City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

Everybody, let's call to order our meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency. The date is, I suppose, the date is September, somebody remind me, 6th? 7th?

September 8th.

Beg your pardon? Well, we're kicking off the meeting anyway.

Tuesday, September 8th.

September 8th, very good. And the time is 10 a.m. Eastern Time, so everybody could please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, everyone, for your patience. Ms. Siddons, could you please do the roll?

Chair Thompson?

I'm here.

Vice Chair Drucker? Here. Commissioner Grau? Commissioner Grau is attending remotely. We'll try her again in a moment. Commissioner Perlman is absent. And Commissioner Sippel? Present. Okay, we'll try Commissioner Grau again. Commissioner Grau, are you online? Okay, she shows she's connected, but we don't have audio at the moment, so we'll continue. You have a quorum there.

Very good. Thank you, Ms. Siddons. Mr. Manager, do we have any amendments to our agenda today?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No amendments to the agenda.

Very good, then the next thing we have is our minutes. We have the minutes of the regular meeting from August 24th, 2026. Does anyone have any revisions or corrections? Because if not, I'll entertain a motion and a second to approve the minutes as presented.

Motion to approve. Second.

Very good, all those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye. Excellent. The minutes are approved. We have no presentations today. We also have no quasi judicial or related public hearings, and we likewise have no resolutions or regular public hearings. So now is the time for public requests. Ms. Sittons, do we have any cards for people wishing to speak during public requests for the CRA?

Yes, sir. We've received one comment card from Earl Starkoff.

All right, Mr. Starkoff, please step up, state your name and address, and you'll have three minutes.

Good morning, Earl Starkoff, 3260 St. Charles Way. I attended last week's community conversation on the proposed police headquarters. The city manager explained the alternatives had been narrowed to two sites. The police chief explained something equally important. Wherever headquarters is located, officers will continue to be deployed throughout Boca Raton on where police services are needed. so the choice of headquarters does not determine the level of police presence downtown both locations give our police department something it needs today centralized command control and communications but there are important differences the downtown site requires a multi-story building has no room for future expansion and is within a hurricane evacuation zone the spanish river site provides the centralized headquarters we need today, outside the evacuation zone, with room to accommodate whatever the future may bring. At our discussion table, four residents from different parts of Boca, with different backgrounds, reached a unanimous decision. We preferred the Spanish River location. But I thought there was another question the public needed answered. During Q&A, I asked the finance director, if the voters approve a $125 million bond issue in March, what's that going to look like come this time next year on the taxpayers' budget? His direct answer was an estimated $93 per year. That's less than $8 a month. And I think that number matters to 100,000 men, women, and children that are the residents of Boca who can get police services if and when they need it. The city needs to make the case, in my opinion, for why Boca needs a modern police headquarters based on public safety, operational needs, and the facts, period. And as we move toward March, I hope the discussion about the bond stays focused on the fundamental question. What does our police department need to keep Boca safe? And is that with $93 a year? I think it is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Starkoff. Is anyone else wishing to speak during public comment during? I see someone stepping to the podium. Go ahead. State your name, sir. You will have three minutes.

good morning my name is michael manco i live at 330 northeast state street in boca raton and i'm here to talk about the police department and the skate park and i know different people can disagree on different things but i feel the police department should remain downtown there's no need for a major police complex on spanish river boulevard Most of the non-gated communities in the city are south and southeast of Spanish River Boulevard, such as Boca Square, Camino Gardens, Pearl City, Palm Beach Farms, Willow Kills, and many other communities, and they need a strong police presence. The Spanish River location for the police complex is in the middle of nowhere. After the Spanish River library closes in the early evenings and the park closes across the street, there's hardly any people around. Many facilities in the Spanish River Boulevard already have a high level of armed security. The Boca Raton Airport has barbed wire fence and armed security patrols. FAU has its own police department. And many gated communities in the area have armed security. A police substation could be built at the closed down cafeteria at the Spanish River Library. Having the Boca Police Station at the Spanish River location would increase the response time to emergencies in the downtown area and beach area. To get from Spanish River location to downtown, you have to cross the bridge over I-95, go past the Boca Raton Airport, pass the FAU and I-95 entrances, go through a school zone a residential neighborhood and over the railroad tracks and there's a freight train crossing the spanish river boulevard it would delay the response time by five to ten minutes or more good time most of the boca tica residents don't want the skate park in their neighborhood The city land next to the Spanish Library would be better used for the new skate park and other nonprofit buildings like a Boys and Girls Club. There are many schools in the area and the skate park in the area would be very convenient for kids in the area. They would be able to walk and ride their bikes to the skate park and would decrease the reliance on cars. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mr. Manko. Anyone else for public requests? Ms. Haglitz, good morning.

Good morning, everybody. Brianna Haglitz, 5710A Coach House Circle, and of course, Thaddeus Sintad. I had the opportunity to attend the groundbreaking for North Park this last week and to see exactly where the skate park was going to be located. And next to the the paddle ball building we also were able to tour that and it is just an amazing Facility and looking forward to seeing that when it's open The skate park is not right on top of everything like some of the people were complaining about it's actually across a parking lot and a berm before the skate park and then it goes up to backing up against the train tracks. I also saw the plans for it and it's absolutely perfect location for it. I don't think a design could have been done any better for anything. And it's really not in the way. The parking is not outrageous. It's not going to cause traffic, noise, anything. So when you get to voting on this, I urge you to please approve it because it's what the younger people are telling me that they want. The downtown skate park is just obsolete. So Think about our younger generation and please approve it when you vote, thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Hagquist. Anyone else for public requests related to our downtown? All right, last call for public requests. We will then close the time for public requests. Thank you everyone for your comments. Next item on our agenda is other business and settlements. We have none, so we can move on to the director's report. Mr. Sohaney, do you have a report?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No report.

Thank you. Mr. Kaler, attorney's report.

Mr. Chair, just for the clerk, Madam Clerk, and the executive director, just to note that Commissioner Grau is present and attending. I don't know if we want to note that for the record. I have no report.

right very good welcome miss growl we can move then to commissioner's reports i'll start with the folks who are there in person why don't we start with miss simple do you have a report no report i was also well i was also at the opening of the skate park i think it's a it's a great location and it's a great asset to boca okay thank you miss simple miss trucker

Thank you, Mayor Thompson. So just a couple of things that came out of public request today or public comment. I think it's important to always state facts. And I think one of the comments made by one of the participants in today's meeting was that wait times for police response would get higher. And I don't want that to go out in the community because that's inaccurate. I think Mr. Starkoff, you said that earlier. The way that the police is done, they do it by stations. And the chief is here. We could also ask him. They're done by zones, not stations, by zones. So there's always police presence everywhere. And for me, it's very important to have police residents, whether you're in the downtown or in this side of the city. of this area because the most important thing is to protect all of our residents. So I think saying that wait times are gonna go up and that we're not gonna have adequate police response is an inaccurate statement. And as you all know, my goal is always to state facts over things that are not correct. So just that, and I also had the opportunity to attend North Park and I'm really excited about what I'm hearing throughout the community. So just a lot of good momentum. So thank you. Thank you, Mayor Thompson.

Thank you, Ms. Drucker. Ms. Grau, do you have a report?

No report.

And I, too, have no report. So we can adjourn our meeting of the CRA. We will come back in just a moment for a special meeting related to the downtown special assessment. So hang tight, everybody. We'll be right back. Okay, I think it's time we can call to order the special meeting related to the downtown special assessment. The date is September 8th. Yes, that's right, September 8th, 2026. The time is 1017 a.m. Eastern. Ms. Siddons, could you please do the roll?

Mayor Thompson, did you want to do the pledge first?

Sure, we can pledge allegiance once again. Why not? All right, everyone please stand and we will pledge allegiance. United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Now to the roll call. Mayor Thompson?

Yes, I am still here.

Deputy Mayor Grau?

Here.

Council Member Drucker? Here. Council Member Perlman is absent. Council Member Sippel? Present. Mayor, you have a quorum.

Very good, thank you, Ms. Sittons. The purpose of our meeting here today, this special meeting is for a public hearing and for consideration of resolution number 99-2026, the Downtown Special Assessment. So I think we should move right to it. Ms. Sittons, could you please read the title of resolution number 99-2026?

Resolution 99-2026, a resolution of the city of Boca Raton equalizing the assessments, levying the same as assessments against benefited properties within the downtown special assessment district, city of Boca Raton, Florida, directing the city clerk to record assessments in the improvement lien book, establishing priority of lien and payment of principal and interest, providing for severability, providing for a peeler, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Sittons. Mr. Sohaney, who will be making the presentation on this matter?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, our Deputy City Manager and CFO. Mr. Zervas will begin the presentation.

Thank you, Mayor and members of the council. Actually today, Mr. Steven Timberlake, our special projects manager, is going to do this presentation for you. This is the annual process by which the levy is determined. The assessments are equalized and the levy is determined for annual collection of the debt service for these bonds. I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Timberlake, thank you.

