Library Board - Regular Meeting

Order. April 16 meeting of Recreation Cultural Services Board. Roll call?

Here.

Here. Sorry. That's written out.

They adjusted mics for the council meeting, so I think this is part of the adjustment.

Okay. Sorry. First, approval of minutes from the January 15 meeting.

'15 meeting of this year.

I'll second.

All in favor? Aye. All opposed? All right. Old business.

I feel like we're probably going to go over the events that we just had, so right? Later in the okay. I don't have any old business.

Same. I'm just old.

All right. New business. Amen.

So we have a beautification award nomination that I submitted for a neighbor on Umbrella Tree. I can give you in the packet, you can see I wrote a little write up about it. I guess I could do a shorter summary for you guys. He's done a lot of landscaping. There's a lot of vibrant flowers and palm trees. And he has added a lot of lightscaping. So at night, it's really, really beautiful. You can the photos. I think That's the one

with the bench in the corner.

Yes. Yeah, for the kids.

So the reason I wanted to nominate him, not only did I really like what he's done I mean, he's a neighbor that I personally know. But he also he built the bench for the kids so they don't have to sit on the ground. The lepticon one. Yeah, and it's like a nice size one, you know? And then he also has like a zip line and like, a trampoline and, like, a clubhouse and all of it. And he, like, is very welcoming. Like, all the kids know that they can play at his yard, and, like, it's not a big deal. Like, it's really nice. I feel like he's done, like, a really nice thing for them because they're just sitting there. So and that bus stop is for every single school, every age group.

So he really is I think he's done such a really nice thing. No, I didn't tell him.

How long is the zip line? And where does it go from?

It's just like one side of his yard to the other.

Across 30th. I'm joking.

Yeah. Okay.

Well, I mean, is it?

It's back here. A It's in the backyard? No, it's like on the side. So it's a really long lot. His backyard backs up to a canal, so he really doesn't have a backyard. It's really all side yard. And so he kind of

It's visible from 30th.

Yes. So you can see everything. You can see the clubhouse. They have a slide. They have everything.

My thing is not seeing it. My thing is when he's not there, somebody's going to get on it. Yeah. No.

And it's not like we're going to promote it as somewhere for to for people to do that. I just think what he's doing is really nice, kind of stands out.

Anybody that spends time on their yard makes it look 100% better, yeah. And this guy, I mean, I've always noticed this guy's property.

It's really good. I love the lights I love.

Yeah, the hardscape and it being a corner lot and very visible and he takes pride in what he's doing.

Obviously, he's

got a considerable amount of money involved, I can tell you that. It's definitely done nice.

And there's a lot of yards or homes on the street that don't want they line their driveways with stuff so you can't And you can't it's not accommodating for parents that are picking up their kid. You get neighbors that are like, get out of here. And you get other neighbors who are like, pull on into the driveway, it's okay. And Jim is just very kind with everybody. So I think it's a

Well, if they pull on the edge of my yard, they have to call record to get them out.

Oh, no.

You know, it's like a ditch drop off.

So I kind of thought he was worthy of it. I don't know. Are we voting on that? I was going say,

do we need to vote on that?

Okay.

Perfect.

We've got plenty of chairs. Museum is they need people to scan the paper documents and stuff like that, historical documents on to the computer, put them on file so people can look them up easier that way. We're always looking for volunteers to do that.

Were they doing that? What museum?

Well, that was they said all archives were down in New Smyrna behind the old courthouse in that place. They are always looking for some people that can scan that stuff. That's is a lot of documents down there. I've seen

So are you looking to, like, put together a group of people to work on this? Or did you are you looking to do an event around it? Or you're not sure? Okay.

Maybe

have them, like Andrea had mentioned, come to a rec board meeting and possibly collaborate and get direction on what they feel from input from them they would benefit the city.

That's what I was going say, get ideas from them of what they would

like Correct. To just direction, maybe possibly helping them planning.

Yeah. You mentioned Joanne Sykes. And I know this is silly, but immediately my mind went to growing up. Joanne used to have all of these puppets. There were birds. One of them's name was Gertrude. I will never forget. And she used to do shows and stuff. So, almost picture doing a show for the kids on the history of Edgewater at one of the Edge Fest events or something. Yeah, I say let's invite them.

I mean, they can always share a public comment. But we can also have them put on the agenda to present ideas.

Is there anything being done right now? Like where is anything historic? Is it

in your? So

if we created this initiative that gathered some more things, where would a good place to display it be? You have enough room? Okay. Yes.

Yes. From what I understand, Joe, a lot of Jo Ann's stuff went down to New Smyrna. And it's probably going to be probably get stuck there. I don't think they'll probably release it back. Think to And go next And then There are several different interpretations of Founders

Day. Yes.

The years. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, because,

next year will be one hundred and seventy five years since, wait, not one hundred. Did I be right? No, not one we're to

And when I John Milton Hawk came here.

