City Commission - Special Meeting

Call this city commission of the city of Poki to order at 6:05 p.m. May we please stand for the invocation provided by Commissioner Mc Commissioner McFersonson senior followed by the pledge of allegiance. Dear heavenly and gracious God, we just come to you with bow our heads and humble hearts. Father, we ask that you just give us the wisdom, Father, that your Holy Spirit just lead and guide us as we conduct the business of the city. Father, we ask that you just put a hedge of protection around this city. Father, we ask you to just protect our law enforcement, protect our citizens. Father, Father, help us to work together in unity. Father, that your city will be a city that sat up on the hill, Father, that would be pleasing in your sight, Father. And we commit the city of Poke into your hands in Jesus name. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Roll call. Madam clerk. Mayor Bab, present. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams, present. Commissioner McDonald, present. Commissioner McFerson, present. Commissioner Scott, present. Interim. City manager present. City attorney present. City clerk is present. Thank you, madam clerk. Thank you, commissioner. Thank you, staff, and most importantly, thank our audience for being here today to participate and witness our deliberation of our city commission meeting. Entrance city manager at this time, do we have any additions on emergency basis? Any deletions or add-ons? Not them. I have two.

Okay. I have two I like to make. I know she have any but I wouldn't any addition this this in addition. Yeah. Add-ons for the agenda today. No the commission itself don't add on. You can oppose to add your agenda item which would be further down. We can't add on not at the not at the particular agenda. Not at the particular meeting. I'll put it that way. Manager, city attorney at the beginning. The reason we do that is

we don't want to give information out that wasn't publicized. This agenda would publicize and say this is our agenda. Okay. And the city manager city manager. Okay. Hearing no additions or deletions, I'd entertain a motion for the adoption of the agenda as presented. I move that we accept the agenda as printed. Second.

It has been moved by Vice Mayor Williams and properly second by Commissioner Scott that we accept our agenda as printed. Call for questions. Hearing none, are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madame clerk. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams, yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Commissioner McDonald, yes. Commissioner McFersonson, yes. And Mayor B.

Yes. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Commissioners. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Next, we have presentation, proclamation, public service announcement. City clerk, at this time do we have any uh comments card completed by our residents on agenda items? No, sir. Not for this section. Okay. See, we do have one presentation. I have our engine city manager introduce Mr. Bones. John John Bones.

Yes, sir. Uh tonight we have Mr. John Boon of the Blue Ox, a red cap company, and he wants to do a presentation to the city about the possibility of using the marina. So, he's here to do a presentation. John's not present. Come on. Come on up. Do your presentation. Hi, my name is John Boon. I'm the director of marine operations at Blue Ops. Um, we are a u a military um drone company um based in Utah in Puerto Rico. We also have headquarters here in Palm Beach and also um up in uh far up in Maine. Um we do some uh we manufacture aerial drones for the modern day war fighters and we are getting into doing a marine oriented drone basic boats now. Uh they're actively um in theater in the Ukraine and so we are bringing the manufacturer into the United States. Um we have a facility also in Valdusta, Georgia and uh we would love love to uh utilize the access to the Okachobee with the Pogi Marina. Um these boats are no bigger than 26 ft and they are um basically uncrrewed, unmanned surface vessels, what they call USVS. Um, we would like to uh set up like an observation uh situation where we can test these uh boats and um and then run them back and forth between Palm Beach and Boi

and we would love to sign a year round lease for multiple slips and maybe some uh couple campsites to put a u like an RV observation type office there. Um these will be not armored at all. That gets done at a different situation. These were just the the maneuverability uh and the commissioning of these boats until we sell them to the uh to the Army and the Navy in the United States. So there'll be a um just a a flow of boats utilizing the boat ramp, a couple slips, and then um a northern campsite. Um, so we're just here to uh introduce ourselves and to um to see if we can work something out with the town. Um, we're willing to lease it year round, both the campsites and the marinas. And for the next, see, five years, we're going to be building these things by the thousands. And this gives us a great We like Okachobee because it's quiet and not very crowded. It's off the It's off the radar. Uh where we can test these things without without many uh you know, I would say interested parties that would come in and kind of want to check it out. I mean, they're they're they're not they're they're not uh evasive to anything. It's just they're very interesting looking. So, if we did these anywhere around Palm Beach area or Jupiter area, I think we'd have a lot of interest in people just kind of coming in to see what they look like. Um but besides that, um

what size are they? They are 26 feet. You can. And they're very low profile. They're very small. Uh they're not noisy. They're actually very stealthy because we want them to be. Um, you can see some pictures of the ones that we have over in this is in Portugal where we test them now for the Ukraine uh war war efforts right now. Um, for the sake of my ignorance, what would be the benefit of an operation like that coming to the city of Pokei? And also would there be any opportunities for local uh labor?

Yes. Um in the beginning we would we would certainly be interested in uh security 24-hour security and also um the benefits we would shop locally. We would get a uh our clientele are are mostly military. Um, so we have a a pretty good flow of Navy dignitary coming through. We are actually renting the uh marina conference for later February for a couple days. We're bringing in some uh some investors and some uh admirals and etc to kind of put on a little display of these boats off the marina in the 27th of February, I believe. Um, so we would be renting that so we would get revenues from our leases. And if we could get some uh some youthful like doc help, marina help, that'd be great to help us maneuver the boats, uh, like dock hands for for sure. Um, that's just the beginning really. just um as we grow I don't see our footprint really growing but uh here but we would certainly we would love to have you know youth be involved you know they can catch the boats they go out and be a part of the the the ground team the operations team that launch them bring them back drive the drive the trucks just be a hand that'd be great

when you say youth um are you speaking of like maybe school age or Yeah. Yeah. Uh young adult would be say dock hands in the marina.

You usually get um you know the summertime school helps in the in the college age and also for recruiting into the military. 90% of our company is veteran and we're all vets and active duty and retired military. So, it's uh it would be a very uh good education on the modern day uh Navy. It's getting more technical every day. So,

so when you say lease, you're talking about just releasing I mean renting a cabin space I for for your RV and you say at least a marina and I was just trying to make sure I'm getting clarity on exactly what you were saying. Yes, we would love boat slips and just we would love to rent u at least eight slips in the marina for the and then at least I don't know what the size are the campsites but maybe two or three of the northernmost sites. Okay.

Um we would supply you know I understand there's no utilities right now so we could certainly have water and a generator for now but I understand utilities may be in the future for those sites. When you say utilities, I think electric and No, we have electric for the slight. Oh, for the northern lights. Okay, great. We should have Yeah. If not, then we we work around

depends on how far he's going down to the bottom. Well, we'll make sure that the ones he rent would be the furthest north that have electric and sew it. So, that shouldn't be an issue.

Okay. Yeah, I think it would be personally I think it would be a benefit to the city. You l you leasing boat slips and campground sites. So, I don't see a a real issue or problem there at all. And we

we'd certainly be uh interested in probably multiple times renting the uh the Marina Conference Center. Also, I didn't even know that exists till Peggy told me about it. Uh we were think we were going to ask if we could maybe put a tent in uh trailer bathrooms at the northern campsites to do this event in um February. And she said, "Well, why don't you just rent the the conference hall?"

So, perfect. Absolutely. Are going to do that. I got to ask um I'm sure being that you already have this operation um going that you guys have your insurance and everything so as to protect yourself as well as the city from any liability that we might have um come into. I think that both steps require a million dollars in showings per vessel. It seemed like a whole lot, but it's really not an expense in showing policy.

No, we have policies. Absolutely. Right. Um, like I said, we we're we're a publicly traded NASDAQ company, so we are u we're properly financed, right? The what's the purpose of the drone that you what's the purpose? What would what purpose would you be serving on the Oktoia if I phrased that question right?

It's it's the B it's the as crazy as it sounds it is the modern warfare uh everything is unmanned and drone driven um so right now the aerial drones are are very much happening in the Ukraine and that's basically what's keeping Ukraine from losing and uh the marine side of it or basically the a complimentary arm to the aerial drones is the boat drones. So when you have boats and aerial all working together, very small boats can take down very big boats nowadays. And that's that's that's what's happening in the future. So it's a we are just right now just going through to commission them and test them. They go through their certain uh checks and uh just a very small area out there. They run certain controlled um navigation sequences.

I'm saying what type what type of data would I mean would you be gathering with those with those grones drones? I'm sorry. at this it's this the speed basically you set out a uh a like a arena out in the water let's say a a five mile box okay and then you set certain way points they call little points all in between and then you say go and the thing just they just go to each one of them so they're not gathering any data or anything when you send the drones out to these different stations

no no they're not collecting data they they could be used for that for uh OSHA or port security or for um right now the uh you do send out drones in the Ukraine to uh basically find that they have jamming buoys that jam signals because everything is you know Starlink the uh it's a new way of getting TV and internet they can jam that. So that's how it's uh they can they can zone in on the jamming devices. The Russians have big buoys out there that jam and they go and blow them up. But uh no, they're not. Uh they could do it, but that's not the purpose that we're doing it for. Basically, port security [clears throat] and they are the best vehicle to protect special forces manned crews with unmanned vehicles around them. I know you said that um this is a military oper operation. Correct.

It is not a technically a US military. We sell to the military. Okay. So, we're a private company that is we get paid by the military for our products. Um 90% of us are ex-military in the company. So would you say that um you you have no competitors or

we do have a a couple competitors in San Diego and um believe it or not Baltimore, Maryland. They have uh unmanned vehicles also. And it's a it's a it's it's it's becoming more popular because it's the it works. It's the new wave of warfare. So we're playing catchup in the United States. So you will see more and more and more people showing up to service the need civilians. You mean excuse me? Civilians. Civilians. Mhm.