Thank you Mr. Zervas. Good morning members of Council. Before us is the downtown special assessment. The City Council first adopted this special assessment methodology to To fund the improvements for the infrastructure projects in the downtown, the special assessment is required to fund the debt service for the special assessment revenue bonds. The downtown special assessment area overlaps the city CRA district. There are 22 projects highlighted on the map here. All have been completed. So the purpose of this special meeting is to hear and consider any and all complaints as to the special assessment. Recommendations will be made concerning adjustments and equalization of the special assessment, and the total special assessment amounts will not change. Only the pro rata share for each partial may change. So our resolution, which is 99-2026, equalizes and adopts a special assessment for 2027. The rate was calculated using the tax roll as certified by the property appraiser's office. The 2027 assessment is due on January 1st, 2027. The required bond payment is the divisor for the assessment. The total downtown market value determines the actual assessment rate. So this is actually the old presentation and it's not the newest one. Um, so I'm just going to read the actual assessment, right? The assessment rate for 2027 is 0.0086, a reduction of 14% from the 2026 rate. The rate decreased again due to an increase in property values in the area. And the addition of 150 new properties into the downtown has increased the benefit of properties by nearly three 430 million. So that's still the old one. The downtown property values increased by 14.1% from 3 million in 2024 to 3.472 in 2025. The historical assessment rate continues to drop after we have one bond left that has the current payments, and then the assessment values continue to increase. For 2027, a home of $500,000 will have an assessment value of $43 versus a $50 assessment in 2026 and a $53 assessment in 2025. For the fifth year in a row, we received no objection letters, and so we are recommending that the City of Council adopt and approve Resolution 9926, equalizing and adopting the special assessment for the downtown for the 27 fiscal year. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Timberlake. Members of the Council, do we have any questions for staff? Great. Seeing none, we can open up the public hearing. Ms. Sittons, do we have any cards for people who shouldn't speak on this matter?

Mayor Thompson, I have received no comment cards for this meeting.

Okay, very good. Any members of the public in attendance, if they wish to be heard on this matter, please step up to the podium, state your name and address, and you'll have up to three minutes. Last call for public comment on this matter. Seeing none, we will close the public hearing and I'll entertain a motion and a second to adopt resolution number 99-2026.

Motion to adopt resolution number 992026, made.

Very good, thank you, Ms. Sippel.

Second.

Excellent, thank you, Ms. Trucker. Any other discussion? If not, Ms. Sittons, if you please.

Grau? Yes. Trucker? Yes. Sippel? Yes. Thompson?

Yes.

Motion passes, four votes to zero.

All right, that concludes our business here for the special meeting of the downtown special assessment. And members of the public, we have four meetings lined up for you today. So give us just one moment. We'll be back here for our workshop meeting of the Boca Raton City Council. Give us just one minute, but we will adjourn the downtown special meeting. The time is 1023 a.m. Be right back. So we can call to order our workshop meeting of the Boca Raton City Council. The date is September 8, 2026. The time is 1026 in the morning Eastern Time. First item on our agenda is our board interviews. We have one board eligible for appointment today, the Community Appearance Board. Is anyone here to interview for the Community Appearance Board? I believe we have three applicants. so if any of you are there please one at a time please step up to the podium state your name and address and you'll have three minutes

Good morning, Mayor, and good morning, Council. I thank you for the opportunity to be here today to be interviewed for another two-year period to remain on the CAB. I've been on the board for about 10 years.

Can I just pause you there for a moment, Mr. West, just to ask you to state your name and address, please?

Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Alan West. I live at 7184 Lorenzo Lane, and it is in Delray Beach. That's where I live. I've been living there for the past eight years or so. Let's see what else. so with regard to my opportunity to be here i would like to uh continue uh for the last i don't know these last two years have been incredibly positive in terms of the relationship that the board members have as well as how they are able to analyze any applicants that have come in and and discuss the uh the actual architectural nature of their changes i think we've over the past over these past two years have gained a great deal of communication skills with the board, with the staff, and I think things are moving rather smoothly at this point, where previous years we've had issues for sure. so my intention is to continue uh with this i hope we can get a an additional board member we have been trying we've been looking for another applicant to be on the board at this point we still only have six so we will continue in that fashion until such time as we have the seven that were appropriated initially by by the council i don't know if there's anything else i can add to this i'm happy to answer any of your questions

very good thank you mr west thank you for your interest in being reappointed council members do you have any questions for mr west all right doesn't look like it thank you sir thank you good day next applicant please step up name address you get three minutes

Good morning. Ayres Barnour, 2678 Northwest 27th Ayres. First, I would like to thank you for considering me for reappointment to the Community Appearance Board. I enjoyed serving and helping review projects that shape our community. And... As a landscape architect, I think I can continue to bring a valuable perspective to help maintain and enhance the character of our city. And I thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr. Barnard. Do we have any questions for this applicant? No. Members? Thank you. OK, very good. Thank you. Last applicant, Mr Peterson. Are you there? Great.

Good morning. My name is Joe Peterson. I've been on the Community Appearance Board for a number of years. I'm a landscape architect working in the city and I'm a lifelong resident of Boca Raton and I would like to be reconsidered for appointment.

Alright, short and sweet members. Any questions for Mr Peterson? No. All right. Thank you, gentlemen. We'll be making our appointments later today in just a little while at our regular meeting. No need to stay. Feel free to stay if you'd like to, but we'll be making those appointments in just a little bit. That concludes our board interviews for today. Next up, we have proclamations presentations, but we have none of those. So it's time now for public requests. So Ms. Sittons, do we have any cards for public requests today?

yes sir we do we have a couple i have brianna hagquist followed by mike liebelson and earl starkoff all right let's take him in that order please miss hagquist please step on up

Good morning again, Brianna Hanquist, 5710A Coach House Circle, and also my little buddies Thaddeus and Ted, the gopher tortoises who are advocating for parks, green space, and wildlife. I want to talk about the National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat Program. I was very excited to read about that. I have a space in my trellis that I've identified would be perfect for this and also some areas that I want to discuss with our community the next time we have a meeting. i would like to ask though could we please schedule some workshops for some of us who don't know too much about plants and planting and what the design would be because i would like to attract as much wildlife to our community as possible i think you all know that wildlife is my thing and i hope that we can get the program all the way through the city and get as much natural area as possible. So if you could help some of us out that have trouble with a house plant to just look at our areas and someone could help us out of what would grow best in our space for lighting and water and everything else considering with plants, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ms. Hagquist. Next up, Mike Liebelson.

Hi, Mike Liebelson, 398 Northeast Third Court. Good morning, Mayor and members of the City Council. I want to start by commending our Deputy City Manager and CFO, Jim Zervas, along with our budget team and the dedicated city staff who work so diligently on both our budget, which we'll talk about tonight, and the planning proposals for our new police facility. I also want to recognize our premier Boca Raton Police Department. They do an exceptional job keeping us safe every day and deserve the absolute best resources to carry out this mission. As we review this year's budget, there is a massive financial opportunity in front of us. Right now, through county taxes, Boca Raton property owners contribute an estimated $80 million every year to fund the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office road patrols in unincorporated Palm Beach County. That's right, we sent $80 million to Palm Beach County and we get no services for that. The money we spend for the jail and so forth is outside of this $80 million. To put that in perspective, this costs an average household in Boca Raton about $900 annually and scales into thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket every year for our higher valued homes. Fortunately, the county's proposed law enforcement MSTU could fix this imbalance. The Sheriff's Office has an annual budget of $1.2 billion. Recapturing our $80 million represents a very small fraction of this overall funding, and those costs will be covered by unincorporated areas. We fully support passing the bond issue, so this vital project moves forward, the police station. But if the county implements the MSTU, that brings $80 million back home per year. That capital allows us to use the bond as a short-term bridge. We could pay off the entire police station bond in a year and a half. To make this happen, we need strong advocacy. We are fortunate that Councilmember Yvette Drucker is running to be the Palm Beach County Clerk and Controller, the CFO and taxpayer watchdog for the entire county. Council Member Drucker, your campaign platform naturally aligns with fiscal fairness. We hope you will use your growing platform to champion the PBSO Law Enforcement, MSTU, helping ensure that municipal taxpayers no longer subsidize unincorporated county operations. Council members, let's work together to bring this $80 million per year back home, support our police department, and fully fund Boca Raton's infrastructure. Tonight, I'm proud to be speaking on behalf of the Boca Citizens Alliance, a newly formed 501 organization that I and many like-minded residents championed to bring common sense solutions to Boca's challenges. Thank you for your time and service, and let's keep Boca, Boca.

Thank you, Mr. Starkoff.

