Oct 27, 2025 Regular City Commission Meeting

[00:00:11]

MUCH FOR MAKING THE EFFORT TO BE HERE. WE ARE A LUCKY COMMUNITY TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT. I'M CALLING TO ORDER THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE STEWART CITY COMMISSION FOR

[ROLL CALL]

COMMISSIONER CLARK HERE. COMMISSIONER. JOB HERE. COMMISSIONER REID HERE. WELL, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE INTERESTED TO MEET MR. PASTOR STANLEY ALLEN. OH. WE'RE NOT.

OH, HERE HE IS. REDEEMER LUTHERAN. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE STAND. PLEASE PRAY WITH ME. MERCIFUL FATHER, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY. ANOTHER DAY WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN TO EACH OF US TO SERVE. THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT JOY AND BLESSING, LORD. WE ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE VARIOUS GIFTS WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN TO EACH ONE OF US. AND TODAY WE ARE ESPECIALLY THANKFUL FOR THE GIFTS GIVEN TO EACH OF OUR CITY COMMISSIONERS THAT THEY WOULD SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF STEWART WITH WISDOM, COMPASSION, AND JOY. LORD, I PRAY FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND STRENGTH FOR OUR CITY COMMISSIONERS AS THEY DISCUSS AND CONTEMPLATE THE BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE THEM, AND THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH THEM AS THEY CARRY OUT THEIR WORK WITH THE SPIRIT OF JOY, ENTHUSIASM, AND HUMILITY. THE FATHER, WE ARE ALSO SO THANKFUL FOR ALL WHO WORK IN AND FOR THE CITY GOVERNMENT. MAY THEIR SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF STEWART BE A JOY TO ALL THEY SERVE. AND I ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE YOUR SERVANTS. I PRAY THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR 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. THANK YOU, PASTOR ALLEN. COMMENTS BY CITY

[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS]

THERE'S TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY AS WHAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD MY ENTIRE LIFE GROWING UP.

AND FOR PEOPLE TO ATTACK ME, MY FRIENDS OR MY FAMILY. I JUST THINK IT'S UNCALLED FOR WITHOUT HEARING MY SIDE. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT AND HOPEFULLY I CAN PRESENT THINGS TO THE

[00:05:03]

WATER HAS A BIG THING. SO I JUST ASK THAT YOU WOULD HOLD THAT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M STILL NOT HERE. I'M GOOD DECISION MAKER. I'M HERE TO PARTICIPATE. BUT REALLY, MY HEART IS IS THERE AND I FEEL LIKE I'M IN TEARS. MY OTHER ISSUE I JUST BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE CRA MEETING BEFORE THIS BECAUSE SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT IT UP TO ME, AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AND THIS IS THE HOMELESS ISSUE, AND IT'S GOING TO COME UP MORE AND MORE WHEN THE WINTERTIME COMES AND PEOPLE COME FROM UP NORTH AND WE SEE MORE PEOPLE HERE. I KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE SHELTERS OR HOMES OR INEXPENSIVE HOUSING FOR PERSONS WHO HAVE AN INCOME OR NO INCOME TO LIVE, BUT THERE OUGHT TO BE A WAY FOR US TO WORK WITH AGENCIES AND TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP OTHERS. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF STATE STATUTES THAT'S NOW PROHIBITING PEOPLE FROM STAYING IN PLACES, AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO ENFORCE THAT. BUT THERE'S STILL A WAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO TRY TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO DO SOMETHING. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SOLUTIONS, PLEASE TALK TO US, TALK TO THE HOUSING SOLUTIONS COUNCIL, TALK TO THE COUNTY, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED TO DO, LET US TRY TO KEEP THAT ISSUE IN FRONT OF US AND TRY TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S IT. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, MR. VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU. JUST GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE TONIGHT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DISSOLVING INTO TEAMS. WE'RE POLITICIZING DIFFICULT ITEMS OF DISCUSSION. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, THE TYPICAL FARE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, WHETHER IT'S PROJECTS, EVEN CONTENTIOUS ITEMS, BRIGHT LINE OR IT'S NOT THIS TYPE OF A THING TONIGHT. IT'S IT'S PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT POLICY. SO. YOU KNOW,

[00:10:03]

BUT BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I HOPE WE CAN ALL STAY CIVIL AND RESPECT EACH OTHER. AND OFTEN I CAN BE THE MOST GUILTY OF OF DISSOLVING INTO ARGUING MORE THAN ANYBODY. SO I'M SAYING THAT TO MYSELF AS WELL TONIGHT. SO DESPITE THE TURMOIL THAT SEEMS TO SWIRL AROUND THIS COMMISSION, THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT ARE EASY, AND THESE TEND TO BE THE MORE CEREMONIAL ASPECTS. THAT'S RIBBON CUTTINGS. GROUNDBREAKINGS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ A PROCLAMATION FOR A 104 YEAR OLD RESIDENT. AND THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE NOT ONLY CEREMONIAL, ESSENTIALLY CEREMONIAL, CEREMONIAL NATURE, BUT THEY ALSO INVOLVE PROTOCOL. AND WHAT I MEAN BY PROTOCOL IS HOW ELECTED OFFICIALS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. AND ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF THESE EVENTS THAT'S HELD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IS LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAYS. AND THESE MEETINGS ARE HELD ALL OVER FLORIDA PRIOR TO THE LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND THEY PROVIDE COUNTIES, CITIES AND TOWNS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FORMALLY PRESENT THE ISSUES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

IN ADDITION, MANY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INDICATE TO THE LEGISLATORS WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL GOING FORWARD.

THEY'RE ALSO WELL AWARE THAT MOST OF THE THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE PRESENT TO HEAR THEM. IN ADDITION TO MARTIN COUNTY CHAIRWOMAN SARAH HEARD MYSELF AS MAYOR, THE MAYORS OF INDIANTOWN AND JUPITER ISLAND SPEAKING. I THINK THIS YEAR WE HAD 36 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS SHOW UP TO SPEAK TO SENATOR HARRELL, REPRESENTATIVE OBERDORF AND REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, THESE THREE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEY SHARE OUR SAME CONSTITUENCY AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DIRECT OR DENY SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, SOMETIMES IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. ALL THAT IS ASKED OF THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS SERVED BY THESE THREE IS TO BE THERE, IF ONLY TO GREET THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION. ALL THE MARTIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WERE THERE. THE COMMISSIONERS CAME IN FROM INDIANTOWN AND JUPITER ISLAND, THE SHERIFF AND SOME OF HIS STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WERE THERE BESIDE MYSELF. NOT ONE OTHER STUART CITY COMMISSIONER COULD FIND THEIR WAY TO THE BLAKE LIBRARY. BELIEVE ME. THEIR ABSENCE WAS NOTED. THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF STUART WERE NOT WELL SERVED BY THE INABILITY OF THIS COMMISSION TO SIMPLY SHOW UP. OH, I FORGOT THERE WAS ONE OTHER REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY, STUART THERE. THE CITY MANAGER, MIKE MORTEL. ON A MORE LAUDATORY NOTE, I'D LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONER REED, COMMISSIONER CLARK AND MYSELF FOR TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THE DECISION WE'RE GOING TO MAKE TONIGHT. AND THEY TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH THE DEPARTMENT

[00:15:01]

[COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER]

IF YOU HAD ILL INTENTIONS. AND WITH WITH THE SAD NEWS BEING COMPLETED. I ALSO SHOULD MENTION THAT OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PUT ON A HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HOUSE A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AGO. THAT WAS AGAIN, THEY DO A GREAT JOB IN MEMORIAL PARK AND ALL THE CHILDREN'S CHILDREN ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. THERE WAS ANOTHER EVENT DOWNTOWN THIS WEEKEND THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AS WELL. WE ALSO RECEIVED AN EMAIL REGARDING THE POLICING AND TRAFFIC AROUND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ON 10TH STREET, AND THE RESIDENT IN THE EMAIL WANTED TO THANK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO STATED THAT THE STEPPED UP LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, REDUCING SPEED AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR THAT THE DRIVERS ARE AWARE THAT OUR POLICE ARE ENFORCING THE TRAFFIC CONTROL AREAS, AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. OKAY, CAN

[APPROVAL OF AGENDА]

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION

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

KEVIN HEMPHILL. THAT'S NOT LEFT OVER FROM THE PRIOR MEETING. NO, IT WAS OKAY. I JUST SAW HIM.

HE'S OUTSIDE. I DON'T SEE MR. KEVIN HEMPHILL. HE LEFT. ELLIOTT WENT OUTSIDE. WE SHOULD RELY ON SECOND HAND. IT LOOKS LIKE KAREN STEGER. STEGER. STEGER. KAREN STEGER, IT IS, MISS STEGER, IT IS. MY NAME IS KAREN STEGER. AND I GUESS YOU WANT MY ADDRESS. 71 SOUTHEAST HARBOR POINT DRIVE, STUART, FLORIDA. I USED TO PRACTICE LAW IN STUART, FLORIDA UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO. GREATEST FREEDOM OF MY LIFE. BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, I HAVE KNOWN MIKE MORTEL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MR. MORTEL. OKAY, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. OH, OKAY. SORRY. THEN I WILL WAIT TILL LATER. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE WALTER LLOYD. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. WALTER LLOYD, 150 SOUTHWEST CABANA POINT CIRCLE. I JUST WANTED TO STEP UP AND SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE. WE GOT A REMINDER FROM COMMISSIONER GIOVI THIS WEEK ABOUT THE RIVER COALITION AND THE LAURIE MEETING, WHICH WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HOSTED OFFICIALLY, BUT IT WAS HELD HERE AND I SHOWED UP AND I JUST WAS AMAZED AT THE AMOUNT

[00:20:04]

[APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR]

[2. FPL EASEMENT FOR "CAPTAIN ADAMS PARK" PARCEL AT CONFUSION CORNER (RC): RESOLUTION No. 103-2025; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA AND FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY FOR THE PURPOSES OF PLACEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF CONDUIT ON THE CITY-OWNED PARCEL KNOWN AS CAPTAIN ADAMS PARK LOCATED AT CONFUSION CORNER; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

ARE THERE YOU ARE, MR. MORTAL. LIKE TO. ALL RIGHT, I I'M HAPPY TO. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS THE PARK THAT'S RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF CONFUSION CORNER. AS PART OF THE UNDERGROUNDING OF THE POWER LINES ON BOTH CRIMINAL AND FLAGLER STREET TO CONNECT THEM TO THE MAIN POWER GRID, THEY NEEDED A SEPARATE EASEMENT TO GO ACROSS THAT PARK. AND IT'S BEEN DESIGNED AND DRAWN IN AS PART OF THE AGENDA ITEM, AND IT JUST SHOWS IT, AND IT'LL GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THE UNDERGROUND POWER LINES AND MAKE IT SO THEY CAN COMPLETE THE JOB. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED SECOND. OKAY, YOU TWO, WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLARK. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I DO NOT CLERK.

OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS REGARDING THIS? I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, ARE THERE CURRENTLY OVERHEAD UTILITIES THERE AND THEY'RE JUST MOVING IT UNDERGROUND, OR ARE THEY JUST TAKING AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE? I GUESS SO THEY CAN ALL OF UTILITIES ARE CURRENTLY OVERHEAD. THERE ARE OVERHEAD UTILITIES THAT PASS THROUGH CONFUSION CORNER, BUT NOT WHERE IT IS THAT WE NEED THE EASEMENT IN CAPTAIN ADAMS PARK IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE POWER LINES, TO A SUBSTATION THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO ACCESS IT AND SERVICE IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. NO, NO OTHER QUESTIONS. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MADAM CLERK. COMMISSIONER REED. YES, COMMISSIONER. CLERK. YES,

[3. TRAFFIC CALMING MEASUREMENTS WITHIN THE 10TH STREET RESIDENTIAL AREA (RC): RESOLUTION No. 72-2025; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE INSTALLATION OF ADDITIONAL STOP SIGNS ALONG S.E. KRUEGER PARKWAY, S.E. PARKWAY DRIVE, S.E. MADISON AVENUE, S.E. DOLPHIN DRIVE, AND S.E. FLAMINGO AVENUE BETWEEN S.E. OCEAN BOULEVARD AND 10TH STREET; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

[00:25:01]

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF FROM THE. COMMISSIONER JOB? I THINK THAT COMMISSIONER.

OH I'M SORRY. LIGHT FIRST. OKAY, COMMISSIONER CLARK, LET ME FORGET ALL MY STUFF NOW. WELL, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO? WE DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE A TRAFFIC ENGINEER AT THE CITY. BUT I THINK WE HAVE SOMEBODY. WE HAVE KIMLEY-HORN ON CALL. BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY ISN'T JUST ALL FOUR WAY STOPS THAT ALL OF THOSE PLACES? I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE LITTLE BLUE THING. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. AND THEN WITH REGARD TO TO CHIEF'S PRESENTATION, I WAS WONDERING, IS IT GOING TO COST US? AND IF IT DOES, WOULD IT JUST BE ONLY IN THIS AREA? WHAT ABOUT PALM BEACH ROAD AND THE OTHER PLACES AND 10TH STREET ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHERE PEOPLE ENTER INTO THE J.D. PARKER SCHOOL DISTRICT AREA AND THEN ABOUT HOURS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT I GUESS IF WE DID HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY LIKE THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WORKED OUT AS TO HOW FAR THEY WOULD HAVE THOSE. CAMERAS WITH REGARD TO TO THE SCHOOL AND HOW

[00:30:09]

BUT AS THE CHIEF'S POINTING OUT, THERE'S A BIG BROTHER FEELING TO THAT THAT A LOT OF NEIGHBORS DON'T LIKE. BUT BUT THAT'S ABOUT THE EXTENT OF IT. BUT THAT'S WHY THE STATE LAW WAS AMENDED TO SAY ONLY IN SCHOOL ZONES, ONLY DURING THE SCHOOL HOURS, AND THEN THEY'RE TURNED OFF AND THAT'S IT. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT OUT. SO THEY'VE HAD REMARKABLE SUCCESS RATE IN SLOWING DOWN SPEEDING. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. SO WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT. I WILL POINT OUT AS WELL THAT THIS CONVERSATION OBVIOUSLY STARTED LAST SPRING, AND IT KIND OF STALLED BECAUSE OF THE SUMMER TIME IN SCHOOL LET OUT, AND IT WAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT, BUT WE STILL DID TRAFFIC COUNTS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. AND THE CHIEF SAID THAT AT THE END OR MID OF MIDDLE AUGUST, THEY WERE GOING TO START IMPLEMENTING ENFORCEMENT RATHER THAN JUST WARNINGS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE RECOGNIZED IS THAT THIS ISN'T LIKE WE'RE IN BARTOW AND EVERYBODY'S CUTTING THROUGH ON THEIR WAY TO TAMPA, AND IT'S A BUNCH OF STRANGERS BLOWING THROUGH OUR TOWN. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THESE STREETS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE AND WORK IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN GIVING WARNINGS RATHER THAN TICKETS BECAUSE THEY FEEL BAD FOR THE PEOPLE. AND AS A RESULT, WHEN THE COMMISSION ADOPTED THE POLICY TO UP THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE TICKETS, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT HAS GONE UP BY HUNDREDS OF TICKETS. I THINK AT THE BEFORE THEY STARTED, IT WAS ABOUT 700 AND SOME TICKETS A MONTH IN WARNINGS AND ABOUT 100 TICKETS A MONTH IN VIOLATIONS. AND IN FROM AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER, WHEN THEY STARTED, IT WAS 450 CITATIONS, SO FOUR TIMES AS MANY TICKETS WERE ISSUED. BUT AS A RESULT OF THAT ALONE, WE'VE SEEN THIS PROGRESSION THAT THE ENFORCEMENT HASN'T SLOWED DOWN AT ALL. BUT THE NUMBER OF TICKETS IS STARTING TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE THE WORD IS GETTING OUT. AND PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF YOU SPEED THROUGH THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU'LL GET A TICKET, AND AS A RESULT, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS OR MULTIPLE OPTIONS THAT CAN BE USED TOGETHER OR IN TANDEM. YOU COULD DO THE LIGHTS IN THE IN THE SCHOOL ZONES. YOU COULD KEEP ENFORCEMENT HIGHER. YOU COULD DO OTHER TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES, ETC. BUT THESE ARE JUST IDEAS FOR THE COMMISSION TO KIND OF IMPLEMENT AND GIVE DIRECTION TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY CAN THE ZONING DEPARTMENT SO THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT AND, AND KEEP GOING IN THE DIRECTION OR, OR FOLLOW THE POLICY THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO ADOPT AND GO IN THAT DIRECTION. WE WEREN'T HERE TODAY TO HAVE A DROP DEAD FINAL PROJECT TO BE ADOPTED, BECAUSE WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE KIND OF A WORK IN PROGRESS AND A REACTION TO THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS WE TRY ALONG THE WAY, AND WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP A FORCE OR A CONTINUED PRESENCE WITH THE SPEED TRAILER, WE MOVE IT AROUND. THERE'S A LITTLE WHITE TRAILER THAT DISPLAYS THE SPEED. WE HAVE ONE, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE THIS YEAR IN THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR. THAT HELPS TO EDUCATE FOLKS AND SEE THE SPEED. AND LIKE THIS WEEK ON COUNTY HIGHWAY, WE WE HAD IT OUT THERE FOR A WEEK, AND NOW THE OFFICERS HAVE GONE TO ENFORCEMENT MODE ON COUNTY HIGHWAY TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.

