City Council - Regular Meeting

Oh, hey.

Heat. Heat. on the ground. Bring

me home. Heat. Heat.

It's about that time, friends. We will call this regular meeting of the Booker Ron City Council to order. The time is April 14th, 2026, and the time is 6 p.m. Before we get to the invocation, which I'll deliver, I'm going to pass it over to Councilwoman Ducker for a brief discussion about a colleague we lost in Coral Springs. Take it away.

Good evening, everyone. I just wanted to have a moment of silence for a friend uh Nancy Mateer who lost her life a few weeks ago. Uh vice mayor of Coral Springs. We got elected at the same time. We've advocated for so many causes and unfortunately at the age of 37 years old. She she she tragically lost her life and uh we're going to miss her greatly. But uh as we said at the vigil, uh that we're going to continue to be like Nancy and keep pushing women, children, and all minority causes ahead uh to protect our cities and just be like Nancy. So, if we could take a moment of silence. Thank you. Thank you everyone. As for the invocation, like I said, I will deliver it briefly. Heavenly Father, this is the day that you have made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. We are so very thankful for all the blessings we've received in this community. Blessed by the men and women who work here, first and foremost, who protect us, this country, this city. We're thankful for the staff that put in the hard work to make this city shine the way that it does. We're so thankful for us up here at the in the council to be able to have the opportunity. And it is a privilege, truly a privilege to be able to conduct the business of this city. And as we undertake that business, we pray that we do so with humility, with the heart of servants, recognizing that we are here not to be served, but to serve. And we seek your wisdom in doing that. We give you all the praise and the glory. Amen. Now I'd ask that you please rise. So for the ple pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Miss Sittens, would you please call the role? Mayor Thompson, thankful to be here. Deputy Mayor Growl here. Council member Ducker here. Council member Pearlman here. Council member Sipple present. All present. Excellent. Mr. City Manager, I believe we do have an amendment to the agenda. Do we not?

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, as I indicated yesterday in the workshop, item 6B uh is a Memorial Park general discussion that was um asked to be put on the agenda from Council Member Pearlman. Uh, and as I noted last night, we already have uh items uh containing uh Memorial Park. That's item 10A, resolution 3226, which is the updated recognition of Memorial Park that we're going to discuss, as well as uh 10B, resolution 3326, which is a proposed downtown civic engagement task force. So, with those items already on the agenda that are focused on Memorial Park, I recommend that uh item 6B uh is no longer warranted.

Very good. Thank you, Mr. Sohaney. Uh in light of that, do we have a motion to amend the agenda accordingly? So moved. Do I hear a second? Second. Very good. All in favor of amending the agenda accordingly, please say I. I. I.

Any opposed? That's a no. So we can amend the agenda forth with. Next we have the minutes. We have three sets of minutes. The minutes of the workshop meeting of March 23rd minutes of the regular meeting dated March 24th and the organizational meeting on March 31st, 2026. Are there any revisions or corrections to these minutes? If not, I'll entertain to adopt the or approve rather the minutes as presented. So moved. May I have a second on that? A second. Very good. All those in favor of approving the minutes as presented, please say I. I. Any opposed?

No. That's good. So that the minutes are approved unanimously. Now we will move on to proclamations and presentations. And we have with us, we are honored to say, our state representative for the city of Oakrone and other areas, Representative Peggy Gossit Simon. So please welcome to the podium, Miss Simon. Thank you all. Good evening. It's a pleasure to meet some of you all. Newly elected for the first time. See old friends. Not that you're old. Um Mayor Thompson and um Councilwoman Ducker, as you know, this is I'm just ending my fourth year here representing Boca Raton and that also Highland Beach and Southwest Palm Beach County, West Bokea, quote unquote. It's a big district. It's an honor to have the entire city of Boca Raton involved because previously it had been sliced in half and had two reps. It makes it a little tougher. Um, as a background, as you know, I might I you may know I was a commissioner in Highland Beach for four and a half years and lived, worked, played basically in Boca Raton a good amount of that time. I live on the water, the inter coastal waterway and as such water has been a big priority of mine and um keep running bills and appropriations for that. But the the big the big reason I'm here is to acquaint myself with you all and talk about the three things that my job involves. I represent Bokeh at the state. All my constituents, almost all are your constituents. So what's important to you all is important to me. And I try to I call you all you'll be the new people you'll be hearing from me. I sometimes call you, text you, sometimes your city manager from right there voting in on a bill or an appropriation and and you all are really dually responsible to give me your best on the on the money uh answer that time.

Those h occurrences are are frequent as the session moves on. I'm gone two two and a half months a year. We're on call now to return for several special sessions, but I am available as I as with my uh my aid Logan Slaughter and my district office. I've brought I filed this year for $119 million for Boca Raton and surrounding areas. I also filed for two vacant rep seats. Um Joe Cassello sadly passed away and Mike Caruso became our clerk. I carried their appropriations. I'm basically running the whole county from military to the ocean for appropriations, most of it, and that's an honor. However, the leaders know that Boca Raton and Highland Beach and Southwest County are my priorities. So, don't worry about that. I will pass out so to not keep you all too long here, a list of the appropriations you can look at. And um the way it works is I file it. I work with our um leaders and with Jared Rosenstein who I'll bring up in a few minutes and and Jared is your lobbyist and we get the job done for you. The we get along great thankfully with the governor's office and the speaker's office and they know that Bocraton is very important from a commercial a business and a tourism act aspect to the state. Um we they're they take care of us. Um, you're welcome to to get a hold of me any time of course that that you need to be noticed for anything, but I will let you know I was in League of Cities as well as Councilwoman Ducker was recently honored with with her award at League of Cities. There are times that I might vote a little bit not bokeh-ish and that is because we have to re recognize all 67 counties and all the municipalities and I serve on the JLAC committee which is judicial auditing

committee. I can tell you we are so lucky in Bocraton not all cities are run this well. I'll give you two quick examples of sometimes why our our votes are like tweaked a little bit. We have some bad or just misguided actors in the system. One city in north central Florida took an assistant clerk, promoted to a clerk, promoted to a town manager, promoted to a lobbyist at like quadruple the original salary. Didn't even live in the city, taken care of in my committee. Another little tiny city was being run by a mayor and his wife. So these things have to be reviewed and every now and then we say, well, these things have to change at the state level. No worries. Bo, everyone should be as as lucky as Boca Raton. I'll tell you, some of the bills I passed were super important. It's not easy to get a bill passed. They have to emerge through anywhere from two to four committees on both chambers, Senate and House, be reviewed, then on the floor with a final vote and be signed by the governor. I've passed 13 bills myself in four years. Notably, you might you might recognize the uh Epstein bill. We were the first to release all the Epstein files. I proudly carried that governor signed it three days later and then th that information was then sent to DC and that entire issue was where it is now. But Florida was very proud to have done that. We were we were Here you go. Here's our files. Another one was the motor voter bill accidentally. I found out that the DMVs completely by accident do an IT glitch. If you do did not designate your party affiliation, it flipped you to an NPA and all of a sudden we had this plethora of NPAs. It took a while. It went all the way to Secretary Cord Bird to um the Department of State and to the DMV itself and it was corrected and automatically 800,000 voter

registrations changed in one week. So there are things that you stumble upon. These came from reading my emails. and they came because people knew that something was wrong. By the way, I went to the DMV and this happened. So, that's where we are vigilant. We read our emails. We answer our constituents and we can make changes. One little tiny little glitch like that could affect the whole state. So, um, with that, I'd like to bring up, um, Jared Rosenstein to discuss some of the appropriations because this is a super important part of my job, not only passing bills, but bringing money back to Boca Raton, Highland, and the entire county if need be. I run most of the inter coastal waterway bills for the whole county. And and based on that, that takes the budget over the the the reduced how can I say the entire Florida budget leaves a little pot of money for municipalities proper and dignified and they're accountable proper appropriations. That's the best way. The the solid ones that really merit doing the best amount of good for the whole constituency. And in that place, we need people such as Jared helping us get this done and passed through and signed by the governor. So, I'll ask him to explain his role. It's very important and we'll be working hard on this 119.89 million for you guys this year alone. Jared,

Mr. Rosenstein, welcome back.

Hey, everybody. Jared Rosenstein, I got to meet a lot of you at the swearing in. So, it's good to see you again. to the the new members, I look forward to working with you and teaching you the arcane weirdness of Tallahassee because it is very weird. Um, and to the returning members uh of the of the council, I know we've worked very closely with staff um and the representative on really making sure that Bokeh has a high profile in Tallahassee. Here's why. Bokeh is competing against every other municipality in the state, every county, every nonprofit, right? Every special taxing district. They have lobbyists. Some of them have armies of lobbyists, right? A lot of the residents here have seen me do this presentation before with the representative. I'm very blessed. I have a pretty robust municipal practice. I love representing municipalities, right? because we deserve the exact same kind of caliber and firepower and voice at the table that some of these big corporations, big special taxing districts that have 20 lobbyists, right? They're fighting for the same pot of money that Bokeh is. So, I've represented the city for the last four years. We've been very successful. I came out of the governor's office. I worked for the governor for three and a half years. I'm a very uniquely weird bipartisan lobbyist, right? Um I worked for now Congressman Jared Moscowitz uh for seven years. I worked for Representative Bill Hager who represented Bokeh. I worked for State Senator Ellen Bogdanoff who represented Bokeh. So, I've learned BOHA and what the constituents talked to the representatives about over my decade plus in the system. Uh let's talk about appropriations. Last year, 1.75 million came to the to from the state to Bokeh for two different projects. One is for drinking water transmission upgrades that the city requested and I worked very closely with city staff on that. And the other one was something that the representative really helped us champion. It was a $1 million appropriation for the grade separation

of the El Rio Trail. Right here's where advocacy at the municipal level kind of clashes with Tallahassee in a good way. Right? When the city asked for that appropriation, the representative filed it. This is like, you know, schoolhouse rocks, right? Um, I had to go and present at a at a data level to the appropriations chairs, to the governor, to the governor's chief of staff, why this project, number one needs to be funded and why number two, Ronda Santis shouldn't veto it. The way we did this was we took data that the staff here presented on traffic accidents at that area, pedestrians hit by cars at that area. And we presented that almost like a legal case to the governor and said this is why we need this money. One of the things that one of the misconceptions that when I started representing the city and I'm very proud to have turned this around. When you talk to political leaders in Tallahassee, they think Bokeh is like the Bokeh of Seinfeld, right? They're it's like it's bokeh do Vistaar, right? But it's not. The median age in Bokeh is 46. Like this is a young growing community, right? and explaining that to the elected officials to take us seriously, right? Uh took took a it took a a big effort. Um and we were very blessed to have commissioners that know the process. Uh we're very blessed to have an amazing delegation between Representative Gosset Simon, uh you know, Tina Psolk is fantastic, Lorie Burman's fantastic, fantastic. What I will say this year, we have two projects pending. Okay, we have another drinking water transmission project for 750,000 and we have a half million dollars for the Boca Raton safety public safety dock. It's a rehab of the dock. Three things and you guys are going to be hearing a lot from me in the next couple of months. Three things that you need to be very cognizant of. We're going to have three special sessions, right? Number one, you're going to have congressional redistricting. When that happens, I don't know because about two hours ago, the governor was

dragging his feet, right? uh April 20th is when he called for the congressional redistricting, right? But he's going to wait to see what happens with with the turnout in Virginia and that's going to affect Bokeh. Our congressional district is one of the districts that will change. So, we got to keep an eye out for that. The second special session, which I know they care about and you care about, property taxes, right? That's going to happen. How they implement property tax reform is going to be very important for the city. It's going to be very important for the residents and you know the debate between a wholesale elimination or an increase on the exemption is undergoing between the house and the senate and then the very last special session which we should have gotten done in the regular session is just the budget. We still have no state budget. During that last special session is when our municipal projects will get funded. So with that um I welcome the opportunity for any questions. Uh, I think it'd be really cool to have a workshop like a schoolhouse rocks like this is Tallahassee, here's the speaker, here's the senate president, like to to workshop this with you guys and I'm always here and always available. So, thank you.

Thank you, Jared. Of course. Thank you, Jared. And

I will tell you when I was first elected at the town, we did I filed for the first time in Highland Beach appropriations. We did not get anything until I hired a lobbyist. It's just one of those things I can only be in so many places at once and they serve a purpose which is you have to grow to understand. If I could add to that that in the first three years of my term, we brought back $43 million to Boca Raton and the surrounding community, which is really a good amount. And as Jared said, people think we're all like Lambos and diamonds here, but I've knocked like a thousand miles of doors here. And these we have some great we're families, we're young professionals, we're college kids, we're beach people, we're western people. So that's where it's super important to realize for the people up in Tallahassee that it's it's very different. And I'll add to I didn't know this till I got up there. It's such a weird place in the house. We have 120 representatives. The guy from the Keys never had shoes that were closed toe. He wore flip flops until he got elected. Then we have cattlemen show up in their like 2-in boots. We have guys from the panhandle. They come in and they're like boat shirts and their sparies. It's just hilarious. It's such a good mix of people. So again, when we make decisions up there, sometimes we have to take the whole state into account. Um I have a surprise um piece of information I'd like to throw out to the council and the city manager. Um how would you like for free a 100year-old historical fountain for free with the cost of uh transmitting a quick claim? If I have another minute of your time, I accidentally found out that the fountain in front of the the Boca Raton the hotel is not claimed. It has never been claimed on any document in the state. It started by meeting people who said that

fountain needs work. I go to the hotel. Yes, it needs work. We're running the the the R&M water and electric all these years. Called the city. You all uh it called Boo Historical Society. They're brilliant. They had as so many documents and pictures called the city. You guys didn't have a record. Go to FOT. They did a deep dive back to the second Spanish Inquisition. True story. I have the maps. I provide them if you wish. Went to Cord Bird, our Secretary of State. Cord, what do we do about this? had a meeting last month and Cord said it is the owner of the actual road who owns the unclaimed piece of property in the middle of the road. That being the county talked to Joe Abbruso as late as yesterday. The county doesn't want to deal with it. They're too busy. They don't have an So, the county is offering to the city of Boca Raton if we can do this through Cordbert's office to quit claim the fountain. You all take o ownership and the hotel is brilliantly wishing to proceed continuing offering water and electric services. And I see the mayor is cracking up. So this is a true story and results from my doing a deep dive. It's my old reporter and um PR jobs that I can't stop until I get the answer. But you all can maybe discuss this at the future and in the meantime I'll be in touch with you with maps. This the fountain turns 100 years old this year. I have a photo of the hotel with nothing but sand and scrub and whoever whatever wildlife and the fountain and a sandy road beach to to the end. It's very cool and I'm actually glad it worked out this way in a strange way that I've been working on this September of 2025. It's took this long to get through all the agencies and we have an answer and hopefully you guys will take that on.

With that, I'll I'll see if you had any immediate questions and if not, I'm here this week and all of next week now. Are there any questions of the um council? Thank you, Representative Gosset Sidman. Thank you for your generous offer. Do we have any questions for the representative? Go ahead, Councilwoman Ducker.

Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Rosen. Mr. Rosenstein, can't talk. I've been talking a lot today. Thank you. Um, House Rep, thank you for working for us. Thank you for always accommodating our schedules. I do have a question. So, as So, we've I was up there quite a bit this session. Yes. Um, u behalf of the city and obviously all cities and the county as well. What is a recommendation with electeds and even just folks like us to go up during these special sessions? Not so much on the redistricting, but I know that we've spoken on property taxes. We've spoken about the budget. Um, how is that how is the format different than when it's in session? Is it a similar format in terms of the sessions? It would be a similar like on the floor house session format whereby we would all gather in respective chambers and discuss whatever bills that the leadership decide. In the house we've already passed a recommendation that we're bantering about and we don't know if that will be amended, adopted or thrown out. Here's the thing. We have three brilliant people, the governor, the senate president, and the house, and their leadership. And they all have slightly or greatly different ideas. And so, it's a matter, it's people are saying, "Oh, you guys can't get to you can't get to an answer." Well, that's a good thing because it gives us time to really thoroughly vet the thing. Our our our property taxes in Florida increased from 34 to $60 billion in four years. And some of these municipalities and counties just hired another 2,000 people, threw money at nonprofits. There's all kinds of nonaccountability that that went on. And that is what the governor and the leaders are saying. Let's look at what happened due to rising values. Let's look at what happened and we'll see if we can address this. And it's taken despite the house

having a 20 person committee all last summer and actually visiting 15 municipalities of varying sizes in parts of the state. Uh came up with eight plans, narrowed it down to one, and we're still wanting to get it just right. What I believe will happen from what the the scuttlebutt is is there will be a reasonable and sensible plan that makes the best and the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. So if you wish to go up, it's a great idea. We don't have a date or a time, but I'd be glad to share that when I have it.

Thank you. And thank you for our appropriations and thank you for um the story that Mr. Rosenstein explained the prior year that project was vetoed after so much work. So after all your efforts, we're so happy that it wasn't vetoed and that we're getting that project underway uh to protect our citizens. So I'm always here to serve and if you need me, you know where to find me. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Any other questions for represent representative Gossit Simon? No. Well, thank you and and we appreciate all your hard work.

Absolutely. It's a it's an honor and a joy and we'll be in touch soon. I'll pass out some information toward the back for you all and we'll be in touch on the orphan fountain. Thank you. Very good.

Since we removed item 6B from our agenda, we can move on to board appointments. First up is the affordable housing advisory committee. I don't believe we have any applicants. I see a member of the board here, but he's not applying for reappoint. Do we have anybody here to apply for that board? Going once, going twice, or I suppose we can hold over that vacancy on the affordable housing advisory committee. That moves us to the citizens pedestrian and bikeway advisory board. We had one applicant yesterday who came in and interviewed. Do we have any applicants for that board here to interview today? Yes, Miss Lacy, step on up.

Good evening, council. My name is Heather Lacy and I live at 1551 Southwest 2nd Avenue here in Boca Raton. Um, I'm a running coach, an active cyclist, and a community member who spends a significant amount of time on our local roadways, sidewalks, and bike paths. I also lead community events, including local 5Ks through Runner's Edge, where I've had the opportunity to engage with many of you, and where I see firsthand how infrastructure performs in theory, but also with real people, real traffic, and real variability. And many of these cases, we're talking about hundreds and thousands of people and our local parks and on our local roadways. And sometimes that means that we have to close them, but it also means these are some real paths that we're using every day. I also serve in a leadership role with our local boy scout troop 33, which has reinforced for me how important safe and accessible infrastructure is for all ages using these spaces. For example, we have one of the most beautiful stretches of roadway along A1A. But as a cyclist, it's also one of the bumpiest rides from Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale, something you wouldn't notice from a car or a sidewalk. And that's exactly why cyclists are often forced out of the bike lane and into traffic in certain areas because the surface simply isn't usable. I've also seen multiple instances within our local running community where sidewalk conditions have led to falls and injuries. Issues that aren't often visible unless you're consistently using those spaces. That's the lens I bring. Understanding when something looks right on paper but doesn't function the way it needs to in real world use. I'm interested in serving on this advisory board to contribute that perspective to help ensure what's designed not only looks good but works safely and effectively for the people who rely on it every day. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you, Miss Lacy. Does anybody have any questions for Miss Lacy? No. So, we have two applicants for the Citizens Pedestrian and Bikeway Advisory Board. One Mr. Puper interviewed yesterday, the other Miss Lacy interviewed today. Uh colleagues, what's your pleasure? Let me step back to say this would be a time where we would normally move assert a motion to nominate for appointment one of the two applicants because we have one vacancy. I'd like to move to nominate um Miss Lacy. Is there a second to that motion? I second that.

Okay. Do we have any other nominations or do we want to convert that to a motion to appoint? And I say that because if there's no other nominations, stands to reason that that's the person that's going to get voted on. We would convert the motion to nominate to a motion to appoint and then we would vote to appoint. Are we good with doing that? Are you agreeable to converting that to a motion to appoint? Yes. At the second as well. All right. So, all in favor of appointing Heather Lacy to the Citizens Pedestrian and Bikeway Advisory Board, please say I. I I. Any opposed?

Congratulations, Miss Lacy. You are appointed. We can move now to the environmental advisory board. We have four vacancies and three applicants. Are any of them here to interview? Step on up. Good evening, Mayor Thompson and the rest of the city council. My name is Monica Mayot. I live at 860 Southwest 21st Street here in Bokeh. and I appreciate the opportunity to reapply for my seat on the environmental advisory board. For those that are new to the city council that don't know me, um I started my environmental um advocacy back in 2006 when I first saw Vice President Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. From there on in 2009, Mayor Welch appointed me to the city's first um foray into the green living and we I was part of the green living advisory board. Um, from there we were that was a one-year advisory board. A year later, we were turned into a permanent advisory board where I served on that advisory board until 2017 when I became a candidate for city council. Um, and I feel, and Miss Ducker and Mayor Thompson can say if I'm saying something wrong, but I think I like to tell myself as the reason why our city has a commitment to sustainability and resiliency in every decision that they make across the board. And I'm very proud to be able to say that I helped spearhead that. Um, so I now that I'm no longer on city council and I still want to serve my community. I feel that in envir to be part of the environmental advisory board is where I need to be at this point and I'll take any questions.

Colleagues, any questions for former deputy mayor Mayott? No. Thank you, Miss Mayot. Do we have any other applicants here to interview for the environmental advisory board? I see here that Mr. Newman, though he applied, has said he was unable to interview at this time, but still wishes to be considered for reappointment. That leaves, I believe, Margaret Horty. Is she Mayor Thompson? Yes. Sorry for interrupting. She's also unable to be here, but she wants to be reconsidered. Considered for reappointment, if you don't mind. Okay. Very well. Well, friends, we have four vacancies and three incumbents applying for reappoint. What is your pleasure,

Mayor Thompson? because they already served. I move the slate Hordy, Maya, and Newman for the three vacancies. And I will second that. So, all in favor of appointing the three incumbents to the environmental advisory board, please say I. I. I. I.

Congratulations to one and all, you are all appointed. Congratulations, Miss Mayot. And we can move on to the marine advisory board. We have one vacancy, but no applicants. So, I unless someone's here to interview for that vacancy. Not seeing any takers, we can hold open that vacancy until next meeting. So that concludes our board appointments and now we move to responses to workshop information requests. Mr. City Manager, was there anything that we have on that? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. There are no information requests.

I didn't think so. Moving on along to the consent agenda. Uh would any council member like to remove any items from the consent agenda?

Uh m Mr. Mayor, I'd like to uh make a motion to um to uh to provide to table resolution 2726 um for staff to provide further information to the council on how this relates to the recently granted um agreement for purchase and sale of the SP uh through Spanish River Park on the ocean. And I'd like to um make a motion to provide for to discuss um further resolution 312026 regarding the Curry Sewards Aguil A Aguila Architects contract um on behalf of the taxpayers on that item. At this stage, Mr. Pman, normally what we do is we will remove items that you wish to discuss and I I hear you there are two of those. So at Mr. for Pman's request, we will remove items 27- resolution number 27-2026, take it up separately. In the same in the same way, we will take off from the consent agenda resolution number 31-2026, right? And we will deal with that one separately. And at that point, when we get to those separately addressed items, you can make the motion to to table. Uh with those removals, uh can we proceed with the rest of the consent agenda? So moved.

Do I have a second to adopt the remaining portions of the consent agenda? Second. Miss Siddens, please. Well, actually, let me pause here for a second to say there is an opportunity that we have to give the public if they wish to comment on any of the items on the consent agenda, now is the opportunity. So, do I have any members of the public wishing to comment on any of the items on the consent agenda? Give your name, address, and you will have three minutes.

Joseph Pujowski, 17309, Belboa Point Way. I'd like to uh comment on item D on the consent agenda. probably not being the best father to my newborn at home right now, but by being here, but uh I will always fight for him. And I wouldn't have to be here if there weren't repeated ongoing issues with the city violating its charter, its constitution, and following the law. How are we spending any money on a consultant to evaluate tennis courts and getting cost to improve softball fields without getting cost to improve the tennis center while at the same time refusing to put the save ordinance on tonight's agenda commissioner commissioner simple and commissioner grow I am grateful to have your voice and minds on the dis commissioner grow priority number two in your campaign was to amend the city charter to protect city lands I want

I'm going to interrupt you for a second to say if we if you don't mind try to limit your comments to the items. I will and I'll come back to item D if it's all related. Just do me a favor, Mr. Powellski. Limit your comments to what's on the consent agenda. Thank you. I want to be clear that your I view your lack of support of Commissioner Pearlman's motions yesterday to be subverting the will of the people and I am confident that thousands of residents agree with me. The public did not sign the petition to have the city attorney or an attorney who serves as the mayor to be able to wordsmith the language. Mr. because they don't trust the mayor. Allow me to continue on consent item D, please. Related. I'm going to give you one, Sir, point of order.

I'm going to give you one last opportunity to limit your comments to what the items on the consent agenda. You haven't done that to this point. I'm going to give you one last chance.

The consent agenda is on softball fields, on tennis fields. That's what if you allow me to get to it, that's what I'm trying to talk about. The public did not, you know, they signed the petition because they don't trust the mayor or the city attorney. The mayor has already demonstrated his willingness to violate the city charter, circumventing a lease, a sale or lease by calling something a donation, bulldozing 12 tennis courts, unsafe, calling them unsafe for play, telling the community that new pickle ball and tennis courts were coming. And four years later, all the community has is grass sod. The mayor has also demonstrated his willingness to lie in response to security concerns, saying that the layout of the golf course will prevent the public from accessing residential areas. We are not only

Mr. At this point, what I'm going to ask you to do, sir, at this point, I'm going to welcome you back to make your comments during public request. You are free to do that. But this portion of our meeting is dedicated, as I've now I think reminded you several times, is dedicated, sir, to the consent agenda. And your comments are not related to that. So, I'm going to have you come back to recreation on I'm going to welcome you back during public comment, sir. Does anyone else wish to be heard on the consent agenda items?

