[* This meeting has been joined in progress *]
[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS]
[00:00:08]
FOR CONVERSATION PURPOSES. WORKING TOGETHER. OKAY. ONCE THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AND THE CANDIDATE HAS ACCEPTED THE OFFER, THOSE ARE DESTROYED. SO THEY'RE REALLY JUST FOR CONVERSATION PURPOSES. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLETE THEM, SO THEY DON'T. OH, SORRY. SORRY DON'T HAVE TO BE. SO THIS WOULDN'T CREATE A PUBLIC RECORD THEN IF I'M READING OFF OF IT, IT DOES. UNTIL THE PERSON ACCEPTS THE OFFER, THEN THOSE DON'T NEED TO BE RETAINED. OKAY.
RIGHT. SO I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD STILL TURN THEM IN AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND GET THEM BACK, BUT I MIGHT ADD MORE STUFF AS WELL. IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE THEM. IT'S GOOD TO GET THEM ALL COMPILED AT THE END OF THE MEETING, JUST SO I CAN HAND THEM TO THE CLERK. YES, THAT'D BE FINE, BUT YOU DON'T. IF YOU DON'T, DON'T CHOOSE TO USE THEM, THAT'S OKAY TOO. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE HAD THOSE. SO FOR CLARIFICATION, IF IN FACT IT WAS LIKE A PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE WHERE THE PERSON WITH THE HIGHEST RATING WAS THE PERSON THAT WAS HIRED, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED AS A PUBLIC RECORD FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO CHALLENGE THE HIRING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT THIS IS A DISCRETIONARY HIRE BY THE BOARD. SO BECAUSE OF THE SUBJECTIVE NATURE OF IT, THERE ISN'T A SCORE SHEET NECESSARILY AS MUCH AS IT'S YOUR INDIVIDUAL NOTES IN PREPARATION FOR THE HIRING. OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE. THANKS, GUYS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS, COMMISSIONER? YEAH. OKAY. COMMISSIONER. JOB, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NO, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. BECAUSE I'M SURE THIS IS RECORDED. I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATIONS AND BEING HERE FOR THE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS. COMMISSIONER CLARK, I WAS PLEASED WITH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS TODAY, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO CAME. AND I'M SORRY THAT SOME PEOPLE DROPPED OUT AND I KNOW WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON COMING UP, I THINK. WHEN DID YOU SAY MAY THE 2ND. MAY THE 1ST.
OKAY. YEAH, BUT. AN INTERESTING PROCESS. WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK IS MAY THE 1ST? I'M NOT SURE WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK IS MAY 1ST. I'M LOOKING RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S A WEEK FROM MAY 1ST IS A THURSDAY.
OKAY. IT'S SCHEDULED TO START AT 9 A.M, BUT EACH ONE OF YOU. RIGHT. IS ESSENTIALLY SEPARATE.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A MEETING ON THE FIRST BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS ONLY 45 MINUTES OR SO AND YOU'RE ALL AT A DIFFERENT TIME. AND WE FIGURED WE COULD JUST ADDRESS IT AT THE FOLLOWING CITY COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE MAY 12TH. AND IF YOU WANT, I CAN PUT ON THE MAY 12TH MEETING AN AGENDA ITEM TO SELECT THE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. SO THE CANDIDATES DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ANY LONGER THAN. RIGHT. SO MAY 12TH WILL BE THAT AGENDA. IS THE MOTION REQUIRED FOR THAT. NO. WE CAN JUST. NO I WILL DO IT FOR SURE. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS, COMMISSIONER CLARK? YES, VICE MAYOR COLLINS. I WOULD JUST ECHO THOSE SAME COMMENTS OF I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE AND ANSWER ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS AND GET TO KNOW OUR NEEDS. AS, YOU KNOW, A CLIENT AND SOMEBODY HIRING THEM AND US TO GET TO LEARN WHO THEY ARE AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS. I HAVE NO REMARKS. MR. MR. MARTEL, DO YOU
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
HAVE ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, CAN I GET A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE? SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOB. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, I OPPOSED. THERE ARE NONE. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. SEEING NO PUBLIC. FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. FOR NON AGENDA, I ASSUME MR. STUCKEY WISHES TO COMMENT ON THE SINGLE ITEM ON THE AGENDA. SO[1. DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY CANDIDATES]
WE'LL MOVE RIGHT TO THE D AND D. DISCUSSION. DELIBERATE DELIBERATION REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY CANDIDATES. I'LL BEGIN. I MUST SAY I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY THE QUALITY OF THESE CANDIDATES. THESE ARE SOME VERY EXPERIENCED, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.VERY EARNEST PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE ISSUES THAT WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY RELEVANT TO ANY EFFORT WE WOULD UNDERTAKE. SO THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION. I DON'T FEEL IT IS. AND I THINK IT'S MADE MORE DIFFICULT BY THE FACT THAT ONE REMAINS, WHO ALSO SEEMS TO BE QUITE QUALIFIED. SHE HAS SHE HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE WITH THE CLEAN WATER ACT, WHICH IS CLEARLY PROBABLY AN AVENUE THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US. SHE HAS
[00:05:03]
EXPERIENCE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE MATTERS. SHE HER VOLUNTEER EFFORTS REVEALED SOMEONE WHO FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AND I WOULD JUST HOPE WE WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO GIVE HER, YOU KNOW, EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH US AS WE'VE GIVEN THESE FOUR. SO THOSE ARE MY INITIAL COMMENTS. THANK YOU. HAVE A LIGHT ON. ARE WE ABLE TO ASK WHO YOU'RE REFERENCING TO? COMMISSIONER. HER NAME IS DIANA CARLISLE. IS THE ONE TO BE THE LAST ONE ON THE FIRST. THE LAST ONE TRAVELING AT THE MOMENT. SO THAT'S WHY SHE HAS TO BE INTERVIEWED AT A DIFFERENT.OKAY. AND THAT'S WHO YOU'RE SAYING IS THE QUALIFIED. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE READING OFF OF? YEAH. THEY'RE ALL QUALIFIED. BUT I SAY SHE'S IS SHE'S BASED OFF HER RESUME CLEARLY IS QUALIFIED TO SOME DEGREE AS THE OTHERS. SO YEAH. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES. CITY MANAGER DID YOU DID YOU.
