City Council - Regular Meeting

Monday, September 21, 2026

The Lake City Council adopted its final 2026-2027 millage rate and budget, approved a mobility fee system, and discussed vocational school property restrictions and community parade participation.

About this meeting

Government Body
City Council
Meeting Type
City Council
Location
Lake City, FL
Meeting Date
September 21, 2026

Published excerpts

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

196 sections (from 203 segments)

6:24 – 6:44•Noah Walker

Welcome everyone to the City Council regular session of September 21st, 2026. I want to start by recognizing that we are starting 20 minutes late. I apologize to all those in the crowd and those watching at home. Our CRA meeting ran over, but we will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation by Councilman Carter.

6:58 – 7:13•James Carter

Bow your heads. Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to gather here today. Please look over the council and provide us wisdom and temperance when dealing with the business of the city. Please watch after our first responders, and in your name we pray. Amen. Amen.

7:19•Noah Walker

Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

7:34 – 8:01•Noah Walker

All right. Ladies and gentlemen, the Lake City Council has opened its public meeting. And since 1968, the city code has prohibited any person from making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks or becoming boisterous while addressing the city council. Yelling or making audible comments from the audience constitutes boisterous conduct. Such conduct will not be tolerated. There is only one approved manner of addressing the city council, and that's to be recognized and then to speak from the podium. Failure to abide by the rules of decorum will result in removal from the meeting.

8:02 – 8:33•James Carter

uh tonight we will go ahead and begin with approval of the agenda mr mayor um i think i would like to ask that we uh table or remove item four uh from the consent agenda um i think that i think that we have to we need staff needs probably some time to discuss some of this stuff with the county um if that would be all right after that i would suggest approval of the agenda with item four tabled for a future meeting There's another item that needs to come off of that.

8:34 – 8:47•Noah Walker

Yes, Mayor, I'd like to ask that we take off item 15. Okay, perfect. So your motion is to approve the agenda removing item number 4 and 15? And 15, sure.

8:52 – 9:13•Noah Walker

Motion and a second. Thank you both. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed like sign? Hearing none, the agenda is approved. Now we will move into public participation and we will begin with Ms. Stephanie J. Sloan. Welcome, new face.

9:17•Noah Walker

That's okay. Just make sure you speak into the microphone.

11:35 – 12:07•Noah Walker

Please. Thank you, Ms. Sloan. All right. Up next, we have Mr. Lester McKellum. And while Mr. McKillom is coming up, we did have a workshop about a month and a half ago. We're looking forward to that ordinance coming up before the council to get people out of the middle of the road. And then we will look at increasing police presence where you notice that as well. I think those would be good ideas.

14:50•Noah Walker

Specifically providing a facility for the school.

15:01•Noah Walker

With adequate spacing. And this, which you have included here, has five points in it?

15:51 – 16:30•Noah Walker

I'll add on the back end of this that I met with you at your request, and my thought was that I needed to push that to staff for research because I know when we bought that school from the – Columbia County Schools. Yes. There was a clause in that contract that it could not be used in competition with their purposes. So that's still at the staff level that hasn't come back to us, but it's an answer I'm sure that we'll have in the next, imminently. Okay. Does that make sense? Yes. Does anybody else have any questions for Mr. McKellen?

16:37•Noah Walker

And they're asking to use the unused portion of it.

16:43 – 17:05•Noah Walker

My thought was that we needed to get with staff, look at that contract before we made any commitments because we are contractually bound for what we said to Columbia County Schools we would do with that property. So we have no answer one way or the other, but staff will get back to that possibility, and then it'll be the will of the board. Okay.

17:08•Ricky Jernigan

Yes. I heard him say that he and Tony Buscelli are going to partner up together.

17:19•Ricky Jernigan

Okay, at the school, not at the academy that he's... No, no, no.

17:55 – 18:12•Noah Walker

So Columbia County Schools in their, because we bought that property from Columbia County Schools. Yes. Part of the contract was that it couldn't, And correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Martin, there was a clause in that where we could not, it was a non-compete clause for that property, correct? So it's actually a deed restriction.

18:27•Noah Walker

So there's some research that still needs to be done at the staff level before we can Really speak to what can and can't be done.

18:51 – 19:15•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. McCollum. okay that concludes public comment for tonight we will move on to uh our budget hearing so um our next item of business is to consider our 2026-2027 final millage rate and budget for the city of lake city florida the first issue to be discussed is the proposed final millage rate and i will turn it over to miss angie now

19:46 – 19:59•Noah Walker

I now ask the city attorney to read by title only resolution 2026-118 adopting a final millage rate of 4.7824 mils. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Council Members.

