City Council - Regular Meeting

No one's ready.

Wasn't connect till I plug it back in. What I did wrong there. All right, we're on call February 28, 2025 city council regular meeting to order. Want to remind everybody to silence their cell phones. Miss Nita's going to lead us in opening prayer followed by the pledge. Heavenly Father, we come to you right now, Lord, thanking you, oh sweet Jesus, for your presence, oh sweet Lord. Lord, I ask you right now, Lord, that you lead and guide and shield and protect each one of us, Lord, that we make the best decisions for the city of Perry. Oh God, Lord, I ask you that you wrap your arms around the the people in Jamaica, Lord, that has went through the storm, oh sweet Jesus, Lord, I just ask you, Lord, that you just cover and protect each and every one of them with these blessings we ask in your name. Amen. Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Anybody heard anything?

Yeah. or she turn for her birthday.

She gave me

calls. Yes. Council, yes. Council here. Mayor Landry here. Mayor K. Approval of items on the consent agenda. Approval to read by title only. Ordinance number 1057. And approval to read by title only. Resolution number 2025-30. Resolution 2025-31. Question. Bri. Yes. Council member Hampton. Yes. Council member Wood. Yes. Vice May. Yes. Mayor,

yes. Receiving request from the general public. Do we have anyone to the general public who would like to speak on anything that is not on the agenda? Now will be the time to do that. Not hearing or seeing anyone. We're going to move on to item number five. Bids and RFQS. And we still not have any. Okay. Number six, general business, agenda item 6A, council to discuss state appropriation project ideas and council to take any action being necessary.

John, do you have a list you want to bring up or not a list? It's my agenda summary. I'm going to learn all this know about a vacuum truck and a take base the fire station.

Yeah, we definitely want to keep going with the fire station. Ask for phase two of that. probably be for um land acquisition and site prep type work. Then next session I'll ask for more and keep going with some of these other grants that possible. We like to we did ask the CDBGR that was our 13th project but we already had all the paperwork filled out from the last CDBG grant. We went ahead and submitted it along with those other 12 water wastewater projects. So those two well one for shore fire station he said back Jitter truck I think should be number two. That's the one Sean's been asking for for two years. USD, we had the agreement with USDA, then they came back and said they ran out of money.

Is that that vehicle used to vacuum out the lift stations when something goes wrong? Clean out the lines. It has that high pressure hose that goes at They use it for they use it for water too, cleaning out holes and whatnot to get down to the pipes and It has all kinds of uses. It has that ball head on water all kind of ways. That's two for sure. Um the lobbyist said we probably need at least one water project between 500 to a million. Me and Andrew and the engineers been trying to find a good project that would fit that. And

where does um um want to add a lift station and all the stuff that has to be done in that area? Where does it file? That was a rift grant we've already received. Okay. But the engineering was through SRF. Okay. So, we're having to wait for the engineering to get done through SRF before the construction starts with the Rift grant. So, it's already approved. Yep. Okay. All right. Y ahead of you and we did talk to them. It's not going to be a complete uh brand new lift station. We're going to retrofit that old. It's I mean it's going to look nice and brand new from the outside, but the actual lift station itself, we're just going to revamp everything inside of there.

Yeah. Social media. I got it. Yeah.

Yes, ma'am. And I um I've been advocating for swimming pool lately that was uh what we had on on the year. It's a little costly. And since John is seeking something else, the the citizens want the community for the 13 years I've been on council. Back when Alen Hall was the mayor and we decided that we might have gotten close to it, [clears throat] along came co so that knocked us out of it. Um, but what I'm thinking that we could do wouldn't be wouldn't be large enough, but it would be it would be something to help our young church learn how to be safe and in and around water, how to swim and have some parents. I think that it is something that is needed in this community and it has been a part of this community for as long back as I can remember.

Now, what I'm thinking that since we're looking for something, it's not too costly. I went on check GTP or whatever you call it. Um, and it said that it'll take about $2 million to renovate the jerking splash pad back into the swimming pool that it was. Uh, if you all would please consider that, myself and the community would be much pleased. That's my spirit. Got anything added? If we do ask for it, it's hard to just ask for $2 million because check GPT said to we need a firm definition.

We need to go out and get a a firm estimate from somebody. I don't know if that's engineers or design crew who how that would work. But you can't go and ask for $2 million. You got to ask for 1.937. Mr. Starting that we could give you permission to do so. I did ask the lobbyist about it and he was directed by Corey and Jason to only ask for essential items this time around. Ask for essential items we have to have.

They were focused on more infrastructure type stuff. I mean, we can always ask. Would you please uh talk with Cory and Jason? I cannot say yes or no. And then we could do it again next year. But it it lets the community know that we are thinking about them. True. Say it haven't been here last year. I think they're expecting it being here again this year. All these try

the lobbyist also recommended since we still have Jason on the transportation committee. I don't know what they're called to ask for a road and I was kind of thinking might be time to try to get Steven Street taken care of the roller coaster. The roller coaster is bad. I know it we were count it serves quite a few residents. It's not as many as some of these other roads, but it's it's definitely the worst road in the city. It is. And if we're going to try to take care of the underlying issues behind it, I don't want to pay for it with city funds. No, I can support that. Yeah.

So, that'd be we find a water project, that'd be your five right there. You're going with the fire station, uh the back jitter truck, the road, uh pool. What I miss this one two be added. Add one fire back truck road pool and a water project. 500,000 to million dollar water project that we'll identify here shortly.

Yeah, maybe one or two. Hey, he kind of recommended to leave it five, but that just makes him have to work hard if we make it six or seven. Walk the whole team more times. Or excuse me, I know Jamie wanted to have to do something soon with our evidence storage, evidence processing and storage. What about out of room? How many items you got? 15,000 pieces in that room and it's bigger where you're sitting. Yeah. 15,000 items of evidence. We didn't just take care of it in in 1995.

