TO, HAVE IT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. I'LL BE HERE FOR THE NEXT MEETING. JUST WON'T BE HERE FOR A SPECIAL MEETING. IN BETWEEN, WE CAN JUST HEAR IT TONIGHT. COMMISSIONER JOB. WAS THE QUESTION POSED AS TO WHETHER I HAD. NO, NO. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING, I'M AVAILABLE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT I JUST WANTED TO ASK, MR. MORTEL SAID THAT THE ZIP WAS TECHNICALLY IN PROGRESS, SO THERE WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTING ANY APPLICATIONS. IS THAT. YES, MA'AM. MY UNDERSTANDING. EFFECTIVE ON WEDNESDAY LAST WEEK? YES. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ADDRESS IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. THAT'S THE IT'S THE QUESTION REALLY IS ARE WE GOING TO DO IT TONIGHT OR ARE WE GOING TO DO IT NEXT MONDAY BECAUSE WE CAN'T PUT IT OFF FOR TWO MEETINGS, LIKE TO THE NEXT MEETING? I'M I'M OKAY WITH MONDAY SPECIAL MEETING. THAT'S THE 16TH. IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG MEETING AND PEOPLE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ON THIS ZONING AND PROGRESS FOR UNDERSTANDABLE REASONS, WHICH IS WHY I WAS RECOMMENDING TO HAVE IT BE STANDALONE RATHER THAN, I THINK THEY DESERVE THE FULL ATTENTION AND EXPLANATION OF COMPREHENSIVE EXPLANATION OF WHAT IT MEANS. DO WE NEED A MOTION TO POSTPONE IT ONE WEEK? I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. IF YOU'RE INCLINED TO MOVE IT ONE WEEK, IT'D BE A MOTION TO

[01:00:04]

OKAY I JUST KNOW THAT I WON'T BE THERE. THANK YOU. YOU'LL BE THERE IN SPIRIT. THE. THAT SETTLES ITEM 15 AND ITEM SEVEN, AND NOW IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ADDRESS THE 13, I'M SORRY, 13 AND SEVEN. AND NOW IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ADDRESS THE AGENDA MOVING ITEM 15 UP TO MARY, DID I SAY 13, I'D ASK YOU TO TALK ABOUT ITEM NINE. CITY MANAGER. YEAH. OKAY. CAN WE APPROVE? I DON'T THINK WE HAD A VOTE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. AND SO MOVED, INCLUDING THE CONSENT CALENDAR, PULLING ITEM OR MOVING SEVEN NINE, PULLING NINE. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

OKAY OKAY. SO ITEM NINE COMMENTS ON NON AGENDA ITEM. ALL RIGHT. SORRY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

[COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (Non-Agenda Related) (3 Minutes Max.)]

YOU DID NOT TAKE THE KIDS IN CONSIDERATION. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST PRIORITY HERE. WHEN YOU MAKE THE DECISION FOR ME, WHEN I'M TAKING CARE OF HER, THAT IT'S NOT FAIR. NOT ONLY TO ME, TO OTHER PARENTS. WHEN I'M IN THE STORE TODAY, EMPLOYEE. WHEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CAME OUT OF THEIR MOUTH, I'M PASSING THEM. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAID? OH, WE'RE HOW ANYBODY THAT'S AN EMPLOYEE OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. YEAH. IT IS WRONG FOR YOU ALL. THIS IS A CONTINUED THING IN THE EAST STUART COMMUNITY. YOU MAKE DECISION FOR US WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE FROM US. IT'S TIME YOU STOP OPEN OVERLOOKING US IN THIS COMMUNITY WE'RE PART OF. STUART, STOP OVERLOOKING US IN COMMUNITY. THIS HURTS TODAY I'M STILL IN THE COMMUNITY WITH PARENTS UPSET, TELLING ME THEY'RE UPSET WITH THEIR CHILD BEING MOVED OVER THERE WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE. TAKE US INTO CONSIDERATION. WE ARE PART OF STUART. GET OUR OPINION ON THINGS. STOP MAKING DECISIONS FOR US. JUST LIKE THE MEETING YOU SAID. SOMEBODY MAY COME IN AND SAY THEY DON'T KNOW. LET US KNOW ABOUT THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE THAT IS IN EAST STUART.

THAT BUILDING IS IN STUART. IF ANYBODY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE EAST COMMUNITY, TREAT US LIKE SOMEBODY. IT'S TIME TO STOP TREATING US LIKE WE DON'T EXIST. WE ARE A PART OF STUART AND TODAY I'M STILL UPSET BECAUSE I TAKE CARE OF THIS YOUNG LADY HERE. DON'T MAKE DECISIONS FOR ME WITHOUT MY CONSENT, WITHOUT OTHER PARENTS CONSENT. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL DID. AND AGAIN, I REITERATE, KIDS IS GOING TO BE ON THE STREET AND I OWN THIS STREET. AND THAT COMMENT, WHAT I HEARD IN THE

[01:05:05]

I ASK THAT YOU DO IT OUTSIDE OF THE ECHO CHAMBERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. IT SHOULD BE THOROUGH, COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND BY WORKSHOPS, I DON'T MEAN LIKE EVERYONE GETS A TURN TO SIGN UP HERE AND TALK. I WANT US TO BE AROUND A TABLE. I WANT US TO BE WORKING TOWARDS, CONSENSUS. WHEN WE DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE, WE SHOULDN'T JOIN TRIBES AND SAY, NO, IT'S THIS WAY OR THIS WAY.

WE SHOULD BE FINDING THE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORS, SORRY I MADE THESE POINTS QUICKLY OUTSIDE. LET'S SEE. I THINK THAT'S IT. I

[01:10:07]

CLARK. YES, COMMISSIONER. READ. YES. NOW, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, WILL YOU READ ITEM NINE? OF COURSE. RESOLUTION NUMBER 93. DASH 2024. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, OPPOSING ANY PROPOSAL BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO CONVERT HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF CONSERVED LAND WITHIN JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK INTO THREE PUBLIC GOLF COURSES, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. TO KEEP IT SHORT, I DIDN'T HAVE A PRESENTATION DEVELOPED FOR THIS, BUT ORIGINALLY WHEN THE FIRST NEWS CAME OUT THAT THE DEP OR WHOEVER IT WAS, WAS HAVING THE PUBLIC MEETINGS RELATED TO JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK BECAUSE THE CITY COMMISSION HAD NEVER TAKEN A FORMAL POSITION ON IT AS CITY MANAGER, I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEND A LETTER OR SIGN ANYTHING.

AGAINST THE MEETING OR AGAINST IT. SO WHEN THE MATTER WAS RESOLVED, I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA SO THE COMMISSION COULD MAKE A PASS, A RESOLUTION PRO, YOU KNOW, TAKING A POSITION THAT THEY NEVER WANT ANYTHING DEVELOPED ON THE PARK SO THAT AS CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO FALL BETWEEN TWO MEETINGS. SO I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ORGANIZE THE COMMISSION IN TIME. AS A RESULT, IT WILL BE THE FORMAL POSITION OF THE CITY THAT YOU DO NOT WANT ANY DEVELOPMENT IN JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK. AND IF, IN FACT, THEY WANT TO EXPAND THE BOY SCOUT CAMP THERE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, YOU CAN ALWAYS HAVE A RESOLUTION TO ENDORSE WHATEVER SMALLER PROJECT IS THERE. BUT THIS IS JUST AS A BLANKET AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO HAVE A FORMAL POSITION AGAINST IT. THANK YOU. CAN MR. MAYOR, WE WOULD NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.

CORRECT TO ADOPT? YES. SO LET'S. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION FIRST IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 93, DASH 2024, MOVE MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSIONERS? NO. WE CAN GO TO THE PUBLIC. COMMENT ON THIS ONE. YOU SHOULD. YEAH. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE? THE PROBLEM IS, I HAVE A SUGGESTION THAT NO GREEN CARD TURNED IN, JUST THE 100,000. I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY. OTHER THAN. OH ANY COMMENTS, MR. COLLINS? NO.

OKAY LET'S TAKE A ROLL CALL. MADAM CLERK ON THIS ISSUE, COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES COMMISSIONER. SELBY. YES, COMMISSIONER. REED YES, COMMISSIONER. COLLINS. YES, MAYOR. RICH YES, MAYOR. MAY I INTERRUPT ONE MOMENT? I'M SORRY. IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. IT WAS ADDED TO THE WRONG PILE. SO WE APOLOGIZE. WE DO HAVE ONE MORE. I THINK WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THEM. AND SHE'S STANDING AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM AT THE MOMENT. BARBARA GRASS. MISS GRASS, WILL YOU COME FORWARD? SORRY ABOUT THAT. I DIDN'T WANT TO MISS THE CROWD. OKAY, COME ON. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET AN AUDIENCE FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING? YEAH, I'M BARBARA GRASS. I LIVE IN THE EXCUSE ME, CITY OF STUART. I ATTENDED THE FIRST READING, THE SECOND READING AND THE FINAL READING FOR THE 192 RENTAL UNITS ON CENTRAL PARKWAY THAT NOW HAS BECOME SERENITY. THIS PROPERTY DID NOT HAVE THE QUALIFYING NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES ON THEIR OWN LAND, SO EXCEPTION WAS GIVEN TO THEM FOR ROADSIDE PARKING SPEED BUMP, ROAD COLOR CHANGE, AND A PUSH BUTTON FLASHING TO CROSS THE ROAD. WHAT I DID NOT SEE OR HEAR AT ANY OF THESE APPROVING READINGS WAS AN APPROVAL FOR A TEN MILE PER HOUR

[01:15:02]

SO WHO PUT UP THE TEN MILE AN HOUR SIGN IN MY CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT DO IT? DID MY CITY CHIEF DO IT MAKE THE DECISION, OR DID A PRIVATE COMPANY TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO BUY AND INSTALL A SPEED SIGN? SO TOMORROW I NEED TO CALL THE CITY CLERK AND GET MY APPLICATION TO GET THAT TEN MILE PER HOUR ALONG CENTRAL PARKWAY. SO THE SAME ENTITLEMENT WE ALL GET, INCLUDING MY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMISSION ACTIONS. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, FOR THE PURPOSES OF PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ARE GOING TO TREAT TEN, 11 AND 12 AS ONE ITEM. I WILL NOT ASK FOR A MOTION ON THESE BECAUSE WHEN WE COME TO VOTE ON THEM, WE WILL VOTE ON THEM EACH SEPARATELY. AND AT THAT TIME WE WILL REQUIRE A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO I BELIEVE THE PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY WILL BE MADE BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, MR. MARTEL. YES, MAYOR, WE MISSED 1515. WE HAVE. OH, WE DID, YES. WHEN WE CHANGED THE AGENDA. YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. I HAD A QUESTION ON NUMBER SEVEN. WAS NUMBER SEVEN COVERED IN THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT? NO, IT WAS MOVED TO THE

[15. ABANDONMENT OF S.E. ARAPAHO AVENUE - CARLA WILLIAMSON AND TODD BRITT (RC) ORDINANCE NO. 2534-2024: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF CERTAIN PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY WITHIN THE CITY BEING THAT CERTAIN 50-FOOT RIGHTOF-WAY, AS SET FORTH ON THE PLAT OF ELDORADO HEIGHTS, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 1, PAGE 5, OF MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS, AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT “A” ATTACHED HERETO AND DEPICTED IN EXHIBIT “B” ATTACHED HERETO; AND REQUESTING THE $19,000 PRIVILEGE FEE FOR ABANDONING PUBLIC PROPERTY TO BE WAIVED IN ITS ENTIRETY; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR S]

PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY. PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. NO, NO. OKAY, I WAS ASKED. IT JUST HAD TO BE READ. IT'S A TWO IT'S A TWO MEETING PROCESS. THE LAW REQUIRES US TO SIMPLY READ THE TITLE AT ONE MEETING. I'M REQUESTING THAT YOU GUYS MOVE APPROVAL. WE CAN ADDRESS THE PRIVILEGE FEE AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF AT THE SECOND MEETING, JUST TO EXPEDITE IT FOR TIME PURPOSES. IT WILL MAKE NO BEARING ON IT BECAUSE THE ADOPTION ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE AT THE NEXT MEETING. ANYWAY SO THERE WAS NO NEED OTHER THAN A MOTION TO MOVE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2534 2024. SECOND, DO WE NEED A ROLL OR CAN WE? ALL IN FAVOR? IT'S A ROLL CALL. PLEASE. MAYOR RICH. YES, COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES, COMMISSIONER. GOBI YES, COMMISSIONER. COLLINS. YES, COMMISSIONER. READ YES. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS NOW WE CAN BEGI. TO READ THEM FIRST. SO ITEMS 1011, 12. MR. MARTEL, WE'RE

[Items 10 - 12]

[01:20:11]

BEFORE WE GET STARTED, MR. CITY ATTORNEY RESOLUTION NUMBER 90, DASH 2024, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, RESCINDING THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY DATED DECEMBER 12TH, 2023, AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A JOINT PROPOSAL TO BRIGHTLINE TRAINS, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAIN STATION IN DOWNTOWN STUART. PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. RESOLUTION NUMBER 92.

DASH 2024, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, RESCINDING THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE TRAINS FLORIDA, LLC, DATED AUGUST 12TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR THE LONG TERM LEASE OF PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION OF A TRAIN STATION IN DOWNTOWN STUART ON FLAGLER AVENUE, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. RESOLUTION NUMBER 91 DASH 2024 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, RESCINDING THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAIN STATION IN DOWNTOWN STUART. PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S ALL OF THEM. I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO UNMUTE. THERE YOU GO. IS IT ON NOW? OKAY, GREAT. IS IT ON? I WAS ASKED TO JUST SIMPLY PUT TOGETHER A I THINK YOU NEED TO I WAS HELLO, I WAS ASKED TO PUT TOGETHER A HISTORY OF HOW WE ENDED UP WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRIGHTLINE. SO I PUT THIS TOGETHER AND, IT'S NOT PERFECT. AND THERE'S. I ONLY PUT IT TOGETHER LAST WEEK, SO THERE'S A LOT OF MEETINGS I PROBABLY MISSED, BUT I DID MY BEST TO KIND OF GO BACK AND FIGURE OUT THE HISTORY OF IT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, WE ADDRESSED WAS THE, THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED, I HAVE THIS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER. THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED WAS THERE HAD BEEN NO PUBLIC INPUT. AND WHAT WAS THE FINANCING AND WHY IS THE CITY PAYING FOR A STATION? SO I STARTED FROM THE BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 23RD, 1912, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN SEPTEMBER 23RD OF 1912, A PROPOSED NEW FEC RAILROAD STATION WAS DISCUSSED AT THE COMMISSION MEETING, AND THEN STANLEY KITCHING, CHARLES CHILLINGWORTH AND HENRY FERRO EACH CONTRIBUTED $350 TO IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE ERECTION OF THE NEW DEPOT, AND IT WAS COMPLETED IN 1913. SO, JUMPING FORWARD TO 1968, I'M SURE THERE WAS LOTS OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE TWO. BUT IN JULY OF 1968 WAS THE LAST TIME PASSENGER RAIL ACTUALLY HAPPENED, IN THE FEC CORRIDOR. AND THE 70S HAD VIETNAM AND THEN A BIT OF AN ECONOMIC TURNDOWN DOWNTURN FOR THE CITY. AND IN THE 70S AND 80S, THE DOWNTOWN OF CITY OF STUART HAD ACTUALLY BECOME SOMEWHAT BLIGHTED AND HAD ABOUT 50% OCCUPANCY. IN 1988, THE CITY HELD A CHARRETTE RELATED TO THE NEED FOR A NEW ROOSEVELT EXPANSION BRIDGE, AND DURING THAT CHARRETTE THEY ALSO, HAD CREATED GREAT DETAIL AND ADDED TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THE NEED TO INCLUDE PASSENGER RAIL.

BACK INTO THE CORRIDOR, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THAT WAS ROUGHLY THE EXACT SAME TIME THAT THE JENSEN BEACH MALL OPENED. AND THAT THE CITY OF STUART HAD ESSENTIALLY GONE VACANT, ANOTHER ABOUT TEN YEARS LATER, THE CITY BEGAN NEGOTIATING WITH AMTRAK TO BUILD A STATION, WHICH WAS IN 1998 THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AS WELL AS FEDERAL. THEY WERE TRYING TO DO AN AMTRAK STATION FROM MIAMI TO JACKSONVILLE, AND THEN IT WOULD GO ON THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, THEN AGAIN, THERE IS A, WHAT THEY CALLED THE ERA AMENDMENTS OR, OR CHARTER REVIEWS, AND THERE WAS PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2000 REGARDING THE DESIRE FOR THE CITY TO INCLUDE A RAILWAY PASSENGER STATION. AND THEN IN 2003, THE CITY OF STUART CRA ADOPTED ITS CRA PLAN AND IDENTIFIED A TIF, OR TAX INCREMENT FINANCE FINANCING AS THE APPROPRIATE FUNDING SOURCE FOR PASSENGER RAIL, THE LANGUAGE IN THE CRA PLAN ACTUALLY SAID THAT TIF WAS THE APPROPRIATE FUNDING SOURCE FOR RAIL, BUT LATER THE CITY ADOPTED A

[01:25:03]

AND AS A RESULT, THE CITY COMMISSION DIRECTED PUBLIC HEARINGS REGARDING YOUR AMENDMENTS, AS WELL AS OTHER MATTERS. AND, ACTUALLY DID AN ENTIRE DESIGN FOR A GOVERNMENT CENTER, TRANSIT CENTER, AND TRAIN STATION ON FLAGLER AVENUE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE COURTHOUSE. AND IT OFFERED TO BUILD A 48,000 SQUARE FOOT GOVERNMENT BUILDING THAT COULD HOUSE THE PROPERTY. APPRAISER'S OFFICE, AND THEN AGAIN IN 2010, IT ADOPTED THAT PLAN. AND I'LL GET TO THAT LATER. AND THEN IN 11 AS WELL, GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE 12 AND 13 WERE KIND OF QUIET. BUT IN 2014, BRIGHTLINE POPPED UP AND THEY WERE HEARINGS IN FEBRUARY, APRIL, MAY, JUNE AND NOVEMBER OF 2014. IN 2014, THE HEARINGS CONSISTED OF MOSTLY OPPOSITION, IT WAS A VERY STRONG CONSENSUS THAT NOBODY WANTED 32 TRAINS A DAY TO GO FROM MIAMI TO ORLANDO AND HAVE NO BENEFIT OTHER THAN TRAINS GOING BY HERE, BECAUSE AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NO PLAN FOR A STOP. AND AS A RESULT, THE CITY DID RESOLUTIONS AGAINST IT AS WELL AS, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER PARTICIPATED AND DRAFTED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT. AND THE COMMISSION ADOPTED IT AND SENT IT TO THE FEDS AS WELL AS THE STATE OPPOSING THE MATTER, 2015, THERE WAS A JANUARY 15TH.

THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MPO REGARDING ALL ABOARD FLORIDA. THE COMMISSION AT THE JANUARY MEETING SCHEDULED A RETREAT FOR FEBRUARY. DURING THAT RETREAT, ALL THAT ROUGHLY AT THAT TIME, ALL ABOARD FLORIDA HAD ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD CONSIDER A TREASURE COAST STATION, AND THE POSITION OF THE CITY WAS THAT IT WAS TO SEEK AT THIS FEBRUARY RETREAT. IT SAID THAT IT WOULD WANT TO SEEK THE RETURN OF PASSENGER RAIL ON THE FEC RIGHT OF WAY, AND IT STARTED IDENTIFYING AND SITING AND COORDINATING WITH POSSIBLE PROVIDERS OF PASSENGER RAIL. IN MAY OF 2015, THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER WORKSHOP REGARDING ALL ABOARD FLORIDA. IN JUNE OF 15, THERE WAS A REQUEST BY THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS, AND WE ASKED TO BE A SECTION 106 CONSULTING PARTY. IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN INTERVENER, BUT NOT REALLY. IT ALLOWED US TO PARTICIPATE AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN JUST ANYBODY. AND AS A RESULT, WE WERE ABLE TO WRITE MORE AND PARTICIPATE AND GIVE MORE OPINIONS. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE AT THE END, BUT IT'S STILL WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT, AND THEN IN AUGUST OF 15, THERE WAS

[01:30:01]

THIS TRIANGLE PARCEL IS NOT OWNED BY THE CITY. IT IS, IN FACT OWNED BY THE COUNTY, AS IS THIS PARKING LOT SPACE. THE BASEBALL FIELDS ARE WHAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY. AND OBVIOUSLY THIS

[01:35:01]

IN OCTOBER OF 23, BRIGHTLINE ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS PUBLISHING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. THE TAB ONE SAID TO INCLUDE A LETTER OF INTENT INCLUDED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL. TAB TWO PROVIDED THE SITE CRITERIA OF NOT LESS THAN TWO ACRES MUST ACCOMMODATE 200 PARKING SPACES, BE CONTIGUOUS TO THE FEC RIGHT OF WAY, SUCH THAT A PLATFORM AT LEAST 500FT AND TRACK OF 1000FT CAN BE CONSTRUCTED, AND MUST BE AT LEAST 100FT AWAY FROM ANY CROSSING AND THEN TAB THREE, INSTRUCTED THE APPLICANTS TO INCLUDE THE FINANCIAL TERMS. DECEMBER OF 2013 WAS WHEN THE ORIGINAL INTERLOCAL WAS ENTERED BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF STUART TO RESPOND TO THIS REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION, PUBLISHED BY BRIGHTLINE, THE COUNTY IN OCTOBER HAD HIRED THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WORKED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A RESPONSE TO THE PROPOSAL. IN DOING THAT RESPONSE, THE CITY IDENTIFIED WITH THE COUNTY AND THROUGH THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL AND THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM BOARD THAT APPROXIMATELY 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE VISITED THE MARTIN COUNTY AREA ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND ONE OF THE BIGGER SURPRISES WAS THAT 1.6 MILLION OF THAT 2.3 MILLION WERE LOCAL IN-STATE PEOPLE. THEY WEREN'T FROM OUT OF STATE. THEY WERE ACTUALLY FROM FLORIDA. AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE 1.6 MILLION AS COMING FROM THE ORLANDO FORT LAUDERDALE AREA, OR THE ORLANDO AREA OR THE MIAMI FORT LAUDERDALE AREA, AND THEN THE OTHER 700,000 PEOPLE CAME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN THE SUBMITTAL, IT WAS THE INTENTION THAT ANY CARS THAT ARRIVED HERE OR ANY PEOPLE THAT ARRIVED HERE BY TRAIN WOULD IN FACT BE A CAR THAT DID NOT ARRIVE HERE, BECAUSE THE THEORY WOULD BE THAT PEOPLE COMING FROM WHETHER THEY'RE FLYING INTO THE AIRPORTS OR WHETHER THEY'RE COMING FROM WITHIN THE STATE, IF THEY COULD TAKE THE TRAIN, THEY MAY CHOOSE TO DO SO. AND THEN THOSE CARS WOULD NOT BE ON OUR LOCAL ROADS AS WELL. ON FRIDAY NIGHT, IF THEY'RE STAYING AT THE MARRIOTT ON THE BEACH AND THEY DECIDE TO COME INTO TOWN TO GO TO DINNER, THEY WOULD BE TAKING AN UBER OR SOME OTHER FORM OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE SOME ALLEVIATION TO THE PARKING. THERE WAS NO SCIENCE TO IT. THERE WAS NO ACTUAL STUDY DONE AS TO HOW MUCH IT WOULD AFFECT, BUT IT WAS

[01:40:05]

AND THEY ALL COME FROM RESIDENTS COMMENTS ET CETERA, THE COMP PLAN ALSO HAD POLICY 2.81.8. IT SAID THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE CITY IN ITS EFFORT TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND I DIDN'T INCLUDE ALL OF THEM BECAUSE IT WAS A LIST OF OTHER TRAFFIC ISSUES. BUT DOWNTOWN RAIL STATION AND TRANSPORTATION DEPOT WAS INCLUDED AT THAT TIME, IT ALSO HAD OBJECTIVE 2.87. I THINK IT'S A 1.7. THAT'S A TYPO.

