City Commission - Regular Meeting

Sorry.

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to our regularly scheduled commission meeting. June 24th, 2026. The time is now 6.01. Madam Clerk, roll call.

Commissioner Bass.

here commissioner urban here vice mayor kelly commissioner santiago here mayor taylor here as we stand for our invocation led by commissioner dr bass followed by a pledge of allegiance led by chief of police in that order wonderful father god as we come before you today we thank you lord god for allowing us to be in this one place we ask your god that you continue to bless us that your continual god to give us like-minded um uh like-minded situations oh god that we'll be able to progress we ask you god that you will just cover us keep us from all harm and danger bless our city bless each and everyone who's here father god all 4.4 square miles of our city lord god because we truly need you god we give you praise honor and glory in jesus name amen amen i pledge allegiance

Amen.

All right.

Um, the first thing on the agenda under wards, proclamations and acknowledgements, I would like to say that myself and the commission had the opportunity to attend the graduation of our three new officers from the academy, Miami day college. And I am personally proud because this is an initiative that I have been fighting for since I got elected here is recruitment and retention for the police department. So in the budget, we added monies to fully fund and to have scholarships for residents and employees that would like to go to the police academy. And I can say That initiative paid off and we have three brand new officers here in the city of Opelika. So if the Commission would join me down on the floor. As well as Pete Starks.

And I read it, they all say the same thing.

It says the city of Opelika certificate of recognition. This certificate is proudly presented to Janae Hernandez, You're Jenea Hernandez, I'm looking over here, that's you. Of class 402, in recognition of the successful completion of the BLE training and graduation from Miami Dade College School of Justice on June 22nd, 2026, the city of Opelika commends your accomplishments and recognizes the dedication, discipline, perseverance, and commitment you have demonstrated to principles of public service and law enforcement. We extend our sincere congratulations and best wishes for your successful and rewarding career in service to this community. And this will be presented to Officer Hernandez. We have another one that is presented to Kalia Harrington, Officer Harrington. And I say this one for last, y'all, because they kind of tried Opelika. He was supposed to get, you know what you're supposed to get, the firearm, and they gave it to somebody else. But we want to make sure, let you know that you're a superstar in our eyes. So Tyreek Spann. Commissioner Irvin says she want to join you at the range one day, Officer Spann. And we do have our challenge coins from the police department because we challenge you to serve this community with dignity and pride and be true to your badge with ethics because we invested a lot in you all and we thank you for joining our ranks.

Thank you Madam Manager.

And to our new officers, welcome to the team. We got a birthday! Commissioner Bass is turning 16. Happy Sweet 16 from the commission, the city clerk's office, and the manager's office. The red velvet is mine, by the way. That's mine. So here's a card. You can read it at your leisure because we got a meeting to go to. No, no checks. Thank you all. All right, we're moving right along to the approval of the consent agenda. Do we have any pulls, deferrals, or deletions at this time? Vice Mayor? may i want to vote number seven all right any any more pools deferrals or deletions at this time all right hearing none can i get a um a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda moved by commissioner santiago second second by commissioner irvin um madam clerk mr mayor ma'am um was there a pool item Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't say it. You're right. Number seven. Number seven was pulled by Commissioner Kelly. I'm sorry. Vice Mayor Kelly. Number seven.

Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Irvin? Yes.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. No, no. I'm sorry. You're moving kind of fast. You're moving fast. Wait. We'll go back. So we're still on the pull. I need to pull five, too.

Thank you. I'm good. You're moving fast.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right. So clarity. I have five and seven by Vice Mayor Kelly.

We all good? All hearts and minds are clear?

All right. Madam Clerk, let's do another motion. So can I get a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda? Move it. Moved by Commissioner Irvin. Second. Second by Commissioner Santiago. Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly.

Yes.

Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Commissioner Bass. Yes. Yes. Mayor Taylor?

Yes.

Motion passes 5-0. All right.

Moving on to the approval of tonight's agenda. Can I get a motion to approve tonight's agenda? Move it. Second. Moved by Commissioner Santiago, seconded by Vice Mayor Kelly. Madam Clerk?

Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Commissioner Bass?

Yes.

Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Mayor Taylor.

Yes. Motion passes 5-0. All right, moving on to the approval of minutes. Can I get a motion to approve the workshop meeting minutes from June 1st, 2026? Move it. Moved by Commissioner Dr. Bass. Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin, Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Santiago?

Yes.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

Approval. Can I get a motion to approve the Sunshine Meeting in this motion? Move. By 2026, it was moved by Commissioner Santiago. Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin. Madam Clerk?

Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly.

Yes.

Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes.

Motion passes 5-0. And the last one is an approval of the regular commission meeting minutes, June 10th, 2026. Can I get a motion? Move by Vice Mayor.

Second.

Second by Commissioner Irvin. Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly.

Yes.

Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Commissioner Bass. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes.

Motion passes 5-0. Alright, moving on to we don't have any district one district two or state reports at this time. no no mr mayor all right so moving right along we have two public presentations one i'll do real quick and the other turn it over to the manager who's going to do a presentation on the 127th street bridge so the first one um that i'm doing i just want to inform the residents that we had our hurricane workshop on today so we do have books for our residents um one from the county and one from the city of opelika so we urge you to get those books To get that information, so you can know what we're doing during hurricane season. Also, we have prepared a little some goodie bags for our residents while supplies last somewhere already taken today. But if you need it, we have a poncho. We have a 1st aid kit. We have an umbrella. We have a flashlight, but we want to make sure that our residents are prepared. for the hurricane season so you can see um our social services director manager mr um brandon cave right here if you desire that information and or that bag but again it's wild supplies last we just want to make sure that we are prepared for the hurricane so our next presentation is would be the city manager for on the 127th street bridge i mean sorry canal

Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. I'm here to present a progress report on the 127th Street Canal and specifically for the staging area that the county is using for this project, which is located at the Old Transfer Station at Burlington Street. So, So, as part of the request, the county made us a request of utilizing on 1 of the areas in the city. So they can stage the material and stage the equipment that they are using in phase 1 of the canal of the canal trading for restoration and canal back to civilization. the city provided the old transfer station so they could stage the material, dried up the material, and then take it back to a landfill so they could dump it or reutilize the material as needed. However, as there have been several concerns on this issue. And the reason is because people see that the material is wet, and they are concerned that they may have been contaminated. My apologies. And that the material may be contaminated. As part of the follow up with the county, we did request that the reports for the environmental and the sampling that they are doing on the material they provided to us. And I'm going to read from the report. Between March 11 and April 2, 2026, WSP, on behalf of DERN, collected nine grand sediment samples from eight locations from the portion of the canal proposed for maintenance sediment removal. The sampling locations are indicated on the dash map. You will have the whole file and it's available if anyone needs it. At one location, based on the sediment sickness, samples were collected and the samples were analyzed for aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, selenium, silver, mercury. and nitrate and other materials such as oil and other to determine the disposal options. Based on the sample results, the sediments are non-hazardous and as such may be disposed as permitted in a landfill. So none of the material or the water that is being dragged to that section is contaminated. This project will have a duration from May 29th. They actually start staging on June 1st until July 31st, 2026. The company in charge of the project or the contractor hired by the county is Heavy Civil Corp. The project manager is Leanne Jewell. The project manager from the county is Ellis Nortelius. We have requested the county to send us a memorandum to ease your minds and the commissioners and the residents. A memorandum with more information about the project so people are aware. And notice will also be distributed so people know what's going on and if they have questions they can call either the city or the county. So as part of the Of any operational impacts that the project will have, dump trucks will be entering the site to load the material. An MOT crew is on site directing trucks into the area. And once the material is dry, they will remove the material from there and dump it into a landfill or reuse it as part of the canal bank stabilization. The area is being used to stockpile the material. is being transported to another location. As part of the restoration, once the project is finished, the area will be cleaned up, and it will have a better look than what it has now, or it has previously to the start of the project. Any questions that I may answer?

Okay, thank you. So, Madam Manager, you know why I asked you to do this presentation because I know myself and I'm sure my colleagues, we all seen the trucks and we got the calls and the concerns from the residents in the area. Because that's why I asked you to reach out to the county to let us know what's actually going on. So, just for clarity, you said that it is non-hazardous?

Yes, and that's part of the report that the county sent. It's an analyzed material that they took from the canal, and it has been analyzed for various contaminants, including oils and any other kind of materials like aluminum, arsenic, barium, camion, etc. And it's clean. The material is clean.

And then I think what you will discuss is that once it dries, it's either going to be recycled back into our sea walls or the access will be going to a landfill, a landfill. Yes.

And that's also documented in the letter from the county. Got it.

I'm going to give the floor to Commissioner Santiago.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I heard something that has really surprised me and really made me upset. How the people, they live in that area, in that residential area, you say that they can get information through the county and other institutions, and not from the great city of Opa-Laka. They never get any notification of that. They never get any flyers. They don't know anything what's going on there. And let me say that, Mr. Mayor. Okay, I want proof. And when I say that I want proof, it means I want proof for the lab or for whatever to see what kind of contamination that we have there. If we're going to be strong for some part of the city, we have to be strong for the whole city. This is a neighborhood there, a residential neighborhood. And we have to respect that. They don't have no notification. They don't have nothing in hand that they're telling that we're going to transport garbage okay black water and i see it with my own eyes all the things that they have there and listen to me they dig in okay with that machine they put it down on the ground and they cover it up with some kind of yellow material and that's only that okay we have there next to that place the water wells that we try to uh maintaining you know claims and natural my point is how can we do something we will never let another people from the neighborhood how no i'm i'm tired so something going on here uh run in the city and this is the first time that they're giving a presentation to us and to the public first time mr mayor i'm not i'm not going to take that i'm not going to eat that one thank you all right commissioner santiago i think we all share the same sentiments

which is the reason why the manager is doing this now. Because I think we all called her. I know I did with my concerns. Yes.

Because I saw it.

So I wanted her to let us know what's going on. And also too, and I think she already acknowledged that the notification is going out tomorrow.

Well, we are preparing the notification from the city to let the residents in the area know. So they are aware and they have a contact number from the city. if they have any questions or concerns regarding that project. Remember, that's a Miami-Dade County project. It's not an actual city project. However, it will benefit the city since the canal they are dredging and stabilizing is part of the city of Opa Local.

All right. And I've shared the same sentiments with Commissioner Santiago. I would like us to be a little more proactive with stuff like this, because if we knew this was happening, we should have notified the residents. And I expressed that to Madam Manager as well. Yes, you did.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think as the mayor said, we all are feeling it, but I'm going to go one step further, not just this project, but all of the projects. We seem to notify residents and the community after it started or once it gets started. Even over, we knew we were going to do the Ingram Park area with the dredging of about a park. We knew that that was the next part, but yet a lot of residents did not No, till they saw the trucks coming over. However, we're notifying folks, whether it's that project or the sidewalk, we've got to do a better job of communicating as the mayor saying in advance. We tend to do it afterwards and then of course, everybody's on arms calling, but it'll be simple because I know the county does not project projects that close. They plan stuff out way in advance and they plan away in advanced and we need to be notified so that we can notify residents. Now, you said you're preparing notifications and now, how are those going to go out?

and they will be hand delivered. And just for clarification, we received the communication from the county requesting the staging area May 27. It was communicated to the manager and she shared information. they start staging it in the area June 1st. It's our overlook, and I will add to that. It's our overlook that we didn't provide the notification. We thought that the county would have provided notifications. It's their project. However, it's overlooked that we didn't. For the Ingram Park Canal, we did, not Ingram Park Canal, but for the Ingram section of Burlington Canal, we did provide the notifications in hand-delivered two days before the project started.

