City Commission - Regular Meeting

Mary, would you call the role? Mayor Collins here. Vice Mayor Reid here. Commissioner Clark here. Commissioner Gobi here. Commissioner Rich here. And we'll have our invocation and pledge of allegiance by Chaplain Edkea.

Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, city council members, city officers, especially the people of Stewart. I'm so happy to be here again to bring the presence of the Lord into these proceedings. Before we begin, I know there are diverse opinions here within us uh about what's going on in our country and the war that we're engaged in and I understand that we all have a right to our perspective on it. But remember something. We've got young men and women that signed a contract, a blank check for an amount up to and including their lives that are putting their lives on the line for this country right now. All they're doing is obeying orders. There are sons and daughters. Let's keep them in our prayers as we go before the Lord. our God and our father, great creator of the universe. You raise up men and women to take leadership in this country. You put them on our city council. You put them in our state and our federal government. Lord, we just don't know what we do without these people of leadership. Your word says that all authority comes from you. The authority they carry comes from you. We may not always agree with it. You may not always agree with it, but they will be accountable before you as this committee determines and deliberates on things that are good for this city. Father, I ask you for guidance, direction, just give them an insight as to what you'll have us do to keep this a beautiful city as it is. We ask also your blessing on this country and on all our troops that are engaged in this conflict at this time that are there to preserve our nation. One nation under God, indivisible, be with us in these

proceedings. Lord, in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Would you please join me now in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to theublic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you, chaplain. And we'll move on to our arts moment. And I have Llaya Ford from Jensen Beach High School singing My Worship.

Battery issue. You, you Lord, you are worthy and no one can worship you for me. For all the things you've done for me. And no one can worship you for me. Here is my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. Here's my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. You Lord, you are worthy. Thank you. That was beautiful. Thank you.

Listen, she has a certificate. Oh, she has a certificate. Come on up and let's let's take a picture.

Let's celebrate you. Moving on to proclamations. The Lyric Theater Centennial Celebration. The Lyric Theater Centennial Celebration March 15, 2026. Whereas the Lyric Theater opened its doors on March 15, 1926 to high acclaim with the Steuart Daily News reporting the Lyric is going to be a mighty popular place, one that every resident of Stewart might well be proud of. And whereas the Lyric Theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, securing it as as a Stuart landmark and ensuring it as a living legacy of arts and entertainment. And whereas the Lyric Theater is foundational to the life and culture of Stuart as performances and educational programs draw theatergoers from all ages from all over the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches. And whereas the theat's enduring success is a testament to its commitment to the community for which it was built and the support it receives from the community. Now therefore, I, Christopher Collins, mayor of the city of Stewart, do hereby proclaim March 15, 2026 is the Lyric Theater Centennial Celebration Day to recognize and celebrate its lasting place in our community's history and future.

and Kia Fontaine. Hi. Did you have any comments or Yes. Absolutely. Hi.

Good evening, mayor, commissioners, on behalf of the board of directors, staff, volunteers, donors, patrons, and the generations of people who have shaped the lyrics story over the past century. I am truly honored to accept this proclamation. The history of the Lyric is a story of community, commitment, and creativity. 100 years ago, the building first opened its doors as a place where the community could gather to be entertained, inspired, and to share experiences together. Over the decades, generations of people have walked through those doors, each leaving a little bit of themselves behind. What makes the Lyric very special is not simply a historic building. It is the community that has sustained it. When it mattered most, people came together with vision, determination, and generosity to ensure that this theater would continue to serve as the cultural heart of downtown Stewart and the Treasure Coast. Today's recognition belongs to all of the community. Many members are here today. Thank you for coming. The dreamers who built it, the visionaries who saw it as an anchor for the revitalization of downtown and a needed entertainment center, the advocates who preserved it, the artists who have performed on its stage, and the staff and volunteers who care for it every day, and the audiences who continue to still fill it with life. A hundred years is a remarkable milestone, but it is also a reminder that we are just one chapter in a much longer story. Our responsibility now is to ensure that the Lyric continues to inspire, connect, and to bring people together for the next hundred years. The Lyric provides access to arts and culture, which is essential for building a stronger community. Friends of the

Lyric are dedicated to strengthening our commitment to empower, to educate, and inspire our leaders of tomorrow while providing a home for the performing arts. Thank you for this honor and thank you for recognizing the importance of art and culture and the role the Lyric Theater plays here in this community. Thank you, I have a strong following. Can we get everybody?

Oh, Miss Kristen is here. Go in the front. Short ones in the front. Watch that. I know. I know. Thanks. Maybe the greatest proclamation of all, the Irish American Heritage Month. Are we going to have a Who's are you? Yep. Yeah,

I have a little jig. Whereas by 1776, nearly 300,000 Irish nationals had immigrated to the American colonies and played a crucial role in America's war for independence. Five signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Irish descent and three signers were Irishborn. Irishameans helped to fashion a system of government for our young nation. 21, sorry, 22 presidents have proudly proclaimed their Irishamean heritage. And whereas Irishborn commodore John Barry was recognized by the United States Congress in September of 2002 as the first flag officer of the United States Navy and fought the last sea battle of the American Revolution off the coast of Florida. Andrew Jackson whose family came from county Antrram served as Florida's military governor following its acquisition by the United States. And whereas Irish first came to Spanish La Florita in the 1500s, first as missionaries and mercenary soldiers and then as planters, traders, businessmen, doctors and administrators. Three of the Spanish governors of Laaf Laita were actually Irish military officers. Additionally, uh, Richard Arthur and Frier Richard Arthur, a an Irishborn priest from Limmerick, who was appointed parish priest for St. Augustine in 1597, an ecclesiastical judge of Laaf Laorita, established the first public school in America and opened it to both boys and girls of all races. And whereas Irish Americans since America's inception have provided and continue to provide leadership and service to this nation's political, business, and religious establishments. So it is fitting and proper to celebrate the rich cultural heritage and the many valuable contributions of Irish Americans. Now therefore, I, Christopher Collins, mayor

of the city of Stewart, do hereby proclaim March 2026 as Irishamean Heritage Month. And do we have Greg Canning in the audience? No. No, not in send it to him. All right. Well, we're going to send it first. Aaron Green right here. See, I knew it. I knew you would.

Okay, moving on to service awards. with 10 years of service. And I got to tell you, she was a real blessing when we were interviewing city managers. Ryan Powers, Cabo,

you have to you have to do some kind of speech. Yes. 10 minutes on the mic. You know the rules. You know the rules. 10 minutes. 10 years. Thank you very much for the opportunity to serve the citizens and the commission of the city of Stewart. I've enjoyed working here and um helping you know all the employees through their legal issues and hope to uh stay more years. So thank you.

Thank you. Just take the white piece off for him. Yeah, he'll need it to know the name. Call it Chris.

I got to read it out. Okay. And with 10 years of service, Michelle Arbuzza speech. No speech. Yes. There you go. Little speech. No speech. Pronounce your name, Michelle Ar. Thank you for the opportunity and I enjoy serving the citizens of Stewart. Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you. that her daughter is coming up. Of course. Yes. Yes. Have a picture with mom. You have to Okay. Come on. There you go.

Okay. Come on in. There you go. He used to work here as a code enforcement. There you go. I don't want to be that guy. Michelle.

No. Okay. Oh, those I read in the agenda. I didn't think there was any more. Okay. Moving on to the FDOT Monterey Road FC Railroad Crossing Grade Separation Project presentation. We have Robert here from FDOT who will give the presentation.

Yeah. All right. Hello. Can everyone hear me? Okay. Uh, thank you and good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to update all of you on the State Road 714 at FEC railroad crossing uh being performed by the Florida Department of Transportation. Bring the mic down, please. Or maybe it needs to Hello. There you go.

Is that a little bit better? All right. Thank you. Okay. Uh, my name is Rob Lopez, as just mentioned. Okay. Uh what you see in front of you is a project schedule, a quick review of our schedule for this study. We have performed the data collection and had our public kickoff meeting. We have also been performing our analysis and examination of our alternatives and we'll be holding an alternatives public workshop this month, this week actually. We will take the information we received from this public outreach and refine the alternatives and return once again the beginning of 2027 with a recommendation for moving forward. The right of way is currently funded for this project in fiscal year 2028 and construction in fiscal year 2030. You can kind of see an overview of that schedule on the board right there. Let me see if the laser pointer works and see if my eyes work. So, we're right we're right about here. As you can see, that star right there marks the alternative public meeting which will be held this this week on uh Wednesday and Thursday. Uh and to give you a little bit perspective of what we're talking about a little bit more here, here's a map that shows our uh project purpose and location. The project is located not far from where we are today. You may have noticed that the project study area of influence has been expanded um from uh for the state road 714 Monterey Road from Monterey Road extension to west of southeast Flying Fortress Lane and along County Road A1A from Wamfield Drive to just north of Southeast 16th Street. Just kind of to give everyone an idea what that means. The project really is about this one crossing right here on uh Dixie and

Monterey Road. But you can see the area in blue is the entire area that uh can be that will be potentially be impacted by what we're looking at there. So everything in blue is being evaluated for secondary impacts. The project purpose is to improve traffic operations, establish more efficient roadway system connectivity, and provide enhanced emergency response and evacuation, and improve sidewalks and bike lane network. Okay, you can see uh the slide in front of you gives you a little overview of the uh existing traffic ADT uh levels that were measured in 2022. AAD is the annual average daily traffic which takes in all vehicle trips on a segment of road or highway during a year-long interval in both directions and is then divided by total of 365 days to arrive at the average number of daily trips. The AAD for existing conditions based upon traffic data obtained in 2022 ranges from 8,200 to 27,000 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the study intersection. And you can see particularly that 27,000 is uh right in between on Monterey Road between uh US1 and Dixie. We then measure the level of service at each of the intersections. Level of service is a quantitative measure used to indicate the quality of service of the transportation facility rated on an A tof scale with level of service A representing the best operating conditions from the traveler's perspective and level of service F representing the worst. This grading system is used to evaluate how well a

roadway or transportation facility is operating particularly during peak travel hours and it reflects factors such as speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver and comfort and convenience. The legend on the left side of the slide provides examples of the various level of service. And although A is kind of seen at the top for u more developed urban areas such as in a city such as Stewart, the target level of service for this area is level of service D. This slide also provides the existing level of service for several intersections within the study area both during AM and PM. The level of services range from B to D with majority being D. And again can just bring your attention to the main intersection that the project is focused on is right there. the Monterey um Monterey and Dixie Highway. And looking at year as we fast forward to year 20150, the traffic projected for the no build condition has an ADT that ranges from 10,200 to 33,500 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the study intersection. So you can specifically see that 27 thou 27,500 by 2050 is projected to increase to 33,500 vehicles per day. This slide also depicts the level of service of those same intersections during the AM and PM peak periods, but now forecasted out into 2050. The only adjustment is to the signal timing. And the levels level level of services ranges from B to F with four of the peaks being a level of service F. And you can kind of already

see that increase of traffic along that main corridor there has pushed that uh intersection of Monterey and Dixie to what is considered a failing level of service F. Okay. I'll now turn uh turn the microphone over to uh Tanya. She'll be talking to you a little bit more about some of the alternatives that we looked at for this location. Thank you.

So, one of the distinctive aspects of this project is the close proximity of 714 to the end of runway 12-30, which is the primary runway for Wam airfield. As with all runways, the surrounding slopes and surfaces are critical to maintaining the safety and integrity of aircraft operation. These areas must be carefully considered to ensure compliance with aviation safety standards and to protect not only air traffic but also adjacent land uses. One such critical surface is the runway protection zone, also referred to as the RPZ, which is depicted on the current slide. The yellow shape represents the arrival RPZ, while the purple is the departure RPZ. During our meeting with FAA, it was conveyed that any new roadway or intersection needs to be outside of the arrival RPZ. The existing state road 714 alignment is grandfathered into the RPZ. So staying within its current footprint is vital. Another important aspect is the compensation requirements for the railroad. If the railroad crossing is built as an overpass at the current State Road 714 location, no other railroad crossings would be needed to be closed. If a new crossing either elevated or at grade is built at a different location, one or more existing railroad roadway crossings would have to be closed as compensation. If a crossing needs to be closed, we will be looking to the county for that location. In addition to engineering consideration, potential environmental

effects associated with each concept will be evaluated throughout the project. They include elements from the natural environment such as wetlands and other surface waters, from cultural resources such as historic sites, from the physical environment such as traffic, noise, utilities, and the railroad, and from social and economic environments such as mobility and relocation potentials. This slide graphically depicts some of those environmental resources that we must consider throughout the study. The study began with a high-level analysis often referred to as a tier one or desktop analysis of multiple concepts. It included 10 concepts. The eight that occurred at the current state road 714 at FEC railroad crossing are shown here. They ranged from elevated intersections to depressed intersections to various overpasses. The ninth and 10th concept in the initial desktop analysis are on this slide and are located south of the existing state road 714 at FEC railroad crossing along Monterey extension. Both included a new overpass. Concepts were brought to the MO, Martin County Board of County Commissioners, City of Stewart, Martin County Public Works, FAA, and FEC for discussion. Concepts three and 10 have been revised. Additionally, the no build alternative will be carried through the PD process along with concept 3, concept 3 modified, and concept 10. The concepts will now be referred to as alternatives. So alternative one was concept three, alternative two was concept three modified and concept three, alternative three was concept 10.

Okay, this is a larger view of the revised alternative one. It elevates state road 714 over the FEC railroad crossing and county road A1A utilizing the existing alignment of State Road 714. This alternative would provide limited connectivity between 714 and County Road A1A and it would be through the use of an access road. The access road would connect 714 east of the existing 714 County Road A1A intersection on the north side of 714. The access road, which would be in the area of 15th Court, would connect to Southeast Palm Beach Road through a standard intersection at 16th Street. Pedestrian and bic and bicycle accommodations are included in this concept. This slide illustrates potential partial encroachments for alternative one. The intensity of the yellow indicates the degree of encroachment. The less intensity represents minimal impacts while more intensity signifies greater impact. The hatching was added for additional items of note such as the need to relocate a structure. This is a larger view of alternative 2 which is very similar to alternative one with the optional connection at Southeast Palm Beach Road. Again, it still elevates State Road 714 over county over FEC and County Road A1A utilizing the existing alignment of 714. This alternative would provide limited connectivity once again between 714 and County Road A1A and once again being done through the use of an access road. The access road would connect to 714 east of the existing 714 A1A intersection on the north side of State

Road 714. the access road, which would be north of the houses along 15th Court and would connect into Southeast Palm Beach Road through a standard intersection. Once again, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations are included in this concept. This slide illustrates potential parcel encroachments for alternative 2. The intensity once again of the yellow indicates the degree of encroachment. The less intense represents minimal impacts, while the more intensity signifies greater impact. Again, the hatching was added for any additional items of note, such as a need to to move a structure. We're now looking at a larger view of alternative three, which is located south of the current intersection with improvements to southeast Monterey Road extension and southeast Grumman Boulevard and elevating over the tracks. Additionally, County Road A1A would be reconstructed and elevated to create a new raised intersection. It is anticipated that Southeast Monterey Road extension would need to be widened. Southeast Grman Boulevard would be improved, extended, and elevated over the railroad, intersecting with an elevated county road A1A and ultimately tying into the airport entrance. Pedestrian bicycle accommodations are included with this concept. This slide illustrates potential partial encroachments for alternative three. Once again, the intensity of yellow indicates the degree of encroachment. Less intense represents minimal impacts while more intensity signifies greater impact. Again, the hatching was added to signify an additional notation of um a need to or an impact to a particular structure. During the Martin Mo policy board meeting held on February 23rd of this

year, we were asked to consider an atgrade and an underpass for alternative three. An underpass concept at State Road 714 and County Road A1A had previously been determined unfeasible based upon coordination with FEC, the requirement for maintaining the rail line operations and temporary traffic control. Therefore, they were dropped from further consideration. The same would apply here. However, we are looking at the potential of an atgrade crossing. So on your left is the alt 3 that we were looking at where we're raising the intersection and having the structure go over the railroad tracks versus the graphic on the right is representative of an atgrade intersection or crossing.

Thank you for doing that. That was that was my input. I appreciate you already bringing that into this this evening.

Sure. Certainly. Transportation system management and operations, also known as TSM, focuses on enhancing safety, reliability, and mobility by actively managing the existing transportation network. It uses technology, data, and collaborative strategies to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and maximize infrastructure capacity without relying on a large-scale scale construction project. Example of such enhancements are shown on this slide. The first being for State Road 714 at Federal Highway where we are adding um some turn lanes. And if you notice, we are um the driveway going into that mall plaza is would become a right in right out. And then at Stro 74 and County Road A1A, we added additional turn lanes where we could without impacting the railroad. Excuse me.

I ask a question. How would you enforce that going in? Because that is one of the biggest problems that right in right out because people leaving will sit there forever to turn left. This would be a traffic separator. It would be what? A traffic separator. Okay. So, you couldn't you wouldn't be able to to drive over it. And then of course we were making that larger to and then people stack up to turn left into the plaza. And then they're way in front of the It's such a mess. Yes. Yeah. But if you see the way that they've designed that triangle going into the plaza that would

Yeah. I'll let you explain it. Yeah. So um this is a much larger today. There is a island there that symbolic to me is more of a a suggestion um of hey this should be right in and right out where this would be a uh a larger island that would would with non-mountable curbs. So they would have to turn and go right and people couldn't and then this would be a traffic separator. So it'd be a raised Okay, good. a narrow raised concrete. So you couldn't actually drive over it to turn. You'll be surprised. Yeah. Okay. How many people make a left there?

Depends on how big your truck is. Do you want to say anything? Go ahead. Okay. Good.

Okay. Um, as a reminder, AADT is the average annual daily traffic which is taken in all which takes in all vehicle trips on a segment of roadway or highway during a year-long interval in both directions and then divides the total by 365 days to arrive at the average number for the daily trips. The traffic projected into the year 2050 for the no build condition has AADTS that range from 10,200 which is Whoops, sorry, which is that one here to 33,500 U vehicles per day in the vicinity of the study intersection. As previously me mentioned, the level of service for the no build AM peak and PM peak in 2050 ranges from B to F with four of the peaks being an F. Traffic projected into the year 2050 for alternative 1 and two has AADTS that range from 5,700 to 34,500 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the study intersection. The level of service of those intersections affected by alternative one and alternative two for the 2050 build condition is shown on the slide. The level of service ranges from A to F with D being the most occurring level of service. The traffic projected into the year 2050 for the alternative 3 has an AAD that ranges from 2,400 to 47,000 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the improved intersection. So I'm now looking down through here when I'm referring to those numbers. The level of service of those intersections

affected by alternative three for the 2050 build condition is shown on this slide. The level of service ranges from B to E with D and E being the most occurring level of service. Our evaluation matrix is divided into two segments. The first is based upon impacts. So the lower the better, the higher the greater impact. The second is based upon level of improvement. So in this case, the higher the better, the lower the least beneficial. So I'll give you a second to take a look at that before I go to the next slide. Um provided on this is a project website and of course Rob's contact. Again, we have our alternative public meeting this week. We have a virtual will be on March 11th and the inperson is on March 12th. The same information will be presented at both. So there's no need to to attend both. If you want to, you certainly can. And with that, that is our last slide.

So, Vice Mayor and I sit on the MO, we've we've been exposed to this. I don't know if this is the first time we've seen this in here, but um this would be an opportunity to provide feedback to FDOT, you know, and um if I can characterize, which is hard, the entire NO's opinion, generally the third option was the most desirable and had the least impact specifically on, you know, the neighborhoods going on Palm Beach Road and and that kind of a thing. Uh, but this would be the opportunity based on what you guys think that aren't on the NO to give some feedback to have different options for the Do you mind?

Do you mind going bringing those options back up for our commission on the matrix on the M? Do you want to see the matrix the actual maps of what you're doing maybe? So that's the third. So that option is the one to the south. And then can you show one and two? And then this is See how that cuts to Palm Beach. Alternative two. That's alternative. That was uh that was Bonnie's favorite. Right. Where you at, Bonnie? Right there. There you go. And then there you go. So you can see the three. So there you can see all three of them. Right through my area. Right.

Could you just explain the difference between a tier one and tier two concept? It's so a tier one was we did desktop analysis. So we had a total of 10 that we looked at and when we're saying desktop so you're using like GIS to see like are there any wetlands am I hitting? Um is there any known like eagle's nests nearby? Um and those are the type of things that we're looking at and just seeing getting an idea how many parcels does it look like I'm encroaching upon. And so we do that first level. Okay.

And then narrowed it down to the the three. And um we actually had a slightly well our original um concept 3 is shown here. So you notice how much tighter we are um closer to the airport. But when we met with FAA, FAA said we could not have this intersection or this roadway in the approach RPZ.

So that was when we had to take this into account. So when you look at alt one, you will notice we come through here because we had to be outside the RPZ. And then you'll notice we come across and you'll actually will see a slight curve. That curve is so that I'm literally like five feet from that from this corner because I tried to be as close as I possibly could and still be able to construct. Um, and then looking at that because of that curve, we said, "Okay, well, is there another way we can tie in?" So that's the difference between alt one and alt two, it's really just that access road coming around.

And so for, forgive me, can I ask a question and then I'll let you go. For alt one and alt two, those are both overpasses, correct? Yes. We're not going under. We're going over. This is an overpass and this is the overpass. would even think be feasible under.

So then that's the other thing we have to deal with because you do have uh surfaces and slopes associated with that runway. So we have to make sure that our profile doesn't cause a significant hazard to the to the airplanes coming in. But we are required to be 23 and 1/2 ft above the railroad tracks. So that means the lowest member of my structure has to be 23 and 1/2 ft above the track. And we also have an overpass in all three, but it's a little further down. Correct. If you don't mind putting the point on. So the overpass would be here. We also have to cross that spur.