What did we just that building? You can't store evidence in an offsite stores building. We're moving tires. We're just asking. Yeah. We're moving tires and other stuff from the block building over here trying to do something to to make it workable for now. Um, if we build a true evidence storage building, it has to be solid block. It has to have alarm systems. You got to think we're storing um sensitive items in there and and a metal building that's not going to cut it. we have ideal with or we've we've thrown some ideas around, but it would require remodeling the the singlestory building that's right next to us. Uhu.

Um pouring solid walls, concrete ceilings, um some HVAC work. Not sure on the total price, but it's it's two $300,000 at least. At least at least you need and then shelving. What? See, but that may take away from the fire department project. That's public safety. Gotcha. So, um that's the thing that I we talked about is something about our head, but the said we might be able to sneak it in information technology somehow. Yeah, we Yeah. Yeah. We need an alarm system and some computers. I'm going to say sneak it on. Yes.

But again, that's like the pool. I need a shovel ready hard number. We need $295,000.38. That's what they want. So they don't want to see I'm just going to throw money at you and let you figure out how to do it after anybody if any other city in the area build willing to pass so many years. I don't have any idea. Tallahass be the closest they have. Yes, I think most of them like Jamie said, they're going away from just a straight pool to those I just want something where we can teach our babies how to swim. Amen.

When Why When are we getting started on some of the stuff that we've already been awarded? This 12-in main is at 60% engineering. Uh they finished up the surveying for all the roads downtown. Park Street, we just approved last month. The other three streets they wanted to phase into us to kind of give us a break. So I think next January, February, March, they'll roll out. Bishop, Willow, and Dval will want to throw them all four of them at us at once. time downtown renovations. Oh, the street repaving the CDBG grant we got

that North Florida Professional Service and Andy Eastston are working on. Okay. And I don't know how well y'all know Ryan Asmus, but he's left north. Every time I get a good relationship, he just left them to go to DOT. Working with the next guy down the line. I think something Bay I think he went there from DOT and he's going back to DOT. I think he worked with North Park for two or three years. Yeah, he was at DOT and then Yeah, because he the one designed that right there on Jefferson with Save the Lot and Walmart. He was working on that major road thing. Yeah, he's working on that too.

They said he took a director role with surprises. He's sharp. He's easy to work with, too. So, we'll start over with the next engineer, but we'll get it going.

Anyway, any more discussion on the appropriation ideas? 96B council to discuss putting out RFP for insurance for services and council to take any action name necessary. What are we doing there? Aaron, I'm probably give you the exact number, but I know the county recently, this is everything but health insurance. This is your building insurance, fire, wind, workers comp, inland marine, miss, general liability, ter whatever y'all's insurance is called, mission and airs.

Yeah. All that stuff. The county went out for bid on theirs. And if I'm not mistaken, they went with the same company they've been going with, but saved a couple hundred thousand in the process, I believe. So, um, they got the same on the insurance side, but they did get 180 something like that on the other side.

I had one of the insurance agents run the numbers and it was about a I think it was a $70,000 savings over what we paid last year. And I think we have a $60,000 increase. So it'll be a total of about 130,000 just on one of the brokers running it. We put RFP out there. Who knows what we'll get back. It does kind of suck doing it mid contract, but it's doable. Got to do it sometime.

Was that yet the sample one? I stole one I like from somebody else and ask AI to make it a little better. I think if you would send Landa your RFPs on engineering services that you did last year, she would send you on Are they going out for RFDs? [clears throat]

They're out there in the newspap. But I think it was you shoot with that. She would turn around and shoot you there and probably give you a little behind the scenes on what they ran into because some drivers told him some stuff that you probably need to know. Good idea.

Anyway, we need to take any action on this or just I just wanted to do general guidance. If you're okay with me putting it out there, y'all weren't about it, then I wouldn't waste my time anymore. Yeah,

I'll get with Wanda and see how they did it and what they learned. Sure. RFP 96C cancel to discuss police department drone purchase through grant funding. Council will take any action necessary. We were awarded $25,000 on that FDLE grant to purchase the drone. We've also been told that we're going to receive a donation from Florida Highway Patrol for two additional drones, but they're older versions. Um, if we buy the same model drone, all the software is compatible and they work together. Um, there's only one manufacturer, but they don't have a soul source program. Uh, I've got a quote from them, but I'm asking that the council will be okay if we purchase from this manufacturer that we may receive the donations from so that we have a drone program that works to together collectively without having to go out and bid for something we can't use is what I'm asking. Well, the parts interchange all

it's the software, the infrared systems were interchanged. The fleet management will work together. The GPS coordinates and everything works together. Blades, batteries, all that. The No, it's a different model. The blades made, but not the battery. Um, it's under it's under what the award amount is. So, it's not like we'll be spending more than what we were awarded. So it's under roughly around $1,000 under what our award was on the grant, which software be the same. They'll work the same. Yes. Yeah. You just grab one and go and go relearn everything again. Exactly. Yeah. Thanks. So it's all it all integrates through the software system.

Sure. Um, so what I was asking is council's permission to to deviate to do that to make sure we um capitalize on the money we're getting and have more than just one drone system is what I'm asking. That ability? Yes.

Need a motion on that? I would just need permission. Most motion to proceed. Two [laughter] motions in a second. Council member Bry. Yes. Council member Hampton. Yes. Council member Lufol. Yes. Vice Mayor Lingry. Yes. Mayor. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Just just information focuses on the feast.

Yes. Um, how how are these used say large events? Do when do you use these for? They can be used for privacy.

Um, they can be privacy. We can't use it on a property without a search warrant. If we're targeting someone, but for looking for lost people, escaped inmates, escaped prisoners, um, traffic crashes, we can take aerial photographs. There's also software that does scale drawings of the crashes for us. Um, it has a night function as well, so we can pick up heat signatures of things at night, people items that were discarded. Um, anything you can imagine, we can that you can see from the air, we can use it for. Not only just that, but if if somebody from utilities needed us to check something that's remote or get a higher bird's eye view of what the area looks like, we can use it for them as well. So it wouldn't be just for our use. We can use it for other city functions as well. We can use it to survey crowds like the festival this weekend or the parade. We could use it survey the crowds. Have an overwatch to make sure we don't have anybody hiding in places and looking to hurt somebody. So there's many different functions we can use that for. It's not just one thing. It's it's a very broad use. We would have to use a search warrant to target someone at their house, though. I just wanted to make sure that little children there's so many other things we can use it for.