Good morning again. Earl Starkoff, 3260 St. Charles Way. Since the last election, an important conversation has been developing at council meetings. Members and residents have been asking in different ways, as Boca continues to evolve, what kind of community do we want to be? The city isn't starting from scratch. We have a strategic plan, a comprehensive plan, extensive data, and established priorities. Our professional staff has already done much of the work. What I think we need now is to update that work via more community conversations. create a unified direction that guides what we do now, next year, five years from now, and beyond. We need to hear from our residents, from our business and community leaders, from community-minded developers. By gathering that consensus, we're putting Boca first across the board of all of those interests. People throughout Boca have the opportunity to live and work here, but live, work, and play can't just be a phrase. With businesses and jobs that meet the needs of people in different stages of their lives and careers, that's economic development. But it isn't just economic development. It also connects to growth, housing, traffic, and infrastructure. Our neighborhoods, parks, public safety, quality of life, and financial responsibilities are all part of this same picture. So by putting BoCA first, we're creating a one BoCA. Instead of considering each major decision primarily on its own, let's also ask how that fits into the larger picture. Our staff knows the plans and the data better than anyone. Ask them to bring that information together. Identify where revisions or new ideas are needed and begin translating it into specific actions. We have nine months before the council's strategic planning session this coming spring, or next spring at this point. Make this a regular, the updates, a regular 10-minute workshop item at every workshop meeting. No long PowerPoint presentations. What's been accomplished? What's next? What ideas are emerging? Let staff report to council so that council and the public follow their work as it develops. By spring, we should have a refined strategic plan updated and a task list. Things we can begin now, priorities for the coming year and longer term initiatives that move in the same direction. I've written my ideas extensively at a new website, earlstarkoff.com. I invite you and the public to read it. It's about a five-minute read.

Mr. Starkoff, if you don't mind, sir, I believe your time is expired.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that was still a minus. I'm done. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I believe that concludes the cards we have for public requests. Anyone else wishing to be heard relating to our city of Boca? Now is the time, please step forward, state your name and address, and you'll have three minutes.

Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace, Boca. I'm not running for anything. and to my knowledge there is one wonderful incumbent running and some other ill-advised attempts to get on the council it seems that this forum has become a forum for candidates to pontificate and use the royal we The bottom line is nobody's saying anything we don't know. But people who are saying, oh, kumbaya, we all need to come together, the developers and the people trying to maintain Boca's identity, Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I don't believe that's going to happen. I think we have choices to make, and they're not going to come from sitting down with developers and environmentalists and people who do not want untrammeled development. I think this council, in particular, and the CRA, whatever the difference is, is gonna have to make hard choices, make decisions between black and white, and I use that term as a metaphor. Very simply, do we want the type of development we've seen to continue or do we want to tamp down what we've seen and try and maintain what's left of the city of Boca as it was, as it can be, and in my opinion, as it should be. It seems the idea that consensus is going to be reached is nice for a political candidate to talk about, but in my experience, that type of Gathering ends in development, ends in money talking, and everyone else being pushed to the side. So I've said my piece. Like I said, I'm not a candidate. And I think this forum should be less for candidates and more for people who have no vested interest in what's going on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Warner. Anyone else for public requests? Mr. Runge.

Jonathan Unge and 6501 Congress Avenue. So touch on a couple of the points I heard today. First off, Mr. Liebelson's point, if that's accurate. think that should be looked at to mr starkoff's point economic development is something that i have preached for a long time and i've thought that there are very concerning issues in this city specifically in that department we approved project blue beam or whatever they were called the last company who was maybe going to promise a hundred jobs and we gave them a half a million dollars i understand there was a project turtle that was going to deliver and still will probably upwards of 2 000 jobs that were looking for something like a million dollars and this city's economic development team failed so i'd like to understand and know a little bit more about that because as a business owner an employer and a property owner Those are all things that I think this city wants are IBM-like businesses coming to this town. And if that was me and my business, I would have went someplace else that wanted me, not necessarily still came here anyway. So I'd like to understand what happened with Project Turtle. I know our economic development manager still is sitting on their board or their programming board of a property that's being sold as we speak. Is that part of the reason why we didn't close that deal? I know they're running a farmer's market out of the same parking lot. Things may not be questionable, but the appearance is very questionable. So things are as they appear. I've asked these questions of staff multiple times, and I think the biggest thing that I have a problem with, because we all are vested, whether we're running for office i i agree to that point too that mr warner made it shouldn't be necessarily a pontification but we all have vested opinions uh you love your city i love my city we all have a vested opinion and that's why we come here so um you know i'd like to just understand what happened with project turtle because if there is somebody else that's coming There should be funds to bring a business that's going to bring jobs that's going to help this community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Rungeon. Anyone else for public requests? I'm not seeing anybody, so last call for public requests during our workshop meeting. OK, we can then close the time for public requests. Move on to future agenda matters. Council members, does anybody have any questions relating to items on our regular agenda, which we're going to be tackling in just a few minutes?

Can we talk about the $80 million?

Talk about the $80 million. We can talk about whatever you want. So why don't you take it away, Ms. Sybil.

That's a county tax. It's not levied on our citizens by Boca Raton. And we've already brought it up to the county that we're sick of paying for it. The county has already taken steps starting in June and July to eliminate that. They actually voted July 2026, five to two, to remove that. And they are scheduled for final approval on it on September 15th. However, it would not go into effect until October of 2027. But that is currently being addressed. So I just wanted to clarify that.

And that's a fair point to simple. And by the way, the the. The situation, as was described previously, has been this way for many years. So it's not a new phenomenon. And to the extent that there is a level of dissatisfaction with that, the county commission is the is the group that levies the millage rate on the county. So those are potentially issues that could have been raised at some point in the past to the county commission. But yes, as you've mentioned, there are steps being taken now to reorganize how law enforcement is funded at the county level. And I suppose that is a good thing. Any other questions relating to the items on the regular agenda?

I don't, but I would like to just bring up the project hurdle. If somebody from city staff can explain what happened.

sure thank you uh miss grau i'll have uh mr lucasic comment uh in more detail but fundamentally this was not a failure of the economic development team of the city staff this was a decision by that corporation to withdraw its interest in the city of boca raton temporarily mr lucasic do you want to add anything else to that

Yeah, that was, I mean, yeah, thank you, Mr. Sohaney. Yeah, it really wasn't a matter of staff's action in this particular case. It was a decision from the company itself. In fact, this is the second time, you know, we've been talking to the company for quite some time. This is the second time that the company has made some progress and decided to retreat to some degree. We have had a number of conversations with the Business Development Board about not necessarily whether the city would support the attraction of the company to the community, but how much financial support should be given. So that dialogue was happening throughout the entire process. It wasn't a matter of the city was pulling back or pulling back any conversation or not not engaging in a effort to support the company or their relocation here. But it was really a matter of the company in the end deciding to pull back and postponing a decision on how they were going to proceed.

I can add, it's complicated in the sense that we have requirements on the number of new jobs you need to create. And this particular company looked at that analysis, and there's a combination of new jobs and transfer jobs. So if the company feels that they're at risk of not meeting our requirements of new jobs, then they make a decision to stop until they either redefine their goals and objectives on their move and transfer or look to another city with different requirements. So that's an example of a decision that was made by that company.

Can I interject there, Mr. Manager, to say this isn't a situation where the company is no longer interested in Boca. They're, to my knowledge, continuing to proceed to come and move to Boca, but they're simply not pursuing economic development incentives from us at the moment. Is that right?

That's correct, Mr. Mayor.

Okay. Any other questions for staff? Great, then we can conclude the future agenda matters and move on to the city manager report. Mr. Suhaney, do you have a report today?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. No report.

Mr. Kaler, city attorney report.

I have no report.

Thank you, Mayor. Council member reports. Do we have any reports starting the same morning? Ms. Sippel, any report?

Nothing to report.

Thank you. Ms. Drucker?

No report. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Grout?

No report. Thank you.

And likewise, I have no report. So at the time of 1051 a.m. Eastern, we can conclude and adjourn our meeting of the workshop. And we'll be back in just a moment for a regular agenda. So stay tuned. We'll be right back.

Thank you. Thank you.

Everyone, I think we can call to order our regular meeting of the Boca Raton City Council. The date is September 8th. I say again, September 8th, 2026. The time is 11 a.m. First order of business of the invocation, which I will give. Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for the opportunity we have to gather here and perform the business of this city. And in our time together, we pray for the following. We pray for wisdom to make wise decisions. We pray for humility. We pray for servants' hearts, recognizing that we are here not to be served, but to serve. We thank all the men and women of law enforcement and public safety personnel in our city. They keep us safe all the time. And we are so thankful once again for this opportunity. We give you all the praise and the glory. Amen. Now, if everybody could please rise again for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Ms. Sittins, the roll, please.

Mayor Thompson.

I am here, thank you.

Deputy Mayor Grau. Here. Council member Drucker. Here. Council member Perlman is absent. Council member Sippel. Present. Mayor, you have a quorum.

Very good. Thank you, Ms. Siddons. Mr. Manager, do we have any amendments to the agenda?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. There are no amendments to the agenda.

Very good. Moving on to minutes. We have two sets of minutes from the workshop meeting of August 24th and from the regular meeting on August 25th. Do we have any revisions or corrections to the minutes? If not, I'll accept a motion and a second to adopt the minutes as presented.

So moved. Second.

Thank you. Any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. The ayes have it, the minutes are approved. We have no proclamations nor presentations, but we do have board appointments. So members, what is your pleasure? We have the Community Appearance Board. We've had all three applicants come and interview today. What would we like to do?

Mayor Thompson, I recommend that we reappoint Erez Bar-Nur, Joe Peterson, and Allen West to the Community Appearance Board.