WHEN YOU SET THIS UP FOR THE DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION THAT THAT TIME, DID WE KNOW THAT MISS CARLISLE WAS GOING TO BE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE ON THE 23RD WHEN YOU GUYS SELECTED THE TIME FRAMES, WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE HER APPEAR BY ZOOM. YEAH. AND EVERYONE SAID NO. HOWEVER, SHE COULDN'T HAVE APPEARED BY ZOOM ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S A 12 HOUR TIME FRAME. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 2:00 IN THE MORNING. OKAY, NEVER GOT TO THAT BECAUSE THE BOARD SAID NO, SEPARATE IT AND THEN HAVE IT ON THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WHICH WE'VE SCHEDULED AND IT'LL BE ON THE FIRST. YEAH. I'M THINKING THAT IF WE START DISCUSSING. THINGS TODAY THAT I DON'T THINK YOU'D BE FEARFUL FOR ONE PERSON COMING ON IF THEY'VE LISTENED TO THIS COMMISSION MEETING OR SEE THAT, OR TO EVEN THE ONES WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO, SEE IF PEOPLE ARE LEANING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TOWARDS DIFFERENT CREDENTIALS AND DIFFERENT THINGS. SO I'M NOT SURE MAYBE. ROZ, WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS IT I CAN I CAN CHIME IN ON THIS JUST BRIEFLY TOO, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT. FIRST OF ALL, IF ANYTHING, THE ADVANTAGE WOULD PROBABLY BE TO THE PERSON THAT WASN'T INTERVIEWED BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE AND HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS FIND COMPELLING OR INTERESTING, AND AS A RESULT, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO REALLY SHINE AT THEIR INTERVIEW RATHER THAN AT BEING AT A DISADVANTAGE. HOWEVER, I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT'S SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL TO DELIBERATE WITHOUT COMPLETING ALL THE INTERVIEWS. WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT, THE THEORY WAS, WELL, THIS IS REALLY OUR ONLY CHANCE TO GET YOU GUYS TOGETHER. AND SO HOW ELSE DO WE DO IT? AND WHEN I ASKED YOU GUYS AT THE MEETING WHETHER UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, DID YOU WANT TO WAIT, EVERYONE SAID, NO, WE WANT TO HAVE THIS MEETING ANYWAY BECAUSE WE WANT TO DISCUSS IT.
WHILE THE IDEAS ARE FRESH IN OUR MINDS. AND SO AFTER HAVING THE SAME DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING WHERE THIS WAS SCHEDULED, THE BOARD VOTED TO HAVE ME SCHEDULE THE MEETING BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO DISCUSS IT WHILE I WAS FRESH BEFORE THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, LOSS OF MEMORY OR HEAR OTHER THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DISCUSSED SO THAT THEY MIGHT TRIGGER THINGS DURING THEIR OWN INTERVIEWS WHILE IT WAS FRESH. I DON'T SEE THE VALUE IN DISCUSSING THE INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES THIS TIME EITHER, BECAUSE I WILL BE CALLING THEIR REFERENCES, AND OBVIOUSLY I'VE NOT DONE THAT, BUT I FOUND THAT ESPECIALLY WITH MATTER WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, IN THIS REGARD, SPEAKING TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO THEY'VE WORKED WITH OR EVEN IN ONE CASE, OPPOSED IN A LEGAL MATTER, I FIND INVALUABLE TO ASSESSING THEIR QUALIFICATIONS. SO I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT MAKE A DECISION BEFORE I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE REFERENCES. AND TWO OF THEM GAVE RICHARD GROSSO, FOR THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN 1 OR 2 IN THERE THAT SAID THEY PREFERRED NOT TO CALL REFERENCES. I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WHO SAID IS INDICATED THAT IS MISS CARLISLE, BUT THE OTHER ONES WERE HAPPY TO PROVIDE REFERENCES. COMMISSIONER GIOBBI YEAH, I THINK THAT WE ARE CERTAINLY A FAIRLY INTELLIGENT COMMISSION, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY, BUT SINCE WE SAW A MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND WE ARE TOGETHER, I THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO DISCUSS IT. WE'RE NOT MAKING A DECISION, AND WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO WAIT AND CALL ALL OF THE REFERENCES AND STILL WAIT TO SPEAK TO THE LAST ATTORNEY APPLYING. BUT AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD BE ANY SHOWING, ANY FAVORITISM HERE ON
[00:10:05]
THE DAIS. WE JUST NEED TO DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT QUALIFICATIONS. I THINK WE'RE CAPABLE OF THAT. OKAY. COMMENT, MR. VICE MAYOR. YES, I'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES IN MY INITIAL IMPRESSIONS. I'LL JUST GO IN THE ORDER OF WHO I INTERVIEWED. SO ALLISON KELLY WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. I MEAN, ALL OF ALL OF THEM WERE THEY ALL HAD THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL SORT OF SUPERPOWERS. ALLISON. IS VERY ESTABLISHED IN THE BUREAUCRATIC TRENCHES. SHE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF WHO THE PLAYERS ARE WITHIN THE AGENCIES. SOME OF MY HESITANCY WITH HER WOULD BE MY INITIAL IMPRESSION THAT I'VE ALREADY VOICED TO YOU GUYS, WHICH IS THAT THAT MAY BE IN THE SAME WAY. IT'S THEIR SUPERPOWER. IT MAY BE HER LIABILITY IS SHE IS TOO ENTRENCHED AND INSTITUTIONALIZED. MAYBE IS A GOOD WORD, BUT I THINK SHE WOULD BE A GREAT PICK IF WE WERE PURELY TRYING TO GO IN THE DIRECTION OF LIKE A DIPLOMACY, LIKE A DIPLOMATIC MAKING FRIENDS IN THE AGENCIES AND UP THE CHAIN. HARVEY HARVEY IS SURPRISED ME WITH HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE AND HOW KNOWLEDGEABLE HE IS. LIKE RIGHT OFF THE BAT, HE WAS COMING UP WITH OFF THE CUFF, YOU KNOW, WELL THOUGHT OUT DIRECTIONS THAT WE COULD BE GOING TO TRY TO PURSUE OUR INTERESTS AND WHAT TO ATTACK. MY I'LL TRY TO GIVE EVERYBODY SORT OF LIKE WHAT I THINK THE UP AND DOWN SIDE OF EACH PERSON WAS HARVEY, I THINK IS MORE OF A PART TIMER FOR THIS POSITION. I DON'T KNOW THAT HE'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF THE POSITION WITH REGARD TO BEING ALL IN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HIS MAIN FOCUS. YOU KNOW, HE'S HERE. YOU KNOW, WORKING HERE. HE HAS HIS PRACTICE. AND I THINK HE'S LOOKING FOR MORE OF LIKE A PART TIME MAYBE. SO I'D EVEN MENTIONED TO HIM WHEN HE WAS IN THE ROOM THAT DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER DIRECTION WE GO, WE HE MAY BE NICE TO LEVERAGE AS A, YOU KNOW, CONSULTANT OR SOMEBODY TO EVEN CALL TO HELP WORK WITH AS WE GO ALONG. RUTH RUTH WAS MY FAVORITE. I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY AS MUCH, RIGHT? I WAS SUPPOSED TO HOLD OUR CARDS, BUT SHE WAS. RUTH WAS MY FAVORITE THAT WE'VE SEEN TODAY OUT OF ALL WE'VE SEEN TODAY SO FAR. SHE WAS SHARP, KNOWLEDGEABLE, HAS ENOUGH INSTITUTIONAL AGENCY EXPERIENCE WITHOUT BEING INSTITUTIONALIZED.JUST KIND OF THAT SWEET SPOT. MY SORT OF DOWNSIDE FOR HER WOULD BE I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S REALLY A DOWNSIDE, BUT IT WAS A QUESTION I HAD WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED AT THE COUNTY? YOU KNOW WHAT? WHY WHY DID THAT ALL STOP? YOU KNOW, SO THAT THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE LIKED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON. BUT ALL IN ALL, SHE WAS SHE WAS REALLY SOLID.