Do you understand most of our uh technology is uh is civilian kid basically youth young brilliant kids that can program all this technology is very high. It's it's it's almost like gaming coming to real life. I'm just trying to make sure that we're not going to be put in a position later on. Um if I can just speculate with regards to anything that might render us uh in a position where we need to defend ourselves or

Oh, no. No. These are just these are boats just basically going through their waypoint. Remote control boats is what what it is. Um we're not quite there like the matrix and all that [clears throat] it's coming in the future but uh where they're right now completely a man h a person has to be driving these boats they are not a computer driving the boats so there is fail the American military will not allow a computer to drive war machines it's illegal at least today. Hopefully it stays that way for a while.

I have a question. I know you said you're you interested in coming to Pokei because it's a quiet area. You can get done what you need to get done and you're looking at maybe a year to 5year lease. So, we do have fishing that takes place here on the marina certain times of the year. Will that affect cuz I know you say you're going to have your boats out there. So, will that affect um when the fishing is taking place? Since you guys are going to be using the marina, you need to use the water for that. Is that going to affect when um there are numerous of people out there when you guys are doing your testing or are you going to be doing your testing at certain times?

To the to the local fishing uh people. If there's a tournament, certainly we talk to them and say we would we would prefer to do this where the fishing is not very good. you know, we would not if they say out in this zone, you know, catch fish out there. That's fine. That's what we'll do it. Um it's these are going to be basically right out in front so we could observe them and uh they would be running through their paces until they we commission them and then we [clears throat] we send them away and then bring in another fleet fleet of them. It's a basically a test center we would like to set up here. Um [clears throat] is close to us in in West Palm Beach.

What have been your closest location to Pokei? Have you signed up at any other marina anywhere in the United States? We are going to when we have to run ocean uh ocean drills, we're going to go out of Fort Pierce uh because the inlet is short and very close. Uh yeah. No, my question is, have you had this operation any other city other than Pokei at this point? No, this will be the first location you're doing this at. That's right. We just brought this uh we we we have a facility in um Portugal, right,

that we run out of now. That's where all these pictures came from. And but now we are just coming to the United States. So boat number [snorts] one we have in Palm Beach and we've actually had it out on the lake two times last week and do it at the very beginning of the test and so we don't have any place up and running yet. We will in the future we will have a very similar situation in San Diego and also in Bohobi because the Navy is big in San Diego. We should be on that coast with them also. Okay,

Mr. Bloom, I have a question about how many hours a day would you need to, you know, use for the testing? I would say we would be there between nine and five during the daylight hours for sure and maybe five to six days a week in a perfect world. Um right now we are we do one day on the water and then we are in the shop fine-tuning the technology for days. Um but in a perfect world we would love to have be out there for four or five hours a day. My my only concern is and I don't have a major concern, but if we go into a lease agreement, I would hope we don't do it no more than a year on the first term so we can at least see how this operation is, make sure we don't get any major complaints from our residents in the community because we haven't really personally sought operation uh in effect. But I think as far as the economic benefits to the city, it would be great. And I certainly want to encourage that. But I don't want to go on uh record as saying I'm in favor of a fiveyear lease when we don't know how this operation is really going to work and how going to affect our community. But I'm certainly uh welcome to look at this and and work with you on that. And not I'm going to say myself but the commission itself we would definitely want to

be cautious be optimistic. Yes ma'am. Oh I'm sorry. Bernardet Norris is appearing by phone and she has she would like to address the commission about some of the legal issues that concern the state. Yes. Mr. Mayor. Yes.

Yes. Mor commissioners. Um just wanted to highlight that this is a little bit different than your uh regular like facility use agreement. This would require in my opinion um that you reach out to Brad Richardson or whoever is in that position um with the Bureau of Public Land Administration Division of State Lands. And um this sounds like it would be more akin to a subleas agreement of some sort. Not only would you have to get um their sub lease agreement, I don't know that we would necessarily be able to do this directly with the um gentleman's company that's here. And it also sounds like they're doing something in the in the water as well, which screens that there needs to be some communication with the um Florida Water Management District uh and to to really get an understanding of exactly what because we may not be able to give the permissions that um they're asking for with respect um to the to the waterway and and so I wouldn't want that to be um you know any kind of um a liabilities that that's later put on the commission um where we're agreeing to something beyond the control that we have. So just want to uh make sure that the we are communicating with the um the state and uh and they're involved with this uh any kind of issue. not only the sensitive nature of what could be um you know he's talking about military operations and although they're not the military they contract with the military and there's all these other things I mean we would not want to independently be in the middle of anything that um the state didn't know about was happening

there from from that aspect as well so we need to fully um envelope the state in this and make sure that we are communicating with them if if this commission wants to go forward on on this. So, Senator Attorney, would you be reviewing the contract so we'll be able to see what's the uh extent of its operation so we can then have our entrance city manager forward whatever information we need to communicate with Brad Richardson uh to make sure this would be a uh proper util utilization of our marina.

Well, Mr. Mayor, I wouldn't even know what to put together in terms of a sub lease agreement without the state involvement. Meaning, they have to approve this type of um issue. and they would probably similar to what they did with the uh with the other agreements um that we've looked at with them, they'll probably want their own um format of a subleaf agreement because we are not the lesser. Um and so they would want to have their own agreement um which would include um or may include uh the the rental payments, the insurance issues. Um what happens in the um uh in the event of you know the quiet enjoyment of the youth, the assignment issues, the right to inspect um issues dealing with indemnity and um whether they're uh there's a a breach and how do we deal with that? the utility fees. Um, uh, you know, there are a lot of different issues. I'm sure the state would want to, um, you know, probably use their own. So, for me to create something, I would need to know what the state is saying the parameters are in order to do that. And so, that's going to require some communication with the state um, in advance. And so the manager would need to reach out to Brad Richardson or whoever his replacement might have been or maybe and and get from them, you know, a green light. And then after that, um, you know, we could go on and try to create an agreement that they could either later review or that the state gives to us and tell us to stay within the framework of that because it's not our property.

Incorrect. And that was the um the intent is Mr. Boon came in and sat down with us with the CED director and I wanted him to come and present before you all and based on what your guidance was. Then we would move forward making sure that we, you know, covered everything we needed to cover in addition to get more information and getting approval before we proceed with anything. But as the city attorney said, make sure that we cover all those things that need to be covered, you know, before we do any type of agreement. It's my understanding anyway that it's just a presentation. We we didn't even get to talk about contracts. So, but that's good information to know and you know for you to be able to go back and consider as well knowing what parameters you need to operate within with regards to your request that you're making to the city.

All right, Mr. Bloom, thank you so much for your presentation. Okay. Thank you very much. We'll be in touch so that way we can see where to go from here. All right. Great. Thank you. Thank you.

Now, we'll move to our consent agenda. We have two items on our consent agenda. The December 9th, 2025 city commission meeting minutes and the January 6, 2026 city commission special meeting minutes. I'll entertain a motion. I move that we accept [clears throat] the minutes for the December 9th, 2025 city commission meeting and the minutes for the January 6, 2026 commission meeting, special meeting. Are there a second?

I'll second. It has been moved by Commissioner Mike Fearson and properly second by Commissioner Williams for the adoption of the consent agenda item. Call for question hearing none. Are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madame Clerk. Commissioner McFerson. Yes. Vice Mayor Cowen Williams. Yes. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner Scott. Yes. Mayor Bab.

Yes. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Commission. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Now we'll move to old business. First is the discussion of and direction of the commission for the business of the quarter. The rotation for the business of the quarter and lawn of the month. I did indicate at our last commission meeting I know uh the clerk mentioned about the businesses the quarter.

I was thinking he was referring to the gold hammer and nails would be quarterly. I think we have enough businesses to recognize a business of the month

that would only be 12 a year. We we we have plenty business and not only will it be for profit business, it can also be a nonprofit. So we have the opportunity to at least recognize them, give them some conf uh exposure and then let the public know that they are here and we will be supporting our local business as much as we can. But go ahead.

Yeah. So when the item was brought up, um that's why I asked you if it was okay to do quarter because it's a repeat. So, typically there is a repeat, but if you want to put that back to um business of the month, we could, but when I asked you did say it was okay for Yeah, I was thinking that was uh I just kind of misunderstood you, but I think we got enough business invoke if you take the regular profit and nonprofit at least have a business of the month. That's only 12 a year,

so that's not really that much. Eventually, you may end up doing some repeats at some point in time. I have uh our interim kind of lead in this discussion. She's trying to get some information on how we want to go about doing uh the process and how we're going to rotate it. I was informing her that last time what we did is rotate it among the commission. We end up choosing a business of the month each one of us on one occasion for one month. For instance, I may be the first and the vice may be the second one. And just along the uh agenda as far as the names listed on our agenda, the the rotation would be that way. I would think that a suggestion. Do we have a criteria that we're going to follow or do we just choose a business? And if we do, uh, can we all be provided a list of the registered businesses in the city?

So, historically, um, you guys just choose and, um, we can get with building planning and zoning and they can provide the information to you. Yes, it was placed on the agenda as at the request of the mayor and what he basically wanted to do was we didn't want to choose months for you all because we don't know your schedules. So, he was looking for a rotation for you all to decide what month you want to be responsible for, who was going to do the business, who's going to do the lawn, and then uh from there you all um would decide, but like you're saying, we can provide you with a list of those businesses that are registered in the in the city if if necessary. But that's why it was on the agenda to have you all decide, you know, how you want to rotate the schedule.

Okay. But I'm I'm focusing on the criteria. How are we going to select? That's something for you all to decide.