THAT SPEED TRAILER THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE DOES NOT ISSUE TICKETS. IT ONLY READS THE SPEED AND GIVES US A VEHICLE COUNT AND CAPTURES THAT DATA FOR US. SO FROM THAT WE CAN

[00:35:02]

BONNIE AND I ACTUALLY LIKE THESE SOLUTIONS, BY THE WAY A LOT. AS FAR AS THE PHOTO DEPICTIONS AND STUFF, THEY WERE VERY GOOD. I KNOW WE CAN'T PAINT CROSSWALKS AND STUFF ANYMORE WITH DOT, BUT YES, BONNIE'S STUFF IN HERE WAS ACTUALLY VERY GOOD. AND I'M GLAD BONNIE, YOU DIDN'T PUT IT TO WHERE WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN A ROAD THAT YOU PUT A MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY VERY HARD TO NAVIGATE AND GO AROUND. AND YOURS WAS MORE LIKE SWEEPING. SO IT IT WON'T STOP TRAFFIC. SO PEOPLE AREN'T HITTING MEDIANS, BUT IT WOULD STILL SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN. BUT I, I DON'T THINK THE STOP SIGNS ARE NECESSARILY GOING TO

[00:40:02]

WE CAME, WE ALL LOOKED AT ALL THE DIFFERENT. THE CALMING ROADS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE ALL GOOD IDEAS. ACTUALLY, THE LEAST EFFECTIVE WERE THE STOP SIGNS. PEOPLE GET TO THE STOP SIGN, THEY GET THROUGH IT, THEY SLOW UP, AND THEN THEY SPEED UP TO CATCH UP. I MEAN, SO IT'S REALLY NOT EFFECTIVE. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT GO BACK FOR OTHER THAN JUST ADDING ADDITIONAL STOP SIGNS. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE EFFECTIVE. I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT OTHER THINGS. I KNOW THAT THE STATE HAS PUT A STOP ON PAINTING CERTAIN CROSSWALKS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE IN A SCHOOL ZONE. WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO HAVE THAT LIST OF WHAT'S ALLOWABLE, RIGHT? NO, YOU CAN STILL PAINT IT, RIGHT. IT JUST CAN'T BE AFFINITY. RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. SO WE CAN MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CERTAINLY STRIKING. THE OTHER IS AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT IN FAVOR OF THOSE. AND I WANT TO THANK EVERY MOTHER AND AND FAMILY THAT WROTE TO ME REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I WAS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS WHO WAS VERY ADAMANT ABOUT GOING FROM WARNING TO TICKETS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT I'M SORRY IF IF YOU'RE THE NEIGHBOR AND YOU LIVE HERE, YOU SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CHILDREN WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND THAT THEY MIGHT BE HIT. SO IF IT IF IT TAKES A TICKET. AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION FOR CHIEF WAS OBVIOUSLY IT'S WORKING. THE TICKETS ARE WORKING, IT'S DECREASING. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SLOW UP IN THE AREA WITHOUT HAVING TO BE TICKETED. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE COULD KEEP UP POLICE PATROL IN THAT AREA. TO DO THAT, MAYBE WE'D HAVE TO MOVE FROM SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT AT LEAST PEOPLE WHO DO SPEED WOULD KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE INTENT TO TICKET THEM. YES. AND THE AWARENESS IS IMPORTANT. AND OUR OUR PIO FREQUENTLY PUTS OUT INFORMATION ON IT. AND WE'RE THERE AS OFTEN AS WE CAN HAVE OFFICERS THERE. WE HAVE THREE OFFICERS BEING ASSIGNED TO A TRAFFIC UNIT IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, AND THERE'LL BE FULL TIME DEDICATED TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. IN ADDITION TO THE ROUTINE PATROLS. I WANT TO THANK YOU, AND I WANT TO THANK YOUR YOUR POLICEMEN, YOUR STAFF. I WANT TO THANK BONNIE. BONNIE, YOU'VE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB IN LEADING US ALL DOWN THIS ROAD OF SAFE TRAVEL AROUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE MOVING IT TO SHOULD WE SEE IF WE CAN GET A MOTION, COMMISSIONER CLARK. SO I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION. HOLD ON.

TO SEND A QUESTION OF STAFF REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I LIGHT ON. OKAY. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.

COMMISSIONER. SO I, I HEAR ALL THE COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT MISS MOSHER HAS DONE AND I SEE WHAT STAFF HAS SUGGESTED. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT TRAFFIC SIGNS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OR THE ONLY THING WE DO NEED TRAFFIC CALMING, MEANDERING, WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE THIS BACK TO STAFF BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PART OF THE CRA. SO IT CAN'T GO TO THE CRB. BUT IF STAFF WOULD, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD, IF IT COME BACK TO US AT ANOTHER DISCUSSION, OR AT LEAST WE COULD GIVE PERMISSION FOR MAYBE STAFF EITHER TO FORM AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH BONNIE AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT'S NOT JUST STOP SIGNS, BUT INCORPORATING SOME OF THE OTHER INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT MISS MOSHER HAS PROVIDED TO US. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

ARE YOU TABLING OR YOU. ARE WE JUST GOING TO LET THIS? BECAUSE WE ARE WE HAVE THIS WAS UP FOR MOTION. FAILED FOR LACK OF I, I THINK WELL FIRST OFF STAFF STAFF NEEDS GUIDANCE. SO I THINK THE MOTION IS GETTING GIVING GUIDANCE TO. SO I THINK WE NEED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE MOTION. IT'S GIVING GUIDANCE TO THE STAFF OF WHAT TO DO IF YOU JUST LET IT DIE. OKAY. THEY'RE NOT GETTING INSTRUCTION ON WHAT TO DO. DO YOU FEEL DO YOU FEEL THAT IT'S CLEAR COMMISSIONER CLARK'S MOTION WITH REGARD TO INSTRUCTION? MAYOR RICH, I DO BELIEVE THE THE REQUEST IS TO GO BACK AND SPEAK TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO FORM AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. OKAY. IS THAT SATISFACTORY? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED A COMMITTEE. I THINK WE'RE WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BUREAUCRATIC. YEAH. I THINK IF WE JUST EITHER I DON'T KNOW IF BUMPING IT BACK TO THE LPA IS APPROPRIATE OR JUST HAVING ANOTHER COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO PREPARE SOME SOLUTIONS AND LOOK AT NEXT STEPS VERSUS JUST GOING THIS ROUTE. I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO JUST TABLE THIS NOW AND THEN HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM. YOU KNOW, AS AS WE'RE READY TO BE ABLE TO ENTERTAIN SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS, ON THE TABLE AND, AND JUST JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO BACK TO, TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE IT'S STABLE AND, AND BRING IT BACK TO US. ABLE TO A DATE UNCERTAIN. YEAH. WILL THAT BE SUFFICIENT.

SUGGEST THAT SHE WORK WITH. YEAH. WE JUST HAVE TO READ A NOTICE IT OBVIOUSLY IF YOU

[00:45:04]

WE DID HAVE A MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS. WE DID HAVE WITH THE HELP OF MRS. MOSER. SHE DID PROVIDE BOARDS AND LOOKED AT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. AND WE DID BRING THAT BACK TO YOU AS A AS AN AGENDA ITEM, JUST AS A DISCUSSION. AND THIS IS WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT DURING DISCUSSION. THIS WAS THE TEMPORARY SOLUTION AT THAT TIME. BUT STAFF WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO BACK AND WORK WITH MRS. MOSHER AND AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL.

AND THEN ALSO THERE COULD BE A BUDGET ITEM ATTACHED TO THIS AS WELL. YES, YES. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLERK. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOB.

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM TO BE TABLED? MAYOR, I HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT FROM BONNIE MOSER. IF SHE'S OKAY, SHE FINDS HER WAY UP HERE. BONNIE MOSER, 1121 SOUTHEAST 10TH STREET. BEFORE I START, I DO WANT TO THANK THE STEWART PD FOR EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN DOING ON OUR STREETS. MYSELF AND NEIGHBORS HAVE COMMENTED THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SPEEDS HAVE SLOWED AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THAT BEING SAID, ENFORCEMENT IS ONE PART OF CALMING TRAFFIC IN AN AREA. OTHER PARTS INCLUDE EDUCATION AND THEN THE ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE STREET. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HEARD WHAT WE SAID THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK TO YOU AS A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT. I WAS PRETTY STUNNED WHEN I SAW THE STOP SIGNS AS A RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE I MADE IT CLEAR OVER THE LAST FEW WORKSHOPS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THAT STOP SIGNS ACTUALLY INCREASE SPEEDS IN BETWEEN CARS STOP. AND THEN FOLKS MENTALLY WANT TO MAKE UP THAT TIME SO THEY SPEED UP IN BETWEEN THE STOP SIGNS. SPEED BUMPS DO THE SAME EXACT THING. THAT'S WHY PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THEM. I YEAH, I WAS I THINK NEIGHBORS WERE HOPING TO HEAR A REVIEW OF WHAT THEY HEARD SO THAT WE KNEW THAT YOU ALL HAD UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE HAD SAID. BUT YEAH, I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF AND TRY AND BRING YOU LIKE SOME BETTER SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS AND THEN MAYBE TALK ABOUT SOME LONG TERM SOLUTIONS AS WELL. ONE OTHER THING JUST TO NOTE, CITYWIDE, WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS, THE MUTCD, THE MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, IT'S OUR FEDERAL GUIDANCE DOES SAY THAT STOP SIGNS SHALL NOT BE USED TO FOR SPEED MANAGEMENT. SO THESE AREN'T THE TOOL THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE USING.

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU SOON. THANK YOU, MISS MOSER. ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT? I HAVE NONE. ROLL CALL, PLEASE TO TABLE THIS ITEM. CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER REED. YES, COMMISSIONER. JOB. YES, COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES, MAYOR.

RICH. YES. VICE MAYOR COLLINS. YES. AND SO WE COME TO THE ITEM OF PRIMARY CONCERN FOR THIS EVENING. 15 MINUTE BREAK. WHO DID COMMISSIONER ASK TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK? OKAY. ARE YOU AMENABLE TO. THAT'S FINE. YEAH. THESE PEOPLE HAVE ALL BEEN VERY PATIENT. CAN WE DO IT TO TEN MINUTES, COMMISSIONER REED? 645. WELL, THAT WOULD BE 645. WE'LL STAND

[4. CONTINUED DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION OF CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRAСТ]

[00:50:01]

WHEREAS IN OUR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK TO THE OTHER EMPLOYEES, IT'S 90 DAYS, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 13 WEEKS. THERE'S ALSO SOME DIFFERENCES IN IN CAUSE FOR TERMINATION. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK DOES NOT REFER TO THIS FLORIDA STATUTE. INSTEAD, IT HAS ITS OWN AREAS ADJUSTING OR GIVING REASONS FOR CAUSE. FLORIDA LAW FLORIDA LAW STATES THAT WHEN THERE'S AN EMPLOYEE POLICY VERSUS AN EMPLOYEE CONTRACT, THE EMPLOYEE CONTRACT TERMS WILL PREVAIL. SO THOSE MINOR DIFFERENCES DON'T REALLY MATTER. WE CAN JUST RELY ON THE CONTRACT. IF IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO TERMINATE FOR CAUSE, IT'S GOING TO BE MY OPINION THAT THE COMMISSION WILL NEED TO PROVIDE SOME ONE OF THOSE OR ONE OR MORE OF THOSE SEVEN AREAS GROUNDS THE MALFEASANCE, MISFEASANCE, NEGLECT OF DUTY, DRUNKENNESS. AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO IDENTIFY ANY ONE OF THOSE AND PROVIDE A FACTUAL BASIS IN SUPPORT OF THE VIOLATION, AND ALSO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT, NOT ONLY FACTUAL SUPPORT, BUT WITNESSES OR ANY DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT PROVE YOUR YOUR YOUR ASSERTION OF THE VIOLATION. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT'S PART OF THE PROCEDURAL DUE PROCESS. WE GIVE A SIMILAR PROCESS TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY'RE BEING DISCIPLINED FOR FOR CAUSE, INCLUDING TERMINATION. IF WE DON'T PROVIDE MR. MORTEL WITH PROCEDURAL DUE PROCESS ON THE ON THE CAUSE FINDING, IT COULD POTENTIALLY EXPOSE THE CITY TO ANOTHER CLAIM THAT HE MAY HAVE FOR US NOT GIVING PROCEDURAL DUE PROCESS. AND IN MY PRIOR

[00:55:01]

[01:00:04]

BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REMIND YOU, YOU MAY NOT ADDRESS, INSULT OR PRAISE ANY MEMBER, ANYBODY WHO SITS UP HERE INDIVIDUALLY, YOU MAY ADDRESS ME PERSONALLY AS THE MAYOR, BUT NOT ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S SITTING UP HERE. SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU OBSERVE THAT. MAYOR RICH, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THAT? I HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING CRITICIZED. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CALL ME OUT FOR WHAT I'VE DONE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE A MOTION OR YOU AS THE CHAIR WOULD ALLOW THAT, BECAUSE I CAN TAKE THE CRITICISM BY STANDING UP HERE.

THAT'S WHY I'M A PUBLIC SERVANT. I DON'T I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT. I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR IT.

COMMISSIONER REED, WHY DON'T WE. WHY DON'T WE TRY TO ENFORCE AS MUCH DECORUM AS POSSIBLE? OKAY.

MADAM CLERK RAJ PATEL. I WIN A PRIZE FOR BEING THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT. OKAY, SO I'LL TRY TO GET BELOW THE THREE MINUTES. RAJ PATEL, CITY OF STUART TAXPAYER I LIVE IN MARTIN COUNTY, 4545 LONG BAY DRIVE IN PALM CITY. I'D LIKE TO READ TO THIS COMMISSION. MY DAUGHTER'S GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATION ESSAY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. SORRY, ACTUALLY A MONTH BEFORE THIS FIASCO. SO QUESTION NUMBER TWO IN ABOUT 300 WORDS. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A LEADER YOU ADMIRE AND HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE? SOME CHARACTERISTICS THAT I ADMIRE FROM A LEADER ARE THIS IS WHAT SHE'S SAYING. SOME CHARACTERISTICS THAT I ADMIRE FROM A LEADER ARE FAIRNESS TOGETHER WITH FORTITUDE AND STRENGTH AND DIRECTION. A LEADER MUST BE CONFIDENT AND UNWAVERING. WHEN A FINAL DECISION IS MADE. THEY TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP OF THE OF THE DECISION. THEY'RE COMMITTED TO LISTENING AND LOOKING BEYOND SUCCESS. A LEADER GATHERS INFORMATION, PLATS, PLANS, PERFORMS, AND PLOTS AN EXAMPLE RATHER THAN GIVING ONE. THAT'S ONE THAT'S FAMOUS AND WELL WELL READ ABOUT. WOULD BE THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER OF A BEAUTIFUL TOWN IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA CALLED STUART. I'M SORRY, THIS IS PART OF HER ESSAY. SO SHE MENTIONS THE WORD MIKE MOTEL TO KEEP THE CITY AND HIS STAFF ON THE TOP. HE MADE HARD, LONG TERM DECISIONS NAVIGATING HIS DEPARTMENT INTO ITS NEXT PHASE TO STAY QUAINT AND SAFE AND NOT BECOME LIKE A WEST PALM OR DELRAY BEACH. HE AT THE SAME TIME, MAKES DECISIONS TO KEEP THE CITY AS FISCALLY SOUND AS POSSIBLE, WHICH WE ALL KNOW WE'RE PRETTY FISCALLY SOUND. HE LISTENS. HE PRIORITIZES COLLECTIVE WELL-BEING AND STANDS BY HIS PRINCIPLES, EVEN UNDER PRESSURE.

SHE SHE SEEMS TO HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS COMING. I WAS BORN DOWN THE STREET FROM MR. MOTEL'S OFFICE, SO I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK TOO FAR TO TO FIND, FOR EXAMPLE, A NELSON MANDELA FROM AFRICA OR AN ABRAHAM LINCOLN FROM THE 1800S. AMERICA. MY LEADERSHIP STYLE WOULD BE

[01:05:05]

WE WOULD HAVE ALL MOVED ON IN TEN YEARS THERE. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE CITY OF STUART AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BE. THIS IS YOUR LEGACY, NOT THIS UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE.

THIS IS NOT YOUR LEGACY. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THIS COMMISSION NOT TO FIRE YOU. THE DECISION, AS WE ALL KNOW, HAS BEEN MADE. MICHAEL, YOU LIKE YOURSELF? LIKE MYSELF. YOU'RE ARROGANT. YOU'RE CONTINUE TO BE YOUNG. YOU'RE GOOD LOOKING. KEEP KEEP WELL, KEEP WELL. OKAY.

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. CITY STAFF WILL BE FINE, AND STUART WILL BE FINE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, JIMMY SMITH. HELLO. ALRIGHT. JIMMY SMITH, PRESIDENT, NAACP MEMBER, PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST I JUST COME I, I HAVE HEARD SO MANY THINGS HERE TODAY, INCLUDING THE STORM AND LOST A LIFE AT THE WATER DEPARTMENT, ALL THE RULES, THE THREATS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD TODAY IN THIS PLACE. AND I'M LOOKING AT YOU, COMMISSIONERS, ALL YOU SMART, LOVING, KIND PEOPLE. AND I LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT TODAY. AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT I WANT TO USE MY THREE MINUTES ON ONE THING. OUR COUNTRY IN A CHAOS IN THIS WORLD TODAY, OUR CITY, OUR COUNTY, EVERYBODY IS HATING ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OF A R I OR D RED, WHITE AND BLUE FLAG. BECAUSE OF WHERE WE ARE. I'M LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY IN THIS COUNTY FROM 1963, WHEN ITS DIRT ROADS AND RATTLESNAKES. I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS SEGREGATION. I REMEMBER WHEN MY MOTHER COULDN'T GO TO THE SAME BATHROOM, EAT OUT, DRINK OUT THE SAME FOUNTAIN. I LOOK AT THAT. WHERE, HOW HOW FAR GOD HAVE BROUGHT THIS COUNTY IN THIS CITY. AND I JUST WANT TO PRAY BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED NOBODY TO BE HURT OR HURT.

THREAT. I JUST KNOW THAT ORDER FOR UNITY TO COME TOGETHER, ONLY GOD CAN DO IT. HE DO IT TO OUR HIS SPIRIT OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT. I'M ASKING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT COME DOWN ON THIS PLACE. WHETHER YOU BELIEVE OR DON'T BELIEVE IT. I HAVE TO PRAY. FATHER, I JUST COME TODAY, GOD. AND I'M ASKING THAT ALL THOSE THAT'S ON THE THE NEWS OR ON THIS LISTENING OR LOOKING OR HEARING WHAT YOU HAS TO BRING BEFORE THIS COMMISSION TODAY. GOD, I ASK THAT YOU ALLOW THIS HOLY SPIRIT TO COME DOWN ON ALL OF US, GOD, THAT YOU WILL TOUCH US IN THE DEEPEST PART OF OUR HEART. GOD, REMOVE THE EVIL, THE HATRED. OH GOD, IN, IN, IN, IN, AND INSTILL IN US THAT LOVE AND UNITY AND THAT MEEKNESS AND KINDNESS THAT YOU CALL UPON US. GOD. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT BELIEVE ON FAITH. GOD, WE BELIEVE IN YOU, ONE GOD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM AND GOD. WE COME TOGETHER. WE HATE ONE ANOTHER. WE DON'T LIKE ONE ANOTHER JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T AGREE. GOD, YOU SAID IN YOUR WORD THAT WE DIDN'T. YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT LIKE ONE ANOTHER. YOU SAY LOVE ONE ANOTHER, LOVE CONQUER ALL, DRAW ALL THINGS TO YOU THROUGH LOVE GOD. I ASK THAT YOU ANOINT EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEM UP HERE TODAY, EVEN THOUGH THE THE THE COMMUNITY THAT'S HERE TODAY. GOD TOUCH OUR HEARTS AND UNDERSTAND, SAY IN MATTHEW CHAPTER SEVEN, JUDGE NOT YOU. BE JUDGED TO THE SAME STATUES. GOD YOUR WORDS, THESE ARE YOUR WORDS AND YOU SAY ASK NOT, RECEIVE NOT. I'M ASKING YOU TODAY, GOD, THAT YOU'LL SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DOWN UPON THIS CITY, IN THIS COUNTY. AND EVERYBODY THAT LISTEN TODAY, GOD, THAT YOU HAVE A HEART. HUMBLENESS, PROBLEMS AROUND EACH OTHER. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ENEMY HAVE, BUT THE ENEMY HAVE CAME IN AND CALLED US TO BE DIVIDED. IN THE NAME OF JESUS I PRAY, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. ALTHEA STOUDEMIRE. AMEN. AMEN. ALTHEA HOME STEWART IN GEORGIA,

[01:10:10]

