City Commission - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Let's go ahead and call this PMPA Beach

City Commission meeting February 10th, 2026 to order. If I could ask everyone here to please put your cell phones on silent or vibrate. That way we don't get disrupted during the meeting. So please peck your cell phones, make sure they're on silent or vibrate. That'd be great. Thank you. Um, let's go ahead and call the role. Mr. Alfred, Mr. Fezik here. Commissioner Perkins here. Commissioner Seersonen Eaton here. Commissioner Smith here. Vice Mayor Fier here. Harden

here. Our invocation this afternoon is going to be given by the pastor Robert Kiten of the Christ Fellow Fellowship Church of God in Christ. So if we can please rise for the invocation followed by the pledge of allegiance. Pastor Mayor, vice mayors, commissioners. Heavenly Father, we come to say thank you for this opportunity to stand before this office of people, this selective group that come to do the business of our city and our citizens. We ask that you would allow peace, that you would allow togetherness, and that you would allow camaraderie to be the order of the day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Let's see. Mr. Harrison, any changes to our agenda this afternoon? No, sir. Very good. Can I get a motion approving the agenda as printed? So moved. Second. And second. All in favor say I. I. I.

Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Thank you. On our consent agenda this afternoon, we will be pulling items one, two, and three for individual discussion. So one, two, and three will be discussed individually and as they come up in order. Um, so item number four is eligible for discussion during audience to be heard. All right, that takes us up to our proclamation. Today we've got a great proclamation for Black History Month. So I will be met over here at the at the podium over there. I believe Mr. Wooten is here. Mr. Wooten, come on down. And and anyone else who'd like to join us over there also? Come on down. over here. Come on. Over here.

Hey, pastor.

Where you go, people follow. How about that? Okay. I told him to You're You're a legend in your time. Good seeing you, Mr. Wooten. All right, come on up in this area. That's it. Yes. Good seeing everybody. Thank you for being here. All right. Yeah. Come. Come on over with us. Come on, Mom. That's Come on. There you go. You just direct things. Mr. Wooten on her nose.

There you go. Okay. Whereas Black History Month is observed annually in February 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of this important national commemoration providing an opportunity for the city of Pmpo Beach to recognize, honor, and celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of African-Americans to our community, our state, and our nation. And whereas African-Americans have played a vital role in shaping the foundation of the United States, often in the face of profound adversity, injustice, and inequality. And whereas the history of PMPO Beach and South Florida is deeply enriched by the achievements, leadership, entrepreneurship, creativity, and civic engagement of African-Americans who have strengthened our neighborhoods, institutions, and shared quality of life. And whereas Black History Month encourages all residents to reflect upon the struggles for justice and equality to acknowledge the ongoing pursuit of civil rights and to recommmit ourselves to the principles of dignity, equity, inclusion, and mutual respect. And whereas by recognizing Black History Month supports education, understanding, and dialogue across generations and cultures, fostering a more informed, compassionate, and united community. And whereas the city of Pmpo Beach is committed to celebrating diversity and advancing opportunities that ensure every resident can thrive and contribute fully to the social, cultural, economic, educational, scientific, military, political, and overall civic life of our city. Now therefore, I, Rex Harden, mayor of the city of Pmpo Beach, on behalf of the entire city commission and residents of PMPO Beach, Florida, do hereby proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month in the city of PMPO Beach

and encourage all residents, businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, and community groups to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and reflections that honor the achievements and continued contributions of African-Americans. done this 10th day of February, 2026. Rex Harden, Mayor, Mr. Wood, on behalf of the entire city, I want to say thank you for all you've done to help our our city, our community, and please say a few words. Okay, let me go. Can I leave that? Yeah. He's got to get his notes.

No, he's getting his notes. We got a time limit here. Are you gonna pass those out? Well, here I I'll pass them out. You get over here to the mic.

Yeah, I know. I say he he taught me drafting back in middle school, so I got I gotta follow his lead. He taught you. Yeah. Oh, heck yeah. Mr. Wooten. Yep. Pumping a middle. inspiration. Yeah, there you go. That's right. And in pencil. Yeah, I think he does.

That's right. Yep.

Thank you. Now, Mr. W. No, come on over here. Commissioner Perkins said I should remind you that you taught me drafting back in middle school. Um, I thank Commissioner Perkins for calling me uh Thursday, I think it was, and told me what she wanted me to do. Um, I'm here to ask in as much as this is Black History Month that I call this to the attention when I discovered it I guess two or three year more than two or three years ago in the area that I finished high school. Uh, they put a memorial and it said uh Pompo Color School. Uh, I attended that location for 12 years and I called it to the attention that it should be Blanch Elely General High School. That was also that though. Same teachers, same principal, same students. I finished in 1952 when the school was named PL General Elely High School. There were 13 of us. I am the only one left. It will be darling my responsibility if I not call it to your attention again to include Blance General Elely High School as the

first 12th grade graduating class in Papa Beach. In the festu out front, they have the first 12th grade class that finished Pompo High School that was then known as the bean pickers. Never picked beans, but we did. If you can recognize them, then I think somewhere on that plaque sometime soon this month, you should recognize our class as the first 12th grade graduate from Blanch High School. Now, that's why I'm here. What I pass to you uh is the alpha of the first yearbook of plant high school. This is the first alpha yearbook that was published at Blanch. This is El's information is in there. You can read through it afterwards. I would ask you today sometime between now and the end of the month hopefully by the end of this week you will authorize first sign of Pompo Beach. You got an offer of business here to put a sign to recognize Blanch General Elie High Schools. I suggest that you put two signs, one on the west side, one on the east side. That's our dilemma. It has been our dilemma for a long time. I remember the time that we couldn't be caught on this side of the street after 9:00 or 6:00. I think we've gotten beyond that. I think we've got beyond that. Paul Hunter gave us 15 acres of land for the interament of black people because the

dascese said that we could not bury over there anymore. I hope you address that sometime soon. It's in your hands. I might not be here. Another thing that happened to me this year, good and bad, is Thelma, where is she? Okay, come on up here.

Thelma and my my sister were classmates. They could not finish school at Bland Chile. But Pompino High School, they could have gone to Pompo High School. Okay, but they could not. They had to go to Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale. So they had to catch the bus to go to Diller High School to finish. Annie and my sis be getting all messed up.

Felman and my sister went to Bthon Cookman College. That's where they finished. Felman and my sister went to Bthone Cookman College. Okay. And Mrs. Elely finished from Florida&M. That's where I finished from. Orange and green. The colors of Blanch Ilie is orange and green. I wore this color because hopefully somehow those colors will be a part of whatever you decide to do. I spoke with somebody at first signs and they said that they could make a sign and I told them I would pay for it if they make two. I'm asking you to approve it with the approval of somebody from the dascese to go over and look at it to see if it recommends it follows over your motif of what you have. So that's why I'm here to receive what you gave me. Hope you receive what I said, what I gave you. In the future, I hope you decide to put that sign over there if not this week before the end of February. Also, this is founders day for the institution that I attend for church bethl amme African-American church. They're having founders there in Jacksonville. Richard Allen was the founder. He had to start the church because he was not permitted to kneel at the altar and pray. I do hope sometime somewhere we bring the Bible back in our educational system

in our dilemma because that's the only saving grace we have today. Thank you much. Okay,

thank you so much. Um, Mr. Elijah Wooten, thank you so much. Uh, he's one of our retired teachers uh in the Broward County Schools. Um, has been a inspiration in this community a long time. Also standing with him was my mother. They're both in their 90s between 94 and 95 years old. Um, but I want to say uh, Black History Month of course is every day for a lot of us and I'm always reminded every day that I stand on the shoulders of those that walked before me and also open the doors for me to walk in, especially those that have done a lot in this city of PMPO Beach that have passed and and gone on. So, I would like everybody to remember that when we're talking about black history, let's start remembering some of the local people here um that did great things in the city before um they passed away. But I also want to thank uh Tigers Trail for carrying the torch and keeping black history lifted in this great city of of Pompo Beach. Uh they're doing a good job and and we like for them to continue the things that Mr. Um, we request it. We will work on that. I think he's talking about over here at Coleman Park. I think the sign says Pompino Beach. I think it says the colored school and he wants that changed to Blanchely. And we will do that. Okay. And the other two items you mentioned, we will work on that as well as far as uh black history. But thank you so much for recognizing uh Black History Month and we will continue with the Tigers Trail throughout the end of the month. Thank you. that. All right, thank you for that. All right, that takes us up to audience to be heard. Do we have anyone signed up for audience to be heard today, Mr.

Alfred? We do, Mayor. We have 11 speakers. Very good. We'll get to as many as we can. First speaker, Rodri Phillips, followed by Elaine Hall, followed by African Brie Line. Just name and address for the record and please limit your comments to three minutes.

Roger Phil, 2620, uh, Northwest 10th Street, Prompter Beach, Florida. Uh, District Five, uh, Darlene Smith is, uh, my commissioner. Uh I'm here today uh to remind the commissioner that uh Tag Trail is having a cy cyber security forum at Pomp Beach Activity Center today. Not today, on the 12th at uh 10:00 a.m. And I'm inviting uh all the Tiger Trail Committee is inviting everyone on the DAS to attend this cyber security forum. I'm pretty sure BSO uh probably will be there because It is uh something for the elderly citizens to know about scam likely. How scam Likely is trying to infiltrate. They uh h has infiltrated our cell phones, our homes with with all kind of messages to try to take advantage of uh their finances uh take advantage of uh whatever uh security they have. scam likely has become very uh what I say educated because their technology is is way over in another country and and able to come here to uh America and scam our elderly citizens. So, we are inviting everyone on the DIS to come to a cyber security forum Thursday at 10 a.m. And uh while I'm here, I want to uh uh this morning I was uh I was witnessing the uh Brow Sheriff's Office in action and in front of uh Sheriff Insurance. Uh we have a we have a homeless population that comes over there and and B sheriff they they have this core team that comes

and see who wants help and and I was able to actually see uh one of the uh outreach people and uh two sheriffs help a homeless person get off the streets. And I was very happy to see that. See, cuz the Bible says you just help one person. That's all they need to do. If they if we could do one if if B chef off to do one person a day or or we can help one person today, then then eventually uh before we get our billion dollar project going on, we had our homeless situation under control. I want to thank Broward Sheriff's Office for what they did this morning. I think it was very uh commendable. I'm I'm uh in uh David.

Sure. Good afternoon. David Miller, District 5 as well. I just wanted to come up and say publicly that um I want to thank you all for coming out on the first day, the ones who was able to make it of Black History Month. You guys came out as we acknowledged our local businesses and our community servants at the Kier City Trailblazers exhibit. So, I appreciate that. There's a whole lot of information. We up to 60 people in that exhibit. It's going to be a museum soon once we keep going. So, thank you all for making it. Mayor, commissioner, commissioners. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Thank you, Tiger Trail, for all the all the events. Next speaker.

Hello. My name is Elaine Hall. I live at 938 Southeast 10th Court, PMPO Beach, Florida. To Mr. Harrison, city manager. I looked through all the city ordinances and I couldn't find what I was looking for. Since the city is allowing a property owner across from me to build a dock and a boat lift over a city rightway, a 10-foot city rightway. Mr. Harrison, you allowed Pompino Real Estate Investments and Joey Accarti dealership at 100001 South Federal Highway to build on a city right ofway. Mr. Harrison, I would be grateful if you could ask your staff to help me get information on steps how to put an ordinance together for all property owners can build on a city right of way. Mr. Harrison, I will be emailing your office with my information for your staff. Okay. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Next speaker,

African Brie Line, followed by Ara Ira Thomas Bush, followed by Carlen Duncan. African Brie Line. debrief the same. My address is where I stand. Um, I came here a few months ago asking about the gate for the cemetery. Um, I still haven't seen any resolved. Still haven't been contacted back about anything with it. Um, I know it's contracts that are being thrown away, money being thrown away, but I can't see why we still don't have money for a gate. Like, so I'm hoping today maybe I can get pointed to somebody that got updates. That's the reason I'm here. Um, I can give up my time and somebody ready to answer now. But that's literally what I want. Like an answer for the gate.

Well, Mr. I can tell you you you don't have to speak if you don't have the answer for the gate. Um, is other people up here? Miss Perkins, you in that district? Is there update on the gate yet? Excuse me. What gate? The cemetery, Westview Cemetery.

Gate that goes around the cemetery. Well, the cemetery um have a cemetery board and I think you would need to speak to the cemetery board. They are aware of the needs of of that cemetery. Um I did have a meeting um few months ago back and there is a little quarrel between the old board and the new board and it's always a court situation. So we're waiting on that to be resolved. Right now we have a board in place and we can't go over their heads do what needs to be done at that cemetery. We have to follow the board that's already existing, which there's nothing we can do with that board.

If this was an abandoned cemetery, that would be a great answer. But this is a cemetery that we bury people at every weekend. So, it's like when we have new construction, we have temporary gates up. I mentioned this last time. We have gates to make sure trash isn't coming to our property. So, we got trash coming off a main highway coming to our cemetery. So, I'm asking with y'all resources that you already have, can we get a temporary gate until there's a permanent gate? I've asked I'm glad you asked it. I've asked the same question. Um because it doesn't look nice when you drive down uh Copen's Road and the cemetery is exposed. I don't know why they move or remove the hedges that were there to cover. Um but the city can't do anything without the consent of this the Westview Cemetery board. So, if the cemetery board asks the city for funding for that fence, maybe the city can help, maybe not. I don't know. But the board has to bring it to the city to say we want fencing there. We want a lot of things done there. That's just some of the problems,

right? But this the same board that's has been exposed for messing up the money. So it's like we already said as a community, as a city that this board isn't effective nor efficient. So we also asked for another response other than that. It's a part of your city. It's a part All right. If you ran out of answers, it's okay. But all I'm saying is it shouldn't be going on like this that long. Like the board, whoever took the gate down was wrong, right? They haven't put it back yet. So what I'm saying is if you care about every constituent in this city, somebody care about more than their district, we can put up a temporary gate,

right? But you have to understand there is a board in place legally in place and we just can't override that board. Some of those board me uh members are here and I would suggest you speak to them before you leave. Some of them are here. They always hiding. They like they they know they've messed up but they're here. Everybody's very concerned about the cemetery because we all have loved ones there. Um, so at this point, we're just waiting on whatever legally they have going on to be completed before anybody can do anything. So, we can't do anything above and beyond the board.

All right. So, we also need a board for the contracts y'all keep putting out if that's the case because it's a lot of money being moved and y'all not asking us about it. But now to get a gate, we got to go through hoops and loops. But when y'all handing out these contracts, it ain't the same type of process. So we see the money being blown, crash and burn budgets. Even the new parts y'all built, we didn't get outlets. Uh we don't we don't have new grills. So the the burn budgets are here. We got the money, but y'all spent the wrong way. It's not directed towards you. It's in your district, but we have other people that should be able to help. Right. Thank you.

Okay. And I would love to continue this conversation. Just give me a call. we can talk or email me. Thank you. Very good, mayor. Vice Mayor,

so I I actually have a question here that I'd like the city to follow up with. Um, we tend to overregulate everything a homeowner can do from the height of their fence to their landscaping, their grass, everything. So, do we have code in place that dictates a requirement for some kind of fencing at a cemetery? Is is that part of our code? Do we do we I don't know if you know the answer to that now, but I'd like to look into whether we do have some standards that um that would be applied to that any cemetery in the city. Thank you. Very good. Next speaker,

our Thomas Bush, followed by Carlen Duncan, followed by Dashana Thomas.

Hello. How y'all doing? I'm Ira Thomas Wish IV. Um, I just wanted to say I've already been to the school board about these issues that I'm going to speak on. Um, it's not as personal because I'm also an athletic coach. I've been athletic coach since I was 18. I've been volunteering since I was 16. I'm 34 years old. I have students and players from Broward all the way to my home area of Pineelis County, Florida. Um, I just wanted to say my child is based out here in Broward. Um, this is from personal, but it's an example of what I why I have community outreach. Um, and I also reached out to um, someone I emailed someone in this office or one of y'all, however y'all doing it. Nobody responded back to me about these issues. It was earlier during the summer right after school ended. Um my child was probably a year someone you know I'm not I'm not no spirit holistic person or nothing like that. I'm a very strong person speak my mind. I teach my child to do the same thing. Um she was is this started in the school. There's people who are going through back channels to be associated with me that are being trying to be associated with powerful children. I don't agree with how they're being protected. There's a lot of fraud and um there's a lot of fraud and very weaselminded police officer and sheriff officers and people that are allowing things to happen that should not happen. And y'all have opportunity to change that. Y'all have opportunity to bring people in that are already established in the community like me and other strong men and women. And y'all don't do that. I feel like y'all y'all take y'all time. Y'all do all these things to be in power and y'all don't have y'all have to find figure out how to stop these people and individuals. It's everywhere. It's it's national news. The pedophilia and these people that have been propped up for money and y'all have to figure out how y'all can get in touch base and not allow that stuff to happen anymore. And

that's why I came up here to speak on. Um I have a podcast. I know it's not as big as everybody in the national news, but I speak on this stuff all the time and I'm going to continue to speak on it. And people have stopped me from coaching just because I speak like this to my children that I've raised up. I'm I'm here representing Elite Youth Association. There's a lot of people that know, you know, it's a people that's graduating college. There's people that have been Ivy League, all this throughout this county that I've coached. They know I speak with intelligence. And that's that's what I'm here to protect my child's intelligence and her intellectual property. And I do not want to and I don't want to be treated like a small like I'm not the father or I can't go in there and speak to my child at school like I was just disrespected a couple months ago at her middle school just because I'm not the parent that's watching her. That does not mean I don't have the right to go see her. And I don't want there to be no more issues because I already reached out to y'all during the summer just so just just in case and y'all didn't respond and nobody and nobody still I want people to understand I don't care nobody nobody my child is brown and black. So nobody who has white skin has the authority over my child to tell me that I can't go in there and speak to her or talk to her. And that's it for me today and I will be back on the 24th. Thank y'all.

Thank you sir. Next speaker. Good evening everybody. I live in Pumpino Beach, Florida. I just want to tell Miss Beverly happy late birthday. And I want to say y'all up there is wrong for getting somebody to run against Beverly. Somebody to run against Miss Ellison. Somebody to run against Miss Ellison. Because just like I say, Patricia Williams, she didn't do nothing in Tallahassee. What she going to do here? All she going to do is be a house negro. Next speaker.

Hi, Tasha Thomas. Um 209 Northwest 15th Street. Um I'm up here to directly ask because um well, all of you guys were CCd in the email. I believe some of the city staff too, but Rex, you emailed me back. I had requested a few other proclamations for this month. Um, starting with Worldwide Wetlands Day on the 2nd, International Day of Women's and Girls in Science on the 11th, World Day of Social Justice on the 20th, and Black Climate Week, which is the whole last week of February. And everybody ignored it. Well, actually, y'all acknowledged the Black History Month one, but nothing else. And I was just wondering if there was an answer formally.

I mean, I'm happy to answer. I don't remember receiving that one, Tasha. I get a lot of your emails. It's okay. Um, I'd just like to say, you know, we have a second email or a second commission meeting coming up towards the end of the month in another two weeks. I'll be happy to CC everybody again and, you know, see if we can collab. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Next speaker, Arianne Mano, followed by Robert Mano, followed by Nehemiah O'Neal.

Hello. How are you? Little nervous here, so I'm going to read my notes. I am Maryann Mano. I live at 1830 Northeast 42nd Street. I've lived in this house on the border of Pompo Beach. Uh I'm sorry, North Pompo Park for 39 years. And I'm up here to talk about North Pompo Park and the Eagles Football League. I watched the last commission meeting and there seems to be a misunderstanding about our complaint as a neighborhood. We have never said that we do not want football to be played at the park. To be clear, we've complained about the volume of the amplified music with no results. We are now requesting that there be no amplified music at all. We've asked them to lower it down and that was not done. I understand that the football league is comprised of four to 14 year old children and for the past three years the football games have had vulgar music so loud that it has disrupted the peace and quiet that we have a right to. This is not just three or four hours of music as stated in the last meeting. This is ongoing during the hours of 10:00 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. on the given Saturdays. I've measured the decibel levels while the music has been playing and the World Health Organization has deemed those levels to be unsafe for children's ears. In addition to the music not being safe for the hearing, it has also caused a ripple effect that is detrimental to the children and the community. Some of the ripple effect leads to a party atmosphere that leads us to believe the kids little league game is secondary to the following. Smoking and marijuana use along with possible DUIs. Tailgating and other social gatherings not related to football. Overflow parking into the neighborhood causing

blocked sidewalks and parking on lawns. Traffic congestion, speeding cars, etc. I have a petition signed by my neighbors who all agree with everything I just stated and would like to have the amplified music stopped and then limit the sound amplification to the essential announcements at reasonable volumes and to consistently enforce the park rules during the events. We have heard that other parks the city league are playing have amplified music and there hasn't been any complaints regarding music there. North Pompo Park is thickly settled and has residential houses that completely surround the park compared to the other parks. We're not a few bad seeds as implied in the previous commission meeting. We just won our right to have peace and quiet reinstated. We have never complained about the sound of the football game until about three years ago when the rules were loosened due to what we understand as uncompleted renovations to the park. And I hope this clarifies what we're asking for. Thank you very much.

Very good. Thank you. Appreciate that. Next speaker. Robert Mango, 1830 Northeast 42nd Street, PMPO Beach. U we're long-term residents over in the the highlands or the south side of uh both Pompo Park and Maryanne just said quite a bit. There was a couple things I wanted to add to it. Uh we have the petition. We looked for we went to about 66 homes or so and the homes we went to we found 60 homes with people in it. And of that 60 homes, 54 signed the petition. And that's only the houses around the park. And we still have a ways to go. Like the Cottonwood building with the I don't know 400 apartments over there. We didn't get there yet, but we've spoken to the manage management there. So, it's turning out to be on average 90% of the residents feel as though uh the music's too loud and they did not appreciate it. Uh some of the visiting teams in the past bring their own speaker systems and things to the park as well. So that amplified music even higher. Some might have turned it down, the other ones turned it up. I don't know, but that's just a fact. Uh let's see. Yeah, I had I had conversations with the president of the the league and I think that the real issue I think everybody agrees on all that ripple effect that

it's not good for a bunch of fouryear-old to 14 year olds. But the the contention is the music and we don't want it. the league seems to want to have some music and it's the football culture that they told me uh was the reason, but I don't think that it's the culture is necessarily a reason to be disturbing the entire neighborhood with that very loud music. And we're just opposed to any music at this time. We don't we don't care about public address systems and announcements for the game and all that, but the loud music was just too much and the neighbors are tired of it.

Thank you. Very good. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Next speaker.

Good afternoon. My name is Nehemiah O'Neal and my address is 2621 Northeast 7th Terrace, Pumpo Beach, Florida 33064. Okay. I came here on a meeting a couple of weeks ago maybe and um I have a problem with colorism. Okay. And um it is Black History Month, but I'm black too. Okay. Now, they done kicked me out of their activity, son, because a woman called me a and I called her a That's the only thing that I ever did down there. And if they sitting there telling lies on me, I want records of it because it's not happening. I'm a nice guy. Everybody knows that I'm a nice guy. And I don't like just being kicked out just for nothing. you know, it's got something to do with my color because they don't have they don't have a white school over here. They only have a black school and the people that graduated from there work in the parks. Okay? They never seen a white person go to school. Okay? So, I need it, man. I need that place because my art is there. I was I was doing such good art. I was there like over a year and you know this is like little by little by little by little you know they came up with whatever they came up with but you know I'm just like everybody else you know I told the lady I said apologize for saying it but you called me that you know and that's freedom of speech.

Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Is Scott Moore is he here? Scott there he is sir. Have you gotten with Scott with Scott Moore, sir? Have you gotten with Scott Moore over there? Okay. All right. Well, very good. I' I'd encourage us to get back engaged with him. Next speaker, Frank Russo, follow up by Suzanne Laba.

