City Council - Regular Meeting

We almost forgot about happening on Tuesday. Uh February 17th regular city council meeting uh for today's opening ceremony. So I'm going to turn it over to council councelor Sutton.

Um thank you mayor. Appreciate it. Um just wanted to take a moment before uh before we pray and and do our pledge to acknowledge a loss we had in uh recent days. our friend and colleagueuh Councilman Rick Knight um passed away. Um Rick served um on this on this council from 2004 to 2012 um alongside Mayor Fland Sharp and other other council folks at that time. And he also served on the board of adjustment uh prior to that I think from 2000 to 2004. Um, and you can put up our uh our picture of uh Councilman Knight. This was his most formal picture that he ever took, I believe. And uh trust me, I wouldn't wear a shirt like this if it weren't except for uh Rick Knight. But uh as as most of us know, Rick was uh funny, quirky, uh most always saw the positive and things and was quick to lend a hand to those in need. Uh he loved to travel. Uh, in fact, that's what he was doing when he uh when he passed away. Uh, and the list of accolades really could could go on and on. Um, most importantly, Rick knew his Lord and Savior and he was a member at uh at Neptune Baptist Church. So, let us pray. Uh Lord, we thank you for your grace and mercy and um I lift up this council and and pray for discernment and wisdom for for this body and for our city staff as we work for the citizens of Jacksonville Beach. Um we um we lift up Rick Knight and we lift up his family, Lord. And um we know that uh that they're hurting and we just ask for your comfort on them. Uh we know that uh Rick is with you and um you're uh you're now hearing all of his

quirky stories that that we all heard over the years. So um we thank you for his service to this community and um and for his life, a life well-lived. Uh we lift up our military first responders and medical providers and and thank you for their protection and their service and their healing that is only through you. We ask these things in your son Jesus name. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. This meeting is called to order. Madam clerk, roll call. Council member Golding here. Council member Horn here. Council member Jansen here. Council member Sutton here. Council member Wagner here. Council member Waters here. Mayor Hoffman here. Moving on to approval of minutes. Item A. I move we approve the minutes from the regular city council meeting held on January 20th, 2026.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Mr. Wowers. Thank you, mayor. Uh just speaking only for myself briefly, I would like to say actually I have heard board members talk about their uh minutes and I personally in the future would like to see more detail when it comes to discussion of items particularly when we don't have uh a 70 vote. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? And just to note, the full video and audio are always available through the city clerk's office. Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I.

Any opposed? Motion carries. Item B. I move we approve the minutes from the joint city council on community redevelopment agency workshop held on February 2nd, 2026. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item C. I move we approve the minutes from the regular city council meeting held on February 2nd, 2026. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signifi signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Approval of the agenda. I move we approve the agenda. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? S. Approval, please signify by saying I. I.

Any opposed? Tuesday. Man, it's getting me. Council announcements. Miss Golding.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, let me start off by saying, Mr. Sutton, thank you for for your words about Rick Knight. Um, I was glad to call him a friend. Um he I got to know him back in 2004 when he ran for the atlarge seat. And uh well actually prior to that when he was on the board of adjustment actually now that you mention it those memories I tell you that was a long time ago. And uh yes he was quirky. He wore shorts to city council meetings a lot flipflops um painted toenails the whole nine yards. But he he was a great guy. He was um the epitome of a public servant because as a citizen, every time I contacted him, he called me back. Um if I had any questions or concerns, I knew he was going to follow up on them. And I have to say that it was his example that I have as a city council person tried uh tried to um emulate um tried to follow because he he was truly a public a public servant. And I was shocked when when I got the news about his passing and his wife Janice um and his kids are in my thoughts and my prayers and um our community has lost a a really wonderful and special member of our community. So anyway, I just wanted to add that. Um wanted to give a a few updates on the legislative session. Um, a lot of you probably got the the announcement from the League of Cities that one of the property tax bills is going to be on the House floor this Thursday, which it's