I I have a question. My name is Lilia Perez and I live at 500 North. Do me a favor, ma'am. Just step to the microphone. My name is Lilia Perez and I live at 500 Northwest 50th Place. I want to ask a question in that resolution D that he just asked the question on because I'm very ignorant although I'm a teacher I don't understand the language. So can you explain to me what that resolution uh 31/2026 is because I'm not I'm not I'm not following the wording. I'm happy to have staff address it. We're going to take up that issue separately. The city manager is going to do a brief presentation on what this item entails. I believe you'll get the answer to your question now. Okay, I'll wait then.

Thank you. Anyone else wishing to comment on the consent agenda? Seeing no one, I think now may be the time where since we have a motion in a second to have a roll call on the remaining items on the consent agenda. Miss Sittens, if you please. Trucker, yes. Pearlman, yes. Sipple, yes. Thompson, yes. Grow, yes. Motion passes, five votes to zero. Very good. Then why don't we take up we'll take up the first item that was removed resolution number 27-2026 that's item 9B. Mr. Sohaney uh would you or someone else be making the presentation on that item?

I will uh start making the presentation then I'll have our public works director uh Mr. Beer uh comment a little bit further. Um so just big picture here. This is to authorize the execution of a rightaway use license agreement uh with subcom LLC and this is for existing commu uh telecom communication conduits. Uh and this is a connection to existing undersea fiber optic telecommunication cables and this was previously approved by ordinance number 4526 in the year 2000. Uh and this is located at Spanish River Park and this is really for the telecommunication subcom LLC. It already shares the same conduit path uh that connects the same existing under fiber optic communication cables. So this right away already uh has AT&T and Comcast in it. Um and those are authorized by the state. This is a particular license agreement uh between this company and uh the city of Boca Raton. Uh and so this is updating that license agreement from the year 2000 at an additional cost uh to the LE uh at $3.33 per foot. And for specifications and details, I'll turn it over to Mr. Zack Beer.

Sure. Good evening, Mayor and City Council. Zach Beer, your public works and engineering director. Uh essentially, this has been a long-standing company that arrived with subacquous transcontinental fiber. It's a uh highcapacity telecommunication cable that runs from continent to continent and is a critical piece of infrastructure for both the city and connecting the internet which is even more important than it used to be. So uh the city was an earlier adopter and met uh met with and worked with one of the local companies uh to get landings in Boca Raton and as it's developed over the last 20 years or so up to now 30 uh we've become one of the hubs for telecommunications and I would just note collectively it is a bit of a sensitive topic. I mean these are critical critical fiber lines that connect um millions and millions of communications and transmissions between different uh uh continents. So um they have been existing at the location. The equipment and infrastructure is there right now. This simply grants them continued use and a renewal uh which I I will note an increased revenue to the city for them to remain in place. And to talk about the difference between conduits and cables really quick. Uh sometimes that can be confusing. The conduit is the large plastic tube that the cables go in. The conduit exists today. Uh the other location at Spanish River was for them to thread new cables and increase the capacity of the existing conduit. And I'd be happy to any answer any additional questions.

I may have skipped ahead just a little bit. Thank you, Mr. City Attorney Fernandez, for reporting the fact that we ought to probably read the title of the resolution since it's no longer on the consent agenda. Miss Sins, could you do that, please? Resolution number 27 2026, a resolution of the city of Pocaraton authorizing the city manager to execute a telecommunication rights of way use agreement with Subcom LLC for the continued use of certain public rights of way for telecommunications purposes providing for severability providing for appealer providing an effective date and just to confirm Mr. Sohaney and Mr. Beer you all would say the same thing now that we've read the title of the resolution your report is the same yes Mr. Mayor,

my report is unchanged. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Okay. I Mr. Pearlman, I think now you said you wanted to make a motion to table this item. Is that what you're what I heard you say before?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um this this resolution pertains to a recent agreement for sale and purchase agreement with um a company to grant them an easement through sale and with sale and purchase through Spanish River Park. This was passed in 2025. um these these cables that are going through uh the easement my understanding and um Mr. Beer correct me if I'm wrong but um at the time that the easement was granted in 2025 Mr. Thompson actually you voted against it and um you stated and I think accurately that that these were fiber optics. They were not for residents. They were for folks in Central America. And I've I've read um further um information that staff provided. And these cables uh do not service the the residents of Boca Raton. They they service other countries um across the world. And you also Mr. Thompson, you you mentioned in uh in the meeting when the easement was granted in 20 something like this hasn't been done since 2000. Um my question, Mr. Beard is does this um first of all these these cables these right-of-way cables that we are um approving for an a 10-year extension today how do these relate to the recent um easement for uh the agreement for sale and purchase in uh from the September 9th 2025 resolution.

So these are two separate issues. They're the same company but this is for existing conduit in a rideway. So that was for an area of Spanish River Park. This is for the portion that is within the rideway. So uh they're they're separate agreements. Okay. I would say se I would say separate instruments. I believe they're separate companies. Tell us. Okay. So are are we approving today to extend this agreement? Are we approving any right of ways to the company and in relation to the recent easement that was granted in 2025?

This does not have any relation to that to that action nor does it grant any incumbrances related to Spanish River Park. Okay. Thank you. So, because this is an important topic because again for me especially because Spanish River Park is a a prime location in our city and a significant piece of public land. Um, and to to see to set a precedent for uh uh following through with agreements for sale and purchase through these significant properties, especially on the ocean for the residents is a concern for me. Thank you for clarifying that. And do I understand therefore, Mr. Mr. P, that you will be withdrawing or not pursuing your motion to table this item.

Uh my we can proceed to vote tonight. Thank you. Very good. I think Miss Siddens, I I believe we'll need a motion and a second to approve resolution number 27-2026. Do I hear such a motion? I move that we put 90 back on the consent agenda. Can I just give a what? I was going to say you can't put it back. It's separate. Yeah. So the motion is to put uh to put sorry the to approve the motion is to approve resolution number 30 one. No I'm sorry because we have two resolution number 2726. That's the motion and we need a second. And I second the motion to approve and adopt resolution number 27-2026.

Are we any further discussion colleagues?

No. The only thing I wanted to say for the new members of the council and for the public. So before we have these meetings, like before we come before you, we have what's called an agenda review where we as a council get to meet with staff and ask all these questions. So I expedite the process while we're here so that all of you don't have to stay here and go through the items and some of by the time it makes a consent agenda, we have to trust that staff is putting things on there that are ready to be approved and we've had these conversations before. So just giving you a little bit of insight on the behind the scenes. Um, so that's just my little two cents of uh why we don't really discuss consent agendas as much. Sometimes we pull items. Um, but I really do think that uh we have so much work to do uh this evening. Uh, so just giving a little bit of insight as to how we operate uh before we come to these meetings. Thank you.

Well, then let's move forward and do that work, shall we? Miss Sittens, could you please call the role? Pearlman, yes. Cipple, yes. Thompson, yes. Growl, yes. Ducker, yes. Motion passes, five votes to zero. Thank you. We'll move now to resolution number 31-2026. That's item 9D on your agenda if you're following at home. Mr. City Manager, what do we have there? Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, and I'll kick it off again and I'll defer to uh our public works director uh and lead engineer. Before I do that, I made the same mistake one more time. Why don't we get the title right on this one? Huh? Thank you, Miss Siddens. and then we can proceed with the uh report from staff. Miss Sitins, if you please.

Thank you, mayor. Resolution 312026, a resolution of the city of Boca Raton authorizing the city manager to execute work order number three with Curry Sewards Agia Architects, Inc. for the purpose of providing professional architectural and landscaping design services for existing building assessments, providing forability, providing for appealer, providing an effective date. Thank you, Miss Sins, and thank you for the reminder. Mr. Sohaney, where were we?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so this particular item is uh is taking a look at the material condition of the civic buildings mainly at Memorial Park. Um, so I've been here for 6 months and obviously we had uh a government campus project and we had a lot of discussion on what the material condition of these particular facilities are. Um so for me uh I'm recommending this because what we need here is transparency and I need to be accurate in my engineering assessment material condition of these facilities because we need to move forward on some of these facilities. As most of you know most of these facilities require either some level of renovation, some level of repair or some level of replacement. So in order to do that effectively and accurately and to establish a baseline for the public to understand what the condition is as well as the council as they go forward and make uh recommendations on what we want to do with those particular facilities. This is a a a very good baseline understanding so we are all on the same page. And with that I'll turn it over to Mr. Beer on the engineering and technical aspects of this particular uh assessment.

Yeah. Uh thank you, city manager. Uh again, Mayor Zach Beer, uh public works and engineering director. Uh so the city has through the public procurement process uh procured multiple architectural firms. Uh those are specialty firms that provide uh continuing services to the city at the request of work orders and with this uh well I should note public works and engineering is over the facilities maintenance division. So within that we manage and maintain uh city buildings throughout uh throughout the city. And this particular work order has been identified to evaluate city hall, the police uh department, uh the PD gun range, the downtown library, the community center, the annex building, the tennis tennis building, not the tennis courts. I want to identify these are the city buildings uh not the adjacent recreation facilities. Uh the historic structures on the north uh west portion of the city hall campus and fire station 7. So, we spoke to the the fire department and identified that building uh would was the uh one identified to be part of this study. And the architect goes out and does a standard third-party visual inspection, so non-destructive inspection of these buildings and provides a professional estimate to staff with associated costs uh for either maintenance activities or suggestions for uh rehabbing or enhancing those buildings. So, staff throughout the budget process, we're actually in it right now. So through the springtime, we go through and use our our staff expertise uh for going out and evaluating certain elements, but there is a comprehensive report for the buildings that we look at from time to time in including roofs and other uh parts of the city facilities uh to develop that report to be able to inform the uh manager's office and the council of both the age of the buildings and the the state of of um for evaluation. So that I'd be happy to answer any questions but from a technical perspective that provides uh updated information for our portfolio of facilities.

I had a question Mr. Beer. Um, it has been reported to us and I think quite correctly that some of the facilities nearest to the softball fields at Memorial Park are including the bathrooms and the dugouts on the softball field itself are themselves in need of some sort of structural assessment because there may be a desire to improve upon them. I don't believe that that's included within this work order. And if if it's not, could we add it at hopefully not much additional cost so that we can when the folks are out there, we can have an assessment done of those buildings as well?

Absolutely. I have no objection to that. That is something where uh we can evaluate an amendment to the work order to uh add those bathrooms in. Miss Grow, um is the Singing Pines Children's Museum also included in the scope? Yes. So when we identify the uh historic uh structures that is the cluster of those structures at that location and then in addition to that as part of this we're actually sending uh staff out to those locations as well. So we're going to get a combination of the professional report and we also have uh GC's and other professional staff on in-house that we're going to be combining with the report. Any other questions for staff colleagues?

Yes. Go ahead. admissible. How did we determine that we were going to use this firm? Did we put an RFP out?

Yeah, that's an excellent question. So, I can get into the public procurement process really quick. Uh, the city is obligated, as Mr. Zer stated yesterday, to the um the public procurement rules. And so, we have our purchasing manual and guidelines that staff goes through. And with this solicitation, we we follow what's called CCNA uh which is uh making sure we do competitive negotiations for certain uh consulting professions. Uh and architecture falls under one of those uh specified professions. Uh so we put together an RFP package and develop what's called continuing services. There's certain thresholds that um are allowed per state statutes for engineer and architectural firms. So, as long as the scope of the project is under that threshold, we're allowed to do what's called writing a work order, we go out to these different architectural firms and we develop a work order with them and then present it to council. So, we still need the authorization for the the spend, but it's under the required purchasing or procurement threshold, which allows us to use uh these pool of architects that were selected through a uh a formal RFP process.

One more question. How old is fire station number seven? I don't have that number. I don't have the number off the top of my head, but I can I can get it to you. Just curious, Mr. Thompson. May I? Yes, Mr. Promo. Go ahead.

Thank you. The reason I wanted to bring this resolution for additional discussion, it this is on behalf of the taxpayers because the current contract is for $225,000, nearly a4 million. And as part of this contract, we're we're only receiving visual observation of these buildings on site. Uh there's no physical inspection of the various elements of the building such as HVAC, plumbing, structural roof. We know that many employees in city hall have resp respiratory issues related to the the age of the HVAC system and possible mold. So we're not this is only a visual inspection. We're not getting any identification of flaws of the internal workings of the building. So for a quart million dollars, I I my um proposal to the council might be to if we would like to deploy that amount of money for possible rehabilitation and salvation of some of these nine buildings that we identify ones that could be on the table first that we would consider to that because many of these buildings it's been long established and throughout meetings for many many years that they they are past their useful life. If the council has a desire or an intention to possibly rebuild, restructure or renovate these buildings as they are, I believe it might be better use of these funds for the taxpayers to target specific buildings and do a full analysis, including a physical inspection of those targeted buildings. And if not, and we do simply want to do a visual inspection, I I don't believe that we should be locked in for a quarter million dollars to proceed with all of these nine buildings. We should ident we should we could have a contract peace

meal of and as we move along and begin to establish our plan forward figuring out which which buildings we want to assess if so and deploy the money respectively to those at that time. Thank you, Mr. Pearlman. We we still have uh we have an opportunity on this is resolution 31-20226. The city attorney advises that we should open up a public hearing to have a public comment on that issue. To the extent you haven't already made comments about this item. Is there anybody who wishes to be heard on resolution number 31-2026? If so, step forward and you will be heard for three minutes.

Again, it's Lilia Perez, 500 Northwest, 50th place. Um, that was the one that I asked you about. I was in Claron and it sounds I thought it was a beautifification of the area, but now after Mr. Pman spoke, I'm confused as to where all that money is going because it doesn't seem like you're doing anything for all that money. So, what exactly are we doing here with what are you doing? Just inspecting and telling us what we need to do. Is that what where all the money is going? Because if you're using the money to restructure the buildings, rehab the buildings, beautify it, I'm all in for that. But I'm not in for I agree with Mr. Pearlman. That's a lot of money for you just to go look at it and tell us what we need. I mean, I paid taxes in Bokeh for 37 years. So, I'd like to know where my money is going. So, is this a beautifification project or is it a rehab project? Have you concluded your comments, ma'am?

Yes, I asked a question. No, I we hear you. Uh I'll have I think maybe Mr. Beer reiterate the explanation for what the purpose of this work order is. Mr. Beer, you can you can have a seat, man. And if I can, Mr. Mayor, just a couple things. U before I just want to kind of um address that this is a material condition assessment. Uh and then I'll have Mr. Zir explain exactly what the deliverable is from these consultants regarding these facilities. Go ahead.

Yeah. So, so from that perspective, it is a professional condition assessment. Uh I I would just note uh generally related it to residential construction. At any point when you're going through either a home sale or purchase process, you have a professional inspection done of your house. Uh most of the time there's challenges getting financing. If you don't do that, doing those things, going through a a technical evaluation process is sound. Unfortunately, there's no angels in construction. So this the from the city's perspective sending a contractor out to just build is uh we we don't we going through the public process from an engineering prof perspective I'm a professionally licensed engineer uh it's it's doing a full assessment of those buildings developing a plan developing an understanding of that is I think an important part of the process as we go through each step to either uh plan out the rehabilitation of the buildings or or repurpose uh certain aspects or look at the uh look at the overall valuation. So from that perspective uh that the deliverable is a report at each one of the buildings for uh their their condition assessment and then any of the necessary needs moving forward.

Thank you Mr. Beer. Is there anyone else wishing to be heard on this item? Mr. Warner. Thank you.

Richard Warner 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. I just wanted a clarification. This is just those nine buildings. Or if for example someone there were a question, we've talked about softball fields a lot. Uh if are these people let's say there was a question of the feasibility of using some of the 7.8 acres east of Second Avenue uh to build softball fields. Would these people offer their opinion on that or is that part of this or is this just specifically about

Sorry. Specifically about nine buildings. Thank you. Next up, Mr. Leonson. Thank you. Mike Leelson, 398 Northeast, uh Third Court. The city is in a turnaround situation. We have years of history, procedures, and actions that have prior prioritized smoothing the way for developers to get their projects built by granting variances, height changes, reduced parking, etc. The city has to now pivot to working for the citizens. Most importantly, we need to change from a reactive approach to a proactive approach. The council tends to react to developers, NOS's, other stakeholders instead of proactively setting priorities for the citizens. With respect to these um staff consultants, I actually worked for an engineering construction consulting firm for many years. I was executive vice president, chief development officer. These consulting firms feed at the government trough. They take no liability. They are here just to take money and they don't do anything for us. So my recommendation given the turnaround situation we're in now is to terminate all consultants, all consulting contracts that the city staff is now using and reorient based upon the council's priorities and rehire folks that will actually get work done. We need action, not talking and studying. If our staff does not have the capabilities to work on our

priorities without using third-party consultants as a crutch, then we should be getting those capabilities within our city staff. That that's all I have to say. We have to stop with these consultants. Thank you for your comments, Mr. Lelesson. Do I have any more public comment on item number 31-2026? Anything to say? I'm sorry. I have something to say. All right. Very good. State your name and address.

Donna Bloomberg, 101 East Camino Rial. Um I'm a little confused about um what Mr. Pearlman suggested is that we're paying a quarter million dollars for this consulting fee without line items that the public should know about of what this um arch landscape architectural firm is going to do for us. And I think that the public needs to know that because if you're going to use taxpayer dollars to do that, then we have the right to know of how you're spending our money. Um, so I think this issue needs to be tabled. I think there should not be any passing of this line item until you are honest. because I hate the word transparency that you are honest with the residents and how you're going to spend our money for this particular issue.

Thank you, Miss Bloom. Uh the all the documents that we have relating to this matter, including the contract itself, are all a public record. And to the extent, Miss Bloom, you haven't had a chance to review those. If you leave your email address, I'm sure somebody from the city clerk will send you the documentation that outlines the very I don't want you to just send it to me. I want you to send it to everybody in the room. So, I have great news there, everybody. It's all available online right now on the city's agenda. Myboca usboka. us. You can find our city our meeting agendas, all of the backup, including the very documents and the very materials you are asking about. Thank you, Miss Plume. Anyone else wishing to be heard on this item? Miss Madson first.

Uh, Meredith Madson, 1193 Southwest 19th Street. Um, can we not burn the town down? Can everybody realize that we have a functioning, beautiful city with gorgeous recreation that we all love and we all won. We stopped Terra Frisbee. They're not here. But we have to move forward now. We have to have cell phone towers. We have to be able to drive our I appreciate your passion, but you got to speak this way.

Okay. So, let's just be clear right now that the city is doing their job, literally doing their job by hiring someone to do inspections. That the city is hiring an inspector to go check the nine buildings we want the information on. And they're going to give that data to the city manager so he can say, "Oh, this building needs this and this building needs that and this building needs this." And all of that is going to be public record. And all they're doing is telling you exactly what they're going to do and how much it's going to cost. And it's commercial and it is not free. And we're not going to do that internally because we hire inspectors for our own houses and everybody has to stop. We you won. But the sheretses that were run by Terara Frisbee were for Terara Frisbee. We never ran them as a city. We need to do them again because that data lives with them. And everyone who got that ad, it was because Terara Frisbee turned around and weaponized our information against us and collected that data. We don't have it. We don't have all that work you did at the studio this summer. We don't own it. We need to do them again. So,

may I just remind you just to target your comments to this item

because I can't believe what's happening right now because we are literally shutting our city to a grinding halt because we already won. We won. You're here. But you need to have everything move forward now. Okay? And that means we get cell phone towers and and conduits under the ground so I don't see them because I don't want to trip over a cell line. And it goes under the ground. And that's fantastic. And that is done by an expert, an actual expert. There is a town filled with experts who we have all hired. We live in a fantastic town with A-rated schools with beautiful facil. I I understand we need new buildings. These people are going to go do an inspection. I understand you're concerned about the cost of that inspection, but RFPs are public and they take a long period of time. And what you're about to do is slow this entire town to a halt because you're afraid of getting an R an inspection done so that the city manager can do his job. Please allow the things that need to go forward go forward and be upset in the public comments about the things that shouldn't go forward. But it isn't about the basic items of having the town continue to run. So, I'd just like to remind everyone that every single thing is not a conspiracy theory against this town. Okay? And many great things have happened here, including Blue Lake Elementary, and we did that as a town and all of our functioning services. So, I am respectfully asking everyone to allow the normal business of the city council to continue respectfully. So, thank you.

Thank you, Miss Madson. Judy Marorrow. Name and address. You'll have three minutes. Okay. Hello, my name is Judy Morrow, 1305 Northeast Fifth Avenue. I always talk about tennis or that's my priority. And I can tell you that the tennis courts were built in 1966. So instead of inspecting nine buildings, one is 60 years old. So, I know it needs replacing the clubhouse. So, please replace it and please do it immediately. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Mororrow. I just want to clarify one thing. It was my understanding,

ma'am. If you don't mind, just your name and address, 100 Northeast Spanish Court. Thank you. 33432. It was my understanding that he said that we didn't need an RFP to hire the uh these architects to inspect the buildings for the 225,000 because it was underneath a certain amount of limited amount of funds. Is that correct? There was no RFP involved in that, right? Uh I believe this was discussed earlier, but Mr. Beer, can you clarify? Right. There was no RFP. There was an RFP for this process. These uh these consultants fall under CCNA uh and the architectural firm went through an RFP process to be submitted there their to do this inspection for

no for their so there is a called a continuing services that is a pool of ma'am I'm sorry ma'am excuse me we're not we can't have a back and forth I thought you had concluded your comments and I was seeking clarification from our public works and engineer you said there was an RFP but this is a continu ing contract not part of the original RFP. So there was no RFP for the 225,000 inspection. Correct.

I want to give him he's going to answer one. That's the last question we're asking. Go ahead. I will do my best to answer this question which was there was an RFP for the selection of this architectural firm for a for nature of projects related to this. There's an overall scope that goes out in the RFP. this architectural firm meets the qualifications and criteria that is identified in that scope of work and they are qualified to be selected as the firm to do this work. So there was an RFP to go through the process to select it and they met that criteria. Thank you Mr.

Mr. Mayor if I just may add just for the record here. Uh so Florida State Statute 287.055 055 and that is the consultants competitive negotiation act and that's exactly the process was which we went through for this RFP. I just wanted to get that on the record. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Soy Mr.

Jonathan and 6501 Congress Avenue. Uh so I agree with Miss Madson. We uh we wasted a heck of a lot of time on the consent agenda. been here for an hour and 10 minutes and not even through the consent agenda that all these questions can be asked in meetings prior to this as it should happen um to not waste the people's time. Um but the facts are the first one that was pulled that we spent 20 minutes on regarding the underground conduit and I wanted to speak but we didn't really open that one up to public comment. That first company gave $2ome million dollars to this city. And the same council person who's worried about $225,000 or whatever this number is called that agreement a can of coke to the city of Boca Raton that that organization would pay us $2.5 million. We need to not worry about what's under the ground that people are paying us millions for. The only fact is that I wanted to ask in that is they're paying $3 in some sense per whatever it is. I think we need to do a little bit better job getting more money to allow these services to come through this city. They don't impact anybody. They're under our ground. They're easements that exist. They're they're a a a conduit. It's a it's a little circle that sits on the ground where they go through a manhole cover. The fact that we're wasting so much time on all of this is a joke. The city should be getting more money and revenue on things that do not impact us whatsoever. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Runen. Any other public comment? Miss Pashki,

Pam Pashki, 341 Southwest Street. I'll be brief. So, my understanding is a visual inspection, just to clarify, because I think a lot of people are confused, involves actually looking inside the building and outside the building and all around the building and in the attic and whatever it is, because it sounded like a driveby when he first described it, which I was concerned about, but I think his comment about it being like a home inspection would suggest that it's a little more than a driveby. I just wanted to clarify that. And if you could also just clarify that this project itself is the 225,000. That's all. Thank you, Mr. Soy. Can we confirm those two items? I think that was pretty easy.

Yeah, that that's correct. Um it's more than a visual inspection. It was a good analogy for a residential uh home inspection as well as the total price uh is at $224,2325.

And Miss Sipple, you're recognized. If you actually look at the work order, it says an assessment report for each structure will include the following components. Structural assessment, code wind analysis, evaluation of existing windresistance systems such as impact windows, shutters, accordionss, assessment of all building systems including mechanical, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, ADA compliance review, life cycle analysis, irrigation system evaluation, insulation and ventilation assessment, site element reviews, recommendation tables, and cost-saving recommendation. ations. It's not merely just a physical look about. There's a lot more involved with it.

Thank you for pointing that out. And I will remind everyone, hold on. I will remind everybody that that is information that is available to you all online on our agenda based on the click of a finger or mouse. Myoka us all public information available for the taking, not even for the asking. You don't have to ask for it. It's available for you right now. With that said, is there any other public comment on this item?

I just have a really quick question about the police station. Did we not do any inspection on the police station when we were going to rebuild it? I'll defer to uh Mr. beer on a previous potential inspection of the police department headquarters uh in the year 2025 or earlier.

