City Council - Regular Meeting

And the invocation with me, please repice for all. Lord, heavenly father, thank you for another beautiful day in our beautiful city that is Lake City and give us the wisdom to guide this organization to best serve the people present and in the future of Lake City. Cast a net of safety, opportunity, and vision over our community and help us to serve those who need us most. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Welcome to the city council regular session of February 17, 2026. Miss Cypes, will you please call the role? Council member Jernigan, present. Council member Harris, present. Vice Mayor Young, here. Council member Carter, present. Mayor Walker, here. City Manager Rosenthal here. City Attorney Martin here. Chief Butler here.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Lake City Council has opened its public meeting. Since 1968, the city code has prohibited any person from making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks or becoming boisterous while addressing the city council. Yelling or making audible comments from the audience constitutes boisterous conduct. Such conduct will not be tolerated. There is only one approved manner of addressing the city council and that is to be recognized and then to speak from the podium. Failure to abide by the rules of decorum will result in removal from the meeting. Now we will move on to approval of the agenda. to approve. [clears throat] Mayor second. Thank you both. Motion a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. Oh, wait. Hold on. We have a discussion.

Discussion. Um the approval of the agenda. I'm not quite sure if this is when I need to speak or do I need to speak at the end, but there were two things that I directed um you John to put on the agenda and I want to know why they're not on there. U that I think that was the um city hall and the um but I I would think that you want to speak to that more towards the end when it comes your time to talk. All right. All right. Any more discussion questions? All in favor of this agenda signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed like sign? Okay. We will move on to our first item which is our proclamation. We have a proclamation uh for Judge Leandrew Johnson and it reads as follows. In recognition of the retirement of Leandrew Johnson, Circuit Court Judge Third Judicial Circuit. Whereas the Honorable Leandrew Johnson, Leandra G. Johnson has served the citizens of Lake City, Columbia County, and Florida's third judicial circuit with distinction for more than 40 years through a career devoted to justice, public service, and community leadership. And whereas Judge Johnson was appointed in 2006 by Governor Jeb Bush as a circuit court judge in Florida's third judicial circuit [clears throat] making history as the first woman to serve as a circuit judge in the circuit which encompasses Colombia Dixie Hamilton Lefay Madison Swany and Taylor counties. And whereas prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Johnson served for 15 years as an assistant state attorney in the third judicial circuit, practice law and private practice, and served as an attorney for the Columbia County School Board, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to fairness, integrity, and the rule of law. And whereas in recognition of her leadership, professionalism, and dedication to judicial excellence, Judge Johnson was unanimously elected by her peers to serve as chief judge of the third judicial circuit in 2011. And whereas Judge Johnson is a graduate of the University of Florida,

go Gator,

earning both her undergraduate degree and jurist doctor and has consistently exemplified the highest standard of the legal profession throughout her career. And whereas beyond her judicial service, Judge Johnson has remained deeply engaged in the Lake City community, serving on numerous charitable boards as past president of Altrusa Club and as a long-standing member of the leadership council of Take Stock and Children, positively impacting generations of local families and youth. And whereas Judge Johnson, Judge Johnson's trailblazing career and unwavering commitment to justice, served as an inspiration to women, aspiring legal professionals, and public servants throughout the city of Lake City and beyond. Now, therefore, I, Noah Walker, mayor of the city of Lake City, do Florida, do but do hereby wish to recognize the Honorable Leandra G. Johnson for her historic achievements, distinguished judicial service, and enduring contributions to the community, and extend our sincerest appreciation and gratitude on behalf of the citizens of Lake City. Thank you very much. [applause] Come up to the front.

If the council will come down and take a photo of Miss Johnson, retired. Also provided

Got it.

[clears throat]

I will. I love it.

You was hiding behind Mr. Mayor and city council, thank you so much. Um, this is a distinct honor that I appreciate very humbly. I've only been a public servant and that's what I've done throughout my career to serve the public and follow the law. And so this recognition um really is very humbling to me. So, thank you very much. I appreciate this recognition. [applause]

Thank you again for all of your service, Judge Johnson. All right. Now, we will move on to our presentations for this evening. And we have uh one presentation from the 250th project presentation. So, Miss Terry, would you lead us on this? Before I have Miss Lee come up and introduce her students, I wanted to give I wanted to say a few words about our 250th celebration that we're going to be doing here in Lake City. We're excited to begin celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. The city along with the county with have many events planned to honor the 250th. One being our kickoff celebration on Tuesday, February 24th at 11:00 am in Alusty Park. We will have recognition of elected officials, presentation of colors, patriotic music, presentations from Richardson Middle School and Fort White Honors Choir, and a proclamation presentation. Number two is our large flags. We have a bunch of large flags that will be hung this weekend on city hall, the courthouse, the courthouse annex, and the schoolboard office. [clears throat] Another event that we have is our Fourth of July event at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. It is scheduled Saturday, July 4th, starting at 5 p.m. Family activities, hot air balloons, vendors, food trucks, entertainment, and fireworks. The Columbia County School Board, the Art Gallery, and Columbia County Public Library are working closely with us to promote and provide activities to accompany our patriotic theme. They will share some of their projects monthly at our council meetings. And that's what we

have tonight is the Columbia County School Board with Miss Lee to come and show some art that they have done in their classrooms. Good evening board. Um we're very excited to work alongside the board of county commissioners. They um have written this grant and they they asked before they included us in the grant, is there some things that we could do to make sure that all of our children in our schools understand the importance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And of course, our standards, our state standards go right along with this and government and civics and un all the way down to kindergarten to understanding, you know, the flag and why we why we say our pledge of allegiance. So, with that, each month we have an assigned project. We kicked it off with our celebrate literacy week in the state of Florida. Um statewide it was 250th read white and blue and so we kicked off with that in the last week of January and rolled right into February and we are working with a local quilt guild and each school is designing a quilt square that will be turned into a quilt and presented in April at the district. So the art teachers are working hard in their art classes to start and kick off the February project. This is um a Eveina Miller and Brooklyn Sapperstein. Miss Miller is the art teacher at Westside and they're just going to share their projects and then they have some things to pass out to the audience and what they've been learning so far. So, thank you. With a single sheet of parchment paper and 56 signatures, America began the greatest political journey in human history. On July 4th, 2026, the United

States turns 250 years old, marking the anniversary of 1776, signing of the de declaration of independence. This historic milestone celebrates 250 years of independence.

America started with 13 original colonies and has grown to be 50 amazing, beautiful states. Over 250 years, the country has changed a lot, including ending slavery in 1863, women gaining the right to vote in 1920, and landing on the moon in 1969. America's turning 250 years old. Happy birthday, America. Our first art is American wind socks. This is something we can put up on the 4th [clears throat] of July to celebrate. We'll be passing those around now. [snorts]

Thank you. Thank you. On the record. I love it.

Thank you. Second is our aluminum soldiers. We'll we'll be passing them around for you guys to look at. Good job. Good job.

Hold on. Thank you very much for having us here. It was an honor to be here. Thank you, Fisher. Thank you. [applause] And we'll be back each month for a small presentation and we'll have secondary also come do some presentations throughout all the way through May. Thank you for having us again. Awesome. Thank you.

Thank you so much. All right, that concludes uh the presentation portion of our meeting. So, we will now move on to public participation and persons [clears throat] wishing to address the council. We only have one person signed up uh tonight and that would be Mr. Oswaldo Valdo uh Lopez. [clears throat] Thank you.

Hello, council. Um, mayor. So, I So, tonight I'm I'm addressing a situation that we have in our city. Um, it h it's it has to do with uh the dogs. There's a lot of people who own dogs here, including myself. Uh I lived here for three years and I thought about a solution on how we can um have people um you know walk their dogs and um bring revenue in for the city as well along with tourists. So it's called the Lake City Dog Park. That's my proposal. Um, and um, what I'm proposing is that that we could come up with about four to six acres worth of land. And on that land, we're going to put um, three types of waterfalls for dogs um, where they can go in there and, you know, hang out and bathe uh, or just play whatever. It's artificial waterfalls um, in a shallow pool. It's amusement for the dogs to play and bathe. Uh and um it's family orientated. It's also a tourist. It's also a tourist attraction. It will bring in revenue from out of state because we don't have we don't have anything here. We don't have a beach. Uh so why not have a dog park that can you know something original that we can you know that we can have here in our own special city. Um so why four four to six acres uh for the privacy uh and also to handle the growth of the new members that are coming in. The membership there'll be a membership fee and the membership fee will be $30 annually which is a onetime fee. Um it includes a fencing compound. Um, it'll operate during daylight uh daylight hours from 8:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday, Saturday 9:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday possibly closed or Sunday 9:00 to 5:00 p.m. Uh, the attractions include again the three type of waterfalls. I'm not talking about like huge waterfalls. I'm talking really something shallow that pe you know that people can just sit there and relax and hear the sound of water flowing. Um, another thing uh also that it that it has is uh obstacle courses for dogs. Uh, another thing plenty of trees and bushes and benches to sit on for the public to come out there uh the members to come out there and sit. Again, we need about four to six acres cuz I really feel that this is going to take off. Um, and uh water spets for the dogs. Um, you know, do we they like we bring in our own bowls and we can fill them up whatever and, you know, have uh, you know, a way for them to drink.

Finally, um, I have 10 points to make and I'm done here. And if you' just bring it in for a landing. Sir, it's just the timer went off, but

Okay. Okay. Yes, sir. So, 10 real quick points. The dogs must be on a leash when entering or exiting. Uh, no fighting will be tolerated along amongst amongst the dogs. Must be friendly dogs. Uh, I believe in like a four policy strike per visit per year. In other words, if your dog keeps fighting, you know, cause problems four times a year, then you're out. And um there's a number to call uh there's a number to call for the city uh in case there's any complaints. Um and it's a onetime fee per year. All owners are welcomed out of count that includes out of the county and out of the state as well.