We don't I mean did you all have a criteria before? This is an item of the commission but to um historically there was no criteria. They just select a business. Let's take a picture. That was nice. So mayor, you have any recommendations? This was

I don't I think Miss Clark is correct. We didn't have in the past any particular criteria. All we did is just on a rotating basis chose a business that we felt that could give recognition to and we gave them an opportunity to uh present themsel and talk about briefly their business operation. So it's nothing was nothing. Uh I mean if we want to add any type of criteria we can do that but in the past we had any type of criteria because I can see what the lawn you can ride over and you can see what the lawn looks like but I can um understand Commissioner McDonald's question as far as the business selections. But again that's up to how you all have to decide. But with the businesses, I mean, I would just take in consideration their involvement with the community, what type of service they provide to the community, and different things like that. Um,

that's all fine and good. All I'm saying is if you want to detail it more, that's fine. And it needs to be documented, you know, because how can we be fair if we don't have a standard that we're going by? That's all I'm saying. What's that? Because what's going to be happening each commissioner is going to have it's not going to be a a group thing. I think the way we did it the last time each they just had a rotation list. This month I might do it. Next month you might do it. Next month the mayor might do it. Just a rotation list. I see what you're saying. We need to have a criteria.

Yeah. I'm not I'm not saying that you don't. if we going to do it. Okay, let's make make it democratic. We'll take a uh head county who feel we need to have a criteria of for selecting our business of the month. That's a requirement that we have a criteria. I got a suggestion. Um, Commissioner McDonald, would you like a criteria for us to review and do it?

We can do it. I mean, why should it be our responsibility when we all are going to be making the selection? I mean, we'll put out we give our input on to have a workshop on.

We can now now we're talking about, you know, getting together, doing a workshop, coming up with a criteria. This is a simple straight out process of each commissioner rotating selecting a business they feel should be recognized. I mean we can make things difficult. We can cross every tea and dot every eye. Some things aren't even necessary. I'm just in my opinion it wouldn't be. We have done it in the past. I'm not saying it's not necessary, but that's what you just said that it wasn't necessary. You just said it.

Okay. Okay. If we have a majority that feel we need a criteria before moving forward for business of the month, we would do that. If the majority feel that that's Commissioner McDonald opinion that we need criterion, nothing wrong with that. I don't have in objection. I know where she coming from because it's a lot of businesses were left out that never got uh chosen as business of the month and they seem like when y'all was picking business of the month, y'all like y'all was just picking your friends. Your friends, right?

I'm just being straight up with you. That's what And that's what And that's why she want a criteria where we can like we know the standards of what you got to do. That's all that's all she asking because when you pick the business of the month, it seemed like everybody was coming up there with their friend. And and other people had businesses that were never getting looked at or chosen, right? That's true. That's that's what she's saying. I know why she's saying that.

Yeah. And I would just say this again, it's your your decision, but I would say as far as the criteria, you know, you can base it on the appearance of the business uh to make sure they have a valid business tax. That should be another one. And then also no leans or fees, you know, against them, you know, being active. So that could be, you know, a couple of Yeah. things you could consider in addition to whatever else you all want to Well, so we had it

for a workshop so we can come up with a criteria. Yeah. Georgia field is needed.

Okay. as far as rotation and would have been a problem just going uh how we're listed as commissioners. It would be the mayor, the vice mayor, commissioner Mike McDonald, Commissioner McFersonson, and Commissioner Scott in that order. I'm fine with that.

All right. You want to take the second one that you want some under the old business status and update of the 2023 24 state audit.

Okay. Yes sir. In reference to the update uh on the audit, um [clears throat] we had two issues we were dealing with on the 24 audit and right now one of the issues have been completed. The HCT um audit um company that did the audit for the city. I'll be meeting with him on Thursday. He um had sent an email stating that they were um it was our local audit with HCT stated that they had completed it. The state had approved everything. And so I'm meeting with him on Thursday because we were going back and forth on him providing the documentation to Mr. Martin prior to him leaving. So I requested a meeting. I'm meeting with him on Thursday to bring those things in so I can you know validate and provide you all that that was done. The second item was with uh Leptton.

Let's go back to the first the stated requesting that information. So, we're going to have to have that in some type of package form that we can submit back to the state. If these say he submitted it and the state saying they had received it. Exactly. And I was going to get to that.

Okay. I called um and I emailed you on it as well, Mayor. I spoke with Miss Katherine Dubose. She's the coordinator of the joint legislative auditing committee. I spoke with her today to let her know what issues we were facing. Um, one was the one I just explained. It's been approved by the state that is complete. I'm meeting with him on Thursday so he can bring those documents to me, put them in my hands because we've been going back and forth. The second issue, um, the auditing company said that wasn't an item that was requested by them. And so they are requesting us pay an additional 995, $9,99, $95 for them to do what is missing. So, our staff is putting out for additional quotes to see if we can get another company come in. But with the coordinator that I spoke with today, she is giving us time until April to get the documents, put everything together, send them the report. So when we get the information on Thursday and the other information done by the additional party that we're looking for, we're going to provide that information in writing to the state in addition to you know you all copy being copied on it.

Can you repeat that amount that um it's going to cost? Yeah, it's leapt time. He's asking for $9,995 to come back and do what needed to be done originally. Okay. I just want to clarify that. And so staff is seeking other vendors to see if we can you know get a better quote to have that done. Who is who is Neptune? I mean that that uh Lepton is the actual actual service company that did the audit. um the other postemployment benefits part of the audit that uh we did local and so that company

so the part that they're requesting deals with that portion of it or because I'm saying we have a um auditor that we hired that we have a contract with and that's the the leptton is the company that we contracted with ACT no ACT did one portion okay ACT did the schedule of expenditures of federal assets. Uh, Leptton did the other postmployment benefits. And so the part that the state is asking for as relates to leptton, they didn't complete it. And so now we get someone to complete that part and then we'll provide it to you all and to the legislature.

Um, Miss Mr. Mayor. Yes. Yes. I I just want to interject here a little bit to say that if these audit services have anything to do with the state audit that we're required to um have an audit committee for and go through a statutory process for, we need to know if if the manager could pass that on to us so that we could review it as legal because she may not be able to take out or segment those ser segregate those services. We just need to know that make sure that there's no overlap in what's required by the state audit statute. Okay.

So, if she could pass that by us and let us review it before she gets I'm I'm not sure about the services exactly that she's talking about. Okay. Also, attorney uh attorney weeks, would that be something that would require the audit selection committee to be involved with? Yes, sir. I believe it would. Okay. So, we're going to have to do a procurement and we that will have to be a procurement process.

It it could it just depends on the specific services and so that's why we won't know that until we be interested in reviewing it first so that we can know whether it overlaps with any of the services that are required for the agreement that we have with HC HCT. Now, We're not paying somebody to do something that we already paid somebody to do is pretty much what you're saying.

Correct. There was one other item that we need to request uh to be completed uh from the state audit committee that we received a letter saying that we was now on a list listing us as a municipality that had findings found three consecutive years and that needed to be addressed. The rationale and the reason behind that and I guess what will be our uh answer to that question. We're on that list and it's about 24 cities. We're not the only city on there about 24 cities on that list. But they are we'll hold up our funding if we don't address that uh those issues there. And ours was like I say it was three finding that occurred on three different artists three consecutive years that we've had to uh

okay I'll research that and okay I'll I'll send the letter back to you again just forward it over so we're looking at the same uh letter it was addressed to the mayor which everything is addressed a a lot of things addressed to the mayor. Even if we get a lawsuit on behalf of the city, it would put Mayor Keith Fab on there. But I was telling you that normally the city manager would address those issues or concern through the audit auditor or whatever. Okay. I'll make sure we got

and I think I have this email here and that's the young lady that I spoke with today in reference to those issues and she said that as long as we provide a response by April 30th right 2026 we will be held up with sanctions. So right I'll give you an update on that.

Okay. Next, we don't have any public hearings and or ordinances. We do have one resolution, resolution 2026-04, city attorney.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Resolution 2026-04, a resolution of the city commission of the city of Pokei, Florida, approving the 2026 calendar year city commission meeting schedule February 1st, 2026 through December 31st, 2026 following considerations of options one, two, and three set forth in exhibit Attached here 2 providing for adoption of representations providing for an effective Thank you, city attorney. City manager, could you give us a brief explanation?

Yes, sir. Um, the city commissioner is required to meet at least once a month pursuant to section 2.088 of the city of Pokis charter in which option number one and option number number two reflect. However, the city commissioner's current practice is to meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in which option number three reflects. At this time there are no known scheduling conflicts. Please note that it may be necessary to cancel certain meetings as schedule conflicts rise. Um there's no budget impact and this is this item has been reviewed for legal sufficiency and any other additional guidance will be deferred to the attorney. Um but what this is is that giving you all the option to choose which schedule you wanted to um do the commission meetings and it's the um schedule is attached to your agenda items. Mayor Bab, I move that we adopt option number three uh and continue with the current schedule that we have in place. Second.

It has been moved by Commissioner Mcdana and probably second by Commissioner Mike Fearson that we adopt option number three. Three, which is our current schedule as we have call for questions.

I have a question. May Bab, on option three, can we um since we have the holiday in November, can we um do one meeting in November, the November 10th meeting, and can we do one meeting in December, the December 8th meeting because the December 22nd meeting is so close to the holiday? Are you asking for that to be an amendment to Commissioner McDonald motion or I'm just trying to

Yes. I was only asking for the amendment because it was so close to the holiday and I think we did it this past year or so and so we didn't have to come back again but it doesn't matter. I was just asking. Are there a second to that amendment to have uh one meeting in November and one meeting in December due to the closeness of the holidays that is next to the second meeting. November. It basically what we did this past year.

I think the second meeting in December was on like the 22nd. We felt that was just too close for Christmas. So we cancelled that particular meeting. The one for November was forgot the conflict on that. But there was some reason we cancel that. We're required to meet twice. I'm g say once a month. Those two months we're just asking for consideration if the commission feels it's fine.