Yeah. So, we as part of the life cycle planning of the building uh the city does its internal inspections, we have our facilities maintenance and our facilities needs that comes up every budget cycle and uh as we went through the process where we were planning to uh re reconstruct the police department. uh because of that process that we were looking at in the timeline of when we re would rebuild it, staff didn't inspect that specific building for that report at that time based on the outcome of the election we've included in this report because I think one of the other parts that I failed to mention was it's keeping the buildings in working condition while a decision is made. So that that is something in the public record we identified previously. We were talking about the timeline of the potential construction of the police station. It was uh about a three to four year timeline to go through the whole process uh planning, development, design, bid, procurement, construction, uh occupation of moving the people in. So after we looked at that, we've identified that we've really got to go through this process to evaluate the building and make sure it's maintained for our uh police department and it still remains usable as we evaluate those options. So that's a a note for the police headquarters.

Thank you, Mr. Beer. Mr. Pachchowski, you're recognized.

Thank you. Joseph Pachowski 17309 Belbo point way. I was going to ask you to do the right thing here and don't spend money before putting the SOA ordinance on the agenda for a vote. Um, I I think I think supporting your colleague uh when he wants to take a closer look into things like the police department, which I was under the assumption that the city had already determined was going to be scraped. Um, you know, just didn't didn't make sense to me. But, you know, and again, he yesterday he wanted to get cost just cost for improving the tennis center. Um, but if you want to spend the money and you think that that's the best use of taxpayer money, then by all means take a vote to do so. But do the right thing. Put the Save Boo ordinance, have a vote on it. Uh, and support your colleague by, you know, we can point to other communities that have bad actors. You know, Palm Beach Gardens elected officials willfully violated a deed restriction by leasing 8 acres of public land to a billionaire's nonprofit for a commercial hockey rink. Sound familiar? And are not only now trying to figure out how to unwind the mess they have created. Uh, by all means, start your own petition or propose new language to your counterparts if you want to lead the effort to get new citybacked language in front of voters. But that won't change your constituents right to vote on the language they signed off on and with no exceptions or adjustments. Last call for public comment on resolution 31-2026. So I will entertain a motion to adopt resolution number 31-2026. Is there such a motion?

It's resolution number 31 2026. Right. That is correct. motion. I will second it. Any final discussion? Uh, mayor. Uh, sorry, mayor. A few just a few follow-up comments. Sure.

Uh, so answering a few of those questions from the public and and first council member Sipple, uh, fire station 7 was construction in 2004. So, that was when it was constructed. And then related to uh the question about the specific to the nine buildings and looking at the quality of the softball field uh staff did hear those comments about drainage and some of the other things uh but that's not part of the facility assessment as was identified in the details of the work order that's specific to buildings. Uh so staff is looking at the other parts of the infrastructure but it's not related to this specific work order. uh the uh related to consultant employees staff's recommendation would be uh to continue to use our uh our current consulting uh firms generally the RFP process to go through and select a set of qualified consultants is anywhere from 3 to nine months you have to develop the RFP package you have to put it out for solicitation you have to get responses you have to evaluate those responses you have to go through the selection process so um it would be pretty detrimental to staff's ability to get work done to cancel all of our contracts that would um that that would be a uh potentially set staff back quite a bit. Uh then the question about immediately replacing the tennis center again related to that um if you were to rebuild your home im if you were to say I'm going to rebuild my home tomorrow it there's from a timeline of construction uh to go through and do the permitting design and build of that uh those are elements that we've got to go through the planning phases uh from that process and understanding a lot of those buildings uh to to do the evaluation. the tennis center is on the list and then potentially going through those upgrades. Um, and then I think uh, council member Sipple accurately detailed all the things related in a visual or a non-destructive inspection. It is a very thorough detailed report from a qualified professional and those were all the questions that I got through the list.

And may I just clarify one more time that as you you mentioned that it didn't include the softball fields, but I had asked about the restrooms, the dugouts potentially, and I think there's a concession stand. I know there's a concession stand there. Can we add that and see what the uh impact might be? Yeah, absolutely. From a facility perspective, we could amend it and and really we could even add the condition of the softball field, but it's from a a specialty perspective. That's something we could evaluate uh using the the engineering versus the architectural side. So, it's it's we've noted the softball field condition uh but just two separate uh areas of expertise to evaluate that. Very good. Okay. With that with all that, I think we can have our roll call. Miss Sipple, yes.

Thompson, yes. Growl, yes. Ducker, yes. Pearlman, no. Motion passes, four votes to one.

All right, we have concluded our consent agenda. We can move on now to item 10, resolutions and other business. We have first and foremost resolution number 32-2026. Madame clerk, could you please read the title? A resolution of the city council of the city of Boca Raton, Florida, providing for updated recognition of Memorial Park, acknowledging its original designation in 1947 in the period following World War II and the historical record as reflected in the town council minutes recognizing the sustained civic advocacy and community engagement of the residents of the city of Boca Raton in 2025 and 2026 regarding the preservation and future of Memorial Park, authorizing the replacement of an existing plaque and a related public recognition ceremony providing for severability providing for appealer providing an effective date.

Mr. City Manager, who would be introducing this item?

I'll introduce this. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, at the request of several council members, uh, this resolution has been prepared to address the recognition of Memorial Park and the replacement of the recently installed plaque. As reflected in the resolution, memorial park was originally designated by the town council of the town of Boca Raton. The town council minutes documenting that action form part of the city's historical record and provide important context regarding the establishment uh of Memorial Park. Uh the revised version uh that was placed in front of you yesterday. Um there's modified proposed language uh for the plaque uh and there was some significant veterans community input to that revised language uh for the plaque. Additionally in the resolution I included exhibit A which is April 28, 1947. That's the actual town council meeting minutes and also Boca Raton newspaper articles uh from 1947. Additionally, as you'll recall yesterday during the workshop, uh Council Member Pearlman also uh proposed language for the plaque. Uh he also requested that we put the plaque proposed plaque language in the resolution that I just mentioned that you had a hard copy yesterday uh side by side with his proposed plaque language and we've done that uh accordingly and the city clerk will make sure that you have a copy of that. Um, also the proposed resolution provides a path forward by authorizing the removal and replacement of the existing plaque and establishing parameters for updated recognition that are consens u that are consistent with your direction the council. Specifically, this resolution provides recognition that it reflects the park's original designation in 1947

and it acknowledges the sustained civic advocacy and community engagement of the residents of the city of Boca Raton in 2025 and 2026 regarding the preservation and future of Memorial Park. This resolution further provides for a public recognition ceremony in connection with the installation of the replacement plaque. It's intended to encourage broad public participation at this ceremony and then of course to recognize Memorial Park's historical significance and ongoing role within the community. Uh so kind of to recap, there's really four things that you're considering. First is the proposed plaque language that I have outlined. Also, um after my recommendation is after if we have consensus there is to take a look at the resolution language itself. Uh particularly the town council designated um and that was the terminology they used but it it may be more appropriate to dedicate by designate. too. So, there's a couple uh resolution language items that we may want to consider um after there's consensus on the plaque language. And then, of course, um the resolution uh does permit the removal of the existing plaque and the public ceremony uh and the installation of a new plaque. So, um, you know, the when of that ceremony and the installation might be something uh the council wants to um opine on as well or uh push that to a later date. So, with that, Mr. Mayor, I'll turn it over to you.

Thank you, Mr. City Manager. Uh, do any anybody have any questions? We know we had a discussion about this at some length yesterday. Does anybody have any questions for staff? Any of my colleagues? No. Well, then with that, we can open up the public hearing or the public comment for this. So, if you wish to be heard on item 10A, please step to the podium. Give your name and address and you'll be heard for 3 minutes.

Joe Kaufman, Kaufman, Security, 1825 Northwest Corporate Boulevard. Before I begin, I want to congratulate the newly elected members of the Boca Raton City Council. My name is Joe Kaufman. I am chairman and CEO of the Joe Kaufman Security Initiative, a Boca Raton-based nonprofit dedicated to educating the public on national security and counterterrorism. I'm here to support removing the current plaque at Memorial Park and installing a revised one. While the existing plaque rightly honors our veterans, it fails to tell the full story. It omits the 1947 dedication of the land, overlooks community advocates who fought to preserve it, and most troubling of all, gives undue credit to officials supporting development efforts that threatened the very park we are here to protect. That is why I strongly urge the Boca Raton City Council to vote yes on removing the existing plaque and installing the revised one. This is not about erasing history. It is about correcting it. The new plaque will restore proper historical context that Memorial Park was officially established in the years immediately following World War II. It will properly recognize our local veterans and their families. And crucially, it will acknowledge the civic engagement of Boca Raton residents who step forward to protect this precious public space from redevelopment. This brings me to the real heroes of this story. Save Bokeh. Save Boka showed us something powerful and inspiring. When residents felt that politicians were not acting in the best interests of the community. When they saw cherished public land at risk, they organized. They spoke out and they made a real difference. They proved that ordinary citizens, when united and determined, can have a strong and lasting say in what their government does and how their government does it. In an age when many

feel powerless against city hall, Save Boer reminded us that democracy is not a spectator sport. It is something we practice in our neighborhoods, at our council meetings, and yes, even at our parks. By approving the new plaque, we do more than fix some wording on a sign. We send a clear message that we honor our veterans properly. We honor our history completely and we honor those whose dedication helped ensure that Memorial Park remains a true memorial. For those who served our nation and for those who continue to serve our community, I urge the council vote to remove the current plaque and install the revised one. Let the record reflect the truth and let it reflect the people's will. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Coffman. Uh, I I I may have a couple of cards on this that I may not have referenced at the outset. I believe the first one I have asking about to speak for item 10A is Richard Warner. After that, I believe I have Brianna Hagquist.

Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. Uh, it's a bit mean-spirited, but I feel going beyond that is warranted. I'd like to see the the plaque removed, torn out, melted down, and the proceeds from that plaque be put in a fund that would generate dividends or interest. and the money coming from that be used to donate to the opponents of any of the people who voted to destroy Memorial Park. Mr. Singer, Miss Ducker, Miss Knox, Mr. Wigger, should they run for any office again, we should donate the proceeds to the people running against them because we shouldn't forget who they are. I at the same time I mean my heart is definitely in save bokeh but I want to say I think we need to be a little bit careful about throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I don't think we should burn down the city just to bring in new people who might be more incompetent than the ones we have to begin with. I think that's enough.

Thank you, Miss Hagquist. After that, we'll have we'll hear from Jonathan Unen and after that, Mark Minadu. Miss Hagquist. Brianna Hanquist 5710A Coach Circle. Also attending tonight is Thaddius and Ted. They represent our parks, green space, and wildlife. Memorial Park is our living park to our veterans, and we do need to save it. Thanks to John Pearlman, it was saved. If he hadn't noticed what was going on in found founded save Bokeh, we'd be looking at condos now along with condos across the street. We need to renovate and improve this park and also Meadows Park and consider the 7.8 acres across the street at Northeast Second for recreational facilities. We need them. Residents want them. We also need to identify legitimate nonprofits that serve the entire community. And also I would like to suggest that after we do this we look at our land giveaways and consider a more a moratorum on the land giveaways and buildings until we can step back and take a look at what's going on and how we can serve our residents with the recreational facilities that we want and need. Thank you.

Jonathan Nunen

shifting to public comment. Very good. Mark Minadoo. Next up on the Memorial Park discussion, Mark Mandio, 6412 Varosa. I want to thank the mayor and the city commissioning for addressing the topic of softball fields. So, I guess I'll start the conversation about softball fields tonight. Um, I have two daughters. I play wreck softball and travel softball. I volunteer as a 12U rec coach and the program director for BRSA Boerton softball association travel program called the boat bolts. We love Memorial Fields, but I agree with Mayor Thompson that we are looking for a facility with four fields where we can keep all the youth softball uh girls together. It's not ideal at Memorial to have two separate fields and then a third field at Meadows. Um, please note that when we discuss memorial metal fields, we should also take into consideration that Bokeh Middle, Advent St. Paul, which I played with them today, Bokeh Christian also utilized those fields. Um, during the meeting last night, I think it's Mr. Saroff did confirm that the land at Sugar Sand was intended for future development such as additional fields. That said, I fully understand there is a large cost associated with building new fields and I also believe in saving the canopy of trees. Um, secondly, Lake Wyman, Mr. Pearl brought that up. Uh, I don't think that's a sufficient alternative. I don't think you could put lights on Lake Wyman. I don't There's drainage issues. I've seen it before. Not really ideal for softball. So, what I'm proposing today, which I want the city uh commission to think about, is that with our travel program, we do go to Spanish River. There are four fields there. I think Mr. Pman, if you want to take an inventory of fields, that's a four field complex that has batting cages. It should have a concession stand. I looked in the archives, there was a concession stand. I think it was turned into something else as maybe an

office for field maintenance. They built a new facility to the east of that property. Maybe that becomes a concession stand. Maybe it's something the city could look at where maybe we shouldn't put T-ball on those fields. Those are large fields. I see it all the time looking at softball fields and traveling to different parks. It doesn't make sense to have five, six, and seven year olds playing on 300 foot fields. Maybe you could put the the boys and the girls at that age at different fields and then open that up to Bocarone Softball Association and its affiliates as a travel program. Secondly, we got to look at the adult softball program. I play adult softball. I enjoy it, but is that the best use of those fields if we take into inventory who are the residents of the city compared to who are the non-residents? When I played men's softball, I could tell you there's a lot of non-residents that are utilizing those fields and maybe they can use it for Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Book Ron Softball Association can use it for Tuesdays and Thursdays and work something out. I appreciate your time. I I I appreciate you uh thinking about this topic and being very transparent, open to all of us. Thanks.

Thank you, Coach Frank Patton. Thank you. Everyone has a copy.

I believe they do. Resolution 32 2026. That's the one.

Okay, sir. Um, mayor, council members, fellow residents, I apologize for uh skipping protocol. Frank Patton, 13 Royal Palmway, 3322 33234. Okay. Uh, respect our shared history and with our urgency for how we record and preserve it. This resolution before you rightly restores the historical record on April 28th, 1947. Our town council did not merely designate a park, a dedicated memorial park in the immediate aftermath of World War II, as a living tribute to those who served. The distinction between designated and dedicated is not semantic. It is a matter of historical truth, community intent, and legal clarity. As a Navy veteran, I came in good faith to work with the council yesterday on a veteran and communitydriven solution to correct an ill-considered staff installed sign. That sign contained language the community found inconsistent with the park's history, including an inaccurate statement that the park was dedicated in 2026. And I um I and many others sought only to fix that error to restore accuracy and public trust. Dedicated conveys purpose and enduring commitment. It anchors this park in the post-war tradition of living memorials, public spaces intended for daily civic life and remembrance, not generic open land. The April 1947 minutes and um uh newspaper accounts make that purpose clear. The replacement plaque authorized by this resolution must reflect that history precisely. This is more than symbolism. Federal grant programs that found preserv uh preservation uh interpretation and enhancement of World War II memorial sites require

clear documented historical purpose using dedicated and expresses expressively acknowledging memorial parks origins and continuous use as a World War II memorial preserves our eligibility for the federal support to maintain and improve the park for future generations. Precision in our language protects access to those funds and honors our obligations to veterans and their families. Since last July, uh reporter historian uh Cartik of the Book of Tribune uh first broke this about the 1947 minute story. He has provided invaluable historical context to our community as the author of four historical books. His perspective deserves attention. He recently wrote that for the city to move forward, three things are needed. Acknowledge the 1947 dedication, noting a park can be designated and legally dedicated at the same time. Preserve Memorial Park specific identity as World War II memorial and accept responsibility for not getting it right. Those recommendations carry weight because he helped bring this history to light and the changes in this resolution together with staff's latest revisions directly address those principles. Um I'll stop the rest so I don't um break the quorum. But there um in one of those exhibits, the last one, there's a review from the Florida Law Review from the University of Florida that kind of explicit uh it defines that uh it literally states you don't need a ceremony to have a dedication. It's under common law.

Thank you, Mr. Patton. Thank you. I believe that was all the cards I have relative to this specific item. if you wish to be heard on on resolution 32-2026. Did I hear there was a question before we move on with public comment? Go ahead. For a point of clarification, I thought that we went ahead and um sorry, Mr. Sohaney, I thought we went ahead and removed designation to dedication in the resolution that were adopted today. Is that correct?

Yeah, the word dedication was changed for the plaque language. It hasn't been changed for the resolution that is currently in front of council. What was presented by Mr. Patton is a different version of what uh a slightly different version of what you have in front of you that was presented yesterday. And that does it does address his conversation about the word dedication versus designation. The plaque. Okay. Thank you.

We may need to can we clarify that a little bit more? I thought we you would we were given a revised version yesterday that included among other things on the plaque, for example, the names of the various council members in 1947, but I believe the resolution for that had been changed to dedication. Could we just make sure we're all on the same page on that? City clerk, can you verify that for me, please? Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Ducker. On page five, there's the striketh through underlined version. Um, it was on the You've got a color copy yesterday and also another one today. It says revise. See strike through underline on the top right hand corner. And on page five in red, there's a change where it's underlined in red. It says dedicated on line six dedicated by the town council of the city of Boca Raton. Do you all see that copy? Yeah. So, just to ver just to confirm, it's been it's been Where's Mr. It's been um changed. The strike line was was was changed from designated by the town council of the town of Boca Raton on April 28, 1947 to dedicated by the town council. So the dedicated is in here on page five on the revised line six for

Mr. Mayor. May I for the plaque? Yeah, on the plaque it was changed to dedicated. However, the language of the res the language within the resolution itself as pointed out by Mr. patent still uses the ter the word designation and designated instead of dedicated and dedication. Okay. Is that clear up the question, Mr. Ducker? All right. Anyone else? Commission should be heard on item 30 resolution number 32-2026. 322026. Right. Yes. Yeah. Name and address. I would just like to say that I just found it to be

Name and address, please, ma'am. Oh, Vivian Leer, 100 Northeast Spanish Court, BOGO 33432. Yeah, if you just press the button right in front of you that make sure that there's a green light. It seems like it might be.

Oh, okay. Vivian Leasher, 100 Northeast Spanish Court 33432. Um, we need to replace that plaque. I can't even believe that anybody had the hood spa to put their name on it when they were the ones that were trying to build condos on that park. What nerve. Get that thing down and get it replaced. And there's two people up there that I don't know if you voted for that plaque, but that is really unbelievably wrong. Thank you. Mayor Thompson, can I make a comment? Yes, Mr. Rucker. I stated this yesterday. you weren't in the audience. We never saw the plaque. The council members never saw

Did you vote for the plaque? We the plaque. We didn't take a vote on the plaque. The plaque. Guys, please. Mr. Mr. Warner, Mcher, we're not going to have a back and forth. Mr. Mer, Mr. Ducker, just just for a second, guys. If

we're at a point now where I think, as we've talked about, we've turned a corner in this city. I'd like to think and I would like to have if it's okay with everyone here everyone extend to one another just an extra measure of grace and dignity and decorum. I want to ideally not have a situation where there's going to be a back and forth discussion from the deis with members of the ma'am ma'am ma'am ma'am ma'am ma'am thank you for making my point if we can just I we love the fact that you all are here and passionate about this city we want that we want that but if you don't mind let's please not be yelling questions from the audience okay Miss Ducker thank you

so what I was saying before I got interrupted was we the council that was sitting here myself did not have a chance to look at the plaque and vote on the plaque and if there's something that needs clarification I'm going to clarify that you're not going to say things that I haven't said or done that is not okay so I'm okay to remove the plaque and replace the plaque but you made a statement that I people that were on this council prior to the new members voted on the plaque and that is not a correct statement

that I asked you Okay, I wait. I feel like we're in the same spot again. All of us, all of us, me included, I would love for us to extend to each one of us, everyone else in the chamber, an extra measure of dignity, grace, and decorum. That's how we turn the corner. Anyone else wishing to be heard on item number 32-2026? Mr. Runen did in fact want to be heard. I wasn't going to.

I wasn't going to, but I couldn't resist. John unjan and 6501 Congress Avenue. Uh so I just think it's really wrong dancing on the graves of the politicians who did serve our city for a long time. Um that's what I feel like happening over and over again. And you may disagree. Uh I've I've I listened to a speaker here today that I never saw before. I've actually voted for him in an election before and dancing kind of on the grave of a potential future political opponent. just want to say that, you know, none of it's necessarily right. We need to move forward and put that pass behind us. And I think everybody here is going to do that tonight. I think it's going to be a 50 vote. I don't think anybody else needs to speak. Thanks,

Miss Mr. Mayor. Mayor, before we continue on public comment, Yes, Mr. Prone. Yeah. First of all, I want to just thank all of the residents again for standing up for Memorial Park because without you, we wouldn't be here today dedicating this park. This park would have been handed over to developers, wiped out with condos, hotels, and highrises all all around. So, thank thank you to everybody and everybody out there who stood up for us in our city. Any additional public comment on item number 30? Wait, one last thing. Um, by all means.

No, no. Um, I I actually made um a a proposal for some some modified language. Um, I'd just like to look at that for a moment for consideration of the council.

If you don't mind, could we just close the public hearing first just until then we can have the discussion and we can get is there anyone else wishing to be heard on item number 32-2026? Mr. Magis. Could we put that language back up there if our There we go. Thank you. Joe Mages 254 Northeast Fifth Street. So, what's down at the bottom is pretty historically accurate and it gives everybody a lot of insight into what happened, what is happening, and what is going to happen in the future. And the top part is really really shortened. And I see a phrase in there saved by the people of Bokeh. And I just can't help but notice that that kind of summarizes something and it puts it way too condensed when you have a fully historically accurate statement right there at the bottom. I think you should adopt the second one. Thank you.

Anyone else wishing to be heard on item 32-2026? Last call. We will then close the time for public comment on this item and then we will turn to council member discussion. Before we start that, can I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution number 32-30 32-2026? So moved. Is there a second? Second. Second. Okay. Now, council member discussion. Mr. Pearlman, it sounds like you wanted to be uh recognized. Go ahead.

Thank you. I am the grandson of a World War II veteran and um very was very close with him, my grandfather. And Memorial Park and this dedication is important to me. And when thinking about a plaque, if somebody's walking through a park, you know, I I I propose a slightly condensed version that I believe achieves a lot of what we are set out to here today to do. um in over half, maybe a third the length. Uh to put it to say that dedicated to the memory of those who served and gave their lives for our country in World War in World War II by the the town council April 28th, 1947, saved by the people of Bokeh in 2026 for use of the people of Bokeh and in memory of all those who have served this great nation. I think that to have a slightly more condensed version like such as this might provide the opportunity for somebody to passing by to fully read the plaque and have a moment of contemplation and appreciation. And uh I'd like to just put this before you for consideration.

Thank you, Mr. Pullman. Uh, is there any other additional council member discussion on item number 32-2026?

I think I stand by what I said last night, which was the proposed revised plaque language that was created encompasses not only the dedication, the recognition of the residents and also the Army airfield that was here and all veterans, service members, and their families. And if someone visits Bokeh, they can read this plaque and it details exactly what happened on the plaque. I don't think it's wordy and it also honors the council that was in place at the point of the dedication. So I want to stay with the current proposed the the original proposed revised plaque language because we made a lot of improvements with the plaque with input from Mr. Payton and other members of the community that worked with Mr. Sohaney. And that's the one that we have here, the proposed revised plaque language, the second one on the bottom. Thank you, Miss Trucker. Miss Gra,

um I would just like to by are we able to change the word from designated to dedicated and still vote on this tonight in the resolution? Are you asking to change the resolution language to say dedicated instead of designated? Is that what I'm hearing? Yes, Mr. Mayor, I can answer that question.

Oh, Mr. Kaylor. Yes, please. Sure. And I apologize for appearing suddenly on screen uh remotely. Yes. Uh Deputy Mayor Growl, uh a resolution of the council has been uh is before you and and you can change the language to dedicated. Uh the 1947 resolution said designated uh but this 2026 council uh is empowered to say uh use the words that it feels are most appropriate. Uh and so yes, the short answer is you can do that. take that action tonight. Thank you, Mr. Kaylor. Does that satisfy your question, Miss Gra? Yes. Thank you. Any other discussion? Can I have a followup? By all means.

So, I think the reason they left designated was to honor the original designation in 1947 and not offend anyone that the way that they did the designation, at least is the way that was explained to me, Mr. Sohaney. I don't it doesn't matter if I go designated or dedicated since the plaque says dedicated and we've incorporated a lot of the feedback. But we also want to honor the former individuals that designated that area. That's why both words are being used throughout the resolution. Mr. Sandy, do you have a comment there?

Yes. Uh thank you, Miss uh Ducker. I just also wanted to add Mr. Patton's comments that uh the language dedicated uh in the resolution as he's proposed also appears to or he mentioned that it it lends itself to uh potential future grants related to uh the historical significance of Memorial Park. So that is is new to me uh since we drafted this last week. So that is definitely something to consider um by changing the resolution from designated to dedicated uh to make sure that we can preserve the historical aspect in future funding. So that is definitely of consideration. I just want to say thanks to Mr. Patton uh for bringing that out tonight.

Mayor Thompson. Yes, ma'am. I guess it's a question for Mr. Kohler. Can we say designated and dedicated? It covers both the past, the present, and our future. Is that something that we can do this evening?

Absolutely. This council can say designated and dedicated. Uh like Mr. Suhanei, uh I was also not aware that there was a potential distinction uh in terms of grant funding and appreciate Mr. Patton for bringing that to our attention. I guess that was raised over the weekend or but the council can pick both. They are not conflicting. Um they both honor and and you know accomplish the purposes of this council.

