Sep 09, 2026 Special City Commission - Old

[ROLL CALL ]

[00:00:12]

MAYOR OF THE CITY OF STUART, CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2026. THIS IS A SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING OF THE STUART CITY COMMISSION REGARDING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND THE TENTATIVE BUDGET. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MAYOR. CLERK. YES, COMMISSIONER. HERE. COMMISSIONER MATHIESON HERE. COMMISSIONER REID HERE.

COMMISSIONER RICH HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? WE HAVE NO PRAYER TONIGHT. NO INVOCATION. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. PLEASE BE PRAYING. THIS IS A SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

WE HAVE NO INVOCATION. BUT I THINK THAT MISTER SMITH WANTS TO GIVE AN INVOCATION. SO IF WE COULD JUST STAND AND BRING AN INVOCATION TO THIS SPECIAL MEETING. AMEN. THIS BY HIS.

TAKE A SECOND TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE DISASTERS AROUND THE WORLD AND ALL THE BLESSING AT THE SAME TIME. MOST GRACIOUS FATHER, WE COME NOW, LORD, IN THIS CITY. COMMISSIONER ME LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU ALLOW YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO FALL FRESH ON US RIGHT NOW. GOD. FATHER, IN A TIME OF A NEED THAT WE ARE ASKING NOW, GOD, THAT WE NEED YOU IN THE MIDDLE. WE NEED YOU IN THE MIX. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH AND OPEN ALL OUR EYES AND OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS THAT GOD. THAT WE BE ABLE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS YOU ARE DIRECTED US TO DO. FATHER, WE ASK YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MEETING, GOD, EVEN THOUGH IN THE MIDST OF DISAGREEMENT, GOD, WE ASK THAT THAT WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER. WE DON'T HAVE TO LIKE. BUT GOD, YOU SAY, LOVE ONE ANOTHER IN SPITE OF. AND FATHER, WE ASK THAT WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT THAT WE BE ABLE TO BLESS AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, WHETHER THE ONES THAT WE WANT TO BE GOD. BUT WHOEVER YOU ARE CHOSEN TO BE GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU JUST TOUCH OUR HEARTS TO HUMBLE US. WE NEED TO BE TOGETHER, NOT DIVIDED. AND FATHER, WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD, WE ARE TOGETHER AND BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE, ALL OUR COMMISSIONERS, OUR LEADERS OF THIS CITY, THIS COUNTY, GOD THAT WE ASK THEM TO BE THE BEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES. AND FATHER, RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT YOU, WE CAN'T BE. BUT WE BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE THAT LORD, THAT THEY WILL HOLD ON TO THE JOURNEY THAT WE ARE TRAVELING THROUGH THIS PLAN AS A PILGRIM GOD, JUST STOPPING BY FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THAT WE BE ABLE TO TOUCH SOMEBODY'S LIVES THAT WILL HOLD EACH OTHER IN OUR IN OUR ARMS, IN OUR TIME OF NEED. SO BLESS THIS CITY, COMMISSIONER, ME, GOD. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS ]

[00:05:06]

I'VE SEEN THE AGENDA FOR THE 14TH, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S A LONG AGENDA. AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYTHING. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AT HAND THAT NEEDS TO ABSOLUTELY BE DONE. SO IF CAN IT BE, SAY, PUT ON ANOTHER AGENDA, NOT SPECIFICALLY THE AGENDA FOR THE 28TH. YEAH. I MEAN, ON THE 28TH I SEE THE 14TH AGENDA. SORRY. YES, THE 28TH. SO YOU'RE HOPEFULLY WOULD BE WHERE THE 28TH A LITTLE CALMER MEETING OR NOT AS PACKED AN AGENDA. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO AND I THINK THAT WE CAN BRING THAT UP WITH OUR CITY MANAGEMENT. SO THERE'S A MOTION. THERE'S A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? YES. OKAY. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON THIS MOTION THAT WAS JUST BROUGHT UP BY COMMISSIONER MATHESON, PLEASE COME UP IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THE MOTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY MR. MATHESON. YEAH, I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOU. JUST SAY YOUR NAME IS JANINE ALEXANDER. YES, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT ON ANOTHER MATTER. BUT I HAVE GREAT CONCERNS THAT I SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA AFTER COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ON JANUARY 26TH OF 2026, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED ANY TIME TO REBUT THOSE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY LEE BAGGETT AT THIS TIME, BEFORE SOMETHING ELSE IS PLACED ON THE AGENDA IN ADVANCE OF MINE THAT HAS BEEN WAITING FOR THE AGENDA FOR SEVEN MONTHS, I WOULD LIKE CONSIDERATION TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS MOTION. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE MOTION THAT MR. MATHESON MADE? I HAVE TO BRING BACK A D AND D ON SEPTEMBER 28TH AND EVERYTHING ABOUT MARTIN COUNTY FOREVER AND THE LAND ACQUISITION PRESENTATION WITH EXPANSION AND DISCUSS AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WAYS TO REMAIN UNDER. I'M SORRY TO HAVE UNDEVELOPED PARCELS AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD INTO CONSERVATION LAND MANAGER. YOU'RE. YOU WANT ME TO CLARIFY OR. YES. PRESENTATION BY MISS HOLMES WITH DISCUSSION TO INCLUDE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. POSSIBILITY OF BONDING. PROS AND CONS OF THAT, AND DISCUSSION ON WAYS TO REMAIN RANK. THE CURRENT UNDEVELOPED LAND IN THE CITY OF STEWART FOR ACQUISITION. FOR CONSERVATION. YOU HAVE THAT CLERK, CITY MANAGER AND. CITY ATTORNEY. DO YOU HAVE THAT? I DO, YES, I DO TOO, AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS ON IT. IT'S CLEAR TO ME. OKAY.

IT'S CLEAR TO YOU, COMMISSIONER JOB, I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER MATHESON. COULD YOU JUST ELABORATE ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE? IS IT FOR THE CONSERVATION PURCHASE OR.

YES. SO, I MEAN, WE CAN GET INTO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS. BUT SO WHAT I ENVISION IS A SMALLER VERSION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. AND I CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. I, I, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE IN LATE ALL OF YOU, I RECEIVED MY TRIM NOTICE IN THE MAIL SENT OUT BY THE MARTIN COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER, AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

AS I'M LOOKING AT IT, I REALIZE THAT THE STUART CITY COMMISSION HAD NOT VOTED ON THE NOT TO EXCEED MILLAGE AS REQUIRED BY LAW. NO MILLAGE SHALL BE LEVIED UNTIL A RESOLUTION OR ORDINANCE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE TAXING AUTHORITY. YOU'LL BE GLAD TO

[00:10:07]

WE COULD LITERALLY BE OUT $2 MILLION AND NOT KNOW IT. AND THAT IS NOT HYPERBOLE.

RENDERING OUR CITY. IT RENDERS OUR CITY HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO UNDETECTED EMPLOYEE THEFT, FRAUD OR CYBER ATTACK. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW OUR TRUE CASH FLOW AND CAN MACK CAN MASK SIGNIFICANT DEFICITS OF FUND BALANCES. WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT THIS FAILURE, I THEN REALIZED THAT AT THE SAME BUDGET MEETING WHERE NO ACTION WAS TAKEN, I HAD BEEN LIED TO.

AT THAT MEETING, I ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE NEED FOR ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS, BUDGET AMENDMENTS OCCUR EVERY YEAR IN ALMOST EVERY MUNICIPALITY.

STATE LAW FORBIDS THE CITY MANAGER FROM SPENDING $1 MORE THAN HIS BUDGETED. THERE IS ZERO LENIENCY WHEN THIS INEVITABLY OCCURS, AN AMENDMENT IS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION. THIS HAS OCCURRED EVERY YEAR FOR DECADES IN THE CITY OF STUART, EXCEPT FOR 2026.

BACK TO MY QUESTION DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE NEED FOR ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS? THERE ARE

[00:15:02]

AND THIS IS A LIE BASED EITHER ON IGNORANCE OF THE FACT THE ACCOUNTS HAVEN'T BEEN RECONCILED, OR A LIE MEANT TO CONCEAL THAT FACT. EITHER WAY, THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND THEREFORE DISQUALIFYING. FINALLY, WE GET TO THE AUDIT. THIS IS MANDATED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND IS DUE AT THE END OF JUNE. THE CITY OF STUART HAS NEVER FAILED TO SUBMIT THE AUDIT ON TIME SINCE 2001, WHEN I WAS DOWN AT THE ANNUAL MEETING FOR THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND LATE AUGUST AND ASKED, HOW SERIOUS SERIOUS IS IT THAT WE ARE TWO MONTHS LATE? ON THE AUDIT, PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME LIKE WE WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE BURNING AND ASKING, DO YOU THINK IT'S A BAD THING? MY HOUSE IS ON FIRE? REMEMBER, ALL THEY ARE DOING IS HANDING THE AUDITORS NUMBERS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2025, WHICH ENDED 11.5 MONTHS AGO. AGAIN, THE PENALTIES CAN BE SEVERE. THE REAL PENALTY IS NOT A FIXED DOLLAR FINE, BUT THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF ACCESS TO RECURRING STATE REVENUE AND GRANT MONEY AND SOME OF THIS MONEY MAY NOT BE RECOVERABLE. EVEN AFTER THE CITY FINALLY FILES. SO NOW I'M FACED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE WE ARE HAVING TO MAKE BUDGET DECISIONS BASED ON NUMBERS PRESENTED BY A STAFF THAT HASN'T COMPLETED THE AUDIT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 25 YEARS. DOES IT KNOW STATE LAW REGARDING DECISIONS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS? DOESN'T KNOW OUR OWN CODE OF ORDINANCES AND HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T RECONCILED THE ACCOUNTS IN OVER A HALF A YEAR. AND KNOWING IF WE FAIL TO ACT PROPERLY AND IN A TIMELY MANNER, THE CITY COULD BE FACING SUBSTANTIAL FINES AND PENALTIES FOR TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF VIOLATIONS. THE MILLAGE AND THE AUDIT. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR A NOTICE ON THE AGENDA. I ONLY CAME TO THIS, CAME TO THIS KNOWLEDGE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, AND I WAS NOT REELECTED UNTIL THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE MONDAY MEETING. WE COULD NOT WAIT THREE WEEKS FOR THE MEETING THIS UPCOMING MONDAY TO MAKE THE DECISION TO HIRE SOMEONE NEW AND THEN BEGIN THE HIRING, THE PROCESS. THE BUDGET IS DUE ON THE 24TH. WE HAD TO PUT IN PLACE SOMEONE WHO COULD STRAIGHTEN THIS OUT IMMEDIATELY, AND LUCKILY THAT PERSON WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE JOB AND WAS AVAILABLE AND IS IN FACT THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. NO FURTHER, NO FURTHER. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER JOB. YES. HI, EVERYONE. HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU'VE HAD THIS INFORMATION EVEN FOR A SHORT TIME, AND CHOSE TO ONLY ELABORATE ABOUT IT NOW. SO THAT'S INTERESTING. ALSO INTERESTING IS THAT I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM MR. MORTEL, AND I'M GOING TO READ THE EMAIL TO YOU. AND I RECEIVED THIS EMAIL ON FRIDAY THE FOURTH. I KNOW THIS IS AN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE AND YOU MAY NOT SUPPORT THE DECISIONS MADE AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT IF I RETURN, I BELIEVE WE CAN PUT THE PAST BEHIND US AND WORK TOGETHER TO SERVE THE CITY. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. YOU WANT TO SCHEDULE A MEETING. I FIND IT INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS IS A SEPTEMBER 4TH, AND AS OF TODAY'S DATE, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT WON'T BE HIRED BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A CONTRACT ON THE AGENDA, BUT HE'S REACHING OUT TO A COMMISSIONER TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET, AND HE'S NOT THE CITY MANAGER AS OF YET. SO I FIND THAT HARD. BUT KUDOS TO HIM. HE PROBABLY MADE IT APPEAR THAT HE WAS REACHING OUT IN GOOD FAITH AND WANTING TO WORK WELL FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY. THE THING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T WORKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER SINCE JANUARY OF 2025. WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THIS POSITION, I WAS A NEW COMMISSIONER. UNKNOWN TO POLITICS, I RELIED HEAVILY ON THE CITY MANAGER. HE HAD ALL

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[00:25:06]

[COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER ]

UNDER INTERIM CITY MANAGER, MY LIMIT IS $50,000. HOW MUCH? 50. AND THIS IS, THIS IS. AND THEN THIS IS. THE STAFF FOUND A REPLACEMENT FOR A GENERATOR FOR 52,000 3851. AND I'M REQUIRING.

OF THE UTILITIES AND ENGINEERING DIRECTOR, PETER COONAN, TO PROVIDE ME WITH HOW THIS WILL CAUSE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT COULD BE A THREAT TO PUBLIC WELFARE. I'M ALSO REQUIRING THREE COMPETITIVE QUOTES. SO I AM ASKING FOR YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO MAKE THAT PURCHASE UNDER THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE PURCHASES UNDER CHAPTER 26 OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT US TO. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER BE GRANTED THE EMERGENCY FUND BUDGET. CYNTHIA A 52 K WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WAS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE IT FOR 52,500 JUST IN CASE THERE'S SOMETHING. JUST MAKE IT 52525. OKAY. LET ME AMEND THAT MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I JUST WANT TO FINISH THEM. OKAY? OKAY. BECAUSE I HAD TO CORRECT THE AMOUNT. I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION PROVIDE THE EMERGENCY FUNDS NEEDED TO PURCHASE THIS EQUIPMENT, 52,000 $500,000 TO THE INTERIM MANAGER. AND IF I COULD HAVE A SECOND ON THAT. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL RICH. ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS ON THAT? PLEASE TAKE PUBLIC, BUT I'LL GET I'LL GET. OKAY, THEN, LET'S GET SOME PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS MOTION WAS JUST MADE. DO YOU WANT TO SAY THE MOTION CLERK? YES, COMMISSIONER. PROVIDE EMERGENCY FUNDS NEEDED TO PURCHASE EMERGENCY GENERATOR 52,500. THANK YOU. THANKS. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THAT MOTION? YES, MA'AM. IT'S. I'VE ATTENDED MEETINGS FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS AND LISTENED TO ORDINANCES, RULES, REGULATIONS, SIRB BYLAWS THAT WERE NEVER REPRESENTED PROPERLY. AND TONIGHT I'M HEARING ABOUT A GENERATOR. I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS KIND OF EXPENDITURE, BUT I DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY ANYMORE.

IN 2019, I PRESENTED SETTLEMENT LETTERS TO MICHAEL MARTEL WHILE I WAS BEING INCARCERATED IN

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COULD YOU JUST. WELL, SHE'S MADE HER COMMENT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS PARTICULAR MOTION? BE SET YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. YOUR ADDRESS? WALTER LLOYD, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SAYING 525. I WOULD UP IT AND GIVE HIM A NOT TO EXCEED OF SOMETHING THAT GIVES HIM SOME COMFORT AND ABILITY TO GET HIS JOB DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? YES, COMMISSIONER. JOB, CAN I AMEND THE MOTION? THAT IS A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION NOT TO EXCEED.

YOU'VE YOU SENT IT OUT FOR THREE BIDS. SO WHAT WOULD YOUR GUESS BE IF YOU WANTED TO? IF YOU WANT TO DO IT NOT TO NOT TO EXCEED 60 60,000, THAT WOULD BE I'M GOING TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT WE PROVIDE EMERGENCY FUNDS TO THE INTERIM MANAGER FOR THE GENERATOR THAT NEEDS TO BE PURCHASED IN AN AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $60,000. THANK YOU. THE SECONDER. DO YOU LIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND SAME. I WILL SECOND IT. AMENDED MOTION. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE NEW MOTION NOT TO EXCEED $60,000? NO COMMENTS.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE ONE, YES. COMMISSIONER REED, THIS IS FOR THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER. DO YOU WHEN IT COMES TO THIS STUFF, I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ARE YOU ABLE TO GET EVEN BIDS BEFOREHAND? BECAUSE PART OF IT IS IT'S THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER. SO IF WE'RE GOING UP TO 60,000 NOT TO EXCEED, WOULDN'T THE LOWEST BIDDER BE 60,000? WHAT IF IT REALLY COSTS 30,000? COMMISSIONER. THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT. AND WE FOUND A REPLACEMENT FOR 52,000 3851. SO DESPITE ANY THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME VERBALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY SEE THE QUOTE MYSELF BEFORE I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT NUMBER, WHICH PROVIDES ME A LITTLE GOING BACK TO IT, ARE YOU ABLE TO RECEIVE QUOTES ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE EVEN GETTING A CONSENSUS? YES. AND I'M I'M REQUIRING THAT. I'M REQUIRING THREE QUOTES AND A LETTER FROM THE UTILITIES AND ENGINEERING DIRECTOR THAT QUALIFIES THIS AS AN EMERGENCY.

OKAY. BUT YOU COULD HAVE DONE. I JUST MAKING SURE LIKE LEGALLY YOU CAN GET THOSE QUOTES BEFORE COMING TO US FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT UNDER EMERGENCY PURCHASES UNDER CHAPTER 26 OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES, MANAGER SHALL PUBLICLY REPORT THE FACTS GIVEN RISE TO ANY EMERGENCY VALUED IN EXCESS OF $50,000 AND THE NECESSITY FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASES AT THE NEXT REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING FOLLOWING THE DATE OF PURCHASE, WHICH I'M DOING EARLY WITHIN 15 DAYS OF EMERGENCY PURCHASE SINCE I JUST LEARNED ABOUT IT TODAY, OUT OF COURTESY TO THE BOARD, I WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION NOW AS OPPOSED TO LATER. OKAY. BUT YEAH, YOU CAN GET THE BIDS BEFORE COMING TO US. OKAY, THANKS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM STAFF THERE? THERE IS ONE MORE THING THAT I HAVE TO ADD. OH, THEY NEED TO VOTE ON THIS FIRST. CLERK.

COMMISSIONER. YES, COMMISSIONER. REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. MATHESON. YES. COMMISSIONER.

RICH. YES. MAYOR. CLERK. YES. THANK YOU. CONTINUE, PLEASE. CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, BEFORE WE GET STARTED TONIGHT, THIS IS A REQUIREMENT UNDER THE AGENDA ITEM OF TENTATIVE MILLAGE UNDER ONE, A PURPOSE OF THE MEETING BY FLORIDA LAW, TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS MUST BE HELD TO ULTIMATELY ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATES AND ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA. THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING OF. THE PURPOSE OF

[00:35:01]

[APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

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

YOU CALL THE NAMES, PLEASE. YES. DAVID KELLMAN, DAVID KELLMAN, ONE. YOU'RE THE FIRST HANDED IN.

GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS DAVID KELLMAN. YOU ALL KNOW ME. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONE OF YOU SMILE UP HERE. IS THERE A REASON FOR IT? YOU'RE ALL DIVIDED. IT'S LIKE WATCHING A SENATE HEARING. OH, YOU KNOW, RED VERSUS BLUE. IT'S TERRIBLE. YOU ALL NEED TO JUST YOU YOU ARE YOU REPRESENT THE CITY OF STUART AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. IT'S YOU WATCH TCPALM. THEY GOT YOU ALL OVER IT. THE HORRIBLE THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT YOU. I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT'S PRETTY IT'S PRETTY TERRIBLE. FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE POSTING ABOUT THIS COMMISSION IS TERRIBLE. WE'RE BEING MOCKED BY OTHER CITIES, OTHER COUNTIES.

YOU ALL MIGHT NOT WANT TO HEAR IT. YOU DON'T LIKE THE TRUTH. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU, BUT IT'S PRETTY BAD. IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE VIDEOS ARE BEING POSTED ABOUT AN ILLEGAL DREDGING FROM A COMMISSIONER SITTING COMMISSIONER UP HERE. I DON'T KNOW, ALLEGEDLY WHETHER IT IS TRUE OR NOT. WE'LL FIND THAT OUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE'RE WAITING ON DOCUMENTATION ON THAT. BUT YOU ALL REPRESENT THIS CITY. OKAY. YOU NEED TO STEP BACK AND UNITE BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AIN'T GOING TO WORK. IT'S THREE FIRST TWO HERE. YOU SHOULD ALL BE EQUALS HERE AND MAKE THIS CITY RUN THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. YOU HAVE YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT SHOW UP TO WORK, OKAY? THEY'RE LOSING THEIR HAIR BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO WALK INTO BEING FIRED. THAT SHOULD NOT BE LIKE THAT. THAT'S DISGUSTING. IT'S EMBARRASSING. OKAY. AND THIS THIS IS COMING FROM ME. IT'S COMING FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS HERE THAT REGRET DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. IT'S PRETTY BAD. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS TO YOU. I HOPE AT SOME POINT IT WILL SINK IN AT SOME POINT. AND AS FAR AS THAT ILLEGAL DREDGING VIDEO, WE'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY BE INVESTIGATING THAT AND SEE WHERE THAT BRINGS US AND THEN FURTHER TAKE ACTION ON THAT MATTER. I DON'T KNOW, IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S A LEGIT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MR. GIARDINO AND HIS HIS FUTURE OVER THERE. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. IT WAS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU. YOU ADDRESSED US. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND OH, I WAS CONGRATULATING THE MAN ON HIS FUTURE. THANK YOU. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU. AND I HOPE YOU, THE FIVE OF YOU, SIT UP THERE AND DO SOMETHING BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, COMMISSIONER RICH, HE USED TO SMILE. I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE SMILE OUT OF THAT MAN. AND THE COMMENTS FROM GOP OVER HERE, IT'S JUST SHOULDN'T IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS WAY. THANK YOU, MR. KELVIN. YOU'RE RIGHT.

MR. MADAM CLERK, I HAVE STEVEN POTTS, STEVE PORT. OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS STEVEN POTTS. I'M A

[00:40:07]

THE ONLY REPRESENT THEMSELVES AND THEIR OPINIONS, REGARDLESS OF RESIDENTS INPUT. BASED ON MY INTERACTION WITH THEM AND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY FROM THEM TO DEFEND THEIR POSITION LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THEY'RE ONLY LOOKING TO ADD FURTHER ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, DELAY AND COST TO TAXPAYERS WITH LITTLE VALUE TO THE RESIDENTS OF EAST STUART. I CAME HERE TO VOICE MY WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT OF THE CURRENT COUNTY COMMISSION THAT WAS ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS TO CONTINUE PURSUING THE BEST INTERESTS OF EAST STUART COMMUNITY AND COMPLETING THE ALREADY APPROVED SKATE PARK WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SIR. CLERK JANICE GIARDINO. JANICE GIARDINO, MARTIN COUNTY I'M HERE TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT WITH THE TRUTH CAMPAIGN COMPANY, WHATEVER HIS NAME IS, HAS BADMOUTHED AND TRIED TO SMEAR MY HUSBAND'S NAME SINCE MIKE TOOK THE POSITION AS CITY MANAGER HERE, AND HE HAS NO CLUE WHO MY HUSBAND IS, WHAT HE HAS DONE IN HIS CAREER, OR THE THINGS HE WAS MAKING HAPPEN IN CITY HALL. MY HUSBAND ALWAYS TENDS TO TAKE JOBS WHERE THINGS NEED TO BE CLEANED UP. HE IS A FIXER AND DON'T DOUBT THAT WHEN I TELL YOU THE CITY LOST A GREAT ASSET WITH MIKE BEING RELEASED. I'M NOT SAYING THAT LIGHTLY. I LIVE WITH HIM. HE GIVES 24 OVER SEVEN TO ANY PLACE HE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED TO CLEAR THINGS UP. FOR ANYONE WHO HAS SAID HE IS INEXPERIENCED OR NEEDS TRAINING WHEELS, LET ME GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON MY HUSBAND. MIKE HAS BEEN TRAINED AND WORKING IN FINANCE HIS ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL CAREER. HE WAS A BUDGET ANALYST AT THE PENTAGON WITH BILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS. HE WAS RUNNING LAGARDE LAGUARDIA AIRPORT VOTED BEST AIRPORT IN THE US AND MANAGING ITS OVER A HALF A BILLION ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. PRIOR TO HIS TIME AT LAGUARDIA, HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE PORT AUTHORITY AVIATION DEPARTMENT'S OPERATION, STRATEGY AND FINANCE BUDGET AND EXECUTION DIVISIONS FOR JFK, NEWARK LGA, TETERBORO AND NEW YORK, NEW YORK STEWART INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S AVIATION TOTAL BUDGETING BUDGET OPERATING BUDGET ARE OVER 2 BILLION. YEAH, THAT'S B FOR BILLION. I'D SAY IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN STEWART'S 100 MILLION.