Of course. Yeah, that's a very small section of what um and we would probably not even use it for that. Okay. If we're looking for a vehicle or something, we could actually see if it's there and that'd be pretty much it. Yeah. If you had a water line blow out, you could fly and find it pretty quick. Yeah. Or if we had had a material incident, we can fly the drone in to see what's going on and get pictures of the tankers or whatever and use it for that, too. So, we don't have that. I'm just just trying to include fire department though.

All right. Agenda of 68. Resolution 2025-30 Veterans Day council will take action necessary policy resolution of the city of Perry, Florida in reference to Veterans Day and providing for an effect. This just a resolution we voted on last meeting I believe. I still think it's too many days, too many that you should remove. Um, that's my thinking. We shouldn't take this lightly because every day that we're not working, it means that a citizen not being able to get the services that they may need on that particular day. It is a lot of days, but I think this one I agree with that. What was a suggestion that we talk to the or that the staff talk to the employees to see which one they might want to give up? I don't know if that was not

we have with the festival stuff going on and everything else, we haven't had the time to to really survey the employees. Um it's a busy time of year for us. Oh yeah, snow coming up. Yeah, there's a lot going on. So we can do this and take back first year. I did check some other cities though just for the sake of it and the holidays pretty much follow what ours are now. 12 holidays I guess a lot of them are doing now. It's got to be pretty common. We have two personal days. [clears throat] That's what I mean. They have personal days in addition to the actual

Yeah. Everybody's off on days for the police department. Well, Veterans Day is a federal holiday. It is. Yes, ma'am. So, anyway, anyone care to make a motion on the resolution? I support that first year. Anyone care to make motion?

Have a motion. We have a second. What is the motion?

They resolution. Technically, you've already gave us Veterans Day. This is just to clean up the employee manual. I'm taking off.

Just doing the paperwork. I'll do it for you. Council member Hampton. Yes. Member Wood. Yes. Vice Mayor Lindsay. Yes. May.

Yes. Okay. Agenda item, excuse me. 6E, resolution 2025-31, police surplus vehicle council to take any action necessary. Resolution of the city council of the city of Perry, Florida, declaring one surplus police vehicle as eligible for conveyance and authorizing this donation to the city of Chattahuchi Police Department. Um, I was made aware that Chattahuchi is without a needed vehicle. While we were doing our yearly inventory, we have identified vehicles we're putting on auction because we can no longer use them. We're putting more into them than we're getting out of them. Um, the chief from there came and looked at the vehicle. I wasn't here, but Captain Grave worked it with him. It will work for them since they don't have what they need.

Um, and they can spend a little more money on keeping it running than we can because we have replacement vehicles coming up. So, just asking to donate to them. um a 2019 model explorer. They hybrid. No, that was not a hybrid, is it? It's just gas. It's just gas. And and to note, it shouldn't matter. Uh but Chattahuchi brought us a trailer load of supplies during one of the hurricanes. So, um they helped us in the past and so I'd like to return that favor. They don't have a whole lot to give, but they give what they can. care to make motion motion. Do

we need a letter or something from J? We've already we've already got with the resolution thing worked out. We've got it set up that Okay. And we will get them to sign a whole heartless hold armless as well. So it will be an ASIS purchase with no warranty. So that kind of outlined that in the resolution. So we'll do that. All right. Miss me has made a motion. Do we have a second? Second. Mr. Bry. Council member Bry. Yes. Council member H. Yes. Councilman Balt. Yes. Lo. Yes. Mayor H.

Yes. Agenda item 6s. Ordinance 1057. Public hearing and final reading of ordinance number 1057. An ordinance of the city council of the city of Perry, Taylor County, Florida regarding surplus lands in vain certain land and to provide an effective date. This is the second reading the lot of be trees. Yeah. Baretles. behind the little river called make a motion. Have

a second. Second bronze. No. Hampton. Yes. Yes. Mayor Langers. Yes. Mayor Hitch.

Yes. Agenda item 6G council to discuss school speed zones for the boys and girls club and council will take any as you need necessary still beads all around here it's Well, there's not just the boys and girls club. There's another happy time. Okay.

Happy time is there, but but only if they're prek eligible or voluntary prek. And does it apply for school zone under statute? Okay. Uh but if we extend it a little bit, that's not a big deal. Y um I suspect we may have a couple of private schools approach us now. And so we will address those as we get those requests. This which locations both of them. This this is for Washington Street and for Warner Avenue. Martin Luther King. Yeah. Martin Luther King right here. Yeah. Okay.

So there's we have two the two private schools. One behind Bath Freddy and one off of Generation and Point of Grace Point of Grace. They're they're looking at it. Get ready to send me alert. So, it's operating now at the other schools. Is that correct?

No, this isn't the the speed enforcement stuff. This is just authorizing us to um designate them as school zones so we can put up the school zone signage with the times and everything on it. Um, if we were going to do the speed zone enforcement with the cameras, we'd have to have a vehicle survey done of the speeds and make sure it would comply. And Chief Cruz, isn't it where there's these school zones designations, there's also harsher penalty for certain crimes that may be committed for certain crimes as well as traffic violations? Yeah, that's automatic double on the fines. Yes. Yeah,

for the traffic, but she's referring to criminal drug possession and sales. Those are enhanced penalties for possession within a certain distance of a school zone. Gota point of grace, it's on. Yes. That wouldn't be any problem at all, would it? No. No. So, Florida statutes um with that camera change that we've talked about, you know, a couple years and for the last two years we've been talking about statute was changed to say that the municipal organization responsible for traffic in that area can designate school zones on roads they don't own. So, we can do that on just for school zones.

And we take ownership of that and the signage and everything else. Yeah. It's a lot of speed. It sure is. So, maybe that might slow it down. We can hope. [clears throat] We can hope. Yeah, we can hope put some of them water speed bumps right there. Speed things are difficult when you're running code [laughter] on this.

