[INVOCATION ]
          [PROCLAMATIONS]
          [00:09:00]
          INCREASED TOURISM, THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF BUSINESSES AND CRIME REDUCTION. 
          [00:09:06]
AND. WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY, PARKS AND NATURAL RECREATION AREAS. IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, PROTECT GROUNDWATER, PREVENT FLOODING, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE AIR WE BREATHE, PROVIDE VEGETATIVE BUFFERS TO DEVELOPMENT, AND PRODUCE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE. AND WHEREAS OUR PARKS AND NATURAL RECREATION AREAS ENSURE THE ECOLOGICAL BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AND OUTDOOR RECREATION OUTDOORS. NOW, THEREFORE, I, SHAWN REED, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF STUART, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 2026 AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH. AND COMMISSIONERS, CITY MANAGER SERVICES DIRECTOR MIKE REDSTONE, 
          [00:10:01]
DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE RECREATION DIVISION FOR THE CITY OF STUART. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH FOR THE MONTH OF JULY. WE DO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION FOR YOU HERE SHORTLY, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF THAT MAKE MAKE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN EVERY DAY FOR THE CITY OF STUART. I'D LIKE FOR THE STAFF TO STAND UP THE RECREATION STAFF, AND LET'S GIVE THEM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE EFFORT. AND I. NEXT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE JESSICA THARP, WHO'S OUR ASSISTANT RECREATION DIVISION MANAGER, AND SHE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE PRESENTATION TODAY. 
          THANK YOU. FOR SOME REASON, I'M NOT SEEING IT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER. ON BEHALF OF THE RECREATION DIVISION, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL PARK AND RECREATION MONTH AND CELEBRATE THE IMPACT PARKS AND RECREATION HAS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF PARKS AND RECREATION, THEY OFTEN THINK OF PLAYGROUNDS, BALL FIELDS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS. WHILE THOSE ARE CERTAINLY PART OF WHAT WE DO, WHO WE ARE GOES MUCH DEEPER. WE ARE COMMUNITY BUILDERS. WE CREATE SPACES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER, CHILDREN GROW, NEIGHBORS CONNECT, AND RESIDENTS ENJOY A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE. EVERY PROGRAM, PARK, EVENT AND FACILITY EXISTS TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY AND HELP MAKE STUART A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT. OUR DIVISION SERVES RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES AND INTERESTS. EVERY DAY WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PLAY, LEARN, CONNECT AND STAY ACTIVE. WHETHER IT'S A TODDLER ATTENDING A PRESCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAM, A TEENAGER PARTICIPATING IN EVENTS, A FAMILY ENJOYING ONE OF OUR PARKS, OR A SENIOR ATTENDING A WELLNESS CLASS. OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING WELCOMING PROGRAMS AND SPACES THAT HONOR THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND TRADITIONS OF ALL NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OUR TEAM PROVIDES YOUTH PROGRAMS, TEEN PROGRAMS, SENIOR ACTIVITIES, WELLNESS INITIATIVES, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ENCOURAGE CONNECTION, LEARNING, AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLES. THESE PROGRAMS HELP STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, FOSTER COMMUNITY PRIDE, AND CREATE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE. OUR SPORTS AND FITNESS PROGRAMS DO MUCH MORE THAN PROVIDE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES. THEY HELP DEVELOP TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, CONFIDENCE, HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. THIS YEAR, OUR RECREATION FACILITIES HOSTED MORE THAN 70 ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, LEAGUES, AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, SERVING HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. OUR RECREATION FACILITIES ARE AMONG THE COMMUNITIES MOST HEAVILY USED PUBLIC ASSETS. THEY PROVIDE PLACES FOR LEARNING, WELLNESS, SOCIAL INTERACTION, ATHLETICS AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS. OUR FACILITIES ARE ESSENTIAL ASSETS THAT SUPPORT RECREATION, WELLNESS, SOCIAL CONNECTION AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY EVERY DAY. AND FUN FACT OUR TURF AND GROUNDS CREW MAINTAIN MORE THAN 34 PARKS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF STUART. PARKS AND RECREATION ARE ABOUT MORE THAN PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES. WE'RE ABOUT PEOPLE, RELATIONSHIPS AND QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMING, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO CREATING SPACES WHERE EVERY RESIDENT FEELS WELCOME, CONNECTED AND SUPPORTED. WE ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS. LOOKING AHEAD, WE CONTINUED TO IMPROVE OUR PARK FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. WE REMAIN DEDICATED TO ENHANCING THE RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY STRONG, HEALTHIER AND MORE VIBRANT WHILE SERVING THE YOUNG AND THE YOUNG AT HEART. 
          HIGHLIGHTING A FEW OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, BOTH OLEANDER PARK AND MEMORIAL PARK AMPHITHEATER HAD AN UPGRADE, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND DEP TO BECOME A FLORIDA TRAIL TOWN. WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE DESIGNATION LATER THIS FALL, AND AT THAT TIME, STAFF WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION FOR THE COMMISSION. SO THANK YOU TO OUR MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION. AND THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HELP MAKE THESE PROGRAMS AND SPACES POSSIBLE EVERY DAY. PARKS AND RECREATION IS MORE THAN PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES. IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THE HEALTH, VITALITY, AND QUALITY OF OUR LIFE, OF LIFE, OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          EVERY DAY WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT, PLAY, LEARN, AND THRIVE. TOGETHER. WE MAKE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN. ASH. HAPPY NATIONAL PARK AND RECREATION MONTH. THANK YOU. MIKE AND JESSICA. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO PRESENT TO YOU TEAM. YEAH. IT'S MELTING. IT'S A PHOTO OP TIME. MILTON. YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT. 
          MAYBE THEY SHOULD INTRODUCE. THAT'S OKAY. QUITE A FEW OF THEM. THANKS. THANK YOU, THANK 
          [00:15:15]
YOU, THANK YOU, MR. REDSTONE. THANKS, MIKE. WE DO HAVE TWO SERVICE AWARDS TO PRESENT AS 
          [PRESENTATIONS ]
WELL. THEY ARE NOT IN ATTENDANCE, BUT THOSE DEPARTMENTS WILL MAKE SURE THEY'RE HANDED TO THEM. THE FIRST ONE IS JOSEPH CALDERON WITH 20 YEARS OF SERVICE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE NEXT ONE WE HAVE IS KAREN CHAMBERS COFFEY, WITH TEN YEARS OF SERVICE FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN MOVING ON, WE HAVE DOGS IN THE PARK VIDEO THAT JIM IS GOING TO PRESENT TO US. ACTUALLY, THIS IS A MISTY GIRTON PRODUCTION HERE. OH, MISTY. SORRY. SO I'M GOING TO LET MISTY TALK ABOUT THIS VERY FUN AND WHIMSICAL VIDEO. WELL, PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A LOT OF FUN, AND SOMETIMES YOU GET TO STEP OUT OF YOUR BOX AND DO SOMETHING CREATIVE. AND WE HAD SOME EDUCATION TO DO ON OUR TURF AT THE AMPHITHEATER. WHY? IT'S NOT DOG FRIENDLY. SO WE DECIDED WE'D TAKE A DOG'S PERSPECTIVE AND TAKE A STROLL TO THE PARK. WE BORROWED A RESCUE DOG AND SLAPPED A GOPRO ON ITS BACK AND WE WENT TO THE PARK. WE ALSO WENT DOWN TO THE GREEN MARKET AND THROUGH DOWNTOWN STUART. AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO MEET FRANKIE. THERE IS A FUN LITTLE ENDING TO THIS IS FRANKIE WAS HE WAS WITH ALL FOR ONE PET RESCUE. HE'S A BAHAMIAN POTCAKE. HE CAME FROM GRAND BAHAMA AND SHORTLY AFTER WE PRODUCED THE VIDEO, HE END UP GETTING ADOPTED BY A PERSON LIVING IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO. 
          SO HIS FOSTER MOM HERE DROVE HIM ALL THE WAY TO SANTA FE. SO LET'S INTRODUCE YOU TO FRANKIE. 
          FRANKIE, THE FILM OF ALL. I'D HEARD OF RUMORS, WHISPERS ON THE WIND OF A PLACE TOO PERFECT TO BE REAL. THEY CALLED IT THE GREEN. ASH. UNTOUCHED. AND THEN I SAW THE SIGN. EVERY INSTINCT I HAD SAID. GO ROLL, LIVE YOUR TRUTH. BUT INSTINCTS DON'T MAKE GOOD CITIZENS. LET ME LEVEL WITH YOU. THIS GRASS, IT'S FOR HUMANS. THINGS LIKE CONCERTS, PICNICS, LIKE IT'S. AND HERE'S THE THING. EVEN WHEN YOU PICK UP AFTER ME, YOU JUST CAN'T GET OFF OF IT. TINY LEFTOVERS. THE KIND YOUR GHOST THIS IS. BUT MINE THROWS A FULL INVESTIGATION OF IT. NOW IMAGINE A NICE PICNIC. CAN A NOT SO NICE SURPRISE. YEAH, NOT THE VIBE. SO I MADE A CALL, A TOUGH ONE. I STAY OFF THE GRASS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES FOR PAWS LIKE MINE. PLACES WERE ROLLING AS ENCOURAGED, NOT INVESTIGATED. LOOK, I WANT TO GO ON THAT GRASS MORE THAN YOU KNOW. BUT BEING A GOOD DOG MEANS KNOWING WHERE NOT TO GO. RESPECT THE SPACE, KEEP IT CLEAN, BLEED FOR LONG FOR HUMANS. SO HERE'S FRANKIE. YOU'RE GOING TO ENTER THAT INTO SOME KIND OF A I DON'T KNOW, JIM KEEPS ON SAYING WE SHOULD WE SHOULD WE? ADDY AWARD WINNER IF I EVER SAW. TODAY WE'RE DIVING INTO A COMMON LAWN CARE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE OTHER SEGMENTS. WE'LL BE COMING. ONE WILL BE LIKE GOING TO THE DOG PARKS. ANOTHER ONE WILL BE STROLLING ALONG THE BOARDWALK IN DOWNTOWN STUART. AND ANOTHER ONE IS OUR RESPECTED DOG STATIONS. SO THOSE ARE SOME SERIOUS TO COME YET. AND SO THAT'LL BE ON THE WEBSITE. BUT 
          [00:20:02]
WE MIGHT BE ON THE WEBSITE, ON THE WEBSITE, IT'LL BE ON THE WEBSITE AND ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. GOOD. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. FABULOUS. MITZI. THANK YOU. 
          MISTY. NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE BUDGET SNAPSHOT PRESENTATION, OUR NEW BUDGET PERSON. WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU. WELCOME, WELCOME. OKAY, NOW I'M EXCITED. DOGS IN THE PARK. IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW, BUT I'LL GIVE IT MY BEST. OKAY. I'M KATIE AMBROSINI, I'M THE NEW FINANCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF OUR 2627 BUDGET SNAPSHOT TODAY. SO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW. OF COURSE FY 26 MIDYEAR, HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW, HISTORICAL TRENDS, INITIAL MILLAGE CALCULATIONS FOR 27 AS WELL AS BUDGET PLANNING AND INITIAL ESTIMATES, AS WELL AS A TRIM TIMELINE AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SO WHEN WE START OFF LOOKING AT FY 26, LOOKING AT REVENUES, WE HAVE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CHART, THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR BUDGET BEING AD VALOREM TAXES. 52% OF OUR FUNDS RECEIVED ARE FROM OUR TAXES. THE NEXT BIGGEST PIECE OF THAT PIE IS GOING TO BE 12%, WHICH IS OUR UTILITY TAX, 7% OF CHARGES FOR SERVICE AND 6% INTEREST. I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE LITTLE PIECES. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE LARGER PIECES OF THE PIE FOR EVERYONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT CHART, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF LOOK AT HOW THOSE NUMBERS BREAK DOWN. SO IN COMPARISON TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL BUDGET LINES, SO AD VALOREM, WE RECEIVED TO DATE 17 ACTUALLY AS OF MAY I APOLOGIZE. THIS IS AS OF MAY 17.7 MILLION OF OUR $18.4 MILLION EXPECTED BUDGET, OR ABOUT 96%. THAT BUDGET DOES INCLUDE OUR DEBT MILLAGE AS WELL AS DELINQUENT TAXES THAT WE RECEIVED AS WELL. UTILITY TAXES. WE RECEIVED ABOUT 4 MILLION OF OUR $6.4 MILLION BUDGET, OR ABOUT 63% LICENSES AND PERMITS, 980,000 OF OUR $2.1 MILLION BUDGET, OR ABOUT 66%, AND CHARGES FOR SERVICE, 2.3 MILLION OF THE 3.7 MILLION, OR ABOUT 63%. SO TOTAL YEAR TO DATE. AS OF MAY, WE RECEIVED $34 MILLION OF OUR $47.9 MILLION BUDGET, OR ABOUT 71%. 
          AS I SAID, THIS IS THROUGH MAY. MAY IS EIGHT MONTHS OF THE YEAR, SO ABOUT 66%. SO WE'RE TRENDING PRETTY ON TRACK FOR WHERE WE ARE IN THE YEAR, TAKING THE NEXT CHARTS, LOOKING AT EXPENSES, LOOKING AT VERY SIMILARLY BY TYPE THROUGH MAY. BIGGEST PIECE OF THE PIE BEING SALARIES AND BENEFITS. SO OF THAT 67%, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG CHUNK, THAT'S PRETTY STANDARD IN ANY KIND OF BUDGETING PROCESS. SO I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH HOW THAT NUMBER LOOKS. 15% BEING OPERATING EXPENSES, 10% NON-OPERATING, 5% CAPITAL AND 3% DEBT. REALLY GOOD STRUCTURE AND HOW OUR EXPENSES ARE OUTLINED. AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE RIGHT PIECE OF THAT CHART, THAT SALARY AND BENEFITS 22 MILLION OR 69% OF THE $32 MILLION BUDGET, OPERATING 4.8 MILLION OF OUR $9 MILLION BUDGET, OR 54% CAPITAL AT 1.6 MILLION OF OUR $1.5 MILLION BUDGET, A LITTLE BIT HIGH ON CAPITAL GRANTS, RELATIVELY SMALL 12,000 OF OUR $74,000 BUDGET AND NON-OPERATING EXPENSES, 3.4 MILLION OF OUR $3.4 MILLION BUDGET. SO ABOUT 99% ON THAT AS WELL. AGAIN, TOTAL EXPENSE, 32.8 MILLION OF OUR $47.9 MILLION BUDGET, OR ABOUT 69%. 
          SO TRACKING REALLY CLOSE ON EXPENSES AS WELL THROUGH MAY. ONE OTHER PIECE THAT I LIKE TO LOOK AT IS KIND OF HOW THOSE EXPENSES BREAK DOWN BY DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT. AGAIN, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS ON HERE. I KNOW THE COLORS ARE KIND OF SMALL ON MY LEGEND, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT. SO THE TWO LARGEST PORTIONS OF THAT PIE ARE POLICE AND FIRE, WHICH ARE 27 AND 26% OF THE BUDGET, RESPECTIVELY. SO A GOOD PORTION, ABOUT HALF, A LITTLE OVER HALF OF WHAT OUR BUDGET IS. OVERALL TECHNOLOGY 14%. AND THEN TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS PARKS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AT 5% EACH. SO AGAIN, THAT TOTAL OF 32.8 MILLION. BEFORE WE LOOK FORWARD AT FY 27, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT HISTORICAL TRENDS. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN ORDER TO KNOW KIND OF WHERE WE NEED TO GO. I DIDN'T GO BACK AS FAR AS I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST. I DIDN'T GO BACK TO THE EARLY 2000. I JUST HIGHLIGHTED THE MOST RECENT YEARS. BUT LOOKING AT THAT, THE BAR GRAPH IS GOING TO BE YOUR TAXABLE VALUES IN THE CITY OF STUART. AND THE LINE GRAPH INTEGRATED INTO THAT IS GOING TO BE THE MILLAGE RATE. SO IN THAT, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THE INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUES. WHILE THE MILLAGE RATE IS MAINTAINING RELATIVELY STABLE. SO THE 2026 ESTIMATE OBVIOUSLY OF WHAT WE EXPECT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. AND THEN THAT LITTLE BIT OF A DIP IN 25, BUT FOR THE MOST PART REMAINING RELATIVELY STABLE. THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE COMMISSION'S DESIRE TO REMAIN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND NOT OVERTAXED. 
          [00:25:03]
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT POSITION AS WELL. CONSIDERING AD VALOREM AGAIN, LOOKING BACK TO 2016, SEEING THAT NATURAL INCREASE, THE ONE THING THAT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT, WHICH I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN HISTORICALLY, WAS THAT 2022 WAS THE YEAR THAT THE ASSESSED VALUES, AS WELL AS THE AD VALOREM, LIKE ESSENTIALLY BALANCED OUT BACK TO 2008. SO 2022 BEING THE FOURTH BAR GRAPH FROM THE RIGHT. FROM THAT POINT ON TO CURRENT 26, THERE'S NOT REALLY A LARGE INCREASE. SO YES, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE NATURALLY. VALUES ARE GOING TO INCREASE, EXPENSES ARE GOING TO INCREASE. BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT JUMPS IN THE TAXES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING. 26 BEING AN ESTIMATE. AND THEN WE WILL GET INTO THAT CALCULATION AS WELL. HERE'S OUR CALCULATION. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST. I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP SOME THINGS THE SAME AND HOW YOU GUYS ARE VIEWING THEM. SO THAT CALCULATION AS OF JULY 1ST, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT OUR ASSESSED VALUES HAS CLIPPED OVER THAT $4 BILLION MARK. THAT I THINK WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE. 