Okay, I don't want to talk about Ingram too much, but two days before. That's a separate. I'm talking about what you're referencing now. If they told you on the 27th, the manager got it, you said on the 27th. Yes. You know, we've got a way to communicate, even though it would have been quick, 29th, 30th, at least so people get a heads up and they can go do a deep dive later on.

Yes.

So now I hear you're taking responsibility. I appreciate that. But that's... not a comfort for folks that had to go through the last few days wondering what's going on, as my colleagues are saying. So I would hope not just for this, but going forward, Madam Mayor, you do a better job of communicating anytime you're going to be in a residential, because it's not the first time. We had the issue over on Seaman when they were, you know, putting trucks and stuff over there, people complaining because they thought it was some materials or whatever. And so it's very challenging. Yes. Very challenging to do a better job than that and look forward to it. I know the Mayor, Commissioner Sandiego, all of us, we're going to ride over there and just ask residents, have you got something? Did you get something? Did you get something in, not just stuck in the fence, but something where folks know what's going on? And in the future, I guess, is there a way to have the county or whoever may be doing it to actually put signage up for it? Because I think that's something else that needs to occur.

So that's something I spoke to Ms. Gross about just today, and she did speak to the contract, the person that's the project manager regarding that.

But see, that would be helpful because they knew it during 27. If those signs went up 28, while we're communicating, people saw those signs, at least to give a heads up as well. So I would hope we do that as a part of the process going forward. Anytime you're going to be in an area, especially residential where residents will have concerns. So, I think all of us share the same. Yes, um, thank you.

Samara. Yeah, just to let the commission know, we also requested Miami Dade County to come to the to the city and do a report on the on this project as well. Okay, it was last minute that they couldn't come today, but they will be attending probably next month.

Okay. Well. Yeah, residency tonight. I don't know. They go to the next meeting. I rather see him go right in that community. Yeah, set up a tent. Wasn't chairs and refreshments on their down and say to the. Here's what's going on. Any questions any concerns here's the number to call and it gives you the city. Here's just like you just gave us project manage all that. But I would hope matter manage you haven't go around that area. Set up a 10, some chairs, let us know and be able to communicate it to the residents.

Both in English and in Spanish for that matter. Oh, we will. We will do that.

Thank you. Mr. I don't know. We'll move on to it. Yes, yes, Mr. Manny is okay. The biggest mistake that we do is already done. They can come and talk to the resident. I think that we have a big representation for that neighborhood that can stand out. No, they're here, Mr. Mayor. Okay, but let me tell you, Mr. Mayor, I don't want that thing happening again here in the great city of Palatka. They are part of the community, and they deserve to be served.

Thank you. She's acknowledged it, and we're going to try to cure it. And we thank you all for coming on tonight. But we hear you, we've all heard you, we've got the phone calls, and we're trying to make it right. We're trying to make it right.

And she's already acknowledged that it was an oversight.

So she's trying to make it right.

Right now.

No, no. Give me. No, ma'am. What we'll do is, Ms. Gross, those of you that have questions about the project through the manager, we'll have Ms. Gross step outside and she can answer those questions to you directly. Okay. All right. I do have one. Yes. No, I don't have any questions. All right, I can call I can call you about that. So madam, if you can make yourself available to have questions outside, and you can matter manager, you don't mind. And we can go from there. Thank you all. All right. Again, so those residents that have concerns, you got this gross our project. CIP manager will be in the outside to answer those questions for you. All right, so we're moving on to citizens form. Madam clerk, please state for the record how to participate in citizen form.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening. City of Opelika Commission meetings are held in person at the Opelika Government Center, 780 Fisherman Street, Opelika, Florida. Members of the public wishing to address the commission may do so in person or virtually. Those persons wishing to participate virtually should register prior to the scheduled meeting time on the city's website at www.opelikafl.gov. When speaking before the commission, please make sure to give your full name and address for the record. There is a three minute time limit for public comments. Please adhere to the decorum policy, which is a part of the commission meeting agenda. City commission meetings are aired through live stream at www.youtube.com slash user slash city of Opelika. And Mr. Mayor, at this time, we do not have any virtual public comments.

Citizens Forum is open for those in the Chamber. Citizens Forum is open.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Damian Brown. I reside at 1110 Burlington Street. Me and my wife, Dalitha Walden Brown. I think it's kind of crazy because we didn't get informed. Nobody notified us no longer told us anything about that. Only thing we saw was trucks moving in, making dumps and stuff like that. I think it's really unacceptable. because let them take that to any neighborhood and dump through the dumps there. Not in front of my door. I got to back out my truck. I got my landscaping trailer there and I got to be bothered with trucks early in the morning when I didn't have to. And you know, I think something should be done about it. And then they, like I said, they didn't even tell us. They didn't send us no forms, no notifications, no nothing. Only thing we knew is just constructions going on. And now we hear about there's some type of everything is coming from a canal and you got oil. That's hazardous. How could you do something like that? So, you know, I just wish and pray that some be done about it. I wish I had a magic wand. I can do it myself, but I can't, you know. So that's with all due respect.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Brown. Citizens Forum is still open.

Good evening. Good evening. Um, I'm Mary Taylor, vice mayor, Kelly and commissioners and, um, address for the record. Yes. So name is Derek Gutierrez addresses 1 0 3 3 Northeast 17th way, uh, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 3 3 3 0 4. So I'm here as it pertains to the property at 1700 service road. I'm here on behalf of the owner. We are overseeing the development or future development for the owner. And so, based on the Commission meeting from last week, I just wanted to. I do have at least a paragraph here written down, which I would like to say, and then just open it up to any questions. That anybody has.

Okay, we won't read it.

So the applications for the 1700 service road project, specifically ordinances 16A1 and 16A2, along with the resolutions 15A.1 and 15A.2 were denied at the last commission meeting. It is my understanding that a commissioner that voted no can make a motion to reconsider our applications and set them for a future hearing date. We would appreciate another opportunity to present and specifically ease any concerns regarding the site's contamination. Vice Mayor Kelly and Mr. Gay explained the history of the property, detailing prior owners failed attempts to develop residential units due to the site's condition and feasibility. at the end of the meeting attending residents noted that while they understand residential development is not feasible they want assurance that the contamination mitigation process and monitoring are being completed as required per regulations we have experience developing on contaminated sites cut the contracting and working alongside the appropriate environmental professionals and agencies to ensure full regulatory compliance. This important task has our full attention and this process will leave the site in better condition than its current state. And lastly, we do respectfully request a motion to reconsider item 16.8.1 and 16.8.2.

Thank you. Thank you. Citizen's forum is still open.

Good evening, Mark Cooper. Sorry, I'm dressed this way. I was working and I heard that this was coming up again, so I just ran over here. But I did look up on the 1700 service road.

Mr. Cooper, state your address for the record, please.

6801 Southwest 75 Terrace, Miami, Florida. So I looked up the Durham public records just 15 minutes before the hearing, and the applicant still hasn't provided a Durham report. Uh, but I did want to bring something to your attention that at the last hearing at the end of the hearing, we were kind of, uh, you know, vice mayor Kelly said, maybe the city's gonna have to put up some money because of the to test the contamination. But. It turns out that here, number 4 of the agreement that the city signed with the previous owner and the new owner. The new owner agrees to handle all costs for testing and mitigation, everything like that. So. All the city has to do now is say, hey, do it. So maybe it's responsibility. Someone has to write a letter just like in this canal issue or letter to Durham saying we need to report what's the status of the site. And so we get up to ski speed what's going on where it's the last report that that was done. The record showed it was 18 months. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I don't know how to read a website and maybe a professional. I'm not a profession. Maybe I'm just a concerned citizen, but it may be a professional can give you a better report better understanding what's the status of the site. So we have good information to move forward. So the city. at the end of the day can do something called a rid of mandamus which is forcing another agency it's requesting another agency do their work and your attorney might might explain maybe i'm wrong too but this the city is a party of interest in what's going on with that because we're not collecting the right tax revenue it's been dormant for a long time and we don't have it's we don't have to accept the status quo we can do something two weeks have passed since the last hearing and nothing's been done so i know mr gutierrez is willing to do it but we have to do something to make it happen thank you

Thank you, Mr. Cooper. Citizens Forum is still open.

Good evening, Mayor Commissioners. Audrey Dominguez, 1147 Jan Avenue. Yesterday, I attended the code enforcement. Magistrate hearing, I noticed we have 9 new code enforcement officers. Well, these are the ones that I've never seen them, but I saw 9 code enforcement officers. That's great for the city. However, the majority of the citations were issued by John cook at the meeting. Several residents or business owners did not speak or understand English. We need to get a certified translator because the majority of the residents or people that go there are Hispanic, so they don't understand. I've spoken to several residents in the past and recently in the Domino, and there was a family that just purchased a home. They were really excited, but They said after a week being there, they were cleaning the house because it was dump and garbage. They were cleaning it out. And who shows up? John Cook with his badge in his hand as he's a police officer. These people don't know who he is. They think he's a police officer. So he walks right in, which is trespass. Okay. Now, I don't think that's fair. because he goes in and then he starts taking pictures all over the house and this is not the first time like i'm telling you these are this has been happening for years for years but nothing seems to happen um i also noticed that yesterday the video recording was not working or it said uh recording in progress it had been over 30 minutes okay my recommendations is Instead of going to these new residence houses and do a got you moment, why not go and introduce yourself and say, hey, I'm code enforcement. Here's a list of the departments that we have. If you happen to do any upgrades, you need to go get a permit. but this is not what's happening. We need accountability. These residents and business owners deserve better. Now, I also wanted to bring something up. Madam, Ms. Manager, and to the commission, I've noticed that every time the manager's gonna give her report, we're rushing to get out, and everybody's hungry, everybody wants to go home, and I can never hear a full report from the manager. And I know it's not her fault. But we need to make time or either push her report up or some of you guys have to work around it. But. I want to hear what she has to say, and like this just happening, we would have, we would have known that this was coming had this been brought up. Thank you.

Thank you citizens form is still open. Citizens form is closed. So going from Mr. Brown, I think he went outside without a lender to get that explained. As far as Mr. Derrick Gutierrez, you can speak to the manager or you can speak to the commission offline to see if somebody wants to make that motion. And also, Mr. Cooper, we got your letter. And Commissioner Dominguez, I'll start backwards. You're right. We'll make sure that the manager's report is taken a little more that we listen to it. So we'll make sure that we do that. And also, Madam Manager, the she talked about a translator and video, the video not working at the at the magistrate hearing. I'll find out Mr. Mayor got it. All right. Mr. May. And I'm not going to do the blaming and the beating up of our employees, but I will say the idea that she had that when a new resident moves in, we should use that as an opportunity, as a welcome and, you know, an educational moment. Because people do move in and make changes. But maybe we should some kind of develop that culture in Oka Locka where people are welcome. They feel welcome.

Yes, thank you. Mr. no, I like to make that point of commissioner. And let me tell you that I. Be out there for a couple of minutes in front of this. Oh, courthouse that we prepare every month and and I see him. And I heard that with my own ears and see it with my own eyes. That after 30 minutes, there'll be people talking and when accusation and everything in defending, they not be recording. And this has have to be a technical issue, but we had to be very careful with that, Mr. Madam Manager and Mr. Mayor. Thank you.

All right. All right. Moving on.

Mr. Mayor.

Vice Mayor.

I will just say you covered many of the points. I do hope we get a follow up from some of the things. I will just say to the former commissioner's point, I am working on some legislation because I've been hearing some of those challenges for a long time. So hopefully when it comes back, we'll address some of those concerns. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Yes, thank you. Moving on to our consent agenda, Madam Attorney, item number five.