Where would it touch? Where's the overpass? The overpass is right here. And the entire that entire A1A would be raised up. Right. Correct. to to match with that overpass. And this is why I had offered the recommendation of potentially going under there to not have to raise up all of A1A and and I think generally people here would be unhappy with a grade separation even though that's the nature of this project. So trying to have that be as minimal as possible so we don't have bridges or underpasses was was my feedback which I don't know if you can put up I don't know what you would call alternative three right that one point two

so this is the one al three the old that would be yeah so that's the one that has the overpass the overpass is there and then of course we're going we have to go over that spur because we couldn't get down in time for the spur but we're Also, how far does it touch? Where does it touch down on the here northern side? Get up to the Y almost right here. It's about 1,000 ft on both sides. Touches down about thousand feet west. Yeah. So, we we're we are down, you know, there's this there's another runway that is a

a uh secondary runway. So, talking to the airport, they were fine. And we're we we are much lower here compared to that runway than we are on um alt one or alt two. I can feel people sharpening their pitchforks. Yeah. Um Commissioner Clark and then um the number of lanes per segment is everything mostly two lanes and just where we have the existing divided Well, it's not even really Yeah, I guess there's divided along Monterey Road, but it's still two lane. Everything is still two lanes or will the extension coming in be more than two lanes at Monterey extension. So it will be four lane divided

four lane divided that at Monterey extension coming in. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. That's that's all right. And one reason why this why you see those level of services change between alt one and alt two versus alt three is you basically have the ability to kind of split traffic because this is still being maintained while this is still being maintained. So you'll have those who will still want to utilize the existing even though they may be stopped by the train in this concept versus this one where you would be able to go you wouldn't be stopped by the train because you'd be going up and over. Now, if we looked at an at grade, that could potentially, you know, that would change.

Okay. And I have a railroad spur um question. So, the that orange thing there that goes right into the dire is that changing the location of the spur further north or is that in the same It's the same location. Railway spur will stay the same. Yeah. For the record, for the record, I'm Mula Clark, 10008 Southeast 16th Court. Right. Middle of the airport,

Commissioner Joby. Um several of those alternatives noted on the bottom that it would close other closure other crossings throughout the city or maybe just there were note there that if we elected one of those alternatives there would be closings of other access over the train track. So, for example, if we did this alternative, FEC says if you're going to put an overpass over their railroad, they want two closings for that. And this the spur counts as one closing. So, we would so we'd be looking for another one closing. So, to implement this, we would need one additional closing,

right? Have you targeted what that other closing would be? Uh we we it wouldn't be on a state road. I can tell you that. So it would have to be somewhere from Martin County either city road or side road. Okay. C can I ask a question?

Sure. Okay. So, um you're going if you go forward with one, two, three, of course, the no build is always there, but when you're coming up with your alternatives and your expenses for 2027, um for those areas that are in in yellow, you're looking at the impact on uh just compensation. If you have to take something, let's say like the PA guys and those people who are the end of Monterey extension now and you'll have to go over them to go through um all those those um alternatives will include um the cost and so on.

Yes. Yes. Okay. the department will go through and do a rightaway estimate for how we're impacting those individuals. And and can you tell the public your information for this week? I know that you're going to have a uh the 10th Street Community Center and people have been receiving the the information. Yes. It was mailed to the residents. Yes. Yes. We we're also placing some yard signs. Um the NO had requested that there be some additional outreach um along land this ownership

this area. So we will have some yard signs out as well to make sure they are informed. Yeah, because they're renters in there. They're not necessarily land owners and you're sending it to addresses when we do the search. We look for we send it forward to who's occupying the property on the owner. Okay. Okay.

And when you do that presentation really clearly articulating potentially even visually what that bridge might look like will be very important. The temptation may be to keep this very technical like this you know but for the average person who lives here showing them visually that they would be a thousand foot bridge. I think you may get a very different um response and and that's that would be my feedback is thought you at that stage for this Thursday though to have visual isn't to have something that if that third option uh be it at grade or grade separated goes to the becomes the final alternative at the final public meeting we will have a visual

something needs to happen here because this this has to get if you can show us something that another community or somebody has that shows what a similar atgrade type thing or an overpass type thing looks like so people can really see what happens when we have this fly over. I mean I I would tell you just go to the river right here right where the for the bridge y that's very similar to what it would look like and we thought that was not going to be possible but it happened. It was tough getting the Roosevelt Bridge through, but this would be the first at grade crossing in Martin County, right? Besides bridges over the river, the first grade crossing. Yeah. Yeah. This uh

this was the top priority list of multiple grade crossings that were identify to something needs to happen. Something needs to happen. Yes. Vice Mayor, forgive me. The the signalization at US1 and Monterey Road there at the shopping center like where the plaza is with the um

what's the name of that plaza with the where the movie store that signal it's really hard to get even in and out of that plaza. So going all the way back to Monterey Road where the Sea Winds um uh funeral home is. I mean that whole thing I don't know how far back you you have it you just seem like you have it that from US1 over to the bridge but I think that you really have to look at the signalization along the quarter mile back. So with with this area, we would look at trying to do some restriping that would change the side, but to do any other significant improvements, we would have to you'd have major rightaway impacts at this location.

Again, so when you're looking at the different levels of service again, you have alt one and two, and you'll notice we're still at an F here. But when you go to alt three again because the traffic has a tendency to split it actually gives some relief to that intersection because now you don't have everyone that needs to get onto A1A coming through this intersection. Some of them would be coming across here particularly if they wanted to head south versus coming up here and then heading south. So it kind of helps and that's one of the reasons why you see a little bit of a difference in the level of service with three alternative three versus alternative one and two.

Vice Mayor. Yes. I had a question. If you pull up um page four of your slide. So I asked this question on the Martin County no board and FDOT post their annual average daily traffic counters on their website and the numbers didn't match up to this slide. Right. This this is based off of physical counts that were done in 2022. So we had people out there making counts, laying out tubes, and that's what we utilized for the study. Okay. And then um my next question was the existing was done in 2022. So again, if you're looking at at the online and you're looking at today's, it's going to be different than what we had.

Correct. Yeah. And by the way, for anyone that's not aware, they actually posted for the last like four years. So you can see from 2020 to 2024. Then my next question was as far as the FEC crossing, is that like an unwritten rule from FEC or is it written down in stone somewhere? Because I haven't got an answer on that either. And every time we have discussions regarding like the bridge or anything with FEC, they get a lot of taxpayer money from the state of Florida residents and we're going to give them over $200 million for a train bridge and they still have a say so in this stuff and there's no negotiations. I've never seen an FC representative come to an NO board or this city board, but they ask for quite a lot. Right. I mean, we

I I understand. Yeah. It's not written it's not written in stone but obviously putting a new at grade crossing to them impacts their their operations. Correct. And it increases the risk the safety risk to the public of be another point of vehicles crossing at grade.

So they they would be just looking for to balance that risk with additional closures. Exactly how many they would ask for and which closures they would consider equivalent is part of the negotiation process that we be for the overpass. Uh it seems like they've kind of given us clear statement. You know they consider that a fairly minimal impact. So almost any closure they would accept but for an app grade we have not received what they're f what they would accept is equal closures. Yeah, I I still think they should have a representative here to respond because it goes back to the communication of like city staff, MO staff, BOCC staff that are having these conversations behind closed doors, whether through Teams meeting, Zoom calls. I'm I've never been on one, so I don't know what kind of discussion even happens. I personally want to ask an FEC representative. You're taking taxpayer money and you're still dictating what we do with it. It it doesn't make any sense to me as an elected official. And nothing against you guys. I I appreciate what the NO does. I see Ricardo back there. Patience, but they always have their wallet open as well.

That's that's my comments on it. Commissioner J. So that so as Rob had mentioned, so it's just one thing. We have not talked to FBC of what they would be looking for if alternative 3 was at grade versus an overpass. So they could say you're that's an additional impact they may want. You know, we just don't know yet. We have to talk to them and see what their reaction is to that. I'd like to talk to them. Commissioner J.

Okay. Well, first I'm just going to add on to what the vice mayor just mentioned. um they've talked to you and obviously someone either you or the city needs to invite them to have a conversation with our elected officials. I mean I I agree they take taxpayer dollars. They need to be present to have this conversation not just between departments, not just they need to have it with elected officials. And maybe the only way we can do that is the city literally sends them a letter that says you are invited and should or would attend the next meeting. you know, make it mandatory.

Specifically though to these alternatives that they've been showing us, they're here for our feedback as representatives of the city. Uh, you know, FEC, we all might have bones to pick with FEC, right? But with these with these guys in front of Well, I'm not talking about FOD. I'm talking about FEC showing up for Yeah. Okay. That was my But with regard to feedback on these alternatives, is there more um ideas or input based on what you've seen that you think is worth sharing with FDOT? Yeah, there was actually something I wanted to say about the overpass again, but I got caught up in what the vice mayor was saying, tax dollars. That always makes me crazy. Um sorry, if I think of it, I'll interrupt again.

Yeah. And my comments weren't directed towards the NO or anything like that, by the way. Like it's just an irk of mine towards FEC and just the amount of money that they receive. It's insane. It really is and it hurts just seeing it blow out like it's nothing. All right. Any other comments from commissioners? Commissioner Rich, I look forward to attending the public meeting on Thursday. Okay. Commissioner Clark. Oh, I do know what. All right.

Thank you. Okay, it was going back to the vis the a visual of that overpass. You know, people work all day. They have to pick up children after school. It's not so easy for them to just say, "Well, I'm going to go over and look at what the bridge looks like." And that is overwater. I think even if you take a picture of what it should look like, it should be part of that presentation. I mean, people are not used to looking or reading these type of graphs. So, I think it'll be really important you have the public there. They need to see what that option is. Okay. Thank you. We want you guys to take the beating so we don't have to. Okay. All right. Seeing no other comments, thank you guys for being here and taking input from us.

All right. We'll move on to comments by city commissioners. Commissioner Rich, I have none. Thank you. Commissioner Gobi.

Yes. Hi. As always, I want to thank everybody for showing up. It's really great to see the audience and everyone filled and involved. Uh I do want to take this opportunity. I'm not sure how many of you are aware, but um February 24th and March 3rd, the commissioners sat with applicants for the city manager position. Uh, and I want to take this opportunity to thank um Raj Johnson, uh, Karen Guffy, uh, Mary Kindle, Susay Mleki, and Nina Mullen because without those ladies, it would have been impossible. It went smoothly. They moved people from room to room, kept the commissioners and the uh, applicants all where they needed to be. And I want to thank them. You guys did a great job. Thank you so much. you made it um a enjoyable and smooth transition into each interview. Thank you. Uh I want to thank is Jim uh Kersky in the office. I want to thank Jim. He always keeps us updated on all of the uh pending legislation, things that have been approved. I ask everyone to please go to these websites and look at the legislation that's out there. Every other piece of legislation is basically taking away our home rule and we need to make calls. It takes a few seconds. Make the call. Most of those sites will even give you the language to say to the representative. It doesn't take much of your time, but it really is important because it impacts here back in the city that we would like to run as the residents not letting Tallahassee run it for us. Thank you,

Commissioner Clark.

Thank you. Um, thank you. Um, I I too want to thank the staff and and the applicants uh for uh putting in their their information to us so that we can review. It was a very interesting exercise um looking at the last I don't know 12 to 14 people. I think that some people dropped out in the end um for this um position that is coming up. And so, um, again, staff, thank you. Thank you very, very much for all the work that you did. Um, with regard to, um, agenda item um, number six, when that comes up before us, I just wanted to say this now so that maybe when it's called, the mayor can look into it. There is a there's a note on there that says approval of the screening committee with regard to the um city manager's position. And I was wondering um and I did talk to the clerk earlier if that should be something that would be put for our um I guess I I I don't know if it's uh it's just for our information because it's not a meeting minutes that we participated in. So I was concerned about that. I'm not sure how city manager or the clerk will present that, but I was just I saw that in the list of um two two other things that we needed to approve and I I I um and since it's related to the city manager um screening, I thought we should look into that. And the other thing is um on our approval process when we have land use changes especially in quai judicial

activities. Uh there I've just looked at so many different videos and different ways that other communities do things. It's similar to us but not quite. And I think that what we need to do is to make sure that if we do have contact or communication with anybody that we do say that we've received a letter from them, that it's there, it's in the file, or we've gone to the site or we've not gone to the site or who we've talked to. I think we need to have a very specific list and it's there, but we just don't follow it and say it all the time. And that's important when we have these findings and if a lawsuit or something comes up, we want to make sure that all of that is on the record. So I think that if we need to continue to upgrade that methodology and make sure that we all follow the same methodology, then that's that's important. Other than that, I appreciate um Jim Kroski always sending out the notices. I noticed that there are a few things in March that were not included, but maybe because they weren't city generated, but um there could have been more things. I didn't see the historic the meetings that's coming up this week. Um I don't think your um meeting on the 12th, is it on the 12th? And then the one on the 11th, I didn't see those on the March calendar for the for the city. So maybe if those could get put in and put in on the 10th Street board as well as put in in the the running board that runs outside here, but especially on the 10th Street board, we need to put um both of those public hearings for the 11th and the 12th and make sure that they run on the marquee on 10th Street. Thank you,

Vice Mayor.

Yes. I wanted to talk about I raised this question at the MO board. It was uh basically we're like a pass through city apparently for St. Lucy County and Palm Beach County and I don't believe we're the only city or county that deals with traffic and I didn't know if there was a way I I mentioned it there and nobody really picked it up but is there a way to like address this and how do we fix it for the residents then if people are just passing through and that's where our traffic's coming from what do we do about it to alleviate it then? And then as far as the neighborhood traffic by 10th Street, I still think it's what has it been a year and a half since I've been here. I've talked with Bonnie Moser. I spoke to her earlier today about it. Um, money gets spent in other places in the city for safety and traffic. I still think it's a citywide issue and I think we should throw some money at um safety improvements whether it's that neighborhood in particular or the entire city. But it'd be nice and I think there are some cheaper alternatives that Bonnie has presented so we're not spending millions that was portrayed at prior meetings. Um, also, uh, if we could get an update from the city of Stewart, if they could reach out to Business Flare and an update regarding the innovation hub and what the city of Stewart's responsibility is since we do have quite a bit of property over off Commerce and Indian Street. And I think that's it.

Yeah, good. Okay. So, I just had a couple of things to to follow up on what you were saying with regard to Bonnie's traffic updates. I I do think that that's something that needs to be looked at. My my thought with it because you you sent that email out uh this week, Bonnie, would be just to be a little bit patient if you could so that we can get it. I know. I know. I can feel I can feel the ice, right? so that we can get a new manager seated before we're taking on new new projects. Even if it's not a huge one, I think it would be good for continuity because it's very well something that may um happen and kind of be tested and and worked through. I think it would be good to have a new manager and one is on the way shortly. Um, there was also an email from a Derek Peterson, and this is more for Chief that there were concerns. I don't know if you had seen this because I think it just I don't know if it just went to me or went to everybody, but there were concerns about the way the traffic study was done on Fifth Street. So, I was just going to hand this to you if you didn't have access to it. Uh but but there were concerns um that I wanted you to take a look at and say it in front of everybody while uh

while you're here. I know you're the man and you got it covered.

Um the other was, and I've talked to Lee about this, is the baseball fields. I I I think I've mentioned this in the past, but and I think we mentioned it in our one-on-one meetings, but making sure that if there was ever to be any development of the baseball fields that it would have to go to referendum in order for that to happen. Uh my my concerns where this is stemming from is related to Bright Line within the MO and only Vice Mayor and I would really be privy to this in the long range transportation plan as it was just updated. Um it it includes a transportation hub which is is something like a bus depot um Ubers and I believe we talked about this in the one on meet one-on-one meetings and there was consensus from you all is that the baseball fields would have to go to referendum in order to be developed that it would require that so that the public could make that decision and not the commission at the time. And um in talking to Lee, his his recommendation, and feel free to chime in, but was that it would need to go to referendum in order for it to need to go to referendum in the future. So if there was consensus from the board, and I think there already was, but maybe head nods or, you know, moving in that direction so that that's something that could be on the ballot in August. What do you guys think? When's the deadline for this? I remember it was spoked about last year.

70 days before mid June at the Yeah. At the supervisor of elections, she needs but we have to have it come before the commission by resolution with proposed language. Okay. For ballot language. I support it if we can preserve the baseball fields.

And and I supported it also. My problem is always that the wheels in any government moves too slowly. I mean, we've talked about it. We've talked about correcting an situation. We've talked about a lot of things. I want to know is when do we put down a hammer? When do we say, "Okay, we're going to put together the information that has to go out for referendum. We're going to have it at the next meeting." And I know we're in the middle of hiring a city manager, but I really think that these things need to be put in. We can vote on them and they move forward. So from So my consensus is yes, I would like to move this forward. Mr. Rich another I'm obviously not prepared to talk about this if you agenda

if if you wish to make a decision it it needs to be an agenda item and then we can you know those of us who wish to speak to members of the public prior to that issue I'm perfectly happy to consider so so with uh three in the affirmative do you mind starting that process of ultimately it would come in front of us yeah right for approval right but do you mind starting that process then

perfect on the agenda Yep. And last, but certainly not least, this Thursday, I know everybody's planning on being there. You already know where I'm going. The slow growth town hall at Flaggler Center 6:30. We're going to talk about all the wins. If you're in in in on the slow growth bandwagon and what the city's been up to the last four years. So, if you're not busy, come on down to Flaggler Center at 6:30 this Thursday. And those are all my comments. Um, Raz manager.

Yes. Out of respect for an employee who is here and, uh, I asked her to stay for a few minutes, I'd like to bring out what's good, some of the good things going on around the city with employees. And one such out of girl is Michelle Arbazo, who we just celebrated tonight with 10 years of service. She was also just promoted from planner one to planner two and she's had a long career with the city and did not start in the development department but has progressed. But here's where it gets good. She she was promoted a planner too simultaneously pursuing her master's degree in public admin and maintaining a 40 while being a mom and a wife. So we wanted to celebrate Michelle for that. So well done. Well done. Congrats also to Paul Sandstöm in tech services who was uh recently promoted from network specialist to info techch infrastructure manager. Thank you Darren for such a long title. Um he also was a part- timerr in community services and made his way uh up to where he is now. So, bravo to to Paul and also our police officer Andy Sudhoff who is Germanb born German descent and uh we've had a German production company here following him with their own version of cops you know like the bad boy bad boy what you going to do with that. So Germany has their own version and was an officer in Munich for six years. So they found him here and came and filmed and traveled with him. So that will be aired. uh Chief Zanelvic will be looking at all the footage and approving before it goes out. So very excited for uh Andy and for the city in that regard. Also in finance, quick update, we did hire a director and a senior accountant. Uh they should be here by the end of the month. They're scheduled. Uh the audit is underway. Processes are flowing and things seem to be going uh very well. And I'm really proud of the staff for continuing the journey and making their

way. Some quick city highlights. Saturday, March one, the Sailfish Sprint with another very successful event, more than 200 participants. Uh that was an exciting thing for the city. And then right after that, Sunday, March 2, the Treasure Coast Marathon took place, which had over,00 participants. And that's actually a Boston Marathon qualifying event to be held here in our city is is a pretty neat experience. So kudos to police and public works and utilities and community services and all of fire and everyone who kept everyone safe and everything flowing well. We had the Kowanis pancake breakfast uh this past Saturday which was a terrific turnout, very familyfriendly and very well attended and weather accommodated us which was great. And last but not least, this Saturday, March 14, the grand opening of the amphitheater is happening. So, we really hope you'll be there. Uh, ribbon cutting and some presentations. So, you don't want to miss it. There's lots going on. 10:30 10:30 a.m. and then there will be a blues festival right after the ribbon cutting. So, you don't want to miss that. And that's all I had.

I have a question for us. Yes. Um, as as long as we catch up with the finance director and the senior accountant, we won't lose our ratings or anything. All the gap rating and all that. Everything will be caught back up and we'll be in line to maintain. That's the plan. Everything is in motion. I've been in contact uh contact with the auditors. Uh, they're very pleased that we have the resources available to uh hopefully exceed the deadline of June 30. Um, so we're we're doing everything we can to keep everything flowing as normal. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you, Roz. You're welcome.

Okay. Do we have uh approval of the agenda? Move approval of the agenda as published. I'll second the motion. All in favor? I. Comments from the public. Limited to three minutes on non-aggenda related items. Mary, do we have comments from the I do. I have William Rudge.

Good evening, commissioners. My name is William Rud. My address is 1701 Southwest Palm City Road, Stewart, Florida. That address is on my Florida driver's license, on my voter's registration, and on my United States passport. I have lived to that property since December 24th, 2000. That's the day my father passed away and left me that home. I did not leave voluntarily. The city of Stewart removed me by force under a court order that was fraudulently obtained. That is not abandonment. that is eviction under color of law with state sanctioned armed force. I am here tonight for the same reason I have been s here since last year. I am formally requesting that this commission authorize an independent third party investigation of serious criminal allegations against city officials. This is not a vague request. You have been given detailed written reports. They name specific people. They name specific laws that were broken. They name specific dates. They named specific constitutional violations. You have everything you need for months. Here is what the commission already knows. October 13th, 2009, the city signed a demolition contract on my property. On that exact same day, the private developer who would benefit filed incorporated his company. That was 60 days before the so-called emergency hearing. That is not coincidence. That is premeditation. It is sitting in the public record for anyone to identify. On December 6th, 2009, city code enforcement issued a letter confirming my property was in compliance. 5 days later, the cops state sanctioned armed force and le demolition the October 13, two months previous contract totally raised my property with m and pickup debris order. They removed 62 tons of

vegetation, raping my property. That compliance letter was withheld from the court and judge signed an order forcing my family off our land. The attorney who signed that order, who helped do that, is now a city judge in Tallahassee. The city manager who orchestrated it recently fired from this city under less than honorable circumstances. Is now sitting as an administrator at the Martin County Courthouse across the street. Basically, Vice Mayor Reed, at your last meeting, you said publicly that you did not know what to do about these legacy cases. You have been told exactly what to do. Repeatedly in writing in this room by multiple people, including one of your own commissioners 13 days ago. United States Supreme Court received my third petition. I have the signed return received last week. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been received certified complaint letters about this matter. This commission now has one remaining opportunity to get ahead of this before federal investigators do it for you. I am asking this commission formally on the public record tonight to vote to authorize an independent third party investigation into the allegations that have been placed before you. Your silence is no longer passing,

Mr. Raj as a choice. And that choice is now part of the federal record. You have to ask you point blank. Thank you, Mr. Why are you registered to conduct an investigation? What is it you're trying to hide? What are you afraid of? Mr. Bless. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Next I have Derek Peterson.