          THE CALCULATION STAYS THE SAME. SO WE'RE DIVIDING THAT ASSESSED VALUE DIVIDED BY 1000. MULTIPLY IT TIMES THE MILLAGE, WHICH IN THIS EXAMPLE I USED FIVE MILS. AND THEN WE'RE USING 95% OF THAT FOR OUR BUDGET PURPOSES. SO THAT CALCULATION WE HAVE AD VALOREM ESTIMATE OF ABOUT $19.1 MILLION. HOW DOES THAT LOOK COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR. SO ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS CHART, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT LAST YEAR, WE OR I'M SORRY, THIS YEAR COMING UP, WE HAVE A AD VALOREM BUDGETED AMOUNT OF $19.1 MILLION, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL 1.1 MILLION OF WHAT YOU GUYS BUDGETED FOR 26. THAT TOTAL AD VALOREM FOR 26 WAS 18.8, BUT BUDGETED THAT 95% NUMBER WAS 17.9 MILLION. SO OF THAT 1.1 MILLION, IT'S ABOUT A 6% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR OF THAT IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THE CRA WOULD GET APPROXIMATELY $3.3 MILLION, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL 323,000 FROM WHAT THEY'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, WHICH IS ABOUT AN 11% INCREASE. SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GETTING 6% INCREASE IN OUR TOTAL AD VALOREM, CRA IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE PIECE OF THAT PIE, BRINGING OUR NET VALOREM TO JUST UNDER $15.8 MILLION, OR ABOUT 870,000 OF NEW MONEY. WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER NEW MONEY FOR BUDGETING FOR THIS YEAR. LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABOUT 14.9 MILLION. AGAIN, THAT CRA BEING AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CALCULATION. SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT OUT SEPARATELY. AGAIN, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST AND I WANTED TO KEEP THAT TREND. SO BASE VALUE OF ABOUT 299 MILLION FOR OUR CRA, 995 MILLION IS THE CURRENT VALUE 696 MILLION IS THE NEW TAXABLE VALUE. AND THEN KEEPING THAT TREND THE SAME. SO THE THE COUNTY ALSO DOES PROVIDE AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CRA AS WELL. I DID USE A CONSERVATIVE MILLAGE FOR THEM OF SIX MILLS. THEY COULD GO ALID ASSUME. BUT I WANTED TO BE CONSERVATIVE IN MY ESTIMATE. WITH THAT, THE COUNTY WOULD PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL ROUGHLY $3 MILLION, BRINGING THE TOTAL FOR THE CRA AT ABOUT 7.3 MILLION, JUST UNDER 7.3 MILLION FOR THE YEAR. SO BUDGET PLANNING FOR FY 27 AND SAYING ALL OF THAT AND LOOKING AT WHERE WE WERE FOR 26, LOOKING AT THE TRENDS, KNOWING WHAT OUR RATES ARE, HOW DO WE BUDGET FOR FY 27? WHERE ARE WE AT IN THE PROCESS? SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT. SO WE'RE AT A SUPER HIGH LEVEL. WHERE ARE WE AT. SO THINGS WE KNOW THUS FAR OUR UNION CONTRACTUAL INCREASES. THOSE OBLIGATIONS ARE SET OUT THERE. 
          SO FIRE AND RESCUE AT 7% OR ABOUT $600,000 IN POLICE AT 7.5%, OR ABOUT $612,000. SO THOSE TWO COMBINED, IT'S A $1.2 MILLION INCREASE. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE KNOW. WE HAVE OUR TAXABLE VALUES FOR GENERAL FUND FOR CRA. OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO SUBMIT THEIR INITIAL BUDGET REQUESTS. AS PART OF THAT, THERE'S FIVE NEW POSITIONS, INCLUDING THREE SAFETY FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL AS TWO WATER TREATMENT TRAINEES. AND THEN THE REQUEST TO BRING BACK FOR UNFROZEN POSITIONS FROM THIS YEAR. SINCE WE DON'T KNOW YET, STATE REVENUE, WE DON'T HAVE IT YET. IT USUALLY COMES OUT MID-JULY, AUGUST, SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET. OUR HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET. WHEN THIS PRESENTATION WAS PREPARED, WE DIDN'T HAVE IT. WE'VE GOTTEN A BETTER IDEA THUS FAR, BUT IT WAS PROJECTED TO BE BETWEEN 9 AND 11.5%. WE DID TREND JUST A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN THAT, BUT STILL A GOOD ESTIMATE. WE'RE PENDING REVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS. SO EVERYTHING THAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR, IS IT POSSIBLE? DO WE HAVE TO MAKE CUTS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR RATES ARE YET EITHER. SO EXPECT A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE IN THAT BUT NOT NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE TO DATE. SO PRELIMINARY MILLAGE CALCULATIONS OF THAT 870,000 OF NEW MONEY, OF NEW FUNDS THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE, ABOUT ONE, THAT 1.2 MILLION OF IT WOULD GO TO UNION INCREASES. SO BEFORE WE EVEN CONSIDER ANYTHING NEW, IT PUTS US JUST SHY OUT OF BALANCE 
          [00:30:04]
OF ABOUT 350 000 JUST IN FIGURING OUT WHAT OUR NEW MONEY IS. SO THE NEW TAX MONEY ISN'T EVEN ENOUGH TO COVER THE INCREASES THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE FOR OUR UNIONS, LET ALONE ANY NEW INCREASES FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PROJECTS OR THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TAKE ON. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? SO BIG PICTURE REVENUES GENERAL FUND ONLY IS AGAIN, AT THE TIME THIS PRESENTATION WAS DONE, WE WERE ABOUT $49.5 MILLION OF REVENUE EXPENSES. WE ARE ABOUT 54.3 MILLION. SO WE WERE DEFINITELY OUT OF BALANCE $4.8 MILLION, OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THAT BEING SALARIES. BUT THEN WE HAVE NONUNION INCREASES, INSURANCE INCREASES, AS WELL AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO PLAN THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE'LL TAKE IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS REVIEW THOSE DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS, WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE WHAT THINGS WE WANT TO DO, WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT MAKES SENSE, IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING, SUCH AS GRANTS, AS WELL AS EVALUATE NEEDS VERSUS WANTS. AND WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE CITY. SO OUR TRIM TIMELINE AND WHAT THINGS ARE IMPORTANT. SO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 10TH, THE SECOND BUDGET WORKSHOP FOR AUGUST 24TH, AS WELL AS THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE AND BUDGET HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 9TH AND THAT FINAL MILLAGE AND BUDGET HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 14TH. SO CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMISSION IS TO. TO ALLOW FOR A MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE OF FIVE MILLS IN THAT TRIM NOTIFICATION. 
          THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT'S WHAT WE WILL USE, BUT IT'S THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED FOR US TO USE. 
          IF THAT'S WHAT WE PUBLISH, WE CAN GO LESS. AND THE THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE SOME TIME TO DECIDE WHAT THAT WOULD BE. IT'S NOT A DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE TODAY, BUT IF WE KNOW THAT'S WHAT OUR MAXIMUM IS AND THAT'S WHAT CAN GET PUBLISHED ON THE NOTIFICATIONS. ALSO, SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER IS THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE OF SENATE BILL FOUR F. SO THAT'S A NEW IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER PROPERTY TAX LEGISLATION THAT'S COMING THROUGH POTENTIALLY IN NOVEMBER, THIS ONE WENT INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. WHAT SENATE BILL FOUR SAYS IS THAT YOUR CURRENT MILLAGE RATE CANNOT BE MORE THAN 110% OF YOUR ROLLBACK RATE WITH TWO THIRDS VOTE. SO IT CANNOT BE MORE THAN THAT. SO OUR ROLLBACK RATE IS 4.7081, BRINGING OUR MAXIMUM MILLAGE TO 5.1789. SO THAT FIVE MILLS IS NOT OUR MAX. BUT IT'S ALSO NOT OUR OUR BOTTOM ROLLBACK RATE. SO IT'S KIND OF IN BETWEEN THAT SWEET SPOT. THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT I FEEL THAT WE CAN WORK WITH IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. WE CAN DEFINITELY FINE TUNE OUR BUDGET. AND THEN IT WOULD GIVE THE COMMISSION SOME FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT FINAL RATE WOULD BE. AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP. JUST FOR REFERENCE AS A COMPARISON. SO AT 4.9 MILLS, IF WE WERE TO USE THAT FIGURE, IT WOULD BRING OUR OUR AD VALOREM TO 18.7 MILLION, WHICH IS A $554,000 INCREASE. BUT AGAIN, REMEMBER, WE HAVE THAT $1.2 MILLION UNION OBLIGATION. SO THAT PUTS US OUT OF BALANCE EVEN MORE JUST STARTING OFF. SO I THINK FIVE MILLS IS THAT SWEET SPOT OF LIKE THE MAXIMUM THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER GOING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD OR THE COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON THOSE. THE PRESENTATION IN GENERAL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IT'S VERY DETAILED, BY THE WAY. 
          THANK YOU. DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS OR. BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD, I WANTED TO GET A CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD AS WELL. TYPICALLY DURING PRESENTATIONS OR D AND D, WE DON'T ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I WANTED TO SEE HOW THEY FELT. IF ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WANTED TO DO THE COMMENTS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THE BOARD FELT UP HERE, SO I FIGURED I'D ASK. 
          I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THE THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO COME HERE SHOULD HAVE BE ALLOWED TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANYTHING WE PRESENT. SO I'M ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT. 
          COMMISSIONER RICH, I WOULD SAY THIS IS VERY PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION ON AN INCREDIBLY COMPLEX ISSUE, AND THAT. BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE GET A BETTER HANDLE ON IT. I'M NOT SURE IT'D BE WORTHWHILE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AT THIS POINT. THOSE WHO ARE SO INCLINED ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO REACH OUT BY EMAIL OR TO CALL US AND SPEAK TO US. BUT UNTIL WE, YOU KNOW, SEE MORE OF THE DETAILS, I THINK IT'S BEST TO MOVE ON AT THIS POINT. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YEAH, I THANK YOU SO MUCH, KATIE. I THINK THAT SHE'S DONE A GOOD JOB. AND I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, PEOPLE MAY HAVE COMMENTS, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD HEAR FROM YOU TO WORK ON TO WHEN YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. BUT AND MAYBE WE COULD HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WHILE YOU'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING THE BUDGET AREAS TO US, THAT IF PEOPLE SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY SENDING EMAILS OR MESSAGES OR NOTES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO ADDRESS OR CONSIDER OR WORK WITH CITY MANAGER, BUT I GUESS FOR TODAY, I DON'T, I, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTS OR NOT, BUT IF WE 
          [00:35:03]
COULD JUST LIMIT IT BECAUSE IT'S SO PRELIMINARY AND SHE DOESN'T, I MEAN, SHE PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. IS THIS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO, TO GET A COPY OF IT OR IT'S ON THE AGENDA? I KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. JUST FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN THEY CAN GET A COPY FROM YOU, MARY, IF THEY. YEAH. SO THAT'S FINE. IF PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTS NOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO IT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE A BUDGET HEARING OR ANYTHING. YEAH. AND I DON'T AND MY COMMENT WASN'T NECESSARILY TO GO BACK AND FORTH. YEAH. FINANCE AND STUFF. IT WAS JUST QUESTIONS THAT COULD BE ASKED AND THEN ADDRESSED LATER ON. BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE BOARD WANTS TO DO THAT. BUT COMMISSIONER RICH, YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON. NO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DEDICATED BUDGET WORKSHOPS. 
          CORRECT. COMING UP. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE THERE? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO AT LEAST. SO TWO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK THROUGH THESE COMPLICATED CITY BUDGETS. THAT CERTAINLY WOULD BE THE TIME TO COME AND SPEAK, YOU KNOW, BE HEARD IN DEPTH ABOUT THIS BUDGET. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES HERE FOR ALL OF US. SO I HOPE PEOPLE DO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WORKSHOPS THAT ARE JUST ABOUT THE BUDGET AND NOTHING ELSE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GIOVI, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. YES. 
          OKAY. SO IT'S NOT A Q AND A, WE'RE NOT ASKING IF THE PUBLIC CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND EXPECT ANSWERS. IT'S JUST TO MAKE A STATEMENT. AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO COME HERE TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY. MANY OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES. THEY RUN THEIR WHOLE HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS, AND THEY MIGHT HAVE ABSOLUTELY GOOD QUESTIONS OR IDEAS FOR THE CITY. I THINK IT'S ALMOST CONDESCENDING TO FEEL THAT IT'S JUST ABOVE THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO ASK A QUESTION IN A PRELIMINARY BUDGET PRESENTATION. I THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO I HAVE TO BE HONEST, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME UP AND MAKE A COMMENT. I MEAN, AFTER ALL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN THIS BUDGET IS DONE, WHOSE MONEY IS IT THAT'S GOING TO BE? IT'S THEIR MONEY. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S AGAINST IT. BUT YOU SUPPORTED IT. THE PUBLIC, IF THEY HAD QUESTIONS AND THEY COULD BE ADDRESSED DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. JUST SO IT WASN'T A SURPRISE THEN, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE PUTTING STAFF ON THE SPOT ASKING FOR A QUESTION TO GET ANSWERED. BUT IT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S SUPPORTED. PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS BY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE ADDRESSED TONIGHT. I JUST LEFT A MESSAGE. SO I THINK THE CONSENSUS IS YOU WOULD SUPPORT A PUBLIC. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT? NO. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WERE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS PRESENTATION? SEEING NONE, THERE WERE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          I JUST FIGURED I WOULD ASK FOR PERMISSION. I THINK IT SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR EVERYONE. 
          MOVING ON TO I GUESS IF WE HAVE NO COMMENTS THEN OR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND IT WAS VERY DETAILED AS WELL. THANK YOU. YES. EXCUSE ME, MR. MAYOR. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? CAN YOU JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND SPELL YOUR LAST NAME INTO THE RECORD FOR THE PUBLIC? SURE. IT'S AMBROSINI, A MEROSINI. AMBROSINI. AMBROSINI. 
          [COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS ]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS. 
          COMMISSIONER RICH, I HAVE NONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER JOB. YES. FIRST, AS ALWAYS, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO DOES COME OUT. YOU'VE WORKED ALL DAY OR YOU'VE BEEN BUSY, AND YOU COME HERE TO SIT AND LISTEN TO WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR CITY. I APPRECIATE IT, I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF STUART RESIDENTS WHO, AS TAXPAYERS, MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE. I WANT TO MENTION THE CITY EMPLOYEES STUART MAIN STREET, STUART HERITAGE MUSEUM, ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE THE INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. WE STARTED OUT THE DAY WITH THE ANNUAL GOLF CART PARADE, WHICH IS LOTS OF FUN. EVERYONE SPENDS TIME. I WISH I SEE LOTS OF GOLF CARTS AROUND TOWN. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD JOIN. IT'S A GREAT FUN. IT'S, YOU KNOW, GET TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS, GET TOGETHER WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND AND CREATE A CART, DECORATE IT AND COME DOWN AND GO THROUGH THE PARADE. IT'S REALLY SOMETHING GREAT. I HOPE THAT WE SEE MORE CARTS NEXT YEAR AND I'LL BE AS WE GET TO NEXT YEAR, I'M GOING TO BE ASKING MORE AND MORE, AND I MIGHT EVEN PULL PEOPLE OVER IN THEIR CARTS AND SAY, HERE'S A TICKET, CALL SOMEBODY AND GET INTO THE PARADE. I ALSO WANTED TO VENT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE VENDORS AT THE PARK, A MOVIE IN THE PARK, NATIONAL TREASURE, THE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE RIVERWALK, RIVERWALK, NATIONAL RECORDING ARTIST AND STUART'S VERY OWN RAQUEL RENNER, WHO BROUGHT ON THE FIREWORKS WITH HER BEAUTIFUL VOICE. AND OF COURSE, OUR OWN JIM KUROWSKI, WHO MAKES THE FIREWORKS HAPPEN EACH YEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, I HAD ONE MORE. OKAY. THANK YOU. EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS WAS PROVIDED WITH A PRINTOUT FROM THE CITY CLERK THIS EVENING REGARDING THE MATTER. I'M ABOUT TO DISCUSS RUTH HOLMES, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY. I BELIEVE RUTH IS HERE. HI. RUTH BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION RECENTLY IN 2020 FOR A PETITION 
          [00:40:03]
TO THE BY THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND SEVERAL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE CITY OF STUART COSIGNED A PETITION TO THE EPA REQUESTING THAT THE EPA FORMALLY ADOPT A CLIMATE TRIAL, TOXIC STANDARDS FOR SURFACE WATERS THAT WOULD APPLY TO FLORIDA. THE EPA HAS NOT. NOR ARE THEY REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO THESE PETITIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO AGREE TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE JOINING THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN THE PETITIONING OF THIS LETTER TO THE EPA. THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE CAN CONFIRM TONIGHT ON THE DAIS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, CAN IT BE ADDED AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING ON JULY 27TH? NO PROBLEM. ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION? ARE YOU GOING TO FOR ONE OR THE OTHER? WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW. I GUESS I'D REACH OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. CAN I MAKE A MOTION ON THE DAIS TO APPROVE THAT LETTER? YEAH. OR I ASSUME YOU THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND YOU WANT TO REDO IT. YOU COULD GET CONSENSUS OR DO A MOTION. IT'S UP TO YOU. OKAY, THEN. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THIS EVENING FOR THE CITY OF STUART TO BE A COSIGNER IN THE 2020 2026 PETITION, SPEARHEADED BY THE CENTER OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. AND IF WE COULD THEN BE ANOTHER CO-SPONSOR AGAIN FOR THIS PETITION, IT'S ACTUALLY BE A REPETITION. AND THAT WILL COME BACK TO ANOTHER MEETING. WELL, WE'RE MAKING THE MOTION NOW. YEAH. I MEAN, WHEN THE THE ACTUAL PETITION INFORMATION. SO LEAH WAS SECOND, EITHER GIVE A CONSENSUS OR DO A MOTION. NO, I'M SAYING IF WE SECOND IT, THE PAPERWORK THAT SHE'S GOING TO PREPARE, WILL WE. YES. THAT'S IT. WE'LL JUST WE'LL RECEIVE THE ACTUAL LETTER. OKAY. CAN I ASK THE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT? THANK YOU FOR THIS FOR DISCUSSION. SO. OKAY, RUTH, THANK YOU. SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT IN 2024, THE CITY DID SIGN ON ON A PETITION THAT WAS FILED AT THE EPA. SO A FORMAL LEGAL DOCUMENT ASKING FOR EPA TO DO TO ENFORCE ITS REQUIREMENTS THAT THE STATE ENTER INTO RULEMAKING FOR CYANOTOXINS IN SURFACE WATERS IN FLORIDA. SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE WONKY ADMINISTRATIVE FILINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO A LOT OF. ENVIRONMENTAL LAW IS ADMINISTRATIVE LAW, NOT REGULAR CIVIL LAW THAT YOU NORMALLY HEAR ABOUT. THE STATE OF FLORIDA. INSTEAD OF ADOPTING SPECIFIC RULES, SURFACE WATER QUALITY RULES FOR CYANOTOXINS, THEY USED WHAT IS CALLED A PROXY, AND IT WAS CHLOROPHYL A AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A LAWYER. I'M NOT A SCIENTIST, BUT CHLOROPHYL A AND CYANOTOXINS DON'T RESPOND THE SAME WAY IN THIS TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT. AND SO THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY BELIEVES, ALONG WITH THE OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, BELIEVE THAT THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT A SUFFICIENT PROXY. WE NEED REAL STANDARDS. SO WHAT THIS LETTER WOULD DO, AND IT'S IT IS A LETTER. IT'S NOT ANOTHER PETITION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. PETITION IS A VERY FORMAL, OFFICIAL LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT TRIGGERS OR CAN TRIGGER CERTAIN ACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THE STATE. IT IS NOT THAT. IT IS A LETTER TO THE EPA SAYING, HEY, REMEMBER OUR PETITION FROM 2024? WE STILL THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU LOOK AT THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S WATER QUALITY STANDARDS AND THAT YOU. 
