City Council - Regular Meeting

Call the February 28th February 18th city council meeting to order. Mr. Smith, will you give us a prayer pledge and fact of the date, please, sir? Most graciously heavenly father, we come once again thankful for the opportunity to be yet among the living and among the dead. To come, oh heavenly father, to be servants of this city. We ask, heavenly father, you bless our endeavors tonight that all that we shall say and do be pleasing and acceptable in your sight. In thy son Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Fact of the day. On February 17th, 1998 in Ngaro, Japan, the United States defeats Canada 3 to1 to win the gold medal in the first women's hockey tournament held at the winter Olympics. The win was especially sweet for the United States, which had lost four times to Canada in the women's world hockey championship since 1990. Team USA is set to face off Canada in Thursday's gold medal match for the seventh time in Olympic history. Back to you. All right. Cherry.

All right, Susan. Okay, let's see. Read the Okay. Welcome to the public meeting of the city council of the city of Apakka. Please turn off all cell phones or set them to silent. The city council permits and encourages input and comments by members of the public on all matters which may become before the council for action. If you wish to address the council this afternoon evening, please make sure you filled out a card for your with your contact information and have presented it to the clerk. When called upon, please proceed to the podium and speak clearly into the microphone, stating your name, address of record, organization of any, and direct your comments to the city council and not to individual commissioners, staff, or members of the public. The council and the city staff encourages constructive criticism. However, personal attacks are prohibited. Please observe general rules of decorum and civility. Speakers and members of the audience shall refrain from rude or derogatory remarks, shouting disruptions, reflections as to integrity, slander, abusive comments, profanity, vulgarities, and statements as to personalities. Any violations of these provisions may result in the issuance of a verbal warning warning including tres warning for trespass. If violations persist after such warnings, violators may be removed from the council chambers. With that, Susan Rod Olsen. Before I start, uh the your uh agenda says four minutes.

It's three. We just they didn't they back used an old agenda packet. So, it's just three minutes.

All right, that changes what I'll be doing here for a second. At any rate, Rod Olsson, 3156 Rolling Hills Lane in Apopka. I'm asking everyone now to please bow your heads in honor of the passing of the Reverend Jesse Jackson. In his words, keep hope alive. Public comments eight months dismissed department heads and cut off the live feed. Then you reinstated it for three minutes. Today it says four minutes. I guess it's still three. Dorm is a two-way street. The administration refers to the regular city council presenters as troublemakers and peanut gallery. Neighbor touched me based the other day said, "Why do you bother going up? They don't listen to you anyway." And said, "Do you think you're a warrior?" So I looked up the term warrior. Quote, "Nobody is born a warrior. You choose to be one when you refuse to stay seated. You choose to be one when you refuse to back down. You choose to be one when you stand up after getting knocked down. You choose to be one because if not you, who? I want to thank you to the warriors, Dr. Phyllis Olmstead, Dr. Jim Moyer, Leroy Bell, Sylvester Hall, Abby McKenna, Ace Woodham, and others that come up and speak before you sharing their ideas, their concerns to help make Popka a better place to live, play, and work. These dedicated warriors bring concerns, other facts, and bring ideas for and offer their help. As we move to the election season, let us look at the four at four years under this administration. Public comment already addressed. Citizen safety compro compromised. Children walking in ditches along the roads because there aren't sidewalks. Flooding. Backflow preventers not taken care of. Traffic chups. Public services. Utility bill rate increases. Water meters not replaced. Lack of reclaim water pressure. Failed preventive maintenance. Failed budget

process. If you look at page two and five of 21, the year-to- date budget, you find we're 30% off year-to date and 58% in expenditures. This is unbelievable. Another garbage. We don't need another garbage in garbage out budget. Discriminatory Northwest recreational fuel rates. You can see Well, this is the one slide. Can we slide to slide two? All right. Slide two. You can see these rates. Okay. This is not working. All right. At any rate, you can see the rates. We are paying Central Florida is paying 18 any 12 to 18% more than other schools, other athletic programs. We have got to do a better job. We just need a motion from one of you today to direct parks and recck to make it equal to what the others are doing. Uh this I'm losing time. All right. Well, I'm just going to go for one thing. I'm going to end with a quote. from the Reverend Jeff Jesse Jackson. Never look down upon anyone unless you're helping him up.

Thank you,

Dr. Good evening. My name is Dr. Jim Moyer. I'm an elected Orange soil and water conservation district to supervisor and my comments are that of my own only. Uh but before I start, happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate happy Black History Month, which is a part of American history to all of us, which I hope we celebrate. And I'm a I think it's outstanding we have all these future farmers of America here today. I want you to take a moment here and just imagine you're on a mountain. It's a steep highway mountain. It's very, very curvy. You're walking along. All of a sudden, you see these flashing lights. You don't know what's going on. It's coming around the bed. Behind the flashing lights is a triple wide trailer which is taking up virtually the whole road. You know, if it comes at you, you're in real trouble. You could that could be it. Even if it sides you, it's going to change your way of life. And even if you get totally out of the way, just the imp the wind and the impact of that is going to affect you. Well, that's what the experts are saying and my research shows in regard to the next 25 to 100 years of

extreme weather conditions. Okay. the only person in the world in the history of the world that ever walked to the South Pole and also the North Pole. He said the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone will will save it. No, someone's not going to save it. There's 8.3 billion plus people here on Earth and we're the ones who need to save it. Save the Earth, you're saving life. So is alive. Let's keep it that way. What I'm doing exists because soil died during the dust bowl in the 1930s. The purpose of the soil and water conservation districts is to assist, guide, educate and implementing land and water resource protection which means proactive practices. These are our board members. US uh EPA says climate change is real and it's happening all around us. Sorry about that. And according to the experts also Florida is ground zero for climate change. And by 2070, UF and thousand friends of Florida say 20% of our agriculture will be gone. Thank you very much. God bless you all.

Okay, Albert McKim.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Albert McKimmy 3603 Golden Gem Road. There's a saying, as above, so below. The behavior that we see on city streets today is a direct reflection of the lack of decorum and the lack of accountability that there is in this dis. I as a taxpayer don't come here to be misrepresented facts to at the last meeting that I was here which was second meeting ago I discussed I did an audit on lust road uh Mr. Brooks came up and said he wanted to go on record as the fact there were only instruments and gauges removed from that facility. That's patently not the fact from that picture I supplied to you today. The reason it concerns me is there's a potential for Lust Road to solve all your flooding problems. I've spoken about how we could do that before. I would really like for us to to to have a look at that again. As for Golden Gem Road, Golden Gem Road will be the subject of a St. John's river water management discussion in the very near future. A popka was given at police 6 months to come up with a plan to tell us what we're going to do with it. That time is almost expired. I want to know what it's going to cost the public. In fact, I don't want to know. I demand to know. You're public servants. You recommend me. If none of you people here today are prepared to answer simple questions, people, when it comes time to vote, don't vote for them. Vote for somebody who will give you answers. Now, accountability. Let's look at some of the pictures that were recently leaked on a website which is being called a hate site. I wouldn't say it's a hate site. The hate came from whoever delivered those pictures to that

person. Those pictures came from a security camera within city hall. The same city camera that I was denied access to because security reasons. How is it a resident and her children were exposed from that camera with leaked documents? How is it hundreds of pictures transpire of a commissioner outside her house with a car? If you want to talk about stalking and hate, you guys need to start looking at the bench. Don't be blaming us because the behavior comes from there. I'm not a hate group. I'm out there for accountability. 18 months ago, we asked you about taking into consideration the documentation that was put before Susan Bone for people to be elected. Had you done something about that 18 months ago, we would not be in the comical situation today where a judge has told us we can't decide whether a potential elected official will be into office or not until July of 2027. Take a look in the mirror, people. Take a good look at yourselves. I'm fed up of my taxes being wasted by the gross inefficiency and negligence that's prevalent in this administration. Virginia Street. Virginia Street, 2119 Palm District

Drive in Popka, Florida. Um, first I just as always want to thank um the thank you for the support that you have been giving me to the unhoused and the needy in aka I continue to move forward in that journey and I continue to have your support and I I'm very appreciative of all the support that I'm getting from each one of you very much. So, um this Sunday at uh 5:30, we will be um uh at Just Like Mama's where we will um have the unhoused and the needy there. Um where we will, you know, serve dinner for them and uh we will give them clothing and um uh things that uh they may need. Uh especially this week coming up uh to toward the end of the week and the beginning of the week. Uh it is um predicted to be cold so blankets and socks and things like that. Um uh I guess two days ago it rained so a lot of them lost uh their blankets that were given to them. So they either um look for new blankets or um they'll try to find a way to of getting them washed and cleaned. So, if you would, if you could drop by Just Like Mama's at 5:30 on Sunday, um, as we um love on our unhoused and our, um, people that are in need, we appreciate it and, um, I'm always, uh, blessed and, um, see so much happiness, uh, from the people that receive and I also see the joy in those that give. Um secondly, um I am working on the and and I've talked with the mayor about this on a project to where we create lock boxes so that they can

put their um backpacks and things uh valuable things in a locker uh in front of a business and you know just I'm working on designs and things like that to for them so that they don't have to always lose everything if something happens. Um, you would not believe how many times people have to replace social security cards. You know, I had one young man that it was his 10th time replacing his social security card and he couldn't do it online. He had to do it in person because it was the 10th time, you know. So, just things like that that um would be valuable to have a lock box that they could have that would be secured that they could be able to uh leave that there and carry on their business. I appreciate that. I appreciate the support as usual and uh um I am in awe of the things that happen through the kindness of people. Thank you. Thank you.

No, I'd rather wait till we do it. We're gonna pull pull it off a Right. We're going to pull that off the consent. We'll pull that off the consent. So, thank you. Can you just hand those out? Let's Let's just Oh, okay. Okay.

Yeah. Good evening, mayor, commissioners, staff, and members of the public. I'm Coach Naji. I'm the president of Central Florida Thor Soccer Club, CFSC, an Apkaba based 501c3 youth nonprofit that has served Apakka Children and Families for almost two decades. Excuse me. CFSC provides much more than soccer. We offer year-round programming for boys and girls of all skill levels, provide financial assistance so families of any income can participate, host free clinics and camps, organize community food drives, and create open play opportunities so everyone in the community can participate regardless of affiliation. Many of our coaches and volunteers also support the city of Apakka's recreation soccer program. And we partner with local nonprofits and youth groups such as under arour under the lights flag football to strengthen sports and service opportunities for children in our community. We also support high school students with coaching, referee, and volunteer opportunities that help them fulfill schoolmandated community service hours. CFSC was recently disqualified from from RFP 2026-275 based on alleged on an alleged con of silence violation. We respectfully dispute both the factual and procedural basis for that decision and have submitted a formal pro protest to preserve our rights. Because we have been disqualified, CFSC is no longer a participant in the procurement process. Our comments tonight are about unequal treatment, transparency, and policy. CFSC was the only existing youth sports organizations required to submit an RFP to continue using city athletic fields. To our knowledge, the city has never

conducted an R conducted an RFP for athletic field use in its more than 140 year history. And all other existing organizations have historically received contract renewals without competition. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for the same contract renewal process afforded to other organizations and for the city to adopt a clear written policy that treats all sports providers fairly, equitably, and transparently. Our current agreement, excuse me, our current agreement remains in effect through July 31, 2026, and we are committed to continuing to serve Apaca's youth with stability, stability, and professionalism. We respectfully ask the council to provide direction to staff to ensure consistency, equal treatment, and continuity of youth services for families and the community we serve. Please us please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you for your time and consideration. Appreciate it. Mayor Nelson, commissioners, and other persons of the dice. I am here in celebration and honor of Black History Month. I would like to remember the late Reverend Mars Chisum, an early settler at historical mis bottom, the epicenter of Apopka for early black settlers. This is a little history. the council

and I'm reading from Jerel Schoffner's book that he wrote for the city of Apakka for their 100th year of celebration. The council had apparently already decided to segregate the town and use the tax delinquencies to move as many blacks as possible out of the white section. When Mars Chisum spoke to the council about his back taxes, Mayor Mccclure suggested that he might be able to trade his property in the Tilden Edition for comparable real estate in the colored section. After considering the matter, Chisum resisted vigorously and kept his home, living out his life there. While he was regarded as a good neighbor by whites who lived not nearby, his family still owned the property up until 1997. But despite this several despite this and several other exceptions, the town became more rigidly segregated in the 1930s than it had been in the past. In July 1937, the council enacted an ordinance to segregate the places and residents and businesses of whites and negro persons. No whites were permitted south of the SAL tracks and no blacks north of it. Fines were provided for pro violators. In n in 1940, black baseball team reserved Edwards Field for a game on a day when the white team was not using it. A Zelwood white team ignored the

reservation and preempted the field causing a heated discussion. The council declined to act, preferring to let public opinion govern the situation. In 1941, the council again evaded the issue, leaving it leaving it to to the blacks to obtain unanimous consent of those residents near Edwards Field before they could use it. Thank you. Thank you, friends. That it. All right. Thank Oh, got one more. Go ahead. You're next. Yep.

There's a there's a a button on the side. Okay.

Sorry, I lost my glasses. Sorry. Hi, good evening. Um, I'm a parent at uh, Central Florida. Speak up, please ma'am.

Hi, my name is Miranda and um I'm a parent of one of the players at the um Central Florida Soccer Club. Um sorry, what I have to say is a little emotional. Um because it comes following the passing of my husband um almost two months ago. So, I'm going to read something to you and I want you to just consider it in light of what Coach Naji just said. Um, standing together for the Cizer family. Dear Central Florida Soccer Club, this was written two days after my husband passed. It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the tragic loss of Grecizer. Beloved father of Noah from our U16 boys team, a Greg's sudden passing, he was 53, has deeply shaken our entire soccer family. He was a devoted dad, a loving husband to Miranda, and a constant presence in Noah's life. cheering from the sidelines, supporting his son's love of the game, and being part of the fabric that makes our soccer more than more makes our club more than just soccer. As a club, we believe that we are a family first. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. Right now, decides for families facing an unimaginable loss and we want them to feel the full strength of our community wrapped around them during this incredibly difficult time. Um he shared the GoFundMe account that was initiated by our church. Um encouraged everybody to support. He said no amount is too small. Every act of

kindness matters. If you are unable to donate, we ask that you keep the family in thoughts and prayers. Um we will continue to stand by. Noah and his family on and off the field. And we ask our entire club and community to do the same with compassion, love, and unity. Thank you for being the kind of club that shows up when it matters most. So, well, I don't know all the details behind why we lost the contract, whether it's technical or financial or personal or whatever it is. I just strongly encourage you to work it out. Consider the fact that we are not just the soccer team. We are a family. The support that came out of this email, this this text was unbelievably incredible. Unbelievably, I was I couldn't believe the support that everybody stepped up with to support us. So, I just thank you for hearing me out and please consider what I'm saying.

Thank you. Thank you. And I just want to say sorry for your loss and condolences. Okay. Is that everybody? All right. Anybody else? Good. Okay. All right. Got approval of minutes. Any changes either from the dis or from the public? Not look for a motion to approve. So got a motion by Commissioner Anderson, second by Commissioner Velasquez. All those in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Bradley, any changes to the agenda? No changes, Mayor.

Okay. All right. First up, we got the Future Farmers of America. And I know we've got, let's see, don't we have a Let's see who Jenny Bennett. Yeah. You want to come down and introduce who? I guess you got somebody that's going to be your spokesman. Yeah. Okay. you want to just talk about a little bit about the program and then we can and then we'll have or are you gonna are you

I'm Jenny Bennett from Wolf Lake Middle School FFA. Um we are just here um thanks to the the mayor and the whole council. We appreciate you having us here. Um we are the national FFA organization which is formerly F future farmers of America and our chapters are Wolf Lake Middle School, Apakka Middle School, Apakka High School and Wakiva High School. So this is your f these are some of your future leaders um and that are here just to represent our schools. And Jonathan's going to tell you a little bit more. Thank you, Jonathan. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jonathan Small and I represent the Apakka High School FFA chapter. It is my pleasure to be here and I would like to thank the mayor, Brian Nelson, our city commissioners, and of course you, the people of Apakka. Our organization would be nothing without you, the people who supported. And that holds true today, just as it did 98 years ago when hard-working and dedicated people in the state of Virginia created a nationwide youth organization that is still prospering to this day. Today, that organization is the National FFA organization. And across the US this past week, over 9,000 FFA chapters and over 1 million members have gathered in collective unity to celebrate the nearly century of our success. Locally here in Apakka, the five chapters that have gathered here before you today honor this week with events and services in our school and community. It is our responsibility to give to the youth. And we see no better time to do so than now, which is why we as FFA chapters see it as our duty to interact with others and spread awareness not just about agriculture, but about service and respect. On behalf of the blue jackets in this room, we certainly appreciate that the same service and respect has been reciprocated to us as well. We here are

here at city hall tonight not just as a ceremonial observation of this special week, but as a moment of recognition for those in the room who have served our schools and community for years and will continue to do so with or without a blue jacket. It is once again my pleasure to address you all here tonight for taking this time to show your appreciation to our members, adviserss, and alumni here with us. Thank you. Before I read the proclamation, I want uh Commissioner Smith who had 30 30 something years.