Yes, that's when it was founded. Going then,

And but we've got several I mean, I remember Tracy Barlow had a different date. And it was a who was it? I think it was Thomas that had it. Oh, that's good.

Will be seventy five years since it's been incorporated.

So it's like because I was shooting for that originally the 2015, but

Yeah, that was 1865.

That was when the land was purchased.

Yeah, that's when he came after the civil war. He came by barge up the intercoastal figure. And he brought Matthias Day with him or caught or met Matthias Day, who ended up founding Daytona Beach. John Milton Hawks also basically started that township in Port Orange, which was a Friendship Bill Mill or Friend in fact, there's still historical signs down there about that. But his woodshop or his wood mill was in Port Orange, which he originally wanted to call Orange Port.

But for some reason, it got changed. Somebody said it was because they already have an Orange Port someplace else. But and that's where all of his workers came when the freed slaves came down on barges and stuff down to Port Orange because of the wood mill and everything that they had there. That's where all that was going on. And it yes, I've read up on some of those books.

There is some books at our library. I've got a couple of copies of different things. He wrote John Belton Hawks also wrote the first almanac in the state of Florida. And it was interesting to read. But I think I mean, I like to go with 1865 because that's when he got here. He bought land here. And that's as far as that's what I feel like. So now whether or not we had a county government or something like that that was going to etch it in the books at that time or not, I don't know.

Yeah, there is. That's the one that next year will be seventy five years ago.

Yes, 1951.

You're exactly right. There was an the incorporation date was different than his What does it say on that? The incorporation date?

Incorporated nineteen fifty

nineteen fifty one. That's the town itself, I believe. Municipality. Okay. He's talking about business assets.

Settled in 1871.

So prior to 1865, did he set up a corporation to broker land? Or did he set up a corporation for his wood shop in Port Orange

that may dignify a year? Yes, that's where the wood mill was. It's somewhere along parallels the railroad tracks, there's a historical

sign. In 1915, it was incorporated as Hawks Park. And then in 1924, Florida legislature renamed it And

we're to

that's we're Wikipedia, so there could be errors. That.

That's gospel, isn't it? Like Google. There's so many different contradictory things. There was a gentleman that made a presentation at that New Smyrna Museum, who I went down and saw. I filled that museum.

And he was a historian and a the bloodline of oh, why am I thinking one of the streets that go like from Ocean or something, I'm trying to remember his name. I met him. He's a real nice guy. He had a lot of photos and stuff I've never seen before.

Faulkner? Didn't that come through the motion? I

bet if I asked the guy at New Smyrna, Louisiana, because they had refreshments laid out in some homemade cookies, which were not really edible. I mean nobody took them with the details. Well, I go for the cookies and

these are You guys described those. I know the last name.

I mean, yes.

But these sugar cookies taste more like salt cookies, but that's what's out of it. In fact, they may have been. But maybe I'll get do we have any times on that library open down there in New Smyrna? Because I wouldn't mind going down there because I get doctor's appointments down there in New Smyrna all the time. That's the place.

Tuesday through Saturday, ten to four.

Ten to four, and that's Tuesday through Saturday.

Friday. Will

be kind of cool with that group that wants to do some sort of history. Maybe some of possibly build a case and maybe incorporate that into going to elementary schools to get them interested into our local history. Maybe into some of their local history, a book fair, maybe even displayed at an event. So that way, it may get them involved and more interested in the local history here in Edgewater. Something small that would just spark their interest. Obviously, kids, something that they would not know what it was today, obviously. We've got a few items in the glass case that would probably I mean, one would be a rotary phone, honestly. Nobody knows what a rotary phone

is No, they don't. Okay.

But I'm just something along the lines that they'd be like, intrigued them to get involved Yeah. With community They used to do it with, like, the DARE stuff. They'd bring because, obviously, when you see something physically, like, it sparks more than just physically reading it. So seeing it would intrigue them to get involved with possible local history. For sure.

For sure. For sure. For sure. Especially, you know, something brass, something that's obviously not going to be damaged. But, you know, explain to them what it was used for, what, you know, who would use it, and it was something that was used regularly in this community, whether it was Doctor. Hawk's something, whatever that may be, it may intrigue them to get more involved.

Love it. So yes. Maybe

this is this. Mean, Joan used to be the city historian.

It was actually a position where she was in charge of

it all and got volunteers. Yeah, spent a lot of time with her. I was going over history from Oak Hill.

We got a lot of people that are involved in the local cemetery, that cemetery that's out there on the airport and stuff and those type of committees are self motivated, kind of do their own thing. So I mean, maybe this group that has been coming in, we 've seen them a couple of times. Some of them have particular things. They're interested. The one woman was more interested in the history of the church and whatnot.

As a whole, Oak Hill has a history, that book, and I believe Edgewater has one as well. Taking some of the core things or maybe even things that aren't in there, I mean, who would know that Doctor. Hawk was connected to Port Orange with a wood shot and what he had said about Daytona and those things that may not be in that book and putting all those things together, maybe even just bullet points of key things that happened to get us where we're at today.