Mr. Mr. Lopez. Yes, sir. I just want to break in um I know that we are working on a dog park currently um [clears throat] with with Mr. Johnson being the quarterback of that um that project. I I think that it would probably be a um a good collaboration if you wanted to have set up a meeting with him. Yes, sir. Um and move that forward. Does that sound good? Yes, sir. Okay, Mr. Johnson. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lopez. Do you do you have your if you have your contact information? Um I just because I know he's working on that, he'll he'll get that from you. Okay. Yes, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Lopez. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. I got a question for me, Mr. Uh, Mr. Lopez. Yes, sir. Um,

I think that was you out there. I was playing with my dog or whatever. Yes, sir. It was Shepherd. I had mine or whatever. Um, and [clears throat] you you you explained to me that you were a disabled veteran. Am I am I correct? Correct. So, would the veterans be allowed to come out and participate in this dog uh uh park? It's it's a membership for everybody. 30 $30 a year. It's it's going to bring in revenue uh from our county and you know and and it's going to get word out of state because you know we don't have anything here. We don't have we we don't there's no such thing as a huge dog park anywhere in this state and we want to be original. So this is also bringing in tourism you know along with you know

Yeah. And and the reason why I was uh where I was going with that, uh we have a tourist development um uh with the county. Uh maybe uh the next meeting, I think it's March the 5th at 9:00 a.m. If you're not doing anything that morning, maybe you want to come out and suggest that because they have so much acreage that we're working on now and that would be something that u that would gain interest. Yes, sir. uh from the um staff members as well as the the members of the TDC. So, who do I get with Mr. Johnson here? Uh yeah, I think Mr. Johnson can get you in the right direction for sure.

Uh but I want to make sure we don't just uh leave this out there hanging. I want to see it uh progress. Okay. Okay. Yes, sir. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Lopez. Thank you. I'd like to say Mr. Loz, I really thank you for coming up here to share that. Under my direction, I did ask Mr. D to um give us $2 parts. So, I don't want them to think you were set up. Thank you for coming. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you very much. [laughter] Thank you. Um moving on from public participation, I don't have anybody signed up, uh anybody else signed up, so we'll move into the approval of the consent agenda. Mr. Mayor, move to approve the consent agenda.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion, comments? Hearing none. Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Mr. Carter? Yay. Miss Harris, yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Mayor Walker, yes. All right. Uh, we are moving on to new business. We're in ordinances. Item number four, city council ordinance number 2026-2346. Mr. Martin, would you please read that by title?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, you have it before you. Ordinance 2026 2346, an ordinance of the city of Lake City, Florida, amending the text of the city of Lake City land development regulations as amended pursuant to an application LDR2502 by the growth management department of the city of Lake City, Florida. Providing for amending section 2.1 entitled definitions general by adding a definition for administrative approval process and development review staff. Providing for amending article 3 entitled administrative mechanisms by adding section 3.3 entitled administrative approval. Providing for amending section 13.11 entitled site and development plan approval by adding section 13.11.5 entitled minor site and development plan approval. providing severability, repealing all ordinances in conflict, and providing an effective date.

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Uh, we don't have anybody signed up to speak to item number four, so we'll move straight into DEA's comments, questions. Mr. Mayor, move to approve city council ordinance 2026-2346. Second motion, a second. Thank you both. Any [clears throat] further comments or questions? Hearing none, Miss Sykes, would you please call the role? Mr. Carter, yes. Miss Harris, yes. Miss Young, Mr. Digan, yes. Mayor Walker. Yes. Right. Now we're moving on to new business item number five, city council ordinance number 2026-2355. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, I have before you on first reading, ordinance 2026 2355, an ordinance of the city of Lake City, Florida, changing the name of that certain public road in the city of Lake City, presently identified as North Terrace, situated between Northwest Wilson Street and Northwest Long Street, changing and designating the name of said segment of Northwest Ivory Terrace, henceforth to Northwest Betty Lane Terrace within the city of Lake City, Florida, providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing an effective date. Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody from the public signed up to speak to this item either. Uh so we'll move straight into dis comments questions. Yes.

Um so we we're we are saying that we're going to change uh Betty Lane to to Betty Lane Terrace. Is that what we're going to do? Yes. From Ivory Street, Northwest Ivory Terrace. Northwest Ivory Terrace to Betty Lane Terrace.

Um I see uh Mickey out here. Um, do you have any uh thing you want to say about that? Um, I think the last time we tried to change a name and uh the person uh did not uh agree with uh with it. So, um me personally, uh I'd like to see if you have any uh questions about this and and then move forward with it. Thank you allowing me to speak and thank you all for everything you've done to um help facilitate this. I actually spoke with the person who uh thought who had a issue with it uh previously and he has no issue with it currently. Uh as a matter of fact, he supports it and I think he confirmed that with Councilman Councilwoman Harris.

I like the idea. I'm I'm Miss Lean. She was an educator and uh she was a disciplinary uh person too. You know, you know, Miss Lane, a disciplinary mother too, [laughter] you know. Uh so uh I really appreciate that. I just wanted to make sure that you guys were [clears throat] aware of what was going on and we didn't have any uh feedback from it. So I I really appreciate that.

I very much appreciate it and I think Councilwoman Harris can confirm that it's no longer an issue and it's fully supported by that individual. And I would like to thank you all on behalf of your continued support of my mom uh including postumously that is very much appreciated both by my family and church members and community folks. So thank you all very much for helping us continue her legacy not just in the family but in the community. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Any other questions or comments of the day? Would anybody like to make a motion to adopt city council ordinance number 2026-2356 or sorry 2355? Not 235. Mayor, I move that we approve ordinance number 2026 2355. I'll second. Thank you both. We have a motion and a second. Any further comments or questions? Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Miss Harris. Yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Mr. Carter, yes. Mayor Walker, yes.

All right. Now, we're moving on to item number six. This is city council ordinance number 2026-2356. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, you have before you ordinance number 2026-2356, an ordinance to the city of Lake City, Florida, changing the name of that certain public road in the city of Lake City, presently identified as Northwest Campbell Terrace, situated between Northwest Wilson Street and Northwest Long Street, changing and designating the name of said segment of Northwest Campbell Terrace, henceforth to Northwest Foreman Terrace within the city of Lake City, Florida, providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing an effective date. Thank you, Mr. Martin. Uh we don't have anybody sign up from the public on this one either. So, do we have any We'll move straight into the dis comments questions. Do we have any

Mr. Mayor? Uh, making a motion. Mr. Carter is making a motion. We'll get a second and then we'll come to the questions since he's already started. Move to approve ordinance 2026-2356. Second. All right. We have a motion, a second now. Mr. Mr. Trenigan. Uh, yeah. I wanted to I wanted to say something before we made that motion because you said do you have any questions, comments? Uh, and I wanted to ask a question at that time instead. Uh, Carter made a motion. So, we got to get the question first and then the motion. Uh, let's uh uh unless I don't understand exactly what you're saying,

but I wanted to know if somebody was in here uh on the behalf uh Mr. Foreman. Yes, I am Sabril. Okay. Well, well, well, come on over here, Miss Sabra. I just wanted to make sure Yes, sir. I I think I know your whole family and uh you look just like your mom coming up here. Thank you. Thank you. And and that's the key, you know, uh we're not doing nothing that that's going to come back and somebody's going to say, "Well, uh it was a slap in the face or anything such as that." And that that has happened to me and uh and I promise you I didn't uh I agree with it, but uh the the person um was very inspiration and my whole family and Mr. Foreman uh was the same way.

Yes, sir. Uh he was very very uh smart. uh educator here in Lake City. So, I'm in agreeance with it as well. And and u you had you don't have any problems, any issues or anything like that?

No, sir. I just have a few words if you guys don't believe. Thank you. Um so, to Mayor Walker, um the members of the city council, u Mr. City Manager, and all of the assistant managers, the Mr. Attorney and Mrs. Sites, this is a awesome thank you for honoring my dad and also my mom. I I wanted to make sure that we just sealed it with foreman because both of my parents, my mom and my dad were both educators over 38 years in the in this community. Um so, Councilwoman Harris, we give you a special thank you to our family and to our district. Um thank you for making this happen. If my dad was still living, he would tell you that you turned out all right [laughter] and he would be so proud of you and we really thank you for honoring him. Um, my parents valued education and their teaching profession. Um, they realized through their all of their former students that they did a great job in the classroom and in their and in their administrative jobs. We are so grateful and proud for this honor and we thank all of you guys for this recognition from all of the Foreman family. We really appreciate it. Thank you guys.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. I think Miss Foreman I went to um see her and she said she broke her knee or something. Yeah. Um, she hurt her knee. She hurt her knee and that's why she wasn't able to be here, but let her know it's time. Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. I hope she recovers quickly. I'm watching. [laughter] Any other comments or questions from the DA? I'll just say Mr. Mayor, um, I've done business with Mr. Mrs. Foreman and I caught a couple of licks from that paddle. Yeah, Mr. Foreman. And in spite that I I really quite with the tape, right? No, it was wood with the holes in it. [laughter] But no, he was he was he was great. Funny fell.

He wasn't paddling. I had Mr. Foreman every year when I got in 10th grade. 10th 2012. Every year he was one of my teachers. I'm like, "Oh my gosh." But he definitely would say, "You turned out okay." [laughter] 40% of the council's not bad. Right. Right. [laughter] All right. Uh, Miss Sykes, if there are no other comments or questions, Miss Sykes, will you please call the RO? Mr. Carter? Yes. Miss Harris? Yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Mayor Walker,

yes. All right. We will now move on to uh resolutions and begin with city council resolution number 2026-011. Uh, Mr. Martin, will you please read that by type?

Certainly, Mr. Mayor, council members, you have before you resolution number 2026-011, a resolution of the city of Lake City, Florida, adopting the evaluation and tabulation of responses to that certain request for proposal number 0032026 for repairs to the city hall facade accepting the bid from Innovative Masonry Restoration LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company, approving the agreement between the city and said vendor, making certain findings of fact in support thereof, recognizing the authority of the mayor to execute and bind the city to set agreement. directing the mayor to execute and bind cities set agreement peeling all prior resolutions in conflict and providing an effective date.