40 40 years in FFA. So, he's got a he got a few words and then we'll we'll read the proclamation. Have to get a picture with the the students. So, Commissioner Smith, give us your take on FFA and what it's meant to you. And

Well, indeed. I wore a blue jacket just a couple of years ago uh when I attended Apaka High School and was a member of the FFA. um served as a reporter and as a treasure of the Apaka FFA chapter and was able to compete in various CDEs and public speaking events to represent Apakka High School. And during the 40 years that I taught agriculture both in Malucia County and Orange County, I also had opportunity to instill in young people that wear these blue jackets the importance of giving back and service to the community. And it's just a joy to continue to see it going on today. and we welcome you here during National SFA week.

Awesome. All right. So, let me read the proclamation. Then what we'll do is we'll get by each school we'll get a uh we'll get a picture and then I'll give you one of the the proclamations. So, let me read that. Whereas the future farmers of America, FFA and agricultural education provide a strong foundation for the youth of America and future of the food, fiber and natural resource systems. Whereas FFA promotes premier leadership, personal growth and career successes among its members. And whereas agricultural education and the FFA ensure a steady supply of young professionals to meet the growing demand in the science, business and technology of agricultural education. And whereas the FFA motto, learning to do, doing to learn, learning to live, living to serve, gives direction and purpose to those students who take an active role in making the connection to agricultural education. And whereas FFA promotes citizenship, volunteerism, patriotism, and cooperation. And whereas FFA chapters have been very active in Apopkia and have made many contributions to school and community life. Now therefore, I, Brian Nelson, mayor of the city of Apka, Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the city of Apopka, do hereby proclaim February 21st through February 28, 2026 to be Future Farmers of America Week. All right, we're going to go in alphabetical order. Papka High School down front.

Next up, Okay, we We'll play

Everybody Thank you. All right. Still got a packed room. That's good. Good. Good. Good. All right. Well, next up, we've got our Black History Month. We have a proclamation. And then we we've got we'll roll right in. Uh Marlon will roll into the um into our our event which will be for tomorrow night. Go kind of give you a preview of what tomorrow night looks like. So with that, let me go ahead and read the proclamation which states whereas February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African-Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in the US history. And whereas the origin of Black History Month began in 1915 with historian Carter G. Woodson and Minister Jesse F. Morland. That year they founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, an association dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by black Americans. The organization later became known as the Association for Study of African-American Life in History. And whereas in 1926, the association started with National Negro History Week and chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas as a week to commemorate achievements by the African-American community. And whereas throughout the efforts of Woodson and Morland, schools, communities, and

colleges organized local celebrations as well as history clubs and performances. In the decades following this historic week, the event grew and evolved into what eventually became known as Black History Month. And whereas in 1976, President Ford officially recognized Black History Month. And since then, every American president has designated February as Black History Month with a specific theme. For 2026, the theme is a century of Black History commemor commemorations. And whereas the city of Apaka is celebrating Black History Month with a booklet honoring local African-American citizens including including Norman Bates, Martha Bour, Lavina Brazwell, Lula B. Chisum, Wilbert Buck Chisum, Johnny Ruth Bailey Dadell, Agnes Dudley, Ethel Green, Bernice Hugley, Moses Howard Senior, Mary Hela Landram, Ruby Benton Lee, James Franklin McGrath, Vernon McQueen, Clifford Moore, Alfred Neil, Roosevelt Nichols, William Bill Orur, Precious Patterson, David R. Richardson senior Dr. River Vera Rose Puyo Kato Sanders Daisy Bell Slappy Willis Jacqueline J Smith Barbara Studil Studill Rosie Thomas Samuel Weaver and Willie James Webb Senior Now therefore I Brian Nelson mayor of the city of Apaka Florida by the virtue vested in me do hereby proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month here in the city of Apakka. And with that, we've got Marlin's going to come up and kind of give you a preview of what tomorrow night's going to look like. And I guess got some students with him to help.

Good evening, mayor, commissioners, city staffs. Wonderful to see all of you this evening and to this residents of Apakka as well. I want to take a moment to invite you all to the fourth, as mayor said, the fourth annual uh legends of Apakka event this Thursday, February 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Apakka Community Center. Over the past three months, this uh book has been coordinated effort by the Apaka Youth Council, working closely with the Apka Historical Society and our youth council researched and wrote biographies for each of the legends being honored. Of course, in a moment, a few of them will join here um to share what this experience was meant for them. So, if they would like to come up and share a few Good evening, I'm Amy Armenos. I had the pleasure of being one of the leads for the small teams and making this book. And going into this book, it was another thing on my to-do list in all honesty. It was just another thing for me to check off. But coming out of it, I see how beautiful it is. I see how everything we do impacts those around us. How even long after you're gone, the impact you make resonates in the people around you still. And I'm a senior in high school and a lot of our concerns are, oh, what am I gonna do after high school? Like, how am I going to leave a legacy? How do I impact people? And we never really take the time to stop and realize that the love and the moments we made with other people, the things we were passionate about is the legacy that we leave behind. Thank you,

Andreas. Uh hello, my name is Andreas Mayor. I'm also the senior. Um just like Amy, I was one of the leads in the project. I was just making sure that everyone's on task with what they had to do. Um like one of the takeaways that I had from this project is how important teamwork is and how like the impact that these people made to the community and how it just it's always lasting. Leilani.

Good evening, Apakka. My name is Leilani Houston and I've had the pleasure of working on this youth council this year. We've made sure that the legends of Apakka is something that can really reflect our community, not just now, but through the entire history of Apakka. Um, I actually don't attend school here. I attend school in Orlando. And becoming part of this council has led me to learn about my own community and myself as a black person in this community. And I think that the leaders here and that the direction by Mr. Diaz and by Miss Boyin has showed me what it truly means to be a leader or a legend in Apka. So, thank you to you all. Ladies and gentlemen, that's the future right there. Just saying. I also like to give a special thank you to Francina Boyen, vice president of the Apakka Historical Society, for her incredible work on all four editions of this book. Um, and for helping preserve our city's history. I also want to give a shout out to our media team who doesn't get recognized enough for being in the back for helping us make sure that this gets done, gets in the finish line. I I just simply cannot thank you enough. It It takes a village and it sure did take a village this time around, but I I certainly am thrilled to see um this book flourish and officially be published and be available for sale tomorrow. uh $10 cash only. Very important. Take that note. And uh with that, we would truly be honored to have you all join us tomorrow evening. Thank you and good night.

All right. Thank you. Let's grab a we'll get a picture everybody. You council members.

Sure. Yeah, pretty cool. Yeah, blankets and stuff. And I have some stuff. I have some stuff for you, but I'll I'll take you. I'll take you. All right. Okay, next presentation is the Lake Apopka natural gas presentation.

Haywood, come on up.

Mayor Nelson, Commissioner uh Nesa, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Velasquez, and Commissioner Anderson. Thanks for having me here this evening. Um, I didn't realize that I was going to have to follow up a lot of very wellspoken young individuals that helped me realize, you know, how old I'm getting, right? You know, uh, to be at to be at that age, u, and to be able to stand up here in front of the city council and be able to say the things they said. Um, it's an honor to be able to see those young people coming into the communities and coming into our our world. Um I will say um uh Mount Pleasant High School uh class of 1992 FFA member as well. So uh it was great to see that proclamation be made. I feel fortunate to be here this this evening uh to be a part of that. Um um again, my name is Brent Haywood. I'm the general manager CEO of Lake Paka Natural Gas District. Um uh I'm here this evening to uh um talk about and give a little background about Lake Paka n natural gas district and why we've been the provider of energy choice here in Apakka for the past uh 66 years. Lake Paka Natural Gas District is uh guided in everything we do by our vision, mission and values. The mission of Lake Takka Natural Gas District is to provide safe, reliable, compliant, and competitive natural gas energy services with a commitment to exceptional customer service, employee engagement, improving quality of life throughout the communities we serve. And again, I emphasize improving the quality of life of all the communities that we serve. Not only uh the people who currently can't afford natural gas or have natural gas in their homes, but our intent is is to bring it to everyone to help improve their their uh living. uh Lake Pocket Natural Gas District uh was established pursuant to the provisions of chapter 59-556 the law of Florida acts of 1959 which became law on June 20th 1959. Uh our

charge was to provide natural gas within its defined service area. I presenting today the details of our service area, the governance and the benefits of uh natural gas to the community. So again, going to going to talk real broadly about the district and about a lot of the things that we do. Uh but I want to emphasize some of the things that we're doing as far as community engagement and the importance of the district to the uh community. Um as you can see, um I didn't realize that. Of course, that most of you in the room, you you hear I have a little bit of an accent. I'm from Tennessee. I'm not from Florida originally. Uh I'm I've been a proud uh uh resident in Florida here uh for the past 10 years. But I didn't realize until I actually looked at the map and realized that Lake Paka Natural Da Gas District is truly in the heart of Central Florida. Um and and and I take that take pride in that and the fact that that we are here to provide for the well-being of of Central Florida as a whole. Um the district currently serves 11 franchise municipalities and more than 31,000 customers with the safest, most reliable and costefficient energy source in the state. We're actively grow growing the district's infrastructure every day. We're doing everything we can to be able to get natural gas to everyone who wants it and deserves it. Um, and that's everybody who deserves it. Um, the district is chartered to own and operate uh gas distribution systems in a 620 square mile area of Central Florida. That makes us actually one of the largest uh regional utilities in the state of Florida as far as service territory goes. Um um I'm very proud of the fact that uh that we have been able to uh to to work for the past 66 years bringing uh natural gas to the municipalities uh all the members and other municipalities who aren't members of of natural gas the natural gas district. Um got a slide here want to show everybody just to give you a feeling of where our where our utilities are. Uh but the district has grown within

service territory consistently over the past 66 years. We currently serve 272 square miles of the 620 square mile service territory with plans to serve the remaining 348 square miles as a customer base grows. Again, we've grown this system from from literally nothing in 66 years to be able to provide service to all these customers. The district operates under a commissioned form of government with five member board of commissioners being appointed by the district's member municipalities of Aopka, Claremont, and Winter Garden. The five commissioners are appointed from the member municipalities with two commissioners from Apakka, two from Winter Garden and one from Claremont. The border commissioners lead the district in accordance with our charter, our district bylaws, state regulations, and federal regulations. The district charter provides for the power and limitations of the district. Uh as you can see here, the district was expressly created with the purpose of acquiring, constructing, owning, operating, managing, maintaining, extending, improving, and financing one or more gas distribution systems. And that also includes transmission systems uh uh to the benefit of the member municipalities at that time of Popka, Winter Garden, and Claremont. And also for the benefit of the public and other users of gas in the district, including such other municipalities to which the district may sell. Again, this was our chartered reason for being for being around is to bring natural gas to our member municipalities. Again, a popkin winter garden in Claremont and anyone else who u wants it available. The charter also authorizes us to um um engage the counties, municipalities, and district into franchise agreements with other districts. So, it gives us the power to to reach out and engage other entities that weren't originally founding members of the district. Um want to make a special note here that the district being a special utility district in the state of Florida is

prohibited from exercising any power of taxation. So everything that we have done with the district has been done without taxes. It has been done without having to to to bring about taxes. Uh everything we have done has been the result of uh the revenues that we have been able to drive through the district throughout the past 66 years. Again, there have been no taxes or burdens of any kind on the municipalities in the building of the district we serve today. The powers of the district uh are the same as any other government entity. We have the powers to contract uh with with entities. We have the powers to actually exercise imminent domain if there's a necessity. Uh we also have the power to borrow money through interestbearing bonds the same as any other government entity. uh by the charter, the bonds or any other obligations of the district shall not be a debt or obligation to the state of Florida, to the county, or to any other municipality that we serve. Again, we have to be a completely independent entity. Even though we are represented on our board of directors by individuals from the cities, we have to be a completely individual entity from the cities that we serve. Went the wrong way. Um we are driven uh at at Lake Natural Gas District through a strategic objective, strategic goals. Our strategic object objectives are driven by our values. Our values start with safety, reliability, compliance, financial performance, and emergency preparedness. Of these values, we measure those values and and how we perform with 18 key performance indicators as approved by our board of directors. And I'd like to say that uh in the past years we've been successful in achieving each and every one of our strategic performance goals and objectives. These goals and objectives are required to be reported to the state. So we are monitored by the state to have a strategic plan and to perform the strategic plan in in a means that's uh u um u commensurate with our duties. We also engage in in in the community um

uh is is a key piece of who we are. The district has been and will continue to be a valuable and highly engaged member of the communities we serve. Some of the community services we provide include active membership in the Apaka Chamber of Commerce. We sponsor numerous local events including the Apakka Art and Foliage Festival, the Apaka Christmas parade, the Apaka prayer breakfast, the John Land Trust dinner, the Apaka Golden Eater Eagle Dinner. We also support the community providing Thanksgiving side dishes uh to the annual turkey giveaway and by participating in the Halloween in the park event and any other events that come up will be there. We always will be. Um in addition, one of the things that I'm I'm I'm I'm very sad that all the young people left is that we actually in the past year the board of directors approved us to create an internship program. We have four internship positions that we have created that's available to to all 10 uh uh public high schools within the service territory including Apopka High School and Okaba High School. The internships are for operations professionals, people looking to be in engineering, information technologies or customer service. So we we very much love to have any of these young individuals to come and be an intern uh at the district. And that is by the way that's a paid internship. That's not a free internship. So um we also created this year we created a scholarship program in recognizing the necessity for technical trades. We created a technical trade scholarship program that will be granting technical trade scholarships to each of the uh 10 high schools in the service territory. Um that scholarship uh program was allocated a total of $20,000 to invest. So there will be $2,000 scholarships given to some lucky student at each one of the high schools. Again, we're focusing on technical trades and the ability to to build generational wealth through the knowledge and skills of your hands. One thing I'd like to announce uh that that since we have two of our our board members on the board is that um I've

been fortunate to secure another $10,000 donation to our scholarship program. So, this first year of the scholarship program will actually be a $30,000 scholarship with $3,000 going to each student. Uh that donation was made by Florida Energy Pipeline Association. So, we had some conversations about what we were trying to do and they saw such value in it that they wanted to donate. So, you're the first ones to hear that we've actually secured additional monies to go into our scholarship program. Again, if anybody knows any of the students who left here, have them apply. It's on our website. Um, again, we're we're we're interested in providing future opportunities uh to the community in many ways, but mostly providing it to to the next generation that's coming about. Our next key initiative that we do at the district is is called our energy choice initiative. I know most of you are on the board uh uh almost two years ago now, a year and a half ago when we brought our energy choice initiative uh to um uh to uh POPKA. Our aim with energy choice initiative is to empower communities we serve with the right to choose their energy needs. We've laid out a three-phase plan to do our part in providing for the socioeconomic well-being of our communities. Phase one of that plan was to secure energy choice ordinances for future developments. What that means is is it requires not only electricity to be available, but natural gas to be available in any new developments. That way the people that live in those developments have a choice for their energy needs. Um again, we've been petitioning other municipalities to adopt an ordinance and and uh again, fortunate for us, the city of Papka was the first municipality to adopt an ordinance back in August 21st of 2024. And we have actually seen several developments that have that have taken advantage of that opportunity uh in the past couple years. Uh phase two of the energy choice initiative is to provide energy choice in existing communities. We'll be making capital allocations to provide natural gas in and developments with existing homes um and to uh areas

to where there are commercial businesses that don't currently have natural gas available. Um we'll be working uh diligently on seeking grants from state and federal agencies. We actually are submitting here in the next couple weeks as soon as the the notice of funding goes out for $14 million worth of grants from the federal government to be able to extend and to improve the natural gas facilities across the district. So what it what it really mounts up to is is about a million and a quarter a little over a million dollars per municipality that we serve. We tried to equally spread that out across all of our franchises. Um um phase three of the energy choice initiative is building energy literacy throughout our communities and schools. Again, working diligently on helping to educate the the youth on the future of energy. You know, seeing the um the uh presentation a little earlier about uh about global warming and about the impacts of the environment. Um irregardless of of what your perspective is on that, um I can tell you one thing for sure. Natural gas is the number one energy out there. Um uh if you do your research, natural gas is the safest, most reliable energy source. And it's actually the reason why I chose to be in the natural gas industry 20 some odd years ago over being pushed very hard to be in the electric industry. But I believe in natural gas and I believe in who we are and what we do. Um as you see here, uh everything we do is brought by the 71 professionals that live in our communities. So in closing, as the natural gas provider to the city of Apakka, the district is chartered to serve the interest of the citizens and residents of the service territory. Just as you have been elected to serve their interest, our mutual responsibility is to provide for the socioeconomic well-being of the citizens and residents. The district values its role in providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective energy to the customers. And again, I want to make note of something. Uh we've not increased our rates uh in our service territory in eight years. Okay, we've done that by diligently marketing ourselves and growing our

company to where we don't have to increase our rates to provide the services that we provide. Um, so again, eight years without increasing rates for a utility is unheard of. I I I've never seen it anywhere that I've worked and I've worked in in four different states and utility business. Um, in comparison, uh, Lake Pocket natural gas rates, we're averaging 23% below both private and public natural gas providers in the state of Florida. 23% below. Not only have we not increased our rates, but we have grown our business to where we can maintain our rates 23% lower than everybody else. Um, another point to to note is on average our rates are 61% less than People, Gas, and Tiko. So, anybody that's a people gas tico customer in here, again, we're 61% lower than their rates. We do that by having u the best people, the best operations, the best economic strategies combined with the leadership of the board of directors. And um um that's what makes us one of the best utilities in the area. That's what makes us one of the best utilities in the state. And and by the end of my time here, I intend on us being one of the best utilities in the nation. So, with that, I'll uh I'll close. Um that's it.