Go ahead. Has been moved by Vice Mayor William and properly second by Commissioner Mike Fear that we have only one meeting for December and November of 2026. Call for questions. Hearing none, are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madame clerk. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams. Yes. Commissioner McFerson. Yes. Commissioner McDonald.

No. Commissioner Scott? No. No. Mayor Bab. No. Yes. Motion passed by majority. 32 vote. So now we go back to the original motion. Huh? Now to the original motion to adopt um option number three with the amendments.

Okay. When you have an amendment, it supersede the original uh motion. We mend it. Commissioner Mcdana made a motion for option three. Commissioner Vice Mayor Williams made an amendment to Commissioner McDonald motion to have those two holidays or those two meetings reduced to one meeting a day one meeting a month after that. So you agreed to the amendment. So it would be proper to go back to the original motion. You have to go back to the original and vote on the original motion

with the amendment. you did agree to amend it to provide for one meeting in November and December. Okay. And we'll move to the original motion of uh Commissioner Mike Donald been properly second uh to have the schedule as presented previously with [clears throat] the amendment to include now the amendment that we only have one meeting in December and one meeting in November. I move that we accept resolution 20264 with the amendment uh stated by

We already have a motion on the floor. We just have to you guys have to vote. Call for question hearing none. Roll call. Madam clerk. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner McFerson. This is with the amendments. Yes. So is there to approve option three with the amendments? Yes. Commissioner McFersonson, yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams, yes. And Mayor Bab,

yes. Motion passed by unanimous vote. We don't have any well on the new business presentation by the city manager of activities of upcoming events if any. The only thing I have is February 1st we were going to have the crime stop crimes stoppers bike ride but due to the weather they're rescheduling and postponing till February the 15th. So um think you were handed flyers in reference to it but it's just the 15th where they'll be coming through um with the bike riders and that's all I have. Okay. I will have my report, the mayor report. I I wrote through the community today, which I do kind of on a regular basis, but it continued to bother me of the condition of our roads and streets, uh especially uh Bacon Point Road. Well, not Bacon Point Road. Uh M Mc M Clarissa.

Yes. Beonia and I think it West Third Street, the one in front of the uh

church. We just need to whether through a workshop or some type of special meeting look at some means of addressing those streets. uh even if it mean borrowing taking out a loan on those particular roads. And then we have Ryen which we conduct our annual parade is a road that badly need a total reconstruction or will at some point it going to be similar to the three roads I mentioned. So I would just ask us to consider doing that as soon as we can to address those issues. Uh also I want to address to the city manager uh and I know and I hope that you would have uh information on all our outstanding projects that we currently have. And I'm going go just go over just a few. Uh Mccclure Road, we have a grant that we received it I think since 2018. The state have extended that at least once or twice. I know at least once. uh and I don't know if you're aware of the definite status of that uh the deadline for the completion that they we we have got this extension on uh what is the uh status as far as the design of that road and does what is their time frame for completing that and when you think we may be able to at least start on that.

Uh, and you're not the only one, and I'm not really pointing at you by any mean. We had two previous city managers, really three that hadn't had that particular role uh complete, the last three. And I just don't want us to get in the position where uh we end up losing by having that money returned. Now the money is not in receipt. We don't have the money. It's not in a bank account. We draw down the money once the uh project has been started

and we pay the vendors by doing it that way. But if we don't begin at some point, just as Martin Luther King uh park money we lost, I'm just fearful that this may happen to uh Mccclure Road project. Also, phase four of our street project, we receive or have been receiving $210,000 a year to do roads. I think for the last three years we had received any new money because we haven't completed phase four. It's four rows on phase four. I don't think we have enough money. I know we don't have enough money to complete all four of the rows, but we got to find a way to at least start and we got to find enough money somewhere

to complete those projects. So we are not in danger of losing just the 210. Anything that we receive from the state if we don't use it at some point we're going to lose it. And that's what I'm fearful of may happen if we don't stay on top of it. We're going to make some have to make some calls and do something. uh even the county I don't know if they can assist in in in our roles even if we pick it back off of uh contractor that they have done uh within the city maybe we can do it that way to expedite the process of uh completing the roads uh and talking about the county I don't know if you've looked and and had some uh contact with them on Facebook and all other places talking about the old bank building. The building next to the bank is an eyesore and not only is a eyesore is a health hazard and that building need to be removed. But we don't own the building. So, we may not be able to even tear it down anyway. Or because it is a health and safety hazard, we may be able to and whatever money we get for demolishing it, whoever the owners is, we can pass that cost to them and at some point if they don't pay, we can end up taking that property to from them at some point. But it's not the only building. We got two I believe that the hills own right on Main Street on on South Lake here that's in bad condition. I don't know if we got homeless of people living on it in it or whatever, but it's just a danger and some of the things I'm just

hoping that we are addressing. I'm not sure because it's none none of it have been directly in in the majority of your reports. So you may be working on it and I'm just not aware that you are but if you're not those are the things some of the things I'm just asking you please look at that and be more active in addressing those uh major concerns that we're having uh within the city. Okay. All right.

Okay. Mayor and and absolutely um all the things that you spoke about I am on um in reference to the dilapidated buildings. We've reached out to the county to look and see ways that we can get those buildings taken care of for the safety of our citizens. So, um we've spoke about funding for those things. So, um we're looking into that and I'll give you all more um of an update, but we are definitely working on that. The other thing is as far as um the Mccclure project, we are having we have better communications. We've opened up communications with those projects and we have plans to start back with the resurfacing. The additional thing is um the $210,000 that we would have lost in reference to the Rotten and Carissa um repaving. We I reached out to FDOT. had conversation with them and we were able to recap that money and what they were saying is that the $210,000 that was approved back in 2019 or whatever it was, it wasn't used. And so now they've agreed to allow us to open it up and use it. However, they're saying that the five roads [applause] the five roads that it was designated for, of course, that 210,000 won't be able to reach do that. So they are allowing us to minimize cut down maybe two or three roads to get it done. So we are going to have that done because they are allowing us to use that money.

And then again we um we have also been speaking with the project manager CD on closing out of Barfield. Um they actually say they have over $66,000 that's owed to us um in reference to that project. So I'll be getting you all the documents on that as well. but definitely working on uh the needs that you mentioned with the city. Thank you. So part of that resurfacing also should include include MLK right off of Barfield. You mean as far as additional funding funding?

Yes. Well, yeah. And of course, you know, any additional things that we need, of course, we have to request funding for. They got spend that money on the roads that it was allocated for then before we can do we can't do anything make sure we spend on those we have to get additional funding

spend that first. Next we'll have the report of the city manager.

Okay. Um as for my report is as I was you know just mentioned to you about the things that I'm working on um we are in communication daily um with you know the people to get these things done. Uh the other thing is um when we talked about the policies and and all those things that need to be done, we are having those prepared and they're ready to go to the attorney for review the policies that we were mentioning about needing to be updated and staff trained on it. So those are done and we'll be send them to Miss Weeks. And then the other thing is in reference to the contracts that we are trying to ensure we know what's active, what's not, what needs to be replaced, um, or cancelled, uh, got with staff. And I'm going to have to identify someone specific because I know you all have been asking, but there um, I spoke with Mrs. Clark. There's no specific staff member who has been a response for that in the past. And so now what I'm doing, I'm ex I'm assigning the executive assistant to take on that task. So that way when you all ask what contracts, what agreements we have, we'll be able to say specifically this one. When is it expired? I'll be able to tell you that. Uh when it needs to be renewed. So those are things that I'm implementing to be able to answer those questions that you all have asked. So, in there working on the things that are needed for the city and um pardon me,

the uh inspector general report that uh the previous city manager was working on, we was giving you the authorization to uh do it by consumption to assist you in it. and you at [music] one point say you would do it internally on your own or through staff or whatever. What's the status of that uh those findings that was addressed? I think to be honest uh Mr. Jackson did address the finding but they wasn't completed. I'll put it that way. Uh for the instant training of staff in certain areas hadn't been done. And I don't know if it's been working on or begin to uh start to doing training for staff in those areas. But my question is where the inspector general response report that probably going to be a followup within six months at some point they'll come out and see what progress we made on those uh corrections.

Okay. And yes, those are being worked on. As a matter of fact, most of those recommendations there the policy updates they are done and what we are doing is send them to the attorney for her review and then we'll bring them to the commission for approval. And once we get the approval then we'll start implementing the training but staff right now being they are being held accountable for you know credit card signing in sign out. But um we are presenting those things to the attorney for her to review and then they'll be coming back to you all once she reviews them for approval.

I have a question. So when you mention the policies um that are being updated,

are those existing policies or are those new policies that are being implemented? Okay, I have my report here. Um, some most of them are older policies that needed to be updated to fit in the OIG's recommendations and then and a couple of them are new policies. So, as I've been in communication with the attorney and we were, you know, speaking about the process. So, we have the um IT policies, human resources policies. I can give you more specifics as far as we are implementing the written process for recording, track and safeguarding and dispose of IT equipment. We did a draft policy created and then we're going to present it to the attorney for review. So there's an entire list of you know and I can make copies for you all and and put in your box but there's a list of the ones that are new need to be you know presented but then most of these are updates that were recommended by the IG.

When when do you project that that list will be available because I'm interested in perusing it um more closely. I can email it to you all tonight because it's ready.

Okay. And um are any of those policies addressing um leave time and um work schedules? The ones that we are currently working on doesn't address those issues. It it addresses travel. Um the lead policy should be already in place and staff if not follow it they will be or they um know to because we've had our meetings but the updates that we're doing you know we have to have the review done but I'll be sending you all this list that I have here and then you also see the ones that need the legal review and and then which ones are already in place that you know we're following.