I would suggest motion second. A motion and second

Hampton. Yes. Council Woodoff. Yes. Landry. Yes.

Yes. Item 6H. Council to discuss new business incentive packages. Council the act deemed necessary. I'll give you the history of where that is coming from. We've had probably 20 requests for information that we've responded to of developers and businesses trying to come to Perry or at least looking at Perry and every time it gets down to the city's incentives what we're willing to do. I don't really have a clear definition. All we can say is our council's pro business and we're willing to work with you. So me and Andy Jackson were working on a tiered approach. If you were bringing in 250 to a million capital investment, the city's willing to do at least this on water rates, gas rates, sewer rates, taxes, and tangible personal property taxes. So we had three tiers. It was 250 to a million, a million to 10 million, and then 10 million plus. And it looked good and I liked it. And then I met with Bob Brown yesterday and he said, "These are a thing of the past. The city doesn't need to show its hand too early when you're in these type of negotiations." So now I'm on the fence if I even want to try to do something like this.

Sort of thinking the same way because it's going to depend on the business, the project, uh the number of jobs created. That's all that plays in. We're going to include that in the three different tiers, right? But still really know he had a he had a whole long text of some other important parts in it.

Why don't you come up with some kind of matrix? That's what the county does with the personal property and tangible taxes. Like Shirley was saying, jobs investment investing, you know, a lot of money,

right? a different If you have too much information out there though, they could use it to go to someone else and play the ends against the middle and then that's what all the time see the willing offer this case by case. Exactly. Some people are full of bling. They might just tell them this or whatever that could have. You're right. There's something definitive.

Paul's recommendation was to say something along the lines of we will offer a competitive incentive package catered to your needs with improving track record of doing this and it yeah something else. Sure. Yeah. And that's saying negotiable in a longer sentence. I guess it'll work. Sounds good.

On the other hand, I think if people knew how cheap super get natural gas, they'd be running here. Uh yeah, that part back when we got agree to maybe it needs a refresher. Right before I started it got Yeah. Like the month before I started it was a restarted five years. See? It's a little over two years, two and a half years.

Yeah. Any more discussion on that? Yes.

All right. Agenda item six. I council to discuss purchase of water well site location on plantation road. The council will take any action deemed necessary. The owner agreed to our purchase price but didn't agree to the six months of due diligence. She only agreed to 30 months. So, the realtor suggested I want to get y'all's opinion increase the uh non-refundable deposit to $10,000 and go back with the we got to have the six months. I'll talk to the engineers and not in here. We need we especially if we have to go through the bid process and all that. It'll take That'll take three months.

So, we can move tomorrow. We could probably do it three months, but we can on it. And we're coming up on Christmas, right? Holiday season, and yeah, it's just difficult to get anything done the last six weeks of the year. We're not going to find a better location than that. I don't know about water quality. That's But what did Andrew say this morning? um dig for volume not for quality and tree quality basically what that's what the um engineers from the uh work make sense yeah drink for the volume and quantity you need you treat quality you're going to find an issue with water no matter no matter what

well you go anywhere around it it's going to be the same water that's just the way the aquifer works as far as I've been told I really don't It doesn't agree that [laughter] 10,000 for 6 months. 10,000 when you call it earnest money deposit. Yeah. You Mr. Brian. Okay. Sure. Have a motion. Motion. Second motion to second. Council member BR. Yes. Council member Hampton.

Yes. Council member Wood. Yes. May L. Yes. Sure. Yes. 6J approval of minutes for the October 14th, 2025 regular session.

Motion. is missing all information. I don't have any just going back next

reported twice. vote itself. It's on one page and then it's on the next page before it is

what that new system. New system. Yes. Messing us up. I think we can just circle back around do this at the next meeting. Yeah. All right. to the manager. All good. Any

I have one issue I wanted to um raise up just to make you aware and also to ask for some direction. Um you may remember the address 200 Davis Drive. It was um a particular property that we were approached was in May and in July where there was a buyer to foreclose property and there was a building that was built by the previous owner that was on the road or our property, the right of way. Um and at that time um by consensus there the council did not agree for that we would have to not have to but sell the property to them to help I guess make it easier for the realtor to sell the entire property. Um, since then we've had the newest ordinance regarding set of plus property. Um, and the realtor for the property has contacted us again. Um, and I had suggest with but this time they um, the two abuing the other property abuing this property with the rightway which is a street that like leads to nowhere um for 2000 20205 Pucket Road. They had um entered an agreement that if the city were to potentially turn the property over that they would um abandon that they would agree for that right away to be abandoned. If the city would agree to it and um and purchase what other property that we would think would be needed to complete those lots to be like wholly owned by two private individuals. Um, I know John and I have been talking to them. Um, and I told them ultimately um, that I would the best plan of actions for the for it to be placed on an agenda for them to be able to come and share or the realtor be able to come and share

and give an opportunity for you all to reconsider. But since it's been brought forth but now in a different way and now with the new ordinance I just we don't have any like fast and hard rule once you've said yes or no twice, three times, four times. How would you want me to go about um potentially asking I [clears throat] mean it's a they can come and I told them they can come and speak in the general public hearing but we want also wanted to provide you information um because now I forgot the attorney who's involved with it. Sally

Sally Roberts um that they would love to come in our next meeting and possibly be on the agenda, but I didn't know what um questions you may have or and I just wanted to like sort of put it out there to have sort of a discussion as to whether you would be inclined now that we have the new um policy or just they're coming with already sort of agreement with the all the neighbors are budding that area. um if you are inclined to want to review this on the agenda again or just again because I think if we've never had the the the conversations before it would be clear and cut but this would be um the third request for now for the same um for the same opportunity um but it's just different now that both of everyone who abuts the two private citizens set up, but that right away which is a road and I said that it leads to nowhere cuz it there's nothing like a dead end. Um if there was any consideration or instructions you would want um regarding this or even information you would want from the realtor or the two owners of the roads who are asking for

are there any utilities on the road? No, there are not. public works did review that there's no utilities that would be crossed. They just draw just draw a map and bring it to us and we just go from there. I guess best way to do it I'm a picture person. I'm see picture. I understand. I understand. Going to do this to do that. Okay. How much have we spent on this so-called project? And how much more are we going to spend on this project on the uh selling property

project? This whole deal, whatever it is, how much I don't know. Has this been brought up before this particular deal? And then what's the value of it? Huh? What is the value of it?