All right. Any questions or anything for Okay. Thank you.

I want to say as one of the board members u myself and and Commissioner Smith uh when I first joined uh became a board member which was back in 20145. This was all new to me this type of energy. And so here I am 10 years later I finally get it. I understand it. And it's been because of uh the leadership in Lake Apakka has actually you know the education that you put out there regarding the energy and the best thing we did because I remember always saying why aren't we offering this to new developments but at that time there was no ordinance there was nothing that said you had to or uh offer it so the developers were not offering it but since we did the ordinance and now the developers are now on board because they realize izing with the growth of Papop of Papka besides Apakka, Florida, many uh new families prefer this type of energy. So, and and you're right, the staff that you have at Lake Aapka, I mean, the average has been 20 25 years.

So, that says a lot about what Lake Aakka is. And it's uh it's been an honor and a privilege to represent the city of Apakka at Lake Apakka, but it's also been an honor and a privilege to work with Lake Apaka with the leadership and of course the staff. So, thank you. Thank you.

Well, I just want to say as we continue to give individuals choice of energy and as you said, natural gas is the cheapest choice and the best uh in hurricanes and storms. uh your utilities, lights may go out, but you still be able to cook. Uh so it's a good choice. And uh so as we continue to grow uh the Lake Pop Natural Gas District with all the implementation and new ideas and the scholarships and the mentoring and the internship programs that you're providing, we're going to continue to be number one.

Y thank I got a couple quick questions. Thank you for your presentation and this is really enlightening and helpful. the you had mentioned that um that the kind of the next goals or kind of phase two is is bringing your service to existing neighborhoods um commercial corridors things of that nature. Is that what type of timeline does that look like and are you how would you p I guess prioritize certain neighborhoods or commercial areas because I've had businesses reach out asking hey is there an industrial area that that has access to it things of that nature. So definitely interested in that.

Yeah. Yeah. So, so when when we look at the size of the district, like I said, we've covered a little over 44% of our available service territory with natural gas being available. That still leaves a pretty large area to have to to have to cover. Um, when you look at our customer base, we've missed quite a few opportunities in existing developments over the past few years. When I presented to you a couple years ago, it actually in our service territory, we missed about 127,000 customers.

Wow. Okay. And and and that comes with the challenges of being a small local utility, being able to have the capital influx to be able to to get into these developments, but the ordinance uh the importance of that was was it stopped a lot of the it stopped the bleed. It's the emergency triage that we needed. And so the phase two getting into existing developments, what we have to do is look at the strategy that we have and the data that we have to tell us where's the right location at the right time because it's very difficult to go into a a development and bring customers online that just put appliances in two years ago. Sure. A brand new development.

So what we do is is we look at the age of the development and we start looking at the data available on um what developments are between 8 and 12 years old. which ones have had appliances that they're having to replace already. And so we try to get the hit the sweet spot on going in there and putting putting the the uh uh backbone utilities in and then marketing to customers to get the conversions done. The other piece of it is is and that's why we we the board decided to start the scholarships is because the hard part is is that in the existing homes and existing um uh businesses, you have to make a conversion. And usually if you plan for natural gas, you have the piping available and you can switch to electric anytime you want to. But when you ever you did an electric only development, there's no natural gas piping, which puts us short of skilled tradesmen to go in there and actually do the piping and install the appliances for us. So we're trying to feed ourselves by feeding a generation that will have that can go into these existing developments and help businesses grow to do the piping and to install the appliances and do those things. We don't actually do that, but we're going to foster businesses and foster opportunities. My dream is is to sit here before I leave this earth. Uh, you know, I'm not that old. Uh, but my dream is is to sit here and have one of those FFA students or one of these students that worked on the the book to have their own business and have a thriving business that they're working every day converting electric appliances to natural gas appliances because it's for the good of the people in the community and they're also building their own generational wealth and they're they're building the next generation that it's going to take to keep this world going. Um so so in short we use a lot of data to make those decisions and then we allocate uh a certain amount of our capital budget to that that type project like uh this past year our capital budget is somewhere around $7 million which is actually

small relative to the city but we've allocated about a million dollars of that $7 million to expansion into existing into existing uh areas. So we do that strategically. We do it to make sure that we can actually market to people that that want and need the appliances at the right time. It's going to be a long long-term fight on that piece of it. But I've actually been successful with my previous utility in securing almost $6 million of state grants to do exactly that to extend critical facilities into areas that either are unserved or underserved with with with natural gas. Because again, as as as Commissioner Smith has said, in the past two years and in uh the storms that we've had and the cold weather that we've had, we have lost zero customers due to an outage that's attributable to the district. We had in this last cold spell, we lost 20 customers because one of the water systems actually cut into to our line making a water repair. That is the only customer we lost. Now, you look at at one of our neighboring utilities and and I've actually I'll show that to you at the board meeting next week is one of our neighboring utilities actually sent notices out to co uh commercial businesses saying that they didn't have any gas left to provide them. So, they had to close their businesses in the middle of a cold spell whenever uh you should be having your businesses open to be able to provide food and and provide for your customers. We didn't have that happen.

Thank you. Thank you again for being here. Thank you. Yeah. You want to introduce your team while you've Yep. Yep. So, uh, we've got my director of, uh, um, I'm a director. My chief information officer, Wayade Low, we got Katrina Henderson, and then we got Jessica. They are a public relations group. Cool. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you for coming out tonight. Thank you.

All right. How we coming, Rob? We good. Queue it up. Okay. So, we've got Jennifer Hadded from the UCF Global Community English Program. Um, got an exciting program. she's going to kind of we were hoping to get her in person, but things didn't work out. So, she wanted to bring forward some some things that UCF's doing and see if Apakka would like to partner with her on this exciting program. So, Jennifer, are you ready to go? I am ready. Can you all hear me? Yes.

Perfect. Well, I would like to begin by extending a thank you, mayor, to you for this opportunity to share the work that we're doing in the greater Orlando area and ways that we can potentially partner. My name is Jennifer Davo Hadad and I am the director for business partnerships and community initiatives at the University of Central Florida and the unit I work in is called UCF Global. We actually serve as the international hub for the university. So, in addition to providing all of those traditional services such as um study abroad, visas for the international community students and scholars on campus, we also provide a multitude of services and programs to the community. Specifically, my job is to liaz the relationships between the university and local businesses or government for workforce programs because the university has stated that it will make a priority the prevailing workforce needs in the central Florida area. Why? Because the university understands that on any given week roughly 1500 residents are moving and living here in the central Florida area. And when we take the numbers, the data, and we look at that, we know that 24% of that population does not have the language or the digital literacy skills that they need. The Orlando Economic Partnership has done research in addition to this and shows that 50% of the businesses say that they are having challenges recruiting um folks to work in the industry and 60% of the businesses say they have skill gaps. So when we look at the central Florida area, we know that we have less than 80% of the Florida workforce that is employable with the skills they need. And when we look at the specific skills in the central Florida area that we're lacking, two of the top are language and digital literacy. So UCF Global is doing its part as the university to provide

English language instruction infused with digital literacy and other workforce skills to the residents and employees of the greater Orlando area with the intention of bridging that digital divide that we know is really prevalent here. Now, we also have classes that are offered year round and either 8week or 12-week sessions with 4 hours of instruction per week. And basically what we're trying to do is really just as I said, provide the language for everyday English that's needed for living and working in the Central Florida area. Now, by providing strruct instruction to our residents either in the neighborhoods in which they reside or if we're working with a business by providing classes on site, uh what we're trying to do is remove those traditional barriers that we know hold people back from actually attending classes and in this effort making education accessible and affordable to all residents of the greater Orlando area. So, UCF Global partners with local entities. We're poised to provide the instruction, the research, the programming, but we do look for the capital through our partners in the community, either through grants, donations, or or if we're working directly with a business. Now, for lack of a better way of describing this, we really just show our ways to partner with community entities in ways of two-way partnerships, three-way partnerships, what we call our community English program, or by basically just providing customized courses to entities in the community. So very quickly, the partnerships are very similar in the way that we structure it. It's just the funding is very different. So in our three-way partnerships, we've worked with UCF Global has partnered with a government entity. Historically, we've worked with Orange County government or the city of Orlando who has provided the capital and then we work with the businesses who provide basically the clientele and

inind support by providing the space at their location so that we can come on-site to teach classes. We also have two-way partnerships. Uh we've had a successful model that we've used with Gaylord Palms, the international airport, Orlando International, Amazon and Career Source. Same model just this time we don't have a government entity. It's UCF Global working with an employer who provides the capital, the clientele, and the sites in which we can come to provide the classes. Then the third way that we partner with our community is through our community English program. And this is really our grant or donationf funded program. Historically, we've worked with the city of Orlando and we also have worked with the truest foundation. And in essence, what we're doing is coming out into the neighborhoods in which people live, either at their community centers, their local churches or their schools to ensure that they're getting the same programming as if we were working with a business entity. Again though, the funding for this type of program comes through grants or donations. And then finally, we're poised to provide very specialized courses. For example, right now, we know out there at the DMV, the test is being provided only in English. So, we can provide courses to that segment of the population that would be very specific to help them get prepared and pass that test. Let me just move very quickly to telling you the impact we're having in the community. So within our community English program alone from 2022 to 2025 we graduated 470 participants. Of the graduates 60% left our program employed. But what gets me most excited is within that 60% 33 of them were able to use their degrees either from their home countries or their career of choice. And we know what an impact that has economically in our communities. Um they bring their expertise to our communities. It also helps every member

of our communities feel valued and be able to have a contribution. We also know that when people are leaving our program, they have a great desire for upskilling or reskilling. And so to that effort, we also provide uh what we call as our empowerment workshop series completely free to the community. Um and last year we were able to provide that to 352 community members. Again, what we try to do is as people are exiting our program, try to bring them experts from the community who can provide information, resources, contacts in areas of interest to our community members. So, in just this past year, we provided 12. I've listed some of the topics here, but again, we've done workshops for health literacy, financial literacy, technology, civic engagement, you name it. if it's a need in the community, we're going to go out, work with the individuals to bring that upskilling and res-killing opportunities to them. So, in conclusion, how would I love to partner with you all? If we're partnering with the city, I would love to look at a way that we could model the community English program in Apakka. We've had great success with over 3,000 residents serviced in the Orlando area. um big picture overall investment to run this program for one year with three cycles of 12week sessions. So we would have the class run three times um throughout the year um with 400 participants per session. So that's 1,200 people in a year. It costs us roughly $250,000 to do that. So, what I'm looking for is ways that we can explore grant opportunities, perhaps working with stakeholders in the community that might have a vested interest in donating in something like this. If we're partnering with businesses, I would love to have the opportunity to meet with you to understand your needs, talk about ways that we could perhaps come on site, provide classes to your

employees to help them. Uh, average investment is about $450 per participant to be in the program. Again, if you the businesses in the community have grant opportunities, we'd love to have those discussions to understand how we could have an opportunity to do that. And then finally, um we're always open to community and individual giving. Uh donations of any amount will benefit our programming and so we like to get that information out. And finally, to recap, we'd love to partner with you in four different ways. either through you helping us facilitate connections, helping with financial contributions, or in kind support. I don't know if we'll have time for questions tonight, but if you want to scan that QR code, you can feel free. That will take you directly to my email. I'll be happy to connect with you after this. And again, thank you so much for your time.

Any quick questions for Jennifer? Um, no. I'll have to kind of review everything about Good. Yeah, this is very valuable. Thank you so much. We'll be reaching out for sure. Well, thank you, Jennifer. Appreciate the great presentation and yeah, hopefully we'll we'll get back with some some additional feedback. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Wonderful. Thank you so much. Uhhuh. Can we get that? Sure. Sure. Downloaded for us. Yeah. Yeah. See you on Monday. Okay. See you Monday. On to consent agenda items. We've got eight. I know we want to pull the number six, the RFP 2026A. Yeah.

275. Any other of the items on the consent agenda either the public needs to pull or anybody from the dis look for a motion to approve items one through five, seven, and eight. So move. Got a motion by Commissioner Smith. Second. Second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor?

I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. Okay. On to back to uh contract RFP 2026A275. Is that Blanch? Is that you? Okay. Are we waiting? Are we waiting for the mayor?

Yeah, he I think but we'll wait so he can he all right. Good evening, mayor, commissioners. Item before you is the award of RFP 2026A-275 to Northwest Recreation Complex Sports Field Events Rentals to Central Florida United Soccer Academy. The project is to identify the an experience organization to provide leagues, tournaments, and other athletic programming that enhances community recreation opportunity, supports sports tourism, and maximize responsible use of the complex. The RFP was advertised on January 14th. The inquiry deadline was January 22nd. The submittal deadline was January 29th 29th at 2 PM. The evaluation committee met on February 5th, 2026 at 2 p.m. Notified users was 2599. Viewed in those who viewed the RFP was 787 vendors that followed the project was 13. The contract award is a multi-year contract with the initial contract period of two years from the date of the cont that the contract is fully executed with one additional one-year renewal option for a total of three years. The intent of the advertising of the RFP was to award up to two organizations, each with an agreement providing priority rental and scheduling access to three separately assigned multi-purpose fields at the Northwest Recreation Complex. The first of the three fields

is currently operational and the contract would start on July 27, 2026. The second of the three fields are being constructed and the contract award will begin upon completion which is anticipated to be on February 1st, 2027. During the solicitation process, there was a disqualification of a proposal as a result of RFP section 9 conut silence. Therefore, the evaluation committee has recommended making recommended awarding a single proposal to Central Florida United Soccer Academy for the first contract. The members of the evaluation committee was Christopher Richtor, the parks and rec administrative manager, Donnie Roland, parks and recreation administrator, Rhonda Klein, athletic program manager, and Dan Abdu from the city of Okcoay parks operations manager. In regards to the criteria associated with the RFP, it was based on organization qualifications and experience at 25 points. Community benefit and resident participation 25 points. Program plan and use of fields 25 points. Financial proposal and history 15 points. Added value to the city and residents 10 points. Again, Central Florida Soccer Club, Inc. was disqualified. and Central Florida United Soccer Academy is the um vendor that we're going to award to. In accordance with the policy, our purchasing policy section 107394 form of solicitation. If only one response is received, administration and the department director shall make the decision to recommend award or rejection of the response whichever is deemed to be in the best interest of the city. So

therefore that decision was made to move forward with the single proposal. Central Florida Academy had a score of 89 um and their monthly fee is 4,462.50 for a 12-month period. The evaluation committee recommend the the single proposal to Central Florida United Soccer Academy for the first contract. The department reserves the right to rebid an agreement providing priority rental and scheduling access to the three assigned multi-purpose fields from the start date in spring of 2027 anticipating service start date of February 1st, 2027 and is contingent upon the completion of the park expansion which plans to bring additional multi-purpose fields to the west of paths 9 through 12 in the late 2026 or early 2027. All right, questions for Blanch. I

thank you. I just have a few questions. So, in regards, and I'm trying to I just received this packet, so I'm just looking through it now. In regard, is there a reason why is this normal practice for us to bid out this or is this something new that we just started? As I understand this is, and I think Rally can address that question for you.

Yeah, Commissioner, this is the first time we've bid fields out in this manner. Um, when you look at the park user groups, we have about three groups. You've got your youth recreation or your recreational leagues, youth, adult, uh, recreational leagues. You have your general users that are maybe the team, a single team, a coach looking for field space, or a family coming out to to play on a field. And then you have clubs or travel teams that larger groups that come looking for field space and might be looking for multiple fields for multiple days throughout multiple years. Um, so this is the first time we've looked at doing it this way. Uh, as we are getting nearer to the construction of the six new soccer field or multip purpose fields at Northwest Rec. Um, we don't have really very much space for any of those user groups that come individually. So the the one-off renters, the the single teams, the families, the adults that just want to gather and and play on a night out on a field. Um so to ensure we kind of had some space for that with the new fields coming online and then also to provide additional opportunity for other groups in that club um academy realm. Uh we looked at putting out a RFP uh that we did um and allowing up to three fields per group to uh to be awarded.

So in regard you said club academy. So when it comes to and I'm just asking because I really don't know I'm just seeing this for the first time. So when it comes to like other organizations like like Pop Warner and baseball, are is there RFP for that process as well? Is it?

There is not. So uh with little league baseball and uh a pop to pop Warner, those groups are are structured a little bit different than your club academy style. Those are really volunteer-led parent sweat. They're running the league from top to bottom, the organization from top to bottom. um with your volunteers uh through those organizations. They're also uh set up and structured in a way for low entry barriers. So, typically your your uh lower uh participant registration fees. Um they have mandatory playing times for for players for for people to play. Um and for example, our wreck programs like our youth soccer, our youth basketball, and youth flag football that we run internally. um those are recreational programs, so they're geared towards getting kids to come out, play, maybe learn the sport um and participate. The club sports are typically more of a competitive um structure um to where they're professional coaches um they're in more competitive leagues or more competitive uh programs. Um so it's a little bit different structure.

