City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to our regularly scheduled commission meeting on Wednesday, July 8th, 2026. Time is now 6.03. Madam Clerk, can we have roll call?

Commissioner Bass? Here. Commissioner Santiago?

Here.

Commissioner Irvin?

Here.

Vice Mayor Kelly? Here. Mayor Taylor here.

We'll have our invocation led by, um, uh, social services manager, Mr. Brandon cave, followed by the pledge of allegiance from Sergeant Barbara in that order.

Most gracious and kind Father, we thank you for this is the day you have made. God, we ask now that you give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as we come together to lead and be advocates for our city. Bless the commission. Bless the residents. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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.

All right. Um, Madam Clerk, well, any awards, proclamations or acknowledgments? And they'll be skipping that. All right. So moving on to the approval of the consent agenda. Do we have any pulls, deferrals or deletions? And I don't mind starting. I'm going to pull item number one. And item number 10.

I had to. Yes, sir. Number seven. And I don't know me night.

Any other polls, deferrals or deletions at this time?

Okay.

All right. All right. Hearing none. Can I get a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda? Oh, I'm sorry. I'll go back. I'm sorry. We have Mayor Taylor pulled item number one and item number 10. Commissioner Santiago pulled item number seven and item number nine. All right. So can I have a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda? Move it. Moved by Commissioner Santiago. Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin. Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes 5-0. Okay.

I want to relinquish the vice mayor really quick. Go ahead. Give me one second.

since we set the approval of the agenda I need approval of minutes the regular commission meeting minutes June 24 2026 in the emotion move it move back second back to Santiago no discussion before you make that motion I would like to rescind my um vote for the consent agenda the pool for item one

Excuse me. In other words, Mr. Mayor, um, you want to reconsider the, um, setting the agenda motion and then, and if you have a second for that, then you'll go forward.

Okay. Can I get a second? Second. Thank you, Vice Mayor. All right. So going back to the consent agenda, madam, um, clerk, I don't need to pull item one unless somebody else want to do it, but I didn't need to do it, but it can go under consent. All right. So just for clarity, the only items that will pull will be commissioned Santiago item seven and nine. And Matt Taylor item number 10. All right. Now, can I have a motion to accept tonight's consent agenda? Move it move by Commissioner Irvin second second by Dr. Bass, Madam clerk.

Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Commissioner Santiago.

Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes.

Commissioner Bass. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

All right. Can I get a motion to approve tonight's agenda? Move it. Second. Second by Dr. Bass. Second by Commissioner Santiago. Madam Kirk.

Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly.

Yes.

Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Mayor Taylor.

Yes.

Motion passes 5-0.

Can I get a motion to approve the minutes from regular commission meeting minutes, June 24th, 2026. Move it. Moved by Commissioner Santiago. Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin. Madam Clerk.

Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Mayor Taylor?

Yes.

Motion passes 5-0.

Do we have any District 1, District 2, or state reports at this time? Seeing none. work with the manager's office at this moment, we'll do our public presentations to our scholarship recipients. I was going to do it under the consent agenda, but I can do it under this item here. So Madam, would you like to present the scholarship? You can do it from there. The recipient, the commissioner, go down. Just read the names in the room and who they are, where they're graduating from, their name for sure files.

So this evening we have recipients Cambria Posey and Mr. Jelon Hudson.

So, this was going on this year. We did something different. That's the item that you saw me going back and forth with the pool, not poor. I saw y'all looking at me like, y'all ain't gonna give us these coins. But this year we did something different because Commissioner Irvin has been advocating for this since she's been on the commission. But we wanted to ensure that the money goes directly to the student. So this year, we're giving you This posy, $1,650. So this is, and I know you're going off to college, but we wanna make sure that you're set, you're ready. You know, we gotta pack that dorm up and you gotta buy some stuff. So we wanna make sure that the city of Opelika is there to help you. And we are doing the same thing for you, sir. $1,650. But I will say this, can you tell us what school you're going to, where you graduated from, and what school you're going to, and what is your major?

I graduated from William H. Turner Tech, and I will be going to Miami Dade, majoring in criminal justice.

My name is Jalon Hudson. I will be attending the University of North Florida, majoring in public health, and I attended Miami New Orleans Senior High School.

So congratulations to both of you. And when y'all graduate, make sure y'all come back to Opa-locka.

Oh, wait.

I checked that.

All right, so thank you.

You know, here we love to pour back into our young people. This is a passion of everyone on this commission. So congratulations to the both of you. And we know that you're going to make Opelika proud. So as we move on to our Citizens Forum, Madam Clerk, can you please state for the record how to participate in Citizens Forum?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. City of Opelika Commission meetings are held in person at the Opelika Government Center, City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd floor, Opelika, Florida. Members of the public wishing to address the commission may do so in person or virtually. Those persons wishing to participate virtually should register prior to the scheduled meeting time on the city's website at www dot. When speaking before the commission, please make sure to give your full name and address for the record. There is a 3 minute time limit for public comments. Please adhere to the decorum policy, which is a part of the commission meeting agenda. City Commission meetings are aired through Lightstream at www.youtube.com forward slash user forward slash city of Opa-locka.

Madam Clerk, do we have any virtual participants on this evening?

Mr. Mayor, yes, we received one request from Brian Dennis for Citizens Forum. And if IT can just confirm whether or not he's online. He is not online.

Let's go back to our virtual and we'll go to the ones that are in the chamber. Citizens Forum is open.

Good evening. My name is Rose Titus and I reside at 1101 Dunedin Avenue in Opelika.

Good evening. Anne Alvarado, 311 Seaman Avenue. I relinquish my throne to Ms. Rose Titus. good afternoon evening i'm sorry my name is bernadine snail i resigned in miami garden and my address is 1861 northwest 179th street and i was liam smith three minutes submissives um excuse me i would like to begin by saying thank you to the mayor and the commission

for creating a memorable time on July the 2nd. the day that you hearkened to the voice of God by naming the garden on Sherazade Boulevard, the Commissioner Rose Titus Garden. But let me share a brief testimony with you regarding that garden. When I began work here in Opelika in 1976, I was living on 175th Street and 37th Court, and I would walk every morning from my house to Carroll City High. I would get my exercise in and then walking around the track, which is quite a ways from 175th and 37th court. And then I would go underneath a tree with my Bible and I would sit and I would read and I would pray. And I said to the Lord, you know, I just come too far. I wish I had a garden at my home. And he said, well, you can create a garden. I said, but all I have back there is a concrete slab. So I put some potted plants out there and some lawn furniture, and I didn't have to walk to Carroll City High. That was... The Lord giving me the desires of my heart. So I thought, well, then I moved from 175th and 37th court to 1101 Dunedin. I built a garden there, prayed, read my Bible there every morning, never knowing that there was going to be a prayer garden named after me, Commissioner Rose Titus Prayer Garden. God will provide your, give you whatever it is that you ask for according to his will. He, I never knew 50 years later, I thought, I just made the statement, Lord, I wish I had a closer place to go and pray and read my Bible. And he blessed me with the garden. So I just wanted to share that testimony with you that 50 years later. But not only do I want to uplift you for hearkening to God's call, I want to share a few things with you. In 2023, Commissioner Bass, sponsored ordinance 2310. And Mayor Taylor, you co-sponsored the ordinance, naming the garden after me and making it a prayer garden. God orchestrated that. I didn't solicit, and I thank him for that. And I thank you all for heeding to his call to ultimately bless me. Because he said in his word that the laborer is worthy of his hire. and I will give you the desires of your heart if you delight yourself in me." Well, two years later, after the ordinance was passed in the year 2023, two years later, i emailed a now you've got to remember i walk that's a part of my walk every morning to pass by the garden but in 2025 you pass the ordinance in 2023 and in 2025 i emailed a memo, I'm old school, emailed a memo to Commissioner Bass and Mayor Taylor addressing those things that I had seen since 2023 that just weren't right and needed, they were maintenance issues. This was way before we had the ribbon cutting. This was in 2023. I just looked at it today, at the memo today, and I sent it to just those two. Well, I never got a response. and nothing ever changed. And I saw it progress and progress to what we have it today. And I say what we have it today is because I was there this morning reading my Bible and praying and it is in the same condition that it was before this lady here. And this lady here helped me to pull weeds and overgrown grass and cut limbs Two yards full, I was told by a contractor. That was two yards plus 14 industrial-sized trash bags. Two yards. This lady here was here when I came in 1976 as the city clerk. There were only three African Americans in City Hall at that time, and she was one of them, Bernadine Snell. She, pardon me. She came in 74, I'm sorry. She was here before I was. And this lady here was raised in Opelika, Anna. And these two ladies helped me, or it would have been a mess, a mess, when I tell you a mess, to invite people for a ribbon cutting. Terrible. Not only that, but also, The butterfly monument, I requested that it be pressure cleaned before we paint it. I didn't ask the city to paint it. I was going to paint it or have someone paint it. They never pressure cleaned it the day before the event. I asked a gentleman, a resident of the city, if he would paint it. I said, just want to get through tomorrow. Just want to get through tomorrow. I requested that the pavers be pressure cleaned. They were never pressure cleaned. As a matter of fact, after we had pulled all those weeds and all that overgrown grass and all those dead flowers, what's his name? Owens passed by. Works with Public Works. And I said to him, you know, I requested that you pick up this trash. We're having an event here in two days. He said, well, whoever put it there, they need to haul it off. I said, excuse me? Me? We're 60 and 70 years old. We pulled all those weeds. And this is the response you're going to give me? I can't believe it. Whoever made that mess needs to clean it up. What else did I want to address? The monument. Oh, I asked for, I was having some professional people perform that afternoon. You were there, you heard them. And so I requested a sound system equal to that that you spent thousands of dollars for, for the Arabian Nights Festival concert, how you can invite someone to come into your home to cuss you out, I'll never understand. But when it comes to the things of God, you don't have any money. So that was the end of that. So I called from my resources, and we had sound that could And TJ doesn't even have the equipment, doesn't even have the equipment to provide for a saxophonist and everybody else that was there, the vocalist. But they did it for me. They came out and they did it for me. I paid out of my pocket close over $8,000 for this event to occur. The city did not pay anything except for some refreshments. That was it. And I do not regret it. I'm not complaining because I did it as unto the Lord and he will reward me. No question about it. He will reward me. He always has. is that my uh nine minutes okay so let me end by saying uh thank you very much for heeding you don't know you don't even know why you did it that's why i shared the testimony you don't even know why you did it i don't even know why you did it but god did it to bless me thank you so much thank you thank you mr mayor mr mayor one second he's still in citizen fall

So let's inform Mr. Loper.

