[ROLL CALL] [00:00:10] SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING OF THE STUART CITY COMMISSION ON AUGUST 17TH, 2026 AT 5:30 P.M. TO ORDER. MAYOR, IF YOU COULD DO THE ROLL CALL. MAYOR REED HERE. COMMISSIONER CLARK HERE, COMMISSIONER HERE, COMMISSIONER RICH HERE. EVERYONE'S HERE. IF YOU COULD JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER RIDGE, JUST TO [COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS ] REMIND EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE THEIR VOICE IS HEARD AND GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. THE TURNOUT HAS BEEN A LITTLE LIGHT IN. ACTUALLY. MARTIN COUNTY IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST VOTING PERCENTAGE COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES, SO I'M SURE IT'LL TURN OUT THAT WE DO OURSELVES PROUD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RICH. COMMISSIONER. JOB. HI EVERYONE. SO GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE, HERE AND ONLINE. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. I WANT TO MIRROR WHAT COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER RICH SAID. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY AND WE NEED TO REALLY EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO OUT AND VOTE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE WHICH WAY OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY WILL GO. AND THAT'S REALLY UP TO THE ELECTORATE. THAT IS UP TO YOU TO GET OUT THERE AND PUT YOUR VOTE IN. NOBODY CAN COMPLAIN IF YOU DON'T VOTE BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T VOICE YOUR OPINION. BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE STUART REMAIN STUART AND GO FORWARD. SO I ASK EVERYONE PLEASE, TO VOTE TOMORROW AND TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE RESIDENTS AND THE TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY OF STUART. WE HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE AND WE BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. NOT A MAJORITY OF US UP HERE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE. BUT IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THE VOTERS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER CLARK, THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID WITH REGARD TO THE ELECTIONS AND VOTING. IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. I'VE PARTICIPATED IN MANY, AND I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED. BUT THIS IS ALSO A VERY CRITICAL ELECTION, AND WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT AND SPEAK THEIR MINDS ON THAT. THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING. WELL, IT'S A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT OUR MEETING IN IN AUGUST, BUT IN SEPTEMBER, I THINK WE DID THE LAST TIME WE DID A CONSTITUTION RESOLUTION. AND SO FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP FOR THE THE READING, I DON'T SEE JESSICA HERE TODAY, BUT WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION READING AT THE BLAKE LIBRARY COMING UP ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW IN SEPTEMBER. SO PLEASE GET WITH OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, WHICH IS THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT. AND JESSICA THORPE WILL SIGN FOLKS UP FOR THE CONSTITUTION READING IN SEPTEMBER. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK. I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO SAY TONIGHT. I'LL SAVE IT FOR MONDAY'S MEETING, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK CHIEF Z FOR STEPPING UP FOR THE CITY MANAGER INTERIM TODAY FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING. AND HE DOES IT CONSISTENTLY AS WELL. SO THANKS, CHIEF, FOR THAT. COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER CHIEF Z MAYBE NO COMMENTS. HELLO. [APPROVAL OF AGENDA ] THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING? MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. I WILL SECOND THE MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA BY COMMISSIONER CLARK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOB. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, I. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (Non-Agenda Related) (3 Minutes Max.) ] COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. MAYOR. WE HAVE ONE MR. ROBERT MAYON. WELCOME, ROBERT. THANK YOU. AND JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE LIGHT. THIS WAS SMART, BY THE WAY, FOR THE PUBLIC. IF YOU HAVE NOTES TO READ INTO THE MINUTES, TURN THEM INTO THE CITY CLERK BECAUSE IT WILL NOT COUNT AGAINST YOUR MINUTES. IT STARTS WHEN YOU START SPEAKING. SO IF YOU'RE YOU CAN'T FINISH IT. THE CHIEF ACTING AS CITY MANAGER, HE WILL CUT YOU OFF AT THREE MINUTES. SO IT'S THE SAME TREATMENT FOR EVERYBODY THAT COMES TO THE MIC. THIS SYSTEM WILL TURN GREEN. WHEN YOU GOT 30S, IT GOES TO YELLOW. WHEN YOU'RE DONE, IT'S RED. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. ROBERT MAYON 4461 SOUTHEAST FEDERAL HIGHWAY. I'VE [00:05:05] BEEN A LOCAL TAXPAYER FOR MORE THAN 26 YEARS. FIRST, PLEASE PLACE THE ARBITRARY SIGN PHASE CHANGE PERMIT AND FEE ON A FUTURE AGENDA. NOW, MY MAIN CONCERN, I'M HERE BECAUSE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS WERE INACCURATELY FOUND TO BE VIOLATIONS, WITH DEADLINES AND FINES IMPOSED BASED ON INACCURATE AND INCOMPLETE STAFF TESTIMONY. I SELL SHEDS AND RENT TRUCKS. HOME DEPOT DOES THE SAME, YET THE CITY ACCEPTS ONE RETAIL BETTER FOR THOSE OPERATION AND ITS DOZENS OF OTHER ACTIVITIES. I HOLD THAT SAME RETAIL BETTER, PLUS TWO ADDITIONAL TOURS. YET STAFF IS DEMANDING TWO MORE, ONE FOR SHED SALES AND ONE FOR TRUCK RENTALS. STAFF CLAIMS THIS IS A CHANGE IN MY PERMITTED USE LIST, REQUIRING A COSTLY AND DISCRETIONARY MAJOR CPG AMENDMENT. I ASK STAFF TO PRODUCE THIS LIST OF PERMITTED USES SUPPORTING THAT CLAIM. THEY COULD NOT. THE CITY ATTORNEY LATER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MY CPU. THE AGREEMENT HAS NO DEVELOPMENT ORDER, NO LIST OF PERMITTED USES, AND IS AMBIGUOUS BECAUSE OF A CITY DEFECT. NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO, NO PERMITTED USES WERE EVER LISTED, YET THE DOCUMENTS EXPRESSIVELY IDENTIFIED TWO PROHIBITED USES, NEITHER BEING SHEDS OR TRUCK RENTALS. THE CITY MUST RECOGNIZE THE USES THAT EXISTED AND WERE ACCEPTED INTO ANNEXATION IN 2007. RENTAL, STORAGE, RETAIL AND SERVICE. THOSE USES REMAIN TODAY AND ARE ALLOWABLE UNDER THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. STAFF MAY SAY THAT A NEW BRAND IS BEING RENTED OR A NEW PRODUCT IS BEING RETAILED. A CHANGE IN A BRAND OR PRODUCT IS NOT A CHANGE IN LAND USE. NEVERTHELESS, STAFF'S ASSUMPTION PRESENTED UNDER OATH BECAME THE BASIS FOR VIOLATIONS, DEADLINES AND FINES. ON JULY 29TH, STAFF DEMANDED AND ACCEPTED PAYMENT AND ISSUED A BTR WITH FOUR CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WOULD STOP THE FINES, THEN REVOKED ONE CLASSIFICATION AND REFUNDED MY PAYMENT WITHOUT DUE PROCESS, TRIGGERING FINES OF $250 PER DAY. THIS CONTRADICTS THE VERY LDC PROVISION THAT STAFF RELIES UPON, REQUIRING A CHANGE IN THE LIST OF PROPOSED USES. STAFF ADMITS NO SUCH LIST EXIST. STAFF CANNOT MANUFACTURE A CHANGE TO A LIST THE CITY NEVER CREATED, AND THEN PUNISHED ME FOR IT. I WOULD LIKE TO HELP CORRECT THE CITY'S DEFECT AND ESTABLISH A LIST OF CURRENT AND REQUESTED USES. HOWEVER, AS STATED IN THE ANNEXATION AGREEMENT, I SHOULD NOT INCUR ANY EXPENSE WHATSOEVER TO CORRECT THE CITY'S FAILURE. I ASK THE BOARD TO DIRECT STAFF TO CORRECT THE CITY'S DEFECT AT THE CITY'S EXPENSE EXPENSE WITH A MINOR AMENDMENT OR ADMINISTRATIVELY. I REMEMBER WHEN THE CITY EMBRACED AND SUPPORTED ITS LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS. I URGE THE BOARD TO RETURN THE CITY TO THAT COMMON SENSE APPROACH OF SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROBERT. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ARE THERE ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, MAYOR, THERE'S NO MORE. ALL RIGHT. SO THE LAST THE LAST EMAIL THAT I RECEIVED REGARDING THAT WAS ON AUGUST 5TH. CHIEF Z, IF YOU COULD GET WITH MIKE JUST SO HE CAN PROVIDE US AN UPDATE WITH. WE JUST SO WE'RE AWARE OF WHERE IT'S AT IN THE PROCESS. YES. BECAUSE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, HE NEEDS A PUD AMENDMENT TO COME IN FRONT OF THE CITY BOARD. THAT'S CORRECT. SOMETIME DOWN THE ROAD IT HAS NOT CHANGED. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, LEE. LET'S SEE. CAN I [APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ] GET AN APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR? MOVE APPROVAL? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO APPROVE IT. THERE'S NOTHING WE APPROVE. WE APPROVE THE AGENDA. WE APPROVE THE AGENDA. APPROVE. MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR, WHICH INCLUDES THE MINUTES. YES, I'LL MAKE A MOTION. OH. IS IT? YES. YOU'RE RIGHT TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND OR WE? I WAS DID YOU WANT TO? I THOUGHT I MADE THE MOTION, BUT THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. SORRY. THEN I WILL SECOND HER MOTION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOB. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? SEEING NONE. MARY, IF YOU COULD DO THE ROLL CALL. SUZANNE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. CLERK. YES. MAYOR REED. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MOVING ON TO COMMISSION ACTION, AGENDA ITEM [2. HANEY CREEK REFERENDUM (RC)] NUMBER TWO. IT'S THE HANEY CREEK REFERENDUM. LEE, IF YOU COULD READ THAT. THANK YOU. RESOLUTION NUMBER 40-2026, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR A REFERENDUM UNDER CITY CHARTER SECTION 9.05, SEEKING VOTER APPROVAL TO RESCIND THE NOVEMBER 8TH, 2011 ELECTION BALLOT REFERENDUM REQUIREMENT TO LEASE AN UNDEVELOPED 1.97 ACRE COMMERCIAL PARCEL FRONTING US ONE, OPPOSITE NORTH RIVER SHORES BOULEVARD. THAT WAS TO FUND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE HANEY CREEK PRESERVE SO THAT THE 1.97 ACRE PARCEL MAY BE CONVERTED TO CONSERVATION AND [00:10:04] ADDED TO THE HANEY CREEK PRESERVE, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. WE JUST HAD THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING ON AUGUST 10TH. WE HAD A D AND D GIVING A SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND. WE'VE CHOSEN NOT TO YOUR PRESENTATION IN THE BACKGROUND. I'VE CHOSEN NOT TO DO THE SAME TODAY SINCE IT SHOULD STILL BE FRESH IN YOUR MEMORY. ON AUGUST 10TH WE WERE BRINGING FORTH A, D AND D WITH THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE. FOR THE REFERENDUM TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT. YOU GUYS HAD NO CHANGES AND YOU JUST ASKED US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BRINGING BACK THE RESOLUTION AGAIN. WE HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS ON REFERENDUMS TONIGHT. I JUST WANT TO FOR THE SAKE OF BOTH OF THEM, THIS ONE IS A RESOLUTION. AND SO IT'S THE FIRST AND ONLY READING. THE NEXT ONE IS AN ORDINANCE. SO IT'S TWO READINGS AND WE'RE AT THE SECOND READING. BUT THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. SO TODAY IS JUST ONE READING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS AREN'T THINKING THAT WE HAVE TO BRING THIS BACK AT ANOTHER READING. SO THIS IS IN THIS CASE, THE CHARTER LANGUAGE IS ALREADY THERE. AND IN BACK IN 2011, WE PUT THIS ISSUE OUT TO THE VOTERS AND THEY VOTED TO LEASE OUT THESE THIS APPROXIMATE TWO ACRE PARCEL FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES TO HELP FUND THE HANEY CREEK PRESERVE. IN ORDER TO UNDO THAT, WE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS TO SEEK RESCISSION OF THAT PRIOR REFERENDUM AND INSTEAD TO CONVERT THE TWO ACRES INTO CONSERVATION. AND I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER, UNLESS THE COMMISSION HAS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM MYSELF OR CITY STAFF, I DON'T. BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO PUT ON THE PROJECTOR WHAT. THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE, HOW IT'S WRITTEN? BECAUSE THOSE ARE REALLY THE ONLY TWO THINGS THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET DISCUSSED THIS EVENING. MR. KOWALSKI IS WALKING UP TO THE COMPUTER, AND HE DID HAVE IT ON A PRESENTATION. IF HE STILL HAS THAT AVAILABLE, IT LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT. AND I ALSO WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THE LIGHTING SYSTEMS NOT WORKING HERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE, BUT CITY CLERKS, THEY HAVE IT OVER THEIR. WHICH ITEM? THEY'RE WANTING TO KNOW. WANT TO SEE THE PROPOSED BALLOT LANGUAGE? I KNOW YOU HAD IT ON A SLIDE. VERY BRIEF LANGUAGE. COMMISSIONER JOB, YOUR LIGHTS ON. YES. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. MR. BAGGOTT. I BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION SO THAT WE CAN THEN DISCUSS THIS FIRST RESOLUTION. SURE. WE'VE WE'VE DONE IT BOTH WAYS. OKAY. I'M OKAY EITHER WAY, I AM, TOO. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT BY THE BOOK TONIGHT. WELL, THAT'S UP TO YOU HOW YOU WANT TO PROCEED, BUT I GUESS SOMEONE HAD ASKED FOR US TO PUT THE REFERENDUM LANGUAGE UP. YES. NO, I THINK THAT WE CERTAINLY SHOULD LOOK AT THIS AND EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT. SO THIS IS HOW THE REFERENDUM LANGUAGE WOULD BE POSTED ON THEIR BALLOT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. THERE MIGHT BE A ZOOM IN, MAYBE. THIS SHOULD BE ON THE BOTTOM. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO. BEAR WITH US. NO WORRIES. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. IT WAS A LAST MINUTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WONDER IF IT'S EASIER TO PULL IT UP FROM LIKE, I MEAN, CAN EVERYONE SEE THAT IT'S OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE IT'S LEGIBLE BECAUSE WE HAVE A HARD COPY. SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR EMOTION REGARDING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE? ANYTHING YOU DON'T LIKE. COMMISSIONER RICH. MR. BAGGOTT, ISN'T IT CURRENTLY IN THE HANEY CREEK PRESERVE? NO, IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED. IT'S A CP D, OKAY. IT'S A THEY KEPT IT OUT. OKAY. I THINK IF YOU RECALL, FORMER COMMISSIONER KRAUSKOPF CAME AND THEY ACTUALLY KEPT IT SEPARATE. OKAY. ALL OF IT WAS COMMERCIAL PUDS, RIGHT. AND WE [00:15:03] ENDED UP ACQUIRING ALL WITH WITH THE COUNTY. AND THEY KEPT TWO ACRES, THIS APPROXIMATE TWO ACRES SEPARATE BY ITSELF. THEY CONVERTED EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT THIS. CAN I ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION? SO I JUST SPENT THREE DAYS WITH THE FOUR LEAGUE OF CITIES FREAKING OUT ABOUT AMENDMENT THREE. IF AMENDMENT THREE GOES ON THE BALLOT, ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ACTUALLY QUITE RESTRICTED IN HOW THEY MAY SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE BALLOT ITEM. CORRECT. ARE YOU AWARE OF THOSE PROHIBITIONS? YES. I IT'S IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY CANNOT USE FUNDS TO TAKE A POSITION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. BUT I THINK I BELIEVE INDIVIDUALLY, NOT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD. YOU CAN SPEAK YOUR MIND ON CERTAIN ITEMS. OKAY. YOU CAN'T DO IT UP HERE, CORRECT? YEAH. I'M SAYING, BUT YOU COULD BE WITH THAT SAME PROHIBITION EXIST WITH REGARD TO THESE LOCAL REFERENDUM ITEMS. AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES UP ON IF IT GOES ON THE BALLOT OR THEN THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO USE ANY RESOURCES TO FUND TO PROMOTE IT, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, PUBLICIZE IT OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IT'S THERE. AND THE PROHIBITIONS APPLY BROADLY TO SOCIAL MEDIA, TOO. SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF. BUT I AGAIN, IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE PUBLIC ON YOUR OWN, YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR OWN OPINION AS A RESIDENT ON, ON THE ISSUE. THANK YOU. AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO EXPEND ANY FUNDS, OBVIOUSLY. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. SO FOR CLARIFICATION, COMMISSIONER RICH AND, AND LEE, BASICALLY, IF WE'RE SITTING AT THE DAIS, NO ELECTED OFFICIAL SHOULD BE SAYING WHETHER OR NOT THEY SUPPORT THIS REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT OR NOT. IT'S MORE SO THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING. WELL, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT IT IF YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR IT TODAY. SO I THE BOARD CAN'T GO OUT AND PUBLICIZE AND ADVERTISE. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR THIS. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE. CORRECT. AND WE CAN'T SPEND ANY MONEY TO PROMOTE RICH. BUT YOU ALSO, ONCE IT'S ON THE BALLOT, YOU CANNOT. IF YOU HAVE COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, YOU GO, THIS IS ON THE BALLOT. I WANT YOU TO VOTE FOR IT. YOU CAN'T DO THAT SITTING UP HERE. CORRECT. HAS THAT HAPPENED OR YOU'RE JUST IT'S A STATEMENT, I DON'T KNOW. I SAT IN A 90 MINUTE SESSION WITH THREE LAWYERS WHO WERE SAYING, BE CAREFUL. SO THEY WERE TALKING. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AMENDMENT THREE, WHICH IS THE SAME THING, RIGHT? YEAH. RIGHT. RIGHT. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU WAS THIS DOES THAT PROHIBITION ALSO APPLY TO THIS LOCAL REFERENDUM ITEM? YES. WHO'S SAYING THAT? YES, I WOULD I ASSUME IT DOES. RIGHT. I, I, I'LL GET YOU A BETTER ANSWER. OKAY. TO BE MORE CONCRETELY, BUT I KNOW AS A MATTER OF COURSE THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PROMOTE IT. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEND MONEY ON IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I WOULD SAY UP HERE AS A BOARD TELLING PEOPLE TO VOTE YES FOR IT, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SUPPORT IT TODAY WHEN YOU'RE VOTING ON IT. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE DISSUADED FROM BRINGING IT UP AFTER THIS DATE. UNLESS UNLESS YOU GUYS VOTE IT DOWN. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST OR NOT WITH OTHER REFERENDUMS. I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR TWO YEARS, SO I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER RICH WAS SAYING THAT. I THINK HE WAS SAYING THAT HE WAS WITH THE LEAGUE OF CITIES AND THEY WERE DISCUSSING AMENDMENT THREE, THE TAX EXEMPT, TAX EXEMPT ISSUE, AND LAWYERS FOR THE LEAGUE OF CITIES WAS HAVING THAT DISCUSSION, RIGHT? CORRECT. YOU WEREN'T ALLEGING THAT WE HAVE VIOLATED THIS. RIGHT. OKAY. IT'S INFORMATIONAL. COMMISSIONER JOB, YOUR LIGHTS ON. I, I JUST WANTED I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE LIGHT. SO THE LIGHT, THE LIGHT SYSTEM FOR US IS WORKING. IT'S THE THE PUBLIC COMMENT LIGHT. SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. NOT CLARIFYING THAT. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT YES. ONCE IT'S ON THE BALLOT, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT IT. WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE IT ONCE IT'S ON THE BALLOT, WHETHER IT'S AMENDMENT THREE OR ANY OF THOSE. NO, WE CANNOT COLLECTIVELY SAY YOU NEED TO VOTE FOR THIS OR YOU DON'T. YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR IT. WE CAN'T TAKE A POSITION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. COMMISSIONER CLARK, YOUR LIGHT IS ON. YES. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ON THIS ITEM. I HAVE, LIKE WHEN WHEN WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE ADDED TO THE HANEY CREEK PRESERVE THAT COVERS ALL OF THE POTENTIAL LAND USE DESIGNATION. NO, WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF OF CONVERTING THE LAND USE. OKAY. IT'S CURRENTLY A CPD SO WE'D HAVE TO SWITCH IT. I THINK IN CONSERVATION. YEAH, I, I BELIEVE IT'S COMMERCIAL AND LAND USE AND THEN A CPD [00:20:04] ZONING. SO WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND WE'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CHANGING IT. OKAY. SO ANY, IF THIS IS VOTED IN, THE INTENT WOULD BE THERE DURING THIS PROCESS. THIS IS A ONE AND DONE. NOW FOR THIS RESOLUTION. IF WE APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION AND IF IT GOES FORWARD TONIGHT, HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC SO FAR? I REALLY HAVEN'T HAD TOO MANY COMMENTS SENT TO ME, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE MISSED SOME COMMENTS. DO WE KNOW IF WE'VE HAD ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP TO BE RESCINDED SOME TIME AGO? HAS ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SENT IN ANY INFORMATION? I'M ONLY AWARE OF A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS EMAILING. I THINK WE GOT ONE TODAY EVEN ON IT. SO AND IT WAS YOUR TO YOUR TO THE COMMISSIONERS GENERAL EMAIL. YEAH. SO Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE GOT IT BECAUSE I GET CARBON COPIED ON THOSE EMAILS. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I THAT'S I HAVEN'T SEEN TOO MANY EITHER. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF I'D MISSED SOMETHING. AND THEN THE LAST MEETING I HAD ASKED IF ANYONE HAD FOLLOWED UP WITH COMMISSIONER KRAUSKOPF. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY MANAGER HAD DONE SO OR NOT. NO. BUT IF YOU RECALL, MISS, FORMER COMMISSIONER KRAUSKOPF CAME HERE. I TRIED TO LOOK ON TO WHAT DATE HE CAME AND DID PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT HE CAME HERE AND SPOKE TO YOU ALL. AND. AND HE ASKED THAT YOU NOT GO FORWARD WITH THIS RESOLUTION. HE WAS PART OF THE THE COMMISSION THAT SET IT UP SO THAT THIS WOULD PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THE TWO ACRE WOULD BE LEASED OUT FOR THE MAINTENANCE. AND DURING THE TIME WHEN WE'VE HAD THIS, I THINK EVEN BEFORE THE RESCISSION CAME UP, THIS HAD BEEN THIS HAD COME UP BEFORE WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO LEASE THE PARCEL FOR HOUSING TO SOME HOUSING SOLUTION GROUP. AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT THE REASON WHY THAT 1.97 ACRES WAS TAKEN OUT WAS TO HELP WITH THE MAINTENANCE. AND AT THAT TIME, WE HAD ASKED FOR INPUT FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELP MANAGE THE HANEY CREEK OR WHATEVER COMPANIES ARE HIRED TO DO ANYTHING IN THE HANEY CREEK. AND I THINK HE HAD SAID THAT THE MONEY THAT HAD BEEN SPENT WAS, I WOULDN'T SAY MINIMAL, BUT IT WOULD. IT WAS THEY WERE MANAGING TO TO DO THE MAINTENANCE WITHOUT THE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THERE WAS NO MONEY BEING GENERATED FROM A COMMERCIAL LEASE. AND THEY WERE THEY WERE STILL MANAGING. SO WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMERCIAL LEASE WENT THROUGH OR, AND, OR THE PARCEL REMAINED INACTIVE, IT WAS. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WAS A BIG PUSH TO GET THOSE FUNDS FROM LEASING IT. AND I KNOW THAT WE DID TRY TO PUSH TO LEASE IT IN THE EARLY DAYS, BUT SO FAR NOTHING HAPPENED WITH IT SINCE 2011. MAYOR JIM KOURILSKY, FOR THE RECORD. YES, SIR. WHEN WHEN APPROPRIATE. I DO HAVE SOME NUMBERS THAT I CAN ANSWER. YES, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GIVE US ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE THAT BE OKAY, MAYOR. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IT WAS AROUND 5000 IS WHAT WAS IT WAS ABOUT 5000, YOU KNOW, AND WE ESTIMATE PROBABLY BETWEEN 5 AND 10. HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY KIND OF PROJECTS THAT MIGHT ARISE IN THE PARK. THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT THE SIGN FROM LAMAR SIGNS. YES, YES. THAT GENERATES ABOUT $30,000 A YEAR. AND SO WHAT THE FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR DID IS HE I DON'T KNOW IF HE ALLOCATED IT DIRECTLY OR JUSTIFIED IT, BUT HE THOUGHT THAT THAT MONEY FROM THE BILLBOARD WAS UTILIZING WAS, WAS, WAS MAINTAINING THE PARK AS WELL. YEAH. OKAY. DID YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE RUNDOWN FOR WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GENERATED FROM IF A TECHNICAL IF IT WAS DONE AS A COMMERCIAL LEASE? I, I, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT QUESTION BEING RAISED, AND I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND ON AN AWFUL LOT ON WHAT WAS BUILT THERE. IF IT WAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK THE ANSWER WOULD BE ZERO. IF IT WAS A GAS STATION, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE MORE. SO IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE USE. YEAH, I DO REMEMBER IN THE WAY, IN THE PAST WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE HOUSING ISSUE, THAT CAME UP AS A BIG ISSUE, BECAUSE IF IT WERE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEN WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GENERATE [00:25:02] THE, THE, THE FUNDS THAT WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD. THAT'S MY COMMENT SO FAR. ALL RIGHT. AS FAR AS LIKE, JUST I THINK JEFF WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T SUPPORT IT. ALL THE EMAILS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, EVERYBODY SUPPORTS THIS. IT'S A REFERENDUM TAKING THE POWER FROM US FIVE AND GIVING IT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. IT'S IT'S VERY SIMPLE HOW HOW A REFERENDUM OPERATES. I'M FROM THE GOVERNMENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, SO I'D RATHER PASS IT OFF TO THE VOTERS. BUT, COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHTS ON? YES. AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE'RE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN 2011. SO MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH COVID, COST TO DO BUSINESS HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE. THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THIS FROM, AGAIN, A MAJORITY OF COMMISSIONERS MAKING A DECISION FOR THE CITY OF STUART RESIDENTS AND THE RESIDENTS MAKING IT. THEY ALREADY HAD A REFERENDUM AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME. IT SEEMED LIKE THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA, BUT IN THOSE YEARS, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS HAPPENED, ALL OF THAT. I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER GAS STATION, ANOTHER WAWA, ANOTHER STORAGE CENTER, CAR WASH OR WHATEVER, SITTING ON THE CORNER OF ONE OF OUR MAIN STREETS. AND WE'RE ALSO WANTING TO SAVE SOME GREEN SPACE. WE COULD ADD THIS BACK INTO THE CREEK AND ENJOY IT. EVERYONE CAN ENJOY IT. BUT AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A DECISION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S A RELUCTANCE TO PUT THESE AND APPROVE THEM. WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THEY WILL COME TO FRUITION. WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE GIVING YOU THE VOTERS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER SAY NAY OR YAY. I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. UNLESS THERE'S PEOPLE HERE WHO DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY NAY OR YAY, MAYBE THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC IS EDUCATED ENOUGH TO SAY IT, BUT YOU ALL LIVE HERE. IT'S YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO MAKE THIS DECISION, NOT US. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK, YOUR LIGHTS ON. JIM. THIS IS GOING TO BE ON THE FLY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE PREPARED FOR IT, BUT SINCE WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS AGAIN, IT'S A ONE AND ONLY. DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF THE SUBJECT PARCEL AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE CURRENT HANEY CREEK? THANK YOU. THAT'S THE AERIAL. AND THEN THIS IS THE MAP, AND THIS IS THE TWO ACRE PARCEL. CAN YOU SEE WHERE MY CURSOR IS? YES. OKAY, 1.97. AND THANK YOU. CAN I ASK THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY, IF THE PUBLIC APPROVED THIS REFERENDUM, IF WE AGREE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, IF IT GOES ON. WILL WE STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH LAMAR THAT'S NOT EXPIRED? WELL, HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO WORK THAT THE THE ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD IS NOT ON THE TWO ACRE PARCEL. IT'S ON THE ROAD FURTHER NORTH. OKAY. YOU SEE BAKER ROAD, SEE WHERE HE'S POINTING TO NOW THAT'S WHERE THE SIGN IS. PERFECT. PERFECT. THAT'S FINE. IT'S COMPLETELY UNDEVELOPED. THE TWO ACRE PARCEL. OKAY. THAT'S VERY CLOSE. TO WHAT AREAS I. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE. IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM NORTH RIVER SHORES BOULEVARD. IF THAT THAT LIGHT, IF THAT MAKES THAT PUTS THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. YEAH, YEAH. DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? NO. OH, SORRY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE FINISHED. NO, NO. YOU CAN GO FORWARD. IT WAS JUST A REQUEST. WE'VE BEEN HERE SEVERAL TIMES. I JUST ASK THAT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE HAD THIS INFORMATION FOR OVER A WEEK NOW. AND I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR WE WANT ITEMS PUT UP ON THAT, WE LET THE STAFF KNOW IN ADVANCE. I THINK THAT IS JUST SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DOING IS NOT WAITING UNTIL THE MEETINGS HERE. THEY HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH FOR WHERE IT MIGHT BE. WE'VE HAD THIS MATERIAL, WE'VE READ OVER IT, AND WE CERTAINLY KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS WE WANTED, GIVING IT TO THE STAFF WHEN WE'RE SITTING IN THE MEETING, I JUST THINK IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I THINK THAT WE HAVE THEIR THEY'RE WILLING TO TALK TO US ON THE PHONE. THEY'LL ANSWER AN EMAIL, JUST SEND IT OUT TO THEM AND SAY, GEE, COULD YOU BE READY ON COMMISSION NIGHT TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION THAT WE MIGHT NEED? THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. ALL RIGHT. I'M JUST GOING TO PASS THE GAVEL AND GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD TO COMMISSIONER CLARK. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 40, 2026 FOR THE HANEY CREEK REFERENDUM. THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND, THE MOTION IS A MOTION FROM MAYOR SHAWN REED, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GOBI. RESOLUTION NUMBER 40-2026, CLERK ACTUALLY, ANY COMMENTS? WE HAVE A PUBLIC [00:30:06] COMMENT. MISS EMILY LANTHIER HAVE A COMMENT. THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE MIC. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS. I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME STUFF THAT SHOULD BE DONE ON THIS PROPERTY. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DONE, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS IT HAS A LOT OF UPLAND HABITATS. IT HAS SCRUB, WHICH ARE THEIR ENDANGERED HABITATS, WHICH ALSO CONTAIN THE NOW CRITICALLY ENDANGERED GOPHER TORTOISE. WITHIN THE YEAR IT WENT FROM VULNERABLE, CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, LOST 80% OF THEIR POPULATION DUE TO HABITAT LOSS. SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEAR WHAT THE LANGUAGE SAYS. I'M NOT SURE I'M NOT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO ADD THE SENSITIVE HABITAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PUT ON THERE, BUT. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR TO SHOW THAT IT IS GOING TO BE PRESERVED. AND THOSE HABITATS DO HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE PLANTS AND ANIMALS. AND IF WE WERE NOT TO KEEP THIS PROPERTY AND WE WERE TO BUILD, LET'S SAY, A GAS STATION, IT ALSO AFFECTS THE NEIGHBORING ENVIRONMENT AS WELL FROM RUNOFF. SAME THING WITH LIKE A CAR WASH. THEY HAVE ALL THE CHEMICALS AND STUFF. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO FRAGMENTING THE HABITATS AS WELL. SO IT ENDS UP AFFECTING THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE IN THAT HABITAT, NOT BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. I'M JUST KIND OF WINGING IT RIGHT NOW. I DIDN'T WRITE ANYTHING VERY GOOD. IT'S VERY LAST MINUTE, AND I KNOW THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY. I'VE TALKED TO A FEW PEOPLE AND THEY'D BE HAPPY TO HELP WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S ON THE PROPERTY. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE, REALLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER CLARK. SHE DIDN'T INTRODUCE HERSELF. YEAH. COULD YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AGAIN FOR THE RECORD? AND IF YOU SPELL YOUR LAST NAME, IF IT'S DIFFICULT, EMILY LANTHIER, LANTHIER. THANK YOU. EMILY. THANK YOU, MISS LANTHIER. COMMISSIONER CLARK, CAN I ASK A QUESTION TO EMILY? JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION. ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION. OKAY. YES YOU MAY SIR. SO THE REFERENDUM, HOW I UNDERSTAND IT IS TO IT GIVES THE POWER TO THE VOTERS. IF ANYTHING, DEVELOPMENT HAPPENED FROM THE CITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I WOULD IMAGINE THEY WOULD SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND EVERYTHING MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAD SENT US AN EMAIL REQUESTING. YEAH, SO WE DID SEE THAT. BUT YOU'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE REFERENDUM LANGUAGE, AND WE'RE LIMITED BY 15 WORDS FOR THE HEADING AND THEN 75 FOR THE BODY CORRECTLY. CORRECT. SO THAT SO YEAH. SO SO WE HAD TO GET VERY THINKING ON THIS AND GETTING THE LANGUAGE RIGHT. SO BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. MR. DAVID KELLMAN. DAVID, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? CLARK? MR. DAVID KELLMAN OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD BRING UP THAT MAP AGAIN SO WE CAN SEE THE PARCEL? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT PARCEL RIGHT THERE, DOES IT AFFECT ANY TRAILS, PART OF THE DOG PARK OR ANY OTHER THING? OR IS IT JUST ON US ONE SITTING THERE, OVERGROWN, WEEDED. AND DOES ANYBODY KNOW IT'S VACANT. VACANT. THERE'S NOTHING THERE. SO ONE I'M NOT SAYING TO GO WITH IT. I'M NOT SAYING TO GO. WHATEVER. WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT PARCEL IF IT COULD GENERATE SOME SORT OF INCOME FOR HIM. CREEK. OKAY. WHICH THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY WOULD HAVE TO BE JUSTIFIED FOR. CORRECT. ON ANY LEASE OR WHATEVER YOU MAY PUT THERE. WE'D HAVE TO GO TO HANEY CREEK. NOW, WHAT MONEY DOES HANEY CREEK GENERATE RIGHT NOW TO CLEAN UP? YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THE PAST FINANCIAL GUY. HAS ANYBODY BEEN TO HANEY CREEK? YOU WALK AROUND THERE. WHAT? WHERE DO THEY MAINTAIN TODAY? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? I WALKED THROUGH THERE. OKAY. THERE. SHE SHE RUNS THAT PARK. WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY WHAT ARE THEY MAINTAINING? IT'S IT'S VERY CONFUSING, THE WHOLE THING. BUT IF THAT PARCEL RIGHT THERE COULD GENERATE MONEY FOR HANEY CREEK, IT. I DON'T SEE TWO ACRES OF LAND ON US. ONE DOING ANYTHING. YOU'RE GOING TO STILL HAVE COYOTES RUNNING ACROSS YOU AS ONE. YOU STILL HAVE BOBCATS AND EVERY OTHER THING. AND IF IT DOESN'T AFFECT TRAILS OR DOG PARKS OR ANY OTHER THING, I MEAN, IT'D BE PRETTY CRAZY FOR RESIDENTS NOT TO WANT TO HAVE THE CITY DO SOMETHING WITH IT, WHETHER IT'S A BULLETIN BOARD. I'M NOT SAYING GAS STATIONS, CAR WASHES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE HAVE 6 MILLION OF THEM. MAYBE A BULLETIN BOARD THAT COULD GENERATE. SO I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD CONSIDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT. CLERK. NO, NO. OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE I HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT, COMMISSIONER. I HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. [00:35:06] BUT YOU HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS. YEP. I HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. SO NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER JOB WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT. NO, ACTUALLY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT TO YOUR QUESTION. BUT YOU HAD TOLD ME NO. SO I ASK YOU TO MAKE A COMMENT. YOU CAN GO ON AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK. I WANTED TO STATE THE QUESTION WAS POSED. WHAT COULD BE THERE? WHAT COULD GENERATE MONEY IF WE LEAVE IT OPEN? THERE ARE A LIST OF ITEMS THAT COULD BE THERE, INCLUDING A GAS STATION. WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAY SELECTIVELY, WELL, YOU CAN ONLY PUT THIS IF WE LEAVE IT OPEN FOR LEASING, THEN THERE'S A LIST OF ITEMS THAT CAN BE LEASED. WE CAN'T REALLY SAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T PUT A CARWASH THERE, YOU CAN'T DO THIS. BUT YOU COULD PUT A BULLETIN BOARD THERE SO IT LEAVES IT OPEN. AND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, ONCE YOU DO DEVELOP THAT, YOU ARE GOING TO INFRINGE UPON ANYTHING THAT'S IN HANEY CREEK. THERE'LL BE RUNOFF. THERE'LL BE ALL SORTS OF ITEMS. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ARE WE READY FOR THE CLERK? COMMISSIONER RICH'S LIGHTS ON. OH, COMMISSIONER RICH. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. MR. TROTSKY, HOW MUCH OF REMOVAL OF INVASIVES HAS TAKEN PLACE IN HANEY CREEK OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS? I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR REGARDING THAT QUESTION. MR. MR. LEGGETT TO RESPOND. MR. LEGGETT, EXOTIC REMOVAL, PEPPER TREES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ONE SECTION? NO. OKAY, OKAY. HAVE WE BUILT ANY BOARDWALKS? WOULD YOU COME TO THE HAVE WE DONE ANY WETLAND RESTORATION? MR. LEGGETT, COULD YOU PLEASE COME UP HERE FOR A MINUTE, SIR? THANK YOU. SHARE THE LIMELIGHT, MILTON. MILTON LEGGETT, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. NO, WE HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING IN THAT TWO ACRE PARCEL AT THIS POINT. ISN'T THAT THE REST OF HONEY CREEK? THE REST OF HANEY CREEK? OH, WELL, WE MAINTAIN IT, YES, BUT WE. AS FAR AS THE BOARDWALK PART AND ALL THAT, NO, IT'S. IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. LEGGETT. A QUESTION ON THE EAST SIDE IS THAT GOING TOWARDS 707 WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE THE, THE MONUMENT THAT'S WAY ON THE EAST SIDE. THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S AN ACTIVE PARK AREA PER SE. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SLOUGH. WHEN YOU SAY EAST SIDE, COMMISSIONER, COULD YOU BE ON 707? FROM GOING FROM US ONE ALL THE WAY OVER BAKER ROAD? YES. THAT WHOLE SECTION THERE IS BEHIND A. IT'S WHERE THE TRAIL IS BACK IN THAT AREA. YES. OKAY. ARE YOU ARE YOU REFERENCING THE THE ENTRANCE ON DIXIE HIGHWAY? THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. ON 707. YEAH, THAT'S IT, THAT'S BAKER ROAD. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT DIXIE ON ON ON ON. 707 OKAY. DIXIE. OKAY. EXISTING TRAILHEAD. YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S THE ONLY ACTIVE PART WHERE PEOPLE ENTER AND, AND GO THERE. WELL, THEY CAN ENTER FROM THERE AND THEY CAN ALSO ENTER ON BAKER ROAD ALSO. YES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, THERE. BAKER ALSO, I THINK IT'S WHERE IT'S GREEN. JIM. YEAH, FOR THE DOG PARK, THAT'S WHERE THE COUNTY ALSO OWNS IT. AND WE AGREE TO MAINTAIN IT. AND WE HAVE A PAVILION AND BATHROOMS. THERE'S A DRIVEWAY OFF OF BAKER ROAD WHERE HE'S POINTING TO. YEAH. AND WE HAVE A PAVILION AND BATHROOMS IN A PARKING LOT AND. RIGHT. YEAH. AND THEN THERE'S TRAILS. THERE'S A DOG PARK AND THE TRAILS. YEAH. THE AUDUBON SOCIETY DOES TOURS. ME AND MY DAUGHTER WENT ON ONE LAST YEAR, AND THEY TAKE YOU THROUGH AND SHOW YOU THE VARIOUS AREAS OF THE PARK, BUT THAT MOST OF THE TRAILS ARE UP IN THE GREEN AREA THAT ARE MORE MARKED. I THINK THERE ARE TRAILS DOWN AROUND HANEY CREEK, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT, AS I GUESS, GENERALLY USED. I THINK THERE'S JUST BEEN SOME TRAILS THROUGH THE YEARS. PEOPLE HAVE WALKED THROUGH THERE AND STUFF, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT I THINK WHAT THE YOUNG LADY AND WHAT MR. KELLMAN IS GOING TOWARDS IS FUNCTION. SO THE FUNCTION OF THE ENTIRE CREEK IS TO CLEAN WATER BEFORE IT GETS DOWN TO THE RIVER. SO IT'S A WHOLE LARGE AREA AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE ACTIVE PARKS AND ACTIVE BOARDWALKS FOR IT TO DO ITS FUNCTION. IT'S [00:40:02] CONSERVATION LAND. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THE REASON WHY YOU HAVEN'T SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON IT IS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT OUT THERE CUTTING DOWN THINGS EVERY DAY. IT'S STAYING AS NATURAL AND PRISTINE AS POSSIBLE. NOW, THERE ARE ALSO TRAILS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROADWAY TOO. SO YEAH, I DON'T HIM. HE. TRAILS IN HERE ALSO. I THINK THAT'S BARELY MAINTAINED TRAILS. THANK YOU MISS. COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE OFF THE RECORD BECAUSE HE WASN'T ON THE MIC. JUST SO YOU KNOW, MISS CLARK, COULD YOU PLEASE ME? I'M SORRY. THERE ARE ALSO TRAILS IN THAT PARK THERE TOO, WHICH IS DIRECTLY BEHIND EIGHT RAMPS. OKAY. NATURE TRAILS. CAN YOU YOU GUYS HAVE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION FOR US TO CREATE A, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD WITH DOING A TRAILHEAD WITH THE HALF CENT SALES TAX OFF OF BAKER ROAD, WHICH IS IN THAT AREA WHERE MILTON WAS JUST REFERRING TO. YES. CORRECT. SO IT'S A SYSTEM, AN ERA WHERE THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE WORKING TO CLEAN THE WATER. YES. THANK YOU. MAY I CONCLUDE MY REMARKS? YES, COMMISSIONER CLARK? YES. THANK YOU SIR. SO. AGAIN, I JUST SPENT THREE DAYS WITH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. THAT REPRESENTS 411 CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AS THEY DESCRIBED THE MOST EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF ALL OF THOSE CITIES AND TOWNS THAT THEY HAVE EVER SEEN. AND THAT IS AMENDMENT THREE. I, I AM ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF OUR CITIZENRY BEING ABLE TO MAKE A WELL-INFORMED DECISION UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND HOW DIRE OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION MAY BE, UNTIL WE KNOW WHETHER WE COULD FACE THE LOSS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN AD VALOREM REVENUE. THIS IS JUST PREMATURE FOR US TO TAKE AN ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCE AWAY FROM THE CITIZENS AND DENY SOME TAX RELIEF. THERE'S NO HURRY. NOBODY WANTS TO LEASE THIS. IT'S CURRENTLY IN PRESERVE. AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF THE SITUATION WE FACE. AND ONE OF OUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES IS A FINANCIAL ONE. SO I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO RUSH INTO THIS. WE CAN PUT IT ON THE BALLOT IN TWO YEARS. NOBODY'S GOING TO LEASE THIS IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. SO THAT IS MY VERY STRONG CONCERN AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, AND NONE OF US DO. AND LET'S KEEP OUR OPTIONS OPEN. THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENT, COMMISSIONER RIDGE. COMMISSIONER JOB. YEAH. FIRST, I WANT TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU HAD SAID, COMMISSIONER CLARK, THE PURPOSE TO HANEY CREEK AND WHAT IT'S DOING. IT'S CLEANING WATER. IT'S PROVIDING TRAILS. IT'S A DOG PARK. THERE ARE MANY ISSUES THERE. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DEVELOP THAT LAND, WHICH THEN WOULD IMPEDE SOME OF THAT GOING INTO HANEY CREEK? THAT'S MY QUESTION, NUMBER ONE TO YOU, TO COMMISSIONER RICH. YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE HAVE WE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT AMENDMENT WILL DO ON THE BALLOT, BUT THIS IS SEPARATE AND ABOVE FROM THAT. THE COUNTY HAS AGREED THAT THEY ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO RESCIND THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT. THE PROPERTY HAS NOT, AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, WILL NOT PRODUCE ANY INCOME. SO EVEN IF AMENDMENT THREE WERE PASSED, WE WOULD STILL NOT DERIVE ANY INCOME FROM THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. SO AND JUST EVERYBODY REMEMBER TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY. THERE'S NO MORE PRE-ELECTION EARLY ELECTION, EARLY VOTING. TOMORROW'S THE DAY TO VOTE. AND IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT HOW YOU VOTE IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU THINK YOUR OPTIONS ARE AS CITIZENS AND BEING ABLE TO DECIDE YOUR OWN FATE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK. CAN I BE RECOGNIZED? YES, MAYOR, JUST TO CORRECT THE RECORD, IT'S. THIS PARCEL IS NOT CURRENTLY IN PRESERVE. IT ACTUALLY HAS A COMMERCIAL PUD. AND TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC COMMENT, WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL PUDS, THERE'S MULTIPLE USAGES. YOUR FIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THE SAY SO. AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS PARCEL CURRENTLY. SO WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S A GAS STATION PUD. [00:45:06] COMMERCIAL RETAIL, IT COULD BE ANY PUD. SO AS LONG AS THREE PEOPLE UP HERE SUPPORTED IT, IT COULD BE SOLD FOR DEVELOPMENT, LEASED FOR DEVELOPMENT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. IT CAN'T BE SOLD. CAN'T BE SOLD, CAN IT. COULDN'T BE SOLD. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE WAS TO LEASE IT LONG TERM TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, BUT IT COULD BE SOLD. THERE'S NOTHING IN THAT AGREEMENT THAT SAYS IT CAN'T BE. THE LONG TERM GOAL WAS TO GAIN REVENUE. WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY THAT IT WOULD BE LEASED FOR LONG PURPOSES FOR FOR PURPOSES OF GENERATING REVENUE, TO HELP SUPPORT, MAINTAIN THE REST OF THE PARK. AND IF IT WERE SOLD, IT WOULD GENERATE REVENUE. RIGHT. BUT OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY WAS THAT WE WOULD LEASE IT LONG TERM, GENERATE REVENUE, AND THAT'S BEING AMENDED SUBJECT TO REFERENDUM. BUT IF WE DON'T GO OUT TO REFERENDUM AND IF IT DOES GO OUT FOR REFERENDUM, THEN THE POPULATION VOTES NO ON IT, THEN WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEAL WITH THE COUNTY. SO. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IF YOU WOULD ALLOW IT. I'LL ENTERTAIN THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT. THERE MIGHT BE ONE MORE. I THINK THERE'S TWO. COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOUR ADDRESS? DEREK OGDEN, 511 SOUTHEAST HIBISCUS AVENUE. THANK YOU SIR. THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN SITTING THERE SINCE. IS IT 2011 OR 2012? WELL IT TURNS NOBODY HAS WANTED TO LEASE THE PROPERTY. IT IS SITTING THERE GENERATING ZERO REVENUE. IT ALL IT ALL IT COULD POSSIBLY DO IS GET DEVELOPED OR BECOME PART OF THE PRESERVE. I MEAN, THESE ARE THE OPTIONS. AND ALL WE'RE ASKING YOU GUYS IS TO GIVE THE VOTERS THE CHOICE BETWEEN THOSE TWO OPTIONS. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SIR. DID SOMEONE ELSE HAVE A COMMENT? YES. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM DISAPPOINTED, TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE ANY COMMISSIONERS SITTING ON THAT DAIS THAT DON'T HAVE THE RESPECT FOR THE VOTERS. THIS SHOULD BE A CHOICE THAT THE VOTERS SHOULD MAKE. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT BEING PUT OUT THERE AS A REFERENDUM TO TELL ME THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. HAS THE POWER TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE VOTERS IS RIDICULOUS. THIS SHOULD CERTAINLY BE OUT THERE. THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. I KNOW I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I DO BELIEVE THAT AT ONE POINT IN TIME, AND IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MAYBE 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, I THINK THERE WAS A POPEYE'S LOOKING AT THAT. THERE WAS A CAR WASH LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY. THERE'S PLENTY OF INTEREST IN THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY PART OF HANEY CREEK. AND TO KEEP IT AS HANEY CREEK IS WHAT IT SHOULD BE. AND ANY COMMISSIONER SITTING UP THERE HAS NO. I HAVE NO RESPECT FOR YOU. IF YOU DECIDE THAT YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT THE VOTERS HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL AND THE INTELLIGENCE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PERSONS WITH ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS? ANY COMMENT FROM OUR CITY MANAGER OR OUR ATTORNEY WITH REGARD TO US? OKAY. SO, MR. KOWALSKI, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PRESSING YOU INTO WORKING, COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US THE RESOLUTION AGAIN ON THE BOARD? AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE CLERK. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND, AND WE'VE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT. CLERK. COMMISSIONER JOB. YES. MAYOR REID. YES. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. NO THANK YOU. I GIVE BACK THE GAP. I GIVE BACK THE GAVEL TO GIVE BACK THE GAVEL. TAKE IT BACK. MOTION PASSES WITH COMMISSIONER RICH. DISSENTING. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ORDINANCE SECOND READING, [3. BALLFIELDS REFERENDUM (RC)] [00:50:08] AGENDA ITEM THREE, THE BALL FIELDS REFERENDUM. LEE, IF YOU COULD READ THAT ORDINANCE. SURE. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2553-2026, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING BALLOT LANGUAGE AND DIRECTING THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OF MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA TO PLACE A REFERENDUM ON THE NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT SEEKING VOTER APPROVAL ON. PROPOSED ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER PERTAINING TO THE SALE OR LEASE OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY CONTAINING RECREATIONAL BALL FIELDS. PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR PURPOSES. AGAIN, THIS IS THE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE, AND THIS IS TO DO A CHARTER AMENDMENT, ADDING THIS LANGUAGE TO THE CHARTER, WHICH WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH WITH THE HANEY CREEK, BECAUSE THERE'S CHARTER LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT SELLING OR LEASING LONG TERM WATERFRONT PROPERTY. AND SO HERE WHERE WE WOULD BE ADDING TO THE CHARTER. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S THE PURPOSE OF AN ORDINANCE. AND THIS ALSO REQUIRES THAT TO GO OUT FOR REFERENDUM. IN THE FIRST READING, YOU GUYS IN YOUR MOTION IN IN MOVING IT TO SECOND READING, REQUESTED THAT WE ADD A COUPLE OF WORDS IN THE TITLE, AND WE HAVE DONE THAT. AND THE WORDS WERE GENERAL IN. AND, AND I JUST READ THEM IN, IN THE UPDATED ORDINANCE TITLE. BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ACTUAL PROPOSED LANGUAGE FOR THE REFERENDUM. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT WE MADE THE ADDITIONS IN THE TITLE. AND YOU HAD NO RECOMMENDATIONS OR EDITS FOR THE LANGUAGE IN THE REFERENDUM. SO ONE SECOND, COMMISSIONER JODY, FOR CLARIFICATION THOUGH, LEE, THIS LANGUAGE THAT IS UP HERE, WE REMOVE THE TEN YEARS AND CHANGED IT TO ONE YEAR. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. AND OUR AGENDA PACKET IS CORRECT. BUT THEN HERE'S THIS. THIS IS AN OLDER, I GUESS SLIDE. SO BEFORE THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A SLIDE WITH IT. ARE WE ABLE TO PULL UP THE AGENDA PACKET FROM THIS CITY WEBSITE THEN JUST TO HAVE THE, THE CORRECT LANGUAGE, HOW IT'S WRITTEN CURRENTLY AND COMMISSIONER JOB, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON. YES. YOU'RE GOOD. THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE PULLING UP THE LANGUAGE FROM THE AGENDA PACKET TO MAKE A MOTION SO THAT WE COULD THEN DISCUSS. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO THEN. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT ORDINANCE. 2553-2026 ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART. APPROVING BALLOT LANGUAGE AND DIRECTING THE SUPERVISOR. ELECTIONS OF MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA TO PLACE A REFERENDUM ON THE NOVEMBER 3RD GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT SEEKING VOTER APPROVAL. KEY WORD THERE. VOTER APPROVAL. LET ME READ THE WHOLE THING. DO YOU WANT ME TO. SURE. OKAY. ON ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER PERTAINING TO THE SALE OR LEASE OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY CONTAINING RECREATIONAL BALL FIELDS, PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND OTHER PURPOSES. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2553-2026 FOR THE BALL FIELD REFERENDUM FROM COMMISSIONER JOB AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLERK. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION? YES, MAYOR. MR. DEREK OGDEN, WELCOME. JUST MAKE SURE YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND IT'S THREE MINUTES. AND COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE SURE YOU SPEAK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. DEREK OGDEN 511. SOUTHEAST HIBISCUS. IF OUR COMMISSIONERS DON'T TRUST THE VOTERS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRUST YOU. THIS IS CITY PROPERTY. IT'S OWNED BY THE RESIDENTS. WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS IN MAY. THE CAN HAS BEEN KICKED SEVERAL TIMES. WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS. WE WENT OVER TWO WEEKS AGO. WE WENT OVER THE LANGUAGE. EVERYTHING WAS CLEAR. EVERYBODY KNEW THAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS NOT GOING TO BE HERE TONIGHT. THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON TO NOT SAY YES ACROSS THE BOARD. IF YOU DON'T TRUST THE VOTERS, THE VOTERS CANNOT TRUST YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. OH, SORRY. BROOKS DU BOIS. BROOKS. JUST. IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. BROOKS DU BOIS, 908 SOUTHEAST SIXTH STREET. STUART. JUST MY COMMENT IS I GREW UP IN STUART. MOVED UP FROM MIAMI WHEN I WAS SIX, PLAYED BALL ALL AROUND HERE. STUART. IT IT JUST BLOWS ME AWAY THAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO SELL WHAT KIDS ENJOY THE [00:55:10] BALL FIELDS. IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY Y'ALL KEEP ON BRINGING IT UP. SHOULD BE STAYING FOR THE KIDS. MY GRANDKIDS PLAY THERE. MY KIDS PLAY THERE. WHAT'S NEXT? THE 10TH STREET PARK. Y'ALL ARE GOING TO PUT THAT IN THE DOCKET TO SELL THAT TOO. I MEAN, WE NEED STUFF FOR THE KIDS AROUND HERE. WE DON'T NEED DEVELOPMENT. WE NEED MORE THINGS FOR THE KIDS. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. THANK YOU WILL OFFLINE. AND FOR CLARIFICATION, THE THE REFERENDUM IS WRITTEN SO YOUR FIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULDN'T HAVE THAT DECISION TO SELL OR LEASE IT. IT'S GIVEN THE POWER TO THE PUBLIC. THAT'S WHAT THE REFERENDUM DOES. IT TAKES IT AWAY FROM US AND GIVES IT BACK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT GIVE US THE PRIVILEGE TO SIT HERE. HI, I'M WILL LOFLIN 950 SOUTH COUNTY HIGHWAY IN TO THAT POINT, EXACTLY THE REASON WHY WE NEED THIS REFERENDUM IS BECAUSE THE TREMENDOUS STATE OVERREACH, IN PARTICULAR WITH SENATE BILL 180, ALSO WITH THE LOCAL ACT, THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT TO BUILD ANOTHER WALL TO PROTECT THE BALL FIELDS THAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER JUST WANTED TO HELP DEFEND. AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES 411 WILL PROVIDE ZERO SUPPORT IN DEFENDING WHEN THE STATE COMES TO TAKE THESE KIND OF PROPERTIES, BECAUSE THIS GREAT POWERFUL LEAGUE, WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT AND LOBBYING, WE'RE SO EFFECTIVE THAT THESE LAWS, THE LIVE LOCAL ACT AND SENATE BILL 180 ALMOST PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. IT'S ALMOST AS IF THEY ALMOST WANT TO ENCOURAGE BALL FIELDS TO BE TAKEN AWAY. SO HERE'S A CHANCE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND THE BALL FIELDS THAT THE RESIDENTS WANT, DEFEND IT. AND IT'S A RISK THAT IF WE DON'T TAKE STEPS LIKE CHANGING THE ZONING FROM URBAN GENERAL TO PUBLIC, AND THEN THIS REFERENDUM THAT IF WE GET A COMMISSION WITH THREE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE THE MAJORITY, THEY MIGHT DECIDE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TO SEE THESE TOWERS BUILT HERE, BECAUSE THAT GOES RIGHT ALONG WITH THIS TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLAN. SO I'M HOPING THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HERE RECOGNIZE THAT THE VOTERS ARE SMART ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT THE BALL FIELDS, AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING APARTMENTS BUILT THERE ON THAT LOCATION. THAT WOULD BE BY SENATE BILL 180, TAX EXEMPT FOR 30 YEARS. AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE OCCUPIED. SO LET'S JUST KEEP THE STATUS QUO. THAT'S MY ASK AND THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER JOB, YOUR LIGHTS ON. YES. OKAY. I'VE RECEIVED LOTS OF EMAILS AND I THINK THERE'S A BIG MISCOMMUNICATION OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC. WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO SELL THE BALL FIELDS. WE'RE LOOKING TO PROTECT THEM. ALL IT TAKES HERE IS THE THREE COMMISSIONERS WITH THE POWER TO SAY, YOU KW WHAT? WE CAN MAKE MONEY. BECAUSE IF THAT BECOMES THE ISSUE THAT WE NEED MONEY, THEN WE CAN SELL IT. OKAY? WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS BY PROTECTING THEM, WE PUT THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE THAT DECISION, NOT THE COMMISSIONERS. BECAUSE AS MANY PEOPLE STATED, IF THE BALANCE OF THE COMMISSION CHANGES, THERE MIGHT BE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN HAVING MONEY FOR THE CITY VERSUS PRESERVING BALLPARKS FOR OUR KIDS. SO ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE GIVING OUT THE POWER TO THE RESIDENTS. YOU WANT TO PROTECT THE BALL FIELDS FOR YOUR KIDS, YOU NEED TO VOTE FOR THIS. OKAY? THIS WILL PROTECT IT. THIS WILL TAKE AWAY THE POWER FROM THIS DAIS AND IT WILL GIVE IT TO YOU, THE PEOPLE. THE OTHER DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND THE PREVIOUS MOTION THAT WE JUST PASSED IS IF WE SEND IT OVER TO THE PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SELL IT. THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP IT FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THERE'S NOT TO SAY THAT IT WOULDN'T BE SOLD IF IT WERE LEFT UP TO THE COMMISSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER RICH, YOUR LIGHTS ON. YEAH. JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHEN YOU PUT UP THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IS DOES THIS IT INCLUDED THE LAST SENTENCE WHICH WHICH WE HAD REMOVED. SO THIS IS WHICH WHICH SAID YOU COULD THE THE RESTRICTION DID NOT APPLY IF IT WAS A SPORTS BASE. RIGHT. SORRY. MY GLASSES. SO THIS IS THE CORRECT LANGUAGE. [01:00:01] OKAY. WAS THERE A REASON YOU PUT UP THE THE CORRECTED LANGUAGE THE FIRST TIME, MR. BAKER? THE I'M SORRY, THE FIRST LANGUAGE. I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO BE SURE, COMMISSIONER. THAT WAS MY DECISION AND I, I PUT UP THE SLIDE THINKING THAT THERE WAS NO CHANGES. AND I QUICKLY CORRECTED THAT WITH THE ORIGINAL, WITH THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE. CORRECT. OKAY. THAT'S ALL. I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE MR. KOWALSKI WAS NOT PREPARED TO DO A PRESENTATION TODAY, SO HE WAS PULLING UP PRIOR PRESENTATIONS. JUST FOR SAKE OF CLARIFICATION, AS YOU'RE READING IT HERE. AND THAT WAS HOW IT WAS POSTED ON THE AGENDA WAS WITHOUT THAT SENTENCE THAT YOU GUYS HAD REQUESTED YOU, THIS SHOULD BE THE MOST UPDATED VERSION UNLESS YOU WANT TO MAKE MORE EDITS TO IT. NO, NO. LESS IS MORE FOR THE. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER? YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLARK, YOUR LIGHTS ON. SO, MR. BAGGETT, IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARED FOR THIS, I GUESS IT WILL WAIT TILL WHENEVER THIS GETS TO THAT LEVEL. BUT ANY ITEM THAT'S A REFERENDUM ITEM. I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD TO DO THE THE WATERFRONT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS OR UP TO 20 YEARS WHEN WE HAD TO DO THAT REFERENDUM. THE ADVOCACY OR THE INFORMATION THAT THE CITY PUTS OUT SO THAT THE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THIS IS COMING UP FOR REFERENDUM. WHAT SHOULD THE RESIDENTS EXPECT IF ANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE PUT ON? THE REFERENDUM WILL BE ON THE REFERENDUM FOR NOVEMBER. HOW WILL THEY GET TO KNOW ABOUT IT? I, I, I, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DETAILS, BUT I THINK WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUBLICIZE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT THIS IS ON THE UPCOMING BALLOT AND, AND SHOW IT. WE JUST CAN'T TAKE A POSITION AND WE CAN'T MARKET IT. WE CAN'T PROMOTE TO VOTE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER RICH SAID HE WENT TO MEETINGS ON AMENDMENT THREE WITH. AND THEY WERE SAYING THAT CITIES CAN'T. YOU CAN'T. THE CITIES CAN'T SPEND MONEY AND START PROMOTING AGAINST AMENDMENT THREE. YOU GUYS CAN IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES AND SO FORTH. BUT THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON, ON, ON A REFERENDUM BALLOT, JUST, JUST LIKE AMENDMENT THREE, JUST LIKE HANEY CREEK WILL BE NOW. AND THEN POTENTIALLY THIS ONE. AND DOES OUR CHARTER HAVE ANY ADVOCACY GUIDELINES FOR COMMISSIONERS, WHETHER ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, JUST LIKE I THINK HE HAD ASKED ABOUT THE OTHER THE STATE AMENDMENT? OUR CHARTER DOES NOT ADDRESS THAT. NO. OKAY. JUST JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I KEEP LOOKING FOR THIS THING. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENT? YES. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE COMMENTS FOR STAFF OR ANY DISCUSSION? NOPE. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE. SUSIE, IF YOU COULD DO THE ROLL CALL, COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MAYOR REED. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANKS. ANYBODY HERE EVER AGAIN? I SAY THANKS TO THE CITY OF STUART. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.