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Uh we don't have anybody signed up to speak to this item, so we'll move straight to the to the deis council comments. Mr. Mayor, uh move to approve city council resolution 2026-011. Second. Have a motion, a second. I do have a comment on this. I'm I'm excited to see uh this happen and for this net to come off the building. Um, it's it's going to be a good thing in downtown League City. Uh, with that being said, does anybody else have any comments or questions? Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Mr. Carter, yay. Miss Harris, yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Mayor Walker, yes.

All right, moving on to item number eight, city council resolution number 2026-019. Mr. Martin, will you please read this one by title?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, before you have a resolution number 2026-019, a resolution of the city of Lake City, Florida, approving that certain mutual general release between the city and Paul Dah, making certain findings effect in support of the city, approving set agreement, recognizing the authority of the mayor to execute and bind the city to set agreement, directing the mayor to execute and bind the city to set agreement, repealing all prior resolutions in conflict, and providing an effective date. Thank you, Mr. Martin. Uh, we don't have anybody signed up for public comment on this item, so we'll move straight to the council comments, questions. Yes, I do. Uh, Mr. Mayor, thank you for recognizing. Um, so this is going to end everything with Mr. Dial. Am I correct? We won't have this conversation anymore. We won't have to talk to the attorneys and they So, we got it all worked out. Is that what you're telling me? That's what I'm hearing. Right.

This is This includes the general mutual mutual general release. Okay. So, um Okay. I I just want to make sure we I got a good understanding because a lot of things I don't understand. Mr. Martin, would you like to expand on that? Uh and what I would point out is it sets a benchmark date of February 2nd, which was the date of the meeting where the offer was made uh to Mr. Dial. So uh this release there there's a mutual release uh of liability from the beginning of time up through February 2nd, 2026. So that's the scope of the agreement and then of course it provides for the payment. Thank you, Mr. Martin. Any other questions or comments?

Mr. Mayor, move to approve city council resolution 2026-019. Motion a second. Thank you both. Uh, do we have any final comments, questions? Hearing none. Miss, you please call the role. Mr. Carter, yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Dernigan. [clears throat] Uh, yes. Miss Harris, yes. Mayor Walker, yes. All right, moving on to city council. Item number nine, city council resolution number 2026-020 having to do with the contract on the benches around town. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, you have before you resolution number 2026-020, a resolution of the city of Lake City, Florida, amending that certain agreement between the city and Metropolitan Systems, Inc., a Florida Corporation, and Kowanas Club of Lake City, Florida, Inc., a Florida not for-profit corporation for placement, maintenance of, and advertising on public benches within the city. Making certain findings a fact in support of the city, amending set agreement, recognizing the authority of the mayor to execute and bind the city to set agreement. Directing the mayor to execute and bind the city to set agreement, repealing all prior resolutions in conflict, and providing an effective date. Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up for public comment on item number nine, so we'll move straight into council comments or questions.

Yes, I do have a question. Yes, sir. Um, as I looked over this and uh I know Mr. Carter is u uh I don't Are you the president out there, vice president? Are you mayor? I am the president of Quanas Club.

Yes. So, I I think that uh uh this would be a conflict for me uh for me to give this contract to the Kowanas Club knowing that we have a uh a member uh the president up here. Uh that and again, I don't know how you [clears throat] guys look at it, but I'm just talking about me and and and Carter can come up with a a very very good uh uh line scheme, however he wants to say it. But for me, uh, I'm not going to agree with something like this knowing that we have one of the members up here as a, uh, president, vice president, mayor, whatever.

Thank you, Mr. Jernigan. I I would like to note I would like to note that this contract is actually with a third party. Uh, that's not quantis directly. Uh, but Mr. Carter could um simply recuse himself from this vote as well. [clears throat] Mr. Martin, before we or Mr. Carter,

to be clear, first of all, I take umbrage with the term scheme. I don't appreciate that. Uh, this contract has been in existence for, I think, almost, if not over 20 years before I was a Kuanian or a city councilman or an adult. As a matter of fact, um, to be clear, Kuanas is a civic organization that raises money and helps feed and clothe children in our community. Many public servants also serve in various capacities on boards uh, for civic organizations. I recommend it. It's delightful. Um, so I don't appreciate the suggestion that there's some sort of scheme they plotted well before I was grown to make sure that one day I was also the president of the club and on the city council. My understanding when speaking about this is that the contract itself [clears throat] is between Metropolitan and uh uh the city and and Mr. Mr. Mr. Martin of course is going to expound on this. the Metropolitan chose to to give funds to a civ organization in the community. In this case, it used to be the Junior Chamber. When that closed up, they partnered with the Kuanas Club roughly 20 years ago or so. So, um technically they could be giving that money to anyone they like. They picked the Kuanas Club after the Junior Chamber folded. Um so, when it comes to hiring or engaging in a contract with him specifically, if I understand correctly, I would need to recuse myself. This contract has ended and we are supposed to be going out for RFP um because that's the fair and equitable way to do it and this is a an extension allowing time for the RFP process to take place but again I really don't appreciate that.

Thank you Mr. Cart. Hold on. Miss Young was next to speak and then we'll come to you. Oh he pretty much covered what I was going to ask. I didn't think it was no ill feelings. I don't think it is but um I appreciate he he covered what my question was.

Thank you Miss Young. Mr. Jernigan again uh it's a lot of things you don't appreciate you you uh when you talk about appreciation uh uh uh I I I don't appreciate uh things too however it comes out if it don't come out in the in the in the wash it'll come out in the rinse remember I told you that see uh uh again uh you can be uh 20 or you can be 40 um I gave you my opinion about something and you uh get offended by or well not offended but you don't appreciate uh me giving my opinion. Uh I I don't know where you come from but this is a free country. Everybody's got an opinion to say whatever they want to say and however they want to say it as long as they say it with respect and I don't think I disrespected you by no means. Uh but but again um if I rub you the wrong way, uh that's just the way it goes sometime in this business. You know, I I get rubbed the wrong way all the time. So it is what it is. Uh and I really appreciate you expounding on uh the the Kuanas Club history. Uh I I think I'm about uh about 30ome years older than you are. So uh I I knew about the Kuanas Club before you was born. You you got me? So um and and Kowanas Club is a great organization. It's great. It's just like the Masonics. It's just like any other organization that we may have around here. So um matter of fact, I got invited uh to become a member at the corners club as well. Uh so uh I want you to just keep those things in mind uh when I talk about that. Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Churn and Mr. Martin. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh I just wanted to to confirm that uh this was brought to our attention that the issue that Mr. Jernigan is raising uh uh not by Mr. Jernigan but it was brought to our attention early on in this process uh and made known to us that uh that uh Mr. Carter was president of Quantis, a member of Quantis s that's on their board. Uh we the city attorney's office reached out to uh the Florida Commission on Ethics and uh through multiple conversations uh they obtained the exact fact scenario that's in front of us tonight. Uh they researched it on their end and came back and said that uh there is no conflict of interest and as a result Mr. Carter would be required to vote on this tonight. Thank you, Mr. Martin. All right. Do we have any other comments or questions, Mr.

Janig? So, so as you can see, it wasn't just me. Somebody else has said something to it uh about it as well. And and uh but you know, I I call it like I see it, you know. So, again, I will not uh uh vote uh in favor of this uh simply because of you uh being uh affiliated with the uh Kuanas Club. That's just me. Hey, I miss just one vote. Just think about that. Thank you, Mr. Chernigan. Just for my clarification, um Mr. Rosenthal, as I was reading through this, this is a six-month extension for us to put out an RFP, correct? Yes, it is. We're going to we're going to go through the RFP process.

Yes. All right. Thank you. Uh any further questions or comments? [clears throat] Hearing none, Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? We don't have a motion or a second. Sorry, Mr. Mayor. I move to approve city council resolution 2026-020. Now we have a motion. Do we have a second? A second. We have a motion and a second. Um, any final discussion, questions? Hearing none. Miss, will you please call the role? Mr. Carter? Yes. Miss Harris? Yes. Miss Young? Yes. Mr. Jernigan? No.

Mayor Walker? Yes. All right. Moving on to item number 10, city council resolution number 2026-024. Uh, this is a resolution to appoint Miss Kendra Jones to seat 3F on the city's planning and zoning board. We don't have anybody. I'm going to let you read this by title two, Mr. Mor, please.

Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, I have before you resolution number 2026-024, a resolution of the city of Lake City, Florida, appointing Kendra Jones to serve in seat 3F on the city's planning and zoning board, board of adjustment, and historic preservation agency board through October 31st, 2028, the end of the current term for said seat, making certain findings of fact and support thereof, recognizing the expiration of said term on October 31st, 2028, directing the city clerk to reflect set appointment expiration of term and such records of the city as are necessary and prudent, making certain findings effect in support of the city clerk reflecting such appointment and expiration of term in the records of the city repealing all prior resolutions in conflict and providing an effective date.

Thank you Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up for uh public discussion on city council resolution number 2026-024. So we'll move straight to the um comments questions of the council. Mr. Jernigan. Yes, I have a question. Uh, Miss Kedra Jones, is she in the audience anywhere?

Uh, m Mr. Mayor. Uh, and that's the problem that uh that that I have with um people uh getting a position. Um uh you know, I need to see the person. I I want to meet him. Yeah. I I I saw the resume and she's uh and I think I know who she is, but uh to come up here and just say, "Hey, I I accept this." and and uh I fulfill the duties of a uh of a board member, you know, just anything uh to let uh the people um that's listening and looking at this know who that person is that's that's going to be assigned to planning and zoning. Um and which I don't have a problem with her being on planning and zoning. So I don't want nobody to get it twisted. Um so so again uh when we have these openings uh if we can get the person here that wants to represent um uh uh our organization uh please if we could let's get them here. Okay.