20:20 – 20:52•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Does anyone from the public have any comments regarding the proposed final millage? We didn't have anybody sign up for public comment on this. So we will move to the council. Does any council member have any comments regarding the final proposed millage? Yes, sir, Mr. Carter. Mr. Mayor, move to adopt Resolution 2026-118. Second. We have a motion and a second. Thank you both. Do we have any final questions, comments? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

20:57•Noah Walker

Yes. All right. The second issue to be discussed is the proposed final budget. Ms. Angie?

22:02 – 22:20•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Does anyone from the public have any comments regarding the proposed final budget? We don't have anybody signed up currently, so we will move into council questions. Does any council member have any comments regarding the proposed final budget? Yes, sir, Mr. Carter. Oh, Ms. Young and then Mr. Carter.

22:21 – 23:10•Chevella Young

I do, and I know many people are not going to smile upon it, but I'm just kind of moved in a sorry position because we didn't consider, and I know we said no raises and all, but we didn't consider, we talked no raises, and y'all know I'm talking about the boots on the ground, those who are already not making, much, and then here comes the insurance. And I notice you say issue, and it is an issue. I do see it as an issue. And I know the budget is what it is, but I just want to know, is it a corner, a creeping crevice somewhere where we can do something? I just, and I'm kind of disappointed that

23:23•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, I move to approve City Council Resolution 2026-1192.

23:28•Noah Walker

We have a motion. Second. And a second. Do we have any further discussion, comments, questions? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

23:47 – 24:12•Noah Walker

Yes. That concludes our millage rate and budget hearings. We will now move on to our next order of business, which is the approval of the consent agenda. It's approved, Mayor. Second. Motion and second. Thank you both. We don't have anybody sign up for public comment on these, so we will move straight to council questions, comments. Any final on the consent agenda? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

24:18 – 24:29•Noah Walker

Yes. All right. That moves us to item number nine, open public hearing, City Council Ordinance number 2026-2366 on final reading. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

25:24•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up for public comment on this, so we will move straight to council questions, comments. Yes, sir, Mr. Carter.

25:32•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve Council Ordinance 2026-2366. Second.

25:37•Noah Walker

Motion and a second. Thank you both. Final questions or comments at the dais? Hearing and seeing none, Ms. Sykes, would you please call the roll?

25:52•Noah Walker

All right. Now we're moving on to the open public hearing on City Council Ordinance Number 2026-2384 on final reading. Mr. Martin, will you please read this one by title?

26:33•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up to speak to item number 10, so we'll move straight to council questions, comments.

26:41•Tammy Harris

Mayor, I move to approve ordinance number 2026-2384. Second.

26:45 – 27:15•Noah Walker

We have a motion and a second. Thank you both. We'll move to final questions or comments. I will say on this, as utility rates, they are staying the same. There are no change to utility rates. We rolled back the tax rates. Fire assessment rates also stayed the same this year. So we had a rollback. Everything should be good. All right, so item number 10. Hearing no other further questions or comments, does anybody else have anything? Ms. Sykes, would you please call the roll?

27:20•Noah Walker

Yes. All right, now we will move on to item number 11, city council ordinance number 2026-2385 on final reading. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

28:05•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We do have somebody signed up for public comment on this one, Mr. Dillingham.

28:42 – 28:56•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Dillingham. Does anybody have any questions for Mr. Dillingham? I would say this is the property across from Ring Court, just north of the Sun Stop on 47, just north of the interstate. So big open field up on the hill, correct?

28:59•Noah Walker

Any thoughts on when it's going to be? Or can you disclose?

29:13 – 29:29•Chevella Young

I had a question on it. Oh, so this is a voluntary annexation. What is the... So annexation, they're getting water. They'll be getting our services, utilities, right? Yes.

29:34•Chevella Young

We'll be making money off of it. I think I had a discussion. Did we discuss this?

30:00•Chevella Young

Okay, so water, sewer, and gas, and they'll just pay those fees. And taxes, of course. And taxes. Okay. We're making money.

30:09 – 30:24•Noah Walker

Any other questions for Mr. Dillingham? All right, thank you, Mr. Dillingham, for being here. Thank you. That concludes our public comment on this item, as he was the only one that was signed up, so we'll move straight into council questions, comments.