Any other discussion? I'll weigh in if no one else is ready to just yet. I of the two um options that have been presented, the one at the top proposed by Mr. Pearlman. The one at the bottom was one that the staff had prepared. Together with input from the community, I opt for the latter, meaning the bottom one. I'm as big a fan as there is of brevity. And typically when it comes to words, less is more. But when it comes to history, particularly a history as rich as this park is and our history, particularly as it relates to World War II and the Army Airfield, I agree that this is something that deserves a little bit more recognition than than you can realistically get in 50 words. So, I am in favor of adopting the bottom half language and having the plaque say that what was basically on the lower twothirds of the what's on the screen here. Anyone else wish to comment? Miss Civil,

I agree with you. I am also the granddaughter of a World War II veteran who's buried within walking distance of Memorial Park. and having the more correct version that is historically accurate and reflects who actually designated dedicated, however we want to word it. I prefer that one.

Okay. Hey, with all that in mind, does it make sense for us to propose, and I believe we've we've now all had a chance to weigh in. Does it make sense to offer amendments to the resolution itself to incorporate dedicated as opposed to designated? I both seems curious. That's just my reaction to it. But, um, if that's the will of the body, I think that's fine. Mr. Kaylor replied that that shouldn't present a problem. So maybe we dedicate it use a belt and suspenders approach uh in order to allow ourselves the future potential grant money. So um Mr. Fernandez, are you able to identify the places where such an amendment would be warranted?

I see it in the in the title in the first recital in what looks like the fourth recital. Yeah, we could if you want to make a motion to So I made the original motion. Yeah. So, I'll go ahead and amend the motion of resolution number 32-2026 to remove designation and add dedicated and that we also adopt the proposed revised plaque language that was presented by city manager and input from the community. Can I get a second or you call?

Well, I'll second that. But let me just clarify that the you're referring to the proposed revised plaque language that's in the resolution already. That's already there. Right. So I don't think there's anything that needs to be amended there. The only thing that would be amended is anytime that there is a reference to designated or designation. I think we would the approaches to revise that to say designation and dedication. Are we all on the same page there? Yes. And as a followup, I think the information that Mr. Payton just gave us strike lines all the designation to dedication. It includes some other stuff too, but yeah, I think I think Mr. Fernandez is uh ahead of the game on that. So, is the motion okay?

I believe it is. If Mr. Fernandez says it's so Okay, so we have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? I don't think we had a sec. Oh, you had the second. I second. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. If there's no further comment, Miss Sit, please call the role. Thompson, yes. Growl, yes. Ducker, yes. Pearlman, yes. Simple, yes. Motion passes, five votes to zero.

Thank you everyone. I'm not saying that because of the uh applause. I'm saying thank you for let's getting through an important item on our agenda. We've been going now for 2 hours. So, this is typically the time where we would take a 5 or 10 minute break. I'm sorry everybody, but uh that's typically what we do at this point. Can we agree to reconvene at 8:10 until 8:10 everybody? Thank you.

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Hey, baby. Heat. Heat. All right, friends. We are back in

action here. Your city council is getting back to its agenda. Next on our I I note the fact that council member Druck Council me council member Ducker had to excuse herself, but we will move on on our agenda to item 10B, which is resolution number Hold on just a second, please. 33-2026. Miss Siddens, could you please read the title?

Resolution 33 2022. a resolution of the city council of the city of Boca Raton, Florida, creating the downtown civic engagement task force to facilitate communitydriven input regarding the future of the publiclyowned downtown civic core area, providing for membership duties and responsibilities, providing for severability, providing for appealer, providing an effective date. Thank you, Miss Sins. Mr. Sohaney, uh, normally now would be the time when I would ask you who's going to make the presentation. Who do you think that's going to be?

I think it's going to be you, mayor. You are correct. It is going to be me. So on item 33 2026 was stemmed from the idea that this community as I mentioned before has turned a corner and the voters spoke in a pretty significant way that they were not willing to undertake a public private partnership as it relates to a downtown government campus redevelopment. But that leaves us with the question of what we are going to do with the government buildings that we do and I think most recognize that we need and still need those being the city hall and the community center. So, I thought in an effort to gather public input on what those buildings could and should look like and to give an opportunity for even more members of their residents to participate in defining what those buildings and facilities will look like, I thought it made sense to employ a mechanism that we had used years ago and over the course of time several times to address an important and shortterm question facing our city. and that is the development of a task force. We had last done it in the I think it was the mid2010s when there was a question developed in town regarding the over I guess overenrollment of some of our schools and we developed an education task force to address the issue to study the issue work with the school district and to figure out a way where we could move forward as a community. I thought something like that could work here as well. And it would allow, as I mentioned, the opportunity for more people to participate. It would allow for an additional forum or venue for me members of our the residents to come and be heard outside of a setting that's not 3 minutes of a lectturn, which I can appreciate the desire to participate in a different way other than this. And so I had asked the staff to put together

the makings and a resolution related to a task force such as that and we gave it the name the downtown civic engagement task force. Now it it would form uh it would be nine people total as I had contemplated it. I had originally planned on having in order to have a meeting like that run, there would be a series of meetings over the course of six months where we would gather input allow for uh important discussion by the members of the task force and the task force would generate a report advising the city council as to what should be done with regard specifically to the city hall and the community center site. meetings like that can uh are are are can be difficult and can somehow and sometimes run uh go astray. So I was originally saying it would might make sense with somebody with experience running meetings to chair it. I had said I can do it. I heard you hear everybody loud and clear yesterday that there didn't seem to be an enormous appetite for that. Perfectly fine with me. I'm not wedded to the idea of of chairing it. But I do think that this is an immensely important function for our community. And one of the biggest complaints or concerns that had been raised about the government campus was the fact that it wasn't resident driven. It was something other than that. And so I wanted to help push this city towards the process of getting back to having decisions like that, particularly decisions of such significance, be resident driven. And I couldn't think of a better way of doing that in this new uh place that we find ourselves now than by having a resident-driven task force help guide us through the next stages of what's going to happen with our government buildings in the downtown. So, um, but I heard my colleagues loud and clear yesterday and it's no problem that having me chair the task force might make it view be viewed politically. I think you're going to find that uh having people jockey for

who's going to be the chair of the task force may make it that very same thing. But be that as it may, I'm happy to have this task force presented and voted upon, but I'm happy to remove the idea of of me or any one of us for that matter operating as the chair of that task force. We should appoint all of them and then have the board itself. I think me member council member Grow, Deputy Mayor Grow had suggested that yesterday. we can have the members of the task force select their own chair as is typically the case for any of our other resident advisory boards. I uh with all that said, I'm happy to answer any questions that my colleagues have. Um and after that, we can open up the public hearing where I know we have several interested members of the public willing to discuss the task force and its related areas, particularly downtown and Memorial Park. Uh but in before we get to the public comment which we're going to get to in a moment, do we have any questions from the deis?

Uh Mr. Mayor, may I? Sure.

We don't need an unelected blue ribbon commission. We should be listening directly to all of the people that elected us. That's why we were sent here. I meet with people every day and I will be taking a lot of input. I don't need a panel of folks who allegedly represent the people we serve. I'm here to represent the people directly and to carry out the mandate of the voters who sent us here. And that's why yesterday I made a motion to represent directly the people to pass the save bokeh laws into law, which the city council has the power to do. And I want to thank the hundreds of people who have emailed us today to me and my colleagues for the support to pass through the Save Bokeh laws because that's why we were sent here to carry out the mission of Save Bokeh and the people that supported us and and sent us here. And that's what I intend to do. I don't need anybody. I don't need layers and we don't need layers between us and our constituents. We were sent here to fulfill the mandate and I want to thank everybody for sending these in today to show support for us to protect our city and thank you for being with us for the last year and standing up for our city and I'm here to represent you and us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pman. Did you have any other questions about the task force?

No. Any other questions from my colleagues? And let me just clarify that there was not certainly no intent to create layers between us and the public. I too speak to many residents often basically all day long and it is a privilege to be able to do so. But I like the idea of having greater degrees of participation in the form of this very thing. Like to say what you're saying is basically to say that our advisory boards are meaningless and they're not. raise your hand by show people in the public. How many people have served on a advisory board here in the city? Several. And uh we could use more. So if we have we have uh vacancies as you've seen. I raise all of this to say that uh our advisory boards serve a very important purpose because we can't be everywhere at all times and it is I think incumbent upon of a city as strong as ours to have varieties of ways where residents can participate. Coming and speaking to city council members or at a city council meeting is one way, but participating in an advisory board I think is a very meaningful and helpful way. Has helped guide our city over the course of time. So I I find them to be an important part of our government structure and I don't see them as as layers of bureaucracy. In addition, I don't think that the task force certainly was ever intended to in any way abdicate or allocate responsibility to anybody for the final decision on what happens here away from us. It's going to be the city council, your elected representatives. It's always it was always going to be us and it's going to be us. But I don't see the harm in having additional perspectives provided to us. In many adviserss there is wisdom. I feel like I read that somewhere once. And I think that this provides an additional available avenue for folks to be able to participate in their government and allow and help shape the future of this city. Are there any other questions? Miss Grow.

Um my concern is I I really feel like this effort should be led by professional urban planners. Um, we've already spent a significant amount of time and resources on this downtown campus and the community has made its voice clear. The recent election and the thousands of residents who signed the petition show that people are ready for action and we with all due respect um we are not I'm sorry we are not urban planners and forming a task force with eight unelected randomly selected residents does not make us one. This is complex work and designing for safety, walkability, infrastructure, drainage, long-term sustainability. It requires professionals that do this every day. That's all I have to say.

Thank you. And I'm I'm sorry I meant to you had mentioned that yesterday and I appreciate that perspective and you're right. I meant to clarify today and I think I had yesterday that I do think it makes sense to have as part of any task force that we create dedicated to this endeavor to have as part of it not an appointed member but as a liaison a private consulting firm that can help in an urban planning uh industry from the urban planning industry to help guide the process because those are folks who have a great deal of experience with sharetses getting public engagement, soliciting input, and you're right, the eight nine people, it would be nine under this regime. Uh there wouldn't be random, we would be appointing them, but I I I hear what you're saying, but I think we can work together with a consultant that the city can hire and one that we did talked about yesterday. It doesn't have to be Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council to help facilitate these things. I'd also had in mind that like senior level members of our staff would be there at the task force to be able to answer important questions things relating to for example what kind of financial footing the city is in and what fund balances are available for a variety of tasks how what kind of if we want to go in this direction I'm not saying we are what kind of bond capacity would be available we would have to have high level staff participating in this kind of a a task force but in addition to that I think it makes sense to have a urban planning consultant work with us. One from the private sector. Yes, Mr. Gra. Um yesterday, uh Mark, you went over um using Treasure Coast as our independent consultants on this. What would an RFP look like if we hired a private urban planner?

Yes. So, uh, thanks, uh, Deputy Mayor Cra. Um, and I alluded to yesterday, uh, there's a quasi governmental public regional planning agency that, um, we've been coordinating with at no cost at this point just to establish a framework, and that's Treasure Coast Regional Planning. Um, also, um, you know, we're not w to that and at the direction of council, we could either use that or a, uh, a private, uh, entity to do that. And similar to the conversation we had on the CCNA, we would enter an RFP uh process uh to identify a a uh planning uh firm. Uh and there are many out there that we've used before that are highly recommended from other uh cities and counties. And we would develop that RFP uh right away and we would define the scope of work associated with that. Uh, for example, if we were just going to focus on Memorial Park, we would scope that out. And if we were going to include things like a police department headquarters, we'd scope that. And if we were going to include a master parks and recreational plan, we would scope that out. So, it would be it would depend on what the full scope the council would want. And then that would set the scope of work and the conditions at which we would seek an RFP for a private firm. And we could start that uh at the discretion of council.

Uh, Mr. Mayor. Yes, you're recognized.

If the mayor would like to set up his own advisory panel for his own decision-making purposes, by all means. I was sent here to represent the voters directly right here. These are the hundreds of emails that came through today to telling me telling our my colleagues to pass through the save bokeh laws that thousands of voters supported. I'm here to represent these because if we're not directly listening to these these voters, these people that put us here, who are we listening to? A task force of unelected officials? That's not why we were sent here. We were sent here to represent the voters. We are the task force here. Let's get it done.

Thank you for your comments. Any other uh questions or comments from the day? No, no, not from the just from the day. Now, Miss Leer, we'll get to you. Don't worry. Anybody else? We will open the time now for public comment on this item. I have a series of cards which we will address first. I the first three cards I have are Diana Cooper, Lauren Hennessy, and Lauren Bishop. So, if you please step up to the podium, state your name. You will have three minutes. Name and address, please. You will have three minutes.

Diana Cooper, 3240 Equestrian Drive. Um, I wrote a speech, but now I have other thoughts whirling in my head. Um, first of all, I love a task force. Um, Mr. Pearlman, I and my fellow friends have emailed you multiple times and you have not spoken to us, so you are not talking to all your constituents. Um, I'm wondering if my email is in there. Um, and also on that note, sometimes like in a presidential election, we elect a president because we like the majority of what they stand for, but we don't like everything that we stand for. So just because you're elected doesn't mean you can just like make decisions like people might have other input, which is why I think a task force um with different varying opinions would come up with the best result. That being said, um, in talking about Memorial Park, I'm here talking about softball. Um, wondering if I should come with my softball bat next time because we're all bringing props. Um, and I I don't, you know, I I am very grateful that everybody, including Mr. Pman, agrees that there is inequity in the girls versus the boys softball. And I am so happy that that is known. Like it makes my heart just I couldn't sleep last night. I was so happy. I know we all agree. Um and that there is will be steps moving forward um to make it equal between the baseball and the softball. Um with that and I'm interested to see what comes of the Memorial Park um development plans, what we can put there. I do want to talk about Sugar Sand. And I know that's a touchy subject with people and their

turtles. And I um there is a difference between the preserved area and the overgrown brush that was designated for recreational use. There is a weedy overgrown twig nasty area that is supposed to be for recreational use. And imagine if softball fields were put there. I'm not saying that they have to go there because I'm open to other options. If they were put there, how beautiful it would be and maybe it would open up the preservation and oh wow, look, you can actually see the preservation. Maybe there's a connection, a sidewalk from the softball field to that area because right now it it doesn't look nice. So maybe it would look better and you could actually highlight the preservation instead. Um, my friends will talk about numbers because I'm running out of time. Lake Wyman is not an option. It's not centrally located and the girls deserve a centrallylo option like the boys do. Um, that's all I got. Nothing I wrote on my speech.

Thank you, Miss Cooper. Next up, Lauren Hennessy. My name is Dr. Lauren Hennessy. I'm at 1555 Southwest 4th Circle. Good evening, Mayor Thompson and city council members who represent the entire community and not just those who voted for you. I'm here tonight to talk about something that should have been addressed long ago. Inequ inequity and youth sports within our city. Right now, the playerto- field ratio for softball is 78 players per field, while for baseball, it's 43 players per field. That is not a small gap. That's nearly double. And in 2026, that kind of disparity isn't just outdated. It's embarrassing. This isn't about preference. It isn't about popularity. It's about fairness. It's about whether the girls in this city are being given the same opportunity as the boys to play, to develop, and to compete. For decades, far too long, this imbalance has existed. And each year that passes without action sends a message that our girls don't matter. That this inequity is acceptable. But it's not. This solution is not complicated. We need four dedicated softball fields to bring participation ratios closer to equity and to meet the actual demand that already exists today. And let's be clear, there is a place to do this. Track A at Sugarand has always been earmarked for future recreational use. It was never intended to be locked away as some so-called urban forest. It was meant to serve the community. And right now, the community has a clear and urgent need. You as council members have

the authority and the responsibility to correct this. This is an opportunity to write a wrong that has persisted for decades. The question is simple. Will we continue to accept inequality or will we finally do something about it? I urge you to act now. Not years from now. Not after another study. now because fairness delayed is fairness denied. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Hennessy, Lauren Bishop. After Miss Bishop, we'll have Christina Broker, Andy Caverly, Cavalry, and Brook Mororti.

Good evening. My name is Lauren Bishop, and I reside at 1314 Southwest 11th Street. I'm here tonight proudly to represent my softball community and obviously my fellow softball moms over there who are deeply invested in supporting and advocating for our girls. Um I watched last night's meeting. I know um even on the internet we sometimes get referred to as the Laurens or the softball moms at the meeting. So that's us. I do appreciate the attention that is being brought to Memorial Park. We watched the whole meeting last night. Um we would be super happy with upgrades that were being discussed. But I also do want to mention that we have gone down this road before. Years ago, we discussed batting cages and we brought people in only to be told after spending the money and other things that the setbacks and the uh power lines were not viable to even have batting cages. And that's only one of the things that we um wanted there. So just wanted to mention that. Um that's why I believe we need to refocus the discussion on maybe trying to move to Sugar Sand Park. Also open to um what Mark Manadia was saying about possibly using the use of Spanish River. So just something to think about there. Um I truly do feel that we need a four field complex every weekend um with these softball marms and we travel to different cities. Parkland, beautiful, beautiful facilities um just for softball. Coral Springs is investing so much money into their programs. They're redoing all their parks right now. They already have beautiful parks just for turf. Outside of softball, they just announced they're doing a $100 million uh sports complex project. So, uh Weston, another local city that has beautiful parks and I just think to myself every time we're traveling there on the weekends, why aren't we able to do the same here in Bokeh? I'm asking you to seriously reconsider uh the path moving forward with sugar sand. Environmental studies were completed, findings were pre presented

and uh the project was once approved only 6 months ago. Our community was excited. There was momentum. We were hopeful. Uh and now we are here again and uh we find ourselves back at the beginning. Uh watching last night's meeting included many positive discussions about Sugar Sand. However, I was disappointed by the attempt to move uh an immediate motion forward without a full discussion to shut down any further movement with Sugaran. I truly believe in meaningful public input. Elected officials serve the people, not the other way around. This is not about personal agendas or preference. It's about making decisions that are in the best interest of the entire community. This means listening, seeking input, understanding the full scope of the issue, and following transparent and thoughtful process. A change in direction should not be pushed forward without fully understanding the impact or allowing community to be part of that conversation. So, please just keep this idea open with Sugar Sand. Um, I recently learned that the city has about $56.9 million in an interestbearing account that I think was part of the um sale of the golf course. You can correct me if I'm wrong. Uh that could be used for recreation recreational purposes. So I do want to bring that to light. Um Miss Bishop, your time is elapsed. Could you uh conclude briefly?

Gotcha. Thank you. Let's just keep these discussions open. Thank you. Thank you, Christina Broker.

Christina Broker, 2391 Northwest 38th Street. Before I get into what I had prepared, I too support the task force and applaud you for bringing that to the council and to our residents to explore. Um, I also have an email in your inbox, Mr. Pearlman, that I would love to speak with you about. Um, I sent it about two weeks ago and I've not yet heard back. Good evening, mayor, council members, and staff. First, congratulations on your election and on the trust the residents of Boca Raton have placed in you. Campaigns are about issues and movements. Governing is about stewardship of the full city and with that comes a responsibility to serve the entire community. I am here on behalf of families who care deeply about girls sports in Boca Raton and specifically the future of softball in our city. I want to thank you for discussing this issue in yesterday's workshop. I listened to all three and a half hours and it mattered to hear the concerns acknowledged and it mattered to hear recognition that this is both a quality and a quantity issue because that is exactly what families have been saying today. The girls who play softball in Boca Raton do not have equitable facilities. The issues are clear. Substandard restrooms, poor drainage, no scoreboards, no batting cages, no bullpens, in inadequate dugouts, and real safety concerns tied to conditions at the fields and access by the homeless. And importantly, this is not just perception. It is measurable. Right now, softball in Bocaraton has approximately 78 players per available field. Little league baseball has approximately 43 players per field. That is nearly double the demand per field with fewer resources and lower quality facilities. This is not a quality issue. This is not just a quantity issue. It is both. And when we look beyond Boca Raton, the gap becomes even more clear. Our families are traveling across Palm Beach, Broward, Miami date counties every weekend to play in communities that have dedicated softball complexes, three and four field layouts, proper amenities, regulation softball fields, not retrofitted versions of another sports field. That is the standard. and

long-term that is the level of investment our girls should have here at home. We remain supportive of exploring multiffield solutions including opportunities like Sugarand as part of a long-term vision. We are encouraged to hear discussion about improvements at Memorial Park. This is a step forward. But now progress must be visible and timely because equity is not just about having a place to play. It is about having a place that reflects the standards of the city and the value we place on the girls. So tonight I'm asking for three things. a clear timeline for improvements, urgency around immediate safety and facility issues, and a long-term commitment to equitable quality and quantity. Because at the end of the day, this is more about more than about fields. It is about what we choose to invest in and who we choose to invest in. When we invest in our girls, we are investing in confidence, discipline, leadership, and opportunity. We are investing in the future of this very community. So, I'll leave you with this. What message do we send to the young girls of Boca Raton about how much we value their potential? And what kind of future do we build when we choose to invest in them today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Broker. Mr. Mayor, may I uh Sure.

Yeah. Thank you very much for everybody for coming out. You're very passionate about softball and and I really respect that cuz I'm I'm an athlete, too. I'm a tennis player and I have that same passion for my sport. And that's why on behalf of the softball community yesterday at our very first meeting, I made it a point to right away get to work on the softball issue. So, right away, mi Mr. Thompson had identified a scope of work that he he came up with and had been discussing with with city staff. When I heard that from him, my first response was, "That's great. Let's put that scope of work out to be solicited for immediate renovation of the softball fields at Memorial Park to give you two brand new fields right away. Brand new renovated fields, drainage, scoreboards, all of the improvements." Not and I I believe that's underway. Number two, at Lake Wyman Park, there are two fields. One of them is set to be demolished, which is actually currently a softball field. I identified that issue, the removal of that field. My colleagues weren't supportive at that time to investigate that as to possibly remediate to alter the plans there to enable us to keep that softball field for your community. And and also I proposed in addition to that to renovate the second field there. That would be four new fields for you right there. Brand new renovated fields for use right away. And I I was proposing to do that immediately on my first meeting here on the deis. And that would be four fields. And then in addition to that, Mr. Thompson mentioned and I supported the immediate renovation and improvement of the Meadows Park field for your use right away. These are all things that

can be done immediately. We can take action on this tonight and maybe we we can, you know, address this later, maybe even to to put this on the table for an additional talk right at the end of this meeting to right away set in motion the improvement of and renovation for immediate use for your girls of five brand new renovated fields. two at two at Lake Wyman, two at Memorial Park, and a brand new field at Madows Park. That's five fields right there. And the sugar sand complex was that was four fields. So, we we have an additional field. We can preserve the urban forest that's so valuable to our community there and get you right away incredible access and amenities for the softball community. And by the way, one last thing, these emails uh weren't from softball. These are the hundreds of emails that came through today. Hundreds flooding the inboxes of myself and my colleagues uh having to do with the motion that I set forth yesterday for my colleagues to adopt and pass the safe bokeh laws tonight, which they failed to do. And these are the residents I'm listening to. I'm listening to the softball community and I want to make immediate improvements to the softball fields right away for you. Thank you. Before we get back to public comment on the item we're we're here discussing, couple of comments to that. One is uh you did propose Mr. Pearlman uh looking into Lake Wyman. The folks at the board of the Booker Tone softball association made it clear that Lake Wyman is not a suitable location for this in part because they don't have lights predominantly because they don't have lights. Uh I think we knew that. Second, uh I I I hesitate to keep using when you use the phrase your community, that's our community. The softball playing community is our community no less than

the tennis playing community is part of our community. Sorry, Miss Marorrow. Um but all of us enjoy recreation in our own way. They don't it's not us versus them and up here versus you all. It's are all we're all members of the same community. I hope we keep that in mind. Third, we've already taken the steps uh and asking staff to get estimates and timelines for making the upgrades at Memorial Park and at Meadows Park. There's no there's nothing left to be done on that. Staff is working on that and we've already indicated to the uh folks uh with associated with the softball association that we would be providing that information as soon as we get it. So, we're on top of it, I think, is the kind of the takeaway there. Um if we don't mind, if we can continue with the public comment on this. May Mary, Mr. Mayor, for one moment.

Sure. I I just want to I want to get get everything done for you. And I think we have the facilities available there on fields that we can right away renovate and improve. And when I say your community, I mean all of our community. I mean all of our all of our sports communities and everybody who is a part of Boca Raton. And that's what that's why we've been sent here to represent you, the voters. And that's what I intend to carry out. Thank you. Next up, we have Andy Cavalry. Is he still here? He is not. I believe the same may be true for Miss Morardi. Is she? No, I'm here. Oh, Brooke, step on up. Thank you for your patience.

All right. My name is Brooke Morardi and I'm 3640 Northwest 24th Way. I am not as prepared as my friends over here. I have a sick kid at home, but I wanted to show my support. Um, so I wanted to speak a little bit to the Save Bokeh people that were recently elected. Um, and it sounds like you're on board. Um, but I think that we all can get togethers with the same idea. I was approached at the Bokeh basketball games asking to sign to put the city um ballot so that we could vote for it. I think you see that the community members are your ch are the children at least from what I saw and talked to the people there. So, I think we're all on the same page that the community and the children make Bokeh great. Um, the problem is is I think now we need to look beyond preserving the land and the highdensity housing and start looking at the rights of our children and the equitable fairness that they deserve. Our girls are playing on fields that aren't great. They're playing, they don't have as much time on the fields. They are almost hurt. We're sharing fields with soccer players. Um, we go to Sugar Sand for baseball opening day. My girls are like, "What? This is what they get? That's not right." And I know I worked in sports law and equity and all of that. And I know sometimes this stuff starts happening. We start handing out fields and we don't realize what we're giving people. But when you take a step back, this isn't right. So, while memorial seems feasible, I also think this needs to happen at a quick timeline. And if that means giving us Spanish River or Patch Reef for a while while Memorial is getting fixed, I think that's fair. It doesn't seem fair that the girls should have to shoulder the weight while everything is refurbished while the boys continue to have their own nice facilities. It should be shared. Does that mean we go, "Hey, you get Sugar Sand and now you guys get Patch Reef and we do it duel it out that

way according to the numbers." I don't know. That's not for me to figure out. But I don't think that, hey, we're going to get to Memorial. Hey, we're going to build a softball field over here. Something needs to happen in the fall for these kids. It's not fair. So, that's my two cents. Um, and hopefully we can get something figured out. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Morardi. Next card I have is from Meredith Madson. the last 10 years.