Now Esther wrote a book also, Esther Hofs, his wife, which was very good.

I'm nominating Glenn as the historian. He's already Well, we've tried that before, but I mean, if we get cookies involved, you'll know

everything. Yeah. I'll we get cookies involved, now my wife will kill me.

So a couple of years ago, Katie was here, she was really active in trying to get a Founders Day thing going. And at the time, we had gotten an approval to be able to do an ambassador's type of club, which which is someone that didn't have to meet under the whole, you know, yeah, basically like it doesn't have to be announced. So like they don't have to be nominated. It's just kind of like a more casual, they can get together. I mean, we could, if Glenn wants to, I mean, I'm not going to totally just nominate you, but maybe, if you want to maybe be the head of that and help them, I mean, they could meet and then kind of meet They're They're liaisons.

Yes. I understand. They're a group

of Yeah, and then they could report to Glenn if they need to and then report to the board and then he can kind of, because I feel like I don't know any of the history. And I'm more of like an events side of things, but I still love all of this. But I think that Glenn would be so good at that.

I just wish I could find some way of getting archives from the

hospital. Maybe the hospital's first duty to this group to see if we can get that to happen. I mean,

maybe it's a guidance Well, for young people, they might be interested in going up to like Charlotte or whatever and where the hospitals were that John Milton Hawkes and Esther Hawkes worked in during the Civil War because there's a lot of history there. Of course, Milton Hodgkins, was the only doctor that would work on black soldiers. And their hospital was outside of the main hospital in tents. They weren't allowed to be in. So and John Milton Hoch not only worked on Union soldiers, but also Confederate soldiers that were because you know, a lot of blacks were recruited in the Confederacy.

And there was a lot of history there. And of course, they say that Esterhaus was the one that started Memorial Day. Several publications say because she had the ladies had gotten together and collected wild flowers, and they aligned the road from the cemetery where all these soldiers were being laid to another point, and that was many years ago. But since then, there's several other entities that have claimed that right or that but it's in the books. In fact, it's in Esther Hoff's book.

He describes in detail that, that day. So and of course, Esther went back up north and he came down here. She's buried up there. He's buried down here. I'd have to get my head back in the game because there was a lot of history that I was going through and it just didn't go anywhere.

It's like Maybe you have the ability to relay that to these folks to do the legwork to help you complete this picture. Yes.

Somebody may have I'm sure there's library question. I

a question. Whole, especially now that the Internet, they don't necessarily may not have to go up there.

Well, even if we don't have a celebration, having a location where you can see and read, like you're talking about in our museum where it would be posted a wall or something that would describe the history

or even more monument areas in our city that are dedicated or noticed for their particular presence of what happened there in that particular day. And certain areas that are obviously solid in history, this is where this happened. And then it'd be nice to be able to identify those areas within our city.

It'd be

nice if I could find a way of finding out the history of the thirty first USCI, which was the unit that Milton Hawks was assigned to. That's the thirty first US Colored Infantry was who he was assigned to. Now Esther Hawks was made administrator at the big hospital unofficially. She was a temporary. She was a fill in because they would not allow a woman to be in that position back then.

Okay. Glenn is the curator now.

Yes, I know. Done.

Well, I just did a lot of reading, okay? And believe it or not,

my mind is still remembering here's this the thing. I understand what you're saying, but it needs to get down before we lose all this.

In other words, you're wondering when I'm going to die?

I didn't say that. Well, if you keep eating salt cookies.

Well, look, we lost a lot of information when we lost Joanne.

Well, she seems Ms. Sikes has came to the office, correct?

Her daughter, yes.

Yes. So I mean, it seems like she's wanting to be involved. So may be something that she has passion in that may be able to put what her mom Well, had in

mom was city clerk here for thirty three years, so she, I mean, knows more than ample amount of history. Eoin was one of her closest friends. The reason I said I know there's a history of Edgewater book is because mom's literally in it. May be I don't know how much she'd be willing to do a ton, but she is somebody we could talk to and get direction. She may know where some stuff is or who might know where something is. Direction? Makes a hobby anyway.

Yes.

City clerk here for thirty one years, she's got to know something. She knows where the buys are buried.

I mean, she's been retired for seventeen, to be fair. So but we're talking almost fifty years she goes back to being in the trenches and everything.

All right. We've to figure something out.

Well, say we start with the very first thing.

Inviting them. Yeah.

Maybe they have an idea of something that they want to do.

Yeah, give them some sort of collaboratively come up with a direction and maybe an objective and work on that.

Well, if we can set up meetings with the group and with Joanne Starr and just to get some of this information together and see what we can

gather. Yes.

Yes. Because some of this stuff is not we're not going be able to find. But I think it's still out there. And I think it's in the archives at New Smyrna because they've got stuff stacked in boxes.

They have a lot of stuff, yes.