FOR A MINUTE, I THOUGHT THEY PUT ME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE. MY NAME IS KAREN STEGER, AND I ALREADY TALKED A FEW MINUTES. I WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE. BUT ANYWAY, MY ADDRESS IS 71 SOUTHEAST. THE MICROPHONE. SORRY, I'M SHORT. SOUTH 71 SOUTHEAST HARBOR POINT DRIVE, STUART, FLORIDA. I'VE KNOWN MIKE MARTEL FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND WE WERE ATTORNEYS AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND THERE ARE A FEW ATTORNEYS THAT I COULD STAND UP HERE AND SAY WITH GREAT CONFIDENCE, WHAT AN AMAZING, HONEST INDIVIDUAL THAT MIKE WAS. AND WE WERE IN THE DIVORCE BUSINESS. SO THAT IS AN UGLY, UGLY BUSINESS, BUT FRANKLY, NOT AS UGLY AS WHAT I HAVE SEEN THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAPPENING IN OUR TOWN. I LIVED IN THIS TOWN SINCE 1973, AND I LOOK ALL AROUND OUR COUNTRY TODAY, AND I SEE THE INSIDIOUS THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, HOW DUE PROCESS DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE, HOW PEOPLE GET ARRESTED ON OUR STREETS AND WE CAN'T BLOW OUR HORNS IN MARTIN COUNTY NOW BECAUSE WE'LL GET ARRESTED OR TICKETED. SORRY, BUT YOU ALL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION, AND I KNOW MR. REID HAS HAS PROPOSED THAT HE BE TERMINATED WITHOUT CAUSE HERE TODAY. BUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS JUST SOME RUMBLINGS OF SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND HE DID SOMETHING WRONG. WE HAVE RIGHTS IN OUR COUNTRY. MIKE HAS NOT HAD THE ABILITY TO EVEN ADDRESS IT, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING TONIGHT THAT WOULD EVEN GIVE A REASON FOR AN EMPLOYER TO TERMINATE SOMEONE AT WILL UNDER

[01:15:04]

BOB WORKED FOR BELLSOUTH. HIS JOB WAS THREATENED BY HIS SUPERVISOR IF HE DIDN'T SHUT ME UP, GO INTO PUBLIC MEETINGS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD. BUT MY FAMILY BELIEVED IN ME. THE KIDS AND THE PEOPLE AT PARKER, THE PARENTS AT PARKER. IN THAT YOU RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE AND, OH, I NEVER CALLED A POLICE DEPARTMENT. I NIGHT IT WAS DARK. IT WAS AT THE OLD ART CENTER UPSTAIRS. I HAD CARS FOLLOWING ME HOME, BLINKING THEIR LIGHTS AND TOOTING THEIR HORNS, AND THAT I NEVER WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN WHAT I WAS DOING. AND I NEVER CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SAID, OH, SOMEBODY'S BOTHERING ME. I NEVER TOOK MY PHONE, OR I COULD HAVE GOT A PRIVATE LINE. I NEVER DID THAT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU BECOME A PUBLIC PERSON, WHEN YOU STAND HERE OR YOU RUN FOR OFFICE, YOU BETTER TOUGHEN UP. IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB. AND YOU MAY THINK, OH, I'M RIGHT AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S WRONG, BUT YOU. I FEEL SOME OF YOU, I FEEL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE MISUSING OUR PUBLIC POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY'RE HERE TO PROTECT ALL OF THE PEOPLE. AND I GUESS YOU CAN SAY. BUT YOU ALSO SAID AT THE ONE OF YOU, THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE WASN'T ANSWERING HIS PHONE. WELL, IF YOU'RE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, YOU GOTTA ANSWER YOUR PHONE. I SERVED ON EVERY COMMITTEE AS A VOLUNTEER IN THIS CITY EXCEPT THE LPA. I HAD ONE COMMISSIONER APPOINTED ME THROUGH A BOARD. SHE DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY I VOTED. SHE FIRED ME. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER GOT FIRED IN MY LIFE, AND I NEVER GOT PAID. BUT THAT WAS ALL RIGHT. TRUE. BUT LET'S GO. BACK IN 1973, WHEN I MOVED HERE DOWNTOWN, STUART WAS A GHOST TOWN. YOU COULDN'T COME DOWN. WELL, I WAS TOLD I COULD GO TO GREEN'S DEPARTMENT STORE, PARK IN FRONT, GO IN, BUY WHAT I NEED AND TELL AND WATCH. THEY'D WATCH ME GET BACK IN MY CAR WITH MY CHILDREN BECAUSE IT WAS. IT WAS. IT WAS JUST A BUNCH OF BUMS. AND IT WAS A THING. JOAN JEFFERSON AND ANN MCMILLAN STARTED TO REVISE IT. MIKE MOORE, MIKE MARTELL, I AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE JUST ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND LOOK WHAT IT IS TODAY. WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU ALL WALKED IN, BUT SOME OF YOU WERE HERE WITH US WORKING TO MAKE THE CITY MUCH BETTER.

[01:20:04]

REMEMBER, NEVER WENT TO THE SUPREME COURT. MIKE. SO MIKE MARTELL HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF ABUSE, MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE EVER GONE THROUGH IT. NOW MY TIME IS ENOUGH. IS IT? YES IT IS. CAN YOU WRAP IT UP? THANK YOU, THANK YOU, I DID. I'M SORRY, MARY, I DIDN'T HEAR THE THING. MARGE BONOMO. THEY DON'T GET A WARNING. I'M MARGE BONOMO, I LIVE IN 1446 SOUTHEAST MACARTHUR BOULEVARD, WHICH IS IN MARTIN COUNTY. I'VE KNOWN MIKE FOR 30 YEARS, AND I AM SHOCKED THAT ANYONE HERE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW TO THIS AND YOU ARE NEW TO THIS, WOULD BE WILLING TO LET GO OF SOMEONE WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE FLAT OUT LOVE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT MIKE MARTEL HAS. I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR OVER 30 YEARS. I THINK HE'S BRILLIANT. I THINK ANY INSINUATION THAT FIRING HIM FOR NO CAUSE WOULD SOMEHOW HELP HIM IN THE JOB MARKET IS IS COMICAL, BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MIKE LEAVES, IF HE DOES LEAVE, I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE FINDING A JOB BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BRILLIANT PEOPLE AROUND. SO I'M JUST SAD THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REALIZE THE FEELING IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT'S COMING FROM THIS, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE COME IN NEW AND THEY HURT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD FOR MANY YEARS, ESPECIALLY FOR RATHER VAGUE REASONS, I IT'S IT'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GO AWAY. IT'S JUST A REALLY BAD TASTE.

WALTER LLOYD. WALTER LLOYD CABANA, POINT CIRCLE THEODORE ROOSEVELT ONCE SAID, GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE, I CHOOSE RIGHTEOUSNESS. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL OVER LIES, AND LOVE WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL OVER HATE.

AS I REVIEWED THE VIDEO RECORD OF LAST COMMISSION MEETING, I NOTED THAT EACH OF THE THREE COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE VOICED CONCERN OVER MR. MORTEL PUBLICLY PROFESSED THEIR APPRECIATION FOR HIS POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS IN HIS PAST ROLES WITH THE CITY, AND WENT ON TO DISCUSS THE CONTRACT OF MR. MORTEL, AS WAS FULLY NOTICED TO THE PUBLIC IN THAT DISCUSSION, ONE COMMISSIONER PUT OUT HIS OPINION AND MADE A MOTION SO IT COULD BE DISCUSSED, AS IT IS THE ONLY TIME COMMISSIONERS CAN DISCUSS THESE MATTERS IN RESPECT OF MR. MORTEL. THEY REFUSED TO DRAG HIS NAME THROUGH THE MUD IN PUBLIC. ANY CITIZEN IS FREE TO CONTACT ANY COMMISSIONER FOR MORE CLARIFICATION. WE NOW HAVE THE FULL PERSPECTIVE, WITH ALL OF ITS IRONY. AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PERSPECTIVE, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, INCLUDING LOCAL POLITICIANS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY PREVIOUSLY BEEN VOTED OUT, AND CITIZENS AT LARGE. AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE BEST SMALL COASTAL TOWN. IT WAS THE CITIZENS AT LARGE WHO VOTED IN THE COMMISSIONERS PRIOR TO THIS BOARD, WHO AT THAT TIME WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL ACTIONS OF MANAGEMENT AND STAFF, INCLUDING MR. MORTEL. AT THAT TIME. THEIR CHOICES, ACTIONS AND POLICIES WERE LARGELY ACCEPTABLE TO THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. BUT WHEN THE CITIZENS AT LARGE NOTICED THE RESULTS OF THAT GROUP, LEADERS AND STAFF DID NOT MEET THEIR EXPECTATIONS, THEY ACTED AND REPLACED THEM WITH FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS CURRENTLY SEATED ON THE DAIS TODAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, ONE OF THE FOUR BEING THE CURRENT MAYOR, LIED TO THE CITIZENS AT LARGE ABOUT HIS MOTIVATION FOR SEEKING OFFICE. NOW COMES THE IRONY. ON ONE HAND, THE CITIZENS AT LARGE WHO ELECT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND EXPECT THOSE REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE THEM, WHO PAY THE SALARIES OF ALL THE CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF, ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE THEM AS WELL.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS SEEKING TO BUILD THEIR LIVELIHOODS IN A COMMUNITY SHOULD BE SERVING THE CITIZENS AT LARGE INSTEAD OF INSTEAD OF DISRESPECTING THEM BY CALLING STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR THE REMOVAL OF ELECTED LOCAL OFFICIALS WHEN IT

[01:25:02]

CURRENTLY, I AM WORKING FOR CAROLYN TILLMAN, YOUR CLERK OF THE COURT. I KNOW THAT MISS TILLMAN HAS CONTACTED OR ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE COMMISSIONERS TO VOICE HER FEELINGS ON MR. MARTELL, AND SURPRISINGLY, HER OPINION, IN MY OPINION, ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. BOTH OF US HAVE WORKED WITH MR. MARTELL FOR MANY YEARS. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN RESPONSIVE. WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS LIKED HIS ANSWERS, BUT HE WAS HONEST AND HE WAS FAIR. AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF STUART, I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT IF MARK MARTELL IS LET GO, WHAT IS GOING TO COST ME AS A TAXPAYER? I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING VERY PLAINLY AND VERY CLOSELY, AND IT'S MY OPINION THAT YOU NEED TO RETAIN MR. MARTELL. THANK YOU. PAULA NICOLETTI. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON OR EVENING NOW MY NAME IS PAULA NICOLETTI. I LIVE AT 1445 SOUTHEAST CLARK BOULEVARD, AND STUART AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THREE THINGS. I AM NOT AT MANY OF THE COMMISSION MEETINGS, BUT I DO WATCH THEM ON TELEVISION.

AND I WILL ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER YOUR LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM. AND THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU SPEAK TO EACH OTHER, THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU SPEAK OVER EACH OTHER IS NOT WHAT OUR CITY DESERVES AND EXPECTS. I'VE BEEN MARRIED TO A CITY MANAGER FOR 55 YEARS, AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU DECIDE ON A JOB. THERE ARE MANY CITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AS WELL AS AROUND THE UNITED STATES, THAT HIRE CITY MANAGERS. THE IDEA OF BRINGING SOMEBODY IN EVERY 2 OR 3 YEARS TO TAKE A POSITION, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE THE ONE TO HELP ELECT THEM, IS A LITTLE BIT. UNREALISTIC. WE SIT DOWN, WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT CITIES.

PAUL HAS BEEN MANAGER AROUND THE UNITED STATES IN DIFFERENT CITIES, AND YOU HAVE TO WEIGH IT. YOU'RE BUYING A HOME FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOU'RE MOVING YOUR CHILDREN, YOU'RE PUTTING THEM IN SCHOOL, AND YOU'RE ACCEPTING A POSITION. PEOPLE NEED SOMEONE NOW IN OUR CITY, AS MR. MARTELL IS, THAT'S WELL EDUCATED, THAT HAS BACKGROUND BECAUSE WE HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. WE HAVE SERIOUS SITUATIONS GOING ON IN MARTIN COUNTY AND THE UNITED STATES AS WELL. SO I ASK YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. AND I ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I'VE BEEN TO MANY COMMISSION MEETINGS FOR MANY YEARS, AND I REALLY BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT

[01:30:04]

HIS BASE SALARY IS REPORTED AT 225,000. MOREOVER, ONE NEWS OUTLET ESTIMATES THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF OF COULD COST THE CITY OVER $275,000. WHEN YOU FACTOR IN SEARCH COSTS, ONBOARDING OF A SUCCESSOR AND TRANSITION DUPLICATE JUST TRANSITION DISRUPTION. BEYOND THESE FIGURES IS THE INTANGIBLE COST OF LOST INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY. SLOWER DECISION MAKING WHILE THE NEW PERSON GETS UP TO SPEED AND POTENTIAL MORAL AND OPERATIONAL DISRUPTION TO THE CITY, THE MIKE HAS CONSISTENTLY SHOWN A COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY'S WELL-BEING, RIGHTS, AND FUTURE AND FUTURE. RESIDENTS HAVE RALLIED IN SUPPORT, RECOGNIZING THAT HE KNOWS STUART FROM THE INSIDE AND THE OUT. WHEN RESIDENTS SPEAK OF LEADERSHIP THAT IS GROUNDED, THAT THAT VALUES OUR CITIZENS, SHAREHOLDERS, THAT EMBRACES LONG TERM VISIONS. THIS IS THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP MIKE REPRESENTS. COMMISSIONERS, I ASK YOU TONIGHT TO WEIGH MIKE MARTELL'S SERVICE, HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, HIS EXTRAORDINARY INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE COST OF CHANGE. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER, IS THIS A MOMENT FOR DISRUPTION, OR IS THIS CONTINUITY AND STRONG LEADERSHIP? THE TIME OF UNCERTAINTY OF OUR CITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE? WE NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE TERRAIN, UNDERSTANDS THE COMMUNITY AND HAS ALREADY INVESTED, HAS ALREADY INVESTED IN IT. MIKE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR STEADFASTNESS, AND YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF STUART. COMMISSIONERS, I URGE YOU TO REAFFIRM MIKE'S IN HIS MIKE AND REAFFIRM YOUR FAITH IN MIKE'S LEADERSHIP AND TO ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CITY WITH HIS DEEP KNOWLEDGE, STEADY HAND, VISIONARY PERSPECTIVE THAT HE BRINGS. CHOOSING TO KEEP HIM AT THE HELM IS NOT JUST AN INVESTMENT ENDORSEMENT OF A MAN.

IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THE CITY OF FUTURE CITY'S FUTURE. BOB DANIELS. BOB DANIELS. GOOD EVENING, MR. DANIEL. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS, I JUST TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME. I'VE BEEN IN GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT FOR. COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY, BOB DANIELS. I'M CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AS THE TOWN MANAGER. AND SEWELL'S POINT, YOUR NEIGHBORS TO THE EAST. AND WE SHARE YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. ANYHOW, I'VE.

I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT AVENUES, AND YOU LOOK AT OPTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT I'VE WITNESSED AND BEEN A PART OF IN THE IN MY PAST CAREER OF 40 YEARS AND TEN YEARS OF THAT,

[01:35:05]

LILA WOULD. LILA WOULD. LILA WOULD. MY ADDRESS IS SIX, SIX NINE NORTHEAST PLANTATION ROAD IN STUART AND I MOVED TO STUART IN 2004, AND ONE OF THE FIRST FAMILIES I MET WERE THE MOTELS.

I HAVE SEEN NOT AS MANY CHANGES AS THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE 30 OR 40 YEARS, BUT I'VE SEEN A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL CHANGES AND I KNOW THAT ONE ONE SOURCE I COULD ALWAYS TRUST WITH QUESTIONS, CONCERNS OR OR ANY ANY THOUGHTS THAT I HAD WOULD BE MIKE, A PHONE CALL OR AN EMAIL. IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY, A WORK DAY, A WEEKEND. HE WAS THERE. WHETHER THE NEWS ON THE OTHER END WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO HEAR. SUPPORTIVE OR NOT, HE WAS THERE.

I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, REPRESENTING NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT A NUMBER OF VERY GOOD FRIENDS THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, AND WE. I REPRESENT THEM AND WE'RE DEEPLY DISTURBED ABOUT THE DECISION OF WHAT WE CONSIDER A FRESHMAN COMMISSION. MIKE IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF STUART, THIS COMMUNITY, AND HE'S GIVEN SO MUCH TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT DESERVES MORE RESPECT AND TRANSPARENCY. AND NOT ONLY DOES MIKE DESERVE IT, BUT THE CITIZENS THAT ELECTED YOU ALL DESERVE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND THAT UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE MANY OF US ELECTED YOU NOT EXPECTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN AND HAVE LOST A LOT OF TRUST IN THOSE THAT WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR AGAIN, SHOULD WE LOSE MIKE AS OUR CITY MANAGER? THIS ACTION IS NOT ONLY UNJUST IN OUR OPINION, IT'S ALSO WHAT WE CONSIDER A VIOLATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE RESIDENTS OF STUART THAT WE EXPECT FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. THE CITY MANAGER HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED

[01:40:04]

TRAVELING COMPANY OF PERFORMERS INCLUDING CLOWNS, ACROBATS AND TRAINED ANIMALS. A SPECTACLE THAT ENTERTAINS A MASS AUDIENCE, A CIRCULAR ARENA SURROUNDED BY TIERS OF SEATS USED IN ANCIENT ROME FOR CONTESTS AND SPECTACLES. AN EXTRAVAGANZA MARKED BY SENSATIONALISM, OFTEN WITH LITTLE SUBSTANCE. A FRENETIC, DISORGANIZED AND RIDICULOUS SITUATION. A PLACE OR EVENT THAT FEELS CHAOTIC OR THEATRICAL, A PUBLIC SCENE OF CONFUSION AND UPROAR. AN ORGANIZED SHOW DESIGNED TO KEEP ATTENTION WITHOUT NECESSARILY RESOLVING ANYTHING. A BIG TOP TENT FULL OF NOISE, COLOR AND DISTRACTION. A GATHERING WHERE EVERYONE IS PERFORMING BUT NO ONE IS LISTENING. A RING OF ENDLESS ACTIVITY ROUND AND ROUND WITH NO CLEAR EXIT. A SPECTACLE MEANT TO DAZZLE RATHER THAN INFORM. A ROTATING WHEEL OF APPLAUSE, NOISE AND OCCASIONAL JUGGLING. A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE THAT IS BOTH SERIOUS AND NOT SERIOUS AT ALL.