MIKE DID NOT GET SWORN IN UNTIL THE END OF APRIL, AND THE NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR WAS WORKING REMOTELY. I'M NOT SURE SHE EVEN KNEW WHAT SHE WAS WALKING INTO. AND I KNOW MIKE DIDN'T. AND HE WAS NOT HAPPY WHEN HE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE AUDIT BEING LATE. THE CITY AUDIT SITUATION WAS INHERITED BY MIKE AND THE NEW, NOW FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR. IT WAS BEING FIXED AND IT HAS BEEN SAID IN PUBLIC MEETINGS, THE AUDIT STARTED LATE AND THE AUDIT FIRM AND INTERIM ADMINISTRATION BLAMED STAFF TURNOVER, WHICH MIKE PUBLICLY EXPRESSED AS INEXCUSABLE. THE RECORD ALSO SHOWS THAT THE STATE WAS INFORMED AND ALLOWED FOR THE DELAY OF AUGUST 31ST, 26 WITHOUT PENALTY AS RECENT AS MONDAY, AUGUST 24TH 26. THE COMMISSION HEARD AN UPDATE THAT THE FISCAL YEAR 25 AUDIT WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE DEADLINE WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS. MIKE HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE SITUATION YET PUT THE AUDIT FIRM ON NOTICE AS SOON AS HE KNEW OF THE SITUATION. THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING, AND DEFAMATION OF A PUBLIC FIGURE IS HARD TO PROVE. BUT WHEN THE FACTS ARE OUT THERE AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LIE, A CASE CAN BE MADE. FISCAL YEAR 25 BOOKS WERE CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 30TH 25. IF ANYTHING

[00:45:06]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT. NEXT SPEAKER MIKE GIARDINO MIKE GIARDINO 3642 FORECASTLE COURT, MARTIN COUNTY. I FIND IT SUSPECT THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF MY TIME CARD INFORMATION WHILE EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ANYONE KNOWING. I JUST FIND IT ODD THAT IT'S OUT THERE. ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN RECORDS, THERE HAVE BEEN NO PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST EVEN ASKING FOR IT. YES, I CHECKED, IT APPEARS YOU HAVE INSIDERS AND BEWARE, THEY MAY BE AFTER YOU TOO. AS TO PAY TIME OFF. I TOOK PAID TIME OFF AND I NEGOTIATED WITH YOU ALL. THERE WAS NOT ONE MOMENT IN TIME DURING MY PHYSICAL ABSENCES THAT I WAS NOT FULLY ENGAGED AND RESPONDED. NONETHELESS, I COMPLIED WITH THE LAW AND MY CONTRACT. I ANSWERED EVERY CONSTITUENT AND COMMISSIONER QUESTION CONCERNED. I GAVE EVERYONE MY TIME MORNING, NOON, NIGHT, WEEKEND, PERIOD. EVERYONE KNEW HOW TO REACH ME AND THEY DID. I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY. TO SAY OTHERWISE IS A LIE. AGAIN, WHO HAS ACCESS TO MY EMAILS, PHONE RECORDS, STACKS OF PAPER PHONE MESSAGES THAT WERE ON MY FORMER DESK EVEN THE DAY AFTER MY TERMINATION. ARE THOSE PEOPLE SHARING THOSE RECORDS AGAIN? I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, BUT I PLACED A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST TO FIND OUT WHO'S OUT TO SMEAR MY NAME AND MY REPUTATION. ON JULY 13TH, THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR BRIEFED THE COMMISSION ON THE 27 BUDGET TIMELINE AND PROCESS. THAT PRESENTATION WAS IN A BOARD PACKET THAT WAS POSTED AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON JULY 3RD. I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THIS COMMISSION IS FOLLOWING THE CITY'S BUDGET PROCESS, AND IT'S MOVING ALONG EXACTLY ALONG THE SAME LAWFUL TIMELINES THAT MY ADMINISTRATION ORCHESTRATED. REMEMBER THAT DIFFICULT SITUATION ABOUT FUNDING EMERGENCY VEHICLES? IT WAS AWKWARD, TO SAY THE LEAST. AND MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, WITH DECADES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE EXPERIENCE AND JUDGMENT, AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR AND CURRENT BUDGET MANAGER, WE WERE MOVING THE CITY'S FINANCES INTO A NEW AGE OF TRANSPARENCY. AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE BUDGET PROCESS MOVING ALONG EXACTLY THE WAY WE PRESENTED IT IN EARLY JULY. FOR THE RECORD, I'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING GRANT FUNDING. I DID FIND IT ODD THAT THE CITY OF STUART HAD A LONG STANDING AND UNNECESSARY PRACTICE OF REQUIRING STAFF TO SEEK PERMISSION FROM THE COMMISSION TO EVEN SUBMITTING A GRANT APPLICATION FOR FUNDS THE CITY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR. AND MY DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN GRANT WRITING, SUBMISSION, EXECUTION AT THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. I HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A THING. IF GRANT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY IS ELIGIBLE FOR IT. SUBMITTING THE PAPERWORK IS THE OBLIGATION OF THE CITY MANAGER WITHOUT HAVING TO ASK PERMISSION. LASTLY, A 3% CHANCE, PROBABILITY OR IMPACT OF OR ON ANYTHING IS NOT A, QUOTE, EXISTENTIAL THREAT UNQUOTE. TRAINING WHEELS. SERIOUSLY AND AND QUOTING THE STATUTE OUT OF ORDER. SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. CLERK. MADAM CLERK. NEXT I HAVE WALTER LLOYD, WALTER LLOYD. I'M SORRY. OH. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSION. WALTER LLOYD. I WANT TO START BY THANKING COMMISSIONERS REID AND GOBI FOR THEIR TENURE THUS FAR AND CONDUCTING THEMSELVES WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY WHILE EXHIBITING THE UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM. WHY DO WE STEP UP TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD? THERE'S A REASON FOR THE APPARENT DIVISION IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT IS OUR CIVIC DUTY TO BE HONEST ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENCES. WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CULTURE, A LEGACY ESTABLISHED OVER THE MANY YEARS OF HISTORY. THE MARTIN COUNTY DIFFERENCE, RECOGNITION OF THE BEST SMALL COASTAL TOWN. THESE ARE SOME OF THE TERMS WE'VE HEARD. THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH THAT CULTURE AND DELIBERATE EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN IT. DESPITE THE RESULTS OF THE MOST RECENT ELECTION, I AM QUITE SURE THAT IF A REFERENDUM WERE INITIATED TO CONTINUE WITH OUR LONG ESTABLISHED CULTURE OR CHANGE IT TO A MORE PRO GROWTH MODEL, THE SLOW GROWTH MOVEMENT WOULD PREVAIL. OVERWHELMINGLY,

[00:50:04]

OUR COMMUNITY'S GUIDING DOCUMENTS SUPPORTED THE ABOVE PREMISE UNTIL SOMEWHERE AROUND 2017 WHEN THEY WERE MODIFIED, RESULTING IN A RECORD OF UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AND WHICH IS STILL IN PROGRESS TODAY, ADVERSELY AFFECTING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. THESE CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED IN PART BY THE THREE NEWLY ELECTED COMMISSIONERS, WHICH, BY ALL APPEARANCES, HAVE BEEN HIRED TO CONTINUE THE SAME. NOW, THIS SHOULD NOT BE RECOGNIZED AS A JUDGMENT OF PERSONS, BUT A DISCERNMENT OF ACTIONS TO PROVIDE CONTRAST IN THIS DIVISION. FOR THIS CONTRAST, LET'S LOOK AT THE HISTORY FOR EXAMPLES OF REPRESENTATION OF COMMUNITY AT LARGE VERSUS REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATION OF SPECIAL INTEREST. FOR EXAMPLE, HISTORY OF VOTING, WHERE THE RECORD DEMONSTRATES OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OF SPECIAL INTERESTS AGAINST ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY, CULTURE AGAINST OVERDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGES IN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND LAND USE CODES. THE HISTORY OF CONTRIBUTIONS, WHERE THE RECORD DEMONSTRATES A SUPPORT OF SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY, AND BE SURE THAT THOSE SAME SPECIAL INTERESTS EXPECT SOMETHING IN RETURN. A HISTORY OF CAMPAIGN ETHICS CLAIMING TO BE SLOW GROWTH WITH VOTING RECORDS TO THE CONTRARY. C-PAC SPECIAL INTEREST REPRESENTATION AND FINANCING, AVOIDING PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC DEBATE, THEREBY AVOIDING VISIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, STEALING OPPONENTS SIGNS AND LYING ABOUT IT. HISTORY OF COMMISSION ETHICS. SEAN REED'S REMOVAL AS MAYOR DURING MIDTERM OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL CITY POLICY. WHILE THE IRONY IS THAT CAMPBELL RICH WAS PREVIOUSLY EXTENDED GRACE BY SEAN REED, THE VERY COMMISSIONER WHO VOTED TO ALLOW HIM TO RETAIN HIS SEAT. HISTORY OF DISMISSAL, DISMISSAL OF MIKE MARTEL VERSUS MICHAEL GIARDINO WHAT A HYPOCRISY. CANDIDATES CAMPBELL RICH AND MERRITT MATHIS, AN OUTCRY OF AMBUSH, LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT CAUSE VERSUS NO REASON. EVEN CITY ATTORNEYS STATED AMBUSH DURING MICHAEL MARTELL'S REMOVAL. BUT DURING THE LAST REMOVAL OF THIS MAYOR SAID IT WAS PERFECTLY FINE. THANK YOU, MR. LLOYD. NEXT. NEXT I HAVE JANINE, ALEXANDER, JANINE ALEXANDER. THANK YOU FOR TOLERATING ME THIS EVENING, FOLKS. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ALEXANDER, COULD YOU LOOK TOWARDS US? I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND PUT ON A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY THE YEAR AFTER. I WAS ARRESTED MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF A DOMESTIC INCIDENT ON FEBRUARY 27TH AND 20, 2015, WHEN I WAS MADE AWARE OF A SEVEN MINUTE VIDEO THAT MY EX DOMESTIC PARTNER WITHHELD AND CONCEALED FROM THE STATE ATTORNEY IN ORDER FOR CHARGES TO BE BROUGHT, I BROUGHT THE ATTENTION TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE, DIAZ AND MICHAEL MARTEL, IN CITIZEN'S COMPLAINTS, AND INOI INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, BOTH OF WHICH I SUSPECT AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT MICHAEL MARTEL WORDED, ORGANIZED AND PASSED OFF AND LET SOMEBODY ELSE SIGN. WHY DO I SUSPECT THAT? COMMON LANGUAGE. SOME THINGS ARE BLACK AND WHITE. SOME THINGS ARE GRAY. MICHAEL MARTEL PERSISTENTLY OPERATES IN THE GRAY ZONE. I KNOW THE TRUTH. SEVEN MINUTES IS SEVEN MINUTES, FOLKS. ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S NOT TEN. IT'S NOT ONE. IT'S SEVEN. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY BROUGHT INTO EVIDENCE? 55 SECONDS. SOMEBODY HIDING SOMETHING? MICHAEL MARTEL HAS KNOWN THIS FOR YEARS. I FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT IN 2019. I WAS ARRESTED TEN DAYS AFTER I SERVED THE CITY. I WAS BARRICADED IN HR WITH ROSS JOHNSON, CALLING MICHAEL MARTEL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. OFFICERS BARRICADED ME IN AN OFFICER MORSE, I GOT THE CAD REPORT.

WHAT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU IS YOU ASSIGN LEIGH BAGUET TO REPORT ON JANUARY 26TH. AND WHAT HE DID WAS A SMEAR CAMPAIGN, JUST LIKE HE DID WITH MIKE GIARDINO. HOW INDIGNANT.

THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL BE. LEGAL ADVISOR TO THE SERB BOARD. MICHAEL MARTEL DENIED A HEARING THAT WAS ENTITLED TO ME. AND THIS WAS IN ONE OF MY LAWSUITS STATED, WELL STATED. AND MICHAEL MARTEL CONTINUED TO PERPETUATE FRAUD. HE SHOWED UP AT A COURT HEARING ON MAY 25TH WITH A FLASH DRIVE. AFTER I ASKED FOR PUBLIC RECORDS. HARD COPY IDENTIFIED AS EXHIBITS.

BECAUSE COURTS DON'T TAKE FLASH DRIVES, NEITHER DO CLEMENCY BOARDS. AND FOLKS, I HAVE TO FILE FOR CLEMENCY BECAUSE THE CHARGES THAT WERE COERCED OUT OF ME BASED ON A 55 SECOND

[00:55:04]

WE DO NOT WANT TO DUPLICATE THE WORK OF THE CITY OR THE CRA OR EXISTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. WE WANT TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TODAY. I AM NOT ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE ANYTHING OR ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY. I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO PRESERVE THE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET TO FUND PILOT PROGRAMS AND OTHER THINGS INSIDE OF THE EAST STEWART COMMUNITY, THROUGH THE CRA AND THE REDEVELOPMENT BOARD, WE'RE PREPARED TO START DOCUMENTING AND START START GETTING THINGS DONE IN THE COMMUNITY. HERITAGE IS WHAT WE PROTECT. OPPORTUNITY IS WHAT WE BUILD IN ALLIANCES. THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU GUYS. HAVE A GOOD DAY. I PASS THE MIC. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE? I DO I HAVE JIMMY SMITH. OKAY. SO PLEASE REMEMBER WHEN YOU COME UP GIVE YOUR NAME AND GIVE YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE FOR THE RECORD. AND ALSO MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT A GREEN CARD, MR. SMITH. HALLELUJAH. MY NAME IS JIMMY SMITH, PRESIDENT, NAACP LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER.

I'VE BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE. LOOK BACK IN ARAPAHOE. I LOOK BACK HERE IN 1963. I GOTTA TAKE A DEEP BREATH. LORD, I BELIEVE I JUST WANT TO PRAY AGAIN AS I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT IN MY THREE. IT'LL BE PART OF YOUR THREE MINUTES. YES, THAT'S FINE, THAT'S FINE. I JUST WANT I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND. BEING HERE ALL THESE YEARS AND SEEING THE DIRT ROADS AND RATTLESNAKES, PEOPLE WORKING HARD IN THE FIELDS AND TRYING TO MAKE ONE KIND OF A GREAT PLACE, WON'T MIND COUNTY TO BE THE GREATEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATE. AND WE DON'T ALL AGREE. WE DON'T ALL LIKE EACH OTHER. WE DON'T EVEN LIKE EACH OTHER OPINION. BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER. I DON'T LIKE ALL OF ME, BUT I LOVE ME. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE ME EITHER. BUT I LOVE YOU. BUT ALL I WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THAT TENSION HERE. I KNOW ALL THE THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE. I KNOW THE VOTERS VOTE. WE GOT NEW COMMISSIONER. WE GOT WE HAVE. I LOVE ALL OF YOU. ALL AND EVERY MAN THAT SAID SOMETHING AT THE BEGINNING ABOUT THEIR SMILE AND THEIR LAUGHTER. WE LISTEN. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW. CITY OF STUART IS MOST WANTED TO WATCH COUNTY CITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA RIGHT NOW. ALL ACROSS RIGHT NOW. AMERICA ALL NAA CP GOT A FOCUS ON THE CITY OF STUART. I GO TO EVERY STATE CONFERENCE AND BRAG ON OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY. AND I PRAY THAT IF YOU'RE LISTENING TONIGHT THAT THIS JUST A JUST A SMALL

[01:00:01]

GOD, I KNOW THAT WE AIN'T ALL PERFECT. WE DON'T ALL HAVE THE SAME IDEA. WE KNOW OUR WAYS ARE NOT YOURS. BUT GOD. LET YOUR WAY WORK IN THIS PLACE TODAY. LET THE CITY STEWARD BE RECOGNIZED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT DECIDED TO VOTE FOR FATHER, REGARDLESS OF WHO COMING UP NEXT AND WHO GOING TO BE ON THE BOARD THE NEXT TIME. BUT GOD, LET'S SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER EVEN THOUGH THAT WE DON'T AGREE, BUT WE KNOW WE CAN GET IT DONE. LOOK AT OUR CITY. GOD, YOU HAVE GAVE US THE WISDOM TO KNOW HOW TO LEAD AND HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. LORD, I DON'T LIKE EVERYTHING BUT GOD. I THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE YOU GIVING IN MY HEART. AND LORD, I KNOW THAT WE CAN WORK HARD TOGETHER. AND FATHER, I LOOK FORWARD THAT YOU TOUCH THESE COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT. GOD AND EVERYONE IN THIS ORDER. LORD, TOUCH THEIR HEART WHEN THEY GO TO THEIR OWN SACRED PLACE, THEIR OWN QUIET PLACE. GOD TOUCH THEM AND JUST TALK TO THEM A LITTLE BIT THROUGH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. AND FATHER, WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE TONIGHT, THAT'S NOT LEAVE WITH BITTERNESS HATEFUL BECAUSE THAT DON'T GET US ANYWHERE. YOU SAID THAT A PERSON THAT HATE ONE ANOTHER IS A MURDERER. AND YOUR WORD, WE BELIEVERS IN YOUR WORD, GOD. WE ALL BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS. AND JESUS NAME I PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. MADAM CLERK ROBIN CARTWRIGHT. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. I WAS KIND OF HOPING I WOULD GO RIGHT AFTER COMMISSION COMMENTS, BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE GIARDINO SPOKE BECAUSE LIKE THE CANDIDATE FORUMS, I FEEL LIKE WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FACT CHECKING WHILE COMMISSIONERS ARE SPEAKING. SO REGARDING COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL RICH'S COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING. HE SAID THAT IT WAS IN REFERENCE TO TRIM NOTICES. TRIM NOTICES WERE SENT OUT ON OR AROUND AUGUST 13TH, AND I WANT TO GIVE SOME TIMELINE BEFORE THE TRIM NOTICES WERE SENT OUT FOR THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME. IN MARCH 2026, LEWIS JOLY RESIGNED. THE AUDIT IS FOR THE TIME THAT HE WAS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IN IN APRIL OF 2026, I BELIEVE, GIVE OR TAKE. COLLINS RESIGNED, AND IN MAY OF 2026, THIS COMMISSION HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPLACE THAT OPEN SEAT AND TWO COMMISSIONERS VOTED NOT TO. SO IT WAS A 2 TO 2 DEADLOCK AT THAT TIME. AND AT THAT POINT, YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WAS THAT VOTE INTENTIONAL? SO NOTHING COULD PASS. YOU HAD A BUDGET THAT COMMISSIONER RICH'S STATING HAD TO BE APPROVED BY MAJORITY, A 3 TO 2, BUT THERE WAS NO 3 TO 2 BECAUSE THE EXISTING COMMISSION AT THAT TIME VOTED TO NOT REPLACE THE OPEN SEAT. SO WHO IS TRULY AT FAULT FOR THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT FOR ANY BUDGET THAT WAS OR WAS NOT APPROVED? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LACK OF OVERSIGHT FOR SEEING WHAT A CITY MANAGER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR? ACCORDING TO THE CHARTER, YOU, AS THE COMMISSION, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF THE CITY MANAGER POSITION AS WELL AS THOSE WHO FALL UNDERNEATH HIM. HOWEVER, YOU ACTIVELY CHOSE TO NOT REPLACE THAT SEAT, LEAVING EVERYTHING AT A 2 TO 2 DEADLOCK. SO FOR REGARDING MR. GIORDANO'S COMMENTS, AS WELL AS THAT OF HIS WIFE, I THANK THEM FOR SHARING WITH EVERYBODY EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT IS VERY UNFAIR THAT YET AGAIN, HALF TRUTHS AND PROPAGANDA ARE BEING PORTRAYED FROM THE DAIS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CONSIDERATION FOR THE TOTAL STATEMENT. YES, A MAJORITY WAS NEEDED AT THREE TWO, BUT STATISTICALLY IT COULD NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE NONE OF THIS WAS BEING DONE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY IN THIS CITY STAFF TO SUCCEED. WHEN YOU DECIDED TO VOTE 2 TO 2, TO NOT REPLACE THE OPEN SEAT, THINGS STALLED. WE WERE AT A STALEMATE CONTINUOUSLY, CONTINUOUSLY. MR. GIARDINO GOT HIRED AND WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE STALEMATE THAT THIS COMMISSION OR THE FORMER COMMISSION PRESENTED. SO FOR ANY COMMISSIONER UP HERE TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY FAILED AT THEIR JOB, I WOULD SAY YOU FAILED AT YOUR JOBS. IT WAS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, GOD FORBID, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM OR HER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND THEIR BUSINESS. THIS CITY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RUN WITH OR WITHOUT THEM. AND YET YOU'RE ASSIGNING BLAME TO PEOPLE LIKE IT IS THEIR FAULT.

WHEN THEY CAME IN LATE IN THE PROCESS AND THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOB, AND YOU TAKE NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. AND I HAVE SOME VERY DEFINITIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT MR. WARTELL BEING REHIRED, WHICH I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING WITH THE GROUP HERE, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN PREDETERMINED BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE SHARED PUBLICLY WITH THE NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT WHICH WAY THIS VOTE IS GOING TO GO. IT IS PREDETERMINED. TALK ABOUT COLLUSION. EVERYTHING YOU ACCUSE THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION OF WHEN MR. MORTEL WAS LET GO THE FIRST TIME. THANK YOU, MR. CARTWRIGHT. THANK YOU. CLERK. MADAM. CLERK. GWENDOLYN HALL. BRINKLEY. COULD YOU. HALL.

BRINKLEY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GWENDOLYN HALL BRINKLEY, AND I LIVE IN

[01:05:09]

THANK YOU, MR. BRINKLEY. THANK YOU. I HAVE BOB, ROBERT HAMILTON, ROBERT HAMILTON. GOOD EVENING. ROBERT HAMILTON, 311 SOUTHWEST THIRD STREET, 1895, CHURCH OF STEWART. HERE WE ARE YEARS LATER, LOOKING AT THE MAYOR WHO HAD THE SUB GRANT AGREEMENT, WHERE IT STATES THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE CHURCH. HE NEVER CORRECTED MR. MARTEL, BUT HE'S BEING BROUGHT BACK IN. THE RINGMASTER COMES BACK IN, WANTED TO RAISE THE CHURCH, DESTROY IT, TAKE IT TO THE GROUND. ENGINEER SAID NO. NOW WE'RE HEADING KNEE DEEP IN LITIGATION THAT'S GOING TO COST DEPOTS WILL BE TAKEN. I LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT YOU'VE NOT DONE. YOU GOT YOUR SISTER, YOUR RELATIVE'S HOUSE FIXED UNDER THE SAME PROGRAM, THE SAME PROGRAM THAT THE BIG FUSS WAS ABOUT WHETHER SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE GOTTEN IT OR NOT. I HAVE TWOSITTING THERE, CR REED AND COMMISSIONER JOB. COMMISSIONER REED BROUGHT THE TRUTH INTO THE ROOM AND COURT GUARDIAN LION CALLED HIM ON THE CARPET, STANDING NEXT TO MR. MARTEL. LYING DAMAGED MY REPUTATION. GO AFTER MY WIFE. GO AFTER MY FAMILY. I'M 67 YEARS OF AGE. I HAVEN'T RUN, HAVEN'T RUN. YOU WERE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, DID

[01:10:05]

YOU GUYS ARE GOOD AT THAT. ESPECIALLY YOU. BUT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE. WE MAKE DECISIONS. WE ALL GET ALONG OR NOT. THAT'S NOT FOR ME. I'LL WAIT. GIVE ME MY TIME. IT'S BECAUSE YOU KEEP TOUCHING THE MIC. MAYOR CLARK. WHAT'S THAT? OH, WE PLAYING GAMES UP THERE? NO, NO, LEAVE IT ALONE. JUST. JUST PUT YOUR LITTLE HAND DOWN. DON'T TOUCH IT. HOLD ON. ALL RIGHT, GO ON. YOU GET. YOU HAVE YOUR TIME. MR. THANK YOU. BUT THE REALITY IS, YOU'RE THE YOU'RE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY. GO FORWARD, PLEASE. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TURN AROUND AND DISCUSS ETHICS, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ETHICAL SHOWN TO MR. AND MRS. HAMILTON. SHE STILL WORKS, STILL DOES HER TOURS.

PEOPLE STILL COME BY. IT JUST TERRIBLE. GROWN PEOPLE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO FIX IT FOR WHAT? FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS? CAN YOU IMAGINE, AFTER YEARS OF LITIGATION WITH THE LAWYERS ARE GOING TO DO YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOING, HOLY JESUS, OH MY GOD, WE SHOULD HAVE PAID IT. BUT NO, THEY WANT TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. SO YOU BRING THE RINGMASTER BACK IN THE DAWN, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY.

I'M NOT AFRAID OF HIM. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THINK, WHAT MATTERS WHAT GOD THINKS, WHAT MATTERS IS WHO WE ARE. WHO ARE YOU TONIGHT, MAYOR? DO YOUR JOB. THANK YOU. NEXT.

JOSEPH COOPER, JOSEPH COOPER. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. JOSEPH COOPER, 906 SOUTH EAST NINTH STREET. I JUST COME TO TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS ABOUT WHAT WE WHAT WE. WE LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY. AND THERE ARE A FEW TENETS OF A DEMOCRACY. THERE'S TWO TYPES OF DEMOCRACIES. IF YOU GO BACK TO CIVICS CLASS, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL A DIRECT DEMOCRACY, WHERE THE PEOPLE VOTE AND THE LAWS DIRECTLY. AND THERE'S REPRESENTATIVE TYPE OF DEMOCRACY. THAT'S WHAT WE GOVERN BY. THAT'S WHEN THE PEOPLE VOTE FOR REPRESENTATIVES TO, TO, TO GOVERN BASED ON THEIR WISHES. WE HAD AN ELECTION A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THE PEOPLE SPOKE AND THEY ELECTED TO THE DAIS THREE COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN THE TWO THAT WAS NOT FOR REELECTION.

AND SO I THINK IT THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTIONS RUNNING HIGH, BUT THE PEOPLE VOTED SO THAT THE COMMISSIONERS CAN LEAD THE CITY. AND SO IT'S IT'S NOT A PERFECT APPROACH, BUT IT'S IT'S A APPROACH WHERE THE THE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE MOST VOTES GOT THEIR CANDIDATE IN. AND SO WE MAY NOT LIKE THAT, BUT WE SHOULD RESPECT THE TENANTS OF A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. AND THAT IS PEOPLE ARE ELECTED TO REPRESENT AND GOVERN THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED IN THE MAJORITY FOR THOSE PEOPLE. NOW, IT DOES NOT CANCEL OUT THE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T WIN. IT SIMPLY SAYS THAT A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR THAT REPRESENTATIVE TO GO AND SPEAK AND CREATE LAWS AND ORDINANCES ON THEIR BEHALF, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CHARGED WITH. WE LIVE IN THIS SOCIETY. THIS IS WHAT WAS CREATED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH THIS ELECTION CYCLE AND IT OCCURS EVERY FOR EVERY TWO YEARS DEPENDING ON WHEN PEOPLE ELECTED, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A DISAGREEMENT ON WHO GOT ELECTED. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THERE'S A SAYING, WHEN THE RABBIT HAS THE GUN, IT'S NO LONGER FUN. SO THEN THE HUNTER BECOMES THE HUNTED. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE HERE. WHAT I THINK IS THAT PEOPLE ARE UPSET AND DISHEVELED ABOUT WHAT THIS COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO DO, IN THEIR OPINION, OF WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY. AND SO

[01:15:01]

THEY'RE NOT PERFECT. NO ONE'S PERFECT UP HERE. THEY CAN SHOOT WHETHER THEY BRING MIKE MARTEL BACK OR WHETHER THEY SAT ONE DOWN. MR. GIORDANO, THAT'S A DECISION THAT WE ENTRUSTED BY VOTING FOR HIM. IT'S NOT A PERFECT APPROACH. IT IS A DEMOCRATIC APPROACH THAT WE PLEDGE TO GOVERN OURSELVES BY, BY GOING TO THE POLLS AND VOTING. WE ALL KNOW, AND SOMETIMES WE WIN. OUR CANDIDATE WINS, SOMETIMES OUR CANDIDATES NOT WIN. SO WE GOTTA LOOK, COME TOGETHER, TAKE THE GUARD DOWN, AND ALLOW THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE POLLS, WHETHER IT WAS 20% OR 30% AND HAD THEIR SAY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. NEXT, I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. NO FURTHER COMMENTS. ARE THERE ANY IS THERE ANYONE INTO THE PUBLIC WHO HAS SOMETHING TO SAY OR DIDN'T SUBMIT A CARD? NO FURTHER CARDS. OKAY. THANK YOU.

[APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ]

COMMISSIONER. READ. YES. MAYOR. CLERK. YES. YES. FOR WORKSHOP TWO MINUTES. ABSTAIN FOR WORKSHOP ONE MINUTES. INTERESTING QUESTION. DID WE NEED TO HAVE A SEPARATE VOTE? LEGAL? NO. WE'RE FINE. OKAY. THANK YOU. TO ABSTAIN. THANKS. OKAY. WE HAVE OUR COMMISSION

[2. FY2027 TENTATIVE MILLAGE (RC)]

[01:20:01]

THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, MR. COOLING. IT'S YOUR TURN. ITEM NUMBER TWO. YOU WANT THE PRESENTATION? YES, SIR. I THOUGHT IT WAS. NO, YOU DON'T DO THE PRESENTATION UNTIL ITEM NUMBER R 66. WHATEVER YOU HAVE. ITEM NUMBER TWO, OUR PROPOSED OUR PROPOSED TENTATIVE MILLAGE.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS PLEASE. YEAH. TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE BUDGET IS 5.0 MILLS. THE ROLLBACK RATE WAS 4.7499. THE MAXIMUM RATE IS 5.22. THE TOTAL LEVY WOULD BE 21 MILLION. BUT FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES WE BUDGETED AT 95% OF THE ACTUAL MILLAGE. THAT COMES DOWN TO BASICALLY. $19.1 MILLION, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL ROUGHLY $479,000 FOR DEBT MILLAGE, WHICH IS SEPARATELY. OKAY. OR IS THERE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, CITY MANAGER? NO, MA'AM. YOU HAVE THE DECISION BEFORE YOU AS TO ACCEPT THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AS PRESENTED BY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. AND FINANCE THAT IS SET OUT IN SECTION NUMBER ONE OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT MR. BAGGETT READ THE TITLE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 64-2026. SECTION ONE SUMMARIZES EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR I MOVE, I KNOW I MOVE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 64-2026. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BEFORE WE CAN DISCUSS THIS. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MATHESON. LET'S HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, PLEASE. DID YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? I DO ITEM NUMBER TWO. I DO DINA PETERSON. LET'S GET THE MOTION FULLY PUT ON THE FLOOR. WE HAVE OKAY. SO SHE'S GOING TO WE WE WE WE READ THE MOTION. WE CAN OKAY. WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION ON IT. DINA PETERSON. I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, MA'AM. WELL FURTHER COMMENT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE? AND BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY COMMENTS, CITY MANAGER, DO YOU MENTION THE NEXT DATE WHEN THIS IS GOING TO BE HEARD? IF IF WE DO ANYTHING. YES, MA'AM. THAT NEXT DATE IS GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER THE 14TH AT 515 HERE IN CITY CHAMBERS. OKAY. DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS TODAY.

