City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the regular commission meeting. It is Thursday, 03/12/2026. I'd like to call this meeting to order. Number 2026Dash0312R.

Tonight's music selection by commissioner Rydell was standing room alone by Tim McGraw. For our next commission meeting on March 26, the music selection will be made by our wonderful city attorney, Terrell Pyburn. As we begin, we kindly ask that all mobile devices be silenced. To ensure the best possible sound quality, please speak clearly and directly into the microphone, and remember to mute your microphone when you're not speaking. Should anyone experience difficulty hearing at any time, please raise your hand and a hearing device will be provided to you. Thank you for your cooperation.

Thank you. Mr. Kavanaugh, would you please call the roll?

Commissioner Riedel? Here. Commissioner Welch? Here. Commissioner Brody? Here. Vice Mayor Wasserman? Here. Mayor Raley?

Good evening.

City Manager Rose?

Here.

City attorney Pyburn.

Here. And as

a friendly reminder, the request to speak system is working for all of you tonight, so please remember to utilize it. You're welcome. Thank

you. Now I ask everyone to please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

This meeting is being conducted live with a physical quorum present. The material for today's meeting is available online at coconutcreek.gov. Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim recording of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. The archive of this meeting may be requested from the city clerk or may be heard online at coconutcreek.gov. If you haven't already, please silent your mobile devices. If you must take a phone call, please excuse yourself and step outside. Respect and proper decorum will be maintained throughout the meeting. Vocal outbursts, jeering, cheering, or applause can impair the rights of others and derail the decision making process.

Thank you. First off, we have a presentation, a swearing in ceremony for the new police officers, Angeline Acosta and Michael Cudemi. Chief of Police Hoffer will make the presentations, and the City Clerk Kavanaugh will administer the oath of office.

Good evening, commissioners, vice mayor, mayor, city manager, city attorney, city clerk. Tonight, we welcome two new officers to the family, Coconut Creek Police Department. At first, I'd like to invite officer Angelina Costa to the front. So, Officer was born and raised in Broward County, Florida. She was homeschooled throughout her entire education.

Coming from a law enforcement family, Officer Costa has always had a strong passion for public service and a clear sense of purpose in pursuing a career in law enforcement. She was a police explorer for the Coconut Creek Police Department for two years. She then became a police service aide where she learned as much as she could about law enforcement and serving the city of Coconut Creek. From day one, Officer Costa said she felt at home within our agency. The support, mentorship, and camaraderie she has experienced has only deepened her commitment to the profession.

Officer Costa is proud to continue her journey in law enforcement with the Coconut Creek Police Department, and looks forward to serving this community with integrity, dedication, and pride. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, kickboxing, and spending quality time with family and friends. Here to support Officer Costa is her mom, stepdad, five brothers, and sister. Excuse me. Just a side note, one of her brothers will soon be graduating the police academy with the Sunrise Police Department, and two other brothers are currently police explorers within our agency.

So see, the Police Explorer program does pay off. All right. Let's get a round of applause for her. Now I'd like to welcome up Officer Michael Kudemi. Officer Kudemi grew up in Coconut Creek and attended Coconut Creek Elementary, Lions Creek Middle, and Monarch High School.

Growing up in Coconut Creek shaped a lot of who Officer Kudemi is today. He said this is the place that blends calm neighborhoods with strong community energy, and being raised here taught him balance, staying grounded while still pushing himself to grow. Officer Kademi advised a huge part that steered him towards law enforcement was the interactions with his school resource officer. The professionalism and the way they mentored kids showed him how imperative community policing is. Sports played a major role in Officer Kademi's life, especially basketball.

Basketball wasn't just something to do after school, it became part of his identity. The court is where he learned discipline, toughness, and how to handle pressure. To this day, he still plays and stays active. Other hobbies he enjoys are working out, fishing, and he recently added pickleball. Here to support Officer Kademi are his mother, girlfriend, and multiple other family and friends.