I agree with the sentiment. Can we make that into a motion to appoint motion to appoint to reappoint? Yep, right. Do I hear a second on that second? Any other discussion?

I would just like to favor.

Please say aye aye aye any post. No, well, the gentleman all three are been reappointed.

Congratulations and thank you for your prior service. And your future.

Well said. We move then to the consent agenda. Does any member of the Council wish to remove any items from the consent agenda?

Yes, I'd like to pull item 8F resolution 107 2026 for separate discussion.

OK, 8F has been removed. We will deal with that separately. Any other items wishing to be removed from the consent agenda members of the Council? No, okay. Does any member of the public wish to be heard on any item on the consent agenda? If so, please step to the podium, state your name and address, and you will have three minutes.

Mayor Thompson, we do have a comment card from Mr. Richard Warner.

Okay, Mr. Warner, please step on up. Is Mr. Warner in the house? Oh, there he comes, okay.

Hi, I'm just confused by some things and... Do I know you? Sorry, Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. I'm kind of in the dark about a bunch of these resolutions. For example, the resolution, the mutual assistance resolution. Can somebody explain that further? The parking space resolution for Tower 155. uh this f revising the fund balance and reserve policy for city funds uh can someone explain that to me as well and g uh the investment policy i'm not quite sure where that's going and on nine uh needless to say i think I would urge the council to reconsider just giving away once again the downtown civic area master plan to uh send more and associates uh i think perhaps i hate to interrupt but item nine we're going to be hearing that separately okay okay and strike that just the explanations for the others uh maybe i'm ignorant about these things but They're not fleshed out in the agenda, and you guys may know a lot more about it than I do, and I'd just love to hear what these things are all about, more specifics. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Warner. I can take a crack at a couple of those. I know members of staff can. Why don't we finish public comment, and then we can address any questions. Is there anyone else wishing to be heard as it relates to the consent agenda, items on the consent agenda? Item 8F has been removed. Anyone else? No, Mr Manager, could you address some of the questions that were raised, one related to mutual assistance, another one related to the parking at Tower 155?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item C, we have a normal mutual assistance agreement for emergency services between us and Palm Beach County. Quite frankly, if they need our assistance, we provide it and vice versa. And that's a common practice with neighboring municipalities for emergency services. And this is just a normal renewal of that. And then I'll have Mr. Zervas comment on D and G and just note that F has been removed.

sure with respect to the tower 155 this is a lease of or site license agreement really for two parking spaces for loading uh this was at the direction of of council at i believe our last city council meeting so this is a three-year agreement where they will pay the city two thousand dollars per space for the first year and then we'll determine the rate annually thereafter and then there's two one-year extensions for that as far as g is concerned there's there's a memorandum both a memorandum that summarizes the changes as well as clean and redlined copies of the investment policy that outline every change being proposed in the policy side that that has been made public but just generally i would say that the city engaged an outside investment firm to come and provide a third party review of the city's investment strategy and the investment policy itself OUT OF THAT CAME A SERIES OF MODIFICATIONS OR UPDATES TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY THAT WERE RECOMMENDED THAT STAFF WORKED WITH THE INVESTMENT CONSULTANT ON. THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE FINANCIAL ADVISORY BOARD AT THE LAST FINANCIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING AND THERE WAS LENGTHY DISCUSSION AT THAT MEETING ABOUT ALL OF THE CHANGES. AND THEN THE VERSION THAT CAME OUT OF THE FINANCIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING IS WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY.

Thank you, Mr. Sohaney, Mr. Zervas. We've closed the time for public comment on the consent agenda, so I'll entertain a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda.

I move to approve the consent agenda without item 8F.

Yes, thank you, Ms. Greger.

Second.

Second, all right, very good. Ms. Siddons, if you could, please.

Grab. Yes. Trucker? Yes. Sippel? Yes. Thompson? Yes. Motion passes, four votes to zero.

Okay, now we can take up item 8F. Ms. Sittons, when you're ready, could you please read the title of resolution number 107-2026?

Resolution 107-2026, a resolution of the City of Boca Raton revising the fund balance and reserve policy for city funds, providing for severability, providing for appeal, providing an effective date.

Thank you. Mr. Sohaney, who can make the presentation on this matter? Item 8F.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Deputy City Manager, CFO, Mr. Zervas.

Yes, mayor and members of the city council, this is an update to the city's fund balance policy. The first version of this policy was adopted back in 2009, and that was pursuant to the passage of governmental accounting standard board's pronouncement 54, which governs fund balance categories and how those are structured within local governments. And so pursuant to that policy it's we've now made a series of updates to that policy and and really there are four main elements that have been updated and this this was really an update to deal with you just you don't updates to generally accepted accounting principles and also incorporation of best practices from the Government Finance Officers Association. So the first change was to increase the unassigned fund balance minimum from 10% to 17% and that follows the GFOA's recommended best practice of of having three months of operating expenditures in fund balance, which is more than 10%. It's about 16 and a half percent. We rounded up to 17. We had an emergency reserve We have flushed that out a little bit in the policy and set that set that at 10% of the following years projected budgeted expenditures That is consistent with how the city has accounted for that disaster reserve historically and you see that our financial statements are What we've done is put some wording around what the intended use of those fund balances are and then what happens when the city dips into those fund balances. How are they replenished? What strategies are implemented to rebuild those reserves when they're utilized in the case of a disaster, for example? um fourth we've established the retirement sustainability reserve within the general fund this is a committed portion of fund balance where it sets up that framework currently the retirement sustainability fund is a separate fund it's a special revenue fund so it's already committed for that purpose um this this is foreseeing the that balance being transferred into the general fund and then committed as a separate portion of general fund balance so that effectively it's treated the same way. It's reserved for retirement sustainability purposes, but within the general fund, not within a special, not within an internal service fund, rather, which is how it's accounted for currently. And then finally, we've added net position for our enterprise funds with a similar 17% minimum balance. So our fund balance policy has historically just dealt with the general fund. It's pretty typical. some of our larger operations particularly around the sewer and water fund have similar concerns about maintaining adequate liquidity within those funds so we did extend that to include the net position which is the equity section of of the enterprise funds so those are the the main updates we've we've updated wording and and kind of added some structure to the policy as well i'm happy to answer any questions that the counselors or public would have on this

Great. Thank you, Mr. Service. Members of the council, do we have any questions for staff?

Should I bring up a few questions? Go ahead, Ms. Brown. I just wanted to see if we can clarify. I was just a little confused about the reserve with the 17% of the subsequent year's expenditures to be included in the unassigned fund balance. I just want to clarify, do you mean that the 17% to be assigned fund balance? Because if it's unassigned, it's not assigned to anything. So I just wanted to find out about that. And also, is BOCA intentionally requiring a combined reserve level approaching 27% of the annual general fund expenditures?

So that's a that's a good question. I'm happy to respond to that. Yes, they would be. Well, let me start with the first one. So the unassigned fund balance would be the minimum level of unassigned fund balance. So that would be the the 17% to the second question about the combination of the hurricane or emergency reserve at 10% and plus the 17% minimum unassigned fund balance. Yes. That would be combined level of fund balance that would need to be maintained at 27%. Today, we have a minimum balance of 10% in the general fund of next year's expenditures and 10% for the disaster recovery fund. So currently, it is a combined 20%. I will add that we are working right now to explore some risk-based modeling to better determine the appropriate level of emergency reserve funds that we should be maintaining from a risk-based approach. So that is something we're going to be working on probably over the next six months. And I anticipate coming back and making updates to that particular percentage based on the outcome of the risk modeling that we're going to be engaging in. And I neglected to add, Mayor, that the Financial Advisory Board received and reviewed this policy at their last Financial Advisory Board meeting and is recommending approval to the City Council.

OK, thank you. Any further questions for staff?

Should we address 8F now?

This is 8F.

OK. so my question is regarding the assigned fund balance of the general fund giving the city council is delegates the authority to the city manager to assign and unassigned fund balances without council approval was that the prior practice

The prior wording, as you can see in the red line version, was it was determined by management, by city management. It wasn't specific as to who management was. So it wasn't the city council. So it was delegated to management. In this case, we're specifying that it's the city manager making that delegation, not just management in general.

So exactly what balances are in the assigned fund?

Well, it could be different at each year end. So typically what we see is assignments for encumbrances at the end of the year that are carried forward to the following year. We've seen carry forward fund balances. If there is a deficit that's budgeted for the following year and we're assigning cash from the end of the fiscal year to cover next year's projected deficit, that's an assignment. historically that the city has made typically I don't know if Boca's used it but typically an assignment would be used for financial planning on behalf of management if they're planning to buy an expensive piece of equipment or work on a large project and want to make sure that that's funded by the general fund and want to identify that portion of fund balance that's going to those purposes that would be an assignment that management would use so it's really for financial management as far as accounting for the year-end balances without that without the assignment it may by default just fall to unassigned fund balance which may over inflate the ending unassigned fund balance if there's actually an intention to use those funds for the types of items i just described so could the city manager take funds that were set aside by something that was approved by the city council unassign them and assign it to something else

without approval of the council?

