City Council - Regular Meeting

I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. WELCOME TO OUR COUNCIL MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 22, 2026. VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION IN COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON YOUR COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE VIA MICROSOFT TEAM OR BY TELEPHONE. YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE WWW.CLIMBOUTFL.GOV AND SEARCH FOR ATTEND COUNCIL MEETINGS ONLINE. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, EFFICIENCY, In ensuring that everyone who wishes to address the council is given an opportunity to do so, the following will apply to all comments made by the public, in person and virtually. Each speaker will be permitted three minu

Thank you. Please be seated. This afternoon we have two proclamations. The first one is Hispanic Heritage Month and the second one is Fire Prevention Week. Maritza, if you all come forward, except for Hispanic Heritage.

Now, therefore, I, Tim Murray, mayor of the city of Clemmout in the state of Florida, do hereby proclaim the month of September 15th through October 15th, 2026, as Hispanic Heritage Month. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hands and cause the great seal of the city of Clemmout to be affixed this 22nd day of September in the year 2026. And I'm going to come down and present this to Ms. Maritza, and I understand you have some words to say afterwards. Okay.

Thank you. Now if I can have Ms. Haley Wheeler from the Fire Department come up front to accept the Fire Prevention Week proclamation.

Now, therefore, I, Tim Murray, Mayor of the City of Clemont in the State of Florida, do hereby proclaim the week of October 4th through the 10th, 2026, as Fire Prevention Week. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hands and call the great seal of the City of Clemont to be affixed this 22nd day of September in the year 2026. Thank you, and we will come down and present this.

Thank you. All righty, this afternoon we have the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award. Wow. It's the Freddy. All right. All right. I am pleased to recognize the City of Claremont's Procurement Services Department for earning the 2026 Achievement of Excellence Award, Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Procurement Institute. This year, 251 public and nonprofit agencies earned this prestigious award, which recognizes organizational excellence in public procurement. The award elevates areas such as innovation, professionalism, productivity, leadership, and e-procurement p

The next item on the agenda is public comments. If you wish to address the council in person, please come to the microphone and state your name and address. Once in-person comments have concluded, we will move on to virtual comments. If you are participating online on Microsoft Teams, and wish to provide comments please raise your hand and you will be called on to unmute your microphone when it is your turn to speak if you are participating by phone you will press star five on your phone to raise your hand when called upon you will press star six to unmute your microphone for all virtual parti

Thank you. This is public comment. Anyone in the chamber that wishes to speak on anything that is not on the agenda may come to the microphone. State's name and address.

Mr. Kramer, please adjust to counsel, please. Thank you.

Thank you. This is public comment. Anyone in the chamber wish to address the council concerning anything that's not on the agenda may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone else? Seeing no one else, I close down public comment in the chamber. No one online? No one online?

Hello. Excuse me. Mr. Peterson. I mean, I'm in total agreement with microphones.

I don't have a problem with a three minute, three minute. That was basically what we had before and I thought it was fine. I have a sense of humor and I'm cool with Elmo. I'm cool with point of order. So whatever you want to do, I'm good with it.

Thank you. I do have a question for Councilmember Myers. I want to make sure I understand what you're asking. Three minutes of Q&A per Councilmember, and you said 15 minutes of...

Yeah, that's okay. So just to clarify, right now we have unlimited time for Q&A. Mm-hmm. we go in an order and then we each get three minutes of comment. Correct. So are you saying essentially then three minutes each of Q and a and three minutes each of discussion? Yes. Okay. Okay. I just want to clarify to make sure that that, um, I think you are well within your right to propose that. I think our rules are done by resolution, so it should be through a formal resolution on the agenda for the public to speak and provide comment on it. I also think that there are other ways to address this thro

Well, first of all, the process we're using right now is what you all voted on. We voted on about three, four weeks ago. It was brought in, this is what you all decided upon, so that's what we're using. If you want to change it, that's fine. As Mr. Bain said, I think we need a resolution to go back and take another vote to put this in writing and change it. So if that's what you'll want, that's fine. But keep in mind, as Mr. Bain was also saying, it's going to be things come up on this agenda that's going to take more than two or three minutes, okay? The reason we're in here for six minutes at

Well, Mr. City Manager, as I said to you, I'm following the rules that have been laid down here lately. And I understand that. Okay, you asked – basically, we put in order, this council put in order the fact that if a council member come and put – ask for agenda items, it goes on the agenda. But also that rule, and as I reminded you before, that rule also said you don't have to put it on the agenda right away. It can skip one meeting. But we've never done that. That's still going – Make it right, but that's the rules. I'm following the rules that this council laid down. Point of order. Yes.

This was supposed to be a quick discussion. Yes. And I'm feeling like it's not going anywhere. I'm going to encourage you, Ms. Myers, to bring us a resolution as Mr. Bain did. I'll support that. I think it's great. I don't have a problem with us putting things on the agenda and making decisions. I'll support you on that. Sounds like you got it. I think you got four. So I'm going to ask us to move on. I'm going to make a motion to move on to the consent agenda. Can I get a second?

Second. Good. Mr. VanWag, do we have any changes in the agenda?

Okay, that's the only change. So the next portion of the agenda is the consent agenda, which contains items that have been determined to be routine and non-controversial. If anyone in the audience wishes to address a particular item on the consent agenda, now is the opportunity for you to do so. Additionally, if staff members or members of the City Council wish to speak to a consent item, they have the same opportunity. The consent items tonight is items 1 through 6. Are there any items that need to be pulled? 3 and 4. Any others? Any other items need to be pulled? Hearing none, I accept a mot

I have a motion and a second for approval of consent of Jedi even 1, 2, 4, excuse me, 5, and 6. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? Chair vote aye as well. Item number 3, resolution number 2026-038R. Yes, ma'am.

My proposal is that the procurement policy be amended so that in all areas where it refers to the procurement director, city manager, or designee, that each of those items be amended to remove procurement director and simply say city manager or his designee.

Okay. This is a public hearing. Anyone in the public wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.

Thank you anyone else This is a public hand anyone in chamber which addresses item. We come to microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes Anyone else Seeing no one else close down chamber anyone online, sir No one online. I'll close public comment bring it back to the council. What say you mr. Peterson I

My question to Mr. Van Wagner, and I'm not sure if you have to defer to Mr. Suarez or not, with regard to evaluation committees and how those are structured.

So pages 18 and 19 of the procedures covers evaluation committees. Okay. Thank you. And... Council Member Strange, I'm curious as to why you've voiced your opinion to remove the procurement director from a contract assignment role, authorization role.

I think it creates confusion about who's responsible for executing the contracts and that the city manager at the end of the day is the one who reports to this council. So the city manager is designee would be the proper. Otherwise, we create a scenario where there could be a disagreement between the procurement director and the city manager and it becomes a council issue.

Mr. City Manager, are there other departments where the director makes a decision that you don't actually make that decision?