Thank you Mr. Jernigan. Uh Mr. Carter I would just say to say I agree with Mr. Jernigan. I asked last week I asked staff to ask uh Miss Jones to come this uh meeting to so we could chat with her a little bit kind of get to know her and and uh so u I think we should probably table this give her another opportunity at the next meeting to to come. Um uh but otherwise I I I don't think it's a good idea to approve anybody who we haven't had the chance because we there's very little there's basically no official requirements, but it would be nice to at least be able to ask her a couple questions and just know that she kind of has an idea what she's getting into with the whole thing. It's it can be quite a lot. So So I agree and it would be my suggestion that we table it if no one else has anything to add.

Miss Young spoke with Miss Jones initially and um she did um express interest in doing so. But I do agree if if no one has spoken with her to see make sure that she's, you know, still interested in in serving and um I was going to suggest that we pass it and and some speak to her to make sure that this is what she wanted to do. Thank you, Miss Young. Mr. Mayor, move to table city council resolution 2026-024 until the next meeting. Second.

Motion to table in a second. Thank you both. Any further discussion? I know um I know that that department that she's coordinating with is rampant with the flu right now. So that might have been an issue. Um but I think this is a good motion to table. Um all right. If there are no other comments or questions, Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Okay. It's a motion to table resolution uh 202624. So Mr. Carter, yay. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Miss Young, yes. Miss Harris, yes. And Mayor Walker,

yes. All right, we're moving on to item number 11, which is city council resolution number 2026-027, task assignment with Jones Edmonds. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, council members. You have before you resolution number 2026-027, a resolution of the city of Lake City, Florida, authorizing task assignment number 16 pursuant to the continuing contract Jones Edmonsons and Associates, Inc. of Florida Corporation to provide professional engineering services. Providing for a cost not to exceed $66,680, making certain findings a fact in support of the city, approving said task assignment, recognizing the authority of the mayor to execute and bind the city of said tax task assignment. Authorizing the city manager with consent of the city attorney to make minor changes to the scope of work of the task assignment, provided such changes do not increase the quoted price in the task assignment, repealing all prior resolutions in conflict and providing an effective date. Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up to speak to item number 11, so we will go straight to DA's comments, questions.

Mr. Mayor, yes. Move to approve resolution 2026-027. We have a motion. Second and a second. Thank you both. Any other comments or questions? Miss Sykes, will you please call the RO? Mr. Carter? Yes. Mr. Jernigan? Yes. Miss Young? Yes. Miss Harris? Yes. Mayor Walker? Yes.

All right. That concludes all of our resolutions. And now we will come on to the portion of our agenda that has other items and item number 12, discussion and possible action funding for LoveFest by Council Member Timmy Harris. So I'll let you introduce this. I had um we on one of our trips to Tallahassee in my off time, I wondering what people thought about Lake City and I was appalled at what they thought about Lake City. And because so many things have been happening in Lake City as far as murders, deaths, and all of that stuff, I thought that we need to get collectively with the county and do something. I spoke with the commissioner um Parnell and he thought it was a great idea and while I was down there I also spoke with um Rocky Ford um Mr. Phillip and I spoke to Mr. Cross. I asked them about what do they think about it and they thought it was a great idea. I expressed to them it will look good for our city if it shows that the city of Lake City as well as the county work together in putting this on. They agreed. So with that being said, I told them I said, "Well, you know, I'm going to need some money." And and and they all agreed. Of course you are. So Kevin is going, Miss Commissioner Cornell will be going to speak with them, I believe, this Thursday night, if not this Thursday night. next Thursday night, but I did give them a number. And with that being said, um I would love for my council and the mayor to agree to um give some funding to this. Um we have several activities and things that we want to happen during this time. We want to be able to um have bounce houses, the

whole nine. I expressed to um Audrey as well as um the team of people that would be helping me get this off the ground. I want this to be the biggest that Lake City has ever seen. I don't want to be thrown together. There are certain things that I ask for as far as this um fire department to do um the public department to do. There are several things that we're trying to get off the ground and we want to have this on August the 1. So, I'm going to ask the C. Is this where I asked for the money done?

You can. Yeah. Okay. So, I I I did tell Mr. Cross a certain a number. I'm not going to tell y'all what number I told them, but I I will say I want the city to at least give up 10 to $15,000 to help this go up. That will cover entertainment, that will cover um the um free food that we'll be doing, all the activities and all of that.

Mr. Carter. Um thank you, Miss Harris. I I could be wrong, but I don't think it's the average citizen of Lake City's experience that the town is rife with murder and crime. And I think that's a drastic mischaracteration to begin with. Also, I believe that um Miss uh um sorry, Terry

Terry, sorry, I know your name. I promise. I'm sorry. I believe that Miss Miss Terry uh hosts and puts together and organizes I think over a dozen different events throughout the year that the city does fund in part and full and I think that those events that we already are a part of are in service of the uh the idea of promoting community spirit and partnership. So I guess specifically what I would be curious about with this event is because it's kind of the description in our packet was um to promote unity and togetherness and those are all very good things obviously um I do think the events that we already do do that in a very sort of let's say somewhat politically neutral kind of way uh so I wonder like is there something specific about is there something for instance I think this is suggest gested for like the third week of August. Is this part of something bigger or is it what's the point of this outside of what we already do?

The point of us is um none of us want to say that we stay in a in a um when you look at back at the history of Lake City. [clears throat] um it is not favorable and we can go back a good little bit of years from now and the only thing I want to do is put something that says the love as and and I'm just going to be blunt and frank right now. I really don't care what Terry is putting on. This is something I along with the county want to do together. M if I may hold on if I may. That that begins, Mr. Mayor, that begins to sound like a rally. Let's let her let her finish.

And I allowed you to speak. Allow me to speak and and [clears throat] when it's time to vote, you could vote yes or no. That's all. Okay. There's more conversation. Let Miss Harris finish and then we can come back to you.

So I I I would like to um have it whereas the city and the county works together in putting this event on. I have gotten good feedback from the county, from all five of the commissioners, and I expect to get good feedback from um the council here because I am part of the city and and I'm not going to argue about it. We can go ahead and vote if you like, but I don't want to sit up here and argue about it

for parliamentary procedure. Once once a um proposition is made, we'll open it up to to public comment. Uh Mr. To be clear, sitting up here and arguing about things is sometimes exactly what we're supposed to do. Um I I'm just not Wait, hold on. I'm just not I'm just not see I think in all fairness, one of the events that's already planned for this year, if it if it made you feel better, could be changed in its title and it in its theme to some degree. You know, our holiday market could be the holiday love and unity market or something like that. I'm just not seeing the purpose behind the city funding a whole other event when we already have a whole host of events that we fund.

And I understand this is something very specific that you and Mr. Parnell would like to do. It feels more like a almost like a political sort of a rally and I I would say to that that you should raise funds yourself and host an event. I'm going to tell you I detest you saying that and reason being is the reason I talked to Mr. Parnell if you were listening along with the other commissioners. I spoke with them as well. The only reason I talked to Mr. um Parnell mostly is because he is my county commissioner. I am district 12. He is the county commissioner of one. So with that being said, that is why it was with him. Okay.

In the beginning, [snorts] but I did speak with all of them. Okay. May I ask you a question? Go ahead. Why August 1st? [sighs and gasps] Well, I wanted it to be around the time that um our great dog park was going to be put together. I wanted it to be around hopefully the splash pad that we're trying to get will be opening. I wanted it to be around when if we get the new equipment for the park. That is why I want it to all come together as one park openings and everything all at one time. Miss Mr. Miss Young.

Oh, I my I would just like to hear from the county themselves. Um Okay. I would like to hear from the county. I would say we can pass it and get more of a detail of what what will take place and have the county come and give their insight and they're saying that they will partnership. That's what I asked

the the this is the early stages. I did not want to put the cart before the horse. No sense of me even making all of these great plans and then I have not spoken with you guys and you all turn me down. So that is one one of the reasons why we have a small amount of stuff that I wanted to bring forward before we go into delving into everything that we want to happen. Mr. Carter,

let me if I may roll back a little bit of what may be kermaginely energy. I'm not really trying to be that way about it, but this sort of feels like a disjointed way about doing it. I would think the best way to approach this if we did want to do anything like this would honestly to be to set up a workshop with the county. If we want to partner with the county commission and the city council, I would say we set up a workshop, we all chat about it and then go back to our respective boards and determine what we could or couldn't spend on it if we were going to do something like that to begin with. But I I do feel strongly I'm not generally in favor of the city becoming like a a party planning committee. I think we already host a lot of events, but if we were going to do it, I feel like us doing, you know, a somewhat arbitrary amount and then seeing what they offer later, it feels a little bit I don't know.

The moment you bring something for us to vote on that you would like to do in the city, you have that option to do that. I chose otherwise. Mr. [clears throat] Jernigan.

Uh yes. I I I would like to get just a little bit more information uh from the county. Uh I read uh in in the packet here uh what exactly um the the love fest uh Miss uh Miss Harris is is putting on. However, um even though um and and and it looks it it may sound um I don't know uh it may sound like it's It's it sounds really good to me. Uh you know, funding for uh Lovefest sounds really good. However, um we we have an event planner here and and there's no way possible we can um discard her from anything that we're doing um here in Lake City. We paid Miss uh uh Miss Phillips a lot of money to put these events on and she is the best at doing it and she's got a little bit of help now. So, coordinate things with uh uh with Miss Phillips and um and the county county commissioners or particulars or whoever. Uh I just think that uh and it'll take the load off of you as well. It'll take the load uh off of you guys. Uh and and I I kind of agree with Mr. Carter. Uh we have a lot of events uh uh here throughout the year and but those events are already uh in the budget I would say they're already in the budget. Uh but this one here it seemed like we're going to have to get uh 10,000 20,000 15,000 whatever the case may be from somewhere. Um, so, uh, I I would think that, um, getting with, uh, with with Miss Phillips and coordinating, uh, this event, uh, with something that she's already got pre-planned, I think it'll it'll

definitely, um, because she's already she she's got a budget. I I would think, right? Uh, I would think that, uh, and and probably the county commissioners, they probably got a budget as well. So, I would think that coordinated uh with with that it it'll kind of like save your constituents uh some money because uh I don't know where we're going to get that money from. So, are you suggesting a sitting council member cannot come up with something outside of what Terry brings out to have in the city? Is that is that what you're suggesting? No.