So at this time, I'd like to ask the city clerk to administer the oath. So at this time I'd like to welcome up Angelina's brother and sister who will be pinning her badge. He did it. Yeah, yeah, go ahead, go ahead. All right, thank you.

And next I'd like to welcome up Officer Kademi's mom, who will be pinning him. Is there anybody else that wanted to take a picture? Friends, family? Mom, you can stay up there if you you have more? Go ahead, get another patient.

I'll you guys. All right, thank you. Commissioners?

We welcome our newest Coconut Creek members into our family. And all you other guys and gals in blue, thank you so much, and God bless. Stay safe out there.

Come on.

Next,

we have a presentation of the Certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting for the city's annual comprehensive financial report, EACFR, and the award for outstanding achievement in popular annual financial Reporting for the city's Popular Annual Financial Report, P A F R, for the fiscal year ending 09/30/2024. Finance and Administrative Services Director, Peter Gay Lake, will make the presentation and present the awards to the accounting team.

All right. Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, and everyone here. I'm pleased to share that the city has once again received several prestigious awards recognizing our commitment to transparency and excellence in financial reporting, including the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting, and it's for that's for the forty first year, consecutive year of getting that award, and for the Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award in the seventeenth consecutive year that we've received that award. These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our finance department, and I would like to recognize our Assistant Director Karen Liu and the entire finance department team that's here, as well as thank the commission and all the departments for their continued support. So if the team wants to come up, I'll present it to all of you, the awards for the PAFR and the ACFR.

And they're going to stay up there for a little bit.

Can you go to the side? Okay, you can sit here. Can you tilt that little down? Yeah, because it's a of reflection. Thank you.

Don't Okay. Worry, you've still got I'm still gonna need you in October. You already know.

Oh, no. End of Q and

Next, we have a presentation of the 2026 Award for Excellence in Public Procurement given by the Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials, Inc. Finance and Administrative Services Director, Peter Gay Lake, again, will make the presentation and present the award to the procurement team.

All right. Good evening again, everyone. I'm pleased to share that the city has recognized by the Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials with a 2026 award for excellence in public procurement, an honor given to agencies that demonstrate strong performance and best practices in purchasing operations. The city was one of only 25 entities statewide to receive this recognition. So this achievement reflects the procurement division's continued commitment to innovation, efficiency, and professional excellence.

I'd like to thank the entire procurement team, as well as the commission on all the departments for their ongoing support and for all their hard work. So we'll call we travel as a team, so I'm calling them all back up for the picture. Come on, yes. Yep.

Switch positions so that the picture looks different.

We need some people on this side. Okay, am I ready? Thank

you.

Don't go too far.

Thank you again, guys. You make it look easy. Thank you.

Mayor, if I may.

Yes, please.

I'm only doing this PDA because I planned on doing this during my commission comments, but I'm going do it a little earlier only because she's here. Martine? Martine, can you just raise your hand? I'm talking. Yeah, I'm down here. Okay. This was an employee shout out. So, I got stopped in court this week by what I then found out was a Coconut Creek resident that stopped me and knew who I was. And he goes, I need to tell you something. I go, what? He goes, I got a lovely call from a woman named Martine telling me that I'm having an issue with my water. They got people out immediately, but she wanted me to look into it. There ended up being a problem. And he goes, do me a favor and let your staff know that you're doing a great job over there. I immediately called Sheila and told her, and it's fortuitous that you happen to actually be here this evening.

So this was gonna happen in about two hours. But, mayor, thank you for the privilege of allowing me now. Thank you all for your work. And Martine, thank you so much. You were my shout out tonight. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Next, we have a proclamation recognizing March 16 to the twentieth, twenty twenty six, as Government Finance Professionals Week. Commissioner Welsh will read the proclamation into the record and present it to Finance and Administrative Services Director, guess who, Peter Gay Lake, and Assistant Director, Karen Liu.