AND KEITH MAN, KEITH WAS GREAT TOO. MORE OF A I WOULD SAY CONSERVATIVE LAWYER. I WOULD SEE HIM MORE IN THAT DIPLOMATIC KIND OF LIKE ALLISON. THEY WERE BOTH VERY. AGENCY ORIENTED, YOU KNOW, SO YOU COULD YOU COULD SEE IN HIS CONVERSATION HIS AGENCY EXPERIENCE AND AGAIN, VERY WANTING TO GO MORE OF A DIPLOMATIC ROUTE AND MAYBE IN THE DIRECTION OF WORKING WITH POLICY WITHIN AGENCIES, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A LARGER STAGE, HAVING STEWART'S INTERESTS BE REPRESENTED. BUT THOSE WERE KIND OF MY INITIAL IMPRESSIONS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO ROZ. YOU KNOW, WE GOT GOOD PEOPLE THAT THAT DECIDED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH US, AND WE HAVE GOOD CHOICES ALL AROUND, I WOULD SAY. I'LL GO. YEAH, I, I THINK ALL THE CANDIDATES WERE GREAT. I THINK SOMETHING THAT SHOULD THE BOARD SHOULD THINK ABOUT IS A
[00:15:04]
CANDIDATE UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON. THE KEY PLAYERS, THAT'S HUGE. ONE OF THEM HAS JUST MOVED HERE. GETTING UP TO SPEED I THINK IS HUGE. I MEAN, IS IT SIX MONTHS BEFORE YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE RIVER? I THAT I DON'T KNOW, THREE OF THE CANDIDATES SEEMED VERY FAMILIAR THAT WE'VE INTERVIEWED SO FAR. RUTH, KEITH AND ALLISON. I THINK WE'RE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON. RUTH OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN AT THE COUNTY, SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. ACTUALLY, THREE OF THESE CANDIDATES ACTUALLY WORK TOGETHER. THAT WAS INTERESTING. SO IT'S A SMALL WORLD. IT IS A VERY SMALL WORLD. THEY ARE ALL FRIENDS. AND THANK YOU FOR ROZ FOR KEEPING THE JOB POSTING OPEN, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES EVEN APPLYING. SOME THINGS THAT I HEARD. I KNOW SOME OF THE CANDIDATES WERE CONCERNED IF THIS WAS A LONG TERM POSITION. WE TALKED ABOUT WHERE WE WERE AS A BOARD, AND I KNOW IT WENT FIVE ZERO FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, AND I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL GOING ON DOWN THE ROAD SAYING, OH, WE DON'T NEED THIS ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY TO GO AFTER THE RIVER. IF IT WAS IF THE POSITION WAS TO BE REMOVED, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD LOOK TOO WELL TO THE PUBLIC. FOR ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT DIDN'T SUPPORT THE THIS MOVEMENT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY. I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE CITY OF STUART TO BE THE LEADING CHARGE, AND HOPEFULLY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WOULD STEP UP WITH US BECAUSE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, MARTIN COUNTY'S AFFECTED SAINT LUCIE COUNTY IS AFFECTED.THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY IT, AND IT'S ASTONISHING TO ME THAT NO MUNICIPALITY HAS PICKED THIS UP UNTIL NOW. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DISCUSSED. AND THAT THAT THAT'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST QUESTIONS IS WHY HAVEN'T THEY DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT? THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.
I'LL, I'LL I'LL CHIME IN MORE AS I GET MY THOUGHTS. COMMISSIONER CLARK, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OH, COMMISSIONER. OH. THANK YOU. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING IN ORDER. I'M SORRY. NO, NO. OKAY, SO FIRST I WANT TO THANK ROZ. BEING A NEW COMMISSIONER, IT WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE YOU IN THE ROOM. YES, FOR THAT SUPPORT AND IN AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, I WANT TO THANK ATTORNEY STUCKEY, WHO'S HERE TODAY, BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY IF IT WEREN'T FOR ATTORNEY STUCKEY, WHO HAS MADE HIS HIS LIFE MISSION AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE REQUIREMENTS AND A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, AND TO SPEAK TO THE CONCERNS OF SOME OF THE CANDIDATES. AND, COMMISSIONER REED, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE IS TO MAKE THIS A WHAT'S THE TERM? I'M LOOKING FOR AN AMENDMENT REFERENDUM, A REFERENDUM REFERENDUM SO THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEYS POSITION IS SECURE. SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO IN THE FUTURE. SHOULD A COMMISSION BOARD DECIDE THAT THEY DON'T NEED IT ANYMORE, IT WOULD TAKE A REFERENDUM, I UNDERSTAND, TO REMOVE THAT POSITION. I ALSO THOUGHT THE CANDIDATE LIST WAS EXCELLENT, JUST GOING FROM BOTTOM TO TOP. ATTORNEY SHELDON, A PLETHORA OF KNOWLEDGE HAD REALLY GOOD THINGS TO SAY AND GOOD PLACES TO LEAD US. UNFORTUNATELY, HE DID SAY THAT HE WOULD WOULD LIKE IT AT A PART TIME SITUATION. HE HAS A PRIVATE PRACTICE AND HE PLANS TO KEEP HIS CLIENT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF NEGOTIATION. AND WHAT WE WOULD DISCUSS WITH HIM IF HE WERE CONSIDERED. BUT HE DOES NOT WANT A FULL TIME POSITION. HE MADE THAT CLEAR. ALISON KELLY I WAS I THINK THAT SHE WAS EXCELLENT. ALSO MORE ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE SHE HAS A LOT OF HER KNOWLEDGE. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT SHE WAS A SCIENCE MAJOR AND REALLY MADE THE EFFORT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I KNEW SCIENCE WOULDN'T GIVE ME ANY POWER BUT KNOWLEDGE. SO SHE DID BOTH. SHE DID HER SCIENCE, AND THEN SHE WENT ON TO GET HER LAW DEGREE. AND ATTORNEY WILLIAMS, AGAIN, AN EXCELLENT CANDIDATE, HAD SOME GOOD FEEDBACK ON THINGS WE COULD DO GOING FORWARD. ATTORNEY HOLMES, I THINK THAT SHE CERTAINLY IS AN EXCELLENT CANDIDATE. SHE HAD BOTH THE ANALYTICAL SIDE, THE FINANCIAL SIDE, AND ALL OF THE DETERMINATIONS REGARDING THE RIVER AND ALL OF THE IMPLICATIONS TO THAT. SHE HAD BEEN ON THE WATER MANAGEMENT, AS SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE. SHE WORKED FOR THE COUNTY, AND TO HER, AS HER WORDS WERE, THIS WAS A JOB
[00:20:01]
UNFINISHED BECAUSE IT ALMOST GOT THERE. BUT FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THE POWERS THAT BE, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO I THINK SHE'S HOPING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN HERE. AND SO ARE WE IF SHE SHOULD BE ELECTED.THE ONE THING I DID LIKE IS THAT THREE OF THEM ARE VERY CLOSE. THEY ACTUALLY GOLF TOGETHER, AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE A RESOURCE FOR EACH OTHER, DEPENDING ON WHICH ONE THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD HELP. SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE GETTING TWO FREE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD BE GIVING THEIR EXPERTISE OR LENDING IT TO THE PERSON WHO LANDED THE POSITION. AND THEN WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE ATTORNEY THAT WILL BE HERE IN MAY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. MY TURN. OKAY.