Hello everybody. Frank Russo 2293 Southeast 8th Street PMPO Beach resident for 45 years lived on St. Lake Santa Barbara now for 20 plus years and very very happy that finally there's going to be a potential ordinance change on the dockets for today. Yeah, that's on the agenda. First reading. First reading. You can speak on that when it comes up. Right. Well, okay. Okay. Well, I highly encourage when it does come up that you guys vote to put some kind of restrictive anchoring so we don't have Mr. Russ, but not not to speak on something on the agenda. You can speak on anything else except something on the agenda. When it comes up on the agenda, that's when you need to speak on that item. That's

okay. I'm all right. No problem. I guess uh I'll wait till that comes up. But I highly encourage you guys to help us with the waterways of PMPO Beach. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you, sir. Next speaker. Good afternoon, mayor and commissioners. Uh Suzanne Label. I live in Pompu as well. Um, I want to recognize that I know two weeks ago the city commission voted on at the time I think it was called file 25444, the freestanding er zoning change, but I just wanted to share some specific concerns that I had regarding the recently approved zoning change. First of all, nearly 30 residents spoke uh on this issue and about twice as many opposed the change as supported it. that left a lot of us feeling like public input did not meaningfully influence the decision at all. Uh when a clear majority of the public comment raises concerns, it deserves more than just acknowledgement. It deserves meaningful weight into the decision and it felt like that wasn't happening. Um otherwise, public participation really risks feeling just performative. Uh secondly, uh Gan Dolan from the city staff stated that the city did not lead any studies. There were no uh there were there were no city-led studies conducted before approving the zoning change. That's troubling. Um zoning decisions affect safety, land use, and quality of life, and they should be based in objective analysis to ensure those decisions are in the public interest. Uh, I'm also concerned that the proposed text didn't come from the city, but rather from an applicant who stands to benefit from it. That raises legitimate concerns about whose interests are being prioritized, residents versus businesses. Third, at the last meeting again, Miss Dolan referenced a prior problem involving rehab facilities and fatalities near them and stated that zoning changes were made in response. This raises a serious transparency

concern. We should have been informed about these issues beforehand and the resulting zoning actions earlier. I would like clear answers. When was that zoning change enacted? What ordinance authorized it? And what specific circumstances led to it? It was also stated that the 500 ft residential buffer was created for public safety reasons. If those safeguards are now removed, what has changed to justify that decision? and how will public safety be protected going forward? I'm asking the commission respectfully to pause further implementation to revisit this decision and to conduct a proper study and public public review before moving forward. That would demonstrate a genuine commitment to transparency, safety, and to good governance. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it. That concludes audience to be heard, mayor. Very good. Thank you for that. All right, that takes us up to our consent agenda. Can I get an motion approving item number four? So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. All in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Thank you. Item one is an approval. Thank you. Approval, excuse me. Approval of the members of the auditor selection committee to evaluate proposals for independent auditing services for an audit of the city of Pompo Beach financial statements. So moved. Second. moved and second for discussion. This item was pulled by Commissioner Fess. Commissioner,

thank you. So, I I just pulled this because I understand that it's a a fairly simple thing to want to pick somebody who's going to pick our auditors. Um, but I would be remiss if I didn't sort of just ask how they how these were selected, how these members were selected.

Okay. Allison Fertado, um, finance director. Um, we typically would ask many, um, committee members or finance directors from surrounding cities to see who would like to be on our audit committees. Again, we look for professionals and they're all CP. So based off on the statute that's where I you know whosoever is available to be on the committee that's how we are able to select these candidates. Okay. So it would obviously somebody with a with a strong finance background would be

they have Yes. Um so that that brings me to just I guess another another point with this one of the one of the rules on it says that um somebody has be a member of the governing board of the municipality to serve as chair is and well no disrespect to Mayor Harden but I know that we have fortunately up here somebody who has a very strong background in finance probably more than any of us combined maybe. Um, and so I was just wondering if there was a any thought to perhaps asking our vice mayor um, who does have a background in finance to to sit on this as well to maybe ask those same questions.

Well, we only need one governing board to sit on the committee, right? I don't need multiple governing board. I just need one member of the governing body to sit on the board. That's the requirement.

Okay. I would I mean I my my question would be I guess more so to the our mayor. Would you be interested or would you agree to potentially allow if if vice mayor even wants to? I'm not sure if she does. Um but she has a finance background and considering this is a very important topic for a lot of residents who always ask us about our audits and everything else. I would really love for this year, if at all possible, to have somebody with a finance background representing the residents to be on that selection committee. So, I' I would support this only if we would be able to amend it slightly and and and if if vice mayor is agreeable to it to have her as our is it voting chair. Thank you.

Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Vice Mayor, I'll respond to that. Thank you, Commissioner. I would obviously serve in any capacity I was asked to and yes, I do have a finance background as you said, but thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion. Commissioner Fik.

So, if you would be asked, if you would be interested, then could I make um I mean, what would be the process? Could I just make a motion to to shift or change uh this chair to Vice Mayor Harden? I'm sorry, Vice Mayor Forier to make a motion to to amend this to make a um have Vice Mayor Forier serve as the chair. Very good. That's a motion. There's been a motion made by Commissioner Fessic to appoint um a vice mayor instead of the mayor to the at to the uh selection committee. Is there a second? Second.

Been moved and seconded by Commissioner Perkins. Very good. Discussion on the motion. Let's call the role. Commissioner Fezic. Yes. Commissioner Perkins. Yes. Commissioner Sigerson Eaton. No. Commissioner Smith. No. Vice Mayor Fornier. Yes. Hard. No. Very good. Mr. Fess, you still have the floor.

Thank you. Well, um, this was actually a thought that I had that I felt very strongly about because when we go through the rest of this meeting and the rest of this year, as we do all these budget questions and everything else and we are asked very specific questions about our audit process and how things are done in the city, I would just like to to all remember this moment where We had perhaps one of the top brains in our city available and willing to be a member of this audit committee and some folks decided that that was not worth it to them. So, thank you very much. I will not support this moving forward.

Very good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fezit. No. Commissioner Perkins. No. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Pier. No. Yes. Um, can I say something here? Sure. Sure.

Regarding the audit committee. Um, members of the dis, this is a very important task. um for you having a discrepancy on a governing board member not to be on this committee jeopardize the timing that I have to do our next audit which this audit is due is coming up 26. Um we have all these professionals are from city they're city governments we have a very tight line um in order to get things done. It's budget season. It's audit season and the timeline that I have to go and get members to join this committee is not easy. There are at least 29 cities in the Broward County and for me to get five or six members to accept the task of being on my audit committee is not that easy. Also, we have to go through an RFP process which takes at least 45 days for us to get the RFP to return. So, I have a very tight timeline in order to get a qualified auditor in here to do our audit for fiscal year 2026. So I would rather you guys to please reconsider this audit committee because I have to come back to the board in order to select a audit committee and again I have a very slim timeline. It's budget it's audit season and again during the summertime it's also difficult because that's the time we have in order to get our CPEs our credits for to continue to keep our license. So this is a serious matter. So I would like you guys to reconsider your voting in this matter.

Yeah. I'm not sure how Commissioner Seagerson eaten. It's um Yes. I I just wanted to point out as well this is required by state law I believe. Yes. Yes. Jac uh it it puts a city in peril. It's also affect you know we have to have an audit. it is affecting all of our bond financing. It's a lot of things. It's a it's a cycle, right? So, I have to have a selection because if I don't get one today, I have to come back again and we're going to go through this cycle, but I need to have a committee member.

Yeah. And I have no knowledge of uh vice mayor's uh proficiency in finance. Last I heard, you worked for Boeing and you were an engineer. So, you know, I I haven't seen any degree or accolades. And if and I would ask if you were a finance guru, why aren't you making $350,000 at a at a auditing or CPA firm? So I I I mean I don't have any knowledge of your expertise. And to say that you all want to compromise and here you're holding this city up from a very important and required task required by Florida law. It doesn't seem to be in the spirit of compromise. It seems to be a little more spiteful.

Thank you. Very good. Very good. Um, vice mayor, thank you. Certainly. I guess I would say in response, it looks like as usual, you're holding up the city business by your unwillingness to ever compromise. And just to clarify, this this is nothing to do with me personally, but since you asked a question, I will answer it. I did work for Boeing, but that was years ago. I have an MBA from Harvard in finance and worked on Wall Street doing corporate M&A for six years. So, ladies and gentlemen, please vice president. So, please, please,

please, ladies and gentlemen, let let the vice mayor speak. I also do have complete respect for what Miss Fertado was saying and her frustration with her trying to get her job done and being caught up in the politics that go on in our city now. And that's why I again look at our city manager and other colleagues up here and I I ask for compromise every meeting and I ask for a culture change and respect and you know us to all be treated equally but uh that doesn't seem to ever change. Thank you. Very good. Commissioner Fessuk,

so I would like to just address this. I also, Miss Fertado, I understand that you have a very difficult job to do, but like you said, it is very difficult for you to find qualified candidates to fill these roles. It's not qualified. It's not difficult. It's timing. It's timing for these professionals to I'm not But I'm not finished. Yes. Thank you. She was just trying to clarify that. Right. I I can clarify for her. No, no, no. She She was trying to She was trying to clarify her position.

That's fine. I I So, we just Let's just Maybe we need a manners lesson first about behaving and interruptions. Please stop. Thank you. Um management and managing people in general involves putting the right people in the right places to make the right decisions. Mr. Harrison, if you had any role in this selection or in this agenda item as a consent agenda thing as a consent agenda item, it is so important that we do what's best for the residents. And I would implore in the spirit of moving this forward for if we do if if somebody wants to bring it back um then then we use the right person for the right job here and somebody with an MBA from Harvard who's got financial experience I believe would represent the residents the best as part of this committee and we could essentially move this forward. Um that is my that is my stance on this. Thank you.

Very good. Miss Fert, do you have something you wanted to add? I mean, you don't have to. I just Very good. The only thing I can say is um Darlene also has an accounting background. She was an accountant as well. Just saying.

That's that's very good. Very good. That's we we probably all have certain accounting backgrounds, but Okay. Um All right. Let's move on. Item number two is a resolution. A resolution of the city commission of the city of Pmpo Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a service contract between the city of Pompo Beach and the fruitful field incorporated to provide management services for the Patricia Davis Community Garden providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. This item was pulled by several commissioners. I've got vice mayor first. Vice

I just wanted to make sure we talked about this because uh this transition from CRA to city and I know over the years I've heard that there was a lot of interest from residents and other people in potentially being more involved or having a management role here. So first I do want to thank the city for kind of listening to that interest that seemed to be percolating and putting this out to bid even though it was only a $58,000 contract. So, first, thank you for for doing the right thing there, for giving us a chance to see what other opportunities might be out there. Uh, it appears that there was only one bid that came back and it is the same provider we have used and this is I'm not saying anything against them. They do a great job, but um I just wanted to make sure we talked about this and also thank the city leadership for putting this out to bid to see if there to ensure that we had exhausted all the opportunities and that might be out there. Um, so thank you.

Very good. Got Commissioner Perkins.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, I was very concerned about this bid simply because there was only one bidder. Um, I remember in 2018. Um, well, 2016 I was elected. This this garden was not even open. So, we brought Fulfill on board to get us started. And we were looking forward to trying to get a group or organization in the area to try to uh manage um this garden. At some point this garden was under the CRA because I know it was a CRA land. Is that correct? Okay. So we had no idea. I had no idea there was a bid out there because there's several groups in the area that are interested in managing this garden. However, we didn't know anything about it. That's why you had a sole bidder. So, where do these bids go? Are they going to the bids are going to CRA or are the bids going to the city?

Good afternoon, Scott Moore, Parks and Recreation. The bids go through the whole procurement process through the purchasing department. And I will tell you, I did hear a number of community members say that they wanted or were interested in this. And I personally called a number of those community members and let them know that this was going out to bid and out for bid to give them an opportunity to bid on this and um we still only had one response.

Okay. So, are we in the process of getting any kind of matching grants for this particular project? We are always looking for grants. So, anytime we can I don't know of any right now, but we're always looking for grants to do anything at any of our parks or programs

because I'm concerned about the activities that go on there. Now, I know about six months ago or so, I gave you a list of things that need to be put in place at that particular garden, um, which was security cameras and water and all that stuff. I know we had it cleaned up. Um, but I'm still concerned about how we're getting our schools involved in this uh garden and I know the seniors are, but how are we getting our schools involved? Especially Blanch Chile is right there um next to it. So we've been in existence long enough with this garden that Lanchili, the Santa Park, the Markham, all those schools should be fully involved at this point because this is the same group we started out with in 2018.

I can give you some information on that. One of the things we did with the negotiations is we talked to them about the seniors having a plot. So the seniors have one of the plots that are there. They do regular field trips the seniors do from the senior center and they learn about all the stuff involved with that. We also negotiated with them that all of our afterchool programs Mitchell Moore McNair Highlands and and the civic center all also have a plot that they share and they do stuff throughout the whole entire year and learn all about gardening and what we can do with that. Um, I've talked to one of the local principles um to see if we can start doing stuff with them as well. I haven't had much luck with Blanch Elely yet, but I'm sure with new everything they're going through, I'm sure they'll be open to stuff as well. Um, but we are trying stuff. So, our our afterchool programs and seniors who, you know, are directly with parks and wreck, we got them are all involved with it. And then we we did um with what you first brought up with um stuff improvements that we've been doing at the park, we do have new benches, um composting bins, new fencing around the area for security purposes, new signs, all new mulching. We've cleaned up the whole place since since we took over about a a year ago. And then we have um we also created 10 new plots. So, we were at whatever I think we were at 13 before. We're at 23 plots now. So, we've increased the plots. Um, we have uh a greenhouse in the future planned. We also have iron regulating mechanism to help with some of the vegetables that we grow and a new shed. So, we're working on improving as much as we can.

Thank Yeah, we really needed that shed. So, yes. Okay. And the lighting. We still working on that. I'm sorry. Lighting at the the garden. Yes, I think lighting. And then there was some cameras as well. And there was some issues with the cameras. I I don't have all the information right now, but when I get that, I can let you know. Okay. All right. Because I do believe that Blanchely, they have a culinary um they have culinary classes, and that's should have been something we've had in should have had in place a while back, but the fencing in the back. Yes, that was improved. Yes. But we we're asking for an opening there. Okay. Cuz it's it sits right there where Blanchili is is on the for access.

Yes. Right. Okay. So, yeah, I'm just concerned because it's the bid is so small. It's only 50 58,000 and it would be great if we can get some matching grants or something, but I'm still confused about the bidding because you said purchasing, right? Correct. It it's an RFP that went out and then our purchasing department. Correct. Okay. All right. Thank you, Vanel. Thank you. Very good, Commissioner Fess.

Thanks. Um, okay. So, I actually had a lot of the similar concerns in terms of the CRA properties that then get turned over to the city to manage and absorb the cost of maintenance and such. So when I was there, I was speaking I I was concerned about this because it is such a low I mean it is a low dollar amount for maintaining that level of a active garden for lack of a better for that feeds our green market and a lot of our programs. The last I heard when I spoke with one of the um folks who was out there, he was telling me that he actually thought he could be used with more time or he could be there with and needed more time there in order to do things and more resources.

So, um I had a you know, so my question is yes, I agree. We need to we need to really get a lot more community members involved, but is how many when with the bid, how many people total did that go out to with the procurement? And I appreciate you, by the way, before you answer that for for picking up the phone and being proactive to some of the folks in the community. I don't know how many people it went out to. I I can find out. Let's Earl's right behind you. I do. I do. He does.

Step aside, rookie. No, I'm just kidding. Um, good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners. We sent we advertised that in the Suns Sentinel and on Iron Wave and it was sent to 10 different V known vendors that we had in the system at the start of the process. Okay. Thank you for that. And who are you? Earl Bosworth, assistant city manager. Thank you.

And also part-time comedian. So um no, so the reason why I asked this is because maybe and maybe this is more about our processes, right? So, I think what we've had happen before on multiple instances in multiple instances is you guys do all of the right things. You send things out. You even pick up the phone and go the extra mile or send an email and go the extra mile, but there's just not enough of the quantity of people who know about it. And and maybe this is something we could add to either our agenda because I feel like a lot of people are now paying attention to our CRA meetings or our commission meetings. They know where to look for information there. So if maybe we just add a something where any open RFPs or and how to apply somewhere in documentation that's easily found where people normally look that might be helpful moving forward. Um secondly, I totally respect that this is going to be we would love to find grants. Um I know we've talked about potential sponsorships as well for this facility. So, I know that this is just one particular item, but I'd like to see moving forward, and this is more Mr. Harrison, I believe, as we're looking at budgets and as we're looking at things that we need to do to make sure that we can run these programs that we have already invested so much with whether it be through CRA or city land resources, etc. We make sure that we feed the the the department that has to take pick up the slack, if you will, because we have a lot of these CRA projects that are getting turned over to management as parks and wreck, and I don't think that they have the matching budget that goes with it. So, um, Mr. Mr. Moore, you seem that you have to operate at a deficit in most instances and I'd like to make sure that moving forward we protect that a as these things come across the CRA to city boundary. So are there any opportunities for not just grants

but sponsorship opportunities here where we can not only cover that $58,000 but potentially add any upgrades or anything else we may need? I'm I'm sure we haven't looked I haven't looked into it. So, I'm happy to help you. I'm happy to sit with you because, you know, that is one of my favorite things. And Earl also knows that I would love to try to find ways that we can work together for the community. This this is a great location, by the way, if you've not been. It is it is a resource that is wonderful. If you go to the green market, you see stuff that has grown there and um this deserves more love, not less. So, I I will support this. I just I I want to see our community be more active in it. Thank you. Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public? Mr. thrower

vicente thrower PMPO Beach. Mayor, can I ask you a question? Have you ever picked your first um grapefruit or um bunch of collard greens from this location since it's been open from this particular location? Yeah. Have you been out there to pick anything of significance yet? No, sir. I I haven't I haven't picked any any vegetables or anything out out there. Have you been invited to pick any first round of anything out there since it's been activated? I believe I have. You believe you have or you have? I I I believe I have. I can't say. I'm I'm not going to put my hand.

I'm not I'm not just holding you accountable to that, mayor. That's my point. We're going down. We're going down into a five-year contract with a company that we continue to have worked with in the past. And yet, I hope that in this contract we get some benchmarks to say, you got to grow something. When are we going to see something produced? And we just This is an investment that we continue to make. And there is when I when my grandparents were in their prime, they grew vegetables around their house and they didn't get paid for that. They did it because they took care of us just like your parents and everybody else. Why is it taking so long to get this off the ground? And we paying people to do it. It came from the CRA. We paid over there. But for some reason, somebody can't get a green thumb and make it work. But I guarantee if Home Depot was in charge, it'll be growing. So I'm hoping that in this contract because there were others who have schools who wanted this contract at least an opportunity because for them they could teach their kids how to go ahead and farm and do this. So I guess mayor I'mma say it to you again if this moves forward my concern is where is the productivity? Where's the product? I ain't seen the scrawberry yet. I mean I'mma be real man. Hey, you could you could have gave it over to the marijuana company. We could have should have got something up out of us. I'm just being honest. So, show me something that says that every time we spend this money, there's a there's something at the end of it. Because, man, if you ain't had a ribbon cutting yet to say, man, our first batch of collard greens, our first batch of turnup greens, that should concern you and the manager, too, because I know the manager like turnup greens. So, where is the outcome? Can somebody tell me in this contract will we be looking for outcome to the mayor to the parks and recreation?

Go ahead, Mr. Throw. Keep going. I said to the mayor to parks and recreation. I'm looking for a response. Can somebody tell me will will we be seeking an outcome to to manage the community garden? Yeah. Will there be some some something that comes out the ground? Will there be something that comes out the ground instead of us just paying somebody another fee? It's it's my understanding that they show up at at the green market to sell stuff there. Sell what? It's it's also for the community to actually grow stuff there.

Mayor, you go to Fort Lauderdale and um our dear friends, you remember Lavoy Williams over in Lauderdale Lakes. His wife ran that community garden with Lorie Parish and they did it for free. Lori Parish turned that place around with them and made it and made it a beautiful community garden and they got seeds out of it. So, I'm just saying I think we need to look a little more deeper into this contract situation. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Further input from the public.

Hi, Tash Sean and Thomas. Um, first I'd like to say while the recommendation may be to continue the Fruitful Fields contract in its current form, I strongly advise a postponement until the city can secure specific clauses that provide Pompo Beach residents with genuine stakeholder rights. Under current management, there is a significant lack of community agency. Residents currently have no input regarding the site's operations or crop selection. Instead, we are simply informed of decisions after they are made. Furthermore, the existing operational hours limited to 12 hours per week, eight of which fall during standard business hours, effectively disenfranchise the majority of district 4. We are also seeing a disconnect in the local engagement. A high percentage of the volunteers reside in neighboring cities. There's a lack of local pompo employment at the site and currently parking infrastructure is inadequate for the neighborhood. I urge the city to prioritize a contract that ensures this place is truly accessible, accountable, beneficial to the people of PMPO Beach. Also, I'd like to say that most of the contract or most of the questions that Audrey Fesque was asking should also be directed towards our sustainability coordinator, which we don't have. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Next speaker.

All right. So, um, y'all saw Vincente come up here. That's one of the board members for the cemetery, right? But this is what happens when you give people money under the table. Then in stuff in public, they got to act like they black. So, he trying to act like he's speaking for us, but he's saying what's going on with the productivity, right? But that's the same question we have with the cemetery. So he's projecting that on the garden like he care, but we know he don't care. But what I'm saying to y'all is the same thing he said about the garden. It's the productivity to as for the people that we give the contracts to. So don't give Vincente another contract to represent us because this is what he going to do. Come up here and project what he needs to do with the project that he's in charge of. But at the same time, David Miller been running the garden and it's been going how we needed to go. So I feel like if y'all act like it's something going on with a disconnect, we have the people that's standing up to lead these projects, but y'all overlooking them. So if you got any questions and need any help with the garden, talk to David Miller, not Vincente.

Further input from the further in further input from the p public, please come forward. Please come forward. Name and address for the record.

David Miller, District Five. Um, hold on, let me get a second because I hate to put myself out there, but um, when the CRA was in control of the Patricia Davis Community Garden, Patricia Davis was my friend. Hazel Bristol, that's my friend. So, in honor of the elders, I said, "Oh, y'all want a garden? Let me see if I can try to get that going. Right. So 2018 the inception of it when it came about I was site manager to 2020. All right. So during COVID I didn't cut my finger. I had to use my money $2,000 to get seven stitches working out there. I found I don't know if I truly want to be a gardener, you know. So but um through that time we did have programming under the leadership of Chris Reer and myself. I actually encouraged him to hire a friend of mine who was working at Elely. Um I don't know if her name ought to be mentioned, but she came and we had a program called Grow City Youth. It was a lot of things happening during the time I was there during my tender. Um we grew vegetables and I personally gave it out to the community and to the senior center. Then it became a thing to sell at the market. then it became city of parks and wreck property. So there's a lot of transitions happen. I don't know what's going on with it because again back when we was locked up I mean locked down sorry um in co um I just saw the change and I was like I don't want to wheelbarls no more. So when new people came different things started happening. I'm just vouching for myself and I'm going say selfishly and personally if you renew the contract because I've looked around and I understand that um not a lot of people do the garden. Fruitful field is basically the only ones that do it. Reason why you haven't had no other people stand up for it. And I kind of feel like I failed the community in a

sense because I had the opportunity with a nonprofit to bid for it. But again, who wants to do a shovel every day? No, I didn't want to do it. I'm sorry. But um I am still there under the banner of arts. So we have benches in there. We have art programs. I bring in the McNair the Mitch Moore Center and we do art on Fridays. Okay. So So there is some activity happen there. Again, I get such a small stipen, very small stipen to come there and and do the the works that I do. But um I appreciate the garden. I'll end with that. And um yeah, don't blame me. But thanks.

Very good. Thank you, sir. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Uh mayor, Commissioner Perkins,

I would like to see um with the garden more outreach uh in the community and something I remember when the garden first started, I think in 200 I want to say 18. I think every Saturday we were having like it was somewhat of a cookout. We would take something from the garden and put on the grill or whatever. I don't know whether that's still taking place, but if we can get like a calendar of events at the garden, what's going to take place? Are they doing anything for Black History Month? Are they doing anything for whatever? We have no idea. Now, I know when Chris was the executive director of the park the garden, it was totally different. uh there was more of an outreach I I would say than now. So what I'd like to do I I would really like to just table this and sit down and speak with Jamie who's the uh executive director and see what is in place. So in other words, I don't want to continue.

I can make it happen real quick because she's here right now. If you'd like to Oh yes, come up. Come up field. Yes. So they can ask some answer some of your questions regarding programming and all that other stuff that we have going on there. Very good.