Thank you, mayor. Whereas government finance professionals serve their organizations by managing day to day accounting operations, balancing the budget, establishing financial policies, and providing fiscal stewardship and accountability to taxpayers and elected officials, all of which are essential for citizens to have faith and trust in their government. And whereas, government finance professionals are credentialed professionals who provide financial transparency to citizens through timely publication of financial statements that meet the highest standards of governmental accounting. And whereas founded in 1937, the Florida Government Finance Officers Association, FGFOA, is a professional association serving more than 3,300 individuals from state, county, and city government, school districts, colleges and universities, special districts, and private firms by providing education, networking, leadership, and information to its members. And whereas the FGFOA has proclaimed the week of March 2026 as Government Finance Professionals Week in recognition of government finance professionals and the vital services they provide for local government and the communities they serve.

And whereas the City Of Coconut Creek recognizes that its own government finance professionals serve a vital role in achieving our mission to provide exceptional, responsive, and resilient services for the Coconut Creek community. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the City Commission of the City of Coconut Creek, Florida hereby proclaims March 2026 as Government Finance Professionals Week in the City Of Coconut Creek and extends appreciation to all government finance professionals throughout the state and here in the city of Coconut Creek for their hard work, dedication, and leadership in fiscal accountability. And it's signed by the mayor and the commission and attested by our city clerk and very much deserved.

This is the last one for the evening, I promise.

How about a fun one? One, two, three, fun.

Oh, that's fun.

Thank you, team. I think we're done for this year. Okay. Thank you. We will now have input from the public on non agenda or consent agenda items. I remind everyone wishing to speak that all comments must pertain to city business. Respect and proper decorum will be maintained. Behavior that disrupts the orderly conduct of this meeting, such as clapping, shouting, booing, and cheering, is not permitted. Any person who violates the decorum rules will be subject to removal from the commission chambers. As a reminder, all comments must pertain to city business.

City Clerk Kavanaugh, is there anyone who has signed in to speak on non agenda or consent agenda items?

Yes, mayor. We have two individuals that signed up to speak this evening. The first individual is Bob Boudreaux.

Sorry, we didn't hear you.

I missed that. I'm sorry. Oh, Bob Boudreaux?

No, I put my name in there too.

I'm sorry. In our system, I see Bob Boudreaux and Joe Wade.

No. I put mine as well.

Okay. The system must have glitched out. You will have an opportunity to I'm said the system must have glitched out out there. I apologize. If you would like to speak during public comment, you have an opportunity. Absolutely.

Good evening. When city officials deny involvement in a false charge despite court records showing Coconut Creek Police was the charging agency, it raises a simple question: does truth, ethics, and honor have any value to those who serve the residents of Coconut Creek? How does a resident of the city get criminally charged with stalking when the police never even question the person accused, and the mayor, vice mayor at the time, who made the allegation, later admits she did not stalk him. A criminal stalking charge was filed under Florida statute 784,048 against Joe Wade. Court records list the filing agency as the Coconut Creek Police Department.

Yet, when this was brought to the city's attention, both the chief of police and the city attorney denied any involvement. Chief Hoffa claimed no allegations were made to his agency, and the city attorney repeated that the matter was outside the city's jurisdiction and handled directly by the state attorney. Except, the official records contradict them. Those two things cannot both be true. Residents deserve to know which one it is.

Here's how this began. The police report that formed the basis for the stalking charge was filed in this very commissioned chamber. The mayor, Jackie Raley, listed City Hall as her address. That report did not mention stalking, yet it became the foundation for a criminal charge. In the affidavit to prosecutors, Rayleigh identified herself as commissioner.

This was not an ordinary complaint. This was a criminal allegation initiated by a public official inside a government building, yet no investigation. Joe Wade was never contacted, never questioned, no officer from the Coconut Creek Police Department ever asked him for a statement. Charging a citizen without investigation is not just a mistake, it raises serious due process concerns under the fourteenth amendment. It gets worse.