A SPACE WHERE THE CLOWNS RUN THE TENT. A PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT ONCE AND NOTHING GETS DONE. THE OTHER WORD THEATER A BUILDING OR AREA FOR DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES, DRAMATIC LITERATURE, OR THE ART OF PRODUCING PLAYS. A PLACE OR SPHERE OF ENACTMENT OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS. A PLACE RISING BY STEPS OR GRADATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR VIEWING A PLACE OF SPECTACLE OR DISPLAY. A STRUCTURE WHERE PERFORMANCES TAKE PLACE, OFTEN WITH A STAGE OR AUDIENCE. AN AREA FOR EVENTS BOTH SCRIPTED AND IMPROVISED. A PLACE WHERE A PERFORMANCE UNFOLDS, WHETHER PLANNED OR ACCIDENTAL. A SPACE WHERE ROLES ARE PLAYED AND REALITY IS ARRANGED FOR EFFECT A HOUSE BUILT NOT FOR SHELTER BUT FOR SPECTACLE. A STAGE WHERE WHAT IS SAID IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT IS MEANT. AN INSTITUTION DEDICATED TO SHOWING THE WORLD NOT AS IT IS, BUT AS IT MIGHT APPEAR. A ROOM WHERE LIGHTS SHINE ON ACTORS, BUT THE AUDIENCE SITS IN THE DARK. A PLACE WHERE ONE PERFORMANCE AND A REALITY BLUR INTO ONE. A PLACE CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED ILLUSION WITH REAL CONSEQUENCES. THANKS. JOSEPH COOPER. JOE COOPER, MAYBE OUTSIDE. HE'S OUTSIDE. HELLO. HELLO, EVERYONE. COMMISSIONERS JOSEPH COOPER, 906 SOUTHEAST NINTH STREET. I THOUGHT I HAD ANOTHER HOUR TO GET UP HERE, BUT JUST WANTED TO COME TALK ABOUT ITEM FOUR THAT WE WANT TO COME AND JUST TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS. AND I WANT TO START WITH ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTRY, WE TALK ABOUT BEING A CHRISTIAN NATION. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO APPEAL TO EVERYBODY ON THE DAIS IS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE A CHRISTIAN NATION, IF WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE STEPS OF CHRIST, REDEMPTION IS VERY, VERY, VERY CENTRAL TO HIS HIS MINISTRY. AND SO WHAT IS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE REDEEMED IF YOU FIND FAULT IN SOMEONE, YOU SHOULD REDEEM THEM, RIGHT. AND IN A POSITION AS A CITY MANAGER IS A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION. IF THERE IS SOMETHING I THINK THE ATTORNEY MENTIONED ABOUT

[01:45:01]

[01:50:06]

MR. MORTEL SUCCESSFULLY GUIDED THE CITY. HIS ROLE IN THE LANDMARK LITIGATION AGAINST THREE M, RESULTING IN A $10 BILLION GLOBAL SETTLEMENT TO RISK LOSING SUCH A PROVEN LEGAL KNOWLEDGE, WHILE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN LITIGATION, SEEMS SHOCKINGLY SHORTSIGHTED. AS OUR NATION'S FOUNDING DOCUMENTS ATTEST, GOVERNANCE IS POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED. THE CONSENT IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPECT FOR HOW RESIDENTS TAX DOLLARS ARE MANAGED. WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU HONORING SUCH RESPONSIBILITIES BY PROMPTLY AND PUBLICLY KEEPING THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS REGARDING THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE. THANK YOU. JOHN GONZALEZ. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS JOHN GONZALEZ, VILLAGE STREET HERE IN CITY OF STUART. I'M ALSO A BUSINESS OWNER HERE. I'M A STUART RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER. I HOPE THAT MY THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS WILL HOLD SOME WEIGHT IN YOUR DECISION MAKING. I'M HERE TO BEG YOU NOT TO FIRE MIKE MARTELL. I SPOKE TO SOME OF YOU ABOUT MY THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER. OUR TOWN IS A MODEL OF GREAT GOVERNMENT. UNTIL RECENTLY. MOST IMPORTANT TO ME IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING, MY GARBAGE IS GOING TO GET PICKED UP ON TIME, MY RECYCLING IS GOING TO GET PICKED UP ON TIME. WE HAVE A WELL-TRAINED AND RESPONSIVE FIRE, RESCUE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS MODERN AND EFFICIENT. I KNOW THAT WHEN THERE'S A HURRICANE, ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE HERE ON THE GROUND THE MINUTE IT CLEARS. I KNOW THAT THEY'LL BE HELPING OUR FAMILIES AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SURROUNDING THEM GET THEIR LIVES BACK TOGETHER. MORE IMPORTANTLY, I KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL BE PUMPING OUT THE LIFT STATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STILL FLUSH OUR TOILETS AFTER THE HURRICANE. WHICH, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN HERE, THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENS AFTER A HURRICANE. I SAW MIKE MARTELL PITCHING IN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER THE HURRICANES, AND I KNOW THAT HE AND HIS EMPLOYEES, YOUR EMPLOYEES, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WHEN I WALK DOWN THE TOWN AND I SEE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF STUART, WE'RE PROUDLY WEARING THEIR SHIRTS AND I WAVE. THEY SMILE BACK BECAUSE THEY LIKE WORKING HERE.

YOUR PROCESS TODAY IS FLAWED. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AN EMPLOYEE, YOU SHOULD FOLLOW STANDARD PROCEDURES. BUT. BUT APPARENTLY SOME OF YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT PROPER PROTOCOL IS. MEET WITH THE EMPLOYEE. TAKE AN HR MANAGER WITH YOU, DISCUSS DEFICIENCY, AND WORK UP AN ACTION PLAN TO BRING THE EMPLOYEE UP TO YOUR STANDARDS. DOCUMENT THE PROCESS AND THEN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. YOUR ACTIONS AT THE LAST MEETING WERE DEPLORABLE AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY. I KNOW YOU HAVE A DOGE MENTALITY. SOME OF YOU HAVE A DOGE MENTALITY AND PLAN TO FIRE COUNTLESS EMPLOYEES. SO BE IT. BUT ARE YOU REALLY WEIGHING THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS? DO YOU KNOW THAT THE EMPLOYEES MORALE IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW? IN MY OPINION, I ASSUME RESUMES ARE BEING SENT OUT TO EVERYONE IN YOUR CROSSHAIRS WHO WILL REPLACE HIM AFTER ACTIONS LIKE THIS? WHO WOULD WANT TO COME HERE TO REPLACE SOMEONE PRIOR TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION? THIS TOWN WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY. NOW YOU'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THE FOLLY OF YOUR ACTIONS. SOON, IF YOU FIRE MIKE, YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR EGREGIOUS ACTIONS. EMPLOYEES WILL LEAVE, SERVICES WILL BECOME INFERIOR, AND THE HAPPIEST SEASIDE TOWN IN AMERICA WILL FOREVER CHANGE ITS DESIRABILITY. FINALLY, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING. TONIGHT, SOME OF YOU QUOTE SCRIPTURE TO JUSTIFY YOUR POSITION. I WOULD SIMPLY ASK YOU TO APPLY THE GOLDEN RULE DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

KEEP MIKE. DEVELOP A PLAN WITH HIM AND DEPARTMENT HEADS. DOCUMENT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIONS AND MEASURE THE OUTCOMES. THAT'S HOW YOU RUN A SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU. NICK BLOUNT. WHAT DID YOU SAY? HELLO, NICK BLOUNT OH. MR. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, I'M NICK BLOUNT, A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF STUART. BEFORE MY COMMENTS, THOUGH, I DID HAVE ONE COMMENT JUST ON A PROCEDURAL COMMENT. THIS IS THIS WAS NOT ADVERTISED AS A COMMISSION ACTION. IT'S UNDER UNDER DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION. I'M WONDERING HOW

[01:55:07]

YOU GUYS CAN DO THAT. AND IT'S NOT A THING TO RUN AWAY FROM. AND I WILL TELL YOU, JUST LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR YOU TO TAKE MIKE AND GET HIM WHAT YOU WANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHO HE IS AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE WANTS AND WHAT HE'S DOING AND WHAT YOU WANT.

CHANGED THEN TO BRING SOMEBODY IN NEW, HIRE THEM FROM SOMEPLACE WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT US. YOU'LL BE THE PAST THE NEXT ELECTION BEFORE YOU'VE REALLY GOT THAT PERSON IN PLACE. SO I BEG YOU, BE THE LEADERS YOU WERE HIRED TO BE. BECAUSE I THINK YOU ARE. YOU BEAT ME. SO I WANT YOU TO BE BETTER THAN ME. AND SO BE THAT LEADER AND AND TURN IT AROUND. ALRIGHT? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. BILL WEST. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS BILL WEST, 1819 NORTHWEST SAN SOUCI STREET, STUART, RESIDENT OF MARTIN

[02:00:04]

[02:05:03]

CARRIE PETERS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATHY CARRIE PETERS. I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY OF STUART MY ENTIRE LIFE SINCE 1957. THAT'S 68 YEARS. MY PARENTS OWNED AND OPERATED CASTLE LUMBER COMPANY FOR MANY YEARS, LIKELY BEFORE MOST OF YOU HAD TAKEN YOUR FIRST BREATH.

I PERSONALLY HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED A BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF STUART SINCE 1984. I OWN A RESIDENCE, A VACANT LOT, AND TWO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MIKE SINCE HE BEGAN PRACTICING LAW IN 1990. MIKE IS THE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL. HE HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY ON THE CITY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THE LPA CITY COMMISSIONER, MAYOR, CITY ATTORNEY AND NOW CITY MANAGER, DEDICATING HIMSELF TO THIS CITY FOR TWO DECADES. I'M FRANKLY OUTRAGED THAT YOU THINK AFTER SUCH A SHORT STINT THAT YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THOSE THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU? I'M EQUALLY CONCERNED THAT YOU VIOLATED THE FUNDAMENTAL TENANTS OF THE SUNSHINE LAW, AND YOU WANT US TO THINK IT WAS SHEER HAPPENSTANCE THAT YOU MAKE YOUR MOTION FOR HIS RESIGNATION UNDER THE GUISE OF REVIEWING HIS CONTRACT WITHOUT NOTICE TO MIKE, THE OTHER TWO COMMISSIONERS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE TAXPAYERS WHO YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING. SINCE ONE OF YOUR COMPLAINTS IS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE IN THE SELECTION PROCESS, SHOULD BE WE BE WORRIED THAT YOUR NEXT MOTION IS GOING TO BE TO REMOVE THE CITY CLERK OR THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE THEY WERE APPOINTED BEFORE YOU WERE ON THE BOARD. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO CITY MORALE? AS FOR A CITIZEN THAT'S SO PUBLICLY SO CONCERNED? MR. MARTELL AND HIS PARALEGAL ARE WORKING ON PRIVATE CASES WHILE ON CITY TIME. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I AM INVOLVED IN THE 19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT LEGAL ARENA, DAY IN AND DAY OUT. IN THE 20 PLUS YEARS THAT MIKE MARTELL HAS BEEN ON OR INVOLVED IN CITY GOVERNMENT, I HAVE SEEN HIM ON ONE. LET ME REPEAT ONE PRIVATE LAW CASE. YET THE CONCERNED CITIZEN IS NOT AT ALL CONCERNED THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY MEETING OUTSIDE THE SUNSHINE. I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. YOUR PROPOSED ACTIONS WILL CAUSE THIS CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN IN SEVERANCE PAY AND RECRUITMENT COSTS AND FRANKLY, POSSIBLE LITIGATION. YOU CAN BET I WILL NOT FORGET THIS AT ELECTION TIME. MIKE MAY NOT BE PERFECT.

NONE OF US ARE. I'D ASK THAT YOU GET OFF THE VOTING BLOCK, THAT YOU BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, THAT YOU THINK ON YOUR OWN, AND THAT YOU PERHAPS HEED. MR. DANIELS, I BELIEVE, IS HIS NAME. SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CITY OF OR THE TOWN OF SEWALL'S POINT ENCLOSING. MIKE, I AM SO SORRY YOU'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS. AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS CITY. YOU DON'T DESERVE IT, AND NEITHER DO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF STUART. THANK YOU. ED LUCENTE. MR.

[02:10:30]

YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPERIENCE THAT MIKE MARTELL BRINGS TO HIS JOB. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PROCESS. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE GOVERN AND HOW WE DECIDE.

THE MOTION MADE BY SEAN REED, OUR NEWEST COMMISSIONER OF 14 MONTHS, APPEARED ON THE AGENDA WITHOUT NOTICE, WITHOUT A DOCUMENTED PERFORMANCE REVIEW, WITHOUT A FORMAL INVESTIGATION, AND WITHOUT A PUBLIC HEARING. NO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO RESIDENTS OF STUART. NO RATIONALE HAS BEEN SHARED. AND YET THE COMMISSION IS POISED TO VOTE ON A MATTER THAT COULD DESTABILIZE OUR CITY'S LEADERSHIP. I READ IN THE LOCAL PAPER A QUOTE FROM COMMISSIONER COLLINS, WHERE HE CITED THAT THE REASON WAS INCREASING FRICTION OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS BETWEEN MORTAL AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION. BUT LET'S BE CLEAR THAT, NO, THAT SO-CALLED MAJORITY IS A VOTING BLOC. IT INCLUDES COLLINS AND TWO RELATIVELY NEW COMMISSIONERS WHO REPEATEDLY ALIGN AGAINST THE TWO MOST EXPERIENCED COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE PART OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THE PAST. THE PATTERN OF THREE TWO VOTES IS NOT EVIDENCE OF A BROAD INSTITUTIONAL FRICTION. IT'S EVIDENCE OF A NARROW COALITION THAT PUSHES DECISIONS WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE EXPERIENCE, CONSENSUS OR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

THAT'S NOT A MAJORITY. THAT IS WHAT I WOULD CALL A MANEUVER, ONE THAT COULD AND SHOULD GENERATE FRICTION. AND IT SHOULD NOT BE THE BASIS FOR REMOVING A CHARTER OFFICER.

THUS, THIS SCENARIO PRESENTS A LEADERSHIP PARADOX. THE MEMBER WITH THE LEAST EXPERIENCE ON THE COMMISSION IS REQUESTING THE RESIGNATION OF THE CITY'S MOST SEASONED, MOST EXPERIENCED LEADER BECAUSE OF A DIFFERING OF IDEAS AND OPINIONS. THIS CLASH OF DIFFERING IDEAS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AT VARYING LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE AND WITH DIFFERENT GENERATIONS, IS UNDERSTANDABLE. NOW. IT DOES RAISE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION AND INVITES REFLECTION ON SEVERAL KEY ISSUES. THE DYNAMICS OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE COMMISSION, THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND THEY CAN HAVE ON THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND THE PROCEDURES BY WHICH THESE SIGNIFICANT DECISIONS ARE REACHED BY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IT ALSO POSES A QUESTION OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY. THE CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS DOING AND HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE. WHAT KIND OF A PRECEDENT ARE WE SETTING REMOVING A CHARTER OFFICER WITHOUT CAUSE, WITHOUT PROCESS, AND WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT? MAYOR RICH, YOU'VE HAD A LONG AND STANDING REPUTATION AS A VOICE FOR ORDER, FAIRNESS AND FOR INSTITUTIONAL TRANSPARENCY. I IMPLORE YOU TO USE THAT VOICE. NOW, DELAY THE VOTE, CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, AND INVITE RESIDENTS OF STUART TO WEIGH IN. LET'S PROCEED WITH CLARITY AND NOT CONFLICT. THANK YOU. JANICE STEELMAN. YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, DENNIS STEELMAN. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS DENNIS STEELMAN. I LIVE AT 101 SOUTHEAST SEMINOLE STREET IN STUART. OVER THE PAST TEN OR SO YEARS, I'VE HAD MANY DEALINGS WITH MR. MARTELL. ALWAYS POSITIVE. I'VE ALWAYS FOUND HIM TO BE EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND AVAILABLE, WHETHER IN PERSON, BY PHONE, OR BY EMAIL. IF ANYBODY SHOULD QUESTION MR. MARTELL'S KNOWLEDGE AND HIS HISTORY OF THE CITY, I RECOMMEND YOU VIEW THE TREASURE COAST PODCAST, IN WHICH HE WAS INTERVIEWED A FEW MONTHS AGO. I AM SURE THAT HIS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY, LEGAL MATTERS AND PROCEDURES HAVE SAVED THE CITY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER. IN 25 YEARS AS AN

[02:15:09]

AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP, ONE THING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN A LEADER IS CONTINUITY AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. EVERY ONE OF THE MANAGERS I JUST SAID HAS PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR THE CITY OR COUNTY BEFORE THEY CAME TO A CITY OR COUNTY MANAGER. EVERY SINGLE ONE. I SAY IN THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS. THE ONE EXCEPTION IS WHEN YOU WENT OUT TO VIRGINIA OR WHATEVER STATE IT WAS. MR. ROSS WAS HERE LESS THAN A YEAR WAS FIRED. I SEE A PATTERN THAT LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IS INVALUABLE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE. AND I CAN TELL YOU, IN THE DECADES THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE DEALT WITH MR. MORTEL ON DIFFERENT LEVELS. I'VE DEALT WITH HIM AS A PRIVATE ATTORNEY. I DEALT WITH HIM AS A CITY COMMISSIONER, AS A MAYOR, AS A CITY ATTORNEY, AND AS A CITY MANAGER. AND I SAY THAT BOTH FROM PERSPECTIVE OF MYSELF AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN.

I WAS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND I'VE WORKED FOR MARTIN COUNTY FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, AND WE INTERACT WITH THE CITY ON DIFFERENT LEVELS. SO PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER, I CAN TELL YOU, EVERY TIME I DEALT WITH MR. MORTEL, HE'S BEEN AVAILABLE, WHICH IS HUGELY IMPORTANT. HE'S BEEN PROFESSIONAL AND HE'S BEEN KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND YOU MIX THOSE TOGETHER WITH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. YOU DO NOT REPLACE THAT OVERNIGHT. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE CONCERNS ARE, IF YOU DO AS A FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION, AS A TAXPAYER, THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO WITHHOLD SOME FUNDS FOR SOME EMPLOYEES AND HAVE TO LAY THEM OFF. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO WHATEVER THE DEBT IS THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS REPLACED.

AND THAT BEING SAID, WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS THE COST, NOT MONEY. BUT IT'LL SHOW UP DIFFERENTLY IN MORALE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND CONTINUITY THAT WILL BE LOST IF MR. MORTEL IS LOST. SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU WOULD DO THE BEST THING FOR THE TAXPAYERS, RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS. AND THAT'S, TO ME, MAINTAIN THE CONTINUITY WITH MR. MORTEL. THANK YOU. ROBIN CARTWRIGHT. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. YOU HAVE A VERY HARD DECISION IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I DON'T ENVY YOUR POSITION, BUT I WANT TO REVIEW A COUPLE OF THINGS. MR. ROSS WAS MENTIONED, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IN 2018, MR. ROSS WAS TOLD HE COULD EITHER RESIGN OR BE TERMINATED, AND HE WAS NOT AFFORDED THIS OPPORTUNITY WHERE PEOPLE WERE RALLIED IN HIS SUPPORT. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE WASN'T FROM HERE, BUT SOME THINGS ABOUT THAT SITUATION HAVE SINCE COME OUT. BUT THE THE BIG PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THE FOCUS OF THIS DISCUSSION SHOULD BE ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS. AND WHAT IS LEGAL IS NOT ALWAYS ETHICAL. MR. MORTEL HAS USED HIS POSITION TO PROVIDE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO SOME IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT OTHERS. WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE AIRBNB ON ISLA STREET VERSUS WHAT HAPPENED TO SOMEBODY LIKE THE

[02:20:03]

THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION. AND ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SHARING OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, I GET IT. MR. MARTELL IS VERY AFFABLE AND HE HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.