Good evening, commissioners. Uh, my name is Derek Peterson. Excuse me, Derek Peterson. I live at 518 Southwest California Avenue here in Stewart. Um, thank you, mayor. Appreciate it. I know you're addressing this. I just feel I need to put it on the record. Um I'm here to ask for help addressing the speeding problem in our neighborhood around Southwest California Avenue, Fifth Street and Southwest 6th Street, Akran, that area of uh Old Potsam, Frasier Creek. Um the street in front of my home is only 14T 1 inch wide. Uh the vehicles are parked on both sides. Creates extremely limited visibility for both drivers and pedestrians. Our neighbors, our neighborhood is very active with residents, children, grandchildren, people walking their dogs daily. People are out all the time. Unfortunately, the vehicles that frequently travel too fast in the conditions for these narrow streets. Uh vice mayor mentioned something about a lot of residents from out of area are coming through our city. Uh I agree wholeheartedly. Uh the big problem big problem I have is there's no speed limits marking these residential areas at all. Um I was walking my dog outside my house and he was literally hit right in front of my house but went thank God for the vet Dr. Ball saved his life. Everything's fine now. Um, but it really got me going cuz I wrote a letter back in 2023 to address this situation um about the speeding. Um, the city did previously conduct traffic counts in 2023 and just now on California Avenue, Canon Street, Southwest 6th Street. They did not put any counters on Southwest 5th Street. That is where the majority of these tra the traffic is coming through. They never counted it. So, um I think it needs to be addressed and perhaps, you know, looked at again and maybe doing another one or at least one on there. Um I'm respectfully asking the city the

city to consider these three simple safety measures. Post a 15 mile speed limit throughout our neighborhood. Um install speed bumps on Southwest California Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Street. I realize that's a tough ask. um and also conduct that traffic monitoring on Fifth Street so accurate data can be collected um where the highest traffic volumes occur. Uh that's all I have to say. I appreciate it. I was listening obviously I was here the whole meeting. Um Citrus Avenue overpass and Fort Pierce. I'm wondering if that's a bridge that maybe they could look at for you know what would be on Monterey because that's a very interesting it's it's a high-rise bridge. that goes over FEC tracks. Um, that might be something. I'm just

Thank you. I'm just going to add that in there. That's all I have. Thank you, Vice Mayor. For for clarification, too, Derek, I agree with you. I live on Sixth Street, Camden and Sixth, and what they do is they come off of Colorado Avenue because they want to alleviate uh confusion Corner and they're speeding to Akran and most of the time they actually blow through the stop sign there on Akran. It happened to me today. I was coming down Akran turning uh east on fifth and I almost got t-boned in my truck going home. But that that's what they do and they avoid confusion corner to get to Akran and Ocean so they can hop on to US1. Correct. How and that's that's primarily what they're doing.

Um instead of following the flow of traffic, they're coming through a residential neighborhood to bypass it. And they do speed mainly on Fit Street. Every now and then I'll see someone on six. they'll blow through the stop sign as well because they come up fast. And uh I I don't know everything. I don't know how to fix everything, but hopefully between Bonnie and the city um they can go after the issues because I agree with you. I kind of drove through a lot of residential areas today and I'm noticing that there isn't any speed limit signs at all. Now, I know I believe there's a city ordinance that says residential areas can be 25,

but there's nothing that marks that for people to come on the outside. And I believe the state of Florida speed limit is 30 and my street's 14 ft wide. It's crazy narrow, you know, for people to be going that fast. Well, so hopefully they'll pick it up. I know it was done in 2023. I wasn't elected in 2023. I know you reached out in 24, maybe around summer or third or fourth quarter, somewhere around there. And it's coming around again. Um I know you sent a comment so hopefully it gets addressed just like with Bonnie's neighborhood and stuff as well this time, right? Yep. It was great that I heard that. Chief, you got it. Then again, you reached out in December also. Yes.

And there there's also a cop that sit I mean, the chief will probably attest to it. They're always getting people because what happens is that light turns green on US1 and they speed through that stop sign or they don't even notice the stop sign or they do rolling stops continually. Um, our security cameras have caught accidents there. I think one time there was a vehicle that was almost on someone's front porch. I don't know if it was on ocean right across from First Baptist. It was literally in their front yard the vehicle and I it might have been on its side or something. It got hit and it pushed it. I don't know if

Yeah, it it was it was probably five, six years ago. Okay. So, yeah, probably five or six years ago. And uh that's that's what happens though. People are speeding through there trying to get the green light.

That's it. Next I have Lewis Baglioli. Hi Lewis Waglioli, 713 Riverside Drive. I um have tried to leave the city alone, but apparently the city won't leave me alone. The commission has allowed me to be smeared as well as they and they are even now actively trying to discredit me. So, I'm here to give my side of the story. They praised me publicly until I said no and then I had to go. Three city managers have said no, but we're the problem. In January, Thursday the 8th and Friday the 9th were my biggest nos. Then Monday the 12th, I was told I was going to be replaced that night. Is that a coincidence? I stepped down the 26th and the coordinated attack started the next morning and I made the only move not expected. I resigned. Working full-time, some remote is not a crime. You just don't like the way that sounds, which is why it was mentioned so many times publicly. The commission knew about my remote work and that I was sleeping in Duffy boats. They put me in it for months, appointing me the city manager. And if sleeping in a city-owned office building in an 8x10 room with roach poop on the bed every night, no microwave, no refrigerator, no TV, and sharing a bathroom with a rowing club as a waterfront condo. There are some real estate agents about to make a lot of money. The 3M settlement was not settled. And to the fire union, what you don't know is I was told by a commissioner to send the first email about the cost. My job was transparency. My work was audited every year by external certified CPAs. I'm not allowed to pick by law. We won the award for transparency and reporting 28 years in a row, including remotely. Thursday, no. Friday, no. Monday, you have to go. Thursday night the 8th, I said no to firing an employee over the SRO policy for a school whose principal is related

to a board appointee. I overrode the policy the next morning. Immoral, unethical, illegal, in violation of city policy. Friday the 9th, I was told by one commissioner to ask about buying schoolboard property to demo a building and make a park a violation of city policy. I was told to not meet with Tom Campaigning and Robin Cartwright. Yep, Robin, too. I was told Robin was just a leech trying to get access for a better story. I can't say what was said about Tom. I said no and I met with both of them on separate occasions on the calendar, not secret. I met Tom on Friday the 9th. Later that same day, I was told to ban Tom from city hall and I said, "No, it's illegal and a violation of city policy." I fought for Robin and got attacked as a thanks. I was reminded by one commissioner how important my remote work was to me, how much I needed it, and was told no new city manager would stop it right before I was replaced. A threat. If you're looking for corruption, how about backroom deals, favors for friends and important people, intimidating employees and threatening them with their jobs if they don't comply, orchestrating public attacks on them, and creating an environment where employees are afraid to speak up. They hesitate and look for approval from the DAS before answering public questions. Thank you,

Barbara Grass.

Yeah, I did for for clarification for the record. By the way, I didn't know that um Jolie was at the Duffy Marine Center. No one had ever updated me on that. No city staff. I actually heard about it from residents in the community. And hopefully Jolie doesn't think I was one of those people mentioned in his public comments. Um him and I always had good conversation um prior to me even being here. Um I've known Jolie for a long time. Um hopefully none of that was directed towards me. I know you didn't name anyone specifically, Jolie, but I know we've always gotten along through the years. I know I've I'll never forget the fire rescue letter and the refund check. And you know, yes, I was a resident in the city. I ended up getting my money back. My comments were sometimes comical towards the getting the money back um in our phone calls, but uh I don't believe any of that was pertaining towards myself, at least I hope not. Um, I don't feel like I ever bullied you or was inappropriate in our conversations, whether publicly or privately. And I wish you all the best and everything. There's a rumor that I'm trying to destroy the city. Whatever happening is happening.

Yeah.

And the commission hasn't bothered to correct.

So yeah, and I don't think questions about the 3M settlement. Please, by all means, keep messing with it until you ruin it. You know, just just keep bringing it up until you ruin it. But it was the commission's job to protect me from the wow publicly that I was living in cond former city manager said. So, you know, it just sounds like one thing. I don't know what the other two city managers reasons were. Yeah,

I appreciate you speaking. Thank you very much, but I'm trying to leave you alone. Thanks, Charlie.

All right, go for it.

I'm gonna take a breath first. Barbergrass 63 Southeast Polarmo Court within the city limits. Central Parkway. The city commission approved two developments on Central Parkway. The commission also gave these developments roadside parking. Why? Yes, the roadside parking because the developers could not have as many units as they desired if they had to adhere to the onsite parking rules of the city requirements. Hence, park on the street, which has several curves if you've ever been down Central Parkway. But now, lo and behold, we have a sign. Street parking ahead. It is a light. It blinks. My my my. It was okay to approve the parking to be able to have more units. But now it is a hazard, a danger, and a cause for concern evidently because we installed this blinking light 24/7. So, what did the city what city department may have approved or installed that 247 flashing sign? Who paid for it? Who will maintain it? Who will repair it? Guess it's me, the taxpayer. Excuse me. Typical. Approve a development. No need to reduce the units. just park on a busy curving central parkway street. Ah, two more developments. They got what they wanted too. They now have on street parking.

Try to do try get around and get any accident again. The developer they get their way. Thank you.

Yeah. For clarification, this was for so Central Parkway went from a bunch of commercial property and prior elected officials reszoned it to multif family. Myself was not one of them. The board members that sat up there during that time, by the way, and voted yes on it. It was Troy McDonald, Becky Bruner, Mike Meyer, Merritt Mat, Campbell Rich, Ula Clark, and the only person that fought hard against those zoning changes was Mayor Collins, by the way. So, I just wanted to clarify on who your representatives were at the time that voted for those. And now we're addressing issues on the no board. So, at the last I think it was the last meeting or the prior meeting, you have residents that live in a development there and they're paying for park access an extra $200 per month and they want to do a mon or Willoughby Road extension through that neighborhood. Now, it would have been different if it was a commercial corridor, but now it affects many lives and Central Parkway is not fun to drive down anymore. I totally agree with you. I try to avoid it as much as possible. It's not even safe coming out of Central Parkway and going southbound on Caner Highway. That is a death trap waiting to happen. It's a ma and this is why I ran, by the way. And and it irks me when I sit up here because the comments hurt, right? And I wish I was here prior. I think it's not only a city and a county issue, it's a state issue at this point. and residents are fighting just to breathe and enjoy their quality of life because it gets taken away from them every time you have an elected official that votes for something like that and like you said the developer wins your voice doesn't matter at certain times I found out and that's one reason why I'm here now so hopefully that addresses your comments for

clarification the flashing light I avoid Central Parkway So, let's find out from the city who decided that it was so dangerous that now we have to have this 247 flashing light that says on street parking. Milton, you got any answers? Was it part of I got to put you on the spot. Well, was it was it part of the development order or did the city do it after the fact? Well, I don't know who would know. It's recent. the last 30 days. The city owns Central Parkway. So, it's a city- owned road. So, that I'm assuming we maintain that light then or

No, we don't maintain. Why was it done? Development order. Gotcha. So, it would have been in the development order then. So, once again, your prior elected officials voted for that flashing light. Is that something? And this might be for a further meeting, but can we address that flashing light? Wait. even though it was a part of I I have no idea about the flashing lights. Neither do I. I just heard about it for the first time. Probably put it on an agenda item in the future where that could be amended. What's that? Where that could be potentially I think we need to have it discussed. I I I'm not even sure we know who put it up. So I'm not I'm not asking to amend at this moment. What I'm asking is more generally would it be possible if it's in the development order to discuss it?

All right. That's why we should probably have a D and D on it. I mean it's probably a good idea. Could that be on the next commission meeting as soon as possible? What's that? Could that DND be on the next commission? Yeah, we can put it on the next meeting. We got to have that done tomorrow. Okay. Um, we can just do a DND and we'll try and put something together. I don't We just don't have a lot of time to put

And by the way, I'll go further on the I'll go further on the record. You want to talk about commercial to multifamily zoning changes? There was a commercial to multifamily zoning change that got approved on Indian Street and Commerce that got approved, right? And then you have a parcel across the street that didn't get approved and there were people on there on the city board at the time. They received campaign money, which I guess that doesn't mean anything. And that zoning change got denied, by the way. And then you had another resident that came in and bought that property and there was a news article about it where there was an elected official that said it'd be a great spot for that business as well. I wasn't up here for that either, but I wish I was. Are we having public comment, Mr. Mayor? I'm confused. I do.

What's going on now? We just have addressing it.

Oh, perfect. You can address the concerns since you voted for it. Good evening, commissioners. Uh, my name is Merritt Mat. I live at 506 Southwest South Carolina Drive, Stewart, Florida. I know you've all read Robert's rules of orders and I'm just laughing over there because generally speaking, this is supposed to be a meeting run where during public comment you don't address those individually, but typically the custom is you learn some of the facts, talk to your city manager, and then get back to the the public who's commenting. That makes the meeting run a little more smoothly. Um, Commissioner Reid, thanks for pointing me out specifically and all the other historical commissioners. Um, I I remember specifically the development you're speaking of. I was the only commissioner to vote against it. I also reduced the size of the the density of the units and got a story reduced from one of the buildings. The reason that on street parking is there is because Central Parkway has always has has always had a problem with speeding. Even though I voted against it, that on street parking slows traffic. I'm sure you know that from being a representative of the MO board. The developer paid for all those improvements and I would bet is paying for that flashing sign which could easily be amended if the residents don't want it. But again, for the record, I was the only commissioner to vote against the project. And I can promise you they didn't need that that parking to to reach their requirements. That parking was done for traffic calming. That's not the reason I wanted to come up here. I wanted to talk about

referendums because preserving Sailfish ball fields is a noble cause. Having helped write two referendums in the past few years. One giving you current commissioners four-year term and adding 12-year term limits to it and the other one being Martin County forever which you happen to be discussing and deliberating money from that referendum. Having written both those ordinances or partaken in it, I think it's a great cause to to consider another referendum preserving City of Stewart's parks. But I would caution you not to rush into it. Since this is back and forth, can any commissioner tell me how many words are allowed to be on a referendum? I'll keep it rhetorical. Let's stick to Robert's rules of orders. 75, but there's quite a few required state words in there. So, you don't have 75 to work with. But in those less than 75 words, you have to convince to the voters in one shot that what you're saying is right. It's a great noble cause, but both referendums I've worked on took years of planning with research groups, with talking to others around the community. and I'd be happy to con communicate with each one of you individually on this noble cause.

Thank you. Thank you for clarification. Merritt, I just wanted to apologize if you weren't the yes on there. Um, and there was one more thing as far as the term limits. This is for cl because we're allowed to clarify in public comment by the way in Robert's rules of order. My question is, yeah. So, Correct. Correct. On as far as the term limits, can you do 12 years and then take a year off and then do another 12 years? Yeah. A term. Gotcha. Okay. So, 12 consecutive. Thanks. I have no further comments, mayor. Okay. All right.

That was fun. Uh, do we have approval for the consent calendar? Okay. So, I had brought I I'll I'll make a motion, but like I said, it's just I'd like to acceptance of that screening committee minutes and then approval of the city commission meeting and the Ros is going to speak to it. Okay. Okay, Ros. Commissioner, you have it correct. That was a scrier's error. It should be accept the screening committee minutes and approve the others. Okay. Move approval. Apologies. Okay. Do we have a second? I'll second the motion. Okay. Mary, would you call the role? Vice Mayor Reid, yes. Commissioner Rich, yes. Commissioner Gobi, yes. Commissioner Clark, yes.

Mayor Collins, yes. Moving on to item seven, selecting a city manager finalist and authorizing the city attorney to negotiate employment agreement. What I wanted to Let me read the resolution and

yeah, forgive Resolution number 17-2025, a resolution of the city commission of the city of Steuart, Florida, selecting a candidate and an alternate for the position of city manager authorizing the interim city manager to extend the offer of employment and authorizing the city attorney to engage in employment agreement negotiations with the finalist, providing an effective date and for other purposes. So, because we don't have an opportunity to speak together, we've all gone through these one-on-one interviews. So, what I was going to ask is if we could refrain from trying to jump into a motion and each share our thoughts. Um, ideally positive only, um, but share our thoughts on on who we interviewed and who our favorites might be. for structure. Staff is going to be looking for obviously a finalist and also a secondary in case that finalist didn't work out. But I was curious, you know, I wanted to see if from each one of you we could talk about who we liked and and who those favorites might be and see if we might be able to come to some consensus. Uh, first

vice mayor

learned a lot having these uh interviews. I will say that. Um, positive things. Um, some were more forthcoming about fixing issues. We talked about a lot of the legacy stuff, things that I was looking for in particular. I think the big question that needs to be discussed from the board as well maybe is do you want someone that strictly has institutional knowledge or somebody that has leadership experience and no institutional knowledge and they could learn as the process goes along. What I learned as well from the ones that had institutional knowledge, some of them could have had an ethics complaint, an HR complaint because they've been in that position for a while, whether it was done intentionally or unintentional. Um, I know some had finance experience, which was nice as a city manager, but I still think it comes down to someone with institutional knowledge. I I think that should be a discussion. I know in the beginning I was heavy on institutional knowledge, but I fully believe if they don't have institutional knowledge, I think someone could learn. If you're running large companies, it was it was hard to find a candidate that had private experience and government experience. Typically, if they're government, they're all in with government. They're going from one city manager position for a year, maybe three years, maybe 10 years here, just to the next city or the county. When the administration changed from elected officials, uh they knew the lay of the land. They knew how to navigate it. And I don't know if it's a pro or a con if you have someone that control can control the narrative by being very institutional I guess and having all the knowledge in

the world and withholding it at times. Um so I don't know and I also think it maybe I I really don't necessarily want to relocate someone per se. I I I don't know how that happens during negotiations. Um, there were some applicants out of state. Some were closer than others. Some Yeah, I don't know if you want me to name names or just someone provide comments. I'll I'll listen for a little bit before I give my okay consensus, but that's all I have to say.

Um, regarding residents, I believe it is required to correct me if I'm wrong that they have two years to move to the city. I think that's a requirement for a city manager. They have to live within 15 miles of city hall within two years.

And I personally found a few that were qualified but not willing to move. They wanted to commute even though they Florida was just a little I think the city manager needs to be at least 10 or 15 miles. We have situations that happen in the middle of the night. And while you don't actually need to be on site, it's always preferable just because your staff is there to to at least be up front and center. You don't have to stay the whole night, you're not going to get your, you know, boots on and get in the water, but the staff needs to know you're there. Uh, and that doesn't happen if you're commuting. So, I had some issues with some people who were qualified. We had a lot of qualified individuals. Um, we did.

Yeah, we did. We had a lot of qualified individuals. For me, one person stood out having kind of the the whole u picture. So, who who wasn't willing to move for clarification? Um I don't know if you remember because that'll make this process easier then. Chandler Williamson. He lives in it's like So, so even within two years he had no plans to move.

I don't think so. Gotcha. No. I asked the question. He thought he could commute. Of course, he had mentioned what time frame it was to get there, but it wasn't during commuting hours. Uh, so it would be a little longer. Who was your standout? My standout was Glenn Adams. Okay. I like Glenn. Yeah. I thought he kind of had the whole package and and I thought he'd be someone who could really pull the troops together and um I think it would be good for morale, camaraderie, everyone working together and feeling solid within, you know, the city and under the city manager. Commissioner Rich,

uh I have my first pick and I would prefer that my discussion occur after a motion is made. Okay. Oh, how are we supposed to have an open discussion? So, let me just Can I just make my Go for it.

So, so um I looked at people with instate obvious instate um experience. People who are already living in Florida, have Florida experience, and whether they were near or far, a lot of them were from southeast Florida. There was one from mid central Florida up in uh High Springs area, Gainesville area up there. Then um there are people who were out of state now, but they had had Florida experience. Uh Mr. Hawthorne and some others uh I think and then there were couple of military type guys who had a lot of I don't know if that's what you're talking about. Oh, Commissioner Reed is not here. This institutional heard that he wait to hear your remarks. Oh, I didn't realize that he had left.

I will take a recess in my discussion but not be present. Banterin. Interesting. I think he went to ask a question. We can take just just a Is it with Lee or um We can wait. Okay. And well, okay, we're gonna take a I have a question for Roz. Thank you.