THE CITY SHALL PURSUE AND SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. EXAMPLE HIGH SPEED RAIL, EXPRESS BUSSES, HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLES, BIKEWAYS THAT REDUCE AIR QUALIT, DEGRADATION, DEGRADATION AND HELP CONSERVE, CONSERVE ENERGY. ALSO WE ULTIMATELY ENTERED AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED IS YOU KNOW, THE REVIEW AND WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE PROJECT AND, AND IN THE

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[01:50:03]

[01:55:08]

YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO WALK DOWN TO MLK BOULEVARD TO GO THIS WAY, OR YOU'RE GOING TO WALK DOWN TO EAST OCEAN BOULEVARD TO GO THIS WAY. AND AS A RESULT, THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THAT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE SERVE NO PURPOSE, BECAUSE RIGHT THERE IS THE CROSSING. SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WALK THAT LIKE TWO BUSINESSES HERE AND HERE, AND YOU'RE AT THE CROSSING. AND IT'S THE SAME ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO WE WERE CONCERNED THAT THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, AS WELL AS THE BURDEN ON THE COUNTY TO HAVE TO BUILD IT AND THE HISTORICALLY, YOU HAVE TO YOU DON'T GET TO CLOSE IT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO USE IT AT ALL TIMES. AND AS A RESULT, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE SECURITY, 24 HOUR LIGHTING AND SECURITY ON IT. IT HAS HISTORICALLY THOSE TYPES OF BRIDGES HAVE HAD VAGRANTS AND OTHER MATTERS TAKE PLACE THERE.

AND PEOPLE PUT GRAFFITI AND POLLUTION AND OTHER THINGS. AND SO IT BECOMES A PRETTY EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR TO BALANCE AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF IT. SO WE ACTUALLY HAD BEEN SAYING TO BRIGHTLINE AND THE COUNTY NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. SO IT DIDN'T END UP IN THE COUNTY'S AMENDED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT WASN'T A DECISION THAT WAS TAKEN LIGHTLY. WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, EVALUATED IT AND WENT THROUGH IT AND JUST DECIDED THAT THE BENEFIT OF THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, BRIDGE AGAINST THE COST OF MAINTAINING IT JUST WASN'T WORTH IT TO THE

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WE HAVE ONE MORE PRESENTATION. MR. VEGAS, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. THANK YOU. MAYOR YEAH, MR. MAYOR. MAYOR. RICH, I GOT ONE QUESTION FOR MIKE. SO I SEE, BRIGHT LINE WAS GOING TO HAVE 200 PARKING SPACES. THEY WERE GOING TO ACCOMMODATE THE 200 PARKING SPACES. AND THE STATION ON THE THESE THREE PARCELS. RIGHT. THE ON THE THREE PARCELS, THE RFP REQUIRED THE TAB TWO OR WHATEVER. BRIGHT LINE SAID YOU HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO ACRES AND BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 200 PARKING SPACES. AND THAT WAS ON THE THREE PARCELS IN THE RFP THAT THEY RESPONDED TO THAT WE RESPONDED THAT WE RESPONDED TO. AND I BELIEVE WITH THE PARKING LOT THAT'S EXISTING, THERE'S 169 SPACES. I BELIEVE, THAT EXIST IN TODAY. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS IN MY RESEARCH. SO I WASN'T SURE HOW THEY WERE GOING TO ACCOMMODATE 200 PLUS THE STATION. THEN THEY WEREN'T, THE PROPOSAL WAS THAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, THEY THEY SUBMITTED A PUBLICATION AND SAID, IF YOU WANT TO BID ON HAVING A STATION, YOU HAVE TO SHOW US THAT THE SITE THAT YOU ARE PRESENTING TO US CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 200 SPACES AND CAN MEET THESE THINGS. SO WHEN WE FILED OUR

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[02:10:05]

AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, WE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, COMMISSIONER COLLINS MENTIONED THE BASEBALL FIELDS THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT DOOR. THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THE KIDS THAT PLAY BASEBALL DON'T KNOW IF THEY LIVE IN THE CITY OF STEWART OR NOT, EITHER. THEY'RE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A PARK THAT'S IN THE CRA, AND WE MAINTAIN IT AND THAT'S THAT. AND IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. BUT THIS WAS A WAY TO USE THE CRA DOLLARS INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING PINK SIDEWALKS OUT OR THINGS LIKE THAT TO ACTUALLY HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES IN THE CRA BOARD MEETINGS, THE BOARD SAYS, WE WANT YOU TO DO SOME BRICKS AND MORTAR. WE WANT YOU TO BUILD SOMETHING NOT JUST DO FLUFF. AND SO THAT WAS WHAT THIS WAS. AND BACK IN 2010, WHEN THEY PROPOSED DOING THAT 48,000 SQUARE FOOT GOVERNMENT OFFICE OR WHATEVER, THAT WAS, IT WAS CRA DOLLARS IDENTIFIED AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BAGGETT. YOU KNOW, THIS. YEAH. WHAT I

[02:15:12]

[02:20:08]

AND AGAIN, THESE ARE UNDER THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. WHEN SOME ACTION HAS TAKEN PLACE THAT CANNOT BE UNDONE, A MOTION TO RESCIND IS NOT AVAILABLE, AND THAT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE RULES THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND YOUR DECISION TONIGHT, ANOTHER OPTION I HAVE ON HERE IS A MOTION TO AMEND PRIOR ADOPTION. AND IN THIS, THE ORIGINAL ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION AND, AFFILIATED AGREEMENT, STAYS IN PLACE. IT REMAINS VALID, BUT THE BOARD SEEKS TO SUBSTITUTE A DIFFERENT VERSION, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS, THOUGH, IF YOU DO DECIDE TO DO ANY TYPE OF MOTION TO AMEND ON ANY OF THESE PRIOR ACTIONS, WITH THEIR AGREEMENTS, YOU NEED TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS CAN'T BE BROAD WITH IT. SO YOU NEED TO PROVIDE SPECIFICS UNDER THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER FOR THIS MOTION TO BE AVAILABLE, AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT A MOTION TO AMEND CAN SUBSTITUTE A MOTION TO RESCIND AS LONG AS IT INVOLVES THE SAME SUBJECT MATTER. AND I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY, YOU ALL LAST WEEK, LAST MEETING, YOU VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO BRING BACK THESE RESOLUTIONS RESCINDING, AND SO WE PUT OUT NOTICE THAT THE ISSUE WAS THAT WE WERE RESCINDING EACH OF THESE THREE AGREEMENTS. AND I POINT THAT POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE UNDER OUR STATE LAW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF THE ISSUES THAT'S BEING ADDRESSED. AND EVEN THOUGH A MOTION TO AMEND WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA, IT IS AVAILABLE UNDER THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER AS LONG AS YOU IS, AS LONG AS IT INVOLVES THE SAME SUBJECT MATTER. SO OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE AN AMENDING ONE OF THESE AGREEMENTS AND THE RESOLUTION PRIOR RESOLUTION, IT'S INVOLVING THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS ON RESCINDING IT, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AVAILABLE. IF SOME ACTION HAS TAKEN PLACE THAT CANNOT BE UNDONE, THE ACTION THAT WAS APPROVED IN THE ORIGINAL ADOPTION BY THE BOARD, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE IN THOSE TWO SITUATIONS, A THIRD OPTION WOULD BE MOTION TO LAY THE ISSUE ON THE TABLE. SO ANY OF THESE THREE RESOLUTIONS ON THE AGENDA, YOU COULD LAY IT ON THE TABLE.

AND THAT JUST POSTPONES IT INDEFINITELY. AND I ALSO HAVE ON THERE YOU COULD DO A MOTION TO POSTPONE IT TO A DATE CERTAIN IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT VERSUS JUST TABLING IT. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, NO MOTION. OR IF SOMEONE DOES MAKE A MOTION, THERE WOULD BE NO SECOND. AND IF EITHER OF THOSE HAPPENS ON ANY OF THE THREE AGENDA ITEMS, IT'S JUST GOING TO DIE, AND IT WON'T PASS. SO QUICK QUESTION, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT IN THE SITUATION WITH THE AMENDED ILA, THAT WOULD BE VOTED ON BY THE COUNTY TOMORROW, THEN IF IT DIES, I'M GOING TO GET TO THAT IN A SECOND HERE. BUT, THE THIRD AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, JUST SO THAT YOU GUYS WERE CLEAR, THE MAYOR SIGNED THE AGREEMENT LAST TIME THAT IT WAS ADOPTED AND IT WAS SENT TO THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE HEARING ON THE MATTER THE DAY AFTER OUR HEARING, BUT THEY WERE MISSING. CHAIR JENKINS THAT DAY, AND SO THEY DECIDED TO POSTPONE THAT ISSUE TO THEIR MEETING, WHICH IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE TOMORROW. I'LL ADDRESS THAT HERE IN A MINUTE AS WELL. SO THE ORIGINAL INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, IT'S DATED DECEMBER 12TH, 2023. SO ON DECEMBER 11TH, THE CITY

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AND AS MR. WARTELL MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER, THAT CRITERIA IS 200 SPACES. SO IF BRIGHTLINE DID MENTION THAT THEY THINK THEY COULD DO, 200 SPACES ALONG WITH THE STATION ON THE PARCELS CURRENTLY WITHOUT BUILDING A STRUCTURE FOR PARKING, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE THIS BIG PARKING GARAGE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING LOT, THEY COULD PROBABLY SAVE A LOT OF THE OAK TREES AND SO FORTH THERE. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING. BUT IF WE IF THERE WAS TALKS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET 200 ON THE SURFACE. THEY MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A SMALL STRUCTURE WHERE THERE WOULD BE TWO LEVEL PARKING ON ONE SIDE. AND SO WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT UNDER THE ORIGINAL INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO NEGOTIATE A LONG TERM LEASE AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE, UNDER THE ORIGINAL INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DOING, AND THAT'S THE NEXT AGREEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO DISCUSS. AND IN ADDITION, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE 54 SPACES TO THE COURTHOUSE STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THEY DON'T LOSE A LOT OF THEIR PARKING. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'RE STILL REQUIRED UNDER THE ORIGINAL INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO COOPERATE WITH THE COUNTY AND SEEKING GRANTS TO HELP NOT ONLY THEM RECOVER SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT THEY SPEND IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE CITY DOES. WE HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? COULD YOU TAKE THE ATTENTION OF THE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER COLLINS, MAYOR LEE, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO RESOLVE THAT ORIGINAL ILA WITH THE COUNTY LIKE A JOINT RESOLUTION WHERE WE I, I THINK THE BEST SOLUTION, IN MY OPINION, IS YOU CAN'T DO A DO A MOTION TO RESCIND OR A MOTION TO AMEND IT. AND MY SUGGESTION WOULD, INSTRUCT US TO SOMEHOW GO BACK AND GET AN AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WHICH IS THE THIRD AGREEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT. AND I THINK THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO, LEAVE THIS AS IS. AND I THINK WE COULD DO A MOTION TO RESCIND OR A MOTION TO AMEND THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WHICH I'M GOING TO GET TO IN A MINUTE. HYPOTHETICALLY, THOUGH, WHAT I'M ASKING IS HOW HOW WOULD YOU RESOLVE THE TENSION WITH THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY? WOULD THERE BE A JOINT RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE BOTH SAYING THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO DO A JOINT, YOU KNOW, AGREEMENT TOGETHER THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, RESCINDING THIS PRIOR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS, AND RELEASE EACH OTHER OF IT. THANK YOU. WOULD NEED TO BE AN AGREEMENT AMONG BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY. OBVIOUSLY IN WRITING. AND THEN IT COULD BE ADOPTED BY BOTH BOARDS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE MEETINGS. THANK YOU, NOW, THE SECOND, RESOLUTION, WHICH APPROVED A GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE. SO AS I MENTIONED, THAT HAPPENED LAST MONTH. THE CITY COMMISSION, VIA RESOLUTION NUMBER 52, 2024, AUTHORIZED THE CITY TO ENTER INTO A LONG TERM LEASE AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A TRAIN STATIO. HOWEVER, IN THAT RESOLUTION, THERE IS A CONDITION PRECEDENT WHICH MEANS SOMETHING HAS TO OCCUR, BEFORE THE CITY CAN ACT, AND IN THAT THE CONDITION PRECEDENT FOR THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT WAS THE ADOPTION OF THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BY THE BY BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. SO THE CITY APPROVED THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WHICH I'LL DISCUSS NEXT. BUT THE COUNTY HAS NOT YET. SO UNDER OUR RESOLUTIO, THE MAYOR DID NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO SIGN IT, ALTHOUGH THE MAYOR DID SIGN IT. THE GROUND LEASE, ON AUGUST 26TH, 2024. THE CONDITION PRECEDENT HAD NOT YET OCCURRED. SO, AS A RESULT, IT'S JUST NOT ENFORCEABLE BECAUSE, THE MAYOR DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY YET TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO HAVE, AGREEMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS

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THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAY AND SHALL, UNDER THE, UNDER THE LAW. AND I'VE ARGUED THAT MANY TIMES AND, AND YOU'LL SEE IN OUR COMP PLAN THAT SHALL IS REPEATED WHEN IT DEALS WITH A TRAIN STATION. SO THE CITY SHALL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE EXPANSION OF THE TRI-RAIL PASSENGER RAIL.

SO THAT'S NOT AN OPTION. THAT'S IT. OUR COMP PLAN MANDATES IT, AND ALSO BELOW IN THE NEXT POLICY YOU'LL SEE. AND MR. MARTEL WENT THROUGH THIS. SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH IT ALL TOGETHER. BUT, AGAIN, THE CITY SHALL ACTIVELY SUPPORT AND YOU'LL SEE ACQUISITION OF GRANTS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE FUNDING SOURCES LIKE THE CRA, AND I'VE, I'VE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I GO ONLINE, I HEAR PEOPLE, ALSO MENTIONING THE FAIRGROUNDS AS AN OPTION, BUT THAT'S NOT IN OUR CRA. THAT'S NOT EVEN IN THE CITY. I USED TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S ASSOCIATED.

IT'S I THINK IT'S UNDER CONTRACT STILL WITH THE FAIRGROUNDS. SO THEY CAN'T USE THAT LAND CURRENTLY. AND I THINK THERE'S MORE, I DON'T KNOW THAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT LEASE AGREEMENT IS WITH THE FAIRGROUNDS. IT'S STILL UP, BUT OUR COMP PLAN SAYS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE, IN DOWNTOWN STUART, EXACTLY WHERE THE TRAIN STATION IS BEING PROPOSED. I MEAN, EVEN IN OUR COMP PLAN, IT SAYS ON FLAGLER AVENUE BETWEEN EAST OCEAN AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, WHICH IS WHERE IT'S AT CURRENTLY. THE PROPOSED SITE, YOU CAN'T GET MORE SPECIFIC. SO, AND AGAIN, THE LAST OBJECTIVE THE CITY SHALL PURSUE AND SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, HIGH SPEED RAIL. ET CETERA. ET CETERA, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT LISTED IN THESE. I JUST PICKED THEM OUT. THEY WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT SOME THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN APPARENT WHEN MR. MARTEL BROUGHT THESE UP, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER AND SOME FURTHER. I'M OPEN TO QUESTIONS TO MR. GOBY. I HAVE A QUESTION. MR. IN REGARDS TO THE, THE COMP PLAN, WHERE IT STATES THAT WE SHOULD PURSUE AND ENTERTAIN GETTING GRANTS. I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT IN APRIL, GOVERNOR DESANTIS, AFTER SIGNING THE TRANSPORTATION BILL FOR THE STATE, MADE A STATEMENT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MONEY FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL, SPECIFICALLY THE BRIGHTLINE. SO THERE'S NO STATE MONEY OUT THERE FOR ANY SORT OF GRANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING. I'M NOT I CONFESS, I'M NOT A GRANT PERSON. I'VE WORKED FOR MARTIN COUNTY AS AN ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY AND CITY OF PORT SAINT LUCIE AS A DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY. THERE AND I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH GRANTS AND REVIEW CONTRACTS AND ALL. BUT I AM BY NO MEANS SOMEONE WHO'S GONE AND GATHERED GRANTS OR, OR ACTIVELY PURSUED THEM, AND SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THEM. SO I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT, I, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AT THE COUNTY OVER THIS, AND PEOPLE IN THE CITY, AND MOST PEOPLE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT ABOUT GETTING GRANTS, WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL GRANTS OR STATE GRANTS. BUT AGAIN, I, I HAVE TO DISCLOSE. I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THAT PROCESS OTHER THAN HAVING TO REVIEW CONTRACTS FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT OUR COMP PLAN DOES ALSO MENTION OTHER SOURCES, WHICH I READ THAT AS OUR CRA, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S IN THE CITY AND IT HAS TO BE IN OUR CRA THAT WE, THE CRA MONEY CAN BE EXPENDED TO THAT IF WE ENTERED INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY, LET'S SAY, AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, OUR CRM MONEY COULDN'T BE USED FOR THAT. SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM SOME OTHER SOURCE. SO I MENTIONED THAT AND I HAVE TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL SOMEONE CLAIMING THAT AGAINST THE CITY OF US VIOLATING, I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT, I MENTIONED IT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OUT THERE ABOUT THE PROBABLY COULD GET GRANT MONEY. IT COULD BE, I DON'T KNOW, ANY BUSINESS ENTITY THAT THEN GOES ON TO PROCEED TO DO AN EXPANSION OR A NEW PROJECT AND GOES ON A MAYBE OR IT COULD BE THEY USUALLY, IF ANYTHING, ARE PROJECTING OUT A HIGHER COST OF WHAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE JUST TO COVER THAT 10 OR 20% IN THE FUTURE. THAT MIGHT COME OUT WHEN MIGHT COME UP, WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING THEIR PROJECT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT THE PROBABLY AND COULD BE IS THAT REALLY DOESN'T CARRY ANY WEIGHT ANYWHERE. THAT'S THAT'S MY OPINION OF WHAT I HEARD. AGAIN, I DISCLOSED THAT I

[02:45:05]

IF IT DIDN'T GET THOSE OTHER FUNDS, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT WE WILL GET OTHER FUNDS FROM BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES AS THE PROCESS GOES FORWARD, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU.

100% THAT THE DECISION HAD TO BE MADE BASED UPON. DOES THE CITY HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THIS IN THE EVENT NO OTHER OUTSIDE FUNDING COMES OUR WAY? BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WOULDN'T BE A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE METHOD TO GO OUT LIKE GAMBLING, RIGHT? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING ON SOMETHING I BELIEVE THAT THE MAYOR RICH HAD SAID IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, WHERE IT MOST LIKELY WOULD COST ONLY 13 MILLION, JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, WHEN GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAID HE WAS DENYING STATE FUNDING FOR BRIGHTLINE EXPANSION, HE WAS REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE ORLANDO TAMPA EXTENSION AND NOT TO THE COMMITMENTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE ALREADY TO THIS LINE. SO DO WE HAVE A LEE? I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU. OKAY UNLESS YOU NEED SOMETHING ON MY PRESENTATION, I DON'T KNOW. SO SORRY I'M INTERRUPTING. ARE YOU SURE? BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAD AGREED THAT WE WOULD DO PUBLIC COMMENT. THEY'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR DISCUSSION. SO A FEW MORE QUESTIONS FOR LEE. OKAY.

SO, LEE, IT IT IS YOUR OPINION THEN. JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT'S YOUR OPINION THAT, IF HYPOTHETICALLY. RIGHT, WE WERE TO RESCIND THESE TWO, THAT NEGOTIATING A NEW DEAL WITH BRIGHTLINE THAT WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR THAT AND NEGOTIATING THAT NEW DEAL WITH BRIGHTLINE WOULD NOT PUT US IN VIOLATION OF OUR COMP PLAN. CORRECT I WOULD SAY THAT'S DEFINITELY A GOOD ARGUABLE DEFENSE THAT I CAN MAKE IF WE GET SUED. EXACTLY. LIKE IF IN THE BACKGROUND WE'RE ASKING THEM TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, SOMETHING THAT LOOKED MORE LIKE THAT 2018 AGREEMENT THEY HAD WITH THE COUNTY, IF THAT'S IF WE'RE PURSUING THAT IN THE BACKGROUND. RIGHT. A NEW AMENDED, A NEW ILA AND A NEW AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE, THEN WE ARE NOT VIOLATING OUR COMP PLAN. SAME RESPONSE. YES I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD IF YOU FELT COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT THAT OUTSIDE LEGAL OPINION. I KNOW THAT JUST CAME IN TODAY, BUT JUST KIND OF QUICKLY REVIEWING THAT YOU HAD SENT OUT THAT FOR THAT ADDITIONAL LEGAL OPINION AND WHAT THEIR OPINION WAS. RIGHT. SO, LAST WEEK I ASKED FOR AN OUTSIDE LAWYER TO PROVIDE US WITH A WRITTEN OPINION, AND, AND WE RECEIVED IT TODAY, AND SINCE IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD THE MEETING, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE ME SOMETHING THAT QUICK ANYWAY. BUT I DID RECEIVE IT TODAY, AND I DID SEND IT TO YOU, BUT I HAVE CLAIMED IT AS A WORK PRODUCT.

PRIVILEGE AND EXEMPT FROM PUBLIC RECORDS BECAUSE WE ALREADY RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR THAT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR THAT LETTER. SO, BUT QUITE HONESTLY, YOU CHARACTERIZING QUITE HONESTLY, IT WASN'T MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I JUST WENT THROUGH WITH YOU. I WAS SURPRISED HOW WE CAME TO VERY SIMILAR CONCLUSIONS. SO. SO IF YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE. SO YOU'RE YOU'RE, THE OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL THAT YOU ALSO SOUGHT TO GET SOME MORE, YOU KNOW, CONTEXT FOR UNDERSTANDING, DETERMINED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO ISSUE WITH RESCINDING THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY FOR A TRAIN STATION OR RESCINDING THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHT LINE TRAINS, CORRECT? YEAH. HE AGREED. HE AND I ARE IN AGREEMENT ON THAT. OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO RESCIND THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY FOR THE TRAIN STATION. I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 91 2024. IF I CAN HAVE A SECOND. COMMENT. SECOND.

[02:50:18]

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. SO WE HAVE A SECOND. SO TYPICALLY WHENEVER WE GO INTO NOW THERE'LL BE AN AGENDA ITEM. AFTER WE ARE IN IT. THEN WE HAVE PUBLIC DISCUSSION. THAT'S VERY TYPICAL. THAT'S NOT WE HAD STATED COMMISSIONER COLLINS. YOU'RE WELCOME TO STATE THAT.

BUT THAT'S NOT OUR PROCEDURE OF HOW WE RUN OUR MEETINGS. THERE WAS NO OBJECTION FROM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, AND WE WILL PROCEED. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

SO NOW WE CAN HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. NOW. MIKE, WHY? OKAY. WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE. THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE VOTED TO STAND UP RIGHT. DO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE ONLY MADE THE MOTION TWO WEEKS THE VOTE STOCK? WELL, I'M JUST ASKING. WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. THEN WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS. AND THEN THERE WILL BE A VOTE, AS YOUR NAME IS CALLED. PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM FOR YOUR TURN TO SPEAK.

AARON IS OUR FIRST SPEAKER. RICK OLSON, PLEASE GET IN LINE. GLENN KELLIS. HI. GOOD EVENING, I DIDN'T WEAR YELLOW, BUT I WORE MY OYSTER DRESS FOR LOATHSOME, SO I JUST HAD TO GET, MY YASSIN FOR SIGNING THAT AGREEMENT. MY NAME IS AARON. I LIVE IN THE POTSDAM AREA. I LIVE IN A VERY MODEST TWO BEDROOM HOME, 20 YEARS OLD, AND I PAID $10,000, APPROXIMATELY $10,000 IN CITY AND COUNTY TAXES, AND IT'S THE MOST I'VE EVER PAID FOR PROPERTY TAXES, I WAS ELATED WHEN THE CITY OF STUART, YOU KNOW, SAID THEY WERE GETTING THE STATION AND NOT NOT JUST BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THREE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, TWO SEAPORTS, BUT AS A RETIREE, I'VE BEEN RETIRED TEN YEARS NOW, TEN YEARS TODAY, ACTUALLY, YEAH, BUT WE WOULD HAVE WORLD CLASS MEDICAL CARE. WE HAVE CLEVELAND CLINIC HERE, BUT THE MAIN CLEVELAND CLINIC IS IN WESTON, WE WOULD ALSO HAVE JACKSON MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, MIAMI HEART INSTITUTE, BASCOM PALMER, ALL OF THESE GREAT MEDICAL FACILITIES WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO RETIREES. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND QUALITY OF LIFE UP HERE. WE, WHERE AM I? AND HAVING BRIGHT LINE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO GET ON 95. I DRIVE DOWN TO BROWARD QUITE A BIT. MY SISTER STILL LIVES DOWN THERE AND IT'S NOT HEALTHY. THERE IS A SECTION OF BROWARD COUNTY OF 95, IN BROWARD COUNTY THAT HAS BEEN DEEMED THE DEADLIEST HIGHWAY IN AMERICA. THIS CERTAIN STRETCH OF HIGHWAY DOWN THERE, AND I THINK THAT BRIGHT LINE WOULD MAKE SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER.