What about the the wear and tear? Is this is it kind of the same wear and tear? It's it's pretty much the same. Yeah. I just and I probably definitely want to look at the other contracts. I for me I think there should be a process all the way across the board for every pro for RFP for for every program. So that way it's not creating where one club or one organization feels that the city is picking on them. I have received calls from parents and their concern is that for whatever reason they feel that the city is is is is not being fair. So I do think that we do need a process in place. If we're going to bid out this we need to bid out everything

if that's the the wish of the council. We can certainly um do that. Um it's the uh draw a similar comparison to some of the signature events that we brought forward to the city council. Some of those 60 plus year events, the art foliage festival, the um a popka parade, um the pop league and pop warner have been in the in the city operating for 50 plus years, I believe, and there's been a long-term relationship there. So, but it's it's at the will of the council. If there's a platform that you'd like us to uh utilize,

understand that there has been organization around for, you know, 50 plus years, but I think with creating transparency, making sure that everyone's feel appears that they're being treated equally and fair. I think there should be a process all way across the board. That's just my one opinion. Next, Well, you know, I originally I had received the email from Mr. Naji, right? Um, and uh I guess that was what

brought out that there was a uh the cone of silence was broken when he uh reached out to me. And at the time, uh his email was not about choosing him. He was just questioning um what uh Commissioner Anderson was saying is is how do we define these legacy sports organizations that the city has been supportive of and you said that the Pop Warner there's two football teams that we also is it that we also sponsor or has access to our

there's a there's a popular League, Papa Warner football, and I believe it's the AAOU football. Okay. So, those organizations you say are all driven by volunteers through the parents. Is that correct? That's what you were just saying. Yeah. Your little leagues, your pop owners, those are are parent. So, how does the city support those organ uh sports organizations?

So, through typically, again, these are low entry barriers. So the registration fees for these are typically they try and keep them as low as possible to include as many uh participants as would like to participate. So traditionally these type of organizations they partner with cities for field space. So we're the home of the apopul league. So they utilize some field space uh the popner. We're the home of pop warner and au. So it's a it's a field space for their leagues to operate. So, like before we put out the RFP um for soccer, how long was Naji involved in our city? Well, here's Central I should say Central Florida uh soccer.

I believe it was 14 years. So would you have considered that sort of a a sports organization that we have been supporting because he was in the city as I for 14 years. Yeah. As I had mentioned the way we look at it is a different classification of organization. So what was the what when you're saying you were looking at the classification what made K different? So yeah like years with us and the other organizations. I know we've been around I I I don't even know how many decades, but

the type of program. So again, your little league, your Pop Warner, you're paying a a season fee. It's typically a low fee, low entry fee, very a low cost. You're playing on teams and in a league that's organized where every player has a right to play. There's time limits. There's requirements for them to play. It's all volunteer-led from coaches, administrators all the way up. Uh, a club sport is structured a little bit different. They do have some volunteers. Um, they have paid professional coaches. They participate in larger tournaments. They do competitive training. It's a different type of activity. Um, so those are the that's the difference that that

it's kind of give you an analogy. You got which I don't know we have any tribal ball as in as in baseball but little league is I'm going to say we don't have any do we have anybody from little league tonight? No I want to say little league to to be a member of a little league team is 200 bucks or something something like that and the the program Naji's program is starts at I don't know 12 $1,300. So it's five times as much. So little league is a much lower barrier to entry than would be the club soccer team or the you know and pop water same way. It's 250 bucks I think for a kid. Um and that's where we we even had some scholarships for those kids um through the the advent program to help some of those kids even reduce the pricing. But but as as Rally said is the the little league is everybody is required to play. you get to club sports, it's it's it's competitive and that's I mean we want to have that but I think we also have the flexibility with with with little league that if we have a tournament we they work they work with us to to free up fields if we can get a tournament like a regional tournament here at at at Northwest they work with us to so we can bring in ter you know teams from out of the out of the you know the region out of the state and so it's a it is a different not to say that that they're both good programs, but you know the difference between our our soccer program is it's 100 bucksund

I think it's 125 now 125 particip versus I don't know 12 13 $1400 minimum for and so what do we do with those fees I mean if even though it's a low entry we collect because our our little league um organization is is large the league overund kids that I know when we go for um the you know the summer league when it opens up. Yeah. So we collect all those fees. What do we do with

No, the little league and the pop owners those organization collect the fees and then we have an agreement with them. They provide us and and we did actually increase it the last time it came forward. We did you know uh increase the amount that they were to contribute back to us based on a per p per participant. Okay. But it goes back into the into the general fund. Oh, so we don't have a separate fund for them. We just No, it's a general It's a rental fee. Yeah, it's a rental fee. It's a rental fee that they have to pay to use the fields and they collect the money from the parents and whomever,

but we only get a rental fee per the agreement that we have with them. So, how do we set the fees for um both organizations? Because the fees and I and I know because um Mr. Rod Alson has come up several times to show the difference of the rental fees and it was a a very discrepancy in other words what you were charging Pop Warner the little league as opposed to the professional. So here's and those or those agreements are like the the little league one that was redone a couple years ago I believe was a per person um per registrant fee back to the city. Um the and really if you look at our so youth soccer internal or youth basketball internal youth flag football internal if we were to run a baseball and softball league internal it'd be like little league style. It'd be a low registration. If we were to run a tackle football, it'd be a Pop Warner style, a recreation style, a low registration fee. We don't run those. So rather than the city running those internal, we have that partnership with those two organizations to help run those recreational leagues for for us. Um, the fee structure for the RFP was we left it up to the bidder with a minimum of what our current field rate is, which is $25 an hour.

If you're a a coach or a parent or anybody that that's looking for a field and would like to rent a field at Northwest, that's the rate that you're charged. The tournaments are charged the same rate. Um, and there are actually there's differences in the timing, but for RFP, we put the minimum at the 25, which is the lowest the lowest rate.

Mr. Smith, you I have another question, but Okay, so let me ask. So a as a result of them being disqualified to bid on the project. So does that mean they have no use of the fields? Uh the way it stands right now, we still have

we have one field remaining. Um and we're working to get the other six constructed. and where we are with the the new fields. Uh the uh ar the architect firm, engineering firm at CPH, they have finished the plans. They are finishing an inspection at the park and working through a permit with uh St. John's River Water Management. Once that's back, the plans are final. We have our two uh awarded contractors to do their secondary bids for construction. So, we're we're close to getting the ground moving over there. Um but the latest that we had identified for the RFP was a spring open

next February. So So only one organized organization can have use of the fields at at a time. No, the goal is to have all the fields open and they would both each have three fields each group awarded. That was the idea of the RFP and that's why the later when those other three are constructed that's a part of the six that's why that wouldn't be available until after that construction is completed. So the four fields that we now have that um Central Florida Soccer Club is using only three out of that four will go towards this contract. So their contract is up in July.

July. So, will the other fields be ready by the time those Well, that that's R and I were and I know we were talking with Donnie and and and Chris status update on that. Yeah, if we sprig it, it's going to be probably late fall. If we were to sod a couple of them, we could probably have this thing not far after the July date. I think we could have those fields up and running. That's our latest. Uh again, we're waiting for St. John's River Water Management to to clear us on the permit, but once that's ready, the plans are done and and our our two contractors uh we did confirm they're ready to get the get the bids back to us once they have the plans.

They're they're chomping at the bit to do it. So, we could almost turn around and and do the second RFP almost immediately with with what we see as a you know, an opportunity. We we could do two of them, roll it with the, you know, sod and then do this. We would normally springrig them if we're not in a in a rush. We could, but we we could do two of them sided, which would give you then give you the three fields we were talking about. Anyway, so you'd have the three fields with the the award winner and three additional fields would be forid for rebid

and the and the goal and then with all the fields constructed that still even with awarding two three field sets. This still leaves four fields for us to have available for the one-off teams, the the parents or the the individuals that want to rent a field to meet up and play. Uh we we lack that right now. We lack that ability most of the season. And we need some time to let the fields rest or take a field offline. You know, right now they're we're full on playing. So we gave every every week gave a field, you know, a rest. we it would help us.

All right. Then then let me ask another question. So let's assume that that another three fields are ready in July and another RFP sent out. What happens if some other organization in addition to um Central Florida Soccer Club sends an RFP? It's it'll be up to the process. You know, if they submit then we have to go through the evaluation process. So the one that we're awarding now is that the only one that send RFP other than only two submitted that was Orlando soccer and the one that we awarded. Correct.

So there may not be an interest from anyone else. May not be. Commissioner Nestle. Yeah, this has obviously been a there's some history with this group obviously. So that that's indicative of some things that are going on here. And I do want to correct a couple things that were said. The fees that were stated that Central soccer Club charges to start out with are are much less than what was stated here. Um the new fields isn't wasn't there a gopher tortoise issue there that need to be re relocated. Isn't that what the delays that's been cleared? But that's what caused a lot of delays that start Yeah, that was one of the delays in the process.

I thought so. That that's what it so my concerns too is that if we try to plan and say, "Hey, the fields are coming. the fields are coming. I've heard that since precoid that the fields are coming. So, we've really been slow to grow with our community specific to parks. Same we had that same issue with tennis. So, um I have low confidence that that's going to be done by July to help serve our growing community in that capacity. And I really think we need to start giving local preference to organizations, especially nonprofits that serve our local schools and students and families. I we haven't done that enough and that really needs to be something we focus on. Um focusing on our businesses, focusing on our local nonprofits because if I'm not mistaken, the uh the organization that's being recommended is not based in Apaka. Is that is that accurate?

Um I don't have the address, but I can find out for you.

Okay. I'm fair I'm fairly certain they're based outside of Apakka. So my concern is that this organization is already serving our youth, our families. Um, we've heard testimonies from them previously of how this impacts in such a positive way our community. Um, they don't talk always about what they do volunteer-wise, but it's pretty impactful when they do discuss it. Um, so I know there may be some other questions and discussions, but I what I want to do is and we can discuss it right after this is just move to deny this RFP and go back to actually discussing with this nonprofit, have a good true conversation of how we can partner with them without going through the RFP process again. Mr. Anderson, I know you had another question.

Oh, no. I was just fact checking. I was just online looking at the program because I just want to make sure I mean I'm seeing competitive 1500 1800 2100 um U8 15 1821 I was no I was just looking at the different things. So I guess I have I guess I'm back to just a lot of information. I just received all this just now because we was under the con because you in the cone assignment

so I couldn't see the information. So I I guess I'm I'm I'm still back to my original, you know, position is that just creating something. And I think for me just trying to really understand I guess my understanding is that the these other programs partner with the city. It's a partnership with the city. Is is that correct? And they Yeah, I believe they're called partner agreements. The ones that we have with them currently. Yeah. And they refund a portion of their to the city. It's uh I I'd have to I can send you those agreements. I believe little league I believe it's a per per participant. Um

and these and these programs are more so structured for to be more affordable is is what you're I'm just trying to understand the difference because they're lower entry costs. They're recreational style. So again, there's anybody that wants to play sign up,

register when they're on a team, they're assigned to that team. They're working with a volunteer coach and they there are mandatory planning requirements. So, so how do we make it across the board where everything when I say across the board where if there's I guess a threshold with with we just need to make sure everything is just where it won't be claims or would appear that or if there is biases not biases I'm not here to you know say yay or nay but so it if it is that we have a process in place to eliminate any of that so for and I'll just speak one of the reasons traditionally these like little leagues top

sorry Uh traditionally why little leagues pop warners work with cities uh again to keep the fee to participate low. If we were to charge them more of a rental fee, rental rate, they would not be able to afford uh renting the facility and maintaining that lowlevel entry barrier for registration because it's 150 200 bucks a kit. So for me was I mean we've had RFPs where we've had just one entry or you know one bid and we've kind of dis discharged the RFP because we have we done that in the past with any RFP

where we've gotten one bid or two bids or I don't know street we kept getting just one bid and that was awarded and we put it out again and we still got one award, but we gave an opportunity to open it up again. But keep in mind, let's let's be clear, we got two and one was disqualified because they violated the code of silence, right? Okay. Adhere to the process, the results would have been different.

But I think the RFP was created in a way that didn't actually give the need of what they were already using as well. So, we don't have enough fields to serve our community the way that it is right now. So that's a problem. The RFP was already created in a way that didn't serve what we needed. So that's again my motion on the table. I do know we need to hear from public first before we actually do a vote. So yeah, anybody from the public wish should speak on this one? Sure. Okay. Yeah. Go ahead. speaker cards.

There seems seems to be a lot of misleading information here because AAOU has has you have to try out for AAU. Baseball has also travel where you have to pay $200 just to just to do a try out. you know, as far as as as our fees, I'm not sure what our fees have to do with anything with getting fields. Um, our our our policy, our mantra in our club is every kid plays. There's no kid in a pop cup that if they want to play that we're going to say no to. It doesn't matter. If they have the money, don't have the money, they're going to play. We're going to find them a place to play within the club. Um, and the mayor said that our our fees are five times more. We're we're we're pay we're paying between eight and 17 times more than anybody everybody else. And the contracts that we signed with the city are the same exact contracts that were just recently renewed in May or June of last year. It's the same exact contract. You guys, if you guys pull the contracts, the same exact contract that we have. We've been asking for renewal for almost a year. We've been saying we'll wait till we're 90 days before the expiration and then all of a sudden everybody else's contracts get renewed except for us. And now all of a sudden we have to adhere to an RFP. The city in the city's history, we've never had in 140 years of this existence of the city, we've never had an RFP for field for field use. Never. And and obviously you open the RFP up, only two organizations submitted submitted for the RFP. One of them was us, the other was CFU. CFU is basically a splinter of us. There's a bunch of coaches also from us that that wanted to start another club which is fine. I think for me personally I think there's enough room in Apakka for multiple clubs but again for for me personally the the the thing it has nothing to do with the RFP it you know with the with the uh it has to do with the process you know again we're not tonight you know we're not asking you to award the contract to

us. We're asking you to cancel the RFP and direct your staff to restart the process under clearer and more transparent conditions. There are several documented concerns that make cancellation the responsible course of action. First, city commissioner publicly acknowledged that that that for many years the city had no formal nonprofit allocation policies in place and that legacy organizations received preferential treatment. When a member of this dis confirms historic historic preferential practices and lack of policy, it creates an obligation to ensure the current RFP process is not built upon that same flawed foundation. Second, our organization was was disqualified shortly before the evaluation committee meeting. Regardless of intent, removing a long-standing community partner immediately prior to committee review raises legit legitimate process concerns. Third, during the committee meeting, the public recording was stopped, muted while discussion continued and then it was restarted. Even the appearance of incomplete public record undermines confidence in the process. Fourth, the scope of the of this RF RFP materially differs from the current arrangement that has served this community. The proposed award covers three fields with no guaranteed weekend scheduling priority.

The existing agreement provided four fields and defined prior access. This is a significant significant reduction of access for Apakka families. So question for you. Did you know the rules? I'm sorry. Did you know the rules? Yes, sir. I know the rules. You knew the rules? I knew the rules. Did you contact only commissioner?

No, I didn't. I I contacted every every every person that I've contacted was in their capacity either as either running running for for office or for their election. There was no contact directly to anybody on the on the deis to their to their apka.net email address. The same thing that did you the you sent was Was it to her a personal email or was it to a to the city email? Personal email. Okay. So, just one. Was one? No. No. I didn't say I said I said I said she wasn't the only one that received the email. Okay. So, we got more than one person. So, you violated not only once but more than once. I mean, again,

section there's not supposed to be dialogue right now. Again, there's there's again there's there's again you guys you guys say that we violated the code of silence. We're That's Did you know the process? I'm sorry. No. Did you know the process? Yes, I knew the process. Okay. All right. Thank you. All right. Next up, S.

Well, I came here tonight. Sam Ruth, uh, 75 West Magnolia Street, Apka. Uh, this is a subject I have great knowledge at. I coached at Apopa High School for 25 years, both baseball and football. I've coached, you know, people like Warren Sav, Brandon Merryweather, Zack Grinky, uh JT Wise, I mean, a host of others, but they all have one thing in common. They started on our fields. And I will tell you this, if you think it's profitable to be a coach in this day and time, especially competitive because you you said AAU, I brought AU to Apakka. There was no AU on Apopka until I brought it here. Uh it is a competitive league. I've won national titles. I took Apakka kids all over the United States and we won in the biggest arenas you could play. But I will tell you one thing. If you think taking a bunch of kids from Apakka to New York, Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina, and playing competitive is cheap. It's not. We played little league Monday through Friday and on the Saturdays we played competitive. And I've never heard the the on the competitive field. I never heard um discouraged or tried to insinuate to any of the kids that one was better than the other as if playing time. We had scholarship set up. I would actually go out and solicit everybody in the community here. If I had kids that played on the team that couldn't pay, they played. Even if I had to go out and hustle the the money for

them to play so as we could go to uh uh Puerto Rico to play in a tournament in Puerto Rico, I would go out and hustle the money primarily from people that are sitting on this diet. I would come and beg you to finance one of my kids so that I could take him to Puerto Rico or Mexico and play in a tournament. It's I I commend you for what you're wanting to do. Um the kids that go there, I know this, we have one of the best wreck fields, you can't even get to it. So if you think people are coming here because of the uh the fields that we have out there, it's a great it's a great location. It's a great field. It's a great complex, but the kids that are out there that are making the commitment to go there, they're from here. They're not from somewhere else. They're from here. And if somebody wants to come here and coach some kids, we ought to commend them. We ought to put everybody on this dis ought to um uh get behind people that want to come and take our kids and put them on a ball field and get them out of the street. Thank you.