HGR 203, which is the one that phases out uh homestead property taxes $100,000 a year. But for us, that means within the next two to three years, it would be our homestead property taxes would be gone. Um, so just wanted to let you know that I spoke with Rep. Michael or with Rep. Michael's aid and just expressed to her that um, you know, this impacts us and um, asked her to share that with Brett Michael. And uh also House Bill 103, the local business tax bill uh passed in on the House floor today. 82 yes yays to 26 nays and Rep. Michael voted against it. She was the only Republican who voted against it. Um so if you get the chance to thank her for representing us, um please do. sovereign immunity um is still out there and we're just waiting to see what happens on the Senate side. If you have a chance to talk to Senator Yarborough, please ask him, urch him that we don't want them to take up the House bill because the House bill is basically poised to be taken up by the Senate if they choose to do so. So, a lot of bad stuff going on, but uh we just have to stay vigilant and continue to communicate with our legislators. Um, also want to mention real quickly that the Seawalk Music Fest is going to be coming up this Saturday and Sunday. Um, so encourage people to come out and enjoy that. And, um, wanted to mention that on Wednesday, March 4th, Beaches Watch is having a meeting that is uh, state of the St. John's River meeting. Uh, every year there's a a state of the

St. John's River report that comes out and the riverkeeper, Lisa Rhinman, will be at the meeting to do a presentation about the report and give an update on what's going on with the health of our river. That will be at the library Wednesday, March 4th at 7 p.m. Thank you, Miss Golding, Mr. Horn. wanted to um do another unfortunate announcement this evening. Um I would like to take a moment tonight um to speak about a Jacksonville Beach resident um Dr. St. Greywall. Um Dr. Greywall was a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic and passed recently due to an unfortunate and tragic accident. Um he was the second neurosurgical resident to finish the training program here at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Um and the staff there recognized his skill and his um he he was immediately brought on as a as faculty at the hospital. Um after his residency and after being hired on, he was quickly promoted to the director of the functional neurosurgery uh the head of the um movement disorder and epilepsy um division treating these surgically. And to give you an idea as to what he was dealing with, um people with Parkinson's disease, um tremors, medically refractory, medication refractory epilepsy when there was no more hope. Dr. Greywall and surgeons with his skill set would offer

them hope. Um and his um his results were astonishing. Um, you know, he had been out of residency for about I think this would have been his sixth year, but it was already known around the world. Um, was amazing rising star. Sanjet um was also a Jack Beach resident. He loved spending time in the ocean. If you were down at 10th or 11th Avenue South on a flat day, you would see him on his foil board riding around. Um, he was a diehard Jags fan. Um, and as much as he loved many other things and and taking care of his patients, the one thing he loved the most was his wife, Angela, and their three children. I would ask that you would keep them in your prayers. Um, and keep the Mayo Clinic family in your prayers because this is a loss for all of us and is a generational loss for the patients that he would have treated. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Horn. Mr. Jansen.

Yeah. So, it's hard to talk about exciting news at this point. Um, but I just wanted to say quickly that my daughter and I got to attend the grand opening of the uh the J Beach Farmers Market. Uh, it was exciting. Was a good turnout for the grand opening. Uh, spent a ton of money and um but if you get a chance to go check it out on Tuesdays from 3 to 6, you really should. It's a it's a pretty exciting uh new benion. It's it's really activating our first steps in activating our downtown, making it walkable and and um it was a good example of it last Tuesday.

Thank you, Mr. Jansen. I was out there uh this evening right before the meeting and ran into my colleague uh Mr. Wagner. We got some coffee uh from Kenya and uh saw a lot of the same uh vendors that we see at Penman Park. Obviously, a lot more. Um, so it's nice that they've got two opportunities and they're all very enthusiastic, the ones we spoke with. Um, and they're seeing a different crowd than what they see at the Penman Market, which is really nice. So, kudos to the organizers of the market. And today is, am I right? It's Fat Tuesday and Chinese New Year and some other stuff. So, I know you guys all want to go celebrate. So, we'll rock right through this agenda. Um, but I do want to give a couple of updates. Um, one I was at the beaches action collaborative meeting today was held at Salsbacher which is shares the community services building with beam if you aren't aware. Um, and that is the location of the salsbacher clinic. I did not know this but anyone can go to that clinic at any level of insured. They can be uninsured. They can be they can have the best insurance in the world and they can go to that clinic and they do almost everything except dental. Um, and it's lovely inside. It's a little crowded. they need a little more space, but that's another conversation. But, um, just so you know that the clinic site is going to be rebranding to Duval Family Health Center because people really only know Souls Bacher as homeless um, shelter un unhoused. Uh, which they are um, but at the beach they're the Duval Family Health Center now and they're so their health um, delivery will go under that new branding. So, we've got some literature if anybody wants it. Along those lines, they are also having a fundraising event called the um Jack's food fight and it's going to be at the Prime Osborne. It's on St. Patrick's Day. Um but it's going to be a beaches versus town competition and the town the

