City Council - Regular Meeting

Of 08/18/2025. Roll call. Mayor DePue? Present.

Councilwoman Gillis? Here. Councilman Thomas? Here. Councilwoman Dobo? Here. Councilman Rainbird?

Here.

Interim City Manager Mahoney?

Present.

City Attorney Wolf?

Here.

Acting City Clerk Tupin, present as well.

Well, at this point in time, we're going to move forward with the Pledge of Allegiance, but I have a question. I see there's some scouts here. Would you guys like to say the Pledge of Allegiance? I don't see anything on the agenda, but if you'd like to say the Pledge of Allegiance, come on up. Pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States

Of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, undone, indivisible, with liberty and justice for

Thank you. Please remain standing for a moment of silence. Item two, approval changes or modifications to the agenda. Seeing none at this time. Item three, approval of the minutes. Seeing none at this time. Item four, presentation, proclamation, plaques, certificates and or donations. None at this time. Item five, city manager report.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. I just have a couple of things. Update from our last City Council meeting. Staff is working on an ordinance to present to you to possibly eliminate business tax receipts. The city little

get of bit

And

we're more a interview process. And then I I mentioned that I was

going going to to have public works present a presentation on the 29.5 Street Canal, Silver Palm Canal, and the basin boxes at this council meeting. But we moved that to the next council meeting in September. Other than that, it's been very busy, and that is my full report.

Awesome. Thank you. I just want to

say, Mr. Interim City Manager, I've been getting calls, texts, e mails from all over the city about some issues. And I send them to you, get them to people. Street sign was down. It was up later that day. Customer service right there.

Thank you. We have great staff. We really do.

I called in somebody who had an issue with a drainage issue, and they said you had a back truck out there the next morning, and they were very thankful, like in tears thankful. And I'm just thankful for you.

And from public works, heard that Sean and Jeff and the whole team are doing a great job as well. But hearing a lot of compliments lately. So we appreciate you, Mr. Manager, and the whole entire staff and especially Public Works because I don't know if you guys know it or not, but we're in something called hurricane season. I've never heard of it before.

While we're talking about it, I will give a shout out to Ms. Pine out there because I know how much she does behind the scenes.

Myself and staff appreciate those. Thank you.

Item six, Citizens Comments. This is your time to come forward with any comments you may have. Please state your name and address and please limit your comments to three minutes or less.

Me again. Hi. Linda Mosier, 319 Leaning Oak Drive. Flood mitigation in Edgewater is complicated, costly, and crucial. Advocating to protect majestic oaks is an effort that also potentially stands to benefit neighbors in Silver Ridge, Carter's, Phase 4 and Florida Shores.

The proven benefit of large, healthy, well established oak trees, every last one of them, is worthwhile to consider on its own merit. Our entrance canopy contains 20 of them. As stated previously, Majestic Oak's opposition to the final site plan given to counsel two weeks ago is focused on making one adjustment. The commercial entrance to 1st Business Park on 2360 South Ridgewood needs to originate on Ridgewood. Doing so remains in alignment with current city codes that restrict truck routes through residential neighborhoods.

Access from U. S. 1 eliminates the need for any oak tree removals at all, thereby protecting the flood mitigation benefits of those root systems. Whether misdirected or accidental, preventing tight turns onto Oak Branch by large construction and delivery vehicles will help to protect median signage, lighting and the canopy. We're aware that FDOT does not support access from US1, but why not?

Whatever the reason, the alternative of forcing truck traffic onto Oak Branch does not conform with existing city ordinances. Whatever the reason, it's between 1st Business Park and FDOT to facilitate a US 1 access point. It's estimated that traffic volume through Majestic Oaks main entrance doubled in 2023 with the completion of new housing in phase four, which also opened a thoroughfare to Alameda and hundreds of homes between 27th And Roberts Road. Majestic Oaks is not a retirement committee, and families send their kids up Oak Branch to safely catch the school bus. Lastly, any future damage would conflict with the initial BPUD itself, Ordinance No.

Twenty twenty four-forty four, Item No. Eight, which states the proposed change will not have a negative effect on the character of the surrounding area. We feel that it does. If you agree, we ask that city council, number one, enforce standing ordinances and number two, instruct staff to partner with First Business Park in lobbying FDOT for approval of direct access from US1 in a good faith effort to safely and sustainably develop the commercial property into the best possible neighbor for Majestic Oaks. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. They're truly appreciated. Item seven, Council Reports. I'll go ahead and go. I was actually spoken to Ms. Moser on several occasions, and I just wanted to bring it up to the city manager and talk about it on the city diocese if we could give direction manager to see if there's any way to help. I understand we approved the PUD. I understand everything was just approved at the last city council meeting as well. This concern, I don't think, was brought forward to us in time. Some things slipped through the cracks.