Good evening. Mayor commissioners, Audrey Dominguez, 1147 Jen Avenue. I wanted to thank the mayor for the resolution number six, the community care clinic. We have a lot of residents that don't have health insurance at this moment. So I think that they will benefit out of that. I also would like to thank Vice Mayor Kelly for bringing in the resolution number 10 to increase non-employees with a 2% increase. Now, to me, I think that 2%, it's very low. And the reason why I'm saying that is because if you think about the cost of living, how high it is right now, if let's say someone making $35,000 at 2%, that's $700 in a year divided by 52, it's $13 and 46 cents a week. Now, what can you actually purchase with $13.46? I recommend that you could possibly look into maybe between 3% and 5%. And if we have to get rid of or... Some of the events that we are spending thousands of dollars, maybe we should, you know, consider this. I also wanted to find out whatever happened with the civil service board. I mean, it seems like. two or three years ago we were advocating we were asking we needed a h.i director we finally got h.i director it never happened and we we got a new h.i director it seems like it's just sitting there so if we're not going to use that board maybe we should eliminate it completely because i think that maybe some employees might be able to use it so that's just my take on that thank you

Thank you, Commissioner. Citizens Forum is still open? Mr. Mayor? Yeah, I was going to .

Yes, I believe Mr. Dennis is on now.

All right. Mr. Dennis?

Can you hear me, Mayor? Yes, sir. Good evening, Brian Dennis, address 2140 York Street. I want to address an issue concerning the police department and what was done with Zonya Ray. and here's why i'm addressing it i've been involved with the penal system in my younger days a lot the one thing that i understand and i dealt with people with those cases is when dcf and the state attorney do not have a case they will not prosecute but what i want to find out and what i'm asking you all is what is wrong with that band of rogue officers that is still inside the police department that caused that arrest From the moment they gave her a PTA, which is a promise to appear, all you have to do is put your thumbprint on a finger. They're going to take a fingerprint and put it on an A-form, which is an arrest, but it's not handcuffed arrest. And she went to court and threw it out. Why would the Opelika Police Department arrest somebody when the state attorney's office and DCF wasn't going to move on that? That's the question you have to ask yourself. And for them band of rogue officers, in my opinion you're still tied to darvin if you love darvin so much and you're going to undermine the mayor commission the city manager and her staff and the police chief and her staff pack your bags and go to north miami beach and be witty because what happened to ms ray should not have happened it was an unfortunate incident all the way around but that was not an arrest that should have been made that was not arrest that should have been made and you talking with somebody who's been involved with the law a lot that's people playing with people lives right there and that's why police and preachers get painted with a broad brush because what of a few do it makes the whole look bad there are some bad officers still in that police department and they need to go commissioner kelly vice mayor kelly The 2%, I understand it, but you only could do with what you could do with. That's all you could do with. Thank you for your time, Mayor Commissioner.

All right. Thank you, Mr. Dennis. Citizens Forum is still open. citizens form is closed i i know you you want to talk um so um vice mayor titus it was a beautiful event on on last thursday and happy birthday um to commissioner dominguez we understand and we also agree that that's one of the reasons why we're bringing the community care clinic and we're going to discuss vice mayor's item shortly but as it relates to the civil service board i would yield to the manager and the attorney but she's not here so we'll get an answer for you to you and mr dennis thank you for your um your concerns as well um commissioner louis b santiago thank you mr mayor john taylor

When I see Lady Rose, Vice Mayor, former Vice Mayor Rose Title standing out there and came to us, we know the details that she look through that part out there. I've been thinking that this is not the only complaint that we have, Commissioner, but you're really helping us today, especially me, to feel like the responsibility that everything has happened here in this city, it had to be with us. I think that we have to take more responsibility and be more strong with this administration and not accepting a lot of things that we be accepting day and day and pass and pass and nobody do anything to stop. And I want to start it with that. Yes, I heard about the condition of that part. I heard the maintenance. And I believe before the maintenance is supposed to be by a CRA, police responsibility of the city. And I'm not accepting that at all. And I'm going to be sure and I'm going to be on top to this administration, to the manager, to have continuation for the things that we do here in the city, not only doing it once, disappear and leave there everything like the way it is. And that's going because you... Come with that to us, and I believe that we're supposed to feel, you know, change with that.

We're responsible, okay, for everything that's going on in this city.

I feel very bad Monday when I go out there to the elected department to drop off while the city donated for the victim and for the health question in Venezuela. And let me tell you, this is not a way to transport things. to another city when it's raining and I receive all the major lines there damaged and I look very bad representing the city for that and this is something else too that the administration had to take responsibility in an order I don't want to hear no more complaints for the residents And for the people that they working hard here in the great city of Plaka to maintain this city and all the employment that we have by the taxpayer of the great city of Plaka. Enough is enough, Mr. Mayor and Mike Calley. Let's be strong. Thank you, Commissioner.

So we're moving on to our items. Item number 13-7. Mr. Mayor. I'm sorry, Vice Mayor Gallagher. Thank you.

I always like to leave a meeting with some kind of resolution because we had quite a few things that was said regarding staff. So if the manager's office can prepare the commission report on some of those things, especially from the commentary made to the vice mayor and all those things, and also what was our expectations i mean i i know i wasn't one of the sponsors but all of us co-sponsored in a sense what was the expectations on the city side what was what was laid out what we were supposed to do um and what was the expectation that uh the vice mayor you know expected of us because obviously it appears like there was a definite mis communication or um disconnect So I'd like to know from the manager's office what that is, because that's one of the ways to get to the bottom so something like that doesn't happen. Because we did put a lot of money into the park. The park is there now. um people are utilizing a nice event but i'm always a challenger on maintenance of anything as well so now you got a function who's going to maintain it is there a maintenance plan is there you know who's going to cut the grass because herself or someone shouldn't be out there trying to cut grass or maintaining it um that's on somebody else So I'd like to get a report from the manager on those steps and what's our plan going forward. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yeah.

you in number seven number no she's gonna prepare before uh we all want to see it because i'm going to see it too um so we're moving on to item number 13 7. a resolution of the city commission of the city of opelika florida directing the city manager to identify streets with safety concerns

to engage and request that Miami-Dade County and or other appropriate governmental authorities review, replace, upgrade, or install street signs, traffic control devices, pavement markings, and related safety improvements on such streets, providing for incorporation of recitals, providing for scrivener's errors, providing for an effective date. This is sponsored by Vice Mayor Kelly. Can I get a motion?

Move it. Second. Moved by Commissioner Santiago, seconded by Vice Mayor Kelly. Vice Mayor, are you up to use ?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. One of the challenges I always have coming out of Meet Me Monday is trying to figure out who owns the street, who's responsible for the sign, who's responsible for the light, how long it takes to get it fixed. And so in looking at other cities and how they try to deal with these issues, I was convinced that we direct the manager to identify the streets it shouldn't be as hard because i know they're working on a streetscapes plan anyway um to engage miami-dade other appropriate government authorities regarding upgrades or installation of signs traffic control devices payment markings and other safety improvements and that's what this resolution directs the manager to do and as you see in the information Once that's compiled, it will come back to the commission for any further review in terms of how we want to proceed with undertaking them. Definitely those that are under our review and jurisdiction, we would need to put some dollars. But as we know, a lot of these streets, a lot of these signages are not Opelika. We've got to come up with a mechanism that uh enforce it i would say and and make sure that the county state whoever is in charge of those roadways uh deal with them and i know they deal with them because in other cities they deal with them but when it comes open lock for some reason they get a little um slight so the first step of course is to identify which is what i hope the dissent resolution speaking to the manager's office would do and so that's why it's before you thank you mr mayor

no problem um this item was pulled by commissioner santiago oh thank you mr mayor well i i really um i really like the way that you defending that uh resolution vice mayor kelly because i think that i'm with you 100 we know these ideas and uh The reason that I pull out this item is because I want to support in the same way that you do, Vice Mayor, why we have to go all the time and we have to begging, begging to Dade County, okay, to do what we have to do in the city to make the city safe in our roads, in our street. Like example, we know this, what are we calling before that we're talking about? speed bumpers, the speed bumpers. Yeah, I see speed bumpers all over, all over Miami, in the residential neighborhood, like , all this area down there, all this area. And when they come to Opa-locka, they always come with something to us, to not let do what we supposed to do to make our neighbor safe. I want to ask, you know, to the sponsor, to adding here, to asking the county, please, to giving the power to us. Like that we have the freedom to do what we're supposed to do in our roads, in the street. It's so important, the speed bumpers in some of the roads, like Jan Avenue, between the little circle that we have there by Sesame and all the way down to the new stop sign, that we're fighting a lot for the stop sign stop. And thank God that we get it. But we had to beg them. We had to go always begging, you know, to Miami-Dade County. No more. let's do that you know for polish war you know to do that job here in the great city of palaka that's what i ask you to the sponsor uh vice mayor kelly please add it on there to tell you know or fighting uh in favor of us to get the power to uh um get the control for all the traffic signal and safety for the roads in the great city of palaka thank you

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think the administration is hearing, I believe, through the attorney as well. I think the language, it concurs with what my colleague is saying in terms of safety improvements. I think the next step after they get it would be where we would, I don't want to use this term, take them on, but that would be the time to take them on. I'm only saying that because some of them are old, we may not want to take them on because of the cost of them. But it's not our cost. They're supposed to maintain them. So we just got to hold it to them. The problem many times, we don't know whose role it is. And as you mentioned, the four-way on Jan and whatever, it took us forever to realize who owned it, who was in charge, the steps to get whatever. That took forever to happen. Well, with this legislation, it would be a document that the manager's office, Public Works, would have that would allow us to push a little quicker and faster on some of the same things that you're talking about.

I think it's captured in already. Let's not forget the ESP bumper, please, Vice Mayor. Yeah, that's enough.

That's enough. Any other questions or concerns for this item? Hearing none, Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Bass. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes. Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

Next item 13, not a resolution of the city commission of the city of Florida, directing the city manager to prepare and present a report and analysis regarding the feasibility of converting the vacant city on lot located near Northwest 22nd Avenue and Northwest 143rd Avenue into a fee charging public parking lot. Provided for incorporation of recitals, providing for scrivener's errors, providing for an effective date. This is sponsored by vice mayor Kelly. I got a motion.