30:34 – 30:47•Noah Walker

We have a motion and a second on City Council Ordinance number 2026-2385 by Ms. Harris, second by Mr. Carter. Any final questions or comments? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, please call the roll.

30:55•Chevella Young

It just needs to be done so that the record can reflect. Sure. You should have been able to finish.

31:01•Tammy Harris

Mayor, I move to approve Ordinance Number 2026-2385. Okay, perfect.

31:16 – 31:28•Noah Walker

Yes. All right. All right, moving on to new business. We have city council resolution number 2026-092. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

32:00•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have any public comment signed up for this, so we will move straight to council questions, comments. Mr. Carter.

32:06•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve resolution 2026-092. Second.

32:10 – 32:21•Noah Walker

We have a motion and a second. Thank you both. Do we have any further discussion, questions, comments from the dais? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

32:26•Noah Walker

All right. Now we're on to City Council Resolution Number 2026-109. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

33:04 – 33:16•Noah Walker

We don't have anybody signed up for public comment on item number 13, so we'll move to the council. Questions, comments? Anybody entertain a motion to adopt City Council Resolution number 2026-109?

33:16•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve City Council Resolution 2026-109.

33:19 – 33:30•Noah Walker

We have a motion and a second. Thank you both. Any final questions, comments? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

33:37•Noah Walker

All right, now we're moving on to item number 14, city council resolution number 2026-115. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

34:16•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up to speak to this item, so we will move straight to council questions, comments, or entertain a motion.

34:27•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve City Council Resolution 2026-115. Second.

34:33•Noah Walker

Motion and a second. Thank you both. Any final questions, comments, thoughts? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

34:45 – 35:02•Noah Walker

Yes. All right. As a reminder, we're going to forego item number 15 on the agenda, and we're on to item number 16, which is City Council Resolution number 2026-120. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

35:38 – 35:49•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up to speak to item number 16, so we'll move to council questions, comments. Anybody like to kick us off, or I'll entertain a motion on resolution number 2026-120.

35:52•Tammy Harris

Mayor, I move to approve resolution number 2026-120. Second.

35:56•Noah Walker

All right, we have a motion and a second. Thank you both. We'll move now into final questions, comments. Mr. Carter, you got?

36:04•James Carter

There's some representatives here from Waste Pro. I think it would be good if they were to come and give a brief explanation of what we're doing and why.

39:08 – 39:25•Noah Walker

Thank you, Ms. Dana. I have one question. Can you articulate that in terms of actual dollars, the percentage? The percentage in actual dollars, because it's less than $2 change, correct? Yes, yes, yes. Give me just a second here. For the average household across the community.

40:04•Noah Walker

Okay, so it's less than $24 per year after the two raises.

40:11 – 40:23•James Carter

Ms. Dana, when you use the county facilities, do you guys do any sort of, or do you have the ability to negotiate a price of some kind with them, or is it just an open rate?

41:15 – 41:27•Noah Walker

Any further questions for Ms. Dana? We've got a motion, a second. We've had comments, questions from the dais. Any further comments or questions? All right, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

41:37•Noah Walker

All right, on to item number 17, which is city council resolution number 2026-124. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

42:52 – 43:26•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. To summarize that real fast, as a grant with AAR and the FAA, to the tune of several million dollars which would require the applicant to put 1.5 million dollars in AAR has committed to that 1.5 million dollars meaning that the city Doesn't have to so we appreciate a good partnership with a are we're looking forward to rejuvenating those hangers and And that's all I have on that anybody else. We don't have any public comment on this item. So we're at Dyess. Yes, sir. I

43:26•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve Resolution 2026-124. Second.

43:29•Noah Walker

A motion and a second. Thank you both. Any further questions or comments? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

44:33•Noah Walker

We do have somebody signed up for public comment on this. We have mr. Trent clay ball. I

45:01•Noah Walker

Thank you. I would actually ask while you're up here, Mr. Johnson, to explain what this is briefly.

46:13•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Johnson. We don't have anybody else signed up for public comment, so we'll move straight into council questions, comments. Mr. Carter.

46:22•James Carter

I think I already understand this, but I just want to make sure the proposed development will be tax paying development or will it be tax exempt?

47:14•James Carter

How many units is at least the initial phase of this?

47:36•James Carter

How many projects like this have you guys created so far?

48:33 – 49:00•Chevella Young

Thank you, Mr. Johnson. He answered pretty much two of my questions. And I'm just glad to see senior citizens. I think that's great. The community where you're looking to build, I think that's awesome. I was going to ask, did you have any brochures? But he just gave us the general idea of a brochure. Mr. Johnson did, so thank you for that. And I'm just excited about what we're about to experience.