A resolution of the City Commission of the City of Opa-locka, Florida, authorizing the city manager to issue a request for proposals RFP for a qualified consultant to update the annexation report data for annexation area A, annexation area B, further directing the city manager to pursue possible annexation options, including annexation of area C, providing for incorporation of recitals, providing for scriveness errors, providing for an effective date. This is sponsored by the city manager.

Move it. Moved by Commissioner Santiago. Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin. Madam Manager, go ahead and present, and then I'll yield to Vice Mayor Kelly.

Good afternoon. I am requesting approval to reissue the RFP for a qualified consultant to update the data required for the areas considered in the boundary change application previously submitted to Miami-Dade County in 2013. And it was identified as areas A and B. However, we are now including area C in the new RFP document. And the reason for this item is When the moratorium is lifted from Miami-Dade County, we would like to be ready, have our package ready instead of having to go out at that time to try to get ready. So that's the intent behind this item. And Mr. Gay can elaborate more should you have questions.

All right. Vice President Kelly.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I brought up my briefing and I said I would pull it. I recognize it probably has support, but I want a couple of things noted on the record. I don't like the idea of spending $125,000 on something that we really have no idea is going to come to fruition. The manager mentioned a couple of things. We want to be ready. The question is ready for what? because there are several things going on that applies to this whole scenario, one of which we already spent $25,000 on an initial annexation that somebody says to prove to me and show me what we got out of it. But we spent $25,000. Now we're going to include an additional area, which is also being proposed for a potential city, which is the central MAC. which is going through their process. Matter of fact, Mr. Mayor, can I have, through the manager, Mr. Gay, to come up so I'm not just talking, he can verify or disprove what I'm saying. Mr. Gay, as it stands right now, I get the idea we want to spend $125,000 to be ready, but is it a true statement that the central MAC is looking to become a city as a part of the same area that we're looking at potentially annexing?

Um, through the manager, Gregory Gay, director of planning, community development, vice mayor, um, as far as your inquiry is concerned, the North central Mac is looking at a portion of the areas that we are also considering as a part of the annexation. So, yes, it will be included.

Okay, so they're looking to become a city using part of that area. So that that's the 1st thing. The 2nd thing is that moratorium that the county currently has on annexation. Do we have anything that we know from anyone in the county that have said they anticipate lifting that moratorium anytime soon? I get that they want to be ready, but have we gotten any hint, any correspondence from anyone on staff or anyone in the county saying we anticipate lifting it within the next six months or eight months or five months or anything in writing? I guess is what I'm asking.

I do have a memorandum here from Miami-Dade County of when the moratorium was approved. That was in February of 2025. Basically, what they had established as a part of this document is for there be a two-year moratorium on incorporation and a four-year moratorium on annexation. If we just go by that particular timeline, we're already over a year into the moratorium time period as it relates to annexation. We have not received any documentation as it relates to whether the moratorium, it will be listed at any point in time.

Okay, so it's two year up to four year window.

Yes, sir.

Okay. So we're going to do this report or ask what go out for the. Someone to do it, and if they were to do a comeback with information, I don't know how long it would take that the report potentially could be 2 or 3 years old by the time if the county follows the same concept. Is that a true statement? Or is that a fair assessment? That could be.

It could be considered a fair assessment as it relates to the maximum time period based on the legislation that has passed as far. But there is an opportunity that should, um, as a city have a position where they would like to proceed prior to the moratorium, um, being being lifted that they can make that inquiry based on information that they have prepared to move forward with.

Okay, thank you. Now, I don't want to split words, because if you split words, we're going to go down that road totally. I know we can make application now, and the county is going to tell us, even if we had a current annexation plan, they still tell us we're not doing nothing. So having a plan, you know, don't split the words. I get what you're saying, but they're not doing anything. And they've told us in black and white, having a plan is good, but they're not planning anything. My challenge is to spend $125,000 at this moment. to have a document, to have a manager go out, get someone, do the paperwork that in two years could be outdated. Also given the fact that I'm not sure, that's why I asked for a document, if the appetite in the county is to even lift that moratorium to allow annexation, because part of what we're looking at with AB and extending the C is we wanna pick up not only residential, which I like, because that'll get us to 50,000, but we wanna pick up some industrial, which will give us business. But of course, that's a major challenge because some folks don't want to be part of us. And that's a long history. I don't like the idea of spending that much money without really some assurance. I know we want to have a plan, but I'm very concerned of spending that much money and money we've already spent. We don't really have a document that we can use as a part to go forward. A matter of fact, the report or the annexation that we pay for, we have that currently, correct?

Yes.

And what did that, what can that be used?

Okay, the information that we received from Attorney Peasey, who was basically the consultant utilized by a previous manager, it basically gave us an outline as to the annexation process based on his experience of what he had gone through with the city of Medley. A lot of this information is based on what city of Medley had gone through in order for them to achieve their annexation process being

approved uh so okay i wasn't calling his name but it's not a lot of what he did he did what we asked to do so i'm not talking about that i'm just saying the report that this commission thought we're getting in terms of an annexation proposal really wasn't that so we can't utilize it really going forward we're really going to start from scratch if you say yes sir okay and that's a challenge i have to spend that kind of money at this moment at this moment on something we hope for and then have a window potentially up to two or three years if the county decides not to do anything, they'll have a report that would probably still need to be updated. And that's my challenge. So I just wanted to put it on the record because I don't see the appetite right now changing in the county. And I think there's also a bigger fight in terms of that annexation piece that we want for residents versus what is being proposed by folks in that area who want to become a city because they need that same area to kind of make their numbers work is that correct fair statement yes sir okay thank you i just want to thank you thank you uh to mr gay and madam manager i'm gonna support in that a hundred percent

Because I've been waiting for that moment and it's going to come soon. I know they're going to release the moratorium that they have and we have to be ready. The only thing that I'm asking you is to hide the right person that is going or she's going to work together with us. When the annexation is open, we're going to go forward to Area B and to Area C. That's what we're talking about.

Areas A, B, and doing a study of Area C. Okay.

Very important area. I know that many years ago, the people from the area from 17th Avenue all the way to 103rd Street to 135th Street, all that area, they came and they wanted to be enjoying with us in that time. For some reason, something going wrong, and the administration for the great city of Opa-locka stopped. I don't want to see Opelika no more in four and a half. a square mile. Let's go out. Let's go spending all over for the places that we're serving in water, in the water. And I think that we're ready. We have a great team working here in the administration of the city. We already have in place our police department. And I think that we are a very good candidate, okay, for Dade County to be responsible for that area. So I supported that item. Thank you. All right. Mr. Mayor. Madam.

One second.

Madam.

One second. I have a everybody knows that I'm team annexation I've been team annexation since I got up here and I've been wanting to expand the city southward and westward however I will have to agree with Vice Mayor on this and what my concern and reservation is that the North Dade Central MAC is still in play however it will expire I think next year February February or something like that?

Yes. February of 2026.

I think that it might be wise for us now to hold off on this until at that time. And then at that time, you know, everything in the county is changing so we can work with our county commissioner to see what, like Vice Mayor said, what the appetite is. But I don't think 125 right now is good fiscal responsibility. So that's where I'm at. So I would rather us wait to see what happens with the North Day Central Act. If it expires, then let's revisit the conversation. But now, and you know, I'm team annexation. I've been team annexation. But $125,000 is a lot of money. It's a lot of money. That's a lot of money. We could use that for something else. Mr. Bassman.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I am listening to the conversation. We were just talking about being proactive. And so I got that part, but I'm also listening to It's a possibility that we would spend this money and the documents that we gather is no longer valid. So it's almost like a catch 22. And I want to see our city expand as well. But at the same time, I got to side with my colleagues because I don't want us to risk losing $125,000 at this time. But I do want our city to to expand text to have animation. So, that's where I am with this. Thank you.

So I'm mad. Imagine I'm asking you to defer this item. And then we can revisit it at a later date and a more opportune time.

Can I suggest something? Because as the Mayor said, we need to annex. We need more people to get it. We've all been saying that. I would just offer, because you have under your purview 25,000, that you don't have to really come to us, although you probably would, that as you and your staff think through it, if there's a possibility to look at using your authority to get some of what needs to be done as a part of this process, you could do that. And I didn't bring it up all the way total, but that would allow you to keep moving if you feel necessary or something comes across, you feel we need to move. You have that purview because you have the 25,000. You can, of course, meet with us, the mayor and all of us individually if you feel that need. So it doesn't close the door. I'm also kind of concerned. I didn't bring it up because when I see 125,000 this time of year under professional services, my mind always goes to hurricanes and disasters. um you know and all of my colleagues we all know for sure before she got into cooking food my mind always goes to trying to figure out how we're going to take care of folks in those disasters when everybody's trying to find ice and water and chicken and whatever um so i'm not opposed to annexation i just think under your purview, you could move forward in any initial steps. If you want to hire someone to do some initial legwork, that doesn't require the commission, so it doesn't stop it. But that's why I'm opposed to spending this much at this moment in the middle of hurricane season. Because once we take this out, I didn't get to it or say it, but it only leaves you $21,000 in this line item on the professional service, which we know can be used for a number of things. So I would concur with my colleagues to

Consider that, but the low hanging fruit, I think we can grab the low hanging fruit. I agree with you. So, madam, madam, madam manager.

So, yes, I will be pulling the item. Okay, the item is deferred. All right.

moving on to item number um seven madam madam attorney a resolution of the city commission of the city of opelika florida amending resolution number 25-113 to remove miami-dade county from the tri-party memorandum of understanding with community youth against violence inc pertaining to the miami-dade county juvenile curfew ordinance providing for incorporation of recitals providing for an effective date this is sponsored by mayor taylor

right um can i get a motion i'll move for discussion how many seconds was that Okay. Moved by Vice Mayor Kelly second, um, by, um, commissioner Bass. This is my item on explain it. This came up last meeting, um, that we talked about the tri-party memorandum. This is an initiative that was brought to us by police department and the city manager. Um, and the attorney didn't really make a recommendation, but she said we had to, that there was no tri-party, so we had to move the county. Right. Yeah, right. The county would need to be removed from the agreement that you previously the MOU between us and the nonprofit organization that you see in front of us. I will entertain any questions at this time. Vice mayor, you have the floor. I'm sorry.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I'm going to try to do this nicely. I got three pastors looking at me that I know. Um, but, uh, you know, I'm going to stand how I stand. Y'all know that, um, I want to offer amendment Mr. Mayor. I'll support the item. I do have some concerns of how it would work. Um, because we're taking the county out and it's kind of becoming a 2. party agreement and i did ask in my briefing about uh the training for the officers and um how it worked how we would communicate and announce it to the community um and it was indicated in my briefing that obviously because the police department has brought it forth i guess they We'll handle that part or whatever that we require and the outreach to the community to know that this is in place in the city. My amendment really is because it's, in my opinion, uncharted orders for us that we would do a 6 month pilot and then how to manage to bring it back after 6 months just to see where it is. If it's going great, fine. If it's not, it needs to be tweaked. We could do that as opposed to outright just having it out there. So that's my amendment. Because I think as you go forward, when we do it, when it hits the streets as they say our officers have to be able to deal with young people who may find themselves falling under this curfew parents have to be aware how it works and those things and because we don't really have a template of just how it would work i i want to uh suggest to you a six-month pilot um and then the management come back and after that six months and say yeah it's going great no it's not or in working with the organization here's some tweaks we need to do so forth and so on so i would offer that um amendment mr mayor to your item um and i'll entertain or listen all my colleagues anyway thank you

okay so i'll say this because there's a limit on the floor vice mayor i accept the amendment i don't mind the six month um the six month um pilot program and it allow us to iron out all the kinks get to know each other and when they bring it back the manager can let us know what the police department and the manager can let us know what's working and what's not working and we can tweak it at that moment

All right.