The mayor who filed the complaint later admitted on video that Mr. Wei did not stalk her. The city knows this. I played the recording the last time I addressed you. Yet no steps have been taken to investigate how this charge came to exist in the first place. The state attorney subsequently dismissed the charge. Chief Hoffa and city attorney Pyburn

I give my three minutes to fill up a

CHIEF Hoffa Hoffa

We do not transfer time during this meeting, only when it's a quasi judicial and a public hearing meeting.

Since when? Since I speak?

No, I believe these rules were changed last year. Okay. Well, just so that

you I'm know sorry.

In 2023.

Thank you.

JULIET

2023. I've spoken since then for longer than twelve just three minutes. About what?

You know, I I don't wanna get into debate. Yes.

I'm about to tell you. The law.

Can't you call documents showing the cocoon provide it.

You're gonna come

to this commission chamber and and impugn our city attorney and our police chief. Let me just educate you.

Yes. Please.

Police reports are generated every single day

Yeah.

That don't lead to arrests.

Yeah.

Okay? Mhmm. They don't lead

to arrests. Not the point, Jay.

This the is the charging authority. So when you look on the clerk of court, you're like, oh, it's filed by Coconut Creek. You're not an attorney. Speak to a criminal attorney before you come

in to you a criminal attorney and prosecutor to

do this.

And they

both said that this document comes, shows the filing agency was the Coconut Creek Police Department. And the documents that I requested, you are they asked for a $173 worth of documents that are supposed

to exist. Needs to stop now. Otherwise, you will be removed from chambers. Mr. Kavanaugh, is there anyone else who wishes to speak?

No, it's a waste

of time.

No, I just

want to say one thing. Thank you. I'm Joe Wade. I'm the victim here, and I am tired I am tired of being run around by everyone in every place. I only ask for the truth, and it seems that the truth does not come from your mayor. Thank you.

Mister Kavanaugh, is there anyone else who wishes to speak?

Not at this time, mayor. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak on non agenda or consent agenda items? Seeing none, input from the public is closed. Thank you.

Listen. Let's be let's be clear here. And it bothers me when people misstate the law. A report can be

generated where's the chief? I I we're gonna clear the record because this is gonna get aired on YouTube,

and we're gonna look like where there's a cover up. Chief, correct me if I'm

wrong with anything I say, and I wish they didn't speak, film themselves, and run out of commission chambers to actually have a a dialogue. And I will say for the record, nobody has called me to actually have a conversation.

To yell at me.

Yes. I'm animated. Apologize.

I'm not

yelling at you.

No. Reports are generated. And this is just to educate anyone listening. You can call The the police make a report every single time they have an interaction with anybody, that doesn't lead to arrests. It's a report.

The state attorney can review anything they want, and the state attorney makes a decision To impugn you, chief, to impugn our city attorney that there's something nefarious going on in this city is absolutely absurd. Yeah. So I I say it because the we this is now the third meeting that we're being told, you did something wrong, and you did something wrong, madam city attorney. It's simply untrue, and I apologize if I spoke out of turn, but it's a league it's they're not speaking legally correct. I'm probably gonna be by line that I did something wrong tonight, and that's okay, because I stand by what I do. You didn't arrest anybody in this case, did you, Fred?

There was no criminal charge. There was we did not file the all state

got.

It was a suspicious incident report. It's the report she was referring to. It has no at the bottom, it said for informational purposes only, which she deleted when she sent it to Yes. This time Yeah.

I I just wanna say for the record as well that when I filed reports, I filed reports that I had been threatened several times with witnesses and affidavits. Thank you. And I'm sorry for the disruption. Thank you.

Spoke that part.

Thank you. No. It's fine, commissioner. Okay. We're moving on to consent agenda. Number five, a motion approving the minutes from previous city commission meetings, 2026Dash0212R. Do I have a motion? Oh, no. I'm sorry. Number six.