Well, um I don't know what cost has been done. Um we've never it's always been a part of the discussion on my side or I think even Miss Danielle brought it up once. Um, so I don't know what cost to that particular request, but I do understand there is a road um, and the value of it is supposed to potentially be like $600 if you just look at it, but since it's a right of way,

I think what we've spent just in legal fees is $16,000 on this. I believe that if you look back in in this uh less 10% discount Oh, you mean it people buying a surplus? No, no, I'm talking about just this legal fee. I can't believe that nobody remembers that. I've not received an additional $16,000 on this this assignment. Okay. How far back does it go?

It was clear to the council. Will you research that? I when we paid her extra. Is that what you're talking about? That was a different project. But I see what you're saying that she's spending time on this project. Was that what you mean? Yeah. But I I didn't bring the invoice back. It was on a different What was that? What was that? That was a lawsuit that started several years before I started where um the lawsuit regarding the sellers the sellers project and it was not 16,000 at least. I I mean Mr.

I had to do a budget amendment to increase it because you can bill up to 52,000. So we went ahead and increased it but I think it was six. Yeah, I think it was six if I remember correctly. Now this is not a part of a lawsuit. So that was based on the fact that it was a lawsuit in the circuit court. So this is not there's been nothing build additionally for this. Just as with all the other surfers properties that you all reviewed, there have been some outside legal fees every time we've closed on a property with a property attorney, but I haven't received 16,000. And the with the cost of the property attorneys,

the cost of property attorneys, they build to the person buying that's to the buyer. The buyer is paying for those closing attorneys, but this is not attached in our monthly fee that we pay you, right? Like this is not attached to a lawsuit in the in the circuit court. You know, is everybody okay with just getting it drawn up and bring it up and see what's and we can make a decision.

Right. So I was going to I was going to ask for it to be placed on the agenda for so you also sum up to the property owners but this is not attached to a lawsuit. All right?

Very good. Um, next meeting I'll have the fiscal year 2425 the cleanup budget amendment where anything that we need to move around moneywise and in that will be the hurricane budget amendments because I if y'all remember when the auditors came last time for hurricane funds we're technically supposed to pull from reserves until they reimburse us and for anything that we haven't been reimbursed for we're supposed to pull from reserves even the fee will reimburse, but it's going to be Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we we've seen some money from Idelia, but we haven't seen any Helen money yet. So, that'll be part of it. And then just some up basically.

That's it. Jamie, we successfully cleared another festival weekend without major incident. Um, we did it very well. everybody. We had not we had people that worked very hard to get it done and I'm appreciative for having good people working for the city that did that for Daniel. You're credited very well. Thank you. Everybody give all the credit to Ben. He knows how to Yeah, he's worked so many years. He knows what needs to be done. Y So that's all on Ben. But I will pass the message along. Thank you. Thank you very much, RB. Anything else?

Okay. Last meeting, Miss Landry asked us to try to come up with something to for trash. Ben and I have sat and talked. You know, we we can't just ride around looking for um junk items. You're wasting too much diesel. So, we're going to leave what we've talked about is leaving our zone pickups first, you know, zone one, first Monday, zone two, so forth. If someone does call because they can't get it out there, but they need to get it out there, then they can call. And then if you're if we're in zone three, but they're in zone one, then we will send them when they finish zone three, we will send them to get these if if people call in. That's really all

that's all I mean we can really do right now without just ride and looking wasting diesel. So man hours and another thing the gentleman come last meeting about either speed bumps or four-way stop. You know I've thought about it. I've talked to John a little bit. Not I don't I I don't think speed bumps would be a good thing, but maybe a four-way stop at Cypress Road, but that's something that would be halfway, but that's something you all would need to decide if y'all wanted to put up a four-way stop.

I don't feel like the four-way stops on centered. I have not had the first. Yeah. I've not had the first complaint about a traffic light there either. Better through there. Yes. Oh, it looks well. Yeah. I had one, but it was only one. Yeah, that that pine straight cut over they kind of they turn off a bucket and they hit that curve and so that would help

yeah park

anyway advertise it very well put them up with bags over for a while and we'll do all that. Yeah, there's nothing I can think of in in charter code that would require us to get approval to do this. Just you're aware of it. We're working on it would be sufficient, I believe. Okay. It's part of normal traffic management unless we had an overall management plan the council approves, but we don't have that. So, unless I'm wrong, and if I'm wrong, please tell me. Y'all got this, John? come forward. [laughter]

I was asked to make sure and clarify that y'all understood last meeting I was asking to buy safety equipment to do certain work on lift stations, save money. I mentioned gas detector, some scaffolding, chest waiters. Uh we have we have and there'll be a few other like uh combined space entry equipment. The qu what I was were told to specify was uh steel toe safety boots to clarify there's four guys that I would need to buy the boots for. Um boots that they would would be theirs they' be fitted for. we purchased here probably local pepper. Um, so to be as as as clear to make sure you understood exactly what I was talking about and and I basically get your approval to do so

question say the water department comes next week. Are we going to give them steel toe boots too? Or garbage or any of that. So consider we're going down a slope of what is uniforms and what is not. Well, yes. And we have a lot of guys that we need to provide boots for. Then it's not just for always boots.