WE'VE BEEN RETIRED FOR A WHILE, AND WE HAD PLANNED ON STUART BEING OUR FOR GOING TO BE THE LAST STAND FOR US. AND SINCE I'M A RETIRED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, I THINK THAT I LOOK AT THE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE REST OF THE CITIZENRY. I LOOK AT IT AS HELPING PEOPLE AND MAKING LIVES BETTER, AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN THE BOTTOM LINE. AND I REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY HERE IN MARTIN COUNTY WITH MASS TRANSPORTATION. AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE POLICY A .2. A TEN TWO ABOUT TRI-RAIL. I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO SOMEHOW GIVE US SOME LINK TO THE NORTHERN TERMINUS OF TRI-RAIL AND WE'RE TAKING TRI-RAIL NEXT SATURDAY. WE'RE COMING BACK INTO PORT EVERGLADES. EVERGLADES IN OCTOBER. SO IF WE HAD BRIGHT LINE, IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER AND BETTER, AND WE WOULD STAY OFF THE ROAD AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. RICK OLSON IS RICK

[02:55:03]

SO I ONLY HAVE A FEW COMMENTS. DO YOU REALLY WANT THE NEXT GENERATION TO SAY WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU REJECTED THE STUART STATION? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WILL SAY. WE CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT EXCLUDING THE STUART STATION IS BAD FOR THE FUTURE. IT WILL DECREASE OUR COST FOR INTERNATIONAL AND STATE TRAVEL BECAUSE WE CAN NOW, IF STATION, WE CAN NOW GO TO ORLANDO OR MIAMI AND GET REAL GOOD FLIGHTS, WE SPENT $6 MILLION TRYING TO STOP BRIGHT LINE. THIS IS REALLY GOOD. CONSOLATION PRIZE. I'M ASSUMING THAT IF WE SAY NO TO THIS STATION, THEN FORT PIERCE WILL GET THE STATION. AND THERE WILL BE ZERO POTENTIAL IN OUR FUTURE BECAUSE WE ARE TOO CLOSE TO FORT PIERCE. SO IF WE SAY NO NOW, THERE'S NO THERE'S NO IF IN THE FUTURE. NOW THE STUART BRIGHT LINE STATION IS UNIQUE IN ALL THE STATIONS OF BRIGHT LINE BECAUSE WE ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO A SEMI SMALL TOWN DOWNTOWN CENTER. ALL OTHER STOPS REQUIRE UBER OR TAXI SO WE CAN KEEP OUR SMALL TOWN BECAUSE IT'S WALKING DISTANCE. THIS WILL ALLOW VISITORS TO COME TO OUR TOWN AND NOT HAVE TO BE BURDENED WITH TRAVEL. THERE ARE ARGUMENTS THAT THIS STATION IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MIDDLE CLASS OR FOR FAMILIES. WE KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY A COMMUTER SYSTEM, BUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE HAVING DISPOSABLE MONEY VISITING STUART FOR A QUICK, FUN DAY OF WALKING THE BOARDWALK OR BOARDWALK AND SHOPPING AND DINING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AFTER. AFTER GLENN KELLY, CAN I HAVE ALBERT BRINKLEY AND RAJ PATEL? I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU WHEN YOU STATE YOUR NAME CLEARLY. EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER COLLINS, IF WE COULD ALSO MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE OUR ADDRESS AS PER PUBLIC COMMENT. MARY, AM I CORRECT THAT THAT IS HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS? NAME AND ADDRESS. IT'S TYPICAL TO REQUEST THE NAME AND ADDRESS. ARE YOU GOING TO COME BY AND, YOU KNOW, SHOOT MY HOUSE UP OR WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? NO, IT'S JUST TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE. I LIVE ON AKRON AVENUE. MY NAME IS GLENN KELLIS. OKAY. MY WIFE WAS THE FIRST SPEAKER, EVERYTHING'S NOT ABOUT MONEY. THERE'S SOME PEOPLE ON THE ON THE BOARD HERE. SEEM TO THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT MONEY. THIS IS ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE. OKAY? AUSTERITY HAS BEEN TRIED ALL AROUND THE WORLD MANY TIMES, AND IT ALWAYS FAILS. IT FAILS BECAUSE IT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO SPEND MONEY.

IT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO SPEND TAXPAYERS MONEY TO MAKE THE TOWN BETTER, TO MAKE THE CITY BETTER, TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT. OKAY MARTIN COUNTY IS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST COUNTIES IN FLORIDA. WE'RE NOT SHORT OF THE MONEY.

SEE, WE HAVE THE MONEY. THE CRA HAS THE MONEY. IT'S NOT. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE TAXES. AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE OTHER SCARE THINGS THAT I HEAR OUT THERE ONLINE. NO, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT. OKAY. THAT'S JUST THAT'S A THAT'S A RED HERRING THAT IS BEING THROWN OUT THERE, WE NEED TO COME INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. THIS IS A THIS IS A BLESSING IF YOU WANT TO USE THAT TERM. IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING FOR STUART TO HAVE A TRAIN STATION. IT'S THE ONE THING THAT STUART'S MISSING IS A TRAIN STATION. ALL THE OTHER CITIES UP AND DOWN, THE UP AND DOWN. YOU KNOW, PALM BEACH, MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE, THEY HAVE TRAIN, THEY HAVE A TRAIN. THEY CAN YOU CAN GET THERE FROM OTHER PLACES HERE. YOU'RE STUCK IN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO DRIVE OUT TO 95 AND THEN SPEND, YOU KNOW, THE RISK YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT. YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE SO CONVENIENT TO GET TO THE AIRPORTS, NOT JUST THE THREE SOUTH OF US, BUT TO ORLANDO.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING TO JACKSONVILLE AND TAMPA. YOU COULD FLY OUT OF ANYWHERE OR FLY

[03:00:02]

THAT'S THEIR MONEY TOO. AND YOU'RE IGNORING HALF THE POPULATION OF STUART BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIVE HERE AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. SO THIS FOR IF ANYTHING, IT SHOULDN'T BE VOTED ON. IT SHOULD BE TABLED UNTIL THE WINTER WHEN PEOPLE ARE HERE. OKAY. AND ALSO, IF YOU WANT TO RENEGOTIATE WITH BRIGHTLINE, FINE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESCIND THESE ORDERS TO DO THAT. YOU CAN COME TO YOU CAN TALK TO THEM IN A IN A RATIONAL WAY AND NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AND COME UP WITH A BETTER AGREEMENT. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN GET ONE. AND NOBODY WOULD BLAME YOU FOR THAT.

BUT TO RESCIND THESE, THESE, THESE THINGS IS RIDICULOUS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS ALBERT BRINKLEY. I'M FROM THE CITY OF STUART. SPECIFICALLY, I'M A RESIDENT OF EAST STUART. SEE WHY EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT BRIGHTLINE. NOBODY IS LOOKING AT EAST STUART. EAST STUART IS IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING, WHETHER YOU WANT TO ADMIT IT OR NOT. IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE LOCATION THAT ACTUALLY IS PART OF EAST STUART, NOW, WHO GOING TO GET THE SHORT END OF THIS STATE EAST STOOD BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO GET PUSHED OUT OF THERE. EVERYBODY KNOW THAT I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M A I'M AN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S ALL I HEAR. YOU ALL IN EAST IS GOING TO GET PUSHED OUT.

BRIGHTLINE. IT'S ALREADY SLOWLY HAPPENING. NOW YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S CALLED? GENTRIFICATION.

WE ARE GETTING THE WE ARE GOING TO GET THE SHORT END OF THE STICK. THAT'S RIGHT THERE. I LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE BALL FIELD. I HEARD YOU ALL MENTION THE BALL FIELD EARLIER.

THERE'S HISTORY THERE. THERE'S NOT GOOD HISTORY EITHER. THERE'S SOME GOOD HISTORY. THERE'S NOT.

SO GOOD HISTORY. I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET. THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THIS IS THE HISTORICAL HOME OF THE MURRAY BROTHERS. ANYBODY FAMILIAR WITH MURRAY MIDDLE SCHOOL? I WAS NEIGHBORS OF CHARLES AND ROBERT MURRAY. THAT IS SITTING IN THE HEART OF EVERYTHING IT STOOD. IT'S GOING TO BE DESTROYED WITH THIS BRIGHT LINE. MY NEIGHBOR ALREADY HAS BEEN ASKED BY BRIGHT LINE FOR THEIR PROPERTY. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. DEVELOPERS GOING TO COME IN, WE'LL BE PUSHED OUT OF THERE. NOBODY IS THINKING ABOUT THAT. WE ARE A PART OF STUART BRIGHT. LINE COMES IN RESIDENTS OF EAST STUART COMMUNITY PUSHED OUT WITH TAXES. DEVELOPERS COMING IN.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WE WE'RE LOOKING TO NEAR-SIGHTED. YOU GOT TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND LOOK BIGGER. IT'S GOING TO HURT THE EAST COMMUNITY. I'M ON THE EAST HISTORICAL BOARD WHICH YOU ALL CREATED. I'M LOOKING AT YOU ALL SAYING YOU WANT TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF EAST STUART. THIS IS GOING TO DESTROY THE HISTORY OF EAST. GOOD TO ME, THIS SITUATION WASN'T LOOKED OVER THOROUGHLY. THIS WAS NOT LOOKED OVER 30 THOROUGHLY. YOU ALL ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE TOOK TIME WITH THIS HERE, BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY NEED TO BE RESCINDED, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN AND YOU LOOK AT THIS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, THE BLIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEING PUSHED OUT. AND AGAIN, I REITERATE, THAT'S WHAT'S CALLED GENTRIFICATION. AND THAT IS SLOWLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE EAST STUART COMMUNITY. YOU ALL WANT TO CONTINUE TO PUSH US OUT OF THERE, SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO US. WE LIVE THERE. WE ARE PROUD OF THAT. AND I'M ASKING MYSELF, WHY IS I'M ON THE BOARD THAT SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY, BUT AT THE SAME HAND, YOU'RE DESTROYING THE HISTORY OF THE EASTERN COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MR. NEEDS TO BE RESCINDED. AFTER AFTER. RAJ PATEL, LISA, COUNCILMAN AND BILL MORE. LISA. COUNCILMAN AFTER RAJ PATEL. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS AND A WARM WELCOME

[03:05:01]

THINGS MIGHT HAVE NOT BEEN THAT BAD. WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE COME AND GO, SPEND MONEY. BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE MANAGED IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN GREAT. IT WOULD HAVE MANAGED. WE CANNOT LET THIS MOMENT PASS. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY, I HAD NINE POINTS, BUT CITY ATTORNEY SEEMS TO HAVE COVERED EIGHT OF MY NINE POINTS. SO I'VE CANCELED OUT ALL THAT. BRIGHT LINE IS IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH. MARKET FORCES DICTATE WHO PAYS WHAT. MELBOURNE ISN'T WASTING TIME. VERO BEACH IS REGRETTING THEIR DECISION. JACKSONVILLE IS GEARING UP. FORT PIERCE CAN'T GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER WITH THE CRIME, AND THE POLICE FORCE. BUT I TELL YOU ONE THING. I BUILD STUFF, AND I JUST DON'T SEE. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET GRANTS, AN 8000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING WITH WITH A PLATFORM ON IT. I DON'T SEE IT COSTING. SO MUCH. I BUILD THINGS AND MY 50 ZERO ZERO ZERO SQUARE FOOT HILTON THAT I'M BUILDING IS GOING TO COST 20 MILLION ALL INCLUSIVE TURNKEY LAND, EVERYTHING, ALL OF IT. 20 MILLION, I DON'T GET GRANTS. I PAY TAXES, I'VE BEEN PAYING TAXES IN THE CITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS, 24 YEARS, IF YOU WANT TO HIRE ME FOR FREE, I'LL WORK THE NUMBERS FOR YOU GUYS. AND IF I DON'T DO IT RIGHT, FIRE ME. I DON'T CARE, I HAD, I HAD I HAD A LOT OF STUFF ON THE MUNI CODE. ALL THAT'S OUT. BUT EVERYTHING WAS COVERED, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT EVERYTHING COSTS MONEY. NOTHING IS FOR FREE. TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COMP PLAN, WHICH WE'RE ALL WHICH WE'RE ALL TRYING TO WORK WITH FOR SO MANY YEARS, COSTS MONEY. WHETHER IT'S NEW ROADS, NEW WALKWAYS, STREETS, STREETS, IT ALL COSTS MONEY. BUT RARELY DO THEY BRING A STABILITY TO THE TAXPAYER. THE TAXPAYER. PLEASE DON'T TAKE OUR AWAY OUR FUTURE.

IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT GROWTH, CHANGE THE CODES. YOU GUYS ARE READY TO DO THAT. CHANGE THE DENSITY. DO THE RIGHT THING. DON'T LET THIS BE YOUR LEGACY. PLEASE DON'T LET US LOSE THE STATION. I JUST HAD A FEW POINTS HERE. NONE OF THIS MATTERS ANYMORE. THIS IS FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION. EVERY $1 INVESTED IN RAIL TRANSPORTATION CREATES $4 IN ECONOMIC BENEFITS. JUST ONE MORE, PLEASE, US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION DEATHS FROM 2018 TO 23. THIS IS FDOT, F DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

THANK YOU, MR. PATEL. RAILWAY TWO. THANK YOU, MR. PATEL. 20,000 PEOPLE DEAD. 20,000.

THANKS HI. BONJOUR. MY NAME IS LISA. COUNCILMAN. I LIVE AT 25 SOUTHEAST SEMINOLE. MY BUSINESS IS AT 23 SOUTHWEST OSCEOLA STREET AND IT IS CALLED LA GRANDE MARTIRE. AT POST OFFICE ARCADE. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT CALLED CAFE MARTIRE. WE DID CHANGE OUR NAME DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT OUR VERY GRAND, 6000 SQUARE FOOT RESTAURANT WAS A COFFEE SHOP. SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU A VERY PERSONAL STORY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE PERCEIVED APPROVAL AND PASSING OF THE OF THE RAIL STATION. SORRY, I'M NERVOUS AND THE ACTION THAT WE TOOK IN MY RESTAURANT BECAUSE OF THE RAIL. SO WE WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE OTHER RESTAURATEURS AND ENTREPRENEURS HERE KNOW THAT THIS PAST SEASON WAS NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS PAST SEASONS HAVE BEEN, AND THEN WITH THE WITH THE EARLY EASTER THIS YEAR, THE SNOWBIRDS LEFT AND WE WERE FACED WITH, PRETTY IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION WHERE WE COULDN'T SURVIVE. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSING ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC LANDMARKS IN ALL OF STUART, THE BIGGEST RESTAURANT.

[03:10:09]

BRIGHT LINE OFFERS THAT, COSTS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF. OUR BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN STUART RECENTLY SOLD OUR INSURANCE COSTS FOR OUR BUILDING, AND IT'S DIVIDED AMONG SIX OF US. WENT FROM 23,000 TO 66,000. THE ONLY WAY WE PAY THAT IS FOR MORE CUSTOMERS WALKING THROUGH OUR DOOR. WE CAN'T PASS ALL THAT COST ONTO OUR FOOD COSTS, MINIMUM WAGE. WE VOTED IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO GO TO $15 AN HOUR IN FLORIDA. WE'RE AT 13 NOW. GOING FROM 835 IS WHAT WE WERE WHEN WE BEGAN TO. 15 IS AN 80% INCREASE IN OUR ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEE PAY, IT'S SIGNIFICANT.

THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT IS PUTTING MORE PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN STUART. WITHOUT CARS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING FOR MORE PEOPLE. BRIGHT LINE BRINGS THAT, RENT'S GONE UP OTHER COSTS OF GOODS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, BRIGHT LINE BRINGS CUSTOMERS WITH LESS VEHICLES.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO REDUCE THE TRAFFIC. WE HEARD EARLIER, POTENTIALLY 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE COME HERE A YEAR FROM ORLANDO AND MIAMI. IF WE REDUCE 10% OF THAT ON THE TRAIN, THAT'S 80,000 CARS LESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT DOESN'T EVEN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT STATEWIDE AND HOW MANY MORE LESS CARS WOULD BE ON I-95 TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST FEARS IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN NEGOTIATE IF WE LEAVE THINGS IN PLACE AND TRY TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO BUILD AND SUCH. BUT, MY BIGGEST FEAR IS WE LOSE THE STATION AND IT GOES TO FORT PIERCE. WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GOES TO FORT PIERCE? NO ONE REALLY KNOWS THE EXACT NUMBERS. BUT IF WE JUST LOST 10% OF OUR VISITORS TO MARTIN COUNTY, THAT'S GOING TO DECIMATE MARTIN COUNTY. IT'S GOING TO SEND US BACKWARDS. AND IT'S NOT LIKE IN THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, IT'S TEN YEARS, IT'S 15 YEARS. IT'S 20 YEARS. I HEARD MIKE EARLIER SAY SOMETHING ABOUT 30 YEARS OUT. WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHERE YOU PUT THE STOP IS GOING TO BE YOUR NEXT DOWNTOWN.

WELL THAT'S WHAT FORT PIERCE WOULD LOOK LIKE IN 30 YEARS. THEY WOULD HAVE THAT SPOT.

TOURISTS LOVE THE BEACH, THE HOTELS WILL BE BUILT IN FORT PIERCE. OUR TAX DOLLARS WILL GO

[03:15:04]

BUSINESSES THAT HAD PLANS TO INVEST IN THE TOWN CHOSE NEARBY CITIES INSTEAD. DUE TO THE TOWN'S HORRIBLE REPUTATION FOR BREACHING CONTRACTS. THE ONCE CELEBRATED HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BECAME MOSTLY BOARDED UP AGAIN. COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT, YOU WILL MAKE THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION EVER TO BE MADE IN THIS BUILDING. I IMPLORE OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS NOT TO BLINDLY FOLLOW A POLITICAL AGENDA. PLEASE BE THE LEADERS THAT WE NEED YOU TO BE BY MAKING YOUR OWN DECISION ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. IF YOU WEIGH THE ODDS, A VOTE TO RESCIND WILL LIKELY COST TAXPAYERS THROUGH INEVITABLE LITIGATION. BUT IF YOU VOTE NOT TO RESCIND THE CONTRACT, IT IS LIKELY THAT CRA FUNDS AND GRANTS WILL COVER MOST OF THE COST. PLEASE DON'T PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH OUR TOWN. DON'T BE SO SURE. THAT BRIGHT LINE IS COMING BACK TO THE TABLE. HAVING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE TRAINS GO BY WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF A STATION WOULD BE A DETRIMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. A REAL LEADER WOULD TAKE THE SOUR LEMONS AND MAKE SWEET LEMONADE.

PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING BY HONORING BOTH OUR COMP PLAN AND THE BINDING CONTRACT THAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE WITH BRIGHT LINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. VITALE. AFTER MICHELLE SMITH, I HAVE WALTER LLOYD AND BRETT NORDMANN. HI. MY NAME IS MICHELLE SMITH. I LIVE ON SOUTH KANNER HIGHWAY IN STUART AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR JUST TWO YEARS AND JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT MY OWN HOUSE AND I'M NOT RENTING, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE, AND I NOTICED THAT RECENTLY THE TOWN HAS BEEN NAMED THE BEST PLACE TO RETIRE. I'M A RETIREE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR MORE YEARS THAN I WANT TO COUNT, AND MARINE CORPS BEFORE THAT. AND I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOUR ADVERTISING OR BEING NOTED AS THE BEST PLACE TO RETIRE YET. WHAT DO RETIRED PEOPLE DO? I KNOW I GO TO THE BEACH, I GO TO WEST PALM BEACH, I GO TO FORT LAUDERDALE, I GO WHEREVER I CAN. I WANT TO SEE THE STATE. THE STATE IS HUGE AND IT'S AMAZING. AND IT'S MY HOME.

AND I JUST PAID FOR A BRAND NEW HOUSE THAT I LIVE IN, EVERYBODY ELSE DOES THAT TOO, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK, THOUGH, IS WHY THIS WASN'T BROUGHT UP ON A BALLOT. WHY CAN'T EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO LIVES IN THIS TOWN, WHO IS OF VOTING AGE, WHO MAKES INFORMED

[03:20:05]

GOOD EVENING. I'M WALTER LLOYD. NICE TO SEE YOU ALL. I WOULD SAY SEMPER FI TO THE MARINE BEHIND ME, BUT ANYWAY, THIS COMMUNITY HERE, YOU CAN SEE, HAS A LOT OF PASSION ABOUT BEING HEARD, AND I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL BECAUSE I WAS IN A POSITION AT ONE POINT, REMINDS ME OF THE DAYS OF COSTCO, WE CAME AND WE OPPOSED A LOCATION, NOT COSTCO. THE ISSUE WAS NEVER COSTCO. THE ISSUE WAS THE LOCATION THAT WE PUT IT IN. WE PRESENTED OUR CASE. WE FELT LIKE WE WEREN'T HEARD. NOW, I FEEL LIKE THE SAME THING IS REOCCURRING IN THIS ISSUE. THE TRAIN. NOBODY'S SAYING WE DON'T WANT THE TRAIN. WE'RE SAYING WE WANT THE TRAIN WITH THE PROPER DEAL WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WORK FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS. I APPLAUD, I RECOGNIZE THAT THE ELECTIONS BROUGHT ABOUT CHANGE AND REFLECTED THE CITY'S DESIRES. WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONS, COMMISSIONERS, AND I APPLAUD YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE NOW HERE, NOT AGAINST GROWTH, BUT FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH. AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE GOING ON HERE. SO I'M ASKING YOU TO RESCIND AND REEVALUATE THIS DEAL. MAKE IT GOOD FOR THE TAXPAYERS AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS. YEAH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AFTER AFTER BRETT, I HAVE ERIC WICKSTROM AND BETTY BRINKLEY. HI, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS BRETT NORDMAN. I LIVE IN PALM CITY. FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS, FORMERLY OUT OF LONG ISLAND.

RETIRED, MOVED DOWN FULL TIME, THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING THAT I'VE ATTENDED. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AS MUCH RESEARCH ON EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, AND I HAD SOME QUESTIONS. MR. MARTEL HAD TALKED ABOUT 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE COME TO VISIT THE AREA. I THINK YOU GAVE THAT NUMBER, HOW DO WE DO WITH THE CARS? WE DID PRETTY GOOD. WHY DO WE NEED A TRAIN? WE'VE STILL GOT 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE. THAT WAS 2018 THAT I BELIEVE THAT THAT SURVEY WAS DONE. WHY NOT TAKE THOSE THREE PARCELS, SIR? EXCUSE ME, SIR, YOU MAY NOT ADDRESS ANY ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY. YOU MUST SPEAK TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, AND YOU MAY NOT MAKE INQUIRY OF ANY INDIVIDUAL UP HERE. YOU MAY STATE A RHETORICAL QUESTION, BUT THAT IS ALL YOU CAN EXPECT. THAT'S OKAY. I'M SORRY. WHY NOT?

[03:25:07]

COMMISSION. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW. CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING APPOINTED. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER VITALE, AND I LIVE IN STUART ON ALAMANDA WAY WITH MY WIFE, BELLA, MY FAMILY OWNS THE OLD COLORADO IN HERE IN DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS WHERE I NOW WORK AS A MANAGER, AND MY FAMILY HAS PRESERVED DOZENS OF NOTABLE HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN OUR TOWN, AND WE HAVE SAVED SEVERAL OF THEM FROM BEING DEMOLISHED. I WANT TO OFFER A FEW POINTS TODAY, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, I PERSONALLY VISITED 86 LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES HERE IN DOWNTOWN STUART TO PASS OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRIGHTLINE ISSUE AT THOSE 86 BUSINESSES. I SPOKE WITH OWNERS, MANAGERS, EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS OUT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE WITH, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY EXCEPT ONE SINGLE PERSON WAS OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR AND SUPPORTIVE OF UPHOLDING THE AGREEMENT. FOR THE BRIGHTLINE STATION, I WENT TO 86 BUSINESSES AND SPOKE TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT THE BRIGHTLINE AGREEMENT WAS AT RISK OF BEING RESCINDED. THEY HAD NO IDEA, AND THEY WILL BE UPSET WHEN THEY FIND OUT IF THIS HAPPENS TONIGHT. THEY WERE SO EXCITED THAT STUART HAD BEEN SELECTED OVER MANY OTHER LOCATIONS, AND THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY. LOOK, THE TRAIN IS ALREADY HERE.

I KNOW WE WERE FIGHTING A LONG TIME AGO, BUT IT'S HERE. IT COMES THROUGH. STUART, 32 TIMES EVERY SINGLE DAY, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFIT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.