You just made a point that that's what we're paying her for and that's all good. Yes. But when a city sitting council person wants to do something in the in the um city, I don't know why there is a big issue. When I got ready to do the warming coats where we gave coats away, Terry was not facilitating that. That was under my direction. So now that I'm working with the county, it has to go up under Terry. Well, well, again, make me make me understand. No, it's it's going to be hard for you to understand this. I told you it is cuz you're not making sense.

Well, that uh obviously uh when we talking about uh putting on an event and we're talking about other people's money, not your money, not my money. It was other people's money when I did. Let him let him finish, Miss Harris.

So, so all all I'm saying is I think that she should be involved [snorts] with anything that we do, not just you. We do. I don't care if it's a county uh state representative. I'm saying I think that if it's happening here in Lake City, as much as uh uh I I would like to put it on event too, but I know I would I would go to the uh to to the city manager, say, "Citty manager, I'd like to put this on." City manager is going to say, "Direct me over there to Miss Phillips." And Miss Phillips is going to coordinate uh uh what what we need to do. So, uh hey, I I'm trying to look out for you. So, if if you I don't need you to look out for me. Let him flash. M. Well, I'm not in favor of this.

Okay. I'm not I'm not in favor of this. Thank you, Mr. Jernigan. Um, Mr. Carter, wi with this event or with the the previous the coat drive. Now, the coat drive, I don't I don't think it cost the city any money specifically, but uh what what staff money? What staff is uh is is if Miss Phillips is not a part of this, what staff is currently or would be a part of organizing this? It's mostly the um city clerk.

Okay. So that's I I I the city clerk has a has a description very clearly defined in the charter and organizing parties and events and things like that is not at all one of those things. So I think that's that's putting I think they have a full plate in the clerk's office without having them co-opted to help organize an event. So again, if we we have events and we currently do events and Miss Phillips is generally in in in the lead on that. I feel like that's certainly the direction we should be working. And no, I don't think it's a council person can't have an idea. I had an idea a while back. I just shared it with Don and Miss Phillips. I said, I think some point we should do a book drive. They said, cool. Noted. It's not something that I'm pushing or being aggressive about, and I suspect it'll probably end up being a theme of something eventually. Um, but uh I'm not looking to try to put the city on the hook for a large amount of money, especially when we have, like I said, a full slate of general community events organized, some of which I think could be uh tailored to be more specific in theme. So, I mean, I just this feels sort of inside out, starting from from the wrong end of the the thing.

I've got a I've got a question. U Miss Phillips, would you mind coming up?

The The reason I'm I'm calling Miss Phillips up is I'd be I would also have some concerns about we we're in the this is an election year and we supervise our own elections and those are going to take place about the second and this was one of the reasons I asked about when we were going to do it or when the proposed time was. So that'll be about the second or third week in August, right? So, it would I I would I would be very cautious using our clerk's office because they're going to be wrapped up heavily in that doing budget meetings which tend to happen around the 1 of August. Uh we tend to have two or three extras. So, I was going to ask Miss Phillips, do we have any events around that time?

No, not at all. We have our Fourth of July and then probably the 250th Yeah. Any um when is the next event after that? Well, do we have the Jake Hill event? I'm not sure when that is this year. The second weekend of August. Is that a city event or is that a Jake Hill event? It's in our budget. It's in the It is in the budget to support it. Okay. And that's the second week of August board. Um [clears throat] Mr. Mr. Mayor, to be clear, in that same vein, I also don't think that

I think Mr. Hill's event is great, and I would love to see him keep doing it, but I don't think that the city should be necessarily funding a former councilman's event either, especially again, like you said, right before an election, etc.

Maybe it's something we probably need to look at as a whole as far as how we fund and the path in which money gets spent. I mean, because part of it is that there's a level of equity that needs to be focused on when it comes to money from here feeling like a specific councilman's event, then it starts to feel like a rally. I'm not trying to be offensive when I say that. I just mean to say that this doesn't feel like a city event at the moment. It feels like a Miss Harris and Mr. Parnell event. And I think that that isn't I don't think that's your goal, but that is sort of how it feels right now. Miss Young, you had something. Miss Harris, do you Do you mind getting with Miss Terry? I do not.

And planning out this event and then budget out your your um your cost and all itemize everything and I think it'll it may be received a little a little differently if you would do that. To to add to that too, by August or and that far out, we'll be we'll be literally actively working on the next year's budget. Another way that this is definitely more uh palatable is when it's budgeted for and not amended in the middle of the year. This could easily be put together more more u holistically and then proposed to be an addendum to the 2026 2027 budget who

and I'll be happy to help. I just in August it is just so hot and I know that you know that's something that we need to consider as well but I will help however I can. My thought of it, like I said before, the reason why I wanted to do it because I was hoping it was gonna we'll have this to a big to be a big event.

We have we have Young's park with new equipment in there. Hopefully, we will have the splash pad down. Hopefully, the dog arts will be up running. And it was just something I wanted us to get together and have. It wasn't going to be me and Kevin are just the ones that are were talking about it. I cannot pull you guys to the side and talk to you about it. So that is why I wait till I get up here to to discuss it and that that that is why this is these are the early stages of it.

I think it's a great sounding event. Just FYI, I I have a couple question. I I think it's a great event and I think that in conjunction with those things happening it would be fantastic. [snorts] Are are those items budgeted? Could you speak could could we have administration speak to splash pad and timeline and and some of that happening? Well, we we had several things that we were working on. Um I don't think they were budgeted, but we were working on splash pad. We're working on on some other items and I had assigned that to to D. So, I'm going to let D upgrade us on it. Are we are we in like a request for proposal in that process? No, we actually in the designing phase to kind of see what number we will need. Okay.

Um, so we have an on-site visit coming up next week and we should have some numbers to bring back to the council. Okay. All right. Very interesting. Yeah. Uh, Miss Young, you you had a question before I started asking questions. So, we'll start with you, then we'll come to Mr. Jernigan, then to you, Mr. Carter. Being very transparent, are we do you think it's possible that we're going to have a splash page in the park office? in early August.

Well, the dog park is budgeted for um far as ETA on equipment. I think last time we checked it would be in in time. Far as the splash pad, it depends on what we get and what system we use. That's going to depend upon the time that it takes to install it and get it running. How much are we looking at for that splash pad? It varies. Um lowest cost I've seen around 300, but I mean you can always go up. Where are we going to get the money? Where's the money coming from? That would have to be with um in conjunction with Dawn. Yeah, we were going to bring it back to the council and have the council either approve it or or not approve it. We we don't have the money in our current budget.

How are we going to approve it if we don't have the money? That's what I'm saying. We got to be very transparent and say, is this going to happen? And Miss Miss um Councilwoman Hatters won't be in this space where she's believing this is going to happen August 1st. We got to be very transparent.

And let me say this and and I don't want to put put you out there, but I asked for the splash pad to be put in the budget when it was time when we did the new budget. That was asked. So it was not put in the budget, not because it wasn't directed to put it in the budget. So let's be clear on that. I'm just not just came up last week and said I want a splash pad. I think that was when I first got in office. That was one of the things that I wanted. And I just wanted to confirm, mayor, if I may, she did request that during the budget time and it did not get put in there, but it was brought up during the budget meetings that we did last year.

I don't I don't recall it. Uh Mr. Jernigan, then you, Mr. Carter. Okay. Now, Mayor, I don't want to get too far off from this particular item. You know, we we

uh budget this, but let's talk about this item right here. I I want Miss Harris to know that I'm a a great supporter of her. And, you know, don't I don't need no help. I don't need this. I don't And maybe you don't. uh uh and and again, I'm only one person up here uh trying to help you uh do the things that you want to do. However, um uh the system, the way you're going about doing it, I think that uh by including including uh um Miss Phillips, it's is going to uh even make this even a bigger uh event, you know, uh that and again, I wouldn't use the uh the clerk and this person that I wouldn't do that, but uh Miss Miss um Miss Phillips is well aware uh on these type of events. um going here in Lake City and she's been doing it for over 30 years probably. So I'm I'm just trying to again get you understand and see that uh going through uh her that well not going through her but getting her advice, getting her help is going to be lovely for the city of Lake City. But you want to uh I don't want you to be offended by that. You know, I'm just trying to again I'm just trying to open up everybody's eyes, not just mine, everybody else's. Okay. If if it's offending everybody or bothering everybody that I did not speak to Terry about this, okay, we'll make it happen. Okay, I can talk to Terry, but like I said before, this is the early stages of it. I talked to the clerk because she is the one that wrote down everything and all of that to try to make sure you all get the package that you all needed to get. If I if I don't need Audrey, I don't need her. Let's let's be clear on that, okay? So, if there is if if if you

think it's going to be a problem that she's helping me, we can get it done. I promise you. Mr. Carter, you had something. Um I two things. One, first quick question. I've meant to ask this before, uh but to Mr. Rosenthal or Mr. Johnson, when we and maybe Mr. Brown knows about it, too. I don't know. When we uh had to demo the um the previous splash pad that was in Alusty Park, I understood there was some sort of leaking or something like that underneath it. Was any of that existing splash pad u salvageable? Were we because I actually thought that we were going to take it and move some of it. Was it not?

So, the way that the way that pad was built, the vault was up underneath it. It was off to the side and there was concrete on top. So we tried everything we could do to go around the edges of it. But by the time you tore the first piece of concrete up, you were into it then. Gotcha. So, but it was an antiquated system and like I said, one of the biggest things was safety because it did have a vault that you had to climb down in. Okay. And it become very problematic. Okay. Thank you. So that was the first part was I was just curious about that.