And that's why I just wish they had a decent scanner. Well, they may have now. I don't know. You can sit there and open this thing and put something down for just a certain amount of time and then you're done. So when you can shoot them through, it's a lot easier. Of course, she's the one that's got all those questions.

I was going to say, we can do it from our phones pretty easily nowadays.

Yes. I still have trouble texting, but that's beside the point.

So we don't need to vote on that or anything, right? We

can put it on the agenda for the next meeting as far as discussion goes.

All right. Public comments? You've already made them. Can you please come to the microphone? I ask what we need to do about Carol Ann?

Oh, that was on the agenda.

I didn't see it. Yeah. I was going say, I don't see it. I know somebody who has been like dying to do it. She has already applied. She's on a board now, but would rather be on this board. I know, but she would resign from that one. Teresa, have you been

here? Yes. Yes. She's

been And I wanting to she's be on amazing. She's super involved.

Yes. Was a part of our ambassador group, and I had my ambassador group. She's very, very active.

Correct?

Tons of ideas. This was

the original board she wanted to be on. And remember I told you, Bonnie, you were like, I can't find her application because we were full.

She's on planning and zoning.

Had put planning and zoning as her second, and they pulled her and got her in. That's why you didn't find her

I already did.

Well, this other application

Well, technically did apply.

Yeah, that's what

I was

to say. How long are the applications like once they're filled out, how long are they good for? Should I have her do another application just in case?

We'd like to read it too. Yeah, obviously.

Bet you have two potential candidates. How do you decide?

We kind of just go back, like look at the

not missing two, are we?

Yeah, are. Zach's not on board anymore, and Carol Ann's not here anymore.

Haley is.

Oh, Haley took Zackspot?

Yeah. Or did Carol Ann take Zackspot? Somebody took Zackspot. One of them took Zackspot.

Okay.

One.

Well, we can keep a number on it because

Well, I was going say, the other person who like, if we chose one and not whatever, maybe we mentioned to the other one this whole historical thing and being part of that.

I mean, you guys would collectively vote, I believe, on who you want.

How would a subcommittee

work? Do

we all have to have separate meetings? Or would it just be a line item agenda under our

Okay. So if we were to do something a little less formal than that, what would that

The ambassadors, being an ambassador or a workshop. The workshop to me would be one time or a couple times.

That would obviously have a reporting liaison power.

They report to someone on the committee. That's basically have

an item listed on the agenda reporting.

Ambassador's Facebook page. What we were doing is we were doing two separate ones. One was me trying to get Teresa and a couple other moms in town to help with the events. And then the other one was with Katie. Yeah. And that's what we were doing it by the book. That was the right way to do it. Because I remember, like, we had I had to go through bunch of things, and it was the only way to where we didn't have to have minutes, and a person didn't have to be there, we didn't have to record it, we didn't have to do whatever, and then we discussed it at our meetings.

Maybe that's something we discussed with the group that when they come, we obviously offer that, because it would be a little bit less more informal. They don't feel like they have to be somewhere. I mean, you want them to kind of congregate, but at the same time, if somebody's got something going on, you're not going to affect minutes, meetings, all of

Yeah, and we met at your building in one of the

rooms That's in perfect.

Mean, the

Yeah. Museum's

there.

Then maybe we ask the lady who submitted an application if she wants to be a part of that.

Then, you know, in the event we have an opening in the future, she would be that.

This is a little off of that, so let me look back on the history real quick. Is this building or this house next door, is it still is it limbo or what? The one back here? Yes, John Hawk's original house.

So about the one on Riverside Drive or the one behind here by the police department?

One I gathered at. The one behind or on Riverside Drive, it's the next house. So we're the one that's been painted different colors.

Oh, I'm not sure. I believe

it resides in Milton Hawk's original house.

I think somebody resides there. Don't know.

I mean it's had different owners. I just didn't know if it was.

Well, I thought his original house at one point was City Hall, like became City Hall. Why it's here. That's why City Hall is here.

And he built a house next door.

I mean, like, his house that he used to reside in, I thought became City Hall.

Right. Okay. And then later he built that house.

Oh, Yeah.

I mean, maybe the sanitary needs to be rebuilt down here on Riverside.

Don't know

it was the state

sanitary. Director's report.

All right. So we've internally been extremely busy. Obviously, there's some flyers that Andrea has done. Upcoming events we have are today, Saturday, April 26. We have the laser light show that will be coming up, May 17.

The School's Out Globe Party, May 31, and obviously, fireworks. So we just had our Easter event, I believe, if I'm not mistaken, 15,000 eggs. 15,000 eggs. I could get them to pick up trash on the highway as fast as they got those eggs. Oh, yeah. Would be clean. I mean, literally, it took us hours to put them out and four point five minutes to pick them up.

Isn't it

crazy how fast It's it insane.

I think that we were this year, I'd have to say that we exceeded last year's, the amount of people that attended by far. I've seen a lot of folks, it was good to see the little kids. I mean, the very little one, Enfield one, that's what it's about. They had a great time. It was a well received event. Trying to think of the event prior to that. They've been running altogether. What did we do? The Princess Ball. Princess Ball.