THANKFULLY, OUR COMMUNITY WORKED VERY HARD FOR A LONG TIME TO SECURE A HIGHLY COVETED DEAL TO HAVE THE STATION BUILT HERE. WITHOUT THAT STATION, THE TRAIN IS NOTHING BUT AN INCONVENIENCE TO EVERYONE IN STUART. IT WOULD BE ASININE TO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS EXTREMELY RARE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A STATION IN STUART WHEN THE TRAIN ALREADY RUNS THROUGH MARTIN COUNTY 32 TIMES A DAY. STUART EXISTS AS THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE TODAY. BECAUSE OF THE PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE AND THE ASSOCIATED TRAIN STATIONS THAT RAN ALONG THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA OVER 100 YEARS AGO. KNOWING THE BENEFITS THAT STUART WOULD ENJOY FROM RENEWED TRAIN STATION, RENEWED TRAIN SERVICE, THE CITY DECIDED THAT IT WOULD ACTIVELY PURSUE CONSTRUCTION OF A PASSENGER TRAIN STATION IN DOWNTOWN STUART, AS SET FORTH IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. I URGE YOU TO HONOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THE STATION WILL ENHANCE OUR BELOVED DOWNTOWN

[03:30:03]

THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO REESTABLISH PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE TO STUART. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. AND WE, YOUR CONSTITUENTS WILL REMEMBER YOUR DECISION TONIGHT. THANK YOU. AFTER AFTER. DEANNA PETERSON HELEN MCBRIDE AND THEN NIKKI VAN VANO. HI.

THIS IS DINA PETERSON. I LIVE AT TWO, TWO, ONE SOUTHEAST HIBISCUS. I'M GOING TO READ BECAUSE I'M NOT. YOU ALL MAKE ME NERVOUS, I AM NOT AGAINST BRIGHTLINE STOPPING IN. STUART.

IT COULD BE AN ECONOMIC HELP TO THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES WITHOUT BRINGING INCREASED CAR TRAFFIC.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TRAIN TO ORLANDO AIRPORT OR TO MIAMI. JUST NOT SURE I'M WILLING TO PAY THOSE STEEP TICKET PRICES AND PARKING FEES. I AM AGAINST. HOWEVER, THE SIZE, THE SCOPE AND THE COST OF THIS DEAL FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF STUART AND MARTIN COUNTY. BRIGHTLINE NEGOTIATED THEMSELVES A SWEETHEART DEAL. THEY ARE A PRIVATE COMPANY. WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING THEM LAND, BUILDING THEM A HUGE STATION AND GIVING THEM ALL THE REVENUE FROM BOTH.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND USE THE ARGUMENT. SOMEONE MADE THAT THIS IS A LOT LIKE AN AIRPORT OR A TUNNEL. OKAY, LET'S TAKE THE AIRPORT EXAMPLE. GRANTED, DELTA OR AMERICAN CHOOSE YOUR AIRLINE MAKES A TON OF MONEY OFF OF AN AIRPORT BUILT WITH TAX DOLLARS.

THIS IS TRUE, BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ANALOGY IS THE AIRPORT IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY OR THE CITY, AND DELTA PAYS THEM BIG FEES. DELTA PAYS HUGE FEES AND RENTS FOR EVERY GATE AND EVERY TERMINAL THEY USE. THE COUNTY OR CITY ALSO IS THE ONE WHO COLLECTS ALL THE PARKING FEES AND REVENUES. PLUS THEY COLLECT RENTS FOR ALL THE SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS WITHIN THE AIRPORT.

SO THIS IS NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE UNLESS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO WITH BRIGHTLINE.

BRIGHTLINE IS PAYING US NOTHING AND WE DO NOT COLLECT PARKING REVENUES OR ANY REAL RENTS. SO WHAT CAN WE DO INSTEAD? IF THERE'S THE POLITICAL WILL TO MOVE FORWARD, LET'S BUILD A SMALL, MODEST BUILDING OR EVEN A KIOSK WITH JUST A TICKET COUNTER AND A WAITING ROOM, NOT THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET. LET'S CAP THE AMOUNT WE ARE COMMITTING TO SPEND AT SOMETHING WAY MORE REASONABLE THAN 30 MILLION, AND CERTAINLY NOT 90 MILLION. LET'S MAKE THEM PAY US A REAL RENT TO OPERATE OUT OF THE TERMINAL THAT WE BUILD. LET'S HAVE THE CITY OF STUART COLLECT THE PARKING FEES FOR BRIGHTLINE. IF THERE ARE ANY CONCESSIONS OR SHOPS OR VENDING, LET THE CITY OF STUART COLLECT THAT MONEY AS WELL. NOT BRIGHTLINE. LET'S WRITE INTO OUR LEASE THAT IF BRIGHTLINE GOES BANKRUPT OR OUT OF BUSINESS, THAT WE CAN ENGAGE ANOTHER VENDOR LIKE TRI-RAIL TO PROVIDE SERVICES. AND LET'S CAP THE LEASE TERM TO SOMETHING REASONABLE, LIKE 5 OR 10 YEARS.

NOT 80. AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, LET'S REQUIRE BRIGHTLINE TO GIVE US A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF STOPS PER DAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN BRIGHTLINE MAKING MONEY OFF OF THEIR TRAIN TICKETS, AND STUART MAKING MONEY FROM BRIGHTLINE RENTS AND COLLECTING PARK PARKING FEES. IT'S A WIN WIN, A FAIR DEAL FOR ALL. MANY WILL ALSO ARGUE THAT TIF MONEY WILL BE USED FOR GRANTS, BUT THIS IS NOT FREE MONEY. TIFF IS ALSO OUR MONEY AND IF IT IS USED FOR BRIGHTLINE, IT CANNOT BE USED FOR IMMEASURABLE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE AND UPDATES IN THE CRA. THANK YOU. MISS MCBRID.

YES, CHARLIE. ALAN MCBRIDE. I LIVE ON FLAMINGO AVENUE NOW. 51 YEARS AGO, WHEN BOB AND I MOVED HERE, THIS WAS A GHOST TOWN. I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T EVEN IN DAYTIME. DAYTIME. COME DOWNTOWN.

THAT'S HOW BAD IT WAS. BUT WE THE PEOPLE AND MCMILLAN JONES, JEFFERSON. I WAS JUST A VOLUNTEER. WE ALL ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND WE WORKED HARD TO MAKE THIS TOWN WHAT IT IS TODAY.

AND I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU TWO NEW COMMISSIONERS, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO MY FIRST MEETING IN CITY HALL, WAS OUT. THERE WAS A LITTLE A BRICK, A WOOD BUILDING, FIRE STATION DOWNSTAIRS, CITY HALL WAS UPSTAIRS. THAT'S WHEN MY FIRST CITY MEETING AND I. YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN RID OF ME. I'M STILL COMING. AND YOU KNOW IT BECAUSE A LOT OF YOU AND I GO TO ALL THE EXTRA MEETINGS, THE

[03:35:02]

BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE MERCHANTS, IT'S US. AND LIKE THE WOMAN SAYING ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE.

I HATE TO SAY, MICHAEL, BUT HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A PARKING GARAGE IN THE CITY OF STUART? IF IT'LL BE A MIRROR TO ME, THIS IS THE ONE GREAT THING ABOUT BRIGHTLINE.

WE'LL GET A PARKING GARAGE. AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR BRIGHTLINE. AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THAT. AND WHEN THE GENTLEMAN SAID THAT THE LAND WHERE THE PARKING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BUILD BRIGHTLINE, THAT WE CAN USE IT AS A PARKING LOT. IT IS A PARKING LOT. I MEAN, COME ON, IT'S BEEN A PARKING LOT FOR YEARS. IT'S YOU'RE CUTTING INTO MY TIME. BUT PLEASE, THE TWO OF YOU TAKE A TWO STEPS BACK. DON'T RUSH INTO SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU JUST GOT ELECTED.

MAYBE SOME PEOPLE SAID VOTE FOR YOU. OH, I'M SORRY, I HEARD THE BELL. OKAY AFTER NIKKI VAN BONO, I HAVE ELIZABETH BAKER AND VALERIE JONES. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, I WROTE SOMETHING FOR YOU, AND I'M GOING TO READ IT TO YOU AND I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR ELECTION. I ALSO WANT TO APPLAUD THE STAFF FOR ITS WONDERFUL PRESENTATIONS FOR YOU TONIGHT AS YOU WRESTLE WITH THIS ISSUE, SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE ME. I AM THE FORMER GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR I HAVE BEEN THROUGH IN INNUMERABLE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS OVER THE COURSE OF MY, TENURE IN MARTIN COUNTY. I'VE LIVED HERE A LONG TIME. IN FACT, I HAVE ALWAYS LIVED. BESIDES RIVERS AND RAILROAD TRACKS. MY DAD'S FAMILY WERE. AND ARE RAILROAD, RAIL, ROAD WORKERS. I'M ALSO A HISTORY NERD. MARTIN COUNTY WILL BE CELEBRATING ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY SOON. 125 I KNOW THAT THE RAILROADS CAN DO PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO BECAUSE ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS A RAILROAD ATTORNEY AND AS WE KNO, HE WAS A VISIONARY. AS WELL.

RAILROADS HELPED CEMENT THE COUNTRY FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC. AND BECAUSE I HAVE TWO LEFT HANDS, I'M NOT SURE WHICH IS MY RIGHT AND WHICH IS MY LEF. TODAY'S MEETING IS ABOUT BRIGHTLINE. PEOPLE WANT IT TO STOP AT STUART. ALL THE DATA SUPPORTS IT. PEOPLE LIKE

[03:40:07]

THANKS FOR. OH, YEAH, WE WORKED TOGETHER. WE STARTED. OH I'M SORRY, ELIZABETH BAKER. THEN VALERIE JONES. GOOD EVENING, I'M ELIZABETH BAKER. I GREW UP ON SEWALL'S POINT AND NOW IN STUAR, JUST SHY OF 70 YEARS. I'VE BEEN HERE, ONE OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WAS MEETING MY GRANDMOTHER, ARRIVING AT THE TRAIN DEPOT, PROBABLY THE LATE 50S, IT WAS ACROSS FROM THE LYRIC THEATER DOWNTOWN. THEN WAS THE HUB. HAD THE POST OFFICE, A BANK, DRUGSTORE, GREENS AND STUART DEPARTMENT STORE. MY MOTHER BOUGHT YARN AT THE OLD DYERS. I'D LOVE TO GO IN THAT OLD BUILDING. WE KNEW EVERYONE IN THE MID 70S. I WORKED IN DOWNTOWN STUART. IT WAS A GHOST TOWN. ALL THE BUSINESSES WERE MOVING TO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION ON US ONE. THEN IN THE 90S, THINGS STARTED TO COME BACK, THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE RETURN. AFTER 50 YEARS, DOWNTOWN IS BACK AND IT'S THRIVING THANKS TO PEOPLE SUCH AS JOAN JEFFERSON AND WHO VISUALIZED OUR POTENTIAL TOURISM RECORDS AS HE SAID THAT MOST OF OUR CREDIT CARD SALES COME FROM DADE, BROWARD AND ORANGE COUNTIES. SO THESE AUTOMOBILES ARE OCCUPYING OUR PARKING SPOTS. CONGESTING TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTING TO SURVIVE. CONFUSION CORNER. NOW BRIGHTLINE SHALL BE ABLE TO REMEDY THIS. WE'VE HAD THREE NATIONAL ARTICLES RECENTLY USA TODAY, THE NEW YORK POST AND TRAVEL AND LEISURE NAMING US THE BEST COASTAL TOWN IN AMERICA. THEREFORE THEREFORE, THERE SHOULD BE MORE PEOPLE COMING ALL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. WE OFFER A VARIETY OF SHOPS DINING, THE LYRIC THEATER, THE OLD FEED STORE MUSEUM, FOUR PARKS WITH PLAYGROUNDS WHERE CHILDREN LOVE TO WATCH THE TRAINS AND BOATS PASS BY. WE HAVE THE RIVERWALK FARMERS MARKET AND THE FREE MUSIC. ON SUNDAYS WE HAVE THE MUSEUM, HOUSE OF REFUGE AND THE OCEANOGRAPHIC COMPLEX NEAR THE OCEAN. PEOPLE WANT TO GET AWAY FROM BIG CITY CHAOS, ALLOW THEM TO RIDE THE TRAIN, BOOK A ROOM, SHOP, DINE AND RETURN HOME. PLEASE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR REPUTATION AS A FRIENDLY TOWN FOR LOCALS. THEY CAN RIDE TO THE SPORTING EVENTS, CONCERTS, AIRPORTS, HOSPITALS, ETC. WITHOUT TRAFFIC FRUSTRATIONS. ALSO, PEOPLE USING THE BRIGHTLINE FOR EMPLOYMENT PURPOSES COULD BENEFIT THEM AS WELL, EITHER WAY WE NEED PARKING, WHETHER IT BE A STRUCTURE OR GROUND FOR EVENTS SUCH AS ARTS, CRAFT SHOWS, PARADES. I'M AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR THE PARADES. OKAY, ONLY OTHER THING IS, SOMEHOW WE COULD POSSIBLY HELP OUT THE PEOPLE OF EAST STUART. WE DON'T. WE CAN'T DESTROY THEM JUST TO BENEFIT US.

THANK YOU. AFTER VALERIE JONES, I HAVE INEZ, VALERIE JONES, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF 45 YEARS IN

[03:45:02]

IT IS THRIVING AND PROSPEROUS BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND, THAT HAVE LED THE WAY AND THE ECONOMIC VITALITY AND REVITALIZATION OF THIS CITY. AND THEY DID SO BY LEVERAGING THE HISTORIC VALUE AND THE HISTORIC BEAUTY AND THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN OUR CITY OVER THE YEARS. AND WE CAN'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. I'M GREATLY, GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR WORK, BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE ON THAT FRONT. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE THAT ECONOMIC VITALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND BRIGHT LINE IS JUST ONE OF THOSE ECONOMIC VITALITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY. WE'VE HEARD TODAY FROM NUMEROUS PEOPLE, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE STRUGGLED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO MAKE ENDS MEET, AND THEY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR BUSINESSES GROW AND THRIVE AND CONTINUE TO EMPLOY THEIR STAFF, WHICH OFTEN ARE THE KIDS, OUR KIDS AND OUR GRANDKIDS THAT WORK AT KILWINS AND THEY WORK AT THE RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE THIS

[03:50:01]

IT WILL HELP WITH SUSTAINABILITY. IT WILL ALSO HELP US BE MORE RESILIENT AGAINST OTHER THINGS THAT HIT OUR ECONOMY. WE TALKED ABOUT HURRICANES. WE TALKED ABOUT PANDEMIC. THE LADY FROM CAFE MARTIRE SAID THAT THIS LAST YEAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT. SO ANY INCREMENTAL GROWTH WITH PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR CITY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I URGE YOU TO HONOR THE DECISION FROM THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION, THE COMP PLAN, AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND IN THE CITY OF STUART TO ACCEPT TO NOT RESCIND THIS OFFER FROM BRIGHTLINE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. DAVE DAVE. MISS DAVE, IF WELCOME. DAVE. MY NAME IS DAVID BELLAMY. PROBABLY SOME OF Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW ME. I WORK HARD IN THIS TOWN. LORD, Y'ALL SITTING UP ON THAT BOARD BECAUSE OF MY GOOD SIGN I PUT ON MY BIKE EVERY DAY. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. WHEN I CAME HERE IN 1972, THIS TOWN WAS A TOWN. THIS TOWN HAD STAGES. IT HAD THE CABOOSE. I EVEN READ. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ON THE BOARDWALK WHEN I CAME HERE. THE HISTORY OF THIS TOWN BEFORE THEY HAD THAT STORM IN 1938. YOU REMEMBER THAT SAME OLD TRAIN STATION THAT THEY HAD RIGHT THERE? THEY USED TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE TO GO ACROSS THERE TO WORK AT THE PLANT. THEY USED TO HAVE A PACKING HOUSE THERE. MANY YEARS AGO, THIS TOWN WAS A TOWN. SO I'M FOR THE TRAIN BECAUSE IT'LL MAKE A LOT OF BUSINESS IN THIS TOWN. I MEAN, COME ON, WE GOT TO WAKE UP HERE NOW. IT'S A NEW FUTURE HERE.

IT'LL MAKE A LOT OF BUSINESS IN THIS TOWN. AND THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS WILL GROW, AND MANY BUSINESSES WILL COME BEFORE THEY BUILT THAT, WALT DISNEY OR THE DISNEY WORLD OR WHATEVER.

EVERYBODY WAS COMING HERE THIS WAS THE TOURIST TOWN. AND THEN YOU GOT OUR SENIORS THAT CANNOT DRIVE TO MIAMI HOSPITAL OR WEST PALM BEACH. SAINT MARY. THE TRAIN WILL GET THEM THERE. IT WAS. IT'S A LOT THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE WHERE WE AT IN THE FUTURE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF THEY THEY USED TO HAVE A TRAIN HERE, THEY USED TO HAVE PEOPLE WORKING HERE. THEY USED TO HAVE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE PACKING HOUSE. THEY USED TO HAVE PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH PAY $2 A DAY TO GO BACK AND FORTH FROM THAT BOAT. THAT TRAIN OVER THERE TO THE PACKING HOUSE. I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF Y'ALL ARE OLD AS ME, BUT I YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THAT. YOU SHOULD REMEMBER WHEN THEY USED TO RIDE IN ALL THESE FANCY RESTAURANTS, ALL THE CHARLIE HORSES HOOK UP TO CHARLIE HORSE AND HIS RIDER TO ALL THESE STATE RESTAURANTS.

THIS TOWN WAS A TOWN WHEN I CAME HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS NOW. I'M 64 YEARS OLD AND I CAME HERE WHEN I WAS 17. I CAME FROM MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA. WHAT A TOURIST AREA. YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE THE TRAINS ROLLING THERE? YOU CAN RIDE ALL THE TRAINS YOU WANT THERE. I MEAN, THEY GOT TRAINS TO TAKE YOU TO EVERY RESTAURANT THERE DOWNTOWN. THAT'S WHERE I CAME FROM. AND WHEN I CAME HERE, MY MOTHER RETIRED FROM MY DAD, FROM THE MILITARY. SHE GOT TIRED OF TRAVELING WITH US AS A MILITARY BRAT. I WAS 17 AND THEN I WENT TO MARTIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED WHEN THE MARINE CORPS MYSELF. I KNOW THIS COUNTRY HAS GOT TO GET BETTER. THIS CITY HAS GOT TO GET BETTER. I LIVE BY STUART. I LIVE RIGHT WHERE THEY GOING TO PUT THAT TRAIN? IF THEY PUT IT THERE, I'M RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM EARNINGS PRODUCE. IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO PUT IT AT THE BALL FIELDS MANY YEARS AGO WE USED TO PLAY THE BALL FIELD. WE USED TO PLAY WITH STICKS AND ROCKS. BEFORE BASEBALL. WE USED TO PLAY BACK THERE MANY YEARS. A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW IN THIS TOWN, A LOT OF PEOPLE GONE FROM THIS TOWN. THEY HAVE LEFT, THEY MOVED ON. SO I SAY TO Y'ALL, WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT OR YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, PRAY ABOUT THE TRAIN THAT'LL KEEP ON GOING. THANK YOU. I HAVE NINA BRODY AND THEN SHERRY LEE. I'M GOING TO READ MINE AS WELL. SO MY NAME IS NINA BRODY. I LIVE AT 41 SOUTHWEST SEMINOLE. SO I AM SPEAKING FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE AT 41 SEMINOLE, 30 UNITS, FOUR OFFICES FOR RETAIL. WE HOPE YOU'RE DOING WELL TONIGHT. THANKS FOR HAVING US, BUT WE DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE SUPPORT THE BRIGHT LINE STATION THAT WAS PLANNED FOR DOWNTOWN. WE URGE YOU TO MAINTAIN THE DECISION TO PROCEED WITH ITS DEVELOPMENT. WE CAN ATTEST TO THE VITAL ROLE THAT THE BRIGHT LINE STATION WILL PLAY IN REVITALIZING OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. WE HEARD FROM KATHY MARTIRE. WE HEARD FROM KILWINS, WE HEARD FROM STEPHEN, WHO TALKED TO 86 DIFFERENT

[03:55:03]

THE ONE GOOD THING THAT HAPPENED WITH COVID IS PEOPLE COULD MOVE HERE BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE REMOTE WORKERS, BUT EVERYONE'S STARTING TO GO BACK TO THE OFFICE. WE NEED MORE BUSINESSES HERE. WE NEED TO BRING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND EMPLOY THEM. SO OUR TOWN CAN CONTINUE TO GROW. THE STATION PROMISES TO BRING SIGNIFICANT FOOT TRAFFIC AND INCREASE REVENUE. EVERYONE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THE CONTINUED PROSPERITY OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE CHARM OF OUR COMMUNITY. IF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES GO OUT, WE EITHER GET BOARDED UP OR THE BIG BOX RETAILERS COME IN AND NO ONE WANTS THAT EITHER. MANY OF US, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE INVESTED IN PROPERTY AND BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN STUART, HAVE DONE SO WITH THE EXPECTATION OF THE BRIGHT LINE STATION'S POSITIVE IMPACT. THE POTENTIAL INFLUX OF VISITORS AND THE BOOST IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ARE CRUCIAL FOR MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF OUR DOWNTOWN. THE STATION ALIGNS WITH OUR VISION FOR A VIBRANT, THRIVING COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTS OUR LONG TERM ECONOMIC HEALTH. REVERSING THIS DECISION COULD UNDERMINE ALL OF THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT BOTH THE BUSINESSES AND LANDOWNERS HAVE RELIED UPON. WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE COLLECTIVE BENEFITS THAT THE STATION OFFERS AND TO UPHOLD THE DECISION TO DEPLOY IT. YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER OF NOT REVOKING, NOT RESCINDING, NOT LETTING FORT PIERCE GET OUR STATION WILL ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN STUART CONTINUES TO FLOURISH WHILE PRESERVING THE CHARM THAT MAKES OUR CITY VERY SPECIAL. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS THAT I HAD WRITTEN. BUT THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING I'VE COME TO, AND I CONTINUE TO BE AMAZED THAT THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD THAT ARE TRUE AND HAVE HAPPENED, HAVE BEEN AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED, THEN GET DELAYED OR THOUGHT ABOUT RESCINDING. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ME FROM THE CONVERSATION REGARDING THE UTILITIES THAT ARE EITHER GOING UNDERGROUND OR BEING IN POLLS. THE SEMINOLE STREET I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S CONNECTED, BUT I AM NEW TO THE CITY. I WAS SO EXCITED TO COME AND IT IS A LITTLE CONCERNING AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE GET REVERSED. IT'S THE SECOND TIME IN FOUR MONTHS. NEXT I HAVE MAX DUCHARME AND THEN JOHN EBERST. IS THERE A MAX DUCHARME D U C H IT LOOKS LIKE E R M. OKAY THEN. JOHN EBERST. THANK. WHICH ONE IS IT? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBERS OF STUART COMMUNITY, MY NAME IS JOHN EBERST, A LOT OF YOU MAY KNOW ME. YOU MAY NOT KNOW ME. I AM A LIFETIME RESIDENT OF MARTIN COUNTY, I GREW UP IN JENSEN BEACH. I NOW HAVE MY BUSINESS MULTIPLE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY OF STUART, MY ADDRESS, 117 SEMINOLE, 320 MLK 101 MLK. I AM HIGHLY INVESTED IN THE CITY. IT IS THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH TO LIVE. LOOK, THE TRAIN'S COMING. IT'S COMING THROUGH. IT'S GOING TO BE HERE. IT'S GOING TO PASS RIGHT ON BY US. WE CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN. WE'RE PAST THE NEGOTIATION STAGE OF DEALING WITH BRIGHTLINE. THE DEAL IS MADE. WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. LOOK, IN BUSINESS, IF YOU'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD, YOU'RE FOLDING. WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY. WE HAVE TO KEEP BETTERING THE CITY. A LOT OF US ARE NOT HAPPY WITH ALL THE APARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT.

BUT GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE HERE. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR CITY. WE KNOW THIS IS A GREAT DEAL. THAT'S WHY FORT PIERCE WANTS IT SO BAD. THEY WOULD LOVE FOR US TO ROLL OVER.

BRIGHTLINE IS NOT GOING TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH US. THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY'RE GOING TO PICK UP WITH THEM. WE NEED TO KEEP THIS HERE IN STUART. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO GROW. LOOK, SOMEBODY SAID THIS TO ME EARLIER AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT POINT. WE HAVE THE WINNING LOTTO TICKET. WHY WOULD WE THROW AWAY THE WINNING LOTTO TICKET? IF YOU RESCIND WE'RE THROWING AWAY. WE DIDN'T ROB THE TICKET. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE

[04:00:03]

COMMISSIONERS. BILL WEST, MY 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF MARTIN COUNTY. OVER TEN OF THOSE YEARS WERE IN STUART PROPER, NO LONGER A RESIDENT OF STUART, BUT I'M JUST OVER THE OVER THE RIVER IN NORTH RIVER SHORES, LONG BEEN A PROPONENT OF BRIGHT LINE OF TEN YEARS ON ON THE STUART MAIN STREET BOARD HERE. LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. I WANT TO GIVE A COUPLE OF PERSONAL STORIES.