Resolution 2026Dash029, a resolution authorizing the city manager or designee to execute the attached maintenance agreement with Kokomar Property Owner, LLC, which agreement provides for city enforcement of the revocable license agreement between Broward County Kokomar Property Owner, LLC, and the city of Coconut Creek for the maintenance of sidewalks, landscaping, and other improvements in the Lyons Road right of way adjacent to the property located at the northwest corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Lyons Road, known as the Grey Star Kokomo project. Number seven, resolution 2026Dash032, a resolution authorizing the mayor or designee to execute a subordination of city utility interest agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation, FDOT, for the construction of a portion of a public sidewalk over an existing city utility easement along a segment of West Hillsborough Boulevard adjacent to the Hillsborough Marketplace shopping center outparcel project. Are there any items the commission wishes to pull from the consent agenda? No? Thank you.

Is there a motion and a second to approve the consent? Thank you. Approved by Commissioner Welch, seconded by commission Vice Mayor no, Commissioner Brody. Thank you. Mr. Kavanaugh, would you please call the roll?

Commissioner Riedel? Yes. Commissioner Welch? Yes. Commissioner Brody? Yes. Vice mayor Wasserman? Yes. Mayor Raley?

Yes. Thank you. Moving on to the regular agenda. Number eight, resolution two zero two six dash zero three six. A resolution in support of the city's request for federal community project funding for the Emergency Operations Center, EOC, and Community Staging Area Project, which supports the city's strategic goals of safety and quality of life and high performance government. MILLER: Is there a motion and a

Move it.

Second.

CHRISTINE Thank you. Moved by Commissioner Wells, seconded by Commissioner Reiddell. City manager, city's I'm sorry, manager, department staff will make the report. Ari Mao. Thank you. Alright.

Can mayor. Oh, go ahead.

Okay. So agenda items eight, nine, and 10 are all the resolutions that we are submitting together with our applications for various appropriations through Congressman Moskowitz's office. As part of the preparation, they require a resolution of support. And those applications were just completed this Monday. They have been delivered, or will be delivered, to Congressman Moskowitz's office next week. And I hope us good luck. Great. And Perry Montez here to answer any technical questions you might have about the first two applications, and then Peter Gay can also answer questions about the third, if you're interested.

Okay. Any questions? Thank you. Okay. Mr. Kavanaugh, please call the roll.

Commissioner Rydell? Yes. Commissioner Welch? Yes. Commissioner Brody?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Wasserman? Yes. Mayor Raley?

Yes. Okay. Number nine, resolution twenty twenty six dash thirty nine, a resolution in support of the city's request for federal community project funding for the Emergency Operations Center, EOC, HVAC, and Technology System Project, which supports the city's strategic goals of safety and quality of life and high performance government. Is there a motion and a second?

SPEAKER Move

and a second. SPEAKER

Thank you. Moved by Commissioner Rydell, seconded by Vice Mayor Wasserman. Any questions? Any discussion? Thank you. Mr. Kavanaugh, please call the roll.

Commissioner Riedel? Yes. Commissioner Welch?

Yes.

Commissioner Brody? Yes. Vice Mayor Wasserman? Yes. Mayor Raley?

Yes. Number 10, resolution twenty twenty six dash forty one, a resolution in support of the city's request for federal community project funding for the advanced metering infrastructure, AMI, project, which supports the city's strategic goals of safety and quality of life and high performance government. Do I have a motion and a second?

Move it. Second.

Third.

Moved by Vice Mayor Wasserman, seconded by Commissioner Welch. Any questions? Any discussion? Mister Kavanaugh, please call the roll.

Commissioner Riedel? Yes. Commissioner Welsh? Yes. Commissioner Burdi? Vice mayor Wasserman? Yes. Mayor Riley?

Yes. Okay. Thank you. City managers. Sheila Rose, your report, please.

Thank you, mayor and commission. Just to I'd like to report that we've had some very positive meetings related to the Main Street project area this week and today with the entire construction team associated with Lennar. We were thrilled to see that they brought in the entire the land development team, the entitlements team. So we walked through all of the construction details, how things would be phased, and their relationship with GSR, and it was a very positive conversation. In our mind, it was a little late in coming to the table, but they've been working behind the scenes.