So no. In the structure that we have, a city council can certainly assign fund balance, but really in the way that we have our hierarchy structured, city council commits fund balance, and committing is a higher level of authority. So the city manager staff cannot uncommit funds that are committed by the legislative body. And frankly, even if the city council were to assign fund balance, the city manager wouldn't override the city council in the assignment. But if the city council is designating funds like the retirement sustainability fund, that's a commitment of fund balance and that's done by the legislative body city manager or city management can't override that.

okay but isn't that a totally separate like a the committed fund balance that's isn't that a different portion of the general fund as opposed to the assigned fund

yes but i don't know why the city council would assign funds as opposed to committing funds so if we're going to the city council typically then this policy envisions that the city council would commit those funds and you would do that through a formal action by the city council and it would take a similar formal action to uncommit them i'm not sure why this we would ask the city council to formally assign funds as opposed to commit funds if that makes sense okay no I just wanted to be transparent thank you very much And just to be clear, the committing of year-end fund balances is really an accounting tool to classify the equity section of the government's balance sheet. It doesn't carry with it any actual spending authority. So any actual spending would still have to go through an appropriation process and be included in a budget that the city council adopts. So the city manager, through an assignment, doesn't actually have the authority to expend funds.

Okay, thank you for answering my question. I appreciate it.

Any further questions for staff? If not, we can open up the public hearing on this matter. If anyone wishes to be heard on item eight F, please come to the podium, state your name and address and you will have three minutes.

One more time, Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. I'm still unclear about that. Maybe I'm not understanding it. Very simply, the city manager can move funds around but not spend them without the city council's approval. Or is that too simplistic for what's being discussed? I'm just unclear as to whether there's some kind of sea change in this. And I read it and I, you know... Maybe this needs to be explained to me like when people try and explain technology to me, I tell them, pretend I'm a particularly stupid 10-year-old. So maybe this goes for this as well. I'm just unclear as to what this seemingly minor change does. Does it alter the... hierarchy does it alter the level of authority or is it just a little bit of paper pushing thank you thank you mr warner anyone else wishing to be heard on item 8f

not seeing anybody so we can close the time for the public hearing on item 8f mr service do you want to take one more crack at a brief explanation and then we can move on sure i'd be happy to to be clear this is not a change this item we're talking about with ruth the only change is that we're saying it's the city manager and not city management in general So it doesn't that element really isn't changing in the hierarchy at all. And this comes to class in, you know, outside of that, this comes to classification of year end balances. It really isn't moving money around. The moving money around is through, say, a budget transfer or, you know, that type of of of a movement of of spending money. This is really when it comes to classifying the balances at the year end financial statements. But again, it's not a change. This has very much been the practice of BOCA since at least 2009 when this accounting standard passed.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Zervas. Do we have any further discussion? If not, then this ends. Oh, I guess we all accept a motion and a second to adopt item 8F.

Motion to adopt item 8F on resolution number 107-2026. Great.

I will second that. Is there any further discussion? If not, Ms. Sittons, please.

Trucker? Yes. Sippel? Yes. Thompson?

Yes.

Grau? Yes. Motion passes, four votes to zero.

Very good. That concludes all of the items that were on our consent agenda. We can move on now to resolutions and other business. Item 9A is resolution number 113-2026. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title?

Resolution 113, 2026, a resolution of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Chenmore and Associates Incorporated for professional services for the downtown civic area Memorial Park master plan, authorizing a project contingency for unforeseen needs during the master planning process, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Siddons. Mr. Sohaney, who will be making the presentation on this matter?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Deputy Mayor Grau, do you wish to exclude yourself from Resolution 113-2026? Yes. Thank you. With that, Deputy City Manager Mr. Lukasik will make the presentation.

Thank you, Mr. Serhaney. Good morning again, Mayor and Council. Again, Andy Lukasik, your Deputy City Manager. So again, the action that you're taking this morning is adoption of a resolution approving a contract with Chenmore in the amount of $519,925 with a contingency amount of $52,000 for unforeseen needs throughout the course of the master planning process. So as Council well knows, we've had numerous conversations about the importance of Memorial Park and the surrounding civic areas. um we've we've talked about the need to make sure that there's some shared vision for memorial park make sure that we understand the values of the community where the community would like to see memorial park go as it relates to the future and what type of investments we would have to make long term in order to make that occur So with Council's direction, two things with Council's direction. One is issuing a request for qualifications for a consulting firm to help us develop that master plan and then predominantly it was developing that master plan so we can move forward and develop a strategy to move forward to make sure that we have the appropriate investments on Memorial Park and the surrounding civic areas. So at your July 28th meeting, the council heard presentations from three different consulting firms. This council selected Chenmore as their preferred firm. Since that time, we've been working with Chenmore to do two things. One is to make sure that we right-size the scope of the effort. You'll remember from our past conversations, we had this very detailed, iterative process where we actually had six phases within a six month time frame. So very aggressive, very labor intensive in terms of trying to get through all of those steps, all of those back and forth with the public to make sure that we were listening to what the community was saying and then designing. But throughout the process, throughout this last month or so, we've been right-sizing that process. So now we have this iterative process that still engages the community, practices a listen first, design second strategy. but right sizes it to our particular budget. So we've got this four phase proposed plan now, whereas we're in the first phase where we'll be developing the strategies going forward. What kind of outreach are we gonna be doing in detail? You'll see that we have some general strategies in place. But having Chen Moore engage with the council, talk to the Parks and Recreation Board, and also engage the BBD as it relates to some of the things that we need to be thinking about long term for Memorial Park. Chet Moore will come back to you, give you the details of that outreach program. Second phase will be all of the community listening. So meeting with stakeholder groups, meeting with small groups, doing virtual engagement, attending community functions, making sure that they have an understanding as to the goals and objectives of the community, the vision of the community for Memorial Park and the surrounding civic areas. That will result in a document that will be shared with you. You won't receive a presentation, but a document that will be shared with you, giving you an idea about what the emerging themes are that we're hearing from the community. Third phase will be the design shred. So that's the most labor-intensive portion of this whole process. um that'll be a two and a half day engagement with the public so they'll be set up in a public space so you'll have planners designers architects all set up in a public space taking feedback from the community not only taking the information that was received during phase two during that community listening phase but also engaging the public during that charrette process. So there will be opportunities for the public to come in, ask questions about what's being designed, give feedback, really have a good exchange of ideas throughout that charrette process. After that charrette process, we'll further engage the community to say, hey, these are the concepts that we're coming up with. How are we doing? Once we get feedback from that process, we'll start merging into phase four. Phase four will be that final plan and recommendation phase. That'll be where we take that last round of feedback that we get from phase three, develop refined strategies, check those in a workshop with council and the public and then ultimately develop a final plan and that final plan will capture all of the activity that happened during the six month period it'll capture all of the concepts that were developed by chen more and the architectural firm and give council recommendations in terms of this is a strategy forward based upon we heard what we heard And here's the implementation strategy based upon the best methodology to start rolling out the projects, not only from a logistical perspective, but also from a financial perspective. So at the end, you know, so when we get to mid-March or so, you'll have this document in place that will give us the guidance as relates to how we move forward with all of the enhancements tomorrow park that are being envisioned by the community. um so that that's a summary of where this project is going um i'm here to answer any questions that you might have um and also nielsa zacharides is back here as along with uh lance lilly they're both representatives from chenmore and they're here to answer questions if you have them as well thank you mr lucasic members of the council do we have any questions for staff on this

Doesn't seem like it, okay. And then in that case, we can open up the public hearing. Anyone wishing to be heard on item 9A, please step to the podium, state your name and address, and you will have three minutes.

Mike Liebelson, 398 Northeast, Third Court. I previously talked about my concern with the excessive use of consultants by the city. I supported Chen Moore after hearing the three presentations. I am very surprised by the cost. you know, five or $600,000 for essentially planning a park on 17 acres to me is excessive. I have some association with Boulder, Colorado. They just recently, and they have exact same population as us, about 105,000. They just went through a complete, complete Boulder Valley master plan review and change. It covered 64,000 acres. Covered all of the downtown call it covered all the natural spaces and they spent Six hundred thousand dollars on a consultant over two years a very good consultant for that. So I don't understand it If you look at just man-hours from the consulting industry at a hundred dollars an hour You're talking about six thousand man-hours over a four or five month period here It's excessive If we were doing the entire Boulder, I mean, Boca Raton plan, I could see that, but not just for this little 17 acres. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else wishing to be heard on item 9A? Mr. Starkoff.