Uh Meredith Madson, 1193 Southwest 19th Street. I am here to talk about the task force because I think that's the agenda item that we're on. Great. Um I would like to talk about uh uh Mr. Dr. Sohaney, as you go forward or as the council goes forward, are you going to put together RFPs to select different outside consultants? Because Miss Grow is right. We are not urban planners. And I I I beg to remind the people of Bokeh that everything we did last summer, including attending the studio for our charetses, where every piece of information we gave of every single thing we needed, was not done by our own city. It wasn't done by us. It was done by an outside developer for their purposes of what they wanted to do for compromise on our own land. All of that data was never ours to have. So, we don't have it and we need to start over from scratch. We don't have what you remember. You remember telling everyone every single thing you needed. Judy remembers telling about the tennis center and the skate kids tell their stories and everyone told all their information and we very passionately came together and said we don't want overdevelopment and that was proven by 75% of the vote including myself and we don't want to give away our public land and we just voted on that and now we have a brand new plaque because we wanted the veterans to be recognized. So now moving forward, none of the data that was collected lives with us anymore and we need to start over. This is where I respectfully request an outside company come in that we own that has no agenda that are not run by developers that is something like Treasure Coast that does this for cities and comes in

and says, "Hey, we're going to run sharetses so that every single thing the tennis center needs gets addressed and we know what that is and it goes up for review by the council so that the city manager can act on it with respect to the council and budgets. We don't know every budget. We don't know every dollar it's going to cost. We're not urban planners. So, respectfully saying, I'd like us to start over with what we think we did, cuz we never did it from ourselves for ourselves. And all that information we gave, we all saw weaponized against us in these crazy flyers from one bokeh that were like everything you said you wanted. It was pract practically Pandora out of Avatar with trees on buildings. Okay, that's fine. But they're gone. They're gone. We won. We all won. And now we get to start over with our brand new council with everything we ever wanted. So, we need an urban plan. We need a master plan. We need none of the task force, as far as I can tell, Andy, talks about density, building heights. None of that stuff is in the in in this new conversation that we're going to start again, right? I would personally, and I'm and then I'm leaving. I would love our tennis center to look like Del Race. I would like to be able to stand and have our lunches on the top floor and look over and watch all the courts. So, it's 20 seconds over. I appreciate it, but I would like us to have cheretses. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Madson. Uh, next card I have is Mike Leonson. Sorry about that. Mike Leon, 398 Northeast, uh, Third Court. Uh, my recommendation is to turn down resolution 33-2026. A task force is the wrong way to go. Especially one set up where a council member is the chair. Think about it. That means another council member could not go to one of those meetings because it'd be an open meeting and wouldn't be allowed. So that doesn't work. A task force is a plan to talk. It's not a plan for action. Again, we're in a turnaround situation. We have to move fast. I appreciate what John's talking about. Let's do this, this, and this, and we're ready to go. Now, I heard tonight that city staff need 6 to9 months to prepare an RFP for consultants to bid on a contract worth several hundred,000. This is crazy, Mr. Zahaney. We need to work on these procedures. Um, I could probably take a week and come up with an RFP for one of these firms that could do, you know, the urban planning stuff. We have to move fast and we have to not be weighed down by bureaucratic procedures. We need a plan for downtown Bokeh first, then all of Bokeh next. Bring in the best and brightest urban planners as councilwoman Grow was talking about. It needs to include east west connectivity. It has to include a Pomemetto Park uh

road avenue redo. And we have to do this to determine the optimum location for the new city hall and police headquarters. Less Wilson did a great job of this proposing one uh in Bokeh at Bokeh first. You can look at his conceptual proposal. So we need this so we know where our new city hall and police headquarters are going to be located. So the scope is the city council, city campus, all of downtown, east west connectivity and the train tracks and Pomemetto Park Carter. There's several qualified firms. There's the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. There's Do Cole and Partners Urban Design Studio. I think this will cost about $150,000 for us. We spent $2 million in staff time and outside consultants negotiating the Terara Frisbee deal. In comparison, you've got a three-month period. Phase one's analysis. Phase two is the sharet where everybody comes in and sees what's happening. Phase three is draft the conceptual report, 3D renderings, cost estimates, and phase four is a final presentation to the council. This work has to be priority one before we can make any decision on the city campus or any downtown proposed developments and has to happen as quickly as possible. Look, we elect the city council to make the best decisions on our behalf. They need help and should have the best expert opinions to help them work on our behalf. And that's why I agree with Councilwoman Grow and bringing in one of these bestin-class urban planning firms to help with the effort. Thank you.

Anybody else wish to be heard on item number 32, sorry, 33-2026? The task force step on up. Miss Leer,

know my name. Vivian Leer, 100 Northeast Spanish Court, 33432. Um, I'm against the task force on and I really appreciate um the idea and I think it's a very well-intentioned idea, but I really don't like it because I'm afraid that we're going to see people get on there uh like an Ed Kemlman type that uh live in the downtown. They're going to be on the downtown task force, but they really don't want what's good for the other people. they want what's good for their buddy or their friend or something of that nature. Um, and I'm very distrustful of that situation because um, of what we went through with WildFlower Park, with Welsho acting as though we had a um, and I don't know if how many people were around for that, but Wel Wildflower Park according to her and people on the city council like Wineworth and the others, okay, um, claimed that the vote of the people in the city was for a restaurant there, which was completely incorrect. And thank goodness we had somebody like John at the time. We had the Hendry's who stood at the library for weekends getting signatures so they could put it on the ballot. So it turned out just like with the Safe Bokeh deal, the Wildflower Park deal, the people didn't want a restaurant. But if we had listened to their task force and their their what they said the people of Bokeh wanted, that was all a big lie. So, I'm very distrustful of that and I just don't think it's a great idea. I think this is a better form for people to come and I know it's time consuming. Um, but it's timeconuming for us too. So, I think this is a much better form uh and and that the task force is well-intentioned and I appreciate that, but I just don't think it's a good idea. Thanks.

Thank you, Miss Leer. Anyone else who should be heard on the item number 33-2026? Why don't we go Miss Pashki and then Mr. Warner? Go ahead, Miss Pashki. Pam Pashki, 341 Southwest 2nd Street. I think the task force is a good idea. Um I think we have a lot as as was mentioned we have a lot of committees and things that advise the city council about information planning and zoning and all those other ones that are not elected people and it's anformational gathering system and I think we all want that. I think we when Terara Frisbee did it and they had all their little roundts it was kind of weird but it's too bad that that information was not um captured by the city. I like the idea of an urban planner being involved, but I think there's also a lot of information that could be gathered by a task force, but I would like I don't think you mentioned um Mayor Thompson that the police station would also be a consideration because that whole problem with the police was that they made all the plans and then tried to present it to the people to agree and they didn't have input from the people to begin with. Um so that was a problem. So, I think I you're nodding your head. So, you were intending that. I don't remember you saying police station. Um, that's pretty much what I wanted to say about this. I think it's a good idea, but more with the urban planning and and some guidance would be good.

Thank you, Miss Pashky. Mr. Warner.

Richard Warner 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. I like the idea of task force, blue ribbon commission, pink ribbon, no ribbon. I'm not that sure about uh urban planners because finding ones that don't have agendas is not that easy. But I guess it's possible. Uh and as long as the likes of Miss Zacharias or Zir Zacharitas are around, they'll they'll be pushed to go in one direction or another. And despite the homage to Mr. Smith goes to Washington waving around emails, uh, I don't think Save Boo's voters were monolithic. And I don't see any reason to think that any one of us or any one of you represents them all. And therefore a commission of some sort that has no power but just has the ability to talk and work things out is a great idea. And I I volunteer myself to represent uh the irassable canankerous oxygenarians which is a significant portion of the booco electorate I think uh I don't know where softball came into this issue but uh it apparently did. I I think about the softball and my daughter played I played coach pitch. Uh I've

said this I don't know why it's never come up. We have 7.8 acres on the east side of Second Avenue that people don't know what to do with. I'll bet you could put four nice softball fields in there somewhere and lights would be great and you wouldn't have to tear down urban forests that my daughter referred to as an enchanted forest 25 years ago. Uh maybe something to look at. Lake Wyman, you can't have lights and you have a homeless encampment there that people keep saying they're going to get rid of. But I think that's been going on for 20, 30 years and nobody gets rid of them anyway. Uh I think that the more views the better, you know. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Warner. Anyone else wish to be heard on item number 33? Resolution 33-2026. Mr. Uh hello, my name is Gerard Gory. I have was speaking later on but I think this is appropriate time uh to discuss the task force in city planning if that's okay. It is once you give us your address too. Oh 740 is street. Okay. Go ahead.

Uh so I have a presentation that comes with it that's going to start right now. Good afternoon honorable Thomas Mayor Thomas and esteemed city council member. My name is Jerry Lorian and I wanted to first also congratulate you that have recently been elected. I have also served on the historic uh historic preservation board. Today before you as Bocertone stands as a defining moment with a rare opportunity to be thoughtful in redeveloping our city campus. That said, I am proud to announce Addison Village re-imagined city center inspired by Addison Addison Meiser. This vision honors our architectural heritage while delivering a comprehensive and forwardthinking plan for a vibrant functional downtown. Just last week, we received many approvals uh preliminary approvals because this is strictly conceptual, but it was from the uh members of the historic pres preservation board. Uh we had the open discussion and there were several people that were in attendance that were favored of it.

Can we pause for a second? Can we uh unless you want to allocate your time to the video and the sound? Let's do Let's do that. Okay. All right. So this is a proposal and I want to get in because I have to be three minutes. This is not just true to its legacy and ready for what's next.

So, so if you could go back to the first of where the site plan is. So, this is strictly uh for the civic uh actually the one with the uh the aerial the site plan uh because I I just want to go over there's memorial park uh it's this one here if you could just stop it. So, this is basically town hall is to the left, the police station is to right. So, this is all dedicated just really for the uh city of Bocertton in the civic sense. there's no restaurants, there's no uh residential. Uh I think this is really the answer to the save voca contingent and then also because the whole downtown needs to be red uh redeveloped. Everything is basically in shambles and so it's important to have a comprehensive cohesive plan and I do agree with Miss Growl that I have put together uh Robert AM Stern who's one of the best architects there. they've done a city plan for in the process and also DPZ uh which was also recognized this is going back maybe a year ago before the Frisbee group where you had these breakout sessions uh so they were also uh possible uh for this uh opportunity so I just uh want to bring this opportunity to the city council and of course uh the mayor as well to maybe take advantage of what what's here uh and I I think this is a strong beginning for that. So, thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr. Lori. Mr. Anjen, Jonathan Unian, 6501 Congress Avenue. Uh, so I think it's important to have community engagement and involvement. Um, it's what I preached all summer after the developer stated that they were going to uh Richard, if I if I can, guys, if you could please.

Yeah, thanks. So, so I uh I I I used to be very close with Save Bokeh. Uh I I helped uh Save Bokeh early on. Um, I have the text messages here, uh, from when he was just John Pearlman in my phone before he was council member Perman that says, "You are the master and I am your apprentice, Unian 2.0." Um, I used to be lockep until you accused me of because I said the community should come together um, and should be engaged in this uh, that I was accused of of being paid by the developer. Um, and I think it's important to say that if the council that was up there at that time thought that they were speaking to the people who were in their ear, the people who sit in the front row, who are probably the only people that you speak to, because my text messages now have about seven unanswered texts over the last couple weeks, months, u about five phone calls that still haven't gone answered. So, as you say that you speak to the community, I'm not so sure that that's the case. And I think that a board that then makes a recommendation to the council to then do whatever you want is a good thing. And with that also being said, um, to the softball moms, I think it's a great thing that they've stayed engaged and involved. To hear that you're going to have five different fields spread across 16 miles of the city, I don't think that's what the community's asked for in the little bit that I've listened to them. and um to where it may have been considered to the urban tree garden uh that we have that people don't really use. I understand that Thaddius

um is there and uses it. Uh the last thing I'd just like to to leave this community with is about Thaddius. Now, I have relocated sever myself several gopher tortoise tortoises into that park that I have found on roadways. So, nobody can tell me and I'm talking about within the last year that I put these tortoises in that park that there are none there.

So, they were illegally moved and touched these protected animals to put in that park. They don't belong there. and that turtles are more important than our girls in this city is a disgrace. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Run. Anyone else have comment on I on resolution number 33-2026? Mr. Magis, Joe Majis, 254 Northeast 5th Street. Um, I don't have a presentation like Mr. Lori, but that's exactly why we need to have a board. That kind of presentation and what you can garner from community members is what makes a board so important because right now we're going to sit here in another meeting that could easily go till midnight. I hope it doesn't, but we're not going to get that kind of work product sitting here until midnight every second Tuesday. And so with the exception of we need the banyan trees and a little more parking that kind of rendering and concept is a near-perfect fit in my opinion for that spot. So what I would propose is having the board of nine members whether or not it's chaired by Mr. Thompson and you, the council, can appoint them and it's going to be anchored on one side, let's say, by a staff liaison that has the ability to crunch numbers in real time and determine the actual needs of the city. And fortunately, now we have a consultant that's going to give us a real-time assessment of the current state of our buildings. And secondly, if we retained, as Miss Grouse suggested, a private consultant that could, you know, facilitate and make these things happen. host sharetses on behalf of the city of Bocraton and at the direction of hypothetically let's say the task force you're going to I think garner and generate a significant level of civic engagement that might not be possible here isolated you know every second Tuesday like I said um in council chambers and in general I would just say

that that is going to generate responsiveness that I am not sure exists from everyone on the deis and you know to Mr. Unjun's point if someone doesn't return six phone calls um over a couple of months I I don't know that that person is necessarily engaged and answering to constituents in a way that would facilitate the necessary discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Majis. Anyone else? Anyone else? Last call for public comment on resolution number 33-2026. We will then close the time for public comment on this matter and we will get a motion in a second to adopt resolution number 33-2026. I will make the motion to adopt that resolution with the following changes if you don't mind, Mr. Fernandez. on I believe it was under on page three under section two of the resolution. I would revise it to strike line five where it said that the mayor shall serve as chair of the task force and I would revise line six to say to take out the word remaining. So just such that it would now say the members shall be appointed by the city council. Am I able to do that all in one motion? Yes. So just get it clear it's to remove the mayor serving as a member of the task force. So strike

as the chair. So striking sorry line five on page striking all of line five. Yeah. So subsection B would be stricken and then we would revise the following subsection subsection C to say rather than the remaining members shall now it would say the member shall be appointed by the city council. Got it. Do I hear a second? Second. Very good. Any additional discussion on this matter? If not, we can proceed to a vote. Any any comments, Miss Crow? No. Okay. Well, then I think uh Miss Sins, take it away.

Cra, yes. Council member Trucker is absent. Pearlman, no. Simple, yes. Thompson, yes. Motion passes, three votes to one. Thank you everybody. We can now move on to item 11, quasi judicial and related public hearings. And for those folks who have been waiting patiently to undertake this item and the ones after it, we thank you for your patience. Item 11 A is Boca Raton Technology Center DRRI amendment. Madame clerk, would you please read the title of resolution number 26-2026?

Resolution 262026, a resolution of the city of Bocarone making findings of fact and conclusions of law pertaining to the Bocarone Technology Center development of regional impact DRRI generally located west of Interstate 95 and south of West Yumato Road. considering an amendment to the DRRI development order to reduce the total acreage of the DRRI from approximately 217.5 acres to approximately 87.9 acres and approximately 129.6 acre reduction by removing the approximately 124.2 acre Boca Raton Innovation Campus brick property generally located at 5000 T-Rex Avenue and the approximately 5.4 4 acre property generally located at 950 Northwest Spanish River Boulevard. Modifying exhibit 2, the master plan map H-1 of the DRRI, providing for repealer, providing an effective date.

Thank you, Miss Sittens. I would ask now Mr. Fernandez, our acting city attorney for the evening to review the quasi judicial procedures that will govern the public hearing on this matter. Evening, Mr. Chairman, members of the city council. Chris Fernandez, senior assistant city attorney. The rules of the city council provide that each applicant requesting approval, relief, or other action from the city council this evening shall disclose at the commencement of the public hearing. Any consideration or payment provided or committed directly or on its behalf for an agreement to support or withhold objection to requested relief or action. Copy of the quasi judicial rules governing tonight's public hearing are attached to the agenda and are available from the city clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Fernandez. At this point, we will ask the members of the board if they have any exparte disclosures. I want to go in the opposite order that we went yesterday. I'll start on my left with Mr. Pearlman. Do you have any exparte disclosures to report? I spoke with one resident, Joe Growar, about this project. And that concludes your disclosures. Yes. Okay. Thank you, Miss Sipple. I had a meeting with Bonnie Mishkill and David Millage on 49 at city hall. Very good, Miss Gra.

I also had a meeting at city hall with Bonnie Mskell and David Belich. As for me, I had been contacted by Mr. Millig to set up a meeting on this matter. Uh, the meeting ever happened. I never spoke to him about it, and I don't believe I have any other, excuse me, any other exparte disclosure. So, if anyone wishes to plans on speaking regarding this item, could you please stand while the clerk administers the oath? Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that any testimony you may give before this public hearing will be truthful and accurate? Thank you. Very good. Mr. Sohaney, who will be making the uh presentation on this item?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Development services senior planner, Mr. Bevitch will make the presentation.

Thank you, Mr. Sohaney. Good evening, Mayor Thompson, Deputy Mayor Growl, and all the city councilors. For the record, Peter Beovich, uh, senior planner with for develop your development services department. Tonight, I'll be um going over a amendment to the Bokeh Bokeh technology center development of regional impact or DRRi. Um, the amendment is to remove approximately 130 acres from the DRRI, excuse me. The Bokeh Technology Center DRRi is generally located south of Yumato Road and east of Military Trail and northwest of Interstate 95 with its boundary indicated in yellow on the map or the aerial in front of you. Um the 129.6 acres proposed to be removed is highlighted in purple and is located at 5000 T-Rex Boulevard and 950 Northwest Spanish River Boulevard. The applicant is requesting an amendment to the Bokeh Technology Center DRRI map H1, which is the master plan to reduce the total acreage from 217 12 acres to 87.9 acres, a reduction of 129.6 by removing the Boverton Innovation C campus or brick property from the DRRi. No physical changes are proposed as part of this application. Um, I'm going to briefly go over what the purpose of a DRRI is and some history of it. Uh, a DRRi is a planning tool created by the Florida Environmental Land and Water Management Act of 1972 as a temporary process to review largecale projects before comprehensive state planning system was fully in place in 198. The 1985 Growth Management Act, rather than getting rid of the DRRi

process, actually strengthened it the state's oversight by requiring them to conform strictly to the new comprehensive planning laws um and and comprehensive plannings. It linked development approvals to available infrastructure called concurrency, enhanced regional planning council review and established rigorous state standards to mitigate regional impacts with local government making the final decision to approve or deny development of regional impact. In 1993, the environmental land management study called ELMS 3 uh that committee recommended that the DRI program be eliminated and hand over the responsibility to local governments. Um, in 2009, the state legislature approved exemptions from state and regional review for DRIs in dense urban land areas called doulas. U, the state classifies Palm Beach County and Boca Raton both as doulas. Therefore, state and regional review of existing DRI in Boca Raton is no longer required. Um the in 2015 and 2016 the state eliminated DRRI review for new developments exceeding DRRI thresholds. And in 2018 the state eliminated the state and regional review of existing DRIs and now requires a state coordinated review process for amendments that are not other excuse me otherwise exempted. Um you'll notice I had some logos. Um the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council was heavily involved in reviewing DRI. The Department of Community Affairs was the state uh agency that oversaw it, which eventually became about 15 years ago renamed the Department of Economic Opportunity under the Scott administration and now it's known as Florida Commerce under the Dantis administration. Um the Bokeh Technology Center is a legacy DRRi within Adoula and is nearly built out. Its master plan

has no unbuilt residential units left, 100 square feet of unbuilt retail space left, and a little over 49,000 square feet of unbuilt office space. As previously noted, amendments there too are only required to be reviewed by the city. The applicant has a a separate application for an enhanced mobility development master plan that if approved would allow for new residential units and additional commercial development within brick beyond what is indicated on the current DRRI master plan. Approving this amendment will allow Brick to pursue new development approvals under the enhanced mobility development framework uh provided for uh in the comprehensive plan amendments and the land development regulations approved by the city council through the adoption of ordinances 5654 and 5655 in 2023. Let's review a brief background in the his of the history of the DRRI including a bit of prehistory. In 1966, IBM acquired approximately 549 acres in the city of University Park and constructed many of the original structures that we now refer to as brick under that municipality's jurisdiction jurisdiction, excuse me. On August 2nd, 1971, the city of University Park was completely annexed into the city of Boca Raton. After um IBM left the campus in around 1996, an effort to plan for new uses in the roughly 400 acres of vacant land surrounding the campus resulted in what was called the Blue Lake DRRI uh which was approved in 1999. The city then purchased approximately 300 lake acres located within the Blue Lake DRRI and on September 7th, 2000, the city council approved the removal of 300 acres uh resulting and it was

renamed Bokeh Technology Center. The resulting approximately 224 acre DRRi consisted of approximately 124 acre brick campus and 100 acres of mostly vacant land. Um let's see. So the the DRRi has been implemented through a series of DRRi amendments and individual site plans that has facilitated the development of Bokeh Village, you know, the McDonald's, the LA Fitness, u shops at Blue Lake, Sentra Town Homes, among others. Last year, the city council approved an amendment to the DRRI to remove 6.6 6 acres from the DRRi which consisted of a portion of the Boca Raton trial station to allow the development of a mixeduse project with workforce and affordable housing on the property. As part of the DRRi approval, the original developer was required to develop a transportation management or TDM program which require which was implemented in April 2003. The TDM concept focuses on reducing peak hour and single occupant trips, changing human behavior rather than increasing roadway capacity, providing incentives rather than penalties, and limiting roadway congestion. A TDM program is required to include one or more of the following elements. Bus pool, car poolool, compressed work week, flex time, public transit, ride matching, ride sharing, shared shuttle, shower and locker facilities, shuttles, staggered work hours, telecommuting, transit subsidies, or van pool. The goal of a TDM is to create a realistic opportunity by which peak hour vehicle trip generation to and from the workplace is reduced by 25%. The centerpiece of this TDM program is a shuttle that is funded by members of the

T-Rex Corporate Center Association connecting 13 shuttle stops with the Tri Rail station as shown on the screen. Staff notes that pursuant to section 281886 of the code of ordinances, all enhanced mobility developments shall participate in the city the city's TDM program um by either implementing or and maintaining a shuttle service operating between an EMD and the Yamato trial station or Boca Raton trial station. There used to be two planned so we just call it the Boca Raton now. um or by paying an annual fee to the city in lie thereof. In the case of the shuttle services operated by the EMD, the minimum required operational characteristics uh including but not limited to operating hours frequency are established as part of the EMP approval. The applicant has indicated their intent to continue participating the existing shuttle service. Um on your screen is the currently approved master plan map H1 that was approved last year um by removing the brick property from the DRRI. The proposal also removes um the 124 acre brick campus and an approximately 5 acre utility site on the south side of Spanish River Boulevard, which includes a existing FPL facility, generation station, shared use pathway, and existing preservation parcel. Here's a look at the proposed map H2 H1, sorry. As you can see, the properties removed from the plan and the tabular data is updated accordingly. Uh staff recommends approval of the application because it's consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the city's comp plan, comprehensive plan, and meets the standards, and procedures in the comprehensive plan and the land development regulations. At their January 8th, 2026 meeting, the planning and zoning board recommended

approval of this amendment with a 6 to zero vote. At the meeting, several members of the public spoke, including representatives of the commercial and homeowners within the DRRI. The speakers weren't necessarily opposed to the application, but wanted more information on how the proposed changes to the DRRi as well as the future plans of brick may impact their properties. In response to that, the applicant um held in person, excuse me, and teleconference discussions with interested neighbors regarding the DRI amendment and the separate EMD master plan and site plan applications for brick. Also, after the planning and zoning board hearings, uh staff updated the resolution to make the effectiveness of the approval contingent on the approval of the enhanced mobility development that's currently under staff review, rather than immediately upon adoption, which is how it was drafted previously. The intent of this re revision is to allow for the appropriate conditions of approval to be incorporated into the EMD master plan to meet the TDM requirements of section 28186 that we discussed previously. prior to brick exiting the DRRi, but it will also provide for the automatic recision of this approval if the application for the EMD master plan isn't approved within 18 months. In conclusion, the development services direct uh sorry, the development services department recommends approval of this amendment to the DRRI and I would be happy to take any questions regarding this. Thank you.