49:01 – 49:38•Ricky Jernigan

Thank you, Mr. Young. Mr. Jernigan. Maybe this is for Mr. Rodenthal and you as well. Would this be a, this housing development, would this be in the city or would it be in the county? It's in the city. It would be in the city. Yeah, I know I know exactly where it is, but there's there's property over there that's in the county So it's owned That's why I was wondering on Sycamore Drive. Is it? On the left-hand side or the right-hand side the left-hand side.

49:54 – 50:11•Ricky Jernigan

That's exactly right. So I know a lot of us didn't know that, but that's in District 14 as well. So just want to let you know, man, appreciate you getting on board with us. I'm excited, just like Vice Mayor Young said, and I'm excited about it. Thank you, Mr. Jernigan.

50:12•Noah Walker

Any other questions, thoughts? Yes, sir, Mr. Carter.

50:15•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve Resolution 2026-128. Second.

50:18•Noah Walker

A motion and a second. Thank you both. Any final thoughts? Hearing none, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

50:31•Noah Walker

Yes. All right. We will move on to item number 19, which is City Council Resolution number 2026-129. Mr. Martin, will you please read this by title?

51:22•Noah Walker

Thank you, Mr. Martin. We don't have anybody signed up for this item, so we'll move straight to Dias questions, comments on city council resolution number 2026-129.

51:32•Chevella Young

I would like to, for Mr. Rosenthal, can you kind of expound on this a little bit? Please.

51:52•Noah Walker

Phil, now is where you need to play the Price is Right music, right?

52:59•Chevella Young

Oh, okay. Yes, ma'am. All right, that makes sense.

53:04•Noah Walker

Brenda, thank you, Ms. Jill. All right. Any other thoughts, questions on city council resolution number 2026-129?

53:14•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, move to approve resolution 2026-129. Do I have a motion?

53:21•Noah Walker

A second. Thank you. Hearing no further discussion, questions, comments, Ms. Sykes, will you please call the roll?

53:36 – 1:00:12•Noah Walker

We... Now move on to our other items in discussion number 20. Because it is the season, we have a homecoming parade coming up, a Veterans Day parade coming up, and a Christmas parade coming up. We have council participation in parades. So we're going to have a quick discussion on that. But before we do that, let's have a five-minute break. Thank you, Ms. Young. Welcome back to the regular session of September 21st, 2026. We are down to our discussion items. Right now, we are going to kick it off with council participation in parades. There was a brief discussion. Actually, it was a pretty robu

1:00:15•James Carter

How do you put this on the agenda? I did. Okay. You should kick us off.

1:00:18 – 1:02:01•Noah Walker

All right. Let me kick us off then. The way that I think how we've always participated in parades is we have the old fire truck. And I'm going to recap on how we got here, right? So we had the old fire truck and the police 4x4. Hill Fire Truck is a little bumpy. It's a little bumpy. It's a good-looking vehicle for us to ride in. It has a council and the mayor on the side of it. It's not huge, but it's a good parade vehicle. However, it can be a little unsafe and unsteady for some participants in the back of the vehicle. I never felt that way. I'm aggregating comments from the past from a coupl

1:02:02 – 1:02:29•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, I agree. I think the fire truck's delightful. It's kind of a fun little time capsule. It looks nice. Like you said, it's got mayor and council on it. We can always have the 4x4 right behind the fire truck, and everybody who doesn't want to be on the fire truck can ride on the thing. But most importantly, I pray that we don't spend a whole lot of time talking about the arrangement of the parades. We've already probably spent too much time this year talking about the arrangement of our physical bodies during parades. Thank you.

1:02:32 – 1:02:47•Tammy Harris

My suggestion would be the mayor ride on the little fire truck. And the big fire truck, the million dollar fire truck, the rest of the council ride on that.

1:02:47•Noah Walker

Well, yeah, Chief, come on up. Do you have a thought in the meantime? Homecoming Parade is at the end of October. I think last year was the beginning of October.

1:03:20•Noah Walker

So if you see Santa walking at Christmas, somebody's not going to have whatever...

1:03:37 – 1:04:07•Ricky Jernigan

I think we should do exactly, you know, you know, you guys ride in the old fire truck and the police four by four or side by side, you know, whoever wants to ride in that, ride in that. Because there could be an emergency or something, you know, and that thing will jerk you back and forth. Yeah. The fire truck. But I don't know if it really makes a difference where you ride. You're either going to be seen or you're not.