ANY OTHER COMMENT ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS ON THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE OF 5.0? I DO MY LIGHT SWITCHED ON. OKAY. YES. MR. READ YEAH, MY MY COMMENTS ARE SIMPLE. I DON'T SUPPORT INCREASING THE TAXES ON OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE REPRESENT. IF US, AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS, COULD AT LEAST JUSTIFY WHY THE TAX INCREASE AND WHY IT'S NECESSARY.

SPEAKING WITH THE PRIOR CITY MANAGER AND POTENTIALLY MAYBE EVEN THE NEW CITY MANAGER, I THINK SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS MIGHT BE BLOATED. I CAN GO INTO DETAILS IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY JUSTIFICATION TO INCREASE TAXES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, COMMISSIONER MATHESON, SO FOR ME COMING IN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME TO THE SECOND BUDGET WORKSHOP. HEARING MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS WHAT SHOULD BE CUT. THE 5.0 MILLAGE IS THE RECOMMENDATION BY CITY STAFF FOR US TO HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BALANCE ADOPTED BUDGET. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET HAS NINE NEW POSITIONS THREE FIRE AND SIX CITY EMPLOYEES. BUT WE COULD GO INTO A LOT FURTHER DETAIL. AND I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO

[01:25:03]

THANK YOU, SIR. COMMISSIONER REED. YEAH, WELL, WE'RE THE CITY OF STUART MERRITT, I RESPECT YOU. I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STUFF. AND I AGREE WITH YOU ON ALL THE UNFUNDED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS. I THINK WE NEED TO GO AFTER THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AND SET THEM ASIDE. IF WE HAVE A BACKLOG OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES, WHY ARE WE DOING COMPLETE STREETSCAPES THEN? WHY ARE WE DOING TREES? IF WE HAVE ROADS THAT ARE FLOODING, ROADS THAT ARE UNFINISHED, SIDEWALKS THAT ARE BROKEN, STOP WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION. THAT'S MY SUGGESTION FOR THIS BOARD MAJORITY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON ON THAT? I KNOW THAT WELL, NO. COMMISSIONER REED, I AGREE WITH YOU TO AN EXTENT, BUT I WILL ARGUE THAT PROPERLY PLACED TREES CAN ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANTLY HELP WITH FLOODING. THEY CAN INCREASE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AND REALLY CAN CONTROL FLOODING. SO THE THE SHADE TREE PROGRAM. CAN ACTUALLY HELP WITH A LOT OF THESE AND DEFER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. BUT I CERTAINLY AGREE. I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH IS WHAT SHOULD WE BE CUTTING AND REMOVING? AND IF WE WANT TO SEEK, YOU KNOW, A LOWER RATE. YEAH. I MEAN, CAN I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE? DO WE REALLY NEED TO SPEND $500,000 FOR DESIGNING AND REENGINEERING CONFUSION CORNER. HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU GO BACK THERE AND CONTINUALLY WASTE? IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY.

IT'S NOT MY MONEY. IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY. BUT THERE'S 500,000 RIGHT THERE ALONE.

INCREASING THE MILLAGE IS 300 000. I MEAN, I WAS PART OF THIS BOARD MAJORITY WHEN MICHAEL MORTEL WAS REMOVED. AND I COST TAXPAYERS $100,000. THIS BOARD MAJORITY COST TAXPAYERS PROBABLY THE TUNE OF THAT AS WELL WITH HIRING IT. MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T GET PAID FOR FOUR YEARS UP HERE. THAT'LL PAY THE TAXPAYERS BACK. SO SHOULD WE REMOVE THE I AGREE WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE EXAMINING. YOU KNOW, CONFUSION CORNER FOR 500 GRAND. BUT I ALSO, IN A WAY, WE ARE AT CRUNCH TIME TO ADOPT A MILLAGE RATE. AND SOME OF THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP DURING THE WORKSHOPS, BUT I CERTAINLY AGREE. I, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CITY. I MEAN, WHY ARE WE SPENDING THE 500 GRAND ON CONFUSION CORNER? IT'S CONFUSING. I MEAN, HONESTLY, LIKE LIKE YOU HAVE YOU GOT TWO YOU GOT 2.1 MILLION INTO A BAYOU PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CONNECTING BAYOU TO MLK. I BELIEVE THAT'S THAT'S $2.1 MILLION. IS THAT NECESSARY RIGHT NOW? I, I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, I, I SEE PANEL COMING UP, BUT YEAH, THERE'S SO MANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR BEAUTIFICATION. LIKE I SEE STYPMANN ON HERE. THAT'S A DRAINAGE AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT, BUT A CRA FUNDS, THOSE ARE CRA FUNDS. BUT SOME

[01:30:04]

THANKS, COMMISSIONER. READ. ARE YOU FINISHED? I THINK I'M DONE. I MEAN, I, I AGREE WITH MERRITT MATHIS. YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER MATHESON, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS STUFF, IF THEY'RE UNFUNDED, YOU KNOW, REAPPROPRIATE THE FUNDS. I KNOW WE AGREED WITH HAVING A RANKING SYSTEM LIKE WE HAVE ON THE MPO BOARD WHERE WE CAN HAVE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND AT LEAST WE GET TO RANK THEM ON PRIORITY AND WHERE WE SHOULD BE PUTTING IT. SO I AGREE. AND THEN IF WE MOVE PAST THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SOME OF WHAT I'M HEARING FROM CITY STAFF, AND THEN MY NEXT LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET ARE THOUGHT PROCESSES. ALL RIGHT, THREE NEW FIREFIGHTERS. THERE IS JUSTIFICATION AND A CLEAR ARGUMENT THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE THREE PEOPLE ON AN ENGINE TO COMPARE US TO THE COUNTY, AND WE ARE NOT AT THAT POINT NOW. AND THEN WHEN I HEAR ABOUT THE OTHER SIX POSITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED AND I SPEAK TO RESIDENTS AROUND TOWN, THERE'S A BASIC NEED FOR THE BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY OF STEWART TO BE BROUGHT UP, WHETHER IT'S BROKEN SIDEWALKS, DRAINAGE, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. THOSE ARE PROJECTS OVER 50 GRAND. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE UNDER $50,000 MAINTENANCE PROJECTS FOR THE CITY OF STEWART. AND THAT IS THE THOUGHT PROCESS TO WHERE ARE THOSE OTHER SIX POSITIONS COME INTO PLAY? AND THOSE ARE.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO SIT UP HERE AND CONSIDER. DO WE WANT OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO, TO KEEP UP WITH THE DAY TO DAY MAINTENANCE OF THE CITY AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO, TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEES THAT, YOU KNOW, AT BUDGET WORKSHOP NUMBER TWO, WE HAD FELICIANO COME UP HERE AND STATE THAT HE'S REQUESTING. AND I MEAN, THAT I. I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. I DON'T LIKE THIS. AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST INDICATORS, AS I SAID, IS COMPARING US TO THE COUNTY. I THINK WE ALWAYS SHOULD. IT SHOULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE AND BETTER QUALITY TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF STEWART THAN THE COUNTY. AND OUR MILLAGE RATE IS BELOW THAT RIGHT NOW. BUT AND I, I, I'D LIKE IF WE DO ADOPT THIS MOVING FORWARD, THAT PERHAPS WE TAKE A STRONGER LOOK AS A COMMISSION ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. BUT AS MISS GANDHI SAID, WE MIGHT WANT TO BREAK THEM OUT FROM CRA TO GENERAL FUND AND EXAMINE THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS A LITTLE MORE AND AND TRY AND RANK THEM.

SO I'M JUST EXPLAINING SOME OF MY THOUGHT PROCESS FOR SECONDING THE MOTION. I, I, I HEAR YOU AND THIS IS IT IS TOUGH TO BE AN INCOMING COMMISSIONER, BUT I'D LIKE US HOPEFULLY TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE YEAR. AND MAYBE WE CAN ALL AGREE ON A GOAL THAT THAT WE WANT TO HIT THE ROLLBACK RATE NEXT YEAR. AND THE WAY WE DO THAT. IS PROBABLY EXAMINING THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. BUT THE OTHER WAY WE DO THAT IS EXAMINING CITY STAFF AND THE AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES WE NEED. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO SIT UP HERE AND SAY TO OUR CITY STAFF. CUT SOME MORE POSITIONS, YOU KNOW. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU SIR. COMMISSIONER JOB. YEAH, FIRST ONE CORRECTION, COMMISSIONER MATHIESON, YOU MADE IT SEEM LIKE THIS WAS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE VOTED FOR THEM OR SOME OF US VOTED AGAINST DOING THE 5% MILLAGE RATE. SO THERE WAS A VOTE FOR THAT. THAT'S WHAT THEY BASED THEIR FIGURES ON. THAT WAS WHAT WAS WHAT WAS EXPECTED AT THE LAST MEETING. WE HAD A NOT TO EXCEED MILLAGE RATE, OR THEY WOULD COME BACK AND CUT SOME MORE OF THE BUDGET AND THEY COULD HIT THE RATE WITH FIVE.

[01:35:05]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DON'T TOUCH YOUR MIC. PLEASE CONTINUE. COMMISSIONER JACOBY, WE SIT UP HERE AND WE TALK AND TALK AND WE TALK ABOUT CRA MONEY AND BUDGET MONEY. THE REALITY IS THIS IS THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. AND I THINK SOMETIMES THAT'S A FORGOTTEN ISSUE. I MEAN, IT'S OUR MONEY. WE PAY TAXES TOO. BUT WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING THE CITY, THE RESIDENTS HERE WHO PAY TAXES. SO IT IS THEIR MONEY. AND I JUST SOMETIMES WE FORGET AS WE TALK ABOUT IT, WE MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S SOME MAGIC MONEY. IT'S OUR MONEY. IT'S THEIR MONEY. JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CITY MANAGER. MADAM MAYOR, I WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE THIS PRESENTATION OR THIS SOUND BITE. REALLY THAT'S REQUIRED. I WAS GOING TO DO IT AFTER THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT ANTHONY HAS GOT READY TO GO ON ITEM RESOLUTION 66-2026. HOWEVER, THIS IS A GOOD ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND READ IT INTO THE RECORD. AND IT IS. TENTATIVE. MILLAGE. THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ROLLED BACK RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 IS 4.7499 MILLS. THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027, WHICH EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK RATE BY 5.27%. THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE OF 5.0 MILLS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS INCREASE IS TO FUND CURRENT OPERATIONS AND ACCOMMODATE NORMAL INCREASES IN THE COST OF THOSE OPERATIONS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE FINAL MILLAGE AND BUDGET WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2026 AT 5:15 P.M. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU HAVE A COMMENT? COMMISSIONER REED? COMMISSIONER RICH. YES. SO THE BUDGET PROPOSED TO US IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, WHICH BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST, IS 113 MILLION VERSUS THE ADOPTED BUDGET OF 2026, WHICH WE DON'T KNOW HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO. THAT IS 103 MILLION. THAT'S JUST UNDER A 10% INCREASE. AND IF WE'RE ACCEPTING THOSE OBLIGATIONS, INCLUDING THAT ADDITIONAL STAFF, THEN WHEN WE'RE TOLD WE NEED THE MILLAGE OF FIVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, THEN AS COMMISSIONER MATHESON SAID, EITHER COME UP WITH THE CUTS OR ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. WE CAN'T GO FORWARD, HOPEFULLY. AND SO OTHER CUT THAT 113 MILLION OR ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST TO RUN THE CITY. THANK YOU. SINCE WE HAD THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, I KNOW MR. COOLEN HAD THEY MADE A PRESENTATION THAT ACTUALLY OUR PREVIOUS BUDGET DIRECTOR MADE A PRESENTATION. IS THERE ANYTHING I KNOW YOU GAVE US THE NUMBERS THAT IS IN THE RESOLUTION ITEM NUMBER ONE THAT STATES THE AMOUNT OF THE MILLAGE. CAN YOU GIVE US A A VERY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF WHY THE THE BUDGET THAT THAT WE HAVE IS SET OUT AT THE FIVE MILLS. AND IF WE DO MAKE SOME CUTS OR CHANGES FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE US AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD MR. FELICIANI COME IN AND OTHERS. BUT COULD YOU JUST GIVE US AGAIN, SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THE FINE LINE IS? I THINK WE HAD NOTICE ABOUT THE THE THE EXPENSIVE INSURANCE CHANGES.

AND THERE WAS A COLA AND THERE WERE SOME OTHER THINGS. SO COULD YOU MAYBE EVERYBODY HASN'T BEEN A PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS OR PEOPLE MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN. SO JUST GIVE US

[01:40:03]

OKAY. SO THE SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE INFLATION IS IS BUILT INTO. YEAH. OUR OUR CONSULTANTS CAME WITH TO US AND SAID, YOU HAVE TO FUND AN 8.8% INCREASE TO THE SELF-INSURANCE FOR OUR FOR OUR, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS SELF-INSURED FOR MEDICAL AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. AND SO WE HAD TO COME UP WITH THE 8.8%, WHICH A PORTION OF WHICH WAS PASSED ON TO THE EMPLOYEES. THE EMPLOYEES ARE PAYING 8.8% MORE, BUT THE CITY HAS. THE EMPLOYER HAS TO PAY 8.8% MORE TO COVER THE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. SO THINGS LIKE THIS. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE AS TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED WITH REGARD TO THE DIFFERENCE IN MUSIC? OH, SORRY. IN USING PUBLIC FUNDS AND IF THINGS ARE TAKEN FROM THE CRA BUDGET PROJECTS, HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE MILLAGE RATE THERE. THERE ARE TRANSFERS FROM THE CRA, WHICH IS A TIFF, A TAX INCREMENTING DISTRICT THAT ONLY WORK DONE INSIDE THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY OF THE TIF EXPENSES CAN ONLY BE EXPENDED FOR THAT. THERE ARE SOME LIMITED TRANSFERS TO THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE CRA TO PAY FOR PUBLIC WORKS. DOING THE WORK IN THE TIF, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DOING THAT WORK. BUT THERE REALLY ISN'T A CONCEIVABLE WAY TO INCREASE THOSE TRANSFERS TO OUR GENERAL FUND OTHER THAN DOING THE WORK THAT IS IN THE CRA. SO THE TAX DOLLARS FROM THE CRA HAVE TO BE SPENT ON THE CRA, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES THEY GIVE US SOME MONEY FOR DOING THE WORK BASICALLY FOR THEM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THE REST OF THE CITY GENERAL FUND DOES. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER REED? THANKS, ANTHONY. I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU. WHAT RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION TO DO NONUNION EMPLOYEES RECEIVE? WHAT PERCENTAGE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION FOR FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM IS SOMETHING LIKE 13% FOR POLICE AND FIRE. BECAUSE THE LINE OF DUTY DANGERS, IT'S ABOUT 5% HIGHER THAN THAT. THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION, THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION IS A ANOTHER PERCENT IF YOU REALLY NEED TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THAT, I'M SURE ROSS COULD MAYBE HELP WITH THAT. THE HR DIRECTOR, BUT ROUGHLY IT'S ABOUT 13% FOR NONUNION EMPLOYEES. GOTCHA.

THANK YOU. THANKS, BUDDY. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER MATHESON. YEAH I CAN'T YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW TOO. SO YOU SAID ROUGHLY A 7% RAISE FOR UNION, A SEVEN AND 7.5% FOR POLICE AND FIRE. BUT THAT IS BASED ON CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT THE THIRD YEAR OF THEIR CONTRACT. SO YEARS AGO. SO THAT'S ANOTHER INCREASE THAT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT IT'S NOT EVEN THIS PAST YEAR, SAME AS THE CO-INSURANCE GOING UP. THESE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS. SOUNDS LIKE WHY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THE BUDGET THAT IT IS. WELL, THE REASON STAFF RECOMMENDED IS BECAUSE WE GAVE THEM THAT CONSENSUS. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ANTHONY, BUT IT'S EASY TO BALANCE A BUDGET JUST BY INCREASING MILLAGE. THAT'S ALWAYS THE EASY WAY. BUT THE REASON THAT IT IS THIS WAY, COMMISSIONER MATHESON, IS BECAUSE THIS BOARD MAJORITY DIRECTED THEM FOR THAT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. YOU'RE WELCOME TO ANTHONY. WHILE YOU'RE RESPONDING TO COMMISSIONER REED, IF YOU CHOOSE TO RESPOND, I WANT TO

[01:45:03]

[01:50:05]

AND COMMISSIONER LEGAL AND MR. ANTHONY, IF YOU WOULD JUST EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC. THE THIRD. WHEREAS CLAUSE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE SECOND HALF OF THAT PARAGRAPH, AND THE CITY COMMISSION HAS EXPLAINED THE REASONS FOR LOWER ROLLBACK RATE. IF YOU'D EXPLAIN THAT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH AT THE END OF THAT, THAT TALKS ABOUT EXCEEDING THE ROLLBACK RATE. SO MAYBE JUST A VERY SHORT EXPLANATION. THE THE ROLLBACK RATE IS CALCULATED BY THE AMOUNT OF TAXES THAT WERE COLLECTED LAST YEAR TIMES THE, THE, THE INCREASE IN THE ASSESSED VALUE. SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE TAKE 4.9 OR 5 MILLS OR ANYTHING, THE ROLLBACK RATE DOES GO UP BECAUSE IT'S CALCULATED BASICALLY ON THE TAXES WE GOT LAST YEAR. SO THE ROLLBACK RATE IS ALWAYS GOING TO GO UP EVERY YEAR UNLESS TAXES ARE REDUCED IN ONE YEAR.

THANK YOU. AND AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS AS STATED ITEM NUMBER SECTION ONE OF THIS PROPOSED RESOLUTION NUMBER 64-2026, WHICH HAS BEEN UP FOR CONSIDERATION AND HAS RECEIVED COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC. IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENT BEFORE I GO TO THE CLERK FOR A VOTE ON THIS MOTION? I DO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT. ROBIN CARTWRIGHT. YES, MISS CARTWRIGHT. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMENT THAT FIRE RESCUE IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, AND WE SHOULD BE DOING BETTER FOR LESS THAN WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING, BASED ON A 4.9 MILLAGE FOR WHAT THE CITY IS DOING. AND I KNOW WHERE THIS INFORMATION CAME FROM. IT WAS FROM THE PREVIOUS FINANCE DIRECTOR THAT WAS SHARED BY MR. PENNY IN ONE OF HIS NEWSLETTERS. THE CITY'S MILLAGE RATE, BASED ON 4.9, INCLUDES FIRE RESCUE.

WHAT IT ALSO DOES NOT SHOW YOU ARE THE CONTRACTS WITH SEWALL'S POINT AMBULANCE FEES, INSPECTION FEES AND FIRE FALSE FIRE ALARM FEES. CREDIT FOR THOSE ACTUALLY BRINGS THE MILLAGE RATE FOR FIRE RESCUE TO 2.38%. AND THEN IF YOU ACTUALLY INCLUDE WHAT EVERY PROPERTY OWNER PAYS TOWARDS THE FIRE ASSESSMENTS IN EXCESS OF $1.7 MILLION, THE MILLAGE RATE IS THEN 1.911%. SO THE ADJUSTED RATE FOR HOMEOWNER, DEPENDING ON IF YOU USE THAT CALCULATION OR NOT, IS EITHER 2.38 OR 1.9. IF THE COUNTY THEY CHARGE AN MSTU FOR FIRE RESCUE, SPECIFICALLY AT 2.6376. BY MATH, THOSE TWO NUMBERS THAT THE CITY IS PROVIDING SERVICES FOR ARE DEFINITELY LOWER THAN WHAT THE COUNTY DOES. YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT THE COUNTY TAKES MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR IN EXCESS OF $9 MILLION FOR FIRE RESCUE TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR BUDGET. SO I'M NOT 100% SURE HOW A COMMENT CAN BE MADE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT POSITIONS TO DO IT BETTER AND FOR LESS WHEN WE ARE DOING IT BETTER AND FOR LESS. I'M NOT SURE THAT WE SHOULD PUT PUBLIC SAFETY AT RISK BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS PERPETUATED BY THE PREVIOUS FINANCE DIRECTOR. FOR SOMETHING THAT IS MATHEMATICALLY PROVEN TO BE INCORRECT. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT POSITIONS, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE POSITIONS. IT SHOULD NOT BE EXCLUSIVELY FIRE RESCUE BECAUSE THEY'RE ASKING FOR THREE MORE POSITIONS WHEN WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS PROVIDING A SERVICE. IF YOU NEED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AND YOU WANT TO COMPARE IT TO THE COUNTY, LET'S TRULY LOOK AT APPLES TO APPLES.

THE COUNTY IS DOING IT FOR MORE MONEY BASED ON THEIR EXPRESS MSTU AND THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH EVERYBODY PAYS INTO, AND THE FACT THAT THEY NEED $9 MILLION THIS YEAR TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET SHOULD TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE RESCUE, ARE DOING RIGHT, THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT. THANK YOU, MISS CARTWRIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, I HAVE BONNIE MOSER, BONNIE MOSER. NO, NO, NO, I'VE JUST GOT TO CLARIFY. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS BONNIE MOSER, 1121 SOUTHEAST 10TH STREET. I'M

[01:55:02]

ALSO ADDRESS STORMWATER THAT WAS MENTIONED BY COMMISSIONER MATHESON. I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU ALL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THIS. THESE ARE WHAT I WANT MY TAXPAYER DOLLARS SPENT ON. I WANT TREES, AND I HAVEN'T MET A SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY WHO DOESN'T WANT MORE TREES THAN OUR CITY. I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO WAKE UP SOMETIME THIS WEEK OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. YOU'RE ALL WITHIN THE DISTANCE, I BELIEVE, OF A STUDENT IN OUR CITY WOULD NEED TO WALK, BIKE OR DRIVE TO SCHOOL. THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BUS DEPENDING ON THE DISTANCE THAT THEY LIVE. WAKE UP AND WALK TO SCHOOL. WALK TO JD PARKER. WALK TO STEWART MIDDLE SCHOOL AT 730, 8:00 NINE IN THE MORNING. TELL ME HOW COMFORTABLE YOU FEEL. TELL ME HOW UNCOMFORTABLE IT IS TO BE NEXT TO TRAFFIC, TO FEEL UNSAFE AND TO BE SWEATING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO TREES IN OUR STREETS TO KEEP OUR KIDS COOL.

THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU, MISS MOSHER. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? I HAVE JIMMY SMITH, MR. SMITH. I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS REAL QUICK. I KNOW I REALLY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ON THE BUDGET, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS. I HOPE WE DON'T CUT NOTHING. WE NEED MORE WORKERS IN THE CITY. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH. WE NEED MORE WORKERS. I LOOK AT OUR STREETS, OUR SIDEWALKS. I KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE MAINTENANCE WORKERS. OUR LIGHTS ON THE STREETS IS OUT.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE IMPROVED. SO IF WE KEEP CUTTING THESE WORKERS THAT PROVIDING THIS CITY, WE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE. WE CAN BEAUTIFY ONE AREA. BUT THEN WE LOOK AT THE OVERALL AREA. WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S SO DANGEROUS? I, I KNOW I MENTIONED TO SOME OF YOU, COMMISSIONER, LISTEN, WHAT'S DANGEROUS? IF YOU EVER PULL OUT TO AN INTERSECTION AT A STOP SIGN IN THE IN AND YOU HAVE THE SIDEWALK, WE HAVE HEDGES YOU CAN'T SEE AROUND THE SIDEWALK, AND YOU PULL OUT A LITTLE BIT. AND SOMEONE COMING ON A LITTLE BICYCLE. I GOT RAN IN THE SIDE OF MY CAR BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE. AND YOU KNOW WHO GOT THE RIGHT OF WAY PEDESTRIAN. AND THEN SOMEBODY GET HURT. WE GOT TO CUT BACK. WE GOT TO COME WITH SOME, SOME KIND OF IDEA AND MAKE IT WHERE THAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PUT A HEDGE THAT CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF A SIDEWALK BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEE IT'S SO DANGEROUS. SO YOU GOT TO KEEP CREEPING OUT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. AND BY THE TIME YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU BLOCK THE SIDEWALK, THAT PART, AND THEN ON THE SIDE STREETS. AND I KNOW MR. MILTON DO THE BEST HE CAN. HE NEED MORE HELP. I BELIEVE WE NEED MORE WORKERS BECAUSE THE STRIP OF GRASS ON OUR SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK BY THE ROAD, IT BELONG TO THE CITY. OKAY. I CAN TAKE YOU OVER THERE TO AN AREA OVER THERE. AND I TOOK SOME PICTURES. AND LISTEN, THIS OLD MAN CAN'T AFFORD TO CUT HIS GRASS. I'VE BEEN PAYING MY GUYS TO CUT HIS GRASS OUT IN FRONT OF THE CITY. WE GOT TO DO A LITTLE BETTER THERE FOR OUR IMPROVEMENT IN SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES. AND WE JUST CAME TO THE LEG AND SAY THAT WE GOT PALM BEACH ROAD, THE ONLY ONE THAT WE DO. WE GOT THESE CERTAIN STREETS THAT WE WANT TO DO, MAN, WE NEED SOME HELP. SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO AS A COMMISSION IS THAT FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HIRE MORE WORKERS TO IMPROVE THE CITY. AND PLUS LIGHTS IS OUT IN A, IN IN AN AREA, ESPECIALLY ON MY STREET OVER OVER 16 AVENUE. THEY'RE SO DARK THERE. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THEM DOWN THE STREET. SO IT'S VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU WANT TO WALK YOUR DOG OR WALK DOWN THE STREET, YOU CAN'T SEE CARS, CAN'T SEE YOU AT THE LAST MINUTE. SO I THINK THAT IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMISSION AND IMPROVE SOME OF THESE AREAS WHERE THESE PEOPLE LIVE AND ALSO WHERE I LIVE, I THINK WE CAN WE CAN WORK OUT. I, I, I DON'T KNOW, THE MILITARY HAS TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT FOR HIS TAX OR WHATEVER, BUT I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN DO IT, AND WE NEED IT BAD. IF WE'RE NOT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME MORE ACCIDENTS GOING TO CAUSE SOMEBODY TO BE SUED. AND THEN THE SIDEWALK. I THINK MR. SHAWN BROUGHT UP ABOUT OUR BROKEN SIDEWALK. WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL. THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE. SOMEONE HIT A POTHOLE IN THE SIDEWALK AND BROKE THE SIDEWALK. THAT'S A LEGAL LAWSUIT. SO I JUST WANT I DON'T WANT US TO BE CAUGHT IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS A CITY, AND THEN WE CAN HELP FIX SOME OF THESE THINGS. AND WE DON'T NEED TO GET RID OF NO FIREMEN. WE DON'T NEED TO GET RID OF NO POLICEMAN. WE NEED EVERYBODY WE CAN TO WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, MAYOR. NO FURTHER ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER MADISON. MADAM MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY TO MY FELLOW

[02:00:04]

IS THERE IS THAT A VOICE? NO, NO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 64-2026. AND WE'VE HAD COMMENT AND WE'VE HAD THE READING OF THE RESOLUTION. AND APPARENTLY THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION.

