Remarks by Alex Lama
76 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 4
- Play at 26:48
“So regarding priorities, I think capital expenditures for sure, specifically the Central Island drainage project and the community center. And aside from that, i wanted to see if we could perhaps be ready in case the new property tax bills the homestead bill passes in november because i don't know if the state's going to have any appropriations available for any activities and programs that right now are being funded by the city with taxpayer money because obviously with that new bill we're going to be restricted to seven let's say primary categories like law enforcement and different things,…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 30:54
“May I add something, too? Also, we need to start thinking about lobbying at a federal level. We might not have many projects, but we do have a beach. It needs, obviously, beach erosion mitigation, which falls under the US Army Corps of Engineers. So I think that our next step would be at a federal level as well.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 36:52
“No, so basically I have a discussion item here that has to do with the bond and, you know, the lion's share of where that bond is going to be dedicated to, which is the community center. So I'll discuss afterwards when we get to my item, or I could discuss it now since it's related.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 40:53
“I think it's appropriate for me to jump in at this point. Sure, go ahead. And so basically, the... that portion of the budget is composed, I mean, the general obligation bond, or let's backtrack. That amount is comprised of the Central Island Drainage Project, which is about give or take 30 million, plus the community center. When it comes to community center, and that's why I put it there as part of my discussion items, is that I think we need to take a step back take a look at some of the examples that staff had put in there. Because what I see from there is that you see, for instance,…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:00:26
“So I have a question. The $40,000, that's revenue. That's not profit, right?”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:00:33
“That's the cost of the event, yeah. The price that, who paid? The person that threw the party that wanted to, okay. So what is the profit to the event planner? Okay, so don't say that they made $40,000. That is revenue. That is sales.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:00:56
“That's what I'm trying to say. So they need to, that person that is the event planner will have to pay for the food. So I just want to clarify that point because the way you presented that, you said they made $40,000. They charged $40,000 and then they have to pay for expenses. So I just want that to be clear so people don't get...”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:03:42
“And also this provider has to carry liability insurance and all of that, right? Yes.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:06:07
“Yeah, we could go out to bid. Regarding hiring someone, I mean, we'll have to run a P&L, but I'm not sure if that's the best way, to be honest with you. But then again, we'll have to run a P&L. We don't know what profit this current vendor is making from having you know, the management of that space. And we'll have to do some research to see if something viable or even worthwhile because we can make some profit. But I don't know if that's where some of our efforts should be focused on, especially now that November is coming up. We don't know what's going to happen with the property tax bill.…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:07:48
“And those are subsidized. So you got to remember a lot of the majority of those programs are subsidized. We don't know what's going to happen in November. So that's my point.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:31:34
“I live on the west side, for the record.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:33:35
“SO I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THE CITY SHOULD BE THE MANAGING AND APPROVING ENTITY FOR THESE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS. I understand that the way it's set up right now, you know, the building that's on the sand would have to be involved in that process, right?”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:34:01
“Well, obviously, if you're going to use, exactly. So, but what I like to, basically what I want is for everybody to have the same access and be able to, you know, fill out the same application. Now, talking about the other side of the coin, I have received complaints from time to time where you have maybe 50 people in a yoga class, and they're basically taking up the entire beach. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN, BUT IT WAS DONE WITHOUT THE CITY'S KNOWLEDGE. THEY DID NOT COME TO THE CITY FOR AN APPLICATION. SO GOING BACK TO MY POINT, THE CITY SHOULD BE THE ONLY ENTITY MANAGING AND…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:36:10
“all right um go ahead no go ahead no i just i i just wanted to clarify something um even a oceanside property owner if they're having an event on the beach they still need a permit through us as well yeah yeah and exactly so but but i just want the process to be modified so you know everybody can apply and it's not dependent on that building on the east side now that building be in the sovereign building, they could say, I don't want to give you my electricity. I mean, what happens in that instance?”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:48:46
“Yeah, I'd like to research it more. I don't know enough about something like this. So, yeah.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:01:47
“It was Chris, it was Stan, and it was Susan.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:07:51
“Yeah, so... Just wanted to point a couple things out. So with Stan and the current management setup, the police department was accredited. Our building department has been accredited. Communication has improved drastically. There's been transparency, in my opinion, more transparency than before, a lot more. and then when it comes to to some of your grievances i'm not trying to discount them but i'm just trying to understand because it's it's been ambiguous right now if you could just bring up some specific examples and situations i i would appreciate that because i i like to be informed no…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:10:40
“No, no, that's it. I just want some specifics. I think, well, the injection wells was put aside. Now we're looking at pumps.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:10:49
“Yeah, but I mean, we have a new engineer. So we have a new city engineer.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:10:56
“Well, you know, we were basing our... You voted for things that have gone wrong, too.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:11:28
“I do think for myself. Or doing your own research.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:11:42
“Well, now we're looking, well, regardless. So I just wanted some specifics, but I think we all take pride in what we do and we're responsible. We do our own research that we disagree in certain decisions. That's another point. But I don't, you know, I don't think it's appropriate for you to say and assume that we don't do our research because sometimes you sit here and I'm just shaking my head like, This guy's coming from left field. Where is he coming from? So I'm just at that point. Commissioner Joseph, just one at a time, please. When I spoke of about the injection, I was coming from left…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:14:47
“So we had this conversation before during one of our meetings, correct? And I was asking if the city itself can impose any sort of monitoring of the subsidence based on recent events, unfortunate recent events. And that is not up to us. We don't have the, let's say, the jurisdiction to do something like that. It would need to be state regulated. So my question is, and what I would like to see, is if we could lobby. And perhaps before lobbying, start the conversation with the entities in the know. about implementing some sort of program or the state adopting some sort of legislation where…”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:20:34
“And I will continue speaking to our staff. Please.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:20:43
“Yeah, yeah, that would be one of the priorities. And, you know... To be honest with you, I don't know how we would go about this. I mean, we'll have to talk to engineers. We'll have to talk to geologists. Would it be just certain areas? Would it be? So it's very complex. And just like what happened after Hurricane Andrew, the building codes changed. I think that eventually this is something maybe five years from now, 10 years from now, something that could be part of the state codes.”
City Commission · Aug 20, 2026