IF YOU CHOOSE, FINE. YEAH. SO I'M I'M THE ONE WHO SAID THAT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION NOW, BUT SINCE WE'RE HAVING IT. IT AFTER ONE OF MY CONCERNS AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR OTHERS ON THE COMMISSION ARE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER TO MAKE THIS MORE PERMANENT, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS. AND EVEN TALKING TO THESE CANDIDATES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR THE CITY, AND WE HAVEN'T DECIDED, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH OR HOW FAR THIS WILL GO. SO I DID ASK THE CANDIDATES WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT SOMEWHAT OF A BLUEPRINT, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH STUFF THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO HELP US WITH, EDUCATE US ABOUT, AS WELL AS LISTEN TO US AS THE POLICY. POLICY. MAKERS IN THIS SITUATION. SO THE TIME FRAME FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTAL LAW. LAWYERS WORK IS, IS CRITICAL BASED ON WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
BUT I DID ASK THEM ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AND ABOUT OUR STATE AND OUR NATIONAL. AND A COUPLE OF THE CANDIDATES THAT HAD DONE SOME WORK WITH NATIONAL AGENCIES AND EVEN ONE OF THE CANDIDATES REFERENCED A WRITING THAT OR OR PAPER THAT ANOTHER CANDIDATE HAD DONE. SO WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AMONG THESE. THESE FOLKS. I WAS PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED. WITH. MISS HOLMES AND MISS KELLY. I, I THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE THERE THAT WOULD WORK WITH US IN OUR LOCAL LEVEL. AND I WAS ALSO IMPRESSED WITH BOTH MR. WILLIAMS AND MR. SHELDON, ALL OF THEM, AS WE'VE SAID, MOST OF YOU HAVE SAID, IS THAT THEY ALL HAVE A VERY STRONG BACKGROUND. AND ROSS AND THE OTHERS WHO WERE ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND MR. STUCKEY, FOR STICKING WITH THIS. AND WE JUST HOPE THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE HEAR FROM MISS CARLISLE AS SHE COMES FORWARD, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION AND CREATE A BLUEPRINT FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY TO HELP THE CITY OF STUART. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK MAYBE 2 OR 3 OF THEM THAT I SPOKE TO SPECIFICALLY THE QUESTION THAT COMMISSIONER REED ASKED EARLIER, IS WHY HASN'T ANY OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAKEN UP THIS ISSUE? AND IT'S THE SAME THING. THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY REALLY WANTED TO SEE STUART. BECOME SOME KIND OF A CENTRAL FORCE IN HELPING TO PIVOT SOME THINGS ALONG. SO I THINK THAT WHOEVER WE GET IN THIS POSITION WILL BE ABLE TO. I THINK THAT PRETTY SOON THERE WILL CREATE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH, AND THEY'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO LISTEN. I THINK A COUPLE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD REALLY PUT AN EFFORT INTO LISTENING TO US, THE POLICY MAKERS AS WELL AS WELL. IT'S GOING TO GO WITH IT AS WELL AS THE AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE WANTED TO HEAR SOME THINGS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WANTED TO SPEND SOME TIME WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, SOME SOME OF THE CANDIDATES THAT I TALKED TO, THEY REALLY EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING WHAT I CONSIDER SMALL THINGS AND SOME OF THOSE SMALL THINGS. I THINK WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, LIKE OUR OUR FERTILIZER ORDINANCE, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR STORM DRAINS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT REALLY WANTING TO LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF SOME THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:25:07]
WHATEVER SOMEBODY SUGGESTED DOING SOMETHING AT THE GREEN MARKET SO THAT PEOPLE START JUST GET MORE AND MORE OF THAT IDEA THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR WATER SOURCES, NOT JUST WE KNOW ABOUT TRYING TO WORK WITH THE RIVER, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TO DEVELOP THAT CONSCIOUSNESS. SO I THINK THAT THIS WAS A GREAT EXERCISE, AND WE HOPE TO GET SOME GOOD RESULTS FROM THE WORK OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE GOING TO STILL WORK ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS AND PAY FOR IT OVER THE YEARS, BUT I DID TALK TO THEM ABOUT BROWNFIELDS. I THINK I ASKED MOST OF THE CANDIDATES THAT I TALKED TO ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH BROWNFIELDS, AND I AND I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND DEVELOPING CONSENSUS, AND ALSO THEIR NEGOTIATION MEDIATION EXPERIENCE. I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THAT AND. AND I DID TALK TO SOME OF THEM, MAYBE BECAUSE IT CAME UP IN CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR LOCAL CONNECT WITH OUR GOVERNOR, WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND HOW SOME OF THAT INTERFACE WITH POTENTIAL AND ONGOING CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF NEPA THINGS THAT CAME UP AND WERE DISCUSSED, ESPECIALLY THAT ARTICLE THAT THAT CAME UP THAT ONE OF THE CANDIDATES HAD WRITTEN COMMENTARY ABOUT. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE A RICH BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE MET TODAY AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE KIND OF PULLED OUT OF THEM AS TO HOW THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THE FINAL CANDIDATES SO THAT I CAN SPEAK MORE FREELY AND MORE OPENLY ON EACH OF THE CHARACTERISTICS. BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO GO BACK TO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT COMMISSIONER REED ASKED, AND THAT WAS I JUST PUT CHECK MARKS AND I WROTE NOTES. I DIDN'T PUT ANY NUMBERS. DID ANYBODY PUT NUMBERS? WERE YOU JUST DOING A CHECK BOX? OKAY. ALRIGHT, OKAY. YEAH OKAY.ALRIGHT. SO YEAH I WASN'T SURE WHAT THAT WAS. OKAY. SO I HAD THE LIST. I MEAN I HAD THIS THING, YOU GUYS DIDN'T SEE THIS. SOMEBODY SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE IT, BUT ROSS CAME AROUND WITH THIS THING. IT DIDN'T MATTER. WHATEVER NOTES YOU WANTED TO USE WAS WHATEVER WORKED FOR YOU.