Their focus is on completing the infrastructure before they actually submit plans to the building department. And they did announce today that their expectation is that they probably would not do a sales trailer, that they would lease a space in the promenade for a sales office because they would be able to maintain that throughout the life of the project. So, we thought that was very, very positive. Hopefully, you all have seen the Winged Warriors. We do have a team for Relay for Life.

We've raised almost $1,200 at this point just from staff contributions. We are having dress down Mondays, where jeans and appropriate dress down attire is permitted, for a $5 contribution. So we're doing great on that. And if you'd like to join the team, you're more than welcome to. I distributed would you like to join our team?

You should join our team. I distributed with the report a copy of, you know, the floor plan for the proposed fire and fire administration offices. So, if you want to spend some time walking through that, please don't hesitate to give me a call. I do expect that very shortly you'll have the site plan, which will be a little more interesting to see how the site fits into the property. But if you have questions about the floor plan, give me a call and we'll walk through it.

We did talk about the solid waste workshop on April 23. Hopefully, everybody can make that. And we are scheduled to have our all day budget workshop on August 12 or the eleventh, and that's your pleasure. Both days are available.

Madam City Manager, could you have Maureen circulate that and we could maybe poll the days? Yes. Thank you.

Yep. Can we do that sooner rather than later? Because I think I may have I may be gone.

Okay. So the Florida League of Cities is the thirteenth

fourteenth. The fourth

We'll just have Thursday and Friday, so we'll circulate that. So make sure you look at that. That is local in Margaritaville this year. Will do. That's all I have to report.

Thank you so much. City Attorney Piper. Thank you, mayor.

I just wanted to let you all know, and for the public's benefit, we will be filing the second amended complaint in our case against FDOT pertaining to the Turnpike expansion on Monday. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Commissioner Riddell.

Thank you. Again, I apologize to my colleagues for my outbursts, but there's only so much you can can take of miss and disinformation. So I apologize to all of you. It was a little unprofessional. I will just say this. Actually, it wasn't. It wasn't unprofessional. Not apologizing I for think it very professional. Was just timely.

It was well needed.

So I will say this. Well, maybe not everyone thinks that. So I will say this, Butterfly Festival, aside from the rain, really knocked it out of the park. The feedback we got from residents in regarding the rides and how we how we, you know, separated it and did it, really super positive feedback. You know, disappointing because I think we could have serviced some of the residents better. Only I say that only because of the rain. It just always is disappointing. Love the fact that we were using local vendors. The Creek Eats tent wall, his second showing was rained out. There there there's a lot of really fun building blocks that I think a lot of our businesses will happily utilize.

So I just want to commend staff and everything. I I if he's listening or if Danielle's listening, I want to apologize. I I missed Wayne's goodbye party. I had I was I was jammed in in in in court where I understand the law all week. It's difficult sometimes. That was my week. And it's spring break next week. So a couple, I think, quick points that I'd love to push out if we can. I'd love to push out one more. The deadline for board appointments is next week, right?

Joe? I believe it's the two I believe it's three weeks.

Okay. So just You still have some I I was just looking, and I'll just I'll say this. I was looking at some of the board appointments. I know not all the districts are represented. I know there's not certain people, like, you know, that applied. So any of us up here, anyone listening in the ether, please make sure you get your applications in. And I'd love to I don't know if we have anything, but listen, it's spring break next week. I think what the police are doing, and this is the other thing I wanted to give a big shout out, what what the police are doing right now, and and I don't know, Scottie's pushing it out with those narratives, with the helmets is spectacular. It's a spectacular rollout. It's getting to our residents.