Thank you. Does any member of our council have any questions for staff regarding this matter? If not, then we can commence the public hearing. I would ask that the applicant please rise and come to the podium, state their name and address for the record, and they will have up to 20 minutes. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of the council, thank you very much for allowing us to present this evening. Um, I do have a very brief PowerPoint and then we're of course available for questions. So, we'll begin. Um, this is the Bokeh Technology Center DRRI today. It is inclusive of a residential um piece of property that is known as Sentra on the west side of the site. um the lands between Yamato and Spanish River with a small area that is um currently comprised of the generator site, the old IBM generator site which continues to function today and it goes all the way up to the tri rail um uh parcel which was removed from the this DRRi um about approximately a year ago. And so our DRRI amendment request is to reduce the overall acreage of the DRRi from 217.5 acres to 87.89 acres, which is 129.62 acre reduction. The reduction removes the Bocerton Innovation Camp and its generator site um exclusively. So, just to give you an idea of what it looked like back in the early 70s, um this is what the land area was comprised of. It was the um trai the original IBM building and the parking pads and pretty

much everything else around it was vacant. Um if we were looking northbound, you would also see buildings within the park at Broken Sound because it too um portions of it pre-existed um what what was um what is current uh development conditions. The this was the original DRRI. Back then chapter 380 required what they called MAPH. This is map H. It's basically the program and level of development and the DRRI has been watered down and in our case in Bokeh's case uh Bokeh is otherwise exempt from chapter 30 because as Peter mentioned that we have been identified and classified and designated as a doula which is a dense urban land area and we are otherwise exempt from uh chapter 380. But back in the 70s, um I I just want to add one point that um to what Peter said, chapter 380 was intended as an interim interim statute. It was uh put in place to give the state time to adopt um what is now chapter 163 known as the growth management act, which was the controls that would be in place for a city to adopt and enforce its comprehensive plan and any land development regulations that come of that. It did overstay the intent which was to basically terminate at such time as chapter 163 was adopted and implemented for a handful of reasons and later it was um in the '9s that the state recognized that it it was overliving it the purpose that it had been created for. The other reason why

the state adopted chapter 380 decades ago was because cities like Boca Raton as an example and IBM as a perfect example were sprouting up development that had a regional impact. It wasn't exclusive to the city itself but rather its neighbors. It impacted other agencies like the water management district, Department of Transportation who had no seat at the table when these projects were getting approved. As an example, DOT is generally behind as far as roads are concerned with development and redevelopment. What chapter 380 did was to give the other agencies and other cities and the county a seat at the table when it came to redevelopment that was of a regional scale which many we have three DRI if I'm missing one I might be but in our city which means that we've enjoyed the benefit of regional um growth developments like IBM Meisner Park our downtown Our downtown is also a DRRI. Other cities have not enjoyed such growth. But the point is that the DRRI statute gave those other communities a seat at the table so that they got to see it before it got finally approved. And if in fact they had an objection, chapter 380 was the mechanism that allowed them to make those objections. With chapter 163 and the fact that most of our eastern corridor is essentially built out, chapter 380 doesn't serve the purpose that it used to because it is very difficult to generate something of regional impact under today's standards with the development and the land areas that we have today already being built. So I won't go through the legislative

history again but in the 70s the DRRI statute became effective. Growth management act chapter 163 followed in 1985 and by the by 1992 the state was saying I think we did what we needed to do. Let's start dialing this back because in part the review is duplicative. In part, it creates costs and expenses that do not or no longer serve a purpose. And the state was mindful of it back in the 90s and even today. But at this point in time, the state has no ability to use chapter 380 to interfere with what the decisions of this council and your leadership and your vision should want. You are exempt. And so the statute has no teeth. Um there are other mechanisms that are in place through 163 that protect you. And in fact, a development order that is approved today that is not in a DRRI undergo the same level of review as something that is within a DRRI. The DRRI does not pro um provide you any protections either. Um we I won't go over the history of the property. I think uh Peter did a great job of that. The area in pink is what we're proposing to remove and you can see the generator um plant that is just south of Spanish River. And and keep in mind at one time um IBM owned everything to military um to the west, to the east was I95 and to the north was Yamato with a good portion of what is south of Spanish River also under the control of that particular owner. And so, um, this is what the map, the map H would look like once it is removed. And as you can see, um, there

is only approximately 50,000 square ft left. But this application, unlike anything else that you'll probably review, this development order is actually the reverse of an entitlement development order. Because what we've done is is this owner and its um predecessors have done all of the obligations that were originally required for more acreage than they built. They are leaving 50,000 square feet on the table that they are walking away from. That that that square footage is actually paid for essentially. But it's it's insignificant from a their perspective, particularly as you look at how the land's been developed. we are leaving entitlements. We are not asking for any entitlements. This is really a cleanup item and that's the area to be excluded. And that's um the unbuilt square footage that I just mentioned. And as I mentioned, we chapter 380 today allows both Palm Beach County and the city of Ocaron as they've met certain population levels to have exempted themselves. This city did do that um almost two decades ago. Um so standards of review under the 2018 and 2021 statutory amendments that have been made to chapter 380, a DRRI must be reviewed according to the local comprehensive plan and land development regulations. That is the same standard of review for the develop the development orders that you will adopt or that you have adopted. So there is nothing additional that chapter 380 can provide you based on those two particular amendments. And since this level of review is already part of your process and evaluated with every application that is submitted that relates to a development order, it is no

longer necessary and it is really superfluous. Hence why we're asking to um remove it. And again, all of the mitigation's been done. the traffic and circulation obligations have been done. We have no objection to staff's recommendation that we carry forward the TDM measures. And I might add, um, at one time and probably still today, the tri rail station at Yamato is the highest used um, tri rail station in their entire system. It is the most successful one. uh this particular uh property, this particular applicant is responsible for ma um for maintaining a circulator that goes through the entire um development, the entire community. Um that is part of the TDM program that they they had consented to and that obviously will cont continue and staff's recommendation ensures that. So I think that's it. I'm happy to answer any other questions. While this came out as a result of the other application, it isn't really related because the other applications are applications that are seeking entitlements. This application is one that is giving back to the city entitlements that they did not use and again that they had already mitigated. So, I hope I explained that and supplemented um Mr. Beovich's uh presentation and I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you. Colleagues, do we have any questions? I had a couple. Just to make sure I I heard you right. Uh, Miss Mskell, it sounds like the DRRi just generally speaking is a redundant concept at this point. Is that right? It is uh based on the 2018 and 2021 state changes to 380. We are obligated under the DRRi to follow our comprehensive plan and our Z and our LDRs. And we would be doing that anyway because those are your rules. So it's outdated. You said it's or sorry it's it's redundant. It's outdated and it's overstated. Kind of like my in-laws at times. Is that right?

Well, I wouldn't say anything bad about your in-laws, but it is outdated. It is not needed. It is redundant. And while it's not a huge exercise, your staff is obligated to do the same exercise twice to say they did it. They did both of them and they are the same exercise. Thank you. Any other questions? If not, I think we can I'll reserve the rest of your time for you. Not sure that you'll need it. Okay. Anyone else who's been sworn in wishes to speak regarding this matter, please come to the podium. I don't believe I have any cards, so if you have something you'd like to say, please come up and do so.

Vivian Leer, 100 Northeast Spanish Court. Um, I just have a question. Taking Brooke out of the DRRI, is the purpose of that um, aside from avoiding the redundancy of of what they have to do um, with a DRRi? Um, is the goal to be able to increase the density of what they're doing there and building there? Because I think the city should be taking a look at not just density downtown but density everywhere in the city. It's causing a huge amount of traffic all over the city. It's really bad. Yuma roads horrible and we should be looking at density everywhere not just downtown.

Thank you, Miss Lester. I think our plan will be to address questions at the conclusion of all of the public comment on that. So, if anyone else would like to be heard on this, please step on up. And if you haven't been sworn, please let the clerk know and she can administer the oath to you.

Uh, good evening, mayor and commissioner, council members. My name is Steven Tilbrook. I'm an attorney with Acreman Law Firm. We represent the GEO Group, which has its corporate headquarters as part of uh the master plan and part of the DRRi. We are not opposed to this amendment to the DRRI. However, there are questions about what h what is going to uh continue as related to this DRRI. I think there's a legitimate question about whether the DRRI should be terminated as a whole. Um and that wasn't an option presented to the GEO group. We have we have presented our questions. I want to thank staff for being very responsive to our questions as well as the applicant. and uh we we're working with the applicant um on their master plan and also other developments that are coming along. It is going to be a complicated process. There is an association that was created to oversee the DRRI and the DRRI implementation. That association will remain while the DRRI remains. there will be a DRRI continuing but the the the donut hole of the DRRI will no longer be there. So we look forward to working with your staff, the applicant and uh council members uh towards the future of this campus and making it better and making sure we answer all those questions that remain about what happens with the DRRi, what happens with the association and how we have a good well planned project moving forward. Thank you for the opportunity to present our position. Thank you, Mr. Tilbrook. Anyone else wish to speak on this matter? Miss Pashki Pam Pashki, 341 Southwest 2nd Street. Um, this last fellow introduced himself properly. I don't believe Miss Msull

stated her name, her employer, her client, or her address. I didn't hear any of that. Maybe I missed it, but I don't think so. That was a requirement that she's supposed to do when she comes up. I You're right. You're probably right in my mistake for not having done so. I will when she comes up to answer some of these questions, I will make sure she does it then if that's okay, Miss Pashki.

Okay. Um then I had a question. I I'm hearing that this was redundant. I'm just wondering why um Brick is asking to be removed from this at this particular point in time. Is it is it sounds like it's it's contingent on something else, but that's to allow them to expand their density, which is what the last ladies I'm confused because redundancy is one thing, but if it's totally redundant, then it does seem like the whole DRRi would be dropped, but if it's for some other purpose to increase that they can put in more residences or something, I'm I was very confused by the whole beginning of the explanation. So if you could clarify that that would be great. Thank you.

Thank you. We will take those up at the end. Anyone else wish to be heard on this matter? If not, then Miss MSCL can come up and address some of the questions she was asked before she does that. Perhaps she could provide her name, address. My apologies. After 35 years, I forgot. It happens. Um Bonnie Mscoll here on behalf of the applicant and owner of the brick campus, the innovation campus and um I'm happy to answer the questions. Uh first of all, one last thing, your address, please.

Oh uh 14 Southeast 4th Street Booker. Um that's my office and I have known Mr. Tilbrook for about 30 years. It's nice to see you again. Um so the it is redundant. Um, and with the doula in place, not not only does this, the good news about getting rid of a DRRi is that it ensures that no outside agency or local government intends to interfere with the wishes of what our council may have. They really can't because again, we are a doula and we have a right. Uh, we are exempt. But the purpose of the DRRI among other things was to give outside forces a seat at the table. And for other communities that that trigger or trip the thresholds that are in chapter 380 that are not doulas, they will continue to be subject to the rules that are in effect under chapter 380. Um but but the reason we're asking to come to you is a few there are a couple of reasons. One, it is redundant. It is slightly time consuming because the same task is being done twice for the same information. Not just for your staff, but we have to submit two applications instead of one. We have to pay two fees instead of one. And the application and the review is identical. It's just it doesn't make a lot of sense to have it. And arguably as a doula, we shouldn't even have to submit that second application because we are exempt from going through the chapter 380 process. So, but you know, this is a really a cleanup process. And by the way, I don't disagree with Mr. Tilbrook. it does make sense to abandon the entire DRRi at this point because out of the millions plus of development that have happened um

there is only 50,000 square ft at this point any new development that should come in and there is an application pending and I am happy to speak with anybody about it if they have any interest in talking about it that application will have to go through full review it will be reviewed by staff it'll be reviewed by other agencies It will go to our planning and zoning board and ultimately it will come to the city council and it will be based on your comprehensive plan and your LDRs and the processes that you've established for it. So, I hope that answered your question. Did I get it?

Okay. Well, and I'm happy to answer any other questions if anyone wants to speak to me after the meeting. Okay. Does that conclude your presentation?

It does. And again, here for questions. Okay. There used to be the time now where we would have cross-examination. I believe we eliminated that unless there is an is there I guess there is now still an opportunity for cross-examination. It is limited to staff and the applicants. Does anybody wish to avail themselves of that? If not then I think we can close the public hearing. Well, you had to have been one of the ones who spoke, Miss Morrow. So, I don't think you get the chance to do that now, unfortunately. Um, so now would be the time to have a motion and a second to adopt resolution number 26-2026. Do I hear such a motion? Well, I will make such a motion. Is there a second?

Second. Second. Very well. Any discussion by members of the council? Anybody want to comment? If not, we can proceed to a roll call vote. So, Miss Sitins, take it away. Pearlman, no. Sipple, yes. Thompson, yes. Growl, no. I'm going to have to defer to the city attorney. It's been a long time since I've had a tie vote.

Sure. Uh, I can answer that. uh when you have a tie vote of two to two that means the motion does not carry. So it's the effect of it not passing. So the motion uh was to approve and that motion did not pass. Thank you Mr. Kaylor.

Okay. Any further clarification on next steps? Can this be something that could be brought back because we were missing a council member at the time. Uh Mr. Dr. Kayla, could you advise as to what the procedure would be to have this voted on at a time when we had a full council which would have the opportunity with five folks there to be able to break a tie?

Sure. Uh, as the clerk mentioned, uh, it's not something that we've I've encountered in in my 15 years with the city. Uh, that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Um, the cleanest answer is that a two- two vote. You have a quorum. You have a a duly sitting council that's considering a development application at a public hearing. A motion's been made to approve and uh that has not passed. It's tied to the two. um the council could treat that as a denial. Um if the I I think it's effectively denial. Um that that's the effect of the action. Um if we had more time to consider and think about it, we could look and evaluate whether or not there was a way to bring it back. Um but generally for your planning and zoning board if you have a tie which that has happened uh we've applied previously that that was the effect of a denial. So a 22 tie is a denial.

I'll give Miss an opportunity to um Mr. Mayor if I could poll the the board to identify what the reasoning or basis for the denial is. If the members of the board would wish to convey that information, please feel free. I'll go ahead. Um, for me, we have not been presented with a clear vision or even potential scenarios for what comes next.

So, if it would please the board, would you prefer that we postpone this item and come back at a later date after you've had an opportunity? They are unrelated technically, but we're happy to post postpone if you prefer. Would you reconsider a postponement? I think we need clarification from the city attorney how to accomplish that. I'm happy to have it come back if if that would help anyone make a decision, but I would need to know procedurally how we would accomplish that. Mr. Fernandez, Mr. Kaylor.

Sure. Sure. I I'll give it another shot. I appreciate that. Um, again, as city attorney, I always want to provide this council with as much flexibility to make a decision that this council feels best. Uh, Deputy Mayor Grow mentioned a lack of complete uh, picture. I think lack of I don't want to restate uh Miss Grow's statement, but that uh we know from the staff presentation that this matter tonight was never going to take effect unless and until a future application comes to the council. So, it would seem to me appropriate that if this council wanted to defer and consider that future application when it would have more of an idea of what the applicant is proposing to do with the land that it could delay, postpone this matter until it can here the complete uh proposal from the applicant. I think that to me inherently seems correct. Um so that's what I think.

Why don't I suggest this then? Uh Miss Mskell, if you are proceeding with the unrelated separate application, um how would it Mr. Kaylor, why don't we try it this way? Could they make a similar request as part of baked into their upcoming application and we could review and reconsider this question then as part of the larger as part of the larger application? Is that something that we could accomplish?

Sorry, I was I was muted. Um the yes I I think I think that if if the if the applicant wished or if this council wished to hear uh the matter all at once let's because my understanding and staff may be able to better articulate it but that you have several applications. You have a DRRi uh amendment application which is what is being heard tonight and then you have a I believe it's a master plan under a designation called enhanced mobility and there may be a site plan as well. Um you staff may be able to better explain why these uh operated on separate tracks. Uh it doesn't sound to me from this public hearing that there was a urgent timing necessity. So mayor I think to answer your question again that strikes me as feasible if it's the will of this council.

And so I guess that's one option available to the applicant. Another is when that subsequent application comes forward. Uh correct me Mr. City attorney that anyone on the prevailing side which as you indicated would be no at this point meaning Mr. Pearlman or Miss Grow could move to reconsider in the event that they found or saw information that they were answered their questions to the extent that that's the issue now. They could at that point make a motion to reconsider. Um or would that be something that would have to be done within a certain time frame?

Yes. So under the again this is uh highly technical uh highly procedural but that's fine. Um there is a rule uh that this council has adopted that a motion to reconsider. Um it has to be made technically by a party on the prevailing side. So there was no prevailing side here as it was a two to two vote. So, that's something that would need to be analyzed and I'm I'm frankly uh going to have to research that and speak with my team to have a more precise answer. Um, but

well, let me pause you there to say

strikes me fundamentally as this council, if it wishes to, should be able to decide an application at a future date if it's not inclined to approve it tonight. That strikes me as as a generally these types of protections are designed for the private property owner. And generally it's the private property owner who has the most to gain or lose. And generally if it's the private property owner who is suggesting a path and the council is amenable to that path that again it's it's a very unique question that I've not previously researched but it would it would tend to suggest the answer is you have that flexibility whatever the mechanism may be and I would have to think that through more carefully.

Great. Final question Mr. Kaylor. Uh say you we were able to determine that one side or the other is the prevailing party here. How long in the event that there was a prevailing party would they have to f to submit and make a motion to reconsider?

Okay. I I I thank you, mayor, and I did bury the lead on that. When I preface the comment by the technical rule, it has to be at the same uh the same meeting on which the vote was taken. So, uh if if you're applying that prevailing party rule, which again I don't see a prevailing party here, it would have to be at the same meeting. Um, and so really it would be this application did not either proceed tonight and the council decides to consider it at some future date. The applicant could withdraw their application. They could resubmit at a future time. Um, but right now as it stands, there was a motion to approve the DRRi amendment only and there were uh two votes for and two for votes against and the uh result of that is that the motion doesn't pass. Okay. Well, I think we'll we can conclude by saying the following, Miss Mistl, if you wish to bring this matter back as part of the larger application. Um, I think that would make sense and I think if staff concludes that that's not an available option, they will indicate that to you at at whatever time.

Um, if I could have a point of clarification that maybe the city attorney can respond to. Um, typically you may not reapply for a period of a year, I believe. So, I I believe the council may wave that, but I if that if that would preclude us from doing that or if I have to withdraw this evening, I think the votes already been had. I'm not sure I could do that, but is the if I append my other application to add this in, would that be different than reapplying with the same application?

Sure. And that's a a good question. um for the benefit of the public and the benefit of the council. The city code contains a rule and it's zoning code that generally says when somebody comes in to get an application and they get a denial that they are it's it's an administrative rule. it's they are uh not permitted generally to submit an identical application within one year of that denial. It's uh to think of it as you can't just you know a ask denied ask denied ask denied ask denied. Um that that's generally the purpose of that rule. It does say uh that it has to be that that it can be different and or and so staff has certainly discretion to look at that. Um a combined joint application that contained a master plan, a site plan uh and a any other enhanced mobility type matters. Um to me again I would have to talk to development services. Uh but that strikes me as a different application. Uh that would be a more complete application. Um that would have was not decided tonight. And so I think that's not an unreasonable reading of the code.

Uh thank you. We understand. We're good.

Okay. All right. That concludes item 11 A. 11 A. So we can move on to item 11B. the Palm Beach International Academy at Brick. The public hearings on item B1 and B2 will be combined as these are interrelated, but a separate vote will be taken on each item. Because the two items are quasi judicial in nature, the city's quasi judicial procedures will be applied to the combined discussion. Should item B1 not be approved, no vote will be taken on B2. So, Miss Siddens, if you could please could you read the title of resolutions number 28 2026 and resolution number 29, 2026. Resolution 28 2026 a resolution of the city of Boca Raton considering for the approximately 124.2 2 acre Boca Raton Innovation Campus brick property generally located at 5,000 T-Rex Avenue. Conditional use approval pursuant to section 28-978 code of ordinances to authorize a 5,711qt private school for grades 6 through 12 with a maximum of 50 students to be allowed on site within an existing 1,770,417 square ft building in the light industrial research park LIP zoning district providing for appealer providing an effective date. Resolution 29 2026 a resolution of the city of Boca Raton considering for the approximately 124.2 2 acre Boca Raton Innovation Campus brick property generally located at 5000 T-Rex Avenue. An amendment to an approved site plan amending and restating planning and zoning board resolution number 2021-021 to one provide an additional 20 short-term bicycle parking spaces on the property for a new 5,711q ft private school in an existing 1,770,417qt

building. and two to reflect current site conditions on the northern portion of the property currently improved with landscaping and paving providing for appealer providing an effective date. Thank you, Miss Siddens. Uh, Mr. City Attorney or Mr. City attorney designate, could you please confirm that the quad judicial procedures that you mentioned earlier remain in effect for this item, these items? Yes, confirmed. Thank you. Uh separately, members of the council, do we have any exparte disclosures relating to these two items? Mr. Perma, we'll start with you. No exparte communications. Very good. Miss Sipple.

Yes. I had a meeting with Bonnie Mishkill and David Millage regarding this at the same time the on 49 with the other. Very good. Miss Graph, same same disclosures. I uh my disclosures are similar as well. I had a message from Mr. Millage. I never connected with him and I don't recall having any other discussions with anybody regarding this item. So, uh if we if anyone in the public wishes to speak on this matter, please stand while the clerk will administer the oath on this item, these two items. Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that any testimony you may get before this public hearing will be truthful and accurate?

Thank you. Very good. Mr. Sohaney, who will be making the presentation on these items? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Begovich will make this presentation as well.

Thank you. Uh again, Peter Begovich for development services. Uh, the applicant is requesting a conditional use approval pursuant to section 28978 of the code of ordinances for a site plan amendment to authorize a private school serving grades 6 through 12 in a 5,711 square foot tenant bay with an exist within an existing approximately 1.8 million square foot building. The school known as Palm Beach International Academy or PBIA is a hybrid remote and in-person facility that doesn't operate like a traditional private school. There's no set arrival or departure time and the students are not required to visit the campus. Students who choose some level of in-person instruction would be on campus for about 10 to 25 hours a week compared to a typical school which is over 30 hours a week. Students can compete complete their schoolwork on campus or at their own pace in a location away from the PBIA campus. A maximum of 50 students will be at the facility at any one time, including a mix of middle and high school students, while the school's actual enrollment may exceed 50 students. On site, attendance may be less than 50 at any given time due to the school's flexible schedule. The site plan amendment adds 20 bicycle parking spaces 14 in bike racks at three locations outside the facility and six within the tenant bay. Since the additional surface parking approved in 2021 was not constructed, the site plan is also updated to show the parking lot as it's currently constructed. That previous site plan um included improvements that were constructed and were not. So, we're just taking what was not constructed off the site plan of record just as a cleanup item. Uh, the proposed school is located on the first floor near the entrance by the Newport Cocher that was approved during the last

site plan approval. Um, staff supports the applicant's analysis that the application meets the conditional use criteria with staff's recommended conditions of approval. Uh the proposed private school use aligns with existing and planned office, retail and residential projects surrounding the property and conforms to the character of the zoning district. The existing building and infrastructure is adequate for the use with modifications proposed in the site plan amendment. No adverse impacts have been presented to the city, nor are they anticipated. To ensure that the proposed private high school use operates in conformance with the parameters set forth by the applicant, staff has recommended conditions of approval that limit the use of the school to grades 6 through 12 and limit the number of students allowed on site to 50. Due the hybrid format of the proposed school, no limit on the number of students enrolled at the school is proposed. Um, staff supports the applicant's analysis that the site the application meets the site plan criteria. Subject to staff's recommended conditions of approval, the project will increase the number of short-term bicycle parking spaces provided at the property. 616 excess vehicular parking spaces remain at the project with the proposed addition of the private middle and high school and the removal of 378 unconstructed surface parking spaces previously approved pursuant to resolution 2021 021 the approval of which has expired. There are no proposed changes to the existing access circulation or the exterior of the building located on the property. The project is consistent and compatible with existing, excuse me, land uses on the property and adjacent office, retail, and residential development. Staff find no consistent

inconsistencies between the application and the comprehensive plan and staff supports the applicant's request for approval from the city council to proceed with the project as proposed subject to certain conditions. At their March 19th meeting, the planning and zoning board recommended approval of the application as does the development services department um which recommends approval pursuant to the conditions of approval in the attached resolutions. And that concludes my presentation. Be happy to answer any questions of the council.

Thank you, Mr. Beovich. Do any members of the city council have questions for staff relating to these items? No. In that case, we will open up the public hearing. The applicant shall step forward and be heard and they will have up to 20 minutes once you give your name and address.