MADAM CLERK, MAYOR. CLERK. YES, COMMISSIONER. JOB. YES, COMMISSIONER. RIDGE. YES.

COMMISSIONER. REED. NO. COMMISSIONER MATHESON. YES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM IS

[3. ADOPT ASSESSMENT FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES FOR FY 27 (RC)]

RESOLUTION NUMBER 65-2026, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027 NON AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS DIRECTING CERTIFICATION OF THE ASSESSMENT ROLL TO THE MARTIN COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

THANK YOU SIR. CITY MANAGER. MADAM MAYOR, THIS IS OUR ANNUAL FIRE ASSESSMENT AND I AGAIN ASKED ANTHONY TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT INFORMATION THAT HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND ACTUALLY SHOW, BUT ALSO EXPLAIN HOW THE PROPERTIES WERE IDENTIFIED FOR THE ASSESSMENT.

THOSE ARE NEW PROPERTIES THAT WERE ADDED IN THIS YEAR. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. YES. COULD YOU PLEASE MAKE A PRESENTATION. YES. SO THERE WERE 71 NEW PROPERTIES ADDED TO THIS FIRE ASSESSMENT.

MOST OF THEM COME FROM, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTRACTORS, THAT HELP US I.D. THIS FOR THE $1.8 MILLION ADDITIONAL FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE COME FROM PARCELS THAT ARE SPLIT OR COMBINED. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE ONES AT 737 CENTRAL PARKWAY. THE BUILDERS, DR.

HORTON INCORPORATED. SO THESE PROPERTY OWNERS GET THIS NOTICE RIGHT HERE. HERE'S ONE, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT SHOWING THE NAME AS TELLING THEM ABOUT THE FIRE ASSESSMENT. AND FOR MOST OWNERS, IT'S $108.35. YEAH. SO THEY THE 71 NEW PROPERTIES, MOSTLY FROM SUBDIVIDED BECAUSE THE CITY OF STEWART'S MOSTLY BUILT OUT. THEY GET THEIR NOTICES. AND THE ASSESSMENT IS ALLOCATED TO THEM SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE AD VALOREM TAXES. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER AND BUDGET FOR THESE NOTICES SENT OUT BY CERTIFIED MAIL FROM THE CONTRACTOR WHO SENT THEM OUT TO THESE. THESE NEW PROPERTIES. YES, MA'AM. AND YOU HAVE THOSE ON THE RECORD? YOU HAVE. YES, WE HAVE THE LIST. AND IT WAS GIVEN TO THE. YEAH. WE'VE USED THESE SAME PEOPLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS AND THEY SEND OUT THE LETTERS AFTER IDENTIFYING THE NEW PARCELS, AFTER LOOKING AT THE ASSESSORS TAX ROLLS AND THEY WERE SENT THE SENT THE LETTERS. NOTIFYING THEM IF THEY WANT TO COME HERE. AND TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS

[02:05:02]

LET'S HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER THREE ADOPT ASSESSMENT FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES. NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE. COMMISSIONER REED ANTHONY HISTORICALLY, HAS THIS FEE ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME SINCE ITS INCEPTION, OR HAS THERE BEEN CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS? WE HELD IT FLAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 TO FISCAL YEAR 27. I'D HAVE TO RESEARCH HISTORICALLY HOW FAR BACK IT WENT. ALL RIGHT, NO WORRIES. AND FOR THE PUBLIC, I THINK THE MANAGER HAD ASKED YOU A QUESTION. BUT FOR THE PUBLIC, COULD YOU TELL US THE TOTAL, ALONG WITH THE NEW PROPERTIES THAT ARE THAT HAVE COME ON BOARD, HOW MUCH WILL BE RAISED BY THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE? THE THE TOTAL FOR THE 71 NEW PROPERTIES? YES. WELL, OR JUST THE THE RIGHT. I MEAN, I'M JUST GONNA OKAY, DO THIS REAL FAST TO HERE SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN.

SORRY. WE HAVE A TWO TEAM AND THAT'S $7,790.35 IS WHAT THESE 71 NEW PROPERTIES WOULD BE PAYING. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THIS IS AN ANNUAL FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE. AND FOR HISTORY'S SAKE, DO YOU DO YOU HAVE THE TIME FRAME FOR WHEN WE FIRST ADOPTED THE FIRE ASSESSMENT? MELISSA CLARK HAS THAT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. 2013. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE JUST JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS BY ANY COMMISSIONERS? OKAY. AND THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. I HAVE A GREEN CARD. I WAS GOING TO SAVE IT FOR SEVEN, BUT I'LL JUST SAY, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE CALL IT A FIRE ASSESSMENT. IT IS A TAX. AND IT WAS A TAX THAT WE HAD NO RECOURSE AGAINST. IT WAS WHEN MIKE MORTAL WAS HERE AND WE SPENT 68 DAYS. IT WAS SPENT $68,000 TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. AND MR. NICOLETTI SAID, OH, WE'VE DONE IT'S BEEN DONE IN A COUPLE OTHER COUNTIES. I'VE ALWAYS FELT MARTIN COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE LOVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE LOVE OUR FIREMEN, WE LOVE OUR POLICEMEN. WE DON'T NEED TO BE FORCED TO BE TAXED. AND WE KEEP CALLING AND ASSESSMENT. AND WHEN KELLY GLASS LAYTON RAN AND LOST, THAT WAS ONE THING THAT THAT SHE THEY CAUGHT HER ON. SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW. YOU GUYS CALL THE ASSESSMENT. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT WAS A TAX. IT WAS EXTORTION AND IT STILL IS. BUT YOU KNOW, WE LOVE OUR FIREMEN, BUT WE DON'T. MARTIN COUNTY RESIDENTS DON'T NEED TO BE EXTORTED AND SUED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FIREMEN AND THEIR POLICEMEN AND THEIR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE LOVE THEM. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER OKAY. YOU HAVE YOUR GREEN CARD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NOTHING FROM OUR STAFF OR FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, CITY CLERK, COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. COMMISSIONER. REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. JOB. YES. MAYOR.

CLERK. YES. COMMISSIONER. MATHESON. YES. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE

[4. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (RC)]

[02:10:06]

YES, COMMISSIONER READ I THINK ON THIS SPREADSHEET TOO. I THINK IT WOULD HELP IF MAYBE THERE WAS A COLUMN ONE FOR THE RANKING, AND THEN ALSO A COLUMN FOR WHEN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, I GUESS BECAME KNOWN OR BECAME AN ISSUE. SO WE'RE WELL AWARE BECAUSE SOME OF THESE MIGHT BE TEN YEARS OLD AND I'M, I DON'T KNOW THAT UNLESS WE WENT LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM TO DETERMINE THAT. SO THAT'S THAT'S MY SUGGESTIONS, THOUGH, TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST SAY MADAM MAYOR SORRY SORRY. I'LL JUST SAY I AGREE. I THINK WE WE COULD DELVE INTO THIS A LITTLE DEEPER IN A WORKSHOP IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. YOU KNOW, ONE WAY IS TO RANK THEM PRIORITY WISE, BUT BY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. YOU KNOW, AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP TO KNOW LIKE IT IS ON THE MPO WHEN IT WAS CONCEPTUALIZED OR WHEN IT WAS FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS NEEDED. AND I'D, I'D CERTAINLY AGREE WITH OUR CITY MANAGER THAT OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S GRANT ELIGIBLE, THAT SHOULD BUMP IT UP HIGHER IF WE CAN GET GRANT FUNDING FOR IT. BUT ONCE IT'S FUNDED IN THE PROCESS, IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

AT THAT POINT, WE DON'T WANT TO REMOVE SOMETHING THAT'S FUNDED EACH YEAR, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT OVER THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND PROBABLY FIND A WAY, YOU KNOW, TO COME TO A CONSENSUS. THAT'S A KEY WORD. WE'RE USING A LOT TONIGHT TO COME TO A CONSENSUS ON HITTING A ROLLBACK RATE OR SOMETHING. SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER? RICH. YEAH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT SUGGESTION. IT JUST YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU WANT TO RANK IT IS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THAT MATRIX. DO YOU WANT TO DO IT BY AGE? DO YOU WANT TO DO IT BY ADDITIONAL FUNDING AVAILABLE. SO I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT MATRIX THOSE MATRIX DECISIONS. BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY OUR CITY MANAGER CAN WORK WITH STAFF TO DEVELOP A PROCESS SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER WAY TO APPROACH THE BUDGET NEXT TIME AROUND. ANY OTHER COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS? NOTHING. LET'S GO TO THE PUBLIC ON THE GREEN CARDS. I HAVE CODY JOHNSON.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN. MY NAME IS CODY JOHNSON. STUART, FLORIDA. I'M A RESIDENT PRESIDENT OF A NONPROFIT FOR EAST STUART. I JUST WANT TO BRING UP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD BACK TRUST ON BOTH ENDS OF THE CITY. AND A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN MISLEADING IN THE PAST. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A VERY GOOD CHANCE NOW TO CORRECT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN MISLED AND PRETTY MUCH FORCED UPON THE COMMUNITY OF EAST STUART, 2003, WE DID A CHARRETTE ABOUT WHAT WE DO WANT IN EAST STUART. FUNDING NOW IS COMING TO THROUGH THE CRA TO REDEVELOP THE GUY DAVIS PARK, A PART OF THE GUY DAVIS PARK THERE ARE FORCING UPON THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE ALREADY DID A WORKSHOP AND IT WAS PRETTY IT WAS PRETTY THOROUGH,

[02:15:01]

CODY. WHAT HAPPENED WAS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE WAS THERE WAS A GRANT AVAILABLE. IT WAS APPROPRIATED FOR THE SKATE PARK. AND COMMISSIONER COLLINS AT THE TIME WANTED TO PRIORITIZE THE SKATE PARK OVER THE REST OF GUY DAVIS. AS FAR AS THE DESIGN AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER RICH AND MYSELF WERE THE ONLY NO VOTES ON. THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M AGAINST A SKATE PARK. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO DESIGN THE SKATE PARK BEFORE THE ENTIRE PARK. I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE OF US. NOW THE ENTIRE PARK IS 100% DESIGNED. I'M SURE PEOPLE CAN ATTEST TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO COME AND GIVE SOME BACKSTORY. IF THAT DID HAPPEN, HOW WOULD THAT LOOK FOR THE TAXPAYERS? YOU GUYS HAD A PLAN. I WASN'T HERE IN 2021. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR. YEAH, 100% PLANS ARE COMPLETED. BUT I DID CHECK WITH THE ENGINEER WHO DESIGNED THE PROJECT. WE CAN REMOVE THE SKATE PARK AND SO WE'LL GO OUT FOR BID WITH A PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES A SKATE PARK AND WITHOUT SKATE PARK. SO WE CAN GET BIDS FOR SKATE PARK AND WITHOUT SKATE PARK. AND THEN THE BOARD CAN DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO AWARD THE CONTRACT WITH THE SKATE PARK OR WITHOUT. SO WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION NOW. IT WON'T MESS WITH ANY OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING OR ANY OF THE WORK. THAT'S OKAY. RIGHT? I WAS CONCERNED, BUT I CHECKED WITH THEM AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT IT. RIGHT. HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS. AND CODY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SELBY. YES. ONE QUESTION. THE GRANT THAT WAS CONNECTED WITH THAT SKATE PARK, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE OVERALL NUMBERS. GRANT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE OVERALL PARK IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OVERALL PARK. RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SKATE PARK. YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, FOR THE FOR THE RECORD, IT WASN'T A GRANT. IT WAS A LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION. THANK YOU. I GOT ONE MORE QUESTION. HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND ON THE DESIGN OF THE SKATE PARK AND CHANGING ALL OF THIS, SPECIFICALLY? 50,000, 100,000 MORE. WE HAD TO SUBCONTRACT FOR THE SKATE PARK. IT WAS ABOUT $50,000, BUT WE HAD MONEY IN THE CONTINGENCY THAT WE HAD ALREADY CONTRACTED WITH THE PRIMARY CONTRACTOR. SO IT WAS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, PANEL. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. YOU'VE YOU'VE DONE THREE MINUTES ALREADY. MR. JOHNSON. WERE YOU STANDING TO. YEAH, NO, I DID

[02:20:06]

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THAT WAS MY MEMORY THAT THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THE. PRIORITIZE THE ORIGINAL PLANS OF GUY DAVIS NOT PROPOSING TO CHANGE ANY OF THE PLANS AT ALL. BUT LET'S MOVE FORWARD AS FAST AS WE CAN ON THOSE PLANS FOR GUY DAVIS FOR FOR THAT COMMUNITY AND ASSESS AS WE GO WITH THE NEW INFORMATION MISS GANDHI GIVES US ON THE DIFFERENT BIDS SHE GETS BACK. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JOB, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT COMMISSIONER REED SAID. THESE PARKS BELONG TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF STUART. THEY'RE NOT JUST FOR ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST NEIGHBORHOODS TRY AND TAKE YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR PARK. BUT IT IS FOR EVERYONE IN THE IN THE CITY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. STAFF. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS MOTION? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CITY MANAGER ANYONE HAS ANY COMMENT? NO. MADAM CLERK. COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES.

COMMISSIONER. REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MAYOR. CLERK. YES. THANK YOU. WE HAVE

[5. GENERAL WAGE INCREASE (RC)]

WE HAVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 63-2026. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND SO WE CAN PUT IT ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR RESOLUTION 63 2026. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE AND MERIT RAISES FOR THE CITY. NON-BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND COMMISSIONER MATHESON? YES. THANK YOU. IT'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE PUBLIC FIRST.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE GENERAL WAGE INCREASE. DID YOU HAVE A CARD IN FOR THIS ITEM? I DO NOT KNOW. YOU SAID PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAD A CARD. DO I HAVE TO DO ONE EVERY TIME? YES. FOR THIS ITEM. CAN I DO ONE OUT? AS LONG AS IT RELATES TO THIS ITEM. THREE MINUTES. YEAH. GO AHEAD. YEAH. JUST WHEN YOU COMPLETED FILL IT OUT FORMALITIES. OKAY. I'M ALL FOR WAGE INCREASES. I'M ALL FOR COST OF LIVING INCREASES. BUT I HAVEN'T HAD 1 IN 11 YEARS. I WAS A TEACHER. I HAD AN ADVANCED DEGREE, NINE HOURS SHY OF A PHD IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION PEOPLE. MY SALARY WOULD HAVE BEEN 120,000 A YEAR HAD I BEEN ALLOWED TO

[02:25:02]

I JUST HAVE A REAL HARD TIME WITH THE FACT THE CITY HAS NOT ADDRESSED SETTLEMENT LETTERS FROM 2019 THAT MICHAEL MARTEL HAD HIS IN HIS POSSESSION AND HID THEM FROM THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMISSION. SO COST OF LIVING INCREASES 3%. I GAVE MYSELF ONE. THREE YEARS AGO, I MADE SIX FIGURES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE. BEING A REALTOR. I BOUGHT A HOME ON TAX AUCTION AND IT'S WORTH 300 GRAND. ALEXANDER. SO WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS MY COST OF LIVING CAME BY MY OWN VIRTUE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY RELEVANT COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS AGENDA ITEM? AND PLEASE FILL OUT THE CARD, MISS ALEXANDER. I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR US? WE NEED TO DELIBERATE AGAIN. I DO, MADAM MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO BRING ONE THING TO YOUR ATTENTION, AND THAT IS RESOLUTION 63-2026. SINCE THE COMMISSION ASKED US TO MAKE THIS A SEPARATE ITEM, IT IS A SEPARATE ITEM. HOWEVER, IT'S SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY BUDGET ITSELF. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I DO HAVE SOMEONE INTERESTED IN GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT. IF YOU WANT TO OPEN IT BACK UP, I'LL OPEN IT BACK UP. IT'S WHO IS THE PERSON? ROBERT HAMILTON? MR. HAMILTON, PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD EVENING, ROBERT HAMILTON, 1895, CHURCH OF STEWART. I AGREE PEOPLE SHOULD GET A RATE INCREASE, BUT WHAT ABOUT BAD BEHAVIOR? SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE WAGE INCREASE THAT DO BAD BEHAVIOR, PARTICIPATE IN FRAUD AND COVER UP FOR THE CITY. SO WE GIVE THEM AN INCREASE TAXPAYER MONEY. NOT YOUR MONEY, NOT YOURS. THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME, THE PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE. YOU HAVE TO FULFILL THE JOB YOU CAME TO DO. THAT MEANS IF SOMETHING'S WRONG, YOU HAVE TO FIX IT. IF YOU NOTICE SOMETHING, YOU STAND UP LIKE MR. REED DID AND MISS JOB DID. WHY DO WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY TO PAY FOR YOUR MISTAKES, YOUR GREED, YOUR AWARDS? YOU GIVE OUT? DID YOU EVER GIVE OUT AN AWARD FOR WHO SCREWED UP THE WORST FOR THE YEAR? THINK ABOUT THAT. IT'S NOT A JOKE. DID YOU EVER GO TALK TO HIM? SAY, HEY, MAN, YOU GOT THREE LETTERS ABOUT THIS PLACE. THEY GOT TRASHED AND YOU WANT A RATE INCREASE? TAXPAYER MONEY. THEY WORK HARD, LIKE THE LADY AND OTHER PEOPLE AND ALL THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME, EVEN THE RETIRED PEOPLE. WE ONLY GET SO MUCH IN OUR RETIREMENT. BUT YET YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT WE THE PEOPLE. AND YOU WANT MORE MONEY TO REPRESENT US. THEN YOU SAY YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.

YOU NEED MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WHY? WHY DOES AMERICANS HAVE TO, IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE TO BUDGET THEMSELVES? MOM, DAD, THE KIDS, SCHOOL, SOCCER MOMS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. WE HAVE TO BUDGET OURSELVES. BUT THEN WHEN THE BUDGET COMES IN HERE, WE HAVE TO BE LIKE A DENTIST AND PULL TEETH, SAY, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, I DIDN'T REALLY DIDN'T MEAN IT WAS DEMOLITION. IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU START ACTING LIKE THAT AND WE'RE, WE'RE PERCEIVING THIS COMING TO US TO TAXPAYER, AND WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ANNOYED. YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE. AGAIN, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH GETTING PAID WHAT YOU'RE WORTH GETTING PAID A TAX INCREASE FOR THE COST OF LIVING.

WE ALL KNOW GAS WENT UP. EVERYBODY'S TELLING US THE NEWS. EVERYTHING'S GREAT. IT AIN'T GREAT. IT AIN'T GREAT IN THIS ROOM. GO LOOK AT MY CHURCH. 131 YEARS OLD. HELL OF A WAY TO TREAT A CHURCH. THAT'S WHAT YOU DID TO ME AND MY WIFE. YOU DESTROYED OUR LIVES. BUT WE'RE STILL HERE. AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. BUT YOU NEED TO NOT GIVE EVERYBODY AN INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD. HAVE YOU SAT DOWN WITH THE PUBLIC AND SAID YOU. DO THEY UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MONEY THESE PEOPLE ARE GETTING, HOW MUCH MISS CANDY GETS FOR WHAT SHE DID TO ME,

[02:30:04]

[6. FY2027 TENTATIVE BUDGET (RC)]

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY VOTING ON. YES. AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS BUDGET BOOK IS JUST THE JUST THE DETAILS. SO AS FOR THE PRESENTATION, LET ME FIVE OKAY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THE LIGHTS. SO WE'RE FOLLOWING FLORIDA STATUTES AND COMMISSION GUIDANCE. AND RIGHT HERE WE'RE VOTING ON THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, TENTATIVE MILLAGE, THE FIRE PROTECTION NON AD VALOREM TAX. WE JUST VOTED ON THE GENERAL WAGE INCREASE AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. SO THE NEXT STEP, AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER SAID THE FINAL HEARING IS SEPTEMBER 14TH IN THIS LOVELY ROOM AT 5:15 P.M.

THERE'S THE ROLLBACK RATE, THE CONSENSUS RATE AND THE MAXIMUM RATE ON THE RIGHT THAT WE'RE OBLIGED TO TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC ABOUT. SO PUTTING TOGETHER A BUDGET OF FIVE MILLS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CITY? THAT MEANS 50.9 MILLION IN REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, WHERE MOST CITY OPERATIONS ARE POLICE AND FIRE. THE REST OF THE REVENUES ROUGHLY 479 MILLION IN DEBT MILLAGE THAT WAS VOTED IN THE PAST. SO THESE PROPERTY TAXES COVER ABOUT 39% OF THE GENERAL FUND, POWERING 50.9 MILLION FOR THE CITY SERVICES. THESE CHARTS MAY LOOK FAMILIAR TO PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. THIS IS THE HISTORY OF THE MILLAGE RATE ON THE LEFT, AND YOU CAN SEE GO UP AND DOWN THE 2008 CRASH, AND THEN WE GET TO ABOUT FIVE MILLS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THIS BAR GRAPH ON THE RIGHT IS THE ASSESSED VALUE OF ALL THE

[02:35:05]

THERE ARE OTHER TAXES THAT COME IN TO FUND SERVICES. ROUGHLY 8% 4.15 MILLION COMES IN FROM UTILITY TAXES. THESE ARE TAXES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF GAS, PROPANE, ELECTRICITY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. IT'S COLLECTED BY FLORIDA LIGHT AND POWER AND OTHERS AND REMITTED TO THE CITY. AND THEN ANOTHER LARGE PORTION OF REVENUE COMES IN FROM OVERHEAD CHARGES TO OUR UTILITIES AND FRANCHISE FEES, ABOUT 4.9 MILLION. TOGETHER, THESE TWO ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, ACCOUNTING FOR 57% OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES. JUST A LITTLE HISTORICAL DATA ON UTILITY TAXES. IN 2025, ACTUAL COLLECTIONS WERE 4.89 MILLION. SO THE MORE PEOPLE USE ELECTRICITY, WATER, SEWER, THAT SORT OF THING, THE MORE THE MORE OUR TAXES FOR BOTH FRANCHISE FEES, OUR UTILITIES AND UTILITY FEES GO UP. FRANCHISE FEES FOR OUR WATER SEWER, STORMWATER 2.34 MILLION IN 2025. ACTUAL NUMBERS. OKAY, SO WHAT CHANGED FROM THE STUDY SESSION BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED AND THIS BUDGET? THERE WERE SEVERAL MINOR AMENDMENTS OF LESS THAN 5000 TO ACCOMMODATE LAST MINUTE CIRCUMSTANCES. HEY, I'M GOING TO GET THIS GRANT. CAN I SQUEEZE IT IN? YEAH, SURE. NO PROBLEM. WE ALSO ADDED $6,422 TO MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE FOR ROUTING PURPOSES. THE GENERAL FUND. THERE'S NO PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES FROM WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE STUDY SESSIONS. THERE WAS A ONE MAJOR CHANGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO USE A $400,000 TO FUND A SECOND REPLACEMENT FIRE AMBULANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT'S BEING BUILT AT THE SAME TIME AS THE THE AMBULANCE THAT IS GOING TO BE DELIVERED SOON, THAT WE ALREADY THAT WE ALREADY ORDERED. SO BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH BEING BUILT AT THE SAME TIME, RATHER THAN TAKE OUT A NOTE, WE DECIDED TO. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO INCREASE THE BUDGET BY 400 000 TO JUST PAY CASH FOR THIS SECOND FIRE AMBULANCE. SO THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT. HOW IS IT SPENT? GENERAL GOVERNMENT, THAT TOP LINE NUMBER 15.1.

THAT'S HUMAN RESOURCES. THE FINANCE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THE 29.1 RIGHT DOWN BELOW ON THE FISCAL YEAR 27 COLUMN, THAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE. THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, OVER OVER HALF THE BUDGET IS THE POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES THAT KEEP OUR CITY SAFE.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, MAINTAINING OUR STREETS AND ROADS 3.1 MILLION AND CULTURE RECREATION, MAINTAINING OUR PARKS, ATHLETIC FACILITIES, 3.6 MILLION. ALL COMING UP TO THAT 5.9 MILLION, A 6% INCREASE OVER THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. AS PER SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE EARLIER, 69% OF THE GENERAL FUND IS DEDICATED TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS. POLICE AND FIRE ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE BUDGET, AND POLICE AND FIRE ARE MOSTLY POLICEMEN AND FIREMEN. SO WHAT'S DRIVING OUR INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 26 TO 27, THE STATE MANDATED FRS RATE FOR POLICE AND FIRE WENT UP BY 5%. THE. THAT'S THE EMPLOYER PORTION. THE UNION WAGE INCREASES THE THIRD YEAR OF THE NEGOTIATED CONTRACT, THERE WAS THREE NEW FIRE POSITIONS, BUT AS WAS POINTED OUT, THERE WERE NINE POSITIONS IN TOTAL. SOME OF THOSE WERE FROM. TWO OF THOSE FOR THE UTILITY, WHERE UTILITY TRAINEES IN THE AN ENTERPRISE FUND, WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE A BUSINESS FUND, AND ONE WAS A STORMWATER TEAM LEADER AND STORMWATER FUND SEPARATELY FROM PROPERTY TAXES. ADDITIONAL TO THOSE THREE FIRE POSITIONS WAS ONE'S GROUND MAINTENANCE POSITION TO HELP MAINTAIN OUR ATHLETIC FIELD.

ONE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND ONE MAINTENANCE MECHANIC IN PUBLIC WORKS TO HELP KEEP UP WITH THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF BOTH CODE ENFORCEMENT WORK. MAINTAINING OUR ATHLETIC FIELDS

[02:40:01]

SO HOW DO WE BALANCE 50.9 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES WITH 50.9 MILLION IN REVENUES? WE'RE USING ONE TIME USE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN RESERVES, THE FISCAL YEAR 26 LOAN REVENUE FOR ONE OF THOSE AMBULANCES. WE TOOK OUT THE NOTE THIS YEAR FOR THE AMBULANCE. WE GOT THE CASH.