beaches um chef is uh one of the chefs with uh the Southern Hospitality Group which is Valley Smoke um and the fish camps and all that. So that should be a fun event if anyone's interested. It is a ticketed event, so it is a fundraiser for them. But if you would like the information, I have it here and then whoever goes can have these chocolates. Um, and then also I've had a lot of meetings today came from uh just came from Deck the Chairs board meeting and just a heads up for the council, they are going to be doing a little bit of rebranding. Um, they're going to be called Students in the Arts. So Deck the Chairs will still be part of that, but they're going to be expanding a little more. We saw that with Deck the Bins. they're going to be doing the programming on stage and they're just going to be pushing out a little more into schools and reaching students. So, I've encouraged them to reach out to each of you uh to give you the update on uh what that looks like and make sure um that you're aware of what the organization is doing and uh feel very included as it's such an important special event in our community. So, that is it from me. Any other announcements from council? All right, moving on to courtesy of the floor. Uh oh, oh, I had one here. We have David Zuckerman. Come on up and you just hit the button on the podium and give us your name, address, and you'll have three minutes to address the council.

Uh, thank you very much. Uh, good evening, council. I appreciate you allowing me to be here. My name is David Zuckerman, 1794A Ocean Drive South. Jack Speech. Um, on Friday, February 6, the Florida Times Union had this picture. on the front page of its paper. Uh the picture shows a woman playing with her dog and the caption reads, "Alice Chang, who walks her dog on Jacksonville Beach every day, plays ball with Rosie, a six-year-old red Labrador." What the caption doesn't say is that she's breaking the law. It also does not say that by having her dog running loose off the leash, which you can see here, she is in violation of city ordinance 541, which says that when dogs are allowed on the beach, which they are, they must be on a leash 8t or shorter. This past Friday, or last Friday, I wrote a letter to the editor and sent a copy of that letter to executive editor Paul Runstead. However, at this point in time, I have not heard back from him, nor have I seen anything in the paper regarding an explanation. I also sent a copy of that letter to you, all the members of this city council. At this time, I would like to thank Mayor Christine Hoffman, Councilwoman Sandy Golding, and Councilman Bill Horn for being kind enough to respond. I would also like to say that the board I would also like to ask that this board or a representative from the city contact the Florida Times Union and let them know that this picture is unacceptable. Also, let them know that the city does not feel it is right for the newspaper to condone and promote illegal activities on our beaches. and finally ask that they publish an article or an

opinion piece explaining their mistake in providing clarification to the city council. It's not the first time I've come before you regarding this problem. I jog on the beach every day between 7:30 and 8:30, and I can assure you I see multiple people every day letting their dogs run loose. The problem is not with vacationers and tourists, but with local residents like Miss Chang, who knowingly choose to ignore the law. By running this picture, the Times Union is leading people to believe that when they are on the beach, it's okay to have their dogs off a leash and it's okay to let people break the law. Well, we know it's not. I know the city is doing everything it can to enforce the law and I sincerely appreciate the effort of the city and law enforcement. By closing, I would kindly ask that you please contact the Florida Times Union and let them know your opinion. and I'm asking you to please be so kind to continue enforcing the law. Thank you very much for allowing me to be here this evening.

Thank you, Mr. Zuckerman. Moving on to consent agenda. I move we approve the consent agenda. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