As far as I know, I haven't seen there's no I'm sorry to interrupt. As far as I know, there's no safety, there's no shoe policy, but the purpose of buying it was just to follow safety regulations. Um, and we would save enough money you could buy the whole city boos, but this is for for a Pacific project. And I have I just have some of this stuff here just because I'm trying to justify my actions to you. Um, just like installing, and I know y'all know what these are, but this is an 8 in double iron valve. That's 280 lbs. Okay. They're going to be in a confined space in a hole. They're not going to have a lot of room to move. Chain comes loose, something breaks. I need them protected. Um, I believe the water department bought jackets for their people. So, I mean

that was prior to

Okay. So, what I'm saying is like there are there are things specific to different departments. Okay. We have cranes to pull pumps. Gas department has a mold to shoot services, police department has guns, and the fire department has fires. This is the last lift station that the city had paid for by a contractor. Davis lift station in 2022. This is just the labor and mechanical parts. This is not the pumps. We have the pumps because I bought them last year. You can see the PO that went out to the company. So, I'm looking at an extra $4 to $600 to buy boots. We already have the pumps bought. All we have to do is buy by by piping some equipment.

You said this was for a specific project. We have several projects in line. The two that are need to be done immediately is to lift station and clean street lift station. Are those projects funded already?

I have I have a lift station budget of $80,000 basically last year and this year with the money I saved last year. We bought pumps. This year we intend to put them in like I say just because of the nature of the work where they're going to be at. um chest waiters. There's certain parts of it, the boots, just because they're going to be on ladders and scaffolding. They're going to be dangling from harnesses. So, I want them to have, you know, they're going to have hard hats, they're going to have gloves, and I'll probably buy them, you know, good special gloves to make the field and hold and grab to to tighten bolts and this that and the other. But, you know, you're in the ground, but basically you're 20 foot in hair. So that that's why I went to uh to purse and I feel that the savings is justified.

Just four guys.

Just four guys. And like I say, boot decent boots for anywhere from $100 to $150. So you're looking for $400 to $600. Four guys. And like I said, I was asked to clarify because I guess this was concerned that the other departments would say in which I spoke to the gas department and I asked them I said, "Well, you know, if if we got boots, would it be a big deal?" And they're like, "No, not if you're saving the money. It wouldn't bother them." And that's the only department I talked to. And I get them want me to clarify so there's not any confusion and people like, "Well, they got this and we didn't." That's not the purpose of purpose of it is they're going to be put in harm's way. I just need to give them that equipment.

Um I priced the gas detector. I haven't bought it yet. That's 1,200 bucks. Um scaffling. I don't know. I haven't got quotes on that yet. But um you're looking at a couple thousand for for uh equipment. And like I say, that is the last that PO is the last station that city had done minus the pump. So you want to add another 15 to $20,000 to that for the pump in which I've already purchased the cost. So you can you can pay me a couple thousand put it in or we can pay them 72,000. That's that's the most simple way to put it.

So you're actually saving money by doing probably saving $60,000. What's the total Sean you're asking for?

Well, I'd have to give you a total teller, but it shouldn't be over five grand nowhere. That's in safety equipment now. Yeah, there's material, but like I said, and like like you know, we're only going to do the stations that have to be done now because he has required grants to get them done. We just need to along until the grants come in cuz the first the first lift station that was approved was a warrant. It's not going to be it's not even going to start until the middle of next year probably about April. And those pipes don't take long.

And also too, like you know, there's others there's other projects like at the treatment plant skirting inside the clarifier rusted out by the g, you know, we're probably going to buy that and it's falling on ourselves,

you know, because I don't and and I welcome y'all if you have the times. I would like to show y'all because you can't really tell in the pictures, but if you come out to the sewer plant and I have the clarifier drain, I'd like you to see it just uh it's it's I mean, as far as I know, from what I can tell, they're put in 1985 and they've only had some painting, some minor stuff done to them and and there there's major parts of them rusted out.

So, they they were painted. Nothing was upgraded when the plant was upgraded that I can see because you're talking about rust. You're talking half, you know, 3/4 in all thread almost almost rusted in half. You know, I don't see that happening in five years. But um and I do apologize if this, you know, I'm not trying to uh we're not trying to start anything or, you know, u roughness, but I just mean as the wastewater superintendent, it is my job to decide what safety equipment they need and to purchase. So we just clarify you know that I guess that was the worry that you know the other parts would fall suit always you know if you get specific items you need that are not what I call personal items those are usually bought by the city but or the employee or whatever but yeah things like these are norally bought by personal each person Yeah. And that would be their boot, but it's just like a chest waiters.

It would be fitted for chest waiters that have their own pair because, you know, generally would be four people, maybe two at a time. We have them on, but now we've bought chest wers for years, but they leave the chest w. Yeah, that is true. But um it's just it's just like I said like you know the water they're going to take the jackets on the lead. There's there's many things that you can say that about weigh in on this.

If you do approve it, make sure it's just one time this project type thing. It's not a you get a fresh pair of boots every quarter, every year. This is a one time purchase to get through these couple projects we're trying to get through. I don't want to open up a can of worms and buying boots for every department every year. And then Carly's going to want some new high heels for the office. Can be very slippery slope because I could argue that my girls up front need comfortable shoes to be able to stand in all day. I mean, you could really argue for a lot of different things. That's the difference in that safety though. Ergonomics is safety. Yeah. I mean if they had a back issue or something, we can argue ADA.

The city provides back braces. They provide all these other safety equipment. You know, like I said, there are there are items specific to our our job. Like I said, you know, they're going to be saw and jackhammering concrete. You don't want, you know, we we we've got some rubber boots you could wear. You don't want your foot near a a jackhammer with those with those rubber boots. Like I say, I you know, and I'll do it. I'm just trying to I guess get my point across. Um question.

Okay. I've worked with department of lab for many many years and any time and employ work order. They would always say steel steel boots are required. you must have them in order to So what you're saying is that the city needs to buy the boots that they should already have for their own sake instead of well I can't find help understand

I can't find a due policy with the city but it's but but our&m manual states. The Perry wastewater treatment facility operation maintenance manual indicates that the management of the facility is responsible for decisions regarding the department safety equipment needs. Miss, yep. Management responsibility. The section outlines the management is ultimately responsible for the safety program which inherently includes the provision and termination of necessary safety equipment.