If there's any way that we can help the Majestic Oaks community, even if it is getting a connection with FDOT, I'd like to have consensus at this time or if the manager would like to weigh in.

Yes. So I've been working with Ryan, our Development Services Director, to see if we can modify the site plan. And we're working with the engineer of the business park. I don't have any clear answers yet. It does seem like there may be some solutions to possibly lessen the impact to the oak trees. But I have not had an in-depth discussion about FDOT at this time, but it's something that I will do and report back to you.

Perfect. Thank you so much, Mr. Manager. That's all I had at this time. I appreciate it. This past weekend, just for the record, was at a wonderful Florida League of Cities conference with Councilwoman Gillis and had a tremendous time. It was a lot of valuable information and made a lot of great connections. Councilwoman Gillis?

That's probably the breadth of my input. I met with a lot of residents about different issues. I've been working with Joe in different departments and trying to get all those issues solved individually. But the biggest thing was conference last night or not last night, but last week. I went to a bunch of workshops and met with people. I served on an advocacy committee there, and SB 180 was definitely one of the top topics. Learned a lot and made some connections and got some good resources of people to reach out to moving forward. I'm hopeful for the future.

So that's all I have at this time. Councilman

Great. Well, I've been under the weather for about twenty eight days. Getting to feel better now. I've answered a bunch of phone calls. And I wanted to set it up with the City Manager at your convenience. Would you call Robbie Lee and make his appointment? You said you wanted to go see the new development out west. If you have time, at your time, and then I'll make my time to fit your time, if you could

do that. Yes. I'm scheduled, I believe, for this Wednesday. This Wednesday? I'll confirm that it's this week for sure, and I'll reach out to you and let you know what we Okay. Have

you, sir. And Mr. Mayor, while you were at the conference, did you get to talk to any other cities about coalition and

how they feel? I did. I didn't get to talk to their council as a whole, but I think there was at least 10 other cities that discussed they were thinking of joining, one that was a sister city as well. That's why I insisted tonight that we

because every city is sort of stepping back, waiting to see what the other cities are going to do. And I think we needed to make that commitment right away and let the other cities show what we did. I agree with that.

One of the meetings was they had all the cities get up and speak and reach out to the Florida League to see what they're going to do moving forward as far as who was affected by it. Because when there are some cities I spoke to who didn't even realize what was going on because it's not hitting them as hard. And then when it was presented, because of the path of the different hurricanes that have hit the state and the mileage it crosses, it affects every city, just some of them haven't been affected yet. So they are asking everybody to come forward with their stories and moving forward. And there a lot of people who were talking about joining the coalition.

I think it's going to be a good fight, and I have good feelings about winning this thing. Anyway, that's my report.

Awesome. Councilwoman Davao.

Thank you. I have nothing to report at this time.

Thank you. Councilwoman Rainberg.

I just wanted to add that we did a little research and so far, coalition are Deltona, as we know Delray Beach just joined Orange And Manatee Counties Windermere Maitland, three nonprofits Lake County votes on August 25, and Stewart, Florida votes on it August 26. So that's almost 10 right there. And if that is true, that if you're not a plaintiff, you don't get the advantage of any pause, let's call it. They'll probably all jump on because don't get left behind. And the only other thing I have to report is that I've just, on my own, done a little bit of driving around and looking at some of the 18th Street Canal.

And everywhere I go, I see signs that somebody has been working there. So all up and down, you see it. I guess they're going in stages, but some of the other major areas. One thing I am noticing, though, it seems like we haven't had rain, what, about a week now. The water is still a little high in some places, like Duck Pond. You could see normally, you see that fountain up there. The fountain is only that big. Thank God we're not getting this storm right now because we're a

little bit high. Thankfully, we have pumps this year as well. And I

see there's a nice little pad. You poured a nice little pad there to sit the pump on, the pond ready to go.

Yes, that's correct. And if we thought that storm was going to impact us, we'd already be pumping

Duck Lake. You cut down to the West, right?

There's a new outfall.

Yes, you got an outfall put in. Guys are kicking butt.

Great news. Item eight, Consent Agenda, none at this time. Item nine, Public Hearing Ordinances and Resolutions. Item 9A, first reading, Ordinance Number twenty twenty five-zero-eleven, Amending and Restating the Firefighters Pension Plan. Please read into the record.