I didn't come here for that 10 minute rain. I was going to just sit and be quiet, but this is something I know a little bit about. We got more coming.

Oh, we got more. Rod Olson 3156 Rolling Hills Lane Wayne as you know I've got four granddaughters that played soccer played with this program for all these years. The fact that you delineate and make a different set of programs rules and set for this league is in is beyond comparison. The fact is that you have 500 kids affected by this program. That's probably 400 voting family members. They invest $35,000 in scholarships to help these kids go. If you think as as Mr. Ruth said the aspect of the football these football teams play football, they play national tournaments. Do you think that's a $100? Little league goes across the country playing. There's a lot of money that rolls with it. The fact that you delineate and make this different than the other sports is insane. Are some of the coaches reimbured? What? Pennies on a dollar because they have to get certifications to coach at certain levels. They get the cost of the certification basically. Unbelievable. We have to look at making it fair. Take a good look at the numbers. Little League, Red Six Fields, Buffalo Chips, any day of the week, you cannot get on one of those fields. They have all 12. No one invests more time and money than trying to fix those fields, getting ready for the next game. You do next to nothing with the other fields. Their rates are $148 to 222 over a five-year contract. The only one with a step poper 162 five-year agreement rental rate. Popka Raptors, AEOU, Flag Football,

$2.99 an hour rate. They say they rent one field. Well, about three of the four last weekends, they were using four or five fields. Are they paying for it? I don't know the answer to that. Central Florida is paying $25 an hour for a field. Plus, they pay for games $25 an hour. The other school, the other athletic programs don't. They get it's a freebie. This is you've got to do better. You need to look at this. You need to make a change. If you're going to bid fields out to make money for the city, then bid the whole damn bunch out. Thank you.

I just want to say one more thing. You should be proud. You should be proud to have the coaches that we have on these teams because we are parents out there. We are watching the coaches behaviors, their language, how they encourage those kids. How they hold their heads up high even after a loss. A loss that often times seems unfair. I had a one-on-one conversation with Coach Scott before I put my son on that team because beyond sports, beyond skill and ability, which my son has thankfully, I'm looking for people to mentor him now more than ever with the loss of his dad. But way before that, people to mentor my son. After every game, regardless of win or loss, our entire team goes to shake hands with the other coaches. If you don't think that speaks volumes to young men and women, you are sadly mistaken. And perhaps you're not even a parent. They hold their heads up high. Our coaches are not out there cussing. They're not out there acting like fools. They are meant to be respected. So, if it's financial, let's figure it out. If it's personal, let's put it behind us as adults. But you should be proud. All of you should be proud to have the coaches that we have on our team. I have a coach that doesn't coach my son who called me after the passing of my husband. I had never I I still to this day have never met him in person.

These are men you should be proud to have in your community. Thank you. How are you guys doing tonight? Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. My name is Euan Lindo. I am a coach at Central Florida Soccer Club. I coach the you 16, 17, and 18 boys. I'm also a coach at Apakka High School. I coach a soccer program there. I want to let you guys know the impact that these boys have coming from our program into high school is immense. It's extremely egregious what's happening here. And I really feel like we need to take a deep look at this internally because the impact in the community is massive. These kids play in Apka from a young age. They come from the wreck program to our program to high school and beyond. We're taking these kids from youth, from babies, literally, all the way up to young men and young women in our society. We teach them life skills. We teach them how to cope. We teach them how to deal with anxiety, pressure, failure, loss, death, everything. These are things that they are not getting anywhere else. And yes, I know you guys mentioned the cost. If you bring another club in here, they're going to charge more, if not the same thing. It cost has nothing to do with this. The impact that we have on these kids and our environment and our society is massive and you cannot take that away from them. I deal with these kids year round. When the club season ends, I get them at high school. Same guys that I coach at at the club, they're coming to me at high school. And guess what? All of them don't make the team, but they're okay with that because they've learned that you have to earn things. And that is life coaching that we teach them from a very young age all the way through. And I stand by that. I stand by the club and I stand by what we we teach and what we embody. So, please think about it. I'm not saying overturn anything, but just think about it, guys. Please. Thank you very much. Okay.

And I'm sorry, what was your name? My name is Euan. You and Lindo. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Uh, my name is Latana Murray. I am uh a grandparent of a soccer um player. I just want to say um I'm also an army veteran and we moved here to Apakka um and my grandson didn't have a real direction about what he wanted to do. He's 13 years old at that age. We you know they make lots of plans and things about what they want to do. But I'm a firm believer that nothing happens by accident that we are put in places where we belong for a reason for a season whatever it may be. But this team has made a humongous impact on him. It has taught him responsibility, being accountable for himself. It it's just made a difference not only with him as a teenager, but for our family, my husband, my daughter, his mom right there. It's touched all of us. And all of the players that play on that team, they are a family. And although it might not seem like a big deal to bring other teams to come in and and do something, you know, with the the fields and things like that, it matters to the people that live here. It matters to us. And we vote. We matter. Our opinions matter. You know, our everything that we do has to count for something. So, what I'm saying is that for my grandson, for the other children, let's stand up for them and give them the opportunity to continue to do what they've been doing. Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Um, my name is David Bass. I'm a resident here in Arrol Estates. Um, I'm also a coach of the high school age boys. Um, couple things that that I will say about this organization. I I started as a volunteer with this organization. I'm a coach now. I've uh gone through several cycles of of certification. Uh and and they're right. It's expensive. Uh just just for my last license, it was almost $2,000. Okay. But I do that because I want to be the best coach for these kids. And it's not just about soccer. It's about character. It's about the things that that we're building in the community. I see the kids. I've coached as a WCK League. I coached for the WCK League for many years as well. Um, so I've been coaching here for probably 15 years or so. Um, and and one of the things I'll tell you is I see a lot of the kids that I've coached through the years and they still walk up and say, "Hi, coach." And and they thank me for for things that I did for them. And I can tell you this, uh, one of the reasons I'm part of this organization, I don't need to be. I have my own business. I'm I I design electronics for for rockets, for all kind of things here in Central Florida. Okay? So, I don't need to do this. I do this because I want to mentor these kids. And I'm part of this organization because that's at the heart of this organization is the kids. I can tell you the number of times I've called Nazi to say, "Hey, I've got a kid." I don't He doesn't have the means to play, but he wants to play. And he's stepped up time after time after time to help them pay, to find scholarships for them, to help pay for their uniforms. We go give them rides if they need it. The the amount of things that that they do for the kids,

that's why I'm part of this organization because it it is the heart and soul of soccer here in Apopka. And I can tell you this there. I'm familiar with both of these organizations. As you said, it's a splinter group. There is no girl side to that organization. That is something that you must consider. There is no girl side to that organization. And that that is something that that uh is is very important. Uh I had a young lady come out and talk to these girls about where soccer takes them in their career. It's not just about the sport of soccer. It's about their futures and the lives of these kids. So, I I just ask you to really consider what's happening here.

Thank you.

Anybody else? Sylvester Hall, Rock Springs Ridge. Good evening, everyone. Um, I got a chance to listen to Mr. Olsen while I was getting ready to come to the city council meeting where he talk about warriors. I want to thank all you warriors for showing up here tonight and standing up for the community. When I ask you, how do you see a pucka? Do you see it as you are? Do you see it as it is? Or do you see it as what you want it to be? Now, it's election time and I want everybody in this room to understand it's election time. These decisions that are being made are practically coming from a couple people that affect everybody in the community. So when we start talking about character and e and and and ethics, leadership, responsibility, accountability, when I get up here and say all these things matters, that's what's going on here. Now we it's it's it's it's I was it's interesting to see the mayor how he listened to whoever is speaking. When the young man was speaking the mayor was thumbing through papers this and that he listen to he won. When people show you who they are, believe them because we shouldn't be asking for anything. This is what our tax dollars pay for. We should demand five star treatment for our money just like any other business do. And so when we talk about how

investors see a pakka, what the first thing you want to know? Think about it now. Our youth in the city of Apakka, what do they have to do when they get out of school? What do our youth have to do on the weekend? And we talk about everything goes out of pocket. We we talked about last city council meeting how much money is going out of our pocket. Now the very foundation of our city is our children. Why are we coming up here begging for stuff for our children? It should never happen. And it comes with leadership. Who you put in that office? And we got a strong mayor. So if the strong man loved kids, love children, love everybody, you wouldn't have to come up here and do nothing but say, "Hey, look, this is what's missing in our community. Can you help us get this start?" Bam. It happened. Because we're growing a community for everybody. We're trying to make a city, the city of Apaka, great for everybody, not just for a few men, for everybody. And so it breaks my heart to see the citizen come here and beg you for something for their kids. And they're talking about our kids. Our kids, our kids, which is the very foundation. Thank you.

So I just have a a question. So, is there a way to because it's obvious um that I mean I've heard of this program for years and I have a lot of uh people that participate in the program and we do want to see the program stay um and I think we all up here can can say that um they want to see the program stay. But what can we do um to make that happen to see the program stay? Because what's going to happen is after July they don't have a contract. So where I mean where they're going to go again if we award this contract here three of those fields will be o three of the four fields will be occupied as I understand it and they use how many fields they currently use now? Four.

So essentially they won't have anywhere to form. Correct. So we have to do something because a lot of these these these are our kids. These are our youth. So we want to make sure that something happens. So what can we do collectively as a council to make it happen? And keep in mind we have to make sure that what our determination here is very clear as to what we do because we do not want the awarding um vendor to come and file a protest as well. So I'm going to So attorney Shepherd.

Okay. So it seems like the as I sometimes like to say the emphasis has been put on the wrong sal. And by that I mean this was a cone of silence issue. But for the violation of the cone of silence but for that violation this club would have won the bid. That is the approximate cause of why we are here. And so that needs to be fully understood before we talk about solutions. If the results from that violation are that we're unhappy for a number of reasons, one of which could be we only had two biders to start with. That's not a representative sampling. Maybe I I I don't know because I don't know how many of these organizations there may be. Then a solution could be let's go back and rebid it and see if we get more interest. But as Miss Sherman is saying, I don't know if anyone's here from the club that would otherwise be awarded the bid who did everything correctly. And it's important to have integrity in your bidding process. You set the rules, you expect the people to follow them, and that's the issue here. But the way to solve the problem legally is to rebid it. or the other suggestion which I think was coming from the mayor but I understand there's some skepticism on the timeline is expedite the the the readiness of the three additional fields so that by the time the existing contract expires in July there are fields ready you could start a new bidding process for those fields right away and then award presumably some other vendor perhaps this one those fields with a new contract. So there would be no lapse in time between the end of their contract which isn't now but isn't until July and

allows both organizations to exist in a popka on adequate fields. So you have a couple of choices. So I so with that being said so there's currently and this is a question for you c can you come back up I'm sorry n can you come back up I just have a question. So are you able to operate in let's say after July until the other fields is reg let's say there's a lapse additional months can you operate with two fields if the other bidder gets two fields he gets three no no I know I I know but I'm I'm going forward with this so if the one bidder get two bid because it's four total correct four fields there's four currently that we could we have four current fields six more are coming

okay four so could you operate let's just say with the the the other club get to you and you get to. Is it possible you can operate in July until the other fields are ready? It depends. Okay.

It depends if we can we can work with the other organization which I think we should be able to. Uh the thing is we we use four four fields right now. So we we're at four fields and we're growing. We'll probably have more more players, more kids involved in the organization next year. So, we're going to actually need more fields, not less fields. You know, at the end at the end of the day, you know, our our argument is not is not the the the RFP or whether we violated the cone of silence or not. Our argument is we're not being treated equally. The same contract that we've had that we requested and have been asking for over a year now to be renewed is the same contract that was renewed for every other existing youth sport organization using the city facilities. There's never been an RFP in the history of a popka for athletic fields for sports organizations. We've been requesting this for almost a year. It's always been we'll wait, we'll wait, we'll wait and then all of a sudden this magically this RFP comes out of the woodwork and now we have to adhere to our RFP when nobody else in the city that's been using the fuse has to do it

and and I do understand that 100% I understand what your what your concerns are. So just trying to make you know you're trying to reach your resolution right now. So is it possible? So, let's just say if the field is not ready in July when it's time when your contract is up, could you until survive on two fields until the other fields are available?

Yes, we'll make we we'll find a way to make it work. We'll work with other organization. We'll work with the city for for other fields when when some fields are are down, etc., etc. You know, our our biggest concern is now you have you have more more more players using the using the fields and what happens to wear and tear because we use we use four fields but we usually rotate. So we we'll rotate we move things around we work with the city to make sure that we're not you know the wear and tear is is minimal on the facility. So now you have two organization you have more players etc etc. So now, so what happens now when the city says, "Okay, well, we have to shut down two fields." Now what? Yeah,

we'll be we'll be pretty close to that any I mean, we we think we could theoretically be up August 1 with with field additional fields, but but but the argument is not it's it's not whether you deserve this or not. You broke the cone of silence. That's that's what we're here. That's that's that's with do all due responsance with two of the commissioners with all due respect uh mayor that's that the verdict's still out on that one. All right. We we the verdict's still out on that on that one. So uh so I I think we you know tomatoes I I think that we I'm trying to I just want to keep these kids on the field. That's my goal. I don't know. We all do. We all do. So I want to kind of stay in this.

So why don't we because I don't I don't want to debate whether or not the attorney gave his opinion at like I'm not going to debate that at all. that that is what it is at this point. What I think we should do is you have a contract that expires July of this year. Correct.

Why are we able to provide a six-month extension to that? If new fields are done by what the timeline we say in August, then we can go out to a new RFP from there and and bring you in uh and and have different biders come in at that point. I just have low confidence we're going to get those fields done in time and we're going to be in a in a scenario where we're not serving our our youth. So let's do a temporary extension of of 6 months to make sure that the fields are done in time and then that provides the opportunity for another group to come in as well and your group to continue to serve our youth and grow my and I and I agree with that. But my my only concern is I always think about the other person because if I was a person that won the bid, I would have I would come in here next council upset.

So I think it's and they have every right to do that. They have every right. So with that being said, I'm I'm trying to find a way that we meet in the middle with everybody and I think it's only that that so if you're saying that it's possible that you can make it work on the two fields the mayor is saying that yeah we're going we're going to bust our butts to get fields up as quickly as possible I mean I just let me ask the question okay so your contract's not up until till July July yes sir July 31st we're talking about awarding a new contract to the wanted to just want when does that contract begin?

July July 27th 27th of this year. So that one begins when that one ends. Now I I understand what Commissioner Anderson said, but you know if we send an RFP for three fields, you can't go back and say now we're going to give you two. But we're essentially asking to go back and just deny a whole thing, you know. Well, I don't think we can I think we have I I don't think we can negotiate like it's either we accept it as is or not. Correct. So, so let All right. So, let let me ask you then, coach. Should I heard you say that you your program is growing. You're currently using four fields. Yes, sir. And as you grow, you're going to need more fields.

Correct. So, how do we determine when he gets additional fields above the four? So, so this is why we looked at this as a model moving forward because our youth soccer program that we internally run a popco parks wreck is over 900 participants regularly. So, and that takes pretty much all the eight fields to the south. So, again, as demand continues to come in, we could build another 20 fields and and probably fill them within a couple weeks. Uh so the the thought of this again the objective of this RFP was to open an opportunity as new fields are coming on to have another group and again uh Naji's group Naji's done great things out of the fields. I've seen them out there um in my time over at the park and this has been nothing against the program. We have other programs that do reach out that do similar type uh uh club sport looking for field space as well. Um,

so how realistic it is for us to expedite the new fields and have them ready before the July deadline? So, and I'll throw this out and and I'll work with our parks and rec team. Um, I feel very comfortable that we're going to get there. If not, we'll have to do some adjustments in our in our youth soccer program um to try and make make it make peace make it work. Bradley, when does when does this fall soccer or rec league start? Chris, do you know or Cindy? August. Okay. It's So, we we also have a youth soccer. Yeah. We run an internal youth soccer league. 900 plus. 900 players.

Yeah. So, if these two fields are not ready when this contract ends, we'll have to get cozy. We'd have to get cozy on those other fields, but they will have So, so then he would have the opportunity to use the other fields until such time as these new ones are ready. Well, and he would not That's through the rebid. We got to get a new a new Yeah, remember we got to go out and rebid those other three fields.

They were a part of this the RFP. All six fields were a part of the RFP. Three that were going to be available in July. The other three upon completion of the construction. So we were decreasing the number of fields that he's currently using. That's what was Yeah, it was three and three. the requirements of the RFP weren't great and don't align with the needs of our community. That was that was to open another opportunity for for other group to get into Yeah. I guess the concern is is that I mean every few years can they really establish a location if every few years they have to kind of rebid rebid rebid how can you really establish a program? I think it's a what I say multi-year

multi-year it's a multi-year solicitation. Yeah. Two plus one or three plus one. Two plus one. So, it's not every year. It's a three-year. But, but if you're establishing your kids in the program and then they, you know, they're in eighth grade and they it's not renewed and the kid, you know, I'm a mother. You know, my y'all daughter, you know, play soccer. So, I will have an issue personally myself if the contract we didn't get the contract again and now I got to go to Winter Garden with my kid. So, I think we really have to do something here. Yeah. I don't know what that looks like, but we have to do something. Council. Well, what I mean now, now I'm even more concerned that we're going from four to three. He's about to get

We We'll have We've got We'll have 10 fields. Yeah, we're trying to again, but we still Yeah, the demand is there. We have groups calling us. We have teams calling us looking for field space and we currently don't have anymore. Right. So, so then we have to tell them we don't have any. Yeah. If we currently have someone that's using our fields,

that's where we're at right now. Nobody Yeah, we don't and nobody else can get a field right now. So, with all due respect, I mean, you guys, we're we're close. Yeah, it's um So, I think we go back to the motion that I made. So, so the RFP really wasn't even fair to Naji's group because he has been for the last 14 years. Has he been using? No. No. Not no not the whole time.