We're waiting for you. Sorry. It's okay. Yeah. When you said institutional knowledge, are you talking about people who work like with there were people who were veterans who had um

a lot of uh government um and airport um um experience and so on and but they didn't have necessarily Florida planning experience or Florida legal guidelines and so on but they could run a ship so to speak or they could set the ship right so to speak. So, um, yes, there there there were those people. Um, uh, following up with, uh, Mr. Adams was like I was very impressed with him. May, uh, very impressed. And then when I looked at, I went back and I looked at everybody. I looked at their LinkedIn, their Facebook, whatever they had. I looked at, um, where they've applied for jobs previously. And I noticed that in Martinsville, uh, he was there for less than a year. And then one of our other candidates um also came right after him and it might be something with that particular commission, the Martinsville Commission in Texas where they the the other candidate stayed like two years and she was just fired and has a legal issue with them. And I think three or four of our candidates were people who had legal issues ongoing with the commissions that they were just working for. And they um they they really um there there were just some issues there. I noticed it was interesting when I saw the relationship between two of the candidates and Martinsville, Texas, and the circumstances under which they were both let go, which um I'm sure that they're excellent candidates, but uh it's just unfortunate that that um happened with them and both of them are applying for positions here. I looked at the future of of city hall planning. I looked at what we have to deal with and um trying to clean up some stuff that

needs to happen here and then also bringing staff together. And I really um I did like a few of those who had um military experience. I like them. And and there was one person who didn't um jump out, but when I looked at his um resume from Colin Basinger when he had applied for a job at the the city of um I think it's Dana Beach and he has a long history with Dana Beach for those who have have seen the list. He was there then he went back up north with family then he came back and did work um less than a city manager. he was a CIP administrator and then again he went up north and now he's currently not employed but he just recently um was uh interviewed and was looked at through the um through Colin Basinger which is a a head hunting group clean absolutely clean record uh good recommendations from the previous commissioners and mayors that have worked with him u that's Mr. Donley, he has Florida experience in terms of Florida legislative experience, Florida planning and zoning experience, and I'm pretty sure that he could also work with our um our staff. I didn't see anything in his background that had any issues with any previous commissions or any firings or anything like that. So, I thought that he was good. I thought that um uh Mr. Mendez was good as a um very um he a good candidate uh with his engineering experience and background. He was just interviewed like uh January or February 28th or something. January the 18th I think by the city of North Miami Beach

uh for a position there. He was four in the top four running for that. He has very good experience for um engineering, planning, architecture, knowing Florida law. He's worked as a consultant for many, many years. He said that he would give up his consulting work if he were to work with the city of Stewart. I wasn't sure if he was one of the ones who you might have asked if they would ever wanted to relocate, but I think he's down in Miami. And but I thought that most people understood that they I didn't really press them much on the relocation cuz I thought that they knew that within a certain time they'd have to be here. So, but um I know that he's strong in Miami. We have a couple of candidates who are in the area right now. Mr. Matthysse is in the area. He's worked locally. He didn't have as much management experience as I as I was hoping for. Mr. Harvell has worked before as a consultant and a as a planner in the southeast Florida area. He lives in Martin County. And Mr. Gardino who's um from military background and also some small towns in Virginia and I think New Jersey or is it Connecticut? Um I have the list in Connecticut. Is it okay? Yeah. So um I um he he um he he impressed me actually. He and Mr. Adams were the ones that impressed me a lot. And then when I look back at the issue, I don't think Mr. Adams is involved with a lawsuit in the same way that Miss um Benvitas is with Martinsville, but she's highly involved with the lawsuit. She's very very very excellent, qualified, good with um uh purchasing um money management, very very confident, very very qualified. Um Mr. Williamson has the same appearance,

but again, he's also has been involved with some recent um issues uh in the community. I did read one negative thing about Mr. Harll, but I think that he's probably taken care of it, but um I think it came up when he was applying for the city of Dundee um city manager. Um and I just I found something. I didn't print it out, but uh it's there if anybody ever want to look him up. Um Mr. Hawthorne had a very very great affinity for the city of Stewart. Um I looked at his issues in Atlanta and I looked at his video from what what happened to him when he was um fired uh from a job up there that he he had just um gotten praises for and then was turned away. And then I think that was um College Park in Atlanta. So I did look back at these people. I didn't find much in Mr. Tib's background or Mr. Marshall's background. They seem very clear and clean, I think. But for us though, I I'm looking um you know, Mr. Godino, Mr. Donnelly, Mr. Mendez, um uh Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams actually attended our meeting here at the city of Stewart and that showed a lot of um interest in our community. And so there um who else did I leave out? I didn't leave out anybody. Mr. Hawthorne Harl. No, I think that I I covered all of

I said Mr. Tibs has Florida. He had he has Florida experience. Um he is uh twice twice retired or uh he's on Yeah. So, and I think that we I think that for the flow that we need right now, uh, and I think he lives he was one of the ones that he might have mentioned something because I think he currently lives like in Palm Beach County, but he goes all the way back out there. I don't know if he lives in Wellington and goes out there to um, Hendry County. But, um, very very knowledgeable grant. He has received grants. I looked at the people who've raised grants and and raised things for their community that they've worked in and people who have just been steady and for character I I I know that Mr. Don and it's funny and I'll just say this because I found it in the record. Um one of his commissioners says you know Mr. Donnie may not look like a GQ person all the time, but he he knows exactly what he's doing. And he was and and and that's that's how he presents himself. But he is I think he can be a thorough person to work through some issues and to help us with the hard issues with land use issues and to um to help us pull some things together. But I do think for confidence and so on. I really liked um speaking and this I mean I have a planning background and a legal background but I tell you the um I was impressed with just the the way that the the ones who had done a long military time how they responded to uh to some of our questions. And uh honestly that's it. I have my sheet. I haven't written a single thing on it and I'm not ready to put out any names yet.

And I'm here with an open mind. I'm here with an open mind. I didn't put any of mine yet. Mine Mine would be I'm just going to throw it out there that some people are like holding like poker cards or something to me. I would say like top three Glenn Adams. I would say David Harvel potentially and then uh Michael Gardino. Those would be my top three. He didn't want really. Yeah, you're I think uh Glenn Adams had private experience and city manager experience which is nice. Um Michael Gordino had just I don't want to say just because it sounds bad per se I guess but like

he um military background he worked in uh Key West. That's where he was stationed but he did work with elected officials with projects. But yes, those would be my three that I would target. If anyone's willing to discuss any of them, I'm open. You didn't like Mr. Mendes or Mr. Donley? I Well, they have a great planning experience. I'll let the mayor. Yeah, I was just going to say I I really wanted to thank all of these people who came. Yes, definitely. 13 uh people who tough traveled here, got on planes, paid for their flight to come interview at the city. Mhm.

Um they were in rooms with us for, you know, five hours. Some of them had to wait and and and were here for a lot of of the day. And then the five of us were here from 9:00 a.m. to 7:15 interviewing. So I also want to thank the commissioners that took the time to be here and really interview these people to make sure that who ends up organizing and working with staff is the right fit. you know because we we interact with these people on a limited basis but you know for staff this is their everyday person so this is very important and that and that's how I've tried to approach it is not just who would I want to work with but like who who could really positively affect the culture and the tone the spirit of the city going forward and and um you never know elections are in August and you could be unseated and and if I had any legacy impact here it would truly who's running the ship here. So,

all of these people were very qualified and I was impressed with that. One, there was 82 applicants. Blows my mind, you know, and two, it was so hard to weed these people down that there were 13 of them to interview. So, it took us two days to do it.

Of all of these people, they were all very qualified in different ways. Um, let me let me take just a quick step back and give a little context. For me personally, without throwing too much shade um, at anybody in the past, my my goal in this position is somebody who can truly just run the city. In the past, without, you know, going too hard on specific names, maybe there were people that, and this might have been alluded to even in Jolie's comments, you know, they're They're maybe more of a politician. They're here, they're there, they're at the chamber, they're having lunch with Tom Campy, you know, this there's they're they're half mayor and half, you know, we've almost potentially anointed a king, you know, and and really what you need in the city of Stewart, you have you have five commissioners. You have a mayor that can deal with the media, that can be at the chamber meeting, that can do the whatever. You really need somebody to, in my opinion, to focus on the city running the dayto-day. a nice steady ship, somebody that, you know, it's not easy to hold people accountable without making them feel attacked or uh it's not an easy task. And so what I was looking at with these people is somebody that one can follow chain of command. It can be difficult when you have people that that have come through the city, maybe they've been past commissioners and mayors and filled different positions in the city. It may be hard for them to just function as a city manager alone. But in in my interviews with these people, I was looking at who can honor the chain of command. And what I mean by that is for a representative republic, for this experiment of democracy to work, you have five human beings up here

who have been elected by the people. as their proxy. We have to be allowed to ultimately make the policy decisions and have staff implement them without any subversion or disregard because it truly it's the will of the people, not just our opinions. And it can be very difficult and very seductive when you've worked in in municipal government or in the city for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. can be very difficult to listen to a chiropractor that just got elected or um you know any any of us that do different jobs and have very little experience. It was very important to me in talking to to people that I got the sense that they could follow the chain of command whether it's me in the seat or somebody else in the next cycle so that truly the will of the people could be uh implemented and from the top down from your city manager down that that there could be a unified organized culture within the city of trying to implement that uh and trust our commissioners that you may educate them and lead them as close as you can, but ultimately you we we are going to follow the will of the people to the commission. So that said, my my favorite um of all of these highly qualified people, if you're watching, this is not a knock on any of you that showed up. You were all

very good, amazing in a lot of different ways,

but I thought Michael Girardino was my number one and Glenn Adams would be my number two. And for a little context on those two, I'm not going to go into other people and why not, but why I would say uh Michael Gordino was that number one for me is, you know, sometimes God shines down on you, right? Uh this this gentleman uh and his wife a year ago happened to buy a house in Rocky Point because they love Martin County and Stewart so much they wanted to relocate here. And it just so happens that this job happened and caught his attention. He currently is the co-deputy of LaGuardia Airport.

That is no joke. That is no joke. Okay. This is this guy is a 26-year Navy Navy guy that retired from military in 2011. He has run uh bases with 800 people down in the Keys. So, he's he's not um an alien to Florida. He has run various airports. He has municipal experience as well in Brownsville. So again, I think God shine down on us. Not to hype him up too much, but but I think we would be it would be our honor to have a guy like that in this role. I I felt confident that he could follow chain of command and was looking would be looking to the five of us to set the direction for him to implement. I have zero doubt as a as a guy who understands military and chain of command, I don't think we would have any issues. Um, and similarly with Glenn Adams, I think that same thing would be true. Um, the only reason I would say Glenn would be my number two is I because of Michael Giri Gardino's experience running the types of organizations he has. I think he may I think he may handle See, it's hard to say things without being seemingly casting shade on another person. I think he might do a better job, as far as I can tell, at uh navigating with grace staff and and being that bridge between, you know, us and staff. I think both of them because of their military background would do a phenomenal job of getting the city maybe we can be a little siloed at times but getting everybody staff together on one page again of implementing the will of the commission.

Uh but personally maybe maybe it's even just temperament I think Michael Girardino temperament might be a better a little bit better fit but I think we we would have a home run with either one personally. So th those are my general and specific comments. Um you guys had more. I I believe that Commissioner Rich would like a motion before he discusses we can continue to discuss and then wait. I mean I'm just Is he going to make a motion? I don't know. No.

No, he's not. So then we can just disc continue to discuss I is there some consensus on I think three of us had have mentioned Michael Girardino. Is there consensus that he might be number one or not and and who might be number two because you know my thoughts.

I know your thoughts. Um I looked at both and and Mr. Gordino is very qualified uh as well as Glenn Adams. I thought that Mr. Adams had a much more personable feel for working with the commissioners and the staff. Mr. Gordano runs LaGuardia Airport. I mean, he's fantastic. And he's run a military base in Key West. And I've been to that base. It's it's an amazing base. He um has moved to this area. He has been in and out of Stewart for the last 20 years.

Uh his family lives here. His sister lives here. His parents were just recently, they're getting on in years. and the reason he's moved here is to settle them. So, um that hence the house in Rocky Point. My only I I hate to say downside because they're both majorly qualified is that I think he's almost a little too military and and I think that um while that's great when you're coming on a ship or you know people have had that previous type of um mentorship or leadership I think it might be just a little too harsh for um coming on to I didn't get I didn't get that impression. It's interesting that you got that impression.

Who was that again? Mr. Gordano. I thought he was very mellow. Mellow and very human. I didn't get that that harsh. I thought he might have been a little nervous. Who the hell? No, not not nervous at all. That guy wasn't nervous. They were strong with her. They were still nervous to me. And it gets a little bit into personality and you want to stay in the realm of qualification. But yeah, I would say I would say if anything maybe Glenn to me felt a little bit more like what you're saying. Even though he was very bright, he was very like mission driven uh versus really feeling u you know when you're running a city, you got you got 300 people. I one comment. Okay, sorry.

One comment and it's something I I really didn't interview them. I just get them into a conversation, talk about themselves, why they're here. you you kind of get a lot more out of them, I think, because they're not sitting there answering 10 questions you put in front of them. I'm an interrogator.

Yeah. I I did not I wanted to be the storyteller and and there's times where you get a little more out of the story, but the interrogator gets things also. Um, I just felt that um, while I said they're they're both highly qualified, I just think there is was a more of a a gentler side, should I say, I'm I'm trying not to disparage. Mr. J Gardano is very competent, very um, lifelike. The one thing I did ask all of them and and we've all been there is your commissioners are being asked to um make comments by the press

and I wanted to know their philosophy. Do you prepare your commissioners for that or do you as the city manager handle the face of the city with the press? And so those were two gentlemen who gave different answers. And one was, "No, we need, you know, you never you never know what a commissioner might say. You know, you really need to kind of be on the same path of everyone else even though we're not allowed to talk." And then it kind of blows up in the press. So um Mr. Adams was very much of the the um the road that he would I mean unless it was something specific and all the manage all the commissioners agreed on it he would basically be the fa the face of the city when it came to um

so right and Mr. Gioano felt that we to that point. Yes. Right. And and I'm only going to lean on being here just slightly longer than you. Just just a hair. Not to be patronizing, I swear. Okay. But what what has happened in the past is right there there's there's slightly different tones in commissions. And what commissions can do, and I had this conversation with each of these people, is your commissioners can use your manager as a shield, right? when it comes to politically difficult votes um the press you know and and um so so I in fact would be looking for the opposite of what you're saying okay

which is I believe the purpose of an elected official is to be the people who are you know fire you take it fire line you put yourself in this position right and you take the hits if Keith Burbank wants to barbecue you you do you shake his hand and you do it with a smile Well, you know what I mean? And that's that you've put yourself in that position. And what can happen is when you have weaker commissions and it forces that manager to be that shield, it can start to become in my opinion dysfunctional just with like a hair more experience. Just I've watched this kind of thing happen. Okay.

Where if you I I feel like it's the job of you know if we're not we we're not just the people who set the policy. We have to be the people who take full responsibility for for decisions we make and what happens, right? And and truly, I think our job should be the inverse, which is I want to protect my manager from that, okay?

So that they can just run the city and um manage staff and and it's not a a common thing. It's not you usually it's not that way. Uh often because you have elections coming up and And if nobody wants bad press, you know, you throw your manager out there to take the whipping, but but uh ideally in the city, I would like to see that our that the five of us are the ones who, you know, right, really protect your manager. And I know you're not advocating the opposite of that or whatever. Well, I'm not and I understand your point. And I guess the part I missed saying was that in in Glenn Adams case, it would be something he would

reach out to the pre I mean, if he were asked the question, but not before reaching a consensus with the commissioners. I understand. I mean, I and I left that out. I'm sorry. After you brought up the whole he would basically see where the commission felt. He wasn't making the decision to talk to the press.

He was just seeing where the commissioners lie. The flip side of that is that when you go out in the public, sometimes the public assumes that if I say something or you say something, we all agree with each other because we've talked about it even though everyone knows we haven't. So that becomes an issue when you are speaking to the press. And as Keith can tell you, I grill him to death. Hi Keith. And it's basically, you know, if you if you say something or if you misquote me, you'll never talk to me again because I want to be quoted correctly. That's it. And Keith and I now have great relationship, don't we? It looks scared. Um, okay. Vice Mayor.

Yeah, I've been misqued before and I I respect Keith for what he does. We have good conversations. Um, I know when I was interviewing Glenn Adams, he did mention that he is currently retired. And that's true. Several of them are. Yeah, I know. Yeah, several of them are. So, I'm going to make a motion then for a one and a two. My motion is for Michael Gardino to be number one and then Glad Glenn Adams to be number two and then hopefully uh Commissioner Rich will chime in with his pick. Can you make a m a motion to sing to choose a single city manager with two? You have to make one, right? Well, we have Well, staff is seeking a one and a two. Well, you haven't discussed them. So,

if you want to just put one down, that's fine. Our resolution is requesting a alternate a backup. Oh. In our proposed resolution just in case as happens, somebody doesn't want to do it. Number one withdraws or accepts a job elsewhere in the meantime and so we we don't have to come back and redo this. So we would have a backup. Is there a second for discussion? Oh, I'll second the motion for discussion. Yes. Okay. Let's discuss. Commissioner Rich. Mr. Gioano is not my number one pick. Too bad. Neither am I. Who's your number one pick? Let me see. Show your cards. Who's your number one? No. No. No. We're not showing cards.

All right. Why don't we go up here? I I'm not I will not vote in favor of him to be the city manager. But you don't want to say who you I'm just curious. I don't think I don't wish to speak. He doesn't want to speak to any of the candidates. He doesn't want to speak. Okay. Then there's I'm not required to. Okay. Can I just ask a question? Absolutely. Commissioner, you had said you wouldn't discuss it unless we had a motion. So, now we've made discuss it by indicating that he is not my number one pick. Okay. Okay. Well, you know how I feel. This is exactly what I would like to see these two. So, those are my comments. What about you guys? Mine is actually the opposite. I I'm I have Glenn Adams first and Michael Gardano second. Okay.

So, mine's just the opposite. and I'm in that zone except that I do um think that Mr. Donley is a good uh fit for everything that we need for Florida. And these two guys are going to have to they're they'll be good managers if one of them is picked, but um they're going to have to really come up with the um uh

dealing with our Florida legislation and the things that we need to and it's not impossible. they can handle it. If they're coming here for the job, maybe that's it. But I really think that for uh and I was I'm surprised, but when I went back through and looked at everything, I came up with um either Mr. Vendez or Mr. Donley as a first pick and maybe because of their their their planning and legislative experience as um managers of cities that were growing and making change or working in in communities like that and I know that their their South Florida um background but um out of those two I I picked Mr. Donley and of course Mr. J, you know, and Mr. Adams, like I said, Mr. Adams was like my first impression, very first impression. And then when I met Mr. J, you know, they were first and last for me kind of cuz because of the city and Yeah. So, it was just one of those things, but I'm I'm willing to work with whoever the commission um picks and that we can work with. I did bring up, and not to put any um shade on anybody, I did bring up the whole Martinsville thing, and you guys know about it, and um you've probably done your own research, but um and I I I didn't talk about that with the candidate at the time, but the candidate delivered himself in such a way that it probably wasn't necessary. I see that I have it in my notes now and maybe because it's after my summary notes I have like tons of notes in my thing that for when I talk to them that day you know we talked about the golden rules one of the things that maybe it's a military thing but when I asked these people one of the things that I said just tell me three words and there were people who

responded with three words whether competent this that the other um loyal whatever they said other people gave me their Sunday school book of what is in their resume and they you know and so I that made a distinction for me because everybody's so qualified everything makes a distinction right yes that for me too there were people that were very qualified but I I I've just settled on these two and I just think that um in relation to working with staff and running the city I just think Mr. Adams is the more qualified um whole picture.

Um I just wanted to point out that when the board hired me that they did do it I was reminded by the uh city clerk that the board voted anonymously I guess on cards which is another option. Um you have a motion already of one and two. Um, you can still vote that way, but she wanted to let you know that there was an option like Commissioner Rich does not want to disclose who his pick was, but maybe that's an option if you guys wanted to do it on cards like we've done it in the past. U, I we did not do that for Ruth. Yeah, I think for transparency it's right. It's good to put it out there. Um, but he's saying it's good for the

for us to talk for us to speak. Yeah. Deliberate for the public to understand why we might pick the person that we pick to be their manager. If somebody said that we're going to be fired, we have to talk about the names are written at the top of the Sorry, I thought you said anonymous. Never mind. Okay. You put So, um, obviously you have a motion in a second already, so you can vote on that. We need to take public comment, right? But I'm after public comment, but obviously it fails. And there's another motion to It seems like they may be the top two. I was trying to jot down as much notes as I can. I mean, and if you reversing it or number one is Mr. Gordano. Yes, sir. Correct. But currently there is a motion.

It's not my number one on the floor. And it's been seconded this motion. You've had your discussion. If there's any further discussion, you go to public comment and then vote. So now would be an opportunity for public comment. If somebody wanted to speak familiar with them, you didn't get to interview talk about them. So if they would like to make I have no comment. We could have questions maybe. Okay. Seeing none. All right. Mary, would you call the role? Is there The motion is for the first one, Michael Geredino, and then the second one, Glenn Adams. Commissioner Clark, yes. Commissioner Gobi, no. Commissioner or Vice Mayor Reid? Yes. Mayor Collins,

yes. And Commissioner Rich, no. Motion passes three to two. Motion passes. So we'll send uh so next steps Roz. So the next steps is city attorney will reach out to Mr. Gardino and navigate elements of an employment agreement and get that prepared for the next meeting. And that's really it. That's it. pretty much until the next meeting. Going to be happy. I'm sorry. Did you say something? His last name is Cher Dino, right? Yes.

Moving on to item eight, 400 Southeast Oyola Street, Reszone to Commercial Planned Unit development, CPU. This is a quasi judicial item. As I mentioned last time, I'm going to be recusing myself uh due to being friends with Mr. Benadetti personally and to avoid any appearance of impropriety. I don't know if you have that in front of you. I say that spoken to it last time.

Yes. So, you had already filled out a and completed a form 8B and turned it into city clerk and u again it's Florida statute 288.012 012 and commission on ethics opinion 20-3 that you have chosen to uh abstain from voting to avoid the appearance of impropriy and it um if the vice mayor is going to be handing I see he's got his yellow card out so I just wanted to remind him that he's going to need to go through the yellow card I'm sorry actually you're not you're you're going to still run the you're just not going to vote if it pleases the board I'll continue to run the meeting I just will not be voting I'll be abstaining from the vote Okay. So,

I'll read the ordinance.