Any opposed? Motion carries. City manager. New business. Beaches Energy. Matt, Mr. Celely. Good evening, Mayor Hoffman, esteemed council members. My name is Matthew Cely, electrical engineering project supervisor for Beaches Energy Services. Tonight, I'd like to ask for your consideration to award the overhead transformers for um to three vendors. This is a little bit unusual for us, but we have three vendors, a primary, a secondary, and a tertiary. The primary being um NextG Power, the secondary being USL or ULS, I apologize. and uh the the tertiary air being Westco which is a provider of central Maloney um transformers. Are there any questions? We'll go ahead and get a motion on this one. I move we award bid number 2425-06 overhead distribution transformers for features energy services to nextg power incorporated primary uls corporate incorporated secondary and westco terterry

yes tertiary tertiary tertiary sec uh second we have a motion it's Tuesday that's it's getting us uh we have a motion and a Any questions or comments for Mr. Celely? Mr. Wowers. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Uh, not to appear what I am ignorant. What does tertiary mean? I'm not familiar with that word. If the first two don't work out, we have a third. Okay, that's what I thought, but I've just never run across it. Thank you. I had to look that one up, too. Any other questions or comments? Madam Clerk, roll call. Council member Golding. Yes. Council member Horn, yes. Council member Jansen, yes. Council member Sutton, yes. Council member Wagner,

yes. Council member Wowers, yes. Mayor Hoffman, yes. Motion carries. Item two. I move we authorize the mayor and city manager to execute each contract as a result of this RFP award. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Madam clerk, roll call. Council member Horn, yes. Council member Jansen, yes. Council member Sutton, yes. Council member Wagner, yes. Council member Wowers, yes. Council member Golding, yes. Mayor Hoffman, yes. Motion carries. Thank you, Mr. Cely. Thank you, Mr. Baron.

Uh, Dennis Baron, public works director. Um, I have a four-part item for you. I don't have four-part items, but I have a four-part item for you this evening. Uh the first part is for the continuation of the 10th Street South infrastructure improvement improvement project. Uh couple of years ago we did the the part from 12th um south going up 10th Street all the way up to 5th. This takes this from Fifth all the way the remainder um all the way up to Beach Boulevard uh to finish that entire corridor. This is a complete infrastructure replacement. So we're we're talking all the water lines, all the sewer lines, and all of the storm water. and it's all being added plus new roadways, sidewalks. Uh so it's a very large job, but it ties back into um what we did on the last one. The the pictures there are examples of what the project looked um as like as the finished product and then the next couple of project pictures. Were they at the beginning or at the end? There you go. That's what it looks like now. So you'll see this will be a continuation and a large improvement to continue on up to that Beach Boulevard corridor.

Thank you, Mr. Baron, can I have a motion on item one? I move we award bid number 2526-012 to Callaway Contracting Incorporated for the 10th Street South Infrastructure Improvements phase 2 for amount not to exceed 6,594,663. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion, Mr. Horn?

I'm trying to find it right here. There's I do believe it was okay and you may not have this in front of you and it probably will be just a um a an explanation um page 22 item number 52 as I went through this on the bid proposal form. So, the majority of this is replacement, replacement, replacement. And then come across item 52. 12 in. It's 350 linear feet of 12-in CIP lining. So, why I just I I mean, as I again, it's the only time I saw lining in here. And historically, I figure if we're going to rip up the roads and put everything in, I'm not really sure why we didn't just replace. It looks like we're lining a pipe here. And that's why I couldn't understand. And this is on the bid proposal page 22 uh number 52. This is 12in CIP lining 350 linear feet. And I apologize for not um getting this to you earlier as far as but it's like 7,000 pages to review here. So correct. So So that is um spreadsheet line item number 56 which was a bid item. So sometimes when we do bid a project, if we think we're going to need lining or could potentially need lining, we'll request an estimated quantity, like this one was estimated at 350 foot. This gets us a line item price tag to be able to to charge back to. So in the event we find out we need lining or if we do have a piece that we know we need lining, we get that included in it. So this also will apply to a line item if we have to add something. So, if we come back in and say, "We can't fix a section. I wonder what that costs." Instead of a number that just comes out of nowhere from a contractor that's now kind of holding you um accountable for the mistake made, um this gets us a line item. So, then we got a billable item.