IT'S SITTING IN THE BANK. THE BUILDER OF THE AMBULANCE SAID, I'M SORRY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET IT TO YOU UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 27. THAT MONEY IS SITTING IN THE BANK, AND THEN WHEN THE AMBULANCE IS DELIVERED WITH THE SECOND AMBULANCE THEY'RE BUILDING AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ONE TIME MONEY NOT OPERATING, BUT ONE TIME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MONEY OF 800,000, 400,000 WE ALREADY HAVE IN THE BANK, AND 400 000 OF RESERVES. OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE IS ROUGHLY 21.6 MILLION. SO 50.9 MILLION IN EXPENSES, 50.1 MILLION IN REVENUES. WE HAVE ZERO OPERATING DEFICIT. BUT A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN OF ONE TIME USE OF CASH OF 0.8 MILLION. SO WHAT MAKES UP OUR FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND? MOST OF IT IS MONEY THAT WE CAN'T TOUCH WITHOUT USING IT FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. IMPACT FEES, BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE THAT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THINGS RELATED TO THAT MONEY SET ASIDE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, UNASSIGNED AS PER THE FISCAL YEAR 25 AUDIT, IS ABOUT $6 MILLION OF A $21.6 MILLION FUND RESERVE, OF WHICH WILL BE SPENDING DOWN. AGAIN. THIS IS 25 NUMBERS. WE HAVEN'T GOT THE FULL REVENUES AND EXPENSES YET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, BUT WE'LL BE SPENDING DOWN THAT FUND BALANCE BY 400,000 FOR THAT SECOND AMBULANCE, RATHER THAN TAKING OUT A A LOAN. THIS IS A PRETTY BUSY CHART, BUT HERE'S ALL THE CITY DIVISIONS. THE FIRST COLUMN IS 25 ACTUALS, 26 ADOPTED BUDGET AND FISCAL YEAR 27 RECOMMENDED BUDGET. THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU. AND THE TOTAL NUMBER DOWN ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS THAT 3.06 4 MILLION, 6% INCREASE, AGAIN, DRIVEN BY SOME OF THESE HEADWINDS THAT WE HAVE.

THERE ARE OTHER FUNDS BESIDES THE GENERAL FUND, AND I KNOW THAT GETS THE LION'S SHARE OF ATTENTION BECAUSE OF PROPERTY TAXES. BUT THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIG ENTERPRISE FUNDS, BASICALLY RUN LIKE A BUSINESS WATER AND SEWER FUND IS STABLE RIGHT NOW, BUT OUR RESERVES IN THAT FUND ARE DECLINING BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING SOME REVENUE. THERE IS A CHANGE IN STATE LAW THAT A SURCHARGE THAT WE CAN CHARGE TO RESIDENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, BUT STILL HOOKED UP TO OUR WATER AND SEWER, THAT IS GOING AWAY IN THE LAST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 27, WE ARE IN THE LAST YEAR OF A FIVE YEAR RATE STUDY, AND THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND TO KEEP UP WITH PFAS REMEDIATION AND SUCH ARE SUCH THAT WE'RE DIPPING INTO A ROUGHLY 20 PLUS MILLION FUND RESERVE NEXT YEAR IN ORDER TO PROVIDE WATER AND SEWER FOR OUR CITY RESIDENTS. AND WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU LATER WITH ANOTHER RATE STUDY AND RATE INCREASES TO HELP DEAL WITH THE SURCHARGE GOING AWAY. THE SANITATION FUND IS IS STABLE RIGHT NOW. NOT MUCH TO SAY ON THAT. OUR CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE ARE MEETING OUR EXPENSES. THE STORMWATER FUND. THINK OF IT LIKE AN INSURANCE POLICY, RIGHT? HERE'S SOME MILTON PUT TOGETHER THESE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR US. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE HAVING AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF WORK IN DEBRIS REMOVAL AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT. CATCH BASINS

[02:45:05]

THE LAST FUND I WANT TO GO OVER IS THE LEASE PROPERTY FUND. THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT THE CITY, THE OWNS OR LEASES, THE REVENUE COMES IN BASICALLY IS OPERATING. AND THEN WE PAY THAT OUT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTIES. AND IT HAS TO BE A SPECIALIZED SEPARATE FUND DUE TO GADSBY RULES, CITYWIDE BUDGET GENERAL FUND IS THAT COLUMN ON THE LEFT. THAT'S WHERE MOST CITY OBLIGATIONS ARE. LANDFILL PROPERTY FUND, THE CRA, THE LEASE PROPERTY FUND, POLICE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS. THOSE ARE SPECIAL FUNDS BASICALLY LIKE DRUG SEIZURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR SEPARATELY. SO WE HAVE TO REPORT THOSE SEPARATELY.

WATER, SEWER AND STORMWATER FUND TOTALING THE WHOLE CITY BUDGET. THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO THAT WAS THE STAFF REPORT ON RESOLUTION 66626-2025. DID CLERK REMIND ME IF WE HAD ANY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MOTION YET AT ALL. I DO NOT HAVE A MOTION. OKAY. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION OR SOMETHING SO WE CAN GET THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION PLEASE? I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 66-2026. TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. I KNOW YOU JUST MADE THE MOTION SO THAT THE VERSION THAT I'M LOOKING AT SAYS 2025. SO IT SHOULD BE 202 6 OR 2 0260269. AGENDA. OKAY. WELL 202 THE RESOLUTION, THE ATTACHED PROPOSED RESOLUTION DOES HAVE 2025 AND THAT CAN BE CORRECTED. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THAT'S YOUR MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND TO YOUR MOTION. SECOND MR. COMMISSIONER MATHESON HAS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION IS UP FOR DISCUSSION. LET'S HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS FISCAL 2027 TENTATIVE BUDGET. I HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. MISS ALEXANDER, I'M GOING TO CAUTION YOU BEFORE YOU COME OUT. IT MUST BE WITH REGARDING THE ITEMS ON THE BUDGET, I UNDERSTAND I NEEDED CLARIFICATION ON ONE THING. YOU PASS THROUGH THAT SCREEN VERY QUICKLY. CITY ATTORNEY BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR WILL SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. OH, YES. SORRY. COULD YOU PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PUT THAT SCREEN BACK UP. IS THAT PERMISSIBLE? YES, STAFF. HE PASSED THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY. IT WAS LIKE I WROTE IT DOWN, BUT I MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE NUMBERS CORRECT. OKAY, NOT THAT ONE. THIS WOULD BE THE ONE THAT HAS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S BUDGET. ALL RIGHT. BUT THERE WAS A AN INCREASE TO 1.2 MILL OR SOMETHING. DID I MISREAD THAT HIGHLIGHTED BRO. IS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S BUDGET FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. OKAY. SO OKAY. THANK YOU. SO IN 2025, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S BUDGET WAS $827,000.

ALL RIGHT. I JUST NEEDED TO CLARIFY. ALSO START CLOCK. I SEE THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT $800,000 GAP IN THE. IT WAS TAKEN FROM THE RESERVE. MICHAEL MARTEL HAS BEEN TEXTING ME FOR MONTHS, EMAILING ME FOR MONTHS. YESTERDAY I ENGAGED IN TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS TEXT MESSAGES FOR OVER FOUR HOURS WITH HIM AND HE SUGGESTED THAT THE CITY HAD AN $800,000 DEFICIT. AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO IN EMAIL. YOU MAY YOU ALL MAY NOT BE AWARE BECAUSE THEY WERE HIS PERSONAL EMAILS THAT HE WAS SENDING SINCE THE TIME OF HIS TERMINATION, HE HAS NOT STOPPED COMMUNICATING WITH ME. HE HAS NOT STOPPED CALLING ME DELUSIONAL. HE HAS NOT STOPPED CALLING ME CRAZY LADY. I FIND OFFENSE TO THAT, BUT PART OF IT IS IN THE BUDGET WHERE I THINK THAT $800,000 GAP WAS CREATED DURING HIS TENURE AS CITY MANAGER, AND MIKE GIARDINO WAS HANDED THAT TO TRY TO RESOLVE. MAYBE I'M OFF HERE, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS SAYING, THAT THE GAP IS BEING RECONCILED THROUGH

[02:50:01]

MAKE SURE IT'S RELATED TO THE CURRENT BUDGET, CURRENT BUDGET. WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUR LEADERSHIP STARTS HERE AND IT CARRIES THROUGH TO 2025 AND IT'S BEEN ALLOWED, THERE'S A THERE'S A WORD FOR THAT. IT'S CALLED INADEQUATE OVERSIGHT. AND IT DEFINITELY DEALS WITH THE COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY. THANK YOU, MISS ALEXANDER. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOT ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS OR ANY STAFF COMMISSIONER READ? I DO I'VE HAD MY LIGHT ON FOR LIKE HALF AN HOUR. I, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, ANTHONY. DO WE HAVE ANY BELOW MARKET LEASES ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD GO AFTER. YES. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT WITHOUT RESEARCH. OKAY. I KNOW I BROUGHT IT UP IN THE PAST PROBABLY 60 DAYS ABOUT IT. I KNOW I DON'T SUPPORT THE MILLAGE INCREASE, SO I DON'T SUPPORT THE MOTION REGARDING THAT. BUT I THINK THIS BOARD SHOULD LOOK AT BELOW MARKET LEASES. SO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS SHOULDN'T BE GETTING SWEETHEART DEALS THAT REGULAR TAXPAYERS DON'T RECEIVE. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER READ COMMISSIONER JOB. YEAH. AND ANTHONY, WHEN YOU PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, COULD I HAVE IT ALSO, I'M SORRY ABOUT THE SUBSIDIZED LEASES. YES. THANK YOU. WE WILL MAKE SURE ALL COMMISSIONERS GET THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE TENTATIVE BUDGET AND ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 66-2026? THANK YOU. CITY CLERK. HEARING NONE, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COMMISSIONER? JOB.

YES, COMMISSIONER. MATHESON. YES. COMMISSIONER. REED. NO. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. MAYOR.

CLERK. YES. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A BIO BREAK FOR FIVE MINUTES, PLEASE. EVERYBODY AGREE? VIBRATE FIVE MINUTES. WE'LL RETURN STEWART, RECALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND WE ARE ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

[7. CONFIRMING APPOINTMENT OF MICHAEL J. MORTELL AS CITY MANAGER AND AUTHORIZING EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT (RC)]

THE RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STEWART, FLORIDA, CONFIRMING THE APPOINTMENT OF MICHAEL J. MORTEL AS CITY MANAGER AND AUTHORIZING AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ON AUGUST 24TH, 2026, THE CITY COMMISSION REMOVED CITY MANAGER MICHAEL GIARDINO. THE CITY COMMISSION ALSO INSTRUCTED CITY STAFF TO CONTACT FORMER CITY MANAGER MICHAEL J. MORTEL AND TO NEGOTIATE TERMS OF REEMPLOYMENT FOR HIS RETURN AS THE CITY MANAGER. SPECIFICALLY, YOU HAD ASKED BOTH MYSELF AND ROSS JOHNSON, THE HR DIRECTOR, TO REACH OUT AND CONTACT HIM.

WE DID THAT WITH THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, JIM CROW, AND WE ENGAGED IN DISCUSSION WITH MR. MORTEL, AND WE HAD COME UP WITH. WE WENT BACK AND FORTH A COUPLE OF TIMES ON THE TERMS THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE PROPOSED CONTRACT. I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS WORTH NOTING IS THAT WHEN MR. MARTELL'S EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED IN 2025, HIS SALARY AT THAT TIME WAS A LITTLE OVER $265,000. HE HAS AGREED TO START AT $225,000. IN ADDITION, SINCE WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR AND WE WILL BE GETTING 3% COLA RAISES FOR THE YEAR, HE ALSO AGREED TO FOREGO THE FIRST COLA RAISE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, SO HE WOULD NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY COST OF LIVING, RAISE OR MERIT INCREASE UNTIL THE 2007 OR 2027 2028 FISCAL YEAR. THE PROPOSED

[02:55:06]

THAT'S COMING UP NEXT MONTH. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON THE CONTRACT. I DON'T WANT TO ANTICIPATE WHAT CONTRACT OR QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER WHAT I CAN. THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY. SO THIS IS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, RESOLUTION NUMBER 75-2026. CAN WE BRING THAT ON THE FLOOR WITH A A MOTION AND A SECOND? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 75-2026. COMMISSIONER RIDGE HAS MADE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. COMMISSIONER MATHESON HAS MADE A SECOND. AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID THE CONTRACT WAS PUBLISHED. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC OR DO THE COMMISSIONERS WANT TO MAKE COMMENTS NOW? YOU WANT OKAY, YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON YOU. YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT NOW BEFORE THE PUBLIC. IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. I'D RATHER HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC FIRST. OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU. YOUR COMMENTS. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. COMMISSIONER. CITY CLERK, DO YOU HAVE ANY GREEN CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? I DO, DINA PETERSON I HAVE ONE QUESTION. IS THE ACTUAL POTENTIAL CITY MANAGER EVEN HERE FOR QUESTIONING? NO. IN FACT, THE THE TERM OF THIS PROPOSED CONTRACT, HE WOULD BE STARTING AT THE NEXT MEETING ON THE 14TH. HOW ARE WE GOING TO HIRE SOMEONE? WE CAN'T EVEN QUESTION THEM. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXCUSE ME IN THIS LONG MEETING. MY GLASSES BROKE, SO I'M GOING TO HOLD ON TO THEM AND TALK TO YOU ALL AT THE SAME TIME. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEARING THIS. AT THE VERY END, WHEN HALF THE ROOM'S GONE HOME. WAY TO AVOID HALF THE COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE TREATMENT OF THE LAST TWO CITY MANAGERS USING THE COMMISSIONER'S OWN WORDS. IN A FACEBOOK POST DATED OCTOBER 18 TO 2025, THE COMMISSIONER WROTE, AND I QUOTE, THREE COMMISSIONERS AMBUSHED CITY MANAGER MIKE MARTEL AND CALLED FOR HIS RESIGNATION. I USED THE WORD AMBUSHED BECAUSE THE ACTION WAS NOT PUBLICLY NOTICED ON THE AGENDA, A FACT THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD TO POINT OUT PROPER PUBLIC NOTICE OF ACTION LIKE THIS IS STATE LAW, WHICH THE AMBUSHERS SEEM TO BE COMPLETELY IGNORANT OF. THESE ACTIONS ARE AT MINIMUM, A BLATANT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND REEK OF SUNSHINE LAW VIOLATIONS. WITHOUT GIVING ANY REASONING, COMMISSIONER REED CALLED FOR MORTELS RESIGNATION, AND HE WAS IMMEDIATELY SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONERS COLLINS AND JOB. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. MAYOR RICH, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER CLARK, MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE ASKED FOR JUSTIFICATION, YET ALL THREE COMMISSIONERS STATED AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEY WERE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT, WOULD GIVE NO REASON, REASONING AND WERE IN AGREEMENT TO FIRE THE CITY MANAGER. LET'S NOW FAST FORWARD TO AUGUST 24TH, 2026, AND THREE COMMISSIONERS, INCLUDING THE ONE WHO MADE THE ABOVE FACEBOOK POST, TRULY AMBUSHED THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER OR THE FORMER CITY MANAGER, MR. GIORDANO. WITHOUT WARNING OR CAUSE, MR. MARTEL'S CONTRACT WAS ON THE AGENDA BACK IN 2025.

MR. GIORDANO'S CONTRACT WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA IN 2026. TO ADD FURTHER TRANSPARENCY, THEY CONTINUED THE DISCUSSION OF MR. MARTEL'S CONTRACT. THE NEXT MEETING, MR. GIORDANO AND MR. GIORDANO'S CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS WERE NOT CONTINUED UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING. IN THE INTERIM, BETWEEN MEETINGS, THE COMMISSIONER SPOKE WITH MR. MARTEL AND STAFF INDIVIDUALLY.

MR. GIORDANO WAS NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS HIS CONTRACT INDIVIDUALLY WITH COMMISSIONERS, AND STAFF WAS NOT INTERVIEWED. THE ORIGINAL FACEBOOK POSTER CALLED THE FORMER COMMISSION'S ACTIONS DECEPTIVE WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION, BLATANTLY IGNORANT AND AN AMBUSH. YET SO MUCH MORE TRANSPARENCY AND NOTICE WAS GIVEN BY THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION, AND NONE OF THIS WAS AFFORDED TO MR. GIORDANO. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE TRANSPARENCY WAS NOT GIVEN TO THE CITIZENS OF STUART. THIS AMOUNTS TO NOTHING MORE THAN PETTY CRONYISM AND HYPOCRISY. ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED MR. GIORDANO'S FIRING SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. ON THE TOPIC OF MR. REED BEING ASKED TO STEP DOWN AS MAYOR, THIS WAS ALSO DONE NOT ACCORDING TO CUSTOM OR TRADITION. MR. REED SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IN HIS ROLE AS MAYOR UNTIL THE NEW BOARD WAS ORGANIZED IN JANUARY. TAKING THIS STEP NOW SHOWS MORE PETTINESS AND MORE CRONYISM, ESPECIALLY SINCE TWO OF THE THREE COMMISSIONERS WHO ORCHESTRATED THIS COUP WERE LUCKY TO WIN REELECTION BY THE NARROWEST OF MARGINS. THE THIRD COMMISSIONER, ONE BASED ON LOW VOTER TURNOUT AND A

[03:00:04]

AND YET, BASED ON THE COMMENTS MADE BY COMMISSIONER RICH, CONFIRMED BY MR. MORTEL IN A TCPALM ARTICLE ABOUT HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS A BACKROOM DEAL. IT REEKS OF IT. SHAME ON YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, I HAVE KAREN HALL. YOST. RAJ. OKAY. KAREN HALL YES. 1701 SOUTH WEST, PALM CITY ROAD. THANK YOU. I LOVED WHAT JIMMY DID ABOUT THE LOVING AND ALL. HE FELT LIKE HE JUST WANTED TO PRAY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I FEEL LIKE I, I HAVE CONTINUALLY, ESPECIALLY WITH GROUP ONE AND FIVE AND THREE, WHATEVER. IT'S THE NEW IT'S IT'S I HAVE BEEN UP HERE FOR MANY YEARS AND GIVING YOU THE EVIDENCE, LEAVING IT IN YOUR BOXES ABOUT THE DEFRAUDING THE COURT AND MR. MORTEL WHEN HE WAS ATTORNEY. AND IT'S NEVER SEEMED TO MATTER WHEN MATHESON WAS MAYOR, WHEN ULA WAS MAYOR, I WOULD SEND YOU GUYS THINGS AND SAY, HEY, CAN WE JUST SIT DOWN? CAN WE DO THIS? BUT YOU JUST IGNORED ME AND CONTINUE TO IGNORE ME. AND SO I'M EXPECTING YOU TO IGNORE ME NOW. BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T COME AND TELL YOU THIS MAN MORTEL, GOD LOVE HIM. YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANGER TOWARDS HIM, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT RESIDENTS. HE HAS ALREADY HARMED MANY RESIDENTS. HE HAS HARMED OUR FAMILY IRREVOCABLY.

I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU ALL HIS AND AND YOU HAVE THE EVIDENCE OF IT. AND I'VE BEEN CONTINUING YOU TO GIVE YOU THE EVIDENCE THAT HE DEFRAUDS THE COURT, THAT HE LIES TO THE JUDGES, THAT HE USES A LITTLE SMOKE AND MIRRORS. BUT FOR SOME REASON, YOU GUYS WANT SOMEONE THAT COMMITTED CRIMINAL ACTS IN OFFICE TO COME BACK HERE. WE ALL SAY, OH, WELL, MIKE HAS BEEN HERE SO LONG. HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN HERE? THERE'S BEEN NO SCANDALS WITH THIS MAN AND I.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE, SIR? MANY YEARS. AND WHY? SO WHY DON'T WE GO WITH SOME? I DON'T KNOW. WHY IS HE NOT GOOD FOR THE JOB? WHY CAN'T WE GET. WHY CAN'T WE GIVE HIM A CHANCE? HE'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AND HE HASN'T COMMITTED CRIMES. SO ALL I'M SAYING, LET'S USE COMMON SENSE. WE ALL LOVE MIKE, BUT WE KNOW WHAT HE DOES. AND YOU GUYS EACH KNOW WHAT HE DOES.

ESPECIALLY THE BAD STUFF HE DOES. YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT IT. I'VE GIVEN IT TO YOU. I'VE GIVEN IT TO YOU IN YOUR BOXES, BUT YOU DON'T CARE. YOU LIKE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. MAKES NO SENSE. OKAY, SO I SAY, LET'S GET SOMEONE IN HERE LIKE WE HAD GIORDINO WITH A GREAT BACKGROUND, WITH A GREAT RECORD. CAN'T WE FIND SOMEBODY WITH A GOOD, CLEAN RECORD? WHY DO YOU WANT A CRIMINAL? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ROGERS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE? ROBERT

[03:05:01]

BUT AGAIN, YOU KEEP HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC BEHIND ME, THE TAXPAYERS, HOW MANY DIFFERENT CASES HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE YOU? I HEAR THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH MR. MORTEL, AND GOD BLESS HIM FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, I WAS STUPID. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT IF I HAD MAYBE HIRED HIM AS MY LAWYER, HE WOULD HAVE MADE SURE MY PROJECT GOT FIXED.

LIKE YOU MADE SURE YOUR RELATIVES PROJECT GOT FIXED ON A FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM. I'M REALLY ANNOYED ABOUT THE ETHICS HERE, AND YOU KNOW IT. AND THIS IS AN ETHICAL SITUATION FOR YOU AND FOR MR. BAGUETTE. IT'S AN ETHICAL SITUATION WITH THE FLORIDA BAR. THAT SUB GRANT AGREEMENT IS SOLID BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT, WHY DID YOU ENTERTAIN IT IN THE FIRST PLACE? IF YOU GO WITH WHAT THE THREE AMIGOS OVER HERE SAY, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ENTERTAINED IT THEN. BUT INSTEAD IT'S A BIG FUGAZI. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY. DON'T WORRY ABOUT HAMILTON. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS ONE. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT ONE. AND WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE SAY THINGS LIKE THEY SAY LIKE CONSTRUCTION CLERK, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN COMING UP HERE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE TAXPAYER KEEPS PAYING. I LISTEN TO PEOPLE HERE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THE MONEY, AND WE NEED THIS AND WE NEED THAT.

IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY. IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE, WE THE PEOPLE. AND WHEN YOU DAMAGE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW IT. MEDIATIONS LIKE WHEN YOU DAMAGE SOMETHING, YOU SIT DOWN AND GO, YOU KNOW WHAT? OKAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADMIT GUILT, BUT EVERYBODY'S SCREWED UP HERE. WE WANT TO MAKE IT RIGHT. THE PILLAR OF YOUR COMMUNITY, 131 YEAR OLD CHURCH, AND YOU GUYS TREAT US THIS WAY.

WHAT DID WE DO TO YOU? AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I AGREE WITH THIS YOUNG LADY RIGHT HERE. WHY DON'T WE VOTE AND MAKE HIM THE CITY MANAGER, MR. KOWALSKI? HE'S GOT A SQUEAKY CLEAN RECORD.

HE'S A DECENT GUY. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT MR. MARTEL'S A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION, BUT IF YOU'RE USING IT FOR EVIL AND YOU'RE USING IT FOR BAD. GOT AMERICANO, WHICH MEANS BAD AMERICAN IN ITALIAN. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS. WE HAVE NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF HERE TONIGHT. SHAME ON YOU. DO SOMETHING. VOTE. VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. CITY CLERK.

NOW I HAVE JANINE ALEXANDER. MISS ALEXANDER ON THIS. YES, MA'AM. DID MISS ALEXANDER MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS? NO, MA'AM. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. JUST CHECKING. MISS ALEXANDER, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ON THE SURFACE, IT MAY LOOK LIKE I'M TALKING ABOUT MONEY.

BUT IT'S DEEPER THAN THAT, PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT INTEGRITY. IT'S ABOUT MORAL CONSCIENCE.

IT'S ABOUT ETHICS. IT'S ABOUT THE C WORD COVER UP. IT'S ABOUT THE F WORD FRAUD. IT'S ABOUT THE P WORD. PUBLIC TRUST. IT'S ABOUT THE O WORD. BE CAREFUL HERE. OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.

AND WHEN SOMEBODY FAILS TO GET EVIDENCE. BY THE WAY, WILLIAM V AGUIRRE, 2016 2020. IT'S ON.

IT'S ON APPEAL. JUST LIKE MY CASE IS WHEN A POLICE OFFICER FAILS TO FOLLOW POLICY AND YOU MAKE A CITY OFFICIAL, THE ATTORNEY OF THE CITY AWARE OF SUCH, AND HE OPENS UP THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS, AND HE GUIDES HIS POLICE OFFICER TO CHANGE HIS STORY. IT'S CALLED THE S WORD SUBORNATION OF PERJURY. AND IT IS A CRIMINAL ACT. AND I CAN PROVE IT WAS DONE. MICHAEL MARTEL WAS SERVED TWICE TODAY, ONCE BEFORE THIS MEETING, AND THEN DURING THE INTERMISSION, FIRST, HIS WIFE RECEIVED SERVICE FOR HIM AT HIS AT HIS RESIDENCE. WE ATTEMPTED

[03:10:07]

HE'S THE CITY MANAGER OF THE VILLAGE OF UNIONTOWN. HE'S BEEN REDEEMED, RIGHT? HE DID. HE GOT REDEEMED FOR WHATEVER REASON QUICKLY. SO I'M JUST I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I THINK IT'S A IT'S A WISE MOVE TO BRING MICHAEL MATTEL BACK. I THINK IT'S A IT'S A PRUDENT MOVE TO BRING HIM BACK, TO CONTINUE TO STEER THE CITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP AS A CITY MANAGER, IF SOMEONE CAN PRODUCE EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS A. HE WAS DERELICT IN HIS DUTIES AS A CITY MANAGER. THAT'S DIFFERENT. IF SOMEONE CAN PROVE THAT HE COMMITTED FRAUD, THAT'S DIFFERENT. DON'T BRING HIM BACK. IF HE VIOLATE THE LAW, DON'T BRING HIM BACK. AMEN. RIGHT.

BUT IF THERE'S NO PROOF OF THAT, AND YOU DON'T BRING HIM BEFORE THE JUDGE AND SERVE HIM IN A COURT OF LAW, CHARGE HIM, BRING HIM BACK. BUT THAT THAT'S NOT WE CAN. THE MOTIONS HAVE TO SETTLE DOWN. I GET IT, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT RESOLUTION SEVEN. I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE, NOT ONLY IN HIM BEING IN THAT SEAT. I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE DAIS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD. THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO SAY TONIGHT. KEEP MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER PUBLIC HAVE COMMENTS, BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER AND PROBABLY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE COMMENTS. YOU'LL WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC. WE WANT TO

[03:15:01]

EVERY DAY THAT I COOK AND I FEED PEOPLE, I LOOK AT. THAT'S THE MOST BIGGEST BLESSING THAT GOD CAN EVER DO IN MY LIFE. BECAUSE JESUS COULDN'T TALK TO US WITHOUT FEEDING EVERYBODY.