Good evening again. Bonnie Mskell here on behalf of the applicant uh 14 Southeast 4th Street, Boerton, Florida, and I have been sworn. Um the Palm Beach International Academy is currently a tenant of of the brick campus. um they have their corporate office there and as a matter of fact one of our their founding leaders happens to be a longtime resident of the city of Boca Raton um and hence there's this special I think um uh feeling um that Bokeh is a special place and that they want to have a school here. So having an office here already uh it was natural for them to want to expand their operation to include the city of Boca Raton uh as one of the locations for their school. And so the um site itself is the ground level very near the new entrance portico. And this school um as Peter mentioned um is a um is this is a different type of school. It's not a traditional school. Uh while the school will serve children from um grades 6th through 12th, uh it is not your traditional classroom and I'll get into that um in a um in a few minutes here. So uh specifically they offer a personalized education program tailored for the students who benefit from a more independent study approach to meet their academic goals. The program provides a non-traditional learning environment with the support of academic coaches, tutors, and teachers um and not um necessarily in a classroom format. It is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools, Colleges, and Cogna, ensuring that each student that graduates earns a recognized high school diploma um before they continue on to whatever their life goals are. Uh it is

a hybrid. It is a customized program. The school itself meets with each of the children to establish their needs and the nature of the program. So they know what each students needs are. Whether it's more um tutored, teachered or in a a more of a formal classroom form versus a a complete hybrid approach which may have a little of both or which happens to be primarily online and digital in nature. but they cater to each student to ensure that they get the best environment for that particular student's needs. Um they have a they focus on personalized learning and the the academy helps students build the skills and confidence necessary for them to to move forward um through and achieve their future success. The students who choose some level of in-person instruction would be on campus sometime between 10 and 25 hours per week. There is no set arrival or or departure time and the students are not required to to be on campus or visit the campus unless their plan provides for such or there are certain needs as far as tutoring etc. So, as I think you got from the last item, the overall site is 124.21 acres. This is one space within the first level of the Boca Ratona Innovation Campus. The underlying land use is planned mobility. The zoning is light industrial research park. And this particular zoning category requires a school to come in and request a conditional use approval so that the board can be sure that there are no negative impacts from introducing that use into the brick environment or the brick environment itself does not create a problem for the proposed use. As it stands, there are

other schools that are presently operating within the campus. Um, and it is a campus that thrives on innovation. So, it really is special and perfect as it relates to the nature of this school. Uh, we have no issues with any of staff's conditions. Uh, we are required to install some bike parking. Um, this space itself lends itself to this use and I'll show you exactly what we're speaking of. It's approximately 5,711 square ft. again on the first floor located immediately or very near the porticoer and main entrance for the um campus. This is a space layout. So you can tell from this it is not your typical classroom. Um many offices are here for personalized attention. There are tutoring rooms here. There's an open classroom workspace for students that have um more hours within the facility located in the center, reception, conference rooms, and bathrooms. Um this the board, the planning and zoning board recommended approval. Staff is recommending approval. The project is consistent and compatible with the existing land uses, the surrounding land uses. Um it currently is operating its corporate office in the building. So it is very familiar with um the Boeron Innovation Campus and we have no deficiencies or inconsistencies uh with the comprehensive plan or the land development regulations and I'm happy to answer any other questions and I also have uh clients uh that are here today if you have specific questions for the school. Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you Miss Mskell. Uh colleagues, do we have any questions for the applicant? If not, uh I think we will continue on with the public hearing. Thank you. I'll reserve the rest of your time. Does anyone else who had was sworn in wish to speak regarding items number 28-2026 or 29-2026? I wasn't sworn in for this one. Please raise your hand. Do you swear or affirm that any testimony you may give for this public hearing will be truthful and accurate? Yes. Thank you.

Pam, welcome. Welcome back, I should say. Yeah, I know. Huh? Once more. Um, Pam Pashki, 341 Southwest Street. So, could you bring up the floor plan for this again? I was c curious about something about the floor plan. Is that possible? Yeah, we're working on Okay,

let's look at that. Keep going. That's part of the city's presentation. I'm assuming that's the one you were referring to. Yeah, the the floor plan's in the applicants presentation. Is that your request that we see the applicants? Okay. Yeah, there it was. Go back one. Oh, there it is.

Sorry. So, my question here was I don't see but two little bathrooms and they're going to have 50 students in here potentially. So, I thought that was a little strange. And I don't see this is all is this the offices for the company as well as a place for student up to 50 students to come and so I'm kind of curious. She uh Miss Mscoll said that there are other schools on the premises. So do they have similar floor plans and ideas? I just want to understand this a little better. Um, so she said it was accredited, which was one of my concerns, so that's good. But this whole bathroom thing seems a little weird. And anyway, that's what I got.

Thank you, Miss Pashki. I'm sure Miss MCO will address your questions when she comes back up. Anyone else? And if you could please confirm you've been sworn. Richard Warner, 1322 Southwest 9th Terrace. I'll be brief. It It seems like a very nontraditional school. I'm curious. What's the tuition?

Does anyone else wish to be Hold on just a second, Miss We'll Let's finish everyone's comments and then you can come and bat clean up on all of them at the same time. Anyone else wish to be heard on these two items? Okay. Swear.

Do you swear or affirm that any testimony you may give before this public hearing will be truthful and accurate? Yes. Thank you.

Jonathan Washam, 498 Southwest 12th Terrace. Um, I'm a biggest big supporter of alternative ways to do education. Um coming from education, my area was more towards higher education. My concern is is that um having worked in the Brook area in the past, you have a mixed population. Hey, you have a population of adults and now you're talking about a population of children. Um children from sixth grade to 12th grade. So is there going to be a separation? And is there also security in order to be able to protect these children from people um that shouldn't be in the area or you know for example the bathrooms from the from the um floor plan that you showed looks like they have to go into a hallway area. So is there going to be some type of um system in place to ensure that then when they use these bathrooms that they are going to be protected when they go into those areas? Thank you. Anyone else wishing to be heard on these two items, please stand and let me know. We can swear you in if necessary. If not, I believe that we can wrap up by having the applicant with a rebuttal. Go ahead, Miss Mkel.

Um I'm sorry, guys. Would you mind putting the floor plan back up and I'll we'll talk about that one quickly. So um it's a maximum of 50 at any one time although the expectation is not necessarily that they will be at 50 again it is customized for their students um and that space in the center is it would be individual workspace almost like a Herman Miller kind of approach in the event that there are many students that happen to be there and again it has to be less than 50. The offices are intended for both administrative staff and there will be individual one- on-one meetings with teachers and and tutors and um also coaches within those offices. It would be intended as shared space. We will be required to meet the minimum bathroom requirement. We believe that we do as we're showing it, but we will not be able to get a business tax receipt to open as a school until we can demonstrate that we've met not simply the code requirements, but the building code requirements. As far as security is concerned, um brick probably is one of the most secure buildings in our city. Uh they have um automated security everywhere and it's being watched all the time. So we will have personnel within this facility to manage the space from within and anything that happens beyond that the landlord has significant security in place during all operating hours. So we are very confident that we will meet the minimum or or exceed the minimum requirements as it relates to security. And as an accredited school, we are also required to meet the minimum standards for an an accredited school

which ha in in unfortunately in today's day and age the security component of it has grown as we all know. So I I hope that answers your question and we and our team is here so we're happy to talk about it more outside the chambers. Miss MCL, do you have anything else that you wish to

um the one other thing that we didn't really explain much but you may know um we you will find in these programs athletes who cannot um perform to to their sports demand with traditional schools. The school hours do not accommodate their ability to train as they train. You know, Mr. Pearlman, you may have been one of those students who had to work with um your institute, your educational institution to be able to to to train like that. Um, it also includes people that are performing art, artists, artists, or students that just don't succeed in the traditional rigid environment that is really serving more of the average as opposed to those that excel or or just don't conform to that environment. So, this is really a very flexible environment that is designed for each student and is customized and it gives them the ability for them to succeed at not simply their athletics or whatever the others are, but but at academics. Anyway, I hope that explained it a little bit better. Thank you very much for your time and attention.

Great. Does that conclude your presentation, Miss? Oh, the tuition. Thank you. Thank you, Pam. Um the it because these students are here anywhere between 10 and 25 hours. It the the tuition is based on the amount of time that they are here and it could be anywhere from 11,000 to 29,000 per year and it really does depend on the hours. Uh a good portion of these children uh because kids are a lot more techy than kids were at my age or when I was in school. Um, a lot of these children do the bulk of their work online. So, thank you very much.

Okay. Very good. And I think at this time we can close the public hearing on these two items. Resolution number 28, 2026 and 29 2026. And now would be a time for a motion and a second to adopt. Let's start with resolution number 28 2026. Do I hear such a motion? Make a motion to adopt. Thank you, Miss Sipple. I will second. Is there any discussion to be had on this matter? We'll start with 28 2026.

Well, I'll offer some comments first. Um, as was mentioned, this is simply a conditional use application, meaning in a place like brick, a school would need to come to the city council to get approval for that kind of use to be permitted there. This would in my view is a very minor request that is made by an existing tenant will have a minimal impact on the Bocarone Innovation Campus as a whole. We're talking about 50 students at the most comprising 6,000 square ft which is a drop in the bucket compared to the overall site of the of Brick. And it as was repeated there was several schools already exist in this site now at brick. So, this seems to be a consistent use that has been permitted there. I don't see any basis for us to be opposing it. I'll just give my comments on resolution number 29, 2026. This is simply an effort to build more bicycle parking spaces. I don't see any basis to to deny that. Um, so I will be supporting both resolutions 28 2026 and 29 2026. Does anybody else have any comments? If not, we can proceed to the vote as sentence

for resolution 28 2026. Pearlman, no. Sipple, yes. Thompson, yes. Growl, yes. Motion passes three votes to one. Thank you, Miss Sins. Can we Does anybody have any additional comments related to resolution number 29, 2026? M. Uh, Mr. Mayor. Oh, sorry. I'd like to make a motion to recess after the conclusion of this for five minutes to take a break. Not not not close up shop. Okay. Can we vote on this first and then we can do that? Okay. Why don't we do the vote on 292026 then? Do I have a motion in a second or

That's a good point. Actually, no. I will move to adopt resolution number 29-2026. Is there a second? Second. Great. Let's do it. Simple. Yes. Thompson. Yes. Growl. Yes. Pearlman. No. Motion passes three votes to one.

Okay. At the request of Mr. Pearlman, before we launch into item 12 or section 12 of our agenda, regular public hearings, we will take a recess for 5 minutes. We'll be back at 10:25. Heat. Heat. Apple. Hey. Hey.

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

It is 10:35. We are back in business. We're moving on to regular public hearings. And I know Mr. Fernandez will remind me, but when we get to around 11:00 or at or near that point, we may need to we will need to move to extend the meeting beyond that time. Uh we'll get there when we get there. But let's move on to item 12A on our agenda. Uh, Miss Sitins, could you pre please read the title of ordinance number 5779? Ordinance number 5779, an ordinance of the city of Bocaraton amending the code of ordinances related to the executive employees retirement plan. Amending section 12-160 definitions. Amending section 12-162 service. Amending section 12-163 normal retirement. And amending section 12-165 separation from employment to update and clarify certain provisions contained therein providing for severability providing for appealer providing for codification providing an effective date.

Thank you Miss Siddens. Mr. Sohaney who will be intro who will be making the presentation for staff tonight. Thank you Mr. Mayor, our deputy city manager and CFO, Mr. Jervis, will make the presentation.

Yes, honorable mayor and members of the council. Um, this is really a cleanup item. This item comes to you at the recommendation of the executive employee um board, the pension plan board. Um, and it really addresses a a couple things within the code as as as I said really a cleanup matter. So, it defines it provides a definition for actuarial equivalency, which doesn't exist. It's that's a term that's used but not defined in the code. Um and it and it updates uh it updates the uh the actuarial equivalents to reflect uh the same assumptions that are used for the valuation of the pension plan. So it brings consistency in that way. Uh it clarifies some clarifying language around uh drop timing the deferred retirement option plan. Um and then with respect to service purchases, it provides clarification that uh we we at time have people that transfer between pension plans. The city has three pension plans. Um and each one of those pension plans allows for the purchase at the employees option and cost of up to five years of of uh service time. And so the clarification is that it's five cumulative that you can't buy five in one plan then transfer to a different plan and buy five more in in this plan. So it just says hey it's it's five years total uh and that's it. And uh and then just some cleanup language around transfer ease and uh really dates with respect to entering the drop versus retirement. It just provides clarification. Um there is no change to benefits for any current retirees or or any members of the plan. So there's no change in the provisions there. There is an actuary letter as uh included in your staff report or with the staff report

that determines that there is no impact no actuarial impact on the cost the plan cost or the plan's liabilities. So it's a no impact letter. Uh so I'll I'll stop there and if there's any questions I'm happy to answer them.

Thank you Mr. Zervis. Are there any such questions from members of our board? If not we can open the public hearing if anybody wishes to speak on this item. Ordinance number 5779. Please uh come to the podium. State your name and address for the record and you'll have up to three minutes. Is that is that a suggestion that somebody wanted to comment? No. Very good. Then I think we can close the time for public hearing. I'll ask for a motion and a second to adopt ordinance number 5779. I make a motion to adopt.

Thank you, Miss Sipple. I will second. Is there any council discussion to be had on ordinance number 5779? Well, I'll I'll just I'll start to say that this is a, as Mr. service mentioned a pretty simple cleanup item. I don't see there being any impact and I feel like the there was a evidence in the record to support the fact that there would be no actuarial impact to the changes that are proposed here. So, I plan on supporting it. Any other discussion? Well, Miss Sittens, if you could please. Thompson, yes. Growl, yes. Pearlman, yes. Sipple, yes. Motion passes. four votes to to zero. Excuse me.

Very good. We can move on to ordinance number 5782. That's item 12B on your agenda. If you're following along at home, uh Miss Sins, could you please read the title of ordinance number 5782? Ordinance 5782, an ordinance of the city of Pocaraton amending the fiscal year 2025 through 2026 budget through the first budget amendment providing for severability providing for appealer providing an effective date. Thank you, Miss Sins. Mr. City Manager, who will be making the presentation on this item tonight? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Zerus will also make this presentation. Okay, Mr. Zer, welcome back.

Yes, honorable mayor and members of the council. Um this uh this this is the first budget a budget amendment to this fiscal year's budget. Um we typically will have uh three or four budget amendments throughout the year um just uh to uh to make amendments for things that happen during the year. This one's a little um a little more involved um and covers a few different items. I'm going to highlight the the major um items that are that are included here. Uh the the biggest one uh is is the impact of the compensation study. So there was a compensation study done last year. Uh the city council accepted that compensation study and actually voted to implement it or voted to have the city manager implement it. Uh that was done at the at the time it was being prepared was the time we were preparing the budget. So the budget was actually done before we had the final compensation analysis done. So the impact of that was not included in the budget. We knew that and that was disclosed to the council um when when it was voted on to be implemented. Um it was implemented in Jan on January 1 for all of our non-represented general employees. It didn't include police and fire in the study. Um, and so what the what this one of the things that this budget amendment does is is account is is account for those changes in compensation that were delivered through that compensation plan. And that touches a number of different funds. And so in the actual memo, we break it down into different sections um that correspond to the actual ordinance. Uh each one of those is a separate fund because they they all are impacted differently. So that's that's probably the the biggest item included in this update or in this amendment. Uh the other item we we are amending the fire rescue salary calculations and that's really for a correction. Um that was under understated in the budget and and that

has happened for a couple years. Um we've identified uh that that issue and corrected it but we need that to be reflected in the budget. So that is not increasing compensation to any fire rescue employees. It's simply uh correcting for an error in the budget document itself. Um there was a building there was a transfer from the building fund uh that was included in the budget, but we actually recognized that in the last fiscal year's audit. So it's no longer needed in this budget. So we're just simply removing that item because it it's not going to not going to happen. And then the other item is um related to the Waverrest seaw wall emergency repair. So we spent about $1.4 $4 million um on the emergency repair of the wave crest seaw wall. Um because that was an emergency, the city manager under his emergency authority was able to move quickly to do that. In order to to pay for that, we actually used all of our available funding in the storm water fund that was actually designated for some other seaw wall work. And so now we're simply um restoring that funding so that we continue to to work proactively on uh on seaw wall repairs. Um there are a couple other smaller things in the in the amendment, but you know, I'll stop there and if there's any questions, I'm I'm happy to answer them.

Great. Thank you, Mr. Zerus. Are there any questions? Request for clarification. Mr. Pearlman, Mr. Mayor, um Mr. service. Other than um transfers between funds in this uh amendment to the fiscal year budget um the in increases in expenditures um that are reflected in this amendment are they solely related to personnel expenditures? I I looked through it and seemed most of them were. Um what what other addition additional expenditures are reflected in in the plan other than personal expenses and roughly how much was that?

Um yes, Council Member Pearlman, there's I'm looking looking for it quickly here. There were a couple items that were non-personnel related. Bear with me for just a second. So the 1.41,464 464,000 wave crest seaw wall item is included under section 11. That is that is not personnel related. There is $55,000 in additional capital expenditures um for the roof repair at the mausoleum. So that was over a million dollar roof repair, but we we needed a $55,000 more for that. So that's included in a cemetery mausoleium fund under section 13. I know there's another one. Hold on. There's a $229,900 increase um in expenditures for the the premium for the city's um stop-loss insurance coverage for workers comp. So that that quote came in higher than we expected. So that's included under section 17. And there's one more. Oh, the tree planting. So we actually received a donation of $25,000. Um, and that was for planting trees. And so we have to we have to budget for both the receipt of the $25,000 and then the

expenditure of the $25,000. So staff can go purchase trees and make them available to the public. And I believe that covers all of the non-personnel related items. Thank you. Any further questions for staff?

If not, then we can open up the public hearing. So if anybody wishes to speak on this item, please come to the lect turn, state your name and address for the record, and you will have up to three minutes. When I work for the state of Florida, one of the things that we used to have to do was requirement.

Press the button right in the middle. So you see a green light. There we go. Jonathan Wam, 498 Southwest 12th Terrace. When I previously worked for the state of Florida, um we were required to maintain a repair and replacement fund and a certain amount of funds were supposed to go into that fund every single year. When you were talking about what happened with the seaw walls being an emergency, um does I guess my first question is does the city have something similar to a repair and replacement fund and and the adjustment to the budget that you're talking about? Is that adjusting for the movement from repair and replacement to take care of this emergency? Thank you. Any additional public comment on this item?

If not, then we can close the time for public comment. Staff, could we address some of those questions that were just asked?

Yeah, I'd be happy to. Um, we do fund repair and replacement. Um, particularly for equipment. So, vehicles, we we routinely every year we put aside money to replace vehicles, fire trucks. Um you'll see some firet trucks coming. You know, those are over a million million and a half a piece now. And so you'll see, you know, we put away money every year in order to fund those as they're cycled out. Um same thing for computers, servers, all of those types of things we do. Seaw walls are a little different. Um seaw walls are actually seaw wall work is funded through our storm water fund. Uh that is an enterprise fund. So similar to a wa the water and sewer fund. So we charge rates. there's a line item on your utility bill uh that funds sea the the seaw wall construction or the seaw wall um repair work that we do. Uh so that's done not done through a repair and replacement kind of fund. It's funded through an enterprise fund. Um and we're going to be reviewing the rates for all of our enterprise funds including the storm water fund to make sure that it's set appropriately for the the work that needs to be done on on the seaw walls.

Very good. Thank you, Mr. Zervis. At this time, since the public hearing has been closed, we can take up a motion and second to adopt ordinance number 5782. Do I hear such a motion? If not, I will make it myself. I will move to adopt ordinance number 5782. Is there a second? Second.

Any discussion? I'll just reiterate because it seems to make sense that this is a routine that the idea of amending the budget the way that we're proposing here is not unusual. We do it as Mr. Jervis said three or four times every fiscal year to just make clear as part of our budget document the realities of what happens between when we pass the budget and uh subsequent periods of time. These expenditures are reasonable in my view and in some cases were necessary. for example, the seaw wall. So I do plan on supporting it. Is there any other discussion? If not, then we can do the roll call. Miss Sittens. Corral,

yes. Pearlman, yes. Simple, yes. Thompson, yes. Motion passes, four votes to zero.

Very good. That concludes our regular public hearings. We move on to public hearings and settlements, section 13, which we have none, which brings us now to public requests. So, I have a number of cards, most of whom have long since left the meeting, which I don't blame them. Nevertheless, I will see I will shuffle through to see if I can see if any of the members of the public are still here. I'll start with just in the order of the folks who are still here. I will call them. The first on my list is Richard Warner. He declines to make public comment. That is a first. Right. Right. Next on my list, I have Brianna Hagquist. Yeah, hit the button. See the green light, then we're good.

Oh, okay. Bioni Hadquist 5710A Coto Circle and Thaddius and Ted. They are gopher tortoises. They are not turtles. I' like to start out with uh Save Bokeh. And again, thanks to John for founding Save Bokeh. Um council members, please rewrite the ordinance so it can be uh passed as soon as possible because a lot of us worked very very hard getting these signatures. When I was doing this, I probably guessed him talked to about 3,000 people. Um, all of these people wanted to save our public lands, especially Sugar Sand Park and our urban forest and our wildlife and picnic areas and the trees that they go to watch the birds. Uh, I did not speak with one person who thought plowing up the um urban forest to build softball fields was a good idea. In fact, some people were actually upset, some almost furious about it. Like, how could we destroy anything like this? We're tree city. We're an urban forest right in the middle of our our city. It's unique. No one has anything at all like this. We have to protect our parks and our wildlife. Sugar Sand is a park. It is not a ball complex. There's already six ball complexes there. We were talking earlier about um wildlife in the street and being illegal to move the wildlife. I think anybody with half an ounce of compassion would attempt to save a a wild animal or any any species that was

going to be roadkill if it was safe to do so. There are at least three tortoises in this area. I know about them because I've seen them. I've photographed them. I've um videoed them. Uh I have heard of two others. I know about some more that are in different areas. The ones that were saved off the road, I don't know when they were saved, and I don't know where they are. A lot of us who have saved these tortoises are very hesitant to disclose the locations to each other because we are so concerned about their safety and we want to protect them. Sugar sand, our parks, our wildlife. It would be a beautiful nature trail, hiking trail, clean up the picnic areas, just a nice place to go. Because if we don't do this, a walk in the park and a picnic could easily be the thing of the past one of these days. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Hagquist. I see a couple cards here. Meredith Madson, I believe she left. Jonathan, I did the other one earlier. I'm sorry. Uh, and now would be a good time for us to entertain a motion, which I'll make, for us to continue our our meeting past 11:00. Uh, is there a second? Did you get my card? I I'm not I haven't concluded public comment. I just have to We have to extend our meeting past 11 o'clock for us to hear anybody's public comment. So, um, is there a second to the motion to continue our meeting past 11? Second. All All those in favor, please say I. I.

I. All right, we will continue with public comment. I have several additional cards here. Next on my list is Ida Nimi. Is she around? No. Ida. Lilia Perez. No. Lilia. Vivian Leer. Your backup. Ma'am, please step to the podium. State your name and your address again.

Vivian Leer, 100 Northeast Spanish Court, 33432. I have three items. Uh the first one it should be very quick. Um seeing as how I live on the barrier island, uh the the traffic coming across the bridge heading east is like a racetrack. And the strips that they've put down on the ground and the um um the crosswalk a little further down have not changed this. And uh I mean some guy in a Porsche came out of the little shopping center while I was waiting for Bridge the other day and he slammed on the on the gas. He must have I was four cars back. He must have been going 60 miles an hour in two seconds. I mean, this is what these people are like over here. They're coming across that bridge and they're just We need police enforcement. We need some radar to go in like maybe at the Wildfl the old um uh restaurant location there where it would love the Amazon used to be and maybe with a motorcycle guy. Grab these people and start giving out tickets and maybe if they start seeing the police lights coming on a lot of people stop slowing down there. Number two is the boondoggle intersection at Northeast Fifth Avenue and Palmetto Park Road. Um, people keep stopping on the northbound lane on for Northeast Fifth Avenue to turn left into a restaurant there. Unfortunately, what they're doing is they're blocking everybody that's coming over the bridge wanting to go north or coming from the west wanting to turn north. Nobody can go anywhere because the cars are all backed up because some jerk wants to turn left into a restaurant and he holds everybody up. And then what some of these people do too is they don't want the guy that's coming south to get in the restaurant before him. So they'd get over into the down the southbound lane of of Northeast Fifth Avenue, blocking all the southbound traffic while everybody another car is waiting to turn left behind him, traffic is stopped everywhere. It's unbelievable. So I would suggest if we're going to be building a condominium building there across at that corner, we're going to

have worse problems. So, what we need to do is maybe put up some poles there like they have on I95 to keep from people from turning left and maybe have the builder of that condo, I hope that's not approved yet, um require him to put in a right-hand turn lane for the condo, which would also include the right-hand turn lane into Wellpar Park. Number three is um the police station. And I was reading the Coastal News the other day and there was an article that mentioned that the city manager and the mayor um both assumed that people voted against the police station because of the cost. People like me and tons of other people did not vote against it because of the cost. They don't want that land developed. We'd like to see that. If you've ever heard of the Delray Oaks Natural Area right on Congress just north of the C-15 Canal, go check it out. That's what we should be doing with that area. It could be a wonderful learning place for kids with school buses from all over to come there during the during the week on a field trip and so forth to um learn about natural Florida. That's it.

Thank you, Miss Leer. I am impressed you were able to get all three of those items out in three minutes. That was very well done. And I know Mr. Sohaney was taking very good notes. I'm sure someone from staff will follow up with you about those. Uh who's next? I have Calder Alfano. Calder. I'm sure I said that wrong. Forgive me, sir.

Calder Alfano, 33 East Camino Rial. Uh, I just wanted to come uh quasi at the invite of Councilman Pearlman. I I get all the save bokeh emails I have kind of through the whole campaign and tonight it said to come and uh one of my favorite scenes in the TV show Ted Lasso, he talks about be curious, not judgmental. Uh I didn't agree with the save Bokeh movement. Uh, I'd love to see Bokeh continue to grow and have real estate investment here, but uh, I was curious to see what it looked like in real life. And what a fun first meeting. I'm sure for you guys, a tie that nobody seemed ready for. And tortoises vers softball was not anything I knew was in opposition to one another until tonight. Um, but I just wanted to come and uh really it seemed like kind of through the whole save bokeh thing I got a lot of lot of emails that seemed like to misunderstand some like kind of foundational elements of commercial real estate. I have a background in commercial real estate. I was a teacher, high school teacher here in Bokeh for a number of years and since then have uh worked as a commercial real estate lender and then as a broker and I just wanted to offer uh if I could I'll send you my email so you have my contact if you ever have questions about like any of the functions of how ground leases work uh how commercial real estate deals get put together. I just wanted to offer happy to help things as simple as property inspections. Uh you know, if you ever have any questions, I just wanted to be a resource. Um wanted to in kind of enjoy tonight and was really uh really exciting to hear from everybody and and just a cool night. Wanted to uh say we live in a a really amazing place. So, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Alfano. Thank you for spending these hours with us. Next up, we have Michael Schneider. It was on. Not really. Hit the button again until you see a green light. Oh, now it's on. There we go. Name and address, please, sir.