SO, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THE SUNDAY BEFORE THE MEETING THAT WAS HAD HERE, I WAS IN ORLANDO AT A CONFERENCE COMING HOME OR ABOUT TO COME HOME, CHECKING OUT OF THE HOTEL, GET A TEXT FROM A FRIEND HE'S ON BRIGHT LINE. SENDS ME AN IMAGE OF THE MAP COMING THROUGH STUART, FLORIDA, ON HIS WAY TO ORLANDO. ARE YOU STILL THERE? RIGHT? NO I'M NOT. WISH I HAD THE BRIGHT LINE TO TAKE IT HOME, THOUGH. GET ON THE TURNPIKE TO GO BACK. I'M IN. YOU'VE BEEN IN A FLORIDA AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM ON THE ON THE TURNPIKE WITH CARS ALL AROUND YOU. YOU HAVE YOUR LIFE LITERALLY IN YOUR HANDS. WISHING I WAS ON BRIGHT LINE. YES LAST WEEK WE HAD A FAMILY MEMBER GO INTO HOSPICE. MY SON MADE AN URGENT TRIP FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA, PRICED ALL AROUND FLORIDA FOR TICKETS. ENDED UP BEING $300 CHEAPER TO FLY INTO FORT LAUDERDALE AND RIDE THE BRIGHT LINE UP TO WEST PALM BEACH, WHERE WE WENT AND PICKED HIM UP THIS MORNING. WE DID THE REVERSE TRIP WITH HIM, PUT HIM BACK ON BRIGHT LINE, HE'S ON FORT LAUDERDALE, $300 CHEAPER.

HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE THAT TRIP. PLEASE LEGALLY, I'M LISTENING TO THIS. AND YOU GUYS KNOW I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LAW AND BUSINESS, AND YOUR ATTORNEYS ARE TRYING TO KEEP YOU STRAIGHT.

THEY'RE TRYING HARD TO KEEP YOU STRAIGHT. THEY'RE GIVING YOU ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE STEPPING IN RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WITH STANDING TOMORROW. IF THIS IS RESCINDED, I WILL FIND OUT IF I HAVE STANDING, I MAY NOT HAVE STANDING. THERE IS A VERY GOOD ATTORNEY IN THIS ROOM YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM. I AM ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE. HAS STANDING PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR THE FUTURE, FOR THE KIDS? YES. AFTER CHERRY LEE, I HAVE WALTER ODIN. THAT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, I'M CHERRY LEE. I HAVE LIVED UP HERE FROM PALM BEACH SINCE 2012, I'M INVESTED IN THE CITY. I OWN PROPERTY AND BUSINESSES IN THE CITY, IN THE CRA. I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN PAYING INTO THIS CRA FOR OVER TEN YEARS, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE TRAIN, HAVING A STATION HERE MEANS SOMETHING REAL AND TANGIBLE THAT WILL HELP THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. THE RESIDENTS. I HAVE A SON. I THINK ABOUT HIM AND HIS FUTURE, IF HE HAS KIDS, I FEEL THAT IT WILL CONNECT ALL OF US TO PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE STATE.

WE ALL HAVE PEOPLE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN MIAMI, AND THERE'S HUGE POPULATION CENTERS DOWN THERE. WE CAN JUST ACT LIKE WE'RE IN THIS LITTLE TINY TOWN AND NOTHING'S GOING TO AFFECT US. BUT THERE ARE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE SOUTH OF US. AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN ORLANDO. BUT THOSE PEOPLE WANT TO COME HERE. THEY'RE ALREADY COMING HERE, AND THEY ARE CLOGGING UP OUR ROADWAYS. I THINK THIS TRAIN WILL HAVE THE BENEFIT OF TAKING CARS OFF THE ROAD. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS ABOUT MONEY, BUT IT'S ALREADY PAID FOR. THE DEAL HAS ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN UP. THESE PEOPLE.

YOU MADE A BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION, BY THE WAY. CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, GREAT EDUCATION. SO I HOPE THE NEW COMMISSIONERS REALLY LEARNED. I LEARNED THINGS AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS FOR TEN YEARS. I THINK A LOT OF US LEARNED A LOT TONIGHT ABOUT THE HISTORY AND HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN PLANNED. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL THE NEW COMMISSIONERS DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ALL OF THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE HERE AND HAVE BEEN HERE ALL ALONG, ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LIVED HERE ALL ALONG ARE OUR OWN CITY ATTORNEY, OUR OWN CITY MANAGER,

[04:05:06]

SPEAKERS ARE ON OUTSIDE. OKAY. IS ED LUCENTI HERE? OH ED ASKED ME TO SPEAK FOR HIM. HE HAD TO LEAVE. HE HAD TO CATCH A TRAIN. SO. OKAY, I HAVE ELIZABETH EARL.

ELIZABETH EARL? YEAH HE'S A LEGEND. MICKEY. DON. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS MR. MAYOR, COUNTY ATTORNEY. COUNTY, CITY MANAGER, I'M HERE, MY NAME IS MICKEY. DON. DON AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF STUART, I'VE BEEN HERE IN MARTIN COUNTY SINCE 2000, AND MY WIFE AND I BUILT A HOME HERE IN 2006, AND WE LOVE LIVING HERE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU MY PREPARED NOTES BECAUSE IT'S BEEN COVERED PRETTY MUCH. AND I APPRECIATE THE REPORTS THAT WERE DONE BY STAFF. MR. MARTELL, MR. BAGGETT EXCELLENT. I LEARNED A LOT, AND IT JUST REINFORCED WHAT I BELIEVE WAS THE BEST DECISION THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. FROM BRIGHT LINE COMING THROUGH HERE.

I CERTAINLY SUPPORTED THE CITY IN THE PAST WHEN THEY FOUGHT BRIGHT LINE COMING THROUGH, BUT IT HAPPENED. AND NOW THAT IT'S HERE, WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A STATION COMING AND, AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT STATION HERE, I WOULD SAY THAT, I'VE RIDDEN ON BRIGHT LINE. IT WAS WONDERFUL. THE WORST PART OF RIDING BRIGHT LINE WAS DRIVING 50 MILES TO GET THERE. I, I WILL ONLY HAVE TO DRIVE TWO MILES NO, AND I WON'T HAVE TO PARK MY CAR THERE. SO I IMPLORE YOU. AND YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY GLAD THE CITY ELECTIONS IS OVER, BECAUSE EVERY DAY MY MAILBOX WAS FULL OF YOUR PROMISES THAT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND EVERYTHING AND MAKE IT MORE WONDERFUL AND GET RID OF THE OLD PEOPLE AND ALL THIS STUFF. BUT THE ONE THING I DID NOT SEE IN ANY OF THAT ON YOUR PLATFORM WAS THAT YOU WERE GOING TO ABOLISH THIS STATION, COMING TO STUART.

I HATE TO LOSE. BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT ON YOUR PLATFORMS, AND I WOULD GUARANTEE YOU YOU WOULD NOT BE SITTING HERE IF IT WAS. THANK YOU. FOR CLAPPING OUTSIDE. NEXT. OKAY THANK YOU. LET'S TRY

[04:10:04]

THOSE DOWNSIDES WILL BE YOURS. YOU WILL BE THE COMMISSION THAT ADDED AN HOUR TO ALL OF OUR TRIPS TO THE AIRPORT. YOU'LL BE THE COMMISSION THAT CUT US OFF FROM MEDICAL TREATMENTS. MY WIFE HAD TO STOP WORK AND DRIVE ME TO AND FROM TAMPA FOR MY CANCER TREATMENTS AT MOFFITT, BECAUSE I WAS TOO SICK TO DRIVE MYSELF AND HENCE THE MASK. STILL, THE SWEATINESS. BUT I'M DOING BETTER, BUT WELL, THE TRAIN WILL BE TOO LATE TO HELP OUR FAMILY. I WON'T BE THE LAST IN STUART WITH CANCER AND THOSE HARD FAMILY CHOICES. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM US. OR PROPOSING TO DO SO TONIGHT. MOST FAMILIES THAT NEEDED THIS, INCLUDING MINE, DON'T REALLY HAVE THE TIME TO BE HERE FOR THIS SEVEN HOUR MEETING. UNDERSTANDABLY, I SAW LOTS OF SAD KIDS LEAVING IN YELLOW SHIRTS, UNABLE TO HAVE SPOKEN. THOSE CHOICES WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM, AND THOSE FAMILIES. SO THERE ARE MANY MORE THAT COULD BE TALKING TO YOU TONIGHT.

BUT YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE COMMISSION THAT VIOLATED THE COMP PLAN. WE GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN GRANTS TO THE CITY, LIKE THE $130 MILLION GRANT FOR THE RAILROAD BRIDGE. YOU'RE PUTTING THAT AT RISK ALONG WITH OTHER RISKS THAT YOU'RE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH NOT JUST THE CITY, BUT BANKRUPTING THE CITY AND OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ELECTED YOU TO DO. EVEN IF THE CITY DOES WIN, THAT LAWSUIT, WE'LL STILL END UP HAVING TO RAISE TAXES EVENTUALLY ON THE PEOPLE OF STUART TO COVET OUR VERY LARGE

[04:15:04]

LIKE, THIS IS REAL. THIS IS REAL LIVES. REAL PEOPLE. STORIES LIKE MINE, THOUSANDS MORE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, MANY OF WHICH COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. BUT STORIES THAT ARE REAL, LIKE THAT, LIKE THESE ARE REAL NEEDS, JUST ONE FAMILY, ONE STORY. BUT PLEASE SAVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. PLEASE SAVE OUR STATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, I HAVE PATRICIA S AND THEN MARTY BALICKI. I KNOW I'M SAYING IT WRONG. I APOLOGIZ, OKAY? NO, PATRICIA. OKAY. IS MARTY STILL HERE, MR. MAYOR? MARTY BILEK? OH, HE CAME BACK TO SPEAK FOR HIMSELF THIS TIME. THANK YOU. YEAH. EDDIE LUCENTE, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HIS ARTICLE IN THE STUART NEWS. GOOGLE. IT WAS PRINTED, NO. FEW FEW PEOPLE KNOW THAT HE WAS, LIKE, THIRD IN LINE TO IBM. SO HE'S A PRETTY SMART DUDE. BEFORE I BEGIN TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO PORTO, PORTUGAL, BUT THEY HAVE A TRAIN STATION THERE THAT OVER A MILLION PEOPLE, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE VISITED. IT'S IN BLUE TILE. IT'S A IT'S A POOR CITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. NOW, I DON'T EXPECT A PORTO HERE, BUT I JUST WANT A PLATFORM, JUST A SIMPLE PLATFORM. SO GET OUT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT NEEDED. JUST A SIMPLE PLATFORM. MY NAME IS MARTY BALICKI. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT SINCE 1960. TEACHER COACH, DEAN FOR 37 YEARS. AND YES, IN THE HALL OF FAME. SO I REMEMBER I REMEMBER MY AUNT GETTING OFF THE TRAIN IN ABOUT 1965. WE HAD SERVICE HERE. SHE GOT OFF THE TRAIN. IN FACT, THAT TRAIN, WHICH WAS OWNED BY, OF COURSE, FLAGLER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS A PRIVATE ENTITY. AND WE USED IT TO GO BACK AND FORTH IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND DOWN.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. MY WIFE AND I WOULD LIKE TO USE THAT TRAIN TODAY. AND, I WAS TALKING TO YOU. I KNOW PETER JONES, WHO OWNS THE THEATER ON CANNER, AND PETER SAID TO ME, HE SAYS, I WENT DOWN TO PALM BEACH TO GET A TRAIN TO GO UP TO ORLANDO. AND I KIND OF JUST SHOOK MY HEAD. THE TRAIN WILL BRING A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, I SEE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. YES, THERE'S GOING TO BE PROBLEMS. A LOT OF ESOTERIC MATERIAL TONIGHT. I THINK YOU GUYS WILL WORK THAT OUT. I HAVE TRUST IN YOU. I KNOW IT COSTS MONEY. ANYTHING THAT'S GOOD WILL COST MONEY. AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, JUST LIKE ME. FOR THE LAST FIVE HOURS. AND, KEEP ON DOING A GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I HAVE ADA FRY AND STEVEN. NO IS THAT IDA FRY? IDA FRY? MAYBE I DON'T SEE IDA. THEN. STEVEN NO. I DON'T WANT TO LET HER READ. YES SORRY. CAN WE QUESTION ON THE BOARD? EXCUSE ME? I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY READS IT FOR. WHOEVER THAT GUY IS, HE CAN READ IT. DO WE HAVE A. DO WE HAVE A CAN SHE PROVIDE US WITH A COPY OF HER LETTER? WELL, I HAVE I. I CAN MAKE IT UP RIGHT. I CAN MAKE IT UP. PRETTY SURE SHE WANTS TO THANK YOU. SIR. GO AHEAD. YES. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS STEVEN. NO, I MAKE MY BUSINESS ADDRESS AT 312 SOUTHWEST OCEAN OVER HERE IN DOWNTOWN, IF THE NAME SEEMS FAMILIAR, AND IT MIGHT SEEM FAMILIAR TO A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS HERE. MY DAD AND BROTHER HAVE SERVED AND HAD SERVED VERY DILIGENTLY AND WITH GREAT RESPECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS GASTROENTEROLOGISTS WITH THE MARTIN HEALTH SYSTEM FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS NOW, OVER 40 YEARS, ACTUALLY. I'M VERY PROUD OF MY FAMILY, VERY PROUD OF MY FAMILY AND MY FAMILY. WE SPEAK MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, BUT TONIGHT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE SPEAK MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, LET ME SAY THIS IN PLAIN ENGLISH DO NOT LOSE THIS DEAL. WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, ONE THAT'S BEEN SUPPORTED FOR DECADES. AS MR.

[04:20:07]

HELLO. YES, HI, GOOD EVENING. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW COMMISSIONERS ON GETTING ELECTED. I WANT TO TELL YOU WHY IT WOULD BE WRONG TO RESCIND THE DECISION. I WAS ORIGINALLY AGAINST THE TRAIN COMING HERE, BUT NOW THAT IT IS HERE, WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. I'M NOT SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT AS AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR 35 YEARS, BUT I'M SPEAKING TO YOU FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM MANY PATIENTS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT I THINK THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THIS MARTIN COUNTY FEELS. FIRST, I WOULD SAY TO THE COMMISSIONERS, DO NOT MISINTERPRET THE ELECTION RESULTS. WE ARE CONCERNED WITH GROWTH. WE REGRET SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. BUT WE ARE FOR THIS BRIGHTLINE STATION. WE DO NOT WANT STUART TO BECOME A FORT LAUDERDALE. I CAME HERE 35 YEARS AGO FOR THE SAME REASON. I THINK THAT MOST OF US DID. STUART IS CLEARLY ONE OF THE BEST SMALL CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, AND ONE OF ITS ASSETS IS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO WONDERFUL PLACES. MIAMI IS A QUICKLY GROWING PLACE. IT'S BECOMING A FINANCIAL CAPITAL. IT'S BECOMING A MAJOR CITY TO GET DOWN TO MIAMI. YOU'VE GOT TO YOU'VE HEARD YOU GOT TO DRIVE ON 95. AND THE CLOSER YOU GET, THE MORE YOU PUT YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS RAIN. SO WE CAN GET TO MIAMI WITH THE STATION. WE CAN GET TO WEST PALM BEACH. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD GO TO ORLANDO TO GO TO DISNEY WORLD. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF STUART IS WE NOT JUST HAVE ACCESS TO MIAMI. WE CAN GET TO THE THEME PARKS THERE. IT'S A HUGE ATTRACTION. AND TO HOP ON A TRAIN AND GET THERE IS A HUGE BENEFIT TO THE

[04:25:01]

I'VE BEEN ON BRIGHT LINE. I WAS SURPRISED IT IS CLEAN, IT IS SAFE, AND IT IS VERY EASY TO GET AROUND. WE WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THESE OTHER AREAS, AND THE TRAFFIC IS ONLY GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. THIS CAN GET US TO AIRPORTS. IT CAN GET US TO SEAPORTS. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN AMEND THE DEAL, GO AHEAD, BUT DO NOT RESCIND IT AND DO NOT TRY AND AMEND IT. IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IT. WE WOULD RATHER HAVE THE STATION AS IT IS, THAN TAKE ANY CHANCE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IT. EVERY BENEFIT, EVERY PERSON AND EVERY BUSINESS IN THIS COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS TRAIN. THERE IS VERY, VERY LITTLE DOWNSIDE TO IT. YOU SHOULD GO FORWARD AS WE, THE RESIDENTS THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND AS WE WERE PROMISED. THANK YOU.

I HAVE VERNON GLENNON, MARK MILLER, THEN PETER UPTON. PLEASE. MARK. MARK. YEAH. VERNON GLENNON. WHO IS IT, MADAM? CLARK. VERNON. GLENNON. VERNON. GLENNON. ARE YOU OUT THERE? IF NOT, I RECOGNIZE MR. MILLER. WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARK MILLER. I LIVE OVER IN PALM CITY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE. I ASK EACH OF YOU TO SUPPORT THE BRIGHTLINE TRAIN STATION PLAN THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY AGREED TO SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. THE TRAIN STATION WILL BENEFIT THE CITY AND COUNTY FOR DECADES, AND IF THE DEAL IS NOW KILLED, IT WILL HAVE NEGATIVE REPERCUSSIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY FOR JUST AS LONG. HERE ARE FOUR REASONS AND I PROMISE, DESPITE BEING AN ATTORNEY, THAT I WILL BE QUICK, HERE ARE FOUR REASONS WHY THE CITY COMMISSION SHOULD CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THE DEAL. IT ALREADY STRUCK WITH BRIGHTLINE FOR THE TRAIN STATION ONE. THE TRAIN STATION WILL BRING UNTOLD FUTURE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE TREASURE COAST. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GREW UP HERE NEED GOOD JOBS, AND GOOD NEW JOBS ARE SURE TO FOLLOW IF WE KEEP THE TRAIN STATION PLAN IN PLACE. THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF HAVING BOTH FLORIDA RESIDENTS AND FLORIDA TOURISTS. TOURISTS BE ABLE TO HOP ON THE TRAIN IN MIAMI, ORLANDO, TAMPA AND ONE DAY JACKSONVILLE MAKE THEIR WAY TO OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY WILL BE REMARKABLE LIVES AND NEW BUSINESSES WILL BE BUILT HERE ON THE TREASURE COAST. HERE IN STUART BECAUSE OF THE TRAIN STATION. IF INSTEAD YOU VOTE TODAY TO RESCIND OR TO KILL THE TRAIN STATION, ULTIMATELY THOSE LIVES WILL BLOOM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THOSE BUSINESSES WILL NEVER EXIST TO KILL THE TRAIN STATION IS TO KILL FUTURE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS RESIDENTS. THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE OPTIMISTS AND TO KILL THE TRAIN STATION PLAN NOW IN FAVOR OF PRESERVATION, IS TO FREEZE OUR COMMUNITY IN AMBER AND EXPECT THAT SOMEHOW THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING. THE ONLY THING FREEZING OUR COMMUNITY IN AMBER WILL DO IS TURN THE COMMUNITY INTO A FOSSIL THAT TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS OBSERVE FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE PASSING BRIGHTLINE TRAINS AND WE WILL WONDER WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOREVER AND A DAY TO KILL THE PLAN WOULD BE THE OPTION. THE ACTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO FEAR THE FUTURE AND ARE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE, THAT IS EXACTLY THE WRONG APPROACH FOR OUR ELECTED LEADERS. THE BEST LEADERS OUR COUNTRY HAS KNOWN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE HAVE BEEN AND ARE OPTIMISTS. AND I BELIEVE ALL OF YOU ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE TREASURE COAST. AND STEWARD TWO, AS AN ATTORNEY WHO WORKS FROM HOME IN PALM CITY, I ANTICIPATE USING THE TRAIN TO TRAVEL TO ORLANDO, PALM BEACH, MIAMI REGULARLY ON MY BUSINESS AND FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL. AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, I'VE ALREADY HAD TO USE IT, BUT I HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO PALM BEACH TO GET ON IT. THE TRAIN WILL KEEP MY CAR AND MANY OTHER CARS OFF THE FLORIDA ROADS. RELYING UPON MASS TRANSIT IS A CATEGORICAL GOOD THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND IT IS GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THE STATE. A PASSENGER TRAIN THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE STATE, WHICH IS WHERE BRIGHTLINE IS HEADED, WILL BE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WILL REDOUND TO OUR BENEFIT.

LESS CARS ON THE ROAD MEANS LESS CONGESTION ON OUR ROAD ARTERIES, LESS AUTO DEATHS, LESS ACCIDENTS ON OUR ROADS. THREE AS A LAWYER, I WILL REITERATE WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID. I DON'T WANT TO PUT

[04:30:03]

OKAY. ARE WE READY, MR. UPTON? MR. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS PETER UPTON. I RECENTLY LIVED NORTH OF THE BRIDGE. I NOW AM A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF STUART, I'M ALSO VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF FRIENDS OF THE EVERGLADES. THE ONLY REASON I MENTIONED THAT, AND IT'S NOT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT. ORGANIZATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS ISSUE. BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THE COMMISSIONERS THAT BRIGHTLINE IS MASS TRANSIT. BRIGHTLINE IS PROVIDES, A, A SERIOUS BENEFIT TO THE ENVIRONMENT. ONE CAR BY ONE CAR, BY KEEPING THEM OFF THE ROADS. SO WHATEVER ARGUMENT IS MADE TO POTENTIALLY REJECT BRIGHTLINE, DON'T TELL US THAT IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL ARGUMENT BECAUSE IT IS NOT. NOW WE DON'T NEED TO BE IN THIS SITUATION WE'RE IN BECAUSE WE SEEM TO HAVE TWO POLAR, POSITIONS. ONE IS, AND I AGREE WITH THIS POSITION, WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT SLOW GROWTH AND UNNECESSARY DEVELOPMENT. THE OTHER POSITION IS, WELL, IF WE HAVE BRIGHTLINE, BRIGHTLINE IS GOING TO BRING DIRECT AND INDIRECT DEVELOPMENT. AND MY POSITION IS THIS IS THE BEST POSSIBLE, COMMISSION TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I KNOW THIS COMMISSION WILL BE VERY CAREFUL THAT THERE WILL NOT BE DIRECT, UNNECESSARY, DIRECT AND INDIRECT DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE AREA WHERE THE STATION IS GOING TO GO IN. I THINK THIS IS THE BEST COMMISSION TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS. THE GENTLEMAN FROM EAST STUART POINTED OUT. YOU DON'T NEED UNNECESSARY GENTRIFICATION. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A NEEDLE THAT NEEDS TO BE THREADED, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T NEED TO. YOU HAVE YOUR OPPOSED TO UNNECESSARY DEVELOPMENT. THERE ARE TOO MANY BENEFITS OF THE BRIGHT LINE THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS TALKED ABOUT. SO LET'S DO THIS. LET'S LET'S PRETEND IT'S A NEEDLE, BUT THAT NEEDLE IS BRIGHT LINE GOING FORWARD. BUT WE DON'T WANT BRIGHT LINE TO CONTINUE GOING FORWARD AND NEVER STOPPING. WE WANT BRIGHT LINE TO STOP SO THEY CAN BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF STUART. AND DOING SO BY THIS BOARD WILL BE WORTHY NOT ONLY OF THIS COMMUNITY, BUT OF ITS CHARACTER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CASEY INGRAM MULLEN, THEN LUCY MCGUIRE, THEN JEFF DOHERTY. OH, GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON OR EVENING. MY GOODNESS. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME CASEY INGRAM MULLEN, FROM PALM CITY, FOLKS, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS. THIS IS NOT A PEEP DEAL. BRIGHT LINE. ALL ABOARD. FLORIDA IS WHAT IT STARTED OUT WITH. 100% STARTED OUT SAYING, WE ARE A PRIVATE COMPANY. WE ARE GOING TO FUND OURSELVES PRIVATELY. 100%. THEN

[04:35:02]

STUART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE $30 MILLION FOR A PARKING GARAGE, WHICH IS AN INSANE PRICE, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS FOR. AND SOMEHOW THAT MORPHED INTO BRIGHTLINE GETS NOTHING, PAYS NOTHING. THE COUNTY AND THE AND STUART ARE COMPLETELY ON THE HOOK. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT IN 2018, WE WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE AGREEMENT. HOWEVER, THE ATTORNEY SAID BRIGHTLINE HAS BEEN CRYSTAL CLEAR. THIS IS IT. THEY MADE US A SIGN THAT AGREEMENT WE HAD TO STICK TO IT.