AND I SEE THAT FOOD IS A GOOD WAY TO THE HEART. BUT WHEN PEOPLE CAN SIT DOWN AT THEIR KITCHEN TABLE AND SAY, WHAT IF THAT WAS ME? WHAT IF THAT WAS MY CHILD? WHAT WOULD I DO IF SOMEONE TREATS ME THAT WAY? I DON'T CARE WHAT DECISION. WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE TONIGHT, I PRAY THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF Y'ALL GO HOME TONIGHT AND SAY, WHAT CAN I DO BETTER? GOD, WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID BETTER? DO I HAVE TO HATE ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE WE DISAGREE? ALL OF US IN THE SAME AGREE. BUT WE JUST HAD ONE WORD THAT WE DON'T AGREE THAT WAS SAID. I PRAY THAT Y'ALL MAKE GOOD DECISIONS TONIGHT, AND I PRAY THAT THE WHOLE AUDIENCE THAT CAME TONIGHT, ALL ACROSS THE NEWS THAT LOOKING RIGHT NOW, I PRAY THAT Y'ALL HAMMER DOWN AND SAY, IF WE LOVE THIS CITY, LET'S SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. I DON'T CARE WHO THE NEXT COMMISSIONER IS, WHOEVER COME UP NEXT TIME. I PRAY THAT THROUGH THE NAACT THAT WE ALL FIGHT TOGETHER. WHEN WE FIGHT TOGETHER, WE WIN. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU, MY NEIGHBOR, AND YOU FALL DOWN INSIDE OF PUBLIX. YOU'RE MY NEIGHBOR. IMMA PICK YOU UP. I DON'T CARE WHAT COLOR YOU ARE AND WHAT YOUR BELIEF IS AND WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU RAN FOR. I FEEL LIKE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO GOD GOT NEXT IN YOUR LIFE. HE SAID, I PREPARE A TABLE IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMY. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? HE'LL MAKE US A FOOTSTOOL IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR ENEMY. YOU DON'T KNOW WHO GOD CALLING ON TONIGHT, ALL OF YOU OUT THERE TO HEAR THIS, AND YOU SAY YOU LOVE THE LORD AND YOU HATE WHO HE CREATED. YOU CAN'T TELL ME YOU LOVE GOD BECAUSE YOU TELL ME YOU LOVE ME AND YOU HATE MY CHILD. YOU CAN'T LOVE ME AND YOU WON'T LOVE WHAT I LOVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE PEOPLE, OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE ALL OUR WAYS. BUT I TELL YOU TONIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU GO HOME TONIGHT. YOU PRAY TO YOUR HIGHER POWER AND YOU MAKE A CHANGE TONIGHT AND SAY THAT I'M GOING TO STAND FOR WHAT I BELIEVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. MR. LLOYD. WALTER LLOYD. I JUST HAPPEN TO BE A CHRISTIAN. AND I TRUST THAT CHRIST SAVED ME FOR ETERNITY. AND I'M LISTENING TO THESE GENTLEMEN TALK ABOUT REDEMPTION AND LOVE.

AND I'M GOING TO POINT OUT ONE THING. LOVE'S NOT ALWAYS FLUFFY. AND WE GOT A COMMUNITY HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MR. MORTAL. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU OR YOU OR YOU OR YOU OR ANY OF YOU. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COMMUNITY AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WHY DO WE WANT MIKE MORTAL BACK AFTER IT'S BEEN PROVEN THAT HE'S COMMITTED CRIMES, REDEMPTION, REDEMPTION? WE DON'T NEED REDEMPTION. WE HAD A MAN UP HERE, MICHAEL GIARDINO, EXCELLENT STELLAR RECORD. AND YOU GUYS LET HIM GO. WHERE'S THAT REDEMPTION? WHERE'S THE MERCY? THE GRACE? LOVE IS NOT FLUFFY. CHRIST WAS GIVEN TO US FOR SALVATION. WAS THAT A PRETTY SCENE? NO, IT WAS A VERY UGLY SCENE. AND WHEN WE ARE UP HERE FOR SPECIAL INTEREST, WHEN WE'RE FIGHTING FOR MONEY, FOR SPECIAL INTERESTS OVER THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS COMMUNITY, YOU GUYS NEED TO GET A GRIP. STOP BRINGING GOD UP INTO THIS. GOD IS OVER ALL THINGS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT REDEMPTION THINK ABOUT MR. GIARDINO. PLEASE THINK ABOUT MR. GIARDINO. YEAH,

[03:20:01]

WHO DO YOU REPRESENT? YOUR VOTING RECORDS, YOUR CONTRIBUTION RECORDS TELL A BIG STORY. LET'S SEE A CHANGE THERE. LET MICHAEL MOORE TELL SUPPORT YOU IN THAT EFFORT. YOU GUYS CAUSED THE REMOVAL OF MICHAEL MOORE. TELL BECAUSE WHAT YOU PUT HIM UP TO WITH YOUR VOTING RECORDS AND YOUR SPECIAL INTERESTS, YOUR SUPPORT OF THEM CAUSED HIM TO BE DESPISED FOR HIS ACTIONS TO MAKE YOUR DESIRES COME TRUE. GET A GRIP AND GET WITH THE PUBLIC. GET FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC, NOT FOR YOUR OWN SPECIAL INTEREST AND YOUR OWN MONEY. WHATEVER FILTHY LUCRE YOU GUYS CAN TAKE IN. THANK YOU, MR. LLOYD. NEXT, DANE OLDENBURG.

HOW'S IT GOING, GUYS? MR. COOPER, HE SAID IF YOU CAN PROVE MIKE COMMITTED A CRIME, HE SHOULDN'T COME BACK. MIKE WAS DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE FOR, I THINK, A YEAR.

OUR LOCAL COPS LET MIKE KNOW HE WAS DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE. HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. WHEN MIKE WAS PULLED OVER, THE NEXT TIME, MIKE CALLED OUR LOCAL COPS LIARS AND SAID THAT THEY'D NEVER TOLD HIM THAT. AND I JUST HOPE THAT IF I EVER GET PULLED OVER, I GET THE MIKE KIND OF DEAL. AND I DON'T GO TO JAIL LIKE MIKE SEEMS TO DO. MIKE'S WIFE CRASHED THEIR CAR INTO ANOTHER LADY, AND WHEN MIKE PULLED UP ON THE SCENE, MIKE TOLD HIS WIFE TO GO HOME AND LEAVE THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A CRIME, BUT MIKE BROUGHT THE TERM PORN STUDIO TO THIS ROOM, SO AT FIRST I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE THE TERM. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT AT THIS RATE, IT IT KIND OF DOES MAKE SENSE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ROOM WHERE OUR COMMUNITY GETS. SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAS A COMMENT ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 75-2026. OTHERWISE, I'LL GO TO THE COMMISSION. MR. MCCRYSTAL.

MR. FRANK MCCRYSTAL, CAN YOU AND HE'LL FILL OUT A FORM. THANK YOU, MR. MCCRYSTAL.

KNOWING WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS BUILDING. I JUST FEEL SO SAD FOR ALL OF THEM. WHAT'S BEEN GOING DOWN AROUND HERE THE LAST MONTH OR SO OR LONGER? MY PHILOSOPHY CLASS IN COLLEGE. IT WAS AWFUL. 8 A.M. THREE DAYS A WEEK. IT'S WEIRDO PHILOSOPHY TEACHER, PROBABLY SOME 55 YEAR OLD GUY HAD GREASY HAIR, BIG HORN RIMMED THICK GLASSES, HAD A WEIRD VOICE. AND ABOUT THREE TIMES IN THE 50 MINUTES, WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE'D WAIT FOR IT ABOUT THREE TIMES IN 50 MINUTES, HE WOULD GO INTO THIS ALTER EGO, DIFFERENT HUMAN. AND I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD HIM UNTIL RECENTLY, ESPECIALLY TONIGHT. HE'D GO INTO THIS ALTER EGO, DIFFERENT HUMAN. HE'D SAY IN THIS WEIRD, CREEPY, CREEPY WAY. HE'D SAY, THE HUMAN CONDITION. AND AGAIN, MY HEART BLEEDS FOR THE GREAT PEOPLE. THE NUMBER OF GREAT PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS BUILDING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THIS CAN'T BE VERY MUCH FUN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MCCRYSTAL. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? ARE YOU BRINGING FORTH A CARD OR. THAT'S OKAY.

THANK YOU. NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER JOB. OKAY. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER READ. IT WAS ACTUALLY EXCELLENT TO HEAR THE COMMUNITY BEFORE I SPOKE. WHAT I HAD TO SPEAK. MINE WAS JUST GENERIC TOWARD THE CONTRACT FOR MR. MORTEL. I WANT TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS. ONE IS THAT, AND I KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CAME UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT CHRIST AND FORGIVENESS AND REDEMPTION, I DON'T KNOW THAT TEARING DOWN ANOTHER PERSON GIVES THE RIGHT

[03:25:03]

AND ANOTHER PERSON, HE'S LEFT NOW FOR THE NIGHT, DAVID, HE SAID THAT WE'RE SITTING UP HERE AND NONE OF US ARE SMILING. AND, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY IS BROKEN. THE COMMUNITY IS THE COMMUNITY IS SO DIVIDED. IT'S SAD. AND I, I'M SURE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE UP HERE, WOULD LOVE TO BRING IT TO A MIDDLE GROUND. NO, WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE ALL JUST DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT VIEWS. BUT SOME OF US HAVE LIKE MINDS AND WE WILL GO IN CERTAIN WAYS, YOU KNOW, WAYS WHERE WE AGREE. BUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE OVER THE LAST YEAR WHERE VERY BLATANTLY IT'S BEEN TOLD THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT IT. SO FROM THE MINUTE MR. MORTEL LEFT, HE'S HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS WITH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS. I MEAN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS AND THEN ALL THAT, IT TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK WITH ALL OF THE GOING BACK TO THE WAYS IT SHOULD BE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT THAT ISN'T WHAT THEY DID. WHAT THEY DID WAS A POWER GRAB WHEN THEY COULD. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER NOW, BUT THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT. AND IT WASN'T THAT WAY.

AND YOU KNEW IT, MAYOR. YOU KNEW IT WHEN IT WAS FIRST SAID. BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS, I WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYONE TO GET BACK TO THE MIDDLE GROUND, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOWARD THAT. BUT THE ONLY WAY WE COULD WORK TOWARD THAT, IF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE NOT DOING THINGS THAT ARE UNDERHANDED IN THE SHADE, NOT IN THE LIGHT, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE COULD COME TOGETHER, BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM AGAIN. AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T. AND I DO FEEL FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU SHOULD HAVE AN ALIGNED FIVE PEOPLE SITTING UP HERE WORKING TOWARD YOUR BEST INTEREST, MAYBE NOT ALWAYS FROM THE SAME VANTAGE POINT, BUT WORKING TOWARD YOUR INTEREST. AND I FEEL FOR THE EMPLOYEES HERE, YOU KNOW, THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF HAS BEEN AN UPHEAVAL FOR UPHEAVAL FOR THEM. AND THAT'S NOT FAIR. AND NOBODY WANTS TO GO. WE ALL WORKED OR WE WORK. NOW. YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO WORK IN THAT ATMOSPHERE. NOBODY DOES. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO COME TOGETHER, IT NEEDS TO BE HONEST. IT NEEDS TO BE UP FRONT AND THE INSIDE DEALS AND THE BACK DOORS HAVE TO STOP.

AND ALL I CAN SAY TO THE COMMISSIONERS WHO DID DO IT AND HAVE DID A POWER GRAB, EVERYONE WILL BE WATCHING. SO YOU ALL SHOULD BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ME THAT'S WATCHING, NOT JUST ANOTHER COMMISSIONER. THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE WATCHING YOU. AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT YOU BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR SO THAT WE CAN WORK FOR THEM, BECAUSE THAT'S THE REASON WE CAME INTO PUBLIC SERVICE TO MAKE THE CITY BETTER. NOW, MY OTHER THINGS ARE REALLY JUST TECHNICAL, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A CONTRACT. AND FOR HIS CONTRACT, THE CITY MANAGER, I'D LIKE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE ADDED, AS IN HIS PREVIOUS CONTRACT, A A COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, A CITY MANAGER WAS SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO THE HR DIRECTOR AND A LOG WAS SUPPOSED TO BE KEPT ON ANY PERSONAL TIME HE SPENT WITH HIS PERSONAL CLIENTS. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE RESUME THAT WHERE THE HR DIRECTOR WILL BE HAVING THAT LOG. OKAY. AND EVERY MONTH I WOULD LIKE THAT LOG SENT TO EACH COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER DOES REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONERS. AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A LOG OF WHAT PERSONAL CLIENTS AND WHAT TIME HE'S SPENDING ON THAT VERSUS CITY TIME. AND I KNOW IT'S IN HIS CONTRACT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROVIDE BE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION.

SINCE HE DOES REPORT DIRECTLY TO US. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD, SINCE IT SEEMS TO HAVE COME TO LIGHT, THAT IN THAT CLAUSE HE CANNOT, AND I REPEAT, CANNOT UTILIZE CITY STAFF OR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO SERVICE HIS PERSONAL CLIENTS. IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU'RE NOT PAYING FOR IT. I'M SURE HE CHARGES HIS PERSONAL PERSONAL CLIENTS FOR THOSE FEES. IT'S LIKE DOUBLE DIPPING. I'M SORRY. THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE IN HIS CONTRACT. AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS MAY DECIDE THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THAT. AND THAT'S FINE. BUT AT LEAST THE PUBLIC KNOWS IT'S OUT THERE AND IT SHOULD BE. AND THEY COULD CONSTANTLY REACH OUT TO THE CITY TO FIND OUT WHY NOT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JOB. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS? DID YOU ANYBODY HAVE THEIR LIGHT ON OR COMMISSIONER. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THOSE ADDITIONS. I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED THAT HE CAN'T UTILIZE CITY RESOURCES, JUST LIKE WE CAN'T DO IT FOR PERSONAL GAIN PROFIT OR. BUT IF

[03:30:06]

YEAH. AND I WOULD LIKE THE HR DIRECTOR TO DIRECT THOSE TO THE COMMISSIONERS EACH MONTH.

THAT'S I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT LANGUAGE. YEAH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT LANGUAGE. THANK YOU. CAN I ASK A CLARIFICATION FROM EITHER MISS? ROSS JOHNSON OR THE CITY ATTORNEY PEOPLE WHO NEGOTIATED WITH HIM? I THINK WHEN HE CAME IN THE LAST TIME, HE HAD A LAW FIRM, ISSUES AND OTHER THINGS THAT WERE CARRYING ON. AS FAR AS I KNOW. MR. BAGGETT, IS THAT AN ITEM NUMBER SEVEN OR WHERE IT'S MENTIONED THAT HE CANNOT HE'S NOT GOING TO DO ANY OUTSIDE WORK AT ALL? NO, IT'S IN PARAGRAPH THREE. OKAY. PARAGRAPH THREE. SO IT SAYS MR. MORTEL SHALL REMAIN IN THE EXCLUSIVE EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY AND SHALL DEVOTE ALL SUCH TIME, ATTENTION, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO FAITHFULLY PERFORM HIS DUTIES. UNDER THIS AGREEMENT. MR. MORTEL MAY, HOWEVER, ENGAGE IN EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES, PROVIDED THAT SUCH ACTIVITIES SHALL NOT INTERFERE WITH HIS PRIMARY OBLIGATION TO THE CITY AS ITS CITY MANAGER. UPON SUCH AN EVENT, MR. MORTEL SHALL NOTIFY THE CITY'S HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT OF ANY EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF CITY MANAGER AND HE SHALL COMPLETE ANY APPLICABLE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT FORMS. WE HAVE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT FORMS. THAT'S A FORM USED FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. SO THAT'S HOW THE PARAGRAPH IS CURRENTLY DRAFTED AND PROPOSED. SO AS FAR AS COMMISSIONER JOB IS CONCERNED THAT HE REPORTS TO HUMAN RESOURCES. THAT'S ALREADY IN HERE. THE ISSUE WITH NOT USING CITY RESOURCES OR OR CITY STAFF FOR THE OUTSIDE WORK ACTIVITIES. WE COULD ADD ANOTHER SENTENCE ON THERE. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ROSS JOHNSON, PLEASE. YES, MA'AM.

ROSS JOHNSON, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, FOR THE RECORD, WITH REGARD TO THAT LANGUAGE AND THE THE THE OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT OR USE OF ANY CITY EMPLOYEE, YOU ARE YOU. THAT LANGUAGE IS SUFFICIENT TO BE ADDED. THE LANGUAGE IS SUFFICIENT. IF THERE'S SOMETHING ADDITIONAL THAT THE COMMISSION IS SEEKING, WE SHOULD ARTICULATE THAT. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE ARTICULATE THAT. BUT WHAT WE HAVE IN THERE NOW IS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR WHAT WE WOULD NEED.

HOPEFULLY WHAT THE COMMISSION WOULD WANT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. JOB. COULD YOU JUST STAY THERE, MISS JOB? YOU AGREE WITH. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. MISS JOHNSON, SINCE YOU'RE UP, I'LL JUST ASK YOU THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THE THE RATE AND OF COURSE, THE AGREEMENT TO HAVE IT AT THE RATE OF MR. BAGGETT. THAT WAS SUFFICIENT TO DISCUSS WITH MR. MORTEL. IT WAS IT WAS AT THE STARTING RATE OF 225. 225 YES. BUT WE STARTED AT 190. THAT'S MY BASE SALARY. SO WE DID. AND HE WAS AT 265 WHEN HE LEFT. SO WE NEGOTIATED IN THE MIDDLE AT 225. OKAY. AND SINCE YOU'RE UP, MISS JOHNSON, IT'S NOT STATED IN HERE, AT LEAST THAT MAYBE THIS VERSION, IT MAY HAVE IT. I READ THIS SOMETIME AGO, BUT I JUST HAD 3 OR 4 THINGS THAT I HAD BROUGHT UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER. AND IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY BECAUSE MR. MORTEL LIVES IN THE CITY, BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN WE HIRE POLICE AND FIRE AND OTHERS, WE DO HAVE A STANDARD THING ABOUT THEIR RESIDENCY, UNLESS WAIVED, OR AT LEAST WITHIN A CERTAIN MILEAGE OR SO ON. JUST TO MAKE THINGS CONSISTENT, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT IN THE IN THIS AGREEMENT, THAT LANGUAGE ADDED TO THIS AGREEMENT. AND WE KNOW THAT HE IF IT'S MR. MORTEL WHO LIVES WHERE I WHERE HE LIVES, AND THAT'S FINE. BUT JUST FOR CONSISTENCY, I WANTED TO JUST KEEP THAT RESIDENCY AS A PART OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND. MR. BAGGETT, ARE

[03:35:02]

SO WE TOOK THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND ACTUALLY CREATED A ONE PAGE ANNUAL REVIEW THAT COULD BE USED IN PRIVATE DISCUSSION, ONE ON ONE EACH COMMISSIONER MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

I THINK WE HAD 1 OR 2 SUCCESSFUL YEARS OF THAT, AND THEN IT WAS AT TIMES DIFFICULT FOR ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, TO COMPLETE THAT PROCESS. SO THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT LANGUAGE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT THAT A PERFORMANCE EVAL COULD BE DONE IF DESIRED, BUT IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUIRED. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE DO HAVE A STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT COULD BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION FOR REVIEW. AND IT'S ROOTED, RIGHT, LIKE I SAID, IN THAT JOB DESCRIPTION. SO IT'S IT'S PRETTY CLEAR ON THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT YOU'D BE EVALUATING. YES, I REMEMBER DOING THOSE. AND I REMEMBER ALSO THE FACT THAT IT CHANGED TO JUST, LET'S WORK WITH THE COLA AND NO SPECIAL MERIT INCREASE OR WHATEVER. YEAH. THE LANGUAGE SAID THAT CAN ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE OTHERWISE, UNLESS IT'S DISCUSSED WITH THE CITY MANAGER, THE MERIT AFFORDED TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES WOULD BE GRANTED TO THE CITY MANAGER UNLESS THE COMMISSION WANTED TO ENTER TO INTERRUPT THAT. YES. RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS AFTER MAYOR? YES, SIR. I ADD ON TO MISS JOHNSON'S WORDS. SHE HAD MENTIONED PRIVATE. SO THAT WOULD BE AN. YOU GUYS WOULD COME UP WITH A REVIEW CRITERIA AND YOU WOULD MEET WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND FILL OUT THE FORM, WHICH THEN WOULD BECOME PART OF THIS FILE AND ALSO PUBLIC RECORD. YES. VERSUS DOING IT JOINTLY AT A MEETING LIKE THIS IN THE PUBLIC SO THAT THE YOUR REVIEWS WOULD STILL BE PUBLIC RECORD, BUT YOU WOULD DO IT ON AN INDIVIDUAL, PROBABLY BE ABLE TO SPEND A LOT MORE TIME WITH MR. MORTEL IN REVIEWING THE CRITERIA FOR THE REVIEW, I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE REVIEW TO MEET EXPECTATIONS YOU WOULD GET MERIT INCREASES. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN YEARS WE GET MERIT INCREASES AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. SO THERE

[03:40:02]

WE'VE HAD COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IN MERIT RAISES. SO THE MERIT RAISES WOULD COME. IF YOU MEET EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR REVIEW. BASICALLY, AM I BEING CLEAR ON ON THAT. SO THE MERIT RAISES WOULD BE CONTINGENT UPON THE ANNUAL REVIEWS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD COMPLETE OF THIS YEAR. THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. BEFORE I CALL ON MISS COMMISSIONER MATHESON, I THINK COMMISSIONER JOB AFTER WITH REGARD TO HIRING ANY PERSONNEL AT THE CITY OF STUART, DO WE ROUTINELY DO A BACKGROUND OR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK? OH YES. YES, THAT'S DONE FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE. POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE? YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO IS IT COMMISSIONER MATT. OH, COMMISSIONER REED, SORRY. THIS LIGHT IS OFF FOR MISS JOHNSON LEAVES THE. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER REED, DO YOU MIND IF. COMMISSIONER. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR FOR ROSS. DON'T MIND AT ALL. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. YES. YOU MENTIONED THERE'S A BACKGROUND CHECK. DONE. OKAY. HOW FAR BACK DOES IT GO? SEVEN YEARS. SEVEN YEARS. OKAY. AND THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COMMISSIONER REED, COMMISSIONER REED.

COMMISSIONER. REAL QUICK FOR. OKAY. I'LL HAVE. I'LL HAVE YOU AFTER COMMISSIONER REED. JUST IF YOU DON'T MIND, COMMISSIONER, I GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS. OKAY, COMMISSIONER. JUST PERTAINING.

I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER DOING THOSE REVIEWS WITH MANAGER DYAS AND CITY ATTORNEY. AND SO THE FORMS ARE ALL CREATED. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE. YOU KNOW, EACH COMMISSIONER CAN DO THOSE REVIEWS AT THE ANNUAL TIME. CORRECT. WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, I IMAGINE WE COULD HAVE A SLIGHTLY MODIFIED FORM IN THE ANY CITY MANAGER. CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN WE JUST AS BEFORE, WE CAN SUBMIT THOSE TO YOU. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE PART OF THE PERSONNEL FILE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. AND THEIR REVIEW DATE IS THEIR DATE OF HIRE. THAT IS CORRECT. SO IT'LL BE ONE YEAR POST DATE OF HIRE. AND WHAT I'VE JUST HANDED TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER IS THE EVAL THAT WE DEVELOPED BACK IN 2020 COMPARED WITH THE JOB DESCRIPTION. SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WAS CREATED. SO BOARD THE HR HAS SENT US THAT. THAT'S A PROCEDURE. WE HAVEN'T FOLLOWED IT CONSISTENTLY. BUT DO WE NEED TO PUT THIS PARTICULAR PROCEDURE INTO THE LANGUAGE OF HIS CONTRACT AT THIS TIME OR THE PROPOSED CONTRACT, OR DO WE JUST FOLLOW WHATEVER PROCEDURE THIS IS ON US? YEAH, I MEAN, WE CAN'T I MEAN, SO THIS IS ON THE COMMISSION TO I KNOW, I KNOW THIS, WE'RE ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY. SO THE CONTRACT AS IT'S PROPOSED IT, IT TALKS ABOUT HIS BASE SALARY AND THAT THIS FIRST FISCAL YEAR, HE'S NOT ENTITLED TO ANY RAISE, EVEN THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

OKAY. AND THEN IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH, AND THIS IS PARAGRAPH TWO AT THE THE LAST SENTENCE. ABSENT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO THE CONTRARY. WELL, LET ME GO BACK A SECOND. SO IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO 2028 AND THEREAFTER, MR. MORTEL SHALL BE ENTITLED TO AN INCREASE IN SALARY BASED UPON ANY COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND MERIT ADJUSTMENT APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OR APPROVED IN THE BUDGET AT THE SAME LEVEL AS PROVIDED TO OTHER NON-BARGAINING CITY EMPLOYEES EACH YEAR. ABSENT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO THE CONTRARY, MR. MORTEL SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE MET THE PERFORMANCE CRITERIA NECESSARY TO MEET THE MERIT REQUIREMENTS. SO THE CONTRACT COVERS IT, AND THEN YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE TO DO YOUR ANNUAL REVIEWS. IF YOU DON'T DO AN ANNUAL REVIEW FOR WHATEVER REASON, HE'S ENTITLED TO THE MERIT INCREASE IF ONE IS GIVEN DURING THAT YEAR, BECAUSE THIS COMING YEAR WE'RE NOT GETTING THEM. WE'RE ONLY GETTING COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. SO THE THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION APPLIES TO THE MERIT INCREASES. IS THAT RIGHT, MISS JOHNSON? CORRECT. AND THE COST OF LIVING IS SEPARATE. SO AND SO THIS YEAR IN. WE'RE ONLY VOTING ON A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. BUT THE NEXT YEAR WHEN HE'S ENTITLED TO IT, WE COULD GO BACK TO MERIT INCREASES AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. SO BUT IT'S MY OPINION THAT THIS CONTRACT COVERS IT. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO PUT INTO POLICY, YOU KNOW, OF DOING AN ANNUAL REVIEW. MR. WITH MR. MORTEL, THEN THAT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE IN HERE. THANK YOU. I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP FOR CLARIFICATION AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE CONSIDERATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.

MR. MATHESON, AGAIN, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? OKAY. COMMISSIONER REED. YEAH.

[03:45:01]

BECAUSE HE TOOK SUCH A CUT IN PAY. HE REQUESTED THE 12% VERSUS THE 10%. SO THIS IS DEFERRED COMP. AND SO IT WAS 10% BEFORE. AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW THIS WAS NEGOTIATION. SO YOU CAN GO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ACCEPT THE 12%, THAT'S FINE. IT'S A THESE ARE ALL NEGOTIABLE TERMS. WHAT WHAT DO YOU NONUNION EMPLOYEES RECEIVE? ROZ? THEY'RE NOT UNDER AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. SO THEY DON'T GET 10 OR 12% LIKE CITY MANAGERS DO NOT. LEA. WHAT'S YOURS? 10%.

10%. IT'S VERY COMMON FOR CITY MANAGERS AND CITY ATTORNEYS TO GET DEFERRED COMP. AND THAT'S.

IS IT TYPICAL FOR ONE TO BE HIGHER THAN THE OTHER? IT COULD BE BASED ON NEGOTIATIONS. I, I, I THINK EVEN WHEN I WORKED FOR PORT SAINT LUCIE, DIRECTORS EVEN HAD THE SAME OPTION. WE DON'T DO THAT HERE, JUST THE CITY. YEAH, IT'S JUST IT WOULD BE FAIR AND BALANCED. YES. THAT THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS. AND THIS IS FOR CLARIFICATION TO LEA. AND I THINK I MIGHT ANSWER MY OWN QUESTION, BUT IF YOU READ SECTION FIVE OF HIS PRIOR CONTRACT FOR TERMINATION. IT CLEARLY LAID OUT THAT HE WOULD RECEIVE SEVERANCE FOR THE LONGEST PERIOD PERMITTED BY LAW.