Princess Ball. I talked to Amy about that, and I was trying to go back and think about it. It landed literally in bike week this year, and it was just I don't know if that had anything to do with the attendance, but it just it didn't seem like we had it attended. There's a lot

of couples out of the edge where they go

to bike, but it's know that we don't. Yes. So I mean it was So we're looking at the way the calendar falls. We even stared at I think Amy, don't quote me, stated that it was kind of around the same time.

And I was like, I

don't remember that. I just don't think it was as attended as it was at that. We had the circus that came to town. That was recently as well. We have the new pickleball courts going in. So that's at a they're literally getting ready to start construction on the courts themselves. So they've got a lot of the site work is completed. The infrastructure is in. They've got the curves for the parking and entrance. So the last thing I received that they were doing courts this coming week. Yes. There was a

lot of activity over there. There is a time.

And obviously, that will be completed and then it will be Phase II, so there will be some more courts added. But I wanted to pass these photos along. So this is the and keep in mind, this is very early, good

a

that's

I that's

grant purposes so we can question. Kind of take advantage of one particular grant cycle and then utilize another grant cycle for the Phase II. So in that boathouse to the right area, we've been talking about so the police department has got a grant for a new boat. It's a larger vessel. So being this park is going to be a design from the ground up, they initially were talking about trying to get permitting and putting a boathouse here and having a boat literally ready to deploy.

So we said, obviously, this part being very small and it's just the permitting, why don't we design it from the ground up and incorporate it in this part? So they're going to use police impact fees funds that they can utilize for the design, and they're going to incorporate that into this new park. So they'll have a dedicated docking area. Their boat will have a lift, so it will be ready to deploy. They back up to it and potentially respond to anything, whether it be, obviously, with our fire department, police department. So that will be great. The goal is to obviously have multiple two sided dockslaunching areas,

some of

them dedicated to smaller vessels, some of them dedicated to larger vessels, a restroom and potentially, and these other photos behind it, incorporating a playground, incorporating more pickleball courts, a pavilion area, walking area over opportunity we're looking at

to

we're

make do that.

Forte, with riverfront and waterfront parks and design. So they've been great. They've actually helped us through the process. I believe they just signed the, FIND grant work to, go forward with FIND. And actually, I believe we got more funding than we anticipated. So, Mr. Davenport, Buddy Davenport is on the FIND. He wants to see this park come to fruition. So he's helping the police department, and he's been helping us tremendously to see this vision come to Edgewater. We own the property.

There's a lot of infrastructure that was laid early, so we're going to utilize that. But we've talked about using the stormwater area that's in the middle there as an outdoor classroom, marine classroom area for kids in the summer and maybe trying to do a partnership with possibly Boston Whaler Outdoor.

I was just going to say Whaler is right next door, correct?

Correct. We're trying to do something collaboratively because, obviously, of this property was to help with Whaler staying here in Edgewater. So we did a partnership where we're obviously utilizing that pond for some of their storm water. So it's a way honestly incorporate Edgewater Park with predominantly with a vendor a big vendor that provides a lot of jobs here in Edgewater.

And that looks like a good sized buffer between Hibiscus and the Park or

Hacienda? Hacienda. Correct.

Park With An H, okay.

No, this is the property we own next to Whaler.

Got it. Okay.

So this is a good buffer right there. Think 20 acres?

No, that was originally, it was 60 acres.

Was Yes, but Whaler bought some for their parking. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, their new parking lot.

Yes, their new parking lot. So it's kind of a I want to say the road is called Legendary Way. It comes in and then so Is it's early

anything for this project yet?

It's yes, technically, it's South Edgewater boat ramp project, but it's a legendary way. So it hasn't been officially, obviously, named, but there's a specific name. I can't think of it off the top my head that we named it in the fine project. So it's 's early on. Obviously, things are changing.

Sandy, myself, and the police department are going to have another meeting with the EMC and talk about, obviously, what we can do for the most bang for our buck early on and take advantage of grants. And our main goal, obviously, is in the first phase to get the docks, get the restroom and get the things towards opening and functioning, parking and then eventually start to grow second phase and incorporate pavilions, a playground and those things.

Is it possible to see on the screen or

What is the red?

It's a walkway.

Over the water?

Very It's early on. It's kind of got a city center vibe. So we're looking at it. This one's got an observation. So this is obviously pavilions. But again, it's early on.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I know how that goes.

Yes. Yep. So it's early on. We're exploring parking surface materials that would perk versus something hard, obviously, with our flooding issues, something that we're not going to create more issues. We're looking at multiple designs to see if we can utilize like out here, there's a grid system for parking.

It's not paved. I mean, the main road is itself, but the parking spots themselves are grid and F-fifty seven so allows the perks. So we're looking at that option. So again, it's early on, but we're trying to get everything finalized and basically to the end to where we can start putting shovel to there. So obviously, there's construction phase that will go out for bid.