SO FOLKS, THANK YOU, MISS INGRA. YEAH, I DID GIVE ME JUST ONE MORE POINT TO MAKE. AND THAT IS WHEN WITH THAT LEASE, YOU GUYS TALKED OVER ME, CASEY, CASEY AND YOU LET CASEY TALK TO US. TALK TO US? YOU LET THE OTHER ONES GO ON. TEN, 15 SECONDS. PLUS, THEY TALKED OVER US. THANK YOU. I WANT YOU TO, IN THAT LEASE, THEY IN YOUR LEASE. YOU AGREED TO GIVE THEM A. MINUTE IN THE LEAS.

IT SAYS THAT THEY CAN HAVE MORTGAGE IMPROVEMENTS. THEY CAN MORTGAGE THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE TRAIN STATION THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR 100%. THANK YOU, MISS INGRAM. LET YOUR LET YOUR CITIZENS KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF THEY DEFAULT TO THAT MORTGAGE AFTER THEY PAID FOR IT.

YES LUCY MCGUIRE. WHO IS IT? LUCY MCGUIRE. HELLO. MY NAME IS LUCY MCGUIRE. AND I AM BORN AND RAISED IN JENSEN BEACH. I WENT TO JENSEN BEACH HIGH SCHOOL, STEWART MIDDLE SCHOOL, JENSEN BEACH ELEMENTARY, AND SINCE YOU WANT TO KNOW, I LIVE IN PORT SAINT LUCIE. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. BUT THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER TOPIC. SO WE WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT, I DO OWN A BUSINESS AND NETWORK HERE. I FOUNDED A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT GIVES BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY. YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, NOT YOURSELVES. LOOK AT THE ROOM.

LOOK AT THE YELLOW THAT YOU SEE IN THIS ROOM THAT YOU HAVE SEEN IN THIS ROOM. AND THAT WAS OUT IN THE HALLWAY. THIS STATION IS IMPORTANT AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NEEDED FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THIS. I URGE YOU NOT TO RESCIND THE AGREEMENT. I AM HONESTLY APPALLED AT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. I IT SEEMS THE PARKING GARAGE MAY BE OPTIONAL, BUT I BELIEVE THAT EVEN IF WE BUILT IT, THERE WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DOWNTOWN THAT HAS ALREADY HAD A PARKING OVERLOAD ISSUE, BUT IT WOULD. IT SHOULD BE FREE PARKING IN MY OPINION. LIKE THE REST OF OUR LOCAL DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE ALREADY FOUGHT LONG AND HARD FOR THIS AND IT HAS COME TO OUR AREA AS DESCRIBED TODAY. IT IS ALREADY HERE. IT IS ALREADY GOING THROUGH OUR TOWN. WE DESERVE A STOP. WE DESERVE NOT TO BE PASSED OVER. WE DESERVE

[04:40:04]

WE PROVED THAT WITH JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK, AND YOU NEED TO ALLOW US TO DO IT AGAIN.

PLUS, CAR COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE WORKED AGAINST PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SO THAT THEY MAKE MORE MONEY. WE NEED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS ACROSS OUR NATION AS A WHOLE, OTHER THAN CARS, ESPECIALLY IN SMALL AREAS LIKE OURS, WHERE PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE TO OWN A CAR, DO NOT RESCIND THIS. I WANT MY LOCAL HOMETOWN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS. ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY, AND YOU SHOULD TOO. THANK YOU. FOR JEFF DOHERTY, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEFF DOHERTY. I WANTED TO SAY HELLO AND CONGRATULATE THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, I CURRENTLY LIVE ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE OVER NEAR PALM BEACH ROAD AND IN THAT AREA THAT WAS CREATED BY PLAT IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. I SAID, PALM BEACH COUNTY IS THAT OLD AND THINGS CHANGE. IT'S NOW MARTIN COUNTY, AND I HAVE AN AERIAL PHOTO OF THAT IN 1960S. THERE'S TWO HOUSES IN DIRT ROADS, BUT THINGS CHANGE NOW. THERE'S PAVED ROADS AND HOUSES. BACK AROUND 2009, THINGS CHANGED. WE GOT RID OF THE SEPTIC, AND THE CITY WAS ABLE TO PUT IN A PROGRAM WHERE WE COULD PAY FOR SEWER THAT'S IN THERE NOW. IT MADE THE RIVER BETTER. THINGS CHANGE. 15 YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT BRIGHT LINE, BRIGHT LINES COMING THROUGH. IT'S HERE THINGS CHANGE. EVERYTHING I JUST SAID IS HERE IS FACT EXISTS. ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THAT TRAIN THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH HERE. IS IT GOING TO STOP? THAT'S ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS TRAIN COMING. IT'S HERE NOW. WHY AM I HERE TODAY, BECAUSE I LOVE STUART. I LOVE BEING PART OF STUART. I LOVE THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M IMMERSED MYSELF IN IT. I'VE RENOVATED A COUPLE, SAVED A COUPLE HISTORIC HOMES AFTER JEAN FRANCIS AND WILMA YEARS AGO IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD OF STUART MAIN STREET. I LOVE THE DOWNTOWN. I VOLUNTEER COACH LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AT SAILFISH BASEBALL PARK AS WELL AS 10TH STREET. THIS IS BACK BEFORE CITRUS GROVE OPENED, WHEN ALL THE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL WAS HERE. I WAS ON THE BOARD OF THE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL ORGANIZING, HELPING THAT AFTER MY SON AGED OUT. I VOLUNTEER COACH THERE, SO I LOVE DOWNTOWN. I LOVE THE CITY. WHAT I DON'T LOVE THOUGH, IS HAVING TO GO TO A LOUDER AIRPORT, SPEND $45 IN GAS, $25 IN TOLL, AND $60 IN PARKING. THAT'S $130 FOR A ROUND TRIP OF PROBABLY FOUR AND A HALF. FIVE HOURS OF POTENTIALLY WHITE KNUCKLE DRIVING. I COULD TAKE THE TRAIN THERE CHEAPER WITHOUT ANY CONCERN OF DRIVING.

THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE. AND WHAT ELSE IS BOTHERS ME THAT I DON'T LOVE IS THE THOUGHT THAT I, AS A TAXPAYER, AS WELL AS MY OTHER FELLOW TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY, ARE ALSO TAXPAYERS IN THE COUNTY. WE'RE NOT ONE OR THE OTHER, WE'RE BOTH. AND IF THIS IS RESCINDED AND GOD FORBID WE GO INTO LITIGATION POTENTIALLY WITH THE COUNTY, I'M FUNDING A LAWSUIT THAT I'M BOTH THE PLAINTIFF AND THE DEFENDANT. THAT'S THAT'S A FACT. THERE'S NO GOODTHAT'S NOT BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF GOVERNMENT MONEY. I ASKED YOU, DO NOT RESCIND THIS IF YOU WANT TO RENEGOTIATE, RENEGOTIATE WHILE YOU'RE CURRENTLY IN THE AGREEMENT, BUT DO NOT PAY FOR BOTH SIDES. DON'T MAKE ME PAY FOR BOTH SIDES OF A LAWSUIT. THANK YOU. I HAVE GAIL, GOLDIE, BONNIE MOSER, THEN JUDITH FARLE. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS. GAIL GOLDIE, 12TH TERRACE IN

[04:45:02]

THEY SHARED THE CONCERNS YOU HAVE. I KNOW THEY DO BECAUSE I'VE SPOKEN TO EACH OF THEM.

PERHAPS THIS ISSUE REALLY NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED AND SIMPLY RENEGOTIATE IT, I'M VERY, VERY SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS HERE TONIGHT THAT JUST REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND. I'M NOT AGAINST THE TRAIN. I AM FOR THE TRAIN, BUT I AM NOT FOR US TO HANDLE 100% OF THE PAYMENTS FOR THE TRAIN OF WHAT THE TRAIN IS GOING TO COST. DOES ANYONE KNOW, OR IS ANYONE SAT DOWN AND REVIEWED ALL OF THE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TRAIN THAT ARE GOING TO FALL ON THE TAXPAYERS BACKS? THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT COULD POSSIBLY BANKRUPT THIS CITY. OH, THAT'S CORRECT. BANKRUPT BECAUSE THEY WILL BE BORROWING. EXCUSE ME. WE NEED TO BE COURTEOUS TO EACH OTHER. YES, THEY COULD BE BANKRUPTING THE CITY AND ALSO THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY WILL BE BORROWING MONEY THAT WILL HAVE HUGE, HUGE INTEREST RATES THAT HAVE TO BE PAID BACK ON THAT MONEY OVER 20, 30, 40 YEAR PERIOD. SO ALL I'M SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DO RESCIND THIS, THAT SIMPLY MEANS THAT IT WOULD BE RENEGOTIATED. IT IS NOT THE END OF THE TRAIN. OH, OH, I THINK YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE LAWYER ON THAT BECAUSE TO RESCIND IT DOES NOT KILL THE DEAL. IT DOES NOT KILL THE DEAL. IT DOES NOT KILL THE DEAL. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RENEGOTIATE WITH BRIGHTLINE. THANK YOU. BONNIE MOSER AND THEN JUDITH FARLEY. MISS MOSER, WITHOUT THE YOUNG CHILD AND CHILD. BEDTIME. BONNIE MOSER, 1121 SOUTHEAST 10TH STREET. I AM WITHOUT MY CHILDREN. DURING THIS MEETING, I TOOK THEM HOME, FED THEM, BATHED THEM, PUT THEM TO BED, AND NOW I'M BACK TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. I'M REALLY TIRED. SO TIRED THAT I LEFT MY LAPTOP WITH ALL MY TALKING POINTS. SO I'M GOING TO BE WINGING IT UP HERE FOR YOU ALL, BUT I'VE GOT A FEW POINTS FOR YOU, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THIS IS WHERE I WANT MY TAX DOLLARS TO BE SPENT.

I WANT THEM TO BE SPENT ON CONNECTIVITY FOR MY CHILDREN SO THEY CAN ACCESS OTHER PLACES IN OUR STATE WITHOUT HAVING TO GET INTO A CAR. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT WHY IN A SECOND. I ALSO WANT MY CHILDREN TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS RIGHT NOW. OUR DOT IN FLORIDA IS FUNDING ROADS OVERWHELMINGLY. OTHER ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. WE HAVE NO OPTIONS BUT TO DRIVE PLACES. WHY DO WE WANT OUR KIDS TO ONLY HAVE TO GO PLACES BY CAR? WHEN I WAS A KID, I GOT TO PLAY. I GOT TO RIDE MY BIKE. I GOT TO RIDE MY BIKE TO PRACTICES. I GOT TO GO TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLACES. THAT'S NOT A CHOICE ANYMORE. WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR OUR KIDS. GIVE THEM WHAT WE HAD AS KIDS. LET'S SEE. SECOND POINT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SAFETY. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK OVER THE YEARS ABOUT SAFETY, OF THE BRIGHT LINE. I WORK IN TRANSPORTATION. I'M REALLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE NUMBERS, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE TRAIN HITTING PEOPLE, SO I WANT TO. I WANT TO CLEAR SOMETHING UP, THIS IS USDOT STATISTICS. YOU CAN LOOK IT UP. FROM 2018 TO 2023, THERE WERE 297 RAIL DEATHS IN FLORIDA. THERE WERE 20,396 ROADWAY DEATHS, FOUR OF THOSE PEOPLE I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL OR BABYSAT WITH. IT'S VERY PERSONAL TO ME TO HAVE ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT ARE SAFER THAN OUR ROADWAYS. FROM 2001 TO 2009, THERE WERE 7.28 CAR DEATHS

[04:50:08]

PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. DO YOU ALL KNOW HOW MUCH WE SPEND IN THIS COUNTY EACH YEAR ON OUR ROADWAYS? $30 MILLION ANNUALLY. THAT'S OUR TAX MONEY. $30 MILLION FOR ROADS THAT ARE NOT SAFE, ROADS THAT ARE ONLY OVERWHELMINGLY SERVING CARS, AND FOR ROADS THAT ARE PERPETUALLY CONGESTED. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF POLITICIANS WHO RUN ON. THEY'RE GOING TO STOP THE CONGESTION, CONGESTION. THEY'RE GOING TO FIX IT, DARN IT. THIS IS HOW YOU CAN FIX IT. THANK YOU, MISS MOSER. JUDITH FARLEY. HELLO. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS, I'M JUDITH FARLEY. I OWN RADIANT OUTFITTERS, A BOUTIQUE DOWNTOWN RIGHT HERE ON OSCEOLA STREET.

YOU'VE SEEN ME BEFORE? SOME OF YOU, I'VE LEARNED A LOT TONIGHT, AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THE AWESOME PRESENTATION THAT THEY DID. ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS I'VE LEARNED IS THAT IT SEEMS THAT YOUR CONSTITUENCY, THE MAJORITY, REALLY WANTS THE STATION. I ALSO LEARNED THAT WE HAVE CRA FUNDING ENOUGH FOR THE STATION. THAT WAS A REALLY AWESOME FACT TO FIND OUT. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CRA, ACTUALLY. I'M IN THE ZONE. MY BUSINESS IS IN THE ZONE, AND I'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS THE FUNDS GET USED VERY WELL AND I CAN APPRECIATE A COMMISSION BOARD THAT WANTS TO RESPONSIBLY USE THE TAXPAYER MONEY AND GET THE BEST DEAL, OUT THERE. BUT I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR THAT. TO RESCIND TONIGHT, I WOULD SEE AS AN IRRESPONSIBLE THING WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SURE THING. WE HAVE A WIN. WE HAVE THE STATION TO RESCIND. TONIGHT IS A RISK. IT'S A RISK THAT BRIGHTLINE WILL NOT NEGOTIATE. THAT'S NOT A SURE THING. IT'S NOT A SURE THING THAT THEY'LL RENEGOTIATE THE TERMS. IT REALLY ISN'T. WE HAVE FORT PIERCE, LIKE WAITING TO GRAB THIS. SO THE CONSTITUENTS, THE CONSTITUENTS HERE, THE MAJORITY WANT THE STATION. WE HAVE THE WIN. WE WERE SO EXCITED TO RESCIND TONIGHT AT THE GAMBLE OF POSSIBLY BEING ABLE TO RENEGOTIATE. I JUST I JUST DON'T SEE THAT AS A GOOD USE, A GOOD RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF WANTING TO USE OUR, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. AND I THINK YOU'RE AMAZING, AND I'M GRATEFUL. BUT TONIGHT, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THAT. I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO DO THAT. I I REALLY THINK THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO IS TO LAY IT DOWN AND MOVE FORWARD, AND I REALLY THINK THAT MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO WITH STUART. I DON'T REMEMBER IF THEY'RE IN THE CRA. IS EAST STUART IN THE CRA? AND COULD WE POTENTIALLY USE BECAUSE I FOUND OUT ANOTHER FACT TONIGHT THAT THE CRA FUND, EVEN JUST SINCE LEARNING OF BRIGHTLINE, IS GROWING AND THAT WHEN BRIGHTLINE COMES, IT WILL GROW EXPONENTIALLY. CAN WE POTENTIALLY USE CRA FUNDING TO HELP EAST STUART MOVING FORWARD TO LESSEN THE IMPACT TO THEM? ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO SAY PLEASE MAKE THE RESPONSIBLE DECISION TONIGHT AND DON'T RESCIND. THANK YOU. JOE COOPER MERRITT MATHESON, THEN MARCELLA AMBLER. MR. COOPER GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, JOE COOPER, 906 NINTH STREET. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN STUART. COME TO SUPPORT THE TONIGHT'S MEETING. JUST TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT WITH

[04:55:07]

[05:00:01]

THANK YOU. WOW GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS MARCELLA CAMPBELL. SORRY, THIS IS FALLING, I AM, OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, ON AND OFF, A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF STUART, A BUSINESS OWNER, A PROPERTY OWNE, MY OFFICE IS JUST 20 STEPS AWAY. YOU KNOW, I THINK I WANT TO THANK STAFF BECAUSE THAT PRESENTATION WAS AMAZING. IT JUST IT JUST MADE ME REALIZE HOW MUCH I HAVE WORKED IN THE CITY. I THINK I ATTENDED 90% OF THOSE MEETINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY.

I HAVE DEDICATED HUNDREDS OF HOURS, BOTH PAID AND PRO-BONO, TOWARDS MOST OF THOSE PROJECTS IN THERE. I, I REMEMBER SOME OF YOU FROM MOST OF THOSE MEETINGS, A LOT OF YOU, NOT SOME OF YOU ARE NEWER IN TOWN. I SO I TRULY APPRECIATE IT, AND I WAS GOING TO COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT AS AN ARCHITECT AND A PLANNER, THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THE TRAIN. THIS COMMUNITY HAS DONE.

AMAZING. I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT ALL OF THAT. I NEED TO CHANGE WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY BECAUSE I'M TRULY IN SHOCK. I AM A MOTHER OF FOUR. MY TWO OLDEST DAUGHTERS, 23 AND 22, HAVE SEEN US TRY TO GET THE TRAIN AND THEY'RE TEXTING ME TONIGHT SAYING WE GOT THIS FAR, WE CAN DO IT. MY 12 YEAR OLD TWINS ARE IN TEARS PAST THEIR BEDTIME. THEY'RE SAYING, MOM, WE WERE GOING TO GO TO, THEY'RE 12 AND WE WERE GOING TO COME HOME FOR DINNER SOMETIMES, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I HAVE TO GO BACK TONIGHT AND TELL THEM I DON'T KNOW, MOMMY THIS TIME COULDN'T MAKE IT. I AM IN SHOCK THAT SOME OF YOU RUN BASED ON BEING THE COMMISSION THAT LISTENS. MANY OF US VOTED FOR YOU BEING THE COMMISSION THAT LISTENED, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS EVEN MORE DIVISIVE THAN BEFORE. IN THE FIRST MEETING, WE ARE SPENDING OVER FIVE HOURS, BY THE WAY. THERE'S NO AIR CONDITIONING OUTSIDE AND WE'RE ALL STANDING. AND I HAVE BIG HEELS, RIGHT? AND WE'VE SPENT FIVE HOURS DISCUSSING WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO BREAK OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, NOT JUST THE TRAIN. THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COMMISSION THAT RUN ON NOT TELLING US YOU WERE GOING TO UNDO THE TRAIN, BUT TELLING US YOU WERE GOING TO RESPECT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SO PLEASE, I AM HOPEFUL WE HAVE FOR 30 YEARS WORKED BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

PLEASE LET'S NEGOTIATE THIS. LET'S BREAK RANK. THIS IS NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PACK WE FORMED. THIS IS ABOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. LET'S THIS BE THE ONE COMMISSION THAT TRULY UNITES US ALL AGAIN. IT USED TO BE LIKE THAT IN STUART. THANK YOU VERY. I HAVE DUVET PRICE. DO IT TO LET IT DO IT. PRICE DIRECTOR. AND THEN FRANK MCCRYSTAL. ALL RIGHT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO COME IN AND SAY GOOD AFTERNOON, BUT I GUESS I'M GOING TO SAY GOOD NIGHT, GUYS, MEMBERS OF THE

[05:05:04]

RIGHT? I TRAVEL AROUND THE US, I SERVE ON BOARDS. I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN COMMUNITIES TO HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO REALLY LOOK AT PROPER DEVELOPMENT AND HOW YOU GROW AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE DEALING WITH ALL THE CONSTITUENTS AND TAXPAYERS. OH, SORRY. I ACTUALLY HAVE BUSINESS OWNER AND PROPERTY OWNER IN THE CITY OF STUART. I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT 15 YEARS, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT IN THE BEGINNING. SO NOW, AS I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS AND I'M LOOKING AT THE FOLKS COMING IN HERE TALKING ABOUT THE DEAL, A PART OF THIS IS EVERYONE IS SAYING TAXES AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND TRAFFIC ACCESS. WELL, EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT, HAVING A TOD HERE HELPS THAT DOESN'T IMPACT IT AS GREATLY AS I'M HEARING, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA. HEY, I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN BE A LAWYER ON SOCIAL MEDIA ALL DAY LONG AND TELL YOU HOW TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORK. THAT IS NOT HOW I EXPECT MY COMMISSION AND BOARD TO BASICALLY MAKE DECISIONS. YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THOSE WHO ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO HELP GUIDE YOU.

WHETHER IT'S THE PLANNER, THE CITY MANAGER, THE ATTORNEY, AND THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM THAT ARE ACTUALLY PROFESSIONALS COMING AND SPEAKING TO YOU AND SAY IN YOUR MIND NOW AS I'M LISTENING AND I'M WATCHING THIS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TEENAGERS AND I'M HOPING, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THAT WHEN THEY GROW UP, THEY WILL COME BACK TO VISIT OR ACTUALLY LIVE HERE. AND IF THEY LIVE HERE, THEY CAN GO TO THE ECONOMIC ENGINES TO ACTUALLY WORK, BUT STILL BE ABLE TO COME HOME EVERY NIGHT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL TELL YOU. WE WILL HOPE OUR KIDS ARE ABLE TO COME BACK NOW, AS I'M LISTENING WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, I WILL TELL YOU, I BELIEVE THAT THE INTENT, I HOPE THE INTENT OF THIS MOTION THAT HAS BEEN MADE IS NOT DISINGENUOUS BECAUSE BASED ON HOW I'VE SEEN THIS MEETING TRANSPIRE TONIGHT, I AM HOPING THAT THE REAL REASON IS REALLY TO GO BACK AND NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH. OKAY? BECAUSE NOT JUST AS A WAY TO GET OUT OF THE COMPLIANCE VIOLATION.

YOU GOT TO BE GOING BACK IN THERE TO DO IT IN IN GOOD FAITH, BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHERE I COME FROM, WE HAVE A PROPER RIGHT, A BIRD IN HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH RIGHT NOW. THE BIRD IN HAND IS A TRAIN STATION. DON'T LET IT GO AWAY. THANK YOU.

OH, FRANK MCCRYSTAL. TODD. TRANSPORT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. THE GLOBALIST DREAM. TAKE OUR FREEDOM AWAY. THE EVIL CAR. GET IT OFF THE ROAD. GET IT OFF THE ROAD! AT ANY COST. PACK ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE SMALL SPACES WHERE THEY WON'T NEED A CAR. THAT'S THE ROOM I'M SITTING IN RIGHT NOW. THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU ARE NOT IN THIS ROOM. THE COMMON SENSE PEOPLE THAT WANT YOU TO WORK FOR THEM. THEY ELECTED YOU. THEY'RE AT HOME GETTING READY FOR WORK TOMORROW. THEY'RE NOT IN THIS ROOM. AND YOU KNOW THAT. YOU WERE YOU WERE TOLD YOU'RE GOING TO GET A PARKING GARAGE AND A PEDESTRIAN WALK OVER. OKAY? THEY TAKE THAT AWAY. AND THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION VOTED TO APPROVE IT ANYWAYS. HIT ME AGAIN EVEN HARDER. PLEASE THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION. I HOPE THEY'RE HAVING A COME TO JESUS MOMENT AND RECOGNIZING WHY THEY'RE NOT SITTING UP HERE TONIGHT. THE COMMON SENSE STUFF WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE MONEY AND WHAT A BAD DEAL IT IS FOR TAXPAYERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO FUND THIS THING FOR $1 BILLION, MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.

IT'S RIDICULOUS. ALRIGHT, THE COMMON SENSE STUFF SAYS YOU DON'T WANT TO SLOW TRAINS DOWN

[05:10:02]

YOU NEED TO LOOK UP AT THIS COMMISSION AND RECOGNIZE WHO'S WORKING FOR YOU AND WHO'S WORKING FOR THE BIG BOYS. THANK YOU. I HAVE JOHAN AND THEN SUSAN WEAVER. WEAVER. GOOD EVENING.

HOW'S EVERYONE DOING TONIGHT? MY NAME IS JOHAN, BORN ON OCTOBER 10TH, 1998. YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE MATH. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 100 YEARS. TONIGHT, I URGE YOU TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DECISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. I STAND WITH YOU IN THIS PROCESS. YOU'RE FACED WITH A CHOICE TO EITHER EVOLVE OR STAY DEAD AND LIFELESS. TO EVOLVE.