1:04:07 – 1:04:36•Noah Walker

It doesn't. It doesn't make a difference until there's a lot of different requests for public works building something out or something along those lines. That's why we want to simplify it now. Again, my proposal is that that fire truck, that 4x4 are together in the parade. If you don't want to ride on either of them, the other choices, the third choices, it's the comfy shoes walking. Second. I like that feeling.

1:04:47•Noah Walker

Okay, three plus a driver and then a golf cart that will carry two more.

1:04:52•Tammy Harris

If the fire truck is unsafe, why would you think that that would be a good fit for us to ride on?

1:04:59 – 1:05:14•Noah Walker

I don't think it's unsafe. I've heard I've heard I said it's unsafe according to the comments aggregated by you and Miss Young. I know that you guys find it unsafe. I don't find it unsafe.

1:05:17•Noah Walker

I'm fine with the firetruck. My safety is fine with the firetruck.

1:05:20•Tammy Harris

Well, as long as the chiefs have a vehicle available.

1:05:24 – 1:05:36•Noah Walker

Okay. So for parades, it's the fire truck, it's the side-by-side, and it's the golf cart, and that's it. Sound good? Sound good? Sound good. Sound good?

1:05:36 – 1:05:49•Chevella Young

Yeah, you probably should have had this at the meeting in November where, because the two of us, of course, won't be a part of the council. Sure. So they should have had their input. Yeah.

1:05:52•Noah Walker

We'll see. We'll give them an opportunity first.

1:05:56•James Carter

I would like to suggest, and they may be watching, that we not ask them if they want to bring it up. We don't need to just put it on there.

1:06:06•Noah Walker

Until they bring it up, precedent will be what we just stated.

1:06:19•Noah Walker

Yes, purchase candy. I would say yes. Yeah, go ahead, Councilman Carter, and then Placement.

1:06:27 – 1:06:47•James Carter

Every year I get the impression that we're throwing out candy and we're not supposed to be. I just wanted to know, are we contributing to a level of litter that is untenable? Are we breaking a rule? You're supposed to hand deliver. Obviously, we may get mobbed if we don't. Okay, so if we hand candy, good, throw candy, bad.

1:07:01•Noah Walker

All right. So since we have those two flanking vehicles, one can ride on each side of the road and hand out candy as it stops.

1:07:08•Tammy Harris

Who says that they have to go a certain speed? Because, look, last year it was running behind the truck just to hand the candy out.

1:07:17•Noah Walker

Sweaty endeavor, sure. Well, those are the parade folks. Yes, ma'am.

1:07:21 – 1:08:20•Chevella Young

It is, and I brought this up before, it is very unsafe. We know many have, there have been fatalities, parades behind children running behind candy. And our last parade, I literally saw a child go under trying to get candy. But isn't the county, is it a county ordinance of the no throwing candy? State statute. State statute. Okay. I'm going to say we both. guilty of it but it is very unsafe I don't I don't like it I did walk in hand candy and like I said I saw it my own eyes what could have been a tragedy I would I would say yes to candy to be safely handed out by the rules get out of the vehi

1:08:20•Tammy Harris

Back to how fast them vehicles are supposed to be going.

1:08:23•Noah Walker

Well, we don't have any control over that, I don't think.

1:08:25•Tammy Harris

There is no... Chief, is there a law on how fast it's supposed to go? Yes.

1:08:38 – 1:09:14•James Carter

I was saying not any faster than the car in front of me. But... I've just never noticed them going excessively fast, I guess. Last year, we were hanging way behind the rest of the people. I would say, yeah, definitely get candy with the intention of handing it out. But also, just sort of a random thought. Anybody out there, staff or otherwise, that wants to come up with perhaps a clever candy distribution system for these parades? I'd be interested if we could come up with some interesting way to deliver candy that is both fun and safe.

1:09:16•Ricky Jernigan

Well, we can do it. Certainly, we can do that.

1:09:18•James Carter

Obviously, we did it last year, but it was a very sweaty endeavor, as we discussed. But, yeah, I mean, get candy, and we'll give it out some way or another.

1:09:24 – 1:09:38•Tammy Harris

You know what? We might consider us being, we have a driver, and then if the ones that are sitting in the passenger side, they pass out the candy like that. Okay. You'll be in the golf cart. Oh, the golf cart.