Yes, sir. Ordinance number 2549-2026, an ordinance of the city commission of the city of Steuart, Florida, reszoning a45 acre parcel located at 400 Southeast Oyola Street within the community redevelopment area special district for property legally described as lots 23, 24, and 25 block one stipman's subdivision from R3 residential multifamily office zoning designation to commercial planned unit development designation and adding barber shop, beauty salons and specialty salons as an allowable use as allowable uses, providing for conflict, providing for severability, providing for an effective date and for other purposes. And I just wanted to give my little uh spiel that I normally do on these quasi judicial hearings. So, in a quasi judicial hearing, the city commission steps outside of its legislative or administrative role and into a judicial capacity. The city commission will be making a determination by applying existing laws, ordinances, and regulations to the facts presented to the board. Everything needs to be officially entered into the record, and testimony needs to be under oath. The commissioners are also required to disclose any exparte communications that occurred prior to this hearing. Will all potential witnesses for the applicant and city staff please stand, raise your right hand, and be sworn in? Do

you affirm that the testimony that you are about to provide in this hearing will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help you God. I do. You may be seated. Do any of the commissioners have exparte communications to disclose? I have none with regard to this issue. I do. I've um spoken to staff. I've spoke I've gotten an email from um Mr. Benadetti um and and actually spoke to Panol. I have no communications with Mr. Benedetti since he was here at the last meeting. I haven't really talked to staff about this and I have not visited the site and I'm here with an open mind.

Oh, and I forgot to mention I'm the interim man the interim city manager. Sorry, we had had a discussion. Thank you. Uh mine would be with city attorney. I remember during the zoning in progress, Benadetti was here and then email he sent me an email with uh uh an applicant that wanted to rent the place if it does so happen to pass tonight. So, there was someone in support of it that wanted to lease property from the applicants and I'm here with an open mind. I've spoken to staff, the applicant, and then I received an email from an Emily. Yeah.

Blanthier just to disclose. No, that's a different that's that's for the next uh Never mind. Never mind. You're welcome. I received the same email. That's why I knew. So, you put everybody under under oath. Will the development department please provide a brief summary of the agenda item including the location, size of the property, current zoning, zoning requested, and list the applicant's request to deviate from a land use development regul regulations if there are any.

Uh, good evening, mayor and city commissioners. For the record, my name is Jody Cougler, the development director of the city for the city of Stewart. Tonight I'm presenting agenda item number eight. The applicant of Siola Street Holdings LLC is requesting approval of a resoning from the existing R3 office multifamily office to a commercial plan unit development to add barber shops, beauty salons, and specialty salons as an allowable uses located at 400 Southeast Oyola. The property is also located within the community redevelopment area special district. Pursuant to the land development code public notices on January 19, 2026, the applicant mailed notices to all adjacent property owners within 300 ft of the subject parcel to provide details of the requested development and the date and time of tonight's public hearing. Additionally, one sign was posted on the property with the same information. The 045 acre property is outlined in red and is located at 400 Southeast OciOla Street and is situated at the southeast corner of Oyola Street in Georgia Avenue. Currently, the property is zoned R3 multi uh multifamily in office. The future land use is office residential and the applicant is proposing to for the PUD to allow barber shops, beauty beauty salons and specialty salon. These are the definitions that are outlined in our development land development code for the different types of uses. And the currently in the R3 district, you can see that the uh commercial planning and development is a compatible use for the future land use. However, the future land use is not compatible with the neighborhood special district, lowdensity, residential, commercial, industrial, marine, or public. And this is just coming out of the land

development code. Uh this is the chart that's currently allowed for multif family. Uh the current zoning, as you can see, uh everything in red is is approved through a conditional use. The R3 zoning uh multif family residential district uh requires um the professional office to be at 10,000 square feet. They do meet that requirements and that would follow through with the PED request. The site has an existing 4100 ft one-story commercial building and the applicant is not proposing any new structures or additions. The parking is existing well adequately support the proposed uses. The city traffic consultant, Kimley Horn, reviewed the traffic statement prepared by traffic and mobility consultants from the existing R3 multifamily zoning designation to a commercial planning and development and is anticipated to that the proposed trip potential for the CPU designation is as follows. 68 daily trips and uh in the existing trip generation potential for R3 designation as follows. 110 daily trips. And uh the proposed C CPD zoning designation shows a minimum increase in peak hour traffic generations compared to the existing R3 zoning designation and will not ever ever adversously affect the surrounding transportation network. As part of the PED requirements, the applicant is proposing to install or bring up the landscaping to install three sea grapes, one southern live oak, and three sable palms. Uh they will also bring up the hedge material um using a cocoa red tip cocoa plum, small leaf clucas and croins redorus and ficcus and trinates as well as annual ground covers.

On February 3rd, 2026, the Community Redevelopment Board held a public hearing and voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to the city commission subject to the conditions outlined in ordinance number 2549-2026. and staff has reviewed the proposed petition for the reszone to commercial planning development and determined that they conforms to the standards of review outlined in the land development code and are consistent with the comprehensive plan goals, objectives, and policies and staff requests the city commission approval for ordinance number 2549 2026. This concludes staff presentation and uh is happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thanks. Did you say 25 or 2449? Oh, sorry. So, that says 24. This is 25. Okay. Should be 2549. Yeah, 20. It should be 2549. Um, are we going to discuss or can I make a motion? We would discuss. I'll make a motion so we can discuss. Okay. I move that um on item number eight, 400 Southeast Oyola Street reszone into commercial PUB ordinance number 25 49-2026 move approval of the staff recommendation on this project. I second the motion. Oh, sorry.

That's okay. I didn't think she was finished. I'll pick back up with the order. So yeah, I think we're primatory. We are. Does the petitioner wish to offer Oh, or did that didn't happen yet? It's okay. We're We're okay. You want to say something? Yep. Told me I was You had enthusiasm. I was all for it.

Good evening, commissioners. Uh Michael Benedetti, uh 6 Periwinkle Circle. Um, I just want to I I tried to email a letter of a potential future attendant to to everyone, but I guess it didn't get to everyone. I just want to read the letter that um he couldn't come here tonight because he has a softball function with his daughter. I said just do family first.

Family. Exactly. Right. I'll I'll read the letter. Um this is from uh Xavier Underwood. Um, dear commissioners, as an East Stewart resident of 30 years, born and raised, I am looking forward to the potential to move my existing barberhop business to 400 Southeast OciOla Street. I have an established barberhop business of over 9 years. My current location is not conductive to my plans of helping the youth in my community. This would be a prime location and great opportunity for the East Stewart community as I plan to initiate an outreach program for the inner city youth. It's my passion to show these kids that there are ways other than selling drugs, joining gangs, or being a star athlete to make it out of harsh conditions and to be a productive member of society. My goal is twice a month to have kids ages 10 to 17 come over after church and work on mannequins, teaching them a skill. I have a large social media following and would like to work raising money so each kid can have their own set of clippers, etc. This is my way of paying it forward and I hope you allow me the opportunity to do this. Uh, thank you, Xavier Underwood. Um, so I, you know, granting this PUB, you know, I think it has a great benefit to the community also. And it doesn't, I'm not asking for something that's not already around me, too. To the west, there's a salon to the east. There's a salon also, I think, two blocks down to the east. Um, and there was one just south of me in across the parking lot from me. It's now an attorney's office, I think. But, um, yeah, those are my thoughts. Thank you.

Do the commissioners have any questions for the staff or applicant? Yes, sir. Is this It's just one person running the entire freestanding building for a barber shop. No, there could be a there could be um up to four. The the the plan would be um the parking and everything was set. There were four four tenants. Yeah. for four for chairs. Is that right? Gotcha. But it's like one like you wouldn't have like half of it for a salon and then half for a barber shop or It's subdivided. Yes. Okay. There's it's subdivided into four rooms.

Okay. That's all I had. Okay. Any other questions? No. See none. Does the petitioner wish to offer any additional information before concluding your presentation? Nope. All right. And the presentation of evidence has ended. Does any member of the public wish to make a comment? Public comments limited to three minutes. Seeing none. Okay. I reinstate my motion. Your your your motion still still active, right?

Everybody's good. Okay. All right, I think we're there. Mary, would you call the role? Commissioner Rich? Yes. Commissioner Clark? Yes. Vice Mayor Reid? Yes. Commissioner Gio? Yes. Mayor Collins? Abstain. Thank you. Did you have a question?

Uh, I just wanted to get a feel for procedure. um their PL their PUD CPU has been approved and they have done extensive work in um improving the outside of the property and the city has a program um that we're eligible for. I spoke to Miss Gandhi today and said it would have to be something that the commissioners would need to agree on that it's kind of like a piggyback there they could put in for that grant. It's the landscaping grant. Is there are you actively taking in applications for that right now? Well, actually that's a year- round program. So, if they want to do it, they can do it. So, you can talk to Panol about applying.

Typically, the way we apply that program is u if if they're applying for a PUB or zoning application and they have to bring the site into compliance, then that program doesn't really apply. It's really to encourage those property owners that have no intentions to make any improvements and we just want to give them some incentive to make those improvements. That's why I told uh Commissioner Gio if the if the board wishes to apply the program for this project, I'd be happy to do so. I just need direction from the commission. But as you and I discussed or you the statement you made was is if we had advised them, which we did, this commission did advise them to go this route then yes that they could be eligible for that landscaping program.

What else just for context does the program cover besides landscaping? Right. We also have the business improvement, right? I don't think they're making any facade improvements. That's correct. They are not making any potential if they did. Yes. If they did Yes. In the future, they can apply for the What else could it cover? They can do the They could apply for the um the Burp, which is a business improvement program where we would pay up to $10,000 for any facade improvements and then up to $5,000 for landscape improvements. Total of 15,000. Okay. Awesome. Moving on.

Do I have the direction to apply it? direction from the commission. That's why I brought it up. It's just that they cannot just put in the application. She'd have to have direction from the commissioners for this circumstances, right? Qualified to bring it back. Mhm. Why? Why can't they just I'm Well, I I thought so, too. But that's what that's a direction you guys want to go, but I will also be abstaining. Because they are required to do the landscaping as part of the zoning application. So the t the program wouldn't typically apply to them. Um just like a sea coast when they came in to do their uh project they had to bring their site into compliance. The program doesn't apply. It's only if it's

a standalone where they have no intention to do anything and we just want to give encourage them right the purpose. So that's why I need direction on in this scenario. The purpose of the grant is for a different thing at this point. So, let them just do what they need to do to meet the PUD requirements. Well, she they've done that and as our conversation was this afternoon or this morning was basically that the one caveat was you said unless we advise them and that's what I'm going on because we did advise them to go this route. There was another option. I, you know, the program has requirements and

they don't currently meet those. I don't want to open kind of want to open that door, though. I don't know where that could lead. I think you have to anticipate unintended consequences there with other applicants. All right. I'm not feeling consensus, so I'm going to move on. Thank you, Joby. Yeah. Okay. So, uh, moving on to item nine. Can I just make one comment, madame clerk? My name is misspelled on the signature page. Oh,

nice find. Good eyes, man. Um, Aan Lea commercial corners east major amendment to the new Aan Lea PUD for parcel D, lot 11, CPU. This is also quasi judicial

ordinance number 2550-2026 an ordinance of the city commission of the city of Steuart Florida providing for the third amendment of the new aan lea planned unit development consisting of 12.40 acres zoned residential plan unit development 16.24 acres zoned commercial planned unit development and 20.4 4 acres of wetland upland preservation zoned residential planned unit development being generally located between northeast Dixie Highway to the south, land on both sides of Green River Parkway on the west, land on both sides of Cardinal Avenue on the east, and the city boundary to the north for property legally described by exhibit A attached providing for a major amendment to the commercial planned unit development to provide for the approval of the master parcel site plan for the Aan Lea commercial east parcel D lot 11 to be identified as Avan Lea commercial corners east providing for revised and new development conditions of approval for parcel D lot 11 providing for amended and new timetables for development declaring the plan to be consistent with the city's comprehensive plan providing for directions to the city clerk providing for repeal of all ordinances in conflict providing for severability providing iding for an effective date and for other purposes.

Did the commissioners have any exparte communications to disclose? Um, after the prior meeting, I spoke briefly with this young man in the gray suit and asked to tour the site with him. Unfortunately, I was not able to make that happen and I ended up just going up there by myself. Um I had received a email uh from a Miss Lanthier and I had advised her to attend the commission meeting and you know voice her concerns and I also had spoken to the interim city manager and Jody Netwick the in the de uh development department.

I've not spoken to the developer or the staff. Um I have an email here from Emily Lanthier and if the clerk already has it but I it can be put in the record. Thank you. So, I did receive that as well. And um I'm here with an open mind. I think I talked to Mr. Schro the last time I heard you talking up there. That was the last time I saw you. Yes. Thanks. And Mr. Herin also, Mr. C.

Yeah, I talked with the applicant Nick multiple times about it. I talked with Lee after the last meeting. I had emails come in and I also met with some city staff members. Do you want me to name the city staff members that were in the meeting this morning? Might as well. Um it was Ruth Holmes, Jody, Milton, Lee, and Ros were in the meeting this morning that we had at 10:30. It was actually good conversation by the way, Nick. Like learned a lot about pets and uh storm water management. So,

I've spoken to staff and then I also received the email from Miss Emily. Okay. Uh Lee, would you please place any potential witnesses under oath? Will all potential witnesses for the applicant and city staff please stand and raise your right hand and be sworn in? Do you affirm that the testimony that you are about to provide in this hearing will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? So, help you guide. Thank you. And I wanted to remind the commission that this is the second reading. to this final reading.

Will the development department please provide a brief summary of the agenda item including the location size of the property, current zoning, zoning requested, and list the applicant's request to deviate from the land use development regulations if there are any. And may I interject real quick, mayor? Um, that is language in our code, land development code. So, I did add if any at the request of the applicant and if Jod would please clarify whether or not um they are asking to deviate from the code or what not in her presentation.

Uh good evening mayor and city commission. For the record, my name is Jerry Hoodler, the development director for the city of Stewart. Tonight, I'll be presenting agenda item number nine. The applicant Aanalia Commercial Properties LLC is requesting approval of a major amendment to the new Aanly PUB to for parcel D lot 11. This is one of the final five undeveloped parcels within the new Aly PED to be developed. The property is located within the community redevelopment special area. Pursuant to the land development code, the public notice requirements, the applicant mailed notices to all adjacent owners within 300 feet of the subject parcel to provide the details of tonight's meeting, date and time, and also additionally added signs to show the same information. The vacant property is located at the corner of Northeast Dixie Highway and Cardinal Avenue. The current zoning is a commercial planned unit development and the future land use is a neighborhood special district. Uh the reason for the application is according to our city code in accordance with section 11.01.10 10 PNS B Pens one F of the city's land development code states that a change in the site plan or approval regarding any area set aside and designated for future development shall be categorized as a major amendment to a planned unit development and as such be processed as it if it the proposed amendment is new resoning application in section 11.01.09 09 of the city of Stewart's land development code. In 2015, the new Aly PD was adopted by the city of Stewart Commission. The plan development specifies each site plan for the individual parcels within the developed

development constitutes a major amendment to the new Aanly PED as of the 2000 2015 approval established overall densities and intensities but did not include approval of the overall site of approval of the site plans for the individual parcels. The proposed major amendment does not increase the previously approved density or intensity and remains consistent with the overall master plan approved in 2015. The site plan proposes the construction of a commercial building on the 0.9 acres proposed one-story structure is designated to accommodate a mix of uses including retail, office, medical, restaurant, and personal services establishments. The applicant has provided the request required 35 parking spaces including 188 compliance space in in consistent with the parking requirements for the proposed office medical and personnel services. The applicant has incorporated the the required four elements which includes storefront windows, wood columns and brackets and metal canopies. The maximum height for the building is 25 ft. 23 feet. This just shows the north and south elevations. And the the landscape plan includes a diverse mix of canopy and ornamental plantings. Oh, it's not going. Sorry. No wonder I'm having a hard time reading it.

I'm sorry. Hold on one second. Where's Darren? There he is. Wait a minute. It's stuck. I apologize about that. We need your help. Rebellious PowerPoint. Ah, there we go. A lot easier to read. There you go. Magic touch. Just having Darren here makes me feel more comfortable. Um, so if you don't do you want me to go each through each slide and just kind of go No. Okay. Pick up where you were.

Okay. Thank you. I apologize about that. This is much better. Okay. Um, the site plan proposes the construction of a commercial building on the 0.9 acres. Um, also the access site will be from Cardinal Avenue. Um, driveway one is proposed as a right in and right ride right in access and drive two is a proposed right in and right out left out access. These are again the uh elevations. This is the overall landscaping and they are um actually overplanting the property. They have um really uh added some details along the uh the uh water the retention areas. And just as a reminder, this this as I explained earlier, um this amendment has to come before the board because of what's written in the land development code. Um however, this application is not requesting any deviations. The current site plan has been evaluated and been approved by the different agencies including our our um city's consultant for engineering landscaping and also for um any mitigation for wetlands which they've already they didn't need to meet any of those requirements. Um but there is no deviations. They're just coming tonight because it was requirement per the code. Um, on February 3rd, 2026, the Community Redevelopment Board held a public hearing and voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to the city commission subject to the conditions outlined in ordinance number 2550-2026 and staff has reviewed the proposed petition for the major amendment to the new Aanly PUD and development plan and determined they conform to the standards of review outlined in the land development code and are consistent with the comprehensive plan goals, objectives, and policy. and staff request the city commission

approve the major amendment to the new ALE PUD for the development of parcel D lot 11 outlined in ordinance number 2550 2026 to be known as Aan commercial corners east and uh the applicant does have a brief presentation Yep, there it is.

Good evening. For the record, George Mmer with Cotler and Hearing here tonight on behalf of the property owner and the applicant. Uh, first, as always, it's great to see you all. Thank you so much for representing your city. I really appreciate all the work that you do. Um, I don't have any objection to what staff stated during uh the presentation. Just a few points that I'd like to add. We won't repeat all the information that we went over during the last meeting, but there just a few factors or a few items that I'd like to point out uh from our project team. We do have our environmental expert Arno here as well as a representative of Elcon Engineering if there's any civil related questions. Uh so again, just a summary, we're requesting site plan approval for a 6,827 foot commercial one-story development on 0.9 acres of an existing approved plan unit development. Um and the reason behind this coming before the board is that condition of approval is part of that PUB approval that required any formal site plan to come back before the board regardless of the size or intensity. So uh the proposed site plan is consistent with all applicable city, county, and state codes and requirements. The proposed site plan is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan and land development regulations. It's consistent with the approved avenue of PUB. Uh the proposed site plans recommended of approval by all cities development review departments and the proposed site plan was unanimously recommended approval by the CRB board. Um the site location we've been over on the eastern portion of the approved PUD. Um we are less than half of the approved intensity for the site as as approved on the PUD. Um looking at the site plan in terms of its uh surrounding uses, it was previously envisioned as a commercial parcel uh to

support some of the adjacent residential uses that were developed. Uh so providing that neighborhood commercial service within an area of residential uh important from a walkability perspective. We spend so much time designing public infrastructure for sidewalks uh to promote that walkability and biking and various efforts. Uh so providing neighborhood commercial services is really important for that effort in planning exercise. Uh so a few facts about the site plan. Again, we meet or exceed all the requirements. This represents about 45% of the previously approved traffic intensity for this specific site. where more than 40% green space provided significantly more than what the minimum requirements are. Uh as Jody mentioned almost five times the minimum landscape requirements uh proposed for the site. Uh there's no wetlands on the property and there's no endangered or listed species present on the property. Uh few items related to the preserve area management plan that was approved as part of that PUD. In terms of the total acreage about 41.6% 6% is under preserve and it's active management. It's a land that's being regularly monitored for in presence of invasives and they're being removed. Um prior to the PUD development, these areas were uh highly uh impacted by invasive exotic species. The Alelam PUED established the protections and restoration for these native habitats and to date all wetland protection and restoration has been completed for the PUD. Uh just a quick overview again of that 41.6%. The blue uh shapes are the wetlands themselves and the green are the upland preservation areas. So a significant amount of land that is um consolidated into a few group areas.

From water management perspective, we spoke a little bit last time and we spoke about how the flow comes in from the northeast and cycles down to the southwest and connects to Haney Creek. And this is all part of the approved storm water plan uh on record and permitted through South Florida Water Management District. There are uh existing improvements for drainage structures and we associated with that system. Uh and it all has been functioning according to those engineered drawings of record. The proposed site engineering for lot 11 for you tonight has been verified and the engineer certifies its consistency with those approved permits. Uh with that um the remaining slides are the site plan uh detailed site plan drawings colored renderings. Um but that concludes my presentation for this evening. Um so if we have any questions about prior information or information tonight we'd be happy to answer them. Uh, and we do have again have our engineer and our environmental specialist if you have any questions. Thank you.

Do the commissioners have any questions for staff or the applicant? Yes. Oh, sorry.

Some might be questions and some might be statements as well and then the applicant can answer or staff. Um, George, when you talked about intensity, um, when I met with staff this morning, I learned a lot. And, and by the way, like I'm not against your project or anything like that. My stuff is more for clarification purposes and for the public to understand what goes on with these PUDs. So master site plan comes into the city, right? It gets laid out with the master site plan now and then you come in for a PUD amendment. When the master site plan was originally done, you mentioned it was 20,000 square foot, correct?

15 or 15,000. So like yes, you're doing half of it now. So the intensity is less, but would it still function off the master site plan, the 15,000 if you guys chose to do it? So like not really sure where I'm going with it, but like it makes sense when you verbally say it, but it doesn't logically or physically work if that makes sense. Yeah. So in in practice, what you're getting at is could we physically build 15,000 square feet if we wanted to? And the answer is yes. Would it be financially reasonable to do so? Or would it function?