It's a huge safety concern, and I think it's really cool. So whoever came up with that idea, Freddie, you're probably going to take credit for it, so we'll give it to you. I'm joking, but I commend you for that because I think it is really reaching parents. And I will tell you, because I drive through two school zones. When I go to my office, you're seeing a difference. You're seeing kids with helmets, and that is is so compelling for just community safety. And kudos to the whole finance team that's not here anymore, but for the presentation earlier. That's all I have. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Welch. Thank you. I appreciate that. And Butterfly I Festival, too. I think the rain had two groups of people. There were a robust number that were there before the lightning detection went off, everybody had to clear the fields. But and then another whole new group, it looked like, that came back for the rides and the resumption of the rides, as well as the band and the dynamic fireworks. So, was really good. And the food was excellent, absolutely excellent.

So again, utilizing local vendors, it made such a big difference. I know those barbecue boutique fellows seemed to be like they were floating on air. But, anyway, that was a home run. And imagine the revenue that it could have brought in if there had been a whole day of an interruption. But it was it was really, really good.

And we went to the Northwest elected council meeting. The mayor was there over in North Lauderdale. And it was quite interesting because they presented their conceptual drawings of, what they want their downtown, midtown to look like around their municipal properties that they have. And the design consultants were Ziskovich, which I thought was ironic because they were asking for input on their designs. And I told the consultants later, I said, it's interesting because that's where I came in was when they were working on the design district here in our main street.

So it's just, it's kind of interesting in that respect. But they were very excited about getting their own Midtown designed. I do want to comment about the public input. And I have to tell you the when I was mayor last year and there were a number of these kinds of comments being made during the public input session, it was extremely difficult to listen to, even though it wasn't related directly to me. It was about our city, and it was about those of us that represent the city.

But I was advised that, according to the law, we have to leave the freedom of speech for those as long as they're within the parameters. But it was nonetheless extremely difficult to go through that leading the board. I just wanted to make that comment. But I, Commissioner Rydell, the reason I said that to you is because I just feel like that we're feeding into a confrontation if we respond in that manner, and that was the reason I said what I did. But it doesn't make it any less desirable to have those kinds of comments made to us or about us.

So it's just unfortunate.

Sandy, I'll just say this.

And I

did sign up for the winged warriors. I think I signed up to walk the first is it a half hour, an hour? I don't care. I'll walk whatever it is. But, I'll be here, and I'm very glad that it's coming back to Coconut Creek, even if it's not at Monarch, I am soliciting at the high schools to have them come and get their community service hours in and bring it back to our city. I think it's very important. So thank you. And I didn't I didn't expect a comment, but I did wanna tell you why I said what I did.

Well, no. I I I think I'm not I don't would never diminish free speech, but incorrect speech needs to be corrected. And if you wanna impugn people you wanna come up here and take a at me all day, I could take it. I could take it. I could take it. I take it every day. You wanna take a shot at people that are employees of the city that dedicate their career there, I draw the line there. And so I I'm not gonna sit idly by anymore where these public comments are done. And if I'm out of order, the chair can call me out of order.

Yeah. It doesn't mean that that I find it desirable to hear either. Just I have as much disdain for it as anyone else. But I was just advised that we had to, as long as they were not disrupting anyone, we had to give them that opportunity.

I want to say that I appreciate how everyone deals with this very difficult situation. At this point in time, these are public comments. These are out there. And it doesn't give us, the commission, a chance to respond or to react, and the public doesn't hear our version. This a very wise man has said, when does free speech end, protected speech end?

When do we get to that point? And it's very true. I mean, we've been enduring this and not just me, the city, the community of Winmore for almost four years now. And we've tried to do it with dignity and respect and don't respond. That doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere. But I think the public, the residents have a right to know. And I think they do know. I mean, let's face it. Actions speak louder than words. And I'm going to leave it at that.

We all know who we are and what we do. So thank you. I appreciate it. And I know and I know it's a difficult situation for everyone involved, every single one of us that work for the city of Coconut Creek, that work so hard to keep the integrity, especially our police that are being attacked right now and our city government. Thank you. I just want you to know that that is my biggest regret. I have no other regrets but the fact that it's spilling over to all these innocent people. So I just but thank you. Okay.