But we're utilizing grant money right now for design, engineering, and we're utilizing addition of the boat dock area that the police department is incorporating. They're implementing police impact funds. It's a good way to utilize the funds something come to Edgewater that's well needed between River Breeze and Kennedy. And that's

a good deep water

right there with us. Yeah.

Know the I originally dug all that out and dredged it out so it's deep. They can test their

They're still doing testing. They're going to do, obviously, samples and core samples and stuff. But getting to where we want to see what we're going to obviously put out to bid is where we're headed right now. So it's kind of, it's exciting to see it come to physical pictures and implementation of seeing what this possibly could look like.

Is a pretty good design.

Just make sure that playground has some shade.

Shade Shade is the the worst worst.

When you're sitting there watching them, you're just like, I think that's probably the most feedback that I get from Whistle Stop, which we were a part of from the very I mean, this part

I've of seen you. The There's a roof on Facebook, Whistle Moms. I'm always

sending them. Really?

There are. It's called the Wistot Moms.

Get Wait. Are they nice? Are they happy?

Are they angry? It's your typical mix. More friendly, more if anything, they're very, boisterous in, obviously, if there's concerns or issues that are equipment maintenance related. I've got a my wife is friends with someone in that group, so they're she's always getting the information.

Giving you

the feedback. She's like, you need to change these swings. I'm like, okay, got it. On it. That's funny. Little things, but, you know, it's the typical teenage stuff, you know, the skate park and kids and those things.

But I think that coming as, like, a parent that uses parks for parties and whatever, obviously, whistle stop is the number one because there's so much REPRESENTATIVE:] to

do. There's so much stuff. But before that, it was just River Breeze because of the whole thing just being

I mean, covered. We recently I don't know if you've seen the YMCA lately. We've completely redone that one. We added shade structures to Menard. We added shade structures to Lake Annales. Umbrella, the Century Park's got a

new Yes, I saw that. I want umbrella.

Yes, shade structures, yeah, you want the kids to be comfortable, and obviously, if you're monitoring your child, you want to be comfortable as well.

Yes, yes.

So, yes, I will mention shade structures, Felicia, as we go to phase two. That's imperative.

I love that.

Obviously, I think there's some pavilions that are

I positioned right know. That's great. Because that's another thing with list stuff. Think you have one. Is there one?

Yes.

And that was just such a big park. And there was so much that we added there that, like, budgets started going, Okay,

well, what are It's

not really.

Budget was a factor, but it's actually the amount of concrete that's there.

Oh, Okay.

It hinders any addition.

So this is nice being able to

Yeah, yeah, yeah, There's quite a bit because, I mean, you've got, obviously, the waterfront that encapsulates that takes water, but you also got the larger stormwater pond. Because, obviously, anything that you pour, you have to offset by holding that water. So there's calculations that engineers use, and that came into a factor at whistle stop.

Right. Okay. Makes sense.

So other than that, we are getting into the growing season. So internally, the guys that cut crews, they're out on the highway, they're out on the medians, they're getting into full blown summer mode. Our maintenance team, we've got a lot of projects. I mean, I don't know if from the past, we've almost morphed into a construction company for the city internally. We've literally built the entire gun range, the animal shelter expansion we built, the new building department we built.

So we're not just grounds guycustodial for parks work. We have an internal team of skilled Qualified people. Yeah, that we build office additions, change light bulbs. I mean, we go to entire chambers and do carpet and paint. So I mean, the guys are as a whole, our department has became a literally a can do all for the city.

There's very few things that we don't do internally. I think it's beneficial to the city for, obviously, cost savings, but not to mention the lead time in getting somebody to repair something or do something. So internally, we've grown. And the additions to areas, especially out on 442, all these trails that they added to the South Side Of 442 that will connect to the bike path, go all the way to Air Park. And then the other one that's on the other side to the North side that goes from Mission, well, it even goes to near 95%, all the way back to Air Park.

All those things are hand edged and mowed. So there's a lot of good question. I that's a amount of paper that has to be filed, received. And Andrea does that all on her own. She's I mean, she's taken on a massive amount of work in what we've internally.

So I mean, we're looking to grow this year. Obviously, budget is coming up, so we're looking to grow, not just machine wise, but obviously labor. So we are definitely growing. With Gearing Park coming and all these big communities. I mean, it's going to be interesting to see how, as a city, we adapt as service. So it's been definitely a journey from when I started.

Yeah, Sure.

For sure. Well, a good portion of our tourists, our daily tourists come come for the water. With that's that going to be official.

With that said, and people may not notice, we are since Whistle Stop came on, you mentioned that, we have literally a lot of our well, all of our operations prior to Whistle Stop were seven to 03:30. Now that Whistle Stop's come onboard, we actually have a two to 10:30 shift. So the park's staffed from open to close. And it's the first park in Edgewater that we've fully staffed. So with that said, we also have an individual that works nothing but weekends.