So, they're held into front line to frontload what an individual line item per line item cost. Does that make sense? Yeah. So again, is this is this in case this area could not be re be replaced or is this just in case we need it? So conceptually this might be a you know a expense that we don't have to pay part of you know this uh 6 million 6.5 million you might say if this is $100,000 it's 6494 now

right I think um well this individual line item ended up being bid at $59,000 total um so I'd have to deep dig deeper in for that question to be able to come back with an answer to say you know what exactly we had called out generally they have something on here that they were requesting to be lined. Um, it could have been just based on age or it could have been something else. It could have been I have no clue. I have to investigate deeper to find out exactly what that individual line goes to

because other areas here and you got, you know, 1,500,000 feet of replacement, you know. So, I mean, this is it's a small amount. It just when I saw lining, it just kind of surprised me. Again, the majority of this looks, you know, it came in where we're supposed to be as far as engineering quotes. I think it was um I just I wasn't sure if you had that. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Wowers.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, Director Baron, I'm just curious, when did this phase two part begin from Fifth Avenue South up towards Beach? Um, so the engineering was actually issued in 2019 um, August. It was actually issued to Fort Waters Engineering who actually completed the design on this. Does that help? No. Well, yeah. I was just meant more in terms of the detours that have been in place because I know they started at no earlier I mean no later than November. I was just when did the physic when did they start ripping up the road and putting out the detour sites? We we haven't started any work on this project yet. We So this isn't the one right behind Publix.

No, 10th 10th is this. Oh, okay. Now I have it confused. I'm thinking of the fourth avenue. Yeah, this one this one is right in front of the wastewater plant and it comes out and it continues all the way out goes all the way to Beach Boulevard. My bad. Let me ask you this. Um, it says that our engineers estimated a cost of rounding numbers of 7.5 million. Um, yeah, hold on. I got to Are you asking or telling? No, I I just want to confirm that I'm what I understand what I'm reading. Oh, this says without without contingency on page on page one or two. Yep. I'm trying to get there. Okay.

Yes, that's correct. So, the engineers uh estimated opinion cost was $7,468,510 without any contingencies added. So, then the total that uh Callaway and uh Four Waters are asking for is approximately 6.75 or so. You're you're not comparing apples to apples, but yes. Okay. So they're coming under by about 10 about 15% of what the estimate was.

Um their their their award bid cost to that estimate was 5,995,147.35. So without any contingencies, the engineers estimate was right at $7.4 million. Their price from the very beginning was $5.99 million. And let me just ask you, in your experience, how often is a 10% contingency used or or taken by the the uh contractor, whoever they may be.

I add a minimum of 10% contingency to every public works jobs. I have added as high as 30% contingency depending on what unknown or known factors I may have. So if I we know more and are confident about what's in the corridor, we can a lot of times reduce the cost of a contingency as well as because our projects have really grown in size, a 10% contingency still ends up being a significant amount of dollars. So where if this project was to come in extremely less, um 10% of a lesser number is a lot less money than 10% of a larger number. So, with this one being expecting to be at a $7 million um range, we expect that a 10% contingency should cover um any things that we've missed in the design or in the construction or anything that goes on as as we go.

I understand its purpose, all I was trying to discover is in your uh experience with, you know, your many years of doing this, how often is it claimed by the people we're we hire? So roughly it it's it's not a claiming scenario. What that actually is is how often do we pay it out? Let me just try to say that. I don't know that I can provide you with that question. 40.

Well, I I I can't answer you because sometimes we pay pieces and parts of that contingency depends on on what we get into. So as we're doing that, let's say we decide we want to put an additional sidewalk or an additional parking space. Contractor is going to do that. We have a cost. So that money has to come from somewhere. So then we apply that new costs that were not infigured into the original project. We apply that to the contingency. So it's hard to say what we use of the contingency. We use all of the project dollars first and then we go into the contingency if we need it. Um sometimes we use every dime of the contingency. Other times um we send quite a bit of money back to the fund at the end once the project's completed up. any money that we have not spent goes right back into the fund to become available to use again.

Thank you, director. I appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Waters. Any other questions or comments?

I'll just say um I know this is the above ground part of it and it's very much cosmetic, but phase one looks great. um seemed to go really smoothly in terms of the impact on the businesses down there, but I think that um it was a great improvement for kind of a shabby industrial area and I think that this next phase um is going to improve a little bit of a neglected area in our community. So, I'm glad uh to see that. I know it's going to be hard in the process, but I think it's going to if the result is anything like um phase one. Um you have people that are investing in our community in that area like Natural Life moved their corporate headquarters there and I think that's the kind of thing that just reflects on we're taking good care of that more industrial area doesn't always lend itself to aesthetics, but I think it really looks much better. Um, and I'm sure the drainage and the water and everything that else that happened um below ground is uh just as good. So, thank you, Mr. Horn.

