City Commission - Regular Meeting

Oh yes, and the program is free. And you can leave $3.99. That's good to know.

Thank you so much. That's really good information to know. Real quick, IT, can you check the sound? I'm being told that there is no sound. He's working on it. Okay.

And also, where's the location of all the classes?

And is the October 22nd class going to be at Bridges?

All right. Thank you so much for that information. I'll certainly be circulating the information to our community.

And I did hear you say there's no income qualifications.

I'm glad you said that because I say it all the time. Maybe if they hear from somebody else, they'll take that.

All right. The next presentation, HCT Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, LLC. Mr. Harvey?

Any questions? Well, I hear there was some pending information. I didn't hear my name called, but it was saying that you was requesting that you was awaiting from from some of the commissioners? Could you elaborate on that a little bit?

My next question is, at this state, what, our estimated completion date and penalized for, I heard you say that the audit is not, that it's late right now. What's the status of that and could you elaborate where we are as far as?

Did we file for an extension that won't cause us to be penalized?

Okay, so even though we're a little bit past due, we're looking pretty good as far as being able to wrap it up.

We'll take it. One last question. The documents that you've reviewed thus far, do you see any problems, areas that need immediate attention, that needs to be addressed that will cause us some concerns?

So those contingencies would be provided to the state offices so that they'll know that we are aware of whatever deficiencies there are, so we are making those adjustments as needed.

My question is, where are we on your priority list? Last year, we had the same statement about us being late, things not being in. I'm like, so when are we going to become a priority where you can make sure that our city is done on time?

If I understand you correct, I know when, actually I think we submitted two audits, and you say that the second one was submitted in a timely manner. We were two years behind coming up to this present audit.

And those findings, those areas of concern, I know at this point, whatever was there was there. And of course, we have to submit whatever the findings are. But will there be room for us to make sure that a corrective action plan is submitted with that and let them know, hey, this isn't what we've done and put in place to make sure that those things are completed. I know that would be our responsibility. You only tell us what the findings are, but that's our responsibility to put the correction action.

OK, I do appreciate the report that you have provided. And in all fairness, hopefully we can have some of those things that have been obstacles for us not be obstacles for us going forward. And we do expect to have those contingencies in place so that we don't have to keep doing the same thing every audit season. Any other questions?

of audit to do so that will help help the city of pohokia tremendously your point is well taken any other um no thank you thank you mr hodge thank you so much absolutely thank you thank you all right i'm looking forward to getting this wrapped up okay um next we have uh consent agenda items um august 25th 2026 city commission meeting minutes And the September 2nd. And, I'm sorry, and the September 2nd, 2026 City Commission Budget Workshop Minutes. Do I hear a motion?

It has been properly moved and seconded regarding our consent agenda items, August 25th, 2026 City Commission Meeting Minutes, as well as the September 2nd, City Commission Budget Workshop Minutes. What do I hear?

Yes. Okay, next we have Old Business, if there is any.

And we'll move on to our public hearings and or ordinances. First, we have Resolution 2026-57, which is our millage rate.

City Manager, can you give us explanation?

Okay, you have heard the reading of Resolution 2026-2027. 57 read into record by our city attorney and properly explained by our city manager. I move that we accept. I'm sorry, go ahead.

Yes. Do we have any in the public that are here to address this resolution?

There's a requirement to read the rollback rate into the record and so the city manager is going to do that before you leave the item.

Okay, you have heard the explanation provided by the city manager.

Okay, we'll have it this time. Any comments from the public? Okay, hearing none. Any questions?

I'll make a motion that way, except a resolution. Second.

Okay, it has been properly moved and second by Commissioner Scott and second by Commissioner McPherson. Do we have any questions at this time? Roll call, Madam Clerk.

Yes. okay this time we will move to our next resolution which is 2026-53 City Attorney.

Thank you for that, City Attorney. City Manager, can you give us an explanation of that resolution, 2026-53?

Thank you for that. It has been properly read by the city attorney and explained by city manager. At this time, do we have anyone from the public that wish to have a discussion at this time? Okay, thank you. At this time, we'll entertain a motion.

I move that we accept Resolution 2026-53. Second.

It has been properly moved by Commissioner Fearson and seconded by Commissioner Scott. What is your pleasure?

Yes. Okay, at this time we'll move on to Ordinance 2026-03, City Attorney.

It has been properly read into the record by a city attorney. City Manager, could you please give us an explanation of this ordinance?