Earl Starkoff, 3260 St. Charles Way. Yes, we're about to begin a six-month planning process involving City Hall, Memorial Park, and the surrounding public property. As part of that process, I think we should ask a fundamental question. What actually needs to be downtown? And we should start, I think, with a larger goal. The downtown civic campus and Memorial Park gives us an opportunity to help make downtown a real neighborhood for the people who live there and in the surrounding neighborhoods. We do need a city hall. So let's envision a 21st century one in the Chenmore planning process. We could look at the entire former city library, property between second and third streets, the building, the parking lot, and the surrounding land, and look at that entire block as a blank canvas. That canvas could become a city hall, community center, and the facility for the police department in their downtown presence. And Memorial Park could finally become what its name says, a park, a real downtown park, green, active, and welcoming, a place where neighbors meet, children's play, families gather, and adults have recreational opportunities of their own. The planning process could include an expanded tennis center that includes pickleball. It could serve people living in downtown condominiums and apartments, and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods, a public park that helps make the entire downtown area a community. So the strategic question is straightforward. What truly needs to be downtown? What can operate effectively elsewhere? What are the alternative costs? How can the public land we already own, best serve the people who live downtown and nearby. That strategic planning applied to a real decision. Let's use it to help make downtown a community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Starkoff. Anyone else wishing to be heard on item 9A?

Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. I have a completely different view of this, starting with the words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There are parts of this that are broke and need fixing. The police station, the community center, et cetera, the bathrooms and the fields. But there's a lot of it that doesn't need much fixing. And I have... I'll get this in first because I might run right to the end. I personally think the three choices you had were not good enough and that you should go back and find a better one. But having said that, that's my opinion. And once again, I'm not running for anything. I think one big flaw is calling that downtown and that goes all the way back to the mistake that was made by making it downtown and we have a dichotomy here you got some people saying my goodness we can't put the police station there because of uh evacuation zones and train derailments, red herrings of one sort or another, and now you got plans to make this a vibrant, God forbid me for uttering that word, and neighborhood and this is not downtown it's never been downtown and this whole idea to make it downtown linking brightline and the community that uh... terror frisbee presented to us and let's not forget that the people who brought us terror frisbee as the winner also brought us these three i i just want to implore you to think carefully before you go off and i have at the risk of echoing mr liebelson that's a hell of a lot of money to do what you've just described i think and When I crunched the numbers as much as he did, it doesn't really add up in my mind unless these people are making $500, $600 an hour like high-priced lawyers, which we might need if we institute all this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Warner. Mr. Unge, I see you stepping to the podium. Go ahead.

Jonathan NGN 6501 Congress Avenue. So I think consultants are good as they can kind of be a mediator and hopefully an unbiased outside voice, which is what I've been asking for the city to do in this part of town for a very, very, very long time. Because IBM has been gone for 40 years. This area is just developing with one plop down 300 unit multifamily residential with basically no retail component after another. CIMD was a failed piece of legislation that Basically, property owners are sitting on development rights and not doing anything because they can't probably afford to develop with that number of affordable housing, let alone the fact that past council people have had to fight to even have 2,500 square feet of retail, which the majority of Boca Raton's homes are larger than that. That's what CIMD did. So I've been asking and asking and asking and I'll ask again now that we shouldn't be penny wise and dollar foolish, that we should use consultants who are outside to maybe also look at this part of town. I'm not asking that Chen Moore be that one because you have the ULI, the Urban Land Institute, that'll do it for a fraction of these costs. So again, I ask before we do anything else that we do use consultants that are outside when it makes sense, because $25,000 or so that it would take for a ULI study can deliver this city billions of dollars in tax revenue and property values. So I ask that. And then lastly, I know Ms. Grau had to recuse herself. Mr. Perlman's a vacancy going on two meetings now. Do we have quorum for even doing anything, which is a concern that, you know, listen, I don't know where we're summering, but keep them there because these meetings have been great. Thank you.

Any other public comment on item 9A, Ms. Heckwist?

Brianne Hagquist, 5710A Coachella Circle. Good morning again. I'd like to start out with saying that I was extremely impressed with the Chen Moore presentation. They were just so much more professional than the other two groups we heard from. They had a professional presentation that covered everything, including their knowledge of historic Boca, which I was very glad to hear about. They have an extremely diverse team. I read the bios of all of their team. I think everybody on that team would be a great asset to working with the Memorial Park and the downtown area. And I'm going to call it downtown because when I moved here, everybody said, why are you moving so far west? well now i'm practically in what they call central boca so all the areas are shifting more and more and more west i was especially interested in the fact that they can do three historic grants with us which could bring in a lot of revenue We need it for Memorial Park. We also need it for Singing Pines. Hopefully with grants, Singing Pines can be restored and back up to its beautiful state before it was allowed to fall into disrepair. i like the fact that they're doing a community listening that they plan to meet with parks and rec also beach and parks also community members and my thing also with youth and families these are groups that are usually neglected and kids are our future they have a say also families with what what families like i would like to urge you to approve this contract i think it would be a great asset to our park on our downtown area and also to maintain all of our historic areas downtown thank you

Thank you, Ms. Hagquist. Anyone else for public comment on item 9A? I don't see anyone else, so we can close the public hearing on this matter. And I'll entertain a motion and a second to adopt item 9A.

Mayor Thompson, I recommend that we adopt resolution 9A, resolution number 113, 2026.

Thank you. You referenced it as a recommending that we approve it. Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt. Motion to adopt. Thank you.

Very good. Do I hear a second?

Second.

Great, any further discussion? Let me ask a question first of staff. There had been a question as to a quorum on this matter. Can Mr. Kaler provide us, give us some assurance that we have a quorum eligible to vote here?

Sure, thank you, Mayor. The law requires a quorum. It just doesn't require every member of that quorum to be sitting in the same room. So if a council member is participating live by video, as is occurring right now, our rules say that the member is present, they can vote, and it counts towards a quorum. That was adopted as a rule by this council by resolution in 2021, and it allows virtual participation and voting so the council can conduct business. You just don't have to physically be sitting in the same chamber.

Sure. Only follow up question I have is as it relates to a recusal on this particular matter, does that impact the quorum in this case?

Well, that was my next comment. But yes, you have a recusal by Deputy Mayor Grau, but you would still have three council members present. And that is a quorum under our charter and code.

Okay. That was all the questions I had. Did anyone else have any questions for staff before we hit the vote?

I just have a comment, Mayor Thompson.

Sure, please.

So I just want to recap for the folks out there that are listening to how we got here. So about a couple months ago, maybe three months ago before we went for summer hiatus, we had multiple presentations and we had a more affordable opportunity with Treasure Coast Planning Council, which was a federal agency. The majority of this council, not myself, voted against that. So I want to make it very clear to the public that there were other options that would have facilitated this process a lot faster and a lot less expensive. The majority of this council, not myself because I voted against that, decided to go out and seek these companies. This is why we're here today. Obviously, we took a vote last meeting and I I was in support of Shenmore and I will be in support of that as well today. But just kind of wanted to recap why we're here today with this cost, why we didn't save money, and why we're like three months later still having this discussion around Memorial Park and the downtown. Thank you, Mayor Thompson.

Thank you, Ms. Drucker. Any further discussion?

Yes, I would also like to say that Treasure Coast was brought up and there was very little lack of trust in anything that was associated with the government or other councils and I had a lot of requests for independent consultants. And as a matter of fact, Mr. Lubelson suggested some of those independent consultants, even though he's saying that he didn't want them. He's asking why we're using them now. However, we did what the people requested and this is where it has come to so that's why we're here that's why it took so long okay i'm not seeing any further discussion so in that case mrs could you please do the role mr mr mayor

Oh, beg your pardon. Yes, Mr. Kaler.

Before the vote is called, state law does ask the official to state the conflict publicly before the vote. Deputy Mayor Grau has already disclosed the nature of the conflict, I think, at our prior meeting of a potential voting conflict. Just to make sure we're checking that procedural requirement and make sure the disclosure is also made before today's vote. The law calls for a public statement of the conflict, followed by the official abstaining. So I would ask Deputy Mayor Grau, before we proceed to the vote, if you could just state that for the record.

Yes, Josh. I am recusing myself from the vote because my husband's firm does work for Chenmore.

Thank you. And that satisfies the requirement. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. I believe we have a motion and a second. And if there's no further discussion, Ms. Sittons, please.

Thompson?

Yes.

Drucker? Yes. Sippel? Yes. And with the recusal of Deputy Mayor Grau, motion passes three votes to zero.

Okay. Very good. We can move on to quasi-judicial and related public hearings. We have none of those, so we can move on to item 11, regular public hearings. The first one we have is item 11A, ordinance number 5794. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title of ordinance number 5794?

Ordinance number 5794, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton amending chapter 19, buildings and building regulations, article four, inspections and construction requirements division one inspections section 19-162 building recertification inspection program code of ordinances to ensure consistency of the city's building recertification inspection program with building recertification requirements in state law clarifying that uninhabitable building stories are included for purposes of determining whether a building is subject to recertification, amending required deadlines for submittal of recertification reports and permitting and completion of required repairs, providing for extension requests of such deadlines and clarifying technical submittal requirements, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing for codification, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Siddons. Mr. Manager, who will be making the presentation on this matter?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Our Development Services Director, Mr. Shadd, will make the presentation.