Yes, ma'am. I want to make sure that I'm clear on this because I know you said projects. So, That's not the contracts, correct? When you were you were talking about the projects a few minutes ago, you talking about the resurfacing projects, correct? Correct. Okay. Um and there [clears throat] are some contracts that are expired. You said uh there are some Yeah, we have some contracts that are have expired. Is there anybody that's responsible for managing those contracts so that we don't have this issue? [clears throat]

I'm just asking because I mean to me that's an issue because if somebody has a contract it needs to be reviewed and renewed if we deem it necessary prior to its expiration. Correct. And what I found several policies or contracts not policies contracts and agreements they have expired. I have requested a list of the contracts. I have too and I request a list of agreements

and there has not been a specific keeper of those records and so I am implementing something so that way we can have a person responsible for that. So, point of order, um, just for correction, there is a keeper of records, but there is no one assigned to tracking when the contracts expire. So, I'm the keeper of the record. So, the city clerk's office keeps the records,

but whenever someone which department presents a contract, they are responsible right now for tracking uh when contracts expire. [snorts] So there's no one assigned right now to there's no contract manager to track dates. So that's what Miss Busy is doing. Do we have a list of the ones that have expired so we can address those and we need to put them out for procurement and make sure I believe Miss Busy she's working on getting a list and she may have received some um contracts that have expired. I know that building planning is on has provided that to her. So once that expired we need to go ahead and it would be departmental

so we can bring those up to date. Um I think they need to come before the commission even if we have to um do whatever we need to do to put them off for procurement and maybe and the language [snorts] of some contracts may have in them that have a option to renew. But we will have to get the contract in order to to know that. And that has been my um my desire. I spoke as as the clerk stated, I spoke with her, you know, to to, you know, try to obtain the list of contracts and agreements so we would know and and as she stated, she keeps their records.

Um, but each department, from what I'm understanding, should know when their contracts are expiring, agreements are expiring, but it's not organized. So, I'm putting that in place. And in addition to that, we have some that have expired and the individuals are still working. And so I have requested had forwarded to the attorney at one point to seek what do we do and so we have to put them out for

and so that's what she instructed me. we need to put them out to you, you know, for procurement because it was it wasn't deemed an emergency in some cases. Well, I have a question. Um, maybe I have the wrong understanding. Um, I thought the manager is responsible because departments don't do procurement for contracts or any of that. I'm thinking that's the job of the manager to make sure all contracts are are kept up with because the manager is the one that's responsible for putting out the procurement and all the services that the city received. So when we're

so when we're saying we don't know who responsible for the contracts um I can't sit here and agree with that. That's the responsibility of the manager to be responsible and know when all contracts are um expiring uh because they want to have to bring it before the commission, draft up whatever need to be drafted up or look over and submit to the attorney and then ensure that it you know it takes place. So I agree with you 100%. cuz I cuz that's why I'm asking that's why I have requested information because I feel like it should be the manager's responsibility but I got you know but you got to first get them. So I agree and that's why I've assigned the executive assistant to the city manager to take on that task so that way she can collect it organize and then I'll be aware and I'll be able to manage it. So I agree with you 100% and that's what I'm trying to do. the

just just a follow up on the uh Marina restaurant. Have you looked at uh contacting Brad Richardson to see how we would proceed as far as putting out an RFP? Do they have any guidance on that or would be totally up to us? Then once it's done, we would then share that information with them for approval. Where are we on that status? Because that's a economic engine that could help the city and the community if we get a provider in there uh running that restaurant. So, have you where are you with that and have you looked into that uh area?

I have not, but allow me to look into it and I'll have a formal response for you once I look into it.

And my other question, our finance director resigned it. Are we going to be advertising for the uh interviewing that position or where you on that? And or do you have someone who's temporarily filling in for the uh finance director? Do you have construction where we are on that? Because finance is one of our biggest uh stumbling blocks we have. The position is being advertised, so it's posted out on the website. And then as far as the filling in, there'll be no interruption in operation because the assistant director, she is able to pick up from where the director was at along with our accounts payable. We also have our consultant that's still doing the same thing. So there'll be no interruption in service.

Okay. And the position is posted as what amount what what it will offer um finance how what 85 85 all I Next, we'll have the report of the city attorney if any. No report this evening. Yes.

I'm sorry.

Yes, Mr. Mayor. Um, just let me say a couple things. I have been given by Miss Busy two things. um they were it was a policy for asset retrieval and I uh wrote her back on that with comments that it needed to come before the commission because I believe it's a part of or should be a part of the personnel manual and you all approved the personnel manual. I've also received a password it um maybe it's a policy or procedure really um and so that was and because it involves um the mentioned city commissioners I responded I I went through it redlinined it um asked certain questions waiting to hear back from the manager but at the end of the day because it involves um the city commission and it has some things that applies to you all I suggest gested that it does come back to the city commission for approval as well. Um, one of the things that I did and I just want to highlight this and outline it for you in a December an email actually it was a memorandum and it was a part of the agenda written on December 5th um dealing with the audit report outstanding manners matters. I took hours to um go through it and and succinctly give you all a clear understanding of what kind of things you need in order to fulfill the audit requirements from a legal perspective. And so I went through it um took a long time. I suggest this item was moved forward because the manager said she was going to address it in house and so it was moved forward very quickly and there was no discussion about it. But I want to bring you all back to it in the event you you're looking for an understanding of what you have to do. So because I took things from both of the reports that you received as audit findings and I listed those specific things that

would have gone into some type of a contract. But since it's going to be done in house um you know you may want to look at it because it does tell you and it spells out so that you all know exactly what kind of things are still outstanding. Uh much of it has to do with financial issues and so you really need to be working with a some financial person. you don't have a finance director, whatever, whoever that assistant is, that person, it would be good to engage that person to try to um hone in on these things that need to be done uh related to um having a policy in place or at least giving the state asurances of what you're doing to adhere to issues such as emergency purchases. the um city manager said that she brought something to me recently um and she did and it and and it had to do with an IT contract and which has expired and I gave her advice on what she should do with that listing um several things in the response to her including taking this out for bid which I believe is required at this point. So, this is still sitting and that's advice that I've been consistently giving um giving. Um, also one of the things had to do with credit card requirements and and oversight of the commission. So, those things need to come back to you. A process for expediting purchases um and payments uh for vendors is one of the findings. um different they also had another um issue that relates to emergency purchases in general and so the city needs to be clear on what it is doing to deal with emergency purchases and how it's going to deal with it. I think some of these things actually set out in the code. Some issues may be issues of just following the code as opposed to creating additional things.

um really you know you have uh specified requirements um in your code. Other things have to do with um accepting payments um dealing with um purchasing capital assets um and a capital asset policy which um I actually sent over an example when Mr. even when Mr. um um the last city manager was there I sent over an example but I've never seen anything come back. Um also things uh dealing with um uh criteria for vendor codes, those kind of things need to be looked at. Um you know there are a number of different issues but again I'd invite you all to take a look at that so that when you speak about these things because again I took hours to you know kind of um make sure that it was very very clear and and all of that. Now, one of the things I want to point out is the city manager mentioned a while ago something about a consultant is looking at something. So I don't know what the consultant is or what that consultant is doing or what contract was related to a consultant but that issue to the extent that there is a consultant that the city manager is working with it needs to come back to the commission for approval [clears throat] because any professional service that you all are um dealing with it has to be something that the commission approves you all know about it certainly you know has to be budgeted for. So, um you know, I I I don't um the the stuff that the uh the manager does bring to my attention, I do respond to. Um but, um you know, the things I don't know, I don't know. But you all at least should be, you know, aware that um you know, the as much of an outline as as we can give as legal, we're we're trying to do that. That's all. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Okay. And um let me make a comment um in reference to the consultant I was mentioned a minute ago is about the financial consultant that's already in position for finance that's been overseeing things you know with Mr. Martin. Um and as as far as the other person that is working with me on the things that Miss Weeks recommended and from the IG report, she is not a consultant. She's a hired individual. She's a strategic planner that I've hired to handle job duties that have been assigned. So, she's the one that's working on the particular policies and information that uh Miss Weekes is referring to and we're getting those things done. But, as far as the um financial statement I made earlier, that was in reference to someone that's already

person that you recently hired in that position. Have we been introduced? You brought it before the commission. No, we will be doing the department uh the staff introduction at the next meeting because we have an exist executive assistant um as well and also the strategic planner and I think you all have met the community and economic development director. So those three vacancies that were vacant when I came on we filled those.

I have a quick question. I don't remember seeing a strategic planner position. Um, so I guess one of my questions is and that was going to be my future agenda item of all the people that have been hired and where do they fall at on our flowchart? I'm just cuz I'm so I don't remember seeing that position as a strategic planner. No, it was the the grant writers position. I changed to strategic planner so they can cover multiple uh job duties because we didn't need a full-time grant writer. And so let me just ask a question. So that does not have to come to the commission because it's not something that we voted on. No, that's the city manager's position. Excuse me. That's the city manager's um opportunity and authority.

So I guess my next question would be and that can be in a future agenda item. So does that excuse me you excuse. Go ahead. Hey those that in the audience please please refrain from speaking if you would. It just helped the commission. So then I guess you will update on us and let us know when we ask about you know if there's a grant right and what do we you know forest grants and things like that. Yes. All right. Yes ma'am.

Okay. Before we move on I do have one other question. Miss B city exit interviews I I don't know if you're aware but those should be provided to the commission. It help us with trends that may be occurring and I understand people do exit and we need to all understand sometime they would point or put fingers at individual because maybe they're upset or whatever we're not looking at that portion of it but overall we need to have those accidental juice. So when any time someone exit our employment please make sure that the commission at least receive copies of it.

Okay. And I have my human resource director here. Um those exit interviews, they are uh done and handled. Um she can explain if necessary how she goes about it with you all. But since I've been here, there's only one person that I'm aware of as exiting. But Miss Miss Prince, would you like to share with the mayor how your system is for your exits? the right person.