BUT I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT IF HE'S TRULY THE LEADER THAT EVERYBODY HERE SAYS THAT HE IS, THIS STAFF IS READY TO RUN WITH OR WITHOUT HIM. THIS STAFF IS READY TO DO THEIR JOB. THE GARBAGE PICKUPS WILL CONTINUE, THE WATER TREATMENT WILL CONTINUE. ALL OF THESE SERVICES WILL STILL CONTINUE. IF HE'S TRULY THE LEADER THAT EVERYONE SAYS, THEN HE'S DONE HIS JOB PREPARING THIS, THIS STAFF IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR WHAT COMES NEXT. AND I WANT TO ALSO ADDRESS THAT EMPLOYEES ARE NOT BEING FIRED. I HAVE HEARD THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S OPEN POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT BEING REFILLED, AND THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. SO TONIGHT I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS A VERY IMPORTANT JOB. ABSOLUTELY. BUT THEY ARE SETTING THE STANDARDS AND THE WHAT EVERYBODY IS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW. SO WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION TONIGHT, IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY ONE SINGULAR THING. OR MAYBE IT IS. IT'S ABOUT THE TOTALITY OF THE BEHAVIOR AND WHAT WE EXPECT FROM A LEADER IN THAT POSITION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND THE SAME SET OF STANDARDS. THANK YOU. KAREN HALL. GOOD EVENING, KAREN HALL, 1701 SOUTHWEST PALM CITY ROAD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, I APPRECIATE IT. I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT I LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE I CAN REDRESS MY GRIEVANCES TO MY GOVERNMENT, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO AND PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. I'VE BEEN VOTING IN MARTIN COUNTY SINCE 1992, RAISED TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS HERE. SO THIS IS MY HOME. I FEEL LIKE THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD TO LIVE HERE. I, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL DOGPILING ON ON EVERYBODY'S DOGPILING ON MIKE. BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMISSIONERS TO UNDERSTAND. HE DIDN'T DO THIS ON HIS OWN. OKAY? YOU KNOW, HE IS NOT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE, OKAY? HE AND AND JUST IN MY SITUATION, HE AND NICOLETTI AND KILBRIDE WERE ALL INVOLVED. BUT MIKE DOESN'T DO THIS STUFF ON HIS OWN. THERE'S A NETWORK. SO WHEN SOMEONE LAST WEEK SAID, OH, WE GOT TO CUT THE CANCER, WELL, YES, WE COULD DO THIS SURGERY, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE SURGERY TO BE DONE. LIKE NICOLETTI, LIKE PEOPLE AT THE MARTIN COUNTY. SO THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SURGERIES. WE ALWAYS HAVE TO GET THE CANCER, CANCER OUT. BUT I THINK THE MAIN THING IS NOT ABOUT THE MONEY. HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST US? WHAT ABOUT IT COSTS US THE THE HARM THAT HAPPENS TO RESIDENTS JUST BECAUSE OF MISREPRESENTATION, MISREPRESENTATION AND USING THE AS AN ATTORNEY, USING THE LAW AS A WEAPON RATHER THAN A PROTECTION. AND I GUESS THE THING WITH US IS I FEEL LIKE WE TURNED OUT GREAT. I HAVE ONE KID THAT'S AN ATTORNEY AND ONE KID THAT DUKE. SO WE HAD REALLY BAD THINGS HAPPEN. AND MR. MARTELL WAS RESPONSIBLE WITH NICOLETTI. BUT WE LOOK WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR OUR FAMILY. HE SAVED US AND HE PROTECTED US AND HE SHOWED US FAVOR. SO I, I LOVE MR. MORTEL AS A PERSON. I JUST WOULD. MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP MIKE MORTEL FAR AWAY FROM CITY HALL. THANK YOU. ANDREA CREECH FOR AUDRA. I'M SORRY, AUDRA CREECH. GOOD EVENING, AUDREY CREED. I LIVE IN PALM CITY, BUT I WORK IN THE CITY OF STEWART AS A LAND USE AND ZONING ATTORNEY. I WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE SPECIAL INTEREST THAT HAVE BEEN THROWN AROUND. APPARENTLY SO GUILTY AS CHARGED.

BUT I LIVE IN THIS TOWN AND LIVE IN THIS COUNTY AND ACTUALLY LIVE WITH WHATEVER IT IS I GET APPROVED. SO THAT'S ONE THING, BUT I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS. AS FAR AS WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE ON TEAMS IF WE ARE EFFECTIVE AND ACTUALLY DOING THAT, WHICH I HOPE WE SOMEHOW MANAGE TO DO, THEN WE HAVE SEEN SOME

[02:25:04]

THERE'S A CHOICE THAT I MADE LONG AGO THAT I WOULD PREFER NEVER TO BE WHERE YOU ARE. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND I DO UNDERSTAND IT. SO LAST MEETING I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I CAME UP HERE AND GAVE MY SPIEL ABOUT THE TOTALITY OF ONE MAN'S SERVICE TO A COMMUNITY. BECAUSE I AM USED TO DEALING WITH WORST CASE SCENARIOS, I DEAL WITH THEM EVERY DAY. I GET UP EVERY DAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE WORST CASE SCENARIOS LESS BAD. SO WHEN I SAW THE DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION ITEM OUT OF NOWHERE, I IMMEDIATELY WENT, OH MY GOODNESS, WE ARE FACING SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE. THE ENDING OF A CITY COMMISSIONER THAT HAS BEEN WITHIN THE CITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS. ONE OF THE MOST INSIDIOUS PARTS OF CARING SO VERY MUCH. AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL CARE. YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU DIDN'T CARE. ONE OF THE INSIDIOUS PARTS ABOUT CARING SO VERY, VERY MUCH IS THAT YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE. YOU'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. YOUNG ATTORNEYS FACE IT ALL THE TIME. WE WANT SO BADLY TO DO WELL FOR OUR CLIENTS, AND WE WANT SO BADLY FOR THE ANSWERS TO TURN OUT WELL FOR OUR CLIENTS, THAT WE MIGHT MISREAD THEM. WHEN WE'RE YOUNG, WE MIGHT READ THEM DIFFERENTLY, OR INTERPRET THEM IN WAYS THAT MAYBE ARE A LITTLE OF A STRETCH, BECAUSE WE WANT OUR CLIENTS TO BE OKAY. I THINK YOU ALL ARE SEEKING SOMETHING HERE THAT DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SEE IT. A LARGE CONSPIRACY, SOMEONE WHO YOU CAN GET RID OF AND SOMEHOW MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER. SUPPOSEDLY TAKING AWAY A CANCER. I THINK YOU'RE SEEING SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SEE IT. SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU RETHOUGHT WHAT IT IS YOU ARE TRULY SEEING. BECAUSE I SEE SOMEONE WHO HAS SPENT A VERY LONG TIME IN THE CITY OF STUART, HAS MIKE MARTEL CHANGED OR HAVE YOU? THANK YOU.

MARGARET BROMFIELD. GOOD EVENING, MISS BROMFIELD. GOOD EVENING, MARGARET BROMFIELD.

1201 SOUTHEAST CENTER LANE. I MADE SURE TO WRITE MY NOTES BECAUSE I'VE WRITTEN MY SPEECH LIKE FIVE TIMES. MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY OF STUART OVER THE YEARS. THANKS FOR SHOWING UP AT EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THANKS FOR BEING GRACIOUS DURING THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU WERE PUBLICLY INSULTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM. EVEN IN THIS LAST ATTEMPT. WHILE THE BASIS AND THE EVIDENCE FOR THIS CURRENT ATTACK ON YOU HAVE NOT BEEN MADE KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC, SOMETHING WAS SAID SINCE I WROTE THIS. BUT ANYWAY, I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M QUITE SURE YOU HAVE RUFFLED A FEW FEATHERS AND MAYBE EVEN SAID SOME THINGS THAT YOU LATER DETERMINED COULD HAVE BEEN STATED DIFFERENTLY.

BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE HAVE YOU EVER INTENTIONALLY PUT YOUR PEN TO THE PAPER TO DEFRAUD AND HURT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY? HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN ANYTHING FROM THE PEOPLE YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE? FROM MY OBSERVATION OF YOU IN THE COMMUNITY, I HAVE SEEN A BRILLIANT, KNOWLEDGEABLE MAN WHO IS GENUINELY ENGAGED AND INVESTED IN THE WELL-BEING OF THE CONSTITUENCY. I SEE A MAN WHO COMES TO THE NAACP ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, NOT JUST FOR PHOTO OPS. A MAN WHO SHOWS UP AND ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE. HE STAYS. HE TALKS. HE LISTENS WITH AN OPEN MIND. I WANT TO TAKE IT A BIT FURTHER AND SAY, EVEN IF YOU HAVE SLIPPED AND HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, HOW DARE WE THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER? I AM REMINDED OF THIS SCRIPTURE WHICH WAS QUOTED EARLIER BY STEPHEN COOPER IN THE SCRIPTURE WHERE JESUS. HE WAS ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AND THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES BROUGHT UNTO HIM A WOMAN TAKEN

[02:30:01]

NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE. GOD BLESS YOU. ROBERT STANKOVIC. ROBERT STANKOVIC. OUT HERE. IS A BOY. I HAVE SOME PACKETS I'D LIKE TO HAND OUT. I GOT A BUNCH OF THEM. SOME ARE FOR THE PRESS AND SOME ARE FOR YOU GUYS. THE PRESS. SO? HANDING THEM OUT.

EXCUSE ME. WILL YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, SIR, AND BEGIN YOUR REMARKS? YES. YEAH. THANK YOU.

ONE SECOND. HERE. SURE. OKAY. IT'S ROBERT SANKOVICH, ONE TWO, FIVE ONE SOUTHWEST NORTON'S LANE. I WANTED TO JUST START OFF BY ASKING YOU FOR A PENSION FREEZE FOR MISTER MARTEL, PAUL NICOLETTI AND ALSO KILBRIDE. AND WHAT THIS RELATES TO. FOR MY CASE, YOU KNOW, I DID A LOT SPLIT AND I HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS OF I HAD TO JUMP THROUGH A WHOLE BUNCH OF HOOPS AND IT COST ME TREMENDOUS MONEY, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUS TIME. IT'S BEEN SINCE 2000, 21. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MY PERMIT BACK WHICH WAS NEVER LEGALLY CLOSED, BUT WHERE IT ENDED OFF IS.

MISTER MARTEL WANTED ME TO TRENCH MY PROPERTY FROM VILLAGE OAKS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS DUMPSTER WATER AND PARKING LOT WATER INTO POPPLETON CREEK, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EPA ISSUE. IT WOULD HAVE. IT WOULD POLLUTE UPLAND CREEK. SO THAT WAS ONE THING. AND THEN I WAS ALSO ASKED TO DO A WATER TEST FOR A RAINWATER TEST FOR COMMUNITY OAKS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY I DON'T EVEN OWN, AND WHICH WOULD HAVE COST $38,000 TO GET MY PERMIT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I ORIGINALLY HAD A PERMIT WITH A SITE PLAN THAT WAS STAMPED BY THE CITY, EVERYTHING WAS DONE AND I HAD A STOP ORDER. IS THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE. SO SO FOR MY CASE.

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T JUMP THROUGH HOOPS. YOU KNOW, I CAN'T POLLUTE POPLAR CREEK. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND $38,000 ON A WATER TEST FOR A COMMUNITY JUST TO GET MY BUILDING PERMIT BACK.

IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS. IT'S BEEN YEARS, SO ON TOP OF THAT. THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, LOU HATTON, IN A COMMISSIONER HEARING, BROUGHT UP A PICTURE OF A TRUSS, WHICH WAS A SCRAP PIECE OF

[02:35:04]

AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I PROBABLY HAVE OVER $300,000 IN FINES. SO THE FINES, WHICH IS A BIG ISSUE WITH PAUL NICOLETTI, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE IMPARTIAL, BUT YET HE WAS SIX YEARS CITY ATTORNEY AND SIX YEARS CITY MANAGER. SO HOW COULD HE BE IMPARTIAL? YOU KNOW, HE CAN'T. IT'S A CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION. HE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, ISSUE FINES.

SO THE WHOLE THING IS JUST BEEN IT'S A RACKETEERING TO MAKE MONEY, JUST LIKE THE JUDGES.

IT'S JUST IT'S BEEN 16 YEARS TO DATE. OCTOBER 27TH, 16 YEARS AGO THAT THE CITY. FILED AN INJUNCTION ON A DEAD PERSON, A DEAD ATTORNEY. THE ATTORNEY WAS DEAD FOR MONTHS, AND HE FILED AN INJUNCTION. SO IT'S IT'S BAD. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S REALLY THERE'S SO MANY DEEP ROOTED THINGS. I MEAN, EVERYONE SEES THINGS ON THE SURFACE, BUT IT'S REALLY THIS BROKE UP MY MARRIAGE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THE PRESSURE OF, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FINES. IT BROKE UP MY MARRIAGE. IT BROKE UP AARON'S MARRIAGE. AND YOU'LL SEE IN ALL THESE DOCUMENTS WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS ABOUT MR. MARTEL PERJURING HIMSELF, YOU KNOW, WONDERING WHY, YOU KNOW, HE JUST CONTINUES TO NOT TELL THE TRUTH. IT'S IN THERE.

IT'S IN THIS PACKET. SO IT'S. THAT'S ALL COURT DOCUMENTS. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF OPINION.

IT'S IT'S WHAT'S THERE. SO PEOPLE DON'T SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I'VE HAD IT I MEAN I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND I'M NOT GOING TO POLLUTE POPLAR CREEK, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND $38,000 ON A RAINWATER TEST THAT, YOU KNOW. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. RIDICULOUS. THANK YOU SIR, BUT EVERYTHING'S IN THE PACKET AND YOU'LL SEE. AND WE HAVE RECEIVED YOUR INFORMATION. YEAH.

CLAY SCHERRER. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS AND AND AND NEIGHBORS. MY NAME IS CLAY.

CLAY, THE TREE MAN. SCHERRER, ACTUALLY, 200 SOUTHEAST FOUR WINDS DRIVE. I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD TO TO ADD TO ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID TONIGHT BY BY MANY OTHERS, URGING YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER THE THE THE MOTION OR THE CONSIDERATION OF, OF MIKE'S ROLE. SO I WOULD JUST URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY AND A BIT OF DUE PROCESS. AND ALL OF YOU ARE ELECTED WITH THAT IN MIND BY THE VOTERS. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND TONIGHT. I. I SHARE THE THE BOARD THIS THE CRB, THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT BOARD WITH THE GENTLEMAN NAMED MARK BECKVILLE WHO'S HERE TONIGHT. AND HE DOESN'T ALWAYS SAY SMART THINGS, BUT ACTUALLY TWO WEEKS AGO AT THIS MEETING, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I WASN'T HERE TWO WEEKS AGO, I WATCHED THE THE TAPE. AND THAT'S HOW I KNOW HOW HOW SMART MARK IS. SO HE URGED YOU EVEN THEN WHEN IT IT WASN'T REALLY CLEAR THAT IT WAS ON THE AGENDA TO HE FELT LIKE IT WAS A PREMATURE MOTION. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY RELEVANT EVEN TONIGHT. IF YOU ALL ARE, ALL ARE RECEIVING NEW INFORMATION, LIKE MAYBE WE JUST HEARD AND OTHER THINGS, THEN I WOULD, I WOULD JUST URGE YOU TO REFLECT ON THAT. OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH THAT. WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT WHAT MIKE DOES, AND EVEN YOU ALL MENTIONED TWO WEEKS AGO THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THAT MIKE PERFORMS IN HIS ROLE FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE CITY, IF THERE WERE IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, SURELY YOU COULD FIND A BETTER WAY TO WORK WITH MIKE ON THOSE THAN THE CURRENT MOTION. I WOULD JUST SUGGEST

[02:40:02]

SHE PROBABLY LEFT. ANDREA MARIE BRAID. YEAH. MIKE BRAID. LEFT, LEFT, LEFT. THEY LEFT. LUCY MAGUIRE. OH. THEY DON'T HEAR HIM OUTSIDE. OH. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MA'AM? LIZZIE. OKAY. LUCY.

HEY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LUCY MAGUIRE. AND BEFORE I BEGIN, LET ME CLARIFY SOMETHING, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN MOCKED ONLINE PREVIOUSLY BY ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THE FACT THAT I LIVE IN EAST PORT SAINT LUCIE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY WHAT I CAN AFFORD AS A LOCAL, BECAUSE OTHERWISE I WOULD LIVE IN THE CITY OF STUART. SO LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I BELIEVE I HAVE A RIGHT TO SHARE MY POINT OF VIEW HERE WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT. I AM HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. I WAS BORN IN STUART, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, RAISED IN JENSEN BEACH, WENT TO JENSEN BEACH ELEMENTARY, STUART MIDDLE AND JENSEN BEACH HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M A LOCAL LEADER. I FOUNDED A LOCAL NONPROFIT BASED IN MARTIN COUNTY THAT CONTINUES TO SERVE LOCAL, UNDERSERVED STUDENTS. I OWN A LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA AGENCY THAT PROVIDES FREE EDUCATIONAL CLASSES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN MARTIN COUNTY AND BEYOND, AND I HAVE HELD MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BASED IN MARTIN COUNTY. ALL OF THIS DONE FOR FREE AS A VOLUNTEER, AND I SERVE THIS COMMUNITY ON A DAILY BASIS AND HAVE DONE SO FOR YEARS AND CONTINUE TO DO SO JUST LIKE YOURSELVES. AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS COMMUNITY. I'M NOT A PART OF ANY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. I AM SIMPLY A CONCERNED CITIZEN WHO WOULD LOVE, WHO LOVES THIS CITY AND SPENDS MY DOLLARS HERE AND SUPPORTS MY COMMUNITY WHENEVER I CAN. I'M SO DISAPPOINTED. IT'S PAINFUL TO WATCH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HANDLE THE SITUATION, AND SO MANY OTHERS WITH SUCH LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE SOMETIMES. AND ONE OF YOU REMINDED US TO ACT LIKE ADULTS AND SPEAK. AND AS WE SPEAK BEFORE YOU, AS I SPEAK BEFORE YOU, TRUTHFULLY, SO MUCH OF THE CHILDISH BEHAVIOR I'VE SEEN HAS COME FROM SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE. AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T SAY THAT LIGHTLY. I EXPECT AND WE EXPECT MORE. AND A FEW OF YOU HAVE SAID WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION, THIS IS OUR DECISION, WHETHER IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG, THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP. LEADERSHIP IS LISTENING. THE COMMUNITY IS HERE TONIGHT TELLING YOU THIS DECISION IS WRONG, AND IT'S YOUR JOB TO HEAR US. MR. MARTELL IS ONE OF THE MOST INFORMED, EXPERIENCED, AND RESPECTED PUBLIC SERVANTS THIS CITY HAS EVER HAD. HE COMES TO EVERY MEETING WITH FACTS, HISTORY, AND CONTEXT THAT FEW OTHERS COULD PROVIDE AND HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS SERVED IN EVERY POSITION THAT YOU GUYS CURRENTLY HOLD. ACCORDING TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HE HAS MORE EXPERIENCE THAN ALL OF YOU COMBINED. THAT MATTERS AND THAT EXPERIENCE HAS WEIGHT. TO LOSE HIM ISN'T JUST TO LOSE A CITY MANAGER, IT'S TO LOSE THE VERY WISDOM THAT HAS HELPED BUILD STUART INTO THE CITY THAT IT IS TODAY. THIS DECISION DOESN'T JUST COST OUR CITY FINANCIALLY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WILL COST OUR CITY ITS INTEGRITY. YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? WELL, THE PEOPLE ARE HERE TELLING YOU WHAT THEY WANT. WE ARE NOT ASKING. WE ARE PLEADING.

ARE YOU LISTENING? IF YOU TRULY CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY, PROVE IT. LISTEN. RECONSIDER.