Okay. 5500 Northwest 2nd Avenue. All right. Basically, I'm here today to talk about North Park. Basically, about the items that we don't want and the items that we do want. All right. Basically, we have we don't want a skate park in our area. It's a we they wanted to put in a 42,000 square foot building south of the pickle ball building. it. We preferred just the old downtown you had it there of the skate park where only 27 annual passes were sold for the last 3 years. We we would you should either do this either redo the one downtown that Mr. Pearlman suggested or put it in Spanish River Park and you'll be uh observing the the theory of LPS library park school where it would be near. The second thing, the Boys and Girls Club is a proposed foot building on the southeast corner of Jeffrey Street and Northwest Second Avenue. This will operate as an afterchool and summer camp. This is a fine nonprofit organization where people could donate their dollars, but the impact of over 250 vehicles per day is not consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood. This wasn't even the Miller Lake report of North Park. One suggestion would be place the Boys and Girls Club at the Spanish River Park where parking would be provided for the buses and also if a parent wants to drop their child off. Uh this also was not even in the Miller Lake report and the skate park had a very low rating to do to do it. Now the uh golf course. We want to have a golf course preferably. Uh we used to have 27 holes, but now we u looks like with the pickle ball it's been knocked out. So we'll have about 18 holes. We're hoping with the driving

rain and putting greens were all were there before and can be used again. And the in the middle of lake report. This was also very highly rated. Okay. compared to the other two items. We want a community center at Northwest Second Avenue and we feel the we have a meeting hall, exercise room, people could play cards and many other uses. The Miller Lake report was very high. And also uh my condo president signed the uh condo resolution on what he wanted and didn't want. and the deputy clerk will tell you that he has a copy and I've given it to him and basically uh is this we don't want uh a six flag area or an amusement park all right we just want us to retain the residential character and uh basically uh I'd like to conclude that uh there's a beaks and parks department meeting on this on these issues please attend it's at 5:15 June uh April 20th. It would be very helpful if you could uh if the people agree with me to attend. It would help us a lot. April 20th, swim and racket club 2618. All right. Thanks for the free advertisement. Thank you. Do I still have more?

It's our pleasure, Mr. Schneider. No, I'm afraid you're out of your time. At least I got the whole thing in. Yes, you did. Nice work. I tried.

Next up, we have Judy Morrow. Okay. Good evening again. My name is Judy Marorrow, 1305 Northeast 5th Avenue. because we work so hard with Save Bokeh and four petitions. I want to congratulate and I am so happy to see all these wonderful people up here that really listen and really care about our city. And I'm just so happy. and Michelle got 66% in a three-way race. Over 50% is just fantastic. And uh John Pearlman, our founder of Save Bokeh, he worked so hard and he got 52% in another three people race. Excellent. and Stacy Sipple, she worked so hard and another three people race and she got 55%. I am so proud of you all. It is such a pleasure to come here but a little bit not so late. Okay. Um, also I wanted to thank the softball people, but they already left. And what happened is in the many, many years ago, the softball fathers got together and they hired a lawyer and they did what the developers do. They went to each council person and the mayor and that's how they saved the softball and they saved our tennis. Then many years later, the city wanted to

knock us down again, the tennis center, and the city got a lot of bids. Thank God the bids were too expensive for the city. That saved our tennis courts. Now, Swim and Racket in 2018, they got $2.7 million to remodel their clubhouse, make beautiful bathrooms and lockers. $2.7 million. And then Patch Reef, they have the most beautiful awning over their pickle ball. cost $7.5 million. Now they're fixing up the tennis courts and the pickle ball at Patch Reef and that cost either 2.7 or 3.5. There's a little I don't know Jim Service would know the more accurate. So please don't make the tennis our We we're like the redhead stepchild. We we do not we get skipped. We don't even the $550,000 that was in there, they didn't give it to us and do anything. Please put us not number 47. Please put us in the top 10. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Mororrow Pampachki.

Yeah, I know. This will be my last time today. Pam Pashky, 341 Southwest 2nd Street. So, I had a couple things. First, I want to say Mayor Thompson, you're doing a great job. You're monitoring this. You're doing excellent, I have to say. Um, I support that the save Bokeh petition should be rewritten and improved. I the basic keeping the basic concept the same but endor you know smoothing them out a little bit making them a little better. So now I have a couple other things to go through. So I have a few city rules that I don't think are being followed properly. Um so when a speaker comes up they're to provide their name, address, and any relationship with the subject matter. And that's the part that's been missing when they're reminded to give their name and address. they're not always told to give whatever connection they have to the subject matter. Um, so maybe we want to make sure that happens. My example is the Bokea color graphics guy who spoke about the P3. He never said that he had a pending um agreement with Frisbee and Company. Um, the other thing is about the exparte communications. The rules of the city say disclosure is to provide the applicant and/or member of the public to re enough information to refute or respond to the disclosed exparte communication or action. Well, we're never told anything other than people's names and many of them we have no clue who they are. Like you'll say, I spoke to so and so and you're like well who is that? Um so to me it a good time to discuss what the actual exparte communications involved would be at the workshop which would be really great because then the

people can understand better what it is that these lawyers lobbyists are coming up to talk to you about and presenting. I know there's sometimes it's pretty significant. The other thing is I was curious about rule number 1.19 fiscal notes. It calls for fiscal notes on ordinances, resolutions or formal actions. Fiscal notes should include ongoing implications to the tax revenue and cost of provided services such as police, fire, road maintenance, you know, stuff like that. I've not heard this discussed with all these ordinance that we do. This is some rule in the procedure set. I don't see that it's it's being done. So, I'd like to see that happen. I also have some um you know that one time I came up and and gave you some proposed amendments to the rules of procedure. I'm going to send those to you so that next time you decide to change your rules of procedure, you'll have my comments ahead of time. And then I also um have some suggestions that I will email on some rules and regulations that I would like to the new people to consider um addressing at some point. So, but thank you all for the great job you're doing.

Thank you, Miss Miss Pashki. And you you got I think six or seven items out just now. That is quite impressive, particularly for the last your last public comment of the day. Is there anyone else? I have Donna Bloomberg. I believe she left. Anyone else wished to be heard during public comment? Step on up and you will shall be heard for 3 minutes. Take it away.

Jonathan Washam, 498 Southwest 12th Terrace. I want to reiterate what she said. Also, you did a great job tonight. I appreciate the respect that you had towards everybody and keeping things nice and calm. It's okay for people to disagree. Um, and it's just that we need to make sure that we respect each other when we do that. Also, it's it was a long night, but sometimes that's how democracy works in order to get things out. So, I appreciate the patience everybody's had. Um, there's two things I'd like to bring up just very quickly. Um, one of the things when we're going through the elections, you know, we talked or the board last time or I should say the council last time, a lot of members kept saying, you know, we're very transparent. But when I was trying to get a synopsis of all the ordinances and all the resolutions that we had and how they were voted on and what they represented, even through a foyer request, I was told there is nothing that's like that. So I would like to challenge this group to have a master document that's available on the website that shows all of our resolutions, all of our ordinances, and how they were voted on. The second part that I would like to challenge the group on during the last council meeting or last council that we had, we had basically four attorneys that sat at this table. And what ended up happening is that a lot of the talk was in legal jargon. A lot of the people in this city don't understand a lot of the legal jargon. I understand that when you propose an ordinance and propose a resolution that you try to put some of that in there in order to make sure that it's clear, you know, for legal purposes. But I'd like to challenge the group to try to make things as simple as possible for the people of this community so they can understand what it is that they're talking about, especially on things like the agendas. Um, they have a better idea of what's coming up and even in the minutes themselves have a better understanding of what was voted on for the people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Walsham. Yep. Step on up. Uh, Mr. You're going to have to wait just a second. Mr. Warner. You said enough already. She remembers. We remember. But you'll be next. Go ahead, ma'am.

My name is Christina Restreo and my address is 101 plus a real South. I have a quick Yesterday in the workshop, uh, Michelle suggested to have a professional city planner and I thought that was a great idea. This city is growing and is gonna grow either we want it or not. So it's better if we do it organized with a professionals telling us what is the way the best way to do it. So that leads me to another question. first great idea needs to be implemented I think and if you bring an idea such as the civic civil council whatever which I think is great and she has an idea of bringing planners to it why yours is in the agenda to be bordered when hers is not so how that works and now you said that part of the civil council is having planners but the problem is that we like me personally don't trust it because you guys said that as the votes for the saboka h ordinance was going to be is going to be implemented and it's not so we don't really like I don't really trust it so how is the having planners can be in the agenda to be implemented not only for the bokeh downtown but for the entire city growing now and you know for the future that's it

thank you Mr. Mr. Strepo, I I'll take a stab at responding to that. The reason why one of the things was on the agenda is I had asked for staff to prepare a resolution that would create the task force. And yesterday during the workshop process, Miss Grow and all members of the council took advantage of the fact that we get a chance to have a discussion in that setting and made the suggestion that she thought, Miss Gr did that it would make sense to have a city planner, you know, involved in the process. And that was a sensible idea which I thought merited having that kind of involvement. So I said I think it makes sense for us to incorporate that. That's why that was in there whereas there wasn't a specific item on the agenda for it. It would came up in the workshop discussion regarding an agenda item and we incorporated it and somebody made the reference to sometimes that's what democracy looks like. Well, I think that's what democracy looks like. We incorporate good ideas when we hear them. We put them together to bring together I think for purposes of the betterment of the city the best idea we can come up with. Uh anybody else? Mr. Warner we hadn't forget.

Just very very quickly. Uh I wasn't going to say anything but I'm I want to say this. Richard Warner 1322 Southwest 9th Drace on behalf of Martha Parker who's homesick. She has a serious interest in that land in Bokeatica and she believes and I just want to say it on her behalf that a Boys and Girls Club would be a wonderful use of that land and that it is compatible with the neighborhood. I know obviously some people disagree. I don't necessarily know one way or the other, but I wanted to make that statement on her behalf. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you, Mr. Warner.

Uh, good evening. My name is Harold Chaffy. I'm the president of 62 Northwest Second Avenue, then the president of Keep Golf and Bokeh. I represent over a thousand uh residents and golfers in in Bokeh. I want to congratulate all the new elected officials that are on the council. It's good to see new faces and good ideas, new ideas. I want to talk a little bit about Jeffrey Street. You know, the no one was approached in Bokeatica and nobody was approached on 28th Street about you closing the the railroad crossing or basically putting in a railroad crossing at Jeffrey Street. Um, the application that you put in, I'm talk about a couple different things. The application that you put in for the city uh from the city to the railroad was not uh filled out properly. You approved a park that was going to go on the east side of Second Avenue, which is the property is owned by the Beach and Parks, but in that report that you sent to the to the uh to the railroad, which was a little fictitious, you wrote down there was an abandoned golf course that was not being used. after you approved the park. So, you're going to build a four-lane highway and a railroad crossing going through a going through a brand new park, what a um a 70 acre park. So, if you don't think that's an unsafe condition, then something's wrong. You know, the second thing is that you're going to have in that park, you're going to have also mountain biking, you're going to have walking trails, you're going to have bicycle lanes, you're going to have a skate park, you're going to have a boys and girls club. Do you think that's a good idea to build a four-lane highway with a railroad crossing? And the other, like I said, it you didn't really ask anybody that you're going to do this. You should have put a notice up on 28th Street that this railroad crossing is going to be going to be closed and also notified the people of Bokeatika. There's 4,000 people that live there. That's not just And then on your report, you said just a a mild neighborhood, a couple of single family homes. That that's that's not

filled out properly. He said, "You're putting the railroad in jeopardy because you're not filling out. You want to tell them exactly what you're going to do with that property." All right. The second thing is the um is a skate park. You make you made an agreement with the beach and parks that you would build a skate park. Okay. They have to build a skate park and you would do the tunnel under sec under uh the continuation of Jeffrey Street. Well, you know, it's it's a 42,000 square foot skate park. It's going to cost3 to4 million. The only one that ever use it is 27 people a year. That's all. That's all that they have to fill out. Like they pay money ahead of time so they can use the skate park. 27 people use it. That's the one that didn't uh down in um in Risa. And you're going to spend $4 million on a skate park. Why? I understand it. You're talking about being stretched a little bit financially and not having the money, right? You're gonna spend $4 million on skate park, right? And and the other thing too is going back to Jeffrey Street. It's $15 million plus, okay, that you're going to to pay for this Jeffree Street to be continued through. For what reason? I don't understand. What you want to do is we have a community. You're going to destroy our community by doing these things

and that you really stepchild. Thank you, Mr. Chaffy. Your time is expired. Yeah. Good to see you again. First time with the mustache, by the way. It looks good. to do. Who's next for public comment? Step on up. I guess I'm the last one.

Good evening. My name is Alexandra Abello 498 Southwest 12 Terrace Bocaraton. I just want to have a heartfelt and from the deepest of my heart I have to congratulate all of you guys. I am so proud. Sacrifice always pays off. Passion is a thriving in all of you guys. So I congratulate the mayor. I congratulate the new council which is wonderful. I know you're going to I'm very sure that you're going to do a wonderful job together. Second, I would like for say VOCA to have finally next meeting. I think we will have the vote for the charter and put aside all of this that we went through for a year already. The second point I would like to do is can we bring Dodge or somebody can do an audit in our budgets because in my head the last time you put a beautiful spreadsheet up there and in the number item if I don't mistake item somewhere number six or eight it says from last year the budget was 10 millions and for this year was going to be 40 millions and it was no explanation of what those 30 millions are going to be for. So Dodge will do a great job I think for doing an audit in the purse of Bocaraton. And then uh also I have a a very doubt here. I'm doubting Mr. Mayor, do residents of city of Bokeh who basically live

as a resident in a house in Bokeh, the city of Bocaraton are supposed to use the facilities of tennis or whatever else in this city or because I encounter many times when I went and got signatures that people from the majority of the courts were taken by people from Pompano Beach, people from Delroy Beach, people from Deerfield Beach, people from everywhere and just few people from Bokeh Bokeh also in reference to the Bokeh Bokeh people, residents, can other people who don't live and live, let's say, in in Boon Beach, they can come and talk and request things for from you guys, people who do not reside in the city That's one of the questions. And the last question I would like to ask is police. We need a little police presence specifically with the kids that are going like 200 miles an hour in those bikes. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh I'll take a stab at some of the questions that you just had which are are people who don't reside here able to come and request things from us? Yes, absolutely. It happens all the time. In fact, we had several tonight that uh do not live within the city limits who came and made requests of us. This is a government. We're able to feel requests from any everybody and we turn no one away if they have a comment or a request. We allow them to be heard just like any good government would. As it relates to the fields, that's a little bit trickier. They are open to the public as well. if courts and fields when you Our city has recreational teams that or leagues that people sign up for. Typically, they have to indicate if they are a resident and they pay a certain amount to get into the league that way. And if they're a non-resident, they have to pay more. The idea being is they're not a taxpayer and thus they should help offset the cost of the maintenance that is naturally going to occur from the use that comes from that. Did I get that mostly right, Mr. Seah?

Yeah, that's correct, Mayor. All right. So far so good. Anybody else? Mr. Majis,

you're going to be the last one and that's that. I'm joking. Anybody's free to speak. Joe Majes, 254 Northeast Fifth Street. I don't mean to take any credit away from you guys. But God bless Judy Morrow. It's 11:30 at night and this lady has been at like every meeting and she's still here with her tennis racket and a smile and she is and a smile and she is one of the she was one of the first people to get the alarm sounded on this and I just want to tell Judy thank you and if for what it's worth I think when we build a new tennis center it should be named the Judy Morrow Tennis Center. Thank you. Good night.

Thank you. for all those uh members of the public who had a question as part of their public comment. I know that the city manager and our staff have taken good notes on it and I think if we don't have an answer for you tonight or if we haven't offered one, we will get back to you with responses as quickly as we can. Um thank you again for everybody's patience and staying through four five and a half hours worth of meetings worth of meeting to be able to make public comment. I appreciate the spirited discussion we had here, but I will now close the time for public requests. We'll move on to section 15, the introduction of ordinances. We have none. We likewise have no quas judicial public hearings, hearings, variances, and appeals. So, that brings us to our city manager recommendations and report. Mr. Soy, do you have anything for us tonight?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just want to provide a quick update on our search for Bocarone's next chief of police. Uh we've had strong interest over a 100 applicants and we've got 75 highly qualified candidates for consideration and really that that applicant pool speaks really highly of the reputation of our police department. Uh the next step is a communitywide survey. I just released that survey today. Uh so look for that on our website. Uh and you can uh reply to that. Hearing directly from the residents is very important to me. uh and it's a very important part of the process and it kind of helps us understand uh what you want to see in your next police chief uh and we'll take that into consideration and then of course we'll align that with the operational needs of the city uh and then interviews will begin shortly. So um as I kind of mentioned yesterday, you know, public safety remains my top priority. Uh and it's critical that we select the right leader uh moving forward. Uh, and with that in mind, I just want to also kind of go back to we had an incident at Memorial Park uh, last weekend. And I just want to recap that for the folks that haven't had an opportunity to to take a a gander at yesterday's meeting. But, you know, our approach really is straightforward with this. You know, we're focused on compassion, coordination, and really maintaining safe public spaces. And so with that, you know, I've increased police presence at Memorial Park, especially when they're softball programmed. Uh the other thing is I've directed maintenance staff and our park rangers some schedule changes to increase their presence for now. The restrooms right now are going to be closed when we're not programming the field just temporarily until uh we make an assessment and then we're going to uh provide some additional lighting. So, but on a broader f front front, I just wanted to mention that we've got two dedicated homeless liaison officers

in our police department. Uh, and one of them is leaving and we've already identified a third person for continuity. Uh, and we partner with uh Palm Beach County and they've got a homeless outreach team that are members that are specifically signed to the city of Boca Raton. Uh and so we work together to connect these individuals with a lot of different services uh from food and medical and mental health care and really uh trying to get them the help that they need. And and this doesn't happen, you know, by ourselves. We've got some very strong partnerships with the county human services, the Lewis Center, and a lot of local nonprofits and faith-based organizations that we meet on a regular basis uh to address some of these issues. and we we're working with Palm Beach County on an agreement uh with them really to expand some additional mental health uh and and substance abuse treatment uh which is really a key piece in this overarching issue. Uh and at the same time, we've got other tools that we're putting in place uh to manage our public spaces safely and effectively. And this includes a trespass warning uh that we're implementing uh with uh the appropriate due process protections associated with that uh ordinance. And then we've got proposed operational uh changes that'll come forward to the council uh at Wildflower Park and some other areas to ensure that we've got a safe, fair, consistent use of those parks. Uh and and I mentioned yesterday, uh I've taken a look at the parks department here over the last four or five months. I've made some changes. Uh and a couple big ones are ocean rescue is is going to move from recreational services to under fire services. And then our park rangers I'm moving to uh our police department. Uh and we will change that skill set to more of a

policing skill set over time. uh and that'll enhance uh and strengthen our kind of our response and outreach uh I believe. And the other thing is we're looking, you know, as a balanced approach here, you know, and it's really connecting people that need help while maintaining safety in our our parks and public uh spaces. So, I just wanted to take an opportunity this evening and update the council on that. Uh and there's a lot more work moving forward, especially uh as we bring a new police chief on board. Uh, I'm going to work closely with this police chief on some of the things that were mentioned tonight, speeding some noise issues that we have, uh, and really focus some concentrated efforts on that as well as, uh, what I just talked to. So, there's a lot more work, uh, coming forward. But I really appreciate everybody's patience and feedback, uh, as we move forward together as a community. So, thank you. That's all I have, Mayor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Shaney, for that robust update. I'll turn now to the city attorney reports. Mr. Kaylor, Mr. Fernandez, you guys have anything?

I actually do have a quick report for the council and I would just say the following. Uh, one of the residents spoke earlier and they said something that really stood out to me about legal jargon versus plain language and and speaker was right. I think that legal language can be hard to follow and we need to keep things legally correct but also explain them in plain English. um you know not everything has to sound like a legal document and if we do use legal terms we should explain them uh simply so the public can understand. So I really appreciate that comment uh that that I think people need to be able to understand what's happening uh without you know needing their own lawyer to explain it to them. So I just wanted to mention that and um appreciate the opportunity.

Thank you Mr. Kaylor. I had the same reaction that that same comment resonated with me and I couldn't help but notice that he had made the comment that before there were four lawyers up here on the day. You still get two of us for now. Uh but I think that the point is a fair one that um we should be in the business of making sure the language that we use is understood by all. And I think that was a great reminder. So I appreciate that sentiment and I'm glad that that was brought up. So I agree with you there, Mr. Kaylor. Thank you. Does that conclude your report, sir? That does. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Let's start to my left this time. Mr. Pearlman. Council member report.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'd like to report the receipt of the hundreds of emails that came through today that I'm holding in my hand. These are all the emails that came through to the city council urging the urging the immediate adoption of the Save Bokeh laws. the immediate adoption of the save bokeh voterapproved save bokeh laws the ordinance and to put the charter right away to for the next available election for the people and I think it's playing with fire if we ignore the will of the people that we serve and that's the mission that we were sent here to carry out and that's what I intend to carry out and I'm holding these hundreds of emails right here that was sent to the entire council. And if you're not listening to these, we'd all love to know who are you actually listening to. Thank you,

Miss Simple. Um, regarding the Save Bokeh petition, I was told that there would be amendments made to it regarding nonprofits such as hospice that would be addressed later. You kept telling me that. So, I am holding you to that. That was one of the conditions. May I respond, Mr. Mayor? Well, it's actually her report. Let me ask by Miss Simple. Do do you have any further report beyond that?

No, but I don't want my family threatened anymore either.

Go ahead, Mr. Pearlman. The language here on the save Bokeh laws was backed by over 12,000 signatures across the city. We worked hard and long for this. We were collecting signatures in the middle of summer to to finally put protection over our public lands and parks. And that's the mission of why when I started Save Bokeh because our city was under threat and I fought hard and we all fought hard to preserve Memorial Park in our public land and we need the voter approved language of the save bokeh ordinance enacted right away by this council. the mission that we the same voters who put pen to paper on this sent us here to carry out the mission for them and we need to see it through in addition to sending right away the charter amendment to the voters to pass into law so that we can protect our legacy as a city within a park and all of our parks and public land across the great city of Boca Raton. and I I won't stop fighting and I want to thank again the hundreds of citizens that sent us these emails today to the entire council. Thank you for that.

Mr. Grow, I would also like to make it clear that I share the same urgency to get this done. We have spent over a year entangled in this process that 75% of the voters did not want and it's time to move forward, but in a thoughtful and efficient way. And I believe that we should take the time to recognize the potential flaws in the language of the petition and correct those errors prior to the passage of the ordinance and charter amendments, which we will do. And if I can just get a word from the city attorney, how long that will take? Can we wait two weeks? How long will it take?

Uh yes, deputy mayor. um consistent with the uh the discussion from yesterday's workshop um a draft well the next meeting to answer your question most directly is two weeks from now um I I believe unless the clerk or manager would correct me but I believe that's uh there's the meeting on the 27th and 28th and agenda for that meeting would go out um approximately next Wednesday um So I would have uh circulate to the council and a manager uh a draft to implement um the discussion from yesterday and tonight. Um prior to that I I would strive to do that. I return on on uh Sunday night. I would strive to get it out to you on Monday morning.

Thank you. Our goal should be to put forward language that is clear, defensible, and durable so we can avoid future litigation and ensure this holds up over time. Thank you for your prompt attention. Um, Mr. Mayor, may I normally we these are council member reports you've had. One last comment. We we should not make Go ahead, Mr. Pman. You're recognized. Thank you. We should not make decisions for the people we serve that runs counter to the decisions they've already made. It seems to me, Miss Growl, like you think you know better than the voters. Are you kidding me? So, we're gonna Excuse me. You're going to get

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I don't appreciate the comments back and forth directed at members of the council. Rules say you're supposed to direct your comments at the chair. And if you're going to direct comments to me, I'm okay with that.

Please for No, no, no. I was wasn't talking to you, Miss Civil. Uh let's try like I think we talked about earlier if we want this city to turn a corner we have to ourselves lead by example and that means showing each other a degree of grace a measure of dignity and decorum all the time even at quarter to 12 I think I can conclude our member members is your report concluded Miss GR okay Uh, I would echo some of the comments made by Miss Sipple and Miss Grow that there's I think we all agree at least the four of us agree that this a measure similar if not nearly identical to what you're talking about and what you're demanding that we pass right now be put into law and be put on the ballot for purposes of amending the charter. We all agree with that premise. All we're saying is let's take a couple of weeks to improve it. I don't think that's asking too much. I don't think that taking a little bit of time using all of our collective brain power and the brain power of our staff to make sure that we have as susceptible being able to withstand as much scrutiny as possible. I think taking a little bit of time in order to accomplish that is a good thing. So, uh, we're going to do that. We're going to do that soon. But let me just make one more suggestion. All of us are going to be colleagues for some period of time. Let's make sure that we treat each other that way. Please, I promise to be able to do that with all of you. to extend you the same kind of grace and respect and dignity that I keep asking our residents to show to us. I think at the very least we

should be able to show that to one another as best we can. And unless anyone has any further business to come before our city council, we will adjourn our meeting at 12:42. No, beg your pardon. 11:42. Got you guys looking at 11:42 in the PM. Thank you everybody.