As far as the exit interviews, they are conducted when staff um that are exiting um they have the option to complete the exit interview questionnaire. Recently, the only terminated employee was the finance director. He completed his on his last day, but other than that, we have none. And um prior to um the finance director leaving, none of the other employees that exited refused to complete one.

Okay. I thought we had a requirement that before they got their final check that they had to lease, especially those apartment head turning all their city required keys or whatever they have and and and the exit interview, but I just wanted to make sure that the finance director is aware that this commission have I that we receive private and exit interviews. So everyone will be on the same page.

Yes sir. I will make sure you receive what actually all the commissioners receive the X copy. Um as far as D department heads, we've only had one to leave. Um and they are given the option when they leave to complete the form. When they leave, they they say no comment. So, um, unless you want me to continue to forward the ones that have no comment on it, I can do that. Um, as far as when they leaving to receive their equipment, they have to fill out a form that we received all equipment that was issued for and their last paycheck is not direct deposited. They are given a paper check to make sure that we've received all of their equipment required to

thank you. [applause] Okay. Now we'll move to future agenda items of the commission if any and I start with Commissioner Mike Pearson. No, I think you already addressed The only one I had was the concern about the contract, but no, not addressed, but one thing I would like, I'm sorry. Okay, I'm sorry. Go ahead.

I'm done. I'd like to see added and I know that uh at one of our previous meeting we suspended the application process of the for the city manager position. I think I'm going be honest I I I voted for it because it shouldn't be nonending. However, uh we do have an entrance city manager. Uh and we did say that we was looking at having a time frame for hiring a more permanent city manager within 90 days. Uh sometime it takes a lot longer than that. You really it's an almost like an audition. You're studying and you observing your city manager hoping that this person is the right person. But bottom line is I think that application process should be reopened. And I'm the reason why

we only have three applicants and that include the current entrance city manager and I don't think that's enough applicants to really take a look at a good getting a good city manager. Just not enough to me. That's just my personal opinion. And I don't know if people's agree with that or not, but all our previous interviews that we have done for city managers have had high numbers. We've had 15, 20, sometime up to 40 peoples who have applied at least put in applications. All of them didn't meet the qualifications, but we got good numbers this time around. And I'm going be honest. I think a lot of it had to do with, and it's just my opinion, that some folks just felt that we have personally already determined who we want as a city manager.

And regardless who qualified or not, they're not going to get it. And we don't need that. We don't need that type of uh uh image that we're doing it. We need to interview and we need to interview the best person and the most qualified person we can get

and then we select our city manager that way. But to come pre noted that this who we're going to get because they are from Pokei or closely in our community. I mean, if that's that's that if that's your thinking, you need to kind of keep that at least a secret. I'll put it that way. At least quiet. We're not being we're not being fair. We're not being uh upfront with people when we do it that way. And we were not going to get too many people to come back and reapply when we do it that way. We're hurting the future of our process when we do it that way. if we're doing it that way. I'm not saying we are, but if we are, Mr. Scott is shaking his head like, "Yeah, we decided who we're going to have for city manager." I I don't know how we can do that without interviewing. So, my my thing is I would have for future agenda item to have that re not future agenda item, have it reopen, [clears throat] have the process reopen. I have a question, Mayor B. Did you get a list of who the three people are? I know I've asked and I never got them. So, did you get a list of who the three people are?

I didn't The finance director is here. Not finance, but the uh human resource director here. She can probably at least let us know the three people who have currently uh and Mayor B before she comes up. I haven't personally received a request for it, but I did get a public records request for it. And that's I asked for it in a meeting. I asked for them in a meeting and nobody knew. Let her go. She don't recall. She at least let us know now. But you don't mind.

The three applicants were requested through a records request. Um it was forwarded to the city clerk office. Um CCing the mayor. I will make sure you get those three applicants. Um, those three applicants were Miss Buzzy, Bley, Mr. Bley. Bokeley. Yeah. And there was one other person. I can't remember that third person. Okay. You can just It was a guy with a female.

It was a I'm going to make a motion at this time that we o reopen the application process at least for 60 days.

That's your motion. Are there a second? If there's not then it be die for like of a second. I'll second. Okay. It has been moved by the mayor and properly second by the vice mayor that we reopen our application process for our city manager position for a minimum of uh 60 days. Call for questions hearing none. Are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk. Mayor Bab. Yes. Vice Mayor Cowan Williams. Yes. Commissioner McDonald, no. Commissioner McFerson, no. Commissioner Scott, no.

Motion P. Motion is defeated. Mayor Bap, I will forward the applications to the full commission. We still got the interview conference that we do have. We got a Okay, Commissioner Mike, you have any future agenda? Recommend. Um,

no future agenda items. I'll just wait until I can make comments. Actually, [clears throat] on second thought, I want to make a motion that we confirm our current interim city manager. Come on, Sammy [applause] Busy as our permanent city manager. All right, now I second that. It has been move and probably

Mr. Mayor. Yes. Yes. Yes. Sourney. Yes. As you know, this would need to be a future agenda item. So, make it clear that that's what you're doing. Okay. No, it don't. No, it don't. So you'd have to add what you're on right now. That's what she said. That's what she said. Yeah. So I made my motion based on the fact that you just made a motion and now I'm going to be told that I can't make a motion. Friday.

I think the motions I think just for clarification, I think the motion that both of y'all was making was for future agenda items. Yeah. No, no, no, no. That what Keith said, but I thought that what she said was making it for a future. Anytime the motion was for the item portion, that's not the mayor's intent. That should have been. Yes. So that's that's the area that you're on right now. Future agenda item. So anything that you're discussing should be a future agenda item. That's what I thought he was doing.

And the reason you don't you don't make major motions here without it being advertised and acts on the agenda. That's one of the reason cuz people would say, you know, if I knew they was going to discuss that, I would have been here personally. So you you you you're just doing it properly. Y'all already have your mind made up. You have it made up. One or two weeks is not going to kill. You need to stop y'all stuff. Thank you. Now you trying to tell me how to talk. No, I listen. If I was going to do that, I would have been did it. Okay.

You have any other future agent items? Nope. Thank you. Vice Mayor Williams, we gonna vote. I just Oh, yeah. Have to get a second for that. We second it. Is this as a future agenda item? Before we talk,

before we go any further, though, um I don't like passing policies and we don't follow them. We do have a procedure where we said that we were going to interview um that the commission. There's a uh resolution that's in place. Uh I could look up the number for it. And um I don't have a problem with with that. But I think we need to interview everybody before we make that final decision. The ones that have already submitted application. I agree. Am I allowed to ask a question?

Not at not not at this point. Especially dealing with that position. No, I was No, I was Yes, I got to I got to say something. I just listen. I'm just cuz she already that was one of my future general items. But since she already said it, let me just straighten this. There's no way we f to sit up here and act like we got to go through all these procedures to hire somebody when I just sat here watch us do three city managers and never did that. Right. Mhm.

And in the last one, the same thing that you just referred to was in order, was in play, and you didn't do it. And you was the one who made the suggestion that y'all hiring and and you didn't even do nobody else and didn't take it nowhere. You just sat right there and say, "Oh, I suggest I make a motion that we hire Mr. Jackson." But here's you made that in the same in the same thing that you just stated was already in place. But here's the thing. I'm not saying who we going to hire. No, I ain't saying who we going to hire you. I'm just saying the procedure that you just taken, that's what it was. But but now when it's come down to somebody else and I'm I'm just going to address the mayor with this pokey stuff.

I am pro pokei and I'm fake with it and I'm act like I'm I'm not. My thing of it is is like you holding Miss Busty to a different standard than you do everybody else that come through here. And I'm saying I'm watching this every day and I'm not saying here's the thing about I hire Miss Busty today and find her tomorrow. you can't do the job. That's just the kind of person I am. But the thing of fair is fair. Come on, bro. There's no way you going to sit up here and tell me that you can't hire her because there's a procedure. And I just seen you hire Mr. Jackson cuz he sound he sound intelligent and smart. He do. He sure did. He sure did. OH, HE PLAYED THE PART. And that's all he did was play the part cuz he did nothing.

Okay. All right, let's just I'm just call my bad. My Okay, you're right. Well, I'm just going to say this. If we're going to put procedures in place, and I never said who we were going to hire. I ain't say no hiring nobody. I'm just saying to try to adhere to No, the resolutions. You're right. You No, you I know the procedures in there, but I'm saying don't say that we've got to follow them cuz we don't. No. Go. No. That's not what I signed up for, though. All right. I'm sign up. Allow allow me to move ahead forward. Do you have any other future agenda items suggestion you have? We need a lecture.

Um not future agenda, but I I'll address. Well, we got to vote on her item. She want that as agenda item. The it's it's it's either to add it to a future agenda item. We got a vote. Roll call. Melon clerk. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner Scott. Yes. Commissioner McFersonson. Don't let me down, boy.

I'm going to follow the procedure. I think we need to interview the three candidates. We're not advertising. We interviewing Miss Busy for the position. Yes, sir. No. Vice Mayor Cowin Williams. No. Mayor B. No. Motion. I'm just doing what's right. It ain't the trust thing. [clears throat] Mayor. Um my um future agenda item is is that we have a workshop to move forward so we can discuss the process of hiring a permanent city manager and reviewing the applications.

Ma'am, you order thank you. 30 years of nothing bad. Yeah. I'm getting out myself. It's crazy. Thank y'all for me. I cannot grab my hand. [laughter]

My motion was that we have a workshop so we can discuss what the process is going to be for us hiring um a new manager and reviewing the applications. Now I'll move I'll second that. It is a move by the vice mayor and properly second by the mayor that we have a workshop to discuss the process of hiring the city manager. Call for questions. Hearing none. You ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk. Vice Mayor Cowen Williams. Yes. Commissioner I'm sorry. Mayor B. Yes.