Four fields came online with the the contract that he's currently in. I'm just trying to figure out because I I think when he sent me the email and I didn't realize he sent it to anybody else, he wasn't really soliciting for me to choose him. He wanted to understand that after 14 years, why couldn't we consider a partnership or relationship with him? He wanted to understand why the other sports organizations were favored. and commissioner just I I've met many times with Naji and we've had discussions about partnerships and the differences between a partnership and and the field rental and uh at that time the field rental was the the way we went which is where we got to where we are today. Um we've had continued demand coming in um we've got new fields coming online to again provide opportunity for others in the community to have access to fields. uh we looked at bidding it out and to do that with again we have a large youth soccer program internally for our our residents to do that and make that opportunity and still allow additional fields for people that aren't associated with any of the groups to have access to a a public park facility. We looked at doing three and three years.

So that's where we that's where we're at today. It's it's obviously the council's pleasure if you'd like to change the requirements and have us rebid it, change the price minimum, change the number of fields. Again, the goal was to open additional access for people that might not be part of a group, might not be part of our soccer program, um looking for field space out of Northwest. My concern is that um whatever decision we make will affect 500. Is that the current number that you have in this organization?

It's actually more if you if you consider the other programs that we have in the city for indoor as well. last between January 1st 2005 and Jan and December 31st 2000 sorry 2025 we had 662 registrations and that doesn't include about 72 teams that registered for our indoor programs with each team having about 8 to 10 10 players so really we serve between 600 to thousand families in the area about 71% of those families are are here Apakka residents you know again you No problem going through an RPP process, but the but the RP process itself. Sorry. Thank you. Oh, sorry.

I just wanted to get that. Um, pleasure. You know, let's go back to an RFP once we have new fields. When we have enough fields, let's go back to the RFP. Let's serve our community in the capacity that is being served. Right now, there's obviously a need being filled. And then once we have the new fields, RFP it all day. If that's the new standard we're going to set across the board, I'm fine with that. I think it makes sense. Let's do it in a way that truly makes sense. So, once we have the fields here, I I kind of agree with that.

So, we're we're going to listen, he does a great job, but we're going to give him access to fields because he broke the rule. That's what we're saying. And if that's then we just need to get rid of cone of silence because if we're not going to listen if if we don't have con of silence for for soccer fields then we might as well forget about it for all our public. You're focused on the wrong thing here. It's not that's what we're here. That's the reason we're here is because he did he broke the conance with the two of you. So that's that's what it's about. It's not about No, you're it's going We're not going to get into that. Let's serve our youth properly.

Yeah. I don't I just right now let's just be clear. I'm the only person that's not up for re-election right now. The only thing I'm concerned about these kids. So, how can we fix this? I'm just saying because we're not going because we're not going to have a a political battle here, you know? So, we need a we need a resolution. What are we doing here? So, I'll go back to the motion that I made of denying this RFP until we have new fields and then re RFPing it then.

And what are the legal ramifications? we're going to lose the of rebidding. The risk is low, but you had better state reasons that aren't we like these guys better than the other guys because these guys broke the rules. It's that simple. The and the reasons to do it is because or or justified reasons is you had two biders and there may be a lot of others if you rebid it. That's a reasonable thing. I can defend that. but not because somebody who had the rules acknowledged getting the rules and broke the rules and didn't win should get another shot. That's not a reason.

So, I think the two reasons here are one, the RFP was written in a way that nobody agreed to other than internally. So, that's one, we don't like how it was written, at least I don't. And then two, it was only two biders, which has always been glaring to us on any RFP. Um, so motion still stands. Well, I I mean I'm sure that the other bid is probably listening or you will. So I I I want to be careful. But what I would like for us to do is to expediate right

those additional fields and I still don't like the three deal if he's already using four. So, is it possible when the next RFP is done, do we have four fields that this group can use? All right. So, we can re bid it for the four fields and once the field, you know, once the fields come come up. So, that's we'll wait until those new fields come and then our field from there. Have six.

Yeah. Again, we can bid it for however many fields you'd like us to bid it for. The the idea was to still have some fields to allow to people outside of any of the groups that we have currently out there and to allow for some rotations for maintenance and things like that. I don't think you're following me. If we award this contract, this RFP, they got three, right? We He still needs four. Do we have four? Yes. Not until the new fields are up. Okay. So, with the new fields, then we have four. Yes. And you have three remaining to be used for Y. All right. Others. So, let's expedate getting those deals done.

Yep. All right. And we're going to commit that they're going to be ready. Chris, you hear that, Donnie? We're going to commit that they're going to be ready. All right. Uh we do budget amendments for everything else. So, whatever we need to do, let's get them done. All right. So, that he has the four fields that he needs for his program. He did. Yeah, we have we'll put an RFP out. We can put that out immediately. Yeah, the good news you can put the RFP out and it can be the effective date of the winning bid for whatever fields are on the RFP will be when the fields are prepared and ready. So hopefully July, if it's August, if it's September, it's how you word the RFP.

So we can get that we can put that on the front burner for an RFP, right? So instead of rebidding three fields, we'll rebid four fields is what I'm understanding. We need to everybody need to be quiet. We're we're it's it's closed hearing now. We're we're to the council. So So we don't want to go down, right? We want to go. Okay. So we got we got a motion by Commissioner Nesto, which was to um to rebid it in six months. Okay. Do we have a a second? Well, to deny the current one to then rebid once the fields are ready. whatever that timeline looks like to rebid

this to to have a reserve fields for any group that would like to bid it then um once the new fields are ready. Okay. Tell me what that motion is again. Motion to deny the current RFP and to rebid it when those new fields are ready. And again, I think the attorney shared with you. I just want to be clear on that. Do you really mean to wait for the RFP till the fields are ready? because you could rebid it right away and have in the RFP that it will be effective, the winning bid when the fields are ready as opposed to wait and then have another lag time of several months. I I I have low confidence we're going to get the fields done that quick. So, I think we'll have plenty of time to rebid it.

I I just have a a question. So, the current company that we're discussing now, the other company, I'm sorry, what's the name of the company? It's the Central Florida United Soccer Academy. Where are they current? Do you know where they're currently at now? Like where are they now? is what I'm hearing in the east lake in Sarrento in Sarrento instead of okay and they've already been notified that they've been notified they've been awarded it yeah they toward Yeah.

All right. So, we're back to we got a motion by Commissioner Neesa to to deny the RFP and to rebid it and whenever the fields are ready whatever when whenever that's whenever the RFP. So, yeah. You want to repeat the motion there, Commissioner Nasta? It's to deny the current RFP and rebid it when the new fields are ready. Okay. Got a motion by Commissioner Neesa.

The the thing is I'm going to second it and see how it goes on the day. We got a motion and a second. All those in favor before we take the vote now when we rebid what are we rebiding? We you we're telling we can tell her what how we want the bid to look which is four. If you want four fields if well this if if the motion if this motion passes then we'll we've got now we got all the fields. We may or may not have all the fields. Okay. But but before we were doing three and three,

right? We can do four on the next RFP if we want to. We'll just have fewer fields for the open for the general public. We got We'll have 10 total. So, we going to do four and four. We We can do whatever we want. We We've done right now the RP is for three. We We We will We had It was for six, right? Let's be clear. It was for six and um three and three. We can, but the second we could do the the next RFP could be for four fields. But if he did, if you reject this RFP, we're starting all over. If if we if we accept the RFP, we could do four fields. We could do the next RFP and do four for four.

So, let me hear that motion again. I'm sorry. Let me hear the motion again because I don't Let me get Let's not over complicate. It's just to deny the current RFP, not know it because we don't like how it's written and we don't know when these new fields are done. So the motion is to deny the current RFP and rebid it once the new fields are in. So then we'll we can then create the criteria once we get closer there as a council and say we want four fields or three fields or six fields, whatever it is, we can create that and staff can then draft the RFP in that capacity, whatever that looks like, and then uh go through the bidding process again.

So let me just say this. I I would you already second it, but I would agree with that motion if we amend it to actually allow it for it to happen with before the six before the new fields are ready because the Clifford um the the attorney's recommendation was well advice was that what we can do is we can put it we can put it out now again and put in their language that when the fields are ready so that way people that's how it's written now. Okay. Okay. And the only and I I hear you on that. I just feel if somebody bids on it, they have no assurances, I guess, that it's going to be July, we can start selling, you know, spots for it or is it going to be August, is it going to be next January? So, that's the only um concern of that.

Or what we can do, and this is just talking, you know, is that we can extend the current contract, right? So, that way we're not displacing them now because obviously they have somewhere in Sto and Tarious, they're operating, you know, now or wherever they are. So that way we know for sure that the fields will be ready. So if you extend the current contract, that means that these three fields that we're trying to award tonight won't be available. So well denying the RFP anyway. If you deny the RFP, then that's what I'm saying.

I mean, they have some they're practicing now. I'm assuming you're you're there. Hear them. Oh, okay. Can we Oh, he's here. Oh, thank you. Oh, no. Just up here. Good. Oh, okay. This is

How you doing? Brian Fgala, 2852 Ponin Meadow Drive. I am a current coach with Central Florida United who has won this bid. I just want to let you know a couple different things. I think that's to clear up a little bit. We keep talking about football, baseball, and soccer. I think the reason, again, this is my belief, the reason that we've not had competitive bids before is because they have different things with football and soccer that they only have one. They really don't have any other entity that is trying to do anything. For soccer, we had two. As coach Najia has said, there was a spender group I coached with Naj, an independent contractor for him for several years. We had philosophical differences along with a couple others. We decided to have different fields. Uh we still have uh the current club is an Apoaka club. There's an Apaka address that is with that club. I'm an Apaka resident. We have mainly Apaka kids that are coaching there. So just want to make sure that what we do here. I know that we were talking about a competitive bid that was put out for an RFP. Uh there will be we will have to look at our legal rights if that is something that doesn't happen. But again, this was a bid that we had put out. Uh we have a pop of kids that we are training. We had to go outside Papka because of differences that we had with coach Naji. We'd like to get back into APKA to have these families being able to train where they want to. I understand that we have different fields that are coming up. But again, this is a PAKA club that is looking to get back into a

I have a question. Thank you for that. So, currently you guys are in is it just Okay. And do you guys currently have a contract or something in place there? We have it is a a seasonby-season uh contract. It is not multi-year. Okay. So, if possible, because the goal is initially was to try to work with both clubs. So, what I asked earlier was to the other coaches that could you use to let's just say in the end of this in July, could you use two fields?

Yes. So, I I was listening on live stream. I Naji, coach Naji has good relationships with all of us at the other club as well. I think that we could work out something. Uh again, we were responding to an RFP that which was for all three fields. It was a little inconvenient that it was set up that way, but again, we were responding to what was given out there as an RFP, but I think we could work something out if we want to take this offline. Okay. Well, they showed up, so yeah. Sorry, we were some of us were out coaching.

So, I'm still back. I I think we need to find a way to see if they both can use the fields work together. I mean he's saying that he has because next council meeting we can have the whole council with the other you know half of of popular soccer families here saying that we took it from them. So you know my thing was always about being what's fair from the start. Um and I was concerned that was my first opening that it was concerned that if me if I you know was the bidder that won the bid I would be upset if I you know if it was taken back from me. So with that being said we do have to find a way once again that we all work together and really the kids are watching us. We have to find a way to work together. We do. I understand. But we got to make sure we don't compromise this process. Absolutely.

All together. So, um how to work within the process and be fair to everyone. Um so, I want to make sure I'm understanding where we are right now. There's a motion in a second. No. Um she take a husband.

Yeah. if if we have the two coaches that are willing to work together with this contract that we're awarding. Um, and Naji is willing to work with the one field that'll be available and the other fields the mayor is saying that we'll have them online by the time you're then I would like to withdraw the second and have them work together because I um I feel it's it's at the end of the day, we want both. We want both of them and they seem to be like they can Yeah. that they're working together.

When we are 500 kids, my concern, that's what I'm trying the families and the kids that that the uh the soccer kids that are it's really going to impact them. So, what we're looking for is if they're both willing to work together and kind of give us the time to get those fields. Yeah. Yeah. And and Naji, don't write to us. That's his right to do that. Well, well, we're during the open process, but no, but he would he didn't write to me. Don't write. Don't write.

So, it sounds like to me that once again, I think what's important is it's not about any of us adults. Let's be very clear. It's about these kids, right? So, we need to do we have to if they're saying they're going to work together, which was kind of what I wanted from the beginning, we kind of work together here. So, it sounds like I mean, they both are saying they can. So, um I guess what's the pleasure of the council? I think we go back then if they if they work it out, then let's just I'd like to see us forward the the contract, right? And then with with them to be able to work out attorney, but we want to make sure that Can you jump in? I know you wanted to talk about this. I can see you. So, can we have an RFP midway through? What does this

I'm trying to provide options and one option given that both biders are willing to work together or attempt to you could with their acknowledgement table this item till the next meeting and see if they can actually bring a joint proposal. Now that is not within your purchasing policy but it is within your discretion. Oh okay. And so that is how you could solve this issue if you chose to. Again, the winning bidder based on the process, we already know that, but we have people that are willing to work together, as someone said, being the adults in the room for the kids and all that stuff. If we want to delay the decision or table the decision, if that's the will of the council as long as the participants agree, then that could be done.

And we can do not only that, we'll have a maybe we get with Chris and the team at at parks and recck and get really, you know, sharpen our pencil and figure out what what's really possible. pencil. They said they need more money. So, what I'll say, so let me just do this. So, I'll go ahead and move because we got to move past it. So, I'll go ahead and move um motion that um we table this item um allow the two club presidents or whatever titles, I'm sorry, to come together and present a plan to the city because I don't feel comfortable one other, you know, completely denying this at all. But I also don't I have to know that this this they have a home. So, that is my motion on the table. Got a motion. Yeah, got a motion. When are you tableabling it? Until until the next council meeting.

Next council meeting. Okay. Got a motion to table this item was the what is it? RFP 2026-8-275 to the next council meeting which is March 4th. Okay. Got a mo motion by Commissioner Anderson. Second by Commissioner Velasquez. before in favor. I was trying to say before the vote to get an acknowledgement on the record from the two organizations. Okay. So, that's important. Absolutely. Okay. All right. Thank you. Yes. Okay. Got it. All right. Thank you. Motion passes unanimously. All right.

All right. Now, I I still say expedite those fields cuz we need them and we want them ready before July. Okay, got it. Yes, sir. Before August. Okay. All right. Next up, business item number one, utility relocation. Vladimir, good evening everyone. Simonoski, public works director.

Mayor, commissioner. Okay, I'll I'll take a minute. Okay. Okay. Mayor, commissioners, what we're bringing to you tonight is two business item. Uh item number one is a request for approval of a interlocal agreement with Orange County for reimbursement of utility relocation cost associated with the Okoya Papco drainage project providing utility relocation cost not to exceed $200,000. Um the project in summary is Orange County has designed and is advancing drainage improvements along Aoya Pupkco Road between West 13th Street and South Halton Avenue to address long-standing flooding and drainage deficiencies within the project corridor. During the design phase, a conflict with existing city-owned utilities was identified that must be resolved. In order for the county to construct the plan improvements without delay to avoid project delays and ensure timely delivery of the drainage improvements, the city and county negotiated an interlocal agreement under which Orange County will perform the required utility location as part of its construction effort and the city will reimburse the county for the actual documented cost of those relocations. The agreement establishes a reimbursement cap of

$200,000 and requires the reimbursement be based solely on eligible verified relocation cost incured by the county. The agreement the agreement further confirms that the city city's participation serves a valid public purpose is in the best interest of the city residents and preserve the existing jurisdictional responsibilities of each party. Reimbursement will occur only after project completion and submittal of supporting documentation providing fiscal transparency and cost control for the city while allowing the county drainage project to proceed without interruption. The funding source is the utility operating fund operations fund which is a fund 401. So if you have any questions I'm here to address.

Any questions for Vlad? Are there any soccer fields over there? But maybe in the future. Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? If not, we'll close public hearing. Look for a motion to approve the interlocal agreement with Orange County. Got a motion by Commissioner Anderson. Second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimous. Okay. Next up,

item number two is a request to authorize the city to purchase vacant land from Lake Carter Exchange Commercial Condominium Association Incorporated for future roadway improvements along Aquoia Papka Road. In summary, the proposed sale and purchase agreement provides for the city of Apka to acquire approximately 16,200 square ft of zero or 0.372 acres of vacant land located along this side of a city operated and maintained segment of Aquoia Popka Road between State Road 429 and Westkin Road. The property is needed to secure additional public rideway necessary to accommodate planned and future roadway improvements along this corridor. The acquisition supports long range transportation planning by ensuring adequate rideway is available for potential rightaway widening, safety enhancements, and multimodal improvements. Obtaining the property at this time allows the city to proactively address rightway rightway needs and avoid potential constraints or higher acquisition costs in the future. The agreed purchase price of 40 46,114.25 reflects the negotiated value for the required rideway area and is consistent with the city's transportation infrastructure objectives. Upon closing, the property will be dedicated for public rightway purposes and incorporated into the city's roadway system. The funding source for this item for this purchase is the transportation impact fees fund.