Probably not. It would function. I mean, there's a number of different building strategies that you could use from podium parking to, you know, even structured parking if you really went that far with it. Um, this design is a less intense option. It's more neighborhood friendly. It's more consistent with the area. So, we didn't go that route. But I've I've learned that with with presenters, not just you know you guys like and I respect you guys for what you do, even if sometimes we're on opposing teams, I guess, or me providing input, but it it was just a weird analogy, I guess, on how sometimes it's presented, not just from you guys, from from other people. Um, and I also learned that, you know, Martin County doesn't do wetland mitigation at all. And what I've learned with a lot of these master site plans, if you have like wetlands over here, you can get the South Florida Water Management permit and you can almost like

restore I guess wetlands or kind of like move and alleviate them. I believe and if I'm wrong on anything that I'm saying, I hope someone corrects me. No, you're you're accurate. It's it's an important program and part of South Florida Water Management District to where they allow mitigation, wetland mitigation to where when you have highly impacted sites that might have zero ecological value, even if even if they're restored, they wouldn't have any value.

Wetlands from back in the day, people burying trash or right what they did back in the day. And that was one thing that I learned which is key by the way. So going back to it, Martin County doesn't do any wetland mitigation. So like if this was in Martin County, it would be it would be different probably. and and and it's in their comprehensive plan that it doesn't allow it. And in the city's comprehensive plan, it allows wetland mitigation and like you said, whether they're usable or what was the word you used? Functional function functional have ecological value

if they were beneficial or not. Um so that was one thing that I did learn. We went over the storm water management with Milton and I asked questions last time like comparing the county where people have flooded and you know Jody reassured me that um what do you call it Jody after the fact they have to do something. So whenever the site gets sealed and they do the um final infrastructure, they'll submit as built plans and we do verify those and then we get a letter of certification from the engineer stating that the system is working according to the plans.

So so like for example, I know the questions were raised from me last time from growing up in Jensen. If the lot parcel, I believe 10 that the applicant doesn't own if it if there was like a flooding issue, it would go back to the engineer that stamped it. My computer, they're the ones that would be liable. Correct, Jody? Technically, they could be liable. Yes. Yes. That was who certifying the plans and stating that the uh drainage functions. And something else to consider, lot 10 is also part of this approved storm water system. So when it is developed there would be no flooding and if there were and again it's part of that system. So again engineers of record would be responsible

and and going back to it like I know in the past I know from paying attention out there and sitting up here if conditions were to be put on a PUD it's much easier to do it on a master site plan because then you guys are either agreeing to them or not. And then like when they come in for PUB amendments like this, they have to be reasonable conditions. I learned that from Lee. So we couldn't ask you to build a ladder to the moon as a condition with this PUD. That would be unreasonable. Um but that's that's all I have to uh say. Mr. Mr. M

Mr. Um could you go back to the um the one that shows the drainage pattern that coming south? Okay. So that's um in natural features or is there underground piping or something?

Combination of both. So the historic drainage flow is you know generally in that pattern and it connected down to Haney Creek. through the development of Aanley as they made their improvements. There was significant investment put into in the infrastructure for drainage and storm water that there it's piped underneath the roadways in those locations where it crosses roadways and then there's also overland flow through the wetlands as part of the nutrient load reduction and storm water quality for the project.

Okay. All right. Can you go to the part maybe it's too over where it says no change in traffic or something? No increase in traffic. There's a little note on the right hand corner. Uh

was it a a site plan graphic? A site plan graphic like one of those like right there. No significant impacts and nearby roads meet the city's concurrency requirements. Yes, ma'am. So that's CD or So that was the report from our traffic engineer submitting his report for this proposed development city standards for traffic. Okay. And verified by city staff. All right. Um I think that's it. Mr. May, can I make a motion? Uh, Commissioner, we're not that at that point to make a motion just yet. Okay.

I love I love the spirit though. Okay. Um, just one question and I know you don't own plot 10, but there was some at the last meeting where someone produced uh footage of of flooding from plot 10 and then I don't remember someone said that had been that was an old footage and it had been cleared up. There wasn't any flooding on from that road from that plot. Yeah, I don't recall seeing any footage. Um, lot 10 does have standing water occasionally on it, but again, it's an undeveloped site, so it has no improvements, so once the site becomes developed, it would have a storm water system in place to, you know, direct water flow.

Um, but I don't recall seeing footage. There was someone had sent a photograph of them kneedeep in water from plot 10, but then I followed up on that and I was told that that was like an old photo and it had been corrected. Now maybe it just has standing water higher times than others in rainy season. I don't know. But and we never received a copy of the picture. So I'm not sure what you're talking about. But I don't have them either. Like you said, it is an undeveloped site. So it No, I understand that. I know it's not your site. There's standing water and it's to be expected. That's fine. I just want to ask the question. And there's connected rears that if the water goes over to another lot, it will connect into a rear and eventually out to the right. It will title out,

but it will typically has to go through different connections um before it actually goes over the roadway. Um not saying that, you know, maybe one day it might, you know, it all depends on we we're having much more larger storm events these days and more frequently. So, but the idea is that they have to meet the requirements for 100-year flood 3-day 3-day hold. They had to hold the water within 3 days on on the on the developed properties. What what type of infrastructure is existing there to channel that water underneath lot 11, parcel 11 connection to piping and underground. Yeah. So, there's

maybe b can I borrow you? You're the water guy, right? Who's the water guy? He's the water guy. Good evening, uh, vice mayor, mayor, commissioners. I'm Heath Stockton, representing the UR and I have been sworn in. I was just introduced to this project today. So, the exact size of the pipes under that roadway. I don't know, but I know there are dual Did you say you were just introduced to this project today? I'm not I'm representing the EO who had to step away for a family issue this up here. So, I was called in at literally 4:00 to come over here, but

I reviewed the plans on the way in. There are dual cover culverous businesses as we spoke about under Cardinal Road that transport that natural overflow overland flow down across the road discharges into the wetland on the west side of their lot 11 and that will be maintained. The they're actually extending those coverts to bring it past their property line to ensure that it does reach the wetland is not impacted by any development on their lot 11. Okay. So, as part of this project, you're extending those through and past the do the dual coverage. Correct. Yeah. And and right now is everything functioning properly from 10 to you?

10 is not connected at the moment to that site because it is each of these lots when they're developed have to have their own pre-treatment system on site before they're connected to the main storm water system. So right now that lot 10 has an existing wetland that has already been mitigated, but that's what I imagine they saw the pictures of. There's probably still some standing water in that lot 10, but once it is fully developed, the infrastructure is put in place. It'll receive the pre-treatment on site, then it'll be discharged to the overall master system, which is not yet connected to. So, the covert that exists now does not connect to 10. It connects through 10. I don't I can't tell you if there's an inlet on there. I can pull up some plans and find out, but it does connect to the south and to the west. Yeah.

You got a pointer? I don't. Lot 10 is to the west. Yeah, you can come up and talk about it. So, lot 10 is to the west, undeveloped, and it's downstream from lot 11. So, the existing pipe that it's to the right. Oh, you're right. My bad. It's that triangle to the right. Thank you. Sorry. Right. So, there's an existing pipe that was underneath Cardinal. That You got to do his pay, Nick. You got You got a fact wrong. Do your own work. Go ahead. I know you were you were out here just recently here. Good evening. I didn't mean to chase you off the mic. No, you're good. God, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be a bully. I'm sorry. Justified money. I know.

Good evening. My name is Arno Ru are no environmental consultants. Uh I have good familiarity with the overall PUB. I've been involved with several of these projects over the years for about 15 years. I've been on most of those parcels on foot. Uh so lot lot 10 uh is scheduled or authorized for development. It has a ditch that is remnant of a prior um drainage effort that's not related to any development. This was prior to rules prior to the PUD itself. So it's old historic ditches that had been placed 50 60 years ago. That ditch is not connected to the wetland that's on site on lot 10, which explains why when it rains, the wetland remains sometime overflows over the road, which has nothing to do with the development because it's not currently connected.

It's not it's not functional. There's there's infrastructure there, but it's not truly functional for for having that flow come through. That small se uh segment of dish that's on lot 10 was specifically to convey water from the north side of Cardinal. It was never from my firsthand observation on site there was no connection to the wetland that's on lot 10. Hence why it the wetlands still exist will flood. But the infrastructure that's going to be going into parcel 11 is anticipating and able to connect to the drainage that the improvements in infrastructure that is planned as part of 10 to to allow that flow to ultimately happen properly. Correct.

Right. And not to step over the engineer. Yes. the the system has been designed in the anticipation that Lton will be built and the system will be able to carry that flow once connected. Perfect. And uh the s the the water management system the base the the backbone of it was built in 2006 I think as part of the wetland mitigation and so on. So everything has been in place for over 20 years to maintain that flow for the last 20 years as building is happening on the different lots. Okay. And you said currently South Florida Water Management reviews this flow through here or no there's no they maybe go.

Yeah. So when they originally started developing uh Aanly they had to get an overall site u a permit and every time one of these lots come out they modify that permit to add this this particular lot on the system and they had to show the design plans of how they're going to connect and how they're going to continue to drain. So it just seems strange that there would be no intent to have it function properly until it's fully developed. You know that that part of that process would be making sure it's it's not so it's not so much a question of whether or not it's function properly. It's maintaining the function function as is. So when the permit was issued in 2006, if my memory serves me serves me well,

the intent is not to modify, not to over drain something or or or flood something. So right correct the wetland on lot 10 was not connected to that historical ditch. The permit kept that in place in 2006 during the construction phase until L 10 is fully approved at all level, federal, state, and local. Okay,

Nick Schro for the record. Um, I'll just add to that the what ends up being built on parcel 10 has will dictate ultimately what that storm water system looks like on that site. So, you could go out there and spend a couple hundred,000 on a storm water system for lot 10 and then ultimately it has to be changed or it gets moved around. I mean, the ditch is and and you know, I don't know, it probably goes back to Frank's dad's days of owning this property out here. Um, that was just the old system for getting water, you know, out of all of those places. And so, like

that ditch at some point in time connected to where um, River North apartments are. And there was literally a ditch through River North. And when they built River North, they put a storm water system in there that was designed by an engineer and included, you know, basins and and pre-treatment, post treatment, discharge, all of those things. So, not knowing what is ultimately going on parcel 10 is what keeps that from being a designed system. Thank you. Thank you for for the details, vice mayor.

Yeah, I got a question, Nick, on this. So, so and I understand I I believe and Jody, correct me if I'm wrong, any parcel or or lot that's over one acre, South Florida Water Management, you have to get a permit for or is it the size of the project that triggers a South Water South Florida Water Management permit? I don't know the details. I mean, this is a

from South Florida Water Management's perspective, this is a 50acre parcel, right? So everything's designed based on the 50 acres and what will ultimately be there. What you know what's development, what's open space, what's retention, what's wetland was all dictated in that original South Florida water management permit. So um this isn't like a random.9 acre lot in you know Stewart somewhere. It's it's part of that 50acre PUD.

Yeah. Where it was originally done. That that speaks additionally to you know its proportionate share of preserve areas and its proportionate share of of the uh you know wetland areas and and you know in in essence this property has a 40% open space dedication because of its proportionate share of those open spaces and wetlands that were preserved as part of the Aanly PUD. the the 42% I think is the number of the 49 acres that was put into preservation. Um we've changed the land use on it to conservation. It's been deed over to the master property owners association. So uh it's under a conservation easement with South Florida Water Management. So when you have all of those layers, it it you know takes it off the table for development. And what we did with the PUB is we worked around those wetland areas. And you know what Frank had originally done is designed that storm water system to function um around those you know around and through those wetland areas.

So like when and like so when South Florida Water Management does this Nick too so like lot 10 when it does get developed in how they have the flow. So they're doing their side does that master association have ever have to modify stuff that they have? Does that happen or no? No, it's just 10. I I mean it in different PUDs it could happen. It just depends on the complexity of the system. I mean the way this

system works like those blue lines like there's actually a culvert between like where those two wetlands come closest to touching. There's actually a structure and a pipe underground and another structure where water will will and the reason for the structure there is so that that wetland doesn't just dry out. So the water just doesn't run out of it in wet season or in dry season. So, it's designed to maintain a certain elevation of water as it goes and gets closer and closer to Haney Creek because you want that water to sit

and you want it to, you know, nutrient load or unload or or you know, you want it to do its thing in a in a calmer fashion and then once the level rises, it crests the weir and the weir the water flows out into the next basin. So it's, you know, like you can drive by there and be like, "Oh, this is just, you know, as God created it, but Frank, you know, put a bunch of pipes in the ground out there and it's it's part of a development plan that was put in place, you know, even 10 or so years before we uh got involved in the project."

And is and Jody, is this the maximum intensity or density? I know the square if we base it off of square footage, but as far as like the usage usages that they're going for for this, well, like George said, I mean, we could do 15,000 square feet there. We would be, you know, three or four stories. We would have parking underneath or structured. I mean, it just doesn't fit the neighborhood. So, um, you know, I think in in the first hearing, you know, I spoke a little bit about the history of the project and yeah,

you know, when you saw I think it was over 400,000 square feet of commercial space that the high group had proposed or near 400,000 square feet. I mean, that plan was, you know, hardening all of the edges with retaining walls. It was building structured parking. It was maxing out height. I mean this is a very different plan than what had been approved back in 2005. So um you know the um the intensity you know in theory we could get there. I mean part of my goal in the 2015 approval was to lessen that density. You know it it didn't fit Steuart so I didn't want to see it built so I you know changed it. Um, but you know, here in the reality, I mean, ground floor retail is going to do better there than second floor office. So, that's just economics at play.

And, and the only reason why I asked, Nick, I'm not trying to get like a gotcha moment. Like, I got you.

To me, if I was in your shoes, it's it's always been an odd argument. I guess it's like, hey, we could do XYZ, but we're giving you this. You know what I mean? I don't think I'm not asking for any kudos in it. I mean, I'm simply trying to demonstrate that I'm below the the intensity. So, if if intensity is and density is what we're opposed to in this day and age, we're we're we're complying and we're we're trying to fit the, you know, spirit of Stewart with a singlestory, you know, inline retail building that's, you know, 7,000 square feet. I mean, you know, it's going to be three tenants if that. and you know it'll it'll service some of the you know residents up that way that have you know come to be in the last 10 years. So

all right that's the goal. Yeah. Hopefully I'm not inappropriate with any of my comment. I'm you know I try to be respectful as possible but I also try to ask questions that are more intricate than just hey let's see the landscape plan or hey let's see the parking lot and stuff. I want to know how it functions and fair game. Thanks. Does the petitioner wish to offer any additional information before concluding its presentation? Okay. That the presentation of evidence has ended. The hearing is closed. Does any member of the public wish to make a comment? Public comments limited to three minutes. Raj Patel. Let's go. Did you have one? Raj Patel.

You're the guy. Yeah. Waited. Hi. Raj Patel. Um, good evening commissioners, mayor. Well done.

Um, just to deviate from all the intrinsic stuff about drainage and things like that, I think we should just leave it to the experts. We're doing a development and um tradition right now and you know, we're setting up doctor's offices and trying to do a mini hospital and stuff. So each one as they develop, they drain onto one parcel, the other parcel drains onto the other, and then each one develops its own um outflow. It gets approved by South Florida Water Management. But I just wanted to do a little I just I think this is a great project. 7,000 square feet, approximately 46% of density usage, which is great.

I would have done more. I could have. I would have. You got room for a hotel on that though?

Yeah, but I know. But 46% is good. I And I think ancillary services are very important to a neighborhood. I built a shopping center in Cross Town Parkway. Crosstown Parkway was designed for just um like a commuter type thing, less uh commercial, but we actually bought the parcel from Mick. Um, but we built a beautiful development, just shops, 15,000 square feet. Everybody loves it. Pizza shop, Dunkin Donuts, everyone's using it. It's busy. Parking lots full. Just existing people that are there. And the fact that you uh approved the prior gentleman's uh zoning requirement was good because that's ancillary. And uh I really hope you guys uh approve this project. Nick's a good guy. Steuart resident. Built a beautiful house.

It's wonderful. Good family. I was totally against it until you said that. Yeah. I just sometimes I feel, you know, the odds are stacked against Nick sometimes. And I just I just wish you look at it. Um, everybody loves Nick. What are you talking about? Saved by the birthday in his family. Yeah, that's right. That's all that's all I wanted to say. Thank you very much, everybody. Oh my gosh. Thank you for waiting to make Oh, you're welcome, Mayor. Are there any other comments from the public? No, I'm sorry. All right, seeing none, can we get a motion? You forgot. We already have a motion, don't we? No, we're talking this one. I don't think

the party shall be Mr. Mr. Rich's trying to make a motion. There you go. Did somebody make a motion? Sorry. Are you making a motion? No, he's not making a motion. Okay. No motion.

Mr. Mayor, with regard to item number eight, you need something attorney. No. Item number eight, Aan Lelaya commercial corners east major amendment to the PUD ordinance number 2550-2026. I move that we approve the ordinances read and the staff recommendation as provided. I'll second the motion. Okay. Do we need to clarify the motion or No. Good. Okay. Mary, would you call the role? Public comment. Very good. We did. Sorry. Okay. Uh, Vice Mayor Reid? Yes.

Commissioner Rich? Yes. Commissioner Gobi? Yes. Mayor Collins? Yes. Commissioner Clark? Yes, you can't beat unanimous, guys. Come on. That's fantastic. Let's take a five minute break before we get into halfent sales tax. Thank you. Thanks for your time. Back up. We'll pick back up at uh 7:30ish. 7:30ish.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

That's a lot of thing. Do you need this pen? You can just give it back to me before you leave. We're back on. Okay. Let's let's reconvene this meeting. Here it is. Okay. around item 10, the background information and suggestions regarding half cent sales tax.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um Ruth Holmes, environmental lawyer for the city. Um knowing that there's been a lot of discussion lately about um how to use the halfsent sales tax, uh I thought it would be helpful and of course the commission um the last meeting um asked to have a a deliberation and discussion um segment on the agenda in order to to talk these things through and to set priorities. And I was hoping it would also be helpful to uh let the commission know what other local governments do uh when they are confronted with um using uh funds like this for uh environmental related projects. So I'm going to uh tell you about um how to set priorities or I guess not how to do it but just to recommend based on what other local governments do. This is how you can do it. um and how to uh set evaluation criteria based on those priorities if that's what you choose to do and then uh establishing a process to get this get it all done and evaluated uh and put in front of the commission. Um so first of all the halfent sales tax is um derived from the uh Martin County referendum that uh has its chief goal to protect water quality um within the county's unique characteristics. Of course, as we talked about the uh last time I made a brief presentation on this, the county's uh guard rails for spending the money on on projects or acquisition of property is different from the municipalities. Not so different, but there are different um uh different guardrails for municipalities. Um, as you can see here, the second bullet point, municipalities, and this

is under the referendum, and also this is in Florida statutes, word for word Florida statutes for this type of uh sales tax referendum. Municipalities may only spend their share of the revenues to finance, plan, and construct infrastructure, and to acquire land for public recreation, for conservation, or for protection of natural resources. So, uh, with under that umbrella, um, just to let you know, your comprehensive plan has, uh, really good language about, uh, how, um, the city of Stewart looks at the value of environmentally sensitive land and tries to protect it. Uh the second step in this whole process is uh evaluating criteria or setting evaluation criteria to support whatever your priorities are. And uh this is a a a list if you can read it. It's very tiny. Um but the there are a lot of different uh local governments out there who ha that have set their own evaluation criteria. And so what I did is I just took uh examples of different local governments and how how different local governments have said okay here's our evaluation criteria. This is what we think are the important aspects of how uh of what we want to spend our money on. For example, is the property already under public ownership? That means you might have a project in mind. The property is already there. you don't have to spend money on acquisition, which gets more expensive every single year. And so that's a plus. Um, are there going to be recreational uh opportunities? Because under the referendum and under statute, you are

allowed to use the money for recreational purposes. Will there be a need to remove structures, petroleum tanks, contaminants, exotic invasive species? All those things on the other hand cost a lot of money and arguably um some of those types of things may not be covered by the halfsent sales tax. It's just a you know it's a fact case by case basis on whether it would um you know looking at the ecological value of the the property or the project. Does it have already native plant species that could help maintain native habit or native wildlife? um will the project be subject to obtaining regular regulatory permits? In other words, um you might have a project in mind um let's say it's a recreation facility that's in a wetland for example. Is that something that would be permittable by the South Florida Water Management District? something that would have to be um it is recommended I suppose that you look at things like that before you launch into using the money for a particular project until you have all this information um known so that way you don't have to go back to the drawing table and say we can't do this the permitting of it is too expensive we can't do it and have to start over um another another issue I think that is important here in the city of Stewart um is that can the project serve a dual public purpose. So for example, do you have a a piece of property maybe that's already under public ownership? Maybe it could maybe the recreational value of it can be enhanced. Maybe public ass um access can be enhanced. Maybe it could also um act as a storm water enhancement. So instead of instead of having to spend um other money on storm

water projects, you know, can pro can these types of projects be combined where you're looking at it's got great ecological value, it's great public access for recreation purposes, um and it provides a storm water benefit. So those are just suggestions that that you could use. Um and also um another another aspect that seems to be pretty important is the cost to maintain property or the project in perpetuity. So um that may not may or may not be covered by the halfsent sales tax. And the halfent sales tax is only a 10-year period. So it's not the halfsent sales tax is not going to be in place in perpetuity. It's just for 10 years. So it's another thing to have to to have to think about as you go forward. Um so the third step is the process for approval. Uh in other words, how could a property acquisition or project come into the city commission for consideration? Again, these are just recommendations based on how other local governments do this um and how the state of Florida does it, too. First of all, the one of the things that is is pretty important um for other governments is that there be a standard application process. So everything is apples to apples comparison. Um and with that um should there also be an evaluation committee who let's say you get 10 proposals under with these standard applications. Who's going to review those? who's going to apply all of those the criteria that or the priorities that you ultimately choose. So what a lot of local governments do is they establish a um an evaluation committee committees um depending on

the uh size of the local government, the sophistication of the local government, the amount of money at stake. um will also determine the level of expertise that's on any particular committee. A lot of times there's volunteers from the community that want to want to be involved based on their expertise. Um and so that's something that you could do. Um, in the city of Stewart, you have very very good qualified staff uh that also are to me that'd be very objective and knowledgeable about the city's interest and about uh moving forward. Uh, you know, what makes sense from a land use perspective, what makes sense from, you know, if you wanted to do a dual purpose with storm water, you have people that could help with that. Um, the next thing after you go through the evaluation committee is they kind of tear it down just like you're doing with the city manager process. You have all these applications that come in. You have a few people that weed out the ones that probably shouldn't be considered and then at the end of the day you have a a core group of people that they are recommended to the commission to be interviewed. A same same type of thing here. And it's all based on the public purpose. You want you want your tax money to be spent as wisely as possible. And the way that you've done it with your gen with your city manager is the same way that people um other local governments do with this type of um sales tax money. Um and once the evaluations come in again um th those uh proposals are are um narrowed down to the best um based on your evaluation criteria and your

priorities and then the then at that point they would be put on your agenda and you would decide to go forward with you know whatever maybe it's the top three, maybe it's the top five, maybe it's the top two um whatever it is. Maybe it's one. Um, and then the other things that you have to be aware of is you, if you're purchasing property, you may have to do an environmental site assessment to determine whether or not you can, you know, it's it's rational to uh move forward with a project like this. Um, you may rec you may need engineering consultation and then um you may need uh additional legal work. Um and that's that's the extent of what I wanted to impart on you today. I've also provided in the agenda um some ideas uh that um with the evaluation criteria how other governments rank their priorities and of course there are some types of priorities that you may want to give more weight to. that's your decision to make if you go this route. Um, and that will just help steer uh what your, you know, the commission's interests really are in these types of projects and using the money. And with that, um, ends my part of the presentation. And I will take any questions or, uh, I believe you can go right into your discussion about about the topic. Yeah, I think we as a board need to decide if we're going after property that the city currently owns or acquiring new. My opinion is I think the city has some property currently. I know I don't know the entire update on the property on US1

um that Martin County had with the city of Stewart and how they wanted commercial development and part of like a land tradeoff creek parcel two acre parcel.