Second. Move by Vice Mayor, second by Commissioner Santiago. Vice Mayor.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Over the last six months or so, if you've attended some of the meetings, particularly Meet Me Monday, and public safety can attest to this, I know the manager's office can, there is a major challenge with parking. particularly in the area of 22nd Avenue, 143rd, Burlington, in some cases, Rutland, and Wilmington. We put some signs up in some areas to get folks not to park. but it's not my thought process the end game if you will the end result ought to be just citing people or towing cars but the reality is when you have folks coming to a meeting um like some of them coming lately saying i can't park in front of my own property because other folks are parking in front of it, and then basically challenging me on that. So what do we do? Because the owners, from my understanding, and speaking with management, and Mr. Mayor, let me just not take for granted any statements, so I can have the manager's office, they can respond, or if they want the manager's office to give it to you in writing, they can, but they don't have the answer. But in speaking to our manager, I think they've already tried to work something out with some of the owners of the units, and they don't want to really entertain any discussion about the parking situation. But it's not going away. Hardworking folks are working. Yes, they are. But they have nowhere to park. hard-working folks are owning homes taxpayers but they have nowhere to park and can you imagine coming home at five or six o'clock and can't park in front of your own house and then people are basically challenging you and we put up sign you know no parking and we put them up and i told the man it's going to happen we put them up 143rd and guess what occurred Wilmington, pick back up. We had two signs. We put them there. So what happened? They didn't park right on the corner as you turn over 22nd. They parked a little further. So what that do to have folks that live in the area coming off 21st court can't see because the car's there. And so I looked at this resolution. and asking the manager to do an analysis regarding it. Because the city-owned lot, right now we got it concreted up. I don't know, I know years ago when I first came back, there was some potential development plan, but I never heard what was coming to pass. So until that occurs, to me, it's at least a doable possibility of addressing a headache and avoiding confrontation. And I always try to figure out a solution to an issue because we could just sit back and let the police cite them, the police follow the law, which is to remove the vehicles. But these are hard working residents as well. So what this resolution acts to manage repair, a report, an analysis of converting that city-owned lot right there off of 22nd Avenue and 143rd Street into a fee-charging public parking lot. Now, when she comes writing the analysis, the commission could decide they don't want to bother with it all, or they may decide it's something they want to entertain, but doing nothing is not the answer. We can't close our eyes when we have residents who work hard and got to fight for a place to park in front of their own home. We can't close our eyes when we got residents who move into apartments. They just want to go to work and do the right thing as well, but there's nowhere to park. And that's why I always had this challenge many times with my wonderful community development department when they hollered about them 2.5 parking lots in one point. Because reality is nobody in these units got one vehicle. Nobody has one vehicle. We all got at least one or two. And that's not a discredit. But the reality is we've got to do something or try something. And if there's a better solution, I'm all for it. I just thought of this one because that property is there, it is ours. And before we barricaded it up with the concrete, folks were parking in there anyway. So that's the intent of this resolution. Again, does not preclude us from getting the analysis, getting the information. And if we decide we don't want to do anything, That's fine too, but I think we gotta use everything in our possibility to address the issue. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

All right, Commissioner Santiago. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. To the sponsor, um i want to be clear um the interest you know to use a a portion of land that is belong to to the city uh to creating that parking lot uh first i'm gonna start in like yes i see when i go to uh helen miller to any of the event especially um for for you vice mayor when you are there i can see the interesting not the interesting where the your church is the other street name what is that burlington by the back of Helen Miller, it's two entrances. Rotland, okay. By Rotland Street, when you get in through that side, I always found to the left a bunch of garbage, things they are throwing to the side, tree that they cut, they're putting out there. And even they have some kind of materials or garbage can in the middle of the parking space that we have. And I see they are not maintaining that part the way it's supposed to be maintained in the parking lot. Is there something wrong?

No, good talk.

Oh, OK. That's what I see in Helen Miller. And I know that we need some kind of space, some time to parking, you know, the public that go there to any event that we make. Now, my question is, I heard that you say that it's going to be like free parking for the public, for the resident of that area there, like all this apartment in 22nd. Yeah. Can I respond to them?

No, I said the manager will be directed to looking into a fee-charging public parking lot, whatever she would recommend. We're not trying to make money per se, but what I'm trying to avoid is folks can't park in front of homes and yet hardworking folks who live in apartments need someone to park their vehicles. Now, I mean, did the manager come back and says the idea would be to park something just to deal with the headache? Because remember, if you look at, since you mentioned both sides, there are lots on both sides of these apartments, east and west, but they're gated, which tells you the owners of those properties are not tied to the owners of the apartments. Now, I'm gonna go back and give you a history lesson. Years ago, were tied the owners still owned them but they had an agreement with the folks who owned the departments to park there now i don't know what happened to that but if you go on the burlington side going into england park it's fence nice little lot there i think the only time they open up and let it go in there is when uh you have fourth of july i think when commissioner urban has had the ribbon what's called a The thing for the community out now, because we're going to have a lot of people there, karaoke, stuff like that. But it's owned separately. Because that's the first thing that makes sense to me, just come up with an agreement with them. Now, one of the units, apartment complex units on the west side, if you will, of 22nd, they have opportunity for people to park in there. But people don't necessarily use it. That's why it was out on the 43rd. So the intent of this is for the manager to come back with what she believed would be reasonable fee charging for the public. She might come back and say, due to the headaches, let it be free. I don't know what she's going to say. I don't think she will, but I mean, I don't know what she's going to say because we've never tried this. We've got to try something because, you know.

Well, I'm not too happy when the word free. You know, city is a business, and we have to generate revenue for the city. I don't think it's fair to let parking, all these people that they live in the east and the west side of the 22nd apartment, when they built this apartment a long time ago, even owners have some portion of land out there that they don't take in for parking for people. But I see that all the people in the east side, they parking in the city property.

in the city property well to your point the legislation says fee charging they're not free public property it's not free okay that's that one fee charging public parking but before anything is passed or goes to you know people to know about it this commission will have to make a decision on whatever that is okay

that i want to be sure because i know that we need some parking space when we have any events out there and also that's not going to interfere with any other plans that we have in the future for the park like for green area not at the moment that i know of okay something in the future but that's that's essentially what he's trying to do okay do a study to see whether or not it's feasible for the city to go in this direction

let's see what the manager bringing to us it's okay for me um we we every city that i visit outside of opelika i i even have the app in my phone now where i have to pay to park went to the beach had to pay however those places also have parking authorities to check your tag, to make sure that you paid. And then, and then there's, you get a ticket if you, if your time has expired, whatever. So it's going to be a lot. It's going to be, I think it's going to be a lot, not worth us getting the study. I'm not saying that, but just to make sure that we cover everything, because to have a parking, a paid parking places is, Everybody parking there for free and our police can't give them tickets because they did not. Their time expired at midnight and it's 3 a.m. in the morning. It's going to defeat the purpose. So that's something that we have to look into if our police are going to do. The work to make sure that there is. They are doing what they're, the lot is doing what it's supposed to be doing, charging people to park in it.

Yeah. Well, I will say this. I think part of the reason I brought it forward, because we're putting a lot of pressure on our police department now. in terms of writing a citation, towing a vehicle that they probably wanna engage in, but reality is there's no parking. So once the manager does the analysis, she may come back with the type that you're talking about, where you gotta get a decal or you gotta do something or whatever, whatever that may be. I just know status quo as it is now is not working. And I had a whole resolution with one, two, three, four, five, I don't know how many were asked, and my colleague only heard the word free. It's not free. It's fee charging. So I would encourage my colleagues to support it and let the manager bring us the analysis and see what we decide. Ultimately, it's a commission decision.

Madam Manager, this is Madam Manager. I'm sorry. You did. Mr. Manager. I think you all should take notes to include everything that everybody's asked for, how it relates to the police and the app and the parking authority, who's going to comply?

Who's going to run it?

And then also with Commissioner Santiago's point, how does this affect our parks plan and green space plan for that area? And then I also heard Vice Mayor brought up about development. in that area as well how does it affect that all right so we're ready to vote we're ready to vote uh madam clerk

Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Commissioner Santiago?

Yes.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

I am under consent. Item 10. A resolution of the City Commission of the City of Opelika, Florida, directing the City Manager to prepare and present a cost analysis for providing a minimum 2% salary increase for to all non-union employees excluding appointed officials for consideration during the development of the fiscal year 2026 through 2027 budget providing for incorporation of recitals providing for scrivener's errors providing for effective date this is sponsored by vice mayor kelly i get the motion move by vice mayor move it second by can you say second okay thank you

Oh, second. Second by Commissioner Santiago. Vice Mayor, this is your item.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Again, it's 2% and I recognize it's not a lot, but I also recognize there's a group of employees who are not in the union. And of course this excludes our point officials, but fall in that category and they've not had a raise or any type of additional compensation for some years now as well. They may have had some individual things that a city manager may have done, but not at least crossed the board for all of those that fit into this category. And so the intent was to get it on the agenda so that the manager, if it passes, would have the opportunity to make it a part of the 2027 budget. And that's why it's before us tonight. in this matter, in this form, because being a director, being a supervisor, being a superintendent, being in those, you don't get those same automatic incentives, I'll say, like you would if you're in the union contract. And although they may make a little bit more money salary-wise, but if you haven't had an increase, you're still paying for gas, too. You're still paying for groceries, too. So I thought it prudent to at least put it on the agenda. I would have loved to do more, but looking at the analysis and the budget process where it is, I thought better. I was trying to go higher than 2% at this time, particularly knowing that the manager is working on the budget. And I've been speaking with her on this for a couple of months now. It's not something totally new, but I want to make sure we capture now so it can be part of the upcoming fiscal budget if the commission so chooses to pass it. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

All right. I pulled the item. So I had a couple of questions. Nothing against the item, but it says cost analysis, but they answered the question in the one, two, three, fifth, whereas approximately $80,000 for this. So is this directing the city manager to do it or is it, because I was a little confused because the title says one thing, but then the resolution answered the question already.

right well because at the time the manager didn't know what that would be okay so i wanted to have that number so the commission would be aware of it um because when i first brought it to her she wasn't sure what that amount would be so as i see it now um it would be approximately 80 000 and as you notice in her um ager agenda cover memo it says funding will be included in the 27 um budgets

Okay, but if this passes, the expectation is for it to be. Right. Okay. My other concern, Vice Mayor, I support the item wholeheartedly, however, because a lot of these people, not a lot, none of these people are union. And we have this conversation, it seems like every other year. But I think we need to put something in place that we don't have to continue to continuously have this conversation. I know the unions are getting an increase every year, I believe, for the next two cycles. So I would like to include that language in here to make sure that just like we take our unions, we take our non-union. The unions have negotiated through ask me, but the non-union unions are negotiated through the commission.