DO WHAT'S RIGHT. YOU ARE NOT HERE TO SERVE YOUR INTERESTS OR YOUR OPINIONS. YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE THE CITY AND EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT, NATIVE LOCAL WHO LIVES, WORKS AND PLAYS HERE. I URGE YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT POWER. IT'S ABOUT PRINCIPLE AND RESPONSIBILITY. NO ONE HERE IS PERFECT, BUT WE CAN ALL DO OUR BEST. AND RIGHT NOW, THE BEST AND RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO KEEP MR. MARTELL. THANK YOU, MR. MARTELL, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THE CITY IS LUCKY TO HAVE YOU, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET TO KEEP

[02:45:02]

THEY EXPECT, THEY EXPECT A REPORT HOW THIS TAXPAYER'S MONEY SPENT WHEN THE PARTICIPANTS ON THESE FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS NATIVE. HI EVERYONE. AND THIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND THE GRANT MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT HIRED BY THE CITY AND THE CITY MANAGER, THAT MISMANAGEMENT HAPPENED, FLOOD HAPPENED, AND FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS HAPPENED. IT'S ALL THERE. AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER DECIDES TO COVER UP EVERYTHING. WHEN THE CITY MANAGER HAS A DOCUMENT, THE SUB GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE THAT STATES ALL THE LAWS, FEDERAL AND FLORIDA'S LAWS, AND COURTS AND

[02:50:11]

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT IS TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WHAT WENT ON ON OUR PROJECT WAS TERRIBLE, COST US TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY BECAUSE THE CITY OF STUART, MR. MARTEL, DID NOT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIVE SENT BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA, NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, THREE TIMES. THE STATE OF FLORIDA SENT A DIRECTIVE ON OUR 130 YEAR OLD HISTORICAL PROPERTY. IT WAS IGNORED. THE 1ST DECEMBER OF 23 LETTER, FIVE MONTHS FOR THE JOB STARTED. THAT LETTER WAS HIDDEN AND ULTIMATELY WE FOUND THAT OUT IN NOVEMBER OF 24. AND TO REITERATE WHAT OLGA JUST SAID, THE REALITY OF THIS IS, IS FEDERAL FUNDS WERE USED TO PAY THE CONTRACTOR FOR WORK THAT WAS NEVER DONE. THERE IS NO ROOF RIDGE VENT SYSTEM ON THAT BUILDING. THERE IS NOT. MR. MARTEL LIED ON OCTOBER 13TH AND SO DID ANTONIO JENKINS. AND IF YOU WERE GIVEN WRONG INFORMATION AGAIN, MR. MARTEL, YOU COULD HAVE TURNED AROUND, AS I SAID, 200.3 20. I WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THAT'S PROCUREMENT AND THAT IS ALLOWED TO BE DONE, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DAMAGE TO OUR HISTORICAL BUILDING, THE DAMAGE TO MY REPUTATION, WHICH IS FINE. BUT EVEN THE LADIES IN TALLAHASSEE KNOW, WHAT YOU DID SAY IN THE WIND IS CAN STAY. WELL, JUST PUT A PLAQUE ON IT.

THEY NEVER SAID THAT. YOU LIED, MAN. I'M NOT HERE TO CREATE A PROBLEM FOR YOU. AND YOU SEEM TO THINK THAT I AM. OUR 130 YEAR OLD BUILDING HAS BEEN DAMAGED. ANTONIO JENKINS WILL NEVER COME ON THAT PROPERTY AGAIN. NOT ONE TIME HE STOOD IN THIS ROOM AND LIED TO EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS. WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. THIS IS ABOUT LEADERSHIP. I WANT YOU TO THINK. LEADERSHIP. WHY SUBVERT THE SYSTEM, SIR? REAL LEADERSHIP SAYS, HEY, MAN, LET'S WORK THIS OUT. WE WROTE LETTERS TO COME IN TO WORK IT OUT. BUT WHAT WERE WE FACED WITH WHEN WE BROUGHT THE TRUTH AND THE EVIDENCE TO YOU? WE WERE FACED WITH TELL A CITY EMPLOYEES NOT TO RESPOND TO THEIR EMAIL. THAT'S WHAT I GOT.

AND HERE WE ARE. YOU KNOW, I WILL NOT ARGUE. HE HAS A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION. MR.

[02:55:03]

LUCAS LATHAM, 369 SOUTHEAST SEA HUNT WAY. I'M LIVING IN THE SEASIDE TOWNHOMES, AND I'M A POPLAR CREEK PARK GOER. NONE OF THIS IS GOING TO MATTER IN TEN YEARS. I HEARD SOMEONE REMARK. I COULDN'T DISAGREE MORE. SOME PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE AND A LOT OF BUILDING TO BE DONE. AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE QUAINTNESS OF STUART, ARE WE IN A TIME LAPSE? ACQUAINTANCE OF STUART STOPPED IN 2019. WELL, LET'S GET DOWN SOME FACTS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, FACT KNOWING IMPRESSIVE LEGAL SKILLS. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FACT ON APRIL 12TH, 2021, POLICY 1.85.3, WHICH ANYONE ONLINE CAN LOOK UP.

THAT'S PUBLIC RECORD. I EMAIL ALL THE COMMISSION ON SATURDAY WAS CALLED AN OBJECTIVE. I CORRECTED SAID MEMBER. AND IN FACT IT IS A POLICY. THE POLICY READS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, MEDIUM DENSITY AND RESIDENTIAL OPEN SPACE SHOULD SERVE AS BUFFERS BETWEEN HIGHER AND LOWER INTENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES TO ACHIEVE AN ORDERLY LAND USE TRANSITION. THIS IS IN RESPECT TO THE FOUR STORY MONSTROSITY THAT LOOMS OVER POPLAR CREEK PARKWAY IN THE SEASIDE TOWNHOMES, WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED BY MR. REESE AND MR. FREEMAN AS LOW DENSITY, DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AT 10.2 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE. FUNNY ENOUGH, A MEMBER UP HERE IMPLIED THAT IT IS A MEDIUM DENSITY BUFFER. HOW IS A LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE A MEDIUM DENSITY BUFFER? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT LINE LOWERING THEIR. ON JUNE 26TH OF 2025, SOMEONE DECIDED TO SPEAK AT THE FDOT MEETING. THEY CHOSE TO TELL OWNERS AND SEASIDE AS THE NEWS ARTICLE FROM THE TCPALM READS, THE PAST MAY HAUNT OPPONENTS OF THE WILLOUGHBY PROJECT THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE READ THE FINE PRINT, THAT THERE MIGHT BE A ROAD COMING DOWN THROUGH HERE AND WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. I WILL REMIND EVERYONE UP HERE THERE ARE THREE OPTIONS FOR THAT PROJECT ONE THROUGH ALHAMBRA CLAIMING EMINENT DOMAIN AND BARRELING PAST SEASIDE. A LESS BAD OPTION RAZED WADE AND A THIRD UNDER APPRECIATED OPTION, A NO BUILD.

THE FACT THAT SOMEONE UP HERE WANTS TO HOLD US TO SOME SOMETHING THAT'S EQUIVALENT OF READING A 99 PAGE IPHONE AGREEMENT IS PREPOSTEROUS. AND LET ME REMIND EVERYONE UP HERE.

AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. FRANK MCCRYSTAL. IT'S PAST MY BEDTIME. HEY THERE. THERE'S NOTHING NEW HERE. THIS THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES. THE SAME OLD US VERSUS THEM. THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE A LOT OF MONEY FROM GROWTH.

AND THOSE WHO GET ELECTED. LUCKILY, ONCE IN A WHILE BY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, THEY WANT TO SLOW THINGS DOWN. BY THE WAY, BEFORE I FORGET, EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH THE MPO MEETING FROM THIS MORNING TO GET A NICE TASTE OF OUR COMMISSIONER. READ THOSE OF YOU WHO. YOU JUST NEED TO SEE MR. READ IN ACTION AGAINST THE BIG BOYS. IT WAS IT WAS AWESOME. SO BASICALLY YOU DO HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE. A LOT OF HUBRIS IN HERE TONIGHT, A LOT OF ARROGANCE. AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT. SO MANY PEOPLE CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS

[03:00:02]

THEY'RE SICK OF KNOWING YOU. OKAY, SO THERE'S NOTHING NEW HERE. THE CITY MANAGER POSITION SHOULD BE AN A POSITION. I'M REMEMBER, I'M REMINDED THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A GREENIE COMMISSION MAJORITY AT MARTIN COUNTY. LONG, LONG, LONG TIME AGO. MELTZER AND AND HURD AND SOMEBODY ELSE. THE MAJORITY. THEY GOT BOOTED OUT BY WEBERMAN, DITERLIZZI AND SMITH IN 2004.

AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE HERE, IF YOU GUYS ARE A LITTLE NAIVE, IT'S THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT AS SOON AS THE PRO-GROWTH MAJORITY WAS ELECTED. MR. O'DOHERTY'S JOB, WHO WAS WORKING FOR THE GREENIES, OKAY, HIS JOB AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THE SAME TYPE OF JOB AS MR. MARTEL'S, LASTED EXACTLY 45 SECONDS AFTER THOSE GUYS WERE SWORN IN. OKAY, SO IF YOU'VE GIVEN YOUR CITY MANAGER A CHANCE TO TO PLAY BALL AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, THEN YEAH, YOU GOT A JOB TO DO. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. ROBERT HAAS. HELLO, I'M ROBERT HAAS FROM 228 SOUTHEAST. ILA. I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TODAY. I'M DOING LANDSCAPING ALL DAY. I WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY SOMEONE THAT WAS PUTTING DOWN MIKE MARTEL, AND THEY MENTIONED THE 228 ILA AIRBNB THING WITH ME. AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF LIES GOING ON ABOUT MYSELF AND MY PROPERTY. IT WAS SAID THAT I KNEW MIKE MORTEL AND DAVID DIAS SINCE WE WERE KIDS. TOTALLY NOT TRUE. THE FIRST TIME I MET MIKE MORTEL IS WHEN HE BROUGHT ME TO COURT AS A CITY ATTORNEY. AND DAVID DIAS, I'VE NEVER MET. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GOT THAT FROM. I, I ADMIRE THE WORK THAT HE DID FOR US. BUT, I MEAN, I GREW UP IN STEWARTS AND IT'S 1977, CHARLIE FOSTER, THE MAYOR MANY TIMES AND AND CITY COMMISSIONER LIVED ON MY STREET.

HIS SON ROB FOSTER IS VERY, VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. I INTRODUCED HIM TO HIS WIFE.

WE'RE STILL BEST FRIENDS. I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ALL OF YOU ARE HARASSED BY. I'M SURE YOU KNOW THE GUY'S NAME. HE WAS A TENANT IN MY PLACE. HE KEPT TRYING TO GET ME TO GIVE UP MY PROPERTY SO HE COULD TAKE IT OVER. ONE ON ONE SUMMER, I WENT TO VISIT MY FOLKS FOR 30 DAYS BEFORE MY SON WENT IN THE MARINES AND REMODELED THEIR THEIR BATHROOM. I WAS CALLED 28 DAYS AFTER I LEFT, AND I WAS TOLD BY THAT TENANT THAT HE WAS HEARING ALL KINDS OF RATS IN THE HOUSE. I SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU'RE HEARING ALL KINDS OF RATS? AND HE SAID, I'M JUST HEARING A WHOLE BUNCH OF RATS. AND I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. I SAID, WELL, IT'S BEEN I'VE BEEN GONE FOR 28 DAYS. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME 2 OR 3 WEEKS AGO? OH, I DON'T KNOW. I JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. AND HE HUNG UP. NOW, WHEN I GOT HOME, MY PROPERTY HAS TWO BUILDINGS, AND THEN BETWEEN THEM IT'S BEEN CLOSED IN. I HAD A 20 POUND BRAND NEW BAG OF DOG FOOD THERE, AND ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG THERE WAS A HOLE ABOUT THIS BIG. NOT NOT LIKE A CIRCLE CUT, BUT CUT WITH STRAIGHT SCISSORS ABOUT 12 TIMES A BUNCH OF LITTLE TRIANGLES. AND IN THAT 20 POUND BAG, THERE WAS ONLY 6 POUNDS LEFT IN THIS FOYER THAT LED THROUGH TO THE LAUNDRY AND TO THE POOL IN THE BACK. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON IN TOWN THAT HAD A KEY, AND THAT WAS

[03:05:04]

BUT. WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE COURT FOR WORK I DID WITHOUT A PERMIT DURING THE PANDEMIC, MIKE MARTEL WENT AFTER ME FOR $43,000. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO REDUCE IT BECAUSE THE HEAD OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT BACK THEN WAS LYING ABOUT HOW LONG I WAS IN VIOLATION. THE MAGISTRATE MADE HIM GO IMMEDIATELY. WE ALL HAD TO STOP. HE WENT AND GOT EVERY EMAIL BETWEEN US, AND THOSE DOCUMENTS PROVED THAT I DIDN'T OWE 43,000. I OWED 18,000. SO I STILL HAVE THAT DEBT TO PAY. BUT THE LIEN ON MY PROPERTY PREVENTS ME FROM BORROWING AGAINST MY EQUITY TO PAY THAT LIEN. IT ALSO AVOIDS ME BEING ABLE TO PAY. GET ANY MONEY TO PAY DOUG OR. EXCUSE ME. SO THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO UNTIL UNTIL I'M ABLE TO, TO TAP INTO MY EQUITY OR UNTIL I CAN RENT THE PROPERTY OUT AGAIN. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP. I WANT TO BRING UP THAT MIKE MARTEL WAS NOT A FRIEND OF ME.

HE DIDN'T DO ME ANY FAVORS LIKE THAT LADY AT CLAIMED, SO I WOULDN'T TRUST MUCH OF WHAT SHE SAID. AND. I JUST KNOWN. I KNOW MIKE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT SAINT JOSEPH'S. I WAS TOO OLD, WENT RIGHT TO MARTIN COUNTY HIGH, BUT I'VE NEVER KNOWN HIM TO BE DISHONEST, AND I KNOW HE HAS A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE. AND I, I THINK IN 25 YEARS YOU'RE BOUND TO A FEW PEOPLE OFF. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE GUY WITH THE WANTS THE WATER DRAINED INTO PUBLIC CREEK. I CAN TELL YOU FROM LIVING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S A LOT OF STORM DRAINS AND THINGS THAT RUN RIGHT INTO PABLO CREEK, AND THAT'S ONE OF IT'S ONE OF ITS PURPOSES IS TO HANDLE THE WATER, EXCESS WATER IN THE AREA. AND I JUST. I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU MY SIDE OF THE STORY AND THAT EVEN THOUGH I'VE HAD BEEN FINED BY MIKE, I HOLD HIM IN VERY HIGH REGARD. AND SOMEBODY WITH 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE, EVEN THOUGH YOU DIFFER ON A FEW THINGS, I THINK IF YOU GET RID OF HIM, YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY OFF THE THE VOTERS IN MARTIN COUNTY. SO DON'T PLAN ON STAYING AROUND LONG BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU SIR. STEPHEN VITALE. MR. VITALE, THE LAST ONE. THAT'S APPROPRIATE. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, MR. MAYOR, MIKE LEE, STEPHEN VITALE I AM A RESIDENT OF SEWELL'S POINT.

I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN STUART FOR A LONG TIME. I JUST WANT TO SAY TONIGHT THAT FIRING A CITY MANAGER VIA TRIAL BY FACEBOOK IS WRONG. WRONG? THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS A BLOGGER ON FACEBOOK THAT HAS MADE A LOT OF DEFAMATORY COMMENTS ABOUT MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE PILLARS OF THIS COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE HARTMAN'S, THE LAYTONS. I COULD GO ON NAMING THEM, BUT IF PEOPLE SAW A POSTING ABOUT A LOT SPLIT THAT WAS DONE THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN AND THAT YOU ALL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY ON AND THE HISTORY OF IT. SO WE DON'T RELY ON FACEBOOK INFORMATION. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE HISTORY RIGHT NOW. SANDY THURLOW, WHO IS OUR LOCAL HISTORIAN, CAME TO ME AND SAID, THIS IS THE MOST HISTORIC HOUSE IN STUART THAT THE FIRST JUDGE APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR MARTIN, MR. VITALE, WHAT'S THAT? WHAT YEAR IS THIS? WHAT YEAR IS WHAT THIS IS TAKING PLACE APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF

[03:10:05]

I'VE BEEN PUTTING MY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO KEEPING OUR TOWN AS CHARMING AND AS HISTORIC AS IT CAN BE. IN THE SAME WAY THAT MR. MARTELL HAS SPENT HIS BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS SERVING THIS CITY. SO ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, SANDRA THURLOW CAME TO ME AND SAID, STEVEN, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SAVE THIS HOUSE? BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO BE SITTING ON THE VERY CORNER OF A LARGE LOT. AND EVERYBODY KNEW THAT WHEN THAT WHEN THAT, WHEN THIS FAMILY SOLD THAT LOT, THAT HISTORIC HOUSE WAS GOING TO BE KNOCKED DOWN AND A GIGANTIC MCMANSION WAS GOING TO BE BUILT. SO I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN DO. AND I MY SON CHRISTOPHER, WHO MANAGES THE HOTEL AND WHO ALSO PAINTS ALL THE MURALS, HE HAD JUST GOTTEN MARRIED AND HE NEEDED A HOUSE. SO I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF WE COULD GET THIS HOUSE, WE COULD PRESERVE IT, WHICH WHICH WE LOVE TO DO, AND CHRISTOPHER CAN CAN LIVE IN IT. BUT HE COULDN'T AFFORD TO OWN IT BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF PROPERTY. SO WE DECIDED IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THIS HOUSE AND HAVE A SEPARATE LOT FOR THAT, AND THEN SELL OFF THE OTHER LOT, EVERYBODY VOTED ON THAT WITH ZERO QUESTIONS.