So we're staffed seven days a week. So, that gentleman takes care of park reservations that Ms. Andrea takes over the week. He'll implement those park reservations and see that everything is fit for somebody that reserves a pavilion, a park. He's keeping up on the restrooms, keeping up on the dog parks, keeping up on the because when you said it yourself, a lot of the people are people that are from a different county that utilize this ramp and come here. I mean, you were to come down here on a Saturday, and if you guys live here, obviously, do.

I mean,

this whole street is covered, the lot's covered. This lot's covered. And the trash cans are overflowing. Those restrooms are open twenty four hours a day. So he's battling that on the weekend. Then he runs the medians and gets, US1 and four forty two prep for the guys that come in Monday, so that way, they're not bombarded with massive amounts of trash. He's prepping their So cut it's a moving machine even behind the scenes. It's kind of like Disney. Don't know this stuff happens. There's a lot of moving parts and a lot of key people in our department that keep that going.

Obviously, I've transitioned to Sam. Chris Love, I don't know if you've met Mr. Love. He's the gentleman that is now in my role, great guy. I mean I couldn't have I didn't even have to pick. He deserves a wish. Mr. Love, I'm trying to he's always on the Edgewater Animal Shelter. They always picture him with the dogs. He's out cleaning the parks, and he's got pictures of dogs. You've met him, really tall gentleman, bald super I mean, he probably his dog could die tomorrow, and he'd smile right in your face. I don't think I've ever seen him unhappy. Super nice guy.

Well, got a lot of those.

Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. But Chris is a great guy, and he's taken the reins and the daily operation. It's been cool to watch the transition. Pretty much all of them know my name. They all know you, Mr. Powell. I'm like, I

still don't know their name. Well, they

just know you from Reeves across America. They know you from all the events.

The way, who was the driver of that truck in the parade when I was the grand marshal that Alex, yes. Alex, what's his last

name? Coleman. Okay. So him and his brother used to work in our department. His brother just left and went moved to Ocali, found a house in Ocala, but

nothing disturbed him that day.

That's good. I mean you

could probably fire it off a shotgun next to his head.

He's got a CDL now, so we took a CL class together. I've known Alex since he was probably nine years old. So he's Well, he did a great job. Good guy. For sure. But, I'll introduce you to Mr. Love when, I see you. He was at the Easter egg event. Okay. I'd have

to just pick him out. I know I know him because I talked to you just about everybody there. For sure. By the way, is the tree fixed at Whistle Stop?

Tree fixed at Whistle Stop. The one that was bent over out front months ago. Well, I

mean, was down again this past weekend.

Oh, I haven't even heard about that. The one out front? No. I'm assuming this is your wife's

No. The Easter egg hunt, I went down there. I walked the park and walked around and stuff. Man, forward view. And it was they had roped it up, but it wasn't sufficient. Is that the entrance? No, it's halfway down the drive. Oh, okay. I know which

one you're speaking about. Yes, that's the one we met in the middle the windstorm a couple of weeks ago. It was on a median out in the parking lot area. Is that the one you're referring to by the maintenance bar? Yes. Okay. I'll get the guys down there tomorrow.

Yes, was down again. Could have they have to use cables on that to hold it Absolutely. They're going need that. Because they were using rope on it because can see it's still down. Mean, it's Yes, down. Going

we'll have to get it. We had that windstorm. It was pretty nasty. But other than that, I'm trying to think of, we're trying to I'm trying to get the soccer lighting. We've got the soccer lighting upgrade budgeted, so I'm trying to get some bids together for that.

We just finished the Veterans infrastructure grant where we did the parking, and they did some new plantings there, incorporated some swales. That was a project between the city and Young Bear Environmental. So I'm working with the engineers now, and we're looking to put the RFP together to finish Menard Meda, the one that's been damaged for quite some time. So we've I'm new to this, so I'm working my way. And Sam's been great, but there's a lot of things she had in motion that I'm trying to pick up and see where it's at.

You're to be

stumbling across stuff for

I literally long have to. So I found out You can only make

a list so

long. We repaved Kennedy Park that got repaved, the entrance. The entire road inside got paved. Whistle got completely repaved. And, so we originally Whistle Stop was a FEMA project, so that was part of the damage. So that was so we put that out to bid. A local company, Massey, here in town was awarded. And we had a $75,000 budget to do the entrance of Kennedy Park. We put that in our general fund to fix that. So by utilizing piggybacking off a county contract, we utilized Massey, who was here, mobilized.

So for $75,000 we were able to do the entire Kennedy Park and Menard for that $75,000 price because we did not have to mobilize, so we were able to save that much money to have both parks done. So there was a 19,000 or $20,000 savings. So it was a good opportunity to take advantage of while they were in town. So all the plants aligned, and we did that. Well,

I think you guys are doing great, Joe, and the events are set up great. I mean I was impressed with the extravaganza again. Of course, the Princess Ball was fun, but my tutu didn't fit.

At any rate, it was So Lay off the cookies.

And I think it was some of the cupcakes we used to bring, it was great.