YEAH. OH. THAT'S FAIR. I WROTE. I WROTE DOWN NOTES, AND I MADE. I DID THINGS, AND I WAS FULLY EXPECTING TO HAND THEM OVER TO MARY, WHO'S NOT HERE OR WHATEVER, WHO'S RYAN. BUT ANYHOW. BUT I THINK THAT IT WAS REFRESHING, ACTUALLY. YOU KNOW, I, I HAD I HAVE MY CONCERNS. I HAD CONCERNS ABOUT BOXING SOMEBODY INTO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL AREA AND WHAT WE AND I KNEW THAT WE HAD THE RFQ AND I KNOW THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO HAVE SOME EXPECTATIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY HAD SUBMITTED AND THEIR INTEREST IN THE JOB, BUT JUST MEETING THESE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES, IT WAS IT WAS VERY REFRESHING. THEY DEFINITELY WERE NOT THE BOXED IN KIND. THEY WERE INVESTIGATORS.
THEY WERE WHATEVER DETECTORS DETECTIVES THEY HAD. THEY HAD SOME GUMPTION TO THE TYPES OF JOBS THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. THEY HAVE THEY'RE VERY TENACIOUS PEOPLE, AND I APPRECIATED THAT ABOUT THEM. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL REMARKS, MR. VICE MAYOR? NO, NO. OH, BY THE WAY, I ECHO THE VICE MAYOR'S COMMENTS. WHATEVER THEY WERE, YOU'RE ECHOING THEM A LOT. LOCK EM IN. LOCK. YOU LOST ME, COMMISSIONER. I WOULD I WOULD URGE YOU TO CALL, TO TRY TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE AT WMD, SINCE THEY ALL THREE WORKED THERE. I THINK THAT WILL.
YOU CAN FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH ALL. I ALREADY DID THIS AND THEY SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT THEM AND THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM. AND SO THAT'S A GOOD SHARED FRAME OF
[00:30:04]
REFERENCE. DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTACT SPECIFICALLY? YOU NEED TO MAKE THOSE YOURS. YOU WOULD YOU NEED TO MAKE I'M JUST CURIOUS. I WOULD START WITH JACK, JACKIE LIPPISCH. THEY DID NOT WORK THERE WITH JACKIE, BUT JACKIE COULD TELL YOU WHO TO SPEAK TO. NO, I, I KNOW PEOPLE THERE FROM. OH, GOTCHA. SO YOU DIDN'T SPEAK WITH JACKIE? I'M A GREAT DEAL OLDER THAN YOU, COMMISSIONER, SO I KNOW PEOPLE FROM THAT ERA THERE, BUT I THINK THAT'S A TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY.WHEN PEOPLE HAD THE SAME JOB, WORK FOR THE SAME PEOPLE, THEY CAN TELL YOU WHO. MISSUS HOLMES.
TERRIFIC. I KNOW PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY WHO JUST THINK SHE'S TERRIFIC. I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE NRDC. THIS IS SOMEONE WHO REALLY DID STUFF, WHO REALLY FOUGHT BATTLES, WHO REALLY ACCOMPLISHED STUFF, WHO MADE PEOPLE FOLLOW THE LAW AND FORCE THE REQUIRED ENFORCEMENT, AND WON SOME VICTORIES THAT ARE FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SO TALK ABOUT ALLISON. I AM. SO I WOULDN'T DISCREDIT THAT AS SAYING YOU THINK SHE'S TOO INSTITUTIONALIZED. I THINK SHE IS, AND OFTEN WORKING TO BE TOO DISPARAGING ABOUT HER. BUT YEAH, THAT WAS THAT WAS A, YOU KNOW, APPREHENSION I HAD. BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. I THINK A COMMON POINT OF THEM WAS WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO FIND GREATER SUCCESS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND SO THAT EXPERIENCE AT A FEDERAL MIGHT LEVEL MIGHT PROVE INVALUABLE. YEAH. SO THAT'S I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS. AND IT COULD BE A CAN BE A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD. BUT I FOUND THEM ALL TO BE VERY EARNEST, VERY RIGHT MINDED PEOPLE GENUINELY CONCERNED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. YES. AND I DON'T DISCREDIT ANY OF THEIR. SO WE WERE LUCKY. SO GOOD JOB, ROZ, IN YOUR GROUP. YEAH. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. DID YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON BEFORE ME, MR. REID? DID YOU OR DID I HAVE MY. I WANT TO ADD THIS AS WELL. THE CONSENSUS I HEARD FROM MOST OF THESE PEOPLE, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO SUE. AT THE END, I WILL TELL YOU THAT EVERY PERSON THAT I SPOKE TO, I, RUTH, KEITH AND ALLISON, I THINK WERE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON. THEY WERE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN GENERAL. SPEAKING ABOUT RUTH AND KEITH IN PARTICULAR, I THINK THEY HAD VERY GOOD CONNECTIONS TO THE AGENCIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH POLLUTING OUR WATER, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THEM BY HAVING THOSE CONNECTIONS. AND THEY WERE VERY OPEN ABOUT IT. THEY'RE ALSO A CONCERN THAT I HEARD FROM. SOME OF THE CANDIDATES WERE OUTSIDE POLITICAL INFLUENCE, THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH. THAT WAS A BIG ONE THAT I HEARD, NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE CITY, BUT FROM GOVERNING BODIES THAT ARE HIGHER THAN US. MARTIN COUNTY, IN PARTICULAR, THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I THINK. TO ME THAT WAS SHOCKING. I GUESS THAT THAT'S HOW IT PLAYS OUT, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS THE CLEAN WATER, AND I THINK THESE AGENCIES SHOULD BE CALLED OUT. THEN YOU DON'T WANT CLEAN WATER. YOU'RE NOT ON THE RIGHT TEAM. SORRY.