Can I amend that motion to put a date on so we can do this like at by the next meeting? I mean I put a date so we can put a date. I just want to amend the motion to put a date on the workshop for the I'm saying for the future on the agenda. Oh, okay. For the future agenda item. Let me look at the calendar. I had on my thing I had um February the 10th for the next um before the next meeting at five o'clock. That would be before the next meeting. At the next meeting, you guys vote on the date hour before, but um Okay. At the meeting, you guys will vote on the date. Right now, it's just we on date at the meeting. Okay.

Yeah, we're just adding it. Okay. Yes. I'm sorry. Commission. Um, Commissioner McDonald, yes. Commissioner McFersonson, yes. Commissioner Scott, no. Motion passed by a majority vote. That was it. Vice Mayor, that was it. Yes, that's all. Commissioner Scott, do you have anything you

Yeah, I need add something to the future agenda item. U I know we already voted to um have um the attorney to um do a letter to for the $3 something million. I'd like to put on future agenda item that we allow the city manager to uh to reach out to a different law firm to uh to go after the $3.7 million cuz I mean earlier you just stated that [clears throat] we need money for road we need to take out a loan. No, we need to go get our money that had been taken

and and it's, you know, we need to go to outside legal to get that done because we I mean it's 9 months and we ain't did nothing inside. So, we probably need to allow the city manager to do a outreach. We already voted that we want it done. So, I think we need to vote to let her go outside the um and get other legal to get it done. What what what what money are you referring to?

The the IG money, the $3.7 million that was uh misappropriate funds. We need I I mean we voted to have that, but nothing, you know, nothing happened. So, I'm just preferring that refer that if we allowed us uh city manager to outcast that service to uh different uh legal Mr. Mayor, you think that?

Yes. Yeah, I just want to correct the record that there was never a vote to authorize me to go after money. what the vote was. A letter was to the state attorney's office to let them know um or to reach out to the state attorney's office to let them know that we were interested in um in pursuing in finding out what where they were with their investigation of uh of prosecuting anybody related to the audit findings. That's what the that's what the um the communication was about. So that happened. You all have all re reviewed that and received that there are different pockets of issues related to when you say just go after the 2.8 or I I don't know what the amount you use. It's not that simple. You had one um some minor amount of money that um um this the that that was related to a a trip or something that Chandler Williamson had which for which the statute of limitations has expired. um you had some other um something dealing with [snorts] um [sighs] uh the marina from years ago for which the statute of limitations has expired. You had um you know little things that you can't even identify as expenditures. So when you say just go after money and you authorize that that wasn't actually what happened. Also, only the city commission can hire an attorney, and that includes any um attorneys that would be doing special counsel work. The city manager can't do that through your own rules, your charter, etc. So, I just want to um you know, not only correct the record, but just put that on the table so that you all are aware. Thank you.

Okay. We wasn't saying for her to hire. I say reach out to a a different law firm. then they can come up and we can vote on whether we want to hire them or not. Um I mean as I recall the IG4 had nothing to do with channel Williams and no credit card. That is not what we was asking since it since you mis uh understood what I was asking. I'm asking for the IG money $3.7 million that was in misappropriate funds and that's what we voted on. But my thing over there is we need to uh we need to outcast this service to a different law firm and see what that attorney say and what we need to do. Give us the proper procedures that we need to follow and not nobody just sit up there and tell us anything. That's right.

What's your I'll make a motion that we allow we allow the city manager to reach out to uh she already told you that. No, no, no, no, no. You missed my point. What I'm saying for her to reach out to attorney to We have to hire him. She can't hire them. Okay. But she can reach out some to come and make a presentation or we can future agenda items. add whether we want to have that brought back for discussions of how we can we already voted that we doing that. She just say we haven't voted. I don't even call voting on it. You going to be called voting on what? That we voted it. Yes, we did. We should seek

She just interpreted [clears throat] what we voted on the way that she wanted seek the $3 million back some kind of way. Bab, you was you and her was the ones that suggested that we go that route. Yes. I just say I don't recall us. Oh, I'm quite sure you don't recall this and she do too. Well, she don't never recall, but I'm just telling you what I'm I what I recall is that we need to cast this to a different law firm and and I'm asking that the city manager just reach out to a different law firm and have them come up and we can vote there whether we want to hire them or not. doing it because basically James, all I'm saying is

if that's the goal is to seek the money. First of all, we need to motion at some point and put it on the agenda. What you're saying is to have our attorney seek that money. If if you don't want to do that, we're paying No, with your attorney. You're paying You're paying attorney a good salary. You have to pay her if she have to do that. That's extra time. And you have to pay her. She already stated that if she do it, you don't have to pay her anyway. So paying her and paying somebody else doesn't matter. The future denied and we'll put it on the agenda. All right. And and get the direction from there. Okay. Okay. And vote on.

Okay. Okay. Motion and second. Call for question. Roll call. Madam clerk. So, um, this is just to allow the manager to seek out. No, it's to bring it for a future gen item for discussion of how we would proceed with attempting to to collect the million dollar.

Clarify your motion. Okay. [clears throat] So, what's the motion again, Mayor B? I need clearly to see how we can recover the $3 million or however much it is.

Is that the motion? Is that your motion, Mr. The mo the motion is to allow the city manager to reach out to a different law firm to bring them in where we can ask that law firm to uh go after the $3 something million misappropriate funds. All we want her to do is go find a law firm and bring them back and then if if we we have she can't harm them. But are we in line with allowing her to go and find someone that's just

she's bringing them here? She just it's just they just come and do a presentation. They they can't we have to put it out for procurement. She can't go find no one. We'll be in trouble for that. You got to go out for procurement. She can't go and start contacting law firms and tell them, "Oh, come to the commission cuz the commissioner want this." There's a process because what if there's someone out there that would have wanted to do the job and she didn't contact them? That's our choice. No, that's No, we have to follow that. Okay. All right. Okay. I'm not going for it. Go ahead. I'm not going for it, but go ahead. I'm telling you sound like baloney. That's what it sound like. But she can't just go and find um I just have she I call the law firm and they can come up present. We have

add that to the workshop. Add that to the workshop. I don't think Okay. All right. Yo. All right. Okay. Don't worry about this. Clarification is needed. I understand. Yeah. You need And we have general public comments city. I'm sorry. So where you rescended your motion? Nope. Okay. It's the audio. Okay. So I still needed clarity on what the motion was. You saying that the motion is given the So it's a future agenda item to go out and reach out to um

future agenda. We broke one. She can put in she's not able toend. We never Okay, now she ain't going to do it now. So, could it be future agenda item discussion? Discussion to allow. Would that [clears throat] work to allow what? What's the clear motion? Um, Nine. Um, so from what I'm seeing, discussion to allow the city manager to reach out to different law firms to bring them. No, we're not adding that part. Just the discussion. C can I can I make a suggestion? Yes. Since Mr. Mayor, can I make a suggestion? Yes, ma'am. Yes. It appears that it's unclear. Yes.

Um what the issues are that you would even have a law firm provide in terms of uh you know suing, right? And so maybe I can outline that for you and then you can then go from there. Because to say that you're just going to have Miss Busy reach out to lawyers to ask them to come and talk to you about stuff that you don't even know whether it's, you know, it's even viable or not. It doesn't even make sense. So, if you allow me to maybe outline or help you outline the issues and then you'll have something that you could um you could do if you wanted to engage special counsel with uh because it again what I tried to imply earlier is that the things that you're talking about many of those things are not um are moot, right? It's it's the standard stuff that the state will put in reports and say, "Oh, pursue this." But then knowing full well there is no way you can actually do that because you don't have a legal basis to do it. So before you pay lawyers uh a bunch of money to go after something that is not even a viable claim, let me at least outline it for you and then you can make a more reasonable decision from there.

Okay. [snorts]

That that would be fine. and a city attorney. We would we would use that route. Thank you. You so you making that we don't vote on that. You just make that decision. That's what I'm asking cuz I totally disagree.

See like we'll bring it back for discussion. The motion will be to to bring to add to future agenda the use of outside attorney for a possible lawsuit. No, let him make his motion. Can't make Let him we all it's going to be is brought back on the agenda item. Okay.

May I ask a question, Mayor Bab? Um, we've listened to what the attorney said, so I guess so that we can vote cuz we don't want anyone to seem like that their future agenda item is not of importance and we want all of us to be heard. So, I guess can we vote it up or vote it down and vote on what? Um, yeah, I think we got Commissioner Scott is one. Yes, we have a second. Okay. And so, the motion is to have the city manager to reach out to You keep adding something that even the attorney can't put it. Well, that's what I was saying. We can vote it up or vote it down because that's what he's saying that he want voted on. Is that what you're saying you want?

No, he said got to come back in the future. You got to come on the agenda for us to vote for that. We can't go that stage that step yet. We have to vote to have it put on the agenda to vote for that the next to pursue litigation. Yeah. Yeah. But but I understand that. But I'm just saying that's not what I'm saying. He But he's just saying we can't do it right now. We have to put it on agenda item. Yeah. Go ahead. That's the the item. Yeah. [clears throat] So for the sake of the minutes, I need clarification. So are we writing is the motion discussion of

discussion in what he stated? So discussion of because I I need this clarified for the minutes. We want to discuss [snorts] means of outside legal.

The steps needed to pursue litigation regarding the funds that have been misappropriated. Second call. Call for questions. Hearing none. Are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk. Commissioner Scott? Yes. Commissioner McFersonson? Yes. Commissioner McDonald? Yes. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams? Yes. Mayor Bab. Yes. Okay, now we'll move to general public comments. City

clerk, do we have any public comments card completed? Yes sir, we have two. The first one is Mrs. uh Jamie Thomas Atkins. Hello everybody. Hello. Nothing nothing really important. Um Jamie Thomas at 297 Beonia Drive, Pokei, 33476 Florida. Just something I I'm just taking notes while you all was talking. We had three city managers here that haven't did anything.

