Sep 08, 2025 Regular City Commission Meeting

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ATTENDED. I'M CALLING TO ORDER THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE STUART CITY COMMISSION. LET ME GET MY MIC HERE FOR THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR RITCH HERE. VICE

[ROLL CALL]

AND THIS AFTERNOON, OUR INVOCATION. WE'RE ALL GLAD TO SEE HIM BACK. WE'LL BE PROVIDED BY CHAPLAIN ED SKIBA. AND AFTER HIS INVOCATION, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IN RECOGNITION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH OF SO MANY YEARS AGO, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN HONOR GUARD BY THE POLICE. AND THEN WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AFTER THAT? THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY OFFICERS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CITIZENS OF STUART. IT'S JUST AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO COME AND INVITE THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY INTO THESE PROCEEDINGS. EXCUSE ME. I HAVE A FROG IN MY THROAT, AND I DON'T REMEMBER EATING ONE. RIGHT. BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GO BEFORE THE LORD AND HAVE HIM OVERSEE WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON HERE. SO LET'S GO TO HIM. OUR GOD AND OUR FATHER. GREAT CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE. YOU BLESS US IN WAYS BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION. THIS GREAT NATION.

YOU GIVEN US THE BEST ON THE IN THE WORLD. YOU GIVE US THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING HERE. WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND ALL THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE UNTIL WE'VE BEEN AROUND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AND REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE IT. WE THANK YOU THAT YOU'VE HONORED US WITH BEING ABLE TO BE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT NATION. LORD, WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO PROSPER AND DEVELOP THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF STUART. YOU GUIDE AND DIRECT OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR, THE OFFICERS. YOU GUIDE THEM IN THE DIRECTION YOU'LL HAVE THEM GO, NOT IN THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO. LORD, SHOW US WHAT YOU'LL HAVE US DO, AND LET US BE A SHINING EXAMPLE FOR THE TREASURE COAST. BLESS US IN ALL THAT WE DO. FATHER, I ASK NOW UPON THIS CITY AND UPON ITS CITIZENS, THE IRONIC BLESSING. MAY THE LORD BLESS US AND KEEP US. MAY HE MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON US, AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO US. MAY HE TURN HIS COUNTENANCE TOWARDS US. AND IN THE GRACE AND THE LOVE OF HIS SON JESUS, MAY HE BRING US PEACE. AMEN. COLOR GUARD. PRESENT THE COLORS.

THANK YOU. FEEL. NOW JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG 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. IF WE COULD JUST HOLD THE THE COLOR GUARD RIGHT THERE FOR A MOMENT, TAKE A PHOTO. AND SO WHEN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST RECOGNIZE LIEUTENANT SHINE, WHO'S HERE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM, LIEUTENANT SHINE HAS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER JUST OVER 22 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE. AND. LIEUTENANT SHINE IS A GET IT DONE KIND OF BOSS. AND HE HAS SERVED HONORABLY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR HIS 22 YEARS. AND WE SALUTE HIS SERVICE. AND THIS WILL BE HIS LAST MEETING LIKELY THAT HE'S GOING TO ATTEND AS A POLICE OFFICER. SO THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT SHINE, AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST IN RETIREMENT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HI, GUYS. AND I ALSO MENTIONED THAT LIEUTENANT SHINE IS A PROUD RETIRED US MARINE. OVER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE. SO HERE'S A MAN THAT HAS DEDICATED HIS WHOLE LIFE TO THIS COUNTRY. AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM AROUND ANYMORE. THANK YOU. THE LIGHT. APPRECIATE YOU, MY BROTHER. PASSPORT. I'M SORRY. HOLD ON. WE HAVE MISS FORD.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO YOUR SONG WHILE THE COLOR GUARD IS UP HERE? YOU WANT TO COME TO THE

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UNDER THE GLOW OF THE VERY BRIGHT LIGHT. I TURN MY FACE TOWARDS THE WARM NIGHT SKY. AND I AM NOT AFRAID OF A THOUSAND EYES WHEN THERE'S A. 500 SMILE. OH, I USED TO THINK. WHAT WOULDN'T I GIVE FOR A MOMENT LIKE THIS? THIS MOMENT IS GIVING. AND NOW LOOK AT ME. IN THIS OPPORTUNITY. IT'S STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. AND ONE THING I KNOW, IT'S ONLY PART LUCK. AND SO I'M PUTTING ON MY BEST SHOW UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT. THE START OF MY LIFE. BIG DREAMS BECOMING REAL TONIGHT. SO LOOK AT ME. AND THIS OPPORTUNITY. YOU'RE WITNESSING MY MOMENT. YOU SEE? ANOTHER GUARD RETIRE THE COLORS. ALL.

PLEASE BE SEATED. NOPE, NOPE. OKAY, OKAY. WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT. SHE HAS IT. IS THERE IS THERE ONE HERE FOR. SHE'S CHECKING ON IT REAL QUICK. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS FORD. THAT WAS VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE CAN GO AHEAD. MR. BAGGETT, CAN YOU READ OUR FIRST PROCLAMATION

[PROCLAMATIONS]

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TELL TELL THE PUBLIC IT'S NOT SATURDAY EITHER. THURSDAY. THURSDAY. THURSDAY? YES. THIS THURSDAY WE'RE DOING POLICE AND FIRE NINE OVER 11 MEMORIAL WALK ON THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE. SO JOIN US. THANK YOU. OKAY. MR. BAGGETT. ITEM NUMBER. PROCLAMATION NUMBER TWO FOR THIS AFTERNOON. WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2025 MARKS THE 238TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY 39 BRAVE PATRIOTS. AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO ACCORD OFFICIAL RECOGNITION TO THIS ENDURING DOCUMENT IN THIS MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY AND TO PATRIOTIC CELEBRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS WHICH WILL COMMEMORATE THE OCCASION. AND WHEREAS PUBLIC LAW 915, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT D EISENHOWER IN 1956, DESIGNATES SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23RD OF EACH YEAR AS CONSTITUTION WEEK. NOW THEREFORE, I. CAMPBELL RICH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD, 2025 AS. CONSTITUTION WEEK AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNITION OF CONSTITUTION WEEK IS KATHY MCCARTNEY OF THE HAL PATIO CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. GOOD AFTERNOON, MISS MCCARTNEY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KATHY MCCARTNEY, AND I'M THE REGENT OF HAL PATIO CHAPTER, NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. HAL PATIO CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF STUART, ACKNOWLEDGING SEPTEMBER THE 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK. THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT, STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO THE TENACITY OF AMERICANS THROUGHOUT HISTORY TO MAINTAIN THEIR LIBERTIES, FREEDOMS, AND INALIENABLE RIGHTS, AND CONSTITUTION WEEK IS CELEBRATED ANNUALLY DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER THE 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD TO COMMEMORATE ITS HISTORY, IMPORTANCE, AND BRING ATTENTION TO HOW IT SERVES STILL TO US TODAY. THE CELEBRATION OF CONSTITUTION WAS STARTED BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN 1955. DAR PETITION CONGRESS TO SET ASIDE SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD ANNUALLY TO BE DEDICATED FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF CONSTITUTION WEEK. THE RESOLUTION, AS YOU STATED EARLIER, WAS LATER ADOPTED BY THE US CONGRESS AND SIGNED INTO PUBLIC LAW ON AUGUST 2ND, 1956 BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT D EISENHOWER. THE DAR HAS ALSO ERECTED A STRUCTURE THAT IS BUILT IN TRIBUTE TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. DAR CONSTITUTION HALL, WHICH IS A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, OPENED IN 1929. THE AIMS OF CONSTITUTION WEEK CELEBRATION ARE TO EMPHASIZE CITIZENS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROTECTING AND DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION, INFORM PEOPLE THE CONCERNS THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS THE BASIS FOR AMERICA'S GREAT HERITAGE AND THE FOUNDATION OF OUR WAY OF LIFE.

ENCOURAGE THE STUDY OF HISTORICAL EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE FRAMING OF THE CONSTITUTION IN SEPTEMBER 1787. CONSTITUTION WEEK IS A GREAT TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT DOCUMENT AND CELEBRATE THE FREEDOMS IT GAVE US. AND ALSO, I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF STUART, I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING. ON SEPTEMBER THE 18TH, WE WILL BE READING AND HOW PATTY OAKEY WILL BE ATTENDING AS WELL. THE CONSTITUTION AT THE BLAKE LIBRARY AT 3:00. AND I HOPE THAT THE CITIZENS OF MARTIN COUNTY, AS WELL AS STUART, ATTEND. ONE LAST THING I WANT TO EDUCATE YOU ABOUT, BECAUSE I'M A TEACHER, RETIRED BELLS ACROSS AMERICA, WHICH IS ANOTHER EVENT THAT WE THAT IS IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF SIGNING THE US CONSTITUTION.

PARTICIPANTS GATHER TO RING BELLS MUCH AS THE CHURCH BELLS OF PHILADELPHIA RANG OUT. WHEN

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JUST A COUPLE MORE, AND THEN YOU CAN JUMP UP WITH YOUR THUMBS UP COUPLE TIMES. YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PHOTOGRAPHERS. YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. BAGGOTT, OUR THIRD PROCLAMATION FOR THE EVENING. WHEREAS HUNGER AND POVERTY REMAIN ISSUES OF GRAVE CONCERN IN THE UNITED STATES, THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND ON THE TREASURE COAST, WITH 250,000 CHILDREN, ADULTS, SENIORS AND VETERANS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY ON A WEEKLY BASIS. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF STUART IS COMMITTED TO TAKING STEPS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE NEED TO END HUNGER IN EVERY PART OF OUR CITY, AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT THE CITIZENS OF STUART NEED. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF STUART IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK IN MOBILIZING PEOPLE ABOUT THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF FOOD BANKS AND OTHER HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS IN ADDRESSING HUNGER AND BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE NEED TO DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES AND ATTENTION TO HUNGER ISSUES. AND WHEREAS, FOOD BANKS AND HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK, COORDINATED HUNGER ACTION DAY ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025, AND WILL CONTINUE TO HOST NUMEROUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER TO SHED LIGHT ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT IN EFFORTS TO END HUNGER IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY. NOW, THEREFORE, I, CAMPBELL RICH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF STUART, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2025 AS HUNGER ACTION MONTH AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION THIS AFTERNOON IN RECOGNITION OF HUNGER ACTION MONTH IS MR. RUFUS BIRD. HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AT THE TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK.

IS MR. BURT. OH, THERE HE IS. MR. BURT, I DON'T THINK YOU AND I HAVE EVER MET. WE HAVEN'T.

YEAH, BUT IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU ALL. YEAH. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS, PLEASE? YES. MY NAME IS RUFUS BIRD. AND ON BEHALF OF THE TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO, JUDITH KRUSE, OUR DEDICATED STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE JUST WANT TO THANK THE FOCUS AND THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM THIS WONDERFUL CITY.

AS WE ALL KNOW, WE HAVE PROBABLY GOOD FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES. BUT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, GREAT COMMUNITIES, GREAT PEOPLE TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. AND WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AGAIN. CLAY. YOU HAVE A NEW PROFESSION TITLE. I COULD JUST GET THE COMMISSIONER TO SMILE. WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THE PHOTO IN PHOTOSHOP THAT OUT. WE CAN'T WE CAN'T DROP US OUT. OKAY. 123123. THEN WE'LL GET ONE. THIS MAYBE. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THANK YOU MUCH, SIR. THANK YOU. TELL ROB. TELL ROB WE SAY HELLO.

JESSICA. JESSICA. AND FINALLY, MR. BAGGETT, OUR LAST PROCLAMATION OF THE AFTERNOON.

WHEREAS THE BIBLE IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THE AMERICAN HERITAGE AND IS THE

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AND WHEREAS THE YEAR 1990 WAS PROCLAIMED BY A JOINT CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION AND PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF BIBLE READING AND BIBLE READING WEEK HAS BEEN CELEBRATED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER. AND WHEREAS THE BIBLE IS THE FOUNDATION FOR MANY BLESSINGS THAT WE ENJOY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NOW, THEREFORE, I, CAMPBELL RICH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF STUART, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 2ND THROUGH THE SIXTH, 2025 AS 25TH ANNUAL BIBLE READING MARATHON. AND JUST TO READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH THERE, MR. BAGGETT. IN HONOR IN HONOR OF THIS WEEK, THE 25TH ANNUAL BIBLE READING MARATHON CELEBRATES THE FREEDOMS OF OUR NATION AT THE BANDSHELL IN MEMORIAL PARK WITH 90 HOUR CONTINUOUS READ THROUGH OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE, LIFTING UP THE WORD OF GOD, THE WORD THAT CREATED OUR NATION AND CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN OUR NATION. WELL, OKAY. AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION IN RECOGNITION OF THE UPCOMING ANNUAL BIBLE READING MARATHON 90 HOURS. REALLY? THAT'S WOW. OUR PASTORS EDDIE AND JOANNE RODRIGUEZ AND DOCTOR JULIE BJORNSON. YEAH, YOU SPEAK FIRST. WOW. GOOD. ANYWAY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.

THIS EVENT IS REALLY. COULD YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE A BIT CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH? I'LL START OVER. THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR BIBLE READING MARATHON FOR 25 YEARS WITH YOUR PROCLAMATION. THIS EVENT IS VERY SPECIAL TO ME. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHILE IN CANADA, I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A SNOW PLOW DURING A WHITEOUT SNOWSTORM. THE PLOW WAS UNAWARE THE ROAD HAD BEEN BLOCKED. I HAD ONE OF THOSE SUPERNATURAL OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES. I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS DEAD, BUT I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER BEING PUSHED BACK INTO MY BODY. IT WAS REAL. THE FIRST THING I HEARD WHEN I WAS ER BACK HOME WAS ARISE, SHINE THE LIGHT HAS COME. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS A BIBLE VERSE AT THAT TIME.

THROUGH MY HEALING JOURNEY, THE BIBLE BECAME ALIVE. THE BIBLE SAYS FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. SO I CONSTANTLY CHALLENGED MYSELF AS I WAS LEARNING TO WALK AND TALK AGAIN.

I DID NOT RETURN TO MY PRACTICE, BUT BECAME MORE INVOLVED IN MY SMALL COMMUNITY. I LEARNED HEALING TAKES, PUTTING GOD FIRST AND SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF A COMMUNITY, NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR'S OFFICE. I THINK SOMETIMES AMERICANS TAKE THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE FOR GRANTED.

I KNOW I DID. I LEARNED CANADA'S SOCIALISM IS NOT GOD BASED. THEY HAVE NO CONSTITUTION PROTECTION, NO AUTHORITY, NO RIGHTS, NO WAY TO PROTEST THE BIBLE. GOD'S AUTHORITY ON EARTH THAT WE READ EACH YEAR IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FREEDOMS, OUR CONSTITUTION AND OUR UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE HELPING TO ESTABLISH THIS BIBLE READING MARATHON IS MY THANK YOU GIFT TO GOD FOR MY LIFE, FOR MY HEALING JOURNEY AND FOR OUR NATION. GOD WILL HEAL OUR LAND AND WE, WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES AND LISTEN AND OBEY, GOD'S LOVE NEVER FAILS. DWIGHT EISENHOWER SAID, I'M SORRY, I'M JUST A LITTLE LONG. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH AMERICA THAT FAITH IN GOD, LOVE OF FREEDOM, INTELLIGENCE AND THE ENERGY OF HER CITIZENS CANNOT CURE. I LOVE GOD, I LOVE THE BIBLE, AND I LOVE OUR COUNTRY. I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE BIBLE READING MARATHON THESE 25 YEARS, ESPECIALLY THIS COUNTY, THIS CITY OF STUART COUNTY. COMMISSIONERS. WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, MAY THE CITY OF STUART CONTINUE TO BE A LIGHT IN OUR PRESENT NATIONAL STRUGGLES AGAINST DARKNESS. PLEASE COME AND SHARE THE BIBLE WITH US NOW. AT THE END OF THEM, CAN I SAY ONE THING ABOUT 911? THANK YOU DOCTOR. JULIE. THANK YOU DOCTOR JULIE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR ONCE AGAIN PRESENTING US WITH A PROCLAMATION. THIS IS THE SILVER JUBILEE, 25 YEARS OF THE BIBLE READING MARATHON. IT IS

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WHEN PASTOR DONNA AND JEAN, WE THANK THEM FOR PASSING THE BATON OF EIGHT YEARS AGO. WE ALSO WE ARE ALSO PRAYING THAT PASTOR DONNA WILL BE HERE FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL, TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH YEAR. AND WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS JUST THE PRESENCE OF GOD MOVE MIRACULOUSLY DURING THIS WEEK, WE SEE PEOPLE COME AND IT SAYS THAT GOD'S WORD. JESUS SAYS THAT HE IS THE WORD AND IT SAID THAT GOD SAID. HE SAYS THAT HE IS THE TRUTH, THE WAY AND THE LIFE. AND WE DO TRULY SEE LIFE COME TO PEOPLE AS THEY STEP UP AND HEAR GOD'S WORD AND PASS BY.

AND IT'S SUCH A JOYOUS OCCASION THROUGHOUT THAT WEEK, AND WE WATCH SO MANY LIVES BE BLESSED AND TOUCHED AND CHANGED. AND SO WE INVITE EVERYONE TO COME OUT. EVERYONE COME OUT. CALL (561) 670-0469 AND COME OUT AND READ I. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU'LL NEVER FORGET. AND SO GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY EVERYTHING MY WIFE SAID I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH. THANK YOU. CAN CAN I ASK A QUESTION? CAN I ASK A QUESTION? WELL, SHE WANTS TO SAY ONE MORE THING. WE MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR CALL INS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE HOUSEBOUND. WE HAVE CALLS FROM OUT OF THE STATE. WE HAVE MILITARY THAT ARE ON DUTY THAT CALL IN FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SO DON'T FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. THANK YOU. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? HOW DO YOU VOLUNTEER TO BE A READER? SIGN UP RIGHT THERE. THERE'S A CALL. THIS IS A BOARD THAT THE MAYOR.

IT WOULD BE GOOD IF THE MAYOR VOLUNTEERED. IT WOULD BE REPRESENTING THE CITY IN FRONT OF THE CARD IN FRONT OF OUR TABLE. YES, I'VE DONE IT EVERY YEAR. RIGHT. EXCEPT. YES, YES.

THANK YOU. NOT FOR THE EVEN. EVEN BEFORE I WAS ON THE COMMISSION. (561) 670-0469. YES.