Provision So, you know, so there's no specific policy that says you have to have steel toe boots or you can wear tennis shoes. There's no specific policy. It's not a shoe policy. We don't want a shoe policy. The guy want the guys want to wear tennis shoes when they do locate for the rig meters. That's fine. But it's my job to make sure they're safe and and those boots are part of their part of their part of the equipment they need to protect themselves. Now, they can get hurt doing anything, but I don't want them to get hurt when they don't have what they need. So, like I said, I've written POS for $100,000 for trucks. We say you're talking $600 off. You're talking about not doing it over $600.

I mean, I get what you're saying. That's just like me. I work for the city last for 14 years. They provided boots because it's part of the job, the things you do. Like I said, there's not a policy here, but like I said, with the money I save, you could buy you could buy every field guy out here a pair of boots at $150 a pair. So, I'm just looking at it like the numbers. Like I say, I want I want them to have because they're they're going to be 20 foot in the ground in a wet bill. They're going to be sawing. They're going to be they're going to be drilling. They're going to be hammering. They're going to be hanging from stuff. I mean,

I I commend you on the way you take care of you. And you know why

I was just gonna say like you know like I I I I would say that's probably why I was hired back was just from my experience and also too once the guys do this a few times I won't be the only person that knows how to build it. All your eggs won't be in one basket. They're not going to learn unless they do it. And it'll take a couple of them to make, you know, every year you got a fresh pair of boots or whenever you needed a pair. The rule was you wouldn't get them within six months.

Who was keeping up with all that? I don't know who was keeping up with it, but it was like a lot of the formless chiefs were keeping up with it. But like like I said, you know, it's not a it's not a uh it wouldn't be like, oh, you get a big pair of boots every year. If there's another project that comes up and they need whatever, you know, and they're saving money, I don't I don't see the problem in it, but I I see it's I say it's justified, but that's my opinion. I've seen everybody everybody over the years provide gloves, glasses, hearing protection, like I said, chest waiters, water pigs, but I've never seen anybody provide fix themselves or the shoes themselves. I just never not saying it doesn't happen. I just never seen

I've been on both sides. I've had to purchase my own and then I work for companies that purchase. Yeah. So, I didn't I didn't say it did. I just never when I first started at the mill, they gave you a $200 credit once a year to the to the boot truck, but they cut that out after a couple years. You little card you took to the boot truck. If it was over two months, you paid the difference. Well, what it will down to across the board, anybody that requires steel tape picks is going to be able to ask for them. In my department, it's not going to be specific for any kind of job. I don't believe any kind of project.

In my department, we require in our uniform is the black boots, but they purchase their own black boots. We don't the city don't purchase them. It's it's required for them to have, you know, black boots for our for uniforms.

I hope that good. I don't think it's an unreasonable request and I think he's looking out for the safety of his employees and that's commendable. Well, it is. I don't have any doubts looking out for section. That's a good thing. Safety is good thing. section number one

is this distinguishable factors that because of them doing these projects that the wear and tear is way more than than say I won't say the average but if they're doing all these other projects that to save the county money versus hiring other people their clothes or whatever the the materials are are getting way more wear and tear. So, this is sort of to comp not compensate, but to to recognize that they're going to need more more assistance and stuff like their protective gear than say other people also needing to wear hard to boots. Is that the distinguishable factor? Way more wear and tear.

They're going to be far outside their normal daily activities. They're going to be special projects. Um, it's just going to be confined space, partial environment. Um, they're going to need to be protected. The way I'm looking at it is I got 80 I got $80,000 for those stations and I and I and we try to stay within our line of I have to pay a contractor to do that. I cannot I'm not going to stay within my lineup. Um, so I'm looking at it as a money thing. It's also a safety because, you know, just me personally, I'm responsible for their safety. I don't feel it doesn't feel proper to me to put put them in harm's way to do this work. You know, like I say, it's uh that's why we're clarifying. What we're talking about $600 worth of piece is what we're here to talk about

at the most. You want to make a motion on this. The city paid for half. Would that work? Well, I guess anything's better than nothing. But I was going to say if if you if if the city will not buy the boots, I'm just going to buy because

Well, I mean, just because, you know, It's going to it's going to save the city money thousands thousands of dollars and I and I just I I just can't personally tell them to do it without having something you know because and like if they got hired only there was a shoe policy they had to have it be one thing but this is halfway through the season and we're saying hey now you need this and these guys can afford that. I can't say, "Hey, I need you to go get a pair of boots." Sean, I [clears throat] would I be clear correct to assume you're not asking these guys to have steel to boots for other uh the greater job. It's only because of this specific project.

We don't. And so therefore, when this if you stop doing these projects, the city has plenty of money goes back hiring contract for you wouldn't be up here asking for bridge again. Correct. when when the grants start. I think that takes care of the other city staff's concern about this becoming a citywide issue because the special circumstances this part. What we mainly was I didn't want it to then be everybody's come to me and ask for don't have money in the budget to buy everybody's shoes,

jackets, whatever else that you know it's supposed to just be their uniform. So, I mean, I guess I'm I'm not saying I wins it, but I'm just saying, can you only make it for them for a project? That's what I'll say because everybody asks for it is not a good not a good excuse for me to say. No, I watch it, but I want to be open and closed. That was the end of it. Yes. Yes.

Can we care to make a motion? Would you mind if I had a risk management thought process here? If you provide safety equipment, you must have a policy that will be used when it's needed. Period. And if it's not used, there should be consequences for them not using their equipment. Yes. Um, we provided vests, bulletproof vests. We have a policy, a police department policy. You will wear your vest. Period. If they show up with their equipment and jump in the hole, they should be disciplined for that. Oh, yeah.

And I think that that needs to be considered in this discussion. I don't have a problem with the boot purchase, but I need I I this to protect the city and the risk that goes with this. If we provide you safe equipment, you will wear it, not you wear it if you feel like it. Johnny, um, can you or Sean get together and write something up? Well, I mean, it's going to be when you're doing that work, you're going to wear, you know, when you do overhead work, you're going to wear hard. They have reflective shirts so they don't have to wear a vest. U whenever they go into confine space entries they we they have to have the gas detector. They have to supply air all time.