And and there's probably things going on, but I I think it's the reach and I've always said there's a different way to reach people um basically in my district because everybody does not use computers and um read the newspaper and that kind of thing. So you would have to do flyers um more flyers in the facilities, the library and those places. So just give us an update of the schedule of events of things that you have at the garden. Okay. Um identify yourself.

J I'm Jamie Castoro. I'm the executive director of the Fruitful Field and this is Will. William, I think most of you know know Will from from uh Patricia Davis. And I'm a little I don't I'm not a really great public speaker, but I know that on uh we do have a calendar of events. We and we do get um flyers made that go to the that they should be in the community centers. We we do hand them out on the first Saturday of the month. We have a tour enticed where it's we we haven't been cooking as much but we do uh when we get a group of people which has been very popular people come and we tour the entire um Patricia Davis garden and we taste the food. We we tell people what what the nutritional value is if it's a medicinal if some people consider it a medicinal. So it's a it's a very educational tour. Um we also have at least one workshop a month. The last workshop was last week. It was a flower arr do it yourself flower arranging um class where people came and made some some bouquets and flowers. It was it was very wellreceived. Um we we also have medicinal classes. Talk I um trying to think of the other ones but every month we try to have some some sort of a growing class um on how to grow food. Somebody said that we're not growing. We are we do grow food. Um, we we introduced a fresh food box uh program last year where people can pick up a a box of produce for $20. Um, and if you have EBT or SNAP, you get $10 off. So, so for for $10, you can get a a fresh box of produce. Um, that has, I believe, over 200 people registered for that program. Every Sunday they get a email um and ask if they want to pick up that week. We obviously um cannot make 200 boxes, but it's usually between 10

and 15 people that it's like a cycle. Some people come every week, some people come every other week, some people come every two weeks. So the it it um it we we feel that's a pretty impactful um So what are what are the hours at the garden? Uh Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. The publish hours, I believe, are 8:30 to 12. We are there. Um we're often there longer. People who belong to the community garden have a code. They can come in anytime they want. Um we we recommend between dawn and dusk. Okay. Are you are you considered full-time? Is Will considered full-time? Oh, you are you considered full-time the executive director?

I'm I'm full-time at the Fruitful Field. I'm not considered full-time at the Patricia Davis site because I manage the Fruitful Field. I have oversight of the Fruitful Field. I have oversight of the Patricia Davis Community Garden and we also have um the the Dana Beach patch that we manage. We have uh so we have an outreach at every site. We have a site manager which Will is at the Pompo site. I'm usually there three years fulltime.

Will is not full-time. the the contract our in in our contract I believe the budget is about 30 for for salary for employees is 35 or 36,000 the rest is for um you're catching me off guard a little bit is for for programming it's for um

seeds to buy the seeds and the the soil and and bring in the mulch and things like that. So that's that's where that um that's that's where the 58,000 comes in in in so that it's not all for salaries. I would if we could have more salary then we the the budget would be higher and then I would have somebody there full-time but he's you're usually there what 25 to 30 hours a week 40 hours would be full-time. I also want to suggest to you as well if you can go out into the community and speak to some of the the organizations that will help bring more people in and excuse me and people will know more about what's going on there some of the activities um to pull the the different people in.

We can continue that. I mean we have who are some of the we we have um pompo proud is there uh we have the club

well that's the Rotary club the we do have some pompo that pompo um there's there's a sorority that are from pompo that that have community garden beds there and they come in they they're there quite often during the week and then somebody was talking about blanch elely we are working closely with blanch elely there's a challenge where there's a a ask on a desk somewhere at the at the school board to build that gate between the properties and it seems to be stuck there. And we're we're doing our best to push it along because the students aren't allowed if the students aren't really allowed now. It's a new for safety and security. The students need to take a bus even down the street. They're not really supposed to walk down the sidewalks. They're supposed to take a bus. I have the same problem with Tedar Elementary in Deerfield where they're they're right next to the school, but they they're not supposed to be walking down the street. So, our workaround was to get the gate between the property where it would be locked and only the school would have that locked to maintain that security, but it like it's stuck on a desk somewhere. And so, um it's it's something that we are working closely with, especially the culinary um department and they have a STEM STEM classes that really we we had worked out where they were going the students were going to be coming for a um a study hall to the fruitful field to be doing some volunteer work and to be doing some learning with their STEM classes and the culinary department. But until we figure out a way to get the students there safely, we can't we're we're our hands are tied and and security is is a really big concern and and I I have to appreciate that. So, but it's not something that we we're ignoring and and we do um we are we're we're working hard to to uh get Blanchily on on the site. We're also we I also work I don't know

if you're familiar with community based connections as a uh health center on the Blanch school site. We're working with them. we just put in for a grant where we'll be um supplying them uh education and and food for um I believe it's a diabetes education program for uh area residents. So we we are I am I'll do maybe I'm not in the same community base that but we are we are out there actively looking for um sponsorships. We're looking for grants and and we always include Patricia Davis when we do a grant ask for in in the community with the Community Foundation of Broward or Jim Moran Foundation, the Duca Foundation and we're trying to bring more city youth back you off. Let me ask you, Scott, um do you think we can be better um the garden will be utilized, excuse me, much more if we had, per say, two full-time employees there versus one part-timer and a volunteer.

I mean, that would be I would I would assume I mean, it sounds and you know, maybe that's something we consider putting in the budget to to fund more Um, I think it would be better if we had two full-time people there um at that garden. I think it'll be more effective that way. Yeah, we're good. All right. So, if we can look into that, I'm I'm I'm on board. But I just want you all to know that we are paying attention. We are looking. We want this garden to work. Uh we want people to utilize it more. Um we don't want it to be a quiet secret. We want everybody to know what's going on there. Thank you for all that you do. uh Will and and David as well. Thank you.

Very good. Uh Commissioner Fess. Yes. Thank you. Uh okay. So,

I just thank you for for explaining a lot of of this. I actually between what the public has said here and hearing a lot more. I have a few more concerns about maybe how we're managing this. I remember we we did this last year and we sort of just it was the one year. I think we can do this or have a better plan of how to do this more effectively. And I would also like to potentially table this until we can get with Mr. Moore and see if this is the right fit for what is needed here. Um I know it's been working but it's not been working as well as we'd hoped. So I think you know one of the things when I was going through the backup it was on page 69 of the backup is the amount of money per hour we're we're paying for the service and it's not so it's not enough time and it's not enough money and Mr. Miller mentioned, you know, for the amount of small amount of money that you get to do this, this is some backbreaking work that we're paying $22 an hour. And that doesn't seem very fair when the rest of the, you know, the rest of the the funding here, the oversight is getting, you know, 28.85. Farm manager oversight again, $28. And the person who's doing the bulk of the work is is not getting paid this. When I'm bringing it this hourly rate, it's because for somebody doing backbreaking work in the heat, even if they love it, when you compare it to some of our consultant contracts where they're getting paid $150 or more an hour to sit down and talk to people, I I I understand they have different skill sets, but right now people could be working at McDonald's, I think, and probably get that plus benefits and maybe a full-time schedule. So, it's going to be hard to get quality people who want to come and participate if we don't treat this the right way and like like we do everything else, try to

make it the best it can be and really think it through rather than just nickel and dime a contract and continue something. I heard the community we've been trying to make this work. It's not there yet. I think we can do this better. I would love to have Fruitful Field be a partner of that when we know what we need and how we can do that. So, if we can just postpone this until we can get together and I would I would absolutely love that. Um, one last thing regarded regarding that postponement is the sponsorships are going to be a big portion of this. And I feel like if this is a community garden, that's the city's garden, then we need to be the ones sort of actively managing what that looks like in our community. And the one thing that was a little bit concerning to me was when we were applying for grants that the that the Patricia Davis Garden is included in that grant. So, I don't know how many other facilities there may be or where else they may be, but if there's grant money coming and the Patricia Davis Garden is part of that grant money ask and when, like to make sure that that money is allocated adequately to being actively redistributed to Patricia Davis Garden itself. Um, so there's I I I just would love to table this so we can have that conversation more in depth and make sure we do things the right way. Thank you. Very good. Vice Mayor,

thank you. Uh, so first of all, thanks for being here, too. Um, to clarify some of that, um, I hate learning about frustrations with other government entities like this, because I don't know how long it's been sitting on someone's desk, this gate request from Elely, but listening to I thought that program was working differently. Did not realize there was a bus involved even though they're adjacent to each other. So, put that stuff That's this this is something

put that on us. Put that on us though and let us know those things because we can make calls and we can talk to people to try to make things move in the right direction. So, uh, government sometimes we just can't get out of our own way, but if we know about things, we we can try to make things more efficient. So, I'm glad we learned about that and I know that I for one will be reaching out to the school board to see what can be done about that. Um, I have spent a decent amount of time at the garden. It's been a while, but um, Will has given me a tour and I have residents who have plots over there and I actually participated in the fresh food box. Um, it was probably last year, maybe two years ago and I I stopped participating in it because I couldn't go through all of the fresh food fast enough. It's greens and everything and my my children um could will only eat so much of that. So, the box program is good. I think we suffer from a marketing and outreach problem here. I think the operations of it are good and I think they're open to to feedback and including ideas and open to community input. I just think that we have uh a little bit of a problem with outreach and making sure people know what's going on and us in the community giving input as to what they want to see happen there. And that's where I do think that some uh maybe the city needs to play a role in bridging that gap. So maybe someone from Scott's department needs to be more involved in some of the programming there. I'm not telling anyone how to do their jobs. I just feel like there's we often are too siloed in the world here and everyone's going about their business doing a good job at it, but no one sees it because there's no collaboration, there's no communication. So, I do think that uh there's a lot of activity out there, but it seems like there are some challenges. So, I'm okay supporting this for one year while we kind of work through some of these issues and hopefully we come

back in a year and and find out, you know, that we are operating better and we hear different feedback from the community. But I think this is the way to bring these issues to light. And that is why I am appreciative that we put this out to bid and it's on our agenda for us to talk about because so many things at this dollar amount just get signed off in the dark of night and none of us even know about it. So this is what we're talking about when we say transparency, putting things out to bid and the importance of that because it allows us to flesh out the needs of the community and to identify opportunities. So thank you. And I I have my email from the weekend about the food box. Maybe I'll sign up for one this week. I don't know. I have to ask my kids. Thank you.

Very good, Commissioner Smith. I agree. I think we need to move forward for this year and work together in the coming year and budget's come going to start in April. So, let's look at how we can increase the budget for this line item because it seems like there's a lot of great ideas flowing through here tonight. So, as the commission, we get to present budget ideas in April. So, let's do it and let's um that for the following year, but I think tonight we need to or this afternoon, we need to go ahead and um and create the contract so that we can move forward and they have an official contract with the city. Thanks. Very good. Further commission discussion?

Seeing none, I just I' just got a couple of questions. Um, did we reach out to any schools to see if they wanted to participate out out the garden as far as running the running the garden? Not to my knowledge. I didn't reach out to any schools to run the garden, local schools or anything like that as far as trying to trying to pursue the actual contract through through procurement. Okay. Um, and the the hours in the backup it's it's specified as 25 per week. Correct. Correct. Okay. Good. All right. That's it. Thank you. Further commission discussion. Um, Mayor, Commissioner Perkins,

I'm going to um I'm going to go ahead and and vote for this now knowing that we need to do more marketing and also try to get more funding from the budget and request um some grants also for this project. And then we have both um other businesses in the community that would help sponsor some of the things that are going on there at the garden. So um with that, uh I'm going to go ahead and support it, but I just need you to know we got to do better marketing. Um if you can give us an update on a regular basis on what is being scheduled, what events or whatever is going on there so that we can reach out to more people, get it into more churches as well. Thank you.

Very good. Vice Mayor, just quickly to piggyback off of that, I I didn't talk about the sponsorship part of it, and I think that is super important. There are a lot of developers making a lot of money in District 4. So maybe the Patric Patricia Davis Garden sponsored by or in collaboration with someone. Uh so if anyone's listening out there, there's an opportunity. But but seriously, there's we talk about all the time about uh people making money off our city and what are they giving back and how are they participating and helping uplift the community and invest back in the community. Here's an opportunity. Exactly. Thank you for that. Very good, Mr. Fess.

Thanks. Yeah. And I and I will I will support this. I think it is nice that it is a year and it will be coming back before us. I would like to still make sure that even though I will vote for this that I still meet with um Mr. for more. And I agree, we need to put together some a plan so that next year this can be bigger and better and we'll have a a more community-led program in place for this park. I know I went twice, but I just want to clarify the record. This does not necessarily come back to us in a year because the city manager can sign a contract without us doing anything at $58,000. Thank you. Well, to clarify, thank you for clarifying. Very good for the commission. Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Commissioner Perkins.

So, beat that again, Vice Mayor. So, you said this is not coming back before us in a year. So, it's a one-year contract with I think there's an extension in here, but as we all know, the city manager can sign one-year contracts without our approval up to $200,000 and this is only 58. So, maybe we make a motion that it's a one-year contract that comes back to us next year. Yes. I don't know if the mayor will let me make that since I spoke already, but I think we should make that motion that it comes back to us next year for approval before there's either a renewal or a Can I just make the motion since I'm saying it? Yeah, go ahead.

I'd like to make a motion that uh that before this contract is renewed or signed or a new contract is signed for the garden that it is brought to the commission for approval. Second. moved and seconded to bring this contract back before the commission um for approval or review. So in one year when this expires to bring anything back to us either for renewal or approval of a new contract if there's some other vendor that he's decided to go with. So anything related to the garden in a year and the next contract comes back before this board.

Okay, that's the motion. Um Miss Lions, the the what's before us though is a contract for a year plus four extensions. I believe if if all terms are are met. That is correct. Your honor, mayor. So, your honor. Yes, that is correct. Mayor, um we can amend that if need be um within within the contract or that would have been change the terms of the RFP, wouldn't it? Well, amend it. Yes, the the RFP does provide for a year with one-year renewal. So, if we change the terms and suddenly we've got to Yes.

do another RFP. Yes. Well, um it actually the contract calls for an option for four one-year additional term renewals. I I understand that. So if we if we want to mandate from this body that okay it comes back for approval after a year are we then in violation of what's been agreed to and do we have to put it out for a new RFP? Well, it it reads then city with city commission approval from the option. Do you that's that's that's true. It does, but they bid on it on a certain contract. This is the contract,

right? It would be for this this one-year contract. It could come before the commission for additional approval for one year if the motion passes. Okay. And that's not putting in violation of what we currently have. Says it. No. Very good. Okay. Just wanted to clarify that. Very good. Motion on the floor. Um second. Yeah, it's been moved and second to bring it back before us for approval. Is it or any other contract? So with related to the community garden point is in a year if he decides not to extend this for some reason and go with a different vendor, it comes back to us. Exactly.

Well, that was part of her motion. Okay, sure. That's fine. Um, okay. Been moved in second. Yeah. Discussion on a motion. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed for the commission discussion. Seeing none, let's roll. Mayor, can I make a comment during the public? Um, sure. If you want to go over there. Just name and address for the record.

David Miller, District 5. Um, I'm in full um I want the Fruit Fulfilled to be able to um it's year by year. So, yeah, they make the contract right. And I also wanted to I was waiting on my chance to say something, but I'm gonna say it now for Black History Month at the garden February 19th, 2:30. Okay.

I have a leadership group coming by and I also invited Rock Road Restoration to come by. So, the perfect opportunity for y'all to come see what's happening out there, what they're doing. As a former fruitful field employee, um I'm now contracted to do little things with them. Um I just say that by experience, I don't know anybody in Brower County who's better than them. So, Patricia Davis Community Garden already has um gardeners that's better than, you know, you could talk about whatever other city, but they stretch out to those cities as well. So, they're managing multiple sites. What Commissioner Perkins said about um a full-time position or even two people, very smart because one person out there is not going to take uh 9,000 square feet and make it something spectacular by itself. Um yeah, that's just in their defense. And again, um whatever you guys decide, it'll be great, I think. So, yeah.

Very good. Further input from the public. Oh, excuse me. What time did you say on February 19th? February 19th, 2:30m. That's um coming up really soon. Okay, great.

I want to say one last thing. I'm sorry, mayor. Um when you guys talking about outreach, the outreach is stellar. I mean, it's in the mail. They got postcards, all kind of stuff. But you guys are dealing with I'm gonna say this in the I'm gonna say something that you don't like to hear in the richest way. All right. There's a difference between whites and colors. Bottom line, when you use the word residents and locals and they ride by the garden, they looking up, they be like, "What they doing? They taking over." It'd be a lot of different things happen. But anyway, um, my constituents, which are the fruit, um, Pompino Proud, Pompino Kuanas, uh, Senior Citizen Center, I reach out to them. They play a role, but guess what? They call my phone for me to do it because all of them are elders already. So, when you talk about outreach, who are you outreaching to? The community in District 4 is looking like um, anyway, I'mma leave it with y'all imagination. Thanks.

Very good. and give me a call. I'll let you know who the outreach is. Further input from the public since we reopen public.

Sorry. Um and Bosworth, 4015 West Palm Air Drive. I just want to say to anybody who's been out there, it's not the same every day. So sometimes you go and it looks a little puny because things have been picked, things have been harvested. And so part of the education of the community means helping them to understand that this is not just like something you walk into and the whole thing is lush and green and there's carrots and lettucees everywhere all the time. So trying to help pe excuse me help people understand when is a good time to come to really see the fruit of the um of the garden and fruit in a general term um is really really important in that outreach because it's easy to go and it's if especially if it's a dreary day or something like that and people have already picked or if it's in the middle of the summer and things have dried out then people don't necessarily see that it's actually a thing. So thanks.

Very good. Further input from the public. Seeing none public input closed. Final commission discussion on the motion. Commissioner Fessic. I just since there was a little bit of confusion related to the contract itself. I just want to make sure that it said under number five renewal. In the event the city determines contractor to be in full compliance with this agreement and contractor's performance there to be satisfactory and city with city commission approval shall have the option to renew this agreement for four additional one-year terms. So it's in there. there. I just wanted to make sure that that was stated, right? And and clarify with um

Tracy, I was trying to find your last name in my head. So, but but clarify with Tracy though, just to make sure that that that is already in there. So, this So, we're just asking that we we're just asking that the city manager will bring it back to us or anything else with this this property. That is correct, Commissioner. And actually any amendment which a term would be an amendment to the contract has to be adopted the way the initial contract is adopted. So this would be via resolution. Perfect. Thank you. That before very good. Further commission discussion on the motion. Seeing none, let's call the role on a motion. Commissioner Fez. Yes. Commissioner Perkins. Yes. Mr. Sigerson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes.

Mr. Forier. Yes. May Harden. Yes. Now, further discussion on the actual item being none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fezit, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seigerson, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Forier, yes. Pardon? Yes. Item three is a resolution. Resolution of the city commission of the city of PMPO Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a service instructor's license agreement between the city of PMPO Beach and Crockett Foundation Incorporated to provide educational esports tournaments and techn technology focused coding program at Mitchellmore Recreation Center providing an effective date. So moved. Second.

Moved and second for discussion. This item was pulled by Commissioner Fess. Commissioner I pulled it. Yes, that wasn't me. I was wanted to I pulled it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. My My apologies. Excuse me. Yes, I pulled this. Um, can you explain to us now this is part of I guess my baby trying to get technology into the community so that our kids will be a little bit more educated about um coding and some of the new technology as to how it works. Now, I know there were several um people that applied for this RFP. Am I correct?

Good afternoon, Scott Moore, Parks and Recreation. There was two responders.

Okay. Um I I have the same question with this program as I did with the other one. We have 75,000 um which um I did speak with the with Henry Crockett and I do know they're going to try to get other funding, but of course with this program to be successful, I know that he does have a full-time staff. But in order for this program to be successful to help as many kids as we possibly can, we're going to need more than 75,000. So again, we can possibly partner with some of the uh local businesses and look for other grants so that this program will be very successful starting out. Um but I think this is great, but can you just introduce to everybody what the program is all about?

Yes. Um the Croc Foundation is going to um run the Techre Center. So, if you haven't seen Techre Center, it's a new state-of-the-art building that we built at the old original um community center there at Westside Mitchellmore Park. And inside there, it it has 18 state-of-the-art computers where the kids will be able to go to to learn all the coding and how to do programs. Esports will also be part of it. And one of the things that was very important to us when we did negotiate with the Crockett is that this was about a comm community about the community and that we had programs available for the community and that this was also going to be serving the kids in our afterchool program again. So it's not just for everybody out there, but we're really getting into the schools. I believe he already has a relationship with Sanders Park Elementary School, Blanchely High School, and a couple of the other local elementary schools to bring stuff in. So again, we really wanted to make sure that our kids that we that we're with every day. So um Mitchell Moore, McNair, Highlands, and Civic Center are all going to be participating in after school andor summer programs here at the Techre Center.

Okay. And I'm glad you explained that also. Um, the vision I had for this entire area of Westside, what we call Westside Park back in the day, um, basically for that area to just be somewhat of a youth development area for our youth. Now, um, I think the tennis courts, I think I asked them to turn in several tennis courts into pickle ball. So, we do have the pickle ball over there next to this building. We do have, uh, tennis courts that have been, uh, newly renovated. So, do we have an instructor on board to help teach tennis as well?

Yes, we work with our tennis pro at the tennis center, um Eddie Sposza. He he has some of his instructors that come over and they offer programs there for the community and then also the afterchool kid kids at Mitchell Moore also get tennis lessons. So, we do that as well. Okay. So, we will let Pete handle the tennis court portion. will handle Yes. Rocket will handle the the coding. Okay. Correct.

Okay. So, yeah, I'm very pleased with this program. I just think it needs to be a little more funding um to reach out a little bit more and have some adults that might want to be interested, too. So, leave us out. Okay. But yeah, I'm very excited about this um coding and and advancing our students in any way we can. So, I strongly support it. Just need a little more funding. Thank you. Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Please come forward. Just name and address for the record.

Shauna Thomas, 209 Northwest 15th Street. I'm so glad that um Commissioner Beverly Perkins brought it up because I feel as though we spend a lot of money on children and um our senior community. And I don't hate anybody for that. I feel as though everybody should always have activities. But I think as I stand here as like one of the few people younger than 30 in the room, there doesn't ever really be any much appeal or thought to what we would like. So I definitely would like to inquire about adult programming cuz like am I going to be able to virtually golf or anything here? because if not I'm like yeah a lot of times we pay for things we approve of them and I'm like yeah the middle part and I want to say like us that are 18 to about 35 or so we don't really get a lot of programming here. So I was just wondering if you'd be able to tell me about any of the adult programming if you have that information.

I can I can give you the Crockett's contact because they're going to be doing all the programming but we did talk about adult programming and senior programming. So, we talked all about that. I can give you if you see me afterwards, I can give you their information. All right. Thank you. Very good. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Further discussion from the commission. Seeing none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fez, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seager, Eaton, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Fier, yes. Hart,

yes. Let's take a 10-minute recess back at let's see, that'd be 307. Happy birthday.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Where are you? Heat. Heat.

Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey,

Hey, hey, hey.

for Commissioner Perkins and Vice Mayor Call this meeting back to order. Palin Beach City Commission, February 10th, 2026. Takes us up to our regular agenda. Item number five is an approval. Approving and authorizing the award of ITB25-067 for Herbs Skolnick Center addition to the lowest responsive responsible bidder, Waypoint Contracting, Inc. in the amount of 939,530 and authorizing the proper city officials to execute the contract as provided in ITB25-067.

So moved. Second.

Moved and second for discussion. Good afternoon, Dr. Good. Uh, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, Tammy Good, CIP manager. Um, this item is to approve and authorize the award of the invitation to bid uh for the addition. This is a 2,000 square foot addition. Uh, basically an open space uh that'll be added on to the Skoolnik Center to facilitate facilitate additional programs and activities at this location. Um, if I'm correct, I believe this is the busiest community center in the city. Um, so it's certainly warranted. Um, we've checked the references and we recommend awarding to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder Waypoint Contracting. And that concludes my comments.

Very good. Thank you for that. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Please come forward. Just name and address for the record. Uh, we said this about the herb scone, right? Correct. Um, y'all had 3.8 million um in the go barn. So, I'm trying to figure out what's going on now with almost another million. Like trying to figure out what that's about. I'm not familiar with the gob bond project at that um site.

They familiar the go bun. You don't remember the 3.8 8 million from the go bun that went to Herb Skolnick and Palm Air Improvements. It's public records like nobody know about the go bun when we got the parks and everything else done. No one knows about the go. Yes, we do. But it's not for the Skolick center. Yeah.