Any other questions or concerns? Hearing none. All right. So Madam Clerk, there's a motion on the floor by Vice Mayor to add a six-month probationary period in the resolution as the carrier of the resolution.

I don't say probation when you're talking about clerk. That's why I said pilot.

Pilot program. As a six-month pilot. Six-month pilot. I'm sorry. As the carrier of the resolution, I do accept the motion. So can I get a second on that motion?

Mr. Mayor, just very quickly before you move on, there were certain responsibilities in the agreement that Miami-Dade County would have had to have. And what I will do, it sounds, since they're coming out of the agreement, is assign those responsibilities to the entity that's providing the services, community youth against violence. So if that's okay, I'll just assign those.

What are you referring to?

specifically under 3.3 of the agreement that was passed by you all. It has responsibilities in Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department. And so those initiatives will be assigned to the party providing the services.

Got it.

Okay.

All right.

Pass it here. Go ahead. I'm sorry. I don't allow it.

The county is not out of it. The county is still in it because we went through this whole process with the chief of police on the process. The only thing the county is, they just don't take on other responsibility. But the county is the key because everything is going through JSD. JSD is still involved in this. The process is still there with JSD. So the county never, they're not out of it. The county is still in it. It's just that the county was just backing up from a certain responsibility that they didn't want the liability. But the county is still in. The county is the key. The county is the key. GSD is the key people that when there's a curfew, when there's anything, the GSD, because they also came over. We met with the chief. We met with the chief of police here as well. With the process, we're having them write what the process is as well. We got it in the literature that we get. GSD is still in the process. GSD ain't gone nowhere. They're still here.

This is the part of the whole process. Pastor, we understand. I think most of us are familiar with the county ordinance on the country that was passed. And those of us that are not, I'm sure it was brought up when it initially came. But there is a motion on the floor. It was made by Vice Mayor Kelly, seconded by Dr. Bass. Madam Clerk, on the motion for the six-month pilot program.

Thank you. Pilot program. Thank you. I don't say probation.

Commissioner Bass? Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes. Commissioner Santiago. Okay. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion on the amendment passes 5-0.

All right. And then moving on to the actual item itself. Yes, ma'am. Can I get a motion?

I have a motion in a second. Got it. Thank you.

commissioner santiago yes commissioner bass yes commissioner irvin yes vice mayor kelly yes mayor taylor yes motion passes 5-0 thank you what i will say is um thank you all for having this but madam manager um to yourself and to the organization and cheat um vice mayor brought this up i do want to make sure that there's an educational period and we said this in the meeting but i want to stress it that we are getting the word out to our parents and go to the schools the camps within the summertime but letting them know what's coming down the pipe so nobody is surprised because i don't i don't want to see our black boys and brown boys arrested so i love the intervention and you know in this but i just want to make sure that our residents are aware that we're not arresting we this is a you know a different pipeline that we're taking Prevention. Thank you. Different path that we're taking. Sorry. Different path that we're taking. I just want to make sure. I want to stress what Vice President said, that there is an educational period. Thank you all.

Thank you.

All right. Moving on to ordinances 16A1.

An ordinance of the City of Opa-locka, Florida, calling for a referendum of the qualified electors of the city for the purpose of determining whether the city charter shall be Sorry, for the purpose of determining whether the city charter shall be amended to increase the compensation for the mayor and commission members from 550. Dollars per month to 1,500 dollars per month, providing for an effective date. 30 days following the conclusion of state financial oversight stating the referendum question stating the text of the proposed charter amendment stating the date on which the referendum will be held providing an effective date for the charter amendment if approved providing for severability providing for an effective date this is sponsored by the city commission

All right, can I get a motion? Move it. Moved by Commissioner Irvin. Second for board. Second by Commissioner Santiago. Not a manager, oh, it's sponsored by the city commissioner. There's no discussion. Oh, okay. Simply, I guess I missed the word. I'll take the lead. Simply put, we had a charter review board meeting that meant charter review board that had several meetings and what they came up with was to increase the salary For the commission from 550 dollars per month to 1500 dollars per month, providing the conclusion of the financial state oversight simply put. So this is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. Any questions? I guess the commission that you all want to discuss this item. I have one.

Thank you. I just want to say that. I want to say thank you to the child review board and those who. Had the voices and really dug into what we do sitting here. Um, we work 24 hours a day. And yes, we're all up for election. We don't know if we'll be here or not here. But I'm going to support those because those who comes after us deserves it because we work hard. And I'm quite sure that they will work just as hard as we are.

So I just want to put that on record. All right. Madam attorney and the manager into the commission. My only concern with this, and like she said, the people that are coming behind us, I just want to make sure that they're taken care of. We do work hard, but I would like to remove the financial oversight portion of it. Because I think the commission does work hard. And also, is there a way that we can put in here that allows the commission every 2 years to revisit this? I guess with cola and vote on it as an ordinance.

I would have to count the words. You can only have so many words. And so in doing it, do you want a separate document or is it? No.

Okay. So I want to remove the part about effective 30 days following the conclusion of financial oversight.

You got that part.

But I also want to leave it where the commission has the ability to cost of living raise. Things are going up. The commission hasn't had a raise in over 20 years.

Oh, so do you mean that once it passes, the commission will then decide additional raises following this? Following, yes. Okay. Every other year, you said? Every two years. Every two years. Okay. Okay. All right. Well, I will come up with some language and see if I can squeeze it all in there and make it legal. Okay.

Yes, sir.

Yes. I want to ask the question again. I'm supportive of the item because in some cities, and I know previously where we've uh entertain this and i brought it up but we didn't really go that route um because some cities actually tie compensation to the cpi and other factors it automatically triggers it based on certain numbers or certain criteria Like, it does other things. So, while you're looking at what the mayor's suggesting every 2 years, whatever, and the only reason I'm suggesting the concept, because when you bring it back every other year, it can become contentious. If it's tied to a barometer already that's tied to the CPI or some other economic factor, it would require coming back before the commission because it'd be triggered based on that. And let's say if the CPI, we said, okay, we're going to follow CPI, but it has to be at least 10. Okay, if the CPI for the next 20 years is 9, nothing happens. If it goes to 12 or 13, it would trigger an automatic whatever. I don't want to make it that technical, so I'll just, but the reason I'm saying that, because it's kind of like dealing with water rates and stuff. Once you got to revisit every It becomes contentious, so I'm seeing your body language that that probably would be a lot more challenging given where we are. So, you know, I can go along.

It's going to take another that will be, I think that would require another 1st reading. Don't don't don't different, but okay.

I have no problem with the, with the mayor is suggesting. I just. you know, wouldn't want to put that on future commission. That's the reason I suggested that. But if that's too contentious, we'll, you know, the wording that he's referred, I don't have a problem with that.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I will say this, Vice Mayor. So I thought about the CPI as well, because a lot of other cities do do that. But it is it's very complicated. It's very that's why I said COLOG. I think it would be a little more easier, but CPI would be good.

yeah yeah okay i will work on this and the language and have a language in the for the second reading okay okay so there's that um what we need to make a motion for that

Madam?

Yes, sir.

Okay, so the motion that I have on the floor is, it's a two-part motion, but I guess we'll do it one by one. So the first motion is to remove providing for an effective date, 30 days following the conclusion of financial oversight. So I want to remove that. So that's the motion that I have on the floor. Can I get a second?

Second.

Oh, Commissioner Urban. All right, Madam Clerk, on the first motion.

Vice-Mayor Kelly.

Yes.

Commissioner Santiago. Yes. Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes on the amendment.

All right. And then the second amendment, am I the attorney going to help me with the wording? I want to allow for every two years that the commission can vote, the commission can vote for an increase. i think that would be the language okay all right so that's the motion on the floor can i get a second on that second second that's no good i'm just saying that language don't sound as popular as cpi that's why they do it that way but i understand why we gotta do it go ahead mr mayor

But if we do, if we do complicated to do that, I require actually an additional and that would put us further behind because this has to get to the.

To the election, so all right so the motion was made on the floor and seconded by commissioner urban madam clerk on the motion.

Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes.

Mayor Taylor? Yes.

Motion on the amendment passes 5-0.

I said there are no more concerns on this item. Madam Clerk?

Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Commissioner Bass? Yes. Mayor Taylor?

Yes.

Motion passes 5-0. First reading.

All right. Moving on to the next item, 16A-2.

An ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Opelika, Florida, calling for a referendum of the qualified electors of the city for the purpose of determining whether the city charter shall be amended to provide that the mayor and city commission members are eligible to receive health insurance and life insurance to the same extent as regular full-time city employees, including the same employer-paid contributions, eligibility requirements, and benefit options available to such employees, providing for an effective date, 30 days. Following the conclusion of state financial oversight, stating the referendum question, stating the text of the proposed charter amendment, stating that the date on which the referendum will be held, providing an effective date for the charter amendment, if approved, providing for severability, providing for an effective date sponsored by the city commission.

Okay, um, can I get a motion movable second move by commission Santiago second by, um, commissioner. This is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open. Hearing none, seeing none, public hearing is closed. Madam Attorney, I do have two amendments for this item as well. The first one is the removal of providing for an effective date, 30 days following the conclusion of state financial oversight. I would like to remove that. And also, I would like to mirror the first item that allows that every two years that the commission can negotiate vote on, I'm sorry, vote on their benefit package.

But then... So it's not going to be the same as all other employees. So are you saying you want... I was about to... I'm getting there.

So I said, but then I do have a question because when you talk about benefit packages, is it the employees of the city or the employees of the commission? Because...

It's employees of the city. Right.

But also employees of the city... And I'm not saying this is what we're requesting, but there are some employees that get gas cards or some employees that get cars, take home cars. So what that benefit packet, that's what I'm asking.

You probably, I know the clerk has done a lot of research on the, in the manager on the benefit packages. So I can't speak to those, but the intent from the, both the charter review members that were there and the commission members, when you all had the workshop was, was that it would be like all other regular employees of the city. I think even the word regular may be in the body of this document. In terms of what the enhanced benefits are, the manager would have to speak to that or the clerk.

I yield to Vice Mayor, but I do have- Mr. Mayor, I know you weren't here because I had the same kind of concern, but I think the challenge we have, because we did it based on all the other employees, so we have to mirror that. If something were to change as a result of that, we'd follow that same course. That second part about every two years on this, I would not want to support that because that would make it too challenging because we say we want to follow the same mirror of the employees. And I have something out with employees, insurance or whatever. Then we would get that same whatever that they get.

I'm not trying to cut you off, but what I'm commenting on is the latter part of that. So it's the same employer paid contributions, That was the benefit I saw. Because insurance is not the only benefit to employees. I think the manager understands what I'm saying.

I do understand what you're saying, but for this item, they were only referring to the health insurance and life insurance benefit.

But that's what I'm asking. Can we add that the commissioner can also negotiate on benefits, not negotiate, vote on benefits, other benefits that employees receive? That's what I'm asking. Just to add that in there because there are other benefits to our employees.

Well, the commissioner has the authority to determine, as you all do every so often, you vote on the benefits package that's recommended by the manager, right? So that wouldn't change you'd still have the authority to vote on you know what those packages are after you you normally have a third party do a review and they determine which plan is best and then they come back yeah it's not about the health part it's the other benefits so there are other benefits that our employees receive outside of health but you you always You still vote on those things too. But it's not in the legislation. It doesn't matter. You still have that right to vote on those things.