Good morning, Mayor and Council, Brandon Shadd, Development Services Director. As mentioned, I'm presenting Ordinance Number 5794, which is an update to our building recertification inspection program. So by way of background, in August of 2021, the city council adopted ordinance number 5589, which created the city's recertification inspection program. We were actually the first jurisdiction in the entire state to act following the Surfside collapse before the state acted and created their own program. What that required was recertification of threshold buildings that are defined in the building code once those buildings are 30 years old and then every ten years thereafter. Generally threshold buildings are those that are greater than three stories in height and sometimes include other types of large buildings that include large assembly. The city, because we already had a large number of buildings that were beyond 30 years old, we established a backlog schedule to get buildings recertified and we've been following that schedule since with some adjustments I'll mention here. In 2022, the Florida legislature created what they call a milestone inspection program. That applies only to condominium and cooperative buildings that are three stories or greater in height. Again, like the city's program required recertification after 30 years, or the state's program provided that for buildings that are within three miles of the coast, that it be 25 years, and then again every 10 years after that. Some other differences were some of the timelines to complete inspection. The legislature specified that for older buildings that the first inspection be conducted no later than December 31st, 2024, so that it requires some adjustments to our program. The types of inspections required, the state, for example, does not require inspections of electrical systems, only structural. In contrast, the city requires both structural and electrical inspections, and we cover not only condo and cooperative buildings, but all types of threshold buildings, including commercial buildings. So while the state allows architects to complete these inspections, the city specifically requires only engineers and that they be qualified in structural and electrical engineering as applicable. In 2023 and in 2025, the legislature made additional changes to their program. One of those was to I mentioned the 25 year requirement for buildings within three miles of the coast before they loosened that so that that can be determined at the local level. We have elected to maintain that 25 year timeline within three miles of the coast because we had already changed our schedule because many buildings or some buildings at least had already accelerated their inspections. So we decided to maintain that same timeline. There were also some changes in 2025 that added some local reporting requirements to the state, clarified that only inhabitable stories count against the three stories. That's another difference with our program is we actually account stories that are uninhabitable, for example, underground parking structures. And the state mandates a specific extension process. We had already provided for extensions, but we have made updates to align our process. and requires that repairs begin within 365 days of the report acceptance by the city, except in cases where there's a safety issue, obviously, where faster repairs are needed. So the proposed ordinance today addresses the state legislative changes that I've mentioned. It codifies the current city practice of including uninhabitable stories when determining if recertification applies. And again, that's things like underground parking structures. adds clarifying language for requirements related to infrared thermology, adds building facade and structural glazing to those elements that must be inspected as part of a recertification report. And we, although it doesn't have a substantive effect, it does help for awareness that we have incorporated the duty to report obligation from the Florida Building Code, which basically means that if an inspector finds something dangerous or concerning, that they have an obligation to report that to the local building official. Staff recommends approval of this ordinance, and I would be happy to answer any questions.

Chair Greg Musil Thank you, Mr. Schad. Members of Council, do we have any questions for staff? Seeing none, we can open up the public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak on item 11A, please step forward to the podium, state your name and address, and you will have up to three minutes. Ms. Sins, do we have any cards?

Not for this item, we do not.

OK. Last call for public comment on item 11A. Seeing none, we will close the time for the public hearing, and I will entertain a motion and a second to adopt ordinance number 5794.

Mayor Thompson, I move that we adopt ordinance number 5794.

Thank you, Miss Drucker.

Second.

Very good. Thank you, Miss Sipple. Any further discussion? If not, Miss Siddons, if you please.

Grau.

Yes.

Drucker? Yes. Sippel? Yes. Thompson?

Yes.

Motion passes, four votes to zero.

Very good. Next up is item 11B, ordinance number 5796. Madam Clerk, when you have a chance, could you please read the title?

Ordinance number 5796, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton amending chapter 12, pensions and retirement, article four, pension plan for police and firefighters, section 12-154, purchase of past service, to effectuate the pension related provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the International Association of Firefighters, Local 1560, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing for codification, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Sittons. Mr. Soheni, who will be making the presentation here?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, our Deputy City Manager and CFO, Mr. Zervas, will make the presentation.

yes mayor members of the council this item is coming forth pursuant to the recently ratified agreement with iff and and this was one of the components that was negotiated as part of that part of that labor agreement this this targets specifically a very narrow group of firefighters that are still currently employed with the city but purchased service time prior to april 14 2015. that's an important date because that's the date that we put a pension cap in capping the benefits payable from the from the police and firefighters pension plan for firefighters so so in effect what happened is firefighters that purchased service credit time prior to that date the value of that time was calculated without considering the impact of that pension cap Subsequently, the cap was put into place and it was negotiated at that time, was put into place and reduced or capped the firefighters benefits. But those that had purchased time prior to that, that value, that capped value had not been considered in the value. So what was negotiated as part of this last labor agreement was a formula to calculate the impact that the cap had on the cost of that additional service credit purchased by those firefighters. And to the extent that they were impacted, there would be a refund of a portion or up to all of what they paid for that additional service credit time without interest upon the retirement of those firefighters. There are roughly five firefighters that are still with the city that are in this category. The maximum cost projected by the actuaries here is $56,922. We have an actuarial impact statement included with your agenda on that item. And again, this is a very narrow amendment, and this is part of the negotiated agreement with IFFF. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Zervas. Members of Council, do we have any questions for staff? Hearing none, we can open up the public hearing on this. Any members of the public wishing to be heard on ordinance number 5796, you can step up to the podium, state your name and address, and you will have three minutes. Last call for public comment. Foreigners number 5796. Oh, Mr. Warner, sorry. Take it away.

Just very briefly, Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. On the cusp of 9-11, i just want to say thank you to all firefighters and these guys i don't know but i i salute them and i'll take this opportunity to slip in the fact that i think it's wrong and a damn shame that we should have made that last vote with just three council members voting

Thank you, Mr. Warner. Anyone else on item 11B? Seeing none, we will close the time for the public hearing, and I'll entertain a motion and a second to adopt ordinance number 5796.

Motion to adopt ordinance number 5796.

Thank you, Ms. Sybil.

Second.

Thank you, Ms. Drucker. Any further discussion? If not, Ms. Siddons, please.

Drucker? Yes. Sippel? Yes. Thompson?

Yes.

Grau? Yes. Motion passes, four votes to zero.

Very good. We're moving right along. Last item under item 11 is 11C, ordinance number 5797. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title?

Ordinance number 5797, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton amending section 3-109 of the procurement code of the city of Boca Raton entitled exempt contractual services and products to revise and expand the categories of services and products exempt from competitive procurement requirements, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Sittons. Mr. Sahandy, you'll be making the presentation here.

Thank you Mr. Mayor, our Deputy City Manager and CFO Mr. Zervas will make this presentation as well.

Thank you Mayor, members of the City Council. This is an update to section 3-109 of the City's Procurement Code. This is specifically relating to exempt items or exempt contractual services and products under the code. so items that don't have to go through the formal procurement process the update really is intended to clarify some of the the categories that are currently included and then expand in a couple areas for items that are routinely granted exemptions from the city council when it comes to procurement as an example earlier today on your consent agenda you authorized renewal of the city's insurance programs included in that in that award is an exemption from the procurement process we exempt that every year that's an example where we're now updating the code to build that exemption into the code so that that one-off exemption doesn't have to be made But going through the actual, the additional changes here, again, clarifying items with regards to artistic services to include theater, literary arts, craft arts, photography, and similar endeavors, just to kind of flesh out what is involved in the artistic categories or to what items are included in that subcategory. Educational exhibits has always been an exemption. We're adding used or displayed as well as presenters, speakers, or instructors. So what does it mean? Before it just said presenters or speakers. So we're clarifying what is included there. With respect to health professionals, The code had included health professionals, including mental health providers, health facilities or organizations. It's now a little clearer in it reads that the health care services rendered to patients by health professionals included mental health providers. those folks that are actually rendering those services to patients. The medical director and other clinical oversight services provided by health professionals, those are for health professionals that are assisting primarily with our fire rescue operations to clarify that they're included under this exemption. healthcare services delivered, coordinated, and arranged by healthcare facilities and organizations. That's consistent with the prior language. Let's see, used equipment has been exempted. Now we're just clarifying that it's whether it's leased or purchased or otherwise procured. So just making sure that all of those different procurement methods are included in that exemption for used equipment. we had lobbyist and actuarial services under section 21 and one item we've broken that out and included lobbying public affairs public relations public opinion research services as a category and then separately included actuarial economic consulting fiscal consulting and investment management service separately those are areas where we've seen exemptions be granted for those types of procurements to ensure that the city is the right provider to meet the city's needs given the engagement and the timing copyrighted materials included for example books now we're adding audio visual materials just updating the code in that way um and i think those are that's really the majority of the the items so clarification a couple expansions really targeting areas that have been granted exemptions those came forth based on departmental feedback um and uh and how and and our procurement department so i'm happy to answer any questions okay thank you mr service members any questions for staff here

Seeing none, we can open up the public hearing. Any members of the public wishing to speak on item 11C, please step forward to the podium, state your name and address, and you will have three minutes. Last call. Seeing none, we will close the public hearing on this item, and I'll entertain a motion and a second to adopt item 11C.

Motion to adopt ordinance number 5797. Thank you, Ms. Sippel. Second.