Okay. Um it it was for the Skolick center. Um the public record says improvements at two bridges spanning the C14 canal and to the Herb Skone Center including lighting, landscaping and sidewalls. So my question was with that 3.8 million that was included for Herb Sknick, why do we need an additional Those were for bridges. That's different than what Okay, but the bridges had a comma. I can read. Yeah. Miss Leane, I I I

Okay, so like I said, at the end of the day, the question was, why are we still adding more money when we just added 3.8 over there? What I'm saying is certain districts are being overfunded when certain districts are being left behind. And all I'm saying is we have these meetings and we see how much money is being spent in each district. We just said that we didn't have enough money for a garden. We don't have enough money for a gate for a cemetery. But we're going to keep feeding into Herb Skolnick, which is a private community at this point with city dollars. No. And if you don't have nothing to say, don't say nothing.

Well, no. I I I do have something to say. I just But you know this Darlene district, right? So my question was Darlene, in the gold bun, it was 3.8 million that was spent. I don't know what y'all did to herb scone it, but it's on the public record. So in the 3.8 million what was happening with herb schooling and as to why we still need another almost a million dollars with them missain as Dr. Good already mentioned the 3.8 8 million that was for bridges that was not

right. So what I'm saying is it only benefits that community right so they need to be on the back burner right now cuz it's other stuff that need to be done. What I'm saying is Herb Skone just got 3.8 million. It don't matter if it was for a bridge. The same community is being overfunded is what I'm saying. That's simply what I'm saying. Before we keep feeding into the same communities, it don't matter what they need a bridge or sidewalk. the community that's connected with it, that's Kaya City community as well. They they connected, but it's two separate cities in the same city on that side of town. What I'm saying is obvious that y'all spending too much money in Palm Mayor.

Thank you. And just for the record, the 3.8 million that was being referenced was for bridges in the in the Palm Air community. Okay. And like I said, thank you, Mr. Lain, your time. Ask Darene. Miss Lusain. Miss Lusain, I'm going to ask you. I'm going to ask you at this point in time to stop speaking and sit down. you. That's number that. Escort her out. Whoa. Whoa. Escort her out.

Thank you. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input put closed. Commission discussion. Mayor, Mr. Perkins. Excuse me. Thank you, Mayor. I um I remember this project being on well something about the addition for the Skoolnik Center, I guess about a year, maybe less ago. Is this the same project or is this a new second project? because I remember something being on the agenda about an addition to the Skone building and that was I would say the early part of last year.

It may have been when I brought before the design contract perhaps. I don't recall. Okay. But this has been budgeted and we've been it's been under design and I believe on the books for uh at least a year and a half. So, okay. So, this is the first project of an addition since the building was built. Yes, ma'am. Okay, that's my question. Okay, so we're building a 2,000 square ft meeting room, correct?

Okay. All right. So, the young lady that was just standing there, she she brought up a good point and and this happens a lot in the city of Pompo Beach um where there's a need, there's just a little over here on that side and and there's a big lump sum on the other side when there's not so much of a need. Um, I remember saying to uh the city manager when he asked what did I want in the district and I said, "Well, we would love to have a top-of-the-line state-of-the-art senior activity center." Remember that? And no problem. It was built, but it's certainly not state-of-the-art and it's certainly not topofthe line. And the senior center is there and I'm told that we could um do an addition onto the senior center which mean which everybody still is still too small. When it was completed it was too small and there are a lot of issues going on over there and it's somewhat fairly a new building. Um, so I understand that there's funding put aside to expand the senior activity center, but those funds budgeted for 2027. Is that correct?

I believe so. Okay. So, my point is, but this this project here, I'd like to see us do the same thing with the senior activity center that we're doing here because when it comes to things, of course, in the northwest, there's a delay. There's not enough funding. It just doesn't move fast and when it's completed, it's not done correctly. Well, we can certainly put it in the CIP and if everyone votes to approve, then we'll move forward with it.

Okay. All right. You just want to bring that to the attention um for the addition for this this building. Now, you say it was most utilized. Now, I know the EPA Larkin Center is utilized a lot and I think what we're putting in the budget um well, I'll just wait. Yeah. What we're putting in the budget for the this coming year is for the senior activity center to have activities during the weekend or whatever uh which was supposed to be there from the beginning. Of course, we were sidetracked again. Just wanted to bring that to your attention so that you know when this comes up for senior center, we wanted to push right along like this is going as well. Noted. Thank you.

Very good. Further commission discussion. Vice Mayor, I just had a quick question. Um, Dr. Good, do you know offhand how much was budgeted for this addition? Um, we did budget less than what is here. I believe it was 700,000 somewhere in that range. So, we were under budget um and we budgeted well we probably budgeted it two years ago. So, with escalation um and the market kind of being fickle right now um we weren't really surprised to see those numbers come in. Um, so it was over budget. The low bid was over budget. So where is the balance coming from

fun? Yes. Yeah.

Susette civil assistant city manager. I believe funds were taken from working capital reserve in fund 302. So when the CIP is prepared, there usually a line item called working capital reserve. So I believe that's where the b bulk of shortage came from. I think some dollars were also taken from maybe another project. I would have to go back and look at the agenda back up, but that's what finance did to bring the project forward. What project? I think it was it general government general building government 07924 just for general general building something like that. Okay. Okay. The bulk of it was working capital reserve from fund 302 which is the CIP fund.

Okay. So this came in 20 to 30% over budget which didn't surprise you because things cost more than we budget for in when we budgeted years ago and then we bid things out in the future with you never know. Yep. I mean Okay. Just wanted to get on record that things cost more than we budget for at times and we find the money for it. Thank you. Very good for the Commissioner Fess. Thank you. You mentioned that this was we had a design. Do you do you remember offhand how much the cost for design was or roughly? I think it was right around 100,000. It was uh by DK Architects. Okay.

So they're a very small firm. So it was much less than if we would have hired a much larger firm. Okay. And then um so this and this is not necessarily about just this particular project but can you uh maybe in future asks I guess bring maybe a short responsive survey or some some sort of way that we understand how we get from there were 14 applicants 14 bids and then I think it was like half of them were disqualified. So just so we just so we can see like the visual of how we get from 14 down to one recommended not just based on you know lowest bidder but lowest qualified bidder.

Sure. So if you look in page two of the bid tabulation right there were uh six biders that were deemed nonresponsible because they didn't list the qualifications to meet the criteria of the bid package and they were deemed non-responsible by the purchasing director. Okay. And that was just done within a time frame or they didn't respond within a time frame or they didn't respond that they didn't submit the information on their bid when they submitted the bid. Okay. Okay. And there was Did they ever have time to cure that or no? It was just automatically um I believe that the purchasing director automatically deemed them non-responsible.

I was just wondering how that how that how that shook out. Um and then so you said something interesting because the DK architects they're the same. So they're the they're the engineer also on this project. No, they're the architect. They hired all of the subdesign consultants under them and under that uh total amount that I that I indicated. Okay. I don't recall. I can get that information to you. I think it was somewhere around there.

I'm just I'm looking and Tracy, maybe you can help me with this because it's on page one of 46 on the construction agreement on the backup in the backup. So the question I have so because we've had a lot of contracts where we have a contract administrator or a contract somebody else takes over and manages it for us. I'm just wondering if that's what it says here. So it says article 2 engineer the project has been designed by design collaborative architects planners incorporated year after called engineer and who is to act as owner's representative assume all duties and responsibilities and have the rights and authority assigned to engineer in the contract documents um in connection with the completion of work. So, are they going to be managing the

No, they're only going to be managing it from the uh reviewing the shop drawings and certifying the project at the end when it's completed, but we'll manage it in house all of the construction. Okay. Uh activities. So, they will have limited oversight just so that they can certify the project uh to uh ensure that it meets the design criteria. And do we have um obviously this is a small firm they do we have have we done a lot of work with this

engineer we've we hire them for smaller projects and that's kind of in their wheelhouse and they they're not really capable or don't have the resources to do and take on larger design projects. So uh we have various firms that we see seek out for based on the project size and complexity and they're they are indeed a smaller firm. Okay. And yes, we've used it before. Is let me just check one more thing before I documents. Um is this one's the what is it? Andre Cappy, right? They're they're in Oldtown, right? They're Yeah, they're local. Okay, perfect. Thank you so much. That's it, Cherik. That's it.

Yes. Very good. Thank you. Um further commission discussion. Yes, Mayor. Commissioner Perkins. Um, excuse me. Can you explain when you say construction in-house, what does that look like?

Construction oversight in-house. So, me and my team will be out on a daily basis uh overseeing the contractor's performance. Um, basically that's just make sure that he is constructing the project in accordance with the design and the architect will have limited oversight. Uh, only when there's an issue with the design. Um and then he'll have to you know revol resolve that if need be um and then certify the project at the end. So they'll have limited oversight but primarily that responsibility of overseeing the construction's performance will be on me and my team. Okay, great. That's all. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion? Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role.

Commissioner Fez, no. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Mayor Forier. Yes. May Hart.

Yes. Item six is a resolution. Resolution of the city commission of the city of Pmpo Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute work authorization number 28 between the city of Pompo Beach and Corulo Engineers Incorporated to update and calibrate the city's wastewater collection system hydraulic model and master plan pursuant to the agreement for continuing engineer engineering services in the amount of $486,922 providing for an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Good afternoon, Miss Mohammed.

Good afternoon. Ranuka Muhammad, utilities director for the city of Pmpo Beach. The item before you is a request to approve work authorization number 28 with Corollo Engineers, Inc. for the update of the city's wastewater hydraulic model and master plan under continuing consulting services contract approved under ordinance 2021-39. The existing hydraulic model and master plan was last updated in 2021 and no longer reflects the current system operations, including tidal and wet weather, wet weather conditions, impacts from inflow and infiltration, and future growth and capacity needs. The proposed two-phase effort will update and calibrate the model using GIS and SCADA data, convert to a specific software platform for wastewater, and evaluate system deficiencies, lift station enforcement performance, capital improvement needs needs while also analyzing future growth scenarios. The total cost of the work is at $486,922 within the CCNA not to exceed limit of 500,000 and is funded through the utilities budget. Approval supports the city's strategic and comprehensive plan goals for resilient, reliable, and sustainable wastewater infrastructure and long-term capacity planning. That concludes my comments.

Very good. Thank you. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call a roll. Commissioner Fezik, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton, yes. Sher Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Ponyier, yes.

Yes. Item seven is a resolution. Resolution of the city commission of the city of Pompo Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a public transportation grant agreement between the city of Pompo Beach and the state of Florida Department of Transportation, accepting a grant in the amount of 1,257,500 for the Pompo Beach Water Taxi Service and confirming the city's matching contribution in an amount of $1,257,500 providing an effective date. So moved. Second. moved and second for discussion. Mr. Bosworth.

Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners. Earl Bosworth, assistant city manager. So, when we look back when the commission approved this service in November 12, on November 12 of 2024, we presented three funding streams at that time for a total of 2.6 million to cover the three years of operation for this project. Um, we used approximately 1.1 of ARPA funds which we had to use this first year and it'll carry us up through March of this year. Um, so again, ARPA funding for that funding for that first cycle. We received the F FOC grant now and we'll start utilizing that with a city match to carry to cover the next few months of this year and then the the the final third year of operation. Um I sent out a um annual report of ridership and subsidies so far for the water taxi which covers 12 and a half months because we we launched it uh that second week or third week in December the first year. So what it does if you look at it over all the funding streams it'll the the ARPA funds and the foc 2.2 to and change. Um, and then the city general fund will have to make up that difference. When we presented it to you to get approval for the project, we didn't know what that 26 or 27 out year would look at because we developed that flexible subsidy. Um, right now when you look at the first year during some of the tourism months, we saw a little lower subsidy. Rest of the months have been full subsidy. So when you're looking at that, there's probably we're looking at for this first year for this for this current year that we're in um

up to maybe a couple hundred thousand 200 and change from the general fund to make up the difference. And that what what we would have to match on the FDOT grant and then year three, I just don't know at this point. It could be 300,000 or a little bit more from the general fund. So that's where we sit right now with it. um here for any questions, but again um it was a big component for us to get it. The timing I wish would have worked a little better where we could have stop started the clock on both the grant and the ARPA funds at the same time, but we couldn't because of deadlines on the ARPA funds. So here for any questions.

Very good. Thank you for that. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Anyone? Oh, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions, concerns. Vice Mayor,

thank you. I asked for for an update on writership and everything, and I I I saw it come through this morning, but I didn't have a chance to look at it before the meeting, so I don't know exactly what that shows. Um, obviously, the water taxi has done well here. Um it's very busy, but uh this is these are the type of things that make me nervous when I start thinking about what's going on in Tallahassee um in terms of any risk to property tax going forward and any pressure on the general fund. So, I'm going to support this, but I think it's important for all of us to just keep in mind what that this is general some of this is general fund money and if if something happens to impact our ability to levy taxes or in, you know, increased homestead exemptions, we're we're going to have to find opportunities and these are, you know, some of the the places we'd have to look sadly. Thank you.

Very good. Good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fez, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seager Siden, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. For Pornier, yes. Harden. Yes. Item eight is the second reading of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Pmpo Beach, Florida, amending chapter 90 animals by amending section 90.39 retail sales of dog and cat dogs and cats to provide additional restrictions for the retail sale of dogs and cats within the city providing for severability providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Mr. McConn

good afternoon mayor commission Rob McConn public works director. During the first reading of this ordinance, there was discussion regarding the amount of time that the pet stores had to come in compliance with the ordinance. It was initially proposed at 180 days. Um that was changed to 90 days and that was the only change that was made to the ordinance. That concludes my comment my uh comments subject to what you have to say. Thank you. Good. Thank you for that. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Please come forward. Just name and address for the record.

Hello, my name is Jasmine Sadik. I'm the owner of Paradise Puppies at 1164 North Federal Highway, PMPO Beach, Florida. Would you just pull that microphone a little closer? Yeah, of course. Thank you. Hear me better? Yes.

Okay. So, I want to start off by saying one that I was just informed of this this morning. Um, I when I first, you know, getting everything together to open up my business, I not only took out a $500,000 loan, I went to the city. They all knew me by my first name. I would walk in there, they would come running, Jasmine, you're good to open. Go open your store. And now I am dealing with this. So, Jodie Haven was um zoning at the city's office that I worked with. She has notes of every time I've gone in there. Um, I have not only put a lot of money into this business, but I also personally signed a 10-year lease. Um, and you know, I heard there was some conversation going on that I don't make my money off of only puppy sales. It is. I do have retail stuff in my store, but that is for when someone purchases a puppy. I cannot pay a $7,000 rent by selling a shampoo to the one person that walks in once a month. my business is opened and for puppy sales. I follow the ordinance way it's written getting from hobby breeders. I do everything that the city has asked of me. Um opening, you know, this ordinance was not easy to find, but I went into I did everything I possibly could to make sure that I was good to open. I was terrified to sign my lease because I know there are some cities that, you know, are going back and forth about this, but I made sure over and over and over again that I was able to do this. And when the first conversation came up, I was terrified. I had no choice but to, you know, retain an attorney because of this. You know, not only the money that I'm negative, and no money makes, no business makes that kind of money back in the first year. I've been open one year. I'm barely holding on. But shutting me down is only going to open doors for you. I'm not threatening in any type of way, shape, or form. I want it done the right

way if I could be grandfathered in. But I have no choice but to, you know, take legal action over something like this. I'm 21 years old burying myself and this is not helping. You know what I mean? So, I mean, if I could be grandfathered in, I get it. You guys want to change your ordinance. You have a standing store. I'm selling my family's home. I still live with my parents. I'm selling my family's home in Bokeh to move to Pompo. We fell in love with Pompo and now this is happening. I just hope you guys do the right thing and make it good for not only you guys but me as well. So, thank you. Very good. Thank you. Further input from the public. Come on down.

Hello, my name is Alexander Terakawa. I am an employee at Paradise Puppies, 1164 North Federal Highway. I am a future nurse and I have always had a true love for animals. Since walking through the doors at Paradise Puppies, I've only seen the best care of the puppies there. Um, anyone in this community who walks through our doors can see the love and care that every single puppy that we have receives. And like with every business, there are bad players in the industry. Unfortunately, that are putting legitimate businesses like us in this position with you guys here today. I'm here to try to convince you that we are doing this business the correct way. We are changing the way puppy stores are run and operated and even thought of. We want to make sure there is an honorable and safe way for the community of Pompo Beach to obtain puppies. We protect our comm community community from having to purchase puppies from unethical breeders who may unfortunately not have the pro proper training and knowledge to care for and protect the community from buying sick or buying dogs with congenital issues, which is extremely heartbreaking for those owners who truly love their dogs. Again, I want to emphasize our main priority in this business is our puppies and their health and their care. This is not the case for all places. However, at Paradise Puppies here in Pompo, we truly care about our community and we are pleading you to help us to continue write our puppy store in the correct way. Shutting down the retail of puppies will lead to people having to turn to non-favorable means of obtaining puppies. And as much as we love and respect animal shelters and their mission, that is not always an option for everybody. Um, for those who that is an option, we've always con encouraged that because you know at there's no one who loves dogs more than us at the core of all of this. Um, but for anyone who does choose to get a puppy, every single person who leaves our store can see the quality and the care that our puppies received during their time with us. I am there almost

every day because although I am just an employee, this store is a second home to me. And um so I really just plead with you to help us in our mission to change the reputation of puppy stores and to continue to provide the people of Pompo with their new best friends. Very good. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Next speaker.

Hi everybody. My name is Jennifer. I um I had the pleasure of meeting Jasmine. and I was a customer of hers um at her store and I'm in here um here today on behalf of Paradise Puppies and to address the misconception. I'm assuming this is my assumption um that this is drive the driving of this proposal is that licensed puppy stores are the cause of of puppy mills. That's what a lot of people think. Um in my opinion, licensed and regulated puppy stores are part of the solution, not the problem. And here's why. Businesses like Paradise Puppies are regulated. They are licensed, inspected by the city, and required to follow local and state laws. They must source puppies from licensed breeders and maintain documentation and veterary records that creates transparency and accountability. When regulated puppy stores are shut down, the demand for puppies does not disappear. Instead, it moves underground to online ads, social media, parking lot sales, unlicensed home breeders operating with no oversight at all. I want to share my personal experience because I have seen this firsthand. I purchased two dogs from Paradise Puppies, but before doing so, I explored many other options. I responded to ads and newspapers and on social media and visited private homes where puppies were being sold. In some cases, the conditions were unsanitary and concerning with poor cleanliness and a lack of proper care. In contrast, when you go to Parise Paradise Puppies, the environment is clean, professional, and well-maintained. The puppies receive medical attention and proper documentation and the business operates openly under regulatory oversight. From my experience, when people cannot buy from regulated puppy stores, they turn to unregulated sellers operating out of homes and apartments, places the city cannot inspect or monitor. Paradise Puppies is visible, licensed, and accountable. If there are concerns, the city has the ability to inspect, regulate, and enforce standards. That is how animal welfare is best protected. I

respectfully urge urge the board to allow Paradise Puppies to remain in business and focus on enforcement efforts on illegal unlicensed breeding operations where the real problem exists. Very good. Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it. Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon. My name is Cole. I'm also a customer of Paradise Puppies. I have two dogs myself. Um I had the pleasure of working with Jasmine as well and just just being in the store it's flawless. I mean even I was there personally experienced people's even mental health just coming to a store having something in the community like that they just want to come see puppies. It makes puts a smile on their face. It brightens their day and stuff like that. Um of course it opens the door for without this um people in their backyard unsenitary issues. There's a bunch of issues that will arise from uh getting rid of something like this. Um I I was there the vets's there constantly. There's only maybe 10 puppies max at a time. They're treated very well. The cribs are massive. I mean, I've been to other stores in like Fort Lauderdale and South Florida where like they're in boxes and just terrible conditions. But unfortunately, that's why stuff like this is happening. But Paradise Puppies is is on point and um I think it's great for the community and it needs to remain.

Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Next speaker, please come forward. Hello, Michelle Lazero, 2621 Northeast 10th Street. Wow. um can't I'm not going to be able to undo all that in three minutes, but there's been three prior hearings and unfortunately they just found out today and were able to bring speakers with them and I feel that we would have liked the same opportunity because we did not bring people because we didn't think we had to. So, Humane Society of the United States, consumers, advocates, taxpayers would also like to be here, but we did not realize that we were going to need to do that. So, we would like the opportunity to be able to hear the other side of this story because I will tell you now that when you have a situation like this, you will have a room full of taxpayers talking about this item. There will be a hundred people coming out to speak in its defense. they can bring however many people they want as well. The one argument that they didn't make, which is if they had gone back maybe and watched the three meetings, is that we did prove where their dogs came from. I gave all of this information to you in the initial meeting. We know exactly where they buy their dogs and those breeders have USDA violations, egregious ones, and state documents show the same thing. some of those farms having up to 200 dogs on the premises. I'm not going to go into the violations. You can go back and read them yourself. Nobody's questioning the condition of the store. It can be beautiful inside. That's not what we're talking about when you're director of public works says they have no violations. They have no violations locally. That's not what we're talking

about. We're talking about the sourcing of the store. So, if we're going to now consider this side, I'm going to ask for another reading or another hearing because obviously there's other people that are going to weigh in on this unless it's going to pass as it has for the first three hearings because this is unfortunate that this is happening right now. It's it's hard when somebody comes up and says, you know, I'm going to be out of business and I'm going to be out of business and all of the arguments that we're giving are all of the arguments we've heard before. We've heard about the lawsuits. We've heard about we're going to go out of business. We've heard from the employees. We've heard this is not new. It was just waiting until today, which is a great I mean, if it is intentional, good for them. What a great plan this was because I can't undo that. So, like I said, there was three hearings before this. They were published legally the way that they were supposed to be, and it's unfortunate that this is going to happen at the last minute like this. So, we're going to ask that you please postpone this again so we can bring the other side. Thank you.

Very good. Further input from the public. Anybody? Seeing none public input closed. Commission discussion. Commissioner Smith.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, I spoke with um Jasmine this morning and um wanted to see what kind of revenue she and her store gets from the sale of the puppies. Um, and it's it's 99% of her revenue are the puppy sales. And they take a lot of pride in making sure that their puppies come from good sources, certified sources. and she as a new business owner in Pmpo Beach, she spent a lot of time making sure she was opening a business that was okay in Pompo Beach. She came back multiple times. I believe she told me 10 times she came back just to make sure everything was okay before she signed a lease in her business. I feel she did her due diligence. I feel she's doing due diligence now in her business. And I feel we, the commission, owe it to her to protect what she's done before she opened up her business, invested in it, and signed a lease. I would like to make a motion that we grandfather in Paradise Puppies as long as her business stays in compliance with our business codes as it is currently written. And if we grandfather, so I make a motion that we grandfather um paradise puppies into this ordinance.

Second. Um so it's been moved to grandfather in the the existing business under our current ordinance. So they would not be subject to any future ordinance change is that's we can do that. Mr. Lions,

you may thank you mayor. A grandfathering clause is not included in this particular um ordinance for second reading. If the commission were to direct our office to include that, we would have to bring that back because that would be an addition to what's already been advertised. So, if the motion passes, we will bring a new ordinance back with that clause within it. Okay?

Because you're making a change to the ordinance on second reading. Okay. Okay. Sure. Okay. Very good. Um Okay. It's been moved and seconded to grandfather in the the existing business um under our current ordinance. So the anything we do on the current on this change would only be subject to new businesses. That's the motion. Yes. Mr. Mr. Alfred. A question for the attorney. Uh

yeah, that's fine. You go ahead. We did advertise the ordinance. Would uh this change impact the title of the ordinance that we would have to re would it be subject to a re revertisement? Quite possibly.

I I would be of the opinion no. Okay. Thank you. Okay. After reading the heading, I would be of the opinion no. Okay. Very good. All right. Um, so it's been moved and second on the motion. Let's go ahead. Uh, this is public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this motion? Please come forward. Yep. This is a new motion. It's new new stuff on the floor. Motion is to grandfather in the existing business, the loan exist existing business.