That's not a problem. That's simple. That's um you know even even if we're we're let's say we're doing a manhole and we're using the jack with with a flat blade to cut the I mean if they have them to wear, you know, they're going to wear them. I don't think I believe they'll love wearing them to just to have something that fits them where they can they can, you know, be mobile and do the job. I don't they and I'm pretty sure there's um I can get my Florida rule water get online we can if the city doesn't have one and find space entry policy or you know all all that's OSHA stuff that should be that should be easy. OSHA everybody just follow regulation on

during litigation the first thing they ask for is your policies I've been involved in enough issues to know that unless it's written down and it's recognized that you received it didn't happen. It didn't happen. So I'm all for it as long as they got the policy. And I do understand what you're saying with the safety part and I I commend you Sean for looking out for guys for you guys, but um I'm all for you guys. If not, we going to be paying more money to get the project completed.

Well, and I don't I don't want to put like you have to buy the boots or we don't do it. the way I want to put putting it like it's a necessity but like say I'm willing anybody I can get donations or whatever buy the booth because you see that PO $72,000 that's three years ago I'm tell you I don't want something like this to drop on my foot yeah I would even want to pick anybody up on my truck if something like this done drop on their That's more than 80 pounds right there. Anyway, if I may, I'm going to ask again for a motion on this.

Everybody's done talking about it. Have a motion. Um, for the policy reason, I make a motion for a second. Seconds, please. Yeah. Yes. Land. Yes. Mayor. Yes. There was one other thing I want to say.

No, I said with a policy. Yeah, there was a motion by we have the city has safety policies but if you want specific policy regarding boots right if you're going to provide safety equipment it must be utilized at the appropriate time and that's that's needs to be included in any policy that we have for safety

okay Sean what else do you have say last time I forgot to thank somebody when I was talking about the the super puff search charges. Um, you know, when I started with the city, I had no idea this because of my previous job as a crew leader, I wasn't privy to it. So, um, when I first started, you know, the past superintendent had been out and he had been handling the search charges and they hadn't been done for over a year. And had it not been for Danielle saying, "Hey, these searchers, it probably still wouldn't get done today." So, um, Harley told me to hurry last time cuz she felt bad. I thought I got the guy. But I just want to say that, um, I didn't want to take me and the guys take all the credit because it was she told me about

and sorry I forgot. Yeah, I was good with you taking all the credit. All right. Just doing my job. Appreciate it. You're welcome. I just want to back up because you you're fine. When it come to shoes [clears throat] any other do your boys, girls have to have safety shoes, Danielle. It's not required of them. Some could fall on their toes as well. Yes, ma'am. I guess I mean Um, I don't even have to answer that question. We buy our shoes.

My guys buy their own shoes. Matter of fact, I just bought a new pair of boots last week for work. turn. [clears throat and cough] [laughter]

I'm not gonna say there's nothing I need. I just thank you guys um for coming out and enjoying Happy Tony's Tatering the two days that you guys had it. I appreciate you guys. And next time Daniel, please come and Abby, will you please make sure the fire to Happy Thomas Catering? They cater at the Pine Tree Festival events this weekend. I didn't know anything about I'm sorry, but you missed some good food. Should have known. You're usually there, but you get to the point the firework. Oh, yeah. That was by invitation of the forestry. Yeah. Invitation.

But we'll have more food to make sure that you I just showed up. You weren't invited. [laughter] He would show up. They don't love us. We want you. But I'm put three to go plates on. You said what? Three to go play. Okay. Good. It was good. You're that guy. I'm sure he was he was throwing all the paint for usually be every year but that was it. I did have one thing I [clears throat]

the dog park that is Go ahead. You know it slopes down and when it rains a lot over there the whole east end of it is flooded. It's full of water. And even if you want to use the larger dog park which is up at the upper end, you got to go down there to get in the gate. So is there any way you can add another gate at the large where the large dogs go? We discussed this a few times. We did. Yeah.

Brought up to me. That's why I broke it. Isn't that in the bid or not in the bid? Just repair. You and I talk about moving that old gate to the out of the water. I mean, if he's doing it, it happened. I think it happened when this thing got flooded. Then when he got everything got damned up to flood this thing and push the water table up on that end rain as fast month ago or two months ago whenever it was

I think it's totally dry that it rained that Friday like seven inches and the next morning where it even come up higher mostly killed about six beavers you say it's been discussed several times I think it was that was going to get it done. I forgot about it. Well,

we tal really something. We'll mention it to Garrett tomorrow.

I forgot one word. U Burger King owners have been contacted. They said it will be cleaned up by the end of the week. Yay. We finally found them. They're in California. Are they talking about opening back up or That's that just property management company. I specifically asked that question was shut down. Whoa. If I can really quick, I just like to remind everybody in this room, please, the next time you see Danielle's group, shake their hands. Those men worked their butts off. They did.

All those barriers we put out like 800 900 lb. They they were wheeling them around like they were like they work hard this week. They did. They're good. I'm glad they were there. [laughter] Your hips couldn't hell out. Exactly. It's not bad either. If he's voting it mean a lot to him. Next meeting on Monday. Yeah. November 10. Mayor nominated mayor and I will not be here.

I got I'm out of town that you want the whole lot to come back. That's your code. That's reorganization. So if I here, I ain't here. Yeah. Reorganizations next meeting, November 10. [laughter]

Um, sometime in one of the January meetings, I want to go into a I want to put on the agenda for a use. I was able on it because we had budget time and all this other going on. But I don't want to do go into it through the holidays. But if you can find any information on it here and there, if you can email it out to everybody, but it's not a it's nothing that that's nothing exist. We've already got it. a garage apartment that's an ADU. It's just just any kind of detached second living unit on a piece of property is an ADU. That's all it is.

Nothing real cosmic about it. We get that with the property taxes. [clears throat] Everything is going on. We don't know what that's we don't know what that's going to look like yet. There's about six different versions of that going around. So, yeah, we don't have a clue what that will look like. Well, thank you. John, were you in Mr. Brian? He's never He's never seen.

Soon as we get that speaker out of the way, we it'll be on my Gotcha. Gota freak out. That's why he sound like a DJ station. Everybody know