WE HAVE FLIERS. WE CAN MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE THEM TO YOU FOR A SMALL PRICE. IT'S SIMPLE AND POWERFUL. SO PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN ANSWER THEM FOR YOU. THAT'S A DIFFERENT CERTIFICATE. OH IT'S WONDERFUL. VERY GOOD, MADAM CLERK. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WHEN I SAID. OKAY. I JUST I USED TO WORK. AND. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MY 30S IS I WILL BE SETTING UP MY 911 DISPLAY THIS THURSDAY FROM 8 TO 6 P.M. AT THE PALM CITY SKATE PARK, CORNER OF MARTIN DOWNS AND MAP ROAD. I'VE DONE THIS FOR 20 YEARS. LAST YEAR THE COUNTY ACTUALLY GAVE ME A DESIGNATED CORNER FOR AS LONG AS I WANTED IT. PEOPLE COME, THEY CRY AND I CRY WITH THEM. THE MANY SIGNS I PUT UPAND PEOPLE TERRORIST ATTACKS CONTINUE AFTER NINE OVER 11. MANY SAY THEY HAD FORGOTTEN. WE MUST NOT FORGET THE WORLD TRADE CENTER 911 TERRORIST ATTACKS LASTING ONLY TWO HOURS, FOUR TERRORISTS, FOUR TERRORIST FLIGHTS. THOUSANDS DIED INSTANTLY, 343 BRAVE NEW YORK CITY FIREMEN DIED THAT DAY.

OVER 370 NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS HAVE DIED SINCE THEN FROM TOXIC DUST RELATED ILLNESSES. PLEASE PRAY FOR NEW YORK FIREMEN DURING THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JULIE. SO

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SO WE HAVE TO ADD THAT IN AS A MATTER OF TIMELY COMPLIANCE. SO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE NOTE, BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN THE SERVICE AWARDS, I HAVE ONE WE OVERLOOKED AND MISS FORD LAYLA FORD, WILL YOU COME PLEASE ACCEPT YOUR CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU MOTHER. OKAY, WE HAVEN'T HAD TOO MANY OF THESE RECENTLY,

[PRESENTATIONS]

YES, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. THAT'S RIGHT. VERY GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. OKAY. GREAT, I DON'T KNOW. AND FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE IN UTILITIES AND ENGINEERING. WOW. THE FANCY GOLD SEAL AND RIBBON. BRUCE BELLAND. BELLAND. GOOD JOB. COME ON UP. OKAY. COME ON. YEAH. ALL MIXED TOGETHER. GO ON. OVER 20 YEARS. GOOD. THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. YOU. JUST A LITTLE. OKAY. I GOT MY STEPS IN. WELL, WE'RE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE WITH US, AND I THANK HER FOR TAKING THE TIME AND MAKING AN EFFORT. IS MARTIN COUNTY'S OWN SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, VICKI DAVIS. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? MARY, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THIS AFTERNOON AND SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU. SO, MAYOR RICH, VICE MAYOR COLLINS, COMMISSIONERS, MR. MORTEL, MR. BAGGETT AND CLERK KENDALL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. WE'VE PRESENTED YOU WITH A PACKET OF INFORMATION, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS VISITING WITH OUR MUNICIPALITIES AS A PART OF HIGHLIGHTING OUR CENTENNIAL, OUR 100 YEARS IN MARTIN COUNTY.

SO IN THE BACK OF YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. AND JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS. IF YOU CAN TAKE OUT YOUR YOUR LITTLE REPORT AND TURN TO PAGE THREE. YOU'LL SEE A HISTORIC CENTURY IN ELECTIONS AND THEN THE NEXT COUPLE OF

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IT WILL BE 20 YEARS ON HALLOWEEN. KIRI, OUR MY PREVIOUS CHIEF DEPUTY, DEBBIE DENT, AND I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW DEBBIE, REMEMBER DEBBIE. SHE RETIRED AFTER 35 YEARS AFTER THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION, AND KIRI HAS BEEN PROMOTED UP TO CHIEF DEPUTY. SO I WANT KIRI TO COVER PAGES 12 AND 13 AND SOME OF THE PAGES IN IN THE REPORT. KIRI. VICKY, I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT MACHINES. FORGIVE ME. NO, THAT'S THAT'S FINE. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE UPDATE AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE? WE'RE GOING TO BE USING IT'S FOR THE VOTING EQUIPMENT. IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF EQUIPMENT. IT'S JUST INSTEAD OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ARE DS 200, WE'RE JUST UPGRADING TO THE 300 VERSION OF THE SAME THING. IT'S SAME THING.

THANK YOU. YEP. SAME COMPANY ES AND S WHICH IS ELECTION SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE OUT OF OMAHA. THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS ONLY CERTIFIED TWO COMPANIES EITHER DOMINION OR ESNS. WE'VE BEEN ESNS SINCE 2002. YEAH, LET'S NOT DO DOMINION. YEAH. OKAY. KIRI. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. KIRI ANDERSON WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICE. I'LL JUST QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU SOME OF THE PAGES IN OUR BOOK THAT MISS DAVIS ASKED ME TO SHARE.

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WE WANT TO REMIND THEM, IF YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE, CHECK YOUR STATUS. HAS YOUR NAME CHANGED? HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED? WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE YOUR PARTY? DO YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR SIGNATURE? BE ELECTION READY IN 2026. THANK YOU. THANKS, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW POSITION. YES, KERRY DOES AN AWESOME JOB. SHE DOES. YES. SO KERRY COVERED DATES WITH YOU. YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THE UPCOMING PRIMARY ELECTION AND GENERAL ELECTION OF 26. THERE'S ALSO THE BOOK CLOSING DATES FOR BOTH OF THOSE ELECTIONS. IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR VOTERS TO BE AWARE OF BOOK CLOSING, ESPECIALLY FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS A CLOSED PRIMARY STATE. SO WE REALLY TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE. AND AS KERRY SAID, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRAFFIC MESSAGE BOARDS THAT YOU ALLOW US TO USE DURING DURING THE ELECTION CYCLE. WE SO APPRECIATE THAT ONE LEGISLATIVE ITEM THAT PASSED THIS PAST SESSION HAS TO DO. YES, IT HAS TO DO WITH YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE. I THINK IT WAS A

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CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VISIT THE VOTING TO VISIT THE ELECTIONS, THE ELECTION, VOTING IT. YOU WERE SO INSTRUMENTAL IN YOUR STAFF. FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WHO WAS A NEW CANDIDATE, NEW TO THE PROCESS, THE BEHIND THE SCENES, HOW THE MACHINERY WORKS AND ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED WAS JUST AMAZING. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE BEFORE ELECTION TO GO AND VISIT YOUR POLLING STATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, AND MENTIONING CANDIDATE TRAINING. WE HAVE TRAINING DATES COMING UP. THEY'RE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET. THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE TUESDAY, OCTOBER THE 14TH AT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE FROM 10 A.M. TO NOON. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE EACH MONTH, JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH AS WELL. SO THOSE DATES ARE INCLUDED.

THEY'RE ON OUR WEBSITE. AS KERRY SAID, I HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO COME BY OR GIVE US A CALL. MR. CLARK.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, I'M SO GLAD THAT. AND CONGRATULATIONS, MISS ANDERSON. I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THE INTERSECTION OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND MRS. DAVIS'S SERVICE. I WANT TO SAY JUST TWO WORDS. PUBLIC SERVANT. IF YOU EVER KNOW, KNOW OR DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD OR ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, FOLLOW. I GUESS WHAT MISS JOB IS SAYING.

GO TALK TO VICKY. VICKY IS TRULY A PUBLIC SERVANT, NOT JUST FOR ELECTIONS INFORMATION, BUT JUST FOR THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT SHE'S PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A VICKY DAVIS DAY ONE OF THESE DAYS SOMETIME SOON. AND WE JUST APPRECIATE THAT ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE LEGACY THAT YOU'RE LEAVING BEHIND FOR OTHERS TO SERVE US, TO CONTINUE TO SERVE US IN THE ELECTION OFFICE AND TO CONTINUE DOING A GOOD JOB FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, I AGREE, I THINK WE SHOULD DO VICKY DAVIS COOKIES AND LEMONADE DAY. IT TAKES A TEAM TRULY. AND OUR OUR MY OFFICE IS SMALL. I MAKE NUMBER TEN OF EMPLOYEES, AND KIRI DOES A YEOMAN'S JOB OF GETTING THE ELECTION WORKERS LINED UP BECAUSE OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO REALLY RAMP IT UP DURING ELECTION SEASON. WE HAVE TO BRING IN TEMPORARY STAFF TO HELP WITH THE PHONES, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION. AND AND THEN OUR POLL WORKERS ARE, AS KIRI SAID, ESSENTIAL TO THE ELECTION PROCESS. I CANNOT I CANNOT FULFILL MY OBLIGATION AS A CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER WITHOUT THE HELP OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE POLL WORKERS.

SO BUT YOUR SUPPORT IS IS TRULY I'M HONORED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. WE APPRECIATE IT. I WILL TAKE THAT BACK TO THE OFFICE TO STAFF OUR TEAM. YES, IT'S A TEAM. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU AT ANY TIME, PLEASE KNOW WE'RE AVAILABLE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU, MISS DAVIS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE WEREN'T TRYING TO BRIBE YOU OR ANYTHING.

[00:50:02]

[00:55:03]

SO IT'S A SHARED USE PATH. SIDEWALK IS SO NARROW. YOU REALLY. RIGHT. IT'S OKAY. WELL, YOU'RE NOT WIDENING THE SIDEWALK, ARE YOU? NO, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. WE'RE JUST REPLACING THE PLATE. OKAY. THANK YOU. REAL QUICK. WE JUST FINISHED OUR FIRM ASSISTED WITH THE JUPITER US ONE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT. AND NOW THAT A LOT OF THEM, THE GRADES ARE FILLED SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RETROFIT IT. SO THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR THE BICYCLISTS REAL QUICK. AND I'LL WRAP IT UP. BUT WE ARE PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE REHAB OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE SMALL TOOTH SAWFISH OUT THERE, SEA TURTLE, MANATEE. SO WE WILL BE TAKING THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES SO THERE ARE NO IMPACTS. NEXT SLIDE. SO THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO ACTUALLY BE IN TWO PHASES. THE FIRST PHASE WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE BRIDGE FOR 2 TO 3 MONTHS. AND THAT'S WHEN THEY WILL BE PAINTING AND FILLING IN THE GRADING. AND THAT WILL ALLOW THAT TO BE CLOSED. WORK GETS DONE FASTER AND THE DETOUR WILL BE VIA US ONE. THE SECOND PHASE WILL BE TAKE PLACE OVER TWO MONTHS, AND THAT WILL CONSIST OF DOING SOME OF THE SIDEWALK WORK THAT CHRIS WAS DISCUSSING, AS WELL AS PIER IMPROVEMENTS. THE SOME OF THE FISHING MAY BE INTERMITTENTLY INTERRUPTED, BUT WE WILL WORK WITH THE PUBLIC SO THEY'RE NOTIFIED OF EVERYTHING AND THERE WILL BE NO BRIDGE TO MARINE TRAFFIC. NO DEFINITELY NOT. I WAS JUST GOING TO FINISH UP THAT THERE IS NO BOAT TRAFFIC. NO. YOU'RE GOOD. YES. SO? SO NO BOAT TRAFFIC WILL BE INTERRUPTED BY THIS. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO AGAIN MOST OF THIS IS THE DETOUR. IF YOU SEE THE ORANGE WHEN WE DO NEED TO CLOSE THE BRIDGE IT WILL BE GOING OVER US ONE. AND WE WILL BE NOTIFYING FOLKS OF THIS. WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THIS YOU KNOW, AT A WEBSITE SO PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT IT. THEY'LL BE AWARE OF IT IN ADVANCE. NEXT. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE STILL HERE.

WELL, SOME OF THEM ARE. SO WE WILL BE COORDINATING WITH THE FIRE AND RESCUE POLICE. SO THEY'RE AWARE OF WHEN THE CLOSURES ARE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CHANGE THEIR ROUTES IF NEEDED. WE WILL ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THIS PROJECT. AND I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU ABOUT A PUBLIC MEETING WE'RE HAVING NEXT WEEK THAT HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU GOT AN INVITATION FOR NEXT SLIDE. SO THE BENEFITS OF THE BRIDGE IS WE WILL BE EXTENDING THE BRIDGE'S LIFE AS WELL AS KEEPING MARINE TRAFFIC FLOWING, FLOWING AND ALSO IMPROVING THE BRIDGE FOR ALL USERS. NEXT, THE VIRTUAL MEETING WE HAVE TWO

[01:00:05]

WELL, IT'S NOT THE CLOSURE. THE CLOSURE ISN'T THAT LONG. THERE'S JUST INTERMITTENT TIMES OF CLOSURE. THERE'S SOME MORE THAT WOULDN'T AFFECT THE BOAT. THAT IS ALWAYS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. ANY SPECIAL EVENTS? IT'S NOT DURING PEAK HOURS USUALLY. AND OBVIOUSLY THE CONTRACTOR WOULD WORK WITH ANY MAJOR EVENTS. HAD TO DEAL WITH THE SAME THING ON THE JUPITER, US ONE PROJECT AS WELL. OKAY, BECAUSE WE RUN THE TROLLEYS BACK AND FORTH AND DO THINGS RIGHT. MORE ACTIVE, THE BRIDGE BECOMES A LITTLE BIT ACTIVE THAT WEEKEND. OKAY. YES. THANK YOU LANCE. NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMENTS BY CITY

[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS ]

[01:05:03]

SO THAT WOULD I MEAN, WE COULD START HIRING CONSULTANTS. BUT THE PROBLEM WITH IT IS, IS WE LOSE IN THE LONG RUN. SO IT'S JUST IT'S A IT'S A GRANT CYCLE. AND LIKE I SAID, WE JUST HIRED THIS GRANT COMPANY LITERALLY THREE WEEKS AGO. SO THEY'LL PROBABLY BE COMING BACK TO US WITH DIFFERENT GRANTS OR DIFFERENT PROPOSALS OR TIME FRAMES. AS SOON AS THEY DO, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU. OKAY. AND THEN ANOTHER THING, I'M GOING TO PROBABLY MENTION IT EVERY MEETING. I'D LIKE TO SEE EMAILS ONLINE FROM THE CITY. ALSO, I WANT TO BRING UP SOMETHING AS WELL. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS MIKE OR HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IT, BUT FROM A CHAIR PERSPECTIVE AND I UNDERSTAND THE CHAIR SIGNS IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS ON THE BOARD'S BEHALF. BUT I WANT TO GIVE THREE EXAMPLES. THE FIRST ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BRIGHTLINE LEASE ON MY INAUGURATION DAY. I HAD NO CLUE THAT THAT WAS EVEN SIGNED. THE SECOND ONE, THERE WAS A LIEN RELEASE THAT WAS SIGNED BY A CHAIR. PRIOR TO ME BEING HERE WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC SCRUTINY, AND THEN AS WELL AS A GRANT EXTENSION THAT WAS SIGNED THAT NOBODY WOULD KNOW ABOUT. SO HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE IF THE CHAIR IS SIGNING DOCUMENTS, IS THAT IN LIKE, COULD IT BE A CONSENT AGENDA? SO THE BRIGHTLINE, THE BRIGHTLINE LEASE WAS VOTED ON BY THE BOARD AT THE PRIOR MEETING. AND SO THAT HAS A RESOLUTION THAT'S TIED TO IT AUTHORIZING THE SIGNATURE. THE GRANT EXTENSION WAS VOTED ON BY THE CRA AND AUTHORIZED IT AS WELL. AND THERE'S A RESOLUTION TIED TO THAT AS WELL. THE RE THE LIEN RELEASE IS STATE LAW. AND WHAT HAPPENS IS AND IF A PERSON PAYS OFF A RECORDED LIEN, LIKE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM COMING DUE RECENTLY BECAUSE ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, A LOT OF PEOPLE DID THE SIGN UP AND SAVE FOR THEIR TO HOOK UP TO THE SEWER SYSTEMS. AND SO AS THEY SATISFY THE OUTSTANDING LIEN THAT'S RECORDED ON THEIR HOUSE TO PAY FOR THE SEWER, ONCE THAT'S SATISFIED, THEY HAVE TO. THE MAYOR HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THE LIEN BECAUSE IT'S SATISFIED IN FULL THE LIEN RELEASE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WAS SIGNED BY MAYOR MCDONALD. THE ONLY REASON I KNOW ABOUT IT IS BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME ACCUSATION THAT I HAD, LIKE, ILLEGALLY REDUCED THE CODE ENFORCEMENT LIEN. IT ACTUALLY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. IT WAS THE BUILDING OFFICIAL THAT HAD ADDRESSED IT, AND MR. MCDONALD DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL LIEN ITSELF. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE BUILDING OFFICIAL HAD SET A FINE FOR WHATEVER ACTIVITY HAD TAKEN PLACE, AND IT WAS RECORDED AS A LIEN AGAINST THAT PROPERTY. IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND PAYS THAT AMOUNT OFF IN FULL, THEN WE HAVE TO SIGN THE LIEN RELEASE. IT'S BEEN PAID IN FULL. YEAH. SO MY MY COMMENT REALLY WASN'T LIKE TO GET INTO THE DETAILS. IT WAS MORE SO HOW CAN I KNOW AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL AND THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE BEING SIGNED? I UNDERSTAND WE AUTHORIZED THEM, BUT THE DOCUMENT ITSELF, WHETHER IT'S THE SIGNATURE PAGE THERE IN THE AGENDA ITEM, NOT FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED ON THE BRIGHT LINE WASN'T EVEN ON THE AGENDA PACKET. THE BUT THE LEASE WASN'T THE AUTHORIZATION FOR IT. YES, BUT THE ACTUAL LEASE WAS NOT. I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT IS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SHARED WITH EVERYBODY IN ADVANCE OR WHAT IT WAS OR WASN'T DONE. BUT YOU WEREN'T ON THE BOARD YET, CORRECT. THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T GET IT THAT DAY. AND IT WAS THAT DAY, I KNOW, BUT IT WAS TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS VOTED ON. IT WASN'T. THE FACT THAT IT WAS SIGNED THAT DAY WAS BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GET PRINTED AND CIRCULATED UNTIL THAT DAY, BUT THE COMMISSION HAD VOTED ON IT AT THE PRIOR MEETING. LIKE TONIGHT, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO VOTE ON A ROAD

[01:10:04]

WELL I'M ASKING FOR IT TO BE ATTACHED. IT IS. THAT'S WHAT IT THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YOU IT'S IT'S OUR INTENTION TO BE ATTACHED, NOT ATTACHED. WHAT IS IT? WHAT WAS IT? THE SIGNATURE PAGE WAS NOT ATTACHED. WHAT? THE GRANT EXTENSION. IT WASN'T IN THE AGENDA PACKET. WHICH LAST MEETING YOU BROUGHT UP? THE GRANT EXTENSION? WE DIDN'T. DID, BUT WE DIDN'T. THERE WAS NO AGENDA ITEM. THERE WAS NO WAY TO ATTACH IT BECAUSE WE. IT WAS IT WAS LIKE IT WAS A SURPRISE. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE GRANT TODAY. IT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA. IF IT HAD BEEN ON THE AGENDA AND STAFF HAD PRESENTED SOMETHING TO YOU AND ASKED FOR IT WAS SIGNED THIS YEAR BY THE CHAIR. RIGHT. AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT EXISTED. BUT THE GRANT EXTENSION WAS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU GUYS VOTED ON THAT WAS EXTENDED. AND HAD YOU LOOKED AT THAT AGENDA ITEM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. IT HAD THE DEADLINE OF JANUARY, JANUARY 31ST ON THE AGENDA PACKET. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST MY OPINION WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED A CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD, BUT ANYTHING THAT GETS SIGNED, IT IS ALWAYS OUR INTENTION FOR IT TO BE ATTACHED. IF IT'S NOT THERE, DON'T AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN IT. IF IT'S NOT ATTACHED, VOTE NO. I DON'T THINK THE DETAILS WERE THERE, BUT BUT THEY ARE THERE. AND IF THEY'RE NOT, JUST VOTE NO. THAT THAT'S WHAT IF YOU JUST TAKE BRIGHT LINE, FOR INSTANCE. I THINK WHAT HE'S TRYING TO SAY IS YES, THE PREVIOUS BOARD, THE COMMISSIONERS APPROVED IT. YES, IT WAS SIGNED. YOU HAD NEW COMMISSIONERS COMING ON BOARD AT LIKE 3:00. THAT DOCUMENT WAS THAT WE THERE WAS A DOCUMENT SIGNED. HAD YOU BEEN AT THE MEETING, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN.