Okay, to answer that question, which I don't disagree at all, my concern was with tying the manager's hands, given the fact of how challenging finances can be with what's going on or may happen with the whole property tax thing. So I didn't want to tie our hands and say, okay, it's automatic. Because once you put it in, we say automatically every year we want to do the same. employees are going to be looking for. And you go back and say, well, no, I don't know who's going to be able to do it this year. That could be a problem. The way I interpret it, you pass this and it's for 2027. You get through 27. We will know one way or the other by November if anything's going to happen with the whole reduction of revenue. so if nothing happens and we don't lose potential revenue then i wouldn't have a problem with saying yes going forward let's tie it the same way our unions one percent two percent whatever that number is but right now i think to to do that would be kind of handcuffing um finance and management and i don't know uh mr mr mayor if you want to have um the manager have finance to come up and speak to it? Because I agree with you in a sense, but I don't know if we want to do that given we're trying to get out of audits and we have infrastructure challenges.

And then while we're, I don't mind a finance director coming up and asking those questions or the budget administrator, but while we're on that same topic, that leads me to my third challenge. Because it goes in effect, if she sees that we can do it, it goes into effect 27. I just want to be fair with all of our employees. So if non-union is union is getting a raise, then non-union should get a raise. And I would like to actually see it in this upcoming budget. Mr. Mayor.

Okay, I'll let Vanessa answer that.

Yeah, those are... Mr. Mayor. Go ahead. It's only a question before she started. How can we fighting against the union Yeah, the 2%, I think it is. It's us, but they're asking us to do that.

No, no. The union has already, we've already voted on the union. That's done. This is about non-union employees. Okay.

They say that, you know, in my agenda briefing, it's only for the people that they are in the union. That's what I heard. Oh, not in the union. Okay. Sorry. Okay.

so michael and that's all i think it's all now good evening naima again director of finance what's your question i'm sorry question was one i want to put a device i wanted to put in here that this happens every year mirroring the ask me contract and i think their contract is for this year and next year 20 20 26 and 27. So I want to have that language in here. Also, I wanted to start this year as opposed to waiting until next the was that twenty seven, twenty eight fiscal year. So I want to do a twenty six, twenty seven fiscal year, the upcoming one.

OK. I'm sorry, what was the question?

But I want to ask you, we wanted you to opine on the money.

The intent was to get this in the budget. So for next year, those employees who fit this criteria would get this 2%. That's the way it's designed. The mayor wants to kind of put some legislation, well, put some teeth that says they get it automatically every year, just like the union contracts. And I'm saying I didn't go that far because I didn't want to tie management's hands given we're trying to get all this done. You got financial emergency that you're still in. So I didn't want to commit By making it, because once we do it, then we got to find that 1% to wherever it is. We got to find the 80,000 dollars. And so I wasn't as amenable to doing that. Um, but the question is this, if we pass this, the intent. Is for to take a place to take place in the upcoming fiscal budget. Yes, that's the intent.

Yes. Okay. Wait, I'm sorry. Hold up. okay that's what got me off because okay well the fiscal year 27. so it's it's it's conflicting information say it again it says fiscal year 27. so we're going that would be the year after this is 26 27. so I wasn't that's what it's in the legislation here

Fiscal year 27? Yes, it starts October 1, 2026. October 1, 2026. Okay.

Yeah. But that, yeah, it read something else. That's why I said, I want to make sure it was the upcoming year. All right. So if you said that, then that answers that question. Then my next question is the language about this year and next year and then the attorney that she wanted.

Well, I don't have a problem about this year, next year, or tying the union contract. I just didn't want to tie management or finances hands going forward.

It allows them to play.

You can't really do that. First of all, I don't think you're going to be able to do that. You vote on your budget every year, so you can't have something that requires something automatic like through this resolution. This resolution is only dealing with The manager preparing and presenting a report and analysis regarding the feasibility of convert, I'm sorry, the manager directing the manager to prepare and present a cost analysis for providing a minimum 2%. So it's a cost analysis. This is not you voting to put it into the next budget. So I just want to be clear about what you all are voting on. We're clear. Okay. And then in terms of through this resolution, having something that would... basically forever have an automatic trigger just as a union contract. You can't do that through this resolution. That wouldn't be something that you can do. It's not noticed. It probably takes some type of ordinance. We would have to research and look at that. You can't do it with the legislation that you have in front of you.

Mr. Mayor, I think she's right, Mr. Mayor. I think the city attorney is right. We voted for something that's for the 27th, the 27th, not for the future years, because we don't know what is going to happen after November 4th. We don't know what is going to happen last, you know, the coming year, the finance, you know, situation that we have, or the cut that we're going to have from Tallahassee. Let's wait. Let's pass in, you know, now what we need. uh for this um resolution and after she's finished um i have a question uh for the 80 000 that you're talking about what is that me that's the money that we have to looking for okay for that two percent raise it's a question yeah yeah we we have to get another 80 000 for the two percent adding to the budget for that group of employments?

Yes, there will be an additional fund requirement, but it would not exceed, I think it's $68,000. $80,000 was an original estimate, including appointed personnel, but excluding them, it's about $68,000. Okay. $68,000. All right. I want to say this.

One, I hear what you're saying, you're all the same, but it's not a far-fetched idea to plan ahead and to have contracts that say that every year this amount is increased. We've done it before and we're actually currently doing it. We're currently doing it.

I don't know what you're talking about. You prepared on that. No, the contracts are with the union. No, this has nothing to do with the union. These are non-union people that you're talking about. And you would have to do whatever you do, you do it through budgets every year that you all vote on. And so there's no way to... Mayor, I don't want to go back and forth, but I'm just saying, I don't know. I don't know. I know we've done it before.

We're currently doing it now. But we have that will automatically get an increase. So all I'm asking is to put that language into this, that it's this year and next year.

Yeah, but this is not even, on this item, you couldn't do that with this item anyway.

because you can't do it with this item anyway you can because it's a payment analysis for up two percent for the um 26 27 and also including so you can do 26 27 and 27 28. okay so when you shake it so you're defending okay so you're limiting it to the analysis you're not you're not thinking you're voting right okay very clear okay and then hopefully when she says that we can find the money Because 1, it was a cost analysis, but the question was, the answer was already in the resolution, which is the 5th. Whereas you said a cost analysis, but you already answered the question. So you already know how much money it's going to be. So now it's just. No, am I wrong?

No, we do. Yes, we know what it will cost.

Yes. Okay. So now it's the next step. That's what's next. Are we going to do it or we're not going to do it? But the question has already been answered. And I understand what you're saying, Madam Attorney, but we're here. The thing says to do a cost analysis, but then you prepared it in the same one, two, three, four, five. the you prepared it but it was given by your office you already answered the question so the cost analysis has already been done so we know how much it's going to cost so now i'm so it allows us to prepare for this coming budget and i want to include next year's budget to to allow us to prepare so now we know that it's up to you said 68 for this year and then up to 80 000 or something so something is wrong here mr mayor wait a minute you're thinking about that you say now though

That's going to cover it? Who had the floor? Oh, okay.

Yeah, yeah, but something you said wrong.

I was in a budget meeting recently with the manager and her team. I don't know if they told you guys the same thing they told me. But from what I'm hearing, the budget is go be so tight. If you can squeeze a piece of toilet paper through it, you're going to be careful. Now, what I don't want to happen is for us to be in a situation where we have to start laying off people because we don't have money. Um, That's my greatest concern, because as we all know, we just had some police stuff that came up and it's going to be some pretty hefty money that's going to have to be paid out. I just don't want us to be put in a situation where. we're going to have to start laying off people because we're spending too much money. That's my biggest concern. We don't want that to happen either. But I do want finance and I want the manager and the budget director. I want everybody to be crystal clear when it comes to our budget and our money. Don't try to appease us because if we don't have money, we need to know that we don't have money. If we have money, we need to know that we have money. I don't want to sit here and vote on something tonight that's going to cost $68,000, but we only have $8,000. That's my biggest concern because I'd rather not have 2%, but keep with my salary and later on have my paycheck. And we can find that 2% after November when we know what they're going to do in Tallahassee. But even at that, we still have some... pretty big bills that we're going to have to pay through the police department with all that happened with that. I just want us to be very careful tonight. I will support an analysis and I, as you say, it's already been done, but maybe they need to sit back to the table to make sure that this is something that we're going to be able to afford, um, in our budget. Um, going forward. Commissioner Irving, can I respond to that, please? I want you to.

I totally agree with you. But I want to make sure, just like I said in this resolution, retention, retention, recruitment, that all of our employees are taken care of, not just those that are in. So everybody has their advocates. The AFSCME has their advocates. The PBA has their advocates. But there are a group of employees who do not fit in those categories, who do not get a raise. I hear you. The merit system is not here. So we need to make sure that we are taking care of our employees who do not have a seat at the table and advocate.

We are their advocate. And I agree with you. But to advocate today and then next week we tell them that they laid off because we don't have money to pay them. We're in a double-edged sword here.

We just got to cut another place. Let's go step by step. That's what we had to do. I think she's right. Mr. Mayor, two things that I want to make it clear. When you're talking about, okay, for the future, Bodger, he's talking about the 27th, but he added the two month and a half or two month and 25 days that we still have for the currency of Bodger G at 27. This ended in September 30th, no? fiscal year ends yeah but yeah i think that he said that you know that two percent is going to be you know doing now in that two months i don't know what he said for the futures because the future after the 27 is the 28. because it's a lot of things can happen between the you know now in the 27 and now when commissioner irving like we have to be very careful what we do right now And we know the Spencer that we have. And for sure, I know. And you told me in that meeting and the manager, you know, the heart is to get morning extra morning to pull it out while we still have to go for 26. Then we're going to talk later about that.

Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Bev. Just quickly, I'm sitting here and I'm listening to everything as always, you know, always listen before I have anything to say, because I believe when we speak, it needs to make sense. I concur with what you're saying, Commissioner Irvin, Santiago, I do. I don't want to repeat what you all said, but I want you to know that I support what you said, because to me, it will be really, really I'm trying to find nice words. Not so smart. to say that we can do something financially when the money is not there. And I too was in that meeting with the manager. She was very clear to us that it's gonna be really, really tight next year. And for us to make a commitment like this, where we don't see the funds, I don't understand that. But at the same time, I do understand that things are expensive and people need to live, we need to pay. But if you don't have it, And like you said, we might get to a point where for us to fulfill these obligations, we have to start laying people off. I would prefer to keep what I have than to be promised something and I can't get it. Then what that's going to look like? I think we should take one bite out of the apple at a time, move one step at a time and move closer. Do they deserve that minimum of 1%? Of course, they deserve more than that. But I cannot see us putting our city in a place financially when we all know that it's a big question mark when it comes to funding. Even some of the resolutions that we have passed is causing us to pull back on funds that would be able to come into the city. So we got to be very, very careful. Mr. Mayor, I understand where you're coming from.

But if we don't have it, what are we going to do?