I'M INTO EITHER REVOKE OR REMAIN STAGNANT. THE CITIES, THE CITIES NEED SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

LISTEN ATTENTIVELY. PLEASE CHOOSE WISELY. WISHING YOU ALL A BLESSED EVENING AND GET HOME SAFE. I SHARE. SUSAN WEAVER WARNER. FOR. HELLO, SUSAN WARNER, I'M A CITY OF STUART RESIDENT, LIFELONG RESIDENT, BORN AT MARTIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. I LIVE OFF OF KRUEGER CREEK. I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK TONIGHT BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY EMAILED YOU ALL AND SHARED MY GREAT SUPPORT FOR THE STATION. WHAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS ARE WERE SOME THINGS I'VE HEARD TONIGHT ABOUT THIS THEME OF IF WE RESCIND, IT'S NOT REALLY A RESCISSION, WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO RENEGOTIATE THE DEAL. SO I'M AN ATTORNEY. I AM A BUSINESS ATTORNEY. PART OF MY JOB IS NEGOTIATING DEALS, AND I HAVE NEGOTIATED HUNDREDS OF THEM. AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WHEN YOU HAVE A DEAL THAT IS DONE AND SIGNED AND FIXED, AND THEN THE OTHER PARTY BACKS OUT AND RESCINDS AND WALK AWAY, I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE OTHER SIDE COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND RENEGOTIATE. USUALLY THAT IS WHEN EVERYONE WALKS AWAY AND IT IS DEAD. THE THOUGHT THAT YOU RESCINDING MEANS IT'S VOID THAT IT EXISTS NO MORE. AND IF YOU RESCIND BRIGHT LINE NOW HAS NO INCENTIVE TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY SHOWN THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HONOR THE DEAL THAT YOU MADE. AND I WILL POINT OUT, EVERYONE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT THIS CONTRACT AS IF IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. AND NOT ALL BUT TWO OF YOU ON THIS PANEL HAD A DEAL IN NEGOTIATING IT. I MEAN, IF YOU NEEDED TO NEGOTIATE A GOOD DEAL, THEN WAS YOUR TIME TO DO IT. IF YOU DIDN'T GET THE DEAL THAT YOU WANTED BACK, THEN HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BETTER DEAL GOING FORWARD? ONCE YOU'VE ALREADY SHOWN BRIGHT LINE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HONOR OUR WORD. SO I THINK IT IS A FOOL'S ERRAND TO ASSUME AND TO TAKE THE RISK THAT IF YOU REJECT THE DEAL THAT YOU'VE SIGNED, THAT BRIGHT LINE IS AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND NOT JUST PICK UP AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO FORT PIERCE. I THINK THAT'S A HUGE GAMBLE WITH THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY. YOU HAVE A SIGNED DEAL. IT NEEDS TO BE HONORED, EVEN IF YOU CAN. WHICH I THINK I DIDN'T HEAR ENOUGH FROM MR. BAGGETT THAT RESCINDING IS ACTUALLY LEGALLY POSSIBLE. BUT EVEN IF YOU COULD, I THINK IT IS A BIG GAMBLE OF THE CITY TO THINK THAT BRIGHT LINE IS GOING TO COME BACK AND NEGOTIATE. PLEASE VOTE NO ON RESCISSION. THANK YOU. I HAVE ANDREW WALTER, ERIC WICKSTROM AND DENISE CHESLEY. HELLO

[05:15:09]

SO IN CLOSING, I'VE BEEN SITTING OVER HERE WITH LITTLE PAPER AND PAD. I GOT EIGHT PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT RESCINDING, 35 SAID, DON'T RESCIND. BOOM. THAT'S OVER 80%. IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS TO RESCIND THIS THING. THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS DENISE CHESLEY. THAT'S ALL I COULD.

HEAR I DIDN'T. GOOD EVENING, MARTIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AFTER MY RESEARCH ON BRIGHTLINE, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH HOW THEY ARE FOCUSING ON BRINGING TOURISTS FROM ORLANDO TO OUR AREA, FORT LAUDERDALE, AND MIAMI. IN JUNE OF 2024, COMMUTER PRICES HAD A 251% INCREASE FROM $399 TO $1400 FOR 40 TICKETS. IF YOU READ ARTICLES THROUGH WPTV THAT DOES NOT BENEFIT SOMEONE WANTING TO WORK AND NOW HAVING TO DRIVE WITH THEIR PRICE INCREASE, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE IF I'M NOT A SINGLE MOTHER WHO IS TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. AND NOW BRIGHTLINE, BEING A PRIVATE BUSINESS, IS ONLY LOOKING OUT FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR BOTTOM LINE IN WHICH THEY CAN INCREASE PRICES ANYTIME, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN. COMPARE THE TRI-RAIL COMMUTER TRAIN, WHICH IS COMMUNITY OWNED AND RUNS FROM MIAMI TO WEST PALM. WHY DON'T WE GET THEM TO COME UP THIS WAY? THEY ARE LOWERING THEIR PRICES TO HELP RESIDENTS. ALSO, BRIGHTLINE HAS NOT PROVIDED RESOURCES FOR THEIR STAFF WHO HAS BEEN TRAUMATIZED BY THE DEATHS OF PEOPLE KILLED BY THEIR TRAINS. I WAS RAISED IN BROWARD AND WENT TO PALM BEACH ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY FOR A MASTER'S DEGREE. WE DO NOT WANT TO BECOME AN AREA WHERE MORE CRIME AND HAVE TO HIRE MORE POLICE AND DEPUTIES. SINCE 2005, I HAVE CALLED MARTIN COUNTY HOME AND THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND CRIME IS COMING FROM COUNTIES SOUTH OF US AND THOSE LOCATING HERE FROM OTHER STATES. LOOK AT THE CRIME RATE IN RIVIERA BEACH, WEST PALM AND MIAMI. DO WE WANT THAT IN OUR COUNTY? I PERSONALLY DON'T. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF UPSTANDING RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES WILL MOVE AWAY? I KNOW ABOUT TEN FAMILIES WHO HAVE MOVED AWAY THIS PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC GROWTH AND TAXES. BRIGHTLINE'S AGENDA IS TO ADVERTISE TO TOURISTS, I BELIEVE VISITING ORLANDO TO MAKE A PROFIT MORE THAN THEY CAN FOR OUR COMMUTER PRICES. THEY ARE. I SAW THIS WEEK THEY ARE GIVING

[05:20:06]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE MAKING THE TIME AND STAYING SO LATE AND SHARING YOUR HOPES AND FEARS. MADAM CLERK, I BELIEVE WE RECEIVED A GREAT NUMBER OF EMAILS REGARDING THIS. AND DO YOU HAVE A TALLY OF HOW MANY WERE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE STATION AND THOSE WHO WERE IN FAVOR OF RESCINDING, WE HAD 246. YES. AND 36. NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I AM RULING THE. AND I CAN DO THIS UP UNTIL THE TIME THE MOTION PASSES, I'M RULING THE PRIOR MOTION OUT OF ORDER. CAN'T DO IT. YES, YOU CAN'T DO IT. WE APPROVE THE AGENDA WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. CAMPBELL, YOU CAN'T UNTIL THE MOTION PASSES. I CAN RULE IT OUT OF ORDER. YOU CAN'T. WE'RE IN A WE'RE IN. KNOW IT TILL IT PASSES. IT CAN BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE CHAIR. THAT'S WHAT MY ROBERT'S RULE SAYS. THAT IS ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. HE'S WRONG. WE APPROVE THE AGENDA. I'M NOT SAYING WE WILL NOT CONSIDER ITEM 11. I AM ONLY SAYING IN THE MOTION AND HAVE A SECOND. IT'S TIME FOR A VOTE. MY CONCERN IS THERE WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND IT WAS STATED. AND UNTIL THE MOTION PASSES, I CAN RULE IT OUT OF ORDER.

ATTORNEY CAN WE HAVE A VOTE NOW, OR ACTUALLY COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS AS PER OUR. CAN YOU READ ME THE WEATHER? IT SAYS THAT IS MY RULE. ROBERT'S RULE SAYS WHAT? THAT PRIOR TO THE MOTION PASSING, IT CAN BE RULED OUT OF ORDER. AGENDA. THERE'S A REASON WE APPROVED THE AGENDA.

IT'S ON 12 RIGHT NOW. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING. THE THIRD ONE IN A ROW. GOT YOU. OKAY. RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE HE TOOK THEM OFF THE AGENDA. IS WHAT GROUNDS ARE YOU RULING IT OUT OF ORDER ON? YOU GOT TO DO IT BY. WE GOT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THOUGH. WE HAVE TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. SO THE CHAIR MAY, ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE OR AFTER A POINT OF ORDER, RULE A MOTION OUT OF ORDER BEFORE IT HAS BEEN PASSED. BASED ON WHAT GROUNDS? IT'S ROBERT'S RULES. PULL IT UP.

YOUR ATTORNEY IS TELLING YOU YOU'RE WRONG. IT'S REALLY THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD THAT THE STAFF DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TELL THE BOARD. NO, I MEAN, HE CAN GIVE HIS OPINION, BUT THEN YOU GUYS HAVE TO FOLLOW WHATEVER YOU WANT. MY CONCERN ON THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER IS THERE WAS A MOTION A SECOND, AND THEN IT WAS STATED, AND THEN IT WENT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT THE BOARD, AS MR. MARTELL SAID, CAN SUSPEND THE RULES, CAN CHANGE THE RULES, BUT THAT SHOULD BE BY MAJORITY VOTE. MR. MAYOR OF THE AGENDA. MR. MAYOR, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES THE VOTE IS TAKEN. THE AGENDA. THE YES COMMISSIONER JOB. YOU MADE MENTION THAT IT WAS A POINT OF ORDER. WHAT WAS THE POINT OF ORDER? NO, I SAID THE MOTION IS OUT OF ORDER. THE POINT OF ORDER WAS THAT WE. WE CALLED AGENDA ITEMS TEN, 11 AND 12 AND READ THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THE MAYOR IS SAYING THAT THE MOTION IS ON NUMBER 12, AND THAT WE SHOULD HEAR THEM IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THE BOARD, WE ALL AGREE AGENDA, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW WE PRESENTED. WE PRESENTED THEM ALL THREE AT ONCE. SO THEY SHOULD ANY ONE OF THEM SHOULD BE ALLOWED. AND THEN IT WAS STATED THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER EACH IN ORDER AND VOTE ON EACH INDIVIDUALLY AND WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE ARE

[05:25:01]

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A VOTE. THAT'S OUR I DON'T KNOW HOW WE YOU'RE GOING ROGUE AS MAYOR. YES COMMISSIONER CLARK. ATTORNEY BAGGETT, DID WE READ ALL THREE RESOLUTION TITLES AND SAID WE DISCUSS ALL THREE TOGETHER AND, WE ARE. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT EVEN WITH THIS DISCUSSION AND GETTING THE INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WE WOULD TAKE RESOLUTION NUMBER NINE, DASH 24 AND, AND DEAL WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT'S THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT FROM DECEMBER THE 12TH. AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S I CAN'T TELL YOU GUYS WHAT TO DO ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. CAN WE MOVE FORWARD. NO, THAT'S MY RULING. YOU KNOW. SO THE CHAIR IS MAKING A RULING. THAT'S MY RULING. YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT RULING. I DO, IT'S OUT OF ORDER. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WHERE DO SO NOW THE FLOOR IS OPEN TO A NEW MOTION. LET'S JUST GO FORWARD.

LET'S GO FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT UP AGAIN ANYWAY. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A NEW THING.

IT'S MR. BAGGETT, WILL YOU READ RESOLUTION RESOLUTION 90-2024 FOR THE CONSIDER OUR CONSIDERATION. HOLD ON, DON'T WE HAVE WHEN YOU MADE YOUR MOTION, MR, COMMISSIONER COLLINS WAS YOUR MOTION REFERRED TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 90 DASH 2024? THAT WAS ITEM 12. OKAY SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO GO IN ORDE. I THOUGHT THAT I HONESTLY THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING IN ORDER, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING. THAT'S THE FIRST ITEM. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE OTHER TWO ITEMS COULD POSSIBLY STAY IN YOUR ALL INTERESTED IN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE LAST AMENDMENT TO THE TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT? YES. IS THAT WHAT. BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE CLEAR WHERE WE STAND ON THE OTHER TWO MOTIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN PLACE. AND IF THEY'RE IN PLACE, THEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT, SO CAN I. SOMETHING ELSE CAN I SPEAK TO THIS. YOU YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AMENDED ILA BEFORE YOU WOULD REALLY CONSIDER DOING ANYTHING WITH NUMBER TEN, THE AMENDED ILA NEEDS TO BE DISPOSED OF BEFORE YOU START TRYING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE ILA. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE ORDER. YOU WOULDN'T GO AFTER THE INITIAL ILA AND THEN DEAL WITH THE AMENDED. YOU SHOULD DEAL WITH THE AMENDED FIRST, THEN EITHER DEAL WITH NUMBER 10 OR 11. NEXT. OKAY SO THEN THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. DOES THAT NOT MAKE SENSE? MAY I RESPOND TO THAT? YOU CERTAINLY MAY, COMMISSIONER. SO MR. MAYOR, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I'VE MADE MOTIONS AND SECONDED ITEMS AND I'VE GONE AND I HAVEN'T VOTED FOR WHAT I DID, BUT IT CAME UP AS A DISCUSSION IN SUPPORT OF THE DISCUSSION. SO ANYBODY, WHETHER SOMEBODY WHO HAS MADE THE MOTION OR SECONDED IT, THEY CAN VOTE, HOPEFULLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF LISTENING TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE, STAFF, STAFF HAS DONE A GOOD JOB DOING A LOT OF EXPLANATIONS. I WANT AGAIN, I THINK WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO CAME UP AND MADE A COMMENT, MR. MARTEL, AS WELL AS MR. BAGGETT, WHEN WE DO ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO THE MOST RECENT ILA THAT WAS SIGNED, APPARENTLY BY THE VICE MAYOR TO BE SENT OVER TO THE COUNTY FOR CONSIDERATION, I AM I DO NOT WANT TO VOTE ON THAT. UNLESS I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT, WHICH I KNOW THAT I PROBABLY WILL UNDER THE SAME BECAUSE OF THIS. THE THING THAT IF WE VOTE ON THAT AND THEN WE GO BACK AND WE DO SOMETHING ELSE TO ITEM TEN AND 11, I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE THEN WE SHOULD JUST SAY, LET'S VOTE ON ITEM TEN. IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY, WE'LL KEEP IT. WE'LL KEEP IT 11. THEN WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE THAT, THE MOST RECENT THING IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO NEGOTIATE. I'LL JUST MAKE MY ARGUMENTS BECAUSE WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS ITEM 12. WE'VE HEARD, THE PUBLIC COME IN FRONT OF US AND THIS IS NOT ALL OF MY ARGUMENTS, BUT I JUST I KNOW, COMMISSIONER CLARK, I'M. WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT IF WE SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE TEENY BITE AT THE APPLE, THAT MIGHT BE THE BITE THAT TAKES THE CROWN OFF YOUR TEETH, OKAY? AND BREAKS IT FOREVER. SO I THINK THAT I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE, TO SAY THAT

[05:30:07]

AND HE MADE A MOTION WHICH WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOBY, AND IT WAS STATED. AND THEN WE WENT TO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO MY CONCERN IS THAT THAT DOES FOLLOW THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER ON HOW THE MOTION PROCEEDED, HOWEVER, I GUESS WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING IS THAT WE'VE GONE OUT OF ORDER ON THE AGENDA AND YOU GUYS DID VOTE ON THE AGENDA. THE ORDER OF IT. IF YOU RECALL, WE MOVED NUMBER 15 UP, BUT WE DIDN'T REVERSE TEN, 11 AND 12. SO I THINK WE PROBABLY HAVE A SECONDARY TYPE MOTION, ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO KEEP ITEMS TEN, 11 AND 12 IN ORDER OR TAKE UP MR. COLLINS'S, MOTION AS IT WAS BEFORE. SHOULD WE VOTE ON THAT THEN, I GUESS MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD VOTE ON WHETHER TO STAY IN ORDER OR TAKE MR. COLLINS'S MOTION WITH THE SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER JOB ON NUMBER 12. FIRST, MR. BAGGETT, THE CHAIR, HAS MADE A RULING. THERE IS ONLY ONE COURSE OF ACTION. THE BOARD CAN TAKE. BUT YOU HAVE NO PRETENSE TO DO THAT. IT'S ARBITRARY, IT'S CAPRICIOUS. YOU HAVE NO RATIONALE FOR WHY YOU DO THAT. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMPLAINT, BUT THAT IS NOT THE REQUIRED ACTION BY THE BOARD. HE JUST RECOMMENDED THAT WE VOTE. IT IS NOT UP TO MR. BAGGETT. HE'S THE ATTORNEY. ARE YOU THE KING? I AM THE CHAIR OF THIS MEETING. YOU ARE THE KING. IS THAT HOW I AM NOT SAYING THIS ITEM WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. IT WILL SIMPLY BE CONSIDERED IN THE ORDER WE ORIGINALLY AGREED TO.

THAT IS ALL. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDE. IT'S YEAH, YOU'RE YOU'RE THE LAWYER. I'VE GIVEN MY LEGAL ADVICE. I CAN'T DICTATE HOW YOU GUYS RUN. THAT'S RIGHT. HE RECOMMENDED AS OUR ATTORNEY THAT WE VOTE ON THIS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH WHAT I JUST PROPOSED WITH ITEM 12. THAT IS, THAT IS THAT'S WHAT OUR LAWYER JUST SAID. THAT'S NOT THE ACTION. THE BOARD CAN TAKE WHEN THE CHAIR IS MADE OF YOUR MOTION, THAT IT IS OUT OF ORDER, YOUR LAWYER IS TELLING YOU OTHERWISE. WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT? COMMISSIONER CLARK? I'M SORRY, MR. COMMISSIONER. I'M SORRY. OKAY, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, WHICH HAS BEEN SET. OKAY. CAN WE MOVE FORWARD? WE NEED TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT. AND THEN IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN RE GO BACK TO THE ONES IN ORDER. BUT THE MOTION WAS MADE HONESTLY, AND THAT WAS THE TIME TO SHUT IT

[05:35:03]

HOLD ON. 11. MR. MR. BAGGETT, WILL YOU READ ITEM NUMBER 11 FOR OUR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE? RESOLUTION NUMBER 92, DASH 2024, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, RESCINDING THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE TRAINS FLORIDA, LLC, DATED AUGUST 12TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR THE LONG TERM LEASE OF PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION OF A TRAIN STATION IN DOWNTOWN STUART ON FLAGLER AVENUE, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 92 2024, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION, CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, RESCINDING THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE. THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE TO APPROVE THE RESCISSION. IT'S KIND OF A NEGATIVE OF 90 2-2024. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. SO THERE IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOB. WE HAVE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEY WERE TOLD IT WOULD APPLY TO ALL THREE. SO WE DON'T NEED TO FURTHER DELIBERATION OF THE BOARD. YES, BUT SO THE BOARD MAY NOW DELIBERATE ON THIS ITEM. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS REGARDING THIS ITEM, I DO HAVE A COMMENT. NOT IN DIRECT TO THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT. NUMBER ONE, I DID ANSWER MOSTLY 98% OF THE EMAILS THAT I RECEIVED, AND THERE WERE CERTAINLY MANY PROS, MANY CONS. SO I JUST WANT THAT TO BE OUT THERE SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND.

NOT EVERYONE. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. NOT EVERYONE WHO'S IN THIS ROOM. AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR

[05:40:04]

[05:45:01]

I, I COMMERCIAL BUILDING. I DIDN'T SEE IT. ALSO IT WAS 56 MILLION IN COST FOR THE BOCA RATON STATION AND IT WAS 17 MILLION AND IMPROVEMENT FOR THE ACTUAL BUILDING. SO THEY SPENT $56 MILLION AND YOU ONLY GOT 17 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENT. AND THERE'S ZERO TAX REVENUE TO THE CITY OF BOCA FOR THAT STATION. SO AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE PROPERTY APPRAISER, LET'S SEE.

AND IT MENTIONS FROM 2020, 2021, 22, 23 AND 24, THERE IS ZERO TAX REVENUE FOR THAT STATION. AND YOU CAN SEE THE REVENUE OR THE ASSESSED VALUE AND TAXABLE VALUE GO UP. AND THE LAND GOES FROM 5.8 MILLION TO 19.5 MILLION. AND THE IMPROVEMENT VALUE WENT FROM 6.2 MILLION TO 17 MILLION, FOR A TOTAL MARKET VALUE OF $36 MILLION. BUT ZERO TAXES ARE GENERATED FOR THE CITY OF BOCA.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CLARK. OH, YOU'RE UP. OKAY, SO, I KNOW THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO STAY SALIENT TO THE, TO THE TERMS OF THE OF THE LEASE, THE GROUND LEASE. I WAS, A PART OF IT. I, I DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANY, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH IT. AND I THINK IT'S JUST THIS THIRD AGREEMENT THAT, I THINK SOME OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WEREN'T HERE, AND THEN WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE COME IN. SO WITH REGARD TO THIS, I DIDN'T GET TO TALK MUCH WHEN I, WHEN I DID ITEM NUMBER TEN. SO I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE SOME STATEMENTS. IF YOU DON'T MIND. AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE DON'T THINK WE HAVE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY FIRST I WANT TO. THIS HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO THANK STAFF. THEY HAVEN'T DONE EVERY SINGLE THING, BUT I THINK THEY'VE OPENED UP A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY'S EYES ON BOTH SIDES AND ALSO JUST BRINGING THE INFORMATION. MAYBE WE COULD HAVE HAD OUR FINANCE PERSON. I KNOW THAT BRIGHT LINE.

I THINK THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE HERE. THEY COULD GIVE INFORMATION TO US SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME IDEAS. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF. I HAD A NOTE TO ASSURE THE RESIDENTS THAT THEIR LETTERS THAT THEY SENT US, THAT THEY ARE A PART OF THE RECORD, AND I KNOW SOMEBODY HAD ASKED FOR SOMETHING TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM ALL PRINTED OUT. BUT THEIR LETTERS ARE THERE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE CAME HERE AS A TRANSPORTATION PLANNER IN MARTIN COUNTY IN 1985, BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO BECOME AN URBANIZED METROPOLITAN AREA. AND I MUST SAY, I DON'T WANT TO PICK OUT ANYBODY, BUT I WILL PICK IT OUT. I JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO, TO BONNIE MOSER AND HER SON AND TO JOHAN AND TO MR. VITALIS, SON, JUST THE YOUNG PEOPLE, JUST THEIR THEIR ZEAL TO WANT TO COME AND BECOME, BE A PART OF OUR ACTIVITIES AND OUR DECISION MAKING. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND OF COURSE, EVERYBODY WHO HAS SPOKEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, PASSENGER RAIL CREATES A CONNECTION. CONNECTIVITY IS A KEY, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION EASE OF MOVEMENT, SAFETY, SAVING GASOLINE, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS

[05:50:09]

BUT I THINK THAT AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYTHING, WHATEVER WE HAD ON THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS COMING UP TO ME AND TO ALL OF THESE THREE ITEMS, IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE OBJECTIVES THAT WERE PUT OUT HERE. OBJECTIVE TWO A, 10.02 AND OBJECTIVE TWO, A 10.3. AND ALL THOSE POLICIES, I THINK IT JUST FLIES IN THE FACE OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN TERMS OF THIS, THIS IDEA OF RESCINDING, THIS AGREEMENT AND THIS LEASE AGREEMENT THAT WAS DONE ON AUGUST THE 12TH. SO I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THAT AGREEMENT, AND WE SHOULD TRUST OUR STAFF. AND, WE CAN ALWAYS COME FORWARD IF THERE ARE ANY AMENDMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE COMPETENT STAFF AND THEY, THEY CAN THEY CAN DEAL WITH THESE THINGS. I THINK THAT THIS KIND OF A MEETING AND THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS A TEST TO US HAVING A STEADY, STABLE COMMISSION AND DISPLAYING THOUGHTFUL DECISION MAKING FOR THE GREATER GOOD. WE'RE ALWAYS NEVER GOING TO GET EVERYBODY HAPPY. AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS. EVERYBODY WON'T BE HAPPY, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE GREATER GOOD, OKAY? AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, IT'S THE GREATER GOOD TO SAY THAT MAYBE THE PRICE IS GOING TO INCREASE. SO WE SHOULDN'T BE INVOLVED WITH IT. I'M NOT GOING TO STRAY WITH REGARD TO EAST STEWART, ALL OF US REPRESENT EAST STEWART. ALL OF US REPRESENT STEWART, ALL OF US REPRESENT EAST OCEAN BOULEVARD, NORTH CLOSE UP TO NORTH RIVER SHORES IN THAT AREA, ALL OF US REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY OF STEWART AND EAST STEWART HAS. WE'VE WORKED ON A, A EAST STEWART. CODE, AN URBAN CODE.