BUT ON TOP OF THAT, EVEN IF THE NEW BOARD WANTED TO UNRAVEL THAT, YOU COULDN'T UNDO THE VOTE THAT TOLD THE MAYOR TO SIGN IT. THAT HAPPENED THE MEETING. BEFORE THE MEETING.

THE MAYOR WAS INSTRUCTED TO SIGN IT NO MATTER WHAT THAT MEETING OCCURRED AND THAT VOTE OCCURRED. WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY, NEW COMMISSIONERS CAME ON BOARD AND A DOCUMENT WAS SIGNED. THAT WAS A PRETTY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT AND WE WEREN'T NOTIFIED. I THINK THAT'S JUST A LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS TO KNOW THAT. SO YOU WANT TO EVERY TIME THE MAYOR'S GOING TO SIGN A DOCUMENT, YOU GUYS WANT TO REVIEW IT. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DO THAT. THE AGENDA PACKET, THAT'S ALL. BUT IT WAS IF YOU LOOK AT THE ITEMS. EXCUSE ME. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ITEMS TODAY.

OKAY. THAT IS THE EXACT DOCUMENT I WILL SIGN IF WE APPROVE IT. IT'S RIGHT THERE.

THE BRIGHT LINE AS AN EXAMPLE. BRIGHT LINE. THE EXACT DOCUMENT I SIGNED. YOU DID, BUT WE WERE NOT ON THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME, IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING. THE DOCUMENT WAS SIGNED THE DAY WE WERE. WE WERE SWORN IN, AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING. BUT THAT WAS JUST A TIMING THING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN IT CAME BACK FROM BRIGHT LINE AND EVERYBODY. IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE. IT WAS VOTED. IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE IF YOU'D ALREADY BEEN ON THE COMMISSION. BUT IF YOU IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE IF YOU HAD BEEN ON THE COMMISSION ALREADY AND YOU KNEW THAT THAT HAD PASSED AND THAT AT SOME POINT HE WAS GOING TO SIGN IT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TRANSPARENCY. I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. AND I THINK FOR WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT IF STAFF INADVERTENTLY LEFT A DOCUMENT OR DIDN'T HAVE IT THERE, THE COMMISSION SHOULDN'T DO IT. I MEAN, I IT'S OUR INTENTION TO ALWAYS HAVE THE DOCUMENT ATTACHED FOR YOUR REVIEW. AND IF IT'S NOT THERE, VOTE NO. I THINK WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THAT'S A DOCUMENT WE WOULD BE VOTING ON. SO WE WOULD KNOW IT WOULD BE THERE AND WE WOULD KNOW THAT THE. RIGHT. RIGHT.

HE'S TALKING ABOUT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, BRIGHT LINE, WHICH WASN'T SOMETHING HE'S NOT. NO HE'S NOT HE'S NOT SAYING THE BRIGHT LINE. HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA EVER.

EVEN THE PRIOR COMMISSION. WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PRIOR COMMISSION. I WASN'T ON THE COMMISSION, BUT THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING. AND HE'S SAYING THE SAME THING ABOUT THE GRANT EXTENSION. WHAT WHAT I KNOW YOU DON'T REMEMBER IN PARTICULAR, BUT THIS GRANT EXTENSION WAS ON.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CRA BOARD BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE PART OF THE BUT IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE CDBG GRANT. I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST I DON'T KNOW, I'M ASKING FOR SOMETHING SIMPLE, BUT I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING WAS DONE WITH ILL INTENT. WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF DOCUMENTS GET SIGNED BY THE CHAIR, IF IT WAS EASY TO SEE IN AN AGENDA PACKET, WHETHER IT'S CONSENT AGENDA, IT JUST I CAN TELL YOU, WE DON'T GIVE DOCUMENTS TO THE CHAIR TO SIGN THAT HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE

[01:15:03]

WHERE IS THAT JUSTIFICATION LETTER? YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S NO CRA AGENDA? THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED. YOU'RE MISREADING THAT DOCUMENT. THAT DOCUMENT GRANTED THE EXTENSION IN 24 FOR ONE YEAR INTO 25 FOR ONE YEAR. AND THEN IT SAID IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S ANOTHER REQUEST, IT HAS TO BE AN EXTENSION, IT HAS TO DO THIS AND IT HAS TO HAVE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. WELL, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I MEAN, IT SHOWS THAT IT WAS. NO, IT SAYS THAT LANGUAGE. PARAGRAPH THREE IS FROM THE LAST EXTENSION. AND IT SAYS IN THE EVENT YOU HAVE ANOTHER REQUEST PAST JANUARY 31ST OF 2026, YOU WILL NEED TO SHOW A JUSTIFICATION LETTER AND YOU WILL NEED TO SHOW THE JUSTIFICATION. IT HASN'T. WE NEVER REQUESTED IT. WE HAVEN'T DONE A JUSTIFICATION LETTER WAS THE FIRST AGENDA PACKET, THEN THE FIRST ONE DIDN'T HAVE A JUSTIFICATION LETTER OUTLINING ALL THE THINGS. ALL IT SAID WAS THEY ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION, RIGHT? IT WAS A YOU HAVE TO SEND IT TO FLORIDA COMMERCE AND THEY HAVE TO APPROVE IT. I CAN'T I CAN'T HAVE THE DEBATES WITH YOU IF YOU WANT TO COME SEE ME, LIKE BEFORE THE MEETING OR OFF THE A SEPARATE TIME, I'M HAPPY TO PULL IT UP. OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE. YEAH. BECAUSE I BUT I DON'T I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME BECAUSE I WASN'T PREPARED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. BUT I'M HAPPY TO TO PRESENT IT ALL TO YOU AND GIVE IT TO YOU. BUT THAT GRANT EXTENSION WAS APPROVED. AND IN THE GRANT EXTENSION, THEY ADDED LANGUAGE THAT SAID, WE'RE GRANTING WE'RE ACCEPTING THIS GRANT. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTENSION FOR A YEAR. YOU'RE ON. EVERYTHING'S GOING FORWARD. BUT IF YOU REQUEST ANY MORE GRANT EXTENSIONS, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A GRANT JUSTIFICATION LETTER, SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, BUT WE HAVEN'T APPLIED FOR ANYMORE. EVEN THE FIRST ONE. NO, YOU DID DO THE FIRST ONE. FIRST ONE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE CRITERIA IN IT AS THE SECOND ONE. SAME EXACT. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE NOT I'M NOT. NO, I KNOW PART OF IT, I DON'T I IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. I HAVE NO IDEA. SO I'M WE CAN AFTER THE MEETING. I'M HAPPY TO GO PULL IT UP. YOU CAN TRY. YOU CAN DO THAT. EMAILED IT TO ME I DON'T I MEAN, I CAN GO PULL THE DOCUMENT AND READ IT, BUT. YEAH, BUT THERE WAS AN I DON'T HAVE IT TO AN EXTENSION. TWO. SO WHAT I'M GETTING AT THOSE THOSE SIGNED EXTENSIONS I DON'T BELIEVE WERE IN THE AGENDA PACKET MAYBE AUTHORIZING FOR IT, BUT THE ACTUAL SIGNATURE PAGE I DON'T THINK EXISTED. IT'S IT'S ALWAYS OUR INTENTION TO INCLUDE THE SIGNATURE PAGE. IF IT'S NOT THERE, IT'S BECAUSE A PHOTOCOPY DIDN'T MAKE IT ON OR THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IT ISN'T THERE BECAUSE WE HADN'T RECEIVED IT YET. JUST LIKE DOING THE THE BUDGET CYCLE THIS YEAR, THERE WERE NUMBERS WE DIDN'T HAVE FROM THE STATE. YET WE STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND WE TELL YOU WE DON'T HAVE THIS DOCUMENT YET, BUT IT'S COMING. BUT IT'S ALWAYS OUR INTENTION TO INCLUDE THE DOCUMENT. THERE WAS BAD INTENTION. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING. NO, I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT I'M GOING BY. YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD LIKE THE DOCUMENTS ATTACHED, AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT IT'S ALWAYS THE INTENTION THAT THEY BE ATTACHED. AND OUT OF THE THREE EXAMPLES YOU GAVE, THEY WERE IN TWO OF THEM. IT'S JUST THAT ONE OF THEM IS A LEAN RELEASE, AND LEAN RELEASES ARE GENERALLY SIGNED BY THE MAYOR NO MATTER WHAT. BECAUSE BY STATE LAW, IF THE PERSON PAID OFF THE LIEN, THERE'S NO DISCRETION. I FULLY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT WASN'T IN THE AGENDA PACKET, AND THAT'S ALL. AND LEAN RELEASES. YOU WANT LEAN RELEASES TO BE IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE MOVING FORWARD. ANYTHING? THE CHAIR SIGNS I THINK SHOULD BE IN THE AGENDA PACKET. WELL THEN WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I'M HAPPY TO ADD THAT'S MY COMMENT, BUT IS IT REALLY? THAT IS MY ENTIRE COMMENT RELEASES IS THE ONLY THING. THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY, BY STATE LAW, HAVE TO BE SIGNED. IF IT'S PAID IN FULL, WE HAVE TO SIGN IT NOW.

I DON'T I'M FINE WITH IT AND WE'LL ADD THEM. AND IT'S GOING TO LIST EVERYBODY THAT PAID OFF THEIR THEIR SEWER LIEN. AND WE CAN ADD IT TO THE AGENDAS. AND WE'LL WAIT TWO WEEKS TO HAVE THEM SIGNED. I MEAN THAT'S NO PROBLEM IF THAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD. THAT WAS LITERALLY I MEAN, WE HAD THIS WHAT IS IT, A 25 MINUTE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. AND THAT WAS MY COMMENT. IT'S NOT A 25 MINUTE DISCUSSION. THE BOARD HAS ALWAYS AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR TO SIGN ALL THE PAYCHECKS OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES AND ALL THE LIENS AS THEY BECOME DUE. WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, TO HAVE THAT BE AN AGENDA ITEM. YES. NOW YOU'RE BRINGING IN PAYCHECKS IS ANOTHER THING THEY SIGN. COME ON, MIKE, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M GETTING AT, BUT OKAY, WELL, I'M DONE WITH MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. MIKE. YEAH. THANK YOU.

SHOULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO TEMPORARILY ADJOURN THIS MEETING IN ORDER TO ATTEND

[01:20:02]

THAT'S NOT WHAT THE REPORT SAID, THOUGH. THE REPORT SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REMOVED, AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY, OKAY. MY NEXT I REALLY DO NOT LIKE TO ADDRESS MR. NOT-SO FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR. I HATE TO GIVE HIM ANY NOTORIETY BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT HE SAYS. IT'S JUST AN OPINION. BUT I REALLY RESENT WHEN HE DOES HALF TRUTHS AND LIES. SO IN HIS SUNDAY ATTACK ON THE CITY OF STUART COMMISSIONERS, HE CLAIMS THAT THE CITY OF STUART COMMISSIONERS HAVE INCLUDED A RAISE FOR THEMSELVES IN THE NEW BUDGET, AND I WAS ASSURED BY THE CITY MANAGER THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE A RAISE. AND AND THAT WE ARE BASICALLY OVERPAID FOR TWO MONTHLY MEETINGS THAT WE ATTEND. WE MAKE MORE MONEY THAN WE SHOULD 43,000 A YEAR. I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, I DID NOTIFY MR. MORTEL THAT IF ANNUAL RAISES FOR THE COMMISSIONERS WERE INCLUDED EACH YEAR, THAT THE. I WANTED TO FORGO ANY SUCH RAISE FOR MYSELF. I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING A BUDGET AND OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE AFFECTED, YOU CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T BE BENEFITING FROM ANY RAISE. MR. MORTEL DID ASSURE ME THAT COMMISSIONER RAISES WERE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED ON. AGAIN, I CANNOT SPEAK TO ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE THE NOT SO FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR INCLUDED. OF ALL THE BENEFITS THAT WE RECEIVE AS CITY EMPLOYEES, I DO NOT AVAIL MYSELF OF THE MEDICAL, ETC.

PARTS OF BENEFITS THAT ARE PAID TO CITY EMPLOYEES. I DON'T NEED THEM. I HAVE MY OWN. THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO HAVE THE CITY PAY THAT KIND OF MONEY. THAT'S NOT NECESSARY. I DO PARTICIPATE IN THE FRS INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND THAT'S ONLY DUE TO MISINFORMATION I RECEIVED ON THE TIMING OF THE ISSUE REQUIRED TO OPT OUT OF THAT PROGRAM. THE OTHER THING IS THAT I WANT MR. NOT ALWAYS, NOT SO ALWAYS RIGHT. HE CAN CONTACT THE CITY HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND SPEAK TO MISS JOHNSON, AND SHE WILL CERTAINLY CONFIRM ALL OF WHAT I JUST SAID. THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT HE PROVIDED WAS THAT HE SAID THAT I, IN A STATEMENT DURING THE BUDGET, THE LAST BUDGET MEETING, SAYING THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CUTS. HE JUST DIDN'T FINISH THE SENTENCE. I SAID THERE WOULD BE NO CUTS TO SERVICES THAT PEOPLE WOULD STILL HAVE. YOU KNOW, A PARK MIGHT BE MOWED, MAYBE IT'S MOWED A DAY LATER, BUT THERE WOULD BE NO CUTS TO SERVICES. I WAS NOT REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CUTS TO JOBS WITHIN THE CITY. AND OF COURSE, I KEEP STATING IT BECAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET EVEN AT 5% MILLAGE RATE. IF WE HAD LEFT IT AT FIVE, THERE WERE STILL CUTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE FOR THE CITY. IN REGARDS TO JOBS, A LOT OF THEM HOPEFULLY THROUGH ATTRITION. SO AGAIN, I, I JUST I HATE GIVING HIM ANY SORT OF NOTICE BUT HE DOES LIE OR HE MISREPRESENTS THE TRUTH AND IT REALLY BOTHERS ME. THE OTHER THING HE SAID IS THAT WE'RE OVERPAID FOR ONLY ATTENDING TWO MEETINGS A MONTH. WELL, SHAME ON MR. NOBODY. HAVING BEEN A COMMISSIONER HIMSELF, HE'S WELL AWARE THAT EVERY COMMISSIONER SPENDS THEN MORE THAN TWO MEETINGS A MONTH ON CITY BUSINESS. IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT COMING TO THE MEETINGS. WE ANSWER EMAILS, WE MEET WITH CONSTITUENTS. THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED. MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON KEEPING HIS JOB AS A COMMISSIONER WHEN HE WAS A COMMISSIONER. JUST SAYING. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES. THANK YOU. SEPTEMBER IS OF COURSE, WE HAVE HUNGER MONTH, WHICH WE HAD SOMEONE COME HERE TODAY FROM TREASURE COAST. BUT I THINK ALSO SEPTEMBER ESPECIALLY, I THINK YESTERDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 7TH, WAS GRANDPARENTS DAY. AND WE HAVE ONE PARTICULAR GRANDPARENT HERE IN THE CITY OF STUART. I DON'T THINK SHE'S HERE TONIGHT, BUT HELEN MCBRIDE, WHO ALWAYS COMES TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND IS A GREAT

[01:25:09]

BUT EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T, PLEASE COME OUT TO THE EVENT AND THERE MAY BE A CHANCE FOR YOU TO STILL READ. IF WE COME THERE AND ASSEMBLE AND WE CAN FIND A SPOT FOR YOU. BUT PLEASE COME OUT AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, AS AN ORGANIZATION, CHURCH, SOCIAL, CIVIC GROUP, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU BELONG TO, PLEASE COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE. AS WE READ THE ENTIRE CONSTITUTION, AND WE USUALLY HAVE SPECIAL AREAS FOR PEOPLE TO READ, ESPECIALLY OUR CITY ATTORNEY MORTEL. HE'S WE USUALLY GIVE HIM THE THE CITY MANAGER MORTEL USUALLY GIVE HIM THE TOUGH ONES TO READ. BUT IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN INTERESTING THE PARTICIPATION THAT WE'VE HAD. SO PLEASE COME OUT AND SIGN UP IF YOU CAN COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE WITH THAT. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AGAIN, IT'S HURRICANE SEASON. MILTON HAS NOT BEEN BUSY AT ALL, BUT HE WILL. WE'LL GET BUSY. WE'LL GET BUSY. WELL, HURRICANE WISE HE'S EXTREMELY BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS. HANGING OUT. YEAH, HE HE'S BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS. BUT BUT IT'S HURRICANE SEASON AS HURRICANE SEASON COMES AND WE HAVE ALL THE FLOODING AND ALL THE EXTRA STUFF. AND I JUST KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES WELL. IF WE EVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH A HURRICANE SITUATION. I JUST WANT TO BEFOREHAND COMMEND THAT DEPARTMENT OR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR ALWAYS WORKING HARD IN OUR CITY TO DO THE BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS DEBRIS IS CLEANED UP AND THINGS ARE DONE WELL. SO THOSE OF US PLEASE HELP EACH OTHER PREPARE FOR HURRICANE SEASON. AND IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS IN YOUR BACKYARD OR ON YOUR PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME THIS BECAUSE WE GAVE UP THOSE ALLEYWAYS AND AND

[01:30:07]

BUT IF YOU HAVE THOSE ISSUES, PLEASE COME OUT, ASK MILTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HE'LL GIVE YOU HELP OR HE'LL GET GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION FOR FPL OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO CAN HELP YOU, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT AFFECT OUR SYSTEM. WHEN WE HAVE BURNOUTS DURING THE THE THING IS, BECAUSE OF A TREE THAT HAS GOTTEN TO THE LINE. SO PLEASE PREPARE FOR HURRICANE SEASON. THANK YOU, MR. VICE MAYOR. YES. SO WITH REGARD TO HANEY CREEK, I. I JUST WANTED TO. BRING THAT BACK UP. WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY THAT PARCEL GOING INTO CONSERVATION AND THE PROCESS WITH REFERENDUM. BUT. IN A PREVIOUS WHEN COMMISSIONER REED WAS NOT HERE AND A PREVIOUS MEETING WE HAD DEMONSTRATED IN IN THE AGENDA PACKET, THE PLANS FROM TIM VOLKERS THAT WERE IN THERE THAT SHOWED OFF OF BAKER ROAD TRAIL HEADING VERSUS WHAT WOULD BE A MORE EXPENSIVE AND AND TECHNICAL APPROACH, BRINGING IN FILL DIRT AND VARIOUS THINGS ON US. ONE SO WHAT I WANTED TO REQUEST IS REVISITING TRAIL HEADING HANEY CREEK, NOT OFF OF US ONE, BUT DIVING INTO A LITTLE MORE DEPTH OFF OF BAKER. AND BECAUSE IT WOULD BE FAR LESS EXPENSIVE. AND IT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM THE REFERENDUM AND CONSERVATION, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE PRIORITIZED WITH THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX MONEY AND ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, WITH THAT. MONEY. SO I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT ON A FUTURE AGENDA. OKAY. AND THEN JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, COMMISSIONER CLARK, ARE YOU.