          PUSH THEM A LITTLE, A LITTLE FURTHER TO ADOPT THE STANDARDS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. SO THAT'S WHAT IT IS. I'LL BE HAPPY TO COME UP AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING AND DO A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND ON WHAT THE PETITION WAS AND WHAT THESE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS ARE, OR IF I CAN ANSWER IT TODAY, I CERTAINLY COULD DO THAT TOO. THANK YOU. RUTH. COMMISSIONER RICH, YOU HAVE A QUESTION. OH, IF SHE COULD JUST HELP THE LETTER ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE NEXT MEETING, THEN I'LL DO THAT. IT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA. IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK YOU BEFORE THE MEETING. OTHERWISE. OKAY. OKAY, GREAT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER JOB AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLARK REGARDING A LETTER TO BE SIGNED ON BETWEEN THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TO BE SENT TO THE EPA. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? SEEING NONE. MARY, COULD YOU ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER. RICH. 
          YES, COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. MAYOR REED. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COMMISSION COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER CLARK. OKAY. YES. I, TOO, WAS PROUD OF THE. I'M PROUD OF THE PATRIOTIC. ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DID FOR JULY 4TH, 
          [00:45:10]
AND ESPECIALLY AT THE COURTHOUSE GAZEBO WHERE THE DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION HAD THEIR SERVICE THERE AND A CEREMONY. AND THEY ALSO DEDICATED A PLAQUE TO THE CITY OF STEWART. I WAS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT OUR COMMISSIONERS WEREN'T THERE. I WASN'T SURE, MAYOR, IF YOU KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT THEY HAD COME HERE AND TOLD US THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE DOING THAT, AND THEY HAD ASKED, AND I WANT TO SAY THAT MR. LEGGETT REALLY WORKED HARD WITH THEM. AND THE THE DISPLAY OF THE FLAGS AND PATRIOTIC, I GUESS, SIGNS OR THE DISPLAYS ARE STILL THERE AT THE MEMORIAL PARK GAZEBO AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF MEMORIAL, ON THE WEST SIDE OF MEMORIAL PARK. SO IT'S A GAZEBO, THE COURTHOUSE GAZEBO. BUT IF WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT YET, MISTY, COULD YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PICTURES OF THAT? AND IF THE DR. DAR HAS PICTURES, IF WE COULD CAPTURE THAT AND KEEP IT FOR THE CITY AND MAYBE CAPTURE SOME OF THOSE PICTURES. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE TOOK PICTURES AND VIDEOS, BUT IT'S A VERY, VERY NICE PLAQUE AND A VERY, VERY NICE TRIBUTE. AND WE JUST NEEDED TO PROBABLY HAVE HAD SOME MORE REPRESENTATION. IT WAS A TOUGH WEEKEND. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE OUT OF TOWN FROM OUR CITY. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE DA FOR THAT. SECOND, I WANT TO JUST THANK THE GENTLEMAN WHO DID THE ARTS MOMENT. I KNOW WHEN WE STARTED THE ARTS MOMENT, AT SOME POINT, ROSS JOHNSON HAD BROUGHT UP SOME IDEAS. WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES WHO DID SCRAPBOOKING, WHO DID OTHER THINGS, AND IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO GET SOME EMPLOYEES TO GET BACK INVOLVED WITH THE ARTS MOMENT. SO IT'S GLAD. I'M JUST SO GLAD TO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATE. 
          AND IF WE KNOW OF ANY EMPLOYEES, PLEASE. WE USED TO HAVE SOMEONE WHEN I WAS HERE, WE'D HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE REC DEPARTMENT COME AND SING TO US OCCASIONALLY. BUT IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE, PLEASE, LET'S KEEP THE ARTS MOMENT ALIVE AND LET'S PARTICIPATE. ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE PART OF OR OR THE CITY. I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WITH REGARD TO SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST MEETING, MR. MAYOR, AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT IT'S A DIG ON YOU OR ANYTHING, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TO KIND OF CLARIFY. SO I'VE LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT ACTUALLY TAKE THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND NOT JUST THE COMMENTS ON PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND SO ON, WHERE WE HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED TO SOMEBODY ABOUT A DEVELOPMENT, OR WE RECEIVED THESE EMAILS AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE CAPTURED THROUGH THE CLERK. BUT WHEN THEY GET PUBLIC COMMENTS, SOME CITIES ACTUALLY STAND UP AND READ THESE COMMENTS AT THE MEETINGS. SOME COMMUNITIES STILL DO THAT. WE DON'T REALLY DO THAT. BUT I NOTICED THAT THE MAYOR DID PICK ONE COMMENT AT ONE OF OUR RECENT MEETINGS AND DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY REFER TO THE PERSON, BUT REFERRED TO THE CONTENTS OF THE COMMENT. AND WE'RE ALL INTO FREE SPEECH AND EVERYTHING. AND I AGREE WITH YOUR IDEA OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THE COMMENTS AND ALL THE EMAILS IN THE SAME SYSTEM, LIKE THE COUNTY AND SO ON, BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE, WE EITHER DO ALL OR IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT SAYS ALL THE COMMENTS ON WHATEVER IT IS CHICKENS, A PARK, WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS, WE EITHER READ ALL OF THEM, BUT NOT JUST PICK ONE THAT MAY BE PARTICULARLY NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE TOWARDS CERTAIN THINGS. THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST MY THING ON THAT. YOU JUST MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE EITHER GIVE EQUAL TIME TO EVERYBODY, OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE DEALING WITH, THEN IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA. AND WE'LL SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE GOT THIS COMMENT, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHERS, AND THE CLERK ALREADY HAS THE COPIES OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN. SO THAT WAS JUST MY COMMENT ON THAT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS I'VE HAD RESIDENTS WHO LIVE CLOSE TO POCKET PARKS, AND MILTON KNOWS ALL ABOUT THIS BECAUSE HE HE KEEPS THEM CLEAN AND HE FOLLOWS THE GUIDELINES ON THE FINE GRANTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THESE ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THEY'RE THEY'RE JUST MAINTAINED. BUT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT SOME OF THESE POCKET PARKS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT LEAD TO THE WATERWAY AND THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE WATERWAY, OR THERE MAY NOT BE A 
          [00:50:01]
BENCH OR SOMETHING THERE FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE WATERWAY. SO THEY'VE ASKED PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME TO LOOK INTO IT. I TOLD THEM THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING AN INVENTORY OF OUR PARK SPACES AND PARK LOCATIONS, AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER, AND WHAT OTHER VACANT LAND, WHETHER THEY BE CLOSE TO THEM OR IN OTHER AREAS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT. AND I, I'LL GIVE THE INFORMATION TO CITY MANAGER AND HE CAN TALK TO THESE RESIDENTS AND THE AREA THAT THEY LIVE IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING UP. AND HE CAN ALSO DEAL WITH THAT WITH MILTON. YESTERDAY I WENT TO THE GREEN MARKET ON SUNDAY, AND I WAS JUST REALLY THRILLED AT THE LEVEL OF THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THEIR WARES AT THE GREEN MARKET, AND HOW LONG SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN THERE AT THE GREEN MARKET, AND WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE, BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD QUALITY AND WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S WELL PUBLICIZED AND THAT PEOPLE COME DOWN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT GREEN MARKET ON A SUNDAY. IT IS JUST A WONDERFUL PLACE TO STROLL AND TO BE, AND I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MAIN STREET GROUP FOR KEEPING THAT UP. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT THEY DO. I KNOW THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE AGENDA IS THE THE BOAT RACE, AND PEOPLE ALSO HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND I JUST THINK THAT EVERY TIME WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE ROAD TO CLOSING CERTAIN THINGS, EVERYBODY HAS COMMENTS. BUT WE'VE BEEN A COMMUNITY THAT'S SO MUCH A PART OF THIS AND SUPPORTING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT. BUT PEOPLE HAVE ALSO ASKED ME ABOUT THAT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK IT'S JUST ONE MORE WAY TO HAVE TRAFFIC ISSUES. BUT I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT WHENEVER THE BOAT RACE COMES UP. AND THAT'S IT. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK. I WANT TO GET A CONSENSUS FROM THE CITY COMMISSION THEN REGARDING AN AGENDA ITEM TO GETTING OUR EMAILS ONLINE THEN, SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO READ THEM INTO THE RECORD. YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT FOR A LONG. BEEN ASKING SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND I DON'T. YEAH, I THINK THAT IT REALLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN. YEAH. 
          SO WE. COMMISSIONER RICH, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT COMING BACK AS A AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS HAVING OUR EMAILS ONLINE, LIKE MARTIN COUNTY HAS THEM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DISCUSS AS AN AGENDA ITEM, I CERTAINLY DO NOT. PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. SO MIKE, YOU GOT DIRECTION ON THAT. SO I WON'T HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE. ONE THING I WON'T DO WHILE I'M SITTING IN THIS CHAIR IS I'M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE FOR READING INAPPROPRIATE EMAILS THAT I RECEIVE. I WORK HARD FOR THE PUBLIC AND AND I DON'T TAKE OFFENSE. BY THE WAY, COMMISSIONER CLARK, I HAVE VERY THICK SKIN SITTING IN THIS CHAIR, AND I THINK THE PUBLIC ENJOYS AND APPRECIATES MY HARD WORK ON WHAT I DO DO. SO THANKS FOR LOOKING OUT FOR ME THERE. I ALSO WANTED TO GET A CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD. I'D LIKE TO DO ANOTHER TOWN HALL NEXT MONTH ON GOVERNMENT EDUCATION AND HAVE IT AT CITY HALL. I DID MY FIRST ONE, I BELIEVE, BACK IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY AT THE 10TH STREET REC CENTER, AND THERE WAS PROBABLY 20 PEOPLE, 30 MAYBE, THAT CAME OUT IN SUPPORT ON TRYING TO LEARN GOVERNMENT. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WERE OKAY WITH THAT. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES. SO NEXT MONTH IS AUGUST, CORRECT? AND MARY, SEPTEMBER 17TH IS WHEN A CITY WEEK WHEN A CITY GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY, I WANT TO SAY OCTOBER 1ST OR SECOND WEEK IN OCTOBER. OKAY. SO I'M THINKING CONSTITUTION, THAT IS SEPTEMBER. OKAY. SO NO, IT'S JUST THINKING WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING WITH COINCIDE WITH CITY GOVERNMENT THING. BUT SHE SAYS IT'S OCTOBER 1ST IN AUGUST AGAIN IN OCTOBER WHEN IT IS GOVERNMENT MONTH. YEAH, YEAH. SO DO I HAVE A CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD? NO PROBLEM. I, I ALWAYS LIKE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION JUST TO. I MEAN, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE EVENT. I THINK YOU'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO ELECTION DAY. YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT IT'S NOT PERCEIVED AS POLITICAL. YEAH. THAT'S I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH IT'S JUST DELAY IT MAYBE BY A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THE ELECTION TO AVOID THAT APPEARANCE, BE THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT GOVERNMENT BEFORE YOU VOTE. YES. SO IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE. 
          YEAH. I DON'T REALLY GET INTO THE POLITICAL STUFF. WHEN I DO MY TOWN HALL STUFF. I DID IT AT 
          [00:55:01]
THE FIRST ONE. I'M A LOT MORE PROFESSIONAL WITH THAT. COMMISSIONER RICH, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. AND I CAN GET WITH JIM. JIM HELPED ME ON THE LAST ONE. IT SEEMS LIKE COMMISSIONER CLARK HAS NO ISSUES. AND COMMISSIONER JOB, I'LL GET WITH MIKE AND JIM FOR NEXT MONTH AND WE CAN COME UP WITH A DATE. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK JIM FOR THE 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS SHOW. WE DID GET AN EMAIL AND I TAGGED JIM IN THAT IT'S. IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK DOING THAT EVERY EVERY YEAR. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, JIM, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK. WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE. HEAR THE FIREWORKS GUY. AND AS FAR AS THE ROAD CLOSURE, IT'S IT'S IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE BOAT RACES, IT'S FOR A BOAT SHOW. AND I, AND WE DID GIVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER. THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM COMING BACK TALKING ABOUT A LONG TERM LEASE. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR. AND IT'D PROBABLY HELP YOUR VENDORS OUT. AND EVERYBODY THAT PUTS ON THE BOAT SHOW IT SHOULD BE HERE TO STAY. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS I KNOW, THEY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS LIKE THE TRAFFIC AND STUFF, BUT IT'S BEEN HERE FOR 53 YEARS NOW, SO I'D HATE TO SEE IT GO AWAY. LIKE SOME OTHER EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN MARTIN COUNTY AND THE CITY OF STUART. MOVING ON TO COMMENTS BY THE CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU MAYOR. OH, COMMISSIONER JOB HAD HER LIGHT ON. I WANTED TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER CLARK HAD SAID, AND I BELIEVE YOU WERE OUT OF TOWN THAT WEEK. 
          SO WE'RE DOWN WITH FOUR COMMISSIONERS. I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DAR WE TRIED VERY HARD TO MAKE THEM BOTH WORK. YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING, THEY HAD A HARD STOP. THEY HAD TO DO IT AT 10:00. THEY COULDN'T WAIT. AND SO THEY UNDERSTOOD AND THEY MOVED ON. AND WE THOUGHT MAYBE AT SOME OTHER TIME WE COULD GET TOGETHER WITH THE D, A R AND DO A PHOTO OP OR SOMETHING. BUT THEY WEREN'T JUST LEFT OR IGNORED. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THEM. THEY WERE AWARE THAT WE JUST COULDN'T MAKE IT WORK ON THE CALENDAR. SO I KNOW YOU WERE AWAY THAT WEEKEND, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE. I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE AT THE EVENT. I WAS THERE AT THEIR EVENT. YEAH. BUT YEAH, I JUST KNOW THAT IT AND I KNOW THAT CITY MANAGER COULDN'T BE THERE. IT WAS JUST A TOUGH TIME. 
          COMMISSIONER IS THERE THEN YOU WERE I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE. THAT'S GOOD. YOU DID A GOOD JOB. 