Yeah. So, I just want to say something like this did happen in Bokeh. I was involved in a puppy store in Bokeh for six plus years. They're still up and running. Bokeh stopped any applications from coming in, but there was four standing stores. They let them still be in business and there was obviously clause to it. They had to be, you know, the same owner as the store's name and everything. They were allowed to move location if needed, but they were grandfathered in. And I feel like that would be the same thing for this. They wanted to change their ordinance. I mean, same thing like we're all doing here, but it's not fair to take away a small business, and they saw that as well. So, they grandfathered the four um, you know, stores that were still operating to be able to stay in business without any new applicants coming in, which I think would make everyone happy here. and I have a 10-year lease and I do have the option of renewal. But as long as I am not personally, you know, I don't want to be responsible for that lease because of something like this. If it makes everyone happy after my 10-year lease is done, I will wash my hands with it. I'm not going to be okay with taking, you know, a hit for my 50 for my $500,000 loan plus my 10-year lease, which is even more than that. So, thank you. And please definitely have that in mind when you're making.

Just for the record, your name and address also. Oh, sorry. Jasmine, 1164 North Federal Highway. Thank you. Thank you. Further input from the public, please come forward. This is on the grandfathering motion.

Hi, Michelle Lazro, 2621 Northeast 10th Street. We're all for grandfathering if she will abide by the ordinance. And the problem with abiding by this ordinance is public works comes by and says we can't prove this. Your ordinance says you cannot buy from a breeder who has more than one litter per calendar year. Every breed that she buys, every dog that they buy comes from a mill. So, by all means, if you're going to though turn around and tell me now that you can't enforce your own ordinance because we can't prove that, like we're not all getting on a plane and flying to Idaho, Missouri, uh, Ohio, all the places that she Arkansas where she sources from, not locally. These are all out of state sources. So, if your, like I said, director is going to come forward again and say, "Well, we can't prove that." then we have a problem because the way your ordinance is written according to them is not it's not uh whatever we can prove it. We have the paperwork. So by all means grandfather them in with language as written. Give her the 10-year clause. We'll wait it out because we know that based on the way that ordinance is written, we're going to bust them time and time again. So the question I have for you is how many how do you intend to enforce your own ordinance and how many violations until you go back to the original discussion because we know there is no way a store is opening without buying from the breeders that we've told you about. So if you want to pass it, pass it. Give her the 10 years. give her the grandfathering and then allow us a certain number of violations to come back and say, "Okay, now can we have what we asked for?" Because we already told you and proved

our side of it time and time again that this is not the case. The dogs that are being sold in a pet store are not coming from hobby breeders. Hobbyers sell direct to the public. They do not put their dogs on a in a van and ship them from Arkansas to get all of the diseases that you get when you're an 8-week old puppy and you haven't been inoculated yet or vaccinated yet. So, their dogs are not coming from local breeders. So, and then if you want to talk lawsuit, by all means, put in a commerce clause that says she can only buy from local breeders. Now, we can't buy out of state. So, that becomes a commerce clause issue. you're nodding your head because I know I've been through multiple lawsuits here. I listen, I know it all. Sorry, I do. But by all means, like I said, we support it. I called HSUS. We support it, but we want you to be able to enforce your ordinance and we want to know how many violations until you come back to the original discussion.

Very good. Thank you. Further input from the public.

Again, it's Alexander Terakawa, 1164 North Federal Highway. Um, I have been in this industry before I found Jasmine near Paradise puppies with any of these breeders. Um, you know, I've spoken to them personally. A lot of the stuff online that you may read about these things, I mean, sorry, it's just really frustrating as somebody who has always, you know, loved animals, have, you know, done the rescue like, you know, like routes as well. um is when people, you know, cuz I hear it all the time, like people have an assumption that puppies come from puppy mills when they come from stores like us. You know, the breeders that we use are not like the breeders that we use, I have personally spoken to them. They are good people who genuinely care about the health and safety of their puppies. All of our puppies are vaccinated. We offer a one-year congenital warranty on them. Um, a lot of breeders don't want to work directly with the public. So the statement that hobby breeders want to sell directly to the public is I mean it's false because a lot of people don't want to deal with the actual sales. These people know their dogs. They know their breeds. They want you know that's why they got into the passion of breeding but they don't want to deal with the public. The public is a lot. We are the ones that are there every day talking with the customers. Any concerns they have anything like that. We're the ones that are firsthand working with those families who are taking home these puppies. A breeder doesn't necessarily want that responsibility. You know, they know their dogs. They know they're good for the breeding. Like that is what they do. That is what they, you know, want to do. So, I just think that the statement that, you know, that like a reputable breeder would only sell to the public is not true. They know our reputation. They know our store. They know how we care about our puppies and we love our puppies and we want the best for them and we want them to go to the correct

homes. So, they're going to work with places like us who do truly care about the health of our puppies. Very good. Thank you. Further input from the public.

Hello, Jennifer. Again, um I just wanted to because I know that the the woman came up and said something about um breeders. Again, I did extensive research when I was buying my puppies and I went to local, like I said, local homes and everything looking for for dogs. Um, my children wanted a specific dog. They wanted a Yorkie. Um, we did try shelters. We did everything like that. It wasn't right for my family. So, we did want a smaller dog and it was was important that, you know, we get this uh full breed Yorkie for allergy reasons or whatever it may be. So when I did go and I spoke with Jasmine, I came to her store. I spoke with her and I made her show me where these dogs come from because of all the stories that I have heard and they were she showed me documentation. These these breeders were all certified. They were all hobby breeders. I've learned that terminology um where the the the litter only has one one litter a year and there is no violations. So I don't know what what book she's bringing up here and saying I did the research myself and if you look at these breeders none of them they are all clean zero violations from what I saw on my research. I am very happy with the dogs and the community does need a place to go purchase dogs that are in a safe clean environment. And I know that there's other cities and and all across the country that for some reason have this like notion about um puppy stores, but if a city like yourselves are on top of these puppy stores and make sure that they do do the proper thing, which they should be inspected, then we'll be buying puppies from proper proper places and and they're getting the proper care that they need and from the proper breeders because the breeders are they they do they have to get certified as well. So, and they're not buying from uncertified breeders. So I did my research and that's what I have to say. So I don't think people are giving the right information completely but thank you.

Very good. Thank you mayor. If I may interrupt Miss Lions. Thank you. In reviewing the ordinance again um particular sections regarding retroactivity. If the motion to amend the ordinance to include the grandfather clause passed then the ordinance would then be voted on with that clause. And if that passed it would not have to come back again. I stand corrected upon further review of the ordinance. Very good. Thank you. Okay. Next speaker. Please come forward. Just name and address for the record.

Cole again customer at 1164 North Federal Highway. Paradise puppies. Um I definitely think it's a false assumption to assume that everything's a puppy mill or just a puppy breeder. They come from puppy mills and they're like mistreated dogs, stuff like that. I actually had the pleasure to FaceTime some of these breeders and see exactly what they are because I'm very I do my due diligence as well and I don't support puppy mills or or stuff like that and I I felt very comfortable and I got all the information I needed pictures of the parents stuff like that and I saw where they're being raised and how everything's proper and in place. So I just wanted to point that out clear that it's a false to assume that everything's in a puppy mill and stuff like that. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Further input from the public. Anybody else? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Commissioner Seagerson eaten and commissioner Fessic. Thank you, Mayor. Um, this is on the uh on the uh on the grandfathering. Grandfathering. I I sorry

on the motion to grandfather in our current single puppy uh pet store, puppy store, whatever. um you know, no matter what business it is, I have a real hard time um when we are essentially clawing back and retroactively um enforcing a law. I I I frankly think that it's a taking have this business shut down. I think it's unfair. um they went in they opened their business uh according to the laws that we had on the book. Now to change the law now if you think about it if we started changing laws all over the place and going back we could never function as a societ as a society. you know, he you he could make something illegal that wasn't illegal. Uh that would make absolutely no sense. Um yeah, and I um I just I just don't feel that it's fair. And I think that we have worked through this ordinance for these many many many months. We've arrived at a place with the ordinance that seems to be satisfactory as a as as a matter of course, but I do not feel I I would agree. I would vote in favor of grandfathering uh this business in in because it just would be reprehensible to shut them down because we decided to change an ordinance in our code.

Thank you. Very good, Commissioner Fessic. Thank you. Uh so I had a couple questions again for Tracy um related to this grandfathering. So one of the things that was said that if we were to grandfather, we could do so with the same parameters that they could only purchase from the breeder that has one litter per year.

Correct. The the correct commissioner, the grandfathering would be applicable to the previous ordinance. The new regulations would go from enactment of this ordinance before you which includes the grandfathering. The only difference with the ordinance before you right now would be the grandfathering language.

Okay. And wasn't kind of like first on the the uptake here, but I mean was there is there any harm in getting additional information because they just found out about this this morning as they said. um would there be any harm in postponing this more time so that we could make sure that we everybody has what they feel is their their moment to speak and also we can maybe have a secondary clause ready if we choose so we could basically choose one of the two would that be something that we would be able to do that is completely within the discretion of the full commission

okay I don't that we have a motion open so I can't make it make a motion but would would that be amendable if you wanted to amend your motion to to have both come back at us and postpone grand so that we can give people the chance to talk.

I would rather continue with the grandfathering in of Paradise Puppies and we've had months and months of discussing this and it's the first time that we've actually heard their side and um shame of us, shame on us for not reaching out to them. Um, but we now have heard their side and we've heard some truths coming from the the clients of their puppies. They have a lot of passion. I just would like I'm I'm not going to I'm sorry. I'm not going to pull it. I feel we need to continue and grandfather and have closure finally with this ordinance. Very good. Mr. Fett, you got the

So, this is so that was this is why I why I was asking because, you know, so I have a couple of questions. We were it was mentioned that the these were this was changed in Bokeh and there was some grandfathering. So I I I don't want to just use the term grandfather without having some parameters or find out what other organizations or other cities have done. Um so I'd like to be able to have the time to to check that in. I want to protect obviously a business owner, but at the same time I want to make sure that we're doing things the right way and not just doing this as a as a sort of an afterthought. Um, one thing that was mentioned was that this seems like a taking. Well, we have things like this that go on in our city all the time, right? So, people buy their houses near a park or near an air park. God, I've heard that a lot. Or, you know, with zoning in place where they don't have, you know, rightaway, they expect privacy in their rightways or they expect not having a building that's going to come up in freestanding emergency rooms. and and with a zoning change of now residential to to business, right? We change these things all the all the time on a on a small level, but that would essentially be a taking that affects a lot more than one person. So, I'm not saying that it's a taking. I would say that I'm asking for some due process here to make sure that we can do our due diligence, make sure we have both fully fleshed out the grandfather and what that looks like, the grandfather clause, if that's the if that's the direction we would like to go. also have the the other option for additional input and an audience to be heard. I agree, we've heard a lot. I'm still concerned. I'd like the opportunity to review some of those those documents that I haven't seen um recently to see specifically where those puppies came from. And if they were one one a year, then okay, right? Then we have room to move. If we don't, I'm concerned. I mean, I'm just concerned that we have discussed this for a while. So,

we're talking about a decision that affects one person as opposed to a lot more businesses and a lot more people down the line. So, I I would just like to give this a little bit of pause. Thank you. Very good, Vice Mayor.

Thank you. So, my questions are also related to the grandfathering. That's a nice word we can use, but there are terms and conditions to that, right? So, uh, change of ownership, is that going to be included in there? Because I think it should be. I don't want the LLC to be able to be sold and and change of location. I know she has a lease, but let's say something happens and she wants to move it. I So, any of those standard um, you know, milestones or things that happen should should, you know, trigger the end of the grandfather period in and same thing with the violations. we as a board need to decide is it with you know no violations. So I'm assuming you need some terms from us uh that are more specific to just saying grandfathering in because from my perspective it would have to be upon change of ownership or change of location or violations that the grandfathering is rescended. Is that doable today with our feedback to you, Miss Lions?

With respect to the grandfathering, the the language should read that it would be um all existing businesses. It's my understanding that this is only one business within the city limits. So, it would pertain to this specific business as listed on the Department of of Business Regulations. Um, if there were a change in ownership, that would null the grandfather clause as applicable to that business. Well, if Paradise Puppies LLC's, if I'm assuming it's an LLC or something, continues and she sells her share of it to Commissioner Smith, I don't know, the the the entity the the the Entity Paradise Puppies LLC is is exists still. Okay. So if you wanted to be specific as to speci specific rights of existing businesses as they are today under the already existing ordinance, you can make those. You'd have to amend the motion to include those specific uh parameters because right now you just have a grandfathered clause for an existing business. Okay. So I I can support this if there is additional detail about no change of location, no change of ownership or including the underlying ownership or sale of shares in the business. Uh which I don't know how you monitor that and no violations. Uh so and and that would get me um there today.

Mayor, can I ask a question on that? Sure. Um I I I'll agree with the ownership, but perhaps they are successful and they want to relocate somewhere else in Pompona Beach and when the lease is up, I don't think we should penalize them for the location that they move to. As long as the ownership stays as the owners, I mean, she did just say just give me the 10 years anyway. So, yeah, but she's she's probably she's a young business owner and and I hope I hope her success for sure, but I'm I that's that's where I'm at. Change of location, change of ownership, that to me would trigger the end of a a grandfathering clause, would location be in there? Um, Miss Lance, I

if you amend the motion to include it, you may have a cushion. What? It's advice you're done. that and the number of violations would also need to be I think explicitly spelled out in any kind of grandfathering clause. Those are the three things that um that I I think we need to get more detail on. But again, the motion would have to be amended

for sure. And so I'm I guess I'm looking at right. I'm looking at Commissioner Smith and saying I could agree with with your strategy of getting it all done today and being done with this, but we have to flush out the grandfathering clause in a way that I'm comfortable with right here, right now. Otherwise, I would I guess need to postpone it. Thank you. Gotcha. Further input from the commission on the Commissioner Seagerson eaten. Uh yeah. Um I hope you can find language for that, Tracy. Okay. So, uh, would this would this be considered a nonconforming use or does that just deal with zoning?

No, this wouldn't be a non-conforming use because she would be grandfathered in under the existing ordinance in and just um to to respond to vice mayor, if there were a change in ownership, the city would have to regulate that through the occupational license and the business tax receipt. So, we would know that,

right? Right. Okay. So what were the what what are the the parameters to ensure that this business remains and then can operate and if they sell it it's not viable. What what are your thoughts? I think the language per the motion would have to um articulate something that current businesses would be grandfathered in under the existing city ordinance. If those current businesses were to change, have a change in ownership or a change in location or have individual viol business violations as it pertains to the animal welfare, they would lose the grandfathering rights. I think that's fair. I think that's fair. I I I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. and then get the rug just yanked out from underneath as a small business, as a woman-owned business. Um, you know, that's for any business, but yeah.

So, can we incorporate that into the ordinance? Um, Commissioner Smith, would you amend it to incorporate that language? You're going to withdraw your second and we'll go ahead and um modify it based upon Tracy's wording. I withdraw. And just for point of clarification with respect to violations, I understand nobody wants one violation, but are we putting a particular number for the violations? If there's more than three, then they would lose the grandfathering protection any more than three. Three. I think that's fair.

Is there a time frame associated with that per year? No, I'm I'm just trying to flush it out. Right. Okay. I would three period. Okay. Commission. I've got one more comment. We have a new mo a new motion. Yeah. There before we make the motion. I have one question. Clarifying question. Clarifying question.

Um with respect to when you said location. Uh it can we ensure that that language means no additional locations also because then they could become a franchiser of of these of this business and they would end up holding a lot of value in our city because they have the only license that can do this in our city. So I understand that we want this business to continue but if her business tomorrow becomes franchising puppy stores in Pompo that's a problem that and that that undermines what we're attempting to do here. a singular business. Yes. So, just that location. No, no other locations.

Okay. For the commission to I'm good. I'm good. So, you all of that. Oh, okay. You need to modify your motion. Why come up with your motion wording? All right. To um Well, Miss Lions stated stated it correctly the way that I would state it. Could you just restate that for me? be happy to, Commissioner. Thank you.

So, the the motion would be to create a grandfathering clause to allow all existing businesses prior to the date of the passage of this new ordinance before the commission today to have the grandfathering protection. However, if there is a change in ownership of the existing business, if there is a change of location of the existing business or if there's violation three or more violations within any given year period, they the current business will lose all grandfathering protections. So moved. Second. Okay.

Moved and seconded. Okay. So that's how the motion now reads. Okay. Question. I have two questions. Okay. Number one, does that address what I mentioned about because you said at existing location, but how does that mean they can't have another location? So, because even if they're at existing location, like only at existing location, the existing location, existing location, it would be existing location. A new location in my opinion would be a new business. Well, what if it's under the LLC? Paradise Puppies. as a new location. It would be a new location, a new business that would be governed under the new ordinance if it's passed.

Okay. Um, and I thought it was three violations. I didn't think that we were doing that per year. I guess I misunderstood. So, what was the consensus? There was three per year. I thought it was just three. I mean, three per year seems like an awful lot, especially since it seems impossible to prove a violation anyway. I mean I think if they have three violations that cumulative that should be sufficient. Okay. All right. Okay. So the then the motion has been changed. Miss L. Three or three or more violations. Yeah. Delete the one-year period ever. And yes, three or more violations ever. One more clarify before we kind of go crazy.

So So you're done with I just thought that's what Commissioner Seagerson eaten was saying. So I want to make sure that got in there. Thank you. Okay, Commissioner Fick. Thank you. So, just to just to kind of make this a nice pretty package, um if they do have three violations, would there be a timeline? You know, like that yes, they would have to cease to exist, but we would in everything else we have a timeline of which get undone. Is that is that going to be part of the ordinance as well? A reasonable notice would be required for due process purposes. So, we can we can add that language in. reasonable notice of the deletion of the grandfathering clause applicable to the existing business.

Okay. I just wanted to make sure that if if that was the case that we had a a a clear delineation of if this then that and there's a there's a protocol that we follow. Thank you. Commissioner Seagerson a clarification. So this is three violations uh for animal welfare. Correct. Thank you. Okay. Any further discussion on the motion to amend? Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fezic. Yes, Commissioner Perkins. Oh, that's true. We already did. We already had it open. We amended the motion.

It's an amended motion. Okay. It's an amended motion. Let's open it up to the public. Sure. Amended motion. Let's uh Oh, that's Yes. Any input from the public on this item now? Thanks, Frank. Sure. So, Frank Russo, 223 2293 Southeast 83. So, you're going to have this girl do her business, which is great.

But then you're going to put in a contingency about location. What you you give all the power to her landlord, and what happens if there's a fire or if the building goes down or there's a flood? You can't restrict you can't restrict somebody to run a business. You guys are putting yourself in harm's way. You can't restrict their business based on location. If something happens and it has nothing to do with them, you not only that, think about that. If you had a lease and you were restricted and the landlord found out that you couldn't open your business anywhere else in Pmpo Beach, you're screwed. So you guys better rethink this. There's no way you can restrict the place of business. I think he makes a good point.

Very good. Further input from the public. She made the point she's a 10-year lease.

I mean, I agree with him. God forbid, let's just say something happens to my store and I have to leave that store. Then what? That could happen tomorrow. That could happen in a month, in a year. You don't know. And um I mean that's not necessarily fair. And two, is there some language we can put that I mean right now my LLC is in my father's name. again, I'm 21. Um, that, you know, it could stay within the family. So, god forbid something happens to him. I mean, he travels overseas. Knock on wood, nothing will, but that it could go into my name. Right now, it is not in my name. Right now, it's in my father. So, one location where we can you can put that this can be the only standing store. Yes. But can be moved within Pompo. No other store can open but this one can be moved and then if the business itself can stay in the family cannot be sold but let's say put down into my name if that's something that we can work out I would really appreciate that.

Very good. Thank you. Thank you. Further input from the public. Anybody come on down. Let's hear. Okay. Commissioner Lazro, actually I'm not here on my official mayor. Sorry about that. Listen, you're still a commissioner.

Thank you. Let her have her 10 years. Let her have moving her store because let's face it, now she has keys to the kingdom. So there's no ordinance in this city. There's an ordinance in that city for miles and miles. The only place they can buy a dog now is them. So they're rich. They got keys to the kingdom. Let them move. I don't care. We don't care because what we're going to do is we're going to come back. We're going to show on the USDA that they puppy, what's the name? Paradise Puppies bought all these dogs. And so when we show you one document, which should be all that's needed, one document that says the place that they bought has 200 dogs on the farm, which are breeding dogs. in another state. Please don't tell us that that's not sufficient information because this is federal government. This is state government. This is not, hey, I buy from good breeders and there's nothing wrong with our breeders. These are their breeders. If I gave it all to you, please feel free to go back and look at it. So my question is, how are you going to enforce it when we bring you documents that show that? Because that's why we're okay with everything that you're saying. Let them move. Let them have 10 years. Let them keep the LLC in their family name. We don't care. We just want to know when they violate. That's how sure we are. We want to know when they violate what's going to happen. And how are you going to let us, not your Department of Public Works director who says, "Sorry, it's in Iowa. It's in Missouri. It's in Kansas. We can't prove that. We have to get on a plane and fly there." So, can you all reassure us

because we're we're not going to get up here and be like, "Oh, we took a loan." That's fine. We've heard all this before. It's not the first rodeo. So, we just want, like I said, I'm going to keep saying it. You're asking the right questions. You're asking the right questions. Please let us know that when we bring this to you, you're going to honor it. Thank you.

Very good. Further input from the public. I'm I'm talking as concern because I am a customer of Jasmine and I'm very fond of her. She's a young lady who started a business and I'm super proud of what she's done and she's brought so much joy into my life bringing these puppies into my home. Um when she's very passionate, listen, I love people who are passionate about animals. I do. And and I get where her heart is coming from, but um it's it seems very vindictive. Um she does not want the puppy store here and or be for I know there's a lot of people like that and I understand their passions. So when you're talking about violations though, she's starting to look. She's going to be looking for these violations, getting on plans, whatever they're doing. So three violations in the term of her whole entire like a year. I got it. Three violations in in her old lifetime of her running a business. That does not sound fair to me because when you do buy things, yes, maybe somebody is not is deceiving. Um Jasmine, like again, I did extensive work. I would not buy from a puppy mill. I think they're disgusting and I do agree talking about but she does not buy from puppy mouse but mistakenly some maybe something happens where you know uh a breeder gives her the wrong information or or whatever it may be and that's one violation. Five years goes by there's another violations another day. So what I'm saying is it shouldn't be three violations boom you're out. I don't think that's that that's fair. I don't because it's not always something that a business owner would know 100%. Very good. Thank you. I'm sorry, ma'am. What? Your name and address. I'm sorry. Can you I should have gotten before you left the microphone.

My name is Jennifer Goldberg. I do not live in the city of Balfano. I just I heard about this um what was happening. I just I I actually called the store to to get some information about um buying some product and so I'm here to support Jasmine. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Right. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Okay, now we're back on the amendment to the original item. So, any further discussion on the amendment to the original item? I got Commissioner Secret Eden, then Commissioner um Commissioner Fessic, if we could make it real brief because we're actually already over the n number of times.

Yeah. Yeah. I I I just I do agree that it would be um difficult if there were a situation where they were not able to operate out of this the current location and wanted to move to another location. I think that's fair. So that not to be locked into one specification, but just as a business, we can get the details on the business. um yeah and so uh I mean three violations over a 10-year period. Um I I I'm not sure how I sort of feel about that. Or should it be three within a year you get to restart? I don't know. Um so I'm I'm still a little up in the air on that. But definitely the the location is a good point and uh uh so that's all I have for right now. Mayor, thanks.

You're good. Commissioner Fessk. Yes. Thanks. Mine was more a question legal uh wise because Mr. Russo brought brought up a great point, right? We have to be careful how we do things. We're trying to do something nice, but in the attempt to try to do something nice and be inclusive and and and helpful, we are we are we being

are we is it a catch? Is it basically a double-edged sword? You know, that's that's the question I have for you. So, again, I might go back to and I'll let you answer, but again, I might go back to maybe we need to postpone this till we can have conversations with staff, legal, figure out what the appropriate potential path forward would be. It is an excellent point. Um, and what I would offer is the change in location. Um, there could be two scenarios. God forbid an act of God something happens um that particular business would have to relocate um that would still remain the existing business different situation if they have a second business then obviously the grandfathering clause wouldn't be applicable but yes it is a valid point um something that the commission should consider regarding the terms of location per se if well I'm work at the direction of the commission. So, however you want me to word it, I can word it. Um, it is a valid point and it is something to think about. So, um, we could recommend taking the location verbiage out of the amendment, which would again require an amended motion. I'm sorry, Commissioner Smith, but um and keep the change of ownership or keep the violations more than three violations as it is and take out the change of location. But again, um,

so that you in your opinion then legally if we took out locations and just made it three three violations and we let's say we allowed her to move her her ownership from, you know, in the family, keep it in the family something that so that you could put it in your name other than her father's. Um, but we just keep it at three violations. Would that be the cleanest in your opinion? Would that be the cleanest way we can be nice here? I would say yes. Thank you. The short answer is yes. Perfect. Thank you. Very good further commission discussion commissioner. Right. Commissioner.