THEY'RE ON THE OTHER TEAM, WHICH I JUST HAVE TO COMMENT. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY. MR. SHELDON, I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT IN ASSESSING THE. YEAH, I THINK MR. WILLING TO MAKE HE WAS THERE WHEN THE WHEN THE CLEAN WATER ACT. YES. YES WHEN THEY WERE SIGNED. YEAH I AGREE WITH YOU MAYOR RICH GUY. THAT'S AMAZING. AND IT IS. YEAH. AND REMEMBER IT WAS CREATED BY RICHARD NIXON, THE EPA. AND I WANT TO GET CLARIFICATION TO THIS QUESTION WAS ASKED, AND I KNOW MAC HAD BROUGHT IT UP. HE WOULD ONLY BE SPECIFICALLY SAINT LUCIE RIVER. THE CANDIDATE. IS THAT WHAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED? BECAUSE I KNOW IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED. WOULD THEY BE HELPING OUR CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY OR NOT? THAT THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED AS WELL. AND I KNOW YEAH, THAT BASICALLY THE SCOPE OF WORK AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A BOARD. ULTIMATELY, WOULD THAT GOAL CHANGE TO WHERE I THINK THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE COMMISSION TO CORRECT? THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP. NOW. WE NEED TO RE UPDATE THAT BASED ON THE RIGHT NOW, THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE CITY COMMISSION WAS TO HIRE ESSENTIALLY TO INTERPRET THE CHARTER, TO GIVE THE CITY COMMISSION THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE A SECOND CHARTER POSITION THAT ANSWERS
[00:35:01]
DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COMMISSION AS IT RELATES TO THE DISCHARGES FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE. IF YOU WERE TO START ASSIGNING THIS ATTORNEY TASKS THAT ARE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, YOU WOULD BE DUPLICATING THE POSITION OR TRY IT. WOULD THE THERE WOULD BE A SPECTRUM OF AUTHORITY THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE OR NECESSARY UNLESS YOU LITERALLY WENT THROUGH THE POSITION OF CITY ATTORNEY AND SUBDIVIDED DIFFERENT SECTIONS AND GAVE THE NEW ATTORNEY A CERTAIN JOB DESCRIPTION, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE APPLICATION OR THE PUBLICATION WAS FOR. BUT RIGHT NOW, THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE JOB IS TO CHALLENGE THE POLLUTION ESSENTIALLY COMING INTO THE SAINT LUCIE RIVER FROM EITHER THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND OR OTHER ESTUARY ENTRANCES, SUCH AS SEA 40, 23, AND 44 AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. CONVEYANCES.RIGHT? SO THAT WOULD BE UP TO US. COMMISSIONER READ IF. YEAH, I WAS JUST WISHING TO NARROW OR EXPAND HIS SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY THERE. BUT BUT YEAH, IT'D BE CRITICAL FOR ME THAT YOU DO THAT BEFORE THE BUDGET. YES, YES. BECAUSE IT'S LIKE GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHO'S DOING WHAT IF YOU WERE TO JUST START GOING DOWN THAT PATH. YEAH, I THINK LONG TERM MAYBE THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, OUR MAIN FOCUS IS THE RIVER FOR THEM, FOR THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION. I WAS JUST BRINGING IT UP TO GET PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT IT. THE NARROWER THE FORTRESS, THE MORE IT'S NOT EASY, THOUGH I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THEY'RE ALL GOOD CANDIDATES. YEAH, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WHEN MR. WILLIAMS CAME IN, I GUESS HE THOUGHT THAT HE KNEW ME BETTER, BUT I. I LOOKED ON HERE AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND I ASKED HIM, I SAID, WELL, IF YOU WENT TO UF AND APPARENTLY HE WENT TO UF AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT I WENT, BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME FRAME. I, I CAN'T REMEMBER HIM. I'M SORRY. HE MUST HAVE. HE WAS IN ANOTHER, ANOTHER YEAR OR ANOTHER. WE HAVE GROUPS AND IF YOU'RE NOT IN THAT STUDY GROUP AND IF YOU'RE NOT HANGING WITH THOSE PEOPLE, YOU JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW THOSE PEOPLE. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
NO, NO NO NO, I JUST JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY LOOKED IT UP OR CHECKED AND SAID THEY GRADUATED AT THE SAME TIME. AND I JUST LIKE, OH MY GOD. OKAY, MAYBE I KNOW YOU FROM SOUTH FLORIDA OR SOMETHING, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER. AND THEN BUT AND I LOOKED AT THE UF AND IT, BUT IT DIDN'T GIVE THE TIME FRAME FOR WHEN HE WENT. BUT HE DID TELL ME THAT HE GRADUATED AROUND 1996 AND THAT'S WHEN I GRADUATED ALSO. SO I'M LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, I, I FEEL TERRIBLE, I'M SORRY. YEAH. AND I KNOW, I KNOW, NO, IT'S JUST SAD. NO. BUT IF THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING AND CHECKING, THEY MIGHT THINK THAT WE WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH WE DID. BUT IT'S JUST THAT WE SHOULD RECUSE YOURSELF. NO, I DON'T KNOW. NO, I DIDN'T GATOR, BECAUSE HE'S GATOR. YEAH, HE'S A GATOR THERE OKAY I DIDN'T I JUST DIDN'T I DIDN'T REALIZE I DIDN'T I'M SORRY. WHATEVER I GOT IT. VICE MAYOR. YEAH. JUST ONE ONE QUICK POINT WAS WITH TO YOUR POINT ABOUT HARVEY BEING THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE LAWS WERE CREATED, SOMETHING THAT WAS INTERESTING WAS BECAUSE OF THAT, I'M ASSUMING THE WAY THAT HE SPOKE ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT LAWS AND ACTS WAS WITH MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITY. I AGREE, BECAUSE HE HE'S HE WATCHED THEM UNFOLD. AND WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN HOW THEY BEEN AFFECTED OR OR MAYBE TO ME OR SOME OTHERS THAT WERE NOT THERE IN THAT THAT PROCESS, IT FEELS LIKE THIS MONOLITHIC THING THAT'S YOU YOU CAN'T EVEN CHALLENGE. IT WAS VERY REFRESHING TO HEAR HIM. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY PROBLEM SOLVING, EVEN HOW TO NAVIGATE THESE THINGS, BECAUSE HE HIS EXPOSURE TO THEM WHEN THEY WERE EVEN DEVELOPED. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A POINT THAT WAS INTERESTING. RIGHT? AGAIN, I THINK ALL OF THEM COULD BE A RESOURCE FOR THE OTHERS, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH, PERFECT. YEAH, SOME MIGHT HAVE. ALL RIGHT. I SAY THAT TO SAY I WANT US TO BE OPTIMISTIC IN THAT SAME WAY. COMMISSIONER REED. YEAH. I ALSO WANTED TO CHIME IN. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE APPLICANTS SAID THAT ONCE THEY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING AND THEY KIND OF HAVE A GAME PLAN, THEY CAN'T HANDLE IT ON THEIR OWN. YEAH. SO THAT YEAH, WE'VE ALL KNOWN THAT. WELL, YEAH, WE'D HAVE TO HIRE OUT JUST LIKE WE HIRE OUT NOW FOR IF WE HAD BIG LITIGATION OR SOMETHING. WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO HIRE OUT. YEAH. SO THEY HAD ALL
[00:40:02]
BROUGHT THAT UP. YES. YEAH. THEY I KNOW SPECIFICALLY THEY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RIVERS COALITION AND THERE'S SCIENTISTS THAT ARE A PART OF THAT. THEY WERE SAYING AN OUTSIDE. YEAH. INDEPENDENT. BESIDES SOMEONE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME EVEN THOUGH IT'S GREAT I BELIEVE THEY COULD BE. WHAT WAS THE WORD THEY USED. WHAT WITNESS. WHAT'D THEY CALL THAT? EXPERT. EXPERT. EXPERT WITNESS. SO THEY COULD BE AN EXPERT WITNESS AND CONTRIBUTE.BUT THEY WOULD WANT AN OUTSIDE. SO YOU'RE SAYING IF YOU FILE SUIT? YES. IF SO, THEY SAID IF IT WENT THAT DIRECTION, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ONE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO HELP THEM PREPARE FOR THAT.
AND THEN ALSO THE SCIENTISTS AND EVERYTHING TO BE WITNESSES, OUR OWN DATA AND HAVE THE DATA.