          WE WERE IN THE PARADE. YES WE WERE. YEAH. YEAH. SO WE COVERED ALL BASES. THERE YOU GO. ALL 
          [COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER ]
RIGHT. COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU MAYOR. YOU'RE WELCOME. APPRECIATE IT. TO PARLAY OFF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL THEME WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, WE ARE ENGAGING AGAIN WITH EVERGLADES, THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION COMMEMORATING A A TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY COMING UP HERE IN AUGUST OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT CALLING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A RESERVOIR SOUTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. AND I'LL REMIND THE COMMISSION, LAST YEAR YOU VOTED IN SUPPORT YOUR RESOLUTION 51-2025 RESCUE THE RIVER OF GRASS. THE PETITION BY THE FRIENDS OF THE EVERGLADES. SO THIS COMMISSION SUPPORTED THESE EFFORTS IN THE PAST. THERE IS A COMMEMORATION THIS COMING AUGUST ON THE 7TH OF AUGUST, COMMEMORATING THE 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9TH AUGUST EVENT. AND SO WE'LL BE ENGAGING IN THAT AND MAY ASK FOR PARTICIPATION FROM THE COMMISSION ON THAT. MORE TO FOLLOW AT THE NEXT MEETING. YES, BUT THANKS TO RUTH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. THANKS TO THE COMMISSION FOR SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS AND LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THIS COMMISSION IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF ALL EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIVER IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF, AND THAT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, OUR STAFF, AND AGAIN, THIS COMMISSION IS ENGAGED ON THIS EFFORT, MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF THAT. WE HAVE A TV STAR IN OUR MIDST, OFFICER ANDY SUDHOFF, WHO IS A GERMAN NATIONAL BUT A 20 YEAR VETERAN OF THE STUART POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAS BEEN MOONLIGHTING, IF YOU WILL, AS A TV STAR AND WILL BE FEATURED THIS COMING FALL IN ON GERMAN TELEVISION. A VERSION OF THEIR COPS, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED ACHTUNG CONTROL. AND I SPENT THREE YEARS IN GERMANY, SO I CAN SAY WORDS LIKE THAT. BUT AND YOU KNOW, SO IT WILL BE AIRED THIS FALL AND WE WILL ALL BE ABLE TO SEE VIA YOUTUBE AND OTHER METHODS OF GETTING VIDEO. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TV STAR. AND AGAIN, A 20 YEAR VETERAN OF THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A FABULOUS POLICE DEPARTMENT. I TOO WELL, I'M GOING TO SAVE THIS FOR LAST. SO I'LL GO TO BEFORE I GO TO 
          [01:00:09]
THE LAST ANTHONY COOLING TO. YOU'VE MET KATE AND ANTHONY. COOLING IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE FINANCE TEAM OR BUDGET DIRECTOR. NEW TO THE PROCESS, BUT WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE DEDICATED VETERAN STAFF. MOST ARE IN THIS ROOM. YOU GOT SOME NEW FINANCE FOLKS WHO AREN'T NEW TO THE FINANCE WORLD, NEW TO MARTIN COUNTY, NEW TO NEW TO STUART, JUST LIKE MYSELF, BUT WELL SEASONED AND FULLY ACCOMPLISHED. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. ANTHONY'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD SINCE I'VE ARRIVED, AND I THANK THE DEPARTMENTS FOR BOTH THEIR COOPERATION AND EDUCATION ON HOW THINGS ARE DONE HERE. I THINK WE'VE GOT A GREAT PROCESS IN PLACE. I THINK KATE SHOWED YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, AND WE'LL COME TO A RESOLUTION HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LOOKING FOR THE COMMISSION'S HELP ON THAT, LOOKING FOR THE PUBLIC'S HELP ON THAT. TO YOUR POINT, MR. MAYOR, WE'LL TAKE ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET TO GET TO A BALANCED BUDGET AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RESOURCING THIS CITY PROPERLY AND MAKING SURE THE STAFF IS TAKEN CARE OF AND DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. 
          THAT SAID, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OR WHAT GETS DONE? 4TH OF JULY, JIM AND HIS TEAM OUTSTANDING WORK TO COMMEMORATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS COUNTRY. TO CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY. STEWART STYLE. THE WAY IT'S DONE, THE WAY IT'S DONE HERE, IT'S SPECTACULAR. DOESN'T COME ALONE. YOU SAW JIM'S STAFF HERE TODAY AND GETTING RECOGNIZED BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF YEAR THAT IT IS. BUT EACH AND EVERY DAY THEY'RE DOING THAT WORK AND THEY DO IT WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE REST OF THE TEAM WHO ARE ALSO IN THIS ROOM. SO WORKING TOGETHER AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT JIM GETS THE SHOULDER, THE BURDEN ON THE 4TH OF JULY AND HIS STAFF AND MIKE AND JESSICA SUPPORTING HIM AND THE REST OF THE TEAM. SO THANK YOU, JIM. THANK YOU. THE REST OF THE TEAM. THANK YOU. THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, 
          [APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]
MAYOR. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. THANKS, MIKE. MOVING ON. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? MOVE. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA IS PUBLISHED. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA BY COMMISSIONER CLERK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOB. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, 
          [COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (Non-Agenda Related)]
I. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. REMEMBER, IT'S THREE MINUTES, MARY. FIRST ONE IS BONNIE LANDRY. WELCOME, BONNIE. SO FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS BONNIE LANDRY. I LIVE AT THREE, THREE, SIX SOUTHWEST RIDGE LANE. AND I HAVE A BUSINESS OFF OF ALBANY AVENUE. AND I'VE BEEN WANTING TO COME FOR SO MANY MONTHS TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE POCKET PARKS. SO I PICKED A VERY GOOD MEETING TO TALK ABOUT IT. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE IT'S POLITICAL SEASON, BUT I THINK PARKS IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY CAN AGREE IS A GOOD USE OF YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. SO THE PARK THAT I GO TO ON A DAILY BASIS IS CALLED MANATEE PARK, AND I HAVE SOME HANDOUTS FOR Y'ALL. YEAH. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT JESSICA SAYS I'M GOING TO REPEAT BECAUSE I FEEL THE SAME WAY. MANY PEOPLE, WHEN THEY THINK OF A PARK, THEY THINK OF A BOAT RAMP, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. BUT WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT ARE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, THESE LITTLE GEMS, THEY'RE JUST LIKE SET IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU CAN WALK TO. YOU DON'T NEED TO GET IN YOUR CAR. AND THE ONE THAT I GO TO EVERY SINGLE DAY LITERALLY IS MANATEE PARK. IT WAS DONE VIA A GRANT. IT HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE. I SEE NATURE EVERY DAY. I'VE SEEN FAMILIES OF DUCKS. I EVEN ONE TIME, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SAW A MANATEE IN THAT CANAL. SO IT IS AN AMAZING PLACE AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHO MAINTAIN THEM. YES, BECAUSE I KNOW AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK I SEE MILTON'S TEAM OUT THERE MOWING AND TRIMMING AND AND, YOU KNOW, EMPTYING THE TRASH BECAUSE WE HAVE A LITTLE POTTY STATION FOR THE DOGS. IT'S REALLY NOT A DOG PARK, BUT WE USE IT LIKE THAT. I WANTED TO ALSO RECOMMEND, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A MASCOT, LUNA LANDRY WOULD LOVE TO BE YOUR SPOKESPERSON. SHE'S AN ADORABLE YELLOW LAB AND WE GO THERE 
          [01:05:08]
EVERY DAY AND SHE LOVES IT. AND YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY, WE CALL IT LUNA'S PARK, BUT IT REALLY IS MANATEE PARK. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAXES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLITICAL. 
          BUT AGAIN, WHATEVER MONEY AS A TAXPAYER THAT I HAVE TO PAY TO MAINTAIN THAT PARK, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO PAY BECAUSE THEY DO A GOOD JOB. AND I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION AND TELL YOU HOW AND HOW THAT PARK HAS ENRICHED MY LIFE. AND IT'S NOBODY PROBABLY KNOWS IT'S THERE OTHER THAN PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE FACT THAT I CAN WALK THERE MAKES IT A BONUS. I DON'T NEED PARKING. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. BONNIE. THINK ABOUT LUNA. THANK YOU. LUNA. MR. MAYOR, COULD YOU JUST ASK HER TO CLARIFY? SHE KEPT SAYING MANATEE PARK, BUT IT'S A PICTURE OF MANGROVE PARK. OKAY. 
          MANATEE PARK AS WELL, BY THE WAY. AND I KNEW THERE WAS ONE IN SALERNO. IT IS. THIS IS THE NAME OF THE PARK? YES. YEAH. BY THE PROPERTY. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. BOB. WOLFERT. 
          WELCOME, BOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME. MY NAME IS BOB WOLFORD. I'M A MEMBER AND COACH FOR THE HELLGATE SEA DRAGONS, LOCATED IN SHEPHERDS PARK, WHERE A 5013 C TEAM. AND JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW, WHAT'S GOING ON? BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO INFORM THE COMMISSION AS TO WHAT'S BEEN TRANSPIRING. WE'RE GROWING FAST. IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, THE SENIOR WOMEN TEAM TOOK A BRONZE MEDAL IN LUNAR NEW YEAR DRAGON BOAT RACES IN FLORIDA. 
          THE. IN MARCH, THE SENIOR WOMEN. AGAIN FROM STUART HERE TOOK ANOTHER BRONZE MEDAL IN INVERNESS, FLORIDA. SO THEY'RE DOING VERY WELL. IN JUNE WE HAD A MIXED CREW. WE SENT DOWN A LOT OF RIVER RACE AND JONATHAN DICKINSON PARK. WE TOOK FIRST PLACE. SO THE. THE CREW IS DOING VERY WELL IN THE PARK. MOVING FORWARD IN AUGUST, WE WILL HAVE TEN. WOMEN ARE GOING TO FLY TO FRANCE. WE BEEN FUNDRAISING FOR A YEAR AND A HALF FOR THIS. THEY'RE GOING TO COMPETE WITH 4500 BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR WOMEN IN FRANCE IN. LEBANON. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT ON ON RACE NEWS INFORMATION. WE PROMOTE WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN UP TO JOIN US AT NO COST. WE WE EXPRESS THAT IN OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL. AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. EVERY SATURDAY, WE ALWAYS HAVE GUESTS THAT COME AND WE TAKE THEM OUT ON THE WATER. THE CLUB ALSO HOSTED IN JUNE A CAMP WET FOR KIDS. NOW THIS CAMP IS STRICTLY FOR THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. THEY PUT THAT TOGETHER. THEY CAME TO US. WE PUT THIS PROGRAM ON IN SHEPARD'S PARK. IT'S 35 KIDS. WE TOOK THEM OUT ON THE BOAT IN DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS. IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL CAMP ESTABLISHED BY THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT'S GOING TO TRAVEL TO NATAL, BRAZIL, THIS YEAR. IN OCTOBER. THEY'RE GOING TO HELP WITH THE COMMUNITY TEAM DOWN THERE, BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS AS WELL. THEY REACHED OUT FOR US AS WELL AS A TEAM IN SARASOTA. WE'RE GOING TO GET TOGETHER AND GO DOWN THERE AND HELP THEM OUT AND ORGANIZE THE TEAM. IN CONCLUSION, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT SUPPORT HD-SDI AND ACTIVITIES IN SHEPHERD'S PARK. THIS IS A SMALL PORTION OF THE ACTIVITY THAT'S OCCURRED THIS YEAR. WITHOUT GREAT SUPPORT FROM THE CITY AND THE COMMISSIONERS, WE WOULDN'T BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE ARE. THANK YOU AGAIN. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER CLARK? YES. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HAVE BEEN THERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN THERE AND I'VE BEEN OUT ON THE BOAT. AND IT'S IT'S JUST WONDERFUL WHAT I WANT TO ASK YOU, AND I KNOW THAT IT DEPENDS ON YOUR LEASE TERM AND OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED ON AND RENEWED AND SO ON. 
          BUT WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE REGIONAL COMPETITIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT COME TO OUR STEWART AREA. SO WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF THAT? VERY GOOD. WE'VE SURVEYED THE CITY OF STEWART, AND MY PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO HAVE IT IN THE CITY. STEWART WE HAVE TWO LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF STEWART THAT WE SELECTED WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A REGATTA ON, AND ONE OF THEM RIGHT NOW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS THE DOCKS. THAT'S A YEAR OUT. 
          WELL, IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY TAKE US A YEAR OUT TO ORGANIZE THIS. IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED. A LOT OF LOGISTICAL WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE OTHER PLACES OUTSIDE THE CITY, WHICH IS THE STEWART CAUSEWAY, THAT'S NOT THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY. I'D RATHER NOT DO IT THERE. I'D RATHER DO IT IN THE CITY TO ENHANCE THE BUSINESSES AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY IN THE 
          [01:10:04]
CITY TO SEE WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. BUT IT'S ON THE TABLE. WE ARE WORKING IT RIGHT NOW. 
          ONCE THE DOCKS GET COMPLETED, WE WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIT THAT IN SOMEHOW. I'VE ALREADY SPOKE WITH THE PERMITS, THE PEOPLE THAT HANDLE THE PERMITS IN THE CITY, AND THEY'RE OPEN ARMS. THEY'RE READY TO GO. I JUST GOT TO WE JUST GOT TO GET THOSE DOCKS OUT THERE COMPLETED. 
          THEY'RE WORKING ON IT. YEP. THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOB. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. I WANTED TO SAY YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY EFFICIENT. I, I USE SHEPARD'S BOAT RAMP FREQUENTLY, AND YOU GUYS ARE VERY EFFICIENT WITH LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVING. IT'S VERY SMOOTH. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DOCKS TO GET FIXED TO. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS. DEREK OGDEN. 
          WELCOME. GOOD EVENING. DEREK OGDEN STEWART RESIDENT. I WANT TO START WITH WHERE I LEFT OFF LAST LAST MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IN MAY, THIS COMMISSION CONSIDERED A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WOULD HAVE LET THE VOTERS OF STEWART DECIDE BEFORE SAILFISH BALL FIELD COULD BE SOLD OR LEASED, COMMISSIONER REED BROUGHT IT FORWARD. COMMISSIONER JOBBY JOB MOTION FOR IT, AND IT DIED WITH COMMISSIONER CLARK AND COMMISSIONER RICH LETTING IT DIE WITHOUT EVEN DISCUSSING. POINT OF ORDER, MR. MAYOR. POINT OF ORDER. IN PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REFER TO ANY COMMISSIONER SPECIFICALLY, AND YOU CAN JUST REFER TO THE OTHER COMMISSION COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER GIOVI. LET ME ADDRESS IT. WE. 
          WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON RECITING WHAT COMMISSIONER RICH HAD TO SAY? CODE OF ORDINANCES SECTION 2-50 ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL NOT BE USED TO AIR PERSONAL GRIEVANCES BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, MAKE POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS OR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN PURPOSES. 
          SPEAKERS SHALL ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSIONERS AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS. DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN SPEAKERS AND MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED, AS DEREK'S STATEMENT, RECITING PAST AGENDA ITEMS AND MOTIONS CONSTITUTE TO THAT LEVEL. BECAUSE HE'S RECITING WHAT WAS DONE IN A PRIOR MEETING. I WOULD SAY IF HE'S JUST RECALLING A PRIOR VOTE, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY SPEAKING TO AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER OR CALLING ONE OUT. YOU'RE SAYING WHAT HAPPENED IN A PREVIOUS. 
          BUT OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE KIND OF ON THE. IN MY OPINION, WE'RE KIND OF ON THE. HE'S ON THE BORDER. 
          OKAY. WELL, YOU ADD IN THE POLITICAL ELEMENT. I THINK HE'S CROSSED THE LINE THERE. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WE WERE ON THE THE CUFF, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THE LAST TIME AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FROM THE DAIS SAID THAT THEY WERE DOOR KNOCKING AS WELL. SO HOW DOES THAT WORK THEN? I JUST WANT TO MAKE I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AND BE RESPECTFUL TOWARDS PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THE BOARD MEMBERS DURING POINT OF ORDER. AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S BORDERLINE. SO WHAT DIRECTION DO I GO IN AS THE CHAIR THEN? WELL, A POINT OF ORDER WAS RAISED. SO YOU HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE. AND IF THE REST OF THE COMMISSION DOESN'T LIKE YOUR DECISION, I GET YOU'RE SEEKING MY INPUT ON IT AND MAKING YOUR DECISION. YOU GOT TO ADDRESS THE POINT OF ORDER THAT COMMISSIONER RICHARDS RAISED AFTER. I GUESS MY ADVICE TO YOU. 
          AND THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO DO A MOTION TO CHALLENGE YOUR YOUR RULING, OR THEY CAN JUST LEAVE IT AS IS, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, I ADDRESSED COMMISSIONER RICH'S COMMENTS IN THE PAST. HE DID NOT MAKE A POLITICAL ENDORSEMENT OR SPEAK ON BEHALF OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN PURPOSE. 
          HE WAS JUST MERELY SAYING WHILE I WAS OUT CAMPAIGNING, I'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT WAS AT ISSUE HERE. YOU HAVE A RESIDENT WHO IS CALLING OUT SPECIFIC COMMISSIONERS, BUT IT WAS A VOTE THAT THEY HAD DONE WITHIN THE LAST MEETING OR TWO. SO HE'S ALSO RECALLING JUST A PRIOR VOTE. SO I JUST THINK IF, AGAIN, THE THE RESIDENTS SHOULD BE SPEAKING TO THE TO TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE AND NOT CALLING OUT AND SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS. I DON'T THINK HE'S DOING THAT. I THINK HE'S CURRENTLY HE'S RECALLING A PRIOR VOTE. IF HE'S SPEAKING TO ONE COMMISSIONER AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, MR. JOVIAN, I'M NOT POINTING OUT THAT'S. THAT'S NOT ALLOWED UNDER SECTION 2-50. SO I, I DON'T MY OPINION IS, AS THE. CHAIR I DON'T THINK IT RISES TO THAT LEVEL. SO I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. BUT. COMMISSIONER CLERK, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. THANKS. I'M SORRY THAT THIS IS GOING ON DURING YOUR COMMENT, MR. OGDEN, BUT I GET MY TIME. MR. MR. BAGGOTT, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT MR. OGDEN IS A RESIDENT, BUT 
          [01:15:09]
HE'S ACTUALLY AN ACTIVE CANDIDATE. OH, ALRIGHT. WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING POLITICS. I KNOW, I HEAR THAT. I JUST WANTED TO LET HIM KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT WE CAN'T BE DISCUSSING. I KNOW, I KNOW THAT, BUT I JUST. COMMISSIONER, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. YES. NUMBER ONE, HE'S DOING PUBLIC COMMENT AND HE DID NOT MENTION THAT HE WAS A. YEAH. RIGHT. BUT YOU DID. NOW YOU BROUGHT IT. WELL IT'S OKAY, BUT I, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON HERE. AND IN, IN RESPONSE TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, THERE WAS KIND OF ON THE FENCE WHEN AT THE LAST MEETING OR TWO MEETINGS AGO WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED, THIS IS ON THE FENCE. I THINK THAT THE MAYOR HAS THE RIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. SO DOES THAT ARE WE MOVING FORWARD OR IS THERE GOING TO BE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RICH OR SOMEONE UP ON THIS BOARD REGARDING MY STANCE ON IT? SEEING NONE, MARY, WOULD HE GET HIS THREE MINUTES BACK THEN? OKAY. WE'LL START. OKAY. I HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS. OKAY. OKAY. SHOULD I START OVER? WELL, I GUESS YOU GOT TWO MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS. WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO START OVER? I WOULD LIKE IT TO START OVER. WE WILL START. IT WAS DISRUPTED AND. YEAH. YES. GO AHEAD. SO THAT MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT DIED. AND I'LL ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION. IF A COMMISSIONER DOESN'T WANT RESIDENTS TO HOLD THE POWER TO APPROVE THE SALE OR LEASE OF THEIR OWN PARKS, WHY WOULD YOU KEEP THAT POWER ON THE DAIS? WHY HOLD ON TO IT IF NOT TO USE IT? THE SECOND REASON I AM HERE, WHEN I RAISED THIS TWO WEEKS AGO AND NAME THE COMMISSIONERS INVOLVED, COMMISSIONER RICH REFERENCED A CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAID COMMISSIONERS COULD NOT BE NAMED IN PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS FALSE. POINT OF ORDER. I HAVE A COPY. POINT OF ORDER. HE'S NOW NOT TALKING ABOUT A VOTE THAT WAS CAST. I HAVE, BUT HE'S TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID. IT SAYS IN THE ORDINANCE YOU SHALL. THEY SHALL ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE. THIS IS WHY YOU CAN'T OPEN THIS DOOR, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT LEADS. THAT IS NOT A RECITATION OF THE VOTE THAT IS NOW SAYING THIS COMMISSIONER SAID THAT, I'M SORRY, THAT'S NOT ALLOWED IN A PUBLIC MEETING. AS AS THE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER RICH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. MR. BAGGOTT, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST TO DESCRIBE HOW THAT, IN FACT, IS DIFFERENT. THAT ADDITIONAL COMMENT. AGAIN, THE THE LANGUAGE BEFORE HE WAS DESCRIBING A VOTE THAT OCCURRED IN THE PAST, IT'S IT'S YOU'RE NOW KIND OF CROSSING THE LINE INTO CALLING OUT AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER. I, I'M ADDRESSING THE BOARD ABOUT SOMETHING I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO ENGAGE. I'M JUST THEY'RE ASKING FOR MY OPINION AND I'M, I'M GIVING IT. 