Madam Attorney, but this legislation speaks to health insurance and life insurance. So I want to be able to add that all other benefits. Oh, I see.

So in addition to health and life, you want it to receive all benefits received by all. Now, the issue is the regular language had been in the body, like I said, of the document. Do you mean all regular employees or... I think other employees would be employees like the manager and the clerk. They may have a higher level benefits. So, what are you talking about? The regular employees?

And then I'm talking straight across the board, whatever benefits any employee gets in the city of the commission at that time will be able to discuss amongst themselves and say, hey. We want black chairs as a benefit. Hey, we want white paper as a benefit. That's what I'm saying.

This still would be regular employees, right? And you know what you may want to do, Mr. Mayor, because I don't want there to be something where This passes and then it's a lawsuit because somebody says it wasn't clear. And since we have not had a chance to workshop what that is, maybe now is the chance to ask the people who know best what all those other things could be that would be in the world of Benefits because I don't know that and I don't want to write it in a way that excludes or you understand what I'm saying since we haven't talked about it. I just want to I want to be on point.

That's what I wanted to be a very open. Yeah.

So all benefits, but it's related to regular employees. Correct? Yeah, regular employees. Okay. All right. Contractual in other words, it would be the contractual employees will be the regular employees. Right? Okay.

But I'm sorry, but even the contractual employees, the benefits that. Because they get a car and they get car regular employees versus contractual employees are the same. They know they're not. They are missing that.

We're talking about the commission about the regular employment.

It's us regular employees are and maybe and I would appreciate if the manager and the clerk could jump in. They've done a bunch of so regular employees.

We do have some of our employees, of course, the police, they have take-home vehicles, which is in their PBA agreement. We have our public works employees that all of them don't have a take-home vehicle. Some of the supervisors do, and even them, they have to pay a percentage out of each pay period. As well as some of our code enforcement officers that live within the city, they have a take-home vehicle, but they also pay a percentage. All of our employees that has a city vehicle have a gas card. So, I'm not sure if that's what you were referring to, but yeah, that's my point.

All there are other benefits outside of health insurance that employees qualify for. So, I just want to make sure that the commission that's coming behind us has that option to receive all benefits, not just some benefits. So that's why we put that language that all the commission can qualify for all benefits. That is received by an employee. I don't know.

You got to work for every category of employee. You want to you want it to read you want it? So I should add some language that would be including contractual employees and supervisor. You know, I should we should. So it's clear. If it's challenged that that's what the intent was, I just want to make sure it's clear. That's all. So, I will write it and I will come back in 2 weeks and you can see if I capture it, but I would try to write it as expansive as possible. So that it captures the, you know, the, the, the realm of everything that could be under the sun. Thank you. Mr. mayor. I.

I appreciate the energy. I wouldn't support that because, to me, that's going to make it too challenging because when you get into cars and vehicles and a level of it, who has a Tahoe versus who has a truck? The reason I would support this, the health and the life, because we've seen here, some of us have been sitting here, what has happened with some of our former colleagues, where we were not even positioned to do anything as a city. to help them because of the way things are and the city at this time people don't realize it we don't get health insurance we don't get life insurance so all the labor we put here if you're here four years eight years two years whatever and something happened to your family will get a resolution and a car, maybe a flower. And I think that is very unfair to someone who would give up themselves in public service. I am for the health insurance that is based just like the regular employees get because the managers provided us that analysis. I'm in favor of the life insurance the same way a regular employee gets because I think that's the minimum we ought to be able to get. now there are layers of course obviously you want to get the different tiers of plans but that's not for the purpose of the document i i appreciate what the mayor is saying but i think that would make it a lot more challenging trying to figure out which way and presenting it and legal challenges i would support as this listed just the health insurance And the life insurance, just like the regular full time city employees, and I'm really, you know, and I've been here a long time and I know it's challenging and people sometimes look at think that we're getting what we're not getting. I can almost see it. Mr. Mayor. If we get a truck. Or even a gas car, and they see us at Murphy's my tax dollars, et cetera, even though we're all on call 24, 7. You know, when something happens, we got to come and do it and we take on that as public servants. But I think the minimum we should have is at least the health insurance component and definitely the life insurance. And I know that's here. The charter board talked about it. We obviously spoke about it. The manager has given us the analysis and it would be included as a part of the budget. So it's not like something that would come out of. somewhere be included if it goes to the voters and passes. But I think to do what you suggested, what I kind of like, I think at this time would be much more challenging considering you've taken the language out for the whole 30 days of oversight. I think that would send the wrong signal and the message. But I wholeheartedly agree that if you serve in this capacity where one fall away, one health scare away, one fall away from not being able to serve and still have no life insurance. No, no, no. And that's a sad commentary. And we're talking about folks coming in the future. If you got a family and you give yourself a public service and something happens and you don't even have anything that your family can fall back on, You know, you're talking about a GoFundMe cup that that's really challenging to me. So I appreciate what you'd like to do. I wouldn't support going that far because I think that would be too stretching. I would agree with the whole financial 30 days as you had in the other one, but I prefer to just leave the health insurance and life insurance, just like the regular. uh full-time employees like it's listed that's my thoughts i listen to my colleagues um before we of course call for the vote thank you thank you mr mayor i concur with vice mayor i think we should take baby steps

um let's let's do the health insurance let's do life insurance and take baby steps because we don't want to put our seed in a bind financially because we passed something that we cannot financially um afford um at this time so i concur let's do this first and then we'll take baby steps and i just want to say for a record i wasn't advocating for us to get cars no whatever it is

the whole benefit package that the commission would be allowed to vote on it.

That's all I was saying.

So, but yeah, that's what I was advocating, just giving the commission the ability to make that decision for themselves going forward. But I agree with you all. And I'll pull back. Like I said, the next commission, we want to make sure that they're set. To the clerk, the motion on the floor was to remove the language about the financial oversight, providing for an effect date 30 days following the conclusion of financial oversight. Can I get a second on that motion? Second. Second by Commissioner Irvin. Madam Clerk, on the motion,

Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Commissioner Bass? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion on the amendment passes 5-0.

That's the only motion that we're going to pass it as is. You can go ahead and call the question.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Commissioner Santiago? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0, first reading.

All right, moving on to the second item. I do want to say before we move on, shout out to our explorers that just joined us on this evening.

Big shout out, y'all.

Madam Attorney.

And ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Opelika, Florida, amending Article 3, Section 22-55 of the City of Opelika's land development regulations pertaining to site plan application, specifically amending said section to add new letter E, providing for severability, providing for codification, providing for an effective date. This is sponsored by Commissioner Santiago.

All right, can I get a motion? Move it. Second. Move by Commissioner Santiago, second by Vice President Kelly. This is a public hearing item. Commissioner Santiago, go ahead and present it, and then we'll open up for public hearing.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And thank you for the opportunity to bring it. This ordinance to help. What's going on? What we try tonight is to help a group of business people that they be operating here in the great city of Opa-locka when everything that we require, when everything that we are telling them to do, and they lost everything that they have in their life for 25 years working hard in that area. We came with a lot of ideas before, and for sure we cannot help these people economically because we don't have the resources to do it. But at least we can do something for them, and it is giving the opportunity in an emergency to reopen the operation that they have. That's the only way that they have to survive today here in this world that is very hard to create in another position or in another job to bring the support to the houses. In any other seven or eight business that they be damaged by that accident, by that tragedy, I call it a tragedy, It's people, it's family for the great city of Opa-locka that they're dependent on them. They're dependent on these businesses. And today they're passing through a lot. And the only thing that I want to do is giving a hand together with all my colleagues to make them know that we are here for you like the way you are here for us. We're here because people putting us here. And I believe that they deserve to be helped. Tonight is gonna be the decision of everybody here in this chamber to have the initiative together with our department of building a license and community development to give it a chance in emergency the quickest we can to reopen the business in Cairo Lane. Thank you.

This is a public hearing item. Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed.

Thank you. I want to 1st, command my colleague for I know you try to do before, but it wasn't the timing of it and I had asked the clerk. I know she mentioned it to him or not that I wanted to co sponsor the item. Going forward. I also wanted to just put on the record as well. I know we had scheduled hope to have a workshop, but we weren't able to have that. I did meet 1 of the business owners last week because I said, I always like to have some kind of progress in a plan. I know this will allow them to do certain things to get going, but I recognize it's a longer process and they still need resources and help going forward. What I did is I reached out through the county mayor's office to their Miami-Dade Emergency Management. Representative, which was miss Maggie and David and had a meeting with them and also loop the manager and on it. And they were going to be, they're going to be reaching out to all of the effective business owners to let them know what the small business association administration can do. to help them as well because everybody's situation could be different, but they are going to be reaching out to them. We finally got all of the contact information because that was the first step in the process, so all of them should be receiving calls from them. As a part of that, as I said, the manager's office is looped in at some point after they meet with all of the affected business owners and get a plan together of possible ways to assist them and direct them in getting resources. The next step would, of course, be to convene a meeting with the manager and hopefully we can set in such a workshop where all of us can be a part. Because in addition to the legislation that my colleague proposing, which I think is a good step and a first step, we want to try to tap into every other resource that miami-dade county and or the state for that matter because as she mentioned when i uh met with mr uh stigberg i think his name is that there are certain things throughout the state of florida dealing with the small business administration that potentially could be tapped into. I don't like to give folks false hopes, so I told her to please reach out as she's talking to the individual business owners to see their individual situations, how that they can best help them and to assist them in whatever the city could do on our end. Obviously, through the manager's office and the commission, we would do our best to help them going forward. But I definitely wanted to put that out there to know And I look forward, I want to thank Mayor Carver's office, Ms. Melanie Burke, for kind of being in the forefront of helping us make that connection. And to my colleague, Mr. Santiago, for taking the lead on the item, which I said, like a co-sponsor and moving forward and whatever we can do to assist the business owners. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

All right, thank you, Vice Mayor. Commissioner Santiago. Yes, sir. I, too, would like to co-sponsor the item with you, along with Vice Mayor and everybody wants to well thank you to all my colleagues because i think that you understand to be a co-sponsor together with me to help with them thank you very much right um i will say vice mayor when you if you don't mind when you all meet with the county to include the um one i lobbyist so that we can tap into fema dollars to see if they have

I was trying to get too deep into the agencies because all the agencies throughout the state and local that could potentially and also when we get to that point, the manager's office obviously will be at the forefront and I'm hoping to set it where we could even be a part. But the key, the first step is for them to talk to all the individual business owners to assess their particular situation because I kind of threw out different. She said, you know, once she Once they assess the needs and what they can help them with, then they're better able to which way to go. And I kind of threw it out there in a sense that that means state help going forward.

Mr. Mayor, let me say the last thing. I want to say thank you to Vice Mayor Kelly, okay, for all this wonderful idea. To you, Mr. Mayor, and to my two colleagues in DM, Commissioner Irving and Commissioner Bass. I hope they understand what we say because that's a beautiful conversation.

idea what they bring and i think we're here for helping you thank you and i'm glad you said that because that's my next thing that i would like to do um madam manager in in real brief can mr gay explain the item so people sure because that's okay so people know what it actually is and what the city plans to do and then what we can do is

Probably they're going to need a translator that we don't have here.

Either Ms. Gross, can you translate for us? All right, Madam Manager Niemeyer. So just a brief description, Mr. Gay, of the item. And then we'll call the question right there right? Okay.