Mr. Mayor. okay i gotta say this this city ain't broke if we could spend money and thousands on defense we could pay our employees come on now we gotta cut back in other areas i understand what we're saying with the analysis and if the analysis is going to answer the question but i want to make sure that we pay our employees so just cutting other places everybody deserves to raise not just a group of people but that's what we're all saying that they know

We're not saying that we're broke, but we're saying that the manager telling us we're not the managers. We don't know the finances to the core as much as we think we know it. And they're telling us that we aren't a squeeze. We have to believe what they're saying. You're saying to cut somewhere else, get with the manager and suggest where you wanted to cut from. So we could find this $80,000 and bring it back and I'll support it. But as of right now, I don't know where it's going to come from based on what she said to me.

Mr. Mayor.

I always love a spirited discussion. The reality is this is a group of employees who are not represented by any union, but are in positions of leadership and management. And it's easy to find it because what finance, budget, the manager is going to do is put it into the upcoming budget That's what they're going to do. And if we decide, because of all the other things that we discovered or will discover, that we can't do it, that'll be the first place you go for your $68,000. That's the first place you would go for your $68,000 because it's sitting there right for the taking. But I think it's a disservice on us not to go through with the analysis. And you do like many times, we sometimes do. You know, we have our secret meetings and the manager's going to say, something's got to be cut. What do you think should be cut? I'll tell you right then, well, I think we ought to go back and cut that that 2%. But I think those employees, and I have no, you know, one way or the other in terms, I do know as a former employee, as a director, as a supervisor, often those positions are overlooked when it comes to funding. And I wasn't going to get into the whole budget tightening because yeah, I've had some of those discussions with the manager too, but this item is not going to make or break that. There's going to be some other bigger issues that this commission is going to have to deal with than this $68,000. And keep in mind, and I'm going to say this, Mr. Mayor, because I'll defer the item because I think the employees need to at least get another day. No, no, because I've heard the idea.

But we've been talking about the future's idea that the mayor has, okay, that we cannot go. But this is good.

No, no, I'm not putting the mayor out there by himself because when the manager comes to all of us for our budget, whatever, this is a location, and she feels like I want to take that out, I'll take it out. I'm just saying most of the folks that are impacted by this are sitting out here. They're sitting out here. They're the ones showing up to our events, our last minute calls. And yes, they do get paid a little more. Some of them do drive a car, but they got families too. You know, but I really feel bad, because I sit out there and watch elected officials up here basically do what we're doing, as though what they do is not important. And I want to keep going through that. You know, I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. Mr. Mayor, I'm going to say, call for the vote, however it goes, it goes, and then the manager can come to all of us individually, how she wants to approach it, but at least she has the opportunity to put in a budget, whether it's $80,000, $68,000, or maybe even a lesser amount, but I do think those employees at least deserve to be heard. And I hear you. I hear you because we have you out here in the morning and evening, you know, everybody's going home and yes, the union contracts and you write commission. I've heard the same thing about the challenges going forward and they're going to be some tough decisions. But at the end of the day, some of these same folks going to still be here, you know, holding our hand because the employee gone home. Because the union told me they can't work no more until they get paid. Talk to me, somebody. Yeah, I know. I don't have been through that, so. I don't have been through five hours, so you ain't got to tell me. But I appreciate the passion of my colleagues. I'm glad we're on the same page with our fiscal responsibility and due diligence. We can call for a question. Mr. Mayor. Mr. Irvin.

What I don't want our employees to ever think is that I don't value the work that they do here in our city. And I'll say it today. I'll say it tomorrow. And I'll say it next week. I don't want to make a decision to do something. And then six months into the budget, the manager comes and finance come and a budget director comes and say, we got to lay people off. that's that's what i'm saying because having a piece of job is better than having none at all and that's that's the way i feel i am for them i i'm for them i know what it feels i'm a regular kind of person i just want to make sure that we're making the right decision if madam uh finance director tell me right now honey you don't have to worry about none of that hey They can get a raise tomorrow. I'm fine with it. But I just want to make sure that we're doing the right thing. And I don't want nobody putting in their head that we don't want to give them money because that's far from the truth. If it could be 5% and we have the money for it, I'm for them having 5%. Because everything has gone up in this world except people's salaries, the gas, the food, the grocery, the clothing, everything except for people's salaries. So it's not that I'm not for them and I don't value the work they do. I see them working all the time. I see it.

Mr. Mayor, if I may, I know we need to move on, but I too want to let you all know that I see you, I hear you, I feel you. I don't want you to leave here thinking that I'm not in support of your raise. Matter of fact, I think 2% is a slap in the face. It should be more than that. But like she said, I don't want us to be in a position where we cannot fulfill our promises. And I agree with the analysis and the whole nine yards, but to put... right now in motion that it will be an ongoing thing when we don't know what it's going to look like next year, the year after. I don't mind coming and having this discussion every year before budget. So we know where we are. Instead of 2%, it could be maybe 5%. We don't know. But I just don't want you to believe that I'm not in support of you because I am. And I am going to support this advice. Mayor, don't pull it. I am going to support it. I just need to know that we need to be mindful that we don't want to be in a place where we're kicking rocks and we can't get where we need to be financially. Thank you.

We can go ahead and call the question. Yes.

Vice Mayor Kelly?

Yes.

Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

Moving on to the next item. 16A14.

An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Florida, amending chapter 21 of the city's code of ordinances entitled water sewer and storm water utilities, adding certain new definitions, amending section 21 dash 202 to add new sub paragraph C to require certain construction site operators to use and maintain appropriate erosion. sedimentation and waste controls, providing for plan review prior to construction, providing for size thresholds, providing for construction site inspection of permit work, providing for a notice of failure to comply with approved plans and specifications, providing for post construction stormwater standards, providing for enforcement review, providing for codification, conflicts, severability and effective date. This is sponsored by the city manager.

All right. This is a public hearing item. Can I get a motion? Move it. Move by Commissioner Irvin second by Dr. Bass. Madam Manager, sorry, Mr. Manager, I'll let you go ahead and present and then we'll open up a public hearing.

Thank you Mr. Mayor. The city of Opelika is required by state regulators to adopt a stormwater ordinance and currently has no chapter of this code that provides the legal authority demanded by a stormwater permit, which is MS4 permit. As a co-committee under the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, permit number FLS00003, the City must maintain ordinances that prohibit illicit discharges and require construction site operators to install and maintain erosion, sedimentation, and waste controls. Paragraph 6 of C chapter 13. Chapter 8, sorry of the city's consent order with the floor department of environmental protection. And now I have Mr Austin available for any questions.

All right. This is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open. Hearing on seeing non public hearing is close. All right, do we have any questions for the manager or Mr. Austin at this time as it relates to this item? Hearing none, Madam Clerk, go ahead and call the question.

Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Ervin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0, first reading.

All right, moving on to the next item, 16A2.

In ordinance of the city commission of the state of Florida, amending the annual adopted general proprietary and special revenue funds budgets for the fiscal year, commencing October 1, 2025 and ending September 30, 2026. Adjusting revenues and expenditures as reflected in exhibit a, providing for the expenditure of funds established by the budget, authorizing the city manager to take certain actions, providing for appropriation of all budgets and expenditures. Providing for fees consistent with appropriations and amendment, providing for incorporation of recitals, providing for conflict and repealer, providing for severability, providing for an effective date. This is sponsored by the city manager.

all right this is a public hearing item can i get a motion move it move by commissioner urban second second by vice mayor uh mr manager go ahead and present and then we'll open up a public hearing thank you very much mayor uh this a budget amendment is to align the city's finances for fiscal year 26 so it's to align the budget to get it complete and if you have any questions our budget director is here to answer your questions all right this is a public hearing item public hearing is open

Public hearing is closed. All right. Um, do we have any questions for our budget administrator or the manager's office at this time?

Yes, I do. I'm sorry. Go ahead. I'll go after commissioner.

Well, I'm lady first commissioner.

Okay. Um, under expenditures, I see commission and I see $7,200 and I would like to know why the commission needs $7,200.

Good evening commissioners, Floyd Harris, budget administrator. Floyd Harris, budget administrator. This is a six month budget review that we did. We've gone through and reviewed every line item within the city's budget to see if there is sufficient funds to carry through the end of the fiscal year. Within the commission's budget, there were three line items identified, which were postage, state of the city, and office supplies. Postage state of city state of the city state of the city. What does that mean? Yes. Oh, and office supplies. Yes, ma'am. For stationary stationary. Yes.

Can you be more clear?

So, we got a, we had a request from the clerk to purchase additional people for the commission.

Paper for the commission?

For all the commissioners. Yes. For the commissioners division.

Somebody have to help me with that one. Paper. Paper costs $39 a bond, a 10 pack, 5,000 papers. Can somebody help me?

Mr. May? Actually, I don't know.

Can you answer that question? I don't want to pay for this. Okay. Who you want? I don't know. I just want. Mr. Manager. I'm something about paper.

Yes. I mean, she was directed toward the budget director.

No, but she wants to answer the question.

It's he said postage. The reason we need $7,200 is for postage state of the city city and office supplies in the office supplies. He said his paper. Crickets, do you want me to talk?

The request was made by the clerk's office on behalf of the commission.

Okay, so Mr American clerk answer to the clerk.

Mr. Mayor, if I may, so, so yes, there's a need in ordering supplies for the, um, from the city commission's line item for, um, for supplies. Um, we have exceeded what was budgeted for, for FY 2026. And there is a need to increase, um, that line item at this time.

Mr. Mayor. Hold up.

I'll yield to Santiago.

Commissioner Santiago. Thank you. You are seeing some question and I don't hear any answer what we asking for. What is the $5,000 is for one paper? Why do we use so much paper? Please, I want the truth here. That's what I want. Okay, why are we using that paper for? Loud and clear. Now unclear, what is that? Who is care here to talk? Or to say the truth, why do we need that for? Because I heard something when I had a meeting with you guys, my agenda brief. They told me, no, the meeting that I have between the lady for finance, you, and the manager. And that's what I said, we're looking for morning to ending The fiscal year 26, not the 27, the 26. Doesn't mean we are scratching for somewhere, but we are still adding, adding, and adding, and adding money for things that we're not supposed to adding money for that. And let me tell you why. In Neboyo, we have $40,000 for the community newspaper for the great city of Opa-locka. And they never come out. I never see anything in place to make true and possible to get that newspaper here in the city of Palauka. And the $40,000 is there sleeping. This is already July. July 8th. And it's already two more and a half months to end this fiscal year. And nothing happened. But It had to be announcing why we're going to spend $5,000 extra in two months, in two months and a half, to buy paper for the printer, for the color printer that we have there in the fourth floor by the cross office. You know what it's there for? It's for a new letter that we have every month. There is something going to happen to me to say the truth? I don't think so. But what about my newspaper, Mike? The $40,000 that is sitting there, where they are? What happened with that $40,000? Why the newspaper is not come out? Who is against that? Who is behind this? And that's the truth. And this is the truth. But we keep adding money to ending the 26, and we need money for the 27. And we don't even know how it's going to happen to get the money that we need to giving the 20 or the 2 or the 3% raise to the unemployment that they needed. And we are still spending money, the commissioners, like crazy. I believe that anything that we do here is supposed to be for everybody, for each of us, for together with the city. Does the $5,000 is for that paper, yes or no? Two, I'm asking you.