Just one more thing, and I know as it gets to Beach Boulevard and it gets in that area when we're talking about um uh the detours and things like that. Can we just make sure we do that in the least possibly stressing, you know, let's not do it like middle of busy times as far as like Fourth of July or something. I don't know when this is going to start, where they're where they're going to start, when it's going to start. I'm just hoping that we minimize inter. I mean, there's no great time to do that, but you know, the part that's over behind the golf course and down that that road, it's it's going to be problematic, but at the same time, when we get over towards like the big roads, that's where it's going to be an issue. So, I mean, it kind of goes without saying. I just But now I said it.

Any other questions or comments? Madam Clerk, roll call. Council member Jansen. Yes. Council member Sutton, yes. Council member Wagner, yes. Council member Waters, yes. Council member Golding, yes. Council member Horn, yes. Mayor Hoffman, yes. Motion carries. Item two.

Okay. You want I'm going to go and give you the short one on each one of these, at least the first three today. So, um, so this part is actually for the contract administration with Four Waters Engineering. So, this helps us manage all the pay apps in and out, make sure all the quantities, everything's done in advance to approve that all the equipment we're purchasing all meets all of our specs and all the rest of it. Um, they did the design for this job. Um, and so we're confident in that dollar figure to be able to do this part of it. And a motion. I move we award contract administration agreement to Four Waters Engineering for an amount not to exceed 140,739. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Madame clerk, roll call. Council member Sutton, yes. Council member Wagner,

yes. Council member Wowers, yes. Council member Golding, yes. Council member Horn, yes. Council member Jansen, yes. Mayor Hoffman, yes. Motion carries.

So, part three is an interesting um piece. I we have uh added facing uh the language that we had put in when we originally authorized this position. So, as we got to the construction side of this project, uh we entertained um having a contractor do the uh contract um the the the construction inspection side of the work. We got quotes uh related to that and then we brought forward a subsequent conversation is that we utilize an in-house person um as a part-time contract employee. This actually provides the funding source for that contract employee. This would be the same contract employee that also did the first phase of 10th Street South, which is Jim Vernon, who is a retiree of the public works department. Uh he has agreed to come back on board and and this would cover uh anything that would be needed for that for the 14-month term of the contract. This is a little different is authorizing an additional um part-time slash uh contract employee to back into public works because we don't have the manpower to be able to manage this project and the costs um were very significant to having an engineering firm do that work for us.

Thank you for that explanation. And is there a motion? I move we authorize the contract inspection management through the city's department of public works for an amount not to exceed 128,000. Second. We have a motion and a second. Mr. Horn. All right. So, yeah, this one that one caught me off guard. So, we're contracting with a person, correct? But not for a set amount. It says amount not to exceed X number 128,000.

Correct. That gets us the budget funding to be able to co cover the the term of the project at the um 39 hours if you do the math all the way out. 39 hours times the 14 months times the salary of a contract employee and you come out to pretty close to that. Then we took care of what we needed to take care of equipment to make sure we had enough funding in there to do that. So this is literally funding a part-time position um to be able to fund it through public works. This is how it was handled when we originally started project one in the downtown area long before I was here. Um when that person came on board, it was done as a a third step in the uh city council process to be able to authorize it because obviously we didn't know at budget time where we were going to be to be able to request the additional funding within the budget. So this just authorizes that position.

Okay. Yeah. So again, unless Yeah. So looking at the So again, we're contracting with a person, correct? Or that said person is insured. I mean, all these things are again, so like like if we were to because again, I've I've used private inspection companies for home renovations in the past. You can either say or you can pay somebody. You have to pay them from the beginning. You can't get them in the middle of the process. So you pay them in the beginning and they go through. But we're paying an employee, a former employee who is retired to have a business. We're paying a business.

Nope. This is this is how we handle it through public works department is we actually have a contract position for a construction inspector. Uh we we used to have two of them. We managed our projects through utilizing both of those gentlemen um that have worked for us previously. Both of them were retirees and then now um they both exited out. We put a full-time position into play a year and a half ago uh to be able to absorb some of it. They've started taking on a lot of the other projects. this project is going to be a large enough project. We need the additional help to be able to do it again. So, they do act as a full-time employee. They do report right to the superintendent. They come into our office every day. They are actually a badged employee. They have all everything across the board that all of our employees.