NOW IT JUST STATES 20 WEEKS. WAS THAT LIKE A THAT'S WHAT THE LAW IS. BUT SO WAS IT A CLERICAL JUST TO. SO IT WAS CLEAR AND CONCISE, I GUESS. I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY I DIDN'T DRAFT HIS ORIGINAL CONTRACT BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE TO. THIS IS MY DRAFT, SO I WANTED IT MORE CLEAR THAT THE STATUTE SAYS 20 WEEKS, SO I. SO IT'S JUST PROBABLY LIKE LANGUAGE CLEANED UP, CORRECT? I CAN'T SAY COMMISSIONER READ BECAUSE I DIDN'T DRAFT THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT. SO BUT THIS WAS I I'VE CHANGED. IF YOU LOOK AT THERE'S OTHER CHANGES, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A GOOD AMOUNT. YEAH. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CAME UP THE FIRST TIME MR. MORTEL WAS TERMINATED. YOU KNOW, HE WAS COLLECTING HIS SEVERANCE, BUT WE DIDN'T TO GET THE SEVERANCE.

WE DIDN'T GET A RELEASE FROM HIM BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE CONTRACT. BUT I ADDED THE LANGUAGE TO MR. GIORDANO'S CONTRACT THAT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE SEVERANCE, HE SIGNS A RELEASE SO THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING HIS SEVERANCE. AND THEN UNDER THE THREAT, WE COULD STILL BE SUED. YEAH. SO THAT'S LIKE. SO THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN LANGUAGE I PUT IN HERE JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE. SO THAT WAS NOT IN HIS ORIGINAL CONTRACT. BUT I WANT, I, I BELIEVE I HAD IT MAYBE WHEN I, I HAD A, EVEN AS A DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY AT PORT SAINT LUCIE, I HAD AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. SO I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD THOSE CONTRACTS IN THAT LANGUAGE, IN OUR CONTRACTS THERE, THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE SEVERANCE, YOU GOT TO SIGN A GENERAL RELEASE. YEAH. IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT YOU'RE PAYING A SEVERANCE AND NOT GET A RELEASE FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN RELEASE AND CONSTRUCTION BASICALLY. I GUESS THAT WOULD BE IT'S JUST I'D BE CONCERNED THAT THE CITY'S PAYING A SEVERANCE AND THEN THE PERSON CAN STILL SUE US, YOU KNOW? SO. RIGHT. SO WE GOT TO GET SOMETHING. AND SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S IN THERE THAT I, I ADDED. AND COMMISSIONER READ TO THE THE STATE MAXIMUM OF THE SEVERANCE. WHEN THAT WAS DRAFTED IN 2023, IT WAS 20 WEEKS. SO WE DID LOOK AT THE STATUTE. IT HASN'T CHANGED. AND GOING BACK TO IT, ROZ AND AND LEE, HIM NOT FILLING OUT SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT FORMS, DOES THAT ELEVATE TO ANYTHING FOR WITH CAUSE THEN BECAUSE YOU FAILED YOUR CONTRACT. BECAUSE IT WASN'T DONE IN THE PRIOR

[03:50:03]

CONVICTION OF A FELONY. CONVICTION OF A CRIME INVOLVING MORAL TURPITUDE OR RELATING TO OFFICIAL DUTIES, OR FOUND TO HAVE COMMITTED AN ETHICS VIOLATION BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA ETHICS COMMISSION. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD RAISE TO THAT LEVEL, BUT I, I NEED TO EXPAND ON WHAT MISS JOHNSON, LET ME FINISH, PLEASE. BUT I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT MISS JOHNSON SAID, THAT AS A LAWYER, WE REPORT TO THE FLORIDA BAR PRO BONO WORK. THAT MEANS WE ARE DOING FREE WORK. WE'RE NOT CHARGING A CLIENT ANYTHING. AND SO WE WE REPORT THAT WHETHER WE'VE DONE PERSONAL HOURS FOR PEOPLE FOR FREE OR WE DONATE TO A NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO THE INDIGENT. SO WE HAVE THAT REPORTING REQUIREMENT ON THE FLORIDA BAR.

SO WHEN SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS AWARE OF HIM DOING PRO BONO WORK, THAT MEANS HE WAS DOING HE WAS TRYING TO COMPLY WITH THE FLORIDA BAR RULES, AND HE WAS DOING PRO BONO WORK FOR CLIENTS. AND I GUESS HE THAT MEANS WORKING FOR FREE. NOW. I, I DID NOT SEE HIM. I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE HIM WORKING A LOT AND I WORK RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. SO I DO REMEMBER A CLIENT COMING AFTER HOURS ONE TIME. AND, AND HE WAS, I WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS DOING PRO BONO WORK FOR THE GUY, SO I. SO, SO CLARIFICATION THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE FLORIDA BAR THEN CORRECTLY. WELL, HE HAD HE CAN REPORT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS THAT HE'S PERFORMED, OR HE CAN DONATE MONEY TO A CHARITY THAT DOES PRO BONO WORK.

SO EACH YEAR YOU REPORT THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF PRO BONO WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. DO YOU DO YOU REMEMBER THE MERITS OF THAT CASE? ROSE BY CHANCE. I'M LOOKING AT YOU TRYING TO DRAW ON IT BECAUSE IT WAS A GOOD TWO YEARS AGO. BUT I I'M I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE CASE AND THERE WAS MONETARY EXCHANGE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE AWARE OF THAT. I GUESS BASICALLY I'M TRYING TO GET THINGS ON THE RECORD, BUT YES, THERE WAS A VIOLATION OF THE PRIOR CONTRACT.

I MEAN, I HEARD IT FROM YOU, HE DIDN'T FILL OUT THE SECONDARY FORM. THAT WAS FOR ONE IN PARTICULAR. THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE. I UNDERSTAND YOUR VERBAL CONVERSATION, BUT THE CONTRACT WAS CLEARLY VIOLATED. THERE. NOW, LEE, THIS IS FOR YOU. WHEN YOU VIOLATE THIS CONTRACT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHAT WOULD IT FALL UNDER? LIKE, SHOULD THERE BE LANGUAGE IN HERE THAT IF YOU DON'T FULFILL YOUR CONTRACT BECAUSE LIKE THIS BOARD MAJORITY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN REMOVE THE CITY MANAGER? CORRECT. UNLESS YOU'RE LIKE ARRESTED. SO EVEN IF YOU PUT THE STRICTEST REQUIREMENTS IN THIS CONTRACT, IT'S IRRELEVANT. CAN I ATTEST TO THAT? BECAUSE THIS BOARD MAJORITY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THE MOTION, WHETHER IT WAS WITH OR WITHOUT COULD TERMINATE MR. MORTEL. IT'S JUST WHETHER OR NOT MEETS ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO DENY HIM THE SEVERANCE. BUT IN ORDER TO TERMINATE, IT TAKES BOARD MAJORITY. YOU NEED BOARD MAJORITY. BUT AGAIN, THE CONTRACT IS IT'S AT WILL. SO YOU CAN YOU CAN FIRE THE MAJORITY OF. YOU COULD FIRE MR. MORTEL FOR ANY REASON OR. NO. I WANT TO FIRE HIM. I DON'T EVEN NEED TO COME UP WITH A REASON. THAT'S WHAT AT WILL MEANS. SO IF HE BREACHES THE CONTRACT, YOU CAN FIRE HIM. BUT IT MIGHT NOT REACH THE DEFINITION OF CAUSE TO DENY HIM A SEVERANCE. BUT FOR THE RECORD, JUST SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, WE CAN HAVE THE STRICTEST REQUIREMENTS IN THIS CONTRACT. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER. WHEN IT COMES TO GROSS NEGLIGENCE IN HANDLING CITY AFFAIRS. WHAT IS GROSS NEGLIGENCE? USING CITY RESOURCES FOR HIS PERSONAL BUSINESS, PRIVATE LAW PRACTICE. THOSE RESOURCES INCLUDED THE USE OF THE CITY'S PARALEGAL. WHAT ABOUT PUBLIC RECORDS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO CONSTITUENTS, WHERE CITY STAFF KNOWS THE RULES ABOUT HOW THEY SHOULD BE FOLLOWED? AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF MR. MORTEL FULFILLING THEM BASED ON A PHONE CALL REQUEST, WITH NO DOCUMENTATION OF WHO REQUESTED THEM OR WHEN HE WOULD TAKE IT UPON HIMSELF TO SEND THEM OUT.

I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A WRITTEN CLAUSE, OR AT LEAST AN AGREEMENT THAT ALL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE CITY MANAGER, HAS TO FOLLOW THE RULES JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, INCLUDING COMMISSIONERS MYSELF, HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS OF FILLING OUT PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS, AND I EXPECT EVERYONE TO HAVE THE SAME SET OF RULES I'M REQUIRED TO PAY FOR PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS. I'M REQUIRED TO FILL THEM OUT THROUGH JUST FOIA. I CAN'T JUST WALK INTO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND SAY, HEY, SUSIE, HEY MARY, I WANT THESE DOCUMENTS AND I WANT THEM NOW. THE PROBLEM IS, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN HERE WITH THIS

[03:55:05]

THIS BOARD MAJORITY IS GOING TO VOTE REGARDLESS. BUT LIKE I SAID, THERE'S MULTIPLE THINGS THAT I WILL TURN INTO PUBLIC RECORDS THAT ELEVATE TO THIS WITH CAUSE LEVEL, BUT THIS MORE BOARD MAJORITY WILL NOT TAKE ACTION ON IT REGARDLESS OF HOW SEVERE THE ALLEGATIONS ARE WITH PROOF. IT'S NOT HEARSAY. THERE'S ACTUAL PROOF REGARDING THIS. I ALSO THINK IT'S A DISSERVICE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE'RE TAKING ACTION ON A POTENTIAL CITY MANAGER EMPLOYEE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THREE HIGHEST LEVELS THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYED HERE AT THE CITY OF STUART. AND THIS INDIVIDUAL IS NOT HERE TO BE QUESTIONED. I JUST YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A SHAME, BUT I'VE MENTIONED MY COMMENTS. I THINK THEY'RE IRRELEVANT BECAUSE NOTHING WILL CHANGE HERE. AND THERE ARE INSTANCES, LIKE I SAID, FOR THE RECORD WHERE HE DID VIOLATE HIS CONTRACT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. I THINK I DID MENTION ABOUT THE CELL PHONE. DOES EDITING A CITY EMPLOYEE CELL PHONE ELEVATE TO ANY OF THESE LEVELS? LI THAT I STATED ABOVE AND YOUR LEGAL OPINION. I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE I WASN'T HERE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED SO I WHICH INCIDENT SO I'M AWARE OF WHICH ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WELL I, I READ WHATEVER INCIDENT REGARDING A CELL PHONE OF ANOTHER EMPLOYEE. I. WHAT ABOUT DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE KNOWINGLY. DOES THAT ELEVATE TO ANY OF THOSE. WELL. HE WASN'T

[04:00:07]

YOU'RE ALLEGING THAT HE COMMITTED A CRIME, BUT THERE WAS NO CONVICTION. SO I WOULD HAVE TO SAY NO THERE. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ETHICS VIOLATION. YEAH, IT'S NOT DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE, AND IT'S NOT WILLFULLY DISREGARDING A DIRECT ORDER OR LAWFUL ORDER OR PUBLIC POLICY OF THE COMMISSION. AND IT'S NOT GROSS NEGLIGENCE IN HANDLING THE CITY FAIR. SO ACCORDING TO THESE CAUSE I, YOU KNOW, BASED ON I, I CAN'T SAY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, LEE, AS A FLORIDA BAR, IF YOU HAVE A FLORIDA BAR NUMBER AND YOU'RE A FLORIDA LAWYER, WHAT CONSTITUTES TO THESE LEVELS WHEN YOU LIE TO A DEPUTY SHERIFF, DOES THAT NOT ELEVATE IT? IS THERE NOT ANY SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE TO WHERE YOU, AS A FLORIDA LAWYER, CAN JUST LIE TO DEPUTY SHERIFF'S? YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE MAKING AN ALLEGATION THAT I CAN'T SAY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. SHOULD I PUT IT ON THE PROJECTOR SCREEN? YOU'RE FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO. IF IF THE BOARD ALLOWS YOU TO. BUT WHY WOULD THE BOARD NOT? I'M NOT, I CAN'T. I WASN'T THERE WHEN THE DISCUSSION HAPPENED WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF. I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE KNEW OR DIDN'T KNOW. CAN I CAN I HAVE THE PROJECTOR TURNED ON, PLEASE? HE'S NOT HERE TO DISCUSS IT. YEAH, HE'S NOT HERE TO WRITE. I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE PROJECTOR SO I CAN CONNECT MY LAPTOP TO IT. YOU'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD? WELL. NEEDS APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION TO MAKE IT TO DISPLAY. ARE YOU GOING TO EXCUSE ME? WHY WOULD I NEED APPROVAL WHEN I'M DEBATING SOMETHING ON AN AGENDA ITEM? I NEED YOUR APPROVAL TO SPEAK AT THIS POINT, TO SPEAK, GET A IT'S A THEIR PDF FILES. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT FOR MY. SO I'M BEING. I WANT IT ON THE RECORD. LEE. SO I'M BEING RESTRICTED BY THIS BOARD BY PRESENTING SOMETHING TO THEM. IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT TO MAKE? THE BOARD. THE BOARD? AS FAR AS FOR YOU TO SHOW A VIDEO, IT'S IT'S NOT A VIDEO. WHAT'S THAT? IT'S NOT A VIDEO I'M ASKING FOR. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE WANTING TO PRESENT, BUT WHY WOULD IT MATTER? I'M HERE TO DEBATE AN AGENDA ITEM, AND I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING RESTRICTED FROM DEBATING THAT AGENDA ITEM. AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT. ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. SO. LEGAL, IS THAT YOUR OPINION ON THAT? YES. FIRST OFF, MY OPINION IS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO ACCUSE MR. MORTEL OF A CRIME OF SOME SORT, HE PROBABLY. AND YOU'RE GOING TO DENY HIM POTENTIALLY OF A JOB, POTENTIALLY WE MIGHT NEED TO DO DUE PROCESS. SO I DIDN'T I DIDN'T ACCUSE ANYONE OF A CRIME. I. YOU'RE ASKING ME TO ADMIT THAT HE COMMITTED A CRIME AND I CAN'T BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW THE FACTS. AND YOU'RE ASKING IT DOES THAT ELEVATE TO A CRIME OR OR VIOLATE THE FLORIDA BAR RULES? I CAN'T ANSWER SO. SO IF SOMEONE IS AWARE OF THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE BEING. WE CAN TALK HYPOTHETICALS. THEY'RE TALKING HYPOTHETICALS. YEAH. SO IF SOMEONE'S AWARE OF THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE BEING SUSPENDED AND THEY GET PULLED OVER AND THEY LIE TO A DEPUTY SHERIFF, IS THAT COMMITTING A CRIME? I POTENTIALLY WHAT ARE THEY CHARGED WITH? NO, YOU SAY IT'S BLACK AND WHITE, BUT IT'S NOT I. IF I'M DEFENDING SOMEONE, THERE'S PROBABLY A DEFENSE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT MR. MORTEL.

HE HAS TO HAVE MENS REA INTENT IN TALKING ABOUT. I DON'T LIKE IN GENERAL, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A HYPOTHETICAL IF I IF I KNOWINGLY DROVE ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE ME ANSWER A QUESTION TO. I'M LOOKING FOR YOUR LEGAL OPINION, I DON'T. WHAT'S THAT? I'M LOOKING FOR YOUR LEGAL OPINION. HE SAID IT WAS A HYPOTHETICAL. RIGHT? SO HYPOTHETICAL. IF SOMEONE LIES TO A POLICE OFFICER, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS. I MEAN, YOU CAN TALK IF I'M IF I'M DRIVING DOWN MONTEREY ROAD AND I KNOW MY DRIVER'S LICENSE IS SUSPENDED AND I GET PULLED OVER BY STEWART PD, AND THE DEPUTY SHERIFF ASKS ME IF I WAS DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE. AND I SAID, YES, IT WAS SUSPENDED. I'M SORRY, IS THAT A CRIME? BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRIVING WITH IT KNOWINGLY SUSPENDED VERSUS UNKNOWINGLY. RIGHT. I GUESS YOU IF I GOT YOUR NARRATIVE THERE, YOU WERE SAYING THAT HE DID KNOW AND HE APOLOGIZED. HE SAID THAT HIS LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND. IT'S NOT WHAT I SAID. LEE, I, I MEAN, I SEE WHAT IS THAT? YES. I'M SORRY. MY LICENSE IS SUSPENDED. YEAH.

SO I SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING. SO I'LL WAIT FOR THE PROJECTOR, I GUESS BECAUSE I FEEL I'M BEING RESTRICTED BY THIS BOARD. SO HAS HE QUOTE UNQUOTE PERMISSION FOR THEM TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM TODAY. OKAY. JUST JUST HOLD IT HERE, CAN I. THAT'S COMICAL. I'D LIKE TO RAISE A POINT OF ORDER REGARDING THAT WITH ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER THAT I'M BEING RESTRICTED. NO, I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD ANYONE SAY YOU'RE BEING RESTRICTED. IF I COULD

[04:05:01]

AND I RAISED A POINT OF ORDER WITH LEGAL. IF I'M BEING RESTRICTED ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. I THINK THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE. AND THIS BOARD MAJORITY CANNOT DO THAT. OKAY, THEY'RE RESPONDING TO YOUR POINT OF ORDER, COMMISSIONER JOB. OKAY, SO I COULD SEE WE'RE GOING REALLY TRYING TO GET TOWARD THE MIDDLE HERE DOING RESTRICTIONS. WE'RE DOING MORE. WHO SAID RESTRICTIONS? COULD YOU HOLD LET. MR. CHAIRMAN. LET ME FINISH. COMMISSIONER. SPEAK, PLEASE. A POINT OF ORDER SUPERSEDES WHAT COMMISSIONER JOB HAS TO SAY. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COMMISSIONER JERRY, I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. OKAY? AND I'M WAITING ON THE CHAIR AND LEGAL TO GIVE ME THEIR LEGAL OPINION. AND THEN I WANT THE CHAIR'S OPINION ON THE RECORD THAT I'M BEING RESTRICTED. AND I'VE ASKED LEGAL, AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY STAFF WITH. WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU WANTED? WHAT EQUIPMENT DID YOU WANT? I WANT THE PROJECTOR THAT CITY TAXPAYERS PAID FOR AND THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE CITY TO GIVE HIM THE. I DON'T I DON'T THINK ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER ADDRESSES WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAY SOMETHING ON THE PROJECTOR DURING A PUBLIC MEETING. I THINK IF YOU'RE WANTING TO DO THAT, YOU. YOU KNOW, IT. IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA TO SOME DEGREE BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. COME ON LEE. BUT WELL, WELL, THE PURPOSE BEHIND IT IS TO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING BACK TRYING TO SAY HE WASN'T ENTITLED TO THE SEVERANCE. I, I DON'T OR OR HE SHOULDN'T BE HIRED THAT THE THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND ALL THAT HAS TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT HE'S ENTITLED TO SEVERANCE, NOT ENTITLED, NOT WHETHER OR NOT HE GETS FIRED. IT'S IT'S THOSE TERMS, THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE, THE THE CONVICTION OF A FELONY CONVICTION OF A CRIME THAT HAS TO DO WITH WITH THE SEVERANCE. BUT THAT'S IRRELEVANT TO MY POINT OF ORDER. MY POINT OF ORDER IS THAT I WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE PROJECTOR SCREEN. AND AND COMMISSIONER RICH'S OWN WORDS. I SEE HE'S LOADING UP CHATGPT IN HIS OWN WORDS. HE SAID, I NEED THIS BOARD MAJORITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO A PROJECTOR, TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE SCREEN THAT'S COMICAL. AND ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RESTRICT ME BY MAJORITY VOTE. OKAY, SO. SO I HAVE ALL NIGHT TO SIT HERE. I WILL RESPOND TO IT. IF WE CAN HAVE THE THE PROJECTOR. DO WE HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT HERE THAT YOU NEED? ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS TURN IT ON. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GO TURN IT ON. I WAS JUST ASKING DARREN.

IT'S STILL OPEN. THANK YOU. DARREN, DO YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO CONNECT YOUR LAPTOP, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO I'LL CONTROL K.

THANK YOU DARREN. HEY DARREN. IS IT THE M S DISPLAY ADAPTER? OKAY. PERFECT. YES. GOT IT.

THANK YOU. SO THIS WILL BE ONE EXHIBIT. I'LL GIVE YOU SOME BACKSTORY. SO THIS WAS AN EMAIL FROM A STEWART. OFFICER EMAILING THE CHIEF OF POLICE. AND IT SAID GOOD MORNING. THE LPR HIT TONIGHT WITH FL TAG NUMBER R1DUW. IT COMES BACK TO MIKE AND IT IS SHOWING THAT THE LICENSE IS NOT VALID. YOU MIGHT WANT TO LET HIM KNOW TO LOOK INTO IT. SO HE WAS AWARE THAT THE LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC CITATION IT STATES, I MET WITH MORTEL WHO WAS THE DRIVER AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE. MORTEL STATED THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE ACTIVE SUSPENSION OF HIS LICENSE. DEPUTY SHERIFF QUIRARTE, WHO WAS ALSO AT THE SCENE, INFORMED ME THAT A DAVID QUERY REVEALED THAT MORTEL RECEIVED NOTICE IN DECEMBER OF 2024 REGARDING HIS LICENSE. THIS TRAFFIC CITATION WAS ALMOST A YEAR AFTER IT BEING SUSPENDED, SO LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS REGARDING THIS CONTRACT, BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THEM BEING IRRELEVANT UNLESS THERE'S MORE BOARD MAJORITY WAS TO REMOVE HIM. SO YOU CAN COME IN AS MANY VIOLATIONS. I FEEL LIKE AS YOU'D LIKE AS A CITY MANAGER OR EVEN A CITY ATTORNEY, AND YOU GET AWAY WITH IT. THAT

[04:10:05]

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU HAVE, COMMISSIONER REED? I MIGHT HAVE SOME FURTHER COMMENTS AFTER I HEAR FROM MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. BUT LIKE I STATED, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU PUT IN THIS CONTRACT, IT'S IRRELEVANT. OKAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JOB. OKAY. AND AND I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. A MAJORITY CAN OVERRIDE ANYTHING, AS WE HAVE SEEN. BUT ONE THING THAT DOES ALWAYS HIT HOME IS MONEY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM BE ON PAR WITH YOU WITH THE 10%, NOT 12. OKAY. THERE WAS A OKAY, WE'LL KEEP THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL VOTE, BECAUSE THERE WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND JUST TO HAVE THIS UP FOR CONSIDERATION. SO YOU'RE YOU'RE WANTING TO ADD THAT 10%? YES, 10%, NOT 12. AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO, ONCE AGAIN, IF I DIDN'T STATE IT, THIS WAS A BUDGET COMMISSION MEETING.

AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA A WEEK AGO THAT HIS CONTRACT WAS ON HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A RUSH TO GET HIM IN THE DOOR, BUT IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE WAITED TILL THE THE 14TH FOR A REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MATHISON, DID YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON? NO, NO, YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE LIGHT ON. ALRIGHT. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. BAGGETT AND MISS JOHNSON. IN ITEM NUMBER ONE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. THE SECOND SENTENCE, MR. MORTAL SHALL SERVE AS CITY MANAGER. UNDER THE TERMS ESTABLISHED HEREIN, WHICH WE HAVE FROM ONE THROUGH 7 OR 8, TO PERFORM THE DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS SPECIFIED IN THE CITY'S CHARTER, WHICH WE HAVE, AND THE CITY'S COAT OF ORDINANCE, AND TO PERFORM SUCH OTHER LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE AND PROPER DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS AS A CITY COMMISSIONER SHALL ASSIGN. AND I WANT TO ASK, MISS ROSS JOHNSON IF IT MAY BE ELEMENTARY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC AND TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S CLEAR WHEN IT SAYS PROPER DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS, DOES THAT INCLUDE EVERYTHING THAT'S IN JOB CODE 1020 C 1210, WHICH IS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S JOB DESCRIPTION THAT DOES THAT? LANGUAGE CERTAINLY EMBRACES THE JOB DESCRIPTION. YES. OKAY. IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION EVER ATTACHED TO THIS CONTRACT? OR ARE WE JUST GO BY WHAT'S IN THE PERSONNEL RECORD AS A DESCRIPTION FOR THAT JOB AREA? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ATTACHED IT, BUT THAT IS VERY EASY TO DO. IN FACT, IT DOES.

IT DOES BECOME PART OF HIS RECORD BECAUSE HE DOES HAVE TO SIGN IT WHEN THE CITY MANAGER IS HIRED. WE DO WHAT'S CALLED A PERSONNEL ACTION FORM, AND THE JOB DESCRIPTION IS ATTACHED TO THAT, BUT IT COULD BE ATTACHED AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE AGREEMENT. IF THE CITY ATTORNEY AGREES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE VERY EASILY. OKAY. IN THAT REGARD, WHILE WE'RE CONSIDERING THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY MANAGER IN THE CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE THAT I'M LOOKING AT THAT WAS HANDED OUT WITH A POTENTIAL EVALUATION, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A THE CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION THAT'S IN YOUR PERSONNEL HANDBOOK AT THIS TIME. BUT UNDER ITEM NUMBER 11, IT SAYS THAT THE CITY MANAGER OVERSEES THE CITY'S MEDIA RELATION AND COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES. AND I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN FROM TIME TO TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH REGARD TO WHO'S IN CHARGE WITH REGARD TO THE TO THE MEDIA. AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A

[04:15:01]

SORRY. YES, YES, YES. OKAY. AND THEN I'VE HEARD COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WE NEED TO HIRE A QUOTE UNQUOTE, QUALIFIED CITY MANAGER WHO IS EITHER A CREDENTIALED AND HAS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND SO ON. AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO STATED IN THIS JOB DESCRIPTION. IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S HIGHLY DESIRED. I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S LISTED AS IT SAYS ICMA CREDENTIALED MANAGER AND EXPERIENCE WORKING IN A FLORIDA COMMISSION MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, HIGHLY DESIRABLE BUT NOT REQUIRED. OKAY. AND WITH REGARD TO THE COMMISSION FORM OF GOVERNMENT. AND THIS THE SAME THING OF WORKING WITH WITH THE PRESS, CAN EITHER YOU OR MR. BAGGETT BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THAT TO THE PUBLIC WITH REGARD TO HOW THE CITY MANAGER FUNCTIONS UNDER OUR CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONER FORM OF GOVERNMENT? LEE, DO YOU WANT TO GET INTO COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT? I CAN DO IT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO GET INTO IT, BUT IT IT'S IN ESSENCE, YOU KNOW, SOME CITIES CAN HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A STRONG MAYOR WHERE THE MAYOR HAS A IS USUALLY ELECTED SEPARATELY AS MAYOR AND ALSO HOLDS A LOT OF THE DUTIES OF WHAT A CITY MANAGER IS. BUT IN OUR OUR CITY'S CASE, WE HAVE A CITY COMMISSION COUNCIL, AND THEY THEY HIRE THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY MANAGER OPERATES AND ACTS AS THE CEO OF THE CITY.

THE COMMISSIONERS ARE ARE NOT ACTIVE IN THE DAILY ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY OR THE. OR HIRING OR FIRING OF THE STAFF OTHER THAN THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER. THAT'S A BEST SUMMARY I CAN GIVE YOU. YEAH. OKAY. JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP.

COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE RESOLUTION 75 2026. CLERK COULD YOU REMIND ME WHO MADE THE MOTION AND WHO SECONDED IT? OH, WE HAVE MOTION BY CAMPBELL RICH AND SECONDED BY MERRITT MATHESON. OKAY. MR. MATHESON HAS A COMMENT AT THIS TIME. I TURNED IT OFF, BUT, WELL, I YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A COMMENT. AMERICA. YEAH. SORRY. WELL, I TURN IT ON AND OFF. IT'S BEEN A LONG DEBATE, I GUESS. POINTING OUT, I GUESS ONE WHERE WE STAND. WE KNOW MIKE MORTAL HAS NOT BROKEN THE LAW. AND IF WE GO BACK JUST TO THE SUSPENDED LICENSE AND I'M TRYING TO GO ON MY MEMORY, SINCE HE'S NOT HERE, OF COURSE I. I IMAGINE HE'LL BE HERE. ON THE 14TH AND HE CAN DEFEND HIMSELF OR EXPLAIN HIS CASE. BUT I FEEL LIKE A YEAR AGO OR SO, THIS EXACT THING CAME UP AND I'M GOING OFF MEMORY AND MAYBE HE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK HE STATED IN HIS TCPALM INTERVIEW OR AN INTERVIEW AFTER THAT, HE PAID TO TAKE A CLASS TO HAVE

[04:20:08]

BASED ON THAT EMAIL THAT WAS SUBMITTED AS YOU SHOWED UP ON THE SCREEN. I DID SPEAK TO MR. MORTEL, I THINK WAS THE SAME DAY LATER IN THE DAY HERE AT THE CITY BUILDING, TOLD HIM THE SUBSTANCE OF THE EMAIL AND THAT WAS IT. OKAY. THANKS, CHIEF. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU.

HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS YOU, COMMISSIONER MATHESON. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. EVERYTHING'S ON THE RECORD. I FEEL FOR STAFF THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. IT'S IT WASN'T MY PLAN OR INTENTION, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ON THE RECORD JUST SO THIS BOARD MAJORITY IS AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE THEY'RE DOING THIS EVENING. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS AND HOPEFULLY THAT GOT YOU THE EVIDENCE. JOE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH ANY COMMENTS? I'LL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE PUBLIC. IF YOU DO HAVE A GREEN CARD, NO GREEN CARD COMPLETE, WE'D HAVE NO MORE GREEN CARD. OKAY. AND COMMISSIONER, YOU ALREADY SPOKE. YOU ALREADY SPOKE ON THE SUBJECT. MR. THERE'S ONLY ONE TIME. YES, I BELIEVE YOU DID. AND FOR CLARIFICATION, WHAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IS THIS BOARD WILLING TO ADD? WELL, I GUESS IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE ADD BECAUSE IT'S IRRELEVANT.

THERE'S THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS LIKE AN AUTOMATIC REMOVAL IF THERE'S BAR VIOLATIONS, IF THERE'S ETHICS VIOLATIONS, IT STILL COMES DOWN TO THE BOARD MAJORITY. I PERSONALLY THINK IT SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY IN THERE BECAUSE HERE'S THE DEAL. WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, IF WE DO SOMETHING THAT REACHES MALFEASANCE OR MISFEASANCE, WE COULD BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE. I GOT A QUESTION FOR LEGAL AS WELL. OUR FLORIDA LAWYERS MANDATED REPORTERS. FOR CRIMES COMMITTED BY CHANCE. IF THEY'RE KNOWINGLY LIKE IF YOU SEE IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING KIND OF THING LIKE LIKE I SAID, I'M A MANDATED CHILD ABUSE REPORTER WITH MY BUSINESS. SO IF I SEE CHILD ABUSE AND DON'T REPORT THAT, THAT'S A CRIME THAT I COMMITTED.

SO OUR FLORIDA LAWYERS HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD. AND I'M NOT TALKING MIKE SPECIFICALLY, I'M TALKING IN GENERAL. AND I'LL JUST SAY THIS IF YOU CAN, BEFORE THE MEETINGS, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO THROW QUESTIONS LIKE THIS AT ME, AT LEAST GIVE ME A HEADS UP SO I CAN RESEARCH IT BEFORE I GET IN HERE WHERE I'M NOT GOING OFF THE CUFF. I MEAN, YEAH, I LEARNED THAT 20 YEARS AGO WHEN I TOOK THE BAR, BUT I'M NOT IN IT EVERY DAY, SO I DON'T REMEMBER. I KNOW, I'M JUST I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU, YOU GUYS THROW A LOT OF SOFT, HARD BALLS AT ME. AND, AND IF

[04:25:01]

YOU CAN'T TURN YOUR CLIENT IN, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE. BUT LIKE, WHAT IF YOU SEE COMMITTING A CRIME? YEAH, I BELIEVE THERE COULD. BUT AGAIN, THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE IS SUCH A HIGH. YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION LATER BECAUSE LIKE, LIKE, LIKE POLICE OFFICERS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CITY OF STUART, IF THEY SEE SOMETHING, ARE THEY MANDATED REPORTERS THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A LAWYER IS LAWYER HAS AN ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE. SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING IS THEY'RE BOTH OFFICERS OF THE COURT, I BELIEVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE. I JUST I WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT LAWYERS AND POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS CITY ARE OFFICERS OF THE COURT.

THEY'RE MANDATED REPORTERS WHEN IT COMES TO CRIMES THAT ARE COMMITTED IN THIS CITY. AND THERE'S DEFINITELY PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU KNOW IN THIS CITY. SO WELCOME TO THE CITY OF STUART, GUYS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REED. THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, MISS JOHNSON? I JUST AM. PERHAPS CITY ATTORNEY MAY GET INTO THIS, BUT LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON ANY EDITS TO THIS PROPOSED AGREEMENT? I HAVE THE 12% DOWN TO 10% FOR THE 401. AS LONG AS THESE PEOPLE OWE ME THE MOTION, AGREE TO IT. YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO GO DOWN AND YOU GUYS NEED TO DISCUSS THEM. BUT I ONLY HEARD COMMISSIONER JACOBY SAY THE 10% FROM 12%. SO THAT'S ALL MY NOTES. I THINK YOU NEED TO GO ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. THAT IS NOT THE MOTION. GOT IT. OKAY. I'LL WAIT TO HEAR THE MOTION. AND ALSO, I HAD ASKED FOR THE LOG AND THE LOG TO BE EACH MONTH PRESENTED TO EACH COMMISSIONER IF THERE'S OUTSIDE WORK. OKAY, SO THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER JOB WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE MOTION MAKER AMEND THEIR MOTION TO INCLUDE. AND LET'S SEE IF THE MOTION MAKER WANTS TO DO THOSE TWO THINGS, PLEASE. I WILL AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE THE MONTHLY REPORTING REQUIREMENT. MOTION MAKER WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THE MONTHLY REPORTING REQUIREMENT. IF THERE'S ANY OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. WHAT ABOUT THE 10% TO BE EQUAL WITH WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY. I'M NOT HEARING THAT AS A PART OF HIS MOTION. ARE YOU? NO. OKAY.

THANK YOU. IS IS THIS IS THE SECONDER WILLING TO ACCEPT WHAT THE MOTION MAKER HAS CHANGED? YES. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTAND, YOU STARTED NEGOTIATIONS AT 198. HE AGREED TO $40,000 LESS THAN WHAT HE WAS TERMINATED AT A YEAR AGO. THAT LED US FULL CIRCLE BACK TO HERE. YES. AND. THAT'S WHERE THE CONTRACT YOU BROUGHT BACK TO US, MR. BECKETT, IS WHAT? NEGOTIATIONS. LED TO. I GUESS THE ONLY THING I'M HEARING IS THAT AN AMENDMENT, AS FAR AS THE MONTHLY REPORTING OF OUTSIDE WORK, WE. I WOULD PROBABLY ADD THAT TO PARAGRAPH THREE THAT YOU AGREE WITH THAT. MR. MATHESON REPORT. IT WOULD BE SECOND COMMISSIONER EVERY MONTH. WELL, TO. THOUGHT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO HR AND THEN SHE. WELL, HR ACTUALLY GATHERS THE INFORMATION. WHAT I HAD REQUESTED IS THAT THAT'S GREAT. IT GATHERS THERE AND IT SITS THERE. THE CITY MANAGER REPORTS TO THE COMMISSIONERS. I THINK THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT MONTHLY REPORT, IF THERE IS ONE. CERTAINLY DO. AND WHAT ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF THE COMMISSION ENSURING THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF REGULAR. REVIEW? YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN HANDED A STANDARD REVIEW. THEY'RE IRRELEVANT. YEAH. WE SHOULD WE SHOULD THEN DO THAT ON HIS ANNIVERSARY EACH YEAR. ARE YOU ASKING THE MOTION MAKER TO INCLUDE THAT FOR THIS CONTRACT. NO. YOU KNOW, THE THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING WAS THE 10% AND I WELL, WHEN YOU RECOGNIZED ME, I HAVE A STATEMENT. OKAY. I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD THAT A REQUEST WAS MADE THAT MR. MORTEL WOULD HAVE A 10% ON HIS DEFERRED, DEFERRED, DEFERRED COMP IN LINE WITH WHAT HE HAD BEFORE AND IN LINE WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY. AND THAT WAS NOT THAT WAS DECLINED FROM THE PERSON MAKING THE MOTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE MORE. YES, COMMISSIONER REED, IT'S IT'S PROBABLY ON THERE JUST SO I CAN GET MORE FOR MORE TAXPAYER MONEY, MORE FOR RETIREMENT, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL

[04:30:04]

MOTION MAKER AND SECONDER. YOU'VE HEARD THE CLERK. IS THAT WHAT YOUR INTENT IS TO PUT BEFORE US FOR A VOTE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S A MOTION. AND SECOND, WITH THE AMENDMENT POINT OF ORDER, I'LL ASK. YES, SIR. YOU'RE RIGHT. WHEN WE KEEP GOING THROUGH MOTIONS BEING AMENDED, THAT CONSTITUTES FOR MORE PUBLIC COMMENT, I DID SAY THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS JUST OKAY. SO YOU'VE SAID IT. SO NOW WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE AMENDED MOTION. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? I SEE MR. LLOYD COMING TO THE PODIUM. DID YOU SPEAK? DID YOU? WELL, IT'S AN AMENDED MOTION, SO WE'LL. WALTER LLOYD YEAH, SO I, I MEAN, I, I REALLY HAVE A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S GOING TO ANSWER ME, BUT IF WE'RE CHANGING THIS GENTLEMAN'S CONTRACT AND HE'S NOT HERE, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE HIM IN? IT'S A QUESTION. THANK YOU. THIS THANK YOU. MR. MR. LLOYD. MR. THIS WAS A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT, MR. BAGGETT. YES. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FULLY AWARE, RIGHT. SO WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO MR. MORTEL WITH THIS AMENDMENT BECAUSE HE HAS NOT AGREED TO IT AS IS SO. BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER REASONS WHY WE DID NOT HAVE THE CONTRACT TO START TONIGHT, THAT IT WOULD BE STARTING ON THE 14TH, SO THAT IF THERE WERE ANY AMENDMENTS, WE COULD GO BACK TO MR. MORTEL WITH THE AMENDMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. AND SO THAT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT, FOR NOT HAVING HIM START TONIGHT. BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU DO AN APPOINTMENT, YOU'RE SWEARING HIM IN THAT NIGHT. BUT I WASN'T COMFORTABLE THAT WE'D HAVE ALL THE TERMS. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU, YOU GUYS GAVE US SOME PARAMETERS AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. SO WE CAME BACK WITH THESE. SO I, YOU KNOW, IN MY ANTICIPATION WAS RIGHT. YOU GUYS ARE MAKING A COUPLE OF REVISIONS, BUT THEY DON'T SEEM SIGNIFICANT. YOU KNOW, CHANGES. SO I WOULD PROBABLY ANTICIPATE JUST LIKE I ANTICIPATED, YOU GUYS MAKING A COUPLE AMENDMENTS. I PROBABLY ANTICIPATE MR. MORTEL ACCEPTING THESE ADDITIONS. SO BUT YEAH, I MEAN, WE WE ARE I GUESS WE'RE YOU ARE AGREEING TO THIS CONTRACT. AND IF IT'S ACCEPTABLE, YOU GUYS ARE APPOINTING HIM AS THE CITY MANAGER AND THEN HE WILL START ON THE 14TH AND WE WILL HAVE A SWEARING IN AT THAT MEETING. THANK YOU. MR. REED. IS YOUR LIGHT STILL ON? NO, COMMISSIONER REED, SORRY. THANK YOU. OKAY. HEY, IT'S A LOT BETTER THAN CALL ME MAGGIE REED, SO. THANKS, COMMISSIONER RICH. MAYOR CLARK, THERE'S ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. ROBERT HAMILTON, 1895, CHURCH OF STEWART. DO YOU ALREADY HAVE A SIGNED CONTRACT? DOES SOMEBODY HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION A SIGNED CONTRACT WITH MICHAEL J. MARTELL SIGNATURE ON IT? IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION. NOBODY WANTS TO ANSWER THAT ONE. OKAY, JUST AN OBSERVATION. IF EVERYBODY PAYS ATTENTION, I WILL BE GOING OVER THE VIDEO AGAIN. IF YOU NOTICE VERY CAREFULLY, YOU GOTTA LOVE THE BAG MAN ON THE END BECAUSE WHY HE WAS BEING QUESTIONED BY THIS COMMISSIONER. HE WAS DOING EVERYTHING TO DEFEND MORTEL. NOT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. GOOD LAWYERING. THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU DO THIS TYPE OF WORK, YOU DON'T USE HIM. YOU SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER ATTORNEY DRAW UP THE CONTRACT, NOT HIM OR ANYBODY FROM HERE. YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. IF YOU GO BACK AND YOU WATCH THIS

[04:35:02]

HE DANCED. THIS ISN'T THE CHA CHA, OKAY? Y'ALL THINK WE'RE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS OUT HERE? ANSWER THE MAN'S QUESTION. DON'T PLAY GAMES. COME ON. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE GOT TO KEEP COMING UP HERE? AND DO WE HAVE A SIGNED CONTRACT? MAYBE MR. RICH HAS IT. MAYBE MERRITT HAS IT. SOMEBODY'S GOT A SIGNED CONTRACT, I BET. I BET IT'S BEEN DONE. NOW YOU GOT TO GO BACK AND CHANGE THINGS. WHAT WAS DONE HERE? IT MIGHT EVEN BROACH ON ETHICS ON HIM.

REMEMBER YOUR OFFICERS OF THE COURT? YOU TOUCHED ON IT VERY, VERY WELL, SIR, IF YOU GIVE FALSE INFORMATION. I WAS A FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, MR. MATHERSON. YOU GIVE FALSE INFORMATION TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, YOU'RE GOING TO JAIL. YOU DON'T GET A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD. MICHAEL MORTEL IS A REASON HE GOT OUT OF IT BECAUSE OF WHO HE WAS. IF IT WAS REED OR ANYBODY ELSE SITTING IN THIS ROOM, THEY WOULD HAVE WENT TO JAIL FOR THAT. IT'S ON VIDEO, SIR. I WATCHED THE VIDEO MYSELF REPEATEDLY. HE LIED, TOLD THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HE DIDN'T KNOW. NO, COME ON, MAN, AND YOU'RE DANCING. GEEZ, YOU GOT SOME. GET SOME BETTER DANCING SHOES, BRO. YOU'RE UNETHICAL. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE UNETHICAL. ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. EVERYBODY, PLEASE BE REMINDED NOT TO BE DIRECTLY CALLING OUT NAMES OF OUR COMMISSIONERS AND OUR STAFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. ONE MORE PUBLIC COMMENT, GARY ELLER. THANK YOU SIR. MY NAME IS GARY ERLER. I'M A RESIDENT OF MARTIN COUNTY. I BELIEVE THE POINT OF ORDER IN THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, THIS AGENDA ITEM WAS FOR A CONTRACT WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN CHANGED, AMENDED AND CALLS FOR A SECOND VOTE AT A LATER DATE. NOT TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. HOLD ON. SIR, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED. YOU HAVE A I DON'T HAVE A GREEN CARD. DID YOU? OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES. AND YOU'LL FILL OUT A FORM. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU GO TO JAIL OR. WHAT'S YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD, PLEASE? MY NAME IS DAN OLDENBURG, CITY STEWARD, 11TH BROADWAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU GO TO JAIL IF YOU HAD A LICENSE SUSPENDED? I GUESS I CAN SPEAK FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. I WENT TO JAIL. MY LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED FOR TWO DAYS. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS SUSPENDED. AND I WENT TO JAIL IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT QUESTION. I WISH I HAD THE MIC MORTELLE DEAL. THE THE 12 AND 10% IS CRAZY. MIKE HAS NO DOG IN THIS FIGHT. IF YOU PUT 8% ON THE PAPER, HE'S GOING TO TAKE IT. I THINK WE SHOULD GO TEN OR BELOW.

THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. REMEMBER TO GIVE THE CLERK YOUR NAME FOR THIS AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. I HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. CLERK HAS NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. DOES ANY OF THE THE BOARD OR OUR STAFF HAVE ANY INFORMATION FOR US BEFORE THE BOARD DELIBERATES AGAIN OR TAKES A VOTE? CLERK. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL THE ROLL? YES, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE ALREADY STATED WHAT THE MOTION WAS, AND THE MOTION MAKER AGREED TO THE ONE CHANGE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RICH. YES, COMMISSIONER REED. NO. COMMISSIONER MATHISON. YES. COMMISSIONER. GIOBBI. NO. MAYOR.

CLERK. YES. MOTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, GIVE UP OUR PAYCHECK FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO PAY BACK TAXPAYERS FOR THE IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF THEIR TAXPAYER MONEY BY REMOVING TWO CITY MANAGERS AND FOR IT TO COME BACK AT THE A FURTHER CITY COMMISSION MEETING. I COULD MAKE IT FOR. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE AGENDA IS ON THE 28TH, BUT I THINK THE 14TH IS ALREADY STACKED UP. BUT THAT'S MY MOTION. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GIVE UP FOR CITY COMMISSIONERS TO GIVE UP THEIR

[04:40:05]

WALTER LLOYD JUST GOING TO REPEAT HOW I STARTED THIS EARLIER THIS EVENING. I WANT TO START BY THANKING COMMISSIONERS REED AND JOB FOR THEIR TENURE THIS FAR, AND FOR CONDUCTING THEMSELVES WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY WHILE EXHIBITING THE UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM.

THANK YOU. AND I'M SORRY YOU GUYS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? ANY COMMENTS BY ANY COMMISSIONER? THIS IS DO WE JUST DO DO WE NEED TO DO ALL IN FAVOR IF WE WANT TO PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA, OR WE HAVE A VOTE TO SEE IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY BRING IT TO THE NEXT AGENDA, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A VOTE TO SEE IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY PUT IT ON THE AGENDA OR PUT IT ON FOR YOU SAID ON THE AGENDA, NOT FOR DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION FOR THE 28TH. YES, FOR FOR AN ACTION ITEM. OKAY. I JUST REALIZED I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE ON THE 28TH, BUT IF WE COULD DO IT IN A COMMISSION MEETING IN OCTOBER, I COME BACK OCTOBER, OCTOBER 12TH, THEN YES, OCTOBER TO A DATE CERTAIN. SO DOES THAT MOTION NEED UPDATED? THEN I CAN RESTATE IT, JUST RESTATE IT AND HAVE A RESET. SO SO MY MOTION IS FOR THIS CITY BOARD COMMISSION TO GIVE UP THEIR PAYCHECKS AFTER BENEFITS SO WE CAN REPAY THE TAXPAYERS FOR THE IRRESPONSIBLE OF USING THEIR MONEY TO REMOVE TWO PRIOR CITY MANAGERS. AND WE'VE COST TAXPAYERS PROBABLY 250 TO $300,000. AND I WAS A PART OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL. SO WAS THIS NEW BOARD MAJORITY. SO IF WE TRULY STAND FOR TRUE OPENNESS WITH GOVERNMENT AND LOOKING OUT FOR HARD EARNED TAX MONEY, AND WE'RE TRULY DOING THIS FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND NOT OUR OWN. IT'S SOMETHING I STAND BY AND SUPPORT. SO THAT'S MY MOTION AND IT WOULD COME BACK ON OCTOBER 12TH. THANK YOU. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. OKAY.

THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE'VE ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ALREADY, BUT IF WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. HEY. GOOD EVENING. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, COMMISSIONERS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN. SHAME ON THE THREE OF YOU. SHAME ON YOU. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. TAXPAYERS ARE THE ONES THAT PUT YOUR SALARY OUT THERE. PUT YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKET. AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER REED AND COMMISSIONER JOB. AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE OTHER THREE OF YOU. THERE ISN'T ONE THING THAT THEY BROUGHT UP THAT YOU WOULD AGREE TO OR AGREE WITH, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. YOU ARE NOT IN THIS POSITION FOR THE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

YOU'RE YOU'RE IN IT FOR YOURSELF. YOU'RE IN IT TO JUST DO EXACTLY WHAT MORTEL DID. HE WAS IN IT. HE'S IN IT FOR HIMSELF. HE'S BEEN IN IT FOR HOW LONG? AND ALL THE DEEP ROOTS THAT HE HAS. AND YOU'RE PART OF HIS PAYOFF. AND COMMISSIONER RICH, YOU ARE THE WORST OF THE BUNCH. THANK YOU. I SEE MR. COOPER COMING. SO, COOPER, PLEASE EXCUSE ME, MR. COOPER, COULD YOU HOLD THE TIME? MR. COOPER? MISS COLBY, REMEMBER TO PUT IN YOUR CARD.

SHE'S WRITING ONE. THANK YOU, MR. COOPER. WELL, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION. JUST SAYING THAT WHEREAS WE HAD A VOTE, THE THE PEOPLE SPOKE. AND SO I THINK WHEN YOU TRY TO TAKE AND NULLIFY THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR COMMISSIONER CLARK, COMMISSIONER RICH AND COMMISSIONER MATTHEWS, I THINK IT'S AN INJUSTICE TO THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM. AND SO. SO IF THE TIDE HAD TURNED AND SAY MAYBE MR. OLDENBURG WAS ELECTED, I WOULD STILL BE SAYING THE

[04:45:06]

EVERYBODY GETS TO DO THAT. BUT THE PEOPLE VOTED. AND WHETHER THE THING SOME OF SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THE PROCESS WASN'T FAIR. YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE SITTING HERE TRYING TO DISPARAGE MR. MARTEL. I THINK IT'S IT'S EITHER YOU'RE IF HE HAS DONE SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT'S SO EGREGIOUS. NO, HE SHOULDN'T BE ON. THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED THAT RAISES TO THE LEVEL THAT HE SHOULD. HE'S NOT QUALIFIED THAT HE'S DONE SOMETHING AS A CITY MANAGER, THAT THAT'S WHAT DERELICTION OF DUTIES THAT THE CITY WAS IN SHAMBLES TO FINANCE.

EVERYTHING WAS NOT IN. SO WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT TONIGHT WE CAN TALK ABOUT SUSPENDED DRIVER'S LICENSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. KNOWING AND KNOWING. WE'RE TRYING TO GET INTO HIS MINDSET.

WE CAN'T. IF HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW, THAT'S ALL YOU GOT TO GO ON. SO BUT IF BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF HE'S DONE SOMETHING TO PREVENT HIM FROM BEING CITY MANAGER, HE SHOULDN'T. BUT THE VOTERS WENT FORWARD. I THINK PEOPLE CAN NOT LIKE IT. HE'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY. HE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. COMMISSIONER. JOE. OH, COMMISSIONER REED, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER REED, COMMENT NO ONE'S KNOCKING THE DEMOCRACY PROCESS. I, I FULLY BELIEVE IN IT. I'M NOT KNOCKING THESE THREE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE REINSTATED AND AND NEW BOARD MEMBERS. THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, IS WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING CONSTITUTED VIOLATING POTENTIAL CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS, WHETHER THEY EXIST OR THEY DON'T EXIST.

AND IN YOUR OWN WORDS, YOU STATED IF YOU SAW THE PROOF OF A CRIME BEING COMMITTED, HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE HERE. SO I PROVIDED PROOF AND THE RECORD REFLECTED MORE THAN ONE OF THEM.

THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER JOB, I NORMALLY DON'T. WE'RE NOT REALLY SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS DOES NOT REQUIRE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, FEDERAL, STATE LEVELS, EVEN LOCAL LEVELS, DOES NOT REQUIRE A 100% VOTE TO PASS. THE MAJORITY PASSED THEIR VOTE. AND THAT WAS WHAT THE VOTE IS. THAT IS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. IT TOOK PLACE HERE TONIGHT. OKAY? IT TOOK PLACE. JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA IN THE FUTURE. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO SHE SAID THAT SHE WENT OUT BY RESPONDING SPECIFICALLY TO THAT COMMENT. SO WE HAVE THIS TO BE PUT ON OCTOBER. WHAT DATE WAS OCTOBER 12TH. AND THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND ARE YOU READY? I AM WE'RE MAYOR CLERK HOLD ON.

DOES HE. YOU DO YOU NEED COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR MOTION? I, I THINK YOU ALREADY I THINK YOU ALREADY COMMENT ON THIS MOTION. I'M GOING TO COMMENT ON ON BEAR WITH ME.

ROBERT HAMILTON, 1895. CHURCH OF STEWART ON THE ON EXACTLY WHAT MR. REESE SAID, I AGREE WITH. I REMEMBER MR. MATHESON TALKING ABOUT LEVERAGE, HOW MR. MARTEL HAS LEVERAGE. WELL, THAT LEVERAGE DIDN'T WORK WITH THE HISTORICAL STATE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OFFICE IN TALLAHASSEE. DIDN'T WORK THERE WHEN IT WENT AROUND AND AROUND. AND HE MISOGYNISTIC. HE SPOKE

[04:50:05]

MINE. IT'S HIS. HE'S GIVEN TOO MUCH LATITUDE. HOW ABOUT THIS MOTION, MR. MR. HAMILTON, ABOUT THE MOTION. EVERYBODY JUST START DOING THEIR JOB. I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER REED.

AND HAVING THE FORESIGHT TO STAND UP AND TO DO THAT, TO SHOW THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL YOU ARE ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE, JUST LIKE KENNEDY SAID. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, MISS JOB? IT'S ABOUT US, NOT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITTLE TYRANT. YOU GOT ME ANNOYED, YOU KNOW IT TO.

ANYWAY, I KNOW YOU WANT TO SHUT ME UP. YOU'LL JUST GO BLABBING. I JUST WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU YOU YOU DON'T DIRECT IT AT SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, MR. HAMILTON. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL THE ROLL? YES. TO PUT THAT PARTICULAR ITEM FOR OCTOBER 12TH. OCTOBER 12TH. MAYOR. CLERK. NO. COMMISSIONER. JOB. YES. MR. MATHESON. YES.

COMMISSIONER. REED. YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. I DO. JOB. SO THAT ITEM THAT WILL BE BROUGHT IN ON THE ON THE 12TH. YES. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP? NOT UNLESS RICH HAS SOMETHING UP HIS SLEEVE TONIGHT. THIS IS GOING TO STAND

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.