Thank you for that. At this time, do we have any members of the public here for discussion? OK, we have had it properly read and explained into our record. I will entertain a motion at this time.

I move that we accept resolution 2026-03, Second.

It's been moved by Commissioner McPherson and seconded by Commissioner Scott. Any questions at this time? We're ready for a vote.

Yes. Thank you for that. At this time, we'll move on to Resolution 2026-54. City Attorney.

Thank you for that, City Attorney. City Manager, can you give us an explanation of this resolution?

Okay, it has been properly read into the record by the city attorney and explained by our city manager. What is your pleasure?

I move that we accept resolution 2026-54. Second.

It has been properly motioned by Commissioner McPherson and seconded by Commissioner Scott. I'll entertain any questions at this time.

Yes. With that insurance, would there be a cost savings for my previous insurance?

Any other questions? Are we ready for a vote?

Yes. Okay, thank you all for that. We'll move on to Resolution 2026-55, City Attorney. Yes, one moment.

Oh, that's the next one. Okay. Let's make that the next resolution.

Any questions? OK. Well, thank you so much for that presentation.

You have heard from our representative. What is your pleasure?

Oh, second. I thought we had already. No, we didn't. Okay.

It has been properly motioned and motioned by Commissioner Scott and seconded by Commissioner McPherson. Are we ready for a vote?

We'll move right along to resolution 2026-56, city of. City Attorney.

Okay, we've had it read into the record by a city attorney, city manager.

thank you city um attorney has written it's a record and we have an explanation for my city attorney do we have any questions at this time move the folks I'm sorry I'm sorry move that we accept resolution 2026 that's 56 second It has been properly motioned by Commissioner McPherson and seconded by Commissioner Scott. Are we ready for a vote?

Yes. And we will move on at this point. Coming for questions?

OK, go ahead. I have a question regarding this particular thing. And this may be just a city. created form, I'm looking at some of the checklists. I guess it was under the financial liability on page 143. I can see the policies that was put in place regarding when an employee terminates a leave. It has the responsibility of a different.

And maybe you want to hear my question before we go, because it may just be something about it. But what I was thinking, we have the policy, but would there be a checklist for that employee to sign off on when we received all the information? The answer is yes.

That's what I was thinking of, too, which, of course, now would be a good time. But anytime we come across any need for amendments, we can certainly bring it to the commission. But anyone that has... Any questions regarding anything right now? We can go ahead and address that so that it's in the record that we'll address any unnecessary amendments at the time that they're needed.

I move that we open on Resolution 2026-56 to address the issue as far as correction with any highlight or any specific items in the draft that needs to be corrected. Second.

It has been moved that we approve Resolution 2026-56, taking into consideration any amendments that need to be made going forward. And it has been properly seconded by Commissioner Scott. Are you ready for a vote?

Yes. Okay, at this time we have Resolution 2026-58. City Attorney? Yes, ma'am.

Thank you, City Attorney. City Manager, can you give us an explanation of?

I move that we accept Resolution 202628. Just my sheet don't have a number on it. 58, I'm sorry.

I didn't have the number on it. 58, I'm sorry. I move that we accept Resolution 202658.

I second it. Thank you. It's been properly motioned by Commissioner McPherson and seconded by Commissioner Scott. Are we ready for a vote?

Yes. At this time, we'll move on to our new business. Any presentations by our city manager or any activity or upcoming events?

Thank you. Thank you so much. We're happy to have you. Looking forward to working with you.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. YOUR PROACTIVITY AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE. SOMETIMES WE DON'T REALIZE HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE FORWARD THINKING PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE APPRECIATE IT.

Okay, next we have the report of the mayor, which he's not here, so we'll defer to the city manager at this time.

Thank You city manager for filling in our calendar for the rest of the year report of the city attorney

Any future agenda items from any of us here on the desk, if there be any? We'll start with Mr. McPherson.

Yes, I just want to follow up on a past general item, and I don't know if there's some procedures. I think we had voted to give the volleyball team the donation, and I don't know what the, I'm pretty sure there's some processes that have to be done, but a lot of us don't.

I guess it wouldn't have to be voted on, but I think the event that we had on September the 5th, they want to do a follow-up, which I know they wouldn't be able to finish everything. They want to do a follow-up, and they want to set a tentative date for September the 19th to come back and finish doing some more painting and stuff. And I don't know if that would have to be an agenda item or just something that just keep moving forward.