Ordinance Number twenty twenty five-zero-eleven, an ordinance of the City Council of Edgewater, Florida, repealing orders numbers 20 fourteen-zero-twenty, 20 sixteen-zero-thirty three, twenty nineteen-zero-three, 20 nineteen-zero-twenty six, twenty twenty one-zero-thirty six, twenty twenty three-zero-eleven and twenty twenty four-zero-thirty seven in their entirety in amending and restating and adopting the City Of Edgewater, Florida firefighters' pension plan, providing for filing with the Division of Retirement of the Florida Department of Management Services, providing for conflicting provisions, providing for severability and applicability, and providing for an effective date and for adoption.

Thank you. Staff report.

Mayor Council, this is the planned restatement of the firefighters' pension. We're appealing seven ordinances in order to amend, restate, and adopt these changes into the proposed ordinance. And it's a new plan restatement. The proposed change will have no financial impact. Steph recommends approval.

Thank you. We appreciate it. Open the public hearings, citizens' comments. Council comments. We have a great firefighter team. Closed to public hearing. Is there a motion to approve?

I make a motion to approve the first reading of Ordinance No. Twenty twenty five-zero-eleven, amending and restating the firefighters' pension plan.

25 R-twenty seven, modifying the schedule of feesrates. Please read into the record.

Resolution twenty twenty five R-twenty seven, a resolution of the City Council of the City of Edgewater, Florida modifying the schedule of fines, fees, costs, inter penalties and various administrative fees related to the City Edgewater Code of Ordinances for solid waste, repealing resolutions of conflicts herewith, providing for severability and applicability and establishing an effective date.

Thank you. Staff report.

Mayor Counsel, this is modifying our schedule of fees and rates. The majority of changes relate to various building permit fees being increased. The police detail rate was raised to better reflect the actual cost of service. The water and sewer impact fees were increased as recommended in the consultant's report, and staff recommends approval.

Thank you. Over to public hearings, citizens' comments. Council comments. So there were no increases this year on our utility bill?

That is

correct. Great. Any further comments or questions? Opposed a public hearing. Is there a motion to approve?

In light of the fact that there is no raise to the utility rates, I feel very excited, I guess, to make a motion to approve Resolution No. Twenty twenty five R-twenty seven, modifying the schedule of rates and fees.

We on council comments or did I miss?

You missed it, but there is a motion and a second. At this point in time, we can go back to council comments.

Okay. Thank you. Sorry, I did not hear that. I just want to put out a few things, and I'm fine with whatever council decides. We're delaying the next five years capital improvement project plans by almost $3,000,000 We have some projects that are going be delayed.

2026 is going to be about $1,800,000 and fiscal year 2027 is going to delayed $1,900,000 of projects. Dollars 3,000,000 of piping projects will be delayed until 2028. So I just want to speak the for counsel just to be understanding that with no rate increase, we're going to be delaying a lot of potentially important projects until 2028. So I just want to put that out there for consideration.

Sure. Mr. Manager, how much currently do we have budgeted for a Public Works expansion, just the Public Works Building itself?

I would need some help from the finance director to answer the exact number.

So are you

referring to phase two of the Public Works Complex?

Phase one and two currently of the Public Works Facility that's being built, not the expansion of the wastewater treatment facility plan.

Okay. So the Public Works phase one is currently 23,000,000 approximately.

$23,000,000

And Phase two has not been programmed in. They have deferred that portion of the project until further years out.

Great. Thank you. Our budgets are looking good. We really thank you, Bridget, for tremendous work this year. We still have plenty of funding in our capital overlay budget as far as ARPA that will go to grants, and we still have $300,000 unallocated for it. But we are still moving forward with a public work expansion that is needed. I'm not arguing that. But we're moving forward with a public works building expansion when there are other projects for $20,000,000 I believe that could have been done in the past, but we are where we are. There was a motion by Councilwoman Gillis. There was a second by Councilor Rainberg. Roll call.

Mayor DePue? Yes. Councilwoman Gillis? Yes. Councilman Thomas? Yes. Councilwoman Daldo? No. Councilman Rainbird?

Yes. Item 9C, Resolution Number twenty twenty five R-thirty one, Budget Amendment, August 2025. Please read into the record.

Resolution twenty twenty five R-thirty one, a resolution of the City Council of Edgewater, Florida adopting budget adjustments to the twenty twenty four-twenty twenty five fiscal year budgets and providing for an effective date.