Um and I feel like and this is part of what I was the very first thing I asked. I'm not really not trying to be combative, but the very first thing I asked is what is the purpose of this? I feel like we got somewhere towards a purpose which was kind of like a focus and maybe even like a grand opening if you will for park upgrades splash pad. I know we we've got we got dreams of a skate park at Youngs Park at some point. So I could certainly see the city investing as the city invests in that park and that space and gets those things going at whatever timeline it does. um then then investing in an event like that as a a grand opening, a reopening for our what is probably our largest city park. But I feel like that we should get all that because even now it seems to be like you were really under the impression that perhaps the splash pad will be done by August. It doesn't sound like we're anywhere near that. even if we don't have let them finish.

My my suggestion just is that maybe there is a place where this event happens and everyone is completely on board with it and it sounds like at least what I'm getting is that your intention would be to make a community event [clears throat] and surround it or or focus it around the park with its upgrades and things like that. So maybe we make the focus getting some of those upgrades done whether it be grants or or what have you first. I would like to see all of that happen as well. Um and and then and then go from there like you know, necessarily a cart before the horse sort of situation. Miss Miss Harris and then you, Miss Young,

if the if I desire that the splash pad be up and running and all of that, but by chance, if it does not, I don't see why we still can't have something [clears throat] why still can't be called love. Miss Young,

I say um go ahead, Miss Harris, with your planning. as you said, you're in the early stage and it's a lot of planning and you may find that come August we not even where we need to be. That's a lot of planning. Um and even with Miss Terra being the expert that she is, it's a lot of planning. So, um I would suggest that go ahead and and plan your your event out and um and as I said, you're going to have to get your cost of this and all of that you want to have and then we'll have an idea. We may not have to lean on the county. Like I say, we don't know if the county even going to really do, you know, you got to have them all in one place at one time. Um, so I would say go ahead and and plan your event. Bring back to the council every so often. It may take more than one or two times, but keep us a breast of where you are um in your planning. It it takes a while. And I think if we're all a part of it as it goes along, it's it'll come together and it makes more sense to whomever it doesn't make sense to.

I'm gonna say this since I've been sitting behind here behind here. Um, you had a something at the Derby Pavilion, right? It was budgeted. It was budgeted.

Okay. I didn't know anything about it. even [snorts] even if it was budgeted. I I never heard anything about it. Didn't know what time it was going to be, all of that until it got ready to happen. So, you're going to hold my feet to the fire that it it it just seems like so and and like I said, I detest you all even saying this is a round election. I don't be a my turn to be up for election is in three more years. and and and whoever wins this election, they just win it. I my mind isn't [clears throat] even on that. I want to change the dynamics of how Lake City look to the outside world that pulls it up on Google and it says those things about us. That is what I want to do. It's not for no political reason or or nothing like that. It is strictly to build us up. So when the highpaying jobs get ready to come here, they can see the word love in something we are doing versus James. Please don't look like that because you piss me off every time you look like that when somebody you feel like somebody is Mr. Man.

Of course you would. Of course. Yeah. You you never come up here idea to do anything. But soon as somebody come up here with saying they want to do something, then you have all of this negative um talk about going against it or whatever, you come up with something. So I will have that opportunity to [clears throat] say yes or no. Thank you, Miss Harrison. But that is my reason for wanting to have this love fest is so people can look at our city and say, "Oh, all right. I like what they're doing. They're trying to build the narrative what people are saying, a different narrative from what people were saying about Lake City before. That's all I want to do. It's nothing political, none of that. Y

to be real clear, and I don't think anyone would argue with me here. I have never been anything but consistent. I don't have ideas like this because I don't believe that this is the role of government. It's nothing personal. Clearly, we have a difference in perspective on what we think we ought to be doing here. To be clear, I don't have those kind of ideas because I don't think that's the government's job to do those things. Thank you. So ju just to be clear, I'm not being negative. I'm trying to be responsible with the taxpayers's money and nobody else. Hold on. Let Mr. Carter finish. No, quite frankly. Hold on. We're not we're not interrupting each other. Mr. Quite frankly,

I think it's naive to think that you put the word love on the front of an event and all of a sudden everyone's going to Google us and think it's uh that we're we're different than we are. And I also think if you research some of the if you research some of the websites when you Google and look up the stats and things like that, if you really research it, you'll find that some of them are fraudulent and they're intended to cause issues in a community and intend to affect real estate values. We live in the community. Are you surrounded by crime and murder on on a daily basis? Because I am not. I don't hear people telling me that we are. I think we have a police department that's doing an excellent job. And I don't think slapping the word love on the front of an event is going to suddenly alter our world perspective. I think that I think being responsible with our taxpayers funds. I think that being sensible up here in the DES is what's going to alter our our our rep reputation. And I don't think it's something that can happen overnight. It takes time. But to be clear, I'm not trying to be negative. I'm trying to be responsible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Carter. Miss Young. Yeah. Mr. Carter, I I believe I heard Miss Harris say that um the name wasn't didn't have to be what that is. She didn't have a problem with that. And then the other thing is um when it comes to taxpayers money and we we we you have different views on in different districts. you our this side, this district, I'm about to say this side, but this district 10 and district 12 need a lot more attention. I'll even say love. I'll even say need a lot more love. It's nothing wrong with that. Agree.

Um and and that's probably where um Miss Harris the word derived from. It's nothing wrong with it. Um but she did say she'll ch it can be changed. She didn't have a problem with that. She just want the event to go on. And Miss Harris, I'm by no way holding heat to your your feet. I'm just trying to add to how we can get to through this process and get from the beginning and through the the training the the planning part of it to where it actually um takes place. I'm I'm not against it. I'm not against it. And and I'm I'm going be like you now.

You you want to know where the money going, okay? And I think that's what's here. Once you get an itemized um um statement I'm going to say of your event and and the and we see what the cost is and I say we as a whole we see where it's going like you would want and I think it'll be a better view of what we really don't have that out here now

I'll um I I heard uh the only reason I I brought up the elections was because we'll be in an election cycle for two of our seats um and I was concerned about the mention of the the clerk's office. I honestly I think that it's probably going to be too much for you to do the summer project that that's there right at election time as it is. Um I would I'm like Miss Young. I think that it's a good idea. I do think that um kids and families need to see love. I would love to have that around uh the revitalization of Young's Park. I think that's a something that should happen right here in the middle of town. big time. Um, like Miss Young, I I too think that it would be easy to sell once you get the the bones of the project and the the hard cost. And once I have that, personally, I'll commit to helping find corporate sponsors in the community as well. Um, I think that I think that that would be um a very easy thing, but I think that it's just a matter of of gathering up the information and and um getting a one sheet on it that we can that we can have sold. Does that make sense?

It does. I just wanted, like I said, the backing to know that you all are backing me. That's all I needed to in order to start going forward. I didn't want to jump out there and do all of this work and then you all are not backing me. That's all [snorts] I need right now. All right. Yes, sir. Mr. Jernigan. So, so, uh, who do you do, Do you feel as though I'm not backing you? [clears throat] Please don't take it personal. No. Okay. Okay. So, I I I won't back you. I I I'm I'm thinking I'm helping the situation, but obviously I'm hurting it. Uh, and again, understand me. Oh, no.

Oh, you said no, I'm not. But no, I did not understand you, ma'am. No, I did not agree. We're just having a discussion of what I want. That's all we're doing. Look, Mr. I want to hear what everybody has to say. That's dialogue. Thank you. Yes. So, I'm totally on you on on your team. We're good.

Um, and it may not seem like it. I'm just trying to make sure, hey, we get it right. I mean, I just, you know, getting involved with the uh with things of this magnitude when you talk about 10 $15,000 that we don't have in a budget. Uh, I just want to make sure we get it right and I just want to know where the money's coming from. That's it. And I'm I'm with you. I heard the mayor say he would uh help try to get some sponsorships. Uh, that's that's it'll be hot. So, I'll be out there and uh uh helping you as much as I can with some cornhole boards or something. I don't know. I'll do something. Thank you, Mr. J. Mr. Carter.

Uh, M. Harris, I just want to be clear about something, too. I'm not at all in in in any way against these big positive community events. As a matter of fact, we talked about it earlier, but my work with the Kuanas Club for the last I this will be our 11th year in a row. We'll be hosting what is I think one of, if not the the largest event put on like this in the town. To be clear, I spend a lot of my extra time serving and trying to make things like this happen. I think they are good. The subtle distinction in this case is that we are funded by taxpayers which means that we take their money and they cannot give it to us. So like so they don't they don't voice yes we'd like you to do this or yes we'd like you to do that this that and the other. Taxes are taken whether whether people like it or not. Taxes the government takes the tax money. So I think if we are in these positions and have the ability to be stewards of those funds, we should be incredibly diligent with those things. The Kowanas [clears throat] Club, for instance, when it hosts its events is solely donated directly to the Kuanas Club voluntarily, not taken from people. It's given to the club and they voluntarily give it to them and then they choose to hold events like that. So it's to be clear, I'm not not anti this sort of thing. I'm just not really for the government spending the money. There's plenty of people in this community who would probably go, I wish you wouldn't do that, but they don't have a choice. We're the only ones that get to make that choice.

Thank you. So, I just want to make you make sure you understand that, Miss Young. So, if it pleases, we um pass this and Miss Harris, you'll bring back some itemized information and we will look further into this event. I think that's I think that we've come to that consensus. Yeah. Very good. All right. All right. If there's no further discussion on this topic, then we will now move on to Are we good? Y we're good. Okay. And we'll move on to department administration and we'll begin with you, Mr. Rosenthal.