Yeah. And I and it's connected to larger parcels though. So it would make sense if you could have all of that because like you got to go to Palm City Hall Patio or you got to go to Hope Sound for if you're like a city resident to enjoy like outdoor activities I guess. Um they have the Kiplinger and stuff that's obviously close for city residents. You have the dog park on Baker Road that already has some sort of like trails that you can walk, bike, go outdoors. Um, those are my thoughts.

Yeah, I I would say for me, I don't think that we need any any more bureaucracy or committees. I think your evaluation committee is up here. I think you have five human beings that can navigate through priorities. Um now that we are familiar with you know the rules right what what the um guidelines are in terms of it being recreational for conservation that infrastructure can be involved. you I I see your two paths maybe more more like do you start head-h hunting opportunities of of land to purchase or projects to get involved with and then bond out you know what the overall sales tax is likely to be like kind of what the countyy's doing or do you take it as you have money available and and and sort of go step by step as opportunities present themselves. I think that to me that's kind of your, you know, and and and in the case of option one, that would make probably more sense to have some kind of committee maybe or at least pretty in-depth presentation as to every possible opportunity that's available right now and then what we're going to prioritize and how much money is going to be coming in and then if we want to bond that. I would rather not go in that direction because I think it's a little intensive and who knows what in you know what in the world sales tax looks like in the future and I I think it's even though property may get more expensive may get less expensive who knows what the future brings. Taking it step by step as we go and looking at what opportunities are in front of us right now kind of makes more sense to me. Uh, I've expressed my interest in not the two acres on US1. Lee is currently working on uh having that go to referendum with the

county, but off of Baker Road. And it it might be nice as we get into a little more detail about um priorities. you know, this is our our first refined discussion, you know, after you've been involved, but off of Baker, um during the ARPA fund time, Tim Vulker, who was an engineer here, had put together a plan for a trail head off of Baker going into that parcel of Haney Creek, not off of US1 there, where we own that two acres, but off of Baker. So that north side, it would be good to leverage that work he's already done. He had estimates of costs at that time and and and a very rudimentary natural kind of uh trail head sort of like Kipinger if you're ever at the base of Veterans Memorial. Uh so that was one of the priorities and then really that two acres going into conservation at Haney Creek. That's that's sort of the trajectory we're on right now. That that would just have to go to referendum and you'd have to work with the county. Uh, so we have to amend the interlocal agreement with the county because the interlocal agreement talked about funding that it was going to be used the 2acre parcel was going to be used commercially to fund maintenance of the rest of the property.

Right. Um, but we are pay referendum. What? We are going to referendum. Right. That's what I thought. We have we also have to go to referendum to to because we have we went to referendum to use those 2acre parcels commercially to pay for the rest of it. we need to go back to the voting population on a referendum to undo that. And and so we're working on language and and Ruth's been helping me with that. We're working on language is that. So we've got to amend an interlocal agreement with the county and then we've got to get uh approval of referendum language from you guys and then we've got to get that to the supervisor of elections by June 12th, I think. Right. 11. Yes. So those three steps.

That's not on Baker Road. That's on US one, right? No, it's the twoacre parcel is on US one. Correct. But the trail head that I was discussing is on Baker would be hypothetically for the county in the dog park. So you just want to undo the requirement that we lease that out to provide funding for the park? We never have. Right. I know that. We're using other funds to pay for it and the county doesn't care because we've been paying for it. It's not been used. So the the referendum would be putting that into conservation, the two acres with the rest of it. The the the separate issue then if that two acres would not be the trail head but it would be put into conservation would be on the north if you go up US one and you go on Baker right there. No,

I know where it is. Yeah. Yeah. That would now turn into that trail head and that's what Tim Vulkers had put together was a uh it's an additional trail hood because there's one that comes in like not on that parcel right there though. That parcel is is it has no access to it. The trail head's on the other part with the dog park on the south end. Yeah. So, are you talking about the parcel that's right there? This one? Yeah. There he had laid out a plan for a little trail head there and trails that would go through here. So my my instead of over here that would be the

my question for that would be then so Raz sent us an email where this is in the county the parcel. Yeah. So this parcel is in the county that's on the corner of Baker Road and US1 and they want to do a cast station there which I believe it's it might even be by right it's commercial already and that's in the county but outside the city limits. Correct. It's outside the city limits, but they wanted to have like a parking or an exit onto Baker onto city property. But like if you leverage that for them to pay for it, I'm not interested in that. No. Okay. Well, be because because what if they get the gas station?

If they get a gas station there, the last thing I would want is like a racetrack, people racing in and out right there as your kids are trying to walk in to the entrance of that park. So, so having separation there, I don't know what that does logistically for them, but I would not want to share an entrance with a gas station to get into that park, even if they're paying for it, especially if we have the money to to do that with the half. How much is the sales tax? What was it for the last 12 months? That was my question. Going to be about two million a year. That's a number we're still trying to iron out,

right? I heard a couple of different um totals for that uh while Jolie was here. So, I'm not I'm not really sure. He he said the state projections as I recall he said the state projections were had changed. So, I don't know

and that'll be part of the discussion too this Mr. Mat have an idea for the city of Stewart. Merritt Mat, uh, Martin County Forever, um, and vice chair of the ELOC for Martin County, the oversight board for the county for how to use these funds. Um, I don't have any projections on on the city of Stewart's revenue. I've heard

from prior staff that it it has gone down and and Martin County's allocation has gone down, but roughly $20 million a year. It's based on population. Yeah. Um between $ 18 and $20 million a year has what is what the county has received and see if Stuart would get a portion of that. What percentage is Martin County's gone down? Yeah, we could get a rough estimate of ours then. You know, you're close to 10%. But right, like a million. No, I mean general numbers would be million 1.5 to 1.8 million per year. I can say that

that's what I thought too. To my knowledge of date, Martin County has not bonded the funding and I'm here on behalf of Martin County forever to say and for me personally, one of my goals is to see this continued. Nice. It has the potential, you know, nine years from now to go back to the voters, right? So, how it's handled with every municipality and the county will be examined. So, you guys are not going to bond, you're just going to go step by step kind of plan. I've always encouraged the county to bond, but

that process and them acquiring land is very clear and laid out in the ordinance. The ordinance can go well beyond the 75 words. They have to be one of four parcels. All the land that is examined has to be environmentally sensitive and under the emphasis for enhancing water quality in Martin County. And I would just urge the city to look at following the same intent of that ordinance. Of course, enhancing water quality in Martin County or targeting environmentally sensitive land andor conservation

there's a yes you know undeveloped conservation land will inherently enhance in the city it may quality in the city it may look like protecting land from becoming apartments or developed right yesvation right but the emphasis would be on undeveloped and we receive on that oversight board. Um, Florida State sends us environmental reports of every parcel we look at. Sure.

There's a plethora of options that could be handled yearbyear in the city of Stewart to protect water quality. You know, just off the top of my head, besides just acquiring land and putting conservation, all of City Stewart's storm water retention areas could use upgrades. The baffle boxes could be upgraded. Debate on whether or not updating storm water truly meets that. If you look at that statute and the way that's laid out, um, updating our storm water versus acquiring land for the purpose of conservation, recreation, environmental sensitive,

if you're improving the infrastructure and the water quality, you can use it for storm water. We've had that same commitment from Ocean Breeze who receives significantly less than the city of Stewart will, but their main mission is going to be storm water improvements, septic to sewer improvements, you know, simple things like updating all the baffle boxes to level two baffle boxes. Okay. Do you have any more questions for Meritt? No. Okay. I have an additional comment for Merit. I think we're missing completely the point of Miss Holmes presentation and good job Miss Holmes. This is very comprehensive.

Thank you. Um yeah, thank you Meritt Mr. Um this is quite a challenge to comply with this very lengthy code. I looked at the Florida statute. It's a long statute, but this is a real opportunity for us to take the time to listen to other voices and maybe learn some opportunities that we're aware of to immediately start in on pet projects of one or two commissioners. Pet projects. I mean,

pet projects. Why don't we take advantage of all the expertise we have with uh environmental experts in our community and provide them the opportunity to look at this go through this process and give us their opinion. I mean the opportunity for us to learn something and yes this is advalor money. The the bond markets love this the best. the opportunity to bond here is very real. And you know, can we just enhance our existing parks and connectivities? There's so many things we could do that I'm not aware of that I I it would be a huge missed opportunity to just start jumping in and do this little piece and this little piece and not understand it in a more comprehensive vision for what we want to do for the city.

So, oh, did you have Yes. Sorry. Um, Mary, our city clerk, just forwarded to me an email that she had received from Mandy Salem, our our former assistant finance director. And Mary had asked her a couple weeks ago, are you able to tell me how much money we get annually from the halfsent sales tax? Ask you that question. And she responded, we took in 2,71,940 900,000. I'm sorry, let me repeat. 2,71,90040 in half cent sales tax revenue in 2025. So if what Mr. Matson said that it's been reduced, so we can probably count on a discount on that amount.

But I I think uh Commissioner Rich thought it was about 2 million and so it's probably roughly it's probably in between 2.7 and two, right? Nice. That's a lot of money.

Yeah. Yeah. And there there's going to be opportunities that come up. They're not they're not necessarily going to be huge opportunities. You know, we're not bringing in the kind of money the county is bringing in. And also, you know, the county has that have cent sales tax board reviewing opportunities in a much larger scope and scale. Do we really need to have um evaluation committees as well to do that? If we have opportunities that come up, we can take advantage of them as they come up. we don't have as much money to spend. And so doing like a some sort of comprehensive look, there's not that many properties available in the city unless you trying to go in the direction of doing storm water overhauls, you know, and and dredging and this kind of thing. Um,

which there isn't enough money to do, which there's not enough money to do. I don't know what I don't know all the opportunities exist reasonably though, like we we don't have that much money to spend. So what there is worth investigating. I mean, look at Pasco County. Look at this. Look at all the questions they asked. These are sensible questions. These, you know,

this is the kind of thing that like if if I was if I was gaming politically, like if I was trying to kill a thing, this is what I would do. I would recommend that it goes into endless committees and it and it continues on and on and on until nothing happens. That's that's what I would do if I was trying to kill progress politically. It takes leadership to have an opportunity and take advantage of it when it exists. It does not take any leadership to punt it to layers of committees so that it dies. So back to what I was saying there there also exists um opportunity and tonight was uh a taste of it is within the Aan Lea PUD. Some of those u very environmentally sensitive properties including um from my understanding parcel 10 may become available as well, you know. So that I think that along with off of Baker is something to look at and consider. I think the county may be looking at um that parcel 10 as well. Um so Baker Creek and Haney which would be for recreation. Um the parcel um 10 in Aan Leah is an opportunity that that could be happening right now and brewing. And then the old high school building that's on ocean. And so this has had a lot of attention lately, but the the nature of this, as far as I understand it, is the school board is looking to offload this property.

As far as I can tell, the current arrangement is not sustainable for the school board and for the purposes of conservation and to protect that parcel uh from becoming apartments or development. To my understanding, I won't even get into other parties, but my concern is that that very well could be become developed, could become apartments um very easily if if it hits private sector. What I would like to consider as well is if there's any um consensus from the board very well at their next meeting, the school board may move into a position of looking to sell that property. And so if they do consider that, I think that's something that we should also be considering is so that it doesn't get developed. um you know, and there's been buzz about the arts council, but I truly believe the best shot that the arts council has at remaining in that location would be if the city buys that property. So, um if you want to save the arts council, you should be advocating that the city buy it. But um it just you know it's a complicated thing to talk about because there's there's a lot of different moving pieces. But you know that there are concerns on that particular parcel about the um the maintenance in that building which I think is very reasonable. And there does exist and and I'm just we're discussing so but there could exist the opportunity to uh sign a lease where the tenant is responsible for the maintenance at that site. Um which may not be a big deal if the plan in the near future is to renovate it into a totally new thing

anyway. But um those were like my three three targets as of right now that are not hugely expensive. I doubt that that that schoolboard property comes in over 2 million. I doubt it even hits Yeah, I think I think you might be closer to 15 or something. But um re redoing that park off of Baker or redoing that and making a trail head off of Baker, you know, he had he had estimated Tim had estimated I think $700,000 at that time for doing all of that, maybe less. Um and then the nature of that parcel tenant Aan Leah could hypothetically it's early be a joint venture between the county and the city and potentially other parties. Um you know th those are kind of that's my three right now. That's my hit list. And I'd like to avoid getting sucked into larger scale projects like storm water that god knows how much that could cost millions. When you talk about government contracts, I think uh to be able to secure property ultimately for conservation or take our existing parcels like Haney Creek and turn that into accessible park space for families or protecting um you know the around Aan Leah that environmentally sensitive land from becoming larger scale development like we were able to see even in our packet tonight what couldn't up there uh and making sure that that drains properly. I think for me personally th those are my three right now that I'm most interested in in terms of prioritizing. So I'm curious what you guys think in terms of your projects you'd like to see.

Who was first? I got a bunch of lights. Um I have a ladies. Is there a time frame? I mean this money is obviously we receive it annually quarterly. I didn't know what the process was in the sales tax and how we receive it. Made monthly, I believe. Oh, I'm sorry. We'd have to do more digging. As of right now, we have $2.7 million to spend. Okay. Right. But we don't know if it's an annual fee that is given to the city based on tax. We got to start dragging our new finance. Okay. So, we can ask the new finance people to find that out. 10 years right now. It's 10 years. Yeah, it is 10 years. Okay.

Yeah. the whole pro the whole process will last 10 years. Okay. Um I I like several of the options that you gave. Um the arts council, the old high school. I mean, I know that the arts council I'm on the Martin Arts Council. I I think what they proposed was an excellent program. Would be awesome. Yeah, I I think it would be great. Um I really like it. And then again, if the city purchased it, we'd be doing a leasing it to them. What you know, I don't want to get into the details now, but that would be the idea that we would lease it to the Martin Arts Council. Correct.

Okay. All right. So that that, you know, very excellent idea of that what they would do and make those studios wouldn't die on the vine. Right. Right. Okay. That's um parcel 10. My only concern is is that they've mentioned it several times this evening that once parcel 10 is developed and if we own it then we would be ones developing it or leaving it conserving it right or conserving it but at that point it would be the last of that major PUD which means then there's I think there's a parcel yeah there's a couple other okay because I got there may be one other that's for sale besides 10 but I think 10 might be the bigger

my understanding that that whole storm water system for that whole does not take place until the last piece is developed. So whoever buys it would be responsible for making sure that that flow through works prop. That's right. So that would be something that would be of concern to us as as being the new owners of that piece. But you're saying there's other pieces available. My hope would be that uh that's something we could look to grants for. Okay. For for drainage. Okay. And then of course what would the cost doing the Haney Creek and the then the Baker road

if there was interest from the board to do something like that obviously on a future agenda as we're getting into these prioritizing projects and getting more updated information. We have a lot already on that particular item. It would just be updating okay the you know projected expenses but a lot of work already went into

okay I I'm I'm not for getting a whole committee together and spending months doing all of that but I would like to see a list of projected costs to do something like that maybe one or two other items on that list that you know might be discussed here this evening so that would be like I said I I'm not any interest in dragging it out for two years while a committee looks it over but I don't want to just look at two or projects we should have. This should be a living process in my opinion. Okay. My goal tonight would be that from from the board, we had previously prioritized some projects, but we didn't have Ruth involved. So So now with Ruth here, making sure we're doing things right. Um having this board come up with

three or four or five or seven things, whatever it is, and then starting to prioritize those and then investigate. Right. That would be the part I would see the investigation. What I'd like to see tonight is in this discussion that we we start creating that. Okay. That list of priorities. Do you have beyond the ones I've mentioned something that you'd like to see happen? No, actually um the previous interim manager had sent me a whole list of what properties were owned by the city. Mhm.

It's a lengthy list and I really can't seem to print it off, but I have just the addresses and I could print off maybe different columns. So, I'd like to see what's available that the city already owns that we might be able to utilize some of those monies to improve them. um they might be something that might uh be uh fall under the category as Ruth had said that could be utilizing this money for those particular items whether it be um water flow or any of the items that were listed that were um required to be this is what the money would be required to be spent on. What would be nice is if we could remediate a brownfield with it, but you can't. No,

we have to find other uses for the brownfield. Um, but that's yeah, that's what I would like to see. And if there's a way that it could get that list printed off just where it's address and you know a list of available city properties. I I have the list. It was sent to me, but it's yay columns long. So, good idea. And I don't have the ability. They if you email, you must have to go into the system to print it off. can't be emailed to you and printed off. I tried. Roz is taking notes. She's Yeah, she I had already mentioned it to her. Um was it Sean or or you which one of you two was first? I can't whichever want to go first.

Yeah, that's fine. I'm not in a hurry tonight. All right. So, um are we sure um that whatever happens on the if the school old school property was old high school historic high school property was looked into for acquisition or some type of a collaborative program? Um, is everything that would be in there considered public recreation purpose or

would it end up being like any other development where maybe they may even have some things because of naming rights and other thing that's they have a private partnership and then we'd have the public side where some things are public recreation. So, it may not be um the whole property, but maybe some some portion or some activity or something that would be uh sponsored. Unless if the city was saying that, okay, we'll at least want to have the entire thing in the name of the city, then we'll work out with other entities how things happen on the property, and they would have to still meet those guidelines. So, um, but

well, I think you'd have to see a plan of what the Martin Arts Council envisioned for this piece of property. So, I think if you saw the plan, you would see it's certainly open to the public. Uh, you know, it's for, I mean, local artists would benefit the most, but anyone you students, adults, you mean there'll be so much available. You just have to make a plan that it's going to stay solid because if you just have one little glitch and it's not doesn't meet all of the state requirements, then you right, you don't you can't get it done. But like I said, they they do have, you know, a plan that you could look at if you I'm sure if you reached out to Nancy, she'd be more than happy to send it to you.

Can the funds be used to purchase that building in your opinion? Um, is it? I would say um it depends start building. It depends on there's a lot of factors it depends on. I mean it could be um you know there are other aspects to purchasing a building that may require some funding from other sources. But it really is a case by case basis and you really get you know devil's in the details right and you could you could do something like that. Um, and it, you know, depending on how, you know, what your purpose was. Was it for recreation?

Then you could, you could, you know, set your, you know, set your objectives for the for the for the property, for the building, and and make it happen that way. Recreation and conservation, you know, green conservation, too. I can't you No, it's I think we need a definitive legal opinion as to whether the funds could be used to purchase it. I think putting her on the spot right now is a little bit ridiculous. Definitely. Has to be looked at, right? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the the city attorney will be looking into all of those. Isn't going to just let us run off agenda if you want make agenda items. Right now, we're discussing and we will. So, we're prepared to talk about it. We can talk to members of the public about it.

Just bring this up and think we can have a sensible discussion. We need to have a discussion about it so you can agenda items to to move in that direction. I think if any commissioner wishes an item to be on the agenda, we have always allowed that to take place. So I I just to, you know, throw these things out and say, "Okay, let's talk about this in a sensible way is very challenging and it's unfair to the public. Maybe I'm missing something. I hope we're doing a deliberation here." Oh, no. Now we're talking about very specific projects. No, no, we were talking about background information and suggestion regarding halfense. She's not even sure we can spend the money to buy it.

But why? You seem if it's not if if it's illegal, we shouldn't waste any time talking about it. Suggestions regarding half sales tax. But we don't even know if it's legal and we never will if we don't discuss it. But if someone if the commissioner knew he wanted to bring the issue, perhaps he could have, you know, when this is bringing it up. I brought it up at the last meeting, too. Okay. Now we're talking about it. We still don't know whether the money can be expended for that. Well, it's up for discussion. No deliberation. Do you have any reason to to believe it's it can't be? Yes. I've been told it can't be used by who? By individuals who offer their opinions. I don't know. That has no more validity than her concerns.