WE'VE GOT AN EAST STEWART INVOLVED IN THE CRA. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY, WELL, IF THE PRICES GO UP ON HOUSES, THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR TAXES. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE OUT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE CAUSES ALL THESE THINGS. AND LEARNING INFORMATION AND USING INFORMATION AND MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIDE IS WHAT MAKES A AREA VIBRANT. AND STAYING WITH IT, NOT JUST CRITICIZING ALL THE TIME, BUT WORKING WITH IT. AND I THINK THAT THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PUSH THAT AND TO HELP PEOPLE TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED. AND I'M HOPING, I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT, WHETHER THEY'RE FROM EAST STEWART OR OTHER AREAS OF OUR CITY. AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THERE AND TO FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THE CRA. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PARKING SPACES AND THE PARKING GARAGE, AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY SPURRED THIS, THIS KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D CALL IT A CHANGE OF HEART, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOT KIND OF SPURRED AT THE LAST MEETING. I SAID, IF EVER IF WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THIS, I'M GOING TO DO A ONE FOR ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SHOW SOME UNITY IN OUR COMMISSION THAT IF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THEY NEEDED TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND AND FIGURE OUT SOMETHING, THEN LET'S GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. BUT I, I, I TELL YOU, AFTER LISTENING TO ALL THE CONVERSATION AND HAVING ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AND KNOW WHAT IS ON THE LINE, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T GO BACK AND CHANGE OUR MINDS AND TRY TO COURT. BRIGHT LINE AT SOME POINT. OKAY, I TALKED ABOUT ROAD SAFETY AND THAT KIND OF THING FOR IT. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IN THIS AGREEMENT HERE, RESOLUTION NUMBER 92, 2024 AND THE LAND LEASE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT, I WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT IS SO EGREGIOUS ABOUT THAT LAND LEASE, AND WHAT WHAT WHY IS IT THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE IT? WHAT IS THE EGREGIOUS PART OF THAT LAND USE LAND LEASE THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED? I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT FROM WHETHER THE COMMISSIONER WHO IS WHO HAS

[05:55:03]

I'M FROM A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND. I WAS BORN IN JAMAICA, CAME HERE WHEN I WAS 18, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS THERE'S A LITTLE PROVERB THAT I KNOW OF. IT SAYS SOMETIMES YOU'RE CUTTING OFF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE. OKAY. WE NEED TO AVOID LITIGATION. ANOTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, SUCH AS BRIGHT LINE, I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR 40 YEARS, AND WE HERE HAVE, COMPACT COMMUNITIES, HAVE TRANSIT NODES, HAVE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, SAVE ENERGY, DO THIS. AND WHEN WE TRY TO DO IT AND LET SOMETHING COME TO FRUITION, WE FIND 1 OR 2 THINGS TO NITPICK AND SAY THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT. I'M GOING TO END IN A LITTLE BIT. LET ME DO THIS BEFORE I. I FAINT, WORRIED ABOUT TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU WANT, COMMISSIONER. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING FROM A GREAT, HERO OF MINE, DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SAID FAITH, FAITH, FAITH. WE STARTED HAVING PRAYER IN OUR AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETINGS.

SO WE HAVE SOME MODICUM OF FAITH IN OUR LIVES. TAKE FAITH. TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN FAITH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE THE WHOLE STAIRCASE. JUST TAKE THE FIRST STEP. OKAY? IF BRIGHT LINE FALLS TOMORROW, IF 50 PEOPLE DIE ON THE BRIGHT LINE, TRACK, WHATEVER IT IS, LET'S STAY STEADFAST IN WHAT LITTLE PART THAT WE CAN DO. AND THE DECISION THAT WE CAN CONTROL AND TAKE CARE OF TO TRY TO MOVE TO THE FUTURE. ANOTHER THING, AND IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO BLAME ME OR SAY I'M WHATEVER I AM, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AIN'T NOBODY GOING TO TURN ME AROUND, OKAY, THAT'S A LITTLE SONG. IT'S A SPIRITUAL SONG. AND I BELIEVE THAT I MADE A DECISION IN DECEMBER 2023. I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON. I SAT AND MET WITH MY STAFF. I MET WITH BRIGHT LINE PEOPLE. I TALKED TO PEOPLE I'VE LISTENED TO PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES. I WAS OUT THERE WITH STACY INGRAM. NO. ALL ABOARD FLORIDA. I KNOW A LOT OF US DIDN'T WANT THE TRAIN, BUT WHEN WE KNOW ABOUT THE SEMANTICS OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND AND THE FEC AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, EVERYBODY HAS SAID A LOT OF THINGS HERE THAT SAYS WHY THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH. AND I SAID, MY LAST THING, DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW, OKA. WHO ARE WHO ARE WE GOING TO SAVE THAT ONE PENNY FOR? IT'S NOT A PENNY. IT'S MILLIONS. BUT DON'T BITE OFF THE. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST DON'T DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW. JUST LIKE WE'RE SAYING THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT BRIGHT LINES, MONEY AND HOW THEIR BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE RUN. WHEN WE START THIS THING. AND IF THERE'S A LAWSUIT, WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING DOWN THAT ROAD AND MONEY IS JUST GOING TO BE GOING DOWN THE RIVER. THANK YOU. I'LL BE QUICK. IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR TAXPAYERS.

IT IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE. AND THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTIONAL ENERGY BEHIND IT, BUT IT IS A BAD DEAL FOR TAXPAYERS. I DID NOT ACTUALLY VOTE ON THAT PREVIOUS AGREEMENT FOR WHOEVER SAID THAT. BUT THE BAD DEAL I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. I'M HAPPY TO. I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO IT, BUT THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE. THE ISSUE IS, CAN I TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE? THE

[06:00:01]

I'M SITTING UP HERE WITH TWO COMMISSIONERS WHO WERE NOT EVEN BORN WHEN MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE IN 1980, AND THE DOWNTOWN STUART WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NOBODY WENT THERE. IT WAS. AND WITH GREAT SKILL AND DEDICATION, DECISIONS WERE MADE TO BRING THIS DOWNTOWN TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND IT TOOK DECADES. AND WE STOOD ON EACH OTHER'S SHOULDERS. WE CREATED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN. AND THE BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO PUT SO MUCH EFFORT IN AND SO MUCH MONEY IN TO TURN OUR BACK ON THEM WHEN WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HOW BAD IT CAN BE, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PERIL.

WE AND IT TOOK DECADES TO GET HERE. IT TOOK US DECADES TO BE THE BEST COASTAL SMALL TOWN. IT TOOK US DECADES TO BE. WHAT ARE WE THAT WE. WE WON THREE AWARDS RECENTLY, AND THIS GROUP GOES, I'M NOT THROWING THE BABY AND THE BATHWATER OUT. I'M THROWING THE WHOLE TUB OUT. YES BECAUSE I AM GOING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SAYS QUITE SPECIFICALLY, WE SHALL RESTORE TRAIN SERVICE TO THIS EXACT LOCATION. THIS IS NOT COMPLICATED. DEVELOPERS TAKE NOTE, THROW A LOT OF MONEY INTO LOCAL COMMISSION RATES. GET PEOPLE VOTED UP HERE AND JUST TRASH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BECAUSE WE APPARENTLY WE DON'T EVEN RESPECT IT. AND THAT'S A HORRIBLE MESSAGE TO BE SENDING.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY. I AM THE CITY OF STUART'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES IS A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION. 411 MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE, AND IT INCLUDES A VERY POWERFUL LOBBYING ARM THAT HELPS US ACCOMPLISH IN TALLAHASSEE THE ISSUES THAT ARE VITAL TO OUR SURVIVAL BECAUSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE STATE WANTS TO GET GET RID OF CITIES. I JUST ATTENDED FOR THE FIRST TIME THEIR ANNUAL MEETING DOWN IN HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA. THERE ARE ABOUT 600 PEOPLE THERE ELECTED, MOSTLY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, BUT ALSO CITY MANAGERS AND CITY STAFF AND LEAGUE STAFF. AND YOU

[06:05:02]

AND NOW THERE ARE. AND BY THE WAY, THOSE BUSINESSES ALLOW US TO EASE THE BURDEN ON YOU, THE INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER, BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GOT TO PAY THOSE BILLS. AND IF YOU INJURE BUSINESS, THAT BILL IS GOING TO COME. DO THEY KNOW THAT THE ABILITY OF OUR, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN STUART AND LIVE IN MARTIN COUNTY, AS WAS SAID, WE CAN ACCESS SOUTH FLORIDA. WE CAN ACCESS THE CRUISE HUB, WE CAN ACCESS THE AIRPORTS, WE CAN ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS THE KRAVIS CENTER. AND THAT'S A GREAT THING. THAT IS JUST A GREAT THING. THEY KNOW THAT BEING AND THIS SPEAKS TO GEE, CAN BRIGHTLINE GET SOME SKIN IN THE GAME? THEY THEY ARE ON THE HOOK FOR SIX $1 BILLION. THIS IS A $6 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT WILL REDUCE POLLUTION, KEEP CARS OFF OF OUR ROADS, REDUCE HIGHWAY DEATHS AND HELP REDUCE AS WAS SAID, IF WE DON'T GET THESE CARS OFF THE ROAD SOMEHOW, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE PAY FOR ROADS IS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO SKYROCKET. AND IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN ROADS. AND JUST TO SPEAK, FINALLY, NOT FUN, BUT FURTHER EXPAND ON WHAT THEY'RE ON THE HOOK FOR. SO WORST CASE SCENARIO, BRIGHTLINE FAILS. WHAT HAPPENS? WE GET OUR PARKING LOT BACK AND WE GET THE BUILDING. IT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW. WE ARE. WE ARE NOT GIVING THE LAND TO THEM. WE ARE LEASING THEM THE LAND. AND FOR THE $20 MILLION, WHATEVER IT IS, WE DON'T KNOW THEY'RE AGREEING TO PAY $2 MILLION FOR 80 YEARS, $160 MILLION TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THAT STATION IN THE PARKING LOT. AND IT WILL GO ON THE TAX ROSE TAX ROLLS. SOME COMMENTS WERE MADE AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT BOCA. SO I CALLED THE MAYOR OF BOCA AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE COSTS HE PAID. THE REASON THE PARKING GARAGE IN BOCA RATON IS NOT ON THE ROADS IS BECAUSE THE CITY OF BOCA OWNS IT AND OPERATES IT FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT. AND AS I SAID, WELL, WHAT DID IT COST YOU? HE GOES, WELL, IT COSTS US YOU KNOW, HE GOES, BUT WE ALWAYS WANTED A PARKING GARAGE ANYWAY. SO IN MY MIND IT DIDN'T COST US ANYTHING. SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT COMPARING STATIONS. EVERY STATION HAS A DIFFERENT AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE, AND TO SAY THEY WON'T GET TAX, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T GET TAX FREE PROCEEDS BECAUSE THEY WILL IS JUST THAT'S APPLES AND ORANGES. YOU KNOW TO ACCOMPLISH THAT THI. THIS IS OUR JOB. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. AND WITHOUT A DOUBT, IN THIS INSTANCE, WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT. AND WITH THAT, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL? I CAN, COMMISSIONER, READ. NO COMMISSIONER JOB. NO COMMISSIONER. CLERK WHAT IS THIS? TO RESCIND, THIS IS A VOTE TO RESCIND NUMBER 92. DASH 22, 2024. THERE'S CONFUSION. THERE'S

[06:10:09]

YOU. OKAY? THANK YOU. SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS SOME CONFUSION.

WE'RE VOTING. WE'RE VOTING. I'M TRYING TO YOU JUST SAID I COULD SPEAK. YOU JUST SAID I COULD SPEAK. CAN LEE AND I TALK REAL QUICK? OH SHE'LL BE ON THE VOICE. YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN, COMMISSIONER. READ. YES. YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN. YOU DON'T NEED TO BOSS ANYBODY ELSE AROUND. LET HIM SPEAK TO HIM IF HE WANTS. IT'S NOT A MEETING. THE CITY ATTORNEY IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, SO IT'S NOT A VIOLATION OF SUNSHINE. HE'S ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY A LEGAL QUESTION, AND HE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO SO. SO WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS. WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS. SO, COMMISSIONER COLLINS, I'M I'M STILL TRYING TO MAKE MY COMMENTS. NOT IN THE ROOM. IT'S IN A NEITHER IS THE CITY ATTORNEY. IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. YOU GUYS CAN ADJOURN THE MEETING OR NOT, BUT YOU CAN WAIT FOR HIM. BUT YOU HAVE HIM. YOU HAVE QUORUM SO YOU CAN PROCEED WITHOUT HIM IF YOU WANT. ANY YE. NEITHER OF THEM SAID THEY HAD ANY CONFUSION. YOU SAID THEY WERE. NEITHER OF THEM. YOU SAID I HEARD. I HEARD THAT SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE MOTION. SHE SECONDED. SHE SECONDED. AND COUNT. SHE HAS TO SAY SHE'S CONFUSED. SHE HAS TO BRING IT FORWARD. CAN I FINISH MY COMMENT NOW? YOU SAID YOUR COMMENT. YOU'VE MADE YOUR COMMENT. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO FINISH MY COMMENT. WE'RE VOTING. WE'RE VOTING. WAS THERE CONFUSION ON THE MOTION? THERE WAS A MOTION. MAYOR RICH. SO FOR CLARIFICATIO. THE MEETING IS THE MEETING IS NOT OVER. SO ANY COMMISSIONER BEFORE THE MEETING IS OVER CAN REDO IT. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF VOTING. IT'S NOT OVER. IT'S NOT OVER YET. IT'S NOT OVER YET. CAN I SPEAK, MAYOR? RICH MAN? NO, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR FIVE MINUTES. WE WILL RECONVENE RECONVENING THIS MEETING, MR. MAYOR. COMMISSIONER JOB FIRST, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE, I WAS CONFUSED, AND I CAN ONLY FALL ON THE FACT THAT I AM A NEW COMMISSIONER. WHEN THE. WHEN THE MAYOR TOOK OFF THE MOTION THAT I HAD. SECOND, I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE VOTING ON ANOTHER ITEM. SO I WANT TO RECAST MY VOTE. WELL, I'M ASKING THE MAYOR TO RECAST. NO, IT'S NOT AN OFFER. NO.

EXCUSE ME? IT'S NOT AN OFFER. RIGHT UP UNTIL THE TIME THE, THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE ARE SPOKEN BY THE MAYOR, ANY MEMBER MAY CHANGE THEIR VOTE RIGHT. SO MADAM CLERK, COMMISSIONER COLLINS, WILL YOU PLEASE ALLOW ME TO CONDUCT THE MEETING? ABSOLUTELY MADAM CLERK, APPARENTLY, COMMISSIONER JOB WISHES TO CHANGE HER VOTE. SHALL I START OVER OR JUST START WITH? I WOULD FOR THE RECORD, ONLY COMMISSIONER JOB MAYOR REQUESTED TO CHANGE HER VOTE. OKAY, SO JUST FOR THE RECORD, CALL HER PLEASE. AS MAYOR RICH. COMMISSIONER READ. I'D LIKE IF WE DID THE ROLL CALL FROM BEGINNING TO END TO START FRESH. OKAY APPARENTLY COMMISSIONER READ WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE HIS VOTE AS WELL. SO, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU POLL THE BOARD AGAIN? COMMISSIONER CLERK, AS TO, RESOLUTION NUMBER 92 2024, I DO NOT WISH TO RESCIND THE GROUND LEASE WITH BRIGHT LINE TRAINS FLORIDA LLC. SO YOU ARE VOTING? NO, I DO NOT WISH TO, I DO NOT.

[06:15:09]

READ YES. AND I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER NEGOTIATED FROM THE BEGINNING. MAYOR RICH, YOU WANT TO. MAYOR RICH. MAYOR RICH NO. THE MOTION PASSES 3 TO 2. YES WE HAVE THE NEXT AGENDA ITE.

MR. BAGGETT, WILL YOU READ THE NEXT ITEM FOR OUR CONSIDERATION? RESOLUTION NUMBER 91, DASH 2024, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, RESCINDING THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAIN STATION IN DOWNTOWN STUART, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. MAYOR, IS THERE A MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE? APPROVAL ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 91 2024, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO RESCIND THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY FOR A TRAIN STATION. IF THERE'S A SECOND. YEAH. 91 2024, NUMBER 12. SO 91 2024 RESCINDING THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN COUNTY FOR THE TRAIN STATION.

COMMISSIONER COLLINS, WILL YOU PLEASE ASK TO BE RECOGNIZED? I SECOND THE MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOB ON 91 2024. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, SIR. MAY I MAKE ONE STATEMENT? YOU CERTAINLY MAY. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, A YES VOTE ON NUMBER 12 HERE WOULD BE TO RESCIND THE AMENDED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. A NO VOTE WOULD BE NOT TO RESCIND. SO JUST FOR ADULTS, I SAID ONE OR THE OTHER. I JUST SAID BOTH. OKAY.

HE IS ALLOWED. HE IS ALLOWED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.

MR. MARTELL, WE FAILED TO RESCIND. TEN. WE RESCINDED 11. WHERE THE HECK ARE WE NOW FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT? WELL, FROM A POTENTIAL LIABILITY STANDPOINT, TEN IS THAT WE WILL SUBMIT A JOINT SUBMITTAL TO BRIGHTLINE, INCLUDING THE TERMS THAT WERE IN THE SUBMITTAL. AND THAT OCCURRED ON MARCH 4TH. BRIGHTLINE RESPONDED TO THAT AND WE ULTIMATELY ENTERED INTO THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS RESCINDED TONIGHT. BUT BASED UPON THE RESOLUTION THAT LAST MEETING, THE AGREEMENT WAS NEVER RATIFIED BY THE CITY. SO WE NEVER ENTERED. WE DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT AS IT RELATES TO WHAT IS BEFORE US. IT WAS NEVER RATIFIED BY THE COUNTY. RIGHT.

WELL, IT'S NOT RATIFIED. IT DOESN'T. REGARDLESS, RIGHT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, WE HAVE A JOINT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY THAT WE WILL THAT WE WILL SEND AND OFFER TO BRIGHTLINE THAT THAT READS WITH VERBATIM WHATEVER IT SAYS IN THE RESOLUTION DATED DECEMBER 12TH, 2023 OR 11TH, 2023, WHATEVER THAT DATE WAS. AND I MEAN, IT'S FIVE PAGES LONG. I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERY WORD OF IT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. THERE'S ALSO CURRENTLY PENDING AN AMENDMENT TO THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY THE CITY ON THE 13TH OF AUGUST OR 14TH OF AUGUST AND SENT TO THE COUNTY FOR THEM TO CONSIDER, WHICH I BELIEVE THEY'RE TAKING UP TOMORROW. RIGHT. I ASSUME THAT IF IT GETS RESCINDED TONIGHT, THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO TAKE IT UP TOMORROW, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO TAKE UP RIGHT, BUT MAY I MAKE A MAY? I JUST FINISH MY QUESTION? THANK YOU. SIR, THANK YOU. THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, DOES THAT REQUIRE US TO BUILD A PARKING GARAGE? IF BRIGHTLINE FORCES THE ISSUE? WELL UNDER. IF, IN FACT, I MEAN, THIS IS ALL HYPOTHETICALS, RIGHT? SO IF, HYPOTHETICALLY, IT WAS THREE YEARS FROM NOW AND BRIGHTLINE HAD SUED US AND WE WENT TO TRIAL

[06:20:06]

AND HYPOTHETICALLY, AGAIN, THAT THE CONTRACT ISN'T BINDING IN THREE YEARS WHEN THE COURT HEARING IS OVER, THEN THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IS SUBMITTING THE PROPOSAL, WHICH WE SUBMITTE. SO IT WOULDN'T BE THE DECEMBER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT UNDER THE SECOND HYPOTHETICAL, WOULDN'T THERE BE NO BREACH OF IT? WE DIDN'T BREACH IT. WE DID IT. WE DID EVERYTHING IN IT. RIGHT? IT'S THERE'S LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT THAT SAYS WHAT THE CITY WOULD DO, BUT THAT FALLS UNDER THE SECOND RESOLUTION THAT WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED. RIGHT. IN AGREEMENT, COMMISSIONER CLARK. OKAY. I WANT TO USE THIS TIME TO DO WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS DO, WHICH IS SAY THINGS OUT OF TURN OR DO WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE DOING OR SAYING. ANYHOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY WITH REGARD TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 91, DASH 2024 AND FOR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY TRIBE. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, DISSENSION AMONG OUR GROUP. BUT I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN AS ADULTS AND WE'VE VOTED AND WE'VE SWORN AND TAKEN AN OATH, AND THEN WE COME AND SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, I SHOULD HAVE COULD, WOULDA. AND I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO STUDY THE MATTER AND UNDERSTAND IT AND DIGEST IT AND THEN STILL COME TO THE MEETING AND HERE ARE THE COMMENTS AND HERE ARE THE THINGS AND MAKE THE DECISIONS. YOU'RE UP HERE. WE MAY NOT BE PAID A LOT, BUT YOU'RE UP HERE TO MAKE THE DECISION. AND IT'S NOT A DECISION ON THE FLY. IT'S A DECISION THAT YOU HAVE TO STAND RESOLUTE AND PULL EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND, AND MAKE A DECISION. AND I KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONFUSION AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN'T JUST SAY BECAUSE YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO GET TO THIS POSITION THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NEW, I DIDN'T KNOW, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. AND YES, WE'RE NOT PERFECT. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN SO MANY DISPLAYS OF SO MANY THINGS. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE THE PUBLIC THAT WAS GOING TO GIVE US SOME PROBLEMS. TONIGHT. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE US WITH DIFFERENT WAYS OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE'RE GOVERNING AND HOW WE ARE LEARNING, AND RESPECTING AND BEING KIND TO EACH OTHER. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND I WILL VOTE ON THE MOTION WHEN THE TIME COMES. BUT I JUST WANT TO CAUTION US THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS KIND OF THING HAPPEN AGAIN. IT'S ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IT'S PROBABLY WE'RE PROBABLY THE NEW TICK TOCK ON, ON ON, WHATEVER. SO I JUST THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I. SO I JUST THINK, I JUST, I REALLY IF OUR CITY IF OUR AND I TRUST STAFF BUT IF, IF OUR CITY ATTORNEY CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR CITY MANAGER WILL SIT DOWN WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON AND TRY TO BRING THEM INTO THE FOLD AS TO HOW THINGS ARE OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN. BUT WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THIS KIND OF DISPLAY ON THE DAIS. AND WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE SAY, CAREFUL WHAT WE DO AND JUST AND HOW WE DO IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US. BONNIE MOSER'S CHILD AND OTHER CHILDREN AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US, AND THEY CAME UP HERE WITH GOOD INTENT TODAY TO SAY THAT THEY WANTED TO LISTEN TO US. WE CAN VOTE AGAINST THINGS, BUT IT'S THE WAY IN WHICH WE DO IT AND APPROACH IT. STUART IS BETTER THAN THAT. WE HAVE THE SMARTEST, RICHEST PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD HERE IN STUART. WE HAVE POOR PEOPLE TOO, BUT WHAT WE NEED IS EARNEST, STEADFAST PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOOD HEARTS AND GOOD MINDS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROBLEM SOLVING AND WE'RE STAYING THE COURSE. AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THAT IN OUR COMMISSION AND HAVE SOME FAITH IN US AND KNOW THAT

[06:25:03]

WE'RE WE'RE I MEAN, WE'RE REJECTING OR REJECTING THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY A STATE OF THE ART MODERN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT IMPACTS NOT JUST THE CITY, NOT JUST THE COUNTY, BUT ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA. I YOU KNOW, IT'S SO EASY TO BE AGAINST STUFF.

YEAH, THE TRICK IS FIND A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING AND MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE A DEAL AND WE HAVE DONE THAT. AND THE COMMENTS REGARDING THE DAMAGE THAT WILL BE DONE TO OUR REPUTATION ARE VERY REAL. DON'T IGNORE THAT. THIS IS NOT HOW BUSINESS PEOPLE OPERATE AND. I'M THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. NUMBER TEN, RESCINDED OR NOT, CAN WE JUST FINISH OUR ACTION ON THIS ONE, PLEASE? MR. SO, ON ITEM 12, MADAM CLERK 90 1-2024, DO YOU WISH DOES ANY COMMISSIONER WISH TO HAVE IT READ AGAIN TO THEM? NO. WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? I WILL, COMMISSIONER READ. YES, COMMISSIONER COLLINS. YES COMMISSIONER. CLARK. NO, MAYOR. RICH NO. COMMISSIONER.

JOB. YES WOW. NO YES. YES. WHAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA, SO WE MOVE IN THIS MEETING. 15. WE BROUGHT IT UP. WE ALREADY HEARD IT. SO WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN. WE ADJOURN AND RECONVENE. RIGHT.

THIS MEETING IS OVER. SO ADJOURN. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.