So I'll amend if um Commissioner Seager and Eaton will sec take her second away. I'll amend the motion again to to remove the location, but only it'll still be one location. And that the LLC has to stay in the family's name, not specifically um Jasmine's father, but in the family's name. And three violations. So those violations are concerning

if somebody was to lie to her, but I think there should be some kind of discussion when that when that happens, if and when that happens. But okay, that's the amended motion. Second. Okay, we've got an amended motion with a second, which means it's alive. Okay, public input on this amended motion. Okay. Anybody want to speak on this amended motion where the we've taken out the uh location issue because now they can move around the city wherever they want to go or or need to go. Um but we still have three violations and still the ownership has to stay within the family. I don't know how you're going to creating a dynasty ascertain that. But that's that's that's the motion. Go ahead.

Hi Michelle Lazer, 2621 Northeast 10th Street. Not vindictive. Just so we know I come with documents. You ever see Judge Judy, four corners of the document, that's all that matters. Everything I learned about law, I learned from Judge Judy. So that's all that matters. We can say anything we want. We can talk all day about puppies and how I love them and they've helped me and we give great ser. We're all for that. But what we want to make sure you know is that it's the four corners of the document. So when we come to you, please don't say, "Well, they're a business and we're going to put them out and you know, they, you know, blah blah blah." So, we're supporting exactly what you're saying. We have no problem with that. We're all in alignment. Like I said, we will be back. I'm not being vindictive either. Either No, no, no, no. You can't be vindictive. You either buy from a breeder or you don't buy from a breeder. This can't be personal. It can't be emotional. because it comes down to USDA. It's not me. It won't be Michelle Lazero's document. It'll say USDA. It'll say state of Florida. It won't say my name at the top. I didn't draft it. So, if we have to prove, yeah, we're going to watch your code's not going to do it because they don't have time. They have other things that they need to do. That's why we do it. So, we're the the safeguards. We're the we're the watchers. We we see what's going on. So, all we're saying is we're not being vindictive. We just want to make sure out of emotion that we talk strictly papers and strictly documents. So, hopefully that's going to stand. We appreciate your questions. We think you're asking the right questions. And again, that we're not going to be operating out of emotion when we go

forward. who are going to be operating out of documentation. Thank you. Very good. Further input from the public. Okay. So to clarify, three violations moving forward. Correct. Correct. Not for what happened in the past. Three violations moving forward. Correct. Do your due diligence. Thank you. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion on the new new and improved uh whisbang motion. Vice Mayor,

thank you. So, this gets back to what Commissioner Fees said about wanting more time. So, I to understand some of this as I sit here. I have real discomfort over some potential unintended consequences of this family handing down, handing over, handing off that we're creating like a puppy dynasty here and maybe she can actually hands off but like hire someone to do this. I don't know. I haven't thought through it all because we're sitting here right now. But it feels really strange to give a family some kind of rights to this the only rights to this business in PMPO Beach right now. it seems like a lot to be handing out without us having the opportunity to really think about this. So, while I do not oppose that, I want her to succeed, you know, and not have violations and to be able to run the business that she was assured by our staff she was allowed to open. I'm as we keep morphing this, I'm getting more and more uncomfortable with what we're creating. So, uh, I I I at the same time I don't want to sit through another meeting of of this. So, um, Miss Lions, are is my are my concerns like I just have feeling in my gut that it's not right. Are there any concerns with what we're creating with this whole family thing? The the grandfather clause will read existing business. So whatever the business is titled currently, that's the applicability of the grandfathering clause. So if they I don't know how your officers or how every everything's presented on the um division of corporations, but this grandfathering clause will be for the existing business. That's it. But that was my concern too that that let's say her father sells the existing business Paradise Puppies LLC. He sells his share, his one share of it to

Annne Bosworth, uh, to anyone, right? So, it's still on DBPR. It's still got the same name. It's still the existing going concern business because she sold a share of it, not not the business because you can sell the assets. You can sell a business or you can sell a share the whole thing. So, the whole So, that makes me uncomfortable that she's we've created all this value. What you want to buy it? No. Right. with the go. I mean, we just created a very valuable other LLC. Yeah, it just changed just

so I'm still concerned that we're not protecting ourselves in in in that way. Like, yes, we're worried about a the landlord has leverage here, but now this family also has has the rights to something that nobody else has in our city. And while I do want her to be able to continue her business, I'm uncomfortable the wording of of the the LL of this being an LLC that's can just stay in the family. So, thank you. So, I can't I can't quite get there right now. Mr. Smith, an LLC doesn't have stock. Shares, you have a corporation has stock. It's a limited liability corporation and it has and it has Yeah.

Okay. You can have multiple member LLC's where you have to issue multiple shares, different types of shares. Yeah. Could we ask if it's I mean this this is getting a little crazy, but that's the problem. But that's exactly the problem. We don't know the ownership structure. So what I mean so anyway, um further commission discussion. Commissioner F. I think we already stated it has to be in the family. This has to stay in the family name. We already stated that

I I listen this is Thank you. Thank you, mayor. I This is where I would have to agree with vice mayor. There is this is the reason why I asked for the pause and maybe all of us to meet individually with legal take the time to do some research, maybe meet some take some time and understand what the parameters are so that we can actually understand if the grandfathering clause is the way to go. What parameters work mo work best for the one business that we have to try to that we're trying to bend over backwards for that we can't do in a public forum. And it's and and while we're trying to figure it out on the fly, this is not the right way to do things. So, I'd like to be able to take the time to meet with attorneys, to meet to meet with both parties and and to to meet with staff and and have us come up with, you know, one or two option that that is then presented. So, I would have to go back to let's let's postpone this item and and move on and get through this agenda. Thank you.

Okay. Further commission discussion? But we can't just one comment commissioners. We can't discuss if we're not in an open forum. So that's what we're doing is we're discussing and working out the details. They're taking a lot longer than I ever expected them to, but we can't discuss outside of an open forum. So

true. But true, but we can each each of us can go to the city attorney's office and talk about, you know, what's important to us and and you know, the city attorney's office can either get a consensus or say that's it. and then they can bring it up during their reports says folks I want to do our best for you but I can't really get consensus so what do you want to do about the animal ordinance um that's the thing so if we that's how we could let let folks know but it's you know we've got a motion vice mayor

well and just quickly I I feel like we're as we keep doing this we're putting this lions on the spot too and maybe there's like some some language that's out there that she can look at and and benchmark or find another city that's done this or another time this has been done that could make it really simple versus us cuz we passed this and whatever we're cobbling together here becomes it because it's the second reading. And so I would just be more comfortable if everyone had the time to to vet the language it's going in to give to give and maybe you'll think of something else because you came up and and was like, "Oh, it's in dad's name." Like maybe there's something else. So let's all take the time to think about how to both protect the businesses here but ensure that we get, you know, the right the right language in the in the ordinance. That's so I would like to postpone it also. Thank you.

Mayor, may I just say Mr. Lines? Go ahead. I would not recommend including language regarding a family business. I would solely recommend the words existing business to be included in the grandfather clause. If that were the direction that the commission wished to go, it would become too convoluted and too specific to talk about if there's a change in ownership within the family. that that should not it's not proper for an ordinance. I would recommend to you all that it would be existing business and nothing more. Thank you. Miss m Miss L question though. I mean if if it's an LLC, okay, um you can you can change ownership of an LLC and still maintain the name. Correct. Yes.

So you wouldn't the city would have no way of knowing if ownership really transferred regardless. That is true unless there's a DBA or anything like that. Right. But if it's just okay, I'm selling my business to you. Boom. It's the puppy pals just suddenly changed hands and they got to they got to do, you know, change it with the state, but they don't have to change it with us at all. Correct. So that would still be the existing business, which Yeah. I mean, I don't understand why we wouldn't allow that to be honest with you. Um, after all, it's it's

it is it's a I mean, it's it's an asset and I hope they do well in their their business and and follow all the rules. I I don't know why we'd want to say, "Well, you know, you can't no, you can run it until it's dead, but that's it. You have no asset to sell." But that's just me. I'm I'm just I'm just talking. Um but but we're on a we're on a motion here.

I just think we're creating So, we are creating a lot of value for the the one business in the city can do it. So, that's my concern with it. Just as tomorrow, she can go sell the thing and no one else can do it. And so we are we're creating it based on wanting to her business to go on. But but if she turns around and sells it, it's the from the value this commission gives sitting here right now today. And that's concerns me. Okay. I've got Commissioner Fessic. So if business license like so whatever happens on the LLC the business license would within the city wouldn't that be a change that we would be like would that make the difference

if they're changing the business and they have to come in and get a new occupational license that would be a change in ownership.

Okay. Um yeah. So going back the other thing that I just remembered as we were kind of going back and forth and we started talking about family is if I remember correctly this this individual came up and said she just learned about this today. there was an atur that but have you know had to contact an attorney which I understand that's a quick phone call usually but then it was that she personally was on the on the hook for this 10-year lease and personally guaranteed it and then now the business is in her dad's name. So, I'm not sure. I I I really need a lot I need to unpack some of that and that's going to take a conversation specifically with her to find out what we need to do to be inclusive if anything and um and make sure that we also legally are are doing our due diligence as a city for the residents and moving this forward. Thank you.

Okay, I got Commissioner Secret Eden. Yes. Just very quickly, let's not let's not let's remember how we got here. We're essentially saying we're going to shut this woman's business down after they've made an investment and they did it properly under the rules. That's how we got here. Thank you. Very good. So, we've we still got Commissioner Smith, your your motion is still the the live motion right now. Um,

it it is and I and I feel exactly as Commissioner Seagerson Eaton does that we're here discussing one business that's drastically affected by the ordinance of I'm not even sure who we is when when they speak about it that we're going to come and and do this. I'm not sure who that is, but we're talking about the livelihood of a of a pomp and a beach business. That's all we tried. That's all I was trying to do today is to just let that one business continue to be a business. I And I think we could complicate it way too much and we already have. I would like to see us save the business for Jasmine and move off of the puppy rules and because we would just come back and we'll just have the same conversation all over again. I think we can just overthink it. And I I was getting that we were gonna if we did these things there was commissioners were going to support it and I I would like to go ahead and just support it.

Okay, Commissioner Fess.

Sorry. Okay. So, we're we're we're back. I I listen, it is about the business, right? We're trying to we're trying our best here to make sure that we are protective of the business and existing business. Okay, we cannot we are not all legal professionals like Miss Lions and and even she has admitted that it would be very helpful for her to be able to to cross-check these references and and take the time to to vet this or to you know even though she can tell us what will work with the ordinance or some things we can change those unintended consequences are the same. And I find it really kind of concerning that we're making these changes. We're we're we're doing all of this right now and going through this whole rigma roll. When this is one person who's affected and literally last last meeting we had hundreds of residents affected by thousands of residents potentially affected by by pain changes we're making and we weren't giving it this level of intense thought or or just con conversation. So, I would really, really, really like to see this be postponed and so that we can meet with at meet with the attorney so that we can meet with Jasmine and try to work with her and so that we can meet with and make sure everybody's happy and we can do this the right way and nobody's there's no loss. There's only a gain.

We're good. It's working together. Okay. Commissioner Perkins, is there a motion on the floor to uh postpone? No, because we've got a lot Commissioner Smith has a motion to to amend. Okay. Where is your motion to amend? It's my motion. My motion to amend is the um

to grandfather in the existing businesses. There's only one as long as that business um does not change hands and does not exceed three violations that we would grandfather them in to the the existing ordinance. Okay. And the only change is the um hobby breeders. So they would be able to sell puppies from hobby breeders and anybody else that comes in cannot. So and that's it's it should be as simple as that.

So we've added the three violations and we added that the ownership that the name cannot change. Um and that's that's the motion that's on the on the table. So, what about franchising? Yeah. All right. Let's vote. We call that a motion. Yep. Any further coms, I've got vice mayor again. Here we go. Does it address the franchising question? Franchising question. There's no no it does not change the name. No, just put in a license. I mean, I I just think this is I think it should be postponed. That's it. Thanks. I I I only have one thing. What constitutes a violation?

Mayor, can we can we um that that is regulated? FIC has has the floor. Sorry. 828.29. That's just asking making sure. Correct. Yes, that would be under Florida statute regulations. 828.29. Very good. Okay. On the on the motion to to amend, let's go ahead and call the role in. Commissioner Fez. No. Is that I didn't hear you. Sorry. No. Okay. Commissioner Perkins. No. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Mayor Forier. No. Harden. Yes. Mayor the mayor. Can I make a motion? First.

I'd like to make a motion to postpone this item. Yes. Okay. Second. Second. Second. Moved and second. Um, all in favor all in favor say I. I. Opposed? No. Okay, that's but let's let's call the role on that. Postpone until uh until our next meeting. Correct. Yes. That would have to be a date certain date certain of. Let's call the role. February 24th. 24th. Second. Commissioner Fez. Yes. Commissioner Perkins. Yes. Commissioner Seerson Eaton. No. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Pier. Yes. Hart.

Yes. Very good. Okay. See everybody again. All right. Item number nine is the first ring of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of PMPO Beach, Florida amending chapter 91 boats and water recreation of the PMPO Beach code of ordinances by creating section 91.17 PMPO Beach overnight anchoring limitation area to establish an anchoring limitation area within the city providing for severability providing an effective date. So moved. Second. moved and second for discussion. We've got Miss Lions. Okay.

Thank you, Mayor. So, just by way of background, in May of 2025, the Florida legislature amended chapter 327, which is known as the Florida Vessel Safety Law. And this amendment um was aimed to empower local governments with a population of 1.5 million including municipalities within those um local governments or counties to establish stricter anchoring zones. The purpose and intent was to further navigational safety and preservation of the natural resources. The ordinance before the commission tonight is if passed would establish um a new chapter 91.17 which would be known as the overnight anchoring limitation area. The area would be include lettuce lake, Lake Santa Barbara, Lake Capri and the Hillsboro inlet and that would be under the restrictions of the overnight anchoring within the city. The restrictions mandate that no vessel shall be anchored anywhere within the city of Pmpo Beach overnight anchoring limitation area for a period of 1 hour or more between 1 half hour after sunset and 1 half hour before sunrise for a period of more than 30 days in any six-month period. Violators would receive written notice first in the form of a warning if the vessel is not removed. And and let me back up. The owners would receive written notice. If there is the vehicle, the vessel is unoccupied. It will be affixed to the vessel, the notice of violation. They will also receive notice via US Postal Service by certified mail. If the violation is not rectified, enforcement of daily fines for first violation in the amount of $250 will occur. For any second or subsequent

violation be a fine of $500 per day or more. The ordinance provides for an appellet procedure before the city's special magistrate. In addition, if there is no appeal of a violation and there's no um removal, the ordinance provides the city with authority to remove, tow, or impound the vessel at the cost associated and the cost associating with such removal, towing or impoundment will be assessed against the owner. The ordinance also provides for certain exceptions such as government um vessels that would not obviously be applicable to this particular limitation area. And with that, I am happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Thank you for finally getting this up here. That's great. Thank you. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Mr. Waited long enough.

No one warned you to come late. Hey, listen. I'm Frank Russo, 2293 Southeast 8th Street, and I'm a business owner, and I plan on giving my business to my kids when I'm ready to retire. And there's no city and no municipality on the planet Earth that's going to restrict that. So, be careful. Okay. Lake Santa Barbara, the inlet. You and I have had these conversations. Greg, we've had these, Earl. I've lived on Lake Santa Barbara for 20 years and had to deal with all these derelict abandoned boats that people buy that they don't want to pay dockage. So, they leave them in Lake Santa Barbara. We've had two sink. A lot of them are abandoned. Some we've had gypsies living on them for two, three, four years. As a matter of fact, the boat that sunk, the name was Gypsy. Okay, these people, all their human waste is going into the water. Okay, the the oil, the gas, all of it. So, Lake Santa Barbara is definitely your prime spot. Lake Capri, the inlet. I would hope that you guys look at this. This is 20 years of of me making phone calls and and bugging everybody. Also, there were no wake signs on the east side of Lake Santa Barbara. There were two when you come in from the north, when you come in from the south. There was one no wake sign when you come in from uh Garden Isles when you're coming under the bridge of Federal Highway. Somebody took those no wake signs down and now it's like a speedway. So you have wave runners, water skiers, kids in boats racing each other. So not only if you pass this ordinance, you really need to put the no signs back up. There needs to be a no zone on on the north and south side as you enter from the east side into Lake Santa Barbara and then on the west side of Lake Santa Barbara as

you're coming under the federal highway bridge. Otherwise, you're going to see a lot of more injuries. Um, it's very dangerous. They come zipping through there at night and uh I think I I may be the only neighbor here to speak about this, but I'm very passionate about it because we've had two people die over 20 years in that lake. Uh, one was a waveunner um, incident where the mother and the daughter were decapitated because they ran under a boat lift and the other one was uh, a a kid that was swimming in the lake and somebody came speeding by. So, I'm thanks to everybody, Rex, right, Greg. Thanks to uh Earl and thanks to Frank Py who's a Marine Advisory Board and also the Broward County Sheriff Marine Patrol who probably know my name, my phone number, my email, everything. And and Jay, he's out there. He's been out there for 20 years. He's uh I I think he's a lieutenant. So, I think that it's the time has come and we can fix this and hopefully this gets through on the first reading and quickly on the second reading. And don't forget about the no signs. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Further input from the public. Speaking of Mr. P.

Thank you for your service on our marine advisory committee. Frank, excuse me. Frank P, Northeast 28th Avenue in Pompo Beach. Um, I'll just quickly go through this. We've been here for quite a while. Basically the state regulates the waters. All waters of the state of flatter navig waters belongs to the state and since 1845 this state has developed a very distinctive approach originally in common law to manage navigable waters and submerged lands. Um the resulted in a strict statewide regulation of navigable waters and anchoring. Anchoring has always been treated as a part of navigation. So when you hear the word navigation in navigation, that includes anchoring. Under the Florida statutes, up until a few years ago, the anchoring laws were very clear. Under the Florida statute, legislators explicitly stated that a county or municipality may not enact, continue in effect, or enforce any ordinance or local regulation regarding the anchoring of vessels. and this applies to all Navaga waters of a state. So this new ordinance or this bill that got passed last year is it's actually quite historical because this is the first time other than a moing field that a state is allowing a municipality to regulate anchoring. Well, it's not really regulating anchoring. It's regulating what happens after 30 days. So, uh, if you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them. Very good. Thank you, sir. Appreciate that. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Vice Mayor,

uh, thank you for bringing this forward. I remember in 2023 there was a change of the county, uh, being able to designate some of this and I went back and forth with Mr. Burman, our city engineer, in the hopes that it would allow us to do something about these vessels. It did not do that. So finally when the law changed in 2025, we are able to do something. Uh I am wondering if it's like if we find the need to expand this. So there's an area off of like Exchange Club Park where people anchor and hang out. And I think there's actually a sailboat down there right now that's been so and that might even be what's in the picture here that it's not on the map. So, are we able to do this anywhere or just in the areas on the map on the cons on the composite exhibit one?

Pursuant to this ordinance, it would be those identified on the map. So, if we find the need to expand this because these vessels find new places like like I anticipate happening, can we do that? Yes, you can always expand. Okay. Because I do think that area off exchange club arc I think that's considered part of the inter coastal. Okay. Well, there's a boat there. There is a boat down there now that sunk.

Okay. Anyway, so just in in general, if there's other areas because I know as we go further back into Garden Isles, there's another lake back there. There's some other areas where this could expand to. So, I just want to make sure that in the future if we need to uh you know, if this turns like whack-a-ole that we we have tools to to expand it. Um but overall um this is a big positive change. So thank you so much and this is really going to help uh clean up those lakes. Very good. Mr. P, could you just come forward so everybody can hear what you were saying on the microphone even though public input is closed but uh you do have a certain expertise here.

Yeah. Put on the advisory board hat. That's it. So yeah, if you could explain you were you were you were yelling yelling from the audience there but in relation to what vice mayor just brought up about the inter coastal. We look we looked at I looked at that part and it is considered part of the inter coastal waterway although day anchoring is allowed. The boats that's washed up there now is actually been was up at the inlet. It went to the marina. I think it broke loose out of there ended there. Um we're waiting. They've been given 21 days notice and once the 21 days are up um VSO will take the vessel, bring it to the ramp and it'll be crushed.

Okay, great. And go going back to the other side of Federal Highway. We thought about that. Uh most of these boats, 95% of them are sailboats, so they're not going to get back in there. Um but yes, you can add to this in the future.

Very good. Thank you, sir. Appreciate you coming forward. Thank you. Further commission discussion. Um I've I've got a question. Will this take care of because I I know we had a situation out there that M Mr. Russo and I talked about um and the city attorney's office also. We had a situation where a sa sailboat sunk and all we could see was the top of the mast sticking up out of the water and it was like n there's nothing we could do about it. It's it's not nobody deemed it a hazard navigation and all this. But would will this allow us to go out there and put it put some kind of a sticker on the top of the mast then get it out of there after 30 days or something? Yes, sir. It would. Very good. That's great. Appreciate that. Um, but we would have to hire a diver to get down and actually find the the the VIN number or something for the boat. The last known owner. Yes.

Okay. Gotcha. Well, we Mr. Harrison, you're going to have to budget for that now. Very good. Further commission discussion. You usually it is the Brow Sheriff's Marine um department. Got it. Further commission discussion? Seeing none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fazic. Yes. Perkins. Yes. Commissioner Seerson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Mayor Fornier. Yes. Harden.

Yes. Item 10 is the first reading of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Pmpo Beach, Florida, adopting amendments to the portable water sub element and the conservation element in the city's comprehensive plan as required by section 163.3177 subsection C, excuse me, 6C, Florida statutes to be consistent with the city's updated water supply facilities work plan prepared as required by the South Florida Water Management District's 2023-24 Lower East Coast Regional Water Supply Plan providing for determination that a local planning agency hearing was held on January 28th, 2026 providing that a transmitt and adoption public hearing will be held providing for severability providing for conflicts providing an effective date. So moved.

Second. Moved and seconded for discussion. Hi Miss Dolan.