          I, I JUST THINK WE'RE TREADING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE OPEN. I MEAN, TO BE HONEST, I MEAN, THE, THE, A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS AGO, WE STARTED ENGAGING IN THIS SAME SECTION SAYS THERE IS NO DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE SPEAKERS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THE SPEAKER COME BACK AND DO A PRESENTATION. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE VIOLATING THIS SECTION MULTIPLE TIMES IN TODAY'S MEETING. SO I, I. YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES. 
          WE HAVE IT IN THERE FOR A REASON SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE NAME CALLING AND FIGHTS DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH THE RESIDENTS. AND IF WE IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE, WE ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN EVEN A LITTLE BIT. AND WE'RE KIND OF OPENING THE FLOODGATES. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS YOU GUYS ARE THE COMMISSION. YOU CAN MAKE EXCEPTIONS, WHICH YOU HAVE. AND I MEAN, THESE ARE YOUR RULES, BUT YOU CAN OVERRULE THE RULES ON A TEMPORARY BASIS IF YOU WANT TO. 
          BUT I, I THINK WE, OUR PREDECESSORS, PUT THIS RULE IN THERE FOR A PURPOSE SO THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS DON'T TURNS OUT TO A WITCH HUNT OR A POLITICAL RALLY. OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE IN THERE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, I ASSUME, AND THEY DON'T WANT IT TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN OR A BAD SITUATION HAPPEN. I THINK WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE, THE, THE RESIDENTS TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO COMMISSIONERS AND CALLING THEM OUT ON SPECIFIC THINGS. AGAIN, WHEN HE FIRST STARTED, HE WAS RECALLING A PRIOR VOTE. I DIDN'T SEE AN ISSUE, BUT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE GOING INTO A SLIPPERY SLOPE. SO I, I WOULD SAY JUST TO CAUTION THE SPEAKER TO NOT TO NAME OUT SPECIFIC NAMES AND JUST CONTINUE ON WITH HIS COMMENTS, ALL HE HAS TO SAY WAS A COMMENT WAS MADE. I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES AS THE CHAIR COMMISSIONER RICH, I DON'T THINK IT WAS AN ATTACK OR ANYTHING TOWARDS YOU. HE WAS JUST RECITING ON A PRIOR MEETING, BUT I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE AS THE CHAIR I MEAN, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT THEN I WILL MAKE A MOTION BEFORE YOU DO THAT. COMMISSIONER RICH, IF I JUST 
          [01:20:05]
I'D SEND AN EMAIL IN THE PAST. I JUST WANT SURE WE FOLLOW THE RULES HERE. WHEN A MEMBER THINKS THAT THE RULES OF THE BOARD ARE BEING VIOLATED, HE OR SHE CAN MAKE A POINT OF ORDER AND RAISE A QUESTION OF ORDER, WHICH IS WHAT COMMISSIONER RICH DID, THEREBY CALLING UPON THE CHAIR, THE MAYOR, FOR A RULING. THE MAYOR MAKES A RULING, NOT THE CITY ATTORNEY. I'M NOT MAKING A RULING. HE'S JUST ASKING FOR MY ADVICE HERE. I'M NOT THE JUDGE. I AM JUST LEGAL ADVICE UP HERE. THE CHAIR RUNS AND PRESIDES OVER THIS MEETING. SO THEREFORE, THE CHAIR FOR RULING AN ENFORCEMENT OF THE REGULAR RULES. AND HE MADE A DECISION. THE CHAIR CAN OBVIOUSLY RAISE IT AS WELL ON HIS OWN ACCORD. IT IT TAKES PRECEDENT OVER ANY OTHER PENDING QUESTION OF WHICH IT MAY ARISE. THE POINT OF ORDER CAN BE RAISED UP UNTIL THE POINT IN TIME WHEN THE CHAIR STATES THE QUESTION AND THE BOARD BEGINS DISCUSSION AND DEBATE. NO VOTE IS TAKEN UNLESS THE CHAIR IS IN DOUBT OF HIS OR HER RULING, AND IS APPEALED BY A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO IF. IF THERE IS A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO HIS HIS HIS RULING, ANY OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CAN APPEAL HIS RULING AND. BUT IT MUST GET A SECOND, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A VOTE OF THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MAYOR BE REQUIRED TO ENFORCE THE RULES OF DECORUM WITH REGARD TO ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION, AND SPECIFICALLY NOT ALLOWING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO CALL OUT IN ANY MANNER INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS. I THINK THAT'S FAIR. AND SHOULD I SECOND IT? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RICH REGARDING PUBLIC COMMENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION BEING ADDRESSED AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLERK. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MOTION? MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT A GREEN CARD. WE'LL GET BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT. REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS AFTER THIS MOTION. IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MOTION, MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT A GREEN CARD WITH THE CLERK. 
          ROBIN CARTWRIGHT, CITY OF STUART. EXCUSE ME, MARY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UPDATE MINE TO BE THIS BECAUSE IT'S APPLICABLE TO THIS. I AM COMPLETELY FLABBERGASTED BY THE FACT THAT COMMISSIONERS ARE WELCOME TO TAKE THE ACCOLADES WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING HONORED. 
          BUT THE MINUTE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S POTENTIALLY DISPARAGING THAT YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH IT. I DID EMAIL THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THE PREVIOUS COMMENT THAT WAS MADE BY A SITTING COMMISSIONER, WHO HAPPENS TO BE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE DAIS, SINCE WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT BY NAME ABOUT THE COMMENT THAT HE MADE WHEN HE STATED THAT HE WAS DOOR KNOCKING AND IT WAS BORDERLINE ELECTIONEERING. AND I ALSO EMAILED THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS, AND I EMAILED THE FLORIDA ELECTION COMMISSION ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS QUESTIONABLE. YOU CAN'T APPLY THE RULES TO SOME AND NOT TO ALL. SO A PERSON SEEKING REELECTION, IT IS NOT MUNICIPAL BUSINESS, EVEN IF IT'S MADE IN PASSING. YOU CANNOT USE THE MEETING TO STRUCTURE IT AS A BROADCAST BECAUSE IT GOES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF A COMMISSIONER'S CHARTER. AUTHORIZED POWERS. YOU CANNOT CONVERT THAT TO AN OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURE INTO A CAMPAIGN ADVERTISEMENT THAT VIOLATES THE SPIRIT AND TEXT OF THE FINANCING LAWS, AND YOU CANNOT ALLOW COMMISSIONER TO CAMPAIGN FROM THE DAIS AS IT BREAKS PROCEDURAL RULES OF ORDER. AS IT IS A TAX. YOU ARE IN A TAXPAYER FUNDED FORUM TO BROADCAST A PERSONAL MESSAGE THAT NON-INCUMBENT CHALLENGERS ARE LEGALLY BLOCKED FROM MATCHING, SINCE CHALLENGERS ARE RESTRICTED TO PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE PODIUM IN THREE MINUTES OR IN FORCE FOR THEIR TIME LIMITS AND IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT, IT STATES. VERY SPECIFICALLY, THE CITY COMMISSION IS PRECLUDED BY FLORIDA LAW FROM ENDORSING ANY CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICE. THE CITY ATTORNEY DID RESPOND, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR HIS RESPONSE. BUT IT DOES GO INTO THIS SLIPPERY SLOPE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY THE RULES TO SOME, YOU NEED TO APPLY THEM TO EVERYBODY. SO IF YOU'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE ACCOLADES WHERE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BE MENTIONED BY NAME, THAT'S GREAT, BUT YOU ALSO SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE ABLE TO BE CHALLENGED BY YOUR RESIDENTS WHO PAY TAXES IN THE CITY OF STUART, ESPECIALLY TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT YOU SAID SOMETHING, IT IS ON THE RECORD THAT YOU SAID SOMETHING. IT IS NOT A SECRET THAT YOU SAID SOMETHING. SO THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THIS DOUBLE STANDARD WHERE ACCOLADES ARE PROVEN OR ALLOWED AND CRITICISMS OR NOT. NOBODY SAID ANYTHING CRITICAL IN MR. OGDEN'S COMMENT. THAT WAS NOT A CRITICAL STATEMENT. IT SIMPLY WAS. YOU VOTED FOR THIS AND THEN YOU SAID THIS. THERE WAS NO ATTACK. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL ATTACK THAT WAS MADE. 
          AND I FIND IT COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY IRONIC AND COMPLETELY HYPOCRITICAL THAT YOU CAN GO BACK AND FORTH WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE WHEN THEY WHEN YOU LIKE WHAT THEY SAY, BUT WHEN YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAY, YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ROBIN, DO WE HAVE MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? I DO, BUT DEREK OGDEN NEEDS TO CONTINUE HIS. HE WAS NOT COMPLETE WITH HIS THREE MINUTES. WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO THAT. THIS IS WE'RE JUST VOTING ON I'M SORRY. THIS IS REGARDING THE MOTION. OKAY. TOM WITHERINGTON. 
          WHITTINGTON, WHITTINGTON. ARE THERE ANY. PLEASE WELCOME TOM. COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR AND ALL 
          [01:25:02]
THE FOLKS HERE. MY NAME IS TOM WHITTINGTON. I LIVE IN PALM CITY, AND I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE A BODY THAT IS DOING THEIR BEST TO TO TRY TO BRING OUR PARADISE CONTINUALLY TO STUART. AND I JUST HOPE WE AS AS RESIDENTS CAN BE CIVIL IN OUR PRESENTATION OF OUR OF OUR BELIEFS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. TOM. I HAVE NO. PUBLIC COMMENT. SO WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO THE REGULAR PUBLIC. THIS IS THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE MOTION. 
          YES. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER RICH? YEAH. I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE ORDINANCE. 250 THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL NOT BE USED TO AIR PERSONAL GRIEVANCES BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, MAKE POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS OR FOR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN PURPOSES. SPEAKERS SHALL ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSIONERS AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS. IT'S YOUR OBLIGATION IS VERY CLEAR HERE, AND NO ONE WILL BENEFIT FROM ZOOMING DOWN THIS SLIPPERY SLOPE SO THAT I. I ASK THAT WE ALL VOTE IN FAVOR. AND CERTAINLY THIS IS A POLITICAL CANDIDATE THAT WE AIR ON THE FIVE. IF YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDE OF DECORUM. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RICH. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER JOB AGAIN. SO THIS IS THE SECOND COMMISSIONER TO STATE THAT THE PERSON SPEAKING WAS A CANDIDATE, WHICH HE DID NOT STATE IN HIS PUBLIC COMMENT. WHAT I WHAT I WILL SAY I'VE I'VE READ THE ORDINANCE MYSELF. I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANY ATTACKING GOING ON REGARDING IT. THAT'S WHY I. AS THE CHAIR, I DIDN'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH IT MOVING FORWARD, I. I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE RECITING THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST THAT PRIOR PUBLIC MEETINGS, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AN ATTACK PER SE. I THINK MORE OF AN ATTACK LIKE LIKE OUR CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED, IF IT WAS MORE ATTACKING, LIKE, HEY, YOU DID X, Y, Z, YOU SAID THIS, YOU DID THIS, WE'RE ASHAMED OF YOU, ETCETERA, ETCETERA. THAT'S MORE ATTACKING LANGUAGE. BUT THAT'S MY OPINION. COMMISSIONER RICH, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. YEAH. 
          THERE'S IT DOESN'T SAY ATTACK. IT SAYS ADDRESS DOESN'T SAY ATTACK. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ATTACKING TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE. YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO REFERENCE OR ADDRESS ANY INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER. SO DOES THAT MEAN WE CAN'T NAME LIKE ELECTED OFFICIALS UP HERE BY NAME? BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST LIKE ANYTIME YOU MENTION A COMMISSIONER'S NAME, YOU'RE VIOLATING THAT ORDINANCE. TECHNICALLY, IF YOU WANTED TO BE VERY TECHNICAL ABOUT IT. AND THAT AND LIKE WAS STATED IN PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S IT'S HAPPENED I PAST, I THINK, AND I'LL USE YOUR OWN WORDS. I THINK US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE POSITIVE AND THE NEGATIVE. RIGHT. AND, AND I PERSONALLY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THERE WAS ANY CALLING YOU OUT. I'VE BEEN CALLED OUT PUBLICLY AND STUFF WHILE WHILE YOU WERE CHAIR, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. I'M IN THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT AT THIS POINT. 
          SO IS EVERYONE ELSE THAT SITS UP HERE. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CRITICISM, WHETHER IT'S POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND I'VE STATED THIS PRIOR, IT'S A PRIVILEGE FOR US TO SIT IN THESE CHAIRS. AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE SEEM TO FORGET THAT. I'M THANKFUL TO BE THE CHAIR, AND I'M THANKFUL TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE PUBLIC IF IF THEY WANT TO ADDRESS HOW IT'S BEING DONE. I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH HOW IT WAS DONE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE, THEN LET'S CHANGE THE ORDINANCE. 
          BUT THIS IS THE ORDINANCE ON THE BOOK. YOU ARE BOUND AS THE CHAIR. AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, WHEN I WAS THE MAYOR AND PEOPLE ATTEMPTED TO DISPARAGE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS, I WOULD CALL THEM OUT AND SAY, YOU MUST ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE. SO I WOULD NOT BRING THAT UP AS AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE I ENFORCE THAT. I'M ASKING THAT YOU DO AS WELL. AND I, I, I FEEL WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COMMISSIONER RICH, I FEEL AS IF I'M DOING MY JOB. I UNDERSTAND YOU MADE A MOTION BECAUSE YOU DISAGREE THAT I'M DOING MY JOB, BUT I FEEL AS IF I AM AS THE CHAIR. ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT OR DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? MARY, COULD YOU ROLL CALL THIS MOTION. COMMISSIONER DOBY, CAN I JUST ASK IF YOU READ THE MOTION AGAIN? SORRY, WE'VE DONE SO MANY BACK AND FORTH. YEAH. THAT'S OKAY. I CAN RESTATE IT 
          [01:30:04]
OR YOU CAN STATE IT. MARY, I HAVE THAT MAKE A MOTION FOR THE MAYOR TO ENFORCE THE DECORUM AND FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE. OKAY, SO MY VOTE IS NO. COMMISSIONER CLARK, ALL OF THE ORDINANCE. 
          YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MAYOR REED, NO MOTION, I GUESS FAILS AND DIES WITH THE BOARD SPLIT TWO AND TWO. SO I GUESS WE'LL MOVE ON WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THE SPEAKER HAD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. LAST TWO MINUTES AND 28 SECONDS. 228228. SO THAT RULE GOVERNS WHO A RESIDENT MAY ADDRESS. IT DOES NOT PROHIBIT NAMING A COMMISSIONER. AS LONG AS I SPEAK TO THIS BODY AS A WHOLE, WHICH I AM, I AM FULLY WITHIN MY RIGHTS AND WITHIN YOUR RULES. TO STATE PLAINLY THAT COMMISSIONER CLARK AND COMMISSIONER RICH LET THE AMENDMENT DIE. THAT IS NOT AN ATTACK. THAT IS THE PUBLIC RECORD STATED TO THE BODY EXACTLY AS YOUR OWN RULE PERMITS, AND THIS IS A RULE THAT THE COMMISSION WROTE, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN AMEND IT. I'M ASKING THAT YOU AMEND SUBSECTION C AND D SO RESIDENTS MAY ADDRESS EACH OF YOU DIRECTLY AND BY NAME, WHILE KEEPING ALL THE RULES NECESSARY TO KEEP THIS ROOM ORDERLY. I SEE WORDS LIKE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ON EVERYONE'S CAMPAIGN LITERATURE. INSTEAD OF TALKING THE TALK, I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL OF YOU WALKING THE WALK. 