The person you talk to has equal validity to your environmental attorney. Yes, they do. Wow. We would like to share the No, I would not. Well, no, of course. I'm just saying there's clearly a question. Okay. Um, so then why don't we put it Why don't Is there a consensus?

We're still talking. We're still talking. Did you have some projects or anything you want to offer? Uh, no. I mean, I mean, we have the, you know, the whole idea of what to do on the north side with the Haney Creek and and trying to pull everything together. And I know what your plan is is like, well, if we pull this together, that will completely deal with development in the future in that area because we'll have the whole package from the east to the west. The um trail heading that other side is just to make it accessible for families more to have a park from the east to the west. So you have Okay. So

the referendum item is to put it into conservation separate though that in terms of spending halfcentent sales tax money it would be specific to trail heading Baker Creek not the two acres that's a separate conversation spending money with the hatscent sales tax in this case on recreation off of Baker. Okay would be that item. I didn't remove my light and I I I I hear I hear Commissioner Rich and I'm not trying to put Mr. Leget on on on on the hot seat, Mr.

But no, I'm going to let city manager and city attorney look at it, but I know that we had said that we're going to try to use that 2acre parcel and I know that Mr. Leot has said that he's been managing to get things done um in that entire park without um needing like any special pot of money. But with property taxes probably being less and other things happening. Um what if we're shooting ourselves in the foot by cutting off the complete use of this 2acre parcel which we did already? The consensus is Yeah, we're already past that.

I know. I know. But still, um I'm I'm I'd love for city manager, whether interim or future city manager and Mr. Leget to really let us know how they plan to maintain that parcel in per perpetuity. And if we will have the funds to do that entire area in that Haney Creek, how long have we been maintaining all the cleanup and all the maintenance and extra culverts, right? 10 years and no, nobody's developing it or whatever. City's not going under. Yeah, we're okay. Um, Commissioner Gio,

I I just happened to bring up um your mic some in sorry, I just happened to bring up some information that's on the internet about the half cents tales tax for Florida and for usage and it says community impact. The tax is designed to support community development and enhance public services. It also helps in maintaining and improving existing infrastructure. Yeah, absolutely. Um, Vice Mayor, what do you got?

Um, my comments would be for for the Martin Arts. I'm I see where you're coming from. I know Martin Arts want to wants to purchase the building. I'm I'm assuming they're just not in a financial situation currently to purchase it from the school board if they're selling it. or would we be purchasing it and then subsidizing it for Martin Arts to just conserve it because a $ 1.5 million you know that's policy on that I would imagine it's going to be a below market lease and you sit on the board currently what do they pay the school board now I you know I don't do the finances so I mean I really

a dollar yeah there is I don't I don't know the law says it has to be 80% % of the appraised value. We can't pay over 80% of the appraised value in Florida forever. But I don't, you know,

Nancy Nancy Turl, executive director of Martin Arts, which is the umbrella for the arts council for of Martin County and the arts foundation for Martin County. So the organization that and I'm also a city of Stewart resident coconut. Um, the arts foundation, not the council that Laura Gobi, commissioner, sits on, the council is not in negotiations or conversations with the school district about this property. It's our foundation, which is the fundraising and programmatic arm. That's not in the sunshine arm of our organization that is doing this. Um, the lease is up for final discussion on Tuesday, but I clearly, as all of you have heard and read in the paper, they are looking at going to surplusing some of the properties they aren't using because they need to fund some very needed capital renovation projects at school sites. So, um, all indications are that instead of going for a lease agreement, they'll be looking for us to purchase. We are working on preparing to be able to purchase that property.

Okay. So, and feel fairly confident that that can happen. All right. Also, bunded. So, is that or something we would just wait as a board then to see what happens? Yeah. Either way, it would take it would take some time, but

it's going to take time. I mean, my again, I'm no my degrees are in marketing and philanthropy and development, not land planning and and all of these other things, but um right now it's one big parcel for where the Boys and Girls Clubs are, Steuart Middle School and this. So, they're going to have to do something with that property to be able to even put the parcels up. So, there's a lot of work to be done by all parties at this point, I believe. Mayor Am I incorrect to assume that the goal here, whether it is the Martin Arts Council Foundation or the city is to somehow save that property from becoming apartments, right? I mean, that's that's the goal here. That's my concern,

right? Thank you. So, if they leased it and bought it on their own, well, we would save the taxpayer taxpayers all that money. Yes. And it would be, you know, certainly, but if uh but if the school board is offloading that property and it hits the market and they can't afford it, not saying you won't be able to, but if they could, but that's a possibility. They've been in negotiations with them for well, I think it's a wait and see at least five or six years

if they're able to, but we don't want to be in a position. They're not able to and we can and we don't. Some developer buys it, comes in with lot you know, live, you know, the live local act or something else and we wind up with a fourstory apartment building built to density right in front of our school. We don't want that. And if you bought any property for conservation purposes, it it's not necessarily going to produce ROI, but you do have an opportunity with that parcel where you could enter into a lease agreement where it is producing some income. um hopefully at least matching the maintenance on the property

or as you said it would be that part of it would be the maintenance on the lease seat. There could be other creative ways to get you know to um keep the area out of development which you know does have a positive environmental effect always. Um but you know if if there's a situation where there could be um a um a recreational component to it, right? Um, you know, maybe the city could help out with funding um and uh in return there could be a deed restriction

uh to keep the recreation area always open in perpetuity and to keep it um the way you know for the arts council or the way that it is right now you know for 99 years something like that. that answer right now. They don't pay anything, but we have the money. Yeah, it's for me it for it to be a priority. I personally wouldn't go after it, especially if they're going to be purchasing it. They're in negotiations. I don't know where they stand. Um

well, we'll know if they can't buy it and it goes up for sale. Didn't Didn't she just say final decision next week? I misunderstand the school board. They're going to decide whether or not they're going to lease the property to to them and create a new lease or if they're going to put that property up for sale. Again, I don't represent the school board and I don't know that they know all the steps of their process yet, but next or the you can't buy it.

What is the date? March 24th meeting um is the final review of the lease whether they're going to move forward with that or not. All indications are they are not um and so then it'll open up a next round of conversations and discussions. So I mean it's sort of one step before the other at this point. Thank you. Okay. Did you have other priorities you wanted to talk about or how you feeling?

No though I think I talked about a lot of them. Um, I'm not against like the storm water management upgrades though, whether it's this year or later on down the road. Um, I'd like to wait and see what happens with that grant that Ruth authorized and we authorize as a board for Appleton Creek, Frasier Creek. I'd like to see how that plays out before we go after that at a later date. Um, that's my opinion. I'd like to see some estimated cost at least for storm water. Storm water all actually all of the items. It just give us a

Do we have a plan that lives for upgrading storm water? Peter or Milton? Is there like an an active step-by-step plan? Maybe include that in our next discussion. The next time we talk about this as one of those priorities just to look at the numbers. Yeah. includes the costs design and all that pretty close. How how far is the city behind in like storm water management or It could always be better. You're always behind. But realistically, how how far behind? How bad is it? Bad. Bad. We need to catch up. That's all. Okay. We did catch up or we

You don't want him on the record saying it's bad. We're working on it. We We're working on it. And he we're caught up. I mean, no Always be better. I heard him say those words. No, we didn't catch up. No. And and especially in light of these huge precipitation events we're seeing. It's been more up in Sebastian area. Just, you know, you're getting three days of rainfall in four and five hours. And it's becoming more common. It basically falls under the rubric of of resiliency and and that's what's you know that's a real responsibility we possess to continue to understand the capacities and improve them. So

uh vice mayor those are reasonable concerns on your part. Yeah, I was just curious and as far as me saying bad bad, however you guys want to look at that, me it's just discussion. I mean, no matter what you say you're going to get beat up, whether it's by the public or whatnot, I'd rather say it and deal with the repercussions. I was talking with Meritt about that earlier. Like, I'm going to say it. I don't I guess I don't look at it as a bad thing. It's just language to me and it's conversation pieces. And I think it looks worse when we try to cover it up as a city, if you want my honest opinion, as a taxpayer. I think when we try to like maybe alleviate it or downplay it, that's that's my opinion.

Okay. So, do we have some consensus that we can start having staff look at at least more information to bring back? Um I don't think it needs to be on the next agenda though. I mean, now they're going to have some homework to do. Yes. So, it may not be right away, but at least at least to get something started here. So we can get some forward momentum. So the two acres north of the not the two acres north of the bridge. I already made that confusing. A trail head off of Haney Creek. Is there interest to start discussing that? Looking at the old plans. Yes. Include that in a package. The parcel 10 is another good option to look at. Okay. Parcel 10 as well. Yes or no?

But I'd like to know the backside of that. If we purchased it, what would we be responsible for as part of that whole uh water system? Yep. Um, well, you would be a part of that master association then, Lee. How's that work? So, if I recall, there's a large section of it already in conservation. I think um Nick said 20 acres. So, if there's 50 acres total, I think 20 acres are already in conservation. So, if you buy it, you would just put it in the conservation with the rest of the conservation, I would assume. Uh, or you could develop it. Yeah. technically. Mhm.

It's it's a separate CPU a PUB uh on that uh 0.9 acres. Uh or I think technically you could probably put that put that in with the rest of the conservation. Mhm.

And I think if like the city or the board as a whole like I talked about earlier, the city has wetland mitigation. So, if you're looking to acquire because you can almost relocate wetlands on the lot or parcel depending on I forget the verbiage that Jody used this morning, but that might be something to look into as well, like maybe having a list of property that could potentially have wetlands on it currently. And it's more for like larger sites because I feel like on larger sites with wet wetlands, it's easier to relocate them with South Florida Water Management versus smaller sites.

Not too much land. I'm not an advocate of mitigating. If it's a wetlands, it should stay where it is. Um, okay. So, let's see here. Okay. Okay. So, in terms of storm water drainage, uh, having that come back as well for discussion purposes, I'm open to it so we could start to think about it and talk about it. I think it's good to discuss it and see. Um, do you how do you guys feel? Obviously, you that was something you thought was a good idea, right? Storm water. Yep. Okay. Did you have Yeah. Did you have the north side of Papetton Creek like where the Willoughby Road would have gone through and coming through to the old fish ponds? Did we Is there anything that needs cleaning it up?

Yeah, I would be. Yeah, because that would that would fall in that. Yeah, it would because that would definitely fall. Yeah, it's it's definitely needs it. There's no doubt about that. Yes. And that goes into the waterershed. So, that would be I think that north side that's it could always be cleaner. Yes. Hey, I'm getting it. I'm getting it. Okay. So, that that I agree that should be in there. So, there's consensus on that. And then for discussion purposes, is there any consensus to start looking at that high school property? Not saying we're buying it today, but at least to start looking at it in case things fall through. Okay. Not opposed to it, by the way. Yeah.

But having it on the the the short list so we could start talking about it. Yeah. We can know what you're thinking. So we have options. I would like a firm legal opinion on whether the funds could be expended for that. That would be part of that. And if so, what restrictions would there be on the use? I think that's that makes a lot of sense. Well, that's a very detailed for sure you could do it just to lease it to an art center. I bet you can't. We can collaborate. I think we can. Let's see what else. What's that? We need to know anyway. That's right.

I need to come by this week and hang out, too, and check you out. Okay. So I think I think that was everything we talked about. Oh, and then Commissioner Gobi, you had mentioned um a list of available properties or existing properties that we own. Properties that we do own, right? Roz could actually I think we have to access it while we're here in house because I don't think there's a way to print it. They I think Roz or Jolie emailed it to me, but I can't really other than looking at it on the screen. I can't do anything with it. For clarification,

um would you say including like parks or are you saying vacc but but I'm not asking for specific parcels. What I'm asking for is more type. Would you like Roz to bring back a list of like parks to be updated? Sure. Or Right. Right. I mean, some of them are just unassigned, so I don't know what they are. You know, like here says unassigned, and it's Lake Clare Park. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah. You know, there's a lot of pocket in the So, I was going to ask about that. Can I Can I talk while you're looking, Miss?

No, no, sugar. Go. Right ahead. So, Mr. legit. Um he knows I mean he maintains all the pocket parts pocket part parks and um he knows about them but do you have any areas that are not find they're not paid for by fine or other places that you could suggest that we um acquire those little corners and and have more pocket parks that we could do because I'm sure that when you go out there you areas and troublesome areas that are kind of just like the the neighbors. They're not alleyways and the neighbors probably are not taking care of it and it could be something that we could acquire as another end of a road park or a um maintain

Yeah, because you have a lot to maintain. And I understand that and we have a lot of fined areas that we have put in for fine grants to make sure that those are demarcated and that they're um they're being taken care of. Um when you get the fine grant initially, do you get the funds every year to deal with that or are we just stuck with the maintenance and a label that says um you know funded by find or whatever? Right. Oh, so everything. Okay. Parks are expensive. Yeah. Yeah. I was just going to ask a question. Absolutely.

Before we purchase additional pocket parks, I'd like to have some assessment from Milton. How many of those parks are utilized? I mean, are they just sitting there and nobody's utilizing them? Nobody's taking care. Not that you're not taking care of them, the neighbors or whatever. They're just not you, but you know, people who are near the park and they're just littering it or whatever. I'd like to see something like that. like what what are those parks doing right now? An assessment. So, for clarification, you're looking for um a list of existing parks, including pocket parks that the city owns so that we could start to look at if there's opportunity to improve, expand, expand, update before we purchase anymore. Right. Right. Yeah. Of course. Yes.

I don't know that there's that much available to even purchase. No, no, not really not. It's really do we want to make what we have nicer and how how so I know that there are some neighbors that do not want the access to the pocket parts to like the river in certain areas because it's right by their front door right goes right by their property and they'd rather make it stay wild and not let anybody know that it's a pocket park but then they can purchase it if they would like to keep it private.

So that that is seven seven items. to start that can live and adapt as we go. And just that easily, we saved hundreds of thousands of dollars of staff time. It's probably six to eight months of uh wasting time and now we can start trying to get something done. So, Roz, can you just read those back and help clarify where we're at? I have the trail head off Haney Baker Baker. I knew that. I made it confusing. That was I think he called it I I did that. Baker Creek, I think at one time. Parcel 10.

Creek, including if we do purchase, what water issues would we be involved with? If 50 acres, 20 acres might already be in conservation, but that's all about parcel 10. List of properties with wetlands already. That was one that was included. Yeah. Okay. stormwater projects and needs that Milton and I will get together and talk about north of Pppleton Creek. You know what we're talking about? Yes. I mean the creek the park is the dog park is there now and then everything north of the little wear and bridge or whatever people a lot of homeless people used to be in there. I think he got cleaned up, but there's it's just um Well, public goes above the cemetery,

right? Yeah, I know. It's a whole area through the development. That gentleman, it just needs to be looked into. It's huge. Creek is huge. Is huge.

The old high school, get a firm legal opinion first. Is it eligible to purchase? And if we can purchase, what are the restrictions? The list of existing properties we own, parks to be updated, uh expanded perhaps. Where are the pocket parks? Are they being utilized? And look for those at those those locations that are listed as unassigned. So, I can pull that report. We did get through it. Um, but it does have complexities like the commissioner mentioned. It's a software issue. So, this is something we can easily pull in Excel, but we'll find a way. We'll get Was it an Excel sheet to begin with? Because I tried Yeah, because I tried to just do columns to print out. It wouldn't do it.

Yeah. And then I pulled a report and tried to convert it and that didn't work. So, we've got we've got tech services experts. I'll rope them in. What what I think would be good is now that you have those seven items. Get some um just baseline data. You know, is this can we do this legally? Does this match? Um here's some of those pro so we can prioritize them. Right now, we've got seven options with a little more data and insight with each one. the next time it comes back, let's talk about prioritizing it either through a resolution or however you need to do it. But okay, then we could start if we need referendums or anything. I don't know. Whenever we Yeah, you guys can bring us back the waterfront.

Utilizing the half sales tax doesn't require a referendum, does it? Um, no. No. Just depends on what the But referendum for depend. But if it's waterfront Yeah. If if city owns waterfront property, we're going to do something more than 10 years with it. Land referendum, but that's probably not an issue under this. We're good. Is there any other discussion on this item? Thankful. That was very productive. Thank you for your input, Mr. Mat. Yes, thank you. It's good to have you here for that. Um, it's nice to have that insight.

Can I take a a moment of moment? Sure. I just wanted to say that Mr. Mat has not only been our mayor and a commissioner in the community and now he's working on the Lock Salooi, but he's also lost his dad who was a very very uh prominent attorney and a a a stalwart um supporter of the environment. And I just want to say that um uh we really appreciate everything that Bob Mat and the Mat family has done in Martin County as well as in the city of Stewart. And u we just want to I know it's a sad time, but um we we thank you. Tell Bob that I thank him. He knows that

there's an addendum. Just give that to Oh, yes, I know that. We know. That's right. Remember that we have an I I asked him if I could speak before the next time. No, no, I just want my paper back. Thank you. Okay. So, okay. Moving on to the addendum item that was added on the permission to submit comment letter to the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Are you okay? Oh my goodness. Julie, you're okay. Well, just sit for a minute. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Don't try and get up fast now. Take a break. Respect. Let's take a fivem minute recess. No, let's just finish. Hold on. Just Just respect other What? Out of respect.

Yes. Just so she can have a minute. Whatever minute. I'd have everybody staring at her. Yeah. I don't want to just All right.

and storm water treatment area by the deadline of March 11th. Very beginning was not on on recording. Sorry. You're going to make me say it again. Yeah, I would. I got I need a kind bar. Okay. So permission to submit comment letter to the United States Army Corps of Engineers on their proposed operation manual for the C44 reservoir and storm water treatment area by the deadline of March 11, 2026. This is item number one on the addendum. Ruth Helms.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um so this letter uh just is what it says it is. Uh so you know that um the reservoir and STA uh out there off of the C44 um it hasn't been operating as anticipated because of seepage issues among other things. And so they've had to uh put out some interim operating procedures. I know it sounds really boring and wonky, but it's really not because they've had to really dig in and and change the way that they're going to operate the reservoir and STA so that it takes as as much water as they as they told the public that it would um and treat it before it's uh returned back to the C44. Um so this is the reason that we're commenting on this is because um it's kind of like final agency action at the state level and uh it's going through the national environmental policy act procedures the the administrative procedures and um we the acronym of is of course NEPA same thing that LOSM was under and they're considering that this operating manual um doesn't have any significant environmental impact whatsoever. ever. And but nevertheless, they still give the public uh comment a comment period to say, "Public, what do you what do you think about it?" And so, we're pointing out some of their um their math problems. Uh and uh also I think something important to point out which I didn't put in this draft but uh after reviewing it tonight that I realize I should is that this operating manual does not have anything in there related to ensuring that they meet water quality standards and uh the St. Lucy River. Um and also u making sure that the river um

is not uh going to be further degraded by these discharges. making sure that it's fishable, swimmable for a class 3 water body like the river is. Um, and if you if if you've read anything about the EAA reservoir, um, lately there's been a lot of talk about uh that it may not meet, and I'm not saying it won't, there's some talk about it that may not meet water quality standards going to Everglades agricult Everglades protection area. Um, and it has to. And so, um, I think that, you know, stakeholders on this side of the S80 ought to be concerned, just like, um, people are with the AA that water quality standards need to be met and it needs to be part of the operation manual to make sure that they're met. So, that's what I want this letter to say and um with your authorization, I'll edit that and uh anybody can review it and then but it needs to go in uh on by Wednesday. Close business.

Is there motion to approve? Um yeah. Can I ask a question? Do you need approval? It's under discussion and deliber deliberation. No, it I think yeah, we need authorization for it. frame right I'll make a motion or if you're we can always do consensus after the motion to say that um yeah can I just talk to you about a few things I mean there absolutely I think this is this is a very rough draft drafty draft yeah draft yeah okay that's fine

yeah um make move approval that we we submit this letter to the army corps um regarding the operation the proposed operational men which is the PPOM or something like that and um by the deadline yeah by the deadline of March 11 20 26 to be finalized and submitted um with the mayor's signature um and the provided by the city environmental attorney and city manager to the mayor for his signature.

I second the motion. Is there any public comment on this item? Seeing none. Mary, would you call the role? No. Could I just Yes. Um, thank you for doing this, Miss Holmes. If you want to have a sense of the complexity of the issue she's dealing with. Uh, some of the information of this letter came from a study we authorized, correct? the Hazen report which she recently received.

Go down and take a look at that because it's I'm pretty good at reading that stuff, but it is it is impressive in its uh comprehensiveness and complexity. So, uh, I'd just like to give us credit for allowing her to, um, authorize that firm to provide us with that study and we could have terrific results if they Thank you. I and, um, all credit needs to go to Hazen and Sawyer. Absolutely. Yeah. Our cons well your partners, consultants, the ones that is helping us, providing. Thank you. Good. Mayor Collins, yes.

Commissioner Clark, yes. Commissioner Gio, yes. Commissioner Rich, yes. Vice Mayor Reid, yes. Seeing no further items. Yes. Okay. I just wanted this vote to go through um there. And I don't know who can help with this. Ruth is really should be on the mailing list, email list or whatever from the um Army Corp. Army Corps of Engineers. She has requested. I think we've requested. I don't know who you get to to get her on that list because this is why we're in the 11th hour. Cory Bell about it. Yes. Yes, she did. Yeah, because this is why we're here at the 11th hour addendum. Did you talk to Jeff Prder? Uh, it's usually with Corey at at the meetings.

Yeah, he's the PR person, isn't it? He's he's how I got on that list. How hard is that? I the guy she's asked several times and this is why we're here at the 11th hour. I've emailed them several times. Can he sign a letter from the mayor saying, "Please include our at the next Rivers Coalition. Get a hold of of Jeff." Okay. Yeah, Jeff's the guy. And if she's not there, if you're there, could you pull him to the side? I mean, you're asking me to remember. I'll I'll remember. Okay. It's just that we might have missed this. If you get a hold of Jeff, he'll And she had to do this last minute. Thank you. That was all I had to say. All right. Seeing no further business.