Any questions for Vlad on this one? I just had a a comment and we discussed this yesterday during uh my my meeting uh that the city has been very good and staff has been very aggressive with making sure that any new developments have a negotiated uh 30- foot rideway anywhere that it's running any frontage. They've been very good with that. So, I was surprised uh to see that we're we're buying this because I I don't think I've seen us buy any right away other than uh Kelly Park Road. So, I was just surprised um to see that. Want to make sure that moving forward we're negotiating it out.

Yeah. Well, in most cases, we try to work with the property owners and they're reasonably they're reasonable accepting some of the dedications. Uh this situation happened when the road was actually this section of the road particularly was still owned by Orange County and the transfer happened to the city I believe in November of 2024. So the future development of that kind of now that we take over the road up to the southern section of this property and um the entrance to Oak Point development there. We just want to plan for the future needs and we believe this is the time to to apply.

I definitely see the need here. It's definitely needed obviously for that road and that intersection specifically, but I know we've done it on like Plymouth Sarrento. We've that's not our road. It's Orange counties, but we've taken right away there on projects. So, um just a comment just to move, you know, moving forward. I think just make sure we can negotiate out that during the development process. Yeah. Thank you. Can you pull the map up? I don't believe we have the No, no, we didn't. No, we didn't include the map. It's basically 550 ft from the Kin Road to the south

and 30 ft wide. So, that section incorporates uh where they're building right now, the right turn lane. They they're building two right turn lanes. So because Lake Carter Exchange has two access points. So this is coming just to the south of the first one of the northern uh right turn lane because the remaining of the property is actually a compensation storage area. It was a it's part of Lake Carter and part of that it's kind of a wetland. So even the expressway when they build the ramps on the 429 they were not able to acquire some of the property because of the wetland and and all the mitigation issues there.

I guess my my concern is is the p the parcel that we're talking about purchasing does not go all the way to the 429.

It does not go all the way. We own the road at this point only to the southern uh corner of this property which is the entrance point to the new development which is called Oak Point. That's where the trail stops, the Oak Point trail that was in the city now and it's aligning with the Orange County trail coming from the south side. So Orange County still owns the portion of the the section of the road from that point all the way past 429 to the south past Beinian and up to McCormack I believe. So So how is this section that we're purchasing for future widening of the road going to connect if we don't own the other piece from where we are stopping to the port 29? That's that's the part I'm missing. So, so how it's going to help? It's going to help with uh King Road is still currently and it most likely it's going to remain county road. Once improvements happen at more improvements at that intersection in the future, that's going to help with providing more opportunities for proper left and right turn lanes. Now going to the south, of course that's going to have to be aligned with Orange County and CFX working on their current projection and changes they're doing at the at the 429 and the widening this underway. So it it's going to be a challenge, but

all right, it's better to secure the property now and have the opportunity when it's ready. Okay, any other questions for Black? All right. Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? If not, we'll close the public hearing. Look for a motion to approve the purchase agreement for the acquisition of vacant land for public right away on Okoia Popka Road. So moved. Got a motion by Commissioner Smith. Second. Second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor? All opposed? Motion carries. Next up, ordinance number 3154.

Ordinance number 3154. An ordinance of the city of Apapa, Florida, changing the zoning from T transitional to RSF1B residential single family large lot for property located at 550 West Lester Road owned by Christopher Williams and Katrina Barrett comprising of 3.05 acres more or less providing for severability conflicts and an effective date. Any changes? Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? Not close public hearing. Look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3154. Got a motion by Commissioner Velasquez. Second by Commissioner Smith. All those in favor?

I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. Next up, ordinance number 3150.

Ordinance number 3150. An ordinance of the city council of the city of Apakka, Florida amending the comprehensive plan of the city of Apakka by amending the future land use element to update policies, tables, map references, and supporting text related to the Kelly Park interchange form base code and the town saver town center overlay district providing for transmitt providing for severability providing for conflicts and providing an effective date. Good evening. Jean Sanchez with the community development department. This is a request to accept the first reading of ordinance number 3150, a comprehensive plan text amendment to the future land use element for the Wild Oaks property. Subject property is located at the southwest corner of Kelly Park Road and State Road 429 and consists of approximately 304 acres. This future land use amendment is the policy level companion to the proceeding agenda item the proceeding agenda item ordinance number 3118 which amends the land development code to implement the town center overlay district. Both ordinances represent the culmination of more than two years of coordinated work among city staff, the applicant and consultants to align the land development code and the comprehensive plan future land use amendment. Just as a background, um this portion um of the future land use proposal that's being amended was initially part of the city's comp plan update that you all previously approved. And we all know um the Florida Commerce came back and they had some comments that staff is working through right now. So because of the applicant's deadline, they pulled it out of the update and then now they're doing this as a separate um text amendment as

applicant driven. So, the purpose of 3150 is to update and modernize the future land use element to formally recognize the town center overlay district within the mixeduse Kelly Park interchange area. The amendment revises goals, objectives, policies, and tables to support a largecale master planned mixeduse town center at the Kelly Park interchange. The amendment does not change the future land use map and does not affect properties outside the KBI area. Instead, it establishes a clear policy direction for how density, intensity, open space, and multimodal connectivity are addressed at the comprehensive plan level. Staff is highlighting um four of the eight future land use policies that are being amended um and that includes tables. So policy 20.5 clarifies that development plans establish boundaries of both character districts and overlay districts. Uh table 20.10 tracks the development agreement language for wild oaks and caps density for the project. Table 20.10 creates the town center overlay district within the KPI framework and tracking the development agreement language for for Wild Oaks. And policy 20.20 20 clarifies that multimodal needs must be addressed in both characteristics and overlay districts. So all proposed policies are intended to function together as a cohesive framework that supports the town center overlay district. The amendment is closely aligned with the comprehensive plan policies advancing um the following. It discourages urban sprawl, concentrates density and intensity at major transportation hubs and it promotes walkable mixed use developments boarded by transit and open

space. The future land use element continues to preserve all existing wakiva study area protections um and resource protection policies as well. The policy direction reflected in the amendments uh were previously discussed at the joint workshop with the planning commission and city council. Um the last time was January 22nd, 2025 providing early high level coordination on the town center overlay concept prior to formal hearings. That said, the development review committee um recommends approval of the proposal. At its meeting on February 10th, 2026, the planning commission unanimously recommended approval of ordinance number 3150 and transmitt to Florida Commerce. So, the recommended motion is to accept the first reading of ordinance number 3150, hold it over for second reading, and approval of transmittal to Florida Commerce. staff and applicant are available for questions.

Any questions for Jean? Couple questions. This uh should it be approved, it's going to be transmitted to the state and then the state takes however long it takes to approve or deny. Correct. And then it gets sent back down to us for a second reading. Yes, sir. What's the timeline usually for that? Uh 30 to 45 days.

Okay. All right. And then there was some concerns brought up um during the planning commission meeting. one was parking for uh various uses there and I know this this kind of way early on. So I just want to put the notice out there that that was something that was brought up of parking accessible parking um was concern and then the the fact that um this will allow this project to go up to 10 stories. So that's right that's just concerns that were put up there. I'm not making an opinion one or the others. want to make sure that it's out there and people are aware that that's what this is changing part of what's being changed there. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you.

And how will this affect our comprehensive plan once we submit it again? It won't affect our comprehensive plan because in your you approved the first that that version of the comprehensive plan that actually included this the one that was essentially turned down by Florida Commerce because we had some um some things to resolve at the state level that they found to be burdensome. Um, so actually this just took out just the wild oaks portion of that. Um, so the applicant can move on with their planning because we needed the comprehensive plan to be consistent with what they're proposing in the land development code.

Okay. Any other questions for Jean? And one last question. We already did approve this. Yes. Previously, but because it got denied by the state, we're basically approving it again. Yes, you approved in part of that citywide comprehensive plan. Yes, sir. Thank you. All right. Anybody from the public wish to speak on this one? Oh, okay.

Good afternoon. Um, this should be a little less contentious than the soccer, I think, but we'll see. Um, my name is Tyler Burch and I'm an attorney with JC Wilson and Associates. Um, our address is 601 North Fern Creek Avenue, Orlando. Um, we are here uh on behalf of Kelly Park Self Storage LLC. Um, and uh, we've brought an expert, so I'm going to turn it over to her and let her speak on this. Thank you so much. Good evening, Mayor Nelson, members of the commission. Um Kathy Hathaway with pre-development advisors, 473 Devon Place, Lake Mary. Um we have just uh our client has two um concerns with the proposed ordinances and my comments will apply to both uh the future land use amendment as well as the land development code um ordinance that follows. Um the first is that there the proposed amendment is inconsistent with two of your um Keystone Kelly Park interchange um policies policy 2010 which states in part the city shall ensure that areas of greatest density and intensity within the Kelly Park interchange formbbased code area are located at and between the two major intersection nodes at Kelly Park road and Golden Gym and Kelly Park and Plymouth Sarrento. Um what these ordinances do is actually put the greatest density and intensity area in one quadrant of that. It will now be isolated into the southwest quadrant of that area. And the second is policy 2030 which states that building heights shall be arranged so that the tallest

buildings are located in proximity to the Kelly Park interchange and Kelly Park Road itself between the two village center nodes. So again, um, with regard to the building height issue, um, the these ordinances allow the Wild Oaks project to have 10 stories by right. Um, that is higher than any of the other districts. Um, our client is in the interchange district today, which allows eight stories by right. Um, and then the last I know gonna run out of out of time here quickly, but our second point is just that this now certainly gives one developer um a an advantage in this Kelly Park regulating plan area. Um, it's allowed the highest um density, the highest intensity. In fact, it has no maximum intensity unlike all of the other um districts, the highest building height. um just extraordinary um development rights and flexibility not provided to any other development or any other district. So that that level playing field that was established in the original regulating plan is now gone. So we appreciate your comment uh your concerns uh for us tonight and uh would um request that you respect our wishes and not approve the ordinances. Thank you. Albert McKim 3603 Golden Gem Road. The last speaker said that we could have buildings up to 10 stories high. That's part of the code. That doesn't necessarily mean that's what the developer would like. When Kyle Becker was on the DAS, he said this was going to be a flagship development. I would

disagree with that. This is going to be a worldclass development. But in order to break the businesses that you require to support a world-class development, you're going to require population density. And that population density is going to be is going to be required to be near the village center. So it makes perfect sense to me that you you you you allow this to go in that particular area. I've never been a a huge exponent of large scale developments, but in this development, I see lots of reasons why we should support it. In fact, in 3 minutes, I can't tell you all the reasons why we should support it. But I will mention that what we've had here is integrity and we've had responsibility from this developer, more so than we've had from the city council because the city council were the ones that approved the pioneering agreement. the city council are the ones that have delayed the forwarding of the construction of Kelly Park Road. So, I can fully appreciate why a developer would come here tonight to try and bring things forward and it's not gaining an unfair advantage. It's making commercial sense to get this engaged in working now so that you can bring worldclass businesses to Apopka. There are some things that I will mention that I'm not happy with, but it's not with a developer. It's with a city council because now I would like to see this development. I would actually like to see a worldass hotel with maybe six or eight stories. I don't want to see a proliferation of of multi-story homes, dozens of them. But we're going to have to accept that we're going to have some. And it's in the comprehensive plan, and you're already committed to have to follow that. What I would like to see is he's got a a a helipad there for air ambulances. I would like to see an air taxis. I would like to see all

sorts of things. One of the things that we should be speaking to is a developer prepared to allow the city to to station a fire station in there. Could we also have a police station in there? One of the things that we've never settled on was what constitutes the rehabilitation of Golden Gem Road. This developer now has bought almost 50% of the length of the Golden Gem Road. He's going to be responsible for the rehabilitation all along there. We are desperate to encourage him to do what he needs to do because you can't find the funds to either do Golden Gem Road or support it.

Anybody else? Rod Olsson, 3156 Rolling Hills Lane. For at least the last six years, I've come up and I've talked to you about growth. I've talked to you about slowing growth, ways and means to do it. And for five of those years, you didn't do squat. And now Senate Bill 180 puts a little restrictions on what you can and what you can't do. It's no reason to stop looking at every means possible to slow growth. These 4675 units are going to bring 1,400 students. Where are they going to go? It's going to bring 9350 more vehicles. Look at our roads now. You can't get 16 minutes to get from Thompson over to Rock Springs Road on on Wakiva. It's crazy. We have flooding issues. We have water issues. We have sewer. We have reclaimed water pressure issues. We got to do better than this. You need to star search, put a team together, and look at ways to slow this down. This is ludicrous.

Anybody else? Okay, Jean. You want to have the the applicant actually has a presentation?

Sure. Okay. Good evening. Tara Tedro Loun Law, 215 North Yola Drive, Orlando, Florida. Here on behalf of the applicant. Just briefly, I want to make sure everybody understands why we're back because there's probably a little bit of deja vu. We have been working on this for two years. We did have a joint workshop between uh this board and your planning commission last year in January. We were part of the city's overall comprehensive plan update that was approved unanimously. We had no comments from the state as to the policies that we had in the comprehensive plan regarding the town center overlay district, but because of SB 180, you all got some push back from the state on some issues. Um, interestingly enough, the issues maybe we don't think were actually issues, but none of which had to do with wild oaks. So, we unfortunately just got caught up in a timing problem. So, we've been waiting and it's been months and months and months and finally we said to staff, "We've got a lot of commercial users and end users that are interested in developing and we're just waiting for this comp plan update. What should we do?" And they said, "Well, maybe you should bifurcate your application and go as a standalone application so that you can keep moving forward with your development and not just be at a standstill." So that's the only reason that we're back again before you tonight proposing the same thing that we had already proposed that already went through planning commission now twice that already went to the state for review and received no comments back from the state um that were an objection to anything that we had uh suggested. So we're here tonight again for a comprehensive plan update as well as an amendment to the code. We do have a brief presentation. And I know it's late. If you if you want to hear it, it's a recitation of things that you've already heard, but I would like to just briefly address some of the comments that came from the public. One of the comments that you heard had to do specifically with a policy in your comprehensive plan, and that's 20.10.

Interestingly enough, if you read policy 20.10, it specifies that your highest density and intensity of development should be located between two of your intersections in the Kelly Park district. One is Plymouth Sarrento and Kelly Park Road and the other is Golden Gem and Kelly Park Road. That is quite literally where our project is situated between. We are between those two intersections. We don't stretch all the way to Plymouth Sarrento, but that is exactly where this development lies. So if you read the comprehensive plan policy in its entirety, we meet specifically how it is enumerated but also the intent of the policy to have an aggregation of density and intensity between those intersection nodes. In addition, you have a policy um 20.1 that wasn't cited, but you've got to read the comprehensive plan in its totality. uh in policy 20.1 says that land use configuration and distribution are illustrative, but the way that you make a determination is actually through your land development regulations and through specific site development plans. And that's exactly what we're doing here. We're taking the overarching policies of your comprehensive plan. We're taking the intent of the of the formbbased code that you have and we've spent two years working with your professional staff and an outside planning consultant to come up with policies that take into account that you have a 170 acre minimum project that encompasses five character districts that is unlike anything else in the KPI. And your code simply didn't contemplate this. They contemplated developers maybe having two acre tracks, 5 acre tracks, maybe 30 acre tracks, 50, but not something that went over every character district because what you have is a developer that's had its hands tied with arbitrary kind of lines in the sand of us trying to put buildings, but we can't go over a colored map line and it's just it created a lot of problems that finally we said with staff, do you think that there's something that we can work out? This is no different than what you guys have seen many times in terms

of a planned unit development, right? PUDs come up with specific design standards. I know Kathy's familiar with PUDs. Her and I have actually worked on them when she was at Polus and Bennett. She's done PUDS in the city of Apopka. That's that's what developers do in situations like this when you have unique considerations. So, this is not being done to de to benefit one developer, which by the way again is exactly what a PUB does. It's a specific set of design guidelines that are for one developer. But in this instance, it's taking into consideration what your code and comprehensive plan were trying to achieve and bringing it together in one master planned community and one that meets again all of those goals and policies um that you all were looking at. The other has to do with building heights terms of a 10-story building height by code today in the Kelly Park area under your appendix A 10story building heights are permitted. They are permitted in the interchange district which is the Kelly Park self-s storage property. So they can by right with bonus go up to 10 stories otherwise it's eight. It is also permitted in the village center and the employment areas. So again we're not asking for something that is so fundamentally different because it's already contemplated as being a permissible maximum height under the appendix A today. But what they didn't tell you is that the land development code proposals that we have also specifically address the transitioning of heights within the what we call our town center overlay district. We put maximum heights on certain residential buildings. We very specifically put in that there will be transition zones on building heights and we also put in that there's restrictions on building heights along Golden Gem Road when you have single family homes across the street. So the building heights and the transitions that were contemplated under policy 2030 of your comprehensive plan were integrated into our policies that were written in the proposed land development code changes. I can promise you no stone has been left unturned between the like 30 consultants we've had on this for the last two years

in addition to all of the rigorous reviews that your planning staff has done from a professional standpoint. We will be going through all sorts of concurrency reviews as site plans come forward. What we have for you tonight is just an enti a set of entitlements. So what it says on paper is that when you're going to master plan a community, this is what it looks like. But we still have to go through concurrency review. That's for utilities and roads and schools. So it's not as if getting an entitlement tonight means I get to skip statutoily and codemandated processes for approvals. Still have to go through all of that. That's a developer risk. No concurrency in schools. We can't pull permits. No concurrency on the roads. we can't pull permits, so we don't get to skip that process. That wasn't written into the code that we've proposed before you tonight, and it certainly wouldn't be permissible under the law. I can assure you, Cliff would have never greenlighted that. So, we appreciate the opportunity to answer some of the comments that you heard. Um, we would only be presenting one time. I know you have to take two separate votes. I'm assuming nobody will fault us for efficiency on wanting to not do the whole presentation twice. Um, but if you have any other specific questions, I'm happy to answer them. And again, we have a PowerPoint that you saw before, but if folks in the audience maybe haven't, happy to have us do it again. It's about six minutes that Jim Constantine from LRK would do. Um, unless you are satisfied with what we've presented or want us to do it on second reading.