          I'M ALSO ASKING THAT YOU BRING BACK THE REFERENDUM THAT PROTECTS SAILFISH PARK, AND THIS TIME, LET THE RESIDENTS OF STUART HAVE THEIR SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          DALE. GOLDIE. WELCOME, WELCOME. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S REALLY HOT OUT THERE. BUT I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'RE KEEPING IT NICE AND COOL IN HERE. SO AND LET'S KEEP IT COOL ON THE DAIS SO IT DOESN'T GET ANY HOTTER. I'M HERE BECAUSE TOMORROW EVENING AT 6 P.M. WE'RE HAVING A CANDIDATES FORUM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED. CANDIDATE FORUMS. THAT'S IT'S A CLEAR WE'LL WAIT FOR I. ARE YOU ASKING FOR MY. YEAH, I'M ASKING FOR YOUR OPINION. ALL RIGHT. OUR ORDINANCE SAYS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL NOT BE USED TO MAKE POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS OR FOR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING PURPOSES. I. I DON'T THINK MISS GOLDIE IS DOING EITHER. I THINK SHE IS ANNOUNCING THAT WE'RE HAVING A CANDIDATE FORUM FOR DEBATING, I GUESS. AND YOU'RE IDENTIFYING A DATE TIME AND PLACE, RIGHT? YEAH. AND YEAH, I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT ENDORSING ANYBODY AND YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY CAMPAIGNING. ABSOLUTELY NOT. SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING. I JUST WANT TO GET CLARIFICATION. 
          THAT'S OKAY. YEAH. SO THE AT THE FLAGLER CENTER, THE FORUM IS PRESENTED BY WE CARE MARTIN.ORG. WE HOPE TO HAVE ALL CANDIDATES PARTICIPATE AND UNDERSTAND CONFLICTS OCCUR. SO IF ANY CANDIDATE HAS A CONFLICT OUT OF COURTESY AND RESPECT FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, PLEASE LET US KNOW SO WE CAN FILL YOUR EMPTY SEAT WITH NOTICE OF YOUR RESPONSE OR NON-RESPONSE. SO THE ATTENDEES WHO ARE LOOKING TO HEAR AND LEARN ABOUT YOU HAVE COME TO HEAR YOUR PLATFORM, UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DID NOT RESPOND, DID NOT ATTEND. AND WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL JUST HAVE A, A PLACARD PLACARD CARD THERE WITH THE CANDIDATE'S NAME ON IT, AND IT WILL JUST SAY NO RESPONSE. SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THE FORUM AND IT WILL BE TOMORROW EVENING. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DAVID KELLMAN. WELCOME, DAVID. THANK YOU SIR. DAVID COLEMAN CONDO ASSOCIATION, 950 SOUTH COUNTY HIGHWAY. I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. OKAY. ONE, THE STATUTE WAS CHANGED OVER A YEAR AGO ABOUT AMBULANCES, FIRE TRUCKS, FIRE AGENTS, TRUCKS, LADDERS, WHATEVER. I FEEL FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR FIRE RESCUE. I BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE THIS AND LOOK INTO IT FOR THE CHIEF VEHICLES, ALONG WITH AMBULANCES ARE 1 OR 2 ENGINES AND TRUCKS TO HAVE A BLUE LIGHT INSTALLED ON THE BACK OF THEIR TRUCK. OH, 
          [01:35:02]
IT'S NOTHING BUT CHANGING A LENS. THE STATUTE WAS CHANGED. ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE ALLOWED. BLUES AND WHITES AND REDS OR BLUES AND WHITES. WELL, NOW THE LAW HAS CHANGED WHERE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE IT ON THE BACK. NOW, WHEN THERE'S AN AUTO ACCIDENT ON US ONE AND THESE GUYS COME ALONG BLOWING DOWN THE ROAD WITH THEIR LIGHTS AND SIRENS, MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT AMBER AND RED AS TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR SIGNALS OR BRAKES. OKAY, THESE GENTLEMEN NEED SOMETHING. 
          LADIES AND WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENT NEED SOMETHING. WHEN THEY WHEN THEY WHEN THEY PULL THEIR AMBULANCES OR THEIR ENGINES UP ON A ON AN AUTO ACCIDENT WITH THAT BLUE LIGHT IS SEEN IN HEAVY RAIN POURS, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE REASONS. OKAY. SO THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, NOT A SPLIT, RIDICULOUS FIGHTING THAT GOES ON HERE. IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS. IT'S EMBARRASSING ACTUALLY. BUT YOU ALL NEED, AS A CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR NEED TO CONSIDER ADDRESSING THIS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE WE ELIMINATE ANY FUTURE OR ANY ANY CASUALTIES, ACCIDENTS, IN A MANNER OF THAT. OKAY. THAT'S THE FIRST THING I HAVE. THE SECOND THING IS I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SET UP A MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER. I DID DISCUSS THINGS WITH HIM. IN THE PAST, I'VE TRIED TO CALL. 
          I COULDN'T GET TO ANYBODY. I WOULD LIKE HIM TO COME OUT TO THE PROPERTY. OKAY. RUTH HAS COME, MR. RICHARD'S COME. SHAWN'S BEEN OUT THERE AND DISCUSSED THIS MANGO PROBLEM ON TWO CITY OWNED PROPERTIES. NOBODY ELSE OWNS THEM WITH THE CITY. WE PULLED IT UP ON THE ON ON THE MAP. THE PARK IN THE FRONT, ON COUNTER, IN THAT SIDE STREET OVER THERE. I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF IT OFF MY HEAD. AND THE OTHER ONE, THE MANGROVE PARK ALL OVER THERE. THE MANGROVES ARE OUT OF CONTROL. NOBODY'S DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. I CAN'T GET THE WATERWAYS CLEAN BECAUSE OUR GRANTS WERE DENIED. OKAY. WHICH YOU JUST FOUND THAT OUT BY ME. BUT THE GRANTS ARE DENIED FOR WHATEVER REASON. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT RUTH DID. SHE BUSTED HER ON IT AND DID A GREAT JOB. BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. THIS OTHER THING I HAVE IS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND I THINK ALL YOU COMMISSIONERS KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER RICH CAME OUT ALONG WITH RUTH. THEY CAME OUT TO THE PROPERTY AND THEY VISITED THE PROPERTY AND THEY SAW THE ISSUES THAT WE ENTAILED THERE. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO GET EMOTION ON THIS ONE, BUT I GOT THIS THING IN THE MAIL HERE. OKAY. I'M GOING TO PROBABLY GET A MOTION. I GET THIS THING IN THE MAIL FROM ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS UP HERE. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY A NAME I'VE DONE ALREADY. BUT ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO FINISH TWO SECONDS. IT SAYS PROTECT OUR OUR WATERWAYS. THANK YOU SIR. WELL, HOW COME COMMISSIONER HAS NEVER EVEN EMAILED ME BACK OR WANTED TO MEET ME? SO I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO ADDRESS YOU TOMORROW NIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. DAVE. CITY MANAGER SHOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP AND ADDRESS. OKAY. HE'S GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, KAREN HALL. YOST. RAJ. GOOD EVENING, KAREN HALL YOST RAJ 1701 SOUTHWEST PALM CITY ROAD. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU ALL THAT. IT'S INTERESTING THAT COMMISSIONER RICH WAS SO ADAMANT. I ALWAYS STOOD UP AND SAID, HOW ABOUT THE PART YOU ALWAYS LET PEOPLE SAY WHEN SOMETHING WAS GOOD? JUST LIKE RIGHT NOW, THERE WAS NO POINT OF ORDER WHEN SOMEBODY WAS PRAISING YOU. SO WHAT? MISS CARTWRIGHT SAID, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. OKAY? SO DON'T SAY, OH, I'M SO GREAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T LET PEOPLE SAY BAD STUFF. 
          I ONLY LET PEOPLE SAY GOOD STUFF. EITHER YOU GET BOTH OR YOU GET NEITHER. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT 250 YEARS. AND I KNOW ALL Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN MY EMAILS, ALL Y'ALL KNOW THAT YOUR ATTORNEYS LIE AND DEFRAUD THE COURT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, WHEN THE CITY OF STUART STARTS LITIGATION OR EVEN STARTS A SHAM LAWSUIT THAT WINSTON CHURCHILL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BEACHES AND FIGHTING FROM THE BEACHES, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU TO HONOR THIS COUNTRY THAT WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN THE 19TH CIRCUIT. WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN THE FOURTH DCA, WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN THE FEDERAL COURT AND THE DISTRICT COURT. WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN THE FEDERAL APPEALS COURT, AND WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN THIS UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, BECAUSE YOU START STUFF AND THEN YOU DON'T TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY. OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO DO THAT. AND JUST REMEMBER, WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER. WE WILL NEVER GIVE IN. AND WE WILL GET ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE THINGS YOU STARTED AND THE THINGS YOU LIED ABOUT AND THE THINGS YOU REFUSE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT. AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? ALL Y'ALL WEREN'T THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED. 
          EXCEPT YOU, CLARK. EULA CLARK HAS BEEN COMPLICIT SINCE 2011. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER 
          [APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ]
PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF 
          [01:40:03]
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A ITEM SEVEN PULLED, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARY. THAT WAS JUST MINE. AND IF WE DID PULL IT, YOU COULD PUT IT AT THE END. IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL. 
          BUT LOOKING FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR, WITH NUMBER SEVEN BEING MOVED TO THE END OF THE CALENDAR. AT THE END OF THE AGENDA. SECOND, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR FROM COMMISSIONER JOB PULLING ITEM SEVEN AND MOVING IT TO THE END AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RICH. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? SEEING NONE. MARY. ROLL CALL. MAYOR REED YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. 
          COMMISSIONER. JOB. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MOVING ON TO COMMISSION ACTION REGARDING 
          [8. ROAD CLOSURE FOR THE 53RD ANNUAL STUART BOAT SHOW (RC):    RESOLUTION No. 44-2026; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE  CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING A ROAD CLOSURE FOR THE 53RD  ANNUAL STUART BOAT SHOW FROM 5:30 A.M. ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2027,  THROUGH 5:00 P.M. ON MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2027, ALONG NW DIXIE  HIGHWAY (FORMERLY SR 707) FROM SW ALBANY AVENUE SOUTH OF THE OLD  ROOSEVELT BRIDGE TO NW POINSETTIA STREET TO INCLUDE THE FEC  RAILROAD CROSSING OFF NW FERN STREET AND NW DIXIE HIGHWAY, NORTH  OF THE ST. LUCIE RIVER DRAW BRIDGE, SUBJECT TO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT  OF TRANSPORTATION APPROVAL; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND  FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
THE ROAD CLOSURE FOR THE 53RD ANNUAL STEWART BOAT SHOW. LEE, IF YOU COULD READ THAT, MR. MAYOR, SHOULD WE TAKE ITEM SEVEN PRIOR TO I. WE MOVED IT TO THE END. OH, TO THE END? YEAH. SORRY. RESOLUTION NUMBER 44-2026. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STEWART, FLORIDA, APPROVING A ROAD CLOSURE FOR THE 53RD ANNUAL STEWART BOAT SHOW FROM 5:30 A.M. ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 12TH, 2027 THROUGH 5 P.M. ON MONDAY, JANUARY 18TH, 2027, ALONG NORTHWEST DIXIE HIGHWAY, FORMERLY STATE ROAD 707 FROM SOUTHWEST ALBANY AVENUE, SOUTH OF THE OLD ROOSEVELT BRIDGE TO NORTHWEST POINSETTIA STREET TO INCLUDE THE FEC RAILROAD CROSSING OFF NORTHWEST FERN STREET AND NORTHWEST DIXIE HIGHWAY, NORTH OF THE SAINT LUCIE RIVER DRAWBRIDGE, SUBJECT TO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION APPROVAL, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AS WELL. IS THERE A PRESENTATION, JIM? NO, SIR. THERE'S NOT. MAYOR, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THIS IS PRETTY MUCH A FORMALITY. YEAH. SO IT'S TYPICALLY ON CONSENT EVERY YEAR. THIS IS THE BOAT SHOW HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER THE CITY FOR 53 YEARS. AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM CONTINUE WITH US. 
          WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THE ROAD CLOSURE SITUATION. I DID BRING A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE JUST SO YOU CAN KIND OF VISUALIZE IT. IT'S BASICALLY JUST CLOSE OLD DIXIE HIGHWAY BETWEEN ALBANY AND POINT SIENNA, WHICH IS A STATE ROAD. I'M GOING TO BRING UP ANOTHER SLIDE FOR YOU TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. IT'S BASICALLY THIS AREA RIGHT HERE, THIS CORRIDOR. I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL BEEN TO THE BOAT SHOW. YEAH. SO YOU KIND OF KNOW WHERE IT IS. IT'S THE OLD ROOSEVELT BRIDGE, BASICALLY. SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE THAT IT'S A FORMALITY, THAT WE CLOSE THE ROAD AND SOMETIMES THE CITY MANAGER WILL SIGN OFF ON IT. SOMETIMES IT'S DELEGATED TO ME TO SIGN OFF ON IT. SO IT'S REALLY JUST A FORMALITY. WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BOAT SHOW HERE WITH THE MARINE INDUSTRIES. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH THEM OR HAVE THEM COME UP, IT'S YOUR PLEASURE. DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JIM OR ANY OF THE APPLICANTS REGARDING THIS COMMISSION ACTION? YES, COMMISSIONER. RICH, I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT MR. TROTSKY SAID. 
          IT'S BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. MR. MR. WHITTINGTON WAS NICE ENOUGH TO TAKE ME TO THE SHOW LAST TIME. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND IT'S NICE TO WALK OVER THE BRIDGE BEING CLOSED, AND IT'S SUCH A GREAT SUCCESS. WE HAVE TWO NEW MARINAS IN, SO THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS SHOW TO REALLY GROW INTO SOMETHING VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE AND VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR BUSINESSES AND TO OUR EMPLOYERS AND TO PEOPLE LOOKING FOR HIGH SKILLED, HIGH PAYING JOBS. IT'S JUST TERRIFIC. AND THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH THIS ALL THESE DECADES. ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? NO. MR. MAYOR, CAN I MAKE I JUST LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. NOW WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, RESOLUTION 44, 2026. DID WE READ THE. WE DID. YES WE DID. 
          YEAH. THAT THAT WE APPROVE THAT. THAT'S MY MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. 
          SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 44 2026 FROM COMMISSIONER CLARK AND SECONDED 
          [01:45:03]
BY COMMISSIONER JOB. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS MOTION? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M AN AVID BOATER MYSELF. MY GRANDFATHER WAS ACTUALLY A STAKEHOLDER IN A MARINA IN MARTIN COUNTY. SO THIS THIS MEANS A LOT TO ME. AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE HAVE THIS LONG TERM LEASE COME BACK, IT'D BE NICE TO TO HAVE THIS FOR YEARS TO COME. SO REGARDLESS OF HOW THIS BOARD IS MADE UP OF WHETHER I'M HERE OR NOT, THE BOAT SHOW WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON WHERE SOMEONE CAN'T JUST COME IN AND OBLITERATE IT BECAUSE WE ARE THE SAILFISH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. SO, MARY, IF YOU COULD ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MAYOR REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. WELCOME. SURE, SURE. I JUST I WANTED TO COME TO THE PODIUM, THOUGH. IT'S. YOU DO HAVE TO COME. THANKS, TOM, FOR UNDERSTANDING. TOM. TOM WHITTINGTON, PALM CITY PAST PRESIDENT OF THE MARINE INDUSTRY, HONORED. I'M GLAD TO HAVE DAN ROMANCE, CURRENT PRESIDENT WITH US TODAY. AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN WITH MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM MANY TIMES FOR MANY YEARS WITH JIM'S SUPPORT, HOPING THAT WE COULD CONVEY THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE THE BOAT SHOW. AND THIS MONEY GOES RIGHT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. WE WE, AS THE MARINE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, ARE WORKING REALLY HARD WITH WORKFORCE AND ALL THE OTHER AREAS. SO I DO THINK THERE'S A GREAT FUTURE AHEAD. AND WE APPRECIATE THIS BECAUSE IT IT DOES GIVE US SOME CONTINUITY TO WORK WITH OUR PROMOTER AND. AND FOR THEM TO SEE THE COMMITMENT THE CITY HAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TOM. 
          [9. REVENUE BOND APPROVAL - 2 FIRE APPARATUS (RC):   RESOLUTION No. 48-2026; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE  CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A NON-AD  VALOREM REVENUE NOTE, SERIES 2026 OF THE CITY IN THE PRINCIPAL  AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $1,920,000 TO FINANCE THE ACQUISITION OF  FIRE APPARATUS AND TO PAY COSTS OF ISSUANCE THEREOF, AS FURTHER  DESCRIBED HEREIN; MAKING CERTAIN FINDINGS OF PUBLIC PURPOSE;  MAKING SUCH DETERMINATIONS AS ARE REQUIRED TO AFFORD THE NOTE  "BANK QUALIFIED" STATUS; PROVIDING THAT THE NOTE SHALL BE A LIMITED  OBLIGATION OF THE CITY PAYABLE FROM NON-AD VALOREM REVENUES  BUDGETED, APPROPRIATED, AND DEPOSITED AS PROVIDED HEREIN;  PROVIDING FOR THE RIGHTS, SECURITIES AND REMEDIES FOR THE OWNER OF  THE NOTE; MAKING CERTAIN COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS IN CONNECTION  THERE WITH; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ]
MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NINE REGARDING THE REVENUE BOND APPROVAL FOR TWO FIRE APPARATUSES. WE. RESOLUTION NUMBER 48-2026, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A NON AD VALOREM REVENUE NOTE SERIES 2026 OF THE CITY IN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $1,920,000 TO FINANCE THE ACQUISITION OF FIRE APPARATUS AND TO PAY COSTS OF ISSUANCE THEREOF. AS FURTHER DESCRIBED HEREIN. MAKING CERTAIN FINDINGS OF PUBLIC PURPOSE MAKING SUCH DETERMINATIONS AS ARE REQUIRED TO AFFORD THE NOTE BANK QUALIFIED STATUS, PROVIDING THAT THE NOTE SHALL BE A LIMITED OBLIGATION OF THE CITY, PAYABLE FROM NON AD VALOREM REVENUES BUDGETED, APPROPRIATED AND DEPOSITED AS PROVIDED HEREIN, PROVIDING FOR THE RIGHTS, SECURITIES AND REMEDIES FOR THE OWNER OF THE NOTE. MAKING CERTAIN COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANKS, LEE. 
          ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM? MOTION MAYBE, OR ANY DISCUSSION. THIS FIRE CHIEF HAVE ANYTHING I KNOW I SPOKE WITH? SORRY, MR. MAYOR, I SPOKE WITH CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS FIRE CHIEF. I MAKE A MOTION THAT REGARD TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 48, 2026 THAT WE APPROVE THIS REVENUE BOND ISSUE. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. 
          WE HAVE A THAT'S ACTUALLY THE IT'S EIGHT NINE TECHNICALLY. I MEAN, WELL, WE ONLY READ ONE, BUT WE CAN ONLY DO PURCHASE THE BONDS. THE NEXT ITEM WE'RE DOING ONE AT A TIME. YES. YEAH. 
          THIS IS ONE NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BEFORE YOU CAN DO THE SECOND ONE. IF THE. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR RESOLUTION NUMBER 48 2026 FOR APPROVAL FROM COMMISSIONER CLARK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOB. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? THE ONLY THE ONLY. 
          COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. YOUR LIGHTS ON I JUST WHAT WHAT IS THE LEAD TIME ON THESE FIRE VEHICLES FROM THE MANUFACTURER? YOU KNOW IT'S GOTTEN REALLY LENGTHY. JULY 2026 AND NOVEMBER OF 2026. WELL, THE, THE, THE TWO THAT WERE CONTEMPLATING THIS EVENING ARE JULY. AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER IN NOVEMBER. BUT CHIEF'S WALKING TO THE PODIUM, THEN GO AHEAD. AND THEN THE DELIVERY THIS WAS IN IN YOUR FISCAL 24 BUDGET. YEAH. WHICH WAS BASICALLY THE APPROPRIATION TO PURCHASE. NOW THIS IS THE FUNDING MECHANISM TO FUND IT AND DELIVERY IS 
          [01:50:01]
FORTHCOMING. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF. AND THIS IS BOMBARDIER. BOMBARDIER NO THIS IS E1C10E1. OKAY. YEAH. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION YEAH 24 TO NOW. OKAY. SO RIGHT. SO THIS IS AGAIN THIS IS THE FINANCING PART OF IT, RIGHT? SO YEAH, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO THINK AHEAD FOR SURE. DO ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF. NO. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, CHIEF. AND AND THIS MIGHT BE MAYBE EVEN FOR FINANCE, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WHEN WE WE HAVE A FISCAL. THIS WAS BUDGETED IN FISCAL YEAR 2324, CORRECT? CORRECT. WHY ARE WE BONDING SOMETHING WHEN WE BUDGETED FOR IT? DOES ANYONE HAVE AN ANSWER? I DON'T, I JUST I KNOW WHEN WE SAID THIS IS A PO, BY THE WAY. SO THIS IS A PURCHASE ORDER. SO WHEN WE BUDGET FOR SOMETHING WITH A PO, ARE WE NOT SETTING THE MONEY ASIDE. AND AND I KNOW YOU JUST STEPPED INTO THIS ROLE. SO THIS IS NOT TARGETED TOWARDS ANY STAFF MEMBERS. IT'S JUST I KNOW HOW I RUN MY HOUSEHOLD WHEN I BUDGET FOR SOMETHING, IT MEANS I'M SETTING THE MONEY ASIDE TO PURCHASE THAT ITEM. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THAT DEFINITION. 
          SO THE WAY THAT OUR PURCHASING POLICY READS, IT SAYS THAT IF IT'S BUDGETED FOR AND DONE BY PO, THAT THE FUNDS CARRY OVER IS THE TERM THAT'S BEEN USED THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT USED. SO I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT CONTEXT. WE ALSO DID HEAR OF THE DEBT BEING MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS. AS WE LOOK BACK AND WATCH HISTORICAL MEETINGS, WE CAN SEE THAT THAT WAS PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD BACK IN 24. THE REASON THAT WE'RE DOING IT NOW IS BECAUSE, ONE, WE DON'T WANT TO DO A LOAN FOR SOMETHING THREE YEARS PRIOR TO GETTING IT AND PAY INTEREST AND STUFF THAT'S PRIOR TO GETTING IT. SO WE'RE DOING IT NOW TO BE CONSERVATIVE. AND ALSO WE JUST PAID OFF AN OLD LOAN THAT WAS PAID OFF IN APRIL. SO ALSO USED BY THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES AS PART OF PAYING OFF THAT DEBT. SO IT'S KIND OF A CONTINUATION. 
          SO IN ORDER TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, INSTEAD OF COMPOUNDING IT, WE CAN PAY OFF ONE AND ADD ON ANOTHER. IT'S A SMOOTHER TRANSITION. SO THAT WOULD BE MY REFERENCE TO THAT. BUT DOES THIS I GUESS, AND DOES THIS MAKE SENSE WHERE WE LIKE GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION WHERE WE BUDGET FOR IT, ARE WE NOT SETTING THAT MONEY ASIDE? LIKE, DID WE NOT? IT'S THE PROCESS THAT TAKES PLACE HERE, BUDGETING WHEN YOU BUDGET YOUR BUDGET IS A PLAN. YOU DID NOT FUND IT AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS IN THE BUDGET. BUT THIS AD NON AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT, FIRE ONE AND FIRE TWO ARE REVOLVING. THEY THEY REOCCUR. THE LATEST NOTE WAS PAID OFF IN APRIL OF 26. THE. THE SMART USE OF THESE FUNDS IN THE FUTURE IS TO THEN OCCUR. THIS ADDITIONAL DEBT TO FUND THIS APPARATUS AND SO ON. AND THE PROCESS HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE FOR WELL OVER A DECADE HERE IN THE CITY OF STUART. IT'S DONE DIFFERENTLY IN OTHER PLACES. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT KATE AND I AND ANTHONY HAVE TALKED ABOUT DOING THIS AND AND ACTUALLY DOING WHAT YOU SAID, MAYOR, WHICH IS SEPARATE OUT THOSE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, REMOVE THEM FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET AND OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE. AND THEREFORE AND THEN WE WILL FENCE THAT THOSE MONIES FOR WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME, TWO YEARS, FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS. AND WE WILL IDENTIFY THOSE FUNDS IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE WE DON'T DO THIS PROCESS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING IT. THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS BEEN DONE FOR ABOUT A DECADE HERE. AND THE USE OF THIS FIRE ONE, FIRE TWO ASSESSMENT BOND COUNCIL IS HERE. YOUR YOUR COUNCIL IS HERE. IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT, BUT I THINK KATE UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESS. WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE COULD LOOK TO OTHER WAYS OF DOING THIS IN THE FUTURE. BUT THIS IS THIS IS A FINE WAY OF DOING IT AS WELL. 
          THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT FOR THE APPARATUS THAT IS COMING IN IN NOVEMBER, WE ARE USING IMPACT FEES FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF THE EXPANSION FOR THE NEW FIRE STATION. SO IT IS THIS THOUGH IT'S A LOAN FOR THESE TWO PIECES. IT IS A BLENDED METHOD TO FINANCING OVERALL FOR ALL THREE PIECES. AND LIKE I SAID, THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY REGARDING IT. IT'S JUST I'VE, I'VE SEEN IT IN PAST BUDGET WORKSHOPS AS WELL, HOW THEY PRESENT. AND IT'S A LINE ITEM FOR AN EXPENDITURE, BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE BUDGETING FOR IT, BUT WE'RE NOT USING THE MONEY THAT WE BUDGETED. INSTEAD, WE'RE GOING TO GO BOND IT, IT JUST IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR ME. I GUESS AS A BUSINESS OWNER, IF WE BUDGET FOR SOMETHING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO BOND IT AND PAY FINANCE CHARGES WHEN WE HAVE THE MONEY, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY. YES. CITY MANAGER SORRY, I THINK YOU YOU EXPLAINED IT THE BEST WAY IT COULD, AND THAT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT AS WELL. WHAT WHAT YOU BUDGETED WHAT YOU BUDGETED WAS ACTUALLY THE AUTHORIZATION, THE PURCHASE ORDER TO ALLOW STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT ORDER. AND WITH THE PROMISE, THEIR PROMISE THAT IT WOULD BE 
          [01:55:05]
PAID. AND YOU WERE SECURE IN DOING THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU HAD ESTABLISHED A PROCESS TO DO IT. AND IT IT IS BEING FUNDED BY THIS NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION. AND AGAIN, THE IT IS PROVEN TO HAVE BEEN USED APPROPRIATELY OVER A DECADE. SO AGAIN, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING STUFF. AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM. 
          SO SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, LIKE WHEN WE PURCHASED SANITATION TRUCKS, WE BUDGET FOR THEM. AND THEN IT AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE THOSE SANITATION TRUCKS. CORRECT. BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD WHERE IT'S BEEN BONDED. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT A SPECIFIC ITEM. HISTORICALLY. I CAN ANSWER THAT. 
          YEAH, THAT'S I DON'T HAVE HISTORY WITH THAT HERE IN STUART, BUT I HAVE HISTORY WITH APPARATUS LIKE THIS OR BIG CAPITAL PROGRAM. SO BUT IF YOU GIVE KATE AND ME A CHANCE TO LOOK THAT UP AND WE'LL COME TO YOU DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS WITH THOSE ANSWERS. OKAY, COMMISSIONER RICH, YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON. WELL, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. YOU HAVE TO ORDER IT FIRST. WE HAVE TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY TO ORDER IT. WE DON'T PAY FOR IT. OR WE PROBABLY PUT A SMALL AMOUNT DOWN. CORRECT? NOTHING. SO WE DON'T PAY FOR IT UNTIL WE RECEIVE IT. SO 24 WE SAID YES, WE WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY, NECESSARY BUDGET STEPS TO PAY FOR THIS, KNOWING THAT IT'S ACTUALLY THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. YEAH, I JUST, I, I FIGURED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, LIKE I SAID, BUDGET BUDGETED FOR LIKE IN THAT FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE WHAT'S THE POINT THEN? AND EVEN HAVING IT IN THE BUDGET THEN IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BOND IT ANYWAY, IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL EXPENDITURE OF LIKE CASH FLOW, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MAKE A FIRM COMMITMENT TO THIS COMPANY THAT WE WILL PAY FOR IT WHEN DELIVERED. CORRECT. BUT THEY JUST STATED THAT WE DIDN'T PUT A DEPOSIT DOWN. WE JUST WHAT DO WE DO, SIGN A CONTRACT. I GUESS THERE'S NOTHING THAT GETS DONE. YOU JUST CALL THEM. KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS. YEAH. SO WE JUST ISSUE PO WE WE GO THROUGH THE REQUISITION PROCESS, GET POS AND AND THEY DON'T CARE HOW WE PAY FOR IT. THIS IS MORE ON THE CITY ON HOW WE DO BUSINESS. I FEEL HOW WE PAY FOR THE RIGHT. THE PO IS THE PROMISSORY RIGHT. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN IT DONE LIKE THIS WAY BEFORE WHERE THEY BUDGET FOR THINGS AND THEN BOND IT? AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN BEHIND THE SCENES. SO WHAT'S THAT MEAN? MEANS THAT I GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY PAY FOR IT. GOTCHA. SO AND AND YOU YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR HOW AND THIS I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          YEAH. NO, I GOT YOU WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. HAVE YOU SEEN IT DONE THIS WAY HISTORICALLY, LIKE WHERE WE BUDGET FOR AGAIN, IT WAS IT IT'S NOT REALLY A KNOCK. IT'S MORE OF US JUST WE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PAST FINANCE DIRECTOR OR, YOU KNOW, STAFF OR WHATEVER IT WAS. WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, PLACED THE ORDER AND AND THEN, HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION DECIDED OR HOWEVER IT HAPPENED, HOWEVER, THE PAYMENT HAPPENED IN THE BUDGET. 
          HOW THEY DID IT IN FINANCE, I DON'T KNOW. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. YES. MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ADDRESS AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS. 
          I ALSO KNOW WHEN YOU SET UP A BUDGET AND A LINE ITEM, IT SHOULD BE FUNDED. YOU'VE SET ASIDE THAT MONEY. WHAT I'M HEARING IS, IS THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE THE INTENT TO USE THAT MONEY, NOT THE ACTUAL MONEY, BUT NOT THE ACTUAL MONEY. SO THEN MY QUESTION WOULD ALWAYS BE IS LIKE, JUST AS A NUMBER, YOU HAVE $10 MILLION BUDGETED FOR YEAR 2026, BUT YOU ACTUALLY DIDN'T USE THE MONEY. SO WHERE IS THAT OTHER MONEY? CORRECT? YES. LIKE I COULD USE THE CRA FOR AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? PANEL BUDGETS, ALL THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. BUT IS THE MONEY NOT THERE? LIKE WHY WOULD THAT DEPARTMENT BE RAN ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE NEXT DEPARTMENT? IT JUST I DON'T KNOW, TO BE CLEAR. YES. YOU DID NOT OBLIGATE ANY FUNDS IN 2024. 
          YOU DID NOT. SO SHOULD HAVE ROLLED OVER THAT, SIR. IT DID NOT. IT IT WAS. THE WAY YOU FUND THIS PROGRAM IS THROUGH THIS NON-AD VALOREM FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, WHICH HAS BEEN USED AGAIN FOR OVER A DECADE. SO YEAH, THERE IS NO ROLLOVER OF FUNDS THERE. WHAT YOU DID IN 2024 WAS BASICALLY ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER WITH NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER OF ANY MONIES, NOR DID YOU ASSESS ANY ANYTHING FOR THESE TWO APPARATUS. WHAT YOU ARE NOW DOING IS FUNDING THAT APPROPRIATION TODAY IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, USING THIS VEHICLE. 
          AND IT'S ONE WAY OF DOING IT. AGAIN, THERE'S PLENTY OF WAYS TO DO THIS, BUT THIS IS HOW IT 
          [02:00:06]
HAS BEEN DONE. AND THESE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES CONTINUE ON AND ON AND ON, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. AND THEY ARE THEY WILL FUND THESE APPARATUS AND THE PAYING OF THIS LOAN, AS WELL AS OTHER SOURCES TO THAT WILL PAY THIS LOAN. YOU DID NOT OBLIGATE ANY MONIES IN 2024. YOU DID NOT ASSESS ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT HAD BEEN OCCURRING FOR YEARS AND YEARS. AND SO THERE'S NO EXTRA BURDEN, THERE'S NO CARRYOVER. THERE'S NO HIDDEN CASH SITTING ANYWHERE. IT DIDN'T. ALL YOU DID WAS ISSUED A PO, BASICALLY. AND THAT'S ABOUT AS SIMPLE AS SIMPLE TERMS AS I CAN PUT IT. AGAIN, CAPITAL PROGRAM IS DONE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND MANY DIFFERENT PLACES. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THOSE AND BRING ALTERNATIVES TO THAT SO THAT WE'RE NOT CONFUSING FOLKS WHEN WE GET TO THIS POINT IN TIME WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE BUDGETED FOR SOMETHING, WE NEVER PAID FOR IT, WE PUT THE MONEY ASIDE. WE DID NOT. WE DID NOT PUT ANY MONEY ASIDE. WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WENT TO A VENDOR AND SAID, WE'D LIKE TO PURCHASE THESE TWO THINGS BASED ON THE PROMISE THAT WE WILL PAY THEM IN THE FUTURE. HOWEVER, THIS THIS COMMISSION CHOOSES TO PAY FOR THEM USING BOTH THIS ASSESSMENT, THIS FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, CASH IN THE BANK OR OTHER WAYS OF FUNDING THINGS, GRANTS, ETC. SO I KNOW THAT WAS LONG, BUT IT THAT EXPLORES EVERY AVENUE. THERE WAS NO OBLIGATION OF FUNDING BACK IN 24 THAT ROLLS TO TODAY'S DOLLARS AND THOSE THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE WAS BUSY PAYING OFF THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEAR BOND, WHICH WAS USED TO PURCHASE MORE APPARATUS AND OTHER FIRE EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS THE PROPER USE OF THAT FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, YEAH, YOU KNOW, NOT I DIDN'T WANTED TO MAKE MAKE ANYTHING SOUND BAD FOR THE PREVIOUS FINANCE STAFF, BUT THEY MADE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR TO ME, THE DIRECTOR, THAT TO ECHO WHAT KATE SAID, THEY, THEY, THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME, HERE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE REQUISITION. HERE'S THE PO. YOU PLACE THE ORDER. WE WE WE WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND HE SAID, GIVE ME A FEW MONTHS. HEADS UP WHEN YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE DONE AND WE'LL GO SECURE THE FINANCING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON SOMETHING FOR THREE YEARS THAT WE DON'T HAVE. UNDERSTANDABLE. SO THAT THAT WAS WHAT WHAT I WAS TOLD, WHICH MAKES SENSE. YEAH, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, MARY, COULD YOU DO THE ROLL CALL, COMMISSIONER? YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES, COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MAYOR REED. YES. UNFORTUNATELY. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MAYBE FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, IT'LL BE DONE DIFFERENTLY. BUT MOVING ON 
          [10. BUDGET AMENDMENT #4: REVENUE BOND APPROVAL - 2 FIRE APPARATUS  (RC):  RESOLUTION No. 49-2026; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE  CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENT No. 4 TO THE  FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET; APPROPRIATING AND AUTHORIZING THE RECEIPT  OF REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR FIRE APPARATUS;  PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
TO AGENDA ITEM TEN REGARDING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT REGARDING THE PRIOR AGENDA ITEM LEE, RESOLUTION NUMBER 49-2026. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET. 