Mayor commissioners Gregory gay. I'm going to be reading section. E, the new section E, for this particular section of our zoning code, which deals with site plans. Um. It says for any property impacted by the fires that occurred within the city of between the dates of. May 26, 2026 and May 29th, 2026 property owners will be allowed to submit a temporary use application to be effective for 90 days for a 90 day period. We got a translator.

That was it. Just give us the brief. What can you do and what can't you do?

Just give us that. Basically, you can do a temporary application for 90 days.

Impacted property owners will be required to submit a site plan, Los dueños impactados o los dueños de propiedades impactados van a ser requeridos de someter un site plan, un set de planos para poder aplicar.

Application pursuant to the section within the same 90 days.

Esto tiene que ser parte de la aplicación dentro de los 90 días.

And what would this allow that's what i'm trying to get you to say this, in essence, will allow them to do a temporary facility.

Is to allow for me to give up give up a poder open art and put them in the in the facility that or in the property.

But please stress miss Adelina that once this is not today, so it has to go come back to the Commission for final vote and then they have to go through the application process.

This is not a resolution that is happening today, it is an ordinance, it has to be read again in the next meeting and then you will have to submit the application.

And then also I would like you to say that Vice Mayor Kelly will be working on a town hall meeting to educate, educate for what we're doing here also other

Initial funding sources outside of the city. El vice gobernador Kelly está trabajando con algunas entidades fuera de la ciudad para también saber qué fondos están disponibles para ustedes y ellos van a hacer una reunión para poderles pasar la información y proveerle cualquier tipo de educación que sea necesaria para que ustedes obtengan los fondos en el futuro.

And then also that we've provided their numbers to Miami-Dade County, who will be reaching out either via phone or letter to make contact with the business owners.

And we thank you for your patience. All right, so we can go ahead and call the question.

Wait, okay, so this is what we're gonna do. If you have any concerns, we have Ms. Gross and Mr. Gate that will take you outside and explain in further detail and answer any questions that you have. You can find them outside.

Mr. Mayor, Ms. gross has the information that I sent to you. So you might want to have whoever may have it, because that's important to know those contacts too. And you can also, I'll make sure the commission gets a copy of those notes as well. And let me just say for the record to Mr. mayor. I know I may hold something, but it's really gonna be all of us. Um, not just, I mean, I know what you're saying, but I was trying to, I want to do in such a way where all of us will be apart and can no, no, no. When you said town hall, I want to be clear that it's all of us, even though I'm just trying to facilitate it because I reached out.

Got it. All right, so we can go ahead and call the question and then move on to the next item.

Commissioner Santiago?

Yes.

Commissioner Bass? Yes. Commissioner Irvin? Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly? Yes. Mayor Taylor? Yes. Motion passes 5-0, first reading.

All right, last item, 16B1. We have an item?

An ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Opa-locka, Florida, renaming Rutland Street from Opa-locka Boulevard to Vermont Street as Progressive Firefighters Association Street, providing for conflict and repealer, severability, scriveness errors, and an effective date. The first reading and public hearing took place on June the 10th, 2026, and this is sponsored by Mayor Taylor.

All right, can I get a motion move move by vice? My Kelly 2nd, 2nd, by commercial Santiago. I present the item simply put, we know the progressive firefighters association has been in the city of for over 40 years and has poured into our city. So I wanted to reward them by renaming a portion. Of Rutland street after them as progressive firefighters association street, and that will go from open like a Boulevard to Vermont, which is the street that runs parallel to the actual. um the meeting center yeah so this is a public hearing item public hearing is open Public hearing is closed at this moment. I entertain any one moment.

There are certain things you have to do under your code of ordinances. We did share that information with the manager and let me just pull it. There are certain things you have to put on the record for your according to your code of ordinances. And I just want to make sure you all have those things. I'm sure they're all done.

What are you referring to?

You have a street naming ordinance and there are certain things you have to do. The staff has to confirm that there are no liens or whatever. It's in your code, like whenever you do a street naming. And we did share it after the last meeting. And I just want to make sure it's on the record because it's required by your code.

What do you mean liens?

make sure hold on one second let me just um there has to be a public hearing what you've done and you also have to before it's approved there are certain things that you have to have okay so hold on one second

Miss Ashley Walker, you wouldn't happen to have it handy, would you? Okay.

All right, here we go. Let's see. I apologize. I just remembered, but, um, okay. Naming and renaming procedures. here here it is i have mr kelly madam attorney i'm a little confused we i've been up for six years we i've never go ahead because i i'm only i'm gonna tell you it's in your code so um it's uh section 19.28 review and recommendation um whenever you name a street or rename a street um any person whenever a street is whenever a name is needed for a new public facility or street or whenever there is a proposal to rename an existing public facility or street within the own with within or owned by the city said naming or renaming shall first be considered and reviewed by the city commission according to the following procedures Any person, organization, association, corporation, or other entity, including a member of the city commission or the administration of the city may propose it. That's what you all are doing. And prior to the vote, this is the part that I sent, prior to the vote on the item and after presentation of the ordinance, which has been done of said proposal, the commission shall meet to consider and refer and review proposals for the naming or renaming of said public facility or street and shall be given permission to all person or entities which have the proposed name of the public. The Commission shall consider the cost that changing the name of any street will have on the existing property owners that may be impacted. Commissions shall also consider whether any outstanding liens are owed by the person under consideration for the name change. There shall also be a discussion that one or more of the following minimum criteria can be established prior to passage of any proposal for the renaming of a public facility or street. One, whether the name presented for renaming or the event represents a person or event of national recognition, significance, and importance. which i think the mayor you have established and whether the name presented for renaming has contributed in a significant way to development and progress of the city and its residents and so that is in your code of ordinances and just putting it on the record mr mr mayor one second the challenge that i have madam attorney i've heard everything you read i guess we checked all the boxes

Madam Manager, is that correct? It is correct. But I just would like to know why you waited until today to say it versus reading one. Right.

No, it's before you, I've shared it, but it's before it's voted on finally for the final vote. So it will be today. This is the time that you would do it today. And so I didn't want to do it in this way. That's why I shared it in advance. But I'm just letting, with staff, I'm letting you know. Yes. You're copied. I can give you my laptop and let you see it. This is it. I'm sure these things will be met. I have shared them. It's not my fault. This is what your code says.

That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying, in all transparency, Madam Attorney, something like that is important. So that could have been a phone call when we could work through it and something. Because for... Let's just say we were not able to do that tonight and it's more technical than that.

I have shared it. You have it. I sent an email. This was done a couple of weeks ago after the first meeting. Mr. Mayor, it's not a major deal. I'm just putting it on the record.

The major deal is because if you said it's that important, like you said, it's that important. It's just from your code. That's what I'm saying. It's just communication. Just speak to the call. You're going to say, hey, this is

Mr. Mayor.

Commissioner Santiago.

Thank you. Let me ask you a question to the city authority and to the Madam Manager and even to you. We live here for a long time here in this city. We already changed the name like for five of the row. And we don't even really change the name. We only put aside next and say Barack Obama Boulevard. Well, that's perfect. Why are we now in this time of year 26 here in the great city of Paloca, we have so much problem to do something that we're doing in the past?

I don't understand that.

Information, they don't call us. What's going on? This is something that we're doing before. And there's only going to be a portion of that road there to honor the place they've been there like for 45 years. I don't understand that. Why they don't bring that to us? We're wasting time now tonight in the same thing. But we do that before. It means we do it illegal before and nobody's suing us because otherwise then we can be sued. Nobody's suing us. It means they're a great city of Palatka government. They can't honor anybody in the history with a little piece of name there in the street. But I see Dade County and other cities doing it. There's always something here. There's always something that I don't understand. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think that we have to go for the vote. All right, we can move on. Yeah, move on. First of all,

Mr. Marius, your item, obviously we support it. I guess the only question I have, and I'll just ask the question, was there a need for you to read that out? Is that part of what you had you all have to consider? I just yes or no. Were you required to read it out?

No, it's just what you have to consider and I wanted you to know what you have to consider to in order to vote on it based on your ordinance. You can take a vote. If somebody, I just want you to know this is what it says.

You know, it's your item, but I'm on. I highly respect you, Madam Attorney. You know that. But to me, we're majoring in the minor because I see it in the legislation. I see it, Chapter 19, Article 3, everything you read, 19-29, I see it. My only question was, I thought you had to read it in the record publicly. And if that's not the case, wanting us to know it, it's there. We could have asked in the briefing if we weren't clear. So I'm just saying, did you have to read it?

It says that you must consider these things. And so I'm just bringing it up to your attention.

You have to read it.

For you to consider it, you have to put it on the record that somebody considered it. That's what it says.

Well, it's in the legislation. I'm just, it's the mayor's legislation.

I'm gonna back off. I think it's a wonderful, I think this is a wonderful ordinance. I'm just putting it on the record. That's all. I'm just doing my, trying to do my job.

The challenge that I have, you've never done this before. And I don't think you're coming from a nefarious place. I saw it. But we've named streets and buildings because I've been up there, but you've never took the initiative to read the ordinance. Well, the record says almost...

I saw this and I was bringing it to your attention.

Not your moment, but I don't know. I'm hoping that's not what it is, but that's what it seems like. It's not. It's never happened before. Okay. So we can call the question. We can call the question. All right. Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Bass. Yes. Commissioner Irvin. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelly. Yes. Commissioner Santiago. Yes, yes, yes. Mayor Taylor. Yes. Motion passes 5-0. All right.

Moving on to the city manager's report.

Good evening mayor commission. I did submit my report to you guys in writing, but I will, I would like to mention a few things that's listed. Carol Lane and Northwest 127th Street drainage and roadway improvement. Paving operations have been completed throughout the project area with the exception of the intersection of 127th Street and Carol Lane. A contractor performing underground utility work on behalf of struck a city water main at the intersection resulting in a water main rupture and localized flooding. The incident caused damage to recently installed asphalt pavement and underlying roadway based materials within the project limits. A permanent restoration plan is being developed to address the damage roadway infrastructure. Upon completion of the evaluation, the proposed repair work and associated costs will be presented to the City Commission through a, I'm sorry, for consideration. We are also gathering the necessary information to send to our City Attorney to see if we're able to pursue the recovery of the damages as a result of that occurring.

before you move on and I'm glad you brought that up because that was my concern because this is not the first second or third time that this has happened and it seems to be a recurring issue and a recurring theme in that area but it's also not fair to the businesses and the residents they were days without water they I think it was almost a week they had low pressure no some water some had no water some had no water Some had low pressure, some had no water, because they had turned it off. And I can attest to that, because there was no water at the business.

i just want on that point you can obtain it but yeah it not only was the pressure low because when you call me but for some residents they didn't know that was the issue like it's going to take time to get back up so if you've been without water for a while because we turned it off to do whatever um the communication that is going to take You know, 5, 6, 7 hours for you to get back. They don't know they're still thinking that there's no water. Um, and I mentioned this to you as well. How we recoup. I see you said you're going to send it to the attorney. Yes. Um. But I guess the question I would have to the mayor's point on the subject. What can we do proactively going forward? Can we require maybe a set aside amount as a part of the project scope costs for that? That's something I can speak to the city attorney about to see if that's something that we can... Well, I want to propose looking at that because it keeps happening. And I know you mentioned sometimes things do happen, but it is recurring. And even to go recoup You know, I'm questioning if they're going to fight it. We didn't know. And so I want to look even proactively and say on the front end, there's some dollars set aside in case of a break, in case of, and because some of these areas we know they probably because the pipe is old or whatever. So I'd like to look at that as a part of that discussion or when you send recovery costs going forward, if we can put something in legislation. Well, these kind of projects, I don't care who it is, uh. Going forward, so that probably is a separate item, I guess, but you can work on that. I'll sponsor it or whatever, but yeah, on the front end. Because it's going to take a while probably to get. recoup, but yet we've had to already put employees out there, we got to pay them all the residual costs. To the Mayor's point, we need to get the money back, so meet with the attorney on that, but also proactively put something in place that allows a line item within that scope of the project for breaks. If no breaks occur, everything goes fine and you can get it back or whatever. Uh, but I think that would go a long way and how we communicate, because that was the other thing. And I think I mentioned to you, I think miss, um. I think it was actually someone was in a meeting with 1 of the 1 of the, um. Effective residents, and they got no communication because they don't do social media and I know we posted whatever. So, I don't know if that means the robocall read, whatever. We can do that, but, you know, this is 1 of the residents, for example, in addition to on the East side of town, it was also 1 of the residents that we service in Miami guards.