What's the pleasure of the board? I'm good. I'm fine. Okay. I'm fine. Okay. Well, we appreciate it, man. If you have any questions, happy to answer them. All right. We'll close the public hearing. Uh any any further comments? Otherwise, look for a motion to approve ordinance number 3150 at first reading and hold over for second reading and adoption. Got a motion by by Commissioner Smith, second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor? I oppose. Motion carries. You can tell.

Yeah. Ordinance number 3118, Jean Sanchez. Ordinance number 3118, an ordinance of the city council of the city of Apopka, Florida, amending the code of ordinances of the city of Apakka by amending part three, appendix A, mixeduse Kelly Park interchange, MUKPI formbbased code, appendix C, to create and establish a town center overlay district and associated development standards providing for codification, providing for severability, providing for conflicts and an effective date. For the record, Jean Sanchez with Community Development Department. This is a request to accept of the first reading of ordinance number 3118, land development code text amendment establishing the Wild Oaks Town Center Overlay District. This graphic illustrates the conceptual block and street and street framework required by the town center overlay district. There are performance standards and where the minimum project area is 170 acres, inclusion of all five KPI character zones and inclusion of at least one quadrant of a design or designated village center character zone. Blocks must be configured to support a highly connected street network with a maximum block perimeter of 2,000 ft except for physical constraints exist. While the plan is conceptual, all future developments must be substantially consistent with the with this framework. This slide highlights open space performance standards required by the overlay where a minimum of 20% public open space is required across the entire overlay town center overlay district. An open space bonus allows residential density to increase from 27.5 to 30 dwelling units per acre if a minimum of 30% open space is provided. The street plan demonstrates the

circulation mobility standards. Um streets must must form an interconnected multimmoal network incorporating complete streets principles for pedestrians, bikes, transits and vehicles. The applicant is required to submit a town center master plan including phasing regulating plan signage, parking and design guidelines to include um to ensure coordinated implementation. That said, the town center overlay district includes clear enforceable performance standards that includes a minimum 0.1 F districtwide maximum 25 27.5 dwelling units per acre with a bonus of two 30 dwelling units per acre. Maximum building height of 10 stories with required transitions transitions down to three stories along Golden Gem Road and adjacent single family areas. a required town center master plan. And with that said, the development review committee recommends approval at its meeting on February 10th, 2026. The planning commission unanimously recommended approval. Seven applicant are available for questions.

Any questions for Jean? Anybody from the public wish to speak? Rod Olsson, 3156 rolling hills lane of PAKA. What I said before, but this is an example of where you can slow the train down. Many cities separate the comprehensive plan and land development code that buys you two to four weeks to slow development. Thank you.

Anybody else? Sebast for the record, we talked about it many of times before just creating a workshop. Have we any plans of creating a workshop to look at our infrastructure problem that we're having? No, we do a workshop for everything else and this just keep coming up and coming up and coming up, but there's no action. Can somebody make a motion to create a workshop so we can look at this and get ahead of this? Because just like we was talking about with the soccer, I'm like, why we wasn't ahead of this? We see this contract is going to end to a program that's been so promising to the city and so when it gets here it just goes in disaster and everybody have to come here. These things we should be ahead of and so many of us been asking and asking and asking and we've been talking about infrastructure. Why we haven't had a simple workshop to start to try to get in front of this? We keep coming and we keep coming and meeting after meeting and we just gloss over it and gloss over it, but there's no plan of action. So, when can somebody make a simple motion to have a workshop to review infrastructure? It's just that simple. Thank you. Anybody else?

Aubber 363 Golden Gem Road. Just to reiterate what Sylvester was saying just now, we've been asking for workshops for a long time. One of the reasons that the workshops are beneficial is not just for the residents, but it also allows the residents to understand why commissioners have to vote in a specific manner. A lot of the times public don't understand that your hands are tied and I actually think it's a very brave thing just before an election for a developer to come up and ask for changes to plans. It's much more sensible to do after an election. So what this tells me is this developer was supremely confident in what he had in store for us that he believes so much in Son and he doesn't want delays that are going to going to be to the detriment of the city. He was willing to come here today and put this motion before you just before an election the very time that the public are watching you their most.

Anybody else from the public? Okay. If not, we'll close the public hearing. Look for a motion to approve ordinance number 3118 at first reading and hold over for a second reading and adoption. So move. Got a motion by Commissioner Anderson. Second. Second by Commissioner Velasquez. All those in favor? I. All oppose. Motion carries unanimously. City Council reports. How about starting this out there? Commissioner Velasquez. Okay. Um God, I don't even want to bring up the one from Oh, yeah. Oh, the one where I got 37 emails from. I know.

Um, I'm gonna on a good note, where's Valdder? Um, I just want to say thank you. Um, I actually picked up a post from the social media regarding broken sidewalks and raised sidewalks by the Apopka Middle School. I sent it I screenshot sent it to Valddemir and uh those sidewalks got repaired and I actually went back to that site and told them that you know on behalf of you that those sidewalks were repaired and believe it or not I didn't think anybody would see it but I did get a lot of comments and saying thank you. So I just want to extend on behalf of the parents who posted and the social media. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Vis. I just want to point out all the work was done with in-house forces. So, the streets division really stepped up and uh Mike Cortis and Greg and Doug, they really did a great work and I I did respond with an email thanking you and the staff and the crew for having it fixed. And believe it or not, as much as we all have kind of negative relationships with our social media, this was a good one. So, I thought it was important. That's good. That's we want to hear and we plan accordingly. We used the President's Day when the school was out. I did see that yesterday. I did see you uh out there pouring the concrete and that, but

I just wanted to bring this up that sometimes social media does give us a job or an issue and we attend to it and and they were very happy. So, thank you.

Thank you. Um, we spent a lot of time with Naji and that, but I will say this, and I know I did get an email from uh our city attorney regarding Emerson Park and and and a a lawsuit that's between Emerson Park and Park Square home. And you did say that it was a private matter. The only thing that I have um that I feel that our city is kind of involved has to do with the permits, the survey, and that's the question that I believe that Emerson Park is having an issue with is that um they can't find those records.

Okay. And the inspection that may or may not be true. I do not know. So, it's it's a different question to say, "Show me the permits so I can investigate whether they were properly issued or not." It's a different thing

to say, "Stop a project. Don't permit. Don't treat them the way you would treat anybody else because we are in a dispute with them and we want them to do what we want." That's weaponizing the permitting department and that is not something we should be involved in no matter whose side it takes. So, one is public records request. show me all the documents went into this permit and then we can investigate whether it was done or not done right and then we can even come to the podium and see if uh you guys are aware that things were done in a certain way that somebody may deem inappropriate. That's that's fair game. Anybody can do that. What they can't do is through you guys say we want you to tell the permitting department, don't issue any more permits till we get this resolved the way we want it. that you cannot do.

Is that what they're asking us and all of their email? The one I I didn't see. I don't know about all the emails, but the one I saw 100% that's what was being asked. Yeah. So, now I I know the mayor has visited the site, I got all those emails. So, can you give us a little background because I mean I have 37 emails including the president's 10 emails from city staff, the mayor, building department. I mean, I haven't even read all of her emails, but the 37 are basically saying the same thing.

And I have no doubt about it. I I'm sure they might believe and it might even be that some mistakes were made. I don't know. I'm not trying to pass on whether they're right or wrong about mistakes. What I am saying is you don't take that mistake and then say therefore we're not going to do what we have a legal obligation to do for everybody no matter what the circumstances as long as we follow our codes correctly. And that's the issue and that's the difference. Now, it is also true. I mean, I I only know some of the issues. Like, for example, one of the issues that was brought up, and if I'm if I get this wrong, straighten me up because I'm going from memory, but one of them is that they say the wall wasn't put where it needs to be or it was built on somebody's property. It was encroaching or something. Okay? And I think the theory goes that the city requires a survey and if they built it on the line, we had a survey and we should tell them not to build it on the line. That's not why we get a survey. The reason we get a survey in certain of these projects and I'm not sure if it's all that would be something Mr. Hansen could answer but is to determine whether what they're planning within the boundaries meet setbacks. So is it 10 feet from the sideyard and 12 feet from the backline or whatever the setbacks have to be. That's how you do it. And you also looking at the plan to see okay is a twotory, a onetory, is it frame construction? Is it slab on on concrete? What what is what's going on here? The survey then shows them the boundaries. It's not to go back then after the fact and say, "Oh, well, you built the wall in the wrong place. Move it." That's not how that goes. The people are supposed to pay attention to that are the people who are actually there on site and have the ability to do something about it. And and I I don't want to use this term in a way that says we have a free pass. That's not what I'm saying. But it is accurate to say that as a government we have sovereign immunity which means we can be mistaken but not be liable. So this becomes more of a how do we handle

this when we have an issue with the public and the right way to handle it in my opinion is to take the information perhaps investigate whether permits were issued properly or improperly. But it is not the right way to handle it to say, "Well, we're just not going to pass any more permits, even if everything else is the way it's supposed to be. It's it's using something that you're not supposed to use as a lever unless there's a basis for it." So, let me tell you where you could do that. Let's suppose a contractor without any authority starts building without a permit. Mr. Hansen can tell you that's what we call a red tag. and we stop everything because we can because that's a legitimate use of our power. You see, the use of these powers, it's like we don't think of it this way, but the law considers them police powers. And so, you can't just willy-nilly say we're going to enforce this. We're going to pull somebody over speeding because we didn't like uh you know, the way they parked the car. They're two separate things. That's what we're talking about here. So there are if if we've got some issues, let's say just cuz I don't know and and permits should have been fly spec more or whatever, that's an investigation. It's not a let's not ever issue other permits to this builder until until the homeowners are satisfied or whoever is complaining. That's just not how you the system is supposed to work.

Okay. Okay. Well, just letting um I I'm not sure if Emerson Park is still up watching us. Um but I did I did respond to the president and basically sent what your decision was and um we'll take it from there. But I'm still receiving emails from residents who are asking us to sort of intervene and that is it for me, Mr. Anderson.

So I just want to again just acknowledge the passing of um our Reverend Jesse Jackson and extend my condolences to his family. Um he's definitely was a true um activist in the community. He definitely will be missed. Um, in addition to that, just to kind of piggy it back off of that, so a course of action for Emerson Park, U Ratley, could we, I guess, open up some form of investigation to see if the the U permits were properly issued or to because we are getting a lot of emails. We probably all get the same emails. Yeah, I can look into it with our building department and Okay. I think John John's already got

he's pulling them all together right now. And then I know fire's got there's some issues there on this the stairs. I know it was before um Holderfield was was in charge. So we were having to go back and try to pull those. So those are the two main issues. I I don't know. One of the other issues was the pond that storm water storm water pond whether it was it was silk going in the pond whether they need to to to scrape it or

that one you know if the permit if it sand went underneath the silk did they have the silt fence up. So that would be an issue. But yeah, we're they're looking at those are the the three main ones. Um well, the wall with the whether the footed, but that's that's definitely not our we made that was the building department was had to make sure the wall was built to code. If it was built to code, whether it was on our their property or the the or the the other property, that's for them to battle out. But that one is that one's pretty cut and dry. The other ones are more there might be, you know, some responsibility on the city's part, but probably not.

Okay. When you said the pond, um, Miss Jennifer, uh, said that the park square connected to their private stormwater pond. I think there was an agreement that they could use that that the pond that was part of the master agreement. So, we can glad if you'll take us look at that. I but I for some reason I think that that is the permit issued through SEC is it not issued we don't issue right so it's not through the same but I think but I think there was a master plan that both both lo both organizations had use of that pond but I you know if you'll take if you'll look into that for me okay

okay so just be clear Emerson Park the city is investigating okay perfect okay so in addition to that in happy black history month um excited about the celebrating the Legends of a Poppy event tomorrow at the Papa Community Center from 6:00 to 8. And that's all I have.

Okay, Mr. Smith. Um, well, we had the ribbon cutting at the, uh, Griffith home. They were excited to have another home completed. Um, another great positive impact in our community. So, it was a great event. Uh, today, uh, was able to attend the, uh, Black History celebration, uh, at the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. uh and we um honored uh four uh individuals that we feel is making a great impact uh in our community and in our nation. Uh so we recognized and honored uh mayor Jerry Dimmings uh the mayor county mayor of Orange County. Uh we also recognized uh our city our county clerk uh Tiffany Moore Russell and also honored our chief of police for the city of Apopka

and our commissioner Naughty Anderson today. Uh so uh their theme was remembering the past and honoring the future and so those four individuals was honored today for their contribution to our community. Happy Black History Month.

All right, Mr. Nesa. Yes. So, want to echo the same sentiment that uh we're honoring Black History Month this month. And I always like to say that Black History is our history. It's American history. It's it's part of us. So, um glad we're honoring that. And uh I know that we have the event tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at the U community center. And then just consistent reminder of my office hours every Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. here at city hall. Um talk about discuss anything the residents need or want to discuss. uh for the betterment of a popka and if you're uncomfortable meet at city hall I am happy to meet you anywhere that works for you thank you all right Bradley anything uh nothing to report

Cliff uh I have an apology and that is for being like 10 minutes late I don't know how I got it in my head that the meeting started at 7:30 and I was going to be here early but it turns out because it was seven I was 10 minutes late and I apologize I try absolutely not to do that and uh I won't let it happen again

all Right. Okay. All right. Mayor's report. Couple uh interesting things uh happened. Uh you know, we put we put in place a metering tampering um ordinance and lo and behold, we had one of our builders that uh violated that that uh that ordinance and we uh we dinged them. So, um thanks for the team. You know, we now we have a little way we we uh we lock down the meters so that if they tamper with them, we know exactly what they've done. So, you know, congratulations to public works for, you know, great idea and it and it's, you know, now we that that word will spread pretty quick that don't mess with the popular. You're not going to steal our water. So, thanks guys. Um, next up, uh, I know two of the commissioners were at the pension meeting today. Um supposedly our our this is our city pension attorney versus our pension attorneys and uh is negotiating are going to work uh negotiating with empower about the the um the payments for our retirees. So hopefully that'll be Wednesday or Thursday uh next week. So soon as we hear something back we'll we'll make sure that you you you know what's going on. Um let's see here. What else have I got? Oh, I just just so everybody know I know we there was some confusion about the the newsletter um and having the the the uh the dates on early voting, but just so I just want everybody to know that we we voted in December for two weeks of early voting but normal business hours. Um and but that that motion and which sent we then do our our monthly newsletter which goes out um it's six 45 to 60 days later. So on 1212 we put that newsletter uh to the printer uh went out over the four-week period in January uh rolls out every

week one quarter of the water bills. So then we at the commission meeting on January 7th, Commissioner Velasquez wanted to change the date to one week, different hours. So the newsletter had already been printed. It was already halfway through the cycle when we changed that um the um the vote early voting. So anyway, there was obviously January's newsletter was not accurate, but based on things past when we had to take it to the printer. stuff. Anyway, it'll all be February will be fine. Everybody will get get the dates. Um then next week we got the u the mayor's highay and popka high school job training fair. So uh every year we do that's our fourth year and so we're excited about that you know giving kids opportunity to look at you know career opportunities um as they you know are ready to exit high school. And then last everybody's already mentioned is our legends tomorrow night. We're so excited to be, you know, celebrating our fourth annual. So, it's uh uh really, you know, uh we'll and we'll honor uh all of those those u the honores along with Francina Boyen who obviously is without her help the uh the booklet would not be possible. So, that have a good evening. I forgot one thing, but it's important that I say it, and that is that because we table the issue. Under your policy, the cone of silence is back in effect. We obviously expect they'll work something out. They will be advised by the purchasing department that they are not to communicate with you or the other people. It's city, they can communicate with me. They can communicate with a designated staff person, which I don't know whether that's Blanch or Jessica or who it is, but those are the rules. And so do not encourage responses. And if they do respond to you because they're going to get told, do not respond back to them. Okay. Sorry, I forgot to say that.

Can you do do me a favor then? First thing in the morning, send I don't know if we've got Brian Faggal. I probably I can probably find his information, but at least send Naji up. Sure. I I would send it to other I didn't I don't know him. Yeah, Brian forgot. I can do it tonight. It won't be tomorrow. I'll do it as soon as I get home. Okay. All right. Okay. With that, have a good evening. I bet.