Second. Any further discussion? Ms. Siddons, if you please.

Sippel? Yes. Thompson?

Yes.

Grau?

Yes.

Drucker? Yes. Motion passes, four votes to zero.

Very good. That concludes our public hearings for the afternoon, morning. We can move on then to public requests. This is the time for anybody interested in having the opportunity to be heard by the city council to step forward to the podium, state your name and address, and you will have up to three minutes. Do we have any cards on this?

Yes, we do, Mayor Thompson. I have cards from Mike Liebelson and Earl Starkoff.

All right, let's go in that order, please. And then anyone else interested can come afterwards.

Mike Liebelson, 398 Northeast, Third Court. I wanted to use my time just to expand a bit on this $80 million a year. This is a big number. This should be a big focus, I think, for this council. I really appreciate Councilmember Sippel's acknowledgment of this and understanding of the issue as well. So just to be clear, We are taking $80 million of what our residents pay in total property taxes. So it's not the property taxes that are levied by the city of Boca Raton. They're levied by Palm Beach County. And first of all, 25% of our total property taxes goes to Boca Raton. The rest goes to Palm Beach County and schools. So of that $80 million, goes into Palm Beach General Fund and is used to fund Palm Beach Sheriff's Organization. And we don't get any services for that whatsoever. And this hopefully will be getting fixed by this MSTU. um that hopefully will be voted on so we get it in 2027. i think the important point here is that we're paying for police services for outside of the city and we still are paying for our own police services and we have to go fund the new police station So we could take this $80 million, I know we can't budget for it because we budget very conservatively and it's not a certainty, but that $80 million can be used to offset the bond that we're going to need to pay to issue to build our police station. and i i think we just need to stay on top of this council should stay on top of this um really appreciate that uh council member drucker is you know running for county clerk and and she knows what the issue is here for the city of boca raton um so that we're not we're not double paying essentially for uh police services here um and so and i think it would help with the presentation to folks if we said yeah we've got to do a 120 million dollar bond issue but we may be getting back 80 million dollars a year and that can be used to offset that thank you mr starkov no if he's still there

Hearing nos, anyone else public hearing or sorry, public requests. If they want to be heard, anyone wants to be heard by the city council, please step forward, state your name and address. You'll have three minutes. Last call for public requests. Seeing nobody get up, we will close the time for public requests. We can move on to item 13 on our agenda. That's the introduction of ordinances. We have a number of them, so please be patient. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title of Ordinance Number 5795?

ORDINANCE NUMBER 5795. An Ordinance of the City of Boca Raton, Florida, Creating a Public Affairs Department. Amending Chapter 2, Administration, Article 4, Departments. Division 1, Section 2-288, Departments Established, Code of Ordinances. to include the public affairs department creating chapter 2 article 4 division 10 public affairs department providing for the composition of the department and the powers duties and responsibilities of the public affairs director providing for severability providing for codification providing an effective date excuse me providing for severability providing for repealer providing for codification and providing an effective date

Very good. Thank you, Ms. Sittons. I will introduce ordinance number 5795. We can move then to ordinance number 5798. Could you please read the title?

Ordinance number 5798. An ordinance of the City of Boca Raton adopting final millage rates and levying ad valorem taxes for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 and ending September 30, 2027, stating the percentage by which the millage to be levied exceeds the rolled back rate. directing the city manager or the office of management and budget director to adjust the adopted millage rates in the event of changes in the assessment role and taxable value, providing for severability, providing for a peeler, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Sittons. Who will introduce this ordinance?

Mayor Thompson, I'd like to introduce ordinance 5798.

Thank you, Ms. Drucker. We're now on ordinance number 5799. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title?

Ordinance number 5799, an ordinance of the City of Boca Raton adopting a final budget and appropriating funds for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 and ending September 30, 2027, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Sittons. Who will introduce this ordinance?

I will introduce ordinance number 5799.

Thank you, Ms. Sybil. Next up is ordinance number 5800. Ms. Simmons, could you please read the title?

Ordinance number 5800, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager and city clerk to execute a non-exclusive construction and demolition, CND, debris collection and disposal services franchise agreement with Diligent Waste and Recycling, LLC, pursuant to section 14-21 code of ordinances, providing for severability, providing for a peeler, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Siddons. Who will introduce this ordinance?

Mayor Thompson, I'll introduce ordinance number 5800.

Very good. We're on 5801, ordinance number 5801. Ms. Siddons, could you please read the title?

Ordinance 5801, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager and city clerk to execute a non-exclusive construction and demolition, CND, debris collection and disposal services franchise agreement with Dumpster Man LLC doing business as Redbox plus Dumpsters of South Florida pursuant to section 14-21 code of ordinances providing for severability, providing for a peeler, providing an effective date.

Thank you. I will introduce number 58, ordinance number 5801. Next up is ordinance number 5802. Ms. Sittins, please read the title.

Ordinance number 5802, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager and city clerk to execute a non-exclusive construction and demolition, CND, debris collection and disposal services franchise agreement with Elite Metals LLC pursuant to section 14-21 code of ordinances, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you. Who will introduce this ordinance?

I will introduce ordinance number 5802. Thank you, Ms. Sippel.

5803 is up next. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title of ordinance number 5803?

Ordinance number 5803, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager and city clerk to execute a non-exclusive construction and demolition, CND, debris collection and disposal services franchise agreement with EMS Roll-Off Incorporated pursuant to section 14-21 code of ordinances, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you. Who will introduce the ordinance?

Mayor Thompson, I will introduce ordinance number 5803.

Thank you, Ms. Trucker. Ordinance number 5804 is up next. Madam Clerk, could you please read this out?

Ordinance number 5804, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager and city clerk to execute a non-exclusive construction and demolition, CND, debris collection and disposal services franchise agreement with J4 Dumpsters and Hauling LLC, excuse me, doing business as Roloff Chick, South Florida, pursuant to section 14-21 code of ordinances, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Who will introduce ordinance number 5804?

I will introduce ordinance number 5804.

OK, just a few more now. We're up to 5805. Ms. Sittons, could you please read the title?

Ordinance 5805, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager and city clerk to execute a non-exclusive construction and demolition, CND, debris collection and disposal services franchise agreement with Palm Beach Waste Services, LLC, pursuant to section 14-21 code of ordinances, providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you. I will introduce ordinance number 5805. We're coming down the home stretch now. 5806 is up next. Madam Clerk, could you please read the title?

Ordinance 5806, an ordinance of the City of Boca Raton, Florida, amending Chapter 15, Taxation and Finance, Article 3, Public Service Tax, of the Code of Ordinances, amending Section 15-68 to remove mandatory allocations of certain public service tax revenues, amending Section 15-66, Definitions, to clarify that water service includes potable water and reclaimed water. providing for severability providing for a peeler providing for codification providing an effective date thank you ms siddons who will introduce this ordinance i will introduce ordinance number 5806

Thank you, Ms. Sibyl. Finally, we have ordinance number 5807. Ms. Siddons, the title, please.

Ordinance number 5807, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton amending the amended downtown plan, a community redevelopment plan, to update section 11, plan services and infrastructure improvements, identifying specific redevelopment projects for purposes of section 163.387 subsection 7 Florida statutes. providing for severability, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Ms. Siddons. You earned your paycheck today. Who would like to introduce ordinance number 5807?

Mayor Thompson, I introduce ordinance number 5807.

Very good. That concludes our introduction of ordinances. We can move then to city manager recommendations and reports. Mr. Sohaney, do you have a report today?

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just a few updates. I just want to remind everybody we held our second police services complex community conversation last Wednesday at the downtown library. And I just really want to thank all the residents that showed up. It was very informative. I also want to thank our chief of police as well as our staff. And we had a good discussion. We received a lot of good feedback to kind of put forth into this project. and the community advisory panel they're compiling that information right now and they're going to come back to council on September 22nd with that the other thing for tonight at 5 15 is our tentative budget hearing I want to thank our CFO Jim Zervas and his OMB staff that's worked so hard on this and we're looking forward to that uh as well but most importantly i want to congratulate our information technology director sandra stevens who recently received the 2026 florida local government information systems association lifetime achievement award it's a tremendous recognition uh sandra her leadership and her service to the city has been absolutely outstanding and her service to the local government in the state of florida has been recognized so congratulations sandra and thank you again mr mayor that's all i have

Thank you, Mr. Sohaney. That is wonderful news. Thank you, Sandra. Sandra helped me just this very morning on getting all set up for our meeting today. She has served the city well with distinction for many years, and we are very, very thankful for her service and leadership. So thank you for bringing that to us, Mr. Sohaney. Mr. Kaler, city attorney report.

I have no report. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you. Last, we'll do city council member reports. We'll start with Ms. Sibyl.

Nothing to report.

Thank you, Ms. Drucker.

Nothing to report. Thank you.

Ms. Groud, do you have a report today?

Nothing to report.

Okay. I don't either. No report for me. So that means we can conclude our business and adjourn. Our meeting will be back tonight at 515 for the tentative budget hearing. But until then, this concludes our business for now. We will conclude today at 1221 p.m. Thank you, everybody.