Hi Jean Dolan development services. Great to see everyone. Um the Pompro Beach is the applicant for this item to amend our uh comprehensive plan to accommodate the update 2025 update to the water supply facilities work plan. So as the re um as the applicant we are recommending approval of the comprehensive plan text amendment adopting these amended policies associated with the water supply facilities work plan which is being updated for the planning period of 2025 to 2045. The amended policies are in the two elements, the portable water sub element and the conservation element. The water supply facilities work plan update ensures compliance with chapter 163.3177 paragraph 6c of the Florida statute which requires local government to revise their water supply facility work plan and associated comp plan policies within 18 months after the Florida South Florida Water Management District adopts the update to the lower east coast regional water supply plan which occurred in September of 2024. So we do this every five years. The last time we did it was 2020. So it's time for us to do it again. So just a very brief summary of what the policy changes are. So under the portable water sub element, the policy updates reflect the following. A revised level of service standard based on more recent data analysis. Available treatment capacity and treatment methods to remove PAS from treated water. The need for changes to the conceptive use permit by 2030 to accommodate the removal of the PAS from the water supply. Water demand calculations for new development. Reclaimed water infrastructure installation for new development and mandatory mandatory connections once the reclaimed water is available. The expansion of reuse infrastructure and consideration of potential alternative water supplies to meet demand through 2045. The changes to the conservation element focus on the discontinuation of the ocean outfall for wastewater effluent which actually comes from Broward County

not from the city. Um that legislation has finally come to the end. 2025 was the last year that could go on and also to explore the alternative water supply sources that we may be using in the future. So, at this point, I'm just going to turn it over to our utilities director, Renuko Muhammad, to give you an overview of what's in the water supply facilities work plan. Very good. Thank you,

Renuka Muhammad, utilities director. So, I just want to give you a little bit of perspective on this and how this process works with South Florida Water Management District. Uh, we are one entity of many that is submitting at this point. And like Jean, Miss Dolan said, it's a five-year process. Every five years it rolls around. We are part of the southeast coast water supply plan update and strategic goals and objectives of the lower east coast is to identify sufficient water supply sources and projects to meet existing and future beneficial uses during a one in 10year drought condition while sustaining water resources and related natural systems. Um the lower east coast plan involves west Palm Beach County, Broward, Miami Dade, most of Monroe County and eastern portions of Hendrickk and Collier County. The region also has some unique and critical ecosystems that we have to take into account. The Everglades, Lake Okachchobee, Florida Bay, Biscane Bay, Florida Keys, Lockxahhatchee River, and Lake Worth Lagoon. We also have two large agricultural areas, one around Lake Okachchobee and the other one in southern Miami date county. And coupled with that, we have expansive urban areas which right now accounts for about 30% of the state's population and growing. So when we take a look at this plan and why public utilities is so important, it is projected by 2045 public water, drinking water will be at close to 51%. That is an increase of 18% from the last plan update which occurred in 2021. So like Miss Dolan noted um for us at the city of PMPO Beach there are two elements we are updating based on the portable water and then the water

conservation which we'll go into. So the plan itself is the water supply plan and it's adopted by reference into the comprehensive plan and those are the chapters. I'm not going to go through all of them but lots of data and analysis for it. We're going to touch on a few things for specific for the city of PMPO Beach. So the water service area and I should say the utility service area includes water wastewater reuse but it varies from the jurisdictional boundary for the city of PMPO Beach. In April of 25 the estimated population was 115 plus service. We provide service to approximately 84% of the residents of PMPO Beach, portions of Lighthouse Point and Lauder Hill by the Sea. The remaining residents are direct customers of Broward County Water and Wastewater Services. So on the map there, everything with the blue lines is what the city of Pmpo Beach utility services and everything outside of those blue lines is served by the county. I'm just going to recap this because most of you know this portable water supply. We have two well fields. The eastern wellfield and the western wellfield. We have two treatment processes. Lime softening as well as nanopiltration altogether making up about 15 mgd. We have 13 million of water storage. We have two on-site storage tanks, one off-site storage tank and a what we call a clear well on site as well. And we have approximately 290 miles of water pipe. So the data and analysis this on the five-year process. So the city of Pompo Beach um we are going to see an incline over the next five years. We're going to see a jump going up to the 104 and then we're

going to kind of steadline from there. Slight growth for Lighthouse Point and Lauder Hill by the Sea. There is a stagnation. We see a slight drop over the projected period. Bear in mind this is all data coming out from the county and it is subject to change over the next 5year period and we can adjust accordingly for that. So the level of service that we are projecting right now that we are planning to adopt is 141 gallons per capita per day based on our production data and population data from the last 5 years. Currently the average water demand is at just over 15 million gallons per day. The projected by 20 by 2045 would be 18.4 million. So I don't have a clicker I think on this but the blue block is the water demand finished water demand over the the period of time through 2045. The raw water before PAS before we needed to do any treatment change is the blue line. After PAS when we have to change treatment our raw water demand is going to go up because we have greater losses on the treatment process. So for this differential that you see before PAS after PAS right now we are in conversations with South Florida Water Management District. We've done the pre-application meeting. We've submitted a modification for the permit to attempt to be able to get additional biscane supply. So that is that piece is ongoing. Um you'll also see on the permit requirements the the red line. So there's a solid red line which is the current permit. And then we did a modification where the city bought C-51 supplies. So you will see a slight increase as well but again it doesn't take us to where we need to be based on

the new treatment that's coming along. So we are working through that process and um the application has been submitted to the district. The other component on this is conservation. So twofold. We have the uh reuse water system and then we have active participation via education and public outreach. On the reuse water system um 7.5 MGD capacity for the facility. We've had an uptick of 70% since it last reported our last plan update in 2020. So we're doing really good on that. The reuse demand is currently at 2.7 2.57 um and again projected just over 4 MGD by 2045. On the public outreach we have 16 active programs again most of them are aimed at educating and bringing awareness and importance of water conservation. So twofold between the reuse program and public outreach, we've been able to reduce the per capita usage on the portable water side. So we've moved from 170 back in 2015 to 141, which is really great for us. So we're making a lot of progress on this. Um, and I it's important, I think, to point out that this is part of our permit requirements. We have to have an active program. We have to have all of these things in place in order to bring that number down. So, just to recap, the South Florida Water Management District approved the 23-24 Lower East Coast Regional Water Supply Plan back in September of 24. The city has 18 months to adopt the water supply facilities work plan and then adopt um in the comprehensive plan.

We took this to the planning and zoning committee on January 28th and it was approved. Next steps here. Obviously, we're seeking approval to take this um to approve the plan and then once you once the approval is granted, we take it to the state to review and once the state adopts this, then we bring this back for a second reading. Uh the final deadline is March 26 by the state. Any questions or concerns?

Very good. Thank you for that. We appreciate your presentation. Great job. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions. Commissioner Fik. Yes. I I have a question related to your slideshow, but then in our backup on exhibit A. Um, so you mentioned the lime softening plants, which are really cool. Um, but it says in the exhibit A, page three of 16 says that here they're to be dis decommissioned.

Yes. So eventually the lime softening plants will be commissioned because it does not remove PAS. So the change that the city is going through right now everything is predicated on PAS. So yes as the new treatment becomes available there will be a plan to decommission the lime softening. Okay. Is there any is there any harm in I know when I went through the whole tour? There was quite a bit of sort of finding that balance but there was if one one goes down we still have this if there was that was the the methodology or that was sort of the sense of security

um somewhat that I had from your staff. So is there something that we can do to not decommission it but then per perhaps run it through a secondary system or

so currently you know lime softening traditionally again has not been used to remove PAS the PAS regulation becomes effective in 29 it may be set back to 30 in between now and then there's lots of exploratory technologies that are happening right now um the city has moved forward in you know with expanding it's not a filtration um that is a tried and trueue method but I think we are also open to taking a look and see what is going to be developed between now and then because if there is a cost associated with nanoiltration any membrane there's going to be a higher cost is also the higher loss which is why we're seeking the additional raw water capacity from the district so I think we're very open to seeing what available technologies are out there and if we have to pilot we'll pilot. I think we have time to do that and um you know if we can hold on to a little bit more of the lime softening. Yes, it again it is tried and true technology also here in South Florida. It has served the industry very well. So

um in that I know you you have a you have a tough job to do at the moment. So I I uh hats off to you I guess. Thank you. Very good. Uh Vice Mayor, thank you. Uh, I had some concerns when I read through the staff report and then your presentation kind of bolstered those. I mean, it's this kind of is what it is, right? You're updating the the situation, but can you go back to your slide on um the one more one further back?

Okay. So, Pompo in the next five years is expected to grow I don't know 10%ish. Um but all but the other cities we service are remaining flat or going down is that

so again this is on the data we're getting from the district from planning and zoning and Miss Dolan may be able to speak to this a little bit more but again a lot of this is projected data based on what were the assump there are assumptions built into this so when the plan is updated we don't know if this is a true trend yet you know we will have to monitor this and when we come back to update the plan again in the next cycle. This will be adjusted if it needs to be adjusted. It's very difficult to plan out

population. I understand. But this is to to the point that a lot of us sit up here and talk about about the growth in Pompo relative to other parts of South Florida or the county or our neighbors like Lighthouse Point and Lauderdale by the Sea. This this shows that we are outpacing them dramatically. And I know I always talk about it. There will be impacts on our infrastructure. And this is what we're this you know from roads to water to waste all of it. So this is one of the ways I think we can see this because the combination of the increased demand and us potentially losing our more efficient method for uh for filtering water um is with the lime with the

so so that the the lime softening is that change in treatment is triggered by a different regular that is triggered by I understand that's for PAS But we have we have multiple factors here that are uh that are putting some pressure on the system. We are growing.

We have regulations that we need to comply with. So we need to either phase out or find a new technology to keep our our plant going and the technology that is that will work to filter PAS is uh less efficient. So we need more raw water to create the the potable drinkable water. So, there seems to be a lot of pressures on this and um I always think about who's going to pay for this because we come get utility bill hikes and and things like that, but this new growth is development. So, is there a way for us to look at impact fees or somehow passing some of these costs along to developers that are building projects that are creating the additional population and demand? So as they come through through the process, yes. Um I believe we have to be a little more stringent in demanding improvements. If you're going to join the system, if you are adding new customers to the system, there is a cost of doing business and you have to make improvements of the system. Um it's part of the due dilig process. So yes, we are in the process of reviewing that as well. Um because everybody has again anybody that's coming onto the system should be able to make a contribution an impact fee to the system um ahead of time. Yes. Because we you're joining a system that again is already producing um to the population it serves and again we're adding like you said we're adding these extra customers to the system. So usually what you would see in the utility business there is an impact fee associated with developers coming online and we will also ask you to make improvements. We can't ask you for example to join the system if something is not working properly. So we're going to work with you to go through that process to be able to bring value to the system.

That's really refreshing to hear. So it's always I I've had this conversation over and over on everything. Um, but I want to make sure that we are properly accounting for for these these increases and and ensuring that the people responsible for it are bearing the burden, not the residents who have lived here a long time. So, I don't know if there's some analysis that you're working on or I I personally would love to see an some kind of update on impact fees after looking at this because that's this is all this scream to me is we have a lot of need we're going to need more raw water. We're going to need you know to change our filtration our filtration likely. We have this big population growth uh 10% in 5 years. So, we need to make sure that the the developers and the people bringing this growth are are paying for it. We are working on a study right now. It's a very high level study, but this is one of the areas that very critical for us to to work on.

Okay. I look forward to to hearing more about that. Thank you. Yes. Very good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fez, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Pier, yes. Hart,

yes. Item 11 is a first reading of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Pmpo Beach, Florida, amending chapter 155, zoning code of the PMPO Beach Code of Ordinances by amending section 155.2432 reasonable accommodation and section 155.2434 2434 Community Residence and Recovery Community Certificate to comply with Florida Chapter 2025-182 laws of Florida relating to certified recovery residents providing for severability providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Good afternoon, Mr. Real.

Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, and commissioners. Um, I know it's been for the record, Scott Reali, principal planner with development services. I know it's been a long meeting, so I'll make it short and sweet. Uh, let me start by saying this text amendment is being presented solely to comply with state statutes. So, unfortunately, it's not that interesting. Florida Senate Bill 954, codified as uh, chapter 2025 182 of the laws of Florida require cities to adopt clear timelimited procedures for reviewing certified community residences. From a practical standpoint, development services largely already follows these steps. This ordinance, which was uh uh prepared by the city attorney's office, simply codifies the process, tightens uh review timelines, and ensures that decisions are issued promptly and in writing. Uh to be clear, the ordinance is procedural only. It does not expand where recovery residences are allowed, and it does not change any existing zoning standards. What the ordinance does is establish uh clear review timelines. Applications for community residents and recovery communities as certificates and associated reasonable accommodations must be now date stamped upon receipt. We actually already do that. Um in uh if additional information is needed, the city must notify the applicant in writing within 30 days. The applicant then has 30 days to respond. Once an application is deemed complete, the city must issue a decision within 60 days unless both parties agree in writing to an extension. So, why are we doing this? Uh, well, without these procedural updates, the city risks automatic approvals, legal challenges, and potential loss of local control due to non-compliance with state law and federal fair housing requirements. So, that's the exciting text change mandated

by state. I'm happy to answer any questions. Very good. Thank you for that. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions, concerns. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fezik, yes. Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerine, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Pier, yes. Harton, yes. Thank you.

Thank you. takes us up to item 12, discussion and consideration item for the annual performance evaluation for Mr. Kervin Alfred, city clerk. Very good. Miss Seneago. Hello. Lisa Seneago, human resources director. Uh, this item is for performance valuation discussion and any related pay changes. Any changes would be effective 12125 and Mr. Alfred's accomplishments are in the backup materials that you have. Of the 12 comparable regional city clerks, Mr. Alfred's pay is at the 70th percentile. He has three years of service as city clerk and 18 years with the city. And as a reminder, there's a 3.5% cola that was granted to all employees 10125 including the four officials that the the commission oversees. And the general employees merit increasability is currently anywhere between two and 4%.

Same thing I do. That's it. Very good. Thank you for that. All right. Well, start off Ker, Mr. Alfred, I think you've been doing a wonderful job. I appreciate everything you're doing and you know, making making sure everything gets done over in the city clerk's office and and I I just think you you're doing marvelous job. I'd go ahead. Let's see. Um I'd go ahead and make a motion. Let me let's see there because um Miss Senego you said um he's at 70% amongst peers right now, right? Yes. He currently sits right at the 75th percentile of the of the 12. So there's 13 alto together including our city.

Right. I I' Well, I'd go ahead and make the motion for a 4% um merit. That's you know I I think we need to try and stay at that 75%. I think that's a good spot for us to be at. So, I'd make a motion for a 4% increase for Mr. Alfred. I'll second. Second. Sorry. Okay. Well, we we got a move. I have a motion with a second. Okay. It's been moved and seconded. All right. Um discussion. Commission discussion. Yes, Mayor. So, I've got Commissioner Smith first, then we got Commissioner Perkins.

I just want to say what a pleasure it is to work with u Mr. Alfred. And when I was thinking about um attributes that he has, he's efficient, he's knowledgeable, he's organized, and he's available anytime I ask of him. He's there for me. No matter if it's night or on the weekends, and I just I appreciate that. And I'm sure the whole commission is that same way. Y Commissioner Perkins, thank you, Mayor. Um, it's a pleasure to um work with Kervin. Speak.

It's a pleasure to work with uh Kervin and makes me think about back in the day how the city used to be. I think he if he was there if he was back here during that time he would understand. But he always deliver on everything he says he's going to do. He has very good communication qualities and that's what's lacking with a lot I would say in the city and he always exceeds his expectations. So he's he's constantly telling us about the deadlines and the dos and the don'ts and I just feel like feel like he cares about the commissioners and the elected officials. He really sincerely care. Um he's very reliable. He always, like I said, exceeds his uh expectations. So, excuse me. Um, I couldn't think of anything that you need to improve on. Not one thing, not one. But anyway, I just want um you to know, Kervin, that we really appreciate you. And sometime we don't get back with you in a timely manner, but you're always available. You always answer your phone. Very, very, very, very good communication skills. I like that. Guess that's what my degree is in. So, I I like to relate on that. So, but anyway, uh I agree with the percent.

Thank you, Mayor. Very good. Commissioner Seerson Eden. Thank you, Mayor. Yes, Kervin. You are graceful under pressure. Um and it's really a big job. U all of the things that you have to do. So, you're an integral part of the city. You've got a great staff and I think you've been doing a great job. So, and thank you. Okay. Absolutely. Commissioner Fess.

Thanks. So, Gervin, I I I want to thank you because I know that even before being elected, I was regularly visiting your office and emailing with you. And so, I just want to say again, you are one of the kindest and sweetest people. Um, you truly love what you're doing because you take the time to give everybody that smile and the and the kindness that you show to other people is always visible. I don't think anybody in the city has ever been like, "Oh man, that Kervin like everybody has said, he's such a nice guy." And so you not only are responsive to us, but you're responsive to the residents and and that is that makes our job easier. So, thank you for that. Um, I know I regularly work with you on on lots of different requests of all kinds and and your staff. And I want to say thank you also for some very complex asks on my end um to really working with me and the volume of some of those things to find ways to work together to get those get information to me. So I do appreciate that. Um, I I told Kervin I when I spoke with him earlier today, it's a regular conversation, um, that I will I want to make sure that I support the continued use of whatever you and your office needs um, in terms of technology and efforts to modernize what when I looked through your when I looked through your accomplishments and your list of accomplishments, a lot of what you've been doing, especially lately, is bringing us into the 21st century here in the city. And I just want to say I understand how much work that entails over and above what you're doing right now. So I want to make sure that you know that you have my continued support at you and your team to see what we can do to make sure that you have the use of technology and efforts to modernize not just our system but to bring our system bring our city into public records requests or online meetings. Anything to make it easier for not just you to do

your job but for the public public to access that information. in a way that is less stressful on you and your office. Um, and um, overall just want to say you're the best. I'm so happy you're able to uh, enjoy Laspata Sub for the first time. I'm sorry for hooking you on it. And uh, if I would give you one piece of advice is to maybe not have as many 11 pm nights at the office. So, so Kervin, we're gonna we're going to work on your work life balance soon, but you're doing a fantastic job. Thank you. Very good for the commission. Vice Mayor,

thank you. I think everyone pretty much said it. Yes, you are kind. You are, but more important than that, you are thorough and competent and qualified and do your job um with uh in a way that that shows your commitment to us and to our city and to doing things the right way. And for that, I really do appreciate it. Um it is a heavy load. I know there's a lot of asks. Uh there's probably been a lot of public record requests and other things. Um and we appreciate you doing that and um I will support this. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion? Seeing none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fezik, yes.

Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Fornier, Mayor Harton, yes. Um, all right. That takes us up. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Um, that takes us up to additional audience to be be heard. I don't think we have any. Look for the audience to be heard. Very good. Our next scheduled meeting will be February 24th, 2026 at 6 PM, a regular city commission meeting, followed by March 10th, 2026 at 1 p.m. a regular city commission meeting. That takes us up to reports. Mr. Harrison, our city manager. Yes, sir. We have a couple of birthdays one day after another. Uh, Commissioner Fessick on February 8th. Commissioner Perkins on February 9th. Happy birthday

yesterday. And uh Russ uh gave me this door hanger here. We're going to have clean streets on February 12th in the Highlands area. Commissioner Eden. Very good. And um Major Elwood uh has something that I've asked him to come up and share with you all. It's a unusually large Caesar seizure that is being it's in the process of being awarded to the city. So, okay, good news. Major,

good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, and members of the community. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you uh this afternoon. I'm going to jump I had that last uh Mr. Harrison, but I'll jump to that. I'm gonna put that up on the screen. So, our BSO PMPO Beach detectives working with the Brower County Moneyaundering Task Force concluded a year-long nationwide drug diversion investigation involving complex and innovative multi-jurisdictional investigative techniques. There were eight defendants charged. Five defendants have already entered guilty p. There's three cases remaining. Um, in this investigation, it's the largest seizure in the history of the state of Florida.

Wow. The funds that our Pompo detectives are bringing back to the city is 2,723,914. Wow, that's nice. Congratulations.

Thanks, sir. And we we anticipate more just from that case. And then we actually have other cases as well. So, we we will be over the 3 million mark at some point. Also, uh, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, I want to just touch on a couple topics, and I know we're all tired, so I'll move quickly. Um, I had an opportunity this past week to meet directly with Commissioner Perkins and a member of the community at her request. And I appreciate uh, Commissioner Perkins having that meeting with you. I know we talked about a recent use of force. Um, and I want I think we accomplished a lot in that meeting. We were able to talk about the process. Um, I think it shed it shed light on what the process is and uh I'm I'm glad we had that ability to talk about it and I'm going to get into it for the public so they can understand the process. But I just want to uh shed some light on part of that. You know, I'm at two years now in this position and it's gone by fast. It's a lot lot going on in the city. Uh two years ago I stood here. I think it was my second or third day as the chief and we had a line of people in here because just prior to me coming here there was several shootings in the city. There was a young man that was shot and killed. I think he was believe he was 16 years old. And I think on my second day um everybody was looking at me and said, "Hey major, what are you going to do about it?" And I I thought, "Wow, I haven't even unpacked any boxes yet." But um I got the message. mayor, you leaned over as you often do and said, "Major, you need to do something about this." Uh, we then, if if everybody remembers, we went out within that week and we marched through the neighborhood and with pastors and law enforcement, members of the community, the commissioners, mayor, vice mayor, we were all there and we we felt it. And I've felt it tremendously as just a new

chief here in the city. And I understood that we needed to do something. we really needed to do something about it. So, I took that directive, mayor, that you, the vice mayor, the commissioners gave me, and the community gave me to go back to our deputies and say, "We got to stop this violence. We have to do something about it." So, here's the here's the good news, and I have this up on the screen. Last year, we decreased crime overall in the city by 13%.

Wow, that's great. But more importantly, we we decreased shootings by 40%. From 2024, that is a significant number. We decreased homicides by 39%. And I just want to say this to you, those aren't just numbers. Those are people in the community. That means 40% less people were shot. That means 39% less people in Pompo were murdered. And we take that very seriously. and our deputies took the direction that myself and our command staff went to roll calls and said, "You got to do something about this violence." And they went out and they became very proactive. We talked about you can't just be report writers. You can't just wait for the call and go there and write a report and then let the process work out and investigators investigate it. We got to stop shootings before they happen. And we're doing that at record numbers. These numbers that I'm talking about, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, these are record lows in PMPO and it's the result of proactive law enforcement. So, I want to talk about the incident. We had a shooting uh the day before the incident where force was used on an individual. That shooting is captured on video. There's lots of people in the area, community members. Our deputies arrive, they interact with the community, they gather information on shooters, evidence, where located, there's a cooperation. You can see it on the video with the community and law our law enforcement. There's an individual young man that shot in both of his legs. Our deputies immediately put tourniquets on his legs and absolutely save his life. You watch that video and you're proud. You're proud of the community. you're proud of law enforcement because we work together. The very next day during a commission

meeting, 1:30 in the afternoon, we had another shooting on the exact same street connected to the one from the night before, probably retaliation. That again is on video and it's very clear. It's daylight. It's 1:30 in the afternoon. Our deputies raced to the scene. Uh we watched the video. I was able to show uh Commissioner Perkins the the the all the deputies body warn cameras where they're racing to the scene. They get out of their cars. They're running towards where the shooters are. They have rifles. They have handguns. This is what they're trained to do. They're going there because they got the message of being proactive and protecting the community. They're not waiting just to take a report. They want to get there and save people's lives in the community. They interact with the community members there. Many of them shootings over there. You know, you can see it. They're letting them know where they're at. The dep the deputies are setting up a perimeter. They're protecting the crime scene. It's a full block. This shooting is two individuals shooting back and forth at each other. While they're securing this scene and they're talking to residents, an individual with a with a hoodie over his head, all black, the exact description of the shooter, one of the shooters that was given out, decides he's going to run full speed, I'm sorry, past deputies that are trying to say, "Hey, don't come into the scene." He runs full speed while deputies are giving verbal commands. Stop. Repeatedly stop. He ignores those commands. He runs up to a deputy and assaults a deputy. As soon as that happens, the deputies try to take him into custody. Rightfully so. He's committed a crime. He's assaulted a deputy. He's disobeyed lawful commands. When they go to take him into custody, he fights them. He's 22 years old and he gives up. He gives up unbelievable fight, which happens at times. And it's hard to put somebody in

custody when they're determined not to be placed into custody. Force was used on that individual. So, I just want to say this for the record. That individual was supposed to be arrested. He had committed a crime. Force needed to be used cuz he was using force on deputies. What is under review, and it's rightfully so, it should be under review, is the level of force that we used. That process is in place for every use of force. It's done professionally. It's done impartially and transparently. Our command staff reviews the body warn camera, writes notes, and then sends it to our internal affairs division. The internal affairs division does a thorough investigation. Body warn cameras, all the views, statements, statements from witnesses, statements from deputies, statements from the person that was involved in the arrest. Once that's concluded, they submit that to the use of force board. The use of force board will determine if it's correct, if it's within policy, if it's within the law and it's within their training and they have a all those variations and they will make they will put that out and it will be put out publicly completely transparent and whatever they decide is what we go by. It's the process and that's the process in a professional law enforcement agency. So, I just want to talk about that for a second. We understand that proactive policing might sound aggressive, but it does everybody remember when we stood here with the line of people how upset and discouraged the community was of how many people were being shot and and young teenagers. So, we understand there's a balance between proactive policing and community policing. And I

just want to share with you and I actually want to credit Commissioner Perkins for saying you need to show this. So we developed we we strategize and our captains will tell you we talk about community interaction and how people feel about us and how people interact with our law enforcement and we know the importance of it. And we came up with now there's a there is an existing park walk and talk program and it's simply that you park your car you walk in the community and you talk to residents in the community and it's to engage and to be allow residents to feel comfortable. We took it a step further back in August of last year. We wrote a command directed park walk and talk. This directive which everyone received and signed for says they each deputy will conduct a minimum of six foot patrols per shift in their zone every shift. Three of those locations will be designated by the command staff. So areas where we have concerns where where citizens have maybe stated that they haven't seen deputies or we go to HOA and there and there may be hey we need you we need to see you. We need you out there. And I tell you, community policing is based on face-to-face contact, not driving by in a police car. Three additional locations are selected by the zone deputies. Those deputies, we want them to feel a part of the process. They get to pick three locations. I will tell you, initially, a little push back on that from the deputies. Move forward six months, deputies are talking about the successes that they're having. They're naming people in their zones by name. They're talking about getting information from the community. Our captains are getting phone calls talking about how great that is, how how wonderful that it is to see those deputies. I believe we had a

commissioner um say that her children have seen that deputy walk on her street and and was was inquiring about it. So, it's it's a success that we have here in the city and it's I just want you to understand that I got the message on stopping the shooting, but we also understand that you have to be connected to the community. I think that's a win for all of us. And I get it that there was a use of force that on the surface when you look at it, and I'm not going to judge it one way or the other, there's a process for that. But I get it that we all look at something and and we can take a step back, but we have to let the the official process go through and and it will be dealt with with the determination they make. So, the last thing I want to say, and I apologize. I know we're we're all tired and we want to move on. Um the same message, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, that I gave two years ago. You have my continued commitment that I will do everything in my power to keep this city safe. We take it very seriously and we talk about it and we strategize about it and I promise you that your command here in Pompo lives for doing that. This is our calling and we have success and our success is in those numbers because those are people that are still here that previously the numbers would have said six, seven, eight people wouldn't be here this year that were there last year because of our efforts. So I want to thank you for the opportunity to address the commission today and the community and I look forward to continuing open and productive communication. Thank you.