Yes, Mayor. Uh staff needs council approval to again uh the closing process on 1100 acres uh approximately $157,000 from the Swany River water uh district that includes our our well fields. [clears throat] Do we have the money for it? Yes, we do. We just need direction in capital expend. This includes our wellfields, you said? Yeah, it includes our our current wellfields. will actually own our own wellfields and we can bring it back to council with the attorney as a resolution. Mr. Martin.

Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, uh last Tuesday, I believe it was the Swany River Water Management District uh directed staff to proceed with the concept of conveying uh the property to the city. And uh I I think what Mr. Rosenthal is asking is kind of for a corresponding uh direction from the council that this is conceptually something that the council wants to move forward with. Uh if that's the case, then uh once uh the city and water management district uh legal council have actually put together what the transaction will look like, what the documents are, what the restrictions are on use, then we'll actually bring those back for a definite approval from council along with any budgetary implications and numbers and that sort.

So this is months out. It it's a while. I don't know if it's months out. It sounds like it's I think council can have answer the timeline better than I can when we start talking about all that documentation and back and forth. It's we're probably looking at around 60 days if I had to guess. 60 days. Okay. I'd say that's aggressive knowing [laughter] knowing uh how that goes. Um,00 acres for $157,000 is uh Wait a sec. Yeah, that's that's a no-brainer. Honestly, a consensus. Can we can we give a consensus to it? Mr. Carter, you have something? Just a quick question. Uh, yep.

Part of this land is that land that had been in the past somewhat contentious. Where are we at with all of that? Uh, that land would be a part of the transaction and then subject to whatever restrictions we're subject to based on the conveyance from the water management district. Then the council could look at certain options. And we and maybe a question for Don or Steve I don't know can could be more specific but we feel comfortable with our ability to maintain the current structures the dam etc as they need to be to the level I'm going to ask Steve to come and speak to that.

Thank you [clears throat] mayor. Yes sir. We don't have any problem right now with it. We have all the equipment because this property is being conveyed through the district. They've already done a lot of the leg work for us. So we kind of know what that looks like. Um there's actually three components to it. The first component would be the 1100 acres where our current water plant and wellfield is. So we will have all of that. That also makes us contiguous to North Florida Mega Industrial Park for future growth. So that is a huge positive. Um on the country club piece, there is a piece there where the dam is that we currently want to look at getting an engineering firm come in here to look at recharge projects so we can get our consumptive use permit up for economic development. again huge component of it. And then to the south of that, there is a piece there that is developable. Um I don't know to what degree we may want to go with that, but that's the actual piece we're actually purchasing. What that is appraised for, that's the 157,000. Um the rest of it, because we already occupy it, they're going to convey over to us. So yeah, I feel confident this is a win-win for us.

I agree. [snorts] No brainer. Thank you, Mr. Carter. Uh while we got you up here, how much of that land uh could be used for passive recreation like bike trails, hike trails, um small small parts? Currently that currently the timber rights are owned by the district and warehouser has some of it. So we would have to let that process play out and then we would be able to look at it at that point. Cool. Mr. Martin,

I was just going to interject, Mr. Mayor. That is some of what would be in the agreements with the mis man water management district is what would be the scope of what we can do with the property when we can do it and and what are the prohibitions on what we can do with it and that we've got a model uh in another community that we're have discussed with water management district to use as a model here but the devil will obviously be in the details. Thank you Mr. Martin.

Yes sir Mr. Uh, also, mayor, we're in the process of possibly an acquiring a home from the county that our code enforcement team found that the county didn't know they own. We we'll check and get back with you when we know whether or not they're going to actually give us that that property. Thank you, Mr. Rosenthal. Wow. Just just getting property from other entities. That's what happens when you work with them, right? It works a lot better that way. Thank you, Mr. Steve. Thank you, Mr. Anything else, Mr. Rosenthal? Uh that that's it. Mayor, fantastic. Thank you, Mr. Rosenthal. Miss uh Mr. Martin, do you need I was just gonna ask so I was just going to notate. So everyone is cons is concurring by general consent for uh Clay to move forward with that. Yeah, I think we're

okay. So I just want to make sure that's what my notes are going to say. That's kind of what I need. Just some head nods. Okay. Anyway, appreciate it. Thank you. Everybody nodded. Thank you. Thank you for that clarification, Mr. Martin. Uh nothing to add to that, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Martin. Um, and now, Miss Sykes. Nothing to add. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Sykes. Um, comments by council members, starting you with you, Vice Mayor Young.

Yes. I want to say, um, after after all of this, I was going to make a suggestion, um, to administration mainly. Um, and I guess I'll start with the event that I had, and I said it's budgeted. It was it there was a space there, and it kind of reminds me of Mr. Carter saying, um, um suggestion to Councilwoman Harris to get with Miss Terry and and combine like work together in an event that's already there. And that's kind of what happened with the event. I saw open space where the event wasn't going to happen and I I jumped in and I said, "You don't have you're not going to do anything here. You don't have anything here. Then um can I help out with something here?" So that's how that event happened. So, what I want to say is coming up to budget time or maybe not even so close to budget time, I think it'll be a good idea to reach out and have conversation with council and find out is it something that you want to do? Is there an event that you want to have? What do you want to see added in this budget? That would be a very good idea so that we can get our our um even if you put it there and not use it, at least if you if you want it, it's there rather than want to do something and it's not there. So I would appreciate that administration.

We can definitely do that. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Concluding. Okay, Mr. Jernigan.

Oh, yes. I got a couple of things. I I just want to give a shout out to um some businesses in in district uh 14. Uh Britney's uh cupcake shop. uh that's located at u 857 Southwest Main Boulevard, sweet suite uh 125. If you don't know uh about that area uh and the things that she's doing in there, she's got also got a boo a boutique in there as well uh and the food in there is really really good. So uh patronizing uh the businesses in this community is is always a good sign. Uh also, uh Ed and Barbs, that doughnut shop. You got a young entrepreneur there that has taken over that place that he makes fresh donuts. My fresh every single day. Um and the other thing is uh the drainage on Evergreen. The drainage on Evergreen. Uh I I really want somebody to really look into that. Um I think we had somebody look into it before and it um and it's [clears throat and snorts] basically um we stopped looking into it. So uh if you would uh uh uh Steve uh please um Mr. Rosenthal please look in that uh into that uh drainage on Evergreen. Uh, one other thing, the sign in for sale, uh, I know uh, pretty much what happened uh, with the sign. I just don't know where we are. Uh, who's going to pay to have that sign put in put in there. I know that uh, I guess the city must have went in there and and u messed up some things in there. Then uh, his insurance is progressive. They were going to take care of it and we don't know where we are with it. So, and a lot of constituents in that area, they want their sign up. So, if we could please look into that. Uh uh Steve's coming to address.

Okay. Yes, sir. We talked to Jerry Lequitch, which has been spearheading that up. We talked with Jerry Lequitch uh last week. He's the one spearheading that up, and they had an issue on their side with their insurance adjuster. The young man he was working with is no longer there, and he informed us that they've got a new contact now. So, as far as I know, he's still moving forward with it. Okay. So, what did did we do something wrong? Uh, I guess when the guy hit the sign, he was drunk. He hit the sign. Uh, did the city go inside there and move some things around in there and we couldn't? We we went on our rideway and removed the portions of the sign that was on the rideway and because the sign was a trip hazard all the way onto it. We just went ahead and pulled it all back.

Um, so we left everything that was a safety issue, we put in the truck and brought back with us. Okay. So, so, um, so we have no skin in this. Is that what you're saying? We have nothing to do with this. I believe there's been some conversations if they run short on funding. The Mr. Rosenthal said that he would be willing to look and see what they've got there, but as of right now, short of Mr. Lewitch getting some contacts for some local businesses to actually get pricing. I think that's all that's been done. Um, he is still looking at the insurance company as of right now. Okay, that's progressive. Am I correct? [clears throat] I'm not 100% sure. Okay. Uh and that's it. I just want to make sure Thank you very much, sir. Yes, sir.

That we look into those things. But, uh the Iowa Lake City Police Department, Fire Department, and personnel, uh clerk's office, uh we got all kind of good people that's still sticking around in here. We got a good team. Uh financial department. Uh just appreciate everybody and what they're doing. Uh just keep up the good work and uh hey, we'll go from there. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Jernigan, Mr. Carter,

thank you. Um, I would just like to congratulate the Lake City Garden Club. Uh, this past Thursday, they had their annual Scrabble tournament. Um, they used they raised a little over $4,000. They use those funds to help buy the flowers that you see going downtown and stuff like that and they come out and they volunteer and they plant those flowers and I know they just had to uh replace a lot of them because a lot of them got killed by the freezes that we had. So, just want to congratulate them on a great event. Um, and uh, I also won the scrapple tournament. Thank you. That's it. [laughter] That's a surprise to us all, [laughter] Miss Miss Harris. Councilwoman [clears throat] Harris,

Don, I wanted to ask you, okay, I asked you to put two things on the agenda. Yes. You the city hall and the housing administration. Yes, sir. Mhm. And I was wondering why they were not on the agenda for tonight. They weren't last the week before that. Well, we actually discussed them at the uh at the agenda meeting and it was decided that we wouldn't uh put them on and we come back as a workshop. Who who decided that?

I'll I'll answer that. So, the housing the last housing workshop, we have an action item that's still open from that. Um, correct. [snorts] Right, Mr. Rosenthal. Right, D. Right, Mr. Martin. And it's moving forward or trying to get a contract with Leslie precepts and precepts. It was it was a contract them determining a contract based on the vote that happened within this body after our last housing authority or after our last housing meeting. Correct. Are you still working on that with them?

So, I am still working with precept. I I can say I did not realize that the precept conversation was necessarily connected to the housing authority conversation. So I I may have missed that connection, but I am still working with precept. So our housing Okay. What I I guess I need to review the notes on the housing that was meeting. Well, it was it was one meeting. We had a housing meeting. Uh, and I I was under the impression that we had moved away from the housing authority and into a third-party designing company. Is that correct or no? Yes, ma'am. Let me say this council and mayor.