Right. I'm just thinking like in terms of planning and development, does that director there have a contract or decision-making authority that you've given them in their role as a director?

Yeah, I'm just looking at, I guess, where are all the spots, Council Member Strange, do you have all the spots identified where that state's at? I see one, but I'm trying to make sure I cover all of those.

There's nothing that would prevent the city manager from allowing the director to make decisions. That's what city manager or his designate.

Are we able to identify where those spots are?

I'm trying to get through this meeting, but yes, every single place that it says procurement director, comma, city manager, comma, designee. At the very least, I think it should say city manager, comma, procurement director, comma, designee.

which is what we have a habit of doing up here on this council, so that it's done with word salads of amendments, then I need to understand what you're asking me to vote for.

It's not a word salad, sir. It's a simple edit. Strike through procurement director. And I'd like to know where those are. Procurement director, comma, city manager, comma, or his designee. If you don't like it, we can move on. I don't need to belabor the point, and I'm not going to change my position.

Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. What's the answer?

Not strictly speaking, no. Just the places that say procurement director, comma, city manager, comma, or designee.

All right. Well, thank you. I don't need any more of that. I think there's some confusion as to where this actually, what the implication would actually be. So I'll save the rest for comments. Thank you.

Yes, that means the authority lies with the city manager, and the city manager is the one accountable for any actions that are taken.

Thank you. Okay. I just have one question, Mr. Van Wagner. I know I expressed some concern about the box on page 11 and 12. Did you all get a chance to talk to Mr. Waugh about that?

Okay. No problem. Other than that, that's the only problem. As I expressed to you yesterday, it was the only thing I saw, so I was just wondering if you got an answer for me. It'll be okay. Mr. Peterson. Discussion? Comment. Comment now.

No. No, it's saying the buck stops with the city manager and not the procurement director.

Yeah, a dragon with two heads cannot stand. And so when two people both have authority to do the same things, then there's no accountability and you can't hold any one of them particularly responsible. The city manager reports to the council. And so all I'm trying to do is in this policy. This is not a procedures manual. This is a policy is saying that the final decision for whatever comes out of the procurement office is in the hands of the city manager. That's supported by the fact that it's one of the items that was on his agenda on his review this year. In fact, it was the item that he sco

No, no, just the city manager or his designee, not procurement director, comma, city manager, comma, or his designee, just city manager or his designee. And then he can write an email to Mr. Suarez that says on all these items, you can make the decision. And that makes Mr. Suarez the designee, but still Mr. Mann-Wagner is the one responsible. And if it's like that in other policies, then we should amend them. But this is the one before us tonight. That's all I have to say.

Thank you. Unfortunately, I think this is just a runaround to neuter a staff member, and I think it's highly uncalled for and inappropriate to do in this manner. If a council member has a problem with a department head, they should take that to the city manager and express that to the city manager. In fact, our council rules specifically state that we should avoid talking about specific department heads in this meeting and their performance or their ability to do their job. That's in our rules now. And so I'm comfortable this policy has been in place for quite a while. I'm comfortable with a d

Oh, I see. Okay, well. I'm not comfortable making the change either. I think we had a great job with our procurement office department. We just gave them an award and everything else, and yet still we want to make this change. I don't understand it. And here's the other thing I don't understand about this. If the city manager can designate him to be able to make the call, what's the difference? See, there's not any difference. Okay, so I don't see why we need to change it because if I can turn around and give him the authority to make the decision, basically right back where we started from is

I move to approve resolution 2026-038R. I second.

I have a motion and a second for approval of item number three on the consent agenda, resolution number 2026-038R. Any further discussion? You're not all in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

And the chair as well. Motion passes 3-2. Item number four, alternative water supply evaluation.

A community member asked me to pull this. I supported the request, so I yield my comments to Joe Fumasi.

This is a public comment. Anyone in the public wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.

This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address the item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Seeing no one in the chamber, I'll close down the chamber with a public comment portion. Yes, sir. No one online. So I'll bring it back to Mr. Peterson.

Yeah, I didn't read this the way that the member of the public did, but I thought he raised valid points. And Mr. City Manager and Mr. City Attorney, I would point my questions to you to say, I'm going to preface by saying my concern is whether the citizens of Claremont are directly paying it or just the citizens of Florida. Either way, this is taxpayer dollars, and I do want to be responsible with it. Is the interpretation of the citizen accurate that for $495,000, this company is simply reviewing reports that our staff are already preparing? And for context, I'm comparing what we've now paid

And is the... This doesn't look like a contract. I'm not sure. Or is the city the only party? In other words, is the $495,000 for the entire project, including all those entities? Or is this just for the city?

And is this contract and grant contingent upon Lake County, Sunshine, and I thought there was one more, also accepting this offer?

Thank you. The only other question I think was raised was about the data or the age of data, the history of the data. Do we have any information on that?

Okay, and have we done reports or studies before where we've pulled data that currently existed and then synthesized it in a different way to use that to inform future decisions? Yes, we have. Okay, thank you.

Mr. Peterson, this is not question and answer. This is comment time. Oh, I'm sorry.

My questions have been answered. I'm in support.

Ms. Marks? I have no question, no comment, other than I am still concerned about finding it amazing we had a $500,000 grant and the bid came at $495,000. As I asked yesterday, that's kind of, well, I'm just saying for this study. Okay. Entertain a motion.

I'll move to approve item number four, alternative water supply evaluation. I second.

I have a motion and a second for approval of item number four, alternative water supply evaluation. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? Chair vote aye as well. Motion carries 5-0. Item number seven. withdrawn, so item number eight is for final consideration to ordinance number 2026-019. And the next two ordinances will be heard together. However, we will vote on them separately, okay? We're going to put all three together, all right, and vote separate.

Thank you. This is a public forum. Anyone in the public wish to address either one of these items, item number nine or item number eight, please come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the chamber want to address either one of these items, item number eight or item number nine, please come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Seeing no one in chamber, we have anyone online? No one online, I bring it back to council. What say you, Mr. Peterson?

And I have no question. Comments, Mr. Peterson.

The only thing I wanted to just make sure folks know, because I think we got this question before on one of the other communities, is when do these folks actually become like city, actually officially city of Claremont residents? And they are already with the annexation. And so they are considered city of Claremont residents and part of our maps and should be incorporated into those things. The other questions we've got before, just for clarification, is, well, what does that mean for like city of Claremont trash and recycling? And when does that happen? There are current contracts that exist

I have a motion and a second for approval of ordinance number 2026-019. Any further discussion? And none. Council Member Strange.

Council Member Peters. Aye. And the chair vote aye as well. Motion carries 5-0. And ordinance number 2026-020. Entertain a motion.

Move ordinance number 2026-020 final. Second.

I have a motion and a second for final approval of ordinance number 2026-020. Any further discussion?

Council Member Bain. Aye. Council Member Myers. Council Member Peterson. Aye. And the chair vote aye as well. Motion carries 5-0. Item number 10 is for final consideration of ordinance number 2026-021. And item number 11 will be heard also together. And we will again vote on them separately.