BASICALLY, THEY WANTED DATA COLLECTION. YEAH, WE HEARD THAT MULTIPLE TIMES. SO THE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER WOULD NOT BE THE LAWYER THAT WOULD FILE THE LAWSUIT. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THEM MENTIONED. UNLESS I MISINTERPRETED THEM. I MEAN, LEE WAS WITH ME. I GOT THE SENSE THAT IF THEY ACTUALLY FILED SUIT, THEY WOULD NEED HELP, HELP FROM EXPERTS AND POTENTIALLY OUTSIDE LEGAL. I MEAN, NO MATTER WHAT THEY WOULD NEED DEPENDING ON THE WITNESS.
YEAH. RIGHT. RIGHT. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S TBD, MR. MARTELL. WELL, I'M JUST SAYING, IF IT JUST SEEMED COUNTERINTUITIVE TO BE HIRING THE LAWYER TO FILE THE LAWSUIT, IF THE LAWYER WAS TELLING YOU THAT IF YOU HIRE ME, I'M NOT GOING TO FILE THE LAWSUIT. YEAH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT WAS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU GUYS WERE DOING. YEAH. WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO SAY, LEE? YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? I DIDN'T GET THE IMPRESSION OF NONE OF THEM WANTING TO FILE A LAWSUIT. QUITE THE OPPOSITE. BUT I THINK AT LEAST 2 OR 3 OF THEM DISCUSSED HAVING TO HIRE AN EXPERT WITNESS. YEAH. AND PROBABLY ONE I THINK ONE EVEN MENTIONED MAYBE HIRING ONE FOR THE CITY, LIKE AS AN EMPLOYEE, BECAUSE TO THEIR DEDICATED COMMITTED, BECAUSE THE EXPERTS, THE GOOD ONES ARE HIRED GUNS. YES. AND THAT TERM CAME UP AND SO THEY AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THEM MENTIONED. AND YOU GOT TO HAVE A GOOD EXPERT THAT'S BEEN VETTED WHO'S HAD EXPERIENCE IN COURT BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE A GREAT SCIENTIST WHO'S NEVER BEEN IN COURT AND BEING ROASTED ON CROSS-EXAMINATION. YES. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE IN COURT RELYING ON AN EXPERT WITNESS WHO IS GETTING ROASTED ON CROSS-EXAMINATION AND HAS NEVER BEEN TESTED OR VETTED. I'VE BEEN THERE. I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE. IT WAS NOT FUN. THAT'S THAT'S GOOD ADVICE. AND ONE OF THEM GAVE A WAR STORY OF THAT HAPPENING TO HIM. SO I THAT DID COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES. BUT YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY MAKES THE CHOICE TO PURSUE LITIGATION, HE'LL BE COMING BEFORE THIS COMMISSION OUTLINING WHAT THE COST, WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AND WHAT THE CONSIDERABLE COSTS ARE. AND WE WILL HAVE TO AGREE TO THAT. BUT I CAN ALSO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU WERE TO HIRE THE EXPERT TO WORK FOR THE CITY, THAT'S THE BIAS ON DAY ONE. YOU'VE NOW CRUCIFIED THAT EXPERT, EVEN IF THEY'RE THE BEST EXPERT EVER. NOW, THEIR BIAS IS THAT THEY CAN'T COME TO ANOTHER CONCLUSION OTHER THAN THEIR JOB DEPENDS ON THE CONCLUSION THEY COME TO. YEAH. SO I MEAN, IT'S THAT'S IN OF ITSELF. I DIDN'T GET THE IMPRESSION THAT ANY OF THE ONES THAT I INTERVIEWED AND WAS INTERVIEWED, THAT THEY WERE SAYING WE ACTUALLY HAD TO HIRE SOMEONE AND STAFF IN THE CITY. WHAT THEY WERE SAYING WAS HIRING A CONSULTANT TYPE PERSON IS DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE AND IF THEY'RE GOING TOWARD THAT. LITIGATION IN AN ENGINEERING FIRM, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. YEAH, BUT IT'S A LIMITED FIELD. AND I WE, COMMISSIONER REID AND MYSELF GOT INTO IT. AND SOME AT LEAST 1 OR 2 OF THEM COMMENTED THAT THE GOOD ONES ARE HIRED BY MULTIPLE PARTIES AND THEY MIGHT NOT TAKE ON OUR CASE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MORE MONEY ELSEWHERE. AND SO THAT. RIGHT. SO ONE OF THEM GAVE AN EXAMPLE. AND IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ALICE, ALLISON KELLY. I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THAT THEY HAD AN EXPERT THAT WORKED FOR THE OPPOSITE SIDE. AND THEY BROUGHT HER ON ON STAFF. THAT WAS MISS KELLY. YEAH I THINK WITH THE FIRM. SO I IT'S JUST I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S THE WAY TO GO, BUT THAT CAME UP. IT'S A CHALLENGE. WE'RE ALL I THINK ALL OF THEM SAID WE NEED SCIENTIFIC DATA. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE.
YEAH. AND MAYBE HIRING SOMEONE INSIDE TO DO THE DATA. WHAT WAS THE WHAT WAS THE SCIENTIFIC DATA FOR TO INSTEAD OF HAVING LIKE WE GATHER DATA AT THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE ON THE TOXIC TOXICITY LEVEL IN THE RIVER. BUT I THINK IT WAS DISCUSSED. MAYBE WE NEED A LOT MORE DATA ENTRY POINTS AND TO COLLECT THAT DATA. IT DIDN'T GET INTO THE WEEDS ON IT, BUT THAT WAS DISCUSSED. WELL, BUT HOW WOULD THAT HOW WOULD YOU BE WORRIED? LIKE WHATEVER THIS IF THE SCIENTIFIC DATA SAID THAT THERE WAS X NUMBER OF PARTS OF FERTILIZER AT THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE, YOU'RE SAYING YOU NEED TO HIRE THE EXPERT AND HAVE THEM WORK FOR US BECAUSE THEY WOULD TESTIFY, THE SCIENTISTS ABOUT THE DATA SCIENTIST WHO COLLECTED THE DATA WOULD NEED TO WORK FOR US. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WOULD LIE
[00:45:03]
AND SAY IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT IF THEY WORKED FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. MIKE, I DIDN'T GET INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH THEM. JUST JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S WHAT WAS DISCUSSED. I'M JUST THEY JUST WANTED DATA COLLECTION THROUGHOUT THE ESTUARY, BASICALLY. SO YOU YOU. WELL, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT. AND I THINK THAT THERE ALREADY IS LOTS OF THAT. AND YOU COULD HIRE CONSULTANTS TO COLLECT DATA ALL THE WAY TO THE SAINT JOHNS RIVER. BUT THE IDEA THAT YOU GET A SAMPLE OF WATER FROM THE RIVER AND YOUR EXPERT IS GOING TO SAY THAT THIS SAMPLE IS MADE UP OF X, IF THEY'RE GETTING A CHECK BY THE CITY OF STUART. AND WHY, IF THEY'RE GETTING A CHECK BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IT DOESN'T. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. I THINK THAT THAT'S A THAT'S OBJECTIVE, NOT SUBJECTIVE EVIDENCE. AND A SUBJECTIVE OPINION WOULD BE THAT IF THERE WAS FECAL MATTER IN THE WATER, AND I AM OF THE OPINION THAT IT COMES FROM SEPTIC TANKS OR I'M THE OPINION IT COMES FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE, BUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S FECAL MATTER IN THE WATER IS OBJECTIVE DATA. THERE'E NO WAY THE EXPERT IS GOING TO LIE AND CHANGE THEIR OPINION BECAUSE THEY WORK FOR ONE COMPANY OR THE OTHER. IT JUST WOULD NOT HAPPEN IF. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST? WELL, I'M JUST SAYING YOU WOULD THE LAWYER WOULD HIRE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CASE IS.YOU NEED THE BOARD NEEDS TO DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. IF THE LAWYER IS FILING A LAWSUIT BECAUSE THERE'S FECAL MATTER IN THE WATER, YOU'D HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO SAMPLES AND GET THE FECAL MATTER. THE QUESTION THE ULTIMATE DECISION IN THAT CASE WOULD BE WHERE'S IT COMING FROM? IS IT COMING FROM THE SEPTIC TANKS IN NORTH RIVER SHORES? IS IT COMING FROM THE NORTH FORK IN PORT SAINT LUCIE, OR IS IT COMING FROM PEOPLE SPREADING IT ON THE LAND AS FERTILIZER FOR FIELDS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SOLD. AND THOSE ISSUES MIGHT, MIGHT PLAY A ROLE. BUT I THINK THAT THE IDEA THAT THESE EXPERTS ARE THAT BOUGHT AND SOLD AS IT RELATES TO OBJECTIVE DATA IS A MISNOMER AS TO WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE, AS THE CAUSATION MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IT WASN'T BOUGHT AND SOLD ON THEIR CREDIBILITY. IT WAS BOUGHT AND SOLD ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK FOR US OR MAKE MORE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE IS WHAT THE QUESTION THAT CAME UP IN THE IN OUR INTERVIEW THAT DISCUSSED IT. SO HOW MUCH DO WE NEED TO PAY? I THINK YOU'RE GETTING IN THE WEEDS. WELL, I'M JUST CURIOUS. I MEAN, THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION. IS IT $1 MILLION? WE DIDN'T EVEN GET INTO THAT POINT. I'M. YEAH. MR. REED SAID. SOME OF THIS WAS DISCUSSED AND I'M JUST REFERENCING SOME OF THE THINGS NOBODY ASKED. NO, WE RAN OUT OF TIME ON ALMOST EVERY INTERVIEW. SO. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THE COMMISSION. WE HAD A NOT TO EXCEED OFFER. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT? I WAS GOING TO ALLOW MR. STUCKEY TO MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT IF HE CHOOSES. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING THIS FAR. AND I DO WANT TO I MEAN, EVERYBODY GETS HUNG UP ABOUT THE GREEN ALGAE. EVERYBODY NOTICED IT AND EVERYBODY GETS HUNG UP ABOUT THE FERTILIZER. BUT YOU CAN MEASURE IT. BUT WHAT'S KILLING OUR RIVER IS FRESH WATER. I MEAN, FRESH WATER IS THE MOST DAMAGING POLLUTANT THAT COMES INTO IT.
AND WHEN THEY JET IT OUT AT BILLIONS OF GALLONS A DAY, IT CRASHES SALINITY. AND IT COMES WITH THE MUD. IF YOU READ THE RIVER COALITION SUIT, WHICH I GAVE YOU, EXCERPTS FROM THE COURT FOUND TOTALLY THAT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RIVER WAS CAUSED BY THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, BUT THAT THE CAUSE OF ACTION THAT WAS BEING BROUGHT WAS COMMON TO THE PUBLIC AND NOT FOR THE LITIGANTS. SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED AS MUCH DATA AS THEY THINK THEY DO WHEN THEY FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE REAL ISSUES THAT ARE KILLING OUR RIVER. BUT THANK YOU FOR GETTING TO THIS POINT. I DO AGREE WE GOT GREAT CANDIDATES AND MISS KHALIL IS VERY PROMISING AS WELL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY TO HELP US SOLVE THIS. WHAT I THINK IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM EVER WE'VE HAD. THANK YOU, ATTORNEY STUCKEY. THIS IS FOR MATT THEN. SO, MATT, YOU'D BE LOOKING AT IT FROM A SALINITY LEVEL THEN, ONLY I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM MUD AND TURBIDITY AND FRESH WATER AND SALINITY. THAT'S WHAT'S DOING MOST OF THE DAMAGE. I MEAN, YOU COULD DUMP EVERY SEPTIC TANK AND MARTIN COUNTY IN THAT RIVER. IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THOSE DISCHARGES, IT'D STILL BE PRISTINE. AND THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND, BECAUSE TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF US, THEY STILL HAVE SEPTIC TANKS. HOW MANY IS THE QUESTION? SEPTIC TANK IS SUGAR. BB'S TO DEFLECT ATTENTION WITH THE REAL CAUSE. CORRECT. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND. CORRECT. YEAH. YOU LOOK NORTH AND SOUTH OF US. IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR. THAT'S WHY STUART IS WHY STUART IS THE BEST PLAINTIFF FOR IF WE HAVE TO FILE A LAWSUIT, I DON'T THINK I THINK THEY CAN WIN THIS CASE IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION. BUT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S TALKING ABOUT IT NONSTOP WITH THE CITY OF STUART INTEREST ONLY IN MIND. THANKS AGAIN. I GOT TO GO BACK. I GOT TWO HOURS BEFORE I GO VISIT MY GRANDCHILDREN. OKAY. THANK YOU, TONY STUCKEY. THANK YOU. OKAY.
[00:50:03]
BUT YEAH, IT'S A BIG THING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT AS A BOARD. WHY DON'T THEY HAVE AN ISSUE NORTH AND SOUTH OF US? SIMPLE QUESTION. WHY? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? THEY DON'T HAVE DISCHARGES NORTH AND SOUTH OF US. I MEAN, IT'S THAT'S RIGHT. THERE'S NO DISPUTE DISCHARGES.THERE'S NO DISPUTING THAT. YEAH. LIKE I SAID, NORTH AND SOUTH. IF YOU WANT TO GO ENJOY THE WATER, GO NORTH AND SOUTH. YOU COME TO THE CITY OF STUART. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ENJOY OUR RIVER. MAYBE ON A HIGH TIDE. GO TO THE SANDBAR. CLEAR. CHIEF, DO YOU WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT? NO.
THAT'S. THAT'S BEEN MY THING. AND? AND I KNOW FOR THE ONES THAT GREW UP HERE FISHING AND ENJOYING THE WATER, IT'S. I REMEMBER AS A KID FISHING THE HOUSE OF REFUGE, THERE WAS GRASS FLATS THERE. WE CAUGHT SNOOK, WE CAUGHT SHARKS. YOU COULD CATCH BAIT. GUESS WHAT? THERE'S NO GRASS FLATS. THERE DOESN'T EXIST. SO.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.