SOMEBODY TODAY SAID IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL LOT SPLIT. THERE WAS NOT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. AND WE ACCOMPLISHED OUR GOAL, WHICH WAS TO SAVE ANOTHER HISTORIC HOUSE AND PREVENT A GIGANTIC MCMANSION FROM BEING BUILT RIGHT THERE AND HOUSE BEING KNOCKED DOWN. OKAY, SO I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN THIS TOWN A LONG TIME. OKAY, I KNOW THE MORTALS. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE. I'M VERY CLOSE WITH THEM. AND I ALSO KNOW THE BARATAS. AND I SANG AT MR. MARTEL'S BROTHER'S FUNERAL. OKAY. IT'S A SMALL TOWN. WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER. THE MORTALS LIVE IN THAT. IN THAT, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

MIKE'S WIFE HAPPENS TO BE A REAL ESTATE BROKER, AND SHE WAS DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE LOOKING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. I DECIDED, WOW, THERE'S ALREADY A LEAD. IF YOU'RE IN BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, BIRD IN THE HAND IS BETTER THAN TWO IN THE BUSH. I DECIDED TO GIVE HER THE LISTING. THE LISTING AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED ONE MONTH, ONE MONTH AFTER YOU ALL VOTED ON THIS. SO YOU TELL ME WHAT, HOW AND HOW DARE THE PERSON IN THIS I THINK IS STILL SITTING HERE? DIRECTOR COMMENTS THIS WAY YES DIRECTOR COMMENTS HERE. I DON'T EVEN NEED TO SAY IT, BUT I I'M INSULTED. I'M INSULTED THAT SOMEBODY WOULD THINK THAT THERE WAS ANY UNDUE INFLUENCE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO UNDUE INFLUENCE. YOU ALL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ON IT. AND TO EVEN THIS, THIS WHOLE CREATION OF THE LOT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. YOU ALLOW HIM TO FINISH CREATION. LET ME JUST FINISH. LET ME FINISH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY, OKAY? I WANTED TO SAY I WANTED TO JUST SAY A FEW MORE THINGS TOO. I WANT TO I KNOW YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT. AND I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT. I WANT TO SAY THAT MIKE HAS I'VE BEEN AN ATTORNEY, THAT I'VE REPRESENTED CLIENTS EVERY TIME I'VE REPRESENTED A CLIENT. AND MIKE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE, I WAS SO I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH HOW WELL HE ADVOCATED FOR THE CITY EVERY SINGLE TIME. WITHOUT FAIL, WITHOUT FAIL. I JUST WANT TO SAY THERE'S A FEW BIBLE VERSES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP. THAT'S WONDERFUL. I WANT TO BRING UP ONE, TWO, EPHESIANS FOUR. OKAY, THE BODY OF CHRIST. OKAY. THE BODY OF CHRIST IS MADE UP OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT SKILL SETS AND DIFFERENT TALENTS. YOU ALL HAVE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS AND DIFFERENT TALENTS. SOME OF YOU SMALL BUSINESSES, SOME OF YOU ARE ARE EXPERIENCED WITH CITY PLANNING. SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONERS AND HAVE BEEN SERVING ON ALL THE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND A CITY ATTORNEY. THIS WE NEED TO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. OKAY. THIS HAS BECOME IS SLOWLY BECOMING A VERY DYSFUNCTIONAL CITY. LET'S LET'S KEEP MISTER MORTAL, OKAY? LET'S GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A BARBECUE AT THE OWL HOUSE AND INVITE EVERYBODY AND START BEING A CITY WHERE EVERYBODY RESPECTS EVERYBODY. THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO. MISTER MORTAL SHOULD BE RETAINED. HE SHOULD BE AWARDED FOR HIS SERVICE TO THIS CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DOES THAT CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT? I HATE TO DO THIS, BUT LET'S TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK. SO WE'LL HIM TO REJOIN US. I'M CALLING BACK TO ORDER THIS REGULAR

[03:15:02]

OKAY, OKAY. YEAH. I'M NOT OPPOSED. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MORTEL. FIRST, I JUST WROTE SOME NOTES HERE AT THE END BECAUSE I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF. I'VE SAT HERE QUIETLY FOR A LONG TIME, AND MOST RECENTLY, IT'S BEEN SINCE COMMISSIONER REED AMBUSHED ME WITH THE FIRING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. BUT WHEN I LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE SPEAK, I WAS TRULY HUMBLED BY BY THE THE OUTPOURING FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M GOING TO GET INTO THAT IN A SECOND. BUT I ALSO HEARD PEOPLE SPEAK THAT THAT SPOKE AGAINST ME. THE RECENT ONES WERE THE HAMILTONS, AND THEY GOT UP AND COMMISSIONER REED ASSISTED THEM FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO TO PUBLICLY ABUSE ME EVERY TWO WEEKS AND TO ACCUSE ME OF CRIMES AND TO TELL ME I'M A FRAUD AND A LIAR, AND WHOEVER OUT THERE IS YELLING IT OUT. THAT'S IMPRESSIVE TO IN ANY EVENT, WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WAS THERE WAS A CONTRACTOR THAT DID SOME BAD WORK AT THEIR HOUSE, AND OUR CRA DIRECTOR WITHIN TWO WEEKS TOLD THEM HE WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE. SHE WOULD HAVE THEIR WINDOWS REPLACED AND THEIR THEIR ROOF REPAIRED, BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH. IT WAS A GRANT PAYING FOR IT. AND THEY WANTED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF INSULATION AND AIR CONDITIONING FOR THEIR WHOLE HOUSE, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE GRANT AND THEY WEREN'T SIGNING ANYTHING UNLESS THEY GOT THE AIR CONDITIONING ON TOP OF IT. AND THEN WE STARTED INVESTIGATING IT. AND DURING THE INVESTIGATION, I HAD FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD GONE OUT AND APPLIED FOR AN SBA LOAN AND RECEIVED A $41,000 GRANT THAT SAID THAT THEIR HOME WAS AN OFFICE AND THAT THEIR OFFICE HAD COMMERCIAL OFFICE INSURANCE ON IT, AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER GOTTEN A CHANGE OF USE FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES, AND THAT THAT WAS ALL STILL IN PLAY BECAUSE THE BANKRUPTCY WAS FILED IN MARCH OF 24. AND I STOPPED THEN AND SAID, WAIT A SECOND, GUYS. WHEN THE CITY FIRST APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT, WE DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE COMMITTING TWO TYPES OF GRANT FRAUD. BUT I CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE LET MY STAFF MOVE FORWARD ON THIS BECAUSE THEN THEY'LL BE COMPLACENT AND PART OF IT. AND THE CITY OF STEWART DOESN'T DO THAT STUFF, AND THE CITY DIDN'T DO IT. AND THOSE OF YOU CHOKING ON YOURSELVES, MAYBE YOU DO IT AND MAYBE YOU LOOK THE OTHER WAY. BUT WE DON'T. AND THE CITY NEVER HAS, BECAUSE THE CITY HAS HAD A CULTURE OF HONESTY. AND IN OUR STAFF MEETINGS, WE TALK ABOUT IT EVERY WEEK. AND YOU GUYS ENJOY THE FACT THAT THE HAMILTONS WERE COMMITTING THE FRAUD. BUT THE FACT IS, IF WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT, IT WOULD JEOPARDIZE ALL OF THE FUTURE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE CITY OF STEWART AS WELL. AND COMMISSIONER REED KNEW ABOUT IT.

COMMISSIONER REED, I TOLD HIM MYSELF. HE ALSO WENT OVER TO THE HAMILTON'S HOUSE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND SAW ALL THE WORK THEY WERE DOING IN THE HOUSE ON THEIR OWN, WITHOUT A PERMIT. BUT JUST LIKE ROBIN CARTWRIGHT SAID THIS, LET'S NOT TREAT THEM DIFFERENTLY THAN THE GUY ON THE STREET THAT MIGHT SAW A $43,000 LOAN AGAINST. INSTEAD, MR. REED ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH NO VIOLATION OF THE CODE. BUT IT GOES ON AND WE CONTINUE FORWARD.

AND THEY PULL THEIR HEARING AND THEY DO THE WHOLE THING ON ME AND IT ALL OF A SUDDEN IS MY FAULT. BUT BEFORE I COULD GET IT EVEN RESOLVED, THE CITY HAS A THING AND IT'S CALLED THE MUNICIPAL HANDBOOK. AND IT SAYS THAT THE COMMISSION'S JOB IS TO SET THE POLICY OF THE CITY, AND THE STAFF'S JOB IS TO DO THE ADMINISTRATION. AND AS CITY MANAGER FRANK MCCRYSTAL SAID IT TONIGHT, THE CITY MANAGER HAS TO CARRY OUT THE STAFF'S OR THE COMMISSION'S DIRECTIVES AND POLICY. AND AS CITY MANAGER, I DID THAT. THE CITY COMMISSION BEFORE THEM WAS PRO WAS PRO COSTCO, I DID COSTCO, AND THAT'S WHY ROBIN CARTWRIGHT'S BEEN AFTER ME. AND THEN AFTER THAT THEY WERE PRO BRIGHTLINE. AND THEN THIS COMMISSION DIDN'T WANT BRIGHTLINE. AND WE TURNED OFF BRIGHTLINE, AND THIS COMMISSION WANTED TO DO A ZONING IN PROGRESS. WHO HANDLED THE ZONING AND PROGRESS? IT WAS ME. I IF IF I WANTED TO BE CONTRARY TO THIS COMMISSION'S

[03:20:03]

THAT'S THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE. BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR, CAUSE THAT'S. SAY IT. BE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC. TELL THEM WHAT YOUR REAL MOTIVATION IS. I WISH COMMISSIONER REID HAD TOLD EVERYBODY THAT WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, SO THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT TOO, WHEN THEY WERE PULLING THE LEVER TO VOTE. BUT HE DIDN'T, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT TRANSPARENCY. I'VE ADJUSTED MY POSITION EVERY TIME. THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE I FAILED TO GO ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM. THERE'S BEEN INCREASING FRICTION BETWEEN ME AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. AND THE RIGHT THERE HAS, AND IT'S BEEN HORRIBLY FRUSTRATING FOR ME. AND IT'S I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE QUIETLY AND I'VE BEEN CRINGING OVER THE

[03:25:02]

BUT NOW, WHEN I SAY WHAT THE COMMISSION ASKED ME TO DO NOW, IT DOESN'T COUNT AND IT DOESN'T MATTER. AND IF I WERE TO STAY, THE NEXT COMMISSION WOULD BLAME ME FOR DOING WHAT THIS COMMISSION WANTED. BUT THAT'S WHAT A CITY MANAGER IS SUPPOSED TO DO, AND I HOPE THAT THE NEXT CITY MANAGER HAS THE COURAGE TO COME TO THIS CITY AND TO FOLLOW THE CULTURE WE USED TO HAVE IN THIS CITY WITHOUT THE FEAR OF RETRIBUTION. BUT WHAT'S WHAT ELSE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS? WELL, WE DID THE ZONING AND PROGRESS AND WE PUSHED IT THROUGH AND WE GOT IT DONE. BUT THEN THE STATE STEPPED IN AND THEY PUSHED SENATE BILL 180 ON US. AND I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, GUYS, WE CAN'T FOLLOW THE ZONING AND PROGRESS ANYMORE. WE'VE GOT TO PULL IT BECAUSE SENATE BILL 180 SAYS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RESCIND EVERYTHING BACK TO LAST AUGUST. BUT ON AUGUST 11TH, EVEN THOUGH I WAS SAYING THAT'S A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW, THIS COMMISSION SAID, NOPE, WE'RE TELLING STAFF TO VIOLATE STATE LAW. AND THE NEXT DAY, I HAD TO GO TO THE STAFF MEETING AND SAY, THE COMMISSION VOTED. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW OUR ZONING AND PROGRESS. AND THE ANSWER WAS, WELL, WHAT ABOUT SENATE BILL 180? WE'RE GOING TO CHALLENGE THAT AND SAY IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS A GREAT THING TO DO IF YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE A LAW, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DO. HOWEVER, WHILE IT'S PENDING, IF YOU GO BACK AND WATCH THE AUGUST 11TH MEETING, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WERE TELLING THIS BOARD, HEY GUYS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF A PERSON WENT OUT DRINKING AND THEN THEY GOT PULLED OVER FOR DRINKING AND DRIVING, AND THE SHERIFF SAID, I'M GOING TO ARREST YOU FOR DUI.

YOU SAY THE SHERIFF, OH, NO, YOU CAN'T ARREST ME. I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE THIS LAW FOR BEING UNCONSTITUTIONAL. SO IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ME. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. THAT'S TRANSPARENCY.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I SAT QUIETLY. IT WASN'T UNTIL I READ AND SAW EVERYTHING THAT THIS BOARD DID TO ME OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, AND THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD HAMMER EVERY ONE OF THE STAFF OF THE CITY OF STEWART AND ME INCLUDED, AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO WAS IN THEIR WAY AND WHAT I DID FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND REALLY FOR THE LAST YEAR, WAS DEFEND MY STAFF. I WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE HAMILTON'S THING. THAT WAS A CRA MATTER, BUT I STOOD RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT AND OWNED IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. BUT THE CITY LOST TOUCH WITH THE PROCESS AND THE STRUCTURE THAT USED TO BE THE CITY OF STEWART'S GOVERNMENT, AND IT USED TO BE THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD GIVE POLICY, AND THAT WOULD SOMEONE WOULD GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE MATTER AND SOLVE IT ON THEIR OWN, THEY WOULD COME BACK TO STAFF AND HAVE STAFF DO IT. AND THE CITY CODE OF CONDUCT CLEARLY STATES THAT THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS SIGN IT AND IT'S IN THE CHARTER. YOU CAN LOOK IT UP. THE THE CHARTER REFERS TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT, AND IT'S RIGHT THERE. AND COMMISSIONER REID SAID HE DIDN'T CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT AS HE DOES ABOUT THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS. BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE.

I CARE ABOUT THIS ONE MORE THAN I CARE ABOUT THIS ONE. IT SHOULD BE BOTH MATTER. IT SHOULD BE THE STAFF MATTERS. IT SHOULD BE THAT EVERYONE MATTERS. IT SHOULD BE THAT THE PEOPLE HERE MATTER AND THAT PEOPLE'S VOICES MATTER. BUT THAT'S ALL GONE BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE BEFORE WE GOT HERE. AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO RAM IT DOWN EVERYBODY'S THROAT? I KNOW THAT I'M SOUNDING A LITTLE FRUSTRATED, BUT YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE I AM. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M LOSING MY JOB. I ACCEPTED THAT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN I FOUND OUT I WAS LOSING MY JOB. IT'S I KNEW THAT IT WASN'T FOR CAUSE. AND I WAS GOING TO STAND FIRM ON THAT. I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK

[03:30:03]

I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER SAYING THAT. BUT BUT IT HAPPENED. AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, I'LL BE GONE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT ME AFTER I'M GONE. SO TALK TO THEM TOMORROW. BUT THE IT IT CAN. THIS PROCEEDING WOULD NOT HAVE GONE THIS WAY IF THERE HAD BEEN TRUE TRANSPARENCY. IF COMMISSIONER REID HAD GOTTEN UP WHENEVER HE GOT UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I JUST NEVER HAD IT FOR MIKE MORTEL, I DON'T FEEL HE'S THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB.

AND THE CONTRACT SAYS, I CAN FIRE HIM AND I'M GOING TO FIRE HIM. BECAUSE OF THAT, NOTHING WOULD HAVE COME OF IT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NO RALLIES. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO NOTHING. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST LIKE A COUPLE COMMENTERS SAID, CITY MANAGERS COME AND GO. BUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IS COMMISSIONER REID TEED IT UP FOR HIS FACEBOOK FRIENDS TO BASH MY TEETH IN FOR TWO WEEKS AND SAID, IF MIKE DOESN'T RESIGN, WE'RE GOING TO FILL YOU IN AND LET YOU KNOW IT ALL, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? AND THE MEDIA IS ALL HERE. SO WE CAN ASK THEM. EVERY TIME THEY ASKED COMMISSIONER REID WHAT IT WAS, HE'D SAY, STAY TUNED, AND COME MONDAY WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU MONDAY. BUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT CALLS THAT AN AMBUSH AND SAYS THAT COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE REMOVED FOR BEING AN AMBUSH. SO IF ANYBODY'S DOING ANYTHING WRONG, MAYBE IT'S THE PEOPLE DOING THE AMBUSH. AND HONESTLY, I DON'T I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER JOB HAS BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN IT. I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY SHE CAME AND MET WITH ME AND WE HAD A NICE CONVERSATION AND SHE WAS CANDID ABOUT IT, AND SHE EVEN SAID TO ME, YOU'RE NOT BEING FIRED FOR CAUSE IN HER BOOK. BUT SHE HAD HER OWN REASONS AND I RESPECT THAT, AND THAT'S HER CHOICE. BUT IF I WASN'T BEING FIRED FOR CAUSE, THEN WHY WAS I BEING FIRED FOR CAUSE? AND WHY WAS IT ALL ABOUT ME BEING DELAYED? AND WE HAVE TO WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CAUSE IS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CAUSE, AND HERE COMES THE CAUSE. IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THE TRAFFIC VIOLATION AND THE STEPHEN VITALE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION.

STEPHEN VITALE IS A VERY GROUNDED PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ANY ONE OF YOU CAN ASK HIM, I NEVER HAD A SINGLE DISCUSSION WITH HIM ABOUT SELLING THAT LOT, PARTICIPATING IN THE SALE OF THAT LOT, OR HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT LOT. HIS LAWYER CONTACTED ME TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AND I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWSPAPER. AFTER THAT, IT TURNS OUT MY WIFE AND I LIVE ON THE STREET, SO MULTIPLE PEOPLE APPROACHED HER AND SAID, HEY, IS THAT LOT FOR SALE? AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE IT DIDN'T. WE DIDN'T SPLIT THE LOT THAT NIGHT. IT DIDN'T GET SPLIT UNTIL HE CLOSED ON IT AND DID WHATEVER HE DID A MONTH OR SO LATER, AND I DIDN'T CALL HIM ON THE PHONE OR TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT. I DIDN'T HAVE A SINGLE CONVERSATION, AND HE DIDN'T PROMISE ME ANYTHING FOR PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA. IN FACT, IT'S KIND OF SAD THAT THAT FACEBOOK PAGE WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE THOSE

[03:35:01]

BUT IT ALSO OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAD MEMBERS OF MY STAFF SAYING TO ME, CAN YOU BELIEVE COMMISSIONER GIOBBI TOLD THE MEDIA THAT THEY WOULD NEVER TELL THE STAFF NOT TO FOLLOW STATE LAW? AND I TOLD THEM, NO, COMMISSIONER JOB DID NOT SAY THAT TO INTENTIONALLY LIE TO THE MEDIA. I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER JOB REALIZES THAT. THEY TOLD STAFF NOT TO FOLLOW STATE LAW. AND AS WE SIT HERE AT THIS MOMENT, I STILL FEEL THAT WAY. I DON'T THINK SHE LIED TO THE MEDIA. I THINK THAT SHE JUST DOESN'T REALIZE THAT THE ACTION THEY TOOK ON AUGUST 11TH, AT ABOUT TWO HOURS INTO THE MEETING, WHEN THEY TOLD STAFF NOT TO FOLLOW STATE LAW, WAS ACTUALLY TELLING STAFF NOT TO FOLLOW STATE LAW. BUT I DIGRESS. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK ALL OF YOU, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT DON'T LIKE ME AND THAT WANT TO COME TO THE MEETINGS. BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU KEPT ME STRAIGHT. IT'S NOT. YOU WEREN'T THE FIRST ONES THAT CAME TO MEETINGS AND DID IT. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING MY WHOLE CAREER. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOOD BALANCE. IT MAKES EVERYBODY MIND THEIR P'S AND Q'S. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT. THANK YOU. I'VE SPENT MY LIFE SERVING STUART, NOT FOR THE RECOGNITION, BUT BECAUSE I TRULY LOVE STUART. I MOVED AWAY AND I WANTED TO COME HOME AGAIN. AND STUART'S MY HOME AND STUART WAS MY PARENTS HOME, AND STUART'S MY CHILDREN'S HOME. AND STUART'S GOING TO REMAIN MY HOME AFTER. I'M NOT THE CITY MANAGER. IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES. BUT I LOVE THIS CITY AND I LOVE THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THIS CITY. AND SEEING SO MANY PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND SPEAK OUT AND STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES OF MY CAREER. AND I KNOW IT'S NOT STANDING UP JUST FOR ME. I THINK IT'S THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK, AND I THINK THEY WERE STANDING UP FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS, AND I MIGHT BE THE CATALYST TO IT.