          APPROPRIATING AND AUTHORIZING THE RECEIPT OF REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR FIRE APPARATUS PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. OKAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT RESOLUTION 49 2026 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF COMMISSION OF CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA. AUTHORIZING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET. APPROPRIATING AND AUTHORIZING THE RECEIPT OF REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURE OF THE FUNDS FOR THE FIRE APPARATUS PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION FOR RESOLUTION NUMBER 49 2026 FROM COMMISSIONER JOB AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLERK. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT MOTION? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT. MARY, IF YOU COULD ROLL, CALL COMMISSIONER. 
          CLARK. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES. MAYOR. REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. SELBY. YES. MOTION PASSES 
          [11.  MARINA COVE AT RIVERSIDE RIGHT-OF-WAY ABANDONMENT (RC):  ORDINANCE No. 2554-2026:  AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE  CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA PROVIDING FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF CERTAIN  PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY WITHIN THE CITY BEING THAT CERTAIN 20-FOOT RIGHT OF-WAY, AS SET FORTH ON THE PLAT OF RIVERSIDE PARK, AS RECORDED IN  PLAT BOOK 4, PAGE 25, ST. LUCIE (NOW MARTIN) COUNTY, FLORIDA PUBLIC  RECORDS RUNNING NORTH TO SOUTH, DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT “A” ATTACHED  HERETO AND DEPICTED IN EXHIBIT “B” ATTACHED HERETO; PROVIDING FOR  PAYMENT OF A PRIVILEGE FEE; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR  SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
UNANIMOUSLY. MOVING ON TO ORDINANCE SECOND READING REGARDING MARINA COVE AT RIVERSIDE. RIGHT OF WAY ABANDONMENT. AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM JODY. IF LEE IF YOU COULD READ THE AGENDA ITEM ORDINANCE NUMBER 2554-2026. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF CERTAIN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY WITHIN THE CITY, BEING THAT CERTAIN 20 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY, AS SET FORTH 
          [02:05:01]
ON THE PLAT OF RIVERSIDE PARK AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK FOUR, PAGE 25. SAINT LUCIE, NOW MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA, PUBLIC RECORDS RUNNING NORTH TO SOUTH, DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT A, ATTACHED HERETO AND DEPICTED IN EXHIBIT B, ATTACHED HERETO PROVIDING FOR PAYMENT OF A PRIVILEGE FEE, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND I'M SORRY, NOT VICE MAYOR. SORRY, COMMISSIONERS. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JODY COOGLER, THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF STUART. TONIGHT I'M PRESENTING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, THE APPLICANT, MARINA COVE AT RIVERSIDE LLC, HAS FILED A PETITION FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF A PORTION OF THE RIGHT OF WAY IN THE ORDINANCE WITH CHAPTER 36 OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES. THE REQUEST HAS BEEN REVIEWED PURSUANT TO THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE ABANDONMENT OF PUBLIC PROPERTY. THIS ABANDONMENT WOULD FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE PROPOSED TOWNHOMES AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ALONG NORTHWEST DIXIE HIGHWAY. 
          PURSUANT TO THE PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS ON JUNE 15TH, 2025, THE APPLICANT MAILED TO ALL THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT OF THE SUBJECT PARCEL TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF THE REQUESTED DEVELOPMENT AND THE DATE AND TIME OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING. ADDITIONALLY, ONE SIGN WAS POSTED ON A PROPERTY WITH THE SAME INFORMATION. ON MARCH 2023, 2026, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 23-2026, THE INTENTION OF THE CITY TO CITY COMMISSION TO ABANDON A PORTION OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND TO SET PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION AT ITS REGULAR MEETING IN THE CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS TO CONSIDER THE ABANDONMENT OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY TO 20 FOOT PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IS OUTLINED IN RED. THE CITY'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS USE OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IS NO LONGER IN THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST, AND DOES NOT OBJECT TO THE ABANDONMENT OF THE CITY'S INTEREST. THIS IS THE PLAT THAT WAS RECORDED IN 1925, WHICH IDENTIFIES THE 20 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY, AS OUTLINED IN YELLOW AND RED. THE ADJACENT RIGHT OF WAYS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY ABANDONED BY THE CITY. THE PRIVILEGE FEE IS DETERMINED AND FIXED BY COMPUTING 100% OF THE VALUE ADDED TO THE ADJOINING REAL PROPERTY OF THE PETITIONER. THE VALUE ADDED IS DETERMINED BY THE APPRAISAL OF A QUALIFIED REGISTERED REAL ESTATE APPRAISER WHO PRACTICES IN THE COUNTY AND IS PAID FOR BY THE PETITIONER. IN ADDITION TO THE PRIVILEGE FEE. BASED ON THE APPRAISAL REPORT PREPARED BY CALLAWAY AND PRICE INCORPORATED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS AND CONSULTANTS DATED DECEMBER 17TH, 2024, THE ESTIMATED PRIVILEGE FEE TO BE PAID TO THE CITY OF STUART IS 32,600. THE APPLICANT. 
          WHAT WAS SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2539 2025, WHICH IS THE AMENDMENTS AND THEREFORE IS SUBJECT TO THE REGULATIONS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF SUBMITTAL. 
          THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ENCOMPASSES APPROXIMATELY 2.19 ACRES. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TWO BUILDINGS CONSISTING OF 22 TOWNHOMES, ALONG WITH FIVE INDIVIDUAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FRONTING NORTHWEST DIXIE HIGHWAY. BASED ON THE DENSITY REGULATIONS, IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF SUBMITTAL, THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE DENSITY IS 15 UNITS PER ACRE WITHOUT THE URBAN CODE. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHILE THE SITE IS COULD ACCOMMODATE UP TO 32 UNITS AT THE MAXIMUM DENSITY. THE APPLICANT APPLICANT IS ONLY PROPOSING A TOTAL OF 2227 UNITS AT THE FIRST READING ON MAY 2026, 2026, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED THE ORDINANCE FOR TRANSMISSION TO SECOND READING, AND THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY THREE 3 TO 1. TONIGHT, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2554-2026 ON SECOND READING, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH THEREIN. THIS DOES CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION, AND I DO HAVE GEORGE MESSMER WITH COLOR AND HEARING. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR OR THE PETITIONER, DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE PETITIONER? I GUESS SO. ARE YOU GOING TO. COMMISSIONER CLARK, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. NO, I, I MET WITH THE I MET WITH THE PETITIONER. SO IT'S NOT A QUASI JUDICIAL. YEAH, I KNOW I MET WITH THEM AND I HAVE I, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER RICH. SO THIS IS 20FT WIDE BY 
          [02:10:03]
ABOUT 260FT, RIGHT. APPROXIMATELY THAT. YES, YES, YES. I'M SORRY. I WAS LOOKING AT THE PETITIONER ON HIS JUNIOR ASSOCIATE. BIG DADDY TO WORK. IT'S NOT EVEN A HUNDRED YARDS. 
          NO. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FOR THE PETITIONER? I WILL SAY IT'S ALWAYS THE ABANDONMENT OF RIGHT OF WAY. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE GOVERNMENT. THEY GET YOUR PROPERTY AND THEN THEY WANT TO SELL IT BACK TO YOU. RIGHT? IT'S IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE SENSE. AND, AND JODY, THIS MIGHT THIS IS FOR YOU WHEN IT COMES TO THESE RIGHT OF WAY ABANDONMENTS WE ONLY LOOK AT THEM WHEN PETITIONERS APPROACH THE CITY. THAT IS CORRECT. YES. 
          TYPICALLY WE DO NOT TRY TO ADVOCATE TO ABANDON THE RIGHT OF WAYS. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, BOTH SIDES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ABANDONED. ALSO, WE DID TO THE THE GRANT PROGRAM, THE FDOT, TO UPGRADE ALL THE ROADWAYS ALONG NORTH WEST DIXIE HIGHWAY POINTS OUT IN THAT AREA. AND WE PUT ON ON STREET PARKING. SO AND THAT ROADWAY, THAT SECTION OF ROADWAY WAS DEDICATED OVER TO THE CITY FROM FDOT, WHICH IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WOULD NOT ALLOW DRIVEWAY CUTS ALONG NORTHWEST RIVERSIDE. SO THE CITY DOES HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF ACCESS. AND THIS IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO HANDLE THAT. THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION. OKAY. IS THERE ANY MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. 
          ORDINANCE NUMBER 2554-2026. MARINA COVE AT RIVERSIDE RIGHT OF WAY ABANDONMENT. SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2554-2026 BY COMMISSIONER RICH AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLERK. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS MOTION? WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT. WELCOME. YOU CAN FILL IT OUT AFTER. MY NAME IS MARY ANNE SEYMOUR AND I LIVE AT 414 NORTH RIVER DRIVE, WHICH IS AT THE BACK END OF THIS ON NORTH RIVER DRIVE, ONE OF THREE BUILDINGS THAT ARE THERE NOW. AND I JUST WONDERED IF THIS IS THE LATEST SITE PLAN, BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THE SITE PLAN HAS CHANGED AND THAT THE ROAD OFF POINSETTIA GOES THROUGH TO OLEANDER AT THE TOP CLOSEST TO NORTH RIVER DRIVE. RIGHT NOW THERE'S A ROAD COMING IN OFF POINSETTIA AND GOES DOWN THROUGH THE MIDDLE, AND IT'S A ONE WAY STREET. SO YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE ROAD RIGHT HERE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THIS, THIS RIGHT HERE. SEE WHERE I LIVE IN MY MOUTH RIGHT HERE. HERE'S MY. I'M SORRY. 
          RIGHT HERE. LET ME GET IT FOR YOU. OH. LET ME. SORRY. RIGHT ON THIS SIDE. SEE? RIGHT HERE. 
          OKAY. YEAH, YEAH. RIGHT HERE. RIGHT. YES. WE WERE TOLD THAT. NOW THIS GOES STRAIGHT THROUGH HERE. NO, MA'AM. AND THIS IS. SO THAT WAS NOT TRUE. NO. SO THIS THIS RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO BE GATED. THIS THIS ROAD RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO BE GATED. CODY I'M SORRY. I CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU'RE POINTING AT WHILE YOU'RE GATED. IF YOU COULD JUST STAY AT THE PODIUM AS WELL. 
          SHE'S GOING TO POINT. SORRY. SHE'S GOING TO POINT TO IT ON THE SCREEN SO WE CAN ALL PAY ATTENTION. SO IT'S ON THE RECORD. YES. SO SEE THIS RIGHT HERE. RIGHT. THIS IS THAT WAS THE ROAD IN QUESTION RIGHT? OKAY. SO THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE YOU LIVE, RIGHT? I DID ONE OF THESE. OKAY. SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO BE PRIVATE RIGHT HERE. THIS RIGHT HERE WHERE THEY'RE ABANDONED THE RIGHT OF WAY. IF IT MOVES FORWARD, THIS WILL BE NOT GATED, BUT THAT STREET IN BETWEEN THE 22 IS ONE WAY. THIS WILL BE THIS WILL BE DEDICATED TO THE TOWNHOMES RIGHT HERE. OKAY. AND THEY'LL BE GOING IN THROUGH HERE. THERE'LL BE A GATED ENTRANCE RIGHT INTO HERE. OKAY. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. 
          JODY, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. YES. WILL IT EXIT OUT ON THE DIXIE HIGHWAY BY CHANCE OR. NO, IT JUST DEAD ENDS. YEAH. SO THE RIGHT PIECE OF RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S BEING ABANDONED. IT EXITS TO THE NORTH AND THERE'S NO DIRECT ACCESS TO DIXIE. OKAY, SO THERE WOULDN'T BE A ROAD, GEORGE, THAT WOULD COME OFF OF WHAT IS IT? POINTS. IT WOULDN'T COME OFF OF POINSETTIA AND COME OUT ONTO DIXIE HIGHWAY THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS TODAY. OH YEAH. SO THAT WHERE POINT WHERE POINSETTIA MEETS DIXIE. SO THERE'S AN INTERSECTION THERE RIGHT THERE. THE COMING INTO 
          [02:15:02]
THE PRIVATE ROAD OFF POINSETTIA AND COMING AROUND ONTO DIXIE, THAT WOULDN'T EXIST OFF THIS ABANDONMENT RIGHT AWAY. NO. SO THERE'LL BE NO DIRECT ACCESS FROM THIS PROPERTY TO, TO DIXIE TO DIXIE. GOTCHA. IT GOES NORTH AND SOUTH TO OLEANDER OR TO POINSETTIA. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD THAT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THEN. SO THIS WOULD NOT GET PAVED THEN OR YOU WOULD. NO, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE PAVED. IT'LL BE PAVED ALLEY. IT'LL JUST BE OWNED BY THE HOA. 
          GOTCHA. VERSUS RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT PAVED CURRENTLY. IT'S UNIMPROVED SINCE 1925. IT'S A BIG DIRT LOT. YEAH. THANKS GEORGE AND JODY, ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS MOTION. SEEING NONE. MARY. ROLL CALL MR. CLERK. YES, COMMISSIONER. GOBI. YES. MAYOR. 
          REED. NO. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MOTION PASSES THREE ONE WITH MAYOR REED DISSENTING. 
          CONGRATULATIONS, GEORGE. THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER AGENDA ITEMS, WE HAVE NUMBER NUMBER 
          [7. BUDGET AMENDMENT #3 TRAM REPLACEMENT (RC):    RESOLUTION No. 47-2026; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE  CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO THE  2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET; APPROPRIATING AND AUTHORIZING THE  EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR TRAM REPLACEMENT DUE TO ACCIDENT OF  PREVIOUS TRAM THAT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY INSURER; PROVIDING  AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
SEVEN. I'M SORRY. BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE TRAM REPLACEMENT THAT WAS PULLED BY MYSELF. LEE, IF YOU COULD READ INTO THE RECORD RESOLUTION NUMBER 47-2026, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE TO THE 2025 2026 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, APPROPRIATING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR TRAM REPLACEMENT DUE TO ACCIDENT OF PREVIOUS TRAM THAT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY INSURER, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. I DON'T KNOW IF KATE WANTED TO COME UP, BUT I CAN ALSO INPUT THAT THE THERE WAS A TRAM THAT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS, SO WE GOT INSURANCE FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE TO IT. AND SO NOW WE'RE DOING EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GOT COLLECTED MONEY, WE STILL GOT TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO BUY A NEW ONE TO REPLACE IT. SO DID THE AM I ONLY TWO QUESTIONS? WERE WE WE OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T PURCHASED IT YET. CORRECT. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK THEM. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT AN ACTUAL CASH VALUE OF AN OLD TRAM, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A REPLACEMENT. SO WE GOT CASH FOR THE ACTUAL CASH VALUE OF THE TRAM THAT WAS DAMAGED. BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE BUYING A NEW ONE. GOTCHA. SO MAYOR DIRECTOR THIS IS WE GOT A CHECK FOR THE TRAM. IT WENT TO THE GENERAL FUND. THIS IS JUST ASKING TO MOVE THE MONEY TO THE CORRECT DEPARTMENT SO WE CAN PURCHASE A NEW TRAM. RIGHT. WE HAVE NOT PURCHASED IT YET. OKAY. AND AND THIS WAS FROM AN ACCIDENT. DID THE PERSON THAT WHO CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, WAS IT THE PERSON, A TOW TRUCK DRIVER RAN INTO THE BACK OF ONE OF OUR TRAMS AND TOLD THE TRAM OUT. DID THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT TRAM? YES. OKAY, I JUST MAKE. THOSE WERE MY ONLY. WE WENT OUT TO THE. YEAH, THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. INSURANCE. YES. IT WASN'T THE CITY. OKAY. 
          CORRECT. THOSE ARE MY ONLY QUESTIONS. SO I. YEAH, COMMISSIONER, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. SO IT, IT ONLY WENT OUT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. SO YOU WOULD HAVE THE CITY ONLY WOULD HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED ON THE VALUE OF THAT TRAM AT THE TIME. I MEAN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, DEPRECIATION. YES. YEAH. SO THE DEPRECIATED SO THE THE REALITY IS THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY WAS NEVER NEVER MADE THE CITY WHOLE ON THAT BALANCE BECAUSE THAT YOU GOT TO GO BY DEPRECIATION. WE CAN'T CONTROL THAT. WELL THAT'S HOW INSURANCE WORKS. YES. NO I KNOW HOW INSURANCE WORKS. BUT THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER, WHAT WAS IT. HIS INSURANCE OR OURS. I GUESS THAT'S THE KEY. IT WAS HIS. SO THAT'S THE QUESTION. OKAY. SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAD A TEN YEAR OLD CAR AND YOU TOTALED IT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A NEW VEHICLE. NO, NO, I JUST MISUNDERSTOOD. I THOUGHT IT WAS OUR INSURANCE. OH YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT AS WELL. YEAH. I THOUGHT IT WAS OUR INSURANCE. AND THEN WHY WASN'T THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY MAKING US WHOLE? WHY? PEOPLE WOULD BE IN ACCIDENTS EVERY DAY WITH 20 YEAR OLD VEHICLES. YOU GET A BRAND NEW ONE. YES. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF THE TRAM REPLACEMENT. OKAY. SO WHICH, WHICH WHICH RAPPER WAS THIS? I DON'T THINK WE'LL SEE HIM RAP YET. OH. OH OKAY. IT'S AN OLDER ONE IS THE INSURANCE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT TO ACCOUNT. PROBABLY PROBABLY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 47 2026 RESOLUTION. 
          OH SORRY. THREE YOU GOTTA READ THE WHOLE THING. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION. THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE TO THE 2025 2026 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, APPROPRIATING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR TRAM REPLACEMENT DUE TO AN ACCIDENT OF A PREVIOUS TRAM THAT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURER, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. SECOND, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 47 2026 BY COMMISSIONER JOB AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLERK. ARE 
          [02:20:04]
THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS MOTION? SEEING NONE. MARY. ROLL CALL. 
          COMMISSIONER RICH. YES. MAYOR. REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM US UP HERE AS ELECTED
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.