SORT OF HINTING AT EXTERMINATING THESE DUCKS? NO, DON'T FEED THEM. DON'T GO NEAR THEM. NO. WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE DUCKS. NO, I JUST KNOW THAT THE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THIS WAS OCCURRING, SOMEBODY CALLED ME AND ASKED ME ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR AVIAN FLU AND, LIKE, A RABID DOG. YEAH. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FISH AND WILDLIFE OR IF IT'S IT, I DON'T KNOW. IT IS FISH AND WILDLIFE. OKAY. YEAH. SO MAYBE THEY COULD CALL FISH AND WILDLIFE. THEN WE SHOULD SEND MILTON IN CAVALRY SINCE HE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING. NO IT'S NOT. I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE. NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HURRICANE WISE. WE COULD SEND YOU IN WITH.

OKAY, OKAY. SORRY. I'M DONE. THANK YOU. WORK HARD. IS IT LIKE, THE BUNNIES OR SOMETHING?

[COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER ]

AND WHEN BEN WAS TELLING ME HE WAS GOING TO SUNNY ISLES, I, OUT OF CURIOSITY, PULLED IT UP ON THE SCREEN. SUNNY ISLES IS 1.7MI■!S, SO ROUGHLY A THIRD OF THE SIZE OF STUART AND $17.7 BILLION ASSESSMENT. SO ROUGHLY FIVE TIMES THE THE VALUE WHICH, YOU KNOW, GIVES YOU THE DISPARITIES IN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MILLAGE RATES AND WHAT'S GENERATED BY IT. FIVE MILLS AT A $3.4 BILLION VALUATION. AND THEN YOU TAKE THE $3.4 BILLION VALUATION, SAY 60% OF THE PARCELS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE ASSESSMENT. AND THEN YOU TAKE SOMEWHERE LIKE SUNNY ISLES THAT 90% OF THE HOMES ARE VACATION CONDOS ASSESSED AT MULTI MILLION DOLLARS. AND THEIR THEIR MILLAGE RATE IS 1.8 MILLS, BUT IT GENERATES $34 MILLION A YEAR IN AD VALOREM TAXES. AND OUR 4.9 MILLS GENERATES ROUGHLY 15 TO 17 DEPENDING OF THE CRAS INVOLVED OR NOT, BUT HALF OF

[01:35:10]

HE'S GOING TO BE GOING TO SOMEWHERE REALLY NICE. YEAH. SO THEY'RE NOT HOMESTEADED EITHER.

SO RIGHT THERE'S RIGHT. AND SO THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AS WELL IN THE AGENDA TONIGHT.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR OR PRESENTATION NUMBER FOUR. THE CITY PARTNERED WITH THE TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK. AND WE WILL BE SERVING AS THE RECEPTION AGENCY, I GUESS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER DESCRIPTION, WHERE THEY PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF FOOD FOR THOSE DONATIONS FROM SEPTEMBER 8TH UNTIL OCTOBER 17TH, THE LOCATIONS WILL BE THE CITY HALL, CITY HALL ANNEX, CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING ON MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD. I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT OUR REGULAR CRB OR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING IS BEING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 15TH RATHER THAN SEPTEMBER 2ND, AND THE SUBJECT OF THAT WILL BE THE SEACOAST BANK BUILDING. HOWEVER, THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COMMISSION WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED AND GO OUT TO THE CITY COMMISSIONERS ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE CRB MEETING.

SO FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. THE AGENDA WILL BE OUT FOR SIX DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING ACTUALLY OCCURS. WHY WOULDN'T WE MOVE THAT ITEM TO THE APPROPRIATE.

WELL, IT'S BECAUSE IT WAS ALL SCHEDULED AND NOTICED. I WILL I WILL BE GIVING YOU THE WHATEVER COMMENTS OR WHATEVER COMES FROM THE CRB MEETING. I WILL EMAIL THEM TO YOU AS RESPONSES. I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT THE CRB COMMENTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN THE AGENDA, BECAUSE THE AGENDA IS ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, AND NORMALLY THE MEETING WOULD HAVE BEEN ON SEPTEMBER 2ND AND IT WOULD HAVE ALIGNED. BUT BECAUSE IT'S ON THE 15TH, IT'S NOT GOING TO ALIGN. BUT I WILL BE PROVIDING THE UPDATES OR WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A.

YOU LOOK AS A BOARD FOR THAT INFORMATION FROM YOUR ADVISORY BOARD ON THE PARTICULAR TOPIC, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THAT TIME TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND MARINATE, AND FOR IT TO BE NOT VERY MANY DAYS LATER. THAT DOESN'T GIVE THIS BOARD A LOT OF TIME TO REALLY DIG IN AND CONSIDER WHAT THAT BOARD DISCUSSED. IS IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE THAT TO THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT TIME? I MEAN, THE THE APPLICANT IS WAS WAS INFORMED OF THESE DATES AND HAS ADVERTISED THE DATES AND I MEAN, I, I CAN ASK HIM LEGAL ISSUE IF WE DID THAT. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I SEE IS, AS MR. MARTEL SAID, IT'S ALREADY BEEN ADVERTISED. SO I MEAN THERE'D BE A COST AND. TO GET ANOTHER ADVERTISEMENT OUT, I MEAN, PEOPLE MIGHT SHOW UP EXPECTING THAT ITEM, BUT BUT LEGALLY, WE COULD ADVERTISE IT IF WE SO CHOSE TO GO THAT PATH. WELL, SO RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM FOR TONIGHT. SO I COULDN'T HAVE THE BOARD VOTE TO CONTINUE IT WITHOUT GIVING NOTICE TO THE SEACOAST BANK APPLICANT FOR ME TO GIVE NOTICE TO THE SEACOAST BANK APPLICANT FOR THE BOARD TO CONTINUE. IT WOULD BE THE SEPTEMBER 22ND MEETING. YOU GUYS COULD TECHNICALLY CONTINUE IT ON THE SEPTEMBER 22ND MEETING IF YOU CHOOSE, GIVE YOU DIRECTION BEFORE HAVING TO SEE IT AND CONTINUE IT THOUGH. WELL, IT'S IT'S ALREADY ADVERTISED AND NO, LIKE I HAVEN'T DONE THE AGENDA FOR IT, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY SENT OUT THE MAILING TO EVERYBODY WITHIN 300FT AND THEY'VE SENT OUT THE THE BLUE ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE PROPERTIES. AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT UNUSUAL TO HAVE MEETINGS THE WEEK AFTER AN ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AND IN THE CITY OF STUART, THAT HAS HAPPENED HUNDREDS OF TIMES IN THE PAST, THAT THE BOARD HAS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY. AND THEN ON THE 22ND, YOU GUYS CAN ADDRESS IT HOWEVER YOU WANT. I'M NOT IN A POSITION. AND AGAIN, I CAN BECAUSE OF YOUR COMMENTS. I'LL CALL THEM TOMORROW AND SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT OR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, BUT I, I DON'T AND THEN I WON'T HAVE THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU. IF THEY VOLUNTARILY WITHDREW IT, THEN THEY COULD DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE APPLICANT. BUT IN TERMS OF AUTHORITY, WE THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO VERSUS WELL. SO NOT TONIGHT. MOVING FORWARD DO WE HAVE WE COULD DO THAT. I THINK MR. MARTEL IS RIGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE 22ND. AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO

[01:40:02]

IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED THE TIME TO CONSIDER IT, I UNDERSTAND AND I WILL REACH OUT TO THEM EITHER WAY. AND THEY COULD ALWAYS REQUEST A CONTINUANCE THEMSELVES, BUT WOULD RAISED AND ADDRESSED AT THE NEXT MEETING. I'M GOING TO REITERATE THAT THE 911 MEMORIAL WALK FOR THE STUART FIREFIGHTERS BEGINS AT SHEPHERDS PARK AT 8 A.M. AND THEN ALSO TOMORROW NIGHT FROM 430 TO 6:30 P.M. THERE WILL BE A FORUM HOSTED BY THE MARTIN COUNTY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, AND REPRESENTATIVE TOBY OVERDORF WILL BE PRESENT TO DISCUSS THE AD VALOREM TAXES AND ANY PROPOSALS FOR THE COMMITTEES FOR THE MODIFICATION FOR THE AD VALOREM TAXES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AT J. MICHAEL'S TAVERN AND GRILL, WHICH IS IN THE SAME PLAZA AS PA BARBECUE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE. THE ADDRESS IS 715 NORTHWEST FEDERAL HIGHWAY, STUART, FLORIDA. SEPTEMBER 18TH. CONSTITUTION READING AT BLAKE LIBRARY AT 3 P.M. AND THEN COMMISSIONER JOB MENTIONED IT, BUT I WAS ALSO GOING TO ASK FOR DIRECTION ON THE HAMILTON MATTER. THE HAMILTON'S DID NOT RESPOND BACK TO STAFF. I LEARNED ON FRIDAY THAT THEY HAD EMAILED THE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 2ND AND SEPTEMBER 4TH. THEY ALSO DID NOT RESPOND TO FLORIDA COMMERCE OR COMMERCE SENT AN EMAIL ON FRIDAY GIVING THEM TILL TODAY TO RESPOND. THEY DIDN'T RESPOND AS OF 5:00 TODAY, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSION WANTED ME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PRESENTATION ON THE 22ND, OR WANTED ME TO POSTPONE IT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE HEAR FROM THE HAMILTON'S, IT'S YOUR CALL. DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO THEM? I SEE THEY RESPONDED ON THE SIXTH TO ALL OF US AS WELL. LIKE YOU WERE IN THAT EMAIL? YEAH, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT YET. AND I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENT. VICE MAYOR COLLINS, AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT IN MY IF YOU WANTED MY OPINION ON HOW TO ADDRESS THAT, THAT WOULD BE IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR LIKE APPLICATION PURPOSES, LIKE IF IT COMES IN FRONT OF AN ADVISORY BOARD FOR CONDITIONAL USAGE OR ZONING OR WHATNOT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PROBABLY AND MIKE OR LEE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CORRECT US, BUT YOU COULD ALWAYS ADD LANGUAGE THAT IT HAD TO BE A CERTAIN TIME FRAME IN BETWEEN COMING IN FRONT OF AN ADVISORY BOARD BEFORE IT COMES IN FRONT OF THE CITY COMMISSION. AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THAT. YEAH, WE WE COULD PUT THAT. WE COULD AMEND THE CODE, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT BEFORE THE 22ND RIGHT NOW.

BUT TO FIX IT FOR THE FUTURE THEN. YEAH. BECAUSE LIKE I AGREE, SOMETIMES IT IS VERY TIME CONSTRAINED TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY OR, OR WHATNOT. I MEAN, I PERSONALLY POSTED IT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE AND DISABLED COMMENTS AND LET PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SEND IN THE COMMENTS BASICALLY. BUT YEAH, THAT'S MY SUGGESTION FOR THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO FIX THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. SO, MR. MARTIN, I THINK YOU'RE ASKING. SO THE HAMILTON'S ASKING, I FOUND THEY'RE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH STAFF. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT LEAVES US. I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE THAT EMAIL. I WOULDN'T WANT THOSE PEOPLE TO APPEAR BEFORE US WITHOUT THEM. SPEAKING WITH STAFF IN DETAIL PRIOR. YEAH. JOHN, WAS THERE AN ISSUE WITH THE 22ND? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. THEY THEY DIDN'T REALLY SEE IT.

AND AS FAR AS FLORIDA COMMERCE, I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T EVEN RESPOND TO MY LAST TWO EMAILS, BY THE WAY. SO THEY DON'T RESPOND TO ME. WE NEED TO GET RESOLUTION ON IT THOUGH. SO I MEAN, I HAVE NO PROBLEM IF IT COMES IN FRONT OF THE BOARD ON THE 22ND. WELL, I JUST DON'T WANT I MEAN, I, I DON'T I'M PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE CITY OF STUART WILL PUT ON THE WHOLE SHOW. I JUST DON'T WANT THE HAMILTON'S TO FEEL LIKE WE DID SOMETHING BEHIND THEIR BACK OR WITHOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT, BECAUSE THE AGENDA IS DUE TOMORROW. CORRECT. THEY DID RESPOND TO YOUR EMAIL. YES. AND I'M LOOKING AT IT, BUT THE THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE RESPONSE DOES IT MENTION THE SCOPE OF SERVICES AND WHETHER THEY AGREE ON IT. I MEAN, THE WHOLE POINT IS LAST TIME POSTPONING IT TILL THE 22ND, TAKING IT OFF OF TONIGHT'S MEETING AND PUTTING IT TO THE 22ND AND SO THAT YOU DON'T RUN OUT OF TIME IF IT'S ON THE 22ND. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE FROM THE BOARD THAT UNLESS YOU THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE, COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT ALSO DOES BRING UP, THOUGH I KNOW THERE'S BEEN TWO EXTENSIONS.

[01:45:03]

THEY DID SEND AN EMAIL. THEY DID. I SAW KIND OF INFERRED THAT WE NEED A PRETTY GOOD REASON TO EXTEND. YEAH, THAT'S THAT WAS MY WELL, I DID A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST TO FIND OUT WHY THE FIRST EXTENSION WAS DONE AND THE SECOND EXTENSION WAS DONE. SO I'M WAITING FOR THAT. ONE OF THEM WAS ONE OF THEM WAS DUE TO THE HURRICANES. AND ESSENTIALLY IT WAS NOT A CHANGE IN ANY SCOPE OF SERVICES OR IN ANY MONEY. IT WAS JUST TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS AND TO GET THE PROJECTS DONE IN TIME. YEAH. AND THIS ONE, IF WE APPLIED TO FLORIDA COMMERCE FOR AN EXTENSION, THEY'D SAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU NEED IT FOR? AND WE'D SAY, WELL, BECAUSE THE HAMILTONS HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST FOR A SCOPE OF SERVICES IN THREE MONTHS, I KNOW I'M SO LATE ON THE PUBLIC RECORD, SO THAT'LL PROBABLY COME THROUGH. IT WAS IT WAS SUBMITTED, COMPLETED AUGUST 29TH. I CAN SEE IF THERE'S A JUST FOIA EMAIL. MAYBE SEND IT.

WHAT WAS HIS RESPONSE OR THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO HIS PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST? OKAY, AUGUST 29TH. LET'S SEE. 29. WE'LL FORWARD IT AGAIN. YEAH, I HAVE NO EMAIL ON THE 29TH FOR IT.

I'M I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THEM COMING BEFORE US WITHOUT HAVING SPOKEN TO STAFF. ONE OF THE THINGS I RAISED, SPOKEN AND OR EMAILED WITH STAFF IN DETAIL BECAUSE MR. MARTELL AND MR. BAGGETT ARE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE SPECIFIC LEGAL AND FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS THE CITY POSSESSES, AND I RUN OUT OF TIME. WELL, THEN THE HAMILTON'S NEED TO TO RESPOND TO THE CITY AT THE LAST DID RESPOND IN THE EMAIL, BUT THEY DIDN'T RESPOND TO THE ISSUES. THEY CAME UP TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT A DIFFERENT ISSUE AT THE LAST MEETING. ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID THAT WAS MAKING IT COMPLICATED FOR THE CITY IS IT'S NOW BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE THE CITY HAD BEEN IN THE HAMILTON'S HOUSE. THE CONTRACT THAT THE HAMILTON SIGNED SAID THAT NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY DO ANY WORK DURING THE PROJECT WHILE IT'S BEING DONE BY THE CDBG GROUP. AND MR. HAMILTON WAS DOING EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS DURING THE TIME FRAME. SO IN ORDER FOR US TO SIGN THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, ONE THING I RAISED LAST MEETING WAS WE STILL NEED TO WE NEED TO HAVE ANTONIO, THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE OF GUARDIAN, GO INTO HAMILTON'S HOUSE AND DO AN INSPECTION. AND THAT WAS MY CONCERN ABOUT YOUR GUYS'S COMMENTS ABOUT NOT WANTING TO USE GUARDIAN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE'RE USING. AND IN THE EMAIL HE SENT ON SATURDAY, MR. HAMILTON SAID, MR. MORTEL, AS YOU KNOW, THE CDBG PROGRAM REQUIRES A MANDATORY OR FOLLOW UP SITE INSPECTION PRIOR TO BID SUBMISSION. THE CDBG DOCUMENTS SIGNED BY PATRIOT STATES PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED. THE BID ESTIMATES MUST BE BASED ON WORK WRITE UP PROVIDED BY THE CITY CONTRACTOR. SHALL TAKE BEFORE PICTURES AND DOCUMENT WORKING CONDITIONS IN ALL AREAS, ETC. IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. CONSTRUCTION. WE TOTALLY AGREE.