Love Looking those forward to all the new events. Obviously, we incorporated that new Christmas event. That was just last year. That was a great one. We're looking to grow that one. So I think the incorporation of the banners and the medians have helped. I mean, they're very nice. Actually, they've been utilized for the building department as well recently. We're always open to, obviously, any type of comments, concerns. Facebook, we have that option not Facebook, but our Citi page, have that option to obviously submit concerns and comments.

And we're constantly proactive, but there's times where things pop up and that's a good communication tool that the citizens can reach our department, generate a maintenance ticket or concern, and we can obviously investigate it.

Awesome. Yeah.

That's pretty much what I have. Well, I

see what's being utilized right now. My wife is walking Whistle Stop Park right now. She's on the backstretch.

You said you can't text, but you can track

her. Yes, right.

Yes, they put track around there. If they're going to track me, I'm definitely going know how this thing

works. There you go.

Well, got we the grandkids and everybody in here.

Just scheduling next meeting. Next meeting. Did you have something in mind already?

Busy.

Feel like last year we did it in August because July was crazy. I mean, we can still I didn't mean we couldn't look. I just feel like last year we ran into nobody could meet on the same day. I can in July on the second or the July 30.

I can in the second.

I'm free on the July 2. Or we can come on August 2, that's my birthday, bring a cake.

That's a Saturday.

Oh, it's a good thing. What do you think?

I'm good for the second. Thirtieth is the deadline.

July 2.

And then we can vote on the beautification award?

05:30?

05:30.

Yeah. Or sometimes we don't have commercial, though.

I

think that there is two places that just redid theirs. It was Frosty King.

That car wash that they did next to that, they did a really nice job. Did you guys see that on the north side The of car or what's that car excuse me, the ice machine place.

Oh, yes. And then they have that thing for the food trucks.

That was kind of cool.

That is cool. I agree with that. And then Frosty King has done their whole But they didn't

have a whole lot to work with. And what it looked like before, it's night and day. It looks like Yeah.

And they've offered something that is unique.

Yeah. Yeah, it is. I think that idea was pitched at one point in time, Murphy's is now. We're kind of trying to do something like that. But I mean, it's definitely cool that that's kind of a multi use spot, being that it's odd and it's kind of out of sight, out of mind.

There's the new biker bar, I mean, they've, like, painted and added, like, nice seating out there. There's a bunch of people going.

They had a block event just recently the same day, and it looked like it was well attended.

Yeah. I thought it was a city event. I was like, wait, what did I miss? And then we talked about the Frosty King, because they did a lot of

innovation stuff yeah. Across the street.

Was the other one. Yeah. So there's a couple of people.

Maybe they just And the one right next to Mike's tires were the old pool hall.

Yeah, was going say that building looks amazing. Great job. But that

there's

a lot.

I already did know it.

You. We're in historic mode. Historic mode. I think that's a conflict of interest.

That's what I thought for us, but it's not. Okay, so I'm going to do for us, all right? All right. All right. Are we good?

Yeah. Can residents

nominate as well? Yeah. Anyone

can. It's kind of like the same Christmas lights.

I'd like to have another business. I

just think that people just don't remember.

I don't think they're aware. It'd be kind of cool to have this

We get

it. When we have council meetings, which we have on Monday. It'd be kind of cool to have them

Oh, that's a good idea.

To have the beautification awards, the nomination things here during possibly Or a council

maybe we could ask them to say something during a council meeting?

Maybe have the council nominate somebody as well.

Could have them announce it and just say that our board, I mean, it could just be a line item just to say, yeah.

They've nominated and voted and this is who they picked.

Yeah, or that they have until May because we have until May 29. Wait, what was it? It May 1?

It's May something.

Jill does that newsletter. That would be kind of

Oh, May 1.

Jill does that newsletter. Yeah, our sign is fixed at the office now. We've two sides.

But if you feel like, I mean, if we're not even going to vote until July.

Well, it says the awards sign will be announced by May 30.

Yeah, that's what it does say.

Can you just do an email thing like you do for the Christmas lights for us to vote? Like, send us a list of them to look at so that we know what we're voting on? Or do we have to have a special meeting for that?

The next gathering is after that date. Yeah.

Yeah. Our next meeting.

Okay. When did we decide on as the next meeting?

July 2.

And when did it say what was the July date on that? The

deadline to enter is May 30. Can you push it to '30?

For the deadline to enter.

And then the winners will be announced after our meeting.

'30, and then we'll announce July 30. Yeah. We'll use that part as of the marketing. We'll say date to enter has been extended.

Okay, yeah, I like that. Because nobody else has entered but me, right? Correct. There we go.

Rendering. All

right. So we don't have anything else to vote on, right? We don't need to vote on our meeting? Adjourn at 06:55. The mic is loud enough.

She did it. Did you hear that?

I make a motion if

we I'm sorry. Hear it.

What happened?

She tried to hit it. She goes,

I don't love the gavel. Okay.