City Council - Special Meeting

Wednesday, August 19, 2026Official site

The Homestead City Council held a special meeting addressing various utility items, resolutions, and a public-private partnership proposal for Harris Field Park.

About this meeting

Government Body
City Council
Meeting Type
City Council
Location
Homestead, FL
Meeting Date
August 19, 2026

Published excerpts

Only published remarks appear here. The full transcript is not published.

149 sections (from 155 segments)

0:00 – 0:33•Steven D. Losner

Oh, good evening, everyone, and welcome. If you haven't yet, please find a seat and we will convene this evening's meeting. I'd like to call today is, for the record, Wednesday, August 19th, 2026. It is now 5.06 p.m. Tonight, the invocation will be given by Reverend Howard Hardin, Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Homestead Followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Could you all rise, please? Pastor Hardin, welcome.

2:02•Steven D. Losner

Amen. Please join with me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:25•Steven D. Losner

We have the roll call, please, Madam Clerk.

2:39 – 3:11•Steven D. Losner

Here. All right, we have at this point any additions, deletions or deferrals. I'd like to entertain a motion at this time to add addendum numbers one and two to the agenda. Moved by Councilman Fletcher, seconded by Councilman Canabal. Any comment for the addition of addendums number one and two to the agenda? All in favor? Any opposed? Mr. Manager, are there any further additions, deletions, or deferrals this evening?

3:48 – 4:38•Steven D. Losner

We will now move to public comment. And given the volume of registered speakers and the interest present probably on several items tonight, we are going to limit each speaker to two minutes. I'm going to first call upon those who have preregistered and I've attempted to put them in order by virtue of who clocked in first. So the first speaker, I believe it's Elmer Molina. Mr. Molina here? Hi, please come on down. Give us your name and address for the record and we'll put two minutes on the clock.

9:27 – 9:44•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. And our next registered speaker, I can make out the first name, I believe it's Vitaly. Last name starts with F with a Palmetto Bay address.

12:08 – 12:22•Steven D. Losner

If you remain here this evening and hear some of the conversation, those questions will be answered as to why this could be considered an appropriate transaction.

12:31 – 14:05•Steven D. Losner

That's the plan. That's the plan, but it's out of the box. Okay, tonight, just to put this in perspective, tonight a contract is not before us for approval. We will at a later date, probably the very earliest, September 8th, at best, have the opportunity to review a contract that clearly sets out the proposers dates and the times of access for the youth leagues and the public in general all right so we'll be able to review that absolutely there is no contract we're not privy to anything negotiations are ongoing okay okay so just so everyone understands a vote tonight is not to approve an actua

17:20•Larry Roth

Yes, Councilman Roth. Just a question. Barney, where are you?

17:28 – 19:32•Larry Roth

Councilman Roth had a question. We don't normally do this, but this is a pretty big topic, so I wanted to have a few minutes to ask you. If you could come on back. If you don't mind. Do you need a special device? Okay. go ahead um now you said well first of all let me let me start off by saying i don't know if you know what i've done for ayso over the years just got in the role i have i know nothing i'm learning as i go for many years uh when nelson was there i would donate $1,000, $2,000 a year to help sponsor children, specifically in the AYSO program. Okay, so that's coming from a personal

19:33 – 20:08•Larry Roth

So can you help the Southern Homestead Soccer League also communicate in the same fashion that you did so these things get worked out? We want to improve Harris Field. We want to add more soccer fields. And can somebody from staff tell me, With this addition, this partnership, how many extra soccer fields are we adding, not including the potential of adding more soccer fields when the rodeo grounds are dismantled and moved over to the new facility? Does anybody have that answer?

20:12 – 20:30•Larry Roth

In total in the city. Pedro. How many fields are being added at this point with the construction of Homestead Regional Park, I don't think anybody added at Harris Field because there's only three there. There's going to enhance and improve those. But with what they're building out at the regional park, how many fields are we adding?

20:42•Larry Roth

Well, they're all public access at given times. Yeah, they're all going to be. So how many did we add additionally to what we had out there?

20:57 – 22:13•Larry Roth

So we're adding five additional soccer fields. And SPH is making those improvements on their own dime. So I want most of you to understand that you may not understand the whole entire story. but we're all trying to add more facilities and more space for our children to play, not to take it away from them. So please understand, we've been dealing with this for months, months, months now, and all we wanna do is improve it. So I'm so happy you said that you were able to establish communication and get your lead worked out so you have the ability to do exactly what you need for your kids. And I wa

23:52 – 24:19•Larry Roth

I understand. So Pedro, let me ask you this. And maybe SPH can help me articulate this better. The fields that are, that AYSO is gonna use for their, I guess their summer league, is it? Or winter league? No, not summer, so it's spring and fall. Okay, but you're set up for this? Yes, we're set up for the fall, we need for the spring. And how many fields do you guys use for that period?