1:09:40•Noah Walker

We'll figure out the candy later. We'll figure out candy distribution on the parade ride. Ample discussion on parades? More than enough. Yes, ma'am.

1:09:49 – 1:10:05•Tammy Harris

We were the only one, I think, for homecoming throwing out candy. The county wasn't throwing out candy. We were the only one. Now, they did for the Christmas parade, but we were the only one for homecoming.

1:10:14•Noah Walker

Homecoming application says no candy. But get candy for the parades, and we'll use it at Christmas.

1:10:26•Tammy Harris

Are you sure? Okay. That's what the application says, right? Yeah. We're following the application.

1:10:30 – 1:10:59•Noah Walker

All right, very good. Discussed. Perfect. Item number 21. Discussion and action schedule for the council workshop for the Recreation Advisory Committee. To include everybody, we weren't able to make it work for tomorrow or next Monday. So we want to have it. We want to make sure this thing is closed out by the end of October. I'm committed to that, making sure that we have it well and committed. Yes, ma'am.

1:11:02•Tammy Harris

You want everybody to be in the meeting. Yes.

1:11:07•Tammy Harris

Even though to have a forum, you have three.

1:11:09 – 1:11:25•Noah Walker

Yeah. Well, it's a workshop. So for good discussion, right, and in fairness to everybody on this dais, I want everybody's schedule accommodated and everyone to be able to give meaningful input to the subject. Yes, ma'am.

1:11:27•Tammy Harris

So if we make it next week and I get sick and y'all want to still meet and have the meeting?

1:11:34 – 1:11:57•Noah Walker

No. You'll still have the meeting because you'll have the form, right? If we discuss a date, right? Let's say I were to get sick. If we were to schedule it and I get sick and I can't show up, that's... Everybody's availability is different than a circumstance that arises, right? A predetermined availability.

1:11:58•Tammy Harris

Yes, ma'am. Who was it that couldn't meet tomorrow? I thought tomorrow would be...

1:12:04 – 1:12:17•Noah Walker

Tomorrow, at the time we discussed... You weren't available, from my understanding, at 6, right? And I believe it was Mr. Carter wasn't available earlier in the day.

1:12:17 – 1:13:10•James Carter

Sure. If I may... Yeah, I don't think we should have it at 4.30, but... but again, my, I mean, my availability and I expressed this to Ms. Sykes is, is pretty broad Monday through Thursday, uh, Mondays and Thursdays, five o'clock Tuesdays and Wednesdays, six o'clock. That's four of the seven days of the week, five of the weekdays and fairly reasonable times at the same time as we always meet five or six, generally speaking. So any of those times on any of those four days will work for me. Um, But I think that, importantly, we shouldn't pre-schedule it for a time when we know someone can't come

1:13:10 – 1:13:51•Noah Walker

When is everybody available? Right now, I think the earliest that we'd be able to meet based on notice would be Friday. Friday is the 25th. Mr. Mayor, I could meet at 5 o'clock Friday. 28th is out. 28th is out, which is next Monday. That was the date we originally discussed, and we had a tentative. Yeah, Friday's the 25th. That's okay. So Friday's out. So 28th is out. What about next Tuesday, the 29th?

1:13:54•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, I can be at 6 o'clock next Tuesday.

1:14:01•Tammy Harris

Whereas he could be there at 6 o'clock. I have to be to work at 645.

1:14:04•Noah Walker

Yeah, so that won't work. So Tuesdays won't work then. What days are you available at 5? Monday and Thursday. Monday and Thursday. What about next Thursday?

1:14:14•Tammy Harris

Are you available Thursdays? I'll make myself available next Thursday on what, the 1st?

1:14:23•Tammy Harris

No, I got to be to work at 2.45 and I don't get up until 7 a.m. that next morning. I do 16 hours that day.

1:14:40 – 1:14:58•James Carter

Okay, Friday the second. I will be out of town that day. And Wednesdays are out, right? Wednesdays aren't always out for me. Wednesdays are good. Wednesdays aren't, yeah, we can't do Wednesdays. All right, so that pushes us to, we've got a meeting on the 5th. Just checking, was 28th already a no-go? 28th is a no-go.

1:14:58•Noah Walker

I give me a five on 28th. 28th is a no-go. So now we're on the 5th. We have a regularly scheduled meeting. I believe we have a meeting before that meeting.

1:15:16•Ricky Jernigan

Why can't we meet tomorrow again? Tomorrow's Tuesday.