I'm sorry.

Yeah. Yeah. What is the $5,000 is? Is that for that paper? No, that we need it.

It's a paper. We don't order a paper for the commission.

Okay.

We saw the line.

All right. No, I'm going to have a talk with my manager when she come back. I'm going to have a talk with my manager. It started to be serious here in the city. If we want to have a city to run in the right way. With the truth. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

No more. Mr. Mayor, I'm sorry. I mean, look, I'm a part of Man Commission. If we're spending $7,000 on paper, like, I'm embarrassed. Yeah. What is it that we're spending $7,000 on paper? What is it?

And if I may say, when I did the budget briefing with the manager, it was only 55 and now it's gone up to 7,200. You can't tell me that we're going to be in a crunch, but then we're spending 5,500 or 7,200 or whatever it is on paper. That's the answer that I got, paper. And I don't have a problem with the other stuff that we need on here, but I do not want to accept paper. I buy paper. I know that you can get bonds. You can get cases of paper for $114. I buy it. I know for my own personal need. And it's not that expensive. I can't agree with the commission needing $700 for this. And I know this needs to pass tonight. So if somebody can give me some direction as to what are we supposed to do at this point?

Okay, madam. I don't think Yeah, it was your your I'm sorry. Is there a question, Mr. Mayor? Why do

The question I have is I'm not supporting $5,000 for paper or $7,200, whatever the amount for paper. And when they're telling us that we're going to be in a stronghold, we can put $5,000 back where it belongs if it's going to put us in a stronghold. I don't use paper. I don't use paper.

but in my personal life i use paper and for a whole 5 000 sheets i pay i pay less than a a hundred dollars all right i guess uh mr mayor mr mayor five thousand dollars worth of paper is this the cover so future or is this the cover past the remaining um of this current fiscal year the 26th five thousand dollars worth of paper

I'm not sure I didn't come up with that amount. I just know that at this point, when we do order supplies for the commission, there's no more money in that line item. So obviously in order to have monies in that line item to order supplies, we ask that a budget amendment is, you know, some monies is put in that line item. So, you know, that's, I didn't come up with the $5,000 amount. I wasn't. And just to be clear, you all mentioned, The individual meetings with the management staff and statements that were made at that meeting. I was not part of that meeting. So, because the city clerk was also mentioned, I just want to be clear. I don't know what was stated in that meeting. I was not part of any of those budget meetings.

Let me ask you also to in. in that seventy two hundred dollars that we're including here i think that you mentioned in the we need how much do we need for the uh state of the city one thousand dollars one thousand dollar why exterior the city already passed in january it's not going to be uh another state of the city in september no sir however the expenses run over budget oh

All right. So where do we manage an office?

The question was about the paper and the I'm not going to put in the $7,200 at all. Wait, go for both.

You're speaking to me? Yeah. A person who they said it was in her budget. So, I mean, if you want to approve this, this is an entire budget. We actually be approved entire amendment.

Okay. You said that 1000 dollars for the state of the city for. Expenses, which I told me that came up at the last minute. that uh late invoice or something right then the other that's seven that's sixty two hundred dollars where did that number come from you said five thousand dollars for paper so that leaves another seven hundred dollars for postage seven hundred dollars for postage yes sir okay so is that i guess the clerk said she didn't give the five thousand dollars or is that how did you calculate that number so we do analysis of the budget um to see what you're going to take based on the current spending pattern to see how it's going to take you for the rest of the year and that's what we came up with And in your professional opinion, it's going to be $5,000 based on actual expenses.

Mr. Mayor.

Go ahead.

Where are we buying paper from? Because $5,500 for paper for three, four months is a lot.

So if I may, Mr. Mayor, we placed the order through the manager's office. She has one of her staff members order supplies for the city, and I believe they order from Staples.

I'm not paying fifty five hundred dollars for paper. I'm okay with everything else. Fifty five hundred dollars. I'm not okay with. I don't I don't know what to suggest. I'm not okay with that.

It's going to be an amendment because the money isn't here.

Ms. Mayor? So just keep in mind, because there's no more money left in that line item for city commission supplies, we will not be able to order any supplies for the city commission for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Okay. I'll buy my own paper and bring it to the office. Exactly. That's fine with me. I could donate some paper delivered tomorrow.

I can donate some.

But then let me ask you this question, Madam Clerk. Does that limit you from your day-to-day operations or that is exclusive to the commission?

Mr. Mayor, I have my own budget for office supplies, so it will not... That's going to affect the city commission, not the city clerks.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor. I'm sorry. That's why I asked. Mr. Mayor, I'm sorry. I am so sorry. May I? Go ahead. Madam Joanna Floyd.

Yes, ma'am.

You're telling me that the five of us require $7,000 in paper? 5,500. 55 in paper for the next three to four months?

I didn't make that statement. So, am I hearing wrong with what I said is that there is no money in that line item as of today. Okay. Office supplies for the city commission.

Thank you. We're kind of majoring in the minor right now, other stuff that they wanted to cover as it relates to the budget. So, I guess you have the, well, the majority, the 3. um that they want to remove that that from the budget and then that fifty fifty fifty fifty five fifty five hundred dollars from that lineup and place it i guess where you see fit but outside of that what else did you want to cover well actually you didn't want to cover anything he was going through it right there um yeah what Is there anything else that stands out? Well, I see a lot, but I just want to.

I'm sorry, I just wanted to state that the 5500 dollars. That we are looking to add to that line item that will carry us through September 30th. It also captures the expenditures already expended in excess of the original budget amount of $1,500. So you may have spent a total of $3,900 to date. So the additional dollars would carry us through September 30th. And I'm sorry, I didn't print the actual detail on that one line item. So yes, I don't have that, but I just wanted to be clear that you do need some dollars added to that line item to cover what's been spent year to date.

And you said that's $1,500? No, no, sir.

$3,000? Your original budget was only $1,500 for 12 months for that one line item. But we've spent in excess of that. That's what I said. I don't have that detail printed in hand. However, looking at what has been spent over the budget amount, we anticipate you need additional dollars to carry you through September 30th. That's how we arrived at the $5,500 value.

Okay, I guess that's a question you have to bring to the commission at the next. For the next reading and calculate it right up to the balance balance. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Mr. yeah. 5500 minus a 1,000 is 4500. That I'm correct. That's correct.

Oh, okay.

Well, this is the money that we are spending extra.

I don't know why you say, oh, we had to look and, you know, where is the money? We're spending $4,500 extra for the $1,000 Spencer that she would say that we have in the budget.

But we spent that thousand on top of that thousand. We spent an extra thirty nine hundred. That's what you're saying, right?

Yes. So those are estimate numbers. I don't have the exact print of detail. I just wanted to give you an example. Thank you.

Yes, ma'am. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Manager, when you come back at the second reading, can you please. I need receipts. I'm sorry. I need to see.

Yes, ma'am.

These receipts for this paper that we spending or what we spending because I know that I don't cost the city any money. Okay.

Yes, ma'am. We'll print a detailed report.

Thank you.

Yeah, Mr. Mayor. It is easy to ask in the, um, the clerk office. Um, if we can have a report for the Spencer that each one of us have in that environment, why not?

Mr. Mayor, it's difficult. It's difficult. I'm not able to come up with such a report. Okay.

Mr. Mayor, I just have one more question. Very simple.

We've been around this mountain long enough. We know we don't want paper, but we got to move on.

I know, but I just need to ask Ms. Gant this question. Go ahead. Ms. Gant, our original for mayor and commission was $1,000? Yes.

It was $1,500. Okay. So I can understand the extra because a thousand hours for paper for a year is not, that's not enough money. So I understand some of it.

I wish you had said that a little earlier. Um, I got it that, yeah, I'm quite sure we're going to Excel more than exceed more than a thousand for paper, but I still think the total amount that will be 5,500, you said.

A $5,500 additional, yes.

Yeah, additional. So that would take us to $6,000 something. It would be a total of $7,000. Yeah, I think that's a bit much. But I can understand us going above the $1,000.

Okay. All right.

I'm sorry. Yeah, we can move on from that subject. You had other things that you wanted to talk about in the budget that you wanted to highlight, sir?

He said no.

What are we voting for?

We're voting on the budget amendment. when they are $7,200 in or out. She's going to bring it back to the commission with all of the concerns that we have.

And then I had questions, but in the interim, I'll reach out to you directly. We have to vote now. To vote. So we can call. The next commissioner meeting, let him bring it back first.

It's a budget amendment item, so they need their balance. We're in budget season. So the next commission meeting, yeah, it won't work for them.

Well, can we make an amendment just to bring it where we have already superseded?

She had already. She said that. We said that already.

Okay.

Well, don't worry.

If we just do that, it's already paid out. This has nothing to do with the city. No? Have to do nothing to do with her? Okay. And who's writing that?

She don't prepare the budget. Go ahead.

I have a question. But we're still keeping in the commission budget the postage amount, correct? Yeah. Because we need that.

Yes.

Thank you.

Got it. All right. So before we make that, I hear you. Is there anything else that you wanted to highlight from the last? No? We're good?

We're good. We're good.

Okay. All right. So the, the, the, um, the amendment is for us to take it from the $5,500 for paper only to cover what is outstanding, the actual, the actual and nothing, nothing more. My returning is that we need to make that amendment or can it be reflected in the next? Okay, so that amendment was... Can you make that amendment? I'll make the amendment.

I can make it too. If you want to make it, it's okay. The amendment is to not add the $5,500 that they require for the ending of the budget for the 26th. Not in this budget amendment.

But that's not the amendment we talked about.

And what are we talking about? We don't want the $5,500 there. It's just allowing for her to pay the what's remaining.

What's remaining.

Yeah.

All right. So the motion was made. I'm sure you all can capture it through the audio. Can I get a second on the motion? Second. Second by some. The motion was made by Commissioner Santiago. Carry as a second by Commissioner Bass. Madam Clerk on the amendment.

Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes. You say yes, Vice Mayor? Commissioner Santiago?