BUT THE TRUTH OF IT IS I GOT TO SEE IT, AND I GOT TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS FOR ME. AND IT WILL GO TO ME, WITH ME, TO MY GRAVE. IT WAS HONESTLY THE MOST HONORING AND RESPECTFUL THING THAT I'VE EVER RECEIVED IN MY ENTIRE CAREER. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS AND WHOEVER TAKES MY PLACE, I'LL NEVER FORGET THE PASSION OF STUART AND THOSE FOR AND AGAINST WHATEVER THE ISSUES ARE AND THE ABILITY TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AND THE AND THE STRUCTURE AND THE CULTURE THAT WE USED TO HAVE WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T USE MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO TWIST THINGS AND MAKE PEOPLE LOOK BAD BECAUSE THEY LIKE DIVISIVENESS, AND THEY LIKE HAVING THEIR COMMUNITY AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS. AND THEY THINK IT'S GREAT BECAUSE THEY GOT A LIKE OR A CHECKBOX OR WHATEVER THEY GOT FROM IT, AND IT MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE A BIG SHOT FOR 15 MINUTES. I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE'S SUPPORT, AND I'LL ALWAYS GENUINELY, GENUINELY HOPE. I WILL ALWAYS BE GENUINELY HOPEFUL THAT STUART WILL FIND ITS WAY BACK TO THE HAPPIEST SEASIDE TOWN.

MY SINCERE HOPE IS THAT THE CITY OF STUART CAN RETURN FROM THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT ENVISIONED BY OUR CHARTER, ONE WHERE THE CITY COMMISSION FOCUSES ON SETTING POLICY ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF, CARRIES OUT THOSE POLICIES WITHOUT INTERFERENCE. OVERALL, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN RETURN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE STAFF

[03:40:04]

I THEN HAD TO LOOK UP AND SEE SOME OF THE EMAILS HE SENT THEM. LIKE YOU MUST BE AT THE NEXT MEETING. HE THEY TOLD ME THAT HE CONTACTED A STATE REPRESENTATIVE TO GET THEM IN TROUBLE FOR NOT CALLING HIM BACK FAST ENOUGH. THEY TOLD ME THAT HE WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE WERE GOING TO BE GIVING THE HAMILTONS. I MEAN, IT WAS CRAZY STUFF. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT MYSELF, BUT HE KNEW IT. AND WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT, HE SAY, I'M NOT CALLING THEM AT ALL. I'M NOT TALKING TO THEM. NOTHING. AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE WHEN I ASKED. SO IT WASN'T JUST THE TWO OF US, AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT IT CONTINUED AND CONTINUED AND CONTINUED, SO MUCH SO THAT THE HAMILTONS WON'T EVEN TALK TO STAFF. THEY'LL ONLY TALK TO COMMISSIONER REID, WHICH IS WHY AT THE LAST MEETING, I SAID, LET'S HAVE COMMISSIONER REID HANDLE IT FROM HERE ON OUT. HE'S STILL DOING SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY THAT HE SHOULD BE THE ONE IN CHARGE, BECAUSE I CAN'T BE BECAUSE HE'S USURPED ALL OF MY AUTHORITY. AND WHEN I TELL SOMEONE LIKE MR. HAMILTON, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU AIR CONDITIONING ON TOP OF YOUR GRANT MONEY. AND HE SAYS, YES, YOU ARE. IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF ME, YOU'RE GOING TO OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE GONE. AND HE STARTS THIS CAMPAIGN AND LOOK WHO WON, MR. HAMILTON. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I DIDN'T GIVE HIM HIS AIR CONDITIONING AND I DIDN'T COMMIT THE FRAUD. AND I'LL LIVE WITH THAT. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CLARK. MR. MARTELLI, THANK YOU, MR.

[03:45:03]

OKAY. I'M GOING TO TAKE RANK. I'M KIND OF I WELL, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT AGE BECAUSE OF ALL THIS SENIORITY AND THE THE FEDERAL LAWS AND WHATNOT. BUT I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, I THINK, THE LONGEST. I AM OLDER THAN YOU. OKAY. WELL, YEAH, IT'S NOT THE AGE. THAT'S WHY I SAID I WASN'T GOING BY THE AGE. I WAS JUST GOING BY THE COMMISSION. AND I'VE HEARD EVERYTHING TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE MR. REID AND HIS IDEA OF WANTING TO TO SPEAK UP AND WANTING TO GET INVOLVED WHEN HE BELIEVES THAT HE, HE WANTS TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE HIS JOB OR POSITION AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I JUST DID NOT ENVISION WHEN I AGREED THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS ROUTINE.

LET ME HAVE A COPY OF MR. MARTELL'S CONTRACT. AND I SAID I HAD NO PROBLEM. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GOING TO COME TO THIS. I KNOW I HEARD ALL THE CRIES FOR LET EMAILS BE PUBLIC, LET OTHER THINGS BE WHATEVER TRANSPARENCY. BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A PATH TO ALL OF THIS, AND THE PATH WOULD LEAD TO THE MOTION TO TERMINATE. MR. MORTELL DELAYED.

AND THEN TONIGHT THERE'S A MOTION TO TERMINATE. MR. MORTELL, I KNOW MR. MORTELL, WHEN HE WAS A CITY COMMISSIONER. I KNOW HIM WHEN HE WAS CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR CITY MANAGER, AS WELL AS BEING AN ATTORNEY. I HAVE NOT INVESTIGATED ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT MR. MORTELL, AND I'VE ONLY SEEN SOME OF THE THINGS WHICH ARE SOME OF THE NEGATIVE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT, BUT I HAVEN'T CHECKED OUT ALL OF THEM. BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW OF HIM, I DIDN'T NEED TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THEM AND I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T SEE THE THE CONSEQUENCE OF THEM AS BEING ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S ETHICAL OR CRIMINAL OR ANYTHING IN THAT LEAGUE. I DID, FOR MY JUDGMENT, I DID NOT SEE IT. SO THE THE OPTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN BY OR CITY ATTORNEY. AND BEFORE THE OPTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TONIGHT, WE WERE ASKED AFTER THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE DELAYED, LET US MEET WITH STAFF, LET US MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SEE HOW THEY FEEL. IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MR. MORTELL NOT FOLLOWING THE POLICIES THAT ARE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT IS IN THE CHARTER, THAT IS, IN ALL THE STUFF THAT WAS SAID A LONG TIME AGO BEFORE I WAS ON THE COMMISSION, SOME OF THEM, SOME RULES HAVE CHANGED ALONG THE WAY, BUT MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN LONG STANDING RULES, LONG STANDING GOALS FOR THE CITY OF STUART. WHEN WE HAD NEW COMMISSIONERS, THE, THE, THE NEWSPAPER ASKED AND IT WAS ASKED HERE AND I SAID, I WILL AGREE THAT OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, I KNOW THAT THEY'LL WANT TO GO THROUGH, LOOK AT THE LAND USE PLAN, LOOK AT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ALL OF OUR REGULATIONS AND THAT THEY MAY WANT TO SUGGEST AND MAKE CHANGES. I KNOW THAT ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS PUSHED HARD, AND WE WORKED ON AT LEAST A POTENTIAL CHANGE, AND THAT WAS DONE WITH THE ZONING IN PROGRESS. I DIDN'T HEAR OF ANY OTHER CHANGES, WHETHER TO THE CHARTER OR TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR TO OUR LAND USE REGULATIONS. BUT IF THERE WERE THOSE THINGS, THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO COME FORWARD, BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES WHO SET POLICY AND STAFF FOLLOWS THE POLICY. WE HIRE A CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. WE'RE THE COUNCIL.

WE MAKE DECISIONS WHEN WE'RE HERE MEETING, AND WE SET POLICIES AND WE UPHOLD THE POLICIES THAT ARE THERE IN THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR CITY GOING. OUR MANAGER, THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT OUR MANAGER DOES THAT IS DO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DAY TO DAY, WHICH MEANS MEETING WITH OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY, ON OCCASION, WHATEVER IT IS, BUT AT LEAST A REGULAR BASIS SO THAT WE ALL HAVE AN IDEA.

THERE'S A TEACHING ETHIC THAT GOES WITH THIS JOB, AND IT GOES FROM BOTH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, AS WELL AS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE CITY.

THE CITY MANAGER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO COME ON THE COUNCIL KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE, HOW THINGS HAPPEN, HOW THINGS OPERATE, AND HOW NOT TO INTERFERE IN STAFF DAILY DOINGS,

[03:50:06]

BUT WHEN I MET WITH PEOPLE FOR 2 TO 3 DAYS LAST WEEK, NOT ONE SINGLE ONE, SAID MR. MORTEL WAS HONORARY WITH THEM, THAT HE WAS UNCONSCIONABLE, THAT HE WAS WHATEVER IT IS, ANYTHING THAT'S NEGATIVE THAT YOU'D SAY THAT HE IS NOT DEALING WELL WITH STAFF. EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY. THEY'VE GONE THROUGH TOUGH TIMES. WE'VE HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR BUDGET. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THINGS POST COVID THAT HE HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH, AND THEY WERE HAPPY WITH THE CONTRACTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH POLICE, FIRE, OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY THE CITY KIND OF DOING MORE WITH LESS. AND THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS, NOT ONE OF THEM, COMPLAINED TO ME. IN FACT, THEY WERE REALLY WONDERING WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW THAT IF THEIR HEAD PERSON IS TO BE GONE. THEN HOW WILL THINGS GO? YES, THEY'RE TRAINED, YES THEY'RE PROFESSIONAL. YES THEY WILL GO THROUGH. BUT IT'S THE PART THAT REALLY HURTS. I BELIEVE STAFF AND I DIDN'T TALK TO EVERY STAFF MEMBER, BUT THE THING THAT THE IMAGE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CITY OF STUART AND HOW IT AFFECTS PEOPLE RIGHT DOWN THE LINE, AND WHICH DAY IS IT GOING TO BE? SOMEBODY WILL COME FOR THEM. SOMEBODY WILL COME FOR THE CITY CLERK, SOMEBODY WILL COME FOR THE UTILITIES DIRECTOR. SOMEBODY WILL COME FOR THE POLICE CHIEF. WE HAVE A NEW POLICE CHIEF. HE'S STILL BEING TRIED. HE'S TRUE, BUT HE'S STILL BEING TRIED. OKAY, WE HAVE TRIED AND TRUE. AND SO WE. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE CONCERNS.

AND WE NEED TO PULL BACK. I THINK A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID I WOULD ASK COMMISSIONER READ. COMMISSIONER JOB SECONDED THE MOTION. IF WE PULL BACK, I'VE SPOKEN DEEPLY WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR AND I'VE ASKED, HOW CAN WE COME UP WITH A PLAN? HOW CAN WE HAVE MR. MORTEL MEET WITH US INDIVIDUALLY, MEET WITH MR. REID? HOW CAN WE HEAL OUR CITY BEFORE IT BECOMES BROKEN? I KNOW THAT THEY'RE DISSATISFIED PEOPLE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF STUART IS AGAINST THEM, AND THAT MR. MORTEL REPRESENTS A PART OF THAT. IT'S NOT JUST HIM, IT'S ALL OF US UP HERE. AND WE MAKE DIVERGENT DECISIONS SOMETIMES. SOMETIMES WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT COME TOGETHER. BUT WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM PEOPLE, BOTH SIDES TODAY. BUT I THINK THAT SIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT REASONABLENESS, THAT TALKS ABOUT US TAKING CARE OF OUR HOUSE, THIS IS OUR HOUSE.

PLEASE. I JUST EXPLAINED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING ABOUT A HURRICANE GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY WHERE I WAS BORN, AND IF WE LET THE ROOF GO OFF, OR IF WE LET THE FOUNDATIONS GO DOWN, SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT'S GOING TO FAIL. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SAY, IF WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THE JOB THAT HE'S DOING OR THE WAY THAT HE'S COMMUNICATING, WHETHER IT'S WITH PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC OR WHETHER WITH IT'S US AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, LET US TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITHIN OUR FAMILY, WITHIN OUR OUR OWN. THIS IS THE CITY OF STUART. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STUART. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE TELL ME I'M NOT COMING DOWN THERE TO HAVE DINNER ANYMORE. I'M NOT HAVING BREAKFAST DOWNTOWN. I DON'T LIKE STUART ANYMORE. YES, IT MAY BE A WAY TO NOT HAVE PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE HERE, BUT WE'RE LIMITED. WE'RE EIGHT SQUARE MILES. WE'RE WE'RE DEVELOPED. WE'RE BUILT OUT. SO THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO COME HERE, THEY'RE GOING TO COME HERE. AND YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COULD BE HERE, BUT THEY'RE LIVING IN PORT SAINT LUCIE BECAUSE IT'S MORE AFFORDABLE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T GET HERE TO COME AND SAY SOMETHING, BECAUSE STUART AFFECTS THE REGION AND THE REGION AFFECTS

[03:55:03]

BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE CITY OF STUART, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH MR. MORTEL OR NOT, OR WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UP HERE OR ANY OF THEM, THAT WE THAT THAT YOU DON'T AGREE WITH, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BEST, THE GREATER GOOD. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE GREATER GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR WHAT WE STAND FOR. AS THE COUNTY SEAT OF MARTIN COUNTY, ESTABLISHED IN 1925, AND OUR CITY OF STUART INCORPORATED IN 1914, WE NEED TO LOOK FOR THE GREATER GOOD, NOT FOR HIS POCKET. HIS POCKET IS NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT US. HE CAN GO OFF AND GET ANOTHER BIG JOB SOMEWHERE. IT'S HOW THINGS LOOK.

SOMEBODY SAID THAT YOU CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS AND, AND AND THEY SAID IT FOR ANOTHER REASON.

BUT I'LL SAY THIS JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO, AND THAT YOU SHOULD DO AND THAT YOU SHOULD DO IT. I THINK WE NEED TO GET INTO REASONING. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE MORALE OF THE STAFF RIGHT NOW, THE MORALE OF THE PEOPLE WHO'VE THE FAMILIES.

WE'VE HAD SO MANY FAMILIES SPOKE TONIGHT AND NOT GIVING ANY SPECIAL DEFERENCE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR THREE, FOUR GENERATIONS, AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF THEM TALK TO SOME OF THEM BEFORE THIS MEETING, AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY APPALLED.

THEY'RE WHAT IS GOING ON AT CITY HALL. IT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING AT CITY HALL.

SOMETHING IN THE WATER, MAYBE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN THAT UP. I JUST ASK YOU AND I'LL ASK.

I'LL ASK OPENLY IF MR. REED COULD EITHER WITHDRAW HIS MOTION OR AMEND IT TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE SOME TIME TO MAKE UP A PERFORMANCE PLAN. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR, AND I KNOW THAT THAT I CAN'T MAKE ANOTHER MOTION UNTIL SOMETHING CHANGES. BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT MY MIND IS AND WHAT IT IS. AND LAST OF ALL, MR. MORTEL, IF THIS IS THE LAST TIME THAT I LOOK YOU EYE TO EYE, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR CITY. DESPITE NOT EVERYTHING GOING SMOOTH ALL THE TIME AND YOU HAVE STOOD HERE. NORMALLY IT'S WOMEN WHO HAVE GRACE, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN HERE LAST MEETING AND THIS MEETING, AND I CONSIDER IT WITH SUCH GRACE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK, NOT CRY, NOT GET ANGRY, BUT TO JUST BE HERE AND TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. THAT SHOWS LEADERSHIP. AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. MR. REED. ARE YOU WILLING TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION? I'M NOT WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION. I'M NOT HERE TO GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE CITY MANAGER. SOME THINGS WERE THROWN WAY OUT

[04:00:03]

BUT YEAH, I'M NOT WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION BY ANY MEANS. OKAY, MR. VICE MAYOR. I HAVE NO MORE COMMENTS. I HAVE NO COMMENTS. OKAY. IT'S. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIRE FOLLOW FIRE BOTH, BUT TO FOLLOW MR. MARTELL'S VERY HEARTFELT COMMENTS. YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN FRICTION BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND MR. MORTEL, AND A LOT OF THAT IS BETWEEN MYSELF AND MR. MORTEL. THAT'S BECAUSE I DISAGREE WITH MANY OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THIS COMMISSION. AND I'VE SAID TO HIM, HOW THE HECK CAN YOU LET THIS HAPPEN? AND HIS RESPONSE IS, I WORK FOR THE BOARD AND I, I WILL FOLLOW THEIR DIRECTION. I ALSO SPOKE TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND. OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMPLAINTS AGAINST MR. MORTEL FILED WITH HR, BUT THEY MADE ME AWARE OF SOMETHING THAT I HADN'T THOUGHT OF. SO HERE'S SOMEONE WHO'S DONE EVERYTHING HE'S BEEN ASKED TO DO. AND HE GOT FIRED. AND SO THEY'RE LIKE, SO I'M WORRIED IF I DO MY JOB, I CAN BE FIRED TOO. AND IT SEEMS COMPLETELY RANDOM. AND THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE MORALE OF OUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY THE MORE QUALIFIED ONES. WE HAD A COMMENT, A PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, IF HE DOES SUCH A GOOD JOB, THEY'LL BE FINE. APPARENTLY THIS PERSON DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF LOYALTY, AND MR. MORTEL HAS BUILT A VERY COMPETENT AND VERY LOYAL STAFF AND. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S THAT STAFF WITH WHOM MOST WITH. THAT'S WHO PEOPLE INTERACT WITH IT. IN THE CITY OF STUART IS OUR STAFF. AND FOR US NOT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW DRAMATIC AN IMPACT IT COULD HAVE ON THEM IS NAIVE. THIS IS A VERY COWARDLY DECISION. THIS IS A GROSSLY UNFAIR DECISION. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME UP HERE AND MAKE ALLEGATIONS, AND WE DO NOT HAVE A PROPER PROCESS TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THOSE. I CANNOT BELIEVE, I THINK MR. HAAS, COMING UP SO MUCH.

APPARENTLY THE INFORMATION I WAS PROVIDED CONCERNING MR. HAAS AND THIS WAS BY SOMEONE I RESPECT WHO'S VERY INTELLIGENT, VERY THOUGHTFUL, CARES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. IT WAS COMPLETE LIES. THAT IS. THAT IS REMARKABLE. I'M SORRY, MR. HAAS. WE CAN'T. BUT THAT'S WHY A PROPER PROCEDURE IS SO VALUABLE. AND THOSE LIES HAVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND THE INTERNET UNFETTERED. AND IT'S SUCH A GRAVE DISAPPOINTMENT. I WAS ATTENDING A MEETING ABOUT THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, AND AN ELECTED OFFICIAL CAME UP TO ME. AND THIS SUMS IT UP. HE SAYS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A GROUP OF ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE SO DETERMINED TO IGNORE THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF THEIR RESIDENTS. I SEE NO OTHER COMMENTS. IT GIVES ME NO JOY.

BUT MAYOR RICH, MAY I? COMMISSIONER REED YEAH, I WANTED TO TOUCH BASE ON THAT MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS. I MET WITH ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS AS WELL. I WON'T STATE HOW MANY, BUT THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE THAT TOLD ME I WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH. AND I'LL DISAGREE WITH

[04:05:04]

BUT THERE'S TWO STORIES BEING TOLD UP HERE. BUT YES, I'VE BEEN TOLD ONE THING DURING PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST AND THE NEWS WAS TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND I'M ASSUMING YOU WERE TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT AS WELL, MAYOR RICH. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. BUT THERE ARE THREE IN EXISTENCE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SHARE THAT PUBLICLY. ROLL CALL PLEASE. SO I ROLL CALL, PLEASE. OKAY. PUBLIC RECORD. REQUEST MY EMAIL. I'M SORRY, MR. REED. WE'VE BEGUN THE ROLL CALL. THE MOTION IS TO TERMINATE THE CITY MANAGER WITHOUT CAUSE. AND PUT JOLIE AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR THE TIME BEING. COMMISSIONER COLLINS? YES, MAYOR. RICH. NO. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. NO. COMMISSIONER. JOB. YES. AND COMMISSIONER REED. YES.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.