Okay. So, it is so okay. That's my concern is if we hire if we hire an outside firm and there's a problem, we can go after the outside firm. This scenario, if this person does Okay, that and that's the clarification I needed. Okay. if there's a problem for the the DES. That's what I was trying to get at was there's a problem like, hey, we're going to go down and get Bob out of his house and say, "Hey, you owe us for the four million it's going to take us to repair this." And that's that was my concern. All right. Thank you. He he would actually he actually turns in a time card every paycheck just like everybody else does for the amount of time he works. If we have rain and he doesn't work, he doesn't turn in time during during the discussion. That was the part I missed. I apologize. Sorry about that. Mr. Wowers.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'm just curious. Uh, thank you, Councilman Horn, for your vigilance and bringing this matter up. Why isn't Four Waters Engineering doing this work for us? Or why are we paying these people? I mean, are they doing different services? I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. They are contract um construction uh um contract administration is completely different than CEI or contract engineering inspection services. Um we did ask for waters to provide us a quote. Um we did have those quotes in hand when we discussed what what how um administration wanted to handle this. I met with um city manager, deputy city manager as well as well everybody in almost everybody in this room. Um, we had a meeting to discuss how was the city willing to move forward with this. Um, I easily could have put a third line item in to say approve um, four waters to be able to do that inspection services. We had really good luck with Jim. We talked with Jim before and asked if he was willing to come back. He said he was. He doesn't get any benefits. He's he's he's a retiree, so he comes in. He he has ran this department before. So, he does a great job. He's he's great at doing what he's doing. Um, and when we reviewed the costs across the board, it was almost double to go to a part-time inspection service and almost triple to go to a full-time inspection services through an engineering company. So, it made sense for us to alternate al to consider an alternate route, which was to consider putting this position back into play.

So, just so I understand who Four Waters is, I've done a little investigation. They're not competent to do these inspections or they just don't want to do it.

No, they they give me a bid to be able to do that. Yes, sir. They they what they would do is hire additional employees as they need in this process. So, they actually provided us with a resume of who we would be getting through them if we were going to utilize them. We actually told them we were pursuing a different option because we want to be able to have that person be able to be released to go out into the market to go to other things. Since we weren't going to need him for this position, we let Four Waters know we weren't going to be utilizing that and so they could move ahead with that resource. So that's that's how the engineering firms do. They'll add or subtract um different resources as they need it. Um that's how the larger um engineering firms they manage it through multiple op um offices too. you al ultimately end up with people in in farther away areas to be able to supplement local offices.

Thank you, director. I appreciate that. Miss Golding. So, Dennis, just to just to wrap up this discussion, as I understand it, this is saving us money.

It's definitely saving us money. It's also not tying our hands to only having them work on one position. Um, the quote I had would have only been this job. they would have never left anything else. Jim has the ability like last time uh he Jim came in and worked with the paving contractor. He watched them the entire time the whole paving program was going on. We didn't have the ability to do it in house. So he he works as needed where needed, but he's he's got a definite skill set to be able to do it and he does a really good job with the communication side. We all know there's a school in the middle of this or if you don't, hey, there's a school in the middle of this. So, um, I I really don't want to trust that to somebody that's not under our control to be able to assure that we've got to be able to manage that communication because this school and this scenario is going to be big as part of this management process. And I think by having Jim, Jim does really good. He gets in front of the people he talks to doortodoor to make sure that they're all aware of what's going on. So, you can look up and down the street and find him. So, that's the good part. He's there and he does what he's supposed to do.

Thank you. I I appreciate that and thank you for the explanation. My question was going to be what was what's the communication plan and who is the point of contact because this one does have more residences impacted and certainly the school. So

So we'll have that sheet as soon as we get through the pre-construction meeting when we get some timelines from them. Um we can start seeing that. We we still haven't seen a timeline on the the covert replacement on 9th. So depending on when that is I mean that that could affect the the detours and whatnot. So, we kind of got to stack our projects to see where they're going to go and how the closures are going to work so we can be able to do it. Um, I would imagine they're going to start down at fifth and they're going to work block by block working north as as they do unless they jump ahead to do a whole bunch of the utilities. But, um, Jim's going to be our point of contact for the schools and all that stuff. So, I already know that. The rest of the names I don't have yet because I got to wait till we get an award and get through that process. But, we'll have a full sheet. We'll make sure we get it out to you. It's on the website as well once we get it up and get it generated. so we can get that done.