Yes.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion on the amendment passes 5-0.

If there are any more questions as it relates to the budget, we can call the question.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Commissioner Santiago?

Yes.

Mayor Taylor?

Yes. Motion passes 5-0, first reading. All right, moving on to our second reading ordinances, item number 16B1.

An ordinance of the city of Opelika, Florida, calling for a referendum of the qualified electors of the city for the purpose of determining whether the city charter shall be amended to increase the compensation for the mayor and commission members from From 550 dollars per month to 1500 dollars per month, authorizing the city commission to increase the amount of compensation every other year to provide for a cost of living adjustment stating that. Stating the text of the proposed charter amendment. Stating the date on which the referendum will be held, providing for an effective date for the charter amendment, if approved, providing for severability, providing for an effective date. 1st, reading public hearing was held on June 24th, 2026. this is sponsored by the city commission.

All right, can I get a motion? Move it for both. Move by Commissioner Santiago. Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin. This is a public, oh, I'm sorry. I'll present it as the mayor. So this item is simply put, it allows the commission to take that compensation from $500, 550, $550 per month to $1,500 per month. Simply put, it allows the commission every other year to come back reconvened, and then vote again. So that is the item in short. It was suggested by the Charter Review Board, brought to this commission, and the commission is ratifying what they gave us. This is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open.

Audrey Dominguez, 1147 Jana. Here we are talking about money. And I know that it already passed the 1st time. And I know that you guys do a lot more. Then what you're getting paid 550 dollars. It doesn't cut it like, uh, commissioner bass said it 1 time. However, my question is. will we be out of financial oversight by November? Because I know this has to go to the voters and they will make the decision if this passes or not. But my question is, will we be out of financial oversight by then? Because I know that there's a lot of residents that will approve it, but if they know that we still are not out of that, it might not get go through so I'm for it believe me because I don't think 550 is enough for what you guys do and to raise it up to fifteen hundred dollars it's fine with me but the question is will we be out financial oversight that's just the only question I want to ask all right public hearing is still open

public hearing is closed um commissioner we can't answer that question we're still right now waiting on the efficiency audit to come back with their findings once that comes back that is sent up to the governor's office with the recommendation and then he then makes the decision so that question we cannot answer at this moment but it is our prayer and hopes that we are but We can't, we've done our part as a commission and as a city as a whole. So we're at this point, it's just a waiting game. Um, any other questions to the manager office or finance or anybody in dealing with this? All right. Hearing none. Madam clerk.

Vice mayor Kelly. Yes. Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes five zero.

All right. Next item 16 B two.

An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Florida, calling for a referendum of the qualified electors of the city for the purpose of determining whether the city charter shall be amended to provide that the mayor and city commission members are eligible to receive health insurance and life insurance to the same extent as regular. full-time city employees, including the same employer paid contributions, eligibility requirements, and benefit options available to such employees. Stating the referendum question, stating the text of the proposed charter amendment, stating the date on which the referendum will be held, providing for an effective date for the charter amendment if approved, providing for severability, providing for an effective date. The first reading public hearing was held on June 24th, 2026. This is sponsored by the city commission.

All right, can I get a motion? Move it. Moved by Commissioner Urban. Second. Second by Dr. Bass. This is the same item that reflects the first one. The first one talked about compensation. This one talks about insurance. Same thing. It was recommended by the Charter Review Board, sent to the commission for ratification. This is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. Quick questions from the Commission. Do we have any questions? Manager or each other or anybody that dealt with this item? Hearing none, Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Santiago?

Yes.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0. All right.

And last item for the night, 16B3.

An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Florida, amending article 3 section 22 dash 55 of the city of land development regulations pertaining to site plan application specifically amending said section to add new letter E, providing for severability providing for codification providing for an effective date. 1st, reading public hearing was held on June 24th, 2026. this is sponsored by commissioner Santiago.

All right, can I get a motion move by, um, commissioner by a 2nd, by vice Kelly? This is a public hearing item commissioner Santiago. Go ahead and present the item and then we open up a public hearing.

Uh, thank you. Um. To my calories and to the, um, people present here tonight. Uh, this is the 2nd, really for the audience that we bring to, uh, help. And to make possible. to helping these people that they passing through that catastrophe fire in Cairo Lane. We're here tonight to make the final decision to help these people to be opening the soon tonight that team if it's passed to operate it again in this business in Cairo Lane. I believe that seven of these businesses that be affecting very bad and they are still close. They are still not operating when they be, you know, comply with all the requirements of the city asking for, you know, from before they are legally when the permits and everything. And I believe that that is responsibility tonight to us to helping these people to open back to business. All this. buildings out there that be turned down by the fire and let them to prepare to present the new plan that they have to beautify that area and to make that team more accessible for all in Cairo Lane.

Alright, so this is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open. Public hearing is open.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Isela Gutierre. My address is 64 East 65th Street, Hialeah, Florida 33013. I'm very thankful first of all to Vice Mayor Kelly and Commissioner Santiago. They've been helping us a lot. Honestly, we haven't seen anything yet, but I know they're doing their best. And it's not just talking about just their best. We need results. It's almost two months already since this happened. You guys are not in our shoes, and it's hard. Even though we don't own the land, we pay rent. And there's landlords that they don't put their hand and their heart saying, this is something hard but you gotta keep paying rent this is united states you know you gotta pay rent you gotta pay rent you gotta pay your mortgage they don't care what happened to you the only way that you don't pay is maybe if you die and you live in insurance and they can cover that and you still gotta pay okay so this is a big reality honestly We cleaning because we don't have nothing else to do because everything here is regulations, rules, papers, So many things that we got to go through. Even though we're not working, we don't have not even our permits to open. If you guys don't provide us with the paper to open, how come Miami-Dade is going to give us something else? Everything is money. Everything is money. We already paid Durham. We cannot get our license back yet. everything has to go through process we understand that but it's already almost two months and we haven't gotten that even one penny there's millions of dollars and we probably we're gonna get seven to eight percent you know what's five million dollars in ashes to get seven percent that's that's a nightmare But in the middle of this situation, God is still good because he's still providing us. I'm not going to lie to you. My customer call me and they say, Stella, you got parts? I go, yes, because none of you guys going to pay my bills. I'm sorry, okay? I don't want to be rude. but I gotta do what I gotta do, honestly. I'm being doing honestly with you guys. If they come to me and say, you can't open, I will do it because I gotta pay, okay? Thank you.

Thank you. All right, public hearing is still open. Public hearing is closed. All right, so I do have one question and nobody has any other concerns or questions to respond to. All right, Mr. Manager, and Madam Chief of Staff, you all deal with this on a daily basis. I just want to make sure that if this does pass, hopefully it does, that we don't, we can help to alleviate and push this through, alleviate the red tape, and then we can help these people open, like open.

I think we have a discussion with the manager when she gets back and make this process as smooth as possible.

Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor, like the sponsor that I am and with the testimonial that I heard tonight, let me say that I don't have to wait, okay, another month. Okay, to make these people to start working out there. Even if we have to help them to open it this week, they're going to come to you and they're going to prepare the site plans and everything that Mr. Gates requires to redoing all this building out there. We need to help them. And the only way that we're going to help her is to give them the green light to renting that trucks that they are, the containers, office containers to put it outside and starting to operate it. They are outside in the street doing anything. Please, she say something true. We keep on doing and doing it. How long? No. I want that to be done yesterday. Thank you. Commissioner Santiago. I know there's rules and regulations, but we the government.

Still, Vice Mayor's statement. I love the passion.

They complain.

But we have to be realistic. They do. It cannot happen tomorrow. We all know that. Once this passes tonight, we sign it. We send it to Tallahassee. Tallahassee reviews it.

And then they send it back to us. What does Tallahassee have to do with this emergency? I want to know. Did they put something in there? Please, please, please, Mr. Mayor. It's a question only. I'll explain to you. What does Tallahassee have to do to approve that? I'll explain it to you. Send them to Tallahassee. They're going to go to Tallahassee right away with that.

Yeah. As you are aware, you've been here long enough, and you know the city is under financial oversight. This has nothing to do with our finance. Every resolution and ordinance that is passed by this commission has to go to Tallahassee and get approved by the governor. You know that it's nothing has changed. So I just want you all to be we want to be realistic. And that's why I said to the manager, we want to ensure that we alleviate and eliminate all the red tape and move forward with this as soon as possible. But being realistic, Commissioner Santiago, it cannot happen tomorrow.

No, no, I understand. All right, let's go for the boat. Thank you. Yeah.

Madam Clerk,

Oh, I'm sorry, Vice-Mayor Kelly. You asked the manager a question that you used the word expeditiously as quickly. What does that really mean? I mean, what's the timeline that we can control?

Well, I think, you know, from this particular standpoint, I would prefer to, you know, when the manager get back, have a discussion about what the interest of the commission is in relationship to getting this done expeditiously. And I'm quite sure it's going to have to be handled. Some of the things going to be handed through our community development department in relationship to the resolution for what they're trying to do. We're putting the trailers and things like that on their property.

Okay, we kind of understand the containers on the property. I'm saying anything else that has to be done that we're requiring, they're already aware of it, so they can already be done or in place. That's what I'm getting at. That's already taken care of.

Mr. Gay, can you help with that, please?

How is that going to be taken care of if they didn't start it?

Gregory Gay, Director of Planning and Community Development. We have pretty much outlined a process that they will have to go through, which is an administrative review process. Once we get the approvals from Tallahassee, we will be presenting that information to them on the items that they would need. We've had conversations as it relates to the documentation that is required as a part of the administrative review process. We will provide that information ahead of time. So once this item is approved by the state, They will be able to make that application, put it in to the city for review. We would expeditiously review it administratively so that they can get the containers on the property as quickly as possible.

Okay. I keep hearing that word expeditiously. And I know that we have asked the state in the past for a expedited review. So I hope we're going to do that so it doesn't take, we can already have that done, I'm assuming. We can already make that request even before the manager gets back herself. That's why I'm saying that. Because it just passes, which I believe it is because all of us really want to co-sponsor anyway. It goes to Tallahassee, which is the next step. If you all call up there tomorrow and get an expedited approval while you're waiting on the hard copy, that takes care of the state. So then it becomes now whatever's happening here on the local level. And what you're with Mr. Gay is saying, I'm hearing correctly, is you've already communicated to those owners and tenants those next steps.

We've communicated verbally. We're also going to put it in writing that it would be an administrative review process.

Okay, um, all right. So, I mean, by Friday, we can have some, but definitely. If the state has approved it by state, we can expedite it. It's a matter of calling the state. Yeah. Okay.

We'll get it through.