There's no way this city should be looking the way is looking now. The roads I'm talking about. I'm focused on the roads right now. We had money that was given to city of Pokei and it wasn't used. Who was watching him? Who was managing them?

Contract. It's responsibility of the city manager to know the contract. We had Mr. Jackson, whoever else, I don't know who the people are, Lucas or whoever was here. Did they keep up with the dates? Don't really know. I'm trying to be um calm with this cuz I'm picking the bike off of when I'm picking it off of something. When somebody came to in my yard

talking about who should be the city manager, I wasn't going to get up and say anything. If I know that individual was in my yard talking about who should be the city manager, I would address that person professionally. No threats because that person was that mean my sister was the in city manager. That's where she is now. You came in my yard talking about who should be the city manager but my husband took care of that. He took care of probably I would have don't come in my yard. Please don't. Okay. Talking about my family. Okay.

Very sensitive subject. But I'm I'm always going to be professional because of what I do. I'm always going to be professional because I don't want to be locked up. I'm always going to be be professional. I'm a married woman, grandmother, and um mother. But I'm sitting here looking at we cannot agree on hiring someone from the city of Fokei who has done more things within the the 90 days that she been here than those three people that was voted on right here.

But now all of a sudden don't want to vote for Miss Busty. I'mma [applause] say it. I'm team busting. I I don't care what the guy name Mike Steel, Lenel Bruce. They can say what they want to say cuz when I get on this podium, I'm going stand firm. I'm going respect that. I'm respect that. But um Miss Busty, keep your hands up. Commissioners, keep your hands up. Instead of us fighting against each other, all of us from Hokei, we should be trying to work together. That's it. [applause] The last comment is from Miss Cynthia Mitchell.

Good evening everyone.

The city of Poke mayor B. You all should be ashamed of yourself. You've been up there 400 years and haven't did four things. We have a lady from Pokei and y'all against everything she tried to do to make Pokei better. You all not going to do it. Keep already know about you. She wasn't your first, she weren't your second. And she wasn't your third.

And that's fine. You would never have vote for me. I never voted for you. If you ride down on these roads in Pokei, if you all ride down the road on Pokei, stop hiding and get out and work with Miss Busy so WE CAN MAKE POKEI LOOK LIKE POKEI USED TO BE. WHY Y'ALL UP HERE THROWING THOSE ROCKS? EVERY TIME YOU ALL THROW A ROCK AT HER, EVERY TIME YOU ALL THROW A ROCK AT MISS BUS AND GOD THROW ONE BACK AT YOU. talking about a intern or city manager. She need TO BE THE CITY MANAGER. We need work done. WORK NEED TO BE DONE IN POKEI. WELL, DON'T look at me like that. WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE IN POKE. I'M TALKING ABOUT some serious work need to be done. And y'all sitting up there like y'all are that and you're not. WORK WITH ME. BUST. SHE NOT HARD TO WORK WITH. And you all KNOW YOU DON'T NEED NO another city manager or intern city manager to come up in here. We already have one. She know better than anyone. And you all want to h say s we already know what you want. You already don't see it. You want some a white person to be the city manager. So you continue to do the stealing. That's not happening anymore. You all are on watch.

I don't steal now.

When you stop BUT YOU ALL NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER up there. bad saying my feel I'm kind OF SHAKY ABOUT YOU. YOU ALL NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER SO WE CAN GET back on track. Well, it's terrible. I just spent $2,300 to get my car fix because of the roads. The roads and you all sitting up there like this a game. This is not a game. When the state or the county come in HERE AND TAKE IT OVER, then what? And the attorney, she need to be gone like yesterday. And if she want to say something, she don't need to wait till I sit down. She need to do it now.

Cuz she wait sit down to say something. I'm going to yell out. Y'all get up and get ready to get me out. BUT YOU ALL, YOU ALL NEED TO STOP THIS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. NOW, can you bring you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You need to be up under the desk. See talking about care and all that foolishness. Stop looking at me sex. I told I got a hood. Are there any additional comments? Clark completed. Miss. No sir.

Thank you ma'am. Next we'll have the comments concerns for the good of the order of the commission. And I start with uh Commissioner Mike Fearson. Just want to let everybody know I love you. Ain't nothing you can do about it. Yes.

Commissioner Mike McDonald. I want to revisit um a question that was asked of the commission uh December 9th uh regarding the letter that was uh generated uh with regards to the outcome of the um investigation that was conducted at the county level. Um when I was asked um I was caught a little bit off guard but um I said no. I had not received the letter. And just for the record, I want everybody to know that I received the letter and so did everybody else up here. Um, everybody up up here received the letter. So, just to clear that up cuz I'm going to speak the truth.

You speaking for everybody? Everybody received the letter. So, you speaking for everybody. Everybody received the letter. Okay. So um just so you all know uh it was sent to your email whether you read it or not. Um regarding that but any efforts of progress for hokei um anybody that know me y'all know I'm play about stuff. All right I'mma keep it real and if you wrong I'mma tell you wrong. If I got to tell on myself I'mma tell the truth. Mhm.

So, I just want everybody to know that I don't have a hidden agenda here and I know that individuals have approached our interim city manager and commended her on the work that she has done in the hundred and whatever many days that she's been in place. And so if you here for the best interest of this city, let's all get on the same page and do what we need to do to progress for Hokei.

Now it it's it's real easy to criticize and to throw rocks, but the invitation is there for anybody who's interested to step up and help us take this city forward. That's what I care about. Um, I wasn't born here, but I I grew up here, and I would love to see this place return to the thriving place that it was when I was growing up as a child. Um, I have a lot of pride about where I live. I could have been anywhere on God's green earth, but I chose to stay here in Pokei. And now that I'm a part of this commission, uh if you are not going to um help, then I'm certainly not going to stand by and let you hinder the progress that can be made here.

Okay? So, let's all get on board and do what we got to do. Uh whatever your feelings are personally, put your personal feelings aside because it's not anything personal where I'm concerned. I'm about getting business done. And if you want to help, cool. If not, get out of my way. [applause]

I just want to say um good evening to everyone that's present and everyone that's online. I want to say thank you for attending the meeting and have a good night. as well. Oh man, after you get done, I just want

I say happy new year to everyone. But listen, I'm I mean I I just got to say this. When it come down to Pokei, when I came to Pokei and what end of 79 80 pokey got some special peoples in it and I used to tell my friends back in Lake Wales, why you staying pokey? I say there's some special peoples in poker, you know. And I and I kept hanging around and I got to know all the kids and the families and I got to know Miss Busy, Miss Busy family. I I really never knew Miss Busy. I just knew who she was. I never knew her, but I I knew her family and her nephews and nieces cuz I coached all of them. And I'm like, some special people. And I keep trying and I'm trying to figure out why is it so hard to see what I see because I never thought of her being no city manager. I it never crossed my mind until she interviewed that day standing up there. I said, "Oh, she's sharper than what I thought she was. I didn't even know the lady like that." [clears throat] Yes. I'm I mean I mean coming from Pokei, I'm always going to give you the benefit of the doubt cuz I'm tired of hearing people from Pokei can't do this and they can't do that. I said that's crazy.

And my thing of it, I know that Miss Busy is doing this job from her heart. She ain't doing it just for no income. She ain't taking the money running to the next city to spend it. She putting it all back into pokey and she putting her heart and and I can tell now she done sat up there and ran off 20 things that she working on. If we' done asked any other city manager that we wouldn't have got one answer, we would have got a bunch of I get back with you or I put it on that but the lady straight stand up there giving you straight answer. I'm like what is it going to take for you? What what else y'all want to see? What y'all want? No, they would have called somebody else up there to

Oh yeah. Yeah. I'm just still saying that too. Oh, so and so come up here and explain this cuz I can't answer. No, she straight red random off to like what is it else do you want from her? That's all I'm asking because she don't showed me enough today and before that listen this your job and you should have it. If they don't give you this job is personal. Trust me, it ain't because you can't do it. [applause] Yeah. Commission.

Yes. I just want to clear something. The resolution that I have made reference to is resolution 2024-32 that this commission I think it was prior to Mr. Scott and Miss um McDonald got on it, but I'm going read the resolution just for clarity of the record. Resolution 2024-32 resolution of the city of commission of the city of poet Florida requires public interviews and presentation of credentials for the position of city manager, city attorney and city clerk provided for adoption and this was approved by the commission uh approved by unanimously. Uh motion made by McFersonson, second by Commissioner Balden, uh voted uh yay by Mayor Bab, Commissioner Mvin, and Commissioner Cowan Williams. And I just believe in following the procedures that we put in place. And that's not what I'm up here for. I'm not saying who I'm going to get a job to, but I still think that we need to go through the interview process. And I'm going stand on that. Following the procedure. Heaven.

I know I already had my say, but can I revisit something? Well, not revisit. Can I just bring something up? Um, I saw this email from um Rob Beasley regarding a United Negro College Fund and he was asking that we consider a partnership. Um, I got it. Do I need to um am I out of line or can I add this as a future agenda item? I know that part of the meeting is gone. You can add it.

I move that we add as a future agenda item um consideration for the a partnership with the United Negro College Fund. Second. Moved and second. Call for question. Hearing none. Are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner McFersonson. Yes. Commissioner Scott. Yes. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams. Yes. Mayor Battle. Yes. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Having all business taken care of that brought before us. I entertain a motion for the adjournment of the meeting. May I move that we adjourn the meeting? Second.

It moved and second. off question hearing none. Roll call. Vice Mayor Calvin Williams. Yes. Commissioner McFerson, yes. Commissioner McDonald, yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Mayor Bab, yes. Motion to journ:4 p.m. Commissioner McDonald, can you forward the letter?