Good. Thank you major. Appreciate it. Thank you so much for all of your efforts uh on the streets and and in the community. And thank you so much. Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Very good, Mr. Harrison. Your report, sir. That concludes my report, Mayor. Nice ending. Okay. All right. City Attorney, Miss Lions. Thank you, Mayor. Um nothing specific to report. I just wanted you all to know I will begin tomorrow looking into the specific language that we can come together for the um pet sales shops. I'll start working on that tomorrow and be happy to meet with you individually at your convenience. Very good. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Alfred. City clerk.

Yes. um don't have a report but I just wanted to express my um appreciation for the kind words that each of you have expressed under my um performance evaluation and I intend to continue to strive for to meet your expectations um with the effort to kind of cut back on the late night hours. But thank you so much for those um for the kind remarks and um we'll continue to strive to meet your expectations. But I also want to give a quick shout out to the team behind every administrator, this uh awesome staff behind. And I wanted to express my appreciation to Britney, Emily, um Michael, uh Dre, and all the team members that work behind me to keep uh the office running and meeting your expectations. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Appreciate all you you guys do. All right. Texas Up City Commission, Commissioner Fessic.

Thank you. Um, so I know it's been a long day, but I do have a few things that I that I want to address. So, I'll do the quick ones first. Um, don't don't growl at me. Um, so I got a lot of emails about over the cold weather about the livestock that the sheep in the park at Westview Cemetery. And so I I just wanted to make sure I didn't know I know it probably got forwarded on, but that's a little concerning to me. I think somebody even said that the baby sheep died. And so I'm just I know that we have there's a lot going on over there, but I just want to make sure that that was brought to your attention that's on Facebook, it's on Instagram, it's on emails that we're getting. We have to do some we have to make sure we're doing something or whatever we need to do to make sure animal control is out there and ensuring that everybody is being cared for well. Um so there's that. That was a quick one. Um, there's some residents have been asking me about demolitions. Uh, there was a de demolition at 552 North Ocean. Um, and this actually made me think of something extra, Mr. Harrison. I don't know if if everybody gets it, but I haven't. Um, I found it in other areas or through one of my public records requests, but is it possible for all commissioners to receive that um, development services updates, that monthly that monthly report that goes out because I haven't necessarily been getting it every month and it would be really helpful to know what's in the hopper, you know, what's might be going to to planning and zoning, what might be coming to zoning board of appeals, because a lot of times we get those questions and we're fielding them and rather than have to go backwards. It' just be a lot more proactive to have that on the front end. If that would be something you could make sure um Mr. Reorf maybe could add us to his list. I think he's the one who sends it out. Um three are related to paving. Three real

quick topics. Uh I've there's been a lot of conversation about obviously uh crosswalks and we I know that we did the south side of A1A um with FDOT and there's the north side where we'll have to again see the see the crosswalk and the approval for those to come through at some point. But this is a this is the request more so to have a presentation related to from staff related to the crosswalks or the FOT project moving forth now that we're moving north with it. Um so another just another presentation from staff so every resident can have the most up-to-date information rather than us just trying to do it um from a one-off situation. Uh the North Riverside project I want to thank um Fernand and Earl. Um there was a resident um Mr. Rohanion uh among other people that were on that Zoom call meeting there was a lot of proactive movement I feel um in terms of helping us understand some of the setbacks we've had and it was so Senator Pizzo was also on that call the Zoom call um if we could also add that to a presentation for the rest of the commission just so we have an update on where we stand with that where we need to be what we're hoping to get um in terms of grants or approvals. Army Corps of Engineers are involved. It's a complex project. It's been delayed and residents are really wondering where it stands. So, if we could have an update on that from staff also ahead of us having to roll into budget season, it'll help us form our asks or figure out what we might need to do um moving forward. And then the third part that's related to paving is I got the email saying that Harbor Village was on the list finally and was supposed to be um paved. Um, but I I wanted to sort of take that outside of just that one

neighborhood and see if we could also have an update on all of our five-year paving plan because I know we added the additional 2 million uh to go towards paving. And I know 2 million doesn't go as far as we'd like it to go potentially, but if we could get an update on what that 5-year plan looks like and where those neighborhoods will be served in each district, I think that that would be helpful for residents to understand where we may need to be or what we might need to do to ensure that we are making all of Pompo look all of PMPO Beach look its best. And so I know that um a lot of times some of the questions and the heartache can just be answered with a simple presentation and an update to for residents. So I would appreciate those things. Um moving forward into something different technology. So, I have been looking at other commission meetings and watching a couple other commission meetings in different cities just to kind of see how the dynamics are in different cities and how business is done, whether it be from agenda items or just conversations, presentations, things that might be on your mind or, you know, on any commissioner's mind that they'd like to bring forward. and and be able to discuss in a public forum. But the biggest thing that came uh and and sort of stood out for me was that many cities that are smaller than us are using either Zoom or some other video conferencing software to allow remote attendance for audience to be heard. Um, and so the reason why I felt that this was important to bring up is because we have the meeting at 1 PM and I know in the especially for the past several agenda items, but really

consistently for the entire time that I've been in office, there's a lot of people who send a message and say, "I would love to be there for this reading. I just found out about it. It's a second reading. It's a this. I want to say something, but I can't say something. Here's my email. Please put it into the record." I think if we were able to figure out a way and I Mr. Harrison, I would I'll leave this in your in your hands as well, but I'd like to see some options and potential solutions for us to implement that as an agenda item. um so that we can discuss that no later than I'd say first the end of first quarter simply because as we're moving things along I want to make sure we're we are inclusive to everybody and if we need to take a vote on it at some point but I I feel like everybody would appreciate being able to have that moment to be heard and be on record and not just on the back in the backup but actually be part of the meeting. So if you're attending already via YouTube and you're watching live or you're watching on Granicus and you're watching us live to be able to make sure you phone in and say your piece for audience to be heard to make to speak your opinion that that should also be a part of the process. So um the last thing oh the last major item uh sorry misspoke second to last there was recently a parking incident um that just appeared last last night. It was in through my social media feeds and I was tagged in it. Um, and it has to do with Northeast 16th Street near North Ocean Park and in it I guess there was either some malfunctioning software but people had and you know I'd just like us to look into it because there were a bunch of tickets that were all given out between 1:30 and 2 o'clock and people were trying to explain to the parking ambassador that they had paid and that there was something wrong with the system that some they had already

paid once. They were trying to extend their time and I think almost everybody there got ticketed as I was watching the guy take pictures of the license plate and take pictures and take pictures. So, if we could have um staff look into that and make sure that we're not inappropriately ticketing people if it's our software u potentially because that's a that's a big deal and of course more so than the actual ticketing the mentality and the I don't want us to have that I don't want us I don't want our staff I think or us as a city to have that sort of welcome if we will to that's not how I want us represented on social media. Uh I really would like to see us adhere to that warmest welcome and have staff interact slightly differently rather than laughing at the people who were explaining that there was a problem. Um the last so this is the last one for me. Um I have to bring up um something specifically. I got a lot of emails after the last meeting related to the freestanding emergency room vote and there were some there was a lot of it. There was a lot of information in there, but there were some things that really stuck out stood out stood out for me. And I'm not asking um any I'm not asking anything. I just want to make sure I raise a process and disclosure um point related to that uh agenda item 2025-57. I think somebody else brought it up earlier and so I reviewed a lot of the backup again. I mean I've gone over it in detail and somehow I I I missed one glaringly obvious piece. Um but the materials before us included in the staff report and analysis the proposed ordinance language, the planning and zoning board recommendation and the economic development council

letter of support and even in public comments. So first was economic development council support. I I asked Kervin to to provide me that letter and it was dated m March of 2025 which was not the same at the time. The amendment was not the same as we were presented it. So, not to say that they wouldn't have continued their support, but it just wasn't an updated piece to match the new ordinance or the new change, the new zoning text amendment change. Um, also, it was brought up during the meeting, the 2022 uh September 2022 zoning board of appeals denial record. And the reason why that's important is because it just didn't include any of the ZBA agendas or minutes, the applicants variance requests, narratives, or the exhibits showing that the site was approximately 115 to 245 ft from residential zoning and it failed that 500 foot residential separation requirement that applied at that time. So, the reason why that's important is because those 2022 records show that this exact site was previously denied after failing objective zoning standards and those same standards were later removed or bypassed through the very same zoning text amendment that we adopted at the last meeting. So, my concern isn't necessarily the policy goal. like my concern is whether we had all of the full and accurate information and context um when we voted on on that. Um I know I felt confident trying to explain that to a lot of people. Um the other thing I have mentioned also is uh that I think it would be you know just given the the number of people who have asked us to potentially reconsider. I know I cannot bring it forth and I and I'm not asking that but I just ask that given there's a lot of information and newly surfaced information that we did

not have um all of those pieces in our backup and um I'd like to see if there would be any commissioner who might who had who did vote in favor of that agenda item to bring it the item back for reconsideration so that can be evaluated with a full and complete record. Okay. So, um if it doesn't obviously I would like to see if we can direct staff to just pause site specific implementation if we can just um for that as it relates to that item pending review of the 2022 zoning board of appeals record and advisory timing issue that I described. So um I'm you know just just for the sake for the sake of making this really clear the commission voted on this without being provided the prior sight specific channel denial history advisory support uh was dated before the final ordinance language even existed. So um we can we can go from there. Um the la so the very last thing is I do have a meeting. I misspoke at the last meeting. I did originally have a plan to meet tomorrow evening. Um, and due to the city having a somewhat conflicting meeting that I think is more important for folks to show up at, um, which is the cultural center tomorrow from 6:00 to 7:00. It might go later. Um, I'd encourage you to go to that instead. And I changed my meeting time instead to a lunch um, to be February 13th, which is Friday, from 12 to 1:30. and we'll go visit uh Duck and Spice, which is a local restaurant and business here. It's at 1151 South Federal Highway. And so I would welcome you all to to attend. Um believe that's just about it. Oh, good news. I uh got a there were a couple um

there were a couple commission of ethics complaints filed against me back in September when we had the when we had the circus parade through here and uh related to social media and both of the complaints 20 2575 and I accidentally printed both but both came back um public rep public report and order dismissing complaint both were dismissed without complaint and showing no basis or um and they're they're over. So, thank you very much for everything and hope you guys have a blessed rest of your week. Very good, Commissioner Perkins.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, I wanted to I want to go back on you were talking about the um commissioner the uh park and meters and I was in your district this weekend and um I don't know the name of the plaza but the plaza that's east of Publix there's a new dentist office there.

Yeah. Okay. So I had some issues with the uh the parking meter over there. uh it would not take my money and I didn't know what to do. Um I was dropping someone off at the the dentist office and I wasn't sure if somebody was going to ride by or or just give me a ticket or a fine or whatever. Um so the very next day I was there again. Same problem. So I'm wondering is the park and meter broken there? Are they still giving fines? I don't know whether I received one or not but it would not take my money. So, so I don't know if I'll get something in the mail, but I don't want to think about any of our parking meters being a little

tricky. Now, I did decide since I couldn't get the the uh parking meter to work for me, I decided to just walk and talk to all the businesses and I did. And they're not happy with those parking meters. And some of the employees have to pay for parking and they work there every day. And I'm like, are you kidding me? I couldn't believe it. We're not trying to run businesses away from Pompo. We're trying to keep them here and and bring them here to Pompo. And I think that's something staff needs to look into. Um especially those people. I know next to the dentist office is a I think it's a nail salon.

Yeah, the nail salon. And then next to the nail salon is this little shop I love to go into sell the calendars and all that. those businesses, they are not happy with those parking meters and I don't think it's fair especially for the employees to have to pay now with the um the offices over there. I could not have my mom couldn't drive over there and park because she's not going to be able to deal with the parking meter like like I couldn't. So, I think um we need to reconsider the parking meters there um because we definitely want to be cordial and inviting and welcoming to our businesses. Um not so much run them away. I know we do need parking on the beach for the water. Yes. Yes. Yes. I get that part, but I'm not so sure about this particular plaza because we do not have it across the street uh where they where the new furniture store is or whatever. So, that's something that we need to consider. Those owners are not happy at all. Uh, let's see what I have here. Um, the I want to thank everybody for being so patient with the the Northwest 6th Avenue roundabouts being moved. Um, CRA is working with me trying to get Broward County to place some four-way stop signs at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Sixth Street. fourway stops and also on 8th Avenue and Sixth Street because traffic doesn't really know what to do. They're pausing and the roundabouts are gone and and we don't know. But also, we're working on the uh tower rash. Uh some of the turns when you turn off Sixth Avenue, it's a little tight. So, we're trying to push back the corners a little bit from damaging vehicle tires when they make the turns on off of Northwest 6th Avenue. So, we're working on that, but there's a lot more to be done, of course, on Northwest 6th Avenue, but that's a good start.

We're not going to complain. Um, also I watched the planning and zoning board meeting, I think it was last week or week after, and several of the residents that live in the Liberty Park subdivision is complaining about low water pressure. And I wanted to have somebody look into that. I don't know whether it's a main val or it's it's a pressure regulator. If you could look into Liberty Park, it's an old neighborhood like mine, and several of them were saying that they were on a different issue, but they all complained about the low pressure and in the water there. But you don't you don't have to answer. Um

Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Oh, if you met with them. Yes. Go ahead. Yeah, I think they showed up at the um planning and zoning meeting. Yes. Mhm. So I did reach out to the ones that I had the addresses for and we did visit each one of them. Beautiful.

Um one resident, so it's all PVC piping, so it's relatively brand new um under drinking water piping in there. So one customer um he does have on his side. So the way the utility works, you have the meter, the public side, which we're responsible for, and then the customer side, which they are responsible for. So we've we've went through um there were three locations that we visited from the complaints that we got. Um on the city side, there is no issue. It's it's brand new piping. Um we flushed all the meters. Um, one resident I think she had there were two addresses that they also have PVC on their side. So, we went ahead and we flushed. I did invite them to collect. We have water saving devices. So, it could be that the iras um or any attachments to the faucet could be clogged from a prior event. Um, so I have two that's available for Miss Goodly to pick up and her sister. And then I think it was Mr. Jordan. He came. Yes.

Um he does have galvanize on his side. So he, you know, again, after we finished everything, he's going to change his side of the piping and he als he came and he picked up his package for um the new water saving devices. Wonderful. So we did address that. I'm only waiting for Miss Goodly to come pick up her packages. Great. Great. Okay. That's what I'm talking about. Thank you. You're welcome.

Very good. Very good. Okay. So, um, the last thing I had Oh, Chief Elwood. Um, you you did a wonderful, uh, presentation. It was great meeting with you and your staff the other day. Um, I did learn a lot about the incident of what took place. However, I'm still standing and the community is still asking about that one particular video where the officer is kicking the individual while he's while he's down. So, that's the tip or the video that I'm concerned about that the community is asking about. So, um know there was a lot led up to that. I I get that part and you we did go over all of that, but uh we're still waiting on an answer. I think you said some kind of board or committee was meeting today. Yes, Commissioner. Again, thank you for meeting with me as well. I appreciated that. Um it's the use of force review board and I did check as of this morning and it is next Tuesday that they're meeting.

Okay. And whatever they're they're they will take that video in consideration for sure. They have it. They have all the body warn camera that shows all the different angles. Body warn camera also has what's being said, what's being said by the individual and the deputies. Um they'll take they take statements from everybody and they take all of that and they make a decision. And we'll we'll definitely let you know. I understand. Okay. But I'm wondering about the power of this board. You say use of force board. Yes, ma'am. Uh force if they come back with the recommendation saying that this officer was in the wrong, then what happens? They will let internal affairs know that and it will be sent to the professional standards committee and they will talk about it discipline if discipline is necessary.

Could be anywhere all the way up into termination if that's what they're if that's what they decide. But I don't want to say one way or the other. I don't want to judge it. That's not my role in that in that process. Uh but I definitely we will be transparent and we will let you know what they how it progresses and where where they end up with it. Okay. Right. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Uh, the last thing I had is I just wanted to give a shout out again to the Tigers Trail for doing a great job for Black History Month. And also to everybody, last but not least, happy Valentine Day for next Saturday. I know that because it's close to my birthday. Thank you everybody. Very good. Thank you, Commissioner Seagaten.

Thanks, Mayor. I'll be brief. Uh Thursday in the Highlands, we're having another clean streets. And um if you're listening to this, um let your neighbors know we're we're putting out door hangers as we speak. Um this is a great way to get rid of old appliances, furniture, uh televisions, and stereo equipment. No hazardous waste. However, the biggest the biggest thing that we can do is get rid of the tires. Bulk doesn't take tires. And on these special days, you're able to put your tires out. So, I would appreciate everyone put the tires out. We picked up 101 tires in Crest Haven when we had the last clean sweep. So, Thursday the 12th, Highlands clean sweep. Get rid of your old junk and your tires. And that's all I have. Mayor, thank you.

Very good. Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Smith.

Yes. Um, something positive about tonight is $2.7 million BSO got through the last year. That That's phenomenal. So, thank you for your team for your efforts to get that done. I love the proactivity that we're seeing with the crime center and with what you're doing and the closures we're seeing through the group me as you get calls. Um, on March 4th, I mentioned this last last meeting. Um, Chief McGinness and team is going to do a basic emergency skills and we're going to learn how to stop the bleed, hands-on CPR, um, fire extinguishers that I mentioned. So, what do you do after a fire? So, come to Skolnick on March 4th from 6:00 to 9:00 at the Herb Skolnick Center in the large room. Looking forward and you'll be seeing flyers around community that will be starting to be distributed probably later this week. I think they're printing now. I think um in in district five, we have a group of people that have formed together a Pompo Community Empowerment Coalition and they're going to be having an open house on Saturday, February 28th and they're on um 27th Avenue at 390 and they'll be doing free health screenings from 10 to 1. I just want to mention the um churches and community leaders that have come together for this coalition group and they're all working together in community and you'll recognize the names are prominent in our community. Choices Brown's Temple, Lifenet for Families, South Florida Wellness Network, Mission United, Browns Community Development Center, Traveling Light Community Development, Genesis Community Healthcare, Be the Blessing, Reverend Wy

Howard, Deerfield Beach Community Cares, Mount Pisik, Unity in the Community, and Health Startup Broward. and they're doing good state good things over in district 5 and in our community to together. Um something positive about community. Boy, have we had a great kickoff for Black History Month with the Tiger Trail Festivals. Um the Collier City Trailblazers was wonderful to kind of walk through the trails and see everybody that has won awards over the last few years. That was on the first. This last uh weekend we had the gayla. We all got to dress up and be entertained and that was wonderful. The last one that I'm participating in is this Saturday and it's going to be a 5K run walk. I won't be running, I'll be walking. So, if anybody wants to come join me, come to the EPAT Lens Center and walk with me on the 5K. My positive quote tonight. Thank you to Sarah Peterson for providing my quote. Tonight's quote is from Muhammad Ali. Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world that they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, it's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration, it's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing. Thank you, Sarah, for that quote to kick off Black History Month. And mayor, that's all I have. Thank you.

Excellent. Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Thank you. I want to start by wishing Commissioner Fezic and Commissioner Perkins a happy belated birthday. I hope you both had great celebrations this week. Um, with respect to Commissioner Perkins comment about the meters at Harbor Village shops, I've always been opposed to those. I've talked to the same businesses over there who dislike the meters from the beginning. You know, they were told that, you know, it's growing pains, whatever. It's it still doesn't work well over there for the businesses. Uh, so I would actually like to ask if we can get an analysis uh of the the spreadsheet with the parking revenue that we received when we were talking about the the parking changing the parking ordinance um and get an idea of what that analysis and what the financials look like if we were to eliminate the meters from Harbor Village shops. Um, and so that's the first thing I want to get the the second thing I want to talk about is um BSO. So, I had the opportunity to sit down with BSO this week also and to talk about, you know, the incident and that they just reviewed and I appreciate their time. Uh, I I also know that we are going to get the results and we're all going to be briefed on the the study that we undertook in the next couple weeks. So, in anticipation of a lot of questions about that and given what's going on with our neighboring cities, my community meeting this month on uh Feb is on February 25th at 7 p.m. It's at the American Legion like all of our community meetings. And this one we will have a focus on public safety and talking about uh the residents views of of you know of of policing in our city, what they want to see, what's working, what isn't. And so I want to get feedback from people and I will, you know, share some preliminary um thoughts based on the study that we received and

based on what's going on in in Deerfield. So February 25th, 7 p.m. Um uh the six terrace bridge RFP went out and I believe it closed yesterday. So, I look forward to hearing from the city about those results and who bid on it and getting hopefully that project started as soon as the McNab project is completed or at least as soon as the McNab bridge is done. Um, Mr. Harrison, I've received multiple messages recently about a traffic situation in my district, uh, Atlantic and Cypress. Uh, I'm going to read one from a resident, but I'm asking you to maybe work with the city engineer to come up with a solution to that intersection because it is dangerous and it is not functioning. So, the message I received yesterday with many pictures said, "Please, please, please help us." This is every single day from 4:00 to 4:30. I sat through four light changes with people blocking the intersection at Atlantic Boulevard and Cypress Road near First Baptist. Something has to change. There used to be a police officer that was here and wrote tickets. Where is that guy? It is very frustrating, but more importantly, so dangerous because everybody's trying to go around them and it's going to cause a major accident. So, at the intersection of Atlantic and 18th, the cars going westbound on Atlantic are blocking the intersection and you and if you're trying to get southbound on on Cyprus, you can't do it. So, people under take crazy moves to try to weave through and navigate that intersection, especially after carine when schools are getting out. So, we we need help before something bad happens at that intersection. And we need a long-term solution because the traffic

at that intersection is terrible. You said Atlantic 18th. Yes. Cypress. Cypress. Yes. You say 18th. That's all I was just

Oh, sorry. Well, it's 18th when you go further south into into Fort Lauderdale. Sorry. Um, Atlantic and Cypress. So, you know the intersection I'm talking about. Perfect. Thank you. So, I look forward to hearing about what we're going to do to finally resolve the traffic congestion at that intersection. Um, and I do want to thank Tasha for coming out today and her comments about all the different milestones during the month. So, I know the one that resonated with me is actually tomorrow. It is International Women and Girls in Science Day. So, women and girls are still very underrepresented in science. And while we don't have a proclamation for them, I personally want to say uh keep up the good work and keep going because they're great careers and great livelihoods that come through that through pursuing that. Um I had a quote but sometimes you have to know when to pivot. So I was really touched by the the yearbook that we received. Uh, I read the whole thing and during our break and it is um there's way better quotes in here or mods in here from these 1952 graduates from Blanch Elely High School than anything we could come up with. So, I'm just going to read a couple of these uh quotes from the women that graduated from Blanch Elely in that year. So, Mary Evelyn Bell said, "If the elevator to success is not running, take the stairs." And one last one, Rosa May Williams said, "Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you." These were some very wise women. And that's all for tonight. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Um, just want to hats off to Black History Month doing a great job there at Tiger Trail Festival and of course the city also. Nothing happens without the city. It's, you know, it's we are the backs stop that makes things happen, but Tiger Trail is out there working hard. um great gayla they had and great you know the the the trailblazers event out at Collier City that was fantastic. Happy Valentine's Day everybody. Enjoy uh enjoy yourselves. We'll see you next time. This means a journ