This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address either one of these items may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the chamber wish to address either one of these items may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Seeing no one in the chamber, I'll close down the chamber and bring it back. Anyone online, sir? No one online? We'll bring it back to council. What say you, Mr. Peterson? I have no questions. Neither. Ms. Strange?

Okay. I entertain a statement. None here. Mr. Peterson.

I move to approve ordinance number 2026-021 final. Second.

I have a motion and a second for approval of ordinance number 2026-021. Any further discussion? Hearing none, Council Member Strange. Council Member Bain. Aye. Council Member Myers. Council Member Peterson. Aye. And the Chair of OI as well. Motion carries 5-0. Entertain a motion or ordinance number 2026-022.

I have a motion and a second for approval of ordinance number 2026-022. Any further discussion? And no further discussion. Council Member Strange. Council Member Bain? Aye. Council Member Myers? Council Member Peterson? Aye. And then Chair Boehme as well. Motion carries 5-0. Item number 12, consideration of resolution number 2026-031-ARA.

No questions. Hold on before you answer that. Let me go ahead and open this up to the public first.

This is a public forum. Anyone in the public who wishes to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the public who wishes to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.

Thank you. This is a public forum. Anyone in the public wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item? Seeing no one, anyone online? No one online. Bring back the counsel, Mr. Peterson. You got questions? No questions at this time. Ms. Strange.

Yes, I don't know who this question would be for, Mr. City Manager. I understand there's a will of this council to reduce rates if we can, and given the history of the city's finances, it seems we do tend to operate at a substantial surplus. I recently saw that we are giving back to the citizens a portion of the interest rate that's collected on some of the utility accounts. And my question is, and this might be for the city attorney, can we... quarterly, let's say, look at our anticipated revenues and expenses for our utility services. And if there is in fact a surplus, return that to the cit

So let's say that we're anticipating collecting $2 million in utilities in quarter one and that our expenses for those same utilities might be $2 million. But instead we collect $2.15 million and our expenses are $1.9 million. So that, I lost my numbers already, $300,000 would be split between the 16,000 homes.

per house is my thought, simply say, or whatever. I was just thinking a way, however, we're doing it with the utility, with the interest rates on the deposits to do it the same way as a credit, or could there be something like that? We don't have to decide it tonight, but just something for the council to know. I think our hands are somewhat tied with this, but I'd like to give some sort of direction to staff.

It's an American thing, you know, all those gun references. It's like part of our culture. That's all I have for now.

I think... the question that council member strange brought up does bring some additional questions, but I don't think we're, I don't think she's actually, if I correct me, if I'm wrong, you're actually proposing that today. So I, I think it'd be, I have to think about that. Cause the one thing I'm wondering is if we, uh, if we actually collect more in a quarter because of future projects. My guess would be that we actually do collect more than we actually expend in a quarter simply to bank for bigger projects that are coming. So I don't know how we differentiate that. But if we're not going t

Mr. Van Wagner, this utility fees and everything, it has to be self-supporting. self-sustaining the utility rates they have to pay for themselves right yes okay and i the reason i ask that is that i hear what miss miss strange is saying but if we store change because we collect extra money and it's doing um i think one of the reasons we got in the position we end but now and we had to raise these rates back in 23 after the study was that we wasn't charging enough to begin with. And we didn't have money in the hopper, so what, to pay for upgrades, right?

And I guess that's what concerned me because this fund has to be self-sustaining so when it comes time to upgrade it, we're not holding something in the kitty there, in the pot there. We'll be in the same position again somewhere in the future probably.

Okay. Mr. Waugh. If we do nothing tonight, will this automatically take effect on 1 October? And of course, the study that we got coming in October that you're referring to, it can say, hey, we can lower our rates if that's the case, what the studies say. And then at that point, can we go back and if that's the case, can we go back and redo all this again?

Well, I guess that's where my next question was going with the bondholder and the new study coming. You know, that's going to all meet there together, I'm assuming. So basically, we just go ahead and just go through the night, you know, everything on the base upon what the study we get in October, the findings. That's right. Okay. Thank you. All right.

Call for a vote. You good? Yep. Ms. Strange.

Yeah, I don't think that we have much choice. I don't want to cause confusion and uncertainty for the public. So, Mr. Peterson, I fully stand with you on the grounds on which you stand. But for purposes of this vote, I'm going to vote for it because I don't want to create confusion for the public. Not to say that I'm of the position that I'm accepting this. In fact, I hope that this council will direct staff to come back to us every six weeks with an update on their efforts to save money for the citizens on utilities, whatever creative ways they need to do it. And I will point out at the risk

Thank you, Mayor. I do think there is a vehicle that the city attorney mentioned to us two weeks ago, where if we want to actually change a rate that went into effect for October, that we had to do that through a separate resolution. And I don't see that on here. So that's just the reality of where we stand. So I'm hopeful that this passes simply because of that lack of uncertainty that would happen for not only our residents, but also our bond rating and our ability to borrow money if need be and what the cost of that would be. And also that our general fund might have to make up a difference

I'd say it's beyond our control. I know this was all done back in 23 based on the data and the study that was presented to us, and we will have another study that's presented to us in two or three weeks, and this council is going to have to make another decision at that time. And I'm one that don't like to see fees go up either, and I've stood out there and argued with other councils about raising fees when I didn't think they were fair. I mean, some of what Ms. Strings just referred to such as, you know, your sewer fee, whether you lose it or not, use it or not, you get paid, you pay it every

I'll move to approve resolution number 2026-031R. I second.

I have a motion and a second for approval of resolution number 2026-031R. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? And the chair vote as well. Motion passes four to one. Item number 13 is a citizen request from Ms. Forth. Is she still here?

I'm sorry. I gave you three extra minutes.

Thank you. This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Seeing no one in the chamber, I'll close out the chamber. Anyone online, Mr. Wayne? All right, call online. Unmute yourself and go ahead. Did she hear me, Wayne? Yeah. They still there? No response. No response. Can't get their attention, eh?

Thank you, ma'am. Anyone else? Anyone else? In that case, we close down... public comment um if i'll go to you mr peter let me make this thing what she was referring to is business down here uh Mr. Waugh, I don't know whether you want to address that or not because it was a cold case on that yesterday.

It was a code case. They was in code enforcement last night with it and everything, but Kurt can give you a little background.

I just wanted to make sure you all understood. Well, she was saying basically they got approval. They didn't come before us to open the business down there. They were able to do it. But we found out that they was doing a doggy daycare, basically going out from all over the place. city county and bringing dogs in there to babysit dogs and everything during the day right next to our house that's right yes they were operating as a dog daycare facility which we did not permit them we did not permit that and that's what he's saying if they may be coming before us in the future for permitting to be

Is it 11 o'clock on Friday and Saturday? And it's 10 o'clock on other days, sir? I'm sorry, sir.

Sir, Mr. Peterson. We're still going by our old policy right now. Until the resolution comes forth, you can continue.

Sorry, the point of order was he wasn't asking a question. It wasn't a time issue.

I thought he was getting to a question like he normally does. Okay, thank you. You're done, Mr. Peterson? Yes. Okay, Ms. Strange.

Yes. Uh, I had the same question about the CBD business study. Thank you for the update chief. Um, do we, I think this might be for our city attorney. Do we currently have in our policies code? I imagine it's in the existing comprehensive plan about conservation, any requirements for conservation for the city? Oh, sure. I'm not aware of a department that does conservation. Are you?

So what department in the city makes sure that we're compliant with our conservation requirements in the comprehensive plan?

Mr. City Manager, do you have the answer?

Okay. There was also a question about the street lining. I've noticed we saw it on East Avenue. We saw it on Lakeshore Drive, and now it was pointed out on DeSoto. Streets that used to have center lines now do not have center lines. My question is, has this council adopted a new policy on whether we stripe streets, or is it just something that staff is deciding whether or not to do?

Is the question of whether streets are like Ireland, where it's free for all, where you pray to God that you get through the day, or whether there's a stripe down the middle a policy question, or is that an administrative question?

Okay, thank you. Those are my questions.

I wish Ms. Forth was still here to hear me say I don't think we actually need to workshop some of these things. Can't we just start putting up some designation signs right away? whether it's identifying the lake as that designated body, putting up signs that warn folks of wildlife and the concerns of feeding or swimming unsupervised, swim at your own risk types of things. Please don't feed the animals. Can't we just do that? without needing a policy or a workshop or a direction per se. legally yes okay because i think that i mean because there are some other things that she's brought up that i

Can I answer that for the building down in... Historic Village, basically the council, they have always come to the council and asked for approval to designate it as historical. The ones that's just in Historic Village.

Well, and I think that that's where communities like Claremont, where we broached a certain age of history, often will have some sort of historical preservation, something memorialized in our statute or in our code or in our charter that that says, you know, we have a board or commission that does that. We have a group that does that. We have a staff member, a department of community development is oftentimes something that would, would coordinate that, that maybe, you know, is that something we could look at?

All right. Thank you very much. Those are my questions.

Okay. Good. Outdoor speakers. I know it's in our ordinance, as you said before, but outdoor speakers, there's supposed to be no amplified music downtown, so I don't know why we can't. As we said earlier, I don't know why we can't just go down there and say, hey, they got to go. Okay. That's been a fight for many, many years. So if it's in the ordinance, can't we just? Okay. So how do we go about it? We just send code down or?

Okay. So we basically need to ask the city manager to just go ahead and look at what we have in our codes and go ahead and see can we get it enforced so when it comes to amplified speakers, I do. Okay, thank you. Plaques on all historical buildings and historical districts. Now, if I'm not mistaken, we have, I don't know who to ask this to, Kurt. Historical village. Don't we have... signs for all the buildings down there already I know we put one up for the school for the school the chapel okay but and that's something else we can just go ahead and get done as well the right mr. mr. while we w

Okay. So I know they had signs on all the different buildings over there, but you're saying they don't have plaques in the historic village, these plaques.

I don't know how these other facilities like J.C. Beach, Peterpool Park, and Black Beach, these names was ever changed. All I know is they just started appearing. So can we just make a motion? To change these names back or what? Well... What do we need to do if we want to change these names back to some of these waterfronts? And to be honest with you, I didn't know if...

I don't know if the rest of the council is in agreement with that and having staff go ahead and do that, but we can ask. Okay.

Mr. Van Wagner, I think, if I'm not mistaken, I think Lake Mineola has already been recognized as pristine by the water, by the state and everything. Can you research that for us, please, and give us a recommendation on that? No. And I think Mr. Bain addressed all the other things about signing out of my feed and all, so I'm good. Yes, sir.

And my request would be, like you say, as long as they're in compliance with our rules, but I know at one point I ordered to say no outdoor, amplified music outdoors.

I thought the ordinance used to say no amplified music outdoors. Now, if we've changed that, that's good. Well, as long as we come in cold is all I'm asking, okay? Okay.

Okay. Well, that's kind of hard to play a speaker without it going across the property line. Got to get a bigger property. Anyway, but Mr. Peterson.

I'm in agreement with that. Ms. Strange, comments?

Yes. When I practice law, I would often get people who came into the office and said, I need a will. I need a trust. I need this. I need that. And they would tell me how to practice law. The problem was they were coming to me for my advice. And so I would say, well, what is it that you're trying to accomplish? What is it that you really are trying to achieve? And then I would tell them what they needed because I was the lawyer. And I think that that's what we're experiencing today. Ms. Forth has come here with, in my opinion, legitimate frustrations at having to repeat herself five or six time

Thank you, Mayor. I do think I agree to the context of, you know, we got to be careful about being reactionary, really, with anything we don't want to. We want to make sure that we're judicious about how we approach whatever concerns we hear whenever we hear them to make sure that's the best actual way to approach that. Because it might actually accomplish the goal of what we're hearing from that one person, but inadvertently then create five more issues that we didn't think about because we didn't really take that second to think it all the way through. So with that, I do. That's why I think

Thank you. For me, I just ask the city staff to make sure they are all in compliance. Okay, that's all I ask, is that you make sure they're all in compliance. If the code says they're not supposed to have outdoor amplified music, I have them still watch to read it. I don't know how you're going to... put music out and not exceed to go across your property line. I just don't know how that happens, okay? But anyway, that's all I'm requesting. And for the lake, I thought somewhere down the line from years ago, Mr. Van Wagner, that Lake Mineola was designated by the state as a pristine body of wat

So if that's the case, if you can research that, I mean, please, if that's the case, we can probably go ahead and get the designation for that lake and get that done. And like I say, the other thing on changing the names, okay, I don't know how half of them was ever changed, all right? So I've been around here for a long time, and all I know is one day they started telling me it was Waterfront Park and not JC Beach. It was West Beach and not Black Beach no more, so. I just found out by Peter Pold Park a couple of weeks ago. So that's all I have to say. Well, let's see, counsel. You need any mo

Mr. Mayor, can I ask for a recess before we move to a break, I should say, before we get into the last five items?

We're back in session. I've had a request, actually, Mr. Van Wagner, to move item 15 up instead of 14 to 15 right now. Any comments from the council?

Okay, so we will go to item number 15, and then we'll come back to item number 14, which is item 15. It's consideration for resolution number 2026-029R.

Thank you, sir. Is the applicant present? Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

That's it? That's it. Oh, well. For now. Short and sweet. Okay. This is a public hearing. If we have any questions, we are proud to call you back up later. But this is a public hearing. Anyone that wishes to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address. And I have three minutes.

Okay. Well, thank you. Anyone else? This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Seeing no one else in the chamber, we got one online. Call online. Go ahead and unmute yourself. Still got them, Wayne? They lowered their hand. Okay. Thank you. So, well, I will close the public comment and bring it back to council. What say you, Mr. Peterson?

I'll have a question for staff related to parking, whoever wants to answer it. There's two parcels, as I understand it, at this property, the proposed funeral home and then the salon. Is that right? They're two different legal parcels?

And what about the salon? Is there a different owner of the salon?

sorry so the legal so the building that we're talking about is as the same owner yes correct as one owner owns all the suites in there okay so when the salon did the salon pull some sort of permit and have to prove that they had enough parking to get their right to operate a salon

How many spaces does our code require a salon to have?

square footage of at that time so I believe it's 2,000 square feet and it's around eight faces yeah and so now I have a question for thank you for that Christian I might be being nitpicky here but I'm looking at section two seven and I don't love that we're saying that Mr. Gates has to maintain an agreement with the existing church. My goal is just as long as he has sufficient parking for what he needs, that he's fine. So I'm approaching this. One, is the church an adjoining lot, technically, since it's across the street? I might be being nitpicky about that.

Okay, that jumped out at me. So I think there's a language change to paragraph seven, just where it refers to the adjoining lot located at 220. But what where I'm coming from is, if we can do something that I don't like the idea that the other tenant could cause a problem that causes this gentleman to not be able to do his business by saying, maybe that Maybe that person leaves and now they want to do something that requires 15 spots and he can't for whatever reason. So what I'm wondering is can we craft paragraph seven in a way that basically says as long as he has an agreement that provides

But this doesn't say, not that I think you would do it, but it doesn't say that in the event the other user of the property, which is interesting because it's all the same owner, so now I'm not sure if I should even worry about it. If the other user, if he was to consistently infringe on the salon's use of their property, to the example brought up by the member of the public, then... It seems that that salon owner should have some rights to come to us, but that could also be abused and swing too far. So I'm trying to just make sure that when we're protecting the rights that already exist of th

mean something maybe like in the event of conflict between him and an adjoining user that the adjoining parcel is entitled to eight spots so starting with that if there's ever conflict with him and the salon owner or the future operator of whatever the salon becomes that parcel or that unit would be entitled to eight spots or is this an issue for the property owner that's an issue for the property owner so then why are we putting it in the CEP well this is the parking is an issue for you Is it?

Okay. I'm going to stop there and process. Thank you. I have no more questions.

I think to what Councilmember Strange might be getting at here, and correct me if I'm wrong, that your concern is your concern that there's adequate parking for the other tenants that are in the 2205 Cluster Oak where the four suites are.

It is to the extent that we know we're inviting a lot of people to come to an event. I mean, we can anticipate this. Yeah. But also at the end of the day, this kind of feels like it's a problem for the property owner to deal with their tenants.

Yeah. And I think perhaps then if we wanted to have something, the P&Z did give us two recommendations for additions. One of those is number two that says an addition that says adequate parking for the other tenants in the building. during funeral services shall be provided. So that maybe would get to that point that when there is an event, because it sounds like outside of a funeral, there's not gonna be a lot of cars there, that when there is a funeral, would adding language that says adequate parking for the other tenants must be provided. And additionally, I think that item number, that se

I think adequate to me is the issue. The word, I don't like adequate.

Or statutorial or prescribed as prescribed by code.

Only that I don't know what the parking might be. And yeah, you know, if they change their use, then that changes their parking obligation. And that's why if we lock it in an eight, cause that's what it is today. As long as they have eight. Now, if a new tenant comes in, they know they have eight designated places. If there's a conflict in the event of divorce, we know you get eight, I get 17 and park across the street and problem solved. That way people aren't coming in here arguing on us over parking.

And I think too, potentially though, then we're saying eight now, but it may depend on what- actual tenant would be in there and then what that would be required for them. So I, I, I would hesitate to say an eight number, but, um, I, I actually think that the language that maybe is in here does cover is that was, was that staff's intent to having section two, number seven, that essentially any parking items related to this, if they, whether it's tenant to tenant used to use overflow, if it ever is an issue, this item covers that and they'd have to come back.

And I think if the letters, if I read their letters correctly, it indicated that they're Up to now, the people who provided the letters that are neighbors, that are business owners, have indicated that there's usually parking attendants that, you know, kind of work through there and direct that traffic. So I think I, I mean, to that degree, I would be fine adding item two, you know, if we felt like we needed two of the P&Z recommendation to cover that. Otherwise, I think maybe... The item does cover it. The other question that was brought up before was related to number of people. And I think

So they're, they're proposing to provide 70 seats for a maximum of 90 people. Correct. And that would be, I'm assuming that was based off code. Yeah. Is that correct? Okay. So if that's the case, then I think, you know, we do already, we would be able to control that then at that point, right? He would have to let any customer know that I only have 70 seats and I can only have 90 people. So if you're going to have a funeral that potentially has 200 people, I'm not going to be able to hold that here. Okay. All right. I think those are my questions. Thank you.

Thank you. I think I had my question answered in my agenda review yesterday about the parking, and I was happy with what the... Mr. Mayor, may I make a statement real quick?

I spoke earlier about one of my past lives, but the most recent one was event organizing. And so I feel your pain when it comes to parking. And I think I see it different than a lot of people do because I don't worry about parking for events because event organizers figure it out. It's just what they do. Um, I don't have concerns with the number of people, as long as you're in the fire code, I wouldn't be trying to restrict the number of people. Um, I do want to keep in mind that a CUP runs with the land. So today you're here as the applicant, but 10 years from now, it may not be you. So we ha

Thank you. I like adding the language to Section 2, Number 6 at the end to say to ensure adequate parking for the other tenants in the building during funeral services as recommended by the P&Z Commission. I am hesitant about putting a number just because if that use ever changed, then that – could be changed to an item where it only required four and now our cup says eight and um so i think if we just say to ensure adequate parking for other for the other tenants in the building during funeral services that that encompasses that um i like the idea of keeping that number seven uh with with the

Thank you. Thank you. uh and i don't like i would have got to say yes i know his character as well i've been knowing him for a while myself but uh um and i'm i'm sure if i know somebody said about 200 people i'm quite sure if um percy gates felt like uh he have a service that many people gonna go he'll make other arrangement besides his small building and i think I think one of the things the funeral directors tend to do is estimate how big a crowd they're going to get and make arrangements for other facilities, so I'm not too much concerned. I think 70 is okay. Mr. Y, I guess I need, well, I'

Move to approve it. Item number 15, resolution 2026-029R with the amendment paragraph six to ensure adequate parking for the other users or tenants of the building. Second.

Okay. I have a motion. And a second for approval for resolution number 2026-029R with added recommendations. Any further discussion? If none, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? And chair vote aye as well. Motion passes 5-0. Good luck, sir. Thank you. I appreciate it, y'all. Thank you. All righty. We'll go back to item number 14. Consideration for approval of proposed parks and recreation action plan One second, there we go.

You're done, eh? Okay. Well, this is a public forum. Anyone in the public who wishes to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the chamber who wishes to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.

Thank you. Anyone else? This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone else? Seeing no one else and no one online, I bring it back to council. What say you, Mr. Peterson?

Okay, I did have one question in this question.

Well, that's what I'm curious, you know, because everything I had been looking up, you know, the last couple of months and even when ABA came in here and everything, they said 453. I looked at their report. They had that number.

Well, I would just like to make sure we get the right amount of acreage and everything for our parks and everything. But everything I've been reading says 453. And now we're back down to 375, so I want to know. I'm curious. That's the only question I have, sir. Thank you. Mr. Peterson.

Yeah, I just pulled up the ABA report, and just so you know, Mr. Merritt, 360 is the number that ABA identified in Claremont's existing park inventory with a recommendation of 530 total acres. I'll also point out that, as we've seen on staff's report, over half of those acres are all located in the most extreme northwest section of the city at one park at Hiawatha Preserve, which... intentionally as a preserve, which means it's difficult to actually use all of those acres. So I think that we definitely can improve. I think that Parks and Rec is an area for us to improve. I heard greenways from

Thank you, Mayor. I think you have some very laudable action items ahead of you, Mr. Foreman, for fiscal year 27. And I say that actually with a sense of pride because I think it sends a message to our community that parks and recreation and trails, I include in that, I would also include in that. So comprehensively, Parks and Rec is a priority for our community. And I just also want to make sure that as you're working through these things, that if you determine... based off of whether it's council direction or even once you get into these things that you actually need to pause something to ge

Thank you. And the only thing I was going to actually comment on is... Mr. Bain just hit on it and myself, the 42 acres felt in our park. I think we need to slow our roll right there a little bit. We just, I don't even think we got the final contract on it yet. And we already are trying to look at what we're doing, take our time to see. As I said, I think a meeting or so ago, we need to look and see what assets we need and see exactly what we need for parks and everything.

I just don't think we need to be rushing right now. I know we just purchased it and as Mr. Bain said, we need to maybe take a look and one of the things I said the other week is we need to take an inventory of all the assets and see exactly what our parks are missing and let's look at trying to improve our parks. And if we can incorporate there, because I think we even had a comment about an all-inclusive park and everything at last. uh council meeting and everything so that that's something we may want can we look at doing that there as well sure but that's the only thing i had in it yeah uh

I want to move to approve the Parks and Recreation Action Plan for fiscal year 2027 as presented by staff with the addition of a Greenways connectivity system and a report related to the partners and maintenance obligations at existing parks.

Second. All righty. I have a motion and a second for approval of item number 14, Parks and Recreation Action Plan with stated recommendations. I'm sorry. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? Chair votes aye as well. Motion carries 5-0.

Yeah, we got a second. Item number, I think we're at 16 now. Yes. For consideration of resolution number 2026-032RF.

Okay, thank you. This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item? Seeing no one, no one online, I close down the public comment portion. Mr. Peterson, questions?

Thank you. Can I just follow up on that, Chief, on the information related to the letter, the application for the COCPN? I think I was misunderstood or I had a misunderstanding. I thought that was what was being submitted. So are you actually asking for us to review that to provide feedback to you?

Okay. When is the deadline for us to get that to you? And second question then is, will we then get the official final packet that's submitted once it's submitted?

Okay, thank you. I have a couple, I think two questions for Mr. Boer, if that's okay, Mr. City Manager. The The $36.6 million, when we were talking in agenda review, that's total in the fund balance. That doesn't account for the 25% that needs to be taken out per policy. Is that correct?

Yeah. And I think if I recall correctly from your slides that you presented to us at the budget hearing, yes, that it's roughly $20 million after that's taken out.

So we have the 36.6. What is the actual remaining balance of quote unquote unrestricted once we take out that percentage that needs to be taken out by ordinance?

So $20 million with this resolution included in that?

To $16 million if we approve this resolution? Correct. Okay. All right. That is the question that I had.

Thank you. If I may, just for completion, I think you'd be adding another $4 million we're expecting this year?

Yeah. That's what we're expecting, but we don't know for sure yet.

Well, you get the month later. You got it, Mr. Benton. Yeah.

Ms. Marsh. I have no question. I have no question. Mr. Peterson, comments?

Yes, I'm in full support, and I hope that the final motion includes not only approval of this item, but also direction for staff to submit the COPCN application to Lake County.

Mr. Bang. Thank you, Mayor. I want to support this. I would like to see us have it amended to indicate that the 5.2 towards the first year of EMS is, I think the words we're using in here is earmarked or allocated, reserved for EMS transport upon receiving the COCPN approval at the county. Because if we don't have that, we can't move forward. And so I think it would be judicious to have that for that section of this, the 5.2. And then that way we can have a conversation about what to do next. if the county does not approve the COCP on application. The other thing I would like for us to just to

Ms. Morris. No comment. Okay. Mr. Wall, basically, I guess I need to ask this as a comment. Basically, if the Application to the county doesn't get approved. This pretty much, we can readdress this and go away, right?

Well, to go back to what Mr. Bain was just saying, you know... It'll all be based upon the approval of the application for the 5.2 million. My thing is if the application doesn't get approved, it's counted like it goes away. We come back and address it and reallocate it, right?

Okay, well, we're going to hope they approve it. As I expressed to the chief yesterday in my general review, I just don't know how long it's going to take them to approve. And that's one of my concerns. We can be carrying this money for quite a while because in some of my research and asking other cities what they try to do, it took them four to five years to get these things approved. So we can be carrying this a while. But I'm ready to go ahead and support it so we can move it forward. So listen to her. Motion.

I have a motion and second for approval of resolution number 2026-032R. Any further discussion?

One request for the movement. Mr. Peterson, if you would kindly consider amending the motion to add direction to staff to submit the COPCN application to Lake County, I would like to see both the allocated funds which support the application and the direction to submit at the same time.

It's my understanding with the approval of this resolution that you're going to go ahead and submit the application.

So I'm just asking if you'll amend the motion to not only approve the budget amendment, but also instruct staff to submit the COPCN application.

Okay, I have a motion and a second for approval of resolution number 2026-039R with the stipulation that also authorized staff

city staff to go ahead and submit the application to county or approval and I am I am sorry um just for the record two zero two six dash three two are three nine was no that's okay I just want to make sure the record reflects the resolution number two zero two six days zero three two are

Yes, please. Is there a willingness to put in there that if this doesn't get approved, that this is returned back to our unrestricted fund balance?

Well, and I'll add to it, Mr. Main and chief correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that we do need to one allocate the funds in order to submit the COPCN because we have to show that we have the funds. So allocating it is a condition precedent to submission of the COPCN. And as a practical matter, If the application is denied because they're earmarked at $5.2 million for EMS transport, if we are – Christian, you might correct me. If we are legally incapable of providing the EMS transport, then we would have to revisit the funds at that point. Is that right?

I think that was the question I asked Mr. Warrick.

So at some point, some council member says, why do we have 5.2 million earmarked for EMS? We're not doing EMS. Let's throw that back in the pot.

Yeah, you're right, and that's why I say I just wanted everybody to be aware it could take some while for this to be approved, and it can be sitting there for years. But as I asked Mr. Warr earlier, if it doesn't get approved, we revisit this and automatically put it back. I mean, this is what it was designated for, Mr. Bain, so I don't see what else we can use it for if it doesn't get approved. Okay. It was actually assigned to this. Right. Earmarked.

Right. But I guess where I was coming from that is to, I think what I heard the city attorney say is essentially by this action, we are earmarking it for that. So it would actually then take council action to un-earmark that if we don't include that link, it would actually take physical action rather than saying, if it's not approved, it goes back into the, it goes back in. So that's what my question was, is that what, why wouldn't we just make it automatic that it goes back if it's not approved rather than requiring additional council action, which who knows what that council may be in the ma

That's fine. I see that. As a person who used to sit in this chair say, I can count to three. And so I can count to three. I see I don't have that support for that. I just am concerned that we're earmarking funds for something that if it didn't happen, it would actually take council action to unrestrict rather than just having it go back into our unreserved fund. and allowing us to move forward with other projects. So thank you.

I'm going to make this comment. And Mr. Bain, because we earmarked it, if it doesn't get approved, nothing else they can do with it, I would think. Okay. So I don't think that we would have to revisit. That's why I asked Mr. Ward the question earlier. It would have to come back. Call for a vote? Yeah. So I do have a motion and a second. for approval of a resolution 2026-032R with the stipulation that we also direct city staff to go ahead and submit the application to the county. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? And the chair vote ay

Okay. But, no, I thought I heard you say earlier you were waiting on us to look it over because I didn't get a chance to look at it last night.

Item number 17, resolution number 2026-039R, council member request. Oh, I guess this was me. I'm sorry. I put in this request concerning the boat ramp because I have a lot of residents from Mineola. We changed the fee structure for the boat ramp, and a lot of residents from Mineola is saying they're having to pay $16 a day to put a boat into the water. Of course, I get that same comment from a lot of other residents outside of Claremont as well. My thought, and of course the mayor of Mineola approached me as well, so I said I would take a look at it, and I thought about it, and I said, what I

Thank you. This is a public hearing. Anyone in the... Chamber, to which it addresses item, may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.

Thank you. Anyone else? Anyone else? This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone else? Seeing no one. Anyone online, sir? No one online. I bring it back to counsel. What say you? Any questions, Mr. Peterson?

Mr. Murray, was there, it's not listed, so did the Mineola mayor or anyone else make a suggestion for how Mineola could contribute to the city of Claremont experience or the residents experience?

No, they didn't. They just asked if we can take a look at maybe considering them annual pass. Okay. I mean, as I say, we don't have to give them the same rate we give ourselves as residents. We can give them a higher rate rather than $16 a day. um because that had to be i personally i think if we charge them 100 a year you know they'll be willing to pay that rather than 16 every day they go in there um remind you let me remind you um Last year, we changed our rates at the Arts and Recreation Center, and we were driving off a lot of people because we took out annual pass for non-residents that

Okay. Yeah. That was my only question. Yeah.

Thank you, Mayor. Are we referring to the parking permit? Is that what we're talking about? Because I don't see a boat use ramp fee in our fee schedule. I see a boat ramp calendar year parking permit, which is $20 for Claremont, and a boat ramp daily parking, which is $15 for Claremont and $15 for non-city residents. But I don't see an actual use of boat ramp permit. Or a permit fee.

It's a fee schedule for boat ramp. Mr. Van Wagen, you have that fee schedule?

So we are talking about the boat ramp parking.

Yeah. So my question then is, can someone launch their boat without parking? Is someone allowed to launch their boat?

Right. So it's not a use fee. It's a parking fee. I'm not trying to be petty. I'm not trying to split hairs. But I do think it's important to understand, are we talking about a use fee or are we talking about a parking fee?

Well, that's to park your vehicle. After your lunch, your craft, you park in the parking lot. Matter of fact, if you don't have a – if you're parked over there without a boat trailer, you're supposed to be towed or ticketed.

So if I live in the city of Mineola, unincorporated Mineola, unincorporated Claremont, if I live anywhere other than the city of Claremont – And I come and I say, I want to launch my boat, but I'm taking my trailer and taking my car over to my buddy's house, and I'm going to go park there. Can I do that for free? Yeah, sure. Yeah. Okay, so we're talking about parking.

My thoughts. You're right. We did put this boat ramp in and everything, and as far as that goes, why don't we say, hey, nothing but it's coming out of residence, utilize it, okay? A lot of our facilities around here are used by other people. People outside the residence of Clemont, as it was stated earlier, our racquetball courts, our pickleball courts down there, we get a ton of people that's not residents of Clemont using it for free, which I think we ought to... Well, I think we do, but how do you control that one as well? Like I said, we did the same thing at the Austin Recreation Center w

I do like it. It is nice. It makes me less mean.

Yeah. So first of all, I'm happy to have this conversation. I have a lot of opinions on it. And I think access to city parks, how you do it, there's systems that exist now that we're not leveraging. I think that there's probably a park-wide approach that we should be looking at as we come into fiscal year 27. When you start talking about parking, because I think you nailed it, Mr. Bain, that this is really a parking question. And so now we're talking about parking management, which very next item on the agenda. So that's coming up. So I think holistically parking management. How does that work

And ABA suggested, what if there was a golf cart course that could take you trail through, I think it's Mineola. I don't think it's Groveland, but I don't know their boundaries the way I know ours. What if we could take the golf cart around the lake and go up to the Lake Ridge Winery? Well, that could get interesting. Maybe we could engage in that conversation with the city of Mineola. The other thing is Hancock Trail from Sugarloaf Mountain all the way down to Wellness Way. So these would be potentially interlocal agreements, and I think they'd be wonderful to enter into. So those two recreat

Mr. Bain. Thank you, Mayor. I want to be careful. I think I read somewhere that words that go something like, love thy neighbor. And I heard some things that it really kind of made, it made me a little, I don't know. I think if our kids maybe heard that, if we heard that's ours, go find your own, that we would maybe yell at our kids or give our kids a talking to in the playground or in the sandbox if they said that. I am cognizant of the fact that we're talking about city facilities and those comes with city expenditures. But gosh darn it, there's got to be a way that we can work together and

And I have no problem with that. We all want to sit down and think about it and talk with them about what we can do. That's fine. As Mr. Bain is saying, as I said earlier, they are our neighbors. A lot of them consider themselves members of the Claremont community as well. I can remember when we took the fees off of... Off of the splash pads down there and everything, when our non-residents were paying more, we just eliminated all fees down there, and now in, and everybody go down there, and a lot of times, most of the common, I get, is most of the people is not coming out residents that's usi

Tim, would you like us to table this so it can be revisited in the future?

As I stated before, I brought it to the council to say, hey, this is what I'm looking at. Whatever you all decide you want to do, that's fine with me. We can either give them a discount. I don't look to try to give them the same fee that we give. We give our residents. Okay. But instead of starting $16 a day, you know, we can come up with some kind of solution. And if, as you said earlier, we can go back to them and they can come up with some kind of partnership. That's fine. Okay. Just try to give our neighbors some type of break. I'm even getting complaints from a lot of veterans that come a

Well, that's what I'm wondering. If we table it, and we table it for, say, three months, and that gives staff time to meet with the other staff and maybe kick around some of these ideas. I mean, I don't mind tabling it. I think the spirit of it is reasonable and appropriate, and You know, a denial might not send the message that we want to send.

That's the message we don't want to send. I wasn't looking for any solution really tonight, to be honest with you. I just came to present it to you as I told them I would present it to you all. So you're okay with directing staff to look at it? No, I don't think so.

Should we just do nothing? Robert's Rules does not require us to take action. We can just let it go to the next item. That is correct.

I don't think the request even asked for any action.

I'm going to suggest we let it go to the next item and see if anyone disagrees. Yeah, let it go. Okay. All right.

Well, and I don't know how well you know Tim or what's going on in Groveland, but, man, the moms really love Cherry Lake Park and Lake David Park Splash Pad. So, I mean, maybe we can all get together and do something.

A lot of parents from Clemmont is actually going to Cherry Lake. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. But anyway, you okay, Mr. Van Wagner?

So then we'll move on to the last item, I think. Item number 18, parking garage design recommendation.

That's it? Yeah. I was expecting a little bit longer presentation. But that's all right. We appreciate that. This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber that wished to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.

Actually, we've been talking about a parking garage about 15 years now.

Thank you. Anyone else? This is a public forum. Anyone in the chamber that wish to speak to this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes. Anyone else? Seeing no one else in the chamber, no one online. No one online, so I bring it back to council. Mr. Peterson.

I feel bad for Mr. Bain because I don't have questions while we're waiting on him. I do want you all to know I have paid a lot of attention. I don't not have questions because I don't care. I don't have questions because I really feel like I have the answers to all my questions.

mr bain i don't have any questions miss myers i don't have any questions either mr peterson you have comments i mean i i we've heard

Keep talking diamond sports and we're going to get along. So I have all these notes. I want council to hear what's in my head and I want the public. First of all, huge thank you to the committee members and the staff. And I do want to point out, unless I'm mistaken, this is the first committee to deliver us a report in a decade. I mean, am I off? I think this is amazing. And I know there was some chaos and a little bit of confusion. But fortunately, there's a lot of business owners in the room. So we all got through it. And I think the end result is fantastic. I feel don't panic. I do feel lik

Thank you. I don't know that there's been an item discussed more in the last, and put a number to it, years in Claremont. If we leave here tonight without making a decision, at least on location, I personally believe that would be an absolute travesty. I do think that there's more information we need to inform the specifics of a structure at a location that we can get once we've made the determination of the location. So we pick A or B, And then we get the information that we need for A or B. And here's that stuff. And then we determine what I would recommend is a design build, RF, fill in the

Thank you, ma'am. Okay, first of all, let me thank everyone that was on the committee. Thank you for your time, your dedication every week. We were very dedicated with your meetings, and I know I stood here in City Hall some days when you weren't supposed to be meeting here. You were meeting downstairs where everybody was still coming here, trying to make sure they got there and everything. But I want to thank you all for committing your time and effort to that. I'm sitting here again. I think this is the second time I've had to go through this exercise as Mr. Mr. Nemec mentioned where we appr

Are you talking about on the right side up there?

On the east side. On the east side, yeah. If you go to the east side, our land actually extends across there. So was that taken into consideration when you were doing this design?

So if it wasn't taken into consideration, we can have a little bit bigger. I would like to just add the fact that when we staff go out to look for this, make sure we make note that you have another little piece of land. I think it's about 50 feet more over there. I think it is. Okay. Okay. Any other questions on that?

Yeah, well, we basically are voting on the location tonight. I just want to make sure that when you do go out for your RFP or whatever you're doing, that you know we have that little extra piece of land that we can include there, okay? Thank you. Any other further discussion? You may add something, Mr. Bain.

No, I was asking for some clarification on was it just for land or what the next steps were.

If there's no further questions, all in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? Chair as well, so we approve once again a parking garage for the City Hall parking lot. Now we will move on to reports. Mr. Ben Wagner.

I hate to do this, but can I ask you a question or two, Mr. Waugh? Everybody's leaving. By all means.

Please do. I think we got another email from them. I saw it. Pitbull's running free again. Yeah. Thank you. I'm sorry. Council Member Myers.

TDC deadline for the capital fund is November 1st. So I've asked the city manager to help identify projects that might qualify for tourist development tax funding, capital funding. So I'll keep it at that for tonight.

Thank you. It is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Kudos to everyone involved in the Sips and Salsa event this past weekend, especially those who helped organize it, set it up, tear it down, and work to keep us safe and clean during it. I also want to congratulate Officer Mencarelli and Lieutenant Ness from our PD and FD for being recognized at the annual First Responders Breakfast and Event. that was last Friday. Proud to be a sponsor of that event again this year. Next Tuesday is a fifth Tuesday, and that means I'm hosting a fifth Tuesday forum at 6 PM on the 29th. This time it's going to be

Thank you. Mr. Matthews. I have nothing to report, sir. Okay. Now for my report. Basically, I would like to thank the police and the fire department for another great job with 9-11. I think Mr. Bain already made reference to the responders that we recognized the other night at the responder breakfast as well. Quilts of Valor. I made this announcement last time, and I'm going to make it again Monday evening at Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock right here in the city chamber. I think we'll be wrapping six veterans in quilts here from the Quiltsville Valley. I asked you before, if you don't know abou

No. No. I think that's Miss, if I'm not mistaken, that was Miss Nelson who made a comment earlier about the... Yes, sir. The Pup for Pups down there. Ms. Nelson, I didn't know whether you were online earlier or not, but basically I think that case is in the hands of... Code enforcement right now. Okay. So the code enforcement is looking at it. And before they can continue, they shouldn't be having dogs daycare down there right now. Mr. Watt, is that right?

Okay. They should be having dog daycare down there right now because they were found in violation of the use agreement down there. And if they want to have, Mr. Watt, if I'm right, if they want to have that, they have to come back to council for approval, right?

Can you get with Ms. Nelson, contact her tomorrow and let her know what's going on? Sure, yeah. Thank you. Is that all right, Ms. Nelson? I have a city attorney contacting you tomorrow, if that's okay.

Thank you. Anything else need to come before the council? We're not meeting adjourned.