Yes. So that was a separate 1 from.

Well, I mean, but they all, you know, my word out my word out. So, how we communicate to them, keep in mind, just putting on social media, the robocall, because we should have a number for all those folks that are affected in that zone. All of those things, so people will know because some people just don't know. And like I said, putting a line item. In that particular proposal, when folks are doing stuff. That we can tap into and you all can suggest whatever that might be.

Okay. So the city, the city was impacted by several water. Outages within the last 2 weeks. Yes. And 2 of them happened as a result of a contractor. Doing work to a facility on 27th Avenue, which impacted Miami gardens and the city of and this happened twice in. Within days, we have also sent communication to that contractor that's performing that work that they are responsible for our staff time. That was our staff hours that they were out there and the loss of water because there was a lot of water that was lost. So when that occurred, we were getting calls. We were definitely getting calls. We did make communication with Miami Gardens because some of their residents were affected. We posted it on social media and then we also sent it out by text my gov. But we just, we have to encourage our residents and customers to include their number to register for TextMyGov. Because if we don't have their phone number, then it's not going to reach them. But we did send it out. We did send out communication via TextMyGov also. And we did get people that did call as a result of getting that. They just wanted to know when it would be back on. So we were handling those calls. Um, the contract that wanted to turn the water off again, I sent a strong communication to them that that will not happen. They would have to do whatever work that's needed. At night, 1112 o'clock, whatever it would take, because we cannot put our customers, our residents do that again. So they, they comply with that to make the repair.

Okay, and then my, we can move on. We can move on. But how long will it take? I think that's 147, right? One of the projects, which is the Carolina 127.

No, the one which when you talk about 147. Oh, the developer.

Yeah, that's the one I'm referring to. That's the one that affected the senior citizen. Yes, that's the one the commercial. That's Yes. That's all I was telling you. Some people have water and some people did. Yes, you're absolutely correct.

You're absolutely correct.

How long will they be, when will they be finished? And that's a two-part question. And do we have an MOU with that? Are we doing with that or is this breakout?

No, that's them. They're responsible for the entire project. We have nothing to do with it.

Okay. So I think we need to reach out to the county's public works department or whoever's handling it. That's going to their public works department? No, not you.

It's not their public works department.

It's someone else. Yeah.

The housing developer. They have a developer, a contractor that's doing it. Okay.

Developer. We need to know the time frame. Yes. Okay. Because this is literally every week. Yes. And the water mains. And I know it wasn't just on Opelika side. It was North Miami because our side is North Miami Beach. Red and white. That's North Miami. And it was the same situation.

so i we might want to yeah yes we will definitely um reach out to them between mr gay and mr austin reach out to them get a timeline to see when they're going to be complete and i'll make sure i pass that along to the commission all right thank you all right we can move on okay ingram park improvement in burlington canal sidewalk improvement activities are approximately 98 complete with the restoration efforts currently underway to address the remaining areas Stabilization work along Burlington Canal Bank continues to make progress. Improvements have been achieved to date and the contractor remains actively engaged in completing the remaining work. The finance director, I'm sorry, the finance department continued their efforts on working with the external auditors to address and provide information and supporting documentation as it's being requested for the audit. The finance director, along with myself, we met with BCA Watson Rice LLP on June 15th, 2026, regarding the city's efficiency audit. During the meeting, the consultants requested additional time to complete their review and prepare a comprehensive status update for the city. A follow up meeting is anticipated to discuss their findings and recommendations. However, as of today, I have not received a follow up date meeting date. In addition, we have representatives from Tyler on site in the department working with our staff to transition to the new software. Of course, our finance department will be the first department going on active with that software. And that's supposed to take place on July 1st. With regards to the summer youth employment as of today, we have 11 participants that have completed the job readiness training, and they will be starting their work assignments at city hall and. The parks location on June 22nd, we do have additional students youth that are going through the process. um this year we have received a large amount of calls because of the documents that they're asking for so miss walker have been communicating directly with career source to try to help facilitate the request so the kids so we can get the kids on board because we've been getting a lot of calls regarding that program this year

Is there a way for them to come on site to do maybe Monday, Tuesday from 4 to 7 you can come in with your documentation and they are doing it on site. Okay. Yes, they are. Okay.

Yeah, they are doing they have to bring it here.

All right. Perfect.

And also, Miss Walker did inform me that we only have 3 recipients for the scholarship awards.

All right, so with the three recipients of scholarship award, can you, can we one, have it next week? And two, the remaining have we done in the past?

No, yeah, I have something else to say about the scholarship. May I? Okay, so what we have to be very careful with what's happening is, as we know, some of our kids go to college on scholarships. So what the colleges are doing when we send the the award to the colleges, they're keeping that money. The children are not seeing the money because they're saying that we gave you a scholarship to come here for free. So anything, any monies that come in your name, we keep that because we're not.

Sorry. I thought that we changed that. You brought it up a couple of years ago. Okay.

I just want to make sure last year we did it directly to the student. No, we don't, it's payable to the school, but we give it to them in their hand. Because the problem was that the school wasn't receiving them.

But I think what commissioner urban, I said, yeah, it should go because I thought that's what we were doing. It should go to the student. It should as long as they would say that they're going to college or not, it goes to the student.

I thought that's what we talked about it because I brought it up last year, but I didn't know if we made the change. That's why I'm here again, because I know students that it's happening to. They keep that money because they said, we're giving you free education. We need it. As we know, our kids need refrigerators, bedding. They need computers.

They need stuff. I do know it came up last year. When it came up last year, we made the change so Because at 1 time, the city was sending it directly to the school and they weren't getting it was a delay. So, what we did was, we stopped that and still made payable to the school, but they would have in a hand and they would take it to the school themselves. But now it's so.

Yeah, can I just add something because it's happened where we tweaked it because of what was going on. And because the challenge for some years ago was we were giving the check to the kids and they weren't going to school. And so that's one reason why we flipped it back to go. But like Commissioner Irving is saying now, because the schools do that, they get the check. So I'm not sure. which way to go because they do need it. So maybe we can say, okay, we're going to give you the money for the scholarship and some kind of mechanism required because as he's indicating, if they've got a scholarship or getting money already, they may need refrigerator or microwave. We're trying to help them. So I'm not sure which way is best to do, but I know if that check is in the name of the school, the school's going to get it. Then it's out of our hands. So to my colleagues and I'm...

Before you, I think we, I think we did, we required them to be accepted into a two or four year university or college.

And once they have to show it, then, right.

Yeah, because I remember that came up as well.

We had to have that.

Okay. No, I remember that. But what I'm saying is, to the point, if the school gets to check, the kid basically don't see it. And so it's kind of defeats the purpose of what we're trying to do. So I don't know what the medium is outside of maybe, you know, I know a lot of these kids had a thing before they go away, they need this and that. I don't know if we can go that in deep or depth, but to me that might be more amenable because kids may need stuff if they're going away.

I think that if I may, I think that once they prove to us that they have an acceptance letter to whatever college, I think after that we give the scholarship, it should go, the check should go in a kid's name. They are accepted. They have acceptance to the college. So we know that they're accepted to the college and it should go in their names opposed to definitely not to the college because the kid's not going to see a dollar.

um and i'm gonna make it even more complicated um we only have three and we have put we put it back out i mean has it been out more than once it's been out twice okay so we only got three we've set aside five so right now using our formal concept that would be what 1500 each or something yeah To my colleagues, and I guess it could be a test pilot case, is it possible, or maybe it's a managerial question as well, to maybe 1,000 go to the school, the actual check in the name of the school, and 500 go to the kid, or just do the whole 1,500 and just hope for the correct, I mean?

I'm not in agreeance with a dollar going to the school, because they're going to keep the money. because our kids are probably getting some kind of financial aid or they're getting something. So any, and I'm speaking from experience, my goddaughter's college kept over 15,000 of her dollars that she got in scholarships that went to the school.

Yeah, and we had it happened. I don't remember the students name because they were complaining that we sent the check, but they never saw the money to Roni's daughter. Yeah. And it was it was an issue. And they fought and fought and fought and fought and fought, but it never came with anything. And happened a couple of times. So Madam, Madam Manager, I'm going to propose that you bring forth legislation. You're shaking your head. I think in the past what we've done is we brought legislation to um remaining of the funds to so going forward it was done okay so I'm to write the check to the child fifteen hundred dollars I agree what does our current legislation say

I would have to pull it.

I don't have a problem going to the child. It's just, let's just say it's the school. We need to change it. I mean, that's just, that's an easy change.

So we check it before anything is done because we still have to bring it back to the commission for you guys to award it.

Well, it can come at the same time.

We'll check. And come the same time. So put in there so we don't have to do this again, that at any moment, if you don't get the number of scholarships, that the remaining will be divided amongst the awardees, something like that. Because we do up to $5,000. Yes. And then it goes to the child. Or give them the choice. You can take it or school. Give them the choice.

You give me a choice. I'm taking them. Exactly. Exactly.

All right, but that's that's why I'm there with it. But I hope hopefully, I would like to see that next meeting because we also a lot of our students are and we had this issue before we waited. We did one time we did it like almost August. And we had to try to get the money. So can we bring it by next meeting with those changes? And then what we'll do is try to move it up early so that we could like we always do vote on it. If it passes, then we'll present at that time. We'll pull the item.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I don't have anything further.

All right any questions to the manager on her report? Mr. Mayor.

Of course, I submitted some things that the manager is already working on, but 1 other item, and I guess it's, it goes to some of the areas that are not necessarily. In the city, but they're part of unincorporated. which encompasses district one and or district two um the area i'm referring to right now is the area um along northwest 32nd from 135th to 119. um i see a face expression on talking about but i think that's district two correct Have we reached out to them? Yes. And what has been the response?

So they would come, they would pick up, but then they get right back. So we're constantly sending emails to them because I'm constantly riding by and I'm sending to Mr. Carney and I'm copied on the emails. He's sending them, he's making sure Melanie Burke is copied on there and they'll come and pick up the items.

But don't district have like a cleaning program because most of them have clean program.

It's not done.

It's not routinely done. So it's not part of their. Have we requested that? I mean, I don't we request to get it clean, but can it become a part of their. District 2 meeting, whatever program they do, so it can make sure it's in the loop as opposed to us having to call. Because it seems to be, like you say, just reoccurring. Yes, it is. And the other question that we suggested to them, cameras or something, because some of that is like so obvious of... dumping and whatever no we have not suggested that well you can ask is i mean they can only say no because it's reoccurring and although it's district two and or not our total responsibility in a sense people coming into the city and or leaving that's still a reflection on us so if you could at least make that request um and hopefully we'll get some um traction on it I know it did get pulled past with the trash receptacles and things of that nature of where they're going to be going, et cetera. If you could get us that list initially, because I know it's going to be phased in over a period of time so that we can at least be aware of it. The other items I'll send to you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Mr. Mayor, if I may. Madam Manager, I know we spoke earlier about the summer job program. Please, after I left your office today, I got another call from another residence that they received the email, but it's been four days and nobody's called them or anything. And in the summer, we're in at the end of the second week of summer. You know, camp even so to stay on that, like, right there back.