Commissioner Brody. So on a lighter note

just joking. Listen. So next Thursday, we have we have a a basketball game, our annual basketball game with FIL, Foundation for Independent Living, and the police department. I encourage everybody to come out and support that. It's a great time. It's a lot of fun. If you've not been to one, certainly you will survive on that energy level for a long time. It's a lot of fun. And so, yeah, I had to go through the draft and the whole thing, so it was kind of fun. The other thing is I want to put out here to my colleagues that I am very following the footsteps of Mr.

Wasserman. I just want to let everybody know that I'm very interested in being part of the leadership up here on this dais. So as we go into the next meeting, please contemplate everything that I've done for the city and who I am and my energy level, even though I'm going through a lot. And that leads into my next thing. I wasn't going to say a lot to people, but I think I'm getting to the point where I kind of need to talk about it.

Back when they found the bladder cancer, they actually found a swollen lymph node in my right hip. And I'm going to be going through some more tests to find out what that is. And I appreciate everybody supporting me through the last few months. It looks like we've got a couple more months ahead of us to figure this out. But certainly, this one's a little bit more scarier than the other one. So just keep me in your prayers, and I promise to keep my energy level up as much as possible. And I thank everybody now for their support. It's been wonderful before. And I look forward to the support. And of course, this coming up for the Relay for Life couldn't line up any better, I guess, in a weird sense.

But thank you all for being supportive of me. Thanks.

Vice Mayor Wasserman.

Thank you, Mayor. Sorry to hear that, John. Are you Okay? Are you blowing your nose? I don't know if That's okay. Sorry to hear about that, John.

I

know.

Real quick, butterfly fest, I'm glad Commissioner Reidl brought it up. Just awesome. Unfortunately, the rain. But, you know, it was a really good time, and kudos to our staff for always just putting on a great event for our residents. I'd have one thing, city manager Rose. On the East I know I've talked to you about this, but I drove by it East Side of Windmill Park Fencing. It's falling apart. It's on the it's on, I think, 43rd. It looks horrible. I don't know if we can, you know, just repair the places the parts of it that are falling apart.

The residents in South Creek are have been reaching out. Originally, it was just one. But now that it's been a few, I kind of I kind of think we should look at it. I know you mentioned something about CIP later on. But I think if, you know, we could just get maybe just to repair some of the wood. It doesn't have to be a full a full fix. But, you know, maybe, like, the little pockets of wood that's, like, looks like it's, you know

I can send someone out there next week to look at it.

Cool. That's it. Thank you so much. Thank

you. I, too, I also want to say that the Butterfly Festival was great. Thank you. Wonderful. Out of the ballpark. Great feedback. I also want to say, Chief Hoffer, that at Winston Park Elementary, it was career day. I was speaking to a gentleman that drives a motorcycle, or an e bike, and was commenting on the fact that he does he himself, and with the kids, sees a difference, a significant difference with the the children wearing and the adults wearing helmets. So kudos. That's great.

That's wonderful. I also wanna thank our fire rescue for coming to my aid Tuesday morning. I kind of took a flop, but thank you very much. I'm very appreciative. I got to experience them firsthand, and they were super. So thank you. Thank God I'm Okay. Everything is good. Also, I did want to mention, what did I want to mention? The canals in South Creek.

We were going to get in touch with maybe Kokomar about a cleanup over there. That would be great. Also, Relay for Life, super excited. We did host we've hosted numerous events in Winmore, raised thousands and thousands of dollars. Very proud.

And I also want to encourage the other condominium and HOA associations to get involved. There's so much you could do to raise money for cancer. We're all every one of us has been touched by this terrible thing, this terrible disease. And we can contribute. And I encourage you to come out to North Broward Prep on March 28 for the Relay for Life event. It's a Tri City event, and it's very rewarding. Other than that, I do want to, again, congratulate our financial and our procurement team. Amazing, again, this year. And, thank you guys for all you do. And Jackie out.

Move to adjourn.

Thank you. Meeting adjourned.