SO YOU GOT IN BETWEEN NOW AND THE 22ND TO GET HIM TO RESPOND TO US WHEN WE TRY TO COORDINATE IT AND MEET WITH THEM. AND WE WE WANTED FOR WE WANTED. I'D LIKE TO GO THERE MONTHS AGO.

ANTONIO HAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO IN HIS HOUSE. WE HIRED AN ENGINEER TO. YEAH, IT TOOK HIM FOUR MONTHS TO RESPOND ON THE ENGINEER. HE WOULDN'T AGREE TO ENGINEER ANY ENGINEER THAT THE CITY SUGGESTED, BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE GRANT. WE SAID, TAKE WHATEVER ENGINEER YOU WANT. WE JUST WANT ANYBODY TO DO AN ENGINEERING REPORT. BUT THE ENGINEERING REPORT HAS ALL SORTS OF STUFF THAT'S COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO THE GRANT. CORRECT. THAT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS HAVE GUARDIAN GO INTO THEIR HOUSE, INSPECT THE WINDOWS, INSPECT THE SOFFITS, THE PAINTING AND THE ROOF HAPPEN. WELL, YOU CAN'T SEND GUARDIAN IN UNTIL YOU HAVE A CONSENSUS ON WHAT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES IS. I CAN'T GET A CONSENSUS BECAUSE MR. HAMILTON WILL ONLY SPEAK TO MR. REID OR COMMISSIONER REID. SO MY MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE MAYBE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER REID COORDINATE IT. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, I'VE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE, BUT HE WON'T RETURN THE CALLS OF THE CITY.

PART OF IT WAS I REMEMBER THE THE CRA DIRECTOR SAID THAT GUARDIAN WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM IT. THEY'RE NOT DOING THE CONSTRUCTION. THEY BUT THEY ARE THE CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR AND THEY ENGINEER. THEN WHY DID THE CITY HIRE AN ENGINEER THEN? IF YOU WANT GUARDIAN TO GO AFTER THE FACT, BECAUSE ENGINEER HAMILTON'S CUT THEIR CEILING OUT AND EXPANDING THEIR HOUSE AND CUT THEIR WALLS OUT AND

[01:50:03]

WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT BEFORE THAT. YEAH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TOLD THEY COULD PICK THEIR OWN CONTRACTOR. BUT THAT'S NOT HOW THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS WORKS. THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE TOLD. I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE HEARING BEFORE YOU MAKE JUDGMENT ON HOW THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. WE CAN'T HAVE A HEARING UNTIL ALL OF THOSE OTHER. WELL, AND I DON'T I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DECIDE THAT WHAT THEY WERE TOLD, I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSION TO MAKE THAT DECISION. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS BY RESOLUTION, NORMALLY THE CITY WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TELL THE PERSON YOU'RE GOING TO BE KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM IF YOU DON'T COOPERATE. BUT I DON'T GET THE SENSE THAT THE COMMISSION FEELS THAT WAY. AND AS A RESULT, I'M NOT DOING THAT. BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, IN THIS CASE, EVERY TIME ANYTHING CAME UP WITH THE HAMILTONS, THEY WOULD SAY, NO, WE WANT OUR OWN PERSON TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, IN EVERY RESPONSE, EVERY EMAIL, SAY, BUT IT STILL HAS TO GO TO PROCUREMENT, WE WOULD SAY, FINE, GO GET YOUR SCOPE OF SERVICES AND TELL US WHAT IT SAYS. JUST LIKE WITH THE LIBERTY WINDOWS GUY, HE DIDN'T WANT TO USE THE PEOPLE WE WERE SUGGESTING GOING RIGHT OUT TO BID FOR IT. NO, I WANT TO GET MY OWN PERSON TO LOOK AT IT, TO DECIDE WHAT I WANT. LET'S HAVE IT ON THE 22ND AND WE'LL PACK A LUNCH AND HASH IT OUT. OKAY. SEE IF WE CAN FIND CLARITY. CAN CAN I? I HAVE SOME CONCERNS. I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO DEBATE THIS WITH THEM. RIGHT. AND I DON'T WANT TO EITHER. BUT I HAVE SO LITTLE I HAVE SOME CONCERNS. YES, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS NOTICED THAT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE IS INVESTIGATING HUD FOR A LOT OF DYSFUNCTION AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THE CDBG PROGRAM. AND I MEAN, THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING INTO IT. SO IT REALLY CONCERNS ME. AND I THINK WE NEED TO PUT OUR HOUSE IN ORDER AND GET THINGS DONE AND GET IT DONE CORRECTLY BEFORE THEY'RE HERE INVESTIGATING US.

SO WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF SERVICES. AND I WROTE A LETTER TO SHIPPO LAST WEEK ASKING THEM. SHIBAS ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS AND TO SIMPLY PUT A SIGN IN THE FRONT YARD, BUT BECAUSE THE HAMILTONS HAD BEEN TO SEVERAL MEETINGS AND THE FLORIDA COMMERCE WAS SAYING, WELL, WE CAN PAY FOR THE WINDOWS TO BE REPLACED, I SAID, I'M NOT STEPPING IN FRONT OF THAT. I DON'T CARE IF THOSE WINDOWS GET REPLACED. BUT HE WANTS STRICT ADHERENCE TO ALL OF THESE TERMS AND ALL THE CONTRACTS. I THINK WE SHOULD STICK WITH THAT. AND I'VE ASKED SHIPPO TO REEVALUATE IT. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT. ALL THE WALLS FOR THE WINDOWS AND 66% OF THE HOUSE WASN'T HISTORIC, AND AS A RESULT, I'M CONFIDENT THAT SHIPPO IS GOING TO RESPOND BACK AND SAY THESE WINDOWS WILL BE FINE IF THAT'S THE PATH YOU WANT TO GO. SO WE COULD LITERALLY JUST GO BACK IN, FINISH THE TRIMMER ON THE WINDOWS AND MEET THE FIRST SCOPE OF SERVICES. AND THEN AGAIN, AS IT RELATES TO THE CEILING, WE HAD NEVER AGREED TO THE CEILING IN THE FIRST SCOPE OF SERVICES. YOU MENTIONED THAT LEAD PAINT ISSUE. THAT'S BECAUSE MR. HAMILTON IS USING THAT LEAD PAINT ISSUE TO JUSTIFY THE REMOVAL OF THE CEILING, BUT HE REMOVED THE CEILING. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A REPORT OF THE REMOVAL OF IT BECAUSE HE DID IT. AND SO NOBODY ELSE DID IT. AND THEY COULDN'T SPRAY IN THE INSULATION BECAUSE MR. HAMILTON REMOVED THE CEILING. AND AS A RESULT, THEY STILL CAN'T SPRAY IN THE INSULATION. AND THE QUESTION IS, HE WANTS US TO AGREE TO PUT A NEW CEILING IN. BUT IF WE AGREE TO PUT A NEW CEILING IN AND SHIPPO SAYS IT HAS TO BE DADE PINE, IT COULD COST AS MUCH AS THE ENTIRE CONTRACT, AND WE DIDN'T REMOVE IT. IT WAS A BEADBOARD CEILING THAT WASN'T DAYTIME, NOT A SEAL. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS. WELL, I KNOW THERE WAS ACTUALLY A DROP CEILING FROM WHEN IT WAS IN OFFICE WITH THE VICE MAYOR, BUT I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING INTO THEIR PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOT GONE. WELL, NOT JUST HERE, BUT IN OTHER PLACES. I'M ALL FOR THIS BEING THE LAST SEED. DBG GRANT WE DO, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD PROVE THAT WE HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING INVOLVED IN THESE KINDS OF THINGS PERSONALLY, AND EVERYTHING I HAVE READ TO DATE. I MEAN, SEEMS THAT YOU KNOW, THE CITY WAS TO BE THE REALLY OVERSEER AND WE ARE. AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU HEAR THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BENEFITED SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THESE GRANTS AND, AND THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, IT'S NOT EVEN A HOUSE. THEY FILED FOR A CHANGE OF USE FROM OFFICE TO RESIDENCE. AND DURING COVID, IT EXPIRED AND THEY NEVER GOT THE CHANGE OF USE. SO THE

[01:55:01]

HER FRUSTRATION WAS THAT THE CODE OF CONDUCT DID OF THAT MEETING. I DON'T EVEN KNOW 23.

OKAY. 22 ANYWAY, SHE WAS FRUSTRATED THAT THE CODE OF CONDUCT HAD NO TEETH, NO REMEDY IN IT. AND I SAID, LOOK, STAFF ISN'T IN A POSITION TO REPRIMAND CITY COMMISSIONERS AND AS A RESULT CAME UP. THEY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THIS COMMITTEE TO ENFORCE THE CODE OF CONDUCT. BECAUSE WHAT ELSE IS THE COMMITTEE ENFORCING? THEY'RE NOT ENFORCING THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS BECAUSE THAT'S PREEMPTED BY THE STATE. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND YOU DON'T REVISE THE CODE OF CONDUCT, THEN THERE CAN'T BE A COMMITTEE TO ENFORCE IT. SO THIS REALLY FALLS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT. AND I KNOW BECAUSE OF 12 PEOPLE SAID THAT THERE WAS A POST ON FACEBOOK THAT I WAS NOT PUTTING THE RIGHT THING ON THE AGENDA. BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CODE OF CONDUCT, THERE'S NOTHING TO ENFORCE, AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED IN ORDER TO HAVE THE COMMITTEE. AND WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT THAT THE CODE OF THE COMMITTEE HAS IN IT? THAT'S THE THAT'S THE DOCUMENT THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE USING FOR ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES. BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS MISS CARTWRIGHT'S ISSUE BACK IN 2022. BUT WHEN WE TALKED AT THE LAST MEETING, OH, SORRY. WHEN WE TALKED AT THE LAST MEETING, I THINK THAT WE RESOLVED THE FACT THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE FOR TRANSPARENCY IN GUIDANCE WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER READ SAID. THAT WOULD BE NICE

[02:00:02]

[APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

WELL, APPROVAL OF THE OF THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. WE HAVE A SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK AND THE SECOND BY THE VICE MAYOR. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL AGENDA? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE I WAS HOPING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS NOT WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR BASICALLY THREE YEARS. THE IDEA IS A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REPRESENTED ON THE DAIS. IT IS NOT AN LPA, IT IS NOT A CRA, IT IS NOT A CRB. IT IS SO PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN DETERMINE IF THERE IS EVEN A REMOTE CONSIDERATION THAT A CODE OF CONDUCT ISSUE EVEN EXISTS. IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS I'M SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY. HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES TO GO ADDRESS WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS. IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS YES, IT IS A CODE OF CONDUCT ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE COMMISSION OR BY HUMAN RESOURCES. IT COULD BE SOMETHING WHERE, YES, IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS. LET US HELP YOU FILL OUT THAT FORM. IT IS NOT TO BE PUNITIVE. IT IS TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE AND FIND A WAY TO FIND A RESOLUTION TO THEIR CONCERNS. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2022. THERE ARE MULTIPLE EMAILS BETWEEN MYSELF, MISS SHERLOCK AND MR. MORTEL ABOUT THIS. I AM REALLY GETTING FED UP WITH THE FACT THAT YOU KEEP PUTTING WORDS INTO MY MOUTH ABOUT WHAT I THINK AND WHAT I'M SAYING.

THEY'RE WRITTEN DOWN. WE HAD A WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. IT WAS REITERATED IN A MEETING. IN AN EMAIL BACK ABOUT THE MEETING, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS HAD BETWEEN MISS SHERLOCK, MYSELF, AND MR. MORTEL. NONE OF THIS IS NEW, AND EVERY TIME IT'S BROUGHT UP TO YOU, IT'S BROUGHT UP SO THAT I AM THE BAD GUY SAYING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE PUNITIVE. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THE DISCUSSION IS. IT IS TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A WAY TO BE HEARD, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING HEARD. SO IF THERE IS A WAY TO AMEND AND ALLEVIATE SOME FRUSTRATION THAT IS EXISTING IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME, WHEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING, WE ARE NOT RELEGATED TO THREE MINUTES HOPING YOU HEAR US. THE IDEA IS THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN GO TO OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ME, AND WE CAN HELP FIND A SOLUTION. SO IT DOESN'T GET TO THE POINT OF FRUSTRATION, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM US WHEN WE STAND UP HERE FOR THE VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE SO AND RIGHT. AND SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA NOW AND WHAT WAS ON THE AGENDA BEFORE? NOT WHAT I ASKED FOR, NOT EVEN CLOSE WHAT I ASKED FOR BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION IS BEING MANIPULATED AND MANAGED BY ONE PERSON. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE DISCUSSION, TO HAVE A COMMITTEE WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEEL HEARD, NOT JUST IN THE THREE MINUTES THEY HAVE TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, IF YOU'LL STICK AROUND, WE'VE DETERMINED THERE'S ENOUGH FREEDOM WITHIN ITEM 12 TO TALK ABOUT THAT. YES.

SO THANK YOU. IS THERE? ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? NO. ALL IN FAVOR? APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA I, I OPPOSED SEEING NONE. AGENDA IS APPROVED. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE

[APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ]

[02:05:07]

[11. AMENDMENT TO LDC SECTION 11.01.02.REQUIRING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OVER 50K SQUARE FEET (RC): ORDINANCE No. 2544-2025; AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE TEXT TO SECTION 11.01.02 OF THE CITY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE BY DELETING THE PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENT FOR MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS GREATER THAN 50,000 SQUARE FEET AND REPLACING WITH A PUBLIC PRESENTATION TO CITY COMMISSION REQUIREMENT; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

I MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT HERE AT THE CITY, AND WE WENT BACK AND AND IF YOU SEE WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER SECTION 11.0102, WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY SUBSECTION F, I HAD REMOVED IN THE FIRST DRAFT. BUT AFTER YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR CONSENSUS AT THE LAST HEARING, WE PUT BACK IN A A NOTICE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND SO WE ADDED LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT I THINK CONTRIBUTES TO THE INTENT ORIGINALLY OF THIS CODE, THAT THAT IT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD AND THERE IS NO VOTE, THE PEOPLE ARE NOT UNDER OATH AND SO FORTH LIKE AT A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THEY'RE STILL REQUIRED TO DO THE ADVERTISING AND ALSO TO SHOW UP AND HAVE A PUBLIC PRESENTATION ABOUT THE PROJECT. SO HOPEFULLY THE CHANGES THAT IS NOW SUBSECTION E, WHICH WAS F. IT'S MY MY OPINION AND RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT COVERS WHAT YOU GUYS WANTED. THE COMMENTS YOU MADE AT THE LAST HEARING. THANK YOU LEE. SURE, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 OR 2544 2025. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLARK. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? MADAM CLERK? I HAVE NONE. SEEING NONE OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSIONERS FOR MR. BAGGETT OR MR. MARTELL? I HAVE NONE, I HAVE NONE. YES, SIR. SO, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, LEE, THE ONLY THING IT'S DOING IS, IS WE'RE NOT VOTING, CORRECT? YEAH, CORRECT. OKAY. WELL, WELL, IT'S THERE'S ALSO NOT A PUBLIC HEARING IF YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEARING, EVERYBODY'S UNDER OATH. THE APPLICANT GETS TO HAVE THEIR TIME. YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT EX-PARTE APPLICATION OR EX PARTE COMMUNICATION. NONE OF THAT IS DONE. IT'S JUST A PRESENTATION. GOTCHA. OKAY. I THINK THE INITIAL INTENT, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE CODE, IF THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FINDS THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE, IT COMES BEFORE YOU AS A JUST SO THE PUBLIC'S AWARE. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE ONLY INTENTION. BUT IT PUTS YOU GUYS IN AN AWKWARD POSITION OF HAVING TO VOTE YES WHEN YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO, JUST REMOVING THE VOTE, THAT'S ALL. THANKS, LEE. SO IF WE'RE NOT VOTING, SHOULD WE ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT? IT ACTUALLY WILL JUST BE A PRESENTATION, WON'T IT? THERE WON'T BE A MOTION AND A SECOND. CORRECT. I MEAN, THERE'S SO REALLY THERE'S NOT A PROVISION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR YOU COULD ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT FOR. SO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO GET UP AND SAY, DON'T VOTE FOR IT. DON'T VOTE FOR IT. DON'T VOTE. BUT THERE'S NO VOTE. WE JUST GO.

WE'RE NOT VOTING. RIGHT. I THINK THE COMMENTS, I THINK IT GETS AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN TO FULFILLING THE INTENT OF THIS ORIGINALLY. OKAY. IT'S AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET. THE OTHER OPTION IS JUST IT BEING ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED AND THERE IS NO PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE COULD HEAR WHAT'S COMING, RIGHT? AND THEN AT THAT TIME THERE CAN BE CLARIFICATION, HEY, WE'RE NOT VOTING, BUT WE'RE HAVING THIS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S COMING. YEAH. JUST, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY IN PRESENTATIONS, WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE PUBLIC SPOT, SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T SEE OR STAFF DIDN'T SEE, WHICH DOES HAPPEN PROBABLY.