Yes, we are. And if you have that contact information, please give it to us. So, Miss Walker, she's, she's speaking directly to them on a regular, because we're getting those calls as well.

Okay, I'll send her the, I think it's like 3 of them that's been calling me that I'll send to her. Okay.

Okay. Thank you. And that's why I suggested that career source because we all got those calls come to city hall. And we put it out that this is the documents you need. They come to city hall and they register and hire right now.

Well, they're going downstairs. They're not getting help. They're not, they're getting the run around. So that's why they're coming to us and we have to intervene.

What's the difference? Talk about that. What's the difference between this and last year?

They have different staff. That's the difference. Okay. Yep.

All right. All right. I'm good. Only thing I will suggest, Madam Manager, because I'm very concerned about all these fires that seem to be in Opelika. And it was like one right after the other. um i don't know if we can talk to the fire department maybe do some kind of assessment or investigation because i don't think these things are random and i told you that because it happened over here in cairo lane and then the very next week it happens again in a similar style junkyard the same way so i'm it smells like arson to me smells like arsenic to me. And this is not the, this has happened like the fifth or sixth time. It's been a lot this year and it's always the same style. So add that in your report because I know you're adding something to do and we'd like you to reach out to the department on that. All right. Any other concerns or questions to the manager? I will say, Madam Manager, thank you for the hurricane presentation that you did in the other room. It was awesome. We have some residents that came out and got the bags. And I know that Brandon has a lot of bags left over because y'all ordered a lot. Moving on to our, we don't have any official board reports. We can do mayor and commissioner reports. Commissioner Bass, you want to go? All right, I'll start. Mine's on the financial oversight, but you already answered my questions, so I'm good, but I am eager to hear about the efficiency audit findings. And I'll go, so quick announcements. The City of Opa-locka Police Department is having a community meeting tomorrow right here in the chambers. with our own Chief of Police, Dr. Robin Starks, and the Assistant Director for Department of Community Service and the Director of Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. So that is tomorrow at 6 p.m. So come out and learn what we're doing in our criminal justice system. That's right, Chief? Okay. Also, starting this Friday, we have UHI that will be doing mobile dental services at our there'll be parks. What mobile dental services is gonna be here, right?

No, it's a historic City Hall.

The address is not here. The address is not here. Mobile Dental Services. But in order to use it, you have to pre-register with UHI Clinic, which is right here at 870 Fisherman Street. And they will sign you up. The only thing that you patients must not have dental insurance, proof of income required, and must meet the poverty guidelines. So if you need dental, you can go there. also i want to invite everybody out to the rose titus prayer garden ribbon cutting which is thursday july 2nd so that is next week thursday july 2nd at 6 p.m and on that same day as we do monthly you know our city has partnered with um our tax collector's office mr darriel fernandez and they bring we started bringing government to the people so they'll be on site um for our t connect so driver's license renewals id renewals car registration renewals um donor restriction handicap permits and anything that you need you can get it here and it'll be here from nine to four on next thursday as well um vice mayor thank you mr mayor um i guess because i put in a report the manager tried to um get ahead of it um

The fiscal responsibility and accountability, as the mayor mentioned, you said you're waiting for a response from them now on an update. Okay, yeah, we need to really stay on that. Of course, the Ingram Park playground installation. What's going on with the Ingram Park playground? I know there was a slow up because we're doing sidewalks and stuff like that, but what's the holdup on the playground itself?

funding. It's a funding. I did speak to budget to see where we can get that from. They are looking to try to find some funds, but it's the funding. It wasn't it wasn't a part of our budget. Madam Manager, I'm sorry, Vice Mayor.

I thought I thought it was a that wasn't a part of

no we got we had um sherbandi and we had seagull park we didn't get anything for ingram park but this commission passed for playgrounds for both parks

because we knew for that was covering Shabandi and we did not want anyone to be left out. And you was able to recapture Shabandi because that was about to be whatever. So I get that, which we never cut the ribbon by the way, but that's a story. But the idea, I mean, it's Segal, but the idea, of Ingram, we knew we had to do funding or have funding because we needed to do it. We did not want one. Now, originally what my understanding was, because we were doing a lot of sidewalk and some of the repairs of the concrete inside, that delayed it. And I see the improvement on that. So now you're telling me it's a straight funding.

Yes, it is. It's a funding issue. Um, it's, it's not lost. We are trying to put it apart about budget amendment that we're submitting to the commission, but it's definitely a funding issue because it was never budgeted. And I'm going to move this meeting fax on my college and we're going to do a briefing moment here.

That 125,000 dollars.

Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

The assessment, I see, but here's the point I'm making you're saying that now residents and hear that. I mean, they didn't know that. Because if you had to pass that, what are we going to find on 25,000? You're going to take it out of that line item and left 21,000. I'm saying the residents. Over there, because we say we're going to a playground. And we've got 2 new playgrounds, beautiful. We need a playground, so I am suggesting to you that. Carol, wherever you're going to instruct, that's fine, but that playground needs to take place.

Yes, it's going to be a part of the budget amendment that will be coming to the commission. Whether it's from community development or somewhere else, we are putting in the budget.

That's long overdue, so we need to get that playground. That's why I brought it up.

Would that be this fiscal year or are you looking at next fiscal year?

It's going to be funded in this fiscal year. Budget. That's why you said a budget amendment.

Budget amendment. Yeah. Yeah. What? No, we're good because I just want to know.

No, it's this fiscal year budget amendment. If it was next budget, then I'll be proposing in the next upcoming budget. And I'm not next year's budget is going to be tight. So we're going to try to put it in this year's budget.

And then my next question is, oh, I'm sorry. Is this something that we can actually do in this budget?

Yes. Yes.

Oh, okay, well, that ends my question. Go ahead, Michael.

Okay, and I know it's tough and tight, but we passed this a while back, and we're going to get a playground done. And so we need to get it done as quick as possible, whatever. So that's why I had it as an update, because we knew we didn't initially budget it, but there's no way you could do playground on one or whatever, not do the other, and we passed legislation. for all of our playgrounds to be done so i'm glad to hear that look forward to coming back uh the city events and initiatives you uh sent that to us like two minutes ago or when did you get your submission 253.0 In the parking lot, and I know that I was far spent, so I haven't looked at it either. I only am referencing it because obviously, if we move forward in the budget process, we can see which way we're going to go, what the commission is going to sponsor or not, because the dollars are going to be tight. I'll look at it because it was something that we had asked you, the clerk, to go back and revisit.

and advice me with regards to that policy um like i put in the email um we're willing to meet with you individually everyone individually or collectively because we do know that we would have to go through it it's not okay well i you know i prefer you're going to collect it but i'm going to prefer um individual and i suggest that and then if you want to do collectively

But we need to do that going forward anyway, because we're right at the budget. Process, and most of the things dealing with the event policy, if we're going to change it, or what we're going to do will impact next year's budget. So we need to. So you did submit it last minute. Okay. And so I look at it and, of course, the budget town hall, you did send something out.

Um, I'm going to have to propose additional dates because the date that I propose is not good for everyone.

So I'm giving, I'm going to get, you know, I know it was bad for me because I really was trying to get a budget town hall in as well for the community. But obviously you need to meet with us before you can. Get that far and I know we're under some time constraint because our budget has to get to the state by August 1st. So, I don't, I guess we'll wait on the new proposed dates, but I would encourage. After your individual, have you met with all of us individual? I have. Okay. So now it's just a collective meeting. Okay, so hopefully you'll get a date that meets all of us, because that's the other part going forward, the budget town hall. I know for Meet Me Monday in July, I'm going to still talk a little bit about budget. stuff from the angle of the property tax issue and all of that as well and that potential impact even though it's potentially a year out if it passes so that's um good to uh to know so i guess from now on i'm gonna put all of them under here you'll have more answer every time you get to the i didn't answer all of them no no you gave the information i'll go through it but um thank you for that also um the Prayer that we're still doing every 1st Wednesday is going to take place July 1st at 1205 at the prayer garden. The mayor did mention the ribbon cutting. I have a lot of. heartburn on that but i'll speak to you again individually on that um event or whatever that's supposed to be because it seems to be kind of moving target and also july 2nd we're going to be doing farm share i did mention the mayor mentioned and i know because of the holiday they moved it up probably to the second we've got the reverse situation because farm shares during their audit On July 1st, so they had asked us about the 2nd, which we agreed to. Um, and we had submitted, I know we put in for the. You know, building all that good stuff, but that's the reason why I had to switch it just for this month because they're doing their own audit at farm share and couldn't accommodate July 1st and rather than have our folks miss out. on the opportunity for receiving the items. That's why we agreed to move it to the second, same timeframe, et cetera. So I'm gonna try to maybe have some flyer reminders, but you might have people kind of showing up or calling your office or calling the clerk for that matter, what happened to farm share. Because even though we put it out, for a different date you know some people still may not remember for the second of um july uh i will stop there because there's lateness at hours so commissioner can give her report thank you mr mayor i'm sure still it's going to be the same location just missing the date so i know you and when i was my assumption you probably moved yours because the holiday but it's not probably you could just go from one to the to the other

Thank you. I don't have much time here. Okay. Please come out for the 4th of July celebration, which is on the 4th of July at Ingram Park. Look forward to everyone coming out having a great time. Thank you to vice mayor for the partnership that we did with the Juneteenth celebration. It was really nice. Enjoyed it. And bingo for July, didn't wanna cancel it. So I changed it to July 17th. Yeah, I did a point of privilege and I moved it to July 17th. So we have to change it or cancel to July 17th. I'd rather change it. July 17th and Commissioner Bass, after walking on Saturday, I sat on my porch to get a breather and I was like, oh, look like they're having a basketball game or something over there today. i completely forgot charge it to the brain not to my heart because i would have been there um i was just so glad to get a break till i'm so sorry i missed it but i'll i'll catch the next one i'm sorry yes i saw her i saw i saw don't leave out the dress girls do what girls do thank you but i had a suit on

We'd like to call we'd like to leave out, but I just want to say that we want to keep we had we lost 2 of our residents. Um, well, the ones that I know of 2 of our residents, I'm a Shirley Kemp. Whose services will be this Saturday at 11 at Royal funeral home. and then the other one is mr russell riles whose services will also be us on saturday at 59th street um pentecostal church and these are all of our residents and we want to make sure that we're keeping their family in our prayers Kirby White. Yeah. Oh, and Mr. Kirby White.

We have another resident. I don't know the name, but they're right on Purvis. That was last week, Sunday, I think. Right on Purvis. When you leave our houses, you go to the left, that house on the right-hand side that we probably all put signs on their yards during campaign season.

I just want to make sure we're keeping their families in our prayers and sending strength to them. So thank you all for that. Can I get a motion?

Wait, wait, wait. I left out one thing. I did do a breakfast of appreciation. Thank you guys so much for coming for our employees. And I fed the police officers on Father's Day breakfast. I did.

That's it.

I think you did that on purpose.

Oh, can I get a motion to adjourn?

Move by Commissioner Irvin second by Vice Mayor Kelly. This meeting is adjourned.