Okay. Yeah, we have one before the 19th. Okay. Yes, well, I move that we place that on the agenda. The next agenda as far as scheduling the follow-up event for the cleanup on the Martin Luther King Park, which was put forth by the Parks and Recreation Committee.

Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner McPherson regarding a follow-up for the cleaning of MLK Park for the 19th, you said? For the 19th, and it has been seconded by Commissioner Cowan-Williams. Are we ready for a vote?

yes okay um commissioner carl williams um just if we can come up with a date for um we said we was going to have annual for all the kids that made fives um do we need to schedule a date for that let me get a date for that um Do we want to do it like we did last time, recognize them at the commission meeting and give them all their, they all got their recognition at a meeting. So do we want to do it in maybe October? Give us time to get all the information. We think October would be a good time. Maybe the second meeting in October, which will be.

It will be October, that will be October the 27th. to recognize all the kids. Second. Okay.

It has been motioned by Commissioner Karen Williams that we set aside a time to recognize the kids that have scored a five on their own.

Yes, that's what we did last time, in all areas.

And it's seconded by Commissioner McPherson. Are we ready for a vote?

Yes. That's it. Okay. Commissioner Scott?

Yes. I know we discussed this at the budget meeting, but I'd like to have this on the agenda. When is the next meeting?

I think we're supposed to get with Ms. Polanco to find out who applied for a permit to put someone on the cell tower. And I'd like to see the permits at the next meeting. And I'd like to see the cemetery, the contract, that we have with the people that are now at the next meeting.

I'll second. You want to do the first one first?

Oh, OK. You want to tell me? Yeah, one at a time. For future agenda items? Yeah. OK, it has been motioned by Commissioner Scott that we receive a list of the permits for the cell towers and seconded by Commissioner Karen Williams.

And what was your second one? I'm sorry. Can't you put it to the cemetery, to the property next to the cemetery?

So I'm just asking a question. I think that we had asked for a list of all of the city properties, and that should be included.

You want to put that one in, too? OK. Why, ma'am? OK, we stated what you need.

Yeah, but he won't see the contract, because remember, we didn't know nobody was out there. So he asked for the contract.

Oh, OK. So you want the contract for the? The tree farm. The tree farm. OK. You second? It has been motioned by Commissioner Scott that we be provided a copy of the contract for the tree farm and seconded by which one of y'all was first?

What is your pleasure? Ready for a vote?

Okay. I think that I'm going to defer any items for the agenda at this time. And we'll hear from the public if we have. Do we have any public comments? All right. No public comments. Okay. So any comments for the good of the order? We'll start with Commissioner Scott.

I just want to say I appreciate I want to say thank you to the commission for allowing me to be on the phone. I had a doctor's appointment. So that's why I was late. I did call in to let the clerk know. So I want to say thank you for allowing that for me. And I want to say Thanks for everyone that's here, the few that we do have here. PBSO, thank you for your service. We're going to miss you. Thank you for all that you've done for us and what you will continue to do for us. And blessings in your new position and your new endeavors. We wish you well. And thank you for sending us someone that's

Yes, I want to thank our law enforcement and our first responders and all our city staff and our commissioners. One of the law enforcement officers said that teamwork makes the dream work. And when we work together as a team, we can get much more accomplished. And I want to give a very, very loud thank you. all the volunteers that came out for the cleanup MLK cleanup project that was put on by the Parks and Recreation Board those kids came out and they did a tremendous job with the painting it got a little hot so we kind of ended kind of earlier about 11, 1130, because it was extremely hot. Bu

City Manager, I would just like to say, unfortunately, tomorrow is open house for Pahokee Elementary. I would love to be there, but unfortunately, I won't be able to be there because our open house is from 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock.

Could we allow as often as we can? Shield worker?

Thank you so much for that, Ms. Ifill. We do realize the magnitude of what has transpired in our communities with the loss of several coaches since the beginning of this year. And we realize that our kids need to be able to express themselves and get that support that they need for their mental health. So thank you so much, you and Angela. and the rest of your staff and all of the other mental health professionals that are making a contribution to this effort. Thank you for that. What I'll say is I just thank you all for putting up with me for this meeting. This is the first time I had to chai

I love all y'all and ain't nothing you can do about it.

All right. Meeting will turn at 745. review them and if any changes, we come across any changes that need to be made, we'll address them and bring you back.