Thank you. Staff report.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Bridget Bass here, Finance Director for the City of Edgewater. Resolution twenty twenty five R-thirty one is the budget amendment for our current fiscal year. The interim city manager and staff have performed a review of all the revenues and expenditures throughout the various funds in the city. City Council will adopt the amendment at fund level. So Edgewater amends fiscal year 'twenty four-'twenty five budget by revising the budget in total pursuant itemizations contained in Exhibit A of the resolution.

Thank you. Open a public hearing, Citizens Comments. Council comments. Closed the public hearing. Is there a motion to approve? Is there a motion to approve?

I'll make a motion to approve Resolution twenty twenty five R-thirty one, Budget Amendment for August '5. Second.

Roll call.

Second. Mayor DePue? Yes. Councilwoman Gillis? Yes. Councilman Thomas?

Yes.

Councilwoman Dabo? Yes. Councilman Rainbird?

Yes. Item 9D, Resolution twenty twenty five R-thirty two, request to accept a right of way deed for 25 feet of property of Clinton Cemetery Road. Please read into the record.

Resolution No. Twenty twenty five R-thirty two, a resolution of the City of Edgewater, Florida accepting a quick claim deed for 25 feet of property for the purpose of rights of way on Clinton Cemetery Road authorizing recording. Recurring resolutions of conflict here with providing for severability and applicability and establishing an effective date.

Thank you. Open a public hearing. Staff report.

Mayor and counsel, this is Legg Mason Wilson to accept the right of way deed from FPL. Existing and proposed development has necessitated the need for a signalized intersection at Jones Fish Camp Road, Clinton Cemetery Road, and South Florida Avenue. There is no cost to the city taxpayer. Staff recommends approval.

Thank you. Citizens comments. Council comments. Is there a motion to approve?

I'll make a motion to approve resolution number twenty five R -thirty two, request to accept a right of way deed for 25 feet of property on Clinton Salmon Ferry Road.

Second. Roll

call. Mayor DePue? Yes. Councilwoman Gillis?

Yes.

Councilman Thomas?

Yes.

Councilwoman Dalbo? Yes. Councilman Rainbird?

Yes. Item 10, board appointments, none at this time. Item 11, other business, 11A, public notice fiscal year 2021 to 2022, small Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant, CDBGNR program, reduced scope of work staff report.

Mayor and Counsel, this is a request for a reduced scope of work due to increased construction cost, which prohibits the city from completing the original scope of work. The reduction is accomplished in limiting to the lining of approximately 7,880 linear feet of eight inches sanitary sewer and 300 vertical footage of manhole lining. Steph recommends approval.

Thank you. Citizens comments, counsel comments. What was the line of deduction? How much would it cost to proceed?

I don't have those numbers, Mr. Mayor.

350,000 approximately, okay? That's an item we could budget potentially. Okay. Any further council comments? Is there a motion to approve?

I make a motion to approve public notice FY twenty twenty one-twenty twenty two, Florida Small Cities, Community Development Block Grant.

Roll call.

Mayor DePue? Yes. Councilwoman Gillis? Yes. Councilman Thomas?

Yes.

Councilwoman Dabo? Yes. Councilwoman Rayburn?

Yes. Item 12, officer reports. Item 12A, city clerk.

I have nothing at this time. Thank you.

Item 12B, City Attorney.

Nothing at this time.

Okay. Item 13, Citizens Comments. Please approach the podium, state your name and address, and limit your comments to three minutes or less. Okay. I just have one comment since there are no citizens' comments. Aaron, I think that you're doing a good job. You're a great attorney. But at the last council meeting, we gave direction to set up for RFP, and I didn't hear an updated response on that tonight. So what I'm proposing is that we can start advertising, immediately unless you get anything you'd like to add, Mr. Manager.

So city staff is working to create a request for proposal. I should have something back to you, the next council meeting.

Well, we've already voted on it. So do we have to vote to yes?

I don't know if you have to vote on it. Mr. Wolf, they have to vote on the they voted on going out for bid. So staff is putting the scope of work together, to actually create the bid. So I don't think you have to vote it again. It would be on the street.

Is that something that we can open up, say, next Monday for two weeks?

We need to complete the scope of work. So I've already reviewed basically what we're looking for in an attorney for a law firm. So now it's just finalizing that. I could probably have that completed by Friday, if not Monday, the latest.

Okay, great. Thank you. Aaron, you are doing a great job. It's absolutely nothing personal. And I appreciate your comments tonight and recommending that we go along with the coalition. Seeing no further comments, we are adjourned.