OKAY. BUT YOU STILL WILL NOT BE VOTING. NO. BUT YOU COULD TABLE IT TO A DATE CERTAIN THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN DO, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT I DON'T. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I DISCUSSED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS THE TIMING OF IT. LIKE, I KNOW IN THE CITY OF STUART, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE WE HAVE IS THAT IF SOMEONE COMES IN FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR A REGULAR HOUSE, THEY CAN JUST GET THE PERMIT AND START KNOCKING THE HOUSE DOWN THAT DAY. THE DAY THE PERMITS ISSUED. BUT IF THE HOUSE IS OVER 50 YEARS OLD, THE CITY'S CODE IS THAT THEY WON'T ISSUE THE PERMIT FOR 30 DAYS. IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO TELL THEM NO, BUT IT GIVES 30 DAYS SO THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTS

[02:10:06]

AND AT THE END YOU LET IT GO FORWARD AND THE PERMIT GETS ISSUED AND EVERYTHING HAPPENS, THEN THOSE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT WAS IGNORED. OR YOU HAVE A CHAIR THAT COULD REITERATE WHAT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE SAYS OR CITY MANAGER. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I DON'T DISAGREE. I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT. RIGHT, RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT THE ORDINANCE. ORIGINALLY WE WERE RESCINDING IT FROM THE BOOKS TO NOT EVEN HAVE IT COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ALL, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER IT. AND WHAT HAPPENED IS IN THE 90S, WHEN THE FINANCIAL BUILDINGS ACROSS FROM PUBLIX GOT BUILT, THEY WERE BUILT TO STRICT CODE, AND ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE BEING BUILT AND SAID FROM NOW ON, ANYTHING OVER 50,000FT■, THAT'S 30,000. I THINK IT WAS BACK THEN THAT WAS COMING FORWARD. I WANT TO HAVE A HEARING WHERE IT'S PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, AND THAT HAPPENED FOR 30 YEARS, BUT IT REALLY IT'S NOT A HEARING. IT'S A PRESENTATION. WELL, IT WAS A HEARING. OH, IT WAS A HEARING. AND THEN YEAH, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION OR THE VOTE. THE COMMISSION VOTED. YOU JUST HAD TO VOTE. YES. IT WAS WEIRD. AND SO NOW WE WERE SUGGESTING CHANGING IT. AND WHEN WE BROUGHT IT FOR THE FIRST D AND D DISCUSSION ON IT, THE COMMISSION SAID, DON'T RESCIND IT, CHANGE IT TO A PRESENTATION SO THAT YOU COULD STILL GIVE THE NOTICE AND DO THE STUFF, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE. AND THEN THE QUESTION REALLY IS HOW DO YOU HANDLE PUBLIC COMMENT? AND I MEAN, IT'S THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. YOU CAN HANDLE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. IT JUST COULD BE RATHER LENGTHY. AND IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF IF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE TOLD THAT NIGHT, YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LET IT GO FORWARD. THEY COULD BE VERY FRUSTRATED. COULD WE TABLE THE PRESENTATION TO THE NEXT MEETING? I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE DEEMED I MEAN, AS LIVE LOCAL SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THAT. YEAH. RIGHT. I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE LIVE LOCAL DO THE DO THE PRESENTATION. RIGHT. YEAH. I DON'T THINK THEY CAN EITHER. I MEAN BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT IT IS. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT CONFLICT TO ADDRESS IF ONE OF THEM COMES FORWARD. OKAY. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO THE STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION OR COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER READ ANY. NO I HAVE NONE. THANKS. OKAY.

ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR COLLINS. YES, MAYOR. RICH. YES, COMMISSIONER. KENT. YES,

[12. COMMISSIONER CODE OF CONDUCT REVIEW ]

[02:15:04]

THE POLICE THE STATE LAW PREEMPTED IT AND MADE IT SO THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE IT ANYMORE. RIGHT. AND THE CITIZENS WOULD DO THAT WITH POLICE MATTERS AND THEN SOME, ONLY AS IT RELATED TO CITY PERSONNEL. IT DID NOT APPLY TO CITY COMMISSIONERS. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT APPLIED TO CITY COMMISSIONERS, WHICH IS WHY THE CODE OF CONDUCT WAS CREATED.

RIGHT. OKAY. AND THEN OTHER SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A THE SAME THING WITH THE SAME POLICE THING, WHATEVER. OR OTHER OTHER PEOPLE. THE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD, THAT'S STILL NOT RELATED TO ELECTED OFFICIALS. IT'S WHAT SOME COMMUNITIES DO HAVE. THE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD, OURS WAS CALLED THE STEWART INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD, THE CRB, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES STILL HAVE IT BECAUSE THE STATE ADOPTED THE POLICEMAN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. AND THEN LAST YEAR PREEMPTED THE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD AS IT RELATED TO ENFORCEMENT OVER POLICE AND FIRE AND OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES AS BEING DOUBLE JEOPARDY, AND SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE PREEMPTED AND VOID.

THIS IS, AGAIN, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT. WHAT MISS CARTWRIGHT IS TALKING ABOUT IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONERS. THEY'RE NOT ON THE THE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD. IT WOULD BE THE COMMISSIONER REVIEW BOARD. OKAY, ONE MORE THING. AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND I KNOW AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, LIKE WITH CONGRESS AND SO ON, A LOT OF

[02:20:02]

THE TWO ITEMS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE, NOR ARE THEY MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. YOU ADDRESSING THE CODE OF CONDUCT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITIZEN PANEL, WHO IS EMBOLDENED AND ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW WHAT COULD BECOME BEFORE THE COMMISSION. THESE ARE TWO PARALLEL TRACKS. MAYBE THEY INTERSECT. MAYBE THEY DON'T. THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE OR EXCLUSIVE, AMENDING THE CODE OF CONDUCT SO THAT IT HAS TEETH, I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. ABSOLUTELY. BUT IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT. CITIZENS STILL NEED TO BE HEARD.

CAN I INTERRUPT YOU WHILE YOU'RE TALKING? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, SO WHEN YOU SAY HAS TEETH, WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? SO WE'LL USE THE EXAMPLE THAT BROUGHT ALL OF THIS TO LIGHT WITH COMMISSIONER BRUNER WHEN SHE MADE A PUBLIC APPEARANCE WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NEVER IDENTIFYING THAT SHE WAS SPEAKING AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. SHE HAD A MONIKER AND A BUG ON THE SCREEN THAT SAID CITY OF STUART COMMISSIONER. AND SHE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE CPWD AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING THAT HAD NOT BEEN DISCUSSED PUBLICLY AT THIS POINT. SHE WAS ADVOCATING FOR IT AND TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WOULD BE DONE, AS IS HER RIGHT. HAD THE CITY COMMISSION GIVEN HER PERMISSION, THE MAYOR WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE HER PERMISSION, AND WHEN IT WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THE ACTIONS THAT SHE WAS TAKING AND THE REPRESENTATION AUTHORITY THAT SHE HAD FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE, SHE DID NOT HAVE IT.

SO WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THEN POTENTIALLY THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR, THE CITY MANAGER, NOTHING WAS DONE. WHEN YOU SAY TEETH, WHAT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A CODE OF CONDUCT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY IF NOBODY IS ENFORCING IT AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE PUNITIVE, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS COULD HAVE HELD HER ACCOUNTABLE. THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO ACTUALLY MAKE A MENTION. YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT WAS REALLY A BAD IDEA. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT. A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN WITH THIS, AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS THE MINORITY VOTE IS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, ESPECIALLY THAT THAT COULD HAVE HURT ME IF I WAS CENSORED. BUT BUT CENSORING SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU'RE NOT VIOLATING A CODE OF CONDUCT, IF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WILL SOMETIMES THE THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT COULD BE LEVERAGED AGAINST YOU AS A HAMMER. OKAY. IF MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WERE NOT SO HAPPY WITH THE WAY I WAS BEHAVING, I COULD VERY WELL BE ACCUSED OF. LET'S USE YOUR EXAMPLE THEN. LET'S USE YOUR EXAMPLE BECAUSE YOU WERE IN THE MINORITY VOTE. AGAIN, NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE, RIGHT? YOUR VOTES AS THEY WERE CAST WERE NOT IN VIOLATION OF ANY SUNSHINE LAWS, RIGHT? THEY WEREN'T IN VIOLATION OF ANY CODE OF CONDUCT. THEY WEREN'T IN VIOLATION OF ANY CODE OF ETHICS. AND PEOPLE DID COME TO ME ABOUT YOUR VOTE. SOMETIMES MY IRISH SHOWS AND I ARGUE AND IT GETS UGLY AND I COULD BE TOTALLY ACUTE, BUT NOT MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE OF YOUR SITUATION. WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HOW YOU WERE VOTING. IF SOMEBODY HAD COME TO A COMMITTEE LIKE THE ONE THAT WE WERE PRESENTING AND ASKING FOR, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A DISCUSSION PREEMPTIVELY TO SAY, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT. THESE ARE VIOLATIONS OF CODE OF ETHICS. IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE BAR, THESE ARE VIOLATIONS OF THE BAR. AND TO HAVE A DISCUSSION TO DE-ESCALATE ITEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME PERSONAL, WHICH IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED AND ATTACKS BECOME PERSONAL. AND NOW THE THE CONVERSATION THAT SHOULD BE HAD IS NO LONGER ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE HAD. NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING PERSONALITIES AND WE'RE DISCUSSING EVERYTHING ELSE, AND WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING WHAT THE ACTUAL MOTIVES AND VOTES ARE. SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COMMISSIONER COLLINS, I WOULD SAY TO YOU, HAD A COMMITTEE LIKE THIS EXISTED, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE HAD A WAY INSTEAD OF GOING TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND INSTEAD OF GOING TO WHOMEVER THEY COULD HAVE HAD AN OUTLET TO HAVE A DISCUSSION, TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE GENUINE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIBLE IN HOW THEY WERE REACTING TO THINGS. THAT'S ALL THIS IS ABOUT IS CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE HEARD SO THAT THEY CAN REACT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY, AND THE CONVERSATION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DERAILED, LIKE WHEN EVERYONE'S FAVORITE FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR DECIDES TO POST THINGS THAT ARE UNTRUE, I'LL USE MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE. THERE'S TWO THINGS YOU'RE SAYING, THOUGH, WHICH WHICH I'M TRYING TO PARCEL OUT.

ONE IS PEOPLE BEING HEARD, WHICH I TOTALLY AGREE WITH. YOU TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. LIKE I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE NICE. AND TO SOME EXTENT THAT'S WHAT THESE MEETINGS SHOULD BE. IF THAT'S HOW THEY FUNCTION. YOU KNOW, IN THEORY VERSUS PRACTICE, MAYBE WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT.

[02:25:04]

WITH WHAT WHERE YOU'RE GOING. IT'S A FAIR QUESTION, BUT HAD WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION STARTING IN 2022, WHEN THE ADA WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. NOW, I DON'T DISAGREE, SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

IT NEEDS TO BE HAD. BUT AGAIN, IT IS NOT FOR THE PURPOSES OF PUNISHING ANYBODY. AND NO OFFENSE, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU. IT'S REALLY IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO NEED AN OUTLET AND A SPACE TO BE HEARD IN A WAY THAT YOU CANNOT HEAR US. AND IF I DON'T KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS FINE, RIGHT? WHAT? WHAT IF I'M. WHAT IF I'M TRYING TO RESTORE MY HOUSE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PERMITTING PROCESS WORKS? AND I CONTACTED ONE OF YOU FOR HELP, AND I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE YOU WERE HELPING ME. AND I'M TOTALLY PUT OFF BY THIS. IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO COME IN AND SAY, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER CLARK, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN WALKING ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS. NO. IF WE HAD A COMMITTEE THAT WAS STAFFED WITH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY CARED WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND CARE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OPTICALLY, THEY WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? COMMISSIONER CLARK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING YOUR HAND AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PERMIT PROCESS. HAVE YOU CALLED THE PERMITTING OFFICE? HERE'S A NUMBER FOR YOU TO CALL. HERE ARE ALL THE HERE'S ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT YOU NEED. THAT IS NOT A COMMISSIONER ISSUE. THAT IS A PROCESS ISSUE. AND YOU CAN YOU CAN TOTALLY TAKE AWAY THE ANGER THAT SOMEBODY HAS IN THAT SITUATION BECAUSE YOU'RE PROVIDING AN OUTLET TO THEM. I'M SORRY, BUT THE CITY STAFF IS NOT DOING THIS APPROPRIATELY AT THIS POINT.

THE PERSON WHO SITS IN THE SEAT. AND EXACTLY THAT'S WHAT WE DO ALL THE TIME. I WOULD BEG TO DIFFER BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS, BUT YOU ARE WELCOME TO THINK WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW. YOUR ROLE IS TO VOTE ON ORDINANCES. IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO OPERATE THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF WHAT HAPPENS. YOU ARE NOT AN OPERATING BOARD, RIGHT? YOU ARE A VOTING BOARD. YES. AND SO THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS NO OPERATING BOARD FOR THE CITY. IT IS RELIANT UPON STAFF TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AND HELP PEOPLE. IF PEOPLE CAN'T GET THROUGH TO SOMEBODY, IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO CALL, THEY CALL YOU AS THEY SHOULD. YOU ARE THEIR REPRESENTATIVES. WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THAT IS YOUR JOB. BUT THERE IS A POINT WHERE THAT JOB IS NOT YOUR JOB. THERE IS A POINT WHERE THAT JOB REALLY GOES TO THE PERMITTING OFFICE. AND THEN HOW DO YOU GET THERE? AND HOW DO YOU DE-ESCALATE A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN THIS FRUSTRATION? SO A POINT OF CONTACT, CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. OPERATOR. SO IF I COULD JUST IF I COULD JUST COMMENT, COMMISSIONER CLARK HAS HAD HER LIGHT ON FOR A WHILE. OKAY. SO YEAH, I WROTE DOWN OMBUDSMAN HERE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT? AN OMBUDSMAN TYPE PERSON? I, I WENT IN WITH THE IDEA THAT THERE SHOULD JUST BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO EXIST. FOR THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT CREATES A WAY FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO EXIST. WOULD YOU LIKE YOU CAN, COMMISSIONER READ.

I JUST WANTED TO CHAIR. OKAY. THERE. WE'LL STAND IN RECESS. SURE. THERE. AT 730. MISS CARTWRIGHT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK YOU? I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS WANTED. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO STATE I APPRECIATE YOU HEARING ME OUT, BUT MY GOAL IS NOT TO TELL YOU HOW TO FORM A COMM EXPRESS PURPOSE OF TELLING YOU THAT YOU NEED A COMMITTEE, AND YOU HAVE NEEDED A COMMITTEE, AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. I HAVEN'T PUT THAT MUCH THOUGHT INTO IT. WHEN OUR MEETINGS WERE HAD WITH MR. MORTEL AND WE HAD THIS EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE GOING BACK AND FORTH, IT WASN'T PRESCRIPTIVE. IT WASN'T TO TELL THE COMMISSION HOW TO SET IT UP. IT WASN'T TO TELL YOU WHAT YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT SHOULD SAY. IT WAS TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME. THAT'S IT. IF YOU NEED MORE DETAIL, I'M HAPPY TO PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO IT. I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS IT COULD RUN.

THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S YOUR DECISION. YOU'RE THE COMMISSION.

AND WHAT I COMMUNICATED TO MISS CARTWRIGHT BACK THEN WAS THAT THE CODE OF CONDUCT, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE DRAFTING OF IT, BUT THE DRAFTING OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT

[02:30:03]

THE BOARD SAID COMMISSIONER CLARK DID NOTHING WRONG. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING SUMMER WAS AN ELECTION YEAR, AND THE POSTCARD THAT WENT OUT, SAID COMMISSIONER CLARK, WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE CODE OF CONDUCT 52 TIMES LAST YEAR. AND I SAID, BY ITS VERY NATURE, THE INFERENCE WOULD BE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT. AND I SAID MY CONCERN WAS, HOW DO WE GET AN AGENDA ITEM ON THE CODE OF CONDUCT? BECAUSE THE CITY HAS TO DO THE DUE PROCESS SIDE OF IT, HAS TO GET A COMPLAINT, HAS TO PROCESS A COMPLAINT AND PUT IT ON A NOTICE FOR AN AGENDA ITEM IN ADVANCE. AND NOW THE AGENDA ITEMS OUT THERE, AND THERE'S NO RESPONSE BY THE COMMISSIONER YET BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET TO EVEN HEAR IT, MAYBE FOR ANOTHER MONTH, BECAUSE THIS COMMITTEE FIRST HAS TO HEAR IT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSIONER GOES AND DEFENDS THEMSELF AT THAT MEETING OR NOT. BUT THEN AFTER THE COMMITTEE HEARS IT, IF THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY VOTES, THAT'S RIGHT. THAT COMMISSIONER VIOLATED THE CODE OF CONDUCT HERE OR THERE OR ANYWHERE. NOW IT ESCALATES TO THE LEVEL OF WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? SO THEN ANOTHER FORMAL HEARING HAS TO HAPPEN WITH THE COMMISSION, WHERE WHATEVER PUNISHMENT IT IS OR ISN'T HAPPENS. BUT MY CONCERN WAS THE WINDOW BEFORE THE HEARING WHERE THE NOTICE OF THE MEETING GOES OUT AND IT SAYS COMMISSIONER X IS ACCUSED OF VIOLATING SOMETHING AND IT'S A SEVEN DAY NOTICE. BEFORE THE MEETING, THE COMMISSION REVIEWS IT AND SAYS, NOPE, THE COMMISSIONER DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT THE NOTICE HAD THE ALLEGATIONS IN IT, WHATEVER THOSE ARE, BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GET VERY FRUSTRATED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A LETTER JUST PRIOR TO THE 4TH OF JULY BY A GUY THAT DESCRIBED CAMPING AS TAKING PLACE ON ONE OF THE LOTS ON SEMINOLE STREET, AND THERE HAD NEVER BEEN ANY CAMPING THERE. AND HE DESCRIBED THE LOT AS LOOKING LIKE A JUNGLE AND AND OTHER DESCRIPTIONS. AND IF YOU GOT A COMPLAINT THAT LOOKED LIKE THAT AND IT WAS PROCESSED BY STAFF AND PUT ON THIS AGENDA AND CALLED THE ORDER AND HAD ALL THE STUFF, THE COMMISSIONER WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY GUILTY BEFORE EVEN ADDRESSING IT. AND THAT WAS WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH THE I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FROM HERE THING, AND I LEFT IT WITH THE CITY MANAGER, AND THAT WAS KIND OF IT. CAN YOU SEE THAT POINT A LITTLE BIT? IT'S KIND OF IT'S SO INSTEAD OF WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT. SO YES, I SEE THE POINT, BUT I'M NOT REALLY SURE WE'RE STILL ADDRESSING WHAT I'M ASKING FOR. YOU PUT YOU PUT NEW BUTTS IN THE SEATS. I UNDERSTAND, BUT WE'RE MAKING WE'RE WE'RE HYPOTHESIZING AND WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL OR WON'T DO AND WHAT WHAT COMMUNICATION IS GOING OUT ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST. THE IDEA OF THE COMMITTEE YET AGAIN, BECAUSE THE INTENT VERSUS WHAT IT ENDS UP BECOMING IS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THAT BEFORE GOING DOWN THE PATH OF CREATING IT. I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR THREE YEARS, COMMISSIONER COLLINS. THREE YEARS, THREE VERY LONG YEARS, MR. CLARK. YEAH, I HEAR YOU, COMMISSIONER COLLINS. OH, BROTHER. WHAT WAS I GOING TO SAY? WELL, I MENTIONED I WAS. NO, NO, I MENTIONED OMBUDSMAN, BUT THIS THIS THIS IDEA THAT. COMMISSIONER COLLINS BROUGHT UP ABOUT TEETH I THE ONLY TEETH I SEE IS THE ETHICS COMPLAINT. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THE THE THAT'S WHAT GOVERNS ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT ON THE VOTING BOOTH. THAT'S WHAT GOVERNS ELECTED OFFICIALS ETHICS COMPLAINT OR LIKE COMMISSIONER COLLINS SAID, NEW SEATS IN THE IN THE THING. BUT IT'S VOTING BOOTH AND THE ETHICS COMPLAINT. THAT'S WHAT THE TEETH IS HAVING THE CITIZENS DISCUSS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMMISSIONER. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT THAT JUST CAUSED MORE FESTERING. I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST I AND I HEAR YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO YOU'D RATHER DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, RIGHT, WHERE THERE'S NO POSSIBLE RESOLUTION FOR ANY POSSIBLE RESOLUTION. SO THERE'S YOUR THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. WE'LL HAVE

[02:35:02]

IF YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT IS IS GOOD, THEN YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT IS GOOD. ARE YOU ABIDING BY IT? AND IF YOU'RE NOT, WHAT DO YOU DO TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE? THAT'S ONE TRACK, RIGHT? THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR COMPLAINTS ARE ALREADY USED. PUNITIVELY IF SOMEBODY CAME TO ME ABOUT YOUR SITUATION THAT YOU BROUGHT UP AS THE EXAMPLE, I WOULD NOT ENCOURAGE THEM TO FILE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT BECAUSE MAYBE YOU LIKE MY IDEAS. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR IDEAS. I AM A BY THE BOOKS PERSON. I AM A COMPLIANCE AND REGULATIONS PERSON. I'M A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE PERSON.