1:15:19 – 1:15:47•Noah Walker

Why can't we meet? It hasn't been noticed. It hasn't been noticed, and Mr. Carter couldn't meet before 6, and Ms. Harris couldn't meet after 6. Point of fact. So there's two people that couldn't accommodate that time. Okay. And it hasn't been noticed. So it's out. So the earliest based on public notice would be Friday. That's why it's Friday. Yeah. 25th. Yeah.

1:15:47•Ricky Jernigan

And, uh, we can't have it that day either.

1:15:51 – 1:16:11•Noah Walker

No, that's what we just discussed. Yeah. What about Saturday? What about Sunday? So let's be constructive about this. We're on October 5th, which is when our next meeting is. We don't have a meeting before that. Yes, ma'am.

1:16:11 – 1:16:22•Tammy Harris

Maybe this should be the question. Would this be an ordinance, a referendum, or what? It's a workshop. Yeah. Will we be voting on what it would be, a referendum? We won't be doing that?

1:16:22•James Carter

Mm-hmm. Well, at a workshop, you're not allowed to vote. So we wouldn't be making any kind of votes. We would be coming to consensus and telling staff to move forward.

1:16:30•Noah Walker

And then at the next meeting that we have or a special meeting, we would have that item brought up for a vote.

1:16:35•Tammy Harris

So if it's on the next agenda, if it's an ordinance, do we have to go through three phases?

1:16:40•Noah Walker

I don't think it would be an ordinance. I think it would just be a resolution. So it would be a single resolution vote.

1:18:07 – 1:18:18•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, to be clear, if we're not careful, we're going to start having the workshop right now. Sure. Let me throw out a suggestion. So this Thursday is a day, that's the earliest day we could meet?

1:18:18•Noah Walker

No, the 25th is the earliest day that we can meet.

1:18:34 – 1:18:56•James Carter

Okay, real quick, because it seems like it's mine and Ms. Harris' schedules that are conflicting the most. Is Friday off the table completely? I said I could meet at 5. Again, we have a meeting on the 5th. I have a question again. How about Thursday the 1st? And I suggested 5 before.

1:19:02•Noah Walker

So it doesn't work. So October 5th or 6th? October 5th we have a regularly scheduled meeting.

1:19:10•James Carter

I'm fine with doing a 5 o'clock before that. That's generally all.

1:19:29 – 1:19:42•Noah Walker

How about the 6th for the Recreation Committee? Okay. A Tuesday. Then we get into the 6 p.m. thing again. Lord have mercy. That's right. Thank you. Thank you, Chief.

1:19:43•Chevella Young

Well, we're going to be day in. Okay, so.

1:19:48•Noah Walker

I say we do the workshop before that meeting, and then we can have the CRA. We can conclude the CRA as an independent meeting.

1:20:00•Tammy Harris

We have to do that before October. How does that have to be done?

1:20:07 – 1:20:20•Noah Walker

We want to have that done quickly, but we are setting a deadline for ourselves. All right. So we could have the CRA on the 21st.

1:20:21 – 1:20:48•Tammy Harris

Okay, Clay, tell me the difference between an ordinance and a referendum. Which one could be changed? Resolution. Resolution, I'm sorry. Referendum, we're not even talking about referendum. I'm sorry, babe, I'm sorry. Let's just say if we change, which we're going to be changing, the rules that we come up with, I would not want to make a decision today and then in a month we're going back over the same thing. Which one of these cannot be changed?

1:21:18•Tammy Harris

Well, I vote that James Carter change his time for work.

1:21:29•James Carter

Monday the 5th. We already have a regular scheduled meeting. It sounds like we'll probably have a CRA meeting. Based on what I know we're going to be talking about with a CRA meeting, it shouldn't be.

1:21:39•Noah Walker

We're not going to do a CRA meeting. We're not going to do a CRA meeting that day. We're going to do the recreation committee before that meeting.

1:21:45•James Carter

Monday the 5th at 5 p.m.? Yes, 5 p.m. Let's go.

1:21:49•Tammy Harris

Everybody good with that? What's that date again?

1:21:52•Noah Walker

Monday the 5th. You'll be here. It's our next meeting. I would suggest...

1:22:02 – 1:22:17•Noah Walker

Do you have anything going on? No. I'm the one that's going to be in trouble on that day. I'll be honest, it's my wife's birthday. So I'm going to be in trouble that day. But I will make it up.

1:22:17•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, why don't you just tell us this National Night Out that night.