Thank you, Mr. Wowers. Revisit. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I appreciate your comments and Councilman Horns, my friends over over at JBE who I know quite well, principal Maddie and so on, please be sure they're in the loop. We don't want those, you know, the kids are going to be without water, whatever they need to know. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Waters. Any other questions or comments? Madam Clerk, roll call. Council member Wagner. Yes. Council member Wowers. Yes. Council member Holding. Yes. Council member Horn. Yes. Council member Jansen. Yes. Council member Sutton. Yes. Mayor Hoffman. Yes. Motion carries. Item four. I don't think we need an explanation. We have a motion.

I move to authorize the mayor and city manager to negotiate and execute any contract as a result of this bid award. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Madam Clerk, roll call. Council member Wowers. Yes. Council member Golding. Yes. Council member Horn. Yes. Council member Jansen. Yes. Council member Sutton. Yes. Council member Wagner. Yes. Mayor Hoffman. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you, Mr. Baron. Uh, moving on to item C. That's me.

Madam Clerk, for those watching at home, I'm hiding behind the Dis. Um, so tonight we've brought forward the citywide signage brand standards for your approval. As you know, we've been working with Community Solutions Group for the past year on developing these brand standards as part of our strategic plan. Um, we've brought this to a couple council briefings and were able to get a consensus just this past January on the attached sign pallet and we are looking for formal approval. And I'm here for any questions.

Thank you. Can I have a motion? I move we approve the brain standards for citywide signage. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Mr. Wowers. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Uh Molly, how much are we spending on this? So, total I I know it was we were given that information, but if you could refresh my memory, please. Are you looking for the amount for design or for the gateway signs or all the

overall cost? Are we spending like three million, a million? I couldn't tell you. I can I can get the CIP to you for what we've allocated for the next five years for signage. Um, but I will tell you that does not include the beach in signs that we've discussed and a couple other smaller families. Uh, those things we'll be bringing back to council, but I don't have a total, but I can get the CIP to you. That's fine. Yeah, we I'll follow up with you later. I appreciate that. Yeah. And this this motion is just to accept the brand standards. It's not approving any additional budgetary spend at all at this point. Yep. Mr. Horn,

I just wanted to say that at the bottom of this picture right here on the bottom right below the the Jack's Beach, you can kind of see those lines and it reminded me the tectonic plates and their slow steady movement much like our slow steady movement towards getting a citywide sign standard. So, I would like to say that I'm happy to see this coming through. Thank you. It's still just a picture on a screen at this point, so don't get too excited. But thank you, Madame Clerk, for carrying this work from the city manager's office to the city clerk's office. And hopefully we will continue um progress here. I don't see tectonic plates.

All right. Is everyone else seeing it? Is it just me? Okay. Yeah. I think he's referring to the water, right? The way it is.

It's it's it's been been glacial and not to no fault of of anyone on this day. Message received. But it's it's exciting to to even see a rendering. Um thank you for your work on it. And um I would say all as much as we'd love to do every sign in town all at once, if we need to piece it out um because some of those signs are looking looking a little shabby. So if we need to do one type of sign at a time, I'm seeing some nodding uh that people uh might agree with me and uh I I would be immunable to that for sure just as an effort to get it get it going. Um, I will say that um, as much as this logo was not designed to be a citywide logo, we've really adopted it as such. Um, just happy accident and our citizens love it. So, I think they're going to really love, you know, when we put those, they're kind of cheesy, but those surfboard signs out there, people really loved that. So, I think if we can kind of lean in on just being a a fun beach town and that look that it's to me it's really captured here. And of course, the iconic lifeguard chair is represented. Well, um, any other questions or comments? Madam clerk, roll call.

Council member Golding, yes. Council member Horn, yes. Council member Jansen, yes. Council member Sutton, yes. Council member Wagner, yes. Council member Waters, yes. Mayor Hoffman, yes. Motion carries. Can I have a motion to adjurnn? A motion. I move to adjurnn. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed?