City Council - Regular Meeting

all right good afternoon it is one o'clock Thursday August 27th and welcome to our Collier County Commissioners and Marco Island City Council joint workshop has a little laundry list of a few things rules of decorum are in effect for counselors for commissioners for staff and for attendees if you could please silence your phones and put them on vibrate also a reminder for the commissioners and for the counselors your mics you need to turn them on to comment if not they'll be hot and they'll hear everything so turn them on when you're ready to speak Bathrooms, if anybody needs, are to my left-h

I think there's a little joking going on there, I suspect. I seen you eating two of them. Jim, would you please call the roll?

Here. All right, we're all here. If you are able, please stand. Commissioner LoCastro is going to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

All right, guys, we're on to item four, the business we're here for. A couple of thoughts. As this is informal, right, and for those watching or attending, this is a workshop. We don't vote. We don't give consensus. This is a conversation. This is a thought on some directions and basically brainstorming and sharing ideas. County commissioners, manager, Patterson, I appreciate, and everybody else, you shut up. We appreciate you coming down to Marco. It's been a while since we got together, so we've been looking forward to this for a while. Hands, a little raise if you don't want to talk or just

And we have both of our managers here and we know, I think I'd be remiss if I didn't say that the backbone of both of these commissions and councils, without them, things would be difficult. Yes.

Well, thank you, Commissioner Lacascio. We appreciate that. We appreciate your service to the city. Naturally, we have city needs, right? We are city councilors, and we have things that focus on our community. But please, we're part of the county also, so it works both ways. What can we do for you also? What can we do for Collier County? So if you have any thoughts or ideas, we're all in this paradise together. A couple quick announcements before we get started. We do have our city attorney, David Tulses, on Zoom call if anybody has a question. And also, if you're signed up or if you would lik

And well said, and there's nothing better than putting something to the citizens and letting them decide. You saw, most of you probably followed our bond referendum. One vote, every vote counts. I know you were on the recount, I saw you.

So it's certainly these conversations, we tread lightly on them, right, with the word taxation, but resources funds do need to be made up somewhere so we can appreciate your open-mindedness uh towards this anybody else want to uh commissioner lacastro and then we'll go to commissioner counselor henry yeah i'll add something so um i just want to point out uh chris johnson is in our audience from the county and um he has everything budget and money

Thank you. Can you hear me okay? One of the things, and it kind of goes into the big picture with the 1% tax that's going on the ballot this November, and the fact that that is spearheaded completely for the sports complex. It's not? No. This is why we have conversations. Please.

Well, I think I would love to have more of that conversation to understand that because that's for the reason if we're going to put that 1% tax on now, knowing how the plan of distribution, but there are decisions you guys make. Our citizens pay a whole lot of taxes to Collier County. The 1% tax will be paid by our citizens as well as tourists, but we need to know what's coming to us in order to know to support it.

It's not a 1% sales tax. It's purely on the head tax for hotels and such.

And I think that needs to be clarified because I think most people are thinking this is a 1% sales tax. Well, let's clarify it if my microphone's working. And I think that's something that needs to be projected to the public.

Okay. I think Commissioner Saunders had his hand up first. We'll come back to you.

Thank you. I have a question. Commissioner Lacastro is going to be next, and I'll get to you.

A follow-up and then I'll go to the next chair, please.

Councillor Champagne. Thank you. I think my basic question is how is Marco Island assured there will be in the allocation of this six cent tax when it is assuming the positive it passes? Are we automatically a beneficiary, or do we have to apply for each and every opportunity that we can identify? I would prefer, obviously, as a city councilor, that we're one of the identified beneficiaries of whatever money is collected and allocated. Is the island automatically? Who is the money allocated to?

Here she comes already. I kind of thought that might be it.

Thank you for that. You're welcome answer but continuing along on that vein Will so continuing to assume the positive that it passes Do you eventually publish the allocation list by item by project by city

And when you publish that data Are we free as a city to further publish it to make sure people are fully aware of where this money is being allocated and what projects?

And for the informational meeting you're going to be holding, and I say thank you for doing that, more information is better than less, will you produce a document on what you're going to be discussing orally so that we can put it on social media so people can read it?

Understood. Councilor Goldery, I have your hand up.

I just have one question about the tourist development tax. I know we get back the percentage that goes, amount that goes for taking care of the beaches. Honey, it's not working. Is it? Okay. All right. So I don't want to be too loud either. So what is the process that we can actually, as a municipality, come and ask for more funds? I understand that wear and tear that comes from that. We love our tourists. They help our economy, without a doubt. And they keep our businesses grow and prosper. But at the same time, we have a lot of wear and tear. as well. And I know the infrastructure perhaps i

I have a follow-up. Please. Please, Councillor Swan. Thank you very much. My follow-up question is Marco Island used to have two representatives on the TDC board. Right now we're dropped down to one. Our chair, Darren, serves on it.

Did a second let me from the matter always the Marriott is a side of it. Yes, but he's a Marquine resident.

Okay. Well good because that's something that's very important that Marco Island does have representation.

So, thank you And I'm going to volunteer Commissioner to the Castro to come to one of your future

We appreciate you volunteering. We'd like to see him.

I see Commissioner Saunders and then we'll get to Commissioner Gray. Why don't we give one more go around for this topic, guys? Commissioner Saunders.

Well said. Well said. Counselor Gray, you wanted? Thank you. A couple clarifications. The TDC money goes to Tallahassee and someone in Tallahassee. Who then decisions that allocation? It's purely by statute.

Okay, and so to the other point, it would help to enlighten the community as to what kind of dollars come back and then the application of those proceeds. I'm not entirely clear what all qualifies as a potential application for the use of these proceeds. and having that menu. So I'll test one just as a concept. We have a very active tourist boardwalk, Winterberry Boardwalk. We're in the process of doing some renovations to it, maybe to the tune of about ballpark $150,000 in repairs at this point. Why wouldn't that be a very attractive and eligible application?

I can take this one. Councilor, that's actually in the works. Casey Lucius, Jay Tulsa from the TDC are talking about that. I'll say it looks good, not definite, but that's on our agenda. We're going to speak about that in the council meeting.

Okay. I think to answer the other question, the TDC tax, any tax that hits our visitors and comes back to the community clearly has an attractive profile to it. I think one of the challenges that Marco Island has been wrestling with, which is why they asked for an increase in the sales tax, and that sales tax is higher in many counties in Florida, is because we do have increasing burdens to service that tourist community, whether it's law enforcement, infrastructure, et cetera. So we are challenged by an increasing need to service the tourist community at little or no offset. And so we as a mu

Mr. Chair, may I? Please. To pick up where Mr. McDaniels left it, would it be okay to invite Mr. Johnston, would it be? What is the chain of command? Is there any way that we can invite him to explain?

Especially the statutory explanation of what are the funds we can use for perhaps infrastructure When you asked that, when that was spoken about, did you see the two managers already writing notes the second it was?

Could you please explain the capped at 2 million access to promotion fund 1101?

bucket instead thanks sir you're very welcome guys uh i've been asked by uh some of the folks watching us having a hard time hearing make sure your mics are on make sure you're close to them so they can hear you don't be afraid to be loud counselor gray um 60 million is the ballpark number that comes out of this if you add the additional penny okay um

What type of growth in tourism do you try and target with that deployment of capital? I mean, how much more tourism are we hoping to bring, and how do you try and measure your returns on the investment of that money?

I'll ask you a different question since you're the money guy. We have a couple of parks on Marco Island that could use some refurbishment, ball fields, et cetera. Would one of those ball fields or the Mackle Park where tourists do come visit and find it a prized destination be qualified for consideration?

And essentially that study is to try and track the activity level from the tourist community into those resources. Correct. Thank you.

Actually, thank you very much for all that, but it's actually more of a statement going back to the sports complex and such. We have our nice little bubble here on Marco. I've been to, I think now, five different athletic events with people coming from out of town. FC Naples? We're going, what, in two weeks. But even just with all the kids coming from all around the country playing lacrosse or soccer, I've been to numerous things there. And I think on the Marco bubble, we don't realize the intensity of tourism outside our island. You could have 4,000 families there playing lacrosse from all ov

If I could follow up. I get the privilege of sitting on the TDC, and I actually sit with many of the commissioners, but I have one on Naples City Council member, Coach Bill Kramer. You guys know him as a high school award-winning state champion coach. I know him as a man of faith. and a man of the children and a Naples City Council member, of course. He talks about the sports complex in great detail as to the benefit that it brings to the community, to the local kids, the people visiting. It's the number one now sports complex, I believe, in the country, if I remember the stats correctly. This

Thank you. You mentioned that some of the money can be used for debt repayment, which is that correct?

Okay. Could it be used for any debt repayment on Marco Island?

The immediate answer is no. Why? It seems to me that it should be applicable so long as we can put together a mini business plan justifying why that debt repayment fits the requirements of TDT.

We would appreciate a response to that because we do have some debt.

Some final thoughts. Commissioner Saunders, please.

I had a closing thought, and then I can... Mr. Chair, if you have a closing thought. But for my city council members, I've been talking about TDC initiatives. What are we going to do? What are we going to ask for? What type of skin in the game are we going to include? So this would be a great, I think, launching point. Dr. Lucius and myself, we could talk about putting on an agenda. talk about what type of items we think would qualify how we set it up set it up for success with our County Commissioners that's one thought the other thing I want to just clarify the TDC now we take a lot of touri

Excellent idea. Thank you. Trinity, come on up.

While they're looking for that, I'll just say a real eye-opener with the questions the councilors are asking. Anybody who's newer to this, commissioner, councilor, public, running for office, you start to realize by listening to this how much you don't know what you don't know and how no particular elected official could know everything. And it's really the staff and the management that are behind us that run the conversations, help us learn and understand, bring us on board, educate us in the beginning, and do a tremendous amount of work. I appreciate that. So shout out to the staff while we'

Or did Commissioner Lacastro cover your...

I was talking to Commissioner Lacoste since he is our representative. One of my personal concern is the Tiger Tail Beach. There you go. One of my concerns is and I think many of our residents concern is when are we going to have our Tiger Tail Parking restored, parking area. I think that's another item.

We're talking about when it's going to be the bathrooms restored, perhaps the vendor.

No, no, no, parking lot is there, obviously.

Thank you. Commissioner, any questions? Counselor Schwan, please.

Hello, Mr. French. Nice to see you again. So my question is about the vendor at Caxambas. Can you update us on that?

Well, we certainly look forward to getting that vendor back there, too. Our residents really are supportive of that.

I see no other hands or comments. I'm going to just jump down to the bottom of this. This one's important to Marco. Additionally, the Big Marco Pass has recently experienced shoaling and necessitating the relocation of channel markers to ensure safe navigation. The city proposes that monitoring and managing of the Big Marco Pass be incorporated into the Collier County project list. This is something that's important for us. It's a little controversial amongst the community when we start talking about cruise ships and why we want to do this. This is safety, this is ATONs, markers, buoys, and th

Appreciate the clarification. We're willing to help in any way that we can. Staff, anybody have anything to add to this? No?

Councilor Gray, please. Thank you. You mentioned the Army Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard, and the county. Has the Army Corps of Engineers done a complete assessment of Collier County from a vulnerability standpoint and what is viable to protect and what isn't in a changing environmental footprint? Because I love to believe that part of this discussion was related to it really hadn't been clearly assessed and then the other related question would be When you look at something like dredging this pass Do we have data that says what the return on investment or how much the demand is for something

Are we needing to coax the Army Corps of Engineers to take a hard look at this?

As Commissioner Hall is waiting patiently, Chris, please.

If there was a short list of coaching tips from the county on how we could coordinate or play nice on the playground or help coordinate our activities, I believe we would welcome that memo or those suggestions. So thank you for that.

Thank you. Appreciate that, guys. Before we turn it back over to the counselors and commissioners, Justin Martin, our head of Department of Public Works. Do you want to say something, Justin?

I want to highlight something you said, moving away from this for one second. The reason we're literally sitting here is because of two great managers that put this together and got us together for these conversations. I don't expect an answer. I don't think it's proper in this, but does this make sense to anybody? Is this part of the synergy? Perfect. I just need the head nod and we're good to go. Guys, any other thoughts on this topic? I miss any hands or any All right, staff, anything to add? All right, thank you. All right, we can move on then. Great conversation. I think we touched upon a

One quick question, and I started to look into it and I failed to have the answer by today. How much does the Coast Guard auxiliary pay in rent?

and one other question because actually dr lucius and i have been working on this for a couple of years trying to determine the parking numbers which you provided here which is wonderful we've been asking for them for quite a while and actually i spent a lot of time this past weekend reading collier county budgets great job everybody um but going through the line items and it's never broken down on any of the collier county parking lots what the revenue is um how were these numbers determined suddenly when we've been trying to get these break down for years

Okay so prior to the QR codes that's where there was a lack of information.

Okay. So there's excellent data from 25 on.

Thank you. Do you have a breakdown of the visitors that use Caxambas Park? Is it mostly residents? And are any private vendors permitted to operate out of there? What are the rules of who can get access to that park and utilize that park?

So last question. It was a rather intimidating statement that Marco Island may not want to own this because of future repair risk, environmental risk impact, et cetera. Why would we want to own it? Do you know? If we're trying to make this decision one way or the other, being respectful of economics. So it's for residents. We've got it pretty well structured. It seemed to have been cleaned up. Thank you for the work you did there. And I'm inclined to leave the future liability with you. Why would I want to move that to Marco Island?

We're the ones asking this, so it's really on us. We don't want it. If I might jump in, this is a conversation. We started with we don't know what we don't know. What are the thoughts? our county commissioners are great stewards of this park by no means we're the local stewards could we be better as a local presence with police fire a presence right here we don't know the answer we're only asking for permission to ask if we might make a presentation ask a few questions at some point maybe make a formal presentation so I guess I'll ask the county commissioners if we at some point brought up a p

Again, just the conversation starter, right? Councilor Champagne had a question?

Thank you. I think the reason why we were expressing some interest is because we are frequently blamed by the community for things that are not being done, and we have no control over it. What I learned today is Caxambas Park is actually designated for businesses access to beaches and whatever the other thing was, and can't be used for any other purpose. One of the most frequent comments is, why can't I bring my mechanic to Caxamas Park to help work on my boat. Well, now we've found out today can't do that. That's not one of the designated uses. I think we need to know more information like th

Wanted to be respectful of staff time and what it might take to get to that point.

I appreciate it. I appreciate it, Commissioner Lancashire. It's not something you're just looking to offload to us. You're also giving us the numbers, the background. We all represent the same county. Council Henry, you had your hand up.

I did, actually. I just, for the legality question, in 1997, Mackle Park, and I'm going to use these phrases, It was an intergovernmental asset transfer resolution negotiated incrementally between county staff and city administration. That was in 1997. And the same thing happened in 1998 between the county and the city for our racket center. So they were two situations where things that were managed by the county were in turn given to us. So I just want to make a point. We're not recreating the wheel. This has been done before.

Maybe we can do a simple trade. We'll trade you the record center.

Commissioner McDaniel, you had something to add?

You would have some say-so on that, right? Just like our racket center has some conditions on it for free play and use of that. So certainly all open. Anybody else on this? I'll close it out with, I think we in the business, commissioners, counselors, we're always conscious of staff time, right? What it would take to put something together, to have a yes or no. So, Rick, I like what you're saying first. A little homework first, a little conversation opener then, if it gets to the heavy lifting.

Guys, I see a few people got to the bathroom. Anybody need a quick four-minute break or anybody need a, if not, you just take them yourself. We'll keep forging through. All right. We had a couple additional topics and we got a great time here. Commissioner, is there anything on your list you want to throw out to a counselor slash commissioner communication topic before I go into a few ancillary items here?

Maybe talk a little about the Isles of Capri septic to sewer conversion. We touched a little bit about it. Rick, our Commissioner Ocasio-Castro, this is something you're deeply invested in. Can you speak to that in a little detail? Or am I putting you on the spot?

Thank you. Before we open it up for questions, Commissioner Lacastro, sorry. Can you just, there seems to be, when I talk to the citizens of Isle of Scopree, there's some will to do this, but there's some concern that Marco is interacting because we have the rights to the plant. We didn't make it that way. The Daltona Corporation did. And then they asked questions as to, well, couldn't the county take care of it? Couldn't you run your own lines in? Where would they come from? Can you speak to that a little just as a public service announcement? Would you mind?

My point, not by any of our design. This was deemed long before we were sitting at a table.

Yeah, my question would be for Justin. And this is also our 4E plan, correct?

You have parks. We have septic systems. Boy, there's a lot to talk about.

I do actually have one question. Please, Counsel. Thank you, Ms. Scott. I was lucky enough to attend that meeting. What was that, 25 or 24? Oh, yeah, that's right. With representatives from the Isle of Capri, Commissioner LoCastro, our previous city manager, and our present city manager, just for a map. This is what we've got to do. So with that being stated, with our location, and I guess the next question is Goodland. Is that even in a conversation, and I'm not sure of the mapping, does that come to Marco? Does that go somewhere else? Because as we know, this is a long process that if a conv

You know we're getting 50 emails from Goodland by tomorrow.

I'm just curious. To me, Commissioner LoCastro said it has to be a community will for starters or the state has to force it upon somebody. It's really the two directions. If there's no community will, I'm not looking to go to somebody else's community and impose my will on them. If it becomes a necessity through the state due to water quality and larger pictures, then we all have to sit at a table. But that's my thoughts on it.

Iowa Capri is unincorporated, is that correct? When and where and why might Iowa Capri and or Marco Island consider annexing Iowa Capri and would that have any favorable impacts on the management of this area? I'm just trying to look at how you move forward. I say everything out loud, which is why I travel under the cover of darkness.

I'll just tell you what I hear, you know, Marco, what was it, six referendum votes to become a city? Didn't happen quickly, right? Isles of Capri, you have a ton of people that moved there, and you have some from Marco, because they like that it looked like Marco 30, 40 years ago, they like the vibe. Community will would be needed, and I don't have any idea if there's even an inkling of thought there for that, but it's the best I could figure it out.

Chair Cole, I'll follow up on something you said, Commissioner. Marco is a unique entity. We feel like a gated community. We're not, but we definitely feel like it. We function a little bit like it. We have two bridges, right? We're geographically separated from everything else. We have an odd evolution from the developer who had financial challenges and environmental challenges. So we're certainly a unique entity, and there's not a lot like us out there. So we don't have these shared systems, like you said. We don't experience it. I'll be a little bold and say we're blessed in a lot of ways.

Well, that's how we meet our budget, though.

You got that, Ms. Manager? You hear that? All right. I know this one's a little bit of a touchy subject. Let me just pitch my ideas. I've been at this with Seawall, let's call it construction or staging or drop-off and pick-off points since about 2005 when I was first appointed to the Markle Island Waterways Association. Back then we were using lots, vacant lots. We were passing ordinances where a contractor can use a vacant lot to... pour and stage seawalls and pick up and drop off. We had rules and regulations, right? You can only do it three times a year in a particular lot. We didn't want

Heard and understood. I'm not saying it is possible, but if there's a will and a way, we'll see if we can make it better than it is and function for everybody. Councilor Champagne, do you have any thoughts?

I would... As a business person, I would not discount the concept yet. Let's make it a business plan. If someone wants to get a benefit for free, well, we remove the word free and you need to put skin in the game so that no one loses anything and we do have a public benefit. I would suggest that the plan has to be both a business for construction of seawalls and a benefit for the public. And the county should not absorb losses, nor should the city. The people benefiting from it should be paying some sort of fee, some sort of investment. I think it can be made to work so long as those who benef

It has to be under review let's put it that way.

I'm afraid to bring a plan now, but I would like to.

Do you have something in the city of Naples, don't they do something where their parks are by third of that direction? I see the Crane's Irving element by the dock in that direction, the boathouse or...

Well, Commissioners, I'm not sure it's solvable, but I appreciate the ability to poke around and see if it could be, or at least brainstorm some ideas. Please, absolutely.

willing to at least take a look at options but maybe there's other options than that just that half acre I appreciate that thank you listen nothing's off the table when you're as land scarce as we are you try to brainstorm any idea you can just to see if it'll stick guys any other thoughts or comments on this any closing thoughts counselors commissioners before we open up to public comment anything

All right. We need to do it more frequently.

There you go. We can have a few closing before we adjourn.

So they'll get six minutes for that speaker?

I'm sorry, just state your name for the record, please.

Councils, commissioners, we've had a great time here. Any final thoughts? Quick thoughts by anybody? Mr. Chair, anything you want to add?

Yes. I want to say thanks to our manager, city manager, Casey Lucias. Dr. Lucias, thank you for arranging this wonderful event. And one more thing, Mr. Lacoste has the longest and the longest newsletter every month. And it's extremely – no, actually. It's extremely informative. But the difference between reading Commissioner Lacoste's detailed data and presentation, I think this is so much better. Here is the reason why, that we're actually really killing a lot of misrepresentation or a lot of wrong and not right information. So this is very important. I'm not asking to do it all the time, but

Casey, I was going to finish with some of the same thoughts, and I'll just say quickly echo what you said. Commissioners, thank you for coming down. Thank you for coming to our area. We appreciate it. Mr. Chair, thank you for letting me run the meeting. I have confidence in that. I appreciate you on that. And let's hope to do it again sometime very soon. And the last thoughts I said, it's not just what Collier County can do for us. We are part of Collier County. If we can do something for you, please don't hesitate to reach out also. Yes, sir, please.

Do we miss anybody? Commissioners? Counselors?

I think you represent as well. Guys, 3.58, excellent. Two minutes on. They're going to have to extend anything. No other thoughts? Workshops adjourned. Thank you.