1:22:20•Noah Walker

Thanks. Yeah, good coverage. October the 5th. October the 5th. Sound good? Okay. Perfect.

1:22:30•Noah Walker

Is my wife's birthday? Mine's the 7th, so I was willing to do it on the 7th, too, but that's a Wednesday.

1:22:36•James Carter

Mr. Mayor, I tell you, you could make a proclamation that day for a birthday. Okay. Okay.

1:22:42•Chevella Young

So do it that Wednesday, then. You want to do it? Do it that Wednesday. Do it that Wednesday? Okay.

1:22:49•Ricky Jernigan

You guys can do it the seventh and for more time my birthday is the Set the seventh This is not We're gonna do it on the birthday is the ninth We've got a meeting that night anyway

1:23:14•James Carter

He's putting his head on the block. We might as well let him.

1:23:16•Noah Walker

All right. Hey, we've had the discussion October 5th. October 5th. All right.

1:23:36 – 1:23:59•Noah Walker

That'll be where we have a final product that we're voting on. And on that same night, we'll likely have... And I meant to ask this question earlier, Clay, for the funding of that. Is it funded already, or do we need to have a separate resolution in our council meeting? CRA. I'm skipping all of it.

1:24:03 – 1:24:33•Noah Walker

Okay. All right. Cool. All right. we've discussed thank you Audrey we've discussed we've had our two discussion items thank you both thank you everyone we will now move into Department of Administration comments by a city manager Rosenthal I have nothing mayor Thank You mr. Rosenthal city attorney clay Martin Thank you, Mr. Martin. City Clerk, Audrey Sykes.

1:24:52•Noah Walker

All right. Now we'll move into comments by council members, starting with you, Vice Mayor Young.

1:24:59•Chevella Young

Okay, I do want to say thank you, Council, for getting this set in place. I really do appreciate it.

1:25:08•Tammy Harris

I appreciate each and every one of you, honestly.

1:25:12•Chevella Young

And I know we kind of bumped heads today. You're not sore or nothing.

1:25:20•Chevella Young

All right. Thank you all so much. Thank you, Mayor. Watch that gavel. Yeah, sure. All right. Okay, thank you.

1:25:30•Noah Walker

All right. Thank you, Vice Mayor Young. Council Member Jernigan.

1:25:34 – 1:26:08•Ricky Jernigan

Again, I just want to thank the police department. I see them out there all the time, you know, doing what they do at the fire department. Also, you know, you know, sitting up at this desk and we we talk to each other and, you know, rounding about ways, you know, But it's not good to throw the rock and then hide your hand. If you're going to throw a rock, say, hey, I'm the one who wanted that. I'm the one who needed that when we get up here to this dais. So that's important that we all get along. But we do have our differences. So don't throw the rock and hide your hand.

1:26:09•Noah Walker

That's all I got to say. Thank you, Mr. Jernigan. Up next, Councilman Carter.

1:26:16 – 1:26:40•James Carter

I would just like to say, very excited. I want to give a little bit of attention to the event we're going to have downtown on October 10th. Going to have some strong men out here doing some impressive feats, pulling trucks and boats and all kind of stuff. Please check out the city's website and the Facebook page to learn more about it, but it's going to be a really cool event. It's very unique, and I hope we have a terrific turnout. so that maybe we can do it again next year. Everybody take a look.

1:26:42•Noah Walker

Wow. Thank you, Mr. Carter. Up next, Councilwoman Harris.

1:26:50•Noah Walker

I think it's strong people, strong body competition.

1:26:56•James Carter

Well, I've told them several times to find something heavy for me to toss around, and I will certainly try. So I'm going to try to eke out some participation some way or another.

1:27:04•Tammy Harris

I wasn't being funny, no. No, I mean it, too. Because I know you like that kind of stuff. But I have no comment.

1:27:12 – 1:27:43•Noah Walker

Perfect. Thank you, Councilman Harris. I have two items. One, go Tigers. They're undefeated. They had a great come-from-behind win this last Friday, so good for them. Those boys showed a lot of heart and got the job done. Next is, I know that staff is working on this animal control plan. for the turnover at the end of our contract. And I just want to ask, make sure that, you know, we've been requested to have something in writing.

1:28:09 – 1:28:33•Noah Walker

Perfect. Thank you very much for voicing that. Last comment is very excited to see all the exciting things at Young's Park coming to fruition. So we care very much about the children in this community. We made an investment so they could have fun and create a lot of more memories at that park. So with that being said, everyone have a wonderful evening.

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.