In the be when we were talking about all this, the precepts, the housing authority, I I said to Mr. Rosenthal, I said, I think there's a lot of confusion here. um and that it needed to be you let's talk about one make decisions on one and then move to the other. I thought I was the only one confused that the the precepts the the housing authority and there were one other thing um one other what is it? What is it?

I can't think of it right now. Um anyway, it was all compiled together and and it was just it needed to be separated and I think we finally got to the point now we talk about the precepts and um haven't gotten to the housing authority yet. Right. Right. Okay. So it it is divided now. So maybe we'll have some clarity. Okay. Thank you for that. Well, we the staff is going to come back with the housing authority as a workshop. Sure. Okay. Uh, we do we have a speaking of workshop timing, we have CRA prior to our next meeting. So, it'll probably be the second meeting in March or an independent meeting if that was what this body decided.

So, I asked that it Yeah, I was just going to say I don't think her question was answered and she asked for multiple items to be on the agenda and they were not. That was it. Yeah. So, and then the um the discussion on city hall is that's also an upcoming agenda or an upcoming workshop. Those were the two things I asked to be put on the agenda. Why weren't they put on the agenda? I was just told because and I guess you all met. Who all was it? It was you, mayor, and who else? Um just the regular people on the agenda meeting. myself, the clerk, myself, the clerk, uh, uh, the attorney, uh, D, and the mayor. And, and normally finances there too,

choice, finance, and the y'all decided not to put something on the agenda, but and then didn't call me and tell me what y'all decided. So, I guess my question would be my question would be, is this is it, are they discussion items? Are you trying to It doesn't matter if I ask for it to be on the agenda

as discussion. If if it's if it's an item, if it's an ordinance or resolution that's coming before as a decision, we're not at a point for decisions on these items, right? And I don't mean this offensively. I mean this to maintain order and maintain a process that we're moving forward. The charter states, and this is why we have these agenda prep meetings, so that we keep moving things forward and nothing comes out of left field to hit us like a a comment like it was happening from time to time last year. we work together to set forth an agenda and and when some things come up and I am confused and clearly I'm confused on the housing authority because I thought that we were moving forward with pre or moving in a direction for uh for finality with precepts uh and that was our housing decision uh but that was the last housing workshop we had so I think that we need to have another housing workshop and that's I will

that staff will bring back a workshop. We can have we can put them on as discussion items all day long. You're missing the point. I asked for them to be put on the agenda. What gave you guys the authority to say whether it was going to be on the agenda or not? So, this is again regardless if let's just say it's not the housing authority. Let's just say city hall. If it was city hall and I wanted to discuss something about city hall, why wasn't it added to the agenda? It could always be added as a discussion item, but as to answer your question, the charter states the mayor sets forth the agenda. That's what the charter says. So the the charter says

it's our it's our it's our government. That's my question. So the charter says if a sitting council member comes up and wants something put on the agenda, it is left up to the discretion of the mayor to say whether that is put on the agenda or not. No. Uh items can always be walked on by unanimous decision at the beginning of an agenda. Cook always. Um

I need some un I need some understand and the reason why I'm asking this time because I asked before about something being put on there and it wasn't on there. So, I'm asking this time why why Clay, you might need to talk to me. Tell me it since he brought up the charter. Is that what the charter says that if a council member brings something up to be on an agenda, the um mayor has the authority along with um whomever to say whether it goes on the agenda or not.

So, that what the charter says is it's the mayor's responsibility to set forth an agenda and it's his role exclusively. So there is no I mean the rest of us sit in that meeting but but the ultimate decision is the mayor's I don't think there was any uh decision by the mayor to say I do not want to put this on the agenda for a council meeting. He did say that we're going to spread these out so that we don't have long exhaustive meetings and uh stated that we were going to pace them out over time. I don't remember the exact numbers or dates that were discussed, but uh that they would be put on future agendas over time, but not to put two major discussion items on one single agenda where the the council and and members of the public would not be able to fairly discuss it given time constraints. [clears throat]

And and you're sure about that answer? You're sure about that answer? If I tell if I direct um Don to have this put on put something else on the agenda, you're going to tell me that is under his discretion to say, "Yeah, we're not going to have it or yes, no, we're not going to have it or we're just going to spread it out." Is that what you're saying?

I'm saying that's the mayor's discretion. The check on that uh discretion is, and I think it was Mr. Carter that pointed it out a second ago, the council can put anything on the agenda agenda by unanimous consent at the beginning of a meeting. So if there's something that is not on there that you want on that agenda, you can when we're in the process of approving the agenda, you can say you want to amend the agenda by adding item X uh as a discussion item or for action. And if the council unanimously approves that, then that overrides what the mayor's decision was and it comes on the agenda. So, I'll have to wait till the next meeting and if I want to have city hall put on the agenda and it's not on the agenda, I have to say at the beginning of the meeting, I want that added.

That is correct. And you would say I I move to have the item discussing city hall or a vote on city hall or whatever it is added to the agenda. I move to amend the agenda to add it. There would be a vote called on that amendment. If it's unanimous, it gets added. If it's not unanimous, then it does not get added. Correct. And to be clear, I thought that it they they needed a more robust discussion um between us and to allow the citizenry to have that discussion with us as well. That's why I think the workshops on those big rock items in our sandbox are important. We we will bring them both back to the workshop,

but we can have them. I mean, we can add them as discussion items on the next agenda if you so wish. I wish. Okay. And I, if I may, we had this discussion before, attorney. Am I right? You and I, this isn't the first time this issue is coming up. Okay. Right. And my what I said to you is the mayor doesn't dictate the agenda, he oversees the agenda. And like you said, to make sure that it's not overloaded. That's one example. Um, g give me two one or two more if you can of reasons why the mayor would not allow something on the agenda.

The only one I've really ever heard articulated in a meeting is basically let's let's pace ourselves. Uh the the mayor and he can correct me if I'm wrong in saying this. He said repeated repeat repeat repeatedly, I really don't want more than one major presentation or major item of discussion like that uh on a single meeting agenda. And so in those meetings there there tends to be some pacing out of of issues and uh you know for example and I I don't remember the exact date but on the city hall for example the discussion was let's find a time for a workshop to bring that back make sure we have all the the consultants here we may need all the people in in government that have worked on this all the research done so that can be discussed uh but the only reason I've ever heard it articulated for spreading things out is exactly that to to spread it out. I can't say that I've ever heard any other reason necessarily for not putting something on a particular agenda.

Okay, I'm going to let you slide with that one. So, um for instance, the last time we met concerning the city hall, it was going to be on the next few agendas. I don't think it was decided of a decided as a workshop. Am I correct or no? There was a presentation that got pulled because the the presenter couldn't be here. So that was Yeah, in December, but and they just haven't been I guess the presentation hasn't been rescheduled. But so I say that because if we say we're going to have it on the agenda in the next meeting or next or whatever time, I just believe we shall have it there.

Sure. That that's that's my thought on that. If we say we're going to discuss the city hall, which it's been it has been a while and we were supposed to have discussed it by now and I do think it's worthy of of discussion because I get plenty questions concerning um the city hall and we like I said we said it was going to be on the agenda and we have not. Mayor,

I have Mayor, if I may. Um, I can totally uh respect uh Miss Harris for this. So, the mayor, he can take things off the agenda. He could also add things onto the agenda. Am I correct? And it puts uh for for example, if I were to call and say uh to Ar to the city attorney or to I usually talk to Mr. rolling thoughts. Hey, uh uh that's why I try not to put too much on the agenda because of things just like this. But when I do put some on there, I really want that to be on the agenda. Um I call and say, "Hey, this this is what I would like to see." And the mayor could say, "Uh, I don't want to do that." And I'm like, "What what would be the reason? There's not a reason why somebody cannot put nothing on the agenda. No reason. Uh uh if if it takes two hours, we don't we don't get out till 12:00 sometimes anyway. So whatever it takes, if somebody want to put something on the agenda, I I believe that it should be there. Or if somebody wants to take something off the agenda, I I've seen that happen, too. Um they they take they delete item 13 or 12. So, uh, we could do that as well. As long as it's there and then once once the once, uh, uh, the individuals see that it's there, they may come back and say, "Well, I want to scratch item 13 instead of just not having it on the agenda." They may come and do that. They may. I just say that. Uh so I think that if it's uh a council member u put something on there or called to have something requested to put put on there or whatever it's it's like a request for all of us anyway. Uh I think it should be uh strongly

considered strongly considered. That's that's what I'll say. And mayor, this is my this is my last thing. Um [clears throat] Clay, I'm not sure if I need to speak to Clay or either Don. I want to find out if I decide that I would like for somebody to be suspended without pay. I want to know how I go about doing that. Wait, you mean staff? Yes. Staff works for the city manager. So, I'm the only one that can decide whether my staff should be not staff. The ones are under us. Oh, corporate. Yeah.

Oh, that's never mind. Thank you. So if you can by tomorrow afternoon after lunch have something in my box to that um directs me direct me on what I need to do in order for that to take place. And you're talking about someone who's sitting at the dasis. Absolutely. Okay. Because it does make a difference in the answer I give. So I got it. Okay. Thank you. I'm done.

All right. Thank you, Miss Harris. All right. Um, we have uh a breakfast with the chief coming up and that is going to be on Saturday, February 28th at 9:00 a.m. uh First Methodist Church of Lake City on South Marian. Uh I will also uh echo u Mr. Carter's comments on on Garden Club. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be there. Um I've I've participated in that event the last couple years. It's always a fun event. It's a good fundraiser. Uh, keeps downtown beautiful. Um, I'll start making a pitch now uh because I know that we're going to have a different level of of budget meetings coming up uh that'll be a little more in depth per per department. Um, but I'm going to go ahead and start making a pitch now that uh we strongly consider a decrease in our advorum taxes. Um they're likely to go away in the next few years anyway, at least for homesteaded properties. Um but that will be my pitch for the night and that's it.

Have a good night.