THANK GOD THAT YOU HAVE A HIGH CALIBER OF CHARACTER, BUT NOT EVERYBODY DOES. WELL, WELL, I, I CAN'T HELP THAT, BUT I WOULD STRIVE. CAN WE ALLOW COMMISSIONER REED TO COMMENT? HE'S BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY AND I'M WAITING AFTER HIM. YES, I SEE THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU ROBIN.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR PUNISHMENT. IT'S FOR GUIDANCE. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT EVEN AGAIN, NOT ABOUT YOU. RIGHT. IT'S MORE ABOUT THE PUBLIC BEING HEARD AND GETTING A DIRECTION ON WHERE TO GO. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION. YES. WHAT DIRECTION TO GO IN.

I'M WITH YOU. I'M WITH YOU. NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE SOLVED WITH IF IF AN ADVISORY BOARD IS NECESSARY. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT ADVISORY BOARDS EXIST THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES. I, I WANT TO I WILL GIVE YOU A PERFECT EXAMPLE, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A COMMENT, COMMISSIONER JUDY, I WILL MAKE THIS BRIEF. I CONTACTED THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WITH THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER, AND I GOT ZERO ASSISTANCE. I SAID, IS THERE SOMEBODY WITH WHOM I COULD SPEAK BECAUSE I NEED HELP DETERMINING IF THIS IS EVEN AN ETHICAL VIOLATION, LIKE, IS THIS EVEN SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL ENTERTAIN? I WAS TOLD, I CAN'T HELP YOU, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO FILE WHICH IS BUT WHICH IS SO. SO I AGREE, BUT IF SOMEBODY LIKE ME WANTED TO FILE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT. RIGHT. BECAUSE NOW WE'RE JUMPING FROM 0 TO 100. YEAH. IF SOMEBODY LIKE ME WANTED TO FILE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT, WHICH I TRIED TO DO, I COULD GET ZERO ASSISTANCE, NOBODY TO HELP ME. SO I STARTED ASKING IN A LOCAL LEVEL, WHICH IS WHY I CONSULTED WITH WITH ATTORNEY SHERLOCK ABOUT THIS SITUATION. IT IS NOT TO BE PUNITIVE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED, FOR RECOGNIZING THAT IT IS TO HELP PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IF THERE IS A PROCESS TO FOLLOW. HOW DO YOU FOLLOW IT, AND IS IT EVEN WORTHY OF FOLLOWING? THAT'S IT.

AND I CAN GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES. AS FAR AS THE ETHICS STUFF, I I'VE HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY ON EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE SINCE BEING UP HERE, SINCE GETTING INVOLVED WITH ADVISORY BOARDS, I LEARNED BY DOING MY OWN RESEARCH OR BY ASKING QUESTIONS. BUT NOT EVERY CITIZEN WILL DO THAT. AS FAR AS THE ETHICS STUFF, YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND AND SEND IN A WRITTEN SCENARIO AND THEY WILL ACTUALLY RESPOND IF YOU GO ON THEIR WEBSITE. BUT I KNOW THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IF PEOPLE ARE TOLD ONE THING, YOU EITHER QUESTION IT FURTHER OR YOU JUST TAKE THEIR ANSWER AND JUST MOVE ALONG LIKE A GOOD CITIZEN SHOULD DO.

APPARENTLY THAT'S NOT ME THOUGH. I LIKE TO QUESTION THINGS. I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, BUT YOU ARE A GOOD CITIZEN. WELL, IT'S DEBATABLE, BUT NO, LIKE I, I LIKE TO DO MY OWN DUE DILIGENCE. I LIKE TO DO MY OWN RESEARCH. SOMETIMES I INVOLVE STAFF. SOMETIMES I'LL ASK CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, AND AND THEY CAN REITERATE EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND STUFF OR THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. I ASK FOR CLARIFICATION WHETHER IT'S FROM LOU, JODY, ANYBODY. AND I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. I SEE THE BENEFIT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT GOES BACK TO I'VE HAD TO NAVIGATE EVERYTHING. NOBODY'S IN MY CORNER WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS. SURE, YOU MIGHT ASK A QUESTION HERE OR THERE, BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT INFORMATION IS POINTING YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? YOU DON'T. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE IF WE AS A BOARD COULD HAVE A WORKSHOP ONCE EVERY QUARTER, A TRUE WORKSHOP, NOT WHERE WE SIT UP HERE AND YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, THREE MINUTES. BECAUSE IT REALLY DOESN'T SOLVE ANYTHING. YOU YOU CANNOT GET MOST THINGS OUT IN THREE MINUTES. OR IF HANG ON MIKE, OR IF YOU SEND A LONG EMAIL, I CAN SPEAK ON MYSELF. PERSONALLY. I'M BUSY. I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES, BUT I'M A VERY BUSY PERSON. SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO TO GO THROUGH EMAILS OR PHONE CALLS WITH WITH FULL TIME JOBS. I CAN'T SPEAK WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES, BUT I HAVE A FULL TIME CAREER AND I'M NOT AGAINST WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND I AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY FOR A PUNISHMENT BECAUSE I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT FLORIDA ETHICS THAN I AM SOME CODE OF CONDUCT THAT THAT MEANS THE CODE OF CONDUCT. I MEAN, I REALLY YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE A THE PUNISHMENT SIDE OF IT. LIKE VICE MAYOR COLLINS SAID, I'D BE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE ETHICS

[02:40:03]

THAT'S PART OF WHAT SHE'S SAYING, BUT SHE'S ALSO SAYING WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS IT? THIS GROUP IS DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT THAT ISSUE RISES TO THE LEVEL OF POTENTIALLY AN ETHICS. AND WE DON'T WE DON'T NEED TO CHANGE A SINGLE THING IN THE CODE RIGHT NOW FOR YOU GUYS TO TELL ME TO SCHEDULE 12 WORKSHOPS THIS YEAR, I COULD HAPPILY DO IT. OR THREE OR 1 OR 50. I MEAN, WHATEVER AMOUNT YOU WANT, I'M JUST SAYING WHATEVER YOU WANT. COULD WE HAVE COMMISSIONER GIOVI WOULD LIKE BEEN PATIENT. OKAY, AGAIN, EVERYONE'S TURNING TO THE PUNITIVE PART OF IT, AND I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMISSIONERS FEELING OPEN TO DISCUSS THINGS WITH EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF THEM. THE COMMUNITY STANDING THERE FOR THREE MINUTES. THEY SAY WHAT THEY HOPEFULLY CAN SAY IN THREE MINUTES. WE CAN'T ANSWER THEM. I MEAN, IT'S A FRUSTRATING SITUATION AND THEN GETS TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE MAYBE ARE FILING ETHICS COMPLAINTS TO THE STATE. MAYBE IF WE JUST HAD THE OPEN DIALOG, THAT'S ALL I THINK SHE'S LOOKING FOR AND I'M LOOKING FOR HAVE THAT OPEN DIALOG WHERE YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GATHERED TOGETHER FROM THE COMMUNITY, MAYBE TAKE ISSUES FROM OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE FINDING IT FRUSTRATING TO NAVIGATE THE CITY OR DON'T FEEL THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMMISSIONERS. YEAH, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AGAIN. WE HAVE TO STRUCTURE IT HOW IT WORKS, BUT I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GOOD. DOES IT? AM I SAYING THAT IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE PUNITIVE? MAYBE THERE'S AN ISSUE WHERE THEY COME BEFORE AND SAY, WELL, WE REALLY THINK THIS ISN'T RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, CAN WE SOMEHOW NAVIGATE THIS CHANGE OR WHATEVER? AND THE END RESULT MIGHT BE THAT YOU GO TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT, I MEAN, THE COMMISSION IN THE STATE AND, AND DO A, YOU KNOW, ETHICS VIOLATION. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK THE OTHER 80% OR 90% THAT OPENS UP DIALOG BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMISSIONERS CAN ONLY DO US GOOD. IT CAN ONLY GIVE THEM A LEVEL OF MORE TRUST TOWARD US, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TRUST US TO DO AN AGENDA. I'D HAVE TO DO AN AGENDA. WELL, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DELIBERATING, IS TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. THAT WE RAN INTO WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE IS WHAT'S ON THAT AGENDA. ARE THE COMMISSIONERS JUST GOING TO SHOW UP TO THIS OPEN FORUM? AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE RANDOM PEOPLE BLURTING OUT POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF, WHY ARE YOU ASSUMING THAT THE COMMISSION IS INVITED TO THE COMMITTEE? I'M NOT. I DIDN'T BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING IN OPEN FORUMS THAT WERE THEY WERE SAYING AN OPEN FORUM, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPEN FORUM BEFORE US BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE GETTING TOGETHER SAYING, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE TO ARE SAYING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU'RE SAYING MAKING OURSELVES AS A BOARD AVAILABLE FOR, FOR PEOPLE IN LIKE A TOWN HALL SETTING? WELL, BUT HAVING ALREADY GOTTEN TOGETHER, ROBIN IS SAYING A COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE US. WELL, I THINK THAT HER COMMITTEE WOULD COME BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS TO SAY THESE ARE THE ISSUES WE HAVE. THAT'S HOW I ENVISIONED IT. AFTER THEY HAD THEM, AFTER THE COMMITTEE GOT THEM FROM THE PUBLIC. YES, BUT BUT USING MR. MARTELL'S EXAMPLE OF COMMISSIONER CLARK APPARENTLY BEING EGREGIOUS 51 OR 52 TIMES.

5353 CONGRATULATIONS. IT WAS OVER THE DUCKS IF OVER DUCKS, IF COMMISSIONER CLARK'S COMPLAINTS ARE ALL COMING FROM THE SAME PERSON, THAT IS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. THAT IS NOT ABOUT COMMISSIONER CLARK AT THIS POINT. THAT'S A PERSONALITY ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED. AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS GERMANE TO THAT DISCONNECT AND DYSFUNCTION IN THAT RELATIONSHIP, THAT'S WHERE YOU IDENTIFY IT. IT IS NOT TO PUNISH COMMISSIONER CLARK FOR ANYTHING. AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK YOU GUYS AREN'T REALLY HEARING THE FULL SCOPE OF WHAT THIS IS. THIS IS NOT ABOUT FINDING A WAY TO MAKE YOU LOOK BAD OR TO FIND SOMETHING WRONG. THIS IS A WAY FOR THAT ONE PERSON WHO HAS AN ISSUE WITH COMMISSIONER CLARK, APPARENTLY 53 TIMES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS REALLY THE ISSUE. IS THE ISSUE REALLY, COMMISSIONER CLARK? IS IT REALLY A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH? AND COMMISSIONER CLARK IS JUST BEARING THE BRUNT OF IT. YOU'RE MAKING A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION. WE'RE ENTERTAINING I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT BUT LET'S NOT ASSUME ILL INTENT. LET'S ASSUME POSITIVE INTENT. THE GOAL IS AGAIN, I WILL GO BACK TO THIS. THE GOAL IS FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAVE A CONCERN AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. GET SOME HELP BECAUSE NO OFFENSE, THE CITY CITY STAFF WANT TO KEEP THEIR JOBS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK YOU SHOULD DO? I THINK YOU NEED TO CALL THIS GUY. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. AND I DON'T BLAME THEM A COMMITTEE. WELL, SO FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THIS CONVERSATION CAME UP. THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE CONSTITUTION OF IT. LIKE RIGHT NOW, IF THIS BOARD VOTED TO RESCIND THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND IT JUST POOF IT'S GONE, THEN THERE WOULD BE NO BASIS FOR THE COMMITTEE TO EVEN WEIGH THE BEHAVIOR OF THE BOARD. THE CODE OF CONDUCT IS THE BASIS FOR THE BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT FALLS UNDER THE SOLE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS. AND I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO ROBIN IN 22 WHEN THE ISSUE WITH BECKY BRUNER CAME UP. AND THERE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ON VIDEO. SO WE

[02:45:07]

THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR INSTRUCTION. THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE A SERIES OF RULES OR HOW TO HOW SHOULD I WEIGH THIS COMPLAINT? I'M JUST A RESIDENT OF STUART. SHOULD I CONSIDER THIS MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THAT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE? AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT FALLS UNDER THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS, DO WE NOT HEAR IT AT ALL, OR DO WE HEAR IT ON A MORE LOCAL LEVEL? AND THERE'S ALL THESE NUANCE TO IT. AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I MEAN, WE DO HAVE THESE OTHER BOARDS, AND I KNOW WHEN IT CAME TO WHEN IT CAME TO THE SCHOOL ZONE, COMMISSIONER REED HAD HIS LIGHT ON. WHEN IT CAME TO THE SCHOOL ZONE, MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SPOKE WITH MISS MOSER. THEN THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CRB OR THE LPA. I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CITY THAT ALLOW YOU TO CONTACT WITH THEM. I MEAN, APPARENTLY I'M DOING THIS JOB COMPLETELY WRONG. I TALK TO PEOPLE CONSTANTLY. I CALL PEOPLE, THEY SEND AN EMAIL AND I CALL THEM BACK, AND I GO TO THEIR HOUSE AND I DRAG THE CITY MANAGER WITH ME, AND PEOPLE SPEAK HERE, AND I GET THEIR NUMBER AND I CALL THEM. I AM CONSTANTLY INTERACTING WITH THE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN AND I I'M SORRY YOU THINK MOST PEOPLE DON'T TRUST YOU, COMMISSIONER JOB, BUT I DON'T FIND THAT TO BE THE CASE.

EXCUSE ME? MANY PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH ME EVEN CALL ME. AND SOMETIMES TO, YOU KNOW, TO STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT I. IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER REED IS VERY ACCESSIBLE. I IT SPEAKS TO A GREAT MANY PEOPLE. I JUST I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THE SENSE OF I MEAN, PEOPLE CALL ME UP AND CAN I DUMP MY GARBAGE HERE? MAYOR RICH, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU. WELL, THIS IS ABOUT ME. I CAN TELL YOU. I HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO CALL ME ABOUT THE COMMISSION AND ASK ME QUESTIONS. I'M NOT ELECTED, SO THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT COMING TO ALL OF YOU EVERY SINGLE TIME.

THAT'S MY POINT. IF SOMEBODY IS NOT COMFORTABLE COMING TO YOU, THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE COMING TO YOU BECAUSE THEY ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS YOU OR NAVIGATE. I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE. THAT'S AMAZING. HOWEVER, 100% OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING TO YOU.

THAT'S THE POINT. MAYOR RICH, MAY I, OMBUDSMAN COMMISSIONER REED, WHAT ABOUT IF WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE BECAUSE LIKE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS ONLY THREE MINUTES? WHAT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER DIRECTIVE WHERE YOU COULD FILL OUT A FORM AND HAVE MORE TIME ALLOCATED? IS IT IS IT ANONYMOUS? DO PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CAN SPEAK FREELY AND CAN WE? CAN WE RESPOND? I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT TOO. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PART OF IT. BUT THE WHOLE POINT IS THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS COMING TO YOU GUYS FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION. I'VE I'VE BEEN THERE. ABSOLUTELY.

PERSONALLY, I CAN SPEAK I AM PERSONA NON GRATA TO BE HIRED WITHIN MARTIN COUNTY BECAUSE OF THIS KIND OF STUFF. SO. SO I AM THE FIRST TO TELL YOU PEOPLE COME TO ME BECAUSE THEY KNOW I THERE'S NOTHING TO RETALIATE AGAINST ANYMORE. I CAN'T GET FIRED FROM A JOB I DON'T HAVE.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT COME TO YOU. I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE ACCESSIBLE, AND I'M GLAD YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ACCESSIBLE. BUT I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS, MAYOR, YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS GONE TO. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CONTACT ME ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT YOU DO.

AND WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT? I TRY TO GUIDE THEM IN THE BEST WAY THAT I CAN, TO ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY ABOUT WHAT IS AND IS NOT PERMITTED ACCORDING TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND WHATEVER OTHER RULES THE CITY HAS. TAKE THAT FOR WHAT YOU WILL. BUT THE WHOLE POINT IS THAT NOT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO BE HERE AND IS COMFORTABLE SPEAKING TO

[02:50:05]

THEY'RE JUST RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THAT IS A SUNSHINE BOARD. SO THE SUNSHINE CREATES A A AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH IT. BUT WE I KNOW THAT ROBIN THINKS THAT I IGNORED HER IN 22 AND DIDN'T. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE COPIOUS AMOUNT OF EMAILS WHERE I WAS IGNORED, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS THAT LATER. I DIDN'T IGNORE YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I DIDN'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO ANYTHING, AND I STILL DON'T. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH IT. TO ME, FIRST, WHETHER PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S THE CODE OF CONDUCT OR NOT, IT IS BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE THE CODE OF CONDUCT AWAY, THERE'S NOTHING FOR YOU TO VIOLATE. SO THERE'S NO NEED FOR THE COMMITTEE TO TO MEET. NOBODY'S RECOMMENDING TO TAKE AWAY THE CODE OF CONDUCT. I'M NOT EITHER, BUT I'M POINTING OUT THAT IT IS RELATED TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT. MY RECOMMENDATION BACK THEN, AS IT IS NOW, WOULD BE IF YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION REGARDING THIS COMMITTEE OR HOWEVER IT WAS GOING TO BE, THAT YOU AMEND THE CODE OF CONDUCT TO CREATE A COMMITTEE OF FIVE, SEVEN, NINE, WHATEVER ODD NUMBERED PEOPLE IT IS, DECIDE HOW THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SELECTED TO BE ON THE BOARD, HOW LONG THEIR TERMS ARE GOING TO BE AND WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO MEET. THEN IF THEY'RE GOING TO ONLY MEET WHEN A FORMAL COMPLAINT IS FILED BY SOMEONE ABOUT A CITY COMMISSIONER, YOU WOULD THEN NEED TO CREATE A FORM TO FILL OUT THE COMPLAINT AND SAY, WHAT IS IT THAT THEY THINK THE COMMISSIONERS DOING WRONG AND VIOLATING THE CODE OF CONDUCT? AND THAT WOULD BE THE AGENDA ITEM THAT'S PUT TOGETHER. IF IT'S NOT FOR VIOLATION OF SOMETHING IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT, AND IT'S FOR NOT RETURNING PHONE CALLS OR IT'S FOR NOT BEING AVAILABLE OR NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS, THE CODE OF CONDUCT EVEN COULD HAVE THAT LANGUAGE IN IT. BUT BUT HOW WOULD THE COMMITTEE EVEN DELIBERATE IF THERE'S NO SPINE OR NO RULES FOR THEM TO APPLY IT TO? SO YOU NEED THAT CODE OF CONDUCT AS THE RULES, AND I'M NOT AGAINST IT AT ALL. I HONESTLY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT. I JUST WAS I, I SAW THE POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE. AND THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE REASON THE CRB BOARD WAS ESSENTIALLY REMOVED BY THE STATE WAS BECAUSE SOME CASE LAW CAME OUT AND SAID THAT IF A POLICE OFFICER GOT IN TROUBLE WITH HIS SUPERVISOR AND GOT SUSPENDED FOR AN HOUR, AND THEN SIX WEEKS LATER WENT IN FRONT OF THE SERB BOARD FOR THE SAME THING, BECAUSE SOMEBODY MADE A PUBLIC COMPLAINT ABOUT IT, THAT THE POLICE OFFICER WAS ESSENTIALLY BEING SUBJECT TO A SECOND PUNISHMENT FOR THAT INITIAL TRANSGRESSION, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE. AND AS A RESULT, THE STATE PASSED THIS REGULATION TO CANCEL OUT ALL THESE BOARDS.

AGAIN, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ISSUE, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT. THE CITY COMMISSION IS NOT CONSIDERED FULL TIME EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF STUART. THEY ARE NOT CITY EMPLOYEES TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY DON'T FALL UNDER THE PERSONNEL POLICY, AND THEY DON'T FALL UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF A DIRECTOR THAT CAN SUSPEND THEM WITHOUT PAY OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, BUT RATHER THE SUBJECT OR THAT WE THE CONCLUSION THAT WAS DRAWN WAS THAT THEY WERE SUBJECT TO THE VOTERS, AND THE VOTERS HAD THE ABILITY TO REPLACE THEM BY NOT VOTING FOR THEM. NOW, I DON'T I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU AT ALL THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHERE A RESIDENT FEELS LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION TO SEE A REMEDY, OR FOR THAT MATTER,

[02:55:05]

WHEN I WAS THE CITY MANAGER LAST OCTOBER, I PUT IT ON THE BOARD AND I PROBABLY DID IT IN EFFECTIVELY, I DIDN'T. I PUT IT ON AS THE CODE OF CONDUCT INSTEAD OF AS A COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WRITTEN IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT. BUT THE TRUTH IS, I WASN'T TRYING TO MISLEAD OR MISGUIDE IT. I JUST FEEL LIKE THE DUE PROCESS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW TO IMPLEMENT THE BOARD WOULD EFFECTIVELY BE A PUNISHMENT, EVEN IN THE SITUATIONS WHERE THE COMMISSIONER WAS FOUND COMPLETELY ABSOLVED BY THE BOARD BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUT THERE, AND THE DAY THE AGENDA WENT OUT AND HAD A LIST OF 5 OR 6 AGENDA ITEMS AND ALL 5 OR 6 AGENDA ITEMS WERE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS THAT HAD DIDN'T CALL SOMEBODY BACK OR TOLD THEM TO GO TO THE WRONG DEPARTMENT, OR SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T LIVE IN THE CITY OF STUART, THEN THEY ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THAT LIST IS GOING TO BECOME THE FACEBOOK POSTER CHILD EVERY SINGLE TIME. AND THEN THE COMMISSION OR THE COMMITTEE'S MEETING, THE FINDINGS AREN'T GOING TO MATTER TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DOING THE ATTACK OF THAT COMMISSIONER ON FACEBOOK WITH THAT LIST, BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE FOUND UNFOUNDED, THAT PERSON'S NOT GOING TO GO BACK ON FACEBOOK AND SAY, THE PERSON I DON'T LIKE WAS UNFOUNDED. THEY'RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE THEIR POST ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON IT. NOW I BRING THAT UP. IT'S THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. YOU GUYS GIVE US DIRECTION. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES, I DO, I HAVE A COMMENT. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE TO CREATE THE COMMITTEE. I THINK ANY CITIZEN CAN GET TOGETHER AND CREATE A COMMITTEE. MAYBE WHAT WE DO IS SAY, OKAY, THAT COMMITTEE CAN APPROACH US WHEN YOU HAVE 3 OR 4 THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS AND THAT THEY APPROACH THE CITY MANAGER OR COMMISSIONER TO SAY, CAN THIS BE PUT ON THE AGENDA? BUT WHEN THEY COME, THAT PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE THREE MINUTES AND THE NON VERBAL BACK AND FORTH, IT WOULD OPEN UP THE DIALOG. WE CAN DISCUSS IT. AND AGAIN IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT SOMETHING DEFINITELY AGAINST THE COMMISSIONER AND SENDING THEM UP TO THE STATE FOR VIOLATION OF CODE OF CONDUCT. MAYBE THERE'S 4 OR 5 PEOPLE WHO HAVE MAYBE TEN THINGS TO ADDRESS AT THE CITY. WE HAVEN'T CREATED THE COMMITTEE. IT DOESN'T COME UNDER ANY OF OUR LAWS OR RULES, BUT A COMMUNITY HAS THE RIGHT TO GET A GROUP TOGETHER, AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK US IF THEY CAN BE ON THE AGENDA NEXT MONTH AND ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. SURE. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS THINKING OF. IF, IF, IF IF IT MATTERS.

LISTEN, THE AMOUNT OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS THAT I GET RELATED TO THE CITY AND COUNTY COMMISSION ARE RIDICULOUS. I AM UNPAID, AT LEAST YOU GET SOMETHING. SO SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT COME TO ME AGAIN, NO OFFENSE, MAYOR RICH, BUT NOT EVERYBODY IS COMING TO YOU. AND FOR THE HELP AND GUIDANCE, EXCUSE ME IF I'M NOT ALLOWED TO BE, IF I'M NOT ALLOWED TO INTERRUPT YOU. COMMISSIONERS, YOU MADE IT ABOUT YOU. SO I'M ADDRESSING YOU ABOUT THIS POINT.

OKAY? THE WHOLE POINT IS PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING TO YOU EXCLUSIVELY. THEY ARE COMING TO PEOPLE LIKE ME. AND PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE CONCERNS INDEPENDENT OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME.

YOU CAN MAKE A COMMITTEE. YOU CANNOT MAKE A COMMITTEE. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED AT YOUR HESITANCY TO WANT TO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A DIALOG AND A DISCUSSION WITH ANYBODY ABOUT HOW TO BE BETTER. THAT'S ALL THIS IS ABOUT. HOW CAN SOMEBODY FEEL HEARD AND HOW CAN THE PROCESS BE BETTER? BECAUSE AND EXCUSE ME IF I WE ARE DOING WRONG AND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN JUST BEING IF SOMEBODY TRULY THINKS YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG, COMMISSIONER COLLINS, THAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE VOTING BOX. IT'S NOT ABOUT US, BUT IT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE POINT OF THE COMMITTEE TO ANSWER IT, THE WHOLE POINT OF THE COMMITTEE.

I'LL GO BACK TO THIS AGAIN, WAS SO IF I HAD A CONCERN AND I NEEDED TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT I HAD SOMEBODY TO GO TO, BECAUSE IF I CAME TO ANY OF YOU. WHEN COMMISSIONER BRUNNER MADE HER PUBLIC STATEMENT AND I DID GO TO A COUPLE OF COMMISSIONERS, I GOT ZERO FEEDBACK. SO WHAT IS THE POINT OF GOING TO A COMMISSIONER TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE? YOU DID GREAT. TWO OF THOSE BUTTS ARE NOT IN THESE SEATS. REGARDLESS OF THAT, THAT DID NOTHING TO DO WITH MY COMPLAINT. YOU REMEDIED THE SITUATION, BUT THAT WASN'T. YOU WERE A LARGE PART OF THAT. IT WASN'T HER INTENT. THAT WASN'T MY INTENT. AND I WILL SAY, THOUGH, IT'S THE LAW IS VERY CLEAR THAT NO INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER HAS AUTHORITY OVER ANOTHER COMMISSIONER. SO THE

[03:00:01]

IT IS NOT MY EMAIL. I AM THE ONE FIELDING A LOT OF THE CALLS THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING. AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ME, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CALL I THAT IS NOT. THAT IS NOT THE POINT. THE POINT IS FIVE OF US ARE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE. OKAY, THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR TIME. SOMEBODY SAYS TO ME, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE CALLING A COMMISSIONER OR CALLING THE CITY. WE'RE NOT. I WILL TAKE AN ANONYMOUS POINT AND I WILL FORWARD IT TO YOU, OKAY? AND YOU CAN HAPPILY ANSWER IT HOWEVER YOU WOULD CHOOSE. AND I'LL BE THE CONDUIT IN UNPAID CONDUIT TO RELAY THIS INFORMATION WHO HAS NO AUTHORITY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMMITTEE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND GET IT TO THE PERSON WHO'S ASKING. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

WHAT IF WHAT IF WE JUST HAD, LIKE, AN A? I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T HAVE LIKE AN ANONYMOUS CONTACT ON THE CITY WEBSITE, COULD YOU. NO. CAN I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PUT IT UP THERE IF YOU WANT, BUT WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? WHAT DO WE DO? I SUPPOSE WE DO. RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, WE GET EMAILS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE FAKE EMAILS, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW, I JUST BUT HOW DO YOU ANSWER IT? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU ANSWER THAT EMAIL? MAYBE WE COULD HAVE LOOKING FOR YOU ANSWER IT. THE REAL QUESTION IS RIGHT NOW, IF I GOT A COMPLAINT ABOUT FROM SOMEONE AND THEY SAID, COMMISSIONER X IS VIOLATING SUNSHINE, OR COMMISSIONER X IS VIOLATING THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW, I WOULD SAY THE ONLY REMEDY I CAN GIVE YOU IS TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY REMEDY THAT I CAN GIVE THEM. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ANSWER THAN THAT. AND BY THE WAY, WHEN THEY SAY IT AND I ANSWER BACK LIKE THAT AND IT'S MISS CARTWRIGHT'S NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S EVER SAID SOMETHING TO ME IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. THEY GET VERY UPSET AND FRUSTRATED, AND THEY THINK THAT STAFF IS TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT THE PROCESS OR WHATEVER IT IS. AND IT'S NOT THAT STAFF'S TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT THE PROCESS, IT'S THAT THAT IS THE REMEDY CURRENTLY THAT EXISTS.

AND THE LAW IS VERY CLEAR THAT ONE COMMISSIONER DOESN'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ANOTHER COMMISSIONER. AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN IS IF THE COMMISSION GOT TOGETHER AND AMENDED THAT CODE OF CONDUCT AND SAID, WE WANT TO SUBJECT OURSELVES TO THIS AUTHORITY. WE WANT TO CREATE THIS SET OF RULES. AND IF WE VIOLATE THEM, WE WANT THIS COMMITTEE OR THIS PERSON OR THIS BOARD OR WHATEVER IT IS TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING REMEDIES FOR DOING SO. AND THAT, I MEAN, I IS I KNOW THAT THAT SOUNDS PUNITIVE OR THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT EXTREME. IT'S NOT. IT'S JUST THAT IT WOULD BE IF EVEN IF IT'S SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE COMMISSIONER TO TALK ABOUT AN UPCOMING PROJECT, AND THE COMMISSIONER WON'T MEET WITH ME. WELL, IF THE CODE OF CONDUCT DOESN'T SAY THE COMMISSIONER HAS TO MEET WITH YOU, THEN THAT COMMITTEE DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY THAT NOT MEETING WITH YOU IS DOING ANYTHING WRONG. AND SO THE COMMITTEE WOULDN'T BE ONLY BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, IT'S NOT THE CODE OF CONDUCT, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ANYWAY. SO THAT'S WHERE IT GETS THIS BACK AND FORTH. AND IT JUST AND AND I AGREE WITH ROBIN. MOST PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO PUBLICLY SPEAK. MOST PEOPLE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING INTO A MEETING FILLED WITH OTHER RESIDENTS THAT HAVE OTHER ISSUES AND TALKING ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL, MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S TREES HANGING OVER MY YARD. AND I KNOW IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL TO YOU, BUT THE MANGROVES ARE FALLING IN MY YARD, MY DOGS EATING THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT IT TO THAT PERSON, THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL. BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO COME HERE AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT TO THEM AND IT MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE. YOU VICE MR. VICE MAYOR, I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO CALL YOU.

I DON'T WANT TO BRAG ON MYSELF, BUT I TRY TO MAKE MYSELF VERY ACCESSIBLE ON FACEBOOK. AND I TRY TO ANSWER AND PEOPLE DO ASK ME AND EVEN SOME VERY PETTY STUFF, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, I DON'T, I, I JUST DON'T SEE THIS. I SEE MYSELF AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. RIGHT.

THAT'S KIND OF THAT'S WHAT IT IS, RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. I HAVE NEVER I HAVE NEVER TURNED DOWN.

IF SOMEONE ASKED TO MEET WITH ME, I HAVE NEVER SAID NO TO THAT PERSON, EVER. CITY CLERK.

NO, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER REED HAD A LITTLE LIGHT ON. I TOTALLY FORGOT WHAT I WAS EVEN

[03:05:01]

THAT'S WHAT THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE. MR. RICH. HOWEVER, THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW. SO YOU'RE SAYING LIKE A TOWN HALL KIND OF A THING? WELL, NO, I SUPPOSE THERE'S A COMMITTEE. THERE'S A COMMITTEE FORMED. I DON'T CARE WHETHER IT'S A PRIVATE COMMITTEE THAT'S FORMED OR YOU GUYS SERIOUSLY BRING FORTH IDEAS. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE ANONYMOUS. I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, SUPPOSE SOMEONE HAS AN IDEA THAT WANTS TO JUST BRING IT UP TO A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE WHO THEY KNOW, COME TO THE COMMISSION MEETINGS AND ARE INFORMED ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, AND IT'S GREAT IDEAS. IT'S GOOD ADDING ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY.

NOT I'M JUST SAYING IT COULD BE PART OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS DOING TO ME. ALL I'M SITTING HERE HEARING IS, IS THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE SIGNALING AND AND DIRECTING THINGS TOWARD THE COMMISSIONERS. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR CREATING THE DIRECTION, BUT IT'S BECAUSE THE MEETINGS AROSE, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR WHAT WAS BEING ALLEGED AGAINST COMMISSIONER BREWER BRUNER. SO THE REMEDY WAS TO HAVE THIS COMMITTEE THAT WOULD EVALUATE IF, IN FACT, THERE WAS SOME TRANSGRESSION BY THE COMMISSIONER. THERE WAS NEVER A DISCUSSION THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS NEEDED TO BE CREATED SO THAT PEOPLE COULD BRING FORWARD IDEAS TO SAY THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WERE DOING A GOOD JOB, OR THAT THEY COULD BRING FORWARD IDEAS OF WAYS TO. BETTER WAYS TO PAVE ROADS OR WHATEVER IT IS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY CAN CALL THE BOARD AND SAY THAT THEY CAN SAY POSITIVE STUFF EASILY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE RECEPTIVE TO POSITIVE COMMENTS. I UNDERSTAND THE NEGATIVE THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SO COMFORTABLE WITH. I UNDERSTAND THAT, HOWEVER, I JUST THINK THAT IF THERE IS A COMMITTEE THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN DO GOOD AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, BEING THERE TO FIELD ALL OF THIS STUFF AND PEOPLE MAY, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT HAVE AN IDEA AND FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE

[03:10:01]

THEY'RE GOING TO GO ANYWAY. AT THIS POINT, IF THEY HAVE NO WAY THEY CAN ADD TEETH IF YOU GUYS WANT. BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS AT THIS POINT. I'M FRUSTRATED. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S AN ISSUE

[03:15:04]

OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION? NO. FOR A SPECIFIC ITEM ON THE NEXT AGENDA? SEEING NONE, I THINK WE'VE I'D LIKE TO SEE JUST SOME EXAMPLES TO COME BACK. EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY COMMITTEES THAT MIGHT WORK JUST IT CAN'T BE THE ONLY I MEAN, I KNOW I'M NOT THAT BRIGHT, I DIDN'T THINK.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? LIKE THE, THE LIKE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. RIGHT. LIKE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE STUART MAIN STREET OR THE. OH, THEY'VE DONE IT FOR RACE RELATIONS IN SOME COMMUNITIES. WE'RE NOT ESTABLISHING IT. WHY ARE WE DISCUSSING IT? OR THE DEMOCRATIC ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL THAT ASKED ME TO MEET WITH THEM? I I'M DONE FOR THE NIGHT. OKAY. TO BE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.