24:40•Larry Roth

Just so I understand, numbers-wise, how many fields are you guys using right now?

24:48 – 25:25•Larry Roth

How many fields are out there right now? And then if we allocate two fields to you until construction is complete, is that all you need? As of right now, yes. But if our numbers grow, we might need more. I understand, I understand. And we hope that they do grow, trust me. So is that something that SPH can accommodate DURING CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOMESTEAD REGIONAL PARK. I'M ASKING SPH. JUST HAVE TWO FIELDS AVAILABLE.

26:30 – 26:46•Larry Roth

Right. And so let me ask you this, though. During the Harris Field conversion or improvements, Do we have the ability to accommodate Southern Homestead Soccer Academy as well, out there at the same time as we are at AYSO?

27:49 – 28:10•Larry Roth

It's in Brighton. Out at the Homestead Regional Park. So have you guys, who's in charge of, you are? Have you guys met? Have you guys met each other yet? Have you met with him? I would like you to introduce each other to each other. This is the conversation. This is the communication we're talking about. We need to have that. I'm sorry.

29:34 – 31:17•Larry Roth

So, so I think and Mary, you can cut me off whenever you're ready to cut me off. But I think you're fine. I don't want them negotiating at the podium. Yeah, I think that. There's an understanding that we want to accommodate everybody and I think. There's a possibility that it all be accomplished. Right? But I think we just need to have more communication. We need to sit down and talk to each other. And so everybody understands specifically. The, I don't know if they're going to be grass fields. I don't think it'd be artificial turf fields. I don't know. Artificial turf shouldn't wear out. But

31:57 – 32:42•Jenifer N. Bailey

Thank you. Just one more point before I'm sure most of you are going to leave when this does come before us later on in the meeting. One of the very first things I said is this sounds wonderful, but we want our grassroots teams and organizations to be able to play how they've been playing. I think a good way and what I was going to suggest during that discussion that anyone who is worried about how that's gonna look give us your schedule tell us this is usually where we practice Monday Wednesday Friday five to nine games on Saturday and Sunday and we make it we make a schedule and we get that

32:47 – 33:24•Jenifer N. Bailey

I understand that, but we have not looked over what this contract is potentially gonna look like. And that is the piece that's gonna be a yes or no for me. That's what I was gonna bring up later in the meeting. And for you all to rest assured, that's all we want. If we need to wait for $8 million to have parks for our kids, for sure. Even in the complex, they're using it during business hours, not when school gets out. That's big for us. We are with you. We don't want, there's no other reason we would do it than for our kids. So rest assured, get your schedules organized so you can share it wi

33:25 – 33:41•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. All right. The next registered speaker is Ramiro Orta. Mr. Orta, good evening.

36:34•Steven D. Losner

Hey, our next registered speaker is, I believe it's Juan Angel, an address in Kendall. Mr. Angel.

39:38 – 39:59•Steven D. Losner

Okay, next is looks like Karani Hall, Southeast 35th Terrace Address. Welcome, Mr. Hall. Come on down. Good evening, guys. Good evening. My name is Dr. Karani Hall.

42:16 – 42:49•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. All right, next is Anna Ponce. Was Ponce? Ponce? 161 Northwest 9th Street. Anna Ponce, okay. Next is Brandy Ramirez. Brandy, is it Ramirez?

48:56 – 49:26•Steven D. Losner

And one day those secrets will no longer be secret, Brandy. Our next speaker is Michael Fuentes. Michael Fuentes. Are you here, Mr. Fuentes? Hilder Fuentes. Either one of the Fuenteses. Okay. Next we have Pamela Humphrey. Ms. Humphrey, are you here? Welcome, good evening, come on down.

51:37 – 51:59•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. All right, next is, I think the first name is Damaris. Maybe it looks like Toros, Tongos on 293rd Street. Are you here?

52:11•Steven D. Losner

OK. Phil Lair. I know I saw Phil here earlier.

54:34•Steven D. Losner

And our last registered speaker Looks like Rebecca, Jessica from Somerset High. Rebecca?

56:12•Steven D. Losner

to be individually distributed among the seven of us for consideration.

56:47 – 57:03•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. All right. Is there anyone else wishing to make public comment who had not registered? Is there anyone else? Sure, come on down.

58:49•Steven D. Losner

Okay, is there anyone else wishing to speak? Anyone else?

59:08•Steven D. Losner

Let's have your name and address first. Oh, I'm sorry. Arielle Borhey, 14453 Southwest 152 place.

1:01:49•Steven D. Losner

Tell us who you are first. We've got to have you name and address. My apologies.

1:03:11•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. All right, last chance. Anyone else? Guys, come on down.

1:06:31 – 1:07:13•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Thank you. So with that, I will close the public comment section of the agenda this evening. In that regard, if there are no objections from council, I would like immediately to move forward and have the discussion and deliberation on tab five so that we can go forward and all you guys can go back to practice or go home and do your homework while Steve... We stay here.

1:08:09 – 1:08:23•Steven D. Losner

Thank you, Mr. Pearl. Now, I think you wanted to address some of the, in less legal terms, the implications of this item and explain some of the changes to the amended, the substitute item that was distributed.

1:09:18 – 1:09:40•Steven D. Losner

Correct me if I'm wrong. As I mentioned earlier, tonight, an affirmative vote would be to continue to go forward and the concerns, to the extent they are, remain viable, would be addressed and subject to public discussion and deliberation at such time as the contract comes before us.

1:09:48 – 1:10:13•Steven D. Losner

Right. And hypothetically, I guess, a vote not to proceed, a defeat of the proposed resolution would end this discussion and there would be no improvements to Harris Field in the near future, the foreseeable future. Well, that's editorializing, but it would end this process.

1:10:24 – 1:10:54•Steven D. Losner

Okay, so with that, I'd like to give the representatives of the proposer the opportunity to come to the podium. perhaps address any of the comments that have been made tonight, and on the record, provide the assurances of what will be their obligation in any contract that comes before us for approval. Good evening, gentlemen.

1:15:04 – 1:16:08•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Oh, wait a minute. No, we... The supporters of this and the proposers of this sat quietly and politely while each and every one of you spoke. And we expect and demand the same from you. And if you can't live with that, this nice police officer over here will help you find the door. And that's no joke. We will have respectful debate with everybody having the opportunity to express their opinion no matter how egregious it may be to someone else. So with that, let me open this up to counsel for any questions or comments they may have to any party. who would like to open the conversatio

1:16:09 – 1:18:54•Sean L. Fletcher

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I thank everyone for coming out tonight. I believe that there's a lot of information that has been said. Some of it may be true, some of it may be false. For the record, again, tonight is not an approval of any type of agreement. We have not been privy to those negotiations that we've authorized the professional staff here to perform, so we still have that information to come to us to have a vote in the future. Again, I think there was a lot of misinformation in some of the discussion that was had earlier. I'm not the smartest mathematician up here, but the way I

1:18:57 – 1:21:35•Sean L. Fletcher

Yes, I know there's always something towards the end that they may be looking for a return on their investment, as they should. But the City of Homestead residents, we have hard financial times everybody knows when you go to the gas pump it costs more food costs more we're not able to support some of these improvements that we desperately need here in the city of homestead our fields are substandard right now and it's not for the lack of trying with the good people that work in the parks department they do a great job with what they have but now we have the opportunity to have absolutely one h

1:21:35•Steven D. Losner

Thank you, Councilman Fletcher and Vice Mayor Bailey.

1:21:41 – 1:23:50•Jenifer N. Bailey

First of all, I want to take this opportunity. I'm talking to all of you kids. Look at you sitting here at City Hall making a difference. Anytime you see something in your city that you are not happy with, you need to remember tonight and you better come back and you better voice your opinions. I'm super proud of everybody for coming out. So Councilman Fletcher, you took a lot of the words out of my mouth. The one other piece that I want to make sure you all understand is tonight is us voting on being able to look at a potential contract. What we it's true, we do not know what those negotiatio

1:23:51•Steven D. Losner

Thank you, Vice Mayor. Councilman Roth. You said you wanted to be next.

1:23:59 – 1:24:56•Larry Roth

I'll go next. It doesn't matter. I pretty much said all I was going to say earlier. I just wanted the communication to get better between the organizations and the operator. I know there's a win-win for everybody in the city. I'll echo a lot of what Fletcher said tonight. Sorry, Councilman Fletcher said tonight. that you know we haven't seen the agreement and trust me if it's not what's best for you i won't be a yes vote when that time comes but tonight in order for us to even get to that point we have to move it forward so we can see what the details are going to be and as i said if it's not

1:33:52 – 1:41:10•Steven D. Losner

Thank you, and thank you to all my colleagues. First, I want to say to the athletes that are here, my first council meeting from the seat on that side was a lot more boring than you had tonight. And I know that you will remember this as your first taste of civic engagement for a very long time. But I want to say to the coaches, the parents, and the players. We hear you. But I also hear the toxicity of a very orchestrated campaign of misinformation. There is just a lot of wrong facts out there. And I know several of the speakers come here in good faith. Others don't. There are at least three wh

1:41:27 – 1:41:50•Steven D. Losner

which was the the the the amended circular yes the the the loose red that's not in the binder yes correct councilman all right so it's been moved the the revised version presented to us has been moved by councilman cannonball and seconded by councilman fletcher are there any final comments or questions for council yes councilwoman avila

1:42:10 – 1:43:09•Steven D. Losner

I hate the word, the terms kicked out, thrown out, or that we don't have fields and that we're giving away control. It's on both sides. The issues of the impact on the leagues as well as the allegations that the city is giving away all or part control. of Harris Field with respect to control. And that control was clearly delineated in the first proposal and is very similar to what was proposed for Homestead Regional Park that we approved. I think this is a very analogous situation. So, you know, to those who think we're giving away Harris Field and throwing away the legacy of the heart of spor

1:43:27 – 1:43:41•Steven D. Losner

I have the same latest information you do, that going forward, the non-Sports Hub times will be scheduled through the city. Is that correct, Mr. Manager, to your parks director?

1:44:01 – 1:44:30•Steven D. Losner

Correct. And if there's any question, Our staff and our attorneys and Sports Hub are clearly hearing that I think the preference would be going forward at the end of construction that the city is the final arbiter or the scheduling coordinator for all of those fields and times that are not allocated to the Sports Hub programming.

1:45:14 – 1:45:51•Jenifer N. Bailey

Thank you, Mayor. I think to your point, for me, as I can think of right now, our only solution would be that the contract states the days and times that SPH would require the field, and for the rest, we are working how we typically do, and it is going through our parks department. There shouldn't be any pieces left with SPH to coordinate any youth soccer that continues to go through our parks. So the contract will have- And our team hears that. Yes, and our contract will have to be few enough days, obviously from SPH, to be able to accommodate Yeah, the schedules.

1:46:49 – 1:48:23•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. And in that regard, something you said a moment ago reminded me, I think the last speaker tonight to the parks director, to the manager, made an allegation that some fields that his particular lead was going to be assigned were, and I think you said, unsafe, whoever the last speaker was. So we need to know those details or whether that's just bluster in a public hearing. So if the last speaker is still here or someone can have the last speaker get in touch with our parks director and clearly articulate the issues that he feels exist with that field. I mean, we don't take that lightl

1:48:58 – 1:49:10•Steven D. Losner

Now, we all get that, you know, and that hindsight is always 20-20 that should there have even been a park there, or at least in that, but that horse left the barn a long time ago. Yes?

1:49:58•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. All right, so we'll close the comments, and let's have a roll call vote on this resolution.

1:50:18 – 2:08:17•Steven D. Losner

Okay, thank you all. All right, let's do this. Let's take a 10-minute break. It'll give time for the room to clear. be able to kind of recalibrate and we'll go forward. What I would first like to do when we come back is the artist presentation and then pick up the agenda at tab one. So we'll take 10. Really noisy to mausoleum quiet. All right, I guess our colleagues will be back in in a moment, but let's call the meeting back to order and proceed to tab six, car number 5120, Mr. Pearl.

2:11:35 – 2:11:58•Steven D. Losner

That's it. Okay. Council, any questions, comments on this one? Just so you know and your fellow artists know, at least for myself, I'm opening this for the first time. So, you know, these were circulated before the meeting. So, you know, we kind of get the wow, the surprise factor for whatever that is worth.

2:13:03 – 2:13:18•Steven D. Losner

All right, thank you. Thank you, Councilman. All right. And who's supposed to be next? Alex. All right. So, like a birthday present here. I'll open up this presentation.

2:19:08•Steven D. Losner

Do you guys have questions for me? I do. So clearly this is the east exposure.

2:20:34 – 2:20:49•Steven D. Losner

Council, any other questions for this concept? Pretty straightforward. Thank you. Yeah, very straightforward. Thank you guys for having me. And finally, Avon Diaz and MutaVision. Thank you.

2:26:50•Steven D. Losner

Council, questions for this team? Yeah, Councilwoman.

2:31:17•Steven D. Losner

Yeah, and I, well, go ahead. Okay, yes. Cannonball.

2:32:07•Steven D. Losner

I agree. I think we are... You know what we should do?

2:32:19 – 2:33:16•Larry Roth

Oh, Councilman Roloff. Yeah, I just, it was the, which one was it? The exhibit four. I liked how he used the doors and placed his art where the doors didn't take away from the pictures. And if he's really concealed the dumpsters, or in the dumpsters in the, power supply that was ingenious because he hid that behind his artwork so you don't see it so i kind of kind of looking towards that one yeah you see how they're back behind here so um the colors were you know vibrant and bright and i'm not a real artistic kind of guy but yours inspired me the most when it comes to um if i had to choose one

2:33:18 – 2:33:33•Jenifer N. Bailey

Thank you, Mayor. So, I was kind of waiting until everybody did their presentation because obviously I wanted to hear a little bit about what you all said. Can you go back to your slide that says, you called it the West with the Monstera? They're called Monsteras.

2:33:36 – 2:35:15•Jenifer N. Bailey

Oh, no. So that picture right there. Okay. Yeah. When it comes to artists, I think we all agree, you guys can visualize, like, things that are going to work in certain areas. This one specifically for me was personal. I worked really hard with the arts and trying to bring stuff here, as a lot of my colleagues have. I drive by this multiple times a day because this is going into my neighbourhood. That is what I see. No, no, not this one. It's the dumpster, which will be covered. And the idea, you know, Lossner Park is such a beautiful park. The nature, the plants, I didn't want it to be one of

2:35:39 – 2:36:00•Steven D. Losner

would be the wall that overlooks the playground the southern wall this top wall looks at paramount dance okay okay that's the eastern wall our performance school okay gotcha yeah but this one this wall so this wall this this picture this

2:36:02 – 2:37:57•Jenifer N. Bailey

mural this rendering is like exactly the vision it is colorful kind of miami vice style just to tie into miami um but yeah but where which which wall was that Well, regardless, I'm just saying that if we're picking, the only reason I would go with this third one is because of that idea. A couple little tweaks with some other things, but to talk a little bit about the other ones, I don't know if you guys all want to come up or you guys want to sit down, but the torn edge thing, I absolutely love that. it being an education piece the it forcing conversations um that we are going to find a place

2:37:59 – 2:39:48•Steven D. Losner

I'll leave it at that. I think like my colleagues, when we had the choice of the huge murals that are on the Seminole Theater exposures, we liked elements from all of it. And there are elements of all of these proposals that I really like. And I'm really, you know, being the traditionalist, really drawn to the rendering that's got the tomatoes, the strawberries, and the corn, and then a nod to our history with the train. And in a perfect world, if we could get the private property owner's permission to do so, I'd like to see this on the north side of the Jacobson's building. But with the homes

2:41:15 – 2:41:37•Jenifer N. Bailey

As tough as it is, we've been working on this for a while. I truly know that there are going to be more opportunities coming soon. I would personally make the motion for the third applicant for this project specifically and let the first and the second know that we're coming back for you guys soon.

2:41:46 – 2:42:31•Sean L. Fletcher

I'll second her motion with a comment. I too am really impressed with all of the applications. And can we do something a little different that maybe we haven't done in the past? let's keep these in perpetuity and during our next discussion for the next wall we pick one of the other two and same for the third wall that way each of them have an opportunity we don't have to go through this whole process save these elements for elsewhere save them for elsewhere but it's keeping it up but i truly love the the third presentation But you got to do a little something with the doors is all. Yeah. Fix,

2:42:32•Steven D. Losner

And I'm not, again, I'm not the artist guy.

2:42:38 – 2:42:57•Steven D. Losner

And again, building hasn't weighed in on the safety and the visibility issues for doors. But we'll hear about that. Can we include that in the... Did we retain these for priority for the next projects? The other concepts?

2:43:54•Jenifer N. Bailey

Not for artists. Not for artists. Not for art in public places.

2:44:07 – 2:44:29•Jenifer N. Bailey

It doesn't go in it. the heron is a little overkill. There's a huge heron right behind there, so I think that there can definitely be a little tweak. Maybe we can all suggest a little something to put in there, like our own little Easter egg. But yeah, I think we can definitely all look at this a little more over the next week or so, and the artist can take that into consideration.

2:44:29 – 2:44:40•Steven D. Losner

Okay, so we have a motion and a second to adopt Which exhibit was it? Before we vote, Councilwoman Minkowski.

2:46:14•Steven D. Losner

Because we're kind of running out of walls in the park.

2:46:44•Larry Roth

Mayor, real quick. Yes. Real quick. I think it was Exhibit 6. Is that Alex?

2:46:52 – 2:47:22•Larry Roth

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE AND I WANT TO MAKE A COMMERCIAL FOR OUR MUSEUM THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN HOMESTEAD HAS PROBABLY MORE STUFF THAT YOU COULD EVER POSSIBLY IMAGINE SEEING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF HOMESTEAD SO I WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO OUR MUSEUM RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM LOSNER PARK AS A MATTER OF FACT NEXT TO CASITA TEJAS YOU CAN GET A NICE LUNCH go enjoy some history of the city of Homestead and then go back and revision your own project as well. So I just wanted to show that.

2:47:22•Steven D. Losner

In addition to the historic photos throughout this building.

2:47:25•Larry Roth

Correct, yes, yes. I just wanted to throw that out there. Yeah, absolutely.

2:47:32 – 2:47:43•Steven D. Losner

So we have a motion and a second for that site-specific, you know, subject to some small tweakings for that proposal. We'll have a roll call.

2:47:57 – 2:48:25•Steven D. Losner

Thank you to all the artists, and I know we're going to see each of your work again and implemented in Homestead somewhere. Thank you all. Okay, so let's go back to tab one. So we're finally at the beginning of the agenda. All right. This will be our utility director making the presentation or we have a video or PowerPoint presentation.

3:05:21•Steven D. Losner

Thank you, Madam Director. Council, questions, comments? Councilwoman Avila?

3:06:21•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Any further? Councilman Fletcher.

3:06:23 – 3:10:31•Sean L. Fletcher

Yes, thank you. And thank you for the presentation and the request for it. I believe this tells a great story, but it's only part of the story. There's more benefits. There may be a couple of detractors that we have to look at long term. But I've had the opportunity to ask Ms. Quinones a lot of questions over the last few weeks. And I actually have a lot of data, and I have more questions. But I think there's benefits to us looking at expanding our current generation capability. Because right now, we rely on power purchase contracts. We generate six megawatts of power, or have the capability r

3:10:34 – 3:10:45•Steven D. Losner

Question, you said you've got a lot of data, and I think I heard you say that we, right now, we produce on our own about six megawatts. Do you happen to have at your fingertips what our daily requirements are?

3:10:45 – 3:10:57•Sean L. Fletcher

Because she gave me the answer, but about 154 megawatts. That's our capacity.

3:10:57•Steven D. Losner

That's our capacity of what we can produce and bring in.

3:11:15•Steven D. Losner

So at a minimum, we're 120 megawatts shy of being self-contained as of today, at a minimum.

3:11:23•Sean L. Fletcher

Next year we'll have 16 additional megawatts.

3:11:33 – 3:11:50•Steven D. Losner

So 32 megawatts with a demand of 130. I can even do that math. Yes, there's a much bigger story to tell that we will need to consider in the coming months. Thank you again.

3:11:51 – 3:12:08•Larry Roth

Yeah, I'm just curious. We recently approved some monies to redo the water system, right? Is that what it was? How much did we grant? No, it was for the expansion of the water treatment plant.

3:12:09•Steven D. Losner

The treatment plants? For the well. That was for two million for a well.

3:12:12 – 3:12:25•Larry Roth

No, no, no. We authorized a lot of money for the expansion of the water treatment plant. Is that right? Yeah. Good evening, Mayor and Council.

3:12:27•Steven D. Losner

I hate to say it's hard to keep up with. I know we borrowed money and a lot of things.

3:13:07 – 3:13:23•Larry Roth

helping for grants i think i heard the estimate to redo our power plant would be about 50 million so i think somebody needs to get on the phone and start calling people for grants so i think two things two things cairo

3:14:54 – 3:16:18•Larry Roth

Yeah, so I mean, I think if we are serious about expanding and enhancing what we already have, we need to explore that option as well versus any other option. I think that I mean, I would like to see the studies too, you know, if we produce our own power versus buying our own power, you know, long-term, is it beneficial to do it that way or is it to continue to buy power at a discount and then redistribute it? So, I mean, it's great that you've got the mixing board, right? So you're capable of doing both. But if we were to invest, it's not like you can, I guess you could buy water from the cou

3:16:19 – 3:16:31•Larry Roth

On gas. Okay. Not coal or wood, right? Natural gas. So there's some hamsters. So, but I think you all get the point, right? I think it's a cool topic to think about and to explore even further.

3:17:41 – 3:17:59•Steven D. Losner

Let me ask you this. Is there any just general rule of thumb for the kind of generation we have now? Obviously more modern, more fuel efficient, etc. the cost per megawatt to parachute in those units into our existing facility?

3:18:03•Steven D. Losner

So if we need 150 megawatts to account for the future, do the math.

3:18:19 – 3:18:41•Steven D. Losner

In a perfect world. Yes. But about a million and a half dollars per megawatt. And then the question that would then become, if we had to borrow that money and pay it all back, does our revenue stream support that kind of debt? A lot of questions. A lot of questions.

3:19:17 – 3:19:35•Steven D. Losner

Be some very interesting academic conversations in the next year. Wait any further Councilwoman. OK, thank you both of you. OK. The next item is what's in his second reading of car number 5070 tab to Mr Pearl.

3:20:56 – 3:21:13•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. And just to recap, the changes from the first reading included the lifting of the restriction of the number of staff, which really would be more governed by the size of the building than a given location. What else was there?

3:22:20 – 3:23:55•Steven D. Losner

Thank you and then I'd ask the council to consider the following. I initiated this and as usual, it grows into something more than just the tweak that I envisioned. And my tweak started out as permitting, you know, small animal hospitals with no boarding, veterinary clinics in B1A in a standalone building on a lot of not less than 13,500 square feet. And then James recommended some of the changes in the other categories. However, as presented, As I stated at the time, I'd been contacted by a couple of different unrelated veterinarians about their difficulty in finding suitable locations within

3:24:12•Steven D. Losner

So it would just be the following uses shall be permitted.

3:24:41•Steven D. Losner

Right, there's no change otherwise. Yeah, because they're permitted.

3:24:47•Steven D. Losner

And even B1, some uses of B1. This is for B1A.

3:24:55 – 3:25:19•Steven D. Losner

Right, it eliminates public hearing and all of that. All right, so moved as requested by Councilman Canabal, seconded by Councilwoman Avila. Any further discussion, objections, questions, comments? Right, he included the proposed amendment. Real quickly, let me open the public hearing. Close the public hearing. Let's have a roll call vote.

3:25:36 – 3:26:11•Steven D. Losner

okay moving on to we'll get to that at the end not really nobody's here waiting for them all right moving on to tab uh three uh just before we do that if i can invite in a motion to extend the meeting we hit 8 30. is that well we weren't supposed to be anywhere near this late so do we have a motion to extend to 9 15. All right, moved by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Councilwoman Avila begrudgingly. All in favor? Any opposed? Feel free to vote no down there. Okay.

3:27:06•Steven D. Losner

Second by Councilman Fletcher. Let's have a roll call vote, please.

3:27:48•Steven D. Losner

Moved by council Fletcher second by the vice mayor implicit in that as a waiver of the staff report. There's nothing further. Roll call, please. Madam Clerk.

3:28:08•Steven D. Losner

And that takes us to tab seven, car number 5075.

3:28:38•Steven D. Losner

Thank you, Jackson will wave the staff report any questions or comments from Council.

3:28:44 – 3:29:23•Jenifer N. Bailey

Thank you, Mayor. I'm not sure if you all saw in your briefing how many impressive amounts of local vendors were approved, but it was zero. So we need to really think. we obviously i'm sure i'm not the only one that hears about these companies wanting to do business with the with the city so where you know where are we where are we falling short where are they falling short um i know that staff does a great job with putting those rfqs out there but as being more those boots on the ground i just wanted to throw it out there because i'm also going to be thinking of some different ways to

3:29:24 – 3:29:55•Steven D. Losner

you know they're they're hosting workshops but somehow it's just falling through the cracks so yes and i i shared your concerns and similar concerns in my briefing that i didn't quite understand why why we're not attracting is it folks don't know about it they can't meet the guidelines do they just not want to do business with the city And we've always got to be focused on, you know, as we continue to grow, there have got to be local contractors here who would be qualified. So I share your concerns. Councilman Fletcher?

3:29:55 – 3:30:11•Sean L. Fletcher

Yes, and I hear here to the Vice Mayor, I've asked this question many a time over the last seven years. I know some of it has to do with insurance requirements and things of that nature that may hold them out, but we need to find ways to work around that, and I think

3:30:11•Steven D. Losner

But we've adjusted that. I know, I know.

3:30:13 – 3:30:34•Sean L. Fletcher

But there's still some there's some detrimental thing that's sticking out to these vendors that they don't want to do business with the city. We have to figure that out. And that's not only staff's fault. That's us as well. We all need to dig into it. Kind of like what I'm doing with the electric utility. If somebody would like to take that animal on, please. Or I may have to volunteer myself for it.

3:30:36•Steven D. Losner

Done. Thank you. Any further? All right, so let's see if we have a motion. We already had a motion, didn't we? Yeah, I think we did. All right, let's have a roll call on tab seven.

3:31:49 – 3:32:04•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Any objection to waiving the staff report? Do we have a motion on this item? Move it. Moved by Canabal, seconded by Fletcher. Any questions or comments from council? Hearing none, let's have a roll call vote on that tab 8.

3:32:21•Steven D. Losner

And moving on to tab nine, card number 5140.

3:33:28•Steven D. Losner

And let's go to tab 10, Mr. Pearl, car number 5135.

3:33:55•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Any objection to waiving the staff report?

3:33:58•Jenifer N. Bailey

No, I will move it with a quick question. Do we see this design before it's finalized or is it just a very basic?

3:34:22 – 3:34:42•Jenifer N. Bailey

The only piece I want to have us pay attention to is it's going up to 187th Avenue, and then that's where that potential Touching Miami with Love project is widening and making a bike path that we can at least kind of coordinate efforts that it at least flows well together. Okay. Thank you.

3:34:42•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Okay, do we have a second? Second. Seconded by Councilwoman Avila. All right, roll call, please.

3:35:09 – 3:35:25•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Okay. And that concludes the regular agenda because this was couched as a special call. It didn't have an itemization for individual council business. Is there anyone who's just bursting at the seams to talk about something that's very time sensitive?

3:35:28•Steven D. Losner

Oh, that's right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So let's go to addendum one.

3:35:56 – 3:36:07•Steven D. Losner

Speaking of reliability in our earlier conversation. MOVED BY COUNCILMAN FLETCHER. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN CANNABAL. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON ADDENDUM 1.

3:36:55•Steven D. Losner

WAIVE THE STAFF REPORT. ANY OBJECTIONS? WAIVE THE STAFF REPORT. COUNCILMAN FLETCHER? MOVE WITH A QUESTION OR COMMENT. YES, GO AHEAD. COUNCILMAN FLETCHER IS MOVING IT WITH A COMMENT OR QUESTION.

3:37:05 – 3:37:20•Sean L. Fletcher

Quickly, I'd ask staff, because I had misread the report earlier in regards to, I only thought I saw four levels, but now that I was looking at the wrong line, it's all seven. I was concerned we didn't have cameras on everything, but there is now. And stairwells. And stairwells. Thank you.

3:37:20•Steven D. Losner

Thank you. Do we have a second? A second by count of all. Let's have a roll call vote on addendum two.

3:37:39•Steven D. Losner

All right. So that concludes the agenda. Our next council meeting, which is a budget-based meeting, is September 8th. Is that correct? Yes, Mr. President. At 5.01?

3:37:54•Steven D. Losner

September 8th. And that's... CAST AS A SPECIAL CALL OR A PUBLICATE? WHAT IS THAT CAST AS?

3:38:05 – 3:38:39•Steven D. Losner

BUDGET HEARING FOR THE FIRST ADOPTION OF A BUDGET. IS THAT CORRECT? ON THE 8th? OKAY. SO THE BUDGET HEARING WOULD BE PRIOR TO THAT. APPARENTLY. Right. And, you know, it's yet to be determined whether or not the SPH item will be on the 8th, but that would be the earliest, absolutely earliest date, but probably not likely. There's the man with the plan.

3:39:03•Steven D. Losner

Okay, very good. So that means pack a lunch or have dinner, right?

3:39:07•Jenifer N. Bailey

Quick question, Mayor. Yes. So there is somebody that I was trying to get to do the opening ceremony. Does that work for this?

3:39:17•Steven D. Losner

We do have a regular meeting that's scheduled, noticed for six, right?

3:39:28•Steven D. Losner

For the flag, the prayer and the flag ceremony. Is that what Sean was saying? Someone to give you an invocation? Yes. Yeah.

3:39:34•Jenifer N. Bailey

Six o'clock-ish. Six-ish. Not before. Yeah, absolutely not before. We don't want to do it at five. We can't, it needs to be before the council meeting.

3:39:45•Steven D. Losner

Can we, is there any reason we can't do the pledge and the prayer before the budget meeting? And then we need all the help we can get this year's budget, right?

3:39:54•Jenifer N. Bailey

So maybe 5.30. If they can be here for the budget. I will shoot for that. Thank you very much.

3:40:01•Larry Roth

All right, Councilor Roth. Real quick, sorry, I don't want to keep everybody too late, but I know we have a ribbon cutting Tuesday for the mobile clinic.

3:40:12•Larry Roth

Is the county moving that trailer out of there?

3:40:36 – 3:40:55•Larry Roth

I NOTICE THERE'S A FEW BROKEN WINDOWS ON THAT TRAILER NOW, SO IT'S STARTING TO LOOK A LITTLE DELAPIDATED. I was under the impression that the road work on Chrome and Flagler was gonna start on Flagler, but I noticed it started on Chrome.

3:41:02 – 3:41:32•Larry Roth

walking north when they get to flagler then they branch into flagler so they're going to go flagler first and then come back and continue on chrome in the downtown after they do flagler okay because i was just i i didn't maybe i missed that part but i because i saw they dug it up and i don't okay with it whatever just as long as they get it done quickly and it appears they're moving pretty quickly yeah i don't know about all that but we'll we'll see when at the end of the day what what ends up happening that's all thanks mayor thank you all right if there's nothing further then i'll entertain

These excerpts are remarks by officials whose identity a person confirmed, from a transcript generated automatically from the official public meeting video and presented unedited. Accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.