Yeah, I know you can make that call. That's what I said before. Okay, so we'll wait because those folks have been waiting. And I know some of them are renters. Some of them are owners who are ready to do what they can to drop the containers. I heard that when I met with them. But what I don't want to see is... some more something come up and they're ready to move forward that they want to wear. So I hope that all of those things are taken care of in the next day or so while you're waiting on the state's approval. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I'll be following up as well.

Mr. Mayor, let me make something clear what Mr. Gay said before about the process. See, after we get the approval from Tallahassee, probably on Friday, you say that they're going to start to make a process, okay, when they are planning a view for what they're going to build in the future out there. But we don't we don't we don't talking about that that type of permit already. We already talk about it that they're going to presenting to the city. What is the planning that they have to all the building that they have to turn down and build it again. They're going to presenting that to the city. What are we calling the planning?

The site plan?

The site plan. Yeah, they're going to do a site plan, but that's after. After they are starting work, you know, producing money to do that. How dare? You say before they had to now when we be apart on Tallahassee, before they put a trailer, they had to present it to you?

We would need to have a survey of the property. What we do? Showing... Sorry, there's a process the process that we have for the administrative view is that they would have to have a survey to show what is the condition of the site. And the survey will show where that temporary office will be going on the site. They're going to need that same survey. when they go through the site plan review for their long-term redevelopment.

Yes, perfect. I understand that. Okay. But when they come in the time to rent into the company that they're going to rent in the trailer, the company, they're going to come in presenting that survey and everything. Where is the content is going to be placed there in the property. That's what I want to hear from you.

Yes, sir.

Okay. That's the way it's going to go. Okay. Thank you.

All right. We can call the question. Madam Kirk.

Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes. Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

All right. Moving on to City Manager's Report. She provided it in writing, and we know that Assistant City Manager and our Chief of Staff is sitting in. Do we have any concerns for the managers you want them to take back, or will you all just reach out to her individually once she comes back, I believe next week?

Yeah, when she come back, when she comes back.

Yes. All right. So, um, the only thing I would like to put on your radar, um, Mr. Manager and, um, actually from staff is that we got a tech from the Cordova courts, something about an eviction or something, a letter that they sent out to the residents. And you all look into that please. And I'll forward you the message. I'll forward you the message that I received and we're, yeah, I would like y'all to reach out. About the eviction, yeah. And a lot of residents have received that message. And they are, it's a subsidized housing, but they're threatening to put out the people that have subsidies.

I don't report. The Blues. Going to send in for a minute.

The Blues. All right. So that's all that I have. Anyone else have anything that they want to, for the manager? All right. Thank you.

Oh, yeah. Just one thing. Have you provided an update on the pool? That is a pool repair for when we anticipated being open or getting open um you can provide in writing thank you thank you mr mayor okay all right and so we're moving on to the mayor and commission report um

Oh, I'm sorry. Official board report. So we have none. I don't see any. So the man commission reports, I'll go first. And then we can we'll go in order. Mayor, Vice Mayor, and we'll go down. So we just want to say that the dental clinic that we have was a success the first time and they're coming back. So it will be on June 26. For those of you that need services, dental services. No, I'm sorry. Oh, okay. It's this Friday. It's this Friday. So you still have time to make an appointment with the clinic and go from there. We also have, we've done this already. And I think that's it. That's the end of my report. Madam, Madam Finance. I think we're good on the financial oversight, but I know Vice Mayor Kelly will probably bring it up during his, but I just want to make sure that what I said was right, what I said too, which is we're still waiting on the efficiency audit. You could just nod yes. We're still waiting on the efficiency audits once that passes. I mean, once that comes back to us, we review it, we send it up to the governor and the decision is made at that point. So, but we still are waiting on the response or we're still back and forth. We're still in the back and forth on stage.

And as far as it relates to the actual audits, we're still still in the last item.

All right. And we don't have an anticipated date board. Not yet. We're just waiting on the auditors.

All right.

Any questions as it relates to financial oversight, or the audit to let's get Okay, hearing none. Vice Mayor, you can go ahead. Okay, no report from Vice Mayor, Commissioner Irvin.

Yes, hi, thank you. On yesterday, I had the privilege of working at McDonald's with our police department. I was the manager. I was telling them to keep the lines down, let's keep it moving, let's go. It was a very nice event. I really thank the police department for doing such thing because it actually Bought the community and people like this came because I saw so many police cars and they wind up eating the owner of the McDonald's is heaven-sent she was so nice to us and so grateful to have her establishment here in Opa locker with us and Today, I also followed them with coffee and a cup and over at Chavez and had another wonderful experience there on July 4th our Fourth of July celebration was was a hit. Thank you so much to my co-host. And he got some sponsors right here in the city that provided drinks and and stuff to us. We had junk news came out. I'm not sure who donated that, but they showed up and they showed out. We had a ball. um thank you to the booster club for providing over 4 000 water balloons yeah for our water balloons you really want to bring that up right now because i'm still salty about that y'all play too much y'all play all day we had a ball the kids had a ball they did yes We had a ball. Friday, I'm sorry, Saturday, July 18th, I'm hosting a Grown Folks Night event. We're bringing it to Sherbundy, and it's going to be from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Come out, have a ball. We say grown folks, but there's always kids there, too. But come out, listen to grown folk music, and, you know, do... nice things that grown folk do. I also enjoyed our youth today at the summer camp program. They went to Galaxy to skate. Many of them tried to fool me to skate. You won't laugh at me today. No, no, no. But we had a ball. They enjoyed the trip. Also, July 17th, um join us for our magical disney night at bingo at your bundy starts at 6 00 p.m um we're gonna do a disney style so bring your disney ears and all the other good stuff with you um and of course i received many from phone calls and I walk every day. So residents stop me every day to talk about something. And of course our pool has been a conversation and I want to assure our residents that we are doing everything possible to get our pool up and running. And I won't say expeditious because I've heard that word 50 times in five minutes. So I'm going to say as quickly as possible. It wasn't nothing that we did maliciously or anything like that. The pool pump caught a fire and it has to be fixed. And we're hopefully at the tail end of getting that opened. And I do want to ask you all to continue to pray for Madam Manager as she prepared to lay her father to rest. And I want to be said that she has my deepest sympathy for her and her family at this time. And that's it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We're going to have this Sunday the domino and chess.

It doesn't look like it.

Okay, it's not domino and chess this Sunday. She said it doesn't look like it. That's what she said. That's a sponsor. If it's for me, I'm making a big party on Sunday. Okay. Party. But you have to make the decision. We're going to be there. Okay, but we have Chess and Domino on Sunday. We're going to have, you know, some music. We're going to have fried chickens and all that. Okay. All right. And we're going to join us on Sunday at 3, 3 to 5. That's the time. Well, it's two to five.

No, no, no. Three.

Oh, three.

Wasn't it three, Emma? Three. Emma, three to five or two to five? It's three to five.

We'll send out a flyer via social media.

Okay, and we're going to bring the paper for the flyers.

Yes.

Okay. Yeah, for the flyers. I need the flyers tomorrow. We'll bring the papers, remember. Where are we going to put for our package? I'm very happy, you know, for 4th of July. I'm enjoying it. Together with my colleague, Commissioner Irving, we'll be together there with the whole family. A beautiful show of fireworks. I love that. I lost the, you know, the water balloon, but my colleague here, he's saving one for me that day. And really, we're enjoying a beautiful event, and I hope that we can do it better and better and better. And we're not spending too much money. That's a good thing down there. But we're enjoying it. We're enjoying it that day. And after, you know, Chess and Domino are going to take some recessions, too, you know. I'm tired. you know too many events and that's it and thank you oh and something else you know commissioner santiago never tried to do anything you know to broken rules i like to you know to the rules you know going forward but when there is an emergency that's an emergency thank you okay i would just like to give a shout out to two of our well let me just go back a little bit

Commissioner Irvin and myself, we walk and we see a lot of what maybe a lot of you don't see. As we walk, and I'll say we, because I'm sure she sees it as well. We see so many of our residents. One day, well, I kind of count it. Most days it's about eight to 10 dogs, little people with four legs with their owners walking around Shibandi and allowing their animal children to defecate on our sidewalks and our grass and the whole nine yards. But yesterday morning, no, this morning, I saw two of our residents poop a scooping and I was happy. I stopped and I told them, thank you. They had the little bags and they poop a scoop and they went about their way. It was Kayla and Courtney. And if you're listening, Kayla, Courtney, thank you. And matter of fact, Alex does it as well. So I just want to give them a shout out for being mindful of our surroundings that we don't have to walk around city hall, smell poop, walking poop. They're picking it up. So thank you so much. Maybe to some of you, that means nothing, but that means everything to me when I'm walking at seven o'clock in the mornings. And I would like to say thank you to everyone who made turning pages with art in the park of success. Everyone who came out, we had approximately 75 to 80 children, adults who showed up. Commissioner Irvin showed up. Thank you so much. Miss Dorsett was one of our guest readers. We had also FIU came out there to their artists came out to help the kids, you know, to navigate the art of. turning pages with art in the park we have six total sessions we have five more to go and the next one is tomorrow at 9 30 and i just wanted to say that just to see the kids listening to the story and then doing painting It just warms my heart because everybody know I'm an edge. I'm an education and education is is is where is that for me? So, thank you so much. Um, is door set Nova. Thank you. Each and every 1 of you. Thank you again. We have 5 more sessions to go. So, that's it for me. Thank you so much.

Dr bass commissioner. Oh, I think that we have co enforcement in the police department. They said in these people, do you know how to assign to say curse? Your dog is 250 dollars fine.

Oh, yes.

$250. All right.

All right.

We're getting ready to leave. So I just want to say that it was already said, but I was going to make an announcement about it, that the manager lost her father. And we know Balaka, we're a big family. So we want to make sure that we're calling her, encouraging her, and letting her know that we are with her. So the services will be this Saturday at Hadley Davis and Miami Gardens at Saturday.

They told me Friday, the service will be at Haley Davis at Haley Davis, Miami gardens.

That's 16505 Northwest 27th Avenue at 12 PM. So I want to make sure open locker. Let's show up and show out for our city manager as we would do if anybody for anybody else. So I just want to make sure and also more importantly, let's keep her and her family in our prayers. Because this is a difficult time. I've never sat on that front seat. for that um and so i can only imagine how she's feeling so i just want to make sure that we keep her lifted up in prayer so with that with that being said we are going he said they told him friday explain what friday is because it is something friday friday is the wake and saturday is the um um um between nova and miss m make sure the commission gets the entire schedule for the weekend i think there's something every day or something like that just make sure we get the entire schedule all right can i get a motion to adjourn move it moved by commissioner santiago second by dr bass this meeting is adjourned